Thursday, June 21, 2012

Chapter 70: The Absence of Someone


"I hope you're all in the mood for some serious drinking," Rainier says as he pours drinks for his guests. After his game went gold and he got in a few days of solid sleep, he decided he needed a change, got the mess his hair was becoming cut back into something more manageable, and bought a condo in Santa Monica. A risky thing to do, given that the game hasn't been released and may not bring the money he anticipates having, but Rainier was never one to shy away from risk. Except one, he thinks, and tries to shake off the thought of her. August dwindles and September looms just days ahead, with October and their birthday following on.  It's not long to wait, he tells himself, as long as she doesn't meet some new guy when she starts college, and forgets about him...


The two couples gather in his living room with their drinks, and Rainier starts to prepare dinner, but is interrupted by his phone.

"Rainier," she says his name, and he can hear the smile in her voice.

"Hang on," he says to her, "Dag, shoes off my new furniture," he calls out over the counters.


"Are you having a party?" Portia asks when he returns his attention to his phone call.

"If you can call it that," he answers, "It's just two couples."

"And what about you, no date for your own party?" she teases.

"I'm saving myself for someone special," he teases her back.

"So special that you can't invite her to your party?" she says, a bitterness underlying her joking tone.

"Portia," he sighs, "You know we can't see each other socially until..."

"Not even around other people?" she asks, "Or are you embarrassed about being with me?"

"You know it's not like that," he says, "You're more mature than at least half the people here tonight. I want you to be here, more than anything, chère."

"Then why aren't I there?' she asks.

"Because we made a deal, and I'm trying to stick to it. But if you want to come, come."

"No," she says, "Forget it. I'm sorry I called." And then she cuts off.



Rainier returns to making dinner for his guests. He'd already been failing at putting her out of his mind enough to entertain his guests, and her call and its bad ending crushed any possibility of that happening. 


Over dinner, Rainier and Dag tell Stina about their plans for a new game, about dating, shopping for clothes, and furnishing your home. "We were hoping to take you on as a consultant for this project," Rainier concludes.

"Really?" she asks, "I've got school starting up again in  few days..."

"We won't need you to come in on any set schedule," Rainier says, "Come into my office this week and we can talk terms. I don't want to turn this party into a business meeting."


"Dude, what's up?" Coby asks him, "You've been kind of down all night."

"I'm fine," Rainier says.

"You know you haven't made a single smart ass comment all night? You are not fine. You're hardly even here, and this is your party."


"I'm just...torn up about her. I want her, I'm ready to spend my life with her. But she's so young, and I feel like such a fool to be so crazy about her."

"Okay, yeah, I know where you're coming from," Coby says, "Just, go for whatever makes you happy. Don't over think it. You'll make yourself crazy."

Rainier smiles, lifts his glass to Coby, "I'm having a hard time picturing you over thinking anything, Sheffield."

Coby laughs, "There's the smart ass. I knew you were in there somewhere."


After his guests leave, quiet falls over his apartment. He's lived alone long enough that he should be used to it, but lately, the silence feels more and more like the absence of someone who should be there.


"I know it's late," he says when she answers her phone, "I hope I didn't wake you."

"I'm up," she says, her voice wavering, "I'm glad you called. When we talked before..." she trails off, choking away a sob.


"Are you crying, chère?" he asks gently.

"No," she says, and then sobs again, "Maybe a little."

"Merde," he breathes, "I didn't mean..."

"I just felt so bad about the way I hung up on you. You were right, we have a deal. I shouldn't have pushed. This waiting is just so hard."

"Je sais," he sighs, "Tu me manques. I wish you were here, so I could hold you, kiss your tears away."

"Me too," she says, "But just your voice is enough to make me smile. I'll just have to imagine the rest."



Just  little over a month to wait, he tells himself as he falls heavily into his bed, his arm reaching out for her as sleep takes him. She's not there now, but soon...

________________________________________
Check out the Breaking Immersion section for some pics of Rainier's new apt. I didn't build the building, but I gutted the original interior and spent hours decorating. And I'm really happy with it.

31 comments:

  1. Oooh he cussed and damn wasn't that sexy! Aww my poor baby :( I can't wait for him to feel whole again! He is really going through it! I always giggle when Coby has words of wisdom. I really do. I think it's because I hear him as Keanu Reeves in my head so anything "smart" sounding coming from him is really mind blowing :P

    I love his new hair! I love his apartment (and for some reason his oven hood really caught my attention, LOVE IT). No worries my smexy Mr. French, soon you'll have all the Portia your little heart can desire!

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    1. Coby does have that Keanu thing going on. 'Be excellent to each other', lol.

      I'm glad you like the new hair. =D He actually looks good in almost any hairstyle.
      I don't think Rainier has been celibate for this long in ages, so he's suffering pretty hard. And he still doubts that getting involved with her is right. Coby is right, he's over thinking.

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  2. P.S. I want to suck on his lips :)

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    1. Can you say that in French? =P

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    2. Oui! Je veux sucer sur ses lèvres! :D ALL NIGHT LONG! OU (or) TOUT LA NUIT!!

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    3. I knew you could! And, I agree with you, he has lovely lips.

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  3. As always, your design sense is brilliant.

    I liked the bit about Dag with his shoes on the new furniture. xD

    Is "Dag" short for anything?

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    1. Thanks, Becky! I spent hours on that apartment, I wanted to make it very Rainier.

      Dag is Norwegian, it means 'day'. The 'a' is pronounced 'ah'. It's not short for anything. The one Norwegian I actually know is named Dag. He has in impossibly long last name, though. =P

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    2. Ooh. Cool! =D

      Is that 'ah' like cat, or 'ah' like art?

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  4. This was great! The apartment looks uber cool! He should just hang in there, in a few weeks she'll be his legally.

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    1. Thanks, Val!
      It won't be long now.I still have one chapter planned for them before the birthday, which I'm also eagerly anticipating.
      Actually it will probably be two chapters, as the whole cycle will be too long for the one chapter.

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  5. Wow the womanizer has fallen hard for the teenager. It's kinda sweet and just a little sad. I am proud that he is trying to stay strong and not pursue anything with her until after her birthday. It is hard for him but it will be worth it not to go to jail. :) I just hope she doesn't lose interest when she turns 18 and meets some fun college guy.

    It's crazy how Rainer and Colby have become friends after how things started out.

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    1. Yeah, it's especially dangerous for Rainier now that her father is an investor in his company.

      I love my Coby/Rainier bromance.

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  6. Seeing Rainier hurting like this breaks my heart... but I so hope things work out between him and Portia. He's making a real effort to be the good guy here and I hope it pays off for him.

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    1. Rainier has been a player for a long time, but he's finally met the One. Hopefully for him she feels the same and isn't just toying with him.

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  7. ~ So sorry I did not comment on the last one,but I can see a clear picture & a solution to Gavin's self inflicted problems!(but kept it to myself!)
    ~ Wow, he has it BAD!Coby is right, he is over thinking it & worrying too much!
    ~ Soon he will have his answer!
    ~ Loved the apartment,it is so him,but it does meed a woman's touch, I am sure Rainer would not mind that,the touch of a woman,(pun intended!)as long as her name is Portia!!!
    ~ LOVE it! More pretty please!(",)

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    1. Thanks, Karima!
      It's okay if you want to keep some comments to yourself. I have an idea of where I'm going with Gavin, and, after I get there, you can tell me what you were thinking if you want. =D

      I agree, I think Coby is right here, too. Rainier just needs to hang on on wait, and not stress about it. Because it won't be long.

      I did make the apartment very masculine, because no woman has touched it yet. But I'm sure once Portia comes of age, there will be more than just a touch. ; )

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  8. D'awww. Poor Rainier and Portia. I just want them to be together already dag-nammit - but I'm waiting for something else to pop up and prevent it. I don't want to jinx it, but I also don't trust most of the RL frequenters to give their characters happy endings. Just sayin'. :P

    Great chapter, by the way. But I'm sure you already knew that.

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    1. Happy endings for everyone! I'm buying! Woo!

      Thanks, Giga.
      *Spoiler: Rainier and Coby are gong to run away to France together. j/k*

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  9. Portia's little me moment on the phone was all teenager. It was kind of funny, but too bad it made Rainier a little sad. Hopefully they can hold out till she is of age. And then, I hope that Daddy doesn't put stops up. Very fun to read. Coby is such a blonde. haha.

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    1. Thanks, Fae! I do try to keep Portia's personality in the teen zone, though she has her moments of maturity. Problem more of them than Stina does, =P

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  10. Ahhh poor Rainier, just about a month and he's set, Portia seems to be having a hard time as well. Just hoping nothing crazy happens to stop them...edenz~

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    1. Thanks, edenz. It's a hard wait for both of them, but pretty soon, she'll be legal.

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  11. Oh man, poor Rainier! Great chapter. I love the new apartment.
    Your pictures and the use of poses are really good.
    I really like Stina's shirt (its the same one Tearhne is wearing? I'm loving your dragons too, btw)
    Coby and Rainier so need to run away to France together. That made me lol.
    Sigh, I am so hooked. You always leave me wanting more. I think I click my "Stardust" bookmark as much as my Facebook one just to see if you have updated. I can't wait to see how this works out.
    ~Valerie

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    1. Thanks, Valerie!
      Stina's shirt is the same as Tearhne's. I'm glad you love my dragons, too. It's a different sort of story.
      I'm LOL'ing at the thought of Coby in France. He'd be calling everyone he met, 'Hey, French!' And the poor boy would be so lost.
      I'm so happy you are enjoying my story. My update schedule has slowed a little since I first started, mostly because at first I was restaging stories I did for my Sims 1 story site, and now I've gone past that and am writing all new stories, so I need more time to think things through. But I'm still getting a few updates out per week. Thanks for hanging in there!

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  12. I'm actually really starting to like Rainier. I hope he and Portia can hold out until their birthdays...

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    1. Rainier gets more popular everyday. =D

      I really can't wait for their next chapter, I love writing them a little too much.

      Thanks for reading!

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  13. Oh Rainier, I'm pretty sure Coby thinks...he just doesn't let people in on the fact. It doesn't go well with his surfer vibe, yanno.

    Poor Rainier. I actually feel worse for him than Portia. This is the first time he's ever been really fussed about a girl, and it's been one roller coaster ride. Hang in there, Mr. French!

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    1. I think Rainier knows Coby does think, he just enjoys fucking with him. Because that's what Rainier does.

      And, yes, my poor heart sore Rainier, sigh. I'm so looking forward to his next chapter.

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