“Yeah, that’s what I said.” Sam mocked her with the rise of a single eyebrow, and then crossed her arms over her chest.

With trembling fingers C.C. peeled back the open envelope flap, revealing exactly what she had thought she’d find. “Here, Sam.” The woman shuffled through the couple of photographs that she took out of the envelope. “Here’s your proof.” C.C. held them out for the younger woman to see. “Brooke has a thing for her vehicles. She keeps a picture of her first one with her present mode of transportation just to remember how it used to be.”

The blonde was dubious as to how this was going to prove Brooke’s true identity as she glanced down at the photographs. “So she had a van, C.C. what does that…”

“A van, but not just any van, Sam. Look at the license plate on it, the writing on the side panel,” C.C. beamed a winning smile, “and that’s Mom and me sending her off on her first road trip up to Georgetown University where Anti-Zero was playing that weekend.”

The words caught Sam by surprise. Georgetown was their first stop on that limited tour. She probably just gave them a ride. The young woman held her hand out to C.C., “Let me see.”

“Sam, I’m telling you, Brooke is Loran and these will prove it.”

Small hands brought the photographs closer for a more thorough examination of their images. Green eyes took in the old beat-up Chevy van with the crisp white and red Anti-Zero logo painted on the side, the plate in the front reading ‘A-Z’, and several people. Now, Sam was intrigued and she studied each of the faces in the photograph. Of the three visible, the driver was the tallest as she stood half in and half out of the door, her short, streaked blonde hair blowing in the breeze around the sunglasses that were on top of her head, letting more of her face show. A lone, raised eyebrow could be seen, cast in the direction of the much younger looking pre-teen with braces.

Letting her eyes drift to the third and final person in the photograph, Sam knew without a doubt that it was a younger version of Mrs. Gordon. The hairstyle was exactly the same, only with much less gray in it. Just like Aunt Sandy, same hairstyle, no matter what decade. Then it dawned on her. “Oh my God.” Sam’s eyes riveted back to the taller image and she scrutinized the face once more, only this time imaging it with long, dark hair.

C.C. could tell that the pieces were starting to add up for Sam and she found herself gloating. “Yeah, I remember that day like it was yesterday. Mom was seeing another one of the girls off and Brooke was warning me that she’d hold me upside down and smack my head on the floor if I gave Mom any trouble.” The brunette smiled fondly, as she subconsciously rubbed the top of her head with her one hand. “You know, Brooke’s the only one that could ever do that. She’s got that same look on her face that she always has when she threatens me.”

“That’s you?” Sam looked back to the glittering metal braces on the young girl in the photo. Sure enough, it was. She could see the resemblance now to the woman sitting next to her.

“Well, it’s not exactly my most flattering pose…” C.C. was certain that she’d made her point. It was time for her to think about getting back to check on her sister and she started watching for a break in the highway traffic.

Sam studied C.C.’s face, then glanced away and looked back again as the woman pulled the car out onto the off ramp leading to the campus. “You are telling me the truth, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” C.C. turned the corner and headed for the only parking spot in sight. “Now, if you want to go inside, go ahead. I have to make sure that my sister is alright.” She backed the car into the tight space, going back and forth so as not to hit either car around her. “Unlike some people, I love her and care about what happens to her.” She finally cut the wheel hard enough to make it to the curb as she mumbled under her breath, “No telling what she might do.”

Hearing the soft-spoken words, Sam closed her eyes and considered what C.C. may have meant by it. Not wanting to consider any negative thoughts, Sam took a deep breath, willing them to go away.

“We’re here, get out. I have things I need to do,” C.C. sat staring straight ahead. Her sister was now the only thing on her mind.

The blonde didn’t budge, except to shake her head. “Take me back, C.C. I think I’ve made a very big mistake.”

“What?” C.C.’s head turned faster than her brain could keep up as she sat there staring at Sam for a moment. “You’ve got to be kidding me. You’re damn right you made a mistake. Give me one good reason why I should take you back instead of tossing you out of this car right now.”

“I’m not kidding, C.C.” Sam looked down at her hands, “If she really is Loran,” she lifted her head to view C.C., “I…I need…”

“No, Sam. She’s Brooke. Loran is gone. She’s just plain and simple Brooke.”

Sam nodded at C.C.’s correction. “I need to tell Brooke that I’m sorry,” the words were spoken with remorse.

The brunette looked at Sam, then out the windshield as she tried to get her breathing under control. She was pissed as all hell and the tapping of her fingers on the steering wheel was only the beginning of what she wanted to be doing when she thought of someone hurting her sister.

“C.C., look, I was a fool,” Sam said disgusted at herself. “A stupid, childish fool.”

“Yeah?” C.C. turned to look at the blonde, “Well, she needed you to listen to her.” The woman bit her lip, “Hell, she just needed you.”

“I can’t let it end like this…not this way,”

C.C.’s eyes shot over to Sam briefly. “She didn’t end it. You did.”

Sam shook her head. “I know… Please, at least let me tell her that I’m sorry for not believing her,” Sam reached out and touched her roommate’s arm. “Besides, I’d like to know why she felt she couldn’t trust me. You can’t build a relationship without trust C.C.”

The angry brunette woman looked down at the small sign of comfort and drew in a defeated breath before uttering a single word, “Fine.” With that, C.C. slammed the car into first and worked her way out of the parking space. Once free of its confinement, she pushed her right foot down on the gas pedal and hauled ass to get back to her sister’s house.

Knowing that it would take some time to get back to Brooke, Sam dug her cell phone out of her pocket and proceeded to dial Brooke’s number.

“Look at this traffic,” C.C. gritted her teeth. “I can’t believe this shit.”

Sam held the phone to her ear listening for the familiar voice, but it never came. Pulling it away from her ear and hitting the button marked ‘end’ Sam pondered aloud, “Why wouldn’t she answer her phone?” With a startled realization she turned to C.C., “You don’t think that…”

Both women held their breaths for a second as a cold chill ran down their bodies. C.C. turned toward Sam and glared, then quickly cast her attention back to the road with a renewed fervor to get to Brooke.

“Can’t you go any faster?” Sam asked, her eyes remained glued to the road.

The 300 pulled crisply into the driveway and stopped just short of the house as Sam looked out the window, feeling the first of many tears start to spill over her lashes.

Throwing the gearshift into park, C.C. looked over at her passenger. “Why are you crying now?”

“C.C., why didn’t I believe her? God, if something happens to her on my account…” Sam sniffed back a tear, “I’ll…just…” The blonde’s attention was caught by the sound of a dog barking, “Mario?”

Without waiting another second, C.C.’s door was open and the tall brunette was heading toward the porch as she called for her sister’s pet, “Mario.” She looked around for the dog then called again, “Mario, come here boy.” Seeing the dog round the side of the house, C.C. bent over to intercept the animal that was on a definite course to Sam, “Where’s your mommy. Boy?”

The animal strained at the collar that C.C. held onto, making whimpering sounds and small sharp barks directed at Sam. C.C. looked around for any sign of her sister but the older woman was nowhere to be seen. The woman studied the dog for a moment then got up and went to the key pad on the porch and punched in the numbers to unlock the door. The red light stayed on, never changing to green. C.C. tried it again but the outcome was no different, “Shit, she’s changed the damn code.”

Sam’s eyes grew wide with alarm as she took off around the building for the back door. She was followed closely by the long strides of C.C. as Mario chased after them, dodging in and out of their legs, almost tripping the tall brunette several times.

The need to find the missing woman was evident in Sam’s voice as she called out the name, while she climbed the stairs to the back deck, “Brooke… Brooke…” Sam slid into the door when it wouldn’t budge. “Damn it, Brooke where are you? Brooke, open the door,” she sank to her knees, still jingling the doorknob, “Open the goddamn door!”

C.C. could see the desperation in Sam’s face as her tears flowed freely. “Oh, hell… hang on,” the brunette came up behind Sam and bent down, lifting up the flap on the doggie door. After a moment or two of maneuvering and a few grumbled phrases, C.C.’s tall, thin body was on the other side of the door and unlocking it for Sam.

As soon as the door was open, both Mario and Sam came bursting into the room, looking wildly for the woman in question.

“Brooke,” C.C. called out hoping her sister would answer.

Sam leaned down and petted the dog, “Mario, where’s your mommy? Go find her, Boy.”

The dog looked at Sam, sniffed, and then ran over to the door leading to the studio downstairs. His gruff barks and high-pitched whining startled them both as he started pawing at the door.