#g1c4

[fallincloversims]

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒘𝒃𝒐𝒚 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒃𝒍𝒖𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒆𝒅𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑰'𝒎 𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏' 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒎

[fallincloversims]

They were silent for a while, but the unbearable tension they’d been living with for months was gone and it was a comfortable quiet. They both knew there was still a long way to go to get back to normal and there would undoubtedly be hard times but finally, they had some hope.

Teddy: Your new hair looks cute.

Josie: Took you long enough to notice–

Teddy: I noticed! I love it.

Josie: Wait ‘til you see Dani… They came over one of the nights you weren’t here. Things aren’t the best at home for them either and, well, I’m not as good at cutting hair as they are…

[fallincloversims]

No more object babies! Meet Austin and Autumn 💕

[fallincloversims]

By the time they finally arrived home Josie was shivering, the icy fall air settled into her bones. They stood in the hallway feeling unsure of themselves once again. It had been so long since they’d spent any real time together, what had once come so naturally now felt alien.

“Uhh, so…” Teddy began hesitantly, “I can sleep on the couch–”

“No, you won’t.” Josie interjected, “I’m done with going to bed alone.”

“Babe… The nightmares are 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 bad. I don’t wanna keep you awake.”

“I don’t care if we’re up all night. I miss you… Anyway, how am I supposed to sleep in our bed knowing that you’re on your own in the living room having flashbacks? If it’s gonna happen I want to be there... Now, I’m gonna have a shower to warm up. Are you joining me?”

Teddy simply nodded, his mouth suddenly too dry to speak.

[fallincloversims]

How 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘦 he spring this on her after weeks of silence? To wake the babies from their sleep and send them to an unfamiliar house, pull her outside into the frigid evening air, and still offer no explanation?

She needed answers, and she couldn’t wait for him any longer.

She stopped dead and turned on her heel to face him the words bubbling up like vomit. She couldn't have stopped them even if she wanted to.

“𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦?” Josie demanded.

“What? Who?!”

“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜.”

[fallincloversims]

“Teddy… How you’ve been acting is 𝘴𝘰 much worse than if you’d just told me from the beginning.”

“I know that now. I didn’t mean for it to go this far. I thought I could handle it on my own, but it kept getting worse. It wasn’t just nightmares, it was the flashbacks. The reminders are everywhere. One of the horses will step on a twig and the sound reminds me of the cabin burning. I can’t look in the mirror without feeling that pain again. Even the babies… I should be happy I’m still here but all I think about is how much I almost missed.”

[fallincloversims]

Teddy once again tried to walk away but was stopped in his tracks by Malcolm grasping his arm. The rage he’d been determined to keep under control flared in his chest, sending fire coursing through his veins.

Teddy: Take your hands off of me–

Malcolm: Give me five minutes. I just want to talk.

Teddy said nothing but stopped trying to leave and stared at Malcolm expectantly, who faltered, seemingly unprepared for Teddy to actually listen to him.

Malcolm: What happened to your face?

Teddy: House fire. What happened to yours?

Malcolm: I– There’s nothing wrong with my face–

Teddy: In your opinion.

Malcolm sighed, rubbing his brow as he tried to be patient. This was harder than he expected.

Malcolm: Can we please try to be adults? We’re married men, for Watcher’s sake.

Teddy: Fine. Spit it out.

Malcolm: I heard you relapsed–

Teddy: Wha– How?

Malcolm: People talk. Just because you didn’t come to me…

Teddy: So you’re here to gloat?

Malcolm: No. Why’d you do it?

Teddy was instantly filled with shame, and the idea of opening up to Malcolm about the trauma he'd been through was impossible. Instead, he gestured vaguely at the scars marring his cheek. Malcolm nodded curtly in silent understanding.

[fallincloversims]

She wouldn’t let them see her cry. They were determined to hurt her in ways that only they could, and it had worked.

A chill wind swept past the terrace, stinging her face. She was reminded of the last time she had tried to confront them, and how it had ended on the edge of a cliff.

The bustling city streets below disappeared, replaced with relentless waves crashing against jagged rocks. She’d felt as hopeless then as she did now, but she hadn’t jumped. She’d found a way out of the suffocating control her parents had over her, and she had to believe she could do it again.