* * *
Josie froze in the middle of her apology when she realized that it was Sam's ex-girlfriend Lara that had woken her. 'From heavenly dream to devilish nightmare in 6.2 seconds�' Josie thought to herself. Josie had no idea what the woman was doing here in her office, but it couldn't possibly be good.
Although Lara's eyes still flashed with ill-concealed anger, her mouth twisted into a wry smirk. Her voice dripping with mock civility, she said, "Gee, Josie�I didn't mean to interrupt your beauty sleep�"
Still off balance from her dream, Josie didn't quite know how to react to that statement. Her cheeks started to redden as the thought of this snake of a woman having been the one to catch her asleep.
Lara continued, "Didn't get much sleep last night? I wonder why�It wouldn't have anything to do with my boyfriend, would it?"
Josie's anger finally sparked when Lara referred to Sam as her boyfriend. "It's none of your business what Sam and I may or may not have done!"
"Ah, so he's not sleeping with you yet?" Lara looked Josie up and down once dispassionately and retorted, "I can see why."
Josie swallowed the "Josie Grossie" feeling that was welling up from just being in the same room with this cool, polished woman and asked her, "So, do you have some reason for being here? I assume you didn't fly all the way here from New York just to throw insults at me."
"I came to tell you to leave my boyfriend alone," Lara replied with a hard glare.
* * *
Merkin stared in shock as he watched the polished, classy woman stalk by him and enter Josie's office, slamming the door behind her. He had seen her before, he knew�but where? Suddenly, he remembered and his eyes widened in surprise and disbelief: it was Coulson's girlfriend from the club!
And now, she was in Josie's office. This was news too juicy to keep to himself. He picked up his telephone and dialed an extension.
"Classifieds. Anita Brandt speaking," Anita intoned into the receiver.
"Anita!" Merkin half-whispered from the other end.
"Merkin, what do you want? For the last time, I am not going out with you!" Anita replied.
"No, man, I'm telling you� The 'Eagle has landed' and Josie is, like, the moon�" Merkin said cryptically.
"Huh?" Anita was thoroughly confused. "What are you talking about?"
"Sam's old lady�I mean his old old lady�is here and she's in Josie's office right now!" Merkin exclaimed.
"What!? You mean Lara? The one from the club that could freeze ice on her butt? That one!?" Anita cried, standing up abruptly, not noticing that people around her were starting to stare.
"Bingo, baby, that's the one," Merkin answered.
"Oh my God�" Anita said. That woman sure looked like the mean, spiteful type. Well, she wasn't going to leave Josie to deal with that witch alone. "I'll be right over." Without even giving Merkin a chance to respond, she slammed down the phone and started crossing the office in a half-run.
As Anita jogged by Cynthia's desk, the black woman reached out and grabbed Anita's wrist, forcing her to stop. "Hey, 'Nita�where's the fire?" she asked.
"Sam's ex is in Josie's office doing God-knows-what to her right now!" Anita replied, an edge of panic in her voice. Josie was such a kind, sweet person. She didn't know if Josie could handle a woman like that on her own.
"What are you going to do?" Cynthia asked her.
"I don't know�but I'm prepared to throw the woman out bodily, if need be," Anita responded.
Cynthia released Anita's wrist and chuckled, "Give me a holler if you need any help�It'd be a pleasure to take out that trash!"
Anita continued on until she reached Merkin's desk. "So? What's the scoop? What's going on in there?"
* * *
"I realize this might be stating the obvious, but Sam is no longer your boyfriend. He told you that a week and a half ago, before he and I were together," Josie responded a little shakily, but she stood her ground.
"Well, that is debatable," Lara replied snidely. "Obviously you must have been giving him something to lure him away from me."
"Giving him something? As in?" Josie raised an eyebrow. She was pretty sure she had caught Lara's intended meaning, but she wanted to make her say it.
But Lara was not going to be forced into being blunt. "Late night poetry readings, perhaps? Come on, Josie, we're both adults here; you know what I mean. You and I both know that men think from between their legs�"
'Oh, this woman could not have been more wrong about Sam if she had actually tried,' Josie thought. After all, just that evening before, Sam had put her needs ahead of his own desires by stopping their little tryst before it got out of hand.
"Sam's different," Josie replied petulantly. "He's not like that."
Lara rolled her eyes at this remark. "Oh, come on Josie�that simpering virgin stuff might work on Sam, but I'm not buying it. I mean, it's a great act�Hell, I wish I'd have thought of it! But don't bother playing that act with me because it's not going to work."
"Sam is not like that!" Josie insisted. "He's kind, and gentle, and caring, and�"
"Simple. Yes, I agree," Lara cut off Josie and finished her sentence for her. "Quite easy to control if you know the right things to say�and do," Lara smirked, making her meaning obvious. "And being as small-townish as he is, I can see where your little innocent act would have appealed greatly to him, especially at a time when he and I were apart for a while. But I'm back now. I'm sure you can understand that a man's mind wanders a little when left alone too long�"
Josie looked at Lara in complete shock. She was actually trying to infer that Sam had only been interested in her because Lara wasn't around! "You've got to be joking," was Josie's reply.
"I'm quite serious, actually. I've been with Sam for five years; I think I know him pretty well by now."
"I doubt it," Josie muttered.
Lara raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow at that. "Oh, and I suppose you think you do know him so well after�what?�seven weeks?"
"Ten times better than you ever could," Josie remarked without hesitation.
"Hmmm�Okay then. Tell me, what do you think was Sam's reasoning for being attracted to a seventeen year old student?" Lara asked.
"I'm not seventeen," Josie answered.
"That doesn't answer the question, Josie�or are you afraid to answer it? Are you really afraid that he was attracted to you because you were seventeen? That maybe he likes young girls?"
* * *
Anita and Merkin looked at each other as they pulled their ears back from the door. "Ooh, that bitch!" Anita breathed under her breath.
Merkin had a different reaction. More to himself than Anita, he said, "I wonder if I could get her phone number now that she's single?"
Anita looked at Merkin as if he had three heads. "Are you insane!?" she spit at him. "If she would even look at you twice, she'd chew you up and spit you out for breakfast!"
From the killing look that Anita was giving him, Merkin decided it was best if he changed the subject. "Well, it seems that Josie is holding her own in there so far, right?"
Anita glared at him. "Just shut up and listen," she said, placing her ear back to the door.
* * *
Meanwhile, Josie replied, "Actually the thought never crossed my mind. Sam fell in love with me because it was meant to be, plain and simple. He was unhappy with you�can't you just accept that and move on?"
"And just why do you think that Sam was unhappy with me?" Lara asked a little huffily.
"He told me, of course," Josie replied.
Lara let out a little snort, as if unimpressed. "While I'll admit that our relationship has had its ups and downs, I think it would have been rather unfair of him to tell you he was unhappy with me� Unfair to you, I mean."
Josie unwittingly took the bait. "What do you mean, unfair to me?"
Lara stopped for a moment to study her nails, making Josie wait for her explanation. "Well, I mean, I sort of feel sorry for you, really� That you fell for Sam's act like that. You seem like a nice enough person and all. I don't know how to tell you this�but it's not the first time Sam has lured a nice girl in for some "company" while I was away�"
Josie's heart skipped a terrified beat, but then she remembered the tender look in Sam's eyes after he kissed her on the ball field, and also how he'd left her bed the night before to protect her innocence, even when she had urged him not to. Those were not actions of a man trying to use her. "Okay. Let's say I believe that�which I don't, but� Why would you stay with a man who would cheat on you like that?"
Lara laughed and waved her hand dismissively. "You really don't know much about men, do you?" Lara laughed again. "Dear, men need 'companionship'�it's the nature of the beast. But there is a big difference between sex and love for a man. He can have sex with many women, but love only one. And the one he really loves is me. You were just a substitute. I know that, and he knows that. And I tolerate his behavior because I know that once he has me around full time, he'll have no need for the others."
"You're wrong about Sam, and you're wrong about his intentions. Our relationship is not about sex, far from it."
"Oh, but it is�you just don't know it. You see�this is what I was trying to tell you before. Like I said, this isn't the first time he's done this�so I know the pattern. He finds some pretty, young, intelligent girl from one of his classes, one that is receptive to his advances. Then he woos her with his Shakespeare and his poetry�gets the girl to fall in love with him. He steals a few kisses from her, and maybe a little more, if she's willing. You know, the whole 'forbidden fruit' thing."
"But, you see, in his heart, he's still faithful to me. This is his way of fooling around without actually being unfaithful. He chooses underage girls so that he can be sure he doesn't betray me by actually sleeping with them. A good system for him, I guess. Twisted, but good." Lara smiled lewdly. "Certainly makes him more randy in bed, I can tell you that."
* * *
On the other side of the door, Anita's hands were clenched together in rage. "I'm going to skin that woman, I swear!" she whispered angrily to Merkin.
"Josie, don't fall for that crap! She's just trying to get you to give up on Sam so she can get him back!" Anita whispered at the door as if Josie might actually hear her.
* * *
Before Josie could comment, Lara continued in an almost conciliatory tone. "But your unique situation caught Sam off guard, I'd bet. He thought he had another one of his sweet little innocent teenagers, but when he found out you were really his age, he didn't know how to handle it. He needed to save face with you, to make you think that he had been attracted to you as an adult all along. That's why he showed up on Sunday. He couldn't afford for his kinky little secret to be exposed. I knew all about it, of course. He told me in advance to warn me."
A little shiver of fear ran up Josie's spine. That would explain a few things�like why Sam was so willing to "wait" for her�and why he'd stopped things last night. The "Josie Grossie" in her tried to tell her that it must be the case; that a wonderful man like Sam couldn't really want her�
But then that would mean that Sam was just using her, and this she just could not believe. With a touch of desperation in her voice, she declared, "You're wrong. Sam loves me. I know it."
Lara shook her head pityingly. "Oh, dear, he really has you hooked, doesn't he? No wonder he sent me down here to do this�"
"What do you mean, 'he sent you down here to do this'?" Josie said.
"To give you the news, of course," Lara replied. Inside she was gloating� She couldn't believe that Josie was actually insecure and innocent enough to believe this story, but she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Once she got Josie out of the way, then she was sure that she could win Sam's affections back.
"What news?" Josie's voice actually trembled.
* * *
Anita stood up, pulling away from the door. She'd heard enough. She was going to go in there and kick Lara's butt. She put her hand on the doorknob, but Merkin snatched it away.
"What are you doing?" he asked, incredulous.
"Can't you hear what she's saying? What line she's feeding Josie? I'm gonna kill her�Toss her primped and perfect little butt out of here!" Anita hissed.
"But how do you know it's not true?" Merkin reminded her. "How well do you really know Sam?"
"Not that well," Anita admitted. "But I've seen enough to know that the man is completely in love with Josie. And I've known enough women like Lara to know what she's up to. She's an expert manipulator. She's just trying to scare Josie off�and it's working!"
"Anita�I know Josie's your friend, but you know, she's gotta fight her own battles. She's gotta fight for the right to party, if you know what I mean," Merkin explained.
Anita crossed her arms across her chest and glared at him. "Merkin, do you try to sound that stupid, or does it just come naturally?"
Merkin formed a cross in front of him with his fingers as if to fend Anita off. "Hey, I'm sorry if I'm too deep for you. The Merkman is just wise beyond his years� "
Anita retorted, "Yeah, maybe in dog years�"
Just then, Rhoda walked up to them and asked, "Hey, what's up? Cynthia said something about an ex-girlfriend? The rumor has spread like wildfire around the bullpen and everyone is dying to know what's going on�"
Merkin replied, "Sam's ex-babe is in there having it out with Josie�"
Rhoda's eyes widened.
* * *
Lara smiled evilly to herself. She had Josie right where she wanted her: down and doubting herself. Now it was time for the kill. "What news? Why that things are over between you, of course. Sam never was very good at confrontations, and considering how awkward things are for him in this case�" Lara trailed off. Well, at least that was true, she thought.
With the last of her emotional strength, Josie stood ramrod straight and replied stubbornly, "I don't believe you. Sam would never do the things you've described. He's sweet and kind and loving. And he is in love with me� He told me so just this morning." Josie raised her chin in defiance.
"Yes, but that was before he knew I was in town. He didn't know I was here until he got back from being with you. Besides, if he was so in love with you, then why would he have been kissing me and saying he was in love with me?"
Josie shook her head in denial. "No way. Sam would never have done that�he doesn't love you."
"Oh no? Well I think it would be pretty hard to mistake the meaning of: 'Yes, Lara, I love you more than life itself�' Don't you?" Lara raised an imperious eyebrow at Josie, daring her to deny it.
Josie backed up a step as if Lara had physically slapped her. "You� You're lying. He wouldn't do that� He wouldn't say that�"
Lara advanced on Josie, walking right up to the front edge of Josie's desk, and leaned across it. "He could and he did, Josie. Face it. You can't compete with me, you know�you never could. You were just a pleasant diversion for him, but now it's over."
Pain exploded in Josie's heart, but she still held on to the last vestiges of her hope, "No� You're just making that up, trying to hurt me because he chose me over being with you."
Lara knew she had Josie against the ropes and pulled out her trump card. She leaned further across the desk, picking up the receiver of Josie's telephone and held it out to her, smiling triumphantly. "Here. If you don't believe me, you can call and ask him yourself."
Lara knew that Sam's overblown sense of honor would force him to tell Josie the truth if she confronted him with what Lara had said. And that would be enough. If Josie heard from Sam's own lips that he had, in fact, said those words, then everything else she had said would suddenly become true in Josie's eyes. And if she didn't call�that meant that she already believed it.
* * *
At this revelation, Anita, Merkin, and Rhoda gasped. From their horrified expressions, rest of the bullpen became hushed and stared at the closed door in morbid fascination.
* * *
Josie looked at the telephone in Lara's hand as if it were a deadly snake. She stared at it for a long moment, and then looked back up at Lara's face. As much as she didn't want to believe it, as much as it was killing her to think it, from the look of triumph on Lara's face she knew it had to be true.
Defeated, Josie's knees gave way and she plopped gracelessly into her chair. "No�there has to be a reason� There has to be an explanation�" she cried, more to herself than to Lara.
Lara put the receiver back into the cradle and replied, "There is�and I just gave it to you. If you need more convincing, I could go into more detail: as in exactly what we were doing when he professed his undying love to me�but I was trying to spare you the added humiliation. Wake up from your dream world and smell the coffee, Josie: he loves me. To him, you are just yesterday's news."
Anger and despair welled up inside of Josie. So it was true�she really was unlovable. Sam had used her, betrayed her affections just like Billy Prince had years before. But this was so much worse. She had been young and na�ve when Billy had played his prank, but now she was an adult and she had still been fooled. Damn Shakespeare and her own foolish heart! She'd fallen for his act hook, line, and sinker.
Looking up at Lara's victorious expression, her resolve hardened. She may have won, but Josie was not about to give the woman the satisfaction of seeing Josie break down in front of her. She bolted out of her chair, getting right up in Lara's face. "Get the hell out of my office before I call security and have you forcibly removed," she threatened menacingly.
Lara smiled cruelly, pushing away from the desk and collecting her purse. "No problem� My work here appears to be finished. Now that this unpleasantness is over, I can get back to Sam so that we can finish what we started this morning�"
And with that parting shot, she opened the door to Josie's office and sashayed out, leaving a roomful of shocked and stunned reporters in her wake.
* * *