Chapter Eighteen - Major Decision Time

Kenya Valdin was more than prepared for her domesticated lifestyle.
After all, she was the wife of Sim City's most outstanding, and long running Mayor....
...Raven.

She had to keep up appearances at all costs.
But that didn't stop her from dreaming.




And the biggest dream she had, was to be an Oceanographer.
To travel beneath the sea, study the marine life and experience danger beyond her wildest imagination.




She sighed heavily as she scooped up Kyle in her arms.
Already, the smell of his recently filled diaper, made her eyes water.

But, she'd made a promise to Raven, and married herself to this humdrum life of hers.




Little Skye, she couldn't help noticing, had withdrawn deeper into her own shell, sitting with her head down, studying hard.

Kenya shook her head and wondered if Raven had indeed made the right decision after all.
She recalled how quickly Raven had dashed out of the door earlier that morning, without a single kiss goodbye, leaving her in charge of everything.




Already, one of the dogs had made a beeline to the expensive settee and was taking extreme delight in shredding the upholstery to bits.

Kenya sighed once more, even deeper than before. Thinking about the cost of recovering that settee. Admittedly, there was a fair bit of money left over after the sale of their old house. It more than covered the cost of the purchase of this home and the new furnishings.

But she couldn't help counting the pennies all the time. As her husband himself added once....

"You never know what's around the corner."

That was so true, even now.




She was in the process of potty training Kyle, when she heard the front door slam.
Luckily he'd just finished, so she hastily changed him and let him wander off.

Tentatively she peered into the hallway, just in time to see Raven, standing there, he looked tired and weary. His shoulders slumped slightly and that majestic posture he always maintained, had all but vanished.

"Raven?" asked Kenya tentatively, "what are you doing home so early? Was the grand opening cancelled?"

He shook his head, a wan smile crept over his thin lips.




"I've been thinking," he said, after a long pause.

Kenya held her breath, not knowing what was going to come out of her husband's mouth.
Surely not another move? They'd only just arrived here.

"Actually, I've been thinking a lot recently ....... about us ..... my job ...... everything."

He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her, enclosing her thin body into a romantic hug. Kenya was startled at first, but soon melted against his chest, delight radiating from her.



"I love you," he whispered in her ear.

It was the first time, from as far back as she could remember, that he'd uttered those words. And they sounded magical.

She pulled away, grinning.

"But why did you come home so early?" she asked, "surely not to declare your love to your wife? You could have easily picked up the phone and called me...... or at least waited until you got home."

"Ah, but then I'd have been so snowed under with bureaucratic mumbo jumbo, that I'd have completely forgotten all about you."

Kenya smiled, basking in Raven's sudden warmth. But there was still something niggling underneath.

Something he wasn't telling her.

Raven shuffled nervously, looking down at his shiny new shoes and twiddling with his Mayoral lapel ribbon.


There was a long, uncomfortable pause. He swallowed hard, before turning away with his back to her.

It was then that he dropped the bombshell. It was quietly spoken, but Kenya's trained ears picked up everything.

"I've decided to quit as Mayor." he whispered, unable to meet her gaze.

Kenya stood, shell-shocked, unable to comprehend her husband's speech.

"I understand if you're mad at me," he said, finally, "after all, I dragged you all here, pulled everyone from family and friends. And now this. I just want your opinion, that's all."

A lump came to Kenya's throat as she realised for the first time, Raven was asking her advice and support in his decisions. Something that he never, in all their married life, had ever even crossed his mind. He was so used to taking the lead, deciding everything without her.

But it was on his journey back home, and a few words he remembered from his step mother Imani, that made him realise just how precious Kenya was to him.

He remembered the scene quite clearly. Imani had hauled him reluctantly into her garden, to tend to the weeds. He admitted to not having a green thumb, but followed her anyway, just to keep the peace.

Two hours later and his hands covered in thistle scratches and nettle stings, they were sat together, drinking hot chocolate and having his cuts soothed with antiseptic. It was then that Imani spoke.

"I know you're not my true son," she began, Raven groaned, knowing what was to follow. It was always a well rehearsed speech for Imani. "but I'll always love you as my own."

He nodded slowly, wincing as she dabbed his palm with cotton wool.

"but that's not the reason why I want to talk to you."

His ears pricked up. This was most unusual.

"I can't help but notice lately, how you've been avoiding Kenya and the children. Is there a reason?"

"I'm only working to keep a roof over their heads," he protested.

She nodded.

"That may be so," she replied, "but there are much more important things in life too. And working all those long hours, you're not seeing them. Skye's beginning to drift away from you. And Kyle's first impressions of you are just a man who pats him on the head on a morning when he wakes up. And kisses him on the head when he's sleeping."

Raven could only nod dumbly. He hadn't realised all of this, he'd been so busy working.

"And as for Kenya."

His head snapped up.

"She's a full blooded woman, who needs love and affection. If you continue to ignore her, she's going to stray. Do you want that to happen?"

Raven rolled this memory around his head, all the way back home.
He was used to making snap decisions all the time. After all, it was his job. Nerves weren't an issue at all, he had to keep a cool professional head about him.



But standing there, in the hallway, the distant sounds of Kyle playing his xylophone in the summer room.



And the dogs playing in the kitchen, his nerves were jangling with worry and fear.

The pause was long, deliberate, as Kenya stood, weighing up the pros and cons.
This was an unusual situation she'd been put in. Unusual and unfamiliar territory.
She had the chance to change things, make her own decisions.

Chewing on the inside of her lip, she looked at Raven. He could see her inner turmoil, but waited patiently.

"Of course I'll go ahead with whatever you want to do," she breathed, hoping that was the right answer.

"You will?" came the reply.



She nodded. And he swept her up into an almost bone crushing hug. Clearly delighted that Kenya was with him 100% of the way.



He didn't dare tell her that the reason why he wanted to quit, was because he was booed at the grand opening, by one of the bystanders. And it made him realise that his popularity was beginning to wane.

He also realised that things were going to be a little tight, as he would be starting from the bottom rung again and working his way back to the top.

But this time......

...... things were going to be a little different......