Chapter 11: It's Only Me Who Wants to Wrap Around Your Dreams

Autumn has many of her father's features, including his black hair with subtle blue highlights. It makes it hard for Jasmin to look at her without feeling again the sting of betrayal and regret.

Dante becomes a man, joins the science career and moves out with his girlfriend Deirdre. But he still comes around the house in the early morning hours to fish.

Jasmin and Gibson grew up in an environment where people went around the house in their underwear in the mornings, and as adults they've carried on the casual lifestyle of their fathers. But going around topless didn't stir up sexual tension for Foster and Carey as it does for these roommates.

Jasmin isn't really sure she's ready to date again, but Shelby Merneptah-Dove was very persistent, so she agreed to meet him at Howl for a few drinks.

Though his career is in politics, a City Hall aide, Shelby has a great interest in music, and Jasmin enjoys conversation with him.

After a lot of enjoyable conversation, he gets a little flirty. But he doesn't try anything more personal than a massage. It's like he's tuned into her, knows she wants to take it slow, and Jasmin appreciates that.

By the time the club closes, Jasmin feels like she's really gotten to know Shelby. This time, it won't be like it was with Dominique. She kisses him and they make a date for the next evening.

All the time he's known Sharla, Gibson never learned what she did for a living until today. She's a local representative. If he actually paid attention to politics and the local elections, he would have realized that. After going on a bit about some rezoning issue he doesn't care about, Sharla finally switches gears to talk on more personal subjects.

"Have you ever told Jasmin how you feel?" she asks, "Have you ever kissed her?"

"Sure, we kissed once. When we were in high school," Gibson answers, remembering vividly that night at Howl, that one kiss, before everything went downhill, "She told me the next day that she didn't want romance to ruin our friendship and to never speak about it again."

Sharla laughs deep in her throat, "And you've kept that promise all this time?"

"Of course."

Sharla laughs again, "You silly boy. And she's a silly girl. The two of you, living together for years, desperately in love with each other and neither of you will make that first move."

"I don't think she's in love with me," Gibson answers sadly.

"No? How's her love life, then? Like yours, a few feeble attempts at relationships that go badly?"

Gibson had never thought Jasmin's lack of a love life could have anything to do with him. "Do you really think she likes me?" he asks.

Sharla rolls her eyes. "You can live your whole life in misery wondering that, or you can ask her yourself."

 Sherrie is always excited to see her father, so Sharla gives her daughter some alone time with Gibson. Sharla said what she needed to say, and her words have gotten through. Gibson has resolved to talk to Jasmin tonight after he gets home from the bar, tell her how he feels. What does he have to lose?

What Gibson doesn't know is that Jasmin is on another date with Shelby tonight. After dinner, she agrees to go back to Shelby's house for a drink and more conversation.

Convinced that this time it's real, Jasmin becomes her more uninhibited self, and joind shelby in his bed without a second thought.

"I wish you could stay the night," Shelby purrs, "I'd love to make love to you when we wake up."

Jasmin didn't say she couldn't spend the night, but it probably wouldn't be fair for her to leave the kids with Gibson without fair warning. As it is, he must have been surprised to come home from the bar to find a babysitter in the house and not her, since she hadn't told him about her date. So she kisses Shelby goodnight and promises to make arrangements to spend the night sometime.

"I thought you had the night off," Gibson says when Jasmin finally comes in. He'd been steeling himself for hours to say what he has to say to her, and the continued delay is making his stomach flutter nervously. While he's waited, he's been mixing trays of drinks he's too quesy to drink himself.

Jasmin grabs one of the drinks, needing one before she tells Gibson about her date. He's her friend, she shouldn't feel this nervous and weird about telling him about her love life. "I was out on a date," she answers.

Gibson lets a bottle slip through his fingers and crash to the floor. "A date? Who with?" he asks, trying to sound casual, like she hasn't just broke his heart and crushed his soul, again.

Jasmin comes around the bar to help Gibson clean the broken glass.
"Shelby Merneptah-Dove," she answers once the mess is clean, "Oh, Gibson, he's so wonderful! I really think he might be the one," she gushes, her excitement overcoming her nervousness. Gibson is her friend, she reminds herself, he got over her ages ago. And finally, she's on the path to getting over him.

Gibson's plans have flown out the window. Sharla was wrong, Jasmin doesn't love him, she's moved on. All they re and will ever be is friends.
"That's great, Jas," Gibson says as he hugs her, "I'm so happy for you."

Since they work late night hours, Jasmin and Gibson sleep until late in the morning. This morning, Gibson was awakened by his cell phone.
"I guess it didn't go to well last night," Sharla says when he picks up.

"You were wrong, Sharla, she was on a date last night," Gibson sighs.

"I know, with my aide, Shelby. He hasn't shut up about it," Sharla answers, "But there's something you should know..."

After his conversation with Sharla, Gibson goes out into the kitchen to find Jasmin. "Listen, Jas," he says gently, taking her hands, "I just spoke with Sharla, she's Shelby's boss. She says he, uh, gets around. A lot."

"You're sweet to be concerned for me," Jasmin replies, "But I'm sure it's different with me. I think it's real this time, for both of us."

"Just be careful," Gibson sighs, already preparing to pick up the pieces of her broken heart.

While she's painting, Jasmin experiences a sudden wave of nausea. She hasn't felt anything like this since she was pregnant with Autumn. She can't be pregnant again! Or at least, she doesn't want to be.

She invites Shelby over. She didn't want to believe what Gibson told her about her lover, but doubts have crept in and she decides she must clear them up.

"Are you seeing anyone else besides me?" Jasmin asks, "I've heard rumours."

"I never said this was an exclusive relationship," Shelby answers, neither confirming nor denying.

"You never said it wasn't exclusive!" Jasmin shouts, "I thouyght we had something special!"

"Look, if you're going to get all clingy and possessive...this just isn't working for me," Shelby says.

Shelby walks out on her. How could she have been so deceived? He's not at all the man she thought she was falling in love with. Another rush of nausea comes over her, but Jasmin refuses to tell him she fears she might be pregnant with his child. She wouldn't stoop to using a child to wield power over a man.

Jasmin tried to sleep, but she just kept tossing and turning. When she hears Gibson come in she follows him into his bedroom.

"Jas? Are you okay?" Gibson asks when she comes in, looking forlorn and tired.

"You were right. About Shelby," Jasmin answers, and the tears start to flow, "And I think I"m pregnant."

Gibson hugs her, tries to comfort her as her tears flow onto his shoulder.

"I can't sleep. Please, let me stay with you tonight. I don't want to be alone."

She asks a lot of his friendship. But Gibson can't refuse.

"I will never ever trust another man," Jasmin sobs as they climb into his bed. "They all lie, they all hide things."

Gibson wonders if he's included in this opprobrium against his gender. He has lied to her and hidden things from her, after all. Even now, he's hiding his feelings for her.

Jasmin snuggles against him, he wraps his arm around her and caresses her stomach. After more tears, she finally falls asleep. When he's sure by her breathing that she's deep sleep, he whispers into her ear his only secret, knowing that she's beyond hearing it, "I love you, Jasmin, I always will."

Jasmin's spirits do not pick up. Her fears have been realized, she is pregnant, and once again, she's been betrayed by her baby's father. Gibson wishes there was something he could do or say, but nothing cheers her.

Gibson invites his parents to celebrate Darius' birthday. Roslyn regales Jasmin with stories of her great regret, "I missed being with my only child because I thought freedom was so impoertant. I can't tell you how wrong I was," Roslyn sighs.

"But you were there," Jasmin says, "You were at the house all the time."

Roslyn shakes her head, "It isn't the same thing. Not at all."

Carey is a proud father and grandfather.

Darius looks just like father did at that age.

After cake, Carey takes Gibson aside for a chat. It saddens him to see the pain and longing that shines through his son's eyes. Carey knows that expression all too well, he knows what it's like to spend years waiting on a woman.
"Don't wait forever. Press harder," Carey advises his son, interrupting whatever he had been talking about, "Tell her what you want. Believe me, I wish I had."
Gibson takes his father's words to heart, he knows where he's coming from. But his own situation is so different. His parents were at least lovers all that time, Gibson doesn't even know where he stands with Jasmin, if she even thinks that way about him at all.

Darius dances while his grandfather and Jasmin jam.

Autumn has her birthday the next day. Jasmin is feeling too low to invite her father or brothers.

Which was probably for the best as Jasmin goes into labor that evening.

"Dad, come quick!" Darius screams, "Jasmin's sick!"

Gibson rushes in (he had been tinkering with the hot tub, improving the jets) and escorts Jasmin to the hospital next door. "Clean the dishes and get to bed, you two," Gibson calls out to the kids as the head out the door.

Jasmin has another daughter, Meadow.

Gibson is already asleep when Jasmin is finished settling Meadow into her crib, so Jasmin can't ask his permission to sleep in his bed. She's not going to be able to sleep alone tonight, she's sure of that, so she slides in next to him without asking.

His warmth and the smell of skin comfort her, allow her to rest. How different their lives might have been if she hadn't turned him away when they were teens. Jasmin wishes she could go back in time and change everything.

She slips out of his bed again in the morning before Gibson wakes up, not wanting him to know she'd been there.

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Challenge Notes:
I had a huge glitch with Sherrie (Gibson's daughter with Sharla). After one day of childhood, she aged up to teen. I quit without saving (forcing me to redo some really boring bartending, lol) hoping that she would not mysteriously age up again. I even checked her several times that day to see she still had 7 days until aging up. And then, bam, she ages up anyway. I've had this happen before to random townies, but I didn't care because they weren't part of my story. But in this case, I'm bummed. I was totally planning on having Gibson invite Sherrie over to be a playmate for Darius and Autumn, but now she's a teen. And that just throws my whole timeline off. But you can't reverse the age stage to child without creating a monster (I tried. Monster Sherrie is monstrous.) so I'm stuck with prematurely teen Sherrie.

Darius' traits are Artistic, Friendly and Party Animal. Autumn's are Genius, Party Animal, Loves the Outdoors (I think. Not sure about that last one). Both have Can Apprehend Burglars. I'm a little shocked Autumn doesn't have Can Salute, as her paternal grandfather is Hank Barracks. I don't know much about Hank (he's dead now) but I always assumed he was military, like Gen and Serge Barracks. Not a big deal, I was just surprised.
Meadow has Pyromaniac, Burglar and Can Salute. I was surprised she didn't get her father's Egyptian and Chinese culture traits. Riverblossom Hills comes with some sims who have culture traits, like Shelby's parents Twosret Merneptah (Egyptian) and Cole Dove (Chinese). Her other traits are Excitable and Virtuoso, rolled at random.