Chapter Two - Settling in
After an afternoon checking out the new house and relaxing at the beach, reality reared its ugly head.
"We only have enough simoleans to make it through the week," sighed Steven. "There's not a lot left to sell."
"Job hunting starts tomorrow then," yawned Kitty.
"We only have enough simoleans to make it through the week," sighed Steven. "There's not a lot left to sell."
"Job hunting starts tomorrow then," yawned Kitty.
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Rubbing Sleep out of her eyes Kitty pulled the morning paper out from the snare of the hydrangea bush, tossed there carelessly by the paper girl, too busy texting to aim. Kitchen work, Bar jobs...the kind of work Steven had done in Twinbrook to get by. Kitty smiled to herself. 'Not this time,' she thought. Kitty knew that Steven needed to start on his career path, and if that meant a sparse diet for a while, then so be it.
Kitty decided to recycle the paper before Steven got to it. Just as she was folding it up however, an advert caught her eye:
Kitty decided to recycle the paper before Steven got to it. Just as she was folding it up however, an advert caught her eye:
'Hmmmm...I guess I need to start somewhere too.' Kitty made a note of the number before hurriedly disposing of the paper as she heard her brother stir.
"Morning!" Steven emerged from his room seconds later and gave Kitty a hug. "I'm starving! Has the paper come yet? We need to get cracking on that job hunt."
"Morning bro! I think the paper girl missed us this morning. Maybe she still thinks the house is empty," lied Kitty. Keen to distract her brother she pointed to the table. "I've made breakfast!"
Steven groaned inwardly. Cooking had never been Kitty's strong point. Their dad used to joke that she couldn't even make a grilled cheese sandwich without having to alert the Fire Brigade first - just in case. But it was breakfast, right? What could go wrong?
Apparently quite a bit.
"Morning!" Steven emerged from his room seconds later and gave Kitty a hug. "I'm starving! Has the paper come yet? We need to get cracking on that job hunt."
"Morning bro! I think the paper girl missed us this morning. Maybe she still thinks the house is empty," lied Kitty. Keen to distract her brother she pointed to the table. "I've made breakfast!"
Steven groaned inwardly. Cooking had never been Kitty's strong point. Their dad used to joke that she couldn't even make a grilled cheese sandwich without having to alert the Fire Brigade first - just in case. But it was breakfast, right? What could go wrong?
Apparently quite a bit.
"They're, umm, a tad overdone" apologised Kitty, as Steven attempted to crunch on a semi-carbonised waffle. "I'd have made some more, but...well, since money is tight..." she faltered.
"No, no, they're fine" Now it was Steven's turn to lie. "Besides I like them crunchy"
Hastily changing the subject Steven inquired after Kitty's plans for the day. "Job hunting of course, silly!", replied Kitty, almost a little too quick. "I remember seeing, um.... a flyer at the Beach Hut yesterday, advertising for Sing-A-Grammers. I guess it's a start."
Steven choked on the remains of his burnt waffle. "Sing-A-Grams?! Kitty, you're better than that."
"I know," countered Kitty confidently, "but I've got to start somewhere. Talking of which," she continued, gesturing at Steven with a fork, "shouldn't you be doing the same? Why not see if the theatre is hiring anyone?"
"I could," hesitated Steven, "but maybe I should check out the bars first, you know, get some steady income and - "
"No!" erupted Kitty, banging her fork on the table. "No bar jobs, Steven. No kitchen helpers, no cleaners, no road sweepers. This is Starlight Shores. Remember our dreams." Kitty's eyes misted over. "Remember Mum and Dad. We owe it to them to be the best we can be."
Steven was taken aback by the passion in her voice, as well as inwardly pleased to see her believing in something again. Already the change of scene seemed to have had a positive effect on his sister. He tried to hide his feelings outwardly as he cleared away the plates. "OK, ok, quit nagging me already! I'll go and see what I can find. Asking can't hurt, can it? Now how about we both go job hunting and meet up for lunch?"
"No, no, they're fine" Now it was Steven's turn to lie. "Besides I like them crunchy"
Hastily changing the subject Steven inquired after Kitty's plans for the day. "Job hunting of course, silly!", replied Kitty, almost a little too quick. "I remember seeing, um.... a flyer at the Beach Hut yesterday, advertising for Sing-A-Grammers. I guess it's a start."
Steven choked on the remains of his burnt waffle. "Sing-A-Grams?! Kitty, you're better than that."
"I know," countered Kitty confidently, "but I've got to start somewhere. Talking of which," she continued, gesturing at Steven with a fork, "shouldn't you be doing the same? Why not see if the theatre is hiring anyone?"
"I could," hesitated Steven, "but maybe I should check out the bars first, you know, get some steady income and - "
"No!" erupted Kitty, banging her fork on the table. "No bar jobs, Steven. No kitchen helpers, no cleaners, no road sweepers. This is Starlight Shores. Remember our dreams." Kitty's eyes misted over. "Remember Mum and Dad. We owe it to them to be the best we can be."
Steven was taken aback by the passion in her voice, as well as inwardly pleased to see her believing in something again. Already the change of scene seemed to have had a positive effect on his sister. He tried to hide his feelings outwardly as he cleared away the plates. "OK, ok, quit nagging me already! I'll go and see what I can find. Asking can't hurt, can it? Now how about we both go job hunting and meet up for lunch?"
"We can't afford to eat lunch out" sighed Kitty.
"We can today. It's going to be a good day, Sis, I can feel it. Besides I can't face the thought of coming home to cold chargrilled waffles for lunch. Can you?" He laughed at his sister's look of indignation at that last comment, but soon she too was giggling.
"We can today. It's going to be a good day, Sis, I can feel it. Besides I can't face the thought of coming home to cold chargrilled waffles for lunch. Can you?" He laughed at his sister's look of indignation at that last comment, but soon she too was giggling.
'It had been a long time since both of them had laughed together', thought Kitty, as she wiped away tears. 'Yes today was definitely going to be a good day!'