I have been trying to allow my sims to have a little more freedom and not micro-manage them as much. It makes the story a little more spontaneous and exciting. Recently a new sim that I had created a few weeks ago was having trouble finding a partner.

Kate had looked high and low and every time she started to get intrested in another sim... they ended up just wanting to be her best friend. It was getting to the point that while Kate appreciated having many friends (her ltw is to be Leader of the Freeworld), a girl needs a little romance in her life too. After recently having her advances rejected again by Christopher Steele, in front of the entire town. Kate had mostly given up on finding that one special sim.

Being a spinster isn\'t so bad right? You can watch other sims\' children, help out when they need you and be refered to as \"Auntie Kate\", what sim wouldn\'t be excited by that prospect?? Kate pathetically began planning her birthday and future with several cats. When out of the blue she got a phone call...

Amazingly, it was Christopher of all sims! Kate hadn\'t spoken to him in over a week and was still having trouble saying his name without wincing when the phone rang. At first she considered just hanging up... but because she has the good and friendly personality traits, it just wasn\'t an option. She listened with curiousity as he began to appologize about their last meeting.

It turns out that what Kate had interpreted as rejection by Christopher was actually just shyness. He liked her but was embaressed about being so public with his emotions. During the last week he had time to realize that he actually missed Kate... as more than just a friend. Kate was a little hesitant to welcome him with open arms but agreed to a private fishing date out of the public eye. It went swimmingly. (Excuse the pun ;) They spent hours doing more talking than fishing. Christopher even tried to pick her some flowers though it turns out they were actually catails not roses. (Hey, give him a break he is an angler not a gardener.) With Kate\'s ambitions and Chris\'s adversion to public displays of affection they have a ways to go... but they are willing to work on it. As the sun began to set that evening, Christopher took Kate\'s hand gently in his. (Setting down his fishing pole first of course.) He gazed affectionately into her eyes and said, \"Of all the fishes in the sea, you are the one for me... Be my valentine, Kate?\" (So, poetry isn\'t his strong point either; but a girl can\'t be -too- picky.) She smiled and whispered in his ear. His eyes were shining as he shouted, \"Yes!\"