The Brothers Everhart - Pres Ch. 5 Boys Will Be Boys

The next Saturday Pres spent the morning over at his brother, Perry's. They were working on restoring a car Perry picked up in the mountains and dragged back home. He could have left it at Pres's house, but they wanted to be able to work on it in any weather so Perry's apartment garage was the best place.

It took Pres a while to start unburdening to his older brother. Slowly at first, but then with increasing ease, he loosened up and recounted his fears and worries about his relationship with Arlene and his longing to get out of undercover work as soon as possible to start a life with her. There was also the matter of their brother, Prince, who would soon have to account, it seemed, for his illegal activities. Pres didn't want to be any part of that. Prince was wrongheaded but he was still his brother.

They went upstairs and Perry pulled out a couple of steaks to broil.

"Steak for lunch? I mean I love it but seems kind of much for midday."

"Yeah, well, I have to use these before they go bad, so deal."

While he prepared the filets Perry began to address Pres' concerns.

"You can really just claim conflict of interest in this case. If Prince continues to be a key figure in the investigation I'll have to let someone else take over for me, too. As for long term; if you hate what you're doing and can't give it your best anymore then you need to resign, Pres--too many lives are at stake. And if you do that you'd be free to be with Arlene."

With that Pres relaxed a little. Until Perry went on,

"Of course, then you'd have to tell her the truth. And what about Sofia?"

Gloom descended upon Pres once more.

"Yeah...Sofia. I don't know what to do about her. I keep trying to work up the courage to break it off, but she's doing so well at school and she's no longer hooking. I'm proud of her and I don't want her to give up and go back to her old life. She's independent in some ways but she needs someone to take care of her; she's so emotionally vulnerable and people take advantage of her."

Perry paused and scrutinized him,

"You sure who it is you're really in love with?"

Pres looked at him in shock and bewilderment.

"Better think long and hard on it, kid," Perry advised.

As for Prince; Perry and Pres knew that their brother had come up in the world, at least according to his lights. He'd bought a small but cushy home that had once been featured in Southern Living magazine called "The Water House". It was considered one of the most avant-garde homes in tiny Pleasantview, only surpassed by the nearby "Cascade" which was much bigger. He'd had a well-known decorator do over the interior to his specific and expensive taste. He dated only rich and sophisticated women--rich, sophisticated and married women.

Perry took a bite of his perfectly prepared filet mignon and rolled his eyes in ecstasy. He loved good food. Then he spoke.

"Pres, he's got a gorgeous house, and beautiful women hanging off him, but he didn't get any of it honestly and now it's going to all come crashing down on him. Got any ideas on how to handle this with Dad and Mom when they find out?"

Pres was looking at his plate wondering where the rest of his steak was. He usually ordered a porterhouse or the largest prime rib and this little dinky--

"Pres? You still with me?"

"Yeah?"

"Dad and Mom? How to tell them about Prince? Or at least prepare them for his arrest?"

"Oh, man, I can't even think on that yet. Until recently I still hoped he wasn't as involved in this mess as he is and that they wouldn't have to know. It's going to break their hearts," Pres replied, "Well, it will break Mom's heart for sure; and the old man will have a coronary."

The D.A.'s office was trying to get Prince's current mistress to turn state's evidence. Being married they were hoping she'd agree to give them information and then testify at the trial if they promised to try to keep her husband out of the loop. But Perry and Pres knew that if there was a trial he was bound to find out. Pleasantview was too small a town for it not to become common knowledge.

"Damn. I'd like to kick Prince's butt from here to kingdom come," Perry frowned.

"He goes out of town so often, but it's never to the same place," Pres grumbled, "Sometimes 'on business' but mostly just to gamble and live the high life."

"Yeah, well, I hope he's enjoying it because it's going to be ending soon," Perry replied, "Are you jealous?"

"Of the married women and the life of crime? No way. But I sure would like to vacation at some of those places, I admit it. And why is it always the married ones with him, anyway?"

The handsome but immoral Prince Everhart:

"He figures they have too much to lose to blab things and they're less likely to try to get him to commit than a single woman. He's a player and he wants no ties. At least that's what he told me," Perry shrugged, "You know the effect he has on females from 8 to 80. He's had it since he was a toddler charming Mom and all our aunts and neighbors. I remember when we were both at University I was friends with Deb Himmelspach and she was crazy for Prince. He took her to Homecoming and then dumped her after three weeks for some other cheerleader and I asked her, after a couple months had gone by, why in the heck she was still hung up on him after the way he'd treated her. She said--and this is a direct quote--'damn, Perry, he's just sex on legs'. I think her voice even shook a bit when she said it."

Pres grinned,

"so what happened to her?"

"Deb? Oh, I started taking her out and she completely forgot about him," Perry dropped his napkin down on his empty plate and kicked back in his chair with a devilish twinkle in his eyes, "She was mighty thankful, mighty thankful. The rest of that term anyway."

Pres shook his head and laughed,

"You dog."

Prince's latest conquest was the sleek and lovely Katharine Burb, wife of Josh Burb and mother of Lucy, Karen and Kirstie Burb. She was a pillar of tiny tri-county society, and quite sexy even though she had recently become a grandmother. The news of her affair with a criminal would rock the town--and ruin her life--if it got out. 

Around four pm the brothers broke for the day after accomplishing quite a lot on the car. Perry changed his shirt and they headed to the bowing alley. They'd already called their youngest brother, Parker, to meet them there when he got off work.

"Why didn't you stop at your apartment first and change your clothes?" Pres asked him when he arrived, "You look uncomfortable; in fact you look like a nerd wearing that silk suit here."

"Oh, excuse me all to hell; I didn't have time. Anyway, I don't take fashion advice from you, Mr. Rebel Without a Clue. I don't know why we're even wasting time here, Perry always beats everyone...at everything."

"You have something better to do?" Pres asked.

"Oh, no way. I'm always up for hanging around grungy bowling alleys that reek of stale popcorn and sweaty shoes. Shoes that, by the way, have been worn by about ten thousand people. It's what I live for, really."

"Oh, boo-blinking-hoo, cry me a river."

"Boys, boys," Perry lectured in a mock patriarchal voice, "Do I have to separate you?"

Perry had high score of course. 

They next headed to a posh restaurant that Parker insisted they should try.

"Are you sure? You're dressed up but we're not," Pres pointed out.

Parker dismissed this,

"They have a very relaxed dress code."

Pres shrugged.

Once they'd been served their dinner Parker asked Perry,

"So, what's the deal with your new lady? What's her name again--Monique? Veronique?"

"It's Lalique, bozo. Let's just say things are moving along. Unlike most of your airhead girlfriends, she's intelligent, educated and high-spirited with a great sense of humor."

"Definitely high-spirited," Pres added and then muttered under his breath, "And hot-tempered and sarcastic."

Perry decided to ignore the comment while Parker asked,

"Yeah, but the really important thing is--what does she look like? Is she hot?"

"She's attractive, almost as good-looking as Arlene," Pres volunteered.

"I want Perry's opinion; not yours, numb-nuts. You can tell me about your lady in a minute." 

Perry rubbed his chin as though giving the question due consideration,

"Guys, what can I say? She's a gypsy, a spitfire, an enchantress. Curly jet black hair, lots of it. She wears it up most of the time, but when she lets it down--oh, mama. Big beautiful brown eyes, full lips and absolutely incredible legs. In fact, you could say she's built like a--"

"Ah, ah, ah," Pres chided him and used their mother's favorite expression, "Keep a civil tongue in your head, Perry Everhart."

"Gee, Mom. Do I have to go to my room?"

"Civil? What fun is that?" Parker asked, shoveling in a huge forkful of lobster dripping with drawn butter, "Pres says she's got kids up the yin yang. Sounds like you'd have your hands full should it get serious."

"She has four kids; two sets of twins. They are great kids, believe me. The youngest ones are starting to crawl, the oldest two just started school," Perry frowned, "I'm pretty crazy about them."

Parker looked at Pres--they both knew how their oldest brother loved children--and then Parker looked back at Perry. 

"So-o-o, maybe it's already serious." 

"Oh, yeah. In fact, it's about to get downright significant; I'm going to take her to meet Mom and Dad, if she will agree. Unless I can get them to come here, which would be even better."

This disclosure definitely shut down all conversation for a moment. Then Pres threw in another bombshell for Parker.

"Actually I'm thinking of doing the same thing with Arlene."

"Both of you?" Parker was astounded, and then joked, "You're both deserting me at the same time?"

"Looks like. But you're a big boy now--you will survive," Perry replied.

Parker signaled the waiter to bring the bill,

"It's my check," he said, grabbing it as his brothers reached for their wallets.

Both of them looked at him in shock and Perry finally said,

"Moocher Everhart is treating us?"

Pres looked at Perry in wonder and then back at Parker, his expression of surprise exaggerated,

"To a rock lobster dinner?!"

Parker grimaced,

"Very funny. I've got a good job now--just because I found myself short occasionally when I was at University and when I was working as a parking valet you don't have to act like treating you is a major event."

Perry looked at Pres with his trademark deadpan expression,

"Damn. Wish I'd known that earlier--I could have ordered dessert and a bottle of Dom Perignon."

Pres nodded,

"Yeah, a lost opportunity. Sucks for us."

"Everybody's a comedian around here," Parker groused.

As they left the restaurant Pres was quiet; he needed to go home and think over everything Perry had said earlier in the day. It seemed his problems were not solved, but in fact had doubled...

Next update The Brothers Everhart - Pres Ch. 6 What about Sofia?

Harvey and Lori Ferguson Ch. 12 The Stork Stops Over

Harvey had been working on a new portrait of Lori for a couple days when she went into labor. The twins arrived, as is usual in Pleasantview, in the early hours of morning. They were well prepared in the event of twins, of course, with two cribs all ready in the nursery. The names had already been selected as well; Graylan Harvey for their son and Valrae Melora for their daughter.

"What's Harvey short for, anyway?" Gareth had asked Harvey when he heard.


"It's short for Harvey, ya dope," he replied.

"Oh. I figured it was like Harry from, you know, Harold, or Larry from Lawrence. I thought maybe you're real name was Harvard or something."

"It's a Scottish name," Lori supplied and added, "And don't call him a dope, Harvey. I used to wonder what it was short for, too."

Gareth smiled at her gratefully and Lori grinned back,

"Or does that mean we're both dopes, Gareth?"

A couple weeks after the twins birth Lori visited her mother at home. Something had occurred that had rather thrown her. She'd always considered herself somewhat curvy although not as zaftig as her mother used to be. But now she was positively statuesque; right up there with Elle Lomax.

"I look like Dolly Parton on steroids," she complained to Melora, "I just ballooned up two days after the twins were born."


Melora was sympathetic, but realistic,

"Sweetie, nursing sometimes does that. Usually it's temporary until you wean, but sometimes it's permanent. Or you may lose a little but never go back to your same size. That's what happened to me after I had Grace, anyway. I didn't lose much up top until after I had you and Trey."

"Yes, well, I sure hope it's temporary since it's going to make it hard to find clothes and I can't fit into my old ones right now. On the other hand; Harvey told me to spend as much as I want on a new wardrobe," and she grinned wickedly, "He likes it."

Melora laughed,

"I can relate to that. Anyway, you'll have an easier time with fit if you choose separates, and I speak from experience, as you know."

"Well, I've really been working at my sewing skills. I'll never be as talented as Gracie, but I think I'm getting good enough to make some more ambitious things for myself," she paused as she considered, "Hey, if I do that, with the rest of the money I would have spent on buying clothes retail I can buy jewelry to go with my outfits instead!"

"See? Every cloud has a silver lining."

"Yes, every bit of money I save by sewing my own things can be spent on something else," Lori cracked, "Heaven forbid I put it aside for a rainy day."

Melora laughed softly again and Lori reflected that she'd never seen her mother looking so glamorous since before she left for college. Always fashion conscious and attractive, Melora had seemed to get a little more casual with age. She'd said that she thought as a woman got older she should soften her makeup and hair. Now, however she was wearing quite a bit of eye makeup again and it was meticulously applied. Lori did not disapprove; she really did think her mother looked lovely, but she had noticed a slight anxiety in her lately and a sort of dampening of her natural enthusiasm. Now Lori wondered if it had something to do with the unwelcome advancement of time although when she first decided to let her hair go gray naturally, Melora had seemed at peace with it. Lori did not like to think about the fact that her parents were aging; they had been in their forties when she and Trey were born. Her father, except for his silver hair and some lines around his eyes, didn't really look that different. When he'd shaved off his beard he'd even lost a few years.

"You've grown your hair out, Mom, I like it. I remember when you wore it that way when I was in high school."

Melora looked a little self-conscious,

"You don't think it's too severe? I tried it shorter, but it just didn't suit me somehow," she paused and then added, "And your father always liked me to have it long and wear it this way."

"Then I'm sure he's happy about it," Lori smiled, "You look fantastic, you've even lost a little weight."


"Well, I don't want to just let my appearance slide now. It's important to me to feel feminine and attractive, even if I'm in my mid-sixties. Maybe that's vain, but I was brought up in an era where it was the woman's "duty" to remain alluring to her husband," she said this lightly, her eyes casting around the room as though looking for something she could not find. But then she looked directly at Lori a moment,

"Or else she was likely to have problems."

With that she looked away again. Lori's heart fluttered and there was a beat before she asked in what she hoped was an offhand manner,

"Oh...so...how's Daddy doing, anyway?"

"He's fine, sweetie, still gardening every day. He took a break from building robots, though. Just a temporary one he says. He's been doing some golfing and lately spends quite a bit of time at Harvey's new club. I think he feels more at home there since Harvey is running it. Anyway, today he's off to the hardware store getting a few things to help with the honey-do list I gave him and will probably hit the gym after that."

Startled, Lori's mouth dropped open and then she shut it quickly. Harvey had finally closed the deal on the health club, but she'd been about to tell her mother that it was temporarily closed for renovation and had been for a few weeks now. Her mother obviously didn't know that since she didn't go to Bluewater Village very often. Maybe Daddy was going to the other gym and her mother was just confused as to which one. Lori declined informing her that she must be mistaken, though. 

Part of her felt she should further question her mother. After all, some of what Melora had said automatically made her bridle; the part about looking good being a "duty". Oh, the wife has to remain gorgeous--while the man can let himself go? Of course, her father hadn't let himself go and, as far as she knew, he'd always thought her mother was beautiful. The other part of Lori, though, wanted to run miles away from this; she didn't want or need to know anything. It was none of her business anyway. Lori knew she was often impulsive so she bit back any remark about the unfair and outdated idea her mother believed in, at least it seemed unfair to her. Besides, if she was truthful with herself she had to admit that she wanted her own husband to always think she was a hottie. She would say nothing at all, at least until she could talk with Harvey. He would calm her fears; he always did. He'd probably say that she was reading too much into what her mother said. Melora deftly changed the subject to the twins, fortunately, and Lori was able to relax.

But when she got home she said nothing to Harvey about the questions forming in her mind. She told herself that probably it was just her always fertile imagination working overtime. 


Graylan and Valrae pushed all unhappy thoughts out of her mind anyway. Lori had been dreaming about marrying Harvey and having babies all through college--or most of it, anyway. She was happy as could be to care for her infant twins now.

"No way do I want a nanny," she told Harvey when he wondered if they should get some help for her in that direction.

"Honey, I know you can handle it, but will you get depressed when you don't have as much time for the piano or painting? I'll be helping out but I have to be at the gym a lot of the time, especially after I reopen it."

No, no, no. She would care for them herself. Naturally she wanted Harvey to do his daddy-thing whenever he was home. It would be the two of them parenting.
Now that they had a routine going and things were calming down Harvey said he'd like to scrap the earlier painting he'd been doing of her and start a new one. He said he didn't get the last one kicked off just right. That was, if she had time to pose for him now and then.

"Yes, I'm sure you'd like to start over with the amazing change in my stats," Lori said dryly, "Well, okay I can pose between feedings and laundry. Are you sure you couldn't just paint me from the shoulders up, though?"

"Don't be like that, honey; you're beautiful."

"Hmm, I see. Well then, let me caution you: if I end up posed in a saloon girl dress you're going to be in big trouble, buster."

"Okay," he grinned, "From the shoulders up. This time."

Of course, she was referring to the infamous photo-shopped pictures Harvey and Gareth had made of her and Melanie back in their college days when the guys lived at Horrible House.

http://sims2loriland.blogspot.com/2011/02/sim-state-u-ch5-horrible-house.html

After a false start where she posed in the studio, Harvey said he wanted something more elegant and asked her to pose in one of her evening gowns instead. The deep green taffeta was one of his personal favorites.

"Might as well, I never get to wear it anywhere," she shrugged.

Harvey was setting up his easel in the doorway to the music room.

"I said I never get to where it anywhere," Lori emphasized as she took her place by the piano. 

"Well, maybe we can do something about that soon."


She nodded. But where in Pleasantview could an evening gown be worn?

Next blog update: Harvey and Lori Ferguson Ch. 13 Grayland and Valrae

Shep Ferguson Ch. 8 Debbie; High School Senior Pt. 2

One evening John Lassiter strolled by the Ferguson home while Shep was fishing in the pond so he called to John and invited him in for a game of "DWTL" and a double-pork chop dinner. John's youngest daughter, Lori, was married to their youngest son, Harvey, so not only were they long time friends and neighbors they were also relatives. They asked him how his wife, Melora, was doing and were surprised to find out that she was working part-time at the Flowers By Chelsea shop in town. She'd taken classes on flower arranging and enjoyed it very much. With all their children out of the house, Melora was bored so she was eager to work for a while again. So John had time on his hands; hence the "walkabout" in Pleasantview that day.

Madeleine was a very good cook; almost as good as Melora Lassiter, and she'd been thinking for some time of entering into the competition at Sue's Secret Kitchen. Melora had encouraged her to give it a try so Madeleine began making a number of her best recipes to see which one she would use to compete.  Crown roast of pork was one of the first ones she made to Shep's great delight; because that was his favorite meal. In fact, she had given the recipe to Lori just before Christmas. Madeleine also grilled often so on various days she prepared Stuffed Golden Trout, Stuffed Rainbow Trout and her special Barbequed Ribs. The ribs recipe had been handed down in her family for three generations--Gillian used it all the time.

She couldn't decide on one recipe so far, but she had narrowed it down to either her barbequed ribs or the crown roast.

"Well, you know which one I'd choose," Shep smiled, "But I'm no expert on cooking competitions."

Madeleine was also considering entering a cake or pie in the dessert competition eventually, after she got the nerve to enter one of her savory dishes. Debbie, too, was more and more interested in learning to cook. She could make grilled cheese sandwiches and macaroni and cheese, but she wanted to learn to make chili and spaghetti and especially double chops the way her mother did.

Madeleine continued to think about it but, for the time being, she didn't feel she was ready to compete at Sue's Secret Kitchen.

Last fall Shep spent a good deal of time raking leaves; a more strenuous job than some might think. Madeleine kept telling him to "take it easy and don't try to do so much in a day, you're not as young as you used to be." This only made him grumpy, of course. Shep was hardly ever in an ill mood, so she tried not to remind him too often. Still, she had read that many seniors had heart attacks while either shoveling snow or raking leaves, so she kept an eye on him when she could.

After some discussion regarding the cramped conditions in the art studio--which had been on the 2nd floor in Nicky's old room for a couple years now--Shep decided Madeleine should have a sewing room of her own on the third floor. It would be in the room that the kids used to use to work out in when they were little and now it just held a second exercise machine. Mostly they used the machine on the 2nd floor in the hall, anyway. So they stored the second exercise machine for the time being in the attic and--with help from Debbie--moved Madeleine's antique sewing machine and table up to the 3rd floor room at the top of the stairs. Madeleine loved the room--there was space for everything she needed. She not only liked sewing clothes from patterns, but designing and making her own patterns and now there was room for both pursuits. Many happy hours would be spent in this room in the future.

On Friday nights Debbie usually spent time with her female friends. Often they'd go cruising or to the movies, or sometimes they went skating or to the Arcade and frequently the next afternoon was spent with them as well. Of course, boys could be counted on to show up during these occasions, but not always. Somehow on this Friday night she'd ended up with no plans. Saturday nights she usually had a date but surprisingly no one had asked her out, either. Feeling glum about the weekend in general and desperate for some socializing she went on up to the Arcade again Friday around 7 pm. When no one was there that was her age she called Jessamyn Blackford to come up to meet her. Jessamyn did so, but no sooner did she come in the door and look around then she muttered she had to go and did just that. Debbie was irritated and headed to Wonderland Skate Rink but there were hardly any teens there either. In fact, there was practically no one there at all. What a dreary Friday night. Debbie went on back home and brooded in her bedroom, writing down her frustration in her diary. An idea occurred to her and she phoned Jessamyn again.

"What was the idea tonight? You came in and then ducked out immediately," before Jessamyn could answer she went on, "Listen, Jess, if you'll pick me up tonight--late tonight--I'll come out and we can go cruising and I'll actually forgive you for being so mean to me at the Arcade. Do not honk the horn."

"I wasn't trying to be mean--it was just that I don't like the manager there, he's too friendly, always trying to joke with me and he creeps me out. I mean, he must be 30! And when I came in he was looking at me weird and I could see he was going to come over to me. I couldn't explain to you then." 

"Well, okay, like I said I'll forgive you if you come by here around 1 in the morning when my parents are asleep. I need a little adventure and sneaking out late at night would be way more fun than than an afternoon at the Arcade anyway."

So when Jessamyn arrived Debbie was lurking on the porch in the dark and she sprinted out to the car. Hours later she crept up the walk as quietly as she could and managed to avoid detection. This time.

Jessamyn often came over on Saturday mornings and had breakfast with Debbie while they discussed what their plans should be for the day. Sometimes they went shopping or over to see another of their friends, like Lisa Trottier Goth, or Scotti Lynn Ferguson. Jessamyn's twin sister, Janice, sometimes came along, too, but her part-time job at Le Magnifique usually kept her busy on Saturday afternoons so she mostly went with them at night.

Other times Debbie and Jessamyn just hung around the house, swimming and fishing, or playing games, and sometimes just being plain silly; pillow-fighting or giggling over boys.

More and more, as her senior year went on, Debbie daydreamed about the day she would leave for college. She could see herself getting in the taxi while Madeline waved goodbye sadly. Would her parents miss her much? She knew she would be very homesick at first, and it really wouldn't be too much longer before it was time to go away to school. She hoped to go to Sim State University, the same college Harvey and Holly had graduated from a few years ago. Shep and Madeleine were debating though, if they let her go there they wanted to be sure she did not stay at the dorm where those murders had once occurred. It sounded fascinating to Debbie--at least from this distance--but surely there could not still be strange things going on at Landgraab Dorm? Perhaps she would try Pinenut dorm instead. She had to make up her mind soon...

Link to 1st Murder at Landgraab HERE


Link to 2nd Murder HERE

Next blog update: Shep Ferguson Ch. 9 Gillian Ferguson-Blackford