Fight or Flight?

Saturday, July 3, 2010

"Whatever, ma. I love Dad, but... nobody's perfect."
~ Travis Kane




"Hoowwaard... Answer the phone..."

"Nnngghh."

"Howard, it's gonna wake up the baby, ju--"

"It's probably your work again, Tana. You have to get up in ten minutes, anyways."

"Uuuugh, fine."

As Tana Larson looked over at her already snoring husband, she wondered what justice she could serve on him later for being lazy, but that was all forgotten the moment she answered the ringing phone.

"Hello?" Tana droned tiredly.


"T-T-T-Tana... C-c-c-can... I.... Can you please...."

"Whoa, Meredith, slow down. Just gimme a minute to throw on some clothes, I'll be right over, okay?"

The telephone hung up before she heard a response. "That's odd," Tana thought to herself, before grumpily getting up to go see what was troubling her sister this time.

As Tana crossed the street, she could already see Meredith standing in her front entryway through the windows. It made her chuckle; "Meredith's always so impatient," she mused, even rolling her eyes at how predictable her sister could be.


The moment she walked through the door, Meredith pounced onto her sister, and immediately began sobbing on her shoulder. Tana gave her a few moments, but eventually, after a good, solid shoulder pat, she had to get her sister to stop. "Alright, calm down, Mere. What's the matter?"

As Meredith pulled away, she struggled to speak. The words were there, but the woman couldn't stop hyperventilating. Tana had seen it all before, so she wasn't really concerned. Yet.

"T-T-Tana... She's.... She's..."

"She is what? And who is she?"

"She's dead. Chandra is dead."

"Wait. Who? What the hell happened, Mere?"



Meredith took a few moments to compose herself, before she started to explain. It was a lengthy tale, but considering her state, she condensed it down into as short a story as possible. She explained what Mimi had told her, how she'd contacted the unknown email to set up a meeting, explained the motives that Chandra had had, her connections with Jeb, and exactly how she had set him up for the crime. All in all, with her mental state considered, Meredith felt she covered all the bases... But her sister certainly wasn't going to be proud of her for that.

No... Not at all.


"I cannot believe you, Meredith! Don't you have any idea how dangerous that was? Why in bloody Plumbob's name didn't you call me? Did you forget that I'm a cop?! We could've caught that woman, Mere!"

"I know, I know, I just... I didn't know what to do! I was so scared for Jeb and I just didn't think--"

"No, Meredith. You never think. And... What's this about you saying she's dead? What happened?"

"Well..." Meredith hung her head, beginning to rub her face to try and wipe back some of the tears that were free-flowing from both her anxiety and her sister's rage. "I don't actually know. One minute, she was about to attack me... The next, I was waking up, leaves in my hair, a terrible headache... and she was lying there, beside me, on the ground... D-dead."

"Let me get this straight. You invited a killer to a secluded park... You got the entire story out of her unrecorded... And now she's dead, with absolutely no proof of what she did, absolutely nothing that could help your husband?" Meredith's head could not hang any lower; she nodded briefly, but now, all her eyes could do was avert from her sister's gaze.


"I can't believe this, Mere. You've made a complete disaster of everything."

"Ta--"

"No, I don't want to hear a word. You've completely lost your right to offer any input in this situation. I need you to listen carefully, and do everything exactly as I say. I'm going to leave here, now, and go clean up your mess. When I get back, I want to find your car packed up with all your important belongings. Don't take anything you don't need, alright? Just the things you can't live without... And all the money that you know Jeb has stashed away. I want you to get Bradley ready to go, and be ready to grab Travis as soon as he gets home from school. Do you understand me?"

"Y-yes," Meredith sniffled, barely even able to look up as her sister turned on her heel, and quickly walked out the door.


Meredith collapsed down onto her bed, clutching her still pounding heart, and wiping a tear from her face. "Why can't I remember what happened? Why is my head... And Chandra... Oh Plumbbob, did I..." She shook her head. No. She couldn'tve.

Looking around the room,and staring into her wedding photos, she realized all the fond memories she'd had here. The way Jebidiah looked into her eyes while they were alone... When Travis and Bradley were first born... The birthdays, the arguments, the parties, the long nights sitting upstairs by the fire, looking out the window across the fields. Was Tana just expecting her to leave it all behind? Why?


She had no choice but to listen to her sister now. After all the mistakes she'd made in the last few days, it was time to hand the reigns over to someone that knew what they were doing. "It's just temporary," she said outloud to herself as she pulled open her dresser drawer, looking over at some boxes she'd drug up from the basement to shove stuff into. "We just need to get this sorted out. Tana will be able to fix it."


As Meredith began to throw her family's life into a few spare boxes, Tana kicked the dirt off her shoes as she climbed into her squad car. "Damn gasoline," she muttered with one burnt finger in her mouth, as she closed the car door and turned her eyes to the smoldering ash pile she could barely even see anymore. "The things I do," was her last grumble before hitting the gas pedal, and speeding down the old dirt road from Lost Willow Park.

It didn't take her long to get where she was going. As soon as she'd parked, Tana ran inside the police station... She had one last thing to do.


"I don't know where I'm going, or for how long... I just need to get away for a while. This whole thing with Jebidiah is bad for the kids, and Plumbbob knows I'm having a tough time dealing with it right now."

"Meredith, darling," Farah said with a light roll of her tongue and a small upturn of her lip. "That is a load of complete and utter horse manure. Come inside... Let's talk."

Meredith wasn't sure why she'd come to see Farah to say goodbye, but for whatever reason, her snobby old mother-in-law was the only person she trusted... And she needed to say something to someone. She couldn't just leave... But how Farah had known she was lying -- "Well, I guess I'm just an awful liar."

"Yes dear, you certainly are," remarked Farah with her typical schmoozy aire once the two were downstairs, and no longer able to be seen by outside eyes.


"Now, what's the truth."

As Meredith explained, Farah simply nodded her head: smiling occasionally, sighing occasionally. It wasn't until Meredith finished that Farah finally spoke. "Look, I've gotten bored of Riverview, anyways. Besides, if my only family goes turn tail running away, my reputation will most certainly be on the line, especially if anyone finds out about this little.. Park incidient.. But it's no bother. Don't you worry. I'll be packing up my own things and getting ready to resign from the hospital once you leave."

"But Farah--"

"No buts about it. I may not be the grandmother you always wanted for your children, nor do you particularly enjoy my presence, but the one thing that I am good for is supporting my family. Whereever you go, I'll be right there beside you. It is the least I can do."


"Also..." Farah continued, her voice dropping to a whisper. "You're going to need me, if you want to access the money your husband has stored away in a second bank account..."

Across town, a whole different discussion was being had.


"I know you're confused, Jebidiah. We'll get it squared away once the family is out of town. Look. I've posted bail for you, which the department is fine with so long as you're under my supervision. But something's come up. I don't have time to explain what happened right now, but as far as you're concerned... It's time for Plan B."

Jebidiah cocked his eyebrow at his sister-in-law and chuckled, before waving his hand towards the car. "I knew I could rely on you, Tana. Let's get out of here. I want to see my wife."


The moment Jebidiah walked through the door, Meredith swept him up into her arms. Everything was silent, except for Travis' excited talk with Tana, and Bradley's gurgling from the floor as he watched his parents smooch. Neither Jeb nor Meredith could think of a time they had felt more relieved... Finally, everything was going to be okay.

Maybe.

As everyone began to head out to the car, loaded to the gills with everything that Meredith held dear, Tana handed her sister a large tin can, screwed shut -- something inside clanged against the bottom as Meredith grasped it between her hands. "Everything's taken care of. Your husband knows what to do."


As the Kane's drove out of Riverview, Meredith watched the rolling scenery pass by with a sinking feeling in her heart. The car was silent. As happy as she was... looking at her children, her chuckling husband, the life they were leaving behind, she could not shake the pounding noise still filling her ears.

Nothing was ever going to be the same.

9 comments:

Raisin Hale July 4, 2010 at 1:17 AM  

wow.. i wonder where they'll go... twinbrook maybe?

Dee July 4, 2010 at 6:24 AM  

I love it, I love it. I just know Meredith did not kill Chandra. Someone else did and I have a sneaking suspicion who it was. I won't say anything though. I know you want us to wait.

I'm with Marty, I think they are going to Twinbrook.

Now what is going to happen to Tana? She's posted bond for Jeb and he's leaving town. She went and destroyed evidence. She is going to end up in deep doo doo.

Anonymous,  July 4, 2010 at 9:52 AM  

What is in the can that Tana gave Meredith. What does Jed know? Gah! Tana is a good guy? Or a bad guy? I can't decide.

Will Jed clean up his act or is that impossible? See, I'm all questions, again. :)

Great update! As always you leave me wanting more.

Unknown July 4, 2010 at 1:54 PM  

Bingo, Marty. ;D Ambitions came out about a week after this section of the storyline finished... I partly wanted an excuse to move there. Before I'd heard about how awesome Twinbrook was, I was planning on moving back to Sunset Valley, but... Twinbrook is just too awesome to pass up. For me, anyways.

Yes, Dee... You'll have to wait. ^^ This is the end of Part 1, Part 2 is focused on unravelling what happened to Chandra, and the consequences of the Kane family going on the run.

I do love me some mysteries, don't I? ^^

Great questions, Chrysame... You'll find out. ... Someday. *cackle*! I'm glad I've got you captivated. I'm doing my best to try to hide certain details... Though my next post is going to clean up some unexplained events I couldn't find a place to resolve. I'd rather not leave too many loose ends behind in Riverview! :)

Dee July 4, 2010 at 3:25 PM  

I just can't wait to see what happens in Twinbrook. Jeb is going to run that town. Maybe you will make me like it enough to want to go back there.

Unknown July 4, 2010 at 4:39 PM  

Twinbrook is a fantastic town, but it's made very specifically for this EP: the houses are ugly so the architect career can fix them up, the townies are crazy looking so the stylist career can makeover them, the place is very eerie for the ghosthunting career...

And another big one is that the community lots aren't as "finished" to promote buying property and fixing them up yourself. That's what I did with the beach, and while I kept it with the rustic-rundown feel of Twinbrook, I made it a lot less... Blaaaaah. :D

There are some flaws, and the outdoor daytime lighting kinda annoys me, but I like how realistic it is. Is it perfect for everyone? Of course not. Riverview and SV are muuuuch more picturesque. But that's just not "me". I like grungy places to torture my poor Sims. >:D Bwahaha!

It also really fits with the theme of the next section of the storyline, which is "Running from the Law, hiding in a crazy, unknown Podunk Town". :D

PiB - Nicarra July 4, 2010 at 5:14 PM  

Another great update. I'm glad that the family could get out of town, even if that does leave Tana in trouble for him skipping bail.

There is no way that Meredith killed Chandra but I'm sure that Jeb is not the only sneaky person in that town with lots of tricky programs.

Looking forward to the next update.

Dee July 4, 2010 at 5:26 PM  

You are so right kaleeko. I hadn't thought of it that way. I know I'll try it again someday. I've always loved Riverview more than anything. I don't know why. Ieven like it better than Sunset Valley. I leave and always return. Could be because I was born and raised a country girl.

if Jeb can't hide from the law in Twinbrook he may as well give up.

Jen August 3, 2010 at 9:24 PM  

Aww...so loved that shot of the family. The personal photographs really do make it so touching. And little Bradley smiling up at his mummy & daddy, so cute.

So I guess they move on and into a new town then? Can only imagine what this sort of life might be like to lead.
What happens when the kids get older?
They can't just keep running away. Jeb will have to have a career change I think! lol

That's season one done, just got to read the wrap up! ;)

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