Welcome back to the Stranger ISBI! Today, I finally give my legacy an appropriately-sized house! The bad news?
It still only has one bathroom. I have some regrets about that one. By some, I mean a lot.
Arie: You know, I'm not sure it was the best decision to put the nursery in the smallest room in the house.
Penny: You…you live in a bunker.
Arie: Hey, my bunker is plenty spacious.
Yes, okay, maybe I do end up bumping that wall out a few feet. I always think nooks are so cozy, and then THE ENTIRE FREAKING FAMILY DECIDES TO CONGREGATE IN THEM AT ONCE? Like, guys, why are we hanging out in the nursery corner?
Arie: This one is new.
Penny: That's Penrith.
Arie: And…he's…
Penny: Not yours? I don't even know why you think that would be a question.
Let me point out that Penny still hasn't actually mentioned to Arie that she and Akira are together.
Arie still wandering around the house, as he is wont to do these days, Penny collapses right in front of the bedroom door. As it turns out, getting a bigger house doesn't actually solve all of our needs-related problems. -5.
After eventually waking up and wandering into the bedroom, she finds Arie admiring the…flowers?
Arie: I just wanted to say that I think you're doing great. With the kids, with the house, with everything.
Penny: I appreciate that. Although, I admit, I feel like I've kind of lost myself a bit. I can't remember the last time I painted.
Arie was feeling particularly friendly that night, and spends some time with Serafina, as well.
And then he comes face to face with Akira. The silence, at first, is quite intense.
Akira: I––It's nice to see you still have a relationship with the kids. Lilith doesn't come around much.
Arie: She might not feel welcome. It really was spectacularly convenient that she kicked you out at the same time as our divorce.
Akira tilted his head. Had…had Penny really not told him? What did he think, that he and Penny were just friends coparenting together?
Akira: …Talk about timing.
Arie: Listen, man, it's fine. No need to be weird. I've actually gotten remarried.
Akira: What? Already?
Akira couldn't help but think to himself, "When did you have time to meet someone and get married?" But then he thought about his own love life and realized he had no place to talk.
Arie, raising an eyebrow: Her name is Luna. We had a destination wedding in the woods, and she's just moved in to the bunker with me. Here, I have pictures!
Akira: Well, congrats! I'm happy for you. We'll all have to have dinner sometime.
Arie: Now that you mention it…
NO! Akira kept himself from groaning audibly. He meant that as a mere formality. Under no circumstance was this a good idea.
Arie: How about in two days? It would be great fun if Lilith could join, too.
Akira: Great fun…
Akira, sighing: Well, are you guys excited to see your other parents tomorrow?
Porter: Do you think Mom will even recognize me?
Akira: Of course she will, buddy.
Serafina, shrugging: Honestly, my Dad might be here more than Mom.
Akira: That is unfortunately very true.
Also, Penrith aged up into a toddler. Hello, more messes!
Arie…do you ever leave?
Arie: What nice colors.
Ever the parent, Arie. Ever the parent. I see your discipline skills are at least consistent.
Sigh. -5. No more words. Serafina has unarguably been the worst at these bladder fails.
Penny: It sure was nice of our neighbors to drop off this fruitcake this morn––hey, are you okay, Kira?
Akira: Yeah, it's just, this dinner in a few days with our exes feels…problematic. Why haven't you told Arie that we're together? How does that even work?
Penny: I mean, well, he's never really asked.
Akira: Penny, come on.
Penny: Okay, okay, I know. I just…I guess I just feel bad about cheating on him so many times. If I tell him, that makes it real, you know?
Akira: It's already real, but I know what you mean.
Penny: Does…Lilith know?
Akira: Why do you think she never comes to see the kids?
Meanwhile…Arie is still in the other room. I swear he spends more time with the kids now than when he lived with them.
Serafina: Hey, uh, Mom?
Penny: I know, I'm working on breakfast as fast as I can, okay?
Serafina: No, it's just that the lights have been off since last night. What's going on?
This is the third time this challenge that the power has gone out due to not being able to pay bills. I am not a great legacy player, guys.
Unfortunately, even after Penny gets home from work, we still don't have enough money to pay the bills because we have to pay Nanny Datta. Who you are witnessing Penny fire because she didn't feed the toddlers ALL DAY.
I should have sent them to daycare.
Penny: It's fine. It's fine. It's all fine. When Akira gets home, we'll be able to pay the bills. And maybe he'll even help clean. Deep breaths.
Porter: Hey, Penny?
Penny: Not now, I'm trying to get our service to turn the electricity back on.
Penny: I feel like I haven't seen you in days.
Akira: I know. I miss spending time with you.
Penny: Well, we still have a couple free hours…
At least this is a look of sheer exhaustion, and not wholehearted guilt and confusion for once?
It looks like a little woohoo was just what Penny needed to be inspired again!
Porter: Dad? Why doesn't Mom ever come to visit me?
Akira: That's probably my fault, bud. Your mom and I didn't end on the best terms.
Porter: But that's not my fault?
Akira: You're right. I'll talk to her tonight.
He hated that Porter felt this way. Yet how was he supposed to fix this?
Also, that woohoo-inspired painting? Penny's first masterpiece.
Penny: I'm pregnant again. How is this even possible? Who let this happen? And I freaking HATE gnomes! Gnomes don't belong in the bathroom!
Honestly, Penny, I'm just as exhausted as you are at this point.
Akira: Are you okay? You look a bit rattled.
Penny: It's funny that you use the word "rattled."
Akira: No.
Penny: Yes.
Akira: You can't be pregnant.
Penny: Oh, but apparently I can.
Akira: I don't know if we're going to survive this.
Serafina: Good. More diapers and dirty dishes and screaming. This is exactly what we need.
Akira: How many coffee makers do we have? What if we get seven more? One for each room?
Penny sighs. She just finished up bathing Penrith, and realized it's already time to clean the tub, and Serafina's just broken the toilet. Guests will be over in less than three hours.
At least Porter is cleaning the sink.
This whole parenting thing is just…more than she ever expected. And perhaps not in a good way. It was becoming more and more challenging to enjoy the little pleasures in parenthood.
On the bright side, we can now afford a TV again thanks to that masterpiece! Thanks, sexytime tree painting!
Porter. We need to talk about your behavior.
Serafina, really! -5.
And, with that, it's finally time for another dinner party! It's been a while since the Stranger family had enough energy for one of their famous dinner parties. It was a bit startling to see Rasmussen and the Fengs grey.
Lilith actually makes an appearance, although seems more sad than anything.
Wolfgang is clearly bitter about something. He walked up, knocked over the trash can, and proceeded inside. And to make matters worse, Porter is clearly acting out because his estranged mother is back in his life.
Wolfgang: Arie, I just want you to know that I'm on your side.
Ulrike: Yeah, what a sad, sad affair.
Arie: There's no need to take sides. I'm remarried.
Don: Of course you are. *winks*
Arie's wife had apparently decided that dinner with his ex-wife was a little too much to handle, so it looks like it's just Arie tonight.
I'm glad to see that, while Lily's hair changed, her terrible manners have not. She went and grabbed a salad out of the fridge while the grand feast was already sitting on the table.
Akira: Porter, what are you doing in here?
Porter: Playing.
Akira: Why aren't you out there socializing?
Porter: I don't want to.
Akira: Look, I don't want you to be mad at your mother. I'll tell you more about our divorce someday when you're older, but it was my fault. She didn't choose to leave you.
It's not a classic Stranger dinner party until Lily and Victor look pissed off and then start making out. Ah, the good days.
One day, I would love to play a household with these two. Imagine them––divorced. They would 100% still be sleeping together post-divorce. Think of the drama!
Oh. -5.
Serafina: Do you think you and Mom will ever get back together?
Arie: Your mom and I weren't happy together. Plus, we've both moved on. Don't you like Akira?
Serafina: Akira's great…but he's not you.
This girl literally walks around the house with a little broken heart thought bubble hovering above her head. It kills me, guys, it really does. Turns out that divorce really does affect your sim children!
By the time Lilith gets around to having the courage to talk with Porter, he's already asleep. She stands next to his bed, hoping he'll wake up for about three hours. It's the saddest thing.
The next day, the house is a bit chaotic in the dirty-dish-aftermath of the dinner party. However, I use the leftover money from that masterpiece painting to add in another small bathroom (thank GOD), and I paint the living room coral again. I just wasn't feeling the bland beige, you know?
Unfortunately, the dishes aren't the only aftermath from the party. Sigh. -5.
At the very least, it's time for Theo's birthday! Please, please, please be a productive member of the sim society and help me clean this damn house.
Oh. My god. I love him. He is adorable, and you can absolutely see Akira's influence on his style and attitude, even though Arie is his father. And I just HAD to show you guys his party outfit. The pink beret! I couldn't change it. It's too fun!
Anyways, that's where we'll leave off today. I know things have slowed down a bit as I've attempted to manage my first ISBI (definitely underestimated the frustration––wow!), but I have a positively riotous chapter filled with drama coming up next, so be on the lookout!
Also, I think our score is -35. Excuse me while I go sob in a corner.
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