We last left off the story as our heroine, Phoenix, eagerly awaited the birth of her first child. The father of the baby, her high school crush and adult lover, Xander, proclaimed that he was not yet ready to commit to Phoenix or to the child. He needed some time and space, leaving Phoenix to fend for herself during the nine months of her pregnancy.
While Phoenix’s pregnancy progressed, across town, her first love Leighton was following her every move. Just a year earlier, he was forced to leave Phoenix’s side without any notice, due to the fact that his elderly mother fell very ill. On the day he promised Phoenix that he would serve his estranged – and much older – wife Ophelia with divorce papers, his mother called on him to tell him of her illness. While his mother was sick, she was still as demanding as ever. She requested that Leighton take her on a trip to Simpan, crying that she wished to die in her homeland. Leighton spent most of the year attempting to fulfill every one of his mother’s wishes, hoping that she would finally have peace when she passed away. However, one morning, shortly before their year-long travel visa to Simpan expired, he heard his mother secretively whispering into the phone. He picked up the received in another room and listened in on a conversation between his mother and Ophelia. The conversation revealed that his mother was not actually ill, but that the trip to Simpan was a well-devised plan to take Leighton away from Phoenix and break up their relationship.
Lehighton didn’t know how to approach Phoenix and explain himself and his feelings to the only woman he ever truly loved. He dreamed of ways that he could make up for his absence and show her his true love. However, the fact that Phoenix was carrying another man’s child complicated things. He stayed away, until one faithful night while he was strolling on the beach after work, he heard a familiar sound. Phoenix was standing on the sandy shore, the bright moon illuminating her tears-streaked face. Before he could think, he ran over to her, wrapping her in his arms. Everything about the past year came spilling out.
“I have cut off all communication with that evil witch! My mother will no longer control my life, I promise!”
”Look at me Leighton…I have no roof over my head, I’m carrying a child whose father doesn’t want it, I’m no longer on top of my career…I’m completely useless!” Phoenix cried, looking up into his eyes.
Leighton wiped her tears gently and brough his hands to her stomach. ”Don’t talk like that Phoenix. Where is that strong and determined young woman I met last year? Plus, you have me now. I’m never going to leave you again. This may not be my child, but I promise to take care of both of you for the rest of my life. That is…If you’ll have me...”
That evening, Phoenix and Leighton moved in together. Even though Phoenix still didn’t have a roof over her head – she wasn’t working and Leighton was cut off from his mother’s estate – she was happy to have her true love in her life once again.
The twosome didn’t have much time to enjoy being a couple, as a week after their reunion, Phoenix went into labour.
After a few moments of panic, Leighton composed himself and took Phoenix to the hospital.
Leighton did keep one secret from Phoenix. As he was grabbing the baby bag to take to the hospital, he placed a call to Xander, telling him the news that his child would be arriving into the Sim World shortly. As he drove to the hospital, he wondered if Xander would be there and how Phoenix would react to him. He didn’t want to cause any unnecessary stress to his love, but he thought that Xander being there for his child would make her happy.
Shortly after Phoenix and Leighton checked in, Xander did indeed arrive at the hospital. Phoenix was both surprised and pleased to see him attend the baby’s birth. After nine months of no contact, she wondered if he was finally ready to be a father.
Following a rather long labour, Phoenix welcomed a tiny baby girl into the Sim World. She named her Ariel Legacy, after her estranged mother.
Upon exiting the hospital, Phoenix was startled by a strange man dressed in a long trench coat. He was attempting to look inconspicuous and didn’t say anything, but his deep grey eyes bore deep into her soul as she passed by him. Phoenix shuddered, but tried to replace the sadness the man made her feel with the warmth of motherly love she felt for her child.
The car ride home was nothing short of comical. Phoenix was too happy and absorbed in Ariel to notice the tension that arose between the father of her child and her current boyfriend as all of them shared a cab.
(I also found this extremely comical, as I had never had this happen to any of my Sims before! Xander actually came to the hospital all on his own free will (after not seeing Phoenix at all during her pregnancy!), and then he decided to ride back to Phoenix and Leighton’s place with them where he camped out for a week just to be with his daughter! How insane, for a self-absorbed Sim so afraid of commitment.)
Once the foursome arrived home, Phoenix became aware of the tension between the two men. She didn’t know what to do, as she wanted Leighton by her side, but she also wished for Xander to get to know his daughter.
After speaking privately with Leighton and assuring him that Xander would never be a threat to their relationship; Phoenix invited Xander to stay over and their place and help out with Ariel’s first days.
“I know that I left you both once, but I promise to be a good father from this day on,” Xander swore.
Xander was a changed man, determined to prove himself to Ariel and Phoenix. He doted on his daughter, waking up in the middle of the night to feed her and reading every baby book he could get his hands on. He took very fatherhood seriously. A little too seriously for Leighton’s liking.
Leighton was becoming frustrated by the fact that Xander was spending every moment at their place. With only one bed in the entire dwelling, it was inevitable that one of the men would have to sleep on the floor. That man was often Leighton. While he didn’t mind sharing Ariel with her father, Leighton was very unhappy about sharing his girlfriend as well. Phoenix didn't see Leighton's concern in the same light. She no longer had feelings for Xander, but she wanted nothing more in the world than to foster his fatherly relationship with Ariel. If that meant sacrificing alone time with Leighton and allowing Xander to sleep in her bed to be near his daughter, she was fine with it.
However, Phoenix was too preoccupied with Ariel to notice the way Xander looked at her. It was very clear that he still harboured strong feelings for her. In fact, those strong feelings led him to do something drastic, in hope of impacting Phoenix and Leighton’s relationship.
One morning while Leighton was at work, Xander arrived to Phoenix’s place with a young teenager in tow. That teen was Sam Sakemoto, Leighton’s child with his ex-wife Ophelia. While finding out about Sam was a shock to Phoenix, instead of being upset she offered the boy some cookies and milk and listened to his story. She found out that both Sam and Leighton were unaware of each other’s existence, due to another evil plot coined by Leighton’s mother and ex-wife. While Xander's actions made Phoenix determined to bring Sam and Leighton together, they also made her aware of the fact that Xander wished to come between her relationship with Leighton.
She asked Xander to move out and drew up a joint custody agreement that would allow him to be a great father to Ariel, while staying out of Phoenix's life. She wished for things to stay friendly between them, however she finally realized that Xander's presence was putting a strain on her and Leighton's relationship.
After months of tension, Phoenix and Leighton finally had some time to themselves. They spent the first evening alone discussing (and possibly creating) a new sibling for Ariel.
Time flew by and Ariel’s first birthday neared. The family – consisting of Phoenix, Leighton, Xander, and Xander’s father – gathered in the yard to celebrate. Phoenix also invited Sam; however he was away on a school trip and promised to come by the house and visit when he returned. Once again, everyone was at peace with one another, and laughter and happiness filled the Legacy household. Things were finally looking up for our heroine and her little one.
Stay tuned for the next chapter to find out what happens to our heroine and her family! Will Phoenix and Leighton tie the knot? Will another little one invade the Legacy household? Will Phoenix finally get a roof over her head?! And, of course, read all about Ariel’s childhood!
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