5.50: Bandage

Written by CitizenErased14

I feel like such a fucking asshole.

I totally flipped at Hope last night. And I KNOW I shouldn’t have. I just got so mad.

Ralph and Carly are visiting this week, and she totally embarrassed me in front of them during dinner last night. Everything was going so great up til then. Her parents are awesome, and I’ve always gotten along with them really well… But then they started asking me about the restaurant, and instead of letting me handle it, Hope just butted in and made me look so dumb. It’s humiliating enough having her pay the rent and bills for me… Now she has to speak for me too?!

I felt like she was embarrassed of me or something, y’know? Like she had to cover for me so she wouldn’t look bad in front of her parents… Looking back on it now, I know that’s not true. I know she was just trying to help… But it really wan’t her place to step in, was it? I can fight my own battles, can’t I?

It just made me so damn mad. And I totally snapped.

She ended up storming out on me… I almost couldn’t believe it. I mean we’ve gotten in arguments plenty of times before, but we always talk about things and work it out.

I dunno. Maybe this time was different. Maybe I deserved it. But that didn’t make it suck any less. I wasn’t even sure if she’d come back that night or not… But I ended up sleeping on the couch just in case. I figured she’d want some space, y’know? And to be honest, I wanted some too.

I heard her come back at like midnight. I pretended I was still sleeping… I knew she wouldn’t wanna talk to me. It’d probably turn into another fight anyway.

I had no idea what to expect this morning. I was kinda terrified to face her again after last night… So I tried my best to act kinda like nothing happened.

As soon as I got up, I started making breakfast for us. Figured some good food could be like, a distraction or something.

And I guess it kinda worked… Sort of.

“Smells good” was the first thing Hope said to me when she came out of the bedroom this morning. She didn’t smile when she said it, but at least she didn’t start yelling at me? I mean, that’s something, right?

Neither of us really said anything while we ate. I waited til we were done before I tried to apologize. I told her I knew I overreacted last night and that I felt awful for being such a jerk… But I guess that wasn’t enough for her. She said she’s sick of me “biting her head off” all the time. What the hell?! I mean yeah, lately we’ve been getting into little fights a lot more often than we used to… But I don’t do it all the time! And I always apologize after!

Doesn’t she know I feel like shit when I yell at her? It’s not like I want to have this shitty temper. It just sneaks up on me, I guess. More now than it ever has.

She’s just been making me so mad lately… Rubbing all her fancy photoshoots in my face, nagging me over and over again about the restaurant. I really hate it. But if I ever told her that, I’d be accused of “biting her head off” all over again. Ugh.

I was good today though. I didn’t start another fight, and Hope said we could drop it for now so we could enjoy her parents’ visit.

Yeah, that was way easier said than done.

We spent most of the day with Tante Joce and grandpa (They’ve always gotten along really well with Hope’s parents… Especially Carly and Tante Joce), but God, it was so damn awkward.

It was like Hope barely even looked at me the entire time… and Tante Joce and grandpa could definitely tell. They kept giving each other these weird looks, and when we were all getting ready to go out for lunch, grandpa even pulled me aside and asked me if everything was okay. And that didn’t really help very much… It just felt like another damn lecture.

Things got a little easier as the day went on though… By the end of lunch, Hope and I were finally starting to talk to each other. For a few minutes, I almost forgot we’d been fighting, y’know?

And tonight after her parents went back to their hotel, we sat down to talk about things again. She seemed a lot more willing to listen to my apology the second time around, and it definitely went a lot better than this morning did. It even led to some pretty awesome makeup sex.

It just doesn’t feel like it really fixed things, y’know? I think we both feel better about everything right now, sure. But it still seems like nothing’s really solved. It just feels like… I dunno. It’s hard to describe it, exactly.

I guess it’s like we just slapped a bandage over all our problems and called it good or something.

And I’m dreading the day it falls off again.

65 thoughts on “5.50: Bandage”

  1. Make up sex is great but it’s only a bandage. They need some stitches pronto because that cut is only gonna keep bleeding all over the place and Zayne needs to be the one to suck it up and call for help. If he keeps at it, he’s gonna push his only ‘Hope’ away. LOL. She’s been very supportive, more supportive than most women would be in her situation. He has no idea how lucky he is to have someone like that. Then again, these Rosebrooks have a history of never realising how good they have it until they lose something.

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    1. You’re right that she’s been very patient and supportive of him! And it’s also so true what you said about the Rosebrooks not truly appreciating what they have until it’s gone. Hopefully Zayne will not continue this pattern!

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  2. Yes, everything is bound to get worse. Having sex to make up for it is temporary fix. Zayne needs to get his act together and really consider running his own restaurant. If he doesn’t want Hope continuing nagging him about it, he needs to do it or he’ll have to continue suffering like having a ton of worms and beetles on his back. I’ve seen Hope and she’s so supportive. He just has no idea. Typical Zayne, typcial Rosebrook genes. 😛

    Rosebrooks: The family who waits until something lost to realize how bad a situation is.

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    1. It’s very true that if he just buckled down and worked on the restaurant, it could really help a lot! But Zayne is still not seeing it… :-/

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  5. Zayne reminds me of Mari in a lot of ways. He seems to jump to conclusions that everyone is against him and fails to look at the positive side before making snap judgements and overreacting.

    I’ve said it before but I keep thinking that Hope is mature enough to let go of a relationship that’s hurting her, even if she still loves Zayne. And by then, it will be too little too late. These two have to really work some things out and more importantly, Zayne needs to figure out his internal battles.

    On a side note, I’d like to habe Hope’s body please, thank you^

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    1. It’s very true that Zayne is a lot like Mari (in negative ways hahaha). They both are quick to anger, have low self-esteem, and don’t like accepting help. 😦

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  6. I think bandage is a good name for what happened. It will definitely blow up again and I think Hope will move out this time saying they need some space or something like that. I think that’s what it’s going to take for him to realize that thier relationship is a partnership. He has to let her in and share what’s going on with him and stop being too proud to ask for help. He is lucky she loves him enough to put up with it and hasn’t already bailed. 😕

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    1. Yeah it’ll definitely blow up again if they don’t sit down and talk about things! Zayne has got to get his act together… but I honestly think Hope kind of does too. She needs to stop pushing him so hard and find a different way to support him, because her pushing isn’t doing anything to help the situation!

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      2. Yeah, but how long is she supposed to pay all their bills while he tests recipes? At some point, he needs to get rolling on the other restaurant aspects. If it were me, I’d need to see more progress too. She’s holding up her end of the bargain, and there’s nothing wrong with pushing him to hold up his end.

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  7. Oh Zayne, if only you know how much duct tape I’ve used on your ship. It’s still floating that’s something. But you need to steer us in more calm waters, and work this out with my Hope. She after all is your only Hope.

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  8. “I always apologize after.” Apologizing for bad behavior means nothing if you don’t change it. Zayne is still such a baby. Hopefully he gets a wake up call soon.

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    2. Truth. I hate hearing apologies for something you KNOW your going to do again.
      “Sorry I yelled, buy it’s really your fault for asking me questions about something I’ve never had issues discussing with you until recently, and so the yelling, really, it’s your fault. Sorry you don’t like it, but hey, at least I’m saying sorry, which I’ll do soon in a few days when I yell at you again.”

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      2. Haha I’m not sure if that’s quite what’s going on in Zayne’s mind. He DOES take ownership of the fact that his temper is really bad and he tends to overreact to situations. I think it’s possibly to both feel that your anger was justified while at the same time realizing “Oh shit, I took that way too far and was a total dick about it”, which is Zayne’s current perspective.

        I do agree that apologies are meaningless without a change in behavior. I think Zayne keeps trying to tell himself he’ll do better next time, but he’s not doing enough for that to actually happen.

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        1. There’s this book I read about relationships. They talk about cold versus hot states. In a cold state, you’re rational and calm, able to behave well and all that. One tends to assume that in a hot state, you’ll still behave well.

          I think that’s what Zayne is going through. He hasn’t learned to translate his cold state behavior to his hot state emotions. It’s such a destructive pattern to get into and often hurts those closest to you. It’s hard to fix on your own.

          Maybe Zayne can be the exception!

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            1. Lol, Honestly, she could use the book too. It encourages the person on the receiving end of the “hot behavior” to take some ownership for their role in it. So I could just drop it on their coffee table, maybe they’ll both peruse it…?

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  9. If you know is a not so good behavior, than change it, Zayne! If you know it’s bad, you can’t just ”blame” on your stress or hot-head, is all up to you! Hope is trying to help! I know you are jelous of her fame, but..I think he needs o talk to her, really, a simple ”bandage” won’t help with this, and this is turning from somethings small that can be overlooked, in something big!You need to share your feeling with your partner,..even the ugly ones.

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    1. He definitely needs to open up to her more, you’re right! And I think they need to figure out a different way for her to be supportive other than pushing him so much, since it’s only making things worse!

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  10. I thought he was just being a big baby but if he feels like her success is being rubbed in his face… that’s hard. That doesn’t feel very good. But coming from someone with a temper: Zayne, ya gotta figure your shit out!!

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    1. Yeah it’s really hard… and Hope isn’t *intentionally* bragging about her success or anything, mind you. But she talks about her career a lot and to Zayne, it feels like it’s being rubbed in his face and it makes him angry 😦

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  11. I tell you what it feels like, Zayne. Like you just stuck a huge pile of junk in the closet and barely managed to close the door.
    Zayne needs a few more sessions with “Dr. Eun”. I wonder what the handsome boy is doing these days.

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  12. I feel like you wrote this chapter (especially the beginning) in a kind of chaotic way, maybe to show Zayne’s distress? ( I mean there seems to be more ? and … than usual) Or am I reading too much into it? I get his anger, to a point. Speaking for someone else is emmm ,slightly patronizing. Still hoping they will work it out somehow.

    Did you miss my comment on the previous chapter/ didn’t have the time to respond? ( in which way it’s cool) Or did I upset you (cause I did go with overboard whlith psychoanalysis)?

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    1. Oh! I didn’t even know you commented!!! WordPress hasn’t been sending me notifications 100% of the time (for example, I never got a notification for Audrey’s comment on today’s chapter, but I happened to notice it while replying to someone else) I figured you were just not commenting while on your vacation! I’ll go read what you said! 🙂

      As for this chapter, there’s a bit of truth to what you said — Zayne is a bit all over the place right now, emotionally and mentally haha

      And yes! Zayne took Hope’s comment at dinner to be patronizing for sure. Even if she didn’t mean it that way, that’s how it felt to him.

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  13. Y’know, as much as our Brat Prince complains about being babied and not being taken seriously, that’s what he really wants out of life. He’s never been challenged and is used to the world bowing to his greatness. And now he wants the same out of Hope.

    Zayne, if you want unconditional, slavish adoration and love, I hear the next expansion might be pets. Go get a dog.

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  15. Oh, poor Zayne. :[ If you know it’s just a bandage, then go try to suture the wound baby. I’m really nervous about how this is going to end. I feel like that last fight was just an inch of the rain that is going to fall soon.

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    1. Yeahhhhhh unfortunately Zayne has yet to grasp the concept that apologies aren’t always good enough — you have to actually change your behavior too! Haha

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  17. Sooooo… Asking if things are okay equates to a lecture? And he’s upset at her for saying to not enjoy the fact that he’s stressed and taking it out on her?

    Okay… I’m feeling so many still things right now because of some not great people in my life that Zayne is reminding me of. I think this officially counts as a trigger. So I’m just gonna stop here on responding to his views and behavior.

    But to you, great writing. Zayne feels so real and complex, and I really feel like I’m understanding his motivations and preception of the world. You always do such a great job with this family and their life stories.

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    2. I think it’s very interesting how much our personal experiences can shape our view of a character or a situation. I’m sorry that you’re feeling triggered by Zayne’s current behavior. Though I may not 100% agree with the way you’re interpreting his behavior right now, I respect that it’s hitting a sore spot for you.

      Thanks for reading! 🙂

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  18. Ah – Zayne is starting to find out that not all your personality quirks are ones you want to keep as you grow up. But boy do I know how complex it is to change some of those deep seated habits. If he can get beyond his temper though, and his insecurity, he’ll be better for it in the end. But I’m not sure exactly how to go about helping him change his habits (specially as he doesn’t want help from *anyone*).

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  19. Wow. He really doesn’t realize that the main problem here is him. Zayne.

    If pride were a character trait, Zayne would have it in spades. Most of your characters act out of selfishness; Zayne acts out of pride. First he couldn’t humble himself enough to work with his boss. Then he couldn’t humble himself enough to ask for help starting his business. Now he’s too proud to accept when Hope is trying to help him out, and too proud to talk to her about it without snapping.

    I wonder how long this can go on before he either straightens up his act or destroys his relationship?

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    1. I think Zayne DOES recognize that he’s the root of the problem, and he beats himself up over it a lot. That being said, he is definitely a very “proud” character, it’s true.

      Thank you for sharing your thoughts!

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  20. Now that I’m finally caught up with Dust2Dust and this, I feel as if I’m ready to leave a comment. I love, love, love your story! I especially love how “real” your characters are and how consequent you describe their actions. I get the impression you really know them and that makes their actions not only believable but also keeps me hooked like nothing else in this genre I’ve read so far.

    I would also like to thank you … I was searching through the world of Sims and dicovered SimLit thanks to you! Not only did you show me a wonderful new side to the game I love, but you also inspired me to pick up writing again (I think I might give this SimLit business a try). So thank you so much for being an amazing inspiration. I can’t wait to read more from you 🙂

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    1. Oh wow! This comment was so incredibly sweet! Thank you so much! It really means a lot that you took the time to read both of my stories, and that you appreciate my characters so much 🙂 What you said is true — I really do “know” them! They’re so much more than characters to me. I really love them, even when they’re being frustrated and stupid haha

      I’m also really happy that I introduced you to SimLit! That is so awesome! Are you a member of the Sims forums? There is a section called “The Sims 4 Stories and Legacies” that is a wonderful place to meet other writers, find other stories, and share your own! ^_^ If you do stop by, I recommend saying hello in the Writer’s Lounge thread, and also checking out the “Quick Guide to Simlit” stickied at the top of the forum 🙂

      No pressure to join in — I just figured I’d recommend it because it’s a great way to get started in the simlit community 🙂

      Thank you again for reading and for leaving this wonderful comment! You’re awesome ❤

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      1. Heh, you are awesome for getting me hooked 🙂 I actually have an account from about 500 years ago … The forums are where I found your stories, but so far I didn’t find the courage to write there myself, but I definitely will! I would love to get in touch with the community. Thanks for the tip 😀 as a newbie I definitely appreciate that you took the time to give me some directions!

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  22. Zayne the problem isn’t with “US” the problem is with “YOU” and all of your damn insecurities. Your jealous of Hopes success only because you’ve become stagnant and are so afraid of failure. Maybe I should call Eun to come knock some sense in to you (j/k) but seriously either shit or get off the pot and make something happen with your dream before you lose it all.

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  24. Man, this relationship legit feels abusive.
    Also I’m actually kinda getting distracted by this but he says “y’know?” way too much. Tobi and Stefan used to also but hoo boy this is getting to “I’m fine” levels

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