Life in Christophe Harbour

Awwwww....thanks Jackie. I've dug up more pix of Brandi's family, so I can give you guys a peek at the past few years of her life.

Here goes....

First, we'll start with the Don Lothario Disaster.

----

Brandi and Skip had been high school sweethearts. Her parents Bob and Betty Newbie were very upset when they had dropped out in senior year to get married. They moved into a small trailer on the edge of town, and Dustin was born about five months later. Shortly after came Beau, and then Drew (like I said, I rearranged and created some memories, so Skip dies AFTER Drew was born...yep, my Drew has a memory of his dad dying. Ain't SimPe wonderful?). In my version of their lives, when Skip died the boys were about 9, 7 and 5.

It was a nearly two years before Brandi was ready to date again, and clearly the years of staying home and raising her sons had clouded her man-judgement. Her boys were big baseball fans and so she took them often to see the Harbour Green Sox Minor League Team play. One day, little Beau caught a fly ball and the whole family was invited to meet the young batter who'd hit it into the stands. With a local TV crew on hand, they waited in the corridor outside the locker rooms to meet the rising star Don Lothario. Don was immediately captivated by the voluptuous blue-eyed, dark-haired Brandi and spent more time talking to her than to the boys. He called the next day.

With Dustin just old enough to be left in charge of his two younger brothers, Brandi began a whirlwind affair with the the charming and handsome Don - who was eight years her junior.

There were nightclubs, cozy dinners at his studio apartment in downtown Christophe Harbour (Don is a very good cook actually) and lazy Sunday afternoons.


Of course as a ball player Don was on the road a lot, but he called Brandi whenever he was in town *cough*....well, so she thought anyway.


Oh boy! He's really working on that 50-First Dates want. (Hey! I do believe that's Nina Caliente in that last shot!).

Well one thing led to another and Brandi was scared and a little bit excited to find out that she was going to have a baby. She was happy because she loved babies, but worried because Don was so busy and on the road all the time, and really there had never been any talk of their settling down together.

"Can I pop by? I've got something to tell you," she told him over the phone. He had asked that she always call before she came over, just to be sure he was home. What with practice and the gym, and being on the road, it didn't make sense for her to drive downtown if he wasn't going to be home, he told her *cough,* (Can everyone say, NAIVE?!)

"Errrrrr. Sure," he said sounding anything but.

"What's up?"

"I'll tell you when I get there," she said with nervous laugh, hanging up the phone and heading for the door.

Half an hour later, she looked at his shocked face and her eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry, Don," she whispered. "I...I...guess I miscalculated."

"You're going to keep it?"


"IT?!" she asked incredulously. "I'm going to keep our baby...MY baby," she said, her voice trembling.

"Don't you want to be a part of the baby's life?" she asked.

"Sure," he said, his expression pained.

"And do you want to be a part of my life?"

"Sure. Why not," he said with a forced smile.

A tear slid down her cheek. "You don't really want to be with me, do you?"

"Brandi. Sweetie, it's not that I don't care about you...it's just not the best time in my life to be thinking about settling down. I've got word that I'm going to be called up to the Majors next season, and I'll be on the road even more than ever, and..."

"Forget it. I don't want to hear it," Brandi said.

"Of course I'll look after the baby," he said, as she turned away and buried her face in her hands.

Don just didn't know what to do, or say.

"I'll call you," he said as Brandi grabbed her purse and headed for the door.

"Don't bother!" she yelled, slamming the door behind her.

Oh wow!!

I love, love, love all of it Toni!!

You have a pure talent for telling stories sweetie and it is awesome!

don is D-O-G!! lol

Oooooo I realy hate that guy.. Don A.h..e Poor Brandi, but if one want to be unhappy say hello to don... she (Brandi) is realy well build any way her upper part!
I think I have to go and kill don a couple of times just to get even at him

Good pictures and well written story! way to go Toni!

Hi folks! What can I say, I guess I like bad boys. lol! Even in RL - when I was young and a bit more foolish than I am now - I always liked the dangerous, rebellious bad boys. The nice ones who liked you and followed you around were...well...nice.......but the brooding one who caught your eye, and half smiled at you, made your heart go wild! Aaaaahhh....the follies of youth!

Yes Jackie, Brandi's rather eye-catching figure is all thanks to the wonderful Warlokk and his bodyshapes skintones.

Anyway my lovelies, I'm going to try to bring you quickly up-to-date on my Brandi story so we can get back to my other bad boy, Kyle. Remember him?! But for now....back to Brandi...

----
Brandi named her daugther Alison Brooks. Don never even asked if she'd given the baby his surname. He came to see her at the hospital, and visited occasionally the first couple of years of Alison's life. Brandi said very little to him. She threw all her love and attention at her kids, and when Alison was a toddler and she read in the papers that Major League Player Don Lothario was getting married into an old Christophe Harbour family (the Goths), she didn't even care. By then, Don visited less and less. He never mentioned his pending nuptials and neither did she. But every month he deposited a more-than-generous amount of child support into her bank account. She'd never had to take him to family court. It was detached arrangement.

The first couple of years, Brandi managed to squeak by on unemployment insurance, what Don gave her for Alison and the occasional job as a waitress for a catering company. She stayed home with Alison and taught her to walk and talk, potty-trained her and taught her nursery rhymes.


She grew into a pretty child (as all Don't children do. Trust me, it's why I let him have so many. There will be more! ).

With Alison and the boys growing up and eating more, and needing more, Brandi needed to find a job, and after a few weeks of searching was lucky enough to find one waitressing at a restaurant about a block away, which was convenient, because by then her old car had long since bitten the dust.

Yes, sometimes, she did think about Don.

But eventually she started dating....And so did Dustin.


And....we know how that ended up?


Brandi couldn't really get mad with Dustin, because the same thing had happened to her and his father. And it was another baby for her to love, and a bit more room in the house when Dustin moved out about a year and a half ago.

Meanwhile, flash back a couple of years, and Beau had his first kiss with Christina Verity.


But these days he's enamored with Rona Gibson from work.

They started hanging out after their shift with his buddy Peter (Max's brother) and his girlfriend Teresa D'Angelo (Marco's sister).

And just a couple of months ago, he made his big move

Now they're going steady

Fifteen year old Drew doesn't have a part time job yet, because Brandi needs him home with Alison when she heads off for her evening shift at the restaurant. But on Saturdays he hangs out with his friends

And just recently kissed Carla D'Angelo (another of Marco's sisters). But Carla kisses everybody, so that's not saying much.

As for Brandi's love life...when Alison grew up, as I mentioned, she dated a little. But one night, not even a year ago. She was out bowling with her new best friend, Nina (bonded over their mutual hatred of Don Lothario), when a rather hunky fella Todd Morgan spotted her and sidled on over to say, "Hi there."

They spent the rest of the night talking and he offered her a lift home.

A few more dates

And Todd - a bouncer at a nightclub - proposed (proposal pic somewhere in this thread) and moved in


Wedding pending...

Go Brandi Go with that hunky fella Todd!!

She`s a cute girl Alison!

Aww, bless your heart, Toni! You did all this because of me and I haven't even been here to see it. Sorry, hon, it's been a rough week at home with the ankle twisting and everyone flirting with the plague and all. I do so appreciate this! You gave me more than I imagined - I was just asking for a quick update but you went all out! You told me all about Brandi's life with its many ups and downs - the poor dear has had a rough time, but she seems like she's managed to find happiness, anyway. I am glad things didn't work out with her and Don - I just can't see them in a permanent relationship together. I like the fact that she and Nina have become good friends - I think they have the beginnings of a friendship by default, don't they? If I remember correctly, Maxis starts them with a few relationship points. Or is that Dina I'm thinking of? Either way, I could never understand why a woman like Nina and a woman like Brandi would ever have enough in common to forge a friendship - but a mutual Don hating could be just the perfect reason!

I am always stunned by how much detail you put into your houses! Everything always looks so well put together and lived in - I often forget I'm looking at sim pictures! You even have a McDonald's!! I love how you take a little thing and expand on it - like Brandi's fondness of bright colors just based on what Maxis gave her. You really took the time to flesh out every single character the game came with - with memories and lives, likes and dislikes. They're so real!

I hope Todd is good to her - she really deserves a man she can love and depend on. Though she's no spring flower anymore - it would be nice to see her find someone to enter her golden years with.

Thank you so much for this, Toni!

Thank you so much guys! It was fun piecing together Brandi's story...though it was hard to pick which pictures to use...I take so many! lol! Oh, and Ari, I'm thrilled that you enjoyed hearing/seeing all about my Brandi. How's the recovery coming at your home? I'm battling something pretty nasty myself. Kinda feel like a truck ran over me. *ugh* I've taken off a few days vacation next week, though I may end up spending it in bed instead of at the beach, which was the original plan. Hey...maybe I'll take Brandi and the gang on a beach vacation! That might help! I'll keep you posted! lol!

Ari, the McDonalds is actually a home business (the owner lives upstairs). It was the only way I could arrange it so I could make playable simmies work there. It makes practically no money as most of the stuff is decorative, but who cares! lol!

Well...I think it's time to check up on Kyle. We left off with him dragging himself back on his feet and submitted his haunting self portrait that had the Art Department buzzing........

------

Professor Tan was so intrigued with Kyle's work that he took him under his wing.


Sensing his young protégé's internal conflict, the professor offered to teach Kyle some basic meditation techniques and Tai Chi


Kyle's exploration into meditation and philosophy helped to stabilize him somewhat, and he started going back to classes and managed to quit smoking. Of course, Carolyn was almost always on his mind.


Soon he was hanging with his friends again, instead of going on his solo binges. The guys at the nearby frat house had finally cleaned out their pool, so it was the place to hang out on weekends. There was always a poker game going and lots of barbecue experiments.


And the constant thoughts of his lost love. After a few weeks of avoiding direct female contact (unthinkable for Kyle!) Max, Marc and Lilith dragged Kyle into Simmiewood one long weekend, for a night on the town.

It didn't take long for Kyle to get into the groove.


And before the night was over he was chatting up some hottie in the parking lot (I love how the bouncer is looking at them in the first shot. lol!).

Well it does seems as though it's going to take Kyle a while to stop thinking about Carolyn.

Hmmmmmm.........Well at least he's trying!

I always hated that about OFB - that if you have a community business you have to commute back and forth. With all the loading times and how fast sims tire out, it seems like all you do is go back and forth. It's a pain. And it always annoyed me that you couldn't have a home restaurant. Dumb Maxis.

Having your McD's downstairs is cool - I've done stuff like that. And everything is only a decorative object - but it looks so darn cute. In my Medieval game, the Goldfinger family has a bakery - with shelves full of pretty breads. But alas, they're only decorative, lol. But it sure does look nice.

And you already know I'd love to see Brandi taking a beach vacation. So if you end up doing that, I certainly won't mind! But I hope that you are well enough to go to the beach too

Well, well, well. I am starting to see Kyle in a somewhat new light. When I said awhile back that he should study Tibetan Buddhism, I wasn't too far off the mark. He's definitely taking a journey to strengthen his body, mind, and spirit - it's awesome that he's getting away from life a little and focusing on something other than everyday stuff.

He really does think about Carolyn a lot, doesn't he? Maybe I feel just a little sad for him....maybe.

The bouncer watching Kyle and the girl in the parking lot is too funny. Perfect shot. And I have to say, the bald look certainly doesn't disagree with Kyle, does it? He's looking mighty fine. I'll be interested in seeing what he does next - if his new teachings have really opened up a deeper person within, or if he reverts back to his old ways.

I Relay love your collage's, they are Awesome! what a beautiful work you have done Toni , the pictures and the story is great, and Yes Brandi is a beautiful girl! you are working very hard to make Kyle a good person Toni, you are a true romantic ... maybe he can move in to Don well thanks for sharing this story with us! and Have a happy Birthday!

Oh Jackie! You're so sweet. Thank you! Yep...tomorrow's the big day. I took the whole week off work, but I've got the flu and feel pretty miserable. Though I don't feel as bad as I did last night....and the fever that I woke up with is now gone. So hopefully tomorrow I'll be even better still, and though spending the day lying on the beach (as I like to do on my birthday) might not be the most comfortable thing, I'm hoping to at least find the energy to get up and get out of the house for a couple of hours.

Astral Faery wrote:

And I have to say, the bald look certainly doesn't disagree with Kyle, does it? He's looking mighty fine.

I must say, I hadn't thought of keeping his head shaved. It's already growing back. I'm a couple of years ahead of you guys and of course they're all kinds of pictures taken along the way, but I'll certainly consider shaving it off again in the future. You know I have a soft spot for pretty boys, and think he'd look good no matter how he wears his hair. lol!

Astral Faery wrote:

I'll be interested in seeing what he does next - if his new teachings have really opened up a deeper person within, or if he reverts back to his old ways.

Yeeeeeeeeah....maybe, someday he'll get it right.

Well, let's head back to Christophe Harbour.

----

Carolyn was crushed when she had seen Marco kissing the girl with the pretty hair. But she was also really relieved that he had not seen her standing on the veranda that day. In fact, she was relieved that she hadn't told anyone she was going to go and see him, and tell him she had realized she had feelings for him.

"After Kyle, I can handle anything," she told herself, as she stared into the mirror above the bathroom sink that night.

"I'll just pretend it didn't happen, and Marco's been so busy recently, I won't even have to see him that much, and school will be over in a couple of weeks. Heck, I just might make it through the summer after all!" She said, sticking her tongue out at her reflection, and making herself laugh.


By the end of the term, Marco thought he was going out of his mind. Carolyn was drifting further away and further away from him, and he couldn't stop thinking about her. They still exchanged quick howdies after class...

But she always seems to be on her way somewhere, and she didn't reply immediately to his texts and emails anymore.

"How ironic," he thought to himself. "I spend the whole school year trying to put space between us, and now that she's giving me space, I can't handle it!"

On the last day of school he decided 'enough was enough' and he followed her determinedly after class.


"Garcia! Wait up!" He called, catching up to her at the bottom of the steps.

"Hey! D'Angelo," she said, with a bright, but almost nervous smile.

He noticed that she seemed a bit nervous, and wondered why she'd be nervous around him.

"You have been so scarce these days, Chiquita," he said with grin.

"Have I? You're the one who's been a.w.o.l all year," she said grinning back and seeming to relax.

"So what're plans for the summer?" he asked, changing the subject. "I see you didn't try out for for summer theatre this year."

"Yeah. We're going to the Caribbean for the summer. You know my mom's from the islands."

"Right, of course," he said nodding. "Well, that'll be a good time. Whole family going?"

"Yeah, we leave..." she broke off grinning, and gestured over his shoulder. "I'm guessin' Cassie's finally going to have to admit she's got a new boyfriend," she said with chuckle.

"Hey Johnny Corsillo! Not bad!" Marco said with a grin. Johnny's dad owned a chain of popular bakeries up and down the coast.

"You know if her dad's 'little acting gig' doesn't work out, at least she won't go hungry!" He said with a straight face.

Carolyn burst out laughing and he broke into a silly grin.

"Hey, going to her party tomorrow night?"

"Of course! Aren't you?"

"Er...yeah," he said hesitantly.

"Great! I'll see you there. Listen, I gotta jet. Marc's coming in from The Tech this afternoon, and I promised my dad I'd pick him up at the train station," she said.

"Oh yeah," Marco said. "When Joey came home last weekend he did mention that Marc had stayed back to finish some project he was working on at the University Hospital or something like that," he said.

"Yeah, he's really serious about getting into med school," Carolyn said, smiling fondly at the thought of her big brother.

Without thinking, Marco reached over and brushed a stray hair off her face.

"Well, see you tomorrow," she said, turning quickly to head across the street to the school's parking lot.

"See you later," he said to her back, slapping his forehead and turning towards the school to go in search of Vinnie, but then turning back to watch her dash across the road.

Marco had a dilemma. He had to admit to himself that he had deliberately not told Carolyn about Solveig. He kept trying to convince himself that it just hadn't come up in conversation, and with his job and her going to another school, he had pretty much kept it on the down low that he was seeing anyone.

It's not that he didn't care about Solveig. He did. She was a nice girl, if a little dull. She was very graceful, and had a lovely voice, she had strong opinions, but was good listener and like him, she enjoyed the theatre. But she wasn't very spontaneous, and she didn't quite get his goofy sense of humor, and she was a tiny bit vain and she hated chocolate. Chocolate! He loved chocolate! Like seriously loved it!

Anyway, their mutual love of theatre and her tolerance (if not appreciation) for his goofiness had managed to keep the relationship at a reasonable buzz all year long.

And now, here it was...Cassie Benoit's "Goodbye High School" bash was the talk of the town. The daughter of one of Simmiewood's biggest movie stars, an invite to the little soiree was the 'must have' of the summer. Solveig knew Marco and Vinnie were friends with Cassie, and she knew they'd be invited, and it was understood that she would be going with her boyfriend. Now Marco would just have to deal with having Carolyn know that he was seeing someone.

"Why should it matter if she knows I'm seeing someone?" He said to himself.

"Yet why have I never told her I was? Clearly she doesn't think of me that way, so why would I want her to think I'm single?"

As for Carolyn, she had asked Sam Wade to go with her to the party. Just in case Marco showed up with the girl with the pretty hair.

"Yep! Sam's a lucky guy," she whispered as she slid into bed that night.

But it wasn't Sam she was thinking about...

I know I am sounding like a broken record, but WOW!
You're storytelling and amazing decorating & landscaping skills are SIMply fabulous, dahling!

I love looking at all of your stunning screenshots and meticulously, beautifully decorated abodes.
Your eye for detail is astounding and you find the most scrumptious downloads to adorn your Sims' homes.

You truly are a huge talent, Toni.
Thank you so much for being here and for sharing.



I hope you feel better SOON.

Feeling a lot more human today thank you, though I decided to stay in and relax. I've got the whole week off work, so I'll venture out tomorrow.

And it is 'I' who must say again, how tickled pink I am that you guys are enjoying my Simmies' stories! It blows my mind that you guys are following their tales! Thank you all for reading, and a big warm hug to those of you who give me feedback! It's such a thrill to hear what you think...and feel free to make suggestions. Right now, I'm a couple of years ahead of you, but once I catch you up, it's free reign going forward together!

Now...back to Christophe Harbour, where things are about to get veddy in-ter-es-ting [insert dramatic music here]

---
Marco, driving his mother's beaten-up station wagon, parked behind Vinnie's sometime girlfriend Lainey's car, outside the eight foot high iron gate at the back of the Benoit Compound. The four trekked over to the security guards and flashed their embossed invitations. The gate slid open and another guard was waiting to direct them along the walkway to the East wing of the house. As they approached the pool, they could hear the music blaring through the open doors. The party was in full swing.

Marco immediately spotted Carolyn with Sam Wade.

He forced his eyes to drift away disinterestedly, even as his heart sank into his shoes. He turned to Solveig with a bright smile, and with his hand at the small of her back guided her into the room.

"And the Oscar for Best Actor goes to Marco D'Angelo!" He said to himself as he worked his way through the room, stopping to pump hands, and slap backs and exchange air kisses, introducing Solveig to his friends as they made their way over to say hi to Cassie and her gorgeous big sister Maxine and cousin Ophelia, home from university for the summer.


At some point he caught Carolyn's eye and she waved smiling, her eyes resting briefly on Solveig, but then she was swarmed by a gaggle of her crazy girlfriends, and he was pulled away to referee an arm-wrestling match. The party was really awesome, and there were enough people there and enough going on, that he could avoid direct contact, with Carolyn.

(Ha ha! I think Vinnie's pretty ambitious, thinking he can handle either of those two! I did not set up that shot. He wandered over there all on his own! )

And what a rush when Clayton Benoit himself, came over from the main wing of the house to say hi to his dauther's friends!

Marco was a big fan, and thought he'd fall through the floor when Clayton, walking past him a little later, pointed at Marco's thift store-bought Armani jacket, circa 1990, and said, "Hey, nice jacket."

"Th...th...thanks," Marco said, and then flashed his dazzling smile to cover his nervousness.

"Daddy! Marco's an actor too!" Cassie said, bouncing up behind her friend.

"Theatre you know," she said, putting on a posh, upper crust British accent.

"Perhaps one day he'll consent to gracing the big screen with his enormous talent," she added laughing, throwing her arm around Marco's waist.

"No kidding? What're you working on?" Clayton said with a warm smile. And as Cassie wandered away, Marco stood and had a 20 minute, one-on-one conversation with Clayton Benoit, Oscar-Award Winning Actor! And it ended with Clayton promising to come and see him in his first theatre production at the Academie!

"What a cool guy!" Marco said to himself. And he was! Clayton didn't even bolt when a bunch of them decided to regale him with a very bad peformance of 'La Vie Boheme' from Rent.

But if that wasn't surreal enough, Marco was about to get the test of his young life. A couple of hours later he stepped out of the bathroom to find Carolyn standing in the hall.

"It's all yours," he said with a smile, stepping aside to let her through.

"Is it?" She said with one eybrow raised and a playful smile teasing her lips. She walked right up to him, coming to a stop with her hands against his chest, and her face so close to his he could feel her breath on his cheek.

"I thought it belonged to that gorgeous girl with the pretty hair...or...did you mean the 'washroom' was all mine?" She said with a mischievous grin.

Marco felt his face flush, but he didn't move.

"And what else could I possibly have been talking about Miss Garcia?" he said with a smile. They stood there in front of the door, their faces inches apart looking into each others'eyes...

...And he realized that hers were glistening. "Tears?" he thought, confused.

"Are you crying Chiquita?" he said, straigtening up, a concerned look on his face.

"No," she said, with a forced-sounding laugh, shaking her head and pulling away from him. Her thick, unruly, oh-so-sweet-scented hair brushed his face, and every nerve ending in Marco's body was awakened. It was all he could do not to grab her and plant his lips on hers.

"Carolyn," he said. "I..."

"Am I interrrupting something?"

Marco dropped his arm, and they both turned to see Kurt Bransfield standing in the corridor.


"Hey Kurt," they said in unision.

"Senor y Senora," he said with a deep bow, and a silly grin.

"Hey, are you guys going in, or coming out? 'Cause if it's out, I'd like to get in," he said pointing, to the bathroom door.

"I...I'm going in, actually," Carolyn said with an apologetic smile, stepping inside and closing the door behind her.

"Still trying to tell her you love her, eh?" Kurt said, taking a sip of whatever, he was sipping from his glass.

"I what?!" Marco said.

Kurt laughed, rolling his eyes and shaking his head. "I'm just messing with you man, but it's written all over your face."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Marco responded, trying to look bored. "I'll catch you back out there," he said, heading back down the hall to join the party.

"Try the punch!" Kurt yelled after him waving his glass. "I hear someone spiked it!"

"I wonder who that could've been, Kurt!" Marco called back over his shoulder, fully suspecting that it was the born-to-be-wild Kurt himself.

"That would explain Carolyn's behaviour," he thought to himself, slowing down.

I mean, they'd jokingly flirted with each other over the years, and had shared their first kiss and all that, but there was something different about tonight. Something more direct, and yet, he could swear there had been tears in her eyes.

Solveig waved to him from across the room and as he joined her she slid her hand up his arm and giggled. She giggled! Solveig giggled!

"Had some punch did you?" he said with a smile.

"I did! It was really good," she said with a big smile.

Solveig gave a big smile!

"Can I get you something to eat?," he asked. "I heard that gourmet goat-cheese pizza is really good."

"Sure," she said, smiling and leaning over to kiss him. He smiled and as he turned away, he saw Carolyn standing just a couple of feet away, looking right at him.

Then she looked past him, and her face went white.

Then she turned away, and grabbed Sam by the arm.

"Let's get outta here!" He heard her tell him, having to raise her voice to be heard over the music.

Marco's head jerked around to see what had spooked her...

Oh ... I realy hate that Kyle guy (more then Don) (can you have him for download, so I can kill him several times? ) , why cant he just lay down and rest in a bucket with cement, or just go to the funny farm where he belong ... sorry I just want her to be happy (Carolyn) , poor girl, why are you torture her Tony? why do we look on romantic movies if there are no happy end? well they should not be romantic then, just tragic ... I wish a reel; When you were sleeping, or my fat Greek wedding for her... well sometimes I think I'm just a romantic boy, but I hate that she is unhappy (can you have her for downloading so I can give her a happy life )

Every picture was amazing, and very thoughtful, I love the surrounding (all the behind stuff, your download folder must be breaking, full of fancy stuff ) and the story is wonderful (even if I wish dead to some of your caretakers ) (well Kyle must have what's coming, thats the rule, all bad a..h...es have to get paid ) (if this was a horror movie, evry one knows what would happen to him bad boy ) soon you will write a real book my girl, because this is fascinating stuff you write... Oh ... guess I am your fan no : 1 keep up the good work Toni, and hope your better to day!

Oh Jackie! lol! I know he's hurt Carolyn, but I'm pretty sure he really does love her. He's just a kid...he's only 19. lol! My dearest Jackie, I love that you are such a romantic, and want to save our princess. I will upload her once she grows into a young adult, which will be very soon. I've already uploaded the boys. You'll find them here. Kyle has been uploaded more than twice as much as any of the others. I wonder if he's being tortured in games across the world! Poor guy! Anyway, my dearest Knight in Shining Armour...Sir Jackie, he is all yours to do with as you please.

I'm on a week's vacation, so you can expect a daily update these next few days.

On to today's episode [can we get a little of that dramatic music please!]

----

Kyle and Max showed up at the party with Damien Duval (Dirk Dreamer) in tow.

As Kyle scanned the room, Max's eyes fell immediately on his ex-girlfriend Cassie.

(I did not set up this shot. He did this, and thought that, all on his own! Which actually led me to direct another little twist that I hadn't thought about).

Max headed straight for Cassie and whispered something in her ear, and before she could react, Johnny Corsillo was across the room and right up in Max's face. Max was not about to be intimidated by anyone, much less, a just-graduated high school senior. It was Kyle who stepped in to calm Max down.

Maxine and Ophelia charged over and herded their friends out of the rec room onto the pool deck.

"Really boys!" Maxine scolded them. "Whose idea was it to crash, and how did you get in without an invitation."

"Carl's my buddy," Max said with a sheepish grin, referring to the Chief Security Guard, Carl Tremont who had snuck him out of the compound many nights when he was dating Cassie.

"We came to the front entrance. He just let us through."

"I swear, it was Max's idea," Kyle said smiling.

"My idea?!" Max said, punching Kyle in the arm.

The grils rolled their eyes at the same time, and they all laughed.

"And you!" Ophelia said, pointing at Damien. "You can't keep your friends under control?"

"Hey, they didn't say where we were going," he said with a grin.

"Let's get outta here," Maxine said. "And we're not going through there!" she said pointing behind them.

"This way!" She commanded, leading the motley crew past the party area and around the back of the rambling mansion.

Back inside, Marco decided it was time to leave. Vinnie had left with Lainey about an hour before. He took Solveig's hand and gestured to her that they should go.

A couple of blocks away, Carolyn did something that her heart just wasn't into.

And a little while later, and across town, Marco did something that his heart just wasn't into.

Later, at home, he looked at himself in the mirror and whispered, "I'm just getting on with my life."

And back at the Garcia house...

"I'm just getting on with my life," she whispered.

I agree, you have a fantastic attention to detail, Toni. So many neat little touches in your decorating and a lot of richness to your characters. I'm envious of your downloads folder. I think I need a copy of it or list of some of your favorite download site. It's so much fun hearing about your sims.

Poor Carolyn and Marco. Not to mention poor Sam and Solveig to be with partners whose hearts just aren't into them. I can't wait to see how it all works out. Keep it up!

You are really becoming quite the storyteller, missy. And your photography is awesome - that last shot of Carolyn if fantastic - well done. Lots of dramatic twists and turns - this a great story so far - keep it up!!

Thank you! Thank you guys! I actually look forward to writing out my stories. I look at all of the pictures I have and then as I go about doing other stuff, I work out the conversations in my head based on the pictures. I'm developing this thing into a science!

Em, I won't scare you by telling you how many files I have! I wouldn't even know where to start...I've been playing since the game was released, and was a download addict from the time CEP was invented. I've got stuff going back to '05. Even clothes! But if it's any help, the sites I've downloaded most from over the years are Black Pearl (great for new meshes...like seriously great) and Garden of Shadows for meshes and great 'lived-in' recolours. Pigi's is also great for painting recolours...and BPS' updates section always has great links to sites I've never even heard of! But if there's a specific item that you see that you like, I'd be happy to direct you to wherever I found it.

And now...to today's episode...

---

Meanwhile, back at the Benoit home: The caterers had already cleaned up, the DJ booth carted away and the pool table back in its usual place when Cassie headed inside after walking Johnny to his car. The house had fallen quiet except for the sound of the TV coming from the rec room, and she headed there to find her brother Patrick and cousin Andre (who was staying over) watching a replay of last night's game.

"Soooooo....," she said, dropping onto the sofa next to Andre, and nudging him with her elbow.

"I saw you heading in the direction of the pool house with Jill Lei tonight," she said with a knowing wink.

"Thought no one would notice, eh?"

"This coming from someone who took two hours to walk her boyfriend to his car," he shot back with a grin.

"He's got ya there, Cas!" Patrick said laughing.

"Speaking of boyfriends, Missy," Andre said turning to her.

"What was that whole drama with Max showing up, and getting all up in Johnny's face?"

"Well, Johnny's the one who got upset first," Cassie said.

"Are you defending Max? 'Cause from where I sit, Johnny had every right to be upset," Andre replied.

"What did Max say to you anyway?" he asked.

"Yeah," Patrick chimed in. "I saw him whisper something in your ear."

She smirked. "He was just saying hi. It was loud in here so he had to talk right into my ear."

"Yeeeah, riiiiiiiight," the boys said at the same time, nodding knowingly.

"So Johnny's okay now?" Andre asked.

"Yeah. Sure," she replied. "I'm very good at calming people down," she added with a wink.

Patrick rolled his eyes.

"And clearly Max, still wants you to be the one calming him down," he said grinning at his sister.

"Like, this is a conversation I want to have with my kid brother. Not!" she said making a face at him.

"So how about them Green Sox?" Andre said, not-so-subtly changing the subject.

And so the trio sat polishing off a few leftover snacks and chatting until the sun began to come up. Then they headed to the pool house, changed into their bathing suits and went for a sunrise swim. That's where Maxine found them when she got home at about 6:30.

"Fun night?" Cassie asked, looking up at her sister with a smile.

"The usual," she said with a laugh, plopping down next to Cassie.

"These guys practically live at our house. I'm so used to their madness."

"Thanks for getting them out've here," Cassie said.

Maxine turned onto her back, and gave a long stretch.

"So, we pried the whole story out of them. It turns out it was Max's idea. He talked Kyle into it by pointing out that he would get to see Carolyn. Seems Kyle was actually hesitant about coming."

"Yeah? Didn't you say he spent the whole of last semester moping around over Carolyn."

"Yeah, but apparently, he was anxious about possibly seeing her with someone else," Maxine explained, rolling her eyes at the thought that Kyle of all people, would be the jealous type. But she didn't say that to Cassie.

"Anyway, kiddo," she continued. "So it seems that while Kyle was having his meltdown, Max was biding his time waiting for an opportunity to see you again."

Now it was Cassie's turn to roll her eyes.

"Do you still love him?" she asked her younger sister.

"Why? Do you want him?"

Maxine made a face. "What I want is to make sure that my little sister is okay," she said, smiling softly.

"Yeah, I'm okay. It's flattering that Max wants to see me and it makes Johnny even more attentive. It's a win-win for me, man," she said.

"Do you think you'll ever go back with him?" Maxine asked.

Cassie shrugged. "I can't imagine under what circumstances that would happen."

"Hmmmm...interesting answer," Maxine said with a smile, impressed with how cool her sister was.

"You know we talk sometimes," Cassie said.

Maxine raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"You do?"

"Online. If he sees me, he'll say hi. We dont' talk about much. Just how're you doing kinda stuff. Sometimes he'll ask if I'm seeing someone."

"And what do you say?" Maxine asked.

"That it's none of his business."

Maxine laughed.

"I said we talk, I didn't say I was nice to him!" Cassie said with a grin.

"Well, on that note," Maxine said laughing, "I think I'll take a morning dip."

As she headed inside to change, their mother Salome came out onto the deck.

"I hear you had an interesting night," she said to Cassie, sitting down next to her. Salome had a rich, french accent which her kids didn't notice, but everyone else found very distinctive.

"That's the perfect way to describe it, mom," Cassie said sitting up and rubbing the back of her neck.

"Men, are so...um...," she searched for the word.

"Pliable!" She said finally.

Salome threw her head back and laughed.

"That they are ma belle. That they are."

Pretty soon, Maxine returned to the pool, espresso in hand. She was soon followed by Clayton, and shortly afterwards, Bernadette, their fifteen-year old sister who had been banished to a friend's for the night.


By the way, they really are a good looking family (I'm including Andre in this little montage because he is Clayton's nephew, so he's family!)

Despite the drama, I think Cassie is going to be just fine!


Or will she?

Oh ... an other cliffhanger from Toni ... or will she .... . Yes my girl it is a good looking family, and your pictures are fantastic again like always, and like Astral says; (Missy) you are a very good story teller

Thanks for sharing, and thanks for putting her (Carolyn) up for download!

Quote :

I wonder if he's being tortured in games across the world! Poor guy!

He, he ... I hope that

I am glad you feel a bit better, so you can have a update evry day Thanks Toni!

Wow! You really are getting this down to a science. Fleshed out dialogue scenes and great shots. And a pretty family, as well. Awesome story telling.

Or will she?

Common don´t stop there I want more!!!

:wigglypig:

Oh you guys are too funny! What're you gonna do when I go back to work next week, and you don't get daily updates! You might go into withdrawal!

I'm so excited that you guys are enjoying my tales. I'm playing in a whole new way now, totally keeping in mind that I've got to document everything. It's actually making for some pretty intense game play! But you'll see what I mean.

Now, on to today's episode...Ari can you queue the dramatic music please? And Ulli if you'd be so kind as to get the lights. Jackie, put away the boxing gloves. There'll be no fighting today!

Hee hee!

----
Over the next few days, Carolyn busied herself getting ready for the prom, and packing for the family vacation and university. In the early hours of Friday morning, she saw Marco online.

Stage Boy: Hey Garcia!
Diva: Hey, Marco...u r up late.
Stage Boy: So are u!
Diva: lol!
Stage Boy: So how've u been? U left the party the other night without saying goodbye.
Diva: I got a sudden headache :D
Stage Boy: Yeah, I saw that coming on ;-)
Diva: :-)
Stage Boy: So u ok?
Diva: Yeah. It was just a shock. Took me off guard.
Stage Boy: So do you need a friend's shoulder to lean on?
Diva: I always need that! :D I'm a hot mess! lol!
Stage Boy: Hot mess? I don't think so :-) Not Queen Carolyn!
Diva: puh-leaze! lol!
Stage Boy: So what have u been up to?
Diva: Getting ready for the prom tonight, and packing, packing, packing!
Stage Boy: When do you leave?
Diva: Tomorrow.
Stage Boy: Tomorrow! Like Saturday?!
Diva: Yep. First thing in the morning.
Stage Boy: So when do you get back.
Diva: August 28th, and then we head straight to the Tech the next day. It's been crazy getting everything organized. I'll have like zero time when I get back!
Diva: Helllooooo
Stage Boy: lol! I'm here. I'm here. I'm absorbing.
Diva: lol! So when do you leave for the Academie?
Stage Boy: August 27th. I guess we won't get to see each other before we leave for school.
Diva: Wow! I guess not :-(
Diva: Well, there's the prom.
Stage Boy: Yeah. Guess I'll have to try to steal you away from your date. Ha ha!
Diva: lol! Yeah riiiiiight!
Stage Boy: Well, I better hit the sack. Guess I'll see you later then.
Diva: Yep! I'll be the one scoping out escape routes.
Stage Boy: Ha haaaaa! Later Chiquita.
Diva: Ciao!

Carolyn and Sam arrived at the prom a little after seven o'clock.

She took a deep breath as they climbed the stairs of the Rex Pappilion Hotel in downtown Christophe Harbour.

Her emotions were all over the place. She had been thinking about Kyle, and how things used to be between them, and she would be lying to say she didn't feel her heart twinge when she thought about him. But she also couldn't deny that she had feelings for Marco. When she thought about him, her stomach kinda flipped over a bit.

But she wasn't sure if they were real feelings, or ones that she'd developed because she was getting over Kyle and Marco was so sweet, and pretty much everything that Kyle was not. Sometimes she thought her feelings for Marco had always been there. Even before Kyle, and while she was going out with Kyle. But that was crazy wasn't it?

"And poor Sam," she thought smiling at him as he turned to let her go through the door ahead of him. He was beaming from ear to ear as he looked at her, obviously smitten.

"Oh boy, do I ever have a problem," she thought to herself, gliding past Sam into the Hotel foyer.

Everyone was there, looking all bright and shiney. Even crazy Kurt Bransfield looked half decent, Carolyn thought grinning to herself. And there he was: Marco and the girl with the pretty hair. Carolyn had found out that her name was Solveig.

"It's gonna be a long night," she said to herself. "But it's my senior prom, and I'm going to have a good time."

She turned to Sam with a big smile, and said, "May I have this dance Mr. Wade?"

"Why certainly, Miss Garcia," he said bowing elegantly.

Carolyn tried to relax and have a good time, and didn't do too badly. It was a pretty great party.

But towards the end of the night, the inevitable happened. She and Sam ended up standing right next to Marco and Solveig. Carolyn saw Marco hesitate for a split second, and then he smiled warmly and introduced Solveig to them (the boys already knew each other from school).

He didn't call her his girlfriend, just said, "This is Solveig. Solveig Sam and my buddy Carolyn."

Solveig smiled, "Oh you're Carolyn! I've heard a lot about you. His drama class partner."

"Yes...yes, that's right," Carolyn said, smiling back even as she felt her knees go weak. After a bit of light chit chat, she excused herself and headed out a side door to get away from the crush for a minute.

She stood in the small hallway near the Hotel's back entrance, taking deep breaths, when she felt someone come up behind her and gentley touch her arm. She knew from the soft smell of peach-scented shampoo and Polo cologne that it was Marco. He stepped in front of her.

"Hi," he said with a smile, and before she could respond, he pulled her into an alcove near a stairwell, wrapping his arms around her waist to steady her. And there they stood, not moving, staring into each others eyes. Her heart was hammering so loudly she was sure he could he could hear it.

"Marco..." she whispered...

Thanks for the site suggestions, Toni. I'm sure I've got downloads from 05 as well, but not that many since until a year ago I only had a 20 GB harddrive and until about three years ago I was on dial-up. I mostly downloaded clothes and hair and things that I specifically needed for storytelling, but not so much furniture and decorative things. You really have a knack for putting it together.

Uh oh. I hope Sam and Solvieg don't catch them! Talk about drama at the prom. lol I love Carolyn's dress. So pretty.

Oh ... What romantic Good work to day to Toni, and I realy likes the end, even if it makes two other people sad (and I don't think about Kyle), but that was good Hope the stop denying their feelings, and embrace the love


Yay give me more

You're welcome Em.' Did you want me to look up where I got Carolyn's dress from? I have another colour too, and I agree, the mesh is beautiful~

Jackie, Jackie, Jackie....did you really think I was going to let everything fall into place so easily? Oh, I really thought you knew me better than that by now No no...this situation is just too ripe with drama, and I intend to revel in it for a while, so put away your weapons and fasten your seatbelt!

---

"I'm so sorry!' Marco said, pulling himself away from Carolyn.

"I...I...shouldn't have..."

"No, no, you don't have to apologize," she said, her voice shaking.

"Carolyn," he said grabbing her hand. "I just lost my head. It's just that you're leaving, and I wanted to...just...spend a minute with you..." he trailed off

She smiled, her eyes filled with tears.

He let her hand go, and they stood looking at each other, their faces flushed.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be," she said, with a teary smile. "It's my perfume. It drives men crazy," she said with a forced laugh, even as she brushed a tear from her cheek.

He laughed, and grabbed her hand, and dropped it again. He looked up at the ceiling and back at her and smiled crookedly.

She shook her head as though she was trying to clear it. "I should go back inside," she said softly.

"Of course." His voice was raspy. "Carolyn, I..."

"I'll miss you too," she whispered. Then she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, and turned away and disappeared down the hall.

As Carolyn hurried back to the ballroom, her mind was racing.

"What just happened?" she asked herself, her steps slowing. She stopped abruptly outside the big, double-doors, and then ducked behind a plant to try to collect herself.

She could still feel his lips against hers, and she rested her hand against her hot forehead.

"Wow!" She thought. "Was that Marco?"

Carolyn was stunned by Marco's kiss. She had always imagined (yes, she had wondered what it would be like to kiss him...really kiss him) - she had always imagined he'd be a gentle kisser...but this had been anything but! His kiss had been passionate and demanding, and had made her knees buckle. She leaned against the wall for a minute and closed her eyes.

"Wow!" she said again to herself softly. Then she straightened up, took a deep breath and walked back into the ballroom, her eyes glistening and her face flushed.

The crowd had thinned and people were slowly streaming out the front doors. Sam rushed up to her, his face lit up.

"Everyone's going to the after party at the Lighthouse," he said. The Lighthouse was a popular nightclub near the beach. Before she had the chance to say anything, he grabbed her hand and started leading her through another doorway that led into the Hotel's garden.

Stopping in front of the fountain, Sam turned to her his eyes shining.

"Carolyn, you're leaving in a few hours, and when you come back you're heading to school, and I can't imagine how I'm going to survive without having you nearby," he paused.

"Oh nooooo..." she thought, her heart sinking.

Sam cleared his throat. "Let's try that again," he said with a nervous laugh.

"Carolyn...," He took her hands in his. "Will you be my girl?"

She closed her eyes.

"I know we've only been seeing each other a few weeks, but we've known each other since grade school...and I am so sure of my feelings for you. I know I'll be here in the Harbour," he continued hurriedly. Sam, was going into his father's sucessful tailoring business, which he was being groomed to take over.

"...But, we can still be together. I can come up and see you at the Tech on weekends. Heck, I'm sure I can convince my dad to give me a couple of weeks off at the end of the summer. I can even come down to the islands to meet you," he said expectantly.

"Oh Sam," she said gently.

She wanted to blame it on Kyle, and say that she was just coming out of a relationship, but that would give Sam false hope that in time they could be together.

"I'm sorry, Sam. You're a great guy, and I do care about you...but...like you said, we've known each other for years, and if this was meant to be, I should feel that by now, and...oh Sam..."

He let go of her hands, and his chin dropped to his chest.

"I'm so sorry."

He looked at her his face twisted, but he tried to smile.

"Thank you for being honest with me Carolyn," he said his voice breaking.

"I want to hate you, but you're such a good person." He continued smiling rufully.

"Do you mind if I just take you back home?"

"No, no. Of course not. I think that's best," she said.

They drove home in virtual silence, and Sam walked her to the front door.

"If you ever change your mind..." he said with a sad smile.

She smiled back.

"Goodbye Sam," she said.

Toni why are you so bad Poor Carolyn, is she his secret first cousin or something Is that why you play with her little heart? or is this just an other Diabolic plan to get kyle back on stage, so he can be unfaithful to her for the rest of his life?

This time the story was realy good too, and the pictures Amazing, Thanks for an other exiting episode of (Soap) Life in Christophe Harbor

Toni Please post an other Marco - Carolyn kissing photo