Lydia Livingston is regretting ever running for mayor.
She made... some decisions back in campaign days. She is not proud about that, but there was no other way, and she truly wants to make this town a better place. She just uses some, uh, flexible methods.
Anyway, press (and maybe that Michi Deer girl but who knows) dug it out and she had to blame and fire her campaign manager.
Kevin Cudler has spent his whole life working in politics, he is about to grow old, and he does not know what else to do with his life. At least Lydia has promised some "unofficial compensation" for his trouble and lost reputation.
But without Kevin Lydia feels lost and is thinking about retirement. She just got married again and adopted a teen girl with her new husband. She could garden, do crafts and learn parenting... Grechen is her first and only child. She is an elder. She has to be there for her kid while she can.
And press keeps bringing up her first marriage like it means something anymore. Sure, Nolan Okuma cheated on her with her friend. Sure, said friend is young. But it is done. Nolan left her because she was too old to have biological kids, and married someone who could. And he got what he wanted, good luck to him. It is humiliating and painful for Lydia, and why is everybody still talking about it?

Nolan and his new wife Sandy, on the other hand, enjoy the attention. People call them names, but scandal makes them money, so. Whatever.
Sandy just gave birth to a daughter named Birdie. Nolan is cheating left and right, and got a neighbor pregnant, but Sandy is happily unaware. She is thinking about starting a mommy SimTube channel.

In Strangetown, I hope that I have rescued Magnus and Clara Grunt's marriage. They both rolled a lot of wants for each other, which they kept fulfilling until at least Magnus didn't feel like he had to sleep on the couch anymore and they were able to have a little make-up woohoo. Clara called Lazlo and they talked it out. Both agreed that while the attraction is undeniable, the relationship is weird and inappropriate, considering that Lazlo is halfway through his elder stage and was an important person during Clara's childhood, and Clara is the young mother of two. Lazlo went back to his Downtownie girlfriend, and now all I have to do is keep him and Clara away from each other until he passes. Meanwhile, one of Lazlo's twins skipped college, moved in with his teen girlfriend (who grew up), and immediately got her pregnant. The other one--the one Lazlo mistakenly resurrected as a zombie--went to college on a scholarship but her roommates find her a bit disturbing and, frankly, gross to be around.

Turner Grunt bit the bullet and asked his live-in girlfriend, Jeannie Smith, to marry him, and she turned him down flat. She said she never planned to get married or even commit to one man, and if he wanted to be with her, he had to accept that. I think Turner has been acting out in reaction because he has turned up at several married ladies' houses around town and put the moves on them. He's been fairly successful, too, and has broken up one marriage as a result. Meanwhile, Jeannie is quite obsessed with Turner's uncle Ripp, and vice versa, which is also fairly icky (considering Ripp is the oldest friend of Jeannie's father, Johnny, not to mention the uncle of her boyfriend), but I can't stop two Romance Sims with high chemistry and a lot of determination.

I can see the wheel of fate operating in how Turner Grunt's life is unfolding. He is Tank and Almeric's middle child--a Knowledge Sim in a house of Popularity/Fortune who always felt misunderstood, out of place, and in his older brother's shadow. His younger sister was the beloved baby of the family, but no one quite "got" Turner. Even if he doesn't have the same aspiration as his uncle Ripp, he sure seems to emulate him in behavior--except Ripp doesn't go around wrecking marriages. I think the best thing Turner could do is break up with Jeannie, move out on his own, give up on women for a while, and try to figure out what he really wants in life, but I don't see that happening, unfortunately.

After being a widower for 16 years Conall has decided to re-enter the dating world. He had a lovely date with a townie named Leah, but unfortunately his teenage son Patrik was less than impressed. He got home from school right as Conall and Leah had their first kiss and immediately started freaking out in the background. He was previously 100/100 relationship with his dad and neutral with Leah, but after witnessing a few more of their interactions (holding hands and hugging) his relationship with Conall tanked into the negatives. I'm very surprised since Patrik had just aged to a toddler when his Mom died so I didn't think he would remember her. Perhaps the game considers this cheating? Hopefully they'll all be able to work through this, poor Conall deserves some happiness in his life now that he's an Elder!

I had to post this because it has never happened to me before: Ajay Loner fulfilled two Lifetime Wants at one time! He wanted to earn $100,000, which he did with a chance card and promotion, and apparently, he then immediately rolled and fulfilled a want to be a Business Tycoon. Now I know I can never play Ajay again, because he will never be able to top this.

AND he did this on the last day of his life. His beloved wife Lola had died the day before, also in platinum, but not having fulfilled a LTW. Ajay spent his last few hours playing chess with his good friend Bella Goth, whom he brought home from work. He died in his sleep. His and Lola's platinum graves are now out on their front lawn, waiting for the next Sims who move in to transport them to the cemetery. Way to go, Ajay!