Always Tried and Proven (45 page)

     “Moi?  What do you main, Cloyd?” Clyde mimicked.

     Sam just chuckled, and shook his head.

     “You’ve been behaving mighty strangely lately, Samuel.  You can’t go around thinking no one’s going to notice.”

     “What’s to notice, Clyde?” he challenged derisively.

   “Oh, things like Sadie Hamilton getting put out of the trailer in a manner befitting the family cat.”

      Sam couldn’t possibly have held his laughter. 

     “You don’t suppose anybody noticed you sneaking out at night to go to that nightclub in New York, do you?”  Clyde went on doggedly.

     Sam winced, looking sheepish.  “I was very worried about the girl, Clyde.  And I did get her saved.”

    “Uh, huh.  And we might mention the looks you give the lass when you think nobody’s looking.”

     Sam blushed and shot a look at Clyde, that he hoped would quell this line of questioning.  “Well.  I am fond of her.”

     “Then for crying out loud, Samuel.  Do something about it!”  Clyde exploded.  “I can’t keep everybody from talking and watching and gossiping forever!”

     Sam laughed, and put an arm around Clyde.  “I don’t think you appreciate what a delicate thing I’ve been up against.  I had to get this girl saved and then let her play the line.  She’s been very difficult and headstrong.  I’m really doing the best I can.”

     “Yeah, well.  It scared the devil out of me to watch you chasing an unsaved little diva, I don’t mind telling you.”  Clyde grumbled.  “But it didn’t take me long to see that she’s pretty special.  I’m comforted at least to hear you admit you’ve fallen for the lass.”

     Sam groaned and chuckled.  “That’s a kind way to put it.”  He grumbled.  He looked miserable.

    “It wouldn’t hurt you a mite to talk about it once in awhile, Samuel.”  He suggested.  “I’ve often thought to ask you, but it didn’t seem right.  You always seemed too out of sorts to approach about it.”

     “Probably so.  There hasn’t been a dull moment, I can testify to that.”

     “So, Samuel.  Are you going to marry the little girl?”

    Sam looked at Clyde out of the corner of his eye.  It was a bold question, even for Clyde.  “What do you think?” he toyed unmercifully.

     Clyde blushed and muttered.  “Well, Sam, I really don’t see how you’d be able to help yourself, actually.  No, I don’t see how you’d be able to do that.  She’s far too lovely, too sweet, too intelligent.   And she’s obviously got her heart set on you.  And you; well, she’s got you, you know.  Any fool can see that.”

     “Thanks for sharing.”  Sam responded dryly.

     “Well, you asked.  You are, aren’t you, Sam?”

     Sam gave him a sly look.  “Well, Clyde.  It’s something to think about.”

    Clyde made a sound of disgust.  “Slippery, stubborn cuss you are, Samuel Jesse.”  He snorted.

    Sam just chuckled. “I’d better check on Callie.”  He said, with a pat on the shoulder that made Clyde feel like a bothersome pet dog. He growled as he watched him walk away.

     Callie was still sound asleep.  She looked so soft and pretty and innocent that Sam’s heart melted in his breast, just looking at her.  He picked up a lock of her hair and caressed it, looked with longing at her soft, pink lips that were curved up at the corners even in sleep.  He had to restrain himself.  He felt a longing rise up inside him that he could not give place to, at the moment.  He stopped where he was, and sat on Sadie’s bunk with a book.  Here with Callie seemed to be the only safe and quiet place, at the moment.

     Things simmered down as the week passed.  Callie improved daily and after a week’s time she was almost back to normal.  It took a bit longer for her strength to improve to the point that she was able to do much, though.  She stayed quiet, talking to Sam and Sadie, and playing her guitar.  She was content, although unused to being so sedentary.  But Sam insisted upon it, and he was a very vigilant warden.  And a nasty headache always told her when she was doing too much.

     She called her mother right away, and talked with her several times over the weeks that followed.  She wasn’t having any more seizures, which pleased everyone involved, immensely.

     Sadie and Sean began spending more time together again, and they seemed to be going about it more cautiously.  Sam was very glad to see it.  He spent a lot of time with Callie, and found that he could hardly stay away, actually.

     He knew that he had to leave the tent for a couple of weeks to fulfill some speaking obligations on the West Coast.  He was not at peace leaving Callie, yet he knew he couldn't take her with him.  She wasn’t quite up to any of that kind of travel, and it wouldn’t be appropriate anyway.  Still, he felt uneasy.

     One afternoon, he was sitting with Callie outside the trailer, listening to her play her guitar.  She stopped playing, and he didn’t even notice.

      “Sam, what’s wrong?” she insisted.

      “Nothing.  Why?”

      “You’ve been a million miles away.”  She accused softly.

      He sighed.  “Oh, just thinking.”  He evaded.

      “About?”

     He shrugged, and folded his arms across his chest.  “Well; I’m supposed to be in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia next month.” He sighed.

     “Wow.  Without the tent, huh?”

     “Yeah.”  He confirmed unenthusiastically.

     “So what’s the problem?”

     He gave her a look that told her she ought very well to know the problem.  “I don’t really want to go.” He answered shortly.

    “Why not?  You wanted to go when you booked it, or you wouldn’t have agreed to do it.”

      “That was a long time ago.”

      “So what’s changed?” she asked innocently.

      He gave her another pointed look.  “You changed.”

      “Me?  What about me?”

     “You’ve got stitches in your thick head, and you’re not completely out of the woods with the seizures yet.”  He explained.  “I don’t want to leave you here, and I can’t take you with me.”

     Tears filled Callie’s eyes.  “Oh, Sam.  You can’t be worrying about me this way.  I’ll be fine while you’re gone.  I’ll be right here with the tent, and if anything goes wrong, Clyde and Sadie and Jeannie, Sean and Dalton will all help me through anything that comes along.  I don’t want you to feel that you can’t go away just because of me.”

     He sighed.  “Well, it’s not so easy, Cal.”  He sighed.  “The tent’s got to move during the time I’m away, and I know you well.  You’ll be out there packing boxes and helping take the tent down, if you can get away with it.  I wouldn’t even put it past you to try to drive.  I can very easily picture you bringing on a seizure and … well, I wouldn’t be here to hold you, would I?” he asked tightly.

     She smiled at the worried frown he was wearing.  “Sam, you old softie.  You listen to me:  I won’t work, though it will be hard.  I won’t drive, though I love to drive.  I won’t overexert myself.  I’ll behave, like a good little girl.  And when you come back to the tent, I’ll be here and I’ll be just as right as rain.  Nothing is going to happen to me while you’re away.”

     He gave her a wary look.  “And what if you have a seizure?”

     “I will survive.”  She promised.

     “And what if …”

    “Sam.”  She objected softly.  “Don’t what if.  It will drive you bonkers.  Now, you
listen
to me!  You have a cell phone.  You can call me.  I’ll send you e-mail on the computer and you can e-mail me back.”

     “Will you, though?” he asked darkly.

     “Sam, what else will I have to do?” She pointed out with a chuckle.

    He sighed.  “Don’t go swimming.  Not yet.  Wait for me to come back, will you?”

      “Now that’s asking a lot; but if it will set your mind at ease, I’ll refrain.”

      He smiled at her lazily.  “All right, then.  Thanks.”

     It was awful when it came down to it, though.  Callie went with Clyde when he took Sam to the airport.  Sam was quiet, almost morose about going.  They got his baggage checked, picked up his boarding pass, and then they went out to the gate.

     Callie stopped at the restroom, and Sam waited with Clyde outside.

     “Samuel.  I’ll look after her.  It will be all right, son.”  Clyde assured him gently.

     Sam sighed, and raised his eyebrows.  “I guess it will have to be.” He agreed.  “Don’t let her swim.  If she had a seizure, she’d drown.  No one may notice in time.  And she’ll be tempted to overdo, when you move the tent.  She’s going to find it very hard not to get involved.”

     “I know.  Sam, please relax.  She’ll be fine.”

    Sam nodded.  “Thanks, Clyde.  I wouldn’t go away if you weren’t here to watch her, you know.”

     Clyde grinned.  It was a high compliment.  “Well, boss.  Thanks.  I’ve become a bit fond of the lass, myself.”  He admitted.  “I’ll be a good papa to her.”

    Sam looked at Clyde with heightened interest.  “She could use one.”  He agreed.  He smiled at his friend.

     At the gate, it was just about time to board.  Clyde hugged Sam soundly and offered him a few words of encouragement.  Then Sam turned to Callie, and opened his arms.  She smiled up at him and moved close enough to straighten his suit jacket.

     “Now, Sam.  You stop this worrying.”  She chastised quietly.  “It’s not doing you any good, it’s just wearing you out.  I’m going to be fine, and I’ll keep in touch.  Now, you relax and enjoy your flight.  Take some pictures for me while you’re on the coast.”

     “Have you ever been?” he asked lightly.

     “No.”

     “I’ll take you.  Someday soon.”  He promised.

     Callie looked up at him with hope swimming in her dreamy eyes.  If Sam was promising to take her on a trip with him, it could only mean one thing.  Sam couldn’t travel alone with any woman who was not his wife.

     She smiled and nodded eagerly.  “I’d like that, Sam.” She assured him softly.

    He grinned at her, and chuckled.  He crushed her in a bear hug, and kissed her with enough passion to take her breath away.  “You mind Clyde, and behave even when he’s not looking.”  He ordered against her mouth.

     “Hmm.”  She answered softly.  “Will you call me?”

    “Will I breathe?” he taunted.  “Don’t you work, or I’ll tan you from one end to the other when I get back.”

      “I won’t.  I promise.  Sam, relax.”

      “All right.  I love you, Cal.”

   Callie’s eyes looked up at him with intense longing.  “I love you.” She whispered back.

      Sam looked at her in a way that made her think he had a lot more to say, but he didn’t voice it.  He tried to smile, and kissed her again quickly.  Then he turned away, and got in line to board the plane.

     It was a very long and boring two weeks while Sam was away. Yet, Callie floated on air, thinking continually about the things Sam had said.  Thinking about his kisses.  Thinking about his concern for her.  And he did call.  He called the night he got in, and just about every day after.  He made a point of checking in every morning when he got up.  And they exchanged e-mail.

     Sam seemed to be always picking up Callie’s spirits and giving her hope.  He liked the West Coast immensely, and sent her pictures taken with a digital camera that he loaded right onto the computer.  She enjoyed every one.

     When the tent moved, Sam was on the phone with alarming regularity.  Callie knew he didn’t trust her not to overdo, and she was chagrined.  She was behaving very well, yet he gave her no credit at all.

    “Lass, enjoy it.  If his level of concern is any indicator of his care for you, it’s worth it.”  Clyde soothed her after one particularly aggravating phone call.

     “Oh, Clyde.  Why can’t he just believe me?” she fumed.

    “Because he’s upset at having to be away from you at all, and to fuss and carry on about your activity level gives him a good excuse to call every day.  And, perhaps, keep you on the line just a wee bit longer.  He misses ya, lass.”  He explained carelessly.

     Callie smiled.  “Oh.  Well, then, I shouldn’t complain, I guess.”

     “Yeah.  No doubt.”  Clyde agreed with a happy snort.

    Callie went with Clyde again, to pick Sam up when his plane came in.  He caught up to them near Atlanta, Georgia.  And it was hot!  Muggy, miserable, hot!   

    Sam got off the plane looking more tired than Callie had ever seen him.  When he saw her, he closed his eyes as if she were an answer to prayer, and pulled her into his arms.  Then, he kissed her until she was nearly embarrassed.  Finally, he released her long enough to hug Clyde.

    “Ya never give
me
that kind of welcome when I come to fetch ya.”  Clyde grumbled amiably.  “Hello, Samuel.  So, you survived the trip.”

     “Yeah. Barely.  Can you believe they wanted me to stay another two weeks?” he growled.