Chapter 4.3 – A Cinderella Story

“A party? Are we in high school still or something?” Giselle started to laugh.

“No, a ball is more like it. Like something out of a story book. Like Cinderella!” Juliette enthused.

“Like…A masquerade ball? With couture gowns and nectar and masks?” Giselle started to get excited.

“Yeah!” Juliette giggled like a little schoolgirl.

“I…I like it.” Giselle nodded in approval.

“So…What say you we get started?” Juliette suggested.

“Lets do it.”

It took three months of extensive planning and shopping to put everything together for the party, not to mention the extra month it took to put together the guest list.

Giselle bought a couture Dior gown for quite a large sum of money and a lace mask whilst Juliette bought a Marchesa gown and a custom made “butterfly” mask. And once the nectar was set up, the party was very much in motion.

During the duration of the party, Giselle met a man. His name was Claude, and he was funny, smart, handsome, single and an explorer who was, after this party, going to China. Sadly, Giselle never caught his last name.

He seemed to be too good to be true. But Giselle felt like he could be the right man for her. And the third time’s the charm, right?

Giselle really hoped so.

And then, just like that, the party was over and Claude disappeared into the night without leaving his phone number or last name. Giselle couldn’t take her mind off of that man for the next week.

Giselle wanted to see him again, and she’d negotiate with herself in the mirror as to whether she should go to China or around the world to track him down and pay him a visit. Because if Claude really was the one for her, she shouldn’t waste her time with anyone else.

And one day, Giselle finally talked herself into it: She was going to book the next flight to Shang Simla, China (which happened to be a red eye, woohoo) and find the man that her heart was telling her to chase.

So she purchased some new clothes to handle the terrain in China- since heels would not do unless she wanted to break her ankle, put her hair up and got herself a one way ticket to China.

Giselle was about to head out the door to her taxi when Juliette stepped between her and the door. She was wearing some baggy, uncomfortable-looking sweats. “Stop.” She urged.

Giselle stopped, “What?”

Juliette bit her lip hard and then spoke what she had rehearsed for the past three hours, “I’m pregnant.”

Giselle’s jaw dropped. Stunned, she asked, “For sure?”

Juliette nodded sadly. ”You know I’m not good with nectar! And I don’t even remember the guy!” She whined, the images of the night of the party flashing back into her mind.

“That’s not an excuse! How could you-” Giselle started, but then she realized it was too late for lecturing. The deed was done. “What do you want me to do, Juliette? I’m not letting you get an abortion.” Giselle said sternly.

“I’m keeping the baby, I didn’t even consider…abortion. But you can’t leave me like this! I’ll be hopeless without you!” Juliette pleaded.

“Mom and…mom are here.” Giselle spoke the awkward sentence. She had never had to phrase it like that. It was interesting having two gay parents.

“Salem can barely walk, let alone drive a pregnant woman in labor to the hospital.”

“That’s what taxi’s are for.”

“Thanks, Captian Obvious. No, but seriously. So Salem wont be much help and Caroline has never done much parenting.” Juliette said simply.

“And how would you know? You weren’t here for most of your life?” Giselle asked frustratedly.

“I have memories of toddler-hood.”

Giselle sighed. She knew it would be wrong to leave her sister and it would defy her moral standards. She was a good sim, there was no denying it.

“Fine. I’ll stay.” Giselle said.

“Oooh, thankyouthankyouthankyou!” Juliette squealed, trying to hug Giselle but Giselle just pushed her away, “Don’t push your luck.”

Juliette nodded solemnly before waddling off into the kitchen for some Easy Mac.

Later that night…

Salem felt a slight wave of ecstasy rush over her and then her heart started to flutter. Then, surrounded by glittering gold sparkles, she passed away in her nightgown at the age of 92. It was a peaceful death, so no one really mourned. Death only brings new life. And should life be mourned? Caroline was distraught, though.

Salem’s grave was placed under her portrait in the mosoleum.

That was the only major occurrence during the pregnancy. Juliette and Giselle mostly just played video games together when Giselle wasn’t at work. Giselle was now a level 6 chef at the Bistro and was so close but yet so far to achieving her LTW.

When Juliette went into labor, Giselle drove her down to the hospital. Since Juliette didn’t remember the name of the father, or what he looked like and didn’t care enough to look through the guest list to find the darn guy, it was only Giselle and Julie in the birthing room. Caroline was at home prepping everything.

Juliette gave birth to a little girl who she named Carmen she was a light sleeper and a loner and looked just like her mom, but had slightly thinner lips.

Even though Juliette didn’t want to hold her unplanned child after she had just been born because Julie wasn’t happy with herself for getting pregnant in the first place, when Giselle shoved Carmen into Juliette’s arms, they clicked and Juliette fell head over heels for her little girl.

Now that all was well and Juliette had had her baby, Giselle thought it was her turn to have a baby. She bought a new red eye ticket to China and headed off, hoping Claude was still there by some miracle. Giselle arrived in Shang Simla, China, bright and early one and a half mornings later, ready to find true love.

Author’s Note:

1. I’m not sure if Carmen is cute or evil?: