save the world, save a wedding

April 2080 - Matthew Watts is 29, Leila is 24, Felicity is 18 months, pet dog is Skip.

It's April now, and finally warm enough that Leila and Felicity can play outside while Matthew finishes planting the spring crop. Felicity is eighteen months old now, and just perfecting those baby steps.

Matthew and Leila steal a nice quiet dance in their living room, while Felicity entertains herself for a moment. They'll take every minute of peace they can get! These two are still very attracted to each other, and quite eager to expand their family a little bit more, but at the same time, they're also just enjoying this stage where Felicity is a little less needy.

And after Felicity's head has barely hit the mattress, and they're already heading straight for the bedroom!

No joke!

Having learned enough about anatomy, Leila wants to learn physiology... oh, so that's what that does... she doesn't know why, but she might need to know that some day. Leila has always been a very smart and curious woman - which shocked her parents when she decided to marry straight out of high school and skip college. They swore she'd regret it, but Leila figures there's nothing she can't learn from a book.

Felicity is eighteen months old now, and Matthew and Leila finally feel ready to leave her with a babysitter for the first time, and get out on an actual date. Leila's high school friend, Charlotte has invited them out to the city to meet her new fiance.

Leila calls over Liza Hathe from down the street, and her mom comes too - this is a practice run. Liza is turning twelve this summer, and if all goes well, maybe she might pick up a regular babysitting gig. "No problem, Mrs. Watts," Liza says. "I look after my mom's dogs all the time!" Liza has a little brother too, just a little older than Felicity - but strangely enough, she chose to advertise her experience with dogs instead, lol!

So Matthew and Leila get cleaned up and drive into the city to meet Charlotte and Paul. Leila is so happy for Charlotte and her upcoming wedding. The two of them have definitely come a long way since high school. Leila remembers back when she and Charlotte used to drive all the way out to Bluewater from Lakeside Heights, and meet up with Matthew and Adam at Hunter's Park to make out on the park benches at night... ah, memories :)

While they're waiting for Charlotte and Paul, Matthew and Leila enjoy a slow dance to some strange woman's karaoke singing.

Then Charlotte and Paul arrive. Matthew seems excited to meet them - perhaps he's been talking to his plants too much? :)

They smustle while they're waiting for their table... and maybe you can never have too many pictures of Sims doing stupid dances? :)

Leila doesn't seem to realize that potty training is not appropriate dinner conversation. But Charlotte and Paul are gracious about it - they want a bunch of their own some day anyway. Leila is full of all kinds of questions for them, most of which they don't know the answers to yet. Where are they holding the wedding? Where will they live afterwards? Charlotte and Paul have two years left on their apartment lease, and they don't know where they'll move after that. Leila says, "You guys should move out to Bluewater! Charlotte, you could open up a little cafe on Main Street. How cute would that be?"

Charlotte has to admit, it sounds very cozy.

Leila makes a toast to the upcoming wedding. "Congratulations, you guys," she says. She thinks Paul is great!

Matthew takes an instant liking to Paul too (and doesn't everybody!?!) and hopes they can be friends. And with the guys out of earshot, talking passionately about the conservation of fossil fuels, Charlotte says, "He's pretty great, isn't he? I mean, just look at him! My dad loves him, my mom too, and my brother, everybody does... you'll never guess what I did the other day..."

Leila couldn't guess, so Charlotte continued, and Leila just listened. "So I ran into this guy I kind of know, Blair, and we were just talking and all of the sudden, I was flirting with him! I said we should hang out some time - and I said it like, hang out, if you know what I mean. No, we shouldn't hang out some time! I don't know what's wrong with me! And then I got to thinking about all those failed relationships. Maybe it was all my fault, all along. Maybe I'm incapable."

Leila wonders if it's just cold feet maybe? Though she didn't feel anything like that when she married Matthew. Well, Leila knows a lot about anatomy and a little bit about physiology now too, so she feels a pep talk is in order. She does the best she can. "Charlotte," she says. "You're going to meet a lot of new people in your whole life - hot people - but that doesn't mean anything has to come of it." And here is where all that anatomy and physiology study comes in. "We all have urges, Charlotte. God knows sometimes I think I want to screw everything in sight - no joke, it's like a tally sometimes - like today, I kind of wish I could just make out with 3 random guys. But it doesn't mean I'm going to go out and do it!"

Charlotte nods. Yes, that must be what it is.

They rejoin the guys, who are passionately debating recycling, of all fascinating things. Men are such simple, happy creatures sometimes, aren't they?

It's getting late, and they need to get back out to Bluewater and their cozy country life.

But you know, Leila certainly doesn't control all of her urges - like how right now, she wants to climb up onto her hubby's lap and get busy right there in front of the club where everyone can see. Matthew is kind of shy, but he doesn't turn her down. Leila may be a country girl now, but she's always had a bit of a kinky streak. Even in high school - Charlotte Centowski is no saint by far, but I'm sure you can guess which of those two thought up the idea to sneak out to Hunter's Park when they were seventeen, to make out with their older boyfriends on park benches???

Liza and Felicity have a good time while they're out, and Liza's mom keeps a good watch on everything until Liza is old enough to do this on her own.

She did a good job and Liza can't wait to babysit again.

And didn't they just...??? Well, like we said, these two are really hot for each other! Either that, or really trying hard to make that next baby. They both want another, but they're also having a lot of fun right now not having a baby around. Though, all the anatomy studying they do, the odds are bound to catch up with them eventually.

Leila hasn't quite given up on her country shop idea, but just needs to practice a little more. Right now all she can make still is potholders. She'd like to be able to make quilts and teddy bears at least. Maybe if she spent some time out of bed, she might get a little better at sewing?

And Leila is glad Matthew gets along with Paul so well. "We should go out with them again sometime," he says. And then he proceeds to tell her all about Paul, his job as a reconnaissance communicator, which was all Paul was really allowed to say about his job, and his fascination in environmental issues. As a farmer - agriculture professional, that is - Matthew is very enthusiastic about the environment!

Leila really likes her husband (you've seen the proof!), but there's only so much a girl wants to hear about recycling. "Go call your new friend, Honey," she says.

And he does, and what do you think they talk about??? Matthew and Paul, save the planet, lol!

Charlotte Centowski better go through with that wedding, if for no other reason than Matthew and Paul have become instant BFFs! :)

***

notes: Leila is not actually a first-generation Sim. Her family was chosen for a move-away a long time ago, before I started blogging Lakeside Heights, and she decided to stay with Matthew. Her father was a lawyer (who became a difficulty between Claire and Andy Bradshaw for a moment), her mother was an ecological guru, and she had a big brother in college.)