The Stacks Family - Week 10

Click here for week 9 with this family.

It's been way too long since I have last played in this Maxis-made house, which in my game has become a family home filled with warmth and love. It used to be the Harts' house (Matthew Hart and Jane Stacks) and is now lived in by their daughter Helena and her family; Matthew and Jane have long moved to the Big Community Lot in the sky.

Here is Helena, whom we left last time I played this household in her late 60s. Strangely enough, now she is at 1 day before adulthood - but looks like the elderly lady we last saw. Her husband Cedric (Julien Cooke's half-Alien son) turned into an Elder last round and is now 57. Both are on Permanent Platinum and get little control from me.

Their eldest daughter Stacy is pursuing her dream of becoming Celebrity Chef. She started her working life as a Dish Washer and was promoted to Drive Through Clerk last week. As she was never serious about going to college, I didn't send her. She is engaged with Carl Capp, one of several two-bolt-men for her, while her only 3-bolt-man is Callum Capp - she knows him, but has no romantic relationship with him.

Her younger sister Stella grew up into a teenager only recently, and wishes to follow in her big sister's footsteps as a Celebrity Chef.
Helena and Cedric's third daughter, Stephanie, is currently a Senior at college.

On this Monday, nothing truly remarkable happens. Stacy harvests a batch of rather bland oranges and otherwise takes care of the necessary skills for her next promotion, Stella goes to school, and their parents spend most of their time with each other.

On Tuesday morning, I find Cedric doing the slap dance in the living room. All the family love dancing, be it the Hula, Slap or Smustle, and the stereo is on nearly constantly.

Stella spends part of the afternoon upstairs in her room, doing homework. She has kept the princess look of the room and even the old toy oven, although she can not use it anymore.

Not the car pool you'd expect for a Drive Through Clerk, is it? Well, the limousine is actually there to pick up Helena for work, but of course her daughter can come along.

The ride back is much less posh - but Stacy returns with a promotion to Fast Food Shift Manager.

Helena is first to get up on Wednesday morning.

Stacy has the day off and been wishing for a date since the start of the week. Although her wish was not explicitly about Carl Capp, he is her fiance and so she asks him over.

After a short... ahem... intermezzo in the car, the date ends as a dream date. Neither of the two wished to get married, but that could change once spring comes round.

For now, it is enough to have Carl stay for dinner, always a favourite time with the Stacks when they all gather round the table.

Early on Thursday morning, Carl leaves a rose bouquet for Stacy on the front porch.

She is up already, skilling for her next promotion.

Later, I have Helena invite Vyn Scott over to strengthen their budding friendship. Vyn has the same surname as a playable in TS4 - Travis Scott - and is therefore eligible to become a proper New Max resident eventually.

Winter has begun, and the house is decorated for Christmas inside and out.

Stella first just looks at the reindeer sculpture in the front garden and then pets it - an electric shock is the result. Nothing dramatic, I think; most times, a Sim is perfectly alright again after a shower, something to eat and a rest.

Not so this time, though: A few sparks have fallen to the ground, igniting the dry grass.

Stacy hears her little sister's cries and comes running out to see what's up - FIRE!!

The inevitable happens: Stacy gets too close to the flames and dies...

...followed by Stella. All the shocked parents can do is panic. Will they also burn?

No, they survive the fire, which burns until Friday morning, leaving two tombstones and many piles of ashes behind. The poor Stacks family! I am truly sorry, but have decided not to intervene. Their third daughter, Stephanie, is still at uni. She will be devastated when she learns of her sisters' death.

Helena keeps interrupting whatever she's been doing, bursting into tears.

Eventually, she begins to sweep the ashes in the garden on her own initiative. "Worst thing I've ever had to do", she thinks, "sweeping my daughters' ashes."

Cedric is of course no different; he, too, grieves his daughters. "All the lovely Christmas decorations we've put up, and nobody to enjoy them now," he sobs.

In the evening, a team of young volunteers appear to help with the cleaning up. (Actually, Cataldo Capp and Amin Seifert simply walked by, but I had Cedric greet them and use the "influence..." interaction to make them help.)

On Saturday morning, Helena and Cedric drive to the cemetery.

Several new tombstones have been erected since my last visit (well, of course I have put them there, but in build mode; not the same as playing there).

Stacy and Stella have found their last resting place here. Theirs are the two tombstones with the potted green and red amaryills in front.
Helena and Cedric don't stay long; they politely greet a few neighbours but are soon heading back home.

Helena invites her friend Vyn Scott over. "I wish we were best friends," she thinks. And Vyn seems to understand her grief; shortly after this picture was taken, Vyn and Helena become best friends.

Cedric does what he can to help his wife.

But of course, he is sad, too.

Waking up on Sunday morning, the Stacks find themselves in winter wonderland; it has snowed heavily over night.

Stephanie still manages to make their way over from university for the day. The sad news of her sisters' death hit her hard, of course, and she is worried about her parents.

"Dad still in his PJs, and the bed still unmade at this hour..." she thinks, "and Mum was always so houseproud! They really are not coping well."

But then things take a turn for the better when Helena asks her friend Vyn not only over for the day, but to move in:

Vyn Scott, former Townie, adds 3,000 Simoleons to the household account
Aspiration: Family; Lifetime want: Have 6 grandchildren (sorry, Vyn, I doubt it will happen)
Job: Flag Capturer (I have her quit her job immediately)

Now Helena makes more of an effort again, lighting the fire in fire place while Vyn contributes to the day by making Comfort Soup.

The family - what's left of them - around the dinner table; this is how we know and love the Stacks. Stephanie returns to uni the same evening, but it won't be long now until she graduates, and I can see her coming back to live with her parents. For now, she is glad to know her parents have Vyn for support.

What about Vyn, though? Will she move to her own place, or to the Senior Residence? I have not yet decided.