The Baldwin Family - Week 4

Back at the Baldwin household, there are still - just as we left them - only Benjamin... 

...and his son Marcus here. Benjamin is now 65, and his son is 5 days from becoming an Adult. In the meantime, Benjamin has developed a 3-bolt-attraction for Elizabeth Aspir, Chastity Gere and Sam Thomas - while it is highly unlikely that he'll do anything about any of the three ladies, it is not impossible. He is still striving to become Hall of Famer, and his son will soon be ready for college. 

On Monday, Sofia returns from college; she has graduated Cum Laude in Physics. She has, by the way, 3 bolts for Brent Broke - and I would like the two of them to get together, but Brent is already living with Sandra Roth and her family, since those two share the lifetime want of raising 20 puppies or kitten, and I am hoping to make this easier for them by living together. 

Sofia's lifetime want is to become Head of SCIA, and she is lucky: right away, she finds a job in the intelligence career and will be starting tomorrow as a Reconnaissance Communicator. 

I think all three of them enjoy being together again; Isabel has died some time ago, and so Benjamin gave up all hope of his wife ever returning to him, and his children are all the family he has now. 

On Tuesday morning before going to school, Marcus gives the spy antenna a try; his sister has received it as a career rewards object. 

While he was at school, his sister made a kite for him and placed it on the wall above his desk. 

He then spends a most pleasant afternoon flying his kite. 

On Wednesday, Sofia is promoted to Rookie Field Agent. She has a cold and instantly goes to bed. 

On Thursday, the piano needs tuning, and after three attempts Marcus is successful. 

Sofia, who has changed into something more suitable for the summer (yes, it is actually her mum's old dress which she found in the family wardrobe), has been talking to Brent Broke on the phone for a while, and on Thursday, she invites him over. A 3-bolt-attraction is hard to ignore! 

Later that same day, she returns from work with a promotion to Field Agent. Edwin Sharpe, one of her colleagues, comes home with her. 

Marcus seems all quiet and subdued; he knows his Dad will be alright, now that Sofia is back from college, but still he is torn between wanting to go to uni and not wanting to leave his Dad. 

Sofia has gone back to work for another few hours, but when she comes home that night, she is demoted back to Rookie Field Agent, because of having taken the wrong decision with a chance card. 

Friday morning sees the gypsy lady sneaking up to the back door and leaving a magic lamp there. For now, I simply leave it where it is; none of the Baldwins seem to be in desperate need of anything the genie could do for them. 

Benjamin is promoted to Coach, and obviously very happy about it! 

I almost forgot to send Marcus to college - it was actually 20 past 6 pm when I made him call the taxi, and I expected any minute the game to tell me that it was too late and Marcus to grow up without ever getting to university! We shall soon catch up with him there. 

Sofia is back in her former position as Field Agent. 

It is Saturday, and finally Benjamin decides to do something about one of his 3-bolt-attractions: he invites Elizabeth Aspir over. She is a lovely lady and much fun to be with... Benjamin just wishes he'd met her sooner, before she married Victor and he married Isabel. 

The two of them spend a cozy afternoon together, talking about all sorts of things. "My son has left for college today, I wonder whether he'll meet your daughter there," Benjamin says. They do like each other lots, but apart from a friendly good-bye-hug nothing "happens" - not even a peck on the cheek. 

On Sunday, Benjamin reaches his lifetime want: he is now, at 71 years, Hall of Famer and on permanent platinum! The young man Sofia was just talking to here is Rick Contrary, he happened to walk by and was duly greeted. 

To celebrate his permanent platinum status, Benjamin invites Elizabeth Aspir over again. And - he becomes one of the very few New Maximilianians who have ever managed to pet the skunk without being sprayed! Just once, though; when he tries again, he ends up being in bad need of a shower. 

As the week ends, Benjamin's lifetime bar has not much left, and I'm afraid he will not be around much longer - probably not long enough for him to bring his relationship with Elizabeth to the next level. Sofia is doing well in her career but still has some hard work to do before she will be reaching her lifetime want. And what about love? Brent Broke will stay with Sandra Roth... Is she going to find someone else? Is Marcus going to do well at college?