Part 31 (1/2)

Chris chuckled as she reached for Lynn's hand. ”Among other things.”

Lynn dialed the couple's telephone number as they drew near their neighborhood.

”h.e.l.lo?” Sam answered on the second ring.

”Hey, I'm about five minutes away,” Lynn responded.

”So are you going to tell me what you're coming over for?” Sam asked.

”It's a surprise,” Lynn answered, then added, ”Oh, and I hope you don't mind, I have someone with me.”

”Someone with you?” Sam asked with irritation in her voice. ”Take me off that d.a.m.n speakerphone!”

Lynn picked up the receiver and smiled at Chris, who could hear the shrill of the voice on the other end. Chris gestured to Lynn to give her the phone, but Lynn shook her head and kept the receiver to her ear.

Finally, Lynn said, ”Sam, we're driving into the complex now. See you in a minute.”

Lynn hung up the phone and parked the car. Walking to the door, she turned to Chris. ”Boy, did I just get an earful about how I must not have cared for you at all!”

Reaching the door, Chris rang the doorbell and pulled Lynn's arms around her. ”Show me how much you care.”

Lynn brought her lips down to Chris's just as the door opened. Neither noticed the couple standing in the doorway.

Sam cleared her throat once, then again. Finally the two broke their embrace and smiled at their friends.

”When did this happen?” Beth exclaimed with a smile.

”Well it's about d.a.m.n time!” Sam added as she ushered the two in the door. ”And you let me go on and on over the phone about what a jerk you are!”

Lynn laughed. ”Like I could get a word in edgewise!”

Beth looked into Chris's eyes. ”So tell me, what happened?”

Chris smiled. ”You know, you just can't help who you fall in love with.”

”So this was a good surprise!” Beth said as the four sat in the living room sipping iced tea.

”Oh, this wasn't the surprise,” Lynn said to the couple. Standing, she walked over, grabbed her briefcase, and opened it on the coffee table.

”This is the surprise,” she said as she handed a packet to Sam.

”What's this?” Sam asked.

”Hopefully a peace offering,” Lynn stated, then continued with the explanation, ”I felt really bad about the other night. After some searching, I was able to find financing for your mortgage.”

Sam looked at Beth then examined the paperwork. Beth spoke up first. ”Lynn, we know that you were upset the other night and we know that deep down in your own way, you were just trying to help us out.”

Lynn listened to Beth, and then turned to Sam. ”I know that you will feel better this way. It's at the same interest rate and the same term. All you have to do is sign where I've indicated.”

”You've looked these over already?” Sam asked.

Lynn nodded and handed Sam a pen. Sam gave the pen to Beth, who signed first, then signed herself and handed the paperwork back.

”Thanks,” Sam said, softly meeting Lynn's eyes.

”Friends?” Lynn asked Sam.

Sam smiled and nodded. ”Friends.”

Lynn put the doc.u.ments back into her briefcase and smiled at Chris. ”Now, if you two don't mind, we'd like to head on home.”

”Are you sure you don't want to stay and watch a movie or something?” Sam asked.

Chris took Lynn's hand. ”No, we have other plans.”