2.15 Not Part of the Plan

Author's Note: Warning, there is some discussion of death in this chapter. I went into writing this chapter with the intention of inviting the Pancakes, specifically Eliza, over to progress some story that I had planned out and discovered that Bob had somehow passed away without me realizing it. After an unexpected encounter with his son the story began to write itself. 

Just recently I actually lost a cousin of mine and as the writing progressed I realized that Cam and I were experiencing very similar thoughts and ideas and before I knew it Bob's demise was the same as my cousin's. I know the saying goes write what you know but for me this is as close to real life drama that I have ever written.

I apologize if anyone is not ready for this but I realized as I wrote that for me at least it was a good exercise to express feelings I had not realized existed and, as Cam is a very serious thinking Sim, it fit his personality. Sorry for the depressing topic but I hope you stick with this story and enjoy the surprises ahead. 

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Once Cameron was able to draw out the inspiration for his house designs, it was a like a weight was lifted from his shoulders. There were still lots of things to do. Paperwork to fill out, permits to attain, crews to hire and of course, he needed to get the finalized plans approved by the Sim Council. They had, of course, loved the drawings and immediately put him in contact with an architectural artist to draw out the internal plans.

His mornings turned to patterns. Each morning he woke up early, way earlier than everyone else. He grabbed a cup of black focusing tea and usually stood on the porch to enjoy the morning sun just lighting up the deck.

While he stood on the deck, admiring his mother's prized dragonfruit and strawberry plants, he would mentally go through his list of things to do. He enjoyed this peaceful start to his morning. It allowed him time to schedule out his time.

His father, Madeline and his siblings all worked late into the night and didn't usually get out of bed until closer to brunch time. His mother, now enjoying her retirement, sometimes spent late nights out by the pond fishing and slept in with her husband. She jokingly told Cam it was the gift of retirement. "It's good to spend time with the one you love the most, even if that time is spent cuddling in bed."

He knew, though, this time was precious as well. He would have the time without interruption and then he could focus on his family after they woke up.

Some mornings he would feel so antsy with all the ideas in his mind he had taken to going for a jog. It helped to clear his mind and made him feel as if he could handle anything. The fresh air, the sunshine, the park which was the symbol of his childhood, his legacy and his mother. It always brought things into perspective. If he just kept plugging along, he knew that he could build a great new addition to this legacy. Just like Adaleigh had. Just like he someday would.

This particular morning, Cam was just pouring himself his delicious tea when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He expected it to be a reminder from the checklist app he used to keep himself on schedule, instead though it was an email... from the Sim Council! They had approved his housing plans, all three!!!

He couldn't believe it.

Of course, he still would have to fund the structural build as per the agreement but the Sims Council was confident that the McGinnis family would be more than able to supply that with their long track record of securing funding. Cam knew that he and his mother had been working diligently on that, securing funding from the Simsonian Museum from artifacts that his mom had donated during her collecting days.

But this meant that a major milestone was passed. Once he passed along the plans to his construction crew, they should be able to break ground on the first construction within a month.

Elated, Cameron decided it was time for run. His mind was already racing as he changed in his room. He liked to wait to use the computer until his parents were both awake as he always felt like it was an intrusion to walk in to use it before.

Changed and ready, he headed off the back porch but before he had even reached the sidewalk he stopped short. Dane Pancakes, the youngest of the Pancake children, was walking morosely along his hand tucked in his pocket. Dane was always the silly one. Cameron couldn't remember a time when he wasn't cracking a joke or teasing his older sister but now all he did was look at the sidewalk and walk.

"Hey, Dane." he raised a hand in greeting but all Dane did was look at his shortly, pull his hands out of his pockets and just keep walking.

Now, it was true that they had never been all that close. Summer Huntington, his mother's best friend, had always categorized the Pancakes as 'Friends of friends'. The kind you invite to a party and you chat politely with, of course, you check in about the family then, but you never keep up with them. As Cam ran, the elation he felt fizzled out of him. Although he had lots of work to get done, it was Dane's small frame walking away from him that was on his mind.

He finished his jog and headed home for a nice hot shower.

When he walked out into the living room, he found his mom finishing up the last of her spaghetti.
"Hey mom." he said sliding into the seat next to her.

"Well, hello there, Mr. Mayor. How was your run?" she said with a cheeky smile. Cam took his time to look at his mother. Retirement looked good on Adaleigh, he realized. She looked more happy and more content with herself then Cameron could ever remember her being in all his life.

"Good..." he looked down at the counter, his stomach growling a little to remind him all he had this morning was a cup of tea. "Actually something weird happened. I ran across Dane, you know the Pancakes son. He was really upset. He didn't even say hi or anything... it was the weirdest thing."

His mother frowned for a moment. "I wonder..." she frowned as her cell phone rang. "Summer...? Yeah, I was--Oh my watcher... Really? Oh. I'm going to call her up right now.... Yes-- no, I don't think that's such a good idea. We'll have to do the Spice Market another day. Oh yes, definitely plan on bringing Charlotte by later this week."

His mom ended the call abruptly and then made another call. "Eliza... yes, I just heard. Why didn't you call me?" she said sternly. Adaleigh didn't hold with Summer's 'friend of friend' theory. She cared deeply for all her friends, no matter how often they talked. "Yes, I'm going to be home all day. Come by once the kids head off to school."

Cam tilted his head after she had hung up. She still held the phone tightly in her hand. "Bob... Bob had a heart attack yesterday." she said slowly and Cam felt a chill run down his arms. "The paramedics pronounced him dead when they arrived...said his heart gave out from age, natural causes. He was making a sandwich in the kitchen with Dane and Desiree when it happened. One minute he was making his kids lunch for school and then... he was having a heart attack."

Cam's eyes went wide. "Oh my watcher....Dane... "

His mother's soft hazel brown eyes met his own. "He saw his father die right in front of him."
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Later, Cam was holed up in his parents room with the computer. He still couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that Bob Pancakes had passed on. He had not even known how to continue the conversation after that. In fact, he hadn't even shared the wonderful news that the Sims Council had approved his designs because he was so distracted by the thought about Dane. Poor Dane who had stood there while his father had fallen over... never to wake up.

He was staring blankly at the screen he realized, his fingers hovering over the keys but not really moving. Life is so fragile and soon, very soon, everyone would have to die. It was a natural part of the order of life. You lived, you loved, you worked hard to leave your mark and then... you went. But to be so suddenly reminded of the suddenness with which life can leave us... it's difficult to face.

Cam set his hands down on his lap. He still had many years in front of him... but his mother and his father. Soon they wouldn't be here with them either. Taking a deep breath, Cam felt more determined then ever that he work hard at completely his legacy build as soon as humanely possible. He wanted his mother to be able to see that she had help to groom the best next Mayor of Newcrest she could have.

Ping!

Cam frowned as he opened up the new email that had popped up in his inbox.

It was another email from the Sims Council. Unfortunately, it wasn't nearly as good as this mornings message. The contractor who had run the construction crew which had built the Beavers Family Soup Kitchen had been found to be using sub par materials. One of his other constructions had apparently fallen on an unlucky family. Thankfully, no one had been seriously injured but the Sims Council had determined that they needed to find a new contractor. This meant that although Cam had final approval on the plans, he needed to vet and interview a new contractor before the project could continue.

The Council had provided a list of some suitable possible contractors but they wanted Cameron to be the one to make the final selection since he would be working closely with the contractor over the next few months.

Cam's heart sunk. Frowning, Cam ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

Just what he needed. He printed out the list, he did better with hard copies, and decided that he would call it for the day. His mind was still elsewhere when he walked into the hall.

Screech screee screeech screeeeee-eeeehhh!

Startled as Cam opened the door to his parents room, he was greeted by the sound of violin... being played very badly. Although Collin had taken to practice almost every waking moment, he had yet to improve. Yet. Cam hoped that there was approval around the corner for his ear's sake.

Collin's lack of good music didn't deter his mother from listening intently and even smiling at her eldest son's efforts. Sometimes, Cam wondered if his mother was a saint.

Just then, thankfully, the doorbell rang and Collin stopped playing.

"Oh, thank you, Watcher..." Cam murmured and then he headed for the front door. "I'll get it."

He found a very frail looking Eliza Pancakes on the porch. "Oh, Mrs.... Pancakes. Come on in," he said trying to smile. "My mom's been waiting for you."

Eliza smiled. "I know. Sorry, it's been a whirlwind of things. Paperwork. There's just so much paperwork..." she smiled, a week smile but a smile none-the-less.

"Yeah," Cam didn't really know what to say. He wanted to say he was sorry for her loss but he just couldn't seem to form the words. There might be words to say, he supposed there must be, but for the life of him, he just couldn't find them.

His mom had moved into the kitchen. "Eliza, would you like some tea? Or something to eat?"

Eliza just shook her head. "No. No, thank you. I'm still not very hungry."

His mom nodded, understandingly. "How are you holding up?"

Eliza shook her head. "It still just doesn't seem real, honestly. One minute he's there and being his usual self and the next thing, he's on the floor and I'm calling the paramedics..."

She stopped and swallowed. Cam knew that he should probably leave the women but something made him want to stay. He decided he had better at least make himself useful and began picking up the dishes from breakfast and washing them in the sink.

Eliza brushed her hair behind her ear. "You know, Bob and I never had the perfect marriage but despite everything he was mine and... we were finally somewhere where I felt happy. Thankfully, at least Desiree just turned eighteen... So now so if anything happens to me, Dane is going to be taken care of. It's not something I ever thought about. I mean to be honest, I never thought Bob and I would have kids."

She laughed. "You know at one time, Bob and I had been thinking about opening a restaurant. Right before I was pregnant with Desiree. We were going to call it Bob's Breakfast." Suddenly tears welled up in her eyes. "The man... loved... his pancakes."

"Oh, Eliza." His mom pulled her friend into a hug. She didn't say anything, just held her friend.

"No... no time for tears. I...I need to do something useful." she took a deep breath. "I'm going to take out the trash."

Determinedly she marched across the room, past Cam and took the trash out to the back as his mom watched her concerned. "OK... I'm going to change my clothes. I'll meet you on the back porch. I'll bring you some orange juice, OK?"

His mom walked down the hall just as his dad emerged from the bedroom. "Morning," he said and he happily kissed her on the cheek. "Everything OK?" he looked concernedly at Eliza as she marched determinedly out the back porch with the garbage.

His mom looked over her shoulder and then her husband. "Bob passed away last night, heart attack in the kitchen."

His dad frowned. "I always liked Bob... wish we had talked more. You need anything?" he said looking at his wife with mild concern.

His mom shook her head, a smile easing across her lips. "Nope." she kissed him sweetly on the cheek. "I got this one. As long as you got lunch making duties, for Collin and Madeline remember?"

"I'm on it, Mrs. McGinnis." he said and he walked over to the kitchen to rummage through the fridge.

Cam was struck by how steadfast his father was. There had never been a moment that Cameron could remember where his father was anything but sturdy and dependable. Would he always be that way? Could Cameron be as good a father as his own?

"Cameron, what does your fiance like to eat?"

"Oh," Cam snapped back to reality. "She likes BLTs?"

Laurnet nodded. Firmly, strongly. Just as he had always seemed to Cam.

"Did someone say Bacon Lettuce Tomato?" a sleepy voice said behind him and he turned to see Madeline had just woken up.

"Oh... uh yea." he smiled. Despite the sleepy look in her eyes, she had already combed her hair and changed out of her pajamas. "Collin made some this morning but Dad is attempting to make you some fresh ones to take to work."

"Ah, Mr. McGinnis, you really don't have to. I can grab lunch at The Dish like always."

"Nonsense. Then you have to eat whatever the Sous Chef makes."

Madeline laughed. "But you're the Sous Chef, Mr. M."

"True, but I'm making lunch for Collin anyway, why not for you too. Besides, don't you have wedding errands to run before work and you haven't eaten a thing." he turned to look at her over his shoulder. "Also shouldn't you be calling me, Dad? You do plan on marrying my son soon? We don't have to be so formal."

Madeline stopped smiling for a second. Any time anyone mentioned a father-figure she was usually quite tense. It was something Cam had wanted to talk to her about but felt he needed to wait until she was ready. "Yeah, you're right." she said a small, tense smile on your face. "Well, thanks.... Dad. It's nice to be a McGinnis." 

Cameron smiled. He liked it when she talked about being part of his family. He turned towards the door, intending to make sure his mother and Mrs. Pancakes were doing alright.

"Oh Cam." he turned to see that Madeline had turned around. "I know that Laura is helping with a lot of the wedding planning but I need your help picking out a few things. With all your Mayor duties, I haven't been able to get you alone long enough to make any decisions."

Cam smiled. "I know I'm sorry... and, of course, just when I thought things were going smoothly I hit another snag."

Madeline frown. "What happened?"

"Sims Council pulled the bid to my contractor because he apparently cut corners. He's also the same contractor who built your Soup Kitchen, so I'm going to have to close it down for a short time for inspection just to be safe and find a new contractor for that and the house projects..."

"Oh no." she stood up and wrapped her arms around him. "Well, if anyone can figure it out. It's you. Let me know when your free and we can figure out this wedding stuff. Soon."

"How'd I get so lucky?" he asked her and kissed her hands. 

"Don't know, I ask myself that every day." she looked at her phone and smiled again. "Oh, man, I've got to go. I need to squeeze in a dress fitting before I head to work this afternoon. I'll see you later." she kissed him firmly and grabbed the lunch from Laurent.

"I told you, you would need my lunch."

Madeline smiled. "I should learn to never argue with my Sous Chef. Thanks, Mr--I mean, Dad." She kissed his father and then grabbing her purse from the dining table ran out the door. "Love you, babe!" she chirped happily.

He smiled. "Be safe."

"Always."

Cam turned to find his dad smiling as he chopped up some more tomatoes."She's a keeper."

"Yeah, I know." he smiled and then headed out to the porch.

[A/N: And then in the way of Sims Unperdictability, my serious Sims got struck down by random illness.... Gas-and-giggles... seriously...?]

"Adaleigh, are you feeling alright?" Cam walked outside to see his mother holding the orange juice and sporting some very interesting tiger stripes on her arms and face.

His mom smiled and then straightened her face into a serious look. "Yeah... sorry, I was just saying that you should drink this orange juice and keep up your strength.... With everything that is going on..."

Eliza looked very concerned. "Adaleigh, I think you might have Gas-and-Giggles...."

His mom snorted and then shook her head. "What? No? I'm fine, Eliza." she giggled and covered her mouth in surprise.

"Uh... Mom, you're covered in stripes." Cam looked at his mother standing with her hand on her hip and he bit his lips. Suddenly he just felt like laughing too. She looked ridiculous.

"Cameron McGinnis, if you plan on laughing, you should look in the mirror!" his mom said striving not to laugh as well.

"What?"

Eliza looked back and forth between the two of them. "I think you both need to go lie down and rest."

Cameron shook his head as another giggle came through him. "I can't believe this is happening... today, I'm cursed." he laughed, though he didn't really feel like laughing.

Eliza laughed too. A brash hard laugh that didn't sound like herself.

His mom stiffled her giggling long enough to look seriously at her son. "Cameron, what does that mean?"

"They pulled the bid for my contractor." He laughed, though he wasn't sure if it was the sickness or how he actually felt. He was such a mix of emotions right now (probably due to the sickness he had apparently gotten from or given to his own mother.) "He was cutting corners... Madeline's Soup Kitchen is probably going to crash down at any moment..."

He laughed again. "And somehow I have to find a new contractor by next week, if I'm going to keep to the strict timeline the Sims Council set."

Another laughed escaped and he covered his mouth for a moment. "They sent me a list but the time it's going to take just to vet each of them... let alone the interviews..."

"You should use Dylan Wahl." Eliza piped in and Cam looked at her in surprise.

Eliza swallowed as if she wasn't sure what made her say it. "When..." she took a deep breath. "When Bob and I had been talking about opening Bob's Breakfast, we did a lot of work on it. We scouted the location, we found a real estate agent and a contractor, we even put together blueprints... but then, I found out I was pregnant with Desiree so we put it all on hold. We always planned that we would go back to it.... but..." she shrugged her shoulders.

"Living got in the way." she finally said.

Eliza looked down at the ground her eyes intent on some distant speck and then... she smiled. Just a small smile, but one full of such love and joy. "Maybe it wasn't we planned but the life we lead was a happy one right to the end. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if we hadn't given up on the restaurant but... Well, I still had my Bob and he made me and the kids Bob's Breakfast every morning...."

A small tear welled up in her eyes and she cleared her throat and wiped at it. 

Crossing her arms, self-conciously, because Eliza had never been one to wax so poetically that Cam had ever known. "The point is, Dylan gave me his information, he always said if we ever changed our mind that he would be happy to help. He's an amazing contactor and I know that he would be able to help you."

Cam pressed his hands together. "Mrs. Pancakes...."

"Eliza." Cam looked up into her eyes, bright and clear. "My friends call me by my first name and if you and your mother hadn't invited me over I don't know how I would be feeling right now...so I consider you friends."

"Eliza," he smiled and tried his best not to let a giggle escape his lips. "If you and...Bob would trust Dylan with your dream. I'm sure that he will be a great asset."

Eliza nodded. "I'll send your mother the information. I'd better go... Thanks for hanging out with me, Mr. Mayor, Adaleigh."

Eliza let herself out the front door and Cam and his mother stood on the porch for a long moment. The two looked at each other and then they giggled. They giggled for a long long time. Whether it was the sickness or just the sheer and utter fact they both felt completely overwhelmed. 

Soon Cam's Dad walked outside and took one look at both of them and gingerly took the orange juice out of his mom's hands. "I think it's time for a little sip of this and then both of your off to bed."

His mom argued with her husband but Cam knew his father was right. He needed to get this under control and quickly get back on track. Tomorrow he would call Dylan Wahl and he would get the ball rolling. And he would make time to finalize some decisions about his wedding. Life was short, life was sweet and he didn't want to waste any more time. He was going to marry the woman of his dreams and soon.

Sure death was sudden and you were never quite prepared but like Eliza had said. If you were happy did it really matter if everything turned out exactly as planned. He had never planned to fall for Madeline so hard of for her life to have been so complicated. But he knew he loved her and he knew he was ready for that next step. So he could celebrate with his family and enjoy every moment they had together.
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Author's note: Okay.... that was a depressing write... at least in the beginning. Thankfully my game intervened a little. 

So as Eliza mentioned, Bob's Breakfast is a reality... in another reality. The restaurant name and the aforementioned Dylan Wahl are on loan to me from LegacySims2017 who has many awesome stories and Sims on his website. Go check him out!

House of Pancakes, written well before I decided on this arch and the inspiration for the entire construction crew idea, is funny and sweet. Plus there are other amazing stories like his own version of the #BuildNewcrest Challenge featuring his Simself and his Jungle Run series which is just airing its second season and features a Sim I created(shameless plug). The first season is hilarious and I could go on forever about all of his stories! So I'm cutting it short.  Please check him out. Thank you for reading this to the end and make sure that you support other amazing SimLit writers like LegacySims2017.