Chapter 41: Holiday Blues
~Paul's POV~
It was getting closer to the holidays and we were expected to work just days before Christmas then we got a week off before going back to work. I've noticed that Samantha has been becoming more and more withdrawn as the holidays were drawing near. It had made me wonder what was going on with her mentally and emotionally. It was like a week before Christmas and we were getting ready for Raw. For some reason, I'm thinking that it has to do with the fact that this will be the first time she will be celebrating the holidays without her father. I had planned for Samantha and I to have a private lunch together so that I could talk to her and try to help her as much as I could. I am now on my way to pick her from Jeff and her room. When I got there, I heard Jeff and Samantha screaming at each other. I decided to hear what they were yelling about. "This is all your fault!!" Samantha screamed.
"How is this my fault??"
"You told me that I had to stop sulking and look where it led. we are now yelling at each other. Don't you dare try to tell me that I have to stop thinking about my father!!!" She was now sobbing uncontrollably and it was getting harder to hear. I was going to knock on the door, but I saw Samantha open the door. She had tears running down her face, her makeup was ruined because of it, her hair was everywhere and her clothes were just hanging off her. She looked at me through her tears and cried, "Daddy!!!" I opened my arms to her as she walked right into them. "Pick me up," she said through her tears. I gently picked her up and said soothing things to her.
Jeff immediately tried to follow her and was at the door, "That's it, Sam. Go to Paul every time you have a hard time. You're such a baby!! It really makes me wonder why we're together. You need to grow up!!!" She cried harder and was shaking hysterically.
"Maybe you need to grow up, Jeff. Have you ever thought about the fact that this is going to be her first Christmas without her father? Her first time that she won't be able to celebrate the holidays from here on out without the most important male figure in her life? Why don't you grow up? I can understand that she is depending on me because she lost her father right before her 18th birthday and that this is the first time that she is going to celebrate Christmas without her father. As far as for both of you being together, you're blind!!! Can't you see that she loves you for who you truly are??? You gave her a ring that was too big for her, but she refused to let you take it back to fix it. Maybe it's you that needs to grow up," I replied as anger ran through me, but I refused to show it for Samantha's sake. Jeff just stood there with his mouth hanging open but no sound was coming out. "What is it, Jeff? Got nothing to say?"
"I'm sorry. I didn't think about that," he said softly.
"Yeah, well, say that to her when she calmed down. As of right now, she's staying with me until she's ready to talk to you. Pack her things and send them to my room," I said as I carried Samantha to my room. She was still crying when we left Jeff standing there. There were a few others that were there, but didn't say anything. I knew that they understood where I was coming from. As soon as we got back to my room, her sobbing had subsided somewhat. "Sweetheart, are you ok?" She shook her head no. "Do you want to do anything?"
"No, but there's something I do want to tell you," she said, her voice was so raw from all the screaming and crying that she just did.
"What is it, sweetheart?" I said softly as I rubbed her back.
"Thank you for telling Jeff everything that you said. I wanted to tell him that but I was too angry with him," she said and tried to wipe her face off with her sleeves. I looked around for a tissue box, but didn't find anything. I picked her up, went to the bathroom, sat her down on the bathroom counter and got the tissue for her.
"You don't have to thank me," I said.
"Yes, I do. If it wasn't for you being there at the right time, I don't know what I would have done," she said as she blew her nose.
"Sweetheart, you know that I would do anything for you. Is there anything that you want to talk about?"
Her head went down a little bit, but I saw a small nod. But I let her take her time in telling me what she needed to say. After some time, she spoke up in a small voice, "I don't know if you noticed but I've been withdrawing myself lately."
"Yeah, I have. Want to tell me about it?" I said as I picked her up and headed back to the room and sat her down on the bed next to me.
"I don't know how much you have heard from the argument between Jeff and me, but obviously it's about my father."
"Yeah, it was."
"The main reason is what you told Jeff. The fact that the holidays are coming up and that daddy isn't here to celebrate it with me."
"Yeah, that's what I figured and that's why I wanted to have lunch with you today."
"I don't know if I want to talk about it now especially with the fight I had with Jeff," she said as she started to crawl up on the bed to lie down.
"It's ok, sweetheart. You just take your time and we can talk when you're ready, ok?"
"Ok. Daddy?"
"What is it, sweetheart?"
"Lie down with me, please?"
"Yeah, I will," I said as I got her shoes off and then mine. After that, I lied down next to her and she immediately snuggled against me. After a few minutes, her breathing became even and I looked down and saw her sleeping. I decided to close my eyes for a little bit as I held her. 20 minutes later, I felt someone hitting me, I opened my eyes and saw Samantha's hands in fists and I listened carefully to what she had said.
"No, Jeff. don't leave me. no. don't die. I love you." she said softly and started crying. She was still hitting me lightly.
"Sweetheart, wake up," I said as I shook her, trying to wake her up.
"No, Jeff."
"Sweetheart," I shook her harder and she woke up in tears.
"Where's Jeff?" she said as she cried.
I picked up the phone and dialed Jeff's room number and when he answered, "Jeff get over here now!!!" and hung up.
"I want Jeff!" she started to cry more.
A minute later, there was a knock on the door, I ran over to it and opened it. Jeff came running in the room and Samantha said, "Jeff!!" They held each other as she started to calm down. Jeff continued to stroke her back and said soothing words. After some time, she had calmed down, but she was still clinging on to Jeff.
"Sam, want to talk about it?" Jeff asked softly.
"I had a dream that you were dead and I tried to do everything that I can to wake you up. Nothing worked," she said, as she held onto him tighter.
"Ssshhh, everything will be all right, ok? I'm here now," he said to her as she nodded. I was going to allow them to have some privacy, but I heard Samantha's voice, "Daddy, could all three of us have lunch today?"
"Is that what you want, sweetheart?"
"Yes," she said softly.
"All right, do you want to go to the hotel downstairs or order room service?"
"Order room service," she said softly.
"What do you want?"
"Some real food. I'm tired of all the junk food," she said.
"Jeff?"
"Same here," he said as he continued to stroke her back.
"All right," I said as I got the phone and called room service.
After calling, Samantha had calmed down and said, "Jeff?"
"Yeah?"
"Are you truly sorry about what you said during our fight?"
"Baby, more than anything," he said softly.
"I love you and I forgive you," she said simply.
"I love you too, baby," he said as they both kissed tenderly. As they continued to sit there holding each other, I was truly amazed that she would forgive him like that. It made my love for her run deeper. Now I understood what Michael had said to me about how much his love for Samantha had run so deep that it's unexplainable. After a few moments of silence and small talk, there was a knock on the door. I went up to the door and answered it. It was room service. I tipped the bellboy and took the food and brought it in the room and set it up on the small table.
"Jeff, Samantha, food's here," I said softly.
Samantha and Jeff had walked over to the table; Jeff had allowed Samantha to sit on his lap. We got the food out and started to eat in comfortable silence. After lunch, we sat down and didn't say anything. We all knew that we needed to talk especially about the holidays, but we were all looking at each other, waiting for the other to start. Finally, Samantha had decided to start, "What's going to happen for Christmas?"
"What do you mean, Sam?" Jeff asked.
"I mean, we're all going in different directions when we take off for Christmas."
"Yeah, we are. I don't know what to do either," Jeff said.
"Samantha, are you going to go with Adam to celebrate Christmas with your mom?" I asked her.
"Yeah, and you're going to be with your family, right?"
"Yeah, I am."
"So am I," Jeff chipped in.
"Do you think that it's best that we celebrate with our family especially with what happened today?" Samantha asked while looking at me.
"That might be a good idea. I have no problem with it. What about you Jeff?"
"I think that it's a good idea, too."
"What about you, Samantha?" I asked.
"It sounds like a good idea, but I don't like it. I have presents for both of you at home."
"Me too," Jeff said.
"Same here," I said as Samantha gave a small smile. "Did I see you smile, Samantha?"
"No," she said covering her mouth, "Yes. I hate you!!!" she said to me as she gave me a raspberry. I laughed.
"Yeah, well, I love you too, babydoll," I said as I continued to laugh. Samantha had got up, came over to where I was sitting and starting to playfully hit me as she whined. I pulled her into a hug and mischievously growled at her. She squealed as I continued to play around with her.
~Paul's POV~
It was getting closer to the holidays and we were expected to work just days before Christmas then we got a week off before going back to work. I've noticed that Samantha has been becoming more and more withdrawn as the holidays were drawing near. It had made me wonder what was going on with her mentally and emotionally. It was like a week before Christmas and we were getting ready for Raw. For some reason, I'm thinking that it has to do with the fact that this will be the first time she will be celebrating the holidays without her father. I had planned for Samantha and I to have a private lunch together so that I could talk to her and try to help her as much as I could. I am now on my way to pick her from Jeff and her room. When I got there, I heard Jeff and Samantha screaming at each other. I decided to hear what they were yelling about. "This is all your fault!!" Samantha screamed.
"How is this my fault??"
"You told me that I had to stop sulking and look where it led. we are now yelling at each other. Don't you dare try to tell me that I have to stop thinking about my father!!!" She was now sobbing uncontrollably and it was getting harder to hear. I was going to knock on the door, but I saw Samantha open the door. She had tears running down her face, her makeup was ruined because of it, her hair was everywhere and her clothes were just hanging off her. She looked at me through her tears and cried, "Daddy!!!" I opened my arms to her as she walked right into them. "Pick me up," she said through her tears. I gently picked her up and said soothing things to her.
Jeff immediately tried to follow her and was at the door, "That's it, Sam. Go to Paul every time you have a hard time. You're such a baby!! It really makes me wonder why we're together. You need to grow up!!!" She cried harder and was shaking hysterically.
"Maybe you need to grow up, Jeff. Have you ever thought about the fact that this is going to be her first Christmas without her father? Her first time that she won't be able to celebrate the holidays from here on out without the most important male figure in her life? Why don't you grow up? I can understand that she is depending on me because she lost her father right before her 18th birthday and that this is the first time that she is going to celebrate Christmas without her father. As far as for both of you being together, you're blind!!! Can't you see that she loves you for who you truly are??? You gave her a ring that was too big for her, but she refused to let you take it back to fix it. Maybe it's you that needs to grow up," I replied as anger ran through me, but I refused to show it for Samantha's sake. Jeff just stood there with his mouth hanging open but no sound was coming out. "What is it, Jeff? Got nothing to say?"
"I'm sorry. I didn't think about that," he said softly.
"Yeah, well, say that to her when she calmed down. As of right now, she's staying with me until she's ready to talk to you. Pack her things and send them to my room," I said as I carried Samantha to my room. She was still crying when we left Jeff standing there. There were a few others that were there, but didn't say anything. I knew that they understood where I was coming from. As soon as we got back to my room, her sobbing had subsided somewhat. "Sweetheart, are you ok?" She shook her head no. "Do you want to do anything?"
"No, but there's something I do want to tell you," she said, her voice was so raw from all the screaming and crying that she just did.
"What is it, sweetheart?" I said softly as I rubbed her back.
"Thank you for telling Jeff everything that you said. I wanted to tell him that but I was too angry with him," she said and tried to wipe her face off with her sleeves. I looked around for a tissue box, but didn't find anything. I picked her up, went to the bathroom, sat her down on the bathroom counter and got the tissue for her.
"You don't have to thank me," I said.
"Yes, I do. If it wasn't for you being there at the right time, I don't know what I would have done," she said as she blew her nose.
"Sweetheart, you know that I would do anything for you. Is there anything that you want to talk about?"
Her head went down a little bit, but I saw a small nod. But I let her take her time in telling me what she needed to say. After some time, she spoke up in a small voice, "I don't know if you noticed but I've been withdrawing myself lately."
"Yeah, I have. Want to tell me about it?" I said as I picked her up and headed back to the room and sat her down on the bed next to me.
"I don't know how much you have heard from the argument between Jeff and me, but obviously it's about my father."
"Yeah, it was."
"The main reason is what you told Jeff. The fact that the holidays are coming up and that daddy isn't here to celebrate it with me."
"Yeah, that's what I figured and that's why I wanted to have lunch with you today."
"I don't know if I want to talk about it now especially with the fight I had with Jeff," she said as she started to crawl up on the bed to lie down.
"It's ok, sweetheart. You just take your time and we can talk when you're ready, ok?"
"Ok. Daddy?"
"What is it, sweetheart?"
"Lie down with me, please?"
"Yeah, I will," I said as I got her shoes off and then mine. After that, I lied down next to her and she immediately snuggled against me. After a few minutes, her breathing became even and I looked down and saw her sleeping. I decided to close my eyes for a little bit as I held her. 20 minutes later, I felt someone hitting me, I opened my eyes and saw Samantha's hands in fists and I listened carefully to what she had said.
"No, Jeff. don't leave me. no. don't die. I love you." she said softly and started crying. She was still hitting me lightly.
"Sweetheart, wake up," I said as I shook her, trying to wake her up.
"No, Jeff."
"Sweetheart," I shook her harder and she woke up in tears.
"Where's Jeff?" she said as she cried.
I picked up the phone and dialed Jeff's room number and when he answered, "Jeff get over here now!!!" and hung up.
"I want Jeff!" she started to cry more.
A minute later, there was a knock on the door, I ran over to it and opened it. Jeff came running in the room and Samantha said, "Jeff!!" They held each other as she started to calm down. Jeff continued to stroke her back and said soothing words. After some time, she had calmed down, but she was still clinging on to Jeff.
"Sam, want to talk about it?" Jeff asked softly.
"I had a dream that you were dead and I tried to do everything that I can to wake you up. Nothing worked," she said, as she held onto him tighter.
"Ssshhh, everything will be all right, ok? I'm here now," he said to her as she nodded. I was going to allow them to have some privacy, but I heard Samantha's voice, "Daddy, could all three of us have lunch today?"
"Is that what you want, sweetheart?"
"Yes," she said softly.
"All right, do you want to go to the hotel downstairs or order room service?"
"Order room service," she said softly.
"What do you want?"
"Some real food. I'm tired of all the junk food," she said.
"Jeff?"
"Same here," he said as he continued to stroke her back.
"All right," I said as I got the phone and called room service.
After calling, Samantha had calmed down and said, "Jeff?"
"Yeah?"
"Are you truly sorry about what you said during our fight?"
"Baby, more than anything," he said softly.
"I love you and I forgive you," she said simply.
"I love you too, baby," he said as they both kissed tenderly. As they continued to sit there holding each other, I was truly amazed that she would forgive him like that. It made my love for her run deeper. Now I understood what Michael had said to me about how much his love for Samantha had run so deep that it's unexplainable. After a few moments of silence and small talk, there was a knock on the door. I went up to the door and answered it. It was room service. I tipped the bellboy and took the food and brought it in the room and set it up on the small table.
"Jeff, Samantha, food's here," I said softly.
Samantha and Jeff had walked over to the table; Jeff had allowed Samantha to sit on his lap. We got the food out and started to eat in comfortable silence. After lunch, we sat down and didn't say anything. We all knew that we needed to talk especially about the holidays, but we were all looking at each other, waiting for the other to start. Finally, Samantha had decided to start, "What's going to happen for Christmas?"
"What do you mean, Sam?" Jeff asked.
"I mean, we're all going in different directions when we take off for Christmas."
"Yeah, we are. I don't know what to do either," Jeff said.
"Samantha, are you going to go with Adam to celebrate Christmas with your mom?" I asked her.
"Yeah, and you're going to be with your family, right?"
"Yeah, I am."
"So am I," Jeff chipped in.
"Do you think that it's best that we celebrate with our family especially with what happened today?" Samantha asked while looking at me.
"That might be a good idea. I have no problem with it. What about you Jeff?"
"I think that it's a good idea, too."
"What about you, Samantha?" I asked.
"It sounds like a good idea, but I don't like it. I have presents for both of you at home."
"Me too," Jeff said.
"Same here," I said as Samantha gave a small smile. "Did I see you smile, Samantha?"
"No," she said covering her mouth, "Yes. I hate you!!!" she said to me as she gave me a raspberry. I laughed.
"Yeah, well, I love you too, babydoll," I said as I continued to laugh. Samantha had got up, came over to where I was sitting and starting to playfully hit me as she whined. I pulled her into a hug and mischievously growled at her. She squealed as I continued to play around with her.
