Changes - Part 6
Title: Changes - Part 6
Author: xjekkix
Word Count: 1015 words
Summary: A journey through self-discovery.
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: This is not real.
A/N: Beta’d by csifreak90
Samantha introduced Happy to the rest of her family. They loved him, just as she knew they would. Her sister Charlotte forgave the ruined dress situation as soon as she laid eyes on him.
As per his request, Samantha invited him to one of her live shows. It was in a small venue - dim lights made for an intimate setting - and Happy sat front row.
She tried not to be nervous. Her hands shook as she strummed her guitar and he smiled at her, nodding his encouragement. She could do this.
After that, he attended all of her shows, many of them at stage side so he could be closer to her. Others, he would sit in the back, beneath shadows. She couldn’t see him but knew he was there and that was all that mattered.
She began to notice several of her friends announcing engagements, baby news and asking her to be in their weddings. It scared her, to think that at her age she could potentially make a lifelong commitment. Happy was everything she could want in a man but she wasn’t sure she was ready to be married now - or ever.
Without trying to, she began to push him away. She would bail on fancy dinners, afraid that he would propose. She invited her sister along when they went out of town, afraid that he would propose.
It was the final straw when he invited her to a Yankees game. He had mentioned in passing how romantic he thought it was when a friend of his had proposed to his girlfriend via the jumbotron. The woman had screamed, jumped for joy and exclaimed ‘yes’ for the whole stadium to hear.
Samantha couldn’t think of any good reason not to go but she was on edge the entire time. She kept an eye on Happy, wondering if he had already made the arrangements. If he hadn’t, she planned to keep him from doing so, keeping hold of his hand with a death grip.
“So, who are you rooting for?” Happy asked, letting go of her hand and draping his arm around her shoulders. He used his other hand to readjust the backward hat on his head, spinning it forward to block the sun.
“Yankees, of course.” Samantha put her arm around his waist as they walked.
When they found their seats, Samantha sat and Happy remained standing. “I’m going to go get a hotdog. You want anything, babe?”
“A drink maybe. A cold beer sounds great right now,” she said, then insisting she would go instead. He deserved a rest.
“No, it’s fine. I’ll get your beer and bring you back something to eat; I’ll surprise you,” he said with a wink.
Samantha stood up and caught his arm as he began to walk away. He turned to look at her; her expression was full of desperation. “Please, don’t embarrass me. Or yourself. I’m not ready to get married.”
Happy’s forehead wrinkled. Confusion was written across his face. “What are you talking about?”
Her hand moved from his arm, down to his hand. She holds onto his fingers loosely. “Your proposal. On the jumbotron. I’m not ready to say yes.”
He laughed. “I wasn’t going to propose on the jumbotron. Where do you come up with these ideas?”
“Well, coz you said. And your friend. And…” Samantha sunk back into her seat, covering her face. She had never been so embarrassed in her life.
“I’ll be back with food and drinks, okay? Let me know if I miss anything.”
The game had started by the time Happy returned. Samantha drank from her glass. It was warm outside and so the plastic was covered in condensation. She wiped her palm on her pant leg before reaching over to slide her fingers between Happy’s. She squeezed his hand, but he didn’t return the gesture. He’s a man. He’s too caught up in the game to even notice, she thought. No reason to be alarmed.
But there was every reason to be alarmed. As they left the stadium, Happy walked several feet ahead of her, unlocked the car and jumped in the driver’s seat. Samantha stood by her door, opened it herself. She had never done that before - he had always beat her to it.
“I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions,” Samantha said, sinking into her seat.
“Put your seat belt on please,” Happy said sternly, waiting behind a long line of cars to get out of the parking lot.
“It’s not that I don’t want to marry you. Because I do. Of course I do. I’m just not ready right now.”
“I understand.” He kept his eyes on the road as he drove out onto the busy highway.
“Are you mad?” she asked. He shook his head. He took the exit that led to Samantha’s house and not his own. “Where are we going?”
“I’m taking you home.”
“I thought I was staying with you tonight…?” Her voice shakes and she can feel a lump forming in her throat. She doesn’t want to cry. Happy never makes her cry.
He sighs. “I just think we want different things, babe. We’re going different places in our lives. I’m not getting any younger.” She had never thought of Happy as being much older than she is, but she can understand his point of view. He was ready to settle down.
She sniffled, swallowing the lump in her throat as they pulled into her driveway. She bolted from the car and into her house, afraid to look back.
The next few days were hard for her. She wasn’t used to being alone - not having anywhere to go or anyone to see. She did what she knew would help and wrote for hours; song lyrics, poetry.
When was all written out, she made an impulsive decision and picked up the phone. She dialed a number she had been given by her sister; a number belonging to someone she had long forgotten.
“Kati?” she said, when a voice answered the phone. “Hey, it’s Samantha. I need to see you.”
Author: xjekkix
Word Count: 1015 words
Summary: A journey through self-discovery.
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: This is not real.
A/N: Beta’d by csifreak90
Samantha introduced Happy to the rest of her family. They loved him, just as she knew they would. Her sister Charlotte forgave the ruined dress situation as soon as she laid eyes on him.
As per his request, Samantha invited him to one of her live shows. It was in a small venue - dim lights made for an intimate setting - and Happy sat front row.
She tried not to be nervous. Her hands shook as she strummed her guitar and he smiled at her, nodding his encouragement. She could do this.
After that, he attended all of her shows, many of them at stage side so he could be closer to her. Others, he would sit in the back, beneath shadows. She couldn’t see him but knew he was there and that was all that mattered.
She began to notice several of her friends announcing engagements, baby news and asking her to be in their weddings. It scared her, to think that at her age she could potentially make a lifelong commitment. Happy was everything she could want in a man but she wasn’t sure she was ready to be married now - or ever.
Without trying to, she began to push him away. She would bail on fancy dinners, afraid that he would propose. She invited her sister along when they went out of town, afraid that he would propose.
It was the final straw when he invited her to a Yankees game. He had mentioned in passing how romantic he thought it was when a friend of his had proposed to his girlfriend via the jumbotron. The woman had screamed, jumped for joy and exclaimed ‘yes’ for the whole stadium to hear.
Samantha couldn’t think of any good reason not to go but she was on edge the entire time. She kept an eye on Happy, wondering if he had already made the arrangements. If he hadn’t, she planned to keep him from doing so, keeping hold of his hand with a death grip.
“So, who are you rooting for?” Happy asked, letting go of her hand and draping his arm around her shoulders. He used his other hand to readjust the backward hat on his head, spinning it forward to block the sun.
“Yankees, of course.” Samantha put her arm around his waist as they walked.
When they found their seats, Samantha sat and Happy remained standing. “I’m going to go get a hotdog. You want anything, babe?”
“A drink maybe. A cold beer sounds great right now,” she said, then insisting she would go instead. He deserved a rest.
“No, it’s fine. I’ll get your beer and bring you back something to eat; I’ll surprise you,” he said with a wink.
Samantha stood up and caught his arm as he began to walk away. He turned to look at her; her expression was full of desperation. “Please, don’t embarrass me. Or yourself. I’m not ready to get married.”
Happy’s forehead wrinkled. Confusion was written across his face. “What are you talking about?”
Her hand moved from his arm, down to his hand. She holds onto his fingers loosely. “Your proposal. On the jumbotron. I’m not ready to say yes.”
He laughed. “I wasn’t going to propose on the jumbotron. Where do you come up with these ideas?”
“Well, coz you said. And your friend. And…” Samantha sunk back into her seat, covering her face. She had never been so embarrassed in her life.
“I’ll be back with food and drinks, okay? Let me know if I miss anything.”
The game had started by the time Happy returned. Samantha drank from her glass. It was warm outside and so the plastic was covered in condensation. She wiped her palm on her pant leg before reaching over to slide her fingers between Happy’s. She squeezed his hand, but he didn’t return the gesture. He’s a man. He’s too caught up in the game to even notice, she thought. No reason to be alarmed.
But there was every reason to be alarmed. As they left the stadium, Happy walked several feet ahead of her, unlocked the car and jumped in the driver’s seat. Samantha stood by her door, opened it herself. She had never done that before - he had always beat her to it.
“I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions,” Samantha said, sinking into her seat.
“Put your seat belt on please,” Happy said sternly, waiting behind a long line of cars to get out of the parking lot.
“It’s not that I don’t want to marry you. Because I do. Of course I do. I’m just not ready right now.”
“I understand.” He kept his eyes on the road as he drove out onto the busy highway.
“Are you mad?” she asked. He shook his head. He took the exit that led to Samantha’s house and not his own. “Where are we going?”
“I’m taking you home.”
“I thought I was staying with you tonight…?” Her voice shakes and she can feel a lump forming in her throat. She doesn’t want to cry. Happy never makes her cry.
He sighs. “I just think we want different things, babe. We’re going different places in our lives. I’m not getting any younger.” She had never thought of Happy as being much older than she is, but she can understand his point of view. He was ready to settle down.
She sniffled, swallowing the lump in her throat as they pulled into her driveway. She bolted from the car and into her house, afraid to look back.
The next few days were hard for her. She wasn’t used to being alone - not having anywhere to go or anyone to see. She did what she knew would help and wrote for hours; song lyrics, poetry.
When was all written out, she made an impulsive decision and picked up the phone. She dialed a number she had been given by her sister; a number belonging to someone she had long forgotten.
“Kati?” she said, when a voice answered the phone. “Hey, it’s Samantha. I need to see you.”