Chapter Nine:

Sam

 

 

            once again Johnny woke up with a headache. He still couldn’t determine whether the headache was an effect from the transition from one movie to another, because the headache could have been a side effect from the chloroform. He, of course, no longer expected to be back home, lying in his comfortable bed next to beautiful, wonderful Vanessa. He could only hope to be home, but by this time, when he awoke, he expected to be in a different movie and when he opened his eyes he lent his efforts toward determining which movie he had landed in.

            This particular morning he awoke in a bright, colorful room, filled with decoration and paintings. He had been sleeping on a couch. His hair was long, longer than it had been the previous day when he was Don Juan. And then there was the sudden, faint sound of a blender somewhere in the house. Okay, so I’m Sam now. I’m sleeping on Aiden Quinn’s couch, which means the movie hasn’t ended yet. Mary must be making that disgusting breakfast shake. Johnny stood up from off of the couch and made his way to the kitchen. When he found it, Mary Stewart Masterson, or Joon, was indeed making that disgusting breakfast shake, which consists of peanut butter, cereal, and milk. Johnny smiled. “Good morning, Joon.” Said Johnny softly and shyly. Mary smiled back.

            “Hi, Sam.” She held out a glass filled with the shake she had just been making. “Here.” Johnny smiled again and accepted the glass.

            “Thank you.” Said Johnny and then took a drink. Yeeeeeuch! Must swallow, must force smile. He did both. “It’s good.” Mary smiled as she turned her back to pour herself some of the shake. Johnny desperately searched for a better way to dispose of the beverage besides for down his throat and into his stomach. Thankfully, just behind him was a rather large, and a rather dead leafy plant. He poured the remainder of the liquid from the glass into the pot of the plant, then turned to face Mary, wiping his mouth on his shirt sleeve just as she turned around to face him.

            “Wow, that was fast. You drink as fast as Benny. Maybe we should enter you in a speed drinking contest.” Joked Mary. Johnny smiled.

            “It was good.” He said by way of an explanation and shrugged. Mary laughed slightly and touched her hand to her head. “Do you want some more?”

            “No! I mean, no thank you.” Smiled Johnny. “I’m full.” Mary nodded happily and sipped her own shake.

            “Sam?” Asked Mary.

            “Uh, yeah?” Answered Johnny warily.

            “You didn’t…you know…did you?” Um…excuse me?

            “Uh…no…no! Of course not!” Mary let out a long sigh and a short laugh.

            “Oh good! When you and him were talking last night I was afraid you might have said something.”

            “No, I didn’t say anything.” Haha! I’d make a terrific spy. I have no idea what you’re talking about and my cover is still intact!

            “We shouldn’t tell him, you know. At least not yet.” Said Mary. Johnny nodded in agreement, although he was completely confused.

            “I know.” A few minutes of silence then, while Mary sipped her shake and Johnny looked down at his feet and toyed with his cane.

            “Sam?” Asked Mary again. Johnny groaned silently to himself.

            “Yeah, Joon?” Johnny answered quietly. I have a feeling she’s going to ask another incoherent question.

            “Did you really mean what you said…I mean…do you really…you know…really?” Bingo.

            “Of course I do, Joon.” Said Johnny soft and sweetly. Mary grinned and looked down at the floor as she blushed.

            “Okay, good.” She said. I am the master spy! “Here, have some more breakfast.” She said as she handed Johnny another glass of the shake.

“Thanks.” Suddenly the front door opened and a voice rang out to greet them.

            “Joon! Sam! Where are my car keys?” Aiden Quinn, a.ka. Benny, entered the room, looked at the two and smiled tiredly. “Do either of you know where my keys are?”

            “Hey, Benny. Want some breakfast?” Asked Johnny as he handed Aiden the glass. Aiden looked at Johnny, then at the glass and was about to reject it when he looked at Mary. He had to take it in front of Mary.

            “Yeah, thanks.” Said Aiden as he took a mandatory drink. Johnny smiled. Mary turned her back to them to wash out the blender. Aiden looked at Johnny and gestured for him to be quiet as he poured the liquid from the glass into the pot of the dead plant. Oh my God, THAT’S why the plant is dead! Aiden looked curiously into the pot of the plant and then looked up at Johnny, pointing at the pot, silently asking, “Did you pour yours in here, too?” Johnny nodded and smiled sheepishly. Aiden gave him an approving nod and a humorous grin. Mary turned around and looked at the glass in Aiden’s hand.

            “Done already?” Asked Mary. Aiden nodded.

            “It was good.” Answered Aiden.

            “That’s what Sam said.” Smiled Mary and took Aiden’s glass to clean it out. Aiden and Johnny glanced at each other and smiled slightly. Remembering himself, Aiden cleared his throat and got back to business.

            “Ahem…my keys, Joon?” Said Aiden. “Where are they?”

            “Why should I have to keep track of the things you lose, Benjamin?” Asked Mary. Aiden shook his head.

            “I don’t lose my keys, Joon. You take them. Now where are they?”

            “Are you accusing me of stealing your keys?”

            “No, I’m simply asking if you took them and hid them from me, Joon.”

            “It sounds like the same thing to me, Benny.” Said Johnny meekly. Aiden glanced and him and shot him a sarcastic, lopsided smile.

            “Very funny, Sam. Now Joon, where are my keys?” Mary sighed and turned to face Aiden.

            “Alright.” She said, giving up. “They’re in your car, under the drivers seat.” Johnny chuckled quietly. The keys were IN his car? Oh God, that is too funny. Aiden looked at Johnny again.

            “Even funnier Sam. Thanks, Joon. I’ll see you two later.” Then Benny exited the kitchen, went out the front door and into his car.

            “He should stay home some days.” Explained Mary. Johnny looked at her.

            “But not today?” Asked Johnny. Mary smiled mischievously.

            “He still has a couple surprises waiting for him.” Suddenly there was a loud backfire from Aiden’s car in the driveway and various yelled curses from Aiden.

            “Joon!” Yelled Aiden.

            “It must be really hard to sabotage his car when he’s a mechanic.” Commented Johnny as he looked towards the door. Mary nodded.

            “He can fix pretty much anything in time. That’s why I have to do something that requires ordered parts in order to fix it.” She explained, then kissed Johnny quickly. If only I had seen that coming I may have been able to prevent that. As long as it’s just a kiss I suppose it doesn’t really matter. “He’ll be home for the day and then tomorrow he’ll have one of the mechanics pick him up.”

            “Why not today?” Asked Johnny.

            “They’re all already at the shop. They can’t leave until closing time.”

            “Good plan.” Aiden stormed in through the door and stopped in front of Mary.

            “Joon, you gotta stop doing this!” Cried Aiden.

            “For heaven’s sake, Benjamin, you own the place! It’s not like you’re going to get fired. Besides, you need a day off once in a while. Have some fun. Like the other day when we had that picknick.” Good God, THAT’S what she was talking about! I did her after the picknick while Aiden was out walking!

            “Alright, Joon, you’re right. But enough of this, okay? I don’t even have to look at the car to know it’s not repairable without certain parts that I don’t have. It costs money for me to stay home like this.”

            “Fine, but if I ask you to stay home, you have to stay home, otherwise its back to sabotage.” Answered Mary.

            “Alright, but it can’t be all the time. It can’t even be often. Ask me once in a while to stay home and I will. Deal?”

            “Deal.” Mary and Aiden shook hands. Johnny looked on, amused, but not showing it.

            “Wanna go to the café and get some avocados?” Asked Johnny. Mary nodded and Aiden shrugged. Johnny gripped his cane and led the way out the door.

            “We’re gonna have to walk. We don’t have a car.” Commented Aiden. Mary pushed him playfully.

            “Don’t rub it in, Benny. It was for your own good.”

            “I’m sure you thought so, but I’m not so sure that it really is.” Said Aiden as he playfully pushed Joon back.

            “I think she’s right, Benny.” Said Johnny as he pushed Aiden. “You should stay home and rest once in a while. Have a good time. Maybe watch a movie.”

            “You and your movies, Sam. I can’t watch those things that you watch.” Aiden pushed Johnny back.

            “Well, I love the movies that Sam watches.” Said Mary as she tackled Johnny. Unfortunately Aiden had been examining Johnny’s cane, so when Johnny needed balance his cane tripped him up and he landed on the pavement of the sidewalk, Mary on top of him. “I’m sorry Sam, are you okay?”

            “Why am I not surprised that I end this day with a head injury?” Said Johnny as he reached in back of his head to feel the wound.

            “Sam, you’re bleeding!” Cried Aiden. “We should get him to a hospital, Joon.”

            “Go call an ambulance. I’ll stay with him.” Aiden ran back into the house to call an ambulance and Mary stayed by Johnny’s side, holding his hand. “Are you okay?”

            “Maybe I shouldn’t have suggested the avocados, huh?”

            “What?” Asked Mary.

            “I should know better than to screw around with the plot.” Commented Johnny. “Why is it that it always ends like this? I’m going to wake up with another headache and then I’ll never know if the headache is from the transition or not.”

            “You’re not making any sense, Sam.” Said Mary. “I think you have a concussion.”

            “Probably.” Said Johnny with a chuckle and a small shrug. Things were getting hazy. He knew the sensation by now, he was about to pass out…again. “By the way, Joon. I always meant to tell you that those shakes are disgusting. Stop making them and maybe that plant will live.”

            “What?” Asked Mary.

            “Nothing.” Johnny felt weak and couldn’t keep his eyes open any longer. He closed them and as he slowly drifted away he said: “Here I go again.”