Koko vs Sims

Summer continues to be inseparable from the Hackett twins. Summer is always either at the Hackett home or having one or both of the twins over at her own place. The treehouse that her father built has become a hot spot for the children to play. As the colder season lingers closer, the kids are already planning to spend as much time together as possible during winter break. 

Even before Johnny lost his wife, he was a man who preferred to do everything himself. Having always worked with his hands, he’s never called anyone to fix an issue in his house. There are times that Summer seemed annoyed and just tells her father to call someone rather than spending hours doing everything himself, but Johnny is a stubborn man. He even offers to do housework for his neighbors, so they don’t risk getting scammed by a company. 

Sometimes Summer wished she had a sibling like Skylar and Kimber, but the neighbours always joined her in her silly games to make her feel better. Summer was so excited to hear that it was a snow day from school, but the roads were too bad for her to go and see the twins, and her father still had to go to work. She planned to spend the day playing alone in the snow, but Lorena surprised her by coming over and asking if they could hang out. The pair spent the day making snowpals and snow angels. She stayed with Summer till her father came home and the little girl couldn’t think of the best way to express how happy it made her, other than thanking her over and over. 

The holidays approached more quickly than Johnny thought they would. He had gotten used to spending most of the holidays alone with his daughter, but this year was different. Lanying came to spend New Year's Eve with Johnny, the pair even sharing a small kiss when midnight struck. Summer insisted she would join them, but fell asleep around ten. The pair tucked her in and watched the New Year's Eve stream together. It was the first time either of them had spent a holiday with someone special since both of them lost their partners.

After spending that night together, and with how their relationship has progressed, Johnny and Lanying have been discussing where they want to take things in the future. Both are anxious to step beyond the boundaries that they’ve laid down, as well as worried about how their children are going to handle it. Song is aware of what is going on and doesn’t seem bothered, but Lanying is still terrified of shaking the boat. In the same fashion, Johnny has no idea how Summer would handle Johnny moving on from his wife.

Both Jade and his parents have been pushing Judah to start looking for jobs, something he has no interest in. Instead, he’s been leaving the house to ‘look around’, which meant going to the local casino. Judah loves the environment of casinos; it’s where he met Jade, after all. This doesn’t mean that he actually has good luck, and Judah often loses more than he originally intended to spend. 

The Kearns household remains as busy as usual, with Alisa’s birthday coming around. It feels just like yesterday that Jade gave birth, but her little girl was already walking and talking. A small birthday party was thrown with close friends, where they celebrated another bright year for the little girl.  

Alisa isn’t the only one who is growing quickly. Noelle gets bigger every day, and along with it, more and more questions begin to surface. She doesn’t seem to take after Jade and looks nothing like Judah. She had been hoping to keep the secret a while longer, but it seems that Noelle’s genes had no intention of hiding the truth from those around her.

Despite the questions, Jade doesn’t seem anxious in the slightest. She has dodged conversations about Noelle with Judah’s parents, and Judah himself seems to keep trying to find reasons why Noelle doesn’t look anything like him. One would think that Jade would be sweating under the pressure, but she doesn’t seem bothered by anything that’s happening and greets each day with a smile. 

Finally tired of his parents pushing him to find a job, Judah has decided to spend this time learning how to DJ. When his parents push him about working, he explains that he’s working on his skills right now and that he’s going to totally have gigs soon. Though they do not agree with his methods, they’re glad that he’s at least doing something. 

Unable to hide the truth any longer, Jade finally has the cursed conversation with Judah - informing him that Noelle is not, in fact, his child. He was shocked at first, but it eventually seemed to all make sense. She confessed to him that she was just so stressed out that she went drinking with some friends and made a mistake. Jade promised that she still loved him and sees him as Noelle’s father, but Judah was quite struck by the news. He requested that they take a break from their relationship while he has time to figure things out. 

Despite everything, she still deeply loves Noelle. A bubbly little girl, she loves being held and carried, as well as having books read to her. Jade adores the little girl and is thankful that Abigail and Jarvis aren’t treating her differently from Alisa. Noelle is too little to understand the turmoil that is happening around her and is just happy to always be the center of attention when the adults are around. 

Things have remained rocky between Jade and Judah. She’s tried to patch things up between them a few times, but Judah seems resistant. He’s agreed to go to couples counseling, but he remains distant from her.  Jade keeps reassuring Judah that it was just a drunken mistake, that they’re still a family, and she still loves him. It’s slow progress. 

Despite everything going on between them, Judah did promise not to place any of it on Noelle. While he’s as little involved with her care as he was with Alisa, Jade has been pushing him to spend time with the little girl so he can bond with her better. He’s quite awkward about it and always needs to be corrected when holding her, but Jade finds it cute that at least he’s trying. 

Abigail and Jarvis have been quite worried about the kids. They heard about the situation and were uncertain how to proceed, but they spoke about the matter at great length together. They both agree that mistakes were made by both parties - some more than others - but marriage is not something that one easily walks away from, and that it’s important to work through their issues. They’ve decided to talk to the kids separately about the issue. 

Abigail pulled Jade aside one evening and offered to hear the young woman out. All the dirty details and to give a nonjudging ear. Jade explained to her, just like Judah, that it was just a drunken mistake. She was stressed out that Judah wouldn’t find a job and was worried about the future of their children. It was so much that she went out drinking with friends to blow off some steam, and mistakes were made with one of her male friends. Abigail heard her out and agreed that she could see why Jade was worried about the future, but that they were a family and they were all in this together. She promised Jade that talk to Judah about being more serious, and they would be stricter with him. 

Despite what people on the outside might think, Daphne and Song are quite close - in fact, they’re best friends. The girls have been friends since they were little, and despite their fact that their lives are going in different directions, they’re always involved in each other’s lives. Daphne was a big support for Song after her father left, and it cemented a strong bond between the girls. 

Another close friend of Song’s is Karla. Despite having both her parents, Karla’s are quite distant and tend to neglect their many children. Song has always had a soft spot for the other girl and often invites her over so she can have some peace from her chaotic home. Every once in a while, Song will go to Karla’s to spend time with her and her brother, and she always assures Karla she’ll never judge her. 

Lanying worries that working so many hours is messing up her relationship with the twins, so she tries to spend as much time with them as possible. Even if it’s just sitting on the floor and eating breakfast before she has to head to the office. At first, she thought these small moments weren’t as important as she made them, but the daycare teacher assured Song that they’re all the twins talk about, and these small moments they’ll retell over and over with excitement. 

The relationship between Johnny and Lanying has been progressing smoothly over the past few months. So much, that Lanying invited him to stay the night for the first time. She was quite worried about having him stay over due to the children, but the twins didn’t seem to notice, and Song didn’t really seem to care. Lanying worried the troubled teenager would be mad at her for moving on, but Song seems not to care one way or another, too busy with her own life. Lanying wishes Song would let her move, but perhaps it is time to focus on her own life for once. 

Despite not being as close to Song as Marquis is, Callen always seems to be willing to lend Song an ear and spend time together. Afternoons when he’s not busy with his team, he’ll come hang out with Song while she paints or play video games together. He’s fond of the artistic young woman, even if he thinks she can be weird at times. 

The warehouse is truly a special place for the teenagers. Every Friday night, no matter their interests or backgrounds, this group gathers together to spend the weekend eve together. From playing beer pong, dancing together, watching movies, or just causing casual mayhem, this group is always together. It’s a great way for them to blow off steam from the week and get in those much-needed connections. Song will never admit it out loud, but she looks forward to these moments all week. 

Having become quite settled into her work, Lanying was recently approached by one of her supervisors about a chance to move up within the company. At first, she wasn’t sure if this was an opportunity that she could really take, but those around her were quite encouraging. Lanying has been dedicating her free moments from the twins to studying as much as possible, to prove she was ready when she interviewed for the promotion. 

The summer is an important time for children and teenagers to spend time with their friends. Song has been bouncing from house to house most of her summer, but she’s been spending quite a bit of time with Jonathan. She’s been introducing him to new video games and has brought out his competitive side. 

Of course, all that time together has meant that more than just a competitive spirit has arisen between them. In quiet moments together, there are sparks, and the two youths finally caved into that desire between them. Song still isn’t sure how she feels about Jonatham or Marquis, it’s all too confusing for her to think about, so she’s just been going with the flow of the moment. 

Mayfield has a wide range of families and a steady pool of teenagers who attend the local high school. They have become very intertwined in some stories - mostly due to Song - and so it's time to give them their own introductions.

Jonathan Boyce, a friendly young man with a bright future ahead of him. Raised as an only child by his two very spirited parents, they always pushed Jonathan to put his all into sports and school, but relationships around him as well. He was raised to always give 110%. His parents have been taking him to tour colleges and urging him to think about his future. Jonathan has started to crave a more relaxed, slow-paced life. 

Daphne Spears, an energetic girl who won’t let anyone slow her down. The child of a divorce from when she was quite young, Daphne lives with her father, who everyone mistakes for her older brother. Her parents had her in high school, and so the pair are more like best friends than father and daughter. Bubbly and bright, Daphne excels in school, is trying for captain of the cheer squad, and has a thriving social life. She can’t wait to start looking into colleges, but secretly plans to stay local to look after her dad. 

Hina Tanaka, a serious and studious girl. While Hina is friendly and forthcoming, she places her goals above all else. Her current goal is to graduate from the school as valedictorian, but she’s not the only one gunning for this spot, leaving her to battle it out with Daphne and Karla. Hina can seem a bit cold at first, but all her friends insist that she is a caring person who just struggles expressing herself. Both her parents are the same, polite and friendly, but not very expressive. Hina learned her hard-working habits from her parents, who strive to be at the top of their respective careers. 

Jorge Causey, the calm spirit of the family. Jorge is the eldest of his seven siblings and by far the calmest. Born to a young couple who weren’t even close to being ready for a child, Jorge learned at a young age how to care for himself and those around him. His parents struggle with their vices, with both of them using alcohol to cope with their various issues. The couple separated quite some time ago, but stayed together ‘for the children’. Jorge acts as a third parent to his younger siblings and does his best to raise them to be gentle, loving people, despite the hardships in their home. 

Karla Causey, the genius of the family. It was clear from a young age that Karla was a smart child, quickly learning to read and write. She devoured every book she came across, and Jorge always encouraged her to push herself in her academics. Eager to please, Karla throws herself into her studies constantly and tends to let life pass her by while she’s busy trying to reach the top of her class. She has a very close relationship with Jorge due to their close age and sees him as both a big brother and a best friend. Joge does push her to spend more time with friends, but Karla dreams of landing a scholarship that will lead to the job that will save her family. 

Harrison Meyers, a bright young man who loves making others laugh. A jovial young man, Harrison is always quick to crack a joke and bring happiness to those around him. While he was always the class clown growing up, it was a two-man act with his twin brother. His parents were always supportive of his antics, with his father encouraging the twins to express themselves however they wished and their mother just wanting them to be happy. Harrison has no clue what he’s going to do in the future, living each day one at a time. Why worry about the future when you can focus on the now? 

Terrance Meyers, the comedian of the classroom. Just like his brother, Terrance is an outgoing boy who loves bringing laughter to those around him. Also, like his brother, Terrance has no thoughts towards his future and is just enjoying his youth. Terrance is a bit more daring than his twin, willing to try something first and then let the other know how it went. Despite this, neither of them is really the ‘leader’ of the other, always attached at the hip. 

Callen Barkley, the shining football star. Unlike the humorous twins of the Meyers family, the Barkley twins couldn’t be more different. Callen is an outgoing boy who loves getting involved in sports. He has been on various teams since he was a child and fell in love with football during middle school. His passion for the game quickly made him a star player on the team, and he has gained many fans within the school. Callen has already been contacted for a sports scholarship and has a bright path ahead of him. That being said, he does struggle from time ot time with his grades and tries hard not to show how greatly it stresses him. 

Marquis Barkley, the black sheep of the family. Marquis has never felt like he belonged. He didn’t shine as bright as his brother, and he didn’t have the drive of his father. His mother is a kind woman who always tried to encourage him to be his own person, but she never understood his passion for music and always tried to push him towards more STEM-related subjects. His father tried to dissuade him from music, but Marquis worked hard to buy his own guitar and taught himself chord by chord. Seeing his passion, his father backed off and kept his mother from hounding him. Marquis struggles with feeling disconnected from his family and those around him, as well as depression from being isolated due to his introverted nature. At least through his music, he feels like he can express himself. 

A casual night at Grahams, surrounded by people from around the neighborhood. A socialite, the young bachelor invites over as many people as he can, as often as possible. His house almost has an open-door policy, and he never minds having people visit him. The long summer nights usually lead him out in the hot tub with friends, passing the time away, enjoying himself. 

Just like how his days are filled with company, his nights are filled with a rotation of partners. Graham rarely spends a night alone, hoping from one bedmate to the next. He’s had a few serious relationships here and there, but they never manage to last long - he has a terrible habit of avoiding commitment. He’s never been known to be a very faithful man, unfortunately. 

Most people spend their mornings preparing for work and the tasks ahead. Graham rolls out of bed and tosses some whiskey in his coffee. His mornings are slow and peaceful, shooing out anyone who stayed over and taking his time. Raised in a rich family and the only son, Graham has had everything handed to him on a silver platter. His large inheritance means he’ll never have to work again, and he very much likes it that way. A lazy life suits him perfectly. 

The only consistent thing in Graham’s life is his dedication to his health. While he enjoys a stiff drink and a good smoke, he does try to take good care of his health. It’s a common sight to see him at the local gym, pushing himself to the limit. People often ask why he doesn’t just make a gym at home, but Graham insists that going to the gym pushes him to do his best - he’s gotta set a good example. 

Graham was never the brightest student in school, always getting in trouble for being more goofy than serious. His teachers always scolded him for never learning his lessons, a habit that continued into adulthood. One would think after his situation with Jade went sideways that he’d walk away, but he easily fell back into her charming web. There’s something about the woman that he just can’t seem to walk away from. She’s the closest he’s come to a relationship in a long time and one of the few people he just can’t say no to. 

Having to accept the fact he now has a child has been.. Difficult for Graham. Some days, when he’s busy with his wife, he forgets until Jade messages him requesting money or trying to update him on the child. Graham has been by a few times and has met the little girl, but.. He doesn’t really feel connected to her. At first, he was hoping that she wasn’t his and that it was just a scam, but as she grows older, Graham becomes increasingly stressed as she takes on more of his features. He was really in the shit now. 

Brandi was anxious for Wayne to see the test, unsure how he was going to react. He had been so bogged down with work and exhausted, the thought of bringing a baby into the picture was almost unthinkable. Much to her horror, he didn’t take the news well. He stared at the test in shock and was unable to speak for a while. How could this have happened? They were usually so careful, and at their age, was this even logical? Brandi hid her reaction to his misery well, just reassuring him that everything was going to be okay. She felt truly alone in that moment. 

The children reacted far better than their father. The twins were surprised at first by the news, but soon it evolved into excitement. The girls peppered their mother with tons of questions. What was their name? Was it going to be a sister or a brother? When were they coming? Where would the baby go? It brought a smile to Brandi’s face, and she discussed names with the girls and about working together to decorate the nursery.

Things have been awkward between Brandi and Wayne since the pregnancy test. Brandi has been focusing on caring for her body and taking care of the little one, while Wayne has been struggling to cope with the situation. He’s been more withdrawn lately and doesn’t seem pleased when the topic of the pregnancy comes up. Brandi debated taking them both to therapy, but didn’t want to stress him out more, and so she’s just been dealing with the silence. He .. just needs time, that’s all.

Despite the issues they’ve been having, Brandi still went forward with having a gender reveal party for the baby. Wayne, much to her shock, was very present during the event. He was friendly with all their guests, affectionate towards her, and seemed excited during the cutting of the cake. Brandi was delighted when she saw the blue cake beneath the frosting and hoped that the baby would take after her beloved husband.

WARNING: Mature topics

It feels like being a other never slows down. Even on the calm mornings, there is always something that comes up. Today, Skylar was slower to get ready than usual and couldn’t even finish her breakfast. That alone had Brandi worried; she insisted on taking her temperature and found, yep, it was a cold. Well, it seemed like today was going to be a wonderful mother/daughter at-home day.

Wayne has been going through a hard time, feeling like his life is going nowhere. He needs something, a spark, a new leash on life, anything. Wayne loves his wife, his children, and he’s very successful in his job, but he feels like something is missing. That spark for life he had in college is gone. He misses the rush he’d feel when on the field, geared up and running towards the end zone. During a night over drinks, Wayne laments to Graham how he feels like he’s lost his passion for life. Much to his surprise, Graham tells him that he has something that might help him.

He had no idea what to expect when Graham told him he had something that was going to make him feel that spark again, but he sure as hell didn’t expect drugs. When Graham pulled him towards a back room of the bar and pulled out small baggies, Wayne was startled and a bit terrified. Was he serious? After some conversation, Graham assured him that it was safe - it was just one time, and it was going to give him that rush he’s been craving. He debated it a while before finally giving in and doing a line of the powder. Graham wasn’t wrong - it certainly brought back that feeling he had been missing, and so much more.

When Wayne went home that night, he was filled with energy and passion. Brandi was surprised at how late he came home, but even more surprised when he grabbed and kissed her. Her husband was always an affectionate man, but he hadn’t been this passionate in years. The pair of them was bogged down by life, and their intimacy had waned a bit. Though she was surprised, she quickly went with the flow and allowed Wayne to show her all the affection she had been missing.

A casual morning with the Hackett family, with everyone gathered around the table for a warm breakfast, and they all wake up together. Brandi wakes up before the family each day to prepare breakfast and prep coffee for her always drained husband, while the twins scarf down their waffles and race each other to get ready for school. She loves these calm, comfortable mornings and wishes she could make them last forever.

After she helps prepare the children for school, Brandie tends to the laundry, vacuuming, and maintaining the house. There are days she assists her drained husband in preparing for his grueling job at the hospital, but he always apologizes with a tired smile. She doesn’t mind in the slightest. Once everyone is out of the house and everything has been taken care of, it’s finally her time to relax. She spends at least an hour every warm day sun tanning and then from there, well, perhaps she reads a book, talks with a neighbour, it all depends where the day takes her.

Due to having such a social family, it isn’t uncommon for Brandi to have guests visit her during the day. Being one of the few neighbours with a pool, she’s used to having summer-time visitors such as Graham, and always greets them with a smile. Lately, Graham has been joining her for swimming exercises in the pool and is always giving her tips on keeping up her health without the time to hit the gym as often as himself. He’s a very friendly young man, and she’d be lying if she said she didn’t enjoy his attention, but he still didn’t compare to Wayne.

The neighborhood is so lively that Brandi feels like she never has a dull day, especially since the very unique Aileen moved to town. Bright and full of spark, she’s always inviting Brandi out ot various places and helping her meet those beyond just neighbors, it’s quite fun!

Aileen’s family was worried that the otherworldly young woman was going to be lonely on Earth without her community, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Between Jade and her direct neighbours, Aileen never feels lonely and rarely spends afternoons by herself. While cooking is still a mystery to her, she tries to cook for everyone (they give her many tips, apparently, seasonings aren’t as free to use in everything as she thought) and entertains them the best she can.

Working on earth seems hard without any… life on earth… but music has always spoken to her, and music reaches across language and culture. Pulling together what she could, Aileen purchased herself a piano and is working on expressing herself through song. Jade warned her that trying to live as a musician on earth is terribly hard, but Aileen has always loved a challenge! It was difficult at first; the keys felt unfamiliar compared to the instruments that she used back home, but in time, she figured it out. Soon, her fingers were moving with ease, and the sharp sounds became calm and soothing. Aileen puts her heart and soul into the pieces she performs, and now, she is trying to work on writing her own music. Perhaps she can make a name for herself through this method. 

As much as Aileen adores Earth, there are times she misses home. It’s perfectly normal to be homesick, she read this online and was assured of that by those around her, but that doesn’t stop Aileen from feeling heartache when she looks at the stars in the night sky. She knew which direction home was, and so with the help of her friends, she purchased a telescope and watched the skies to see what she could find. It’s not easy to communicate back home, she tries, but the connection isn’t very strong, and she isn’t able to talk for long. Aileen hides the heartbreak behind a warm smile. She doesn’t want to make others worry.

Earth is so different from Sixam; a beautiful but sleepy little world that is always continuing to redevelop and redefine itself. It lacks the intense technology that her homeworld has, but Earth has such a rich culture and such vibrant people. She fell in love the first time she ever came to visit and was unable to stay away. Aileen was strictly warned that she’d need a disguise, that the humans of Earth wouldn’t be accepting of a creature like her.. But she watched for a while and discovered that this isn’t true. There are other strange creatures within this world that lurk in the dark and the shadows, in the water and the forests. She was just one of the special types of people, and so she wears her own skin loud and proud. People were certainly shocked at first, but recovered quickly and welcomed her to the town with open arms.

She’s learned that there is so much that can be discovered on the internet; it’s a rich web that connects people and news from all over the world. There is so much for her to learn, but it also taught her that there is so much she wasn’t to experience. Each day has endless potential, and Aileen is ready to take the world by storm.

Of the humans that Aileen has met, Jade has been the most fascinating. She’s a brilliant young woman who always seems quick to not just crack a joke but comfort Aileen when she’s feeling uncomfortable. Aileen had millions of baby questions and inquiries related to human pregnancy, to which Jade was more than happy to answer and teach her. Aileen was shocked to learn that Jade thought only human females can give birth, with Aileen shocked her with the news that technology on Sixam allows anyone to carry offspring. Jade was quick to crack a joke that her husband could carry the next one, then. 

Finally settling into her new house, Erica is finally starting to figure out how to get her muse back and build a new life for herself in a place unknown to her. Focus has always been a struggle for her, having battled with ADHD since childhood. Hopefully, a new place, a new town, will give her the spark she needs.

The new town is quiet and peaceful. Erica has debated taking up new hobbies such as gardening or knitting, but it’s all honestly just a distraction from the new mystery book that she is working on. Progress is slow, but she has a strong feeling this time that things are going to work out in her favor - but will she go the route of a publisher, or try to break out on her own?

Writing has been a struggle for Erika for a while. While she has a passion for writing, she struggles with.. Well, the writing part. She dreams of becoming a reporter, but is it really the right path for her to take? Is this really what she wants to do with her life?

Moving to a new town is always stressful, more so when you don’t know anyone. Erika worried that her introverted nature was going to keep her from being able to make connections in her new town, but that wasn’t the case in the slightest. The first day she moved in, her neighbours came to help her bring in the furniture. Tanner and Johnny handled the heavy bookshelf and bedframe while Raelyn and Lorena helped Erika to get all the boxes in before the spring rain came to greet them. From that day forward, Erika found herself being invited to dinners, always having calls, and being invited out every weekend. It seems she really found somewhere she belongs.

After lots of debating with herself, Erika finally leaped and took up a position as a journalist at a local newspaper. It’s not a hard-hitting reporter, but working with photography. She knows she’s going to have to work her way up the ladder to get that role she really wants, but everyone starts from somewhere. Things are going to start getting harder.. But Erika doesn’t feel scared. Enjoying a calm morning with her beloved coffee, she feels like she’s ready to take this challenge head-on.

Picking the right career in life isn’t the only thing that Erika has been struggling with. Lately, she has been having thoughts that plague her mind and dreams that leave her breathless and wondering. She has always had an awkward relationship with other women since she came to realize she found them attractive, but refused to ever act on it. Lately, the thoughts have been more present, and Erika feels like she’s lying to herself by continuing to hide it. She confides in Raelyn about this issue, who was more than happy to lend an ear. As someone who also went through (several) self-discoveries, she gave the best advice she could and encouraged Erika to give things a shot. She’ll never know till she takes that chance.

This summer has been so peaceful for the triad. While they had been in this town for quite a few years, they all agreed that moving here was one of the best choices they had made as a couple. Tanner had grown up in the next town over, and Raelyn left home young, stumbling out of the big city and finding this sweet town. They hadn’t originally met in this town, but in a city over, at a party, where Lorena and Tanner started dating. Clubs for like-minded people could only really be found in big cities, after all.

Being surrounded by people he loved has only helped Tanner maintain a strong self-esteem and find his center when he felt lost. The young man feels like he can tell his girlfriends anything happening in his life, no matter how silly. That being said, he had the strangest dream last night of seeing strange lights and suddenly feeling weightless. He couldn’t remember much of the dream, but his body was sore as all hell the next day, and he could only assume it was the nightmare that wore him out. So strange, Tanner so rarely had nightmares. He swore it was something about space.. Oh well, it was probably not that deep.

Tanner didn’t think that he’d have a lot in common with a man like Wayne Hackett; he was a white collar worker with children and a beautiful wife, a man with a perfectly wrapped-up family and nothing like the rather wild and loose Tanner. Still, that didn’t stop the pair from becoming friends, more so when he learned that Tanner used to be a football player back in high school and college. The pair bounded quickly over sports, and Wayne has admitted that Tanner makes him feel like he’s back in college, hanging out with the boys. Like others, Wayne has been welcomed into the household any time he wants, with Tanner saying he’s happy to make Wayne feel like a bright-eyed youth any time he wants

Being active and healthy is a huge part of Tanner’s identity, especially with his work as a boxer. He’s never pushed these habits on the girls, but they always seem happy to join him when he’s doing sets. Lorena even took up boxing on her own to keep in shape. Raelyn does her best to keep up with them, but it usually ends up with her bringing them water and healthy snacks after - she was never good at pushing her limits with exercise.

It’s never a calm evening at the trio’s house. They have an open-door policy and allow anyone to come in and enjoy their company. This meant that Graham was always hanging around, but recently, Erica has been coming around more and more. Raelyn was delighted and kept encouraging it, while Tanner and Lorena found it adorable that the two softer-spoken members of their small neighbourhood finally found a good friend. 

Tanner has been thinking a lot about what he wants out of life. He loves his life with the girls, their beautiful home, their successful careers. Everything is going so smoothly for them, but he can’t help but think that there is more he could be doing for them - lately, he finds himself looking at rings and wondering if he should take the next big step. Tanner has thought about bringing this up to his girlfriends, but every time he tries, he ends up backing down at the thought of pushing the limits on something already so great.

Of course, his girls aren’t the only ones that have Tanner’s attention. The threesome has an open relationship, which allows them to see partners outside of the relationship, but usually only in a physical sense. Tanner hadn’t gone outside their circle in some time, but Lorena and Raelyn had been encouraging him to expand his interests for a while. This led him to get to know Aileen, the mysterious young woman from down the road. Bright, bubbly, beautiful, it was impossible not to notice her.

A new creative spark has struck Raelyn, and she’s decided to paint her lovers, wanting nothing more than to capture their beauty. Tanner was surprised at first, since she usually only uses Lorena as a model, but after some pleading with big blue eyes (and Lorena saying to do or else), Tanner finally posed and did his best not to be terribly awkward.

Tanner and Raelyn have started to become even closer since they've all moved in together. She's finally settling into having a polyamorous relationship with him and Loreana, learning to love both of them and herself. She tries to take each day at a time, but it appears both her partners are willing to take it slow with her, something she is thankful for.

Loreana, meanwhile, is basking in her happiness. Tanner makes her feel like the woman she’s always wanted to be, and he makes each day more enjoyable than the next. Meeting Tanner was a true turning point in her life and each day she's thankful for him giving her the chance to bloom into who she truly was.

Raelyn loves nothing more than to dive deep into her passion for the arts when the muse comes knocking, even if that means dropping everything. In the past, people found it weird about the young woman, and she tried to hide this passionate part of herself. She never felt that way with Tanner and Lorena; they always supported her in all her endeavors, and Lorena even offered to model for her. 

Another person she’s found comfort in is Erika, the little bookworm who moved in across the street. She’s shy and adorable, and Raelyn can’t seem to get Erica off her mind, but isn’t sure where to take it. She’s never been with a woman besides Lorena, and even then, Lorena made the first move - is it worth risking a friendship?

Johnny has been learning new skills since the loss of his wife, one of those being cooking. He was never quite good at it.. But Lanying suggested he try simple meals and learn to cook them with his daughter. It inspired him, and he has less hesitation towards making meals for her, now that involving her has seemed to spark creativity within Summer. …That being said, he doesn’t always listen to her suggestions. The tomato soup did not, in fact, need sprinkles.

Summer has always been a bright girl, but Johnny worried that she would struggle with making friends due to her rather oddball energy. It seems he had nothing to worry about, though, as Summer has found a strong friendship with the Hackett twins. The girls are always happy to have Summer come over to their house and play, spending hours outside until their parents have to nearly drag them inside. Any time the children have free time, they're begging their parents to play together.

Johnny has been thankful for how close-knit the neighbourhood is, with those who live around him always offering a hand or a listening ear. From leftovers, hand-me-downs, to even just a simple conversation, Johnny is thankful for each and every one of them.. even if Graham doesn't always give the best advice. Despite being a bit of a mess when it comes for responsbility and romance, he is always there for Johnny when he needs support.

Thanks to the twins, Summer is starting to make more friends. The twins are quick to include Summer in everything they're doing, and thus, Summer is starting to meet more of those her age. She is always hesitant to take up invites that would take her away from the house for a while - such as sleepovers - but Johnny always pushes her to accept. He doesn't need his daughter to look after a grown man, he just wants her to be a kid.

Summer has been having a hard time lately and working hard in school, so Johnny felt the best thing was to give her a reward. She’s always wanted a space to really let out her creativity, and so he felt building her a treehouse that was all hers would be the perfect route to go.

She’s a very bright child, and he realizes this every time he tries to help her with her homework. Summer can run circles around him, and he’s always amazed and a bit disheartened that he can’t be a better tutor for her. There are times Johnny has considered getting her a private tutor, but then he looks at the bills and quickly backs down. He loves his daughter, but his job only pays so much.

Johnny has been getting closer to the Haung family, mainly Lanying, but Song seems to have a soft spot for Summer. She’s usually apprehensive around children, but something about Summer makes Song come out of her shell, something both Lanying and Johnny are more than happy to keep encouraging.

Despite whatever Jade seems to have planned, she seems quite fond of her darling Alisa and is glowing with her new pregnancy. She keeps telling Judah that it’s time they work on bettering themselves for their children and has been encouraging him to go and get a job, but he’s done little to make progress in this area.

Despite his usually lazy habits, Judah seems quite excited about the new baby on the way. While he still refuses to get a job and won’t help around the house, he’s been eager to tell everyone he’s going to be a father again. Jade finds his excitement cute and has no intention of ever telling him the truth.

Jade isn’t allowing the baby to slow down her social life. Even with a pregnancy in the wings, the young woman continues to be as social as ever, even making friends with the new resident, Erika. Jade finds the shy girl sweet and honest, spending time discussing their favourite books and aspects of their lives. She finds it adorable how many questions Erika has about children and pregnancy, clearly never having thought about it for herself - it seems her life isn't at that stage yet. Jade understands that not everyone was as carefully planned as she was.

The baby is quickly making its way towards the world, and Jade finally let Graham in on her little surprise. She sets rules with him about providing for the baby, and she’ll keep it a secret. As long as he discreetly provides her financial support for the child, she'll let everyone think it's Judah's and he'll get away scot-free. He was terrified at first, but accepted the easy out - some cash for freedom? Easy deal.

Alisa is growing quickly with each day, much to Abigail's delight. It had been so long since there was a bouncing baby in the house, and she had forgotten how delightful they were. She adores being there for all of Alisa's big moments, but is careful not to do anything without her mother and father around to witness. She's a bit worried about a second baby coming so soon, but Alisa seems like a bubbly enough girl that, hopefully, she bonds with the baby well.

Jarvis also isn’t sure how he feels about the new baby.. But he adores Alisa so much, and he hopes that the next baby is just as wonderful. He knew from the first moment he held Alisa that he loved that child with all his heart. She was so sweet and loving, just like his little Judah was as a baby. Perhaps they won't spoil this one as much..

It’s almost time for the little one to arrive… Jade doesn’t seem stressed in the slightest, glowing throughout the entire pregnancy. Judah seems happy that Jade is taking the pregnancy so well, though they still have small tiffs about his refusal to find a job. That's fine. Jade has her own ways of securing her children's future.