Chapter 3.8 Arlyn - Enough is Enough

Evelyn knew right away that something was wrong with her daughter, she'd known for months that something was going on. She and Anthony decided that they would let Arlyn come to them, or they might risk pushing their little girl away.

"Hey, sweetheart, is everything okay? How's the baby?" She tried to remain upbeat, hoping to coax her daughter into telling her what was wrong.

"The baby is fine, it's just..." Tears started to slid down Arlyn's cheeks and Evelyn's heart began to ache, "It's Loki. He's...different, since we got married." Evelyn had suspected something was wrong, but she didn't know just how bad things had gotten.

"Different how, sweetie?" She reached out, trying to soothe Arlyn, to calm her down so she could talk about everything.

"He's so mean! He's never been mean to before, I don't understand!" Arlyn was sobbing now, her face right red and purple from the force of her crying.

Evelyn pulled her daughter into a tight hug and let her cry for awhile, soothing her. Finally, Arlyn pulled away and wiped the last of her tears from her eyes.

"Mom, I don't know what to do. Loki doesn't let me go anywhere or do anything or talk to anyone. If he found out I was even here, he'd throw a fit. Ryan was right, Jonas was right, everyone knew about Loki except for me! And I married the guy!" Arlyn let out an angry cry, balling her fists up.

"Hey, hey, hey, it's okay, honey, really. Your father and I will always be here for you, you know that. There is NO shame in coming back home. You and your baby are always welcome here, always. Sometimes life just doesn't go how we want it to, so we have to figure out a new plan. If it's not working out with Loki, it's better to be single than unhappy, right?"

Arlyn nodded her head, she guessed her mother was right. She just didn't want to admit that she had failed.

"I love him, I don't know why, but I do, and I, I don't know."

"Love is a strange thing, that makes us do strange things. If he's the one for you, you'll figure this out, if he's not, then come home."

"Okay...okay." Arlyn sniffled and dried her eyes, "I promise. I'll try to work things out with him, but if he...if he doesn't figure his shit out, make sure my room is ready." she smiled a little.

"Honey, I haven't touched your room since you moved out. It's exactly the way you left it....minus all the dirty clothes and dishes." Evelyn patted her daughter's arm, still worried but she knew Arlyn would do what was best for her.

"You should get some fresh air, it'll do you some good."

"That sounds wonderful. I'll talk to you later, mom. I love you," Evelyn kissed her forehead, gave her another hug, and watched her baby girl half waddle out the door. She had a feeling she'd be back.

Arlyn was throwing horseshoes when Jonas approached her. He seemed a little sad but he was all when he asked if he could join her.

"Of course! It's not fun to beat yourself all the time," she laughed.

"Who says you'll be the one winning?" He picked up a horseshoe and threw it. He got it on his first try.

"I see you come here often," Arlyn picked up another horseshoe and aimed it, "But I should let you know that I won every competition in high school," The sound of metal hitting metal rang out as the horseshoe spun around the pole.

They went back and forth like this for over an hour before Arlyn declared that it was a tie and that she was starving.

"Okay, fine, it's a tie." Jonas threw his hand up. "Starving, huh? I guess you are eating for two now." He glanced down at her belly, she was only just starting to show.

"I use that as an excuse to stuff myself with extra dessert but really, I'm just a pig." she laughed as she made her way over to the concession stands. Hmm, what to get, what to get. Donuts? Nachos? Cookies? Oh! Cookies. She couldn't get enough of cookies these days. So maybe it was more eating for the baby than it was eating for two or being a pig after all.

"So how's Bridgette?" she asked through a mouthful of chocolatey goodness.

Jonas hesitated before answering, "Things are okay, I guess. She's a little restless, keeps quitting her job to find another one, and we've moved like 3 times in the past year. It's getting a little tiring, moving so much is really draining our money."

"Aren't you like, a hot shot doctor now?" Arlyn asked.

He laughed, "No, nothing like that. I'm barely a resident now. Long hours, little pay, even littler time to have any fun. Today was my first day off in like a month, but Bridgette is off on some boating competition or something."

"Ugh, I wish Loki would go out more often. If he's not at work, he's at home playing video games all night. Like, I know it's literally his job and all, but dang, how much can one person sit in front of a TV all day? Honestly." Suddenly, she wasn't so hungry anymore. She also didn't want to talk about Loki, luckily Jonas' father walked up just then, allowing her to drop the subject.

They spent a few hours all chatting and laughing, just having a good time. Arlyn briefly realized this was the most fun she's had in ages but tried not to dwell on it too much, lest she spoil the good mood. She learned that Jonas's dad was a scientist and a pretty respectable one at that. She asked him a lot of questions about it, even theorizing about time travel, which Mr. Ingberg was only too happy to discuss. He seemed excited that someone was interested in his work. Jonas was just glad that Arlyn was distracting his father from berating him with questions about why he wasn't a doctor yet.

It wasn't until her phone rang that Arlyn saw how late it was. Loki was calling. As soon as she answered the phone, his accusations started. And so the fun evening had come to an end.

"Sorry, I have to go. Loki is worried."

"Oh that's too bad, we should hang out again soon," Jonas said. He regretted pushing her away all those years ago, had forgotten how much fun she was to be around. Plus, he could use more friends. He loved Bridgette, but she sure did have some weird friends.

Of course a fight ensued the second Arlyn walked through the door, Loki didn't even give her time to take her shoes off before he started hurling insults.

"Who were you with, huh? Your baby daddy?" He snarled.

Arlyn just sighed, "I went to see my mother today, then I went to the park to play some games. Jen was there, I lost track of time playing with Grady." she lied. She hated lying but she also really wanted to get some sleep. And she HAD seen Jen and Grady and played with them for a bit, she just left out that they went home early and she spent the evening talking with Jonas. Now there was a can of worms she wanted to keep sealed shut.

Luckily Loki seemed to buy it and after another few minutes of him ranting and raving about how much he disliked her family, he stomped up the stairs to his bedroom, leaving her alone for the night.

They still weren't sleeping in the same bed, and Arlyn was just fine with that.

_______

The next few months flew by in a blur, Arlyn trying her best to hold on to the last remaining hope of Loki changing. They saw a couple's therapist once a week, which sort of helped. He at least stopped insulting her and accusing her of cheating all the time, instead they had "calm" discussions about how he was feeling.

She learned a lot about Loki over this time.

His parents were constantly cheating on each other, constantly switching between fighting with each other and ignoring each other. Loki was terrified that the same would happen with he and Arlyn, and instead of avoiding that fate, he had singlehandedly caused it to happen. He confessed that he didn't really believe that she was cheating on him, or that he wasn't the father of her baby, he just couldn't stop the fear of it being true.

There was a brief moment in time where things went back to normal. Loki stopped fighting with her, he was even okay with her going out to see friends and family. That is, until her final trimester.

Arlyn was on the phone that morning, catching up with Jonas. He was worried about Bridgette, she had been coming home later and later recently, and called Arlyn to ease his fears.

Loki burst into the room, demanding to know who and what she was talking about.

"Who is it? Who are you talking to?" He yelled.

"Sorry, I have to go." She quickly hung up, hoping Jonas hadn't heard anything.

"Well?!" Loki slammed the door shut so hard, a picture frame crashed into the floor in the hallway.

"I was talking to Jonas, Loki." She hoped honestly would help. It didn't.

"Oh, Jonas, huh. Is that who you've been seeing? Is that who knocked you up?" He was in her face now, she could smell the alcohol on his breath. Starting early today, huh?

Arlyn just sighed, deflated, "Of course not, Loki. He was just talking about Bridgette, you know, his wife. 

"Being married has never stopped you!" he shouted, his voice piercing her ears, making then ring.

She silently listened as he ranted and raved and yelled some more, first about her cheating with Jonas, then about how much her parents hated him, then about how glad he was that her baby wasn't his because it would allow him to leave her with a clear conscious. Arlyn didn't say a word. She'd had enough of the fighting, clearly therapy wasn't helping.

Once Loki tired himself out and went in search of more liquor, she cried. Not because of that Loki had said, but because the dream of a happy family had finally come crashing down all around her. She'd was finally ready.

Arlyn headed over to her parent's house.

Feeling like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, she let herself relax for awhile. She hoped onto her old swingset, remembering all the carefree times she spent playing with Jen and Ryan. At least her best friend and her brother had found love and happiness in each other. Plus, Grady was the cutest little thing she'd ever laid eyes on. Well, at least until her own baby was born.

It was later that evening, when she and her father were reading together that she felt the first pain of contractions. It was time.

As Anthony freaked out, Arlyn calmly told him to get the keys to the car, and to please take her to the hospital.

Of course, Anthony had no idea how his daughter was so calm during all of this, she was in labor! Labor! The baby is coming!

"Dad, you're freaking out enough for the both of us, now please, the car?"

A few short hours later, and Julian was born. Arlyn fell in love with him the second she laid eyes on him. His beautiful blue eyes and the soft tuft of his blonde hair, and his smell! Oh, he smelled so wonderful.

Loki had never answered her many phone calls. At least her parents were there to support her, Evelyn had rushed straight to the hospital, making it just in time to see little Julian enter this world.

Both of them offered to take her home with them, but Arlyn insisted they drop her off at her house. Maybe seeing his own flesh and blood would convince Loki that this baby was his and he'd drop the cheating thing.

All hope went out the window when she walked through that door. Loki stared at the baby for awhile before finally pointing at him.

"That's not mine." he said flatly. Arlyn's jaw dropped.

"Excuse me?" She held Julian tightly to her chest, suddenly afraid of what Loki might do.

"It's not mine. It looks nothing like me!"

"He's literally hours old, Loki, he looks like a squished worm. He doesn't look like anyone yet." Arlyn tried to reason with him, but he just wasn't having it.

Instead of starting a fight like she'd thought, Loki just turned around and headed upstairs. At least he wouldn't upset Julian.

Over the next few days, Loki completely avoided Arlyn and Julian. He would throw angry glances her way, but he never once said anything to her. She wasn't entirely sure what his deal was, but at least she was left in peace to care for Julian. Her parents stopped by a few times to check on them, and each time, Loki was no where to be found, even when Ryan came by with some of Grady's old things.

Other than Julian's occasional crying, the house was completely silent for two straight days.

Until one morning, during one of Julian's worst screaming fits. Loki stormed down the stairs and got right in Arlyn's face.

"Shut that damn baby up!" He shoved his finger into Arlyn's chest.

"He's just hungry, Loki. I'm getting him a bottle now if you'd let me pass." She held up the bottle, as if to say "see? here it is."

"That thing has been driving me crazy! It cries all the damn time!" Loki's arms flew up in frustration.

Arlyn crossed her arms, "Maybe if you'd help me out, he wouldn't cry so much."

"Why on earth would I care for something that isn't mine?" he spat out.

Arlyn just stared at him, slackjawed. She had no idea what to say to him. He still didn't think Julian was his? The kid looked just like him! She'd even put up a few pictures of Loki as a baby (thanks to his sister) side by side with pictures of Julian and there was NO denying that he was the father!

Finally, Arlyn snapped, "That baby is YOUR baby, Loki. He's yours. I've never once cheated on you," Loki snorted and started to interrupt her, "No, you listen to me. I have done nothing to deserve this sort of treatment. I've put up with this crap for long enough, hoping that you would come to your god damn senses. Clearly, I've been wasting my time because you are just a mean, disrespectful, pitiful boy, who is not worthy of myself, or my baby."

"What the hell are you trying to say, Arlyn." The way he said her name made her skin crawl. She never wanted to hear him say it ever again.

"We're done, Loki. It's over, I'm leaving. I've had enough. I'm taking Julian and I'm moving back in with my parents. If I never see your disgusting face ever again, it'll be too fucking soon." Arlyn pushed past Loki, grabbed Julian, a few of his things, and walked right out the door, ignoring Loki's pleads for her to stay.

"Arlyn, please, stop! I'll change! Please! I love you! I'm sorry!"

Pathetic. If any of that was true, he would have said it a long time ago.

Arlyn walked into her childhood home, the familiarity quickly soothing her anger. She could smell the remnants of the meal they'd had for dinner, could hear the TV on upstairs, her parent's laughing at whatever they were watching, and the puppy Ryan had given them barking somewhere.

She never thought she'd find herself here, but this is what was truly best for herself and for her innocent little baby. And she'd do her damned best to keep Loki out of Julian's life.

________________________

Author's Note: So this isn't really what I had planned for their divorce, but by this point, Arlyn and Loki's relationship was in the negative because Loki was always insulting her. With the amount of times he accused her mother of being a llama, I'm surprised Evelyn didn't actually turn into one! His mood only worsened when Julian was born because man that baby sure did cry a lot. I was just going to have him move away for work or something, but when he started to argue with her 24/7, I figured I'd just see what happened. They both kept rolling wants to break up, but Loki started rolling wants to brawl and to see her ghost! How awful. I'd give Julian's stats but this was so long ago now that I've forgotten. I want to say that he was Good and a Loner. I do know that I was plagued with the "Good" trait for awhile. Anyway, fret not, because Arlyn leads a great life going forward.

Funny story, so between the chapter where Silas kicked the bucket and this one, he didn't actually die. I wrote in when he died the first time, because well, he did die and his relationship with the pets wasn't high enough for them to save him. But the next Sim day was Anthony's birthday and he managed to crash my game. I decided to take a break and write that chapter. When I loaded back up it was to the day before Silas's death but....Silas didn't die the next day like I thought he would. The old coot stuck around for another two weeks! He just refused to die the second time. He was around for quite some time and I had to make sure he wasn't in any of my screenshots. The first time he died it was Arlyn's birthday and the first shot I took where she's fishing, she was a teen, then she aged up and Silas died, so I just retook as her being an adult. So she gets married to Loki, has Julian, breaks up with Loki, and I'm pretty sure Silas was still around when she finally got pregnant with baby #2. I guess Silas really did hold a grudge with Death.