Sam saw Sarah pacing the floor as he closed the door. He could tell by the look on her face that she was furious.
"I can't believe he did that!" She swung around to Sam. "What the fuck was he thinking?"
Sam caught her arm and led her to sit on the bed, then sat beside her. "You have to calm down and listen to me." He shook his head over her protests. "Listen to me, Sarah!"
Sarah closed her eyes and lowered her head. "Nothing you say can make that right."
"I'm not saying it was right." Sam lowered his voice, as he tried to explain.
"Trish knows what goes on when she's not here. This has happened before."
"Sam, how can I look her in the eye knowing her boyfriend cheated on her?" Sarah asked, quietly adding. "She's my friend."
"Sweetheart, you have to try. Ok?" Sam put his arm around her shoulder and squeezed. "It'll work out better that way."
***
Sarah was awoken by a jolt as the bus hit a bump in the road. She had taken two Valiums a few hours before, when the group had boarded the bus.
She was too pissed to face Georgie, and just wanted to be by herself. She claimed the front seat and was curled up now, under a blanket. Sarah laid her head down and started to drift back to sleep.
She heard Sam playing his guitar, in the seat behind her and she smiled, knowing that he was close by. The music stopped, and Sarah's heart skipped when she heard Gisette's voice, coming from behind her, also.
She lay still and listened as Gisette and Sam spoke. This time they spoke English and she was having no problem hearing them. It sounded like they had been talking while she was sleeping.
Sam had been concentrating on writing when Gisette sat next to him, asking if she could talk to him. He flipped over the paper he'd been writing on and picked up his guitar, nodding at her as his fingertips played over the strings.
"Barry told me about Georgie and Cherry and I wanted to thank you for stepping in and talking to him. I don't want any problems between him and Trish. She's a really nice girl and I'm just starting to get closer to her."
"I've noticed that you two have been getting along better. How are you and Sarah getting along?"
Gisette sighed. "I'm trying, Sam. I made it a point to sit with them the other night and get to know Sarah, but she didn't seem to like me being there. I just felt excluded. That's why I left and came down to Tex's room.....I know that I really started out bad, everyone thought I was a bitch. But I only want what's best for the band."
"I didn't think Sarah was still giving you a hard time. I'll see if I can talk to her. I know the guys are behind you all the way. We know how important this is to you."
Sam grabbed his guitar when the bus hit a bump, then he started to softly strum it again. He heard Sarah stir, but then she was still again. He hoped she was asleep.
Gisette placed her fingers over the guitar strings, and he stopped playing.
Sarah heard Gisette ask. "When will you write a song about us?"
"Gisette, that would be a hell of a song." Sam chuckled, softly.
"I think it would be good song. We were great together. And now you're finally getting what you've wanted. This is just the beginning of your dream, Sam. I'm happy for you and I'm glad that we're together to see it." Gisette placed her hand on Sam's leg.
Sam placed his hand on hers and his eyes flicked to the mirror that was across the front windshield. He could see that Sarah had her eyes closed, it looked like she was still asleep.
"Aren't you fucking Tex, now?" He asked, skeptically.
"No, I don't want to be with anyone else."
Gisette felt Sam's fingers intertwine with hers and squeeze.
She knew that Sarah was awake. She had seen what Sam missed when he looked away from the mirror. Sarah had opened her eyes, and locked them on Gisette's.
"What would you write about us? What would the song be like?" Gisette asked.
"It would have a lot of thunder and lightening." Sam laughed.
"And fire." Gisette added. "A lot of fire and passion."
Sam looked at her, speculatively. "Yeah, there was a lot of that." He said, softly. He raised their entwined hands and ran a knuckle along her jaw.
Gisette's hand still rested high on his thigh and now her fingers walked up to the seam in the middle.
She ran her finger back and forth, smiling when she felt him move under it.
He shifted in the seat and glanced at the mirror. "Pas bon, Gisette, pas bon." He muttered under his breath.
She slid out of her seat, throwing a smile over her shoulder at him, as she walked to the back of the bus. "Write me a hot sexy song, Sam."
Sam watched Gisette walk away, then looked at Sarah's image in the mirror. He saw, with relief, that she was still asleep.
Sarah kept her eyes closed as she heard Gisette walk away from Sam. She felt the pin pricks start up in her chest.
She felt herself drifting into sleep again, thankful that the pills were working on her, when she slept she didn't have to think about anything.
Sarah woke and sat up, looking at the group scattered behind her on the bus. Everyone had found a spot to curl up in and was asleep.
Sam was sleeping in the seat behind her, his head laying on a pillow, leaned against the window.
James, the bus driver, said softly from his seat. "Everyone's finally settled down. I hope I didn't wake you with the radio."
"No" Sarah yawned and stretched. "You didn't. How much longer till we get to Denver?"
"A couple more hours." Sarah stood and headed for the bathroom at the back of the bus, stepping over legs and feet that were in the aisle.
When she came out, she saw that Tex had woken up and was sitting on the couch, his legs stretched out and his arms crossed over his chest.
He patted the cushion beside him and she sat down, curling her legs under her.
"How are things going?" Tex asked, quietly so no one could hear.
"Ok." Sarah knew that he was asking about her and Sam.
"Sarah, honey," Tex lowered his voice even more. "Don't lie to me. I'm the only one who really sees what's going on."
Sarah looked at him in surprise. "What's going on, exactly? Please tell me what you see."
Tex saw the troubled look come into her eyes, and he picked up her hand, smoothing his fingers over her knuckles. "You came into his life about the same time he dropped Gisette. And he fell in love with you. I know he loves you. Gisette knows that too. She's used to getting her own way and she's not too thrilled about losing Sam. But.... she also found out how badly she wants this job. She saw that she was messing up as road manager. It all came crashing down on her, and she poured out her guts to us. She has all the other guys pulling for her, trying to help her stay."
Sarah narrowed her eyes, suspiciously. "And you don't feel the same way?"
"I fucking hate girls that are like her. She's had everything handed to her all her life. No, I didn't fall for her sob story at all. But I'm all for keeping this band together, if I have to put up with her, then I will. She acts like she is our friend, all nice and cozying up to us. But I see how she is around Sam. I know she is trying to get him back by this act of hers.... I don't like to see you getting caught in the middle."
Tex looked at Sarah, and leaned in to speak directly at her. "Sarah, I really like you. Ever since the first time I met you, I knew that you were special. If you were with me, I'd never look at another girl. I can't believe that Sam is letting Gisette get to him again."
"Maybe what Gisette has told me is true. I can't take care of him the way she can." Sarah felt her eyes fill up with tears.
Tex wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and pulled her closer. "I don't believe that at all. You have no idea how sexy you are. But I can tell you, that you have to take better care of yourself."
Sarah looked up at him, sharply. "What do you mean?"
"Honey, I know you've been taking some kind of pills every day." Tex's hand slid down to close around to her rib cage. "I see how you don't eat; you're losing weight, I can feel your bones."
Sarah knew what Tex was saying was true. She had been taking something every day, just to help her cope with everything. And as a result, she hadn't been eating much.
"I don't know what to do, Tex. I don't want to lose him."
Tex gave her shoulders a squeeze. "You won't. I'm watching Gisette, I know how she works. Remember the other day, when you saw us in the elevator?"
He felt her nod. "I saw she was making the moves on Sam in the pool. So I got her away from him."
"You took her back to your room?"
"I wanted to see if she would be as nice to me." Tex chuckled. "She wasn't interested."
They heard someone stirring around in one of the seats. Tex sat her back away from him, whispering as he did. "Take care of yourself, honey."
"Thanks, Tex..You're a good friend."
"Yeah, well, if you ever want more than that....." He laughed as she punched his arm. But Sarah could hear the truth behind his joking.