Me and AJ

The other day I had a lengthy conversation with my son, AJ.
AJ is my oldest biological child.  I adopted 2 children from Egypt before I married my husband. 
AJ has had some issues, a lot of which are my doing, because when I had him I wasn't at all ready to be a mom.  And I froze.  I had no clue what to do.  Thankfully, Andy is a far better father than I ever was as a mother. 
But I digress.
The reason I had this conversation in the first place was because I'd heard some interesting things about his involvement with a certain princess.
A quick recap:  Prince Consort Renauld, Queen Catarina's husband and the father of her twin daughters, died suddenly of a massive heart attack while he was getting dressed.  Somehow AJ ended up at the palace during his funeral dinner. When AJ was there, he met a girl who called herself Alex.  Later I found out that Alex was actually Princess Alexandra Vanderburg, one of the twin daughters of Queen Catarina and Prince Renauld.
Alexandra had enlisted in the military reserves and enrolled in the royal flight academy to undergo flight training. 
I found out later that Alexandra was in AJ's regiment and his class at the flight academy.  I've also found out that they're spending a lot of time together, both in training and doing outside activities.  I've found out that she's invited him to the castle on multiple occasions. 
Hence, my reason (or one of them) for our talk that evening.
"AJ, do you take your medicine every morning?"  AJ has to take a prescribed elixir to regulate his moods every morning before going to work.  It was given to him at the hospital.
"Yes, mom," he replied between bites of homemade spaghetti.
"AJ -- I know about Alexandra.  You like her, don't you?"

"Mom!"
"AJ, it's not a crime if you like her. It's just that -- you know, she's a member of the royal family.  Just be careful, that's all."
"Mom, we're just associates.  We have to work together."
"AJ, she took you to her favorite hangout spot up in the mountains."
AJ's eyes widened.  "Mom, how'd you know THAT???"
I smiled.  "A mother knows these things, son." 

After I pressed him a bit, he admitted his mountain trip with Alexandra did in fact happen.

"It was a training exercise, we were doing a run to increase stamina.  She decided to take a detour.
"Come on, I've got a place I want to show you."
"Are you sure it's okay?" I asked.
"Sure," she said, and she kept running while I was huffing and puffing behind her. 

"My dad used to take me here all the time to go fishing and camping and whatever.  I often came here on my own whenever I had an argument with my mom."
"What happened to him?"
"He passed away in October.  I still miss him like crazy."

"Alex!" I called.  "Alex, this is crazy!"
"Come on, valley boy," she teased, "tired already?  Us mountain folk, we're used to climbing and such."
When I finally reached the top, I collapsed.  She stood over me, fanning me with the vest she took off, and I woke up a few moments later. 
"When I'm done with you, you're going to be a better climber than me." 

When AJ finished telling his story, I couldn't do anything but laugh, for they sounded exactly like his father and me.  Except I was the polished suburban slicker and HE was the outdoorsy fisherman.  Trying to climb hills in heels... well, let's just say... I got a few blisters from all that. 
I took in a few more bites of spaghetti.  "Did I ever tell you how on our first date, your father took me to Crystal Springs, his favorite fishing spot up near the stadium here?"
He shook his head no.
"I told him that I'd never been there before, and I hadn't even though I grew up here.  Now, I know Alexandra took you to that fishing spot up there in the mountains, and the two of you went fishing together.  Tell me honestly, AJ, are you attracted to her?"
"We're just friends.  Our birthday is the same, almost, she has the same favorite color and she likes the same things I do."
"AJ, I have no problems with you being friends with her, I like the idea that you are making friends.  I just, you know, want you to be careful." 
I kind of think Alexandra wants to be more than friends... but I couldn't tell AJ that just yet. 

I have to admit that I'm tickled to death at the irony. My son was a juvenile delinquent, sentenced to Fort Starch Military Academy, and now he's hanging out with a princess.
My baby, you know, he's all grown up now... how time flies. 

My two Simoleons

Just like I predicted, the queen was pissed that Alexandra joined the army. 

In fact, she's so upset now that she's given her and her twin sister an ultimatum.  They have to get married in two simweeks or forfeit their inheritance.

Seriously?  Are you kidding?

What century is this?  I know my latest book takes place mostly in the twelfth century but this isn't it.  Marriage ultimatums?  Really?   Even Alys de Montfort managed to dodge one of those.  And that was in the twelfth century. 

Personally, if it were my daughter, I'd be proud of her.  And support her.

Then I hear the other daughter, Anastasia, designed and is building the family funeral crypt, and the queen is upset about that, too. 

If she's building a cemetery, more power to her.  The Sim world needs more good architects.

Like I told AJ when he enlisted, I was going to support him in whatever he decides to do.  Even if I don't like it myself.  Even if I worry myself sick if he's going to come home again.

Speaking of which, he's been deployed now, to the foot of the mountain where there was a minor earthquake.  *sigh*  Such a big boy now, my son.  I don't have to hold his hand anymore to cross the street.   I still worry myself sick about him though.  I suppose that's natural, as he's my son, my first-born.  The fact that he's in the same regiment as Alex doesn't help either.

And I support Sety and Satis even though I don't like the fact that they're back in Egypt, back in a war zone.  Satis has written me and told me she is doing important diplomatic work there.  I hope they are safe.  I love them and miss them bunches. 

I'm hoping they come back home for Christmas.  We're making big plans for a Plumb family reunion in the Valley.  I have written them about the reunion. 

My current research is into a possible genetic link between Queen Catarina and Alys de Montfort, through Queen Catarina's mother, Queen Eloise.

I have great respect for the work Catarina Vanderburg has done as Queen of Hidden Springs.  She's done it for many years and she's done a great job of it. 

But I have to say it, I think she's a horrible mother.

Start with her son, Crown Prince Sebastian. She arranged a ball for him to find a bride there.  Granted, the bride he chose there is the new crown princess, Ella Carlisle, and she's everything the crown could possibly want -- but still, I don't think that was the way to go about that.

And her daughter -- where do I begin about Princess Francisca? 

Francisca wanted to travel and write, and her mother went ape, and wanted her to get married, and she disappeared and didn't return for many years, until, according to the gossips, Ella had been secretly talking to her, and she and the Prince are trying to negotiate a peace between her and the palace.

Even I know, in the issues I had with my own mom about wanting to travel and write while she wanted me in a nice, safe society lifestyle, that eventually the will is going to win out. 

But, in my opinion, she's failed the twins worst of all. 

Most psychologists (including Dr. Bill himself, who told me this in my dealings with Sage) say that the most powerful role-model in a child's life is the same-sex parent. 

I had to change what I was doing, in order to get closer to my daughters.  I rearranged my work schedule, and did whatever I needed to do so that I could have a better relationship with them.  It's not perfect but it is a work in progress.

These girls' mother absolutely failed them.  When they needed their mommy, she wasn't there.

 

I first encountered the little girls when my husband and I first moved to Hidden Springs.  I'd been an invited guest of the queen at the girls' teen birthday party.  I thought, you know, that they were a couple of little spoiled brats. 

She sent them away to Smuggsworth finishing school in order for them to become proper princesses. 

And I've heard that they wrote letters to her, constantly, begging for her to come and get them.  Personally, if they were my daughters, I'm on the first train smoking to bring them home and give them a big bear hug. 

So, my daughters are hooked on their TV show, Vanderburg Squared, and of course my son kind of stumbled into a bit part in it by going on an outing with one of the stars (lol) and winding up in a movie theater and in a rock climbing contest (he won yay)... apparently he is friends with her (only, thank the Goddess!)  and they're fellow cadets at the military academy so they'd have to work together.

I've heard that the Crown Prince has banned the show's cameras from the academy so that's a good thing.  He said he didn't want to compromise the privacy of the other cadets. 

The last episode I caught, the queen had just made the ultimatum and the girls had decided they were going to throw a costume ball. 

I don't watch the show regularly.  And I won't start now.  Even on my packed schedule.