Absolutely Criminal

The day of the job was approaching. At the old warehouse, devices were whirring, gear was being double -- triple -- checked, and Jebidiah had drilled the plan into his head with endless repetition. Tameka's rouse to get the Strummer's out of their home was in place, Cody could cut the right security wire in her sleep, and Mimi knew all the exit strategies by heart, ready to zip the getaway car out of harm's way before anyone had the faintest of ideas what was happening.

But Jebidiah was still unsure. The leak had been plugged -- somehow. Tana hadn't heard anything suspicious in some time, and was confident that however the information had gotten to the cops in the first place, it had stopped. "The only leads the office has had in over a week is a car theft and some topiary arson, most likely the work of some kids... Any trace they had of your tracks is gone."

What had done it? A promise to Cody to keep her 'entertained'? Tameka not finding it amusing anymore? Perhaps Mimi, realizing that they were all on her tail? But what worried Jebidiah most of all was that it could be Tana, feeding them false information, to keep herself important... That it was all just a joke from the beginning.




"I'm just fine, Meredith. Everything's alright. I know I can't trust Wayne anymore, but it could be worse. I know he still loves me, and that's all that matters."

Trista did sure seem happy -- in fact, much happier than the other day, before she'd heard of her husband's treachery. "I just wanted to make sure you were alright, you were so upset the last time I saw you," Meredith said, still worried.

"Things couldn't be better. My husband knows I've got my eyes on him, now, and he's too sheepish to do anything when he thinks I might find out. I know how to control my man!" Who knew, the town thug, afraid of his wife!



But across the room, someone else was chuckling for an entirely different reason... "Yes, but someone else doesn't know how to control hers..."

The countdown? 2 days. Things at the Company had became tense under the pressure, and Dallas decided that it was about time they all got together outside of work. "Let's do it at your house, Jeb," he advised in a way that Jebidiah could almost consider guilt-tripping. "Your wife does seem to enjoy holding get-togethers."

"No, she doesn't dislike anything more," Jebidiah thought to himself. "And the last thing I want is any of you around my family." However, Jebidiah agreed -- if there was anything he wanted less, it was for his boss to get sour, just before the time came for this job to go through. Meredith did agree, over the phone, but she was going to be late -- Trista and her were planning on catching up at the library for a while, so Jeb would have the house to himself for the work party. "At least that works out alright." Jeb considered. "As long as she's not around..."

But what he didn't consider was what would happen when they showed up.



He'd almost completely forgotten what had happened between him and Cody... Not to mention Tameka. At least they all had more on their minds than broken hearts -- there was profit to be made soon, and everyone was curious what each other was going to do with the huge payoff.

As the rest trickled on in -- Cody's husband Stacey, the town casanova, along with Mimi and Dallas -- Jeb quickly changed into his formals and tried to keep his guests entertained... As much as he could, with how awkward things were steadily getting.



And nothing was more awkward than seeing none other than Holly McFarland, the town gossip, walking in through the door. "I heard there was a party?" she asked, oh-so-innocently.

"Ah... Molly," Jebidiah said with a wave, flinching at the sight of the intolerably nosy woman. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave. Business party and all, and as far as I was aware, you weren't invited."

"You don't have to be rude," she choffed at him, although realizing she had no choice but to leave. "He could have at least bribed me," she thought to herself on the way out. "With a house like this, he must be making much more than Meredith says he is..."



"What was that all about?" Dallas asked, approaching Jeb in the dining room, where the criminals were receding to escape from their spouses, and actually talk business.

"That woman somehow slipped in, no idea how she even knew we were having a party... Probably heard something offhand from my wife. That woman is no good..." Jebidiah shook his head. "At least I got her to leave without a fight."

No one was entirely at ease about that, but, nothing had been said that the woman could have overheard -- she snooped and she saw a gathering... That's all. Right? Right. The five of them began to chat... About the jewel, the heist, the anxiety-- and Cody did her best to try to ease the tension by making jokes about what she was going to do with her share of the money. But while everyone was slowly starting to relax and do what they actually came here to do -- de-stress -- Tameka was doing anything but.



"Look... Tameka... Are you alright?" Jebidiah pulled her away as soon as they were in private. "I... The last thing I wanted to do was upset you. I really need you to cheer up. The others are starting to wonder why you're so down, when you usually aren't so..."

"But... But Jeb... I... I thought you... And I wanted so much for it to be... No one ever..." Snifflesniffle. "Oh dear plumbbob," Jeb groaned to himself. "What am I supposed to do?"



Well... He found his own way of cheering her up, against all sane thought (and his master madly trying to 'x' things out of his action queue, nnnggh), and miraculously, Tameka was happy again.

But no one else was.

Apparently, Jebidiah forgot about the psychic voodoo cheating radar that every Sim is born with. Immediately, as Jebidiah walked into the next room, Cody slabbed him across the face, and began to blow up at him.




"What the bloody builder are you doing?!" Cody yelled at him. "I... Tameka? Are you serious?! I've had it with you!"

Jebidiah tried to escape, but the only way to go was in the path of his boss. Well... At least Dallas would be understanding, right?




"But I thought you said--" "I didn't mean for you to take me literally, Jebidiah. I can't believe you... Cheating on your wife... Didn't you ever think to listen to your wedding vows, boy?"

Jebidiah was frantic. His mistakes were catching up to him, and now, the only person that was happy with him was Tameka... Great. And she's the one person that probably mattered the least!


"I just beg of you," Jebidiah said, with Dallas still pondering his employee's treachery to his wife. "Don't tell Meredith. The last thing I need right now is for my wife to know. I was just doing what I thought you wanted me to..." Jeb thought back to all the threats, the stolen photos... All he'd wanted was for those things to end.

Dallas, however, left his answer open-ended. He saw Tameka and Stacey dancing in the background, and he wanted to join them -- he came here to relax, not deal with... This.



Out of the corner of his eye, Jebidiah saw Meredith arrive. And, was that a new dress? He got up to go meet his wife, but he was beaten to the punch. Before he could catch her, she was dragged into the kitchen and out of sight.



And before Jebidiah could intervene, before he heard the treacherous words come out of Dallas's mouth, she heard the distasteful news first-hand. (And for the record, I barely caught this screenshot, because I wasn't paying attention to what these two were talking about. I had absolutely no idea that other Sims could actually tell someone their spouse was cheating on them... I guess they can!)

There was no words for the instant heartbreak that shook Meredith by surprise. Her first reaction was rage -- pure, bitter, rage... And since Jebidiah was nearby, she didn't have to go far to express her pain at his betrayal... And it had barely even registered in her mind.



"I... I can't believe you! Has this marriage meant nothing to you?! So little that you're off kissing other women in front of your coworkers, in our own home?!"

Jebidiah opened his mouth to answer her, but she instantly threw up her hands.



"No, I don't want to hear it. I have nothing else to say to you, Jeb. I'm leaving... And don't wait up for me."

She turned and charged up the stairs, stomping her heels so angrily that a piece of her stilettos came tumbling back down the stairs...


And Jebidiah couldn't be more confused. One second, everything was better than they had been in so long... And the next, everything was ruined, faster than he could have imagined.

He stood there, flabberghasted, for some time...



And upstairs, the reality finally sunk in. Still holding the handle to her dresser drawer, Meredith couldn't muster the energy to open it. Nothing could stop the tears pouring down her face... Not now.

"Why?"

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