very valid thing that needs to be said more, but... the replies have me so tickled because somehow this post made it outside the sims bluesky bubble so there are numerous comments that are like "what's a cc" 😂

My Perfect Party Stairs and Shag for Paralives! Plus some new fences to cover up the white edge on Halfwalls. Nexus DL: www.nexusmods.com/paralives/mo...

Me thinking about them again 🫠 thank goodness this campaign side journey is ending soon and we can get back to more shenanigans with them oop, who said that? 👀

Converted and style matched this Ah00b hat to Paralives! 🐸 Grab it here: www.nexusmods.com/paralives/mo... 🐨 Or Here: steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/...

so....bad news I'm out of screenshots so today's queue was the last queue for the week 🫣 but good news....here's a spoiler shot to hold you over 👀 let the speculating begin 😈

Penny Paradox ! A Brand New CAS Mini Set! A little Camp Academia before I dive back into making Build Buy again. Come along with Penny on a Mini Fashion Adventure with two new outfits, styled a few different ways! 📚: www.patreon.com/posts/penny-... ( Avaliable for All 06/19/2026! )

But it was just as she'd promise Matthew earlier. She could be mother or she could be his agent. He'd chosen his agent when it came to matters of business, but for this she would be mother and ensure Feather Arias didn't capsize his life or career, and for this she was making that choice for him.

It threw suspicion over his "surprise" visit to her so early in the morning. Perhaps the actual surprise of it had nothing to do with her after all. "This is a problem." Diana tapped her chin as she considered all the ways in which this little wrinkle was slowly developing into a blaze.

It wasn't just the rumors and scandal that swirled around her, though that was enough, but it was also the way she flitted around set and the way she looked at her son. And the way she was looking at him now. And the way he was looking at her back. He was clearly not shocked to have run into her.

When Diana exited onto the balcony it was simply to get some fresh air. She had expected Matthew would already have made his way toward the gates, but when she saw him and then she saw her, naturally she stopped and watched and observed. Because Feather Arias was not someone Diana trusted.

"Good. Then, I guess I'll see you on set then?" "Yeah, of course. Always. I'm looking forward to it." They locked eyes for a just a second, a moment to regard each other one last time before Matthew took his leave. But they weren't the only ones watching.

"Then do me a favor by not making me have to partake alone." Feather's smile deepened as she tipped her head forward. "OK. If it'll help you out, I guess I can't say no" Feather always responded best to potential flirts. Not ideal, but if it would get her to agree to talk to him, he'd play into it

She looked uneasy, so he felt it necessary to reassure her. "We can talk in my trailer. You like red wine, right? I was gifted some not too long ago, but those things are best enjoyed with someone else, right?" The smile returned to Feather's face. "That is what they say."

Because it was clear that as much as Feather wanted and needed, she wasn't clear on what was healthy for her. Not yet. "But after the run through today, do you think we could talk?" Matthew met her eyes and she appeared taken aback. "About what?" "A lot of things. I think we both need that."

"I just thought it would be fun, you know, us swimming together? I wasn't trying—" "I know." Matthew cut her off because he did know what she meant, what she wanted, maybe even needed. He just knew right now there were other things they needed to work through before he could indulge any of those.

At this point, Matthew knew Feather well enough to know that no, she wasn't kidding, and the fact that she could still say things like that to him was worrying. "Feather, I can't," he was firm. "I've got to get back to the lot, be ready for work. You know?" "Yeah, yeah, I know," her voice wilted.

"I don't exactly have a swimsuit." "That's OK. I'm sure my dad has an extra pair laying around here you could borrow. Or you could skinny dip. We both could if that would make you feel more comfortable." Matthew bristled at the suggestion "I was kidding about that last part," she quickly retorted

"It never came up." There was something between the playfulness of her voice he couldn't place. "But I'm glad you're still here. When I woke up and you were gone, didn't even leave a letter, I thought...." her voice trailed off as she seemed to focus on it. Then, "I'm going for a swim. Wanna join?"

But then she paused, turned toward him. It was obvious it was too late. She had seen him "Matty." Her voice portrayed less surprise and more relief and hopefulness. "You're still here." "Yeah," Matthew rubbed his shoulder, "I ran into my mother. You didn't mention she was renting the other half."

He'd feel so much better once he was back in his own space, after a shower, the rest of his weight melting off of him with the turn of a new day and a fresh set of clothes. And then he saw her. He froze as he considered doubling back, staying out of sight till she'd left, so she wouldn't see him.

After a surprisingly stress free breakfast with his mother, and a just as surprisingly helpful concealer treatment that was thrust upon him, Matthew was quick about taking his leave to get back to the studio lot. His mother wouldn't have known, but he was still wearing yesterday's clothes after all.

Matthew took a long sip of his tea as he tested this feeling out, this lightness. Was it really that easy? He just needed to trust sharing this weight with someone else? Perhaps that is what he needed all along. His feelings weren't a burden but rather a barrier. And sharing them was the only relief

"Now, that that unpleasantness is out of the way, eat your breakfast. We have final run through for the commercial today, so we need to make sure you're in good shape. Drink your tea, it has antioxidants that will be great for you face. And I'll help apply some concealer before you head back."

"I suppose that's fair." "More than fair. I'm your mother, Matthew. It's OK to allow me to protect you. Never forget that that's what I'm here for. You can lean on me. Always." "Right." His mother's unabashed affection for him could often times feel too much, but in the moment, it lifted a weight.

"So, which will it be?" "The second one. Please." Diana crinkled her nose, hoping he'd go with choice one. "On one condition. You let me be mother first and give your father an earful on threatening your mental state for this job before I go into full agent mode. This is non-negotiable."

"If you want mother, then mother will handle this completely. Your father will undo whatever he's done and he won't be unnecessary stress for our duration here. But if you want your agent, I'll be strictly a proxy. I'll be point for every communication till it's done to your satisfatction."

"You tell me exactly what you need done, and I'll make sure it gets done." Matthew hesitated. "Let's say I agree to this, would you really only be acting as my proxy? You don't just be taking over, like doing my homework for me?" "I can handle this as your mom or your agent."

"Let me handle your father." "I can't just call on you to fix this. He'll never take me seriously leading if I can't handle it on my own." "You think I handle all my affairs on my own? Powerful capable people always have a team, and I'm your manager. So be powerful and capable and delegate."

Diana let out a huff, "And now here I am adding to your stress." "You're not." Matthew said quietly. "Yes, I am. You don't think I can't see it on your face? You've taken on too much. You're just a child Matthew. A very capable, mature child, but a child nonetheless. You should be leaning on me."

"Why? Because I'm a Landgraab so I should be coddled?" "No because you're my son, and I didn't work this hard so you can place the weight of the world on your shoulders at 16, burn yourself out, and end up with bad skin!" Matthew flinched. In his efforts not to disappoint her he somehow had anyway

"I committed to the real estate work first. I can't neglect one responsibility for another." "Just because you're working multiple jobs doesn't mean you should be worked to the bone." "You work multiple jobs." "I'm seasoned. I had to hustle to get where I am, so 𝘺𝘰𝘶 will never have to."

"I shouldn't have gotten so emotional and just maintained the line of communication, and now he's going ahead with such a ruthless plan that I can't do anything about." "That's where you're wrong." Diana corrected him. "Your father should know better than to stress you out while on a job."

"He's not letting you lead is he?" Diana finished his thought. "It's my fault, honestly. I let my anger get the best of me, and I purposely didn't respond right way to some of his texts. But he also didn't respect some of the set deadlines and went ahead with his own decisions on matters."

"It's been going well, for the most part, except—" "Except?" "Things have been a little more hectic since I've been away. There are delays in how often I can communicate regarding business, and it's my project I'm leading. Father is just meant to be support. But with me being away—"

"Never mind, it's actually—" "No, it's not." Diana's words came out clipped and terse. "You said your father, so tell me, what about your father?" Matthew let out a sigh. "I'm making too much of it. It's just that real estate project I've been helping him with." "Yes, I'm aware. So?"

"Your father?" Diana paused as she scrutinized her son's face further. "What about your father?" A pit started to form in Matthew's stomach. He was stressed, he was overwhelmed, but he didn't want his mother to see him as helpless, as a person incapable of dealing like she's able to so well.

Gotta push back today's queue to noon again today. Work has been front loaded this week 😮‍💨

It was that he no longer had room left inside to carry the burden of everything he'd chosen to bury. He'd have to unearth some of that wreckage eventually. He let out a long breath. "It's....it's father."

He knew what he had going on inside was a lot. So much that it never made sense to burden anyone else with it. He had spent 16 years learning to deal with that burden on his own. "Matthew," Diana prompted again, "tell me what's wrong." But maybe if his night with Feather taught him anything—

"It's not product related." "Oh. Well, if it's not your diet or the products you're using, then....what?" Diana scrutinized his face as Matthew considered what he should say. When it came to his mother, she only ever saw the explosions because everything before that he kept contained, buried.

"Oh," Matthew dropped his head as he became conscious of the less than stellar state of his skin once more, "this isn't really diet related." "It isn't? Don't tell me it's product related. I told Miriam you have sensitive skin and not to use just any old slop on it when you're in the makeup chair!"

"How industrious, Mother," Matthew forced a smile. "I know, right? I'm amazing. There isn't a single problem I can't fix" she smiled to herself. "Speaking of which, while this breakfast is healthy and will fit right into your target macros, maybe skip the fruit, love. Your skin isn't looking great"

"But I showed them! I employed the help of a very highly sought after service group. They supply maids, butlers, gardeners, personal assistants, the works! They've been taking care of me in the manner I'm accustomed to and it's them you can thank for this scrumptious breakfast spread before us."

"As you can imagine it's just be a nightmare making my life work within this shoe box!" Diana gestured around the villa. "They refused to assign a maid that just handled my lodgings, and the one who does both insists on cleaning the main house first, like I'm a second class citizen!"

The side villa was about the size of a modestly large pool house. Large enough for a regular person, surely, but not quite grand enough to measure up to Diana Desmond's tremendously large ego. But she made the most of it. It didn't take the cooks long to deliver up breakfast platters to her room.

"Of course it does! Now, come along. My abode isn't quite as lavish as the main house, but I could go on forever about how the owners refused to rent me that half no matter what amount I offered. Rude, isn't it?" "Truly impertinent." Matthew mumbled, as the affront made much more sense now.

On the one hand, all of Diana's assumptions, made it so he didn't have to lie to her. But she'd jump to the wrong conclusions, and not correcting her would be a lie of omission. "That sounds....nice." But a lie of omission seemed like the far superior path of least resistance in this moment.

"Mother—" "Oh sweetheart, if I hadn't just refreshed my anti-crowsfeet botox treatment last, week, I could cry!" She shook her head, "What am I saying? You came all this way, so we should make the most of it. Let's have breakfast together! I'll have the cook send something up. How does that sound?"

But he also lacked both the energy and the nerve to lie to her. He let out a sigh, "I—" "Wait a minute," Diana interrupted him, "How did you know I was staying at this villa?" "Well, actually—" "My goodness, you looked it up didn't you? You actually wanted to surprise me?"

"Matthew, what are you doing here?" Diana asked, confusion still coloring every curve of her I just woke up and I want you to believe I'm not wearing makeup, lightly made up face. Matthew contemplated how he should answer. He was in no mood for explaining he spent the night with Feather.