@Joria Thanks! Yeah, Betty gets a little less prickly now that everything is sorted out. She's a sweet girl, really.
@Caterina Thank you! Now your comment is making me smile! I really appreciate you reading my story.
@oshizu Yeah, Gemma is pretty great, but you're right, I'm trying to avoid mixing the Lothario bloodline in as long as possible. I totally would have gone to the Windenburg library, but I didn't have Get Together when I was playing this part of the story. The date could have gotten a lot more inappropriate if there had been closets handy!
@Lisa46 Thank you so much! I have a lot of fun writing it.
@Nettlejuice I know. Poor Gemma. She gets her own happy(ish) ending, though, eventually.
Chapter 8: Postcards from the Edge of Immortality ![](http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm191/FrancescaFiori/104%20Career%20Maxed_zpscxw7cmwf.jpg)
Arianna: Aaaaand . . . career maxed!
![](http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm191/FrancescaFiori/105%20How%20to%20celebrate%20maxing%20ones%20career_zpspvtxujsw.jpg)
Arianna: Hey there, handsome. How would you like to get frisked by a Double Diamond Agent?
J: Oh my.
![](http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm191/FrancescaFiori/106%20Get%20it%20Bob_zps3z8uq24g.jpg)
Bob: Yup. This is good. Arianna’s career is maxed, the kids are finally together, and I’m having a sour punch in the hot tub with my beautiful wife. This dynasty nonsense is officially worth it.
![](http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm191/FrancescaFiori/107%20Serious%20Handiness_zpscdvktxye.jpg)
Don: Why I am the only one not getting lucky in this chapter? How does that work? When did I become an actual handyman?
![](http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm191/FrancescaFiori/108%20Dina%20the%20Tragic%20Clown_zpswpltrkcd.jpg)
Arianna: Cheer up, Dina! You’re a regular clown, not a tragic clown!
Dina: You’d feel tragic, too, if your boyfriend was dating both your mother and your sister.
Arianna: Fair enough. Just go stand by the playful painting, okay? I’ve failed at my last three birthday parties and I really need this one to happen.
![](http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm191/FrancescaFiori/109%20Frantic%20Late-Night%20Gardening_zpsgxu66cpz.jpg)
Arianna: Okay, parties finally done. Now for some frantic late-night gardening. Evolve, you little green monsters. EVOLVE!
![](http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm191/FrancescaFiori/110%20Perils%20of%20Gardening%20at%20night_zpsjbzhhjb4.jpg)
Arianna: It’s not enough I have to weed all night; now there are weird floating lights in my yard that I have to investigate - oh dear!
![](http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm191/FrancescaFiori/111%20Perils%202_zps5eigv3c0.jpg)
Arianna: I so do not have time for this.
![](http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm191/FrancescaFiori/112%20Making%20Friends%20Tying%20Loose%20Ends_zpshcdkxrtg.jpg)
Arianna: So stargazing, am I right?
Christine: Totally.
Arianna: So you’re sure you’ve never met anyone else in my household?
Christine: I’m sure.
Arianna: And you’re not planning to die anytime soon?
Christine: I was a kid when we met on your first week here. Don’t you remember?
Arianna: Well, I um, I have a lot of friends, but congratulations! You’ve met all the requirements to be my very best friend!
Christine: Sweet!
![](http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm191/FrancescaFiori/113%20Breakfast%20with%20Don_zpsb6m2g6zy.jpg)
Arianna: So, I think that’s it. I know the elder thing is happening soon, but all I really need now is for my produce to get a little more valuable and for my friends not to die, and I’ll be golden!
Don: I’m proud of you, kid. I had my doubts, but you’ve really come through. Now comes the hard part.
Arianna: What’s that?
Don: Stay alive for eight more generations.
Arianna: Yikes.
Don: And after that comes the REAL hard part-
Arianna: Okay, that’s enough hard parts. Let’s just take things one day at a time, shall we?
Don: Fair enough.
![](http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm191/FrancescaFiori/114The%20clay%20it%20calls%20me_zpsh81wwc0h.jpg)
Morris: The clay, it calls me.
Betty: You’re so weird. Why are you in such a good mood today?
Morris: It’s my birthday! And your birthday! Which means I can finally marry you and we can embark on our glorious life together and I can say I told you so.
Betty: Oh, is that what this was all about? You don’t actually want to marry me, you just want to gloat.
Morris: I want to marry you AND gloat.
![](http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm191/FrancescaFiori/115%20Gemma%20takes%20the%20news%20gracefully_zpsjrazlbs1.jpg)
Morris: Hey, Gemma. Thanks for coming to my birthday party, but listen, I need to break things off. I’m in love with Betty. I always have been. I’m sorry I led you on.
Gemma: Oh *sobs* that’s okay, Morris. I forgive you. All I really want is for you to be happy. Now if you’ll excuse me, I don’t want to ruin the mood of your party with my weeping, so I’ll go and grieve privately.
Morris: *sighs* That’s predictably thoughtful of you, Gemma. Before you go, I’m curious. What trait did you age up with?
Gemma: Oh, *sniffle* I’m a genius.
Morris: So you’re a cheerful, good, genius?
Gemma: *wipes tear* Yes, that’s right.
Morris: Yup. Yes it is. Should have seen that one coming. See you around.
Gemma: Goodbye, Morris.
![](http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm191/FrancescaFiori/120%20Marry%20Me%20Betty_zpsr5w0noex.jpg)
Morris: Betty Pancakes, will you marry me?
Betty: This is the surprised face I’ve been practicing since I was a small child. And yes, I will.
![](http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm191/FrancescaFiori/117%20Wait%20Triple%20Birthday_zpshvxhnbrx.jpg)
Bob: Okay, okay! Step right up! Birthdays all around! We got one, we got two, we got three old guys comin’ atcha! Let’s celebrate!
Don: I have to hand it to us. We are the three best-looking elder men in all of Newcrest.
![](http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm191/FrancescaFiori/118%20Play%20Games%20All%20Sorts_zpshfvrgcwq.jpg)
Arianna: You really did age up beautifully, dear.
J: Oh yeah? Do you hate my hair less now that it’s grey?
Arianna: No, I’ll always hate your hair, but I think now I sort of love to hate it.
J: Well that’s sweet.
![](http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm191/FrancescaFiori/119%20First%20Ambrosia_zpsvtnjvctr.jpg)
Bob: Better stock up on a few plates of this, now that my death is imminent. *whistles*
![](http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm191/FrancescaFiori/121.5%20Liz%20joins%20the%20Elder%20Crowd_zpsfbxjyfwa.jpg)
Eliza: Wow, I really wish I hadn’t worn my swimsuit for this.
Bob: You still look great to me, baby.
![](http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm191/FrancescaFiori/122%20Im%20not%20even%20sure%20whats%20going%20on%20here_zpsgtqshsja.jpg)
Betty: Morris, why are we sneaking out to the hot tub in the middle of the night? We’re getting married in a couple of days. It’s not like anybody’s checking up on us.
Morris: It’s more romantic this way!
Betty: I’m not super jazzed about the idea of being a pregnant bride.
Morris: Pssh! Pregnant brides are the cutest! Now get your arm out of the window frame and hop in that tub!
![](http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm191/FrancescaFiori/123%20The%20lighting%20is%20still%20terrible_zps6jt8nlky.jpg)
Betty: Wow, the lighting is really terrible in here. You’d think they’d have done something about that after the last wedding.
Morris: All I see is you, darling, and you look good in any light.
Betty: Don’t try to distract me. The lighting is not so bad that I haven’t noticed you’re still wearing your everyday clothes.
Morris: It’s symbolic of the way my love for you will grow every day.
Betty: You’re so weird.
![](http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm191/FrancescaFiori/124%20At%20least%20the%20walls%20are%20up%20in%20this%20one_zps4es22vii.jpg)
J: Well the lighting is still bad, but at least the walls are up in this picture.
Eliza: ‘Scuse me. Old lady coming through. Not that any of you bothered to acknowledge my birthday.
Arianna: You’re telling me! I’m the founder and nobody is even going to know who I am in these pictures.
Don: Shhh! You’re ruining a beautiful moment.
![](http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm191/FrancescaFiori/125%20Such%20Drama%20but%20hes%20not%20even%20wearing%20a%20suit_zpsyvfknegw.jpg)
Betty: With this ring, I pledge to faithfully care for our green and pink bars, so that we may remain forever happy together.
Morris: Betty, I would marry you every single day if game mechanics allowed it. As it is, I pledge to uphold my vows to you, and renew them as often as possible.
![](http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm191/FrancescaFiori/126%20Yay%20married%20at%20least%20Eliza%20dressed%20up_zpseavrh6k8.jpg)
*confetti*
![](http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm191/FrancescaFiori/127%20Reno%20says%20this%20one%20has%20good%20lines_zpszj4xkbma.jpg)
Arianna: Oh, that’s better. The lighting is much nicer out here. So, pretty good party, wouldn’t you say?
J: Yeah, I think Bob really outdid himself with the food, too.
Alice: Guys, I’m just going to leave these dishes here, okay? Man, this view is great. I’m so glad I decided not to actually tend the bar tonight.
![](http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm191/FrancescaFiori/128%20Alice%20you%20are%20a%20terrible%20bartender_zpsujfore32.jpg)
Arianna: Alice, you’ve been the bartender at nearly all the parties that have taken place in this house, and to my knowledge you have never mixed a single drink. Put ‘er there, old friend.
![](http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm191/FrancescaFiori/129%20Drama%20Queen_zpsw7faj0zs.jpg)
Don: Wow. Nicely done.
Arianna: Well, she’s been getting on my nerves for ages, and I’ve been dying to try that tranquilizing handshake out.
Eliza: Ouch!