Chapter 83: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

Over the next few days, the Pruett household had reached its new version of homeostasis. Everyone began to get on with their lives. Lance had been writing a few comedy routines and felt ready to test them out on a real audience, so he went to the Solar Flare Lounge.

He killed it! He did all five of his routines and made almost 400 simoleons! Kolby was there and was so proud of his little cousin as he remembered the days when he stood on that very stage.

It seemed as though all the teenagers were either in love or getting close to it. Whatever the case was, the hormone level in the estate was quite high.

The morning of the twins’ birthday was the third day of Amira’s absence. Brandon wasn’t exactly sad, but he was lamenting the fact that his entire marriage may have been a sham. He tried not to believe it, but he couldn’t but lean in that direction.

Cadence and Melody didn’t want a huge party. They just wanted their friends over, and of course they invited them over immediately after school.

“Ummm…so like,” Cameron stalled, “I didn’t know it was like your birthday, so I umm…I didn’t bring you anything. Maybe I should just go.”

“Cameron! Why do you always do that? I invited you here to hang out; not so I could get a present from you.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes! Geez, man, this shy timid thing getting to be a bit annoying. Let’s go sit by the pool.”

“Pleeeeease be my boyfriend!”

“Let me think about it…”

“Ok!”

“Yay!!”

“See? What did I tell you about popping pills?”

Melody had never felt so exhilarated and in love (or what she thought was love) in all her life. All afternoon and into the evening, she couldn’t keep her eyes off him. She had desperately longed for the day when she would be someone’s girlfriend. After dinner, gazed into his emerald eyes and told him what she wanted for her birthday.

“So ummm…I’m gonna be an adult soon. We won’t get to kick it until your birthday.”

“Oh, yeah, I hadn’t really thought of that.”

“You know what we should do?”

“I can think of a few things.”

They snuck away to her bedroom and quickly disappeared under the sheets.

“If your mom finds us in here she is going to kill us!”

“We’re not doing anything bad. We’re just messing around!”

“She’s still gonna kill us.”

“Are you gonna get under here or not?”

Meanwhile, Cameron and Cadence were relaxing by the pool.

“Both of my parents died in a fire when I was seven. I know what it’s like.”

“Wow. You were so young.”

“Yeah. But kids are resilient. They don’t really know what’s going on. Having no parents became normal to me very quickly.”

“Do you think about them?”

“Every once in a while. I’m not like sad or anything, but they run across my mind.”

Bianca called them inside to blow out the candles. It was time to leave their childish ways behind them–hopefully. Cadence went first while Melody was trying to keep Paxton from revealing what they were doing. He was soo happy he just couldn’t leave her alone.

Then it was Melody’s turn.

The two sisters stood their silently contemplating what life had for them next–and wishing their father was there to see this. Cadence developed the perfectionist trait and Melody picked up her mother’s gluttony.

Bianca had a very long day and finally dragged herself upstairs to bed.

I made it! I saw them grow up! I can go now, she thought.

Everyone else went to bed except Melody. She needed a snack before she hit the sack. Little did she know that she would get her and Cadence’s wish because someone was running late for the party.

Giancarlo whooshed through the house like an emergency vehicle on the highway. He found Melody still in the dining room.

“Hello, sweetheart! Happy birthday! Sorry I’m late.”

“Daddy?? Oh, daddy! You’re here!”

“I am here. I’m always here. How are you?”

“I’m in love!”

“Oh boy. The Paxton kid?”

“You remember!”

“How could I forget. He’s all you talked about!”

He sat down while she told him about her asking him to be her boyfriend, what she loves about him, etc. He just watched her. Even though he was not alive, he was glad that he could still be part of his family’s life in a way.

She’s soo beautiful, he thought. But dude…she eats just like her mom!