Hi there! You are currently browsing as a guest. Why not create an account? Then you get less ads, can thank creators, post feedback, keep a list of your favourites, and more!
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#1 Old 2nd May 2006 at 3:42 AM
Default Welcome to Simville
Simville was founded in response to Pleasantview's massive population explosion, and today, is a bustling little oceanside community.



Or that's what the annual brochure the Tourism Board publishes claims, anyway.

In reality, Simville is a pretty quiet, ho-hum sort of place. There isn't a lot going on there, or so it seems. But, have you ever wondered what really goes on in those white picket fence, suburban communities?



If the thought of immersing yourself in the lives of Simville's residents interests you, then please, continue reading.

Comments and suggestions are more than welcome. =)
3 users say thanks for this. (Who?)
Advertisement
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#2 Old 2nd May 2006 at 3:44 AM
(I quit updating this post toward the end...I think it probably makes more sense to just go through the thread and read everything in order. )

Dorian Verucio
Update #1
Update #2
Update #3
Update #4
Update #5
Update #6


Ella Manson
Update #1
Update #2
Update #3
Update #4
Update #5
Update #6
Update #7
Update #8


Elizabeth Picard
Update #1
Update #2
Update #3
Update #4
Update #5
Update #6


Garret Thompson
Update #1
Update #2
Update #3


Mindy Manson
Update #1
Update #2


Vincent Verucio
Update #1



EXTRAS:
Who's Who - Summary of Simville's residents & explanation of how they're related to one another
Test Subject
#3 Old 2nd May 2006 at 7:35 AM
oh i really like it........i can totally see that you have really grown a lot as a writer........i'm really looking forward to reading more...........

check out my story http://www.sims2community.com/showthread.php?t=9158

Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery, Today is a gift, that's why its call "the present".
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#4 Old 18th May 2006 at 5:19 AM
Thanks! =)

I've decided not to bother with the web site idea, as it seems like a lot of extra hassle. I'm just going to update in this thread from now on; hopefully it won't get confusing.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#5 Old 18th May 2006 at 5:19 AM
Default Dorian Verucio, Part 1
Dorian Verucio's life was pretty good.



Nearly two years ago, he and his wife had moved into a fabulous apartment complex that he adored.



Shortly after that, they'd discovered that they were going to be parents.

The birth of Dorian's daughter Adriana had without a doubt been the most exciting thing he'd ever experienced.

Six months later, he could still hardly believe that he was a father! The responsibility scared (well okay, terrified) him a bit, but at the same time, he was the happiest he'd ever been.



He wouldn't trade his life for the world.

Though he might...edit parts of it, if possible.

Like his relationship with his wife, for example - or lack thereof.



The baby was down for a nap, giving Dorian and Stacy the perfect opportunity to spend a little "quality time" together. But, even though Dorian sat perched upon the bed in a not-so-subtle manner, Stacy didn't seem to be picking up on the hint.

In fact, she seemed to be more interested in the book she was reading than in having anything to do with her husband. (Ouch!)



Was she so engrossed in her book that she didn't notice his suggestive winks and kissy faces, or was she deliberately ignoring him?



Dorian didn't know whether to be disappointed or insulted.

It wouldn't be so bad if Stacy's rejection was occassional, but the truth was, it was constant.

What was going on? Why did Stacy take more of an interest in folding laundry than in her own husband these days?



His ego a little wounded, Dorian got busy (though not in the way he'd have liked), and began to devise a plan to get the old, insatiable Stacy back.



All that remained to be seen was whether or not the plan would work...
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#6 Old 18th May 2006 at 5:38 AM
Default Dorian Verucio, Part 2
Dorian's plan to get his wife into bed was a rather simple one: help out around the house more. He figured that if he lightened her load around the house, it would leave her with more energy for him at the end of the day.

So, he redecorated his daughter's room all by himself:



He also took on the majority of the caregiving responsibilities. He became the one who fed and bathed and clothed the baby. He even became the primary diaper-changer - it grossed him out, but he figured the payoff would be worth it.



However, Stacy didn't seem to notice.

So, Dorian tried a different approach:



Unfortunately, Stacy screamed when she saw him sitting at the breakfast table in the nude, and then demanded he get dressed at once.

Not quite the reaction he'd been hoping for.

Dorian was getting discouraged.



What more could he do?

It wasn't even about the woohoo anymore; it was becoming increasingly apparent that the lack of woohoo was just a symptom of a more serious underlying issue: their marriage.

Dorian missed the woman he'd married. These days, it felt more and more like he was living with a stranger, and he didn't like it at all. He hadn't counted on marriage being like this...
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#7 Old 18th May 2006 at 6:15 AM
Default Dorian Verucio, Part 3
Dejected, Dorian decided to put his energy into other pursuits. He noticed that there were some huge, sturdy trees at the side of the property, and figured he'd build a tree house. Adriana was still far too young for that, but at the rate she was growing, he knew she'd soon be past the infant stage. Besides, he knew there were a couple other kids living in the apartment building who'd enjoy it.



Dorian hoped that by the time he finished it, Stacy would be back to her old self.

Okay, so he went a little overboard. He was pleased with the final result, though:



When he finally finished, he loaded Adriana into her stroller and wheeled her down to show her his labor of love.

"I know it's probably not very exciting right now," he told his infant daughter, "but someday I bet you're going to love this."



Adriana's response was to drift off to sleep as Dorian absently played on the swing he'd built.

Of course, when Stacy came back from running errands downtown, she was annoyed to find Dorian outside with the baby.



"What are you doing?" Stacy demanded shrilly. "She's going to catch a cold out here!"

Dorian wearily replied that the fresh air and sunshine would be good for her, and reminded his irritated wife that it was an unseasonably warm day.

"Well then she's going to get heat stroke!" Stacy snapped, scooping the slumbering baby out of the stroller.



Dorian sighed. He knew better than to argue. After all, this clearly wasn't about Adriana at all. It seemed that lately Stacy had been trying to find fault with everything Dorian did or didn't do, and he was getting tired of it.



When Stacy was convinced that Adriana was unharmed - not that there had been any doubt about that in the first place - Dorian tried to change the subject. As he watched his wife tuck the sleeping baby back into her stroller, he asked "what do you think?" and gestured to the play area he'd constructed.



He half-expected Stacy to find fault with what he'd done and criticize him, but apparently she wasn't able to. To his surprise, she replied that it looked great. He scanned her voice for sarcasm, but realized she was being sincere.

This was the Stacy he missed so much.

He spontaneously leaned over and kissed her, taking her by surprise.



Dorian couldn't even remember how long it had been since they'd kissed. It felt different, somehow. But it was still nice. Stacy kissed him back, then abrubtly pulled away and turned her attention to the baby.

"We should get her inside," she told him apologetically.



Dorian nodded robotically, though they both knew it was just an excuse.
#8 Old 18th May 2006 at 6:37 AM
great job so far! please continue!
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#9 Old 18th May 2006 at 6:42 AM
Default Dorian Verucio, Part 4
Dorian's relationship with his wife became increasingly strained over the following months. Though the tension was undeniable, neither one was eager to have a confrontation, so they ignored it as best they could.

Dorian tried to distract himself by throwing all of his energy into parenting.

On the 27th, he threw a birthday party for his daughter. All of his
relatives showed up, as well as a few neighbours.



For the most part, the day was a huge success. The party guests cooed over how cute Adriana was, and Adriana loved her birthday presents - and the chocolate cake.



Dorian had trouble believing how quickly Adriana was growing up. It seemed that one second, she was a tiny baby...



...and the next, she was a charming, delightful little girl:



Dorian realized that every one of his daughter's birthdays would likely be bittersweet. He was proud to see her growing up, but at the same time, wished she didn't have to grow up quite so fast.

Already, Adriana was determined to be one of The Big Kids. Even though she was still too small to swing by herself, she loved playing on the swing with her Aunt Delia.



Dorian loved watching his daughter clap and squeal as she and his sister soared through the air.

He was grateful that Delia took such an interest in her goddaughter, but at the same time, was disgusted that Stacy showed such little interest in the toddler.



Adriana was lucky to have her Aunt Delia in her life, but Dorian knew that what she really needed was a mother.

Dorian tried to get Stacy to play in the sandbox with Adriana, but she always had an excuse. (Dorian, however, didn't think that avoiding "sandy underpants" justified blowing off quality time with their daughter).



Dorian tried to compensate for his wife's absence by spending every minute of his spare time with Adriana.

She loved to build sandcastles, and he loved to watch her giggle as she squirmed in the soft, warm sand.



He couldn't understand why Stacy was choosing to miss out on it.

More importantly, he worried about his daughter growing up. Every day, Adriana became more and more aware of her surroundings, and she was already entering the question-asking phase.



What would he say to her if she asked him why her mommy never wanted to play with her?
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#10 Old 18th May 2006 at 6:42 AM
Quote: Originally posted by LouLou
great job so far! please continue!


Thanks LouLou, it's encouraging to know that someone's actually reading this! =)
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#11 Old 18th May 2006 at 6:56 AM
Default Dorian Verucio, Part 5
Dorian almost felt like he was a single father. He was essentially Adriana's
sole caregiver. He bathed, clothed, and fed her.



He was the one who read her stories, and sang her lullabies, and tucked her in at night.



And he was angry.

How could Stacy all but abandon their gorgeous, vibrant, playful little girl?
He'd held his tongue up until now because he'd worried that suggesting
marriage counselling or the like would only set Stacy off. But now, he was
too upset to stay quiet any longer.



What frightened him the most was that the other day, he'd caught himself checking out Cally Carter, the young woman who lived in the suite above theirs. Normally, that wouldn't be a big deal. He'd noticed that she was attractive the very first day he'd met her, sure.



But the other day, it had been different. He hadn't just admired her; he'd considered cheating with her. Or with anyone, really. It wasn't even about the sex anymore - it was about hurting Stacy like she'd hurt him. Like she was hurting their daughter.



Dorian didn't want to be that person. He hated what he was becoming, and he blamed Stacy for making him that way. Why couldn't he have a normal wife? Why couldn't she act like a real mother?

Something had to change, and soon.

As Stacy walked through the kitchen, Dorian stopped her. "I'm taking Adriana
swimming this afternoon," he informed her, "and I want you to be there."



The colour drained from her face a bit. "Swimming?" she repeated hesitantly.
He could tell that she was trying to think up an excuse, but he wasn't going
to take "no" for an answer.

"This is important to me," he told her quietly. "And it should be important
to you, too."



As he turned around and finished cleaning the oven, he could hear his wife sigh in defeat, and then she nodded, telling him that she'd be there.

"You could try faking a little enthusiasm, you know," he commented tersely.

She looked sad. Moving closer to him, she reached out and touched his face tenderly. "I really am sorry," she said helplessly. "For everything."



Dorian pulled away. There was a time when he'd have given anything for her to caress his face, or look him in the eye, or even acknowledge him at all. But not anymore.

"Just be there," he repeated hollowly. "Please."
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#12 Old 18th May 2006 at 7:10 AM
Default Dorian Verucio, Part 6
The swimming pool at the apartment complex was fantastic. Truth be told, it
was one of the main reasons Dorian had wanted to live there. But now, lovely
as it was, the calm, refreshing blue water only caused Dorian anxiety.



Dorian had insisted that his wife be there so they could take their daughter
swimming. Would she show up? She'd said she would, but as far as Dorian was
concerned, her word didn't mean much these days.

He felt like some awkward teenaged kid waiting to see if his date was going
to stand him up. It was ridiculous. But there was a reason that it was
important to him - Dorian had promised himself that if Stacy didn't show up,
he was going to leave her.



He didn't want to give up on his marriage, but he had his daughter to think about. After lots of soul searching, he'd decided that Stacy's physical absence from her life would likely be less harmful than her current emotional detachment from the child.

Adriana deserved better.

And what about him? Surely he deserved better, too?



As he supervised Adriana while she splashed around gleefully, he wondered
what he was hoping for. Did he want Stacy to show up? Did he want to try to
make the marriage work? Or was he secretly hoping that she'd stand him up
and help him to justify walking out on the commitment he'd made to her?

Despite their problems, he still loved his wife. But he hated the way she'd
been acting. Maybe it would be better for everyone if they didn't drag the
marriage out any longer than they already had..?

Just then, Dorian heard a splash behind him. He turned to see Stacy swim over to the inflatable pool chair and climb onto it. Dorian wasn't sure if he was relieved or disappointed.



"You came," he observed emotionlessly.

"I said I would," she replied carefully. "You said it was important to you."

He shrugged nonchalently and turned his attention back to their daughter, who'd just discovered the "trick" of floating on one's back to stay afloat. Keeping a watchful eye on her, he considered what he should say to Stacy. He had so much anger built up inside that he didn't even know where to begin.



He swam with Adriana in silence for a few minutes, both he and Stacy afraid to break the ice.

Finally Dorian spoke. "What can I do to make you happy?" he asked, surprising himself. It had only really just occurred to him that Stacy must be desperately unhappy to have been behaving so strangely for so long.



She seemed taken aback. "I..." she paused for a long moment, and carefully considered his question. "I'm disappointed," she tried to explain. "I know I should be happy, but I'm not. My life isn't what I'd expected it to be."

She thought for a minute. "If you really want to know," she began tentatively, "I want to leave. I want us to move far, far away from Simville. I want to have a career and meet new people and start a new life."

She stopped, and licked her lips nervously. "Are you angry?"

Dorian considered this for a moment, then shook his head. Though all he could think about was all that he'd have to give up, he told his wife, "if that's what you need, then that's what we'll do."
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#13 Old 18th May 2006 at 7:40 AM
Default Dorian Verucio, Part 7
A month later, Dorian found himself separated from Simville, his family, the apartment he'd loved so much, and even his job.

He and Stacy had packed up and moved halfway across the country so that Stacy could have the fresh start she felt she needed.



Dorian hated the desert, and secretly thought their house was pretty ugly. He kept his opinions to himself, however, and reminded himself that the important thing was getting Stacy back to normal so that she could be a good mother to their daughter.



Stacy immediately began job-hunting, and before long, she'd gotten the job of her dreams. She was an executive somethingorother...Dorian forgot the exact title, but knew his wife was well on her way to becoming the corporate bigshot she wanted to be.

He also knew that her knew job kept her away from home - and their daughter - a lot.



Dorian, meanwhile, worked from home as a telemarketer. Not exactly the job of his dreams, but there weren't a lot of job opportunities for financial analysts in the desert.



He just hoped that his sister Delia's business hadn't been hurt after he'd been forced to abruptly resign from his managerial position. He knew Delia wasn't very good at managing the books, and felt badly about leaving her in such a bind.



He also felt badly every time someone screamed at him for calling during supper!

Aside from his new, not-so-glamorous job, not much had changed for Dorian.

He was still Adriana's sole caregiver, and his disgust with his wife was growing.



Adriana was going through what he called her "teddy bear stage." She only wanted to play with teddy bears, chanted "ted-dy! ted-dy!" constantly, and even liked to dress up and pretend to be one.



Maybe it was a somewhat strange stage, but it made Dorian chuckle.



Sadly, he doubted that Stacy even knew about it. She rarely saw Adriana anymore. She left for work while Adriana was still sleeping, and arrived home so late most nights that Adriana was already in bed.



Stacy had missed Adriana's first words, first steps...everything.





Once in a while, Stacy would tuck her sleeping daughter in after she got home from work, but that was pretty much all she had to do with the child.



It broke Dorian's heart.



He started sleeping on the couch at night. He and Stacy pretended that it was so that she wouldn't wake him when she was coming from or going to work, but they both knew that wasn't the real reason.



Dorian was devastated. He'd thought that by sacrificing everything for Stacy, their marriage would improve, and she'd become a better mother. But instead, things only seemed to be getting worse now that they'd moved. What was he going to do?
Lab Assistant
#14 Old 18th May 2006 at 8:39 AM
wonderful story Sim sagas..how sad though, hope they can work it out
Lab Assistant
#15 Old 18th May 2006 at 4:58 PM
Awww great story but it's so sad at the moment...it's the child I feel really sorry for

If you hate on me I have some advice click your heels thee times and say I wish I had a life
Lab Assistant
#16 Old 18th May 2006 at 8:39 PM
Wow you are an excellent writer and I love all the items you use to make the story more relistic. I really like the swimming pool sence that was amazing...
Test Subject
#17 Old 18th May 2006 at 9:14 PM
I love the story! good job.
#18 Old 18th May 2006 at 9:21 PM
Very nice story, I feel sorry for Dorian and Adriana. He should leave her and go back to simville, where the people love him and Adriana.
#19 Old 18th May 2006 at 10:01 PM
can't wait for the next update!
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#20 Old 20th May 2006 at 5:06 AM
Thanks so much for the comments, everyone! They're the reason I keep posting. =)

Lifa, I'm eager to keep going with this story, too! I'll have more time later in the week, so will hopefully get at it then. As for writing about the other Verucio kids: I'm not sure. I'll certainly mention them here and there, as they're residents of Simville, but at the moment, I don't have any ideas for stories about them. (Right now, I've been caught up with playing other families, so haven't paid much attention to any of them! That may change though, who knows?)

chronicboredom - I'm pretty addicted to downloading things for my game, and I LOVE decorating! Believe it or not, I spend a lot of time taking pictures (though I'm still just learning, so have lots of improving to do). Thanks for noticing!
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#21 Old 20th May 2006 at 5:28 AM
Default Dorian Verucio, Part 8
It didn't take Dr. Phil to conclude that Stacy and Dorian's relationship was in crisis. Dorian knew he was angry, but he didn't realize just how furious he was until the topic of Adriana's birthday came up.

Yes, another year had gone by already - hard to believe! Dorian was amazed (and a little saddened) to think that Adriana would be starting playschool before long.



He was pleased to learn that his mother, sister Delia, and brother Tim were planning to fly out to celebrate Adriana's birthday.

When he mentioned it to Stacy, however, she dropped her head, then apologetically told him that she had to be out of town on a business trip the week of Adriana's birthday.



Dorian was livid.

"You mean to tell me that your stupid job is more important than your own daughter?!" he snapped, glaring at her. "How can you possibly get on a plane knowing that you're going to miss your little girl's birthday?!"



Dorian saw his wife's eyes ignite in anger.

Leaping up from the table, she snarled, "oh give it a rest, Dorian! I am so sick of your guilt trips. My entire identity isn't Adriana's Mother, you know!"



Something inside of Dorian snapped.

"Well that's good," he observed quietly, "because you sure aren't much of a mother."



Stacy reacted as though she'd been punched in the face. Dorian immediately wished he could take his harsh - albeit true - words back, but it was too late. The damage was done.

"Get out of my sight," she demanded, suddenly sounding incredibly exhausted. "I can't do this right now."



A year ago, Dorian thought his marriage couldn't get any worse. After this particular fight, however, he saw just how incorrect that presumption had been.

Test Subject
#22 Old 20th May 2006 at 5:39 AM
That's a weird face Dorian made in that last pic. Nice story. Well written and images add to the excitement.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#23 Old 20th May 2006 at 6:10 AM
Default Dorian Verucio, Part 9
Dorian hated to admit it, but he was relieved when Stacy left for her business trip. As she loaded her suitcase into the trunk and was driven off to the airport in a company vehicle, he felt a heavy weight lift. Suddenly he could breathe easier, knowing that she was out of the house for a while, and he wouldn't have to walk on eggshells for a few days.



When his family arrived, he made some lame excuse on Stacy's behalf, but he could tell that Delia, for one, didn't buy it. His sister had always had a strong BS-ometer.

He didn't really care, though. He was tired of saving face for his unappreciative wife. Actually, he was just plain tired...

Speaking of tired, seeing his mother worried him some.



Hilary had aged since the last time he'd seen her, and seemed frail. It made him regret not being closer to home.

He felt even worse when Hilary and Delia exclaimed that Adriana had gotten so big. They loved her so much, yet rarely got to see her these days. It didn't seem right.



Dorian tried to push those thoughts to the back of his mind and enjoy what little time they all had together. But, after they'd gone back home, those thoughts persisted.

When Stacy returned from her business trip, Dorian's mind was made up.

Late one night, after sleeplessly tossing and turning on the lumpy couch, he made his way to the bedroom. He couldn't even remember the last time he and Stacy had been in there simultaneously.

He was surprised to find her awake, just lying in bed staring at the ceiling listlessly.



Hm. What now?

Running through this in his head had seemed a lot easier. Now that he actually had to put words into sentences and everything, confronting his wife seemed a lot more challenging!



Taking a deep breath, Dorian opened his mouth and let the words tumble out.

"I can't do this," he told her. "I hate living here; I don't want to raise Adriana in a place where there aren't any kids her age. And I hate my job. I didn't spend four years at college so I could become a telemarketer and spend eight hours a day having annoyed people hang up on me."

She stared at him wide-eyed, saying nothing.

"You wanted this," he reminded her. "So I went along with it. I tried things your way, and now I'm done."



He moved to sit on the end of the bed, but Stacy climbed to her feet.

"What are you saying?" she asked hesitantly.



Dorian squared his shoulders and clenched his jaw in determination. "I'm saying that I've had it with this life. I want to go back to Simville."

Stacy's face crumbled. "Please reconsider," she begged, but he cut her off.



"No," he told her firmly. "My mind is made up. This is something I have to do." His voice cracked a little. "Whether you choose to come with me or not, I have to go back home, where I belong. So what will it be?"
#24 Old 20th May 2006 at 6:23 AM
Great Story!! I feel so sad for Adrianne
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#25 Old 20th May 2006 at 6:23 AM
Default Dorian Verucio, Part 10



Stacy began to cry. "Don't make me..." she whimpered, then trailed off. "I can't go with you," she sniffled. "I need to do this; I need to focus on my career or I'll never be happy. You know it's true...if I come with you, I'll just resent you for making me give this up."

Dorian dropped his head and fought to keep from crying.



"Are you sure this is what you want?" he asked sadly.

"No!" she retorted, laughing bitterly through her tears. "Of course this isn't what I want. It's the last thing I want! I never wanted any of this...I thought being married to you would be different. I thought being a parent would be different..."

She paused, and tried to mend her wounded pride by lashing out.

Her face contorting in anger, she hissed "I want a different life! This isn't supposed to be my life, Dorian!"



"If you need to go, then go," she told him. She squared her shoulders and put on her angriest face, but Dorian could see her hands shaking.



So this was it.



Neither person was at peace with the decision, but things had gotten so bad that it seemed like the best option.





Dorian got dressed, woke Adriana, and packed up a few of their things as Stacy held her head in her hands, her shoulders heaving as she sobbed.



A few minutes later, he knocked softly at the bedroom door.

"Adriana's in her car seat and ready to go," he told Stacy as kindly as he could. "I, uh...I'll send for the rest of my things in a few days, okay?"



She nodded silently, her bottom lip quivering.

He hated this.

"Stace, I'm sorry," he whispered sincerely. "I never wanted this."

"Me neither," she replied between hiccups and sniffles.

Wordlessly, they hugged goodbye. Maybe it was weird for a couple that was splitting up to hug goodbye, Dorian wasn't sure. He didn't really know the proper etiquette when ending one's marriage. All he knew was that that one last expression of tenderness just felt right.



So did leaving.
Page 1 of 29
Back to top