Chain Reaction 2.82: Meant To Be

Alex

     Emily...

     I could kiss her forever and never get enough.

     The sun rises on the horizon, and I couldn't think of a more perfect metaphor for how my life is at this moment. Although really, the sun rose the first time I kissed her.

     This perfect creation is going to be my wife. My wife!

     Of course, I had a little more confidence than what is typical as I went into preparations for tonight. Although in a loopy state of mind, Emily told me she'd say yes. Still, she was in a loopy state of mind, so I needed to make sure where exactly we stood.

     How could she think I was still in love with Brielle? Maybe she just voiced that as her one concern. Sure, Emily has some of the same qualities that I liked in Brielle, but Emily also has qualities that I never knew I wanted, things I would look for in other women but not find. It's just the way she looks at the world, and I know the brilliance going on behind those eyes. When I see that, which is almost all the time, I want to eat her alive. My soul screams, 'Yes! Here she is! She's wonderful! Beautiful and intelligent and not full of herself. She is the most precious sim ever made!' Something like that. It's surprisingly difficult to describe.

      She makes a little noise. I've been kissing her for several minutes straight now without a breather. She might also think that my arms are tiring. Not a chance. I'd been anticipating a fight with Graham, not even realizing the reason why when I started back working out, so this is nothing. Just to prove it, I hold her tighter. She sighs and relaxes. Good. I don't want to stop.

     My mind recalls how timid she'd been in the restaurant earlier. She'd been so tense during dinner. It was almost funny except that it also worried me that she might've been rethinking what she'd said and was wondering how she could turn me down without completely destroying our relationship. Now, I guess she was just nervous. I don't know why; all she had to say was one word.

      I'd thought of a million different ways to do it, to ask her to marry me. I don't like the one I eventually settled on. It scared her, and only after I said it did I realize that it sounded like the beginning of a breakup speech. I almost blew it.

    But I didn't, and now, I want to see that ring on her finger more than any other sight in the world.

    I stand her up and slowly stop kissing her. More time for that later, I tell myself and reach into my pocket.

    "Alex?" she questions, probably seeing my expression.

     I smile. "I did say you need better jewelry." I take her hand in mine and carefully slide on the two carat blue diamond I bought her.

     "Alex!"

     I knew it. She thinks it's too big. Honestly, I could've done more, and she knows it. She tries to pull her hand away, but I tighten my grip.

     I smile down at her hand. "It looks perfect." It's like a dream come true.

      I love the way her skin tastes, and I successfully pull one of her fingers into my mouth. She says my name again and squirms, trying but failing to pull her hand free. My tongue works on the underside of her finger, and she quietly pants, making me deliriously aroused. If only it were night and I could drag her off to the nearby row of bushes. As it is, this sensual act is too much for her yet she's trying not to stop me, probably worried she has to stop me all the time. Can I help it if I want her every second of the day and sometimes it's more than I can take?

     Closing my eyes again, I find it in me to stop. After all, I'm not an animal. "I love you so much, Emily."

     "I know," she replies, and when I look at her in surprise, I see a playful smirk. That means I have to kiss her again. We're never going to get out of the park and get home if I can't stop... but just one more kiss.

     I take Emily home, and we make love all morning. It's just a warmup for our honeymoon. We decide we want to get married in six months. That's about the longest I can wait. If I had my way, we'd elope to Lucky Palms immediately. Emily surprises me by saying she wants a decently-sized wedding. Nothing 'Selena-scale' but wanting to have close friends and family in attendance.

     Graham is going to walk her down the aisle. Oh boy. I grin every time I think about it.

     Emily is going to have her parents there, and now that the Maker has brought back my extended family from extinction (slight exaggeration), I want at least my mother there. So, I write to her, not sure how to tell her over the phone. She'd be insulted by a text.

     About a month later, we get a knock at the front door. We're watching some lame game show, so I jump up to answer it.

      "Mom!" I smile brightly. What a surprise! I open the door, hug her, and invite her inside.

      "A letter, Alexander? I don't get invited to the first wedding, the second wedding, you didn't act like you wanted anyone there which is good considering it didn't happen, and now, you send a letter saying you 'hope' I attend? How can you think I wouldn't want to attend my only son's wedding?"

     "It's...not for another five months, Mom." I watch out of the corner of my eye as Emily stands up and turns around, an enigmatic smile on her amazing lips.

     "Well, I thought instead of writing you back that I'd just show up." She turns her head. "I assume this is she?"

     "Hello, Mrs. Goth. My name is Emily. I've heard a lot about you," Emily says as she crosses the floor, sounding like she's rehearsed it. I plaster a smile on my face.

     "Well, I've heard little about you," Mom replies.

     I clear my throat. "Uh, actually, you have. I didn't mention it in the letter. This is the same Emily that was Drake's girlfriend at the time of Dad's funeral." May as well get it out now.

     Mom's jaw drops. "I see it now. You're Brielle's daughter."

     Plum, Mom! Don't start comparing her to her mother.

     Emily sets her own jaw. "Yes, but Alex doesn't hold it against me." She smiles now.

     Mom laughs. "You have to forgive me, Emily. I'm sure you're a sweet girl, but your mother is one of my least favorite people, topped only by your father."

     'Sweet girl,' Mom? She's up to her little tricks again.

     "Well, I hope you give me a chance without judging me by who my parents are," Emily states, striking the issue right on the nose.

     But Mom doesn't stop. "So, tell me how you go from being my grandson's girlfriend to my son's fiancee."

     Emily reddens, but before I can say anything, she replies, "Forgive me for saying it, but your grandson is a cruel man. It took me a little while, but I started realizing that I would always want to come over to see Alex, not Drake."

     Really? My heart warms. I remember how I used to always love it when Emily came over, not even fully realizing at the time how my love for her was maturing.

      "So, you prefer the father over the son," Mom states.

      I say, "Mom," at the same time Emily says, "Yes." Glancing at the woman I love, I see the same look of fortitude that I saw on the day Selena came over with her 'news.' Emily is looking boldfaced into the truth that she's gone from son to father in the same family, dating and then engaged to a man old enough to be her father. It's a fact that the two of us know but avoid directly referencing.

     Mom now turns to me. "And you were once so desperately in love with her mother that you turned your life upside down for nothing. Don't you find it a little odd that you're now in love with her daughter?"

      This has gone far enough. "I'll admit that at first that occurred to me, but Emily is not her mother. For that matter, she's not her father either. She may have been born a Taylor, but she was always meant to be a Goth." Forgetting my mother for a moment, I turn to Emily. "You'd really come over to see me?"

     Emily tries to smile. "Yes. I realized that when... when we decided to build the rocket." She bites her lip. Mom is getting to her.

     I turn back to Mom. "And as for the age difference--"

     She interrupts. "I never said I had a problem with your age difference." After watching me expel all the air in my lungs, she continues, "I mean hell, I was twenty years younger than your father."

     I stare at her, slack jawed. She was! How could I have forgotten that? People would tease her about being 'Mortimer's trophy bride.'

     "You don't have to explain to me how love can cross a generation. My one concern is if this has anything to do with Brielle."

     "Other than her being Emily's mom, no. In fact, for years, I've gone so far as hating Brielle. But now, it doesn't matter. Emily is Emily, Mom." I am so tired of having to explain this over and over again!

     Mom finally backs down. "Forgive me, Alexander. You can't blame a mother for worrying." She hugs me. I sigh with relief, but when I look at Emily, I see she's still sore from the conversation.

    But Mom fixes that too. She starts telling Emily how she's happy that her son is finally going to be happy, and she talks about me...a bit too much.

      "Here! I knew I transferred this picture to my phone. This is him when he was eight, I think." Oh. Great. "I like this one because he always had that thoughtful look on his face. That's his nanny behind him."

     Emily finally smiles. Then, she glances up at me as I'm utterly embarrassed. "Your hair was shorter. And you had a nanny?"

     Mom looks at her. "Of course! Both Mortimer and I worked, and it was the best childcare option available. It still is, so it's definitely something to consider when you and Alexander have kids."

     Emily's face reddens.

    Hoping to stop Mom before she breaks out the baby pictures, I walk up and kiss my wonderful fiancee on the cheek, saying we should all go out to dinner. In my mind, it's a celebration for surviving the Bella Goth interrogation. I almost look forward to smoothing Emily's ruffled feathers later tonight.
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A/N: I know the 20 year age difference between Bella and Mortimer isn't true in everyone's book (esp considering sims 1, 2, & 3), but back in the beginning of this story, Mortimer aged to MA pretty early and Bella stayed YA for a long time. So, I'm going with that. :)

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