Pick'N'Mix Mods for The Sims 2

19 - Semblance Of Normality

They stayed by the lake that glorious late Spring day - Ona and Lotties' laughter echoing around as they discovered different things, their squeals filling the air as they plunged into the clear, cold water after lunch. Deano, stripped to the waist, tinkered with the bus. Sophia-Grace, after rescuing her pans, sat on a tree-stump, ostensibly sewing, but mainly surreptitiously watching Deano. She was seriously updating her opinion of him, and meeting head-on her true feelings.

In the falling dusk, Deano wandered down to the shore, beer bottle in hand, to wash off the grime of the day. It had been a good day - carefree and productive. He stripped and waded into the lake. Floating on his back, his mind flitted back to the night before - the anger and the pain wrenched at his gut, the tenderness deeply touching his heart. EssGee's face drifted across his vision, his mind picking over all the times during the day he'd caught her looking at him from under her lashes. Deep in thought, he floated on his back, oblivious to the world.

Sophia-Grace sat on a tree branch, swinging her long legs. She couldn't remember when she'd last climbed a tree. It had been a strange day - waking in the pre-dawn, horrified and disgusted with herself over what it turned out she hadn't done, to waking several hours later, missing the warmth of Deano, and over-come from the small acts of kindness he'd shown that morning. She had no recollection of the previous evening, but apparently hadn't made too much of a fool of herself, as Deano wasn't teasing her about it.

Movement caught her attention, and she watched him wander down to the shore. She was going to have to speak to him about his drinking - but she probably best leave that for a week or two as she was hardly the role-model at the moment. Unashamedly she watched him strip and enter the water. Sighing deeply, she jumped down from the branch and headed for the bay, fighting a strong urge to wash his back.

A bottle-chink broke into Deano's thoughts, "Cheers", he heard EssGee say.

He'd drifted back towards the shore, and, suddenly aware of his nakedness, he coughed and spluttered upright in the shallows, his hands together, just under water, in front of himself. Looking straight at him, EssGee took a swig and carefully placed the bottle on the ground. Without breaking eye contact, she picked up his clothes, giggled mischievously, and ran off with them.

"Oi!", he called after her fleeing back, splashing out of the water, "bring those back!"

Sheepishly, hands in front of himself, he followed her back towards the bus. He found his clothes on a bush, peering about to make sure she wasn't spying on him, he dressed and returned to the bus.

She was pretending to be asleep on her mat. He bent over her, tucked her in and kissed her lightly on her cheek, "Sleep tight", he said, adding in a whisper in case the girls were still awake, "I'll get you back for that sometime".

Lying on his back in the dark, staring at the bus ceiling, he clearly heard EssGee whisper "Promises, promises!"

Nobody said anything but they remained by the lake the next day. They went for a walk, dammed a small stream where it entered the lake, played poo-sticks, climbed trees, skimmed stones and, in the late afternoon sun, went swimming.

Sophia-Grace found Deano sat on a log, skimming stones, in the twilight, gazing across the lake at the distant mountains.

"Penny for them?", she enquired.

"We're going to have to move on tomorrow. It's not safe staying in one place like this."

"I know", she sighed, "but it's been so lovely here ... so normal"

"The kids won't want to go", she added, "but we do need more food ..."

"And I don't think they'll invite us back to that store", he interrupted. They laughed.

Silence descended.

Deano could feel EssGee's gaze on him. He turned his head towards her, the moonlight on her face took his breath away with her beauty and he involuntarily gasped.

"What?", she said, glancing over her shoulder. But she needed no answer, she could read it in his eyes. She brushed some imaginary dirt from his forehead, stroked his cheek, held his chin, and kissed him fully on the mouth. Her right hand snaked under his T-shirt and caressed his toned torso.

Deano woke with a start, he'd heard a cry. Grabbing his trousers, he sprinted back to the bus, Ona was stood in the doorway, eyes glazed, staring at the sky, crying. He slowed to a walk and carefully approached.

"Only me Ona, there's nothing there, come back inside", he picked her up and carried her into the bus, sitting on a chair half-way down. She was still staring at the sky, sobbing. He rocked her back and forth, whispering nothings in her ear, until eventually the crying subsided and she dozed on his shoulder, hiccupping sobs and sniffles every now and again. By the time she'd fallen into a deep sleep, and he could put her down, it was just after dawn.

Sophia-Grace rolled over as the first rays of dawn fell on her face and reached out her hand for Deano. She snapped awake, looking around for him. He was gone! He'd deserted her - had his way with her and then discarded her - just like all the other bastards. Ripping her underwear from the snag it was hanging from, she stormed back to the bus.

Humming to himself, Deano was walking back to where EssGee slept, when he saw her coming towards him, he grinned from ear to ear in greeting, "Mor ..." The slap as she marched past caught him unawares and stopped him dead in his tracks. Unbelieving, he turned and watched her retreating back.

Retrieving his T-shirt and pants, he hurried after her, "Wait, I can explain!"

18 - First-Aid 20 - School's Out