Chapter Six: Nightmare!

Lately, Erik and Leila did nothing but fight. Constantly she berated living with his sister and her family. She even decided Brianna was an unfit mother, letting the baby twins cry so often. However, Leila preferred not to help out. Another thing she chided Erik for.

“Why do you run to her aide like that? They’re her babies, her responsibility,” Leila all but spat the last word.

Erik just gazed at her dumbfounded. Living with another Sim, he was fast realizing, was a way to learn just who they really were.  Erik came from a close-knit family. They did volunteer work as a family, and were often ready to help others. He didn't at all understand Leila’s attitude in this. He shrugged his shoulders, trying to brush off what his heart was trying to tell him.

“I’m her brother, for one. For another, even an experienced mother needs help with multiples. Besides, I live here rent free. It’s the least I can do to step in and help out.”

“Well, I think you’re a fool. Menial work is something you should be above. You’re a Global Superstar, for the Deity's sake. She’s taking you for a royal ride, you know, letting you pay their bills. Your brother-in-law is loaded, you know.”

“I may be a star, of sorts, but I’m still just a Sim. Besides, helping out is something I've been taught to do since I was a child.”

“Fine, do what you want and never mind me. I’ll be fine.” Leila stood, arms crossed over her chest, keeping an eye on him.

“Of course you will. You were fine before, so why not now?” Erik started to walk away, then stopped short. Turning back to her he said, “The phrase ‘just friends’ keeps coming to mind.” And even that's stretching it, he thought.

“If you wish, that’s fine with me, too. As a matter of fact, I can’t wait to get out of this loony bin! And I don’t mean the castle, I mean YOUR life!”

Erik climbed the two flights of stairs to his bed chamber on the fourth floor of the castle, high in what could be construed as a tower. He was glad now that Brianna insisted Leila take one of the guests rooms on the second floor just down the hall from the Master Suite. Glad that he and Leila had never had woohoo together. Still disconcerted at her angry, sharp words Erik climbed into his bed and fell asleep.

Several hours later he awoke abruptly, his heart racing in his chest. He sat up and gazed about the stone room. The glow of the fireplace played on the edges of his furniture. The images left in his head were hideous. Tears streamed down his cheeks at the very thought the dream had somehow been real. In what he realized now was a nightmare, in his dream he threw a Charity Event at a local bar. Erik was quick to invite his family, among others he knew had deep pockets. Sitting at the bar, he chatted with Spock and the two shared a drink together. Then Erik told a joke or two. He asked his brother-in-law for a donation to the cause and the half-Vulcan was quite generous in his gift of 2000 Simoleons. The night was off to a terrific start. Several other Sims had made donations and next thing Erik knew he was halfway to his goal of 10,000. Suddenly, he heard an unusual sound emanating from across the bar. Spock was laughing. 

This stunned Erik.  Vulcans were known to keep a firm grip on their emotions. Must be the combination of whiskey and Erik's pathetic jokes, he thought. Worse, still was the sudden gurgling sound the Vulcan was making. Erik watched in horror as Spock clutched at his chest and fell onto the floor, lifeless. 

Sims all around the room burst into tears. Brianna seemed only too oblivious for a moment, until she saw her husband’s body on the floor. She went hysterical and then keeled over as well.    

Grimmie is not one you want to come face-to-face with. Yet, Erik knew he was the one who should plead for his sister and brother-in-law’s lives. Shaking, he tried to approach the Dark Robed One, to no avail. He was put off until the bodies were reaped. After that happened, Grimmie wouldn't take a plea of any sort. This left Erik baffled. Reverently, he gathered up the two Urns to take home with him. The Benefit broke up pretty quickly afterwards.      

Erik left the bar to pick up the twins from Daycare. To his surprise, only Seraj was there.

“I’m here to pick up my nephews,” Erik said to the Sim behind the desk. “Sajik and Seraj Talek Sen Dene,” he said as the Sim fished through her paperwork. He had his I.D. ready for the Sim to check, too.

“I’m afraid you can’t,” she said over the rim of her glasses.

“I’m Erik Cantrell, their uncle. If you look through the file, you’ll see I am authorized to take custody of the boys. Please,” he said, struggling with his emotions, “there’s been a horrific event. I just need to take the boys home.”

“Well, I just mean you can take one of them. The other one has been picked up already.”

Panicking, “What? Who, when, where and why? By whose authority did you release him?”

“Hm,” she said, “let me see, now … Oh, yes, here it is a Leila Klein signed for Sajik. I’ll just go get Seraj for you.”  

“She did what? And you released him to her? She’s not even family! Nor is she on the List!” 

Just as Erik pondered Leila’s actions, the Sim brought Seraj to him. “Hey, Buddy, let’s go home.” Erik bundled the tiny boy up in his jacket, tugging on the flaps of his knit cap. The night was cold.

Reaching the castle, Erik fumbled with the keys, dropping them once before he realized the door was unlocked. Something was amiss, he thought, pushing the heavy oak door open. Walking through the foyer he discovered Leila and Sajik were in the home theater watching a kid show on the jumbo screen TV. 

“Leila, what are you doing here? I thought you moved out last night.”

“I heard it on the news. About your sister and her alien husband. I got off of work and came to pick up the boys. The Sim said both of the boys were acting up, as if something was terribly wrong and they knew it. Or something. She was babbling and not making a lot of sense.”

“Well, I could use the help, so thank you,” Erik said.

“Eat,” Seraj said, cupping Erik’s face in his little gloved hands.

“Okay, I’ll fix you something. You don’t suppose they know, do you?” 

“They’re babies. I haven’t said anything to the one I 

picked up. How would they know?”  

Erik did his best to take care of his toddler twin nephews, but things went from bad to worse. He couldn't even begin to keep up with their needs.  He was fast sinking into a quagmire. They acted out, not surprisingly, missing their parents as they no doubt did. But he couldn't get Seraj to eat. The child was ravenous, exhausted, kept wetting his pants and anytime Erik put food before him, he managed to throw it on the floor. Once in awhile, Leila would help out. That is, when it suited her to do so. Or when she simply got tired of the child wailing.  

What was he going to do? Spock and Brianna had left the boys to him in their will. Custody was his whether he was suited to it or not. The more he tried, the less he accomplished. He was certain at any given moment Child Services would be at the castle door to take the children away. Then the ominous knock reverberated throughout the halls. This is when he woke up. He was in a full sweat. His heart throbbed in his chest, beat in his ears.  He slowly crawled out of bed, showered, dressed and went down three flights to find his sister in the kitchen making breakfast.

“Brianna,” he cried out, arms opened wide to hug her to him.

“Erik, good morning. What is it? You look as pale as a ghost. Don’t tell me this ancient place is haunted, too.”

Erik stood back and ran a hand through his long blond hair. “Just a dream. I should say nightmare. All seems okay.”

The squalling of an infant met his ears, as Spock came down the stairs, one of the infant twin boys in his arms.

“Good morning, Erik. You’re up early,” Spock said.

“Anybody seen Leila this morning?” Erik asked.

“No, she moved out last night, after that big row you two had,” Spock said. “Did you expect to see her?”

“Erik had a strange dream last night,” Brianna said. “It’s okay, Erik, it was just a dream.”

“Guess I thought the break-up was a dream, too.”

“No, that was pretty real, I’m afraid,” said his sister. “You okay?”

Pointing at the machine on the counter, Erik said, “If that’s coffee over there, I am.”