The atmosphere inside the Newbrook house altered almost immediately after that strange night. This is particularly due to the absence of Imogen’s uncaring father. The girls were no longer connected to Lucas’ criminal organisation and were now able to clear their family name from that type of activity.
The death of her father did not subdue Imogen’s dream to help the people of Riverview by protecting them from other criminals, by becoming an International Super Spy someday. Everyday she would work on her skills, which at this stage was mostly playing chess – a game that made her consider another person’s next move before they even knew it.

This dedication to her training soon paid off. In a very fortunate stroke of luck, the lieutenant assigned to review her performance had a good eye for individuals with enormous potiential – even those who’s were not obvious and were held back by their current physical limitations – he praised Imogen highly in his report, which earnt her promotion to Traffic Cop.

Imogen was utterly thrilled! She was finally getting somewhere and knew her mother – as well as her grandfather (Hal) – would of been proud of her. There was still a long way to go before she’d be able to reach higher-level positions and help a lot of people, but there were Sim-vilians in her own home who need her right now.
For example, the distressing scene from the other week when the size of the household had decreased by almost half, had left Ellena a little curious about this life and the next.

Ellena: “Cousin Imogen, will that man in the black coat be coming back to take you and mummy away like he took grandpa?!”
Imogen: “Not for a very long time sweetheart. He’ll only come back when we’re really old and have lived long lives.”
Ellena: “And me too? Will I have to go with him?”
Imogen: “Someday. But not for a really really really long time. You have nothing to be afraid of.”
Ellena: “Oh I’m not afraid. I’m not afraid of anything.”

Ellena smiled up at her aunt. And Imogen smiled back with a knowing grin that it would take a lot to scare her fearless young cousin.
This is a positive trait of Ellena’s personality, but she is still obsessed with ensuring taps are turned off properly. At least, that is all it was to begin with… an incident during breakfast one morning forced another neurotic habit to form as part of the small girl’s collection.
That morning Ellena was sat at the dining table trying to complete the last part of her homework. She isn’t very academic and often has to ask her mum to help her. So Alice sat down at the table with her breakfast of bread and jam and talked Ellena through the last few questions on her assignment.

Imogen was in the kitchen too, busily preparing pack-lunches. Pre-occupied with her task (making artistic adjustments to the colourful selection of raw veggie sticks to form pictures or smilie faces, as she liked to do) she didn’t notice the smoke rising up out of the oven! Alice had put a tray of cookies in there earlier and absent-mindedly forgotten about them when she’d sat down to help Ellena.
It was only when the smoke became flames and rumbled out of the oven engulfing it, did Imogen realise the emergency!!

Thinking quickly she grabbed the fire-extinguisher, whilst Alice yelled at Ellena to get out of the house immediately and then ran to the phone to call the fire department.
With fire engines on their way Alice ran back to her cousin to see if there was anything she could do to help.

Nemm: “Standing there screaming won’t help! Get another fire-extinguisher silly!!”

But Alice was frozen to the spot in shock. A few minutes later Imogen had put the fire out just as the fireman piled into the kitchen. Alice didn’t move. She just kept staring at the chargrilled stove until she felt a soft tap on her shoulder followed by a gentle voice saying her daughter was very scared and kept asking for her mother. She turned to face the fireman who had spoken, noticing his kind eyes and then quickly walked outside to comfort Ellena.
Once Ellena had been reassured everyone was fine and no real harm had been done (not that this changed the fact that Ellena would be triple-checking the stove was switched off properly from now on, when no one was using it – her new neurotic tendancy), Alice went back inside to check out the damage. She felt silly for causing all of the commotion and started apologising to the fireman who had spoken to her before.

Davis, the fireman, smiled understandingly back at her. He was also a single parent after his wife died due to complications during childbirth. He could tell Alice felt the same pressures he did to be a good parent and could not stop himself from wanting to be with someone who knew what that was like… so he asked Alice out on a date.
Just like Stacy, Alice agreed to a date with Davis, knowing she would have to move on someday. She had a good time with Davis and even planned a second date with him, but she was in no rush to start a serious relationship just yet. Deep down she still had not gotten over her first love. Even though it had been years since she and Jeb had broken up, secretly she still loved him.
It was inevitable that Alice would bump into Jeb from time to time… but everytime made her heart pound hard in her chest, desparately hoping that day would be the day he’d forgive her and reclaim her heart for himself. But that just wasn’t happening. And the pair continued to act like friends.

Alice politely asked Jeb about his family. His brother had recently celebrated another birthday and Alice thought it very sad Lavar had never found a girlfriend to share his life with…but he had his brother and sister. And they all stuck together.
On the other side of town, one Newbrook girl’s relationship WAS changing. Joss finally spoke up about how serious he was about having a romantic relationship with Imogen. One that might someday lead to wedding bells and dirty diapers. He wanted it all, but wanted it with no one else other than Imogen.


These were all good things to Imogen’s ears, but she asked Joss to take things slowly. She’d seen first-hand how much lives changed when relationships got serious and children were brought into the world. She too wanted it all with Joss, but needed more time to work on her career and fitness first.

This of course did not stop the lovebirds from giving in to their physical desires for each other.

Next: Settling Down