Chapter 8 – The Pembroke Award

Once again, Sam and her parents are getting ready for the Pembroke Gala. They aren't superstitious, but they will be attired differently for this one.

Vance still wears his black tux, bow tie and wingtips, but he is wearing a plain white shirt and changes the black and red cummerbund with a pure black one. He again arrives downstairs a good hour before departure time. This allows his two lovely ladies to dress, and possibly get assistance from each other.

Soon Gabrielle is coming down the stairs. Vance gets up from his chair to greet her. She hasn't told him what she was going to wear, and neither did Sam. So he will see their choices first on the stairs.

Vance glances up at his wife, and a loving smile grows on his face! She is wearing a backless strapless cream satin evening gown with slit skirt. She has a cream opal pendant around her neck and also cream opal teardrop earrings. She tops off the outfit with her cream satin shawl, cream satin elbow length gloves, and matching cream open-toed high heels. She is wearing her hair down for this evening.

On seeing Vance's reaction to her outfit, Gabby smiles and blushes. He can still make her blush after all of these years!

Vance gives his wife a long loving kiss, "My dear, you are ravishing!"

Again, Gabby, blushes, and says, "Vance! You're embarrassing me!"

He replies, "Why? For telling the truth?" She smiles lovingly at him and kisses him. Vance still has to remind himself that Gabby is really his. Even after all these years, she has always been the only one for him.

She says, "You also look handsome!" and kisses him again. She has always felt lucky to have Vance as her husband. He continues to find new ways to reconfirm that luck.

Sam doesn't have to be called this time. She has watched happily as her Dad and Mom have met at the foot of the stairs. She hopes that when she finds the right man, he'll love her just like her Dad does her Mom, and she will try very hard to love him like her Mom does her Dad.

Sam is wearing a black backless satin evening gown with a spaghetti strap around her neck, with slit skirt. She has borrowed her Mom's black pearl necklace and matching black pearl dangling earrings. She also tops off the outfit with a black satin shawl, black satin elbow length gloves, and matching open-toed high heels with ankle strap. She has decided to wear her hair down also.

Again her Mom and Dad proudly watch her descend. Her Dad believes she is the loveliest high school girl on the planet! Her Mom thinks she is radiantly beautiful!

As she reaches the first floor, Vance kisses her on the cheek. "Going to drive the guys wild tonight, eh Buttercup?" he says with a twinkle in his eye.

"Oh, Daddy!" says Sam as she blushes.

"You look lovely, dear!" says her Mom.

"You too, Mom!"

Again Vance offers an arm to each of his ladyloves and escorts them to the car. Soon they are off to the awards.

Jerry has arrived at Clover's house, to pick her up for the Gala.

Clover's Dad answers the door. "Yes, may I help you?"

Jerry responds, "I'm from the Pembroke Society! I am here to take Clover to the Gala."

Clover immediately comes to the door. "It's all right Daddy! I know him! That's the Jerry I told you would pick me up!" Her Dad accepts that explanation, and tells Clover to have a good time.

Jerry, ever the proper gentleman, offers Clover his arm to escort her to the waiting car.

"You look very beautiful tonight, Clover!" says Jerry.

Clover blushes. She is wearing her light pink velvet traditional evening gown, with slit skirt. She has on matching open-toed high heels, with ankle strap. For jewelry, she has on a pink pearl necklace with pink stud earrings. She is wearing her hair as she always does. "Thanks, Jerry! You look good too!"

Jerry smiles. He is wearing his black tux with tails, and his black bow tie on his white ruffled shirt. He has gold cufflinks, and a gold watch chain and pocket watch. Soon they are at Alex's house.

Again, Jerry goes to the door. Alex opens the door, and says, "They're here! I'll be going now!"

Her Dad watches as Jerry escorts Alex to the car.

Jerry says, "I must say Alex, you look beautiful tonight! I'll be quite proud to have both you and Clover sitting at my table on the dais!"

Alex blushes a deep red! She is wearing her black velvet traditional evening grown, with flowing skirt. She has on black open-toed high heels, with ankle strap. For jewelry, she is wearing a gold chain necklace with a black opal pendant. She also has on black teardrop pearl earrings. She is wearing her hair as she always does. "Thanks, Jerry. You look handsome too!"

On getting into the back seat of the car, Clover greets Alex. "Alex, you look great!"

"So do you!" gushes Alex., as Jerry takes them to the Gala.

At the Pembroke Gala, Jerry and the girls see Sam and her parents. They make a beeline toward them.

"Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Simpson. Hi Sammy!" says Alex.

"You three look great!" says Clover.

"Hi guys! Thanks, Clover! You three look good also!" says Sam.

Jerry says, "Samantha, seeing you are one of the three finalists, you and your family get to sit on the dais with a Pembroke member – me! We'll also be joined by the teacher who nominated your project, Mr. Fielding and his wife."

Sam realizes that her parents don't know Jerry, so she introduces him as 'the Pembroke member she has been in contact with.'

Soon all are seated for the meal and festivities.

The time has finally arrived! Austin Pembroke stands.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! The time has come for us to announce this year's Pembroke Award winner, and the two honorable mentions. We had a great number of outstanding projects to choose from this year, and we had a hard time trimming them all down to three. It was even harder choosing just one out of the three, they were so good.

"Let me introduce the projects, and the students who developed them. First, from San Diego, we have Edgar Rycin and his project on converting greenhouse gases into water. Please stand, Edgar!" Edgar gets a warm round of applause.

"Our next project came from Oakland, and was developed by Penelope Sanders. The project transforms phosphates into benign substances. Please stand, Penelope!" And Penelope receives a warm round of applause.

"Our last project comes from Beverly Hill, and was developed by Samantha Simpson. The project is on getting energy from fuel cells. Please stand, Samantha!" Sam receives a warm round of applause, along with a little exuberance from Alex and Clover.

"As I said earlier, it was very difficult to pick between these three projects. Normally we can pick a winner in one meeting. This year took five! We'll start with the honorable mentions. These individuals receive a Pembroke Plaque to recognize their achievement."

Tension fills the air, as Austin continues.

"Our first honorable mention goes to------Penelope Sanders for her Phosphates conversion project!" Penelope is a little disappointed, but quickly gets over it as she goes to the podium to receive her plaque.

Now the tension is really high – is it Edgar's or Sam's project that won the award?

"Our second honorable mention goes to------Edgar Rycin for his greenhouse gas conversion project!" Edgar is also a little disappointed, but he also gets over it quickly as he goes to the podium to receive his plaque.

Clover and Alex are happily congratulating Sam! Obviously she won! The whole table is smiles.

"And finally, our Pembroke Award winner is Samantha Simpson and her fuel cell project!" Sam gets up with tears in her eyes, to receive the prestigious Pembroke Award!

Clover and Alex each poke Jerry under the table! He never let on that Sam won, even as the three gals tried all types of persuasion on him these past five days. They brought him his favorite bakery, favorite meal dishes, and favorite snacks, but he wouldn't tell them. He smiles at Clover and Alex. It was supposed to be a surprise, and it was!

Sam is asked to give an acceptance speech.

"I would first like to thank Mr. Fielding, my Science Teacher, for nominating my project to the Pembroke Society! I would then like to thank Mr. Pembroke for providing these awards annually to high school science projects! I would also like to thank the Evaluation Committee for selecting my project, and I would like to thank the audience for their gracious support!" With that, Sam steps down from the podium, and is congratulated by Penny and Edgar. She works her way to the table, where her family and friends offer congratulations.

The Pembroke Award isn't just a loving cup. It also carries with it a cash prize of $50,000 toward tuition, room and board to any accredited college or university in the world.

Finally the Gala ends. All of the guests go home. Jerry drops off Clover and Alex. They each surprise him by giving him a kiss on the cheek, as they go to the door of their respective homes. Jerry blushes each time, but smiles. Clover and Alex really like Jerry, and are glad they work for him. He also is fond of them, along with Sam. His job would be a great deal duller, if it weren't for them!

Sam and her parents arrive at home. Sam gets another congratulation hug and kiss from her Mom, and Dad.

"Sam, you need to decide where you want to display your award!" says her Dad.

"You know, Daddy! I enjoyed receiving the award, but I really don't want to put it on display! I think I'll just keep it in my room."

Vance and Gabby smile at each other. Sam again makes them proud. She is proud to win, but doesn't have to brag about it to anyone. She is confident without being brassy.

"As you wish, Buttercup!" says her Dad.

The next day, Clover and Alex pick up Sam for their Saturday Mall outing.

"Sam, it was so totally great you won the Pembroke Award! Did you see your picture in today's paper?" asks Clover.

"Wellllll, no I didn't!" says Sam a little embarrassedly.

"That's ok, Sammy, we got the pictures for you!" says Alex.

"Thanks, gals!" says Sam.

"Where are you displaying the award?" asks Clover.

"Oh, I'm just keeping it in my room!" says Sam.

Clover and Alex smile at one another. Even winning a big award hasn't changed their Sammy! She is still gracious in victory.

"Well, we can at least treat the Pembroke Award winner to a movie!" says Clover happily.

"And a latte and meal afterward!" says Alex.

"Thanks, gals! I know I'll enjoy that as much as the Gala!" says Sam as the three happy friends head toward the movie complex.