Don't Save It All For Christmas Day
Samantha was busy putting the finishing touches on her court presentation when the door to the office swung open. Looking up, she watched Joss waltz in, a cardboard container full of coffee cups in one hand, and a pink pastry box in the other. She tilted her head. Was that humming she heard?
"Good morning Sam," Joss greeted with a smile.
"Good morning Joss. Is everything okay?"
Joss shrugged. "Everything is fine." She handed over a coffee. "I wasn't sure what you liked, but Zoe was having a special on Peppermint Caramel Cappucinos."
"One of her best creations," Samantha said, taking a sip of the rich liquid. "And these?" She nodded at the box.
"Blueberry and strawberry cream scones."
"If I could, I would give you a raise on the spot." Samantha opened the lid, breathed in deep the scent of fresh baked scones. Reaching over, she picked one up and took a bite. "Mmmmm. This is good."
The two women ate in silence.
"What's going on?" Samantha asked out of the blue.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you come in bearing gifts with a spring in your step." Samantha wiped her hands on the Christmas red serviette.
"I don't have a spring in my step," Joss contradicted but looked away.
"Yes, you do. So...what's happening?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing..." Samantha looked closely at Joss's face. "There is something different about you."
Joss wiped her hands and tossed the serviette in the wastebasket. "Do you need these filed today?" She nodded toward the stack sitting on the file cabinet.
"They can wait. You look..." Samantha searched for the right words to describe what she saw. "...almost like you're..."
"Ready to work?" Joss supplied. Taking a folder from the stack, she opened the cabinet drawer. She ran her finger absently over the alphabetized dividers.
"In love."
Mouth agape, Joss stared at Samantha in stunned silence. "In what?!"
"Love. That mysterious four letter word we all try to avoid." Samantha reached for another scone.
"I am not in love," Joss denied. File, Joss, she ordered herself, keep your mind on filing all of these folders. Today. Right now.
"Yeah, you are. And if I had to put money on who it might be, I'm going to guess: John Reese." The folder Joss held, fell to the floor. "So, I'm correct?"
"I..."
Samantha smiled. "What happened?"
"I kissed him," Joss confessed, not even bothering to make up a lie.
It was Samantha's turn to be shocked by a revelation. "Wait! What?! When?"
"Last night. It was spontaneous. Neither of us—me, most of all—were expecting it," Joss hurriedly explained.
"Ah. I see. Did you like it?"
"Yeah, I did," Joss admitted with just a touch of modesty. It wasn't a lie. She had liked it.
"And what did he say?"
"I didn't stick around to find out. I think I scared myself."
"Sit."
"You have to get to court."
"Sit." Samantha waited for Joss to get settled in the office chair. "This changes some things."
"Like what?"
"John's quest to keep Taylor."
Joss held up her hands. "Wait. You think me and John...?"
"You kissed him."
"It wasn't like that. I was feeling..."
"Feeling what?"
"Grateful."
"Grateful? What did he do?"
"He gave me a blanket."
"A blanket. I thought maybe he took you out to dinner or something. Regardless of what brought it on, I was expecting it."
"You were expecting us to kiss?" Joss sputtered in disbelief.
"Sure. You both have a history, and although you haven't said to the contrary, you and he have a history. I know you still have feelings for John."
"I don't."
"You do. I've seen them. You care more for him than even you may know."
"He broke my heart," Joss confessed.
"I figured something went wrong. But that was twenty years ago, Joss. You've grown up, and so has he. You have a second chance."
"What does that mean?"
"Make things right."
"Sam, I don't think you understand," Joss hurriedly interjected before her friend could go any further. "John and I were over a long time ago."
"And now you're back."
"I'm back," she agreed with vague reluctance. "But there is no love lost between us."
Just one more, Samantha told herself as she reached for another scone. She leaned back in her chair, but she didn't eat.
"That's where you are wrong. I've seen him look at you."
Joss rolled her eyes. "Pffft!"
"And I've seen the way you look at him, too. You both got it so bad."
"I am staying for the house. I'll be gone by Christmas Day."
"So you say."
"Sam." This kiss was nice, but a forever relationship with the man who broke her heart? No, there was too much water under the bridge. She had to draw the line somewhere.
"Lionel and I didn't exactly have love at first sight," Samantha revealed. Joss raised her eyebrow. "Let's just say it wasn't pretty." Joss raised both eyebrows. "Okay. It involved a stun gun, a dark alley, and a HUGE misunderstanding. I'm leaving it there."
"And this pertains to me and John, how?"
"That Lionel and I got over it. Eventually. But once we got to know one another—really get to know one another—nature kind of took it's course."
"What did he do?" Joss asked. Whatever it was, if it involved a stun gun, it was probably well deserved.
"He kissed me."
"He...kissed you?" Had Joss heard correct? "Was he drunk?"
"No."
"Were you?"
"No. Okay, it was a little bit more than it 'just happened'. This guy had been hitting on me at a bar. I went up to Lionel and asked him to...well, be my date—pretend to like me. I wasn't looking for anything serious, just a way to keep myself out of jail, you know. So, we left the bar and the drunk followed. I guess he really wanted to get my number," Samantha scoffed.
"How did..."
"We ducked into an alley to hide. And don't you know who shows up. Lionel said something like 'oh, what the heck', and he kissed me. I asked him why did he do that, and he replied 'well, we're supposed to be pretending, right?'"
"And the stun gun?"
"The guy saw that it was us hiding in the shadows. He rushed over and pulled Lionel away, and there was a fight. I pulled out my stun gun, aimed, and...hit Lionel by mistake," Samantha confessed.
Joss didn't mean to laugh, but she couldn't help herself. "You didn't!"
Samantha laughed shortly, smiled. "I did. He forgave me—eventually. Six months later we were married."
"Wow. Who knew? That's nothing like me and John. We have a history."
"Okay." Samantha licked the cream off her fingers. "What is your history?" she inquired.
"It's a long story."
Samantha looked at her watch. "Oh, shoot! I'm going to be late!" She stood up, grabbed the files, throwing them into the briefcase. "Tell you what, ask him out. Tonight."
"But—"
"Go out to the best restaurant in Erie. I'll make the reservations. Take a night off and get to know one another—as adults. You never know what might happen." Samantha struggled to pull her coat on.
"What about Taylor?"
"Drop him off at my place. Lionel and I would love to have him stay for the night." Samantha wrapped the scarf around her neck twice, picked up up her briefcase and purse.
"Sam!"
"Bring a go-bag for him."
"Sam!"
"See you at seven. Bye!" The door closed, cutting off any further conversation.
"Samantha!"
***********
"I'll have whatever he's having," Lionel greeted as he took a seat at the diner counter.
"Hello to you too, Lionel."
Lionel looked over at John's plate. "Ah, the meatloaf special." He raised his hand. "I'll take one and a Coke."
"Don't you have rounds?"
"Mandatory one hour lunch break required by law." Uninvited, Lionel sat down on the stool next to John.
"Lucky me. So, what brings you here? Is it my turn to buy lunch?"
Lionel patted John on the back. "Funny guy. I just wanted to let you know that I ran a check on Kara Stanton—more expansive this time—and nothing came up."
"Nothing?" Somehow that news didn't surprise John.
"Okay, maybe a couple of things. She went to Yale Law. Graduated three years later. After that, the trail gets murky. I think she lived in Damneck, Virginia. Or somewhere in that area."
"What about before?"
"It's like she popped out of thin air. Nothing."
John looked stunned. "Nothing?"
"Nada. Zip. Zilch. It was almost as though she was born on the first day of law school. No marriages, no divorces, no tax returns..." The waitress set the tall glass of Coke in front of Lionel. He took a sip. "Just when I thought we might have something. It's hinky."
"What about Paul?"
"Thought I might have had a lead somewhere in Albany, but it wasn't him. I think we're on a wild goose chase." The waitress came over, placing the hot plate down on the counter.
"Anything else?" she asked.
"Cherry pie," Lionel told her without turning his head. She wrote quickly, then departed.
"Widow Reynolds run out of shortbread cookies?" John asked facetiously.
Lionel patted his belly. "They're right here, pal. Safe and sound." John gave him a look. "Not a word to Sam."
"My lips are sealed."
Lionel picked up the fork, turned it toward the light. He rubbed it down with a napkin. "How was Taylor's first day at the Community Centre?"
"He survived." John didn't elaborate.
"I wasn't asking about Taylor." Lionel cut into the meatloaf and popped a piece into his mouth. He chewed. "Kid's tough as nails; I was worried about you."
"I'm working thru it. As well as I can," John murmured over the rim of his glass.
Lionel stopped eating. "What's wrong?"
"What do you mean?"
"With you. You look...different. Changed. Did you do something with your hair?"
"Nothing that I am aware of."
Lionel peered closely. "Wait. You didn't!"
John looked confused. "Didn't what?"
"You kissed her!" Lionel threw his fork onto his plate. "What a friend you turned out to be!"
"What are you talking about, Lionel?"
"You kissed her. You caved to the enemy."
"She kissed me. And it meant nothing." At least that is what he had been telling himself all night and most of the morning. Even hitting his thumb with the hammer during a moment when he was thinking about Joss instead of his task, hadn't kept his mind from wandering.
"Bull puckey. She got to you, pal. I should have known better than to leave you alone with her." Lionel shook his head sorrowfully. The pie was placed near his lunch plate. Furiously he cut into it.
"Let it go, Lionel."
"Let it go. Let it go," Lionel grumbled under his breath. He chewed angrily. "Like I'm supposed to forget you covorted with the enemy... Wait! We can use this to our advantage." His brightened as the idea began to form.
"I don't think I'm going to like this." John tried to focus on the remainder of his lunch—which he had lost the appetite for.
"She kissed you. That means that she is lowering her defenses. That's a good thing."
"How?"
"She's vulnerable. This is when you have to woo her and get on her good side." The wheels in Lionel's head spun faster. "What little good side there is."
"Lionel."
"Take her to dancing."
"What?" Had he heard his friend correctly?
"Take her out for a night on the town. Show her a good time. Snuggle in and be a friend."
John shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea," he disagreed. He couldn't betray Joss—not again.
"Look, this is the only way you are going to be able to get the house and Taylor, and get her out of your life. It's your one chance, Superman."
"Dancing?" He hadn't danced in years, not since Joss helped him practice a few dance steps for his senior prom. He could still remember the scent of the coconut skin lotion she used. No, he couldn't allow himself to get that close to her again.
Lionel paused. "Okay. I was thinking dinner and dancing. You know, woo her."
"Both?"
Lionel sighed in defeat. "Okay. You win. Dinner. But get inside her head and get that house. You have twenty-one days."
"What about Taylor?"
"Bring him over. Sam and I love having him. We'll make sure he gets dinner and to bed on time. I have the new 'Spider-Man' movie I think he'll want to watch," Lionel offered an incentive.
Although his gut was saying that he could be making the wrong move, his heart was telling him that it could work out.
"Okay." John's phone buzzed. He looked down. "Zoe needs me. A customer needs a roof repair." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled a few bills out and threw them on the counter.
"Go get 'em, tiger. Bring Taylor over at six."
"Thanks, Lionel."
"Anytime, my friend." Lionel looked over at the pile of uneaten fries. "You gonna eat those?"
John slid the plate over. "You can have them." He grabbed his heavy coat and pulled it on.
"You're the best." Lionel turned his attention to the fries. He was oblivious to the person two tables away who was busy writing in their notebook.
***********
Sameen added another paperclip to the growing pile on her desk. It wasn't that she didn't have a job to do, but everything was moved, stored, filed, and mailed, and now was her free time. Picking up the chain, she visually measured it, then clipped the ends together.
"Very nice," Alonzo Quinn complimented as he appeared seemingly out of no where. "Is this part of your job description?"
"Heh. I'm on break," Sameen said with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"I see." Alonzo looked around at the empty office and reception area.
Sameen placed the necklace in the drawer and closed it smartly. "Can I help you?" she asked in her most professional tone.
"I'm going out of town."
"Oh. And how does this pertain to me?"
"Well, you're still Joss's receptionist—"
"Until she gets back," Sameen added.
"Any way, when was the last time you took a vacation?"
"Vacation?" Sameen repeated cautiously. "Never. I don't believe in them."
"Well, maybe it's time to change your mind." Alonzo reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a envelope. "I have to go on a very important business meeting tomorrow in Hong Kong and I need to take someone."
"And you chose me," Sameen finished, trying to sound more impresed than she actually felt..
"You're reliable, honest, and hard-working."
"If I were a dog, I would feel honoured by that description."
Alonzo's smile was charming. "Touche. You take shorthand better than anyone in the company. That is why I would like you to accompany me to this meeting. You will be compensated. Generously."
"I really need to stay, in case Joss comes back," Sameen declined the offer.
"She has another three weeks of vacation left; consider this a working vacation, Ms. Shaw." Alonzo's smile seemed genuine and the body language said the same thing. But there was something in his eyes that gave Sameen pause. But, he was the boss, after all, and who was she to turn down an offer from the boss?
"Sure." If there was something going on, she would be able to find out by being closer to the source. "I need to go home and feed the cat."
"Go home and pack your bags and feed the cat. We leave at six." Alonzo set the envelope on the desk. "I'll have a car waiting."
"Thank you, Mr. Quinn." Sameen waited until he was gone before picking up the envelope. Pulling out the ticket, she read the information. She would be back in four days. She bit her lip. Maybe if she put out enough food and water for Szymanski, things could work out. Or she could get her neighbour to check in.
"I'll ask Joss." Dialing, she counted the rings before the answering machine picked up.
"This is Joss Carter. I can't get to my phone; please leave a message."
"Joss, this is Sameen. I have to go out of town with the boss. Will call when I get there."
Sameen disconnected the call.
"It's just four days and three nights. You can do this, Sameen. I'll be back in time to take care of the cat." Still, it bothered her that something deceptive was lurking below the surface. Sameen grabbed her purse, passport, and phone. There would be time to sort it out when she got back.