Alicekai'd 1.30: Have Your Cake

 

     Oh my god. 

     He could be speaking Gobbledygook as far as I'm concerned because I think my ears turn off. Currently, my eyes are taking up about 95% of my brain power.

 

     All I can think is 'he's proposing!?' in several different ways over and over again.

     He holds up a ring.

 

     "Gerben schlergle machen be?" Yeah. That's about what I'm hearing right now, which makes utter zero sense to me. I think I've gone into shock. Maybe I'm actually hearing Simlish and am unable to translate. Have we all been speaking Simlish this whole time and I've lost the ability to translate?

      I stand here in mute silence, frozen in place.

 

     "Alice?" Okay. That was my name. I still can't bring myself to respond. "Alice, did you hear me? It's okay if it's too soon."

     "Too soon?" Oh, good. My mouth works. "No."

     His face falls. "Okay."

     "No, wait! I mean it's not too soon, but I didn't catch any of that."

     His lips quirk. "All right. I'll give you the short version. Will you marry me?"

     "Yes!"

 

 ...

      "Heaven. I'm in heaven. And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak. But I seem to find the happiness I seek, when we're out together dancing cheek to cheek." Yeah. I'm singing.

     "That's a nice song," Geoffrey says. Obviously, he's never heard it.

     "It's from an old movie where I'm from." Did he think I wrote it? I'm not THAT good.

     We're visiting Tartosa (which just HAPPENS to appear after I get engaged) figuring out wedding stuff. Geoffrey saw the dance floor and asked me to dance, so now we're up here looking like loons dancing to no music... hence why I started singing.

     We're getting married on Love Day. Yeah, it's kinda cheesy, but I want it that way. The only thing I DON'T like is that it's the end of summer right now. I'm going to have to make it through autumn and winter before spring finally gets here and then have to wait towards the end of spring. Still, that means tons of planning time.

     We book the wedding venue and then go and try cakes.

     "So you WANT the big wedding and all that?" he asks, sounding tired.

     "Yes, and I can afford it." As can he, but I'm paying my way. "You don't?"

     "I want what you want," he diplomatically replies.

     "That's a non-answer, Geoffrey." I pause and think. Then, my voice gets gentler. "Listen, I know you've already had the big wedding thing, but I haven't. I want my day."

     He finishes his cake selection, thinking.

 

     He smiles with a faraway look. "All right. I can understand that. I just want you to know all the pomp and circumstance isn't for me, but if it means I'm married to you at the end of it, I couldn't be happier."

     I grin. "Great! Let's go look at flowers!"

     He slowly gets up. "Or we could just go to the beach and watch the waves. It IS the last day of summer, after all."

     "Flowers," is all I reply. Yes, I know I'll technically have time for this later, but I'm only going to get a small break before the production team is going to be going over the script for Full Moon, the sequel to Twilight Werewolves. Then the filming begins. I'm going to be swamped.

     And having to work with that dickweed again.

     So... flowers it is. I can't stop grinning, even if I can't decide between blue or red for the flowers. Well, technically, I'll order the flowers themselves closer to the date, but I still wanted to get an idea.

     Yui's going to be my maid of honor. She's so thrilled I'm marrying Geoffrey, feeling personally responsible for the two of us finally getting together. I suppose she did help the idea to grow in my mind.

     Geoffrey wants to ask his son Malcolm to be his best man, and he invites him over to my house one evening.
 

     I hear them at the door.

     "Hey, Dad. So this is where you've been hanging out. It's, um... cozy."

     Geoffrey chuckles. "It works for now." Hm. True. We're going to have to get a bigger house. I hear their small talk continue into the kitchen. Then I take a breath, straighten my shoulders, and go to meet Malcolm Landgraab, Nancy's son.

     Geoffrey introduces us. Malcolm waves but doesn't get up. It's fine. I guess he's nervous.

 

     "Nice to meet you, Malcolm," I say, putting on a gracious smile.

     "Likewise." His lips quirk like his father's do when he's amused, but something feels off. Perhaps it's the way he's looking at me like I'm a choice cut of beef. Yeah, that's weird.

     "So, what shall we have for dinner?" I make my way into the kitchen proper, my back to creepo.

     "Malcolm, don't," Geoff says... too late. As I turn around, I get scared out of my wits.

     He does some kind of 'hua!' sound, and I'm just glad I'm not holding something because it would've ended up all over the floor.

     "Not cool, Malcolm! What the hell?"

     He cracks up laughing.

     He snorts and laughs. "You should've seen your face! And your face right now!"

     "Yes, I'm sure I look as amused as I feel," I say in angry sarcasm.

     He laughs some more, delighted by my negativity. "Yeah. I can see why Dad likes you. You're hilarious."

    Geoffrey finally steps in. "Malcolm, she's right. That wasn't cool. I think you should apologize."

    "Augh! Dad! Really? You two need to lighten up. Fine, whatever. Sorry." Yeah, he totally didn't mean that.

     I endure his smirks all through dinner then decide to give myself a little distraction while Geoff talks to his son.

     "So I wanted you to come over to meet Alice," Geoffrey starts, but his son interrupts.

     "Yeah. Cool. You sure can pick 'em, huh, Dad?" He winks at me, and I wanna throw up.

     Probably realizing there will be no way to offer any kind of decent segue, Geoffrey just comes out and says it. "Alice and I are getting married."

     "Wait. What?"

     "Are you insane?!" Malcolm shouts. "She's only a few years older than me! And seriously, Dad. You want to sully the Landgraab name with this tart?"

     "I beg your pardon!"

     He smirks. "You can 'beg' all you want, but I know what she is. EVERYONE knows what she is or have you forgotten that video that was all over SimTube not too very long ago?"

 

     "That video has nothing to do with any of this."

     "How can you say that? Just because YOU'VE chosen to forget it doesn't mean everyone else has. The minute, no, the SECOND word officially gets out about you two, you'll be dragged through the mud. And another thing, so this means Mom's memory gets just cast aside? She's barely cold and you decide to put a piece of fluff in her place? Well, I won't stand for it."

     Instead of getting angry like I want him to do, Geoffrey looks like he wants to cry.

     "No, she's not being 'replaced,' but I'm moving on with my life." He pauses. "And I'd wanted you to be my best man."

     "Hahahahahahaahaha! You're hilarious! I'll give you this, Dad. Sure, she's hot, but she's not what I'd call Landgraab material."

     "I can't believe your puffed up ideas about our family. We're no-"

     "Puffed up? I can't believe your DENIAL of how important we are. Look, I totally agree that you want this woman, but I don't advise marrying her. There are other ways to get what you want, and from what I've heard, she definitely puts out." He wiggles his eyebrows.

     I've heard enough. I get up from the table and dash into my bedroom, close the door, and quietly cry. He's right. Everything he said in there had merit in it. I'm not Landgraab material. I'm trash. I hear Geoffrey ordering Malcolm out of the house and Malcolm loudly proclaiming he'll talk to him later once he gets his head out of his ass.