Satis's First Child

 On top of the shock of losing my father, Satis dropped another bombshell on me. 

The other night at the funeral dinner, while she was consoling me, she told me she was pregnant.  "Mom -- Mom, I'm really sorry," Satis sniffed.  "I'm sorry this had to happen this way.  I know it's not appropriate considering the situation, but the child is almost due, and I thought you needed to know."
I heaved a deep sigh and buried my face in my hands.
"I apologize for not telling you sooner.  I know you were busy with Grandpa and dealing with Sierra's issues -"
I shrugged.  Speaking through muffled tears, I muttered, "Why, Satis?  Why?"
Satis shook her head.  "It - it just happened.  It - it was my first time.  It was after finals and -"
"Who's the father?"
"Joshua Davidson.  He works for the fire department."
I repeated his name in my head.  I didn't know him, nor did his name ring any bells.  "He must be new in town."
"Mom, don't start.  Really.  My baby is due in a couple of simdays.  I thought you'd be happy for me, but I guess under the circumstances I suppose I expected a little too much."

I knew the other night that she seemed bigger around the stomach area, but I just assumed she had gained weight.  Now I know. 

So, a couple of days ago, mom had invited us all for afternoon tea and music at her place.  She's not doing too well either but she's trying to keep her mind off of missing Dad. 

While mom played her renditions of some of dad's favorite numbers...

 

Sierra and I couldn't help but notice Satis' swelling belly.  I looked over at Sierra and could tell she didn't look too happy about it. 

 

It was clear to me that she was close to giving birth. 

And indeed, right after Mom finished, 'I Would If I Could', Satis' water broke.  While everyone panicked, I decided I needed to drive her to the hospital, even though I didn't really want to.

A few minutes after Satis and I had arrived at the hospital, a young man in a novice firefighter's uniform showed up.  I decided this had to be the infamous Joshua, the baby's father. 

Six hours after the last bars of the song played, Satis delivered a healthy baby boy. 

"So, you think you are ready for this?" I asked Satis as she walked to the waiting car.  Satis didn't answer me, instead walked straight to the car with her son. 

The three of us drove back to her place.  "Do you know who I am, Joshua?" I asked the knucklehead in the back seat holding my grandson.
"Satis' adopted mother?" he replied.
"Yes, dimwit, and don't you forget it.  Joshua, I swear to you, if you don't do what you're supposed to do for my daughter or my grandson, I swear to you and to the Watcher, I'm going to wring your neck."
Satis, driving, shouted, "Mom, this is not the time or the place for this."
We rode the rest of the way in silence.

"I don't believe this, Mom.  You should be happy for me."
"I'm happy for your first child, Satis.  What I'm not happy about is this situation.  You're still in medical school, you get yourself knocked up, and now you have a baby."
"Can't you see, mom?  Josh is a good guy.  Why don't you try to get to know him?"
"The only thing I know about this Joshua character is that he knocked you up and got you pregnant.  And you know I will bring all of my considerable resources to use in an effort just to find out who the hell he is.  For all you know, Satis, he could be a damned mass murderer!  How are you going to balance your residency and the baby?"
"I'll figure it out, mom.  Just trust me."
Somehow, that doesn't elicit much confidence from me, especially given the hapless, clueless cunt she's with.  

Funeral Dinner

It's been three days since Dad died and it's been more of the same.  Nobody can stop crying or being very upset about it.  

I still cannot believe he is gone.  He's not supposed to be gone.  He's supposed to be here forever.  He's been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and the fact that he is no longer here is just devastating. 

Poor Sage flew in with Kyle from Hidden Springs and can't stop crying. 

Poor Sawyer locked himself in the bathroom...

...and poor Skylar had to calm him down because he cries himself to sleep at night.

Sierra is the worst, though.  She's not eating, she's not sleeping, she's not talking.   All she does is stares into space.

She's completely shut down.  I worry about how big a setback this really is, especially since she made so much progress at school. 

 Andy, bless him, has tried to keep the humor around here by reminding us of the good times. 

 And he's even tried to engage Sierra by participating in her favorite activity.  It worked, for awhile.  But once they stopped throwing, she went back to being mute, back to staring out the window.  And she's still not eating. 

 It took every ounce of strength I had to summon the family over for the funeral dinner.

I can't bear to see my child in so much pain.  She hurts so much, and I can't fix her.   She internalizes everything.  I've already informed Dr. Anthony that she won't be returning to the University this upcoming semester.

 The weather outside matched the mood of everyone inside.  Heavy rain poured throughout the evening, with intermittent claps of thunder.  I took deep breaths as I prepared to make my speech.

 I was lost in thought when Satis interrupted me.  I hadn't seen her in a good while.  "Mom," she whispered in a soft voice.  "Mom - I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?" I turned towards her.
"I'm sorry for not keeping in touch.  I've been so busy with med school.  I'm sorry about Grandpa."
"It's okay, baby," I said to her. 

 Right after that I was approached by another voice from my past.  "Auntie."  It was Neil.  I hadn't seen him since I last left Sunset Valley.  "Auntie, you practically raised me after my dad died.  It's going to be okay."

 I walked up to the podium that had been placed at the head of our banquet table and spent a few minutes collecting myself before speaking. 

 "Everyone," I said, "we're gathered together here to remember the life of our dear father and family patriarch, Nathan James Jolina-Plumb.  He was the founder of our current clan and played an integral part in its formation.  His presence in our lives has been steady.  When Nathan Plumb first broke into the music business, he was just a kid with a guitar, a smile, and a dream, and nobody knew who he was.  Now everybody knows his name --"

 I was just about to finish my flourish when I looked up and Madison was standing before me.  "Just - what - the hell - are you doing here?" I asked angrily as Madison directly faced me.
Madison took a step forward. "I - came to pay my respects."
"Well, you know you don't belong here."
"My daughter Kaydence is here -"
"No, she isn't," I corrected her, "she left a half hour ago with my brother. So, why are you here again?"
"Your father was an influential figure in my industry, not to mention, my father-in-law and my daughter's grandfather. Paying my respects is the least I could do."
"Madison," I said with everything I had left in me, "it is in your best interest that you leave these premises immediately, or I will have you escorted out of here. Your choice."

Back in the Valley

Well, as most of you know from my recent FB post, we are back in Sunset Valley.  And I hope that it's permanent. 

However, one member of the family didn't return to the Valley with us. 

My oldest biological daughter, Sage, elected to remain in Hidden Springs - a place she fell in love with in her teens. 

She and her boyfriend, Kyle Heilman, bought this cottage in the woods out there. 
They're into gardening and conservation and have this 'save the environment' mentality. 
They're both bohemians - they have fine arts degrees, they do hunger strikes and protests on the environment. 

I have to admit, I didn't like the choice she made.  But it's hers and I have to live with it.  After all, she is grown now and can make her own decisions.

However, this is not just a courtesy visit.  We're here because we've received some grave news.

My father, Nathan James Jolina-Plumb, has gone to be with the Reaper.  He lived to a ripe old age of 112 simdays.

In some respects, he's gone back where he belonged in the first place. 

There's a story that as a very young man, well before Bassy and I even existed, he impressed the Reaper in an impromptu guitar performance. 
The existence of this story explains a lot.   It explains my dad. 

There's a part of me that still can't believe he's gone.  He's lorded over this family for so long, and his larger-than-life presence will be sorely missed.

My dad wouldn't want us to be sad over his death.  He'd want us to be happy and go on with life.

But before he died, there was something he did, that wasn't in the papers, but cut to the essence of who he is.

He gave Skylar his guitar.

The family heirloom guitar that belonged to my grandmother, Jamie Jolina. 

That he'd choose to give Skylar the guitar and not my older children is a testament to something he knows.

She's going to carry on the family business. 

It's an exceptional burden for a young girl, but she appears to be handling it.

And she's not the only one who appears to be headed for a career in the family business.  My niece, Kady, Sebastian's daughter, has also been accepted into Le Fromage Art School and is headed for a career in the business.  I've been told that she is taking voice lessons under a renowned instructor.  

There is a misconception that our family business is just music, although music is a HUGE part of it, it's not the whole of it.  There are as many successful writers in the Plumb family as there are musicians, myself included.  There is Aunt Maggie, who wrote mostly science fiction.

And now I'm told that Sage is working on her first book.   She has not discussed with me any details, and is definitely keeping things under wraps for the time being.  

 As for the other little girl, well, Sierra has been surprisingly glib about her desire and intention to write. 

I can't see either of them making careers as full-time novelists as I am, but I could see them doing it as side pursuits. 

Progress Report #2

We returned to Hidden Springs to bring Sierra to her scheduled appointment with her counselor.  Dr. Bill was waiting for her. 
"Well, Sierra, it's been a few months since I saw you here," he began.  "You're looking happier."

Sierra, as she does, simply glared at him.

The doctor tried another tack.  "So, your mother and your sister tell me you went back to college.  Are you enjoying yourself there?"

It was then when Sierra started talking.  "I'm learning so much.  I took an anatomy course and a physiology course and a microbiology course - I love my classes to the point where I actually want to go -"

"So your major is sports science?"
"Yes."
As Sierra was talking, Dr. Bill interrupted her.  "I'm happy that you like your classes.  Do you like your professors?" 
When she didn't respond, he said, "So I hear you made a little splash of your own on campus."

He showed her a clipping he'd gotten from the student newspaper.  "Tell me about this protest you led on campus.  That had to be quite an experience."

"I left before classes were over to start my protest, hand out flyers to people who were hanging out in the quad...

 

"I decided to protest the campus police -"

 

"Was that because of your arrest?  What else happened?"
"I was propositioned by my professor and he still remains teaching there."
"You're telling me that your professor came on to you."
"Yes and it's a crime that he's still teaching there.  Instead, I was arrested for spraying graffiti on a wall."

"Sierra, you have to understand that your arrest for doing that was justified.  You did break the law.  You're not supposed to spray paint a building that doesn't belong to you."
"But it's not fair that I was arrested for spray painting a building and a professor who harassed me had nothing happen to him."
The doctor decided to change the subject.  "How are you doing socially, Sierra, otherwise?  Have you made any new friends?"

 

"I don't really like socializing."

"I'm aware of that, Sierra.  But living in the dorms, you have to be around others."

"The campus party scene bores me.  I'd rather be at the gym or at the lab. Or in my room."

"How's your temper been?  Have you been able to manage it?"

"I did have one rage incident -"

"One rage incident in two months is an improvement, Sierra.  Keep it up."

 

 

Sierra didn't tell Dr. Bill about her second rage incident, where she screamed at a guy to get off the computer.  Or about the time she barked orders to her classmate.  Or about the time when, right after we returned to Sunset Valley, when she had a meltdown so bad that Andy and I plus the butler had to try to calm her down. 

 

 

Sierra is scary when she's angry.  Absolutely scary.   The day we had the big fight at the hospital, I actually thought she would physically attack me. 

 

 

I've already said that there are times when Sierra is capable of being very loving.  Another more recent incident was when Skylar came home one evening and was dejected that she didn't get the part of Sandy in CSG's production of "Grease." Instead she's playing Betty Rizzo, one of the 'Pink Ladies.' 

 

 

"I always thought the Pink Ladies were cooler than Sandy anyway," Sierra told Skylar.