Yuri and Rebecka

The next night at dinner, Yuri told his parents he was moving into his Cornerstone Condominium apartment, and that Rebecka was moving into an apartment one floor below his.

"I hope this no mean there problem between you and you girlfriend?" his mother asked, pointedly.

"Not at all," Yuri assured her. "It's just that--as I told you when I moved back in here--Rebecka doesn't want us to live together before marriage."

Kennedy regarded his son closely. "Does that mean there's still going to be a marriage?" he inquired. "Because--correct me if I'm wrong--you two aren't even engaged."

"I always figured Rebecka and I would end up married," Yuri said, but his parents detected the hesitation in his voice.

Yuri continued, "It's just that we want to concentrate on building our careers first. And making lots of money," he added, trying to think of something that would gain his mother's approval.

"Well," said Yelena, waving her fork at him, "not that I telling you what to do, but if you not careful, that girl going to slip away from you."

************
Later that night, Kennedy and Yelena discussed their son. "Honey," Kennedy broached the subject gently, "I don't think we should encourage Yuri to get married if he's not ready."

"Yuri need to get his act together," Yelena insisted, forcefully.

"He doing nothing besides wait for job to start at Agency. And he assume--because I head of SCIA--he no got to work hard at that. He not painting; he no got no kind of business going--nothing. And Rebecka just the opposite. She really motivated girl--she be good for our son. She straighten him out!"

Kennedy knew from years of experience not to push an issue if Yelena felt this strongly about it. He put his arm around his wife and sighed.

"Well, I do want grandchildren," he chuckled. "And sooner rather than later--I'm not getting any younger, you know."

"Old guy like you just fine for me," Yelena said, with a gleam in her eye, as she kissed him.

************
Yuri got promoted on his first day at the SCIA. 'No surprise,' some of his new co-workers had grumbled, 'seeing as how his mother's the head of the Agency.'

Yelena came home with Yuri that day, having told her son she wanted to see his new apartment. She cooked dinner for the two of them,

while Yuri took a shower in the elegant master bath Rebecka had designed.

By the time Yuri sat down to dinner, his mother had already finished eating (Yelena did not believe in waiting to eat), so she was able to give her entire attention to lecturing her son.

"Listen, young man, you will have easy time at Agency. Not because I you mother, but because you have good skill set that we need. So--just so you don't get lazy--I think you have to do something in addition to you job. If not, I worry you become lazy."

Yelena privately thought--to the extent that Yelena had any unuttered thoughts--that her son had already become lazy, and would be happy just to coast through life. "You got to find some business that interest you," she pressed him. "Whether you resume art gallery, or start something else, I don' care, but you have to do something that challenge you."

************
Once she'd moved into Randy and Calista's former apartment, Rebecka decorated a few of the rooms very quickly, since she had no one to please but herself--the master bedroom/office and bath,

and the kitchen/dining area.

She left the rest of the apartment undecorated,

because she didn't expect to use it, since she planned to spend all her time growing her realty business.

At Rebecka Realty every day, she was careful to control the pestilence caused by the Green Witch,

and made the most of every opportunity that came her way.

Occasionally, she received a job offer,

and, though she had no interest in working for someone else, she was usually able to turn the person's interest in her into a realty sale.

She got her business to Rank 5,

and took the $50,000 community cash award.

She got a good review from Jill Fleig,

and wondered if it was because she had put some distance between Yuri and herself. Rebecka was no fool, and suspected that Yuri was seeing Jill on the side.

She got her venue to Rank 6,

and, for her next business perk, learned how to assess a potential client's mood. To her surprise, she realized that Destry Fleig, to whom she'd already sold one lot that day, was in a good enough mood to buy another.

She finished up the day with a sale to Vamsi Thorne,

and another flattering job offer.

The following day, she got Rebecka Realty to Rank 7,

and took a very useful perk that allowed her to assess what particular lot a customer might be interested in.

She also got a free TV,

made two lot sales,

got a discount on home furnishings that would really come in handy for her decorating,

got her business to Rank 8,

and even got an introduction to a fellow Fortune Sim named Waylon.

On the last day of the week, she sold a lot

to yet another inventor

who gifted her with a new TV.

She finished up the day with one more lot sale.

The next day, Rebecka, exhausted, slept till noon, got up and made herself a bowl of chili for lunch, and happily counted her money. She was very close to realizing her goal of earning $100,000.

'Maybe it's time for a new goal,' she said to herself.

************
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Join us next week, when Yuri reconnects with a pretty college friend, Rebecka and Tosha have some serious heart-to-heart girltalk, and Tosha gives birth under chaotic conditions.

In Yuri's Million Dollar Challenge, he has 10 points for his one promotion.