2.8 Spooky Day

This is one huggy family. 

Ume feels better after running into her older brother. None of her friends were in the mood to talk. or hang out...again... 

Wow, a family reunion! 

"How're the kids doing?" Aloiso asks. Quartz stops to listen. 

"Tatum's so big now! She starts school soon!" 

Dot is surprised when she gets a call. A call from Justin. 

"Hi there. What is it?" she greets with cold politeness. 

"I can't just call?" 

"No! You never come around to see Tatum or invite her over." Tatum closes her eyes and counts to ten. "What are you calling?" 

She's dumbfounded at his answer. "A movie? Are you serious? Why would I go on a date with you!?" 

"It's been years, Dot. I thought we could catch up..." 

"Justin... you had your chance. Let it stay in the past." Dot tries to be nice. 

"Wouldn't you want a chance for Tatum to have parents who are together?" 

"I would rather she has one happy parent than two unhappy ones," she's done beating around the bush. "I also have a boyfriend. Now, if there's nothing else, I'm going to go to bed." 

"But Dot..." 

Her finger hesitates over the "end call" button. "What?" 

"Does he even love you? I never-," 

She hangs up. 

Sometimes when she can't sleep, Damaris goes out and sings for no one in particular. She leaves out her tip jar so she at least seems like she has a reason for being outside by herself. 

Sometimes she attracts an audience, despite the late hour. 

"Hey there." 

"Hiiiiii!" It doesn't matter that this guy is the only one watching. For Damaris, any audience warrants a full performance. 

"Are you busy?" 

"It ain't a good time!~" 

"Well, let me know when it is," he says with a smile. He drops a tip and a piece of paper into her jar. 

He's on his way to leave when he turns around, his jacket removed. 

"Bravo, by the way." He claps for her. 

She watches him disappear into the Red Rendezvous. 

It's at this moment that I realise that Damaris's outfit doesn't reflect her personality very well. 

There we go. 

She's still got it. 

Tatum found this dusty doll underneath her bed. The tag says "Una" in faded writing. 

She names the doll Lucky instead. Lucky likes to play outside with her, and to climb the trees at the edge of the yard. 

The family prepares for another party. 

No, it isn't a kid's party. There's just a flock of children in front of the house. 

Dot recognizes some of them from when her daycare was open and smiles. 

"Anyone want to roast a marshmallow?" 

They all stampede to the fire. 

Tatum reluctantly puts Lucky down to change into her costume. 

Might be a bit chilly to swim, Tatum... 

"Who is it?" Tatum asks the "alien" visitor curiously. 

"Xenon from Sixam!" a boy's voice answers her. "I eat braaaains!" 

Tatum shrieks as he lunges for her. He laughs. "Scaredy-cat." 

She angrily stomps away. 

Luckily for her, uncle Pancho is to the rescue, ready to put out any fire! 

Aaaand for some reason to bob for apples they all change out of their costumes. Alrighty. 

Some of the guests have scary costumes... 

"You're not going to eat my brains, are you?" she whispers, her eyes wide. 

"I only eat the brains of annoying kids. You aren't annoying, are you?" 

Tatum stands straight, "No!" 

"Then you have nothing to worry about." 

The spooky skeleton over here is actually Solomon Ball-Bailey. He spends a lot of the party playing tag with Tatum. 

"Oh thanks, Reuben," Dot pauses her conversation with Dexter Rocket, "Just play with her for a little bit. I think she wants attention." Kaira has been cranky ever since waking up to find all these strangers in the house. 

This is one of Dot's half-siblings of another half-siblings, Reuben Bull. He's the son of Amy Bull and an immigrant to the town, Lydell Schultz. 

"Hey, no costume?" Aloiso says when he bumps into Ume. 

She shrugs, "I couldn't find anything to wear... my only option was to wear a swimsuit like Tatum and...well. It's way too cold for that." 

"Too bad, I was going with Chase to take the kids out trick-or-treating. But you can only come if you're in costume." 

"Whaat? Trick-or-treating? I want to come! I want candy!- I mean, erm... Sure. Cool. I'll find something..." Aloiso smiles seeing her so excited. 

Tatum declines to go trick-or-treating, being too cold and sleepy. She pulls on a jacket to roast marshmallows at the fire when she sees someone at the edge of the yard. 

"Are you...daddy?" she asks. She's seen photos of him. 

He smiles at her. "I suppose I am. How are you, Tatum?" 

That's how Justin finds himself nodding along to some story about a bake-sale at school. 

"We would've won a free hat if we sold the most cookies... but I didn't make enough," she grumbles. How was she supposed to know some kid would come with 200 cookies? Crazy! 

"Tatum?" Dot's voice calls for her daughter. "Justin?" 

"I better go, Tatum. Good luck with your cookies." Now that he sees Dot, he's lost all of his nerve to ask her out again. 

Tatum watches in confusion as her dad climbs into his car and speeds away. 

She tells her grandma the story of the strange encounter. 

"Bah! Let's not bother talking about him." Damaris has a decidedly low opinion of Tatum's father. 

Tatum changes the subject to her art classes at school. "We're fingerpainting. Do you want a painting, grandma?" 

"Of course! I'm sure it's gorgeous." 

"Can I get an easel?" 

"We don't have the space, sweetie." 

"Why not?" 

"Our house isn't big enough." 

"Why?" 

Damaris sighs, "You're so much like your mother when she was your age." 

"Wha?" 

"How about we play 'eat our shrimp'? First one to finish wins!" 

Tatum is easily distracted and scarfs down her lunch. 

Feeling bad that she can't give her what she wants, Damaris takes Tatum to the fall festival instead. 

"Go, grandma!" 

In the end, though, she has more fun playing with Lucky. 

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AN: I'm slowly catching up to where I am in game. 

Dot's had all of her two children as required. The heiress for generation three is Tatum! 

Her traits so far are: 

-Loves the outdoors

-Eco friendly

-Artistic 

Lucky was actually Una's doll, so it's not going to turn real or anything.