Chapter 11: Delving deeper into secrets

Willow loves her new job, so much so that she happily does one thing at work work and then come back home and does it all over again. And her boss notice. Already on her first day of work she receives her first promotion. She is so close to level ten gardening now, but still not quite there. She's also started not planting all the seeds she gets, but saving them for a home of her own. She hasn't found one yet, but hopes she will soon.



But this is birthday season for both herself, her sister but also their friends, and one day the entire family is invited over to Hannah's place for a birthday party (I did not know the game could do that without mods!)

Their place is a bit dark and old fashioned, Willow and Sandy thinks. No wonder Hannah spends so much time over at their place. Less opulent, but lighter.



Dark or not, Hannah is happy to get out of school and start life as a young adult. She blows out the candles, ages up and everyone enjoys the cake, before the kids head into the living room for some dancing. Even Neo dances for once, maybe because it's alternative music and not pop that is playing.



The downside to a party mid week is that everyone is really tired the next morning. Luckily for Willow, and her father, they can work from home, but for everyone else, sleeping in is not an option. As the others head off to work, Charles settles in in front of his computer, in the new comfortable chair that came with Candice's last promotion, and as he has finished his weakly assignment already (he never takes more than one job a week these days) starts a new search for Cordelias' long lost treasure - and for what he has come to realise is the last missing key. Without the last key there will be no treasure, but even with it he needs to get a hold of the last key - the one the envoy has. Or sell her his, which might be the easier option, but he just doesn't like her very much. There is, of course, also the option of handing the keys over to the museum, and telling them who has the last one. He hasn't truly decided on any option yet.



Meanwhile, Willow is on her own quest. After having taken care of all the plants she needs to tend to, and completed the work assignments she had for the day, she is returning to Sylvan Glade to see what she can uncover. Father Winter said this was the place to find information, so there has to be something she has overlooked.

She stops and talks to the tree a bit, asking for some guidance, before stepping i and travelling to the magical world below the ground.



As she steps out on the other side, hit by the always warm breeze that knows neither winter or fall, she immediately sees that not all is the same. The glade has changed since she been hear last, not just through new trees and growing plants, but a pond is gone and in its place a magical room, Willow has no better word for it, has opened up.



The giant Wisteria gently gliding in the wind is the first thing that catches her attention, a faint music playing as the flowers sway in the wind. Underneath it, three empty flower pots. That message is clear enough. Beyond them, a bookcase, as if grown from the earth itself, with tomes so ancient she is almost afraid to touch them. In front of the book case some sort of tree stump, with hollow places waiting for something which she can not identify. Willow changes out of her warm clothes and approach the space with caution, watching, observing, thinking.

The pots seem obvious enough. Whatever power rests here wants her to grow them something. A payment, and she has a feeling not any old flower will do. She picks the most expensive flowers she has, Begonias and Roses, and hopes it will be enough to satisfy the will of those who guards this place.



Only then does she approach the bookcase, studying and stepping around the strange stump of tree before reaching it, asking permission and reaching out for a book at random. "Guide me," she whispers softly, hoping she's doing this right, trusting her heart to guide her right.

The book almost falls open by itself, revealing tales of creatures she never knew were real. Vampires in the east, Werewolves in the north, Elemental Spirits out at sea and creatures that are more plants than humans right here among them. Father Winter is one of many occult creatures, only eternal as long as he does his job. The book speaks of other, older Father Winters, who got weary as the world changed around them and handed the torch to another in order to become mortal once more and die in peace. Some found love, and choose mortal life for that love. Others found it hard to adapt to the changing world and found that they had simply had enough time. The book tells her everything Father Winter said was right, that his children are happier, more satisfied, than others.

But time and time again her eyes fall back to the pages of the people who are more plants than people. Like Father Christmas a temporary state of affairs, which needs to be maintained by eating a specific fruit. They do not birth their children, but plant them and let them grow, and draws nourishment straight from the plants. Willow doesn't know what to make of these new facts, but her head is bursting with this new information.

"Thank you," she whispers as she puts the book back, taking a final stroll through the glade before returning back home.



She returns in time to find out her mother was just promoted again and to Neo heading out the door for "afterschool activities" which surprises her because he never had any. Well good for him.



Of course Neo isn't heading to see some school friends (of which he has none) or to any activities arranged by the school. Instead he's checking out that gym in Newcrest Summer and Mrs Landgraab mentioned. It's in the seedy part of town, and he's never really been to such a rough neighborhood before. Nightclubs, bars, some run down houses - and a gym in an old industry.



Inside is just as gritty as the outside. Here there is no perky pop-music, no bright lamps or big windows letting in light. It's dark, rough and smells of stale sweat with a hint of iron. Neo feels right at home.



The clientele is different too. Men with big muscles and lots of tattoos. He meets Don Lothario who gives him some beginners tips on boxing,



And then as he moves to the exercise machines and ask to get past, Malik turns around. Neo has never seen such a handsome man before! Malik takes his breath away. He must get to know him better!



He cannot believe his luck when Malik offers to train him some. He nods and hums and probably look like an idiot, but he cannot look away and he has no voice left. Malik grins, the kind of knowing grin of someone who knows how good looking he is and what impression he has on people, but doesn't mind the attention at all. "Let's see what you got, kid" he says. Neo so wishes he didn't see him as a kid.



He stays far later than he should at the gym, not wanting to go home, feeling at home, for the first time in a long time. When he returns it's late, and the rest of the family has already eaten. His mother left him some left overs in the fridge, and he eats them on his own before going to bed.



He wakes up wishing he could go back to the gym right away. His muscles ache, and it even hurts to stand up, but he wants more. Perhaps more of Malik than the gym itself, but he liked both. But today is Harvestfest and there is no way his parents will let him go anywhere. Soon the house is deced out for the holidays and people are arriving, filling up every square inch of the place eating and laughing and having fun. Neo wishes he was elsewhere.



The big surprise for the day is that Charles' parents shows up. They haven't seen them since moving to Willow Creek, but now they show up.
"You're here for the holidays?" Candice asks her mother in law.
"No, we're here to stay. We moved here, just to the next neighborhood. We felt we wanted to be close to our grand children." Well that was a.. surprise. Candice isn't really sure how she feels about that. Just as she isn't sure how she feels about the gnomes showing up in her kitchen all time. Couldn't they appear somewhere less crowded? Like the garden?



Holiday or not, the garden needs tending, so even if it's late when the guests goes home, Willow heads outside. As she loves rain she doesn't mind that it's pouring down, but the storm is a bit of an issue. The lightning even more of one, and when it hits the bush right behind her (you can see the smoke), she calls it a day and runs inside in terror. That was a bit too close to comfort! But she survived her first lighting storm.



She has no work on Friday, so she takes the opportunity to head over to her grandparents' new house and check in on them. It's still raining cats and dogs, well not literary, but a lot, but she can't be cooped up indoors a full day.

Her grandfather meets her outside the house, which seems silly considering the weather. Especially since it's clear that he doesn't like it.



Grandma was smarter and waited inside, a little afraid of the power of the storm, but feeling much more cheerful than her husband.



Willow stays and talks with them in their little house on Rindle Rose, and she had to admit it's cute. A bit dated, but so are they, and it suits them, well apart from the huge firealarm on the wall. "You couldn't get something smaller?"

"It came with the house, dear."



She stays until the rain clears, then decide to take a walk in the neighbourhood, but almost immediately spies something very interesting. A small trailer, on the lot right across the street.



It certainly isn't pretty, and the lot itself is mainly flat and devoid of all plant life, apart from some big beautiful trees in the back. Willow walks around the lot, studying the nature and the trailer and area from different angles. There is potential there, and behind the house is a little park with huge old trees, positively bursting with wild life, birds and bugs. It isn't beautiful yet, but it has the potential to be. And more importantly, it's something she ought to be able to afford.



But before she's moving anywhere, it's time for Sandy to age up. She already knows what she wants in life, to marry Rory and move to Oasis Springs to start Astronaut training.
"But doesn't becoming an Astronaut require university studies?" her mother asks, confused, at the dinner table.
"No, you just need to play a lot of chess, and I like chess. They have this own system where you start off as cleaner - or if your grades are good in high school - as a technician and work your way up."
"Really? You don't need any education at all?" It seems to her a bit surprising, and strange, but what did she know? She still thought you needed education for all sorts of things.
"It's fantastic! Both me and Rory are starting, since there is no such thing as needing to apply or wait for acceptance, and since we like the sunny warm weather, Oasis Springs fits us better than Willow Creek anyway. That's where the training facility is."
"Oh, so you're moving. So soon."
"We've found a little house online, that we can just afford if we pull our resources. It's not very pretty, but functional. Then we'll get married in the spring."
"Isn't that a bit...soon?"
"Mum, I'm only a young adult for a year, I need to get married before I become old!"



That night, Willow and Rory take Sandy to her first - their first - ever nightclub. Really Sandy shouldn't be able to get in, but no one stops her. She's even able to order at the bar, and since it's Night out on the Town nothing cost anything either. "Best holiday ever!" Hannah shouts in Willows face, apparently after a few too many drinks. Sandy only has eyes for Rory, however.



They all sleep in the next morning, but not too late, because the house is once more filled with people, this time for Sandy's birthday party. She's getting presents, and great food, and there is dancing and blowing out the candles.



But the best part is where Rory goes down on one knee and proposes. "Of course I will marry you!" Sandy shouts happily.



Willow and Sandy both move out the very next morning. Willow to her little trailer on Potters Splay, where she starts immediately by planting a begonia. Wrong time to plant? She knows, but she wants to have something in the ground, or at least a pot, at once.



The inside is tiny, but functional. If only there were some perks to living in a tiny house, she thinks, but such perks does not exist yet. Perhaps if she proves that she's really good at living small there will appear such perks? She'll make sure she's a master of it.



With that said, she is asked to choose a branch the next time she shows up at work. She chooses Botanist, as she still knows nothing about floral arrangements. Maybe I should learn more about that next? She ponders as she finally masters the gardening skill.



She also hosts her own first gathering at her little trailer as the neighbors stop by to welcome her to the neighborhood. It's a bit crowded, well a lot crowded, but mostly a bit unsettling to see grandpa flirting with one of the neighbors. Willow is glad grandma didn't come.





While Willow is settling into her little trailer, Sandy and Rory are starting their astronaut careers and moving to Oasis Springs.



The house really does look miserable, dark and boring. But with some paint and new lighting it's transformed.



The first day at their new workplace is exciting. Rory hits the library, studying logic in order to advance, while Sandy rushes to the lab to work on a wood working table (why there is a woodworking table at SpaceY? No one knows, but it's useful), and then in the flight simulator.



She spends her lunch mentoring Rory in chess. "I don't know how you can be a genius without any logic skill, but at least you're a fast learner."



Back home, Charles and Candice has turned the girls' old room into a proper office for Charles' business, and finally found a place for that giant bookshelf Candice got on her last promotion. And now Charles can really focus on finding out what he needs to about that treasure. He feels he is so close to finding something else out.



And maybe that preoccupation is why he fails to notice that Neo is spending more and more time at the Newcrest gym, and getting to know people that Charles might not want him to hang around. Or maybe Charles is just happy that his son now seems to have a hobby, and friends, that he doesn't ask too many questions about those friends.

Neo, on the other hand, is happier than he's been in a long time. He loves fitness, and he adores Malik, even if he is older and never makes a move, he is happy just staring at him and being around him. Why Malik gives him the time of day he doesn't understand, but he's a teenager with a crush (well would be if HSY was installed) and doesn't care.




He's getting some really useful advice on his training too, and is starting to build muscle, and has gotten his first tattoo.



But most of all he's getting an opening into the life of crime. One day, Malik and a few of the others gathers him into the office, to truly find out what he is willing to do. Neo is ready to start right away. He can barely keep his C, so why bother with school anyway.
"Hey, easy now kid! Stay in school! I don't need your parents coming around here asking questions," the gym owner says. "I thought Landgraab told you that already? Stay in school, fix your grades, and hang with us on your free time. We'll start you on some easy things, then when you're graduated, you come work for us, yeah?"
Neo promises to do his best, and that night, he does his homework for the first time in years.




"See, I told you that all you needed was a goal in life," his mother says that evening, very pleased with her own parenting. She can't believe they're all so grown up already.



Winterfest is just around the corner, and for Charles and Candice it feels good to know that all kids will be home for the holiday. Candice spends the day cooking, both a turkey and a tofurky, while Charles ropes a reluctant Neo into decorating the tree. This time it goes well, mostly because Charles is careful not to actually turn on the lights. No lights, no fire. No fire, no drama.
Oh how wrong he's going to be about that...



Once the guests arrive the house fill up quickly. Not only the kids, but Charles' parents, their friends, and for once, even Candice's parents show up. Charles isn't sure how he feels about that, he always thinks Candice's mother looks strangely at him, as if he's not good enough for her daughter.



But the two grandmothers like each others' company at least.



Willow has gone all out on her Winterfest outfit. "It's only Winterfest once a year," she declares happily, which earns her a belly laugh from her grandfather.



Everyone files into the kitchen for dinner, and for a while it looks like all is going well. In fact it is going well and by the time everyone but the kids go home the holiday is marked down as an absolute success.
"I got lots of complements on the new sofas," Candice says to the kids afterwards. "And they liked the food."
"What's not to like? You're like a perfect cook," Sandy tells her mother as Willow slip outside to talk to her plants for a while.




They're enjoying the new sofas when Father Winter finally arrives. Willow feels her heart flutter, but doesn't interrupt him as he puts presents under the tree.



Once he's done, however, and pulls apart from the crowd, she follows him to greet him. A little bit nervously, she must confess as she certainly didn't help her brother much like he asks. Her fears are put to rest as he offers her a warm hug.



"Have you learnt more about the matters of which we spoke last?" he asks her. She lights up, and nods.
"So then you have come to a decision. What is your hearts desire?" he asks her.
"Oh I definitely want your baby," she admits. "But I have also come to the conclusion that my life now is not fit for a child. But when it is, I want that child to be yours."
Father Winter chuckles. "You're a wise young woman," he says. "Not too lost in your own wishes to take the best interest of another into account. That shows maturity and purity of heart. When you are ready, I will be happy to grant your request."
Willow smiles secretly to herself, then leans in and gives Father Winter a kiss. After all, what's a little harm in some practise and she's never been kissed before.





Her brother sees it differently. The only one paying attention, he sees the encounter, and the kiss, and it makes him fume. Just why he react so strongly, he's not sure, but Father Winter is an old dude and he should not be kissing his sister!

The next thing she knows Neo has attacked Father Winter, there is a horrible fist fight going on and then dad comes out of the bathroom, sees the fight and is so shocked that he passes out on the floor and then Willow is shouting at her brother... Behind it all Sandy is shaking her head, thinking about how upset her parents were with her for just making out with Rory in their bed last year. Bet that doesn't look so bad now, huh?





Still, as the new dawn arrives, Willow is more happy than upset. She has been kissed, by someone she wanted to kiss, and when she is ready she she will have the baby of her dreams. But first she has other plans, and other challenges to face, but today she feels ready to take on them all.