When I couldn't sleep last night I started to write. This one-shot is the result. I am sorry for the messy style. I was probably overtired. If anyone wants to improve my writing, feel free to contact me.
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I don't hate Marlo. I don't hate Nick. I don't hate Luke. I don't hate Monica or Becca. I am neither pro Sam nor pro Andy. I think they are both to blame and simply not compatible at this point of their lives. I kindly ask you not to leave any abusive reviews about any character.
The whole day Andy played faithful best friend. She knew, Nick needed it today more than usual. Only yesterday he told her, that last week was supposed to be their wedding anniversary. Instead he had to attend a wedding, while his ex-girlfriend came with another date. More precisely with her new girlfriend. Andy knew herself, that it was hard to see the one you love with someone else. But Nick had it even harder than herself.
Still they both had enjoyed the day. The service had been beautiful. Frank and Noelle had done the right thing and rented the whole hotel for their guests. The house with its old fashioned charm was just big enough for their closest family and friends. And the ceremony had been moving. Maybe she had glanced once or twice towards Sam, but he did stand there in front with Frank. It was all too natural not to stare only at the happy couple. And she hadn't looked at him so often. During the whole service maybe sixteen times, if you didn't count the cursory glances. And she did not count those. Not that she had set herself a limit of a maximum of fifteen glances or anything... Most of the time she had fixed her gaze on Traci and admired how beautiful she looked up there. In the last few weeks she really had found her inner happiness again and it showed.
After dinner she had done her best to distract Nick from Gail and Miriam. She had danced with him a few times. But in the end he had convinced her to do some 'recon' as he called it. He had asked a very perplexed Miriam for a dance and had left Gail speechless, when he brought Miriam after a very polite conversation back to her smiling. Andy knew, it must have pained him immensely. But Nick was not cruel. She knew, he loved Gail enough to wish her happiness. He was well aware of the mistakes he had made in the past and this was his way of acknowledging them.
Sam had caught a glimpse of Andy during the day once or twice. He could not help but let his mind wander to the 'what ifs'. What was that, his sister had always teased him with? „Always the groomsman, never the groom." It had never really bothered him. He wasn't the marrying type, never had been and didn't see any wedding bells in his future. Still, McNally in a wedding dress would look beautiful, he was sure of that. She had always been one for traditional values: settling down, marriage, children, the whole nine yards. He had noticed though that she and Collins were seated at the single's table. He had imagined that by now, they would have come out. The whole station was gossiping about their 'friendship'. Had they all misjudged them?
When he and Marlo stumbled up to their room it was almost one o'clock. He thought he hadn't seen Collins and McNally after 11.30, but he was not sure. The scotch he drank had impaired his time perception. They must have felt awkward between all these couples and gone to bed early.
Marlo on the other hand had danced the evening away. She had even convinced him to dance with her for a couple of songs. After that she had coerced almost all attending males into dancing with her and when she had run out of male dance partners, she and Noelle's sister had continued dancing until the band stopped. Sam must admit, that she was breathtaking on the dance floor.
The next morning he wakes up to a freezing room and the sounds of birds in front of his window. He is a city man. Where he comes from, the birds are never this loud. His head is pounding and his back is aching. His muscles have cramped in the cold. His tongue feels to big for his mouth and it tastes like ass. It isn't the morning he imagined. He reaches across the bed to the other side, but it is empty. There is a cool light outside, not quite sunrise yet, but dawn. Still it's almost too bright for his eyes, when he opens them. Looking around the room he sees Marlo in front of the open window, her body in a contortion that looks rather painful to Sam.
He greets her with a grunted „Mornin'". He isn't in the mood to talk yet.
„Morning Sam. I hope I didn't wake you. Wanted to do a little bit yoga. It looked too beautiful out there." She whispers back. By now she has stayed over often enough to know how to deal with a hung over Sam.
Sam's reply is non committal. He is looking for a bathrobe. It' freezing in the room. But Marlo is right. It's beautiful outside. He steps outside on their balcony and looks down towards the lake shore. He can see the white clouds of mist hovering over the water's surface. The cold air smells fresh. He can almost feel the autumn coming.
A movement to his left catches his eye. When he looks, he is surprised to see Andy there. He wasn't aware she was in the room right next to theirs. But what shocks him even more is her appearance. Of course she was beautiful yesterday. All made up and in a fancy dress. But there is something else now. An effortless beauty in her attire just now. She is only wearing a white dress shirt. Her legs are bare. He is pretty sure she hasn't seen him and he knows, he shouldn't ogle his old girlfriend with his present one just inside their hotel room. But something is different. Somehow Andy changed from last night. This morning she looks content, peaceful, maybe even happy.
And then it clicks into place. First he can only see the hands sneaking around her waist. In the first few moments he has no idea, who is embracing Andy like this. She is still standing in the doorframe. The wood is obstructing his view. She is completely unaware of her audience and he doesn't dare to make his presence known. Only after the fingers have undone enough buttons to slide the shirt of her shoulder Sam can see his face. See his mouth sucking at her neck and unbuttoning the rest of her shirt.
He turns slowly. Careful not to make any sound. He sure as hell doesn't want them to notice him now. He knows he has no right to be upset. It was his choice to move on. And for the most part he is happy with Marlo. She is not just a placeholder. He really does like her. But seeing Andy like this, in the embrace of another man is still painful. In this moment he can't be the bigger man, can't wish them all the happiness in the world. In this moment he can only mourn what once could have been. He bends down to place a kiss on Marlo's head. Tells her he is going to shower. She smiles up at him, asks him if he wants company. His smile is small, when he shakes his head. Not now. Maybe when she is back from her run. Briefly he wonders if they should really try anything here, knowing who is next to them. But then his mind flashes back to a naked shoulder. To bare legs. A white shirt. And he knows, it is over between them. There is no way he will be able to delete these images from his mind.