* * *
Sam spent that morning of the Prom trying not to think about his awful dream of the night before the dream where he'd abandoned Josie and she'd threatened to hurt him by marrying the mysterious "Gus".
'If I can just tell her tonight and make sure she understands,' he thought, trying to convince himself there was still some hope for them if he could somehow calm his nerves and get the words to come out right.
As the morning turned into afternoon, he realized that as much as he looked forward to this evening to seeing her and crowning her Prom Queen and of course dancing with her he was dreading it too. Really dreading it because of the dream and because of all his past failures to communicate his feelings to her.
After he'd accomplished quite a lot in the way of packing for his move, Sam decided to head out for the Country Club to make sure everything was set up as it was supposed to be for the Prom.
It was a warm day so he changed into his white shorts and navy blue golf shirt. As he pulled into the Country Club parking lot his heart skipped a beat as he recognized "Bambi." His elation at seeing the car Josie drove was brief as he remembered, thanks to his own entreaties Josie was now driving the newer, safer Buick. Still, this meant that Rob was around and 'Rob might be able to help me,' Sam thought optimistically.
Sam took the stairs two at a time as he prepared to walk into the formal ballroom where the Prom was to be held. Everything looked perfect all the chairs and tables were set up, including the tables for the cake and punch. Sam double-checked the stage then to make sure Josie's tiara was in place it was. The bouquet of flowers for her was also there just as planned. Everything was in order, 'except my emotions,' Sam thought nervously. If he was this nervous now, in the early afternoon, he knew he'd be a basket case by the time he saw Josie at the Prom.
'There's only two things left to do and we'll be all set for tonight,' he thought to himself. Sam walked up the side stairs leading to the upper level of the Country Club. There he set up a chair by one of the side windows so he could see everyone's arrival, most particularly Josie's. His intention was to plant himself there in an out of the way spot until time to make the announcements. That way he could see her costume, which he knew would be beautiful and hopefully keep a lid on his jealousy over seeing her with Guy Perkins. He knew he didn't dare get close to her until the announcements were made and he could ask for his much-anticipated dance with her.
He pulled his index cards out of the back pocket of his shorts. One had the names of the Princesses and Josie on it. The other had his list of things to try to remember to tell Josie.
The List of things to tell her read as follows:
1. Tell her she's beautiful 2. Ask her to dance 3. Tell her I broke up with Lara last week (Don't elaborate) 4. Tell her she's wonderful 5. Ask about Dartmouth 6. Tell her I love her
Sam had been studying the list on the card all morning on and off. Even with his photographic and usually flawless memory, he was having difficulty keeping the order straight. 'Maybe I should just show her the darned card,' he thought chuckling to himself at his own ineptitude where Josie was concerned. 'Maybe I can get her sympathy that way,' he mused. He knew though that this was one time he wanted to be sure and do things right.
"For once, Sam," he muttered.
As he was staring at the card, Sam heard a commotion on the main floor. Immediately he recognized Rob's voice along with Jason's. He realized they couldn't see him, but if he tiptoed to the edge of the staircase he could see and hear them clearly. He sucked in a nervous breath as he heard the mention of Josie's name.
"What's with Josie, anyway?" Jason asked.
"Beats me! I've wondered that for years!" Rob joked. "Why, what do you mean exactly?" He asked more seriously.
"She was up at the driving range earlier hitting balls like she wanted to kill somebody!" Jason explained. Sam smiled hopefully at the notion that she might still be around. Jason continued, "She said hi and everything, but she really seemed pissed. Did she and Guy have a fight?"
Sam's ears perked up at that idea. But he had a sneaky suspicion he knew at least part of the reason why Josie was upset and it had nothing to do with Guy Perkins.
Rob scratched his head and looked at Jason, as he proceeded to confirm Sam's suspicions. "She's not mad at Guy. I saw her earlier too. Something happened yesterday afternoon and she's upset about it. She just had to work off some steam, you know?"
"Yeah, I guess," Jason nodded. "But I was wondering do you think she really likes Guy? I mean like likes him?"
"She likes him enough to go to the Prom with him," Rob said as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Beyond that, I don't know for sure, but my guess is probably not. Why do you ask?"
"Well," Jason explained, "At the party at your house, remember when Guy took her into that bedroom to ask her to the Prom?"
Sam's eyebrow shot up as he felt jealousy overwhelm him at the idea of Guy and Josie alone in a bedroom. He bowed his head and held his breath nervously, bracing himself for the worst.
"Yeah, so?" Rob asked nonchalantly.
"Well, Guy said he asked her and then she said yes, you know to going to the Prom?" Rob nodded. "Anyway, he leaned over to kiss her and she pulled away and wouldn't let him. He told me ever since then she's avoided being alone with him. And I was thinking about what you said about her being hot and all "
Rob put his hand up. "Whoa, Jason! I never said that she was hot. I said she's amazing and she is," he said smiling with pride for his sister. "I think she's pretty particular about who she kisses. To tell you the truth, I think she has her eye on someone else." Sam smiled, hoping that he just might be that someone else.
"Oh," Jason said as he thought it over for a minute.
Sam breathed a sigh of relief as his heart swelled with pride at the notion of Josie refusing to kiss Guy and not wanting to kiss just anyone. And he certainly knew what Rob meant she was amazing, truly amazing.
"Hey Rob, after Prom, do you think she'd go out with me, if she's not, you know, interested in Guy that way? Do you think I might be that someone else?" Jason asked it grinning all the while.
Sam sighed looking dejectedly out the window at the idea of yet another would-be suitor for his Josie.
Rob squinted at Jason. Sometimes he wondered if these high school guys ever noticed anything going on around them. Apparently Jason hadn't.
"No, I don't think Josie would go out with you," Rob said firmly. "But I do think that Sera definitely might be interested in you." He added somewhat truthfully.
"She is?" Jason asked eagerly, quickly transferring his romantic interest from Josie to Sera.
"Yup, definitely," Rob smiled wisely. "I think Josie has other interests, if you know what I mean."
"Thanks Rob. Well gotta go. You leavin'?" Jason asked.
"No, not yet. I've got something to do. I'll see you later," Rob said, nodding.
"Later man," Jason said as he high-fived Rob and headed out the door.
As soon as Jason left Rob removed his shoes, picked up his cassette player and put it on the table. Sam watched, amused, as Rob looked around to make sure no one was watching as he pressed the "play" button. Shania Twain's "No One Needs to Know," started playing and Rob began singing at the top of his lungs:
"Am I dreamin', or stupid?
I think I've been hit by Cupid!
But no one needs to know right now
I met a tall, dark and handsome man
And I've been busy makin' big plans
But no one needs to know right now
Sam put his hand over his mouth to stifle his laughter as Rob commenced practicing his slide across the ballroom floor. Rob continued perfecting his slide as he finished singing the song and shut off the cassette player. Sam was suddenly reminded of Josie practicing her ice skating moves.
"Perfect!" Rob said out loud to himself. Sam was startled as he remembered this was the same thing Josie had said to herself when she was satisfied with her jump. 'Those two sure are alike,' Sam thought grinning as he cleared his throat and headed down the stairs.
Rob squinted when he recognized Sam coming down the steps towards him..
"Hi, Mr. C," he said quietly.
Sam noticed Rob seemed subdued and less outgoing than usual. Still he seemed friendly enough, just quiet. 'Josie told him about Lara answering the phone,' he realized suddenly, fully understanding Rob's hesitancy.
"Hi Rob." Sam answered, smiling nervously. "Still working on your moves?'
"Yeah, pretty much. Looks like you've got everything set up for tonight," Rob said, nodding appreciatively. Sam realized this was as serious as he'd ever seen Rob.
"I hope so," Sam agreed. "Are you just here to make sure you're slide's perfect?" He asked it grinning, trying to tease a response out of Rob."
"No, my mom made me come up and put a change of clothes in my dad's locker for tonight." Rob noticed Sam's puzzled expression. "You'll understand it when you see what I'm wearing my mom's nervous about it. I'm already in her doghouse, so I have to tow the line for a while," he explained, smiling slightly. "So did you see Josie while she was here earlier?" Rob asked it, studying Sam intently all the while.
To Rob, Mr. Coulson looked unusually tired and worried just like Josie did when he saw her on the driving range. He noticed how the man smiled and relaxed a little just at the mention of her name.
"No, I haven't seen her. Is she still here?" Sam asked it wistfully. Moving up the timetable for his scheduled talk with Josie would have been more than fine with him at this point.
Rob squinted a little, shaking his head. "Nah, she left about an hour ago to get ready for tonight. You know women and their hair and stuff like that," he explained, rolling his eyes.
Sam smiled a little in anticipation of just how beautiful he imagined Josie would look tonight in her Rosalind costume, with her hair styled differently. Rob noticed Mr. Coulson had that lovesick expression again the one he always wore when thinking about his older sister.
"So how did she seem when you saw her, I mean?" Sam asked in a worried voice.
In spite of himself, Rob felt sympathy for the man. "She seemed upset she had a rough day yesterday," Rob explained, studying Sam even more closely, wondering what really was going with Sam and that girlfriend of his. After Josie had left Anita's apartment this morning, Anita had called Rob and filled him in on everything about Gus and Sam and Josie's predicament. She'd also told Rob that Josie had headed off to the Driving Range to work off her frustrations alone.
When he'd arrived and attempted to talk to her, she'd blown him off, refusing to discuss anything with him. He had no idea what she planned to do now about anything. And Rob was more than a little concerned about what she might be planning to do at the Prom and apprehensive about how this might affect his own plans.
"Did she, um talk to you about it? What she was upset about I mean?" Sam asked expectantly, hoping Rob could shed some light on Josie's frame of mind.
"No. She told me to go away and that she'd see me tonight. She's coming to my house; then Guy's picking us up in the Limo and we're picking up Tracie from there." Rob explained. "She'll be okay, Mr. C. She's tougher than she looks, really." Rob said it trying to reassure Sam. He noticed the man's crestfallen expression at his failure to inform him about Josie's state of mind.
Sam knew it was a bad sign when Josie refused to talk about things with Rob. A bad sign for him at least. He thought about what Rob had said about their logistical plans for the evening.
"So, will the limo drop you and Josie back then at your parents' house?" He asked, curiously. 'That means Josie won't be riding alone with Guy,' he thought with no small measure of relief.
"Yup," Rob nodded. "Josie's leaving her car at my house. She'll drive herself home from there. She arranged it so she wouldn't have to wind up riding alone with Guy," Rob added, confirming Sam's suspicions.
"She's driving herself?" Sam asked it worriedly. "Isn't she wearing a gown?"
Rob chuckled. "Yeah, a gown and three inch high heels. She said she'll wear her tennis shoes to drive over and back. I want a picture of that one. I offered to go pick her up, but Josie's pretty independent and stubborn about taking care of herself," he explained.
"I'd like a picture of her driving like that too," Sam laughed, thinking about how adorable she'd look arriving at Rob's in a formal gown with her Nikes on her feet.
Rob noticed the wistful look on the man's face and felt sorry for him. He knew he had a big surprise coming and it would probably hurt him.
'At least I know Josie will protect him from Gus,' Rob thought to himself. 'But who will protect him from what he's going to find out about Josie?' He wondered, hoping that somehow he could help Sam when the time came. In spite of everything, Rob genuinely liked Sam.
"Well, I'd better be going Mr. C gotta get ready," Rob said with more enthusiasm than he felt. He wasn't looking forward to spending the evening with Tracie.
Rob had discovered that he was developing strong feelings of his own for a young woman named Caroline the kind of feeling that Mr. Coulson had for Josie and he empathized with him now more than ever.
"Yeah, me too, Rob. Gotta go home and get changed for tonight." Sam said as he resigned himself to returning to his dismal apartment and changing into his tuxedo.
Rob hesitated. "Mr C, can I ask you something?"
"Sure Rob. Anything," Sam said expectantly.
"I met this girl. It's not Tracie," Rob explained. Sam raised his eyebrows in surprise as Rob continued. "I met this girl and I think she and I were, you know, like the Prom theme, meant for each other. Like that thing Josie always preaches to me about waiting for the right person and all?"
Sam nodded. 'Oh boy do I ever know about that!' he thought to himself.
Rob continued to explain. "I know Tracie really likes me and I kind of boxed myself in by asking her to the Prom. How do I get through it without hurting Tracie, but still not being unfaithful to the other girl her name's Caroline?" Rob said with a dreamy expression of his own.
Sam looked at Rob with a surprised expression. Rob seemed very serious and troubled all of a sudden. It seemed very out of character for the normally relaxed and carefree Rob.
"Well, as I'm sure you know Rob, I'm no expert on relationships and I definitely don't know much about communicating my feelings to women. I mean I mean I've got a lot to learn in that department as I'm sure you've observed," Sam said, chuckling at himself.
Rob nodded and squinted.
"But I think if I were you, I'd tell Tracie, you're flattered by her liking you, but nothing is going to happen between you. I mean if she initiates something more than just being together and dancing. I think I'd make it clear up front that way she knows where she stands and this other girl Caroline won't have a reason to be upset, you know?"
"So, what you're saying is do the honorable thing, right?" Rob asked looking at Sam.
Sam studied his feet. "Yeah, I guess I'm saying do the honorable thing by being honest and maybe tonight I'll actually take a little of my own advice, Rob."
Sam looked up and realized Rob was grinning at him knowingly. "Sounds good to me, Mr. Coulson, for everybody's sake."
Rob said goodbye then and walked out the door. No matter what, he knew it'd be a Prom night they'd never forget.
As Sam watched Rob drive Bambi out of the parking lot, he suddenly remembered that in his preoccupation with Josie and his list, he'd completely forgotten to ask Rob his last name.
To be continued