Sam's POV
After all of the grief, I was so happy when summer really began. After much talking, I decided to meet Jess' family. I was of course nervous. I packed my meager belongings and got in the car with her. The ride to Sacramento was three hours long. The whole way there I asked questions.
"So you have a little sister, Sophie, who is just staring college?"
"Yes. Sacramento City College. She wanted to be a little closer to home. Or he boyfriend." Jess rolled her eyes.
"Um, then Tommy who is a doctor. He is married to Vanessa and has a son named Will."
"Yep. Will is about to start school." She reminded me.
"And your father is a doctor too."
"Hmm." She nodded.
"Is there anything I shouldn't mention around him?" I didn't want to offend him or anything.
"No." She laughed. "Years in the E.R. has made him very patient and calm. Hardly able to make him made. Sophie tries though."
"I just don't want them to hate me." I sighed.
"They won't. They will love you." She kissed my cheek.
She pulled up to her house around noon. I stared in shock. I heard her laugh. The house was huge, two stories, and made of stone with a turret looking thing. I slowly got out. Jess came around and started to pull me to the porch. Before we got there, the door opened. A woman stood there. She was about Jess' height with the same hair colour. The woman was smiling and wore a blouse with a skirt. Must be Mrs. Moore.
"Hey, Jessica!" She hugged her. "And you must be Sam. Come in."
I walked in to see a huge open concept and people waiting for us. I saw her father, Dr. Moore, standing there. He was in a tee shirt and jeans. Then, Tommy. He wore a tank top and shorts. Next to him was a young woman holding a kicking kid. Sitting on the couch, smiling, was a young blonde wearing a cami and very short blue jeans.
"You must be Sam." Her father stepped up and shook my hand.
"Yes. Dr. Moore." I nodded.
"Oh. Call me Rob."
"Rob."
"I am Linda." Jess' mother said. "This is Sophie, Tommy, Vanessa, and Will."
The boy finally got put down and he ran over to me. Quietly, and with a stubborn face, he shoved a piece of yellow paper in the air. I took it from him and opened it up. In a messy scrawl it read, 'Welcome Sam. Hope you have fun.' I smiled.
"I will." I told him.
"Good." He turned and went back to Vanessa.
Soon, it was time for lunch. Tommy and Rob talked about doctor stuff. Jess joined in a few times, but mostly stayed quiet and held my hand. Sophie and Vanessa talked about girl stuff and photography. Then, college. Will talked going to school in a few months. He was adorable.
"What about you, Sam?" Her father asked.
"Um, I am thinking about going to Stanford Law School." I said, quietly.
"You like law?"
"I guess." I shrugged.
"What drew you to Jessica?" Tommy asked.
"Um, her personality. She is strong and independent. Very different than other girls." I told him.
"Really?" He glared.
"Yes." I sat straighter. What was his problem? "Is there a problem?"
"No." He shook his head.
"He is worried that you are crazy. Just trying to see if you pass his tests." Sophie suddenly said.
"Soph!" Tommy glared.
"Just laying it out." She shrugged.
"Well don't." He bit back.
"Then don't be silly." She smiled.
"Both of you stop it." Linda scolded. "I'm sorry, Sam."
"It's fine."
"It isn't." Jess said. "Tommy apologize."
"I'm sorry Sam. You just have to understand. After Danny…" He trailed off.
"I understand. I have a protective older brother." I smiled.
"Dean, right?" He asked.
"Yeah."
"What can you spill?" Sophie looked at me, wagging her eyebrows.
"He is taken." I looked at her.
"Man. His lose."
The rest of the day was great. Everyone talked, then we played games, and all of us watched a movie. It was fun to see all of them react to things. Jess was of course the best to watch. She was funny, strong, and kind. Sophie was very amusing. She was very opinionated, hard headed, and sarcastic.
Tom was more on the protective and aggressive side of things. He wasn't afraid of offending someone. His wife on the other hand was quiet and comforting. I guess opposites do attract. Rob was more like a mix between Jess and Sophie. He was funny, opinionated, and stubborn. Linda was understanding, easy to please, and a peace keeper. Will was just like any other kid. Impatient, easily bored, and cute.
The month of July was mostly spent at their beach house. It was small and cozy. I couldn't believe that they had a beach house also. The trip was filled with lots of fun activities. Jess took me to watch fireworks and told them about when Dean and I burned down the field.
Everyone had their own thing, but it didn't take away from the familial feeling. Vanessa and Will would often collect shells. Will would put them in his collection, while the girls made jewelry out the ones he decided he didn't want no more. Tom and Rob would play sports on the beach. Sophie and Linda loved to shop and look around. Then, they all loved swimming. I would join them and I tried to decide what I liked. I guess I would have to pick watching the sunsets with Jess.
We would sit on the roof of the house together. Both of us would have a thin blanket around our shoulder. She would lean her head against my shoulder and we would hold hands. The sky would be filled with oranges, yellows, light blues, and pastel purples. Then, the glowing sun. All of it would reflect on the water. It felt very peaceful and like the world had stopped turning for the two of us. I could have stayed in that moment forever.
Of course all good things came to an end. Mid-August came around the corner and we had to go back. We had to get ready for our classes. I hated saying goodbye. They had started to feel like family. I wondered if they could be. Maybe I could marry Jess and have kids. I smiled as I thought about that actually happening.
A/N: June 12th, 2004- August 12th, 2004. Also, the family is based on of I'm. 's story, Lies. It is my favorite Samsica story.