The Pole Renovacy Chapter 3

Chapter 3

This is based on Hi-de-Hi’s gift to me from the Holiday Gift Exchange. House here: https://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=9351043 And family here: https://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=9351042 Tad was staring numbly at the bills (again) when May came in from school. She sat down at the table with him. Her bottom lip trembled, in a way that was too reminiscent of Ice for Tad’s comfort.
“Daddy. Why are those letters red?”
No point in beating around the bush with her.
“They’re bills. And we have to pay them straight away. Or the repo man will come and take things away from us. We have to sell something.”
“Can’t you get a job?”
“It’s not that simple. Who would look after Ice? Good childcare costs a lot of money.”
It wasn’t just the childcare costs either. Tad had a big gap in his CV now. They were living somewhere new, where he had no contacts. And it seemed to require so much effort just to get through the day, any day…
“Daddy, what will we do then?”
“We’ll have to sell something.”
“Not my bike!”
“No.” The bike had been the last birthday present Star had given May. Not the bike. He looked round the room at the cracked pots, terrible furniture…
“The suitcases. They’re the smartest, newest things here. But that means that we won’t be able to pack up and leave. We have to make a go of it here.”
There was a long silence as they both faced that truth. “What’s for tea? Did you catch something nice today?”
They’d paid the bills. For now.
“No, I didn’t manage to do any fishing. It’ll have to be cereal, I’m afraid.” At least with cereal, they only used the electricity for the fridge.
And the guilt he felt as May got herself a bowl of cereal without complaining was heart-wrenching. At least she had a good lunch at school. May was trying a bit harder to be helpful, Tad noticed, but always as though it hurt her to help. He missed having someone on his side, someone who was willing to try and make things work. She would play with Ice, so that Tad could get something done in the garden more easily, but Tad had to ask her every time. He was trying not to shout at her again: he hadn’t liked that argument, hadn’t liked who he was seeing himself become. Was there anything he could get her to do that would actually help them move forwards even the tiniest bit? “May?” Tad called. She came over to him.
“Would you like to learn to fish?”
Ice followed her over, complaining about Being left Alone Suddenly, and Where Was His Playmate? And now it was Tad’s turn to watch Ice, as May bravely cast her rod for the first time. Star’s rods. And now they were her daughter’s rods. He blinked to clear the tears pricking at the back of his eyes at the thought of Star and focussed on his son. Their son. Ice was starting to walk! The garden was still unweeded, but so what. At last Tad felt like he was – possibly – beginning to do something right for his children. Without Star, he just felt…adrift. Tad took Ice back home to change him and feed him once he was satisfied that May knew what she was doing. Going back into the house he realised that May was right. He hadn’t done anything to clean this place up. That night, eating under the stars, they ate fish that May had caught.
“It doesn’t taste as nice as yours, Daddy,” she said. “It’s only a little fish.”
“I think it does,” said Tad. “And you’ll get better with practice.” The house looked a little better – but not much. Tad took some old crates to pieces and patched the holes in the floor. Next step would be to fix the doors before winter came. They had plenty of wood outside for the ancient stove, but it would help if there wasn’t such a free flow of air through the house!
Some nights he and May were still on cereal for an evening meal. Life mostly seemed to consist of trying to save or make enough money for the next round of bills. “As long as it’s free, we can go.”
“It’s free. It’s a community garden. I mean, there are things there that you can spend money on, but you don’t have to.”
Tad was beginning to explore the neighbourhood a bit more, and May had told him about this park.
“I pass it on my way to school on the bus, and Karl told me about it. Everyone calls it MamaD’s park, though it’s got a proper name too. Karl and Loki both said it’s fun and Karl’s going tomorrow. He says I need to take my swimming things.”
And when they got there, Tad saw why. Watching May actually enjoy herself for once made Tad realise how grim and earnest life had become since Star died. No, since Star fell so ill.
“Go on” he said. “I’ll treat you. You can have one turn on the grab-a-prize if you want.”
“Really?” May was full of surprise and delight: over such a small thing, he thought. “Karl says anyone can pick the fruit and veg here,” May said absently as she reached for the controls. She jerked her head towards the dark-haired boy face-planting on the waterslide.
“Really?” Tad said, far from absently.
“Yep.” “Stay there with May,” Tad said firmly to Ice, and headed for the nearest tree. Ice knew that tone of voice and obediently stayed put, listening to his sister’s very vocal concentration. “Look, I won something! Thank you, Daddy! But I’ll let you share it, Ice.”
It was getting dark and it was past time to head home – it was a good job there was no school tomorrow, Tad thought!