This is the third installment of the series…(See "A Trip to Sam's Apartment" and "A Night at Josie's" for parts one and two) As always, I'd love to hear from you to know if you like what I'm writing…and any constructive criticism, as well…
(P.S. - If you like what I've done so far, just wait for installment #4…it's going to
be a goodie…grin)
Sam awoke just as dawn broke, the sun not yet over the horizon. Everything in Josie's living room reflected the pink of the morning sky, which shone through the bay window. That was just how Sam felt, like everything in his life now had a rosy glow because of the woman now sleeping in his arms.
He looked down at Josie, still asleep and snuggled against him, and smiled gently at the sight. The night had passed uneventfully, she did not have any more of her nightmares. He was glad. They had already been through enough: finding each other, nearly losing each other, and then finding each other again, all in the space of just two months. It still amazed him how so much had happened in so little time. He had known instinctively that something was different about Josie from the first time he saw her…
He'd turned around after taking a long draw from his coffee mug and was stunned at the sight of her. Sure, some of it had to do with her outrageous outfit…and that white lipstick! But what really startled him were her eyes. They were drawing him in and speaking to him in ways he couldn't even comprehend at the time. All he could really remember of the incident was that he had introduced himself to her as if she were his equal instead of his student, and he'd had to make a quick recovery to cover his mistake. And then when she had defined the word "pastoral"… He knew that after that, he'd stared at her long and hard, trying to make sense of this beautiful girl wearing the silly white boa. She was obviously brilliant…and supposed to be seventeen.
She had constantly baffled and amazed him by her intelligence and sensitivity, her humor and sweetness; traits he didn't often see even in women his age, moreover in a teenaged girl.
He must have been slowly falling for her from that very moment, Sam now realized, but the first time he consciously acknowledged his attraction was when they were alone together on the Ferris wheel.
God, he must have been insane to get on that thing! But, at the time, all he could think of was Josie sitting there alone in that bucket while the other kids made fun of her. She looked so forlorn, lonely, and embarrassed that he had gone rushing right over to save her before he could think through what he was doing. He wanted Josie to wear her glowing smile again, and secretly, he wanted to be the one to put it there.
The ride started with a backwards jolt and he suddenly realized he was trapped in one of his biggest nightmares. He must have visibly shown some of that fear, because Josie looked at him strangely and then asked if he was all right. When he'd told her of his fear of heights, she hadn't laughed or made fun of it, like Lara used to do. She was sweet and caring, and had even laid her hand on his arm in moral support. She tried to keep him talking to help him forget about the ride. And she asked such thoughtful, adult questions that he'd found it impossible to think of her as just one of his students. He'd blurted out to her his confusion over his situation with Lara, because, for some inexplicable reason, he felt that he could talk to Josie and she would understand. He even found himself flirting with her, telling her how attractive she would be to men when she was his age. And then it hit him right between the eyes. HE was attracted to her, and the thought of her with any other man was driving him crazy. And then he began to notice how close they were sitting together in the bucket, and how good her hand felt on his arm. It should not have felt that good; that exciting and calming at the same time, but it did. He'd known then that he was in big trouble.
He tried to maintain some distance between them after that, but then, that was before he found out they would be working together on the prom committee. He couldn't very well ignore her then.
She handled herself and others so efficiently, yet with sensitivity and thoughtfulness; he couldn't help but be impressed. She was always laughing and smiling, and she made whatever they were doing seem fun. He fell a little more in love with Josie every day, no matter how hard he tried not to.
He knew he could no longer stand by, let her graduate and leave without telling Josie how he felt about her. He wanted to be a part of her life after she left South Glen South and he was willing to wait for her. He knew he had to tell Josie that night when he saw her walk into the prom on the arm of Guy Perkins. And it wasn't just because he was insanely jealous (which he was). She was much too good for that kid. Heck, she was probably too good for him, too, but he was going to tell her how he felt anyway, and see what would happen.
He was pretty sure that she had feelings for him, too. At least he hoped desperately that she did. He had been so nervous that he couldn't even ask her to dance without having to gesture to the floor like an idiot. But she seemed genuinely happy and accepted his offer gracefully.
As they danced, he finally got the confirmation he was waiting for. She asked about Lara, and he'd told her she was out of the picture. Josie had looked down quickly and mumbled something about the origin of the word 'prom'. She tried to hide the emotion she must have known was in her eyes. But he had seen it. She was in love with him, too. He knew it, felt it with his whole being. Josie was going to be his. Every beat of his heart pounded out that knowledge.
And then it had exploded in his face. God, he had been in such pain and despair when he thought Josie had been playing him for a fool. Because he had been a fool over her…totally and completely.
He was so glad that everything had worked out and they were together again. But this time, he could (and did!) stand up and let the world know that this woman was his.
He frowned a little at the thought of them being splashed all over the front page of every newspaper in a 50 mile radius this morning. But then he looked down again at Josie and instantly felt better. It would have been worth it even if every newspaper in the country ran the story. He would have done far more to win her back, knowing that she really was his one true love.
Sam rubbed one hand up and down Josie's back and used the other to touch a curl of hair that had flopped across her forehead. Her hair was like silk, smooth and cool as it slid through his fingers. Then he placed a light kiss on her forehead and over each of her closed eyes, before lowering his mouth to hers.
At the touch of his lips to hers, Josie began to stir. Without opening her eyes she murmured, "No, don't wake me, the dream I'm having is too good."
"Oh?" he chucked. "And what dream is that?"
"The one where the most wonderful man in the world is holding me," she replied.
"Will I do?" Sam teased.
Josie smiled and opened her eyes to gaze sleepily into his. He instantly felt his body tighten in response and prayed that she wouldn't notice. "Good morning, beautiful," Sam said.
Josie's self-consciously touched her hair, and she said, "Somehow I doubt that."
Sam rolled his eyes and smiled at her. "Oh, please, like mine is any better."
Josie took a moment to inspect him. His hair WAS sticking up in a few odd places, but it simply made him look more boyish and endearing. And his morning beard made him look very sexy, like a French film star. "I think you look adorable," she smiled.
Then Josie closed her eyes, reached her arms up over her head, and stretched the sleep out of herself like a lithe little cat. Sam couldn't help but notice how the thin cotton material of her nightgown stretched taut over her chest as she did. God, she drove him crazy and she didn't even know she was doing it. He had to move soon, or else there was going to be no hiding his response to her.
He patted her bottom twice with his hand as an indication to get up. "Ok, I need to get up now," he said. She slid out of the covers and stood, while he sat up and covered his lap surreptitiously with the blanket.
It was a good thing he did, because with the sun streaming in behind her, he could see her body's silhouette right through her nightgown. This was going to be a very long morning, Sam thought ruefully. He cleared his throat, and croaked, "Can I have the shower first?" Cold shower, definitely, he told himself.
If Josie noticed his discomfort, she certainly didn't let on. "Sure, if you want. I'll go put on some coffee. I know how much you like your coffee in the morning," she teased.
Sam smiled back. Then turned his back to her and made a project of picking up the pillow and blankets, folding them and then carrying them into her bedroom to leave on her bed. They hid his "problem" quite handily, which, of course, had been the intention. Then he stepped into the bathroom and shut the door, heaving a sigh of relief.
Setting out his shampoo, soap, and razor, he turned on the water in the tub and waited for it to warm up a little. It was still pretty cool when he climbed in and turned the shower knob, shutting the curtain. He shivered a little, but it certainly took his mind off all those heated thoughts he'd had this morning. Then, he turned the hot water knob to warm the water and began showering in earnest.
Meanwhile, Josie was busy preparing the coffee and looking in the fridge for something to make for breakfast. She pulled out a carton of eggs, some leftover ham and sliced cheese to cook some omelets. She reached into one of the cupboards above the sink and pulled down a mixing bowl and cracked a few eggs into it. She turned and ran her hands under the water in the sink and then bent down to get a frying pan. As she was standing back up, she heard something. She put the pan down on the counter and strained to listen.
She smiled and then tiptoed through the living room to stand in the doorway of her bedroom. Sam was singing in the shower. Rather well, actually. He had a clear baritone voice that had the refrain of John Lennon's "Imagine" echoing in her small bathroom. Then she heard him shut the water off and open the shower curtain. Unbidden, a picture appeared in her mind of what Sam must look like, dripping wet and gloriously naked, climbing out of her tub to dry off. Oh, Lord, where had THAT come from? She put her hands up to cover her cheeks, hot from her furious blush.
Then, she remembered what she came over to do. She quelled her nervousness and embarrassment and went over to lightly knock on the door.
Sam had just wrapped the damp towel around his waist when he heard the soft tapping. "Yes?" he asked.
"How does a ham and cheese omelet sound for breakfast?" came the reply.
"That sounds great," Sam replied enthusiastically. "I'll be out in a minute if you'd like some help."
"Okay."
He heard her footfalls retreating. He reached over to the pile of clothes he had laid out on the top of the toilet tank and pulled on his briefs and then shook out his black pleated chinos and put them on as well. He sat down on the closed toilet seat and put on his black dress socks and shoes. Then he turned and picked up his tan shirt, looking underneath it for his white T-shirt. It wasn't there. Darn it, he thought, I must have forgotten to bring it in here. Sighing, he picked up the tan shirt with a finger, slung it over his shoulder, and turned to open the bathroom door. He crossed Josie's bedroom and went out into the living room to search through his duffel for his T-shirt. As he reached the couch, he laid the shirt along the back of the couch so he could search the contents of his bag.
Josie had been scrambling eggs with a fork for the omelets when Sam appeared. She did a double take and then found that she couldn't breathe.
Sam had shaved. His hair was still wet and slicked back off his forehead. He was wearing a pair of black pants that showed off his adorable backside. But he wasn't wearing his shirt; more precisely, he was carrying it. He didn't really seem to notice her; he appeared to be looking for something.
If he had noticed Josie, he would have seen that she had stopped scrambling the eggs in mid-beat and was staring with awe at the sight of him. He was beautiful, she thought. He had the build of an athlete, defined, but not muscle bound. There was a light sprinkling of hair in the center of his chest. Now I know I'm dreaming, thought Josie, because no man that looked that good would be caught dead in MY living room…
After a minute of searching, Sam found the clean white T-shirt at the bottom of his duffel. He shook out the wrinkles and then pulled it on over his head and tucked it into his pants. Then he grabbed the tan shirt, pulled it up over his arms and around his shoulders, buttoned the front, and tucked that in as well.
He turned, about to walk toward the kitchen the help out with breakfast, when he noticed Josie's expression. She was staring straight into the bowl, a little too intent on beating the eggs, and she was blushing. Had she noticed him? He smiled inwardly at the thought of Josie "checking him out." He found it endearing that she would blush about it. Apparently she liked what she saw, he decided.
"Okay, what do you want me to do, here?" Sam asked, walking into the kitchen to stand beside Josie.
She was still beating the eggs in a furor. Not looking up, she answered, "Ummm…I could use the milk and butter from the fridge." Sam reached around her from behind and stilled her hand. "All right, Josie, I think you've beaten them into submission by now," he joked. Then he turned her in his arms to face him and asked, "Why don't you go get ready and I can finish up here?"
"You can cook?" Josie inquired.
"Well, I'm no Emeril LeGasse, but I enjoy cooking and I'm pretty good at it, yes." Sam replied.
Josie almost laughed aloud at the mental picture of Sam "kicking it up a notch" like Emeril…and then she remembered that he was waiting for an answer from her. "Okay. I'll be back in a few minutes." She turned and headed for the bedroom.
Sam watched her close the bedroom door and then turned his attention to the task of cooking omelets. It was just too dangerous for him to think about Josie and what she might be doing behind that closed door, he decided. He turned on the burner to medium high heat, added a liberal amount of milk to the eggs, whisked the mixture a few times with the fork, and added salt and pepper. He put a dollop of butter in the pan and set it on the burner, and watched as the butter sizzled and melted into a golden liquid. Then he poured the egg mixture into the pan and put the dirty bowl into the sink.
Next, he turned his attention to the toppings, using the knife that Josie had left out to efficiently cube the meat and cheese. With that done, he checked the edges of the omelet. When they were golden brown, he nudged at an edge with the fork to get it sliding on the non-stick surface and then he flipped the omelet over in the pan with a flick of his wrist. He then liberally applied the toppings to the whole surface of the omelet and waited for the bottom to cook enough to fold it. Carefully, Sam tilted the pan so that the eggs started to slide out and then jerked the pan so that it neatly folded in half. After a moment, he flipped the whole omelet to cook the other side a final time and then slid it out onto a plate.
Sam cut it in half and then put one piece on the other plate. He set one plate on each side of the breakfast bar and then rummaged around in drawers until he found the silverware. He was just setting the table when Josie reappeared.
She had obviously showered, since her newly coiffed hair was still slightly damp. She was wearing a smart pantsuit with a white lace top underneath, making her look every inch the up-and-coming, 25-year-old reporter. And it complimented her figure perfectly. He smiled appreciatively and said, "Breakfast is ready, I've just got to pour the coffee."
She approached the breakfast bar and said, "That smells…and looks…wonderful. Here, let me get the coffee." And she walked around into the kitchen to get out a couple of mugs. She set them down next to the coffeemaker and poured the coffee. She carried the cups over to the bar, where Sam was just getting seated on the stool on the inside of the kitchen. Then she turned and set the creamer and sugar on the counter, not knowing how Sam liked his coffee.
"Thanks," he said, and used both cream and sugar. Funny, thought Josie, so did she. She sat down and dug into the delicious looking omelet Sam had made.
Sam reached across the counter and held Josie's free hand. She glanced up at him. He looked as if he wanted to say something. "Yes?" Josie inquired.
He paused a moment before asking hesitantly, "You said in your article that your first invitation to the prom had been a 'cruel joke'. I've been wondering what happened… Can you tell me about it? Or is it too painful?"
Josie set down her fork and was silent for a moment, a faraway look in her eyes. Then she responded, "I've never told anybody about this."
She took a deep breath to steady herself and began, "Well, as you probably noticed from the pictures in the newspaper, I was a rather late bloomer." That was an understatement, Josie thought. "All my life, I had always been picked on by the 'cool kids'. I mean, really tormented. Much worse than anything I put up with at South Glen South. So, I grew up thinking I was some kind of misfit; that nothing I could ever do would make me attractive to the right people. Therefore, I didn't try. I really didn't know how to try."
"I became completely absorbed in my own reality. Books and language were my escape from my pitiful existence. They opened the door to something brighter and better. And I loved to write, to see my ideas form and grow on the paper."
Josie went on, "I had this terrible crush on the most popular boy in school. His name was Billy Prince. I kept wishing in vain that he would notice me, just once. Well, one day in my senior year English class, I was called on to read my writing assignment. It happened to be a poem that I had written about Billy. So, I stood up and read it straight to him, hoping the words would reach him. The other kids were laughing at me, but he didn't. He sat and listened. I thought that maybe, maybe, he had at last 'noticed' me."
"Later on that day, a girlfriend of mine came up to me to tell me that Billy was asking me to go to the prom with him. Of course, I thought it was all because of the poem. And I was so happy." Josie smiled sadly. "That was the day that I decided that I would become a writer; that I really had the power to reach people with my words."
Sam was still holding her hand, stroking her palm, in some small way trying to ease the pain of her past. He could tell by the expression on her face that this was still a very painful memory for her.
"I was walking on air for the two weeks before the prom. I went out with my mother and picked out what I thought was the most beautiful gown in the whole world." Josie laughed ruefully at the memory. "Oh, Sam, it was this hideous metallic pink thing that made me look like a huge Christmas ornament. I don't know what I was thinking. Anyway, there I was, decked out like a giant roll of tin foil, waiting for the man of my dreams to come and sweep me away. It seemed like a fairy tale, and I felt like Cinderella."
Sam was starting to get a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He could picture his sweet Josie standing there in all her garish splendor, unaware that she was about to get her heart broken. He pushed his food plate aside and reached out with his other hand to hold both of Josie's.
"He called me from the limo and said he'd be arriving in a minute and asked me to wait for him out on the front porch. I stood out there under the starry sky and waited with so much hope in my heart; so happy that of all the girls in school, Billy Prince would pick me to take to the prom. For the first time, I dared think that I just might be a little pretty." Josie paused, closing her eyes against the still-fresh pain of what came next.
When she didn't continue, Sam prodded gently, "What happened? Did he make you stand out there waiting for him and then not show up?"
A tear slid down Josie's face, her face bent down in shame. Oh, if only it had been that, Josie thought. How much easier that would have been to take.
She shook her head to indicate "no" and continued, "Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. I watched in wonder as the limo drove up the street. The sunroof slid open, and there was Billy Prince in his tux, looking like Adonis, waving at me and smiling. And then, a beautiful blond cheerleader-type stood up next to him. " She heard Sam's gasp as he squeezed her hands in silent support. She couldn't look at him, couldn't meet his eyes. He didn't know the worst yet.
"At first, I didn't get it. I thought, 'Who is she? Were we riding with another couple?' And then when they laughed at me, I understood." Josie was unaware of the tears rolling in fat drops down her cheeks and into her lap. "They mocked me. Called me all kinds of names. And then-- " Josie paused to swallow the lump in her throat, "--they threw raw eggs at me. They splattered all over my dress, in my hair. The last one hit me right in the face. I cried out in pain and shock. As they drove off, Billy shouted at me, 'Write a poem about this, geek!'"
Josie continued painfully, "I was shattered. I sank to the pavement, praying that the ground would swallow me up whole. Then I heard my mother calling my name. She was coming to the front door to check on me. I couldn't let her see my humiliation. I got up and ran before she found me." She removed her hands from Sam's and wrapped them around herself as she spoke.
"I sat hiding in the bushes behind my house, crying until I had no tears left. I waited for hours until all the lights were off, so that I could sneak back in without anyone seeing me. My dress was long since ruined. I stuffed it in a trash bag and hid it in the back of my closet. I took what must have been an hour-long shower, trying to wash away the shame and humiliation. But of course, it wouldn't come off, since it was inside of me."
"It only got worse. Billy had bragged to everyone about what he had done to 'Josie Grossie' –that's what they used to call me. The last few weeks of school were like a living nightmare. I felt like a nothing…no…like less than nothing. Frankly, I…I don't even know how I survived it." Josie was shaking visibly from the exertion of reliving the memory.
Sam was completely shocked and horrified. He had never heard anything more mean, spiteful, and cruel in his entire life. And that someone could do that to his sweet, wonderful Josie… White-hot fury boiled his blood. So help me God, he thought, if I ever find this Billy Prince guy, I'll rip him apart with my bare hands for hurting her like that!
He got up and walked around the island to where Josie was sitting. He picked her up and carried her over to the couch. He cradled her gently as she broke down and wept, feeling tears pricking his own eyes. He couldn't stop them from falling, didn't want to. The pain of knowing what this one night must have done to Josie was too deep. He simply held her close while they cried together.
When her sobs subsided, he pulled back a little to smile at her. She smiled softly and reached up to dry his face with her fingers. He kissed each hand and, looking deep into her eyes, said solemnly, "I have never loved you more than I do at this moment. I could never have imagined such a horrible experience. You have suffered through so much and you never let it break you. I am amazed at your strength, your fight, and your will to survive. I am proud of you and what you have become, blooming after so much adversity. I feel honored and lucky that you've chosen me to be the man in your life."
Josie's eyes watered anew from the beauty of Sam's words. She smiled, and after a moment, teased, "Well, it seems you beat the rush of men 'lined up around the block' for me."
She was truly amazing. He grinned at her playful look. "That's because I got to see the sneak preview." They laughed together; then their eyes locked. Drawn to each other, they kissed slowly and tenderly. Then they sat together, silent, both caught in their own thoughts. After a few minutes, Josie gave Sam's arm a nudge and said, "Hey, unless you want to blow off work today, we should probably get moving."
"That's a tempting offer, Miss Geller," Sam joked, " but we'll have to face the music sooner or later. Might as well be sooner."
Josie scooted off Sam's lap and got up, wiping away the remainder of her tears. Sam headed off for the kitchen, gathering up the breakfast dishes and placing them in the sink. Josie went out to the porch stoop to retrieve the morning paper (the Sun-Times, naturally). As she unrolled it, she gasped. On the front cover was a huge color picture of her and Sam kissing…above the fold line, no less. The caption read, "Finally Been Kissed". Oh, Lord. If it was this bad at her own newspaper, then the other papers could only be worse. She rolled the paper back up and went inside, wondering how Sam was going to react.
She didn't have long to wait. As soon as he saw her carrying the paper, Sam asked, "How bad is it?" She handed him the paper. "Bad," she answered. He opened it and stared, openmouthed, at them on the front page. "Oh, God. This is going to be worse than I thought," he sighed.
"I'm sorry, Sam," Josie immediately apologized.
"No, no, don't apologize. If I had been smart enough to not let you go in the first place, you wouldn't have had to write that article to get me back. It's my own fault. Lord knows, I'd go through much worse if it meant ending up with you," Sam reassured Josie, as he wrapped her into a soft embrace. He held her close for a moment, and then said, "So, are you ready to face this madness?"
Josie looked up and rewarded him with one of her glorious smiles. "I'm ready if you are."
Sam, smiling back, gave her a squeeze and exclaimed, "Look out world, here we come!"
* * *