Chapter 7 - Interlude and Finale
Autumn drew away the last vestiges of summer and portrayed flashes of the winter to come. It was muddy underfoot outside the cabin and keeping the place presentably clean took that extra effort, especially with a dog that had no respect for doormats. Jack seemed to take it in his stride, and did whatever was necessary to maintain the neatness he'd always lived by without complaining. Sam however was unused to how much time and effort even basic activities could absorb, and was sometimes irritated by the slowness of progress. Several times he caught her moving towards her laptop computer and then sighing in frustration when she realised that without power, it was useless.
Days when work on the school building could be carried out became fewer, either because of rain showers during the day or freezing conditions being forecasted for the night, when the wet cement would be damaged. Jack occasionally had bad days or nights when his migraine-like headaches would cause him to dose up on painkillers and become silent and remote until the worst had passed. Being outside whatever the weather seemed to help, though, and at times like these they would take leisurely walks, with Sam knowing that she couldn't do anything to help him except to be there. At first he told her that she didn't have to accompany him, but did admit under her subsequent questioning that he appreciated her company. So while Jack silently concentrated on refusing to feel the worst of the pain, she got into a routine of playing games with Sam 2 on their mini-tours. She realised after the first few walks that she could also attempt training sessions, where the hound soon lived up to her reputation of a lady of easy virtue by showing a willingness to do practically anything for the prospect of a reward.
Sam's circle of acquaintances in the village around the school began to broaden. It was a little intimidating to find that many had known Jack nearly all his adult life, and some older folks had even seen him at the cabin during his childhood. A few openly compared her to his ex-wife Sara, and she was amazed by the number who commented on how happy he was these days. More horse-trading saw Mrs. McReadie doing Sam's laundry in addition to Jack's. In exchange Sam kept her garden tidy and repaired her old television set.
Occasionally they drove longer distances to shop for basic foods and the occasional luxury item ("anything involving chocolate", Sam had confessed). Then, one wet Friday afternoon in early December, Jack surprised her by suggesting that they spend the weekend in luxury in Minneapolis. They off- loaded Sam 2 onto a willing Jimmy for the time they were away, and managed to ignore her doleful expression while using his telephone to make reservations in a five-star hotel.
The four-hour drive was worth it though when they were shown into their room on the top floor. The view from the balcony of the night-time city was spectacular, reminding them of the how remote it was where they were living now. The lateness of the hour limited them to ordering dinner from room service, but it didn't matter. They were warm, tired and hungry. Sam lay in ecstasy in a foam bath while Jack showered, balancing his beer from the minibar on the soap dish in the corner. They emerged just in time for the arrival of the food and wine.
Watching TV whilst dining was an almost-forgotten experience. Channel- surfing and a brief argument had put both CNN and The Discovery Channel off- limits, but Jack gave way to Sam's sudden "Ooh!" when she discovered an episode of 'CSI - Crime Scene Investigation'.
"I love the sexy way they try to portray scientific investigation. Like it happens in real life so quickly with that degree of success!" she said. "But the characters are great. See there, that's Grissom. He's the boss, and he's dedicated to his job and lives alone. And that's Sara. She thinks she might be hung up on him but he knows she couldn't handle it because she's too young. And that's his senior assistant Catherine, who doesn't realise she's falling for him yet but is heading that way. He knows it but can't or won't do anything about it because he's the boss and takes his responsibilities seriously."
"I wonder where they got that idea from?" said Jack dryly. "Sounds like a plot from a long-running TV show. X-Files, maybe?"
Sam glanced at him in puzzlement and then uttered "Oh!" before bursting into laughter, and squeezing his arm. "Catherine will get him in the end, you wait and see!"
When the wine was finished they turned the lights down and made love on the impossibly soft bed, driven by the aphrodisiac of unaccustomed luxury and unfamiliar bath scent.
"You know what?" murmured Sam as she lay in his arms before sleep overcame them,
"What?" he responded.
"I miss your trollop already. She'd love the room service."
"Do you think we should give her a new name? I mean, I was kind of playing a bad joke on myself when I gave her that.."
"No. Not everyone gets the honour of having something named after them. Especially a pedigree mutt."
"So, she's your dog too now?"
"Guess so."
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"Er, I've got a sort of a surprise for you. But only of you want it." stammered Jack after a long silence over dinner in a top Italian restaurant. His choice of somewhere to dine in style was the perfect ending to their 'luxury' Saturday. After a late breakfast, she had gone to the hairdresser's and then hit the department stores, while he disappeared on what he'd called 'a few errands for folks'. They'd met for lunch and then on the spur of the moment, taken in a matinee performance at the theatre near the hotel.
"Sounds serious." she said. The thought suddenly struck her that he was going to ask The Big Question. She tensed in expectation and she found she couldn't swallow.
"The, er, school asked me to ask you.." he said after a moment. The shock of disappointment rushed through her and she found herself reddening in embarrassment. Noticing this sudden flush, he said, "Sam? You OK?"
"Yes. Fine, thanks." she mumbled, raising her wine glass to hide her discomfort. "What does the school want?"
"Well," he continued, "they'd like to know if you'd be interested in being a helper for the science subjects and math. Just for one or two days per week. They were kind of afraid to ask you direct since they're a bit in awe of your 'Dr. Carter' title and thought you might be offended."
"Why would I be offended? Sounds like a great idea."
"Are you sure? Because it's unpaid. All they can offer in return is to give you access to the school computer and the Internet when it's not being used. I saw how you miss using your laptop and I thought it sounded like a good bargain."
She relaxed and smiled. "It's a great bargain, Jack. I'd love to."
"Are you sure? Because if you take the job, it would mean giving them a commitment to stick around for the whole of the school year. Or maybe a lot longer. I don't mean we'll stay in the cabin, though. I mean if you'd like for us to find a place locally and not move out of state again. But if you want to get closer to where your real job opportunities would be, I'll tell them that it's not on."
Now she was silent for a while and it was Jack's turn to get nervous. "I have a confession to make, Jack. I've been listening to your dreams."
"What? I don't recall them being so vivid any more."
"No, the 'horror movie' part doesn't seem to be so frequent now." replied Sam. "But you still spout whole sentences about things we've yet to learn for ourselves. For the last few weeks I've been taking notes when you've woken me up in the night. I think I have enough to write and publish a thesis or two on mathematical puzzles and multi-dimensional vector theory. All I needed was a few pointers and the rest was logical deduction. And the beauty of it is, they'll never know where I got the ideas from."
"I gave you that?"
"Yes. Another part of your hidden talents - like bricklaying!" she laughed.
"So will you marry me, then?"
This time, she dropped the glass, spilling red wine over the tablecloth.
"Tell him 'yes', signora." said the hovering waiter they hadn't noticed for the last few moments. "Then I can tell the boss this is a romantic stain. You know, the sort that don't get washed away so easy."
Sam laughed uproariously, both at the waiter's cheeky comment and the priceless look of hope and anticipation on Jack's face. "Tell your boss she'd be a fool not to."
And so it came to be that Sam spent her first term as a school helper, and writing her first thesis, while still practising signing her new name.
Sam 2 decided not to let it alter the style of life to which she had become accustomed, and passed the wedding night soundly asleep between them, just a little impatient to have been kept waiting a while longer than usual on one of 'those' nights. After all, a dog's got to do what a dog's got to do to keep warm in a Minnesota winter, hasn't she?
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Autumn drew away the last vestiges of summer and portrayed flashes of the winter to come. It was muddy underfoot outside the cabin and keeping the place presentably clean took that extra effort, especially with a dog that had no respect for doormats. Jack seemed to take it in his stride, and did whatever was necessary to maintain the neatness he'd always lived by without complaining. Sam however was unused to how much time and effort even basic activities could absorb, and was sometimes irritated by the slowness of progress. Several times he caught her moving towards her laptop computer and then sighing in frustration when she realised that without power, it was useless.
Days when work on the school building could be carried out became fewer, either because of rain showers during the day or freezing conditions being forecasted for the night, when the wet cement would be damaged. Jack occasionally had bad days or nights when his migraine-like headaches would cause him to dose up on painkillers and become silent and remote until the worst had passed. Being outside whatever the weather seemed to help, though, and at times like these they would take leisurely walks, with Sam knowing that she couldn't do anything to help him except to be there. At first he told her that she didn't have to accompany him, but did admit under her subsequent questioning that he appreciated her company. So while Jack silently concentrated on refusing to feel the worst of the pain, she got into a routine of playing games with Sam 2 on their mini-tours. She realised after the first few walks that she could also attempt training sessions, where the hound soon lived up to her reputation of a lady of easy virtue by showing a willingness to do practically anything for the prospect of a reward.
Sam's circle of acquaintances in the village around the school began to broaden. It was a little intimidating to find that many had known Jack nearly all his adult life, and some older folks had even seen him at the cabin during his childhood. A few openly compared her to his ex-wife Sara, and she was amazed by the number who commented on how happy he was these days. More horse-trading saw Mrs. McReadie doing Sam's laundry in addition to Jack's. In exchange Sam kept her garden tidy and repaired her old television set.
Occasionally they drove longer distances to shop for basic foods and the occasional luxury item ("anything involving chocolate", Sam had confessed). Then, one wet Friday afternoon in early December, Jack surprised her by suggesting that they spend the weekend in luxury in Minneapolis. They off- loaded Sam 2 onto a willing Jimmy for the time they were away, and managed to ignore her doleful expression while using his telephone to make reservations in a five-star hotel.
The four-hour drive was worth it though when they were shown into their room on the top floor. The view from the balcony of the night-time city was spectacular, reminding them of the how remote it was where they were living now. The lateness of the hour limited them to ordering dinner from room service, but it didn't matter. They were warm, tired and hungry. Sam lay in ecstasy in a foam bath while Jack showered, balancing his beer from the minibar on the soap dish in the corner. They emerged just in time for the arrival of the food and wine.
Watching TV whilst dining was an almost-forgotten experience. Channel- surfing and a brief argument had put both CNN and The Discovery Channel off- limits, but Jack gave way to Sam's sudden "Ooh!" when she discovered an episode of 'CSI - Crime Scene Investigation'.
"I love the sexy way they try to portray scientific investigation. Like it happens in real life so quickly with that degree of success!" she said. "But the characters are great. See there, that's Grissom. He's the boss, and he's dedicated to his job and lives alone. And that's Sara. She thinks she might be hung up on him but he knows she couldn't handle it because she's too young. And that's his senior assistant Catherine, who doesn't realise she's falling for him yet but is heading that way. He knows it but can't or won't do anything about it because he's the boss and takes his responsibilities seriously."
"I wonder where they got that idea from?" said Jack dryly. "Sounds like a plot from a long-running TV show. X-Files, maybe?"
Sam glanced at him in puzzlement and then uttered "Oh!" before bursting into laughter, and squeezing his arm. "Catherine will get him in the end, you wait and see!"
When the wine was finished they turned the lights down and made love on the impossibly soft bed, driven by the aphrodisiac of unaccustomed luxury and unfamiliar bath scent.
"You know what?" murmured Sam as she lay in his arms before sleep overcame them,
"What?" he responded.
"I miss your trollop already. She'd love the room service."
"Do you think we should give her a new name? I mean, I was kind of playing a bad joke on myself when I gave her that.."
"No. Not everyone gets the honour of having something named after them. Especially a pedigree mutt."
"So, she's your dog too now?"
"Guess so."
XXXXXXXXXXXX
"Er, I've got a sort of a surprise for you. But only of you want it." stammered Jack after a long silence over dinner in a top Italian restaurant. His choice of somewhere to dine in style was the perfect ending to their 'luxury' Saturday. After a late breakfast, she had gone to the hairdresser's and then hit the department stores, while he disappeared on what he'd called 'a few errands for folks'. They'd met for lunch and then on the spur of the moment, taken in a matinee performance at the theatre near the hotel.
"Sounds serious." she said. The thought suddenly struck her that he was going to ask The Big Question. She tensed in expectation and she found she couldn't swallow.
"The, er, school asked me to ask you.." he said after a moment. The shock of disappointment rushed through her and she found herself reddening in embarrassment. Noticing this sudden flush, he said, "Sam? You OK?"
"Yes. Fine, thanks." she mumbled, raising her wine glass to hide her discomfort. "What does the school want?"
"Well," he continued, "they'd like to know if you'd be interested in being a helper for the science subjects and math. Just for one or two days per week. They were kind of afraid to ask you direct since they're a bit in awe of your 'Dr. Carter' title and thought you might be offended."
"Why would I be offended? Sounds like a great idea."
"Are you sure? Because it's unpaid. All they can offer in return is to give you access to the school computer and the Internet when it's not being used. I saw how you miss using your laptop and I thought it sounded like a good bargain."
She relaxed and smiled. "It's a great bargain, Jack. I'd love to."
"Are you sure? Because if you take the job, it would mean giving them a commitment to stick around for the whole of the school year. Or maybe a lot longer. I don't mean we'll stay in the cabin, though. I mean if you'd like for us to find a place locally and not move out of state again. But if you want to get closer to where your real job opportunities would be, I'll tell them that it's not on."
Now she was silent for a while and it was Jack's turn to get nervous. "I have a confession to make, Jack. I've been listening to your dreams."
"What? I don't recall them being so vivid any more."
"No, the 'horror movie' part doesn't seem to be so frequent now." replied Sam. "But you still spout whole sentences about things we've yet to learn for ourselves. For the last few weeks I've been taking notes when you've woken me up in the night. I think I have enough to write and publish a thesis or two on mathematical puzzles and multi-dimensional vector theory. All I needed was a few pointers and the rest was logical deduction. And the beauty of it is, they'll never know where I got the ideas from."
"I gave you that?"
"Yes. Another part of your hidden talents - like bricklaying!" she laughed.
"So will you marry me, then?"
This time, she dropped the glass, spilling red wine over the tablecloth.
"Tell him 'yes', signora." said the hovering waiter they hadn't noticed for the last few moments. "Then I can tell the boss this is a romantic stain. You know, the sort that don't get washed away so easy."
Sam laughed uproariously, both at the waiter's cheeky comment and the priceless look of hope and anticipation on Jack's face. "Tell your boss she'd be a fool not to."
And so it came to be that Sam spent her first term as a school helper, and writing her first thesis, while still practising signing her new name.
Sam 2 decided not to let it alter the style of life to which she had become accustomed, and passed the wedding night soundly asleep between them, just a little impatient to have been kept waiting a while longer than usual on one of 'those' nights. After all, a dog's got to do what a dog's got to do to keep warm in a Minnesota winter, hasn't she?
XXXXXXXXXXXX