8.8 Weird

“Your hair….It’s blue,” Robert said, looking at Mia with a raised eyebrow.

“Yep,” she said matter-of-factly.

“Why?”

“It’s mommy’s favorite color,” she said matter-of-factly again.

“…So…you just dyed your hair,” he asked being highly confused.

She was frustrated. She didn’t expect him to understand because normal Sims don’t just go around dying their hair all kind of crazy colors for no reason. But, she wished by some miracle that he would.

“Look, Robert! I’m going through things! Dying my hair made me feel better, ok?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think. I should have known,” he said, palming his face.

“How would you have known?”

“You lost your mom! I should have known you would still be mourning her. I know you’re a loner, so I wanted to give you some space, but I wish you would call me when you’re really sad like this. I want to be here for you,” he said in the most sincerest tone he could muster.

“Do you think I’m weird because I dyed my hair because I miss mommy?”

“Of course not! I just wish you would talk to me about how you feel more often.”

Now he was frustrated. He loved her so much, but he just couldn’t get as close to her as he wanted to be. She had up a brick wall, but he didn’t know why. She didn’t know why.

“I don’t talk to anyone these days,” she said as she gazed into an empty corner of the rom. “My sister is my best friend, but now she’s married with a child. She doesn’t have time for me. I’m not as close to River as she is, so I’m not all that comfortable with him. Without mommy, I don’t have anyone!”

“Then who am I? Am I invisible? Do I mean anything to you, or am I just another toy you play with when you’re feeling frisky?”

“No! You know what you mean to me!”

“Sometimes I’m not so sure, Mia. You’re so…inside your head all the time! It’s hard to know what’s really going on with you, and I want to so badly. I really am concerned about you!”

“I know. I’m sorry! I don’t know how to fix that.”

She wished she weren’t so complicated. She wished she could be outgoing like Marli and have a fun life filled with people, but she just wasn’t that way. She wished it was possible to love people from a distance, and have everyone understand and be ok with it. It’s not that she didn’t want to be around Robert all the time, because she did. But after being surrounded by strangers all day at work and coming home to a lively house, all she ever wanted to do was lock herself in her room and speak to no one.

“You can start by telling me how you really feel about me,” he said.

Mia knew exactly how she felt. Her problem was just verbalizing it. Maybe it’s because she’s childish, or, it could be that she’s just socially awkward, but verbal intimacy was something she had struggled with for a long time. However, answering questions was a great way for her to begin to free up everything she had bottled inside. Hopefully Robert would learn that quickly so the lines of communication remained open.

“How I feel about you? I feel everything for you! When you’re here, I feel so happy I could come out of my skin. When you leave, I feel so sad I could just die. When you smile at me, I feel like the only Sim in the world. I feel normal and at ease when I’m with you. I don’t feel like you judge me or have any high expectations. You’re all I think about! Sometimes, when I don’t feel like talking, I just want to send you a text that just says ‘hi’ or call you and just listen to you breathe. Why haven’t I told you any of this? I don’t know! I just have a hard time getting it out.”

“Sounds like you’re in love with me,” he said in relief.

“You know I am.”

“Yeah, but I’m certain now. Mia, look…why don’t I take you away from here. You’re not happy here anymore, and I don’t like to see you sad like this! Let’s just be together.”

“You’re serious?”

“Why not? We don’t have to live with other Sims for the rest of our lives, you know. We can start our own life and live how we want to live.”

“As old as I am…would you believe I’ve never considered moving out? I’m not saying that I’ve always wanted to live in my mother’s house, but I never thought about living somewhere else. I think it would be great! Just me and you?”

“Just me and you.”

“And you’ll help me…be more open?”

“I will help you be more open…and I’ll be patient with you in the process.”

“And you’ll buy me a dollhouse and play with me?”

“I will buy you a dollhouse and give you a child to play with. Sorry babe, that would be crossing some lines with my manhood.”

“You want to have a baby with me??”

“Why wouldn’t I? I love you. And you’re beautiful! I would like to make you my wife one day.”

“Your wife?!”

“My wife,” he said and leaned over and kissed her.

“Let’s be together now! I don’t want to wait to be with you. Make me your wife. Take me away from here.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

“Ok! Let’s do it. You know we have to stay here for a little while until we can find a house, right?”

“Yes.”

“Are you ok with that?”

“Whether we live here or on the street, my life will be a thousand times better with you by my side.”

Robert smiled. He could hear the sound of a wrecking ball crashing into that wall and shattering bricks. As the dust settled, he could see beams of light through the holes. He couldn’t totally see what was on the other side yet, but in time he would. With a little prodding, he was slowly opening Pandora’s box and hearing things he had longed to hear for a long time. At last, the distance between them was shrinking.

“I love to hear you say things like that. Come on,” he said as he stood and reached for her hand. “It’ll feel more official if we stand. Would you like me to go first?”

“Yes, please.”

He gently grabbed her hands and said his vows.

“I, Robert Munoz, take you, Mia Sheridan, to be my lawfully wedded wife for richer or poorer in sickness and in health ’til death do us part. Ummm…I’m gonna add my own if you don’t mind. I love you, Mia, and I promise to always protect you and be by your side. I promise to let you have space when you need it. I vow to always listen to you, never jump to conclusions, and love you for the rest of my days.”

“Maybe I should have gone first. Uhhh, I…Mia Sheridan, take you, Robert Munoz, to be my lawfully wedded husband for richer or for poorer in sickness and in health ’til death do us part….I love how you love me. I don’t know if I could be in love with me. I’d find her to be complicated and impossible, but you’re still here, and I love that. But…I don’t want all of this to be about me. You deserve to be happy and loved, and I vow to become the best version of myself so I can make you feel loved the way you make me feel loved.”

“That was beautiful, Mia.”

“We don’t have rings!”

“We’ll get them later. Let’s just kiss.”

And so they became Mr. and Mrs. Robert and Mia Munoz. When they turned around to head upstairs, they found a wedding crasher floating behind them.

“Mommy!! Have you been here the whole time?”

“Yep! I was in the stereo. Congratulations, my darling!”

“Thank you, mommy. Is it ok that I…leave you?”

“Of course! I never wanted you to spend your life in this house–especially if you haven’t been happy. I mean, look at you, Mia. You’re wearing frumpy, dark clothes, dark make-up, and your hair is blue! That’s not you, pumpkin. I want whatever is going to bring the real Mia back. Please…go and be happy.”

“But…I might not see you again if I leave!”

“Child, when I died you thought you’d never see me again, right? I’m here right now, but who knows when I’ll be able to come back. There will be a day when we can see each other again, and you’ll just have to wait until that day.”

“Ok. I guess you’re right. Robert…come say hi to mommy!”

“Hi, Mrs. Pitts. It’s nice to see you again.”

“Same here. I know you’re going to take good care of my baby.”

“Yes, ma’am. I am.”

“Well, not that you need it or asked for it, but I give you two my blessing. I know you’ll have a wonderful life together, and I wish you all the happiness in the world. Now…go on upstairs and get the party started!”

“Mommy!”

“What?”

“I don’t know…it’s weird to have my mother order me to go sleep with my husband.”

“Well,” Robert chimed in, “You know…you should always listen to your mother.”

She gave him a crazy look.

“Let’s go. Bye mommy!”

“Bye, pumpkin!”

Mia grabbed Roberts hand and they went upstairs for the celebratory, obligatory romp, and Melody remained by the piano dancing.

“Were you serious about the baby,” Melody heard Mia ask Robert as they were going up the stairs.

“Crazy kid,” Melody said to herself and kept dancing. “SO glad she’s squared away now! I can go off to the netherworld in peace now.”

She closed her eyes and let the rhythm guide her arms and her hips and her feet. When she opened her eyes again, she found River standing in front of her smiling.

“Some things don’t change when you die, huh,” he said.

“Riv! Oh, I was hoping you’d show up!”

He walked over to his deceased wife and kissed her.

“I’ve missed you so much! I’ve been hoping you would come back. That’s why I left you here,” he said.

“It wouldn’t have mattered. I can walk through walls you know!”

“Ha! Ok. But still…I wanted to keep you around…even though you’re not around.”

“That’s sweet.”

“But I’m mad at you too!”

“Mad? Why?”

“I thought I was gonna get to go first!”

“Yeah…you’re just too healthy. Sorry dude! Maybe you should stop working out,” she teased.

“Nah, I can’t do that.”

“I know. It’ll be soon, though. I’ll come back as often as I can, but you’ll have to live without me for a little while longer.”

“I love you so much.”

“I love you too. I can’t wait until we can be together forever.”

“Here, take this. A flower for my flower.”

“Oh, Riv!

“Gosh, Riv…you still know how to turn the kettle on!

“You know what’s cool about being dead? Well, besides the flying and walking through walls.”

“What’s that?”

“I can still feel everything!”

“Everything?”

“Ev-er-y-thing,” she whispered slowly.

They stood there grinning at each other like two hormonal teens.

“Do you think it would freak the girls out if we went upstairs,” Melody asked.

“They’re both married, bae. They’ve got their own escapades going on.”

“Last one under the covers is a freezer bunny popsicle,” she yelled and dashed away.

“Hey! That’s not fair. I can’t fly!”

Director’s Commentary