Fairy Tales, 2010

Lovar, spring, 2010
Antonio is 59, Carmela is 50, Rojo is 18, Serendipity is 14 (Verde and Lainey are 23)

Finally Antonio and Carmela were getting one of their biggest wishes. When Verde had called and told them the news of his engagement, they were thrilled.

"We're throwing you an engagement party, and don't worry about the wedding, we'll pay for it."

It was a bit bittersweet considering all that the couple had gone through to get to this point. The death of their child and a subsequent break-up were not the components of fairy tales, but everyone knew that fairy tales were fantasy.

Reality was much different and dirtier. It was filled with broken hearts and angry words. Venom that oozed from the mouth as you were murdered with the words of a loved one, or worse...if you did the murdering and caused the pain.

Fairy tales didn't talk about the desires that remained after the flame has died. How hope and wishes remain unfulfilled and you're forced to settle for something else. Always wondering what could have been and how your future would have been different if the path in your past made a different turn, or crossed a different bridge.

In a way, they were a fairy tale, he was marrying a princess and he would get a title after they were married, a symbolic one only. Perhaps the lord or duke of some small piece of land, given that the hierarchy held very little land...or power. In fact hierarchy could be too generous of a term considering that the kingdom was smaller than the local university, a piece of land set aside as part of the government trying to make things right for the tribe of natives that inhabited Vacation Island before all of those resorts, camps, lodges and other recreational facilities were built. In fact, it was her great-great-great-grandfather who was rumored to be part of the group responsible for Admiral Landgraab's death.

"You know that our third bedroom is cursed right?" Ming whispered to S'Ahmisa.

"What?"

"First it was Krissy, now it's Lainey. I'm telling you, that bedroom marries off our roommates. It's cursed."

"Don't be silly,"

"You say that, but you're next."

S'Ahmisa could barely hold her laughter, "I doubt it, look how Benjamin is looking at you, you're next."

---

"You look amazing, not at all like you're celebrating your fiftieth birthday."

"Thanks,"

"I hope that I look as great when I'm fifty."
"Is Antonio cooking tonight for you?"

"Ha! I hope not, he can't cook to save his life."

"How's the wedding planning going?"
"Well, they actually don't want a whole lot, but the little bit that they want, it will be quality. She's going to get a custom designed dress from A.Pentragnani and they narrowed down the wedding locations to two places."

"That's good news, I remember when I got married, there wasn't much choice in venues. You got married in the church or in the park."

"Or your yard, which was better than some sims who got married in their bathroom."

---

When Carmela arrived home, she found the street crowded with fire engines and an ambulance rushed past her.

"What's going on?"

"Do you live here?"

"Yes, this is my home."

"Your husband and daughter are on the way to the hospital, I advise you to go there."

---

When Carmela entered the waiting room, the doctors and Serendipity briefed her on everything. Antonio had decided to make a snack, but fell asleep without taking the meal out of the oven. The kitchen was destroyed, but thankfully Serendipity came home just as the medics were loading Antonio into the ambulance.

The doctors said that he had suffered some mild burns which were expected to heal, however, it was the smoke inhalation that they were concerned about.

It wasn't a long wait until Dr. Wilsonoff came downstairs. The family knew once they saw his face that he was trying to process the loss of his brother and how to tell them that their father and husband was gone.

It didn't take much in words and the family wept openly in each others arms.

 A memorial service was quickly planned and the family was surrounded by loved ones rather quickly.

"Are you scared?" Abel asked.

"Of what?" Grace Elise asked in return.

"You know...of dying."

She was scared of dying, if she were honest with herself, but she was trying to remain optimistic about the treatments. They were untested and brand new, but she hoped that they would cure her.

"Sometimes...but death comes for every sim."

 

Even though death is an expected guest, he was welcomed begrundenly.

In fact some sims would like nothing more than to beat death, trying all sorts of medicines and tricks to starve off death or various incantations to bring the dead into the land of the living.

As long as there was death, there would be the sorrow and pain of missing a loved one, of wondering if something could have been done.

There will always be the feeling that they were gone far too soon leaving you with children to care for and an empty bed.

Leaving you with bills and questions about how to piece your life back together again without them.
---
ROS: Die by fire