Chapter 431) A Simpler Shade of Heaven

“Only great minds can afford a simple style.” 

–Stendhal

Windenburg Isle
Esmée Cameron, Michael Shaw and Nathan Shaw-Cantrell's home

While making dinner, Esmée took out four place settings, halted, with a sad look on her face and a deep sigh, she put one of them back.

Michael was chopping onions near her and noticed.

“Hey, if you need to cry, you can blame it on the onions … just sayin’.”

“I don’t cry!” Ezzy told him firmly then resumed her work, slamming drawers and items until Michael grabbed her and held on to her.

“Hey …talk to me.” he just said, softly.

“You smell like onions! Didn’t even wash your hands before putting them in my face and on my hair. Lovely!” she mumbled into his strong, broad shoulder, making him chuckle as he let go.

“Hmm yeah, there it is. Hmm hmm. I just wanted to hear you bitch, babe. Nothing gets me going more. Seriously, Ez, I miss Aryelle too. She’s become like a daughter to me. She’ll be back for a visit before we know it.”

“Can’t believe after everything that happened, she wanted to go back to Rohan! THIS is why I don’t like kids much. They make NO sense.”

“He’s her daddy, you know they are close, and if I still had parents and their rich friends bought them a huge house in Del Sol Valley you betcha we’d be as gone as gone can get, to get our asses burned by the sun while we do nothing other than lay by the pool all day, every day.”

“I thought you liked Windenburg!”

“Love it. You’re here. I go where you go. And you’d be working on your tan right next to me in my fantasy, we’d be each other’s trophy wives. Might even take that grumpy teen I once fathered. Maybe.” Michael smirked.

“Well, where I go will never be Del Sol Valley! Maybe for a brief visit, but never permanent! Nothing but concrete, traffic and a bunch of arrogant, pretentious rich people with no real purpose in life. Don’t get me started on trophy wives! And what little nature there is, is bone-dry unless someone spent a fortune on sprinklers! Besides, I can’t believe that Rohan and his husband BOTH let Rohan’s ex-fiancée’s parents buy them a house and move them to the other side of the country! Who does that? Does Harrison have NO pride at all?! Or Rohan?! The only thing I would accept from any ex of mine or their parents would be gun to put them out of their misery with. There is a reason an ex is an ex!”

“Generally, I agree with you there, especially since my ex was part of a mob who tried to kill me and almost succeeded, but Rohan and AG didn’t break up because they fell out of love or fought, you know that. Liam and Vivien are also Nick’s parents, who’s been Rohan’s best friend forever, they consider Rohan part of the family and if you are that rich I guess buying someone a house just isn’t a big deal. After what happened they all needed a fresh start and I guess if you are filthy rich that means you up and relocate. I wouldn’t know, I have only ever been varying levels of dirt-poor, so just guessing here. What a clusterfuck though.”

“Gotta be more specific on which clusterfuck you mean, exactly, there are plenty to pick from. The fact that my aunt and uncle got turned into Vampires by some uber-creepy Vampire whom I NEVER trusted and ALWAYS knew something like this would ultimately happen, but was always assured ‘Caelan is nice, Caelan doesn’t do such things’. Well, looks to me like Caelan isn’t so nice and Caelan DOES do such things! Not saying I told them so, but I did. I will also say that if Caelan’s son ever tries to turn my sister, I will personally punch Connell’s fangs into his brain! I like him, he helped you so much, I will be forever grateful for that, but he better keep his Vampirism away from poor Emmy! And then our precious Aria-Grace, who has always been treated as if she were made of pure gold, even though I personally don’t see why, no offense but the only thing special about my cousin is that she was born to rich and famous parents. Princess, my ass! So, the former princess sneaks out to her gay ex’s house so they can confess their deepest love to each other, while Rohan is dumb enough not to remember they have those fancy baby monitor things that turn on automatically when they detect sound, so the entire sappy conversation was uploaded to the cloud for his husband to enjoy, after he already walked in on them sexy dancing in their living room. How dumb is that?! They all really deserve each other! To crown this glorious steaming pile of dung, the even dumber husband, who at this point would already be enroute to become my ex-husband if I were Rohan, then again, so would Rohan be if I were married to him and caught him spewing turgid proclamations of love to someone else, no matter the gender, but that’s just me, so Rohan’s precious husband goes total ‘Real Housewives of Newcrest’ and uploads that recording to social media starting a freaking shit-storm, because of who Aria-Grace is. And of course, everyone forgives everyone anyway, apparently even AG’s husband Max doesn’t have any backbone, cos any normal husband would have served AG with divorce papers after THAT stunt. But no, they all hug it out or whatever and then do what that side of my family ALWAYS has done when something didn’t go their way: they move away. We always called Uncle Liam and Aunt Viv’s family the Cameron Gypsies and they still are evidently. Everyone has lost count of how many times they have moved by now. And of course, as the real cherry on top, AG gets rewarded for her – what I would almost call infidelity – by her parents moving her and her family into a gigantic mansion in her favorite city on earth where she now gets to skip happily into the sunset holding her adoring husband’s hand … and probably Rohan’s as well as they all enjoy big-ass mansions in Del Sol Valley completely staffed with maids and nannies and what not. Some people really have ALL the luck. More luck than brains!”

“Maybe, but I feel pretty lucky to have a fiery wildcat like you as my girl.”

Michael knew how to calm Esmée’s emotions, angry or sad, and started making out with her.

“Blech, gross! Can you like NOT do that where we eat?” a teen boy’s voice chimed up.

Michael and Esmée separated.

“Nathan, have you set the table yet?” Ezzy deflected.

“Didn’t know I was supposed to.”

“Yeah, right, he’s got a point, Ezzy. Maybe we should start feeding my son more than once a year so he remembers when dinner time is and what to do then.”

“Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine … where are the place settings?” Nathan dragged out.

“Seriously kid?!”

“Okay, okay, old man, chill. Are you man-strating or something? Maybe Ezzy can give you a tampon and some Midol.”

“Hey, time to slow your roll, son or it will hurt. I have no shame and am not above bending you over my knee, just remember that.”

“I frigging live in a totalitarian censorship here. Just great!” Nathan grumbled.

“Well, at least something from school stuck for once.” Ezzy commented.

“Sure, whatever.” Nathan turned to grab the place settings.

“Hey, did you wash your hands even?” Ezzy wondered.

“Why?”

“Because you are about to handle food. Are you new around here?” Ezzy shook her head at Nathan.

“My hands aren’t dirty!”

“WASH THEM ANYWAY!” Ezzy insisted.

With an eyeroll Nathan started trotting to the kitchen sink.

“NATHAN! In the bathroom, please! Use soap! Liberally!” she demanded.

“Damn son, who hit your factory reset button?! Get!” Michael reaffirmed Ezzy’s demand.

“Okay okay … forgot each room has different water and this requires bathroom water and frilly smelling girly soap … you act like my hands are hazardous waste material. It’s not like I was digging in my ass or something.”

“Thank you, Nathan, wonderful dinner table conversation!” Ezzy told him.

“I don’t see no dinner ready so why does it matter?” he trotted away.

“Are you as proud of me for fathering that one as I am? No wonder you don’t want kids with me after meeting that dud.”

“Yeah, takes after you as well.” Ezzy stated dryly.

“Does he? I thought compared to that kid, I seem pretty civilized and housebroken. Mostly.” Michael said.

“Maybe now you do. When you first moved in with me, unkempt and raw as you are, I felt like I adopted a feral animal. Pleasantly surprised you knew how to use a toilet and were at least vaguely familiar with the concept of silverware and its use.” Ezzy tried hard not to smile while talking.

“Me Tarzan, you Jane! Tarzan nibble on Jane now.”

Michael attacked Ezzy with sloppy kisses, making her giggle.

“Get off me, you Neanderthal!” she wound herself ouf of his hold and away from him.

He let go, but looked at her, intensely. She noticed and looked up at him.

“Marry me, Ezzy.”

“WHAT?!”

“Marry me.”

“Did something short out in your head now? You know how I feel about that.”

“I do know, but I don’t care. I love you, I want to be with you forever. I could never see myself without you again. Don’t want to. We’re good together. We are great together. We love each other, we love each other’s kids, we built a life together. We may not be your cookie cutter family, but we’re happy and it works. Let’s make it real. You know as your boyfriend I don’t have many rights in case something happens and vice versa. Why leave your options open if you love me too? It’s been years now, I am going nowhere, doubt you are. We tried living without each other before, we were both nothing but miserable.”

“Michael … “

“Marry me.”

“I still don’t want kids. That will never change. Ever. Never ever.”

“Marry me, babe.”

“Well, if you want to figure out a more romantic way to ask me, rather than in my kitchen while making dinner, maybe I’ll think about it.”

“You know how much I love to eat. This feels perfect.”

“Hmm … Esmée Shaw …. Esmée Cameron-Shaw … well … both wouldn’t sound TOO horrible. I guess I could sleep on that thought.”

“Oh good, he finally asked you. Been sitting on that damn ring for nearly 4 months now.” Nathan declared when he came back in.

“Ring? Four months?” Ezzy wondered confused.

“Yeah, well … Look Ezzy … I …. ahem … got nothing but am gonna have to go out back and kill my motormouth of a son now! Nice going, Nathan! I think your head will look great mounted over the fireplace!” Michael told her with a resigned smile.

“She was trying on your last name, so I didn’t think that was a secret anymore. Yeah, he’s been freaking out on how and when to ask you and he was so embarrassing in that jewelry store when we went looking at rings … never again, sooooo, please like the ring and please say yes, cos I don’t want to have to go back to that jewelry store with my weirdo dad. That’s borderline child abuse. Has to be.”

“I haven’t even seen a ring yet, you poor abused child.” Ezzy told him.

“Seriously dad? What are you doing? We practiced this shit. It’s not that hard. How can you propose and forget the ring. I am 15 and I know how to do that. Everyone does. Well – everyone except my father, apparently.”

“Thank you, son. I haven’t actually made it to an official proposal yet, you party crashing snitch. But I will remember this – ALL OF THIS – when you find a girl you are serious about. I have a great memory.”

“You do? Since when? Definitely not whenever I ask you to do something. Senile AF!” Ezzy giggled.

Nathan laughed.

“She’s got you there dad. I listen better than you, and I am a teen. That’s pretty sad.” Nathan smirked.

“Wow. No wonder Aryelle got the eff out of here. With a family like you two, I might well walk back into Moonwood Mill and get it over with.” Michael grinned.

“Yeah, before you kill yourself by getting shredded by Werewolves, observe the master, dad. Watch and learn how this is done. There is a reason they call me ‘Smooth Operator’. I never had a problem getting a girl to go out with me.”

“Literally nobody calls you that, kid. Your picture is in the dictionary under slob and again under klutz. The only reason the girls go out with you is so you quit bugging them, you annoying little weasel.” Michael shot back.

Nathan walked up to Ezzy, took her hand and kissed it, making her eyes go big.

“Ezzy, you are beautiful inside and out. You took my dad and me in when we needed it most, gave us love and a happy home, you taught me what family was really supposed to be like. You love my dad, for reasons unknown, and he better love you back the way you deserve it. So, Esmée Cameron ….”

Nathan knelt down, holding Ezzy’s hand, then let go to look around the counter and grab the first thing.

“… will you accept this deliciously juicy orange as a token of my dad’s and my undying love – until my dad can get off his ass and go get the actual ring he bought you – and make me the happiest, luckiest guy in the world and marry my dad. He isn’t much but he tries, and you seem to like him a lot, soooo … why not right?”

Everybody burst into laughter.
Once they all calmed down, Nathan said.

“You still owe us an answer, the orange and me … and dad owes you the ring. What are you doing, old man? Asleep at the wheel here.”

“Well, this wasn’t the proposal every girl dreams of, but I am not every girl and if it was one thing, aside from painfully blunt, it was special. So, yeah, why the hell not. I’ll marry all of you, including your orange.”

“Sorry, I am gonna eat that sucker, cos nobody around here is feeding me real food.” Nathan winked at Ezzy.

“Holy fuck, kid, your bullshit actually worked! The girl who will never get married said yes! Shave my head, wax me up and use me for a surfboard!” Michael exclaimed.

“Of course it did, duh. So kiss her already. I’ll be in my room, knock yourselves out, call me when dinner’s FINALLY ready. Just saying, I am starving, so maybe we can have dinner first before you two start … celebrating. Pretty please. Oh, and congrats to you both.”

Michael and Ezzy kissed. Then Michael gestured her to wait, rushed off to their bedroom and returned with a little box.

“Let’s do this once more, without the orange half, but with a ring this time. Agh crap, I meant to grab my sports coat and put it on, dammit, my boy is right, I am seriously bad at this. Anyway, Esmée, babe, love of my life, my wildcat, will you do me the honor and become my wife? I know you already said yes, but I needed to ask you too. The right way. Not by my big-mouthed proxy.”

“Yes, Michael, I will marry you and I love the ring. Great job boys.”

For some reason Ezzy found herself excited and not freaked out as she expected to feel.

She almost lost her hearing when she called her mom the next day to tell her the news. Abby screamed for joy, so loud that Jay came running in from his yardwork. He didn’t believe it at first, thinking his girls were pranking him.

Author's Note:
Ezzy's engagement was another autonomous decision. Nick got that call from Ezzy about a ring in Michael's bag. Since I never get the option to tell my Sims to frigging quit digging in their partners' damn bags, and I wasn't sure if saying no might damage her relationship with Michael, we went with 'make up your own mind'. After a salty response for Nick for making her choose herself, I guess she decided for it. Must have been some ring ...