Thursday 6 May 2010

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!

15 comments:

  1. It is so sweet how Steve doesn't even "get" art, but he adores Olivia so much that he rolled a marriage want while on a date at a museum. That seems really self-less.

    I am so sorry about Ben, and that he won't get to see Olivia get married. I think that would definitely be something still on Olivia's mind, that her dad isn't her for this special day.

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  2. OMG OMG OMG!!!!! I'm so happy :D Sad about Ben, but really happy about the engagement!

    I'll have you know, that your website has now beaten Facebook in my top visited websites.... I know, how lame am I (I'm a Facebook addict), so I guess that's either good for you, or a warning for me... lol, yay!!!!!!!

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  3. yay! congrats to the happy couple. I couldn't assume that they would get married so I was hoping for some kids at least. I can't wait to see what Olivia whips up for her wedding.

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  4. Yay! These two are adorable! I think a long engagement suits them. They've clearly never been in a hurry ;)

    Awww, so sad about her dad though :( Maybe her brother can give her away instead?

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  5. Thanks everyone!

    Francesca, Steve and Olivia are both of an artistic bent but she's visual and he's musical. Olivia loves watching him play his violin as well, it's very cute.

    I think Olivia and Caterina will both be thinking of Ben a lot through the wedding planning and then on the actual wedding day. It's hard when there's someone who should be there on a special day and they're not. :(

    Tessa, heh, I'm glad you're excited!

    And thanks, that's very flattering! I'm a bit of a Facebook addict myself. These updates take me twice as long as they should because I keep getting distracted by Facebook!

    Apple Valley, there are definitely babies in the future for Steve and Olivia. I can't wait to see what their kids will turn out like.

    Olivia's dress is so pretty on her. I had her try it on last night.

    Laura, yeah, together for eight years and only just getting around to engagement? No, Steve and Olivia don't seem to be in any rush!

    Aw, that would be sweet. My mum's dad died when she was 9 and her older brother gave her away when she got married. I actually have never done the whole father walking the daughter up the aisle though but I really should! Thanks for the idea!

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  6. Yay!! I'm sure Lia is VERY excited about having another best friend getting married, lol! Now the group just needs to work on Asha and Luc. ;)

    I can't wait to see what you have planned for the wedding!

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  7. Congrats to the happy couple!
    I have to agree with you; Steve and Olivia do look good together! I can't wait to see their kids!

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  8. OMG! Youhad me so nervous. I have no idea why, but I thought she was going to say no, I'm glad she said yes! I can't wait for their wedding.

    It is sad about her dad. Too bad he won't be there. And I know it's different since my dad is alive, but he wasn't at my wedding. But for me it wasn't a biggie. LOL

    Lia will be happy I know that. So now that they are getting married, will Lia start nagging them to start popping out babies?

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  9. Shana, I think Lia and Ione will both be very happy. Luc's already on board - he just needs to convince Asha.

    I almost feel like doing the wedding RIGHT NOW but I mapped out my play schedule properly last night and it's going to work out better for me if I wait. So I'm waiting but I'm very excited!

    Tanja, thanks! Steve and Olivia are a really gorgeous couple and so sweet. I love taking pics of them.

    Riverdale, no, Steve and Olivia are perfect for each other! Why would she say no, LOL? Steve was nervous but I guess any guy would be!

    Ah, Lia just might start nagging. She might be too busy with her girls though, we'll have to wait and see!

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  10. Aww, they are such a sweet couple! I'm sure the wedding will be awesome since Olivia has such a good eye for stuff like that.

    I like that your sims don't get married right away. Not many people IRL get married at a very young age so it's nice to see sims do the same.

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  11. Sari, Steve and Olivia are one of my favourite couples, definitely. I'm hunting around for stuff for Olivia, because I think she'd be picky. ;)

    My Sims used to all get married right out of college but it's more fun this way. It's not a hard and fast rule that I have that they all have to wait or anything though; it's more about the personalities of the Sims involved. If I had some Sims who I thought would get married right away, I'd do it; like I did with Cordy and Eliot.

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  12. Ohhh yeah!! Super excited these two are getting hitched. I really like this pairing.

    I was sad about Ben when they shared the news with her mom. I kept thinking, her Dad should be sitting there too. :(

    Looking forward to little Rider younglings.

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  13. Maisie>, I know, isn't that sad? I often think of all the little things he's not able to be there for in this family. Loved Ben. Olivia looks so much like him too.

    Steve and Olivia's kids will be Nihills though. I'm trying to keep the surname going! I would have had Max's kids be Nihills but at that stage, I had no idea if he and Zaria would ever get married, so they were Royce-Nihills.

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  14. Their profile pic for this entry is adorable. This entry has gotten me to think about my favorite Sullivan couples. Steve and Olivia have grown on me during this re-read. I love them together. They are so cute and sweet.

    I love Emil and Anna for completely opposite reasons. Emil and Anna are like the anti-couple, but they work so well together.

    Finally, I have always loved Lake and Kendal. I can be sappy, so I love that they both got a second chance at love.

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    Replies
    1. I adore Olivia and Steve, so I'm glad others do too. I have this picture framed somewhere in their current house, I think!

      Anna and Emil are an interesting pair. I think they made my top 20 couples when I did that, all those years ago. I should do that again some time. I'm pretty sure a lot of those couples are dead now! I love Lake and Kendal even more because they got together on their own, when I had no intention of looking for someone else for either of them! It must have been meant to be.

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