Happy Simsmas 2021 Gift Exchange ~ Closed

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The cottage had been abandoned for years, slowly decaying past the far edge of town, as the residents were starting to wonder whether anyone would come forward to claim it. It wouldn't surprise them if no one ever did. The children liked to tell each other stories about how it had once been the site of powerful magic, when they were sure they could not be overheard. The parents dismissed the lore but nevertheless kept a conspicuous distance. The teens typically scoffed at the outlandish tales, but even the most rebellious among them never seemed to have the courage to visit. Why exactly, none could quite say. Even the oldest residents, when asked outright, could only remember a sweet old lady who read the occasional fortune but otherwise kept to herself. Still, they would share their stories haltingly, in hushed tones, as if they weren't quite sure themselves anymore. The one thing everyone agreed on was that the cottage was for someone else, not for them, and they would do best to leave it be.

Serena never met her great-grandmother Willow, who died before Serena was born. So she was startled and a little unnerved to learn, once she came of age, that she had inherited Willows's cottage in the country. And she initially wasn't sure what to do about it either: to be honest, visions of rural life didn't exactly capture her imagination.

But the more she thought about it, the more the idea started to intrigue her. As the third child and only girl sandwiched between two pairs of rowdy brothers, Serena had often struggled to find her way. She'd always felt somewhat alone, disconnected and a bit out of place in a world overfull with her brothers' forceful personalities and her parents' packed social schedules. Dreams of taking off for the city had flitted through her teenage years, but to be honest, she wasn't much of a city girl: too much noise, too many towering buildings, and far too many people. Yet suburban life was so stifling sometimes she felt she could hardly breathe. There had to be a more fulfilling path… somewhere.

Her mother, on the other hand, could not be more adamant: Serena should sell the cottage without ever having set foot on the property and put it out of her mind. There's nothing and no one for you there, no good would come out of it. There's no discussion. Do the sensible thing, and you'll appreciate having a little extra money when you're starting your own family. It wasn't surprising, after all Serena's mother had always refused to talk about her own mother's side of the family; Serena didn't even know how many relatives she had. She long ago learned to stop asking questions.

Now though, Serena felt an urge to push back. Why won't you tell me anything about my great-grandmother? How do you know there's nothing for me at her cottage—my cottage? What if I want to learn about my family? Her mother's typical dismissiveness seemed to falter. Be reasonable, sweetie. You don't know the first thing about living in the country, you've never been good at making friends, you wouldn't have any idea what to do there. Get a job, learn a trade, go back to school, do something— She abruptly cut herself off. Serena couldn't help finishing the thought. "Normal"? Her mother's face was a mix of emotions Serena couldn't entirely identify; was that a hint of desperation? Why on earth would you want to be like HER?

Like her… The words had been barely a whisper, but they struck Serena with a force of a scream. Was this why her mother had never encouraged her unusual interests? Was this why she so often seemed inexplicably frustrated with her only daughter? Did she hate her own grandmother that much… or was it something else? Serena's head spun as she retreated to her room. But late that night, when the quiet had settled over the street, she put the writhing tangle of thoughts out of her mind and came to a decision. She gathered a few belongings and her meager savings. There was no need to fight, or to push her mother for more information than she was willing to give. In the morning, she would set out for the cottage and see what it had to offer her. Serena felt a flutter in her stomach as she imagined truly walking her own path for the first time. Whatever was in store for her, whether she succeeded or fell flat on her face, she would embrace the opportunity her great-grandmother had left her. She was not going back.