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04: Spring air



As Winter turned to Spring, the curse of the island continued. Three victims were harvested: Regina Phillips Young, Jesse Garth and Samantha Huffman.



Their loved ones were devastated, especially Randy Huffman: not only had he lost his lover to the Simbia Sickness, but now his wife and foster son had also perished.

Not to mention that he now had three children to look after on his own, two of which hadn't even learned to walk yet when their mother had died.



Johnny was always willing to look after his younger siblings when Randy was required elsewhere, but there's only so much a boy can do when his father won't let him use the stove on his own.

Since the Nannies' Union had performed a mass strike (and consequently been "dealt with" by government officials), there were no people left to hire as babysitters even on the mainland. 





Enter Kelly Chan, one of Randy's "family friends". In exchange for getting out of the detention center, she agreed to move in with the Huffmans to act as a step-mother and housekeeper.





Both Randy and the kids took a liking to her, and while she insisted to be called "Kelly" there were a few instances where the toddlers confusedly called her "mom". Not that she minded, but she knew Johnny did.




By each passing day, Kyle and Theresa came to look more and more like their father, and since Kelly's disposition was so alike to Randy's it was hard to tell where their personalities arised from. Had any traces of their mother been left behind, other than a vague memory and Kyle's blue eyes?

Instead of letting himself be paralyzed by grief, Randy put more effort than ever before into his business. Sure, the reporter from SimVania had been somewhat mean in his review, but it was something for him to put his mind to. And even though there wasn't much profit, he knew he was doing a service for his community.




Meanwhile, Jane and her family gathered donations to build a proper community graveyard worthy of her daughter's last rest. It was a quick chore, as Regina had been very well liked by the people that came to party in the Young yard.




And so by the Wednesday after her death, Hillside Cemetery was built. Attempts were made to leave space beside Regina and Samantha for their respective families, while the Garths were deemed to have run their course and therefore given their own family tomb.





Lawrence and Tiffany counted their blessings and continued to raise their two sons with equal parts love and discipline.




Having realised that her childbearing days were over, Tiffany sought out to become the island's first car owner. If that meant having to build one herself, then so be it.



In the meantime, Lawrence and Peter toiled away at the family shop. Peter took great interest in expanding the business and watched with excitement at the wind turbines soon to arise on the island. Maybe the upcoming power grid would allow him to one day open his very own gaming arcade, just like the ones his father talked about?




While he was dreaming of money and games, the boys next door were swept up by the spring air. 

Johnny Huffman had yet to find any human bolts of chemistry...





...but Phil Young had already acquired both his first kiss and a steady boyfriend by the name of River Pons.

His brother Carl had grown up to become a shrewd young man, carrying dreams of a great family as well as his mother's love of grilled cheese.





If only more girls his own age would visit the island... not that he didn't appreciate the practice opportunities he got from his parents' friends.




Even Jack and Jane finally found the romance that they both had craved.




Although not with each other, of course.

Which of these relationships would turn out to be mere flings of spring?

~ End of rotation