As usual, Rebecca was the target of the jokes around the bar, not that she wasn't used to it, either. Not that she liked it, of course. But it was part of her life these days, and although there were many, many things she'd wished she could change about herself, for the first time in her life, she actually could say she had friends. Friends who, in their own, warped and twisted way, accepted her for who she was.

She was neurotic, insecure, and kind of always trying to pull a fast one in order to get ahead in life.

Whenever she'd had her moment of doubt (and there were many of those moments), Sam was the first one to take her aside, put his arm around her, and remind her that at least she wasn't Paul.

And then he'd try to get her into the sack.

But today was going to be different. Today was going to be the start of her new life, a better life...her own life.

It had been six months since she'd called off her wedding to Robin Colcord, a decision she'd often gone back and forth in regretting. He had money, all the money she could have wanted. He had wanted her, in his own way. But...she couldn't explain it. Perhaps spending time with friends who accepted her the way she was had taught her the importance of being true to herself, to create her own path in life, to never settle for anything less than what she wanted for herself.

Then again, perhaps it really was because she'd thought he was poor.

Who knew?

At any rate, she was going to treat herself to a day off work..she'd stopped in for a drink, was flirted with shamelessly by Sam, and then she took off for the day. It was going to be her day, that was for sure.

00000

"Hey guys, you know that they're having a tv coverage of the swimsuit edition of Sports Illustrated today," Cliff offered as he bought his best buddy Norm a beer.

"Really? Why didn't I know about that?" Sam scratched his head.

"Ah, you wouldn't. It was only revealed in the newest edition of tv guide. Which only hits newsstands later today, unless you're a member of a special, rare, and valuable insider's club which allows you all the access to today's news and thought-provoking headlines..."

"Cliff," Norm sat down his glass after readily sipping half of his beer.. "You're a mailman."

Everyone cracked up laughing, and Cliff just sat and pouted.

Sam grabbed the remote, and still chuckling to himself, turned on the tv in anticipation of seeing some hot babes on the tube.

"We interrupt this coverage to bring you a special news bulletin..."

"AWWWW!" came the chorus of protests from the bar patrons.

"Sheesh,'" Sam tried, eagerly trying to turn the channel to a different one. Realizing the batteries had died, he'd searched around behind the bar, trying to find a couple of extra batteries. Hair comb, check. Mirror, check. Mousse, styling gel...check batteries...

"Hey!" Carla shouted, getting the attention of the friends around the bar. "Check it out!" she pointed to the tv screen where an image of Robin Colcord now appeared.

Rebecca's ex fiancee, the one time extremely extremely extremely wealthy man who'd swept Rebecca off her feet, right out from under Sam's nose. The man whom Sam vowed he'd hate forever.

"In a late breaking twist, our sources reveal to us that corrupt tycoon millionaire Robin Colcord's plane has been discovered to have crashed shortly after takeoff. Medical personnel and police sources confirm he was the lone passenger on his private plane...neither he, nor his pilot or stewardess survive. I repeat...Robin Colcord has been killed in a plane accident...More on this late breaking news as we receive it..."

"Woody, pull the plug..." Sam nodded at his friend.

"Gee, Sam. Don't you think that's a bit callous? I mean he's already.."

Carla snapped at him. "The tv, you light haired, light headed doofus. Unplug the tv!"

"Oh, yeah. That's probably a good idea. Miss Howe did forget her purse..." Woody offered it to Sam, who, in shock, realized that Rebecca was likely headed back to Cheers at any minute to retrieve her forgotten purse. Which likely meant that she hadn't heard the news about Robin...

which meant that he would have to break the news to her.

On this day he kinda wished he were still a drinking man. This was going to be a hard day for him, but what it would do to Rebecca...

tbc