Sorry it's been so long, I have many reasons none to bore you with though. So onto the new chapter, I hope you enjoy it. Many thanks for your wonderful reviews as well, much appreciated.
Michael walked Sara back to her room to get ready, upon noticing that Veronica still hadn't returned it was agreed that Sara would get ready and meet Michael back at his and Lincoln's room. To say she rushed was an understatement and even though it felt like forever, Sara soon found herself outside the boys room knocking.
Michael answered, "You were fast" he stated with a grin on his face, "exciting plans or something?"
Sara looked down and laughed "something like that, is Veronica here?"
Michael nodded and ushered her inside.
Walking through the small hallway she glanced over at the first bed and noticed Veronica lying asleep in a small ball with Lincoln sitting beside her on a chair holding a wet flannel to her forehead.
"That isn't a hangover" Sara felt like she had stated the obvious but continued to move and sat herself on the side of the bed, careful not to knock her friend. She lifted her hand and felt V's forehead quickly setting herself into Doctor mode. "She feels hot, probably a temperature" Lincoln moved to lift the blanked off but Sara stopped him, shaking her head. "Don't make the body feel colder, it will raise her temperature even more" Lincoln nodded and settled back down. "How long has she been like this?"
"I'm not sure" Lincoln answered "I" he paused "we thought it was a hangover but then she started to sweat and puking more and more. It feels like all day"
Sara nodded, listening "It could be heat stroke, food poisoning, a stomach bug any number of things, we can see how she goes over night, if she improves, great, if not, I'll speak to the medical centre in the morning and see what else it could be"
"Thanks doc" Sara playfully smacked him on the arm and smiled, she loved it when he called her by their familiar nickname.
Suddenly Michael cleared his throat, he had sat and watched the exchange, in awe of how quickly Sara changed from friend to doctor back to friend again, so easily, he loved how at ease she was with his brother, he shouldn't be so surprised he thought. He knew how fond Lincoln was of Sara, he remembered all to well the rant he had listened to when Lincoln found out Paul had cheated, he also remembered how he had to restrain him from going out and finding Paul too.
"Sara if it's okay with you, I suggest a change of plan?" Sara and Lincoln both looked up and waited for Michael to continue, "instead of going out, how about I go get food, we chill here, keep Linc company and watch really bad Spanish tv."
Sara smiled and nodded.
"Thanks bro, but go out, don't worry about it." Sara placed her hand on Linc's arm and shook her head. "Nope, that's our new plan, can I come with you though, to get food?"
Michael nodded and headed for the door and Sara followed.
They spent the evening together as newly planned, Veronica woke up a few times and acknowledged the room before running to the toilet and throwing up. Sara kept a poker face throughout smiling over at Lincoln reassuringly, telling him how normal it was whilst thinking about all the things it could be without starting to panic herself. Michael was watching the room the entire time, grimacing with Lincoln every time Veronica would lose her stomach and stealing looks at Sara and seeing the brief flashes of concern that would only last for a second at most. In those seconds he wanted to hold her.
The night was getting later and Sara lost count how many times she yawned, the day had been long, but good, she definitely wouldn't forget how good today was. "Guys, I'm going to have to go back to my room, I'm really tired." Sara began to stand and looked over at a once again sleeping Veronica. "She's going to have to stay here and I know Lincoln your going to want to be close to her but she needs room, so sleep in the other bed okay?"
Both Lincoln and Michael looked around the room, trying to work out the night's sleeping situations as there were only two beds. Before she could stop herself and think Sara found herself giving a suggestion. "Michael can stay with me"
Both men looked at Sara in shock, Linc's mouth slightly agape.
"I don't mean stay stay, just use the other bed, were both adults." Sara tried to save herself, even she didn't know how she got so bold, all she knew was that she really didn't mind spending more time with Michael, she wanted to get to know him more, know everything really and the thought of this made her stomach turn over in a most amazing way.
"If that's okay, that would be fine with me" He smiled at her then started to get his things together, Sara passed him the spare key and went off first, wanting to be ready for bed before he got there.
Before Michael walked out the door ten minutes later Lincoln tugged on his arm. "Look man, I know this has been said before but do you know what your doing?"
"I'm a grown man Linc, I won't hurt her, harm her or push her, I like her" Lincoln nodded and tapped his shoulder. "Just remember that you know Paul and you need to tell her soon, it was you that tattled on his affair, you bought that relationship down and before you interrupt, yes, I know for good reason, don't start something on a lie"
"I haven't lied"
"You know what I mean, tell her the truth before she finds out from Paul herself, cause he'll use it to his advantage, you know he will."
"Okay, I'll tell her, but only if it moves somewhere, we don't know what this is."
With that Michael walked out the door.
Sara pulled on her night top and walked out the bathroom, as she was about to sort her bed sheets she heard the door click but not open fully. "Is it safe?" Sara laughed and replied telling him to come in. She pointed at the bed to the left and explained he was welcome to get comfortable, so he placed his toiletry bag on the end and waited until the door clicked shut.
Michael and Sara stared at each other, they both knew what they wanted, a repeat of earlier that day, their first kiss.
Sara shivered "Are you cold?" Michael asked ready to go over to her.
"No, I'm not cold, just thinking" Sara took a step towards him, playing with the black thin bracelet on her forearm. "About what?" He hoped she was thinking about what he was.
Sara reached Michael and put her hand on the back of his neck, she looked down and sighed. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be nervous but um" she took a breath in. "I like you, I've known you for two days but I really like you" Michael stared back at her trying to convey that he felt the same. Sara lost herself in his eyes and allowed herself to close the gap.
They stood in the middle of the room and kissed, minutes passed but neither wanted to pull away. The kiss grew though and hands had begun to move, exploring and with this Michael pulled away.
"Sara, lets go to bed"
The couple had moved to separate beds, reluctantly, but knowing it was a better idea then moving too fast. They had talked as they lay opposite each other, talked about everything and nothing, filling in blanks and laughing along at funny pastimes until Michael watched Sara drift off to sleep, he continued to stare at her peaceful form until sleep found him to.
The next few days had turned out to be not the holiday Sara had hoped for, Veronica had seemed better, her temperature dropping and sickness reducing meant they were all able to venture out to the poolside although Veronica's random trips to the bathroom did not go unnoticed by her friend the doctor. Two days after the sickness began Sara forced her to take a pregnancy test much to Veronicas protest.
Veronica and Lincoln had always planned on a family, plenty of kids that matched their different but similar at times personalities. However biological children was a hope that had faded fast for the pair, after years of trying and painful losses always in the first trimester they had decided to give up on their dream and focus on them, enjoying what they had. When discussions were had with family and friends about when they would be blessed with the pitter patter of tiny feet their brief flashes of internal pain did not go unnoticed by Sara and Michael, who knew better then to bring it up, ever!
So that's the reason why Vee fought Sara hard in their hotel room, refusing to take the test that sat in Sara's hand.
"Please" Sara had pleaded "Just so I can rule it out"
Veronica took it reluctantly and closed the bathroom door behind her.
"It's not needed, Me and Linc haven't had sex in three months"
"3 months!" Sara exclaimed "And I don't know why I'm asking this but why not?"
"I read an article on the internet" Veronica could literally hear her friends eyes rolling back in disapproval. "It says that you have to reset yourself, recycle, that sort of thing"
"What a load of..."
"Linc obviously protested" Vee chimed back in before Sara finished her sentence. "but he had no choice"
Sara shook her head to herself, she could imagine how that conversation had gone down, knowing the pair of them like she did.
A few minutes passed and she had emerged carrying the test in tissue refusing to look at the result, she passed it to her friend asking her to look.
Sara took a heavy breath and looked, a smile growing on her face as she did.
"Well looks like your about to be free of your first trimester."
The four of them had gone out to dinner that night to celebrate, toasting to a new future, a more hopeful one. During the meal Michael was trying and failing to not stare at Sara, sometimes braving a brief touch of her leg under the table, enjoying it immensely when he saw her blush every time. Since their 'sleepover' the nights before they had tried to keep it casual, holding hands out of sight from his brother and wife, a few brief kisses when running errands, both of them enjoying testing new waters. But it was here on their last but one night away that Veronica made an announcement that brought everything to a halt.
"I'm going home"
The table fell silent, a glass of water that Sara was about to sip from stayed still just inches from her mouth. Lincoln reached across and held his wife's hand in support, they had obviously discussed this then Sara thought.
"I'm so sorry Sara, I know what this vacation means to you, to us but I can't risk this pregnancy, not now." Sara lowered her glass and looked down, she knew, of course, that this was the right decision for Veronica, that she had waited so long for this, their happy ending that had she been put in her friends shoes, she'd be doing exactly the same thing. But. Sara felt her eyes fill up. But this was her time, to find herself, to rest and to start anew. Sara felt a hand fully on her leg, squeezing in reassurance, at least she had found him.
"Vee it's okay. Oh god please don't cry, you'll get me going"
Both women laughed and cried, leaving the men at the table feeling perplexed at the situation.
"I have an idea" Everyone faced Michael now, looking at him blankly. "Why don't I switch with Vee?"
Lincoln now spoke "What you talking about?"
"So if I go in Veronica's place, just switch names on the booking, it will be cheaper then cancelling the rest of your holiday, plus I have another two weeks before I have to be back into work" Michael rushed his explanation out looking between the three of them for a reaction.
"But you two don't know each other, not really" Veronica being the first to air her concern, it would be a great fix for her situation but would never throw Sara under the bus for the sake of a few hundred dollars. Sara just looked at Michael unsure of what to make of his proposal. Was it because he wanted to get to know her more, was he just looking for a further vacation, her mind was racing at a 100 miles per minute.
"Well they've already swapped spit, what more do they need know!" Veronica slapped her husband on the arm for his inappropriateness.
"Can I talk to you, please, in private." Sara pulled away from the table and walked to the back of the Italian restaurant they were in, Michael following hurriedly trying to work out a good enough explanation as to why he wanted to extend his holiday. "What are you doing?" Sara had turned to face Michael now, she was standing close looking up at him trying to search his face for any sign.
"I'm trying to help"
"Michael I've known you for only five days and now your talking of us continuing this vacation together, its mad"
"Look Sara I know it's only been five days" He tilted her chin so she was looking straight to him. "But I'm not a stranger okay, my family knows me, you can trust me I promise, it may only be five days but I've kissed you, danced with you and quite frankly made every possible excuse to be close to you. I want to spend more time with you, I want to get to know you more, I want to kiss you more."
To make a point he leant down and kissed her softly caressing her cheek with his hand, gently pulling away he added "Please Sara, I'll change the rooms to twin beds, heck I'll get another room but don't make this end, not yet."
Sara smiled more fully nodding her head slowly, swallowing heavy she kissed him back and walked back to their table.
"It's decided" Sara exclaimed as she sat back down, Michael seconds behind her. "I guess we're continuing on!"
The next few days had turned out to be not the holiday Sara had hoped for, it was turning into something more.