IllusoryThrall's Sims 4 Hub
- Challenges, Tips & Stories
(A/N: I made these guys from the very beginning, and tailored their outfits carefully to be as close to the times as possible.)
(A/N: This house was not built by me, but I did a considerable amount of redecorating so it was completely appropriate. (originally built by irrelephant7) This is what it looks like from Day 1 of the challenge. Don’t go into “wood overload” with all the wooden things. LOL. Also: house was worth 47,976 on day one. With loan and starter funds, they had 52,500 before buying the house – so they started with 4,524 in the bank. Every Monday, Stefan has a loan repayment of 1,520 to pay to the bank until the loan of 30,000 with 10% interest is paid off. (Should be paid off by the time he hits elder.))
Juliet wandered aimlessly around her new home, marveling at the fact that it was hers. Stefan had gone to the local market to buy some seeds for the farm, and she had been left alone to explore the house. She was utterly amazed at the size of the house, and had to wonder if Stefan was more well-off than she had initially assumed. She knew his father was rich and powerful, but she also knew of the rift between them. Everyone in Brindleton Bay had known about that. It hadn’t exactly been a secret, despite the fact she’d never heard Stefan talk about it directly. It had to be hard, knowing that your father was so disappointed in you that he told everyone in town. No wonder he’d wanted to move so far away.
Pushing the unpleasant thoughts of home.. well, her old home… away, Juliet settled in the spare room’s rocking chair and pulled out her knitting. She knew enough about it to get started, but little more. Her mother had often tried to teach her, but she’d had little time to waste on knitting when the house was always a disaster. Things were different now. She was going to have a family of her own – and being able to make warm clothes was nothing but a benefit now.
Looking out the window, Juliet realized Stefan had come home from the market, and was outside, planting his new seeds. Putting away her knitting, Juliet changed into something a little warmer and went out to help.
It would be her responsibility to care for the bees, so she spent some time bonding with them, then turned to help with the planting.
Getting all the planting in was a monumental task, but with her help, Stefan managed to get most everything done by dark, and Juliet left him watering the new plantings and went to make them some dinner.
Dinner was a pleasant affair, and Juliet marveled that it seemed Stefan had thought of everything. They were to have daily deliveries of milk and ice for the icebox, and he had fully stocked said icebox with groceries for her to make meals out of. There were even fresh stacks of firewood by the fireplaces, ready to burn to keep their new home warm.
Before bed, Juliet got some more knitting time in, and Stefan spent some time at his new woodworking bench, honing his handiness skill.
The Farmer’s Almanac reported that it was to be a rainy spring. Stefan still had plenty to do in the field, though, and he dutifully headed outside to weed and keep the garden pests under control.
By dinner time, he was soaked, but happy. There was a certain satisfaction to running one’s own farm, he found, and coming in to a clean and orderly house and a smiling wife made working in the rain so much better.
The home he had purchased was everything the broker had said, and more. The local family that had gotten the house ready for them had been grateful for the income, and had luckily thought of everything. Juliet seemed grateful, and there was no need to tell her how much it had truly cost them.
Stefan did some exploring of their area over the next few days, and found a community garden not far from their home that supplied him with some plants he was missing on his farm.
Juliet seemed to be quite capable of keeping herself busy, and her beehive was already producing enough wax for her to keep their stock of candles up. It seemed he had chosen well when he picked his wife.
The farm was a huge undertaking, but it also seemed to be a profitable one, and it was already producing some harvests that were padding their meager bank account. Some of his worry that he wouldn’t be able to pay the bank back started to evaporate, and the local farmer’s market seemed to be more than willing to purchase whatever he could grow.
Juliet found there was always something to be done – rain or shine. There were dishes to clean, laundry to be done, bees to be cared for, the icebox to fill. There was little time to even consider that her new life was much harder than she had expected, and she might not have even thought of it had she not gotten some unexpected news.
She was already expecting! It seemed that nursery upstairs would be filled sooner than she had planned, and she dearly hoped it would be a boy. It seemed Stefan already assumed it was, and was constantly bragging to their new neighbors about having new “help” for the farm.
Mornings were the worst time, and her breakfast often didn’t stay down due to her morning sickness, but she insisted on eating with her husband every morning, anyway.
Evenings were her favorite time, though, because by then the baby seemed to have calmed down, and she and Stefan could spend a quiet evening by the fire.
On Valentine’s Day, Stefan surprised her with flowers from the garden, and they spent an evening out at the park behind the Willow Creek church. There were other couples who had apparently had the same idea, and several women approached her to thank her for the donations she had made of her knitting to the local orphanage.
As her pregnancy progressed, Juliet found doing her daily chores to be more and more difficult, but she was determined. The laundry was always fresh, the homestead clean and cared for, and dinner ready when Stefan came in from the fields.
Longing desperately for the pregnancy to be over, she tried to hide how miserable the pregnancy was making her. She only reported the cheery news to her family back home, despite the fact that her mother’s notes always seemed so dreadful. Clearly, her step-sister, Mary, was not doing well, and it seemed the illness that had taken her late husband had now taken a hold of her. They had been forced to hire a servant to care for the house, because Mary wasn’t able to get out of bed most days. Her mother seemed to blame all of it on her leaving so abruptly, and Juliet was immensely glad she was no longer there to bear the tirades.
Stefan and she had become very much a part of the local church community, and she had joined the choir. They attended church every Sunday, and when Easter rolled around, they faithfully attended the holiday ceremony.
He often surprised her with flowers, and was ever the attentive husband. Juliet saw no evidence of the temper he had been rumored to have, or of his “lazy” disposition.
Much to the contrary, he seemed a romantic and hard working soul, and their farm was flourishing because of it.
Then, at the very end of the year, Juliet was awakened in the middle of the night with horrible pains. Immediately, she knew what it was, and awakened Stefan. He tried to insist on fetching the doctor, but Juliet was sure everything would be fine.
And it was. By morning, she had a beautiful baby girl that they named Florence. Stefan tried to hide his disappointment that it wasn’t a boy, but he wasn’t completely successful. Perhaps he would be luckier next time. Juliet wasn’t sorry, however, because a little girl is just what she had secretly hoped for. She envisioned all the things she could teach Florence, and could hardly wait until she grew up. One day at a time, she told herself.. and settled the baby into her cradle before she, too, curled up, fast asleep.
Stefan’s hand wandered back to his pocket. This proposal had better work. Otherwise all the time and energy put into this girl would be for nothing. He needed a wife to appear respectable enough to get a loan. Because he was done with this town – and his father.
Working at the Mill had been as miserable as he thought it would be, and today had been the icing on the proverbial cake. While both of his brothers had gotten promotions and pay raises earlier this year – today Stefan had found himself demoted. Demoted!! Apparently his sales record was so terrible he was now going to have to assist another more successful, salesman. No other salesman in the company had to partner up with someone else. Nope, just him. All the work he’d put in had counted for nothing – the only thing that had mattered was that his sales weren’t high enough. No matter that with all the errands he was being made to run, he had no TIME to make sales, no. No matter that he was the company owner’s SON, no. Just the company’s bottom line mattered. And apparently, he was a liability to that bottom line. Pushing his anger aside, Stefan once again concentrated on the task at hand.
Juliet chattered meaninglessly beside him, and he tried to answer as appropriately as possible so as not to alert her to the fact that he had no idea what she was talking about. Finding a quiet place at the beach on a beautiful day like this wasn’t easy, but somehow he managed it. He steered her over to a quiet bluff, and reached a hand out to stop her.
“Juliet, dear, I really must ask a favor of you.” he began, clearing his throat and reaching into his pocket again.
“Yes, what is it, Stefan?” she replied, mercifully stopping the inane chatter in response to his interruption.
“You know I have grown incredibly fond of you over these last few months. I would even venture to say you have enjoyed my company, as well. I know you want to leave this town as much as I do.. and I think I know the best way to do it. I’m purchasing a small but profitable farm in the Midwest, and I will need a loving wife to help me care for it. I realize this would take your far away from your family, but.. ” he bent his knee and presented the ring as confidently as possible, “Would you do me the honor of becoming my bride?”
Juliet gasped, and he watched a smile spread across her angelic face. She certainly was a looker, he’d give her that. He had never been able to accurately read her emotions, though, so he had no idea how this proposal was going to go. She reached out and took the ring, seeming to carefully examine it and think on her response. As she thought, he felt his stomach tying into knots. Finally, to his relief, her face broke into another smile.
“Yes! Of course, Stefan!” she cried, and slid the ring he’d picked out at the jewelers onto her slender finger. He stood back up, and she practically jumped into his arms. “I have hoped for so long that you would ask. I have prayed you would feel the same about me as I do you, but I was never able to tell for sure.”
Embracing her, Stefan hid a satisfied smile in her shoulder. This was just what he needed to put his plans into motion. With her by his side, his respectability would certainly rise and doors would open that had been closed to him all his life as the “useless son” of a powerful man. Things could only get better from here.
“Well hello, young Mr. Tangle, what can I do for you?” asked the Bank Manager as Stefan approached him in the lobby.
Stefan took a deep breath and said as confidently as he could. “I need to see about a loan, sir.”
“Well, now, son. Let’s head over here to my desk, and we’ll see what we can do.”
The man made himself comfortable in his chair, and took his time pulling out some forms from his desk. Stefan tried not to fidget, but this could be the most important day of his life.
“So.. what would this loan be for?” the man asked, looking over his desk at a terrified Stefan.
“I have found a fertile property in the midwest, sir. I’m due to be married this holiday season, and I plan to move there and start a family farm. From everything I’ve read and heard, the soil there is like black gold, and a farm should make ends meet quite handily.” Stefan wiped his nervous sweat surreptitiously off his palms, and waited for the man’s answer.
“A farm, eh? I thought you were more of a salesman. Don’t you work out at the Mill?” the man’s brow knitted in confusion, then cleared. “I hadn’t heard you were betrothed, either. Congratulations on the upcoming nuptials! Who is the lucky lady?”
“Thank you, sir. I’m marrying Juliet Bates, the teacher’s youngest daughter. He has already given his blessing to the union. As for the sales position, it’s never been my strong suit. I was merely biding time at the Mill until the time that I could find a profitable farming venture.” Stefan reached for the briefcase beside him and pulled out some papers, handing them across the desk. “Here are the specifications on the farm. There’s already a house built, although it’s a bit run down. I plan to hire a local family to clean and fix it up before Ms. Bates and I move there.”
“Well, son, let’s see here…” the man trailed off absentmindedly as he leafed through the papers, “It does look like you’ve thought of everything. What does your mother think of you moving all the way out to Ohio?”
“I’m not sure she approves, of course.” Stefan confessed, “It’s quite a distance from here, and with the business booming at the Mill, her and Father would have little opportunity to visit. I have made up my mind, though. It’s time for me to make my own way in the world.”
The man smiled, shuffled some more papers importantly, and reached for a large book from a bottom drawer. Flipping through the pages, he finally found what he was looking for, and looked back up at Stefan. “I see here you have a healthy sum in your account already – are you sure you will need a loan?”
“Unfortunately, yes. The farm is marketed at just under double what my savings are, and there is the matter of furnishings and fixing it up, as well. The loan is quite necessary. As for collateral, I’m sure you’ll find my father more than happy to vouch for me.” Stefan said confidently, neglecting to mention that his father had no idea he had any plans to move and quit his job at the Mill at all.
“Well, then, son, let’s see about getting your application filled out, here. I’m sure we can do something for an upstanding member of society such as yourself.”
Stefan tried not to grin, schooling his expression into seriousness, saying only “Of course, Sir,” and leaning forward in his chair to peer at the paper the man indicated.
The application in, Stefan had little to do but hope, wait, and wonder. He had assured his bride that everything was taken care of in regards to the farm and the move when things couldn’t be further from the truth. Not only was the farm not purchased, but he was only able to front some of the money because he had cashed in on the property he had inherited from his Grandfather. Somehow, he had managed to do that without his father knowing, and Stefan had his prayers into the almighty that he wouldn’t find out until long after he was gone.
Meanwhile, Stefan made sure to avoid arguments, and he dutifully followed the senior sales associate around, making as few waves in the company as possible. At home, his mother tittered over the upcoming wedding, and he put up with her mothering, never letting on that the wedding she was so excited about would be the last time she would ever see her “precious” youngest son.
Within a couple weeks, the man from the bank had contacted him, requesting his presence in the office again as soon as possible.
Nervously, Stefan made some time on a lunch break and walked from the Mill to the Bank, hoping nobody would notice he was gone.
“Ahh.. there you are, Mr. Tangle. Please, come in to my office, I’ve got some good news for you!” the man clapped him on the back, and Stefan felt his hopes rise deep within him.
Later, grinning from ear to ear and unable to help it, Stefan whistled as he walked back to the Mill. The loan had gone through! Now, all he had to do was make the arrangements to purchase the farm, the furnishings, and the labor to fix everything up before he and his bride would get there. The ten percent interest was exorbitant, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. In this instance, he was definitely the beggar. And, as a bonus, the transaction at the bank was completely private, so his bride to be would never have to know he hadn’t been able to afford the move and the farm purchase on his own. He mentally began counting the days until the holidays and the wedding planned after Christmas. He only hoped he could get everything settled before then – and without alerting his parents to his impending disappearance.
Juliet sighed deeply and looked back to the mirror in front of her. Her nerves had drained most of the blood from her face – or was it the cold that had done that? … Either way, she acknowledged that she matched her wedding dress. Her father and mother had been yammering at her non stop for the last week, trying to find out where this farm she was moving to was. She kept telling them all she knew was that they had to take a train to get there… which wasn’t completely untrue. They did have to take a train. She was just neglecting to tell them how far they had to take one… and that she had no plans to ever come back. Giving the mirror a secret little smile, Juliet looked around the small ready room at the church, wondering how so much could happen in such a short amount of time.
Just last week, she had signed her name to the farm deed at the bank in front of the manager and her fiancee. Or, at least that’s what they had said those documents were. The week before that, she had finally turned eighteen legally and could marry who she chose. Not that her parents were blocking this marriage… but just in case they changed their mind, it was good to know she was still going to be able to escape. A quiet farm in the countryside with a handsome and respectable husband sounded like a nice life. … But then, anything other than slaving away day after day for her mother, step father and sister, and her annoyingly angelic little brother, was a step up in her book. She had purposely not put any thought into the heir she would be expected to produce – because, surely, Stefan was a reasonable man and would give her time to get settled in before they began “work” on that.
Music playing in the church alerted her to the fact that it was time to emerge from hiding. She looked at the mirror one more time, made sure her smile was fully in place, then allowed her mother a moment to lower her veil.
The ceremony seemed to be over in a whirlwind of vows and congratulations, and before Juliet knew it, she was in her travelling attire and sitting outside the train station. She did wonder at Stefan’s father’s refusal to come to the wedding, but his mother had seemed nice. At least, until she started crying again about Stefan leaving town with his bride. Juliet wasn’t sure how they’d gotten to the very end of their plans before his mother had found out, but she was glad that the train was due to leave very soon. Their luggage – all their worldly possessions – had already been loaded into the box cars, and all she carried with her was a small handbag and a hatbox. She’d been afraid her best hat would be squashed by the station workers, and had elected to keep it with her for the duration of the trip.
“Juliet, dear, it’s time to go!” Stefan called, and Juliet stood up, collecting her things and her thoughts, and walked over to where he was, conversing with her step-father about all things farming. Not that he was a great farmer – after all, he only did it part-time when he wasn’t needed at the school – but don’t let anyone tell him that. God forbid he not be the best at something he did in life.
Juliet bid her mother, step father, and little brother goodbye. Her step sister hadn’t even seen fit to come to the train station, claiming malaise. Waving jauntily, she took Stefan’s hand and climbed aboard the train. Her new life was starting – and this monstrous machine was taking her there. She wondered silently what her new home would be like, and how many servants they were going to have as they found their seats near a window. Because, surely, she wouldn’t be expected to take care of the entire home on her own, right?
Introduction/Rules | Prologue Part 2
“For the final time, Stefan, I will not pay for any more schooling for you! Your brothers never needed any, so why should you? They’re all doing just fine as salesmen for the Lumber Mill. There’s no shame in a hard day’s work – I’ve been doing it all my life, and so shall you!”
“But – Father – I don’t want to join the business as a junior sales associate. You know I’ve never been good at sales.” Stefan tried to keep the whine out of his voice, but he was quickly losing patience with his elderly father.
“Balderdash. There is no such thing as being bad at sales. It just means you have to work harder. You’ve always been too lazy for your own good. A steady job would do you a world of good.” Newton Tangle adjusted his tie and went to the sideboard to get a drink before he continued, “What you need is to find yourself a nice woman from a respectable family and start a family. I need more grandchildren. There’s plenty of room in this house for you to bring in a wife and start on your heir.”
“A wife? But I’m barely eighteen!”
“That’s when your brothers got married! Why do you think you’re better than they are?” Newton threw his arm in the air and took a bracing drink of whiskey. “All your life you’ve been contrary – why should I have thought you would be any different now!”
“I’m not! I’m … ” Stefan reached for some semblance of control on his anger. He was tired of his father putting him down and comparing him to his perfect brothers. “I won’t do it, Father – I won’t be your lackey at the Mill like my brothers!”
“Then you’ll be forfeiting your inheritance! I’m not giving you a choice, here, son. You’ll join the workforce and the Mill, and find yourself a respectable wife. Or you’ll be finding yourself a new place to live. Now begone!”
Livid, Stefan stormed out of the parlor, grabbed his hat, and continued straight out the door of the house. He’d never considered that his father would be so opposed to him returning to school and becoming a lawyer – but to threaten losing his inheritance was extreme, even for his father.
After a long walk around Brindleton Bay to cool off, Stefan headed home, only to find his mother waiting in the Foyer for him.
“Why must you always fight with your Father, Stefan? He only means the best for you!” she asked before he could say anything.
“It’s not my fault. He always expects things from me that I’m simply not going to do!” Stefan replied, trying to keep a rein on his temper.
“What are you going to do instead, then? You know there’s no one in town that will hire you on if you’re not working for your Father!”
“I’m going to look, anyway. It’s not fair that the entire town always seems to be on his side! Next thing you know, he’ll be arranging my marriage because I’m ‘taking too long’!”
A guilty look from his mother was all he needed in reply to that. “Don’t you even think on it. I’ll find my own wife – in my own time!”
“Of course you will, sweetie.” His mother took his shoulders in her frail hands and patted them as if to comfort him. “But while you’re looking for that job you want – and a wife -perhaps it would be easier on everyone if you just reported to the Mill first thing in the morning. You know how hard Father is on me when you won’t cooperate….” She looked at him beseechingly, letting her sentence trail off.
Sighing, Stefan looked away and replied, “Fine.” Breaking his mother’s hold of him, he turned and headed up the stairs to his room, his mind whirling. Surely someone in town would hire him and he could quit working at the Mill for his father…. the entire town couldn’t be in his pocket, could they?
Juliet stared out the window, watching her little brother playing without a care in the world in the front yard. Wryly, she wondered if she’d ever been given time like that in her entire life. Maybe when she was small, before her father died. Before Mother remarried. … But even then, Juliet doubted it. She had never been the boy that her parents had wanted, and if felt like she’d paid for it dearly with all the daily chores she was expected to do. Wash the clothes, the dishes, the linens, the floor. It seemed like something was always dirty – and it was always her job to fix it. Never Mary. Poor, poor Mary.
Juliet rolled her eyes and walked over to her wall mirror. Her step-sister’s husband had died shortly after the marriage, and, bereft, Mary had run home to her father for solace. Not only did he comfort her, but he gave her the best room in the house, making Juliet sleep in the kitchen on a cot. He claimed it was so Juliet could be closer to where her chores were, but that didn’t exactly make her feel better.
Wild giggling outside brought her thoughts back to her brother. If only he hadn’t been born. He had been a late surprise for her mother, who had thought she would never have an heir, and he had been the apple of his parent’s eyes ever since. He could do no wrong – and he certainly wasn’t expected to do any chores. He had school, after all. He was destined to be a well-respected teacher, like his father. .. Or that’s what everyone expected.
Juliet didn’t plan on staying around long enough to find out. Surely she could find a husband before she ended up a spinster maid, always caring for a family she hated. She examined her figure in the mirror, smiled, and smoothed her blonde hair back. Somehow, she had to convince her mother and step-father to start letting her run the errands into town so she could see and be seen. She was never going to find a husband to take her away from here if she couldn’t actually get out of the house to meet the bachelor in question.
Juliet stood off to the side, watching Stefan Tangle quietly. He was a hard man to figure out. She knew of his rumored temper, but she’d certainly never seen any evidence of it since he’d begun courting her. They’d met in town when he’d practically stumbled over her in the town General Store, and she had done her best to flutter her eyelashes and simper like the town girls who always had beaus. He had been attentive ever since, taking her for Sunday drives after church – when the weather in this cursed town cooperated – and, while he had never been the most talkative and affectionate of men, time with him had been enjoyable. At least while she was with him she wasn’t having to wash something else at home.
Her step-father had been reluctant to allow Stefan to court her at first, and it had taken the Tangle family reputation and all of Juliet’s powers of persuasion to convince him that this was a good idea. After all, getting on the good side of one of the more powerful men in the county couldn’t hurt his precious son’s prospects later in life. Or – at least, that’s what she’d told her step-father. He didn’t need to know that Stefan had already confessed to hating this town as much as she did. He worked for his father at the Mill, but all he talked about when he did talk was finding a new place to work and live. .. Which worked out just fine for Juliet. Getting out of this town sounded like the perfect opportunity to her.
She glanced under her lashes at other couples walking past, heading for the beach below. Perhaps she could convince Stefan to make their arrangement more permanent, to take her away from here. She was doing her best to be exactly what he wanted – or what she figured every man wanted – a respectable society wife.
She took him by the arm, and steered him away from all the other people on the shore. Maybe she could get them a more private area up by the lighthouse, and get him to pay attention to her and not the water below.
By the end of the evening, she had – hopefully – snared even more of his affections. She had even let him steal a private kiss when no-one was around, and with any luck, that would start pushing him towards proposing. She had no idea what men actually looked for in a woman, but certainly a girl who hinted at so much more than a kiss but never gave it would spark a man’s interest. No way would she allow more than a kiss – because she knew that was a quick way to be a mistress instead of a wife – but the kiss had seemed harmless enough.
Stefan escorted her back to her family’s home, and they said goodnight at the door under the watchful eyes of her mother in the window. She turned to watch him go in the dim glow of the street lamps, marveling at the fine figure he cut in his tailored suit. Then, before her mother could find something else to complain about, she hurried inside to take care of the evening chores.
Introduction/Rules | Prologue Part 2
A story-blogged Decades Challenge based on the life, times, and family of Stefan and Juliet Tangle (and cats?)
A commentary-blogged Decades Challenge based on the life, times, and family of James and Anna Sheppard and their dogs.
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