2.12 Inspiration will Strike

Cam stayed out fishing until it was dark outside. Strolling into his room, he changed out of his sweater and jeans into his pajamas. As he walked towards his desk, he was surprised to see that Laura was outside painting again. Only this time she wasn't alone. She had changed out of her robe and was painting with Luke Raymond.

Luke was part of their graduating class, although he was a few days younger than Laura, Cam and Collin. Still a teen, the boy was lanky and awkward looking but Laura and he had always loved discussing art. Probably because they had met in art class.

Laura looked so calm and so in control even as she flirted with Raymond. Inspiration must have struck though because why else would she had made him stand out in cold night air, chatting while they painted. Luke was a patient man.

And obviously smitten.

Was Laura feeling the same way? It was hard to tell.

Luke walked around Laura to inspect her painting closely. He pointed out a few points and they two began to avidly discuss them. Cam smiled. Well, time would tell if this small flirtation turned into some more.

For now, Cam sat back down at his desk and tried to find his own inspiration.

More crumpled papert later, he decided to call it a night and laid down on his bed. He just couldn't find a starting point. At least not yet. He tossed and turned but his mind was still racing, trying to latch onto an idea but having no luck.

Just after 1:30 am, he heard the floorboards in the hallway creaking. Sitting up in bed, he saw that Madeline was peeking into his room. "Hey," she whispered. "You awake?"

"Yeah, can't sleep." He sat up in bed and Madeline pushed the door the rest of the way open. She trudged inside the room, obviously tired and closed the door softly behind her.

"So how was your first day of work?" he asked nicely.

"Well, the work is hard but it's good to know that I am going to be pulling my weight around here." she said with a smile. "Dishes can be surprisingly heavy though."

"So what did you do with your day?" she asked. "I know you text that you were clearing your head earlier. What happened?"

He sighed. "It's the house designs. I need to design three houses for the Sims Council. It seemed like it would be a simple matter but..."

"Every time I try to sit down, it's like all the ideas I think I have just float away."

Madeline grimaced. "That must be frustrating."

"It is..." he sighed. "I just wish that it came as easily to me as it did to my mom. I mean she designed this entire house with my dad."

Madeline looked at him and smiled. "Yeah, Cam, one house with your dad with you kids in mind. It's a lot easier if you know whose moving in."

Cam frowned. He hadn't really thought about that.

"Hey... Why don't I be your sounding board? You can bounce some ideas off me?" she offered with a smile.

"That would be great." he looked at the mess on his desk. Let me just clean up some of the papers and wash my cup."

She smiled and tucked her legs up underneath her. "Ok, I'll wait right here."

Cam grabbed the papers off the floor first and headed to the kitchen to throw them in the trash. He found his Dad rummaging in the fridge. "Oh, hey Dad."

"Cameron, how's being Mayor so far?" Laurent said unbuttoning the top of his chef's jacket.

Cam frowned and after tossing the papers plopped onto the island. "I don't really know." he mused and his father turning around placed a plate in front of Cam and grabbed a bar stool.

"I mean I am so grateful that the Sim Council chose me but... I have no idea how to design the houses. I mean literally NO idea, Dad." Cam said and then he looked down at the leftover Chicken and vegetables.

His stomach growled and he realized he hadn't eaten in hours. Maybe just a few bites before he headed back in to Madeline.

"Well, that's just how it goes, son. Inspritation strikes when it likes, not when you want it to." Laurent said philosophically.

Cam frowned at his Dad. "That's exactly what Laura said... but what does that even mean?"

He took a few more bites of his food.

"It means that when the time is right, you will have your ideas. For now... you just need to prepare the rest of your presentation. Start with the simplest ideas and it will build from there, I promise." Laurent said and then standing he patted his son on the shoulder. "Finish those last bites and get some sleep. The best way to invite inspiration is to take care of yourself. Everything else will come in time."

Cam looked bemusedly down at the island and realized he had nearly eaten his entire plate.

"Hey, Dad."

Laurent pasued on his way out of the room to look over his shoulder at his son. "Thanks."

He smiled, the kind of smile that seems like it lights up not only the face but also the entire body as if happiness eminated from him. "Anytime, Cameron, we McGinnis' stick together."

"Yeah..." Cam looked down at his plate again. "Does it... ever bother you that you took Mom's name instead of her taking yours?"

Laurent laughed a big, bright laugh that filled the empty kitchen/living room. "There are a lot of things I regret.... a name means very little unless it has purpose. The McGinnis name has purpose and it was important to me as well as your mother that I continue that Legacy."

His blue eyes warmed as he looked at his son. "And I know it will be continued well. Especially if any of my children get around to have children of their own."

With a final smile and nod, Laurent headed off to bed leaving Cam and his half empty plate alone in the kitchen. Married?  He had just become Mayor of Newcrest, needed to design, budget, give a presentation and finalize the construction of three houses and his father was thinking of marriage. Then again, Cam's mind wandered to Madeline and he realized that he had dallied way longer than he intended. Eating the last few bites hurriedly (McGinnis' never waste food if possible), he tossed the dishes in the dishwasher and half walked-half jogged down the hall.

"Hey, sorry, I--" he stopped short as he noticed that Madeline had rolled over on the bed and was sound asleep.

She must have been exhausted. After all, the doctor only cleared her that afternoon and she had worked a full 8 hour shift on top of that. Smiling he remembered his mom had spare blankets in the hall and quietly walked out to grab them.

He laid the blanket on top of her and then set about cleaning up the rest of the mess on his desk. The last thing to go was the glass he had first noticed of course. Everything tidied up he peaked in on Madeline one last time and then decided he better grab some sleep himself. He would ponder his Dad's words about marriage in sleep. Though...

He looked down at Madeline trustingly bundled in his bed and he thought to himself that if there was anyone... it would be Madeline.

For now, he crept across the hall and plopped into Madeline's bed. It was almost 6 am. He needed to get some sleep. As he drifted off, Cam had strange dreams about lightening striking him and some papers and thousands of house designs floating around him. So many that how could he ever decide...?
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Author's note: Another mostly pose free update. Used the drawing pose from inabadromance's Cintiq Pose Pack. Otherwise, I am attempting to allow my Sims to try to tell more of the story themselves and just following the whims more often. It's difficult but at the same time... things are beginning to write themselves... and I am less stressed. Which as this is supposed to be a creative outlet to reduce stress I suppose that makes more sense. Anyway, hope you enjoyed.