It was yet another new day and it did get a new beginning with it. For the first time in a very long time I was looking forward to today, I was excited and happy. I knew I would be spending time with Edward and we would be alone. Andy was staying with Matt and Ellie and he was taking Vodka with him. Matt and Ellie really liked Andy and were looking forward to having him with them for the whole day.
The morning passed in some what of a blur and then came time to drop Andy.
I was a little late when I reached home and had little time to dress. I had never really dressed when I used to go out with Edward but I sensed today was different, it was almost a re-union for us and it was special.
I peeked in my wardrobe and decided to wear my favourite white coloured sun-frock. I took a very quick shower and washed my hair. My hairs were a nuisance as usual and they couldn't be tamed, so I lost the battle and left them alone. I put on the dress and was just putting on my sandals when the bell rang.
It was Edward and he was looking adorable in a white cut sleeve shirt and blue rugged jeans.
"You look...cute." Edward said and I laughed.
"No Edward, I don't look cute, you do." I told him and he gave me a dirty look.
"The day I look cute, it'll be the last." He vowed and then took hold of my hand and led me to his Honda.
Once inside we hit the road and I enquired.
"Which movie are we seeing?"
"Well, since you wanted a romantic one, they are showing 'The notebook' today. Do you wanna see it?" He asked me.
"I absolutely love that movie." I told him and he gave a very sexy smile to match my enthusiasm.
The movie was amazing and the best part was that Edward would lean down and whisper the hero's love words in my ears and I would laugh at him. We received many glares and after some time I had to plead Edward to stop whispering them, for one he sounded so serious, I was almost afraid to look at him and all the time I was thanking god that we were in a theatre.
"Where do you wanna go for dinner?" He asked me once the movie was over and I had lost my appetite completely.
"Let's go to McDonald's and grab a burger." I suggested and he shrugged. We were sitting in the McD's enjoying our burger and coke when someone called me by my name,
"Samantha?" I heard a female enquire and turned in my seat. I froze in shock when I realised who that woman was.
"Iris, is that really you?" I asked and she gave me a dazzling smile. In an instant I was out of my seat and hugging her closely.
"Oh my god, it's so good to see you." I told her and she laughed contentedly. It was just so good to meet my friend after such a long time, I was so happy, I kept on hugging her.
"Careful you can crush the future Vivian or Jason." She said happily and gently patted her stomach. I gasped in surprise.
"You're having a baby?" I practically shrieked and she nodded.
"Wow, that's awesome, congratulations." I was so happy for her. Iris was one of my best friends and she was always the most contended one. She was also very funny and I loved her for what she was. I had always been open with her.
"Hey, are the rest of them here too?" I asked excitedly.
"Yeah-Alice, Cherry, Opal, Amber and me. We came for a small get together and then we got hungry. I tried to contact you but the lady told me you had shifted and we had no contact number." Iris explained but I was past caring. I was just so thrilled to see them.
"Hey guys." I shouted at my friends and they all gaped at me.
"Samantha." I was hugged by all of them and then I introduced them to Edward, we all shared a meal and they promised to drop by tomorrow and spend the day at my place.
We were in the car and I was so happy.
"Hey Edward, can you please keep Andy tomorrow?" I asked him and he gave me a grunt.
"You know I love that boy, of course I would." He said and I smiled at him. My mood was in an up hill.
"So I guess you are happy?" He asked.
"Oh man, it was so good to see them today. I mean, I was so shocked when Iris came. You know how much I used to miss them. Thank you so much for taking me there today." Edward gave me a smile and shrugged; when we reached home he just sweetly kissed my cheek and went away.
The next day couldn't come any sooner. I was ecstatic at the thought of meeting my friends today. Edward had taken Andy in and they both were going down to the museum for some sight-seeing. I was prepared with the wine and local drinks and awaited the arrival of my friends for life.
They all came at the stroke of seven, with several packages and necessary thingies.
"Hey Samantha, we are having chicken Marsala for dinner and today we are going to get drunk." Opal told me.
"That's exactly what I want." I grinned at her.
"You people are so bad, you know I can't drink." Iris complained and all of us ignored her remark.
Like every other girl we all talked like crazy and shared problems.
"You know I met this guy Jason at the firm and he is darned hot, I mean I'm completely bowled over by him but he never looks at me twice. He just gives me these hungry looks and then ignores me, it's so frustrating. I just keep thinking that he will ask me out and wait but he just doesn't." Cherry's relationships were always complex.
"Well, in that case you should ask him." Amber said.
"Are you kidding, he could sack me." Cherry sounded angry.
"It's not our fault really; give it a try, he wont sack you cause you asked him out." I told her.
"Easy for you to say when you have Edward dangling down your neck all the time." OUCH!
"Hey that is so not true, he is my best friend and so what if we go out, normal friends do." I defended my self.
"Sam I know you love him." Iris said.
"That's ridiculous."
"No, its not, you look at him like he is your own personal Adonis, I know that look, I look at Erik like that."
"Listen, that is so not true." I tried to ridicule the accusation. Iris, Amber and Cherry just gave me a raising eye brow.
"Oh God! Is it so obvious?" I asked them and all of them nodded.
"You know you should tell him." Alice suggested.
"Are you crazy? He'll run." I gaped at her.
"Look, I don't know but I can tell you that there is something from Edward too, believe me , I mean he looks at you with a strange expression, almost like he thinks he is your protector." Iris said.
"Well, that was bound to happen, I slept with him."
"WHAT?" All of them asked.
"It was once only; I mean he went back to Shanelle."
"Who the hell is Shanelle?" Amber demanded.
"Shanelle is Edward's friend from Portugal, she wanted a house here so he offered her his and moved in next door, I met her once and she is the Angelina Jolie twin, the day he made love to me we were supposed to meet her in the bar, but didn't ... so she came the next morning and Edward told her that he didn't have anything to with me." I told them miserably wiping my tears.
"Jesus and you're still going out?" Iris looked horrified.
"It's just that he told me that he misses me and that he wanted me back as his friend and I love him so much I just agreed and then he is good to Andy too and I didn't wanna loose him forever."
"God, you are the silly damsel in distress." Amber looked amused.
"Listen, I think you should tell him." Iris said.
"NO! No, no, no. he will go away believe me, he is not the settling down type. And I know he doesn't love me, he just wants me. " I told her and she looked at me helplessly.
"Hey, let's just forget it. Do you remember that we used to select a very old song and then choose a partner and dance?" Cherry inquired and we all laughed.
"Well, I have the CD here and Sam had the stereo. What say?" She winked and we all agreed.
"Common the, we will start with Amber. Give me a number."
"Three." Amber said and Cherry pressed three.
Michael Buble started singing Sway and everyone beamed.
"I love this song." I said and signed as the lyrics took over.
Amber danced with Iris and they made funny moves, everytime Amber tried to get close to Iris she would just bump into her stomach and then would have to retreat. Her song ended and came my turn, Cherry asked me a number and then said,
"Oh let it be, you'll say seven." She pressed seven and I gasped when I heard Elvis Presley sing 'Love me tender'.
I took Opal to dance and Iris glared at me.
"Sorry but I don't wanna bump into you, I'm sensitive." I apologised to her and she spanked me on my ass.
We were dancing and when Elvis said 'don't break my heart' I had the strongest urge to run to Edward and tell him how much I loved him. But I was not Shanelle after all and that was what he wanted.
Cherry danced on Elvis Costello's 'She'.
We all danced ourselves senseless.
I had never had so much in my whole life. Maybe I did when I was Edward but I had missed my pals so much, it was just so amazing to be with them again, for the first time in a long time I felt like a teenager again.
"Hey, who is that?" Amber shrieked at me.
I looked to see Vodka standing there and I smiled.
"That's my dog, his name's Vodka." I told them happily and everyone cuddled him except Amber.
"That is so gross." She shrieked and I looked at her.
"Edward gave me that dog, I love him and say a bad word about him and you are dead meat." I glared at her and she backed off.
"God, be a bitch." She said and then turned away.
"That is such a sweet dog; I want one like this too. What did you say his name was?" Iris asked.
"Edward gave it to me. Vodka." I told her.
"No thanks, you know I can't drink." She told me.
"Gee, that's the name of my dog." I told her and laughed at her stunned expression.
"You named the dog Vodka? Couldn't you name him anything else?" She demanded.
"Well I thought about Whiskey and beer and also Soda, but Edward and I liked Vodka better." I told her and she snorted in defeat.
"You could name him tequila? I had a dog named Whiskey." She suggested and I laughed.
"I'll name my cat that." I promised.
"Ok, hey who was that boy whom Edward is baby-setting for you today?" Opal asked curiously.
"Oh that is Adrian, he is my adopted son." Amber dropped her plate, Iris dropped Vodka and Opal stared at me while Cherry and Alice just stared at me.
"What?" Amber demanded.
"Well, yeah, I adopted him." I told them and a giggle left me when they just kept on staring at me like I was completely mad.
"Are you trying to be funny?" Alice asked.
"No, look guys I love that boy, his mother died in an accident and the emergency people were putting him in foster care and I know how it feels to be there, I and Matt have been there. Andy is just not that strong, so I took the opportunity and became his legal guardian, until he wants me to." I finished and they all gawped at me.
"Are you able to handle it?" Amber sounded angry. What is with her?
"Of course, look I appreciate the concern but what are you guys worried about?" I asked.
"You idiot, handling a child is difficult, especially a boy and he can be a pain in the ass." Iris warned me and then smiled slightly at my expression.
"I know Iris, I was a pain in the ass too, believe me I can handle this. I'm all he has got now and I just cannot abandon him, he will be devastated and I love him far too much to hurt him in any way." I reassured her and she nodded at me.
We all talked after that for hours and when they got up to go, Amber and Cherry were very much drunk and looked like they could crash anytime.
"Ok guys, I think you should stay. Amber and Cherry are in no state to drive." I told them and they all looked at Amber and Cherry, they swayed on their feet.
"Oh god! What in the hell will I do, now?" Iris demanded and silently stroked her stomach.
"What happened?" I demanded. She took my hand and placed it on the stomach. I sat very still and looked puzzled at Iris.
The baby kicked! Very hard and Iris and I giggled like crazy.
"Hello little baby, say hi to Aunty Sam." Iris crooned at the baby and he kicked in return.
Amber, Alice, Opal and Cherry felt him or her kick too and we all giggled in delight.
"Just how pregnant are you?" I asked her jokily and she gave me a dazzling smile.
"It's the seventh month and I'm very much pregnant." She told me and I looked at her, she looked so happy and for a minute I actually had a green-eye.
I pictured Edward with me, I imagined our family. I was lost, I really could never come out of loving Edward, it would be crime and I would never commit one. If Edward didn't want me it would never stop me from wanting and loving him for all the time that I live without any end. I groaned.
Lord, why does this all happen to me? Why can't I for once lead a normal life and don't love Edward so much that it ached in places that I thought never existed.
I was going crazy with needing Edward with me for the rest of my life. I couldn't even think straight.
I was jealous of my friend and a small baby who hasn't even opened his eye to this world.
People were true, love is blind, it can make you commit all the sins and still think it was for the sake of someone. I also knew that this love has taken its toll on me, I mean he had said goodbye to me so many times before but never have I felt this dread to let him go, never. I could almost chain him to my side and never let go of him.
"Sammy, you look like lightening just stuck you in the head." Iris whispered, I was sleeping with her.
"Iris, I love him so much." I whispered back.
"Sam, go tell him. Believe me either you will be extremely happy or he will break your heart."
"Iris, I will die if he tells me that he doesn't love me." I sniffed a little and she sat up.
"Sam, you are miserable. You just cannot continue like this. Please tell him." She hugged me.
"Oh Iris, I can't. He always runs away, I know him better than he knows him self. I know once he realises that the girl is in love he leaves." I sobbed again.
"Poor baby, don't cry. Look, I can tell him for you." She said and I shook my head at her.
"I just couldn't let him see that I was hurting. Iris, I'm thinking of moving to Manchester, theirs a firm here who wants a partnership with the book shop and then they can handle here while I handle the new one that they would open in Manchester." I told her quietly.
"I could just go, Edward had told me that his job transferred him permanently over here, he even bought a house, so he will stay here, if I move on, I can at least try to forget him." I told her and then snuffled the new flood of tears back in my throat.
"Don't be ridiculous, you cannot just shift like that, and now you also have Andy to think about. Listen I know that you won't be able to bear if Edward gets another girl but shifting has to come in after a lot of thinking." Iris explained and the thought of Edward with another woman almost made me flinch.
"I'll talk to Andy, he will understand. Iris shifting is the only way, I just cannot go on living here with him in the same building. It's too close." I mumbled.
"Look, think it over, tomorrow we all go. You think and talk to Andy and then call me and tell me." She told me and I nodded at her. I would have to get away. Edward had all ready taken my heart now he was on the verge of sucking my brains out. I just cannot stay with him anymore. I knew Shanelle would be happy with the news of me going away. All I feared was what would happen when I tell Edward this. I had my excuse the problem was if I was strong enough to continue the charade and get out with a win or will I crumple and admit the truth. In the morning my friends departed leaving me with the sense of loneliness looming over the whole house.
"I'm gonna miss you guys so much." I cried my eyes out and everyone laughed at me.
"We are meeting again; you people are the god mother's of my little baby here." Iris told me proudly.
"You missy, are going to call." She told me and I nodded. That was the other reason for me to wish that I was dead all ready.
As soon as they departed, Edward opened his door and peeked. I saw Andy do the same thing.
"Raiding party gone, common." I motioned them over and they came to me grinning.
"You looked so silly." Andy told me as I sniffed my tears back and gave him a cuddle.
"And you look so cute, today." I told him and his grin changed to a grunt.
"Boy's are not cute, Sam. They are hot." He corrected and Edward barked with laughter.
"You, young man are never to use that word again until you are a teen. Do you understand?" I asked him and glared at Edward who was still laughing.
"Don't get angry, you are hot too." He added with a wink and Edward actually guffawed.
"I suppose you could say that to me, but other wise no one." I warned him and he shrugged.
"You are a witch, Sam." He told me.
"No baby. I'm hot." I smacked him on the head.
We went in the room and sat around.
"So, had a good time?" Edward enquired.
"Oh yeah, I loved the time we spent together." I told him and he smiled my favourite smile at me. Oh my lord, my breath was stuck. Edward was dangerous and I just had to get away. I could so easily tell him the truth at a time when I was dazzled by him. I had talked to the distributors and they had told me that I could go there and handle the firm. I had to tell him that I was leaving. I had to ask Andy too.
"Edward, can I talk to you?" I asked him. A quizzical expression crossed his mind and then he nodded.
"What happened?" He questioned once I took him in the bedroom and I hesitated. It would kill me to tell him that I was leaving.
"Uh, I got a call from Lancaster firm. They want a merger. If I give them a partnership, they will expand my business and they want me to handle the Manchester firm." I blurted in a hurry.
I looked at him and he gave me a blank look.
"You mean, you are leaving Manhattan?" He sounded appalled and I dared not look at him. I nodded.
"Jesus, why do you want to merge with them?" He demanded. This was one think I had not thought about.
"Edward, I have to look after Andy now, and its good money, too. It's a good opportunity." I told him and he gave me such a hostile look that I flinched.
"You are leaving because of the money?" He asked me.
"No, it's just that ... I don't know. I just have to leave Edward." I admitted in defeat.
"Why, for god's sake?" He sounded incredulous. When I didn't answer he came up to me and took hold of my shoulders, he gave me a shake.
"Why do you wanna go?" He asked me.
"I just wanna go away, all right. I cannot stay here any more; this place has only given me tragedies to deal with. I just cannot stand it anymore. I want a change of scene, I wanna start fresh. I have to be away from here...from Melina...from Nick...from this place...from this country...from..." I stopped in time before saying you.
"From what else, Sammy?" He demanded.
I just kept quite and hung my head.
"From me. You can say it, I won't bite." He growled.
I was silent; his harshness was breaking my heart.
"I just wanna go away." I whispered. His hands on my shoulders tightened with unbearable force.
"You know what I think? I think you are going away because of what happened between us. You know that there is something between us and you are denying it." He spat the words at me and I staggered back.
"I came back here so that I could be near you, now you wanna go, that's so noble of you, Sammy. Why didn't you say no?" He questioned.
"I haven't said yes too. I just want to say yes." I said.
"No, why didn't you say no to me that day?"
I was so shocked by his question. I couldn't say a word.
"Answer me, you little bitch. Why didn't you say no?" He questioned hostilely. His grip was so tight I couldn't even break free.
"I don't know." I told him brokenly and I tried to get away from him but he pulled me closer to himself.
"If you would have said no this wouldn't be happening. Sammy you want me as much as I want you but I can handle the whole situation. I won't run away like you are, and believe me that's what you are doing. That is exactly what you always do and did. When your mum died, when Mel died, when Nick abused you, when you met Shanelle, when I made love to you. Always, Sammy. You really are a coward." He finished.
His words hit me like a blow in the face. I pulled myself free of him and looked at him.
"Ok, that is what I always do. That is what I was taught. Everytime I loved something it was taken away from me. My mom, Melina, a friend, a trophy that belonged to my team and now my best-friend. I'm scared, Edward. I hate to loose the things I love because it hurts so much. I was devastated when Mel died, I would have killed myself if Nick would have raped me. Can't you see? I have the worst luck in the whole world. I hate you for this Edward. I hate you, when I want some support all you can do is shouting at me." I yelled at him and then I burst out crying. Edward came forward and tried to pull me in.
"Don't you dare touch me. You made love to me, it was my first time. I loved every darned moment, but then you went back to Shanelle, you cannot even imagine how badly that hurt, and you are right if we wouldn't have made love I wouldn't be going. And now I almost wish that we hadn't. I hate you for this Edward. Get out of my life and if you want me to be happy don't ever come back." I looked at him and the expression of pain on his face almost made me stop him from going.
"I want you to be happy, Samantha. So I'll leave. Thank you for sharing some life with me. I wish you luck, and I'll always remember you." Were his parting words to me. I fell against the wall and cried my whole heart out. I loved him, I loved him so darned much. As soon as Edward left Andy came in the room. He crouched next to me and out his arms around me.
"What happened, Sam?" He whispered. He wiped my tears and gave a sweet kiss on the cheek.
"Andy, will you go to Manchester with me?" I asked him between hiccups. He was silent for a long time.
"You are going because of Edward, aren't you?" He asked me quietly.
"Yes." I told him honestly and he looked at me.
"No, I don't want to go, Sam." He said.
It was wrong to take Andy without his wish. But I cannot stay here. Edward was right I was a coward.
"Andy, I can't stay here." I told him.
"Sam, I'm going and telling Edward the truth." He said and then got up to go. I took hold of his arm.
"NO, no please. Andy, I love him so much. I cannot see him with that Shanelle, please, don't tell him that I love him. He is never going to talk to me anyway." I pleaded with him and he came back.
"Sam, don't cry, please. I'll go." He told me sadly and my tears took me over. He hugged me tightly.
"Please, Sam. I told you, I'll come, please don't cry."
"I love you, Adrian." I whispered in his ears.
"I love you to, ma." He said back.
After dinner I was taking Andy and Vodka for a walk.
"Oh, I left my jacket at Edward's." He started going.
"Andy, you wont tell him, will you?" I asked him and he nodded at me.
After a long time he came back and I was shocked to see that Andy had tears in his eyes.
"What happened?" I demanded. He sniffed.
"Edward is going to his house." He said and I looked at the hurt at his face. Then he held out a shirt.
"He told me to give this to you." He handed me the jersey that I had given to Edward. I took it and Andy ran back in the apartment. Rage took me over and I picked up vodka. I rang his bell.
"What?" He snapped at me. I silently handed him Vodka and turned around. He called my name.
"What are you doing?" He demanded.
"I'm doing what you did, I don't accept charity either. So I keep my shirt and you keep the dog." I turned.
"I thought you liked him." He said angrily.
"No you are wrong, I loved him. But since you gave me him as a gift and I gave you the shirt as a gift. You returned mine so I'll return yours." I said calmly and turned. Tears pricked my eyes and I clutched his shirt to my heart. It smelled of him. I was at my door when the shirt disappeared. I looked at Edward startled.
"I hope you'll take care of him." He said harshly and handed me Vodka back. Edward took the shirt and flung it on then went away.
Andy was still looking sad when I walked in.
"Andy, why are you crying?" I asked.
"He said that he was going straight away. I will miss him." He told me miserably.
"Andy, he had to go someday." I told him quietly and he nodded silently then he went into his room.
Edward went away the same day. And the whole time my heart ached thinking of him with Shanelle, living in the same house and maybe the same room. My life was a colossal hell.
One day I was preparing dinner and Andy was watching television when I heard Andy scream.
"OH MY GOD." I ran to the room and saw him staring wide-eyed at the television.
"What happened?" I demanded and he pointed to the T.V. I was so shocked to hear the reporter.
"Cristiano Ronaldo had finally decided to leave Manchester United and join Real Madrid. He has been offered a whopping 80million pounds to leave and apparently he has said yes to that offer. Alex Ferguson too has decided that the boy's time at MANU is over." Andy was looking at me and the whole activities of the past week took over and I swooned.
"Samantha, oh god! Sam." He shouted but I was past caring I could only see Ronaldo in a white jersey, he was leaving my team for the money and he expected that the fans would understand.
If he wanted to join real so badly why did he even come in MANU? and then before Andy could see anything I fainted.