Chain Reaction 3.33: Kade

Isabella

      It's not fair! My nieces have men falling all over themselves just to get at them, and when I finally have the perfect guy, it turns out the girl he was still trying to get over turned out to be one of them! Why Jarvis, Charlotte? Why him? Isn't it enough that you're the heir?

      I was really starting to fall in love with Jarvis. He was certainly better than any of those losers I'd meet in the club. He was... real. He wasn't just trying to get in my pants. That's not to say he wasn't passionate, but he was a gentleman about it--well, compared to some jerks I've dated.

     Sigh. I guess I'll be the branch on the family tree that stops with me.

     "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know anyone was here," I hear coming from a deep voice to my right. Turning my head, I see some guy standing there looking at a loss as to what to do. "There usually aren't any people here this time of the night." Why is he concerned someone is here? It's a public park. Maybe he'd hoped to be alone and I'm ruining it.

     "Sorry." Geez, I can't even go to the park anymore? I love this park. It's so romantic... which isn't that great a thing right now, but I still like it.

     "Is everything okay?" he asks, and I really look at him. I immediately notice the concern in his brown eyes.

      "My boyfriend cheated on me," I tell him. I believe Jarvis when he says that he was planning on coming to talk to me as soon as he could. Still, he shouldn't have chased after her to begin with. I feel cheated out of a good relationship.

     The stranger takes a breath. "Oh yeah. Been there. Only girlfriend, though. How long has it been?" 

     "Been since what?"

     "Since he cheated on you."

     I look down at his loafers. "A week. I mean, I'm mostly over it. I'm just starting to think I'll never be happy."

     He sits. down. on the bench next to me.

     "Do you need someone to talk to?" he asks.

     Crap. This is just like the night I met Jarvis for the second time. Only this time I'm the one moping. 

     I sigh. "I don't know what good it'll do. Tell me what happened with you." Maybe hearing someone else's story will make mine not so bad.

    "Uh..." He sounds uncomfortable.

      "You don't have to," I say. I should probably go. I have no idea who this guy is. He could be a serial killer for all I know. I could be in danger. But... I don't know. Right now, I don't feel like I'm in danger. That's probably stupid of me, but hey, maybe I'm more like Ethan than I am Emily.

      "No, it's, uh... I wasn't expecting that, and I have no idea how to begin." He pauses. "We were engaged. But there was this guy... Well, she had a thing for him in high school, years before we met. She acted like he got on her nerves, like she even hated him. Guess she was wrong because I found them making out on the desk in her dad's office."

      "That had to have been uncomfortable."

      He starts laughing, and I look up at him, confused. That makes him laugh more before he can try to stop. "Sorry. It's just that's the last thing I expected to hear."

      "Sorry."

     "No, you don't have to be sorry. Laughter is good, right? And I'm not laughing at you, by the way, just the unexpectedness of what you said." He smiles. It's a really nice smile. Warm.

     "I guess. And... I guess my story is somewhat similar. She wasn't ever his girlfriend, but he's had a thing for her for years. What's worse, she's my niece."

      "Whoa! How old is she?"

      "Huh?" I look at him. "Oh. No. Nothing like that. She's eighteen." I explain to him how it is that I have nieces just a little younger than me.

      "So you're the youngest. I'm the youngest, too. Of five boys."

      "Whoa," I take my turn being amazed. "Your poor mom."

      He cracks up laughing again. Calming himself, he holds out his hand as if to ward something away. "No, no. It doesn't matter how big we get, she can always keep us in line with that sharp tongue of hers." He pauses. "What's your name?"

     Now, I get the distinct impression that he's trying to pick me up. Maybe I should leave. "Isabella."

     "Did you know there's a wishing well in this park, Isabella?"

     "What, that old thing?" I don't want to go home just to be around Mom and Dad. My parents are so in love. Everyone is so in love. Not me. I'm an adult, and I still live at home. Maybe I'm just a loser.

     "Yeah. I discovered it the other night. I moved here a few weeks ago from Bridgeport. Wanna try it out?"

     Sigh again. "Why not? I guess it beats moping." Then I'll leave and go home.

     "I thought they'd locked this gate," I say as we approach it.

     "If they did, it's rusted out by now. That makes me wonder how long it's been here."

     "You never told me your name."

     "Oh," he says, sounding somewhat surprised. "It's Kade Love."

     I smile for the first time tonight at the last name. 'Mr. Love.' If he were a doctor, he'd be 'Dr. Love.' 'Dr. Love is in the house,' I say in my head and have to swallow a giggle. 'The Love doctor is in.' I have to bite down hard on my lip.

     He convinces me to make a wish.

     I wish that I wouldn't stay lonely forever. 

     The fountain erupts in a red light. "Whoa! Cool!" Kade exclaims.

      At the same time, I cry out, "Ah!" What's happening? I start to walk backwards, but I feel Kade's hand on my back.

      "Hold up. Let's see what happens." He sounds excited.

      "No. This is a magical artifact or something, and we probably shouldn't be messing with it."

      He talks into my ear. "Really? Has that ever stopped you, Isabella? Somehow I didn't peg you as the rule-following type." He stands right behind me, and I have the sudden fear that he's going to push me down the well.

     I spin around and push him away. He looks surprised.

     "Who are you, really?" I snap.

     Utter confusion hits his face like someone slapped it there. "What do you mean? I'm Kade. Just Kade." Then, he holds up his hands like he's surrendering, and he backs up. "Sorry. Geez, I was just having a little fun. And trying to get you to have a little fun too. Looked like you needed it."

     OMG I am a loser. "Sorry." I hide my face behind my hand.

     "Okay. Yeah, I know I just appeared out of nowhere and you don't know me. I can only guess that's why you'd ask that. I'll just leave. Sorry."

     "No. I'm sorry. It's just that you did appear out of nowhere. But you don't have to go. Unless you want to, I mean." Yeah, because I'm a loser.

     "Could you step away from the well, first? Maker only knows how deep that thing is, and it's making me anxious."

     I smile. Maybe he's not a creep or a serial killer. Maybe he's just a night owl like me that likes to come to the park to think in the middle of the night.

     He smiles back. "Well, if I'm not going, I can think of something else to do just for fun. I've been tempted to do it ever since I first saw it but thought it would be crazy if I did it by myself."

     "What?"

     He holds out his hand. "Follow me." After I put my hand in his, his long fingers wrap around it securely.

      I suspected this is what he was thinking. "You're crazy." I giggle.
     "Naw. It's great! You should try it." He splashes around, ruining his loafers.

     "You're destroying your shoes! I don't want to ruin my shoes."
     "Well, if they get ruined, it's just an excuse to go shopping, right? You strike me as someone who likes to shop." He smiles, not meaning anything bad by what he said.
      He looks like he's having so much fun. I can't resist.

     I can't stop laughing. "This is crazy!"
     "I know, but haven't you always wanted to do this?"
     "Maybe when I was a little girl, yeah."
     "Well, let that little girl inside you have some fun!" He splashes me. Not cool. So, I take both hands and make them form a tidal wave-type thing all over his shirt. Ha! His hair gets wet when he leans down in the fountain's spray, and he flips it back, trying to get it in place with his hand. His eyes are beautiful.
     Eventually, I get tired of the fountain. Not to mention I'm a little cold, so we sit on the edge.

      "Your watch is ruined."
      He looks at it and shrugs. "I bought it at SimMart for ten measly simoleans. No big deal."
      A slight breeze blows by. Normally, I'd hardly notice it, but being soaked like I am, it makes me shiver. He scoots closer.

      "Really, Kade?" I ask in a kind of sarcastic disbelief, but I think it's funny.
      "What?" he asks, but I can tell he's trying to hide a smile. "You looked cold. I thought I could help with that." He can't hold back the smile anymore. "Am I not helping?"

     "That has to be the oldest move in the book."
     "Well, you're warmer. Right?"
     I smile and let him keep his arm around me. We sit and talk about our lives. I tell him I haven't picked a career path. But I hope to go into fashion design. He's a musician, piano mostly. We keep talking and talking about our families, and he just stares at me.

     "What?" I ask, wanting to know why he's gotten quiet.
     "You have the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen, and I'm not just saying that."
     I blush, and he smiles. Then, he looks at my lips.
     "I hardly know you," I tell him, leaning slightly away.

     "Can we fix that?" He looks so hopeful. And, I start kind of wishing he had kissed me. He has nice lips.
     "Like..."
     "Like let me take you to dinner tomorrow night--if that's not too soon. I just know I... won't be able to get you out of my head."
     "Why did you come to the park tonight?" I ask him.
     "Looking for inspiration for a song. And I found you. I'd be an idiot if I walked away from here without at least getting your phone number."

     "Tomorrow isn't too soon."
     He smiles. It's a nice smile. I suppose I can give this guy a chance. It's not like I was madly in love with Jarvis; I'm just upset that he's a good one that got away.
     We agree to meet at the village restaurant tomorrow at seven.

     When I get home, I see lights from a police squad car lighting up the house. What's going on?!

Chain Reaction 3.32: Completely Serious

Jarvis

      Lottie complains that she's still in formal attire while I'm in my pajamas. She's not interested in my first option to fix that, so I tell her she can borrow some of my clothes. She likes that idea better, and she follows me into the bedroom.

      This thing with her following me in here has two problems: one, it's my bedroom and she's looking too delicious for words; and two, there's, uh, a picture of her on my bedside table. It's tucked behind a lamp, but it's there. I kept meaning to put it back in the drawer where it was for a while, but I hadn't yet. Maybe she won't notice it.

     Anyway, I get her some clothes to change into and go back into the living room.

      "Better?" I ask after she sits down next to me. Then, I notice she's has on... "Where did you find those shoes?"

      "They were under your dresser. I was hoping to find another pair of bedroom slippers I could borrow when I found these. I'd forgotten I'd left them here." They're a pair of shoes she would wear while working at the workbench outside. She'd change from them to another pair whenever she'd work in the store itself. She left them...and I've kept them ever since. This means she went looking around my room, meaning she could've spotted-

     Her voice sounds choked up. "You have a picture of me. On your bedside table. Did Bella ever...?"

     "Bella's never been in my room," I answer her. "I knew that if she did go in there, the temptation would've been too great, and I just wasn't ready for that. With her." I'm sure to add that tag at the end. I guess this proves that I was really only using Bella as a crutch. Like a player. Huh. But not a player in the sense that I was just looking for action.

     Lottie, however: I would happily drag her back into that bedroom. Or, perhaps the bedroom isn't really necessary. The couch could work in a pinch.

     "Jarvis, it's okay." What is? Using the couch? "You and she were together for months, right? I'm not going to get mad if you two slept together." Then, it's like she can read my mind. "And just because she didn't go into your bedroom doesn't mean it didn't happen."

     I'm going to burst into flames right here. She basically just agreed with my thought that we don't have to go to the bedroom. Plus, Lottie isn't wearing a bra.

     I thank every lucky star in the universe that I'm somehow good at kissing. Right here in my arms is the only woman I've ever really wanted, and she feels so good.

     The satin material of the dress she wore earlier was nice, but there are definite benefits to her wearing my clothes. They're looser, which means...

     She gasps when my hand goes under the shirt and happily arrives at second base. I quickly think back to all the times when we were teens and I'd fantasize about this, and I moan in tortured bliss. Her lips break from mine, but I don't care. I still have her neck. Her hand covers mine on the other side of the shirt, perhaps thinking that will stop me. This isn't anything too new. We were making out like crazy before. It's just now I can touch her skin instead of the dress.

     Her voice sounds breathy. "You mean you... You didn't woohoo Isabella?"

     Why is she hung up on this? "No, I didn't." But that doesn't mean I don't know what to do. 

     "It's just that... We've been together for only a few hours. You were with her for about two months."

     I think I know what she's getting at. "And I'm positively bonkers about you."

     "Jarvis, why did you date her?" She sounds hurt. I don't like that, but it's not exactly a fair question.

     I decide to put things into perspective, I hope, with her. "Why did you date Tommy?"

     She gets quiet, and I think I've made her understand... until I notice she's crying. What?!

     "Hey," I tell her, pull my hand out from under the shirt, and kiss her forehead.

     "I'm sorry," she whines. "I ruin everything."

     "That is absolutely not true." What is she talking about? How could this possibly be ruined? Unless she thinks this is a mistake... Plum, no. "What do you think you've ruined?" Please don't walk out right now. It'll kill me. Okay, so we don't have to go as crazy-fast as that was getting. I couldn't help myself. Just like I couldn't help myself earlier at the charity function when I'd first approached her in the garden. I couldn't let her walk away. I couldn't stop myself from somehow wrapping my arms around her. Dancing was a good excuse.

     "I shouldn't have dated him." She sniffs.

     "Plum, Charlotte. I don't care about that now. I only said that for perspective. Maybe I shouldn't have dated Isabella, but I honestly thought you'd never give me a chance." I suddenly see how this conversation could blow up in my face. Ruined... She thinks she 'ruins' everything. I'm not even trying, and everything could still be ruined! I must make her understand! "Lottie, I love you." I start to say more, but she interrupts me.

     "And all I do is hurt people! I try not to, but I do it anyway!"

     "Stop it."

     She doesn't. "I date Tommy, thinking that will make him happy, but I don't love him, so I end up hurting him more. In dating Tommy, I hurt my sister because she's always liked him. I don't date you because I'm scared to death that something will happen to me and you'll be crushed like Daddy was. Then, when I see you with someone else, I get so jealous that I can't stand it, so I selfishly steal you from my own aunt! I'm a monster!"

     "Charlotte, please stop doing this to yourself."

     Then, she says the one thing I've feared ever since Isabella found us: "I should go." She stands up, and I jump up after her.

      "No," I say emphatically, and she gives me a defiant look. "I'm not saying you can't. I'm just saying I'm not going to let you until this gets sorted out."

      "That means the same thing." She's getting mad, and plum it if she's not incredibly hot when she's mad too.

      "No, not quite. Close, but not exactly the same. I mean you could, but you're not going to just easily stroll out of here."

      "Are you trying to pick a fight with me?" She glares, and I have to kiss her. Quickly. I'm playing with fire right now, and dammit if I don't love it. I used to let her have her way in anything, but I am truly scared that if I let her walk out of here that she'll convince herself that all this was a big mistake.

      "I'm trying to stop one," I reply.

      "Doesn't look that way from where I stand."

      "Well, I can't one-hundred percent fix that. But I can fix this 'I ruin everything' bit." I hold her tighter when she struggles for a second.

      "Jarvis!" she yells in frustration. "Do I have to hurt you?"

      I know she means physically, but I decide to use the other meaning. "Nothing would hurt more than if you suddenly were to decide all this was a mistake. That's my biggest fear."

      She wilts and starts crying again. "All I do is hurt people."

      "That's not true. You're not hurting me."

      "But I did hurt you--all because I didn't want you to be hurt. How messed up is that?"

      "Sounds to me like the thought process of a very caring, sensitive, selfless woman--who maybe has made a few mistakes along the way, but she's just a sim trying to do the right thing."

      My shoulder feels wet when she whines out, "I love you, Jarvis. I think you're crazy for never giving up."

      "I never really did," I smile and chuckle a bit. I'm reminded of the picture that still sits on my bedside table. I'd taken it down for a while, but it made its way back. "But you're right: I am crazy."

      Her cheek smiles against me as she playfully punches my chest. "I made you crazy."

      "Crazy is as crazy does. Maybe you just brought out the crazy."

      She whispers, "I'm sorry."

      "Don't. Don't start that again. Promise me you'll stop thinking you ruin everything--because you don't."

     She gets quiet. After waiting a while, I slowly rock us back and forth. Finally, she speaks. "I can't promise that."

      That actually makes me smile. "Hm. Well, that settles it. If you're not going to stop thinking you ruin everything, I guess I'll just have to keep you here until you realize it. And I may not let you go then either."

      She sighs, mildly exasperated, and lifts her head.

     "Jarvis, be serious."

     "Oh, I'm completely serious." Plum, she is so beautiful. And I'm not just thinking appearance. "Very serious." I let out a content sigh. "Will you marry me, Charlotte Renee Taylor?"

      Her wonderful eyes fly open, and a beautiful smile lights up her features. "It's too soon to ask that!" She lets out a little, happy giggle.

       I can't help but smile back. Then, I give a mock shrug and say, "Well, we both agree I'm crazy." I hug her tightly, not expecting any more answer to my request. I'm relatively sure that someday I'll get a yes.
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Next chapter: We hear from Isabella

Click here or newer post to go to 3.33

Don't Ask 2.3: How are you going to tell him?

Freena leaves Ciaran's apartment and finds a couple of his neighbors in the hallway.

Freena: Hi! I'm Freena.
One of them: Would you please get your elbow out of my chest, Freena?
The other one: It's not her fault the game routed us all here like this. (pause) This is my brother Cartedan. I'm Jaden. The Maker downloaded us from the Sims 4 community online thing that you download stuff other people upload that she can't remember what's called right now so she's having me say all this. (deep breath)
Freena: Oh. Well, yeah. Sorry for the routing placement issue.

Cartedan: Not a big deal, actually. And I can understand. See what happens when I wave back? My hand goes right into my brother's head.
Freena laughs.
Jaden: That is... very uncomfortable. I've heard of 'picking your brain,' but this is a bit overboard.
Cartedan: Normally, the Maker would go in and fix this in Photoshop, but she's having too much fun with us right now as we are.
Freena: You guys are fun. I hope she brings you back into the story.

Time will tell. If nothing else, I was searching for different, attractive sims to help fill out the neighborhoods. The game doesn't always produce random townies like Graham Taylor.

Freena: Who's Graham Taylor?

Long story.

Woo!

Whoa!

Freena: So that explains it.

Well, I hope the whole 'on Ley line' doesn't apply since the woohoo was done at Ciaran's apartment instead of Freena's.

Before the week runs out and before the mess of baby-time begins, the girls do their required trip to a restaurant. Freena has some big news.

Freena: I have big news!

Christa: You're buying a house?
Evelyn: I want my own room if we get a new house.
Freena: Listen! It's not a house!
Christa: A bigger apartment?
Freena: No!
Evelyn: Outer space?

Freena: Get your head out of outer space!
Christa: I'm hungry. (looks more closely at Freena) Maaaayyyyybbbbeeee you shouldn't eat so much tonight, Freena.
Freena: I'm not fat.
Evelyn: Of course not. (awkward smile like she agrees with Christa)

They order food, and I start dabbling more in Photoshop.

Freena: I thought you didn't bother with Photoshop for my story.
Me: I'm practicing.

Freena: I'm having a baby.
Evelyn: OMG! Right now?!
Freena: No.
Christa: When?
Freena: In a few game days.
Evelyn: So, wait... Does this mean you woohooed?
Freena: All I know is Ciaran has big feet, and I got preggers.
Evelyn: How big are his feet?
Freena: Just big enough. (grin)
Evelyn (to herself): So it takes a man with big feet...
Christa: (exasperated) Really, Evelyn? (pause) The dad's name is Ciaran? I didn't even know you had a boyfriend.
Freena: I do. Ciaran.
Evelyn: Does he know?
Freena: Erm... not yet. I wanted to tell you two first.
Christa: You're scared to tell him.
Freena: No. It's just you're my sisters. I already called Catlynne.
Christa: So how are you going to tell him?
Freena: What do you mean? I'm just going to tell him.
Christa: Won't that be a bit of a shock?
Freena shrugs like she doesn't know.

Ciaran: Hi, woohoo-y.
Freena: What's woohoo-y?
Ciaran: Well, the game doesn't call it sex. Otherwise, you'd be sexy.
Freena: So that was woohoo?
Ciaran: Uh... yes. You didn't know that?
Freena: My parents weren't exactly free with talking about that. But that brings me to why I wanted to meet you here tonight.
Ciaran looks at Freena and gets the totally wrong idea.

Ciaran: There's a very convenient large bush nearby. Or... we could sneak into the restroom. I like how adventurous you are.
Freena: Life is an adventure. And we're adding to it. (smile)
Ciaran (also smile)(gets up): The bush is this way.
Freena: I'm going to have your baby!
Ciaran sits back down.

Ciaran (flatly): You're what?
Freena: Baby! I've figured out that's what happens sometimes when you woohoo.
Ciaran: So I've come to understand.

The Maker just about dies laughing at the dual meaning.

Ciaran: How could you let this happen?
Freena: What are you talking about?
Ciaran: The baby! I'm not ready to be a dad. I don't know the first thing about being a dad. At least you've had siblings!
Freena: It's not hard. You feed them. You change their diapers. It's a little sim larva.

Ciaran: A little sim larva that is going to grow into a little sim toddler and then a child. I don't know if I'm ready for that.
Freena: Well, we've got time. You have time. You'll be fine. We'll be fine.

Ciaran: I can't do this.

Ciaran: I'm sorry, Freena. I just wasn't prepared to be a father yet. Maybe someday, but I just can't right now.
Freena: Uh, okay. Well, not okay really. I just don't know what else to say.
Ciaran gets up.

Ciaran: I'm sorry, Freena.

Coming up next!

Freena: Oh, don't you dare leave it there! Not after what Ciaran just did to me!
Me: But an emotionally-jarring event makes people want to read more because...

Will Ciaran man up or--

Freena: Will he just be a loser douchebag?

Yeah. That about sums it up.
Also... Will Freena have multiples even though the event took place on Ciaran's lot?
Find out next time!

Freena: For a legacy titled "Don't Ask" you sure do ask a lot of questions.

Chain Reaction 3.31: Soulmate

Charlotte

      Jarvis is washing the gratuitous amount of hair product out of his hair simply because I asked him to. I'm glad. He just didn't look like him if that makes any sense.

      I hear the water turn off, and I mentally prepare myself once more for the emotional tidal wave of happiness and love that's been coming from him the past few hours.

     The bathroom door opens, and he steps out...

     ...shirtless. My mouth drops open.

     "Hi," he says in a typical Jarvis fashion. Then, like a playful kid, he bounds over to me and flops down onto the couch.

     I look down. "Did you forget something?"

     "Like what?" he asks like he has no idea what I mean when I know he does. "Oh. Yeah, I did." He tilts his head and gives me quick kiss. I thought he smelled good before. That's nothing compared to now. I get lost in his emerald eyes for a minute before he asks, "So does my hair pass inspection? You haven't said anything about it."

     "Forgive me if I'm a little distracted." What kind of game is he playing?

     "Distracted? Why are you distracted?" He runs a finger down my jaw before kissing me again, this time for longer.

     I clear my throat. "When did you, um, get a tattoo?"

     "About... three months ago, I think. I hope it's okay because I like it." His eyes travel hungrily down my dress, and he starts kissing my shoulder.

     I can't stand it. I have to point out the obvious. "Jarvis, you're not wearing a shirt!"

     He goofily acts like it just occurred to him. "Oh yeah. Well, you said you wanted the real Jarvis."

     I giggle, guessing where he's going with this.

     He continues, "So this is how I look just hanging around at my place. Sometimes I have on even less clothing. I can fix that if you want."

     I laugh louder. It's funnier because I know he would if I asked. "No, that won't be necessary."

     "Why is this funny? This is exactly how I am when I'm by myself. Though, I'm never this happy." He leans in and starts quietly talking into my ear. "I'd often fix that by fantasizing about you. That would usually make me much ...'happier.'"

     I gasp and turn to look at him. He expected that and immediately goes in for another kiss. What am I supposed to do with my hands?! Normally, I'd rest them on his shoulders or arms...but those are bare! When he moves to kissing my neck, I say, "It's just you're in your pajamas while I'm still in my formal wear."

     "I'm glad you noticed," he says against my throat. "We could fix that. You know... if you're feeling overdressed." His hand happily moves under my skirt again.

     I pull his hand out, but he's not dismayed. Instead, he leans heavily into me, pushing me back against the couch with him on top of me. Before I know it, we're making out. He doesn't try to remove my dress again, but his hands go everywhere. It's never been this wonderful for me. I start to enjoy the fact that he's not wearing a shirt. His skin tastes good.
     Jarvis' joy is contagious, especially for me, especially because I'm also producing plenty of my own ecstatic happiness. Yes, I do feel a twinge of guilt for what we did to Aunt Isabella, but Jarvis and I are meant to be.
     But Isabella doesn't deserve to be hurt like that.
     My kissing Jarvis back skids to a halt as the 'twinge' of guilt more becomes a two-by-four hitting me in the head.
     He notices the change in me. "What is it?"
     "I'm a horrible person."
     He sits us up again.

     "Tell me why you just said that."
     I sigh and look at the floor. "Because of what we did to Isabella. I mean, I know she'll be okay. She liked you because you felt secure to her. I don't think she's ever been in love. I don't know. Maybe I'm misreading her."
     "Well, I am so very much in love. And it's so awesome that you know. And I'm so elated you're not trying to fight it away. Please don't let this be another start to that, to you fighting me away. Yeah, I'm not thrilled either with hurting someone, but that is so heavily outweighed by my happiness at this moment." He pauses. "Could I ask you something, though?"
     "Yeah."
     "What changed? Was it seeing me with someone else?"
     "That was probably the proverbial back-breaking straw, but it was mostly Dwight helping me there."
     "Who's Dwight?" Jealousy from him punches me.
     I sigh. "He and I met the night you and Tommy had that fistfight. We became friends. He's fascinated with my empathetic ability. That's what he calls it. Everyone has it to some extent, but with me, you know, it's very acute. Anyway..." I go on to tell him what Dwight told me about being traumatized by my mother's death. Jarvis finally hears the reason I've always pushed him away: I didn't want him to get hurt if I died. It was bad enough when it happened to Daddy, but I couldn't bear the thought of it happening to the man I love.
     He lets that soak in for a few minutes. Then, he speaks. "I would never, ever trade perpetual loneliness for avoiding devastating heartbreak. You should talk to your dad. I don't really know him, but I'll bet you he'll say the same thing, that he'd rather have the too-short time with your mom than none at all." He reaches over and takes my hand.

     "I love you, Lottie. I want this to be the beginning of something that lasts our entire lives. I want," he chuckles, "grandchildren with you. I..." He gets extremely nervous suddenly, so much so that he's queasy. "I want you to know that I'm very serious about this, going to the very utmost extreme limit of seriousness." I get the feeling he chickened out of something he might've said. Still, I couldn't be happier with it.
     I smile and look at our hands. He loves me more than I do him, but that's because he's had time to let his grow while I did my best to try and prune it out of existence. Its strong, stubborn roots refused to fade, however. Maybe I can graft onto it some from his.

      Jarvis is my best friend. My boyfriend. My soulmate.
      He takes in and lets out a shaking breath while looking into my eyes. He's so darn cute like this. "I'm basically asking for as much a committed relationship as possible."

     "I'd like that," I reply, and he kisses me. Where did he learn to kiss like this?

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