This story is a continuation of "A Trip to Sam's Apartment", so if you haven't yet read it, I would suggest starting with that one first…
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters; I am simply taking them out for a test drive…
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With a hand on the small of her back, Sam led Josie down the stairs from his apartment and out to the front lawn. Then he wrapped his free arm (the one not holding his duffel) around her as they walked toward his parked car and said, "Thanks, Josie, for inviting me over. I have to admit that the chair would not have made for very comfortable sleeping…"
She smiled shyly at him and replied, "Glad to be of service."
"Can I make a little confession here?" Sam asked.
"Sure."
"I'm really glad you invited me to stay with you tonight. Ever since we left the game, I have been dreading having to say good night to you and then going home alone. After all, I've only just found you…again," Sam smiled at that. "I'm not ready to let go of this wonderful feeling just yet."
Josie blushed, looking a little guilty. "I know what you mean. I feel like that, too. Like I want to spend every waking moment for…well, forever…finding out who Sam Coulson is and finding more things about him to love."
Sam's heart swelled. She was so beautiful, inside and out. "You know, I think that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me." With that, he reached down and opened the passenger side door to let Josie inside. Once she was inside, he closed her door with a firm click and walked around to the driver's side. After opening the door, he grabbed the release lever to fold down the front seat, tossed his bag into the back and righted the back of the seat. Then he folded himself into the seat and closed the door.
Josie proceeded to give him directions to her apartment. He listened, nodded, picturing the route in his mind as she spoke. Then Sam started up the car, confident that he could find his way there. His way home, Sam thought to himself, smiling.
"This still seems so unreal to me," Josie said, looking over at Sam as he drove. "I can't believe that you're here with me right now. After the way things ended at the prom, I never thought I'd convince you to come back to me. I only knew that I had to try, no matter the cost to myself or to my dignity. I would not have been able to live with myself if I didn't try. All I kept thinking about while writing that article was how you told me once how you thought I was a gifted writer and that I just needed to 'find my story'. If there was ever a story I needed to find, this was it. "
"Well, I was right about you being a gifted writer, that's for sure," Sam agreed. "Any man who did not come back to you after reading that story would have been out of his mind, Josie. I have never read anything before that touched me so deeply. Granted, it was written to me, about me. But still, look at the thousands of other people it touched, people who could relate to the pain and embarrassment of feeling inadequate or unloved. It's a feeling that everyone has in common, but not many people are brave enough to talk about it. I am still amazed at the strength it took for you to go through such an awful experience twice." Sam picked up her hand and placed a small kiss on her upturned palm, never taking his eyes off the road.
Josie's insides melted from the light touch of Sam's lips to her sensitive palm. "Well, having you there the second time certainly made it more bearable," she said. "Actually, you had a lot to do with my being able to discover – and like -- myself in the first place. I thought, 'If someone this wonderful likes me, then I must be doing something right.' "
Sam was very touched by her words. "You had a lot to do with me figuring out what I wanted from my life as well, Josie."
"You?" Josie asked, stunned. "That can't be. You always seemed so sure of yourself, of what you wanted, where you were going in life."
Sam explained, "You, of all people, should know that what we show to the world and what we hide inside of ourselves are often very different things. I knew that I loved to teach, that much is true. I loved the idea that I could reach these kids; that I could instill in them a love of reading and literature to stay with them for the rest of their lives. But as far as what I wanted in my personal life, I was a little clueless."
"You see," Sam continued, slowing the car as he turned onto Josie's street, "I met Lara when we were in college. She was a very different person when we first met: more carefree, more open, more accepting of our differences. I loved the person that she was then. But then we graduated; I came back here to teach, and she went to New York to work on Wall Street. I'm not sure what happened, but once she got there, she changed. Or maybe it was just her true nature coming out, I don't know. But all of a sudden, it mattered what other people thought of her; what other people thought of me. She had to have more, be more, and she wanted me to fall in line as the responsible, respectable boyfriend expected of someone in her position."
"They sort of happened gradually, the changes to our relationship. At first, it was just little things, like the fact that I loved to play hockey, while she wouldn't be caught dead near a sporting event. It was 'undignified', she'd said. It was after one particularly nasty argument about my giving up hockey that she threw away my old Gordie Howe helmet," he admitted.
Josie watched him and the expressions crossing his face, but simply allowed him to talk, knowing he needed to do this.
Sam continued, "But then it was other things about me. My taste in music, the way I dressed, even my profession. None of it was good enough for her. She was constantly insinuating that I was not lovable the way I was; that I had to change myself to make her happy, to be happy myself. And…I think I had started to believe it. I was starting to feel that there was something wrong with me for not wanting to 'grow up' and live the sort of life that Lara was trying to force on me."
"So, it was very lucky indeed that I found you when I did, because until you came into my life, I never thought I'd find someone to accept and love me for the person that I really wanted to be," Sam concluded.
Sam had parked the car in front of Josie's place and shut off the motor. Josie leaned over and wrapped her arms around Sam comfortingly. "Well, I may not know everything there is to know about you – yet, but I know who you are inside, Sam, and I am completely in love with that person." She gave him a squeeze.
Sam hugged back, smiling into her neck. God, she was amazing. Just being held by her like this soothed the raw spots in his soul he had just revealed.
Josie quipped, "I think I'll write that woman a thank you note. 'Thanks for not realizing what a wonderful man you had.' She had to be out of her mind not to appreciate you."
Sam laughed as Josie pulled away and he saw the mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "Sure, rub it in. Somehow, I don't think she'd appreciate the humor, though." And they laughed together.
They got out of the car and Sam retrieved his duffel bag from the back seat. Then he took his first good look at where Josie lived. It was a charming little house, probably built in the Forties or so, with a decorative wrought iron fence surrounding it. Just the sort of place he could imagine her in.
Josie opened the gate and led the way up the front walkway and inside. She stopped at the door of her first floor apartment and fished around in her purse for her keys. Good thing Rob had held it out to her as she walked by the dugout tonight or she would have forgotten it entirely, Josie thought. Of course, after the searing kisses she had received from Sam, it was a wonder she could remember her own name…
Sam took one look inside her apartment and smiled. It was warm and inviting and comfortable. Just like Josie. It had a large living room with a bay window that overlooked the street. There was a cute loveseat in the window with a wicker coffee table in front of it. Off to the left side of the room was the matching sofa and the TV stand. To the right was a rather worn, but comfortable looking chair. All along the right side wall of the room were built-in bookshelves. They were brimming with books. On the floor in the corner was a large aquarium tank. Sam walked over and crouched down to inspect its contents.
Josie dropped her purse on the kitchen counter, kicked off her shoes and came over to crouch down behind him, looking over his shoulder as she commented, "Meet my turtles Rosie and Goldie." Smiling, she continued, "Short for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern."
"Hamlet?" Sam questioned, grinning.
"Yep. Shakespeare is my favorite. My turtles are both male, though, so I couldn't go with the more obvious choice of 'Romeo and Juliet'."
Sam bit back a smile and nodded sagely.
"However, I'd have to admit that 'As You Like It' is one of my favorite plays," Josie said.
An image of Josie dressed as Rosalind from the prom immediately surfaced in his mind. "Mine too…now." Sam cleared his throat and continued, "I have a whole new respect for it."
He studied her intently, seeing that she understood what he was saying. She also saw how much their love story mimicked that particular Shakespearean drama.
He placed one hand against the floor for balance and then leaned in to kiss her, pulling her toward him with the other arm. She came readily, willingly.
After a moment, Sam pulled back and drank in the sight of her. She was the very picture of romantic femininity in her soft pink dress. She was beautiful and smart, innocent and sexy, all at once. He rubbed his knuckles down her cheek for a moment before moving to stand, pulling her up with him.
She blushed prettily at his continued gaze. Then she said awkwardly, "Um, if we're staying in tonight, do you mind if I change?"
His mind wandered dangerously at the idea of her removing that dress, but he quickly reined in his wayward thoughts. "Sure, go ahead and get comfortable. That's fine with me."
She stood up on tiptoe to brush a light kiss on his cheek and headed off to the bedroom and closed the door. After a moment, Sam could hear the rustle of material as if she were pulling the dress up over her head. He felt a wave of heat hit him like a lightning bolt. Out of nowhere came a picture in his mind of her standing just behind that door clad in nothing but a bra and underwear. It was all he could do to stop himself from storming across the room, opening the door, kissing her senseless, and God knew what else.
Get a grip, Sam, he told himself. There would be plenty of time in their lives for that. Right now, it was more important for them to get to know each other in other ways. Trying to regain control over his now-raging hormones, he walked into the kitchen to be away from the sounds of her undressing. He even opened the freezer and stuck his head in for a minute, letting the cold air slap his face. He was sure that if Josie had come out at that second, his face would have been beet red from the heat of his thoughts (not to mention the embarrassment at being caught with his head in the freezer).
Feeling a little better, Sam ambled back into the living room to examine Josie's book collection more closely. It seemed that she owned all of the classics: Herman Melville, Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck, Charles Dickens, Jane Austin, J. D. Salinger, Thomas Hardy, James Joyce, the Bronte sisters. She also had many tomes of poetry including Emily Dickenson, Robbie Burns, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Walt Whitman, Robert and Elizabeth Browning. There were some reference books that had to do with journalism and copyediting. She even owned an immense copy of the Unabridged Oxford English Dictionary, by far the most complete dictionary of the English Language.
He smiled after seeing the dictionary. No wonder she could give the definition, root, and origin of the word "pastoral." He didn't doubt that she could define many words more difficult than that.
At the bottom of one of the corner shelves, Sam noticed a couple of board games, forlorn and forgotten. He reached down and grabbed the box marked "Scrabble." He had always been notoriously good at the game, his background in English giving him an edge over other players; so much so that his friends in college began to refuse to play with him. Maybe he could convince Josie to play. He suspected that if anyone could give him a run for his money at this game, it would be her.
After a moment, Josie appeared, wearing blue jeans and a light colored sweatshirt that had "Northwestern" emblazoned across it. Sam smiled and asked the obvious, "So, you went to Northwestern?"
Josie nodded. "Double major in English and Journalism."
Sam grinned and joked, "I'm glad. I was starting to think that you'd actually gone to Dartmouth."
Josie laughed, and then her face fell. "Oh, no. What about the admissions guy from Dartmouth? How are we going to explain this?"
"I'm not sure yet, but it will make for an interesting conversation, " he replied. "Since we're on the subject of colleges, I'm a Yale grad. Studied English Literature with minors in History and Education. Big surprise, considering I'm an English Lit teacher," he joked.
Josie was impressed, but not surprised. Sam was an extremely intelligent man. She looked at the box in his hand and questioned, "Scrabble?"
"Yeah. I love this game. No one will play with me anymore, though, because I always win," he said, grinning wickedly.
"That's because you haven't played the master," Josie returned, accepting the challenge. "My friends don't call me 'the walking dictionary' for nothing."
"Okay, then. If you'll set up the game, I'm going to take my turn at changing."
"Sure. The bathroom is right that way, through the bedroom," Josie said, pointing off toward the way she had come.
Sam grabbed the handles of his bag and headed off for the bathroom. He stopped at the doorway of the bathroom (out of Josie's line of sight) to turn around and admire her bedroom. It was sweetly feminine, as he knew it would be. The room was a soft yellow color that made him think of sunshine and summer days. The curtains in the window perfectly matched the bedspread on the bed. The armoire, the bed stand, and the headboard all matched, as well.
Sam then looked to the corner of the room where the door to her walk-in closet was ajar. Through it he could see her "Rosalind" dress hanging on a side hook. His breath caught in his throat for a moment as he remembered how amazing Josie had looked in that dress. Sam silently vowed that someday he would see her in it again, but this time, she would be wearing it for him…and they would most definitely be alone.
By the time Sam emerged from the bedroom, barefoot and dressed in a white T-shirt and sweatpants, Josie had the Scrabble board and tiles all set up and ready to go. He sat down, crossed his legs and picked a tile. So did Josie. Sam picked an "L"; Josie picked a "B", signaling she was to have the first play. "Lead on MacDuff," he quipped, quoting a line from MacBeth.
It did not take long for Sam to see that Josie was not kidding when she said she was a master at the game. For the first time in a long time, he felt like he was truly being tested, and he liked it.
The score was very close, and it was Josie's turn to play.
Josie was grinning from ear to ear as she played "qiviut" horizontally across the board, with the "t" in the far right column, three squares under the triple word score space. "Ten, plus four, plus four ones is eighteen. Double word score. That's thirty-six points," she said.
"All right," Sam protested, "what the heck is 'qiviut'?"
"Are you challenging me?" she asked, sounding rather pleased with herself.
Sam put his hands up in mock surrender. "No thanks; I learned the hard way what happens when I challenge you. Come on, put me out of my misery…tell me what it is."
"Qiviut is the wooly undercoat of the musk ox, usually used to make fabric. Derived from the Inuit Indian language," Josie recited.
Sam simply shook his head in amazement. "My God, you ARE a walking dictionary!" But he was smiling as he said it, proud of her incredible memory. Sam looked at the board and then looked at his tiles. Then he looked at the board again.
He smiled triumphantly as he played a word off of the "t" in qiviut. "Zygote. Ten, plus four, plus two, plus one, plus one, plus two for the 'e' double letter score. Triple word score. Sixty points."
Sam ended up winning that game…barely. Josie vowed revenge as they played again. This time she was the winner by a sound 15 points. By the end of the second game, it was a little after 10 p.m., so they decided to call it quits for the evening.
Josie went into the kitchen to get a snack for them while Sam tried to find something interesting to watch on TV. He eventually settled on the last half of an old movie. Josie came back carrying a bag of Oreos and a pint of chocolate ice cream.
"Ooh, that looks good, which one of those is for me?" Sam inquired.
"Both, silly. You dip the Oreos in the ice cream."
"I've never tried that, but it sounds sinful," he rejoined. Josie took a cookie out of the bag, used it like a chip to scoop up some ice cream and held it out for Sam. Sam leaned forward to take a bite just as Josie went to feed it to him, which resulted in a big glob of ice cream smearing on the end of Sam's nose.
Josie took one look at the sight of Sam with Double Dutch Chocolate dripping off his nose and started laughing, laying back on the floor, holding her stomach to help her breathe.
Smiling, Sam wiped his nose with the side of his hand and said, "So you think that's funny, huh?" With that, he dipped two fingers into the ice cream container and proceeded to finger paint the frozen confection across Josie's forehead.
Josie sat up with mock insult, giggling. "Hey, at least I didn't do it on purpose…but I will now!" She lunged for the pint carton, but Sam was just a little bit faster.
"Nuh-uh, I don't want any more 'decoration', thank you." Sam was grinning, crouched down but holding the pint-sized container high in the air, while Josie knelt and tried to maneuver a way to grab it out of his hand. And then, in her battle for control of the ice cream carton, Josie leaned just a little too far forward and felt herself losing her balance. Sam tried to brace himself -- too late -- and ended up getting bowled over backwards by Josie…
Crunch!
Sam landed right on top of the nearly full Oreo bag. He was able to keep the ice cream from tipping over, but could not brace his body for the impact of Josie landing squarely on top of him. His breath left his body with a whoosh from the impact.
It took a moment for the two of them to realize how they had ended up, limbs tangled up around each other. They looked each other in the eye with growing awareness…and then a fat drop of ice cream from Josie's forehead plopped on Sam's left cheek.
"Ha!" Josie cried triumphantly, "I got you after all!" The two of them laughed together for a moment before Sam said, "Okay, I need to get up now; I've got Oreos sticking me in the back." Josie laughed, rolled off of Sam, and then put out a hand to help him up. He took it.
They looked down at the Oreo package; the cookies were completely crushed. Josie giggled again. "Well, I guess no Oreos tonight." Josie felt the melted ice cream start to drip down the side of her face and said, "I'm going to go clean up." She turned to go, but Sam stayed her movement. He was looking very intently at her all of a sudden and she felt her mouth go dry in response.
Then he leaned in to kiss her…but not on her mouth. He kissed her forehead where it was sticky from the ice cream. Actually, it was more like half- kissing, half-licking. Whatever it was, it was making her knees go weak. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders for support. Sam then traced a frantic path of small kisses down the side of her face, ending up near her ear. His ragged breath on her earlobe gave her a shiver of delight. Then, he rested his forehead on her shoulder momentarily before taking a step backward.
Sam's eyes were smoldering and dangerous. He never took them off her as he whispered in a hoarse voice, "Maybe you ought to go clean up now."
Josie may not have been the most experienced person when it came to physical attraction, but there was no mistaking the desire glittering in Sam's eyes. He was giving her a chance to escape while she still could, while he could still let her. She nodded silently and bid a hasty retreat to the bathroom.
Sam stood there for a moment, watching Josie practically run for the bathroom and shut the door. Then he rubbed a hand over his face and took a deep breath. He sat heavily in the armchair and looked at his hands. They were actually shaking.
He was stunned at how quickly being near Josie pushed him to the brink of his control. It wasn't as if he hadn't done this before. It was amazing how new if felt, though, with Josie. It was almost as if he were in an entirely different league with her. And, he supposed, he was. He had never really been in love before, although, at times, it had seemed that way to him. Now he knew better; now he knew the difference.
Well, he wasn't going to start acting like some oversexed 17-year-old just because she brought out emotions in him that he now realized he'd never had. He was just going to have to be more careful until he had a better handle on it, that was all.
With that decided, he got up and walked into the kitchen. He stood in front of the sink, turned the cold-water tap and splashed water on his face. Turning off the water, he grabbed a nearby dishtowel and dried himself. Then, dropping the towel on the counter, he went back into the living room and picked up the mess from the Oreos, put the cover back on the now-half-melted ice cream, and placed it in the freezer.
Sam was just returning to the living room from the kitchen when Josie reappeared. There were a few tendrils of hair surrounding her face that were still damp from her washing off her face. He gently smiled at the sight, and Josie gave him a tentative smile in return. Then he motioned to the couch and said, "Why don't we talk, okay?"
Josie studied him for a moment and then said shyly, "Okay." She sat at one end of the sofa; Sam sat at the other.
They sat in awkward silence for a moment before Josie spoke. "You asked me earlier why George had said those things about a story on you. Well, the whole truth is that it was my assignment to write about what was happening between us, not that I had any intention of writing it. You see, oh gosh! You don't even know about that yet!" She almost sounded like she was talking to herself instead of him. "Let me start again. You know that wings pin I used to wear?"
"Yes, I remember it. You wore it all the time."
"Well, in reality, it was a surveillance camera. I had already messed up a chance on a really good story that ended up running in the Tribune. My boss, Gus, was really upset with me. So, he made me wear this hidden camera and microphone that recorded everything. He said he'd review the tapes each day and find a story for me," Josie explained. Then she waited.
"Yes, okay…but what does that have to do with…." And then the full meaning of what she was saying hit him.
Josie saw the realization dawning on Sam's face. She continued, "Yes. Everything I – or anyone else around me – did or said was being recorded for posterity. He, and apparently, just about everyone else in the office, watched our budding attraction like it was some sort of soap opera. Gus was the one who decided that 'Teachers who get too close to their students' was to be my story."
It pained Josie to see the hurt in Sam's eyes from this revelation. "So, every time we were together, people were watching us?"
"Yes. I'm so sorry, Sam. But the whole camera thing started way before anything developed between us. I had no idea that the whole thing would blow up in my face. I already knew that I would never write a story like the one Gus wanted me to write, but I still hadn't found something else to write about." Josie sighed and shrugged.
"At the prom, when we were dancing, I had decided that I just could not lie to you anymore. I loved you too much. I was going to tell you everything in the hope that you would forgive me. I took off that stupid pin and ground it beneath my heel. I didn't want anyone to have enough proof to write that story about you, even if it meant losing my job." Josie looked up at him, a pleading look in her eyes, begging him to understand.
Sam sat quietly for a minute assimilating all the information she'd just revealed. He was feeling all kinds of things at once. He was embarrassed at the thought that anyone in Josie's office could at any time have been watching them. He was angry at Josie's boss that he didn't believe in her enough to let her find her own story, and also because the guy had would have ruined Sam's life with this story. But he was very proud of Josie for standing up to her boss, to all of the kids at school, to him. When the moment of truth had come, she had chosen to take the more difficult path, simply because it was the right thing to do.
He scooted over on the couch to sit next to her and then held both her hands in his. "I won't lie to you and tell you that what you just told me didn't hurt and upset me, because it did. But, in the end, you decided to take the hard road in order to try and spare me the consequences. And that means more to me than the hurt caused by those earlier decisions, that's for sure. It was a very brave thing to do, and I am proud that you were able to stand your ground against everyone, including me, to do what you knew to be right." Then he picked up her hands and kissed the backs of them.
Josie felt the warm tears sliding down her face, but was helpless to stop them. Telling Sam this part of their story was her greatest fear. She had been terrified that he would no longer love her after hearing what she had been doing to him, however unintentional and innocent it had been at the start. But now she saw that wasn't going to happen. Her tears were of joy and relief.
Sam turned Josie slightly and pulled her into his arms, just holding her and letting her cry until she felt better. When her sobs had stopped, he said encouragingly, "Everything's going to be all right now. You know that, don't you?"
He felt her nod and then she lifted her head to wipe away the last of her tears. The teary, but adoring, look she gave Sam made his heart ache. He leaned over and kissed her tenderly, rubbing little circles on Josie's back with his hands.
Meanwhile, the TV movie that Sam had selected (and then forgotten) ended. Between commercials, the station played a trailer for the upcoming 11 o'clock news. They both turned to stare at the television, jaws dropped, at what they saw and heard.
The screen showed a female reporter standing in the stands of the baseball stadium saying, "Who is Sun-Times reporter Josie Geller's mystery man? Did he or didn't he show up? Find out these answers… and more…on Channel 6 news…next."
Josie placed a hand over her still-open mouth, half from shock and half from trying to keep a giggle from escaping. Her shoulders shook in silent mirth. Looking over her shoulder and seeing Sam's expression, she lost control and fell back against him laughing.
He had known this was going to happen, didn't he? Sam thought. Then why was he so surprised? "We made the 11 o'clock news?!"
Still giggling, Josie said, "Lead story, no less."
Sam rubbed a hand down his face. "God, I'm never going to live this down in the teacher's lounge…" But he was grinning.
The commercials ended and the news program began. Josie settled in against Sam to watch the story about them unfold on the screen.
The news anchor announced, "Newspaper reporter Josie Geller got her wish tonight in a dramatic ending to her article 'Never Been Kissed', which appeared in today's issue of the Chicago Sun-Times. Geller, who had been posing as a student at South Glen South High School for the last two months and was crowned the school's Prom Queen earlier this week, caused a citywide phenomenon with her unorthodox article."
"Along with describing her two extraordinary experiences in high school, the story included an apology and a declaration of love for one of South Glen South's teachers, who was left unnamed in the article."
"In a bid to win back his affection, Geller attended tonight's Illinois State Baseball Championship game, held at South Glen's own Memorial Stadium, where their team was to play for the title. Here with more is Channel 6's own Amanda Ferrara."
Then the woman from the trailer appeared on the screen in what was now an empty stadium. "As promised in her article, Josie Geller stood alone out on the pitcher's mound for five minutes before the game was scheduled to start, waiting for her mystery man to appear and kiss her as a sign of his forgiveness. Thousands of people jammed the stands, the tops of nearby buildings, and the streets surrounding the stadium, cheering her name and holding up signs and copies of her newspaper article in support. Thousands more throughout the city sat by their television sets and radios and waited as time ticked off the clock."
"The roaring crowd went still as the five minutes elapsed and Geller's mystery man did not arrive. Geller, looking stunned, dropped the microphone from her hand, and the sound echoed through the silent stadium."
"But, in a dramatic ending fit for any fairy tale," -- they cut to videotape of the moment -- "he magically appeared, wading through the crowd and out onto the field to claim his prize."
Josie felt a blush color her cheeks as she watched the very romantic moment replayed on the television screen. Sam gave her a little encouraging squeeze. "I didn't even notice there was a crowd, or cameras or anything, " Josie said.
"Neither did I," Sam replied. "Not until much later."
The reporter continued, "Geller's mystery man has been identified as Samuel Coulson," -- a black and white picture of him flashed across the screen -- "an English teacher at the high school. Coulson, 27, has been teaching at South Glen South for the past three years."
"Yearbook picture… and I'm not 27 until August," Sam corrected, as if the reporter could hear him.
"Samuel?" Josie teased. Sam gave her a playful poke in the ribs.
"Students and fans alike cheered in unanimous approval." Then they cut to a spot with Gibby, Kristen, and Kirsten, preening for the camera. Josie smiled and rolled her eyes. "I'm so happy for them," Gibby squealed. Kirsten finished, "Yeah, Josie is so awesome and Mr. Coulson is really cool. They make a great couple."
Both Sam and Josie chuckled at that.
Then, a middle-aged woman from the crowd, dressed in a smart-looking suit was saying, "I drove all the way across town after work to be here. This was the most romantic thing I've witnessed in my entire life. Best wishes to them. I hope everything works out."
Cutting back to the female reporter, she concluded, "And apparently, the happy ending was a good omen for the South Glen Rams, as they went on to beat the Ridgefield Raiders 5-2, winning the state championship. Back to you, Chet."
"Thanks, Amanda. And in other news…." Josie got up and turned off the TV.
"You know," she said, thoughtfully, "this is going to get worse before it gets better. If we made the news tonight, then you can bet we'll be plastered on every newspaper in the city tomorrow."
"Ugh," Sam grunted. Then he smiled and said, "It was worth it, though; definitely." And he leaned down and kissed her nose.
Josie blushed at the compliment. "Speaking of tomorrow," she continued, "we both have to work. Maybe we should call it a night?"
"Yeah, that sounds like a plan," Sam replied.
Josie got back up and headed toward her bedroom. "Hold on a minute and I'll get you a pillow and blanket."
"Thanks," he called after her. In a moment, she returned with a fluffy pillow, a sheet, and a light cotton blanket. "I hope you're comfortable enough here," she said.
"I'm sure it will be fine. Heck, it's a lot better then that chair back at my place," he assured her.
"Okay, then…good night," she finished a little awkwardly.
He smiled at her and returned, "Good night. See you in the morning."
With that, she turned and went into the bedroom and closed the door. Sam turned and deftly flicked open the sheet and laid it over the couch. Then, he dropped the pillow onto the end of the couch closest to the window, figuring he'd face away from the moonlight streaming through the bay window. Next, he shook out the blanket, climbed onto the couch and covered himself with the blanket.
All in all, a very satisfying day, Sam thought to himself, as he placed his hands behind his head. Especially considering that it had started with him thinking that he had lost his one true love forever. Heck, he'd thought that he'd never had it in the first place. It was truly a miracle that he happened to see that article before he accidentally used it for packing. He thanked God for that. He was so lucky, he concluded, to have found someone as wonderful as Josie. He was absolutely sure that they would be together for the rest of their lives. It was going to be a very interesting journey, and Sam was looking forward to it. With a smile, he turned over and drifted off to sleep.
A while later, Sam found himself suddenly awake. At first, he wasn't sure why, but then he sensed a presence in the room with him. Josie. Without turning over, he quietly inquired, "Josie, is that you?"
After a moment's hesitation, Josie answered, "Yes, it's me." She stepped out of the shadows into the light streaming in from the bay window.
Sam turned to look at her at the sound of her voice and then stared dumbly at what he thought must be an angelic apparition. There stood Josie in a beam of moonlight, the white light glowing off the gold of her hair and making the white of her long, flowing cotton nightgown seem almost bluish. He could barely breathe.
"I didn't mean to wake you," Josie apologized, twisting her hands together nervously.
Sam found his voice and answered, "That's okay, I was awake."
Josie knew this wasn't true, since she had been standing there watching him sleep for quite a while, but she appreciated his concern for her feelings.
Then, Sam noticed the troubled look on her face. Half sitting up, he asked, "Josie? What's the matter?"
She sighed and replied, "I can't sleep. I keep having bad dreams."
"What about?" Sam asked. "Maybe I can help."
Josie shrugged one shoulder and confessed, "I keep dreaming that I'm standing out on that ball field and you don't show up. All I can think of is how I don't know how I'm going to walk myself off that field, forget about what I will do for the rest of my life. And how I'm still the same loser I was seven years ago. Otherwise, why wouldn't you come? So, finally, to reassure myself that the dream wasn't real, I came out here to see you." She sounded choked up.
Sam certainly felt choked up, listening to her. He held out his hand and beckoned her to come. She walked over and sat next to him on the couch, allowing him to wrap her in his arms. She rested her head on his shoulder.
Then he had an idea of how he could help. "Josie, why don't you stay with me here on the couch? I very much doubt you could have that dream again if I'm right here with you."
She looked a little doubtful, but Sam simply lifted up the blanket and said, "Come on, I won't bite."
She smiled at him a moment, and then climbed under the blanket. They turned over and tried to make room for each other. Finally, Sam pulled her close so that her head was resting on his shoulder and one arm and leg were draped across his body. Then he wrapped his arms around her. She snuggled into his embrace and soon her breathing became slower and more rhythmic. Sam could tell she was drifting off to sleep.
Holding her was absolutely wonderful; it felt better than he ever could have imagined. It felt right. Right where she was supposed to be, right where he was supposed to be. In each other's arms, forever.
Placing a soft kiss on the top of Josie's head, he smiled. Everything was perfect.
* * *