HOLDEN FAM 2.0 | ADVENTURE AWAITS

HOLDEN FAM 2.0 | UPDATE 08
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WEDNESDAY
"Breathe" Darla thought to herself as she opened a white and pink box. With her hands shaking, she unwrapped the test and carefully read the instruction pamphlet. After following the instructions, she put the test on the bathroom counter and washed her hands. "It's going to be negative and everything is going to be fine" she whispered to herself aloud as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Gosh, this felt like the longest three minutes of her life. Her cell phone timer went off— beep, beep, beep! Darla grabbed the test, sat down, and looked at the digital screen. Not Pregnant the test read. Darla was so overwhelmed with emotions. She felt torn seeing the result. Part of her felt relieved, yet she felt a feeling of disappointment too. Though she knew it wasn't Wade's wish to have a baby right now, she felt ready. "Maybe someday" she thought as she hid the test under tissues in the bathroom trash bin.
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Darla marched down the stairs to find Wade eating breakfast in the kitchen. After eating, he kissed her goodbye before trotting out the door to head off to work. Darla collected the dishes and loaded the dishwasher and started to clean around the house. She disinfected the kitchen and bathroom surfaces, vacuumed the floors, and did the laundry. She was trying to do anything and everything to distract herself from the negative pregnancy test result earlier that morning.
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Nothing seemed to keep her distracted, so she turned to the internet. She found a few blogs other women wrote about their fertility and family planning journeys. Reading other's thoughts made her put things into perspective and made her feel a little better about her situation. Here she was, disappointed she didn't get pregnant, but she had no reason to feel such a way. She wasn't even trying to get pregnant! She realized the root of her problem— her partner and her wanted different things. It's a sad truth that she had to acknowledge and accept.
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Feeling lost with what to do and how to feel, Darla threw herself into her work. She put on another yard sale for Fruit N' Fizz. She managed to sell all of her inventory! Now that she's sold out, she'll have to go back to drawing board to come up with a new flavor.
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While Darla was selling her fizzy juice she got a call from a representative of World United. The representative thanked her for the sizable gifts Wade and her so graciously donated throughout the past year and extended an invitation to an event later that evening. Darla accepted the invitation and was told she could bring up to 6 guests. After Wade got home from work the two got dressed to impress and headed to Goth Gardens for a dinner before the event.
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At Goth Gardens, the couple had a nice dinner. They ordered their meals; Wade got the rack of lamb and paired it with a glass of soft shadow avornalino while Darla got the herb-crusted salmon with a glass of riverblossom cranerlet nuala. They enjoyed their meals and gossiped about Serenity and Neal, who were two of their guests coming later that night. Who knew hooking them up on Summerfest would have turned out so well?! Now they're an official couple!
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The Holdens ended their night at Heart & Soul, which is an annual event put on by World United to highlight diversity. They met up with their guests, Miguel and Elena Santos and Serenity Lehman and Neal Johnston, and had a ball dancing and catching up with one another.
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THURSDAY
The next day Darla woke up in a better mood. She can't change matters she cannot control, and for now she just wants to focus on her relatively new role as a wife. Maybe she'll revisit motherhood next year. She spent her morning channeling her energy on her own body and mind by practicing a yoga routine. She really pushed herself and she finally perfected her balance enough to achieve a handstand.
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Later that evening after Wade got home from work, the two headed out to Brindleton Bay. Darla read about an autumn festival taking place at Maureen's Café. First they strolled into the pumpkin patch to pick out two pumpkins to carve at the carving station.
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After picking their pumpkins, they moseyed over to the carving station. As Wade started to carve his pumpkin, Darla found a new furry friend! Maureen's Café was home to a family of wild rabbits. When Darla approached the rabbit, it immediately turned on its back and exposed its belly. Aww! Darla pet the rabbit and named it Cinnamon. She played with Cinnamon until it was her turn to use to carving station.
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Once they finished carving pumpkins, they followed the faint sound of a woman singing to find Rhi Russo performing live. Rhi Russo is a local star famous for her street performances in the Art District in San Myshuno. Everyone crowded around her to watch her perform a few spooky hits: "Hit and Run", "Reaper's Black Puddle" and "Snakes".
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When the Holdens arrived home from a wonderful time in Brindleton Bay, they sat down to watch the season premier of "Odder Things"...what a great way to celebrate the start of spooky season!
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That's all for now! :)

** Comments are welcome and appreciated! **
** If you'd like to leave a comment, please leave them in the WHIYGT thread (here) to preserve the organization of my thread **

HOLDEN FAM 2.0 | UPDATE 09
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FRIDAY
After a sleepless night, Wade got out of bed feeling like his battery was on low. He had been up all night, tossing and turning, over a stressful situation at work. He has never been one to surrender to stress, so he put on some workout clothes and went for quick jog around the block. While jogging, he focused on his senses; gazing at the dry desert landscape, listening to children laughing and playing, and feeling the warm sun rays on his skin. Normally, grounding himself using this technique always worked, but this time— it didn't. He felt his body tense up and his mind got cloudier and cloudier. He felt like something just wasn't right. "I'll deal with this another day" he thought as he finished his jog. Today was Spooky Day and Darla had planned their entire day together to celebrate. It was time to put his issues aside so he could enjoy the rest of the day.
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First on Darla's agenda after breakfast and decorating the house with spooky decorations was costume shopping at Borgin's Boo-Tique! Neither of them had any clue what they wanted to dress up as this year for Spooky Day, but Darla thought it would be cute if their costumes had a couple theme.
Darla: "Hmm, what about a witch and wizard?"
Wade: "Nah, I don't wanna carry around wands. What about a cop and criminal?"
Darla: "Haha no! That's not a couple, that's enemies!"
Wade: "Alright, well I want to be something cool...don't think for one minute I'm getting in salt and pepper shaker costumes.."
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They browsed around the store for a few minutes until Darla found two costumes she thought paired well together. She immediately bought the costumes before telling Wade so he would feel obligated to wear them. "Got 'em!" she yelled. They tried on their costumes and wore them out of the store. They were dressed up as a knight-like prince and princess! Outside of the boutique were pumpkin carving stations, so they each bought a pumpkin to carve and take home. Darla carved a traditional looking pumpkin, and Wade showed off his carving skills and made a pumpkin that looked like it was throwing up.
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The couple went home to feed Captain and hand out candy to trick-or-treaters before their dinner reservations. Wade was on door duty, and one of the children was in awe when he opened the door. He looked like a real prince! The child yelled "Trick or Treat!" and Wade gave him a Fizzy Whizzbee, which was one of his favorite candies growing up. "Thank you!" the child cheered before prancing off to the next house.
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Later that evening, they went to the Spotted Pumpkin for dinner. The restaurant had a Spooky Day tradition to give their diners a family-friendly, yet spooky experience with all staff in costume and a spooky-themed menu.
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They each got a Granny Smash to start. Wade held up his glass for a quick toast!
Wade: "Happy Spooky Day babe!"
Darla: "Yes, Happy Spooky Day!"
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Wade caught a glimpse of something moving. He looked up at the portrait hanging above their table.
Wade: "Uhh, babe..did you just see that?! The picture just changed! Just a minute ago those bodies had heads!"
Darla: "I don't know what you're talking about, dear. It's just a picture, nothing changed! Are you okay?"
Wade: "I'm not going crazy, Darla. The picture changed!"
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Darla: "Gotcha! It's what this restaurant is famous for— their portrait illusions!"
Wade felt relieved and they both laughed.
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Darla: "So what do you say we do our rose and thorn of the week?"
Wade: "Haha alright. Do you want to start?"
Darla: "Sure! Okay so my rose was my spa day with the girls a few days back. It was so nice to see them and catch up, plus I love a good massage!
Wade: "That's no surprise! Haha you've never passed up a massage. What about your thorn?"
Darla: "And my thorn, well, my thorn has been really bothering me lately. I took a pregnancy test a couple days ago, and don't worry I'm not pregnant, but that was kind of the problem..."
Wade: "Pardon? I don't understand. What's the problem? I didn't think we were trying to get pregnant. I thought we both agreed we weren't ready for children anytime soon. Am I wrong?"
Darla: "I think you aren't ready, and so it doesn't really matter what I want."
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Wade took in a deep breath and gave Darla a disappointed look.
Wade: "Look, I'm really sorry to hear you feel this way, but this isn't the time nor the place to have this discussion. I think we should get the check and go home."
Darla: "I didn't mean to cause an argument, Wade—"
Wade: "That's fine if it wasn't your intention, but I feel kind of ambushed, so let's just go home. We can talk about it another time."
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As they got up from their table, the greeter told them to go outside to get a complimentary Spooky Day portrait taken by the restaurant photographer. Honestly, the entire exchange was kind of awkward since they clearly cut their dinner short due to a disagreement.
Photographer: "Alright, get close together you two! On the count of three— 1,2,3!"
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The Holdens went home in silence and immediately went to bed. When things are good, they're great! But when things get ugly....they're pretty ugly. Sorry to cut this part short, but we will see how the Holdens deal with this issue going forward in the next part.

Thank y'all for reading! :)

** Comments are welcome and appreciated! **
** If you'd like to leave a comment, please leave them in the WHIYGT thread (here) to preserve the organization of my thread **

HOLDEN FAM 2.0 | UPDATE 10
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SATURDAY
As the weekend rolled around, Darla woke up feeling very unsettled as she thought about last night. She looked over at Wade, peacefully sleeping next her, and let out a rather long sigh. They’ve had some arguments and disagreements before, just like any couple, but this one felt..heavy. Sure she knew bringing up children may have been uncomfortable, but she never thought they would end up here— silent and upset with one another. They didn’t even speak but one word to each other last night on the drive home. When they arrived at the house, Wade went straight upstairs to bed without saying goodnight to her. She wished she was in a dream, a nightmare rather, where she could simply wake up to escape how she felt. However, this wasn’t a dream, so it was time to face her reality.
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Darla went downstairs to make some breakfast. Whenever she feels anxious, she doesn’t have much of an appetite, so she made a bowl of fruit salad to nibble on. She stabbed at a piece of melon while staring out the kitchen window. Her eyes were looking at a bright and sunny day, but her thoughts were like a terrible storm racing through her head. She was startled by the sound of water running and listened until she figured it was just Wade taking a shower. She rinsed off her bowl and set it in the sink as she heard Wade enter the kitchen. He retrieved a bowl from the cupboard, scooped himself a helping of fruit, and sat down at the furthest seat away from Darla. Now this was just childish. How long was this silent treatment going to last?
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After he finished his breakfast, Wade rinsed off his bowl and placed it in the dishwasher. He mumbled a quick “thank you” and started to walk towards the living room. Darla grabbed his hand and guided him back over to the dining table. He knew what she was trying to do, but all he really wanted right now was some space.
Wade: “Darla, I’m really not in the mood to talk right now. You put me in a tough position last night, and I need some time to think. I need a little space so I can figure things out.”
Darla: “What do you mean by figure things out? Don’t you think we should figure things out together?”
Wade: “That’s not what I meant. I don’t even know how to feel right now. You basically blamed me for your unhappiness last night. Heck, I didn’t even know you were unhappy! Ugh, you always do this.”
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Darla: “Excuse me, always do what? Put your feelings before my own? Because that’s what I always do. Gosh Wade, you act like I was trying to cause a fight. I was trying to tell you about the negative test because it left me feeling a little depressed. You’re my husband, so I thought you would’ve acted a little more supportive. Instead you left me feeling more alone than I did before!”
Wade: “I would’ve been supportive had I known that’s what you wanted, but you never told me! I was a little shocked and you didn’t even give me a minute to process. I told you I was confused and you went on to say your feelings didn’t matter.”
Darla: “Yeah because sometimes I really feel like they don’t.”
Wade frowned and put his head down.
Wade: “I gotta go. I told Miguel I’d meet him at the gym and I’m late.”
He walked off cradling his head in the palm of his hand. He took his gym bag as he went out the door.
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While at the gym, Wade and Miguel challenged each other to a hoops competition. Miguel is a much better basketball player than Wade, so it was no surprise he won. He noticed Wade’s frustration, and it seemed deeper than being a sore-loser.
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Miguel: “It’s okay man, you’re still the star player in Darla’s eyes!”
Wade: “Haha ehh— I don’t know about that right now.”
Miguel: “Ohhh, I get it. Trouble in paradise, my friend? We’ve all been there at some point. From personal experience, the phrase “you’re right” can get you back in good standing in no time!”
Wade: “Oh yeah, is that the trick?! Haha all joking aside, trouble is where I’m headed for sure. Just trying to get some space so I can think about it, ya know?”
Miguel’s expression quickly went from a slight smirk to a look of concern.
Miguel: “Dude, what happened?”
Wade: “Honestly, I don’t even wanna get into it. The whole thing makes me mad.”
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Miguel: “Ooh, well okay, why don’t you stay somewhere else for a couple days? You know, get that space you’re talking about and hey, distance makes the heart grow fonder!”
Wade: “Yeah, you’re right. I think I’ll head back to Chestnut Ridge for the weekend.”
Wade took out his phone and texted Darla.
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Meanwhile back at home, Darla was laying on the couch watching TV as she heard her phone beep. She got a text from Wade which read:
Wade: “Going to CR for a couple of days. I’ll be home around 4. We’ll talk then.”
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When Wade got back from the gym, he was greeted with a rather concerned look from Darla. She had been sitting on the couch, patiently waiting for him to get home. He went over to the couch and sat down next to her.
Darla: “Why are you going to Chestnut Ridge? Are your parents okay?”
Wade: “They’re fine. I’m supposed to head out tomorrow, but I figured with the way things are here, an extra night won’t hurt.”
Darla: “I feel like it hurts. I don’t understand why you feel like you need to retreat from me every time there’s conflict between us."
Wade: “It’s not you, it’s the situation. I just think a little time to ourselves might be beneficial.”
Darla: “Okay, but I’m telling you I don’t think separation is going to help resolve things. I don’t like this idea.”
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Wade: “Why? Don’t take it personally, Darla. Space is what I need right now.”
Darla: “It’s hard not to take it personally when I’m the reason you’re leaving.”
Wade: “It’s really not you though. I’ve been feeling really burnt out lately because of work, and with things a little rocky between us, it’s just getting to be too much. I just need a couple of days, I promise I’ll be back home on Monday.”
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Darla: “How come you didn’t tell me you’ve been burnt out? I could’ve supported you if you had told me.”
Wade: “I don’t know. I thought the feeling would pass, so I guess I didn’t feel the need to mention it.”
Darla: “You really need to work on your communication.”
Wade: “Ha yeah, you and me both.”
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Darla: “What’s that supposed to mean? Maybe you really should leave.”
Wade: “That’s what I’m trying to do!”
Darla: “Fine, go then!”
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Wade got up shaking his head and ran up the stairs to pack his suitcase. In less than five minutes, he came back down the stairs and walked straight out the door to the sidewalk. Darla followed him outside.
Darla: “And you know what? Don’t call me while you’re out there. If you wanted to talk to me you would be staying here!”
Wade: “Babe, you literally just told me to leave! I’m going to my parent’s house and that’s that. See you on Monday.”
Darla turned around and walked back inside.
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She felt so hurt, even Captain could sense it. If he wanted to work things out, then why wasn’t he staying? It was nearly impossible for her to look past her own hurt feelings to understand that Wade truly needed a break. As she stood in the living room, she heard a car door slam shut and he was off to Chestnut Ridge.
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After an hour passed by, Wade arrived at his parent’s ranch. Mae was making tuna casserole and Waylon was tending to Trusty. Waylon greeted his son with a giant hug and they walked into their home. Mae put her spoon down and ran over to Wade.
Mae: “It’s so nice to see you!”
Waylon: “Yeah son, happy to have you here for an extra day! What’s the occasion?”
Wade: “Uhh, it’s a long story. Hey, I’m gonna step out and make a quick call.”
Mae: “Okay, dinner will be served when you get back!”
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Back in Oasis Springs, Darla sobbed herself to sleep. While she was sleeping, her phone lit up— someone was calling her. Her phone was on silent mode, so she peacefully slept through it. That’s too bad, guess they’ll have to leave a voicemail.
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That's all for now, thank y'all for reading! :)

P.S. Who do you think called Darla? I advise you to always expect the unexpected!


** Comments are welcome and appreciated! **
** If you'd like to leave a comment, please leave them in the WHIYGT thread (here) to preserve the organization of my thread **

HOLDEN FAM 2.0 | UPDATE 11
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SUNDAY
Darla woke up to her phone buzzing from an incoming call. It was the same unknown number that called her last night. Whoever it was, they left a voicemail, but Darla was too tired to give it any attention last night before she forced herself up the stairs and into bed. She held her phone up to look at the time. 12:51PM it said. With the night she had, she wasn't surprised she spent half her day sleeping. Was she depressed? Who knows, but she can't waste away her day in bed.
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She got up and went into the bathroom to freshen up. She brushed her teeth and picked out a facemask to wear. Although she feels exhausted and cheerless, she doesn't have to look that way. After putting on her facemask she went downstairs to grab some leftover fruit salad.
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Once she finished her fruit, she went over to the kitchen and loaded her bowl into the dishwasher. Her facemask felt very tight across her skin, so she went into the downstairs powder room and discarded it. She heard her phone buzzing on the kitchen counter. Who the heck kept calling her? She grabbed her phone and tapped the button to decline the call. In curiosity, she opened her voicemail box on her phone. Her phone displayed she had an unheard message. She went over to the couch, laid down and pushed play.
"Hi Darla, this is Cynthia calling on behalf of the Sadness Hotline. We got a tip from an ACS (Anonymous Concerned Sim) letting us know you may be in need of our assistance. Please don't hesitate to give us a call if you're feeling stressy, depressy or lemon-zesty!"
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She felt so unbelievably embarrassed. Were things really that bad she needed assistance from the Sadness Hotline? She cradled her head in her hand and cried, not because she was sad, but she was so mad her only way to release it was in tears.
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After she pulled herself together sorta, she called the one and only person who could have given the anonymous tip. She heard the phone ring twice and then it went silent for a few seconds. "Hello?"
Darla: "Wade Archer Holden! Why in the world would you call the Sadness Hotline on me?! What good did you think that would do? Do you even understand how embarrassing it is to get a call from them, let alone three?!"
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Wade: "Hey, don't get mad at me! You seemed so upset yesterday after lashing out at me, and then you told me not to call. What was I supposed to do? If you wouldn't talk to me, I thought maybe you'd talk to someone else. The Sadness Hotline was my last resort and only choice!"
Darla: "I would rather you call yourself than do what you did! You blew this entire thing out of proportion!"
Wade: "Oh my gosh, Darla...you're the one blowing all of this out of proportion. We could have resolved everything yesterday, but then you got all offended and told me to leave."
Darla: "You were leaving anyway!"
Wade: "Whatever. Are you done yelling at me now?"
Darla: "......"
Wade: "Ugh, look—"
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Darla: "Nope. I don't wanna hear it. I'm packing your things and you can come pick them up from the house. You wanted your space and you're going to get it."
Wade: "What?! You've got to be kidding."
Darla: "I'm as serious as a heart attack, Wade."
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Wade didn't want anything to escalate any further.
Wade: "Alright. I can swing by in a few hours after I help my dad with the horses."
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Darla hung up in the phone. What did she just do? She really needs to learn to dial back her reactions. She didn't mean for any of this to happen, and now it's all spiraling out of control. Her heart felt even more broken than it was before calling Wade. When she threatened him with more separation, she thought he was going to put up more of a fight— a fight for her. Her emotions were stirring up a frenzy in her head. She was seeing red! She went upstairs to get changed and pack Wade's stuff. If he was coming over to get his things, then she was going to have them packed and waiting for him.
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In the late afternoon, Wade came around the house to pick up his things. Darla was waiting for him on the front porch with a box of his old junk from their university days.
Darla: "Here."
She set the box in front of him and took out an old picture frame. The frame had a picture of them from the day they first met back in Britechester. She threw the frame on the ground behind him. Wade couldn’t believe what he just witnessed.
Wade: "What are you doing? My gosh, can we talk for a minute?"
Darla: "Okay, talk."
She crossed her arms and waited for his response. Her sass was going to ruin everything if she kept this up..
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Wade: "C'mon Darla, I mean can we go inside and talk?"
Darla: "Nuh-uh. You came over to get your stuff, so pick up your things and go back to CR."
Wade: "How about we just breathe for a second?"
He placed his hands on her shoulders and leaned down to make his eyes level with hers.
Wade: "Let's talk about this...please?"
Darla felt herself starting to calm down as she let out a deep breath.
Darla: "Alright."
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They walked into the house together and sat down in the living room. Wade pulled out his phone to text his parents and warn them he may not be coming back so soon. Unaware of who he was texting, Darla felt disrespected when he immediately pulled out his phone as soon as they sat down. Who could be more important to him while he was supposed to be talking to her?
Darla: "Ahem. Are we going to talk or what?"
Wade glanced up at her.
Wade: "I'm texting my mom."
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Wade finished his text and faced his phone down on his stomach.
Wade: "Do you wanna tell me where all of this anger is coming from? Why did you throw our picture on the ground like that? Like what have I done to deserve that?"
Darla: "You didn't fight for me, Wade."
Wade: "What do you mean?"
Darla: "When I told you to come get your things, you didn't even ask why or argue against it. Instead, you agreed. I'll admit I've let my emotions get out of control, but it's not really anger. I feel really hurt. It's like you want nothing to do with me now."
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Wade: "Trust me Darla, I want everything to do with you, but I just needed a little time to myself. Like I said yesterday, wanting to be alone didn't have much to do with you and mostly related to feeling burnt out. I wanted a little break. I get now that you didn't understand that, and I should've done a better job trying to explain how I felt to you. The bottom line is we both could've communicated better, honestly. I should have told you about my burn out a long time ago and you should've told me you felt unhappy with my stance on kids. We're supposed to be a team and work together, but these past couple of days we've been fighting against each other. I'm sick of it."
Darla: "If you're sick of it, then why did you give me the silent treatment after I brought up kids on Friday?"
Wade: "I don't know. I guess you surprised me. It's not like we never brought up kids before, but back when we had that conversation, you said you were okay with waiting. If you felt differently back then, you could've spoke up."
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Darla: "You’re right, I could’ve spoke up, but I didn’t. You wanna know why? Do you remember back in Britechester when I got pregnant? I was scared, but I was more excited than anything. When I showed you the positive test, you looked as pale as a ghost. The thing is Wade, you immediately assumed I wasn't going to go through with it. You didn't even ask me how I felt or what I wanted to do. It was all about you."
Wade: "We were so young though. I mean no 20-year-old guy wants to become a dad that young. I had other things to focus on— soccer, my fraternity, not to mention my degree!"
Darla: "Hey, I had other things going on too, but a baby would've been a welcome addition to that list. It doesn't even matter, the past is in the past, but you still have that mentality. You assume because you're not ready, that I must not be ready either. I never said I wanted to wait, instead I told you I can wait. There's a big difference."
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Wade: "I care about how you feel, but I can’t read your mind. You have to tell me if you disagree then and there, otherwise I won’t know and we’ll experience this mess all over again. So you're saying you want kids now?"
Darla: "Well, it doesn't have to happen now exactly, but I don't want to stay in this waiting period for long."
Wade: "Okay. I'm not against the idea or anything, but I hoped we wouldn't try until we were financially..and emotionally both ready. Work has me stressed out right now, and adding a baby to the mix just doesn't seem like the best idea."
Darla: "Wade, life is full of stressors. Part of living life is learning how to deal with them."
Wade: "If it means this much to you, I'm all for it. It's just a little scary, that's all."
Darla: "Well then we can be scared together because I'm scared too."
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It was late as they wrapped up their conversation. They made a lot of progress and ultimately decided to wait a little longer to start trying for a baby. Darla thought the summer would be a good time to revisit the idea. By that time, Wade will have had enough time to get used to the idea without making Darla wait too long to fulfill one of her lifetime dreams of becoming a mother. They went upstairs and changed into their PJ's. Wade was going to stay the night and drive back to Chestnut Ridge in the morning to get his clothes that were still at his parent's house. Darla fell asleep straight away, but Wade had a much harder time relaxing. Someone once told him a lot of people struggle with sleep because sleep requires peace — he felt that.
https://i.imgur.com/KSltp2W.png

That's all for now, thank y'all for reading! :)

** Comments are welcome and appreciated! **
** If you'd like to leave a comment, please leave them in the WHIYGT thread (here) to preserve the organization of my thread **

HOLDEN FAM 2.0 | UPDATE 12
https://i.imgur.com/8slEswO.png
MONDAY
In with the new and out with the old! It's a new week and Darla woke up in a refreshed mood. She put on her favorite yellow sleep romper and went downstairs to whip up some fruit salad for breakfast. Once she got into the kitchen, she turned on some pop music and took some fruit out of the fridge to chop up. After preparing breakfast, she and Wade sat at the dining table to eat.
https://i.imgur.com/u5IHrt6.png

After eating, Darla gathered some laundry from the powder room and placed it into the washing machine. Wade came up behind her and hugged her waist. He twirled her around and dipped her into a kiss.
Wade: "Alright, I gotta get going or I'll be late to work, but I'll see you tonight. Don't forget Miguel and Elena are coming over for movie night!"
https://i.imgur.com/3lC7yim.png

As Wade headed out the door to go to work, Darla made her way back over to the kitchen and cranked up the volume on the speaker. She started moving her hips to the beat while washing dishes and before she knew it, she was dancing around the kitchen. This is what true happiness felt like!
https://i.imgur.com/NXehbFW.png

Later that morning, after watering her berry garden, she went outside onto the patio. There, she lit some lemon-scented incense and performed a quick yoga routine. It was nice to clear her mind of all the drama that went on the past few days and just focus on her movement. Every move was perfectly executed, she didn't mess up once!
https://i.imgur.com/NDE3wiE.png

In the evening, after Wade came home from work, they invited Miguel and Elena Santos over for a movie night. The night began with sweet corn pizza and fruit nectar for dinner. As they ate, they gossiped about the neighbors, joked about old times from their Uni days, and critiqued the heck out of the fruit nectar since it wasn't from Vintage Vineyards. Obviously, no other nectar could compare to Mae's creations!
https://i.imgur.com/4fBc3sx.png

Once they finished eating and the conversation started to wind down, they made their way over to the living room and picked a movie to watch. Tonight was Elena's turn to pick, so she went with a University classic— College Cram! They all sat down with a bowl of buttered popcorn to watch. They laughed, they cried, overall it was a splendid time! After the movie, Miguel and Elena thanked the Holdens for hosting and went home.
https://i.imgur.com/Sn3laqp.png

TUESDAY
The next day, Darla went out to breakfast at the Summer Moon Café in Magnolia Promenade. It was a beautiful fall day with crisp air and leaves falling off of the colorful trees. She ordered a café latte, grabbed a newspaper from the stand, and sat down to read the latest news.
https://i.imgur.com/GSi1vlY.png

"Mysterious Disappearance of Agnes Crumplebottom" the newspaper headline read. Darla quickly skimmed the article. As she was reading, she heard a woman's voice speaking.
Lilliana: "Sad, isn't it? Her cowplant got the best of her."
Surprised, Darla turned around to find one of her childhood friends, Lilliana, reading behind her shoulder.
Darla: "Why yes, it's terrible! I cannot imagine how devastated Agatha is."
Lilliana: "You know, I heard she isn't devastated at all. Now that's the real mystery!"
https://i.imgur.com/CP8BJEV.png

Darla and Lilliana made their way over to a small table in the front of Summer Moon and continued to gossip about the news of Agnes Crumplebottom.
https://i.imgur.com/TEpuCzB.png

After a long day at Magnolia Promenade, Darla went back home and got ready for date night with Wade. She picked out her favorite cream sweater, a brown skirt, and tied her hair up in a bun. She finished her look with a reddish-brown lipstick and took one last glance in the mirror before Wade yelled for her as it was time to head out to San Sequoia.
https://i.imgur.com/7G7Cpza.png

The Holdens went out to a restaurant called Irene's. The menu focused on Asian-fusion cuisine and eccentric cocktails. After the couple put in their order, Wade had some exciting news to share. He got promoted to Brigadier! Darla was so proud of him.
https://i.imgur.com/UlN61vB.png

Their food came out to the table. Wade got the beef yakisoba with a silent film drink and Darla got the sukiyaki paired with a sea of fire to drink. They both enjoyed their meals while laughing at one another. Neither one of them were too skilled with chopsticks!
https://i.imgur.com/BoTMmiQ.png

It was nighttime now and the stars were out in the sky. Dinner was almost over, but Wade had a surprise for Darla up his sleeve.
https://i.imgur.com/YG1H8ov.png

After paying the bill, Wade and Darla walked out of Irene's. Wade stopped and pulled out a small silver box and presented it to Darla.
"For me?" Darla gasped.
https://i.imgur.com/QJQk99h.png

Wade: "Of course it's for you!"
Darla: "Aww, Wade you didn't have to get me anything! What's the special occasion?"
Wade: "Haha I don't need a special occasion to warrant a gift! Go ahead, open it."
Darla: "Oh my— this is beautiful!"
https://i.imgur.com/QeLsgp7.png

Wade pulled out a stunning vintage gold necklace. The necklace had a heart-shaped pendant.
Wade: "I saw this the other day and I thought it would look good on you. Do you like it?"
Darla: "Like it? I love it! Will you help me put it on?"
Wade: "Of course."
https://i.imgur.com/93j5Kcp.png

He unhooked the necklace's clasp and placed it around Darla's neck.
https://i.imgur.com/0CYZ4A8.png

Once the necklace was on, Darla turned around to hug and thank him for the gift. She felt so special!
https://i.imgur.com/ddo9iOW.png

They went home and changed into their PJ's. Darla laid on the bed, opening her planner and notebook.
Darla: "Harvestfest is coming up in two days and we need to plan out the menu."
Wade: "Now? Can't this wait?"
Darla: "No Wade, you need to go out to the market tomorrow and get all of our groceries, so we need to figure it out tonight."
Wade laid beside Darla and threw a tennis ball in the air.
Wade: "Uhh, alright. Well turkey is a good start..."
https://i.imgur.com/6IARl47.png

Thirty minutes later, they finished their Harvestfest meal grocery list.
Wade: "So now that we've figured out Harvestfest...let's do something more fun."
Darla: "Haha well what do you have in mind?"
Wade smirked.
https://i.imgur.com/a4RY3dI.png

They both shot up and grabbed pillows— pillow fight! These two always know how to have a good time!
https://i.imgur.com/thZk1Pv.png

Well, that's all for now. Nothing too dramatic, but I needed some wholesome gameplay this week.
Thanks for reading! :)

** Comments are welcome and appreciated! **
** If you'd like to leave a comment, please leave them in the WHIYGT thread (here) to preserve the organization of my thread **

HOLDEN FAM 2.0 | UPDATE 13
https://i.imgur.com/sS4oUrl.png
MONDAY
After a busy Harvestfest weekend, the Holdens had plans to go on a snowy escape to Mt. Komorebi! Typically, Darla plans all vacation itineraries, but this time Wade got his chance to shine. Early on Monday morning, they hailed a sUber to the airport to start their week-long getaway!
https://i.imgur.com/br8EdNV.png

After hours on the plane, they arrived to their destination. They planned to stay at a new hotel which opened a month ago called the Great Elk Lodge in Kiyomatsu. After checking in and settling into their suite, they went downstairs to grab a bite to eat. Brunch was served, so Wade grabbed a plate of french toast from the buffet while Darla got a farmhouse omelet from the omelet station! They both ordered ice teas to drink. The ambiance in the dining room was so beautiful with the sun rays shining through the frosted windows. Ahh, what a gorgeous morning!
https://i.imgur.com/XYMzqQN.png

The first day of their vacation was going to be spent in the neighborhood (town) of Senbamachi. There, sims could take in the local sights via a hiking tour, eat local cuisine at the ramen shop, and experience the best of Mt. Komorebi's nightlife at the karaoke bar. Wade planned a whole day to experience all that Senbamachi can offer. First up was the hiking tour of Senbamachi's bamboo forest. This tour offered breath-taking sites of the forest with stops at local landmarks like the temple and mountain shrine!
https://i.imgur.com/T1mLmOx.png

It began to lightly snow just as they were starting their hike, but they got some beautiful pictures to take home. This tour was one to remember!
https://i.imgur.com/HAVQbu1.png
https://i.imgur.com/ZdK3gCh.png

The tour ended just as the sun was setting, and the ambiance was magical.
Darla: "So, what's next on your list?"
Wade: "There's a ramen spot I found on SimTrip and it has really good reviews. Let's head over there. Hope you're hungry!"
https://i.imgur.com/3XR1vJM.png

They made their way back into town to a little whole-in-the-wall ramen restaurant called Gangnam Zip.
https://i.imgur.com/rz83R3O.png

There they each tried a local cuisine. Wade ordered the beef yakisoba with a plum soda to drink and Darla got the seaweed ramen with melon soda. They still weren't too skilled with chopsticks, but they're likely going to get the hang of it since they'll be spending a week here!
https://i.imgur.com/pXzhqLS.png

Darla: "I'm really impressed, honey. You did a great job putting the day together!"
Wade: "Why thank you, but we're not quite finished in Senbamachi."
Darla: "Oh? What are we doing after this? It's getting kind of late."
Wade: "I don't think you want to skip out on what's next. I think it might be your favorite activity of the day."
https://i.imgur.com/EiTIcYV.png

Darla: "Hmm, can I get a hint?"
Wade: "Haha sure, you'll love it and I'll be embarrassed."
Darla: "Oh! Then you're right, it probably will be my favorite!"
https://i.imgur.com/nw2tXjR.png

After their bellies were full and the check was paid, they headed out to the karaoke bar. Wade went to the sign up sheet to sign them up for a duet and a solo performance. It was their turn, and they picked a country song to sing. Wade's not a particularly "good" singer. Matter of fact, he cannot hold a tune to save his life, but Darla has quite a natural talent. Overall, their performance was okay a.k.a. the crowd didn't boo them off stage!
https://i.imgur.com/pI3dsC4.png

After a few performances from other karaoke singers, it was Darla's turn again for a solo performance. She totally nailed it! She chose another country song, but since she was the only one singing this time, the crowd went wild and cheered her on! It was so cute watching Wade clap for her in the first row! :)
https://i.imgur.com/S9U6b6H.png

After a couple of hours of watching various karaoke singers, the Holdens retired back to their hotel suite to wind down and get some rest.
https://i.imgur.com/2Y1fVly.png

TUESDAY
The next day, Wade and Darla slept in for most of the morning. They were quite jet-lagged! They woke up in time for last call to get some brunch. Since Wade thought Darla’s omelet looked delicious yesterday, he decided to go to the omelet station and grab one while Darla put together a BLT sandwich at the salad bar. They each grabbed a protein shake to drink since the plan for today was physical activity-heavy.
https://i.imgur.com/1mFhnld.png

After eating, the Holdens walked over to a separate building on the hotel’s premises to participate in an indoor rock climbing training session. Rock climbing fits all three of Wade’s passions— fitness, outdoors, and adventure! One of his goals to (hopefully) achieve during this trip is to climb to the top of Mt. Komorebi with Darla. Since neither one of them have much rock climbing experience, they’ll be participating in indoor and outdoor rock climbing training sessions. During the session, Darla kept losing her grip and falling off the wall. Poor girl, she’s pretty clumsy, so this task is quite ambitious for her!
https://i.imgur.com/0ixvxds.png

The rock climbing sessions were exhilarating yet taxing. Once the sessions came to a close, both Wade and Darla went into the sauna to relax. After the sauna, they each took a muscle-relaxing soak in the tub. They'll be sore for the next couple of days, but it's well worth it!
https://i.imgur.com/Jo2HfGp.png

The evening hours rolled around and the hotel opened up their dining room to serve dinner. That night, guests had one red meat option, one white meat option and one vegetarian option. Wade got the rack of lamb while Darla took a plate of chicken saltimbocca. They both ordered glasses of grape nectar to drink.
https://i.imgur.com/yvN3RVH.png

After dinner, they checked out a couple of puzzles from the front desk and spent the night putting them together. During this sweet bonding activity, they found out just how good of a team they were. They put both puzzles together in no time, and both puzzles were 500 pieces each!
https://i.imgur.com/19xgHAc.png

As the night came to an end, they went back up to their hotel suite to go to bed and get some rest. With Polar Palooza right around the corner, they have a lot to look forward to!
https://i.imgur.com/WqSR0EJ.png

Thanks for reading! :)

** Comments are welcome and appreciated! **
** If you'd like to leave a comment, please leave them in the WHIYGT thread (here) to preserve the organization of my thread **