36 - Dean
The phone keeps ringing and ringing and ringing. Sam isn’t picking up. The last text I got from her was about moving out of Jess’s place. I toss my phone aside, blowing all the air out of my lungs. I bring my hands up to my face and groan as I lean on my elbows.
What a mess.
I’m going to be honest with Sam. That’s the best way. I’ll be honest about Victoria, about being pressured to marry her, about my parents’ political aspirations, everything. I’ll tell her about my mother’s threats and then she’ll be able to make her own mind up.
My phone is still dark and silent, and I pick it up to dial her number one last time. I know I shouldn’t. It’s late, and she’s probably asleep, but there’s still a niggling thought that tells me something else is going on. She usually sends me a message before she goes to bed, and tonight I’ve heard nothing from her.
I replay everything my mother said and sigh again. She wanted me to break up with Sam tonight and report back to my father tomorrow. That gives me no time to figure anything out.
I can’t take this anymore. I need to see her, I need to talk to her and tell her what’s going on.
I grab my jacket and rush out the door. I’ll drive to her place and make sure she’s alright. From there, we’ll be able to figure something out together. I jog to the elevator and tap my foot as it makes a slow ascent towards my floor. I sigh, counting the seconds until the doors ding open.
It seems to take an eternity to go back downstairs and I rush to my car. It seems like every single light is a red light and it takes me forever to get to her place.
Finally, I pull up outside and jump out. I ring the doorbell and shift my weight from foot to foot until I hear someone coming towards the door. I breathe a sigh of relief when Sam opens the door.
“What are you doing here?” she asks, brows knitting together on her forehead.
“I was worried about you, I had to see you,” I reply.
“Why would you be worried?” Her words seem to have a double meaning and she stares at my face intently. A lump forms in my throat and I’m struggling to find the words to tell her what I need to tell her. Where do I start! Her eyes narrow a bit more and I shake my head.
“You weren’t answering my calls,” I finally concede. “I…”
She waits for me to go on and finally shakes her head. “What the fuck is going on, Dean? Why is your mother showing up on my doorstep and telling me to break up with you? Why some woman showing up at my work and telling me you aren’t what you seem? Why are you suddenly worried about my welfare? What is going on?”
“Wait, what? She came here?! And who was at your work?”
“Tell me what’s going on Dean, it feels like there are way too many secrets you’re not telling me.”
“There aren’t any secrets! It’s just family stuff.”
She nods slowly. “Just family stuff. Right. The family that owns your life and basically runs this town. And you wouldn’t want to share any of that with me, because I’m not part of your world, is that it? I’m just a fun distraction? It’s not until your own mother, who I’ve never met before, comes to my door that you’re suddenly worried about me knowing these things?”
“No, Sam! What? No! Not at all!”
“Leave me alone, Dean. I dealt with secrets and lies in my marriage and I’m sure as hell not going to deal with it from you.”
“Wait, Sam, please,” I say, taking a step towards her. Her face softens and she sighs.
“You need to be honest with me, Dean. I can’t take this.”
My heart breaks and I nod. “They’re pressuring me to break up with you. I swear Sam, I’m trying to fight it. It’s not you, they’ve wanted me to marry someone else. I just need a little time to figure it out.”
She chews her lip and stares at my face. “I need to think, Dean. And you need to give me some answers.”
“I will. I promise. I can’t take you out tonight, I’m pretty sure my mother is watching me. Meet me tomorrow after work? I’ll know more then.”
She nods. We stand there in front of each other silently until Sam’s face relaxes and she starts to smile. The squeezing in my chest disappears and I relax. I take a step forward and kiss her softly. The minute our lips touch, relief floods through me and I pull away.
“I’ll pick you up from work and I’ll tell you everything,” I say. She nods. “Goodnight, Sam.”
“Goodnight,” she says. She sighs and shakes her head before slowly closing the door.
I get back in my car and let out a sigh. That wasn’t what I was expecting. My mother must have come here right after going to my place. She must have threatened Sam somehow, and what was she saying about someone showing up at her work?
The panic that I felt earlier starts to transform into anger. I can feel it curling in my stomach as I think about my mother and father and Victoria. They’ve controlled my life for far too long. I don’t know how I’m going to get out of this one, but I do know that Sam cares about me and she wants to be with me. I want to tell her everything and she wants to hear it, and that’s got to count for something.
I’ll go see my parents tomorrow morning and try to stall for time. That's all I need, more time. I need time to talk to Sam and time to figure out how I’m going to get out from under my parent’s thumb. I need to figure out what they have over Sam and how to make sure they won’t come after either of us.
I can figure it out, I know I can, but I need more time.
With a deep breath, I start the car. Before I can pull out, the passenger’s door opens and a large man gets in. I turn around to protest when I see the man’s face. I know that face.
“How have you been enjoying fucking my wife?” he says. My jaw drops as I realise who it is.
“Ronnie? What are you doing? Get out of my car!”
Something glints in his hand and I see the barrel of a gun. My chest suddenly feels hollow and a lump forms in my throat. I flick my eyes back to his face and see him snarl.
“I had the honour of meeting your mother when I came here the first time. Apparently she likes to have you followed and she saw an opportunity. And what can I say, I’ll take any opportunity to fuck your life up after you swooped in and took Sam from me.”
“That psychotic bitch,” I breathe, “and Sam was over you the moment you cheated on her, you bastard.” He flicks the gun forwards and growls.
“Drive.”