Ch. 16 - Romantic Serenade

The date for JC's final exams at university had come and gone and Alesia had not heard from him in days.  She got no response from calls and texts and took to exercising till exhausted to cope with the anxiety of not knowing what was going on with him as days turned into weeks.

Alena was now a celebrated celebrity chef and often did appearances as a celebrity judge for food contests.  It was after one of these particularly exhausting contests that she got a call from Armondo wanting to meet at the Relaxation Station.  She was tired and wanted to fall face first into bed but with both of them so busy with work it had been weeks since she spent more than twenty minutes with Armondo.

"Armondo this place hasn't even opened yet and I don't want any trouble.  Since the last mayor was tossed into that volcano they've had trouble trying to find a reputable company to run this place.    I've missed seeing you but couldn't we have met some where in town?  Judging on all these food shows has really been putting me through the ringer."

"Sweetie I know how tired you must be and I'm so grateful that you came all this way for me," Armondo soothed.  

"Here these are for you."  How lovely she looked was all Armondo could think about as he offered her the roses.  

"They're lovely," Alena sighed taking the flowers.  

"Listen I'm sorry I was a bit crabby before.  I really am glad you called to meet up.  I've missed you so much..."

Armondo couldn't take it any longer, he had seen more of her on the cooking shows he recorded on his cable box at home than he had in person in these past few weeks.

"You're just so beautiful Alena and I've missed you so much too.  I wanted us to have some time together away from everyone else and interruptions from work.  Will you watch the stars and talk with me a for a bit?"

"How could I not say yes after that?"

As they watched the stars together the two caught each other up on what was going with work and the bits of their personal lives the other had missed out on.

"I'm starting to get worried myself about JC," Armondo said after Alena told him about JC and Alesia.  "I haven't been able to reach him myself when I get a spare moment and try to call and see how he's doing in Monte Vista.  If something serious had happened to him I'm sure his family would have let us all know right away.  Maybe he just has some personal business to take care of before he comes back.  You know your dad did make one heck of an impression on us that night at dinner.  If it had been me your dad had gotten on to that night I'd be sure all my ducks were in a row before I came home to you."

"I can see that," Alena said rolling her eyes about how stern Octavio had been with the guys.  "Mom keeps saying this will all turn out for the best and I can't take it on any greater authority than that so we'll all just have to wait."  Alena stood and reached out for Armondo's hand.  "Okay Mr. Vice President show me around your company's new resort."

"I can't believe how amazing this place is.  People are going to love this place when it finally opens.  I'm so proud of you Armondo, this promotion has been a long time coming."

"I'm really proud of you too Alena.  Landing your very own cooking show on a major network is amazing."

"Here," Armondo said as he got down on one knee.  "There's something I've been wanting to ask you for a long time now.  Alena Divine will you marry me?"

"Yes Armondo, yes I will marry you," Alena said as he drew her into a kiss.

"I'm so happy we're finally going to be doing this," Alena sighed while the two cuddled on the bed together.  "These bed's are just for show right?"

"Well since it's just the two of us here it doesn't have to be,"Armondo replied with a wryly grin.

The two missed a watching a lovely sun rise from their spot on the mountain top.

Alesia was wondering what was keeping her father.  He had called her to meet at the park after all but he was ten minutes late and wasn't picking up his phone.

She was preparing to leave when she heard the call of a familiar voice.  

"Ciao bella signora," JC called as he approached an elated Alesia.

"Oh my goodness JC!   My dad set this up didn't he?  When did you get back home?  I've missed you like crazy and you weren't responding to any of my texts and calls."

"I got all your messages when I landed back home and bought a new phone.  Your dad came to pick me up at the airport and boy was security surprised when he just poofed into the airport.  He told me how worried you've been and said I should meet you here."

All Alesia could do was smile at how sweet her father was.  "How did your finals go?  Were you able to earn your degree?"

"Yes, I graduated with a perfect gpa.  I wanted to invite you and everyone else but things got a little crazy with the rebels on campus.  Their leader was some insane technophobe and staged a protest that turned into a riot that took out three cell phone towers and the power company.  The military got involved and it was just one huge mess.  I'm sure it will be all over the news when the communication towers are rebuilt."

"Here I want to show you what I learned at university," JC said as he got out his guitar and began singing an Italian love song.

Che bella cosa è na jurnata ’e sole,

n’aria serena doppo na tempesta!

Pe’ ll’aria fresca para già na festa...

Che bella cosa na jurnata ’e sole.

Ma n’atu sole cchiù bello, oi ne’,

’o sole mio sta nfronte a te!

’o sole, ’o sole mio, sta nfronte a te,

sta nfronte a te!

Quanno fa notte e ’o sole se ne scenne,

me vane quasi ’na malincunia;

sotta ’a fenesta toia restarria

quanno fa notte e ’o sole se ne scenne.

Ma n’atu sole cchiù bello, oi ne’,

’o sole mio sta nfronte a te!

’o sole, ’o sole mio, sta nfronte a te,

sta nfronte a te!

(O Sole Mio by Giovanni Capurro)

"Alesia Divine you are the brightest star in my universe. Will you shine that beautiful light of yours down on me for the rest of my life as my wife?"

Alesia screamed with joy jumping up and down in jubilation.  "Yes, yes, yes!  Yes, I will marry you JC!"

"Oh JC its a diamond with little purple stones all around it.  You had this specially made didn't you?"

"Yes, I told the jeweler that I wanted a ring that complemented the brightness of your eyes."

JC laughed at himself as he realised what he just said.  "Wow that was unbelievably cheesy."

Alesia began crying and laughing at once.  "I agree but it was still very sweet and romantic."

JC dried her eyes and hugged her to him.  He had missed her so much the thought of leaving university early to be with her had crossed his mind more than once.

"I was starting to wonder if this was ever going to happen for us," Alesia admitted shyly.

"What did you think your dad scared me off and I found some pretty Italian girl that didn't have a terrifying mystical being as a father to settle down with?"  JC joked.

"No of course not.  Just don't take the four break up songs addressed to CJ on my album seriously okay?"

Ch. 15 - Little Boy Blue

In the early morning hours Cyrena woke from a frighting dream and had her first transformation alone in her bedroom.  With no one to calm her down the animal instincts took over and went after her mother's imported couch with a vengeance.

I woke early as usual to check the soul stone for any changes when I heard tearing noises coming from the living room.

"My new couch! Cyrena what has gotten into you?"  I yelled as I walked in on the scene.  I was prepared to give her a stern talking to followed by a grounding when she turned to face me.

"Oh my, you've had your first transformation but the moon is no where close to being full."

Cyrena looked up at me and whimpered.  "I had bwad drewm," she said around her protruding fangs.

"Come here dear everything will be alright," I said hugging her to me.  "There's some fresh tuna in the fridge, you can have that for breakfast while I call your father to figure this out.  You must be starved after having the wolf come out without warning and no full moon."

I called Davin told him Cyrena had her first transformation.  He was surprised and said he'd soon be on his way to spend some time with her to help her sort out the things she was feeling from her wolf senses.

I had just finished the call with him when my phone rang again.

"Alcander you're calling very early this morning," I answered.  "Is everything okay?"

"He's here mom!" Alcander exclaimed.  "We haven't left the hospital yet but you and everyone should come by this afternoon to meet Kelly."

It had been thousands of years since I had a grandchild so I made a bee line for his room as soon as we arrived at Alcander's and Wendi's.  As I held my grandson Kelly who was the spitting image of his grandfather it hit me.  With this newest addition to the Divine family I was officially the world's hottest grandmother.

"Oh you are just the cutest little blue berry Kelly.  Happy birthday little man, let grandma Aphrodite love on you for little bit."

I fed Kelly a bottle before laying him back down in his crib for a nap.  Congratulations were in order for the new parents.

"Congrats on the baby boy Alcander!  Wendi was right about having her own two blue men.  Kelly looks just like dad."

"Haha thanks Alena, yeah he does look like dad.  He came by a little earlier today, he has a show this evening.  You should have seen him with the baby.  He held Kelly with this big grin on his face saying "I have a grandson.  I'm a grandfather and I have a grandson."

"Wendi, Kelly is absolutely adorable!  And you are just glowing, are you sure this isn't too much company for the three of you so soon after the birth?"

"No, its fine and we missed seeing all of you guys."  Wendi, the girls and I cooed over children while Alcander helped the twins with their homework and Blasius met his nephew.

"Eww gross you two we're at the dinner table!  You know my senses are a lot better when I'm transformed."

"Sorry Cyrena but we're all family here," Alcander chuckled.  "So I hear you were thinking about doing dance?"

"Nope that's me," Calictus said not looking up from his paper.  "There's a girl I like spending time with in the class."

"I like the theater but I'm more into the music," Cyrena replied.

"Nice you two.  Music and the arts are almost a specialty in the family and dance is really going to build your strength Calictus.  Its no joke doing all those moves while lifting another person on top of it."

Later when everyone was enjoying the pool Cyrena was reluctant about joining in the fun.  

"What's wrong little sis how come your not in the pool with everyone else?"

"I know it sounds super girly but I don't want to mess up my fur," Cyrena admitted.

Alcander threw back his head and laughed.  "News flash lupa, you are a girl and a Divine at that.  Your fur will be fine just look at Alesia and Alena splashing around in the water, not a hair out of place.  One of the perks of being one of Aphordite's children is having amazing hair all the time."

After everyone got a chance to meet Kelly the rest of the day at Alcander's was spent around the pool.

"Hahaha!  He really grabbed your bag and flashed to the hospital without you as you were coming down the stairs."

"He had the hospital staff start searching for me before he realised he had teleported there and I was still at home," Wendi smiled as she remembered Alcander rushing down the stairs to grab the bag then vanishing into thin air.  When he reappeared at home she calmly handed him the car keys and eased herself into the passenger seat.

"You being a dad now is still kind of unreal Alcander.  Its like it was only yesterday we pranking each other at every turn."

"Hey just because I'm a father now doesn't mean I've lost my edge.  I could still show you a thing or two Blasius."

"Oh yeah, have you heard of the cinnamon challenge?"

"No, tell me about it," Alcander replied ready to prove he still could one up his little brother.

"All you have to do is eat a spoon full of cinnamon without water or spitting it out," Blasius explained.

"That sounds simple," Alcander said as he grabbed a spoon and the cinnamon from the cabinet. "I really don't see what is so challenging about it."

Alcander was sure there was some old movie with a nanny that sang about how helpful a spoon full of cinnamon was.  He realized his mistake when his throat dried up and his sinuses were a blaze.

"Oh plumbob its hot!  Its really really hot! I feel like my entire respiratory system is on fire!"

Blasius got a good laugh at his big brother's expense but Alcander did successfully do the challenge and had the last laugh.

With so many celebrities in one spot the paparazzi eventually showed up at the house to get pictures of the family.

Word of what Octavio did to the last paparazzi must have spread like wild fire because they were sure to keep a respectful distance and only snap a minimal amount of photos before leaving to find other celebrities to photograph.

While everyone was out around the pool Cyrena spent some time inside catching up.

"I see you've had your first transformation Cyrena.  How is it going for you?  I've got some salmon in the fridge if you get hungry," Wendi offered.

"I'm doing okay Auntie Wendi.  My dad showed me how to deal with the urges to scratch up the furniture so I won't get in any trouble.  I'm really excited about going running with the pack this full moon."

"I remember running with the pack my first time.  Everyone was really nice and kept a slow pace so I could keep up with them and I found lots of neat rocks.  That's how I became so interested in studying science."

Alcander and I shared in our new bond as parents as the others played in the pool.  

"I thought helping out with Blasius and the twins would prepare me for Kelly but it's a totally different experience when that little bundle is your own flesh and blood.  I mean I can change diapers and mix up bottles with the best of them but I know he's looking to me to take care of him because he knows I'm his dad you know?"

"I know exactly what you mean son and I'm proud.  I'm so happy for you and Wendi.  You two are going to be great parents," I said hugging him.

"It was really awesome seeing dad with him.  I know he missed out on being with us as babies when he was on tour.  You could really tell that just holding his grandson that looked so much like him meant the world to him."

"I'm sure it did.  I can't wait to have a picture of the two of them together hanging up on my wall," I replied.  Octavio and Kelly in matching vests would be a delightful picture of grandfather and grandson.

"Here I mixed up some potent invigorating elixirs to help you two out with those sleepless nights with Kelly."

"Mom you are a lifesaver, these will be a big help.  Thank you so much."

The day at Alcander's ended with me and the girls in the sauna.  Alena made steamed veggies while we relaxed in the soothing heat and the kids played in the pool.

"Remind me to call Drew and have him draw up plans for an addition to the temple.  I have to get one of these for myself."

*** Bonus Pic ***

I just wanted to share a few pictures from another of my sims saves with a friend.

Marliahn look who my sim Trinity ran into while at university!

I saw him hanging out around campus and invited him over for egg rolls lol.