Unbroken Season 1

Chapter 16 Out Of The Mouths Of Babes

“…As the candle burns, I’ve learned one thing… to live your life and say a prayer for all that you’ve got… “

The light was fading from the autumn sky as Brooke looked out the kitchen window. The one room that she’d spent as little time as possible in was now her third most favorite of them all, being beaten out, of course, by the bedroom and the master bath. The tall woman turned and looked over at the young blonde working diligently only a few feet from her. What a difference a few months and one woman can make. Brooke shook her head, then continued her task of slicing the vegetables before her. I can see now why Mom kept nagging me about finding someone.

“Hey, Hon,” Sam turned from the mound of fresh green beans that she was preparing, “Can you hand me that strainer?”

Brooke smiled at the endearment, then put down the knife she was using and handed the strainer to Sam. “Here you go, Darlin’.” She watched as the blonde took it from her hand, then busily set about her work.

Turning back to the sink, Brooke washed her hands off, then dried them on a towel as she walked up behind the pre-occupied blonde. She stood there undetected for a moment before putting her hands around the young woman’s waist, leaning in to kiss her neck.

“Hmm…was that for something special or did you finally read my sign?” Sam looked over her shoulder at Brooke, motioning with her eyes to the small plaque that was her addition to the décor.

“You mean I have to have a reason?” Brooke kissed Sam’s cheek then turned to read the plaque out loud, “Kiss the Cook.” The woman smiled and leaned in whispering, “Actually, I’ve read that several times. That’s what gave me the idea.” Brooke winked, then stole another kiss. “Just wait until Christmas, I’ll have mistletoe all over the place, now that I have someone to be kissing. You’ll turn your head to sneeze and have to kiss me,” blue eyes twinkled with delight at the thought.

“I bet you will,” Sam shook her head, “Brooke Gordon, you’re incorrigible but I love you just the same.” She smiled, then quickly placed a kiss on the tall woman’s cheek before resuming her chore. “So, have you given any thought about Peter?”

Sam could feel the tug at her body and easily gave in, turning around in Brooke’s arms as warm, inviting lips met her own. “Mmm…” Sam ended the kiss with a purr.

Brooke leaned her forehead against Sam’s and nodded slightly, “Yeah, we talked about him working for me,” her lips turned into an impish grin, “and a couple of other things.”

“And when is he coming to work?”

“After the first of the month.” Brooke leaned back and smirked, “You know, he got so pissed at me because of that welcome aboard bonus.”

“Brooke…” Sam pulled back from her tall lover, gazing into her beautiful blue eyes for the truth, “You didn’t promise him Crystal, did you?”

Blue eyes shot open with surprise, “NO! Why would I do that?” She paused for a moment then began to chuckle, “Never thought of that.” She scratched her temple and laughed.

Sam sent a playful slap in the direction of her lover’s shoulder. A second later the blonde’s mischievous side came out with a devilish laugh, “I was thinking about him and Crystal. Bet we could get a life with Crystal for him…” she winked at Brooke, “…if we played our cards right.”

“And what are you thinking, ’cause I don’t know the first thing about their relationship,” she looked away from Sam’s gaze. “I…ah…” Brooke cleared her throat, “I gave him enough money for the down payment on his house, actually.”

“So, he’s coming down to work in December.” Sam sighed, “You can’t find any reason to bring him down any earlier?”

“Well, Sweetheart…I think that’s what he’s shooting for.” Brooke pursed her lips together in thought. “But…I was going to invite him for Thanksgiving at Mom’s.” Blue eyes moved rapidly to pin Sam down with their stare. “You’re coming, right?” Brooke searched Sam’s face for the answer, “And you’ll bring Aunt Sandy and Crystal, too, won’t you?”

“Huh?” The questions startled the young woman. “You want my whole family there?” Sam searched Brooke’s unrevealing face. “Any special reason for that?”

Brooke nodded confidently, “Yes, Baby. I want to spend the holiday with you and I know you’ll want to spend it with your family.” She bit at her lip, “I wonder if Mom would…” she began muttering as she thought out loud.

“Would what?” Sam looked at Brooke suspiciously.

“Nothing,” Brooke shrugged as she released the blonde from her embrace and started to move away. “I…I thought it would be nice, you know…to have my parents meet your Aunt.” Brooke held onto Sam’s hand, “I figured since all my sisters know, we might as well make it a bit more official and let the families meet.” Brooke let Sam’s hand slip from her own as she hopped up onto the counter, then sat with her arms braced on the edge, looking down at her legs swinging back and forth. The tall woman grew very quiet for a moment, then let her eyes roam around the room. “You know…maybe tell Dad about us.” Blue eyes glanced briefly in Sam’s direction. “What do ya say?”

“Why Brooke,” the smile on Sam’s face started to form slowly, “You leave me speechless.”

Brooke lifted her gaze from the floor to met Sam’s. “Why?”

“I guess I just never thought…”

The tall woman slid off of the counter and walked over to Sam. “Thought what, Sam?”

“Thought that we’d be doing this. I mean…” Sam’s smile got bigger, realizing how good it felt to have someone in her life. “It feels kind of nice to be out in the open about our relationship.”

The taller woman drew Sam into an embrace and kissed the top of her blonde head. “Yes, it does.” Brooke laid her cheek against Sam’s head and they stood there for several minutes, enjoying the feeling of love that surrounded them.

“Do you think he’ll still like me…I mean…after he knows?” Sam’s shyness was evident.

“Are you kidding?” Brooke’s face broke into a beaming smile, “He’ll absolutely love you. Dad may seem sweet and quiet but…” the woman chuckled, “he can be the complete opposite when he has a mind to.” She tightened her hold on the woman in her arms, “But don’t worry, he only shows that side to his daughters.”

“And you’ve seen that side?” Green eyes looked up at her lover’s face.

“Ah…yeah…” Brooke rolled her eyes, remembering the few times she’d seen her father’s disappointment in her behavior, “a time or two.”

“And I thought you were an angel,” Sam teased. “Okay then, why not?” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed Brooke’s cheek. “It will give us one more thing to be thankful for.” Sam grinned, “And besides, we could give Peter and Crystal a little time together, too.”

The tall woman returned the kiss, showing her approval. “There’s just one more thing.”

“What’s that, Love?”

Brooke became very serious, “Sam…do you think Aunt Sandy and Crystal could meet you there? At Mom’s, I mean. I’d really love it if you went with me…” she paused, looking directly into Sam’s green eyes. “…If we went together. I refuse to hide you…or our love anymore.”

The young woman smiled brilliantly. “I’d love to walk into that house on your arm. I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Sam looked up into love-filled blue eyes, then melted into the kiss that Brooke placed upon her lips. Breathlessly, they slowly parted. Each one savored the kiss as if it were their first.

“Okay,” Sam tried to regain her composure, “now back to those veggies.” She reached behind her and took the knife from the counter, holding it out to her pouting lover. “There will be no thoughts of dessert until we’ve had our dinner, and that’s final.” The blonde watched as the bottom lip slowly extended to complete her lover’s pouting face.

Sam turned around at the first sound of the kitchen door opening. There, with her shirt half out of her jeans, the right knee of the pants gaping open, and one bootlace untied, stood six feet of adolescent energy trapped in the body of an adult, known as Brooke Gordon. The blonde felt the corners of her mouth turn upward at the sight as she leaned back against the dishwasher.

“God, Brooke, I bet you were an adorable child growing up.” Sam crossed her arms over her chest as she took in the view.

The dark-haired woman looked up and grinned as she held the door open for Mario to come chasing in after her. “Yeah,” Brooke said softly, then closed the door, letting her hand pull the shirt up off her chest as she sniffed, making a terrible face. “And a smelly one, too.” She looked down to the dog prancing in circles around her, “Huh, Boy. I smell like a dog, don’t I?” Brooke reached down and patted her loyal pet on the head. “You liked that playing around. Go on, go get some water.”

Brooke raised her eyes to see Sam standing there, offering a bottle of water. “Thanks, Darlin’, I can sure use some water right about now.” She eagerly took it bringing it to her lips, and gulping down the clear, cold liquid.

“Oh, you’re right about that,” Sam shook her head at the grass stains on the woman’s clothing and the sweat rolling down her neck. “I’d say you need more water than that bottle can hold.”

Bringing the now empty bottle away from her mouth, Brooke coyly asked, “Would that be an offer to shower with a friend?” She moved forward, stretching her arms out to encircle the young woman.

“Ah…” Sam stepped back and held her arm straight out in front of Brooke, stopping any further advance. “I think this is one shower that you’re going to take by yourself, little Miss Roll-in-the-Dirt. I’m sure you still remember how to do that, don’t you?”

“Yeah,” Brooke said dejectedly, “guess I do.” She stuck out her bottom lip and started to walk into the hall with her head down. Mario followed right behind her with his tail between his legs.

Sam stood there, watching as the woman and her dog stopped at the doorway, then looked forlornly back at the blonde. The expression on their faces almost ripped the blonde’s heart right out of her chest. “Okay, I’ll tell you what. If you take your shower without acting like some orphaned waif, I’ll meet you up in the bedroom when you come out.” The smile spread across Sam’s face as both dog and mistress agreed to her deal, turning gleefully as they fought one another to be the first up the stairs and into the small room at the end of the hall. Sam chuckled, then shook her head, “Kids.”

The young woman crossed over to the back door, making sure that it was shut tightly and locked, then turned back to look at the kitchen. “Well, I guess everything’s done here.” She bent down to pluck several small clumps of grass from the floor where Brooke had stood only a minute before. Walking through the kitchen, she deposited them in the wastebasket, eyeing the phone on the counter as she did so. “Hmm…I guess I could call and invite Aunt Sandy and Crystal for Thanksgiving Dinner while I wait for Brooke to get done.” Sam smiled as she picked up the cordless phone, punching in the number as she made her way up to the master bedroom.

Listening to the ringing as she stepped off the spiral staircase, Sam started down the hall. “Come on, Auntie… pick up the phone,” she muttered when the sound of someone coming on the line drew her attention.

“Hello?”

“Hey, hello Aunt Sandy. It’s me, Sam.” The blonde turned into the bedroom.

“Samantha! Hi! How are you, Dear?” Her Aunt cooed, delighted to hear her niece’s voice. “What a nice surprise. I didn’t expect to hear from you this weekend. Aren’t you with your girl?”

“I’m fine…just wonderful, really. I’m at Brooke’s, yes, and we were talking about you this evening…”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes, so I just had to talk to you.” Sam took in a breath, “Aunt Sandy, We’d like to invite you and Crystal for Thanksgiving dinner at the Gordon’s. Can you make it?” She asked hopefully.

“Well…” Sandy hesitated, “are you sure it will be alright?”

“Why…I uhm…yes, it will be fine.” Sam sat down on the large bed. “Brooke and I are…well…” Sam took in a breath and said it without any further delays. “There’s going to be an announcement concerning both of our families at the dinner and we’d like you to be there.”

“Announcement?” Sandy’s voice became apprehensive, “What kind of announcement, Dear?”

“We’ve…ah…decided to be open about our dating, Aunt Sandy. I really love Brooke and I know that she loves me. We’re tired of hiding it and thought that this would be a good way to let everyone know all at once, official like.” Sam smiled into the receiver, “Besides…Peter’s going to be there, too.”

“Oh Samantha!” Sandy’s voice was excited, “I’m so happy for you. Of course, we will be there, Dear. Please thank Brooke and her family for the invitation until I can do so myself.”

“Good,” Sam nodded and giggled, “Oh, and Aunt Sandy, don’t tell Crystal about Peter. I want to surprise her. I’ll let you know what time to arrive at the house and give you the directions.”

“I won’t say a word to her. Oh, I’m so glad that we’re both working the night shift before the holiday.” She paused for a moment, then added, “So, how is Brooke?”

“She’s fine…just fine,” Sam said dreamily. “We’ve been…” Sam could hear the sound of scurrying feet, then felt the jiggling mattress as it moved under her from the assault of a human cannonball that had catapulted onto the bed. “Ack!” Sam turned to see Brooke lounging on the bed, “Hey, stop that.” Sam playfully slapped the tall woman’s bared knee. “Do you want my aunt to have the wrong impression of you?”

Brooke leaned forward, yelling into the phone, “Hi, Aunt Sandy.” She gave Sam a quick kiss on the cheek, then continued, “Your niece loves me, she just doesn’t know it yet.” Long, sinewy fingers began touching all the right places to bring the sounds of laughter rising from the blonde’s body as she tickled her like some mischievous child.

Laughing wildly, Sam tried to wiggle out of Brooke’s teasing grasp. “Bye, Aunt Sandy, I’ve got to take care of this child.”

“I’d tell you to say hello to Brooke for me, but it sounds like you have your hands full right now.”

“It’s more like she has her hands full of me, Auntie.”

Brooke’s head popped up next to Sam’s as she continued her assault and she whispered into Sam’s ear, “Auntie?” The dark-haired woman wiggled her eyebrows then resumed her tickling assault.

Aunt Sandy couldn’t help but laugh on the other end, hearing the playfulness of her niece’s lover. “I’d be careful what you say when she’s got you in her hands. Goodbye Sam…Goodbye Brooke,” she said leaving them to their time together.

“Bye, Aunt Sandy.” Sam quickly ended the call and turned to her lover, “God, Brooke…where did that come from, that inner child act of yours? What are you doing, blowing my aunt’s impression of how mature you are?”

“What?” Brooke stopped her tickling assault and sat back on her haunches. “I’m sorry, Baby. When I started out of the bathroom I didn’t realize you were talking to her. I guess I’m still a little keyed up from playing with Mario,” Brooke said with a contrite look.

“By the way…I love you and I know it, too.” Sam sighed, then shook her head as she sat there watching Brooke stretch out on the bed. She was holding out her arms, inviting the younger woman into them. Sam went willingly into them and nestled close to Brooke. “So, when are you going to invite Peter?” Sam played with the buttons on Brooke’s nightshirt, “I’ve got Crystal coming to dinner.”

“I’ll talk to him tomorrow,” Brooke rested her head against Sam’s, kissing the blonde hair.

“Hmm…” Sam purred at the touch. “Great, then the rest of tonight is for us.” Sam turned to look at Mario who was standing with his paws up on the bed and directed her comment to him. “You’ve got five minutes fella, then I’m claiming the bed and your mommy in it.” Sam wiggled her eyebrows at Brooke as she reached out to pet the animal’s head.

The dog whimpered as he climbed up on the bed next to his mistress, laying his head on Brooke’s shoulder, and staring directly at Sam.

“Aww…look at that face, Sam. I think you bwoke his wittle heart,” Brooke mimicked the speech of a small child.

Sam got up on one elbow, first eyeing her lover, then the dog. “Come on, Sport…I’ll play catch with you tomorrow for a night of passion with your mommy. How’s that?”

Blue eyes grew bigger as she repeated Sam’s words in her head, letting the most important ones softly mutter across her lips, “…night of passion?” Brooke looked at Sam as the woman’s coy smile and beguiling eyes drove the words home.

“That’s what I said,” Sam whispered seductively.

Brooke swiftly nudged the dog’s head that was on her shoulder, commanding him as she did so. “Mario, down boy.”

Monday morning came faster than usual or at least that’s how it seemed to the bleary-eyed executive, as she sat with her head resting on one hand at her desk, reviewing her latest signed contract. Blinking her eyes, and rubbing them to keep the printed words from running together, Brooke finally put the contract down for another day, preferably a day after a full night’s sleep. The woman thought back to the weekend and Sam, letting a smile come immediately to her face as the high points of their time together floated through her mind. Peter, she remembered, I’ve got to invite Peter for Thanksgiving Dinner. She looked over to the phone and took the receiver from the cradle, letting her eyes focus on the numbers. Yeah, I can do that. Brooke hurriedly tapped out the combination of numbers, then waited for Peter to answer. It didn’t take long after the ringing stopped that the rough sounding voice of a sleepy man greeted her.

“Hey, what’s…” Peter cleared his throat, “…happening?”

“Late night up packing, Peter?” Brooke teased her ex-band mate and soon-to-be employee.

“Brooke?” Peter looked at the phone, then at the date on his watch. “I’m not starting until December, so I can’t be late. Why are you ringing my phone?”

“Just checking up on you Petey,” Brooke laughed. “I was wondering if you’d be able to come down for a couple of days this week?”

“Sure, I could do that. You wouldn’t mind if I bring a few boxes with me, would you? You know, when you live out of a furnished apartment for the last three years, there’s not much to pack,” the man chuckled at his own expense. “I should have all this packed and ready to go by Wednesday morning. What do you need me for, Brooke?”

“Well, I don’t really need you for anything, but there is something that I’d like you to be a part of.” Brooke paused for a moment then continued, “I was hoping that you’d consider coming to Mom’s for Thanksgiving Dinner.”

“Mom’s…” Peter’s voice perked up, “God, I love her cooking. You know how long it’s been since I ate her cooking?” The man laughed, then answered his own question, “Too long.”

“Well then… I guess I’ll see you there then, right? Hey, I’ll even help you unload the boxes that you bring.”

“Please, Brooke…the down payment is quite enough of a hand. I…I never expected that. Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it, Petey. I’d do that for any employee that I thought deserved it.”

There was a moment of awkward silence before Peter broke it with the only thing he could think of. “God, Brooke…Being with you guys again for dinner…well, that’ll be like coming home to family for the holiday.”

“Look at it this way…you are.” Brooke tapped out a rhythm with her fingers on her desk as she talked on the phone.

“You better believe I’ll be there.” Peter assured her. “So, what time’s dinner? Ah…don’t even bother telling me. I’ll come early like I always do.” The man paused then asked, “So, Brooke…is Sam going to be there? I mean, since its family and all.”

“Yes, she is. We’re ahh…well…let’s say that everyone will know about us Thursday. I can’t wait.” Brooke grabbed a pen and started doodling on her daily calendar. Each time she wrote Sam’s name, the smile grew bigger on her face.

“Good,” Peter sounded happy. “I like seeing the two of you together. It gives me hope. Besides,” the man smirked, “I don’t want to be the one that spills the beans.”

“Yeah? Well someone spilled the beans about you, Buddy. I hear that you spent quite a bit of time with Crystal over the last couple of weeks,” Brooke teased him.

There was the sound of coughing and the clearing of a throat before Peter’s voice came back to him, “Ah…well…I kind of like her.” His voice sounded like that of a child. “She’s different from any girl that I’ve known…special, you know.”

“Yeah, I know. So, have you kissed her yet or are you still working up the courage?” Brooke let out a little laugh.

“Do you want the truth or do you want to hear what the old Peter would tell you?”

“I thought the ‘old Peter’ was dead. Give me the truth.”

“I’m not sure who exactly kissed whom first, but we have kissed. Jeez, Brooke, what do I know, it’s all a blur to me, it happened so fast. One minute we were talking and the next, well…you get the picture.”

“You sound like a school boy with his first crush.”

There was dead silence on the other end for a minute, and then Peter’s voice finally confirmed her thoughts. “I do, don’t I?”

“Yeah, you do. This is definitely you, my friend. I’m happy for you. So, I take it that you’ve met Aunt Sandy…ah…I mean, Crystal’s mom?”

“Thanks, Brooke.” Peter chuckled, then started with his story. “I guess you could say that. I was so tongue-tied that she did all the talking. Crystal’s Mom opened the door when we were a…kissing.”

Brooke imagined how red Peter had turned, then and even now, as he related the story to her and she tried not to laugh at his embarrassment. “Really? Well, that was better than what I did last night. Talk about feeling like a complete idiot and brainless at that.”

“And what could you have been doing that would have been worse?” Peter waited for an answer as he thought. “OhmyGod, Brooke you didn’t…did you?”

The woman laughed rather naughtily, “I needed to take a shower after dinner last night and Sam told me that she’d meet me in bed.” Brooke paused just long enough for Peter to get the idea in his mind. “Well, I took my shower, dressed for bed, and then ran out of the bathroom. I jumped on the bed on top of her and started tickling her. How was I supposed to know that she was on the phone with Aunt Sandy?” Brooke smiled as she remembered the look on Sam’s startled face.

“You didn’t…I mean…ah…say anything did you?”

“No, I don’t think so.” Brooke smiled to herself realizing how much worse the embarrassment could have been for Sam. “Well, at least not until I knew who she was talking to.”

“If that were me, I’d be sooooo embarrassed. I don’t think I’d be able to look her in the eye the next time we met.”

“Actually, when Sam laughed, I spoke into the phone and said hello, then told her Aunt that Sam loved me and that she just didn’t know it yet.”

“Man, Brooke, it’s a good thing Sam doesn’t live at home. I could just see you saying that to her father with the sounds of a mattress squeaking in the background.”

The dark-haired woman become very quiet for a moment then softly muttered out her agreement, “Yeah.”

“Sorry, Brooke. I didn’t mean to bring that up. Crystal told me just how narrow-minded Sam’s parents are. Forget about them, concentrate on Sam and making her happy.”

“I am,” Brooke sighed, “Believe me.”

“I know that you two are good for each other. I can see it when you’re together.”

“Thanks, Petey.” Brooke cleared her throat and changed the subject, “So, I’ll see you at dinner Thursday, right?”

“Yeah, Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday at Mom’s, I’ll be there.”

“Great, I’ll see you then.” Brooke started to pull the phone from her ear.

“See you then, Boss.” Peter giggled, “You know what?”

“What?” She halted her motion and waited to hear what he would say.

“I like the sound of that. Bye,” he sing-songed the last word.

Brooke smiled and ended the conversation, “Bye, Peter.” She looked down at the phone for a second, happy that one of her old friends was once again a part of her life.

“Oh, shit!” Brooke’s eyes grew bigger and she reached for the phone that she’d just hung up. “I better call Mom.” Punching in the number on her autodail, Brooke listened to the ringing on the other end.

“Hello.”

“Hi, Mom. You having a good day?”

“Brooke,” Mable’s voice became friendlier, “I’m having a wonderful day, how about you?”

“Pretty good,” Brooke replied. “So, is there anything that I can bring to dinner on Thursday?”

There was laughter coming across the phone line, “Well, of course there is. You can bring Sam, that is unless she’d rather be with her family.”

“I was counting on her being with me for the holiday.” Brooke cleared her throat, “Actually, Mom…ah…how big is the turkey?”

There was a second or two of silence before Mable answered, “Well, I don’t know…the usual I guess, twenty-five or so pounds. Why, are you that hungry already, Dear?”

“I uh…kind of invited a couple of people to dinner, Mom. There’s Peter…”

“Peter, how nice. I haven’t seen him at the dinner table for a long time. That’s no problem.”

“Well…” Brooke swallowed, “Then there’s Sam’s Aunt Sandy and Crystal.”

“Is that all, Dear, just the five of you in your family grouping then?”

“Yeah, Mom, uh…five in my fam…” Brooke was shocked by the thought of her family.

“Well, that’s no bigger than Randi’s family,” Mable muttered. “Oh, don’t mind me. I’m just wondering how many we can actually have, once all you girls are settled down.”

“Ah…yeah,” Brooke smiled now at the concept.

“Something tells me that by the time you all give me grandchildren, I’d better rent a small hall for holiday dinners.”

Brooke was totally caught off guard by her mother’s statement and she choked out her reply, “You mean C.C. and Terri, right?”

“Well, I always thought…” the matriarch paused, “…the more the marrier.”

Brooke ran those last few words through her mind. Did she say ‘Marry her’? The executive started to wonder if her mother wasn’t resorting to subliminal messages. “Huh?”

“I mean…merrier.” Mable laughed at her slip. “The more the merrier,” she reiterated.

“You already have 3 grandkids from Randi, Mom. They should keep you merry enough for a while.”

“So, Brooke…is there any special reason why you have orchestrated this little family gathering? It doesn’t matter to me, in fact, I’d like to met Sam’s aunt,” Mable continued without pausing to let Brooke answer. “Care to share, or will that ruin your surprise?”

“Ah…kind of. I really want to spend the holiday with Sam but I couldn’t ask her not to be with her family. Besides…” Brooke paused, then slowly started again, “It’ll be the first time everyone will see the two of us together, as a couple. I love her, Mom. I won’t hide that anymore, from anyone.”

“But Brooke, we’ve seen you two…” Mable paused to gather the full sense of what Brooke was saying. “Oh… a couple. Brooke, I’m so happy for you. I knew she was special when Loran came back for a concert.”

“Loran didn’t, Mom. I did. I just borrowed her stuff.” Brooke grinned, realizing that her mother knew that Sam was special to her. “Actually, if you really want to know, I need to talk to her Aunt about something.”

“Something that I need to know about, Brooke?”

“Not just yet, Mom. I want to wait until I have a definite answer,” Brooke let her voice trail off. “Let’s just say that you’ll either be throwing me a party or holding me while I cry my eyes out.”

“Sounds like my baby is serious about something.”

“Well…uhmm…” Brooke took in a deep breath, “Yes I am, Mom.”

“I’ll plan for the party,” Mable let go with a chuckle, “God knows you never cry.”

“You have no idea, Mom.” Brooke thought back to the multitude of tears she shed when she thought Sam was out of her life, then quickly shook the feeling, never wanting to experience it again.

“I know Brooke, you’re the kind that cries more on the inside than for others to see.”

God, she knows me better than I know myself sometimes. Brooke changed the subject back to the reason for her call. “So, like I said, do you need me to bring anything for dinner on Thursday?”

There was a moment of silence before Mable spoke, “How about you bringing the wine. It sounds like we might be having a toast or two this year. It seems like we’ve all got a lot to be thankful for.”

Brooke smiled as she reached into her jacket pocket and toyed with the small, rounded top box. “I hope so, Mom. I surely hope so.”

Sam watched out the window of the 300 as they pulled up to the Gordon house and parked. She felt the warm touch of Brooke’s hand on hers and turned to look into comforting blue eyes.

“You ready?” Brooke asked softly.

“God, Brooke, I’m so nervous.”

“Darlin’, they already know you and they adore you.” Brooke held Sam’s hand a little tighter, “You’ve done this already.”

“Hey,” green eyes flashed at Brooke, “I was just C.C.’s roommate before.” Sam took in a deep breath, “Now I’m potential family.”

“Potential?” Brooke questioned the idea.

“Yeah…potential. I’m not official in any capacity.” Sam looked over at the looming house and bit at her lip.

Brooke leaned over the center console and placed a tender kiss on Sam’s lips as she turned back to look at Brooke. “You’re official in my capacity.” Brooke grinned at her. “You are my family.” The dark-haired woman smirked, as she secretly patted her jacket pocket, “Besides, who knows what could just fall into your lap at a holiday gathering.”

The blonde knitted her brows at the thought but let it go, writing it off to nervousness. She then smiled, breathing a sigh of relief. “God, Brooke, you always know the right words to say to calm me down.”

“That’s because I love you so damn much.” Brooke looked at her parent’s house, and then at Sam, “Ready, Darlin’?”

“Okay,” Sam took in a deep breath, then blew it out slowly. “Here goes nothing.” She reached for the door handle then quickly turned back to look into loving blue eyes. “Kiss me first.” Sam’s small hand clutched at Brooke, grabbing onto her sleeve. “You’ll love me no matter what, right?”

“Darlin’, I’ll love you forever…no matter what.” Brooke leaned over and kissed the insecure woman as deeply as she could, to erase any doubts that she could ever have. After the intensity of the kiss diminished, she placed one more gentle touch of her lips to Sam’s ear and whispered, “I love you, Sam.”

The young woman closed her eyes, savoring both the words and touch of her lover. “I was hoping you’d say that,” Sam whispered back, then opened her eyes, revealing a more confident woman. “Okay, I’m ready now.”

Brooke winked and nodded approvingly at the woman as she let her fingers glide over Sam’s cheek. “Okay Baby, just hang on a minute.” Brooke deftly opened her own door and climbed out of the driver’s seat. She grabbed the bottle of wine from behind her seat, then walked around the front of the car. Upon reaching Sam’s side, she opened the passenger door for the young woman to exit.

Smiling pleasantly, Sam took the hand that was being offered to her and climbed out of the 300. She looked up to see Brooke bringing the small hand to her mouth and kissing it while their eyes stayed locked on one another until Brooke winked at the woman, and closed the car door. Sam wrapped her arm tightly around Brooke as they made their way to the house.

The Gordon house was filling with family and friends as the time was growing nearer to the dinner hour. Being made the official greeter for the day, C.C. took her job rather seriously. She spent her time listening for the next doorbell to chime in, then took off running like a maniac to get to the door before anyone else. Her only competition came from Randi’s children. With Brooke being the only Gordon sibling left to arrive, C.C. stayed near the door, watching and waiting.

Casting a wayward look out the front window, the brunette spied Brooke’s 300 parked at the curb. Smiling, C.C. strolled over to the door and waited for the sound of the chime to announce the next guests. When the melodic sound of the Westminster chimes sounded again, C.C. pulled back the sheer curtain on the side panel of the door and looked at the two figures standing on the porch. “Hey, look who’s here,” she announced, “My sister and my roomie.” C.C. opened the door to greet them. “Glad to see you finally made it here, you two.” She then turned and yelled out, “Mom, Brooke and Sam are here.”

A lone, dark eyebrow raised on Brooke’s forehead as she wrapped her arm around Sam’s shoulder. “Of course we did. We wouldn’t miss a family holiday.”

The small crowd of children soon parted that had gathered behind C.C., leaving Mable Gordon directly in view of the door. “Ah… Sam, it’s so good to have you here.” The matriarch called out over her shoulder, “Henry, your daughter, Brooke, is here. Come and greet her.”

Brooke tightened her hold on Sam, then leaned over to whisper in her ear, “It’s ok, Baby…relax. I’ve got you.”

The young woman nodded slightly and muttered, “I’m trying.” Turning her attention to Brooke’s mother, Sam turned on her warmest smile. “Mrs. Gordon,” she saw the hurt in the woman’s eyes, then quickly corrected herself, “Mom, thank you for inviting me.”

“You are very welcome, Dear.” She wiped her hands on her apron and gave Sam a hug.

“Have my aunt and cousin arrived yet?”

“Yes, they have. As a matter of fact, we were just having a cup of tea in the kitchen. Sam, she’s just a lovely person. They both are. I’m so glad that you all could make it today.”

“Mable, what is it that you…” the man stopped short when he saw the blonde in the doorway. “Oh, Sam…your aunt and I were just talking about you.”

“Hi, Dad.”

“Hello Brooke. That was nice of you to bring Sam but I thought she was coming with C.C.”

“Hello Mister Gordon,” Sam nodded politely and smiled.

“Hey, Pop, of course I was going to bring her. I can’t stand to be without her.” Brooke turned to look at Sam, then back to her father. “Actually Dad, she’s here with me today.”

“Is that so?” There was a moment of uneasy silence as Henry looked from one woman to the other, then to his wife standing next to him. “Ah… Mable perhaps one of us should get back to the guests in the kitchen…”

“Yes… I’ll take Sam with me, I’m sure she’d like to say hello to her family. Why don’t you have that little talk with your daughter that you’ve been putting off?”

Henry took in a deep breath and let it out. “Yes, why don’t I. Brooke… care to join me in the den?” His gray eyes motioned across the hall to the room that was his bastion.

“Sure Pop, I’ll be right there.” She watched him walk away, then she gazed at the blonde, “You okay?”

Sam nodded, “I’ll be fine. How about you?”

“I’ll be alright. How about a kiss for luck?”

The young woman looked around at the bustling house, then took in a breath and kissed Brooke on the lips.

“I love you,” Brooke whispered.

“I love you, too.” Sam smiled shyly, “I guess that’s for real now… huh?”

“What’s for real?” Brooke looked deep into Sam’s eyes, “The fact that I love you? It always has been real.”

“But it’s really for real now… us, I mean.”

Brooke smiled brightly as she nodded, “Yes Sam, we are real and I love you more than ever.” She leaned in toward Sam, moving closer for a kiss when the sound of her father’s voice broke their train of thought, ending her advance.

“Brooke,” Henry called out to summon his daughter.

“Coming, Dad,” the woman quickly responded, then looked into the eyes of the woman in front of her.

Sam put her hand against her lover’s chest. “You’d better get going. I don’t want your father mad at you.”

Brooke agreed, “Okay, but I’ll be out soon to find you.” She leaned over and kissed the blonde lightly on the cheek, then watched Sam turn and walk toward the kitchen.

Brooke felt a little weird, entering her father’s den even at the age of thirty. It had been the room where many discussions of unbecoming behavior had taken place for not only Brooke but also all of her siblings. She stopped briefly at the door, seeing her father sitting behind the desk with his chair swiveled toward the window. The tall woman closed the door gently then crossed the room to take a seat on the small leather couch.

“Your mother seems to think that I need to talk to you, Brooke.” Henry swiveled his chair to face her. “So, how’s life lately?”

“Life…” Brooke smiled, “Life is wonderful.”

“And work…Is your company doing alright?” He asked studying her closely.

“Work is great. In fact, Peter starts working for me after the first of the month.” Brooke watched the expression on her father’s face as it turned more puzzled, “Dad?”

“Yes, Brooke?” He looked up from his hands that he had pressed tightly against one another.

“Just spit it out, Dad. I am an adult now.”

The one corner of Henry’s mouth turned upward at the thought. “Okay,” He

nodded. “I’ll treat you like the adult that I hope you are. You always did have a

no nonsense mind.”

“Still do,” Brooke smirked, then eased back into the couch.

“So, what’s up with you doing all this…” Henry looked for the right word to use, “…stuff,” he coughed, “for C.C.’s roommate?”

Brooke sat up, looking rather perplexed, “Stuff? What stuff? Do you mean the birthday party?”

“Yes, the party at your house, the band coming together, all the running around to take her places. Those things…and well, like today.”

“Today…” Brooke thought for a moment, “Today is not for her, Dad. Today is actually for me.”

“Where are you going here, Brooke? How is today for you?”

“Dad,” Brooke leaned forward in her seat, “I love her and she loves me.”

Henry shifted in his seat, “Brooke, you’re thirty and Sam… Sam’s younger than C.C.”

“By one month, Dad.” Brooke moved to the edge of her seat, “What difference does that make anyway? You’re ten years older then Mom. Rick is eight years older then Terri.”

The man leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on the desk and looked Brooke straight in the eye. “You didn’t knock her up…” he stopped when he saw the surprised look on his daughter’s face, then started again. “You didn’t go banging her in the…” gray eyes rolled as Henry realized what that sounded like also. “I mean… ah… you didn’t go hitting her head on the floor like you did C.C., did you?”

A smile slowly came to Brooke’s face as she leaned back, relaxing into the couch, “No, I didn’t bang her head on the floor, Dad.”

“So, you’re serious about this. Is she?” The man voice sounded relieved.

“Yes, and before you ask, it has nothing to do with Loran.” Brooke watched as her father’s face took on a rather worried look. “What’s with the face?”

Henry sank back into his chair, “Brooke, I’ll be honest with you. I never thought that I’d have to have this talk with you.” He looked up to see concerned blue eyes looking back at him. “I thought I was safe. I mean, you never brought anyone around, you never seemed that interested in… ah…” Henry gulped back the word he was about to say. “You know, when you came out to us with your sexual preference, your mother agreed to have that talk with your sisters and I had you.” Henry chuckled, “You know… father to son… er… daughter.” The man laughed openly at his error.

Brooke hid her mouth behind her hand, keeping the laughter to herself. “You want me to help?”

“Help… what do you mean?” Henry began to perspire and took his handkerchief out to wipe his brow.

“Dad, I’m thirty years old. You don’t have to explain the birds and the bees to me.” Brooke thought about what she had just said and amended it, “Well, birds and birds.”

Henry choked as he tried not to laugh at his daughter’s concept, “Not that talk.” He rolled his eyes and offered a prayer to God above for small favors, “The talk about living with someone… marriage,” his voice went silent realizing that it wasn’t the word he wanted to use. “Ah… partnering. Isn’t that what you call it now?”

“That’s what I call it. What about it?”

“Well, it’s a big step and not one to be taken lightly.” His eyes studied his daughter’s face.

“I know, Dad.”

“Then, you’ve thought about it?”

Brooke looked up into her father’s eyes, “Yes, I have… quite a bit, as a matter of fact.”

Henry looked a little surprised at Brooke’s revelation. “And it doesn’t scare the hell out of you?”

Brooke looked directly into her father’s eyes, “No Dad, not when it comes to Sam.”

“I take it this isn’t your first date then, right?”

“No, that was in August about a week after Sam came over for dinner.” Brooke smirked, “And you can blame that one on your youngest spawn.”

Henry viewed his daughter in a different light now. “August?” His eyes bugged out. “I should have known.” The man shook his head in disbelief, “Cjersti… I should have known.” Henry looked out the window for a moment before addressing Brooke. ” Well, I guess you’ve taken her out a few times then, but why wouldn’t you say something sooner?”

“Dad, I love Sam. We knew some people would have a problem with a couple of things, namely her being an Anti-Zero fan, my being ‘Loran’, and the difference in our ages.”

Henry looked over at his daughter, then said only one word, “Randi.”

“Yeah, and you know what?”

The man sat up in his chair, “What, Brooke?”

“We were together before she ever found out who I am. Actually, she got pissed.”

“Because you were Loran?”

“No, because at first she thought that I was trying to imitate her biggest crush, Brooke Loran. She told me that I was messed up because she loved me, Brooke Gordon, not who I was pretending to be.” Brooke smirked, “She actually walked out. Sam thought I was lying to her, making it all up.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, how did you correct that?”

“Oh, I didn’t. C.C. did.” Brooke smiled thinking about the lengths that her sister went to to keep them together. “She drove Sam back to the dorm and talked to her, then drove her back to the house. I still don’t know what was said, or what exactly changed Sam’s mind. I’m just glad that she did.”

“Brooke, what do you mean… drove to the dorm and then back to the house?”

“Ah…it was the day after C.C.’s party. Remember? They stayed over that night.”

Brooke giggled, “Well actually, Sam and I have spent every weekend together since the week after Labor Day.”

Henry let out a groan and visibly sank into his chair as he covered his face with his hands.

“What? What’s wrong, Dad?”

“Brooke, I truly don’t want to know, so don’t tell me.” Her father took in a deep breath, then let his hands fall down to his sides allowing him to look her straight in the eye. “I’m not prying here, but you are treating her with respect, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” Brooke said, without having to think about it.

“And you love her?” Henry searched his daughter’s face, pleased with what he was seeing.

“More than anything, Dad.”

“Then, why are you hiding it from us?” Gray eyes looked into blue, “Or is there something you don’t want us to know?” Henry held his breath, hoping he was wrong.

“I’m not… not anymore. After that weekend that she went to her Aunt’s, I just couldn’t stand it anymore. That’s when we decided to let people know about us.”

“Phhhhew,” Henry let out his breath as he wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. “Good,” he chuckled aloud, “At least with your preference Brooke, I don’t have to worry that you got her pregnant.”

“Well, not yet…” Brooke added as she watched her father’s relieved face.

“I can at least be thankful for… what?” Henry’s eyes grew bigger as he stared at his daughter.

“Da-ad,” Brooke sing-songed out, “I’m joking,” she winked at him and laughed.

“I should hope so, young lady.” Henry started to relax again.

“Nope, we can’t get each other pregnant, which might be a real pain in the ass down the road, but we’ll worry about it then.”

“You expect it to go that far? Brooke, are you telling me in a roundabout way then, that Sam’s the one…” Henry swallowed hard, “the one you want to…”

“Settle down with?” She looked to her father and saw his slight nod. “Yes, but not in a roundabout way, Dad. I’ll tell it to you straight out. I love Sam and I know that she loves me. I want to spend the rest of my life with her. Heck, Dad…” Brooke let her hand go to the box in her pocket, “I’m going to marry her someday and then you can bet you’ll be a Grandpa again.”

Henry could see the determination in her eyes. “I see.” He slowly began to nod his head, believing in what he was about to say, “I believe you will, Brooke, I truly do.” The man took in a deep breath and let it out. “So, I guess I can tell your mother that I’ve done my part and not have to worry about it, right?” He eyed his daughter as he got up from his chair and walked around the desk.

“Yeah,” Brooke stood up and clapped her hand on his shoulder. “You did good, Pop.” She walked with him toward the door, “Come on, I got a bird out there waiting on me.” She winked at her father, then smiled.

Henry chuckled, “I wish they were all as easy as you, Brooke.” He reached for the door, opening it just as his youngest child passed by. “I can’t wait until your mother has to have this talk with C.C.”

Peter first spied Brooke standing out in the backyard when he rounded the corner of the Gordon house. His ex-band mate and soon-to-be boss looked rather pensive in her thoughts as she held something in her hand, staring down at it, causing Peter to stop, giving her just a little more time to herself. He waited until he saw her nod, then shove the small box into her jacket pocket before resuming his walk over to where Brooke stood.

“Hey, there you are,” Peter called out as he started around the last shrub. “So, what’s up, Brooke? Your dad told me you were out here when he met me at the door. He thought it might be best if I’d come find you before greeting the rest of the family.”

Startled at first by the voice, Brooke turned to see her friend, “Hey!” She held out her arms to embrace him in a roughhousing kind of hug at first, then latched on to the man and gave him a real one. “Not much.” They stepped back from each other and stood there gazing away from the house. “I just came out here for some air, when Randi tried to corner me.”

“Gee, if I get hugs like that, I’ll move every week,” Peter laughed.

“Nah…” Brooke waved her hand at the idea, “I’d offer them to you freely, no strings attached.” Brooke looked over to the man and smiled.

They shared a friendly smile before Peter ventured to ask, “Randi, huh? What’s she on the rampage about? Warn me now.”

Brooke smirked, “Me and Sam.”

“Huh? What do you mean… you and Sam?” Peter’s brow furrowed with puzzlement.

The tall woman shrugged, “She doesn’t approve of us being together. You know how high and mighty she can be.” Brooke turned to face Peter, “Christ, Peter…” blue eyes conveyed her feelings of hurt, “…she had Sam investigated.”

Peter’s eyes nearly popped out, “Investigate that sweet thing? You’ve got to be kidding, right?” He could tell by the serious look on Brooke’s face that she wasn’t, and looked away from his friend, saying exactly what was on his mind. “You know, sometimes I think Randi was a lawyer in a previous life,” he shook his head, “and a devious one at that.”

“Yeah…” Brooke whispered under her breath and nodded in agreement. “I’m not kidding, Peter, she tried to tell me shit she thought I didn’t know.” Brooke’s eyes narrowed as she looked off into the distance, “Little did she know that I knew more about it.”

“You were always thorough, even when you were little.” Peter studied his friend.

“Yep, I tried to be.” A smile came to her lips as she thought about the box in her pocket and touched it with her hand. “Always have the next step planned.”

Peter caught the subtle movement of her hand. “So, what’s in the box?” He reached out and patted the lump in her pocket, himself. “I saw you eyeing it up pretty good when I turned the corner of the house.”

Brooke grinned as she pulled it out and offered it to him.

“It ain’t my birthday,” Peter joked as he took the box in his hand and opened it with a ‘thunk’. “Holy shit!”

“Don’t go getting any ideas, Petey. It’s not for you,” Brooke cautioned the man.

The ex-band mate picked the delicate ring up out of the box, looked it over as he let out a long low whistle, then promptly put it back in the small slot. “I didn’t think so. My finger’s not that small,” Peter turned to look at Brooke, “and neither is yours.”

Brooke scratched the side of her face worriedly, “Do you think she’ll like it?”

The man held it up and looked at it approvingly, “Yeah, I think she will.” Peter looked over at Brooke, “Say, isn’t this one of the rings that we looked at in the jewelry shop up in New Jersey before you left?” He watched, as her smile grew bigger. “But you didn’t buy it then. I was with you.”

“Nope, I called them the following Monday and had it sent.” Brooke’s mind drifted back to her homecoming from that New Jersey trip and the blonde that had been waiting to greet her.

Her friend looked at her and wondered what was going through her mind that could bring such a serene expression to her face. He let her have her moment before gently nudging her shoulder with his and asking, “When you going to do it… tonight?” He held the box out for her to take.

The dark-haired woman let a tiny laugh slip out as she closed that chapter in her mind. “Ah…no.” She took the box and toyed with it. “Not yet, maybe Christmas,” she offered, then shoved it back into her pocket.

“Not sure yet or just waiting for the right time, Brooke?” Peter looked into her eyes, seeing that far off gaze that was so familiar to him. “You’re zoning out on me there girl. Just like the old days when the three of us would work on the music.” Peter snapped his fingers in front of Brooke’s face.

“Huh? Sorry.” Brooke sighed, “Yeah, I want everything to be perfect. I want to make sure she has absolutely no reason to say nnn…nnn…” she tried to verbalize the word, but couldn’t.

“And I’m sure you’ll make it that way, too.” Peter encouraged her, “With you asking her, there’s only one answer that I’d be expecting to hear and that’s yes.” Peter placed a hand on her shoulder and looked her in the eye. “I envy you, Brooke. You know that?”

“Why?” She searched for a reason in his face.

“You know what you want. Me, I…” he took in a breath and let it out, “I just dream. Take today for instance. I should have asked Crystal to come with me, but I was afraid that she’d say ‘No’.” Peter shrugged, then hung his head at his own misfortune. “So here I am, playing third wheel to you and Sam.”

“No,” Brooke shook her head, “You’re not a third wheel.” She grabbed his hand and started back toward the house, “I have a little surprise for you, my friend.”

“Surprise? What kind of surprise?” Peter suddenly dug his feet into the ground halting any further motion forward as he tugged back on his hand. “You’re not sitting me next to C.C. are you? Brooke, I know she’s your sister and all but I’m thinking that matching me and her up would not be a good thing.”

Brooke looked back to see terror-filled eyes and she couldn’t help but laugh. “Nope. Trust me, Petey. You’ll love it. I promise.” She beamed a brilliant smile at him and wiggled her eyes, “So, what do you say we go in and say ‘Hi’ to everyone?”

Peter gave the tall woman a long glance out of the side of his eyes, trying to decide if he believed her or not. “Okay,” he started out slowly, “but I’m trusting you, Boss. Let’s get it over with and then we can eat.”

Letting Peter follow her at his own pace, Brooke crossed the yard to the kitchen door and yelled inside, “Honey…” Brooke looked back at Peter, then into the bustling room filled with women until she made eye contact with the only blonde there. “Look who I found.” Brooke stepped aside, letting Peter enter the doorway first.

“Peter…” the smile on Sam’s face grew bigger. “How nice to see you here. Brooke never told me when you were coming.” She invited him into a hug, then kissed his cheek.

“Hi ya, Toots. How have you been? Did you miss me?”

“Always, Petey, always. The phone conversations with Brooke aren’t the same without you.” Sam smiled and stepped back from his embrace.

“I told you to call me whenever you’d like. Hell… now you’ll be seeing so much of me, you’ll be sick of me,” Peter grinned and winked at the blonde.

“So, Brooke finally talked you in to working for her, huh?” Sam grabbed Peter’s hand and pulled him out of the way of Mrs. Gordon. “Sorry, Mom. Come on, Petey, we’d better get out of the kitchen here before we delay the serving of dinner.” Sam winked at Brooke as she led her little party out into the hallway.

“Yep,” Peter eyed the food that was being prepared around him as he followed Sam’s lead. “Although, it didn’t take much convincing on her part. I was ready for a change. I have been for a long time.”

“I bet.” Sam turned to look at him once they were out of the kitchen. “Why don’t you tell me all about how she enticed you into that job?”

Brooke leaned in toward Peter and whispered a few choice words before they both turned to exchange knowing glances and smiled. The older woman motioned toward Sam, “Keep her company for me, Petey. I’ve got something to take care of.” She turned and kissed Sam lightly on the cheek. “You introduce Petey around and I’ll catch up with you in a bit.”

Sam watched as her lover strolled away. “What’s she up to, Petey, huh?” The blonde turned back to see Peter smiling at her and then looked back in the direction that Brooke had wandered off to.

“Ah, Sam…” Peter tapped her on her shoulder to get her attention. “Brooke said something about introducing me around?”

The tussle of blonde hair in front of him nodded then turned toward him. “Come on, Peter, I’ll introduce you to a few new faces at this holiday gathering.” Sam winked.

“Who?” Peter looked at her strangely. “I know all of the Gordons.”

Sam grabbed his arm and tugged him into the living room behind her as she surveyed the small crowd. “You’ve got to say ‘Hi’ to everyone.” Catching the right person’s eye, she motioned for them to come closer. “Peter…” Sam took the woman’s hand and turned back to Peter, “I think you’ve met my cousin, Crystal.” The blonde smiled politely, then turned to her cousin, “Crystal, I’ll leave you in his company while I go and help Mom out in the kitchen.” Sam winked at Crystal then turned to wave as she walked away.

Once across the room, Sam turned to look back on two very dumbfounded figures, staring into one another’s eyes. Brushing her hands off against each other, the blonde smiled as her thoughts tumbled, barely audible, out of her mouth, “Gee, C.C., now I know how you feel.”

The tall woman greeted each family member that she ran into as she mounted her search for the one person in particular that she wanted to talk to right now. Stumbling into her father, Brooke finally asked for help. “Hey, Dad.” She smiled and greeted her sisters’ husbands with a smile and a nod, “Brian, Rick,” then turned back to her father. “Dad, I’m looking for Sam’s aunt. Have you seen her?”

The man smiled warmly, believing that he knew exactly why she wanted to see the woman. “I think she’s in my study admiring the collection of books that you girls got me.” Henry winked at his daughter, “Go on, I’m sure she wouldn’t mind having some company.”

The smile broke across Brooke’s face, “Thanks, Dad. You’re the best.” Brooke reached up and placed a kiss on his cheek, then scurried off toward the den.

“What’s she so excited about, Dad?” Rick spoke up as he watched her leave.

“She looks like she’s in love,” Brian added, then both men turned to look at Henry for confirmation.

“Who knows?” Henry shrugged, not wanting to add to the pressure that Brooke was already putting herself under. He feigned any knowledge of the reason, “You know Brooke…little things tend to excite her.” Henry turned to see his daughter slip into the den, closing the door behind her, while a smile settled on his face.

Hearing the door close, the woman turned to see her niece’s friend. “Brooke,” she called out as a smile came to Sandy’s face, “Your parents have such a lovely house. I was just admiring the bookcases here in the den.”

“I’m sure that they’d be happy to hear that.” Brooke moved into the room, “Uh… Ma’am, can I talk to you for a moment?”

“Why sure, Dear.” Sandy looked over, giving Brooke her full attention, “Anything that I can help you with?”

“Actually yes, there is.” Brooke motioned to the couch, “Please, have a seat.”

“Oh my, this sounds important.” Sandy sat down, then looked up to Brooke. “Is there something on your mind?”

“Well.. It’s a couple of things actually.” Brooke bit on her lip, then nodded.

“Hmm…” Sandy watched as Brooke paced for a moment then stopped and stood before her.

“First of all…” Brooke started, “I’ve been thinking about Christmas for Sam. I was wondering if you could help me out.”

“Oh dear, I’m not sure that I know her sizes,” the woman strained to think.

“No,” Brooke chuckled. “Nothing like that. I know Sam would like to see her parents and spend the holiday with them, and Sarah.” Brooke looked into Sandy’s eyes, “I know she really misses her father.”

“Oh, Brooke, you’re so right.” Sandy nodded, “She was very close to her father at one time, but I’m afraid her mother is the one that is so dead set against her influencing Sarah.”

“Well..I’d uhm…” Brooke rubbed the back of her neck with her hand, “I’d kind of like to talk to them. That’s where I need your help.” Brooke sat down on the couch next to Sam’s aunt. “I definitely wouldn’t let them know who I am.”

“Do you think you can…” Sandy searched the determined blue eyes, “but how?”

“Can you give me their address?”

Sandy nodded her head. “I can give that to you but I’m not sure it will do any good.”

“I at least want to try… for her.” Brooke got up from the couch, crossing to the desk, then returned with pen and paper and handed them to the woman.

The older woman took the offered writing tools, “Here, let me jot it down for you.”

She scribbled out the address, and listed the phone number underneath it, then handed it back to Brooke.

“Thank you, Aunt Sandy.” The dark-haired woman stared down at it committing it to her memory, then tore the page off the pad and shoved it into her pocket. “This means a lot to me.”

“Brooke,” Sandy waited until she had the woman’s attention, “I’d be careful how you introduce yourself.”

“I will, I promise.” Blue eyes assured her sincerity in the matter.

“I know you will.” Sandy patted the empty couch next to her, “Okay, so that’s one thing, what’s the other?”

“The other?” Brooke looked puzzled for a moment, then remembered, “Oh yeah, I uhm…” the first inklings of a blush could be seen coming to the young woman’s neck as she sat down. “I wanted to do this the right way.”

“Come on, it can’t be that bad.” Sandy reached over and gave Brooke’s hand a pat, “You know, I was once young, too. Just talk to me like you would one of your friends.” The older woman leaned in to get a better view of Brooke’s face.

“Okay,” Brooke took in a deep breath trying to calm her nerves. “I love Sam very much, more than anything, actually. You’re the one person in her family that she still loves and trusts, besides Sarah and Crystal.” Brooke paused for a moment to wet her lips. “I’ve been thinking about something and when I made up my mind I decided to talk to you about it because it would be the honorable thing to do.” The young woman looked directly at the woman. “I want to ask Sam to marry me and I wanted to ask for your permission first.”

Brooke watched, as the older woman’s face remained motionless as only her eyes seemed to be able to move, running their paths deep into Brooke’s own. “I know it’s not legal but, that’s not really the point. I just…”

“Honorable thing…” Sandy was finally able to mutter out, “My word, girl…”

“Ma’am?” Brooke became concerned. “Excuse me?”

“You’re everything that she says you are. Sam said that you’d probably ask to be serious about her and she was right.”

“Sam said that?” Brooke looked surprised, “When? I haven’t said anything to her about this.”

“It was right after that movie.” Sandy pressed her memory for facts, “Now what did she call it… cluesworth?” She looked up to Brooke for help.

“Clueless?”

“Yes, that’s it…Clueless. She said you were so honorable and polite in the theater that she had to make the first move.”

“Yes, she ah… she did,” Brooke smiled at the memory.

“She said you seemed a little old fashioned.” Sandy smiled as she watched Brooke blush.

“A little?”

Sandy leaned over to Brooke and whispered, “Don’t worry… it becomes you. I like it, as I do you.”

“Really?” Brooke looked into Sandy’s face for the truth.

“Really,” the woman winked, confirming her words.

“Then do I have your blessing to propose to your niece?”

“My blessing, my wishes. If it’s what makes Sam happy, I’m all for it. The way she talks about you, it will make her very happy. Yes, Brooke, you have my blessing to continue seeing Sam. I personally can’t think of a better person for her than you.”

Brooke smiled at Sandy. “Thank you. I don’t think you’ll ever know how much this means to me.”

“Oh, you’d be surprised. I know how much you mean to my niece,” Sandy let the lilt in her voice become very audible.

Brooke smiled as she played with the box in her pocket. “Thank you, so very much.”

There was a moment of silence as the two women sat thinking about the very same small blonde before Sandy began to speak. “So, when do you think,” she stopped short and then waved her hand, “Never mind me… you go at your

own pace and love every minute of it.”

“I want to ask her now but I don’t want her to think I’m rushing things. I’ll just wait until it’s perfect and the time feels right.”

“That sounds like a good plan. I’m sure she’d much rather have it that way.” Sandy started to get up from the couch.

“Yeah…” Brooke nodded her head, “Believe me… it’ll be perfect.” Brooke looked up at the woman standing in front of her with her arms held out to her and got up, leaning into the welcoming embrace.

“I’m sure it will, Brooke.” Sandy hugged the tall woman, “I’m sure it will.”

Mable Gordon put off calling everyone to the table until she went on one of her matriarchal rounds of the house. She saw her second eldest daughter emerge from the den behind Sam’s aunt, in good spirits. Altering her route through the first floor rooms, Mable smiled politely as she passed Aunt Sandy, then reached out to her daughter to get the beaming woman’s attention. “Brooke, it’s time to get everyone to the table. How about if you…”

“I know, Mom.” Brooke squeezed her mother’s hand. “I’ll go round up all the kids for dinner.”

“Thanks, Brooke.” Mable released her grip on Brooke and turned toward the doorway to the living room where the tall figure of her first born stood watching out into the hall. “Randi,” the matriarch summoned her, “Could you please go tell your father and the others that dinner will be served in just a few minutes?”

“Sure, Mom.” Randi pushed off the wall she was leaning against, then walked toward her mother on the way to the yard. “Any idea what was going on behind the closed door with Brooke and Sam’s aunt?” The lawyer paused, waiting for an answer.

“No idea at all,” Mable wiped her hands on her apron. “Now, talk turkey to me and I could tell you a wealth of information.” The older woman winked, then motioned for Randi to move along. “You’d better get going before Brooke and all the kids are feasting on the bird and your father won’t have even given the toast yet. You know how that man gets if things are done out of order.”

“I’m going.” Randi took a step or two down the hallway then stopped, turning back toward her mother. “You know, Mom… you can only run interference for so long. There’s a secret brewing here. I can feel it.” With that said, Randi took her leave.

The matriarch watched as her eldest daughter disappeared into the doorway leading to the next room before she let out her held breath. “Brooke, I hope you know what you’re doing,” she muttered, then turned to address the small group gathered in the living room. “Sandy, Peter,” Mable smiled seeing the young woman’s head come into view from around the musician’s frame, “Crystal. You might want to make your way into the dinning room now. We’re about to get ready for the start of dinner.”

“Gosh, Mrs. G.,” Peter spoke up, “We’d be happy to.” He looked over to Crystal, offering his right arm to the young woman, then to her mother, he offered his left arm, “Ladies?” When both women were in place on either side of him, he led them into the dining room with a proud smile on his face.

Smiling at Peter’s expense, Mable turned to go back out into the hallway when the sound of running feet and yelling voices made her stop abruptly from taking another step. Within seconds, Randi’s sons, David and Kevin came flying down the hall, yelling out their greeting as they passed her.

“Hi, Grammie,” the youngest waved as he passed, followed closely by his brother.

Seeing his Grandmother standing in the doorway, the older child slowed down, for a step or two as he turned to keep her in view while he passed by. “Hey, Gram. Don’t worry, I’ll stop Kevin.”

“You know better, David. Don’t go setting a bad example for your brother,” Mable scolded the lad with a shaking finger, then chuckled to herself, remembering her own children doing the exact same thing.

“Sorry, Gram,” David muttered as he slowed down to an exaggerated crawl.

The matriarch looked down the hall before stepping out of the doorway, knowing all to well that there was still another child to come by.

Brooke rounded the bottom of the stairs and saw the trepidation in her mother’s step. “Don’t worry, Mom. It’s safe, I’ve got the little rugrat.” The musician held up the giggling child in her arms as she walked down the hall toward her mother.

“Hey, Mom,” Sam’s blonde head stuck out of the doorway and looked down the length of the hall. “Do you want the pies left in to warm or would you like me to turn off the oven?”

“Ah…no…I…” Mable thought for a moment, “I’ll take care of it, Sam. Why don’t you just go have a seat at the table with Brooke.” The matriarch winked at her daughter who was now standing next to her. “You know, we do treat you like a guest the first holiday season. After that, well…” Mable shrugged her shoulders as she stole a quick glance at Brooke, “who knows, maybe we’ll consider you family.”

Blonde brows furrowed, trying to decipher the code. “Okay, Mom… anything you say.” Sam took in a breath as the older woman moved around her, heading for the kitchen. Looking up to the small child in her lover’s arms, the young woman smiled, focusing her conversation on the child. “And what’s your name, lil’ one? I don’t think I’ve met you yet.”

“Ju-lie…” the girl answered, her dimples showing with her shy smile.

“Yeah,” Brooke leaned down to kiss the tot’s brown hair. “Julie here has been taking her nap like a good girl. She’s three.” The tall woman wrapped her arm around Sam’s shoulder and started to move them toward the dinning room.

“That’s a pretty name.” Sam turned slightly, then held out her hand to the child. “Hi, I’m Samantha, but everyone calls me Sam.” The blonde smiled as they came to the doorway of the dining room. “And I’m a lot older than you are,” Sam glanced at Brooke and chuckled.

The tot lifted her tiny hand and waved. “Hi Sam,” then pointed across the room at the table as she bounced with excitement in Brooke’s arms. “That’s my Daddy.”

Sam looked over to Brian and saw the man in his late thirties nodding to his daughter as he held the chair out for Randi to be seated. “I see that,” Sam turned back to the child. “Your mommy has you dressed really nice, Julie.”

“Tank you… Aunt Brooke bought me dis,” Julie pulled at her shirt and smiled up at her aunt.

“Do you know where your mommy is?” Brooke tried to shift the attention to someone else.

Turning in Brooke’s arms until she could see her mother, Julie reached in Randi’s direction. “Mommy’s ova dere.”

Sam saw the child’s mother sneak in a little wave to the child, then let her gaze fall to Sam as the trio came closer to where they were to be seated. The blonde returned with a nod. “She’s so cute, Randi. She’s adorable.” Sam slid into the seat that Brooke pointed to, while the tall woman moved the higher chair in closer for her niece.

“Why, thank you,” Randi accepted the compliment graciously. “And don’t think that she doesn’t know it, too.” The woman eyed her small daughter and smiled.

“I bet she really keeps you stepping though.” Sam looked back to the child, now that Brooke was finally finished adjusting her seat.

“Yes, she does. You have no idea.” Randi looked to her husband, then both of them began to laugh softly.

“Oh, I think I do,” Sam looked back over her shoulder to Brooke, then turned back to look at Mable for confirmation. “I bet Brooke was the same way when she was that age.” Sam’s attention was on the matriarch, who only smiled and nodded at the memory as she handed the gravy boat to Terri, then went back to the kitchen for more serving bowls.

Brooke took her seat, then leaned over, whispering into Sam’s ear, “So you think I can keep you stepping, huh?” The dark-haired woman brushed her lips against Sam’s cheek causing the red tinge of a blush to start up Sam’s neck, as an embarrassed smile tugged at the woman’s mouth.

“Hmm…” Randi started. “Let’s see…I was six when Brooke was three so I didn’t really have to keep up with her.”

“But I bet she tried to tagalong with you everywhere you went,” Sam nudged her lover under the table with her leg.

“Yeah,” Randi nodded in agreement. “She tried for a while…just couldn’t get rid of her no matter how hard I tried.”

Brooke turned her attention from her older sister to that of her niece, only to have Julie look up to her and grab at her nose. “Hey,” Brooke lifted the tot out of her seat, holding the surprised child up in the air before nestling her in the musician’s strong arms. “What is this, a family conspiracy?” Brooke put her face right up to Julie’s, letting her eyes shift to Randi, then back again.

“Oh, Honey, be careful…” Sam cautioned her tall lover with a hand on her arm, “don’t do that. You’ll scare her.” Sam took the offered cranberry sauce for Brooke and put some on the musician’s plate before taking care of her own.

The sound of a child’s laughter filled the air as Julie began to squeal, “Again! Again!”

Brooke pulled back from the high pitched sound, then looked directly into Sam’s eyes, “She’s okay, Sweetheart…see?” Brooke brought her face smack up against the tot’s one more time to the sound of excited laughter. “No harm’s done.” The woman grinned back at Sam.

“She’s going to have nightmares, and it will be all Auntie Brooke’s fault.”

“Nah, she’ll be fine.” Brooke smiled, turning back toward the child. “Besides if she has nightmares, Randi will just call and wake me up to talk her through them.” Brooke looked over to her sister, then winked before turning her attention to Sam. “Here, you want to hold her?” The tot was shifted toward a startled Sam.

“You sound like you’ve done that before, have you?” The blonde asked as she pushed back her chair.

“Yes, I have with the older two, right guys?” Brooke looked down the length of the table to where David and Kevin were seated.

“Yeah, and she’s the best,” Kevin smiled widely with his missing tooth for all to see.

“Brooke sure got us through some sleepless nights,” Brian chimed in.

Sam leaned in, whispering into Brooke’s ear, “Practicing for me even then, were you?” The blonde giggled softly then held her arms out, inviting Julie into them.

Brooke’s eyes grew wider as she looked over at Sam, then slowly took in a breath to calm her body’s reaction, “Oh, Darlin’. She blinked a time or two to bring her mind back to the present, then looked over to Randi, waiting to see the nod of permission before handing her niece over to Sam.

“HI!” Julie said, climbing into the blonde’s lap and making herself comfortable.

The young woman couldn’t help but smile. “Hey, Honey… you’re so pretty today. You’ve got your barrettes and everything.” Sam looked at the lopsided, half hanging out hair accessories and smiled.

Big brown eyes looked up to Sam as the girl half pouted, “Dank you, but I not like barrettes.” The child looked over to Brian. “Daddy made me wear dem.”

“I can tell. They’re halfway out.” Sam took one hand from around the small child and undid the first barrette, “Here, let me hold them for you.” She took the other one from Julie’s hair. “There, all better.”

“Dank you, Sam… dat’s bedder.”

“Anything for you, Cutie Pie,” Sam winked at the child as she handed the barrettes to Brooke.

The child’s aunt took them in her hand, examining them, before raising a lone eyebrow in her brother-in-law’s direction. “You made her wear these? Brian, that’s cruel.” She watched the man shrug as he passed the basket of rolls to the person next to him.

“So, Sam…” Randi tried to get her husband off the hook, “How’s everything going in school?”

“This last year is a little tough… what with all of the courses jammed into the fall semester, but I’m doing okay.”

“Hmm…just okay?” The lawyer’s eyes questioned Sam’s intent. “I’d think you’d want to really concentrate on your work, I mean this being the end and all. How many courses do you have next semester?”

The blonde looked up from Julie, letting her gaze first go to her Aunt Sandy, the corner of her mouth turned slightly upward. “I’m sorry, I was taught not to brag.” Sam acknowledged the proud look on her Aunt’s face then returned her attention to Randi. “Actually, only one this spring.” The blonde held her unoccupied hand up in the air, halting the comment that was being readied. “I already know what you’re thinking. It’s not a piece of cake.”

“I didn’t say a thing, Sam.” Randi rested her elbows on the table and knitted her fingers together, acting indifferent. “I was just curious.”

“Well, I’m just used to a lot of people’s remarks when they hear that schedule.”

“So, you’re almost done then?” The lawyer resumed her questioning.

“I am.” Sam nodded as she looked at Julie for a few seconds, then directed her eyes back to Randi. “I’ll just have to complete my internship.”

“And… where will that be?”

“I… I have no idea. We’ll be given our assignment destination the day before we leave school for the holidays.” Sam looked down the table at C.C. as she bit her lip. “It could be around the campus area or virtually anywhere in the world. I may not be C.C.’s roommate next term if that happens.”

“Ah… I see.” Randi picked up the bowl of sweet potatoes from the table and started to dish some out on her plate, noticing that Brooke had suddenly stopped the advancement of food down her side of the table. Randi observed the pained look in her sister’s eyes as Brooke looked over to Sam.

Disheartened with the thought of being away from the woman she loved, Sam tried to hide her fear when she looked over into Brooke’s gaze, but a weak smile was the best that she could muster. “I’m just hoping for the best.” Sam caught the silently mouthed ‘I love you’ on Brooke’s lips, then closed her eyes against the tears she was certain would come rolling out of her own eyes and nodded.

Mable could see the pain in her daughter’s blue eyes and immediately moved her focus to the other side of the table. “Well, uhm…” the matriarch looked up to her husband who was moving around the table as he filled the wine glasses and she turned her attention to the daughter he was stopped at. “So, Terri… how’s everything going at the hospital?”

“Well, pretty good.” Terri placed her hand over her empty glass, stopping her father from filling it with wine, “No, thanks Dad,” she looked up to him then back over to her mother and continued. “I haven’t gotten sick with the kiddie crud yet this fall…” the pediatrician nudged her husband who was sitting next to her with a shoulder and smiled. “And we even had two nights off together this past month, huh Rick?”

The boyish looking man in his middle thirties smiled cockily at his wife, “Yep, and they paid off too, didn’t they?” He nodded subtly, then reiterated, “A very nice two nights off.”

The unattached brunette sank back into her chair, letting the platter of turkey rest on the edge of the table that she was holding onto. “Oh boy… I see baby in the making,” C.C. rolled her eyes as she taunted her sister and brother-in-law. “So, who gets to be the godmother?” The young woman shifted the weight of the platter to one hand as she swiftly shot the other one straight up in the air and repeatedly cried out like an over enthusiastic grade school child, “Me…me…me…”

Rick leaned in toward his wife and whispered, “Do you think we should tell them?” The couple exchanged glances between themselves, then finally looked over at C.C. “Actually, we haven’t decided on the godmother, yet.”

Terri waited for the idea to slowly sink in as she looked from person to person around the table. Unable to contain herself any longer, she blurted the news out so that everyone would understand. “Okay guys, what do I have to say?” She looked over at Rick and started to glow. “I’m pregnant.”

The table conversation suddenly stopped and all eyes turned to Terri and Rick.

“Terri,” Mable’s eyes grew bigger as a smile transected her face. She sat the bowl of green beans down that she was holding, then rose from her chair and moved to her daughter’s side. “I’m so happy for you.” She wrapped her arms around the newly expectant woman and gave her a hug, then pulled Rick over and kissed his cheek. “And you, too, Rick. I’m so excited.” Mable fussed with Terri’s hair causing the woman to blush.

“Mom, I’m a grown-up now,” Terri winced with the added attention.

“Grown-up… wait until you’re about nine months along and as big as a house.” Randi teased her younger sister, “Now that’s grown-up.”

“Shush!” Mable scolded. “Don’t scare her, Randi.” The matriarch reached out and took Henry’s hand as he came to her side, then reached up to kiss his lips. “Remember how big I was during all my pregnancies?”

Henry nodded. “I often wondered how they would ever get out of there,” he winked at his wife then bent down to kiss Terri. “Don’t let them scare you, Teresa, you’ll do just fine.”

Sam felt the tug on her sleeve and gazed down to see a puzzled looked on Julie’s face. The blonde lowered her head trying to meet the child eye to eye.

“Sam… what does pregnant mean?” Wondering brown eyes looked up to the woman for the answer as the question resounded in the dead silence of the dining room.

“Ah…” caught off guard, Sam looked to Brooke for help, only to see the woman looking just as startled as she was. “Pregnant.” She said the word correctly as her mind considered how to explain it to a three year old. “It means that you’ll get a new cousin to play with next Thanksgiving.” Sam smiled slightly, thinking that she’d dodged the bullet.

“What’s a cousin?” The timid voice spoke again, directing the question to Sam.

Brooke grinned at Sam’s predicament, happy that Julie had picked someone beside herself to bombard with questions. “Looks like she takes after you, C.C. with that inquiring mind of yours.”

Sam waited for C.C.’s tongue showing escapade and the giggles it received from the other children at the table before she answered the tot’s second question. “A cousin is a little boy or girl that will call your Aunt Terri, Mommy.”

Julie absorbed the words, then let the little wrinkles come to her forehead as she pondered the point. “Why Aunt Terri?” She looked around the table then at her favorite aunt sitting next to her, drinking her glass of water. “Why not Aunt Brooke?”

Blue eyes bugged out as Brooke snorted and then began making coughing sounds as she choked on the mouthful of liquid. She could vaguely hear the sound of her older sister laughing at her daughter’s question as she felt Peter’s hand on her back.

“You okay, Brooke?” Peter asked as Crystal and her mother started to get up, thinking that a nurse or two might be needed.

Brooke looked up after finally swallowing the liquid successfully to see Terri now standing up. “I… I’m okay, Sis,” Brooke took in a deep breath, then rasped out, “It just went down the wrong… wrong way.” Brooke coughed into her napkin and waved the nurses back to their seats.

“Don’t scare me like that, Brooke.” Concerned green eyes studied Brooke’s face as Sam rested her hand on the woman’s arm.

“Scare you?” Brooke muttered as she rolled her eyes, before the voice of the small child was heard again.

“Whhhhyyyy?” The child made the word sound like it could last forever. “Why Aunt Terri?”

Sam studied the child in her lap for a moment, then answered, “Cause that’s who is going to carry the baby until it’s ready to meet everyone here.”

“Why does she have to carry it? Can’t it walk? Won’t her arms get tired?” The questions rolled out of the small mouth like cars off of an assembly line, one after the other.

The blonde remained calm and tried to think as a small child would. “Well, she’ll carry it in her belly…” green eyes tried to measure the child’s grasp of what she was saying. “That way she can still use her hands to do things with… to take care of other little boys and girls that need her.” Sam leaned toward her lover and whispered, “Brooke… you could help me out here.”

“Julie,” Brooke cleared her throat as she got the child’s attention.

“Hmm… Aunt Brooke?” The small head turned in the musician’s direction.

“Honey, Aunt Terri and Uncle Rick wanted a baby like your Daddy and Mommy wanted you. So, now Aunt Terri is going to have a baby. She’ll be a Mommy to her baby. Understand?”

Surprised eyes looked directly at Brooke. “Don’t you want a baby, too?”

“Uh… not for a long time.”

There was a pause as Julie considered Brooke’s answer. Within seconds her little face lit up and she asked, “Can I have a baby?”

Brooke remained serious as the rest of the room chuckled at the tot’s question. “Someday, maybe.”

Julie expressed her disappointment the only way she knew how. Letting out a huge sigh, the child muttered, “Grown ups have all da fun.”

“I guess so,” Brooke couldn’t keep from chuckling now at the antics of her niece as she watched the pouting face work hard to show its dismay. “Is that all, Munchkin?”

The small child sat quietly for a moment then turned to look up at Sam. “Can I play with your baby next Danksgiving?”

Brooke’s eyes grew huge for the second time in a matter of minutes as she looked at her niece and shook her head.

Sam blinked and then cleared her throat before answering, “I… I don’t think I’ll have a baby quite that soon. How about if we just wait to play with Aunt Terri’s baby, alright?”

“Why can’t you have a baby by den?” Brown eyes looked up for an answer.

“Well, ah… certain things need to happen and there’s just not enough time, okay?”

“What kind of dings?”

Sam could feel the perspiration accumulating on her brow as the questions were becoming more involved. “Ah… Randi, I think you need to have this conversation with your daughter.” Sam looked over to the lawyer and her husband.

After exchanging a look with Brian, Randi sat back in her chair and rested her arm on the table in a very relaxed manner. “Actually kid, I think you’re doing great.” The woman smiled at Sam, then glanced over to Brooke.

“Gee, thanks.” Sam took in a deep breath as she reviewed the tot’s question, “Ah… Okay.” The young woman took on a more positive approach to the situation and started to explain to the child. “First, you have to be married.”

“Marriage always comes first,” Brooke added with a quick look to C.C.

“Otay,” Julie turned to Sam. “So, get mawwied.”

Sam smiled, “And who would you have me marry, Julie?”

“I dunno…” the tot held her hands up in the air and moved her shoulders up and down several times before finally patting Sam’s chest with them. “You keep smiling at Aunt Brooke.”

The blonde wet her lips. “Well… your Aunt Brooke and I are.. .ah…” Sam looked to her lover, letting her eyes plead for her.

“Julie…” Brooke took over, “Sam and I can’t get married… yet.”

“Why?”

“Uh… because we… ah… haven’t decided to yet.”

“When den?”

“Ah… when…” Brooke stuttered, “Ah… when I ask her to, I guess.” Blue eyes glanced quickly to Sam.

Julie knelt in Sam’s lap and got right up into Brooke’s face, her hands resting on her hips. “Do you wike her?”

Brooke spoke without hesitation, “Yes, a lot.”

The tot turned her face toward Sam, and leaned in to touch their foreheads together. “Do you wike her?” Julie pointed to her Aunt Brooke.

The dark-haired woman looked down at her plate, not wanting to put Sam in an uncomfortable position when she realized that everyone else’s eyes were riveted on the blonde.

“Well, yes… but…” Sam looked away from Julie and let her gaze fall on the woman beside her. “I more than like her. I love her.”

Hearing the words, Brooke slowly raised her head and looked over to Sam with a smile on her face. “And I love Sam, Julie.”

Sam reached her hand over to Brooke’s and held onto it tightly. “There’s a big difference between liking and loving, Julie. In loving, you do it with your whole body and soul… not just words.” Sam looked at the perplexed little face on the child and tried to think what would make her understand it better. “Julie, what’s your favorite food in the whole world?”

The child thought for a moment, then smiled as she answered, “ICE CWEAM.” The glee-filled laughter spilled out of the child as she clapped her hands.

The laughter around the table was almost infectious, but Sam struggled to keep a straight face. “Okay… well, let’s say that you only have ice cream to eat from now on. Every morning for breakfast, every noon for lunch, and again for dinner every evening, that’s all you would have to eat. Ice Cream would even be your T.V. time snack for right before you go to bed every night, for the rest of your life.” Sam paused, letting the concept sink into the child, then she looked the tot in the eye and delivered her next question with as much sincerity as she could. “Do you really love ice cream that much to eat it all the time and never… ever want to eat anything else?”

“Gee, Julie,” her older brother David spoke up, “I guess that means I get all your pieces of cake and cookies.”

The child sat there, thinking, as she turned to look at all the food on the table, making a miserable face, and then looking to her Aunt Brooke for guidance.

“She’s right, Julie. It’s more than just being around someone for a short time, it’s a lifetime commitment. One that you’d willingly make and never look back on with regret.” Brooke’s gaze that had started out on her niece now ended staring into the inviting green eyes of her lover. “And I love Sam with my whole body, heart, and soul. There’s never another that I’d want, or would need to make my world complete.”

In the moment of silence that loomed over the room, Henry rose to the occasion as he cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention to himself. “I propose a toast.” He raised his glass, then looked to Terri and Rick. “To new life…” he turned to Brooke and Sam, holding his glass up to them, “…to new love. May our family grow bigger and thankful for the love that a child…” Henry let out a chuckle, then corrected himself, “Well, actually two children have shown us here tonight.” He touched his glass to Mable’s then raised it to his mouth to drink.

“Ganpa…Ganpa?” The excited little voice cried out, trying to get his attention.

“Yes, lil’ one,” Henry directed his attention to Julie. “What is it?”

“What about Aunt Brooke and Sam’s baby?”

The sound of laughter erupted in the room, while two young lovers looked silently into one another’s eyes.

Randi stood at the entrance to the small gameroom in her parent’s house, watching her two young sons and Brooke on the couch. Like the big kid that she was at times, Brooke was the one that they always enjoyed playing with the most. The lawyer tuned out the loud cartoonish noises that emerged from T.V. as a direct result of Playstation action, letting her eyes drift to the other side of the room. Sprawled out across Sam’s lap as she sat in the recliner, was Randi’s daughter, who looked more like a little angel then the three year old energizer bunny that she was. It was a scene right out of a Norman Rockwell painting.

The oldest Gordon sibling shook her head in amazement, “How could I have been so wrong?” Randi wondered out loud, barely above a whisper. The lawyer leaned into the room, trying to get Brooke’s attention. “Hey Sis, you got a minute for an old lady?”

Brooke looked up from what she was doing, casting her eyes on her older sibling. “I guess so,” she shrugged, but kept playing the game.

“Can we talk somewhere a little more private?” Randi motioned with her eyes to the first floor of the house. “Maybe Dad’s den?”

“Uh… sure, I guess.” Brooke looked over to Sam and watched as she nodded and waved, trying not to disturb the sleeping cherub in her lap. The tall woman turned back to her young nephews speaking softly, “Okay, guys. How about if you battle it out and when I come back down in a few minutes, I’ll play the winner?”

“All right!” Two young boys yelled out in unison then quickly grabbed for the controls.

“Shhhh, don’t yell guys. You’ll wake your sister,” Brooke cautioned them as she slipped out from the middle of the action. “Remember to play nice or I’ll have to use that direct pipeline that I have to Santa.” Brooke ran her hands through each of the ruffled heads of hair. “I’ll see if Grammy has any more pie laying around in the kitchen,” she called out over her shoulder, then left the room to catch up with her older sister.

Making her way quickly up the basement stairs two at a time, Brooke soon found herself headed for the room that seemed to be beckoning her all day. And to think we used to shake in our boots to be called into that room when we were kids. Brooke chuckled as she thought of how many talks she’d had in that den today alone. Well, the first two turned out all right. I guess we’ll just have to see if the third time is the charm.Okay, Brooke, let’s keep that attitude positive and just see what she wants. Reaching the doorway to the den, Brooke took a deep breath in before following her sister inside, closing the door.

Brooke watched as Randi paced around her father’s desk like some T.V. lawyer trying to sway the jury with his courtroom presence. Finally, she spoke out. “Randi, I’m your sister, not a client or defendant. Please, if you have something to say to me… just say it.”

The lawyer slowed her steps down to a halt, then with the desk strategically placed in between them, she turned to face Brooke. “You’re right, Brooke, and I should have afforded you that consideration before I had Sam investigated.”

“Randi…” Brooke grimaced, “I really don’t want to talk about that. You pissed me off doing that more than I could ever tell you.”

“I’m sorry Sis, I was wrong… dead wrong.”

“Yes, you were wrong.” Brooke stared directly at her sister. “What caused you to see that?”

“I realize how wrong I was after today… seeing you and Sam interact with everyone, the kids… well, Julie especially. You really have found someone that loves you as much as you love them. You know…” Randi looked away from Brooke for a moment, then admitted to her sister, “I’m not even sure of what my husband would have said if she asked him the same questions.”

“Who, Julie?” Brooke half-laughed then turned serious again.

“Yeah, my precocious little girl. You know… you two seem to have such a better handle on love than I ever did.”

“Well… We uhm…” Brooke eyed her sister suspiciously. “Is that what changed your mind… our talk with Julie?”

Randi sighed. “There’s an energy that you two give off, like you’re meant to be together as one. No matter what the question, you each marveled in the others answers, as if you knew what was going to be said.” The lawyer crossed her arms over her chest, then looked directly at her sister. “If there were ever two people meant to be together… it’s the two of you.”

Dumfounded by her sister’s words, Brooke stood dazed for a moment, then slowly uttered her own thoughts. “Randi, I… uh…” Brooke blinked a few times, then just let her shock come up in a single word, “Wow!”

“Don’t let it go to your head, Sis. I’ll still give you a hard time… but not where Sam is concerned. Mom and Dad may have given their blessing, but now, you also have mine.”

“I don’t care if you give me a hard time, Randi. But like you said, just not about Sam. She doesn’t deserve it.” Brooke held her sister in her gaze for a moment before finishing, “Thank you.”

“Well, if you ask me, she doesn’t deserve you either, but who am I to judge?” Randi winked at Brooke, “Now, what do you say we go have some fun.”

“Actually, I don’t deserve her. I truly believe that I don’t know what I ever did to be blessed with her.”

“Oh, you do, Sis, someone’s got to keep you in line and she’s the one to do it.”

“Hey, I know that wasn’t what you meant but…”Brooke started saying.

“But nothing… you both deserve each other.” Randi crossed her arms over her chest, daring to be proven wrong, “And that’s my final verdict… case closed.” The imposing woman started walking around the side of the desk.

“You know that your disapproval would not have stopped me…” Brooke smirked, “but I’m glad you’ve changed your mind.”

Randi stopped her forward motion within inches of Brooke then leaned in, wrapping an arm around Brooke’s shoulders. “I know. I just wanted to make you think…”

“Think?” Blue eyes bugged out rather unceremoniously.

“Yeah, think… that’s what being the big sister is for… making you think about your choices until you know the answer in your heart.”

“You know, Randi, the answer has been there all along. I think it has been there since that first dinner.” Brooke got a silly look on her face as she grinned, thinking about Sam. “She was just… different, you know?”

“I know,” Randi nodded her head. “…just like you.”

The musician raised a lone eyebrow high on her forehead. “I am not different.”

“Brooke, you are, and you know it. Case closed.” Randi let go of her sister, then started to walk away.

The dark-haired woman watched as her sister reached for the doorknob. “By the way Counselor, you really need to have a talk with your daughter about timing.”

“Huh?” The lawyer spun on her heels to fully understand her sister. “Timing…? Brooke, what are you talking about?”

The dark-haired woman pulled out the box from her pocket and waved it at Randi. “Julie, almost ruined something big in the making tonight.”

Brooke shoved the box back into her pocket, then strolled past her sister, leaving the woman to the thoughts that were gathering in her mind. The musician smiled broadly as she left the room, realizing that it would be some time before her oldest sister would be thinking straight again.

Each woman worked in silence, unpacking, cleaning, and getting a grasp on her new space. Over time a casually thrown muttering by one would elicit a response from the other as each tried to get a feel for her new roommate. In a short time, the Spartan style dormitory room became more like home and the students began conversing as if they were old friends who had not seen one another for a length of time, rather than new acquaintances.

With Sam standing tiptoed on a chair trying to reach the far corners of the top shelf in her closet, they were interrupted by a knock at the door. “God, who could that be? Company already?” Sam asked as she looked over her shoulder, noticing that C.C. had a somewhat sheepish expression on her face.

“Ooh, yeah… sorry. My sister said she’d bring by a pizza for dinner. You don’t mind do you? I mean… you’re more than welcome to join us if you’d like.”

Sam’s eyes lit up at the mention of food. “Mind? Why would I mind? Isn’t pizza the universal room warming meal?” Just hearing the word pizza caused her stomach to growl and both girls’ eyes were drawn to the source of the noise. They giggled as another knock was heard at the door.

“Well, I guess your stomach answered that question. We better feed that beast.” The brunette teased her new roommate as she made her way through the mess to the door, opening it to find her sister.

“Hey C.C., how’s the new squat?” The woman dressed in hospital scrubs held a pizza box and six-pack of soda up in the air when she saw her sister. “Sister bearing gifts. Aren’t you going to ask me in?”

“Come on in.” C.C. moved out of the way so her older sister could walk in. “It’s small, but it’s ours.”

Sam came down from the chair to make an empty spot on the desk, where she placed the six-pack of soda that the older woman handed her.

“Terri, this is my new roommate, Sam. Sam, this is one of my older sisters, Terri.”

“Hi, Terri.” Sam wiped a hand on her jeans, then offered it in friendship. “Don’t mind the mess. We’re just getting settled in.”

“Hi, nice to meet you.” Terri shook the hand offered to her. “No problem with the mess. I grew up with that one,” she added, jerking her thumb in C.C.’s direction. “Hungry? Care to join us?” Terri offered as she held out the pizza box and offered it to Sam.

“Are we ever. Thanks so much.” Sam replied as she fingered the lid of the box.

“Anytime. Someone has to make sure Ms. Thing over there eats more than Cheetos and Pop-Tarts,” Terri shrugged her shoulders, “Not that pizza is much better, but it’s a start.”

“I never knew that moving in could make you so famished.” Sam opened up the lid to the pizza box, allowing the steam to escape.

Terri looked around the room, settling first on Sam, then to C.C. “Wow, this place is tiny. You mean Brooke actually fit in here while she was moving all your shit?”

“Brooke?” Sam’s eyes grew wide. “Who’s Brooke?” The blonde looked to C.C. before taking a bite of pizza.

“Yeah, Brooke’s our older sister. She helped me move my stuff in here today.”

Terri and C.C. each grabbed a slice from the box and sat in a semi-cleared spot on C.C.’s bed, while Sam occupied a pile of clothes on the floor.

“What is she… some kind of giant?” Sam asked.

“She likes to think she is.” C.C. responded without missing a beat.

Terri poked C.C. on the arm to defend their sister. “She does not. Brooke just likes to have a lot of space.” The scrub clad woman looked over at Sam. “But, she is over six feet tall.”

“Yeah, well… it all depends on her mood.” After shoving the last of her pizza slice into her mouth, C.C. wiped her hands on her jeans.

Terri rolled her eyes at the display. “God, Chase. You can be such a pig. Use a napkin for crying out loud.” She chastised her sister and handed her a napkin from the pizzeria. “Besides, she’s not that bad. So she banged you on your head a couple of times growing up. You shouldn’t have pissed her off.” Terri pointed out.

“Excuse me? A couple?” Brown eyes bugged out as C.C. voiced her doubt, positive that she had misunderstood her sister.

“Okay, a couple hundred…” Terri amended. “Point is, you still didn’t get what you deserved. There’s quite a bit of crap you pulled that we never tormented you over. You werea real brat.”

“You were the one away at school. How would you know? Besides, you’ve never seen her when she picks up those sticks,” C.C. pointed out as she grabbed another slice of pizza.

“Does she still? She had given it a rest the last time we talked about it.” Terri was curious now.

“Sticks? What are you two talking about?” Sam inquired as she helped herself to another slice of pizza.

“Well, you know C.C., it’s not like she was always around either. She was gone for a couple of years, too. Remember?” Terri reminded C.C., not hearing the quiet question from Sam.

“Wow, first you call her a giant, now you have her picking up sticks. Next you’ll be telling me she slays dragons.” Sam joked as she listened to the two sisters talk about their older sibling.

“Nah… that’s only when she gets bored.” C.C. replied with a wink at her roommate.

“What is she, Super Sister?” Sam asked, curious about the topic of their conversation.

“That would be her.” C.C. answered, then turned her gaze towards Terri. “Just don’t tell Randi I said that. She’d get jealous.” C.C. smirked.

“Hmmm… I’ll think about it,” Terri said before turning towards Sam to answer her question. “Let’s just say that she’s lived many a lifetime in her world.”

“How many sisters do you have?” It seemed that every other moment Sam was hearing about a different sister.

“Well, you could find out at dinner. Chase, why don’t you bring her by on Sunday? You don’t have any plans do you, Sam?” Terri offered as C.C. nodded her head with wide-eyed enthusiasm.

Sam was speechless at the invitation. “Well, I uh… what I mean is,” she looked from one sister to the other. “I won’t be intruding, will I?”

“No, of course not. We wouldn’t have invited you if we thought you would. It’s just the girls’ family dinner. Well, except for Dad. He’ll be there. Nothing special, we’ve done it for years. Mom picks a Sunday of every month at the beginning of each year. No significant others allowed,” Terri elaborated on one of their few family traditions.

“Yeah, Sam, maybe they’ll be nice to me with a new face to add to the conversation.” The younger sister wished it to be true but somehow knew better than to get her hopes up.

Terri’s first response was to laugh at her sister. “Yeah right. Not likely, kiddo. You should know better. Just watch out for Mom. She’s been on the warpath lately. The other day, when you went to the movies, Brooke stopped by and parked on the new grass that Mom planted a couple of weeks ago.”

The woman scrunched her nose up at hearing this. She couldn’t believe Brooke was still alive if what Terri said was true. Her mother lived for her garden, flowerbeds, and the overall appearance of her yard. “Ooh… I bet that went over real big.”

“Are you kidding? Mom had a litter of puppies over it, then started in on the whole relationship bit. Brooke’s not too happy right now.”

“Oh, no. Not again,” C.C. groaned at Brooke’s luck as of late. Then watched as Terri nodded her head to verify the truth of her statement.

“Oh, yeah. Dad just walks out of the room. He doesn’t even want to get in the middle of it.”

“Smart man. Boy, I’m really going to miss all those discussions not living at home this year.”

“Oh, yeah… like Mom would really give it a rest when you visit and not fill you in on all the dirt. You know the woman, sometimes she just has no couth.” Terri tried to reassure her sister. She knew the upcoming months would be difficult on C.C. since the girl had never lived away from home before, and she was glad that home was only a thirty-minute drive away.

“Excuse me for asking…” Sam interrupted, shyly. “But, what’s wrong with Brooke’s relationship?”

“She’s not in one.” C.C. shrugged her shoulders at her roommate. “That’s just it.”

“So, what’s wrong with that? Lots of people aren’t.” Sam couldn’t understand why not being in a relationship was such a big deal.

Terri and C.C. looked at each other as if to get their timing right before pulling off the perfect imitation of their mother, “You really should be seeing someone. You’re not getting any younger and you shouldn’t have to worry about spending the rest of your life all alone.”

The sisters shared a laugh and Sam couldn’t help but to join in as she witnessed their camaraderie. Finally Terri was able to speak. “Ah, you know Mom is just trying to look out for her, the way she does for all of us.”

“At least she hasn’t started on me, yet.” The young woman stated as she got up and made her way over to the desk to open one of the sodas Terri had brought.

“The operative word there being ‘yet’, C.C.” Terri pointed out. “Just give it time.” She didn’t want C.C. to think that she would be immune to their mother’s prodding.

With a wave of her hand, C.C. blew off the warning. “Hey, she’s too concerned with Brooke right now to worry about me. I’m safe for a few years at least.”

“What’s up with this?” C.C. turned toward her sister and held up the six-pack. “No beer?” She offered a can to Terri and then one to Sam, who thanked her.

“Nope. I’m going to work and you two are underage.” Terri answered with a shake of her head.

“Hey, I’ll be 21 in less than a month. Or have you forgotten?”

“No, I haven’t forgotten.”

“I’ll be there in October,” Sam added to the conversation.

“See? We’re not that much under.” The woman tried to reason with Terri, her light brown eyes twinkling. She knew it would do no good but she just loved to irritate her sister.

“Yeah, well… it’s still under. I am not going to get in trouble for you, not with Mom. You seem to forget I’ve got a license to keep. Who would trust a pediatrician that was convicted of corrupting the morals of a minor?”

“Wuss.” The insult was thrown at Terri, not expecting it to really accomplish anything and C.C. watched as her sister rolled her eyes in response.

“So, Sam… what’s your major?” Terri sipped at her soda, ignoring her younger sister who was making faces at her, trying to get her attention.

“Major…” Sam sighed at the question, oblivious now to the antics of her roommate. “Do I have to pick one thing?” She laughed and Terri joined in as she pushed C.C. down on the bed one handedly, without ever taking her eyes off of Sam.

“Okay, then… majors?” Terri amended her question.

“Living, mostly.” She giggled, “But my aunt says that’s not enough so I’m taking music history and public relations.”

The two sisters straightened up, looking at each other with a raised eyebrow.

Finally Terri spoke. “Music? My, my… that sounds fascinating. Anything in particular?”

Sam got up and cleared off a spot on her bed, then sat down cross-legged on it. “Well, I like the modern groups but I’m not stuck up enough to forget the older ones either. Without them, music would have never progressed.”

“Very cool.” Terri listened attentively as the young girl spoke of her passion for music.

“Just give me something with a good rhythm and I’m ready for action, moving to the beat.” The young woman demonstrated her limited moves, as she remained seated.

Turning to her sister, C.C. grinned, then smacked Terri lightly on her shoulder. “No. Now that’s cool,” and she imitated a few of Sam’s moves.

Once again, Terri rolled her eyes. “So, who’s your favorite oldie but goodie group, Sam?”

The blonde looked to the ceiling in thought before answering. “Well, my favorite all guy group is Europe, my chick group is Vixen. I just LOVE that 1980′s hair band sound.”

“Well, that wasn’t quite what I meant by ‘oldie but goodie’ but, it’ll do.”

“Oh, no. I really love some of the older ones, too. The Doors, The Runaways, Janis Joplin… I’ll listen to just about anything. But my all around favorite, male or female, old or semi-old is Anti-Zero.” Terri and C.C. looked at each other wide-eyed and mouth gaping, neither believing what they had just heard.

“No way!” C.C. exclaimed, turning to look directly at her roommate. “Really? Anti-Zero? I’ve uhm… I’ve heard of them. Haven’t you, Terri?” The woman was starting to giggle.

“Yeah, somewhere… in the distant past.” The two sisters began laughing out loud now.

Sam assumed they were laughing at her and became defensive. “Hey, why are you two laughing at me? They were an amazing musical group who didn’t get half the recognition they deserved.”

Both sisters struggled desperately to regain their composure, not wanting to upset their new friend.

“Honey, don’t worry. We’re not laughing at you. Actually our mother loved that band. Right C.C.?” Terri tried to assure Sam.

“Really?” Sam thought for a moment. Their mom must be pretty cool if she liked Anti-Zero.

“Yeah, let’s just say that they were one of Brooke’s little projects. We all knew their songs inside and out…” C.C. confirmed.

“Backwards and forwards, even…” Terri added.

“In our sleep…” They said in unison, then looked at each other and shared another laugh.

Sam couldn’t believe that they were serious. She decided to find out for herself and began singing her favorite part of the band’s theme song.

“Oh, no… not me, I’ll be a rainbow in your eyes…Oh, yeah it’s me, I’m like a strobe light, overdrive…”

The two sisters joined in singing without skipping a beat.

“I’ll be your Anti-Zero, your super hero charm… I’ll be your Anti-Zero, your true Diniro star…”

Sam was elated that her new friends knew the songs as well as she did. “Whoa, you’re right, you do know them.”

Terri stood up and stretched. “Well, ladies… thanks for the company over dinner but, I should probably be getting to work.” She stretched her long frame out, then walked the few feet to the door.

“Yeah, and I have to find this bed to sleep in tonight.” C.C. looked around her as she stood up.

“Thanks for the pizza and sodas, Terri. That was very nice of you. It was great meeting you.” Sam thanked the slightly older woman for her kindness as she held out her hand.

“You are very welcome. At least somebody appreciates it.” Terri added as she grinned.

“Hey, I appreciate you.” C.C. retorted with her hands placed firmly on her hips.

Terri laughed. “Yeah, right. Whatever, C.C.” The woman in scrubs made her way to the door. “Oh and Sam, it was nice meeting you as well. See you at dinner on Sunday?” Terri asked again, one last time before leaving.

“Yeah, sure. That sounds great. If C.C. will let me, I’ll be there.”

“Oh, girl… you are so there!” C.C. told her new roommate.

“Well, have fun girls. C.C., stay out of trouble.” Terri bid them “Goodbye” and hugged her youngest sibling before leaving for work.

The brunette shut the door after her sister’s departure, turning back around to face the mess of a room she and Sam still had to contend with.

“I like her C.C. Are they all that friendly?” Sam asked as she went back to putting her clothes away.

The woman thought about it for a moment. The answer was positive but she couldn’t resist tweaking her new roommate some. “Sometimes… at the right moments, or when they need to be.”

Clearing the last of her clothes off the mattress, C.C. began to make the bed with the clean set of sheets she had brought along with her. Now all she had to do was figure out what to do with all the boxes.

“I hope Sunday is the right time,” Sam said quietly as she thought about the upcoming dinner with her new friend’s family.

“Oh, it will be. I’m just kidding you. They’re all great.” Eyeing the pillow in her hands, C.C. tossed it across the room at the unsuspecting woman.

Stunned by the action at first, Sam returned it with a devilish grin, following it with her own pillow thrown in sequence. Before long, damn near everything was tossed back and forth that could be in a friendly fashion. By the time they were finished, the room was an even bigger mess of clothing and trinkets than before. It was then that both women realized that the getting acquainted time was over and that they were settling in to being roomies.

It had taken both women several hours to clean up their dorm room, arranging everything in an order they could both live with. What they gave up in space they gained in comfort with their own bathroom, not big mind you, but private. While Sam was in the bathroom finishing with her shower, C.C. was lying in bed reading a book. Sam came out of the steam-filled room, her hair still damp from the shower and walked over to her bed where she sat down to brush her hair.

Lowering her book, C.C. glanced over it and noticed the t-shirt Sam had chosen to sleep in. The front of it proclaimed in bold letters, “The Family Tree Stops Here”. The young woman giggled then went back to reading while she offered a comment on the shirt. “Nice shirt. I should get it for my sister.”

A look of confusion came across Sam’s face at C.C.’s statement until she glanced down and saw which shirt she was wearing. Feeling the heat rise to her face, she wondered what the girl across the room must think of her now. She had just reached into her drawer and grabbed the first one. Okay… definitely need to start paying attention to my attire. “Um… why would you get her this shirt? You do know what it means, don’t you?”

“Of course I know what it means and she’s gay so, she’d love it. Where’d you get it? I could use it for her Christmas gift or something.”

Her answer was matter of fact and left Sam wondering exactly which sister she was referring to. Sam looked down at her shirt and shook her head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be so… ah… so… gay. I just grabbed the first shirt I saw. I guess I should really start paying attention.”

“No sweat. Don’t worry about it. Nothing I’m not used to. Actually, you’re pretty subtle about it.” C.C. looked up momentarily to address her roommate then went back to reading her book.

“You aren’t bothered sharing a room with me then?” Sam asked in disbelief.

“No way. I shared a house with my sister for damn near twenty years.”

“Well, if you haven’t been infected by now, I guess you’re safe.” Sam tried to make light of their conversation.

“Yeah, she told me there’s no recruiting involved so why should I care?” C.C. shrugged her shoulders as if this topic was one she was very comfortable with. “She told me that the Golden Toaster Oven was nothing more than a myth.”

“Golden Toaster Oven?” Sam didn’t quite understand what C.C. was talking about.

Hearing that, the tall brunette placed her book in her lap and sat up in bed as if in shock. “Oh, come on! You’re a lesbian and you don’t know about the Golden Toaster Oven?”

Sam shook her head in denial. “Nope, not a clue.”

Thinking about it for a moment, C.C. tried to remember it exactly as she had heard the tale. “Well, according to my sister, you receive the Golden Toaster Oven after,” the woman held up both hands and made quotation marks in the air, “recruiting a select number of straight women to the joys of lesbianism.” She finished with her hands reaching up to the ceiling as if preaching to an entire congregation. “Or, something like that. Apparently, it’s even hand delivered to your home by Melissa Etheridge.” The woman giggled and then noticed her friend’s somber mood.

“Sorry, I must have been absent the day they gave out the manuals. Or maybe that was the day my mother grounded me for coming out.”

C.C. knew a nerve had been struck and placed a bookmark in her paperback before resting it on the nightstand. “Ooh, that bad?”

“Well, it wasn’t pretty.” Sam ran a hand through her damp locks. “That’s why I’ve been living with my aunt for the last year or so. I decided that it was time for me to be on my own and now, I’m here in the dorm this year.”

The brunette reached across the small space between their beds and placed a hand against her friend’s arm in sympathy. “Ouch, sorry, Sam. Well, you’ll have no such worries around the Gordon household. They’ll welcome you with open arms,” she laughed, “and ears.”

Sam looked up confused. “Ears? Why ears?”

Rolling her eyes, C.C. thought about the nosey nature of some of her family members. “Oh yeah, ears too. They’ll listen for any little tidbit to remind you about and then rag you with it at a later date. That goes for the eyes as well. We’re exactly like the people in the commercial for the Olive Garden Restaurant. When you’re there, you’re family, as soon as you walk in the door.”

The blonde smiled at C.C.’s ramblings and after a few seconds, both roomies were left feeling better.

Sam laughed. “Okay, I get the picture. Now, if I could just get the girl… any girl…”

“You, my dear, they will absolutely adore!” The roommate looked at the small woman in the next bed, her head tilting from one side to the other. “Hmm… and we’ll just have to see what we can do about getting you that girl as well.” C.C. delivered the last of her statement with a wink of an eye as she took a sip from the water glass on the nightstand next to her bed.

Sam thought about it briefly. “Well, as long as you’re filling out my request card, can you make it on the order of… oh, I don’t know…” The young woman thought for a moment. “I’ve always had a thing for drummers. How about Loran from Anti-Zero?”

Water suddenly came spewing back into the glass as C.C. choked briefly at the request. “Loran? You mean as in Brooke Loran?”

Not noticing her friend’s distress, the dreamy eyed blonde gazed thoughtfully into space as she conjured up the image of the female drummer: short dark hair, sunglasses hiding a well chiseled face, on an incredibly tall frame that oozed nothing but strength and power. “Yeah, she’s an oldie but I’d bet anything she’s a goodie.”

“Ahh, yes… that was the drummer’s name, wasn’t it?” C.C. covered her slip, thankful that her friend hadn’t noticed. Then again, by the look on her face, she probably wouldn’t notice a Mack truck if it were to hit her right now.

The small woman nodded her head in agreement as she got under the covers, thinking about the wonder that was Brooke Loran. Now that woman, by far, was the biggest crush she had ever had on anyone, not to mention the longest. With the thought of the wild drummer beating out a rhythm in her head, Sam was sure that she would have some sweet dreams tonight. “Yeah, and what a beat that girl could keep up. Why, she makes my heart race just thinking about her.”

The last thing that C.C. saw was the dreamy expression on her new friend’s face as Sam reached up and turned out her light. Smiling at her roommate’s expression, C.C. followed her lead and reached for her own small light source next to her bed.

“Good night, C.C. Sweet dreams.” Sam said as she curled up on her side and waited for Morpheus’ hold to claim her.

“Good night, Sam.” The brunette turned over and wrapped one arm around her pillow as she thought about her sister. Ooh, Brooke… we need to have a talk!

The tall, dark haired woman sat at her desk. She was facing the window, staring out at her view of the ocean. The rolling waves always acted as a source to soothe and calm her when her mind was troubled. Her thoughts drifted back to earlier in the day when an ex-band mate of hers had called, asking if she was available to produce his new project. She hadn’t spoken to James since the band broke up three years earlier, which had seriously bothered her. They had been best friends and with a few cross words one night after a show, they had lost each other.

Her mind drifted out of the distant past, letting her once again think of what James had told her earlier in that phone conversation; he wanted the best, and knew that it was her. She had ended their conversation by telling him she would think about it and give him a call in the next week or so. Her mind still mulled the conversation over even now, hours later. It was something that she was going to have to think long and hard about before getting back to him.

The insistent ringing of the telephone slowly pulled the woman from her musings. She picked up the handset, placing it next to her ear, and spoke in her most business-like voice. “Brownstone Records. Brooke Gordon speaking…”

“You know, you have got to get a secretary. I could be any whacko trying to find you.” The voice on the other end spoke with familiarity.

Brooke smiled at the teasing banter of her youngest sister. “Well, thank God the only whacko who can find me is my kid sister. What’s up, C.C.?” The executive said as she wondered what her sister needed now.

“Not much. I called your house and didn’t get an answer so I took a chance that you were at the studio. You okay? You sound kind of out of it.”

“Yeah, I’m fine, nothing major. I’ll tell you all about it later. So, is there a reasonfor you calling me or what?” Brooke could already tell by the tone of C.C.’s voice that the younger girl was up to something.

“Well, I was just wondering…”

“Yeah, wondering what?” Brooke shuffled through some papers piled on her desk, pulling out one or two and shoving the rest back.

“Well, you see I met this girl and…”

“No, C.C.” Brooke cut her off in mid sentence as she threw the papers down onto the desktop, to make her point more emphatically.

“But, Brooke, she’s really cool.” Then C.C. added in a whisper, “And I know that this one’s gay.”

Brooke rolled her eyes as she leaned forward with the start of her rebuttal. “C.C., I am not going to take out every gay woman… or girl… that you meet. You tried to set me up once and we both know what happened with that one. Just because your friend is gay, does not mean that I’d like her or get along with her.” Brooke sat back in her chair, trying to calm down, positive that she had made her point clear.

“But, Brooke… she’s really nice, a total sweetheart, and she’s a huge Anti-Zero fan. Can’t you at least meet her and see for yourself?” C.C. tried to persuade her stubborn sister.

Brooke’s sigh was audible over the phone. “C.C., I’m out of the crush stage. In fact, I never was into it to begin with. So,why don’t we just forget that we even had this little conversation?” Brooke listened for an answer, but hearing none, she prompted. “Okay?” When she heard C.C.’s sigh of defeat, she knew she could relax.

“Well, okay.” C.C.’s voice showed her rejection. “Hey look, I need to go see about registering for a couple of classes.”

“Nothing like waiting until the last minute.” Brooke replied as she beat the top of her desk with a couple of pens, tapping out the rhythm to an old song she had written several years back.

“Yeah, well… they had some last minute openings.” Then, the idea struck her; “Hey maybe we can check out a movie or something next weekend. What do ya think?”

“Yeah sure, that sounds okay,” Brooke answered absentmindedly. “I’ll let you go. I’ve got some contracts to look over. I’ll see you at Mom’s on Sunday.”

“Okay, Sis. Love you. Take care.”

“No problem and love you, too.” Brooke thought for a moment then quickly added, “And C.C., thanks for not pressuring me on that little issue. It’s just not something I’m interested in right now. Talk to you later.”

“Yeah, whatever you say, sis.” C.C. paused for a moment before uttering her last words. “Bye Brooke.”

“Bye C.C.”

After hanging up the phone, each woman was left with her own thoughts. Brooke’s about the request of her longtime friend and ex-band mate, C.C.’s on the stubbornness of her sister. Each one running in similar lines but with different agendas.

Not interested… huh? That’s what you think. We’ll just have to wait and see about that.