Myshuno Prompt #22
Prompt: Someone's first glimpse of the Multi-verse
Characters: Eden, Erin, and Quinn Devereaux. peasant007 and leilia Simselves.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Eden and the kids upon entering Lark's OWBC.
Notes: Myshuno Prompt #22 provided by bellemistoire
Word Count: 1320
My Card.
Additional notes: I find this entire situation interesting. Eden and the kids are entering into a 'verse where they know who Rhys Fitzhugh is (and who he was in their lives in their world), but Rhys has absolutely no idea who they are (other than the cursory, "Eden Devereaux, I think she stars in those 'Dusk' movies my daughters seem to love."). He doesn't even know that the Devereaux family exists because he had entered Lark's OWBC long before he entered my legacy. Not only that, he's also married with five children in Lark's world. The sheer awkwardness and Eden's emotional torture over this situation is incredibly fascinating to me. And because my Sims will be playing secondary (and even more minor in Eden's case) characters in Lark's story, she has kindly allowed me to explore their character development in her world.
***
The sounds of her children laughing and the dogs barking drifted though the window. The mood inside the kitchen was a bit more solemn. Eden idly spun her teacup on the table. She wasn't comfortable enough with the two Simself women in front of her to eat or drink anything. It didn't matter that they both already knew about her reluctance to eat in front of strangers.
Heck, one of the Simself women, her Simself "creator" apparently, had informed her (rather apologetically) that she had "invented" that "quirk" for "unique characterization." That didn't make Eden feel any more at ease.
"Erin and Quinn are going to have really nice lives here. Lark and I talked about who they're going to end up with and I really approve of her choices," Ang said.
Eden nodded and smiled as she heard her son's prepubescent voice from outside. "Go get the ball, Shika!"
Quinn.
"Why are they children?" she asked.
Lark and Ang exchanged a long look. "A couple of reasons," Lark said. "First, I wanted them to grow up with their eventual spouses. The other is that there was a very significant point in Quinn's life and development in your home mini-verse that I didn't want to have here. His self-esteem issues. It stemmed from being called 'awkward' on television."
"But Rhys and I--"
Ang held up her hand. "Nobody is blaming you, Ede. If anything, it's my fault. Plot, you see."
Eden tried to wrap her mind around the entire "Simself" concept again and shook her head. She knew what they were in theory. After all, Rhys used to go on and on (and on and on and on) about his Simself creator and how much he loathed her. And one of her best friends, De, had been a Simself. But De had never been so...blatant about it. Ang and Lark weren't even trying to act normal for her sake.
"Too much?" Ang asked.
"Yeah, too much," Lark agreed.
Eden stifled a feeling of irritation. "So what does that mean? He doesn't remember--?"
"He doesn't remember anything past your mother, Mary's, death. Neither does Erin. Not because it was especially traumatic for her--"
"But Erin has a tendency to babble--"
"And she might say something to Quinn in passing without even realizing it."
Eden felt as if she were watching a tennis match as her eyes darted from one woman to the other while they completed each others sentences. She shrugged and nodded. "Okay. Yeah. I completely understand and agree with that. That's great. Thank you." She smiled and stood up. "I should--"
"There's one more thing," Lark said.
"Oh?"
"Yes. It's regarding Rhys."
A feeling of joy spread through her. "He's here?" she whispered.
"Yes."
Memories flooded through her. Her children might only remember the first ten years of their lives, but she had memories of sixty years of a happy marriage. Her last memory was of herself sobbing over his grave after his funeral. She could feel tears well up in her eyes as she smiled.
"But..." Ang said. That word was the pinprick in Eden's bubble of happiness.
"But?"
"He's married."
Eden blinked.
"With five children."
She exhaled.
"And he has absolutely no idea who you are," Lark finished. "He doesn't even know there's such a thing as the Devereaux Legacy. You're not here to be with him. He's pretty happy with his lot in life."
I love you, Ede...
Eden felt herself deflate as she sank back into the chair. "Oh. I..see," she said quietly. Her brow creased. "Wait, no I don't. I'm not completely ignorant of how the Multi-Verse works because Rhys told me. He said that while we have memories and knowledge of who we've been with, the emotions attached to those memories are usually severed. That's how we're able to be with different people across all the universes. I know I have no right to lay any sort of claim on him, but why do I still have my feelings for him?"
The two Simselves exchanged another long look. "Because it would be confusing for Erin and Quinn if you were so nonchalant about their father," Ang said slowly, almost as if she were asking a question.
Lark nodded and shrugged. "It's as good of a reason as any I suppose." She turned back to Eden. "Besides, this is more about Erin and Quinn than you anyway."
"I..I don't understand."
"Erin and Quinn need a parent because they're children. Obviously Rhys can't be their parent because he's already here. That's the only reason why I've imported you. Now, granted, you might marry into the Warner family, I don't know. I'll let ACR decide that for me. But in the grand scheme of things you're a minor character. A step up from a Townie. I mean, I suppose I can introduce the 'Dusk' franchise seeing as you're here..." she trailed off with a shrug.
Never before had Eden been so hurt by a couple of words. She had never felt this insignificant.
"But all of this can be a good thing," Ang said. "Think of all the things you missed out on with Erin and Quinn when they were growing up because you were filming your movies. Now you'll have your chance!"
Eden swallowed back her tears and abruptly stood up. "Thank you for the tea, but should really get going. I have a house to move into--"
"Apartment," Lark said.
Eden lifted her chin. "I have an apartment to move into."
"Okay, I'll call you a cab," Lark said cheerfully. "I have a metric butt-ton of things to do today, but I'll make sure you have the funds to decorate your place."
Eden tried very hard not to burst into tears. She managed to keep her composure until she went outside. She didn't want her kids to see her cry, so she took a few deep gulps of air and clenched her fists. She heard footsteps behind her.
"I'm sorry," her Simself said.
She clenched her jaw and glared at the woman. "You know, I used to think Rhys was exaggerating a lot of his disdain for Simselves. But now I really think I know where he was coming from."
"Ede--"
"Don't call me that! You don't get to!"
The woman at least had the grace to look chagrined. She placed a gentle hand on Eden's arm. "Eden, look. That stuff with Rhys?" She shrugged. "You never know. Maybe."
Eden jerked her arm away and dashed the tears from her eyes. "You'll have to forgive me if I don't build my life around the word 'Maybe.' He's happy. That's fine. At least one of us gets to be."
"Mom, why are you crying?" she heard Quinn ask. She turned around and saw both her children looking up at her with a concerned look on their faces. She ruffled Quinn's hair and gently tugged on one of Erin's curls.
"Because I just found out that you two are going to have very happy lives here and that makes me happy." It wasn't a complete lie. She was happy for them.
"Really? What's going to happen to us?" her daughter asked eagerly.
Eden forced a grin on her face. "Do you guys remember SimDe? Remember what she always said when she didn't want to tell someone something?"
"Spoilers!" the twins said in unison.
"Exactly." She noticed a yellow cab pulling up to the front of the house. "Now we have a big day of moving and buying furniture. Do you guys want to help?"
"Yes!"
She nodded and gently ushered her children to the waiting car. She didn't look back at the house as she climbed in. And as the cab began driving, Eden began the long, painful process of building a wall between herself and her feelings for an unattainable, married man who would never know who she was.
***
Characters: Eden, Erin, and Quinn Devereaux. peasant007 and leilia Simselves.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Eden and the kids upon entering Lark's OWBC.
Notes: Myshuno Prompt #22 provided by bellemistoire
Word Count: 1320
My Card.
Additional notes: I find this entire situation interesting. Eden and the kids are entering into a 'verse where they know who Rhys Fitzhugh is (and who he was in their lives in their world), but Rhys has absolutely no idea who they are (other than the cursory, "Eden Devereaux, I think she stars in those 'Dusk' movies my daughters seem to love."). He doesn't even know that the Devereaux family exists because he had entered Lark's OWBC long before he entered my legacy. Not only that, he's also married with five children in Lark's world. The sheer awkwardness and Eden's emotional torture over this situation is incredibly fascinating to me. And because my Sims will be playing secondary (and even more minor in Eden's case) characters in Lark's story, she has kindly allowed me to explore their character development in her world.
***
The sounds of her children laughing and the dogs barking drifted though the window. The mood inside the kitchen was a bit more solemn. Eden idly spun her teacup on the table. She wasn't comfortable enough with the two Simself women in front of her to eat or drink anything. It didn't matter that they both already knew about her reluctance to eat in front of strangers.
Heck, one of the Simself women, her Simself "creator" apparently, had informed her (rather apologetically) that she had "invented" that "quirk" for "unique characterization." That didn't make Eden feel any more at ease.
"Erin and Quinn are going to have really nice lives here. Lark and I talked about who they're going to end up with and I really approve of her choices," Ang said.
Eden nodded and smiled as she heard her son's prepubescent voice from outside. "Go get the ball, Shika!"
Quinn.
"Why are they children?" she asked.
Lark and Ang exchanged a long look. "A couple of reasons," Lark said. "First, I wanted them to grow up with their eventual spouses. The other is that there was a very significant point in Quinn's life and development in your home mini-verse that I didn't want to have here. His self-esteem issues. It stemmed from being called 'awkward' on television."
"But Rhys and I--"
Ang held up her hand. "Nobody is blaming you, Ede. If anything, it's my fault. Plot, you see."
Eden tried to wrap her mind around the entire "Simself" concept again and shook her head. She knew what they were in theory. After all, Rhys used to go on and on (and on and on and on) about his Simself creator and how much he loathed her. And one of her best friends, De, had been a Simself. But De had never been so...blatant about it. Ang and Lark weren't even trying to act normal for her sake.
"Too much?" Ang asked.
"Yeah, too much," Lark agreed.
Eden stifled a feeling of irritation. "So what does that mean? He doesn't remember--?"
"He doesn't remember anything past your mother, Mary's, death. Neither does Erin. Not because it was especially traumatic for her--"
"But Erin has a tendency to babble--"
"And she might say something to Quinn in passing without even realizing it."
Eden felt as if she were watching a tennis match as her eyes darted from one woman to the other while they completed each others sentences. She shrugged and nodded. "Okay. Yeah. I completely understand and agree with that. That's great. Thank you." She smiled and stood up. "I should--"
"There's one more thing," Lark said.
"Oh?"
"Yes. It's regarding Rhys."
A feeling of joy spread through her. "He's here?" she whispered.
"Yes."
Memories flooded through her. Her children might only remember the first ten years of their lives, but she had memories of sixty years of a happy marriage. Her last memory was of herself sobbing over his grave after his funeral. She could feel tears well up in her eyes as she smiled.
"But..." Ang said. That word was the pinprick in Eden's bubble of happiness.
"But?"
"He's married."
Eden blinked.
"With five children."
She exhaled.
"And he has absolutely no idea who you are," Lark finished. "He doesn't even know there's such a thing as the Devereaux Legacy. You're not here to be with him. He's pretty happy with his lot in life."
I love you, Ede...
Eden felt herself deflate as she sank back into the chair. "Oh. I..see," she said quietly. Her brow creased. "Wait, no I don't. I'm not completely ignorant of how the Multi-Verse works because Rhys told me. He said that while we have memories and knowledge of who we've been with, the emotions attached to those memories are usually severed. That's how we're able to be with different people across all the universes. I know I have no right to lay any sort of claim on him, but why do I still have my feelings for him?"
The two Simselves exchanged another long look. "Because it would be confusing for Erin and Quinn if you were so nonchalant about their father," Ang said slowly, almost as if she were asking a question.
Lark nodded and shrugged. "It's as good of a reason as any I suppose." She turned back to Eden. "Besides, this is more about Erin and Quinn than you anyway."
"I..I don't understand."
"Erin and Quinn need a parent because they're children. Obviously Rhys can't be their parent because he's already here. That's the only reason why I've imported you. Now, granted, you might marry into the Warner family, I don't know. I'll let ACR decide that for me. But in the grand scheme of things you're a minor character. A step up from a Townie. I mean, I suppose I can introduce the 'Dusk' franchise seeing as you're here..." she trailed off with a shrug.
Never before had Eden been so hurt by a couple of words. She had never felt this insignificant.
"But all of this can be a good thing," Ang said. "Think of all the things you missed out on with Erin and Quinn when they were growing up because you were filming your movies. Now you'll have your chance!"
Eden swallowed back her tears and abruptly stood up. "Thank you for the tea, but should really get going. I have a house to move into--"
"Apartment," Lark said.
Eden lifted her chin. "I have an apartment to move into."
"Okay, I'll call you a cab," Lark said cheerfully. "I have a metric butt-ton of things to do today, but I'll make sure you have the funds to decorate your place."
Eden tried very hard not to burst into tears. She managed to keep her composure until she went outside. She didn't want her kids to see her cry, so she took a few deep gulps of air and clenched her fists. She heard footsteps behind her.
"I'm sorry," her Simself said.
She clenched her jaw and glared at the woman. "You know, I used to think Rhys was exaggerating a lot of his disdain for Simselves. But now I really think I know where he was coming from."
"Ede--"
"Don't call me that! You don't get to!"
The woman at least had the grace to look chagrined. She placed a gentle hand on Eden's arm. "Eden, look. That stuff with Rhys?" She shrugged. "You never know. Maybe."
Eden jerked her arm away and dashed the tears from her eyes. "You'll have to forgive me if I don't build my life around the word 'Maybe.' He's happy. That's fine. At least one of us gets to be."
"Mom, why are you crying?" she heard Quinn ask. She turned around and saw both her children looking up at her with a concerned look on their faces. She ruffled Quinn's hair and gently tugged on one of Erin's curls.
"Because I just found out that you two are going to have very happy lives here and that makes me happy." It wasn't a complete lie. She was happy for them.
"Really? What's going to happen to us?" her daughter asked eagerly.
Eden forced a grin on her face. "Do you guys remember SimDe? Remember what she always said when she didn't want to tell someone something?"
"Spoilers!" the twins said in unison.
"Exactly." She noticed a yellow cab pulling up to the front of the house. "Now we have a big day of moving and buying furniture. Do you guys want to help?"
"Yes!"
She nodded and gently ushered her children to the waiting car. She didn't look back at the house as she climbed in. And as the cab began driving, Eden began the long, painful process of building a wall between herself and her feelings for an unattainable, married man who would never know who she was.
***