#janet lancaster

[verdantsims]

The Grim Reaper accepted none of Atticus’ pleas. This left Atticus defeated as he fell away from the specter of death. Behind them Annabelle burst into fresh tears at the sound of Atticus’ failed attempt. Her father’s cousins across the street had always been such a large part of her life and Roland had been no exception. Adam was left confused and overwhelmed by everything around him and clutched desperately to his cousins dress. He’d been too young to remember his father’s untimely death; This was a new experience for him.

All around family sobbed over their loss. The Grim Reaper sauntered into the middle of the circle to finish his work. Of everyone none sobbed louder than Christopher. He was much older than his brother; By all accounts he expected that he should have gone first. Instead he was watching as his brother moved on to the beyond. His body was so wracked with sobs that Janet had to take him into his arms to keep him upright. What had begun as a joyous day was now drenched in a family’s tears.

[verdantsims]

There was much mingling after the ceremony. The drinks began to flow as the chairs were rearranged and the tables brought in.

[verdantsims]

“You know, there are so many opportunities for an aspiring chef here!” Janet said. “You could come out here and totally make it big!”

“I’d be lying if I said the thought hadn’t occurred to me,” Charleen admitted. She looked out through the large windows and over the landscape of the city. “I’ve never lived somewhere like this, though. The closest was Windenburg, but even that was more of a modern village. Still, I do want to achieve my dreams...”

“No pressure, of course!” Janet laughed. “After all, if you moved out where before I could follow I’d be short a dear friend!”

“Likewise,” Charleen said. She smiled sincerely. “Come on, let’s keep looking around.”

[verdantsims]

As Alessandra was reading one evening she received a visit from a new member of the household. Little Christen Rankin finally arrived from the safe place she’d been left at during the vampire scare. Now that Janet and Christopher were confident that they had the penthouse secured they were ready to bring their daughter to their new home.

“Braids.” Christen stopped just short of Alessandra and was staring intently at her hair. “Braids! Play?”

Alessandra ignored her which only served to confuse Christen. Janet sat down by her and looked to her daughter’s confused face. “Is something wrong?”

“Braids play?” Christen asked. Janet smiled and looked over to Alessandra.

“Cousin,” Janet said. “Your cousin is sad. Maybe she will play later.”

[verdantsims]

On her way back from the bathroom, Alessandra stopped across from the bar. She saw a familiar face, though not a face she had met before.

“I know you,” she said confidently. The woman she spoke to had been glancing at a painting but appeared to be waiting for something.

“Oh? Is that so?” the woman asked.

“Yes! You’re my Aunt Janet! I saw you in daddy’s big picture with his brothers and sister!” Alessandra smiled confidently at having revealed the woman’s identity. The woman nodded and smiled.

“Yes, I am your aunt,” Janet said. “That makes you Alessandra. I’m glad to meet you but we’ll have to get to know each other better later. Come with me, now, back to you table dear.”

Janet took Alessandra’s hand and led her back to the table where Charleen had been listening to Caleb. Christopher stepped up and took Alessandra’s other hand as they came into Charleen’s sight. Rather than appear surprised or happy she appeared cautious.

“Wait, Caleb and you two?” The couple motioned Alessandra to go to her dad.

“You and Atticus need to go with Caleb now,” Janet said. “We’re taking Colten and Alessandra home. We’ll protect them from any vampires that may make a move and we’ll protect them in transition. But for that to happen you need to leave now.”

[verdantsims]

It was nothing big or fancy, but eager Atticus had his birthday and with everyone still dressed from work!

[verdantsims]

Walking to the bus stop was quiet and slightly awkward on Christopher’s part. Sensing something was off, Janet reached over and took his hand firmly in her own. “Hey you, worrying about my brother still?” she asked

“Partly, yeah,” he admitted. “I’ll be honest, I didn’t plan for how to approach him when we announced everything. When you showed your ring to him... I wonder if we shouldn’t have said anything sooner.”

“Maybe,” Janet admitted. “He definitely looked concerned, like used to be when I was younger, but he also looked hurt.” She sighed, then smiled brighter. “It’s something that I’ll need to deal with because it will only be worse when he finds out what I- What we are going to do.” 

“We’ll face it together,” Christopher said. He gripped her hand tighter and smiled back at her encouragingly.

[verdantsims]

“Janet! Christopher!” Charleen was the first to see them after they’d been assigned their own tablet. “We didn’t expect to see you two here!”

“Especially not together,” Colten added in a somewhat cautious tone. Christopher smiled to Janet nervously and they both were grateful for the waitress who came to take his empty plate at that moment.

“Well, this is just as much a surprise for us,” Janet said quickly. “I thought you’d both be home tonight.”

“Madeline went to visit and offered to stay and watch Atticus at the house so that we could step out for dinner,” Charleen said. She glanced to Colten, who was eyeing Christopher suspiciously, before asking, “Should we not be here for any reason?”

“Well, we just...” Christopher felt himself shrinking under Colten’s look and Janet picked up on it quickly.

“We weren’t ready to say anything but I guess cat’s out of the back,” Janet said quickly in one breath. She flashed her hand at Colten just long enough for him to see the small glint on her finger. As her hand retreated back under the table he covered his mouth, muffling a small shriek that Charleen would have found amusing in other circumstances.

“Oh, you’re together,” Charleen said plainly. “Very together. Well, we’ll just find our table and let you-” She reached for Colten but he didn’t budge.