Sam put an intire box of spagetti noodles in a large pot of boiling water, thinking
she'd rather have to much than to little with Bailey there.
Chloe was smiling and cutting up vegtables. She'd noticed her mom looking at
Bailey just like she had when they had all lived in the same city. With a kind of
admiration in her eyes. Not that her mom had ever said anything about Bailey
like she had about Coop. But Chloe knew there was something there between
the adults. She saw so much love in Bailey's eyes when he was looking at
her mom.
"There that's done is there anything else I can do to help?" Bailey offered just as
Sam had moved from the stove to reach for a basket she usually used for the
garlic bread, she always made with spagetti. It was on the top shelf over the fridge
and she had to stand on her tip toes to reach it. Bailey was behind her reaching
past her to grasp the basket.
"Here let me get that for you." He whispered softly and in his usual deep voice.
But right next to her ear, his chest touching her back and shoulder as he reached
past her to get the basket. Sam's heart flipped over twice in her chest and she
realized she was holding her breath.
"Thanks." Was all she could manage to say. This close she could smell his aftershave
and the scent she always associated with him. She loved the mixture, it was making her
dizzy his nearness combined with everything else.
Bailey noticed her slight flush, but put it down to the hot stove she had just been standing over.
He didn't even hope that Sam had any feelings for him other than as his friend.
The muscle of his arm was flexing just level with her eyes and she found herself staring at
his bicep. She'd never been much attracted to big muscle bound men, but on Bailey she
liked all that strength. Especially since she knew he was capable of being so gentle.
Bailey prolonged the moment, staying beside and slightly behind Sam several seconds longer
than it took for him to grab the basket off the high shelf. But he didn't take advantage, he had
only been trying to help.
"How about I slice the bread and fix if for the broiler?" He offered.
"If you like. The bread knife is there by the fridge." Sam exhaled as he stepped back away from
her. Relieved and at the same time wishing he would stay close to her.
"Mom the sauce." Chloe reminded her mother to keep the sauce stirred.
They all sat down to a nice meal ten minutes later. Bailey offered to say grace, and reached for
Sam's hand around the table. Chloe smiled, and took his other hand.
"Dear lord thank you for bringing us all together again safe and in the spirit of friendship and love.
Amen." Bailey made it short but meaningful.
Sam was distracted by the feeling of his strong, large hand holding hers. She had to replay what he
said in her mind once he released her fingers. The spirit of friendship and love? Did he mean something
more by those words? Sam thought to herself as Chloe began to ask Bailey a million questions.
"Is Aunt Grace still working for you since she had little George?" Chloe asked, picking at her salad.
"Yes, Grace is still working for me, but she keeps regular hours when ever she can. She spends as
much time with her boys as possible." Bailey explained, picking up his fork and starting to eat his
meal.
"Grace sent us pictures from George's first birthday party. He's such a cute little boy." Sam joined
in the conversation. "I haven't heard recently, how is everyone John and George?"
"John is still John, always juggling his lady friends. George is doing well, recovered from his
bout with the pain pills. He's writing a new program, says it will do half his work for him once
he's done."
"That sounds like George. Tell them both hello from us when you see them." Sam remembered
her two co-workers fondly.
"I'll do that." Bailey nodded.
"How are your girls? Is Frannie still in college?"
"They're fine, Frannie is in school still, she says she's found her place. Ariana is attending Juliard,
studying voice and drama. She is very talented, I attended the senior play her final year, she was
great." Bailey stated with fatherly pride.
"That's wonderful I'm glad."
"I sing in the choir at school." Chloe said.
"Yes, Chloe is my little song bird."
"You'll have to do a song for me after dinner." Bailey asked.
" I can do one now." Chloe stood up and was about to start singing.
"No, you can't. Sit down and finish eating, you can sing for Bailey after dinner." Sam warned her
daughter.
They all continued eating, Sam was only picking at her meal. She was distracted with Bailey there,
she'd never been nervous around him before. There was no reason for her to be nervous with him
now.
Bailey was enjoying himself, he was glad Chloe had invited him for a visit. Sam looked as beautiful
as ever, she looked rested, at peace finally. He wished that they didn't live so far from Atlanta now,
he would have liked to continue to be a part of their lives. He loved Sam and he though of Chloe
as his little girl, just like his own daughters.
"Mom can we have cake now?" Chloe asked, as she downed the last of her ice tea.
"I'm full honey, I think we'll wait until later for your cake."
"Okay, want me to help you with the dishes?"
"I think you had better go get started on your homework."
"I promised to sing for Bailey." She reminded her mother.
Sam glanced at Bailey, who smiled and nodded.
"Alright you can sing for Bailey, but just one song then you have to do your reading assignment."
"Okay," Chloe stood up by her chair, " Mrs. Wilson taught us this song last week we are going to
sing it in the fall festival in October."
Chloe began singing Sunrise, Sunset her voice clear and strong.
Is this the little girl I carried?
Is this the little boy at play?
I don't remember growing older.
When did they?
When did she get to be a beauty?
When did he grow to be this tall?
Wasn't it yesterday when they were small?
Bailey looked over at Sam as Chloe continued to sing. It sounded like the song could be
the soundtrack to their life.
Sunrise, sunset.
Sunrise, sunset.
Swiftly flow the days.
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers,
Blossoming even as we gaze.
Sunrise, sunset.
Sunrise, sunset.
Swiftly fly the years.
One season following another,
Laden with happiness and tears.
What words of wisdom can I give them?
How can I help to ease their way?
Now, they must learn from one another,
Day by day.
They look so natural together,
Just like two newlyweds should be.
Is there a canopy in store for me?
Sam turned away from them, a tear rolling down her cheek. She didn't know why she was crying,
she'd heard Chloe sing the song before.
Sunrise, sunset.
Sunrise, sunset.
Swiftly flow the days.
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers,
Blossoming even as we gaze.
Sunrise, sunset.
Sunrise, sunset.
Swiftly fly the years.
One season following another,
Laden with happiness and tears.
"That was wonderful sweetheart." Bailey hugged Chloe.
"You liked my song?"
"Yes, I liked your song." He squeezed her.
"That was very good honey. Now you go do your reading leason and I'll call you down for cake
it a little while."
"Okay, see you later." Chloe hugged Bailey again then ran for the stairs.
"She is very good, does she enjoy choir, learning the new songs?" Bailey asked.
"Sometimes she does, sometimes she says it boring. But she's only nine she had time to
decide yet what she likes." Sam shrugged.
"Let me help you with the dishes." Bailey carried his plate and salad bowl to the sink.
"If you want, but we don't have a dishwasher, we have to do it the old fashioned way."
Sam warned him.
"You wash I'll dry." Bailey grinned.
she'd rather have to much than to little with Bailey there.
Chloe was smiling and cutting up vegtables. She'd noticed her mom looking at
Bailey just like she had when they had all lived in the same city. With a kind of
admiration in her eyes. Not that her mom had ever said anything about Bailey
like she had about Coop. But Chloe knew there was something there between
the adults. She saw so much love in Bailey's eyes when he was looking at
her mom.
"There that's done is there anything else I can do to help?" Bailey offered just as
Sam had moved from the stove to reach for a basket she usually used for the
garlic bread, she always made with spagetti. It was on the top shelf over the fridge
and she had to stand on her tip toes to reach it. Bailey was behind her reaching
past her to grasp the basket.
"Here let me get that for you." He whispered softly and in his usual deep voice.
But right next to her ear, his chest touching her back and shoulder as he reached
past her to get the basket. Sam's heart flipped over twice in her chest and she
realized she was holding her breath.
"Thanks." Was all she could manage to say. This close she could smell his aftershave
and the scent she always associated with him. She loved the mixture, it was making her
dizzy his nearness combined with everything else.
Bailey noticed her slight flush, but put it down to the hot stove she had just been standing over.
He didn't even hope that Sam had any feelings for him other than as his friend.
The muscle of his arm was flexing just level with her eyes and she found herself staring at
his bicep. She'd never been much attracted to big muscle bound men, but on Bailey she
liked all that strength. Especially since she knew he was capable of being so gentle.
Bailey prolonged the moment, staying beside and slightly behind Sam several seconds longer
than it took for him to grab the basket off the high shelf. But he didn't take advantage, he had
only been trying to help.
"How about I slice the bread and fix if for the broiler?" He offered.
"If you like. The bread knife is there by the fridge." Sam exhaled as he stepped back away from
her. Relieved and at the same time wishing he would stay close to her.
"Mom the sauce." Chloe reminded her mother to keep the sauce stirred.
They all sat down to a nice meal ten minutes later. Bailey offered to say grace, and reached for
Sam's hand around the table. Chloe smiled, and took his other hand.
"Dear lord thank you for bringing us all together again safe and in the spirit of friendship and love.
Amen." Bailey made it short but meaningful.
Sam was distracted by the feeling of his strong, large hand holding hers. She had to replay what he
said in her mind once he released her fingers. The spirit of friendship and love? Did he mean something
more by those words? Sam thought to herself as Chloe began to ask Bailey a million questions.
"Is Aunt Grace still working for you since she had little George?" Chloe asked, picking at her salad.
"Yes, Grace is still working for me, but she keeps regular hours when ever she can. She spends as
much time with her boys as possible." Bailey explained, picking up his fork and starting to eat his
meal.
"Grace sent us pictures from George's first birthday party. He's such a cute little boy." Sam joined
in the conversation. "I haven't heard recently, how is everyone John and George?"
"John is still John, always juggling his lady friends. George is doing well, recovered from his
bout with the pain pills. He's writing a new program, says it will do half his work for him once
he's done."
"That sounds like George. Tell them both hello from us when you see them." Sam remembered
her two co-workers fondly.
"I'll do that." Bailey nodded.
"How are your girls? Is Frannie still in college?"
"They're fine, Frannie is in school still, she says she's found her place. Ariana is attending Juliard,
studying voice and drama. She is very talented, I attended the senior play her final year, she was
great." Bailey stated with fatherly pride.
"That's wonderful I'm glad."
"I sing in the choir at school." Chloe said.
"Yes, Chloe is my little song bird."
"You'll have to do a song for me after dinner." Bailey asked.
" I can do one now." Chloe stood up and was about to start singing.
"No, you can't. Sit down and finish eating, you can sing for Bailey after dinner." Sam warned her
daughter.
They all continued eating, Sam was only picking at her meal. She was distracted with Bailey there,
she'd never been nervous around him before. There was no reason for her to be nervous with him
now.
Bailey was enjoying himself, he was glad Chloe had invited him for a visit. Sam looked as beautiful
as ever, she looked rested, at peace finally. He wished that they didn't live so far from Atlanta now,
he would have liked to continue to be a part of their lives. He loved Sam and he though of Chloe
as his little girl, just like his own daughters.
"Mom can we have cake now?" Chloe asked, as she downed the last of her ice tea.
"I'm full honey, I think we'll wait until later for your cake."
"Okay, want me to help you with the dishes?"
"I think you had better go get started on your homework."
"I promised to sing for Bailey." She reminded her mother.
Sam glanced at Bailey, who smiled and nodded.
"Alright you can sing for Bailey, but just one song then you have to do your reading assignment."
"Okay," Chloe stood up by her chair, " Mrs. Wilson taught us this song last week we are going to
sing it in the fall festival in October."
Chloe began singing Sunrise, Sunset her voice clear and strong.
Is this the little girl I carried?
Is this the little boy at play?
I don't remember growing older.
When did they?
When did she get to be a beauty?
When did he grow to be this tall?
Wasn't it yesterday when they were small?
Bailey looked over at Sam as Chloe continued to sing. It sounded like the song could be
the soundtrack to their life.
Sunrise, sunset.
Sunrise, sunset.
Swiftly flow the days.
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers,
Blossoming even as we gaze.
Sunrise, sunset.
Sunrise, sunset.
Swiftly fly the years.
One season following another,
Laden with happiness and tears.
What words of wisdom can I give them?
How can I help to ease their way?
Now, they must learn from one another,
Day by day.
They look so natural together,
Just like two newlyweds should be.
Is there a canopy in store for me?
Sam turned away from them, a tear rolling down her cheek. She didn't know why she was crying,
she'd heard Chloe sing the song before.
Sunrise, sunset.
Sunrise, sunset.
Swiftly flow the days.
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers,
Blossoming even as we gaze.
Sunrise, sunset.
Sunrise, sunset.
Swiftly fly the years.
One season following another,
Laden with happiness and tears.
"That was wonderful sweetheart." Bailey hugged Chloe.
"You liked my song?"
"Yes, I liked your song." He squeezed her.
"That was very good honey. Now you go do your reading leason and I'll call you down for cake
it a little while."
"Okay, see you later." Chloe hugged Bailey again then ran for the stairs.
"She is very good, does she enjoy choir, learning the new songs?" Bailey asked.
"Sometimes she does, sometimes she says it boring. But she's only nine she had time to
decide yet what she likes." Sam shrugged.
"Let me help you with the dishes." Bailey carried his plate and salad bowl to the sink.
"If you want, but we don't have a dishwasher, we have to do it the old fashioned way."
Sam warned him.
"You wash I'll dry." Bailey grinned.