2.29 Wicked!

Sometimes it feels like Santos is just tippity-typing his life away, writing entries in the gym's fitness blog, writing thrilling exposes on the book store, drafting interview questions for the fire department on their new firetruck, the WooWoo 3000...

So he decides to take a break and call some of his step-children. 

"Oh, you're trying for kids? That's great!" Santos is happy to hear Quartz's news. 

"I just wish mom could be here to see her new grandkids," he sighs. 

"How's the new house?" Quartz left his father's mansion to Chase and her new family with Shark Racket. He wanted her to have the space for the big family she always wanted. 

"Shanda really likes it. I suppose it's alright... maybe I'll warm up to it." Sure, it's a waterfront property, gorgeous view... but it's not a mansion. 

Kaira awakens groggily to Lu nudging her. 

"What is it?" she rubs her eyes. 

"Isn't that your friend out there?" he points to the window. 

"Huh...what's she doing here?" Kaira can't remember inviting her over. 

She runs outside, only to find her friend gone. 

"Ha, ha, very funny Janel," she calls out. 

Janel giggles behind Dot's house. "Fooled ya, didn't I?" 

After a few hours of hanging out with Janel (who was just "so excited about tonight's party" that she had to come early!) Kaira gets ready for work and...

sets the sink on fire?? 

I'm genuinely impressed. I didn't know that could happen! 

This time around, Kaira's not able to hide the fire damage. Her grandfather comes in and screams most usefully. "What happened!?" 

"Janel dared me to do the Ghost Pepper challenge," Kaira whines, "I was filming it in here!" 

"What!?" Santos is too old for this crap. All he wanted was a nice, quiet life with his new family. Instead, he's gotten firey death  and destruction and stupid blogs to write! 

"I'll fix it, grandpa! Just don't tell mom! Pleaaaase," Kaira pleads as she smothers the flames with the fire extinguisher. 

Santos promptly tells Dot because he'd like to die of old age and not flame-filled doom! 

"Did she call you a chicken?" 

Santos pouts, "She disrespected an elder!" 

Dot snickers, then pastes on a serious face. "I'll...take away her peppers," she promises. 

Tatum can't believe this is an actual conversation they need to have. 

Kaira's accidental arson is temporarily forgotten as Kaira rushes off to work and Tatum's birthday party starts. The first few guests to come are Ume and some of Kaira's classmates. 

This kid asks her if she's really seen aliens at the science lab! 

"Don't be ridiculous. I met some Sixamians at Lunar Lakes. And no, no dissecting happened!" Ume rolls her eyes. People can be so ignorant! 

Pancho!

"Wicked party," he approves of the overly long guest list and the small group of people trying to light the bonfire outside. Dot's just happy to see his spirits up.

Tatum is a bit surprised that Jenelle showed up to her party. She often forgets that her mother is close friends with Jenelle's uncle, Notzo, and that Dot looked after Jenelle as a toddler in her daycare. 

Things are still uneasy between them. Jenelle acknowledges Tatum with a curt nod, then goes on trying to pretend she isn't there. At least Kaira isn't here, Tatum thinks with relief. 

Once Jenelle is heading inside, Tatum begins greeting her schoolmates. 

"Hey Caleb, thanks for coming," Tatum shakes his hand, unsure of how else to greet him. 

"Wouldn't miss it. It isn't everyday that the sister of a casual acquaintance who barely acknowledges my existence ages up," he jokes with a good-natured smile. 

Tatum giggles. "I'm sorry if my sister's been...difficult..." 

"Nah, it's alright. She told me I had astronaut shoes, I thought it was a compliment. Awkward! I think it embarrassed her...I tried to act offended, to be polite, you know, but it seemed just to make it worse..." 

Tatum laughs again. "That's a nice attitude to have. I, for one, think you have nice astronaut shoes. They're futuristic!" 

"I didn't know a band would play here," Caleb notices Ruben Bull-Schultz setting up his drum kit. 

"Huh, me either-" 

BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG-

The rest of her response is drowned out by Ruben's cacophonous and brutal thrashing of his drum set. Tatum smiles but blushes out of embarrassment. 

"Inside?" Caleb shouts over the noise. 

Tatum nods enthusiastically. 

A few hours into the party, Kaira arrives home after her shift. She stands by the bonfire, casually seeing if the coast is clear to dump some herbs into it. 

Her mother occupied and her sister and grandfather nowhere to be seen, Kaira throws a handful of leaves into the fire. The flames briefly turn green then shoot up to twice their previous height. Now that's a cool fire! 

Though the party rages on, Tatum retreats to her bedroom once most of the teens go home. She has work to do! 

Kaira sneaks upstairs. "Any progress?" she eyes the beakers lining her sister's chemistry set. 

Tatum smiles. "Some. I'll try to figure this out as quickly as possible, I promise." 

It's a promise she intends to keep. 

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AN: Finally.  This generation went on for longer than I initially planned. I cut out a lot of pictures, too. I might have an outtakes later on. Most of it was Dot, Tatum, and Kaira socialising with sims around town who didn't really make it into the story. 

Tatum's traits: 

-Eco-friendly

-Handy

-Artistic

-Unflirty

-Loves the outdoors 

Sheesh. Kaira burning everything. I have no idea how she caught the sink on fire!