* * *
"I always liked Betty better," Sam whispered in Josie's ear.
Josie smiled at the sound of his voice and turned around. "Really?"
"Betty was so spunky and fun. Veronica had the great legs�but she was too moody. Very high maintenance."
Josie laughed.
Together they walked through the prom props, as if they were on a romantic date. Sam picked a flower and held it out.
"So," Josie said with a deep breath, "Guy's taking me to the prom."
Sam tried to cover the pain he felt at the news. "That's great. So�what's your costume?"
"Oh, no�I want it to be a surprise�but you'll understand it�I'm sure of that."
Sera ran up to Josie to ask, "Were Tweedledum and Tweedledee a couple?"
Sam and Josie shared a look.
"Well, in a strict sense," Josie answered, "probably not. But for prom�sure."
"Thanks!" Sera said, and ran off.
They continued walking, past the sunset backdrop they'd painted together, onto a narrow red bridge. Josie turned to face Sam, walking backwards.
"You're really doing a great job here, Josie," Sam told her.
"Thanks," Josie said shyly. "They weren't related to Humpty Dumpty, were they? Tweedledum and Tweedledee."
"Probably distant cousins," Sam said, "they did have that egg shape in common."
"But Humpty Dumpty was alone."
"That's sad, isn't it?" Sam said. "He had to sit on that wall all by himself. He deserved to have somebody."
"That's really what we all need, right? Someone to sit up on the wall with us to watch the world go by."
"To put us back together when we fall."
They'd moved closer without realizing it.
"Our penguin, right?"
"Do you think you'll find her?" Josie breathed.
"Yeah, actually I do," Sam said.
Lost in each other, they leaned closer still. As if they might kiss�
Sam caught himself before he gave into the irresistible urge to kiss her. They sat down on a pair of white iron benches, still leaning into each other.
"Oh, my God!" Sam said, suddenly breaking the spell. "I almost forgot�I got you a meeting with the admissions guy from Dartmouth!"
"Dartmouth?" Josie exclaimed, "But�I wasn't even going to go to college�"
"No. I know, but I pulled some strings, got him to look at your writing, and he agreed to meet with you."
"Oh, yikes."
"I told him, 'If I'm wrong about this girl, you can take away my teaching certificate.'"
"Wow," Josie said breathlessly. "You believe in me that much?"
Sam took her hand. He looked into her eyes, meaning every word. "Of course I do. Josie, you owe it to yourself�to your writing�to go to college. You're a great writer. You just have to find your story�"
Josie blushed, conscious of Sam's thumb gently caressing her wrist. She desperately wished she could tell him the truth. "Soon," she thought, "very soon."
They sat there for a long time, lost in each other. They'd drawn closer again, their knees almost touching. Sam continued massaging Josie's wrist, unaware that he was doing it. The unbearable sweetness of his touch made Josie feel she was caught in a vortex, spinning dangerously out of control.
The sound of footsteps broke the spell that bound them. Sam dropped Josie's hand as if he'd been scalded and increased the distance between them. He gave Josie a guilty look. She blushed and looked away.
A group of chattering students rounded the corner.
"Yo, Mr. Coulson, Josie. Ready for prom?" They seemed to find nothing unusual in Sam's and Josie's behavior.
"Just checking a few details," Josie answered. She sneaked a glance at Sam.
"Cool. We'll let you guys get back to work." They walked off, leaving an awkward silence in their wake.
Nervously, Josie glanced at her watch. She was late for a meeting with Gus. "Shoot!" she muttered, "I'm late. I..." She got up and turned to walk away.
"Josie," Sam said softly.
She turned back to face him, raising her eyes to his. "Yes?"
"You forgot this." He held out the flower he'd given her and smiled.
Their fingers brushed as Josie took it from him. "Thank you," she murmured. "I'll see you tomorrow."
* * *
June 2, 1999
Tomorrow night is the prom. Josie told me today that she's going with Guy. Of course, she has to go with someone her age. Still�it hurts�knowing she'll be in his arms�dancing with him.I almost kissed her today�in broad daylight�at school. We were talking about Humpty Dumpty�how he was all alone�how sad that was�how we all need someone to sit with us and watch the world go by�to help us pick up the pieces when we fall down. Then she asked me if I thought I'd find her�and I said yes, I thought I would� knowing that I already had�and I found myself leaning into her�a hair's breadth away from kissing her!
So I blurted out about Dartmouth and the admissions guy wanting to meet with her. She seemed genuinely touched that I believed in her that much. If she only knew�
* * *
The seniors had a half-day to get ready for prom, but Josie was excused from her morning classes as well. As prom committee chairperson, she had lots of last minute details to oversee. Sam was meeting her at the country club to double-check the set up.
Sam smiled as she parked her Vega among the Mercedes and BMW's. "Good morning."
"Morning," Josie mumbled. After yesterday's conversation with Gus, she couldn't meet Sam's eyes.
Sam frowned. It wasn't like Josie to be out of sorts, especially with him. "Everything okay?" he asked with concern.
Josie shrugged. "Just nervous, I guess. There's so much happening in the next few days�"
"C'mon�let's go see how they did setting up your romantic world."
Josie gasped when they entered the ballroom. It was just as she'd imagined it. Flowers filled the room. Thousands of tiny white lights flickered, casting a glow on the china and crystal on the tables. The sunset backdrop they'd painted together filled one wall, with various stations set up for prom pictures. "It's perfect."
"It really is wonderful. Very romantic," Sam said looking at Josie.
A photographer was setting up his equipment near the red bridge. "Hey�would you two mind posing for me�I'm having trouble getting this shot set up."
Josie blushed guiltily, knowing what that would look like to Gus and company at the Sun- Times.
"Sure�no problem," said Sam. He stood next to Josie on the bridge and put his arm around her shoulder.
"Not quite right," said the photographer. "I like to have the guy a little behind the girl, with his arms around her waist."
Sam swallowed hard. Suddenly this seemed like a very bad idea, but he took the position anyway, drawing Josie back against his body. It was sweet torture.
"Perfect�now smile," he said as he snapped the picture.
Sam started to release her.
"I just need one more shot, if you don't mind. Just turn a little�so you're facing each other�and put your arms around each other."
Josie looked up at Sam nervously, biting her lip.
"It's okay, Josie," he whispered in her ear. "It's just a picture."
She relaxed as Sam placed his arms around her. She slipped an arm around his waist.
"Beautiful. You look great together." The photographer snapped the picture. "Thanks for your help."
Reluctantly, Sam released Josie and stepped away. "Guess we should finish checking things, huh, Josie." His heart was still hammering in his chest.
"I guess so," she whispered.
They wandered through the room making sure all the details were perfect.
"We're supposed to look at the ice sculpture in the kitchen," Josie reminded him.
Sam tapped lightly on the window of the kitchen door, then pushed it open. A chef looked up from his work as they entered.
"May I help you?" he asked.
"We're from South Glen South�the prom tonight," said Sam.
"We're supposed to check the ice sculpture," said Josie.
The chef handed them parkas and ushered them into the sub-zero freezer. The sculpture was beautiful, two swans, their heads touching, forming a heart.
"Wow!" exclaimed Josie. "It's unbelievable."
They exited the freezer and returned the parkas to the chef. Josie shivered.
Sam wished he could warm her up. Instead, he leaned over and whispered in her ear. "I still think it should be penguins."
Josie laughed. "But penguins aren't romantic�"
"They are when you talk about them�"
Josie blushed. "Well�swans mate for life, too, you know."
"I know. I once read the saddest story about swans. It was at a park somewhere�Boston, I think. Someone accidentally killed one of the female swans. Her mate of several years was so despondent that he died just days later of a broken heart. I guess he couldn't imagine life without her."
"That is a sad story. But at least they had a few years together," she said, meeting Sam's eyes. "It would be so sad if they were meant for each other but they never got a chance to be together at all."
"Yeah, it would," murmured Sam.
* * *