Three Rivers 4.1

Fourth Sim of Thirty Sims at Three Rivers

4. The honeybee visits the clover flower

Sasha Mignon’s grandmother Esmeralda met her on the path when she came home from school.

“This is a big day!” said Esmeralda. “I just got a call from your daddy, and he got a big promotion at work. We’re going to celebrate!”

“Yay for Daddy!” said Sasha. “Will you make his favorite cake?”

“I would,” said Esmeralda, “but I’m completely out of currants. I thought I’d make brownies, instead.”

“But it won’t be a proper party without Dad’s favorite cake!” Sasha said, imaging the round sweet loaf that her grandma made, fragrant with cinnamon, nutmeg, and tiny Zante currants. “I’ll fetch some from the store for you!”

Esmeralda handed Sasha a few bills, and off Sasha ran, down the street and to the Mercantile.

Sasha felt the full import of the task. What an auspicious day! Her daddy had been working very hard, and every morning when he’d left, he’d say, “Maybe today will be the day!” and now, today was the day, and her daddy was now assistant editor! What an important daddy.

Sasha practiced what she would say to the lady at the cash register. “Half a pound of Zante currants, please.” And if she tried to sell her raisins instead, she would say, “No thank you. The recipe requires currants. Zante, please. Thank you.”

But when she said that, the lady said, “We’re all out of currants today, Sasha. We’re expecting them in the delivery tomorrow. Will raisins do?”

“No,” Sasha replied.

“Well, can we think of any place else that might have them?” the lady asked.

Sasha thought.

“Yes!” she said, remembering where else she’d had currants. “That’s perfect! There is someplace else!”

And off she ran.

“Thank you!” she said as she left the store.

Just as she reached the corner, she hopped onto the streetcar. She had a token left over from the weekend when her family had ridden the streetcar to the park. She had to ride all the way to the end of the line, and when she hopped out, there it was! Johnny’s Café!

Every time she came here, Moira, that’s the barrista, gave her a special Zante currant muffin. It was perfect, every time, with the tiny sweet currants distributed through the whole muffin so each bite had bursts of sweetness.

“Only Zante currants will do!” Moira said, every time, so Sasha knew that Moira understood about currants and raisins.

“What brings you here by yourself so late at night?” Moira said.

“Currants,” said Sasha, and she explained all about how it was her dad’s special day because of the long-awaited promotion and about how the Mercantile was out of Zante currants and how she took the streetcar all the way to the end of the line and so now, here she was!

“But we don’t have them for selling,” Moira said. “Only for baking.”

“Well, we’re baking,” said Sasha.

At last they struck a deal. Moira’s shift had long been over and she was eager to leave, but Marcus, who was to take over the next shift, was still at the gym. If Sasha would fetch Marcus and bring him back, so Moira could leave for the evening, she would sneak her a cupful of currants from the supply room.

That would work!

So Sasha headed across the street and down the corner to the big square building with glass windows on the edge of the water to find Marcus.

He sauntered in as if he had all the time in the world.

“You’re supposed to be at work!” said Sasha.

“Are you my mama?” Marcus said.

And Sasha explained all about the Mercantile being sold out of Zante currants and not expecting them until tomorrow and raisins not doing it, and her daddy’s big promotion and no celebration for her daddy is a party without Zante currant cake and the deal she worked out with Moira whereby if Marcus goes to work, like he’s supposed to, then she’ll get the cupful of currants for Gram’s famous Zante currant cake.

It was a deal, and Marcus and Sasha walked back together.

“I got him!” Sasha said.

Moira strolled back to the supply room to fetch the Zante currants.

Mission accomplished! Sasha thought about how happy Gram would be to pour the currants into the batter, stirring them so that each bite would have five currants or more! She thought about her daddy’s big smile as he sat down to a plate of Zante currant cake. That would help him know just how proud they all were of him!

“How are you getting home?” Moira asked Sasha as she handed her the white paper bag full of Zante currants.

“The streetcar,” said Sasha.

“But the last streetcar left half an hour ago! I’ll drive you. Come on!”

When they pulled up to her street, Sasha saw with worry that all the streetlights were on. Gram and her daddy had a rule that she and all the kids had to be inside or in the yard, at the very least, when the street lights came on. And here she was, just getting home now!

Maybe they hadn’t noticed. She was sure that they would be so busy with Daddy’s party that they wouldn’t even notice that she was gone. That was a sure thing, for there’d be balloons to blow up and paper decorations to cut and hang, and special party dance music records to select, and tables to set, and then fancy clothes to put on. For sure, no one will have noticed that she wasn’t back yet.

“Where have you been, child?” her aunt Gloriana yelled when she walked up to the house. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you! We’ve been worried sick!”

And even her brother Beau scowled.

“You’re here! You’re home safe!” said her aunt Mariana, pulling her into a big hug. “Oh, baby! Don’t worry us like that again!”

“Told you she’d be OK,” said her cousin Steward.

Sasha explained all about her errand and how she had found the Zante currants, after all, so now they could have the party, just like they planned.

“That’s great, honeybee,” said Aunt Mariana. “But you need to know that you’re way more important than any cake or any currants! If you ever are in a situation where you think you need to take off on your own like that, you stop and think again. What’s most important is you being safe and making smart decisions, OK?”

“There’s my little Sasha bee!” said Esmeralda, as she came around the corner and wrapped her granddaughter into a big hug.

“Did I do something wrong, Gram?” asked Sasha.

“Well,” said Esmeralda, “Let’s just say you had a learning experience and you put us through a world of worry while you did so. We’ll talk about it more in the morning, ok? For now, let’s get those cakes made!”