When we got to Chi Chi’s, Karmine hadn’t gotten home yet, and I was relieved. She was a sweet kid and all, but man could she talk. I probably wouldn’t have made it out once she cornered me. Ha, and now that she was a teenager, she probably had even more to say and gave Chi Chi a run for her money. Bless that child. I left from there and went immediately to Gilbert Gardens, feeling only 8% guilty that I didn’t stop at Dad’s. He would ask great questions and try to help me talk through it, but this was something I needed to do on my own. Sophia and I had many discussions about the future, and I sensed the urgency to seriously consider our next steps, especially since she had been prepared for quite some time. I was too, in theory, but that was the problem. My next move needed to come from the heart, not from panic or pressure. I wanted to make my request confidently, with a clear conscience and a pure heart.
A man I’d never seen before interrupted my thoughts. He looked pretty young, maybe fresh out of high school. His super light eyes struck me, and I halfway believed they were real. Gray wasn’t an unusual color, but they seemed to glow against his dark skin.
“Excuse me,” he said. “Sorry to bother you. I’m Wade.”
“Luca. Nice to meet you.”
“Yeah, same here. Look, this is my first time here, and I have a few hours to kill. Would you mind suggesting a few things to do around here?”
Ah ha! He was a tourist. Of course, I didn’t know everyone in San Sequoia, but I usually saw the same sims everywhere.
“It’s your first time in San Sequoia?”
“Yeah.”
“Cool. Well, welcome. I love it here. Hoping to move back soon. But sure, I can help you out.”
“Thanks! I appreciate that.”
So much for my thoughtful walk. Did I really need it, though? I loved Sophia. Everyone loved Sophia, and I already considered her my family. When I thought about the future, she was all I saw. She and the rest of our family. What was there to think about? It’s not like I needed to decide if I wanted to be with her forever. I just needed to do it. There was no such thing as the right time, and knowing Sophia, I didn’t need to craft an elaborate plan. Just ask, and let the chips fall.
With that out of the way, my mind, and calendar, were free to help this guy. He was fortunate to approach me because he wouldn’t find a bigger fan of San Sequoia.
“Actually, I have some time,” I said. “I could show you a few of my favorite spots, if you want.”
Those super bright eyes of his seemed to glow even brighter.
“Would you? That would be incredible!”
“Of course. How long are you here for?”
“Just for the day. Gotta catch the evening train.”
“Where to?”
“Brindleton Bay.”
“Oh, nice. I’ve never been, but my mom used to live there.”
Wade shrugged dismissively.
“It’s an okay place. I’m originally from Henford, and moving to BB had it’s challenges. I posted a video about it on my SimTube channel.”
“You’re on SimTube? That’s kinda crazy because I just started a channel. What are your videos about?”
“Some of them are personal vlogs, but I also do a series listing the top things to see in different towns. Maybe I’ll do one about San Sequoia. What about you? What are your videos about?”
Wow, this guy seemed heavy into SimTube. He probably had thousands of followers and made all kinds of money. Maybe we could stay in touch, and he could teach me a thing or two about growing my channel.
“Uhh, heh, well, I’ve only done one so far, but I’m a yoga instructor. I do simple routines that anyone can follow and learn. So, I take it you travel a lot?”
“Not as much as I plan to. I’ve only covered Henford and Batuu so far. I’m currently working on one for Brindleton Bay, but like I said, the place is going to take some getting used to. The entire town smells like fish!“
“Eww. Really?”
Mama didn’t talk about her single life much, but I think I’d remember her saying her city smelled like fish. I’d have to ask her about that.
“I think most places have their own set of challenges, though,” I continued. “Like, I recently moved to Oasis springs. I love how it’s warm all the time, but man is it dusty!”
He threw his head back and let out a hearty laugh.
“Dust might be just as bad as fish!”
“It might be! Which is worse: a constant bad smell or feeling like you’re dirty all the time?”
Wade was so animated and fun to watch. My question made his face wrinkle up as if the whole world suddenly reeked of fish.
“Okay, you win! Filth is the absolute worst!”
His outfit was so sleek and fancy, it was clear he liked things neat. He also looked pretty fit, so I knew what our first activity had to be.
“You workout, Wade?”
“Most definitely! Gotta look good for the ladies, right?”
“Absolutely!”
We vibe’d well, and I liked him. I bet he’d be really fun to party with.
“Nah, but seriously,” he said, “my dad’s obsession with fitness has rubbed off on me. Oh, and you can call me Dub. Most sims do.”
I grinned at the thought of us becoming friends.
“Okay, Dub. You ready for a scenic run?”
“I stay ready!”
