8.37 Reunited

Owen left the Gabriels’ in a horrible state. It was after 3:00, and his children should have been arriving at any minute. But he needed to calm down and get his mind right, so he sent Ryan a text saying that he was running late and they should just come for dinner at 6:00. Owen went home and swam laps in the pool for a while. There is something about cool, chlorinated water that just makes a Sim’s worries melt away. Just as Owen was getting out of the shower, they came. Owen ran downstairs and saw his two young Sims on the porch and forgot all about everything that happened earlier. Roland just happened to be arriving at home at that time too.

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“Hey, son!”

“Hi, dad.”

“Well…isn’t this nice,” Roland said.

“Kiara’s not coming in,” Owen asked.

“I think she’s nervous.”

“Ok. Why don’t you go ahead in the kitchen? We’ll meet you there. Roland, can you take him to Alayna, please?”

“Sure thing.”

Owen went outside to greet his daughter. At the sight of her, his heart melted in a way that only a daughter can melt a man’s heart.

“Kiara…you’re so beautiful! You look just like your mother.”

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“Hi,” she said in a timid voice.

Tears formed in Owen’s eyes as he reached out to grab hold of her.

“I’m so sorry, honey! I’m so sorry! All of this is my fault, and I’m so sorry you had to go through all of this. But, I’m here now, and I’m not going anywhere, ok?”

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“I love you,” she said as she clung to him with tears rolling down her face.

Owen didn’t want to let her go. Having her in his arms made the world bright and beautiful again. He felt like anything was possible as long as she was in his corner.

“Dad? Can we take a picture for my Simstagram?”

“Of course we can.”

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“Beautiful,” Owen said proudly. “Can you send that to me?”

“Sure.”

She uploaded the picture to her profile.

Me and my dad!! #finally #lovehim #sohappy #soblessed #lifeisgood #imarealpruettnow #takethatgabriels #watcherdontlikeugly #youwillgetyours

In the kitchen, Alayna had prepared some lobster tortellini for the first time. It came out quite well. However, most everyone wasn’t hungry yet, so only Owen and his kids ate. But, she gathered everyone to the table anyway.

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“Everyone,” Owen said, “I want you to meet my children!! This is my son, Ryan, and my daughter Kiara.”

“Hey, cousins! I’m Devan. Welcome to the fam!”

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“Oh, that was nice, honey,” Alayna said proudly. “I’m Aunt Alayna, and that’s my husband, Uncle Roland. This is my youngest son, Anthony.”

“Hello,” Anthony said.

“I’m Uncle Brady. This is my wife Viviana. You’ll have a new cousin tomorrow!”

“Thank you all for welcoming them so freely and enthusiastically. I feel different. I feel stronger…and wiser. If I could turn back the hands of time and save all of us from what I put us through, I would. But, because of what’s been done, and the things I learned–especially in the past 24 hours–I can say that I’ve never been more ready for this journey we’re going on, Ryan and Kiara. I’m sorry…that wasn’t exactly the moment for a speech, but I just wanted to say what was in my heart. Let’s eat now!”

Those who were eating ate, and everyone else talked and had the classic, loud, vibrant, Pruett-style family dinner. Ryan and Kiara had never felt more welcomed any place in all their lives.

After dinner, the household Pruetts, and Holmes, went their separate ways leaving the new Pruetts alone together.

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They talked and laughed and shared and smiled and soaked up every bit of togetherness they could garner as the evening came to a close.

“You guys should be heading home now,” Owen said.

“We don’t wanna go back there,” Ryan said.

“We wanna stay with you,” Kiara whined.

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“If there is one thing that I really want right now, it’s for you to stay with me. Believe me, I would invite you to stay, but we just don’t have any room.”

“We could get tents and sleep in the yard,” Kiara said.

“No child of mine will ever sleep in a tent in anyone’s yard. Now listen…if you two can just hang on for three more days, we’ll be together forever. I bought us a house!”

Both kids gasped and cheered in complete relief of this excellent news.

“You can bring whatever you want…or nothing. We’ll go shopping, and I’ll buy you whatever you want. We’re going to be so happy together!”

Meanwhile, someone in another part of the house was also considering how happy together she would be when her bundle of joy arrived the next day.

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8.36 Subsequent Blasts
8.38 Dream Come True