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thayerloveHello there and welcome back to The Cooke Legacy! This is chapter Thirty Seven - Giving Up the Throne, written by Katie/ilovereecee.
I want to give you guys a quick recap of what happened last chapter before I hand the narration off to heiress Odette. Last time you saw Derek and Odette get married and welcome three children: Paxton, and twins Penelope and Phillip. Odette was very, very slowly working toward her LTW to become Chief of Staff, but raising babies came first. We left off the last chapter with Odette in labor with her fourth child. . . That is where she will pick up! Enjoy the read :)
Well, the last time I left you, I was in labor for the third time in my life! The pains woke me up in the middle of the night. Naturally, I woke Derek up so he could experience the joy with me ;)
By the time my new little one was welcomed into the family, my mother Arcadia also joined the fun. Baby girl Piper would be my husband Derek and I's last child together.
"Thanks for taking Scarface off my hands. With four kids now and I'm still trying to get back to work ASAP, four cats are just a little too much in the home."
"No problem, sis. Paul is always complaining that all of his cousins get to have pets and he doesn't. So now he'll have one too. It all works out good."
I was thankful when my brother Orlando accepted my offer to adopt our cat Scarface. That leaves us with Fuzzy, Franny and their female kitten Tiger Lily.
"Use your fingers and toes if you need to visualize the math, son. Don't rush yourself, or you might get confused. Multiplication is all about memorization anyway, but use your fingers until you get the hang of it."
I was so thankful that Derek was a teacher at our children's elementary school. This enabled him to see what the children were learning at the time. Since he was teaching the same subject, to different students of course, he's able to help Paxton, Penelope and Phillip with their homework.
Baby Piper was a very calm, easy going baby. Maybe it's because of all the running around I did while she was in my belly, that she's ready for some relax time! Everyone in the house loved her at first sight, especially my father Nate. He's a family aspiration and is practically giddy at having a new grandbaby to spoil.
I love that my children are old enough to start developing their own personalities now. Phillip, my youngest boy, is a playful child! He's always running around the house getting into something. I love spending time goofing off with him, he's such a happy kid. I just hope he stays that way as a teenager!
Penelope, Phillip's twin, is similar to him in many ways... except one. Penny is my only child so far to inherit more than one neat point! Derek has zero neat points, and I only have one. Pax and Phillip both inherited this gene, but not Penny! She has ten; she's always running around the house cleaning this or that. She seems to enjoy the work, but I personally think it's odd that a child her age would rather scrub bathrooms than play with her siblings.
"Goodnight, darling Penny. Sweet dreams." My father Nate kisses Penelope on the forehead as he tucked her in for the night. He's a very loving grandfather, I'm lucky that I got him as my dad and as a grandfather for my children!
All too soon, it was time for baby Piper to grow into a toddler! I couldn't believe it when the time came, it seems like she was just born yesterday. My immediate family gathered around the cake in the kitchen to celebrate with my little girl.
Piper aged into a beautiful toddler! She looks very similar to her big sister Penelope, who looks very much like her daddy! Her personality is very neat, outgoing and active, but very mean!*
*Piper has 8.10.9.3.2. So Penny isn't the only clean child in the family anymore.
Well I've finally reached the top of my career! I'm now a chief of staff! Now that I'm at the top, I have achieved my first lifetime want. My new goal is to become a Media Magnate.
Now that Piper is a toddler, it's time that Derek and I started making sure she knows her basic toddler skills. Derek helped to teach Piper how to walk. Normally, I let my father teach the toddlers how to talk, but since Pax, Penny and Phillip all said "Grandpa" as their first word, I decided to take on the task for Piper. And wouldn't you know it!? She didn't say Grandpa first. She actually started saying lots of different words, but her first was "bottle".
"Hey Granpa Nate, how do you get a mouse to smile?"
"I don't know, Phillp. How do you do that?" My father asked curiously.
"Say cheese!!!"
Of course, my father laughed hysterically at my son's silly joke. Phillip loves all of our family members and enjoys telling us a good punchline.
My children enjoy their freetime, but they also have to skill a little each day so that when it comes time to apply for scholarships, they can earn some money. My twins Penelope and Phillp like to skill together so that they can also chit chat at the same time.
"Happy birthday to Paxton! Happy birthday to you." We all sang in unison as Pax prepared to blow out the candles.
"And many moooooore!" Sang Phillip, always having to add his own flare.
Boy, I tell you, I never felt older than I do now. I invited my brothers over to celebrate the big event with Pax. Even though he was right before my eyes, I couldn't believe my firstborn was about to age into a teenager.
While Paxton was changing his clothes, my brother Orlando seized the opportunity to clean house! He, like Penny, is the only one of our generation to have more than one clean point. He was our housekeeper in our college home.
My sweet Paxton aged into a handsome young man! I still can't believe he's a teenager now. Time flies. Pax declared a primary famiy aspiration, which is fitting because he's always loved our family, and a secondary popularity aspiration. He has Derek's and aspirations (just flip flopped). My firstborn is definitely his dad's kid!
"Okay, Piper. Today we're going to talk Mommy into just one more grandbaby for Grandpa Nate, okay?" My father Nate thinks that my putting Piper in his scheme for another grandchild, I'll cave in since she is my baby. "I need your help. You've got to tell Mommy you want a brother. Got it?"
"No Grandpa! No, no!" Piper, like me, thinks that she should be the last baby in the family! Looks like my Dad is going to have a harder time with this than he thought.
"So what are we going to ask Mommy about tonight when she gets home?" My father Nate asked Piper while playing on the floor together.
"My birfday!" Piper exclaimed excitedly.
"Yes, it's your birthday tonight, but that's not what were going to ask Mommy." My father isn't going to give up easily.
Later that evening, as I prepared for Piper's birthday, my parents were entertaining the local headmaster of the private school. I've been wanting my older children to get accepted for a while, so I'm thankful my parents took the reins and got it all started. My mom showed our guest the home, which he wasn't particularly thrilled with until he saw the pet room. He must be a cat lover.
My father made an excellent salmon dish for the Headmaster. He obviously enjoyed it, because he practically had to contain himself from diving face first into the dish.
After dinner, I invited the headmaster to join us in celebrating Piper's birthday. He declined, but let me know that Pax, Penny and Phillip were all welcome to join his institution! I was so happy when he told me that!
To add to the evenings success, little Piper grew up to be an adorable young lady. Like most of her siblings, she resembles her father the most. Derek certainly has some strong genes!
Now that all of my children are school aged, they spend a good bit of time studying in the living room together. Paxton oversees this study time and helps the little ones to understand the more difficult concepts of the books.
Today we had to say goodbye to our beloved Fuzzy. He's definitely an old fellow, but I had hoped my children wouldn't have to witness his death. There were mixed emotions in the room as we all said goodbye. My father seemed to not really even be paying attention - probably he was thinking of some way to get another grandchild out of me.
Well, time is flying in my family home. It's time for my twins to grow into teenagers. I can't believe just last night I had to watch my last toddler age, and now my sweet twins are going to be all grown up too!!
Penelope aged into a stunning young lady. She declared pleasure as a primary aspiration and grilled cheese as a secondary (my father must have rubbed that off on her). My neat freak baby girl is now all grown up in lipstick and leopard print, I can't believe it!
Phillip, my youngest son, declared a fortune primary aspiration and decided on romance for his secondary aspiration. And, most shockingly of all, he has decided to grow out his facial hair now that he is a teen! Where has my sweet, knock-knock joke telling little boy gone?!
"Phillip, you're such a dork." Penelope said one evening as she was prepping for bed and checking her teeth in the mirror. "You know you look like a total idiot wearing a leotard, right?"
"Shut up, Penny. You're just jealous that I look better than you in tights." Phillip quickly responded. "Besides, once I get ripped from working out, the combination of my hot bod and rockin' stash will be slaying the ladies!"
Oh, my little ones have grown up too quickly! I never thought I'd hear baby Phillip talking about "slaying ladies".
"Grandma Arcadia, knock knock!"
"Who's there, Phillip?"
I want to give you guys a quick recap of what happened last chapter before I hand the narration off to heiress Odette. Last time you saw Derek and Odette get married and welcome three children: Paxton, and twins Penelope and Phillip. Odette was very, very slowly working toward her LTW to become Chief of Staff, but raising babies came first. We left off the last chapter with Odette in labor with her fourth child. . . That is where she will pick up! Enjoy the read :)
Well, the last time I left you, I was in labor for the third time in my life! The pains woke me up in the middle of the night. Naturally, I woke Derek up so he could experience the joy with me ;)
By the time my new little one was welcomed into the family, my mother Arcadia also joined the fun. Baby girl Piper would be my husband Derek and I's last child together.
"Thanks for taking Scarface off my hands. With four kids now and I'm still trying to get back to work ASAP, four cats are just a little too much in the home."
"No problem, sis. Paul is always complaining that all of his cousins get to have pets and he doesn't. So now he'll have one too. It all works out good."
I was thankful when my brother Orlando accepted my offer to adopt our cat Scarface. That leaves us with Fuzzy, Franny and their female kitten Tiger Lily.
"Use your fingers and toes if you need to visualize the math, son. Don't rush yourself, or you might get confused. Multiplication is all about memorization anyway, but use your fingers until you get the hang of it."
I was so thankful that Derek was a teacher at our children's elementary school. This enabled him to see what the children were learning at the time. Since he was teaching the same subject, to different students of course, he's able to help Paxton, Penelope and Phillip with their homework.
Baby Piper was a very calm, easy going baby. Maybe it's because of all the running around I did while she was in my belly, that she's ready for some relax time! Everyone in the house loved her at first sight, especially my father Nate. He's a family aspiration and is practically giddy at having a new grandbaby to spoil.
I love that my children are old enough to start developing their own personalities now. Phillip, my youngest boy, is a playful child! He's always running around the house getting into something. I love spending time goofing off with him, he's such a happy kid. I just hope he stays that way as a teenager!
Penelope, Phillip's twin, is similar to him in many ways... except one. Penny is my only child so far to inherit more than one neat point! Derek has zero neat points, and I only have one. Pax and Phillip both inherited this gene, but not Penny! She has ten; she's always running around the house cleaning this or that. She seems to enjoy the work, but I personally think it's odd that a child her age would rather scrub bathrooms than play with her siblings.
"Goodnight, darling Penny. Sweet dreams." My father Nate kisses Penelope on the forehead as he tucked her in for the night. He's a very loving grandfather, I'm lucky that I got him as my dad and as a grandfather for my children!
All too soon, it was time for baby Piper to grow into a toddler! I couldn't believe it when the time came, it seems like she was just born yesterday. My immediate family gathered around the cake in the kitchen to celebrate with my little girl.
Piper aged into a beautiful toddler! She looks very similar to her big sister Penelope, who looks very much like her daddy! Her personality is very neat, outgoing and active, but very mean!*
*Piper has 8.10.9.3.2. So Penny isn't the only clean child in the family anymore.
Well I've finally reached the top of my career! I'm now a chief of staff! Now that I'm at the top, I have achieved my first lifetime want. My new goal is to become a Media Magnate.
Now that Piper is a toddler, it's time that Derek and I started making sure she knows her basic toddler skills. Derek helped to teach Piper how to walk. Normally, I let my father teach the toddlers how to talk, but since Pax, Penny and Phillip all said "Grandpa" as their first word, I decided to take on the task for Piper. And wouldn't you know it!? She didn't say Grandpa first. She actually started saying lots of different words, but her first was "bottle".
"Hey Granpa Nate, how do you get a mouse to smile?"
"I don't know, Phillp. How do you do that?" My father asked curiously.
"Say cheese!!!"
Of course, my father laughed hysterically at my son's silly joke. Phillip loves all of our family members and enjoys telling us a good punchline.
My children enjoy their freetime, but they also have to skill a little each day so that when it comes time to apply for scholarships, they can earn some money. My twins Penelope and Phillp like to skill together so that they can also chit chat at the same time.
"Happy birthday to Paxton! Happy birthday to you." We all sang in unison as Pax prepared to blow out the candles.
"And many moooooore!" Sang Phillip, always having to add his own flare.
Boy, I tell you, I never felt older than I do now. I invited my brothers over to celebrate the big event with Pax. Even though he was right before my eyes, I couldn't believe my firstborn was about to age into a teenager.
While Paxton was changing his clothes, my brother Orlando seized the opportunity to clean house! He, like Penny, is the only one of our generation to have more than one clean point. He was our housekeeper in our college home.
My sweet Paxton aged into a handsome young man! I still can't believe he's a teenager now. Time flies. Pax declared a primary famiy aspiration, which is fitting because he's always loved our family, and a secondary popularity aspiration. He has Derek's and aspirations (just flip flopped). My firstborn is definitely his dad's kid!
"Okay, Piper. Today we're going to talk Mommy into just one more grandbaby for Grandpa Nate, okay?" My father Nate thinks that my putting Piper in his scheme for another grandchild, I'll cave in since she is my baby. "I need your help. You've got to tell Mommy you want a brother. Got it?"
"No Grandpa! No, no!" Piper, like me, thinks that she should be the last baby in the family! Looks like my Dad is going to have a harder time with this than he thought.
"So what are we going to ask Mommy about tonight when she gets home?" My father Nate asked Piper while playing on the floor together.
"My birfday!" Piper exclaimed excitedly.
"Yes, it's your birthday tonight, but that's not what were going to ask Mommy." My father isn't going to give up easily.
Later that evening, as I prepared for Piper's birthday, my parents were entertaining the local headmaster of the private school. I've been wanting my older children to get accepted for a while, so I'm thankful my parents took the reins and got it all started. My mom showed our guest the home, which he wasn't particularly thrilled with until he saw the pet room. He must be a cat lover.
My father made an excellent salmon dish for the Headmaster. He obviously enjoyed it, because he practically had to contain himself from diving face first into the dish.
After dinner, I invited the headmaster to join us in celebrating Piper's birthday. He declined, but let me know that Pax, Penny and Phillip were all welcome to join his institution! I was so happy when he told me that!
To add to the evenings success, little Piper grew up to be an adorable young lady. Like most of her siblings, she resembles her father the most. Derek certainly has some strong genes!
Now that all of my children are school aged, they spend a good bit of time studying in the living room together. Paxton oversees this study time and helps the little ones to understand the more difficult concepts of the books.
Today we had to say goodbye to our beloved Fuzzy. He's definitely an old fellow, but I had hoped my children wouldn't have to witness his death. There were mixed emotions in the room as we all said goodbye. My father seemed to not really even be paying attention - probably he was thinking of some way to get another grandchild out of me.
Well, time is flying in my family home. It's time for my twins to grow into teenagers. I can't believe just last night I had to watch my last toddler age, and now my sweet twins are going to be all grown up too!!
Penelope aged into a stunning young lady. She declared pleasure as a primary aspiration and grilled cheese as a secondary (my father must have rubbed that off on her). My neat freak baby girl is now all grown up in lipstick and leopard print, I can't believe it!
Phillip, my youngest son, declared a fortune primary aspiration and decided on romance for his secondary aspiration. And, most shockingly of all, he has decided to grow out his facial hair now that he is a teen! Where has my sweet, knock-knock joke telling little boy gone?!
"Phillip, you're such a dork." Penelope said one evening as she was prepping for bed and checking her teeth in the mirror. "You know you look like a total idiot wearing a leotard, right?"
"Shut up, Penny. You're just jealous that I look better than you in tights." Phillip quickly responded. "Besides, once I get ripped from working out, the combination of my hot bod and rockin' stash will be slaying the ladies!"
Oh, my little ones have grown up too quickly! I never thought I'd hear baby Phillip talking about "slaying ladies".
"Grandma Arcadia, knock knock!"
"Who's there, Phillip?"
"Boo."
"Boo who?"
"Don't cry, Grandma! It's only a knock-knock joke!"
It's nice to still see a few glimpses of my sweet Phillip now that he's getting older and further away from the child I wish he still was.
"
It's nice when all of my are children getting along. Aside from Penny making fun of Phillip's tights and mustache, things are pretty mellow. Paxton is especially helpful with his younger siblings. He loves to help tutor Piper when she has a difficult homework assignment.
I just can't believe it's time to say goodbye to my mother forever! She's been such a great mom to me and a great grandmother to my children. I hate the fact that the twins had to witness her death. I would have given anything to trade places with them so they wouldn't have to see that.
My dad is taking my mother's death very hard. He's been shut up in his room most of the time since she passed. He spends quite a bit of time painting grilled cheese related things. He's always been fond of the sandwich, but now he's teetering on obsession. I think it gives him something to focus on besides my mother being gone.
"So thanks for coming over today Marylena. I've always thought you were pretty cool since we met at school." Paxton said awkwardly to his classmate. Quietly, he added, "And very pretty too."
"Aw, thanks Pax!" Marylena Hamilton responded, "You know, you are probably the sweetest guy I've ever met. So many guys think it's cool to play hard to get or they just aren't themselves, but I have to say, you have been so genuine since the first day I met you. That's what I really like about you."
I can't believe my Paxton is old enough to be dating! He didn't share with me if he and Marylena were just hanging out or dating or whatever the kids call it these days, but from what I saw and heard that night, they enjoyed each others company emmensely.
"Hey there Cheesy! Welcome to the family, little Cheesy boy."
So my family decided that adopting another cat might help ease the loss of my mother Arcadia. I think it's just confusing my father even more though... we named the cat Tux because of his coat color and markings. But Dad seems to think his name is Cheesy.... even though I've corrected him tons. I think his mind may be going bad ever since Mom passed.
"So did you hear that my Grandma just passed?" Phillip asked his blind date Amy Jones. "And my Mom says my grandpa is nuts now. He can't deal with the loss of his wife, I guess."
"Oh, Phillip. You poor thing, you! Come give me a hug!" Amy sympathetically responded.
I was very disappointed that Phillip was using my parents situation to earn pity affection from the local teenage girls.
"So yeah, as if it's not hard enough to say goodbye to my Grandma, my sister Penny is constantly cutting me down." Phillip went on later that night. "She's always telling me how stupid my mustache is."
"That's dumb, I think your mustache is great! It's not too often you see a mature boy like you, with facial hair, that is."
Phillip's "tough time" lately was enough to earn a first kiss from his blind date Amy that night. I'll have to talk to my son soon before he thinks it's acceptable to make women feel sorry for him just so he can get some action!
"You know, Derek, I've been thinking, maybe putting family as my first aspiration was a mistake. Maybe you had it right all along with making it secondary. That way you can't get so hurt when you lose someone." My father opened up to my husband over dinner one night.
"Oh Nate, you're wrong though." Derek corrected. "I know you're hurting right now, but weren't the good times worth what you're going through right now? Don't get me wrong, I can't imagine losing Odette, but I wouldn't trade our family and our life together to avoid the sorrow of saying goodbye."
"No..." Dad continued. "I don't think that's right. Grilled cheese is perfect for any occasion."
Derek told me all about their conversation last night, and how Dad shut down and forgot what they were talking about once Mom was brought up. I'm really worried my dad is quickly going insane.
I've been pouring myself into my work lately. Things have been crazy at home with Mom being gone and Dad not being able to handle it. Work has been an escape and all my hours on the clock have paid off. I've now achieved my second lifetime want to become a Media Magnate.
I'm starting to get even more worried about my father Nate. It's been quite some time since my Mom passed and he's getting worse. At least he used to paint, interact with the cats and family members. Now he seems to spend all his time sleeping. I think he's slipped into a deep deppression!
"Sophie, you're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. How'd I get so lucky to get you as my blind date? It has to be fate that we're supposed to be together!" Phillip has stopped using his grandparents for pity kisses, but is now resorting to cheesy pick up lines.
"You're not so bad yourself, Mister!" Sophie responded.
"It's the 'stashe right?" Phillip said confidentely. "You're so into it, I can tell!"
Later that night Piper got to celebrate her teenage birthday with everyone gathered around! I couldn't help but worry about my dad. He's never missed a birthday for one of my kids, but this time he slept right through the celebration.
While Piper was changing clothes and fixing her hair, Phillip said goodnight to Sophie with a kiss.
Well my little girl is all grown up! Piper traded in her signature bow that she's had since she was a toddler. I'm glad to see she didn't get rid of bows all together though! She has a nice purple one in her long hair now. Piper decided to declare a popularit/romance aspiration.
"Well guys, I've been accepted as a mail room tech downtown in the big government building! So get ready, because you're looking at Cooke Valley's next mayor!" Phillip announced his new job to us the night of Piper's birthday. "Soon I'll be rolling in dough and hot babes!"
"Oh get real, little brother!" Penelope burst in, "They aren't going to let you be the little office boy for long with that stupid mustache. You look ridiculous!"
"Shut up Penny! At least I have a job and smokin' hot girlfriends too. We're the same age and you haven't even been on a date or to an interview. So hop off my 'stache and get on my level!"
"Whatever. You're so lame." Penny rolled her eyes.
Paxton and his first date Marylena haven't been seeing much of each other lately. I thought they had a good time on their date, but I haven't seen her around since. Paxton and she still talk on the phone every now and then though.
Phillip is doing more than talking on the phone with his girlfriends though. In fact, he's locking lips with just about every girl in Cooke Valley.
"What's going on? Who are you!?"
"I'm the Reaper. It's time to go, hurry you've got some old babe waiting on you. With grilled cheese..."
Nobody was home with my father when he passed. I'm so heartbroken that he is gone, but I know he is with my mother now and that gives me comfort.
I also find comfort in spending time with my children. They are a complete joy in my life and keep me going through the loss of my dad.
"Why all the sudden interest in becoming best friends, Piper? We've always been close, why do you now want to hang out all the time?"
"I declared popularity as a primary aspiration. So now I have the sudden need to be best friends with everyone I know." Piper said. "That includes you. So shut up and play red hands with me."
"I'm so glad you wanted to be best friends with me, Piper." Phillip said to his younger sister. "Maybe you can even talk to Penny for me and get her to see the good in my 'stache?"
"Actually, big bro, I'm with Penny on that one. Your mustache is kinda lame."
"You guys are all idiots!" Phillip ranted. "You're just not mature enough to handle the 'stache!"
My kids all got along when it came time for Derek and me to celebrate our birthdays. I can't believe how quickly time has flown, my dear husband and I are about to be elders! It seems like yesterday that we were meeting.
Well, here we are! Derek and I have come so far since first meeting back in our college days. We've had a very successful life - me achieving two lifetime wants and Derek being a fantastic teacher. And let's not forget our four gorgeous children! Speaking of them, it's time for you to decided which one of them gets to be heir of my family's legacy. So head on over to www.z12.invisionfree.com/sim_mania and cast your vote for one of my following children:
Paxton
Family/Popularity
1.1.9.10.10
Penelope
Pleasure/Grilled Cheese
10.1.7.7.2
Phillip
Wealth/Romance
0.9.9.10.5
Piper
Popularity/Romance
8.10.9.3.2
