Bartender meets a Barkley
Part Three:
"The Twinkling Star"
Upon winning at gin and promising a rematch with Nick, Sam lent a helping hand to Harry who was busy cleaning up the saloon. While helping, the two men engaged in a conversation about boyhood and discovered similarities despite only knowing each other for a short time. The same could be said when after meeting Victoria and shooting the breeze with her while walking her to the post office. They only knew each other for a few minutes give or take, but it felt as if they had known each other all their lives. Sometimes that does happen when people meet and chew the fat for an hour or so. Then, if it wasn't the fact that Sam felt as if he had known Harry and Victoria his whole life & felt somewhat at home when around them, it was the moments where he and Victoria sported sad looks on their faces after they gave each other reminders of Tom & a what-if scenario if Sam had what Victoria has or Sam mentioning Tom's name. Speaking of which, Sam would mention Tom by name and Victoria would have the same saddened look she had in the saloon moments earlier. Now, Sam was a wee bit curious as to why Victoria had that look since he was under the impression that Tom was alive. Little did he know. The questions that remain are as follows: Who will win at the gin rematch between Nick and Sam? & Will Sam and Victoria reveal more about themselves? Stay tuned and find out!
Author's Note: This is a crossover prequel to my own fic "Forbidden love for a Barkley". The Big Valley and Gunsmoke plus their characters belong to their rightful owners. I only own this fic and my other fic "Forbidden love for a Barkley".
(Flashback to part 2)
"Howdy, ma'am." Sam nodded at Victoria before picking up more stools to stack.
"Hello, Sam. I don't think I've ever seen you in Stockton before. Where are you from?" Victoria asked.
"Dodge City, Kansas, ma'am. I'm the bartender for the Long Branch saloon. I'm over there what Harry is over here. I'm just here on a vacation as I was suffering from boredom and burn out from tending bar." Sam explained while stacking the stools.
"Well, welcome to Stockton, Sam. I hope your vacation is a good one and that all goes well. Plus, that you will have fond memories of here." Victoria smiled and extended her hand for a handshake.
"Thank you very much, ma'am. I intend on having a good time here. It isn't every time or day that I plan a vacation for myself. That's due to my hardworking nature. I believe in hard work, ethics, and getting the job done. Nothing left unfinished. Like with Harry tonight, I couldn't just leave him to clean the bar up by himself. It wouldn't be fair if I did." Sam shook her hand before picking up some chairs and stacking them, having finished with the bar stools.
"I'm glad to hear it, Sam. With hard work comes accomplishment." Victoria nodded.
"I couldn't have said it better myself, ma'am." Sam told her.
"Oh now, Sam. Must we go on with formalities?" Victoria asked.
"Well, I was always taught to say: "Yes or no, ma'am." and "Yes or no, sir." when addressing somebody. It's the polite thing to do." Sam shrugged a little.
"I appreciate it, but you don't need to say ma'am all the time to me. Plus, where are my manners? My name is Victoria Barkley. You're Sam...what's your last name?" Victoria extended her hand, again.
"Nice to officially meet you, ma-I mean Victoria Barkley. My name's Sam Noonan." Sam shook her hand, again.
"That's better." Victoria smiled.
Sam smiled back at her before getting back to stacking the chairs.
"I take it that you played gin with my son Nick." Victoria sat on a nearby chair that hadn't been stacked yet.
"I sure did, ma-Victoria. He's a worthy opponent, but I beat him tonight. Tomorrow, we plan a rematch. He probably thinks he's going to get his winnings back." Sam laughed a little and shook his head, "Fat chance, because I am very good at winning. I don't honestly know how that is, but it is what it is I suppose."
"Don't let him hear you say that. He is very competitive. Just like his father was." Victoria got a sad look on her face and sighed as she briefly thought of Tom and how competitive he was plus that Nick inherited that trait from him.
"You alright, Victoria? I didn't mean to say anything offensive and if I did, I apologize." Sam started to feel a little bad after seeing the sad look on Victoria's face.
"Oh no, you didn't say anything offensive, Sam. I just got to thinking about...a certain somebody. However, I must get to the post office before it starts to get way too late." Victoria quickly snapped out of her thoughts and started to make her way to the saloon doors.
"If you wouldn't mind too much, ma'am-I mean Victoria, I could walk you to the post office." Sam offered.
"Thank you, Sam. That's sweet of you, but I wouldn't want to be a bother. So, thank you, but no, thank you." Victoria politely declined.
"It's no trouble, ma'a-Victoria. Besides, the hotel I'm going to stay at isn't really far from the post office and my legs could use a little walking to get that blood pumping. Plus, a lady shouldn't be roaming about by herself during the night hours." Sam insisted.
"I appreciate it, Sam but-" Victoria was cut off.
"Victoria, I am a guest in Stockton and it wouldn't be polite if I didn't at least do some sort of act of kindness. Plus, a gentleman sees a lady off and makes sure that she gets to wherever she needs to go safely." Sam added.
'He sounds just like Tom. In fact, he said exactly what Tom said on our first official date. Word for word minus the part about being a guest.' Victoria thought while getting goose pimples on her arms, as Sam's words sent a slight chill up her spine which was rare for her. She was never one to get goose pimples or have a chill crawl up her spine, especially not after hearing somebody say something, but it was different this time. Somebody she barely met uttered the same exact thing Tom once said and seeing as the day that would be their wedding anniversary was approaching along with memories of their life together and his murder, one could understand.
"Victoria? Victoria? Victoria?" Sam called her name three times.
"Huh? Oh, I'm sorry, Sam. I must've drifted off into my thoughts, again." Victoria snapped out of her thoughts, again.
"I really don't mind seeing you off at the post office and making sure you get there safely." Sam insisted some more.
"Well...okay, Sam." Victoria conceded before leaning against the wall, "I do appreciate it very much and it would be impolite to say no. I just don't want to put you out or make a nuisance of myself. Especially, since you are a guest."
"Like I said, it's no trouble at all and a real gentleman makes sure that a lady is safe no matter where they are." Sam stacked a few more chairs.
*A few minutes later*
Sam got through with helping Harry clean up the saloon and after saying: "Goodnight.", he made good on his promise by walking Victoria to the post office. While on their way, they decided to chew the fat a little more after just a few minutes of silence between the two.
"Tell me about yourself, Sam Noonan. If you don't mind, of course." Victoria spoke up.
"What else would you like to know...Victoria Barkley?" Sam asked.
"Well...how long you plan on staying in Stockton and anything else you feel comfortable sharing. Whenever I come across a guest, I do try to get to know them." Victoria said, as they passed by a few places.
"As for your first question, I plan on staying in Stockton for maybe a few weeks. Like I said, I am on a vacation and I do plan on enjoying every minute of it. In regards to anything else...well, Dodge City isn't where I grew up. I was born in Weed, New Mexico, but raised in San Antonio and later Galveston, Texas. I came from a very poor family. Dirt poor to be exact. That is until my father decided to become a rancher seeing that being a farmer wasn't cutting it. He started off as a ranch hand and slowly worked his way into becoming a rancher himself. That took a long long time, but he managed to finally make it to that position with hard work and dedication. Being the eldest of seven children, once I got to be the age of 14, my father told me that I didn't need anymore education and had me drop out of school while I was in the eighth grade." Sam had a smile on his face as he started to tell a little bit about his childhood.
"You're a school drop out, too?" Victoria asked, sounding a bit surprised.
"I sure am. You don't have a preconceived notion, do you?" Sam sounded a little worried.
"No. Not at all. In fact, I thought I was the only one who dropped out of school. You dropped out way earlier than I did. I dropped out of college after a few days. Why did you drop out?" Victoria clarified as best as she could.
"Like I said my father felt I didn't need anymore education plus he wanted to teach me everything I needed to do and know, so that way I could become a ranch hand myself and eventually, a rancher like he was. Being the eldest, I had to be the first one groomed and trained. My brothers Adam, Francis, James, and Jacob & sisters Gloria and Naomi were trained by my father and me, one by one. Unlike me, they each hated working on the Noonan ranch and desperately wanted to and I quote: "Be free" unquote." Sam shook his head while remembering the many conversations he had, had with each sibling when they'd complain about ranch duties and how they never had any freedom to do as they please. Of course, he could understand that the life of being a ranch hand could get to be mundane after a while, but Sam felt his siblings were acting like entitled brats and weren't overly grateful nor were they appreciating that their father made it from being a poor farmer to being a better off rancher.
"That's a shame your siblings felt that way. You would think they would've been glad that your father accomplished a lot and that one day, you were all going to inherit the ranch." Victoria sighed, "My husband Tom was a rancher and made sure our children helped out & had roles or well duties to keep them busy. He was a very hard worker and neither took nonsense nor tolerated laziness."
"Tom sounds like a wonderful man. Heck, he had the same philosophy my father had; hard work and dedication. The philosophy I do my darndest to keep strong and hopefully pass it down to somebody. Anyways, I'd love to shoot the breeze with Tom sometime." Sam said with a smile, clearly admiring Tom's "hard work and dedication" philosophy and very eager to meet him. Little did he know that he wouldn't be able to do that.
Victoria sported the same sad look on her face that she did earlier, but before she could say a word, she saw that they had arrived to the post office, because Nick was coming out with a package that looked to be carefully wrapped and topped off with a big red bow.
"Hiya, mother. I see that you have met Sam. He's a very swell guy or he was until he beat me at gin." Nick chuckled, "Not that, that I'm a sore loser, but I'll regain my winnings. I...hope. No, no, I will. Scratch that in regards to the previous thing I said."
"I wish I could scratch it, Nick but there's nothing for me to scratch. I can scratch my back, my head, my arm, or stuff off a list, but not the previously thing you said about hoping you could win the rematch. I'm afraid we both heard you say it." Sam joked.
"Ohhhh!" Nick groaned, "Must you make jokes?"
Sam went to say something, but instead, shook his head and started laughing, Nick joining him not too long after. Victoria couldn't help, but stand there and absorb the whole moment. Even though she and Nick just barely met Sam, they both had to admit that they felt as if they had known him all their lives. As weird as it may seem, sometimes when one barely met another, the latter could have that effect on the former.
"Well..." Nick managed to calm himself after that bout of laughter and wiped away the tears with the back of his hand, "We'll just see who comes out victorious in the rematch tomorrow. I still say I will, but may the best man win. Anyways, I'm sorry I've been running late, mother but that new postmaster had everything so disorganized it was painful. However, as you can see, we finally found that present."
"Thank heavens that the present was found and that, that was the reason you were late. You know around this time every year, I get worried and plus, the last times you ran late like this, we found out you were engaged to Natasha Halick and previously, Hester Converse." Victoria replied.
"I know, mother. I know. I've learned my lesson from both experiences." Nick nodded.
"Well, there was that Layle Johnson you took a fancy to besides Melanie Deland, Miranda that anarchist, Jean Price, that Sabrina Lynn who set you up for disaster, Julia Jenkins who you met when you thought you had rabies and you even had a weddi-" Victoria was cut off.
"Mother." Nick was starting to get a little embarrassed.
"Pilon the gypsy girl and Michelle De Lacaise, the french aristocrat. I could go on, Nicholas." Victoria laughed a little.
"I get your point, mother. So, I've been late due to lady loves, but from each experience, I have learned my valuable lesson." Nick's embarrassment was really showing, "However, a quick correction on Pilon. We didn't have a relationship, because she was promised to another man."
"I know, Nick but you can't deny you felt a little something for her." Victoria told him.
"Okay, yes, I did feel a little something for her, but that's all. Anyways, why are you reminding me of those women? Half of them, I just want to forget." Nick gave her a look.
"Well, I figured you picked up with another gal this time while on the rebound from Tasha hence why you were very late." Victoria explained.
"I understand, but if I may ask, how come when Jarrod or Heath or Audra or Eugene are late, you don't assume that they have picked up with someone?" Nick asked.
"Audra has been careful not to rush into things since her forced break up with Chotaro Kubota and experiences with Lloyd Garner the leader of those marauders that were responsible for terrorizing the valley and the murder of Harry Coleman, that Civil War hero turned crazed murderer Major Jonathan Eliot who suddenly proposed to her, & that James Beldon who was a deranged killer masquerading as this lovely doctor. Heath fell for Sally that one time plus had his fair share of other lady loves, but since he and Sally parted ways, he's been careful. Not too sure about Eugene since he left home, but when he was at home, there was only one love for him and it was Daphne Gubenheimer. Jarrod had Beth, but sadly, their journey together came to an abrupt end as a tragedy unfolded." Victoria sighed as she remembered all the loves her children had while pointing out that unlike Nick, her other children had since chosen to either wait or never look at others again.
Sam got a sad solemn look on his face after hearing the "Jarrod had Beth, but sadly, their journey together came to an abrupt end as a tragedy unfolded" part. It was clearly reminding him of a tragedy he had endured years ago. He, like the Barkley children, had fallen in love, but it all came to an unprecedented end. It was something he rarely, if ever talked about due to getting uncomfortable or beginning to feel tears spring to his eyes. As the Barkley mother and son duo kept having their banter, Sam couldn't help, but watch.
*Sam's POV*
'Look at Victoria and Nick have their banter. It is so hilarious and what's really funny is...I barely met them yet I feel right at home and as if I have known them my entire life.'
I feel a smile form on my face only to feel a hint of sadness at the same time due to a what-if thought playing out in my mind.
'I could be having this myself. This could be my...'
I stop myself and shake my head.
'No, Sam. Don't open up any wounds. Not...Not yet or better not at all. This is a vacation and vacations are no place for painful wounds to be opened up.'
I sigh and close my eyes.
'I can't help, but think about it whenever something or somebody gives me a reminder. I just can't help myself! No matter the years or decades. I just can't!'
I start taking some breaths.
'Easy, Sam. Steady. Control yourself and your emotions.'
*Outside of Sam's mind*
While Sam was busy gathering himself internally and trying not to think about it, Victoria and Nick's banter had since ceased at least for now. Looking over at Sam, Victoria got a puzzled yet concerned look on her face when she noticed that melancholy had filled Sam's eyes despite his efforts of trying not to show it.
"Sam?" Victoria tapped him on his arm.
"Hmmmm?" Sam quickly snapped out of his thoughts.
"Are you alright? You looked a little sad." Victoria's voice had taken on a gentle comforting tone.
"Oh yes. I'm alright. I just-I'm alright, Victoria. Thank you for asking." Sam smiled, clearly showing that he snapped back to his usual self.
"Are you sure?" Victoria asked.
"I'm positive, Victoria." Sam put his hat back on, "Well, it seems I did my job in making sure you got here safely and since Nick is here, I should be letting you two get on your way. I wouldn't feel right taking up anymore time than I already have."
"Oh, you haven't taken up any time at all. In fact, we were having an interesting conversation." Victoria told him.
"We sure were having a nice talk, but I did manage to see you off to the post office and made sure you got here safely. Now, that you and Nick are together, well two's company. Three's a crowd. Plus, it is getting late and I am awfully tired from that train ride." Sam insisted.
"Well, rest is important. Alrighty, Sam. You get yourself some rest and tomorrow, you best be bright eyed and bushy tailed for our gin rematch. See you when you get back home, mother." Nick winked before getting mounted and riding off, "Giddyup, Coco. Hyah."
"After you and my son finish your gin rematch, I would like to take you out horseback riding in the countryside and all over Stockton in order to show you the beauty of the nature and well, everything." Victoria said as she and Sam started walking back to the outside of the saloon where her buggy was parked.
"That's all nice, Victoria, but-" Sam was cut off.
"But what?" Victoria asked.
"Well, please do not take this disrespectfully, but you hardly even know me. We have only talked for a short amount of time. How do you know it is safe for the two of us to go riding together let alone be alone together despite barely knowing each other? You don't know whether or not it is safe." Sam pointed out.
"I know we barely met, Sam but, I know you wouldn't have any intent on harming me or anybody. Plus, you've been a gentleman during this short amount of time that we have known one another and since you walked me to the post office and made sure I was safe, I figured I should repay you somehow. You see, we Barkleys don't take without giving something in return." Victoria explained with a smile, "Also too, you remind me so much of Tom."
"That's just it, Victoria. You're a married woman. You shouldn't be out with a stranger when you have a husband, your Tom, at home waiting for you to get back just like how a man shouldn't be out gallivanting around with the women folk if he is married." Sam replied.
Victoria got that same sad look on her face she had earlier when Sam mentioned Tom. Seeing this once again, Sam had an inkling that there was more behind that sad look than what he previously thought. He knew he didn't offend her or anything of the kind. There was indeed more to it and little did he know what it was.
"Victoria, you have that same look on your face. That same sad look. You had it in the saloon when I mentioned Tom and you have it right now. If I may ask, what's happened between you and Tom? Feel free to tell me to mind my own, because I will. However, my curiosity is a little piqued and if there's anything I can do as a stranger, I'd be more than happy." Sam stopped walking, Victoria following suit.
Victoria, still sporting that sad expression, didn't say anything and just looked up into Sam's eyes.
(Now)
"Victoria?" Sam said.
"Sam..." Victoria swallowed hard and sighed, "A few days from now would be mine and Tom's wedding anniversary and two months from yesterday would be Tom's birthday."
"Would be? Victoria, you're saying this in the past tense." Sam had a quizzical look on his face.
"Yup." Victoria nodded as she bit her lip in order to hold back any tears.
"I take it..." Sam took his hat off and put it over his heart, "I take it that he has passed on and I-"
"He didn't pass away, Sam." Victoria shook her head and stared at nothing in particular before looking back up at Sam, "He was...He was murdered."
"Oh, Victoria." Sam's quizzical look turned to that of sympathy then sorrow. It felt as if somebody put a dagger through his heart upon hearing that, because he was no stranger to tragic/sudden losses. He knew and felt the pain and grief that Victoria was feeling. He knew it all too well.
"Yup. He was murdered in cold blood. Tom never once meant any harm to anybody in all the world. He didn't. He stood up for what was right even if he lost friends over it and while he was no saint half of the time, nobody had a right to rob him of his life." Victoria kept trying to hold back her tears, "And it doesn't matter how long it has been, every wedding anniversary, holiday, birthday, and the anniversary of his murder get harder and harder to go through. I pray at times for those days to go by quick, because the loneliness, the grief, it all comes back and is just as fresh now as it was when it happened."
Sam stood there and remained silent, letting all of what Victoria said sink in and process. As that was happening, the terms "Nobody had a right to rob him of his life." and "The loneliness, the grief, it all comes back and is just as fresh now as it was when it happened." started echoing in his mind. These were phrases he was very familiar with and probably even said at some points. It was safe to say that Victoria's loss hit very close to home.
*Sam's POV*
'Wow. Just hearing all of this brings it all back for me. In fact, it brings it all to the forefront.'
I remember that Victoria only said Tom was murdered and didn't go into detail.
'Now, wait a minute, Sam. You say that Victoria's loss brings it all to the forefront yet all she said was that Tom was murdered. She didn't say how or who or why if there was a why. She didn't go into detail, so how could it bring it all to the forefront?'
I look at the ground for a moment.
'Then again, just hearing those words is enough to have it all come back. Details don't need to bring it back. Just those words.'
I sigh and shake my head.
'Good lord, it brings it all back. I thought I had it buried deep within, but Victoria's loss was so similar to my own that...that it is all coming back.'
I then think of what happened to Miss Kitty when Jude Bonner and his gang invaded Dodge & wince.
'Well, Victoria's words and what the Dog Soldiers did to Miss Kitty are & were enough to bring it all back. How can I forget about what happened to Miss Kitty? I can't get those images out of my mind. They remind me of-No! No, I am not going to go into detail! I promised myself I wouldn't. I can't.'
I look up at the sky, see a twinkling star, and start to think of...her and how we met.
'Oh, would you look at that star. That twinkling star is bringing back a lot of memories too. In fact, that twinkling star looks very familiar to the one that twinkled the night of the day that I met...that I met her. No, not Miss Kitty or Ma Smolley or any of the women in Dodge. Under this star, I met that special woman who meant the world to me in the way that Miss Kitty means to Marshal Dillon and the way Sam McTavish meant to Doc before he lost her.'
I sigh.
'Like Doc and Victoria, I lost that special somebody very suddenly & tragically and like them, I'll never forget that special pretty lady.'
I continued to stare at the star.
*Outside of Sam's mind*
"Sam? Sam? Sam?" Victoria called his name about three times.
"Hmmmm?" Sam snapped out of his thoughts and looked lost for a moment.
"You looked like you were thinking of something or someone the way you stared at the star up there." Victoria told him.
"Well, the star did bring back some...memories, if you will. As did you telling me about Tom and I just want to say how terribly sorry I am even though sorry doesn't begin to cover it, Victoria." Sam had more sadness filling his eyes as memories started playing in his mind, "You are right. The birthdays, the holidays, and the anniversaries bring back the loneliness and grief, making them just as fresh now as when the tragedy happened."
"It doesn't get easy, Sam and you look sad again. If I may ask, was there someone in your life who you loved the way I loved my Tom?" Victoria sported a sympathetic look, "And please don't say you're fine or deny anything, because I know you're thinking about somebody you loved dearly. I can almost feel it. Now, you can tell me to butt out and I will, but like you just told me, as a stranger, if I can help, I'm happy to do so."
Sam nodded and inhaled deeply in response.
"It's alright, if you're not comfortable to talk about it, Sam. In fact, when or if you are ready to tell me about it, I'm all ears." Victoria gently told him.
"No, Victoria. Fair is fair. You just told me a little about Tom, so it is only fair that I do the same." Sam started before taking a deep breath, "Like you and like a friend of mine back home in Dodge City, I was once spoken for. In fact, I was happily married at one time. Her name was Sonja Deangelis later Sonja Noonan. She was a beautiful woman of Italian descent. Oh, she was beautiful. Beautiful, warm hearted, a great cook, and just a wonderful woman. I loved her dearly. Well, her and our children."
"Sonja. That's a very pretty name." Victoria smiled.
"A pretty name for a pretty little lady. She was the best thing that ever happened to me. You see, when I was young which is probably thousands of years ago, I was lucky in all fronts. I had a steady career as a lawman at one point, I had friends, I had my own place, I had my fiddle, I had everything except someone to share it with. To my share not only my home, but my life with. You know, come home to dinner on the table and a smiling wife to greet me at the door plus children to climb all over me, tell me stories of school, all of that. My life was lacking those things. Truth be told, I hadn't been lucky in the romantic department." Sam started smiling as memories of beloved Sonja played out in his mind.
"It's none of my affair, but I take it that like my son Nick, you must've given your heart too easily and to the wrong type of women at that." Victoria guessed.
"I must say that you are partly correct, because while part of it was due to falling for women who were not the right ones, the other half of it had to do with the fact that I was simply not interested. I had no desire for women for a long time, because I put working and everything else first, even providing for my ungrateful siblings and two of my deadbeat cousins. Romance was not on my list of priorities at first, but after a long while, I started to get lonely. Not that my siblings or cousins really cared, but I got lonely. So lonely that I started looking around and after getting sweet on a girl named Jasmine, I got the courage to ask her out. She said yes and we were together for two months when I discovered she was married. I was really hurt by this and not only for me, but for Jasmine's husband as well. She tried to get out of it, but I ended things with her and said I wasn't going to be the third wheel." Sam remembered his time with Jasmine and shook his head in disgust.
"I'm sorry that Jasmine hurt you, Sam. She had no right to do what she did and you know what? That sounds familiar to what my son Nick went through with a girl named Layle Johnson." Victoria's eyes got big for a brief moment as she started seeing the parallels of Sam's situation with Jasmine to Nick's with Layle.
"It does? How so?" Sam asked.
"Layle was a married woman who cheated on her husband with Nick just like Jasmine. I'm not sure about Jasmine, but Layle's husband was a bounty hunter." Victoria replied.
"That's a funny thing you said that, because Jasmine's husband was also a bounty hunter. Retired due to hitting the booze too much, but that didn't stop him from trying to relive his glory days." Sam told her.
"We still have a lot of those types, sadly." Victoria shook her head.
"Same thing in Dodge except Marshal Dillon has his ways of keeping the peace, getting justice, and putting the criminals where they belong & that's just part of what he does." Sam was not too surprised at what Victoria said, considering that Dodge City has the same kind of things happening regarding drunks, troublemakers, the likes before starting to sing Marshal Dillon's praises.
"From the way you started talking about him, this Marshal Dillon sounds like a great lawman." Victoria said.
"The best of the best and bravest of the bravest if you ask me or anybody else in Dodge, even his deputies Newly O'Brien and Festus Haggen, the town doctor, Dr. Galen 'Doc' Adams, or his woman, one of my dear friends and boss at the Long Branch, Kitty Russell. Even Burke, who is what you would call a buttinsky or gossip at times. Just someone you can get easily annoyed with at times." Sam nodded before starting to laugh a little.
"What is it, Sam?" Victoria asked.
"I can't get over the times that Doc and Festus argue. I mean they argue over the most trivial of things. Festus will say something and o'l Doc will just grump at him until the cows comes home." Sam laughed.
"Oh my goodness sakes!" Victoria also started to laugh, "That sounds like my children whether it is Nick with any of them or my daughter Audra with her brothers, mainly Nick or Eugene, but it especially sounds like your friends Doc and Festus are just like my sons Nick and Jarrod!"
"I'll have to see Nick and Jarrod bicker and do a little comparing. Not that I have plans for that, but you never know." Sam laughed some more and shook his head, "Now, where was I before I switched topics?"
"You told me about Jasmine breaking your heart and that her husband was retired bounty hunter turned alcoholic." Victoria reminded him.
"Oh yes. Well, I am not sure about Nick and Layle's husband, but I came clean to Jasmine's husband, Lucas, and told him how sorry I was about his wife's infidelity and that I was through seeing her while wishing them both the best and hope that they either work things out or go their separate ways. I never found out exactly what came of them, but it's none of my concern. After all, I experienced more not so great women before eventually finding my beloved Sonja." Sam smiled again after saying Sonja's name, "After Jasmine came Anna followed by Isabella, Evelyn, Gwen, Monica, Giulietta, and finally, Sonja."
"I take it Anna, Isabella, Evelyn, Gwen, Monica, and Giulietta shattered your heart, too. Am I correct?" Victoria asked.
"Oh yes. I was engaged to Anna after knowing her very briefly and she turned out to be one of those girls who can't settle down with one man. Isabella was too immature and a gold digger, Gwen's father had her use her charms on me in order so he can get a favor from me, Monica turned out to be an anarchist, Giulietta cared more about herself than she ever did about me, and Evelyn got me involved in a love triangle where I was played for a fool. Obviously, I didn't play my cards right when it came to Jasmine, Anna, Isabella, Gwen, Monica, Giulietta, and Evelyn." Sam sighed and shook his head once more before sucking his teeth.
"Oh my word, Sam. Anna sounds like Nick's first fiancee Hester, Isabella sounds like Nick's more recent ex fiancee Natasha, Gwen sounds like Michelle De Lacaise, Monica sounds like Miranda, and Evelyn sounds like that Sabrina Lynn. You and Nick could definitely sit down and talk about your experiences and the parallels." Victoria was taken aback by how similar Sam's love life was to Nick's.
"You know, maybe I ought to do that sometime. Probably after our rematch at gin tomorrow." Sam nodded.
"I think that would be a great idea. He could sure use some advice after the recent dissolving of his second engagement." Victoria was clearly on board with that.
"I will, but only if he starts the conversation about lady loves. Otherwise, I wouldn't feel right butting in." Sam told her.
"Fair enough, Sam." Victoria nodded.
"Anyways, after those bad experiences, I was through with romance. Done. Wanted no part of it anymore, because I wasn't getting with the right women. I was getting my heart stomped on and well, a fella can get pretty darn tired of that after a while. So, I decided to stop pursuing romance and focus on my other priorities instead." Sam told her.
"That's very understandable, Sam. You know, Nick has decided the same thing. He won't pursue romance after his bad experiences. That being said, in your case, you met Sonja, so there may be a chance for Nick. Speaking of which, since you were focused on your priorities and put romance aside, how did you and Sonja end up meeting?" Victoria asked.
"I was just getting to that. You see, I was on my horse riding around to get a breath of fresh air. After a good while, I stopped so that both my horse and I could rest for a bit as it was hot out. Kind of like only thing is today isn't quite as hot as that day was." Sam's mind started to slip back to the moment he and his beloved Sonja met.
*Flashback to the day Sam Noonan met Sonja Deangelis*
After a good hour or so of riding around, Sam and his horse stopped to rest up due to the fact that it was hot out plus they needed the rest before anything else. Sam got dismounted and headed towards the nearby lake where he could splash cold water on himself.
Right as he was heading to the lake, coming down the same path, but in the opposite direction was a girl in a brown dress with long dark hair. The girl seemed to be carrying a basket. Then, before the blink of an eye...it happened. Sam and the girl bumped into each other and fell down, the girl's basket falling out of her hands, spilling its contents all over the place.
"What on earth hap-" Sam paused when he saw that the young lady was still laying on the ground and her basket plus everything that was in it strewn all over the place.
"Oomph." the young lady said as she rubbed her knee before moving her hand to her nose in order to see whether it was bleeding or not.
"My apologies, ma'am. I should've paid attention to where I was going. I didn't see you coming my way." Sam walked over to the young lady and helped her up.
The young lady dusted herself off before looking up at the towering man and staring at him.
"I'm awfully sorry, ma'am. Here, let me get everything back in the basket and get the basket back to you." Sam said before getting down on one knee, grabbing her basket, and picking everything up.
The young lady, clearly flattered that he was helping her while being fascinated by his good looks and awe struck by his height, just stood there and stared at him.
"There you go. I got everything back into the basket and hopefully in the correct places. I'm very particular about that." Sam attempted to hand the young lady her basket back, "Again, I am awfully sorry for that little mishap. I'm not usually clumsy."
The young lady, still awe struck, fascinated, and flattered all at once, didn't move a muscle.
"Are you alright?" Sam asked.
No answer.
"What is it? Do I have something on my teeth? Is there something behind me? What's the matter?" Sam was starting to get concerned about the young lady.
"Thank you very much." the young lady finally spoke after a while.
"So, you do speak after all? Thank Heavens, because I must declare that it was getting to be a little lonesome with the silence." Sam chuckled.
The young lady looked sheepish and just nodded.
"You're very welcome. I hope you're not hurt from bumping into me." Sam made another attempt to give her the basket.
"Oh no. Not at all which surprises me as I do tend to be very clumsy sometimes. Are you hurt? If so, let me take you back and nurse the wounds." the young lady said as she took her basket back.
"Nah, I'm not hurt. I actually don't get hurt that easily. That being said, thank you for your concern." Sam told her.
"Anytime. Ummmm...uhhhh...I probably should be getting while the going is good." the young lady nervously smiled at Sam.
"Same here. I best get mounted and head home. It is almost ummmm sundown anyways." Sam sounded a little nervous himself.
"Yeah. Well...ummmm...thank you for helping me, mister...oh, where are my manners? I didn't catch your name." the young lady dusted herself off.
"Well, where are my manners? My name is Samuel David Noonan, but everybody calls me 'Sam'." Sam extended his hand for a handshake.
"Nice to meet you, Sam. You know something? I like the name 'Sam'. It's a nice name." the young lady smiled before shaking his hand.
"Why, thank you very much. Now, if I may ask a dumb question, what is your name?" Sam asked.
"Sonja Gianna Deangelis." the young lady replied.
"Well, it is very nice to meet you, Sonja." Sam lifted her hand and gently kissed it before letting it go.
"Likewise, Sam." Sonja told him.
"You know, I just...I just thought of something." Sam said.
"What's that?" Sonja asked.
"Well, seeing as it is very hot out and since we are heading home, I could let you ride my horse while I guide with the reigns." Sam told her.
"Oh, I couldn't take ask you to-" Sonja was cut off.
"It's no trouble at all. Besides, a lady shouldn't be walking around in this heat. You just never know who or what may be out here, especially in the nighttime hours which we are approaching. So, how about it?" Sam suggested.
"Well, if you don't mind." Sonja replied.
"If I minded, I wouldn't have offered." Sam said.
"In that case, I accept the offer." Sonja nodded.
"Well, let's get while the going is good." Sam told her before heading back to where he and his horse stopped off.
Sonja impressed and flattered, followed suit.
To Be Continued...
Happy belated Valentine's Day, everybody! :D
Sonja: Thank you for everything, Sam.
Victoria: That was such a beautiful story, Sam.
Sam: I'm not quite finished, yet. Besides, we must wait for the next chapter.
Jarrod: I wonder what is taking mother so long.
Audra: Yeah, she should be home by now.
Nick: Well, there happens to be a guest in town and she is giving that guest the Barkley welcome, so, she'll be home when she'll be home.
Doc: Matt, Kitty, Festus, Newly, has Sam sent a telegram, yet?
Kitty: Read and Review, please.
Nick: Actually, it is R&R. R&R, people.