Chapter 19 - Ups and Downs of Adulthood

"What are we doing again?" Wasabi asked, scratching her forehead.

Camryn sighed with exasperation.  "We're playing chess," she informed her sister-in-law.

"Oh!" Wasabi replied, then moved a piece.

"That isn't any game of chess I've ever played," Urias dryly noted.  It looked like his mom and aunt were just making the rules up as they went!

"May I haaaaave your aaaaattention pleeeeeease," Urbain announced, tapping the microphone.

"Urbain, that's not a toy you should be playing with!" Vito stepped into the room and lectured the poor kid.

"But Mom said I could use it!" he protested.

Vito was already shaking his head.  "This is for adults," he corrected.

Sidestepping Urbain, Vito began practicing his case arguments.

"But I was using it!" Urbain complained. "That's not fair! Not fair! Not fair! Not fair!" he chanted, stomping his feet and throwing a hissy fit.

Vivi came in and gave her little brother a kiss.  "Come on, off to bed with you," she told the overly tired boy.  As usual, he listened to his big sister without hesitation.

"Do you remember that time Dad burned the macaroni and jumped up in the air in surprise?" Vivi asked, covering a small laugh. It felt good to remember her Dad.

"Have a good day at work, sweetheart!" Aunt Wasabi called, distracted by their game of chess.

"Aunt Wasabi, you need to go to work, too.  The carpool will drop you off."

"Saints alive! I do need to go to work!" Wasabi said with alarm.  "Why didn't you remind me Camryn?"

Now that the house had quietened down since Aunt Camryn & Urbain had gone to sleep, Vivi called up Marylena.  She was due some ME time!

"Thanks for coming over!" she told Marylena was a quick hug.

Marylena didn't actually swoon, but it was clear to Vivi that their attraction was mutual.

Bologna and cheese sandwiches wasn't the stuff of romance, but Vivi fell hard for Marylena over that meal.

Urbain invited his girlfriend over too.  Of course, since she was a child, she needed to be escorted by her dad, Amin.

Urbain greeted her enthusiastically.  "We're gonna have so much fun!" he cheered.

"Call when you want me to come pick you up," her Dad told her before walking home.

Tagging her shoulder, he shouted, "Catch me!" before darting away.

Vito liked to announce to the whole household, and neighborhood sometimes, when he accomplished something at work. I think this must've been a promotion. Promotions are good!

"Testing, 1, 2, 3," Marsha said, poking the microphone. 

She turned back and smiled at him and then burped into the microphone.

Urbain was in love!

"Urbain, I told you the teleprompter is not a toy," Vito told him.  "Marsha, your Dad's waiting for you outside."

Marsha hugged Urbain. "I'll see you soon," she promised.

Uh oh, the family is in for a rough night. Craig is mad about his bed.

Aw! He scared a passer-byer! Poor Brandi will never walk by this house again!

"Delicious spaghetti," Camryn told her niece. 

"Aunt, it's macaroni."

Vivi thought passer-byer Christy was cute!  She called out a greeting and chit chatted with the redhead.

"Why don't you come inside and play some chess with me," Vivi offered.  "Unless you have somewhere else to be."

Christy did need to get to work, but she quickly decided to go in a little late.  She headed inside with the curly haired temptress.

Vivi made her move smoothly after a game of chess.  Flattery got her everywhere!

Although he looked every day for an opening in Journalism, to follow in his dad's footsteps, he really excelled at Education.  It mostly consisted of tutoring other teens, but he enjoyed it.

Vito finally got around to completing the list of home repairs that needed to be done around the house.  For awhile, the house had been full of elders and teens, and quite a bit of repair work had needed to wait.  Good thing he was handy with a wrench!

"Why do you keep looking for another job?" Vito asked his brother. "Just embrace Education! You've already reached the top of the teen career!"

With those wise words, Vito headed off to his Law office.

Look who has a case of scowling like his Aunt Wasabi.

Ah Camryn, you play beautifully! If only Xerxes had played a little bit more in his lifetime!

Vito finally got around to calling in his raincheck and inviting Kaylynn over.  He'd been thinking about her alot lately, but with a house full of elders and teens, he was responsible for a lot!

But he made sure she knew how much he'd missed her and thought of her.

"Camryn, move your butt out of my way! Why are you just standing there?" Wasabi snapped at her sisterinlaw.

"Oh," she said sadly, burying her face in her hands and sobbing.

The household was devastated.  Camryn had been the glue that held them all together for so long!  How would they go on without her?

Kaylynn pulled Vito into her arms to console him.  "Is there anything I can do?"

That's doing something, I guess!

Realizing how fleeting life could be, Wasabi made sure to give her children extra hugs.

Vivi called up her old friend, Christy, in her time of need. 

"Thanks for coming over," she said sadly.

Then completely broke down sobbing.  She was an emotional wreck!

Apparently Urias was a wreck, too.

"Holy crap, bro! What'd you do?!"

Kaylynn had been his rock during the last few traumatic hours.  Vito dropped to his knee and proposed.  She happily agreed.

But when he tried to slide his mother's ring on her finger, Kaylynn balked.  "Whoa, where'd you get that from?" she asked with concern. 

"This?" he asked, glancing at the ring he held in his hand. "It was my mom's wedding ring."

"Wasn't your Mom just wearing it?" she asked, backing away.

Vito floundered for a response. "Yeah, but she would've wanted you to have it!"

"No way! That's creepy!" she said, waving her hands in front of her.  "We're done!"

Vito was heartbroken. Heart. Broken! 💔

"I cant believe she dumped him on the night his mom died," Vivi said, her voice full of pity for her dear cousin.

Christy agreed, "Yeah, that's so wrong!"

"I'm glad I have you here," Vivi said, kissing Christy tenderly.

Urias found his brother crying in the corner and gently led him back to bed.

"Yeah, but why'd she dump him?" Urbain asked.  Nobody ever told him anything!

"Look, just don't mention her name at all today, okay?" Urias said impatiently.  Geez, kids!

Vito didn't care that the cereal was spoiled from sitting out all morning.  His life was over.

Over!
 

What are the three stages of getting over a failed relationship?  Crying, Anger and Acceptance.  Vito was definitely in the Anger stage now!

"I don't want to go to a dumb school!" Urbain complained.  He'd heard they were making a tent school where all kids would have to go to learn stuff! "Is Mom going to make me go?"

"I just wish they'd had a school when I was young!" Vivi told him.  "Think of all the friends you'll meet!"

Vito's so proud of himself.  Quick catch that stray cat!

"Nice Pickles, good girl!"

But fate had other plans for his afternoon.

"Mom!"

We bid farewell to Wasabi. She'll be missed!

"I hate the Grim Reaper! Hate him! Hate him! Hate him!" Urbain railed and stomped and cried.

It was a hard night for everyone, losing Aunt Wasabi right after they lost Mom.  Vito decided it was time to step up and be the man of the family.  His brother and his young cousin were counting on him to be a solid rock in their choppy waters.

"Breakfast!" he called loudly.

"We're going to be eating together," he announced.  "Family time is important time!"

Vivi spent the afternoon with Urbain. It broke her heart that her mother would never seen him grow up and get married and have kids. 

Of course, she did have time during his afternoon studies for a little bit of me time.

Vito worked hard on preparing his case. 

Now that his afternoon studies were done, Urbain couldn't wait to call up Marsha!  He grew up handsome, although he does have an awful long nose like his dad, Ben. lol.

Which, incidentally, we never saw or heard from Ben again.  It's my belief that Ben was so petrified of Wasabi, that he actually switched sides and went to work for her political opponent, Joe.  Or perhaps he was a spy all along!   At any rate, Ben had never expressed an interest in helping raise his son, even after Wasabi's death.

 

"You have 2 options: 1) expend tons of time and energy trying to woo back Kaylynn after she brutally dumped you after your Mom died or 2)call up someone you have a history with."

His little brother made a lot of sense.  He made the phone call to invite her over.

Waiting outside, wondered what he would say to her.  How she would react. 

"Meadow!" he said, romantically hugging her while inside, he still seethed over Kaylynn's betrayal.

"I was surprised to hear from you after so long!" she told him. 

Vito poured out his heart and soul to his teenage love.

Meadow was apparently quick to forgive him. 

Checked her inventory and found a few items. Future Spouses that are moved in can only bring 3 items.  The poker table was deleted since it wouldn't fit on a magisplay and get tosseed outside on the junk pile.  Also, the ReNuYu was deleted since I never that. Lol

The boys were thrilled with Vito's new girlfriend, and not just because she came downstairs to breakfast in a pretty panty set.

Make that his new fiance.

"I wanted to show you where I worked," Vito told her, eager to show her the Judicial Compound.

"Isn't this where the old Law Enforcement Headquarters was?" she asked.  "I kinda remember just a trailer her."

"Exactly," he told her.  "There's the Law Enforcement & Intelligence division with an interrogation room and work space, then small jail with visiting booths."

He took her for a small tour of that area.  "Then, we have the judicial area built on.  There's a separate entryway for criminals that are escorted by law enforcement to see the judge." 

There's a small defense office and prosecution office in front of the main entryway, with the courtroom to the far right.  It's actually quite efficient!" he bragged.

His tour led them to his small work space.  "This is where the magic happens!" he told her. 

Since he was there, Vito made an impromptu argument before the court, with Judge Goopy presiding.  (Why does that not instill confidence in me?  Also, I was so disappointed everyone chose to listen in front of the podium.  There are benches to sit at behind him! Go sit! Making my pic look weird! lol)

Aw, there's Ivy Copur, Xerxes teenage friend-zoned love interest.  That was almost your Mommy, Vito!

In the spirit of showing where they worked, Meadow took Vito to the amazingly Realistic Diner.

"You gonna work today, Meadow?" Joe asked her as he slid a piece of cake across the counter. 

Meadow shook her head, "No, just showing my fiance where I work!"  She was so excited to be able to call him her fiance!  She showed off her ring to her coworker.

"Nice! You better treat her right!" Joe threatened. 

(I have always loved this little diner! Realistic Diner)

The young couple shared a quick kiss before heading home.

"You cheated!" Vivi accused grumpily.  No one ever beat her at chess!

"Just because I win doesn't mean I'm cheating," Urias said defensively.  He had in fact cheated when she'd looked away. But what she didn't know couldn't hurt him!

Urias aged up well.

Ah, the highs and lows of adulthood. 

Urias took his little cousin Urbain to the Meet the Teacher night at the school that was finally finished. 

"Do I have to come?" Urbain complained. "You're my teacher, and I already know you!"

Urbain grumped the entire time he was there.  So far, there were no other kids... oh wait... there's Marsha!

"Hey baby," he said, giving her a kiss. 

"...And so that's the plan!" Urias finished telling the mother of a potential student.  "Our goal is to help prepare the kids for the opportunity to go to college."

"College!" the mother exclaimed. "Wouldn't that be wonderful to be able to send the kids off to college again!"

"Yes ma'am," he said enthusiastically.  He'd had a recent bout of disappointment and melancholy from being denied that chance!

"Come on kid, say goodbye to your girlfriend and let's go home."