My Story (Spring 2007)

As a matter of fact, that's just what Harrison and Celeste Nero were talking about one morning, as they walked into the downstairs bedroom (the fourth in the house).

"I love you, Celeste," exclaimed Harrison, "but...I need to ask you something."

Not paying a lot of attention because of the cat meowing at her feet, Celeste murmured, "Yes...?"

"...Now, remember, I really love you!"

Celeste wondered what was running around in that brilliant brain of Harrison's.

"I mean, our bank account could use some extra green, don't you think?"

About that time, the phone rang, and Celeste ran to answer it. It was for Harrison, so she cleaned up the kitchen a bit, and spent some time loving Kim, who was out on the verandah deciding whether or not to hop up on the coffeetable.

Unfortunately, right at that moment, three of the neighbors (Penny Pepper, Rufus London, and Kimberley Langerak) dropped by to welcome Harrison and Celeste into the neighborhood. By then it was almost noon, and Celeste still had no idea what Harrison was talking about.

Before long, the activity caught on, and soon Harrison and Penny were engaged in the mock battle as well.

Before long, Harrison joined her. "Aha! I was looking for you!"

"So, Dear, what were you talking about before...you know...about the money?"

"Well, I was thinking...we need to put some money away for a rainy day!"

"For a SUNNY day?" asked Celeste. "I never heard THAT expression before!"

"OK, then..." Celeste asked after a few minutes of silence during which Harrison looked just a little bit too pleased with himself. "Just HOW do you figure to DO that...put some money away for a rainy day? Also, just what in the heck does that have to do with this floor of our house?"

"That Langerak girl acts a bit sick, too--maybe allergies, but maybe something worse!"

"Yes, and so are Penny and Rufus! See...that's what I had in mind. I'm wondering...do they have homes to go to?"

"Sigh...don't you get it, Celeste?"

She didn't, but she was sure Harrison would explain himself in time. After all, he WAS tops in his field of science!

Thinking over all he'd said, Celeste got up and began to roam from room...

Running downstairs, she caught Harrison just after he'd made sure Kimberley had left for the night.

"I get it!" she cried!

Then quickly running out to the hot tub, they said goodbye to both Rufus and Penny, after ascertaining from them that, yes, indeed, they DID have homes to go to.

Admiring Harrison's idea highly, Celeste showed him so by rubbing his back.

Early the next morning Harrison and Celeste tidied up the yard around the house, then indulged in a short water balloon fight, which they called a draw, so they could award each other with a kiss.

It's also a good thing Harrison wasn't hugely hungry, since inside the house, Celeste had gotten sidetracked trying to teach Kim to play dead! I guess Knowledge Sims just naturally feel EVERYONE should learn everything they can at any time!

The real reason Harrison has remained outside, of course, is to catch the first person who would come walking by, to see if that person would be willing to move in and share the rent! Catching Elise Lam (a local young adult) on her way by, Harrison begins to question her about her life in general. Looks like his questions were getting pretty personal!!!

Oh! I see! They were talking about whether or not the cats would ever have kittens! Whew!

Wondering if it was really any of his business, Elise assured him she was not.

"I mean, are you serious enough about someone to, well, you know..."

"See, I have this policy that my boyfriends aren't allowed to use their hands!"

Not only was Harrison a bit weird, but he was also boring!

In the face of that rude look, Harrison decided Elise probably wasn't going to become a good tenant for them.

Forgetting to mention that Elise was probably upstairs looking around right at that moment, Harrison enticed his wife into the extra bed for a little fun.

Smoothing the covers on the other side of the bed...

She didn't seem to think she was in the wrong at all...just started playing with the cats (who had been present the entire time--maybe they learned something ELSE new).

Laughing, Harrison explained the whole thing to her, then said, "Goodbye, Elise!" very clearly.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Elise shook hands with Harrison and left the premises.

Aware that Harrison was still in his underwear, though, she teased him into chasing her out into the moonlight...

In fact, they might have to stop doing some of their favorite things...

Realizing how hungry they were, Harrison and Celeste indulged in some lobster thermidor before going to bed.

Before too long, they were snuggled in bed together.

...when suddenly Celeste went running into the bathroom.

It takes someone really in love to kiss someone who's just made THAT mess! Eeewww!!!

...while Harrison and Tree enjoyed their dinner at the dining table. At least having Tree over for dinner was profitable, since he was able to tell Harrison why the two cats hadn't yet had kittens. As it turned out, both Kobe and Kim were females. No wonder they seemed to be enemies, too!

Upstairs relaxing, Harrison mentioned the fact that they still didn't have a tenant.

"Yeah, and tops!"

"Yes! I'm not sure we'll have room to rent out any of the rooms once the children start coming."

By the next day, however, something drove the desire for cheesecake right out of Celeste's mind. To begin with, she had actually gone to work with Harrison--in her PJs! He got in the car to go to work, and she hadn't realized she'd have the day off from work due to the baby coming, so she just hopped in the car with him, figuring her PJs would miraculously turn to her work uniform, but it didn't--every woman's nightmare--to be out in a public place in her nightwear!

Then after work, Priya Ramaswami came home with her to give her some womanly advice. While they were standing out in the rain talking, Harrison was in the hot tub, when lightning came arrowing down and hit him!

Suddenly the cats were both yowling, Priya was moaning, and Celeste was standing there crying and wondering what to do, when the Grim Reaper showed up, making all sorts of strange noises.

After a few seconds of debate with himself, Grim decided to give Celeste a chance. Putting his hands behind his back, he pulled out a shining blue stone and told her she'd have to choose which hand held it. She did it!

He then raised Harrison's lifeless body and set him back in place in front of Celeste.

"Yes, dear! I know! You're saved!" cried Celeste.

"Well...THAT's rather anticlimactic!" Celeste said to herself. "Now what am I going to do with the rest of this dreary day?"

Then she began on a batch of hamburgers.

After working out, Celeste went out to talk to Priya (who had stayed with her just to make everything was OK, until Harrison would get back from work), to see if she wanted lunch or something. Celeste would have gotten into the hot tub with her, but the instructions for the hot tub said, "No Pregnant Ladies Allowed." She figured it was because she couldn't fit into her swimsuit any longer!

So Priya joined Celeste in the pool for a while. Ah! How refreshing!

While Harrison ran in to grab a snack, Ted wasted no time. He quickly changed to swimwear and joined the ladies.

Finally, Harrison went out, invited Ted to join them in the huge house, and Ted didn't argue for more than a second! His first act as a part of the family, was to grab a water balloon and begin to have a mock battle with Priya! He didn't realize yet that Priya is already married. Perhaps someone needs to tell him!

Within a few quick minutes, she presented Harrison with not just one new child, but two! Interesting, she never did get to eat that cheesecake, and nobody said any strange incantation over her growing middle, either. These twins seem to have simply been one of those off-chances that do happen occasionally!

While the new parents were settling in with their children, Ted went upstairs and magically converted one of the extra bedrooms into a red and blue nursery. He decided he'd take the downstairs bedroom for himself, and there was still a small guest bedroom upstairs...

Pretty soon, with a little help from Ted (who has obviously handled babies before)...

...Harrison and Celeste are sleeping soundly in their own room (just across the hall from the babies)...

...and Priya...well...for some reason she's forgotten she has a home to go to, and has gotten quite addicted to the Nero's hot tub! Not only that, but it looks as if she's about to be joined by a neighborhood prowler! What will happen next?