Generation 5 - The End

25, Toboggan Road

Bluewater,

UNITED STATES.

Dear Meadow,

I hope you don’t mind me writing to you out of the blue like this. I feel like I know you so well. Mum used to talk about you all the time when I was growing up. But I’m getting ahead of myself; you probably don’t even know who I am! My name is Lily Miller Bear. You used to know my mother, Louise Miller.

You must be wondering why Mum stopped writing to you so suddenly. I know she felt guilty about dropping all her old friends. So, when I found your letters to her, I felt compelled to write and explain. Mum always described you as her best friend. I’m sure she would have done this herself but she can’t any more. You see, I’m sorry to tell you Mum passed away some time ago. Let me tell you how it happened.

I don’t think Mum was ever truly happy. We laughed together and had fun but I always had the impression she felt something was missing from her life.

Louise and Lily Laughing Together

Mum and Dad would argue a lot. Don’t get me wrong – they loved each other but Dad always wanted to get married and Mum didn’t. I never really understood why Mum clung to her unmarried state but I suppose it was her one rebellion against society. I used to hate it when my parents fought.

Louise and Aiden Argue

Mum regretted dropping out of University and she gradually dropped all her friends from her younger days. I think Mum also resented her own mother, Grandma Emma. Do you remember my Grandma Emma? When I was little, I was scared of her - she always seemed so strict and aloof.

"Grandma" Emma

But now I’m older I can see just how strong and loving my grandmother was. She worked hard to bring up my mother on her own. I remember her telling me how difficult it was during the war years. It seems all the women in my family have had a tough time. Or perhaps we’re all just too damn stubborn and ambitious to accept things the way they are! It all began with my great, great grandma Doris Ford. According to family legend she was a bit ahead of her time and was always encouraging her daughter to be independent. Though I reckon even great great grandma was a bit shocked when her daughter eloped! Oh how I wish I’d known my great grandma Victoria. She must have been quite a character. Not only did she elope but she subsequently separated from her husband. You can imagine how shocking that was in late Victorian times.

"Great Great Grandma" Doris

"Great Grandma" Victoria

Then there was my grandma Emma. Of course you know all about how she lost her husband during the war and brought up Mum on her own. But did you know she was part of the suffragette movement and campaigned for women’s rights? No wonder Mum grew up feeling like she couldn’t live up to Grandma Emma’s expectations.

And so that brings me back to Mum and how she passed away. It was all a horrible accident. At least I believe it was an accident, others like to gossip and say differently… Anyway, I came home early from school one day to find smoke pouring out of the kitchen window. My first instinct was to find Mum. I knew she had been depressed again and taking a lot of pills. I was afraid she may have fallen asleep and left some food to burn. So I rushed towards the house.

Lily Comes Home from School

As I opened the door I was hit by a wall of heat and that was all I remembered for a while. Apparently one of the neighbours saved me. But they were too late to help Mum. She was found curled up on the kitchen floor. There was an investigation into her death and the verdict was accidental suffocation due to smoke inhalation.

Louise is Found

It all happened more than 10 years ago but it still hurts to remember. Dad and I moved soon after we lost Mum. We were both a bit of a mess for a while and wanted to escape all the gossip. Besides, we had no reason to stay in the area. Grandma had died just a few months before Mum and so we had no living family left in Homelands. We travelled for several years. Dad could always find work as a doctor and we were comfortable enough. Slowly, I came to terms with losing Mum though I don’t think Dad ever got over her death. We ended up in the United States and I like it here. This is a country of possibilities and new beginnings. I think my grandma and great grandma would have liked America.

So that is our story. I hope you can forgive Mum for not staying in touch. I think she was unhappy and found it hard to see her old friends from University. If you feel like writing, I would love to hear from you and I would especially like to hear all about Mum’s younger years. My address is at the top the letter. I am living in a place called Bluewater and I am happy here. I graduated from University last year but have no great ambitions other than raising a large and happy family. Which is ironic given that my female ancestors fought so hard for women’s rights. I hope they all approve of my decisions in life.

Thank you for sparing the time to read this letter.

With love from,

Lily Miller Bear.

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This is the end of my Rights of Women challenge. I have moved Lily to a new Bluewater neighbourhood where she is the founder of a new challenge. I apologise for the long delay between the previous update and this final chapter. I have no excuses except for the fact that sometimes Real Life takes priority over my Sims' lives! I thoroughly enjoyed this challenge and found it interesting, especially in the first couple of generations where the restrictions forced me to play my sims quite differently. Thank you all for coming by and I hope you enjoyed reading this blog!