Chapter 9

…

Sam made her way up to her office to find Sheila on the phone with a client. She gave her a quick smile before sitting down behind her desk, feeling more than a little nervous. When Sheila placed the phone back down, her eyes immediately fell on Sam.

"Good meeting Sam?"

"Sorry."

"You're meeting with one of your investors, it went well?"

"Fine Sheila, just fine."

She got up from her desk and came to stand in front of Sam's desk, Sam could feel her eyes boring into her…worry filling her stomach.

"Is something wrong Sheila?"

"I don't know, is there?"

"Sorry." She asked, looking up at her.

"Sam, what's going on with you?"

"How do you mean."

"Oh come on Sam, I'm not stupid. You've not been yourself for weeks now, you're very distracted. Something's clearly wrong…"

"Shiela please, it's just been a very busy few weeks and I haven't had much time to myself…that's all."

She stiffened a little when Sheila came around the side of the desk and knelt at her side.

"Sam, you know we just care about you. You're our Friend and if you need us…."

"Sheila, I'm fine."

"Are you drinking again?"

"What….no, honestly Sheila I'm perfectly alright. I'm not drinking again…I promise you."

Sheila watched her Boss and Friend closely and couldn't quite pinpoint it but she still wasn't convinced but chose to let it go.

"Alright Sam, if you're absolutetly sure then I'll let it go but please….if you need to talk, about anything…I'm here."

"Thank you Sheila, I will." She smiled.

…

Isobel was behind the counter of her corner shop as Mari attended to Effie, who had a basket full of veg. She could just make out Effie talking but she was lost in her own thoughts after what she had saw that morning.

"Isobel, are you listening?"

"Sorry, Mari, what."

"Effie's asking you if you're coming to the pub tonight for a drink."

"Oh sorry Effie, I was miles away."

"So, are you." Mari asked.

"Not tonight, I think I might just have a night to myself."

"Well I'm going to go, I need to get out of that house for the night." Effie said.

"Oh, why's that then." Mari asked, ever the nosey one.

"Miss Hagen's been in such a foul mood the last few weeks and I don't think she's too well."

"Why do you say that Effie." Isobel asked.

"Oh I've heard her several times recently in that bathroom being sick, a few times a day the past few weeks. I asked her about it but she insists she's fine, well you know what Miss Hagen's like."

"She's probably just got a virus or something."

"I don't think so Isobel, this is weeks now and she's fine by the afternoon. She looks tired too. I did begin to wonder if she'd started hitting the bottle again."

"Oh come on now, I don't think Sam would go back to her old ways again. She went through so much to get over her drinking problem, it nearly killed her Effie. She wouldn't go back to it."

"That's what Sheila said, Sneddon told me to stop fussing, that I was just imagining things but something….I don't know what but something is definitely not right. You'll see, I'm telling you."

Effie said her goodbyes before leaving the shop, Mhari turned back and saw a worried look on Isobel's face.

"Don't take any notice of what Effie says."

"What, oh no I'm not…it's not that."

"What do you mean?"

"I saw Sam this morning."

"What drinking, all that money she has and she lets drink ruin her…."

"No not drinking, she was dropping Dominic off at Sheila's."

"So what's wrong with that, the lad did work for her."

"It's just from what I saw, the way they were with each other….I don't know."

"What do you mean…the way they were with each other?"

"It just looked like they were, I don't know…close."

"You don't mean what I think you mean, oh really Isobel….I think you've been drinking. She's old enough to be his Mother." Mhari laughed.

"You're right, I'm going barmy." She half smiled, not quite believing what she was saying.

…

It was just coming up for 7pm when Effie came in and put the plates onto the dining table. Sam was sitting on her large sofa with some tea, signing some last minute reports when Davey walked in.

"Do you ever stop working Woman?" He said, in his usual gruff tone.

"David, you made it. I'm just finished, thought I'd better get them out-of-the-way."

"You shouldn't be working so late, especially not now that you're…."

"Ahhh David…drink?"

Davey looked at her oddly before realising Effie was around the corner, finishing the table.

"Yeah, coffee will do."

"I can get you a proper drink if you like." She smiled.

"Nah, you're alright really."

Sam poured him a cup and handed it to him as he took a seat beside her.

"Miss Hagen, that's everything ready for you now. Alright if I get going now?"

"Of course Effie, off you go. Enjoy the rest of your evening."

"Thank you Miss Hagen, Sneddon."

They waited for her to leave before Davey saw the look Sam gave him.

"Look, I'm sorry….I didn't know she was there." He said.

"It's alright, thank you for coming tonight."

"Well it sounded important, everything went okay today then?"

"It went very well, I think Dominic and I made some progress today with one another."

"Not still trying to get you back into bed then."

"No, he isn't."

"What about Sheila, did she corner you?"

"She tried too, I managed to steer her away from my problems."

"How much longer do you think you're gonna be able to keep this secret, it's too big to hide Sam."

"I know, I know it is. I guess I just know how badly things are going to be once it's out there and I'm not sure I'll be able to handle it on my own."

Davey moved his hand to cover Sam's as a way of support.

"Sam, I'm always here…you know that."

"You can't protect me from everyone."

"I'll damn well try….so come on then, why did you want me here tonight."

"Oh right, well you asked me earlier what made me change my mind about keeping the baby."

"Yeah."

…

He watched her closely as she went and took a book from the side table and opened it to reveal a photograph that was sitting inside it. She took it out of the page and handed it to Davey. He examined the ultrasound for a few moments and couldn't stop the smile that appeared on his face.

"So it took a photo to make you change your mind huh."

"It did, it didn't seem real you see, until I saw it myself on the screen. When I saw Dominic's face when he saw the baby on the monitor, I've never seen anyone look so happy. This whole things such a mess but in that moment he just didn't care and to be honest…neither did I."

"I'm glad Sam, I really am. Despite the reason for this situation…the truth is I think you'll be a great Mother, hell even Dominic will make a great Father…although don't go telling him I said so."

"I do need you too, you know that don't you."

"Sam…"

"We have a history David and I've never stopped loving you, you and Isobel got me over the drinking. You stood by me and need you to be here for me now, for both of us."

Davey turned to Sam and saw the fear had returned to her eyes, it hurt him to see such a tough Woman like herself so terrified. He took hold of her hand, pulling her closer to him and kissed her gently on the lips. Her arms came around his neck as he deepened the kiss before she pulled back and smiled at him.

"I'm not going anywhere Sam, I'll be with you all the way because the truth is….I've never stopped loving you either."

…

To Be Continued….