Innocence incarnate.
I wish I knew what brought R2-D2 to swim with her imaginary fishes, but she insists that’s how her story goes.
Innocence
Day: June 10, 2018
Naomi’s Help
‘Azalea?’
‘Come here, baby, you know I’ll always take care of you.’
I know she will. Grandma is more in tune with a body’s wellness than any other sim I’ve met. She says she can help me relax with a massage; and for the duration of the massage, it works. The pressure on the right nerves, the motherly touch of my grandmother, the relaxing view over the San Myshuno Bay…
For the first time in weeks, I feel content, almost happy.
But it doesn’t last.
Telling Naomi
Grandma insists on spending the afternoon with us. Begrudgingly, we agree. And she finds herself, quite literally, stuck in the middle.
Her attempts at making us talk to each other fail, one after the other, and when she tries to invite us to cool off by taking a deep, freeing breath, we both sigh in exasperation.
Which leaves Grandma frustrated, and annoyed.
I give in, and finally explain to her why it won’t be so easy as taking a deep breath.
I tell her everything.
To Hugo’s dismay. He argues that this is nothing to concern Grandma, that it is our business only.
He’s not completely wrong.
I see Grandma’s face drop, and my pain mirrored in her eyes, and I suddenly wish I could take it all back, put on a better act, and never put this burden on our matriarch’s shoulders.
But I can’t, and she wouldn’t want me to.
Visit from Grandma
Grandma comes to visit us, for the first time in a while. She didn’t know either. She expects the joyful family she’s used to.
It takes her half a minute to know that something’s wrong. She’s practically raised three generations of Stewarts women, she can read me like an open book.
I tell her that Hugo and I haven’t been at our best lately.
Hugo isn’t even paying attention to our conversation. He is only in the same room as us because Hannah heard her great-grandma’s voice and ran to the entrance.
He hears his name and vaguely looks up, but can’t bring himself to look me or Grandma in the eyes.
“You see what I mean?”
She does. And she isn’t going to just let it pass.
Our One Joy
It’s a weird time.
Before, Hugo and I could barely ever be seen one without the other. Now? It’s almost as if we avoid each other.
Hugo was never the most dynamic, but he was always willing to go outside and do things. Now, when Hannah’s being looked after, he retreats somewhere, and loses himself in thought. Or he sleeps, a lot. He hasn’t streamed anything in weeks.
It’s not just on him, though. I don’t know if it’s Hugo I flee as much as the apartment, but I, on the contrary, am always outside. I take up my morning joggings again, but they’re not as relaxing as they once were. The San Myshuno Uptown is not exactly a nurturing environment.
But there is one thing that we both agree on and that has us gravitate towards each other, towards the life and the remnants of joy in our apartment.
Hannah.
The Uptown feels so… empty.
Hannah is our little angel. She’s an independent little one, content with diving into the worlds in her little toddler books. She always wants more, she always imagines more.
My happy Hannah.
She’s as cuddly as ever.
I’m lucky she’s there.
The Stewarts Family (and other shenanigans) 