“Samantha?” the voice said again.
“Ah, excuse me. I need to go to the bathroom,” said Sam.
Her wooden chair scraped across the tiled floor. She felt the bewildered stares follow her out of the cafeteria. She walked quickly to the daylight outside the cafeteria door.
Outside the air was crisp, and Sam felt the judgment of the professors roll off her shoulders. In the dim autumn sunlight it didn’t matter anymore. Instead, she could simply look around.
The cool part about being in Maine, Sam mused, was the changing of seasons. Fiery orange leaves flitted in the wind as Sam walked across the campus.
People would kill for this chance. The full time position as an Assistant Professor at a liberal arts college rarely ever happened these days.
If she were smart, she would go back into that dining hall, crack a joke about being gone for so long in the bathroom, and explain that she felt a recent exhibition she had caught in LA was a prime example of contemporary artists borrowing from the old masters.
The only problem was the idea of going back into the dining hall made Sam’s stomach lurch. Her feet stayed firmly planted on the gravel path. She had to keep walking.
A fleck of light caught the corner of Sam’s eye. Toward the edge of campus, where the town met the college was a small wooden building. Sam blinked. Floating flecks of bright color twinkled inside the structure.
Sam walked closer to the twinkling light. She realized it was coming from globes of glass hanging from the rafters of the ceiling, all different colors, shapes, and sizes. She walked into the building. She looked up at the orbs.
The delicately blown bubbles swung slowly at the ends of pieces of gardening twine. Sam's shoulders loosened from the area right below her ears. She finally felt calm. She hadn't been since she’d told Otto she was leaving for the East Coast.
Sam began to look around the rest of the gallery space. Vases with wispy patterns resembling sea grass, glass votive candle holders modeled after sea urchins with candles flickering inside, glass sculptures that could have found homes nestled on the sea floor next to a coral reef. Sam was under the sea, a serene glass sea. She closed her eyes and let the energy of the beauty enter her body.
“May I help you?” said a voice.
Sam turned to see an elfin woman with short, shiny brown hair walk out of the back. The woman’s cheeks were rosy against her pale skin. Sam’s cheeks would have flushed as well with embarrassment for being caught in her wonder. Instead she automatically felt a complete understanding with the woman. Her pixie face was warm, her voice welcoming.
“Hi, I’m Sam Henry and I was wondering if you’d be interested in doing a show at my gallery. I’d like to represent you,” Sam said, not really sure where her words came from.
They came out of Sam’s mouth before her brain had a chance to function. All she knew was they were the first words that had felt like her all day. She put out her hand as if she knew what she was doing. The young woman shook it and sputtered a bit.
The woman shook her head. Sam noticed tears begin to well in her eyes. Sam waved her hands frantically.
“I’m sorry. I know that was a little sudden. I didn’t mean to surprise you,” said Sam.
The woman shook her head. She wiped her eyes and looked up at Sam. The woman’s eyes were still shining.
“No, it’s not that. Just, I had gotten to a point I just never thought anyone would ever be interested in giving me a show, in possibly representing me. What I do isn’t considered fine art. There are only a few glass artists who have really been successful, so well, thank you. I’m Julia by the way,” she said, grinning like a wild woman.
Sam grinned and shrugged back at Julia.
“How could I not want to have a show with you? Your studio is absolutely magical,” Sam said as she paused to take another look around the whimsical space.
“I just need to make a phone call really quick, and then if you have the time, I’d love to talk specifics about scheduling and shipping and such,” said Sam.
Julia nodded and did a little dance. Sam laughed out loud.
“By the way, where is your gallery? I have a hunch you’re not from Maine. You have a sunny quality to you,” Julia said.
Sam laughed again. It felt good. She hadn’t laughed all day. It was nice to get a good dose of it now.
“Grover, California. It’s a small town outside of San Diego. It’s not much to some, but I like it,” said Sam.
“California! That sounds fabulous. In a lot of ways, my work comes from a small town, I think it’d do well being shown in another small town,” said Julia.
“I agree,” said Sam, responding to Julia’s enthusiasm.
Julia dashed toward the back of her studio to retrieve her portfolio and sketches and bits of tiny glass she was using for models for bigger pieces.
Sam stepped back outside. She pulled her cell phone from her pocket. She took a deep breath and called the dean of the department. It was probably one of the most deranged things Sam had ever done, but she'd never felt so free. She wouldn’t trade the feeling for anything.
After hanging up with a befuddled Dean Ashley, whose tone of disapproval had told Sam he wanted to make it clear to her she had made the wrong choice, she quickly dialed Zelda’s number.
As the phone rang her stomach caught. Otto would still be at school, unless he’d stopped by Zelda’s for his lunch break. Otto could potentially answer the phone. Sam wasn’t sure how she felt about such a prospect.
“Zelda’s,” said a female voice on the other line.
“I want to rent the space on Oak Street from you,” Sam said, spitting it out before she lost the nerve.
“Hi Sam. Sure you can rent it. How much does my nephew pay you to organize his professional life?” said Zelda, cutting to the chase.
Sam told her.
“You’ll keep that job until the gallery starts making money, and Otto has time to find a new assistant. You’re not allowed to turn his professional and his personal life upside down all at the same time,” said Zelda.
“Well, he did quite a number on me too,” Sam said with a shot of indignation that made her stop, embarrassed. Not the way she wanted to be talking to her future landlord.
Zelda’s laughter on the other end of the line made Sam start to laugh again too. Sam was impressed Zelda already knew what Sam wanted to use the space for. Zelda always knew these things.
“Glad to hear it. He’s crazy about you,” said Zelda.
Sam felt something get caught in her throat. She wanted to start crying, hard. She was about to make her first business deal, and there was the possibility romantic love could flourish right alongside it. The mere thought of everything coming together was absolutely overwhelming.
“Zelda, honestly I don’t even really know what I’m doing. I just know what I want. I want the gallery space. I want to make it a gathering place where people can see art. I want to make my home in Grover, no matter what. I’m not sure what Otto will think about all of this; I love him, it’s just—”
“Sam, sometimes we have to fight for the life we want,” said Zelda. The wisdom in her voice was solid and full of experience like the ancient boulders that lined Grover.
Sam took a deep breath.
“Okay,” she said, jittery for the prospect.
They agreed to discuss details over coffee and hot breakfast bread when Sam returned home.
Sam turned back toward Julia’s studio. The artist had cleared space on one of the tables for her portfolio. She looked like a fairy mermaid surrounded by her glass sculptures.
Sam tucked her phone away and gladly stepped back into the studio, under the sea, to discuss plans for future fun things.
9
Otto stepped onto the porch of Sam and Layla’s house. Holly was still staying there, and he’d promised to escort her and Layla to the big game. Finally, it was time for the game against the Winthrop Wildcats. It was the first time Holly would have to see Ethan in
person since he’d left Grover.
Otto liked the fact he could provide some comfort to his friend. Secretly he also didn’t mind any action that kept him moving. If he wasn’t careful he’d let time slip away from him while he sat at his desk at work or up in his apartment after he’d done all he could to help his aunt with the pizzeria for the night. If he stopped moving he’d let the worry that Sam wasn’t coming back seep into back his bones.
She hadn’t called. It’d only been two days, but it was killing him.
He’d rationalized he could always go to her if she took the job. There were high schools in Maine, plenty of cheap lobster too, and a harbor for his boat, but she hadn’t called, and this bothered him for some silly reason that Otto couldn’t shake. Also, in a way, saying no to Grover was in a way saying no to him too. He couldn’t exactly explain why, but it wouldn’t be the same if they moved away from here. He’d do it, but it just wouldn’t be the same.
He shook his head. He just couldn’t think about it any longer. He lifted his fist to knock on the front door. It was time to face off with Ethan again. This time it was the whole town versus Ethan.
It’s time to get this show on the road.
“Well hello there stranger,” said Sam’s voice.
He turned to see her standing on the end of the pathway.
Her hair seemed wilder than usual and it suited her. Her face also seemed more beautiful, if that was possible. He couldn’t put his finger on what it was, she just seemed calmer. He wanted to leap toward her.
You have no idea why she’s back. It might not be for you.
He took a casual step off the porch. He put his hands in his pockets.
“Hi Sam, how’d it go?” he said.
“Great,” she said, a huge satisfied grin spread across her face.
Otto felt his stomach drop. This was it. This was good-bye.
She took his hand, and looked up into his eyes.
“I said no to the job. I’m staying here, Otto. This is where I belong, in Grover, with you. It’s okay if you don’t, but I really hope you feel the same way,” said Sam.
Otto wanted to burst. He also wanted to drag her into her room and forget about the football game. The relief was overwhelming. He just wished he’d known her plans sooner.
“Why didn’t you call me and let me know you were coming back?” he said
Sam took a deep breath.
“I wanted to tell you in person. Also, once I decided to come back and make a life here I just needed some time to myself. Just some quiet time. You know, my last bit of quiet time before I came back here and life got hectic for good,” she said, grinning up at him.
Otto nodded. He couldn’t blame her. He knew Sam would need her quiet moments even while she was in Grover. He noticed she was getting teary, and for some strange way this gave him comfort. He knew he could help in this situation.
He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. He found her mouth and gave her a solid kiss. She returned it. They let time fly by them as they kissed and kissed again on the front porch.
Sam let being with Otto take over her.
I made the right choice.
She’d known it the moment he’d touched her. She hadn’t thought she could enjoy kissing Otto any more than she already did, yet standing in her decision to live her life here made everything sweeter.
The front door opened and Layla flew out the front door. She was wearing an orange and white stripped sweater. Orange glitter sparkled in her hair.
“Are you ready for some football,” she hollered before turning to see her best friend and her boss in a lip lock.
“What the hell is going on? Sam, you’re back! What happened? Tell me on the way to the game. We need to get to the game,” said Layla.
Sam looked Layla up and down. She had never seen her best friend this peppy, or spirited, ever.
“Layla are you okay? What's gotten into you?” Sam said.
Layla took Sam by the hands and swung her around in a circle on the porch.
“Tonight is the night Randy and Gus are going to bring Ethan down in front of the whole town and avenge Holly. It will be epic,” said Layla. She looked out into the night, her eyes shining full of hope.
Holly joined the others on the porch. She was cozily tucked into an orange and white knitted scarf. Her pants were orange. Her face was stoic. She broke into a smile when she saw Layla’s enthusiasm and her childhood best friend back from the East Coast.
“Layla is finding the whole thing quite Shakespearean. It’s nice to know someone is pumped. I can’t decide if I’m going to throw up, run back in the house and jump into bed, or run down to the field and scratch Ethan’s eyes out,” said Holly.
“I completely support you in any of your choices,” Sam said. She put her arm around Holly as they walked to the car.
“Everyone would support you and cheer you on if you scratched out Ethan’s eyes. I have a feeling though that watching your brother and Gus take down his team would be a tad more satisfying in a revenge sort of way,” said Sam.
Holly nodded.
“Hit him wear it hurts the most,” she said.
They piled into the car. Otto could only wonder if there was anyone on the planet as lucky as he was in that moment.
He wasn’t going to worry about the details of Sam coming back. Though all he really wanted to do was take Sam somewhere to ravish her for hours. She was back in Grover, and he was going with her to see the rest of the town cheer on their football team. It was second best thing and since he was going to ravish her later, he really couldn’t ask for much more.
* * *
On the car ride over Sam was flushed with the excitement of the football game, but really, she couldn’t get her mind off the man in the driver’s seat. Sam wanted to run her hands under Otto’s sweater and never stop kissing him.
At the same time, there was something strangely appropriate about driving to the rival football game with her two best friends and boyfriend. Sam could only grin at the situation. She had the best of friends, the sexiest boyfriend, and she was about to start the business she’d always dreamed of. It was a feeling that finally put her soul at ease. She felt so lucky and almost couldn’t believe it all at the same time.
Now though, she needed to concentrate on the present. The matter of cheering her head off for Randy, Gus, and the team as they took down Ethan was the most important thing, and being part of this most important thing, in this moment, made Sam feel satisfied and excited. She belonged. Finally, she belonged.
“I think, even if we lose I’ll be okay,” said Holly, shaking Sam’s thoughts out of her head and truly placing her mind back in the car.
“In some ways it might even be a good thing. I’ve been imagining today since Ethan told me he was leaving. This was going to be the final closure. I would feel whole again if we won. Ethan would crawl away and my life could go on. I’ve been putting so much weight on tonight, and it’s not about tonight; it’s about me finding my own sense of closure,” Holly said, looking wistfully out the window.
The car was silent for a moment.
It was a collective recognition. Holly had simply stated something they’d subconsciously felt, as if a massive healing was supposed to take place when the game was won. That was a lot of pressure on something as arbitrary as a football game. It was a lot of pressure on a bunch of teenage boys. The desperate need for closure wasn’t part of the excitement; it was something more sinister.
“How are you feeling now?” said Sam.
“I’m going to cheer my head off and enjoy the game. I’m going to let myself feel the way I feel when I see Ethan, and I’m going to depend on you guys to make sure nothing happens. I have this awful feeling something bad is going to happen to me in all the chaos,” said Holly, still staring out the window.
In the backseat, Layla threw her arms around Holly and enveloped her in a firm hug. Sam turned around in her front seat and gave Holly’s knee a quick squeeze.
“Ok,” Holly said nodding her head.
“Too bad we didn’t bring Bob. He’s an excellent protector, and probably would’ve gone straight for Ethan’s eyeballs,” Layla said thoughtfully.
Everyone laughed.
Sam imagined Bob was on the couch where they’d left him, a snoozing curled up fuzzy ball. He could care less about a football game between the Grover Guanacos and the Winthrop Wildcats. Such rivalries had once cost him his freedom. He was now above such things.
The stadium felt jittery with nerves. They entered in front of the bleachers this time. People waved hello and called greetings to Holly. Holly and Sam both stopped to hug their moms who were sitting together.
While in Maine, Sam had called Rosalind to give her an update of events. This was the first time they’d seen each other in person since Sam had returned to Grover. Rosalind hugged her tighter than her usual WASP pedigree permitted.
“I just love how everything is coming together,” Rosalind said. Her green eyes sparkled.
Sam grinned back, thrilled at her new life, if not a little taken aback by her polished mother’s show of public emotion.
They said their good-byes and headed to their seats by the band. Before climbing the bleachers they caught the eyes of Randy and Gus.
The coaches waved, and the friends waved back. They both looked like there was electricity running through them, full of nerves and excitement. They looked like they were having the time of their lives. It only made the excitement grow for Sam. She could feel it on Layla, Holly, and Otto too. She was so ready to cheer on her team and kick some Wildcat butt.
In the bleachers, Sam sat between Otto and Holly. Layla sat on the other side of Holly. Layla had somehow come across a pair of pom-poms on their way up to their seats. She practiced different shaking routines as they waited for the game to begin.
Holly kept her eyes on the other sideline.
Be My Friday Night Page 14