Chapter 28: Final Secrets
"What are you doing here at this time of the morning?" Marie asked as Sami took a seat opposite her friend, "I just said good bye to your brother an hour ago or so."
"That's why I'm here", Sami said turning a grimace into a grin, "what happened between you two last night?#
"Didn't Eric tell you?"
"A gentleman never does."
"Oh, a real gentleman", Marie mocked, "Good to know that one. Nothing special. We talked, we walked, we kissed and we talked some more. We watched the sun come up in the park and that was about it. Why? Do you have something against me having some fun with your brother?"
"No, nothing at all as long as you don't break his heart. I'd hate to scratch that perfect skin of yours to shreds", Sami explained with faked sweetness, "But that's not what I came to talk to you about."
"What is? Lay it on me." Marie leaned back in her own seat and let Sami vent. Apparently Eric had informed Sami about the ruse EJ and Annie had cooked up to see if Sami was really the Sami EJ had fallen in love with. Various degrees of curses were used during this lengthy explanation. Sami covered every possible angle from the ridiculousness of EJ to come up with such a ruse to Annie's misfortune of agreeing to abide by his rules and at all loving the man. Sami even dissected her own reactions to the ordeal.
"I hate that woman. I hate her with passion. It's something I wish I could move past, leave behind and never to think of again, but seems that is impossible. I can't get past it, She's always going to be part of my life, part of our lives and it's all because of him, because of EJ", Sami ranted.
"Why don't you tell EJ the truth?" Marie asked.
"I can't. EJ loves that woman and I can't risk losing him again by making him choose", Sami confided in her, "I've waited seven months for him to come back to me and Annie made that happen. Eric told me the little Annie told him. Apparently she was trying to make my brother understand why she couldn't feel anything romantic towards him and ended up explaining how she practically saved EJ from his own misery. Annie did bring my husband back to me and I'm grateful to her, but that doesn't mean I have to like her."
"No it doesn't." For a moment Sami thought that Marie had spoken the words but her friend lookes as stunned as she herself was.
"I'm sorry", Annie said and stepped into the room, "I didn't intend on eavesdropping. The door was open and I couldn't help but overhear. Anyway, Samantha. I want you to know that I understand and I don't blame you for anything. I know you can't change the way you feel."
"That's mighty generous of you", Sami spoke through gritted teeth, "And please, only EJ calls me Samantha."
"Sami then", Annie agreed, "I never meant anything like this to happen."
"But you went along with it", Marie expressed her displeasure.
"I did. I would do anything for him."
"I can't listen to this, I'm going home", Sami announced and got up, "You will stop by after work, wont you? Or maybe after you've had a nap or two. There's still much we need to discuss."
"I will. Say Hi to everyone for me", Marie asked and watched her friend walk out the door. She waited a while before turning her attention to the intruder.
"And what you might be doing here?" Annie gave the lawyer a faint smile and pulled an envelope out of her pocket.
"Eddie asked me to bring this to you." Marie took the letter without saying a word. She slipped it into her drawer and acted like nothing had happened.
"Does Samantha know that you drew up those divorce papers she never got to sign?" Annie asked.
"No she doesn't", Marie tilted her head, "And she never needs to know." Annie put her hands up as sign of surrender and good faith:
"I have no reason to tell her. Unless she specifically asks, but then I'll just lie to her, if that's fine by you?" Marie gave a sharp and short nod. She picked up a pen and twirled it around her fingers.
"About what you overheard", Marie began but Annie immediately interrupted her.
"There's no need to talk about that either."
"I disagree", Marie said, "Did you understand what Sami was saying? Did you hear enough to get the point?" Annie nodded.
"I did. I know exactly how she feels."
"Are you going to tell EJ what you overheard here?" Marie pressed on and waited for her victim to fold. Instead Annie gave her a sad little smile.
"Now why would I do that? Why would I want to break his heart when he's finally happy again? No", Annie shook her head, "I wont do that to him. I watched him go through hell to get here. I wont take what he's accomplished away from him by tainting his precious image of what's life going to be like for him. He's too fragile."
"He looks strong to me", Marie pointed out.
"That's because you don't know him like I do", Annie replied.
"Then what are you going to do?" Marie asked and saw the woman in front of her morph. Determination arose.
"I'll do what's best for everyone. I'll walk away and disappear. I can't go to the house right now like this. Eddie would know something is wrong and I can't lie to him. No, I have to leave right away. I just hope that someday they will be able to forgive me this choice I made."
"Are you sure that it's the right choice? Are you sure leaving is the only way?" The brunette gazed upon the blond. They both were in deep thought and fearing the consequences they would have to face for playing with people's lives.
"Right or wrong, it's the only choice I can make. Within time the reasons for my escape become irrelevant and I can try to stay in contact with Eddie without interrupting his marriage too much. If we are lucky, if we are extremely lucky we never have to speak of this ever again", Annie sighed with hope in her voice.
"Will you take care of them while I'm gone? Will you look after them and make sure everything doesn't fall apart because of some minor misunderstanding?" Annie asked.
"They are my friends too", Marie said and felt the connection of mutual understanding with this stranger for the first time, "Where will you go?"
"That's easy", Annie grinned, "Tell them, tell Eddie and Samantha, tell anyone who wants to know that I went home, to see my brother."
"I promise to do that", Marie pledged, "I don't know how to say this, but thank you."
"For what ever for?"
"For making me just a little bit jealous. I needed the incentive."
"It was my pleasure", Annie bowed mockingly.
"No it wasn't judging from what I heard", Marie snorted.
"We can't possibly have chemistry with every hot man on the planet now can we?"
"With the bad boys? Absolutely we can!" Marie laughed and Annie smirked. They shared a secret. Annie got up and walked to the door but stopped as Marie made her last questions:
"Was it worth it? What you did for EJ and Sami, was it worth all the pain and hurt?"
"Yes it was", Annie replied with tears in her eyes wanting to escape but Marie wasn't ready to let her go yet.
"Do you think they'll live happily ever after?" Annie couldn't help but laugh at the idea and explain:
"No I don't. They are far too interesting for a fate as boring as that." The blond tilted her head for the last time and disappeared.
