When time flies by quicker than you thought it would, you realize how powerless you really are. The next two weeks felt as if they had only started when Sam had to get ready to return to Connecticut. There were reasons she didn’t want to go. Things she didn’t want to face and feelings she wasn’t certain she could handle, but knew she had to do it.
Within the three weeks she had been in Florida she learned some things about herself as well as at the restaurant. Things that she had forgotten she remembered and memories were rekindled. Her relationship with God was still rocky, but she knew He was still there. He had never left her, but she had to work through her anger and feelings somehow. She wasn’t sure how long it would take or how she would do it, but desperately hoped she would be able to.
She learned she was stronger than she ever realized. Most of her life had been easy. Up until the accident that almost killed her, she hadn’t had any tough trials in life. Most of her years had been easy compared to what other people go through. She had a great, comfortable life growing up. She had loving parents, and in high school she was one of the popular cheerleaders. She had always known who she was and what she wanted to do.
When she was hit by that car at the beach everything changed. She had her first brush with death. She found out she had a bad heart and needed additional surgeries. Then the unimaginable happened with Chris. In such a short period of time, the world she had known and loved was shattered.
Over the past few weeks memories flooded Sam’s mind, her heart and her soul. It seemed there were times every moment that she and Chris had experienced together were playing through her mind like a slide show. Sometimes, when she was lying in bed she felt like she was watching a movie.
She had been asking herself about her relationship with God. She had feelings she struggled with and wasn’t sure how to handle them. She didn’t know how to feel toward Him. She knew He was there all around her. She never doubted His existence during her struggles, but she had an anger toward Him that didn’t seem to want to go away. She felt she should probably talk about it with someone, but it hurt too much to bring it up. She accepted that possibly in time she would be able to deal with it on her own.
Her last evening with Tonya was an emotional one. Tonya insisted she take Sam out for a special dinner. She wanted to express her gratitude for everything Sam had done for her.
“It’ll be a casual night. You don’t have to get all dressed up. We’re just going to the Olive Garden, but it’s my treat. You can have anything you like.”
Sam was applying her make-up and said, “You really don’t have to do this Tonya. I already know you appreciate me as I do you.”
“Well, I feel like I do. Besides, I want to so stop fussing over yourself and let’s go. I’m getting hungry.”
Sam finished the final touches of her eyeliner, admired her reflection in the mirror, and turned the light off.
“Okay, I’m ready miss bossy pants.”
Laughing, they walked out into the starlit night and enjoyed their last time together before Sam had to leave. She hadn’t been to Olive Garden in years and looked forward to their brand of Italian food. She couldn’t even remember what they had on the menu, it had been so long.
When they first arrived and walked in, Sam gasped at the amazing difference from the one she had been to years ago. The lobby was modern with plush sofas lined up against the glass walls. There was a double-sided love seat in between them so the lobby could accommodate plenty of hungry waiting customers. As they sat and waited Sam appreciated the décor, distinctive with long leafy plants in large vases. The artwork hung along the walls as well as flat screen televisions provided soundless landscapes that could take a person’s breath away. Watching the pictures on the screens made her long to be wherever they were taken. They were so incredibly beautiful.
The ceilings were decorated with long polished pine boards that stretched from one end of the restaurant to the other. Between some of those hung lamps that appeared to be from a glass blowing factory. It was breathtaking and they hadn’t even been seated yet.
After a forty-five minute wait, a young waitress with curly, coal-black hair that hung to her waist and gorgeous deep blue eyes asked them to follow her. She took them down an aisle and Sam saw some of the dishes covering the oak tables, putting smiles on people’s faces. She saw large amounts of pastas and mussels and overflowing baskets of breadsticks, and her stomach growled intensely. She almost wanted to run to her table so she could place her order.
With menus in front of them, Sam gazed at the list and wondered how in the world she could pick just one item from the selection when everything was so tempting. After much debate, they agreed on an appetizer of classic calamari and asked for lemon water to drink.
“What are you ordering?” Sam asked. “I don’t have a clue. Everything looks so good.”
“I know, right? I haven’t been here in a long time so I’m not sure, but the Tour of Italy looks fantastic.”
“What is that?”
“It says it’s chicken parmigiana with lasagna classic and their signature fettuccine alfredo.”
“Oh, yeah that does sound good, but I like the way the five cheese Ziti al Forno looks. I think I’ll try that.”
Their waitress arrived with a basket of breadsticks, their water, and the calamari. She took their order, told them to enjoy the appetizers, and said she would be back shortly. As they enjoyed the calamari and breadsticks, they talked about what Sam would do soon after she got home to Connecticut.
“I guess since the next quarter at school will be starting soon, I’ll have to get mentally ready for that. It’ll be a couple more weeks so I have plenty of time to review my books and notes and stuff.”
Knowing it wasn’t an easy topic, Tonya tread lightly and asked, “Do you think it may be a good time to do something with some of Chris’s things? Maybe donate his clothes to Goodwill or something.”
“I don’t know. Can we not talk about that right now? I’m sorry, but I don’t want to get depressed and ruin my last night here with you.”
“Of course. I understand.”
Their dinner arrived and the power of hunger overtook the majority of the time they spent together. Forgotten for the time being was any conversation concerning the disposal of Chris’s belongings. They talked about more enjoyable topics such as what Sam learned at the restaurant, Tonya’s sudden interest in a very frequent customer who happened to look a little like a young Elvis Presley, and her dying to ask him if he could sing like him. When Tonya told her that Sam laughed so hard she almost spit her food across the table. People started looking at them like they were becoming a bother so they tried to quiet it down a notch.
The one thing that turned the rest of the evening into a more memorable night was when a herd of waitresses started clapping and headed in their direction.
“Oh, look! Someone must have a birthday!” Sam beamed.
Tonya grinned at her mischievously and giggled. At first, Sam didn’t know what to say because it wasn’t her birthday, but when they stopped in front of her with a large piece of fudge covered chocolate cake with a single candle on it she glared at Tonya. The waitresses finished singing the Happy Birthday song and walked away, and Tonya couldn’t keep from losing her control of hysterics.
“You know it’s not my birthday, right?” Sam asked her and tried to keep her glare but failed miserably.
“Yes, I am fully aware of when your birthday is, but I had to do something to make this night a special occasion. I couldn’t think of anything else and it was the only song they would do.”
Sam quickly let her glare turn into her sparkling grin and shared her special treat with her best friend. She could never stay upset with Tonya for any reason, even if it was for something that caught her off guard and embarrassed her.
***
When they were back at the apartment Sam made sure she had everything packed and ready to go in the morning. She had to be at the airport early and didn’t need or want to be late. She didn’t get a very good night’s sleep; that ongoing dream once again filled her mind. When she woke from it she realized she should seriously consider seeking a therapist. She needed to talk about her struggles and that dream with a professional and help her figure it all out.
At the airport the next morning, Sam and Tonya shed their tears, hugged, and spoke of how much they meant to each other. They had a hard time letting go when the announcement was made that it was time to board.
“I will miss you,” Tonya told her. “Call me when you get home so I know you are safe.”
“Okay. I will miss you, too.”
When Sam walked up the carpeted walkway to board the plane it felt like the longest walk she had to make in a long time.