Chapter 5:

Across town, Sam barely recalled her drive to the docks. Her head was too busy wrapping itself around what she had heard. The voice echoed in her mind, one she hadn't heard in years. However, time had not faded Sam's memory. She had instantly remembered, so she had rushed off without any further thought.

Looking back, she probably should have left a note letting someone know where she would be, but she doubted it would be necessary. This person was not out to hurt her, she was sure of that. Why ask for her help if they wanted to hurt her? Sam rationalized.

Walking down the steps, Sam saw her. She was sitting on the bench, staring out of the water. She looked so lost and so young still. Sam's heart went out to her. Sam knew what it felt like to be there, lost and scared.

Sam's heart stopped when she saw the umbrella stroller next to her. She paused on the last step. Her mind flew back to when she had thought that would be her. She had pictured a whole life for herself and the baby in that stroller.

Shaking herself from her reverie, Sam descended the last step and made her way over. Her smile was firmly in place as she glanced down at the sleeping 4 year old. Turning her attention to the mother, Sam's smile faltered a little at the look of pure hopelessness she saw there.

"Oh Bridget…"

"Sam."

Sam sank down to the bench beside her and hugged her as sobs racked Bridget's body. Her shoulder was getting wet, but Sam didn't care. Her mind raced trying to figure out what had Bridget so forlorn.

Bridget sat back and sighed. Using her sleeves, she wiped the tears from her face. She took a big breath, and then sighed. It was time to face the music, she thought. She hoped Sam could help. She really needed her to be able to help.

Sam watched the girl, her smile slowly returning. Her foot found its way to the back of the stroller and slowly begin rolling it back and forth. The sleeping child murmured contently making Sam's smile bigger.

"So, Bridget, what's wrong?"

Bridget turned away. She was ashamed, but she knew this had to be said. As much as she had tried to avoid it, there was no time left to avoid.

"I need your help, Sam."

"Okay with what?"

Sam braced herself for anything. She was unsure what to expect. However, given Bridget's past, Sam knew it could be anything. Thinking back, Sam recalled all the trouble Bridget had been in for the brief time their paths had crossed.

Bridget had been a troubled teen. She had gotten pregnant while living on the streets as a runaway. Both her parents were gone, and she had a huge chip on her shoulder. She had acted out violently towards anyone and everyone who tried to tell her what to do.

Sam tried not to think about the time she had spent with Bridget's baby, Hope. However the memories flooded through her. She remembered the day they named her. Jason hadn't really wanted to, but in the end he was the one who chose the name. In the short time she was with them, both Sam and Jason had learned to love that little girl. With a sad smile, Sam pulled herself from that time and brought herself back to the present.

"I'm in trouble."

Bridget's voice wavered. She was scared, scared Sam wouldn't help. She was also scared that there was no help possible. She had to try though, not for her sake, but for Hope.

"What kind of trouble?"

"Money trouble."

"Okay, I am not sure I understand. Explain the whole story to me."

Sam was patient. It was something she learned over the years. She just hoped there was something she could do for Bridget and Hope. She really hoped that this wasn't something she couldn't fix.

"Well, let's see. My grandmother, if you remember, took me and Hope home."

The love for her grandmother was easy to hear. Her grandmother had been the one person in her life to really love Bridget. Sam was glad she had come back into her granddaughter's life, even though at the time Sam hadn't seen it that way. She had only felt the loss of Hope, the loss of another child.

"Well, life was great, really great, for a while. I got a job to help out with everything for Hope. I went back to school. Everything was going so good."

Her lips trembled. She was on the verge of tears again. Sam patted her back. Straightening up, Bridget turned to look Sam in the eyes. Her own eyes were filled with unshed tears.

"Then she got sick. Now she is gone."

Sam knew who she meant. So her grandmother died, she thought. Sam looked down at her lap.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Bridget. She was a good woman. She loved you and Hope so much."

"Yeah, she did. I loved her too."

Sam nodded. She smiled encouragingly at Bridget. She knew that this was difficult for the girl. However she still didn't know what was going on with her, or how she was supposed to help her.

"Well, you see, that's when it all started. She didn't have life insurance, so it was up to me to figure out a way to pay for everything. I was desperate. I did awful things."

Bridget looked away again. She thought of all the bad things she had done, all for money. She had lied, cheated, and stolen. She had gotten in with a rough crowd. Now she was about to be out of that crowd, and out of this world permanently if she didn't pay up.

Sam just listened. She had been desperate before too. She just hoped Bridget hadn't done some of the things she had done. Just remembering all the cons she had pulled made Sam's blood run cold. She had done what she needed to do, but it didn't always make it right.

"Bills started stacking up. I had no way to pay most of them. Then I met this guy. I had just lost the house, and he let me and Hope come stay with him. I should have known better, that he would use me or expect something in return, but I was so alone and broke."

Her voice had gotten bitter as she thought about it. She couldn't believe she had ever been so naïve, but such was her life. She was disappointed in herself for not doing a better job, for herself and especially for Hope.

"Bryan forced me to steal a lot of money from this other guy, Marco. I did it, and then he just left. He just left me and Hope with nothing…"

Hatred rolled off Bridget with the mention of Bryan. She had thought maybe he would come to love her and Hope. However, he had just wanted her to do something for him. She also hated him because he had got her baby girl caught up in something like this.

Sam was confused. How could someone get themselves in this position, she thought. It was not her place to judge though. She merely nodded as she listened. A frown was slowly forming despite her determination to remain passive.

"Well, now here is the real problem. Marco is demanding me give him the money back or else. And by else I mean, he will kill me or worse."

Bridget said the last part so nonchalantly that Sam laughed. She couldn't help it. It was like something you saw on TV or on a soap opera or something. She could barely wrap her mind around it. She just couldn't help it as she doubled over in laughter.

Bridget stared at her. This was not quite the reaction she had expected. Part of her expected Sam to be angry. However, she should have known Sam wouldn't be too mad. Sam had always been really understanding. She would do anything for Hope, at least that's what she was hoping.

Sam sat back up and looked at Bridget. Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself.

"So exactly is a lot? And how do you want me to help you?"

Bridget grimaced. She didn't really want to say it, but she had to. It was the only way she could think of. She just hoped this didn't turn out bad for her like all of her other plans. She really felt she deserved a break, at least just this once.

"Two hundred thousand dollars. I was hoping you could loan it to me or better yet just give it to me."

Bridget looked up at her sheepishly. Sam just stared at her for a minute. Laughter again took over Sam. She laughed so hard tears came to her eyes. She couldn't believe what she just heard. This had to be some joke.

"Really, Bridget?"

"Sam, I wouldn't lie about this. So what do you say?"

Sam sighed. She rubbed her temples. Feeling a headache coming on, Sam closed her eyes. She leaned fully back against the bench and dropped her hands to her lap. She didn't have the money to give to her. She used most of her money from the settlement from Everyday Heroes to help pay for the PI business. The money she had received from the handful of cases they had had went right back into the business as well.

"Bridget, I don't have that kind of money."

"But doesn't Jason…I thought he had loads of money."

Sighing again, Sam turned to her.

"Jason and I…Well we aren't together anymore."

Bridget bit down on her lip. Her hope was fading. This couldn't be happening. Sam was her last and only hope to get out of this mess, and here she was tell her she couldn't help.

"What do you mean?"

"What do you mean, 'What do you mean'? I mean exactly what I said. We aren't together."

"But you guys loved each other and were going to have a family."

"Things change Bridget. It's been more than four years."

Sam stood and walked to the edge. She looked down into the water. This was not a subject she really wanted to discuss with Bridget. Her and Jason was something she rarely liked to think about let alone talk about. When Bridget had known them, they were so in love and so happy. They had been going to raise Bridget's daughter as their own.

It didn't do any good to think about it now, but Sam often wondered if her baby, Lila, had lived or had they gotten to keep Hope, if her and Jason would still be together. Those thoughts were treacherous though. Sam knew kids weren't in her future. Still, sometimes she would just imagine the feel of Hope in her arms. The feeling brought a smile to Sam's face.

Bridget's voice brought her out of her own mind. She was rambling on about how happy they had seemed and how she couldn't believe they weren't still together. Sam turned and looked again at the sleeping child. She slowly began to focus on what Bridget was saying.

"I just can't believe you and Jason…are you guys even friends?"

"We are now."

Sam again was uneasy discussing this with Bridget. So instead, she walked over to the stroller and brushed a lock of hair out of Hope's face. Bending down to kiss her cheek, Sam lovingly memorized her face. She wasn't sure she would ever see this little girl again. She wanted to make sure she remembered everything she could.

"Couldn't you just ask him for it then?"

Bridget's whining question had Sam spinning around to stare at her. The astonished look on Sam's face said it all. She must have lost her mind along with all the money, she thought.

"No, Bridget, I can't. Why on earth would you think I could?"

"Well…I don't know. I just really need your help. Please."

A sound from the stroller made Sam again spin around, just in the opposite direction. She looked down into the prettiest face she had seen in a long time. Her soft curls were once again falling into her eyes, eyes the color of a stormy sky. Sam's heart clenched.

Hope stared up at the pretty lady. Wiping her hair out of her face, she looked around for her mom. She chewed on her bottom lip until she saw her. Giving her a toothy grin, she stretched.

"Momma, can I get out?"

Sam's heart melted at the sound of her voice. She turned back again to Bridget. Bridget was staring back with a look of pure pleading. Sam didn't know how but she was going to help them. She just had to, for the child that had once been hers.

"Ok."

The word slipped from her lips before she knew it. However as soon as she looked down at Hope, she knew it would be just that. It would work out. She didn't know how just yet, but she would figure it out.

"Ok?"

"Ok. I will help you. But we aren't asking Jason. We will figure this out on our own. But first let's get you two settled. Where you are staying?"

"Well…"

"Seriously Bridget? What if you hadn't been able to find me? What then?"

Sam sighed and bent down to Hope. She smiled at the 4 year old.

"You want to get out? Well, how about we get you out of that stroller and into my car? You and your mom are going to come stay with me. Sound like a deal?"

The child looked at her with big eyes, glancing once at her mom. She was unsure but seeing the smile on her mom's face, she too smiled. Looking up at the lady, she grinned and gave her a big thumbs up.

"Cool dude."

Those two words made Sam's day. Giving the child her brightest smile, she stood. Turning to Bridget, who was also grinning, she shook her head slightly. How do I get myself into situations like this, she pondered.