Samaire paced nervously in front of her large lounge room window. Brooke was due to arrive any minute now with Paul. She felt the butterflies take flight in her stomach and she chewed on her false nails nervously. 'Get a grip on yourself' she scolded. She sat down in the large black leather armchairs and tried to calm herself down. She jumped when she heard a car pull up in her driveway. As Samaire raced out her front door she stopped in dismay when she saw that the car did not belong to Paul, but to Austin. 'Oh shit, not now' she thought. She had not yet told anyone else about Brooke, as she was concerned about what peoples reactions would be - especially Austin's.
"Hey sweetie - surprise" he said as he got out of the car with a large bunch of white roses in his hand.
"Oh my god, Austin their beautiful" Samaire replied, surprised as she took the roses "My favourite - how did you know?"
Before he had a chance to respond another car pulled up in the driveway. Samaire's face turned as white as a sheet 'You have got to be kidding me'. Brooke rushed out of the back of the car. "Mommy" she yelled as she ran towards Samaire, clinging onto her leg and looking up at her with her large green eyes and a big smile. As Samaire looked down at Brooke, Paul's voice interrupted her thoughts,
"So I guess this wouldn't be the best time then".
She looked up and nearly doubled over in shock. Paul was standing in front of his car with his arm around Trish. Samaire stared at Trish in shock, who avoided her look uncomfortably.
"What the hell is going on Paul" Samaire questioned through gritted teeth.
"Maybe I could ask you the same question Sam" Austin piped up, watching Brooke.
Paul looked at Austin "Who are you?" he asked, eyeing him up.
"Austin Aries, I'm Samaire's boyfriend" he replied, wrapping his arm around Samaire's waist, "and you are"
"Paul London, Samaire's ex-husband"
Austin released his grip around Samaire.
"Sam, you really need to tell me what the hell is going on here. Let me guess, the kid's your's too?"
Samaire's head dropped slightly to look down at Brooke, who still had a firm grip on her leg.
"Yes she is, this is Brooke"
Austin looked at Samaire, as if not really expecting that answer "Really?" He ran his hand through his hair and looked down at Brooke again. She smiled up at him. "So where does Trish fit in all of this?"
Samaire turned to Paul "Yeah where does Trish fit in all of this?"
Paul looked around the front yard "Does all of this really need to be discussed out here?" he questioned.
Samaire sighed and handed Austin the roses while she grabbed Brookes hand "No, come inside"
As they all gathered in the lounge room, Samaire showed Brooke her new bedroom. Brooke looked around and smiled "Can I watch a movie Mommy?" Samaire smiled and let her pick one of the DVD's she had picked up earlier. She set it up and returned to the lounge room.
"Now Paul, you were saying" she snapped in a voice that even surprised her.
"Don't take that tone with me Samaire" Paul warned as he held Trish's hand "I know you two have some problems at the moment, but I really care for Trish and she for me" he said gently "and before you ask, yes she knows about our history, and my sickness, but after we met, so it has nothing to do with you"
Samaire reeled back, her feelings hurt "I never said it was about me" she murmured as she walked out of the room.
"Was that comment really necessary Paul?" Trish questioned.
"I was just getting in first - everything seems revolve around her, or so she sometimes thinks" he muttered.
Trish was surprised "I really don't think you know her to well anymore" she muttered as she turned her attention to Austin who was pacing around the room. He turned to face them.
"Guy's I'm heading off. Can you tell Samaire that I need some space to think?"
"Why don' you tell her?" Trish suggested
"Cause I need some space alright" he replied, agitated, as he walked out the door.
Trish looked back to Paul, who was beginning to look pale.
"You okay honey" she asked as she placed her hand on his forehead. It was a little warm.
"Yeah, I just need a couple of minutes. I think you need to talk to Sam, this thing between you two has gone on long enough"
Trish sighed. She knew he was right, but she was also scared that Samaire wouldn't want to talk to her again. She regretted taking her pain out on Samaire that day in the hospital; after all it had been Samaire that had stayed with her the whole time. But since then she had done nothing but inadvertently cause Samaire trouble. 'And now I've hooked up with her ex'.
"What if she won't talk to me?"
"You'll never fix it if you don't try"
Trish smiled; she could never win an argument with Paul. She got up and went to find Samaire. She eventually found her in one of the pool chairs in the backyard. She could tell Samaire had been crying and sat down next to her. Samaire wiped her eyes and looked at Trish.
"I never said it was about me" she whispered through sniffles as she looked at the glistening water in the pool.
"I know"
"I only want what's best for Paul and Brooke"
"I know that too, I really care about him Sam and I honestly didn't know he was your ex" Trish said, putting her hand on Samaire's arm "I am so sorry for everything I have done over the last couple of months. I had no right to treat you the way I did that day, especially since you are one of the few people who really care about me" Trish continued, as tears formed in her eyes.
Samaire looked at her, tears forming in her eyes as well "I really missed you" she said as she got up and hugged Trish.
"So we're friends again, right" Trish questioned as she wiped the tears away.
"Absolutely"