Chapter 37
"Maxine!" Luke's shout got both of the women's attention.
Sam paled as Maxine scrambled off the bed.
"What is it, Luke?" Maxine asked.
"There's a fire I need to get to," Sam heard Luke's voice and her blood ran cold. She started to shake.
"Have the boys been paged?" Maxine asked, going out into the hallway.
"I just did," Luke said.
"Take care of them," Maxine begged.
"I will," Luke promised and Sam heard them kiss.
She was trembling so hard, she took one of the pillows from behind her and hugged it, trying to keep her body still. It didn't work. She could feel Bryan's bed shaking under her.
Maxine looked in from the doorway and was alarmed at the paleness of Sam's face. She looked like death as she sat on Bryan's bed. Oh gosh, she was remembering what had happened to Bryan.
Maxine rushed in and put her arms around Sam.
"He'll be fine, Samantha," Maxine crooned to her.
"He's dead," Sam whined. "He's dead."
"Sam?" Maxine tried to get the younger woman attention.
Sam almost looked to be in a trance.
"They'll be fine," Maxine said again.
Sam shook her head and looked up at Maxine. Maxine could see the terror in Sam's eyes.
"They'll be fine," Maxine insisted.
Sam tried to concentrate on what Maxine was telling her, hoping the older woman was right. She wasn't sure she'd survive if anything happened to any of Maxine's remaining sons.
As the hours progressed, Sam tried to stay up until the Ely men got home, but she found herself drifting off. She'd wake up, only to doze off again.
When the men came in, Maxine hugged her husband and each of her sons, despite their smelling like smoke.
"I'm taking a shower and heading to bed," Nate muttered, kissing his mom and heading towards his room.
"Me too," Quinn kissed his mom and followed his older brother.
"Night," Jake made to follow the other two.
"Jake, Sam was extremely frightened about the fire," Maxine told him.
"I can imagine," Jake murmured. "I'll let her know we're home. Thanks Mom."
Jake was exhausted but he knocked on Bryan's door.
"Sam?" Jake called through the door. When he didn't get an answer, he opened it and peeked in. Sam was asleep, sprawled across the bed.
Jake sighed and went into the room. He picked her up, noticing how light she was in his arms. He pulled back the covers on the bed and laid her gently between them. Jake tucked her in and couldn't help but brush the hair back from her face.
Sam stirred under his hand and one eye flickered open.
"Aryouawright," she slurred.
Jake chuckled.
"Yeah," he assured her.
Sam shut her eye and Jake chuckled again. He watched her as she fell asleep, feeling a tenderness towards her he hadn't felt before.
Oh he had felt tender towards her previously, but not like this. He wasn't sure what was different except he knew how much she had been through with the loss of Bryan.
Jake knew how important her baby was to her, to his whole family. It was up to him to make sure she took care of herself and her child since he was her husband.
He sighed, leaning against the wall. Jake had been almost happy that there had been a fire to interrupt his night.
Once he had gotten to the restaurant with his brothers, their girlfriends and Devon, he had felt as if he was cheating on Sam. There was no reason for him to feel that way since they were married in name only, for the sake of the child, but he couldn't shake the feeling.
Devon seemed to notice, her attitude getting sour by the time they were paged about the fire. Jake hadn't kissed Devon or really even paid much attention to her that evening. His mind was on the woman he had left back home.
Jake looked down on Sam as she slept. He bet she had no idea he was home or even that he had stopped in to see how she was. She seemed exhausted and that worried him a little.
Speaking of exhaustion, Jake too was exhausted. The fire had been a small one, but everyone was on edge after what had happened to Bryan. Jake needed sleep and with one last look at Sam, he headed out of the room.