The Ottomas-Monty Family - Week 10

Already after only a few weeks we are back at the Ottomas house. The last time we were here, it was because I was playing surnames beginning with M, and Romeo Monty lives here, too.

There he is, all enthusiastic about his sister-in-law's suggestion to have fried eggs, sunny side up, for breakfast on this Monday morning.
Sharla Ottomas (middle) is the youngest of the adults in this household: she is 59 and married to Romeo's brother Mercutio, who is 69. Romeo is 67; Sharla's big brother David and his wife Lilith (nee Pleasant) are both 74.
Sharla is also the only one not yet on Permanent Platinum - she wants six grandchildren, but her own children are still only teenagers.

There they are, twins Orlando (back) and Odell (front), on they way to the school bus. Nothing worth mentioning happens the rest of that day.

On Tuesday morning, Mercutio makes breakfast on his own accord.

His sons Orlando and Odell are grateful, as is their Mom.

Later, when the boys are at school and some of the others at work, Sharla does some housework - not without having fun :-)
Lilith, still in her PJs, joins her outside.

Back from school and their homework done, I let the boys do pretty much as they please, except for when it is time to greet another New Maximilianian walking by, as Carolina Capp does today.

David and Mercutio come home from work together, and with Justin Kim in tow.

Sharla repairs the toy robot.

All of a sudden, the small living area/hallway is full of people, so that Mr. Reaper can not get through without politely waiting for them to move aside. Who has he come for?
It is David Ottomas, who has just turned 76. I expected this by the looks of his lifetime bar, but he will be sorely missed by his family.

His wife Lilith, still the Rock Goddess, has been out playing a concert all evening. She learns of David's death upon her return and is deeply saddened. But she also knows she won't have to wait very long before she'll join him there at the big community lot in the sky.

In the afternoon, Gabriella Newson walks by and is greeted by Mercutio, who has been taking advantage of his day off and stayed in his PJs all day.

On Wednesday, Sharla frequently stops what she is doing and thinks of her late brother. Now she is the only Ottomas left of her generation.

Her sons are going to carry on the name.

Today, first Odell...

...and then Orlando leave for college - it was the last possible day for them.

Later, Sharla greets Calvin Cho.

Upstairs, I am surprised to find Romeo having joined newly widowed Lilith in her bed. They have been best friends for a long time, so it is not all that surprising - and nothing "happened". Still, it looks as if Lilith has her own way to deal with the grief for her late husband David.

It seems Lilith seeks male company just for the sake of it, to help her overcome her feelings of loneliness after her husband's death. On Thursday morning, I find her patiently resting on Sharla and Mercutio's marital bed, with Mercutio still in it - fast asleep and completely unaware of his "guest".

Sharla, meanwhile, does what she always does - making sure the household runs smoothly, which includes paying the bills.

It snows later that day for the first time this winter.

When Mercutio returns from work, his colleague Jonah Powers is with him.

Lilith is out and about before daybreak on Friday, building a snowman. The "devilish" appearance reminds me of the fact that Lilith was meant to be the "bad" one of the Pleasant twin sisters.

So far, the family has not been to a community lot this week. I think Sharla would want to visit David's grave, and so I send them to Gamesend Grounds.

There is David's headstone.

A mix of townies and New Maximilianians all gather in one corner of the cemetery. There are, among others, Jill Indie, Jared Starchild and one of the robots Angela Pleasant made long ago.

Back home, I observe something strange: Although the family did not go shopping (and was nowhere near a groceries store all week), Sharla gets off the car with a shopping basked in hand and places it upstairs on the desk where her sons used to do their homework.

When Lilith returns from work at 11:00 pm, I am prepared for what's coming:

She is handed her last cocktail in this world. "Happy 80th birthday, Lilith," Mr. Reaper says. Lilith knows she will be reunited with her beloved husband, and willingly leaves this life.

On Saturday, Stacy Stacks walks by and is greeted by Romeo.

I find Sharla upstairs, crying. It is probably a mix of feelings of loss - her big brother and his wife have died within days of each other, and just when her twin sons have left for college, too.

On Sunday, Catherine Capp is greeted by Sharla.

The young and the elderly lady sit down for a game of chess. "You have such beautiful paintings, Mrs. Ottomas," Catherine says.

Later, Romeo comes home from work and immediately goes for a nap. When he wakes up again, he discovers their young, pretty, curvy, blonde, female guest. "If only you were grown-up... or I was younger," he muses aloud. Catherine smiles - she knows exactly that she need not fear anything untoward from Romeo, as the game simply is not programmed that way.

But isn't it funny that Romeo keeps thinking of Catherine?

The week ends without any further events. Will Romeo end his days single and alone? How much longer will Mercutio stay around now that he has just turned 76? Will Sharla reach her lifetime want of having six grandchildren with her two sons only just having started college?