Mark said, "So I guess you and Jamie are pretty close." I said, "Yea…we've been best friends for the last 18 years…we meet when we were five…it was friendship at first sight…I think she's a saint…I honestly think she's the one reason I never lost it in the last 13 years…I think that's why I love hearing her with Glenn…he seems to like her an awful lot…and I know she's deserved this kind of love and affection from a guy whose interested in her and not her money…" Mark said, "Money? She doesn't give off the impression of having money."
I said, "Her parents died about 2 years ago and left her an obscene amount of money…I was sitting next to her when their wills had been read…it was nothing but a bunch of great stock exchanges and business deals that just turned out to be worth…oh…I'd say anywhere between 16.5 and 20 billion dollars…So believe me you may see her in a pair of levis with holes in the ass and knees…but believe me…that's just her saying 'Hey…I might have money…but from the way I dress…it hasn't gone to my head…yet.' And believe me…she always adds that yet in there…she keeps saying one of these days she's going to take the money and buy a small country with it and fix it up and make it Jamie World…"
We started laughing…and then Mark got really quiet…I said, "Mark…Are you still here?" I didn't hear anything…so I moved around and crawled on my hands and knees over to him and slightly touched his chest with my hand…and said, "Mark, are you okay?" Mark came out of his trance and said, "Yea…I'm fine…" I said, "Try again…I can tell your lying." Mark said, "Oh…it's nothing…you just remind me of someone who used to laugh and smile like you…"
I touched the bottom of his neck and said, "I remind you of Sara don't I?" Mark sat up fast and said, "How do you know about her?" I said, "Glenn…he didn't tell me the whole story just that you had lost someone you'd once loved with everything you had…and her name was Sara and that it was tattooed on the nape of your neck. Don't worry, he didn't tell me anything personal…I promise…"
Mark stood up and said, "God Damn it…" I jumped to me feet and could hear him stalking around on the mat of the ring…and I caught his arm just by chance and stopped him dead in his tracks and said, "Please…Mark…don't be mad at Glenn…I asked him if something bad had happened to you…cause you always seem to be holding something back…and I just got this sad vibe from you…I can always tell when someone's sad just by the tone of their voice…" Mark grabbed my wrist and pulled my hand off his arm and leaned over and ran my fingers across this throat…I'm assuming where his Sara tattoo was…and he said, "This is off limits…don't go poking around in my business Samantha…That's the fastest way to piss me off…Sara was and is none of your business…"
I said, "I'm sorry Mark…I never meant to upset you…I swear." Mark said, "All you damn woman think the same thing and say the same thing…I never meant to do this…I never meant to do that…well you never mean to do anything…but yet you always seem to do it." Mark threw my wrist away…like he was trying to throw me away…then got out of the ring and stalked back to the back…I'm sure to either yell at Glenn…or to just go back to the hotel…
I walked over and picked up my laptop and grabbed Sneaker and we walked to the back…and I went back to the hotel…I wanted to cry...but nothing would come out and couldn't imagine why he was touchy about the subject…I was mad at myself for even saying anything…I was really hoping if he yelled at Glenn…that Glenn wouldn't be mad with me…I called Glenn's cell-phone and warned him ahead of time…Glenn said it was okay…and understood…
While I was sitting in my hotel room when my cell phone went off...and I answered it was my eye specialist…I said, "Hello Dr. Beckman, How are you?" He said, "Just fine Samantha dear…I've got some news for you…" I said, "Really…good or bad, cause I could really use good right now…" He chuckled over the phone line and said, "Yes…It's great news Sam…We got two cornea donors…we need to get you to Chicago…cause that's where they are…and I'll meet you there and we'll do the surgeries there." I said, "Are you serious…please tell me you're not joking…" He laughed again and said, "No Samantha I'm serious…how about we set this up for tomorrow morning at 6 a.m." I said, "You've got it."
We hung up and I called the airlines for a ticket…and then called Jamie and let her know…she wouldn't be able to get time off…but Vince knew I had been waiting for that call…so he gave me two months off…Jamie and Glenn gave me a ride to the air port…and before I got on the plane, I gave both of them a hug and said, "Glenn…do me a favor." He said, "Sure, Sam…what is it?" I said, "Tell Mark I'm sorry…but don't tell him why I left…I figure it's no ones business but the three people standing here…" Glenn said, "You go it…" I hugged each of them again and got on the plane leaving for Chicago.
I had the surgeries the next morning…as Mark was sitting down to breakfast with Jamie and Glenn…He said, "Do you guys know where Samantha is…I wanted to talk to her this morning…but she's not answering her phone in her room." Jamie said, "She decided to take a vacation…a 2 month one to be exact…Had a few things with Sneaker to get done." Glenn said, "But she did want us to tell you, she's sorry..." Mark said, "Damn it…I was kind of rough on her last night and I wanted to apologize for it." Glenn said, "Well…you could probably call her cell phone…but she's going to have it shut off for about the first week she's gone…other then that…you should apologize for your behavior…you big bully."
Naturally Mark felt like shit...But he couldn't fix anything till Samantha came back.