“And she doesn’t get jealous over another woman hanging on your wall?

“Why would she? Brooke knows that she’s the one that I love.”

“That is so sickeningly sweet.” Crystal grimaced like she’d just bitten into a pure sugar pie, then shook the look away as she reached into her purse and took out the car keys. “You ready?”

“Yeah.” Sam smiled. “Wait until you meet Brooke in person. She can be so sweet. You’ll die of sugar overload. Come on,” Sam moved toward the door. “Let’s get a move on. I can feel a craving coming on.”

Crystal watched Sam walk out the door. “Hmm…This I have got to see.”

Both time and miles were passing rather quickly as the two women caught up on the happenings in their lives. Sam had almost forgotten how much fun she’d had growing up with her cousin until they slipped right back into the easy banter that they’d always had.

“Hey, Crystal.” Sam glanced down at her watch. “You don’t have to speed. We’re ahead of Brooke by at least fifteen or twenty minutes already.”

“Ah…Sorry, I guess I’m just still on an adrenaline rush from work.” The driver monitored her speed and started to slow down. “After all, we do want to get there in one piece now, don’t we?”

Sam nodded her head. “Yeah, I think a certain tall friend of mine would be…” The sound of her cell phone disturbed her train of thought as it warbled on. Taking it out of her coat pocket, Sam looked at the number that was displayed and smiled. “Yeah…” the young woman laughed. “Where are you at, Babe?”

Brooke’s voice sounded hurried as she rushed to get out the words. “I’m sorry, Darlin’. I’m just now getting to the house. How far out are you?”

The blonde looked around for a familiar landmark, and then answered. “We’re just passing the grocery store. Why?”

“Make the turn and just come to the house, Sam. I’m sorry Babe, but I still need to shower and I’d hate for you two to be sitting in a restaurant waiting on me and Peter to get there.”

“Well, I guess it is dumb to take both cars now. I mean…since we are going right past you.” Sam watched the road ahead. “Up there, Crystal. That’s where you’ll need to make a right, then follow that down for about two miles or so.” She turned her attention back to the phone. “See you in a few then.”

“Okay, I love you.”

“Love you, too. Now get dressed…er showered…whatever…” Sam laughed and shook her head. “You’ve got me all befuddled just thinking about you.” Sam glanced over to her cousin, daring her to comment.

Brooke let go with a sexy little laugh. “Wait until tonight when it’s just the two of us.”

The young woman rolled her eyes, bringing her hand to her face, trying to stave off the growing blush that was taking over her fair skin. “You are a wicked woman but I still love you.”

“You’re blushing, aren’t you?” Brooke teased. “I love you. I’ll see you soon.”

“As if you didn’t know. Love you, too. Bye Brooke.” Sam turned off the phone and smiled, too embarrassed to look over at the driver.

Crystal stole a glance at her cousin and laughed as she muttered under her breath, “Ah…to be in love.”

After hanging up with Sam, Brooke paused for a moment to savor the time that she had just shared with the woman she loved. She could feel the smile widen across her face and knew that she had made a wise choice in coming upstairs to her office to make the call. Here, she had been able to speak without anyone listening in on her conversation. Leaving her thoughts of Sam’s voice and the small office behind, she moved swiftly down to the lower floor of the house where the rest of the family and guests were waiting. Rounding the corner of the hall and turning into the living room, she made her announcement.

“Okay, they’ll be here in about ten minutes.” She looked over toward the entranceway at the man leaning against the wall. “Peter, can you answer the door when they get here?” Brooke looked to her family. “The rest of you will hide out in the dining room and kitchen, okay?”

“Cool…I can do that.” Peter nodded vigorously, trying not to show his nervousness.

“I’m supposed to be in the shower…” Brooke raised her arm and sniffed. “Whew! As a matter of fact, I’d better go take one now. I don’t want Sam to get too suspicious right away.”

“Do I get to help?” Peter wanted to know.

“What? Help me shower?” Brooke raised an eyebrow in his direction. “No way, Dude.”

“Ah…” Peter sighed. “Same ol’ Brooke. Never wants to share with a friend.” He tried keeping a poker face but it was a losing battle.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Save water and shower with a friend.” Brooke crossed the room to the door and made sure it was unlocked. Then she leaned to whisper in Peter’s ear. “Dude, you’re not that friend.” She winked at him, smiled, and then started to walk back to the stairway leading to the second floor.

“Hey, I’ll do my part for the ecology,” he yelled after her teasingly. “I’ll suffer through it, just for you, Brooke.”

Brooke rolled her eyes at Peter’s teasing and made her way past the kitchen, stopping briefly to check on things with her mother. “Mom, is dinner just about ready?” She asked from the doorway.

“Yes, Dear. You go…get ready now. I’ll handle the kitchen.”

“Okay, thanks Mom.” Brooke turned to address the rest of the people who were now milling about the hall and dining room area. “Well, everyone, make yourselves at home but only back here. We don’t want to let the surprise slip out before its time.” Brooke smiled at C.C. then winked and hurried off to get ready for Sam.

The eldest Gordon daughter stood in the hall where she was able to watch Brooke as she orchestrated the events to come. Randi’s analytical mind was having a hard time putting all this together. She moved her position to the doorway of the kitchen as Brooke ascended the spiral staircase to the second floor and she watched the thirty-year old almost run up the stairs.

Mable sensed that something was troubling her daughter and took it upon herself to find out what. “Randi, come give me a hand will you?” She beckoned the woman with a wave as she turned toward the kitchen.

“Ah, sure Mom.” Randi went to her mother’s side.

“So, what’s up?”

“What do you mean, Mom?” The woman took the spoon that was offered to her and began stirring the contents of the pot cooking on the stove.

“I’ve seen you eyeing your sister. What’s on your mind?” Mabel busied herself with putting trays of appetizers into the oven.

“It just seems a little odd. That’s all.”

“Odd? What’s odd?” Mable turned and looked at her child. “Is it odd that Brooke wants everything to go smoothly for her sister’s friend?”

“No.” Randi shook her head. “Brooke is the one going through so much trouble to do this. That’s just it Mom, Sam is C.C.’s roommate, not Brooke’s.”

“Maybe you forgot how it was to be away from family on an important birthday. Maybe Brooke remembers, huh?”

Randi stopped stirring the contents of the pot. “Mom, don’t get me wrong. I like the kid.” She bit her lip, and then stirred the pot a time or two before continuing. “I don’t know. Maybe you’re right.”

“Can’t you cut your sister a little slack here? She’s happy. What more could you want?”

“Happy?” The lawyer ran that concept through her head. “Of course I want her to be happy. But what do happy and Sam have to do with each other?”

Mable stopped abruptly, thinking about what her daughter had just said and bit at her lip.

“Mo-o-oth-er-r-r?” Randi drew the word out as a dark eyebrow rose high on her forehead.

“I was just thinking of how close Brooke and C.C. have always been.” Mable resumed her work putting more appetizers onto the pans for the oven.

“Uh-huh…Go on.”

The matriarch tried to downplay her thoughts. “Well, Sam’s just that same age. It seems to work well for your sister.”

“That,” Randi used the large spoon in her hand to make her point as she banged it against the pot, “has nothing to do with the words ‘happy’ and ‘Sam’ being placed in the same sentence, when it concerns Brooke.”

Shrugging innocently, Mable offered, “Maybe she sees something in Sam that she likes…or…” The woman trailed off.

“Or?” Randi demanded an answer.

“Randi, you know that Brooke has always been different.”

“Mom, you’re making absolutely no sense whatsoever.”

“Just watch her tonight and see if you don’t agree that she’s happy. Okay?”

The younger, frustrated woman threw her arms up in exasperation. “If you say so, Mom. I just wanted to know how it concerns Sam. That’s all.” Randi turned back to the pot of food and stirred it a little more vigorously than before. “Oh, I’ll be watching alright. I’m obviously being left out of something here.”

Mable turned and smiled at her daughter, then gave her a stern look. “You’ve got a long way to go when it comes to being a mother, Randi.”

The beat-up green jalopy pulled up the driveway, stopping in front of the huge house. The driver craned her neck to take in the entire building but was having a tough time of it through the windshield.

Sam unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door. “Come on, Crystal. You can see it up close and personal-like if you get out of the car. If she didn’t leave the door open, I know the access code to get in.”

“You’re sure this is the right place?” Crystal climbed out of the driver’s side hesitantly as she looked all around.

“Yeah, I’m sure. I told you that I’ve been spending the weekends here.” Sam rounded the car and pulled her cousin toward the house. Looking up she saw Peter come running out of the house and heading straight for them.

“Hey, Petey. Long time no see. How are you…umph” she was picked up and swung around by the exuberant man, “…doing?”

“Happy Birthday, Toots!” He laughed as he gave her a final turn and set her down next to her cousin. “Much better now, thanks.” He pointed to his cheek. “Come on, give me a kiss right there.”

“Surely.” Sam waited for him to bend at the knees to be able to reach his check and gave him a quick kiss then stepped back, grabbing onto Crystal by her hand. “This, Petey, is my cousin, Crystal.” Sam turned slightly, continuing the introduction. “Crystal, this is Petey. Ah…you know him better as Peter.”

The man bowed his head at the introduction. “Hello, Crystal. It’s so very nice to meet you.” Peter produced two roses from out of his back pocket and offered one to each of the women.

Sam watched as Crystal became pale and started to stutter. “You…you…Sam,” she turned to her cousin. “You didn’t tell me that we’d be meeting someone.”

Peter looked on with some concern, even offering Crystal his hand. “Are you going to be okay? I won’t bite. I promise…I mean…I haven’t bitten Sam yet,” he winked at the small blonde.

Finally Crystal mumbled some words. “God, I think I’m gonna faint.” The woman grew increasingly paler and did just that. She fainted.

Brooke’s ex-band mate stepped in, catching Crystal before she could do any additional injury to her condition before hitting the ground. He held her and looked over to Sam. “What do you think, Toots? I’d say that meeting went well.”

Sam sighed. “I was afraid of that happening. I’m glad it was here and not at some restaurant.”

“Well, let’s get her inside. Brooke’s in the shower, she’ll be down any minute.” Peter scooped the woman up in his arms and carried her inside, laying her down gently on the couch. “Watch her,” he directed Sam. “I’ll be right back.”

Sam shook her head in disbelief. Sitting down on the arm of the couch, she started fanning her cousin and patting her hand. “You’re in for some real surprises tonight, Crystal,” she muttered under her breath. “Tell me you’re not going to faint for each one.”

“How is she?” Peter came back into the room carrying a glass of water and took a seat on the couch by Crystal, watching her as she slowly came to. “Crystal?”

“You’d better not let her see you right away.”

Sam watched as her cousin opened her eyes to see her idol sitting next to her and watched as Crystal’s eyes rolled back and she fainted again.

“I’m sorry, Sam.” Peter got up and walked over to the other side of the room. “I didn’t mean to.”

“I told you she would.” Sam turned her attention back to her relative.

The guilty looking man gazed down at his feet, then back up at the women on the couch. “I’ll just go check on Brooke.”

Sam got up and went over to him. “Don’t feel bad, Petey. She’s just been dreaming about meeting you for years. Just give her a minute to have it all sink in. Okay?”