The Smallwood Family Legacy Generation Two: A Sims 4 Story

Chapter Twenty: Oh Baby!

Dad fussed over Chester constantly, the rest of us barely got a look in! But he had mastered the parenting skill so he was more than capable of meeting his grandson's needs!

I think it was also a way of avoiding the fact that he'd put on a few pounds lately. Every time I broached the subject he disappeared upstairs to the nursery and hid away. He was afraid I would talk him into training with me!

Chester adored his grandfather, and I always knew that he was well taken care of! He wasn't a very noisy baby, he was happy and content.

Which made things easier for me and his mother. Jess was going through a bout of the "baby blues", as she called it. Mum told me to leave it and she would handle it. So I spent some time with my son.

The time had just not been right to confess my love to Jessica. I gazed down at my son in awe, we made this amazing little guy together! I was crazy about Jess, I was so glad I got her pregnant, if Chester hadn't come along I was scared of what Jess and I would have become without him!

The twins were still here helping their sister adjust to motherhood, but I knew that sooner or later they would want to move into their homes in Newcrest and leave us to it. That was when I intended to tell Jess I was in love with her and wanted to be with her forever! I was shit scared though, I had no idea how she would react, and I didn't have a clue if she loved me...or if she even liked me!

Stacey announced that she would be moving out the next day and taking Kittie with her. Jessica was devastated, she put on a brave face though...

...behind that painted on smile was a girl having to let her younger siblings go, and her heart was breaking!

Sawyer announced suddenly that he was moving out too. He'd apparently been seeing a young woman in Newcrest when he was decorating the house we bought for him. That young woman turned out to be Leah Vogel!!! Imagine my surprise when he told me her name! I was concerned about him, even more so when he told me she was about to drop his kid any day! Jessica could see my concern too, and she knew all about Leah, we'd talked about her a lot when we were meeting up at the Bluffs.

But Sawyer assured me he had his eyes wide open. He'd moved her into his house and the time had come for him to join her and prepare for the birth. He then dropped the bomb that he'd eloped with her the night before, yep she was now Mrs Leah Adkins! I worried so much for him, I knew she was a snake in the grass!

And that very night, she gave birth to a son, Ty Adkins! She and Sawyer seemed pretty loved up, I just hoped she'd changed her ways and that this marriage would last...for little Ty's sake, my nephew! Geez I was the uncle of Leah Vogel's son! Strange world!

Stacey had decided to pop round to meet the baby, and Leah, when she bumped into Beejey Connors, a friend of the new Mrs Adkins. He was an artist, he was a father of two kids already and no sign of a wife or girlfriend, but Stacey seemed to like him!

She happened to mention her colour scheme dilemma in her new home when Beejey offered to help her...

...ya know I thought the "help" involved picking out paint and wallpaper and carpets...that kind of thing...but within a day Stacey had dropped Kittie as her bed partner and replaced her with a silver haired hunk!

Jess and I found ourselves auntie and uncle once again, when Stacey and Beejey welcomed twin girls into their family not long after their secret wedding. Marley and Skylar Connors were the apples of their parents' eyes! Beejey was a cool dude, I hoped he would treat Stacey right, heaven knows she deserved it!

Back at home, mum was loving having a baby in the house again. She stole a few moments with Chester before dad nabbed him again, he was always tending to his grandson.

I still hadn't found the courage to say the L word to Jessica, she was happy to just roll along and raise Chester in our casual situation. I may not have told Jess she was the love of my life, that I was forever hers, but I felt it was right for us to be husband and wife. "Jessica, we have a beautiful son together so it only seems right, will you marry me?" She looked down at the ring in shock, then a huge smile spread across her adorable face and she nodded.

"Yes!" She cried, "Yes Landon I will marry you!"

We sealed our engagement with a kiss, oh how I wished I could tell her! I had no idea what was going on, did she just see this as a marriage of convenience? Was she just marrying me for stability and a roof over her head? I had to stop comparing her to Leah! If Jessica Adkins was anything like Leah, mum would have sussed by now!

"When do you...um...want to do this?" She asked timidly as I swung her around excitedly.

"How about tonight?" I replied a little too enthusiastically. Her big purple eyes bulged in surprise, but then she smiled and said,

"Yeah why not!"

So that very night, we invited our families round to witness our nuptials. I intended to make Jessica truly fall in love with me and never want to leave! Casual? I wanted the whole cake and eat it too, I didn't care what it took to make her mine completely!

Everyone gathered around and caught up, or met for the first time in some cases. Stacey and Sawyer hadn't seen each other since the Connors twins were born. I was happy to see all my sisters make it, it meant the world to me!

And Jessica was now mine, on paper at least! She was Mrs Landon Smallwood, Lady Jessica Smallwood of Wolfsbane Manor! I intended to keep her, forever! She was gonna be mine, all mine! And tonight we were gonna make another baby, seal this damn deal so she could never leave!

I could have done without my brother-in-law photo bombing our wedding picture, but dad managed to crop him out. He was an expert photographer.

And while we partied downstairs, dad flew to Chester's room where he felt most content...

...and was there for him when he aged into a cute little toddler!

He dressed him in clothes appropriate for a wedding and took him downstairs to show him off to the family. As Chester sat smugly on his grandfather's favourite chair...

...I could see that his charmer trait was in full working order as his Auntie Raven let out an excited yelp and shuffled over towards him.

"CHESTER???" She exclaimed as he giggled and gurgled.

"Annnnnnteeeeee Raveeeeeen!" He babbled and clapped his chubby hands together. Mum sat down to get a better look at him, he had his mother's berry skin and my pointy ears, dad's brown hair and big bluey grey button eyes like me!

 "Oh my gosh Landon, he's beautiful!" Raven gushed over her nephew.

"Yep, that he is Rave! I'm in love!" Was all I could reply, because at that very moment...I was! I loved my son with all of my heart! And I loved his mother, how would I get the words out though?

"Just say them, blurt them out!" Raven whispered, damn sister, damn mind reader!
"What?" I spluttered, knowing full well what she was getting at!

We both gazed at Chester in awe, "Landy tell Jessica she's your soul mate! You may be surprised by the outcome!" Raven winked, and left me to drink in the beauty of my little boy, my toddler, man this was going to be a blast! I couldn't wait to teach him how to be a little man, and how to charm the ladies!

Something I intended to do to his mother! I gave her a look, a look that said come and woo hoo with me it's our wedding night! And she took the hint! We undressed each other in a feverish and clumsy way that had us giggling as we jumped under the covers. It was just as sweet, tender and mind blowing as usual...she was my missing puzzle piece that dad had told me about a while ago!

She fell asleep, absolutely spent, but I pretended so I could watch her. I took in her beautiful face, she was stunning! The colour of her skin was just perfect, and now our boy had inherited it! I felt so content there in that bed with her, I never wanted to leave!

But then she woke up and gasped "Chester, where is he???" We both jumped out of bed and blushed at each other, not the first woo hoo by a long shot, but something had changed. Maybe it was woo hoo as a married couple, I dunno, but as she hurriedly threw on her wedding dress to find Chester, I stood and grinned at her like a goof. "I love you!" I mumbled.

"Did you say something?" She asked me quietly as she fussed with her zip.

"N-n-no!" I stammered, "No nothing!"

We shouldn't have worried about wee Chester, he was busy charming his aunts in the garden, completely safe!

The morning after the wedding, Jess took a pregnancy test. I heard her crying happily and giggling in the bathroom...

"Well?" I asked her as she came out beaming, as if I didn't know the answer!

"We're having another baby, baby!" She called me baby! She never called me anything but Landon, no pet names, never!

"Let's break out the plasma cocktails, this is a celebration after all!" I chuckled as she stuck out her tongue in disgust, non vampires and plasma were not a good mix!

"So you're happy?" She gave me an apprehensive smile.

"Babe I planned this, of course I'm happy!" Her smile transformed into a scowl.

"You PLANNED THIS? LANDON!" She shouted, slapping my arm and laughing at my arrogance.

"Yeah, you're so sexy when you're pregnant!" I winked. There was definitely something changing between us, I hoped there was, I wished there was!

We spent as much time as we could with Chester while he was at this impressionable age, we showed him we were a loving mum and dad. We gave him plenty of cuddles but also a healthy helping of discipline to even it out.

He was a happy little boy, who loved his granddad the most. I can't deny it stung a bit, I was his daddy, but it was always "Ganpa dis, ganpa dat!" with him. I hoped he would grow to idolise me just as much, because I worshipped my dad when I was his age!

And to my delight, it didn't take very long for me to become Chester's new superhero! "Daddy so stwoooong!" He giggled as I spun him around playfully.

"Yeah kiddo, strong enough to crush all the monsters!"

"Not all monstas are bad daddy!" He shook his head as if I was a bug dummy.

"Oh? What monsters are good then?"

"Hulk daddy, aaaannnnnddd Suwwy monsta!" My son was obsessed with a big bright blue monster with purple spots and horns, Sully from Monsters Inc.!

"Okay, I'll give you them!" I nodded as he snuggled into me.

"I wuv you daddy!" He mumbled into my neck, it made me wanna cry with joy. Jessica came in and smiled sweetly.

"Well if it isn't my two favourite boys!"

"Grandma Trixie is looking for you Chester, she has a new book to read you!" I looked at Jess, I didn't think I could love her any more than I already did, but every day my love just grew and grew!

"You come hear story daddy?" Chester looked up at me in expectation.

"Sure, let's go kiddo!"

Mum was in her element reading a fantasy book to her grandson, she and dad were always happiest surrounded by kids! She kept fussing over Jess and telling her how excited she was for this baby, and how great Chester was going to be with him or her.

Now that I was man of the house, I decided that the damn curfew that plagued me all my teenage life was gonna go! But as I listened to my mother read to my son, I wondered if I would regret abolishing it when Chester got older. I'd do anything to keep him safe!

We were a very close family, mum approved of Jessica and insisted that she call her mum too. Chester loved everyone, he was a very loving little boy. We were always doing something as a group, and while dad was at work it was a great opportunity to spend some time with Chester without him monopolising him!

After the twins left, mum needed something to fill the gap and Chester was the ideal candidate! She would often teach him manners, but being so sweet he felt insulted that she had to teach him that at all! "So you always say please when asking for something, and thank you when receiving it. Do you understand Chesty?"

"Gamma I knows, water pweeze! Tank ooh! I does it Gamma, I is good boy!"

"Yes, you are! Now you do know to say sorry yes?"

"Yes Gamma, I knows!"

Chester and mum spent a lot of time together, she would read him stories, fantasy mostly, and she would teach him about vampire lore. Being a little vampire, mum believed that the younger he was to learn the better.

Jessica finally told Chester that he was getting a baby brother or sister, and he was very excited about it. He babbled away to his mother about sharing his toys with them, and playing with them. Jess asked him what he would like to name them, "Suwwy for a boy and...Mike for a gurl!" Jessica laughed out loud,

"Not Boo for a girl?" Chester thought for a moment and nodded.

"Yeah dat's better! Boo!"

After his snack, Chester became cranky. I heard Jessica trying to soothe him as he whimpered and demanded to be let out of his high chair. "Out mama out!" He was very specific about things, for example the nursery, he wanted it to be green so I had to change it all just for him.

"Okay baby, let's get you down for a little nap huh?"

"I not sweepy!" He grumbled as my dad appeared beside me outside.

He took one look at Jess putting Chester into his little bed and grumped. Since Chester had become a toddler and learned to speak, he gave us all the chance to spend time with him, which didn't sit well with dad.

"You can't have him all to yourself Caleb!" Mum scolded him.

"Hmph!"

"Now Chester, here's a book grandma picked out just for you!" Jess opened it to the first page as Chester got comfy.

But as soon as he saw his grandparents having a slight argument over who was going to put him to bed later, Chester joined in...

...but the little guy was so tired he curled up on the floor and fell asleep, "Now look what you've done!" My mother groaned at my father.

"Me? You're the one who..."

"Guys stop!" I heard Jess plead, "Mum will you wake him and read him the book?"

Jess told me that mum's smug face made dad flounce off in a mist. But she managed to get our little tyke to sleep within minutes of reading to him, she had a soothing voice, I remembered when I was Chester's age she could lull me to sleep almost instantly.

I was frustrated! I still was being a chicken shit and hadn't told Jessica that, not only was she my wife, but she was my true love! So I took it out on the bag on the porch.

It wasn't working! So I sought out Jess and found her doing laundry. I grabbed her and kissed her as passionately as I could, feeling her gorgeous little bump pressed against my abs. "I love you Jessica!" I whispered breathlessly as I looked deeply into her eyes.

As she turned to walk away my stomach was doing somersaults, "Jessica did you hear what I said?"

"Yes!" She replied, 

"Is that it? I tell you I love you and you walk away?"

"I don't believe you!" Her words broke my heart.

"Why don't you believe me?" There was a long silence, she still hadn't turned to face me, and with her back to me she said softly,

"Because I could never be that lucky!" And she left me standing there, stunned and confused!

That night, mum and dad sat me down looking serious. Drinks in hand, they looked at each other with nervous eyes, what was this all about? "Son, we asked to have a chat with you because..." My dad began, and my mother looked relieved that she didn't need to get the ball rolling. Was this about Jess again? Because I knew what I wanted now, I wanted her and our children, I knew now that I loved her! I told her and she didn't believe me!

And when she sat down with us, my face went beetroot red! "Landy, we asked you and Jessica here so that we can...discuss what happens next!" My mother announced.

"What do you mean?" I shook my head in confusion.

"We mean..." My dad backed her up, "...the legacy! You and Jessica are married now and your family is expanding nicely..."

"...so in order to give you the space you require, and the privacy..." I didn't like where this was going. Dad seemed a little unsure of his words as mum kept goading him with her eyes.

"And this is for your own good Landy!" She added.

"We have decided that the best way forward, for all of us, to allow your legacy to progress..." God dad get on with it will you???

"...would be for your mother and I to move out and find our own place!" I immediately shot up and scraped my chair back noisily.

"I don't wanna hear this!"

"LANDON!" My dad growled at me.

"NO! I'm not listening to this...CRAP!"

I stormed into the living room, but my father was already there! Damn Master Vampire with his super powers! "Landon sit down! You WILL listen!" I did as I was told as my mother had joined us.

We sat in silence for a few moments until I broke the ice, "Where's Jessica?"

"She went for a lie down, the baby is kicking her a little too harshly." My mother said softly.

"Well I don't wanna listen to your bullshit, I don't want you going anywhere!"

"Landon Vatore Smallwood you are a grown man, start behaving like one!" My dad yelled at me, he never yelled at me!

"Caleb, darling!" My mum shook her head in disapproval, "Landy we are simply taking up space that could be occupied by babies!"

"I don't want to live here without you!" I mumbled sadly.

"Darling Landy, Jessica needs to feel like the Lady of the Manor, and you...well you need to truly feel like the Lord you were born to be!"

"Listen to your mother Landon! We are doing this for you! You don't want us hanging around here while you grow your family! We will be close by, There's a lovely house in Newcrest just down the road from the twins. It really is the best thing for all of us!"

"But dad this is your home! Yours and Aunt Lilith's! And home is where you should stay!" My dad blinked a few times, he was hiding his emotions but I knew he didn't want to go just as much as I didn't want him to!

"Son, my sister left to give me and your mother room a long time ago. Before you were even born! It is our turn to do the same!" I knew he didn't believe what he was saying. I knew he wanted to be here forever with mum, but he was putting me first, like he always put his kids first! I wanted so much to be like him, maybe one day I would be half the man he was! But I just wasn't prepared to lose my parents yet!

And then my mum changed her tune, she could sense what dad was feeling every time. They were soul mates after all! "Caleb, darling...maybe we should...stay a while longer, just until this new baby arrives. You and I both know they will have their hands full with two! We were completely snowed under with three!"

"Yeah dad!" I insisted, "I need you!" I pleaded, and I gave him my best puppy eyes.

Dad looked down at the ground and thought for a long time. His face, it broke my heart, he wanted to stay but he also wanted to do what was best for me! "I just want to do what is right, not what is easy!"

"The easy thing would be to abandon me with Jessica and two kids! Come on dad, stay a little while longer?" Dad nodded in defeat as mum tried to make him feel better about his decision.

"This is the right thing to do Caleb my darling!"

Mum left me and dad to talk, while she went to look for Jess, who was now in the front garden looking up at the sky. "Jessica dear!"
"So please tell me you're not leaving me?"

"I am not!" Jess sighed happily and smiled.

"Thank the Lord! I need you here mum, I can't handle Landon AND the kids alone!" She chuckled.

"Oh I think you could get my Landy to do anything you wanted!"

"What do you mean?" My mum laughed softly and shook her head.

"Silly girl, he's madly in love with you! Always has been, since that night at the Bluffs when you both agreed to be 'casual'!" Mum pronounced the word casual like it left a bad taste in her mouth, "Jessica my dearest, you are his soul mate!"

Jessica went all quiet and giggly on me for some reason after her chat with mum outside. But that was the least of my worries as I caught Chester with his hands in the toilet, a pastime my oldest sister Vivaana once took part in according to my dad.

It was tough telling him politely not to do that, that it was dirty water. He gave me a dirty look and had a slight tantrum, not understanding why it was a bad idea.

"You see Chester, it's dirty water kiddo!"

"Why?"

"Because it is!"

"Why?"

He was a handful, a charming handful nonetheless, and when I offered to play with him and pretend to fly...

...he was all for it! Quality time with my son, it was the best thing in the entire world! Hearing his little giggles and squeals and "Faster daddy!" made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!

He wasn't really a fan of being upside down though, a lesson I learned the hard way as he began to squeal but this time in fear!

"Okay Professor Chester, we need to find the relic in the tomb before the mummy comes out of his coffin and EATS USSSSSS!"

"GAH NO DADDY!"

Jessica seemed to be acting all shy school girl around me. I wanted to know exactly what mum had said to her, before my parents sat us down and announced they were moving out...and then promptly changed their minds...Jess refused to believe my declaration of love! She was even upset!

I tried to take my mind off of that whole episode by spending the afternoon with my son. I told him that the dishwasher was alive and wanted to eat his grandmother, only he could save her! He loved that story and I left him to rescue her.

"Gamma I save you!"

"What's that darling?"

"Frum da deeshwasher demon!"

"Oh Chester darling, thank you!" Mum was so great, she played along to everything Chester did, as long as it wasn't dangerous or upsetting to him. I was lucky to have her and dad here still!

Jessica loved to paint, so dad bought her an easel, he said he wanted to have her first painting so that when she was famous he could say he discovered her. She blushed and told him she wasn't that great at it, but typical dad, he encouraged her to follow her dreams. Chester watched her paint and wished he could have his own easel, I made a mental note of this for when he grew into a child.

He was still struggling to walk, everything else came as second nature to him, but walking was a real challenge!

But this one day he managed to get down the front steps and go for a wander all by himself...

He wandered round the back, where Uncle Vivaan and the dogs were buried, and being a curious little man he had to go over and investigate.

That's when Jess found him, crying by the graves! "Oh Chester sweetie what ever is the matter?"

"Mummy, they people...they died!"

"Yes sweetheart but..."

"Why do people die mummy?"

"Chester baby that is how life works. We all die, but we all live for a long time before we do! And when it is finally our time, we go to heaven and meet up with all the people we loved that died before us! It's like being really tired after a long day and just...going to sleep!"

"So we go to sleep? And we wakes up somewhere else?"

"Yes honey, when we are old we are tired and we sleep. Then we wake up in heaven! So don't cry because heaven is beautiful and everyone is happy there!"

"Love you mummy!"

"Aww I love you too, more than anything in this world!"

When I arrived back home from work that night, my pregnant wife was beating on my punching bag with real ferocity.

She told me that I had to go and talk to Chester about the graves, about death and about heaven! She coached me in what I was supposed to say.

So I did, I backed her up! Later she told me all about him finding our graveyard and how upset he had been, I kissed her on the cheek and told her she'd handled it amazingly. That got a shy smile out of her. I was so scared to push it any further after she had refused to believe that I was in love with her.

I now had a little workout buddy, Chester wanted to know all about my routine and how you grew up to get "big muskels".

Jessica was painting and listening to the whole conversation, thinking how cute it was! I just wished that I could have a real heart to heart with her and tell her that my love for her was real! But I was so afraid to drive her away!

She was looking more and more beautiful every day, she glowed all through her pregnancy with Chester, and this time round was no different! Man I loved that girl!

She tried to fit in as much time with Chester as she could, she felt that all her time would be given to the baby when he or she arrived, and she didn't want Chester to feel left out.

Chester was excited, he showed me the toy he was going to give to the baby. It was his favourite toy and he wanted his baby sibling to have it!

His toy helicopter! But he wanted to say goodbye so he had one last little play before he passed it on. He was such a little cherub!

I was feeling confused and I couldn't sleep, it felt like Jess expected something from me and I was afraid to get it wrong! I wanted to take her in my arms, tell her that my love for her was the real deal and that I'd loved her since I saw her naked up at the Bluffs!

And when she passed me, I thought it was the right time...wrong Landon! "Jessica, baby can we talk?"

"No, I...ugh I feel like crap!"

I didn't push, I knew she was feeling extra uncomfortable during this third trimester. Never mess with a pregnant lady!

Turns out she was in labour, I heard her scream and came running! I helped her up to the nursery and over to the crib. I wondered what colour the new baby would demand it to be, and if Chester would be down with it.

Chester was concerned for his mother, and never left her side the whole time she was in labour! 

Baby Jude arrived, our second son and a brother for Chester. My parents' knack of producing girls obviously didn't run in the family, two boys, dad would be jealous haha!

He was just as perfect as his big brother, and just as cute!

Chester was fascinated by Jess breastfeeding Jude, he stared for a long time and asked why she was doing that, when I told him she fed him that way too when he was a baby, he stuck out his tongue and grunted! Kids!

We were a little worried about Chester, and if he would accept his brother. But we had no reason to be, he was thrilled and approached the crib happily. "Hi!" He greeted the sleeping newborn, "I'm your big brotha!"

Jessica concentrated on painting while Jude had a new admirer...

...yeah my dad was back to his old ways! Hogging the baby! Not that we complained because we were gonna need all the help we could get!

And as baby Jude smiled up at me, only a day old, I was already itching for more kids!

To Be Continued...