To put it simply, Nina has got it BAD for her assistant – which is a major no-no. Will she cross the line, and possibly fall into a major scandal, or fall in love? Is she going to take a chance? First of all, I personally do not believe in inter-office relationships. I also do not believe in sexual harassment of any kind. Just wanted to throw it out there.

Most of the time, these consensual office relationships have ended in a dumpster fire of chaos. Other times they haven’t. I know of a husband and wife who are excellent business partners and met at work.

E20’s story evolved on its own, from being a mere blip mentioned in the story, to a full blown out episode in three-parts, and below I will explain more in detail.

If you haven’t seen Episode 20, please stop whatever it is you are doing and watch the episode below. Then, join us for the spoilers! E20 is NSFW and contains Mature Content. Parental Guidance is Suggested. As it says in the beginning of the episode, things are about to get spicy, ❤️‍🔥 so some grab some tea! ☕It’s about to be spilled!

SPOILER WARNING – YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

Now here we go….

E20 is probably, out of all of the episodes, the one that challenged me the most as a writer, producer, editor, director and actor. To get inside the mindset of these characters, I really had to dive deep into myself to get the reaction expected from both Nina and Addie. Nina & Amanda is probably one of the most challenging pieces of writing I have ever done to date, and I am proud of the result.

When it came to making it as an official Let’s Play series for GXSimmer, I really wanted to impart my own style, aim for an adult audience, and at its core still have it be about The Sims. I was happy with what the first twenty episodes came to be.

More importantly, this was never supposed to be the Season finale. In fact, I found myself working on this episode more than Chapter 19 at times. Although it is cute to see Carrie find her first real boyfriend in handsome young Drake in E19- it was just too tempting not to expand E20. With the complexity and evolution of Nina and Addie’s relationship, that was some tea that needed to be spilled!

Originally, Chapter 19 was marked as the season finale being originally slotted as E20 until I began to work on “The Assistant.” which was originally titled, “Nina’s Assistant” with the whole relationship unfolding in one episode. The more I worked on it, the more I realized that The Assistant could not only be a two-part episode but a three-part season finale resulting in what E20 came to be.

In order to smooth out the events of E18, I had to totally redo Chapter 17 which is why it seems more or less like a short filler episode. It is. I had made a severe continuity error and realized I had to have a filler episode before 18, 19 and 20 to explain Carrie’s jump from being age thirteen to age 15 and being involved with Drake too.

Originally the layout for the last three Season One Episodes were as follows:

18 – Nina’s Assistant

19 – Carrie’s Visit to Henford

20 – Drake

In the script, before I rewrote it, Nina’s romance was simply to be a blip in the storyline, with her romance with Addie being mentioned as a “mistake worth having” in a conversation with Rachel. But as I began writing the dialogue and recording the script – I literally flipped the script halfway through and rewrote E18, E19, and E20.

I saw that the story had more that could be expanded upon, and a point I would like to mention is, the relationship between Nina & Addie did not happen in game. The majority of events in Nina and Amanda are based on my actual gameplay. The romance aspect between Nina and Addie is totally of my concoction 100%. Plus, I’ve noticed the comments for Team Nina to have some happiness. It is a common misconception that I do not enjoy torturing Nina – even though I said at the end of E18 it is fun. 😈

Also, I knew I had to do a filler episode before E18 which is why we have College Bound as E17. It sets it up for future events for Carrie when she finally gets to meet the elusive young Drake and wraps up the book tour in romantic Tartosa where Nina and Addie are concerned. This is why we see the breakdown as:

17 – College Bound

18 – The Assistant (Finale Part 1)

19 – Drake (Finale Part 2)

20 – Take A Chance (Finale Part 3)

Also, in E19, we see Nina and Addie on the last leg of the book tour in romantic Tartosa when tension is really building between them. Both of them seem ready to pop. Addie, being the constant professional, knows it’s wrong to cross the line – and is refusing to. Nina too fears that the plunge into desire will lead into a tumultuous scandal.

When we start E20, Nina is severely conflicted. She wants to do the right thing, but Addie is literally driving her crazy, and she’s trying to keep a level head and do what she believes is right. But she’s definitely got it bad – and that’s certain (see below.)

I admit I was listening to Usher’s You Got It Bad and Soul Decision’s Faded while I was writing the dialogue. One of the benefits of being GenX is being exposed to some of the greatest music that ever existed from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and 2000s as it happened. From the Beach Boys to Black Sabbath and the Backstreet Boys. Aretha to Aerosmith. I even admit to having some Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift on my playlist, and of course my all-time favorite artist the legendary Garth Brooks. I also added Hungry Like the Wolf by Duran Duran (You’ll see why later in the blog.) Not to mention my go-to whenever I edit a manuscript which is the Pacific Rim Soundtrack by Ramin Djawadi It’s just that hard rock riff that gets me motivated whenever I edit a manuscript or hit the treadmill. I highly recommend it. Being an anime fan, I love the tribute to kaiju movies and anime. Not to mention, Charlie Hunnan in this as well, as Idris Elba.

Getting back to E20, between trying to handle this crush (or not) on her own and manage everything else in her life – Nina needs to seek help. Plus, if it turns out Addie doesn’t feel the same way as Nina, she’s going to need her therapist, and Rachel, in this situation. But the fact that she’s having these feelings, is a good sign, it means she’s no longer jaded or angry – and is moving forward in her life. But what if Addie does feel the same way? What then? What will Nina do?

On one hand, Addie has managed Nina’s professional life to a T. Nina has been able to complete her tour, while loving what she’s been doing, and racking up sales in the millions for herself and her publisher. Addie has made a comfortable commission and salary off of the deals she negotiated and ran the tour like a well-oiled machine. Nina is grateful that she doesn’t have to contend with the mundane daily tasks that annoy her, Addie’s got her back.

And spending of all of this time with Addie, has made Nina begin to question how she feels about her. Was it a mistake to hire someone she felt an attraction for right at the start? She decides to finally talk to her therapist to get some clarity.

Nina almost crossed the line in E18 when she asked Addie to stay for dinner. What she was thinking of was being alone with her and possibly taking things to the next level. Addie though politely declined, possible recognizing Nina’s intent, and its then Nina recognizes that she almost breached her professional relationship with her. Now, she’s in a pickle, and honestly doesn’t know what to do at this point.

Also, while they were in Tartosa, she was constantly looking at her in the distance. She knew Addie had everything under control, and she made her truly love and embrace her work. Nina’s audience was excited and happy to see her in person, feeding upon the energy she was putting out. But, when they were alone in the conference room, Nina saw something from Addie, or at least, she thought she did. Again, she doesn’t know, and it’s driving her crazy, no matter how many times she works out, or meditates to try and diffuse it.

Nina can’t fire Addie, nor does she want to! She’s an amazing assistant. In fact, at this point, Nina regards her more like a business manager than an assistant. She’s everything she’s ever needed for her author business, and more. Plus, Addie’s intellect is on par with her own. The two can talk for hours about a variety of subjects, and frequently do.

There were two scenes I cut in E18. Both showed Addie’s skills as a professional when dealing with hotel/restauranteur Christine Ito and closing a deal like the business shark she is. The second was a conversation that Addie has with Nina about writing, I felt it was more or less filler, and added another five to ten minutes onto the runtime for no reason. So, I cut that too, but it showed how Nina’s not just attracted to her for her looks, but her brain as well.

This is the other part of Addie. The part Nina cannot deny drives her crazy every single day that she sees her. The elephant in the room is, does Addie feel the same way about Nina, or is she imagining things?

As Nina stands outside on her patio pondering her thoughts, Addie arrives for work and goes into Nina’s office. Nina decides to get to work and discuss the details of the day. Maybe if she pushes away how she feels, she can get through the day, even if she’s got it bad for Addie.

When she walks into her office and sits down, Addie stands up holding a document. “Good morning, Addie,” Nina says barely looking at her. “Did you have a good weekend?”

“No.” Addie replies. “I’m sorry, Nina.” She says as she hands her a document.

As Nina accepts the document, she’s shocked to find out that Addie has handed her a letter of resignation. “You’re resigning? Why? Did I do something? Did you receive a better offer? Why are you leaving me?”

Keywords right there: “why are you leaving me?” Nina is both shocked, upset, elated and angry all at the same time. Her anxiety is at an all-time high, because on one hand she could tell Addie how she feels about her, and on the other – maybe it’s because Addie doesn’t want to work for her any longer or be near her sensing Nina’s attraction. Maybe Addie doesn’t feel the same way? Maybe she does? Nina doesn’t know. Maybe Addie’s realized that Nina has feelings for her and is getting out before things get even more complicated! All she knows is at this moment, she is in severe panic mode.

Addie responds calmly and appropriately to Nina telling her that she’s found employment elsewhere but will train her replacement. She also says that she’ll train the replacement at her home so as not to disturb Nina’s work, but….

“But what?” Nina asks as she gets up from her desk and comes over to her.

“The real answer is…. I‘m attracted to you. Very much so,” Addie tells her

“Oh…” Nina responds with a blush. And at this moment, Nina’s heart is racing a mile a minute. She cannot believe that Addie has confirmed what she has suspected all along – and now she’s not her assistant any longer.

“Yes, and I don’t expect you to feel the same way. It would be wrong of me to stay here in your employ with these feelings for you.” Addie says almost nervously.

Addie knows a few things about Nina. She knows that has had same-sex relationships in the past because she’s aware of an ex-wife and daughter from that failed marriage. She knows that Nina is single, spending most of her free time on a treadmill or watching Trauma Central, and Addie herself is about to drop more than one bombshell on Nina depending on what happens in the next few minutes.

Nina sums up her courage and says, “I accept your letter of resignation and since you’re not working for me any longer – can I take you out to lunch? I’m….attracted to you too, and I want to get to know you better.”

Now things are about to get interesting. Get the tea ☕

Addie cool and confidant, leans on the desk (which I did not shoot but left in the audio for, since I didn’t like the cut, or the re-recording of the corrected line. If it works, stay in the lane.) In the script, she removes her glasses, but I didn’t include this in the final cut. It looked too jerky with Addie wearing glasses one minute and not wearing them the next – even with the context – so I cut it. Plus, there were some scenes that had Addie wearing glasses and in others she didn’t. If there was an animation to put the glasses on the desk, I would have gladly used it.

In this scene, I admit I really had to reach inside of the character and project what I thought she was thinking and feeling. Addie has her secrets too, as we’re about to find out, and she says in a sultry, confidant tone, “I don’t go out on dates, and I don’t have relationships either. When I want something, I say what I want, and what I want right now is to woohoo with you.”

This was hard to make the word “woohoo” sound alluring. And after about five different times of saying it, without breaking character and laughing, I think I managed to nail it. While recording I admit imagining having my husband stand in front of me as I said it.

For this part, I wanted Addie’s personality to come through strong with a hunter’s instinct (and you’ll see why later) viewing Nina as her prey and Addie the hunter. I also wanted her to come across as this killer business professional with an amazing education and impeccable references, but a literal seductive freak in the bedroom.

Nina is in a situation that she’s only been in once before. She’s awkward and unsure of herself, but she knows two things. She wants Addie and Addie equally wants her too. She says almost in a scared tone with a slight shrug of her shoulder, while she reaches for her hand, “I don’t woohoo without a kiss first.”

Addie with a snicker simply asks, “Then, what are you waiting for?” Again, I recorded this line several times until I felt I got it just right.

True, Addie could easily advance at this point, but she wants Nina to make the first step daring her to cross the line.

Nina takes that step and kisses Addie passionately, and thanks to an amazing mod by Maplebell called More Kisses it’s able to show the passion and heat between Nina and Addie come through better than the standard base game kiss. I also wanted to hold E20 until after the new Lovestruck expansion pack came out. The woohoo scene with the rug in Nina’s office is just too hysterical! Although I did cut most of it because it was too long, but it was funny to watch the full scene.

Nina spends the entire afternoon woohooing with Addie. She finds herself falling for Addie hard and can’t believe she finally has someone she’s wanted for ages. She sees Addie as a potential partner on the same level as her, who wants what she wants, and is giving her what she needs. She hasn’t felt this way ever, and Addie brings out her fun side too. One particular scene was a scene that shows them pillow fighting in their underwear, but I cut it optioning for the rug scene instead. The original script says that they “woohooed on the floor.” Close enough, and the rug adds a little bit of hilarity. It is one of my favorite items from The Sims4 Lovestruck EP so far with the iconic Heart shaped vibrating bed being my absolute favorite, and I think it’s one of the best versions of it ever.

After they conclude their afternoon of fun and passion, Addie says quite abruptly, “Shit, that was hot!” I re-recorded this line several times having cracked up laughing after almost time I said that line.

“Yeah…” An exhausted Nina says, but after realizing what she just did, immediately Nina’s better judgement kicks in when she agrees that the woohoo was hot, but that, “This is bad. You know that, right?“

Addie reminds her that she filed her official resignation with the agency on Friday evening and that she doesn’t work for her any longer. So, they are not crossing any lines or doing anything that is immoral, or unethical.

Addie also says to her that her feelings had been building since the first day that they met. After the tour concluded, she couldn’t hold back how she felt about Nina any longer and didn’t want to. She confesses she was afraid of crossing the line and having it come out as a scandal with the implications of their affair hurting Nina’s fame and career. She admits she could never hurt her or her career which is why she resigned. She needed to be honest and take a chance. Hence, the title of the episode.

Originally the scene where Addie is talking to Nina about their budding romance was supposed to be split between Addie and Nina’s dialogue, which is why in some parts it sounds like Nina speaking when it’s in fact Addie.

Addie knew when she’s been watching Nina at her book readings wowing the crowd, that she hasn’t been able to take her eyes off of her. I got the idea from the movie The Sound of Music. When Maria (Julie Andrews) watches Captain Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) play Edelweiss for his children, she is captivated by him, and he is looking back at her the same way.

Taking inspiration from that, this is how Addie feels when she sees Nina up on that stage, she is enthralled by her, and can’t take her eyes off of her. More so now than ever, she wants to be with Nina but doesn’t know how to navigate her feelings without it having to turn into a mess.

Nina tells her that she loved being with her and confesses how from the first moment she saw her that she wanted her. Addie says she felt the same. When Addie finally reveals the truth with a cute laugh (that was totally adlibbed), I felt it was more important for the entire conversation to be from Addie’s perspective and to project how she felt.

There are some parts of the story while I’m in character sometimes that things just pop up, and when I replay it, I’m surprised myself. Upcoming S2 shows an argument between Carrie and Amanda that towards the end was ablibbed, and then later incorporated into the script because I liked the way it came out.

Keep in mind, one of the most iconic and romantic scenes ever in my opinion is where Princess Leia yells out to Han Solo, “I love you.”

And he responds with, “I know.” Totally and completed adlibbed by Harrison Ford, and in my opinion truly one of the most romantic lines ever spoken in a movie.

This scene also explains how much Addie views herself as a professional first and foremost, but how her feelings were literally eating her alive. Every day for her was like having a delicious buffet in front of her, and not being able to partake in a single morsel. She was also afraid of taking that chance, crossing that line and involving them both in a potential scandal that could have potentially destroyed Nina’s career.

All Nina can say is how she loved being with her during the afternoon, and Addie responds that she could tell it’s been a while for her. For Nina it has, it’s been over a year. Nina asks how long it’s been for Addie and Addie responds, “a month ago.”

“A month ago? Were you involved with someone, or are you?” Nina asks, fearing the worst. Is Addie cheating on a partner, or did Addie recently break up with someone? Maybe Addie just had a quick tryst with someone? Maybe it happened last week in Tartosa to get over the tension?

This is a major spoiler for the episode. If you have not watched, now is a good time to stop and watch it above. I am placing the link in here twice in case you haven’t watched it and preferred to wait for the blog. I know some of you prefer the blog more than episode at times. So, I urge you, stop and watch the episode, then join us for more tea down below. 🫖🍵

Addie decides to make a major confession to Nina before their romance goes any further. She says to her, “Have you noticed my last name?”

“Wolff. Why?” Nina asks.

“As in… werewolf? Nina, I’m a werewolf.” Addie tells her.

Nina is shocked by the news.

Did you see that one coming? I bet you didn’t. Although I did give you enough of a spoiler by her last name. At first, I thought to hide her last name in a variety of ways like Adelaide Lycan, or Adelaide Moon, but given her savvy business style it made sense to be Adelaide Wolff. Although, true story, my mother’s former boss at her job many years ago was known as Mr. Wolfe which was his real last name. So, why not hide her name in plain sight. That’s what aliens do in game. They’re right under your nose half the time. Plus, it made sense for a werewolf to be a hunter in business, as well as in the wild.

Nervously, Nina says that she’s not biased towards occults, but she’s never met one. She also states that she’s of alien heritage (and she is. Nina is 6th generation alien in her family making her 1/16th alien blood.) In fact, all of her family on her mother’s side, have some type of link to the alien bloodline. So yes, that includes Alexa, Robert, Amanda and Carrie too. Carrie, being seventh generation alien, still carries the blue skin.

Addie also says that once a month she needs to go back home to Moonwood Mill to fulfill her pack obligations. Nina is accepting of it because after all she is with Addie for who she is, not what she is.

But wait there’s more!

More?

Here’s a development I really had a hard time processing since I myself do not believe in this type of relationship, but I thought, what if? The fact that Addie is a werewolf complicates matters enough but…. since I love to throw monkey wrenches in when I can I thought of this development.

Addie says to her that also once month, she visits friends of hers. They are a cisgender married couple named Glenn and Maryn. She tells Nina that she loves them very much, and while she is visiting, she woohoos with both of them.

Nina’s reaction is to stand up from her chair and ask, “you what?!”

“We woohoo – together.” Addie says.

Nina is immediately taken back. Talk about a complicated relationship? This one takes the cake! So not only has Nina developed feelings for her former assistant who is a werewolf but a polyamorous werewolf! Could her luck be any better? (RIP, Matthew Perry.) Also, at the same moment Nina said the line, a speeding truck came flying down my road. I thought to leave it in because at this moment, Nina feels like she’s been run over by a truck – and isn’t quite sure what to think.

She’s desired and wanted Addie for weeks, even months, and now finally having that afternoon of passion fulfilled – she finds out – that Addie may not be the ideal partner that Nina wants in her life. Talk about a major letdown!

I admit that I stopped and laughed after that line. Several times during the recording of this episode, I had to stop because I caught myself laughing about the circumstances of Addie’s life.

In this day and age, there is a lot more sexual freedom as there was twenty or thirty years ago. While my firm belief for myself is monogamy, having been married to my husband for close to seventeen years, I realize this is something that has been brought to the foreground due to social media influence.

When I thought of Addie’s character werewolf was definitely a fit for her character. Being a business professional, she loves closing a deal, similar to hunting for her prey out in the woods of Moonwood Mill. The rush she feels from closing a deal is almost identical to catching her dinner and devouring it. And she also has her instincts, leading to sniff out fakers and deception in business, as well as finding the right course of action. Her exceptional education combined with her natural abilities have made her an expert hunter both in business and life.

Addie’s skillset is something I really wanted to display, she’s not just a pretty little Shewolf – she’ll kick ass and take names both mentally and physically. If you really make her mad, she’ll make you regret it. Plus, she’s highly analytical and creative, and it’s probably the main reason why she works in the celebrity scene but regulates to being behind the scenes. She loves the process of the spotlight, and she’s got what it takes to handle herself among the elite.

But then I thought let’s go further with Addie’s character and really push it. With the new update for the Sims4, polyamory is now a feature in the game. So, I thought why not make Addie a polyamorous werewolf with killer business instincts. Plus, Addie is afraid of getting close to someone. The safety net of her friends gives her the best of both worlds without having to do much dating. But when she meets Nina, everything changes – she wants to be with her, but can Nina accept that other part of her? This is where the twist of the dynamic comes into play and makes for some interesting gameplay too.

But wait there’s still more. Nina finds that she’s surprised that she’s not that bothered by Addie’s admission of her lifestyles. She also admits to being curious about the polyamorous aspect especially when Addie relays how “enjoyable it is to be in a throuple.” Nina’s reaction is to ask, “is that what it’s called?”

Nina’s reaction is both one of curiosity and recoil. She’s even a bit turned on by it. The truth is Nina has only been with women from her first time to now, and when Addie asks her if she’s ever found men attractive – she says on occasion that she has. However, all she’s known is women, with having only been one for the longest time, which was Amanda, and never once entertained the idea of being with a man. She admits to having a major crush on her soap opera hunk Darien Scorpion from Trauma Central. She also says she found a guy in college very attractive, while Amanda and her were broken up, but was too shy to do anything about it. Now in her mid-forties she finds herself wondering what that would be like. Nina doesn’t realize it but she’s also coming into a mid-life crisis of sorts, even though she doesn’t recognize it. She’s wondering if she should find out by giving it a try, and with Addie along for the ride, it could be a fun experience for them both.

True, her feelings for Addie are genuine, but she’s beginning to wonder about her own sexuality. What if she does like men too? Doesn’t she owe it to herself to find out? And being with a partner who would allow her to embrace that aspect is intriguing. She admits to having never even kissed a man. She’s also afraid of woohooing with a man admitting she wouldn’t know what to do in the situation, and worries she’d possibly freeze up.

Addie tells her friends will welcome it and welcome her. She also suggests that the two of them could have a little adventure. Nina is immediately nervous and shy about the thought of being involved in a situation like that! Addie reassures her telling her by saying she wouldn’t be offended if Nina doesn’t want to continue their romance any further. Nina’s not ready to call it quits so early. Maybe Addie can change over time? Maybe she can show her what a good and true relationship is like?

Nina says, “I’m not saying it’s off the table. It’s just a little peculiar. Werewolf? Yeah, fine, but the other thing I’m not so sure.” And I admit, I stopped recording and started laughing after saying that line.

Several times during the recording of this episode, I broke character and laughed. Nina seems fine with Addie transforming into a hideous beast – but a polyamorous lifestyle…. It’s almost like, hell no!

Now you see why I slapped a parental guidance label on this episode. Like I said earlier, I pushed the boundary of writing, and also in my acting, as I wanted to capture the romance between both characters and really bring that out. Having not done any type of voice acting or direction in close to 20 years, this is something I was looking forward to doing with GXSimmer. Of course, over time, on the channel I do plan to expand that further.

Tapping into both characters was difficult. Recording Chapter 19 was relatively easy in the sweet and innocent beginnings of Carrie and Drake, with minor concentrations on Nina and Addie to make continuity flow into E20. I do confess to liking the scenes with Carrie and Drake more so – especially in S2. There is one episode in the S2 line-up which is truly an episode Carrie owns completely.

Also, in E19 was the tie in with Nina and Addie to add back continuity to E20. As I said, I flipped the script halfway through recording and editing S1 and decided to rewrite the story entirely.

The potential love scene at the end of E19 where I had to make it seem like Addie wants Nina but is afraid to act on it – was tough. I knew I had to hit those cues perfect to make it believable. I also began stammering during recording and left it in to make it seem believable. Zipping back and forth between two characters can be tough at times, sometimes I’ll say a line meant for Addie and it comes out sounding like Nina (as in the case of Addie’s confession in E20.)

But at the end of E19, Addie chooses professionalism over temptation. Still, when she left that conference room, she’s going through hell – knowing that seeing Nina up on that stage was a memory she’d never forget, and being with her just now made her almost forget that she was her employee.

E20 was without a doubt, the toughest episode of the entire series for me. But what I’ve learned in my life is that what is usually challenging and difficult, is what makes the process and the story more interesting and fun. My good friend Ron Harris and I frequently talk about writing, and one of the things we both agree on, is, as a writer, you need to push yourself out of the comfort zone once in a while – even if it’s something you normally wouldn’t write about, or makes you feel uncomfortable. There was once an article I had to assist on for Muscular Development that made me sick to my stomach. Ironically, it was one of our top-rated articles.

Recently, on my GXSimmer Youtube channel, I had KT from JustAMomThatSims on as a guest for the Lovestruck Developer Deep Dive Review video. We both talked about the different processes we both employ for our respective series. It was great to hang out with KT and get her perspective on The Sims4 Lovestruck EP, as well as hear about her upcoming content too.

I also spoke about Nina and Amanda and shared a little insight about E20, some of which I talk about in this blog, and the process behind the show. I almost revealed a major spoiler for E20 and shared some insight for S2. Watch the video down below. It’s a long one so I’ve broken it down into chapters.

Getting back to E20, the conversation scene between Nina and Amanda was reshot differently from what was intended in the script. After an entire afternoon of woohoo, they are a very hungry and thirsty – so a break is in order. Addie being a werewolf is probably ravenous by this point. It also gives them the opportunity to talk to each other. Originally, the entire conversation in the script takes place in the bed.

But then I thought to myself, after an entire afternoon of woohoo, they would probably would not want to remain in bed. They’d probably want something to eat, and I shot the scene with them sitting in chairs taking a break, somewhat dressed, as opposed to sitting in bed in their underwear. Also, as the conversation progresses, and the evening goes on, they slowly make their way back to Nina’s bed to go for the second half of their tryst.

When the Sims4 Lovestruck EP was released, I reshot the scene with some of it in the bed, and some of it sitting up in bed. I didn’t like some of the re-shoot with the Lovestruck footage – so I kept the original scene as is.

The conversation that Nina has with Addie post-woohoo was one that was way longer in the script, and the one thing I had to avoid was too much exposition of dialogue. A lot of what they say, we already know. Addie may not know the full story, but we do. So, I did my best to make it as compact as possible with new insights from Nina. Nina has been through a crushing and soul-destroying heartbreak, like the majority of us have been through at some point in our lives. We also learn what Nina gained from having been in therapy. Nina felt at times she would never love again or want to be involved in another relationship after what happened with Amanda. But as we see, over time, how she’s adjusted – as she relays to Addie about catching Amanda in the middle of the affair.

When she relays how she caught Amanda, it is now something she can gloss over instead of relaying how it broke her into millions of pieces witnessing Amanda’s betrayal firsthand. She also tells Addie about her relationship with Bristol, which was primarily a situationship for the most part, and how there wasn’t anything there. Even though she got out there when she dated Bristol, Nina never felt any type of real connection except a physical one with her. She worried that she had become so jaded that she could never love again. Now, after being with Addie, she knows that’s no longer true, as she’s truly connecting with Addie. We also see how she regards Amanda and Tony as good friends telling Addie how they did it for the love and sake of their daughter, and Addie sees the respect that Nina has for them both.

With Addie not only does she have a lover who satisfies her every desire, but someone she can bare her soul and tell her deepest secrets to. In a way, by revealing themselves through this intimate conversation, they are making love to each other without being physical with one another. In this moment, Nina and Addie are forging the beginnings of trust, intimacy and the possibility that they are falling in love.

Addie sees the same in Nina. Older and wiser. A genius of the written word which enthralls her, and a lover with so much passion in every touch. She can listen to her for hours and never be bored. She wants to know everything there is about her. She also confesses that she’s loved her work since her college days with Nina’s book Lost Desire being her favorite novel of all time, and how it got her through a very painful break-up.

Addie is wondering at this moment, has she found her fated mate? It’s rumored that every werewolf has one, but can Nina handle that side of her? In her heart, Addie knows that werewolves make some flee in terror. She’s hoping that maybe Nina could accept that part of her, and the other part as well when it comes to being polyamorous, and what about that? Could Nina accept that part of her life?

If you’ve read the book, Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, looks can be deceiving. In this amazing work of literature, we can discover what may be the scariest creature imaginable can have a heart of gold. That is Addie.

As a werewolf, she’s a terrifying and frightening creature, but inside, she’s gentle and kind. Just don’t make her mad! There was a scene I cut in E19 where, when at the hotel, Addie growls at the paparazzi by the elevator to get rid of them, but I cut it because it revealed too much of a spoiler. And that scene was not scripted, Addie autonomously growled at the paparazzi for making Nina mad.

Inside of Addie is a beast that lays dormant, except on the night of the full moon when she returns home to Moonwood Mill, and she’s free to rampage in the woods, fight, howl from the highest peaks and hunt for her next meal. But when she is in her Sim form, she is a powerhouse business professional with killer instincts, thanks to her natural inherited abilities, past career experience, and education.

Yet, with all of the confidence and bravado that Addie has, inside she is a simple person living a quiet life but afraid to connect to someone – which is why she has the safety net of her friends for emotional and physical satisfaction. For Addie, it’s easier to have convenience then heartbreak, but with Nina – she takes a chance, and jumps in with both paws as it is.

This brings me to selecting the soundtrack. Another one of my favorite songs is Frou Frou’s Let Go. Imogene Heap’s amazing vocal is exceptional. I first heard it many years ago while working on another project, and I wanted to get the licensing to use it then but was unable. The end scene is a track from Adobe’s audio library. It had that perfect blend in an acoustic guitar that says that they’re about to embark on a new journey in their lives. The name of the piece is called simply Acoustic Guitar Ending.

Now with GXSimmer, I was thrilled to see that the song Let Go by Frou Frou did not require a license, but that monetization from the video would go to using the track. I was fine with it since at the time of writing this blog, the channel is not monetized yet, and when it does – I will be pleased to support this amazing piece of music. I was especially proud of the part of the song that mixed perfectly between cut scenes.

I hadn’t heard the song in years, until I was thumbing through my audio library, which is almost as old as I am. I have a separate drive just for my music alone. If you’ve read my book Billy’s Cascade, based upon the real-life relationship I had with my grandfather, you’ll know music is an important part of my family’s heritage. For me as well, having made amv’s (anime music videos) when I was younger, and using some of that experience when directing and editing that scene between Nina and Addie. My husband and I connected over music, one of the first things I learned and loved about him, was that he loved movie soundtracks, and I do too! My favorite is Jurassic Park by John Williams.

When I heard Let Go recently, I hadn’t heard it in close to fifteen or twenty years, I was thinking that it could match up with the original scene pretty well. I admit I’ve got music in my library I haven’t listened to in years but then I have almost 2TB of music! The thing about creating anime music videos is you get a bite for a scene the same way you would for a video, and when I heard it, I felt it could be a perfect match over the narration which I felt took away from the scene.

Originally, in the scene, there is a narration explaining what’s happening between Nina and Addie with dialogue, and I didn’t particularly like it all that much. Especially when it sounds like I’m cringing on some of the dialogue, and the narration. I also felt it took away from the scene.

When I laid the track down, having the intro build up to the vocal match up to when Nina kisses Addie – it was a perfect match – not only does it display that a passionate explosion is about to happen, but it just hits the scene perfectly.

But again, originally, the scene had a base game kiss, and even with the Lovestruck additions, and it didn’t feel like it packed the punch needed. On accident though, I found MapleBell’s More Kisses mod which had the perfect kiss animation for the scene that makes it work like clockwork. I had heard of this mod in the past, but recently she included a new animation that blended amazingly well. I had to use it. I also wrote to MapleBell letting her know I was including it in the series.

When the song was mixed and edited in the scene, it perfectly encapsulates that moment when Nina decides to take the chance she’s wanted to, letting go of all of her fear, anxiety and worry. Hence, the song Let Go.

Nina has had her share of hurt and despair. She’s faced and defeated both anxiety and depression. She’s now found herself in a good and stable place in her life, with another bestseller to her name after a three-year writer’s block, and now she’s met someone special.

Addie can see that Nina needs, “a good change” in her life, and she “wants to be the one who changes it up.” Nina laughs as she asks, “How will you go about that?”

“This for starters,” Addie replies, which leads them back to bed. After Nina asks Addie to spend the night with her.

The episode ends with Nina and Addie in bed together about to make woohoo with one another when Nina tells her that she hasn’t spoken with someone like this in such a long time, and she can talk with her for hours.

Addie smiles with, “I want you to, but I also want to do this too.” She kisses and holds Nina against her saying, “Tell me what you want.”

“Just you.” Nina replies.

Originally, I used the Bed Makeout mod from the Pancake1, for this scene but I didn’t like the way the animation looked, even with freezing the frame and fading out, rather than displaying the emotion the scene required. For this scene The Sims4 Lovestruck EP was crucial for the final scene, with Nina and Addie cuddling in bed, about to woohoo and spend the night together. It blends perfectly, you get the idea of what’s happening next without having to show it.

The takeaway at the end of the episode is that the both of them are embarking on a new chapter in their lives. Where will it lead them? We’re going to find out in S2.

As we break from Nina & Amanda S1, I can confirm that Season 2 (S2) is in development now. Once I conclude with my deep dive of the Lovestruck expansion pack and my playthrough experiment with my friend Giles “Tiger” Thomas, we will pick back up with Nina and Amanda Season 2 E1 probably around October 2024. I have recorded all the sound files needed for S2, and just need to shoot footage and edit.

I’m also going to feature builds from other Simmers in the upcoming season, as well as some interesting mods too most notably from IceMunMun and Littlbowbub (who recently was accepted into the EA Creator Network. Way to go, Jess!) And we’re also going to feature a build from KT of JustAMomThatSims, as well as two from Marmelad.

I will say this, you will certainly need your tissues for the Season Premiere of S2 E1. I can give you this little bit of info, we catch back up with Nina and Addie since E20. In this episode, we find out if they are going to take the relationship to the next level. Also, later in the season Amanda and Tony receive some amazing news, and Carrie may need to make a crucial decision for her life.

Carrie is continuing to work hard at Foxbury, as she pursues her goal of being a horse vet and navigates her relationship with Drake. I will also say S2 is shaping up to be even better than S1 was (if I do say so myself.) There’s three episodes in S2 that I think will rank as the best out of the entire series including one that is short but packs a punch emotionally. There’s also a surprise up ahead for Nina – it’s a major one and its life changing too. I hope that you will enjoy it.