Chapter 8.11: New normalities

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A few weeks later, Sim City apartment

From Rowan's diary

Since my last entry, my dear diary, I and Juno really had a lot to talk about. What happened isn't really something we could ignore, right?

After a lot of reasoning, we decided to call ourselves a couple now. I mean, rationally we both agree that this is the definition that better describes the situation right now. However, I think it will take a while before I get used to saying it out loud.

In any case, it's not like much changed in the practice. I mean, apart from the fact that now we're cuddling way more often than before, that's it.

Juno: I checked online, it looks like this plaque can't be moved because it was placed there by the city mayor, or something like that. Do you think it is about some famous person?

Rowan: If I'm not mistaken, he's some writer from the last century.

Juno: I see. 

Rowan: Rather, what are your plans at work today? 

Juno: We have a lot of things to do! There is this new customer that has said it is interested in sponsoring us, and if everything goes well we could conclude the contract in a couple of days. For the moment the boss told me to follow my colleagues and help them, but the next time I'll probably do a lot of stuff alone already instead. Isn't it thrilling?

Juno is working a lot, she seems to like her new job a lot. She had been hired by the company that noticed her during the day of thematic debates held at our university, and now she worked for the fundraising department of a large company that dealt with environmental restoration and ecological transition. In short, she immediately found a company that reflects her ecological ideals, and for this reason she seems more determined than ever to give her best.

Juno: What about you? More boring trials for neighbourly skirmishes?

Rowan: Most likely, unless some new case shows up.

Juno: Uh, it seems really boring.

Rowan: (a little annoyed) Yes, most likely.

I, on the other hand, believe I was much less fortunate than Juno, working-wise. I got a job in a small, anonymous, and generalistic law firm in the city centre, and I haven't set foot in a tribunal yet. Finding the motivation to go back to the office every morning wasn't easy, to say the least.

Juno: Don't worry, sooner or later I'm sure you'll be able to work on what you really like, don't give up! And good luck today!

Rowan: Good luck to you too.

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Later on, Rowan's office

Rowan: I'm sorry, but—

Client 1: Do you mean you won't help me?

Rowan: No. However, the current legislation clearly states that the ownership of cow plants is forbidden. Reasonably, we will have to consider that...

Client 2: So there is no way to avoid paying child support to my ex-wife?

Rowan: Unless you manage to prove a significantly lower income than her, the law states that—

Client 2: Isn't it your job to find a way, though?

Rowan: Actually, ...

Client 3: My siblings are clearly excluding me from the inheritance!

Rowan: But the proofs collected by the police state that—

Client 3: Your supervisor will hear from me very soon!

Boss: Miller, what's going on? It's been three clients in a row that left the office furious! 

Rowan: But—

Boss: From tomorrow, you'll work at the archives!

Some days, my job is just horrible. In practice, I'm surrounded by boring lawsuits over trivial issues. And, of course, every single client demands to win their lawsuit, even when they are clearly guilty or asking the impossible. It's very frustrating, that's what.

Needless to say, all this is not even remotely close to what I had in mind when I decided to study law, and I dreamed of pursuing legal proceedings against those who damaged the environment.

All this is very tiring. Not the I-need-to-sleep kind of tiring. Just... tiring.

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During the week both I and Juno work very long hours, and we rarely go out in the evening. This city has a lot of things to see and do, though, and during the weekends we always have a large range of activities to choose from. We've been living here for a while already, but our impression is that we've seen only a minimal fraction of what the city has to offer.

Juno: Nice view, isn't it?

Rowan: Um… yeah, quite so. 

The lights, the skyscrapers, and everything, they seem to be put there on purpose to impress those who pass by. But…

Juno: There's so much concrete, right?

Rowan: That's for sure.

Having grown up on a tropical island with just a few paved roads, I don't think the difference could be more striking than this. Everything seems so big, majestic and modern, and being in the middle of the largest metropolis in the country everything is always within reach, but sometimes I feel like I'm still missing something. And from what she says, I think it's the same for Juno.

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Of course, it wasn't long before I planned a meeting with aunt Lily, she lives just a few blocks away from us. I can't say I know her as well as uncle Helios or my cousins, she's way less sociable than them, but she has always been a very kind aunt to me. 

Lily: Oh, so you live right on the Spice District main square? I remember going there often as a child, my mom loved the flea market. But if I remember correctly, that area is pretty expensive, how do you manage the rent?

Rowan: (a little embarrassed) Well... actually I live with my girlfriend, we split the expenses.

Lily: Oh.

Luckily my aunt doesn't like to make private questions. Unlike anyone else in our family, I would say.

Rowan: What are we doing at the art gallery, anyway?

Lily: I come here often, even if I don't understand much about arts. Come to think of it, I'm quite sure your grandparents met right here, you know?

Rowan: (suprised) Oh.

Lily: Anyway, today I was just looking for a quiet bar where we could chat for a while. Not many people know it, but there's a pretty good little bar right in the back.

Rowan: Well, good to know then.

Lily: Ouch, I should probably wear a scarf for this stiff neck...

We ended up talking for hours, mostly about my grandparents and the time when they lived here in Sim City. I'm sorry I didn't have the chance to meet them, from what aunt Lily said they seemed like nice people.

Lily: I still remember when Alba was born, there were four of us and a robot living in a very small apartment. Needless to say, I and Alba had to share a room, and of course she would cry all the time...

I nodded without finding much to comment, so that I grew up as an only child in a huge house and very far from any neighbours I couldn't really relate. Eventually, I ended up changing topic instead:

Rowan: Uncle Helios was born in New Sixam instead, wasn't he?

Lily: Yes, shortly after we moved there actually.

Lily: Now that you make me think about it, having been born here Alba has a Sim City passport. She uses it so rarely that I completely forgot about it... Anyway, by any chance, did you manage to get the passport too because of your mom?

Rowan: Yes, I do. I was quite lucky, actually, because this way I didn't need any paperwork or visa to live here, nor to study in Britechester.

Quite the opposite of Juno, who instead only has the New Sixam passport and is periodically overwhelmed with documents and phone calls for her work visa renewals.

Lily: What about Olivier instead?

Rowan: If my parents got married probably he could have claimed it, but it wasn't the case.

Lily: Knowing how much he likes to fill in paperwork, if he didn't claim that extra passport it's because there wasn't a way, yes. (Amused) Thinking about it, you remind me a lot of your father when he was younger. I bet you have fun filling in paperwork too, isn't it?

Rowan: (perplexed) Well, having fun is probably an exaggeration However...

And so he continued the conversation with old aunt Lily. He is several years older than my parents and it is clear that she is starting to suffer from a few ailments, but overall she seemed cheerful to me. It was a fun afternoon, all things considered.

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Our routine continued without major disruptions for several weeks. This time it was River who broke the loop, calling me out of the blue to ask for my help.

Rowan: Hello? Ah, hi River, how are you? …. What? Okay, no problem. (Perplexed) But why do you need help compiling legal documents?

My cousin didn't want to tell me much on the phone, he said he preferred to tell me in person. So that same evening I used the teleport machine to reach his place, half perplexed and half worried about all that secrecy.

Rick: Thanks again.

Rowan: Okay… But for what?

River showed up only at that point, bringing a remarkably thick stack of papers with him.

River: (a little out of breath) Thanks a lot for accepting to help us with all of this, I really don't know how to fill half of these papers!

So we all sat down together at the table, and River handed me that endless stack of papers. I think they called me because I studied law and those were legal documents of some kind, but how can I be sure I can help them before I even know what it is?

Not to waste any more time, I took the top sheet of the pile and started reading it.

Rowan: (reading) Wait a minute… Are these documents for adopting a child?

Indeed, looking more closely at the subsequent documents, there seemed to be two copies of each sheet, filled in with slightly different data. So…

Rick: To be precise, it's two children.

River: Yes, they are siblings, if possible we would like to avoid separating them, doesn't that seem like the best solution to you too?

So, while I was checking all those papers, filling in the fields left blank and looking for documents to attach around the house, they told me a little about the story of the two little kids. Their names are Eva and Caleb, they are 5 and 2 years old, and they have been assigned to the social services for most of their short lives.

Certainly a very sad story. It wasn't an easy adoption, especially the older one, Eva, still remembers her biological parents very well and is been followed by a psychologist. It was difficult to predict how she would react if placed in a new context.

Despite everything, however, I worked as hard as I could in filling out the forms, trying not to make any mistakes. I don't know not-very-chatty-Rick well enough to judge, but there certainly aren't many people who would be better at being a father than River, those children would be lucky with them.

River: Thanks again, really. We really want to avoid being excluded just because we got some paperwork wrong, after all this time...

Rowan: No problem. Actually, if you want a second opinion, you could try asking my dad. He's good with paperwork too, after all.

River: I hadn't thought of that, but you're not wrong. (chuckling) Aunt Lily always says this stuff is actually funny for him!

So their adoption request procedures have slowly been completed, with the usual bureaucratic delays which not even New Sixam can avoid yet. However, a few months later, little Eva and Caleb officially became part of the Miller family.

Obviously, my dear diary, everyone was invited soon after to meet them. 

Rowan: Hi. Your name is Caleb, isn't it?

Caleb: …

Eva: Don't take it personally, he's afraid of people he doesn't know.

I nodded warily, that was an answer we probably should have expected. In general, River warned us to be very cautious with them.

Rowan: (cautiously) Don't worry, I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Rowan.

Eva: Do you mean “uncle Rowan” River is always talking about?

Rowan: Most likely.

Eva: I see...

Helios: Hi Caleb!

Caleb: …

Helios: You can call me grandpa, if you want!

Caleb: Uhm…

Rick: Wait.

At the end of the day, the only one who managed to talk a bit with Caleb was Rick. Who knows, maybe among not-very-chatty people they get along better, after all.

The ones who really talked a lot instead were mom, Iris and Juno. I don't know what they were talking about, and I'm frankly I think I prefer it to remain this way. 

In either case, keeping the pace of my cousin River was already more than enough for me. Let me just say, my dear diary, that his name has never seemed more suitable to him than today. He literally flooded us with words today.

Rowan: How are you?

River: I don't know where to start, but it's crazy to believe we're really here! And...

He said many times to be happier than ever before, even happier than for his wedding day. And of course I'm happy for him too. I'll do my best to be a good uncle for the little siblings, that's for sure.

Next chapter -->

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§HermioneSims§ corner

There was a lot going on in this chapter, this generation is definitively a big change from the previous one and there are many things to set up.

This time I want to close with a silly screenshot that didn't make it to the chapter: can I say that Juno's personal corner in the mini-apartment is really cute?