Last round, cousins Joy and Confusion Howard reached young adulthood. Confusion bided his time waiting for his high school sweetheart Sabrina to join him, while Joy quickly entered a relationship with Cason who moved in shortly after aging up himself. Meanwhile, Justin continued to advance in the business career despite his age, and Maura and Marlene continued their art and writing, respectively.
Hi, Joy...how's it going?
Joy: Oh, fine...just getting some writing done.
How are things with Cason?
Ah...I see...
Marlene: (sigh) Cason, honey, I was already making breakfast...
Cason: Oh, no need Mrs. Howard...my bagels are going to be amazing...
Well, maybe it's not such a bad idea to stock up on food...
Joy: Guess what? I'm going to have a baby!
Cason: That's amazing...this calls for a celebration! I'm making almond macaroons...
Joy: Um...Cason? It's 5 in the morning...
Hmm...let's try the investor side...
Congrats, Justin...
Justin: Thanks...
Somehow that's less climatic after Justin's promotion...
Maura: Hey, so I thought we'd do the party after dinner...
Justin: Party? For what?
Maura: Um...for my birthday?
Marlene: It's your birthday?
It sure is...and I guess Maura's sort of the odd one out around here now since Patrick died.
Cason: I don't think your mom or aunt and uncle like me very much.
Joy: I know...I don't know why.
It might have something to do with the fact that you're about to have a baby and you're not married yet...or the stacks of dirty bakeware...
Joy: You know what might make them like you? If you baked a cake for my mom's birthday.
Cason: Ok...but cakes are kind of below my abilities...are you sure your mom wouldn't like a nice pie or cobbler?
Joy: I don't think we can put birthday candles in those, Cason...
Well, Justin and Marlene may not care, but I do. Happy birthday, dear Maura...
Maura: Ow, my back....
Welcome to elderhood, Maura...
Looks like it's baby time. Let's head to the hospital...
Cason: Ok, everybody stand back...expectant mother coming through...
Joy: That's really not necessary, honey...
Joy: Are you sure this thing is safe?
Well, to be perfectly honest, no...but I've seen it work fine at least 10 times now, so I guess it's safe enough.
Interesting name choice...
Joy: I'm so happy she's here and she's healthy...
Joy: Like your new room, Disgust?
Cake for breakfast?
Justin: Well, all we have to eat around here are baked goods...speaking of which...now that the baby's here, don't you think it's about time you two actually tied the knot?
Joy: Well, we might get around to it...but when? Our work schedules are completely opposite of one another. Maybe once Cason gets promoted high enough that he works during the day...
You know, you can get married without the party.
Joy: What's the point of that?
You know, we haven't done Patron of the Arts before...let's try that.
Congratulations, Maura...
Joy: We're so close to being able to buy that retail lot!
Maura: Joy, honey, do you really think we're going to be able to get it up and running? I'm not going to be around much longer...
Joy: Oh, Mom...don't talk like that. We have plenty of time.
At least Joy's making progress in her own career in the meantime.
Joy: Yeah, but I've been thinking about making a change...
Let's get through Disgust's birthday first, shall we?
Happy birthday dear Disgust...
And she looks remarkably like her father.
Man, there's a lot of little loners in this town...
Let's stick with Author.
Congratulations, Marlene.
Marlene: Thanks. With Confusion moved out I have so much more free time to write.
Disgust: Look! I'm doing it!
Joy: You sure are! Keep kicking!
Joy: Ok, honey...just stand still for a minute...
And so the cycle continues...
Oh, hi Confusion.
Confusion: I just thought I'd stop by and check on everything.
Justin: Oh, we're doing fine...do you want to take some desserts?
Confusion: I think we're ok...Sabrina's a pretty good baker herself. Do I smell apple pie?
Justin: Apple...and strawberry...and oatmeal cookies. And that's just this morning. Please, please take some desserts...
Well, as much as I'd like to sample the dessert menu I have to be on my way to the next house. I'll see you guys next round!
A Message From the Mysterious Voice: This lot is always kind of a mixed bag. Joy and Confusion's not being married actually is just a scheduling conflict-writers work during the day, low-level cooks work at night, and none of their days off aligned. And yes, I do know that technically baking and cooking in TS4 are different skills. Trust me, Cason spends enough time working at both. But the baking skill actually is kind of cool-I just discovered on this lot that he can actually decorate the cookies he bakes! I also discovered the "coach swimming" interaction with Disgust-so cute. And I would like to thank the movie Inside Out for adding "Disgust" to the pool of girls' names for this house.
