"Samantha, I just don't want you to get hurt." Wyatt told his auburn-haired daughter.
Sam frowned at the clean kitchen table in thought. "Get hurt?" she asked.
"There are many accidents that could happen, Sam," Gram said softly. "Driving accidents, parties and other things you're not ready for."
Brynna bit her lip and glanced at Wyatt and Sam, as if trying to pick a side. "But it is only Jake Ely, not some creep from school…" she trailed off, actually losing dignity.
Wyatt looked at his wife. "Yeah, but-"
He stopped, and Sam tried to look calm and sure. But she couldn't. She knew that Dad was going to say something about how his employee had been one reason for the Accident, and how he usually went along with Sam and got in some horse-protecting situations.
"You need to wait until you are at least sixteen to date anyone, even Jake, but I think that you should be allowed to go to the movies or Clara's." Wyatt stated uncomfortably. Anybody could tell that he was embarrassed at this sort of speech.
Brynna and Gram nodded in agreement. "Do any of you want ice cream with blueberries?" Gram asked, breaking an awkward silence.
"Sure." Sam said finally, though she wasn't very hungry. Wyatt also said he'd take a little, and then daughter and father were left alone as Brynna went to check on Cody and Gram went to get the ice cream down in the cellar freezer.
"Hope Tempest does well in the fair." Dad told Sam, again trying to break the ice.
Sam managed a small smile. "I think she will."
Gram bustled up from the basement, and busied herself in scooping out French Vanilla and putting warm blueberries on top. "Tomorrow's 4th of July." she announced, as if Wyatt and Sam didn't already know that.
"I want you to wash off our two picnic tables." Gram continued, talking to Sam, "and help make the deviled eggs and fruit salad."
"Okay." Sam agreed, growing a little bit more excited. As much as she enjoyed the get-togethers, Sam hated cleaning for them. But it was going to pay off this time, especially if she got Jen to spend the night afterwards.
Plus, Linc Slocum and his bratty kids weren't going to be there. Sam shuddered remembering how Ryan and Jake would always be on the brink of a fight, giving evil glances at each other's way every spare moment…
"Sam, honey? What's with you lately, with spacing out?" Brynna asked concernedly feeling Sam's forehead for a temperature.
"Nothing's wrong." Sam blinked cheerfully. "I'm just excited for tomorrow."
"You need to get done eating that puddle and get up to bed." Her dad advised, gesturing towards the melting ice cream Sam hadn't noticed.
She mechanically scooped the sweet ice cream into her mouth, still deep in thought. If Dad was going to make her go to sleep earlier tonight, thinking that she was getting sick, he'd probably even more alert listening for Sam sneaking out to see the Phantom.
Sam wasn't tired. She restlessly tossed over in her bed, again. The bright moonlight elucidated Sam's room, and she restrained from looking at her clock. Every time she checked it was only minutes past the previous time. Sam sighed and turned the alarm clock around, seeing it was 11:45. She'd been in bed for two hours and even reading didn't help tonight, she had to see Blackie.
It was like that there was a spell put on her to make her awake until she'd saw the Phantom, Sam thought. She silently ignored her conscience and slipped on her work boots and coat, making sure to not wake Cougar, who was catnapping on the foot of her bed.
Sam's bedroom door swung open with hardly any noise, but still Sam was relieved that Dad and Brynna had their door closed and their fan on high. Gram's room door was also tightly shut, and as Sam silently counted to twenty, she heard no one waking up.
She took five timid steps down the short hallway, stepping over the creaky spots. Sam had to admit she knew every inch of the ground from her room to the door. At the staircase, she counted again to fifteen, and then sat down on the stairs, going down on her butt to eliminate any sound.
Sam wondered what Jake would say if he saw her. She normally wouldn't go to that extreme of caution, but tonight was risky, and she wasn't taking any chances.
The hardwood floor started to squeak, and Sam cringed, stepping quickly over the board.
Once outside, Sam breathed in a huge sigh of relief. She was so quiet sneaking out that not even Ace had heard her.
A familiar splash sound brought Sam back to reality in a jolt. Zanzibar! The magnificent silver stallion trotted through the waters of the La Charla. Sam slowly walked towards her former colt. Even though the Phantom and Sam's trust was remodeling itself once more, but Sam knew that she and Blackie were always going to be separated by freedom.
"Hey, Zanzibar." Sam whispered, placing a hand on the Phantom's strong neck. She pulled out the curry comb she stuffed in her sweatshirt pocket and gently began stroking Blackie's back, making firm but cautious brush strokes, getting rid of all the dust.
Sam had started using a softer brush a few weeks ago, and as the horse adapted to it, began using a tougher one. So far he was responding well to her brushing. She barely breathed as she ran the brush in circles over his withers and back. If her dad saw her right now…well, she couldn't imagine what would happen.
And if Jake saw her, like Gram would say, he'd be having kittens, and a plenty of them. "Jake could never believe that I've got this far." Sam said out loud, Phantom's ears flickering to the side as he listened to her voice.
"Well, Brat, I've just saw it for myself." a deep voice whispered, causing Sam to stumble.