Another Bachelor's Degree (Completed, April 28)

[RainBeau]

Yay now Bella and Mortimer can get married! (I'm such a Hopeless Romantic )

[PeregrineTook]

Just curious to see how the "extracurricular kiss" thing is going to work out if/when that fellow and young Mort run into each other on campus.
As a side note, I find it amusing, title-wise, that two of my favorite current Simstories are "Bachelor's Degree" and "The Bachelorette."  Totally unrelated ideas, but amusingly similar names.

[ArianaJade]

Wow, Iris is a film star! Next she'll be demanding everyone asks her to sign autographs. I love Bella's new style.

[MarianT]

GUINEA PIGS

   Going to college with your boyfriend is a lot more fun than going with your sister-in-law, even if she is a good egg. That first day, Morty and I played ping-pong (he won, the rat).



We have the opportunity to learn about each other, too. He has discovered that I like to eat at the breakfast table (also lunch and dinner).



I’ve discovered that he likes to make faces at himself in the mirror.



We’ve discovered other things, too, but nothing I want to put on the blogosphere.

   My life would be perfect, if only the Registrar’s Office would cooperate. Morty and I both have 8 o’clocks – okay, we can live with that. But then his next class is at noon, while mine isn’t until 4 pm. I’d hoped to do some exploring with him, but no, he’s in class when I’m free, and I’m in class when he’s free. So, I’ve been to the diner on my own.



I met my first plantsim without Morty around.



And he wasn’t there to cheer me on when I played Invasion of the Shambling Shades (mwa-ha-ha).



   That evening, I asked him what he did while I was in class.

   “Started tinkering with my brain-enhancing machine,” he answered.



   See? If we were together, we could come up with much more exciting things to do.

   The next day, I had an assignment to interview someone. Who else would I pick but my favorite techie?



Me: “So, Morty – is it okay if I call you Morty?”

Morty: “You can call me whatever you want, sweetcakes.”

Me: “You do realize we’re on air? Anyway, Morty, what do you plan to do with your degree?"

Morty: “Hang it on the wall in my office.”

Me: “And where would that office be? What kind of career do you want?”

Morty: “I’d like to develop video games. I have this idea for one where there’s this blissfully happy couple, but then the wife is abducted by aliens, and the husband has to raise his daughter all by himself.”

Me: “Sounds fascinating, but it looks like we’re out of time."



   Later that day, we both had class activity – again at different times (Registrar, get ready for a rant). As usual, I had to report on the weather.



   That afternoon I strolled over to Keith’s Komics to meet Morty. My first thought was that I’d wandered into a gathering of the pod people, but then I realized it was Morty's class.



   After we had supper, Morty asked if I’d be willing to be his guinea pig – I mean, test subject.

   “Sure,” I said. “What does it involve?”



   “Nothing complicated,” he said. “You just sit there and absorb information on some skill, while I take notes on your brain activity.”

   “You’re assuming I have a brain,” I joked. Morty just rolled his eyes and asked me to pick a skill. I chose photography.

   I lay back and began learning about f-stops and filters. Suddenly there was a bright flash and I passed out. I woke with a splitting headache.



   “Bella! Bella! Are you all right?”

   Talk about stupid questions. I couldn’t resist. “Where—where am I?” I asked. “And who are you? Are you an alien?”

   “No, I’m Mortimer!” he answered. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know it would do that, honest. Please tell me you’re all right.”

   I’m a softie at heart. I couldn’t keep up the pretense. “I’m fine,” I said. “Just a little singed – that’s all.”

[PeregrineTook]

Poor Bella!  I've been holding off on getting University as I'd rather wait until EA has more of the bugs worked out and has updated stuff to avoid the early glitches that come with any expansion, but with this story (and part one), you're really making me reconsider that decision.

[Eldridge]

For crying out loud! My Sims never had the experience like Bella. What an interesting update! Both the title and the content are funny. Somehow when Morty call Bella sweetcakes, that make me hungry. Grrr...

[Swirl-Girl]

OMG! I'm so loving this, I really need Uni, and all the references!
LOL!

[RainBeau]

I love how Morty is planning to design that video game. So meta. Did he curse himself though by picking that? Oh no! I forgot to mention it last time, but I really like his new look. Bella's joke sounds like something I would do, but I can't keep up a pretence either.

[MarianT]

MURPHY’S LAW

   I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of the guy Murphy. He’s the one who said, “If something can go wrong, it will.”

   Like when I went to the coffee shop after class the other day. I tried four or five times to get waited on, but Olga, the friendly barista, was too busy being friendly with other people to get me a brownie. I finally realized I would have to go home if I wanted to get anything to eat between classes.



   Or like when Morty tried to make friends with another Nerd by showing her a gross picture. Even though Nerds usually like that kind of thing, girls, even nerdy girls, usually don’t. I know, because I’m a girl and a Nerd and I don’t.



   So when Morty’s Uncle Artie sent him a bottle of Midas Touch elixir, I was really worried. “You know what your uncle’s like,” I said. “He’s evil. And insane. You’re going to drink that stuff, and then you’ll hug me, and I’ll turn into a golden statue, and I won’t even have a ghost to haunt you.”

   “I won’t hug you until the elixir wears off,” said Morty. “I promise.”

   “But what if you get hungry?” I asked. “King Midas wasn’t able to eat anything.”

   “I’ll eat something beforehand, and the elixir lasts only six hours,” Morty countered. “It’s okay, Bella. This is my chance to fulfill my lifelong dream, don’t you understand? And it means we’ll be able to get a house of our own – a nice house – as soon as we get married.”

   I stomped off to my lecture sure that I would find a golden Mortimer statue when I came home.



   All right, so I’m wrong sometimes.

   That evening we did some last-minute studying before finals.



   And then we went outside to look at the stars. “I’ve been thinking about the future,” said Morty. “I don’t want you to get abducted by aliens.”

   “Well, neither do I.”

   “I think there’s a strong possibility that they’ll come for you if we’re living in a pleasant town like Sunset Valley.”

   “So you’re suggesting we move to a slum?”

   “No, a place that’s kind of alien already – like Lunar Lakes.”

   “But –“

   “We don’t have to,” Morty said hastily. “It was just a thought.”



   We had finals the next day, and I’ll skip the suspense and tell you that we both passed and now have B averages. Both of us had 8 am finals, and then Morty had another at noon, while I had to wait until 4 pm for mine.

   While I was taking my exam I got a couple of texts from Morty that I had to ignore. When I was able to look at them, this is what I saw.





   Now I have no idea why someone who just made a gazillion simoleons from selling golden statues would go dumpster diving, but that’s Morty for you.
 
   Then I got another text, saying “Woohoo! Woohoo! Woohooty!” Oh good, I thought. He’s bought a double bed. All term we’d been using the same beds that River and I had because they did provide a really good night’s sleep and that was the main thing.

   I’d been hoping for something comfortable and romantic because after all, he had the gazillion simoleons, but when I entered the bedroom this is what I saw.



   “I found it in the dumpster!” Morty said excitedly. I didn’t want to rain on his parade, so I decided not to point out that a bed designed by Murphy himself couldn’t possibly be safe.



   Besides, I’d hate for anyone to think that I wasn’t brave enough, plus I’m lucky, too.



   Unfortunately, Morty is not lucky. I was adding to my blog when I heard a whoosh behind me, followed by a scream and then a thump. Morty had tried to close up the thing.



   The next day we were both pretty lazy. I made us waffles in the morning (and didn’t burn them – yay me!). Later on I worked on my novel, Oar and Geese, while Morty played video games on his new laptop. He assured me that this was research rather than recreation. In the afternoon we went to the kegger that my friend Nicole is always inviting me to. Last term she scheduled it for 9 pm, an hour after my plane was supposed to leave, but this term she was hosting it at 4:30, which was doable.

   Morty helped me do a keg stand, and pretty soon the party was in full swing.



I was feeling pretty mellow and having a good time when who should walk in through the door but Robert Richards. He’s the guy I kissed on the porch last term, a million years ago. “I hear music upstairs,” I whispered to Morty. “Let’s go dance.”

   He followed me up to the third floor, but when we got there, he confessed that he had never tried slow-dancing. “You lead,” he said.



   All too soon it was time to go home. By then, we were both hungry and exhausted, not to mention that Morty had suffered from allergies all term, while I came down with the flu. Nevertheless, we’re already looking forward to next term.

[Ilessthan3TheSims]

Aww, Morty is so cute 
I hope that silly kiss doesn't come between them.

[RainBeau]

I like how you tied in the Murphy bed, Murphy's law, and Bella's bad day. I wonder where they will end up! I hope Bella is not abducted by aliens. I'm glad that Morty didn't die from being shut up in the bed.

[RaiaDraconis]

Very glad that Morty survived the Murphy bed.

These two have to be one of my favorite townie couples of all time. You are portraying them in such a fun way, too.

[PeregrineTook]

"Hey, there's that guy I kissed.  RUN AWAY!!!!"
Well played, Bella.  Very Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail.

[Swirl-Girl]

I want a Murphy bed. And who knows? Maybe it wasn't the Murphy.

[MarianT]

SNOWFLAKE DAY AND THE DAY AFTER

   Snowflake Eve, Mortimer announced that he had a present for all of us – a new house with three bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, and an attic upstairs that could be turned into another bedroom. We moved in immediately.



   Early the next morning, a deer ran through the yard, which seemed like a good omen. We tried telling Robert that the deer was a reindeer named Rudolph, but he didn’t believe us.



   We’d arranged for Mom and Dad and Mortimer’s parents to come over to exchange presents. Michael’s boss, Agnes Crumplebottom showed up, too, so we had quite the party.



   River (and I and Mortimer) received a new easel. She’s doing great as an Art Appraiser.



Robert was given a new bicycle. (It’s amazing what they can fit in those small boxes.)



   Sometime during the party, Morty plucked up his courage and asked Dad for permission to marry me.



   I was so surprised that my head exploded. (No, not really. I took a bite of Mom’s firecracker shrimp. Remind me never to make firecracker shrimp or attempt to eat it again.)



   We were all pretty sluggish after the morning’s feast, so I went off to the movie by myself. I told Mortimer that I needed something to review for my blog, but really I needed time to think. The movie was Starship: Incredulous, but that’s all I can tell you about it. Should I tell Mortimer that I’d kissed someone when I was at uni by myself? So far I hadn’t told him because it hadn’t been important, and he’d just get upset for no reason. But I didn’t feel right about getting married with a secret between us. What to do? What to do?



   Morty was already in bed when I got home, which was something of a relief. I could wait and tell him tomorrow – or maybe the next day – or maybe never.

   Unfortunately, the next morning Morty had a question for me. “Who’s Robert Richards?” he asked.

   “Ummm—“ was all I could say.

   “The reason I’m asking is because you got a card from him saying that he wanted to get together again, which logically implies that you’ve been together before.”



   “It wasn’t really together,” I protested. “And it wasn’t like you and I were really serious yet.”

   “We started going steady at prom,” Mortimer said stiffly. “I was under the impression that we were serious.”



   Have you ever noticed that when someone is mad at you with good reason, the only way you can make yourself feel better is by getting mad in return? I was on the verge of telling Morty that he was mean and self-righteous and, and, mean, and I never wanted to see him again, when I got a text. It was one of my friends at uni telling me that Robert Richards had just died.

   I showed Morty the text, and then I said, “Even if he were to live a hundred years, there would still never be anyone but you. If you don’t believe me, then there’s nothing I can do about that.”

   He gave me a bittersweet smile and said, “Let’s not talk about it anymore, okay?”



   In the afternoon it quit snowing, and Morty suggested we walk over to the beach. “Walks are good,” I said, “but there’s no way I’m going swimming.”

   Morty smiled half-heartedly. On the way over, he said, “You know, we’ve been best friends since the fourth grade –“

   “Third,” I corrected him.

   “—And we were pretty young when we started going steady. So maybe it would be a good idea if we broke up for a while and saw other people – just to make sure that we know what we want.”

   “No,” I said. “Noooo,” and I kissed him.



   “Are you sure?” he asked. “Because I have a ring here with your name on it, and I’d hate for you to give it back to me sometime.”



The next thing I knew, he was on his knees, in the snow, proposing to me.



   Of course I said yes.
 


   And then I had a brilliant idea. I’d always planned on having a big wedding, with the arch and a wedding dress and cake and dancing, but the moment was so magical – in the snow on the beach, with a few wild horses milling around that I said, “Let’s get married right now.”



   “I, Mortimer, take thee, Bella…”



   “I, Bella, take thee, Mortimer…”



   We headed home as man and wife. I turned around and took one last look at the beach, which would forever be our place…beautiful.