Summer Internship, Pt. 3 - August 2008

Part 1 - Summer Internship - June 2008

Part 2 - Summer Internship - July 2008

***

Sabien Cunningham, Sr. is 52, Tomika Cunningham is 52, Trinity Dalton is 52, Cameron Masters is 52, Nick Michels is 52, Honey Michels is 52, Sergio Spencer is 52, Emerita Valdes is 45, and AV guest, S'Ahmisa Warwick, is 18.

Life at the Cunningham home has been somewhat of a routine this summer.  To say "routine" and "Cunningham" in the same sentence, is unusual in itself.  There's usually always something that occurs to knock their plans right out the window!  If one was to sit still for a moment, they could sense an element of underlying sadness and tension in the air, but to look at the family on the surface, you couldn't tell it. 

Tomika's been so engrossed in her time with S'Ahmisa, the 'daughter' she never had, and with sewing.  Her renovated sewing room was hardly ever entered when the boys were home.  Now it's sort of become her sanctuary, well that is...when she's not spending girl time with S'Ahmisa; they clip coupons and make out shopping lists for the Butler, Vasyl, to pick up ingredients for new recipes the Culinary Group is trying out, or they go and buy the latest doo-dads for braiding and fastening S'Ahmisa's hair with, or they just sit in front of the huge TV upstairs vegging out while watching the SimLifetime movie channel.

Tomika, surprisingly, hasn't had time to really feel sad over her absent boys because she's been so pleasantly occupied, outside of work.  If she could only spend some alone time with her husband, that would be the icing on the cake.

SayJ seems to sleep more than usual lately.  He never sleeps in his bed anymore, but on the banquette in the kitchen.  It's the 3rd time this week, his Dad's had to wake him up from there. 

Last Monday night, Sabien thought it was cute and he smiled as he watched his son snoring lightly.

***

But now it's Friday, and it's not so cute anymore.  Sabien got him up and told him to go spend some time with his brother, Scot.  So SayJ followed his Dad into his home office where 4-year old Scot was playing.

"Ewww!  Your eyes look like ALIEN eyes, SayJaayyy!"  Scot laughed loudly.  "They're all red and green like a monster's face!  You're from planet Wonka and I'm gonna terminate you with my Terzon Lazer Beam!"  Hoping he would make SayJ chase him around the house like the boys used to do, Scot got startled when SayJ yelled at him, cause he had never done that before...not like this.

"NO they don't!  Leave me ALONE, Scottie!"  SayJ protested.  He didn't need a mirror to see that the whites around his eyes were bloodshot, and having those green pupils just made it all the more horrifying. 

Sabien listened to the boys, concerned but quiet.  He tried to gather his books and notes for tomorrow's Council meeting and softly said, "SayJ was asleep Scot, I just woke him up. Now, leave him alone. Why don't you guys play nice, alright?" 

Sabien, Sr. smiled to himself remembering that Marchon and Rashid used to tease SayJ about his eyes, and he probably believed them.  His son has yet to discover how much the girls are gonna love his green eyes.

"Uh Ohhhh...Daddy, SayJ's been cryin'!"  Scot pointed to the dried up tears on SayJ's face, as SayJ tried to wipe them away as fast as he could, but the crusty tears need water to wipe off.

Sabien turned to look at him and called him over.

"Come here, son...let me talk to you."

The sound of his Dad's voice and his simple request was enough to make SayJ's water works start all over again. 

"What's wrong?  Why are you crying?"  Sabien asked.

"I want Marchon and Rashid to come home, NOW, Daddy."  SayJ pointed his hand down to the ground and stomped his foot as if stomping his foot would force Daddy to jump into action right away.  He wiped some of the tears away with his arm. 

"Can't you make a call?! Can't you close the college?!" he cried.   SayJ had looked back at himself in the mirror many times since his big brothers had left home; and he knew his eyes would tell on him. The half bath downstairs was the only place he could be alone and miss them, without being disturbed or be made fun of...(which is probably why he's been sleeping on the kitchen banquette, to not wake anybody upstairs.)

"Come here, my little guy...awww, you're something special, you know that?"  Sabien said in a soothing voice, as his breath caught in his throat.  Trying not to cry himself, he quickly swooped his son up into his arms, and carried him upstairs.  "I love you, and don't you ever forget it."  Sabien smiled down at his namesake, as he climbed the tall staircase.  SayJ's way too big to be carried now; but in this moment, it felt perfect.

He took him to his bed and laid him down to read The Story of My Feelings.  To let SayJ know it's okay to feel sad and sometimes crying helps a Sim feel better. 

He tucked SayJ in and kissed him goodnight, confident that his son would feel fine tomorrow.

***
The next morning, the first thing Sabien did was check on SayJ.  And sure enough, the boy was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed!  Feeling much better because Daddy had dropped everything to spend some time with him, and that's really all he needed.

As Vasyl served up a light, summer dish of toasted garlic bread with a topping of egg and tomato relish, the family gathered around the table to enjoy their last breakfast with S'Ahmisa.  She's leaving to go back to Apple Valley today, and it's her last day on the job.

S'Ahmisa turned to look at Rashid's neon green car outside the window, and wondered if he remembered she was leaving today.

They've been chatting on the computer for the last couple weeks.  She had to do something, the boy had hung up the phone in her face!  Okay, so it's the truth, she'd been trying to get back at Rashid by calling Elmer Valdes; it was silly, and she usually doesn't act this way, but she only did it because he got so mad at her for pining over Trevor Yates of Aerial Bionic...like a hookup like that could ever happen! 

A few days after the concert, she told Rashid she's not trying to be anyone's girlfriend right now, but if she could...she would be Trevor's.  Shoot, the guy's a terrific musician!  Pfft!  She thought.  He still didn't have to get so mad.   

Anyhow, Rashid's supposed to be coming to Apple Valley for her Spring Break vacation.  I hope he doesn't come with an attitude.  And with that thought, she sat down and engaged in pleasant conversation with her 'Hills family', as she affectionately calls them.

***
Later that morning, at the Hood Council Meeting in City Hall:

"I'd like to open up."  Sabien stated firmly, to get everyone's attention. 

"I thank you all for being here.  S'Ahmisa is going to take the minutes for this meeting today.  I need some suggestions from you in how we can increase our hood's income."  He made no bones about it, and jumped right into the business-at-hand.  "As you are aware by now, we are increasing taxes on the rich.  The problem with that is..we don't have a lot of rich taxpayers in our hood."  Sabien chuckled softly.  "That's also the reason why we didn't get many complaints over it."

"While you guys think it over, I have another SUN Hood event in mind that I want to discuss.  Hopefully it will be as large as the Silent Art Auction was, but I'm hoping it will be larger...it could be another Founder's Day event for this December.  We could have a Single's Auction to raise simoleans for our Hood! 

Sims would send in their bids to spend time with a single and available Sim, male or female, and have a date with them! Any single Sim from around SimNation could participate and send in their headshot pics with a little bio on themselves, who they are, where they live, what they do for a living, etc. 

We'd post these bios and headshots up on our journal and Sim's could email us their bids with the name of the Sim they're bidding on, that way it's private...and the highest bidder would get a date with their chosen Sim!  All the participants can be aged Teen to Elder....or, Young Adult to Elder.  What do you guys think?

What's even more exciting is, the participants get to report on the date in their own journal blog or website.  You never know who'll find love!  We have those VanHouten brothers and..uhhhhh...Seth Guthrie is single...and Anthony Bachelor...Sabien's voice trails off as he gets caught up in his own thoughts.

"Don't forget Rashid..." Somebody said, laughing.  Sabien and Tomika ignored it.

"Is this even legal?"  Honey Michels says, scrunching her face up.  "It's like you're 'buying' somebody and last I checked, it was illegal to buy a date.  That's called somethin' else, I think..."

Tomika felt that Honey was being a little too sensitive or dramatic about Sabien's intentions.  She's a Romance Sim, seems like she'd think the idea was fantastic...but the whole point is to raise money for the Hood. 

"I have to agree with Honey.  I'm not sure this is the right direction to take."  Sergio commented.

"We're not asking Sims to hook up, although if they choose to, then that's their business!"  Tomika stated.

"Nawww, it's not like that, Honey and Sergio.  Sims are just going to meet each other."..Everyone else piped in all at once, behind Tomika's statement.

"Well, perhaps making simoleans in this way IS blurring the lines a bit between paying to sleep with a Sim, and giving Sims the opportunity to just meet and greet.  I don't know.  But we can't fool each other...the need for more simoleans into this hood is much more greater than this issue; this is a golden opportunity to make a lot of money!"  Trinity argued.

"Whatever the case, we can't be judge and jury over another Sim's morality. We've got to decide on a peaceful solution."  Nick said, in a rather laid-back defense of the idea, while looking straight at Trinity.

"I don't see why we never vote to just stop taking an Administrative salary...it's not like we need the money."  A tiny voice from the corner of the room, suggested.

"Emerita, have you lost your damn mind?!!"  Honey spatted out, as Trinity grabs hold of her arm, politely, to shush her up. "Speak for yourself Miss Motor Company, everybody ain't got it like you."  Honey snapped, despite Trin's efforts.

"Well, you're a successful actress, Honey.  You used to play pro ball, too.  I think if any one of us is reaping in simoleans, it's got to be you!"  Emerita upset at how some Sims like to play the 'poverty' card when she knows better.

"SHUT UP!!  Shut it UP!"  Sabien yelled.  "I'm tired of all this fighting!  Where's the peace?  Where's the love?"  He asked.  "Simyear after simyear, somebody's getting into it with somebody, over somethin'...I'm tired of it!!  I've HAD IT!"...

"I'm stepping down...I'm taking me and my wife away from here!" 

"Whaaat??!!"  Everyone stared in disbelief at what he just said.

Tomika started to clap her hands in sheer joy, but looking around the hostile room, she decided against it.

"Cam, you're in charge."

Whatchoo talkin' bout, Willis?  Cameron looked to be saying...wondering what just happened!? 

S'Ahmisa's little fingers could barely keep up with all the drama, she was almost trembling!

"I'm not leaving The Hills.  I'm not stepping down as Mayor, although sometimes ya'll make me want to...I just need a vacation, that's all.  I've been working my ass off for over 25 years, with no breaks.  I need a break.  Can you guys please just understand that?"  Sabien said softly; surrendered both in voice and in spirit.  He had nothing left.  The meeting was over with as far as he was concerned; they could all go take a hike somewhere.

"Sure, yeah Sabien..

Of course we understand that"...they all commented in various ways.

"Babe, if I may...I just want to ask S'Ahmisa to come stand here."  Tomika interrupted before everyone started leaving.

"We'd all like to thank you for doing such a great job for us this summer.  You've been a pleasure and a joy to me, as well as to everyone in this office."  Tomika smiled as her eyes welled with tears.  "And I'm going to miss you tremendously!" 

Sabien cleared his throat, "Well, I guess this is my part."

"I've been so thrilled with having you by my side all summer.  I'm going to miss you very much.  You've got my recommendation, kid, whenever you need it.  Any company or political organization will be proud to have you."  He smiled and kissed her on the forehead.

"I know we said this was a non-paying internship, but I still want to give you something to take back home with ya.  Here's a check for $500, from my bank account"...he looked up and made a funny face towards all his friends/council members, and they laughed.  "And a Certificate of Completion on your Political Internship here in Simmington Hills."

"Oh my gosh!  Thank you!"  S'Ahmisa exclaimed, most definitely surprised by the financial gift, after all she's heard today.

"Hey Sabien, we're sorry we showed out today, man."  Nick apologized for the group.  "As long as you're okay, then we're gonna work it out.  We're all like family here, we go way back...so no hard feelings.  And I say that on my wife's behalf, too." 

Honey had immediately left to go splash some cold water on her face.  The meeting had left her with a headache.  Emerita would've apologized to her on the spot, had she not left.

"I appreciate it, guys."  Sabien smiled.  And they all filed out of City Hall to go about the rest of their day.

Sabien and Tomika whisked S'Ahmisa off to the airport to catch her flight back home.

***

Okay, this is how I know Sabien and Tomika need and want a vacation:  

1.  They've both rolled Wants to go away on vacation somewhere...that's the obvious reason, and the 1st time they've ever done that, at the same time.  Neither one has specified a place.  They just want to GO.

2.  I can't tell you the last time this couple WooHoo'd or did something romantically physical with each other.  (They're 3-bolters, too! And usually can't keep their hands off each other!)

So I was surprised to see them both get up from the breakfast table to go upstairs and "do the do"...So I'm like, 'You guys have a Council Meeting!  We don't have time for this'  LOL!  But, I let them go ahead.  It's been a long time, like I said above.

Tomika races upstairs first.  She gets cozy on the bed, waiting for Sabien to get in there, and instead of him going to his side, he goes over to her side of the bed and looks at her!  So instead of going back around to the other side, like I thought he was going to do...he steps outside onto the balcony!

Then something happened that I've never seen!  (Maybe you guys have seen this before...) 

Tomika raised up off the bed and complained!

"What are you doin, Sabien?!  I'm right here!"

"What gives?!"

So as he's standing out there, breathing in the nice summer breeze, like an idiot; he's obviously changed his mind about the whole thing. 

She slowly gets up and looks really disappointed...she must've really wanted that nookie.  LOL!

Now you see why I said she was about to start clapping her hands, later at the meeting, when Sabien said he was taking her away somewhere...She looked like she was so happy he might be quitting!  LOL!