LJFoxie's Sims Stories: Love...And Other Dreams! A Sequel To Lions Roar, They Don't Mumble!

Danny and Ruby's life together hasn't got off to a very good start due to the unexpected and rude arrival of Danny's mother, Martha! Danny and Ruby discovered they were having a baby but had mixed feelings about it as Martha was still there after almost two months. With at least four months to go until the baby arrived Danny proposed out on the deck by the moonlight and Ruby accepted. Only thing in their way of true happiness and wedded bliss...Martha O'Hara!

CHAPTER TWO: AN UNTOLD SECRET!

Danny O'Hara woke up that morning feeling sore, he and his fiancee were still stuck with the basement while his mother continued to take advantage of their good natures! As he looked at her luggage still sitting under the stairs eight months after she arrived, he let out a defeated sigh, "She's never leaving is she?" he laughed bitterly.

Having the day off from the book store, Danny decided to do a spot of fishing. Later on in the afternoon, Ruby approached him with some news, "Danny? Your mother wants to take us out tomorrow, she's got something to show us apparently!"

"Oh great! Another day of house viewing! Really Ruby I'm happy where I am aren't you?"

"Danny don't stay out here too long, dinner's almost ready!"

Being the ever accommodating son and future daughter-in-law, Danny and Ruby humoured Martha and went to visit yet another house. Martha had stopped styling her hair and just let it hang by her shoulders, which was totally out of character. She also had an obsession with finding a house for the couple, and they'd seen many houses. This one was large, nice garden, swimming pool and garage...

"And the great thing about this is I get out of your hair! There's a lovely little apartment above the garage, great huh?" Martha chuckled as she admired the house.

"Mom? I have to go to work now, can we do this later?"

"Yeah, I have...washing to do and stuff!" Ruby lamely piped up.

"On you go Daniel, Ruby and I can have a look around, I have so much to show you!" Ruby sighed as her phone began to ring.

"That'll probably be my mum wanting to know how I'm getting on, Martha? Can we please come back again another day?"

Somehow Martha managed to talk Ruby into a tour of the house as she made her apologies to her mother on the phone. This seemed to mean a lot to her, and it was only a couple of hours out of Ruby's life...

"Is this kitchen fab or what?" Martha gushed.

"Yes it's wonderful!" Ruby couldn't tell a lie, it was amazing and so big! Martha was so pleased with herself and deep down Ruby knew all she wanted was for her son to be happy!

She heard Martha turn and walk over to a corner of the vast kitchen, "Martha?" she didn't answer, it was as if she was in a world of her own, a high chair sat by the wall, a boy's high chair.

"This was Daniel's!" and at that moment Ruby realised, this house...it belonged to Martha! She had bought it and brought most of her belongings from Los Anegios!

"Martha? Are you alright?"

"Hmm? Oh...fine dear, looking forward to this baby arriving!" but Ruby could tell there was something more, something that her future mother-in-law wasn't telling her!

"Martha? Have you bought this house?"

"Don't be angry my dear, I just feel the little house you have is far too small for a growing family!"

"Is there something wrong Martha? Please tell me? I care about you and I want you to feel you can talk to me, after all I will be marrying your son and giving birth to your grandchild. I would love for us to feel like a family!"

Martha laughed and caught Ruby off guard, "My darling we ARE a family!" she smiled and looked down at Ruby's swollen belly...

"Now, you must let me show you the nursery!"

As the two women entered the room, Ruby's breath caught in her throat! Martha had decorated this room, it was just like Danny's old nursery when he was a baby, she'd seen photos! "Oh Martha!" she whispered in awe, "It's...beautiful!"

"Little Danny will love it!" she mumbled, and Ruby wasn't sure whether she was talking to her or not! She must have been working on this for months!

"Baby O'Hara will love it grandma, won't you my sweetie?" Ruby cooed at her bump.

"Happy times my dear, happy times behind us...happy times ahead!"

"I can't believe you did this Martha! Thank you so much!"

"I was afraid you'd be cross! I'm so glad you like it my dear!"

"Only problem we have now..." Martha began,"...is convincing Daniel to move!"

Later that afternoon when Danny returned home from work, Ruby was left with the task of talking him round. "Hey honey, good day at work?"

"Rubes, what is it?"

"Oh Danny, would it be so bad if we moved into that big house? I mean...you should see the place, she's put a lot of work into it!" Danny sighed and gazed into her eyes, it didn't matter where they lived as long as he was with her!

"Okay babe, we'll move...but only if it makes you happy!"

"It does, and your mother will be happy too!"

"So you're sure about this? It was your dream to live by the sea!"

"I got my waffles and oranges for a little while, maybe I didn't get to surf but...two outta three ain't bad eh?" he laughed softly as Ruby smiled at him.

"We'll be happy Danny, I promise! It's just bricks and mortar, and the baby will have his or her own room!"

"Are you gonna tell the dragon the good news or will I?" Danny laughed a little louder and rolled his eyes.

"She's got a good heart Danny, go easy on her will you? Everything she does is out of love you know!"

"My baby's getting married!" Martha sobbed as she watched her son marry the woman of his dreams. The baby was due any day but there was just time for a little private ceremony in the back garden of their new home.

"I do!"

Danny and Ruby O'Hara were finally married. Martha threw confetti and wiped the tears of joy from her eyes. She couldn't wait for the baby to come!

"For goodness sake Daniel, put the girl down already!"

The baby was late, but rather than worry the expectant couple spent their time in the nursery waiting for him or her to arrive. Danny couldn't believe how much the nursery looked like his old one, his mother must have kept all of his things in storage!

"What was that for?" Danny gasped as his wife planted a kiss on his lips,

"Just because!" she smiled and gave him that look that meant she was happy just to be there with him at that moment, she did that a lot!

"What are you thinking?"

"Just...that mom's been acting weirder lately! She started calling me Danny, like she used to when I was little and..."

"What do you think is wrong with her? Maybe she's just getting used to being a grandmother!"

"Maybe..."

"...anyway when's this little cheeky monkey gonna make an appearance?" he bent down and stroked the bump that was fit to burst. And then something wonderful happened...

Martha O'Hara had done it again! She found herself standing outside in her nightgown unaware of how she got there or how long she had been standing there. The sun was rising as she heard screams coming from the nursery upstairs. "MOOOOOOOM!"

When she got there her son was flapping his arms around like an idiot, and she immediately panicked...the baby...it was coming!

"Quick!" She managed to utter, "To the hospital...quickly Daniel QUICKLY!!!"

Quinn Daniel O'Hara was born several hours later much to the relief of his parents. Danny and Ruby were overjoyed that he'd finally arrived and placed him in the crib that was once his father's. Martha was over the moon to have a grandson and was constantly snuggling him.

Danny was almost giddy with excitement to be a dad that he and Ruby spent nearly all of their time with their son in the nursery! Often fighting over who's turn it was to feed him or change him, Danny always wanted the feeds while Ruby tried to get him on nappy duty! He was having none of it! Martha on the other hand...

...was changing. Her mind would often wander and she would stand and stare into space, unaware of where she was or how she got there. These episodes were few and far between but they still worried her family!

Her little apartment above the garage was her haven...

...a place where she could hide from her son and daughter-in-law!

Danny and Quinn were bonding well, every moment was spent with his son, he even quit his job to be with him! He was growing fast and Danny didn't want to miss a minute of his baby days...

...a year had passed and Quinn was getting big, close to his father but besotted with his grandmother...

...Martha loved her grandson to distraction, and that's exactly what he was...a distraction! Her hair had grown and she didn't bother to tidy it, letting the grey come in even more as well. Her appearance was always key to her in the old days, but it seemed so trivial now!

"He's getting such a big boy Daniel! He'll soon be ready for the room next door!"

"Won't you Quinny? The big boy bed for you yes?"

"Mother he's only 14 months, it's a little while yet!" Danny was growing impatient of his mother and her odd ways, he hated how guarded she was, never telling him anything!

"It will soon fly by, look at you! It was only yesterday I was changing your diapers my dear!"

"Mom STOP!" Martha jumped when her son raised his voice and put Quinn down by his toys to play.

"Right mother you're going to tell me what's going on and you're going to tell me NOW!"

"Daniel don't raise your voice in front of Danny!"

"HIS NAME IS QUINN MOTHER AND YOU WILL TELL ME NOW!!!"

"Alright alright! Please, stop shouting!"

"Ruby and I are worried, you can't keep bottling things up mom!"

"I know darling, please..." Martha's eyes began to water and she dropped her arms by her sides. "...what I have to tell you...it's the reason I left the company to you Daniel. It's the reason I followed you here...the reason I needed to be near you!"

Martha looked her son in the eyes and whimpered, then she sniffed away any self pity, sighed and confessed her secret, "I've got Alzheimer's Daniel!"

"I'm not going to be your mother for much longer..."

"Let's have another baby!" Danny blurted out to Ruby, she was shocked but not surprised as she did want another child, just not this soon.

"Danny I..."

"Shh...listen, why wait huh? I'm 42 in a few months, I don't wanna be a geriatric dad I wanna play ball with my kids and be a fun guy you know Rubes?"

"I understand Danny it's just...what brought this on?"

"My mother..."

"...she's sick Ruby, she's..."

"...got to have time to know her grandchildren, like she is with Quinn. Rubes my mother won't know any of us some day and..."

"I know Danny! I know about your mother!"

Danny sat holding Ruby on the couch. She'd known all this time and she never told him! And yet he couldn't be mad at her, not Ruby! As she sobbed in his lap soaking the bottom of his hooded jacket with her tears, he stroked her hair.

"I'm sorry, I should have told you but...it wasn't my place!"

"How long have you known?"

"I...had an inkling when she bought the house last year, how she was trying to recreate your childhood. I begged her to tell me what was wrong but she wouldn't, so I had to leave her until she was ready, please don't hate me!"

"Rubes, I could NEVER hate you! You did the right thing. I love you!"

In the coming months, Ruby and Danny tried desperately for another baby. But this time around it was harder to conceive!

Quinn was growing faster and learning everything courtesy of his granny Martha!

Ruby felt like a failure, it had been over a year and she still couldn't get pregnant! Quinn was almost three years old and Martha's medication worked to a certain extent but her forgetfulness was getting worse...

Danny was desperate to have a daughter. He couldn't blame Ruby, maybe it was him! He just wanted his mother to make the most of the time she had left.

And make the most of it she did! Quinny was now three years old and walking around chatting up a storm! And their bond was solid!

One day when Martha and Quinn were upstairs, Ruby was violently sick. The third day in a row she had been poorly...

...could this be? Could she really be pregnant after more than a year of trying?

She was indeed, Martha was so happy she told Quinn all about it!

Every night Martha would watch Ruby read Quinn a bedtime story and enjoy seeing his face light up as she did the funny voices and the dramatic sound effects...

...but this evening, an ever expanding Ruby stood up and handed Quinn to her, "I think Quinny would like to have a story from grandma tonight, what do you think?"

"...and the evil step-mother said to Cinderella you shall never leave this cellar! You will cook and clean and be our servant! Go to the ball? Why you little..."

"...Prince Charming and Cinderella lived happily ever after, then end!"

"Again gwamma, AGAIN!"

"That's your mommy and daddy Quinny! They were Prince Charming and Cinders you know!"

"Weely?"

Happy to be pregnant, Ruby and Danny spent the coming months preparing for the new arrival, while Martha would sit and stare into space more frequently. She started calling Quinn Danny, and would often mistake her son for her husband. Ruby wasn't sure of what to do...