Week 12 Day 6: Goodbye Redward Ranch

This morning was just as bright and sunny as most mornings are on Maccaroni Island. But it's not just another day, because today's events will affect several locals in negative ways... there will be drama as well as jealousy.

At Sunrise Valley there are 5 lots, but only two houses yet. When the oldest Yea-Low son, Reynar, takes over the main property, Alex and Dorothy Yea-Low might move back into their vacant house here in the valley (center of the photo). At the time just the Hedgewall house at 5 Sunrise Valley is the only one resided.

This morning Beatrice G. Hedgewall was busy in the garden, like she usually is. Their horse Moose had just been running around, and Evita and Gaspar were about to leave for school. It's Gaspar's first day at school, and he wasn't thrilled about it.

Gaspar has no doubt inherited the eyes of his mom and granny Greta. He seems to be a rather emotional person. Beatrice heard the kids arguing, but not what they argued about. She had worried just a little about Evita lately, was she taking on some bad manners?

Evita left, and Beatrice went on with her work. Yoseph was out fishing, and soon their youngest, Jamiel, would need some food.

In the central region, someone was busy at the Village Hall main office...

Randal Redward was trying to put together a tax system that would somehow benefit himself. He is now an elder, which actually suited him fine. An older regent might gain even more respect! His portrait was already up on the wall. He wasn't satisfied with the result, but it would do. Now, there was no doubt who this office belonged to!

It was harder to create a good tax system than Randal expected. He didn't intend to pay taxes himself, so he would need to come up with a reason why he should be excluded. He would of course not suggest the taxes to be paid to him, but to the community, or perhaps to Maccaroni Bank (where he owned a majority). Then he could claim most of it as wages for doing the job as a regent. It was hard work, after all.

At the same time the entrance door flew open, and in rushed Reynar Yea-Low. He just became an adult, and he had rushed to the Village Hall to register as an Inventor, by leaving a note on the huge cork board. Reynar was always quite serious, he already worked for a long time as an Inventor, and being his parents' oldest child, he was already focusing on taking over the family house and build his own family.

Reynar had to hurry with the registering, because he and his dad, Alex Yea-Low, had planned to walk up to Maccaroni Mine to collect scrap. Reynar had been up there a couple times as a teenager, but after the recent volcanic activities, most locals had stayed away from the old mine. It could be dangerous climbing into the mine, and besides - whatever values it contained, were removed long ago.

Some time ago, Reynar had initiated a sunlight reflector that his late granddad Yespar Yea-Low had built up there, on top of Maccaroni Mountain. This way they hoped to make contact with ships passing by in the distance, but the problem was that the ray of light was showing only during sunset.

Scrap like metals was indeed needed for wires and other electrical supplies.

While Reynar and Alex moved closer to the old mine, the Redwards celebrated their oldest daughter, Rosanne. She had her young adult birthday today, and now she was at the local Bistro eating with her parents. Randal had walked over from the office. Corinne had been thinking all day, she had decided to leave Randal for Cody Major. It was today or never! She had not seen Cody in some time, but she figured she had to leave Randal first, then turn to Cody. She strongly felt that this was the right thing to do. But first, Rosanne's birthday celebration. She could talk to Randal tonight.

Rosanne knew all about their standards. After all her latest trait is Snob. Her other traits are  Brave, Virtuoso, Workaholic and Hopeless romantic.

Up at Maccaroni mine, Reynar and Alex had reached the old stairs that leads down to the deep of the mountain.

They found some piles of old scrap, and started to work their way through it.

On the island most resources are very restricted. Some minerals were dug up from the mine in the past, and over the years some values were collected along the shoreline. When something broke down it was repaired, or used to build something else. Only stuff that could not really be used for anything, had been trashed back into the mine. So, they could not expect to find much of interest.

Then Alex looked up, and walked closer... he couldn't believe what he saw!

Yes it was! Old Joe Hawk was on the ground, his face was wounded, and he certainly looked more dead than alive!

Joe Hawk dead? Here in the mine? Wasn't he released from jail only yesterday?

The early night was completely silent. Not even the wildlife's uuu-huu could be heard. The dead trees, the black smoke pumping from the volcano in the distance, and all those long paths winding along the side of the mountain. Why would anyone ever establish paths in this totally dead landscape?

Over at Redward Ranch at 6 Redward Heights, Corinne was actually waiting for Randal to return back home from a second stop at his office. Also Yamir was out, probably working late hours at the Fort Base. Then Rosanne and her younger sister Yvilla joined Corinne, and they naturally started to discuss Rosanne's new life.

Corinne suspected that Rosanne was about to marry the worst candidate of them all, the very poor fisherman, Alfonso Blumington. It would be a disgrace, but there really weren't that many candidates, and Corinne had to accept that at least one of her 3 children would marry someone less... qualified. At least the fisherman had a house.

Corinne had decided to keep her mouth shut, seeing that Rosanne made her own choice this rapidly made it seem like there could be feelings involved anyway, which made it easier to accept a bad partner.

Then Rosanne walked back into the livingroom, with her boyfriend, and Corinne was up for a shocking surprise!

Rosanne had been fascinated by Cody since she visited him once with her mom, and met his dogs for the first time. Then she had stopped by regularly mainly to see the dogs, but as a teenager she had realized that she also visited to see Cody. As soon as she turned young adult, they both were ready for a relation.

Corinne was speechless. It could have been even worse though if she had told Randal about her plans to leave him for Cody! Thanks Similius she had not had a chance to break up! She certaily needed several glasses of nectar now, but it would be wiser to wait till after the couple had left Redward Ranch.

Time was come for Rosanne to move in with Cody. Corinne made sure the dog Charlie followed, too. She did not want any household member reminding her of Cody Major!

To be continued in a short week!