Finally Getting Love Right (12 page)

When she got to work it was already full of life. The day breezed by. Sam’s classes went 100 times better than she had expected. Maybe it was her mood, or maybe it was they were just that good. George surprised her after work. He wanted to see her house and just spend time with her. When they got to her house they were greeted with dinner already on table.

“What’s this?” Sam asked Pepper.

“Well, George left a message on the machine after you left saying he would be by tonight, so I just thought we could have dinner together.”

“Smells delicious!” George said sniffing the air.

“I’d say so. Let’s eat!” Sam said as she was starving.

They laughed their way through the meal. Pepper excused herself the second she was done eating. She had a date with Jeffrey to get ready for. Sam and George cleaned up the mess then settled in the living room with a glass of wine.

“Your house fits you well. I imagined it exactly like this when you told me about the first house you wanted to buy one day.” George said sipping his wine.

“I forgot I had told you that.” Sam replied with an embarrassed smile.

“Hell, I had forgotten that you had told me until I saw the painting in the hallway.” George said.

“I should have gotten rid of that a long time ago. It was just a reminder of how really great life could be.” She replied gulping her wine.

“Why does it represent that is good to you? It is a painting of the beach house. I would think that it would cause you more pain than happiness.”

“I never said it made me happy, George. The first few days there were amazing. Those are the memories I take from the beach. I had blocked out all the bad memories until I saw you again.” Sam was surprisingly smiling.

“I see.” He said puzzled.

“This may seem like a weird question but will you help me with something?”

“It is not a weird question but sure.”

“Here is where it gets weird.” She began. “Follow me.” Sam got up and headed to her room. “I can’t bring myself to go through it alone.”

George was dumbfounded when he entered her room. He felt like he had been sucked into a time machine. Back to a time when they were together before he left her. He saw exactly what she needed help with before she even had the chance to point it out. He had given it to her the last Christmas that they had spent together.

“I need your help finding out what is in it. I haven’t had the courage to open it at all since I got home.” She was oblivious to the fact that he had already known that, ‘if she had given it to me I would have don’t the same thing’ he thought as she was talking.

“Ok let’s do this together.” George said.

“Ok.” Sam smiled. They sat on the floor in front of the trunk.

“Before we start can I ask you something?” George said looking her dead in the eyes.

“What?” She said quietly.

“Why did you keep this furniture? Better yet, why did you let him sleep in it with you.” He sounded mad but was obviously referring to the bed.

“Well, I kept it because I love it. He never slept in it though. I have another whole set of furniture. I honestly just switched it out again a few weeks ago.

“Oh.” He replied obviously relieved.

They spent the next hour slowly going through the contents of the trunk. Sam pulled out a box of old letters and put them aside. They had promised each other that they wouldn’t read them until either the night before they were married or after 10 years, whichever came first. There wasn’t much else in the trunk really. They found a lot of pictures that the two of them had taken, as well as the blanket she had made him their first Christmas together. They cuddled underneath the blanket and soon fell asleep right on the floor. When Sam woke up she was surprised to find herself in George’s arms.

“Good Morning.” He whispered.

“Good Morning.” Sam whispered back. “Are you hungry?”

“Actually I kind of am.” He said.

They walked into the kitchen in a giggly but happy mood. They decided to make some pancakes. By the time they were done, the entire kitchen was covered in flour and other baking essentials. They made enough pancakes for 4 people. Pepper walked in and just stared at the mess.

“I am not cleaning this up.” She said startling the duo.

“I wasn’t expecting you too.” Sam said still laughing as she herself was covered in flour.

“Good.” Pepper said wiping off a chair to sit down.

“How was your date?” Sam asked as she took her plate and a plate for Pepper to the table.

“It was ok.” Pepper replied digging into the pancakes that had just been laid before her.

“Just ok?” Sam tried to prod.

“Yes, just ok. At least that is all I am going to tell you for the time being.” She replied “It is ok I will just ask Jeffrey.” Sam said stuffing a heaping forkful of pancakes into her mouth.

“Let’s clean this mess up.” Sam said to George as soon as Pepper had left.

“I suppose so.” George said.

It took them a full hour to clean up the mess they had made. By the time they were done they both needed a shower. Sam took hers first, trying to hurry before the hot water ran out. When she got out George informed her that he had to go.

“What about your shower?” Sam asked anxiously.

“I can grab one when I get home quickly. I will call you tonight.” He said as he headed out the door.

Sam got to work about half hour later than she would have liked to. When she arrived Max said that he needed to talk to her. She quickly said it would have to be after her first class. When she got to her classroom she was surprised to see just how much her beginners class had improved, the hour she had with them seemed like barely enough time to work with each student individually. When class was over Sam went down to her office to breathe before her next class. Max had watched her walk into her office and took the opportunity to go talk to her.

“Hey Sam.” Max said as he appeared in her doorway.

“Hey Max.” Sam said.

“I have a serious favor to ask.” He said timidly.

“Ask away my friend.” Sam said with a smile.

“I really need your help to write a song for Charlee for when the baby comes. I have tried but it never comes out right.” He sounded flustered.

“Ok. I will help you. What have you come up with so far?”

Maxed grabbed the acoustic guitar that sam kept on her wall. He played a melody that resembled some kind of holiday gimmick song. The lyrics were all over the place. Sam could tell why he still looked frustrated after he played it.

“What kind of song are you trying to write? Slow or fast? Romantic or sentimental? Holiday or normal?”

“Slow, sentimental but with a hint of romance, and definitely not a holiday song. I want to be able to belt it out in the hospital. You can’t really belt out a fast song in the hospital.”

“Ok, So then you need to tweak your beat a little bit.” Sam said getting strait to the point. “Make it softer. Instead of saying ‘I love you so much’ as much as you did change it up a little. Make sure to add something about how special the day is, as well. Other than that, That sounds pretty decent.”

“Ok, That wasn’t as bad as I was expecting.” He said.

“Why would I give a perfectly workable song a bad review? Like I said, a little tweaking and you will be golden.”

“Thanks for the feedback Sam.” Max said.

“Not a problem. I want to hear it when it’s done.” Sam said smiling.

“You have a deal! Well, I have to go. My class starts in a few minutes.” Max said as he got up to leave.

The rest of the day went by rather slowly. Sam called and confirmed that Jeffrey had made the order on time. The company stated that the order was made earlier than usual and the shipment would arrive one full day earlier than usual, tomorrow morning at 6 am. Sam called Jeffrey into her office. She wanted him to think that there was a possibility that she could terminate his position if she felt like it. She knew already that having Jeffrey around was a godsend. There was no way she was letting him go anywhere and she knew just how to make that happen.

“You wanted to see me, Sam?” Jeffrey asked as he appeared in the doorway.

“Yes, Come in and shut the door behind you please.” Sam said flatly. Jeffrey did as he was told and sat down across from her. “Why did you place the order early?” She asked in a somewhat angry tone.

“I wanted to show you that I was on top of things.” He replied in a half frightened voice.

“I see. Well now the order is coming in tomorrow morning. I never make the order early because then it comes too early. I can’t afford to have people on call whenever the order randomly comes. I am not calling anyone in tomorrow morning Jeffrey. You will have to be here at 6 am to help the driver unload and start stocking. Never do this again.” Sam said in the same tone.

“I am so sorry Sam. I didn’t realize that there was a reason you waited to make the orders.” Jeffrey said obviously starting to panic.

“Calm down.” Sam quietly opened her desk drawer to grab out a set of keys.

“I am sorry Sam. I didn’t know.”

“It is ok. Next time you should ask.” Sam decided that now was a better time than any to reveal her plan. She silently prayed that she wouldn’t regret this decision. “You have done well these past few weeks. The fact that you have helped so much will not be forgotten. Your probation period is over.”

“Sam?” Jeffrey was literally freaking out now. ‘He thinks he is getting fired’ Sam thought silently laughing.

“I have decided to make you operations manager with one stipulation. You still have to take directions from Max as he is store manager and, of course, myself. I have decided to finally take some time for myself. I am entrusting you with my metaphorical baby, do me proud.” Sam finished smiling.

“Seriously? Thank you Sam you won’t regret it.”

“Good. So Operations manager. How was your date last night?” Sam tried to pry.

“It was great. We went to dinner then a movie. Why?”

“No reason really, Pepper wouldn’t tell me this morning. That’s all.”

“Oh.”

“Ok. I am going to teach my class then head home. I trust that you can close up and make the deposit?”

“Definitely.” Jeffrey answered as he returned to the register to tell everyone about his promotion.

Sam finished her last class early as she was tired. She gathered her things and went home only to find a distraught Kylee on her doorstep. Sam quietly got out of her car and walked over to Kylee.

“What’s wrong sweetie?”

“I am never going to get married!” She cried.

“Yes you will. You are getting married in 6 months.” Sam reminded her.

“No.” Kylee continued to cry.

“Let’s go inside.” Sam said. They quickly went inside and settled on the couch.

“The pastor can’t do the wedding anymore. He is retiring in 8 weeks.” Kylee still sniffing.

“There are other pastors, Kylee.”

“I have to be married by my pastor! He married my parents.”

“Oh. I am so sorry Kylee.”

“I just don’t know what to do.”

“We can figure something out. We always do.”

“Ok.” Kylee said knowing Sam was right.

The two of them spent a few moments in silence. Sam went to go change into something more comfortable. When she returned to the living room, Kylee was sound asleep on the couch. Deciding to follow suit, Sam went back to her room to sleep herself. When they woke up the next morning, Pepper had breakfast waiting for them.

“Kylee are you feeling better today?” Pepper asked.

“Why do you ask that?” Kylee said.

“I figured that you weren’t feeling well since you stayed last night.”

“Oh. Well it was something like that. I am better now.”

“That is good to hear.” Sam chimed in.

“Yea, I will have to re-think the whole getting married thing though. I had my heart set on getting married by the same pastor as my parents.” Kylee said with a twinge of reality.

“Why can’t you?” Pepper asked.

“He is retiring in 8 weeks.” Kylee started. “Well I have to go. Dillon is probably worried sick.”

The second Kylee had closed the door behind her, Sam had a brilliant idea. She would throw two surprise weddings in 6 weeks. She was careful not to look too excited so Pepper wouldn’t suspect anything. Sam hurried through her morning routine. She couldn’t wait to tell Dillon and Max her plan. When she got to her car she three-way called them both.

“Hello?” Dillon answered first.

“Hello?” Max chimed in.

“Hey guys. I have a beyond brilliant idea. Can you guys meet me in my office in ten minutes?”

“I am already here.” Max said stating the obvious.

“I can be there.” Dillon added.

“Thanks guys. You won’t be disappointed. I promise.” She said hanging up on them. She instantaneously dialed Liz’s number.

“Hello?” Liz said.

“Hey, my office in five minutes please?”

“Why?”

“You will find out when you get there.” Sam hung up as she pulled up to her store front.

Sam was surprised to see how smooth everything was running when she walked in. Jeffrey had amazingly gotten the entire shipment stocked already. The store was packed today, which was good. That meant when Sam put her ‘do not disturb’ sign on the door, Kylee would not be able to find out why.

Sam waited in her office for Max, Dillon, and Liz to arrive. Max and Dillon walked in together chatting about the latest wedding drama. Liz was soon to follow. When everyone was seated and the door was shut and locked behind them Sam started.

“I know I have probably got you all wondering why I wanted you here.”

“Well yes.” Liz said.

“Well I have had the best idea in the world.”

“What idea might that be?” Dillon asked.

“I figured out how to solve one problem and surprise one soon to be wife.”

“Ok Sam, what is your idea already?” Max said.

“Surprise weddings in six weeks!” Sam was almost disappointed by the lack of reaction. She decided that they were just is shock.

“That is a fabulous idea Sam!” Liz said excitedly.

“I am in.” Max said grinning.

“You care about her dreams don’t you?” Dillon answered in a thoughtful tone.