Always Tried and Proven (48 page)

     Callie closed her eyes and just let Sam take the reins.  He did, without any hesitation.  Crushed against his chest, with his arms wrapped around her, he took his kiss, and with it took his bride.

     Callie felt all of the strength flow out of her legs, the air from her lungs as he took his kiss.  She remembered him telling her in the front yard of her mother’s house that for her, he was the only one, and that he’d love to prove it to her there and then.  She discovered then, with a fluttering heart, that he’d known what he was talking about.  She'd  thought that Sam was just being old-fashioned when he talked about the bonds between husband and wife.  Now she knew there was a great deal more to it all, than that.

   There was something in this kiss that was so different.  So real, and captivating.  She was captive, now. 
His
.  And she knew he’d never let her go.  He would always have her heart, now. 

      She didn’t quite see how it had happened, but there was an authority in Sam that she would always respond to.  Always bend to.  Not that she sought it, nor that he would enforce it.  It was just there.

    Instead of the hoots and giggles that usually accompanied long wedding kisses, there was a hush that hovered over the glen.  Everyone was watching, as if they could feel the bond of a husband taking his bride, sense the things that Callie felt as Sam kissed her.

     When it was over, Callie opened her eyes and tried to focus them, blinking hazily.  Sam was still looking down at her, with the hint of a smile around his mouth, and a twinkle in his eyes.

    Callie dimpled and blushed.  She couldn’t continue to meet his eyes, somehow.

     “Beloved, it is my distinct pleasure to present to you all …  Mr. and Mrs. Stringer.”

        Sam grinned and hugged Callie close, while the glen erupted with jubilation

     They had a wonderful afternoon, filled with music, and laughter, joy and tears.  When at last it was over (without a single drop of champagne spilled on the tent), Sam and Callie said their goodbyes to their friends and loved ones.

     Peter took Sam’s hand with a humility and gratefulness that touched his heart. “Congratulations, Sam. I guess you really did tame the tigress.” He admitted.  “I never thought to see Callie Anna’s eyes turn away from any man’s gaze, or a blush on her cheeks, again.  She was hard and cold to the bone after … well.  Congratulations.  And believe me when I say, I’m awfully glad I didn’t have to make good on my threat of coming to look you up.”

     Sam laughed heartily, and smothered Peter in a bear hug.  “Me, too, Peter.”  He admitted.  “Me, too.   Instead, perhaps I’ll have a brother.  I always kind of thought it might be good fun to have one.  Whaddaya say?”

     Peter fairly froze, before he looked up at Sam with his heart in his green eyes.  He managed to chuckle.  “Well, for a number of years Callie Anna damn near filled that role, but … somewhere along the line, she dropped the braids and scuffed up knees, and went and turned into a girl.  I suppose that it might be handy, at that, to have a brother big as Tarzan.”

     Sam laughed  “That’s good, because it’s a bit too late to complain.  I’m here, and it’s for good.” He confided with a grin.

     Peter blushed the slightest bit.  “I have no doubt.”  He confided lightly.

    Meanwhile, Rose was hugging her younger child to her, and trying not to cry.  “Oh, honey.  I am so happy.”  She said for Callie’s ears alone.

     “I know.  Me, too, Mama.  You were right, as usual.  It figures.  I can’t even pick out my own man.”

     Rose laughed.  “You knew long before I told you that Sam was the one.”  She argued.

     “Not like this.  I wanted him, sure.  But to marry him?”  Callie rolled her eyes.

     Sam joined them, slipping an arm around Callie’s waist.

     Rose looked up at him with pure adoration.  “Sam.  Please say it won’t be too long before you’ll visit me.”  She begged,  taking his hand.

     Sam shook his head.  “That’s the tough part of this life, Rose.  You never know when we might drop in, or how long we might be away.  Perhaps every now and then, you can hop a plane and meet us for a quick vacation.”

     “I’d like that.  I’m so happy to see this day finally come.” She admitted, tears spilling.

      Sam chuckled.  “Thanks for being in my corner.”  He said with twinkling eyes.  “I’m not sure we could have pulled this off, without you.”

      Rose blushed.  “Nonsense.  I’m just glad you prevailed.”  She admitted.

      Callie sighed harshly.  “Don’t you dare pretend I’m not here.”  She pouted.

     Sam laughed, and kissed her cheek.  “Not a chance.”  He said in a voice that made her somehow freeze in her tracks.  His strong arm around her squeezed, and she knew that he was thinking of bedtime.  She almost wilted in embarrassment.

     Callie couldn’t understand herself.  Where had this uncharacteristic shyness come from?  She was no shrinking virgin!  It was almost a fear she felt, of what had happened, and what was to come.  And yet, not a bad fear;  it was a new thing, that caused her a thrill and gladness inside; and yet, it made her tremble to her toes.  It was whatever had happened when Sam had kissed her, sealed their marriage.  It was like a promise all its own.  And she didn’t really understand what made it different.  Not at all.

     At long last, they changed their clothes, and got in the van with Clyde for the drive to the airport.  Sam sat in the backseat with Callie, an arm around her, his tall frame sprawled in the confined space.  Callie sat shyly, cuddled against his strong side.  Uncharacteristically quiet, but looking relaxed and beautiful in a dress of soft, pink roses.

     “How exactly do you always know just what to wear, to drive me out of my mind?” he asked against her ear, when Clyde was preoccupied with traffic.

     Callie ducked her head.  “Well, I can’t really say.  I guess I’ve just begun to know that somehow, we seem to think alike.” She admitted, with a spunk she wasn’t sure she really felt.

     Sam chuckled, and tipped her face up to his.  “I’ve known that for quite some time.”  He assured her, looking into her eyes with glinting expectation and affection.  “But I think you may be surprised when you see where we’re going tonight.”  He challenged.

    “Really?” she answered, trying to look away.  Somehow, it had never occurred to her, at all.  She hadn’t thought beyond the wedding!

    “Really.”  He drawled back at her.  He lifted her chin, and made her look into his blazing eyes, and kissed her deeply.

     A long, blaring honk made them all sit upright suddenly, and Clyde laughed as he slammed on the brakes.

     “Driver, there!  Can’t you watch where you’re going?”  Sam growled teasingly

    “There’s a limit to what I can ignore, Samuel Jesse Stringer.  Save it for the room, and I might get you there in one piece.”  Clyde suggested dryly

     Sam laughed, and Callie blushed.  Somehow, he complied.

    It was somehow hard for Callie to say goodbye to Clyde at the airport.  He held her in a protective hug for a long time, just rocking her.  For some reason, Callie was close to tears at having to say goodbye to him.

    “For heaven’s sake, Clyde.  We’ll only be gone a few weeks.”  Sam groused teasingly.

     “I know, I know.  Just keep your pants on for a few more minutes.”  Clyde shot back.  “Can’t ya see the little thing is scared?  She needs just a minute with her new papa, lad.  So hold yer horses.”

     Sam’s eyebrows went up as he considered what Clyde was saying.  She did indeed look like an innocent, being given to the wolf.  He couldn’t deny that he had every intention of devouring her completely.  He had to resist licking his chops, just thinking about it.

     “There, now.  Everything is going to be all right, sweetheart.  If you have any trouble with the brute, you just call us.” He reasoned gently.

     Callie laughed through teary eyes.  “You can count on that.”  She assured him.

      “Don’t bury yourself in the part, Clyde.”  Sam warned sweetly.

     Clyde patted her shoulder comfortingly, and kissed her forehead.  “We’ll see you when you come back home, then.”  He murmured.  “Don’t forget to have some fun while you’re away.  Make the sorry lad get out of bed once in awhile.”

      Callie rolled her eyes at Clyde.  “I’ll see you soon.” She grumbled.

      She shot a look at Sam as he took her hand, and pulled her away from Clyde.

      “
Thank
you, Clyde.”  Sam said forcefully.  “And
goodbye
.”

     Clyde nodded and saluted smartly.  “I guess I’ll just be getting back to camp, then.”  He said sadly.  He gave each of them a long, affectionate look, and turned away.

      Sam shook his head.  “What have you
done
to the man?” he asked his wife, as though in pain.  “He behaves as if I’m the enemy, or something.”

     Callie shrugged, and blushed.  “I haven’t a clue.  We’ve just become … much closer lately.”

      Sam snorted, putting a heavy arm over her shoulders.  “Much closer, and I’ll rearrange his teeth.  Believe me, I was sorely tempted to, when I found he'd been sneaking you into Steve's truck at night.”

      Callie looked up at her husband in shock, only to find a bemused smile on his face, yet also a faraway look in his eyes.

      Finding that Clyde was in no imminent danger despite Sam’s threats, Callie sighed, and gave her boarding pass to the attendant at the gate.

      They were on their way to New York City.  Callie was in fact, surprised.  As the plane taxied for takeoff, she turned quizzical eyes to Sam.  “New York?” she questioned cautiously.

     He just chuckled.  “Any objections?” he asked, turning a tired eye her way.

   “Well.  No.”  she assured him.  “I just didn’t picture that as the ideal honeymoon location.  But then, I have lived there all my life.  Perhaps it is, to you.  Not living there and all.”

      He gave her an amused look.  “Is that a fact?” was all he said.

      Callie was quiet and thoughtful as the plane took off, and ascended through the clouds.  Sam wove his fingers through hers, and squeezed her little hand gently.

      “Penny for your thoughts?” he asked quietly.

       Callie smiled, and shrugged.  “Oh, just … trying to take it all in, I guess.”

      “What?  That you’re
married
to
the brute
?”

      Callie blushed and shook her head in denial.  “Clyde didn’t mean it like that.” She said quickly.

    “He’d better not have.” Sam growled, stifling a yawn.  “I have begun to suspect that you have bewitched him, as well as me.”  He accused.  “However, my lady,” he warned,  “I must tell you that the tables are turned.  You are now my wife, sweet lady, and I intend that you shall know your place.”

     “Dear God.” She said without thinking.  She didn’t even realize it, but she had stiffened into a frozen, board-like figure at the words.

      Sam watched her in utter fascination.  “Callie.  I was kidding.” He said quietly.

      She managed to shoot a look  his way, and blushed.  “Oh.”  She said softly.

     Sam’s arm went around her, and his lips caressed her cheek.  “Callie, you’re not really afraid, are you?” he urged quietly.  “Tell me Clyde was kidding about that, too.”

     She laughed, and shook her head.  “Oh, Sam.  I guess I’d rather say it’s more a case of … nerves, or something.”  She confided.  “I’ve never been married before, you know.”

     Sam wanted to shake her, but something compelled him to exercise patience.  “What a coincidence.  Me, either.”  He said teasingly.  Callie shot a suspicious look his way, but his eyes were closed, and he’d settled back in his seat for a long nap.

     It wasn’t a terribly long flight up the Eastern seaboard, just the length of a perfect rest, as far as Sam was concerned. He woke up as they descended, and smiled at Callie sleepily.  She still looked strained and uneasy, so he stretched, and smiled, and squeezed her hand.

      They disembarked, and went through the airport madness in relative silence.  It continued that way through the cab ride, although Callie became increasingly intrigued, as the cab whirled through the city, up Water Street toward Manhattan.

     It finally came to a stop, at an address on at a tall building just south of Battery Park.  It was a legendary street passing the piers, the site of the twin towers, and heading north out of the city.

     Sam paid the driver, thanked him, and got their bags out of the back.  Callie just stood, looking around her in uncertainty.  As the cab roared away, Sam straightened, and looked at her with a patient smile. 

     “Sweetheart.  If you can manage these two small cases, I think I can handle the rest.”  He suggested lightly.

    Callie stood and looked at him rather stupidly, the man that she had just married.  He was wonderfully big and handsome, with the wind blowing in his hair, and his vibrant eyes watching her silently.

      “Sure.”  she agreed woodenly, and picked up three of the smaller bags.