Chapter Nine - Walk Like an Egyptian

It was another day at number two, Kat Road. The house was coming along nicely, although Tamsin had been a bit reckless in her spending. She and Moon were getting along well, and had spent several afternoons building a tree fort out back. Moon insisted on sleeping up there most nights.

Tamsin becomes an Adult

And doesn't look thrilled about it...

With all the inventing she had been doing, Tamsin wanted to get out of the house. She wasn't having a full-blown mid-life crisis, but she wanted to do something big. She looked at her bank account. There was more than enough to take both she and Moonlight overseas somewhere. That sounded brilliant, but Moon threw a tantrum at the idea of leaving Leafie behind.

Tamsin was a bit bothered, but she was eccentric herself enough to roll with Moon's little quirks. She booked only one ticket, and asked Cory to babysit for the weekdays she was away.

Al Simhara

Tamsin arrived completely unprepared in terms of her clothing. The heat was sweltering and she still had her cardigan on. She visited the local markets, buying some gifts for Moon and Cory respectively, then she dashed into the bathrooms to change.

There were so many quaint things about this place. The rustic grittiness of it seemed very romantic. She loved the sunshine, and the open landscape. Somehow, she thought it would better if people back home returned to such simple ways of living.

Riverblossom Hills

At home, Moonlight endured her first day of school without her mother around. Thankfully Cory also went to the same school, and helped her through the day.

Al Simhara

Tasmin was enthralled by the bright children's park on the waterfront near Al Simhara. She had spent a good portion of the day relaxing there. It was ridiculously hot. She had noticed a handsome Al Simharan man watching her off and on while she had been there. She'd returned his glances, but only inquisitively. Eventually he approached her.

She quickly discovered that he was very, very charming.

Her new love interest's name was Youssef. He had grown up in Al Simhara, and loved to cook. He spent a lot of time talking about food. She wanted to impress him, so after he had gone home she tried, under cover of darkness, to cook something delicious, vegetarian, and organic. "Perhaps I should try this again when I can see what I'm doing", she said to herself when she was finished.

That night, before going to bed, she mad a long distance call to check up on Moonlight. She was well. Mostly she talked about her doll.

The next morning was beautiful. Tamsin had set up a date with Youssef, and she had a quick breakfast in town to psych herself up for it.

The date went well.

Youssef invited Tamsin to come back to his place. This visit was an education. She realised very quickly that Youssef was very poor. His house had mud walls, and his furnishings were shot. The pair spent all evening talking about their lives. Youssef was very keen on art, and he loved to flirt, which Tamsin found invigorating.

That evening she cooked him a meal. It was a complete success. She felt so refreshed for this new, passionate affair. She didn't think about the past, she didn't think about the future. They just enjoyed each other's company.

Early that morning she kissed a sleeping Youssef goodbye, scoffed the leftovers of the meal she had cooked, then rushed out to catch her flight.

Riverblossom Hills

Moonlight was extremely pleased with her gift. An expensive camera! Cory, however, was surprisingly ungrateful for hers. Tamsin had not realised the girl could be such a snob.

Tamsin read Moonlight a bedtime story. For all the wonder of her trip to Al Simhara, it felt good to be living her simple, natural life again.

And she was glad for the sweet memories Youssef had given her.

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Challenge Notes

Finally! Tamsin is pregnant with the heir. I'm so excited, I'll roll for the next generation as soon as the heir is born. This whole chapter was formed around a bloody great big misclick. I meant to send BOTH Tamsin and Moonlight to Al Simhara as a mother-daughter bonding session. But I forgot to add Moonlight to the party who were going, and so Tamsin went off herself and I had to retcon the whole intention for going. :P

I loved the old Egyptian man with a cane. I was also really pleased to see my XML mod for the WA worlds is working properly. I modded the world files so that all the Sims in them have flavour text, as God intended. In France there are even three celebrities. One of the ghosts is a tribute to Jim Morrison of The Doors (who is buried in Paris) so it just made sense that his ghost should be famous. Seeing as they're working, I might share the XMLs on MTS at some point in the future.

Moonlight having the camera really fascinates me, because she can take photos of her "imaginary" friend. I don't know how that will play into my imaginings!

Chapter Four - Plans Aborted

She had held out until she was certain, but now Tamsin knew she was pregnant. She booked an emergency appointment with an intern at the hospital, Dr Ropata. "Calm down", she told herself, "This happens to lots of young women. It's easily fixed." As she opened her door the mailman saw her, dropped his delivery quickly in the box, and sprinted down the hill away from her. She liked him less and less and less each day.

Dr Ropata introduced himself. He was from Niua Simoa, but had moved here for the much better pay and conditions. Apparently doctors didn't like to stick around in the islands, and there was a shortage of medical professionals throughout the Pasimfic. He even apologised for leaving, but explained he had a family to feed. Tamsin, being only interested in eco-politics, smiled and nodded. She wasn't even sure where Niua Simoa was.

"Basically", she said to summon her courage, "I'm pregnant and I need an abortion."

"The father isn't in the picture", she lied. She didn't want Perseus to ever know, if possible. She needed this to be private.

"I'm not in any state to start a family. I have a tiny income. I literally don't have a roof over my head. I live this crazy, impoverished, free-wheeling life, and kids can't fit into it. They just can't right now. Maybe one day in the future, but this one needs to stop before it's anything more than a tiny, mindless cluster of pixels in my womb."

She felt exhausted, having said it. She was a modern girl, with a modern understanding of her body. She hadn't ever expected it to be so difficult. She had always imagined, if she'd needed an abortion, it would be easy. The reality was, now, that she spoke with confused, mixed feelings - certain of what she had to do, but also hurt and afraid of what it meant. There were, after all, risks.

Ropata looked at Tamsin with sympathy and concern. "Do you know anything about abortion law in Sim Nation?", he asked.

- "No."

- "The problem is, abortion hasn't been legal here for several decades now. There isn't anything I can do, as a doctor, except advise you to seek financial support."

- "You don't understand", said Tamsin, "I literally cannot afford this baby."

- "Can you talk to the father about a child support plan?", Ropata persisted.

- "He's not in the picture", she repeated.

- "I do sympathise", said Ropata, "This law is rather draconian. As of two years ago, a woman can't even board a plane from Sim Nation to another country while pregnant, in case she tries to get an abortion overseas."

Ropata grew more animated as he spoke.

- "It's been this way ever since President Alto's cronies took power. I tell you, Supreme Court Justice Crumplebottom is a law unto herself! She outlawed nipples! Nipples! Haven't you ever wondered where they went?", he was beside himself with anger. "It's no bloody wonder nobody breast feeds anymore!"

Tamsin sat throughout his political speech as if she had been slapped. She had simply assumed all her reproductive rights were intact. She didn't care much for politics. She couldn't believe how uninformed she was, for a start. She was also frustrated by the way a man - doctor or not - kept saying he sympathised. Maybe, but he certainly could not empathise. Could he really contemplate the situation she was in right now. Suddenly, she snapped, interrupting his tirade

- "I don't care!", she yelled, "Just tell me what I can do! Isn't there something I can do to stop this pregnancy going ahead? Can't you help me privately, without anyone knowing?"

- "I've told you", said Ropata in his best soothing voice, "I sympathise. But there is nothing I can do that won't put me at risk of jail time, and my family in jeopardy of being deported."

Tamsin left the hospital feeling like she had been physically beaten. She felt sick. Her arms ached. She couldn't begin to describe how numb she was, looking up and down the main street as she mounted her bike. She might have to stop riding her bike as she got bigger... That would be the least of the changes she would face. She felt old. Entering the doctor's office she had felt too young to have children. Now she felt too old.

That night she did the only thing left to do. She called Perseus, told him the truth, and asked him to help her raise the child. He came across as cold. Mid-negotiations he lowered his voice, and insisted that she do something very dangerous to herself in hopes of bringing about a miscarriage.

She hung up the phone without letting him finish his proposal.

She hoped never to see or hear from him again.

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Challenge Notes

Depressing, much? I had fun with this, thinking about reproductive issues in The Sims 3 off the back of a twitter conversation with TheSim3Gamer's Amy Tucker. It all fits the story perfectly, and makes it somewhat plausible that an edgy young thing like Tamsin can't have an abortion, as she would if she were a real person in a developed nation. I didn't want to make Perseus into such a bad guy, but the story pushed me that way, so I did. A shame, because I like the guy. It's interesting, when I invent the Sims for neighbourhoods I try to be very vague, because the Sims are only springboards for other people to tell stories. Too much of "me" in them, and they become restrictive. Legacy play invites me to add much more depth to the characters, it's not something that's ever happened to me while playing The Sims 3 before, this level of emotional investment.

At any rate, the challenge is moving forward well. Tamsin is now stuck being a single parent. Her inventing skill is climbing. She needs to change her wardrobe the moment the pregnancy is done, though, or she misses out of her Fashion Diva requirement. Looking forward to rolling for Gen Two.

Chapter Three - Sick

Tamsin finally did away with taxis and bought a bike. She always felt so guilty, using all that fuel. Bikes are better. It's the best thing she's done in a long time. She has been riding all around the countryside over the weekend, and now she's riding to meet Perseus. That was the other big step she took. She called Perseus, and over the phone she seduced him. She's cycling to meet him for a date. She's made it pretty clear that she wants to take him home tonight. Why, after all, should this woman Pauline have all the fun?

So how does the date go, then?

It was fantastic! Tamsin didn't even need to take him home, she got what she wanted in Cog's elevator. It was quite a rush, it almost made her feel like a daredevil! They had some cheese platter. They kissed goodnight. They went their separate ways. "Free", she thought. Since moving to the countryside it had become her greatest, most unfortunate cliche: "Freedom."

With the dawn, though, something wasn't right. Tamsin kept puking. Her stomach heaves. Bad cheese, last night? As she got to breakfast, the vomiting subsided. She got back to inventing.

Later in the day, while cleaning, it dawned on Tamsin that perhaps she should see a doctor. Quickly. Because it could be...

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Challenge Notes

It's fairly clear what is happening here. So Perseus became the father after all. It made sense, they were best friends, there were no other men on the horizon. And, well... ...he was good for it, to put it crudely. The date was really fun.