The Complete Box Set: Saving Her

by Bry Ann

  “I don’t mind,” Logan simply. “And I happen to love your mom. Plus, you have shown my sister great kindness. She likes you. You coming here just for her… Well, she’s never had that. I hijacked it, but I knew you were going to play stubborn unless I ambushed you.”

  “Well, you are right. I would have, and I adore your sister.”

  “Wow! I wouldn’t have even thought that you were capable of “adoring” anyone. Especially the girl I first met.”

  “What can I say your sister's special.”

  “Yes she is, and you two are two of a dang kind.”

  I grinned. “Yes, I love her sarcasm.”

  “I knew you would, mostly because it’s at my expense.”

  “Speaking of…”

  “Let’s get in the car first. I’ll grab Monopoly.”

  “Okay perfect.”

  Logan grabbed Monopoly, and we both headed to his car. Paparazzi got a picture of us walking out, and Logan cursed under his breath.

  “Logan, I'm so screwed.”

  “I know.” His face contorted with pain and worry. “I don’t even know how to say sorry. Sorry doesn’t even begin to cover it Sam.”

  We both quietly got in his car, and once we were inside, we discovered his bodyguards and driver already inside. They took off driving the second we got in.

  “You planned this whole night!”

  “Yep,” he said with a small smile.

  I nodded my head back and forth. What was I going to do with him? The bigger question, what was I going to do when he left me and I had to go back to being all alone?

  “Anyway, back to my question. Why does Dana give you such a hard time? She doesn’t seem to like the fame thing at all.”

  “No, she doesn’t. She doesn’t think it’s “good for me.” She hates that my mother pushed me into it. She hates the fakeness of it all. She hates the lifestyle I live. We fight about it quite a lot.”

  “Oh.” I looked down and scrunched my face. I couldn’t help but agree with Dana, but I could tell it was a touchy subject for Logan.

  “You two are still close though?”

  “Yeah,” he said brightening up a bit. “We had a long talk about it a few years ago. I told her I wasn’t changing, and I’d do anything I could to make up for the effects it has on her. I begged her to respect my decision and career choice. I had just cut off my relationship with my mother and father for her so we made a pact. Most of the time we have fun, but it is a source of tension for us.”

  “Oh…”

  “Yeah,” was all Logan could say back, and the rest of the drive was quiet. The more we hung out, the more of a reality Logan’s fame was becoming, and it was annoying. Really freaking annoying.

  When we got to my house I told Logan to wait in the car so I could check and see if she was even feeling well enough to have company. He nodded, and I bolted out of the car.

  “Mom! Mom!”

  “Sammie?” she called from the living room.

  She was on the couch in her pajamas. She looked extremely frail and sick like she was dying. My words almost got caught in my throat at the sight of the strongest woman I’d ever known looking so weak. I pushed it back because I had to be strong for her.

  “Uh, never mind,” I said turning away.

  “No what is it babe?”

  “Well, um, Logan just… Well, we were gonna play Monopoly, and we just wanted to see if you wanted to play.”

  My mom looked at me endearingly. “Sammie, come here.”

  I came over and sat next to her, and she placed her hand on my lap.

  “Don’t ever, ever, feel scared to ask me to join in on things. Understand me? I can say no. Don’t put that pressure on yourself.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Okay. Now I’d love to play but Sammie, I look pretty bad today. I don’t want to alarm Logan.”

  “Do you want to play?”

  “I mean of course, but I don’t want to scare him, and I may have to throw up sometimes babe.”

  I heard the fear in her voice.

  “Okay well then I’ll ask Logan. He can say no, but if you want to play, you have a right to play. I have a feeling Logan will understand. You are feeling up to it though right? Like you’d rather do this than sit here and watch TV?”

  “Like I said, yes, but I don’t want to alarm Logan.”

  “That’s all I need. I’ll ask.”

  She gave me a soft smile.

  “Okay, babe.”

  I nodded at the nurse who was grabbing her stuff to go. She smiled and helped my mom to her room to get changed. The home care nurses were always the nicest women.

  I went out to where Logan was leaning against the car with his sunglasses on.

  “Hey, so she wants to play, but I need to discuss something with you first. She looks bad Logan. Like really bad,” I tried to hold back my tears, but they were there. Logan gently put his hand on me lending me his silent support. “And she may need to throw up sometimes. I help her and stuff, but that may not be something you want to be around. Please don’t feel pressure. Like, please. She’ll understand.”

  “No, I want to. Your mom has been nothing but nice to me.”

  “Okay, just… if you want to go just send me a signal and I’ll make an excuse to leave. Okay?”

  “Okay.”

  Although he was smiling I could tell he was a little nervous. Logan was a hard man to read, but it was in the way he ran his hands down his forearm. The way he spoke with a hesitancy he normally didn’t have. I stopped my thoughts in their tracks. I shouldn’t have been noticing this stuff. He got in my head like nobody else.

  Logan waited for me as I got out of the car. He seemed to do things so gracefully, and I always struggled. In this instance, my foot got caught. I cursed and tried to jerk it free. He bit his lip to keep from laughing at me. That only pissed me off more. Finally, he walked over and pulled it free for me. I mumbled a thank you and stormed passed him. He laughed as he effortlessly caught up with me.

  I walked into the living room first and kissed my mom on the forehead. Logan stood back respectfully. When I was done he walked over and shook my mom’s hand.

  “It’s so good to see you again Ms. Perkins.”

  “You too Logan. I can’t remember the last time Sam played a board game… or anything.”

  “I can’t say I am surprised.”

  He tried to hide his amusement, but it was evident. I’m pretty sure my cheeks were burning bright red. I wanted to slap my mom like a sixteen-year-old and tell her to stop telling Logan embarrassing things about me. Obviously, I didn’t. I just stood there and let my cheeks give me away.

  I was supposed to be setting up the board game, but I was in awe of how effortlessly Logan got along with my mom. I’d always been terrified someone I cared about would treat my mom like a wounded puppy. I would kill anyone who treated her like anything other than the strong, brave woman she was. I stood there as they talked about random crap; the weather, their favorite board game, me. Finally, Logan turned to me and smiled.

  “Do you want to set up the game or should I?”

  Yeah. Right. The game. My cheeks flushed.

  “I was waiting for you two to be done talking!”

  My mom smirked at me and crossed her arms over her chest. “Well we are done hunny”

  Logan ducked his head to keep from laughing. I stared open-mouthed at my mom. Was she making fun of me? I stuck my tongue out at both of the playfully. For the first time in ages, it felt like my heart wasn’t a rock in my chest. I felt so carefree. I almost didn’t recognize myself without all my outward cynicism coming into play every five minutes.

  Logan and I set up the game for the most part, except for when I left to grab snacks. I wanted to make popcorn and bring out boxes of candy, but I considered Logan. I grumbled, but instead, I brought out carrots, sliced tomatoes, cheese cubes and whole wheat crackers. When my mom saw the snacks she bit her lip to keep from giving me a look I didn’t want
to see. I knew I was different for Logan. I wasn’t clueless. I just couldn’t stop it so I pretended like it was no big deal.

  Logan, not surprisingly, won the first roll so he got to go first. The second the game started Logan got way serious. His eyes narrowed on the board, and anytime my mom and I made a play I could see him strategizing in his head. I understood how Logan become so successful at such a young age. He was super smart. He outplayed us the entire time. My mom and I would look out each other and roll our eyes every time he did something to, once again, get tons of money from us.

  The game was light-hearted and fun, well at least for my mom and me. That was until reality hit me like an avalanche. My mom grabbed the spot right above my knee and squeezed gently. She was going to be sick. To keep from crying, I put the wall back over my heart. I couldn’t cry about this. Not again.

  “Excuse us one moment Logan.”

  I helped my mom get to the bathroom and held her hair back as she threw up. I then gently helped her back into the room. Logan didn’t say anything. He gave us both a small smile and continued the game. My mom was funny. She was able to lighten up again. I wasn’t able to. Not all the way at least. Logan noticed, and his competitiveness died a bit after that. He was way more focused on me and how I’d shut myself out. How he always knew was beyond me. I did everything I could not make it obvious.

  We obviously didn’t finish the game. Monopoly takes forever. We didn’t need to anyway. Logan was the clear winner, and my mom had to go to bed.

  My mom seemed happy when I tucked her in. She seemed full. Her eyes were light. The usually grim wrinkles that lay heavily on her face weren’t there. She looked calm. I guess I had been so busy working on saving her and providing for her that I forgot how to be fun. I forgot that she needed to enjoy life too. Logan forced it out of me. I never sat around and played board games. It was nice. However, I couldn’t help but be somewhat relieved Logan was leaving for a bit. I needed to focus on how to raise that money without distraction.

  I walked out to the living room where Logan had just finished cleaning up the game.

  “You know your guards could have come in. I feel bad they are just waiting out in the cold.”

  Logan smiled. “They are used to hanging outside of doors. They are paid to do that. Don’t worry about them. I pay my staff well. We are friends when they aren’t on shift.”

  “Oh okay, just making sure.”

  “Yeah, let’s head outside.”

  I followed Logan outside, and he quietly shut the door behind him. It was dark outside, and we could just hear the faint sounds of crickets speaking to each other.

  “Is there anything I can help with Sam? She… she doesn’t look good.”

  I bite back my urge to be truthful with him. He couldn’t know how much money I owed. How I couldn’t even afford to save my own mother.

  “No, thank you. The doctors are working on it.”

  He nodded.

  “Well if there is anything I can do please let me know.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Okay well. I should go. Like I said I shouldn’t be in LA long. Can I see your cell phone real quick?”

  “Why?” I set my hand over my pocket protectively, on instinct.

  Logan let out a crooked smile. “Because….. In all the times we’ve hung out, I realized we’ve never exchanged phone numbers. I’ve pretty much had to stalk you or ambush you to get you to hang out with me. I should be offended.”

  “That is true.”

  “I know it is. Now give me your cell phone and promise me you will call or text.”

  “Okay.”

  “No, promise me Sam. I want this friendship to last. You mean a lot to me, but I can’t make it work all on my own. So please. Don’t feel too proud to contact me.”

  “Okay, I promise,” I said firmly. “I do.”

  “Good. Also,” he winced a bit “Please be careful with my number. If anyone finds it out, well it’s a big pain in my ass.”

  “I’ll be careful.”

  “I know.”

  After our numbers were on each other’s phones, we stood there awkwardly for a second. Shockingly, I found myself wrapping my arms around Logan. I held onto him tightly. I had this feeling deep in my gut things were going to change after this. He brought fun into my life. Affection. Companionship. That was all going to leave now. I had to focus solely on my mom and work.

  Logan whirled back a bit when I hugged him. Hugs weren’t exactly my thing, but it took him less than two seconds to return the hug. He was so tall my toes were barely touching the ground, but I wasn’t going to let go. I gave myself this minute.

  “You okay?” he said pulling back and looking at me concerned.

  “Yeah, of course.”

  I think I was trying to convince myself more than him.

  “Sam, I have a plane. The world is small for me. I’m less than three hours away. If you need me, I’ll be here in a flash.”

  “Okay.”

  I wrapped my hands around my waist and tried to be strong.

  “By the way, Dana would love to hang out with you. She adores you. Don’t become a hermit again in my absence.”

  “Alright Logan,” I laughed. “You aren’t gonna be gone that long this time so go get your work done and come back.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  When he was almost in the car, he poked his head out. “Sam?”

  “Yep,” I groaned at the annoyingly long goodbye.

  “You still have the keycard. Use the lake. It can be a great escape when life seems like too much.”

  My heart fluttered a little. I felt relieved that I would always have that little piece of my life with him. I nodded. I didn’t want to show him how emotional I felt.

  With that, he drove away, and I instantly felt like my old, way too grownup self.

  Chapter 7:

  The next days were a reality check. I had been living this superior alternative of a life I didn’t have. Now that Logan was gone I had to get back to my reality. I could tell my mom was sad to see I was back to normal, AKA no longer fun. I couldn’t get that girl back though. This me, the serious one, was the only person who could deal with the photographers that pestered me now, Logan’s fans who annoyed the shit out of me, nonstop work and most importantly the reality of what I was going to have to do to save my mom. My only solace was the lake. I went nearly every single day no matter how busy I was. The bus took me two blocks away, and I walked the rest of the way. Also, at work Shauna, Matt and another girl named Kasey were super supportive. A lot of people bothered me after my pictures with Logan were published, but they always took care of it.

  Not only that, Matt was constantly giving me a supportive nod letting me know he understood all the hard work I was putting in. I always acted like I didn’t care, but I did. It meant a lot that he noticed the work I put in. Shauna always offered to talk. I never took her up on it, but she made it clear she had my back. I hated to admit it, but she was a friend. Maybe more of an acquaintance because she was a little gossipy for my taste, but she was very nice to me despite me not ever returning that kindness.

  It was not even three days after Logan left that I decided to see Dana. I texted Logan for her number, because I’d already lost it, and asked if we could meet up later when I got off work. She agreed and seemed excited about it. I was too actually. Dana wanted to meet at the Italian restaurant, but I was honest and said I couldn’t afford it. She was as sweet as could be and said she’d make dinner at her place. I arrived at 9:45 pm. I’d warned her I’d be late because of work. She was waiting for me outside her door like the ray of sunshine that she was.

  “Sam,” she said brightly as she wrapped her arms around me.

  “Hey, Dana. How are you?”

  “Good, come in.”

  I followed her in and immediately noticed she was wearing a jacket over her cute t-shirt shirt despite the fact that it was over ninety degrees outside. I then remembered what Logan said about her
self-harm struggles. My heart ached for her.

  I followed her into the kitchen and saw a table with a cute flower tablecloth, a bowl of pasta with marinara sauce and a salad.

  “Wow, this looks nice! Thank you, Dana.”

  “Well, I thought I had to make it up to you since the first time we met my brother lost his shit and the second time I let him ambush you.”

  I laughed. “Fair.”

  “I love your honesty. Logan says you’re super blunt.”

  “Yeah, I am. Can’t help it.”

  “I love it. We can go ahead and sit down. Dinner’s all heated up and ready.”

  “Cool,” I said taking a seat. It felt awkward without Logan here. I didn’t know Dana.

  “So tell me about yourself. Logan’s told me quite a bit about you.” She threw me a look I couldn’t read.

  “Oh geez, what did he say about me?”

  “Well let’s see. He said you were stubborn, blunt, kind of bitchy but the nicest, most loyal person he’s ever met. My brother seems to care about you Sam, and my brother doesn’t trust people anymore since becoming famous and after everything with our parents.”

  “I honestly don’t know why! All the people in the world and he honestly picked the most standoffish, bitchy person.”

  She looked at me and smiled, nodding her head.

  “He sees something in you. He’s an arrogant ass, but he’s a good read of people.”

  “Well, what about you? Logan has spoken very highly of you. Tell me about yourself.”

  For the next hour, we talked about everything from Logan to Dana’s hobbies to my life, and I opened up to her about my mom, and she opened up to me about her struggles. She told me how much pain she was in and how horribly her parents treated her after her rape and suicide attempt. I don’t know how to explain it, but I felt an instant connection with this girl. Even if Logan grew to hate me, I was one hundred percent certain Dana and I would remain friends for life.

  As dinner ended, I helped her clean up and turned to leave. She hugged me.

  “Sam, thanks for coming. I don’t have any “real world” friends outside of here. It makes me feel so much more at ease. I’ll be leaving here relatively soon, and I felt like I was going to have to start all over again and I don’t know, at least I know one person now.”