Time marches on, and Otto’s new bar is still under construction when she pays a visit to a relative.
Jessamine – the oldest of the Third Generation – has, herself, reached her old age. Having been married to Clark Bellamore for the better part of her Young Adulthood and Adulthood, she and her family life in an adjacent lot to the main household. She warmly greets her cousin.
Their life seems refreshingly normal in comparison to Otto’s party-hard mostly-Fairy household. The quiet almost astounds Otto, but she decides to stick around to mooch a meal off of Jessamine.
While awaiting the meal and talking with Jessamine’s son, Eos, Otto can’t help but reflect on her reasons for coming to visit Jessamine. It’s difficult to believe that so much time has passed that her favourite cousin is now on the verge of her old age and the end of her life is swiftly approaching, but such things are easy to miss when Otto, herself, can expect to live for a long, long time.
Or perhaps not.
Otto waited until Jessamine was seated before bringing up the discussion.
‘So what’s Veronica up to these days?’ Otto asked.
‘Not much, I guess,’ Jessamine replied. She narrowed her eyes. ‘It’s not like you to ask how relatives are doing. No offense.’
‘None taken.’ Otto took a deep breath. ‘Uh, look, Jess, this isn’t exactly a social visit. Well, it kind of us, but it kind of isn’t.’
‘Oh?’
‘I’m thinking about doing something drastic and I wanted your advice.’
‘Alright.’
‘I know you had Eos pretty late,’ said Otto. ‘Are you ever worried about him? I mean, you’re no spring chicken – .’
‘Gee, thanks,’ Jessamine drawled.
‘It’s just, does it ever bother you that you and Clark will probably be…you know…gone by the time he graduates from high school?’
‘Truth be told? It does. But Veronica’s here, and so are you. I think he’ll be fine in time, but it will be a rude wake up call for him when the time comes. Now, Otto, why are we talking about Eos? I don’t think this is what this visit is about.’
‘It isn’t.’
‘I’m thinking of forsaking the Fae.’
‘You’re crazy,’ Jessamine concluded.
‘Jess, look, maybe I wouldn’t be thinking about doing this if Hadrian was a fairy, but he’s a human!’ Otto argued. ‘I don’t want to outlive my son.’
‘You have two other children who are fairies.’
‘And I want them to live long, happy lives, but I don’t want them to fall in love with a Normal Sim and have to face the prospect of outliving them, and possibly any human children they have.’
‘How do you think Aunt Carmen felt? Nobody’s heard from her since Uncle Gareth died.’
‘Because she didn’t want to see her mostly human and Witch nieces and nephews die one-by-one.’
‘Otto, you’re not doing this because – .’
‘I need your support,’ Otto pressed. ‘I…I can’t be a fairy anymore. I won’t change, personally, but I can’t live for endless generations having to watch my family move on while I remain as I am.’
‘What about your powers?!’
‘Oh, I hardly ever use them. I’m not missing out on anything. It’s just, when you live for a long time, you start to take things forever. You start to miss little details.’
‘I’m worried about what I’ll miss if I continue to live as a fairy.’
The Slender Legacy 