Palmer 2: Round 15

Last round, Azalea continued to investigate the seemingly mysterious origins of her daughter, Lily despite her husband Silas's attempts to convince her there was nothing wrong. This only intensified after her mother Addison passed away from old age. Meanwhile, their oldest daughter, Daisy, graduated from high school and finally married her childhood sweetheart, Lucas.

...And of course this is the first thing I see.

Rose: What? Chompy's fun!

I'm sorry...Chompy?

Rose: Yeah, that's what we named him.

I swear, if pets ever show up in this place you guys are the first family that's getting a dog.

Aww, Azalea...

Azalea: I just...still can't believe they're both gone...I keep thinking it will get easier, but it doesn't.

I know I asked your mom this when your dad died, but...do you want to move the urns outside? I might help if you don't see them every time you walk to the kitchen.

Azalea: But where would we put them? Every single inch of yard space is taken up by plants.

Well, I actually kind of wanted to ask you about that too...you know, the only reason you guys have so many plants and trees was for your mom to finish her aspiration. So...

Azalea: What are you getting at? You think we should get rid of the garden?

No, no...but maybe it might be time to downsize it? Just a bit?

Azalea: You know, Silas likes to garden too. It's not like it's going unattended. What does it matter to you, anyway?

It was just a suggestion...

Lily: Guess what? I already learned that really hard song our music teacher gave us for the violin...I learned it in just one night! It took you like, four!

Thistle: I know, Lily...I know.

Lily: She said I'm the quickest learner in the whole class! She's even letting me start on the piano tomorrow....

Looks like you're not doing too bad yourself, Thistle.

Congratulations...

Thistle: Thanks. 

Silas: Hon, have you noticed anything...odd about Lily lately?

You mean besides the fact that nobody seems to know where she came from and the hospital has no record of her existence?

Silas: Um...yeah.

Azalea: No, not really...she seems to be doing pretty well.

Silas: Yeah, maybe a bit too well.

Azalea: What do you mean by that?

Silas: I took them down to the playground the other day, and Lily...you should see her on those monkey bars, Azalea. She was doing flips and jumps and...

Azalea: So what? I am an athlete, Silas. Maybe she just takes after me.

Silas: But it was her first time on them! And it's been like that with other things, too. Didn't you notice how she practically mastered the violin the first time she picked it up?

Azalea: No...but then, with three kids all playing at once it was hard to tell. Why don't you ask the mysterious voice? After all, she seems to know so much about what we should do...

Silas: Well? Have you noticed anything?

Well, yes...I've noticed the motor skills thing. But you know, I'm not with you guys all the time-I just figured she'd been spending a lot of time at the playground while I was away.

Silas: Not that much time.

Azalea: Look, is any of this really a bad thing? Because let me tell you, of all the things I'm worried about with Lily...

Silas: Of course it's not a bad thing. All I'm saying is...maybe you're right. There is something going on here. 

Hey, who's your friend?

Rose: This is Adelyn...she's in our class at school.

Oh, nice to meet you Adelyn.

Adelyn: (whispers) Who's that?

Rose: Oh, that's the mysterious voice. She talks to us sometimes...I don't know why.

Adelyn: Oh...hey, I'm just going to go inside and use the bathroom...

Silas: Oh, hi there girls...what are you two up to?

Lily: I just finished my homework...I was going to go play with the dollhouse for awhile.

Adelyn: Wow, you have a dollhouse? Can I play?

Lily: What about Rose?

Adelyn: Eh, she'll find us...

Hey, nice going, Azalea.

Azalea: Thanks.

Rose: It's not fair!

What's not fair?

Rose: Adelyn was my friend. She came over to play with me, but then she ended up playing with Lily instead. That always happens! Mysterious voice...do twins always have to be best friends?

I guess not....why?

Rose: Because I don't think Lily is my best friend anymore.

Man, Azalea and Silas weren't kidding...she's just a day behind Thistle and he's almost a week older than her.

Nice going, Lily...

Lily: Thanks.

That's a pretty nice picture that you drew. Want to go show your parents? Or Rose?

Lily: Eh...maybe later.

So, Silas...about this garden...

Silas: (sigh) I know where this is going.

Look, I'm not saying we need to get rid of it entirely, but...

Silas: No, I agree with you.

You do? I thought you were the one who liked to garden.

Silas: I do...as a hobby. But keeping up with all of this is a lot of work. And it's not like all of these plants bring in a decent income, either.

Have you tried talking to Azalea about it?

Silas: Well, not really. Since this whole Lily thing she hasn't exactly been herself.

Silas: Say, Azalea...can we talk for a minute?

Azalea: Yes, but make it quick. I've got a game in an hour.

Silas: It's about all the plants...I was thinking that maybe the next day you're off, we could maybe pull up the ones that...

Azalea: Oh, that's just great. She got to you too, didn't she?

Silas: Who?

Azalea: The mysterious voice! Who else? Silas, those plants were put in the ground by my mother. Who was one of the founding citizens of this town, in case you've forgotten.

Silas: Of course I haven't forgotten. All I'm saying is...

Azalea: I know exactly what you're saying. Now that they're gone it's time to rip out everything they worked so hard for? You know, that garden is half our income...

Silas: Not exactly half, honey.

Azalea: Well it worked well enough for my mother. Maybe you're just not taking care of it right!

Silas: Azalea, listen to yourself! Now, gardening is a great hobby for me, and I really admired how your mom made it into a career. But honey, it's getting to be a lot to keep up with. Just, promise me you'll think about it.

Azalea: (sigh) Fine...

Silas: That's all I ask. Have a good game-I'll see you later at the party.

Party?

Ahh, I see.

So, we headed to the bowling alley?

Silas: No, we figured we'd try the arcade.

Betta: Wow! Look at all the games! Which one do you want to play first?

Rose: How about the big BlickBlock game?

Lily: No, let's play Don't Wake the Llama instead.

Rose: Don't Wake the Llama? But we have that at...

Lorelei: Yeah, let's play Don't Wake the Llama!

Betta: Come on, let's go get one of the tables before the boys take them all!

Rose: (sigh) Fine...

Thistle: Thanks for coming, Erica...

Erica: Um...sure, wouldn't miss it...

Thistle: What's wrong?

Erica: It's weird being the first one to grow up. I feel like I'm babysitting...

Yeah, I kind of agree. Come on, let's get inside and do the cake before this gets any weirder.

Happy birthday, dear Thistle...

Huh, there's that insider trait again...

Ok, not sure about the sunglasses but otherwise, not bad.

So, things feeling less weird now?

Erica: Yes, much less.

Thistle: Can you believe it? We're both about to be in high school.

Erica: I know, It seems like just yesterday we were sneaking our toys out to the ruins to get away from your sister and her boyfriend...well, husband now, I guess. Remember how gross we thought it was?

Thistle: Yeah, I remember...kind of silly now, though... 

Erica: Dude! Not here, ok?

Thistle: But...

Erica: Look, this is moving a little fast, alright? Plus, your sister is kind of staring at us...

Thistle: My sister? What does she have to do with anything? Your sister is here too.

Erica: Yeah, but she's playing a game with the other kids. Lily's just...staring at us. It's weird. Look, let's go out tomorrow night, just you and me. We can talk about this then.

Thistle: (sigh) Ok. How about the bowling alley?

Erica: Yeah, that sounds good...um...I'm going to go eat some cake.

Thistle: What is wrong with you?

Lily: What do you mean, what's wrong with me? What's wrong with you?

Thistle: Nothing is wrong with me. I was trying to have my first kiss at my own birthday party, and Erica wouldn't do it because you were sitting there staring at us the whole time.

Lily: Because you broke the rule!

Thistle: What rule?

Lily: You know! The rule! We all said we were never going to have a girlfriend or a boyfriend...ever! 

Thistle: Lily, that's when I was a kid. I'm in high school now-things change. Ugh...you are so annoying. I wish we'd never even adopted you!

Lily: ...what? I'm adopted? Mom told you that?

Thistle: Well, no...

Lily: Well then how would you know anyway? You were too little to remember that.

Thistle: How about the fact that you don't look like any of us? Or that you don't have a birth certificate? I wouldn't be surprised if the aliens dropped you off. Maybe you should try scrubbing a little harder in the shower-that makeup might come off. I bet you're really green underneath.

Lily: I hate you! You're mean now!

Rose: Finally!

Hey, you're not that far behind Lily.

Thistle: See, this is more like it...

Erica: Come on, let's go up to the lounge for a bit before we bowl.

Erica: Is something wrong? You don't seem like yourself.

Thistle: (sigh) I got into a huge fight with Lily last night...after the party.

Erica: Lily? But she's only a kid-what could you have been fighting about?

Thistle: I really chewed her out for staring us down at the party...and then I said some things I shouldn't have said.

Erica: Like...

Thistle: I told her she was adopted....and that she's probably an alien.

Erica: Thistle....

Thistle: I know, I know. It was a lousy thing to tell a kid.

Erica: What did your parents say?

Thistle: They didn't hear.

Erica: Lily didn't tell them? If I so much as look at Lorelei funny, she goes running to tattle.

Thistle: Not Lily. She barely talks to Mom and Dad at all. She never has, even when she was a toddler.

Erica: Huh...so, do you think it's true?

Thistle: Think that what's true?

Erica: That Lily is adopted?

Thistle: I don't think so...I mean, I was still way to young to notice when the twins came. But Rose definitely isn't-I've seen her birth certificate up on the wall. And who adopts a baby and has a baby at the same time?

Erica: I guess you're right...it's just strange that she doesn't go to your parents for help.

Thistle: Yeah. Kind of saved me last night, though. My parents are so protective of Lily...especially my dad.

Erica: Maybe that's why she avoids them. I kind of understand how she feels.

Thistle: So your mom hasn't lightened up any since your birthday?

Erica: No...if anything, she's worse now. She's just waiting for me to do something wrong, just so she can say she was right about the whole toddler thing. It sucks.

Thistle: Just don't tell her about me yelling at Lily...she'd probably hold a press conference.

Erica: Ha...you know, you're not wrong.

Thistle: Thanks for coming out with me tonight...you were right, this is better with just the two of us.

Erica: See, I told you. Now, how about we pick up where we left off...

Aww, see, that's better...

Erica: Oh...I almost forgot you were here...

Erica: Hey, you're pretty good!

Thistle: Thanks. I got a lot of practice in when I was little. It helped when the twins were hogging the violins.

Erica: You want to go down and try bowling again? Come on, let's see if I can still beat you.

Thistle: You're on!

Thistle: Wow, this is a lot harder without the bumpers...

Erica: Yeah, sure...whatever you say. I still beat you. Listen, I've got to get home for dinner...but this has been great.

Thistle: Hey, speaking of dinner...do you want to go out with my family tomorrow night? We're going to Chez Llama.

Erica: Oh, fancy. What's the occasion?

Thistle: My dad's birthday.

Erica: Oh, of course I'll come.

Thistle: Hi...table for 7, please?

Host: Sir, I'm afraid we do not have any tables large enough for your party...

Thistle: What? We're not that big of a group.

Host: Follow me, I'm sure we can figure something out...

Well...this is certainly interesting.

Silas: Hey, this is kind of fun. It's like we're on separate desert islands. Hey honey, we should send up some smoke signals...

Daisy: Dad, I'm pretty sure they already don't like us. Maybe we shouldn't give them a reason to kick us out.

Lily: Blech! 

So I'm guessing volcano pasta isn't very good?

Thistle: Neither is...whatever this is. Why did we pick this place again?

Azalea: Because it's the nicest restaurant in town, and we wanted it to be special for your father's birthday.

Speaking of...let's get the cake out here before you get run out of this place.

Happy birthday, dear Silas...

Silas: Ow! How does my back hurt already? 

Silas: Come on, everybody. Let's get the taste of that awful food out of our mouths...

You know, maybe you should wait to insult the restaurant until after you leave? And speaking of which, it's about time for me to be moving on as well. I'll see all of you next round!

A Message From the Mysterious Voice: Thistle and Erica are finally a couple! It was strangely satisfying to see them finally go on a date after introducing them to each other as toddlers all those rounds ago. I think the "meal at a restaurant" is what I'm going to do for adult and elder birthdays going forward-it was much easier than the party. But I do have to go into each restaurant and make sure there's a table for 8 Sims because the split seating was just weird-in case you're wondering why Rose isn't in any of the restaurant pictures, it's because the game chose to seat her at a table by herself on the second floor. So, one family, three tables. And the discussion of the garden is absolutely going to come up again; these guys have absolutely no yard space because of all the trees, and poor Silas can barely keep up.