Life is but a dream

Round 26: Autumn 2024

last update/next update

Steve Rider is 29 and Olivia Nihill is 27.
(Gordon is 28, Caterina is 69)

Narrated by Steve Rider

When Olivia moved in, she told me she would need a place for her sewing machine and I didn't think it'd be that much trouble to just put it in the bedroom. I didn't realise that "sewing machine" meant the sewing machine, plus a whole bunch of other supplies. She's so cramped in there but if she's not working, she spends all day in there so I guess she doesn't mind that much.



Speaking of work, it's kind of hard to motivate myself to leave the house in the morning when I know Olivia's going to be alone at home all day.

I mean, I love my job and I drag myself away eventually, but I feel like there are more appealing things I could be doing instead of fact checking.

Gordon works with me at the newspaper and with that, and him being married to one of Olivia's best friends, we've become pretty good friends. I was even his best man when he married Lia last year.

So far, Gordon is the only one who knows I'm going to propose to Olivia. I almost wish I hadn't told him though, because he keeps nagging at me to just ask her already.

I don't know if it's just Gordon, or that's what people do when they get married: start nagging all their single friends to join them.

I'm pretty sure that when I do ask Olivia, she'll say yes. But there's always that slim chance she won't - that she'll think she's too young, or she wants to travel or establish her career first - and that's why I'm hesitating.

I did buy a ring though. Months ago. I've been hiding it my coat pocket ever since.

I've thrown out some hopefully casual sounding questions about the future, just to test the waters a bit. She's not anti-marriage, at least but I already knew that.

I'm just going to book dinner at the museum restaurant, bring the ring and ask her.

I'd planned to ask her after dinner, while we were looking at the sculpture gallery, because Olivia loves that. I'd really underestimated how nervous I would be over dinner though. Olivia kept smiling over at me and I could barely say anything.

Luckily, Olivia's never had any trouble filling in silence, which actually calmed my nerves a little.

So then it was down to the sculpture gallery, where Olivia proceeded to try to explain the significance of some of the pieces to me. I don't usually get it - I never have - but she's so passionate about it that I love listening to her anyway.

As soon as I knelt down to propose, I didn't feel nervous any more. I was worried I'd be stumbling over my words but they came easily.

It seemed like she was actually surprised too, which was what I wanted. I was worried my probing might have given the game away.

I was so relieved when she said she'd marry me! Deep down, I thought she would but I don't know what I would have done if she'd said no.


If we'd eaten after I proposed, we could have had some celebratory champagne at the restaurant. Instead though, we had a quick toast in the kitchen when we got home. It was so late but we couldn't not mark the occasion with a toast.

We haven't set a date yet but we've announced our engagement officially. We invited Olivia's mum over for dinner to tell her in person.

Caterina was thrilled at the news and a little surprised too. Olivia's brother Max was with his wife for 20 years and had two children with her before they got married. I think when Olivia moved in with me, Caterina might have been envisioning a similar situation!

Caterina isn't really the nagging type though, so I think she would have let us be if we hadn't wanted to get married.

I think I've got really lucky on the in-laws side of things. Caterina is fantastic. She made me feel very welcome from the start. She's pretty hands off, which means the wedding will be truly ours.

There's so much to decide though and I have no idea what I want for any of it. For the past few months, I've been focusing on the proposal and haven't really thought past that!

I should have known Olivia would have her own ideas ready and waiting though. I think she must have been thinking about getting married way before she ever let on.

We don't even know when we're getting married and she's already making her dress. I'm not really allowed to see it but I've snuck a peek and I think she's going to look amazing.

Notes:

• Title is from Life Is But A Dream by Tanya Donelly.
• I think I've mentioned this before but Steve rolled the marriage want long before Olivia. When they went to this museum the first time, they'd been together about a year and Olivia was a junior and that was when Steve rolled it. Olivia didn't roll it until about a year after she graduated. So Steve's been sitting on this for a while and he really did make his mind about about Olivia fairly early on.
• I haven't set a date because I'm still figuring out where I want to fit it in. I'll probably have Steve and Olivia announce a wedding date during Caterina's update next round, meaning the wedding will probably take place sometime in 2026. So this will be a longish engagement. In news that will surprise none of you though, I'm already planning their big day and have had Olivia's dress picked out for at least two rounds now!
• I know I've said this before but I adore these two together. Steve really does stand there gazing at Olivia adoringly all the time; he's totally smitten, it's really cute. And when Steve is at work and Olivia's home (and vice versa), she'll roll up all sorts of wants for him, like she misses him and is waiting for him to get home. Adorable.
• I remember being very sad when I had to kill off Ben, Olivia's father. I don't think I've ever been sadder to kill off an elder. Given it was 5 Sim years ago (and 4 RL months ago), I should probably get over it. But he was pretty young and he never got to meet Jessica and he won't get to see Olivia get married now. So now I'm kind of sad all over again!