Remembering You (9 page)

“L
isten, there’s nothing to spill. He helped me out with some boxes and that’s it. He’s a nice guy. Anyway, I need to ask you something.”

“Shoot,” she said.

“I know I’ve asked you this before, but are you sure I wasn’t seeing someone before the accident?”

There was a
hint of hesitation in her voice. “No, Claire. You weren’t seeing anyone. You always said the guys you were attracted to were too immature and spoiled.”

I sighed.

“Why are you asking anyway?” she asked.

“Since I moved here
, my headaches and memory flashes have gotten worse, and I had one last night with me in a car sitting next to someone and we were singing Coldplay together. It was a man’s voice, Rachel.”

“I don’t know
, Claire, maybe it was your dad or Dylan. I don’t know, sweetie, but I have to go. I have to leave for work. I’ll call you soon. Love you.”

And
just like that, she was gone. I held up the phone and stared at it. That was weird and I could sense a nervousness in her voice.

I walked over to the guitar case, flipped the latches, and lifted the cover, exposing my new guitar. I smiled as I took it out and then sat down, leaning up against the wall. I strummed a few chords, noticing how tuned the guitar already was, compliments of the tattoo guy at the store. I started strumming the song “Winter” which was one of my favorite songs to play. I closed my eyes and played the entire tune, thinking about what the guy from the guitar store said.

“Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”

I always got lost when I played the guitar or the piano. I liked being transported to a world of my own where nothing could touch me or hurt me. I felt safe in my music world and that was where I went when I needed to escape and be alone. Suddenly, I was startled by a knock at the door.

“Clair
, it’s Ida from downstairs.”

I got up from the floor and opened the door.

“Hello, dear. Was that you playing that beautiful song?”

“Yes, I’m so sorry if I disturbed you.”

“No, dear, I just had to come up and tell you how beautiful it was.”

I smiled and invited her in. She looked over my shou
lder and saw an empty apartment.

“H
ow about you come down to my place and bring that guitar with you? I would love for you to have some dinner with me. It can get kind of lonely by myself sometimes.”

As much as I didn’t want to bother her, I looked around my empty apartment.
I grabbed my guitar, slipped on my shoes, and followed her downstairs. Her apartment was the same layout as mine. Her furniture was floral patterned that looked like it was from the seventies. She had little crocheted doilies on each table, and pictures of her children and grandchildren were scattered all over the place. It was your typical little old lady home.

“What’s that smell?” I asked.

“My homemade chicken soup. There isn’t anything like it. Come sit down, dear, and let me make you some tea.”

Ida stood about five feet
tall. She kept her white hair pulled back neatly in a bun and her eyes were blue in color. Her skin was wrinkly and she didn’t wear any makeup. I sat at the table as she made tea for the both of us.

“Tell me about yourself
, dear,” she said as she placed my teacup in front of me.

“There isn’t much to tell.
I’m from Newport Beach, I have one sister, and I moved here to attend U of W.”

She sat down and steadily put her cup on the table.
“So tell me what you think of Sam.”

I looked at her. “H
e’s been very nice and helpful to me.”

“Nice boy
he is. I’d say he’d make a great husband to someone someday. He’s always down here fixing something for me or running an errand. That boy has the genes of a saint.”

I wanted to roll my eyes because I knew what she was trying to do. What she didn’t know was that I already knew what she was telling me
was true, and I was trying hard to forget it.

“
Do you have a boyfriend?” she asked.

I smiled gently at her. “N
o, I don’t have a boyfriend. To be honest with you, Ida, I don’t want one either.”

“Psh
,” she said as she waved her hand. “Everyone needs somebody. It’s the way life is. You can’t live by yourself your whole life. It’s a lonely road, my dear.”

I gave her a half smile as I took a sip of my tea. A few moments later
, there was a knock at the door. Ida got up and opened it. I turned around and there was Sam standing in the doorway with a small bag in his arms.

“Is that
chicken soup I smell, Ida?” He smiled as he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“It sure
is, Sam. Come on in. Look who’s here.”

He glanced at me.
I could tell he was uncomfortable and I hated myself for making him feel that way. “Hi, Claire,” he said as he walked over and set the bag on the counter.

“
Hi, Sam.” I smiled.

“What is this
, Sam?” Ida asked.

“I was at the store and just picked you up a few things.”

My heart melted and tears sprang to my eyes. This man was so perfect and so sweet to others and I treated him like shit. I looked down as Ida walked over to him. She cupped his face in her hands.

“You are the son I never had, and I love you
, Sam Snow. Now sit down and I’ll get you some tea.”

He gave her a warm smile.
“Ida, I have to go. I have…”

“Nons
ense,” she cut him off. “You’re going to stay and have soup with me and Claire and I don’t want to hear another word about it,” she said in an authoritative tone.

“Yes
, ma’am,” he said as he sat down next to me.

“S
orry,” I mouthed.

He gave me half
of a smile. A half of a smile that filled my heart with warmth and made my stomach flutter.

“Sam
, did you know this pretty little lady can play the guitar?”

He looked at me with those
smoldering blue-gray eyes and said, “No, I didn’t know that.”

“Well
, she can. Go ahead, dear, play something for us.”

“Yeah, play something for us
, Claire.” He smiled.

I rolled my eyes at
him, got up, and grabbed my guitar.

“Nice guitar. Wow,
Claire, she’s a beauty.”

“Thanks, I just got it today at the
music store down the street.”

“So you met Al?”

“If you’re referring to the man with a million tattoos, then yes.”

“He’s a good man
, and wise too,” Sam said.

“Yeah
, he was great and really helpful.”

I strummed my guitar and thought about what to play. I strummed a few chords and headed into a song. Sam stared into my eyes an
d started singing the lyrics.

“A
ll I ever knew, only you.”

I started to sing with him and
, before I knew it, we were singing together. His voice was angelic and each note he sang was perfect. I ended the song with a strum and he smiled.

“Joshua Radin is one of my favorites.”

I gasped because, at that moment, that very moment, everything I believed about Sam became real. Ida got up from her seat and wiped her eyes.

“Y
ou two made me cry,” she said as she placed bowls of soup in front of us.

“Sorry, Ida
. We didn’t mean to.” Sam smiled.

We sat around the table and talked mostly about Ida and her family. She told us how she found and married he
r soul mate and had three children, twelve grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Before I knew it, three hours had passed.

“Well
, Ida, I think it’s time for us to leave. It’s getting pretty late,” Sam said as he got up.

I hugged Ida goodbye and thanked her for the delicious soup. Sam did the same and put his hand on the small of my back as we walked out the door. We both walked up the stairs and
, as we approached our apartments, Sam said good night and inserted his key. I needed to apologize for how I acted earlier and now was as good as time as any.

“Sam.”

He turned around and looked at me before opening his door. “Yeah, Claire.”

I took in a sharp breath.
“I want to apologize for earlier. I’m sorry for the things I said. You didn’t do anything to deserve that,” I said as I looked down.

He walked toward me a
nd lifted my chin with his hand. “It’s okay. I crossed the line, and for that, I’m sorry.”

I shook my head because what he said wasn’t true. “N
o, Sam, you didn’t. You’re concerned like any friend would be, and I turned on you.”

His beautiful eyes stared into mine as he leaned his
face closer and softly brushed my lips with his. My heart started beating rapidly as I prayed to God my head wouldn’t start hurting. He looked at me to be sure it was okay, and I smiled, taking his lips to mine and parting them as I felt his tongue enter. My body started to get weak, and I wanted more of him, even though I knew it wasn’t a good idea. He pulled away from my lips and hugged me tight.

“I’ve wanted to do that since the first day I saw you.”

I became weak as he said that, and in that moment, I knew I was done for.

“Could you do something for me?” he asked.

“Anything. What is it?”

“Stay at my place tonight, totally as friends, no s
ex, nothing. I just don’t like the thought of you sleeping there on the hard floor. You can have my bed and I’ll take the couch.”

I smiled because the thought was so appealing
, and I didn’t really want to be alone with nothing in the apartment. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

His hands gripped my hips. “You’re right, Claire. It’s not a good idea
; it’s a great idea, and it’s not up for discussion. I won’t let you sleep on the floor. Now, tell me that you like the idea.”

I sighed as I stared into his pleading eyes. “I
like that idea very much, Sam. Thank you for the offer.” He was grinning from ear to ear as he softly kissed me.

“O
kay, go get what you need and come over. You don’t have to knock; you can just walk in.”

I gave him a hug before stepping into my apartment.
“I’ll be there soon.”

I ran to the bathroom and changed into a pair of black cotton
pajama bottoms from Victoria’s Secret and a matching t-shirt. I put my hair up in a high ponytail, grabbed my phone charger, and walked over to Sam’s apartment. I walked in and saw him standing in the kitchen, washing some dishes.

“Ah, trying to clean up before the girl comes over?” I laughed.

“I guess you could say that.”

Sam’s apartment was
nice. His walls were the same color beige as mine. His living room was done in black leather furniture with glass tables and a plasma TV attached to the wall.

“I like your place,
Mr. Snow.”

“Thank you,
Miss Montgomery. I must say you are looking very cute in your pajamas.” He winked.

I laughed and lightly tapped
him on the arm.

“Would you like to watch a movie?” he asked shyly.

“Sure. What movie?”

“We can rent whatever you want
from the TV.”

He walked over, grabbed the remote
, and turned on the TV. He scrolled through the new movies and we agreed on a romantic comedy.

“No movie is comp
lete without popcorn,” he said.

I followed him
into the kitchen and he microwaved some popcorn. I noticed a picture of him and an older woman on the refrigerator.

“Is that your mom?”

“Yeah, that was taken right before I left.”

“She’s pretty
.” I smiled.

Sam took the popcorn out of t
he microwave and opened the bag.

“O
uch,” he said as he dropped the bag on the counter.

“Are you ok
ay?”

“Just a little steam burn,” he pouted.

I grabbed his hand and held it under the cold water. He stared at me with a grin. I took his hand and wrapped it in a towel to dry it. I removed the towel, brought his hand to my lips, and gently kissed the spot where he burned himself.

“There, all better.”

“You’d make a great nurse, Claire.” He smiled as he brought his hand to my cheek.

The touch of his bare skin set my body on fire.
I desired this man in every way possible and it scared me. The feeling of being half a person was awful and Sam deserved so much more. I finished putting the popcorn in the bowl and we sat on the couch, watching the movie. He put his arm on the back of the couch and I nestled into him. I hated to admit that when I was with him, I felt whole and complete. I was headed for trouble and heartache, and I knew it. Nothing can last forever. Your life can change in an instant, and before you know it, everything you’ve known and loved is gone.