Chapter 10: Life Choices, Rebelling Teenagers and a Quest for Immortality

While their parents are busy monitoring and worried about Sandy's behavior, Neo's increasing problems in school has gone under the radar. Sure, they have noticed that he's struggled, but he leaves with a B, which isn't all that bad, and while he has been acting out, especially against his father, they have not fully realised how deeply their son has been affected by his struggles.

That's why it's such a surprise, when they visit Annie to congratulate her on the new baby to find Neo not only arguing with her son Billy, but ending up in a fistfight with him!

It starts out well enough as they arrive. Candice runs straight to see the baby, and the teens stay and talk to their friend in the living room.



But Neo and Billy doesn't like each other at all, and while neither has told their parents that before, they start arguing and fighting as soon as they get close to each other. Billy teases Neo about not having any friends, and Neo retaliates by teasing Billy for his looks, his long hair and worn clothes. Soon they are fighting for real, only interrupted when Charles come into the room because of the noise they make.



Charles is outraged at his son, yelling at both boys, but especially at Neo. "We are guests in this house! What were you thinking?"



He takes him home at once, fuming the entire time. "But you don't understand!" Neo yells back. "He's always on my back! He's so stupid, and he looks like a girl!"
"Enough!" Charles snaps. "I don't want to hear it!"

"You don't understand anything! I hate you!" Neo shouts and rushes inside.

He stays in his room with a locked door for hours, refusing to talk, until Annie herself comes by and knocks on his door. "Can we talk?" she askes. To everyone's surprise Neo lets her in.
"Sorry I ruined everything. Congratulations on your baby."
"That's okay, I know you and Billy don't get along. He has got it easy all the time either." Neo doesn't answer that. He likes Anny, but he hates Billy.
"Sometimes it's hard being who you are. Look at me, I dress in a way that's different from most parents, I had kids really early and people said mean things about me. But that's okay, because I know that I'm smart no matter what people think. You just have to be you, and let Billy be himself too. Perhaps one day you can come to see things differently." Neo doesn't think so, Billy is a bully and an idiot in his mind, but he doesn't say that to Annie. He doesn't want to hurt her feelings. He does feel a bit better when she leaves.




The next morning Neo apologizes to his mother (but not his father) while meaning nothing of it. Thrilled, she hugs her little boy before sending him off to school. "Today will be better," she tells him. "Just do your best." He wonders if his mother actually believes that or if she's just lying.



As she has been stressing out about the promotion that hasn't come yet, Charles has convinced her to take the day off for once. "You haven't had a vacation day so far, you have several. Take a day off, work on your skills in peace and quiet, and give it your all at work tomorrow. It will pay off, I promise." Hesitantly she agrees.

Charles starts by taking her to the library, where she can find books on the skills she want to practice. Like a reminder of how things were before they started dating, they sit at the same table, both with a book with something they need to learn in front of them. For Candice, charisma, for Charles more about Cordelia's treasure and how to beat the envoy to it. He hasn't heard from her again, other than the rumors that she's gotten married and had another child. Hopefully that keeps her busy while he can figure out the next step.



When Annie arrives, Candice takes the opportunity to get her help mentoring her logical skills, because what Anny told Neo is true. She is truly smart, and a good teacher too.



When Candice feels she cannot possibly learn more in one day, Charles brings her to the gym, where he has gotten some useful tips on fitness himself. He knows he is not small by any means, but he has lost some weight lately and Candice has repeatedly told him she wants to be more fit. As he gets on the thread mill, she tries her hand at the exercise machine with the guidance of the health instructor, and while working out, she remembers that she used to like fitness once, but just lost sight of it with work and children and moves and everything else that is life.

It's a more relaxed Candice at the dinner table that evening, and a pleasant conversation over all, even if Neo is worryingly quiet. At least he isn't acting out.



Friday is Love day, and mother and daughters are wooed in surprisingly similar ways.




For Charles, seeing such simple romantic interaction from his daughter's boyfriend does a lot to warm him up to him, even if he's still sceptical. But the boy does seem sincere, he'll give him that. He might wish they'd kiss less. At least so that he didn't have to see it. That's his little baby girl, after all.



For Candice Love Day is also a good day because she finally got that promotion. It turned out Charles was right, a day off to improve her skill was just what she needed. She's now a manager for real.



Neo finds all the romance annoying, and spend most of the afternoon hanging out by himself on the monkey bars.



Willow doesn't mind the romance at all, but since she has no partner she prefers the company of her plants, preparing for her favourite holiday of all - Springster.



She's made sure dad's decorated the house in all the colors of spring, and cannot wait to see if Flower Bunny, like Father Winter, is actually real. She's delighted when she finds out that he is. Another immortal being confirmed! Perhaps they're all true! She must find out more.

Willow spend hours getting to know Flower Bunny, enthusing over the garden, talking about vegetarianism with someone who truly understands and watching the clouds go by.




"What is woohooing like?" she then asks. The Flower Bunny seems a bit surprised, perhaps a bit embarrassed, though it's hard to tell.
"Well bunnies have lots of kids, don't you? If you have children, are they immortal too? Can you have children with someone who isn't a Flower Bunny? Would those kids be immortal too?" Flower Bunny shakes their head. So that's a no. Willow wished they could tell her more about immortal beings, but they are interrupted by Neo in a bad mood. Typical!

"Are you here to give us presents?"
Flower Bunny shakes their head.
"So you're just a lame person dressed as a bunny? You don't actually do anything?
Flower Bunny throws confetti.
"Lame! Lame, lame, lame!" Neo teases.
"Go away, you're ruining everything!" Willow snaps at her brother.
Fortunately, Neo leaves, but so does Flower Bunny. And they were having such a nice time!"
Willow returns to her garden.





But while gardening, she is surprised by someone else. Father Winter has come to see her. Her! Of all people, at spring? This is so strange. But she's delighted as they sit down to talk.

It turns out he wants to talk about Neo, and Willow is even more confused. "The path your brother is walking is no good. I see coal in his Winterfest Presents in the near future, and coal in the far future too if these shadows remain. It is his birthday soon, and he must choose a path that is good and not one that leads to rage and anger."
"But why are you telling me this?" Willow asks.
"Because you still have the option to influence him. You still have belief in us eternals in your heart. You must reach out to your brother, not dismiss him, and try to salvage his future."
Willow feels that is a huge responsibility to put on her, but she promises she'll do her best and talk to the annoying little brat. Only she doesn't call him an annoying little brat to Father Winter's face.

"Oh Father Winter?" she remembers. "When you have children, are they immortal too?"
Father Winter chuckles. "No, my dear, they are not. But they are very happy in life."
"Happy?"
"Being my child has its own perks, but immortality is not one of them, that comes with the job. On the day I retire, I will no longer be immortal, and someone else will be. But my children have an easy time of life, they are satisfied easily and generally lead good lives."
"Do you have many children?" Willow asks.
"Yes," Father Winter says with a smile. "I do. If a woman truly want a child, in her heart wish for it, who am I to refuse her? And though I do not know most of my children personally, I keep a watchful eye over them all, and grant the wishes they or their mothers' have when it is in my power to do so."
Willow thinks that is a pretty sweet deal, but she's not satisfied with the answer to immortality yet. As if he knows that, and perhaps he does, Father Winter smiles at her. "In your heart, you remember where to look for the answers you seek." And with that he leaves her.




Willow is at first annoyed, what does he mean by that? And the rest of the day this bugs her to the point where she doesn't really remember to speak to her brother about Father Winter's visit. It's not until a lot later, when she's in that state between dreaming and awake that the answer dawns on her. But surely that was just a fantasy? A childhood play where the imagination got the upper hand? There isn't really a magic realm in a trea just beyond her own garden? Is there?

The next day cannot start fast enough, and as everyone is preparing for her brother's birthday party, she sneaks out of the house and yard over to the tree. There is a giant opening, but surely this is just... but no, there is the path she remembers. Through the mist, following the sound... and there it is. A magical world, open in front of her, just like she remembers. She takes her time to walk around, looking at the plants, taking a cutting from a cherry tree, finding the witches' circle she was so fascinated by the last time. Is anything different? Yes, maybe, a few trees seem to have grown, some are new - but no tree can grow that fast? Can they? Or is she imagining things?

Either way, today is not the day for answers and she knows it. Father Winter said her answers would be here, but they aren't today. She'll have to return again, and maybe then the glade will be willing to give up its secrets to her.






At home, the preparations for Neo's party is well on their way. Neo is worried and upset. "It's stupid, no one will come to this stupid party anyway," he sulks. For once he lets his father comfort him, even if he doesn't fully trust him. "They will. They said they will."

Willow remembers that she needs to speak to her brother. She promised.



But then they're off to Magnolia park, where they're hosting the party. Having only thrown okay parties so far, their mother is convinced that a new location will make for a great party this time.

When they arrive everyone is there, and Willow decides that this is the best time she's going to get with her brother. Congratulating him, now that his mood is a bit better, she checks in on him, talks a little, then shares the message from Father Christmas.
"He said you can be amazing, if you choose to be, but that it's important that you choose well," she says. Neo just stares at his sister.
"You still believe in Father Winter? Aren't you a bit old for that?" Willow doesn't know what else to say.
"Just think about it. There must be more reasons why choosing a good path will make you happier."
"Right- Sure, sis." His sister is a bit... odd.




As she heads off to the nearest planter in the park, Candice takes the time to give her son a birthday present and Neo forgets all about his sister's warnings.
"An easel?" he says. Candice and Charles nod.
"It's time to progress from that drawing table of yours."
"Want to play some on the jungle gym?" Charles suggests. "I'll play the monster."
Neo doesn't have the heart to tell his dad he is far too old to play pirates and monsters. What's the harm. "Sure dad," he says, and finds himself actually having a bit of fun, even if it is silly.



While he and dad plays, Candice grills some food and puts on the table and gathers everyone up to eat. The teens, mostly Willow and Sandy's friends then head off to dance to some music that Neo thinks is awful (summer strut? Really?) and seem forget all about him. They don't even wait for him to blow out his candles.
He tries to wait, but while he does the party seems to dwindle down an die and its so embarrassing that even though his mom and dad cheer him on as she makes a wish and blows out his candles, he feels like a fool and is in a bad mood again.





As a result his overactive imagination trait is replaced by hot headed, and as if that was not bad enough he has this sudden urge to swipe people's belongings. Why not hurt others? They hurt you all the time, and people are stupid anyway.



Already the next day, Neo comes home with some swiped library books, but as he keeps it to himself no one at home is the wiser. His grades are slipping, however, and that is harder to cover up, especially when the principal decides to pay attention. Why do they care to pay attention? When the principal pays attention you get mom's worried looks and talks of responsibility, and no one wants that. Least of all Neo. But at least with mom, Neo knows how to spin it. Tell her he sees the error of his way, promise that he'll do his very best, and say she's the best mom ever. It works every time.




As soon as he can, he gets out of the house, going next door to the cooler adults he knows. Summer and Liberty. He thinks it's the first time he actually met Travis, other than just saying hi on the street and hearing Liberty or Summer talk about him. He seems a bit dorky, but he's not mean, so there is that.



Neo's pretty sure Liberty never said she had a kid. But the thing is crying and displeased. No wonder she spends so much time at their place.
"Is he the dad?" Neo asks, gesturing towards where Travis or what his name is went.
"What? No, he's just - no. It's just some guy, who isn't around. But Travis helps out, he's been great, so has Summer."
"Where is Summer by the way?" Neo asks.
"Around," Liberty says as she goes to put the baby down. Neo wanders the house to see if he can find Summer, and if a lamp sort of ends up in his pocket he doesn't really question why. It's an ugly robot lamp anyway, so no one will miss it. He's sure.




He runs into Summer in the kitchen, looking a bit different than normal. "I'm just getting ready for work," she says. "But I always have time for you."
The two sit down to chat, and for Neo is a relief. With Summer he can be truly himself, he can whine about his parents, talk about his urge to swipe stuff and not pretend to be sad about it.
"I get it, the urge, the adrenaline, the rush," Summer says. "What I do? It's... dangerous at times, but fun. Much better than waiting tables and washing dishes. It's exhilarating, but no one will tell you that. They'll make it seem as this horrible thing, so keep it to yourself, if you're smart. Just don't steal anything here, alright."
"Right," Neo says, suddenly in quite a bit of a hurry. "Got to go, dinner soon."
"Oh right. I'll see if I can't hook you up with some career advice."




The next morning Neo can't really see a point of going to school at all. Faking his dad he reports in sick as he's supposed to leave, then head into town instead.



He starts at the museum, telling himself he might want to steal something but ending up just viewing the art. They have some pretty great stuff, but not much modern. He doesn't much like all the old dated stuff.



After he heads next door instead, to the gym, but even though the training guy does his best Neo can't stand the pop-music blaring from the speakers. It ends up just making him tense, angry and wanting to leave. Stupid, because he liked the fitness part of it. And punching something - even just a bag of sand - feels good.



He make sure to get back in time for schools out, to make it seem like normal, but of course the principal saw through him, and of course dad knows he skipped school and is now furious. What's the point of fake calling in sick when dad finds out anyway?

Charles never imagined being a parent who yells at his children, but with Neo he doesn't know what else to do. The lying, the disrespect, the amount of worrying he causes him. All day Charles has been imagining different ways his son could have been hurt in, not knowing where he has been or what he has done, and when he sees Neo it all comes pouring out of him and he sound like his own father when he was in a bad mood. Charles hates it, but cannot help it and Neo reacts about as well as he always does, shouting, refusing responsibility and locking himself in his room.





At least he gets good use of the easel he got for his birthday.



And Summer seems intent on helping his career. She's putting him in touch with one of her own bosses, Nancy Landgraab, who is interested enough to come from Oasis Springs to see him. She's sceptical, and not at all interested in letting him start right away.
"Look kid, you have to prove yourself first. It's not all fun and games. But Summer says you're good enough, so I'll consider you. Check out this gym in Newcrest, and if they find you useful, we'll talk again."




Neo can hardly wait, but wait he must, because Charles and Candice have decided to take the entire family to Oasis Springs for the summer holiday, rending a spacious villa and relaxing for a few days before Willow's birthday. Neo might be impatient, but at least a holiday means no school and the villa is pretty cool, even he has to admit.



Behind it there is this spacial lawn just endlessly stretching into a little man made lake, where he can fish in peace while his sisters are having a water fight, and his parents relax on the patio, taking some well deserved time off work.





There is even a hot tub to enjoy, and Willow and Sandy are the first to hop in.



Candice meanwhile is taking the opportunity to read up on her skills, trying to get ready for her next promotion.



That night they all help cook in the spacious kitchen, and while there is a formal dining room none of them see a point of using it, just gathering around the counter instead.




That night, while their children are sound asleep in the rooms upstairs, Charles and Candice make good use of the hot tub, finding some of the old passion from their younger days.



The next day, the family all head to Desert Blossom Park, the place to be during warm desert summer days. With a heatwave going on, the best place to be is in the water and they all jump into the pool the moment they arrive. So much better than the simple indoor pool in Newcrest.



And when they've had enough of the water, there is plenty of activities for everyone to enjoy. Willow takes a stroll around the area to look for new plants and rocks before settling on the pools edge with a book while her sister and mother plays chess together.



Charles on his end first takes a crack at dart, which he is really bad at, and then join his son fishing. It's the first time in ages that the two have spent time together which has not involved difficult conversations, arguments and lectures on responsibility. Just quiet time enjoying an activity together. Neo has to admit he likes it, and that he is having a good time in spite of himself.




By day two, Neo is almost feeling positive. As the family escape the heat for the cool of the local technical museum. Much more fun than the stuffy old art one back home everyone seems to agree, expect for Neo who actually enjoys the artwork more than the technical gadgets and models of various forms of transportation, from planes and rockets to boats to trains. But he does appreciate that the art here is more modern and quickly finds an easel to entertain him.





Charles finds all models of old time communication interesting, from an early typewriter to hard disks, and Sandy finds the telescope quickly enough, fascinated by what she can see in the sky, while Willow take more interest in the giant microscope and what she can find in images of leaves, bacteria and cells.





The absolute highlight for Sandy, however, is the discovery of an old weather machine. She cannot help but to attach the leavers and buttons and while she expect it to be entirely unfunctional she is delighted to see that it is actually not. In no time she dispels the clouds over Oasis Spring so that the heat is accompanied by the sun.
"Can we go back to the park now?" she then says happily.



She has her wish, and they round off the day in the pool at the park before heading back to the villa for their last night. Tomorrow is Willows birthday, and they have a birthday party planned for her. At home this time, since the one in the park failed.

On return they find out that Summer has gotten married to Travis, something that surprises especially Neo. "But he's not into crime," he asks her when they meet outside their house.
"No, but he's a good guy, and that's more important," she says. "We're having a baby."
"How will that affect your work?"
"Not sure, we'll see. But this is Simland and most things seem to work out okay here. I've never known anyone to be arrested, ever, and even if I told your dad what I do he still let me babysit you when you were a kid. By the way, have you checked out the gym yet? No, but we just got back. True, do it when you have time after school some day," Summer says. "See you at the party later. Travis is coming too."



It doesn't take long for the house to fill with people, as Willow has always been friendly and popular. Summer and Travis are there, so are Liberty, Olivia, Rory and a ton of other friends of Willow's and Sandy's. The kitchen gets quite crowded as everyone talks and eats at the same time.



At some point the bombox is carried out, and Willows favourite music, Summer Strut is put on. Neo feels his jaws tension the moment the music start. By Plumbob, he truly hates happy music, but the rest of the people loves it, and then there is dancing in the kitchen and people are having a blast and before anyone knows it, and well before the party is over, Willow moves to blow out the candles on her strawberry cake, made with strawberries from their own garden. Neo is secretly happy that she has to try to blow out the candles twice. Still Candice is pleased when she gets past an okay party. Willows birthday party is a silver one. Acceptable, she thinks. Not gold, but good enough for now.





Already the very next day Willow is ready to throw herself into work, as a gardener of course. For now, she's staying at home, still in her old room with her sister, but Sandy's birthday is only days away, and then the two can start planning their next adventures.