1.11 - Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

The Salad Days are passing swiftly and the Twist family are getting busier as their lives become more entwined with those in their new town. Simon's job is now very demanding as he puts in a full day at the science lab as well as all the extra hours his zoology internship requires. He has been coming home late almost every day.

"Gotta run Emma, long day ahead. Sorry I wasn't much help with the garden today, see you this evening."

Emma's not happy with how slowly Simon's career is progressing. She likes the instant results she's getting from her daily trips to the grocery with another load of produce fresh picked from her booming garden even though its not nearly enough to keep up with her recent round of expensive clothing purchases ...

Cupid seems to know something bad is brewing on the horizon. Dogs have the sixth sense you know ...

Emma is the one who spends most of the time teaching little Isabel to talk, because of course talking is very important for a girl's future success in Emma's opinion!

Emma: "Mama does not want to take out the stinky garbage!"
Isabel: "TEENKY GOBBID!"

Isabel is very smart. It only takes her a day or two to figure out the block sorting toy her Grandparents sent. She has lots of time to work on it while Mama gardens.

"This is EASY!"

Emma's organic produce business is booming and she spends most of the day tending it and to little Isabel's every need. Simon's absence just means she spends more time socializing with her rich friends around town, or shopping for new outfits for herself and Emma from expensive catalogs.

While hanging around the local coffee shop, Emma gets the chance to meet Darryl Jackson, one of the town's very few celebrities. Darryl runs a very successful catering business and is working towards becoming a five star Chef.

Emma immediately decides to try and impress him.

"Tell me why I should give you and your organic produce the time of day ... hmmm?"

While Emma could certainly have expounded upon the superior qualities of chemical free vegetables for health reasons (that would have been Simon's tactic), she decides instead to use the proven techniques she knows work best with other snobbish people ... ego stroking and giving them something they really desire.

"You know, I happen to be very close friends with the Barnes family and they're about to throw a lavish socialite gathering for all the top names in town. Perhaps I could get you a new client?"

And just like magic, the attitude of certain snobbish chefs instantly changes!

"You know, I think this could be the beginning of a very equitable relationship Mrs. Emma Twist!"

Darryl makes a deal with Emma that if she can get the Barnes family to hire him for a full seven course catered dinner for her party, he'll go into partnership with her for her produce and other ingredients.

Emma is appropriately excited and gushes with gratitude, which Darryl eats right up.

"Oh that would be soooo wonderful, the big break I've been hoping for in my business. I'll make this happen!"

Out and about for the rest of the day, Emma goes to the Steele ranch, excited to share her news and gossip with Susannah.

"DADA!" (Daddy likes lizards)

They go to lots of playgroups at the Steele and Barnes households as Emma's now best friends with the wealthy Susannah and Melody.

Isabel's the only baby at the Steele ranch now, because lovable little Chase grew up into a handsome young boy ...

"I do NOT hug babies!"

Daddy shows up just as Isabel predicted to her toy alligator. He's helping Marc Steele deliver the foal that gave his Mama such a hard time during her pregnancy. Everything turned out just fine, but the mare has no milk due to whatever illness she had, so Simon gets to bottle feed the new colt too which is a rare treat.

"Easy boy, take it slow at first."

Even Cupid gets some much needed doggie socializing in. The kennel where he was born is just across the road from the Steele's horse ranch so he makes a surprise visit. He meets his brother Comet, who he has not seen since they were puppies!

"Hey you smell just like me - we're brothers!"

And has a joyous reunion with his Mother Ebony ...

"Cupid!! You've grown so BIG!!"

Melody Barnes shows up, about to pop with her second baby and carrying little Bethany. She's grown to love Emma's dog so much, she decides to speak with the breeder about adopting one of the pups for her own household. They need a good watch dog after a burglar recently broke in and stole some things.

Bethany wants a puppy too!

Cupid thinks his little half-brother Blaze is a great choice ...

"Grrrrr... yip yip! I'll get you and tear your head off!"

 Even if he's a bit clumsy...

"Aww... poor lil' guy - I think you've got some growing into those big paws to do first!"

Melody heads for the puppy kennel to pick one out.

"Maybe she won't see through my disguise!"

But the breeder, Henry, recommends an older dog since Melody's really looking for a great watch dog right away and a pup will take a long time to grow up and be trained.

"I believe you'd be very happy with Cupid's brother Comet. He's already a proven hunter and very protective."

Emma thinks this is an even better idea too so that Cupid and Comet can visit one another when she comes over for play dates with Isabel!

The details are worked out between the adults,

... and the toddlers too.

The girls discussing the merits of their favorite doggies...

Comet's a little nervous at first. Melody's a fancy lady with a fancy house - and he's never been out of the kennel away from his 'pack' before. But he's determined to be a good dog in his new home, and brings in the paper hoping to please his new owner.

"Here's your paper Lady. I'll go outside and patrol for bad guys now!"

Back at home, Emma just perfected the art of making veggie rolls, a welcome addition to their otherwise boring vegetarian diet. She's proud she's growing all her own ingredients. She's taking this dish to a party at Melody's house to show off her skills!

"Oh yes, I'm so awesome, I know it!" (bragging to the veggie rolls) "This is the start of something BIG!"

But Simon is late coming home (again) and Emma rushes through a quick salad with him after changing into her new outfit. She's excited because after getting the contract to cater Melody's party in a few days, Darryl Jackson has invited Emma to bring fresh produce to his kitchen for preparation now that they have a business agreement.

Simon's not thrilled she's going out for the evening, and Emma reminds him somewhat impatiently that he refuses to hire a babysitter for Isabel, otherwise they could go out together more often!

"It would be really nice if you'd come and support my new business efforts Simon."

And then Simon says something that stops her in her tracks.

"Does your new business also provide that fancy uniform you're wearing?"

Simon's not as oblivious as it would sometimes seem. He realizes Emma's wearing yet another new, and expensively made designer outfit and his dig hits home.

Emma does not appreciate the lecture she receives about her high society friends and their lifestyle.

"Our life is different Emma. Consumerism and materialistic ideals are for shallow people. We're better then that!"

Now Emma makes a tactical error. She laughs at Simon's ideals and mocks his eco-friendly preferences as totally hypocritical and even goes so far as to criticize his neurotic behavior.

"As if YOU would know quality if it hit you in the face with a bat?! You're more worried about aliens invading!"

Emma's finally lost her patience. She goes on to criticize Simon's lack of interest in anything besides animals and conspiracy theories, claiming he is completely out of touch with anything at all about how real Sims live. How dare he criticize her friend's lifestyle!

"I know your attitude stinks lately Emma, and so do your rich friends!"

Well that's the last of that argument. Emma's heard enough. She's late for her appointment with Darryl.

"Go on then, go schmooze it up with your important friends. I'm staying here with Isabel. At least she appreciates me."

Simon spends the evening teaching Isabel to walk.

"C'mon Izzy, you can do it!"

And rocking her to sleep out on the porch where they can both see the stars while he tells her a story.

"And then the giant dragon flew away, never to be seen again. The hero had saved the day!"

And waiting up for Emma to come home. 

Worrying.

Sometimes, they say, it's best to let sleeping dogs lie.

Read on to chapter 1.12 - "The Sink That Broke The Llama's Back" HERE !



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


*** And so the idyllic salad days are starting to fade. It had to happen eventually, and the strain between Simon and Emma has started to wear thin with their differences of lifestyle wants, which was inevitably going to come to a head at some point.

- Emma has been super patient, despite repeatedly wishing to buy things over 500 simoleons and whatnot, which the Watcher has had to cancel! The "Going Green" roll has been quite hard on her, not to mention never being able to call for a pizza, or even a babysitter due to Simon's "No Strangers" roll!

- The dogs were so cute, I decided to include a side plot for Cupid's brother since he needed a home! He's got a big fancy house to live in now, yay!

- Chase Steele grew up so cute, maybe someday he and Isabel will hit it off! I've never shown them in the story, but Chase has two older brothers (Andy and Jake) who are absolutely gorgeous too (Dad Marc is quite hunky).