After Damien died, we were all feeling very low. But there was something between Roscoe and Ellie that just wasn’t good. Ellie was mischievous, and while she was getting good grades, she was getting in trouble. She was so angry one time that she put dye in the shower and made Roscoe’s hair bright yellow. He grounded her.

I told him that he didn’t have that sort of authority over his sister, and she was just being a normal teenager. Roscoe was always so intelligent for his age, and I love Ellie, but she’s just an ordinary teenager. The two are chalk and cheese and argue all the time now. It’s quite sad. But I suppose everyone takes loss in their own ways. I’ve been staying outside a lot, cooking, learning how to play the piano and exercising. I try to keep busy. And it’s always good to keep active when you’re old. I still feel awful. Terrible. But I’m getting better. I’ll be okay. I know I will.

Ah, yes. I told her to go, of course! The school has only started to introduce these proms. A secret girly part of me would have loved to be in a pretty dress and dance the night away. From what she told me afterwards, Ellie and her little man Dale had their first kiss on the dancefloor, and he asked her to go steady. They are so cute.

He’s a bit older than her, but, oh who am I to judge? The boy has a bad reputation, but he’s polite and good to my girl. I respect that. That’s what is important. If he were rude, I wouldn’t let him into my home.

She came back on the motorcycle. Doesn’t she look good? I’m glad she had a good time. She deserves to smile a little after all that’s happened.

After the heartbreak Roscoe held within him, he pushed himself. He painted his first masterpiece.

He also caught the eye of our maid, Vanessa. She caught his eye, too. That silly boy. He falls too soon. She bunked off work to be with him, and they spent the rest of the day talking. And boy does that girl flirt. She does talk, though. I overheard her saying to Roscoe that she knew Sha Sha Schaeffer. She said that even though Sha Sha has a boyfriend, that she goes after high society boys for their money.

I don’t know…I know I shouldn’t have been eavesdropping, but this Vanessa girl seems untrustworthy. I told Roscoe that after she had left, and he seemed unhappy about it, but also…well, he seemed to agree. The day he saw that Sha Sha, something changed in him. He paints better. I don’t think he could ever believe anyone who said anything bad about her. It’s a real shame for Vanessa, too. I think he may have given her a chance if she hadn’t said anything. I wonder why she mentioned it…

And there we go.

Sha Sha Shaeffer had broken up with her boyfriend. It turns out she and my dear Roscoe had been talking EVERY DAY. She fell in love with him. And changed her name! After she moved out of her mother’s house (the woman was a huge control freak), she changed her name to Shae.

She’s gorgeous.

And this…harpy! I found her slacking on the job, leaving a note for Roscoe to come down to the pool. I tore it up, came out of his bedroom and downstairs, and then saw her like this!

I…I am beyond words. In my home! I hired her to help me clean, not to seduce my son! And what’s more, in her haste to leave, she forgot her coat. I found ten thousand simoleons and one of my best necklaces.

It appears it was she who wanted the high society boy. Fat chance now. Shae’s moved into the house.

After all of that, it was time for Ellie’s birthday. She celebrated with friends from school, the athletics team, and of course, Dale.

My children are happy…that’s all I could ask for at the moment.

I forgot to take a photo of her after she got changed! But she dyed her hair red, and put it into a lovely updo. And the clothes changed slightly.

She and Dale went straight upstairs after eating some cake. I don’t wanna know! But he’s moved in, also.

Shae has settled into the house really well. She likes to play chess with Dale. She’s full of spunk, and very daring, just like me!

A couple of days after Ellie’s birthday, it was time for her and Dale to graduate. Dale won the award for Most Popular, and did quite well, but Ellie was a huge surprise! She was voted Most Likely to be a Sports Star, Valedictorian, and graduated with honors! I’m so proud of her!

Dale proposed in front of all of us outside the doors of the school. They met there, had their first dance there, and their first kiss there. He said it seemed fitting and I agree absolutely. She said yes, of course.

Everything was quiet in the house, but the couples seemed closer. It was…strange.

Until one day, I came back from meeting Ellie at her work and going for a coffee together.

The had this built. Roscoe and Ellie said that they knew I was scared I wouldn’t be alive to see both of them married, so they decided they would get married at the same time, in a beautiful little place in our back garden. We dressed up, and I stopped Shae in her and Roscoe’s room. She had her wedding dress on the bed.

I asked her why she and Roscoe had made the decision to get married just to please me.

She told me that it was the right time for those two, but also that they all wanted to bring me a bit of happiness after so much hardship. She told me not to worry, and that they were ready to be married.

I still worried that they did this to please an old woman.

Especially as Ellie seemed to reserved…but just as I was to go to her to comfort her, she ran outside to the wedding arc with a huge smile on her face, calling Dale and us as she went. My girl…

Ellie was crying. I managed to fight my tears, even though it was horribly hard! Next were Shae and Roscoe.

And I lost it…

I miss my husband…but I’m so happy today. It’s all a muddled up bunch of feelings. Just the same as before, we find ways of getting by. I miss Damien. I miss his songs. I sometimes play his guitar just because I can. Just because I want to feel close to him. Because he can’t and I can. I play it to feel alive.

I look at my children, and they make me feel alive, too. Ellie moved out shortly after the wedding, because she wants to build a life for herself and Dale. Roscoe and Shae stay with me. Roscoe’s name will be on the house when I go. He’s the eldest. It’s a really archaic, but I can’t pick and choose between my children, and this is the only way to decide.

I think one of the most beautiful things about the wedding was to see my husband’s eyes so full of love again. That’s what I saw in Ellie. And I know my eyes looked just like Roscoe’s. My children are happily married, and it’s wonderful. We’re all living happily for the moment.

I need some grandbabies now!