#adanna gardenhouse

[blueshistorysims]

February 1929, Henford-on-Bagley, England

As the final year of the 1920s arrived, Byron began to seriously look at his economic investments. The last nine years had been a non-stop expanding economy, and he couldn’t help but think the luck wouldn’t last. He remembered Thaddeus had once explained to him why there was an economic bubble, and like any one of the past, it was only a matter of time before it popped. 

Ironically, when his phone rang, it was Thaddeus in question who called, only to bemoan about the exact same thing. As an economist, he expressed worry over the financial situation and was slowly selling his investments in the New York Stock Exchange, suggesting Byron do the same. He agreed, admitting he would try to get his father-in-law and sister to do the same while Thaddeus complained that his father wouldn’t listen to him, acting like he was the one with the degree in economics. 

The phone wasn’t just a business one, though. Thaddeus happily shared with Byron that he and Adanna were expecting their first child. 

[blueshistorysims]

June 1932, Henford-on-Bagley, England

Eleora was more than happy to take Adanna out to the town, eager there was a woman her age visiting. While she couldn’t relate to all her problems and struggles, she knew what it was like to be a fish out of water. She’d lived in England all her life, and her last name and wealth gave her access that many women like her did not have, but she still felt people’s stares and coveted whispers, whether due to her skin color or title. 

“Do you miss Nigeria?”

Adanna nodded. “Greatly. There’s no Nigerian community in New York really, and I miss eating my mother’s fufu and Jollof rice. …But at the same time, I know being an American will be better for James and any other child Thaddeus and I have.” She scoffed, waving her hand dismissively. “Big thank you to the Empire for ruining my home country.”

Eleora nodded. “I understand completely.”

“Thaddeus wants to leave New York, but I don’t think he will. He may resent his parents now, but my father-in-law is getting weaker. He’ll be devasted when he dies, no matter what he says now.”

Eleora sighed. “I think Byron’s the opposite spectrum but with a similar sentiment. I suspect he’s quite sick of having his mother around, however, he won’t ever outright tell his mother he’s arranged for her to live elsewhere.”

“I am lucky to have a good relationship with my parents.”

“As am I. I truly do not know or understand my mother-in-law and my husband’s resentment of one another. Neither of them will ever admit it, of course, claim it’s something else. I worry that they will eventually have a large fight.”

Adanna shook her head, smiling sadly. “We are here in England, avoiding Thaddeus’ parents for that very reason.”

[blueshistorysims]

Mr. and Mrs. Gardenhouse on their wedding day, July 17th, 1925

Thaddeus and Adanna Gardenhouse were married in a large Roman Catholic ceremony in St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City—while Thaddeus remains Baptist, his marriage to Adanna ensures that their children will be brought up in their mother's faith, much to Jedidiah Gardenhouse's annoyance. Adanna comes from a wealthy Igbo family from Onitsha and met Thaddeus while studying zoology in America.

bonus shots bc i love them!!!

[blueshistorysims]

June 1932, Henford-on-Bagley, England

The arrival of the Gardenhouses sparked a new surge of energy in the household. While the adults lounged in the sitting room, chatting the hours away, the children happily played together under the watchful eye of Rebecca. Byron was more than glad that his mother decided to “volunteer” and watch the children, even if he didn’t like her reasons. They could discuss real matters then.

Later in the evening, drinking gin and tonics in the library, Thaddeus admitted he was thinking about leaving New York to get away from his parents and sister. Samson, who’d decided to pursue a jazz career full-time, agreed with the sentiment. Mostly, they felt bad for Stella’s son Carl, who was the sole reason why Adanna and Thaddeus hadn’t left the city. 

It made him upset, hearing that his former wife had fallen to drink, and it angered him that she had violated Samson’s privacy in such a way, but he couldn’t help but think: Had she known about him too?

[blueshistorysims]

February 4th, 1925, Harlem, Manhattan, New York

My Dear Byron,

You cannot imagine my surprise by your letter. Not by its content or sender, but by pure coincidence! I had just sat down to in fact write you a letter when it was handed to me. It seems you have beat me to it. You are not the only one who will be married! If you will remember a woman I  had mentioned in a letter from years ago, Miss Adanna Okafor—well, she and I are to be married as well. In fact, this letter was also meant to be an invitation to my own wedding.

I never thought I would marry, hence being 34 and only now getting married, but now, I am so enamored with my fiancée, I can barely imagine what life was like before I met her. Our situations are familiar, I think, when it comes to our parents. My father especially does not like that Adanna is one, Nigerian and two, Catholic. I find it all very silly, but what can he do, I am a grown man. 

I am delighted to meet Miss Balass and make her acquaintance—I expect her as well as you to be at my wedding. It will be on July 17th, in St. Patrick’s Cathedral (I am still shocked we will wed in a church as nice as the cathedral). Of course, I will attend your wedding, and I know Samson will be eagerly writing to report the same, and so will my parents. 

I can read between the lines with the invitation of the former in-laws to your wedding. In truth, I am not sure if Stella would have gone if she were able, but there is other happy news in our family: Stella is to have a baby! Mother and Father are very excited for a grandchild. By your wedding, she will be caring for a newborn, as the baby is due shortly after my nuptial date. Campbell, on the other hand, still feels shame about the nature of the end of your marriage to my sister, and I don’t know if he will come. Perhaps if you affirm that you have no hard feelings in person, he will change his mind. 

I look forward to your reply, 

Thaddeus B. Gardenhouse

London, England

The news of Stella’s pregnancy startled Byron. She’d told him more than once that she never wanted children. He’d been fine by this when they married, but to learn she was to have a child sparked something in him he couldn’t explain. She could have a baby with Campbell but not with him? Perhaps it was unjustified anger or envy, but he couldn’t help it, much to his guilty conscience.

[blueshistorysims]

July 1925, New York, New York

Mirroring a memory from over six years ago, Byron was delighted when he saw two familiar faces standing in the New York City docks, with them a woman he did not recognize but assumed it was the future bride. 

After initial greetings, Thaddeus introduced his fiancée while Byron introduced his. Seeing them brought happier memories from New York, and he was grateful that there was no bad blood. He was more than happy to return to New York, even if it was just for a wedding.

[blueshistorysims]

July 17th, 1925, New York, New York

The wedding was delightful. It was nice to see people he’d been friendly with years ago. Samson even entertained the crowd with his saxophone. And Thaddeus had not lied about Stella being heavily pregnant. She looked rather uncomfortable—or perhaps she was uncomfortable by the presence of her ex-husband and his new fiancée. As the happy crowd watched the newlyweds slowly dance to the lull of a trumpet and piano, Byron watched the balcony where his former wife stood, staring off into the evening sky. 

“I never thought you would be a mother,” Byron said quietly, standing next to her.

Stella barely glanced at him. “I hear you’re a Jew now.”

“You heard right.”

“Then we’re both unlikely things we thought we’d end up.”

He snorted, not in disagreement. 

“...Why are you here?”

“Thaddeus invited me.”

“No, I mean—why are you talking to me?”

“I don’t like how we ended things, Stella.”

She laughed without humor. “We have moved on, have we not?”

“I don’t harbor bad feelings toward you or Campbell. …Anymore. And… I want… I would like us to be friends. If you weren’t so close to having a child, I would beg you to be at my wedding.”

Stella swallowed and licked her lips. “You should be resentful. You should harbor bad feelings.” She scoffed. “I was with child when Thomas Walsh died. I had an abortion.”

Byron froze, and everything he had meant to stay fell from his head. “...I beg your pardon?”

“I was pregnant with your child, and I chose to get rid of it. I didn’t want it.”

He couldn’t help his anger and shock, trying to make sense of the information she’d given him. “But you are willing to have a child with Campbell?”

“To have a child in your world? A society where she would be rejected in the spaces of her father’s culture and her mother’s? What cruelty would a child deserve to go through that? Yes, it is true I hadn’t wanted children, but with Campbell…” She sighed. “I’m happy, Byron. I’m happier than I ever was with you. And I think it is the same for you and Miss Balass. We can’t be friends. You lied about your past, and I lied about my love for you. You may have forgiven me, but I have not forgiven you. You forced me into a world I did not want to be in.” 

He looked down. “May we at least part as acquaintances?”

Stella was quiet for another minute. “I think so.”

Byron nodded, turning toward the night sky as they stood together in the simmering silence, watching the stars.

[blueshistorysims]

Look book for our newlyweds! Both Mr. and Mrs. Gardenhouse went for a simple yet fashionably elegant look (Adanna's dress would be very different if they'd married in her home country of Nigeria)

Thaddeus: Hair (Basegame), Tuxedo, Socks (Basegame), Oxfords (Wedding Stories)

Adanna: Hair, Veil, Earrings, Necklace, Dress, Gloves (Basegame), Bouquet, Pantyhose (Basegame), Shoes (TSR)

Thank you to these creators!

@vintagesimstress, @beocreations, @sentate, @simmerofthedawn, @gilded-ghosts

[blueshistorysims]

June 1932, Henford-on-Bagley, England

A few days after Amalia’s second birthday, Byron received a phone call from Thaddeus Gardenhouse, whose son James had just celebrated his third birthday. They chatted idly, but Byron got the sense that Thaddeus was upset over something.  

“Now, enough with the pleasantries. What’s bothering you?” He asked bluntly.

The American scoffed. “Where do I begin? I have my parents leeching off me for money because they lost all theirs, an alcoholic sister with a child also relying on me and Samson’s money… we’re all just fighting at this point, and I’m sick of it.”

“Stella’s an alcoholic?”

“Well, I think many turned to drink after the Crash. She lost her money and her husband. Carl… he’s a great kid, but he’s not even seven years old. Rather impressive being an alcoholic considering we’re in the middle of Prohibition.”

“My word.”

Thaddeus laughed without humor. “Oh, it gets worse. Stella and Samson were arguing in front of our parents and his…. And she fucking told them he was a homosexual. I wasn’t even aware she knew.”

Byron stared at the phone, stunned by the information. “Jesus… I-I… dear God.”

“It did not go over our parents’ heads very well. Samson has been staying with me ever since. Uncle Tobias and Aunt Sandra are disowning him, though it’s more symbolic since they have no money. My parents refuse to speak to me or Adanna because we support him. I’m so fucking tired of it.”

Byron swallowed. “If you need to get away from your family, you, Adanna, James, and Samson are more than welcome to come to Henford.”

“I may take you up on that.”

“Please do. I haven’t seen you or Samson since my wedding. Even in difficult circumstances, a friend is always welcome.”