Chapter 1-7: An Unwelcome Guest

                After arriving at the hospital and spending most of the day in labor, Rebecca was shown her beautiful baby boy. He was perfect in every way and seemed to have his father’s eyes. He also inherited a little something from each of them: genius from his father and it seemed that he already loved being outdoors just like his mother. They named him Shane and headed home.

                Over the next few days, Rebecca realized that Justin was a great father. He liked to always be near the crib and was content to snuggle and play with Shane all day. Unfortunately, Rebecca didn’t feel the same way.

                “What’s wrong with me,” she wondered, especially late at night after both Justin and Shane were sleeping. She would rather garden or do things than be in the house with her baby all day. It wasn’t that she didn’t love him, just that she needed other things. Maybe the stress over not having enough money was getting to her. Maybe having an unplanned baby so early in her marriage when things weren’t settled yet was causing her to stress even more. Either way, she and Justin were going to have to work really hard to support this family. After all, they couldn’t stay living in a studio type home forever.

                After Rebecca broke the sink and shower and clogged the toilet, all in a 24 hour period, Justin decided that he better start working to upgrade everything in the house that he could to unbreakable. Things were finally starting to get a rhythm. Rebecca and Justin even had a chance for some cuddling and chatting rather than each working separately to get things done. Rebecca also finished her 3^rd book and it turned out to be a best seller!

                Rebecca was rather relieved when she started receiving royalty checks. They could now afford Justin’s workbench and maybe that would prompt him to start working and making money. It was Shane’s birthday and he was soon going to need more things: like a tyke toilet for potty training and new clothes. Justin finished his first invention today; some kind of mechanical gnome which he hurried to show her.

                

“Justin, that is scary! Get rid of it. It will frighten Shane,” she exclaimed.

               

Rather dejected, he agreed with her. However, someone thought it was worth something as he sold it for §1,000! He went back to working at his bench and Rebecca went outside to harvest some vegetables. Shortly after, just before the party was scheduled to start, Rebecca heard some horrific screams coming from the house. She ran in and saw a pile of ash and a dark cloud forming on the horizon. Not certain what it was at first, she just stared.

                

The guests came into the house, ready to celebrate a new birthday. They arrived just in time to see the Grim Reaper appear and take Justin away.

He had been using his blow torch and had set himself on fire. Heart broken, Rebecca was unsure of how to go on. So many things seemed out of focus and time seemed to speed up and stand still all at the same time. She cried and mourned but still celebrated Shane’s birthday with him, blowing out the candles.

Maybe teaching him all the things he needed to know in life would help her move on. She just worried about how her young son, who had seen tragedy so young, would adjust.

 

Chapter 1-6                                                                                                                                             Chapter 1-8

Chapter 1-6: A Surprise Birthday Gift

                After arriving back from their honeymoon, Rebecca realized that they had enough money left over to seriously expand to the house. She left the house basically the same as it had been, adding another 4x10 square on to the side. She had plans for this room to eventually become the garage, once they saved up enough money for a car. She also knew how much Justin wanted to become an inventor so when she finished her next book, she planned on surprising him with a workbench that would also be in the extra room. Once the house was done, Justin went off to get scraps and Rebecca settled in to write another novel.

                “What should this one be called,” she wondered aloud. She finally decided on The 3 Fiancés as a story loosely based on her dating experience. She hoped this one might be the book that would get her noticed and start making enough money that she could stay at home and write full time.

                Monday morning before work, Rebecca felt a little nauseous but attributed it to Justin’s awful cooking. Later that day she was still feeling down and out of sorts. “It can’t be,” she thought. However, after a quick confirmation, she discovered that she was indeed pregnant. She arrived home from work to find that her thoughtful husband was throwing her a birthday party. What bigger news to announce on her birthday than that she was expecting a bundle of joy? Hopefully, she wouldn't be relieved of her job forever.

                After everyone left the party, Rebecca talked about the pregnancy with Justin.

                “I really want a boy,” she told him.

                “But, I was hoping for a girl. A beautiful girl with your eyes,” he said.

                She sighed and realized that this would just have to be something they would have to disagree on. Since she had time off for maternity leave she figured she would run some errands, make an appointment with the doctor and sell some of the produce from the garden. Maybe while she was at the doctor’s office, she could see if there was any way to increase her chances of having a boy.

                During her check-up, the doctor told her of an old wive’s tale: eating apples increased chances for a boy, while watermelon increased them for a girl. When she got home she checked the apple tree knowing it should have had fruit on it. Justin must have sold it while she was out in town! She would just have to find out the old fashioned way.

                Life settled into another type of monotony again. Rebecca would write and garden while Justin cleaned and puttered around the house. He had upgraded two of the fixtures in the bathroom now but they still hadn’t managed to afford that workbench for him yet. If Rebecca could just finish her book before the baby was born. She still had things to buy and the small house was already feeling cramped.

                She was ready to have this baby too. She found that she got cranky more easily and was often stressed and had a sore back. Even a massage from Justin didn’t help much. Too bad they couldn’t afford a day at the spa. Money troubles added to her crankiness and she wondered how they would be able to take care of a child while Justin was unemployed and they were running out of space. If her next book didn’t sell well, Justin was just going to have to take the next job that came along.

                She awoke the next morning as cranky and irritable as ever. Justin tried making things better by waking up before he had gotten enough sleep to clean the house and make waffles but her mood didn’t seem to improve. Moments after she finished eating, Rebecca went into labor. She and Justin rushed to the hospital.

Would they have a bouncing baby boy or a beautiful baby girl?

Chapter 1-5                                                                                                                                             Chapter 1-7

Chapter 1-5: A Week To Remember

                On Thursday, after spending the previous evening with Justin, Rebecca was pleasantly surprised to be offered a promotion. Though she still dreamed of becoming an author, she was quite good at what she did and was enjoying working in the science lab. With her bonus, she was able to start adding to her kitchen and also reupholster and paint the furniture she already had. Her home was becoming more cozy with each simolean she made.

                Friday rolled around again. How had it been so long since she had moved to this town? Granted, she had made it to a decent level within her job field but her writing was really failing. Her relationship with Justin was still in the new stages and she had heard through the grapevine that Goodwin and Jenni were expecting another baby. Life was moving so fast and though she had something to show for it, things were harder than she had first expected.

                After work, Rebecca went to the park to work on her story some more. She really needed to stay focused if she wanted to make it as an author.

Once Justin got off work, they went to a movie. As they were walking out, seeing couples holding hands with children in tow, she realized she wanted those things for herself as well and she didn’t want to wait any longer. She got down on one knee and proposed to Justin, right there in front of the theatre. And he said yes!

                They planned their wedding for the next day. She wanted a beautiful venue so she chose the town center, with it’s lovely views and made sure to invite Charmaine. Maybe that would even improve her performance at work. The day was lovely, the view was beautiful and everyone seemed to have a great time.

They were pronounced husband and wife and shared their first kiss as the Avendale family. Rebecca was excited about starting her new life and having someone to love her and cherish her for the rest of her life. As the party ended, Justin and Rebecca headed off on their honeymoon to France.

                When they arrived, they were astounded at the beautiful view of France. The countryside, the city in the background, the buildings, everything was so scenic and breathtaking.

They drove Vespas over to the nectary to taste some of the wares. Rebecca bought her first bottle though little did she know that she should soon not be drinking.

They spent the afternoon sequestered upstairs in one of the rooms. Who cared that it was the middle of the day? Or that it was at the nectary which was a public place? They were newlyweds and only had eyes and hands for each other.

Later, they went to a café and each tried some local food; Rebecca had an olive platter and Justin tried some bouillabaisse.

They spent much of the honeymoon doing what young married couples do…woohooing. They knew that when they went home, things would go back to normal.

Or so they thought.

Chapter 1-4                                                                                                                                             Chapter 1-6

Chapter 1-4: Eyes Wide Open

                Instead of heading home, Rebecca wandered around town aimlessly, feeling ashamed of starting a relationship with someone who was clearly involved. As she wandered past some homes near the far side of town, she passed a man taking out the trash. He politely waved so she felt obligated to greet him.

“Hi, are you new to town? I don’t remember seeing you around before,” he greeted her with a smile.

             “Yes, I haven’t been here long. My name is Rebecca. Rebecca Avendale.”

             “Avendale…Avendale. Oh! You wrote that book. I actually found it to be quite amusing.”

             “Wow, someone has actually read it,” she chuckled.

They continued their conversation for a while. She learned that his name was Justin, that he had grown up in Twinbrook and that he was a stylist but really had a passion for tinkering and hoped to invent the next big gadget someday.

                She finally had a chance to expand on her house. She had a real bathroom now, with a door. Also a sink, fridge and a double bed helped add to the feeling that this was a real house now. She separated the ‘bedroom’ with a decorative divider. Maybe after more royalties or another promotion, she would be able to afford a stove and could start learning to cook.

                She spent most of Saturday sleeping in and gardening. Later in the evening, after she had enjoyed a bowl of canned soup from her own kitchen, she decided to work on her science fiction novel. Around midnight, she was finally ready to call it a night. Much to her dismay, a few hours later, a burglar came!  She was able to call the cops who arrived just in time to capture the degenerate.

                Sunday afternoon, she and Justin decided to catch a matinee. First date? It seemed too early to tell and though Justin seemed single, she wasn’t so sure she was ready to trust him yet.

Afterwards, they got a late lunch/early dinner at the nearby bistro.

Then, they dressed up and headed over to the Old Ebbitt Lounge for some drinks and dancing. They had a fantastic time and even became good friends throughout the day.

Maybe, even though she wasn’t initially interested in romance, someone like Justin, who she had fun with and could actually do things in town with, would be a good choice for love.

                After work on Monday, Rebecca finally developed enough courage to confront Goodwin and ask if they could just go back to being friends. He did not take it well.

After a few minutes though, he realized it was for the best and they discovered they were both hopeless romantics. It seems that after Jenni had the baby, she no longer was interested in Goodwin. Though no excuse, he at least discovered that looking for love elsewhere wouldn’t make him happy. So back to friends it was and Rebecca felt relieved to close that chapter of her life.

                The next day, at the water cooler, Rebecca heard that Justin was involved with a woman named Kat. Although she had never told him how she was feeling, she was rather devastated. She decided to go to Carl’s that night to get her mind off things. After 1 drink and some writing, she called Justin to invite him out, just as friends. He told her that he was busy. “Not this again,” she groaned silently. She had a couple more drinks and then found herself wobbling over to Justin’s house.

                Once she was there she chatted with him, trying to build up some more courage, since the liquid kind didn’t seem to be enough. She asked him his sign and found out they were compatible and finally confessed her feelings. He seemed to feel the same way though he did admit to being with Kat. He invited her to stay over. In the middle of the night, somehow, they ended up cuddling.

When she awoke, she ran straight to work. “Oh, no! Not again, what am I going to do” she moaned to herself!

                She resolved that she would not allow the situation to continue as it had with Goodwin. She invited Justin over that night and asked him to break up with Kat.

“It’s only fair,” she reasoned, “especially knowing you have feelings for me”.

He agreed, called Kat up and broke it off and immediately asked Rebecca to go steady. They shared their first kiss that night and he stayed over, although, once again, it was just cuddling.

Maybe this relationship would have a happier ending.

Chapter 1-3                                                                                                                                             Chapter 1-5

Chapter 1-3: The Discovery

                There just never seemed to be enough time to get everything done in a day. Wednesday, after work, Rebecca headed home to shower before going to see Goodwin. Afterwards though, she felt exhausted and decided to take a nap. When she awoke, she realized that her plants were wilting and she needed to water and tend to her garden if she still wanted food to eat and produce to sell. She got halfway done and suddenly noticed how dark it was. It was midnight! And she still had a book to read for work!!! The carpool showed up the next morning and she still hadn’t read the book and half her plants were still dying. 

                Really in need of a good time, she called Goodwin and invited him to a movie. Really in need of a good time, she called Goodwin and invited him to a movie.
                "Hey, there, how are you doing," she asked.
                "Fine," was his only response.
                "I was thinking that it might be nice to go to a movie tonight."
                "Sorry, I have a prior engagement. Call me in 18 hours," he responded and then hung up without saying goodbye.
                “Another prior engagement,” she thought, “I wonder if he is feeling guilty about flirting with me Tuesday”. So, instead, Rebecca headed home to nap and work on a new novel. Maybe, if she became an acclaimed author, he would be proud of her and more willing to be with her instead of Jenni.

                Finally, it was Friday again. Rebecca was able to read the book she was tasked to complete and maybe would be able to see Goodwin that weekend. After becoming friends with Charmaine, she decided to relax in the specimen closet and calm her nerves. After spending all day in the closet, Rebecca was awarded a promotion and, with her bonus, she had almost §3,000! Though she didn’t want to spend all of it, it was probably time to expand her house to make a small cottage with real rooms.

                Ever the predictable one, she headed to the fire station to share her good news with Goodwin. He seemed happy to see her, giving her a sweet embrace.
                "Sorry I couldn't make it to the movies, fire station stuff, you know."
                "That's okay," she replied. "Crap, what I am thinking, tell him it's NOT okay," she screamed to herself, in her head only of course.
                "I'm having a party at my house tonight. I really hope that you will come," he flashed his smile at her and she knew she would be there.

Just as they were about to share their first kiss, Jenni’s father walked around the corner! Maybe he would rush home and tell Jenni. Maybe he would kick Goodwin out of the house. Maybe, maybe, maybe. Rebecca hoped that this unfortunate event would actually end up in her favor.

                She showed up at the house and realized that it was massive. Who cares that it was Jenni’s house, not his? What did Rebecca have to offer Goodwin that could beat the luxury of this beautiful home? 

She went upstairs to chat with some guests and found herself in a nursery. Goodwin had a child, a beautiful little girl. When it was just a partner, Rebecca could imagine that he was not happy at home and would rather be with her. Now, having grown up with basically no parents, there was no way she was going to pull this child’s father out of her life.

                She slipped quietly downstairs, and left without introducing herself to anyone.

Chapter 1-2                                                                                                                                            Chapter 1-4

Chapter 1-2: Loves Me, Loves Me Not

                 The next few days continued monotonously, same thing every day. Wake up, water her plants, go to work, come home, take a nap, work on her writing, and go to sleep. One day, after she had saved a little bit of money, Rebecca decided to head down to the shops to get a gardening book. Going in the bookstore, she realized the shopkeeper was selling the first volume for §350. “Absolutely not! I don’t even own my own toilet,” she muttered to herself. 

Empty handed, she decided to walk back home. She passed the town center and the bistro, the consignment shop, meandered past the art gallery, and towards the fire station. Because her parents were rumored to have died by fire, Rebecca decided to stop in and see if she could get any home fire safety tips. There she met Goodwin, a local aspiring firefighter. They chatted for hours about books and the outdoors and just getting to know each other. It would be nice to finally have a friend around town. Finally, at 11, she headed home.

The next day, things started turning around. She helped her boss, Charmaine, with a research project and was asked to read a book on mutation before her next shift. Finally some luck had given her the opportunity to improve her performance while doing something she liked. The book actually turned out to be quite interesting as well. 

Goodwin also called to let her know that he had a contact in the publishing company and may be able to help her increase her royalties. Work was even better the next day and she felt that she was close to a promotion. What a great way to start the weekend!

Friday afternoon, she headed home to take a nap. She was in the mood to go out and have a good time. Maybe she would even invite Goodwin.  When she finished getting ready, she rang him up but he already had a prior engagement. She decided that she was going to go anyway. She headed over to Carl’s and danced and even ordered some bar food. The place was nowhere near hopping but the view of the bayou reminded her of why she had chosen Twinbrook in the first place.

Saturday dawned bright and early. Rebecca watered her plants, which were growing rather nicely and then headed into town.

She ran into Goodwin at the art gallery. She invited him out but he had to get ready for his shift. She headed over to the fire station with him to keep him company. They played video games and talked some more.

Later that night, as she was getting ready to leave, she found herself in an awkward situation.
"Goodwin, you are an amazing guy. We have so much in common and I really think that we would be a great couple," she confessed, her heart beating so loudly in her chest that she was sure that he would be able to hear it.
"Rebecca, I'm sorry but I am with Jenni. I would love to keep seeing you though, as friends".

On Monday, Rebecca was promoted! She was able to extend her home to a 4x5 shack now and had even added a bookshelf, table and chair, and her very own toilet! She headed over to the fire station to tell Goodwin about it. When he touched her arm to congratulate her, she felt rapture and found herself gazing into his eyes.

He scolded her, reminding her of his relationship. If she wasn’t careful she might ruin this friendship.

The next day, she headed back to the fire station. It was like an addiction, one she knew was bad for her but could not resist anyway, like chocolate. Maybe it was the lab coat today or maybe Goodwin was finally willing to admit he had feelings for her.
"I'm glad you came today. I was hoping you would".
"Yeah," she asked, rather dumbfounded after yesterday.
"Yeah, you're a beautiful, smart woman and I don't think I would be happy if I couldn't see you," he replied, making her heart melt as he leaned in to her and embraced her.

Would Goodwin leave Jenni for Rebecca?

Chapter 1-1                                                                                                                                           Chapter 1-3

Chapter 1-1: New Beginnings

 Upon arriving in Twinbrook, Rebecca discovered the most adorable plot of land for sale. 

The price was quite high but it was in a good neighborhood and the view from the property was to die for. She bought it and built a small shack in the corner of the lot. She had no visitors arrive to welcome her so it was wholly clear that the neighbors were not pleased with her use of the property.

Unfortunately, the cost of building materials was MUCH more expensive than Rebecca had planned on. After erecting the walls of her 3x4 square shack, she had just enough money left over to buy a cheap bed which left §17 left to her name. She would have to get a job and just write on the side since she would need to feed herself.

She traipsed down to the local library to make use of the computers. The rooms were glorious, filled with rich wood bookshelves and tons and tons of books: hardback, paperback, biographies, encyclopedias, self-help books and novels. She couldn’t resist the temptation to read and sat down to enjoy a story. 

When she got halfway through, she was suddenly struck with the urge to write so she began practicing her composition skills. Finally, when she noticed it was nearly noon, she gasped and quickly pulled up the wanted ads. A job in the science track seemed decent; after checking the map, she realized it was close to home and paid §44 an hour. “I’ll take it,” she thought to herself, clicking on ‘accept’.

 She wandered over to the community gardens to view the lush display of plant life since it was on her way home. Once reaching the gardens, she discovered tomatoes and apples and lettuce and all other types of foods growing. Her stomach growled and she was reminded how hungry she was. Quickly glancing around, she started harvesting as many vegetables she could get her hands on.

 

Afterwards, she used the restroom to clean up a bit. Alas, washing her hands and brushing her teeth did little to get rid of the stench. She finally headed home around midnight, feeling rather defeated. She fell into bed and went right to sleep.

At 7 the next morning, she bolted awake, still exhausted but remembering it was her first day of work. As she dressed she realized just how awful she smelled. She darted to the local pool to shower, hoping no one would notice just how much she utilized the community buildings but still managed to end up being an hour late to work. Her work performance was horrific leaving her quite stressed but at least she made some money and was fed.

After work, she hurried home to, hopefully, get enough sleep to be well rested and on time for her next day of work. After a nap, she planted some of the vegetables to make her own little garden and even managed to gain a skill point. Even after she watered her plants in her delicates she still hadn't received a welcome to the neighborhood. 

She then read the paper for a bit and went to sleep. Maybe once she got the hang of things, she would have time to work on her writing and make some friends.

The next day, she managed to get to work on time, even after a shower at the pool. She met with some of her colleagues and was even trusted with an assignment.  Granted, it was only cleaning dishes so they would have a better probability of vanished, but it was a start. Unluckily, as she tends to be, she busted the sink. 

Needless to say, she was frustrated and in serious need of some entertainment by the time she got done washing those dishes.

She headed home, tired and irritated until she realized she had enough money to buy some new things for her home! First order of business: a shower. She wanted a bookshelf so she could finally read at home but had to choose between the two. Rebecca, though a bookworm, realized the practicality of having a shower at home and settled on that, along with a notebook that she could start writing in. 

Finally, things were starting to look up!

Prologue                                                                                                                                           Chapter 1-2