Chapter 121: Your Mom

Harcourt and Mara go to prom together.

As the mothers await their kids' return from prom, Candace tells Claire about all the naughty stuff she and Cemre got up to on their prom night. Claire cannot remember her own prom night, but isn't worried...

Harcourt and Mara get home before curfew and linger in front of the Archers' front door, not wanting to say goodbye. They didn't win any trophies for their awkward dancing, but they had fun.

Finally, he pulls her close for a goodnight kiss.

(Then they go inside to find their moms waiting for them, and Candace takes Mara home.)

Some fool from out of town picks the wrong house to steal from.

Acheron tiptoes downstairs to find the cops already handling it.

That's a bummer. He would have liked to sim-fu the would-be thief himself.

Acheron is a well-known composer now. He works on the soundtracks to big budget movies.

None of them have contained him playing an electric guitar solo... ...yet.

Acheron and Claire have nothing better to worry about these days than what's for dinner.

They like it this way.

Pedro is in a sulk today, since his date for prom, Kiki Rome, ended up dancing with another boy most of the time. Pedro even asked Harcourt to talk to her, only to be informed Harcourt doesn't know much about his mother's eccentric batch of distant cousins.

"It's not that I thought Kiki was the one," Pedro moans, "it's just sucky she made me look like a loser in front of everyone."

"It'll be fine. It's only high school prom."

Pedro rolls his eyes and moves on to the next topic. "Whatever. What icing are we gonna use?"

"Lemon or cream cheese."

"Dude this is so stupid. It's bad enough when we do home ec cooking in school. Now they make us bring it home?"

Pedro frowns harder suddenly. "Do you smell something?"

Former schoolmate Jeffry Rao climbs up on stage to give Claire some flowers.

Claire reminds the drunken "pirate" she's married.

Harcourt at his desk.

Harcourt and Mara at Ferry Lane, trying to figure out how to dance.

The only person here to witness their failings is the aging mixologist, Aadi Beach.

They go downstairs for some SkeeBall.

...and quickly discover they suck at SkeeBall, too.

Pedro and Noma go with Harcourt to one of Claire's gigs.

Noma is disturbed when they start talking about the latest popular book series. How are her friends THIS BORING? 

Claire has what she considers a wonderful life, and doesn't hold any resentment towards her husband or towards Candace for the "hole" in her life, the lost memories of childhood.

They did what they thought they had to do.

And over time, especially since Harcourt was born, the confusion and depression caused by her missing memories has faded. Still, since learning why she doesn't remember, one thing has bothered her.

Claire travels across town to this well-kept house. Aadi Beach, the woman Vadoma Rome became, supposedly lives here. Claire rings the doorbell and feels a nervous sweat build up on her forehead as she wonders what, exactly, she's going to say.

Claire is greeted by a small girl.

Janine Beach is the image of her mother, and bears features many Romes in the long history of Barnacle Bay have shared. Claire can clearly see the resemblance, since she knows to look for it.

"Hello," Janine tries to be polite, but is irritated, having been called away from a video game. "Can I help you?"

"I'm looking for someone called Aadi Beach."

"Who is it?" a voice calls from inside the house.

Claire cranes her neck, and sees Aadi in the kitchen, chopping vegetables. There's a man with her. He kisses Aadi on the cheek, then steals a cucumber. Aadi swats at him with her free hand.

Janine turns around. "A lady's here to see you, Mom!"

That's when Claire decides to run away.

Aadi seems happy. Claire wouldn't be doing her any favors to tell her about her sordid past.

At best, Claire might be called insane and told to get out.

Claire is in the car and halfway down the street before Aadi gets to the front door.

Harcourt's friends hang out at his house because it's big and there's plenty to do.

Pedro messes with the coffee maker, Mara raids his bookshelf, Noma and Lori dance, and Lori keeps asking what Harcourt is writing (a science fiction novel) and what it's called (Rescue the Scientists) and what it's about (rescuing scientists) and if he thinks he can get it published (yes).

"Duuuude." Pedro marvels. "Why you got ants in here?"

Lori and Mara talk about what the best/worst Barnacle Bay names are.

Pedro tells Noma he skirt should be illegal.

Noma tells Pedro his mom should be illegal.

Harcourt doesn't want to be "that guy" who just sits at the computer all day. He tries to keep in shape, too.

Acheron finds zen in working out. Harcourt finds nothing but pain and boredom.

But at least he's healthier for it, maybe?

Mara has the adventurous trait.

She wants to explore this photo booth.

Harcourt hangs the pictures in his computer room, next to his very first published article from the school newspaper. (Claire insisted it should be framed and displayed; Harcourt is just embarrassed of his freshman work.)

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Etc.: The skill careers are pretty hard to max out in a timely manner, but I've been neglecting Harcourt's writing so I could have him hang out with his agemates. Technically, for perfect careers, it's not required for the skill careers like author to be level 10, as long as the skill involved is leveled to 10. But I still like to get the career level 10 accomplished. ...Probably not gonna happen with Harcourt or Mara.

Harcourt is already a self-employed author. I forget what level he is.