Quietus

Chapter 9

Somehow I have managed to keep her hand in mine without it becoming awkward like it seemed earlier when I was wondering where in the hell were our wedding rings.

I decide to start off being as direct as I possibly can without trying to make Samantha run for the hills with my somewhat prophetic prophesies for the future, ones that I seem to have knowledge of while the beauty that is sitting beside me apparently has no freaking clue about what is coming round the bend. "Well since we agreed to give this friend thing a go, may I tell you something very important?"

"Important you say? Go on you have my curiosity piqued."

If she only knew, but I'm not going there yet or I risk ending our cautious attempt at friendship before it ever fully begins.

"Samantha, I want you to give this idea some thought before you decide to get married to Austin or anyone else."

"There won't be anyone else besides Austin," she says definitely.

I cast a wary look in her direction and begin to softly rub my fingers along her hand in a soothing manner, "Humor me please."

If she notices what I'm doing to her hand, she isn't acknowledging it. She sighs as if she is doing me a favor, "Go ahead, I'm willing to listen. What is it that you want to say to me?"

"Please don't sell yourself short, you are an amazing woman."

She almost rolls her eyes at me, I know the signs of when she thinks that response is warranted, but something in the tone of my voice must make her think to hold off from such expressions from her. "Thank you EJ, but you don't know all the bad things I've done in my life or you wouldn't be calling me amazing, crazy maybe, but definitely not amazing."

"We've all done things that are less than stellar, some more than others, but that isn't the point I'm trying to make to you."

"EJ, what great words of wisdom do you want to impart to me then?"

I look her straight in the eyes, ones I wish at the moment were looking at me with love, but at least it isn't hatred either so I guess at the moment I have to go with the stance that beggars can't be choosers. "Never let anyone make you believe that they are doing you a favor if they want to be in a relationship with you because you my dear are one of a kind."

She finally succumbs to the desire to roll her eyes at me, "If you mean the disastrous, fuck up your life kind of person then maybe…"

I shake my head in negation, "No, you're like fireworks on a hot summer night, the glorious streaks of lighting before a rainstorm that lights up the entire sky, the joy of seeing the first snowflakes of the season falling all around, you're magnificent Samantha Gene Brady and any person would be the lucky one to have you in their life, not the other way around."

I can instantly see she doesn't believe a word I am saying to her, she doesn't believe in herself at all and once again it makes me upset with her family for treating her the way they have ever since she was a teenager because to her way of thinking she isn't any of those things. Her sister's maybe, but not her.

"You really don't know me," she states quite frankly.

But I do know her; she is my other half, the yin to my yang. I feel her start to pull her hand away, but I refuse to let it go. I just need to hold onto to her for a few seconds longer. She doesn't realize how I draw strength from her that her being in this world is the reason I want to get up and start anew each and every day.

"If you don't remember anything else I say today, remember this, sometimes people make promises that they can't possibly keep, and those broken promises may make you feel like your heart is breaking in a million pieces, but when the right one comes into your life you'll understand why you had to deal with all the broken pieces."

She breaks into a smile as she starts to tease me, "You my friend EJ DiMera are deep."

"Oh you have no idea," I instantly reply and bring that precious hand of hers up to my lips to place a chaste kiss upon it then reluctantly I let her hand go.

I finally see it in her eyes, I have affected her by my words and gestures, and maybe she will take what I have said to heart.

Then she looks down at her watch, noting the time, "Sorry EJ, I have to go, but I'll see you around."

"Promise?" I ask hopefully.

"I promise," she agrees without a second of hesitation on her part, which has to be a good thing because if she thought I was a nutcase she would be sprinting away from me as fast as her legs could take her.

"Good," I reply wanting to kiss her so desperately that I'm sure she can see it in my eyes, yet all she does is get up from the bench we are sitting at together, but before she goes she leans over and gives me a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks for the pep talk."

"Anytime Sunshine," I say sweetly to her, feeling like I've gotten the best gift ever from a simple impromptu kiss from her that wasn't even on the lips; it was just a tiny graze of her lips upon my cheek. Yet for now that is enough.

"Sunshine, I like that nickname," she comments before turning around and walking away from me.

I long to go after her, but I realize I can't push her, one day she will see I'm the one who truly loves her, I'm the guy who won't ever give up on her, that I'm the one who thinks she is all those things I mentioned to her earlier in our conversation and more. One day she will realize that no matter what life throws in our way, as long as we are together we can weather any storm.

I won't stop until she believes me because she is worth it, worth it all.