Chapter 2.16- Betrayed

This is your warning!

More Sim Buttocks appear this chapter!

Turn back now or forever hold your peace. 

          “Music blaring and a screen over the door this early in the morning? I thought ya said she wouldn’t be up this soon and we'd be surprisin' her?” A slightly rough voice sounded over the radio still blaring on the fridge.

          “She’s not normally,” a second, softer, voice answered.

          “Well, go put that basket on the counter and let’s go and see if she’s roused or it she just sleeps with that racket goin’ normally.”

          Estella had turned to the dining room and pulled up short. Behind her, Sally gasped.

          “Has there been a break in and she slept through it with the music so loud?”

          “I dunno, Sally. But it’s best we keep quiet and make sure yer cousin is ok. Hopefully the scoundrel who did this is gone by now.”

          And they tiptoed around the mess on the floor.

          There was a puddle of water on the floor both stepped over. The vase looking pathetic on its side.

          Going to view the living room Estella snorted with derision.

          Sally snapped her view to her mother, concerned, before looking back at the floor in front of her.

          Seeing a bra in front of the end table and the lamp on it's side triggered a nearly identical reaction from Sally.

          “Oh,” she giggled. “She’s not been robbed at all. Wow! What on earth were they doing to make this kind of a mess though?”

          “That’s enough,” Estella cut her off. “You’re too young to know such details.”

          Behind her, Sally rolled her eyes taking a better look at the dining room with a smirk on her face.

          Estella stepped over the pants on the floor, then over a gem with a ginger step.

          “Dear Watcher! What a mess. Is yer cousin usually this messy?”

          “No. I’ve never seen the house like this,” answered Sally. She had found Layla’s tank top on the floor and had hooked it on the tip of her boot.

          “There was that one time she hadn’t swept her kitchen in like 2 days and when I pointed it out she freaked that I’d noticed,” Sally added, putting the shirt back and following her mother through the mazelike path to the hallway. “But after that nothing was ever out of place.”

          With a look of disgust Estella stepped over the boxers, her eyes barely resting on the panties in the corner when she stopped.

          Sally had just encountered all the underwear and had stopped herself when Estella brought a finger up to her lips and gave her daughter a terse warning look.

          Listening hard, Sally could hear low tones coming from the bedroom beyond. Whoever Layla had spent the night with was still here!

          A twinkle in her eye, Estella leaned in closer to Sally and whispered “If you’re lucky, my Lovely, you’ll get to have breakfast with a mayoral candidate this morning.”

          Clamping a hand to her mouth, Sally had to stifle a giggle.

          “Stay here,” Estella whispered again.

          With stealthy steps and a light hand Estella pushed open the door gently and the voices within sounded louder.

          For a moment only, Sally stood. Then she lightly picked her way across the hall to peek in the door. Her mother had finally made it in, but she was standing stock still.

          Stopping as she got a better view of what was in front of her Sally felt like she’d received a frying pan to the face and her jaw dropped.

          Beside her, her mother looked oddly triumphant. Like she’d just confirmed something she’d known in the back of her mind.

          It was the most uncomfortable moment of Sally's life and she shrank back behind her mom. They should have knocked. Then her mother decided to make it worse.

          “Well,” she announced loudly, making the couple jump and gasp. “Well we did bring by some fresh eggs for breakfast, but it looks like you’ve got all ya need!”

          Ignacio flattened himself against Layla whose horrified face shone over his shoulder.

          “We’ll just be goin’ then,” And Estella pushed Sally out of the room closing the door firmly behind her.

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          The pair lay still for a long while as both digested what had just happened.

          Ignacio finally pushed himself up to sit on the side of the bed. Afraid he was going to leave her Layla quickly went to wrap her arms around him. She wasn’t ready to let him go just yet.

          “I need to go,” he said huskily.

          It was such a switch. Just moments ago they had been happily chatting, ignoring that morning had arrived and along with it had come the time to face the music. Now the atmosphere was heavy and the air strained.

          “No,” she pled. “Please don’t go, yet.”

          “I have to go and talk to Ned as soon as possible, before your aunt or cousin manage to get this out to the rest of town. I have to explain,” he said.

          “Explain what?” she asked, burying her face in the back of his neck. “Was this only a mistake for you, is that why you're leaving so quickly?”

          As she said it her heart hammered and her stomach plummeted. She couldn't face the fact that she might have thrown herself at someone who couldn't even bring himself to look at her now. But could she blame him? She had potentially cost him his job with her actions.

          “No,” he said, pulling her to sit beside him instead of behind. “No, it was not a mistake. But I’ve just betrayed my friend and I need to see him and tell him myself before he finds out in a less pleasant method.”

          “And just what are we explaining? We haven’t made any decisions,” she said, reaching up to stroke his cheek as his words sank in. If Ignacio had betrayed Ned, so had she. And he was right. Ned could find out through them or through the town's penchant for gossip. Though it would be awful to tell him in person it would be worse to for them all to ignore it. It also added to the tally of things she had lost for them both in the course of a single night. She sighed heavily. How much damage would have to be repaired? And why on Sim Planet would Ignacio want to be around the sim who cost him so much?  “Maybe we should talk first before we go talk to Ned. I’m in this as much as you are.”

          “But every moment I wait is another opportunity for someone else to tell him,” his voice had hardened a little. “No offense, but your cousin and your aunt are the two biggest gossips in town. Everyone will know about this by the end of the day. And it is the day of the election also. I’ve got to go to him.”

          Pushing his jaw with her thumb, Layla finally managed to get Ignacio to look at her.

          “What are we explaining?” she asked again. “Was it only last night? Or might it last longer? And you won’t go alone. He deserves my confession as well.”

          “I would like to think that last night was not a one time thing. but it is not for me to decide. Ned considered you his girlfriend.”

          “Okay, well I don't want it to be a one time thing either. So that's a start,” Layla stroked his cheek, feeling a little better, but still a knot twisted in her gut as she thought about the explanation she needed to give to Ned. She highly doubted he would consider her his girlfriend after he heard what she had done. “And I know Ned thought of me as his girlfriend, but I didn't really feel that way about him. I’m the one who forced last night and led him to believe that I had any feelings for him. You don’t need to apologize the way I do.”

          Ignacio frowned. “He’s going to be very upset, Mi Llamita. Are you sure you want to be in there?”

          Nodding, she tried to smile a little and failed miserably. “I think I can handle it. I kinda think I have to.”

          Ignacio still looked glum and dubious. She'd have to reassure him. After all, if she had been able to leave Anthony behind, she could do it to Ned too. It wouldn't be fun, it certainly wouldn't be pretty, and the discomfort all three would feel would be pretty awful for a while but at least they would all be able to move on afterward

          Blushing, her eyes didn’t waiver from his as she moved to stand in front of him. “Look, as I said last night: I don’t want Ned. I want you. So long as you stand by my side when I tell him how horrible I am, and then maybe come and see me another night I’ll be ok.”

          “You do not know what you are asking for,” he said, running his hand up her back.

          “I think I do,” she said, tracing his ear with her thumbnail. “Just don’t apologize for me. I should never have betrayed him like that. And now it’s my fault that I’ve ruined your relationship with him too.”

          “But I will have you now.”

          “Just as I'll have you.”

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The two did indeed make it to Ned before the gossip reached his ears.
Ned never met Ignacio on friendly terms again.
 Layla, he simply ignored.

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I crushed Ned. I feel bad about it, but this wasn’t how the generation was ever originally planned. The story changed a lot when I rolled for Generation 3. And, uh, btw, there is still no roll reveal. We’re not done yet.. I just figured I'd go ahead and quit actively tormenting Ned for a little while at least. Poor guy. Also, there is an outtake up for this chapter as well as a blooper of Cruz Martingale who happened to amuse me one night.

Chapter 2.14- It'll All Be Over

          Early morning the day before Election Day saw Layla in front of her brother’s house. As early as she had arrived he should have a little bit of time to spare for her before he had to be at Ned’s Campaign Headquarters downtown. And Layla wanted every moment he could offer her. She had questions.

          “It’s a little early for you to stop by,” he greeted her warmly. “But Phedra and George have already left. You missed them.”

          “That’s fine, it’s you I wanted to see,” she said. “Can I come in?”

          “Yeah! Yeah! Come on in, looks like it’s about to rain.”

          “So, what's up? Wanna read Corinne a book before she goes to school?”

          “Maybe another day, I have some questions about Ned’s campaign,” Layla was afraid that if she wasted time on small talk he’d have to leave before she learned what she needed to know.

          “Oh? And you didn’t want to ask him?”

          “He’s told me before that it’s going very well. But I’ve heard rumors that that isn’t the case. What’s going on? Really going on.”

          “Ned is going to lose tomorrow,” Cyrus said bluntly. “And it isn’t going to be narrow.”

          “Is there anything that can be done?”

          Looking at her closely, Cyrus waited a moment before answering her. The pause made her uneasy.

          “How much do you really get out in town, Laydee? Like, really get out and get to know the people in town.”

          “I don’t.”

          “Alright, then this might be difficult for you to understand.”

          “Try me.”

          “This town is a very tightly knit, small farming community,” he said. “They live their lives together from birth to death. Outsiders are suspect, newcomers are strange and people they don’t know they secretly fear. And these people don’t know Ned. They didn’t see him grow up, they didn’t know his father well, and they pitied his mother in private. His wealth doesn’t help him win their affections either.”

          “Wow, you’ve haven’t been here as long as I have and you seem to know the town very well.”

          “It’s part of my job, Laydee.”

          “So there’s no hope at all then?”

          “Not unless you can get the entire town to change their habits and minds overnight,” Cyrus told her sadly.

          “Habits?” she asked.

          “Yes, their habits too. They all stick together like glue, for one. They’re used to Mayor Martingale. And they like to infuse almost all situations with a little drama. This is a fantastic tragi-comedy for half the gossiping citizens of Appaloosa Plains. The stuck-up wealthy son of the marriage for money versus the small town farmer who overcame his father’s infamous behavior to run the town is how they see this election.”

          “But Ned isn’t stuck-up at all!”

          “I know that,” Cyrus answered in a soothing tone. “I know that and you know that, but Ned hasn’t gone out of his way to do anything for the town since his return. They just don’t know him and so they assume.”

          “But that’s not fair!” Layla nearly shouted.

          “It’s not fair,” Cyrus answered, trying to shush his sister before she upset his kids. “But it’s the way things are. And there is nothing we can do to fight that.”

          “Have Ned go out and meet the people!”

          “He’s done that. They smile politely and turn their backs.”

          “Have him donate to local charities!”

          “His entire family has done that for generations.”

          “Have him-”

          “-Layla? There is nothing more that can be done. It would take something monumental happening to make the town look at Ned in a favorable light. And it would have to happen now.”

          Her head drooping with her shoulders, she’d never felt so defeated.

          “Wow,” Cyrus breathed. “You really like this guy don’t you?”

          She didn’t answer. She didn’t want to tell a half truth.

          “You know,” he continued. “You know when I first came to town I kind of thought you and Ignacio had a thing going, but I can see I was wrong. Ned’s a good guy Layla. He’ll be good to you.”

          A new thought struck Layla suddenly and her blood ran cold.

          “What happens to you and Olivia and the girls if Ned loses?”

          He smiled at her ruefully.

          “With both of us working and getting paid well we’ve been saving up. When the campaign is over one of us will travel somewhere larger and will look for work. With any luck, we’ll get something quickly and we’ll just relocate again.”

          “But what about Henry?”

          “Fay and George are going to be sending us a little each month to make sure we can take care of him. We’ll be fine Layla. We’ve done this before.”

          “Hey,” he smiled at her. “Hey, there’s no need to look so sad. At least we’ve had this little bit together, and you’ve got to meet the girls. We’ll keep in touch now, too.”

          Nodding, Layla tried to talk of the weather for the few remaining minutes before he had to leave. She couldn’t imagine having Cyrus move away again, she’d barely gotten used to having him nearby.

          With her thoughts still in a whirl she left to let Cyrus and Olivia leave for work.

          To her surprise she saw Aunt Estella leaving Skeet and Rosemary’s house across the street and assumed she had been visiting Rosemary and the new baby. At first she didn’t really want to stop, she wanted to get to Ned’s before he left for work to hear his opinion, but then something struck her. Who better to know how the town really thought of Ned than Estella. After all, Sally hadn't got her gossipy streak from Trigger.

          “Aunt Estella!” She yelled, running across the street. “Aunt Estella!”

          “I hear ya Honey Girl! There is no need ta shout,” the older woman chuckled.

          “Aunt Estella what do you think of Ned Hale?”

          Estella’s face went blank and she stared long and hard at Layla.

          “I think yer a lucky woman to have caught ‘is fancy,” she said guardedly.

          Layla shook her head in exasperation.

          “No,” she said. “No, what do you think about Ned personally? Honestly.”

          “Honestly? I think the boy needs some more time to grow up afore ‘e runs the town.”

          “But what about his platform?”

          “What about it? As far as I know 'e doesn’t have any experience playin' politics and so I’m sure he’d have no idea how to implement his platform even if ‘e did win.”

          “Now, Laydee,” Estella cutoff the hasty words Layla had been forming. “We all know that he’s yer special friend, but really. He’s jus’ not cut out to be Mayor here. And no one really knows ‘im very well. But I’m sure once the two o’ya settle down together you’ll be able to get ‘im to mix more with the townfolk ‘stead of just paying off the church alms box. That might go a long way toward getting’ ‘im a seat on the council one day, too.”

          There was nothing Layla could say to express her righteous indignation at such a speech. Did the town’s gossiping old biddies do this just to Ned? Had they labeled her in such a way too? Had they done it to Cyrus? Sally? Ignacio?

          “Now, then,” Estella continued. “I’ve got ta run back ‘ome. I just wanted ta see if Rosemary needed me today. Ya know how new babies make their Mama’s. It were good to see ya and talk to ya Honey Girl. I’m sure you’ll be awfully busy the rest o’today and tomorra with your young man, so I doubt we’ll see you afore it's all over.”

          She patted Layla’s cheek and left.

          Standing on the sidewalk alone Layla saw the carefully constructed safe world she had around her crumbling. She couldn’t just stand by. Maybe it wasn’t too late to get Ned to do something to eke out a win.

          On the way the clouds above parted and the sun warmed the air. It did nothing for the chill Layla felt though.

          “Well this is a pleasant surprise,” Ned greeted her at the door to the cottage in the backyard. The maid had informed her of his whereabouts when she rang the front bell. "Won’t you come in?”

          Layla nodded her acceptance of his invitation and stepped after him into the cool little building.

          “To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you this early in the morning?”

          Suddenly uncertain of how to proceed, Layla hesitated.

          “Will you come to headquarters tomorrow evening to be with me while we await the results?” Ned broke into her thoughts. “I’m sorry to interrupt your thoughts, but I’m so excited and I’d like nothing more than to have you with me as the vote counts come in.”

          Taken aback, Layla’s eyes widened.

          “About that Ned, how is your campaign going?” Layla was nearly breathless with all she’d heard that day. “I-I mean, have you gotten an indication of how the vote will fall?”

          “Ah,” Ned beamed at her. “Of course. But right now we’ve only got preliminary polls and guesses. According to those figures things might be a little slim, but I have no doubt that when the voters actually go to the polls that I’ll come out on top in the end.”

          Her shoulders fell, there was no response she could give. She hadn’t wanted to believe Ignacio’s grim outlook and so had gone to other sources she believed to be reliable. All seemed to confirm that there was nearly no way Ned would win. Was this simply bravado for her sake?

          “You look startled,” Ned went on, still smiling confidently. “But I understand how these things work. I majored in politics and I know how this will all end. Now then, will you be with me?”

          “Uh, yeah, sure. Sure I’ll be there,” Layla stuttered. He was bluffing for her sake, and that made it so much worse.

          Reaching for her, Ned pulled her into a tender embrace.

          “I’m so sorry I haven’t been around nearly as much as you deserve,” he whispered in her ear. “And as soon as it’s all over I’ll make it up to you. I promise.”

          Not trusting her voice, Layla nodded into his shoulder feeling her stomach churn.

          She pulled away first, unable to keep herself that near him any longer without flinching.

          “Tomorrow night then,” he said. “By tomorrow night it’ll all be over.”

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Dun da DUN! Yeah. This should be fun.

Oh, I mentioned Angelo Martingale's infamous father above. He's a son of Kanoa Parrot. One of the mob of them around town that popped up before I disabled Kanoa's ability to sire children. However, he's good looking so he didn't get killed in the Master Controller Killing Spree I had before moving the Sixkillers over to AP. Just FYI.