Chapter 58: If I Made the Rules

Phoenix interrupts Fox's morning gardening before she heads off to work.

"You need to put some clothes on," she tells him.

"They'll just get dirty," he answers.

"I know," Phoenix says, "But I've been getting complaints from some of the old biddies who clutch their pearls when they drive by and see you out here in your underwear. Just put on some pants, and you'll be set."

"I don't understand."

Phoenix laughs, "Well, if I made the rules, it would be mandatory for guys like you to do yardwork in their underwear. But society requires you to wear pants."

Fox watches Phoenix run off to met her carpool, then he goes inside to put on pants as she requested.

The next morning before work, Phoenix has to barge in on Fox's bath time to throw up.

"You aren't well," he says, concerned.

"I'm fine," she says, standing, "I don't know what came over me. But I'm fine now."

"You should stay home today," he suggests, but she shakes her head an insists she's fine to work.

At the station, she learns her co-worker Mere Ropata is expecting a baby. "Russel is already old, and I'm just days from retiring. I'm a grandmother, even. I never expected to get knocked up again at my age! Just goes to show, you can never be too careful," Mere complains.

The rubber duckie Fox fished up is endlessly fascinating.

In the evening, Phoenix is sick again. Fox follows her in to the bathroom, oddly elated to watch her throwing up.

"You are with child!" he announces gleefully.

"No, I'm just a little under the weather," Phoenix insists.

Fox smiles and shakes his head knowingly, "You are with child."

As the days pass and Phoenix's belly starts to show, she finally accepts that she's pregnant.

With some coaxing, she even grows to like the idea of having a family. At the very least, she loves seeing how elated Fox is about it.

Pants!

Bored at home on her day off, Phoenix goes out to find Fox, fishing at the beach.

"Dora Ottomas spoke to me," Fox says after a long kiss, "She asked me if I was going to do the right thing and marry you."

"And what did you tell the annoying old biddie?" Phoenix asks.

"I didn't understand what she meant, so I told her I would if you asked it of me. And she said I should be a man and ask you myself. Phoenix, why was that old woman questioning my manhood?"

"Some people get a little freaky about unmarried couples having babies."

"This is like wearing pants?"

Phoenix laughs, "Exactly. It's something society expects."

"Then we should marry," Fox says.

"You should know what marriage is first," Phoenix says, "You make a vow to stay with one person forever."

"I thought we did that," Fox says, his head tilted to the side, puzzled.

Phoenix tries to find the words to explain the legal contract of marriage and how it differs from a simple promise, and then gives up.

"We might as well get married, it's beautiful day for it," she says, and leads him through the vows that make their union legally binding and recognized by old biddies like Dora Ottomas.

With a child on the way, the couple expand their small house, adding a bedroom for themselves and a nursery for the baby, which also gives them extra living space in the place where the bed used to be.

On the taxi ride to the hospital, Phoenix notices Fox had grown quiet and tense. She takes his hand and squeezes it. "Childbirth is a lot safer these days. You don't need to worry." She seems to have found the source of his unease, as he relaxes noticeably.

Fox and Phoenix bring home a son, Wolf.

Both Mere Ropata and Matthew Loving have retired, so the fire department hired some new blood. Phoenix isn't sure Nancy Gilscarbo would be her first pick for a firefighter.

In fact, she's pretty sure she's not.

Wolf becomes a toddler.

Like both his parents, Wolf loves the outdoors. And he has such a huge yard to play in.

Phoenix comes home and spends some time teaching her son to walk.

Who needs a TV or video games when you come home to this?

They don't have much to steal, but that doesn't stop burglars from wanting what they have. Like her many ancestors before her, Phoenix has a natural gift for burglar detection and prevention.

Again?

This time, Phoenix doesn't try to deny it to herself. Fox is thrilled with the news of her second pregnancy.

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Challenge Notes:
Phoenix has mastered Handiness, and I'm going for that skill for Perfectionist. She's completed 2 of the 3 challenges for that. She only has to repair 4 more electronic/appliances to get that. The problem is she's not allowed to own any electronics or appliances. She did get one opportunity to fix a laptop for someone (which brought the total of electronic repairs to 6 out of 10 required. The first five were done as a teen). So, if she doesn't get more of those opportunities, she might not make it until the heir takes over and we can buy electronic stuff again. And wait for them to break.

The roll for Gen 10 is: Couple, 1 child. Primary career is architect and secondary is Farmer/Nectar maker. The goal is Social Bunny and Misc Fun is Homemade.
I used the Gen 10 dream rule for the secondary career. When I rolled for it, I got an Ambitions job, and I knew I didn't want to play two Ambitions careers at once, so I picked a job I haven't had in this legacy for my spouse. I think I'll go for the Nectar maker career, as I've never done that ever.

I haven't rolled for an heir. I'll probably choose the first child, because I'm kind of depending on the generation change to be able to complete Phoenix's goal.

Finally: Gratuitous picture of fox gardening.