Title: Scenes from a Courtship

Disclaimer: Not mine, I'm just playing.

Summary: A series of scenes from Sam and Martin's relationship. In the same universe as "A Long Weekend."

Rating: If you are old enough to use the internet you are old enough to read this.

Chapter 6

A special thanks to Claire and "she who wishes not to be named" for beta reading.

Dinner with the Fitzgerald's

Martin and Sam walked in to the lobby of his parent's hotel. He had his hand on the small of her back. He could tell she was nervous not only about meeting his folks, but about being conspicuous with her black eye.

Martin steered Sam towards his parents and before he could even open his mouth to start introductions, his mother said, "You must be Samantha. How did you get that nasty black eye? Are you o.k.?"

"Mrs. Fitzgerald, it's so nice to meet you. I got the black eye after a little trouble at work yesterday. I'm fine. Deputy Director Fitzgerald and Martin made sure I got it looked at," replied Sam.

"Dear, its Helen and Victor away from the office. I'm glad my son remembered something I taught him."

The four of them headed over to the restaurant for what turned out to be a very pleasant dinner. Helen was wonderful. Victor was a little stiff and not quite in his element, but Sam could tell he was trying. He clearly wanted to connect better with his son.

Over dessert, Martin could tell that Sam's headache had come back. He was about to make an excuse to take her home when his mother started talking.

"Sam, you look like that fall is coming back to haunt you. We should get you home and get you fixed up. Martin, I know the plan was for you two to meet us at St. Margaret's for mass and then for brunch with Father Paul, but I think we should change that," stated Helen in a no nonsense way.

Martin and Sam both started to disagree, but Helen cut them off. "Samantha you need a little mother's TLC and you shouldn't be alone tonight in case you get worse. We'll catch a cab to your place. Victor, you and Martin can take your driver over to Martin's so he can get some things together so he can spend the night watching over Samantha. We'll meet back at her place and then you and I can head back to the hotel. Then we can pick you kids up in the morning for mass" stated Helen.

Martin and Sam both tried to object. Victor interrupted by "It's futile to argue when she is like this. Besides she is right."

Martin and Sam looked stupefied and found themselves being dragged along.

"Dad," said Martin as they got in his father's town car. "We really don't need to do this. I have stuff at Sam's place and we were planning to spend the night at my place tonight since it's closer to St. Margaret's anyway. Mom doesn't think that Sam and I have never . . ."

"Son," replied Victor "I suspect that your mother knows deep down that you and Samantha are sleeping together and that she is probably not the first woman to share you bed. However, she doesn't really want to admit that, she doesn't want Samantha to be alone in case she gets worse, and she's always wanted a daughter to fuss over, so she is arranging everything so that she gets what she wants and doesn't have to deal with anything she'd rather not. Think of it as the Fitzgerald family version of 'don't ask, don't tell'."

"Dad," replied Martin, "that's a little nuts but I'll go along. I don't think it is going to last long though. I think my stuff in the apartment will be a dead give away. Maybe she can rationalize away my running shoes by the door and stuff, but my razor in the bathroom? And even worse, oh my god, the box of condoms by Sam's bed and her birth control pills on bathroom counter?" Martin sensed a little confusion on his father's part so he clarified "there are condoms because Sam had to take prophylactic antibiotics from potential exposure to meningitis from a case a few weeks ago mess with the pill, and we didn't want to take any chances."

Martin tried to sink back into the seat hoping for a hole of some kind to just swallow him up or some way to make this never have happened.

"Martin, your mother wants to maintain this charade, she's going to over look or rationalize a way anything she doesn't want to see. Don't worry," stated Victor. "Just do me a favor and at least maintain the illusion of separate apartments until you give that lovely girl a ring. Then your mother will be so excited about a wedding and the potential for grandbabies that she won't care."

"Dad, you realize that Sam and I aren't quite there yet right? You also realize that IF and I mean IF Sam and I get married grandbabies will probably not be following 9 or 10 months later. Sam loves her job and I love my job. We can't be married without one of us changing units. Neither one of us has any desire for more than a couple of kids. Besides, it's not as if you and mom had a large family. I'm an only child and unless I've done the math wrong you were married for a number of years before I was born."

"Martin, I'm not trying to rush you and Samantha into anything. As your father, I want you to be happy and be sure before you make a commitment like that. As the deputy director, I don't want to break up an excellent unit. You should know that your mother and I never intended you to be an only child. It just worked out that way. Your mother had several miscarriages."

"Dad, I'm sorry. I didn't know," said Martin.

"It's o.k., I know you didn't, we didn't want you to. I just wanted to try and explain your mother a bit," replied Victor.

The car arrived at Martin's place just then.

Meanwhile, Helen had sent Sam to sit in the hotel lobby, while she collected some things from the spa in the lobby. Sam sat there trying to figure out if Helen really thought Martin never stayed at her place or what. She also was trying to think of what Martin had left in her apartment that could not be casually explained away. She decided she was fine as long as she kept Helen out of the bedroom and bathroom. She couldn't believe she was worrying about this at this point in her life. Wasn't this the realm of college girls with conservative parents?

Helen came back with several shopping bags. The doorman hailed them a cab and they were off.

Helen chatted away in the cab saying nothing that needed much for than a yes or a no or an uhm from Sam. Just before they arrived at Sam's place Helen said, "I always wanted a daughter to fuss over. Everyone should have someone to fuss over her when she is hurt. I'm sure Martin tries, but some things need a mom."

"He does try to take care of me and I try to take care of him," Sam replied.

The cab arrived. As they walked up to her building, Sam formulated plan. She'd head right to the bathroom, hide Martin's stuff, and then do a quick sweep of the bedroom. Anything else could be written off as him being over much of the time.

As soon as they walked in the door, Sam said "excuse me Helen, I have to go to the bathroom. Please make yourself at home." In the bathroom, Sam gathered up Martin's things and shoved the in the closet. She hid her birth control pills in the back of the medicine cabinet. She flushed the toilet and stepped out of the bathroom. She thought about trying to get to the bedroom but decided against it.

As soon as Sam walked back towards the front room, Helen said "Samantha you have a lovely place here. You must be achy from that fall. I got some wonderful aromatherapy stuff at the spa and something to help heal the bruises. Go put on a robe and find your pajamas. I'll run you a tub."

Sam went into her room did a quick sweep for any clues that Martin had ever spent the night. Then went to ponder sleepwear choices. She found a cute, but modest top, matching pajama pants and matching robe. She undressed and put on the robe.

Helen was standing outside the bathroom. "I've run a tub for you with all sorts of things to make you feel better. The bruise cream is on the vanity. I'll say your good nights to Victor. Feel better dear."

Sam thanked Helen and on a whim gave her a quick hug. Helen hugged her back and said "I here the men coming. Go hop in the tub. I'll let Martin know you are in here so holler if you need him."

"Thanks again," said Sam.

Sam slipped into a wonderfully warm tub with fragrant bubbles, a bath pillow and noticed a cooling eye mask on the side of the tub.

Helen went and let Victor and Martin in.

"Hello there. I've put Sam in a tub with things to help her aches and pain heal. Don't be afraid to go check on her Martin, if you don't hear her moving, she'll be all covered in bubbles. Besides safety beats modesty any day. Do you need any help making up the couch?" rambled Helen.

Martin bit his lip to keep from laughing and said. "Mom, I'm pretty sure Sam has a sleeper sofa. I think I can handle it," while shooting a pleading look at his dad.

Victor saw Martin's look and told Helen "It's getting late and they are grown-ups, I'm sure Martin is capable of making himself comfortable for the night here."

Martin could see the look of laughter in his father's eyes that did not show up in his voice. He thanked both his parents, hugged his mother, shook his father's hand, and got them out the door. He locked up for the night.

Knocking on the bathroom door, he said, "They're gone. Can I come in?"

"Sure" replied a sleepy sounding Sam.

Martin came in and looked around saying "nice clean-up job. I'm sorry I had no idea there were some things my mother was so delusional about. Dad helped me get rid of her before she started making up the couch. How are you doing? Do you need anything?" Martin was bouncing back and forth between being exasperated with his parents and concerned about Sam.

Sam smiled and replied, "I'm fine. I'm wonderful actually, this stuff is great. You might want to dig your stuff out of the closet. I'm going to soak a little more, but then a cup of tea and some Advil would be nice."

"Sure, hon," said Martin as he pulled his stuff out of the closet. "What else can I do?"

"Marty, go make me some tea and we'll talk later," said Sam.

Dinner Dissected

Martin brought a steaming mug of herbal team and a couple of Advil into Sam's bedroom. Sam was propped up on a pile of pillows listening to music, looking tranquil and relaxed.

He handed her the mug and the Advil. "I'm sorry about my mom. She can go overboard. I learned some interesting things during my ride with Dad."

"Marty, it was fine. In fact it was kind of nice to have someone mom-like fuss over me," said Sam. "Tell me more about what you learned."

Martin stretched out next to Sam. "Well, I learned that my mother is apparently delusional about some things. My father thinks she was determined to either rationalize away or not see any thing that would proved that our relationship is strays outside the boundaries that the nuns who taught her would have set. He wasn't worried. He did ask me to make sure we maintain the illusion of separate places until I, and I quote 'give that lovely girl a ring.' Don't worry; I explained we aren't there yet."

Sam smiled and said "He really said that?'

"Yeah he did," replied Martin. He leaned over to kiss Sam and realized she was fast asleep. He planted and gentle kiss on her forward and since it was still early so Martin crept out of bed and went to watch some television before rejoining Sam in bed.