Author’s Note: More tissues required….So sorry…..
Ben’s mother and step father, Kaitlin and Leroy Chapman, arrived in San Myshuno within hours. Later he learned that it was Nick that had called them.
They were all sitting in his cramped apartment. Emma and his mother had taken over Cole’s care without a word. Nick was helping Rachael in the kitchen. Casey was talking to Leroy about something. To Ben, it was all just white noise.
All he could hear in his head were the words of the surgeon. ‘I’m sorry Mr. Murdock, we did everything we could. She lost so much blood so quickly that her body couldn’t take the stress and she went into shock. There was nothing anyone could have done.’ He didn’t remember anything after that. He didn’t even know how he got here and didn’t care. He hoped he was having a bad nightmare.
He stared through Emma as she walked towards him.
When she touched his face to get his attention, her hands were so warm. Then he remembered, Grace’s hands were like ice when he held her hand waiting for the paramedics. He needed to warm them up for her. “Her hands are cold,” he said to Emma, “I need to make them warmer.”
“Oh Ben, hun,” she said softly as her voice cracked. She sniffed back her tears before saying anything more. “I need to ask you somethin’. Do you have Lillie May’s contact information?”
Lillie May? Her name broke through his numbed state and threw him full force into the present. Pain blasted through him again and he began to sob.
“I’m so sorry Ben,” said Emma.
Ben jumped up from the chair. Lillie May, he thought again, I have to get to her. He ran his hands through his hair and sniffed back his tears . He swallowed hard several times before being able to speak.
He grabbed Emma. “Lillie May! God, I forgot. I need to go see her. Grace…” he had to stop for a minute, “she said we needed to take Cole to see her. I have to take Cole to her. We have to go now!” he explained, shaking Emma for emphasis. He had to make Emma understand he had to take Cole to Lillie May, right now.
His mother had been watching their exchange and walked over. “Ben, sweetheart, let me go with you. I can help with Cole. And I would like to meet her anyway.”
Ben stared at her trying to remember why she was here. Oh, I invited her for the weekend to meet Grace and Cole. Grace wanted him to be nice but…Grace wasn’t here….and the tears came again.
She obviously sensed his discomfort. Her shoulders slumped. “Maybe you would rather have Emma go,” she suggested, “Leroy and I will stay here and finalize the arrangements for you.”
Arrangements? What arrangements? thought Ben as he continued to stare at his mother. “Funeral Arrangements,” he said, his words just barely a whisper. He shook his head in denial and a fresh batch of tears rolled down his cheeks.
Emma closed the distance between them and wrapped him in a tight hug. “Sure Mrs. Chapman,” said Emma softly as she held onto Ben, crying with him. “I will be happy to go with him.”
Ben finally looked at Emma, but was unable to speak. He swiped at his face in an effort to stop the tears.
“We can go now,” said Emma gently, “I will call the nursing home and let them know what happened, tell them we are on they way. Sweetie, you should shower and get dressed. Is Lillie May’s number in your phone?”
Ben handed her his phone and numbly walked into the bathroom.
“I will get the baby ready,” said Kaitlin, choking back tears.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *











Author’s Note: Thank you so much to GLovely1 for Grace. ❤ She was beautiful and kind and made Ben love again. She also gave us our next generation heir. ❤ Adorable Coleman ‘Cole’ Ramsay Murdock.
While Ben’s journey isn’t over yet, Grace was able to crack through his playboy facade and set him on the right path to love and healing. We still have about 20 more Ben chapters to go before we officially kick off Cole’s journey. Hopefully Ben will be able to establish a good foundation for him so that he can overcome any obstacles that he may face.
I know these chapters were rough for most of my readers, some more than others and I do apologize. I tried to gently prepare you…but I guess I was too subtle. However, I did more fully prepare GLovely before she read since Grace is her baby. If you are looking for some amazingly beautiful sims, be sure to check out her sims on the Gallery – they are all fabulous and CC free. ❤ GLovely1 is also her EA Id. Grace’s item name is Graceful Acceptance – very fitting for an angel. 🙂
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Whyyy??? My tears are ready to fall right now!! 😢 Poor Lillie May, losing her chold and then her granddaughter so suddenly! It’s devastating, how will she be able to live like this from now on? 😭😭😭
And Ben… poor baby! My heart is breaking for him and Cole..! 😭
BUT I am an optimist, so I’ll say this: I feel like Grace was supposed to be the person that would help Ben open his heart to people and reconnect with his family, while the “endgame” is someone else… maybe Emma? ❤ I'd love to see them together at some point. I believe she is the only one that could make Ben happy again… maybe I'm reading too much into this, maybe Ben isn't meant to have a happy ending… but I'd love to think this is a possibility..!
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I hope he does get a happy ending. And maybe Grace was indeed the angel to help Ben open up again. He has Cole and the love of a child does all kinds of things to you. Maybe that’s what Ben needs right now. Someone that loves him unconditionally to help him get through this.
Wednesday’s chapter we will see what Lillie May said to Ben and how that affects him. ❤️ He adores that little old lady.
As for Emma, they have a special bond for sure. That’s part of the reason he never pushed for her to be one of his one-night stands. And she certainly cares deeply for Ben too, but romantic love? I think maybe Emma has decided she would not be happy with someone like Ben. Emma did want that for awhile but Ben never did.
Grace taught him how to love. And it scared him. He wouldn’t name it until after he found out about the baby. It was almost a desperate kind of Love he had for Grace. He would have let her go I think had it not been for Cole.
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Maybe the fact that he has a little person who depends 100% on him right now just to stay alive will help Ben get out of this slump… he can’t afford to be swallowed into darkness because of Cole and I guess that eventually this will prove to be good for him!
I’ll still hold on to my hopes about Ben and Emma, but even if nothing more happens, I hope they’ll stay best friends for life. Ben needs people like Emma in his life, that’s for sure! 🙂
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Exactly. Hopefully he will remember the feeling of not feeling a part of his family when he was growing up and not want that for his own child. It’s a lot of growing up he has to do but sometimes life forces your hand.
As for he and Emma, if nothing else they will certainly be best friends forever. ❤️
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It is Lilly Mart is breaking for. After watching my Aunt and Uncle Friday, I know the emotions that she is having. 😦
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I know 💔 I’m sorry these chapters came at a bad time for you. Ben won’t let her be alone though. He will make sure she gets to see Cole often.
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If you could only see my face right now…… 😥 I’m so heartbroken for Ben and Cole. Ben finally found someone who could set him in the right direction… his soulmate who he could safely confide in. Whyyyyyyyy? 😥
The pics at the nursing home were simply beautiful and I especially liked the last one because it conveyed so much. ❤
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I loved the nursing home. I got it off the gallery. I gave her the yellow sunshine flower room because that’s how she seemed to me. Always finding something to be happy about. That rubbed off on Grace and was truly what Ben needed. So it will be hard for him. But he will want his baby to feel loved.
That last scene makes my tear up even now. Ugh. So sad. But she was strong while Ben was there. On Wednesday we will see what she said to him. It will have a strong impact.
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I’m so glad he took the baby there to see her. I know it hasn’t fully sunk in for him yet and he’ll need to draw on what she said, I’m sure, in the future.
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He’s still a mess for sure. But he will remember what she said.
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~ Sorry can not see to type!♥
😥 😥 😥 😥 😥 😥
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I’m so sorry….Everyone loved Grace… and her poor Grandmother 😦
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Ahhhhh it hurts so much to see Ben like this. So dazed and shocked and in denial and just… so sad 😥 And then him breaking the news to Grace’s grandmother… 😦 I loved seeing Leroy and Katie again, but… I’m still so sad 😦 This was really well written. You captured Ben’s emotions perfectly. ❤
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Thank you! So many tears….and confusion… they didn’t have long together but it will impact Ben for the rest of his life – in a positive way. 🙂
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OHH sniff .. and that parting shot KICKED me in the behind …
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I know! That one gets me every single time I look at it!
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Soooo sad
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Poor Ben. What more can I say? 😭😭😭
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That’s about all you can do and give him a hug… 😥
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😭😭😭 why do you have to write this so well? It tears me apart! You know I’m totally hooked on this story though
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What a sweet thing to say! ❤️ Thank you so much. I’m glad you are enjoying the story. I hoped the tissues helped. 😢
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Your tissue warning at the beginning helped me be better prepared, but it was still tough to read. I get so attached to these characters that my heart is literally breaking for poor Ben.
And those pictures at the end were so sad. The saying is really true. A picture is really worth a thousand words.
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I’m glad the tissues helped. That last picture kills me. My heart breaks for Ben too. 💔
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Pingback: Chapter 38 – I’ve Got It | New Beginnings
This is so sadddddd!! Poor Lillie, I hope Ben takes care of her as Grace is gone, it would be terribly bad if she were left alone in this situation…Also, worried about Ben, he might have had such a sad experience, he might never think he can found love again…I don’t think he will try to talk with his family again,soooo… my money is on you now, Cole! I sure hope he dosen’t become all grumpy now ( And money-wise he will have to either get a job, or seel more drugs…)
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He adores Lillie May so I don’t think he will forget her. And what do you think he will do. Sell more weed of course.
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This is not over for Ben. What about Emma? I got the same feeling as Sempreviva here. And when was the last time we heard of Sofia? I’m sure she’ll come back, right? I mean…this has to be something good on the horizon.
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Somewhere there must be someone for Ben….Emma, Sofia or maybe someone else….
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Just too sad.
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I know…..super sad. Poor Lillie May.
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Nope, you were too subtle at all…working my dang nerves for all these chapters! lol POOR BEN!! I think you wrote his thoughts and actions perfectly.
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Thank you. Poor Ben is right…he finally was finding happiness and it all came tumbling down.
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Aww man… I was hoping my earlier worries of DOOM would be fruitless. But no; full of fruit, fruit for day, alas 😭
Dang it.
Poor Ben, oh dear… and poor Lillie May!
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Lillie May crushed me! 😭😭😭 Ben too though. 💔💔💔
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I will repeat this it takes a community to raise a child. Ben is not alone. He has his friends he has connection to Grace via Lillie Mae. He has his parents who rallied around him. Yes, Lisa/GLovely1 gave me the link to your story. Thank you for the storyline so far. Love the pictures and love the tale, howbeit sad right now.
Killing off one of the main characters is always hard and sad on the readers as well as the creators.
Will read on after using a kleenex or two.
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Sorry for the need for tissues….She knew…. I actually warned her before it happened so she would be prepared. But I promise she won’t be forgotten for a long time. She had a gorgeous son. 🙂 I used at least a whole box of tissues writing it.
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Ok while I still feel really bad for Ben, I feel even worse for Lillie May… she lost everyone now.
At least Ben still has Cole, and didn’t lose his child or grandchild yet :c
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That was the worst of all. But Ben won’t walk away from her. She does have her great grandson and Ben is still a grandson in law… he will make sure she gets to see Cole.
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Annd I’m back, I hadn’t intended on taking such a long break to mourn Grace, but that’s what ended up happening, and in my attempts to find where I left off, I had to briefly re-live the horrific events of last chapter. This one wasn’t any less sad… Poor Ben, his mind must be a jumbled mess trying to process everything. It’s going to be rough moving on from this, but at least he’s surrounded by a great and supportive group of friends. Seeing Lillie May hold Cole and then cry for Grace was just heartbreaking </3
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Awww. I know. Things will get happier for Ben in the future. But he does have a process to go through. I am sorry you had to re-live the sad parts…and yes…this chapter was terribly sad. But I ADORE Lillie May. She is a saint and a very strong woman. We haven’t seen the last of this grandma!
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Great story, with lots of depth. Wonderful job on the writing and pictures.
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Thank you so much. You made my day! ❤️❤️❤️
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Omg!! I was afraid we would lose our dear Grace. 😢 that is seriously so sad, poor Ben was set. And what would you know, i was at work when i read this particular chapter. Ohhh smiling at my customers wasn’t easy.
RIP beautiful Grace. 😇😭
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Ohhhh. So sorry you read this one at work, 😱. It was hard to write and I mourned Grace for a long time along with Ben. Yes she’s definitely an angel.
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Thats ok. I kept it professional. 😁
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I’m glad! ❤️
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Here I am, finally having mustered the courage to proceed. With tears in the eyes, again and the tears in my heart hurting all over again. But it was good to be prepared this time for what was to come and though it has been hard, I’m glad I did read all of it consciously.
There’s nothing left to say than how much I feel for every single one of them, but mostly Ben and Grace’s grandma. Nothing can express that pain, and maybe is is good that way ❤
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It was very sad. I cried for a long time after this. For Ben and for her grandmother. 💔😢
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I think I remember you sharing this on the forum. Or was it facebook? Rest in peace Angel. 😥
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I adore Lillie May!
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This is truly heartbreaking. 😩😩😩 Lillie May has suffered so much already and now at such a fragile state in her life, she has to endure even more tragedy. This is awful. And poor Ben! I really hope this doesn’t harden him even more than he had been before. This could possibly destroy him. He loved Grace so much, and she was the one who showed him he could love. This really is a shit situation all around. I honestly hated to see this happen. 😩😩😩
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Me too. It was so hard to write and poor Lillie May. I hope he makes a point to let her see Cole as often as possible. But he’s in a really bad place right now.
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BTW, do you know if Grace is still on the gallery? I was looking for her item name and couldn’t find it so wondered if she got taken down or renamed? Her creator has so many amazing Sims, but I was looking specifically for Grace. It’s been a few years, so anything could’ve happened.
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She probably is, I’ll try to find her tomorrow, If not, I have her and can send her to you.
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Ohhh, that would be awesome! I want to play with her in my personal game and have a Sim to put her with. She’s such a beautiful SIM. Do you need my email address?
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I think I have it. If not I’ll let you know.
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Sounds good. 😋 Thanks a heap. ❤️💜😍🦋
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