1.7 Family Vacation

Hi guys! 

Marathon-playing Hitman 1 and 2 has been taking a lot of my time (lol, once I start a project like that it is very hard to focus on anything else), but here's finally another set of Crowe adventures! Enjoy!

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Dylan was on a road of fulfilling his Social Butterfly Ambition, and he had friends for every finger of his hand. He preferred meeting his friends face to face, but if either him or them were busy, online chatting was a good replacement. Sometimes he even role-played with his friends in various chat rooms. They were fierce pirates, of course, who fought against sea monsters, privateers and other horrendous things.

Because of La'ei's maternity leave, Riikka Nieminen was replacing her more and more regularly. In the beginning he had felt her strange and was shy of her, but finally he came into the conclusion that she was nice enough, funny even. Not as funny as La'ei, oh no, but funny enough. At least her stories were super exciting.

"This is not happenIIIIIING!" Trisha cried, as a lightning struck her - twice during the evening. "They who claim that a lightning doesn't struck twice at the same point, are liars!"
She felt kind of weird afterwards, but shook it off and went inside.

Maybe the weird feeling would vanish after a good night's sleep.

"Trisha baby, wow you're flashy! Meeow!"
"Marcus, what the plum now?"
Salim: "..."

"Marcus, how many times I have to say 'no' before you finally believe me! I thought we could be friends, but as it seems, we can't, because you don't respect my boundaries. I have to ask you leave my house now!"
"But issa joke... </3 *sigh* Very well then."

After Marcus left, Trisha was busy explaining Salim, what was that all about.
"Are you longing after him? Why is your ex hanging at our place at the first place? What am I to you, a consolation prize? What?"
Trisha knew, that the anger and jealousy were fogging Salim's logical thinking abilities. Still, it hurt her that he could think about her that way, that he was only her second choice.
"Honey, no! Absolutely not! You are the love of my life!"
Salim looked still angry. Trisha knew, that she had no other choice but let time do its healing and hope, that his anger wouldn't last for long.

That night they slept in separate rooms, since Salim had to unbottle his anger and jealousy and Trisha wondered, what the plum she could do.

Finally, she got an idea.

"Oh, so now you want to go on a holiday trip? What, should we invite Marcus too? Or maybe I would just stay home and let you guys have some privacy! You would love that, wouldn't you?"
"Salim, please, listen to yourself! You're being unfair. I was just thinking, that maybe a fresh environment would do us all some good. I've heard, that Granite Falls is beautiful at this time of the year."
Finally, he agreed to go. Hardly, but still. Trisha went to do some travel planning and to tell Dylan to pack his bags. He was excited, of course. At the first time of his life he would get to go on a real vacation!

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Granite Falls was indeed beautiful - and wet. Nobody told me that, Trisha thought while they stood outside their accommodation and checked their environment. Luckily, they had time - the weather would surely clear at some point. Dylan seemed enthusiastic despite the rain.

At the backyard of the accommodation they found fun things to do. Trisha tried to get Salim to throw horseshoes with her and Dylan, but he just grunted and retreated inside to get his own peace. Trisha sighed disappointed, but decided not to let the grumpiness to spoil her trip. So she kept throwing those horseshoes with her son.

"Dad, why are you still mad at mom? She didn't even do anything."
"You're right, she didn't. Dad can't quite explain it."
"That Marcus though, he is stupid."
"That's true. Maybe that is what's angering me, and not mom."
"Well, tell that to mom then!"

"I will."
"Promise?"
"Promise."

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"Honey, forgive me for being such an idiot", Salim said to Trisha. Dylan watched his parents' discussion with light heart. Trisha looked surprised, but happy.
"Oh dear, finally you came to your senses! I've been waiting a good while."

"I know. I'm sorry. Is there any way I could make it up to you?"
Trisha's eyes twinkled and her lips curled to a playful smile.

"I think I'll figure something out."
Dylan had a feeling that soon would happen something not so suitable to his eyes.

Despite the weird noises from the bathroom and later from the master bedroom, Dylan sensed that the things were back on track again, and slept peacefully through the night. He didn't even mind that neither of his parents came in to tuck him into sleep. He was beginning to be too old for that stuff anyway.

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During the rest of the vacation the couple behaved like teenagers and hugged and kissed what felt every ten seconds. Although Dylan was happy that dad wasn't mad at mom anymore, at some point he got bored and he decided to go and meet other tourists. For his joy he found another child of his age nearby.
"Hi, I'm Dylan!" he introduced himself. "Let's be friends! What's your name?"
"I'm Diya! Yeah cool, let's be!"

Diya was fun company, though she enjoyed a bit too much being mean and laughing to others for Dylan's liking. But she could appreciate Dylan's glorious goofy faces, and it was quite fun to plan, what kind of pranks should they do for teachers or passer-bys. They didn't have to put them into practice if they didn't want to.

Occasionally his parents wanted him to join them, so that they could spend some "quality time" together as a family. Dylan didn't know about the quality of the time they spent just sitting silently on some wooden benches. "Listening the sounds of the nature is so relaxing", Trisha sighed blissfully, and Salim agreed with her. Dylan grew more and more bored though, and soon he was on his own again, doing his own things.

Fishing was way more interesting, despite the fact that it too contained much of standing still and quiet. Every now and then Dylan chatted a bit with other fishers, and even if some sims were irritated about it, some other sims, on the other hand, responded to him politely. But the most exciting part of fishing was, when the fishing rod began to jerk and the catch was ready for being pulled to the shore!

Afterwards his mom would make fish cakes out of the catch (but would skip eating them herself, being the vegetarian she was).

The nature and flora of Granite Falls was very different from the ones back in Newcrest, and Salim spent some time trying to teach his son the names of various plants. He gave up quite quickly though, after he realized Dylan wasn't interested in learning. They would have to find something else as their father-son bonding activity.

"These fish burgers taste like heaven", Salim sighed happily. "You have outdone yourself! If these don't get you a promotion, nothing will."
Trisha smiled. "Thank you, honey."
The fire pit had become their favourite spot in the camping area. It was very romantic by the fire, and there were often other tourists too, with whom they could chit-chat and exchange vacation stories. Some of them were experienced campers, and they would gladly give advice to first timers.

For Dylan's disappointment there was no escape from homework, even on a vacation. Teachers had given him some exercises to ensure that he wouldn't fall behind, and his parents watched that he actually did them. With Trisha and Salim's help schoolwork didn't take too much of Dylan's time though, and his whole vacation wasn't ruined. Despite that, it was pretty boring to have to be sitting inside doing math homework instead of being able to fish or play with Diya.

Time flied, and the last days of the vacation were there too soon. Trisha had to hurry and fulfill the rest of her travel plans so that there would be no regrets or what-ifs after she returned home. Anyways, she was glad. They had had a wonderful trip, Salim was no longer angry at her and Dylan seemed to enjoy himself as well. Maybe they should visit Granite Falls again in the future.

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Comments, thoughts and feedback are most welcome!