#decade:1900

[antiquatedsimmer]

"You… had me."

Josephine's lip quivered as she spoke, "I don’t have anything, Lucie. I have a husband."

"My family doesn’t even respond to my letters... The only connection I get is through Silas, who helps my father keep tabs on me."

"I was sent away for years and then immediately handed over like livestock to your family."

Lucile gently reached out, her hand lightly touching Josephine's arm. Josephine continued, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.

"You need time to think of the right words? Maybe I would need time to figure out how to live without my best friend!"

Lucile’s heart sank. In her mourning, she had been unknowingly selfish. These past months had been difficult for Josephine too: the wedding, the farming, caring for her parents, living with Silas, complying with his demands, and still finding time to check on her...

"Josie... I’ve been so selfish."

"I had no idea," Lucile whispered, "I wish you had told me. I could have been there for you."

Lucile stepped forward, looking down, caressing her hands while Josephine stifled her sniffles to reply. "Perhaps I’m at fault as well. I didn’t want to put any more pressure on you… You were already so wracked with worry."

Josephine lovingly stroked Lucile's fingers. "If we ever see each other again… I hope we can talk more."

The word "if" struck Lucile painfully, a sharp pang in her heart. If was right; this might be the last time she ever saw or heard Josephine. An overwhelming fear gripped her. Should she risk ruining the moment further?

Without hesitation, Lucile reached up, brushing wet strands of hair from Josephine's face.

"Josephine, you are the last person I wanted to leave behind. I dreaded this every day since Mama and Papa's passing."

"You’ve been my first thought every morning. You’ve filled my mind at the most inopportune times, to the point where I could hardly think or work properly."

Her fingers tightened around Josephine’s. "You have been the shining sun in my life, the only thing that’s kept me going."

Josephine caught her breath, her hand suddenly pulling back.

"You make me feel akin to a sunflower," Lucile continued, her eyes softening. "If I were to lose sight of you for too long, my heart would cease to beat, and I would wither away."

"Please forgive me. "

" I was scared of disappointing someone I love so dearly."

Josephine stepped away, her gaze downcast at the soaked grass. A long moment of silence followed, filled only with the sound of the rain and the soft huff from Lady as she shook her head and stomped her hoof.

Thinking any hope of reconciliation was surely gone, Lucile turned to leave, feeling the sting of rejection, Josephine suddenly grabbed her wrist.

"Lucile, wait!"

"In the kitchen’s left cabinet, that’s where we keep the good silver. It’ll fetch a good price."

" I couldn’t- " "Silas would only take his anger out on you for not stopping me."

" Nonsense. "

" We’ll be long gone before he even realizes we’ve left."

LETS GOOOO GODDD Do you have an idea how long I've been itching to have these sims have their first kiss. literally months. The slow burn game play was so worth it tho, I'm excited for what comes next. It's funny how this ended up being able to post in pride month! HAPPY PRIDE :D

[antiquatedsimmer]

The morning's rude awakening came with an atrocious downpour, prompting a frantic scramble to cover their belongings.

Lucile and Josephine grabbed their work uniforms and dashed through the rain to the church, where they could dress for the day ahead.

"I knew it," Josephine said, tapping her feet in irritation. "I just knew today wouldn't be any better."

"Josie," Lucile tried to calm her.

"I'm soaked!" Josephine exclaimed, frustration evident in her voice.

"Josie, take a breath. You can’t keep flip flopping on me like this. It's just a bit of rain."

"We can't possibly run to work in this weather," Josephine argued.

"Well, no. You could walk, I suppose," Lucile teased, earning a scoff from Josephine.

Lucile moved toward the door. "Look, I wish I could stay, but I really have to run if I’m going to make it on time. We can’t afford to be late."

Josephine stood with her arms crossed, a mixture of annoyance and resignation on her face. "I'm sure the rain will clear up later today, Josie. We'll meet back at our spot and talk more, okay? Try to take a deep breath and not stress yourself out."

[antiquatedsimmer]

crsss - crunnch The summer grass gently crinkled under the two women's feet as they finally made their way home at the end of the day.

Lucile was the first to seat herself at the vanity, slowly beginning to shed the day's work clothes. Josephine trudged through the grass, her posture slumped. “Ugh, that was awful.”

“Awful?” Lucile chuckled, “Surely it couldn’t have been that bad.”

“My feet ache, my hands and knees hurt from all the scrubbing, and I’m so tired…”

“That’s good, Josie. It means you’re doing your job right,” Lucile said, gently patting the dirt off her clothes. “It’ll get easier in time as you keep at it.”

Lucile turned in her seat to see Josephine’s pouty face. “Cheer up, love. It’ll be okay, honest. I know you’ll feel better once you can sit down and get some dinner in you. I’ll start cooking in just a moment.”

“Actually, Lucie, I was hoping we might go back to that bed and breakfast we went to before… or maybe find another place to eat tonight.”

“Wait, I thought you didn’t like their food? That’s why we left early… I know this is a tough change, but we can’t afford to be picky.”

“I know…” Josephine fidgeted, tucking her fingers behind her ears.

“Josie, I can tell something else is on your mind. If we want this to work, I need you to be honest with me.” Lucile rose from her seat to stand close to her. “It’s important you tell me what’s going on, okay? I won’t be mad. "

“I’m just scared… I’ve never done anything like this before. What if someone finds out about us? What if we can’t make it work? I’m scared about what Daddy or Silas has already done… maybe we should go back. They might go easy on us.”

Lucile’s heart sank at the sound of Josephine’s possible regrets.

“It’s hard to explain… I feel like I’m always being watched, and if I mess up…” Josephine’s voice trailed off.

“I don’t want to be imprisoned again in some reformatory for the rest of my life. I love you, I-… I’m sorry.” Josephine looked up, seeing the disappointment on Lucile’s face.

Lucile took a deep breath and gently touched her shoulders. “Hey, it’s okay. I’m not mad. Thank you for telling me.” She gently massaged Josephine’s shoulders. “I know this is scary. Until we’re in a better spot, I’m scared too. I love you, Josie, but if you want to be here, it is your choice. I would never send you away, but I won’t keep you here either.”

“My only concern is I’m not sure if they would go easy on you if you went back… It’s a scary situation, but as long as you’re here, I’ll take care of you the best I can, okay? We’re our own women out here.”

Josephine felt a portion of her anxiety melt away at Lucile’s touch and gently traced her fingers down Lucile’s arm. “Maybe you’re right.” She took a deep breath. “I think I’m just on edge… I don’t want to go back if you’re not there.”

With a loving sigh, they hugged each other tightly before Lucile spoke. “Now let’s get something to eat and a good night’s rest before we have to get up and do it all again.”

[antiquatedsimmer]

The next few nights, Lucile was quieter than she had ever been. She avoided Silas, putting great effort into not even glancing in his direction.

It had been months since she had a proper break, so early one morning, she set out on Lady for a ride, hoping to clear her mind.

Tragically, despite being the last to fall ill, Helena’s body finally gave in while Lucile was out.

The combination of family stress, her age, and the illness proved too much, and she passed away at the age of 45.

She was buried in the Henford cemetery a row beside where her mother was laid to rest.

Helena had lived in poverty her entire life and had given up hope of a normal existence when she was forced into prostitution to survive.

However, fate intervened when she met her true love, Eddy, and unexpectedly became pregnant with their firstborn, Silas.

There were days when Helena went hungry so her children wouldn’t.

The Harringtons household funs for the entirety of the 1890s was often below 1000$ ( in TS4 funds ofc )

Although she had high expectations and pushed them to develop certain skills from a young age, it always came from a genuine desire to ensure the best for them.

Helena mastered cross-stitching, knitting, herbalism, cooking, and parenting. She is survived by her two children, Silas and Lucile.

Helena Doyle Harrington 1863 - 1908🕊️

I've played the decades challenge countless times but I don't think I've ever had a founder as interesting as Helena.

I'm gonna miss her so much! My favorite Dove has finally flown away to join her mother in the afterlife.😢

[antiquatedsimmer]

THUD

THUD

Nᴇᴇᴇᴇɪɢʜ!

[antiquatedsimmer]

Tap tap tack—Josephine's heels clacked against the floor, each step a crisp rhythm swallowed by the sudden downpour.

“Goodness, it’s raining cats and dogs out there.”

The yard was already a sea of puddles, the earth greedily soaking up the rain. "Lucile must be regretting her decision to ride out this morning. Poor thing’s going to be soaked through—" CLATTER

Her thoughts were interrupted by a metallic clank from the direction of the tool shed. A glint of light caught her eye, reflecting off some glass—perhaps a bottle? She squinted through the rain,

“Lucile, what on earth is this?”

[antiquatedsimmer]

Subtitles undercut:

As they strolled back to the bramble woods, darkness had already draped its veil over the landscape. Lucile bid her goodnight to Josephine, heading upstairs to surrender to the embrace of sleep.

Meanwhile, Josephine entered her home, bracing herself for the anticipated disapproval from Silas for her late return. She hadn't managed to prepare his dinner, and she expected to hear his discontent echoing through the house.

However, to her surprise, the dwelling welcomed her with a profound silence. Ascending the stairs, Josephine discovered that Silas had retired to bed without waiting for her. There was no evidence of any effort made to stay awake until her return.

It was a peculiar sensation, a kind of hurt that settled in her chest, It was like after their wedding he had no interest in her at all. Standing before the armoire mirror, Josephine contemplated herself, whispering, "What am I doing wrong?"

[antiquatedsimmer]

Subtitles Below Cut:

Lucile and Josephine decided to stray from their usual path during their afternoon strolls and ventured into a quaint tea shop in Finchwick for a leisurely lunch and some warm tea. As Lucile and Josephine grew closer, Lucile found herself increasingly astonished by the striking commonalities they shared.

Josephine, who appeared to embody the utmost elegance and decorum, mirroring the sophistication of her family, unveiled an unexpectedly whimsical and playful side!

Lucile couldn't help but stifle her laughter in public when they delved into their animated gossip sessions. Josephine's vibrant spirit proved infectious.

As the day unfolded, they lingered in the tea shop, extending their stay into dinner. Lucile discovered a newfound appreciation for the taste of wine, While wine remained a costly indulgence for her family, she entertained the idea of strategic planning for the upcoming year. Perhaps she could learn the craft herself.