Sims 2 Tales

"Why did you never tell me that you’d seen your grandfather’s ghost?" Mary asked as she hugged her son.

"Probably because I thought that you’d think I was mad!" he replied, laughing.

By the time they’d finished talking they noticed that the sun had started to rise, and the birds could be heard singing high in the birch trees that surrounded the house. While Mary bathed and dressed, Henry made breakfast. They had a busy day ahead of them, as the following week Mary would celebrate her birthday and she’d decided to spend the rest of her days at St. Mary’s Convent. The arrangements had already been made, but she had an appointment with the Mother Superior that afternoon to finalise the details.

Mary’s birthday celebrations had been filled with a mixture of joy and sadness. On one hand she had been thoroughly pampered and spoilt by Henry, who’d insisted on organising a banquet for her with minstrels and jugglers, whilst on the other she would soon be leaving Henry and her home for the convent. She was looking forward to spending the rest of her days in quiet contemplation - reading, praying, tending the gardens - but worried that being away from the Manor would be too difficult to endure.

However Mary was determined to go ahead with her plan, and dressed in her nun’s attire she spent the morning of her departure enjoying a final game of chess with Henry. Henry didn’t want his mother to leave, although she was permitted to receive visitors and to make occasional trips back to the Manor, but he was proud of her for making such a bold decision. Although she’d grown used to the wandering spirit of his grandfather, there were some ghosts at the Manor that she could no longer face: Henry knew that his father’s death had devastated her, and he believed that that was her main reason for entering the convent. She cherished the memories of her days as a happy young wife with a loving husband and handsome son, but counter to them was the dark memory of having her husband - the first and only man she’d ever loved - taken away from her.

All too soon it was time for Mary to leave.

"Are you sure you don’t want me to accompany you mother?" Henry asked, knowing what her answer would be.

"Quite sure Henry. It’s better if we say goodbye here, otherwise I may be tempted to come back with you."

They hugged and wept as if they would never see one another again, and it took all of Mary’s resolve to free herself from the doubts that were beginning to form in her mind over whether or not she was making the right decision. After one final embrace Mary walked away from her old life and towards a new beginning. As she crossed the bridge she felt a sense of freedom she’d never experienced before, and knew that what she was doing was right.

As soon as she arrived at the convent, Mary threw the last of her silver coins into the fountain and made a wish - to her dying day she never revealed what she had wished for - whilst behind the walls of the Manor Henry’s heart was breaking. However he too would start again, and in time his descendants would write a new chapter in the story of the Le Grande family of Normandy Manor …..