Jamari didn’t really mesh into our family well… at least not in my eyes. I never brought anything up to Vivienne, but he gave me the creeps! Maybe it was because he had seen me on television, and I dated his mom Evangeline, but he always seemed to be breathing down my neck, and making weird eye contact with me.My career had stabilized. I was established by this point.I even tried to be hip and sign up on Simstagram. I may have been older than the young starlets but I still had more followers than Holly Alto!I had begun to be cast as the leading lady. THe directors always told me I had an authoritative presence on camera. I found this super empowering.I attended the Golden Plumbobs. I was set to preform my single ‘Baby I Miss You’ (about my deceased husband, Brodie). Unfortunately I was sat next to a total weirdo…My performance went well. I was still primarily known for my acting but my single was selling well.Vivienne had gotten very into robotics. All day and night I could hear her tinkering. I was so proud of her though, she was excelling in school and still had time for her hobbies.Jamari accepted a teaching job. I don’t know how I feel about him as a teacher, but he seemed to enjoy it…Hunter was still into gaming. He joined some E-Sports group through his university, and rapidly rose through the ranks to the captain spot.One evening when I was enjoying my delicious garlic noodles (that I made all on my own!) Jamari made a rather inappropriate comment about how well I had aged, and how ‘perky’ I still was. The perky comment could have been innocent if he had been able to take his eyes off of my breasts.Hunter happened to overhear the conversation and was angry. Jamari shrugged it off and continued his work out.. he seemed to shrug any criticism off.“Hey Mom, what’s this I overheard from Jamari about Hunter bullying him?”

“Ha-ha, well honey let me first tell you he’s not being bullied. Hunter was just asking about what he’s always doing with that giant pot he has in our spare room.”

I should have told her the truth, but I didn’t want to cause her any pain.“You really need to cut out that weird alchemy stuff you’re doing, my family’s asking questions.”

“They just don’t understand my passion, my dearest. Your mother’s is admiring herself in the mirror. Mine is stirring that ‘weird pot of liquid’. Which is worse?”And he didn’t stop, he continued to stink up the house with his weird experiments. With all the steam that thing let off I was surprised we didn’t have a moisture problem.For my 65th birthday I put on my favourite dress. The Zombie cake was a joke about my age.Getting old wasn’t that bad, other than having to cover up my greys.I decided to go for a big chop. The shorter hair was inspired by Vivy, and I think it made me look more hip. Extensions on an old lady is not chic.Hunter finally proposed to Ritu. I offered to plan their wedding as well but they weren’t in any rush to actually have a ceremony.Hunter was busy with school. He was studying Computer Science in the distinguished program. How I raised such intelligent kids I will never know…I made sure to still spend time with both of my kids. My dad wasn’t around much, and my mom was a bitch, so I knew how important having a bond with at least one of your parents was.“You need to dress like that more often sweetie. Rawr!”

Vomit!

I started a new ‘Hip Grandma’ trend, and was always being asked to do shoots for women’s magazines. Of course, I obliged. I still loved being in front of the camera.Vivienne had been working tirelessly on this weird robot thing. Every hours she wasn’t sleeping or doing school work, she was building this thing.When she finally completed her project, she was ecstatic. I found the robot a bit weird, but the fact that it brought her so much joy made me happy. Maybe if the robot learned to take pictures, and do hair/makeup I would have been more interested.Vivienne named this thing ‘Ember Bot’. I did some research and Ember is actually a servo. Some sims swear by them, but it just wasn’t for me. Vivienne loved teaching Ember bot new things, like chess.Ember was a bit invasive though when it came to meeting new people. She always seemed to be in the know, and noticed every little thing.“Scanning to confirm identity. If confirmed will grant entry.”

“Is this really necessary? Are those lasers going to damage my eyes?”

“Identity confirmed. Ritu Parkish. Entry granted. Based on Ember’s analysis you are far sighted. Suggestion pending. Seek optometrist intervention.”It worried my how much time Vivienne was spending with Ember. She spent more time with Ember than with her husband, but I can’t say I blamed her.At least Ember knew how to have a good time. I caught Ember dancing on numerous occasions, and it was actually quite cute.

Still though, Ember’s cuteness wasn’t going to bring the next generation of Legacies. With Vivienne’s strained marriage, and Hunter’s laid back approach to his wedding time line, I wasn’t sure if I would even live to see my grandchildren.

When I last left off, my daughter Vivienne had blossomed into a beautiful young lady, and was now attending highschool.Vivienne continued to be studious and rise in the ranks of scouts. I was proud of her to shamelessly be partaking in a male dominated activity.Vivienne and Hunter also continued to be great pals. I knew Vivienne would always look out for her little brother at school which I found reassuring.One evening when I was practicing lines with Evangeline, one thing led to another and we both blurted out how we felt about one another. The chemistry was undeniable, and before meeting Evangeline I had no idea I may be attracted to women.Evangeline began to frequently sleep over, and then slip out in the mornings.I knew I had to tell my family at some point, so the first person I primed with the news was my mother Meagan.

“You think I didn’t know? You can’t miss that red hair!”Vivienne was totally calm about the news too. We made plans to go over and meet Evangeline’s family altogether.We also relocated to a new home in Willow Creek. The schools there were better (at least based on the stats I saw) and the home was much closer to my work. Having my ancestor’s graves relocated was a bit morbid but the team handling it were very professional.When we finally did go over to Evangeline’s to introduce our family’s, her son Jamari and Vivienne hit it off really well. I sensed that Vivienne was developing a little crush.I jokingly brought it up to Vivienne (just to tease her in a motherly way) but she was completely embarrassed. I didn’t bring it up again…Hunter reached his teenager years in what seemed like the blink of an eye. He looks irritated in the photo but that’s only because he didn’t want his photo taken (teenage boys… I know I always wanted my photo taken and still do!).I was cast as the leading lady in a Sci-Fi thriller. Even at 50 I still looked great in a bodysuit!I also began to sing again, and released my first original song ‘Baby I Miss You’. I wrote it about Brodie, my deceased husband.Even with my life being so busy, I still couldn’t escape the fact that I had to choose an heir to the legacy.Both Vivienne and Hunter were more than capable to take the torch. They were both unique individuals though, with Hunter aspiring to become a professional gamer, and Vivienne aiming to become either a Scientist or Astronaut.To take my mind off things I made myself over (I had hair extensions installed and bought a sexy little dress). I also scheduled my first singing performance in years.Prior to the performance I was welcomed by adoring fans and paparazzi. Oh how I love being in the spotlight. The performance went amazing, and I was starting to wonder how someone could ever be sad with such adoring fans. I was about to find out…A few days after my performance Evangeline passed away. She died of heart failure – I knew that she had ‘dabbled’ into drugs in her younger years so that is likely what took it’s toll on her body.The support of my children really helped me through the loss. They’re great kids.When I returned to work, everyone was super welcoming.One of my newer co-stars started flirting with me. I found him handsome but I knew I didn’t want to jump into anything.Vivienne enlisted the help of Jamari to build her rocket she had been working on. The two really seemed to bond over it, and I caught them smooching on the lawn. Normally most parents would be concerned about their teens swapping spit, but I knew my Vivienne was responsible and wouldn’t make poor decisions.Jamari was frequently over at the house, and it made me ecstatic to see how happy he made Vivienne.Her brother did tease her about it though, but she didn’t let him get to her. That’s just how brothers are I guess!Vivienne turned 18, and we celebrated by having a small gathering. I felt like Brodie was smiling down on us during family milestones like these.Hunter found a part time job as a lifeguard while he was in highschool.He happened to meet a young lady named Ritu at work.They frequently hung around the house after work. I didn’t mind – Ritu was a beautiful well mannered woman, and I loved her and Hunter together.Vivienne of course gave Hunter a taste of his own medicine by teasing him about it. He laughed it off.My mom Meagan was more concerned though. She kind of went overboard lecturing him about safe WooHoo…Vivienne enrolled at the Foxbury Institute, in their distinguished Physics program. She took her studies very seriously, and I was so proud of her.Vivienne and Jamari also got engaged that summer in between classes.I was so happy for the both of them, and volunteered to plan their wedding. Vivienne, not being somewhat of a loner, graciously accepted the assistance.Hunter turned 18 soon after – the older he got the more he started to look like his dad.He continued to date Ritu into adulthood.My mom, a strong willed woman to the end, passed away that summer. She was buried on the family plot next to my father Jonathan. Her presence missing from the household was an odd adjustment. She taught me alot about how NOT to treat your children, but she did surprisingly become a great grandmother who was adored by both Hunter and Vivienne.Vivienne’s wedding day arrived, and luckily the weather was good. The heat wave let up for her special day.It was a small gathering with only immediate family in attendance, but it was beautiful. We were also able to update our family portraits. Hopefully soon Hunter’s will be up there as well on his wedding day to Ritu if he ever pops the question.

I dove head first into my career after having Vivienne. I loved doing Victorian Dramas and dreamt of one day being a regular on Dignity and Decorum.Romeo went grey, but was still peppy as ever.He did have a brief illness but luckily it was curable.Vivienne blossomed into a bright toddler. SHe was very perceptive, and quickly learned how to talk. I loved watching her learn new things everyday.

At this point I was pregnant with me and Brodie’s second baby.I worked throughout this pregnancy. With Vivienne I took time off from the spotlight, but now there was a place for me in the industry so I could get away with having a baby bump because they would write it into the script.I gave birth to my son, Hunter. It was an easy birth despite him having arrived a bit sooner than expected.Hiring a nanny was one of the best decisions I made. It allowed me to whip back into shape in record time, and free up even more time to prep for auditions.We always made room for family time.Romeo unsurprisingly passed away shortly after his vet visit. Vivienne took it the hardest because she had really enjoyed petting the ‘fuzzy’ (what she called him rather than dog).Vivienne’s toddler years seemed to fly by. And Hunter developed into a toddler.Our landlord wanted to increase our rent on the Del Sol Valley home by a significant amount, and my little Vivienne was being bullied. After a talk with Brodie, we both decided it would be best for us to return home to live with my mom. Due to the legacy’s obligations I ultimately would have had to go back there to live eventually, and with Vivienne being so depressed over her mean classmates now was a better time than ever to go back.We moved Romeo’s ashes to the family plot as well.My mom surprisingly loved to spend time with Vivenne and Hunter. She made a point of reading to them every night before bed time.“What do you think of your new bedroom chap?”

“Lots new toys Daddy!”

Hunter was happy to now have access to all of our old toys my mom had kept around from generations before. It’s interesting how over the years kids never change.I had the chance to star in a detective drama. I really tried to channel my inner Lucilla Legacy (my great-great grandmother, the most famous Police Chief to date). I doubt Lucilla had ever been involved in a workplace romance, but it was still a blast to shoot.I always tried to be supportive of my children, having learned what it was like to constantly be ridiculed by my mother.Brodie was sporadicly booking gigs at this point. He was still spry but his roles were limited by age barriers.Still though, he was captivating on screen.Vivienne was highly intelligent (my mom would always call her the genius of the family). She mastered chess at a young age, and loved fiddling around with her children’s science set we bought her.Evangeline and I began to regularly get cast on Dignity and Decorum as lovers. The pay and recognition were both great, and I felt that I was truly blossoming as an actress. I was living my dream.Evangeline was a great kisser, so I really didn’t mind ramping it up for the cameras.Vivienne joined scouts and was excelling in school. She seemed to be much happier now that she wasn’t attending school in Del Sol Valley’s district.“I can’t sleep in my little bed anymore,” Hunter asked, pulling his best sad face.

“You’re a big boy now, and big boys sleep in big boy beds! Come on chap, it’ll be great!” Brodie reassured.“You know, at first I thought you were annoying but now I really like you Hunter!”

Vivienne and Hunter formed a strong brother-sister bond.Brodie bonded equally with both the children. He was so involved, always helping them with their homework and school projects.“I never thought Brodie would be such an involved father. He’s not nearly as involved as your father was though.”

“Suuure mom, Dad was sooo involved in my life, playing back to back shows.”

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at her, she liked to paint her version of events.Evangeline had such a unique look, and her acting was on point – it was a joy working with her. I envied her for her talent and looks, but never let it get in the way of our growing friendship. It was never awkward after we had to makeout on screen.Christmas that year was amazing. My mom actually seemed happy for once, and we all got to spend time together as a family. I loved watching Brodie interact with the kids, he was such a good father.We had a nice family dinner together that I had prepared. I was impressed with how good it was. I even invited over Evangeline (my acting mentor) to enjoy it with us.Father Winter even made an appearance, which excited the kids.Brodie dropped dead in our living room the day after Christmas. Poor Hunter had to witness it. I wasn’t home at the time but he quickly got my mom. They tried to save him, but he was gone.I had never known heart break like this. Brodie was always so full of life, and I know that he was older, but I didn’t expect to have so little time with him. The years we had together were the best ones of my life.The show must go on though, and I continued steadily booking acting jobs. I had reached a point where I could be selective with what I did. I particularly enjoyed musicals because it allowed me to use my singing skills.“Angelina I never though I would say this but I’m proud of you. I watched one of your movies earlier and you were spectacular.”

I sensed that my mom was only saying that to try and make me feel better since Brodie had passed away.While I contemplated Vivienne blew out her birthday candles.As did I. The big 4-0 may have closed off some acting roles for me, but now I could take on some truly serious material. Call me Meryl Streep, darling!Vivienne aged into a studious, but still beautiful teenager. I knew she would go places in life and couldn’t wait to see what she took on next.

“You really need to think about changing up that hair, Angelina, you’re a young lady now, not some teeny bopper. Maybe then you’d have better luck making connections and getting out of commercials.”

Yup, my mom continued to make digs at me even since the last chapter.Despite what my mom thought, I was actually making more connections and getting more daytime television roles rather than commercials.After one particular shoot me and the cast went out for dinner.A coworker Kayleigh brought along her gorgeous celebrity boyfriend Chad. The whole dinner I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. I wanted to get to ‘know’ him and prace around on his arm. I was WAY better looking than Kayleigh!He was even so gracious that he signed an old lady’s signature. Ugh, how I craved the spotlight.Aaron invited me out to some college party afterwards. I went (regretfully) but after having spent time with a real celebrity I knew he wasn’t measuring up.One of the only two positive things that came out of the night was that I got to catch up with my uncle Shannon’s daughter (my cousin…) Isabella.The second thing (and this picture is probably deceiving) is that I ended things with Aaron. I had grown apart from him and wanted more. My mom reached retirement age. This is one of the few photos I got of her with grey hair, she quickly dyed it back blonde.I invited over Kayleigh from dinner to try and get some intel on her hunky boyfriend.I don’t know what he saw in her. She had the ugliest laugh. I didn’t get any intel other than he has bad taste.Her face kind of resembled Romeo’s to be honest…And yes, I did sleep with her boyfriend. Do I feel bad? No – what she’ll never know won’t hurt her (unless of course she reads this…). It was only a one time thing, he was less than impressive in bed.My debut on The Pirates of Sulani got off to a rocky start. I was sure I wouldn’t get the gig (the casting manager was a jealous cow) and I had to deal with the snide makeup guy they had on set.Little did I know that day I would be working with a screen legend, Brodie Graham. He was even more charming and handsome in person. I had grown up watching his movies. I had alot to learn from him, because he was an amazing actor.Brodie and I quickly began dating after working together. I loved being on his arm, and I know he loved having me on his. It was mutually beneficial.We spent most of our free time together, lounging around and messing around. But something was soon going to shake us up…I was pregnant. Brodie took a little bit to come around to the news since it was unexpected.But he sure did come around to it. It wouldn’t be his first child, but I liked to think it was his most important since it was with me. I couldn’t even recall his ex wives names which told me that they were no longer relevant in the industry.Brodie’s agent was all over the news, and the pregnancy really boosted both of our reputations. #powercoupleOn Love Day Brodie proposed to me while we were on a date.I of course said yes – I loved him with all my heart, and was so flattered that a screen legend would want to marry me. Things were really looking up.Don’t worry, my drink was VIRGIN. As if I would drink while pregnant.“I hope that you realize Brodie is only with you to revive his career, and attract a younger audience.”

“How dare you say that! We’re having a child together and getting married, we’re in love!”

“The only reason he’s marrying you is because he knocked you up darling, isn’t that obvious?”

“God I can’t wait to get away from you Mom, your negativity drains me.”My father Jonathan passed away shortly after returning from work one evening. His health had been decaying and he often kept to himself in his last days.He was buried in the family plot.With my Father gone nothing was tying me to the family home anymore. I needed a change, and fast – preferably before the baby was born.Me and Brodie rented out a home in Del Sol Valley. We thought it would be the perfect place to start our family while still being local to our jobs.Brodie’s phone was always ringing off the hook, with his agent presenting him new acting jobs. I invited my mom over regularly, not because I missed her, but more so to rub my success in her face. Living in Del Sol Valley was like paradise.Some of our new neighbours came by to welcome us. I met another first time mother, and we became good friends.“Angelina, have you worried about getting work after having a baby? I know my agent is worried sick about me booking any modeling gigs with the new ‘mom’ image.”

“My work speaks for itself, of course they’ll continue to hire me!”

I was always very self assured despite having grown up with my mom who’s just so… my mom.In the early morning I gave birth to my first child, a girl, who I named Vivienne. I had never held something so small having had no siblings myself as a child. She was perfect.Shortly after Vivienne was born, when I was back in good shape, Brodie and I held our wedding ceremony.My mom attended, and for once seemed happy for me (she did wear a black dress which ticked me off a bit but I put that aside).Brodie of course looked handsome as always.We were married in a small but still lavish ceremony with our friends and family to witness. It was one of the happiest days of my life, and I felt like we would be together forever.

Hello everyone, I’m Angelina (like you didn’t already know!). I am stoked to start documenting my life for you all, and sparing you from the boring storytelling of my father Jonathan.

I always start the day with a fresh kelp face mask (great for anti-aging) and a cup of Earl Grey tea. Normally I drink it through a metal straw to avoid ruining my teeth, but today I treated myself to direct tea to tongue contact.Usually if I don’t have an audition or gig I will head to the bar in the early evening to meat potential sugar daddies, and preform at the open mics.I love preforming, and I have established a bit of a following. I am always down to sign some autographs for my fans.I have to get up earlier on days I have a gig. It’s lovely to have the makeup artist sneer at my complexion at 9AM! He does work wonders though.Then I’ll usually try to convince the costume guy to give me the snazziest costume. He bites back and reminds me that I’m just starring in a commercial, so it needs to be as vanilla as possible to appeal to the masses. A little more cleavage wouldn’t have hurt anyone though!While I love singing way more than acting, I do get in the zone when I’m on set. Anywhere that puts all eyes on me is where I’m meant to be.My now grey dad will often times coach me for auditions. For this particular audition, I had to learn to play the guitar. When he is around, he’s a great help.When I have free time and don’t feel like preforming at the bar, I invite over Aaron my boyfriend. He always laughs at my jokes, and has the best jawline.I also make an effort to go to any festivals that may pop up to try and network. At this particular festival I met a budding journalist who was way into my story thus far with acting.My mom never misses an opportunity though to try and knock me back. She always reminds me that I’m ‘just a commercial actress’ and need to ‘step it up’ if I ever want to become a leading lady. She probably sees my commercials on television and cringes.Despite my mom’s efforts to motivate me by bringing me down, I find it in myself to remember that I am special, and anyone who doesn’t see that is a fool.The costume guy began to notice how snatched my waist was becoming. My mom helped me work out (since she was a trainer) and I also lived basically off of green salads and oatmeal.One day on set I met the lead actress I would be working with, Evangeline. Her acting was stellar, and lit a fire under me to one day be where she was. She had years of experience in the industry. We became good friends, and she took me under her wing. I loved all the jobs where I had to work with her, and I think the director noticed too how well we worked together.I continued to see Aaron even though he was only working a basic job in a restaurant. I had yet to meet a guy with connections in the industry.“I saw Aaron leaving around 5AM Angelina. I just hope you’re being safe so you don’t get tied down to him.”I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. “What, do you think I’m dumb? Don’t worry mommy dearest, I won’t follow in your footsteps and pop out a kid. I actually have a career to worry about, but I understand that you didn’t.”

I was learning how to get under her skin. She did play a large role in my career though, managing my relations with my agent.One day though, I’ll make it big. Be sure to follow me on Simstagram to always get the scoop first. Can’t wait to write again!

xoxo Angelina

Angelina took the passing of my mom Lucy very hard. My mom often tended to Angelina as a baby, and the two had bonded.Meagan had to take over as Angelina’s primary caregiver, which she didn’t seem to enjoy very much.This led to me often times coming home from work late in the evening to Angelina still being awake. Meagan would be off working out or even sleeping, so I would have to put her to bed.Meagan did have her motherly moments with Angelina, but for the most part she didn’t take well to motherhood.Angelina became a child, and quickly began to show interest in singing.She was a spoiled child, with any material thing she could have asked for.What she lacked though was attention.Meagan joined an ‘exclusive’ club that only allowed wealthy sims to join. She met many equally snobby sims, and to my dismay began bringing them around the house.I wanted another child but Meagan was very against it. She complained about how Angelina had ‘ruined’ her body and that one child was enough responsibility for her. This deeply disappointed me, as I had always wanted at least two children. I thought it would be good for Angelina to have a sibling as well, since she was leading a very isolated life.Meagan had the house redone during this period. I was hoping all the space would make her want more children to fill the empty bedrooms, but it didn’t.I did my best to be around for Angelina, but with my busy musician work schedule it wasn’t always do-able. Angelina spent most of her time after school at the drama club. She spoke about wanting to be a singer, but Meagan would always say that real money was in acting.Meagan had much more free time but often spent her days tanning and exercising.Before I knew it, Angelina became a teen.“Angelina you really should reconsider eating all those carbs. There’s no room for heavy girls in showbusiness.”

I overheard Meagan saying this to Angelina, but I didn’t have the guts to butt in. I still regret that I didn’t say anything and was complicit.The next day Meagan  bought Angelina a puppy, who Angelina named Romeo. This was very obviously to make up for her abusive outburst.Angelina began trying to make a name for herself. She setup a Simstagram page that she became very active on (all of her photos were vetted by Meagan before being posted).One day Angelina brought one of her friends, Aaron home from school. Meagan was not happy about this, and felt that Angelina was too good to be hanging around with what she referred to as the ‘local riff-raff’.“I really hope you’re not still talking to that boy.”

“Ugh Mom, it’s my life why do you care so much?”

“While you’re living under my roof, you’ll listen to my direction. You’re spending far too much time with him, and that time could be better spent improving your awful acting skills.”When Meagan was out Angelina would still have Aaron around. I didn’t say anything, and never told Meagan.Despite Meagan cutting down Angelina’s acting skills, she was actually quite good. I was proud of her. She was even the lead of one of her school plays.I had never realized how vain Meagan was. She spent most of her time in the home gym she had built. She was quickly running through the family money with her renovations.“I hope you know that I just worry and that’s why sometimes I can come across as harsh…”

“Yeah, well worry less.”

“I just want you to be the best YOU that I know you can be. I don’t want you to waste your youth with some boy.”

“Don’t project onto me. I know you regret never pursuing acting and settling down instead. I know you regret having m…”

“How dare you say such a thing! I don’t want to hear another word from you.”

Against her mother’s wishes, Angelina began preforming at local bars. It wasn’t really garnering her much attention, but I know she loved to sing.Angelina blossomed into a beautiful young adult. Right away Meagan had her sign up with a local talent agency to pursue her acting.

Since I am so busy with work, and often times not around the house to capture moments, I figured I would hand over the reigns for the next chapters to Angelina. Even though she’s young, she does seem very keen on documenting her life. I hope it’s not just because she’s self absorbed.

I never really expected to be documenting my life but here it goes… I’m Jonathan (as you may know), the fourth generation heir in Cookie Fresh’s legacy. I’m the founder, Lucilla Legacy’s great-grandson, and the first male heir. Above is my girlfriend, Meagan. These photos were taken outside the first Starlight Allocade I attended.They sat me and Meagan separately, probably because I hadn’t made it as big as some of the other attendees at this point. Meagan pouted about it all night, but I understood why she was upset.I ended up winning best song. I gave a short speech, thanking my family and of course Meagan for always supporting me. Her mood improved pretty quickly after that.My mom told me my ex Gwendolyn came by asking for me – thankfully she told her to buzz off. Gwendolyn was manipulative and a terrible influence. I originally didn’t want to admit that she was when my mom told me that, but in retrospect she was right.My mom and Meagan got along extremely well though. She came over for dinner regularly.Meagan was always around the house, and my mom didn’t mind.Shannon had my mom and Meagan help him plan a small wedding for him and Alessandra. Alessandra and Shannon had a small ceremony in the living room. Honestly it made me a little jealous, seeing them so happy together. I wanted a wedding and wife of my own too.My mom also really wanted me to pop the question to Meagan. I was nearing the end of my university degree, so the timing seemed just about right.Once my mom went grey Meagan of course was first to compliment her on how great she looked. Meagan was kind of like the daughter my mom never had.Alessandra was also heavily pregnant at this point with twins. I didn’t see as much of her and Shannon as I would of liked – I think Shannon lowkey resented my mom for being a bit overbearing.The night before my graduation I popped the question to Meagan on the beach, under the moonlight. She said yes, and I was thrilled. Right away she wanted to start wedding planning.First though, I had to attend my graduation. University was moreso a formality for me to appease my mom. I was already selling the rights to my Violin, Guitar, and paino songs, but I guess having a degree made the family look more established.Meagan and I had a small wedding, with only our close family.Meagan of course looked stunning as always. I don’t know how I managed to win her heart.We enjoyed one another’s company at our reception, but I overheard Alessandra saying something along the lines of Meagan not knowing what she had gotten herself into. It must have been Shannon’s anti-mom opinions rubbing off on her.Married life was great. Meagan got a job as a trainer at the gym, but she always kept the house very tidy.I turned 40 and became a full fledged adult shortly after our wedding.And just in time, Meagan announced she was pregnant with our first child. I was elated. It took us a bit to get pregnant, and I had begun to question whether or not Meagan truly wanted a child.Meagan had a rough pregnancy, but still always put on a happy face for me.Money continued rolling in from my licensed songs. I was becoming quite the celebrity.My mom designed the baby’s nursery. SHe kept the color scheme yellow because the gender was a surprise.It took a lot of weight off Meagan’s shoulders to have the nursey planned for her.As much as my mom loved Meagan, she did give her the impression that she thought Meagan was being a bit of a ‘baby’ throughout the pregnancy. She wrote off Meagan’s feelings and personal journey carrying a child which soured their relationship a bit.Meagan gave birth to our baby girl, who we named Angelina.I was overjoyed, as was my mom.Much to my mom’s dismay, Meagan seemed happy to be able to get back to exercising. My mom would always make snide remarks about it, which was hypocritical considering she herself had always been a career woman.I doted on Angelina, and loved taking care of her. Our once pleasant family dinners had become tense, with my mom always nitpicking at Meagan for her ‘excessive’ working out and spending. Meagan in turn felt judged, and as though she was under a microscope.My mom passed away suddenly one afternoon. I was (of course) very shook up over it. She was buried in our family plot next to my late father. Meagan was there to comfort me, although she didn’t really share the same level of sadness I did. It led me to question whether or not she had ever truly bonded with my mom.

Life continued as normal in the Legacy household. Jonathan continued to perfect his violin playing.Shannon and his so called friend Alessandra began to hang around the house everyday after school. I could tell she made Shannon happy.Jonathan also started hanging around with a lady friend named Gwendolyn regularly. She kept to herself alot of the time and only really spoke to Jonathan. I took it as her just being shy.I took it upon myself to try and meet some possible spouses for the boys. This one is named Riley Lothario. She had a bubbly personality and a unique beauty. It might seem weird that I was trying to find potential mates for my sons but I wanted to make sure the next generation was off on the right foot.Shannon much to my dismay was quite the lady’s man during his teenage years. I caught him massaging this ginger girl in the hot tub. I was not pleased.When I lectured him about it, Jonathan patted Shannon’s shoulder, and the two had a laugh. At least the two bonded, but clearly my lecture met deaf ears.I began inviting Riley over frequently. I don’t think she realized what my goal was because we did become quite close friends.Now and then I would drop hints to Jonathan, prompting him to talk to her. He didn’t show much interest though.Shannon brought home another girl from school named Meagan. I assumed she was another one of his ‘friends’.Jonathan mastered the violin, and began licensing songs. He then moved onto the guitar. At first it was painful to listen to but he picked it up quickly.Before I knew it, it was the boys’ 18th birthdays. Above is Jonathan.And this is Shannon. They could have bothered to change out of their pajamas for the occasion, but boys will be boys.The same day Jonathan invited Gwendolyn over to ‘hangout’.I don’t know (and am happy for this) the extent of their relationship or how serious it was, but whenever they were around the house he seemed smitten.But then after one of their dates I stopped seeing Gwendolyn around the house. I overheard a conversation between him and Shannon – something about Jonathan not wanting to try a bubble blower. I was happy Jonathan held his ground and wasn’t pressured into it.Although things seemed awkward at first, Jonathan and Riley seemed to really hit it off.I suggested the two of them go to the Romance Festival together.Shannon however seemed to think I was meddling in Jonathan’s life far too much, and shouldn’t have been trying to set him up with Riley.Shannon ended up dating Alessandra into his adulthood, despite the parade of girls I had witnessed come in and out of the house while he was a teen. I never worried Shannon would find a partner, Jonathan was moreso the reserved one, always playing his instruments in his room.Some things though I would rather have not heard, like Shannon and Alessandra in the shower… I reminded myself that they were both adults now, but obviously it was still uncomfortable.The two became engaged in their early twenties. Alessandra was a sweet girl, so I had no qualms.I threw an engagement party for the two, but of course it didn’t go smoothly and the silly caterer set my kitchen on fire.Thankfully no one was hurt.I would have loved to have Riley as my daughter in law, but alas it wasn’t meant to be.Shannon watched the two like a hawk from the opposite end of the table the entire evening.“You know, you don’t have to PRETEND to like her just because mom is pressuring you,” Shannon said, side eyeing Jonathan.

“What do you mean pretend?”

“Bro, your chemistry is so awkward. The only reason you two are even together is because you drank that Sakura tea.”“Mom, you should have let me introduce Jonathan to some real ladies, not your older friends.”

“That’s disrespectful, she’s only 35 so she’s hardly old.”

Jonathan sat there doing his university work while we talked between him. I think he droned most of it out.Shannon invited over one of his highschool friends, Meagan. I know he did it to try and match Jonathan up with her.“How’s it cooking out here guys?”“Oh my gosh, Jonathan was just telling me the FUNNIEST story ever about that crazy girl he dated that dyed her hair jet black. Like, who dyes their hair jet black and thinks it looks good?!”

Clearly Meagan had missed the point of Jonathan’s story but nevertheless..Meagan also took it upon herself to introduce herself to me, which I really liked.I tried to mind my own business but it was difficult when they were always around the house.Jonathan did the right thing and let Riley know he wasn’t romantically interested in her. I felt awful because I was the one who had tried to set them up in the first place. Riley went on though to marry another fellow and seemed to be happy.The twins often did their university work together – so many memories had been made at that kitchen table.I was set up on a blind date by a friend. I hadn’t dated since Caiden had passed away.I didn’t feel a spark but at least I won us a new client for the firm! At this point I also decided to hand over the reigns to Jonathan. I knew Shannon would see it as a burden on his shoulders, and I wanted him to have a quiet happy life with Alessandra away from the legacy. As I close out my last chapter I hope I’m not remembered as the awful widow who yelled at her dead husband. I didn’t have it as tough as my grandmother Lucilla did when she was a single mom, but it still wasn’t easy raising the two boys. Other than trying to play matchmaker I wasn’t an overly invasive parent, which I think helped them develop into their own individuals.

Thank you all for reading, and Cookie, thank you for letting me document this.

After Jonathan and Shannon were born I spent alot of time getting sucked into reality television, and jealous of other people’s lives. Had I made a mistake settling down? Was it holding me back from being my ultimate self?Caiden’s YouTube ‘career’ had begun to get on my nerves. In the beginning I masked it well, but things reached a tipping point after my sister Arabella came by for a visit.Her visit seemed innocent enough, we needed to catch up.But when she saw the state of the twin’s bedroom, she didn’t hold back.“Lucy, have you seen the boys’ bedroom?! It’s vile, mom was up there tidying it up,” Arabella chirped at me.

“I work all day, and when I get home it’s MY time to unwind. Caiden should be able to handle it while he’s home all day anyw-,” was all I managed to get out before Arabella rudely interrupted.“Oh YES, Caiden with his cute little videos. Sometimes me and Julian watch them for a good laugh. How embarassing! What happened to you, letting him bum around while you bring home the bread.”

While it was harsh, and overtly rude for her to butt into my business, she did have a point. The fact that others realized what I tried to slide under the rug and dismiss made it difficult for me to continue on that way.Much of Jonathan and Shannon’s toddlerhood upbringing was thanks to my mom. She was truly a god send.Puff was still spoiled as usual, so he had no complaints.Caiden continued making his videos, and while he did sometimes receive fan mail (typically in the form of baked goods that I would throw out because ew, who knows what their kitchens look like) his income contribution was very little.In the evenings I tried a bit more to tend to the twins.Puff passed away, rather expectedly – he had been heartbroken since my dad Orion had died, and we had him for many years.Still, it was a difficult time. My mom had grown closer to Puff after my dad’s passing.The contribution issues on Caiden’s end still continued despite the negative tension between us.I had a sit down with my mom. I could have talked to Arabella, but she was far too harsh. My mom was far more understanding, and level headed. She suggested I outright tell Caiden how I was feeling, but not escalate it into a fight. She also admitted she had sensed the negative vibes between me and him, and was worried about our marriage.Jonathan grew from a high maintenance toddler into a cute child. As did Shannon. Saying I was happy their toddler stage had passed would be an understatement.That evening, I spoke… well, tried to speak.. to Caiden about how I was feeling, but it of course didn’t come across well. The lawyer in me spoke more than my soft side.“You aren’t taking this seriously – I get that you’re giving your all to your video making, but I think you should get a more traditional career, somewhere you can really move up in the long term,” I said lightly.Of course, this didn’t go down well.

“You know Lucy, I never expected you to insult me like that. I’m making moves, getting more followers, my royalties have gone up, and I’m about to get a sponso-…”“Caiden! This has been going on for far too long. My mom is getting old, and when she’s gone all the bills are going to fall on ME. You don’t take this seriously, and I am questioning whether or not you ever grew up. This video making so called career is nice for a teenager, maybe a college student, but you are a grown man with two children to think about.”“So, what? You want me to get some 9-5 job like you?”

“9-5 job?! 9-5?! I am working my way up, I’m about to make partner! Don’t you dare talk down on my achievements. Look around you, you’re living an upper middle class dream all thanks to ME and my family!” I shouted back.“God Lucy! Me, talking down to you? How do you think what you just said makes me feel? There are better ways to get your point across,” Caiden snapped back, at which point I stormed off.I really hope the boys hadn’t heard, but it’s almost impossible they didn’t.Little did I know, the following day my life would change forever. The once beautiful sprite pond I bought with my first bonus from work would become a bane of misery.We aren’t entirely sure how Caiden fell in while feeding them, but he did.I was at work when it happened. My mom rushed outside, and tried to plead for his life to no avail.Shannon and the maid also beared witness to his death.When I got home, I was filled with regret for what I had said. Heart broken is an understatement.The twins were always very open with one another, so they often reminisced about their dad.I threw a small memorial for Caiden with my immediate family. Arabella didn’t even apologize for what she had said, but I wasn’t surprised. Still, her presence was comforting.The boys led as normal childhoods as possible. They were the bravest  children I had ever encountered (not that I encounter many lol).I had haunting dreams of Caiden, and sometimes I would wake up expecting to see him next to me, with his gorgeous sleeping face, but alas it was all a dream.I tried to be as open as possible with them, and loved when they would ask questions about their father. It was cutest (but also heart wrenching) when they would ask what his favorite things were – his favorite breakfast for example.My mom was truly my rock. She continued to help out so much with the boys, and was my confidant.That’s not to say she wasn’t aging. She told me a ridiculous story one day about how she was abducted by aliens. She told this story with so much affliction one would almost believe this had actually happened to her. I attributed it to her going a bit senile though, which deeply worried me.Jonathan had developed quite a musical talent. He loved to practice playing his violin. At first it was annoying and screetchy, but he caught onto it very quickly and would often play for Shannon much to his delight.I finally became partner at my law firm. It was a momentous achievement – I had expected that I would finally be able to take a deep breath and relax. What would end up happening is I would start to worry about other things outside of work with alot of my time freed up to lower associate lawyers.It felt like the boys’ childhoods had flown by. Jonathan grew into a handsome teen.Shannon followed suit. Other than their hairstyles and demeanure it was difficult to differentiate the two.Shannon started to lift weights to try and bulk up. My mom, who had been quite into fitness in her youth, was always happy to coach him.Even though she was nearly 100 years old, it still came as a shock to us when she passed away late one night.She was buried in the family grave yard next to my father, Orion. Wherever they are now, I hope they were reunited.

I still had dreams of Caiden nearly every night, and on top of that I had lost my rock. I knew I would never live down my regret and heartbreak, but I stayed strong for my boys just as my grandma Lucilla had been for my mom when she was left as a single mom living a trailer. I wasn’t going to let my feelings and regrets ruin their upbringing. If it did, the legacy my grandma had worked so hard to forge would be ruined.

Welcome back to the Legacy! Yes Cookie, I am finally getting around to writing another chapter. Life has just been so busy (as you’ll see below) that I struggled to find the time.I knew Caiden really wanted a child – since he stayed at home working on his YouTube videos, he would always be around to take care of the baby while I was at work. I gave in and we started trying for a baby.I frequently babysat Arabella’s daughter Carina on weekends. I never saw myself as being a mother, but looking after Carina prepped me for it.Arabella and her husband seemed happy most of the time, but I could tell that sometimes Arabella got on her husband’s nerves with her bitter attitude.Caiden was putting his all into his YouTube ‘career’ (if you can call it that…). His livestreaming began to get annoying though, and I always avoided his buzzy camera.My mom hit retirement age, but still looked as gorgeous as ever.Me and Caiden struggled to get pregnant, and I often confided in my mom. I never miscarried thankfully, but the struggle did weigh down on me, and made me feel – as much as I hate to say it – inadequate.I distracted myself by continuing to get ahead in my law career. I was working towards becoming a partner.Puff and my dad also continued to be two peas in a pod. Puff was starting to look even more grey.When I finally got back a positive pregnancy test, I second guessed it. I took two more, and both were positive.I was overjoyed to tell Caiden, and although he doesn’t look it in this photo, he was over the moon about the news.He of course had to update his followers that evening…Family time was very important in the household. Watching television with my parents helped me to unwind after a long day at work.Caiden developed quite the following, and his royalty earnings began to stack up. I was so proud of him, even though it wasn’t a conventional or highly respected career path.My father Orion passed away one evening.We were just about to watch a movie together. I was shocked by his sudden death. In retrospect I guess I hadn’t realized how old he had gotten.My mom of course was devastated. She was strong, but I knew it broke her.Puff too was desolate, looking for his human companion.I tried to shut down my emotions and focus more on my pregnancy. It was a pretty smooth pregnancy, aside from the back aches. Luckily I didn’t have any morning sickness, and worked up until I gave birth.My twin sons Shannon and Jonathan were born in the early hours of the morning. I had been worried about taking care of even one baby, but now there was a second surprise!Caiden and my mom helped tremendously in taking care of the boys. When I was home I spent as much time with them as I could, but during the days they were a blessing.Before I knew it, the boys became toddlers. The photo above is Shannon.And this one is of Jonathan.With my career moving ahead steadily, and a happy family life, I couldn’t have been more blessed.