Summer Break Remar 2003

Remar, Summer, 2003
Jesse is 37, Fiona is 34, Bill is 19, Veronika is 5 (Suzanna Carr is 38, Bradford McMillian is 39)

Summer had arrived once again and to celebrate Veronika's birthday, Aunt Suzanna flew in from Eden.

"You've grown so much since I last saw you!" Suzanna said sweeping down to give her niece a hug.

Veronika nodded. "Yep, I was a baby then, but now I'm a big girl. I'm going to go to school soon, but first daddy and mommy are taking me to the beach."

---

And to the beach they went. Jesse surprised Fiona with a brand new beachhouse that featured plenty of room for Veronika to run around and the adults to enjoy the hottub.

"You should be careful, Bill." Fiona warned. "When women are slighted, they become like witches."

"Faith wanted the breakup as well."

"That may be true, but don't flaunt your new relationships in front of her."

Bill wondered how his step-mother knew about his relationships, then he corrected himself. She was the county president, she had eyes everywhere.

Meanwhile, Veronika convinced Aunt Suzanna to build sandcastles with her at the beach.

"I like it when you're here, auntie. "

"I like being here, Veronika."

"Do you miss Grandma Layla?"

Suzanna nodded, keeping the tears behind her eyes. "I do, she was a wonderful woman."

"I never met Grandma Ayanna, she died before I was born."

"Enough talk about death." Suzanna said brushing the sand off her skirt. "It's almost lunchtime, I'll race you to the house."

Veronika won the race and was greeted by her father.

"Swing me, daddy!" She cried and her father obeyed.

"Jesse, you're going to make her sick. Come inside you two, it's time for lunch." Fiona called.

While Bill and Veronika napped after lunch, the other adults enjoyed the popular hottub.

"It's about time you got a raise from your company, Suzanna." Jesse commented.

"I agree. If you were working here in Apple Valley, not only would you have a higher position but a higher salary as well."

"I'm doing well financially."

That much was true. Suzanna had always excelled in her career and education, but now...her priorities were shifting. Maybe it was her mother's death, or the fact that her biological clock was ticking, but she was considering adopting a child. Not only adopting a child, but selling the family home house and moving to something smaller to raise that child in.

It had been on her mind since Jesse adopted Bill ten simyears ago. Now she was at an age where she had to be honest with herself. If she wanted a family and children, she would have to make it happen...alone. It wasn't that she wasn't interested in dating, but Eden was a small community and there wasn't a lot of options. She rather do it alone, then to settle.

There was Bradford McMillian. Fiona had urged her co-worker to chat with Suzanna on the SUN Boards and she had to admit, he sounded interesting. He was a lawyer at Stern & Clerks with Fiona and lived in Apple Valley Metro with his brother, James, and his daughter, Laci. Bradford's wife had died shortly after Laci's birth five simyears ago. She enjoyed thier daily chats.

"Auntie! Watch me!" Veronika yelled, shaking Suzanna from her thoughts.

"Weeee!!!!"

----

The next day, Fiona grabbed the family for a little sightseeing.

"I would suggest you visit the ruins of Captain Fisher's boat." A local woman recommended. "You have a few moments before the next tour starts."

To pass the time until the tour, the family decided to have a dance party of sorts. Jesse and Fiona swayed to the music, while Veronika happily bounced around. Bill had wisely escaped to the restroom and Suzanna kept glancing around to see if any other sims saw her dancing alone.

The family was able to squezze in a tour before the sky opened up and buckets of rain fell to the ground. Jesse enjoyed it and even developed a few lesson plans around the history of the boat while he surveyed the land from the top of the ship.

After a quick dinner of Luau Ribs, the family opted for some night swimming.

"I think friendship is important. You have to be best friends. You need some kind of foundation to build a relationship on."

"This coming from the guy who fell in love at first sight."

"Yea...but we're best friends...how's that guy you're chatting with?"

"He's fine. He invited us to visit a jazz club after we return from the beach.We'll see how it goes when we meet in person. Just chatting online isn't quite the same thing as actually seeing someone face to face, you know."

"I know, just try not to drool all over the place when you meet him."

---

"Are you excited about tonight's date?" Fiona asked as Suzanna inhaled her breakfast. She was starving and Dr.Wilsonoff was due to pick her up in a few minutes so that she could volunteer at the medical clinic.

"Yes," she mumbled hastily chewing and running upstairs to throw on clothes.

"Has your sister mentioned anything about tonight?" Fiona asked Jesse when he walked downstairs.

"No, why?"

"Do you think she's excited? She didn't seem like she wanted to talk about it when I asked her earlier."

"She's probably nervous. It's been a while since she's been on a date with a decent guy."

"Still, I wonder-"

"Hush." He said and swept her in his arms for a kiss. "You told me to stay out of thier relationship, you should do the same."

Suzanna coughed as she entered the living room, breaking the couple's embrace.

"I know you two want another baby, but perhaps try to keep that in the bedroom." She teased.

Jesse stuck his tongue out at her.

"We leave at six, right?" She asked, fumbling with the door.

"Six o'clock, on the dot!" They yelled after her.

---

That evening, Fiona, Jesse, Suzanna and Bradford walked into the metro's newest jazz club. The seating was limited and the couples were seperated to two close, but seperate tables.

Fiona and Jessed tried not to laugh so loud from thier table. Whenever Bradford wasn't looking Suzanna would swoon over him and when Suzanna wasn't looking Bradford would swoon over her.

"At least those two are attracted to each other." Fiona whispered as they watch them dance.

"That much is obvious." Jesse agreed.

Fiona glanced around the club. "Do you think they'll notice if we sneak out for a few moments?"

"I doubt it. Suzanna has that silly look on her face and is grinning like a cat with a toothbrush stuck sideways in it's mouth."

"Good, let's go."

---

The ferry ride back to the island seemed like minutes. After changing, Suzanna went straight to the piano to pluck out a few tunes. She had a lot to think about. Suzanna doesn't think she has ever met anyone that she's gotten along so well with so quickly. Her plans of adoption and moving to something smaller in her hometown of Eden was starting to waver after her chats with Bradford and now this amazing date.

While Suzanna considered her options, Fiona clearly knew what was in store for thier family. There was no question about it, they were expecting a baby.

---

Yea, they're pregnant! Fiona's due to deliver twins in Hapar 2004. Suzanna and Bradford are an example of using the SUN Boards (in this case the Sims Dating & Friends Board) to interact with sims in other sim-to-sim hoods. Suzanna is staying until the birth, so we'll see what happens bewteen her and Bradford.