Author's Note: My laptop/AOL has been acting a monkey the past few days so if I don't update for a week or so, you know why. I actually finished this chapter the other day but I couldn't get online to post it. Hopefully, I'll have my slightly less crappy desktop back by the end of the week.
Thanks Katy and Kayla for the reviews and the feedback. I appreciate you sticking with me and this crazy story. The sheets idea actually came from something a friend of mine once told me. She said that her main reason for not wanting to be intimate with her boyfriend was because she didn't want to mess up her nice Ralph Lauren sheets. I got a good laugh out of that and she did kinda have a point.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Out of habit, Lucas decided to take his own car for their trip to see Celeste while Belle and Philip took the car Lucas had driven over earlier. They agreed to meet over at Celeste's place with neither couple approaching her until they had all arrived.
Sami strapped herself into Lucas' car in a huff irritated that he had insisted on driving. "Lucas, what is it with you and always insisting on driving everywhere. I know my car isn't as much of a swanky, chick-magnet as yours but it's gets me from point A to point B."
Lucas just rolled his eyes at her as he closed his door and put on his seatbelt. "Do you hear yourself, Sami? With your track record, it's a wonder the state lets you drive at all." He ignored her snicker as he had to adjust the seat back to accommodate Philip's bigger body. "It wasn't even a few months ago that you were in that accident. Remember colliding with John?" He remembered like it was yesterday the fear of finding Sami semi-conscious, hysterical and handcuffed to her steering wheel in the pouring rain. That turned out to only be the beginning of a horrible night. Sami had been hurt, Marlena had been revealed as the serial killer and his beloved Gran her latest victim. He was a bit overwhelmed with sadness thinking about the turn of events that day.
"Thanks for the reminder of that wonderful evening. I don't know which was more fun. Nearly being killed in a car accident with that jerk or nearly being killed when that jerk pushed my mother off of their balcony—"
"Sami, don't go there, okay. Not tonight." He could tell that the conversation was agitating Sami and it was working wonders on his already exasperated mood as well.
Sami knew it had been a horrible night for everyone. It had started all of the nonsense about her mother being the Salem Stalker which eventually led to her imprisonment and the tragedy of her death. Not to mention the fact that her mother's body was now missing without explanation. She glanced over at Lucas' suddenly sad expression and knew he was thinking about the death of his grandmother, the beloved Alice Horton, that had occurred that night. "You're the one who brought it up," Sami said weakly.
"No, I didn't." Lucas tried to lighten the mood by softly putting his hand on her knee and squeezing gently. "You brought it up with your whining about not driving." Neither one of them wanted to be having this conversation and they both knew it. "But I do apologize for mentioning something that brings back unpleasant memories for both of us."
Sami smiled over at Lucas and not for the first time, thought about how lucky she was to have him in her life. For a long time she had felt anything but lucky and it saddened her thinking about how much time they wasted hating each other. She covered his hand with her own and replied, "Not every memory from that night was unpleasant." Lucas glanced over at her questioningly as Sami looked ahead wistfully at the memory. "I recall only feeling safe and comforted when you stayed with me and held me in my bed that night. I remember falling asleep in your arms." Lucas smiled as well, bringing her hand up and caressing it with his lips in a soft kiss.
A sexy smirk appeared on Lucas' face as he thought back to that crazy night. He then gave her an expression of mock confusion. "It's a bit foggy but I think I sort of remember that. There was this blonde there and maybe a kid was around somewhere—" Lucas predicted that his comment would ensure a punch in the arm from his fiancée and Sami didn't disappoint him. It only made him laugh harder.
"Actually, now that I think a little harder about it, I seem to recall something about making you warm milk with honey, just like your grandmother used to make for you. I remember stroking your hair as you lay on my chest, driving me absolutely nuts. It took all of my willpower to behave myself." He then smiled evilly over at her. "I also remember that whopper of a kiss I slapped on you—right before all that madness began." He thought back to that hot kiss they shared before leaving for the hospital. He pictured her running her hands through his hair and down his bare chest before resting on his open shirt. He could still hear the little moans and whimpers she made before he pulled away. In that instant, he had wanted her more than he had wanted anything in his entire life. "You were so into it, even though you wouldn't admit it." He kept glancing over at her as he drove down the street. "Do you want to come clean now? I know you were having hot, steamy dreams about having your dirty little way with my body."
Sami's mouth dropped open at his challenge. "Ha! Fat chance! You must be thinking about all those fantasies you were having about me. You were always trying to get me to admit something when it was you lusting after my body."
"Hey, I'm man enough to admit it. I had a few impure thoughts about you over the past year. And lucky for you, I was also man enough to do something about it." It turned him on just thinking about all the erotic, Sami-induced fantasies he had had in the past. "So how about it? Are you ready to admit it now?"
"Forget about it." There was no way that Sami was going to give his ego the satisfaction of knowing that before they had gotten together, he had invaded her every erotic thought with his tasty sexiness.
So she wanted to play that game. "Oh, so when we were making out after Will had that nightmare about the tiger at the circus, that did nothing for you?" He knew that Sami had been effected by what was happening between them when they were kissing. He even remembered her zoning out and acting weird the next morning before they decided to go on the camping trip with Will.
"Didn't do a thing for me," Sami replied nonchalantly.
"What about that little tickle fight we had in your bed that one time, you know, when our mothers walked in on us? You didn't think about me then either."
"Nope."
"How about when we were all cuddled up in my sleeping bag on Will's camping trip?" Sami shook her head indifferently. She was unbelievable. They had been making eyes at each other every five minutes back then. Not to mention the fact that she had been moaning in her sleep that night and it didn't sound like the unpleasant kind of moaning to him. Then they had a cute little pillow fight after that. Ahh, such pleasant memories of courtship.
"Really, Lucas, I don't know where you get these crazy ideas." She never realized that Lucas had her so pegged. She couldn't help but recall all the wild fantasies she was having about her and Lucas around then—and how much they scared her.
"You are such a bad liar, Sami," Lucas said while shaking his head at her. "Besides the fact that I DO know you better than you know yourself, you totally admitted to being attracted to me after you laid that sloppy, wet kiss on me in front of Will and my mom."
"It wasn't sloppy." Sami said with a pout.
"Maybe not, but it was pretty hot. Come on Sami, tell the truth. You're busted. You SO wanted my body back then. All you have to do is admit it."
"Not a chance!"
"We'll see about that," Lucas said still keeping his eyes on the road. "I promise you, after we get our bodies back and after some explanation and convincing on my part, you'll be changing your tune—actually, more like screaming it." Lucas couldn't hide the satisfied smirk adorning his face at the mere thought of it.
Surprisingly, Sami just smirked back at him with a look of lusty anticipation. "I look forward to it, General."
They were each lost in their own thoughts of what they'd do to each other when given the chance. However, first they needed to get their correct bodies back and there was only one person who could possibly help them do it.
MEANWHILE . . ."Sweet! Lucas filled up the tank. I was going to do it in the morning but he just saved me the trouble. He really is too anal for his own good sometimes." Philip chuckled to himself as he had to adjust his seat for Lucas' slightly smaller body. "Maybe that's when they saw my Mom."
Belle just shrugged her shoulders and looked around. "I don't know. I'm just surprised that there was no bloodshed. I bet it was funny though. I kind of wish I'd been there."
Philip laughed too at the image of Sami and Lucas fending off Kate in their bodies. "I know. To be a fly on the wall during that conversation. It looks like Sami had some fun with it."
"That's not surprising. You know she can't pass up an opportunity to aggravate Kate—and I'm sure the feeling is completely mutual. Maybe they'll cool it after she and Lucas get married." Now Belle was leaning over in the backseat looking for something.
"I wouldn't hold your breath. I don't know all the stuff that went down between them but I don't think either of them is going to get over it any time soon—what in the world are you looking for?"
Belle leaned back in her seat with an exasperated sigh. "I wanted my purse. I thought that Sami might have brought it with her when she came over but I don't see it. She didn't have it when she left so I figured she left it in here."
"Well, you can pick it up later. Maybe by then we'll be back in our own bodies." Philip didn't think having her purse was a big deal but then again, he wasn't a girl and girls tended to be inexplicably attached to those things.
Belle turned towards Philip and in her most pouty and accommodating voice asked, "Do you mind stopping by the loft so I can pick it up. It's right on the way and I'd feel much better if I had it." She batted her eyelashes and put on that pleading face that even on Sami, Philip couldn't deny.
But Philip couldn't let on that he was completely whipped even though to everyone else, nothing could have been clearer. "Belle, you're in Sami's body. Who cares if you have your own purse. People would think that was strange. Besides, don't you think we have more pressing business to attend to right now?"
"Philip, it's on the way and it would make me feel better. It's got my stuff in it—and my cell phone." She looked away from him shyly. "I guess, it would just help me to have something familiar with me given what's happened to us. Please," she pleaded. "Pretty please."
Of course, Philip was defenseless and fell to her imploring demands. "Fine!" he said with mock exasperation. "But you get to explain to Lucas and Sami why we're late."
"Deal," Belle replied looking a little too pleased with herself. Philip turned around and headed towards their apartment.
"That was such a mean trick Sami played on us. I can't believe she pretended to get all worked up over some dumb sheets." Belle twirled her hair absently thinking she definitely needed to grow her hair out longer.
"Well, at least she was just joking. I don't want to think about what she would have done if she'd actually been mad. Lucas either." He thought back to his brother's tone when discussing what happened with Sami and involuntarily shuddered.
As if reading his mind, Belle asked, "Yeah, what happened with you and Sami. Lucas didn't look too happy." Her comment held no accusation but it made Philip nervous nonetheless.
"Uh, oh nothing. Lucas was just being territorial over Sami, you know, since they're engaged and all. He didn't want to think about his woman being anywhere near another guy even if it was in his body." He hoped Belle would drop this line of questioning.
"I guess that makes sense but it's not like you and Sami were hooking up or anything . . . were you—?"
"No! No, Belle, of course not. Just the thought . . ." He pretended to be appalled by the idea but the truth was that an hour before, he hadn't been appalled at all. More like aroused. He stole a quick look in Belle's direction which really wasn't helpful since all he saw was Sami's voluptuously ripe body. He had enjoyed every minute of making love to Belle and he had only thought of her as they came together only moments before. But he'd be lying if he didn't also appreciate the delicious body that she happened to be attached to at the moment--and the delicious things that body had done to him while in its rightful owner. 'Okay, PK, enough of those thoughts. They'll only get you into more trouble and Lucas already gave you one buy for the night.'
If Belle had even the slightest suspicion of what had actually happened—or almost happened—between Philip and Sami, she chose not to let on. But given Belle's naïve nature, she probably had no clue anything was afoul. She thought Philip was the perfect gentleman and obviously only had eyes for her.
They spent the next few minutes laughing again over Lucas' reaction to her commenting on how he was a good guy even if he was a little shady sometimes. Soon enough they had arrived at the loft.
They got out of their car still laughing and making fun of Lucas as they headed for the door. Because of the hour and the distraction of their conversation, the did not notice someone coming out of the doors as they entered.
Belle chided herself for not paying attention as she bumped into the person coming out of the building as she and Philip entered. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I should have been paying attention. Here, let me help you—"
"Don't touch me you little psychopath! You probably saw me coming out and barreled into me on purpose." Kate looked at Sami spitefully until she noticed Lucas standing right behind her. "What are you two doing here. I thought you'd be at home 'celebrating' which hopefully means reconsidering this foolish notion of getting married." Kate hadn't been able to sleep so she thought she'd pay a late night visit to her son. From the look of things earlier, he was planning on making it a late night with Belle. Since turtles on vacation move faster than Philip, she was sure she wouldn't be interrupting anything.
Philip looked on in horror. Not only at how his mother was speaking to Belle but also because she had the audacity to come over at this hour. "Hey, that was uncalled for Mom! What the hell are you doing here?"
Kate sighed and put her hand against her forehead. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself down. "Look, I'm sorry. I'm just tired and I was looking for Philip. I saw him about twenty minutes ago down the street but it seems he's not home yet." She looked over his shoulder and noticed Philip's car in a spot that had been empty when she came in. What were Lucas and that she-devil doing in Philip's car? "Why do you have Philip's car? Have you seen Philip and Belle?"
Belle was still taken aback by Kate yelling at her. Nobody ever yelled at her. She was the good one! Being Sami really sucked, C cup or no. "Kate, uh, Philip and Belle are over at my place. We were going to watch a move but Belle left it over here. We flipped a coin to see who would come back over here to get it and we lost but we decided to take Philip's car."
Kate just rolled her eyes at Sami. She was in no mood to deal with her tonight especially after her little run-in with Belle and Philip earlier. She decided to ignore Sami completely before she broke her promise to Lucas. "Sweetie, it's late. You should be at home resting."
Belle, clueless as ever to Kate's attempts to ignore her, replied without even a thought that Kate hated her guts. "You too, Kate. It looks like you came from work. You really work too much. Both you and Dad—I mean John, do." She glanced over at Philip in panic over her slip but tried to cover herself. "Maybe the two of you could relax and spend some time together—"
"You know, Sami, I don't think you're actually at work enough to know whether John and I are working too hard or not. I do, however, know that you're in no danger of that yourself. And don't think I didn't notice your little slip." Sami had hit a little too close to home about her and John. There was no way she could know about what happened between them earlier. But she had learned not to put anything past Sami Brady—and of course, she expected Sami to rub her face in whatever information she had on her at the moment.
Belle could tell that Kate was quickly losing control and looked over at Philip in an attempt to hurry his intervention. Philip tried to interrupt but Kate was having none of it. "Just because you tricked John into paying for this sham of a wedding doesn't mean that you're back in 'Daddy's' good graces. You've spit too much venom in his face in the past, especially in the recent past when his wife, your mother, was killed. So you can forget it."
Philip was irritated by his mother's behavior but he felt better knowing it wasn't just him that his mother treated like a two year old. He noticed that Kate had put her back to Sami and was focusing her attention solely on him. Belle hadn't even done anything and his mother was already treating her like public enemy number one. "Mom, get a hold of yourself! Why in the world would you be here at this hour? Didn't Philip tell you to back off? You're the one who should be at home resting. I'm sure you've had a rough night."
"Yeah, no thanks to you." Kate said and instantly regretted it when she saw Lucas glaring at her. "That was bad honey, don't mind me. Like I said, I'm really tired. I'm just gonna go."
Belle figured that she should get into the conversation so Kate wouldn't get suspicious. Besides, she was being really mean to Sami. Actually, Kate had been really irritating in general lately, dropping by all the time to interfere with Philip's life and complaining about Sami. Newsflash--Sami was her sister! "It's a little late Kate. Still trying to fill your quota of meddling in your sons' lives? Why don't you call it a night and scurry back where you came from." Wow, that felt great! Maybe it wasn't so bad being Sami after all.
Philip's eyes looked like full-sized dinner plates as he stared at Belle. He would have never imagined her talking to his mother, or anyone else, like that.
Kate, who was used to such comments from Sami, gave that usual look like she was grinding her teeth and biting her tongue at the same time. "Sami, I don't remember asking you anything at all. As a matter of fact, I was just fine ignoring you but as usual, you couldn't keep that smart little mouth of yours shut."
"Last I checked, referring to someone as a psychopath and yelling at them when they show some concern isn't the most standard of greetings around these parts."
"I said I was sorry, what the hell else do you want?" Kate turned back to Lucas. "Do you see how she talks to me, Lucas. I do my best but do you see how she provokes me?"
Philip, still shocked over Belle's behavior replied with the obvious. "Mom, you kind of did open up that door. Sami didn't even say anything to you. Well, except for apologizing to you and asking about your welfare that is."
"God, what is wrong with my children tonight—defending that . . . that . . . creature! I'm going home. I'll talk to you later, Lucas."
Belle, however, was just getting started. "Leaving so soon, 'Mom?'" she taunted. "Are you sure you don't want to come over and talk wedding plans with Belle and I?" Philip was glaring at her by now, but she was having too much fun insulting Kate. Maybe it had something to do with being in Sami's body but it was just coming so naturally.
Kate sent Sami a look meant to kill and stomped angrily toward her car but Belle wasn't finished with her. "Oh, that's right, you have to get back to your bitter, lonely existence where your only form of recreation is making your children miserable. Don't let us keep you," Belle said waving.
"Belle!" Philip whispered to her. "That's enough!"
Belle only giggled as she shot a parting barb at Kate. "Bye Kate. If you need to find Lucas, just check my place. But make sure to knock first, okay. You seem to have a knack for interrupting us. I guess that's to be expected when you're at it as much as Lucas and I are. You know he can't get enough of—"
Philip grabbed Belle's arm and dragged her into the building. "I think she gets the point. What was that about?" he asked angrily.
Belle just shrugged her shoulders looking every bit the part of Sami Brady at the moment. No one would believe that good little Belle was in there based on her recent performance. "I just wanted to make it convincing. We couldn't have her getting suspicious could we?"
"Well, I think you drove that point home." Philip forcefully slid the door open and Belle followed him inside. "She's my mother too remember."
Belle spotted her purse and pulled it on her shoulder. She stared over at Philip who was sulking by the door. "I remember. But you saw her. That's my sister she was talking about and I hadn't even said anything to her."
"I agree that she was a little out of control but, you know they have a history. What do you expect?" He ushered her out of the apartment and they made their way back to his car.
"Philip, don't you get tired of your mother always coming over here trying to control your life? She's obviously the same way with Lucas and would probably do the same thing to Billie and Austin if they still lived in Salem. She'll be on Rex in no time—except he doesn't really have a life outside of Mimi."
"That's just the way she is. She only does it because she loves us." He started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. "But from now on, no acting out. You let me handle her." He couldn't really stay mad at Belle and it was kind of interesting to see another side of her. Although with her in Sami's body that was the understatement of the year.
Belle rubbed her hand across his shoulder. "Okay, Philip, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. But it was a little bit fun playing Sami's part with Kate. You have to admit, she was really mean."
Philip grabbed her hand from his shoulder and intertwined their fingers in his lap. "Yeah, she was—and you were spectacular as Sami. I was completely convinced and so was she. Boy, Lucas and Sami have got a long road ahead before they get to the alter. I don't envy them."
Belle looked over at Philip lovingly. "Yeah, they do but we'll help them out. Plus, they really love each other. They'll make it—even if it's an uphill struggle the whole way."
Philip smiled at her words. "That was sweet." He directed his attention back on the road. "But we've wasted enough time. We've got a psychic to see about a little body switching problem that we seemed to have developed recently."
"I think you're right," Belle giggled. "Let's do this."
They drove the rest of the way to Celeste's house in silence. Actually, it was Lexie's house since Celeste had been staying there to keep Lexie company and help with Theo. When they pulled in front of the house, they noticed Lucas and Sami already there looking somewhat annoyed.
"What took you guys so long?" Lucas asked as he and Sami climbed out of the car. "We've been waiting here for ten minutes. I know my car is so much better than yours, Phil but, it shouldn't have taken that long," Lucas said with a smirk.
"Dream on Roberts. My car would outlast yours any day." The male-centered rivalry over their cars was a running joke between the two brothers.
"Put it back in your pants, boys," Sami said with an admonishing look. "Where were you two?"
Belle stepped out of the car carrying her newly recovered purse. "One word—Kate. We'll tell you later." Lucas and Sami gave them a knowing look.
"Definitely," Sami said smiling. "Well, it's now or never. Let's go." The four of them walked up to the door a bit apprehensively. Even getting past the awkwardness of waking Celeste up in the middle of the night, they had no idea how they were going to explain their unbelievable situation.
They stood on the porch, each waiting for the other to knock on the door or ring the door bell. Lucas was about to reach up and give the door a light tap when the door magically opened as if on its own. The foursome gasped and shivers ran up their spines—that is until they realized that there was indeed someone standing behind the door.
The eclectic and mysterious psychic of Salem stood before them looking nothing less than fabulous in a lush turquoise, printed dressing gown and matching robe. She looked regal and powerful as she gazed out at the four youngsters.
The first person she noticed was Belle Black who was standing near the front of the foursome with her hands on her hips and a determined look on her face. Even though she looked a bit apprehensive or nervous about something, she still exuded a self-assuredness that Celeste wasn't used to seeing on the young woman.
Sami Brady on the other hand looked down-right scared as she clung shyly to Lucas' arm. She seemed to lack the usual bite that Celeste had grown to respect--even if it did get her in trouble more oftenthan not. Lucas on the other hand was looking protectively at Sami as he held her hand stiffly in his. That was nothing new seeing as how he had made no secret of his support of Sami throughout the tragedies of the past few months.
Philip had his hand raised as if he was about to knock. He too looked as nervous and uncomfortable as Belle did but there was also a resolve in his demeanor that she hadn't expected to see on someone so young. She didn't know these children well but if they were going to pay her a visit in the middle of the night, she would have expected the older couple to take the lead--both because they were the older siblings and because they were the stronger personalities of the group.
Something was definately off with these four young people but she supposed that's why they had come to see her. Might as well not keep them waiting. They had much to discuss and the morning hour was fast approaching.
Celeste gave the group an enigmatic smile and stepped aside for them to enter. "Come in, darlings. I've been expecting you."