Chapter 48: The Answer is Still No

Cruz wasn't invited to the party, and he missed the huge fight in the front yard, but he knows today is Paprika's second child's birthday. He stops outside the door, trying to think of what to say, how to convince the woman he cares for that he wants to be there for her and both of her children.Cruz wasn't invited to the party, and he missed the huge fight in the front yard, but he knows today is Paprika's second child's birthday. He stops outside the door, trying to think of what to say, how to convince the woman he cares for that he wants to be there for her and both of her children.

Cruz cannot find any words Paprika would appreciate. Unseen, he sneaks away.

Inside, his son is oblivious, as the family feeds him Sacha's newest babyfood recipe for everyone's amusement.

Doctor Arthur notices Zephram's obsession with crossing his eyes, and warns Paprika it could be a sign of neurological issues.

By this point Paprika is drowning her sorrows in her favorite TV show, and all but ignores her uncle.

Soon it's off to work. Ghosts often cannot come to terms with the way they died. This starvation victim, for example, obsesses over food as much as she insists that she isn't dead.

Paprika gets through to her. It's her job. There are more reports of restless spirits than ever before in Riverview's history, and she wonders if something about her is actually... attracting them. Calling them to her. Some of their spirits are the great-great-great-great-great grandparents of her neighbors, but others seem so foreign.

Paz and Zephram were born to argue. One day it will be cops and robbers; today it's red vs. blue.

Zephram holds the solid blue block over his eye, like a spyglass. Then he turns it 'round and 'round, as if it were a kaleidoscope toy. Then he screams and smashes it against the play table.

Paprika adores her toddler children, and spends a lot of time with them. She's moved into her grandparents' room upstairs permanently in order to be closer to the nursery, and when Zephram gets older he will take over the small room downstairs. One day Paprika will have to explain why their fathers don't live here, and as much as she practices those future speeches, they never sound the way she wants.

Paprika warns Paz about school, of course. Any good mother would.

The house down the street, populated by the mortal sons of one of Yuri's vampire daughters. There's a story there, but Martin doesn't know what it is. He's arrived to turn everyone into Han Solo.

Joseph is a kleptomaniac about to make off with Martin's bicycle, but Micah knows that "sneak" and that "look" so shoots his brother a nasty look of his own.

Paz.

"Z, I thought you were potty trained."

Paz demonstrates proper doll-destroying technique. She's bossy already; Zephram's ineffectual "pull it apart with hands" tactic annoys her.

Much better.

Paprika doesn't just host her own parties; she attends other people's. Run-ins with Cruz are always awkward (especially this one, with Nakisha there watching); Cruz hits on Paprika a little and then cowers back, talking about their son instead.

"Obviously I left him at home playing with matches, Cruz," she snaps sarcastically. "It's no wonder you're so concerned."

Paz shares her fears about that scary painting in the kitchen.

Zephram agrees enthusiastically; the painting gives him nightmares.

Cruz does not give up. He shows up on the door step all the time. Any other man, Paprika thinks, would have accepted her generous visitation allowances and moved on to find a more compatible woman.

Paprika would be doing Cruz a favor if she rejected his physical advances and forced him to seek love elsewhere. But she doesn't. She refuses to feel guilty about enabling him.

She ignores his ridiculous morning serenades.

"We're not getting any younger, Paprika."

"I know," she says. The lines of age creeping into Cruz's face make him look distinguished. She isn't concerned about them. "What of it?"

He sighs. "You still don't want to marry me."

She rolls her eyes. "Correct. Do you want some breakfast?"

The black teddy with pink overalls is destroyed in a terrible accident, so Melody purchases a whimsical replacement.

Meet Bruce. He and Domingo will be best friends.

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Etc.: Arthur had some kind of obsession with picking up Zephram. It was weird.

Cruz's bass playing may look cute in the story, but it's annoying in game because he usually prefers to whip out the bass instead of autonomously interact with sims or other environmental objects. The exception is he will flirt and compliment Paprika, but I could have initiated that myself so... yeah.