Chapter 16 - A New Life

 

Tiara and elevators don't get along. At all. She's decided that when she grows up tomorrow, she's going to go somewhere where there's no high rise buildings that force her to use elevators.

"Oh, uh...hi, neighbor. No, don't mind me! Just doing some planking!"

Broaching the subject with her mother isn't as easy as it should be, though. Tiara paints to get out her frustration just in case Rhi will notice the licks she plays.

She actually doesn't notice much of anything tonight. She calls Matthew, who is doing a little freelance work as an actor in a really bad B-movie just for kicks. He plays the part of the mad scientist that gets eaten by the platysnake.

He figures he might as well leave on the outfit just to make Rhiannon giggle, but she's far too nervous to really notice.

when she rounds on him in the living room, she lets out what she's been thinking on for the past several days.

"Matthew, I...look, I don't know what the hell I'm saying, I really don't. But you need to know that..."

Matthew waits patiently, eyes widening behind his goggles.

"...that the days I wasn't around you, when I was hiding from you...those were the worst days of my life."

Matthew opens his mouth to speak, but Rhiannon presses onward. "I'm not saying that I want you to marry me. That'd freak the both of us out. But...I want you to stick around. I don't think anyone else can get me like you do."

Her paramour smiles at her happily. "Rhi, you don't even need to ask."

He stays the night. He needs to get up super early in the morning to head back to the set, though, and Rhi allows it.

Their parting is a little more tender this time.

"I'll be back tonight," he murmurs a breath away from her lips.

"What? Why's that?"

"Because there's no way I'm letting you live in this hellhole any longer. Come stay with me. You can have your own bedroom if you want." He chuckles. "The house is so big you don't even have to see me if you get angry."

Rhi is quiet for a moment. "Can I...let you know?"

Matthew agrees and kisses her goodbye for the day.

The next morning is the twins' birthday.

Athena in particular is ridiculously excited about it.

Hot librarian look: accomplished.

Tiara follows right behind her.

The time's come, she decides. There's no more waiting, not when she's legally out of school and on her own.

"Mom? I need to tell you something."

"What's that?"

"I...I want to move out..."

"Well, yeah, I expected as much."

"...to Appaloosa Plains."

"...what?"

Tiara backpedals a bit. "I mean, you see, big city life, it's really not for me, you know? I've never felt really at home at Bridgeport. I only really liked going to the parks or whatever. Other than that I just...stayed inside all the time." She pauses. "And I hate elevators, that too."

"But couldn't you just move to the suburbs?"

"That's...the fun part. I sort of want to be a country artist."

"You what?!"

Eventually, everything gets worked out. "I'm gonna miss you, kid. I'm gonna miss you a lot."

"Also, I'm coming too." Athena appears behind them with a suitcase.

"You're WHAT?!"

Matthew generously gives the two young adults just enough money to buy tiny starter homes in Appaloosa Plains, since he might as well be their father anyway. After a lifetime of being inseparable, the twins decide a little breathing room might do them some good.

Tiara never really realized just how alone it could feel, though, being in a lonely place like this.

Her first impression is to call Athena and beg her to sell her house and to move in with her immediately. But then she remembers that half of this gig was that whole independence thing...and she's never going to learn that if she can't be by herself for three seconds.

She realizes suddenly that she's never actually been in a place by herself before. Never totally and completely alone. Even when she showered, someone was always chilling in the living room. The thought is awkward and even a little scary.

Alone isn't going to work. She gives in and calls a local pet shelter and asks to adopt a kitten. They promise to bring him over in a few hours.

She redecorates with the money left over from the house until she's ridiculously poor all over again. Designing's never been her specialty, but...eh, maybe one day. For now, she's just glad to have stuff. And room to put it in!

It's the simple things in life, though, that keep her happy and entertained.

And then the doorbell rings and she gets ridiculously excited.

Meet Toulouse!

Toulouse is a very hyper kitten. He runs around the house like a madman and meows happily at just about every moment of the day.

Chase!

The hijinx continue long into the night with owner and cat bonding very well. Toulouse has only just laid down for a nap when Tiara hears a loud banging noise outside. What the hell?

The culprit isn't very hard to guess.

"No! Bad dog!"

The dog looks up at her sleepily, skinny from malnutrition, and Tiara doesn't have the heart to chase him away. "...hey there, little guy. Are you hungry?"

Even though she's more fond of cats than anything, there's still something extremely adorable in the dog approaching her slowly and sniffing her hand.

When she reaches to pet him, however, he shies away.

The dog darts away, and Tiara is left staring after him with a frown. There's so many creatures here. So many strays. She was a fool to think that just by adopting one from the pet store that she would be satisfied.

Something has to be done about these poor critters.

-----

Generation 2 is on!

I didn't feel like letting Tiara move out on her own with nobody around her that she knew. She's a social creature, and she legitimately has never been alone before in the game, haha. I figured Athena wouldn't want to be too far away from her either. So I moved them into town together.

Gen 2 Rules:

Status: Single Parent
Number of children: 4
Primary Income: Music (Rock Star)
Generation Goal: Change of Scenery
More Fun: Half-Siblings

Very similar to last time. I'm counting the move to AP as the Change of Scenery because I'm a spoilsport like that. I shall dearly miss Rhi, Matthew, Glynnis, and Naomi. And Octavio, I suppose, even though he got a sort of bit role, haha.

Rhi got lucky. She got to the top of her career (which was her LTW) the day before the twins had their birthdays. I still have no idea how. So much Work Hard. SO MUCH.