A frantic Heathen had raced though traffic at top speed as he tried to get to the terminal on time. How could Frankie leave him like this? Why did Brackie have to interfere? Would all of Heathen’s relationships end in disaster? Not if he could help it Heathen told himself. And as he cut through a red light , screeching across the intersection before screeching to a halt in front of the bus station, Heathen caught sight of Frankie waiting at the bus stop. Heathen HAD made it just in time!! Without a moment to lose he leapt out of his car and ran towards Frankie.

Frankie was stunned to see Heathen. He immediately became concerned when he saw how distressed Heathen appeared.

Heathen realised that Frankie was serious. This really would be the end of their relationship…and it tore his fragile heart in two.

And there it was….the reason why Frankie knew the relationship was doomed form the start. Heathen was still grieving for Fred, Frankie’s identical twin brother. He was so utterly lost in his grief he was mistaking Frankie for his late brother and this was not helping either one of them.

As the other Sims at the bus stop were watching the drama unfold, Frankie led a sobbing Heathen hand in hand out of the way.

Once alone in an alcove, Heathen crumpled in tears. It pained Frankie to see Heathen this way knowing he was causing Heathen to hurt so much.

Frankie held a distraught Heathen tightly in his arms. As Heathen sobbed into his shoulder Frankie realised the only way to get through to him was to speak as if he WERE Fred. Heathen had been robbed of the chance to say goodbye to his husband before his untimely death falling down the stairs of the Sholboi Opera House. Now he could have that chance to say goodbye that he so desperately needed. So, in a tender, calming tone, Frankie talked to Heathen as if he were his brother Fred and told him what he imagined Fred would say if he could.

And in that moment, Heathen understood.

With nothing more to say, he held onto Frankie tightly.

Heathen slowly looked up into Frankie’s eyes. And he saw clearly that it was Frankie, not Fred. But he knew that he was saying goodbye to them both.

The pain of saying goodbye to two men that he loved and lost was too much for Heathen and he had to get away. Blinded by tears he ran away as fast as he could without looking back.

Heathen had run so fast that he was now out of breath as he approached the bridge. He stopped to gasp some air.

After the cathartic scream, Heathen fell to his knees as more tears came.

Realising that no only was Fred gone but also Frankie and that he was going to be alone forever, Heathen once again screamed out in torment.

Back at the mansion home of Devonique Domino and her children Brackie and Frankie, Heathen had just pulled up into the driveway. Earlier that day he had been frolicking around the pool area with Frankie when Brackie had arrived back unexpectedly with her boyfriend Oliver. Her arrival was a bit of a shock and she didn’t seem to take too kindly to seeing her brother with Heathen. After asking Heathen to have some private time to talk with her brother, Heathen had obliged and left them to it. But now a few hours later he had returned to spend his last few hours with Frankie before Frankie returned to active duty as a soldier with the Simlish army.

Just as he got out of his car, his cell phone rang. Heathen smiled when he saw on the screen that it was his old friend Kris Fleegan calling. Kris was still in town visiting on a work assignment. He and Heathen used to share an apartment years back in San Myshuno and Kris was definitely the more outgoing of the 2. But his visit had been good for Heathen and it was his insistence on going to a nightclub which led Heathen and Frankie getting together.

Kris smiled but inwardly he felt a tinge of sadness for he felt now he had missed his chance to tell Heathen something rather important. Instead he kept positive for his friend who he thought so much of.

Heathen laughed. Kris was always a hoot and a half and he knew how to make Heathen smile. He really treasured their friendship.

Reluctantly, Kris ended the call.

Heathen, oblivious to the fact that his friend was actually IN love with him, happily walked towards the front door of the mansion. Kris sure knew how to have fun and he’d shown Heathen how to live again. Heathen couldn’t help but smile when he thought of Kris. Perhaps he and Frankie would take a trip to San Myshuno sometime to visit Kris, Heathen thought.

Back at his hotel room, Kris’s anonymous GrindaSim date knocked on the hotel room door bringing him back to his senses after being lost in romantic thoughts of Heathen. Kris opened the door and was wowed by the unknown male who had shown up.

The visitor sure had an attribute that caught Kris’s eye and lustful thoughts soon filled his mind…

Back at the mansion, Heathen called out to his boyfriend.

He was met with silence that was followed by the sound of high heel shoes walking across the landing. It was Brackie.

A solemn Brackie looked down at a joyful Heathen. She didn’t want to have to do this, Heathen was a sweet guy….but his relationship with Frankie was not right.

This news stunned Heathen into silence. Brackie made her way downstairs.

It was time for hard facts and Brackie was ready to serve.

Heathen was both hurt and angry. How dare Brackie interfere in their relationship like this!

Brackie’s words cut deep and Heathen looked for a moment that he was about to cry. Brackie sighed and took a somewhat softer approach.

Brackie walked over to a dresser and picked up the letter that Frankie had indeed written to Heathen to tell him his goodbye. She walked back and put it firmly into Heathen’s hands. Reluctantly, Heathen began to read it.

Heathen was distraught. Just when he thought he had found love again it had been cruelly snatched away as before.

Brackie wasn’t a cruel or vindictive Sim and she hated to see Heathen obviously suffer but he had to see reason and know this was for the best.

If he heard, Heathen paid no attention to Brackie. All he knew was thar he had to get to the bus station, he had to see Frankie again. It couldn’t end like this.

Heathen leapt into his car and with a roaring screech he sped out of the driveway. But would he make it to the station in time….????

Across town, Fathom was with Giles at his playboy home for a mid-morning woohoo session. This had been an ongoing fling between the two of them for some time now. Even though Fathom had reached an understanding with her husband Seth for him to be more spontaneous and adventurous when it came to woohoo, Fathom still felt the need for risk and danger and thus continued with her not so secret affair with Giles, the star soccer player of her father’s football team. He happily went along with the woohoo sessions not only because he was extremely attracted to Fathom but also because it felt good knowing he was winding up his boss Seth by sleeping with his wife. What made it all the more hilarious for Giles was the recent discovery that he was the long lost son of Cyril Dolby and therefore cousin to Seth!! This recent revelation was a titillating shock to Fathom when Giles broke the news as they lay in his bed after their mid morning woohoo marathon.

Fathom sighed and snuggled up to her lover. She hated what she was doing to Seth but also had promised her father to make the marriage work. Seth was a good guy and had lately gotten more interesting to Fathom, but still not enough to stop seeing Giles.

As she kissed her lover, Fathom decided to throw in a bombshell of her own.

It was true and as you recall, Fathom had been at one time infatuated with Cyril Dolby. This was before her mother had returned and claimed Cyril for herself. And it was Cyril who had arranged a deal with Fathom for her to marry his nephew Seth in a devious deal where he would ensure Burke was acquitted during the murder trial of Fred Rimmard. This of course had backfired on Fathom, Burke had found out the truth and was furious with her. Cyril meanwhile had double-crossed her, ensuring the phoney evidence would point to Fathom as being the one who had bribed the jury, not he!

However, this was all unknown to Giles. He had only recently met Cyril and hardly knew the man and did not feel close to him at this stage although he wanted to get know him more. His mother Skankee had tried her best to warn him to stay away from Cyril but he was going against her wishes on this and it had driven a wedge between the once close mother and son. Bu the news that Fathom had once had a fling with Cyril, Giles found very amusing!

Thordon had become Fathom’s latest infatuation. She had felt an instant attraction to the dark haired mysterious lawyer she had met at her father’s office. There was a darkness, a danger to him that drew her near and she had had one date with him at his apartment that had been gate-crashed by Skankee who promptly had ordered her out after demanding to know if she and Thordon had been intimate!! They hadn’t thankfully because unknown to Fathom (and to Giles) was that Thordon was actually Badam Simmington, long lost oldest son of Burke and therefore Fathom’s brother!!

Giles still had a lot to learn about wild Fathom. His declaration of love could be the kiss of death for their relationship for she wanted to keep things between them purely physical.

Giles sensed he had put his foot in it. He no longer felt comfortable either. With the moment lost between them, both decided to wrap up their session and go about their day. For Giles, that involved more soccer training with Windenburg United, and for Fathom she decided on a further meeting with a certain dark haired stranger…

And within the hour Fathom had arranged to meet Thordon in a nearby park that was quite and popular with couples on a romantic stroll. Thordon, who had recently learned he was Badam Simmington, agreed to meet with Fathom as was curious to know if she had learned the truth or not from her father. He had recently told Burke the truth after discovering it from Skankee only to met with hostility and denial from Burke who promptly fired him. But after a few moments with Fathom it was evident to Thordon, aka Badam, that she knew nothing of his secret and was only interested in flirting with him.

There was an imposter in the Simmington household, an actor hired by Cyril Dolby to pose as the long lost Badam Simmington and everyone for the past few months had bought this idea. Fathom had never warmed to the man who claimed to be her brother Badam though she had no inkling of the truth of who he really was or that Cyril Dolby had been up to his old tricks against her father by planting the fake Badam in their household.

Badam took Fathom’s hand in his and smiled at her. A smitten Fathom smiled back, her heart racing as she walked hand in hand with the man she believed was called Thordon Gompson and totally unaware of who he really was.

Fathom decided there and then that things between her and Giles had probably reached their natural conclusion. It was time to set her sights on someone new and that man was Thordon!! So, being the impulsive vixen she was, Fathom grabbed Badam and pulled him close.

For his part, Badam was fascinated by Fathom. She was a complex Sim and he recognised a lot of his own qualities in her. But he would not take it any further with her and since he had learned his true heritage, any attraction he had previously harboured for her had evaporated. Fathom meanwhile was completely oblivious to any of this and was getting impatient as to why Thordon was not kissing her!

Badam gently unwrapped Fathom from around his neck but she remained close resting her head on his shoulder.

Badam pulled away from Fathom’s grip and faced her, his tone of voice changing quickly. It was time to tell her the truth as well as few home truths..

Being of a volatile nature, Fathom was simmering with rage at Thordon reading her for filth.

The news stunned Fathom and for a moment she did not know what to say but eventually some words fell from her trembling lips.

Badam did not want to hurt Fathom but he had to make her see that he was telling the truth.

Fathom exploded in rage and lashed out at Thordon.

An equally enraged Badam refused to back down. He would get accepted as his true self by any means possible.

But there and then, Fathom knew it to be true. Thordon was not lying and in WAS her brother Badam. She felt revolted with herself for feeling attracted to him in the first place and also furious that he knew the truth but allowed her to continuing flirting with him! It was too much to comprehend and she had to get away.

Fathom ran away as fast as her stiletto heels would allow but Badam was determined to have the last word. He had been shunned by one Simmington so far, he would not stand for another turning their back on him!!

Meanwhile, over at Knits Londing (the home of Simmington half-sibling Devonique Domino and her adopted grown children Brackie and Frankie), star-crossed lovers Heathen and Frankie were enjoying their alone time by the pool. With Devonique overseas and Brackie in Wollyhood pursuing her acting career, Frankie was free to explore his new found relationship with Heathen, the husband of Frankie’s deceased identical twin brother Fred.

Heathen was prone to throwing himself into a relationship. As he was still grieving for the loss of Fred, he was either unaware or unwilling to admit that his love for Frankie was misguided. For Frankie, having never ever been attracted to male Sims before, this was new territory for him and one that he was now not entirely comfortable with. Not for his feelings for another man but rather the fear that Heathen was confusing him for dead Fred.

Heathen’s kisses were getting more and more intense leaving Frankie feeling that he was bout to be devoured. He felt smothered and had to quickly leap up to catch his breath.

Frankie’s fears were confirmed. And realising he had allowed himself to get romantically involved with his dead identical twin brother’s husband was now seeming like a terrible idea. Whilst the proposal was happening, both men were unaware that 2 surprise visitors had arrived and were watching the scene in shock!

Frankie’s heart missed a beat as he saw his sister Brackie had returned unannounced from her trip to Wollyhood along with her boyfriend Oliver. Whilst he stumbled over his words feeling a sudden sense of embarrassment, Heathen looked like the cat who had gotten the cream.

Frankie opened his mouth to say something but no words came out. Sensing his struggle, Heathen happily filled them both in on the fledgling romance.

A simmering rage was building in Brackie. She knew instantly her brother was making a huge mistake getting involved with Heathen. It would only end in heartbreak for him just like it did for Fred.

At that instant, it seemed clearer to Frankie that despite his reservations, he DID love Heathen and he felt really good about himself saying it publicly.

Trying her very best not to explode in rage, Brackie chose her words very carefully as she spoke.

Heathen gave Frankie a peck on the cheek before going inside with Oliver leaving the Domino siblings alone by the pool. Knowing that his sister had a temper and liked to be heard when she wanted to give her opinion, Frankie turned away and tried to make small talk as he moved to the poolside bar.

Knowing her brother was trying to make light of the situation, Brackie hammered home the reality of the predicament Frankie had gotten himself into.

Realising her tone had been too harsh, Brackie sighed. When she spoke after a moment, it was from the heart.

He hated to admit it but Brackie had hit the nail on the head. She had verbalised what he had been feeling and was trying desperately to ignore. Seeing the look on his face, Brackie knew her brother understood her misgivings.

As he stood all alone by the pool, Brackie’s words rang through his mind. Getting together with Heathen had been a terrible mistake!! But with Heathen so wrapped up in love with him, or rather the ghost of Fred, Frankie was in a terrible dilemma – just what should he do???

Later that morning back at the mansion, Brystle was feeling ever more alone in the large house. Relations between her and Burke were at an all time low. She no longer believed he was the man she once fell in love with. She was full of doubt as to his honesty and she was sure that it was Burke who was behind the attack on Clarke Hemmings, her former husband. And with Mayhew , her one time lover, and the kiss they had shared the other night out on the grounds Brystle was unsure of her future at Siloli.

Despite all of what she was feeling , Brystle still was keeping up appearances with the staff of Siloli. She was still mistress of the house and there were decisions that still need to be made. That was why she was in the kitchen to speak with Mrs Bummerson, the head chef of Siloli.

Brystle was loosing patience with the woman. She was always double checking with the haughty Joseph Flanders, the major-domo of Siloli who had a dislike of Brystle.

Just then the sound of stilettos clacking on tiles filled the kitchen and the shrill voice of Texas asking for Joseph announced her arrival much to Brystle’s chagrin.

Brystle spun around to face her nemesis. Could it actually be true? Was Texas finally leaving? Brystle could hardly contain her happiness.

Never one to be beaten, Texas moved closer to Brystle as she delighted in telling her the news.

Brystle took a deep breath trying her best not to take the bait and rise to Texas’s barbed insults.

There was a momentary silence between the two women accompanied by a bout of intense staring down before Texas smiled and decided to make her exit.

And before she exited, Texas looked back over her shoulder at Brystle and spoke with a devilish twinkle in her eye.

And just like that, Texas sashayed out of Siloli’s kitchen without a glance back knowing she had left Brystle and Burke with a broken marriage. She may not have achieved her initial goal of winning back Burke, but by Sims she was about to hit the jackpot by marrying Cyril and with his billions , Texas knew the fun and games were about to REALLY begin…