“Uh huh…sure…Okay.” C.C. winked at Sam and went back to finding clothes to wear.

“What…what did I do?”

“I don’t know. You won’t tell me.” C.C. turned to the blonde and grinned evilly.

“God, C.C.” Sam hid her face in her hands. “Isn’t it enough that you know that we’re in love?”

“Yeah, that’s so nice but you know me.” C.C. surprised Sam as she pulled her hands away from her face. “Inquiring minds and all that jazz. We’re roommates. Hell…we’re practically in-laws. We’re supposed to discuss these things.”

“Excuse me?” Sam had a shocked look on her face.

“Why? Did you burp?” C.C. laughed and went back to her task of getting ready to meet her sister, Terri.

“Where exactly is that in the marriage vows? Love, honor, obey and discuss my sex life with my in-laws and her siblings?”

“It’s in there. It’s the small writing at the bottom that the priest whispers after the ceremony. You know, after you’ve already agreed to all the other stuff.”

“I’ve never heard it.” Sam gave a doubtful look at her roomie. “And I don’t think that you have either.”

“Sure. You’d be surprised at what I’ve heard at my sisters’ weddings.” C.C. laughed just thinking about it. “Like at Randi’s…”

“Huh?”

“She had the priest add a vow that would make her husband take out the garbage.”

“I bet that was well received. It figures that she’s a lawyer.”

“Yeah, and we all busted out laughing when he got her back. He added one that had Randi agree to watch football with him during the playoffs.” C.C. smiled as she thought of her sister Terri. “Terri’s was pretty interesting too.”

Sam shook her head wondering what else these sisters could get themselves into. “Okay, I’ll bite. So, what nonsense did Terri want…a daily massage?”

“Ah…No. Actually her and Rick got married at his parents’ house. It’s huge.” The brunette shook her head and laughed. “When the priest asked about the…” C.C. used her fingers to emphasis the quotation marks in the air as she said the words, “If anyone finds just cause why these two should not be joined, blah…blah…blah…blah…let them speak now or forever hold their peace.”

“Yeah…I’m waiting to hear this one.” Sam turned away from the window, now engrossed in her roommate’s story.

C.C. held in a laugh as best she could, then blurted out, “The cat meowed loud and clear.”

“Are you telling me that Rick has a feline fetish?” Sam teased, as she couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought.

“No, but his parents do. They had four cats and they all started in with the meows.” C.C. grinned. “It was so hard not to laugh, the cats sounded like they were trying to carry on a conversation.”

“Argh!” Sam looked skeptical at C.C. “Why do I even encourage you?” She laughed, then countered, “You’re making this up, aren’t you?”

“Nope. Swear to God.” C.C. held her left hand up and looked to the heavens. “You can ask her next time you see Terri. Everyone including the priest completely lost it. The priest looked at the cat that started it and said, ‘I’ll take that into consideration.’ Honest, that’s what he said.”

Sam looked at C.C. and just shook her head as the woman walked over toward her.

“Well, look Sam,” the brunette embraced the smaller woman in a hug. “I need to get out of here before I’m late. You have a great time and Happy Birthday, Roomie.”

“Thanks, C.C., I will.” When the embrace ended, Sam turned back to the window and watched the parking lot below as she muttered to herself, “God, I wonder what you’d hear at Brooke’s.”

C.C. stopped dead at the door hearing her sister’s name spoken. She turned back toward Sam, an eager look on her face. “Brooke’s what…wedding?”

“I meant that figuratively. Don’t go getting excited.”

The brunette shrugged then casually replied, “Well, I guess if anybody’s going to know, it will be you. Bye Sam. Have fun tonight.” With that said, the woman was out the door, throwing her purse on her shoulder.

The blonde turned back to look out the window. She thought back on what C.C. had said and found herself daydreaming about what in Brooke’s wedding might lead to a story for years to come. Sam envisioned the tall, dark-haired woman standing there in front of a group, then watched Brooke turn and finding herself on the receiving end of a ring. Closing her eyes to make it seem more lifelike than a dream, Sam let herself be carried away to what might be in her future. Reflexively she found herself holding out her hand and imagined the ring being slipped on her delicate finger. In her mind she looked up to see love-filled, blue eyes twinkling with delight, moving closer until she was lost in them forever.

It wasn’t until she sighed out of wanting it to be true, that her mind slowly started to surface back to the real world of college, dorm rooms, parking lots and ringing phones. Coming out of the haze that her mind had left her in, Sam thought she heard her cell phone going off. Turning to look over at her purse, she saw the tiny blinking light as each warbling ring sounded.

“Oh, jeez.” Sam moved quickly to answer the phone. “Hello?”

In a very melodic voice, Brooke was singing out her greeting. “Happy Birthday… my baby…happy birthday to you.”

The tones brought an immediate smile to the young woman’s face. “Brooke, I should have known it would be you. In fact, I was just thinking about you.”

“Oh, yeah?” Brooke asked.

“Hmm…Nothing but nice thoughts Babe, trust me.”

“I do. Happy birthday, Gorgeous.” Brooke drawled out. “You miss me?”

“Don’t I always? Yes, I miss you.” Sam sat down on her bed, wishing that her tall lover where there to wrap her in those strong arms. She shivered just thinking about it.

“I miss you, too.” There was silence on both ends as each longed to be in the presence of the other. Then finally Brooke ended the silence. “Is Crystal picking you up soon?”

Sam looked at her watch. “Yeah, in fact, she should be here any minute now.” Sam got up from the bed and went over to the window, looking down at the parking lot.

“Good, because it’s been a long day without you, Sam.”

“A long two days,” the blonde stressed. “Or did you lose track of time?”

“No, I haven’t.” Brooke smiled thinking of the last time she had seen Sam. “But at least I got to see you yesterday morning when I drove you back to the dorm.”

“You know, that was the second nicest part of my day.”

“What…the drive back?”

“Yeah, the first was waking up in your arms.”

The words came clearly across the wireless connection, bringing a smile to Brooke’s face. “That was nice, wasn’t it? I can be so cute when I want to be.” She teased.

“You’re cute all the time, Brooke Gordon. You just don’t let other people see it.”

“I don’t know. We’ll have to see if you still say that after tonight.” Brooke tried not to give away her surprise.

“Hmm…that has ominous undertones to it.” Sam laughed; delighted that Brooke would think of ways to tease her.

“You’ll just have to wait and see now, won’t you?”

Sam thought for a moment about how Brooke was acting. “I think you’ve got something up your sleeve.”

“Me?” Brooke said with surprise. “What could I possibly surprise you with?”

“Brooke, you’re not going to do anything at the restaurant to embarrass me, are you? God, I just hate when they come out of the kitchen singing those stupid birthday songs and clapping like lunatics.”

“No Honey, I swear not to embarrass you at the restaurant…” the woman paused before she added silently in her mind…Because, we’re not going to a restaurant at all. Brooke grinned knowing all too well what she had in store for later. “So, you won’t have to worry about any embarrassing kitchen staff. I promise, Darlin’.”

“And no one making a scene about my birthday, right?” Sam was making sure Brooke understood her.

“Now, who would make a scene?” Brooke tried not to chuckle but lost the battle. “Besides, you know I can’t speak for Peter.”

“Hmmph!” The blonde let the air escape her lungs in a disgusted rush. “Knowing you, Peter, and Crystal…who wouldn’t?”

Brooke’s laughter filled the air. “You’ll love it, Baby. I promise.” The woman’s voice became less playful as she ended the conversation. “I’d better go so I can get to this meeting. If I don’t, there’s no telling what time I’ll get to leave.”

“Okay,” Sam was sorry their time was over. “But just remember, you’re meeting me alone later. And I do mean much later. Love you.”

“Oh…just you and me, huh? You promise?”

“Well, that’s all I want in my bed…don’t you?

Your bed…Hmm…I like that. “Nothing sounds better. Okay, Darlin’, happy birthday and I’ll see you soon. I love you, Sam.”

That brought a huge smile to Sam’s face. “Good, now hurry up and get done. I love you. Bye.”

“Bye.”

Sam pulled the phone from her ear and stared at it. The sound of knocking broke her spell and the young woman got up and crossed to the door.

‘Hey there, Birthday Girl. Let me in.” Crystal’s voice was full of energy.

The young blonde opened the door after hearing her cousin’s voice. “Crystal?” She looked to the window in the tiny room, then back to the woman standing at the door. “How did I…I just…it was only a minute or two.” She looked at the phone still in her hand.

“What?” The woman dressed in casual clothing peeked into the room, then back at Sam.

“Crystal, how did you sneak in on me? I was watching the parking lot.”

“I parked at the wrong building and got confused so I just walked over.”

“Oh well, let me grab my coat and bag and we’re out of here.” Sam stepped back to retrieve her belongings.