Come What May: a short(?) Sims story
Sul sul, everyone. The story I'm about to share with you has been inspired by a series of events that took place in a save my daughter and I thought was simply a "random" game. It all began a fe...
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Chapter 6
Winterfest is almost here!
Although there was nobody in the house with him to hear him say it, Cameron announced this as soon as he woke up on that snowy Monday morning. It was a Ross family tradition and he honored it...although it gave him a twinge of sadness to do so.
There was no time for that, however. There were decorations to put up. And there was a bit of career-related business to do.
Elsa had loved One Blue Shoe, and she got permission from her parents to send him a text and tell him so. And while Cameron believed he could have made his writing a higher priority lately, he had still acquired enough skill to sell his book to a publisher. He wasn't sure how much royalty he'd receive, but he was now a published author, and that was what mattered the most to him right now.
It was a nice enough morning, and Cam didn't want to be inside any longer. So, after he sent his manuscript on its way, he strolled jauntily up the block to the home of his next-door neighbors, the Wiles family. He found most of them--Damon, Kaylin, and their daughter Poppy--standing on the sidewalk, enjoying the gently falling snow. Their son, Noah, was probably at the park.
Poppy saw Cameron first, and bounced over to him with a huge grin on her sweet face. "Elsa told me you wrote a BOOK, and it's REALLY GOOD!" she declared, while her parents smiled. Poppy and Elsa were best friends. In fact, Cameron hadn't known it at the time, but Elsa was actually the first of the Bjergsens he had seen, while she was playing with Poppy in the Wileses' yard.
https://i.imgur.com/HJLU3CR.jpg
The Wileses were a bit quirky, and Cameron liked that about them. It was just like Damon to come outside and romp in the snow, without thinking to change out of his ubiquitous cargo shorts. He talked about his desire to move to a farm in Henford-on-Bagley and keep a llama. Kaylin was a gifted artist; one of her paintings hung in Cameron's house, a housewarming gift he'd appreciated much more than fruitcake. They're so happy, Cameron thought as they chatted. The Bjergsens seem happy, too. And while these thoughts made Cameron smile, they also tugged a bit at his heart.
Don't waste your time feeling sorry for yourself. Cameron heard the familiar voice in his head. It was one of his mother's favorite pieces of advice, and he decided to heed it this morning. Yoga and meditation might be exactly what he needed to ease his tensions, so off he went to the Perfect Balance Spa.
Cameron jogged up to the sleek modern building as several members of the spa staff arrived to begin their shifts. One of them, a massage therapist, caught his eye and smiled. Very prettily.
They walked into the spa together, and their conversation continued as she reached her station. Cameron learned her name was Kali McCabe. She was perhaps a bit older than he was.
"I've seen you here before," Kali confessed with a playful smile. "I was wondering if you would ever come speak to me."
Cameron simply smiled, a bit self-consciously.
"It's not fair for Kathleen to meet all the handsome guys," she added. Kathleen was currently busy with a yoga class, so Kali had him all to herself for now.
Kali was definitely attractive: her dark eyes were warm and her spa "uniform" didn't hide her shapely form. Cameron felt himself relaxing and enjoying their conversation.
https://i.imgur.com/O38BUz3.png
When Kali learned he lived nearby, her interest grew even more.
All the houses in Newcrest are expensive, she reasoned. If he lives there, he's got some money...
Cam was perceptive. He noticed how she perked up when she heard the word "Newcrest," too. Some of his buddies would have told him "Who cares? Use it, man!" Others, like Duncan and Damon, would urge caution. It was Duncan who understood that The One was worth waiting for, and if a woman had Simoleons in her eyes, she was probably not The One for Cameron.
"You know," Kali purred, "You look like you could use a massage today."
Cameron paused for a moment. "Thanks, Kali. Perhaps another time."
"I'll be right here."
A vigorous workout now seemed like a good idea to Cameron, and as he made his way to a vacant treadmill, he resisted the urge to look back to see if Kali was watching him.
She wasn't, having turned her attention to a woman who approached her for a massage.
But Kathleen Morrison was. Her yoga class had just finished, and as she relaxed and prepared for her next one, she smiled. Kathleen had watched Cameron chatting with Kali out of the corner of one eye. It had not been especially good for her focus, but by now, Kathleen could perform her class routines in her sleep. She continued to smile as a plan took shape in her head.
Shortly after 5 pm, Cameron's phone buzzed. He was surprised to see a text from Kathleen. He wasn't aware she had his number, but there it was.
"The Humor & Hijinks Festival is tonight. Want to come drink some tea with me?"
Cameron looked at his phone for a moment. Then he tapped at its screen with two fingers.
"Sure. Meet you there."
Cameron knew what drinking Sakura Tea did to you. He'd seen its effects at the Romance Festival, where it unlocked the romantic in everyone who tried it. He was, therefore, a bit cautious about sampling the offerings at the fountains that had been set up outside the Casbah Gallery.
"I think they just make you silly," Kathleen offered. She had never tried the tea, either. They watched as several other Sims filled their cups and drank them down. Sure enough, within moments, the tea drinkers began to tell jokes and play pranks.
"That honestly looks like fun," Cam admitted.
Kathleen agreed. "Let's do it. Light or Dark?"
"Light." Cameron had watched a woman who had chosen Dark tea pull out a voodoo doll and begin to mess with it. That didn't seem like his style.
The two of them hurried to the Light tea fountain and filled their cups. "Let's sit over here," Kathleen suggested, pointing to a nearby table. Cameron followed her, and the two of them sat down and drank their tea.
The tea acted almost immediately. Cam felt his mood changing. Suddenly, everything seemed hilarious. A woman nearby told a stupid joke, one Cam wouldn't usually find funny at all...but this time, he broke up with laughter! Kathleen responded the same way, perhaps even more outrageously.
Cameron felt the sudden urge to perform an impression, which finished with him clucking like a chicken. Kathleen burst into giggles. So did Dominick and Moira Fyres, who had sat down at the table with them.
The strongest effects of the tea wore off before long, but Cameron found he was still enjoying the festival vibe. He and Kathleen listened to a comedy routine, performed by a fellow called Diego Lobo. Kathleen found Diego's jokes especially funny.
https://i.imgur.com/7iACFjm.jpg
Cameron was having fun, too. Kathleen was good company, energetic and cheerful...even more so with some festival tea in her system. She was definitely cute. And, best of all, she was very easy to talk to; again, was it the tea, or was a more natural kind of chemistry at work?
At one point, Cameron leaned over and playfully shared a secret with Kathleen.
https://i.imgur.com/PP0RLha.jpg
There was nothing the least bit salacious about the moment, but from across the square, a young woman was watching them. She smiled devilishly, took out her phone, and snapped a picture just as Cameron whispered close to Kathleen's ear.
That night, Cameron lay in bed and thought about the events of the day. Kali's flirtatious interest had been flattering, but that was it. He'd had fun with Kathleen, and he'd probably enjoy hanging out with her again, but he hadn't felt sparks flying. He wasn't sure what he was feeling, but he knew he wasn't in love.
At about the same time, in her bedroom in a house in Windenburg, a girl took out her phone. She hesitated, because she knew she was about to do something mean. It wasn't truly her nature to be malicious, but she was part of a crowd that expected that of her. With a deep sigh, she typed a short message to go with the picture she'd taken, and pressed "send."
Winterfest is almost here!
Although there was nobody in the house with him to hear him say it, Cameron announced this as soon as he woke up on that snowy Monday morning. It was a Ross family tradition and he honored it...although it gave him a twinge of sadness to do so.
There was no time for that, however. There were decorations to put up. And there was a bit of career-related business to do.
Elsa had loved One Blue Shoe, and she got permission from her parents to send him a text and tell him so. And while Cameron believed he could have made his writing a higher priority lately, he had still acquired enough skill to sell his book to a publisher. He wasn't sure how much royalty he'd receive, but he was now a published author, and that was what mattered the most to him right now.
It was a nice enough morning, and Cam didn't want to be inside any longer. So, after he sent his manuscript on its way, he strolled jauntily up the block to the home of his next-door neighbors, the Wiles family. He found most of them--Damon, Kaylin, and their daughter Poppy--standing on the sidewalk, enjoying the gently falling snow. Their son, Noah, was probably at the park.
Poppy saw Cameron first, and bounced over to him with a huge grin on her sweet face. "Elsa told me you wrote a BOOK, and it's REALLY GOOD!" she declared, while her parents smiled. Poppy and Elsa were best friends. In fact, Cameron hadn't known it at the time, but Elsa was actually the first of the Bjergsens he had seen, while she was playing with Poppy in the Wileses' yard.
https://i.imgur.com/HJLU3CR.jpg
The Wileses were a bit quirky, and Cameron liked that about them. It was just like Damon to come outside and romp in the snow, without thinking to change out of his ubiquitous cargo shorts. He talked about his desire to move to a farm in Henford-on-Bagley and keep a llama. Kaylin was a gifted artist; one of her paintings hung in Cameron's house, a housewarming gift he'd appreciated much more than fruitcake. They're so happy, Cameron thought as they chatted. The Bjergsens seem happy, too. And while these thoughts made Cameron smile, they also tugged a bit at his heart.
Don't waste your time feeling sorry for yourself. Cameron heard the familiar voice in his head. It was one of his mother's favorite pieces of advice, and he decided to heed it this morning. Yoga and meditation might be exactly what he needed to ease his tensions, so off he went to the Perfect Balance Spa.
Cameron jogged up to the sleek modern building as several members of the spa staff arrived to begin their shifts. One of them, a massage therapist, caught his eye and smiled. Very prettily.
They walked into the spa together, and their conversation continued as she reached her station. Cameron learned her name was Kali McCabe. She was perhaps a bit older than he was.
"I've seen you here before," Kali confessed with a playful smile. "I was wondering if you would ever come speak to me."
Cameron simply smiled, a bit self-consciously.
"It's not fair for Kathleen to meet all the handsome guys," she added. Kathleen was currently busy with a yoga class, so Kali had him all to herself for now.
Kali was definitely attractive: her dark eyes were warm and her spa "uniform" didn't hide her shapely form. Cameron felt himself relaxing and enjoying their conversation.
https://i.imgur.com/O38BUz3.png
When Kali learned he lived nearby, her interest grew even more.
All the houses in Newcrest are expensive, she reasoned. If he lives there, he's got some money...
Cam was perceptive. He noticed how she perked up when she heard the word "Newcrest," too. Some of his buddies would have told him "Who cares? Use it, man!" Others, like Duncan and Damon, would urge caution. It was Duncan who understood that The One was worth waiting for, and if a woman had Simoleons in her eyes, she was probably not The One for Cameron.
"You know," Kali purred, "You look like you could use a massage today."
Cameron paused for a moment. "Thanks, Kali. Perhaps another time."
"I'll be right here."
A vigorous workout now seemed like a good idea to Cameron, and as he made his way to a vacant treadmill, he resisted the urge to look back to see if Kali was watching him.
She wasn't, having turned her attention to a woman who approached her for a massage.
But Kathleen Morrison was. Her yoga class had just finished, and as she relaxed and prepared for her next one, she smiled. Kathleen had watched Cameron chatting with Kali out of the corner of one eye. It had not been especially good for her focus, but by now, Kathleen could perform her class routines in her sleep. She continued to smile as a plan took shape in her head.
Shortly after 5 pm, Cameron's phone buzzed. He was surprised to see a text from Kathleen. He wasn't aware she had his number, but there it was.
"The Humor & Hijinks Festival is tonight. Want to come drink some tea with me?"
Cameron looked at his phone for a moment. Then he tapped at its screen with two fingers.
"Sure. Meet you there."
Cameron knew what drinking Sakura Tea did to you. He'd seen its effects at the Romance Festival, where it unlocked the romantic in everyone who tried it. He was, therefore, a bit cautious about sampling the offerings at the fountains that had been set up outside the Casbah Gallery.
"I think they just make you silly," Kathleen offered. She had never tried the tea, either. They watched as several other Sims filled their cups and drank them down. Sure enough, within moments, the tea drinkers began to tell jokes and play pranks.
"That honestly looks like fun," Cam admitted.
Kathleen agreed. "Let's do it. Light or Dark?"
"Light." Cameron had watched a woman who had chosen Dark tea pull out a voodoo doll and begin to mess with it. That didn't seem like his style.
The two of them hurried to the Light tea fountain and filled their cups. "Let's sit over here," Kathleen suggested, pointing to a nearby table. Cameron followed her, and the two of them sat down and drank their tea.
The tea acted almost immediately. Cam felt his mood changing. Suddenly, everything seemed hilarious. A woman nearby told a stupid joke, one Cam wouldn't usually find funny at all...but this time, he broke up with laughter! Kathleen responded the same way, perhaps even more outrageously.
Cameron felt the sudden urge to perform an impression, which finished with him clucking like a chicken. Kathleen burst into giggles. So did Dominick and Moira Fyres, who had sat down at the table with them.
The strongest effects of the tea wore off before long, but Cameron found he was still enjoying the festival vibe. He and Kathleen listened to a comedy routine, performed by a fellow called Diego Lobo. Kathleen found Diego's jokes especially funny.
https://i.imgur.com/7iACFjm.jpg
Cameron was having fun, too. Kathleen was good company, energetic and cheerful...even more so with some festival tea in her system. She was definitely cute. And, best of all, she was very easy to talk to; again, was it the tea, or was a more natural kind of chemistry at work?
At one point, Cameron leaned over and playfully shared a secret with Kathleen.
https://i.imgur.com/PP0RLha.jpg
There was nothing the least bit salacious about the moment, but from across the square, a young woman was watching them. She smiled devilishly, took out her phone, and snapped a picture just as Cameron whispered close to Kathleen's ear.
That night, Cameron lay in bed and thought about the events of the day. Kali's flirtatious interest had been flattering, but that was it. He'd had fun with Kathleen, and he'd probably enjoy hanging out with her again, but he hadn't felt sparks flying. He wasn't sure what he was feeling, but he knew he wasn't in love.
At about the same time, in her bedroom in a house in Windenburg, a girl took out her phone. She hesitated, because she knew she was about to do something mean. It wasn't truly her nature to be malicious, but she was part of a crowd that expected that of her. With a deep sigh, she typed a short message to go with the picture she'd taken, and pressed "send."
