As You Wish

"Come on, Sam! Seriously? Greg died a year ago. You've been moping around here like life stopped and we all have to cater to the grieving widow. This is bullshit."

My brother, Brian, was never one to mince words. I expected someone to say something to him. My mother stood there, dumbstruck.

"Mom, do you want to say something or should I just pack and leave now?"

"Mom knows that I'm right, Sam. Dad's gonna tell you the exact same thing. Greg died. Get over it."

I held back every iota of anger I had in me. Instead of continuing the fight, I turned to leave.

"Samantha Rose," My mom said.

I turned, defeated.

"What, Mom? What do you have to add? I'm going to pack what I have and stay with Bea. She offered, without judgment, to let me stay until I got the house cleaned. No one in this family understands what I'm going through and won't even try. I hope you and Dad enjoy your life together and Brian enjoys a lasting relationship with his right hand. I'll call you when I'm better."

Sam's mother stood awestruck. After packing the few clothes and her copy of "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants", Sam calls Bea.

" Hey, Sweets, ready for a great time? "

"That and a drink."

"Consider it done. I'll be there in five."

Lugging her suitcase to the door, Sam makes eye contact with her father.

"Samantha,"

"Dad, stop. I don't want to talk. "

"I talked to Brian. He had no right saying that to you."

"I'm still leaving."

"Your mom's sorry too. "

A car horn beeps. Sam carries her suitcase. Turning around, she looked at her father.

"Mom should be sorry. I'll call later. I love you, Dad."

Sam puts her suitcase in the trunk of Bea's car. Bea smiled.

"It's about time you decided to take me up on my offer. We're going to the liquor store. What do you want?"

Sam laughed.

"You know what I drink. We've been friends for like ever."

"This is true but things change. Besides, we need comfort food too. We're heading to the Metro Market."

"I look like a scrub, Bea." Sam says.

"You do not! Throw your hair in a bun and let's go."

Sam pulled her brown hair into a messy bun and followed Bea into the store. Once inside, the women wander aisles looking for food.

"What do you want me to make you?"

"Bea, don't hate me."

With her eyebrow raised, Bea looked at Sam.

"Why would I hate you?"

" I haven't eaten anything substantial in three days. "

Bea looked at Sam.

"What have you eaten?"

" A box of Swedish Fish and a bottle of water. "

"Why haven't you been eating?!" Bea exclaimed .

An elderly couple looks at them.

"Keep walking, Grandpa. Nothing to see here."

The pair of gawkers walked out of view.

"You expect to get drunk and you haven't eaten. Lemme ask you this, are you insane? Seriously, are you crazy? Let me answer that. Yes. Yes, you are. Of all the things..."

Neither paying attention to Bea or the trajectory of the cart, Sam crashes head first into another person. The tall man wore a beanie and a tank top.

"I'm so sorry," Sam said .

He looks at her with tantalizing chocolate colored eyes.

"Naw, I'm sorry..."

He looks at Sam.

"Samantha, Samantha Barrett?"

Sam looked at the man curiously.

"Do I know you?"

"It's Ethan. Ethan Chamberlain. We went to high school together. Even had homeroom together all four years."

Sam looked up at Ethan.

"I don't remember you being so tall."

Ethan laughed .

"Growth Spurt in Junior year. How have you been?"

" I've been better... "

Ethan noticed the small band on her finger.

"I don't want to pry. I know we didn't really talk much in high school but if you feel like catching up, here's my number. We'll grab some coffee. I'm buying, don't argue."

Sam started to blush.

"Okay, "

"Great. Maybe, I'll talk to you later."

Bea, noticing the chemistry and the sheer size of the man in front of Sam, smiles.

"Yes. Yes, you'll definitely hear from her. Come on, Sam. Let's go."

Sam blushes as Bea walked her away from the crash.

"Girlfriend, you need to explain who that was. He was.. Oof, my heart and my brain ain't working right after him."

"Beatrice! "

"What? I'm married, not dead. Besides, he looked into you. I just stood there like an idiot."

Sam blushed.

"That was Ethan Chamberlain. He and I had homeroom together, among other classes. We always ended up in something together,"

Bea raised an eyebrow.

"Something? What is this elusive something?"

"He was on the football team and I tried to be a cheerleader. I made the team but I was never popular. Neither was he. People were friends with him because he was huge. They were friends with me because of Brian. See, being the captain's twin sister came with privileges. Ethan never took advantage of that. Prom night came. My date was a friend of Brian's. Nick expected things I didn't give him. Nick got angry and tried to hurt me. He got my dress instead. Ethan noticed. That boy.. I've never seen him as angry as that night. I told Ethan that Nick wasn't worth it. Ethan calmed himself and took me from the prom."

Bea looked captivated.

"Where did he take you?"

Sam chuckled softly.

"Ethan took me to Seven Bridges. In my torn dress, he took this picture of me. My hair was a mess. Makeup smudged. He knelt down by me."

Reappearing in another aisle, Ethan smiled.

"I put a lock of her hair behind her ear and in the moonlight, I kissed her. Every time I saw her at cheer practice, she had a book. Prom night, I took a chance. I quoted the book she read the day we met. She started to cry. Do you re remember the book? "

Sam blushed.

"The Princess Bride."

"Yes, "

Bea looked puzzled.

"Okay, question, how did you end up marrying Greg, Sam?"

Ethan looked shocked.

"You're married?"

Bea interjected.

"She was. Do you want me to explain Sam?"

"Please." Sam said, tears forming.

Bea cleared her throat.

"First, hi! I'm Bea, Sam 's best friend. Second, Sam was married until February of last year. Her husband Greg overdosed. She came home and found him. She's been struggling since. Brian hasn't been helping matters. Neither has her family. My husband and I are going to try to help..."

Without a second thought, Ethan wraps Sam in his arms.

"Damn. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, she's trying. "

Ethan kissed the top of her head.

"I wish I would 've known. What do you need? "

Sam's eyes filled with tears.

"A hug."

Ethan wraps his arms around her.

"Do you want to go to our spot, Red?"

Bea looked at Sam.

"Red?" She asks with a cocked eyebrow.

"Long story. I'll explain later."

"You better!" Bea said.

The pair leaves the store. Ethan takes Sam to a place at Seven Bridges . The view showed the entire city. He wrapped his arms around her.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"I figured you might like a peaceful place. I still come here."

Ethan looked at Sam.

"What made you decide on a drug addict?"

"He didn't start out that way. He got hurt at work. The doctor gave him pain meds and it went from there."

"Did he hurt you?"

"He never meant to do it."

Ethan calmed himself.

"Did anyone know?"

"Bea, my family, my boss.. They kinda suspected but no one said anything about it. Then he died... "

Sam cried for the first time in a long time. In Ethan's arms, all the sadness and pain melted away.

"It won't happen again, Red. I won't let it. Let me take care of you like I should have all those years ago. Please?"

Sam's wavery eyes looked at Ethan. He missed her lips softly.

"Hey, Red, I have a question for you."

"What?"

"If you're gonna stay with me, do you suppose we should get your stuff from your friend?"

"How do you know?"

"She did say something like that."

Sam kissed Ethan .

"Thank you."

She against his chest as they walked to his car. After a quiet night of comfort in Ethan's arms, Sam calls Bea.

"Think you can get my stuff over here? I'm currently drowning in one of Ethan's shirts."

" I'll be there soon. Did he help? "

"Yes, and I'll tell you about it later."

Bea's laugh made Sam smile.

"Go get it, Tigress. I'll see you later."

"Sam?"

Ethan's tattooed torso stood blocking the door.

"Coming back to sleep?"

" Oh yeah. By the way, I always thought how you answered my requests in high school were sweet. You should do that more often"

Ethan smiled.

"As you wish."