Different Forms of Happiness

Part 16

Chapter 15 - Sam

She winced as Kate tugged on her hair.  As soon as the woman did, Max bumped her out of the way, only to pull on Sam's hair in a different direction.  Sam let out a loud groan.  It had been like this for the past twenty minutes.  Every time Kate would put her hair one way, Max would come in and flip it the other.  Reaching her own hands up, she pulled her hair away from their grasp.

"If you don't stop," she growled under her breath, "I'm going to the barber shop three doors down and making them do it."

Kate gasped, and Max froze.  The two of them looked at one another before letting out a sigh.  "I'll do her hair," Max said with a shrug, "and I'll let you do her makeup."

Before Kate could open her mouth and protest, Sam straightened in her seat with an overly excited expression on her face.  "That's a fantastic idea!  Kate, you always were the best at doing make-up."

The older woman beamed at her before bouncing around the chair to stand in front of her.  Sam glanced down at the woman's feet, wondering how someone could bounce in such crazy contraptions.  Sam loved her shoes, no doubt about that, but those heels had to be at least four inches.  There was no way in the world that Sam could walk in something like that.

"Chin up," Kate said, pushing her face up.  Max let out a groan, but kept working on her hair as if Kate's constant movements didn't bother him.

Sam let a smile form on her face.  With these two friends, she would definitely be dressed to impress.  "How's your husband?" Sam mumbled, as the woman began messing with her eyes.

"Good," Kate breathed, a large, loving smile forming on her lips.  "He's so wonderful, Sam.  I'll never be able to repay you for pointing me in his direction."

The smile on her face stayed there as Kate continued to gush about her husband.  It wasn't anything Sam hadn't heard before.  Kate and her husband were a two of a kind.  Complete opposites, but completely in love.  As Kate continued to talk, Sam felt a little bit of longing.  What would it be like to have someone that loves you as much as you love them?  How would it feel to brighten just because you say another person's name? 

A knock sounded on the door, ceasing Kate's rambling.  Looking through the mirror, she saw Graham's head poked in, and the smile on his face let Sam know that he was up to something. 

"Can I come in?"

Max lifted his hand from her hair.  "Sure, come on in.  It's not like you're her date anyway."

Graham winced, but walked in anyway.  "So," he started hesitantly.

"Spit it out man," Kate grumbled as she brushed something across Sam's face.

"Max, will you be my date for tonight?" he blurted, his face turning red.

Max froze, frowning at Graham.  "No offence, but you're really not my type."

"Oh my God," Kate breathed, freezing as well.  "I never thought you batted for our own team.  I mean, Scott, yeah, I can see that, but you..."

"Agreed," Max mumbled.  "I think it has something to do with his hair."

Graham started laughing, clutching his side.  "Sorry, sorry," he mumbled, gasping for breath.  "It's just that the poor guy is going to shave his head by the time the party is over."  He straightened, his once laughing face turning serious.  "Honestly, I think taking Max is an excellent idea.  It'll keep Scott's mom from harassing Sam too much, and Max can be there for moral support.  There is nothing remotely intimate about this."

"If you're sure you don't want anything remotely intimate," Max said, waggling his eyebrows at Graham.

Graham just shook his head with a chuckle. "Sorry man, but you have certain parts that I prefer not to be there." 

A small laugh escaped from Kate as she pushed Sam back into the chair.  "Okay, pretty boy, get out of here.  Max, if you're done, go get your suit on.  All Sam has left is putting her dress on."

"I'm done," Max grumbled, "but that doesn't mean that I want to go."

Sam turned in her chair.  Staring up at him, she sent him wide eyes and a pleading expression.  "Please, Max?  You go to these types of things all the time, and you remember the last one I went to.  It was a disaster.  Please, please, please come with me?"

"How much of a disaster?" Graham asked with a worried expression.

"She broke up with her boyfriend, who happened to be a powerful lawyer, at the party.  The man didn't take it very well, and his sister poured punch over Sam's head.  Oh, and—"

"Enough!" Sam shouted before Kate could embarrass her more. 

Max let out a sigh before leaning down to brush his lips across her forehead.  "If I didn't love you, I'd stay here."

A happy squeal escaped her mouth, making the others laugh.  "Thank you so much."

Max opened his mouth to say something, but Kate shooed him away.  "Out with the both of you.  Sam needs to get her dress on."

"I could stay and watch," Graham said with a smirk.  Sam didn't know what he saw, but soon the smirk dropped and he darted from the room.

"What'd you do to him?"

Kate cackled behind her as Max left the room.  "Wouldn't you love to know.  Come on, stand up and let me help you get into this thing."

Sam stood to her full height as Kate walked towards her with a garment bag.  She closed her eyes, already knowing that it would be something Kate made her do.  The woman loved revealing her creations, but only when someone was wearing them.  Sam slipped into the dress with ease.  She could feel Kate lifting her hair before zipping the dress.  "All done," the woman mumbled, making Sam open her eyes.

She stared at herself in the mirror, half wondering if this was really her.  The dark blue dress made her skin seem more tan, made her eyes seem dark.  It was strapless, skintight until it hit her hips where it flared out.  Across the top, small diamonds branched to the middle, running down her stomach before stopping right before the dress flared.  Sam looked at the cut of the dress, making Kate laugh.

"It's called a sweetheart dress.  It's why the top almost looks like a heart."

"It's beautiful."

Kate dropped a pair of silver shoes in front of her.  "You're beautiful, Sam.  Whichever one of them men that you want will be yours for the taking."

"I don't want either of them."

She let out a sigh while bending down to help Sam into her shoes.  "Say what you will, Sam, but I know you.  One of them men out there is remarkably close to stealing your heart." Kate glanced up at her.  "Just make sure it's the right one."