Chapter 16

                Olive stared at the mixologist opposite her.  Surely he knew how young she was.  Whatever.  He was still serving her drinks, and he was actually starting to look cute snakeskin jacket and all.  Laughing at her own cleverness, she swigged the last of her drink, and nodded in the mixologist’s direction.

                “One more.” He said sternly, “and then you’re done.”

                “But!”

                “You’ve had enough.”

                Olive sighed and leaned on the bar admiring his physique.  Leaning in she whispered, “my parents are out of town.”

                This made the mixologist super uncomfortable, and he dropped the container he had been holding.  “Is that so?”

                Olive nodded suggestively… or at least she thought she was being suggestive.

                The mixologist finished her drink, by lighting it on fire.  There was something incredibly sexy about him.  She stood up to go around the bar, and he shook his head.

                “Go.” He only had to say the one word.

                “Alright, alright.  Clearly you have a girlfriend.”

                “Clearly, you’re jailbait.” And with that he shoved the drink across the bar at her, and turned away.

                Turner was finally on the right path.  He would be home in no time.  When he got there, there was no Olive, and Suri refused to come out of her toy form.

                “Good grief.” Turner was exhausted but he had to make sure Olive was alright.  The only place she could possibly go in town if she was looking for trouble was the Watering Hole.  So that’s where he started.  This time, he had the good sense to call a taxi.

                Instead of leaving like she had been told, Olive headed upstairs.  She had heard there was another bar up here, and the Watering Hole usually kept it staffed with another mixologist.  Maybe this one would be alright with flirting with her.  Was something wrong with her?

                Well, one thing was for sure.  She was not down to hit on an old woman.  Nope.  Not tonight.

                Eventually, Turner arrived, and found her outside talking to the bouncer.

                “Come on, Olive.” Turner grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the taxi.  At this point, Olive was tired of the Watering Hole.

                “Finally!” she crowed, “this place sucks, Turner.”

                Olive fell asleep in the taxi, and Turner ended up carrying her in.  Once Suri saw them enter the front door she poofed out of toy form.

               

                “Is everything all right?” she asked tentatively.  Technically she was supposed to keep an eye on Olive, but she had been so busy pouting that she hadn’t even paid attention.

                “Yeah.  Little sis just got a little crazy is all.” Turner smirked, “we must get it from somewhere.

                Suri smiled. “Well, your mother alwa—“

                “I’m too tired.  Goodnight Suri.” And he dismissed her with a wave of his hand.

                Suri’s lower lip quivered, but she said nothing.

                Olive was not well the next morning.  She wasn’t sure if she had had too many drinks, or if it was all the guilt and shame of acting like a complete lunatic.  Regardless, she clogged the toilet.  Olive had never ever successfully unclogged the toilet before, and their parents had just called.  They’d be back any minute.  So, Olive got out the plunger, and got to work.

                Turner had been woken up by his parents’ phone call.  Two hours was not enough time to get the house back in order.  After last night’s adventures, he had woken up late and he was still exhausted.  Suri helped him in the garden, but they knew they wouldn’t finish in time.

                Miraculously, Olive had fixed the toilet seconds before she heard the taxi cab pull up.  She ran out to meet her parents forgetting that she was still in her pajamas.

                “Mom!” Olive squeeled, “I have missed you so much! I have so much to fill you in on!  How was your trip! Where di—“ But Olive stopped.

                Her mother was not happy.

                “I heard about your antics last night, Olive.” Olive opened her mouth to speak, but Elynne was not having it.  “You could have been hurt or killed.  You can’t just go and do what you please.  There is a lot more to life than you know of yet, and you had just better keep your nose to the grindstone, or I’m sending you to boarding school.”

                Olive ran to her room to change her clothes.  She didn’t feel sassy enough in just her pajamas.

                She stormed back into the room and screamed, “with what money, Elynne.”

                The two woman stared at each other fuming while inside Elynne’s rage was building.

                “What money?” Elynne questioned with her jaw tight.

                Olive pursed her lips and cocked her hip defiantly.

                “I will sell this house and this plot of land, and we will go live with your father’s parents before I let you have free reign of this town.  You cannot pretend you are older than you are.  There are men and women who will take advantage of that if you let them, and I swear on my life that if you ever go out again without me knowing when and where, boarding school will be your reality.”

                Olive screamed and ran to her room sobbing.  Pato was so afraid that he poofed into toy form and stayed there.

                Gussie had known that the two women were going to raise their voices.  He had been with Elynne when she received the phone call from the mixologist at the Watering Hole.  Instead of sticking around for the fight, he decided to go talk to Turner.

                “Sorry, dad, I’m almost done here.  I would have had this finished, but—“ Turner breathlessly tried to explain.

                “Turner, I know what Olive was up to last night.  It’s alright.  Thank you for looking out for your sister.” Gussie smiled.

                Turner let out a huge sigh of relief.

                Gussie looked around nervously.  He didn’t know how to talk to his son ever since he found out that Hailey had approached him.

                He had to fix this.

             

Invisible sims....

Very sad...

My founder has become invisible after I recently purchased showtime... I'm so sad about this and have tried different ways to correct it.  I do have a back up that I saved a long time ago, but I'm afraid to open it with my game glitching the way it is... I'm going to uninstall and then reinstall everything....

We'll see how this goes.

Chapter 15

                Gussie woke the next morning feeling very productive.  That experimental drug sure did the trick.  Everyone else was still sleeping so he figured this would be the opportune time to experiment with potions.  He had heard rumors from his friends at the science lab that there was a potion that could turn imaginary friends real.  Of course, this was just hearsay, but he wanted to at least try for Turner’s sake.

                He discovered three potions very quickly, but they were mostly good for practical jokes and sleep aids.  Eventually Gussie had to quit because he heard stirring in the other room.  He crept to the kitchen, and made a phone call to the local travel agent.  Gussie planned to secretly finance a weekend away, and have the travel agent call Elynne and tell her she won a trip for two.  He had to find out how much Elynne knew and how much Turner knew.

                Elynne was so excited to go on a trip, but Turner saw right through the whole situation.  Luckily, their school was planning a field trip today.  Turner needed the distraction.

                On their way to the Corsican Bistro, Turner told his friend Carl everything.  The whole time, Carl fidgeted and looked out the window, and finally he stopped Turner.

                “I’m not the right one to talk to about this, man.” Carl shrugged, “Hailey is a fine woman, and when I’m old enough, I’ll tell you all about it.”

                Turner’s eyes widened and Carl nodded.

                Olive had been banished to the back of the bus.  Turner had told her that he had something important to talk to Carl about, but from her vantage point, she couldn’t hear anything.  She would have to ask Turner later if he said anything about her… he was so cute!

                

                Turner noticed Olive watching them and whispered to Carl.  “Dude, my sister has the biggest crush on you.  I can’t believe I’m saying this, but wouldn’t you rather be with someone your own age?”

                Carl shook his head. “Dude, there are things that you don’t know about.  Trust me.  When you get yourself an older woman, you’ll know what I’m talking about.”

                Turner shook his head in disbelief, but the conversation would have to be over.  They had just pulled up to the Corsican Bistro, and the bus driver was yelling at them to get off the bus.

                The second that Turner realized Whittney was with them, he dashed for the entrance of the Corsican Bistro.  Had she been on the bus when he and Olive had gotten on?  Olive had wanted to talk to her brother about Carl, but he had left her high and dry.  She was too nervous to make small talk with Carl, and Whittney was too popular to want to talk to Olive.

                So she stayed behind Wittney and Carl, but wished she could run ahead too like Turner had.  Carl kept making comments to Whittney that made Olive uncomfortable.  Were they dating?

                After the field trip, Carl had invited Turner over, but Turner declined.  His parents had left the garden in such a disastrous state that Turner had to hurry home and tend to it.  They had just grown a money tree, and it was not going to die on his watch!  They desperately needed every simoleon.

                And of course, Suri was right there to help.  Frustrated, Turner vented to Suri.  Like a good imaginary friend, she listened and spoke in all the right silences.  By the time he finished the garden, Turner felt a lot better.  He hugged Suri tightly.

                “You’re such a good friend.  Thanks.  I think I’m gonna go for a swim.  Keep an eye on Olive for me?”

                Suri sighed and nodded.  She wanted to go with him, but he never took her anywhere.  One of these days he would realize she was in love with him.

                Turner scanned the pristine blue water.  There were plenty of chicks here (none in the pool unfortunately), and he had an athletic skill point.  What was the harm in taking a dip and showing off what he had?

                Eventually, he came across an older woman, and remembered what Carl had told him to say.

                She stared at him for a moment, and furrowed her brow before realizing that he was serious.

                Turner’s ears turned red as she howled with laughter at his attempts to pick her up.  No she was not going home with a teenager.  She had options and he wasn’t one of them.  Turner didn’t like the idea of being with an older woman… Someone had told him the clerk at the consignment store was cute….

                …but she was pregnant.  Turner spun on his heel and ran to the park nearby where he caught some butterflies.  Chicks dig butterflies right?

                Wrong.  All the girls at the park laughed at him.  Turner ran as fast as he could, and pretty soon, he was lost.  There was a nearby headstone, and at the base there was a seed.

                All was not lost.  At least his mother would be pleased.

                Back at home Olive was getting her smustle on, but it was starting to get old.

                When was Turner going to get back?  Pato had told her that Turner had taken off hours ago giving Suri strict orders to watch over her.  Olive laughed.  It wasn’t like Suri could be her voice of reason or anything.  She couldn’t even see Suri.  Eventually Olive got so bored that she decided to head out to the Watering Hole.

                Meanwhile, Turner was still lost, but not alone.  A band of wild horses had congregated near him, and he was in complete awe.

                After a while though, Turner was anxious to get home.  As if reading his thoughts, the dark brown mare reared, and seemed to point out the way for Turner to head.

                “I guess I’ll take your word for it,” Turner smiled, “thank you!”

                The brown mare snorted and nodded.

                Turner ran back home.  He was sure Olive would be worried.

Chapter 14

Sooooooo….” Olive grinned goofily on the busride to school, “don’t you notice anything…. Different about me?”

               Turner rolled his eyes, and smiled at Olive shaking his head. “Well gosh!  My sweet little Ollie is all growed up!” He mimicked her excited girly voice.

              “Shut up!” Olive punched him in the arm and giggled uncontrollably.  “I’m pretty excited about how I look as a teen so don’t you dare ruin it for me!”

“You look great, Ollie.” Turner smiled, “I hear your recital went well.  No more ballet?”

“No more ballet.” Olive shook her head furiously, “I caught an episode of that new show Bunheads, and I do NOT want to end up like Fannie or Michelle.”

Turner laughed.  “I have no idea what to do with you little sis.”

“Yeeeeees!” Olive squealed.  “Hey you never told me how prom went!”

“Oh… well…” Turner looked at his hands, “I’d rather not talk about it.”  He paused for a minute before adding, “oh, and Olive?”

“What’s up, bro?”

“I won’t be on the bus home… I’m riding home with… with… a friend.”

Whittney Thao was an absolutely gorgeous girl.  All the popular guys in Turner’s class had a crush on her, and she had chosen him to dance with at the prom last night.  When Turner had told Suri about her, she had moped and poofed in to toy form.  She didn’t even say goodbye to him this morning when he went to school.

On the way home from school, Turner sat next to Whittney on the bus.  He was so nervous he couldn’t even look at her.

How could she just stare at him like that and smile? It was like she didn’t know the effect she was having on him.  Turner was wrong.  Whittney knew what she was doing.  She nudged him playfully with her shoulder, and he finally felt enough pressure that he had to say something.

“So… uhm… what are we doing when we get to your house?”  Turner stuttered, but he still couldn’t look at her.

Whittney shrugged and looked out the window.  Now that he was paying attention, the game was over.  “Homework?”

Turner nodded, and rode next to her in silence the rest of the way.  He gulped when they turned onto the richest street in all of Appaloosa plains…

“This is me!” Whittney chirped.

Turner had barely said three words to Whittney since they got to her house.  She was rich.  He couldn’t be friends with her.  Whittney would never ever be okay with coming to his house.  It was true that Ivy Thao, Whittney’s mother, was Elynne’s best friend, but teenagers find it a lot harder to see past socioeconomic ranks.  His ears burned and he stared into his assignment even though he hadn’t started it yet.  He glanced quickly to across the table.  Whittney was already done with her assignment.  He had to get out of here.

“You know… I oughtta… I’ll…. I’ll see you at school.” And Turner rushed out the door.  Whittney tried to offer him a ride, but he’d rather die than have her see his home.

Once inside the taxi, Turner let out a deep sigh.  He hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath.  He was so ashamed of his family… when he was a boy he had been proud to carry on his family’s legacy, but what legacy was there to carry on?  His family was dirt poor.

Bzzzzz….bzzzzz….bzzzzz

Whittney was calling him, but he didn’t answer.  It was best that they forgot prom ever happened.

When Turner got home he joined Olivia and Pato (Turner couldn’t see Pato so he didn’t believe that he existed) on the sofa.

“Whatcha watching sis?”

“Bunheads.” Olivia sighed

“I thought you hated that show.” Turner grimaced, “I can see why you do… it’s terrible.”

“Butthead!  I’d hit you if Pato weren’t sitting there!” She frowned, “I like the show, I just don’t want to be like the people in the show.”

Turner nodded.  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a picture hanging on the wall.

“Is that supposed to be dad?  Did mom paint that?”

Olivia nodded, “she stayed up all night painting it.”

Turner said nothing.  Instead he turned his attention to the television.  He didn’t want to think about his parents and their troubles right now.

The children didn’t know it, but Gussie was in his bedroom having an anxiety attack.  Elynne had calmly mentioned something about Hailey confronting Turner at the Watering Hole.  She didn’t even bat an eye.  He watched her for a moment.  Elynne was sound asleep because she had stayed up all throughout the night painting.  He knew something was up because the only time she painted all night was when she was angry.

Gussie looked at the pill in his hand.  It was a new experimental drug that the hospital wanted him to try out.  He’d been putting it off, but maybe it would make him feel better.  It did.  In a few more minutes, Gussie was able to climb into bed, and fall asleep.

Elynne’s eyes fluttered open.  Gussie must have just come to bed.  She tried to fall asleep again, but she couldn’t so Elynne approached her easel. 

She felt like creating a self-portrait this time, but how was she going to portray herself.  She closed her eyes and let her brushstrokes lead the way.

Chapter 13

Turner lay awake in bed.  He had been unable to sleep after listening to the story Hailey told him.  Was it true?  Did his father really love her?  And had he really cheated?  Turner didn’t even stir when he heard his parents come through the front door.  They were laughing and giggling.  Could you love two people at once?

Tap tap tap!

“Turner, are you awake?” Elynne peered through the doorway at Turner with a big goofy grin on her face.  He stared at his mother before giving her a dirty look.

“MOM!  Haven’t you heard of PRIVACY?!?!” He threw his pillow at the door, and she shut it quickly.  He felt terrible.  Turner wasn’t mad at her, he just couldn’t face her.  He showered and dressed before he looked for her again.

 

Elynne was in the garden crouched over her Cherimola Blan grapes when Turner knelt down to help her.  The two worked in silence until Elynne finally broke the silence.

“Did you have fun while we were away?”

Turner nodded, “I met someone too.”

“Oh?” Elynne stood up and wiped her hands clean on her skirt before turning to face her son.

“Hailey.” Turner said her name.  Just the one word while he stared his mother in the face.  Turner wanted to see her reaction.  Elynne bristled and knelt again to harvest her tomatos.  “She says she knows you, mom.”

“I’m sure she does,” Elynne plucked her tomatos much more fiercely now, and she accidentally bruised one of them in the process.

She knew.  How could she know, and not have left his father?  Turner was furious, but he didn’t want his mother to see.  Without saying anything more to Elynne, Turner rose and headed inside to get ready for school.

Olive had wanted to stay home from school, but Elynne and Gussie insisted that she go.  They knew she had missed them terribly, but they had a lot of sleep to catch up on.  You can’t argue with jet lag.

Olive tried to make conversation with Turner on the bus, but he sat staring out the window with this stoic expression on his face.  She couldn’t even annoy him enough for him to call her ‘Ollie.’  Last night he hadn’t come home until late, and she doubted that he had gotten any sleep.  Olive was worried.

Back at the house, Gussie and Elynne were catching up on some much needed rest completely unaware of what Turner knew.

Tonight was the school dance, and Turner didn’t have a date.  School was torture, and he desperately wanted to ask someone to go with him, but he didn’t have the nerve.  Anyone worth taking already had a date.  All of his friends were headed to the Corsican Bistro, but Turner didn’t have any money or a date so he declined.

He ate veggetarian spaghetti with his parents in silence.  Olive had ballet practice since her recital was tonight.  Turner had even thought about skipping the whole prom to go see her perform, but his friends told him that there was no way they were leaving him out.  If he didn’t show up they were coming to get him.

“Turner,” Elynne smiled, “look out the window.”

Wow!  A white limo!  Turner changed in haste and ran out the door.

He felt absolutely dapper in his formal wear even though the only dress shoes that fit him were his dad’s reject zebra print patent leathers from the ‘80s.

Elynne was overcome with turmoil, and she didn’t let it show until Turner was gone.  What had posessed Hailey to get anywhere near her son.  Yes Hailey had a past with Gussie, but those days were over.  How could she even expect to get her claws on him now?

Her frustration was plenty of fuel for artistic inspiration, but she found herself painting Gussie, so she had to stop.  It was time to go to Olive’s recital anyway.

Olive’s recital had been a hit, and as they waited for their taxi, Elynne looked over her shoulder and gave Olive a knowing smile.  It was Olive’s birthday.

Elynne gasped in surprise.  Olive was a beautiful teenage girl.

The two girls giggled on their way back home.  Olive loved her new dress, and Elynne was pleased with her daughter’s newfound fashion sense.  Surely Olive would make a fantastic heir… Of course, she would have to talk that over with Gussie first.  He had his sights set on Turner.  Elynne had never strayed from their marriage though.  Shouldn’t she get more of a say?

Olive was so hungry after all of the excitement she had experienced today.  She was determined to wait up until Turner got home.  Olive couldn’t wait to see the look on his face when he saw her!  While she scarfed down her autumn salad, Pato crept up behind her.

“Olive!” Pato stuttered, “you look absolutely beautiful!”

Olive grinned appreciatively, but was too hungry to talk.  Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw sparkles.  Wait!  If today was her birthday then it was also Pato’s birthday!

“PATO!” Olive squealed, “why didn’t you say something!”

In an attempt to wait for Turner to get home, Pato and Olive danced in the living room in their pajamas.

But they didn’t quite make it.  Eventually, Olive passed out on the couch, and Pato poofed back into toy form.