Sam grabbed onto Brooke’s hand as she passed her. “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see,” Brooke smiled broadly as she glanced back to her lover.

“You just love planning surprises, don’t you?” Sam took a couple of fast steps to keep up with her long-legged friend.

“No, I just love watching your face when you get them.” Brooke stopped at the entranceway to the common room on their floor and gave her lover a wink, then motioned to the door with her head.

“You wait, Brooke. One of these days, I’ll be watching your face when you get a surprise that you were never expecting.” Sam braced herself with a deep breath, then opened the door.

“Surprise!” The collective gathering yelled their greeting as the blonde entered the room. The young woman’s mouth was agape as she surveyed the people in the room.

“Surprised, Darlin’?” Brooke leaned her head down onto Sam’s shoulder and gave her pale cheek a gentle kiss.

“Brooke, how did they… when did they…” Sam turned to look her lover in the eye. “You had this planned all along, didn’t you?”

“Well…” Brooke’s voice squeaked out like a teenager’s during puberty as she stepped back, looking down to her boot as she played with the carpeting. “I thought you’d like to have everyone here, so I had the jet bring them up. I figured that we’d need a few witnesses.”

“MOM? C.C.?” Sam looked over to them suspiciously. “Were you the ones coordinating all this?”

There was a murmur of chuckles as Peter pushed to the front of the group. “Ah… Sam… I’d be the one taking that blame.” He held a finger up in the air. “Well, me and Ida, here.”

“Ida?” Sam looked at Brooke puzzled. “Who’s Ida?”

“Ah, sorry. I forgot she answers the phones with her last name. Sam, this is my most valuable employee at Brownstone… well,” she winked at Ida, “that is until you start on Monday.”

Sam looked over to the woman who was giving her a little wave. “Hello.”

“Hi, Sam. I bet you recognize my voice, now that you hear it.”

“Yeah…” Sam’s eyes lit up. “You’re the one I always get when she leaves her cell phone behind.”

“Yep, that would be me.” Ida smiled back.

“Yeah,” Brian agreed. “I hear that will be your job now, Sam.” He wrapped his arm around Randi and gave her a squeeze as C.C. stepped around the gathered family in front of them.

“Girl,” C.C. clapped Sam on the shoulder, “I cannot believe that you’re actually marrying my sister.” The brunette gave her ex-roommate a hug, then looked over to Brooke as she pulled back. “I guess I can’t say that the ‘L’ in your name stands for Long-standing-lonely-one anymore, huh?”

“Guess not, C.C.”

“We could always make that ‘L’ into Lovey-dovey.” Rick chimed in, joking, as all eyes turned to him. The room grew silent. “What… you don’t think it fits…” his eyes went around the room, and then settled on his wife. “Terri, come on. Don’t you think it fits with that 12 days of Christmas theme and all?”

Terri thought for a moment. “Sure…” she nodded her head until Rick looked away, then shook it vigorously. “No, I’m not giving her that name; I know what she’s capable of.” Terri looked over to her sister Brooke. “She can be just good old ‘Loran’ to me.” Terri winked and joined in with the group’s laughter.

“Well, we named her and Loran was what we picked.” Mable spoke up as she nudged her husband.

“Yes, that you did, Mable. If I remember correctly I was leaning toward Henrietta myself.”

“Shoosh!” The matriarch tried to act serious, even though everyone around her was rolling with laughter. “You just wanted a boy to name after you.”

“Hey, what’s wrong with Henrietta? That’s my Mom’s middle name.” Crystal spoke up, drawing the attention to her mother. “Tell them.”

“Well…” Sandy looked around at the waiting faces. “It’s on my driver’s license. If you want, I’ll show it to you.” She fumbled with her purse as Henry walked up to her.

“I knew I liked you the first time I met you.” Henry reached out and gave the older woman a hug. “Shhhh! Don’t tell my wife.” He winked at the woman, and then looked over at Mable.

“Anyone know a good lawyer,” Mable called out through her laughter.

Randi stepped forward, wrapping her arm around her mother’s shoulders. “Now, would that be for a crime of passion or divorce?” She chuckled, knowing that it was all in jest.

Amid the sound of laughter, Brooke glanced over to her young lover. The sad look that she saw there almost broke her heart. Bringing her arm up to wrap around Sam’s shoulders, Brooke called her name out softly. “Sam?” She waited a moment than asked her question. “What’s wrong, Darlin’?”

“Your family is so… so different than mine.” Sam gave her shoulders a shrug. “I… ah… I thought that maybe…” her words became inaudible as the beginnings of self-pity slowly entered her mind.

“Baby, what would make tomorrow perfect for you?” Blue eyes watched her intently as Brooke pulled her hand away and started to rub Sam’s back. With the blonde’s eyes cast to the floor, Brooke gave a little glance to the doorway as she stepped in front of her lover. “Tell me, Sam and I’ll try to get it for you.”

Catching a tear as it came to her cheek, Sam sniffed, trying to hold the rest at bay. “I guess I always dreamed that maybe my dad would give me away or at least that Sarah would…” Sam stopped short when she felt strong hands resting on her shoulders.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, Princess.” Samuel leaned in and gave his daughter a kiss on the cheek.

Green eyes stared into Brooke’s eyes. “Daddy,” the word escaped her mouth in a breathy whisper. Sam watched as Brooke motioned for her to turn around. “DADDY!” She shrieked as she spun around, tears rolling freely down her cheeks. “I can’t believe this…” She turned in her father’s arms to look back at Brooke. “God I love her,” she muttered under her breath as she watched her lover fade into the crowd of people who were appreciating the joyful reunion.

“Oh, I wouldn’t have missed this for anything.” Samuel kissed his eldest daughter on the cheek again. “And I definitely wouldn’t let you get married without giving you away.” He drew their faces together and rested one forehead against the other.

Mable looked down to her watch. “Well, say your good-bye’s ladies.” The matriarch stepped out of the crowd, making sure that both Brooke and Sam heard her. “Brooke,” she pointed a finger in her daughter’s direction. “You’re going with your father and Samuel’s group.” The feisty woman turned now to Sam. “And you, Sam, are coming with us.” Mable motioned to the group of women separating away from the men.

“But MOM…” Brooke straightened up to protest as both of her father’s hands wrapped around her upper arm.

“Hush, I’ll have none of that whining, Brooke.” She smiled back at the women around her. “Randi and Terry will tell you that it’s bad luck on the night before your wedding to see each other.” Mable raised an eyebrow in challenge to her much taller daughter. “Besides, we’ve got some fun planned for Sam.” She hid the smile on her face, hearing the chuckles coming from the women behind her.

“Brooke,” Sam glanced over to her lover, “Did you plan this?”

The dark-haired woman shook her head, “No… definitely no.” Brooke looked at the men converging on her.

“Come on, Brooke.” Henry winked at his daughter. “We’ve got a special time planned just as well for you.” He looked around to all the testosterone filled bodies and smiled. “Don’t we boys?”

“Mom… you just said night… by my watch it’s still early.” Brooke held her arm up and tapped on the crystal of the timepiece. “It’s not even dinner time yet.” Brooke looked at her mother’s stern face. “Okay, but I’m not going anywhere without having at least five minutes alone with my girl.” The drummer crossed the room and stood next to Sam, with her arms crossed over her chest and determination set in her blue eyes.

Mable stood transfixed for a standoff with piercing eyes. Mother and daughter alike stood motionless for what seemed to be several long moments until the entrance of a small blonde caught the matriarch’s eye. “Five minutes, Brooke. I’m counting.”

“Oh, no…” the young girl moaned, “I don’t think that we can handle sitting through a five minute revival.”

“Sarah,” Sam recognized the voice behind her immediately, surprised by the appearance of her sister. She turned to see Sarah making her way through the group.

“Hey, Sam, are you afraid you won’t be able to say your prayers without her tonight, or what?” Sarah asked with a giggle.

C.C.’s eyes opened wider as she nudged the sisters around her. “Oh, I like that kid. She has potential.”

“Come on… Mom said to give them five minutes.” Randi looked C.C. in the eye. “It’s only fair. C.C., remember, you’ll be getting the same treatment one day.”

That was the only distraction that Brooke needed. With all eyes on her siblings, she grabbed Sam’s hand and hurried her out into the hall and down to their room. Shooing her young lover into the room, Brooke quickly closed the door and locked it, before turning and leaning into it.

“Brooke, I think they’re serious out there.” The sound of many feet scurrying down the hall could be heard as Sam stood amused at her lover’s antics. She watched as the dark-haired woman dashed across the room and looked out the window. “What are you doing?”

“What do you say we escape out the window?” She looked down to the ground below and changed her mind. “I guess not, since we’re on the upper floor.” She sighed, then looked over at the small bathroom. “We could always lock ourselves in there,” Brooke motioned with her head as she pulled Sam up against her body and kissed her on the lips.