The Inheritance: Chapter 5 - Part II (Updated 11/14)

[ktggoodnight]

turly this is the best story i have read in a long time! your twist and heartfelt emotions have entralled me

[dnog86]

Excellent video!!! It's really well done and it made wonder what will happen next.^_^.

[CuriousSimmer]

I'm working on Chapter 5 now, but also spending some time developing another story for y'all. Hopefully I'll begin the other story and continue this one this evening or tomorrow. Stay tuned and thanks for reading!

[CuriousSimmer]

As usual, my game screwed up for no reason as soon as I was ready to start Chapter 5, so I'm delayed for a short time. Sorry all!

[CuriousSimmer]

The Inheritance
Chapter 5 - Part I
January 1965

It was storming outside, a heavy and cold winter rain that wouldn't seem to let up. I finished my cleaning the house and the fish for dinner was broiling under Lara's careful eye downstairs, so I decided to take a bath to unwind from what had been a stressful few months.


But even with nothing but the sound of rain slapping the window, a sound I usually found relaxing, I felt tight and stressed. There was something bothering me, something I hadn't had time to think about until recently.

The water grew tepid, so I stepped out and dried off, still pondering the matter.


Was it boredom that caused Dante to stray? Or was he dissatisfied with me? I put my hair into a towel and studied my reflection in the floor-length mirror. I had never had any reason to be ashamed of my appearance before, but now my eyes were sharp and critical.


I wasn't overweight, but I certainly wasn't as slim and shapely as I had once been. I was forty six and I had had four children. Chiara Castelli was just over half my age at 28.


My hair had begun to sprout gray, a fact I covered with regular trips to Judith's hair salon. And my face had the wrinkles that one accumulated over a lifetime--nothing major, or so I thought until I looked in the mirror. My creased forehead, the laugh lines around my mouth, the crow's feet at my eyes--were these why Dante had strayed?

Had he sought youth and beauty? Would he continue to do so?

I didn't have time to dwell now, I realized as I looked at the clock. My dinner guests would be here soon enough.


When I walked out of the bedroom, I found Dante facing his own storm. He turned in his chair when he heard me come out and I went over to where he was sitting. "Nice bath?" he asked, trying to sound genial.

"Yes," I said dully. "How's the search for new lodging coming?"

"Not well," said Dante with a sigh. "We have problems."


He showed me the bills that were piling up; hospital bills from his stay after the shooting, legal fees for my attorney, and rent payments for the house we had stayed in while our house was sealed off.

"I don't have the funds for a new apartment or house," said Dante. "I thought I'd stay with mother."

"Don't be ridiculous," I told him. He looked at me hopefully. "Stay here, with your children, until you can find a convenient place to stay."

"Thank you, B--er, Elizabeth," he said, catching himself before he called me his endearing pet name. "That's very kind."

I shifted uncomfortably. "I need to go and check on the fish."


It was Friday, so I had invited Paolo and Giorgia over for dinner. The truth was, I didn't want another awkward dinner with just me, Dante, and the children. Lara was taking the divorce hard and proved to be upset with both of us.

Speaking of Lara...


She would be sixteen next month; I could scarcely believe it. My little girl, it felt like I had held her in my arms as an infant just weeks ago. Where had the time gone? As she got older, her hair trended darker so that she looked just like her father, from her hair to her eyes.


Paolo seemed to be happy--happier than I had ever seen him. Of course, we met shortly after his wife's death, so perhaps he was coming out of his shell of mourning. Whatever the case, he was witty and engaging and charming, even to Dante.


It was nice to have a dinner that wasn't punctuated by painful silences, reproachful stares, and bitter anger. I was glad that our tradition of Friday night dinners gave me the opportunity to have Paolo and Giorgia over.

And were my eyes playing tricks on me...


...or was another member of my family glad that they came, too?

After dinner...


I waved Giorgia and Paolo off as they began their walk home. "Don't forget next week," I called after them with a smile and a wave.

It was a nice way to end a nice evening.


But never could I guess that soon my smile would falter as I came to suspect the unspeakable truth about one of my dinner guests.

That evening...


I was bundled into my pajamas and sitting on my bed when Dante came in. "Do you mind if I sleep up here? I haven't had the chance to fix that drafty window, so the living room is frigid."

"Suit yourself," I said. "You can take one of the sofas."


"A sofa?" he asked, clearly disappointed. I couldn't believe it!

"What?" I asked incredulously.


"You think you're going to climb into this bed after what you've done? After what you've as much as accused me of doing?" I gave a humorless laugh. "Take the couch or sleep in the rain for all I care."


He settled onto one of the benches by the door, and as I watched him I couldn't help but feel a savage pleasure at his seeming degradation.

But immediately there was a pang of guilt; in my heart of hearts I loved Dante, but we were at an impasse. He betrayed me, and thought I killed his lover and tried to kill him.

I could forgive a lot of things, but thinking that I could commit cold-blooded murder was not one of those things.

[Glamily]

Oooo.. lovely

[magma067]

i luv it...i was so excited when i found out this got updated...and now i'm working on a legacy since i have so much more time to work on it. thanks fro the update, it was great

[CuriousSimmer]

The Inheritance
Chapter 5 - Part II
February 1965

The lawyers came for a meeting at the villa the second week of February to discuss the division of assets. "Of course, Mrs. Moretti should be entitled to remain in the house, given that it is owned by her aunt. Mr. Moretti will need to seek alternative housing," my lawyer said.

"Agreed," said Dante's lawyer. "As for property...my client is willing to stipulate that the Signora can keep any and all jewelry, clothing, furs, and other gifts given to her by him."


"That's well and good, by my client would like to return any jewelry that was an heirloom of Durante's family," said my attorney. "As a show of good will."

I tried for a smile; Dante looked miserable. "I want you to keep your wedding ring," he told me.

"It was your mother's, Dante. I can't. You'll want it to g--" I caught myself before I said that he would want to give the ring to his next wife. "You'll want it for safekeeping."

"No," said Dante. "It's yours."


"As for the debt you owe?" asked Dante's attorney. "Shall we say that Elizabeth shall be responsible for her legal fees, and Dante will be responsible for his hospital bills upon the dissolution of their marriage? Until then, payments can be made out of their joint checking account."

"Sounds fair," said the other attorney. "And as Signor Moretti has already stipulated to a large and generous package of alimony and child-support, I don't think we'll need to go into that, unless of course you want to reconsider, Signora?"

"No," I said dully.


"Well that about sums it up," said my attorney. "We can talk about custody and visitation next time," he said as Lara walked into the room.

"There's the birthday girl," I said cheerily as the lawyers began to collect their papers. "I'm sorry, darling, this meeting ran longer than I expected. I've still got a cake to ice for you."

"It's okay, mom," said Lara. "You don't have to."

Twenty minutes later...


I pulled the cake out of the oven where I had left it for safekeeping, iced it, and brought it to the table. We all sang 'Happy Birthday' to Lara, who seemed anything but pleased. I served the cake and we all sat down.


Was it a coincidence, the way they all sat down, grouped to one end? Looking down the length of the table at a daughter who wasn't smiling, even on her birthday, a son that seemed distant, and a husband who would soon be leaving...


...I couldn't help but feel far away from all of them, and the thought of being apart from my children sent a dull ache to my stomach.

Later that evening...


I was getting ready for bed when Dante came in. I stopped in my tracks as I crossed the bedroom. "What is it, Dante?" I asked quietly, studying him for a moment.

"You look..." Dante said, his voice quiet. "Beautiful."

"Nothing you haven't seen before," I said dismissively. "What's on your mind?"


"I'm concerned about Lara. Andre seems fine, but Lara seems to be taking this hard," said Dante. "Do you think we should sit down with her?"

"It can't hurt," I said. "If she wants to, that is. I think treating her like a child, making her sit down and talk to us, would be a mistake."

"You're probably right," said Dante. "Well, I'll go ahead and take a shower. Good night, Elizabeth."

"Good night, Dante."

[Glamily]

wonderful

[magma067]

good update...

[magma067]

lovely, cant wait till the next udate!

[CuriousSimmer]

Hello all.

It seems like my bi-monthly Sims 2 meltdown has erased my downloads and sims and lots. I intend to continue with The Inheritance but at this point I'm thinking of something that will require me to invest less time, at least until my semester is over.

Have no fear. Elizabeth, Dante, Josephine, Marco, Dante, and Lara will return! But there will be a delay. Sorry, all.

[dnog86]

It doesn't matter how long it takes if they return. Thanks for the news ^_^. I'll be waiting for it.