Swallowing His Pride

by Serena Pettus

  Lynn stayed on the phone, singing along to one of her favorite songs on the radio, until she finally parked right by the porch. Sam watched her swing around as she came in, shining her headlights over the yard as she did. It appeared the cat had left, but Samantha knew what she’d seen, and it was no bobcat.

  What had been in her yard was more than twice the size of any feline she’d encountered outside a zoo. That thought did nothing to comfort her, because if there were no wildcats that size in the area then what the holy hell had been looking back at her tonight?

  Lynn pulled up to the porch steps, and Samantha rushed out the front door. “Hurry up and get inside. I have no idea where it went.”

  Her friend grabbed a small duffle bag from the backseat, snagged a movie from her console then slung her purse over her shoulder before finally exiting the vehicle. “Good thing I didn’t bring a horror flick with me. You’re strung pretty tight right now.”

  “You’d be too if you’d seen the size of that thing.”

  “Probably,” Lynn agreed.

  The two went inside then checked every window in the house, looking for any signs of the glowing eyes that had seemingly disappeared.

  “It looks like it’s gone now. Let’s just veg out and watch a movie for a while. After you relax a bit, you might be able to get some sleep.” Lynn got up and headed into the kitchen. “I’ll put the popcorn in the microwave. Do you want butter on yours?”

  “You know it!” Already, Samantha felt calmer. Having another person with her just proved she needed companionship more than she’d thought. “Hey, do you think I should get a pet? Maybe an indoor cat to keep me company?”

  “I know I’d want some company living way out here. At least with a cat, you won’t have to worry about whatever critters you have living outside getting ahold of it. A dog would have to be let out all the time and could run off after a wild animal if it came close enough to the house,” Lynn replied from the kitchen.

  “Yeah, I’m not a big dog person anyway. I’ll check out the shelters this weekend and see what I can find. I’d like a cute kitten or two. Something young enough to bond with.”

  “That’s a good idea. You don’t want to end up with an older cat that has its heart set on the great outdoors. It would be a bummer to get all the stuff for a cat just to have it dart out the door and disappear. Plus, there’s the cute factor. You have a strong maternal instinct. I can see it when you talk about your students. You’d bond well with a kitten.”

  “I knew you’d understand.” Walking into the kitchen so they weren’t practically shouting to talk to each other, Samantha halted when the smell of the popcorn reached her. “Uh, Lynn, I think the popcorn is bad.” Her stomach roiled and pitched as her nausea ratcheted up. Sam turned and sprinted for the bathroom, promptly emptying her dinner into the toilet.

  “Are you okay? You’re not sick are you?” Lynn asked from the doorway.

  “I might be coming down with something. I’ve been nauseous for the last few days, and the smell of the popcorn just didn’t sit right with me.” Rising, Sam rinsed her mouth and brushed her teeth, all the while aware Lynn studied her from her post in the hallway. “Really, it’s fine. I think with all the stress of rushing to get stuff done on the house and getting my classroom ready I might have given myself an ulcer or something.”

  “Uh-huh. When was your last period?”

  Sam laughed. Of course, the obstetrics physician would expect pregnancy. “I’m late, but I’ve also been stressing my system lately. It will probably start in the next week or so.”

  “Or you’re pregnant,” Lynn argued. “I’m getting you a pregnancy test in the morning. No debating about this either. You have never been sickened by the smell of food like that, not even when you had that nasty stomach flu, so just humor me.”

  “Fine, but we might want to pick one up tonight. I’m not the best at holding my bladder in the morning.”

  “Then pee in a cup.”

  “Gross!”

  “What? I didn’t tell you to drink it after. Just pee in a cup if you can’t hold it, and I’ll dip the stick in it when I get back. I get up way before you do anyway, so it shouldn’t be an issue. I’ll probably be back before you even open your eyes.”

  Lynn had her there. With her shifts, Lynn was up before the sun most days, while Samantha enjoyed what Lynn referred to as banker’s hours. Sighing, she agreed to Lynn’s terms, and they returned to the living room, minus the popcorn, which had been stuffed into a large zip bag and tossed in the trash.

  Ginger ale in hand, they watched the latest chick-flick Lynn had brought over, and blubbered like babies when the couple finally got their happily-ever-after.

  * * * *

  The next morning, Samantha woke to find Lynn gone. No doubt, she was off buying a pregnancy test. It was a good thing Samantha being knocked up wasn’t a possibility. She and Dylan had used protection that night, and other than him, she hadn’t been with any man besides her ex, so she was in the clear.

  God, that would be a nightmare scenario though, to have a guy, who’d made it pretty damn clear he didn’t want to see her again, be the father of an unplanned pregnancy. Sam shuddered. Ugh, talk about nightmares. She’d left him her phone number and had even waited near her phone for the first week she was back, like some lovesick fool. Too bad, she’d been pining after a guy who didn’t return her feelings. It still stung, but what had she expected? A proposal? Yeah, right!

  A twinge in her lower belly signaled her bladder’s need for relief, and she grabbed one of the little paper cups from the dispenser in the bathroom, knowing that Lynn would have her head if she didn’t give the crazy woman some urine to test when she got back.

  After making her deposit and placing it on the counter, Sam grabbed a quick shower and prepared for work. With any luck, she’d be gone before Lynn came back. Lynn had a key to the house, so it wasn’t as if she couldn’t get her stuff and perform her needless test. It was nearing seven and she had a long drive to get to school so Sam sent a quick text to Lynn before she grabbed a granola bar and headed off.

  Her day proved to be one of the worst in her life when she was called into the principal’s office, and he proceeded to explain that, due to budget cuts, they would have to let her go. Something about being the last one hired in making her the first one to be laid off. In truth, her brain had stopped processing what he said about five words past him firing her.

  What the hell am I going to do now? she thought as she walked out to her car, a pitifully small box in her arms containing the few personal items from her desk. She still had some money saved up in the bank, but over a thousand of that would go to the landscaping being done today. She’d have to really cut back on what she was having them do. The oak tree’s limbs had to be cut down and there was no way she could do it herself, so that one they would get paid for. As for the rest? It looked as if Sam would have plenty of time to do her own landscaping. She would just purchase the materials from the company.

  All the way home, her mind whirled with thoughts of what she could do for a job. The principal had kindly informed her the substitute teacher list was full, and no schools were hiring after the year had already started because they were all in the same boat with the cuts being made. That left her with few options, so she stopped to get a newspaper to scour the classifieds when she got to the house.

  The problem with that was all of the nervous energy filling her and needing release. Since it was broad daylight and the workers were due to show up at any time, Samantha parked, ignored Lynn’s vehicle still in her driveway and marched to the spot where she’d seen the cat the night before.

  “I may be unemployed, but I’m not crazy,” she muttered to herself. Looking around for any signs of disturbance, Sam finally discovered some footprints—and big ones, too. “Holy crap!” she whispered.

  Wanting to show Lynn what she’d found, Samantha knelt then took a quick picture with her cell phone while holding her hand next to the humo
ngous paw print. She looked to the side, saw the tracks skirted the tree line then followed them into the woods. After a few minutes of being alone and realizing that she could no longer see her house, Sam decided maybe coming out here to investigate on her own hadn’t been such a good idea.

  “Sam?” That sounded like Lynn calling for her, but then Sam heard a somewhat familiar male voice calling her name as well. The landscaping company must have arrived, and Lynn had obviously seen her car.

  It would seem the time had come to break the news to the guys that she would only be hiring them to trim the tree. She hoped they’d understand. Her situation just didn’t allow for any unnecessary expenditures. Removing the tree limbs scraping against the roof was a must before they damaged something, so at least she wouldn’t be sending them off without doing anything.

  “Samantha, where are you!”

  Uh-oh, Lynn sounded a little freaked out.

  “I’m here. I was looking at the tracks from last night.” As soon as the words left her mouth, Sam regretted them.

  “Are you insane?” Lynn shrieked, the sound of her running footfalls drawing closer.

  Samantha quickened her steps and was just clearing the trees when her foot got hung up on a root. She pitched forward, arms flailing as she watched the ground race toward her. A strong arm caught her around her waist.

  “I’ve got you.” His voice sounded familiar, and Samantha turned to find Liam standing at her side. “Are you okay? Nothing’s hurt?”

  “I’m fine, thank you. What are you doing here?” She really wanted to ask if Dylan was there too but didn’t want to come across as desperate. As nonchalantly as possible, she tried to glance around to see if he was anywhere nearby, but Lynn nearly barreled into them when she came crashing into the woods. “Lynn, calm down,” Sam exclaimed.

  “Calm down? Calm down? You come home in the middle of the day, don’t tell me and then pull a disappearing act and I’m supposed to calm down? Clearly, this has affected your brain, too,” Lynn huffed. “And how the hell did you find her so fast?”

  Liam shrugged. “Country boys can move through the woods quickly when we need to.” He turned his head slightly and took a deep breath. “My brother should be here soon. I called him while he was driving in and told him we were looking for Samantha.”

  “Wait, Dylan is here? What’s going on?” Samantha was excited yet scared all at once, and the dueling emotions did nothing for her stomach or the dizziness that suddenly assaulted her, leaving everything tilting to the side.

  “Shit, I’ve got you,” Liam whispered, scooping her into his arms and moving fast enough to jostle her rather roughly. “Lynn, she needs something cold to drink, and…”

  “She needs to not be shaken to death! Slow down, and let me look at her,” Lynn demanded. “Sam, open your eyes sweetie. Tell me what’s going on. How are you feeling?”

  “Dizzy, like my head is underwater. Everything is so muffled.” And it was. Her ears felt plugged, even her vision blurred a little and she felt fear creep in. She didn’t like the feeling of not having control over her body, at all.

  “Get her inside and on the couch. She’s probably going to pass out, but I need to check her over better once we’re inside. You said your brother is here somewhere?” Lynn’s tone wasn’t friendly, but Samantha couldn’t muster the energy to warn her against being mean.

  “Yes, he’s— Oh, here he is.”

  “What happened? Hand her to me,” Dylan demanded, sounding a little scary even to Sam’s limited ears.

  “I’ve got her. Let’s just get her inside and out of the sun,” Liam replied.

  “Don’t forget who you’re addressing, brother. I said give her to me.” The last was said in a menacing growl, and Sam shivered. “She’s shaking. What happened to her? I won’t ask again.”

  “We don’t know. Lynn and I just found her, and she got really white and is very near unconscious, so standing here and arguing isn’t doing her any good. Take her gently if you must, but try not to jostle her too much.”

  “Boys, let’s hurry the hell up, shall we? You can have your little pissing contest while I check her vitals inside.”

  Another pair of strong arms took hold of Sam’s slightly folded body and lifted her away from Liam’s warmth. The smell of Dylan’s cologne surrounded her as he held her close and walked toward the house with long smooth strides.

  Her mind raced again, the thoughts moving so fast she felt as if she were riding one of those spinning fair rides that left you walking to the side for a few minutes once you got off.

  He’s here! Why is he here? What does this mean? Why didn’t he just call?

  More and more questions cropped up in her mind, whirling around until she thought her head might burst.

  Her ears felt as if thick cotton had been shoved in them, and it made listening to their conversation rather difficult. Everything was getting harder. Her body didn’t want to obey her, and Sam could tell that she was barely clinging to consciousness. Cool air hit her skin, causing goose bumps to race over her body, and she realized they were inside now. A moment later, Dylan set her down on what she assumed was her couch.

  “Sam, wake up, sweetheart,” Dylan crooned, his velvety voice washing over her. Samantha struggled to the surface of the fog. She so wanted to see his handsome face again, but her eyes betrayed her command to open.

  “Sweetheart?” Lynn sneered. “You dropped her like a bad habit in Vegas, buddy, so you don’t get the privilege of coming in here and trying to play the white knight.” Unable to speak, Samantha screamed in her head, Please don’t chase him away, Lynn. I’ve wanted to see him for so long now, wanted to talk to him so much.

  “And I’m more sorry than I can ever say.” Dylan sighed, and Samantha struggled to hear him better as he continued. “I wasn’t thinking straight when I left that note, Lynn. I was late for my meeting and scribbled the note when I was racing out the door, never even thinking she would take it the wrong way. When I came back and she was gone, it hurt. She’d left her number, but I thought she was done with me, that what happened between us was just a fling. I was afraid she would reject me if I called, so I took the coward’s way out and…I just didn’t.”

  “She had no way to contact you, so I guess it’s a good thing you showed up. I need to get her into my office in the next day or so, but I’ll have to work it around her schedule with work.” Lynn paused, and Samantha heard the frown in her voice. “Actually, she should be at work now.”

  “Then why was she out in the woods?” Liam asked, his voice sounding farther away.

  “She said she was following tracks. There was some sort of big animal here last night that scared the snot out of her. That must have been what she was checking out.”

  Samantha felt some of her fog lifting and tried once again to open her eyes, this time successfully, though her head still swam a bit. Lynn was bent over the couch, peering down at her with a concerned frown on her face.

  “I’m okay,” Sam managed to croak out.

  “No, you’re not. I’m getting you some juice and you’re going to drink every drop then these two are going to leave so I can talk to you in private,” she stated as she turned to the kitchen.

  Dylan’s worried gaze was the next thing Sam saw. His beautiful golden eyes looked down at her with such tenderness tears prick her eyes. “You thought I didn’t want to see you again?”

  “You heard that, huh?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’m so sorry, Sam. I assumed the worst and let my pride get the better of me. You were so perfect, so passionate that night, and I was helpless against it. I think you claimed a piece of my heart, and I never got it back.” He lifted her hand and gently kissed her palm before placing it on his chest, right over his rapidly beating heart. “Can you forgive me for being such a stupid male? Will you let me make it up to you?”

  She was dreaming, that was all she could come up with. Surely, she’d fallen in the woods and knocked her head on someth
ing. There was no way Dylan was here, saying these wonderfully perfect words to her. It was everything she’d dreamed but dare not hope for, yet deep down, she knew it was real despite the impossibility of it.

  Tears choked her, and all she could do was nod.

  In the next moment, he swept her into his arms and stood before kissing her soundly. “Thank you,” he whispered against her lips. “I’ll make sure you don’t regret it.”

  Positively giddy from the feel of his lips on hers once more, Sam blushed when she looked around. She had expected to see Liam, but he was gone. “Where did your brother go?”

  “He’s checking the yard for signs of your visitor last night.”

  “Oh. I found tracks, but I’m not sure what kind they are. I mean, they’re huge.”

  Lynn came back in the room with a big glass of orange juice and handed it to Sam. “Drink.”

  Samantha rolled her eyes at Lynn. “Yes, mother.” She took a sip and winced at the unexpected sweetness of the juice. “What the hell is this?”

  “I added sugar because I suspect your glucose levels might be low. It won’t hurt anything if I’m wrong, but if I’m right, you should begin to feel better. You’ve been too stressed lately, and I don’t think you’ve been taking care of yourself as you should. Speaking of which, why are you home?”

  Sighing, Samantha felt the weight of her worries coming down on her once again as she explained what had happened that morning. “So, as you can guess, I have to cancel most of the work to be done in the yard, but I have to get the tree done before those branches damage the roof. I’ll just do the rest of it myself between job hunting.”

  “I don’t think that’s such a good idea. The yard work, I mean. It’s pretty hot outside this time of year, and with the, uh, results I got earlier, I think you should just take it easy for a bit.” Lynn’s eyes darted to Dylan, as if his presence kept her from explaining her odd remark.