We left for Chestnut Ridge immediately after I returned from Oasis Springs. I’d never been before, and neither had Sophia. It looked like something straight out of a movie or something. Long, dusty, desolate roads winded between the tall, red mountains. A glimmering stream cut through the middle of town. I don’t think I’d want to live there, but it had charm. Maira and Oliver waited for us on the porch as we approached. She pulled us inside and gave quick greetings before getting back to an unfinished task in the kitchen.
She was stirring something in a big bowl. I hope she wasn’t trying to bake a cake. Honestly, I was surprised to see her attempt to cook again. I think Oliver was surprised as well.
“Uhhh, you want me to finish that, darlin’?” he asked.
“It’s their anniversary,” she yelled. “I’m gonna bake them a cake!”
Oliver backed away slowly and turned his attention toward us.
“So you folks got married on New Year’s Eve?”
“Sure did,” I said. “It was on a beach in Tartosa one year ago today.”
“And I was their flower pal,” Maira said.
“Well, I’ll be! We have all kinds of things to celebrate today,” he said, tossing confetti in the air.
“Weeeeeeeeeeeee,” Desiree shouted out of nowhere.
When I looked to see what had her so excited, she too had chocolate sauce and flour all over the floor! What is with these kids and messes today??
“DESIREE! Seriously?? What did Mommy say about how you’re supposed to act in other sims’ houses?”
Her face fell, and her eyes got all droopy. That face always makes me regret yelling at her.
“We should be on our best behavior.”
“Is this your best behavior?”
“No,” she said, almost on the verge of tears.
“It’s alright, Luca,” Maira said. “I’m sure she was just mimicking Oliver with the confetti. It’s cool. I’ll clean it up.”
“No, she can clean it up. It’s not okay for her to do that.”
She’s right, though. Desi isn’t a bad kid and was probably just joining in on the New Year’s Eve fun. Maybe we should have left her with Less and the nuggets. It has to be frustrating for her to often be the only kid around a bunch of adults. I didn’t need to yell at her like she committed a crime. I feel like the older I get, the lower my tolerance for foolishness gets. My patience is nowhere near where it used to be.
Maira joined Sophia in the living room, so I seized the chance to get to know Oliver. He got me laughing pretty early on, and I could see how Maira would feel like all their dates ended on a cliffhanger. Oliver had a warm, positive air about him, and I concluded he was definitely not a snake. He’s a bit younger than us, which explains why he’s still interested in starting a family. Hopefully Maira has changed her mind because the last time we spoke about her feelings, children were nowhere near on her radar. On top of being a foodie, he’s a pretty good cook which is great because we all know her skills in the kitchen are lacking. One interesting thing I learned about him is that he loves to knit. I asked if he ever thought about selling his wares on Plopsy, but he’s not interested. He doesn’t want to lose the fun of it, and turning it into a job is the fastest way to do that. Respect!
Maira poured herself a drink and stood in the middle of the room.
“Grab a drink, everyone! Well, not you, little missy. I want to do a toast before you leave.”
Sophia and I stand up, but Oliver motions for us to sit down and pours us a drink.
“I just want to congratulate these two for making it an entire year and wish you many many many more happy years together. I knew of Luca in high school, but we didn’t meet until after he graduated. I walked into a bar one night, and there he was. I’m really glad I chose that bar, and I’m grateful for this friendship that has lasted all this time. You loved me like a sister and showed me that there are good men out there. You set me up to be open, and now I have a love of my own. So, I think we should toast to love tonight!”
“To love!”
