Chapter 4.32: I’ll Show You Around

With absolutely no hesitation Sasha Pruett walked up the steps of the Waite Estate. She hadn’t been here since she was a teenager. The doors were the same massive structure, windowed, painted teal and the borders painted white to contrast with the deep brown color of the wooden cabin-like slats on the outer walls. The first time she walked up these steps she never thought she could be so emotional to see these doors. These doors that were going to open up to a brand new chapter in her life.
“I have already come this far,” Sasha said to herself, confident as she took the last stair. “In a few minutes I’ll see the love of my life and he’ll wrap me in a hug that will feel like the warmth that I miss from home.”

Sasha hadn’t even knocked when Dexter opened the door and walked outside to greet her. It is like somehow they were so connected that he knew she was here. He was so excited to see her that momentarily he forgot that they were standing outside. Although, it helped that being outside doesn’t bother Dex at all since he loves the outdoors. It had been quite a journey traveling here, and though Dexter wasn’t speaking rapidly it was difficult for Sasha to take in everything that he was saying. His hands gestured through the air as he talked about his siblings, and his parents, all of the birthdays coming up in the family. Sasha simply stood there and took it all in, feeling the cheerful rhythm pulse through her body. She could almost hear a happy little chord progression building up in her bones.

It was in that moment when Sasha noted that Dexter had remembered that they were still outside and he invited her in.

“I am SO glad that you’re finally here, Sash!” Dexter said, wide and boyish grin still plastered to his face. “My family has been preparing for your arrival ever since I told them about the text messages. How was your trip?”

Sasha was aware of a smile building on her face for the first time since she left home. That happy chord progression had transitioned into a soft yet complete melody, filling her up from the inside out, and she fully realized that Dexter was here in front of her. She also felt as if she had traveled back in time a bit somehow. The music inside of her felt fresher, younger. “The trip was okay,” Sasha replied, paying close attention to the downbeats as she thought of the conversation she had with Emerson before she left. She would have to text him to let him know that she made it here safely. “I feel like I traveled through a wormhole or something, though, and reversed time. Is it possible that I’m only a few days into young adulthood here?”

Dexter was slightly game-aware, and he laughed out loud at Sasha’s confusion. He knew that what had happened occurred from time to time when sims traveled between hard-drives. “Age is just a number. You are only as old as you feel, so if you feel a few days past your young adult spin, you probably are just a few days past your young adult spin.”

“Let’s take a selfie together to send to my family,” Sasha suggested, even more confused by what Dexter had just said. She decided that after such a strange trip to get here she would save this conversation of age and time travel for a later date and diverted the conversation.

“Okay! I got Julian’s number at your brother’s birthday party so I can take it and send it to him.” Dexter said as he pulled his phone out of his pocket.

The two of them stood close together, faces positioned cheek-to-cheek, and gave their best squinty-eye smiles that are so famous in selfies.

“Now that we’ve taken care of notifying at least one of your family members, I want to propose a suggestion for the day,” Dexter said, taking her hands in his own. His smile relaxed into a more serious expression, but there was still an undercurrent of happiness. Sasha could feel the waltz count from his touch.

“What are you going to suggest, my sweet sempre?” Sasha teased, curiously.

“Why don’t you find something nice to wear and I’ll show you around your new neighborhood, Lady Legato?”

“Smooth, Dex, very smooth,” Sasha chuckled, letting her hands slip from his grasp.

“That is what I said,” Dexter leaned in for an embrace, and whispered into her ear. “I love you,” he added, before pulling away and going outside to wait for Sasha in the cool, early afternoon breeze.