If you’d told 20-year-old Altman that he’d grow old farming and teaching toddlers to walk and talk, he wouldn’t have believed you. Back then, he still dreamed of being a CEO and living in a swanky penthouse with a wife and a kid or two. He’d never imagined he’d have five children, nor that his main sources of income would be fishing and gardening.
Yet, he felt fulfilled. Seeing the joy in Emery and Matthew’s eyes when he told them to get ready to go fishing, listening to Aria make up songs, reading with Ryker and hearing Mason’s baby sounds made every day feel worth it. Each one had their own personality and unique perspectives on their little world. They amazed him everyday with how much they were able to learn – and teach him.
The only problem was how quickly they seemed to be growing up! Ryker just turned 4 – he’d proudly mastered his Sim-E-Zees and could count to 10. It felt like yesterday that Ryker was a giggling baby and Aria was a toddler relentlessly banging on her xylophone... In reality, those days had long passed; their newest family member, Mason, was the only one who was still a baby.
The eldest two Tevellyn children would resent being called ‘children’ at all. Emery was insistent that she was a teenager now, and Matthew wasn’t far behind. Unfortunately, he’d discovered the word “preteen” – whether from books, that darn computer, or from Dorothy Button, Altman didn’t know – but Matthew had decided that this meant he wasn’t “a little kid like Aria.” Matthew was just over three years older than Aria, and they got along well when they were younger. Even Altman had to admit that Aria’s incessant singing could get annoying, but he suspected that Dorothy’s influence had more to do with it than Aria’s actions.
Dorothy was around almost every Sunday since she and Matthew had met. They were so close that when Matthew learned he and Dorothy’s birthdays were both in the fall, he’d insisted on including her in his celebrations, and with her own cake. Altman wasn’t sure if it was genuinely Matthew’s idea since their birthdays were so close, or if Dorothy had convinced him. Matthew was such a sweet kid, it really could have been either. Regardless, it was clear that Matthew desperately wanted the experience of a “real” birthday party, and since he didn’t know any other kids, Altman and Bridget had obliged.
At least now perhaps he’d have more time to spend with the kids. He’d been especially busy getting the garden up and running this spring due Mason’s arrival, but Bridget had found them some help. Bridget’s first trip down to the community garden was usually in the early spring, but this year she had to wait until mid-summer. She expected to find the plants neglected, overgrown and wilting, but was pleasantly surprised to find that someone had taken care of them. Bridget had been lucky enough to meet that someone – Rukiya Shabani – and offered her a job helping them with their home garden. Altman was happy to have some skilled help; he felt a bit run-down after working so hard for the first half of the season.
Rukiya’s first day was a hot and sunny one. Bridget jogged over to greet her as she came up the hill.
“So glad you’re here,” she beamed. “It looks like a manageable size, but it’s hard to get to it all and keep an eye on the kids.”
“I can imagine,” Rukiya returned her smile. “Especially with a new baby.”
“Especially with a new baby,” Bridget chuckled.
“At least we’re not all little kids anymore,” Emery interjected. She walked around her mother, surveying their guest. The young woman didn’t look much like a gardener or a nanny, but she certainly was beautiful; her skin was a richer tone than her own and her dark locks seemed to have a natural wave or curl to them. Her hair was pulled back into a practical, high pony tail, but the sides were delicately braided. She didn’t wear much makeup, but she didn’t have to. Emery wanted to retract her earlier thought; this woman wasn’t just beautiful, she was gorgeous.
“I’m—uh, I’m done cleaning and stocking the pond,” Emery sputtered.
“Thanks, hon,” Bridget replied. “This is Rukiya, she’ll be helping us with the garden sometimes. I met her at the community garden – she’s got quite the green thumb.”
Emery turned to Rukiya and shook her hand. “Hi,” she said shyly. “I’m Emery.”
“Rukiya Shabani,” the young woman replied with a smile. “I’m hoping to move here if I can save enough money. Your mom is helping me out.”
“That’s a beautiful name,” Emery said. “Do you mind if I ask where its from?”
“Not at all,” Rukiya answered. Her smile was radiant. “It’s Swahili. I was born here, but my mother was an immigrant. I’m not fluent anymore, unfortunately, but it’s a language and culture with many beautiful names. Emery is very nice, as well,” she added.
“Thanks,” Emery blushed. “Um, well, I’m going to go have lunch. Let me know if you want anything.”
Rukiya nodded politely, still smiling. ‘Radiant,’ Emery’s brain echoed. ‘That’s what a radiant smile looks like.’ She hurried off before she said anything embarrassing.
Bridget showed Rukiya around and things went much more smoothly at the Tevellyn household over the next few months thanks to her help. Emery also became much more interested in gardening since Rukiya showed up, and began pitching in as well.
That left Matthew with more responsibility for watching over the younger kids, but it wasn’t a huge inconvenience for him. Ever the avid reader and writer, Matthew was working on plans for a series of novels based on his encounters with the black unicorn. He hoped to complete his first book, Aasifa Imagined, before the next growing season started. He had a mysteriously strong feeling that Aasifa was the unicorn’s name and no idea how he could have made it up on his own, so he chalked it up to ‘unicorn magic’ and Aasifa became what he called her both in his book and when he saw her in-person.
For the most part, Ryker and Mason were easy to look after. Matthew could work on the computer while they played. They got along well and rarely fought over toys. Ryker was excitable enough that if Mason wanted a certain toy or bugged him to play together, he was just happy his brother took an interest in something and would cooperate.
Aria was often around, too. She’d started learning to bake with a toy oven their parents had bought for the playroom and was getting rather good. If the toddlers were particularly fussy one day, Matthew would ask her to make them cookies and instruct the boys that they wouldn’t get any unless they played nicely and asked politely for what they wanted. It worked like a charm.
Rooted in their shared love of gardening, Bridget and Rukiya’s working relationship blossomed into a close friendship. All the Tevellyns were grateful to have someone new to talk to, and Rukiya was grateful for how warmly she was welcomed into their family. The Tevellyns were an invaluable support to her, emotionally as well as financially. She wasn’t alone anymore.
Naturally, Rukiya agreed to work for them again in the following growing season and extended her stay at the boarding house.
Rukiya used some of her winter time off to spend a couple weeks in the nearby city of Bridgeport. Bridget and Altman were surprised to hear she’d seen little besides the Bridgeport Metropolitan
Airport before she caught a taxi to Appaloosa Plains and encouraged her to “see the sights” and “enjoy what the city has to offer.” Emery was a little bitter that they’d encouraged Rukiya to leave, but was excited to hear about her trip. When Rukiya returned, Emery made delightedly listened to her recount every detail. She’d made some new friends and found a potential future roommate
to help cover the bills once her house was built. Emery was happy for Rukiya, but her smile faltered at the mention of a roommate.
“I’ll introduce you soon,” Rukiya assured her. “But it’s getting late and I should get back to the boarding house.”
Emery tried to busy herself with a new painting, but she couldn’t stop wondering who Rukiya might have been talking about. Would it just be a roommate, or was it someone she wanted to date? Or even some more basic information – was it a guy or a girl? Or maybe one of those people she’d read about who didn’t believe they fit into one sex or the other? What if it was someone she was already having sex with?! Rukiya had never mentioned anyone ‘special’ in her life, past nor present… and Emery desperately hoped she didn’t want this roommate to become her boyfriend.
She blinked and realized she must have been painting for quite a while – it was dark outside her window and the main elements of her tortoise’s terrarium were all on the canvas. But she wasn’t happy with her work; it seemed a bit washed out – like she’d been using too much water with the paint. She looked down at her supplies and vaguely recalled mindlessly dunking her brush into her cup of water. With a sigh, she decided to revisit it later.
Emery changed into her pajamas, flicked off the light and climbed into bed. Maybe trying to sleep would help her thoughts stop spinning around in her head. She stared at the ceiling through the dull glow her tortoise’s heat lamp cast upon the room. She sighed, then turned to her side. She stared at the wall. She tried keeping her eyes shut. She tried focusing on each part of her body, one at a time, and trying to relax it. She turned to her other side. Her tortoise’s head was peeking out of his shell. He didn’t seem to be doing anything in particular. Frustrated, she pulled her pillow out from under her head and dropped it onto her face.
“Ugh,” she muttered.
It was no use. She couldn’t sleep. Emery got back out of bed, flicked on the light, and sat looking at her painting. ‘Might as well try to fix it, since I’m up,’ she thought.
Emery blotted paint onto the canvas and tried to bring the image into focus, but it was still wet, so it ended up looking sort of… wobbly? She frowned. It didn’t seem salvageable at this point. She sat on the edge of her bed and looked out the window. ‘It must be only a couple hours from daybreak at this point,’ she shook her head at herself. ‘You’re being ridiculous.’ She flicked off the light, said goodnight to the tortoise, and got into bed. Maybe she could get a couple hours in before the kids started making noise.
Emery managed to extract a few details about the mysterious-potential-roommate over the spring. It was a guy, Rukiya visited him on a few weekends, and he’d come to visit the boarding house once. His name was Shaun. It put a bad taste in Emery’s mouth just thinking about it… Shaun.
Otherwise, the growing season was pretty uneventful. Altman couldn’t work in the garden as much anymore – it bothered his knees – but since they had Rukiya and Emery helping out, he could spend his days fishing.
By Ryker’s birthday that summer, Rukiya had selected a property and was in the process of getting the paperwork in order to purchase it. She excitedly told Emery all about her ideas for her house. The teenager was an enthusiastic audience until Bridget joined their conversation. Emery’s attention waned as her friend and her mother discussed the approval process that would be required, finding a work crew that would take on a new build all the way out in Appaloosa Plains, and other not-very-exciting details that needed to be ironed out.
Matthew and Dorothy turned thirteen a few months later. As was tradition (although Emery didn’t fully understand why it was), the Tevellyns hosted a joint birthday party for them. Aria always made a point of not cheering for Dorothy and cheering extra loudly when it was Matthew’s turn. Emery and Ryker snickered at the sidelines. Neither of them particularly liked Dorothy, but Aria really seemed to hate her.
When everyone finished their cake, Bridget encouraged everyone to head inside. She gave Matthew a knowing smile, “Just collect the dishes and bring them inside when you’re done hanging out, okay?”
“I will,” Matthew called after her.
He and Dorothy stood up from the picnic table. She turned to start stacking the dishes, but Matthew reached out and lightly touched her arm.
“Hey, um, Dorothy?” he began. “We’re best friends, right?”
“Duh,” Dorothy snickered and prodded Matthew’s arm.
He put a hand on the back of his neck. “Would it… um… ruin it if I… ugh,” he muttered.
“If you what?” Dorothy asked.
“I—I have a crush on you,” he admitted.
Dorothy looked away and shifted her weight.
“Ugh, sorry, I knew I shouldn’t have—” Matthew covered his face. “Forget I said anything?”
‘You ruined it,’ his inner voice told him. ‘Now it’s going to be weird, and she’ll never visit you again.’
But Dorothy surprised him by lowering his hand from his face. When their eyes met, she looked away again. “No, it’s okay… I’m glad you… um,” she stumbled over her solemn reply. “It’s just… it’s one thing for us to be best friends, Matt, but we shouldn’t date.”
“Well I wasn’t saying—wait, what? Why not?” he asked, eyes wide.
“You don’t really know me,” she answered, her tone somehow even more somber than before.
“What? Of course I do. We grew up together! What are you talking about?” Matthew moved to return her touch, but she moved back. “...What’s wrong?”
“There are things I haven’t told you...”
“There are things I haven't told you either!” Matthew protested. “Like how I’m just now saying I like you… or like what I think I want to do with my life…” he trailed off.
Dorothy looked skeptical. “Aren’t you going to have a farm like your parents or be a writer?”
“Well, yeah, I guess,” Matthew said.
“Has something changed?” Dorothy asked.
Matthew looked away but she continued to stare expectantly.
“I like writing, but there’s more to life than working or whatever,” Matthew said quietly. “There’s… there’s something else I really wanna’ do…”
Dorothy tilted her head slightly, but said nothing, hoping he’d elaborate.
Matthew used another moment to think. “Ugh… How can I explain this?” he muttered. “Uh, okay… You know how I’m writing those books about a unicorn?”
She furrowed her brow, but nodded.
“See? You think it’s dumb, this is why I—”
“No, no—” Dorothy interrupted. “Well, I mean, it is a bit dumb, but you were a little kid when you thought of it—”
“I didn’t make it up, okay?!” Matthew snapped.
Dorothy blinked, confused.
“I really…” he sighed deeply. “I really have seen a unicorn. I know it sounds crazy, but it’s true. I even fed it an apple once.”
Dorothy’s eyes began to widen, but it seemed the floodgates were open. No longer trapped in secrecy, words continued to spill from Matthew’s mouth.
“It’s a girl and her name is Aasifa and I don’t even know how I know that, like, it really is crazy, but I just somehow know. That’s why I named her that in my books. I didn’t make it up. I have no idea what language that name is even from! I’ve never heard anything like it. And, oh, she’s so beautiful, Dorothy, I mean really gorgeous. Like the most beautiful horse you’ve ever seen but with a beautiful horn on her head. She’s got a black coat and black mane but the horn is lighter, kinda’ beige, like a bone or something. She’s incredible. I’m becoming friends with her and I want to adopt her one day, if she’ll let me.”
He paused for breath. Dorothy stood in stunned silence.
Suddenly he seemed to realize what had just happened. His face fell into an apologetic expression.
“Plum, I must sound crazy…” he covered his face again.
“A bit,” Dorothy admitted sympathetically.
Matthew paused and took a deep breath. “Let me try to explain a bit better,” he began. “Ever since I met Aasifa, I’ve been reading up on unicorns—”
“Of course you have.”
“—and apparently there have been other encounters, here, in Appaloosa Plains. They’re said to have magical powers of some kind. Bloggers are claiming all sorts of things… most of it’s probably fake, but some say that unicorns have evil powers that played a role in the town’s death.”
Dorothy seemed intrigued. “Really? How?”
“I’m not sure,” Matthew replied. “But I wanna’ find out. I think it’s important to the new town’s survival to know if unicorns are a threat… The one I’ve met seems rather calm and friendly, but it’s hard to say—I could be mistaking its majesty for goodness. ...That sounded dumb. I mean—”
She chuckled. “It’s okay, Matthew… Maybe take a break from talking a minute.”
He winced. “Yeah, sorry…”
“It’s just a lot to take in,” she added with a half-hearted smile.
Matthew rubbed his face and took another deep breath. “I haven’t told anyone any of this, you know. Not even Em,” he admitted quietly, looking into Dorothy’s eyes.
“I don't think you’re crazy, Matt,” she said to reassure him. “Just be careful, okay? Like you said, it might be dangerous. And we’re still kids.”
“Teens, now,” Matthew corrected, playfully nudging her arm. “Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.”
They smiled at one another.
“So, I told you mine, now will you tell me yours?” he smirked. “What have you not told me?”
It was Dorothy’s turn to hesitate.
“It seems silly now,” she finally said, shyly looking at her feet.
“It’s okay,” Matthew smiled. “You can tell me. Can’t be crazier than what I just said.”
“Exactly,” she chuckled. “I just, I was embarrassed to say—because you seem to have it all figured out,” she paused again, then finally said quietly, “I have no idea what I want to do… I don’t even know what I'm good at.”
Matthew smiled even wider and squeezed her arms to comfort her. “Is that all? We’re thirteen, we have our whole lives…You don’t have to have life all figured out.”
She looked up at him, almost wincing. “Really?” she asked.
“Of course,” he replied. “Even if you don’t figure it out… well, my dad thought he wanted to be a CEO of some big company, but the city wasn’t for him… He had to move back home and ended up delivering mail for a while, you know.”
She smiled, so he continued, “That’s how he met my mom, and they’re happy… They built all this… our farm, our family. But he didn’t have to know what he wanted or plan it out. He just did what felt right.”
“Thanks,” Dorothy said quietly.
An awkward silence ensued.
“Hey, Dorothy?” Matthew began again.
“Yeah?” Her eyes were wide as she looked up at him. They were a deep grey, almost a pale purple. They glistened in the afternoon sun. Matthew thought his heart might skip a beat.
“I like you,” he said softly. “You’re my best friend. You don’t have to worry about what I’ll think of you... I—I think I’ll care about you no matter what.”
She responded with another small smile.
“Can I—” he swallowed. “Can I kiss you?”
Dorothy nodded shyly. Matthew drew her close, tilted his head and kissed her gently. Her lips were soft and felt even nicer than he’d imagined.
When their lips parted, Dorothy pulled him closer into a tight hug.
“I like you, too,” she admitted. “A lot.”
‘He bought it,’ she thought. ‘That was close. I can’t believe I was almost dumb enough to tell him... Luckily his mom and dad’s love story works in my favor; we basically met the same way... The only problem is... I think I’m falling for him.’
Author’s Notes:
As with the previous chapter, I had to embellish Rukiya’s story a bit compared to my actual gameplay. As per the Build A City Challenge, it would cost extra money for my Sims to visit any other towns. In reality, Rukiya met her ‘mysterious-potential-roommate’ at Cinnamon Crest Falls. Since there isn’t really a good reason for random townies to be hanging around there unless they fish or something, I decided that for the purposes of the story, she met them in Bridgeport. Thanks for reading!
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