2.12 Here Alone

Kaira's growing quickly now. It seems like while she wasn't looking, Dot's daughter suddenly got heavier and able to toddle on her small legs. 

Dot does her best to make sure Kaira's verbal skills keep up. 

"Smile, Kaira! Smile for mommy!" 

"Smile?" she repeats, parrot-like. 

"Very good! Can you smile for mommy?" 

Not today, it seems. 

"You're getting so strong!" Dot changes the subject. She mimes flexing her biceps. 

Kaira reaches towards her mother's arms, not really understanding. 

Dot puts Kaira down for a nap so she can prepare the house for another party! As the guests pour in, Dot frowns. Where's Alistaire? 

She dials his number, but it goes straight to voicemail. Hey there! You've caught me at a bad time- maybe I'm working, or out! Leave a message after the beep... his cheerful voice reels off the usual greeting. 

She can't dwell on it for too long, though. There are guests! 

Among them is a recent arrival to Twinbrook, Cara Lumiere. 

"The last name's french, but I'm not," Cara is very used to this question and answers it before Dot can even ask. "It's my husband's last name- but no, he isn't french either. I think his distant ancestors came from there, though." 

Ume is delighted when she sees Judd. 

"Hey, I'm glad to see someone I know around here," she greets happily. 

Judd smiles back, "My parents were invited and they insisted I come along too. Glad I'm not here alone, though." Nothing worse than seeing his parents' friends and then having no one his age to talk to. 

A couple of hours later, though, and Judd has to leave. Science project due tomorrow. 

Figures. The one time I see a friend outside of school... Ume thinks grumpily to herself. 

I have no idea why, but during winter everyone in the house decides to nearly kill themselves crossing this pond instead of just walking around. 

"Is that safe?" Santos is a little surprised to see Ume sliding along the ice. 

Damaris shrugs, "Probably." 

When Damaris silently walks to the house to clean her dishes, Santos suddenly feels... 

Invisible. Lonely. Unloved. 

He feels like this every so often. He hasn't had anyone to talk to about anything other than work since starting his new job. 

"Let me help you with those," Santos offers, now all smiles. He takes one of the plates from Damaris. "So tell me, how's your day been?" 

While Damaris chats to him, he starts to feel a bit better. 

The next morning Santos is still hanging around. Now that he's met the family at the party, Damaris isn't so worried about her kids "getting the wrong idea". 

A passing bystander eyes the pair critically. 

No shoes? Really, Tatum? 

We quickly see why this route is a terrible idea. 

It only gets worse from there. 

Ume nearly knocks the plates out of Tatum's tiny hands. 

"Hey! Watch it!" Tatum swivels unsteadily away from her aunt's flailing arms. 

Ume just squeaks in surprise. 

Tatum is mostly unconcerned by the calamity around her. 

Eventually, they all manage to make it to the other side. 

The three walk in different directions, trying to pretend nothing just happened. 

Slow and steady wins the race, Tatum repeats the bedtime story Alistaire told her. She imagines a turtle, when not hibernating, would be much better at this than her. 

Not slow and steady enough, huh?

At least she's wearing shoes this time. 

"Hey Alistaire, how about dinner and a movie tonight?" Dot tries to keep her tone light and casual, but he hasn't answered or read any of her texts today. 

"I'm sorry, I've been working with a client-," 

"Fine. It's fine." Dot hangs up abruptly. 

She doesn't even feel sad or disappointed anymore. She's just tired. 

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AN: Alistaire suddenly stopped coming to see Dot when invited :/ 

The sims 3 routing system never ceases to amaze me.