* * *
The sound of birds chirping roused Josie from the sweetest dream. She opened her eyes and stretched. She was alone. A little sadly she sat up in bed; a folded piece of paper on the nightstand caught her eye. She picked it up and unfolded it, thrilled when she recognized Sam's bold script.
My sweet Josie,
As I lie here, watching you sleep, I hear the words of the song, Most Beautiful, in my head. How he secretly counts her eyelashes as she sleeps. That's how I feel about you�I need to know everything�Can it really be a week? Seven short days since that kiss! I'll remember forever the second you saw me�the sadness on your lovely face replaced by disbelief�then by overwhelming joy.
Then, finally, you were in my arms�exactly where you were always meant to be. It was the most perfect moment of my life�
�until the next day when you agreed to be my wife. I was half-afraid I'd scare you�by moving so quickly. But I knew that you were everything I'd ever wanted�that you were the only one for me. I had to let you know how desperately I needed you.
I'll admit I was astounded when you showed me that your own need was as desperate as mine. Making love with you�defies description. I have no words�no adjectives that come close to expressing all that I feel.
I love you with all of my heart!
Sam
Josie hugged the letter to her heart as tears streamed down her cheeks. She glanced up as footsteps echoed in the hall.
Sam entered the room carrying a bouquet of daisies and black-eyed Susan's. He sat on the bed next to Josie and pressed a kiss to her temple. Tenderly, he wiped the tears from her cheeks. "You were smiling so sweetly in your sleep that I didn't want to wake you."
Josie threaded her arms around his neck. Pulling his face to hers, she kissed him deeply. He laid his head on the pillow next to hers, their faces only inches apart. He ran his finger down her cheek and gently cupped her chin. "I wonder how your follow-up story's going over."
"Our follow-up, you mean. Sam�" Josie ran her fingers through his silky hair. "Thank you�for the letter�I've never felt so�loved. I still sometimes think this is all a dream�that I'll wake up and be plain Josie Geller again."
Sam took her hand and pressed a warm kiss into her palm. "Nope. Not a dream. Almost since the moment we met, you've been my Josie."
The door creaked and cracked open. Emma Callahan bounded into the room and bounced onto the bed, giggling.
"Morning, Em," said Sam. He tickled her belly, making her squeal with laughter. She quickly insinuated herself between them. Josie kissed her on the top of her head.
"Is it time to get up?" Josie asked.
Emma nodded. "Yep. Time for breakfast."
Reluctantly, Josie rolled from the bed. Sam lay back and watched as she brushed her blond hair and quickly pulled on a pair of jeans and a simple pink shirt. "Didn't your mother ever tell you it's not polite to stare," she teased.
Sam grinned. "I just can't seem to take my eyes off of you!"
On the way home, Josie talked to Sam about her upcoming meeting with Rigfort.
"Gus thinks he'll offer to pay for the whole wedding."
"I don't like that idea at all. I want this to be our day�not some publicity stunt for your newspaper."
"I agree. I just wanted to be sure of where you stood on that before I turn him down. Rigfort doesn't like to take no for an answer. I do have an idea, though, that might smooth things over."
"What are you up to now, Josie?" Sam teased.
"I noticed South Glen South doesn't have a school newspaper."
"No. They didn't have the funding for it. It shut down just before I started there."
"I was thinking maybe I could talk Rigfort into sponsoring it�with you as faculty advisor."
"I do like the idea of a school paper�it's always good to let the students express themselves outside of the classroom. But it would be a pretty big time commitment for me�"
"I know. But I'll have a very flexible schedule. I thought maybe we could work together�I could be liaison with the Sun-Times. We do work so well together."
"In so many ways," Sam teased. "This is starting to sound like a great idea. Think Rigfort will go for it?"
"It'll be good publicity for the paper. I'm sure I can convince him, but I may need your help."
Rigfort, as predicted, did offer to foot the bill for the wedding.
Sam and Josie politely declined.
"We do appreciate the offer," said Josie graciously, "but we feel the money could be better spent. South Glen South is in need of a sponsor for a school newspaper."
Rigfort brightened up considerably as Josie and Sam outlined their idea.
"I love it," Rigfort gushed, "this is gonna be big! Sun-Times Mentors High School Newspaper. We'll get everyone involved. It'll be the best high school newspaper in the country!" He pounded the conference table emphatically with his tennis racket.
Sam and Josie beamed.
"But you kids still have to let me do something big for your wedding. After all�if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have met at all. I know�let me give you a honeymoon as a wedding present. Every couple should have a fabulous honeymoon!"
Josie met Sam's gaze, visions of Paris dancing in her head. He smiled crookedly and shrugged.
"No strings attached?" she asked hesitantly.
"Nothing other than letting us run a story about the wedding. It is news, after all."
Josie looked at Sam again. He was still smiling.
"We accept," they said.
Aldys came over that afternoon to be interviewed; Josie was surprised to find Guy Perkins with her, carrying his guitar.
"Hi, guys," she said. "Come in."
"Hi, Josie�Mr. Coulson," said Aldys.
Sam grinned. "Please�call me Sam. Mr. Coulson makes me sound ancient."
"Rufus," said Guy.
"We'll leave you ladies to your interview," Sam said as he grabbed his guitar. "We can go outside and jam."
"Before we get started," Josie said, "you've got to tell me what's going on with Guy. And I notice you're not wearing glasses�"
Aldys smiled. "It's so weird. Guy and I�we were next-door neighbors and best friends when we were little�six or seven, I think. Then�my Mom died and we moved in with my Gram�and I went to a different school. When we ran into each other as high school freshman�we were both excited at first�but we didn't fit with the same crowds. Guy was popular�I was smart. So we spent four years antagonizing each other every chance we got�I think maybe we did it just to have some sort of contact with each other. I was surprised when he asked me to dance at the prom�he seemed like my old childhood friend again. After you revealed yourself, we were both so stunned�we went outside and talked�for hours. He admitted that he was in on the whole dog food thing, but started to feel differently when we were dancing. I decided to forgive him. Turns out he's also going to Northwestern. Then�he asked me on a date�and we had a great time. We're going out again tonight, that's why he came with me."
"He's really very sweet. I assumed because he was who he was that he wouldn't be, but he is a good person," Josie said. "So�did you get contact lenses?"
"Yes. I decided that I used the glasses�and the way I dressed�as a defense. I don't need that anymore."
"Ready for your interview?" Josie asked as she pressed the record button on her micro-recorder.
They talked for over an hour. Aldys discussed her excitement about the challenges of college, about the many opportunities that she planned to take advantage of. She hoped to spend a semester abroad, to major in biology and minor in English literature. She also talked about her sadness that her mother was not alive to share all of these things with her. She shared her nervousness over her developing relationship with Guy and her realization that she could be true to herself and make herself over a little at the same time.
Josie knew her first column would be fantastic. "Thanks, Aldys. I'll get you an advance copy. Don't forget to meet the photographer tomorrow at South Glen at two o'clock. I'll come if you want."
"That would be nice. I've missed talking to you." Aldys smiled as she heard Guy and Sam strumming their guitars. "Think we'd better find out what they're up to?"
Josie opened the door and found Sam and Guy seated on her front step. They were playing guitar and singing. They were surprisingly good.
"Any requests?" Sam asked, meeting Josie's eyes.
"You already know my favorite song�"
Sam nodded and began playing.
Josie closed her eyes as she recognized 'Heaven.'
Guy watched Sam for the chord progession and began to play along. Sam began to sing:
"Oh, thinkin' about all our younger years
There was only you and me,
We were young and wild and free.
Now nothin' can take you away from me.
We've been down that road before,
But that's over now,
You keep me comin' back for more.
And baby you're all that I want
When your lyin' here in my arms
I'm findin' it hard to believe
We're in Heaven.
And love is all that I want
And I found it there in your heart
It isn't too hard to see
We're in Heaven
Oh, once in your life you find someone
Who will turn your world around
Bring you up when you're feelin' down
Ya, nothin' could change what you mean to me
Oh, there's lots that I could say
But just hold me now
'Cause our love will light the way
And baby you're all that I want
When you're lyin' here in my arms
I'm findin' it hard to believe
We're in Heaven
And love is all that I need
And I found it there in your heart
It isn't too hard to see
We're in Heaven
I've been waitin' for so long
For somethin' to arrive
For love to come along
Now our dreams are comin' true
Through the good times and the bad
I'll be standin' there by you."
Tears filled Josie's eyes as Sam finished singing. "Wow, you really are good! I've never been serenaded before."
Guy smiled slyly. "Hey, I know a great eighties song�." He began to play:
"Young teacher,
The subject
Of schoolgirl fantasy�"
Sam and Josie started laughing at the words of the Police song. "Wait, how about this one�" Sam said grinning at Josie:
"I've got it bad, got it bad, got it bad
I'm hot for teacher�"
"It's better on electric guitar, of course�" Sam joked, "but I got rid of mine."
"Hey, man," said Guy. "You've got some rufus licks�we'll have to jam again sometime. Right now�we've got to run�Ali and I have a date." He took her hand and led her to his vintage car.
"See you tomorrow," called Josie.
"Bye, Josie�bye�Sam," called Aldys.
"Later, guys," said Guy.
"So, when did that happen?" Sam asked, "That's one couple I would never have put together�they never seemed to get along."
"I know�Aldys said they were best friends when they were kids, until she moved away. By the time they ran into each other at South Glen�they were firmly entrenched in their cliques�she thinks they needled each other so much as a way to at least stay connected in some way. When everything�blew up at the prom�they reconnected�really talked. They're both going to Northwestern."
"Wow. Romance is really in the air. Um�I hope you don't mind�"
"Mind�what?"
"I sort of�asked Guy to play at our wedding�he's really talented on guitar�but if it's too weird�I'll�"
"No�actually�I think it's a lovely idea. He has a terrific voice, too. Plus�it's looking pretty certain that he'll be Aldys' date�so it'll be nice to have him included."
"So�interview go well?"
Josie nodded. "I got some great stuff�Aldys is an amazing person�she's survived a lot. Did you know her mother died when she was eight?"
"I knew that her mother wasn't in the picture, but I didn't know that she had died."
"Her little sister�Tyke�was just a baby�never even knew her. Aldys practically raised her."
"That's a lot of pressure for someone so young. No wonder she's always been mature beyond her years."
"Sam," Josie said hesitantly, "I'm going to need some time�alone�to work on this. This place is so small�there's nowhere I can go�"
"You're kicking me out?" he said teasingly. "It's okay�really. I can call the rec center and the literacy program and see about arranging a few hours a day. Once we get into our house�you'll have that great study to work in. I'll try not to be too distracting."
"Having you in the same universe is distracting," Josie joked. "Thanks for understanding, though."
* * *