Sam quickly made his way down to the Steam Pipe Trunk Distribution Venue and looked alarmed, seeing Ainsley with her head buried in her arms.
"Ainse?"
"Go away."
"Honey..."
Ainsley looked up for a second and quickly put her head back down.
"What's the matter?"
"Why are you here?"
"I need you to look over something." Sam replied. "What's wrong?"
"I went to the bridal shop today and they lost my dress. Then when I was fighting with the woman at the counter my cell phone rang and the DJ called saying, he has to cancel because he has a previous client on the same day. And I am ready to bash my head into the wall. What do you want me to look at?"
"Speech."
"Great. Give it to me."
"I can give it to someone else." Sam said.
"Sam, you're already here." Ainsley muttered, holding her hand out.
"What the place say about the dress?" he asked, giving her the speech.
"I dunno. I stormed out of there."
"What about the DJ?"
"Said he'd refer me to someone else but I hung up on him."
"You have quite a temper."
Ainsley gave Sam a look as she pressed her fingers against her temples.
"Come here," he beckoned her over and she slowly moved out of her chair and into his arms, burying her face in his chest.
"Do you have any idea how stressed I am?" she asked quietly.
"I have a pretty good idea and you should probably stop being stressed."
"Do you realize our wedding is in a week?"
"Yes I do."
"And I don't have a dress nor do we have music."
"Do you remember last night when we were eating dinner?" Sam asked. He felt Ainsley nod against him and went on. "Remember you said, 'Oh I have to call Donna. She's going to take the dress until the wedding so you don't see it or I ruin it."
Ainsley slowly pulled away from Sam and sighed, a relieved look on her face.
"Have I mentioned how much I love you?" she asked. Sam shook his head, a grin on his face. Ainsley smiled and leaned up, kissing Sam softly. He tightened his hold on her as he kissed her back. They broke apart for air and Ainsley sighed, burying her face in the crook of Sam's neck.
"One more week." he murmured, running a hand up and down her arm. "One more week and then we're out of here until July 7th."
"Mhmm..."
"Sounds good."
"Sounds very good. IF this wedding even happens."
"It will. So some things went wrong. Everything is going to be fine. Just relax honey."
"I'm trying Sam."
"Gotta try better."
"Let's work on this speech."
---------------------TWW----------------
"You ready to go yet?" Ainsley yawned. Sam nodded and leaned over the desk. Ainsley kissed him quickly and sunk back into her chair.
"Thanks for helping me."
"Not a problem. Let's go home."
"Yeah. I got to get my stuff from my office."
"I'll come with you."
"Alright." They quickly made their way to the Communications bullpen and Bonnie stopped Sam before he reached his office.
"What?"
"Your... your father is waiting for you." Bonnie said. Ainsley put a sympathetic hand on Sam's back and he glanced slightly at her.
"I'll meet you at home." he muttered.
"I'll wait for you."
"It's okay. We didn't drive together. You have your car. Just go. I'll be home soon."
"Okay." Ainsley kissed Sam's cheek and smiled at Bonnie. "Bye."
Sam walked into his office and shut the door, making James look up.
"What do you want?" he asked.
"We need to talk." James replied.
"There's nothing to really talk about. It was pretty clear to me."
"Sam, you have to understand something..."
"There's nothing to understand. I need to leave." he said.
"Will you just let me explain?"
"You don't need to explain. You cheated on Mom and you did it for 28 years. Why the hell didn't you just divorce her?"
"I stayed for you. I stayed for you and Sarah."
"You were never there to begin with so I don't know what you thought you were staying for."
"I realize you're angry with me." James said.
"Angry doesn't begin to cover it." Sam muttered, staring out his window.
"When you and Ainsley get to be married as long as your mother and I were, you're gonna want out sometimes."
Sam swerved around, his usually calm eyes dark with fury.
"Long? You were married for six years! And I'm not going to want out of my marriage. I am nothing like you. I wouldn't desert her because I was bored or whatever the hell the reason was you decided to get a mistress."
"I didn't decide Sam. It just happened."
"Guess you really didn't love Mom if you just let it happen. Get the hell out of my office. I want to go home and I can't do that till you leave."
"I'm sorry. What else do you want me to say?"
"I'm sorry doesn't make everything better." Sam snapped, grabbing his briefcase. He flung his door open and James quietly stepped out in front of him.
---------------------TWW-----------------
Ainsley laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling as she listened to the faint thud coming from the living room. She sighed and got out of bed, heading down towards the living room.
"Honey, it's two in the morning."
"I know." Sam threw the tennis ball violently at the wall and caught it when it bounced back.
"Do you know we have work in four hours?"
"Mhmm."
"Do you know that I've been listening to that ball for two hours?"
"Then plug your ears! What the hell do you want me to do Ainsley?"
"Gee, I don't know! Stop bouncing it maybe? For Christ's sake Sam you're gonna wake the neighbors!"
"It's not that loud." he muttered, throwing the ball again. It bounced back, going straight into Sam's hand. He threw it again but this time Ainsley intercepted it, making Sam's eyes widened.
"I played softball for four years." she explained. "Look, I know you're pissed at him."
"Pissed is not even a good word to use to describe how I'm feeling."
"Well how are you feeling?"
"I don't know." Sam admitted. Ainsley sat down on the couch next to him and tossed the ball away. "I just... I have no idea Ainse. I'm mad and upset and confused and... and a lot of other stuff that I can describe."
"That's normal Sam." she said quietly.
"Your parents aren't in the middle of a heated divorce."
"They were once."
Sam looked at Ainsley, who gave him a smile.
"My father was an alcoholic. This was a long time ago. I was probably about two years old. My mom took me and Casey and left. She sent him divorce papers but he never signed them. Went to AA meetings instead."
"I'm afraid of being like him." Sam said, barely above a whisper.
"What?"
"Today. In my office, he said once we had been married long as he and my mother had, I'd want out too."
"Sam, you're not like him."
"I told him that. I said that I wouldn't leave you but I don't think he believed me."
"Listen to me," Ainsley said softly, taking Sam's face in her hands. He tried to avoid her cool blue eyes but she forced him to look at her. "Your parents need to work things out. I know you're upset with him but once they get things moving smoothly again, you need to talk to him."
"No..."
"Yes, Sam, if you don't... I know this sounds stupid right now but you'll regret it if you don't talk this over with him."
"No."
"Stop arguing with me. What if something happens to him one day and you never came clean with him?"
"I wouldn't care."
"I know you're not like that. Come to bed."