Chapter 8

Samaire stood at the door in shock; she stared at Brooke as she tried to gather her composure.

"Brooke baby, what are you doing here?"

As Brooke hung onto Samaire's leg, Paul London appeared in the doorway.

"Hi Samaire"

"Paul, what's going on?" she said, still looking down at Brooke.

"We need to talk Sam" he said, his eyes showing a glint of sadness in them.

As Samaire picked Brooke up Traci appeared behind her.

"Uh Sam, I'm going to go, okay" she said, eyeing up Paul, sensing that Samaire needed to be alone.

"Actually, Traci could you do me a favour please?" she asked, putting Brooke down.

"Sure sweetie, what do you need" she replied, looking down at Brooke.

"Could you take Brooke here to the cafeteria for a few minutes while I talk to Paul?"

Traci nodded. "Hi Brooke, I'm Traci"

Brooke smiled shyly "Hi Traci"

Samaire knelt down in front of Brooke "Can you go with Traci and get mommy a drink while I talk to daddy?" she asked.

Brooke smiled at Samaire

"Sure mommy' she said as she grabbed Traci's hand. Traci looked at Samaire curiously, and then looked at Paul, who smiled at her.

As they left Samaire turned to Paul who was now sitting in the sofa against the wall.

"Now what the hell is going on?"

"I'm sorry Sam, but I can't do this anymore" he said, avoiding her eyes.

"What do you mean, can't do this anymore, can't do what?"

"I can't care for Brooke anymore"

Samaire looked at him in disbelief.

"Why not, when we divorced you fought for custody of Brooke - you can't just give her up"

Paul sighed. He had met Samaire when she was eighteen and they were training at Shawn Michaels wrestling school. Samaire had become pregnant with Brooke two months later. They had married after Brooke had been born but divorced two years later. Paul had received custody of Brooke.

"Samaire I'm sick" he said, his eyes finally meeting with hers. Samaire sat down next to him.

"What's wrong?"

Paul took a hold of her hand "I have leukaemia - it's too advanced for anything to be done"

Tears began forming in Samaire's eyes. She pulled her hand out of his and stood up. Paul went to hug her but she pushed him away.

"Sam..."

"No, you can't do this; you can't drop this on me - why are you saying this?"

He started to walk towards her.

"Sam, please"

Samaire backed herself into a corner.

"Don't do this, please Paul don't" she said as she crouched down, crying.

Paul sat down next to her on the floor and wrapped his arms around her tiny figure as she cried. He felt so guilty for appearing out of nowhere and dropping all of this on her. He knew she had had a bad couple of months but he was running out of time.

"I'm so sorry Sammie, I'm sorry" he said as he rocked her gently in his arms.

Samaire freed herself and wiped her eyes "Does Brooke know?"

Paul shook his head "All she knows is that she is coming to stay with you for a while - she really likes you Sam"

"How long?" Samaire asked as she stood up and walked back over to the couch.

Paul looked at her dumbfounded.

"Uh, permanently Sam"

Samaire shook her head. "No, how long have you got" she said, fighting back the urge to cry again.

Paul's eyes dropped to the ground. "Oh, the doctors said a maximum of maybe three months"

Samaire steadied herself against the edge of the sofa. The locker room door opened and Traci came back in with a laughing Brooke. The little girl ran over to Samaire with a diet coke in her hands. She held it up to Samaire.

"For you" she said sweetly.

Samaire smiled as best she could and took the drink from Brooke.

"Thank you very much honey".

Paul smiled at Traci as he watched Brooke and Samaire.

"Come on Brooke, it's time to go"

Brooke held her arms out to Samaire. Samaire picked her up and hugged her.

"I'll see you tomorrow honey" she said as she passed her to Paul.

"Bye mommy"

"I'll bring her around tomorrow" he said as he kissed Samaire on the cheek.

As he left the room Samaire collapsed into the sofa.

"Why is this happening to me? What did I do that was so wrong that I deserve all of this?"

Traci looked at her in sympathy, but couldn't understand why Samaire was so upset with seeing her daughter.

"Sam, can I ask you why you're upset in seeing Brooke? She is a beautiful girl - I would have though you would be happy" she pressed.

Samaire looked at her with a sad face.

"Paul's dying Traci" she said, turning away.

Traci looked at her, feeling guilty for pressing the subject – Samaire was obviously dealing with a lot right now.

"I'm sorry Sam – I didn't mean to sound rude, oh god I'm sorry" she said as she sat down next to Samaire, who was in tears again.

She explained the whole story of her, Paul and Brooke to Traci, who sat stunned.

'Obviously I didn't know her as well as I thought' Traci thought to herself as she looked at Samaire.