Hi there !
This story is a sequel to The Burb's problem, co-written by 4everMondler and myself, and this sequel was also a request from her !
English isn't my first language, I am french, if you spot any mistake or weird thing, do not hesitate to let me know, so that I can improve !
WARNING! DARK AND ADULT THEMES AND SWEARING!
Summary : She was born a problem, a shame, a dark spot. They would soon learn to bend the knee.
Disclamer : The Sims 2 is owned by EA Games and Maxis, as for Jacqueline, she is 4everMondler. Victoria, Regina and Kennefick are mine.
To every issue a solution
A " The Burbs' Problem" sequel
" There is no other way, Mortimer." Bella stated for the sixth time
In the living room, at night, a meeting was held between the members of the Goth family. Words of Jacqueline Burb's death in childbirth and of the heir of the family to suicide had reached them a few weeks ago. Now, they were all here, lost, the future of their ancestral clan at stake. Mortimer had no other son and Bella had no wish to have another children. She was a grandmother and her husband wasn't getting any younger. He'd die before the child would reach adulthood or at least teenagehood and there were no certainty that the baby would be a boy. But before he died, while he was eloping with Jacqueline, Alexander had fathered a child, a baby girl he recognized, as her papers stated she was a Goth. The couple was buried in Veronaville.
" She's a girl! This is a patriarchy! I can always name Juan as my heir!" Mortimer exclaimed
At that, Don raised his head.
" With all due respect Mortimer, Juan is my son and a Lothario."
" Don is right, Father. Our son is Don's heir. I renounced my right to the Goth estate when I married him and it's unfair that he should be deprived of his heir for the sake of this house, when his family needs rebuilding, just like yours." Cassandra added
Don gave her a thankful look.
" That takes us back to the start, Morty. Alexander left us an heiress. Cassie wasn't the heir anymore when he came to us. If you want House Goth to survive, you need to accept that it has to be a matriarchy for one generation. Victoria will be the next Lady Goth, she will marry someone who will take her name and their son will be the heir next. Then all will be mended and start back as it was once. It's either that, or the clan died with you. Is that what you seek?" Bella argued
Her tone was sharp and stung. She would never understand why Mortimer had been so against Alexander's love when he had moved mountains to marry her. She understood her dissappearance had changed him, broken him, but she was still a part of his house, of his life, through their children and he didn't understand that. It dug Alexander's grave and she could never forgive him for that.
" The child is being taken care of by the Burbs as we speak. The child is a Goth. She must be raised here." She added
" Thankfully, the Burbs will hand her over easily. They love the child but they do understand our trouble. And apparently, her presence, though they love her, brings issues. Their eldest can't even bare to look at her." Cassandra informed
Mortimer sighed. There was no other way. A bastard daughter of a dead heir would be the last chance of House Goth. That was that or centuries of hard work would go to waste.
XXXXXXX
20 years later
Victoria Goth sighed as she got prepared into her room. She was on holidays and would get back to Académie LeTour in a few days. As she brushed her long ebony hair, her laptop let out a faint sound. An e-mail from her friend Regina Landgraab.
Or should she say her 21 years old aunt.
Regina was her grandfather's dirty little secret. During her grandmother Bella's absence, Mortimer, after years of search, had found solace in the arms of Dina Caliente, the widow of his own brother-in-law. Dina's plan was simple: to marry high and rich, though she always grew fond of her men and was loyal and gentle to them until the end. Her scheme to be the next Lady Goth had failed when Bella returned out of a miracle from her alien trip, but the harm had been done, she was with child. Mortimer had set her up with Malcolm Landgraab, a friend of the family, so in the eyes of the world, the girl who was born eight months after the wedding was his and she had been fortunate enough to be her mother's younger twin version. No one doubted she was a true Landgraab. Malcolm knew and paid no mind to it, he loved the girl as if she had been born from him, though he quickly had his way with Dina to have his true child. It had been a success, as for the next five years, people of Pleasantview and of Bluewater Village didn't see her in any other way than with a round belly.
"Counting Regina, six children in six years, with four sons in the package. Talk about branding her as his thing." Victoria thought as she opened the virtual letter.
Just congratulations about her prefect GPA. As always. She had always been the highest student, the best student, she was a Goth, people would expect no less than that from her. Goths were meant to represent perfection. Especially her. She knew she was a dark spot in her family's history, she was a bastard, born from a teenage pregnancy and she was lucky enough to be given the task of making the family name survive. She couldn't give anyone any weak point of attack, of criticism. And up until now, she had been the perfect girl everyone expected her to be:
Spotless record, no criminal activities, no scandals around her, no first kiss, still a maiden, working hard at college to get a degree in the political sciences.
Fortunately, she had inherited her grandfather's genius and aspiration, she was craving knowledge, however, she couldn't deny the other part of her blood. Just like her grandmother, just like her dead father, she had a secondary aspiration and that was romance. Nevertheless, despite the pain of unachieved urges, she had managed to go beyond the temptation and she had remained the role model she had to be.
One last touch of make-up, and she was ready to go, clad in a skinny black dress. She was to be the next ruling lady of House Goth. People needed to see that. She walked down the stairs and saw the crowded living room. Musicians were playing their best and the butler her grandmother had hired did a marvellous job, every dish looked refined. Laughs were heard and people seemed to enjoy themselves. As she walked down, silence was heard and she went to the center of the room. Taking a glass of champagne, she turned around to face the crowd.
" My dear friends! It is an honour and a pleasure for me to receive you all in my humble house. I thank every one of you who decided to gift me with his or her presence. I hope you will spend a good time."
People cheered and had a toast. Bella was smiling at her granddaughter. Though Mortimer only lived to see her going to elementary school, he died in peace, seeing how Victoria was faring. The girl was every inch of a Goth. Despite being wrinkled and grey, Bella was still stunning and considered as one of the great beauties of Pleasantview. And despite the numerous proposals for her hand in marriage, she had declined them all, her wardrobe was painted black, only her lips were still the red she loved to wear. She was Mortimer's widow, she was the regent until Victoria would come back, graduated with all the honours. She could see her granddaughter, speaking to people who despied her, people she didn't like, yet a bright smile was plastered all over her face. She had trained, trying to use the Marquise de Merteuil's technique: smile despite feeling the pain, smile while under the table you have stabbing your hand with a fork. It had worked like a charm. People usually said that Cassandra's mind was hard to read. Victoria was unreadable.
" You must be so proud of her, Bella! Look at her, she takes after you, she's as beautiful as you are!" A guest said
Bella could only agree. She didn't meet Victoria's mother but she must have been pretty, as her daughter was a beauty. She had Alexander's hair, she wore it long and lose, it was straight and shiny. For the occasion, a lock of it was gently carressing her right shoulder. Her face was typically Bachelor however. She had lovely and big hazel eyes, that made her look like a doe. She had the Goths pale skin. Her lips must have been Burbs. She was of an average height. Not too tall, nor too small, with a regal aura around her.
After a while, Victoria retired a bit from the crowd, she had done her duty and she needed the solitude. She hated those gatherings full of hypocrits, judging her, watching her every step, craving the most insignificant mistake to try and put her down.
" Looks like the bookworm is tired." A young man declared
She turned to face him. He was quite tall, about 180 centimeters. He had short dirty blond hair, a fair skin, delicate features, but the most stricking detail of his body was his eyes. They were iced blue. He was dressed in a modern black suit and was holding two glasses of wine. She recognized him. He attented the same dormitories. Victoria had chosen to live in dorms to be able to meet men of her age from her social status. She knew she had to marry and to breed, until a son would come and be the saviour of her family. She never got to hear his name, but he was a familiar sight. And at college, she always had her nose in a book.
" Looks like someone forgot his manners." She replied coldly
" How foolish of me." He laughed
He walked towards her, let his glasses on a table, bowed a little and kissed her hand.
" Kennefick James. Pleasure to meet you at last, my lady." He introduced himself with a playful smirk
She found herself smirking in return.
" You seem to enjoy our drinks, Sir James." She said playfully
" One was for you. It isn't fun to drink alone, in a party full of old hags." He replied
" Would you care to join me in a night stroll of the gardens? And yes, you can take the wine." She asked
He offered her a glass, then his arm. The night was cloudy but not too windy.
" Who the fuck has a graveyard in her garden? " Kennefick asked, teasing her when he saw the graves
" A woman who wishes to wear her most morbid dress for her wedding, which would happen during a moonless night while crows would sing a dreary tune and after that, she'd waltz among the graves with her groom." Victoria casually replied
" Well, well, the bookworm has teeth and humour, who would have thought?"
They drank.
" Since you know me so well, Sir James, tell me, what do you know exactly?" She joked
" That you were born a bastard, of two runaway teens and the weight of a clan weighs on your shoulders. Fail to produce a son and your family will be the laughing stock of the town for decades. I know what it's like."
" Really?"
Kennefick looked at her. She was glaring at him coldly, it was clearly a sensitive spot. He had noticed her at the dorms, she seemed so mysterious yet so similar, so attractive, he had to try and approach her. He stared in return, didn't flinch or back out. For the first time, Victoria saw another part of him. At the dorms, she would always hear his laughter, which was contagious, he would always joke, prank, act as if he had no responsibility whasoever and thus, she had never really wanted to get to know him. Yet, here, under the pale light that was coming from the window, he looked so serious it was almost scary.
" What do you know of it?"
" That it's a fucking burden and the one who put it on your back should be killed."
His tone iced her blood. It was as if he was a whole new man.
" Is he a psycho?" She quickly wondered
" How is it fair to ask innocent people like you, like us, to fulfill something they failed to do? We have our own dreams too, but thanks to them, we'll curse our kids to realize them for us, like an endless cycle of shit." He went on
Despite the fear he had caused her, she felt drawn to him and without noticing it, she had moved closer to him. He was slightly bent over her, his hand on the wall, their faces close. She could feel his breath. He couldn't blame the wine, he didn't smell like someone who had taken too much. Their lips were almost touching each others. A small sound broke their moment, people were starting to leave. The party was over.
" Well. I guess we'll see other later, bookworm." He declared, his smile coming back
He kissed her hand and started to leave.
" Victoria."
He turned suddenly. She had said it a few seconds after he had started to walk and he looked quite puzzled. For the first time, he could see a glimpse of the woman behind the mask. She looked natural, soft.
" My name is Victoria, Kennefick."
He let out a small laugh, waved his hand and phoned a cab to take him home. She watched him until he couldn't be seen anymore and when she went to bed, hours later, depite her eyes being closed, she could see his picture even in the darkest of the slumber she dived in.
XXXXXXX
Victoria closed her laptop. She had made her researches about Kennefick and what she had found wasn't pretty whatsoever. She felt guilty she had doubted his words during the party, he truly knew how it felt to be in her shoes.
Kennefick was the bastard son of a notorious magistrate and of a prostitute.
When his father found out about him, he had the girl settled into a luxurious appartement but that was all he ever did for her. He continued his life, had kids of his own and forgot about the child that was growing in his former mistress' body.
Until his son died.
He had two children, a son and a daughter and the boy had died protecting his sister. The sister, sadly, didn't make it either. They were on the road, driven home by their mother. None survived, because of a drunker driver. After the mourning period had passed, his father suddenly remembered his existence and took him away from his mother. He was six. He had never seen his mother again. With time, his father's wealth was declining and he had set his son on several parties to meet rich young ladies.
" He pimps his own son... Son... He doesn't even see him that way. He's just a replacement. That's... That's pretty much like me I guess... Though I am supported by Grandmother and Aunt Cassie. We are but tools for others' plans. We don't matter. We make ourselves miserable for them..."
And she was worried. When she came back to her dorms, for her last semester, she had wanted to befriend him and he actually let her. They quickly became the best of friends. But for several days, he barely talked to her and she didn't hear his laugh anymore. He looked like the shadow of himself. It made her ache, her entire being ached, her heart more particulary. Her attraction to him had never stopped and she had quickly realized that she cared so much because she loved him. However, she had kept her mouth shut. Unless it was genuine, she had forbidden herself from any affection from someone else than kin. She left her room and went to his. She knocked softly.
" Enter".
Victoria saw him pale, his eyes red, but he didn't look sad. He looked pissed. Pissed beyond belief.
" What do you want?" He bluntly asked
" To see how you were doing." She replied
" Awfully. Now that you know, you can leave." He declared
She moved closer.
" I know what it's like." She quoted
He had a sad laugh. He had understood. He handed over a letter he had received. Her eyes quickly red it and her hands were shaking of anger.
" See? That's my fucking biological father! Seems to him I don't make anything good, wants me to drop college, to find some rich girl and to marry her! Even to fuck her so that she gets pregnant and is forced to be my wife afterwards!"
He punched the wall, shouting another insult before he broke down, crying. Victoria knelt and embraced him. He was just like her. People were using them as prostitutes to get their cash, their fame. Nobody could know what they had to go through everyday unless they were in the same situation.
" Mom and Dad were right... They did the right thing, running away... They might have died young but they died free, having done what they wanted..." She pondered as she was craddling him
However, she knew there was no escape door for them. They were trapped. But that didn't mean they couldn't have their own way, their own fun, their lives were still theirs and they could take it. People would see them as obedient children while they would be blissfully ignorant of all the forbidden things she and him could explode. He looked at her and she could see, deep in his ocean eyes, how scared he was, how lost he could feel. She decided to make the first move and her lips met his. He didn't push her away and as their first embrace ended, he brought the second one into the world, more heated. Victoria could feel that he loved her the way she loved him. Long ago, a bohemian had told her grandmother that her baby granddaughter would meet a man who would make her body burn, as they shared three bolts. She believed she had found him. They soon started to seek each other's bare skin but Kennefick suddenly stopped.
" I don't have protection." He said, concerned
" I don't care." Victoria replied
" You could get pregnant."
She could see how concerned he was, how he didn't want to put her in trouble, her life was already complicated enough as it was.
" I want you."
That was all that was requiered. He was hers and she was his.
XXXXXXX
Two month after a hidden relationship, the world learnt that Kennefick James had asked for Victoria Goth's hand in marriage. They also learnt she agreed. They later learnt that he agreed to forsake his last name, a name he despised and wore like shackles.
However, what they never knew is that, when they got married, despite her flat belly, Victoria was expecting, being in her first month. Only Kennefick and her knew and it made them laugh to see everyone congratulate them for being so good children to their parents, a son who granted his father's wish, a granddaughter who lived up an unreproachable life, giving her clan a new hope of a patriarchy by birthing a son named Eugene... Oh, how delightful it was to know them ignorant of the words they could call them, of the bedroom gym movements they'd try, how dirty they could be to each other. That was their revenge. The curse would break for their offspring. And as for themselves, the mental binds were broken. The pressure of the outside world and of its duties didn't have any impact anymore on them.
Because Kennefick had Victoria and Victoria had Kennefick.
They had each other.
At the end of the day, against all odds, victory was theirs at last.
The End