Ch. 3 - Abrupt Interruptions
Several hours had passed. And Laura was still sitting in Sam’s lap, allowing his fingers to intertwine in her curls. It was comforting for her. To know that someone cared this much that they’d be willing to sit and hold her until her last tear had evaporated from her damp cheeks. And still not feel pressured to say what was bothering her, though she knew in her heart she’d have to eventually.
Sam, on the other hand, was getting more worried with every second. He had spent his morning worried that Laura didn’t love him, and spent his entire afternoon and evening trying to encourage her to open up to him. There was no doubt in his mind now that she loved him, but he couldn’t think about that now. All of his thoughts were directed to her and the sadness she portrayed. He wanted only to see her smile again, to see those amazingly beautiful brown eyes sparkle with glee.
However, nothing had changed. Sam still held Laura, rocking her gently, pushing the curls out of her face, and wiping away her tears. The clock ticked away slowly. 7:00. Sam moved his position on the couch to face her.
“Laura?” he asked as she turned to face him.
“Hmm?”
“Are you hungry?”
“Oh, um….no,” she said allowing her head to fall upon his shoulder, “I don’t think so.” Sam just pulled her close and rested his chin upon her head. O Laura, what am I going to do to with you?
…………………………………………………………………………
Midnight. Still Mr. and Mrs. Hall were not home. Still Laura was being cradled by Sam on the couch. And still Sam was worried about her. It was driving him crazy! He had spent seven plus hours’ not asking her what was wrong, and he could not take it anymore. He had given her space, more than enough, and she still hadn’t spoken up. He had cradled her in his arms for hours on end, comforting her in the best ways he knew how, and still nothing.
She had drifted off to sleep, and still he rocked her, well aware that any change of movement would wake her. He sat there silently, beginning to hum a familiar tune.
I know you think that
I shouldn’t still love you,
I’ll tell you that
But if I didn’t say it,
Well, I’d still have felt it,
Where’s the sense in that?
I promise I’m not trying to make your life harder
Or return to where we were
But I will go down with this ship
And I will put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I’m in love, and always will be
Laura stirred. Sam looked at her sweet, adorable face trying to find an answer. He looked a way for half a second, and when he looked back her big brown eyes were staring right back at him.
“Hey,” she said smiling. A smile! I’ve been waiting all night for her to smile at me like that.
“Hey. How are you doing?”
“Pretty good,” she said yawning.
“Laura, you need to tell me now.” What Laura had feared would come to pass. She would have to tell Sam her deepest fears, because he wanted to know. He cared that much that he didn’t want her to be afraid anymore, and as much as that comforted her, it also made her feel vulnerable, and she didn’t want to feel that way.
Laura searched his eyes, looking for an excuse that would allow her to snuggle with him longer and not say a word. She found nothing but what she had seen all night long: honesty, loyalty, trust, and love.
“Oh Sam, I—” She was interrupted by the front door swinging open at approximately 1:30 a.m. by a very exhausted couple, Jack and Lucy Hall.
“I…I…I have to go!” Laura said, instantly rising from her position, and heading out the back.
“No, Laura, you don’t have to go,” Sam said, trying to persuade her. I pushed her! I pushed her to hard, and now she’s leaving. Darn it, Sam!
“I have to. I’ve been here too long already.”
“Laura,” Sam said, looking intensely into her eyes for a change to occur in her already troubled mind. She observed his gaze instantly, and it was obvious she wanted to stay, but she was already embarrassed, and didn’t want to face Sam’s parents. Not like this.
“I’m sorry, Sam,” she said grabbing for the door.
“Wait!” Sam said, grabbing her arm. She turned and looked at him, and for a moment debated on staying. There was no other person whom she could go to for her needs.
“Sam we’re home!” Jack Hall shouted into the hallway, causing Laura and Sam to break their stare, and for Laura to exit the now full house.
“Don’t….go.” Sam whispered to himself, as he saw Laura walk down the street to her car and drive away.
“Sam!”
“I’m here,” Sam called out to his parents, “At least part of me is.” He shut the blinds, and headed into his room for an unmerciful night of sleep….if you could call that sleep.
Sam, on the other hand, was getting more worried with every second. He had spent his morning worried that Laura didn’t love him, and spent his entire afternoon and evening trying to encourage her to open up to him. There was no doubt in his mind now that she loved him, but he couldn’t think about that now. All of his thoughts were directed to her and the sadness she portrayed. He wanted only to see her smile again, to see those amazingly beautiful brown eyes sparkle with glee.
However, nothing had changed. Sam still held Laura, rocking her gently, pushing the curls out of her face, and wiping away her tears. The clock ticked away slowly. 7:00. Sam moved his position on the couch to face her.
“Laura?” he asked as she turned to face him.
“Hmm?”
“Are you hungry?”
“Oh, um….no,” she said allowing her head to fall upon his shoulder, “I don’t think so.” Sam just pulled her close and rested his chin upon her head. O Laura, what am I going to do to with you?
…………………………………………………………………………
Midnight. Still Mr. and Mrs. Hall were not home. Still Laura was being cradled by Sam on the couch. And still Sam was worried about her. It was driving him crazy! He had spent seven plus hours’ not asking her what was wrong, and he could not take it anymore. He had given her space, more than enough, and she still hadn’t spoken up. He had cradled her in his arms for hours on end, comforting her in the best ways he knew how, and still nothing.
She had drifted off to sleep, and still he rocked her, well aware that any change of movement would wake her. He sat there silently, beginning to hum a familiar tune.
I know you think that
I shouldn’t still love you,
I’ll tell you that
But if I didn’t say it,
Well, I’d still have felt it,
Where’s the sense in that?
I promise I’m not trying to make your life harder
Or return to where we were
But I will go down with this ship
And I will put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I’m in love, and always will be
Laura stirred. Sam looked at her sweet, adorable face trying to find an answer. He looked a way for half a second, and when he looked back her big brown eyes were staring right back at him.
“Hey,” she said smiling. A smile! I’ve been waiting all night for her to smile at me like that.
“Hey. How are you doing?”
“Pretty good,” she said yawning.
“Laura, you need to tell me now.” What Laura had feared would come to pass. She would have to tell Sam her deepest fears, because he wanted to know. He cared that much that he didn’t want her to be afraid anymore, and as much as that comforted her, it also made her feel vulnerable, and she didn’t want to feel that way.
Laura searched his eyes, looking for an excuse that would allow her to snuggle with him longer and not say a word. She found nothing but what she had seen all night long: honesty, loyalty, trust, and love.
“Oh Sam, I—” She was interrupted by the front door swinging open at approximately 1:30 a.m. by a very exhausted couple, Jack and Lucy Hall.
“I…I…I have to go!” Laura said, instantly rising from her position, and heading out the back.
“No, Laura, you don’t have to go,” Sam said, trying to persuade her. I pushed her! I pushed her to hard, and now she’s leaving. Darn it, Sam!
“I have to. I’ve been here too long already.”
“Laura,” Sam said, looking intensely into her eyes for a change to occur in her already troubled mind. She observed his gaze instantly, and it was obvious she wanted to stay, but she was already embarrassed, and didn’t want to face Sam’s parents. Not like this.
“I’m sorry, Sam,” she said grabbing for the door.
“Wait!” Sam said, grabbing her arm. She turned and looked at him, and for a moment debated on staying. There was no other person whom she could go to for her needs.
“Sam we’re home!” Jack Hall shouted into the hallway, causing Laura and Sam to break their stare, and for Laura to exit the now full house.
“Don’t….go.” Sam whispered to himself, as he saw Laura walk down the street to her car and drive away.
“Sam!”
“I’m here,” Sam called out to his parents, “At least part of me is.” He shut the blinds, and headed into his room for an unmerciful night of sleep….if you could call that sleep.