Unexpected Happenings, Chapter 2
 

Sam is sitting at his desk, looking over the paperwork in front of him, but, not comprehending anything when he hears the Police Station door open, and he can smell her.

Ivy.

She comes over to his desk, and flashes her sexiest smile.

'' Hi Sam.''

'' Ivy.''

'' Do you have a minute?''

'' I’m working, Ivy.''

'' It won’t take long.''

'' Fine.'' Sam gets up from his desk, grabs Ivy’s arm and takes her outside of the station to a bench. '' Talk.''

'' Sam, what’s wrong? Why are you so mad?''

'' Why? WHY? I just betrayed my wife and my family with you, and you wonder WHY I’d be a little bit upset?''

'' Sam, you were only fulfilling your destiny, which is to be with me. Didn’t you enjoy it, Sam? Couldn’t you feel our connection?'', Ivy says silkily, stroking his chest with her perfectly manicured fingernails.

'' Ivy, that’s not the point.''

'' Of course, it’s the point. You tried to fight it, Sam. Your feelings for me, but, you couldn’t. You still can’t. That time we spent together didn’t extinguish the fire that exists between us…it only made the flame burn brighter. You know I’m right.'', Ivy says, whispering in Sam’s ear, and takes a nibble on it before she faces him again.

'' You love me, Sam. I know it, you know it, and as soon as Grace sees you, she’ll know it too.''

'' You leave Grace out of this. I still love her too.''

'' Not as much as you love me.''

'' You don’t know that Ivy. You don’t know that at all.''

Sam walks away, and Ivy isn’t as happy as she once was. She thought for sure that once Sam had spent the night with her, that his mind would be made up. She couldn’t believe that he was still feeling anything for Grace. Ivy shook those thoughts from her head. Whatever she had to do, she was going to do. She had to break Grace’s hold on Sam. She had to find someway to accomplish this.

This would be her focus, and she would get a plan.

Grace was working in her shop when Sam came in.

There was an uncomfortable silence between them, which Sam broke.

'' I slept with Ivy.''

'' I know.''

'' You know?''

'' Yes, I ‘felt’ you while you were sleeping with her. Believe me, Sam, it was a most unpleasurable experience.''

'' Grace, I’m sorry. I know that doesn’t mean much. I admit now that I was afraid of my feelings for Ivy. I was. And, I was a weak man. I gave into them. But, they are just that, Grace, feelings. Feelings of lust, of regret, or ‘what might have been’, and somehow, in the aftermath of my hideous decision, I realized that NONE of that compares to what I have with you.

Please know that whatever doubts I had about Ivy are gone. I love you, Grace. I KNOW that I lived the life I was SUPPOSED to…and that was with YOU. Grace, please take me back. Please tell me that I haven’t ruined the reason I have for living. I’ll do anything, Grace. Counseling, anything you want.

Grace, please tell me that you haven’t given up on me?''

Grace looked at Sam, her heart broken. She couldn’t say anything to him. She couldn’t tell him that they were on an even playing field, because SHE had betrayed their wedding vows too. But, what she had done was worse than what Sam had done. Sam at least tried to fight Ivy, for well over a year. The first chance Grace got to betray Sam, she had taken it…and, with his BEST FRIEND?

Grace didn’t even know who she was anymore, and it scared her.

'' Sam, I need time. Time to think. I’m not telling you no, but, I can’t tell you yes. Please, go.''

'' So…..so, there’s hope for our marriage? Our family?''

'' There’s always hope, Sam.''

'' Thank you, Grace. I’ll spend the rest of my life making up the hurt that I have caused you and the girls and Noah. I promise. I’ll leave now. I won’t crowd you.''

Sam left the store, and Grace crumpled to the ground in tears. She would have done anything to hear those words, but, now, they’re hollow to her, because of her own deeds.
 

'' TC Honey, dinner’s ready.'' Eve yelled out the door in the direction of the shed. TC had been in his shed all afternoon. She knew not to disturb him, but wondered what set him off.

Eve went to the bottom of the stairs, and yelled up, '' Whitney…Simone….dinner.''

By the time Eve got to the Dining Room with the last course, Whitney was there.

'' Where is everyone?'', Whitney asked.

'' I don’t know, Mom. '', Whitney replied, filling her plate with the favorite dishes that Eve had prepared.

Both Eve and Whitney were plated and sitting down when Simone came dragging in. She sat in her seat, lowering her face as to avoid her mother and sister. She put some food on her plate, and mumbled, '' Sorry, for being late.''

After a few minutes, TC came in, and Eve prepared him a plate. '' I fixed all of yours and Whitney’s favorite dishes, Honey.''

TC nodded, but, did not have eye contact with his wife. He ate one bite for every ten he tried to re-arrange on his plate. The quietness was stifling, so, Eve decided to speak up,

'' Whitney, are you prepared for the upcoming tournament?''

'' I think so Mom. Dad and I have been going over some mental toughness exercises. He’s having me meet his friend, the sports psychologist in Boston on Friday. Dr….Oh, I can’t remember his name…Daddy, what is it?''

TC didn’t respond, and Whitney called out, '' Daddy? Daddy?''

TC looked up to see them staring back at him.

'' I’m sorry, but, I’m not feeling well. I think I’ll go to bed.''

Before anyone else could even reply, TC was gone.

That left the three of them in the Dining Room, and the doorbell rang.

'' I’ll get it.'', Whitney volunteered.

Whitney left the room, and Eve looked over to Simone’s plate, which had barely been touched.

'' Simone, is there something wrong with you? Are you not feeling well?''

Simone didn’t get a chance to reply since Whitney came back to the room, and she announced, '' Simone, Reese is at the door for you.''

Simone’s eyes grew wide. '' Reese?''

'' That’s nice. If you want to Simone, you can invite him for some dinner.''

'' NO!'', Simone shouted and Whitney and Eve both looked at Simone oddly.

'' I meant to say, that I’m sure he’s already eaten.''

'' I didn’t mean anything by it. You go see what he wants.''

Simone got up from her chair and walked to the door. '' Reese, what do you want?'', Simone hissed.

‘ I didn’t notice before how firery your eyes became when agitated, and that your mouth curved into a sexy pout.’ , Reese thought. '' You left your planner when..'' he said, bringing forth the planner.

Simone snatched it, and hissed, '' Good-bye.'' And slammed the door on Reese. Reese dejectedly began to walk away when the door opened and Simone rushed to catch up with him.

'' Reese!'', she called.

He turned around.

'' I’m sorry. That was a bitchy thing for me to do. I don’t blame you for what happened.''

'' Why do you treat it as something awful?''

'' Wasn’t it?''

'' No.'', Reese says quietly and walks away, leaving a confused Simone.