* Alvis' on the move...

After leaving the Wainrights *sob*, I thought I'd see if I could do anything to aid the Alvi family. Get them out of that rainbow puke house and into something a bit less... putrid. I can't stand it when my sims don't have decent homes to live in - it takes a poor picture, unless you're playing a grungified game - in which case, imperfection is the perfection you're aiming for.

I don't *do* grungy. I'm crap at it.

Above is Miraj Alvi, with a cockateel parrot thingy that he caught and then released, because I'd just come from a home with a puppy in it and didn't fancy doing the *pet thing* again. Not yet, at any rate.... Sadly, I didn't realise when I checked in with the Alvis', that Miraj would have already aged up from boy to man and I wouldn't get to play with a kid yet, which was partly why I chose them.

I did try to revamp their original home, but gave up and built them something new, but not too fancy. The Alvi men don't seem the fancy type to me. I figured I'd keep it simple and let them add to it as their story unfolded. 

When they moved home, they took all their old furnishings with them, because it was the only way they could afford to do it. I never, ever cheat financially, for my sims - it takes all the fun out of it.

On their first night in their new home, Iqbal threw a salad together and told the boys that he'd like for things to change between them. New home, new lives, and perhaps Miraj wouldn't mind getting a haircut? Miraj's response was "Gonna do something about that slug above your eyes then, dad?".

Iqbal went to the salon the next day and went from one brow, to two, in just a few short plucks. Sadly, he couldn't afford a hair transplant, and didn't quite cotton to the idea of a toupée, so his declining locks remained.... in decline. Though he did opt to grow a little fur on his chin.

Iqbal had squirreled away a few simoleons when his little family had moved to the smaller but newer property on  Maywood Lane. Just enough to re-cover and re-paint some of his original furnishings, and add a few homely touches to the downstairs... one of these *touches* was a much longed for fish tank. Iqbal absolutely loved to fish, and his greatest desire was to present a perfect private aquarium.

VJ decided that if Miraj got a haircut, so would he. He decided to add a little *steam* to his *punk*, and finally worked up the nerve to ask Lisa Bunch to spend the day with him. He hadn't expected his dad and brother to trail along with them, so after a quick game of chess... he suggested they go somewhere a tad less boring.

Lisa was more than happy to head off to The Riviera Pool with VJ... and they finally shared their first kiss. Jack Bunch (Lisa's father) wasn't overly keen on VJ, which made VJ that much more exciting to Lisa. He was the proverbial *bad boy*, and she currently had no wish to change that ( that won't last, girls have a thing about rescuing bad boys from their badness).

Iqbal stuck to his original plan to spend more time with his boys. Already having a good relationship with Miraj, it didn't take much to encourage the boy to share his precious downtime, with his dad. Miraj had gotten a job working in the same grocery store as his brother, and had discovered a competitive streak. He wanted a higher wage and a better position than his brother, but VJ was actually a surprisingly hard worker (who knew???!?).

VJ was a harder nut to crack, for Iqbal. Neither of them were conversationalists, so discovering a mutual love of chess got them talking to each other without either of them realising it.

"Son, I'm going out on a date tomorrow night".

"That's good dad".... VJ's head said... PARTY!

"I'm meeting a young lady that I've been seeing on and off for a while now".

"Mmmm... that's good dad".... PARTY!

"Yes. Yes it is. Very good. She's errr... she's very nice."

"Uh - huh"... PARTY!

"You'll keep an eye on your brother whilst I'm out? Help him with his homework?"

This actually broke through the litany of *party* going on in VJ's head... "Huh?!?"

Iqbal laughed, "Just checking your brain's actually switched on".

"Checkmate, dad."

The next night.... PARTY!  The voice in VJ's head got it's way. There was music and dancing and food, then everyone got shoved out the door about a half hour before Iqbal was due to return from his date.

Miraj hadn't fully gotten on board with the idea of a party until it had been happening and he'd discovered the ability to *dance wildly*. He'd attempted to impress River McIrish, with his hip wiggling and bum jiggling, until Ethan Bunch had laid a hand on his shoulder and said "The lady is with me". (I like Ethan).

Of course, after they'd pushed the protesting teenagers out of the front door, panic had set in and both Mirah and VJ made a mad dash to clean up the mess.

VJ couldn't believe the state of the kitchen, there was Marmite everywhere. He decided that to avoid such a mess in the future, he was going to have to learn to cook. That way there'd be less to scrape off the work surfaces after a party in the future.... 

Yes.... VJ had plans for more parties.

Earlier on that same evening, Iqbal met his date at the Mirabello Bistro. Erin Kennedy was more than happy to be with Iqbal (I was shocked, I tell you... SHOCKED! This relationship wasn't in my grand plan for Sunset Valley, but what the heck - they were already in love when I moved in with the Alvis', it must have been Sim Fate). He didn't talk too much, and being a little older than her, made for a less intense relationship than she'd have had with a younger man. Erin liked the comfort and quiet of Iqbal, and didn't question the fact that she loved him.

They enjoyed a very pleasant evening together, then Iqbal decided to take the bull by the horns. He'd been carrying a ring in his pocket for days now, hoping for the right moment to pop the question.

He nervously got down on one knee...

"Erin... I know I'm not exactly a hunka hunka burnin' love, and I'm probably too old for you..."

"Shush, Iqbal."

"... but I ".... he gulped back a giggle, took a deep breath, and aimed for gold... " I love you very much and it would give me no greater pleasure than if you were to become my wife!"

Erin squeaked (yes, she actually squeaked),  put on the ring, then jumped into Iqbal's arms.

Iqbal was slightly overwhelmed.

"Is that a yes then?"

"That's a yes then," she said into the side of his neck.

 Iqbal returned home, after spending the rest of the evening with his future bride, to find the Marmite that he had spilled all over the work surface before he went out ( he got hungry when he was nervous), had been mysteriously cleaned up - and both of his boys were acting incredibly suspiciously. They were sat side by side at the kitchen table, reading. VJ... was reading.

He picked that morning's newspaper up off the floor, and decided to sit with them and pretend to read it whilst summoning up the courage to tell them about Erin.

A piece of party streamer fell out of the paper and wafted gently towards the floor. Both boys watched it settle on their fathers shoe, then slowly raised their eyes to his. Shitting themselves.

Iqbal looked at the streamer on his shoe, then looked at his boys.

"Quiet night?"

They nodded vigorously, as one.

Iqbal stifled a smile. Little buggers.

"I have some news."

VJ and Miraj somewhat distractedly realised their dad was going to ignore the party streamer, then jointly held their breath when a party balloon floated past the door behind Iqbal's head. When it stayed where it was, they both looked down at their respective books and did a little silent praying.

"I'm getting married."

Not what they'd been praying for, but it'd do.