Friday, August 1, 2014

Chapter 3.5- The One That Bakes


            “I thought you wanted to bake Dove a cake for her birthday?” Roger’s eyes gleamed at Mariah’s weak fumblings in her kitchen.
            “And I thought you’d promised to help me,” She shot back, irritably. “What now?”
            “Well, if you cram any more baking soda into that measuring spoon you’re going to get birthday brownies for your daughter instead of a cake,” he grinned.



            Mariah’s eyes darted between the cookbook in front of her and the measuring spoon in her hand.
            “It says two teaspoons, this should be the second one,” she huffed.
            “Yes, but you’ve made them heaping-”
            “-And?



            And that means you’re adding more than a teaspoon. You’ve got to level them off- where’s that knife I made you get out?”
            “I'm not eating a steak, I'm baking a cake. I put it back!”
            “Get it back out!”
            “Why?”



            “Remind me why you wanted to do this again?” He rubbed the back of his neck with a palm. He had tried to talk her into doing her usual and going to the bakery to buy a cake. Mariah hadnt listened.
            “Because I’m a mom and I’m going to bake my daughter a cake. Moms do that. Don’t they?”



            Roger had to stifle a grin. This wasn’t the time to find humor in her confusion as to what the definition of ‘parent’ might be. Some of the incidents when he’d received her panicked calls had caused mirth at his home. Others had required dragging his own mom out of bed and across town to try and assure Mariah that Dove wasn’t dying. Mariah had been mortified once shed calmed down enough to realize Sally was there.
            “Yes, Moms bake. Sometimes. And not all of them. It’s perfectly alright to be one of the moms who goes to a bakery. If I recall, the store bought cakes were usually considered far cooler than the lopsided homemade ones.”
            “Oh. Well, I’m going to be the one that bakes.”
            “This time.”



            Mariah looked up sharply.
            “Again, aren’t you supposed to be helping?”
            “Oh, I am,” grinned Roger. “Which reminds me- Don’t! put the milk into the flour yet. You need to mix all of the dry ingredients well first, then add the wet- werent you the one who was so good in science?”



            “Biology, physics, astronomy, yes,” she said, putting the milk back down carefully. “The logical sciences. Baking may be science, but it’s chemistry. Strange, unpredictable chemistry that I never really got.”
            “I thought it was a B that you never really got.”
            “Youre the one who who got all the Bs so there were none left for me,” Mariah eyed him over the rim of the measuring cup. He’d refused to just go away at her request. Make that numerous requests. And she’d finally given up trying to force him out of her life.



            Not that she could complain about him being there. He was amazing with Dove. Amazing! The moment Roger would walk into a room, Dove would beam, cooing and laughing, anything to get him to come and pick her up. When he gave in, as he always did, she’d grab fistfuls of his hair, pulling his head nearer hers so she could give him slobbery kisses before laying her head against his chest, snuggling deep into his arms.



            The more he came, the more Mariah envied her daughter and the freedom she had to find such security, such warmth, in Roger’s embrace. There were nights she felt lonely, longing for someone else to be there and let her know it would come out alright. Not just any someone would do though. She wanted her best friend there, close to her, beside her, around her-



            Roger’s laughter shattered her moment as she began to feel the chill of milk seeping into the soles of her shoes.
            “Oh, PlumbBob!” Mariah cried, grabbing for paper towels. “Stop laughing!”
            “You’ve got to pay attention! I thought Dove had been sleeping through the nights lately?”
            “I’m not tired,” she grumped. “I just… got lost in a thought.”



            “Well, it’s not catastrophic. You don’t have to start over or anything just because you were daydreaming,” Roger attempted to soothe her, amusement still dancing on his face.
            “Whatever,” mumbled Mariah, pouring some of the milk back into the carton. She couldn’t do that too much. She’d made her bed and she’d lie in it without a fuss.



            “So what else did your mom teach you in the kitchen?”
            “She taught me to make this really amazing vegetable and fish dish that she learned from your mom. She learned it from time she spent on an island somewhere.”
            Mariah's hands froze as she wiped them on her apron. So much for not focusing on him right now. Her mom had cooked? And not burnt the food in the process? Shed been on an island? Shed traveled? Shared exotic recipes?
            “Wow.”



            “Yeah,” Roger looked down, his face pained. “Uhm, Mom even found some pictures she’d taken of your mom, and with her, uhm, when they took a trip to Lucky Palms one time. She’d-uh-shed love to show them to you I’m sure, tell you more about her- the real her, I mean.”
            “I-I dunno,” shaking her head, Mariah picked her spoon up and dragged it through the uncooperative ingredients in the bowl. “Yknow? She... She kind of... wasnt... Mariah sighed deeply, rolling her eyes as she struggled for words. She wasn't my mom then. She was someone else. It would be kinda like looking at pictures of a long lost twin sister of my mom and that would just be weird. Mom wasnt the best, but it wont do any good going back and looking at what could have been. So thanks, but no thanks.”



            Suddenly, her confusion overcame her and the bowl demanded to be put down, its weight too much for the moment. Instead, she poured over the cookbook as if to check something.


            “You asked what else mom taught me,” Roger’s voice burst through her thoughts. “Did you know that I can sew?”
            Mariah’s head shot up, disbelief dawning through the clouds.



            “Really! I told you she was desperate for a girl. So she taught me to sew. It comes in handy with the uniforms sometimes, let me tell you. I could also make you a lovely ruffled nightgown.”
            Guffawing, Mariah shook her head. “As long as she didn’t put your hair in bows.”
            “Actually… Oh PlumbBob,” a dull flush crept up his cheeks as he turned his gaze to the ceiling in embarrassment. “I swore I’d never tell anyone about those pictures. My brothers don’t even know, thank the Maker.”
            “Spill it, guuuurrrrrl!”



            Still grimacing, Roger sighed. “Mom and Dad agreed that after me there would be no more. But Mom had gotten a few little girl dresses and stuff before JJ was born, just in case. When I turned out to have boy parts she decided to give them away. The dresses, not the... the... m-my boy- yeeeeaaah. But before she got rid of the dresses she put me in them- bows and all- and took pictures.”
            “You have got to show them to me!” Mariah’s eyes were wide with glee.
            “No, and stop that! Mix it smoothly! You’re going to have horrible pockets of dry batter and air bubbles galore if you keep on attempting to stir it like that.”



            “I am mixing it smoothly! A rotating figure eight, just like you said.”
            “With your elbow, with your elbow! Not your wrist. And it should be done gently, like you’re folding it all together. Not attempting to beat it to death-Oh! just come here!”



            In an instant he was behind her, enveloping her, breath hot on her neck and Mariah’s heartbeat galloped away.
            “See? You kind of turn the spoon as you go around, gently in and out of the batter,” his words tickled the little hairs on the back of her neck. Her cheeks burned white hot. “You try.”
            For an instant Mariah was afraid he’d withdraw, but he didn’t when the spoon pushed willy nilly into the mix again. Seeing her still pathetic attempts he took her hand once more.



            “Ok, more practice then,” Roger chuckled softly.
            It was more than she could handle and she relaxed against his chest, pressing her cheek nearer his, allowing her eyes to drift closed. There were no problems. There was nothing to worry about. He was here and would take care of it, take care of her.



            Feeling the missed beat in his stirring she pressed back a little more turning her head, hoping she’d find his lips with hers. Only she didn’t. Opening her eyes she saw the confusion, the hesitation on his face, oh so close to her own. But she didn’t care, she could explain later, and instead pressed forward.
            For a blinding moment his face lit up as the bowl crashed down. He sighed against her and the world dissolved.


-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --


Who needs an Author's Note when I can write you a novel instead? :P Apologies for the length.

            I got the bit where Sally put Roger in unused, "Wishful" baby girl dresses and bows from a cousin who did it to her son, much to his continuing chagrin. She pulls those pictures out all.the.time. to embarrass him. It's awesome.
            After that... well. There ya go. That's why I was excited. 'Bout damn time IMO. Gave me the warm fuzzies writing it just because I've drawn it out for way too long, but... rolls, story. Y'all get it. And it still doesn't mean Roger has said anything important yet either. Perhaps this will give him the confidence he needs to spit it out. We'll see.
            Apologies for my lazy photo editing. Apologies for the next unseemly length of time between this and the next chapter. Apologies on all the unread chapters of wonderful stories I'm now quite behind on. Things will slow down a smidgen after this weekend and I might have a little bit more time to myself. Oh. And Apologies for the length of time it might possibly take me to get to comments this time around. I'll have houseguests requiring my attention for the next few days. Posting this is how I'm unwinding between scrubbing. More Apologies for the above not being quite up to scratch, but I'm afraid if I sat on it any longer it would never be released. Sorry. :(


            One more, because there were two possible kisses and this one didn't make it but I'll be darned if it never sees the light of day because I love my Rogriah.

29 comments:

  1. Chemistry is easy gurl! You mix stuff together, and duck under the lab tables in the hopes it doesn't explode.
    Seriously though, it's easy peasy for me. Its not got icky squishy things, or maths in it, and you get to set fire to things and make things explode!
    Baking is basically chemistry you can eat, and I'm good at baking too! Haha!

    *gasp*! They kissed! But poor attempt at a cake, being dropped on the floor like that. Ah well, Mariah or Roger could probably go to the bakery after they've finished making out ;)
    I have to give props on all the props, though. You're always really good at making things seem believable. Like, you got the measuring cups and everything! I'm jealous of how good you are at this (and kissing poses, but I'll get there one day ;) watch out).

    I'm glad you're back though, even if you make have house guests over that'll be stealing away your time. And I think you've made me glad that I'm a girl. I think my mum probably would have done what your cousin did. She was another wishful wanting a girl (but she got the best daughter in the world, I even have a mug that proves it.)

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    1. I loved chemistry. Chemistry in college was even more fun because we really did get to make stuff explode. xD But Mariah's brain can't handle that unexpectedness. She loves the security of physical laws and the elegance mathematical tidiness. She's also not too great in the kitchen, lol.

      I'm betting she goes and gets a cake at the store now, lol. Roger will be so happy. Ha!
      LOL I kicked myself all on the sets for that scene. I felt it needed so much more. This is where I got most of it: http://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/details/category/sims3/title/funny-kitchen--time-to-bake/id/1171235/
      The rest is pretty much from ATS, except the Measuring cup accessory. That is from here: http://irinkakic.blogspot.com/2013/03/accessory-measuring-cup.html

      Bah, kissing poses aren't that hard. Just a little intimidating at first. You'll see. ;) And I can't wait to see your first few. I bet they'll be great. <3

      Than k you! Lol. Always be glad you're a girl.;)

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  2. Oh, don't apologize at all! This was a wonderful chapter. I got so happy when I saw this on my dashboard this afternoon--unfortunately I didn't get to read it until now.

    It was so great Roger was there to help Mariah cook and all that. Dove deserves a nice cake. It really warmed my heart that he was being so selflessly helpful and all that. Oh, and I guess it was nice that they FINALLY KISSED. ;)

    The pictures are wonderful and I love the poses. This was such a great way to progress their relationship.

    Pshaw, chemistry is so easy! (just kidding--I like chemistry, but I'm more into biology and physics).

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    1. Oh yes. Roger hanging around all the time is totally selfless. ;) lol.Yes! Finally!

      Thank you!

      Biology and Physics really got my goat in school. I actually had to open the book and study those! lol But Chemistry. Ah! Easiest A ever.

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  3. I loved this chapter!!! AND YAY! About time :D

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  4. Do you think you will share these poses?

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    1. I'd like to release the kissy poses and the cookbook/holder, and had hoped to release them with this chapter, but I haven't managed to get the poses poselisted or get a better shot of them yet. I cannot release a lot of the poses that have accessories since I did not make most of the meshes/textures for most of the accessories. The only accessories/objects I made from start to finish is the single measuring spoon and the milk carton. The Egg, the Measuring Cup, the Bowl, the Canister, and the Spoon are all the property of other creators. If there were any of Roger's poses you'd like, just let me know which picture the poses is in and I can release that if you'd like. Thank you for reading!

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    2. I guess I ought to add that if you'd like any where Mariah doesn't have any accessories, or the few with just the milk carton, or the milk carton and the measuring cup, I can make those available as well.

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  5. That was a sweet chapter, and Mariahs idea about beeing the perfect mum that bakes the cake was funny. It's such a thing for a first time mum to be thinking about. Like Dove would care about the cake, and the other parents would roll their eyes.

    Them talking about Layla was a thinker, Mariahs so hurt by it all. Does she have contact with anyone in her family? She remembers her by having Doves blanket in that pattern and colours. I find myself always looking at your pictures after the little things.

    Roger knows how to bake and sew, wears a uniform and takes care of a baby with a smile? Are you sure Mariah's not crazy to and just imagening things?

    My sons grandmother put her youngest son in dresses and stuff to, and pretended it wasn't girls clothes. He's a pretty nice kid, so it did him no harm. She did however try to pass the girlclothes on to my son. They ended up in the attic, never to be seen again.

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    1. Yeah, Mariah's idea about what a parent is/does is really fun to explore. She's really insecure about that, and terribly clueless. And you're right that no one else would even notice or care about the cake. :D

      She really was hurt by how it all shook out. She doesn't have contact with others in the family. She purposely distanced herself from Ignacio's family once Sabria moved out and Layla's family had distanced themselves from her after Ignacio's death. It's another reason why she's such an insecure person when it comes to her parenting. Her sense of family and the roll of the people participating in such a unit isn't there. She's observed others and tries to emulate what she's observed, but still feels very inadequate. Her memories of not-crazy-Layla are faint, but there, and she prefers to hold those memories as dreams or shadows only. And you have no idea how happy that makes me that you noticed the baby blanket pattern. <3

      I don't think it hurts at all. ;) And Lol that the girl clothes ended up in the attic. :D

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  6. Awww, that first pic was so sweet! The way he just gazes at her, and then there's Mariah who is completely clueless about it, lol She was pretty cute trying to bake the cake though, she really wants to be a good mom. I love her expression when she's staring at the egg too! (Great poses and pics through the whole chapter! I am envious of your pose making abilities! =) )

    My step mother used to dress her son (my stepbrother, he was only 4 mths older than I) in little girls dresses. No idea why, really, since I was the girl, lol :P I sure loved teasing him about it though!

    Yay for first kiss! Now get it right you two! lol

    And no apologies necessary at all, RL is RL, though you are missed! =)

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    1. Roger is twitterpated in the worst kind of way. Ha! She wants SO much to be a good mom. She's trying her hardest, darn it. lol. She'll figure it out too, I think. ;) Thank you! Aw. Shucks. I'mma blush. <3

      Lol! Wow! That's a little bit older than a baby then! How funny!

      Yes! They need to get to it. Lots to do still, might as well get busy. Ha!

      Aw! I've missed everyone too.

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  7. I'm LMAO at Mariah's cake making attempt. I'm glad she's stopped trying to push Roger away. It was understandable for her to think she was depriving him of a social life, but he's always been her best friend, it only makes sense that he's become a part of their little family (another thing Jessie will understand about Roger, come to think of it). And seeing Roger with Dove...<3

    Aww, so neat to hear how Lilith's cooking influenced Layla! Mariah's sort of right, the Layla that used to be, wasn't the Layla that became her mom. Still, kind of sad that she doesn't want to learn about this "twin" that Layla used to be.

    *giggle* who knew Roger could make baking a cake such a sexy endeavor =D But *happy sigh* I will be very interested in how the cake turns out :P

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    1. Yeah, she couldn't do it forever when he refused to stay away. Besides, she needs him just as much as he needs her. 'Little family.' <3

      Yup! Lilith's legacy lives on even here. <3 It is sad, and originally Mariah's reasoning was in there, but it was a wall of text so I tossed it. Maybe I can distill it a little. In Mariah's head, the world Layla inhabited before Ignacio's death was all wine and roses. She doesn't remember the Layla that was incredibly selfish and self centered. To Mariah, her consolation with the Layla that was her mother is she believes that Layla wanted to be better for *her* but she couldn't. To think that Layla really was better for others kind of kills her. The love she feels for Dove is tangible, deep and strong. She, (really surprised me with this one,) is fiercely protective of Dove and takes it for granted that not every other parent on the planet feels and does the same. She's also a little jealous of the way Dove and Roger respond to each other. She kind of wants both of their attention to be only for her. lol

      Lol! You need a little heat to bake with. ;) Ha! Me too. ;) :D xD

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  8. I'M HERE!!!!
    Sorry it took like a bajillion days but... well, you know why. <3

    Commenting as I go. First impressions - THAT'S the Mariah we know! Stubborn and short-tempered. Hehe :) Poor Roj, he's just trying to make sure she doesn't mess up Doves first birthday.
    -Also, wow, it's been a year?!

    ....Has she got a Kinder Egg on the work top next to the white egg?! WCIF?!?!?!

    AWWW PICTURE OF ROJ WID BAYBEEE!!! <333

    (also, milk in a cake? And what's baking soda? The only cake recipe I know is flour, butter, sugar and egg. Share this exotic dairy one please?)

    Aww, Mariah all dough (LOLOL) eyed and daydreaming, and Roj accidentally talking about Layla, and then realising and smoothly changing subject.

    KISSESSSS!!!! <3 Woooo! And the bowl crashed down, so she'll have to be the mum who goes to the bakery. Lol. If she has time after... *ahem* 'cleaning up'... *wiggles brows*

    And LOVE that pic at the end of the A/N

    Sorry for a late, sub-par comment. You know my heads a screwy mess and I've been up since 2.30am cus I iz stoopid enough to do stoopid shifts.

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    1. Very short tempered. lol. She's a real grump when she wants to be. lol. Yeah, Time skips. This is one, and there will be more coming. Gotta keep this moving on!

      YES! And I put it there just for you! Uh... Where did I get that? Hang on... ... ... http://helen-sims.blogspot.com/2011/04/sweets.html There you go! Enjoy! :D

      She's using the recipe found in the cookbook next to her. Honestly! It's supposed to be buttermilk though, not actual milk. That is my favoritest ever cake recipe. Makes the most beautiful cake and gets tons of compliments. It's a very very old recipe for a Buttermilk German Chocolate Cake. If you'd like it, I'll message it to you, though it might take me a little bit to do the metric conversions. Anyhow, I didn't want to make a buttermilk carton, so it's a skim milk carton instead. xD

      Roger deliberately brought up Layla. He's under the impression that she needs to work through her Mommy Issues. Mariah would rather just ignore them. Dough. *snort.

      Yes! Kisses! And yeah. lol. Look out bakery! Here comes Mariah! Cleaning up? Maybe they 're not done making a mess. *returns eyebrow wiggle. ::heyhey::

      Thank you! I did too! <3

      It's never too late, and the comment is absolutely not subpar. You're not stupid to pay your bills. Bills are stupid. ;)

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  9. Awwwwww yeaaaaahhhhh!!!!! *MCHammer and James Brown dances* Did Mariah kiss him first or did Roger? Oh what does it matter? They FINALLY kissed! I sooo loved the build up to that beautiful moment. Perfectamente! So sorry I'm mad late on commenting.

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    1. I'm going with he kissed her the second she let him know it was okay to do so. Yes, she had to let down her barriers first, as well as send out a written notice that they were down, but the ball was totally in his court after that. lol Aw! Thank you! And no sorries from you! I'm impressed you're managing to comment! It makes me feel all special. <3

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  10. My family is family-ing downstairs, and I have to stop reading now. Boo. Lol. Naw, I know I'll miss these days. My son is a senior next year.
    At least I stop my mini-binge with a smoochie! Bout damn time. :P

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    1. It finally happened!

      Oh. :'( They need to find a cure for this growing up business. Time to stop it entirely.

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  11. Aww, finally! And I'd love to see those pictures of Roger... lol!

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    1. http://sunnyssims.tumblr.com/post/95596329968/so-after-reading-the-last-chapter-of-the Haha! There they are! For Anyone else who comes along and would like to see BadBoy!Roger, that's the link.

      And this one is the one from last chapter: http://sunnyssims.tumblr.com/post/86619532688/synchronized-labor-freak-outs-make-a-happy-friday

      Layla and Iggy: http://sunnyssims.tumblr.com/post/79458095969/layla-so-i-just-wanted-to-let-you-know-that-after

      Crazy Layla in Game: http://sunnyssims.tumblr.com/post/79054292996/what-the-layla-what-are-you-wearing

      Pee Puddles Pt.1: http://sunnyssims.tumblr.com/post/78358487174/its-that-time

      Pee Puddles Pt.2: http://sunnyssims.tumblr.com/post/78403500434/igancio-happy-birthday-im-going-to-go-shower

      Enjoy!

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    2. Ah! Those were great! XD I was referring to the pictures of Roger in frilly dresses though :D

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    3. Ah! Those don't exist any longer, sorry. lol. He burnt them the moment Sally turned her back. xD lol

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