Chapter 9: Next Girl

Sandra and Foster had a baby girl, Isabella. The birth of a Roth heir secured the estate for Sandra. Her brother Xander wasn't even trying; he broke up with  his girlfriend Doreen and seems content with living on the estate's wealth without bearing any responsibility for it.

Now that she has the heir she wanted, Sandra asks Foster to move into the mansion with her. "I want our daughter to have her father around while she's growing up," she says.

Surprisingly, Foster has no objection to making the commitment, "Jasmin graduates in a few days. I'll give her my share of the house and Dante and I will move in with you," he promises.

Gibson can't  get into the idea of steady employment. Instead he fills in for bartenders at the various bars around town, hoping to own one of them someday.

It's not laziness that drives him to avoid a job; he's always busy around the house upgrading the plumbing and appliances.

And he's started a garden so they won't have to eat pesticide laden vegetables from the grocery store. Gibson works hard on his own projects, he just doesn't want to be tied down, working for someone else, taking orders and worst of all, kissing ass to get ahead.

Jasmin has her birthday.

As the family enjoys the birthday cake, Foster informs them of his plans to move into the Roth mansion with Dante.

"I don't want to move into that creepy mansion!" Dante protests, "Please, please, Gibson, please let me stay here with you and Jasmin!"

"It's fine with me, Dante," Gibson says.

"Don't you want to live with your mother?" Foster asks.

"Hell no!" Dante says, "I've only met her a couple times. I'm staying here with my real family."

Sandra had been lukewarm about having Dante come with him in the first place, so Foster doesn't press any harder. Gibson and Jasmin couldn't possibly do worse than him in taking care of the boy.

"It's kind of funny how we're repeating our fathers' living arrangements," Jasmin laughs, "Roommates for life! To be honest, I'm glad my dad is moving out, it will be great to finally be on our own."

Gibson agrees, but he's barely aware of what she's saying, too much in awe of how beautiful she is as a young woman. He's going to have to get over her soon, he thinks, or his life is going to be miserable.

The best way to get over one girl is to move onto the next, Gibson thinks, so he heads over to Brie Frye's new place. She graduated with Jasmin and has entered the music industry.

Brie can't possibly substitute for Jasmin, she has none of what makes Jasmin so special. But Gibson can't have Jasmin, so he'll take second best gladly.

Gibson slips quietly out of her bed in the morning, hoping not to wake her. He isn't in the mood for talk right now.

Jasmin and Dante eat leftover cake for breakfast.

"Have you seen Gibson this morning?" Jasmin asks her brother.

"I think he stayed out all night," Dante answers, "Can I skip school today?"

"Just because Dad's gone doesn't mean you get to do whatever you want," Jasmin says, "You have to go to school."

After sending Dante off to school, Jasmin spent the morning before her shift painting in the studio, and she saw through the window when Gibson finally came in. He headed straight to his garden and got to work.

When he finished his gardening he came back in through the studio to chat with Jasmin.

She had gotten a job at the theater, following in her father's footsteps, and had discovered her former classmate Brie Frye was going to be working with her. "The studio guys were all over her," Jasmin tells Gibson, "Telling her how she was going to be a huge star. I could barely get their attention long enough to get hired. And all my agent could say was that I should get Brie to give me a makeover."

"The industry is like that," Gibson says, "Brie's got the face - and body - to sell a lot of product."

"So you think I should ask Brie for a makeover?" Jasmin asks, hurt. She'd been hoping for some support.

"Not at all," Gibson says, "You're perfect the way you are. Naturally gorgeous. If you made yourself up like Brie, you'd be hiding your real beauty. It will probably be harder for you to make it in the industry, because you're real and you make real music, when what they want is a pretty face to put in their videos and sell their manufactured pop." Gibson takes after his father in his contempt for the music industry. "But you'll be happier if you stay true to who you are. Don't let them make you into pop princess."

Jasmin smiles, feeling better about the situation. "Where were you last night?" she asks, moving on to the next issue.

"I, uh, stayed at Brie's last night," Gibson answers truthfully.

Jasmin thought that might be the case, but still hoped it wasn't, so hearing the truth crushes her. "Do you love her?" she asks, wondering how he could be so harsh inn his comparison of Brie's beauty to her own if he's sleeping with her.

"Love?" Gibson chokes, "No, it's just...you know..." Gibson doesn't know what to call it, when what it is is his method of trying to get over Jasmin.

"I...have to get to work," Jasmin says, rushing away from the awkward conversation. Sometimes she feels so deeply connected to Gibson, like no one could understand her better, and sometimes she feels like she hardly knows him.

Gibson has gotten very skilled at repairing electronics, and occasionally does minor repair jobs around town. Sharla Ottomas needed her TV repaired, so Gibson dropped by her house in the afternoon.

"You're so amazing with your tools," Sharla gushes when her TV is working again.

"My pleasure, Sharla," he answers, "Call me anytime you need a repair."

"You're very sweet," Sharla says, "Can I get you anything? Something to drink? Or eat?"

"No, thanks," Gibson declines, 'I should probably get going."

"Do you have to leaver so soon?" Sharla asks, "It's been nice having the company. I'm always alone in the house."

Gibson senses that she's coming on to him. She's certainly cute enough, she even looks a little like Jasmin from some angles. "Would you like to go out somewhere?" he offers.

"Oh, no," Sharla answers, "I don't like going out. People, crowds, make me nervous. I prefer to stay home. I like solitude, but sometimes...I get lonely."

"All right, I can stay awhile," Gibson says.

"Oh, wonderful," Sharla says, leaping into his arms. "My bedroom is over there, through that door."

Sharla's a loner, but she's not shy. Once she gets Gibson in her bed, she tells him exactly what she wants and how she wants it.

"I hope you'll come by and visit me again," Sharla says as she gets out of bed.

"Absolutely," Gibson answers.

Before he leaves, Gibson unclogs Sharla's toilet. Free of charge.

While Gibson spens the afternoon with Sharla, Dante is making a girlfriend. Deirdre McGreggor is Parker's half-sister, the daughter of Nancy Gilscarbo and Leod McGreggor (making her Rory's granddaughter as well). But she's no relation to Dante, so they are free to get romantic.

Gibson and Dante get home around the same time. Dante excitedly tells Gibson about his new romance, while Gibson keeps quiet about his.

Jasmin watches Gibson in the garden while she works on a new song. All her songs are about him, her love for him and her doubts, the wish they could be together and her fear that if she had him, she would lose him.

Sharla comes in to the Reserve Tavern while Gibson is manning the bar there. It's immediately obvious that she's pregnant.

"Sharla, I am so sorry," Gibson says, coming around the bar to talk to her.

"Don't be sorry," Sharla laughs, "I'm thrilled. I've always wanted a baby."

"If there's anything you need..." Gibson offers vaguely, hoping she won't ask for anything he doesn't have to give.

"Just come visit us from time to time," Sharla answers, her smile blissful.

Jasmin's feelings for Gibson had prevented her from having other relationships. But she'll never get past him if she doesn't get out there and try, so she made a date with her former classmate, Dominique Goolsby.

Jasmin finds herself enjoying his company, and flirting is an unexpected pleasure.

Before she knows it, the lounge lights turn off and the bar staff shoos everyone out; it's closing time.

"Let's do this again soon," Dominique says as he kisses her goodnight.

"Yes," Jasmin agrees.

Jasmin isn't the only girl Dominique is seeing.

Gibson has noticed him romancing Jane Sabitiano while he's at Brie's house. He doesn't know about Jasmin's date with Dominque, or he'd be across the street right now getting into a fight.

"Jasmin and I are up against each other in an audition tomorrow," Brie tells him, "What song is she doing, do you know."

"I'm not here to talk about Jasmin," Gibson says, stroking her cheek, "I'm here to be with you."

"Of course you are," Brie answers, a strange bitterness in her tone. "It has nothing to do with you being stuck so far up her ass you don't see anyone else."

"Don't be ridiculous. Jasmin and I are like brother and sister, we're best friends, that's all. I just don't want to get involved in any rivalry you two have going on. I'm here with you, okay?" It stings to hear how transparent he is; he thought he'd been doing a good job at burying his feelings for Jasmin.

Brie's jealousy makes her more passionate, and she just about tears Gibson's clothes off and pushes him into her bed.

Jasmin can tell from Gibson's cocky stride that he's coming directly from Brie's bed. "Is Brie gong to make it to work on time today?" she snarls as they pass each other.

Gibson doesn't answer her rhetorical question. "Jasmin, I know you and Brie have some...issues...at work," he says seriously, "Just know that if it ever comes to serious conflict, I'm on your side all the way."

Jasmin's brow furrows; she wasn't expecting that kind of frankness to come from her offhand snarkiness. She rushes off to the theater without answering him.

Gibson is working the Downtown Sports Bar tonight, so Jasmin invites Dominque over.

And she invites him into the hot tub her father had installed shortly before he moved out.

She hadn't planned on letting things go this far tonight, or to make love for the first time in a hot tub, but  Jasmin went with the moment. She had hoped that being with Dominique would finally put Gibson out of her mind as he had so obviously put her out of his. But the opposite happened, the entire time she was thinking about Gibson, wishing she were making love to him instead.

The next morning, Jasmin tells Gibson about her budding relationship with Dominique, leaving out the part about how much she would rather be with Gibson.

"I feel like I went too fast," she confides, "I hardly know him."

Gibson hates hearing that she's been with another guy, but he's in no position to judge. He also doesn't like having to give her bad news, but he she needs to hear the truth about her lover, that she saw him with Jane Sabitiano the other day."

"Really? Are you sure?"

Gibson nods, his eyes starting to tear at the crushed sound of her voice, "I wouldn't say anything if I wasn't sure. If I had known you were dating him, I would've told you earlier. I'm so sorry."

Jasmin certainly isn't in love with Dominique, so it's not like her heart is broken by his betrayal. But the news makes her gut churn powerfully, and she runs to the bathroom.

Jasmin cries as she throws up. Why is she having such powerful emotions over a man she doesn't really love?

Gibson went out that afternoon to visit Sharla and their daughter, Sherrie.

He was worried Sharla would get clingy and demanding, but she seems genuinely pleased to be alone with her child and the occasional visit from the man who gave her that child.

While Gibson is out, Jasmin has a good long think about her situation. She's sure now that she'll never love anyone like she loves Gibson, and she needs to tell him, and apologize for pushing him away when they were teens. Even if he no longer has feelings for her, she wants her feelings to be out in the open. When he comes home, Jasmin takes a deep breath and goes out to talk to him.

"Gibson, I don't want us to have any secrets from each other. I think we should be able to tell each other everything," she starts off.

Gibson hasn't told her about Sharla and their baby, and assumes she's found out. "I'm sorry, Jasmin. I should have told you about the baby. I was afraid you'd...judge me, hate me. But I'm not a deadbeat, I swear. I was just with Sharla and the baby this afternoon."

Jasmin pulls Gibson into a tight embrace so he can't see the tears forming in her eyes. "I don't judge you," she whispers, "I know you'll be a good father." Any thought of admitting her feelings evaporates. He's got more on his plate than he can handle, and Jasmin doubts her own feelings for this man she thinks she knows, but who always surprises her.

Challenge Notes:

Generation 2 is on.
Recap of the roll: Single with help, 3 kids. Primary career music/rock, secondary mixologist. Goal is living green and Misc. Fun is half-siblings.

Jasmin's LTW is max Guitar and Painting. I'm also hoping she gets those lucrative painting skill opportunities to help pay for a bar for Gibson and the park we have to buy for the living green requirement.
Mixologist officially sucks. Maybe it will pay more at higher levels, but now at level 6 mixology, Gibson makes squat when I have moonlight as mixologist. Also, some bars are weird in that the NPC bartender keeps coming back and kicking Gibson off the bar. So, his main income is opportunities right now.

Traits: Jasmin's are Heavy Sleeper, Clumsy, Artistic, Virtuoso and Commitment Issues. The first two she got when she was born, when I couldn't pick them. Interestingly, all 3 of Foster's kids got Clumsy.
Gibson's are Friendly, Loves the Outdoors, Artistic, Handy and Commitment Issues. His first two are also from birth outside my household. Jasmin and Gibson both have grey as their favorite color.
Gibson's daughter with Sharla is not counted in the kids for this generation, she'll be growing up with Sharla. I think Sharla is adorable, and I was outraged that SP wasn't hooking her up with anyone. I wanted to ensure she passed on her genes. So I gave her my Gibson to breed with.
Gibson will be making a baby to move into the legacy, too. You can guess who with.

Fun fact, Jasmin did actually roll  a wish to woohoo with Gibson while in the hot tub with Dominique.

Dante has 3 or 4 days left before he becomes YA. He actually started flirting with Deirdre McGreggor autonomously. I was focused on Gibson at Sharla's house, and when I clicked on Dante to see if he was getting home from school okay, I saw he had the first love moodlet in his panel and found him flirting with Deirdre outside the school.

Carey and Roslyn got married, as did Foster and Sandra once I moved them out. Parker and Haley have had a baby. I forget now if it's a boy or girl.