Starting Out

Meet the Bayfield family. A typical suburban family, Gregory, Maryann and their twin boys, Joe (in blue) and Gary (in red), moved to Pleasantview when Joe and Gary were children.

Maryann (a family sim) and Gregory (a romance sim) had another son, Jeffrey, when Joe and Gary were teens. I didn't spend a whole lot of time with Jeffrey, though, because by this time, Joe and Gary were ready to make the transition into adulthood. This was pre-Uni, so no college education for them!

Gregory was beginning to show a little interest in the "friend" he was always bringing home from work, Brandi LeTourneau. Ahhh...my first sim-affair...



Greyory and Maryann just before Jeffrey's conception:



Jeffrey shows off his report card



Joe met Brandi Broke while he was still a teen. I was so new to the game, I didn't realize Brandi was not a teen, and couldn't figure out why Joe didn't have the opportunity to kiss her. They hit it off, though, and became friends. Poor Joe didn't have his first kiss until he became an adult. Brandi was invited to his birthday party, and that's when it happened. Joe and Gary still lived with their parents, so I would have Joe sneak up to the bedroom with Brandi. I remember him getting shut out, too! It wasn't until I played the Broke household for the first time that I realized Brandi was pregnant. She invited Joe over, then immediately developed a pregnant belly. I thought, "whoa, back the truck up, here. You shut him out, remember? ". I was so young and naive, then.

Here's an early shot of the Bayfield brothers while still living under Gregory and Maryann's roof. Early shots of Joe look just like Bradley does now. He even wore the same shirt at one time. Joe and Jeffrey:



Gary and Jeffrey:





Joe was there for the birth of Brandi's son, Ben. He congratuled her just before the social worker took Ben and Beau away. Brandi was a sobbing wreck. But at least now she was ready to give in to Joe's advances! And Joey Jr. was conceived. By this time, Joe and Gary had their own place. Joe spent a lot of time at Brandi's house and redecorated it for her. He bought Dustin and Joey, Jr a swimming pool. He bought Brandi a new kitchen table. He didn't have much money, but that's what Brandi's money tree was for. Technically, Joe didn't really buy the stuff, then. He just looted Brandi's tree and spent the money on her and the kids.

Meanwhile, Gary, a family sim, was finally involved in a romance of his own. He met a nice girl named Nikki and quickly fell in love with her. Had his first kiss with her, too. Then married her. They soon had a daughter, named Allie. Joe now had a live-in girlfriend, too. Nikki's sister, Katie. The romance sim in him just couldn't commit to poor Brandi. So Joe, Gary, Nikki, Katie and Allie now made up the Bayfield household. Joe finally decided he wanted to spend more time with little Joey Jr, so Joey Jr. was moved in, as well. Joey Jr and Allie did not get along well, at first, but quickly became best friends.

Joe and Gary's first family loading screen as adults:



Gary and Nikki:



Their wedding:



And Joe proposes a toast to his twin brother and new bride in the backyard:






Nikki became pregnant with Gary's second baby,when the first in a long line of tragedies for poor Gary happened. Nikki was pretty big, probably only a day away from giving birth, and Joe had made breakfast for the family. Everyone sat down to eat, except for Nikki who was oh-so-tired. I was very frustrated, commanding her to eat, as her hunger was dangerously low. She'd sit down, then pop back up only to fall asleep on the floor. And she died right there at the breakfast table. This was before I had any hacks in my game, so I was helpless. Gary was distraught, and Nikki was now a pregnant ghost.

Joe met a new girl, named Jennie Doobie. Jennie and Brandi had become fast friends, and then roommates. Joe was always over to see Brandi, and he and Jennie did not hit it off well, at first. All Jennie's attempts to hug or admire Joe just made him uncomfortable. After several lengthy chats about the weather and toys, they finally became friends.

Jennie called Joe one evening and had him meet her on a community lot. They had a nice little outing at the grocery store, grilled hot dogs, browsed the game racks, then Jennie got bold. She flirted with Joe. He flirted back. Soon they were all over each other. Jennie went home and invited Joe over again. They "enjoyed each other's company" in the bedroom, and the lullabye played. Joe hadn't known Jennie long, but he wanted to make an honest woman out of her, so he proposed marriage.






This caused a little friction with Brandi. Why wasn't she made an "honest woman"?
She did not attend the wedding.

The wedding was simple, in Brandi and Jennie's back yard, with Gregory, Maryann and Gary attending out on the front porch, where they couldn't see a thing. This was not by design.





Jennie was exhausted. The pregnancy hormones were wearing her out. Poor thing passed out under the altar.





Although Brandi was bitter and not in attendance at the nuptials, she did toast the happy couple, dragging the bride out of bed and the groom out of the hot tub.



Once a swimsuit-clad Joe returned from his solo-honeymoon (Jennie stayed home and slept), he swaggered up the steps and into his bedroom hoping for a little wedding night fun with his new bride. She was still asleep.



Brandi was more than happy to fill in, however...



And another lullaby played. Now Joe was in a bit of a pickle. He had gotten two women pregnant, his wife and his new roommate Brandi.

The next night, pushing his nervous guilty conscience aside, Joe finally consumated the marriage with Jennie.