My Heart is Yours (14 page)

Late that night, someone knocked on Sam’s door.

“Come in.” She said. She was too distracted to hear
them fumbling with the door knob. The door opened and one of
Jason’s crutches fell onto the off-white and stain ridden
carpet.

“Jason.” Sam said. “Why didn’t you ask me to help
you?” She handed the crutch he had dropped to him.

“I was fine.” He said as Sam closed the door behind
him. “What are you doing?” He sat down next to her on the bed.

“I was trying to write about what happened, but I
just can’t bring myself to. Not yet anyway.” She stared at her
journal like it was a grenade.

“Are you gonna be okay?” Jason asked.

“Yeah. I’ll be fine.” She said as she closed her
journal.

Jason kissed her forehead and Sam sighed in
contentment and rested her head on his shoulder. He stroked her
soft hair.

“So,” Sam started. “How much physical therapy do you
have left?”

“Three times a week for another five weeks.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?” Jason tilted her chin up
towards him.

“Because you pushed me out of the way. I was only
shot in the arm. I was barely even hurt. I should have gotten hurt
worse.” She said quickly.

“Well, I would never let that happen Sam.” Jason
said so matter-of-factly that it scared Sam.

“I know that.” She said finally. “Thank you, Jason.”
She peered up at him through her long blonde lashes and snuggled
closer to him.

“I’ll always protect you.” He tangled his hand in
her hair and softly brushed his lips against hers.

“I know that too.” She smiled for a fraction of a
second. “I love you, Jason.” She kissed his tan cheek gently.

“I love you too, Sam.” He pressed his lips to her
forehead and let them linger there. Sam breathed in the scent of
him and they just sat there holding each other.

***

F
or four weeks now,
Jason had been going to physical therapy three times a week. Sam
was with him at every appointment. Jason was used to taking care of
Sam so having her take care of him took some getting used to.

Sam was doing better as well. Derek’s death still
affected her, there was no way it wouldn’t, but she felt better.
Especially when she was with Jason; which lately was all the
time.

Jason had more or less moved in by now. It was
supposed to be temporary, but Sam was hoping they would just make
it permanent; she didn’t want Jason going back to his dad’s.

“Hey.” Sam said as she plopped down on the couch
next to Jason. She hugged him tight and kissed him on the cheek.
“I’m so happy you’re walking again!” She planted a kiss on his
cheek again and fixed the collar of his jean jacket. He flushed a
light shade of red.

“I think I may be happier than you are Jason.” She
grinned. Jason could swear that there were diamonds in her
eyes.

He laughed. “I’m happy, too.” Then he gently placed
a strand of hair behind her ear and kissed her right on the lips.
She kissed him back passionately. He put his arms around her waist
and she ran her fingers through his hair.

John came around the corner. “Hey, older brother
walking in!” he called out as he turned his head. The plate of
chocolate cake he was holding almost tumbled onto the already
stained carpet.

Sam and Jason pulled away from each other, both of
their faces a bright shade of cherry red. John sat down in their
big old brown recliner chair and started flipping through the
channels.

“Thanks.” John said. His hair was a shade lighter
than usual; dyed from the summer sun.

“You’re welcome.” Jason and Sam said in unison. They
laughed. Despite everything they’d been through, they were happy
together.

A
fter spending time with
Jason at physical therapy and seeing how the physical therapists
helped people get back to health, Sam decided she wanted to be a
physical therapist. Of course there was a problem with that, they
didn’t have money to send her to school. So Sam got a job at their
local library, planning to save up money to start classes.

Juliana was back from Princeton for the summer.
Princeton. One of the best schools in the country. Where Juliana
could go and not worry one bit about money. Why was life so damned
unfair?

“So you go back in a month?” Sam asked as she handed
Juliana a bottle of Coca Cola.

“Yup. Second year. I can’t believe it.” Juliana
flipped the cap off of the bottle with a popping sound.

Sam bit the inside of her mouth.
Juliana in her
second year and I haven’t even started yet. Who knows when I
will?

“Yeah, neither can I.” Sam said. “So, how is all
that pre-med stuff going?” She took a seat in the chair across from
Juliana.

“It’s good. Haven’t really started the medical stuff
yet, but I’m liking it.”

“Good.” Sam smiled.

“So how are things going with you and Jason?”
Juliana asked. Sam instantly smiled.

“It’s going really well. I love him so much.” Sam
said and then blushed a light peach.

“Yeah, I know. I think I knew before you did.”
Juliana tilted her head to the left. Her dark red hair fell onto
the chilly bottle of Coke.

“I wouldn’t say that.” Sam started as she popped
open her own bottle of her Coke.

Juliana raised her eyebrows as she took a sip of
soda.

“Well, you just said it out loud before I did. I
knew I loved him I just didn’t say it.” Sam reasoned.

“’Cuz you’re stubborn.” Juliana pointed a finger at
her.

“No.” Sam bristled.

Juliana raised her eyebrows again.

“Okay, partly because I’m stubborn.” Sam admitted as
her shoulders slumped. They both laughed. A sound akin to the
tinkling of bells.

“Okay, so you two have been dating for over a year
now.” Juliana said.

“I know. Hard to believe.” Sam’s eyes looked off
somewhere far.

“Have you two . . .” She trailed off.

“Have we what?” Sam asked.

“You know . . .” Juliana wiggled her eyebrows.

“What?” Sam asked, her face scrunched.

“Have you slept together yet?” Juliana let tumble
out of her mouth.

“Oh!” Sam said. “No. We haven’t actually.” She
sipped her glass of ice water peering down into the glass. Sam
liked to have a glass of water with whatever it was she was
drinking most of the time.

“Really?”

“Yes. Really.” Sam swished the ice in her glass
around and listened to it clink.

“Sorry. I just mean that you’ve been going out a
while, it’s a little surprising.” Juliana shrugged.

“Oh, yeah, I know. I guess it is a long time to date
someone without sleeping together.” Sam said; really, she had no
clue whether it was or not.

“Why haven’t you?” Juliana asked.

“I don’t know.” She paused. “Come on Jules, you know
how shy Jason is. It took us forever to start dating and then it
was probably four months before we even made out.”

“Have you thought about it?” Juliana traced the
opening of her Coke bottle with her finger.

“Of course I’ve thought about it.” Sam said slowly.
“We just haven’t discussed it.”

“I’m sure he thinks about it a lot.” Juliana
smirked.

“Uh, yeah I guess.” Sam’s cheeks were on fire.

“Oh, I’m sure he does.” Juliana wiggled her eyebrows
again and winked.

“Yeah, maybe.” Sam let out a small giggle.

“Well it’s bound to come up eventually.” Juliana
took a sip of her soda and looked pointedly at Sam.

“I know.” She said and took a sip of her own Coke to
have something to do with herself besides talk.

“What are you gonna do when it does?” Juliana peered
at Sam through her dark red lashes.

“I don’t know...” Sam looked down into the ice in
her water glass.

Sam thought about that for a moment. Of course she’d
thought about it, but never discussed it with Jason. They were both
really shy and that would make for quite an awkward conversation.
She shook her head, shaking off the thought for now.

***