Prosperity: Summer - The Macarevich Household

[beanstalk_sims]

While there's only one person by the name of Macarevich here, he causes all of the Riverside drama, so you know, it was easier to name the family after him.

I do love this household, they're one of my favourites.

On with the update!




Despite the fact Jace practically ignored his other daughter, Rhode, when she was living here, Jace absolutely adores Sonja. Maybe some things really do change!




Then again, maybe not.

I didn't do this, by the way. Entirely free will. Jessie may have patched things up with Terry in the last update, but she hasn't learnt her lesson. To be honest, I doubt she ever will.




So despite Jan's warnings, Jace continued to fool around with other women. He'd been working on seducing Kaylynn in the last update, but that hadn't got very far.




"Jess, there is plenty of money in the bank account...why are you begging?"

"I feel sad, and money makes me happy."

"Fair enough, carry on."






That night was Sonja's birthday, and she grew up with ridiculously long hair, which I let her keep. I very rarely use that hair, so Sonja may as well get some use out of it!

She looks a lot like her half-sister, Rhode Lagoon. Which, in turn, means she takes mostly after Jace. There must be some Jan in there somewhere, I just can't pinpoint where.




"This is nice, isn't it?" Jan smiled, "Just being together, calmly working towards something."

"Jan, this is just for the promotion tomorrow,"




"Oh, Jace is so hot!"

I'M INCLINED TO DISAGREE, GIVEN WHAT I KNOW ABOUT HIM AND HIS BEHAVIOUR.




"What? Death?! No!"

I'M AFRAID SO. SEE, YOUR TIME IS UP.

"Can't you just flip it over? Please?"

WHY DOES EVERYONE ASK THAT? NO! YOUR TIME IS UP!




NOW LET'S GO. WE'LL LEAVE THOSE TWO MEN FIGHTING OVER YOUR AFFECTIONS, SHALL WE?

Jessie looked at her husband and Jace, fighting in the corner. They weren't paying any attention to her disappearing from their lives, they were too busy arguing over who was supposed to love Jessie and who had stolen her.

"They're not interested in my death?"

PLEASE DON'T GET ALL SOUL-SEARCH-Y AND SAD. I HAVE OTHER CALLS TO MAKE TONIGHT, I CAN'T BE SITTING AT THE BAR WITH YOU FOR HOURS ON END.

And with that, Jessie was gone.




"She's gone," Terry gasped, as he looked past Jace to the urn on the floor, "And we were too busy fighting to notice!"

"So?" Jace asked, moodily. He turned to walk away.




"You truly are heartless, Jace." Terry said, sternly. Jace cast a look over his shoulder, and saw that the old man was smiling. Jace decided not to rise to the bait.

"I'm not heartless," Jace murmured, "I just grieve differently to you,"








Outside, Jan was playing with the wolf who turned her. Jessie's passing had got Jan thinking, about how life was short, about how things should never be left unsaid. The whole thing had left Jan quite melancholy.

"You know, Scout, it pains me to admit it, but I don't think Jace is ever going to change."

Scout cocked his head to side slightly, as Jan took the stick from him.

"I've been kidding myself this whole time," Jan sighed, "I think it's time I do something about it."




Jan went inside and found Jace, "I don't think we should get married. I don't think we should even be together, Jace."

"Really?" Jace's shoulders slumped, "We're going to have this conversation tonight?"

Jan studied him for a moment, "No time like the present."

Jace said nothing, but he nodded.




"We're going to wait until Terry has passed away, it only seems fitting that he dies in his family's home," Jan told him, "Then we'll sell the property, take half each, and go our separate ways."

"What about Sonja? Will I still get to see her?"

Jan fidgeted, "You don't see Rhode...I don't think I want you seeing Sonja."

"Why not?" Jace demanded.




"Because she'd find out about all of the awful things you've done," Jan snapped, "About how didn't respect her mother enough to stay faithful. How she has a half-sister because you couldn't stay faithful to your first partner. About how there's a growing number of women who have slept with her father!"

Jace looked shocked, "I suppose that's all true, but-"

"It's true, Jace." Jan replied, "And I don't want that kind of influence on our daughter."




Later that evening, after Jace and Jan's discussion, Jace sat his daughter down to read to her.

"And they all lived happily ever after, the end." Jace smiled, closing the book. Sonja clapped her hands, delighted, "You know Daddy loves you, Sonja."

"Love Daddy too!" Sonja replied, cheerfully, before toddling over to the activity table. Jace continued smiling to himself - he'd got one thing right in his life so far, and that was Sonja.




Sadly, his revelations as far as Sonja was concerned did not take hold in all aspects of his life. With the knowledge that Jan was going to leave him, Jace stepped up his seduction of the maid. Unlike the previous times he had been dumped, Jace did not go out to the bars and clubs looking for another woman. Maybe some things do change.






Then again, maybe they don't.

He had no intentions of calling Kaylynn back, afterall.




Elsewhere, Terry had taken a shine to Sonja. It had been a long time since his daughter had been that small, and Lola had taken Rhode and moved away before Terry had the chance to bond with her. His loyalty to Jessie meant he didn't feel comfortable visiting Lola, anyway.




It affected him more than he realised.




TERRY, IT'S TIME.

Terry shook his head, "I don't want to go. There's so much I want to do still."

If Death could breathe, he would have sighed, YOU'VE BEEN DEALT A BAD HAND THESE LAST FEW SEASONS, I KNOW. BUT THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THE WAY LIFE AND DEATH FUNCTION, TERRY. IT'S JUST THE LUCK OF THE DRAW.

Terry frowned, but nodded.




Jace entered the room and began to laugh, "Ha! See you in hell, Terry!"

Terry looked at Death, who raised a hand up to his neck, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO CLAIMING JACE'S SOUL.




THOUGH IT MAY NOT SEEM LIKE IT, TERRY, YOU WILL BE MISSED.

Death gestured to Jan, who was sobbing her eyes out. She'd never really been close to Terry, but it was still a lot to lose him entirely.

Terry nodded, after a moment, and followed Death into the afterlife.




Another day passed for the family, and soon it was time for Sonja's birthday.

The house had been put on the market, and the family had until the end of the season to leave. Everything was coming together, and Jan couldn't wait for the fresh start.




Sonja is gorgeous, by the way. I adore her!




"You're growing up too fast," Jace said, grinning, "Seems like only yesterday I could hold you in my arms."

"Dad!" Sonja laughed, a little embarrassed.

"How about, as a treat, we invite all of the children of Riverside over tomorrow, so you can have a little birthday party together," Jace suggested. It was also a good way to finish the summer, as well as say goodbye to the house.

"That sounds great, Dad!" Sonja hugged him, "Thank you so much!"




True to his word, the next day Alix Cooper and Rhode Lagoon descended on the house, ready to meet and party with Sonja.

"You lived with my Grandpa Terry!" Alix announced, cheerfully. Sonja nodded.

"I didn't know that!"




Sonja's conversation with Rhode was a little more awkward.

"So...apparently we're sisters?" Sonja asked, a little confused. Rhode nodded, enthusiastically.

"We have the same Dad. I don't know him very much," Rhode said, casually, before grinning, "We should be best friends as well as sisters!"

"That's a great idea!"




"So what's school like?" Sonja asked, nervous. She started there on Monday.

"Boring," Rhode sighed, "There's no fun AT ALL!"

Alix shook her head, "Rhode's just too playful, that's her problem!"

"Nu uh! Learning is boring!" Rhode insisted.




"It won't be boring if we stick together," Sonja pointed out, "We can make it fun!"




"I like that idea!" Alix said, smiling, "I can't wait for Monday, now!"

The girls continued to chat, long into the afternoon, until Jan switched on a stereo.




In the middle of all the smustling, Jace managed to get his daughter to dance with him in front of her friends.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" He asked, smiling. Sonja nodded.

"It was the best, Dad! Thank you for throwing me a party!"

"You're welcome, sweetheart."




After the guests had gone home, and Sonja had been tucked into bed, Jan cornered Jace in the living room.

"Thank you for today," Jan smiled, "You really get along with Sonja,"

"It's no trouble," Jace shrugged, "You're right, I wasn't the best dad to Rhode. I'm lucky I get to try again."

Jan bit her lip, like she wanted to say something more.

"What is it, Jan?" Jace asked, smiling softly.




"I just wish you could be like this all the time. The family man, you know? Not Jace, the man who sleeps with everyone."

"Maybe I could be," Jace mused, "I would be a better person in your eyes and Sonja's if I did."

"Would you try?" Jan asked him, suddenly. She blushed, "For Sonja, not for me."

"No, for both of you," Jace told her, "Never do anything by halves."




"This is the last time I'm going to give you a chance, Jace."

"It's the only chance I need," Jace told her, smiling, "I'm not going to mess up again."




* * * * *

And there you have it!

Whilst playing this rotation, it felt almost as if something had changed with Jace, and that was a lot of fun to experience, as well as to try and write up! I really don't want to get caught into deep plots and stuff, but a little bit of drama is okay, right?

I hope you enjoyed it, see you next time!