Life in Christophe Harbour

Oh my...what a heartfelt and teary chapter. But I am so very proud of Carolyn. I love the smooth way she acted when she confronted Kyle. No rage, no tears, just casual indifference. Good for her. And I'm happy to hear she stopped loving him. Because he doesn't deserve her. Just like Marco had said during the paternity confrontation chapter - no matter what Kyle does, he will never deserve her.

One more chance, the guy asks. Are you kidding me?? I truly nearly gagged. He's had so many damn chances that Carolyn could almost be made into a saint for how much forgiveness she gave him. Let him have his lifestyle.

It's such a shame the kids are involved, but you can't keep being drug through the dirt for everyone else's sake. Carolyn needs to stop being a martyr and learn how to live her life. And it looks as if she realizes this. I can see, though, how difficult it had to be to be in her shoes being such a public personality. The kids will be ok in the end.

Carolyn's dad! Sssssss hot hot hot!!! Wow! Loving that look on him.

Brilliant chapter, Toni. Very well done.

Thanks guys! I'm so glad it came out as being realistic.

I think the worst thing parents can do, is dump their anger with each other on their kids. That's what messes them up.

Carolyn's brood seems pretty grounded. She's a good mom, and from what I can tell...WAIT! Who's writing this story again?! *cough*...as I was saying...From what I can tell...Kyle really does seem like a good dad, he's just a really REALLY rotten partner! Can you believe the guy, trying to play the pity card?! Like what the.....! *sheesh*

'Em, thanks for noticing the passage of time. Yes, I have been using Maya's age as a time marker. I remember that you noticed that with their wedding anniversary and started making calculations! You're a clever girl!

Anyway...guess what? I've got another mega installment for you! Bear in mind, these mega-installments were originally going to be posted in smaller segments, but I figure we'd still be at it at Christmas!

After this one....I think we can wrap this baby up in maybe two more segments...three if I feel like messing with you all a little! :muahaha:

We should find out how this all unfolds by the end of the weekend! Whatever will I do with my life after that?!

---

The delivery guys were removing her old bedroom furniture and setting up her new suite, and Carolyn was stuffing boxes of linens and clothes onto the back seat of her convertible, when Marco's Aston Martin slid up the driveway.

He was taking the kids to the movies.

He stepped out the car his eyebrows raised. "It's Action Avenue here today," he said with a smile. "What's going on?"

"Out with the old in with the new," she said with a bright smile as the delivery workers huffed out of the front door lugging her old bed frame.

"Are you sure about this? It's only been a couple of weeks."

She leaned against the car. "Yes," she said staring straight ahead.

"Are you okay, Garcia?"

"I am," she said turning her head to face him. She took a deep breath. "You know, I feel relieved."

He gave her a questioning look.

"There were always suspicions and rumours, but other than that one time a few years ago, I never knew for sure. He never, ever admitted it...and I was left to feel that I was a suspicious, distrusting woman who had no faith in my partner," she said steadily.

"When I saw him...when I saw him...on top of this woman, I felt like someone had thrown a bucket of icy water over me, and then...then...I felt relief...I wasn't crazy, I wasn't a bad partner for not trusting him...," she trailed off, staring at the driveway for a second. Then she looked up at Marco with a crooked smile.

"I felt vindicated."

He reached as though he was going to touch her arm, but then dropped his hand to his side. Carolyn was sure now he was deliberately avoiding touching her.

"I'm sorry Chiquita," he said, making her smile. He hadn't called her that since high school.

He smiled back. Her heart flipped over. She glanced away and pushed herself off the car.

"Myrtle!" She called to her housekeeper who was standing at the front entrance directing the bedroom revamp operation.

"Can you tell the kids Marco's here?" Carolyn called.

"Sure Mrs Harrelson," she said with a big smile. Carolyn loved her sing song Caribbean accent. Though stronger, it reminded her of her mother's.

"Hello Mr. D'Angelo!" Myrtle called out waving to Marco.

"How's my favourite girl?" Marco called back. "You not ready to marry me yet?" he asked, sending the middle-aged Myrtle into peels of laughter.

"You an' your sweet mouth, Mr. D. Flattering an old woman eh?" She said waving her hand at him, and disappeared into the house laughing.

Carolyn grinned at him and he grinned back.

"Anyway, Mr. D'Angelo," she said in a very convincing West Indian accent. "Ah going to go and drop off these things at the Church."

She reached to open the door of the car, then stopped to look back as her children barreled out of the house towards them.

"Uncle Marco!"

There were hugs and punches and back slaps, and a little cheek pinching.

"What's with you and the cheek pinching, Uncle Marco?" Caitlin asked rubbing her face.

"It's what we D'Angelo's do," he said grinning at her and tousling her hair. He winked at Maya over the top of Caitlin's head, and Maya grinned back, making a motion like she was going to pinch his cheeks.

"Bye moooooom!" The kids calling climbing into Marco's car. Carolyn smiled when she saw Marco wince when Joel's shoe left a scuff mark on the leather of the seat as he crawled into the back.

"If you kids are going to act like animals I'm going to bring a farm cart next time we go out," he said pretending to frown and making them laugh.

They headed off in one direction waving to Carolyn as she turned the opposite way. Not for the first time in the last fifteen years, Carolyn wondered "what if?'

Carolyn was having a celebratory dinner with her three best girlfriends: Cassie Benoit (still a top model at 40), her sister Pauline (a teacher) and Max's sister, Elisabeth (a TV talk show host), when they saw Marco walking towards them.

They had spotted him when they came in, having dinner with a familiar-looking redhead, but he hadn't seen them. Now he was coming over with a big smile on his face, as all heads in the room snapped to look at him. Carolyn heard the hum as he strode over, "It's Marco D'Angelo!" She heard some saying, while others pointed. He was used to it, and smiled pleasantly and nodded to those who caught his eye.

"Ladies!" He said with a broad grin. "You are all looking absolutely fabulous!"

Cassie jumped up and wrapped her arms around her old university room mate. They both traveled a lot and hadn't seen each other in over a year.

"Is it possible that you are getting even better looking with age, Marco?" She asked planting a big kiss on his cheek.

"No, I think your eyesight is getting worse with age," he said grinning and making them all laugh. She swatted him playfully, and sat back down.

"So what's the occasion?" He said, smiling at them all. "I popped by the house today Garcia, as I hadn't seen you guys in ages, and Myrtle told me you were out getting all fixed up for a big night out."

Carolyn chuckled. "What spell do you have on poor Myrtle that she tells you everything?" She said with a wink, and they all laughed again.

"Carolyn's divorce was finalized today!" Cassie declared. "We're celebrating the beginning of her next chapter.

For a split second Carolyn saw his smile fade, and then before she could blink, it was back.

"Congratulations. Myrtle is going to have to hire more security at the house now, for all the suitors who'll be charging your gate."

More laughter all around. Marco chatted with them awhile longer, though Carolyn felt as though he was deliberately avoiding looking at her.

Then he bid them farewell and returned to his booth on the far side of the room.

"You didn't tell him that the divorce came through?" Cassie asked as soon as he was out of earshot.

"He was filming on the East coast. I haven't seen him for nearly four months!" she said. "...And I haven't spoken to him in...I'm sure about three weeks. Even then...we don't really talk about relationship-y stuff much."

"But he's your other husband! You back-burner man. It's time to reel him in!" Cassie said with a grin and a wink.

"Cassandra!" Carolyn gasped, while the others laughed.

"You two have the most inexplicable relationship!" Elisabeth said.

"You're the best of friends, and you can feel the electricity between you two, and yet I've never seen you guys even touch each other. Haven't you ever wondered..."

Pauline reached across the table for the wine bottle. "Who's that he's with?" She asked, cutting Elisabeth off.

Other than her parents and Kyle's parents, her sister Pauline was the only other person who knew that Maya was Marco's daughter.

"It's Nina Caliente," Elisabeth said.

"The restauranteur!" Cassie exclaimed.

"Yes. She owns La Cucina," Elisabeth replied.

"Yes, yes. I've been there. The food is fabulous!" Cassie said, nodding and taking a sip of wine.

"I thought I recognized her," Carolyn said. "She used to live a few doors down from...Kyle on Bastille Street."

"She looks fantastic!" Pauline said. "She' got to be nearly fifty!"

"Perhaps she's been visiting Saint Marc," Elisabeth said smiling, referring to Carolyn and Pauline's oldest brother Marc (Kyle's old uni room mate).

Marc had become a renowned plastic surgeon, sought after by all the famous faces and bodies in Simmiewood. But in the past few years, he had been dedicating more and more of his time to doing reconstructive work at an inner city charity hospital in Simmiewood.

He kept his private practice open as a means to fund his charity work, and so had come to be dubbed Saint Marc.

"I'm going to have to go and beg for an appointment myself soon," Elisabeth said mournfully. "I am not liking what's going on along my jawline," she said, sliding the back of her hand down the side of her face.

"Beth, if I had that jawline, I would be making sacrifices to the gods every day!" Cassie said, and they all laughed.

Carolyn turned to look towards Marco's table.

He was looking straight at her. He held her gaze, and Carolyn felt her face grow hot.

She dropped her eyes and when she looked back he and Nina had stood up to leave. Nina's hand lingered on his lower back as she turned to him with a languid smile.

She then crossed her arms and said something to him which judging by her expression - even from this distance - was very suggestive.


Carolyn could not see Marco's face. She looked away before he turned towards them, and when she looked back they were gone.

After the big upheaval nearly three years ago caused by the revelation that Maya was Marco's daughter , Carolyn and Marco had eventually slipped back into a pleasant friendship, though she sensed a certain reserve from him that wasn't there before. But she was so grateful not to have lost him in their lives...in 'her' life, that she gave thanks each day.

They talked occasionally on the phone and always found a few minutes to catch up whenever he visited the kids. They chatted about work, and the children and their families. He had invited her and Maya to the premier of his directorial debut film "Reaching," which won rave reviews from the critics and was doing well at the box office. He had been surrounded by people and the press, but slipped away to hang with her and Maya for a few minutes.

She noted that even though Marco was always linked up with some 'who's who' in Simmiewood (the paparazzi were relentless), he always brought his mother or Vinnie as his date to his premiers.

About three weeks after her divorce was final, Marco visited to spend some time with Maya and the others and as he often did, brought along Charlie and a couple of his nieces (Charlie's sister Virginia, and his brother Tony's daughter Cherry).

Carolyn coming back from the store and passing through the den, noticed Joel looking intensely at Marco and Maya who were standing near a window in deep conversation. Their resemblance to each other was undeniable: their hair so black it was almost blue, contrasting with their luminescent skin, and their striking blue-grey eyes. They were mirroring each others' gestures and even to the unobservant, there was no missing how much they looked alike...and Carolyn was convinced that Joel was not missing it.

Her stomach constricted.

"It's time to tell the others," she thought to herself.

Later that afternoon, when Marco was rounding up his nephew and nieces to leave, she gestured to him to follow her out onto the pool deck where she told him she was going to tell her two younger children about Maya.

"Would you like me to be here? I wouldn't mind" he said, looking concerned.

She smiled gratefully. "I think I should do this one alone...or...or with Kyle," she said. "But thank you Marco. It's very sweet of you to offer."

"Call me if things get bad, or..." he trailed off, and glanced away quickly before looking back at her, his face unreadable.

"They're going to be fine you know, Garcia," he said, suddenly smiling. "With a mother like you, they can survive anything."

She blushed. "Well, we'll see about that!" She responded with a nervous laugh, wrinkling her nose.

Caitlin skipped out onto the patio just then, her curly hair billowing around her face, Marco's niece Cherry in tow. Cherry was his scientist brother Tony's daughter. She and Caitlin were both nearly twelve.

"Can Cherry stay the night mom?"

"I think I should get her back to her dad," Marco said, clapping his hands together. Tony was a single parent. His wife (also a scientist) had run off with a colleague when Cherry was only three.

"Awwwwww," the girls said in unison, and Carolyn could see Caitlin was setting up to make a passionate pitch.

"Maybe we can ask her dad if she can come and spend the entire weekend with us next weekend! Would you like that Cherry," she said before Caitlin could say anything.

Cherry nodded vigorously, grinning from ear to ear.

"Great, great! It's settled then," Marco said herding the girls inside and calling out to his other charges.

After extended goodbyes, with lots of hugs between the kids, their visitors left, and she pulled Maya aside and told her that it was time to tell 'the children,' as Maya referred to her two younger siblings.

Maya had already told her best friend Charlie the year before. They had been buddies since they were in kindergarten...but now they were teenagers she had caught Charlie staring at her legs a few times. She figured it was time for him to know that they were first cousins.

So one afternoon after a game of tennis, she sat him down and told him that his Uncle Marco was her father.

He was shocked for about a minute, then said he had always sensed a 'vibe' between her mom and his uncle. Then it dawned on him that he and Maya were cousins, and he looked embarrassed.

"Guess it's a good thing I never persuaded you to kiss me," he said making a face.

"Ewwww Charlie. Even we weren't related...Like seriously!" She said pretending to gag and then grinning at her cousin, who had turned into a handsome young man.

She had sworn him to secrecy.

Now it was time to tell 'the children.' Carolyn asked Kyle to come over, and they sat down as a family and told Caitlin and Joel - now fourteen - that years ago when Mommy and Daddy weren't together, Mommy was very close to Uncle Marco and they spent some very intimate time together, but soon after Daddy came home from aboard. They made back up and got married, without knowing that Mommy was going to have a baby (Maya) and that Maya's biological father was Uncle Marco.

This was a 'family secret' Carolyn explained.

Having grown up in Simmiewood circles, and spending their lives with their mother desperately trying to shelter them from the paparazzi the children understood that there were 'family secrets,' things that they could not talk about outside of the family. Yes, Uncle Marco knew, and he knew that they were being told, but they didn't want to make him uncomfortable by talking about it too much. He loved them very much and enjoyed being in their lives.

"Is that why you spend so much time with Uncle Marco?" Caitlin asked her big sister.

Maya smiled and nodded. "It's kinda cool having two fathers," she said, and Carolyn sensed Kyle flinch.

"But Daddy's still my daddy," Maya added, leaning over and wrapping her arm around Kyle, planting a kiss on his cheek. He smiled and squeezed her hand, his eyes brimming with tears.

Caitlin was intrigued by the situation, and asked whether or not Carolyn had been in love with Uncle Marco and whether now that she and Daddy were divorced if she and Uncle Marco would get married. Joel giggled, Maya choked on her Coke Zero, Carolyn gave a soft gasp, and Kyle's head snapped to look at Carolyn his mouth open.

"No," Carolyn said clearing her throat. "Uncle Marco and I are just friends now."

"But did you used to love him?" Caitlin asked.

"Oh sweetie, it was a very long time ago. Uncle Marco and I had a very special relationship."

She managed to deflect more questions with Maya's help. Her older daughter kept interrupting Caitlin to ask Kyle about his new venture: he had launched a line of furniture a few months before, and it was already creating a buzz.

Caitlin, who did not have the longest attention span eventually gave up, and Carolyn went to make dinner. Though they had a housekeeper (Myrtle) Carolyn enjoyed cooking and usually prepared their meals.

Kyle stayed to eat with them, and they sat at the kitchen table like the old days. She had not gotten rid of the image of Kyle making love to another woman but she was no longer angry. Now she felt nothing.

[Carolyn has also re-done the kitchen. The living/dining room is next].

To Kyle's credit he remained a devoted father and took the children to stay with him most weekends at either his home in the Harbour or the condo in Simmiewood (which he had kept in the divorce). In the summer he and his dad were taking them to Israel to visit some of their relatives.

He and Carolyn spoke amicably enough about the children but whenever he asked about her personal life, she reminded him firmly that that was no longer his concern.

After Kyle left that night, she and the kids cleaned up the kitchen, hugged and kissed and headed for bed. Carolyn took a long cool shower and then stood looking at herself in the bathroom mirror. "Not bad for nearly forty one," she said out loud. "I can still snag me a man," she said, giving her reflection her most sultry smile.

She chuckled wondering if she even remembered how to flirt, much less anything else.

It had been nearly a year since the divorce and nearly two since she had kicked Kyle out. She had not been with a man since. She padded from the bathroom into her bedroom, and climbed into bed...a bed she so far had only shared with her children. She stared up at the ceiling and tried to remember what it was like to be intimate with a man.

Memories flooded her mind of Marco's hands and lips all over her body.

"Not THAT man," she muttered to herself, rolling onto her side and burying her face in a pillow.

Em wrote:

I'm really impressed with Maya. She's a very mature and considerate girl, thinking of everyone but herself and really focused on what to ask. She must really be a special kid!

Ari wrote:

Awesome natural dialogue and realistic thought patterns - and I love they way you're weaving this whole thing together...

Toni wrote:

...and I'd totally forgotten how breathtaking Carolyn's mother, Chaya is! (if I do say so muhself! ). She'll be aging up to an elder soon, but I bet she's just as striking.

She is a gorgeous sim. I am glad you will be offering her for download.

Toni wrote:

She sniffed. "Well if I fall in love with a boy, I'm going to tell him!"

Amazing! She is only a teen, yet she is smarter than all of the adults in this saga. Go, Maya!!!

Toni wrote:

And hey, it's not me sayin' the bad word man!

Em wrote:

They're a couple of pretty hot grandfathers! It will be neat to see how they age.

Em wrote:

Toni wrote:

He looked at her, his eyes brimming with tears. "I don't know why I do it Cara. I...I...maybe I need help...or
something."

Dude, it's a little late for that now don't you think? Maybe if you'd thought that and done something about it before now you could have saved your marriage. You have 15+ years to shape up and you didn't do it. Kinda late.

I couldn't agree with this more. I think he just got to feeling that Carolyn would never leave him since she never made him pay, even a little bit, for his indiscretions in the past.

I am glad that they are settling into a positive routine for the children. Great updates, Toni! I can't wait to see how it all comes together in the end!

Elle! I love that my story has triggered these great discussions on relationships and personal development and parenting, etc. etc.

The whole saga is drawing to an end...of course there're all sorts of side stories that I've not shared in the interest of advancing this one, and I'm getting attached to my next gen (Maya and her friends). But I think after this, I'll embark on one of your juicy challenges and take a break from storytelling. Though as an avid in-game picture taker, I"m sure I've got enough photos of the other simmies' goings ons that I can piece together other stories in the future.

Just popped in to announce that another update is pending. Got the photos uploaded to photobucket, just have to organize them.

But wanted to share a pic of the grandparents.

Here're Chaya's parents and Kyle's dad (he's a widower)...aged to elders.

I know! Hotness, right?!

Chaya is wearing foundation (what glamourous 60-something woman doesn't)...but other than facial feature enhancement makeup (eyelid definition, nose tweaks, lip stain, etc)...they did alright.

Mind you, I'm NOT having any of that grey hair and eyebrow stuff yet! No way! Maybe when they hit 70...and Chaya probably never. That's what a good bottle of hair dye is all about sistah!

Here they are visiting Carolyn and the kids one Sunday (Brandon still thinks of Maya as his granddaughter).

You can also see a bit of Carolyn's re-modelling of the living/dining room area. Girlfriend is on a mission to re-invent her space!

Wow,
Let me first say Congrats sweetie on that many page hits!! Woot, Woot

I have really, really enjoyed this saga and hate to see it coming to an end ...(sniff, sniff, whaaaaa)

I am so glad that Carolyn finally told all of the other children and that Kyle was there to offer her support.
I can't help it, I just love Marco more. I am keeping my fingers crossed that this is going to end happily ever after but I know you like to give us a twist or too..hahahahahaha!!

I love the remodel that Carolyn is doing to the house, she needs to make that space hers, and hers alone

Quote :

"There were always suspicions and rumours, but other than that one time a few years ago, I never knew for sure. He never, ever admitted it...and I was left to feel that I was a suspicious, distrusting woman who had no faith in my partner," she said steadily.

I can get that. I've kind of been through that myself before where you feel like something is going on, but then you feel like you're being paranoid and distrustful. (in my case it wasn't cheating, though) So I can understand why she would turn a blind eye to her suspicions and just try to keep the status quo.



Oh no, Nina Caliente . . . Watch out Marco.

Quote :

"Not THAT man," she muttered to herself, rolling onto her side and burying her face in a pillow.

And why not?



I really liked the club scene. Everyone was looking great. I was glad to see Cassie again. I always liked her a lot.

Quote :

Though as an avid in-game picture taker, I"m sure I've got enough photos of the other simmies' goings ons that I can piece together other stories in the future.

I hope you know, I'm counting on that. I hope the end of the Carolyn/Kyle/Marco saga won't be the end of Life in Christophe Harbor.



Wow, Carolyn and Kyle's parents look great! You can hardly tell they're elders, especially Chaya. They all aged really well!

Great update! I love how your stories always mimic real life. Like, the fact that Carolyn caught Joel checking out Maya with Marco - which led to her decision to tell the others. And the scene where Carolyn is lying in bed while her thoughts drift to Marco, and then she chastises herself for it. And the club scene, where Marco was staring hard at Carolyn. Nina...cripes. She's such a ho. I really hope Marco doesn't fall into her web. She can't offer much more than....well, I can't say because this is a PG-13 site.

Like Em, I really hope you have more to share with your neighborhood.

Wow - those are elders?? They certainly don't look like it! They look nice and young. They've aged beautifully.

Oh wow! Oh wow! Oh WOW! You guys have totally made my day!

First off...about my elders: I have a mod that makes all Maxis clothing meshes available to elders, so they have access to the same clothes as the adults. Most of my bodybuilder stuff is also flagged for elders...so clothed their bodies look pretty normal.

Unclothed they look like all other elders. The body builders are muscular, but stooped..in fact, all three of them have that 'attractive' (NOT!) Maxis elder stoop, it's just that because I posed them using pose boxes, it's not as noticeable. When they're standing around you can't miss it.

Also not using the grey hair and eyebrows makes a huuuuge difference. Most custom hair these days offers colors for elders. But they do (especially Chaya) have very chiseled features, which counteracts the elder pudginess. But you can see that Carolyn's Dad, Michael, especially without facial hair has got a fuller face.

Astral Faery wrote:

She can't offer much more than....well, I can't say because this is a PG-13 site.

He IS human! I'd hazard a guess that she's exactly the kind of woman he goes after, because that's all it's about. I get the feeling (who is writing this again? ) that he doesn't want to get emotionally involved. Nina is perfect!

I gotta say, I'm already feeling nostalgic. Gosh, we've been through a lot with this bunch, haven't we?!

There are no words to say how honored I am that you guys have been following this story for so long, and with so much enthusiasm! I can honestly say, if it weren't for your comments, I'd have given up on it a long time ago!

As much as it's cool to see the page views climbing, I really have no idea what most people are thinking, or if it's even the same people coming back to see what happens next!

And not only do you all comment, but you really get into it, and notice all the little things, and get all emotional and stuff!

I must say a great big thank you! I've had a total blast! We're nearly there now...perhaps one...maybe two more after this one. Will it all work out in the end for these two, or will there be one final heart break? Just how sadistic is this storyteller? Does she strike you as a happily ever after type? Are you startin' to sweat yet?! :muahaha:


---

A couple of weeks later Marco attended the premier of 'Britannia Bay,' Carolyn's movie with Clayton Benoit.

Here Marco and Carolyn chat with her co-star Clayton Benoit and director Ivan Stovic (Andre's dad).


She brought her parents and the children, and most of her siblings were there too. Marco came with Vinnie, and she had invited Kyle at Maya's insistence. Her ex-husband was thoughtful (or smart) enough to come alone.

As far as Carolyn knew he was dating Ciara Peters. The same Ciara Peters who was with Marco that morning when she went to his apartment.

"Boy, she sure gets around," Carolyn thought to herself when she saw pictures of her and Kyle in the tabloids frolicking on a beach somewhere in the islands.


A week after the premier 'Britannia Bay' opened across the country and was an immediate hit. The public was fascinated by the story of an older man, who fell in love with a much younger woman...his son's widow, who he met for the first time when he traveled to the Caribbean for his son's funeral.

Clayton Benoit, a longtime Simmiewood heartthrob had not made a film in years, and moviegoers were salivating for his return...and Carolyn's phone was ringing off the hook!

Marco sent her a huge bouquet of tropical flowers and a gold-plated pen engraved with her initials C.M.G. (Carolyn Madeline Garcia). The was a little note attached, "This is for you to sign all those multi-million dollar offers that are going to start pouring in...M"

She called to thank him, and he raved again about the movie, as he had on the night of the premier. "I told you this was the one, Garcia! I am crazy excited for you."

They chatted for over an hour and he reminded her that she had agreed to read a movie treatment he had been working on. "Hey remember I discovered you more than twenty five years ago. I get dibs on that talent."

She laughed. They had often talked about working together on a project when her series wrapped up.


Marco stopped by briefly a few days later to drop off the movie treatment.

Caitlin cornered him as he and Carolyn stood in the foyer.

"Hey Uncle Marco! So Mommy explained that you guys had sex and Maya is your daughter."

His eyebrows shot up in surprise, and he gave a nervous chuckle.

"Caitlin," Carolyn said gently but firmly. "Remember we don't want to make Uncle Marco uncomfortable by talking about it too much."

"That's okay," he said smiling and clearing his throat. "But I want to be sure that it doesn't make you uncomfortable Squirt," he said. He had nicknamed Caitlin Squirt after she had bragged to him five minutes after they met (when she was five years old) that she had won a spitting contest with the boys in her class.

"No, it doesn't make me uncomfortable," Caitlin said. "I just find it very...um...interesting...and maybe...maybe I'm a little jealous that Maya has two dads to love her and I only have one," she said making a face.

"But I love you too kiddo!" Marco said, reaching for her and giving her a big hug.

"Fatherhood and unclehood are almost the same if you love each other," he said pinching her cheeks.

She hugged him back, seeming satisfied with the answer.

She walked with him and Carolyn out to the car as she asked him for advice about how best to figure out if a boy liked you.

Carolyn groaned softly "Boys? Already? I'm still trying to monitor Maya's string of over zealous suitors," she thought to herself.

"Well if he finds excuses to be around you all the time, that's a pretty good sign," Marco was telling Caitlin.

"Maybe he's too shy to tell you, but if he really really likes you, he'll find a way to see you and talk to you," he explained.

"Why would he be shy?" She asked, waving her hands around.

He smiled at her perturbed expression.

"Well maybe he's not sure if you like him back... maybe he's your friend and he doesn't want to risk losing your friendship by saying that he likes you in case you don't feel the same way."

She screwed up her face, pondering what he had said. "I could just ask him," she finally said nodding in agreement with herself.

He laughed softly, and Carolyn smiled.

He gave Caitlin a big hug, and turned to Carolyn with a grin and a wink.

"You've got quite an interesting brood of kids here Garcia."

"That I do!' She said laughing.

They waved to him as his car purred down the driveway, and Carolyn draped her arm over her daughter's shoulders as they headed back inside.

"Gosh she's getting tall," Carolyn thought.

As they entered the house and Carolyn turned to walk towards the kitchen, Caitlin said, "Mom, I think Uncle Marco really really likes you."

Carolyn's felt the heat rush to her face and she laughed nervously and wagged her finger at her daughter.

"Don't you have homework?" She asked turning away to head down to the kitchen.

"Smoooooth mom," Caitlin called after her. "Way to change the subject!"

Carolyn threw her hands up in the air laughing, but didn't turn back towards her daughter. She knew her face was red.

Two weekends later the house was hopping as Maya's sixteenth birthday party got underway.

She had called Kyle and told him she had also invited Marco to her party.

"You don't have to feel threatened Dad. You're still my dad and I love you, it's just that he's part of my life now too. I want you to be civil to him. For me."

Kyle let out a long sigh.

"Of course My. You know I'd do anything for you."

And so the party was in full swing in the den, with the handful of adults there relegated to the living room.


Of course the two coolest kids there were Maya and Charlie! Gosh, I'm sorry these two are first cousins. They are so pretty! Yes, Charlie has cut off his beautiful curls, and discovered hair gel!

You might remember Charlie's hottie parents Cassie's brother Patrick and Marco's sister Teresa.

Here's their daughter Virginia.

I shoulda made them have more babies!

Anyway...I digress. Back to the story...

Maya cut the cake with Gabriele Stovic (one of Toni and Andre's twins).

Then after a few boisterous toasts over apple cider, the teenagers abandoned the adults and Caitlin and and her friend Trey (Cassie and Max's son), and headed back to the den.

Joel had been allowed to be where the action was. He was mature, tall for his age and a good dancer and so had been granted a pass by his older sister to join the party.

Kyle and Marco had exchanged hellos and a few words about each others' work when Marco arrived and then they largely stayed on opposite sides of the room.

Kyle left shortly after the cake cutting as he was catching a late night flight to New York en route to Milan for Fashion Week.

Maya's godparents were also over: Cassie and her partner Rock Star Max Heden. (For those who missed it, Cassie and Max had gotten back together after university, and though they never married, they lived together and had two children Trey who was Caitlin's age and Madison, who at fourteen was Joel's age).

While Caitlin and Trey watched TV and occasionally snuck over to the other side of the house to giggle at the teenagers dancing, the adults mingled around the high-ceilinged living room, sipping wine and cocktails and chatting about everything from what bakery made the best croissants, to concerns about the Mid East crisis.

The party was still in full swing at around eleven o'clock when the older guests except for Marco said their farewells. Carolyn stood watching Caitlin at the piano with him.

She was playing a piece that she was to perform in her school's end of term recital. Carolyn smiled to see how earnestly he listened to her less-than stellar performance, and applauded when she finished with great gusto hitting the wrong key!

"Well done!" Marco exclaimed. "But you have to keep practicing. We don't want fantastic, we want perfection!"

She slid off the stool grinning. "Uncle Marco, you shoulda been a salesman. My music teacher woulda had a bird if she heard me play like that!" She giggled.

He and Carolyn laughed.

"Grandpa Brandon gave me a little sip of his sherry." she said turning to Carolyn.

"It made my fingers slippery I think," she said beaming from ear to ear.

"Remind me to have a little chat with your grandfather," Carolyn said, but she was smiling. "Well you should sleep very soundly," she said stretching out her arms for a goodnight hug.

Caitlin obliged, giggling softly and then turned to give Marco a hug too before skipping out of the room.

"Niiiiiight," she sang to them as she disappeared out the door.

Carolyn looked over at Marco who still stood near the piano. He was laughing softly. He looked at Carolyn and grinned, and her stomach flipped over. She had resigned herself to dealing with the effect he had on her when she was around him.

"You're so good with children. How come you never got married and had a whole brood of them?" She heard herself say.

They never spoke about his personal life. But she was relaxed and her guard was down and they were completely alone - which they rarely ever were - and the question just tumbled out of her mouth.

His smile faded, and he held her gaze for what seemed like an eternity. Her heart started to pick up speed as she wondered if she had made a misstep in their carefully choreographed friendship.

Finally, he exhaled deeply his eyes glinting in the lamp light. "I was waiting for you."

Oooh goosebumps...hehehehehe!

I am so happy that Marco finally stepped up and said that..jeez, it has taken them how long?
Well you know the old saying "Once you have been through something bad only then can you appreciate when you are blessed with something wonderful"

I don't want to get my hopes up too high though seeing how our wonderful storyteller always likes to throw in a twist or two or three...

Oh the pictures are just lovely and beautiful as always. I truly admire how much time and effort you put into the background stuff sweetie to set the scene...

Keeping my fingers crossed for a happy ending, cause yea, I am a sucker like that

GASP! WOW! Way to go, Marco! I admit I was a little surprised that he admitted that - but very happy he did. I can't wait to see what Carolyn's reaction to that will be.

I love how Marco and Kyle were civil to each other, and then avoided each other like the plague!

Beautiful setting for the party - I love that table laid out with all those yummy treats.

And you're making movie posters, now! How cool is that? I looks quite authentic! Excellent job!

I love the conversation between Caitlin and Marco. That girl isn't at all shy, is she? She gets right to the point.

Gosh Patrick is freaking gorgeous.

Great update, Toni. I will be sad to see your story end, but I sure hope you'll tell us more!

AdriannaSimmie wrote:

I am so happy that Marco finally stepped up and said that..jeez, it has taken them how long?

Astral Faery wrote:

GASP! WOW! Way to go, Marco! I admit I was a little surprised that he admitted that - but very happy he did.

Everyone's got a breaking point!

AdriannaSimmie wrote:

I don't want to get my hopes up too high though seeing how our wonderful storyteller always likes to throw in a twist or two or three...

AdriannaSimmie wrote:

Oh the pictures are just lovely and beautiful as always. I truly admire how much time and effort you put into the background stuff sweetie to set the scene...

Astral Faery wrote:

Beautiful setting for the party - I love that table laid out with all those yummy treats.

And you're making movie posters, now! How cool is that? I looks quite authentic! Excellent job!

I gotta tell its so much more fun decorating, when you know you're going to share your piccies. As for the poster, I found a website that has the layout...you just have to fill in the blanks.

Astral Faery wrote:

I love how Marco and Kyle were civil to each other, and then avoided each other like the plague!

Well Kyle did break his nose, and he did tell Kyle that he wasn't worthy of Carolyn, so....

Astral Faery wrote:

Gosh Patrick is freaking gorgeous.

I know! I just kept staring at the picture after I took it! Is it wrong to be attracted to a simmie? 'Cause, I gotta tell ya...looking into his eyes makes me blush!

ALRIGHTY....without further ado...another heart-stopping (I hope) installment of Life in Christophe Harbour.

---

Marco had been in love with Carolyn since they were teenagers, and he had never stopped loving her...


But he had been shattered after they had spent that unforgettable night together all those years ago...


...That she had gone back to Kyle. The pain he felt was indescribable, and it took him a long time to bury the hurt.


He had been convinced that like his mother who stayed with his father despite his infidelity, Carolyn would keep taking Kyle back.

She had taken him back after her cheated on her at university.


She had taken him back after he had slept his way though Europe (even after they had spent that incredible night together).


She had taken him back a few years ago after his affair with the magazine editor.


So Marco had thrown himself into his work.


Dated women who were equally distracted by their careers.


And he traveled a lot.


By time he and Carolyn reconciled seven years ago he had accepted that they would never be together romantically.

But Marco knew he would never find someone who fitted his spirit the way she did...


...And so he had settled for her friendship, and had worked hard to bury his feelings.


She still made his stomach flip over and his pulse quicken...


...But he learned to steel himself to the rush he felt when he was around her. He avoided touching her, all too aware of the electric effect she had on him if even their hands touched. As a back up, he tried to never be completely alone with her...always making sure that the kids were nearby.


He had been thrown for a loop when he found out that Maya was his daughter, and he felt angry and betrayed that she had never told him, depriving him of knowing her for so many years.


But it had been such a joy to get to know Maya as his daughter and she was an incredible girl...


...And he found himself feeling so grateful to Carolyn for being such a wonderful mother...and then...then his carefully buried feelings for her rushed to the surface and he admitted to himself that he loved the fact that Carolyn was the mother of his daughter...that he was the first man she had borne a child for.

He shivered as he allowed himself, just for a a few minutes to think about that night they spent together. That night when Maya had been conceived.


He had wanted so many times to say he loved her, but they were so caught up in the intensity of their connection that they barely spoke. After they had exhausted themselves exploring the passion they felt for each other he had showered her face with kisses and they had stared deeply into each others eyes smiling contentedly.

"I'm sorry I waited so long," he had whispered huskily, caressing her hair.


"You were worth the wait," she said softly.


And he had kissed her deeply again...and again they were swept away by their passion.


Later as he drifted off to sleep, he thought to himself. "Tomorrow, I'm going to ask her to marry me."


But there had been no tomorrow for Marco.

Now they stood nearly seventeen years later, face to face, and she had asked him why he had never gotten married.


"What the heck," Marco thought to himself. "I'm forty one years old, and I've never felt about any other woman the way I do about her. He was weary after all the years of hiding his feelings.

He exhaled deeply.

"I was waiting for you," he told her, his heart beating rapidly.

Poor Marco!! My heart is breaking for him and I nearly came to tears when Marco said, "Tomorrow, I'm going to ask her to marry me." I feel so saddened at the loss of so much time they could have had together. Ok Carolyn - the ball's in your court. What are you going to do with it? And if you kick it away again I swear I'm going to rip my hair out and slap you silly.

Toni, dear, will you perchance tell us Carolyn's side of the story? I would really love to see where she's coming from, why she kept taking Kyle back, despite her feelings for Marco. Why did she keep denying that? I understand she loved Kyle, but she loved Marco, too, so why did she keep choosing Kyle? What did he offer that Marco didn't?

Great chapter, hon! Heartwrenching and real.

Astral Faery wrote:

Poor Marco!! My heart is breaking for him and I nearly came to tears when Marco said, "Tomorrow, I'm going to ask her to marry me." I feel so saddened at the loss of so much time they could have had together.

I know! And we know they make pretty babies!

Astral Faery wrote:

...if you kick it away again I swear I'm going to rip my hair out and slap you silly.

Upset much?! :muahaha:

Astral Faery wrote:

Toni, dear, will you perchance tell us Carolyn's side of the story? I would really love to see where she's coming from, why she kept taking Kyle back, despite her feelings for Marco. Why did she keep denying that? I understand she loved Kyle, but she loved Marco, too, so why did she keep choosing Kyle?

Well we got her side of the story for taking him back after university.

Remember over the years they'd become civil towards each other, and then more time passed and after graduation she met him in a nightclub, and her friends pointed out that he'd ever had a serious girlfriend since they broke up...and he pulled out all the stops, and turned on his Kyle charm...and she decided as she wasn't ready to settle down, she'd just have fun and date him for a while.

Jumping ahead, we know she took him back after the affair, because again...he bade his time, and turned on the charm...and of course there were the children.

What we don't know...is WHY IN THE HECK DID SHE MARRY HIM?! We know she wasn't crazy in love with him...it was just a comfortable relationship...and she had dumped him and seemingly felt better for it! Like...

Maaaaan, I sure hope we find out what happened, or it's gonna drive me crazy!!!

Quote :

"What the heck," Marco thought to himself. "I'm forty one years old, and I've never felt about any other woman the way I do about her. He was weary after all the years of hiding his feelings.

Yes!!!! I'd say it's about time!

Quote :

Ok Carolyn - the ball's in your court. What are you going to do with it? And if you kick it away again I swear I'm going to rip my hair out and slap you silly.

I'm in line right behind you, Ari. There's no reason now for her not to. (Though I wouldn't put it past Toni to think of something and throw us yet another curve. )

Quote :

What we don't know...is WHY IN THE HECK DID SHE MARRY HIM?! We know she wasn't crazy in love with him...it was just a comfortable relationship...and she had dumped him and seemingly felt better for it! Like...

Maaaaan, I sure hope we find out what happened, or it's gonna drive me crazy!!!

I know! We'd better find out before this is over! I've been more anxious of the story behind that than for Carolyn and Marco to get together. Seriously. It's about time.

ilikefishfood wrote:

What we don't know...is WHY IN THE HECK DID SHE MARRY HIM?! We know she wasn't crazy in love with him...it was just a comfortable relationship...and she had dumped him and seemingly felt better for it! Like...

Maaaaan, I sure hope we find out what happened, or it's gonna drive me crazy!!!

Who was the writer of this taile? Does Somebody know?


Poor Marco after all this time he is still loving her. I hope the writer gets her act together and give us the ending we so long for

Oh geez! Now 'the writer' isn't so sure if she can live up to the pressure of all these wild expectations!

Maybe she should just say the whole thing was a dream, and they're still teens struggling over their feelings!

My friend wrote this awesome poem once about seeing this beautiful woman, and it went on to describe their first, very erotic encounter, and then suddenly ended with him saying something like, "And you walked past and disappeared around the corner.' And then I noticed the title of the poem was "Thoughts extrapolated from a glance on the street."

Maybe this whole saga was in one or the other of their heads!

Or maybe I should just post the final installment already and hope for the best!

Ready?

*takes deep breath*

----

"I was waiting for you." He told her, his heart beating rapidly.

He saw a shadow pass over her face, and her eyes began to glisten.

"But you didn't wait," she said softly.

His heart rate slowed, and he looked at her questioningly.

"When I went to look for you after we had spent the night together, you were with someone else," she whispered.

He lowered his eyes for a minute and then looking back at her, saw that hers were filled with tears.

"But I saw you with Kyle," he said, his voice steady.

She exhaled sharply. "Kyle? When? Where?"

"The night after we were together. You were outside that French restaurant on Princess Street.

You were kissing him," he said, his voice sounding heavy even to his own ears.

It was hard even now for him to remember how awful he had felt.

But she was shaking her head. "No. No. I wasn't kissing him. He kissed me!" She said her voice trembling.

"After you and I were together I knew, I knew what I had probably known for a long time, that it was you that I wanted to be with."

Marco caught his breath. His heart started to hammer.
The tears were sliding down her cheeks now and her voice trembled as she continued.

"After you wouldn't return my calls, I went to look for you that first day to tell you that I just needed to speak to Kyle to end it with him once and for all, face to face. But you weren't home, and then Kyle arrived and we went out to dinner because I didn't want him in my apartment."

Marco felt as though all the air had been knocked out of his lungs. He wasn't sure if he could bear to hear what she was going to say next.

"At the restaurant I told him that I didn't love him enough to stay with him. That I wished him well. That he couldn't make me happy and that I was actually happier without him," she continued between small sobs.

Marco felt paralyzed. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He wanted to jam his fists into his ears.

"I...I...didn't...I...didn't tell him about you because I know how competitive he can be and I didn't want to confuse the issue. He begged..."

"...I said...no thank you...and...and I went home...alone.

It was...late...and...so...in the morning...I..went...I...went..." The tears were streaming down her face, taking her eyeliner with them, but she made no move to wipe them away.

"I went to look for you, to tell you..." she looked down at the floor. "To tell you again that I loved you," she said softly.

"Again?" he asked, his voice cracking. His head was swimming.

She looked up at him. "I...I...told you...I told you that night that I loved you..."

"...but you had fallen asleep," she whispered.

Marco's heart was trying to tear its away out of his chest.

He felt his legs go weak and he placed his hand on the piano to keep from falling. He took a deep breath.

"So...I...went, I went to you...to tell you that I loved you. That I had loved you for a long time I just hadn't admitted it to myself. I went to ask you to take me with you wherever you were going because I didn't want to be apart from you any...anymore." She was crying now but she didn't stop talking, her words tumbling out between her sobs.

"But you were with someone else..."

"And you sent me away..."

"And when I got back to my flat Kyle was waiting for me."


"He asked me let him prove that he could make...me happy. He asked...he asked...me to m...m...marry him..."

"And I was so...so...gutted that I didn't care anymore and so I said, 'yes.'"

Marco was sure his heart would explode and he could feel the tears coursing down his cheeks.

She looked down at the floor again. "I picked you Marco. But you didn't wait for me. You told me to tell you when I decided what I wanted, but you didn't wait for me...I loved you...I still do," she whispered.

Carolyn dropped onto a chair and buried her face in her hands sobbing.

In two strides he was at her side. He pulled her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her.

He felt the heat of her body radiate into him, as he buried his face in her hair.

"But I did wait for you. Don't you see?" He pulled away, and looked into her eyes. "I never wanted to be with anyone but you. That's why I never got married."

She caught her breath and blinked rapidly smiling through her tears.

"I love you Carolyn."

Marco felt as though his heart would burst with joy. He had waited for over twenty five years to say those words, and it felt glorious. He felt like he was flying.

"Say it again," she whispered.

"I love you Carolyn."

"I love you too Marco."

And he lowered his mouth to hers and drank in its sweetness...and she kissed him back...hungrily...his whole body was on fire, and he felt as though he had never kissed anyone else before. These were the lips that were meant to be his.

Suddenly she pulled away...gently...just enough to look into his eyes.

"You've never called me that before," she said softly, her tear-stained face glowing with the flush of passion.

"You've never called me by my first name before."

"I was waiting until I could say 'I love you' in front of it," he said brushing her cheek gently.



"Besides, it just wouldn't do for me to be calling my wife by her last name."

She caught her breath. "Your...w...w...wife?"

He gently let her go and got down on one knee. He looked up at her flushed face, her lips swollen from his passionate kisses and his heart sang. Marco had never wanted anything more in his life.

"I've got the scar and the broken nose. So I was wondering...Will you marry me Carolyn?"

She burst into tears and fell into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Yes! Yes! I will! I love you so much I feel like my heart will explode!"

And they kissed again, deeply and more urgently than before...his hands explored her body and hers his...

And then suddenly the door swung open.

"Oh dear Lord, the children!" He thought pulling away from the embrace.

Carolyn gasped softly, straightening her dress.

Standing in the doorway was their daughter Maya, her eyebrows raised and a big smirk plastered across her face.

Marco ran his hand through his hair, and smiled at her sheepishly. "Maya." He put his arm around Carolyn's shoulders. She was smiling too.

"I've just asked your mother to marry me. If that's alright with you," he said his voice shaking a bit.

"It took you long enough," she said grinning cheekily. "Did you guys finally tell each other that you loved each other then?" She asked.

They nodded, smiling broadly at their daughter.

"Good stuff! Now Mom...'Pop'...may I call you Pop?"

He felt the tears rush to his eyes. He nodded not trusting himself to say anything without breaking down.

Mom, 'Pop'...everyone has left now except Gabriele. I'm going to walk him to the car, and I'm probably going to kiss him for a bit. Don't worry, I will not get into the car. No clothing will be removed. I promise to be back in the house within about...say half an hour."

They both nodded.

She grinned at them and Marco saw that her eyes were glistening. "Now if you two are going to do salacious things to each other, please take it to the bedroom," she told them trying to look stern.

She turned to the door and as she walked out of the room said, "And for gawd's sake it you ARE going to do something salacious to each other, use protection. Remember what happened the last time you two got together...and look at how that turned out!"

Marco and Carolyn burst out laughing.

He still held her hand in his. He was afraid to let it go. He couldn't believe what was happening. What was actually happening!

He pulled her to him holding her close, reveling in the sensation of feeling her energy flowing into him.

He gestured with his head towards the door. "As I have every intention of doing salacious things to you, we should probably..."

Her face was flushed and she nodded smiling. He led her down the corridor to her bedroom walking backwards so he could keep looking at that striking face that had danced through his dreams for the past twenty five years.


He opened the bedroom door and drew her in with him.

"And by the way, as I am going to be your husband, I have absolutely no intention of using protection," he said with a wink.

"And another thing...just so you know, I plan to do salacious things to you as often as I can for the rest of my life," he said huskily, lowering his mouth to her waiting lips.

Carolyn kicked the door shut with her foot, pressed her body against his and wrapping her arms around his neck.

Hours later, they lay in the semi darkness of the early morning. Carolyn had never ever felt such joy or such contentment in her life.

"You still smell of peaches."


"Do you know that shampoo is still only 2.99 at Walmart."

OH MY GOD!!!! SIGHHHHH

Oh, Toni. Tears of remorse and then of joy. All this time...Carolyn took Kyle because she didn't care. How sad for her! If she had just simply said it when she was at his apartment! Or if he had simply called her the day after he saw Kyle kissing her and told her! But I understand they didn't think the other reciprocated. I still mourn for their lost time. BUT! I'm so happy for them! YAY!

How hilarious is Maya! That girl was cracking me up! She's wise beyond her years. I can't decide which part of her dialogue made me laugh the most. She's a real riot!

You, dear lady, are a dynamite story teller. I love the way you weaved this tale together. So intricate. Nothing was without purpose. I love how you go back to the scar and broken nose thing, how they just sort of happened throughout the story and then you bring it back when he proposes.

Brilliant! Brilliant! Brilliant! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! It's party time!

:dancinkitty1:

Marco!!

At last!!


Love the ending!!



For the Saga from Simmiwood!

Quote :

"And I was so...so...gutted that I didn't care anymore and so I said, 'yes.'"

What a crummy reason to marry someone. I can understand how she might think that Marco didn't wait for her and that maybe she and their night together didn't mean as much to him as she thought, but that's lousy reason to go off and marry someone else. Kyle and Marco aren't the only men in the world. Besides it's better to be single than with a chronic cheater. How sad.

Quote :

Mom, 'Pop'...everyone has left now except Gabriele. I'm going to walk him to the car, and I'm probably going to kiss him for a bit. Don't worry, I will not get into the car. No clothing will be removed. I promise to be back in the house within about...say half an hour."

Carolyn's daughters are a trip! I can be sad about the time she lost with Marco and wasted with Kyle, but if she hadn't made the choice she did, she wouldn't have her younger two children. So maybe it's for the best. Maybe Carolyn and Marco will appreciate each other all the more for as long as they had to wait.

Quote :

"And by the way, as I am going to be your husband, I have absolutely no intention of using protection," he said with a wink.

I hope Carolyn's okay with that. I mean, she's 40 and already has three teenage kids and they just got together moments before . . . I'm just saying. Can't even wait for the honeymoon? (not for the salacious things, I don't think they need to wait any longer for that, but maybe for the baby making part. )



But anyway, their getting together was so sweet. I'm glad they're finally together and that the writer of this tale didn't torture us and them anymore. Hurray! I hope they have many, many happy simyears together. I know it's the end, but will there be pictures of their wedding and any future babies they might make together.

Thank you Ari, Ulli and Em for your continued interest in this story!

You guys have totally been the best! Like I said before, I'd have given up telling this tale a long time ago if you all hadn't been such an incredible source of encouragement (and amusement! )

I continue to play the family along with all the others. Trying to give their friends and relatives more play time...I was kinda speed playing to keep them up with C&M chronologically. But I made sure I documented the happenings as best as I could with lots and lots of pictures.

Astral Faery wrote:

OH MY GOD!!!! SIGHHHHH

Oh, Toni. Tears of remorse and then of joy. All this time...Carolyn took Kyle because she didn't care. How sad for her! If she had just simply said it when she was at his apartment! Or if he had simply called her the day after he saw Kyle kissing her and told her! But I understand they didn't think the other reciprocated. I still mourn for their lost time. BUT! I'm so happy for them! YAY!

*Hands Ari a box of Kleenex*

Astral Faery wrote:

How hilarious is Maya! That girl was cracking me up! She's wise beyond her years. I can't decide which part of her dialogue made me laugh the most. She's a real riot!

I'm a bit ahead of this point in my game, and she is causing her parents some grief right now, but so it goes with teenagers!

Astral Faery wrote:

You, dear lady, are a dynamite story teller. I love the way you weaved this tale together. So intricate. Nothing was without purpose. I love how you go back to the scar and broken nose thing, how they just sort of happened throughout the story and then you bring it back when he proposes.

Thank you my dear Ari.

I'm thinking of posting the entire story on Live Journal or some blog like that...with just the installments of their story, so anyone interested can read it without all the other stuff that was posted in between.

I've decided I'm going to follow her kids (and Charlie)...they're intriguing. I mayn't update as often, but I can post update notices in this thread if anyone's interested in seeing how things go. Haven't made up my mind yet though. It would be quite an operation to re-post the whole story. But I'll let you guys know.

SimEm wrote:

...it's better to be single than with a chronic cheater. How sad.

You and I know that, but we also know that women make this mistake every single day, over and over again. 'Maybe he'll change.'

SimEm wrote:

Mom, 'Pop'...everyone has left now except Gabriele. I'm going to walk him to the car, and I'm probably going to kiss him for a bit. Don't worry, I will not get into the car. No clothing will be removed. I promise to be back in the house within about...say half an hour." Carolyn's daughters are a trip!

I had this kind of communication with my mom. I could tell I often shocked her, but she appreciated my honesty. I pretty much told her everything. It actually built our trust, which I worked really hard not to violate. Bottom line is I liked my mom, and I didn't want to disappoint her. I like to think that's that's how Carolyn's kids are (well...there is some trouble brewing with Maya now - but that's a whole other story! )

SimEm wrote:

I can be sad about the time she lost with Marco and wasted with Kyle, but if she hadn't made the choice she did, she wouldn't have her younger two children. So maybe it's for the best.

Joel's turned out to be interesting to play. He's not as emotionally resilient as the girls.

SimEm wrote:

Maybe Carolyn and Marco will appreciate each other all the more for as long as they had to wait.

They're inseperable! I don't even have to play them that way. It's like all they want to do is talk to each other, tell a joke, kiss...whatever. I tried playing the lot with ACR enabled...and....well....yeah...apparently they thought they could catch up on 2 decades of lost time in one day!

SimEm wrote:

And by the way, as I am going to be your husband, I have absolutely no intention of using protection," he said with a wink.

Based upon her look of contentment afterward, I'm going to hazard a guess that she was okay with that.

SimEm wrote:

...but will there be pictures of their wedding and any future babies they might make together.

Maaaaaaaybeeee....

Quote :

I'm thinking of posting the entire story on Live Journal or some blog like that...with just the installments of their story, so anyone interested can read it without all the other stuff that was posted in between.
I've decided I'm going to follow her kids (and Charlie)...they're intriguing. I mayn't update as often, but I can post update notices in this thread if anyone's interested in seeing how things go. Haven't made up my mind yet though. It would be quite an operation to re-post the whole story. But I'll let you guys know.

That would be cool. I enjoy posting my sim stories on blogs. I use blogger more than livejournal, but it's been a pain lately. It would definitely take some work to move it, but hopefully you could copy and paste most of it if that's the route you decide to go. I would definitely be interested in following your updates as the stories continue.

Quote :

I had this kind of communication with my mom. I could tell I often shocked her, but she appreciated my honesty. I pretty much told her everything. It actually built our trust, which I worked really hard not to violate. Bottom line is I liked my mom, and I didn't want to disappoint her. I like to think that's that's how Carolyn's kids are (well...there is some trouble brewing with Maya now - but that's a whole other story! )

I can tell they have a really open relationship. That's neat that you and your mom were so open and honest like that. I tend to be more private and secretive than open, so I couldn't imagine saying that to my parents. They would have probably been dumbfounded if I had.

Quote :

They're inseperable! I don't even have to play them that way. It's like all they want to do is talk to each other, tell a joke, kiss...whatever. I tried playing the lot with ACR enabled...and....well....yeah...apparently they thought they could catch up on 2 decades of lost time in one day!

Well, I've very glad that the writer/simmer in charge of their world allowed them to be together and make up for lost time. Good thing she isn't too cruel to them.

Quote :

SimEm wrote:

And by the way, as I am going to be your husband, I have absolutely no intention of using protection," he said with a wink.

Based upon her look of contentment afterward, I'm going to hazard a guess that she was okay with that.

Well, good. You can tell I'm not a family sim, by my reaction to that.

SimEm wrote:

That would be cool. I enjoy posting my sim stories on blogs. I use blogger more than livejournal, but it's been a pain lately. It would definitely take some work to move it, but hopefully you could copy and paste most of it if that's the route you decide to go. I would definitely be interested in following your updates as the stories continue.

I actually have an account with LiveJournal that I'd never used for anything more than commenting in other people's journals.

I started the process of uploading the story there doing the old cut and paste. It's a bit laborious as it doesn't automatically pick up the photobucket links...I have to insert them using their format button thingie.

I've got 11 entries posted so far, and Kyle hasn't even gone off to university yet! But I'm getting better at it, and should actually get the whole thing posted in a week or two.

Right now I've got them all posted as private entries. When I'm closer to the end I'll make them public, and post a note in my signature I guess. And in the first post here and all that.

I've linked by name to Sugah's...so anyone clicking on it will be brought back here...and it's the only link I've listed in my Links section. I guess if there's interest too, I can post the link to Kyle and his uni buddies, who I uploaded here last year.

I hadn't realized I started telling this story nearly a year ago! August of 2010!

SimEm wrote:

I tend to be more private and secretive than open, so I couldn't imagine saying that to my parents. They would have probably been dumbfounded if I had.

SimEm wrote:

Well, I've very glad that the writer/simmer in charge of their world allowed them to be together and make up for lost time. Good thing she isn't too cruel to them.

Despite appearances, 'the writer' is a total romantic at heart She's just got a teeny dash of evil and a healthy sprinkle of drama-queen mixed in too!

SimEm wrote:

Well, good. You can tell I'm not a family sim, by my reaction to that.

Hee hee!

Both Carolyn and Marco are popularity sims, but Carolyn has family as her secondary aspiration. Who knows...maybe she's already had another pretty Marco baby in my game.

***** sniff, sniff <<<<>>>>>>
Oh yes, finally!!!!

Oh Toni,
thank you so much for this wonderful ending (well somewhat ending)
I am so glad that Marco and Carolyn finally told each other how they really felt.
You m'lady are a FANTASTIC storyteller for realz!!

I absolutely love the flashback shots and how real the story line was.

I can't believe all that they went through to wind up where they are now. I guess great things come to those who wait

AdriannaSimmie wrote:

***** sniff, sniff <<<<>>>>>>
Oh yes, finally!!!!

Oh Toni,
thank you so much for this wonderful ending (well somewhat ending)
I am so glad that Marco and Carolyn finally told each other how they really felt.
You m'lady are a FANTASTIC storyteller for realz!!

Aaaaaaw...thanks Jen! I'm so so happy you enjoyed it!

AdriannaSimmie wrote:

I absolutely love the flashback shots and how real the story line was.

:wigglypig:

I have started uploading the entire story to a Live Journal blog, so it's easier to read. The comments are separate from the story, so readers can whip through the installments.

I'll let you know when it's all posted, in case anyone didn't start at the beginning and wants to fill in the blanks. I'd totally forgotten what a cad Kyle was even back in high school!

Anyway, as I've decided that the next generation is quite interesting, and there's some drama going on in Mr. and Mrs D'Angelo's life (nothing to do with their relationship. That bond is so strong you would not believe! )....I will once I've uploaded the tale...continue telling the story of their families at the LJ, and will just let you know here when I update, in case you're interesting in following along.

There was a little something I thought I'd share now though.

An Epilogue shall we say...

Aside: Because Carolyn and Kyle did not get married in a church (she's Catholic he's Jewish), she was able to get the Church's permission to marry Marco in church...the same church they both grew up in. The mothers were thrilled

If the slide show isn't showing up, there's a link below it that'll take you to the wedding album.

You can also view the album HERE.

And even though this photo of the newlyweds and Carolyn's brothers is in the slide show, I just love looking at it so much, that I just had to post it again!

Toni wrote:

But I think after this, I'll embark on one of your juicy challenges and take a break from storytelling.

I will be looking forward to that!

Toni wrote:

"Boy, she sure gets around," Carolyn thought to herself when she saw pictures of her and Kyle in the tabloids frolicking on a beach somewhere in the islands.

MEOW!!!

Toni wrote:

You might remember Charlie's hottie parents Cassie's brother Patrick and Marco's sister Teresa.

Toni wrote:

...if she had made a misstep in their carefully choreographed friendship.

I love this line. Very nicely worded.

Ari wrote:

And you're making movie posters, now! How cool is that? I looks quite authentic! Excellent job!

Em wrote:

What a crummy reason to marry someone.

Toni wrote:

He had been convinced that like his mother who stayed with his father despite his infidelity, Carolyn would keep taking Kyle back.

He was right about this. It's just too bad he could not move on like she did...well, like she chose to. I just hate the thought of anyone spending their life pining away for another person.

Toni wrote:

Maaaaan, I sure hope we find out what happened, or it's gonna drive me crazy!!!

Ulli wrote:

Who was the writer of this taile? Does Somebody know?

Toni wrote:

Remember what happened the last time you two got together...and look at how that turned out!"

Toni wrote:

"Do you know that shampoo is still only 2.99 at Walmart."

Toni wrote:

So I was wondering...Will you marry me Carolyn?"

It's about damned time! Yeesh!

Toni wrote:

An Epilogue shall we say...

Everyone looks lovely...and happy!

Toni, you have spun quite the tale here. I am so glad that you took us on this journey through Christophe Harbour with you.