Uncomplicated 2.21: Sims do strange things

    My life as a single dad continues. Anastasia is a very good child. All she wants is to be around either me, Bonnie, or Millie when she visits.
     Speaking of Millie, let's mention her lackluster sister, Addie. Addie has disappeared again. I don't know if she'd had her baby and left it or ran off pregnant, planned to keep it, or whatever. Again, I am so glad that I got Bonnie from her before she could ruin Bonnie's life.
     I remember Mandi mentioning how Bonnie is what's best from Addie.
     What about you, little Anastasia? Are you the best of Mandi, left to ease a man's grief?
     No. You're too much like your father, poor thing. I laugh at myself before placing the tot in the swing next to my desk. She likes to babble at me while I study, and sometimes, I read to her out of my cookbooks. As long as I read the words in an interesting way, she doesn't know the difference.

     The Maker forgets that studying with the tablet is against the rules. Whoops. Ah well, it's still the same speed since I have the bookworm trait anyway.
     I continue to work at mastering the cooking skill.

     Showing how Mom's garden is being forgotten. Occasionally, Bonnie will go out and harvest, but she doesn't have the knack for weeding yet.

     Bonnie's school year begins again, and while Anastasia takes her naps, I sit outside with Mandi's gravemarker to study. I treat it like a motivator.
     Speaking of motivator, I guess, and back to my daughter's aunt, Millie. She's trying to get me to start dating again. The nerve of that woman! Yes, I hugely appreciate all she did for Bonnie and me when Mandi died and Anastasia came home from the hospital, but to think I'm ready or even wanting to date again?! I get it. She doesn't want me to be sad, but she's going about cheering me up the wrong way. Right now, I'm as happy as possible given that the woman I love is a lost, confused ghost, and I'm not going to be happier unless she's back.... And I'm doing everything I can to make that happen. The last thing I want is to date another woman.
     Sometimes I wonder if Millie doesn't believe in ghosts. I don't have a choice but to believe. They're all around me...or I'm as crazy as Millie thinks I am.

    Early one morning, I'm watching TV with Dad's ghost when I hear something outside in Mom's garden...

     Mandi floats through the wall! I leap up off the couch to embrace her spectral form.
     "Nick! I'm so sorry! I tried to hang on, but I just couldn't! I'm sorry I lost the baby," she cries to me while I hold her, most likely forgetting she'd already told me all that.
     "You didn't lose the baby. She's upstairs sleeping. Please come up and see her," I beg, hoping she'll listen this time.
     Mandi looks around and sees the ghosts of Mom and Dad. "They're... But they're... Dead! How are they here?!"

    Mom floats over to her. "What are you talking about? You are too!"
    I have a vague memory of the woman with the crystal ball saying that sometimes Mandi didn't know she was dead. But.. she was just talking about trying to hang on! How can she go from that to not knowing so quickly?
    "No. No. That can't be right." Mandi turns to look at me. "Nick, I feel strange. Why am I not pregnant?"
    "Mandi?!" I hear Bonnie exclaim from upstairs. "Stay there!" She dashes into Anastasia's room.
    "Because you're not," I answer Mandi's question, not wanting to tell her she's dead if she's momentarily forgotten. Each moment is precious, and I don't want to upset her.

     With the hopeful look of the innocent, Bonnie carries Anastasia down the stairs. The toddler clings to her sister, not understanding what's in front of her.
     "Mandi, this is Anastasia," Bonnie says happily while I worry.

     Mandi looks at her daughter in confusion. "I'm afraid I don't understand. Bonnie, you must be confused. This can't be my baby."
     "Mandi, please believe her," I say in a quiet, pleading voice. Dawn is fast approaching, and I want Mandi to find a little peace.
     "Whose daughter could she be but yours?" Bonnie asks in a sassy voice, and Mandi looks at me accusingly for a moment. There isn't a doubt Anastasia is mine, but she looks almost nothing like her mother.
     "This is your daughter," I say in a stronger voice.
     "No. There's something wrong here. I don't understand!" Mandi's spirit yells.

     Before any of us can say another word, Mandi vanishes in a puff of orange smoke.
     Bonnie sighs helplessly before putting Anastasia on the floor. I haven't a clue why she puts her baby sister on the floor. Sims do strange things sometimes. You'd think that Anastasia would want to cling like a monkey to her older sister, but she's content to sit on the floor.

     Night after lonely night, I sit with the gravemarker of my deceased fiancee.
     Bonnie has become a two-star celebrity somehow, and the paparazzi start bothering us again. Since the irritating woman can't get anything of Bonnie, I become an easy target.

      I've had enough.

     Sometimes, I get so completely wrapped up in my studying that Bonnie winds up watching Anastasia. She says she doesn't mind, that they're having 'girl time.' I hate to admit I take advantage of the situation.
     Finally! I get to level 10 in cooking! I even become what's known as a 'menu maven'...whatever that is.

     I study the intensely-complicated recipe for ambrosia. Deathfish...oh yeah. That woman had mentioned that. How on earth am I to catch a deathfish?! I'll have to...study fishing. #@&%!

     Just like the woman said, the recipe disintegrates as soon as I learn it.

     Even though I have to learn yet another skill to the max, I'm not concerned. I can do it. I'm one step closer to getting Mandi back.

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