Nightshade: A SimLit | Chapter 82: Moving On

"I can't wait to meet our baby," Onyx said quietly, his lips curling into a small smile. His hand rested on Amelia's stomach, although it hadn't grown very large yet, and there certainly wasn't any kicking to feel. "It's taking too long..."

"Taking too long?" Amelia chuckled and began to softly stroke his hair. "I think you're just impatient."

His smiled widened. "Maybe I am, but I can't help it..."

His eyes fluttered closed and he sighed softly. It was getting late, and he couldn't deny that he was tired, but he'd had much more trouble sleeping lately than usual. There probably wasn't a second in the day that passed by without him worrying and doting over Amelia despite her constant protests that she was perfectly capable of handling herself. Still, he couldn't stop himself from being far more protective than usual, not to mention his overreactions to even the slightest implication she wasn't feeling well. However, his level of concern had it's advantages, too -- she wasn't going to complain about his determination to satisfy her recently developed chocolate cravings.

"Do you need anything?" he muttered, nearly half asleep already.

There was a pause. "Actually... I wanted to talk to you about something. I asked Alexander about it earlier, and he agreed, so--"

"If Alexander agreed, my answer is probably no." Onyx opened his eyes and gave her a playful, but tired, grin. "What is it?"

She laughed quietly, but her expression quickly turned serious. "...so, um, remember when we found out I was pregnant and briefly talked about moving? This house only has two bedrooms. Which is fine when the baby's a baby, but when they get older... that's going to be a problem. I know we just moved in here from a bigger house, which in hindsight was the worst luck possible, but... we still have the money from selling our house, and he said he's willing to pitch in on anything else we might need because he's coming too."

"He is? Wonderful." There was a tone of playful sarcasm in his voice.

"Hey, we moved here to be with him. We can't cheat him out of that," Amelia teased.

"You're right, though. This house doesn't have enough room." Onyx frowned. "I already expected we'd have to discuss moving sometime soon."

"I've actually already been browsing houses online. I found one I think I like, which is what made me ask Alexander if he'd be willing to sell this house and move with us."

"You have? Can I look at it?" He perked up curiously.

"You can tomorrow when I take you to it."

"...well, I guess seeing it in person would be better." Regardless of his agreement, he raised an eyebrow. "But I have a feeling there's a reason you don't want to show me yet."

"I just want it to be a surprise." She smiled innocently at him.

"...That scares me."

"It should."

---

The next day, they were well on their way to see Amelia's mysterious housing find. She'd been driving for hours until she finally reached the middle of nowhere, in the heart of rural Windenburg. Truth be told, neither Onyx or Alexander expected her to suggest moving so far from where all three of them had spent their entire lives, but perhaps a change of scenery was what they needed.

"Are we there yet?" Alexander groaned, slumping over in the back seat. He was groggy and irritable from the lack of sleep caused by Amelia dragging him out of bed at an ungodly hour of the morning, and by now, he was hardly in the mood to see the house.

"That's the seventh time you've asked in the last ten minutes." Onyx sounded exasperated. "And for the seventh time, she's going to tell you--"

"I think I took a wrong turn somewhere," Amelia interrupted. "Didn't the GPS say to go left? Or was it right...?"

"You can't be serious. If I have to stay in this car for more than another five minutes, I'm gonna lose it." Alexander whined.

"If I have to stay in this car with your brother for more than another five seconds I'm going to lose it." Onyx glanced desperately at Amelia. "Please tell me we're getting close."

"Just be patient! We should be there soon, okay?" Amelia's eyebrows furrowed as she turned onto another street. "...In fact, it's just up ahead."

"Wait, really? Where?" Alexander leaned forward, glancing around at the blank countryside. "All I see are trees!"

Almost as soon as he spoke, the house came into view. To call it a house was an understatement: it was a huge mansion, old and dilapidated, looking as though it might crumble at any moment. The exposed wood was rotten, the shutters were just barely still attached to the windows, lush overgrowth of plants and vines crept into every crevice, long cracks and scuffs ran up the deteriorating stone and stucco walls -- it was a pathetic sight to see. By taking just one glance, any normal person would think that it was beyond hope of salvation.

But Amelia wasn't a normal person.

She parked the car a short distance away and quickly got out of it, approaching the house with a grin. "Wow! It's even better in person...!"

Onyx and Alexander exchanged horrified glances before exiting the vehicle behind her, reluctantly following as they stared up at the rickety mansion.

Alexander was revolted. "Amelia, this is horrible! This thing looks dead. Like, literally, if houses could have corpses--"

"Honey, it's..." Onyx interrupted and nervously rubbed the back of his neck, carefully considering his choice of words, "...awful...ly big... don't you think?"

"I think it's amazing." Amelia frowned and started down the walkway leading to the door. "I mean, sure, it needs work, but... it's so big, and beautiful, and..."

"Beautiful?" Alexander raised an eyebrow. "I can't see it."

"You'll see when it's renovated! Besides, you're not gonna believe the price. Two hundred thousand simoleons for this entire mansion. Actually, it's a historical home -- hundreds of years old. Tell me that isn't a deal. We got double that when we sold our house!"

"Well, I see why it's so cheap," he muttered. 

"Look, I get it seems like way more than we need, but..." Amelia sighed dreamily. "The location is beautiful. Out in the peaceful forest--"

"The middle of nowhere," Alexander corrected.

"--in this giant historical mansion, worth way more than they're selling for once you fix it up... I-I don't know, I guess I just... can visualize how perfect it could be. Probably just my artistic lens, but..."

Onyx couldn't help smiling at her enthusiasm, and if there was one thing he didn't want to see, it was her disappointment. "Maybe you're right. It is a far bigger house than we need, but I guess we don't really know what the future will bring, right? And living out here does seem like a dream."

Alexander's eyebrows furrowed. "Onyx, you can't be serious!"

"I'm serious. I can see what she's saying." His smile widened and he approached Amelia, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "I bet it has more potential than you're willing to admit. Besides, how many people live in a several hundred year old mansion?"

"Uh, not many, because they're all smart enough to know it's creepy and haunted."

Onyx sighed. "I'm sure it isn't haunted. I don't find it creepy."

"Sounds like somebody's scared of ghosts." Amelia flashed Alexander a mischievous grin.

"I-I'm not scared!" Alexander snapped. "But do you have any idea how much it'd cost to renovate this thing? We're talking, like... a million dollars! Who's gonna pay for that?"

"You." Her grin widened. "I'm the luckiest girl in the world to have a rich brother, right?"

"Oh, no no no. I said I'd help--"

"Alexander, don't be greedy." Onyx's eyebrows raised. "Being a scientist brings a hefty salary as it is, but being the CEO of the science corporation you work at on top of that--"

"Just because I can afford it doesn't mean I'm going to pay for it," Alexander grumbled.

"Fine, then... don't. I guess we'll just find another house..." Amelia's fake devastation was evident in her voice. "And maybe I'll find a less stingy brother while I'm at it..."

He sighed heavily. "You're not going to be happy if I don't agree, are you?"

"Nope."

"...You're lucky I love you so much."