1.3 Working Hard

Zoe is having a very uncomfortable pregnancy, and she'd like to have a few words with the sim that came up with the "morning sickness" idea because her nausea lasts all day long. Nonetheless, she continues working in mixology; she wants to be perfect in this and for that she needs to work a lot on the skill.

The following months were dedicated to working constantly to collect the money needed to decorate the baby's room. Mixology is a really badly paid job, she barely makes simoleons to buy food and the weekly nectar, in addition to paying the bills.

Beyond all her concerns, she was hesitant to tell Devin about her pregnancy, his career seemed to be on the rise and the movie that he filmed in China had been well received by the critic. His role had given him some prizes and he was already in the preproduction of a new movie, this time in France. They continued to communicate during these months. In one of their conversations, he assured her that the romance between his co-star and him was only an invention of the media and that the producers of the film had advised that they continue with the farce to promote it. She was not so sure if she believed him or not.

In the midst of all this mess, the baby announced her arrival.

Bellandra, is friendly and artistic and the light of her mother life.

Going back to work and leave Bellandra in charge of a teenager was something that bothered her greatly, but she didn´t have many alternatives. 

Barry visited her a few times at work and discreetly tried to inquire about her daughter's paternity, but Zoe was absolutely silent on the matter. She knew he and Devin were still in communication, though not as frequently anymore.

In the end the concern for the care of her daughter had no foundation, the babysitter was a good one and attended Bellandra's needs without problem.

Zoe created a new drink, with this are five in total, but she learned from a good source that to work in the most exclusive places and earn better money she needs to have at least 25 original drinks. That added to the advice of the vampire mixologist to practice until making 500 mixes, becoming the perfect mixologist seems like a herculean task.

At least customers had stopped ordering food and began to taste her drinks. Zoe was beginning to be recognized among the nightlife.

"Hey, I heard about you at the Bridges Times hallways, you're mentioned as the 'sim to keep an eye on' in the next release."

"Really! That's great. I'm working very hard to improve myself. Maybe you want to try my new mix? It's really good, if I said so myself."

The months passed without many changes until Bellandra's first birthday arrived. It was a surprise for Zoe to see how her daughter looked so much like her father. She was almost a copy of Devin.

To celebrate the birthday, Zoe decided to take the rest of the day off and dedicate herself entirely to her daughter.

The day at the autumn festival was the plan.

Bellandra had a lot of fun, her laughter echoed throughout the park, so much that she didn't want to get off the bee in all afternoon. And even made a small tantrum when her mother tried to lift her.

While playing with the toddler, Zoe discovered something. She loves being a mother and definitely wants more children.

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Poor Zoe had the sickness moodlet constantly until the game announced the pregnancy, as soon as she finished throwing up the moodlet appeared again.
Not much in this chapter, if wasn't clear, this generation goal is Perfeccionist, wich it's a nightmare added to single parent and mixologist. More time devoted to the skill, less time for moonlighting, which means less money, less money means more time cleaning and repairing because there's not enough to hire services. All this means even less time to practice and to work on bars. It is a continuous circle and they're bankrupt. I'M LOVING IT! It's so good to be in the fourth week without being filthy rich. xD

1.2 In Search of Something

Inquiring a bit, Zoe discovered that the most exclusive bars pay a little better for moonlighting, which is somehow a problem because she needs to become a recognized star to enter those places. And that's not really her goal in life but she really needs the simoleons. With that in mind, she started to introduce herself with local artists.

Aria Trill was very approachable, she was friendly and warm and liked Zoe instantly. So much that by paying attention to Zoe she forgot to go to the loo.

Zoe could not help but think about the things she would have to witness in the name of an improvement in her work.

She also toured hot night spots talking to the mixologists and trying different drinks, she want to learn everything that her work has to offer, serve many sims to become known and even create new flavors. The possibilities are endless.

"I was thinking that maybe the flame fruit would give a distinctive touch." She said one night at the vampire attending the bar in Bridgeport Sport Zone.

"It's a good suggestion but I think I'm not going to implement it, the flames and vampires aren't good combination." She replied with good humor. "But you should take advantage of those ideas, it's always good to have a list of your own. Another suggestion? Practice, a lot. I think I made about five hundred drinks before being this good.

And she really was. Zoe never drank as much as that night. Purely for research purposes, of course.

A few days later, she received an invitation to a party at Barry Tenderlove's apartament. She met him while moonlighting at Waylon's and they clicked fast.

Barry was waiting for her at the building entrance with a eager smile. She bit her lip, he was cute but not her tipe and she liked him in a purely friendly way.

His awkwardness was adorable, thought.

As soon as she entered the party, all thoughts about Barry were forgotten. There was someone in the kitchen whom she had seen several times while working. With her most charming smile, she introduced herself. 

He was all smiles too.

"Hey! Matthew Hamming's cheap copy it's trying to woo your girl."

"He's my friend and his name is Devin Ashton and she's not my girl." Barry said with a resigned sigh.

Zoe spent the rest of the evening with Devin, they did nothing but talk but it was the best night she had in a long time.

At the end of the party, when only she was left in the apartment, she approached Barry with the intention of clearing the air. He was a nice sim and she didn't want to hurt him.

The next evening Aria Trill had a party too. And who was invited? The very man that Zoe could not get out of her mind.

"It's good to see you here." She said in a flirty voice.

It was a pool party without a pool but that didn't matter to Zoe, not when he had all that skin exposed. And she too.

So with all her flirty self she undertook the task of capturing his attention. It was not very difficult.

***

Zoe continued to make progress in her mixology and got a new job. The place was a lot fun, but she could not stop thinking about Devin.

He had disappeared in the last days and didn't answer her calls.

When she had lost hope of seeing him again, Zoe ran into him outside the club at closing time. He was panting a little, as if he had benn running a few blocks.

"Luckily I found you, my car broke a few streets from here. I thought I was late."

"Almost, I'm going home. I'm dead tired." She said trying to sound disinterested.

"Okay, but before you leave I wanted to explain why I wasn't around." His voice had a hint of awkwardness.

"I'm all ears." She said losing a bit of the coldness that she had tried to maintain.

"I had a sudden contract with a movie company, I have a secondary role, but it's an important one. The movie is being filmed in Shang Simla." He stopped to breathe before continuing. "My phone was stolen at the airport before boarding, so when I arrived in China I didn't have your number and I didn't know how to look for it. I arrived in Bridgeport a few hours ago to sign some documents with the company." 

"And couldn't you wait until tomorrow to tell me?" Her words were a bit harsh but she was already smiling.

He smiled back to her.

"Not really, I'm going back to China, the flight departs tomorrow at 8 a.m. So I wanted to spend a few hours tonight with you while you worked, maybe trying some of your famous drinks, but the damn car had to leave me on foot."

She looked at him for a few seconds in silence.

"If you want I can prepare some of my drinks in my house." She decided trying not to sound flirtatious.

By the way that he eagerly agreed, she didn't acomplish it.

"You're a really good mixologist. This drink is delicious." He said once in her house.

She giggled a little, it was one of her more popular beverages.

Between drinks and laughter the night became early morning.

"I really want to kiss you." He whispered as he took her in his arms.

"I was losing hope." She put her arms around his neck as he kissed her.

"I would like to give you more than this one night and not leave in a couple of hours."

He looked at her so intensely that she wished it too. But she tried to ignore the feeling and just enjoy the moment.

"Then let's make the best of the time that we have. No promises, only tonight."

A few hours later, he got out of bed quietly and looked at her sleeping form wishing for more than what he could give her, but his career was important and he had fought hard to get where he was. With one last look he closed the bedroom door.

A few days later, Zoe discovered that something of him had remained.

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AN: I tried to include what is the Generational Goal without saying it. ;)

And this is a bit of a miscellaneous thing:

While Zoe was sleeping, Devin drank all her mixes. There were more than 20 glasses, he left nothing. XD

1.1 The First Days

Zoe Russell arrived at Bridgeport with big dreams and little money, enough to bought a small house on the outskirts of the city.

The place was almost bare but it had the essential, a professional bar to to practice the creation of drinks. She's going to be the best mixologist that Bridgeport has ever seen!

If she does not break all the glasses first.

During the daylight hours, Zoe used the library to study about the proper preparation of drinks and the more traditional flavors.

While at night she visited the clubs to interact with the locals and learn their specific tastes and try the trendy beverages.

And to enjoy the views too.

"Your dance was very interesting." She approached him with a friendly smile.

"Thank you, it's the new move that Lola said will be in fashion in a short time."

Zoe's smile faded as Kai, as he had introduced himself, kept talking about his romance with the great Lola Belle, the doors that this was opening to him and everything he would do when, in the future, he will have the same amount of money as his lover.

All said with a creepy smile.

Slowly, and without him noticing, she walked a few steps back and began dancing with other sims. Better to stay away from that one.

A few days later, while looking through the newspaper, Zoe saw her first opportunity to work in a bar. Waylon's Haunt was in need of a mixologist for a couple of nights a week. She jumped at the chance.

On her first night, she had many clients, unfortunately they were looking for food instead of drinks, but that didn't discourage her. She served them with a smile and a friendly chat, after all she's a charismatic girl. The maneger was impressed with her, more for her people skill than her mixology, and at the end of her shift he invited her to try the house's new drink. It was tasty and exotic, this one was definitely going to be added to her repertoire.

The following days passed in a blur, sleeping during the day and working at night. When she collected some money, not much since mixologist are the worst paid workers in the city, she went to the consignment store.

"Hi, I heard my boss says that the store had imported some nectar from France, I'm interested in seeing what you have for sale."

The cashier looked at her a bit skeptically but presented ther with the bottles. "This is the new batch but I have more in the basement if your are interested."

Zoe eyed the nectar with astonishment, the store has some life fruit with pomegranate bottles. She looked at them with a mixture of yearning and resignation, how long would she have to work to buy those nectars? Too many years. So with one last look, she turned to  the bottles in her price range.

With her two new products under her arm, she returned happily to her house.

Maybe, I can build a basement to age it. We'll see. She tought while stocking the rack.

Her decision to come to Bridgeport was the right one.