Part 16 (1/2)

Terri began to walk away from Lynn but then suddenly turned around and said, ”What was that bartender's name last night? I think I may have shorted her on our drinks.”

”Her name is Sam, but she's not just the bartender, she's the owner.”

Lynn's eyes wandered to the bar looking for Sam and saw her sitting at a table with Matt and Chris. She definitely didn't want to go over there. She motioned to Terri. ”She's over there.”

Terri nodded, turned, and walked over to the threesome.

Climbing back onto the stage, Lynn organized the other women and started rehearsal again.

”Sam?” Terri asked as she leaned on the table.

Sam looked up to see Terri. She answered with a nod. ”Can I help you with something?”

”Hi. I'm Terri.” She paused, looking at the group, then continued, ”I'm afraid I may have shorted you on my drinks last night, I was a little preoccupied*”

Sam smiled. ”Yes, I noticed.”

Terri blushed. ”You see, when I got home I noticed that I probably gave you two ones instead of two fives.” Terri handed over the two five-dollar bills.

Sam raised her hand up to show that she was not going to take her money. ”Don't worry about it.” Then, remembering her manners, she scooted out her chair and stood to make further introductions. ”Terri, these are Lynn's friends, Matt and Chris.”

Terri gave a full smile and extended her hand to Chris. ”So, you're Chris! Oh, and Matt, nice to meet you, too!”

Chris shook her hand in confusion, not understanding why Terri knew her name.

”Please join us,” said Matt.

”No, I really need to get going, but thanks anyway.” Terri turned to Sam, again offering her the cash. ”Are you sure you won't take this?”

Sam shook her head. ”Nope. Just grace this place with your pretty face again sometime!”

Terri nodded and left.

”G.o.d! Was I just flirting?” Sam said in embarra.s.sment.

Matt patted her on the back. ”I believe you were!”

”Whatever you do, don't tell Beth!” Sam made Matt promise not to tell.

Matt placed his hand over his heart. ”I promise. Now if you two will excuse me, I need to visit the little boys' room.” Matt stood and walked toward the restrooms.

Sam turned to Chris. ”As if he's a little boy!”

The two sat in silence for a moment watching the action on the stage.

Chris broke the silence. ”So, I've been in here several times now and I've never seen your .,. significant other.”

Sam looked down, still tearing at the label on the bottle. ”Beth doesn't come in very often. It's hard for her* she's a recovering alcoholic.” Looking up at Chris, she smiled. ”Imagine that*a bartender falling in love with an alcoholic.” Then looking back down at the torn paper she explained further, ”Of course, that's not how we met or anything. She had gone on the wagon way before she met me. But I already owned the bar, she knows I love it, so*”

Sam stopped in mid-sentence and looked Chris straight in the eye. ”It just goes to show you, you can't help who you fall in love with. Sometimes your heart just has a mind of its own.”

Chris nodded, then contemplating if Sam had an ulterior motive with the statement, c.o.c.ked her head to the side and reexamined the look on Sam's face. Sam just smiled and went back to work on her label.

Later that night, Lynn arrived home and threw her keys on the table. It took a minute for her eyes to adjust to the dim light of the television, but she could see Chris sitting by herself on the couch. Lynn placed her jacket across the back of the couch, signifying to Chris that she was not going to stay at home. Chris muted the sound on the television set.

”You going out again?” Chris asked.

”Yeah, I'm going over to Terri's place,” Lynn replied, not meeting Chris's eyes.

There was silence for a minute while Lynn emptied her pockets on the table.

”You didn't sleep with her,” Chris stated quietly.

Lynn, pretending to review the piece of paper that she had found in her pocket, replied, ”Matt has a big mouth.”

”Why?” Chris asked.

”Excuse me?” Lynn asked back.

Chris rephrased her question. ”I mean, why didn't you sleep with her?”

Lynn looked up and found Chris's eyes waiting for an answer. ”I'll answer that if you answer a question for me.”

Chris shrugged and motioned for Lynn to continue.

Lynn paused, trying to figure out exactiy how to pose the question. ”Why do you want to know?”

Chris was clearly taken aback by the question. ”What?”

”Why do you want to know?” Lynn's voice took on a frustrated tone. ”I mean if you don't know by now!” Lynn started pacing, then stopped. ”I think it's obvious, Chris! I think it's pretty d.a.m.n clear just exactly why I couldn't have s.e.x with her!” Exasperated, Lynn raised her hands and strode over to the hallway.

Trying to calm her temper, she stopped and looked back. ”Let's just say that it was tempting but it wasn't who I really wanted*” Lynn paused, then continued, ”And if there was a chance, well, I decided that it was worth the wait.” Looking Chris straight in the eye, she asked, ”What do you think?”

She leaned forward to hear Chris's quivering whisper. ”I'm sorry. I don't know what to say. I just know that I*” Chris was trying to organize her thoughts and, looking at Lynn, finally was able to spit out, ”want you here with me.” She looked at Lynn and tried to blink away the tears in her eyes.

Lynn didn't know quite what to do. She broke away from Chris's gaze, walked to the bathroom, and shut the door quietly. She turned on the light and leaned against the counter. Lynn's wall, that she had worked so hard building all day, was crumbling. Her memory kept repeating what Matt had said, ”Just give her a little more time.” She opened the door a crack and saw Chris still struggling with her tears. Running her hands through her hair, Lynn called out, ”If I stay, do I get some popcorn?” She saw the smile emerge on Chris's lips, and the nod that followed. Lynn closed the door, looked in the mirror, and said to herself, Yes, I'd like to buy another ride on the roller coaster, please.

Lynn grabbed the popcorn bowl, set it between them, and plopped down on the end of the couch.

”Don't you need to make a call?” Chris asked Lynn. Lynn looked confused.

”To Terri, to tell her that you're not coming over?”

Lynn smiled and shook her head. ”I wasn't really going over to Terri's.”

”Where were you going?”

Lynn shrugged. She really didn't know. She just hadn't wanted to stay there.

After a moment, Chris asked, ”Are you going to sit way over there?”