That following morning, Sam woke up in Naomi's apartment to someone yelling, "Sam, open up. I don't have my key."
Sam quickly scanned the clock and it was only 9 am. She ran to the door and opened it and said quietly, "Be quiet, you'll wake the whole building up."
"Oh you're over here. I'm sorry I forgot my key," the person said walking over to her.
"We're trying to sleep. Why didn't you stay at the apartment until later in the day?" Sam asked kind of annoyed.
"Well, I wanted to see you," the person said.
"Well, shhhhh, be very quiet. Naomi's been sick and she's resting." Samantha said.
"Where's Peter?" the voice asked quietly.
"He's not here," Samantha replied. "I think he's resting elsewhere."
"May I come in or do I have to wait in the hallway?" the person asked.
Sam checked on Naomi and then went into her apartment for a minute letting the person inside to talk to him for a while. "So how did that meeting go? Did you find someone about the songs?" Sam asked Mike (the person from hallway).
"Yes, actually, I did. I have to go down to Texas though for a while to meet some folks." Mike said.
"How long will you be gone? You know Micky and Elaine are getting married before she has the babies. They want you in their wedding."
"I know, I got the voicemail from Micky. I should be back before she delivers." Mike replied.
"What about me?" Sam asked.
"What about you?" Mike asked. "You'll still be here and I'll come and see you when I return home."
"What is going on with you, Mike?" Sam asked angrily sitting down on the couch.
"I'm trying to publish my music, Sam. That is the most important thing to me right now," Mike replied. "And, if I have to meet with these people, then I will."
Sam looked at him and asked, "So tell me something, Mike. What do you want to do about the future besides publish your songs?"
"One thing at a time, Samantha. Only one thing at a time." Mike replied. "I have to go now though. I'm meeting some more people for a luncheon today. Have a great weekend and week if I don't see you before."
Sam looked at him and her heart filled with hurt, anger, and distrust. As he headed for the door, she went into her bedroom and closed the door.
"What? No goodbye?" he said to himself.
Mike closed the door and went to Sam's bedroom and knocked on the door. He sensed something was wrong by her departure. "Sam?" he asked opening the door. Samantha was lying on her back staring at the ceiling.
"What's wrong?" Mike asked.
"Nothing," Sam replied. "You have a luncheon, remember?"
"I have time for you, Sam." Mike said sitting down on the bed next to her.
"Hmmpf," she said.
"Sam," Mike said taking her hand and she pulled away from him. "I am coming back, Sam. I won't be gone that long."
"Go," Sam replied standing up and walking into her bathroom closing the door. Mike walked to the bathroom door and said, "I don't want to leave when we're fighting, Sam. I want us to work things out."
"Nothing to work out, Mike. You chose what your number one priority is, and that is publishing your songs. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to return to Naomi's." Samantha said opening the door and walking to the front door.
"No, no, no, you don't," Mike said running and blocking the door. "We're going to talk about this."
"No, we're not," Samantha said pushing him aside and leaving the apartment. Mike quietly closed her apartment door and left. He wasn't going to fight anymore and wake people up if she started yelling.
____________________________
When Micky found out that following day what had happened between Samantha and Mike, he was absolutely livid at Mike. Yes, they had been friends on the show. But they did get on each other's nerves as well...and this...was one of those times. Micky came home that night from another unscheduled drum lesson he had to teach, he found Elaine sitting in the kitchen.
"How was work?" he asked.
"Well, they didn't like the fact that I sprang one month of bedrest on them today after the Lord put it in my heart yesterday while I was at Church." Elaine said. "And Sam has disappeared. No one has been able to find her since after work today. Naomi's too sick to go and search for her; Louise came home early from work today because she's vomiting profusely from a 24-hour flu; I can't be stressed or agitated, so I can't go out looking for her; Peter is off somewhere with Davy; and, well you were teaching a lesson and couldn't be disturbed. She's new to this town and she's lost. That's all that there is to it."
"Has anyone checked her apartment?" Micky asked.
"Duh!" Elaine replied. "I've searched everywhere inside that place including the closets. Don't worry, I didn't bend over." Elaine took a six-pack of Coca-Cola in the bedroom and closed the door.
"Elaine?" Micky asked walking to the bedroom door. "You're not drinking all those."
"Yes, I am. Maybe not all tonight, but they are mine. If these keep me from being stressed, I will have them. I've already called Dr. Annabelle and she told me to do what I felt was right to keep calm. I go to see her Wednesday night after work anyway for another ultrasound and exam."
Micky asked Elaine, "You want me to go and find her?"
"No, I need you to stay here in case I need you." Elaine replied. "God will provide, he always does."
Elaine opened a pop and sat there taking a sip. She covered up with her blankets and started to pray in her private prayer language. Micky, on the other hand, walked into the livingroom and opened the door to the apartment. He looked down the hallway and saw a red jacket at the end of the hall. He knew Sam wore a red and blue lightweight coat.
He walked down the hallway after unlocking the door and it was just the coat there. "Sam?" he asked looking around the hallway and stairs. He walked to the door and opened it. He looked outside and didn't see her there. He did, however, see her car parked across the street at a park.
He went back to the apartment, got his keys, put on his coat, and locked the door again. He walked across the street to the car and looked inside. She wasn't in there. "Sam?" he called out looking around for her. "Where are you?"
"Never to be found again!" he heard coming from a child's sandbox.
"Sam?" he walked over to the sandbox. Out from the sand popped Samantha covered from head-to-toe in sand.
"What are you doing, Sam?" Micky asked.
"Trying to see if I'll drown." Sam replied. "But I won't, so it's not very nice."
"Come on Samantha. Elaine is worried sick about you." Micky said pulling Samantha out of the sandbox and walked her back to her car. "Keys?" Micky asked. He took the keys from her hand and got her inside the car and drove back across the street parking in her spot. "Come inside, Sam." Micky said helping her out of the car and walking into the building.
Inside the apartment, Micky helped Sam to Elaine's spare room and told her, "Lie down and rest, Sam."
"This is the babies, room," Sam said. "I am not a baby."
"Fine, come in Elaine's room then." Micky said helping her into Elaine's room.
"Hi Laney!" Sam called out and then fell onto the floor.
"Samantha Kay, what on earth?" Elaine asked. "Where did you find her, Micky?"
"Across the street burying herself in the children's sandbox trying to drown herself." Micky replied. "She's drunk, Elaine."
"Kind of figured that one, Micky." Elaine replied. "Praise God she's okay."
"Yes, praise God, Elaine. Move over and let me put her on the bed next to you."
Elaine moved over while Micky lifted Sam to the bed and Elaine covered her friend up with a blanket. "What if she hacks in here?" Elaine asked.
"She won't," Micky replied. "At least not until she wakes up anyway."
That night, Micky was resting on the couch watching TV when Sam's phone started to ring. He picked it up and looked at the number. It was Mike. He answered it, "Hello."
"Micky, is that you?" he heard.
"Yes, hello Michael." Micky said.
"Why are you answering Samantha's phone?" Mike asked.
"Because she's sleeping." Micky replied.
"I suppose you heard where I'm at." Mike asked.
"Yep, heard all about it." Micky replied.
"Look, Micky, it was an opportunity of a lifetime me coming out here." Mike said.
"Do I even care, Mike? No, I don't. But someone else does." Micky replied.
"I miss her, Micky. It's not that I don't miss her. But I need to work on my priorities right now." Mike said.
"Yeah, she's top on your list of priorities there, Mike!" Micky scolded.
"I love her, Micky. I really do. But I need to take care of this stuff first." Mike replied.
"Why are you telling me all these things?" Micky asked getting irritated.
"Because you're my friend." Mike said.
"And she's not?" Micky asked and then hung up the phone on him turning it off completely.
"Micky! It's not like that at all." Mike said. "Hello?"
When he heard a dial tone, he knew Micky hung up on him. Mike sat in the hotel room that night thinking about Sam. He did miss her and he didn't like leaving her there alone for a month, but he had to. One day she would forgive him....at least he hoped she would.
Chapter 11
Chapter 13
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