Chapter 2: The Daily Grind

  Kona and Kanani cuddled outside under the sky, staring at the millions of twinkling lights in the velvet blackness.  Kanani snuggled in closer.  "It sure is nice to take a break, and just spend a few minutes together without the girls being underfoot."

  

  Kona took a deep breath of the sweet night air.  "It is.  We earned this small break!"  He let his thoughts drift back over the past few months.....

  They had been tough months, both financially, physically, and emotionally.  Kanani was a Paramedic, she worked from nine in the morning until four o clock in the afternoon.  They were so broke, they couldn't afford to hire a babysitter, so Kona just stayed home with the girls until Kanani got home from work.

  Usually the girls were just waking up from their naps when their mother walked in the door.  They would all cry in unison, all of them wanting attention and a bottle, but Keikei was always the loudest.  

 As soon as Kanani set foot in her house, she could hear her girls wailing in their cribs.

 

  Exhausted or not, it would be her turn to take care of the girls and the house while Kona went to the Public Park to earn tips from his Clown Magic Act.  He would put in as many hours as he could, performing as long as there was someone nearby to watch.  Some nights he would be gone until Midnight or longer, but every dollar in the tip jar was another dollar that could go towards the electric bill, or diapers, or baby food.

   

     The house they lived in had cheap sinks that always broke.  Cheap showers that always sprayed water everywhere.  And cheap toilets that always plugged up.  Kona knew they didn't have any money to spend on hiring a plummer everytime the toilet plugged up, or the sink sprayed.  So he bought a book and started to teach himself how to fix things.  He was becoming quite the expert at unplugging toilets.

    That was about the time when he decided that being a clown wasn't going to cut it.  He had scared more children than he entertained.   Frightened off grown adults because they suffered from Coulrophobia.   So he had rummaged around in his magic trunk some more, until he had found a more sophisticated, less scary costume.

  

  He would go to Bubble clubs and earn more in tips there.  People were in the tipping mood after blowing a few bubbles.  Kona had tried it out, at the urging of other people, but found it really wasn't his thing.  Unfortunately, the Bubble Club wasn't open often enough for Kona to get enough money to pay his bills.

  

    He would perform anywhere, at any time, for any occasion.  He would show up early for a gig, and run through his routine, trying to perfect it.

 


  He didn't want a repeat of the fire episode. 

 
  They were doing every thing they could to provide a good life for their daughters.  But the lack of money was planting a very different kind of seed in his oldest daughter Keikei.  Even at her young age, she knew what she wanted.  Money.  

 
   Kanani reached over and squeezed his hand.  "Hey, where'd you go?"

  Kona smiled at her.  "Just thinking."

   Kanani sighed.   "Do you think the girls were sad that we couldn't have a birthday party for them?"

  

  "Nah, they know that we love them, and love is the most important thing.  But I have to tell you, I am so glad they are no longer toddlers!  No more kids for us."

  "Well," Kanani said a little nervously, "I'm late."

  Kona frowned.  "Late for what?"

  Kanani elbowed him.  "You know."

  Kona looked at her confused for a moment, Kanani could tell when he understood exactly what she was saying.  He seemed to wilt a little.  "That type of late?  But we were so careful!"

  "Nothing is hundred percent Kona.  Will you be okay with this?"

  "I don't know." he finally said.  He hugged her closer to him.  "I just need a little time Kanani.  The timing is terrible."




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  So--- I managed to get all 3 toddlers to learn how to walk, talk and potty.  They got their max skills from the Peg toy and the Xylophone.  I even managed to have Keikei get almost all the skill toddler books read to her.  Just one book shy, but she was too tired to be read to anymore.  Darn it all, and then she aged up before I could get back to it.

  Some CAS pics of the girls, because my sims love to age up in the dark and outside.  Only Keilani was obliging enough to at least age up inside where it was lighter!



                                                Keikei, the heir.

                                                          Poulani:

 
                                                        Keilani:

  I knew I wanted Keikei for my heir, but I will probably be asking for opinions on generation 3, when I get to that point.

  Thanks for reading!  :)

Next: Chapter 3:In Sickness and Health