Life and Death

Lovar, spring, 2002
Matthew is 72, Cassandra is 70, Grex is 30, Ginger is 30, Bryant is 7, Annie is 7



It's planting season, which means Grex is hard at work planting seeds and preparing for the crops. He has to do so much more to the soil now, it seems like all the nutrients are being sapped out of it. After fertilizing and preparing the soil, he hopes to be able to plant a few seeds this simmonth.

In addition to the planting season, Grex and Ginger Grey are celebrating thier 30th birthday this simmonth. They keep the celebration simple and lowkey. How lowkey? Well, Ginger made thier favorite meal: garlic roasted turkey, and they enjoyed a simple dinner with the family after a simple birthday song.

Matthew was older and he knew that there wasn't much time left for him. They say that you just know when your time is up. He was tired of pushing paper across his desk and vowed to get a part-time job or retire.

"Grandpa, why do you look so sad?" Annie asked innocently.

Matthew smiled. "I'm not sad, just thinking."

"About what, daddy?"

He smiled at his daughter. He couldn't tell her the truth. He was thinking about his insurance policy and his will. Would there be enough to help support his wife and his grandchildren when he was gone? Would there be enough for the funeral? It was a long way from the grandeur that he and his wife were used to growing up. His childhood was spent in the TS1 era, son of wealthy parents-in fact his father Bryant A Pierce was the namesake and primary funder of Pierce University. Cassandra also spent her childhood in the TS1 era, daughter of the legendary actress Starr Grey, used to mansions, expensive boarding schools and vacations. However Matthew's parents left most of thier wealth to educational insitutes after thier death and strangely a large trust was set up for thier great-grandchildren (which would be Annie and Bryant and the others) upon thier graduation from Pierce University. Cassandra's family lost thier money after her parent's death and paying for thier unpaid tax bills and fees. Yes, it was a long way from his childhood memories.

"About how much you've grown." He replied instead. "I still remember your birth and holding you and your sister in my arms. You were so tiny."

"Was mom a good kid? Did she get in trouble?"

Matthew laughed at his grandson's question. "Of course! When she was your age she loved to bake muffins, however she wasn't very good at it. So one day, there's this awful smell! Your mother decided to bake a muffin, but she left the oven mitt in the toy oven as well. Gosh, it was a wicked smell!"

"That was when we were living with Grandmother Starr," Ginger added.

"I remember, you were living in that large mansion. I was scared to talk to you because I thought I didn't have enough money or class."

"But you did and the rest is history." Ginger said smiling.

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Shortly after thier birthday celebration, Matthew passed away peacefully in his sleep. The family took it hard, especially Grex. Even though Matthew was not his biological father and did not approve of Grex and Ginger's relationship at first, Grex was still very attached to the man and vice versa. They grew to have a strong fondness for each other and Matthew taught Grex how to be a good husband.

It was no surprise that Grex was often found crying on the floor. The twins mostly avoided thier father during that time, fearful that they would make him cry.

Finally, Ginger decided to take things in her own hands. She suggested that they do a little fishing after a rainstorm, since every sim knows that rain brings the fish closer to the surface.

"Perhaps we should move." Ginger suggested, baiting her hook.

"What?"

"We could move closer to your family. Giselle called and suggested that we move out there. The soil is richer, land is cheap and she says that there is plenty of work to be done."

"What about here?"

"What do you mean?"

"Our land? Our farm? Our market?"

Ginger bit her lip, anxious about the news she had been hiding for 2 simyears. "The hood council wants our land."

"What?"

"They've been trying to buy the land for over 2 simyears now."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I don't know...I thought you would say no."

"Well...that's not true!"

"So, do you want to move?"

"I don't know, Ginger." Grex sighed. "I need time to think about it."

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Will they move or not? We'll see. If they do move, we'll be introduced to Apple Plains