Understanding the Heart
Chapter 16
Jack wasted no time in parking and alighting from his car. Once he had been able to confirm Samantha's whereabouts, the puzzle pieces started falling into place and he did not feel so nervous anymore. Somehow, the knowledge that Samantha had chosen this very place, Oakham Mount, to be her special refuge, made him feel more confident and at ease. Perhaps there was hope for him after all and Samantha would not completely disregard or resent his unannounced presence.
Jack made short work of climbing up the hilly path that led to the very pinnacle of Oakham Mount. As he rounded the bend in the path, Jack stumbled upon Samantha sitting with her back towards him as she faced the ravine before them, looking down into the vibrant city below. Samantha had not heard his arrival and Jack paused to suck in a short breath before continuing.
The afternoon was perfect. The sun was shining in the cloudless sky above and it smiled upon them and the earth. The sky was a perfect blue, not too light, not too dark - it was the same color as the Mediterranean Sea. Only white, virgin beaches did not line the sky - a mountain range did. In the hazy hue of the warm weather, Jack could hardly make out where the green topped mountain caps and the blue sky met in the distance. He breathed in deeply, taking in the perfume of spring air, which wafted its way around in the gentle winds, dancing and prancing, enticing the senses.
As much as Jack appreciated the finer enjoyments of nature's magnificence, his attentions were not focused on the splendor of the afternoon. Instead, he was completely enraptured with the vision that lay just ahead of him Jack slightly altered his position so that he could catch a better glimpse of her face highlighted in the beaming ray of sunlight. After scurrying around town for the entire afternoon, he had never beheld a sweeter countenance.
Jack could see that Samantha was reading something. Pride and Prejudice, I bet, Jack thought. The sunlight caught the cover of the book as Samantha raised it ever so slightly. Even from a distance, Jack recognized it at once. How often had he seen it resting on her bookshelf, on the kitchen table, on the coffee table, by her bedside... the book traveled everywhere and today, it had traveled here to keep Samantha company. No wonder she's oblivious to the world.
From time to time, Samantha would raise her right hand to flip a page. Jack's eyes caressed her hand, wondering what it would feel like in his own hand. As he stood speculating, Samantha folded the book in her left hand and let it slip to the ground. She wrapped her arms around her knees, hugging herself and rocking slowly back and forth. Her right hand then brushed against her eye, wiping away something that resembled a tear. Samantha's shoulders were shaking by now and it became obvious to Jack, even from where he was standing that she was crying. Jack's heart wrenched to see her as thus and it pained him to think that he might be the cause of all her sufferings.
Instinct made him want to rush to her side, put his arms around her and let Samantha lean against his chest as she cried. He had always been her comforter in the past and he longed to fill that role now. But things had changed and he was no longer assured of his position. He was hesitant and at a loss as to what to do.
Should I go to her? What if she wants to be alone? Should I let her be? What do I do? The internal conflicts continued and still Jack was no closer to an answer. Tapping his chin thoughtfully, he finally came to a conclusion. He had not come this far only to turn around and leave. He would be resolute and firm in his position. Determination in hand, Jack pushed forward.
As he drew nearer to Samantha's seat, the crunching of the grass and the leaves underneath his shoes drew Samantha's attention away from her cogitations. Samantha did not turn around though; she merely tilted her head ever so faintly to the left. She did not need to see him to know who had come.
Jack sat down beside her, to her right, and offered her a tissue out of his coat pocket. Samantha refused the offering by looking away and down into her arms, which were folded over her bended knees. Meanwhile, Jack reached down to pick up the fallen book. He raised his eyebrows when he saw that it was indeed Samantha's most prized possession, Pride and Prejudice - not that he had ever been in any doubt of his surmise. Brushing off the dirt from its cover, Jack placed it back down in between them. A moment later, Samantha's eyes reappeared, but Jack could not see them for they were not directed at him, but rather at the valley down below.
Jack followed her eyes and looked at the city bustling with life too. But up where they were, at Oakham Mount, it was the complete opposite. There were no towering buildings, no deafening traffic, and no mass throngs of pedestrians. It was just Samantha and Jack and the silent sounds of their breathing.
If Jack could have seen the way Samantha's eyes were filled with sorrow at that moment, his heart would have broken. As it was, he was already beginning to feel disturbed in her presence. All of the sudden, now that he had finally found her and was sitting beside her, Jack had no idea what to say or do. It was as if all coherent thoughts had flown instantaneously away at the sight of her. It did not help Jack to see Samantha in so much distress, especially when he knew that he was the reason for it. So, they sat in silence - but not one of their usual pleasant and agreeable silences, instead it was a morose and heavy silence.
A thin trickle of tears slowly rolled its way down Samantha's face. Jack really could not stand to see her crying in that manner. Samantha was not meant for tears. It was her place to be always happy and optimistic, ideal and hopeful, not torn and sad, or dejected and pained.
"Samantha," he gently began, placing his hand on her arm. The warmth from his hand seared up Samantha's arm, sending a rampant shock that went coursing throughout the rest of her body.
"Why are you here?" Samantha whispered morosely. She tried to shake off the feelings Jack was stirring up inside of her from his mere presence. "You shouldn't be here. I wanted to be alone this afternoon."
Jack looked at her sadly. Jack felt a stabbing pain in her heart, hearing her say that. She who had always said that she would always welcome his presence. Had things really changed that much in one week? "I have always said I'd be here for you, Samantha... and I thought we might have a little talk."
"What do you want from me?" Samantha groaned.
He gave up hoping that she would turn her gaze away from the horizon in front of her to look at him. "I broke up with Meghan," Jack stated simply.
"I know."
It was Jack's turn to be shocked. "You do?"
Samantha nodded and silently handed him Meghan's letter, which she fished out of her pockets. Ever since it had come into her possession, she had never let it out of her sight, carrying it with her everywhere she went.
Jack whistled as he finished it. "Wow, I had no idea she'd written this letter to give to you."
Samantha did not answer him. Instead, she continued to look away and stare out into the empty, silent sky. Jack followed her gaze. "It's true though, you know."
Samantha's head whipped around in surprise. "What?" The question came out harsher than she had intended it to and Jack winced.
He looked down and began to scuff his toe against the damp mud. "Everything she wrote is completely true. It's sad, but I really didn't know my own heart until she forced me to take a good look at it."
He laughed dryly and somewhat bitterly, "It's kind of ironic if you think about it, wouldn't you agree? It takes my girlfriend to point it out for me - to see that I don't love her, but am in love with someone else."
Samantha was shocked by his admission. Is this for real? "You can't possibly be serious?" Jack looked hurt by her question and Samantha felt a little guilty for making him feel hurt, but after so many years of yearning and pining, she was now doubtful.
"Why shouldn't I be serious, Sam?" Jack asked. "Why should you find it so unbelievable that I could be in love with someone who is as wonderful as you?"
"Because you've known me for over six years now. And in all those years of friendship, you have not once given me a second glance. Sure, you've cared about me and wanted my company, but only as a friend, never as anything more." Samantha did not know if she was whining, wailing or what. All she knew were her pent up frustrations.
"I know I'm not pretty like Meghan and I'm..." Jack silenced Samantha by putting a finger up to her lips.
"No, you're not pretty like Meghan. You're prettier than her. It's not just your physical beauty, Sam; it's everything else too. Your sweetness, your generosity, your considerateness, your thoughtfulness and your propensity to think well of the world... these are all characteristics that I adore and admire in you. Your love of life, your humor, your wit and vivacity, your intelligence... these are all the characteristics that make me want to be with you always. Indeed, Sam. As lovely as you are on the outside, it is your beauty within that makes you shine and sets you apart from all the other women I have ever known in my life."
Samantha blushed a crimson red. Jack had finally said the words she had longed to hear for so long, but now dreaded to hear. What kind of ramifications would this admittance bring alongside it she wondered. She held her breath, staring at Jack but wishing that she could break her steadfast gaze. Samantha was afraid that in a few seconds, her world would come tumbling down around her. She kept waiting for the "but" that was sure to come only, it never did.
"Samantha, I am such a fool," Jack cried, taking her hand into his own and surprising Samantha and even himself with the fervor of his emotions. He shook his head and played with Samantha's hand, turning it over from one side to the other in the palm of his hands. "I don't know what to say to you, Samantha. I really don't and I really wish I could. To be honest, I'm completely overwhelmed by this revelation, myself. And I hardly know what to make of all this new knowledge now that I have it, except that I see now that I am and have been for a very long time, utterly and completely in love with you."
Tears were now falling in a steady stream down Samantha's face. She could not help herself - it was too hard trying to keep them in any longer or trying to hide them. They ran free and uninhibited. Wiping them seemed pointless as more tears filled where the others had been brushed away.
"Jack, this isn't fair," she tried to plead. Six years of emotional turmoil had finally taken its toll on her and Samantha could not handle the pressure anymore. "You can't just keep on going in and out of my life like this," she spluttered. "Every time I convince myself that you're no longer in my life and that I'm okay with that, you come back in and mess everything up. I'm tired, Jack. And I can't do it anymore!!!" Samantha struggled to breathe and find the air she needed to get out her blubbering words. "You wanted to end our friendship not five days ago and now you're here today proclaiming that you love me and have loved me for a while. What am I supposed to do?!?" she passionately exclaimed.
Jack held Samantha's face in his hands and leaned his forehead against hers, wiping her tears away with his thumb and trying to look into her eyes. "Samantha," he said in a low voice. She kept attempting to look away and he insisted on tugging her head back in place. "Samantha," he called again. "Look here. No, no, not over there, over here, look over here." Samantha finally gave up and shyly did as he asked, floundering her hands nervously in her lap. "Good, now look here and look deep into my eyes and answer me this: Do you love me?"
Samantha heaved a large sigh. For the first time in six years, she was about to finally admit her feelings to the one person that it mattered the most to. Samantha knew that once she gave her answer, there would be no turning back. The power that she had tried failingly time and time again to control would forever be his. And yet, in spite of herself, she knew that it was time for her to tell Jack the truth. Taking a deep breath, she braced herself and said very slowly, drawing out each letter of the word, "Yes."
An immense feeling of relief washed over Jack at the sound of Samantha's voice. She loves me! She loves me! She really, really loves me! Struggling to maintain his composure, Jack breathed in deeply and checked his racing heart.
Once Jack regained control of himself, with all the calmness in the world, he said, "Then love me, Samantha. Love me and forgive me like you've been doing for the past six years already."
"Jack, I..."
"I know it's a lot to ask of you, Samantha... Gees, I'm such a fool." Jack had to laugh at his own folly. "All these years I have been searching for that perfect woman to complete me and here you've been, waiting patiently, all this time. I don't know how you did it, Samantha. I would have given up long ago had I been in your position. I am a very lucky person to have such as a steady person as yourself loving me. And I love you all the more for your perseverance. Can you ever find it in your generous heart to forgive me for all the pain I've ever caused you?"
Samantha looked down at the ground, not daring to look up again. She knew that if she looked into his dark brown, chocolate-covered eyes, she would never be able to say no. She had never been able to deny him anything before and it was still the same now. "I want to, Jack. I really want to," she told him.
"But?"
"But I'm scared. I don't want to get hurt again." She dared to look up at him. "I've been hurt too many times before. I know it's not really your fault since you didn't know how I felt about you, but it hurt all the same. I've wanted this for so long now that it doesn't seem comprehensible to me that things could work. I'm afraid to risk everything I have when I've worked so hard for it, Jack."
Jack reached up and pushed a piece of Samantha's fallen hair out of her face. He then traced his right thumb lightly against her left cheek. "Oh, my poor Sam..." He then leaned over to kiss the place his thumb had just left. "I am so sorry for all the pain I've caused you. I could never willingly hurt you. I love you and I'm not afraid to say it. You are my best friend. And above all, you're the person I want to be with - always. It has always been that way and I hope it will continue to always be that way... if you'll let me."
Samantha sobbed loudly, but threw her arms around his neck, hugging and holding him tightly. Feeling his physical presence reassured Samantha that she was not dreaming and that it was all very real. "I feel as though this is all too good to be true," Samantha whispered into his ear.
The breath Jack had been seemingly holding in ever since he had arrived at Oakham Mount was immediately dispelled as Samantha magnanimously forgave him. "Oh, my darling, thank you! Thank you!" he muttered against her cheek, hugging her even tighter to himself. "I thought for sure you would hate me after all the torture I have put you through. You are too good to me."
Samantha pulled away from Jack and rubbed at her eyes. "I could never hate you, Jack. Surely you must know that by now," she sniffed and tearfully admitted.
Jack was able to honestly laugh now that relief and security had been found. "What did I ever do to deserve such a precious treasure like you?" he asked as he put his arm around Samantha's shoulders and held her close.
Samantha sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder. It was like a hand finding its glove. When all was said and done, Samantha and Jack fit perfectly together. For the first time in a long time, Samantha felt completely at peace.
"I'm not sure," Samantha quipped. "But so long as you remember how wonderful I am and treat me accordingly for the rest of our lives, I will not complain." Humor had returned to their relationship now that an understanding had been reached.
Together Jack and Samantha laughed and his tenor and her alto voice combined to form a sweet melody that rang harmoniously all throughout the mountainside. Their laughter sounded like a church bell, echoing in the distance. They listened to the music of their voices fade away while sitting companionably beside one another.
After several minutes of silence, Jack turned to Samantha. "Sam," he began. "Meghan said something to me right before she left." Samantha stiffened visibly at Meghan's name, but Jack continued nonetheless. "After I forgave her for her behavior last week at the airport, she kissed my cheek and told me that you were very lucky to have found me. But the truth is, I'm the lucky one," his voice faltered a little before he could continue. "I'm lucky to have found you," he whispered.
If Samantha had never been fully in love with Jack before then, her heart and soul became completely his at that crucial moment. She glanced upwards and looked deep into his eyes. There, in his eyes, Samantha found all the answers she had ever wanted to know. His apologies were no longer necessary. Their hearts had joined and with it all their understanding of one another as well.
Samantha had finally found won her prize and Jack had finally learned his heart. Reaching up, Samantha stroked his cheek before pulling him down. Catching his lips in her own, she let him know that she returned each and every one of his sentiments.
By the summer after their first year of graduate school, Jack and Samantha had already spent a few months in bliss together. Granted, their path towards eternal happiness was an ongoing process and it was neither an easy nor a smooth one, yet they persevered. In the beginning, there had been the initial problems of adjusting to their sudden change from friendships status to something more as well as Jack's immediate switch from Meghan to Samantha. Samantha was by no means a "rebound girlfriend" for Jack, though. They had known one another too long for that. And despite their occasional bouts of disagreements, they took each one by storm and soon became pros at working out their problems. In Jack, Samantha had found everything she had ever hoped for. And in Samantha, Jack truly had found his soul mate. Their love and good understanding of one another enabled them to overcome all hardships that any couple inevitably encounters at one time or another. Jack and Samantha's relationship was built on a solid foundation of many years of friendship and then some.
Jack turned his car slowly onto the gravel driveway and pulled to a stop right outside the door of a little brown cabin by a lake. Samantha stirred from her shallow slumber and looked out of the car window, taking in her surroundings. The cabin, lake, and trees contrasted greatly with the highway she had last caught sight of before falling asleep. Yawningly she asked, "We're here already?"
Jack put the car in park and shut the engine off before turning towards his girlfriend and answering, "Yup, finally here!"
Here, was Tabbi's lake house. And Jack and Samantha had just completed the exhausting thirteen-hour road trip from Charlottesville, Virginia to Massachusetts. They had driven up on this fine, June Thursday to descend upon the lake house for the long weekend along with several other high school friends who had also decided to attend their first five-year high school reunion, which was conveniently taking place not too far from Tabbi's lake house.
Samantha got out of the car and stretched her legs. She took a few steps forward towards the cabin door while Jack got out and headed straight for the back trunk to retrieve their luggage. Turning towards the lake, Samantha was just about to comment on the beauty of the landscape when all of the sudden, like a train out of nowhere, something came barreling out the door of the cabin at full speed. The screen door closed shut with a loud smack just as Samantha got the wind knocked out of her.
Oof!
After a few seconds of stunned silence, from her sprawled position on the ground, Samantha smiled tersely and said, "It's good to see you too, Tabs."
Tabbi immediately got up and extended a hand to help pull Samantha up. She was grinning from ear to ear as she gave Samantha another hug. This time, Samantha tried to grab hold of the car, the porch railing, Tabbi, herself, anything to help stabilize herself so that she would not go toppling over again. "I need to breathe, Tabs. I need to breathe," Samantha wheezed.
"Oh, right. Sorry about that." Tabbi let go and took a step backwards to give her friend some breathing space. "I've missed you, Samantha!" she exclaimed.
"Awww," Samantha hugged Tabbi back. "Me too, Tabs."
Jack put down the bags he had been formerly handling and sauntered over to the pair of hugging women. "That was some greeting, Tabbi. Now aren't you going to give your old friend, Jack, a nice, big hug too?"
Tabbi narrowed her eyes and smiled mischievously at Jack. Tabbi's wicked smile should have tipped Jack off, but he was out of practice and did not notice it. "Why of course, Jack! How are you? It's so good to see you too! I've missed you so much that a hug just doesn't seem enough."
That said, she walked over and gave him an unexpected pummel to the stomach. Jack doubled over immediately from the sharp blow as Samantha gave a horrified gasp.
Grimacing in pain, Jack managed to spit out, "I've missed you too, Tabs."
"Really?" Tabbi asked. "Did you miss this too?" Then, she took one giant step forward and stomped on Jack's right foot.
Now in major pain, Jack howled and began to hop up and down on one foot while still bent over and holding onto his stomach. "Some things never change," Jack muttered in between clenched teeth.
Samantha rushed over to Jack's side, but did not know what to do. So, she put one arm around him and tried to help him regain his balance with her free arm. Turning to Tabbi she demanded, "What'd you go and do that for?!?"
Looking very pleased with herself, Tabbi smiled easily and said, "I've missed you so much, Jack." Turning around, she headed for the lake house door and said, "Come on in and bring your bags. I'll show you two lovebirds to you room."
Samantha rolled her eyes and sighed as she picked up Jack's and her bags to follow Tabbi's lead. Poor Jack was left to follow in pain, limping as he walked. Jack was absolutely right, there were some things that would just never change.
The rest of the weekend, for the most part, was spent in far more pleasant ways.
Their first night back together again Jack and Samantha delightedly shared their story with the old gang. All their friends, in remembrance of the past and knowing how well the two had always gotten along and still got along, gladly and genuinely wished them well. There were even one or two friends that delighted in deigning to whisper on the sly to Samantha, "See? Didn't I predict this would one day happen? You would argue with me and say it was an impossibility, but I said it would be so and here you are." Samantha would always laugh and have to admit that she had been wrong. But she always did so with great gusto for she was a happy woman and nothing could ruin her cheerful mood.
Saturday night, the group of friends celebrated their happy reunion by having a barbecue at the lake. There was nothing like eating barbecue ribs, potato salad, corn on the cob, and drinking beer, all while singing and dancing to some of their favorite songs from high school. The air was filled with laughter and not even the stinging mosquitoes could stop their merriment. All through the evening, Samantha and Jack had walked hand in hand and sat side by side, but as the sun went down and the stars and moon shone bright, Jack felt like he needed a break from the crush of the crowd. Leaving Samantha happily chattering with her friend Daniela, he excused himself and took a solitary walk down to the end of the dock where he sat himself down and hung his legs over its edge.
From her hidden position behind the grill, Tabbi watched Jack walk down the pier with his hands in his pocket. And she watched him sit down, swing his legs over the end of the dock and lean back on his two arms. Turning to Roger, who was helping her cook the last of the spareribs, she handed him the tongs and said, "Here, take this and finish up. I'll be back later." As Tabbi scurried down the porch steps, she swung by the cooler and grabbed two cans of beer before making her way down to Jack.
Tabbi silently walked along the wooden dock, taking pains to not make any creaking sounds with her shoes. Tip-toeing along, she crept up behind Jack and then, slap! She gave him a good wallop across the back of his head.
"Ow!" Jack's hand went instinctively to the back of his head as he turned around to face his intruder. Unsurprised to see Tabbi, he glared and asked, "What the heck was that for?!?"
Tabbi shrugged as she sat down. "I don't know. I just felt like it. Force of habit, I guess. Mind if I join you?"
Jack continued to glower. "Does it matter if I do? If I said yes, you'd definitely slap me. And if I said no, you'd still slap me."
"You know me too well, Jack," Tabbi chuckled. "Want a beer?"
Taking the proffered can, Jack snorted and said, "It doesn't take a lab rat to catch onto you Tabbi. You hit me every chance you get."
"I was taught to be an opportunist in college," Tabbi snickered. She stopped snickering when she caught sight of Jack curiously turning his can upside down and then examining the top of it, tapping it with his fingers. "What are you doing?"
"Making sure that this is in fact an unopened can."
For the first time in her life, Tabbi found herself at a loss for what to say. Then she had to laugh at Jack's preposterous presumptions. "Don't worry. I got it from the cooler and didn't put a thing into it."
"One can never be too sure with you," Jack answered honestly.
This of course sent Tabbi off onto another burst full of giggles. Wiping her eyes, Tabbi tried to catch her breath. "Oh, Jack... you don't really think I'd poison you or something like that, do you?"
"Well I don't know, Tabs. If you care about me enough to hit me every time you see me, who knows what you're capable of doing to my food."
Jack's open admission sobered Tabbi instantly. "Awe come on, Jack. You know I like you and have always considered you to be a friend of mine. We've always had a love/hate relationship, haven't we?"
"You only put up with me because of Sam," he grumbled.
Tabbi took a swig of her beer. "Well, yes... partly. Half of the time I really do like you, Jack. You're a nice guy -- truly, but the other half of the time you drive me absolutely bonkers!"
"But why? What have I ever done to you?" was Jack's astonished question.
"Nothing," Tabbi shrugged. "It's what you've done to Samantha over the years that's always bothered me."
Jack sighed. There was truth in Tabbi's words that even he could not deny. "I'm trying to make up for that now."
Tabbi sipped her beer as she considered Jack's words.
"Honestly, I am."
Tabbi held her can of beer in between her hands, placing it in her lap. She looked up at him and searched deep within the depths of his hazel eyes. Nodding her head slowly, she finally said, "I believe you. I really do."
On the final evening of their Reunion Weekend, Samantha walked down the stairs of the lake house and encountered the whistling catcalls of Jack, Roger and Mark. As they waited for Tabbi, Daniela, and Jennifer to finish dressing, Samantha was made to turn around and show off her diamond-studded black evening dress. Jack frowned as he saw his girlfriend twirling around in her spaghetti-strapped dress with the dangerously low-cut back. Walking over to her, he put his hands on her hips and whispered hoarsely, "Sam, honey. Don't you think that dress would be more appropriate for when we're alone?"
Samantha laughed and slapped her boyfriend's hands. "Don't be silly, Jack. Don't you like the way it shows off my curves?" she teased, wrapping her arms around Jack's neck.
"I do like it," Jack confessed. "I just don't like the idea of everyone else getting to see them too."
"Ah, the jealous boyfriend. I think I like you in this role." she laughed. "But you know," she said, tapping Jack on his chest, "I should've known better than to ask your opinion."
"Wha-a-a-t?"
Samantha did a couple more spins for Roger and Mark. "You never like any of my dresses," she mocked. Jack stood idly by, unable to say anything more. He was too mesmerized by the sight of his girlfriend.
The rest of the girls finished with the last of their make-up and hair touch-ups and finally came downstairs. As Tabbi hit the bottom step, she started in the direction of Jack who immediately assumed the defensive position. Throwing back her shoulders in frustration, Samantha walked in between the pair and held out her arms, keeping them apart. "For once, just for tonight, can we please call off the battle of the sexes?" Jack looked the other way and Tabbi bowed her head in acquiescence. "Thank you," Samantha nodded as she started to walk away. "Besides, I wouldn't want to have to stare at a black eye every time I danced with Jack tonight. Now come on, I don't want to be late for the party!"
It took a moment for Samantha's words to register in Jack's head. But once they did, he immediately protested and started after her, waving his arm in the air. "Hey! She could never give me a black eye! Why does everyone always think I can't defend myself against Tabbi?"
Tabbi was left, standing behind, doubled over in a fit of laughter. "Because you can't!!!" she called after Jack.
That Sunday night, the entire class of 1996 came together to have a dance party and revel in each other's company one last time before they all departed for different parts of the globe the very next morning. Promises were made to keep in touch and telephone numbers, e-mails addresses, alternate e-mail addresses, home addresses, work addresses, cell phone numbers, work numbers, and fax numbers were all shared. Simply put, everything that could have possibly been exchanged was exchanged in an effort to live up to their promises.
But while everyone else was actively engaged in seeing as many old friends as possible and catching up on all the news, making optimal use of their precious time together, Samantha and Jack were far removed from that scene, thinking about one another rather than their friends. As much as they cared about their friends and were elated to see them again, for them, Reunion Weekend was more than just a time for old friends to come together again. For them, being at their old high school again was a pleasant reminder of how and why their friendship had begun in the first place. In some ways, it was as if they had finally come full circle and now they were prepared to embark on a new journey in life -- one they would travel together.
The music swirled around them. Jack was already oblivious to his surroundings being so caught up in the moment. Samantha on the other hand, could not refrain from smiling as she heard Vanessa Williams's, Save the Last for Best, playing in the background. She looked over to Tabbi, who was dancing with Roger. Together, they shared a wink and a smile. It had been a long-running joke of Samantha's, in her single days of college, that this song was her "theme song." How appropriate that the DJ would choose to play this song now. Samantha closed her eyes and let the memories flood her euphoric state of mind. Little did she know, Jack had already let his memories overtake his senses.
Sometimes the snow comes down in June
Sometimes the sun goes 'round the moon
I see the passion in your eyes
Sometimes it's all a big surprise
Jack's flashback to one autumn night first year of medical school:
Jack was in a particularly euphoric mood that evening. He had talked with his professor and learned that his score on the lab practical had been one of the highest in his class. His hard work was finally beginning to pay off and he felt like celebrating. Wanting to share his excitement with his best friend, Jack ended up on Samantha's doorstep. But when Samantha opened the door, she was clad in only a bathrobe with curlers in her hair.
"Jack!" Samantha colored. "What are you doing here?" She looked past him and around him.
Curious, Jack turned around and did the same. "Hey Sam. Are you expecting someone or something?"
"Kind of. Well, not right now, that is. I have a date tonight."
"Oh?"
"Yeah," Samantha blushed.
"Where'd you meet him?"
Samantha put her hand up to her curlers. "You're not going to believe this, but we were kind of set up."
"Really?" Jack was rendered somewhat speechless at the thought of Samantha going out on a date. He had never thought of her as a dating kind of woman. It was not that she was unattractive or unpleasant or anything like that nor did he think it impossible that other men should want to date her, it was just that in all the time he had known Samantha, she had never gone out on a date or expressed any sort of inordinate amount of interest in any other guy. Over time, he had come to accept Samantha's single status as a part of her identity.
"Yeah," Samantha blushed hotly again. "Tanisha and I were in Barnes & Noble's the other day when we ran into one of her friends from the B-school. She was accompanied by a friend of hers, Damian, also from the B-school, and the four of us got to chatting. Anyhow, after we left them, I guess Damian expressed interest. So, Beth called Tan and Tan called me and now, here we are."
"That's quite a set up," Jack commented.
"Yeah, it is. So anyways, what was it that you wanted?"
Jack had forgotten all about his original purpose after seeing Samantha in nothing but a silk bathrobe, but now prompted he suddenly remembered why he had come in the first place. "Oh, well I was just dropping by to see if you wanted to go out to dinner with me, catch a movie, or something like that. I hadn't seen you in a while since I've been busy studying for my lab practical and stuff, but I got my results back today and was feeling really good about it and wanted to share it with my best friend. But, I see that I've come at a bad time, so I'll just go on home and find something else to do with myself."
Samantha bit her lip and then took a step back, holding the door open even wider. "Well, why don't you come in and tell me about it anyways. I want to know why you're in such a good mood tonight and you can help me get ready."
"Help you get ready?" Jack stuttered.
Samantha dragged Jack through the door and laughed. "Relax, you can shut your eyes and turn around when I'm getting dressed. In the meantime, you can give me your male opinion on which dress I should wear tonight."
"Great," Jack muttered. "That's just great." Somehow the idea of helping Samantha prepare to go out for a night on the town with some other guy did not exactly sit well with him.
'Cause there was time when all I did was wish
You'd tell me this was love
It's not the way I hoped or how I planned
But somehow it's enough
Samantha's flashback to one autumn night first year of law school:
Samantha stepped out from behind the silk screen and twirled around in her pink slip dress. "What do you think?" she asked, smoothing down the skirt with one hand and trying to fix the tiny rosebuds that adorned the spaghetti straps of the dress with her other. "I like this dress a lot because it's so light and airy. What about you?" She flounced around a little more, waiting for Jack to respond.
Jack turned around and trailed the end of his sentence, "...so Professor Peterson thinks..." Jack thought Samantha looked beautiful. He wanted to know when she had gotten that dress and why she had never worn it on one of their many evening outings. He also caught himself looking appreciatively at her slender legs and wondered why he had never noticed them before. After a minute's worth of stunned silence, he finally said, "It's too short."
"Professor Peterson thinks my dress is too short?" Samantha cocked her head to one side.
"No, I think it's too short."
Samantha looked down at her exposed knees and asked, "You think so?"
"Where are you going for dinner and what else are you doing tonight?"
"Chez Louis's, I think and I don't know, maybe a movie?"
"You definitely don't want to wear a short dress to a movie," Jack stated authoritatively.
Samantha thought Jack's reasoning a little odd, but shrugged her shoulders and said, "Okay." She walked over to her closet and thought for a minute before pulling out another dress. "Close your eyes and turn around again." Jack did as he was told.
"So, as I was saying, Professor Peterson thinks that I'm doing really well and is so impressed with my work that he wants me to tutor first year students next year."
"That's great, Jack!" Samantha called from behind her silk screen. "I always tell you that you don't need to worry. When it comes to this stuff, you're brilliant. And now, your get to be the professor's pet! What did I tell you?"
"Well, I don't know about professor's pet..."
"Oh, come off it, Jack. You know you are one and you also know you're loving it!" Emerging once again, she held up both sides of the bottom of her lavender-colored dress and asked, "Now, how does this look?"
Jack took one look and immediately said, "Your mother let you buy that dress?!?"
Samantha affected a defensive stance. "As a matter of fact... no, she did not. But, she has seen it and absolutely loves it."
"I find that hard to believe."
"Oh? And why's that?"
"Don't you think the neckline's a little too low."
"What?!?" Samantha ran over to the mirror and exclaimed, "No it's not!"
"Sam, this is only your first date. You don't want to give the impression that you're throwing around open invites."
Samantha thought about what Jack had said and decided that there was truth in his words. "Fine." She pulled out another dress from her closet and holding it up against her, asked, "What about this one?"
"No polka-dots."
"This one?"
"Too blue."
"What the heck is too blue?"
"I don't know, but I don't like it."
Samantha sighed. "Well, how about this one? It's black and has a nice and classic look to it."
"And it's so overdone."
Samantha groaned and began to pull out dress after dress. Each one was met with a negative reaction. After Samantha had exhausted all the dress options in her closet, she flung herself down on the bed and said, "Jack, isn't there at least one that you approve of?"
Jack scooted over and made more room for Samantha on the bed. "No."
"Don't you think you're being a little too ridiculous in your judgments?" Samantha was beginning to regret ever having asked Jack to help her pick out a dress.
"Why don't you let me pick something out for you," Jack offered. Samantha waved her hand invitingly towards her closet.
"Now, this is a nice outfit. What do you think?"
Samantha removed her hand from her eyes and sat up. She almost choked and died when she saw what Jack had picked out.
"I think that this black, long-sleeved turtleneck is a very classy look, especially for a place like Chez Louis's and this pair of matching black slacks will keep you warm after you come out of a late movie. Don't you agree?"
"Yeah, and why don't I wear a white collar around my neck and I'll be Pastor Sam for the night. Or better yet, I'll wear a habit and be Sister Samantha," she scoffed.
"Well, I like it."
Samantha pointed Jack in the direction of the door and said, "Out. You can wait for me out in the living room and if Damian rings the doorbell, let him in, introduce yourself, and play nice. I'll be ready in a minute."
In the end, Samantha ended up wearing the pink slip dress. Jack thought her "scantily clad" and would have preferred it had she at least worn an overcoat, but she insisted on donning only a matching silk shawl to cover her naked shoulders. With a shaking head, he watched her leave her apartment on the arm of Damian, who smiled approvingly and appreciatively at his date's choice of clothing.
And now we're standing face to face
Isn't this world a crazy place?
Just when I thought our chance had passed
You go and save the best for last
Several weeks after Samantha and Damian's first date:
It was almost one o'clock in the morning when Samantha finally walked through her apartment door. She flicked on the light and saw the flashing red light of her answering machine beckoning her from across the room. She had just taken off her high-heels and was about to press the play back button when her phone rang.
"Who in the world is calling me at this hour?" Hoping that it was not some stupid prank caller, Samantha hesitatingly answered the telephone. "Hello?"
"Do you have any idea what time it is, Samantha Diane Clements?"
"Um..." Samantha searched around for her clock. "A little after one."
"And where were you all night long, Samantha Diane Clements?"
"Oh, quit it with the full name will you? It's not the least bit intimidating, so just stop it. Have you been calling me all night long to see if I was home or not?"
There was a slight pause. "Maybe..."
"Jack," Samantha sighed. "Do you actually have a purpose for calling me or is this just the Spanish Inquisition?"
"Well," Jack whined, "to be honest, I did have a purpose... several hours ago, but I've forgotten why it was that I called you in the first place. Now, all I know is that you've been out all night long and it's a school night! You were out with Damian with again, weren't you?"
"Gees, Daddy Jack. You needn't sound so accusatory and make it out to be such a bad thing. I am after all a big girl and can take care of myself."
"Yes, but Sam, this is the third time you've gone out on a school night. This isn't like you! You're usually holed up studying or something like that."
"Yeah," Samantha grinned. "But I'm having fun." She wiped the grin off her face, "And besides, it's not like I'm not getting my work done. I still make sure I have plenty of time to study and work."
"I don't know if this is a good thing, Sam."
Samantha walked into her bedroom and slipped off her dress. "Why's that?" she asked, while pulling on her t-shirt and boxers.
"You're a busy woman. Law school keeps you piled, how are you going to balance a boyfriend on the side?"
Climbing into bed, Samantha tried to reassure her friend. "I may not be superwoman, Jack, but I can handle having a life. I know it's a foreign concept -- Samantha Diane Clements, having a life -- but it isn't impossible."
"It might be if Damian insists on keeping you out until all hours of the night every day of the week. Don't they have any work in B-school?"
Samantha turned off her bedside lamp, pulled the covers close and tight under her chin and snuggled down into her pillows. Yawning, she replied, "I don't think so. At least, not from the way it sounds," she giggled. "But then again, maybe it's because Damian's so smart and doesn't need to spend a lot of time with his books like us."
"Oh, so now you're saying we're not smart?"
"I didn't say that! All I did was point out that some people need to spend more time studying than others. Gees, what's up with you?"
"Nothing," Jack pouted.
Samantha did not believe him for a second. "Let me ask you something, Jack. Why don't you like Damian?"
"What? What makes you think I don't like him?"
"Oh, come on, Jack. It was pretty obvious when I introduced the two of you last weekend that you didn't like him. You didn't even give him a chance!"
"I did too!"
"Shaking hands, giving him the once over and then walking away hardly signifies as giving someone a chance, Jack. And you know it too! That's so unlike you. Aren't you supposed to be the world's most friendliest man or something like that?"
"Under normal circumstances, I suppose that would be the case."
"And this isn't a normal circumstance?"
"I don't know, Sam. There's just something about Damian that doesn't fit... I can't put my finger on it, but he's not right for you, Sam. That's all I can tell you. I can't tell you why, but I just know it."
"Well that's not good enough for me, Jack. I want to know why you have a problem with a guy you hardly even know."
"Look, Sam. I don't want to get into an argument over this with you. You asked for my opinion and now I'm giving it to you. I can't tell you why I don't like him. He probably is a great guy. Maybe I just don't like him for you. He doesn't seem like your type. I mean, he may be intelligent, suave, devastatingly charming, and wear the right colored suits, but I know that you need something more than that. You also need somebody that you can laugh and joke around with. Someone like Damian... he'll never be able to understand you, not the way... I do."
Samantha fell silent for a few minutes. "Sam? Are you still there?"
"Yeah, I'm still here. I was just thinking about what you said. You're absolutely right, but... I'm not looking for Mr. Right, right now. I... I enjoy his company and the way he makes me feel. Maybe he will end up being Mr. Right and maybe he won't, I don't know and I don't really care that I don't know. For once in my life, I'm throwing caution to the wind. And isn't that what you're always telling me I should do? Live a little? I'm trying to do just that and right now Damian's helping me do that. Can you understand that?"
"Yeah, I think I can. I just... I'm only trying to look out for you, Sam. I don't want to see you get hurt."
"I know you are and I know you don't want to see me get hurt. I don't want to see me get hurt either," Samantha whispered.
"Alright, I'll get off your case for now then. But you know you can always call me, right? Anytime you need me, your ol' buddy Jack's here for you. You know that, right?"
Samantha nodded her head in the darkness, trying to bite back the tears that were threatening to fall down her face. "Yeah, I do. Thanks Jack."
"No problem, Sam. You know, this kind of reminds me of our late night chats in high school. Only, usually it was me with the relationship issues and not you. It's kind of funky being on the other side of the fence."
"Now you know how it feels," Samantha giggled, wiping away the tears and erasing all traces of ever having wanted to cry.
"Yeah, now I do. Well, goodnight, Sam. Sweet dreams."
"Sweet dreams, Jack."
All of the nights you came to me
When some silly girl had had set you free
You wondered how you'd make it through
I wondered what was wrong with you
Jack's flashback to one winter night senior year of high school:
Jack hung up the phone, all energy spent. Of late, Jack was finding himself commonly feeling exhausted after every phone conversation with Kim. He was not sure when it had happened or how it had happened, but somewhere in the midst of his senior year, Jack had become disenchanted with his girlfriend of two years. Maybe it was because everything about their relationship was becoming tedious. Rather than talking about their feelings, things that excited them, or stuff in general, Kim insisted that Jack give her a rundown of his daily activities. She wanted to know how he had spent every minute of his day, with whom had he spent every minute of the day, and why he had spent every minute of his day in that manner. Her requirements for a proper conversation often left Jack feeling as though he were back in elementary school and his parents were asking him how he had spent his day at the dinner table. Talking to Kim had become something of a chore and definitely not something to be looked forward to. The fun that had once been there was long gone and in its place now existed a great deal of mistrust. Ultimately, Kim did not trust Jack with anything and as much as that annoyed him, it actually hurt him more.
Jack reached over the bed to grab his phone. He instinctively made to dial Samantha's phone number, but paused before picking up the handset. He tapped his fingers lightly over the plastic exterior and thought deeply for a moment. Samantha... Even though they had only known each other for a short period of time, Jack felt as if she had already changed much of the way he viewed friendships. She had opened up a whole new realm of possibilities for him. Samantha was nothing like Kim; they were like night and day. Whereas Kim was always wanting, Samantha was always giving. Where Kim doubted, Samantha trusted. Kim liked to complain, Samantha liked to listen. There was no doubt about it, Samantha's friendship was like a golden mine in Jack's eyes. He depended on her for her good sense as well as her empathy. Without much further ado, he picked up the phone to call his friend. His hand flew automatically over the touch-tone keypad: 3962. R-r-r-r-r-r-ing.
'Cause how could you give your love to someone else
And share your dreams with me
Sometimes the very thing you're looking for
Is the one thing you can't see
Samantha's flashback to one winter night senior year of high school:
R-r-r-r-r-r-ing.
Samantha stirred from her languid reading position in her blue overstuffed chair.
R-r-r-r-r-ing.
The book that Samantha had been reading before she fell asleep fell to the floor, making a loud thudding noise, as she sat up suddenly.
R-r-r-r-r-ing.
All of the sudden, it registered in Samantha's brain the phone was ringing. Undraping her leg from over the corner of her bed, she quickly launched herself over the bed to answer the phone before it went into her voicemail.
"Hello?" she gasped.
"Gees, you sound out of breath. What did you do to get to the phone? Did you turn cartwheels or did you just trip over a pile of books thrown on the floor of your messy room?" Jack dryly asked.
"It was more like intense excitement at the prospect of talking to you, Jack. I knew that the only person who would call me at this hour of the night was you and in anticipation, I had to run several laps around the room, do a couple cartwheels, back flips and yell, ‘Hooray!' before I could answer it. And my room, I'll have you know, is not messy -- I cleaned it this very afternoon," she answered sarcastically.
"Ha ha, very funny, Samantha."
"What? It is clean!" she indignantly replied.
Jack snorted. "I was referring to the laps, cartwheels, and back flips."
"You would like that though, wouldn't you?" Samantha cooed.
"Of course I would, what guy with a not large enough ego wouldn't?"
"What guy doesn't have a large enough ego?"
"Hmmm... true. One can never have a large enough ego," Jack answered thoughtfully. "So, how come you never run laps around me whenever I see you then?" he pouted.
"Because that would defy the laws of mystery and not to mention make me seem like a dog and we all know that men are dogs, not women," Samantha quipped.
"Whatever."
"You sound like Roger."
"Eww!"
"Well, you're the one that said it and it's true. Every time Roger doesn't have a ready answer, he just says ‘Whatever' to dig himself out of a hole," she pointed out matter-of-factly.
"Whatever."
"See? There you go again!" Samantha was in high spirits that evening.
"Well you sound like Tabbi!" Jack accused.
Samantha raised an eyebrow. "No I don't! Besides, if I were Tabbi I wouldn't be talking with you, I'd be talking to Roger and trying to beat you up."
"She really hates me, doesn't she?" Jack sighed.
"Yours is a love-hate relationship and you're just going to have to accept that," Samantha giggled.
"Hmph. Anyways, this is not why I called to talk to you!"
"Oh, it wasn't?"
"No."
"Well, you'd better get talking fast. We've only got an hour and fifteen minutes before the phones turn off," Samantha noted practically.
"I talked to Kim tonight," Jack began.
"Yes, I believe you mentioned at dinner that tonight was your night to do your dutiful duty," Samantha sardonically stated.
"The prom issue came up again."
"The prom issue always comes up, Jack. And it will continue to come up until Prom night passes. Either deal with it or accept it." Samantha might have been in high spirits that evening, but she was also feeling very blunt that night. "I mean, I know you don't want her to come. And actually, no one wants her to come -- sorry, no offense."
"None taken."
"But you do realize that Kim is never going to budge. She wants to come, so she's going to find every possible way to come and basically ensure that your life is a living hell. There's only one way you're going to get her off your back," Samantha hinted.
"I am not dumping her over the phone!" Jack argued. "Roger has been after me about this for months now and you know it. But you also know my reasoning for why I don't want to do it over the phone."
Samantha sighed. She knew only too well all the reasons for why Jack could not break up with his girlfriend via the telephone. "Yes, I do."
"I just don't want her to come to the prom!" So tell her that, Samantha thought bitterly. "I mean, I just don't get it. Why does she have to be so insistent on coming? She won't even know anyone here! I don't understand," Jack insisted.
Samantha sighed again. "I don't know, Jack. I really don't. Honestly speaking, if I had a boyfriend that went to a different school than me and he had some big fancy dance event going on, and I couldn't go to it, I'd want him to just go with the rest of his friends and have fun, even if it meant going without me."
"Really?" Jack asked in amazement.
"Really. I mean, look at it this way. What is the point of him sitting at home and not having fun just because I can't go? I don't want to be responsible for his miseries. Likewise, I'm not going to sit at home and sulk just because I can't go visit him and attend an event with him. Nor am I going to sit here and try to attend every one of his school's events. That's just ridiculous. If I am able to go to one of my imaginary boyfriend's school dances or whatever, I'd want to be there to have fun, not to be there to keep tabs on him."
"Are you serious?" Jack was being dazed by this revelation.
"Absolutely. I shouldn't have to be my boyfriend's keeper. I should be able to trust him. If I can't trust him to stay faithful to me while I'm far away, what's the point of having such a boyfriend? I know this is really easy for me to say since I'm not in this position right now, but if I had a boyfriend cheat on me, I'd rather know it then than way later. Sure it'll hurt, but I think it would hurt more if I found out that he was that kind of a guy later on in our relationship, especially after I'd invested so much time and energy into that relationship."
"That's so true. I never thought about it that way before."
"Yeah. I know it's easy for me to say all of this because I'm obviously not in a relationship and I guess I can't really say that's how I'd behave if I were in that situation. But I think that ideally, that's how I'd act."
"Wow." Jack was bowled over by everything Samantha had to say. "Kim is so not like that. I can't even imagine what she'd be like if she did think that way! Wow. Why don't I know any girls like that?" he asked.
On the other line of the phone, Samantha pouted. Hmph. What am I? Chopped Liver? Humph.
And now we're standing face to face
Isn't this world a crazy place?
Just when I thought our chance had passed
You go and save the best for last.
The afternoon before their Senior Prom:
Samantha sat talking and getting ready for the Prom with her friends in Tabbi's room when the phone rang. Picking it up, she found Roger on the other end of the line. "Oh, hey Roger. Here's Tabbi."
Before she could hand over the phone though, Roger called her back. "No, no, no! I was looking for you actually."
Confused, Samantha asked, "Oh, you were? Why?"
"Jack needs to see you for a couple of minutes now."
Even more confused, Samantha asked, "Okay... so why isn't Jack calling me himself then?"
"Kim's here right now and I'm making the phone call for him from Grant Phipps's room."
"Oh." Hmph, Kim.
"Yeah, anyways he really needs to see you so he's going to make some sort of an excuse to get away and leave Kim behind. Meet him outside of the Mailroom in like five minutes, okay?"
"Roger, I'm trying to get ready for tonight here."
"Don't make me beg, Samantha. I'm only doing this for Jack and he'd beg if he could call you himself but he can't and I'm not him, so I'm not going to beg." Samantha sighed with indecision. "C'mon, Sam... he really needs to see you and it will only take a few minutes."
Grrr... he expects me to just drop everything for him, doesn't he? "Fine, tell him I'll be there waiting, but not for long mind you! I still have to get ready for tonight too."
"Cool, don't worry, he'll be there and like I said, it shouldn't take long."
As Samantha power walked to the Mailroom, she could not stop herself from muttering and grumbling in exasperation the entire time. Though she understood Jack's difficult position and had long since given Jack her blessings over taking Kim to their Senior Prom and going stag herself, a part of her still felt cheated, annoyed and maybe even a little hurt. Samantha had promised herself that she would be pleasant to Kim, though. That was the kind of person that she was. Nonetheless, she still found it difficult sometimes to be nice to a person whom you really wanted to disappear.
Walking up to the Mailroom, Samantha caught side of Jack's back turned to her and she called out to him, "Hey! What'd you want that was so urgent that you had to call me away from my beautifying preparations?"
Jack turned around and Samantha gasped. There, in Jack's hand, was the most beautiful corsage made up with tiny red roses, ribbons and lace. Is that for me? No, it couldn't be. Jack must want to ask my opinion on Kim's corsage. Swallowing a gulp of air, Samantha forced herself to speak. "That's a beautiful corsage, Jack. I'm sure Kim will adore it."
Jack tilted his head and bit his lip, pausing briefly before replying. "This isn't for Kim, Sam."
"Oh," Samantha struggled to keep the surprise out of her voice. "It's not?"
Jack shook his head and walked slowly towards her, closing the gap in between. "No. It's for you." Taking her right wrist in his own hands, he slipped on the corsage. "Ah, there. It fits! Good."
Jack sounded pleased with himself, but Samantha dared to raise her right eyebrow and look up at him. "Jack... it's elastic, it has to fit."
Ignoring her comment, Jack took a step back to admire the corsage from afar. "It looks nice on you."
Samantha blushed and did not even notice that Jack was still holding onto her hand. "Jack... I..." she stuttered as she found herself at a loss for words.
He shrugged his shoulders. "I felt bad. I know you're going stag tonight because of Kim and all and I felt bad."
"Oh, Jack... why? It's not your fault... I mean, of course you'd go to the prom wit Kim -- she's your girlfriend! I never really expected that we'd go together." Samantha tried to laugh and make her friend feel more at ease.
"But I should have done something... I should have taken Roger and Tabbi's advice. I should've..."
Samantha took one step forward and put a hand up to Jack's mouth. "No. You did what you had to do and more importantly you did what you thought was best."
Jack looked at Samantha intently. "I really did want to be your date, Sam. I felt like this was the least I could do, especially since you've been listening to me moan and complain about this for so long now. I really appreciate it -- everything."
"Thank you," Samantha whispered as she looked down and fingered the flowers of her corsage. "I won't wear it tonight, I don't want Kim to get suspicious but I want you to know that I love it. And you really didn't have to, you know..."
"Oh, but I wanted to. And you can wear it tonight if you want, you can say that Roger got it for you or something like that."
"Nah, that's alright," Samantha shook her head. "It's enough that you got one for me. Thank you, I really appreciate the gesture."
"And I really appreciate you," Jack returned, leaning over and giving his friend a hug.
La la la, la la la la
Sometimes the very thing you're looking for
Is the one thing you can't see
"Samantha?"
"Hm?"
Jack shifted his arms around from Samantha's waist to her back and pulled a few inches away. Picking up her head from Jack's shoulders, Samantha looked into her boyfriend's eyes and smiled, "What?"
"When did you first fall in love with me?"
Samantha chuckled and resettled her head on Jack's shoulders, pulling him back into an embrace. "Oh, I don't know... some time senior year of high school, I suppose."
"That's a long time to have been in love with me, isn't it?"
"Mm-hmm."
"I mean, especially since I didn't always return those sentiments."
Samantha pulled her head back up and resettled herself in Jack's arms as she looked back into his eyes. "Well, I don't know that you could really say I was in love with you all those years... I mean, I was but then I wasn't exactly pining over you like a sick puppy either. I guess you could say that I was sufficiently interested in you all those years."
"Sufficiently interested? What does that mean?"
Cocking her head to one side, Samantha tried to come up with the words to best explain how she felt. "Let's see... I suppose you could say that you were never far from my mind and though I couldn't always say with certainty that I was in love with you, I could definitely say that the thought of you marrying another woman was terribly irking."
"Ah, I see."
Satisfied with her answer, Samantha gave Jack a winning smile.
"But didn't you ever get annoyed and frustrated that I never seemed to like you back? Especially after all that I put you through, making you listen to all my women troubles?"
"Frustrated? A little, I guess. Annoyed? Never. You weren't interested in me. What was I to do about it? I couldn't force you into something you didn't want to be in. Besides, your friendship was always the most important thing to me."
"Do you ever regret meeting me and enduring everything you had to go through before getting to this point?"
Sometimes the snow comes down in June
Sometimes the sun goes 'round the moon
Just when I thought our chance had passed
You go and save the best for last
Samantha thought long and hard over Jack's question. For such a simple question, she knew that there was no easy answer. If she looked back on their six years of friendship and counted all the times she had ever been sad, hurt, frustrated, and torn, she would have said yes. But the truth was, it had not been all bad either. There had been the good times, the laughter they had shared, and the friendship she cherished. There was no way Samantha could ever do a point for point tally and do a straight comparison to say whether or not she had experienced more happiness than pain. But at that moment, as she danced in Jack's arms underneath the twinkling gray sky and in the same place they had first met, she knew that the good would always outweigh the bad.
"No, Jack. I don't regret a thing nor would I change a thing. If I had to do it all over again, I'd do it in a heartbeat... so long as I still ended up right here in your arms."
You went and saved the best for last*
A smile spread broadly across their faces as their eyes met and twinkled in the darkness.
"I love you, Samantha Diane Clements."
"And I love you, Jack Everett Donaldson." Samantha then snuggled her head deeper into Jack's chest as he wrapped his arms even tighter around her and kissed her on the top of her head.
Everything was perfect as their hearts came to an understanding.
*Vanessa Williams: Save the Best for Last
THE END
© 2001 Copyright held by the author.