If Only You Knew

Round 1 - Summer 2024

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Terrance Coners is 32, Kenny is 9 (Tabitha Gunner is 33, Amanda Carlson is 27)

This is his favorite time of day. It's the time when he and his son can actually spend some quality time together. It's hard balancing work and home when you're a single parent. But he manages it. And Kenny understands. He's amazingly perceptive for a 9 year old boy. But he would have to be to endure his own mother leaving him. Allison was bad news from the start and Terrance should have listened to his instincts. He would never make that mistake again. Kenny deserved better.

It was rare that he had a day off now a days, but today was one of those precious days. He decided to clean up a little around the house and invite over his good friend, Tabitha Gunner. Tab could always make him smile and he loved her for that. If he were honest with himself, he would admit that he simply loved HER but he wasn't ready to yet. Tab had major self-esteem issues and relationships were so iffy that he didn't want to ruin their friendship if things didn't work out. But she really was beautiful.

He decided to do some yard work while he waited on Tab to get off work and for Kenny to arrive home from his summer camp. He walked out the door and immediately ran into a rather cute woman.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Didn't mean to run you over," he said.
"No problem. I was just coming up to knock on your door. I'm Amanda Carlson."
"Terrance Coners. I don't think I've seen you around here before," he said.
"Oh, well I don't live around here," she said blushing.
"So why are you walking around strange neighborhoods?"

"It's rather embarrasing. You see my friend Tessa suggested that I go for a walk and meet some people. I work in a lab all day and never really get a chance to go out and meet people. So she thought this would be a good idea."
"Yea, I know Tessa, and that sounds just like her. Listen, Talum Heights is a nice neighborhood, but crazies live everywhere. This probably isn't the best way to go about meeting people," he said.
"I know. But I just hate going out to clubs. Too many people make me a bit nervous. I'm sorry for taking up your time. It was really nice meeting you," she said.
"Hey, it was nice meeting you too. And it was no problem. Maybe we could meet for coffee or something one day. Just don't go walking around anymore strange neighborhoods ok?" he said smiling.
"You got it," she said laughing.

During his strange conversation with the cute stranger, Kenny had arrived home and brought home his friend, Brian Johnson. Brian and his family lived in Englewood. It wasn't the best neighborhood in LaQuest Beach. Actually it was the WORST neighborhood in LaQuest Beach. But Brian was a good kid and Terrance wanted Kenny to have friends from different walks of life.

Tabitha arrived and Terrance's heart skipped the same beat it always did whenever he was near her. He really wished that she could see herself through his eyes. She was really a very beautiful woman. She wasn't fat at all by his standards. She was curvy, womanly soft as women were suppose to be. Her sister Tessa was beautiful in her own way, but she didn't have Tabitha's personality or sense of responsiblity. And those were qualities that he really appreciated and desired in a woman.

"Can you believe my boss wants me to work out more? Exercise? Me? He can't be serious," she said laughing.
"Tab, there's nothing wrong with exercise. And he doesn't want you to lose any weight I'm sure. Just tone up your muscles so you can handle a bigger job. It's not that big of a deal and you can do it."
"Look at me Terrance. I mean really look at me. You can't tone up fat you know."
"I am looking at you Tab. Come into the house with me for a sec."

"You're beautiful," he said holding her close.
"Terrance....."
"No, Tabitha Gunner. You're going to just sit and listen to me. You're beautiful. You always have been and you just don't see it. You want to be more like Tessa? Why? She's superficial and materialistic. You're real. You're a beautiful woman with a great personality and a big heart. You don't even understand the power you would have if you would be just a bit more confident in who you are. You're not a size 6 Tab. And you never will be. You're exactly the way Simgod made you to be. A beautiful, curvy, sexy woman."

"You always know what to say when I'm being an idiot don't you. I love you Terrance Coners. I mean, I love you as a friend," she said.
"I love you too. I just want you to be happy. Stop downing yourself. You're gorgeous and any man would be lucky to be with you."
"Any man? Does that include you?" she asked blushing.

"You don't have to answer that," she said quickly.
"Yes, any man Tab. And that definitely includes me."
And then there was that awkward silence again. The same silence that appears anytime they are together. The silence that just begs for him to kiss her. To taste her. To make her his own. But he won't. Because if he were honest, he would admit that he's scared. Scared that they wouldn't make it. Scared that they would. But Kenny bursts through the door announcing that he's ready to do his homework, and the moment is lost.
"I better get going," she says.
"Yea, you should. I'll call you later," he says.
"Bye."

He's a coward. He knows it but he can't seem to help it. He tells her that she's beautiful and then sends her on her way. Kenny loves Tabitha. He loves Tabitha. So why shouldn't they take the next step? Because crossing that line, that thin, thin line between friends and lovers can never be retraced. Once you're over the line, you're in that area forever. Until you cross the next line of enemies, of bitterness, of regret. He didn't want that for he and Tab. But he did want her.

There was only one thing to do. Suck it up and take the leap. Because it was getting harder to be around her and remain friends. So it was time to cross the line.......

*Round 1 is officially over! Ugh it took so long because of school and the holidays! But it's done and I couldn't be happier! It's wonderful!
*Terrance and Tabitha only have one bolt. but neither of them have any attraction to any other sim that they've come into contact with. And I think their score will go up once they are more involved with one another. So they will be crossing the hidden line in the sand in the next round!
*Tabitha doesn't even look big in that outfit. The maxis idea of fat is not fat at all but I guess in the sim world that's what fat is. Too bad that's not the case in the real world!!!!
*The title came from the Patti Labelle song If Only You Knew