The Bratford-Martin Household: Week 5

For the previous week at this household, click here or the "Bratford" label.

The Bratford-Martin household is about to start their next week. Who lives there at the moment?

Monica Bratford...

Jacob Martin...

...and Jacob's half-Alien daughter Martina. She feels rather awful when she gets up on Monday morning. Bouts of flu, cold and a "mysterious disease" keep plaguing the household all week.

Maybe you remember that the last time we saw Monica, she was visiting Barry Beaker at his parents' house, and the two of them were embarking on a whirlwind romance like only true three-bolters can do. Well, as soon as I entered this household, all Monica's wants involved Barry. So the decision to have him move in wasn't hard.

And Barry being his usual self, he instantly sets about making himself useful. Actually, not instantly... the fact that he was fully dressed in the previous picture and is now in his undies will give you an incling of what happened between these two pictures ;-)

Trying to get to know his new housemates better, Barry plays a ball game with Jacob that afternoon.

At 6.00 pm, first Monica...

...and then Jacob...

...turn into...

...elders. All three adults are on Permanent Platinum; Jacob's daughter Martina, in her early teens, is the only Sim I control properly.

She is very embarrassed when she witnesses Barry and Monica snogging. I later find that she is furious at Monica, although they used to be great friends before that. Maybe Martina thinks Monica should still behave like a widow after Andrew Martin's death; she loved her granddad dearly, but she also has to understand that life goes on.

On Tuesday morning, Jacob makes pork chops for breakfast on his own accord. Not quite my choice for a healthy start into the day!

Charlie Cho comes home with Martina from school that afternoon. Note to self: Give Charlie new clothes when you play the Cho household!

On Wednesday morning, Martina nearly misses the school bus for repairing the bath tub.

Again, she has company after school. This time, it is Prezioso Picaso.

Looks like Jacob is of the same opinion as his daughter Martina when it comes to Monica's new boyfriend. He is now furious with her, too, and heartily dislikes Barry, despite the latter's efforts to make friends with him.

Martina spends a fun afternoon with Prezioso and even heats up a bowl of chili con carne from the fridge for the two of them. She does want to become Celebrity Chef one day, but can't be bothered to do any cooking just yet ;-)

I've done this a few times, but not in quite a while: Have one of my Sims pet the electric reindeer. Martina gets electrocuted, and the whole scene is observed by Prezioso...

...who offers her a backrub afterwards. I wonder whether that really makes her feel so much better :-D

It is Thursday, and the animosity between Barry and Jacob has grown to the point where Jacob slaps the new housemate.

Barry is desperate. He has not done anything wrong; Andrew was long dead before he ever even flirted with Monica! Sobbing, he wonders whether he should move back to his parents' place.

Monica convinces him to stay. "I love you, and you love me, darling," she says, looking deeply into his eyes and hugging him tenderly. "Martina and Jacob will come round eventually, you'll see."

Can you believe this figure-conscious elegant elderly lady (skipping lunch in favour of a can of juice) was once a rather frumpy-looking, slightly overweight student?

This afternoon, Martina greets Padma Patel when the girl happens to walk past the house.

Martina has not lost her love for playing in the bathtub. She does it almost every time I don't give her anything else to do.

On Friday, Jacob incidentally spots Erin Singles through his telescope - and discovers that he has three bolts for her!

But Erin is NOT amused at being spied upon, and tells Jacob so in no uncertain terms. Jacob is very unhappy, feeling he has really messed it up with the lady he has been admiring from afar. He knows she is married and has kids, but... well... three bolts are three bolts, right?

Very early on Saturday morning, Barry has barely touched the telescope when he is abducted by the same Alien who has fathered his half-brother Björn and half-sister Beta.

When he is dropped off in front of the house, Monica runs out to him. Jacob also runs out - but obviously not in the same welcome-back-mood as Monica! "They should have kept you up there," he snarls at poor Barry. He could be a little more sympathetic, couldn't he; after all, he once went through the whole experience himself. Martina being the result.

It is now spring, and Martina heads off to get some new clothes at H&M.

Meanwhile, back home, Barry begins to experience the first symptoms of pregnancy.

One of Martina's new outfits. I am not too keen on this style, but the colours look good on her, I think.

Martina also brought home a new t-shirt and slacks for Monica. She does not appear to be so furious with her anymore.

Barry needs a lot of rest. It's not only the pregnancy, but he's also on and off with the flu, or a cold, or yet another "mysterious disease".

Now Jacob has rolled romantic wants; not necessarily about Erin, but she is his 3-bolt-lady, and so I allow him to invite her over after several friendly phone calls. The two of them greet each other with a kiss-kiss on the cheek.

Out of curiosity, I have Martina salvage the bin, and she finds some old clothes. Maybe these are the ones she discarded after her trip to H&M :-) (Wouldn't it be fun if the Sims could actually keep the stuff they find in the bin? It's a shame they don't; instead, each item is instantly "sold" for a few Simoleons. The clothes were worth 16,-.)

Saturday night, Martina dresses for a night on the town with her friends and puts on some make-up.

She meets a group of friends at the Crypt'O-Night club.

Hailey Hart, Paola Picaso, Lee Broke and Charlie Cho watch as she tries out the dance sphere. Maybe they all wonder how she manages to have her skirt stay where it is!

Martina has pictures taken at the photo booth with both her half-siblings Lee and Hailey.

In the meantime, Jacob is doing his best to make Erin feel welcome and make up for the blunder at the start of their acquaintance. Part of his strategy to win her heart is to offer the best meal he can make, which is pork chops.

The two of them obviously are rather fond of each other.

On Sunday, Martina's half-sister Hailey comes visiting. The girls have a pillow fight in the kitchen.

Erin comes visiting again, too - this time, nobody invited her, she simply turned up, much to Jacob's delight.

The week ends with a kitchen fire, but since there is a fire alarm, nobody comes to harm.
Is Martina going to go to college? Will she and Jacob come to terms properly about Barry having joined the household? Is Jacob going to take his romance with Erin, a married woman, to the next level?