Unexpected Happenings, Chapter 12

Sam Bennett looked in the window of Grace's shop. He saw her arranging a new shipment on the shelves. He went into the shop. Grace looked up and saw him.

" Hi Sam."

" Grace."

" What are you doing here?"

" Grace, we need to talk."

" About what?"

" Grace…"

" No, Sam, about what? The weather. This shop. Did you catch any bad guys. The rapid disintegration of our supposedly  'rock-solid' marriage?" Grace had tears in her eyes.

" Our marriage."

" Sam, we don't have a marriage anymore. Not what I thought it should be."

" Grace…."

" Sam, you've slept with Ivy more than once. I know it and you know it. The fact that you would tells me that your feelings for her aren't in the past. They are in the present. I can't live like that, Sam. It's not fair to any of us. Me. You. Our kids. We really do need time apart, Sam. We have matters that we have to think about."

" Grace, I love you."

" You know what, Sam? I actually believe you. I believe that you love me. But, I don't know if you're IN LOVE with me anymore. I don't know if you want to be married to me. I don't know if I want to be married to you, either. "

" Grace…"

" Sam, we have to be the adults for our children, who are confused. We're confused too. The only thing we can offer them is that we love them. As far as our feelings for one another, I don't think we can offer that. It's complicated."

" But, Grace, I'm willing to work things out."

" How, Sam? How can we work things out when you're sleeping with Ivy?" Grace felt awful. She didn't want to throw up Ivy in his face. But, she couldn't tell him that she has confusing feelings of her own where TC is concerned. And, she doesn't know where they're coming from in the least. Grace had pulled up the phone to dial his number a thousand times, but couldn't do it. She was scared. Very scared. But, this was something she also couldn't share with Sam, thus further dooming their marriage.

" Sam….I'm not going to beat up on you because of Ivy. I just think that you can't commit to me because she's in your  heart. She's found a way to unlock your feelings for her, and until you deal with it, nothing can go forward. Spend time with the kids, call them, be near them. And, take time to think. I think maybe you should get your own place."

" My own place. Why? I have a home."

" No, you HAD a home. We HAD a home. You need a space where you can freely think about what you really want, and what you can commit to. You can't come back to the house, Sam. Not for the foreseeable future."

Sam stood staring at Grace. He was stunned. In theory, he knew that Grace was right. But, in the cold light of day, the thought that his home wasn't his anymore, and that he had to look for a place of his own, was unsettling. He knew Grace was right, for afterall, he had just finished a tryst in Ivy's bed. He had 'issues' with the woman, and it would only cause more pain to push to get back into his home, only to destroy it if he wandered again, which was something he couldn't promise.

" I'll look for a place, and as soon as I get it, I'll call you to arrange to get my things one morning after the kids have gone to school."

Grace nods. " It's for the best."

Sam nodded and turned to leave the store. But, before he could get out, he turned back to ask Grace, " Do you know how we wound up here?"

" No.", was her simple reply, and Sam left.
 

Ivy took out her fertility chart from her desk. Checking everything, she realized that this was her most fertile time. The lovemaking session that she and Sam had today went a long way to getting her towards her goal: a baby for her and Sam.

She took out the needle and the hormones that she had been taking. This was the worst part of it all - injecting herself with fertility drugs, but, she did what she had to do. She was on a mission. She was going to have the family that was denied to her all those years ago.
 

Simone and Kay were in her room, finishing up their Spanish project. Kay looked at Simone. She was staring at her, when Simone finally caught onto Kay's interest.

" What? Why are you staring at me?"

" You look different. I hadn't noticed it before. But, you look different."

" Kay, I'm fine."

" Uh-uh. You look different. Like…..like……a woman in love."

Simone rolls her eyes. " Too many Miguel delusions, Kay."

" No. I can tell. Simone! Who is he? You aren't dressing any differently. And, your hair isn't different. But,…..it's in the way that you carry yourself….a little more glow from you. You are happier….the kind of happy that comes with romantic love. "

Simone laughs, and tries to avoid Kay's eyes. " You have some imagination."

" SEE! You can't even look me in the eye. You're a bad liar, Simone. You never look people in the eye when you're lying to them."

Simone was beginning to squirm, because she knew that Kay knew her better than anyone.

" Kay…"

" Simone, I'm your best friend. Why won't you tell me? Who is he?"

Simone looked at Kay. She couldn't tell Kay anything. Not about Reese. SHE didn't even know what she felt about Reese, but, Kay was right about something, Reese was constantly on her mind. She couldn't believe the drive home between she and Reese from Castleton after the Poetry Café. How she had slid over right next to him. How she had put her arm inside of his, and placed her head on his shoulder. How comfortable it felt to be there, even if she had on a seatbelt. How Reese had played some Wynton Marsalis on his CD player, and it seemed like the only two people in the world were Reese and her. How gentle he was, walking her to her doorstep, and how when they looked down, they could both see their hands entangled in one another's. But, most of all, how warm and buttery she felt inside as Reese placed his lips on hers, in what seemed to be the most natural thing of all.

No…Simone couldn't tell Kay any of this. She and Reese couldn't work because they started off so wrong, Simone thought.

" Kay…I….I have a little crush."

" I KNEW IT!! Spill it!"

" Nothing serious. And, I don't want to jinx it, so I'm not telling you who it is."

" Come on…", Kay whined.

" No. Let me have this, Kay. I didn't think that I would be able to care for anyone after what happened with Chad.."

Simone let that hang in the air. She knew that Kay understood that she felt betrayed by Kay, by Kay not telling her about Chad and Whitney, and using Simone's feelings for Chad to try and manipulate her. Kay knew that Simone had forgiven her….but, it was still too raw for them bring up between them.

" Ok…but, I'll want to know….I'll get it out of you, sooner or later, Simone."

Simone knew that Kay  was right about that.

TC had volunteered to drive to Castleton to pick up some used athletic equipment from Castleton College. He needed the time alone on the drive to think. As usual, lately, time alone to think meant going into the past.

[[[FLASHBACK]]]

" I can't believe that you finished those classes in 9 months.", Melody said, stirring the sauce for the noodles.

" I have great motivation.", TC said, kissing her.

" I bet you do. So, do you know what you're going to do?"

" I have several interviews next week. All of the local schools within 100 mile radius. I even got one in the local high school. It's for a history teacher, but, I would love it. I know that they always need coaches. Since it's a high school, and I think that's my ultimate goal, I would love to get it."

" I know that if you put your mind to it, you'll do it."

" How are your classes going?"

" Fine. I finished my exams, and I'll take the state licensing in a few weeks." Melody, poured sauce on the noodles that TC had put on the plates. She brought them over to the table.

TC was still staying in the cabin. The rent was nothing, and the utilities low. He liked the isolation, and it helped him, as he put his life back together. He had meant it when he told Melody that he was on an 18-month timetable. He wanted them to be together, ASAP. Melody, too, had to finish the rest of her training, which took her out of state. She crammed as much into her 9 months as TC had. They met every other weekend, and wrote to one another nearly everyday.

TC knew that he wasn't her only concern. That her family weighed a lot on her mind, and she had told TC that she wanted him to meet them, but, he didn't feel right about it until he could present himself in the best possible manor. She understood, but, was still anxious.

" Penny for your thoughts?", TC asked her.

" I was wondering if you were ready to meet my family."

" Melody.."

" TC, you're a college graduate now. You're going for your Master's Degree. I know that you will get one of the jobs that you're applying for, so why not meet my family?"

" It's a male thing, Ok? My stupid pride? Have a little sympathy?"

" I will. It's just…..that my family isn't like others, TC. I love them, but, I had to leave them, because I couldn't think like them."

TC looked at her. " Is this a race thing, Melody? Is that what you're warning me about?"

Melody looked at TC in shock. " No. Oh no, TC. Not even. Race would be easy compared to the other issues my family grapples with. I just……just want you to keep an open mind when you meet them….can you?"

TC smiled. " For you, I can do anything….''

" Good.", Melody replied, and they ate their dinner.

TC was in bed next to Melody, when she began to call out..

" TC….TC…..TC…….where are you?"

She yelled that, until TC shaked her from her sleep. Melody threw her arms around TC, " Oh, TC…", she sobbed.

" Baby, I'm here. I'm here."

" Please hold me. Hold me."

" I'm here.", TC replied. With her chest on his, he could feel the rapidity of her heartbeat. As he calmed down, he separated the two of them, sat back, and then held her in a cuddle.

" Tell me, what's wrong?"

" I had a dream. A dream where I was looking for you, and I couldn't find you…and you were looking for me, and couldn't find me."

" Baby, it was just a dream."

" It was SO REAL, TC."

" It was just a dream. You're here. I'm here. Nothing will ever keep us apart. Nothing."

" Promise?"

" On my love for you, I promise.  Now, I'll hold you and you try to go back to sleep."

TC held her tenderly until sleep finally overcame her, and he knew she had succumbed.

[[[FLASHBACK ENDS]]]

" How was I supposed to know that your dream would soon become my reality?", TC asked himself out loud.