The Bell Family: Week 6

- - - Update 30.7.2012 - - - Welcome back to the Bell family! This update comes rather soon, because I played the household only a few weeks ago due to Sharon Wirth living there also, and from the letter W on the alphabetical list it does not take very long to start from the top again and get to the letter B. Hannah is now 68. Things between her and her husband (who has, after all, not "done" anything with his sister-in-law - not even a kiss!) seem to go well again, and she was never, not even for a moment, cross with her sister. 

Issac is also 68. Elderhood and being on Permanent Platinum suits him, plus he is happy about their son Daniel having moved back in with them after college. 

Sharon is 61 and still working in the Dance Career. 

Monday morning begins with a broken computer in Daniel's room. Auntie Sharon, always willing to do something for her favourite nephew (he is also her only nephew), offers to repair it - not knowing that, in doing so, she sets in motion a chain of most dramatic events: (And as I have mentioned on this blog before, I intervene very rarely in my Sims' lives) First, she gets electrocuted - not much harm done, you'd think; it happens all the time. 

But then, as she has just gotten up and left for the bathroom to have a shower, the spark that probably caused her electric shock somehow ignites a fire - the computer itself, the desk and the chair all catch fire, sending Daniel into a panic. 

Unfortunately, he didn't stand back far enough, and the flames get hold of him. 

If you look closely, the smoke and flames are even visible from outside; Daniel's room is the one above the porch. 

Issac runs to the rescue, but it is too late - by the time he reaches his son's room, the Grim Reaper is already there. 

And as if one person was not enough for Mr. Reaper, poor Issac is also engulfed in the flames which, for some reason, have not completely died down yet. 

Believe me, it was a horrific scene! I had no idea how far the fire was going to spread; was it going to keep burning until all the furniture in this room was cinder? Or even the whole upper floor? No, the flames were satisfied with two victims... All that remains of Daniel and his father are these two urns amidst piles of ashes from the computer, desk and chair. What a dramatic and terrible Monday morning! 

Sharon, grief-stricken, rings Daniel's many best friends, and some of her own, to pass the sad news. 

She is at a loss as to what to do now. 

Even worse it is for Hannah - she has lost her husband and her son in the space of only a few hours. 

She sits at the empty dining table, joined only by the memories of many a lively family meal there. 

Both Sharon and Hannah are deeply affected by the dramatic deaths of Issac and Daniel (# 27 and 28 to die since the foundation of New Maximiliania). They wander around the house, not really doing anything, having lost all interest in meals or showers, until they find each other on the balcony and start talking about their departed loved ones. 

On Tuesday, for the first time since the fire Hannah manages to eat something. It is just a bag of crisps but it is better than nothing. Issac was 68 when he died; he would not have lived that much longer according to his life bar, but he could have died peacefully of old age, not still under the shock of just having lost his son and then the painful death in the flames. 

On Wednesday, Sharon realises what state the house and garden are in and starts clearing up... 

...and taking care of the garden again. 

That morning, her good friend Goneril Capp comes visiting. She was not invited, but decided her friend Sharon needed a friendly hug, and of course Sharon is grateful. 

Goneril sits with the two sisters, making sure they finally eat a proper meal again. Grandma's Comfort Soup helps in many ways! 

On Thursday, a thunderstorm brings an unwelcome reminder of the fire when lightning hits one of the large willow trees. Luckily, the rain is heavy enough to put the flames out before any damage is done. 

Hannah, who still can't be bothered to dress as she used to do but often stays in her PJ all day, has at least started to greet passing neighbours again. Tommy Ottomas is shocked to see Hannah in her grief; he knew Daniel from university where he was best friends with his older brother David. 

With guests in the house, Hannah finally starts cooking again. No bag of crisps for her visitors! 

Only on Friday, Hannah can bring herself to sweep up the ashes in Daniel's room. 

Sharon is glad when Opal Contrary and Shaun Singles walk by and asks them in; she knows that without any visitors, her sister will not look after herself at all. 

On Saturday, the sisters take a taxi to the cemetery. (This is Gamesend Grounds, of course a Maxis-made community lot which I have not changed, merely added the tombstones of almost all of the Sims who have died in New Maximiliania so far.) 

One section of the cemetery is reserved for pets. 

This double grave is where Mary-Sue and Daniel Pleasant have found their last resting place. 

Pollination Technician # 9 ("Polly") Smith's tomb is next to where Daniel and his father were buried. 

Here lies Carlos Contender. 

Hannah mourns her husband and her son (she did that without me telling her to!). After a while, the sisters leave the cemetery and take the taxi back home. 

Yet another thunderstorm "welcomes" them - Parvati Patel and Sharla Ottomas run over to see whether they can help, but once again, the rain puts the flames out quickly. 

On Sunday at 6.00 pm, when Hannah has just turned 75, Mr. Reaper appears again. Seems like the old hooded guy has a heart somewhere - he promises to take Hannah to where her husband and her son await her, and she goes with him and his Hula girls willingly. 

Sharon was at work when Hannah died. The moment she gets off the car she knows, and breaks into tears. 

She aimlessly wanders around the house, mourning her big sister. What is Sharon going to do now? She is 68 years old and all on her own in the big house that used to be a happy family home... I don't know yet, but I am sure we will see Sharon again.