Myshuno Prompt: Stars on the water
Name: Worries
Characters: Cindy, James
Rating: Everyone
Summary: Cindy worries about the fallout from the stock market crash.
Notes: Canon. Will take place in the next chapter, so it is a spoiler.
Word Count: 579
My Card
Cindy exited the dining room, where Jefferson and James were pouring over the various reports from the stockbroker, trying to figure out exactly how much damage had been done. Marsha had gone to start a pot of coffee, anticipating a long night before the men folk. Cindy had no desire to assist with either endeavor. Instead, she crept up the stairs softly, and found her way into the nursery where little Nicky was sound asleep in his crib.
She smoothed his soft blond hair, and tucked the blanket in around him. Soon, he would be off to school. What kind of a world would her son grow up in? Would the town be able to afford the two schoolteachers? Would her son be able to go to SimHarvard ? What about the new baby?
Nicky rolled over in his sleep, and wrapped his arm around his battered Teddy Bear. Cindy had hoped to get him a new one for Christmas, but there probably wouldn’t be much money for frivolous gifts this year. She’d have to come up with something for him though. Her boy deserved a Christmas. She kissed him on his forehead, and closed the door softly behind her as she left the room.
She heard the voices of her husband and father-in-law drift up from downstairs. Still not feeling like participating in the finance review, she found herself wandering towards the window that looked out onto the backyard.
She pushed the curtain to the side, and gazed out at the pond where Jefferson fished occasionally. It was fed by a stream that emptied out into the harbor on the other side of the town square. At least they’d have a way to feed themselves, with Marsha’s harvest from the garden and the pond.
She watched how the stars reflected on the pond, their light seeming to twinkle on the surface of the water as it rippled in the gentle breeze. It was so much like the way the stars in SimBermuda reflected on the ocean. She sighed, regretfully. She and James probably wouldn’t get to go back there for a long time.
A pair of arms wrapped around her waist, and she dropped hers to meet them.
“I’m so, so sorry, doll. I had no idea…”
“Shh…” she said. “It’s not your fault. You were trying to help the family.”
“I still feel horrible, though.”
They stood in silence for a moment.
“I meant what I said,” she said softly. “I’m not afraid to be poor again, if that’s what this means.”
“I don’t think it’ll be as bad as that. We didn’t have our life savings tied up in the market like some folks. Still, I’m going into the city first thing tomorrow and taking what money I can out of the bank. I’m afraid they’ll be runs on it, if there haven’t been already.”
“Still, we’ll be careful. No unnecessary or extravagant expenditures. And you need to watch your mother. She’ll be handing things out to all the neighborhood if we let her.”
“Papa already talked to her. She knows that we have to come first. Of course, if Vi or Cyrus, or even Taddy need help…”
“I don’t begrudge them - they’d do the same for us.”
James loosened his grip slightly, and turned Cindy around to face him. “We’ll be okay.”
“I know. You promised to take care of me, and you’ve never broken a promise to me.”
“I don’t intend to start, either.”
Characters: Cindy, James
Rating: Everyone
Summary: Cindy worries about the fallout from the stock market crash.
Notes: Canon. Will take place in the next chapter, so it is a spoiler.
Word Count: 579
My Card
Cindy exited the dining room, where Jefferson and James were pouring over the various reports from the stockbroker, trying to figure out exactly how much damage had been done. Marsha had gone to start a pot of coffee, anticipating a long night before the men folk. Cindy had no desire to assist with either endeavor. Instead, she crept up the stairs softly, and found her way into the nursery where little Nicky was sound asleep in his crib.
She smoothed his soft blond hair, and tucked the blanket in around him. Soon, he would be off to school. What kind of a world would her son grow up in? Would the town be able to afford the two schoolteachers? Would her son be able to go to SimHarvard ? What about the new baby?
Nicky rolled over in his sleep, and wrapped his arm around his battered Teddy Bear. Cindy had hoped to get him a new one for Christmas, but there probably wouldn’t be much money for frivolous gifts this year. She’d have to come up with something for him though. Her boy deserved a Christmas. She kissed him on his forehead, and closed the door softly behind her as she left the room.
She heard the voices of her husband and father-in-law drift up from downstairs. Still not feeling like participating in the finance review, she found herself wandering towards the window that looked out onto the backyard.
She pushed the curtain to the side, and gazed out at the pond where Jefferson fished occasionally. It was fed by a stream that emptied out into the harbor on the other side of the town square. At least they’d have a way to feed themselves, with Marsha’s harvest from the garden and the pond.
She watched how the stars reflected on the pond, their light seeming to twinkle on the surface of the water as it rippled in the gentle breeze. It was so much like the way the stars in SimBermuda reflected on the ocean. She sighed, regretfully. She and James probably wouldn’t get to go back there for a long time.
A pair of arms wrapped around her waist, and she dropped hers to meet them.
“I’m so, so sorry, doll. I had no idea…”
“Shh…” she said. “It’s not your fault. You were trying to help the family.”
“I still feel horrible, though.”
They stood in silence for a moment.
“I meant what I said,” she said softly. “I’m not afraid to be poor again, if that’s what this means.”
“I don’t think it’ll be as bad as that. We didn’t have our life savings tied up in the market like some folks. Still, I’m going into the city first thing tomorrow and taking what money I can out of the bank. I’m afraid they’ll be runs on it, if there haven’t been already.”
“Still, we’ll be careful. No unnecessary or extravagant expenditures. And you need to watch your mother. She’ll be handing things out to all the neighborhood if we let her.”
“Papa already talked to her. She knows that we have to come first. Of course, if Vi or Cyrus, or even Taddy need help…”
“I don’t begrudge them - they’d do the same for us.”
James loosened his grip slightly, and turned Cindy around to face him. “We’ll be okay.”
“I know. You promised to take care of me, and you’ve never broken a promise to me.”
“I don’t intend to start, either.”