Title: Again
Chapter Fifteen:
Author: Jaycee
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Sam opened the door to their condominium and noticed Lara's overnight bag on the floor. "She's here already?" He asked himself as he placed his bags beside hers. "Lara?" He called out, hoping that she wouldn't ask too many questions. "Sam? Is that you sweetie?" He heard her call out. He shuddered when he heard the word sweetie.
"Yeah Lara. Its me." He answered, and took off his jacket. He smiled as closed his eyes and remembered Josie. He has to all her tonight. He promised that. He entered the kitchen and saw Lara stirring something on the stove. "You're here early. Why?" Sam asked.
"Nothing. Is it a crime for a woman to come home early to her family?" Lara teased, and he was surprised to see such a playful glint in her eyes. This was the Lara that he grew to love in college. "Okay. I guess that's okay." He answered and turned around to go to their room.
He opened the door and was met with the faint smell of vanilla and he noticed that the room was filled with scented candles and roses. "What is this?" He questioned and was surprised when he felt Lara's arms circle his waist. He turned around and was met with a fiery kiss. She moaned and slowly backed him towards the bed…
* * * Josie sat on the kitchen tabletop. Its already 10 at night, and Sam still hasn't called. "I wonder where he is." She said out loud and didn't even notice that her cousin, Georgia, was already in front of her, waving her hand in front of her face. "Oh sweetie. What is it?" Josie asked and pulled her little cousin in her arms for a hug.
"I need some help with my homework Josie." Georgia answered, with a smile on her face. "Oh, okay. Let's go to your room." Josie stood up and followed her little cousin to her room, but not without casting another glance on the silent phone, wishing that it would ring.
* * * Sam rubbed his eyes sleepily and slowly sat up. He looked at his right and saw Lara sleeping peacefully. He checked the clock on the bedside table and saw the time. "One in the morning? Oh, damn!' He cursed inwardly and stood up, grabbing his pants from earlier.
He can't believe that he went in bed with Lara. He knows better than that. He cringed whenever he closed his eyes, remembering what happened earlier. Lara was so different today. So sweet, sensual and kind. The Lara that he always knew. Not workaholic Lara.
He wondered what she ate in Texas that made her act the way that she did tonight. He tiptoed out of the room quietly and picked up the phone to dial Josie's number. He heard it ring five times, and then the machine picked it up.
"Josie. Oh God, sweetie. I am so sorry. Um… something came up… I can't tell you what but that's the reason why I didn't get to call you. I am so sorry, but I promise that I'll call you tomorrow so that we can meet again, okay? I love you and I miss you already. Take care honey. Bye."
He hanged up and rubbed his face to shake out the feeling of sleepiness. He felt his skin tingle as he felt someone watching him from behind.
* * * Lara felt Sam stand up from the bed and go out of the room. She smiled as she remembered how easily Sam fell to her seductive persona. It never fails her. She wrapped the blanket around her body and followed him to the living room. She heard him leave a message on that bitch's machine. It made her so mad that she would call that woman right from their own home.
"I love you and I miss you already. Take care honey. Bye." She heard him whisper, and that made her even angrier. She saw him stiffen and she knew that he has felt her presence. She placed an innocent look on her face and waited until he turned around.
She almost laughed out loud at the look of pure fear and apprehension on his face. "Sam? Who was that?" She asked as she moved closer to him. "Who? On the phone? Oh, it was nothing Lara. Just a wrong number." He fibbed.
Lara almost rolled her eyes at his lame excuse. But, she hid her anger well. Be sweet now, revenge later. "Oh really? I didn't hear the ring. It's too bad that it woke you up. Come to bed. I missed you." She whispered and grabbed his hand, pulling Sam towards the bedroom.
She heard him sigh in relief and that made her angrier. 'Just you wait Sam Coulson!' She thought angrily as she turned around and wrapped her arms around him and pulled his lips closer to hers. 'Just you wait.' Was her last thought before she lost herself in Sam's kisses. He always was a great kisser, and that makes this entire charade worthwhile.
* * * Josie woke up the next morning and immediately stood up to check her messages on the answering machine. Hope against hope, she wished that Sam left a message for her last night. The feeling that she felt earlier in New York only intensified when he failed to call the night before.
Making sure that Georgia is still asleep, she played back her messages. She smiled when she heard Sam's voice on the machine. "Something came up? Wonder what that 'something' is." She thought curiously after deleting the message. She just hoped that he would call soon.
* * * "Lara's been acting really weird lately." Sam said four days after they arrived from New York. "Weird? How?" Josie asked, as she lay closer to him. "She's been really attentive, to me and to Rosie. She's been cooking like a storm every night, and she even brought Rosie to school one morning. Its really unlike her." Sam confessed, looking at Josie, confused.
Josie squinted at him. And then her eyes became huge. "Oh God Sam! She must know something!" Sam bolted up from what she said. Josie followed suit. After a few minutes, Sam sighed. "Honey, she can't know anything. If she does know about us, then she would have done something a long time ago. She wouldn't take this long to tell me that were getting a divorce and that she taking Rosie with her." He explained as he wrapped his arm around Josie.
Josie sighed. "I don't know Sam. We don't really know what's happening in Lara's head, you know." She reminded him. Sam just shook his head. "Don't think like that Jos. She doesn't know anything. And I think that it's great that she's taking the time to be nice to our daughter."
Josie just nodded, and lay back down on the bed, hoping that he's right, or else, this can all just lead to a really big problem.
* * * Two weeks later, Lara dialed the Chicago Sun Times number, ready to give Josie Geller a piece of her mind. "Josie Geller, please." She said briskly and was automatically transferred to Josie's own line. "Josie Geller's office." Lara heard a man say on the other line.
"Yes, Josie Geller, please." "I'm sorry, Ms. Geller's not here right now. Who is this please?" "A friend of hers. Can I know where she is?" "She's out to lunch." Lara sighed. Damn! Wait, an idea is forming in her head.
"Okay. Can you tell me where she went?" "I'm not allowed to give that information." Damn again! "To whom am I talking to?" Lara asked sweetly, using a different tactic. "This is Merkin Burns. Ms. Geller's assistant." Merkin said importantly.
"So, Mr. Burns. I really hope that you can help me today. I really need to talk to Josie. Please? I promise, I wouldn't tell her how I got the information, so she wouldn't get mad at you or anything. I flew in from California earlier and I was really hoping that I'll get to talk to her today." Lara fibbed, using her sweet, pleading voice. It never failed her before.
"Oh, I don't know ma'am." Merkin said, and she can feel that he's starting to give in. "Please. Pretty please? Just, don't mention this to Josie and she wouldn't even know anything, right?" Merkin sighed and laughed. "Okay, okay Ms… oh yeah. I never got your name." Lara bit her lip. She wasn't expecting this. She was just supposed to talk to Josie immediately and not be conversing with her assistant.
"Um… its Melissa… Sanders." She remembered that Melissa met Josie at New York. "But please, don't tell her that we talked. Please? I really want to surprise her." "Oh, all right. She's at the newly opened Chinese restaurant with her friend, Anita. You won't miss them." Merkin informed her. "I know." Lara answered and said goodbye. She smiled to herself and dialed another number.
* * * "Thank you so much for coming here with me Anita." Josie said to her friend as they made their way through the busy Chinese restaurant. "I need to get out of the house. I love Shawn and everything, but I have to have a break. He's been screaming his head off for the past three days, and it's for this totally different reasons. Like, he needs his milk, he soiled his diaper, he wants to play… ah God! I am so going crazy!" Anita complained as they sat down beside the window overlooking the lake.
Josie just laughed her friend was complaining but she can see that she's loving every minute of it. "Oh god. I really want to have a child of my own someday." Josie mused. Anita sighed and frowned at her friend. "Honey, are you planning to have a child with Sam?" Josie thought this over and started to nod slowly.
"I actually do, Nita. I can see the way Sam is with his daughter, and someday, I want to have a child from him too." She decided, but still smiling sadly, knowing that that can't happen soon. A few minutes of silence remained between the two of them, until Anita moved closer to her friend and gave her a hug.
"I'm sorry sweetie." "Its okay. It was just wistful thinking from my part anyway." Josie answered. Anita grabbed the menu from the middle of the table and waved it in front of her friend's face. "Come on Jos. Let's pig out! I actually miss eating everything in sight." Anita kidded, smiling as her friend started to laugh.
* * * Sam opened the door to the busy Chinese restaurant and let Lara walk in ahead of him. He walked behind her, wondering why she suddenly called him at the school and asked him out to lunch. He looked around, wondering why she chose this place. Its noisy and overflowing with people.
He shook his head and followed her towards a seat just across the mirror overlooking the lake. "Honey, what do you want?" Lara asked. "Um… Lara? Why did you choose this place?" Sam asked as he picked up the menu from the middle of the table. "Why? You don't like it?" She pouted prettily.
Sam shook his head. "No, I do. Its just that this restaurant is totally not you." He commented, his nose met with the enticing aroma of Chinese food. "Oh? Yeah I know." She giggled. 'She actually giggled? I must be in some parallel universe or something.' He thought.
"Its just that I want to try something new." Was all she said. He shrugged and looked down on the menu. His ears perked up when he heard a really familiar laugh. He looked up and saw Josie on the other table, directly in front him. He tried not to smile as he stared at her. It's a good thing that Lara doesn't know that Josie's here. He hoped that she'd see him. How he missed her.
* * * Lara stared at Sam and knew that he has seen Josie. The happy look on his face didn't go unnoticed to her. 'God! Be more subtle, will you Sam.' She thought angrily. This is really pissing her off. His face lit up and right then, she knows that Josie has seen him too.
'Time to start the show!' She thought and cleared her throat. Sam reluctantly wrenched his eyes away from Josie and looked at her. "Yes, Lara?" "Why are you all distracted all of a sudden, Sam?" She asked. "Oh, nothing. I'm just thinking what to order." He answered, smiling crookedly at her.
"Why don't we start with dessert first?" Lara asked. "What?" Sam asked, confused. "I'm talking about this." Lara stood up and plopped herself on Sam's lap and kissed him thoroughly, right in front of everybody in the restaurant.
* * * "Anita! Its Sam!" Josie whispered to her friend. "Where?" Anita asked as she twisted on her seat and turned to where Josie was pointing. "Oh, there he is. Who's that woman?" "I don't know. I don't recognize her, even though she's kind of familiar." Josie answered distractedly, not really thinking clearly as she smiled back at Sam.
His eyes were filled with such longing that she knows is also mirrored in her own blue eyes. She smiled understandingly and blew a kiss his way. Anita laughed and hit her on the arm.
Sam bit his lip to smile and just nodded her way. Josie was appalled that she had the guts to do what she just did. She giggled and looked down when Sam looked at the woman in front of her. There's something so familiar with that woman in front of her. She racked her brain when a movement caught her eye.
She looked up and just in time saw Sam's lips met with the blonde woman's lips in a fervor kiss. That's when she remembered her. It's Lara Patton. Sam's wife. She gasped and stared at the couple that was kissing in front of her, in front of the whole restaurant.
"Oh God…" She whispered painfully, trying to breathe normally, knowing that she should be used to seeing Sam with Lara, since she is his wife. She closed her eyes and gripped the tablecloth, trying to control her emotions. 'Sweetie? Josie? Are you okay?" Anita laid a hand on Josie's arm and turned to look at what her friend was looking at. "Oh no!" She whispered and pulled her friend to her feet and started to pull her out of the restaurant.
"Josie… Josie. It's okay. Honey, honey?" Anita said as they went out of the doors. Josie took a deep breath and opened her car. Anita shook her head and grabbed the keys from her friend and led her to the passenger seat. "You're in no condition to drive. I'll be the one to bring us back to the office, okay?" Josie just nodded.
"Doesn't he know that I would be so hurt if I see him kissing his wife in front of me? What is he doing?" Josie asked hysterically, trying to breathe calmly. "Josie. You know what your position is in this kind of relationship, right?" Anita asked as she fixed their seatbelts and revved the engine. Josie's eyes filled up with tears and fell gradually down to her lap.
"I know. It just… hurts you know? Why did they have to do that there?" she asked and buried her face in her hands. Anita stared at the restaurant, and saw Sam kissing Lara passionately.
"For a man who doesn't love his wife, he sure loves kissing her." She thought. Josie looked up. "What did you say?" "Did I say that out loud? Oh, crap!" She cursed herself, and she couldn't stop her friend from looking back at the restaurant.
Josie gasped. "Get a room!" Josie shouted angrily, wanting to go in there to pry Lara away from Sam's arms and… It was the 'and' part that she couldn't think off. She didn't know if she would scream at Sam, or ask him to assure her that she's the one he loves, not that woman that he's with at that moment. "Let's just go, Nita." Josie whispered dejectedly.
Anita nodded, started to back out of the parking lot, as she rubbed her friend's back soothingly. "I know that Sam didn't do that on purpose. He can't possible say anything to his wife to stop her from kissing him; it would make him look guilty. Just think that at least, everything is still under wraps." Anita said gently.
Josie looked at her and just nodded, and then returned to crying in her hands. 'Maybe, its over. Its all over.' Josie thought sadly. Anita sighed as she continued to drive quietly on the highway back to their office.
* * * Sam kissed Lara back, all the while wanting to push her away. He knew he had to kiss her back, or else she might suspect that something's happening. At the corner of his eye, he saw Josie being pulled by her friend, Anita, out of the restaurant.
His heart constricted in pain as he looked at the pain and what it seemed like betrayal that was unmistakable on Josie's face. Lara still wouldn't stop kissing him so he just sat there, his lips moving mechanically against hers. Closing his eyes, Lara slowly transformed into Josie and that's when he started to respond fervently to Lara's kisses.
He moaned against her mouth and ran his fingers through her hair. He pulled away, his eyes glazed over the intense kiss they have just shared. "Lara, let's order." He said breathlessly.
Lara just nodded and stood up. He looked around and saw that not one of the other customers saw what happened, and if they did, they just didn't care. He ran a nervous hand through his hair, speculating on what will happen when he'll talk to Josie later.
* * * Lara hid her face behind the menu, surprised at how Sam responded to her advances. That was the most intense kiss that she has received from him for such a long time. The last time they kissed like that was when they were both in college.
Behind the menu, she also hid the big smile that started to creep on her face, over the fact that she knew Josie must have ran out of the restaurant in hurt. She deserves what she just seen, she thought, her being a mistress and all. Everything was going according to plan, she'll make Sam think that everything's okay, and then drop the news on him that she indeed know everything that he's been doing behind her back, and she can guarantee anyone that he's not going to like it.
* * * Sam has left about a dozen messages on Josie voice mail, and still, it has been three days since that day in the Chinese restaurant and Josie hasn't returned any of his calls. He was so confused on what's happening that he was considering going to her house, but he knew that he couldn't. It will both lead them to trouble if he did that.
On his way home, he called her cell phone again, wishing that she would answer him. "Hello?" Josie's sweet voice wafted through the handsets, making him miss her even more. "Jos! Thank God you answered. How have you been, honey?" He asked. "Fine." She answered simply.
"Josie, please. Don't be like that. Please? I'm sorry about the other day at the restaurant. I really need to see you. Can we meet?" He asked tentatively. 'Please say yes. Please say yes.' He thought desperately. Josie sighed. "I don't know Sam…"
"Just say yes, please Jos? I'll meet you at Lake Michigan. Please?" Sam begged. "Oh, all right. I'll be there in thirty minutes." Josie agreed and hanged up. Sam sighed and turned his car around, speeding towards Lake Michigan.
* * * Josie sat on one of the picnic tables stationed near the lake, and let the fresh, nippy air slap her on the face. She almost said no to Sam's request of meeting with her tonight, but the tone in his voice, the soft, almost begging tone, tugged at her heartstrings and she knew that she couldn't possibly decline his invitation.
The time was slowly inching towards the designated moment that they're supposed to meet. She tried to calm her racing pulse as she sat there, wondering what he's going to say. After a few minutes, she heard soft footfalls behind her and she knew that Sam has arrived.
* * * Sam approached Josie quietly, staring at the way the moonlight shone above her, making her look like an angel in the night. She turned around and her eyes connected with his. He took in the sad look in her eyes, mixed with apprehension and hope. "Hey." He said softly as he moved to sit beside her. "Hey." Josie greeted back.
"So, how have you been?" He asked, peeking at the corner of his eye at her. "Fine. I'm fine. You?" "Fine too." They both looked up and their eyes met, making them laugh at the nervous way they are with each other. The laughter subsided and Sam took a deep breath and stared at Josie.
"Jos. I'm so sorry about the other day. I didn't know what Lara was thinking." He started. Joie just nodded and tried to hold back the images of Sam kissing Lara back. "I know. I shouldn't be feeling like you betrayed me, since she is your wife, right?" Her voice cracked at the word, 'wife'.
Sam looked at her. "You have the right to feel hurt. I shouldn't have kissed her right there, but she would think that something's up if I didn't." "Yeah. But then, one kiss should have been enough right? You say that you don't love her, but obviously you love kissing her." Josie said bitterly.
Sam placed an arm on her shoulders to pull her closer. "Want to know a secret?" Josie just shrugged. "I'll tell you anyway. I only kissed Lara like that because I was imagining her to be you." Sam whispered, feeling kind of embarrassed that he said it.
Josie just stared at him in shock. "And that's supposed to make me feel better? Huh, Sam?" She asked as she jumped off her seat and walked closer to the lake. "Josie, no. I just said that to let you know that you're the only one that I love, and that even if I'm with someone else, I'm still thinking about you." Sam said in a soft voice as he walked closer to her until he was only a few inches away from her.
Josie sighed and turned around. She jumped in surprise when she saw that they were only inches apart. "Oh, I didn't know that you're there." She said as she looked into his eyes. Sam chuckled lightly and tucked a strand of hair beneath her ear. "I'm sorry if I hurt you that night Jos. I just couldn't stop her." Sam apologized and he moved even closer.
Josie closed her eyes and rested her hands on Sam's arms, pulling him towards her. "Okay." She whispered her eyes on his lips as she licked her lips in anticipation. Sam felt the temperature rise up with that gesture of Josie's and kissed her forehead, then her closed eyes, on the tip of her nose, before placing his lips against hers for a slow, searing kiss.
They parted with Josie smiling softly. "I love you Sam." "I love you Josie." He whispered before kissing her again. No matter what happens, he'll never let her go.
* * * Josie woke up a week later, feeling sick to her stomach. She slowly sat up and a wave of nausea filled her being as she stumbled out of bed blindly and ran towards toilet bowl and started to throw up. Tears stung her eyes as she kept on vomiting, feeling as if all that she had eaten the day before has been discarded into the bowl; she slowly stood up and brushed her teeth. A dull ache on her head became evident as she went out of the bathroom, and saw Georgia on the bed, looking at her in concern.
"Hey G. Morning. What is it?" Josie asked wearily as she opened her closet to find something to wear. "Did you just throw up?" The little girl asked as she walked towards her cousin and beckoned her to bent down. Josie shrugged her shoulders and obliged, smiling as the little girl felt her forehead.
"You don't have a fever." Georgia said, confused. Josie laughed and stood back up, pulling a pair of pants from the closet and laying it on the bed. "No, I'm not sick, sweetie. Maybe I just woke on the wrong side of the bed. Just don't mind me." She answered and picked up her phone from the bedside table and gained access to her voice mailbox.
"Hey Jos. It's Sam. Just wanted to greet you a very good morning. Hope that you'll have a great day at work. Love you honey." Josie grinned at the sound of his voice. Sam never fails to make her morning brighter… "Oh God!" Josie threw her phone on the bed and ran towards the bathroom to throw up again.
* * * Sam was on his desk that morning after leaving a message on Josie's mailbox. He was checking some papers when the mailman came in, carrying a large pile of mail. "Hey Johnny!" Sam greeted. "Morning, Mr. Coulson! You got a package here with me." Johnny said and walked over to his table.
"Thanks." Sam said staring at the large brown envelope that Johnny handed him. Sam waited until the mailman was out of the room before opening that envelope. "Wonder who its from?" He asked and took out a pile of papers. His eyes became huge as he read the first page.