“Together?” Brooke quickly finished her sentence.

The blonde blushed as she smiled, “Together…yeah, you could say that. What do you think?”

“I think it’s a great idea. It’s driving me nuts not being able to tell everyone how much you mean to me.”

“I felt pretty good about telling Aunt Sandy…so telling your sisters and father shouldn’t be that bad.” Sam looked Brooke straight in the eye. “Do you think they’ll accept it?”

“Well, they accept me. They always have and they already love you, so I think we’ll be just fine.” Brooke nodded her head.

“I hope so. I don’t want anyone thinking that I’m…” Sam bit at her lip, hesitating. “Brooke, does our age difference ever bother you?”

“No,” she shook her head, “not at all.” Brooke paused, then continued, “Except for when I have to talk about you like you’re a kid because the others don’t know about us.”

“Good, because I don’t either. You think they’ll like me just as well as your girlfriend as they do my being C.C.’s roomie?”

“I’m sure they’ll be fine with it. I think Mom loves you more because of it.”

Sheepishly Sam picked up a forkful of French Toast covered in fruit and played with it. “Yeah, I kind of got that impression.” She looked down at her food pausing for a moment, then asked, “You know what?”

Brooke grabbed the forkful of French Toast and held it up to Sam’s lips. “What?”

“I think you are your mother’s favorite daughter.” Sam took the bite and chewed on it happily.

Crinkled brows showed Brooke’s concentration. “Why do you say that?” Brooke leaned back, eyeing the woman before her. “And believe me, Darlin’, I’m not her favorite right now.”

“Because she’s always worried and thinking about you. So tell me what did I miss at the last dinner?”

“She’s like that with all of us. Well, you’ll be happy to know that she’s not on my case about finding somebody.”

“I guess not after that talk at my birthday party,” Sam teased.

“I think she’s setting her sights,” Brooke paused, “uhm…higher at this point or bigger. That depends on how you’d look at it.”

“Cryptic language…eh?” The blonde nudged her lover, “Is that another Gordon family trait?”

Brooke looked at Sam, “You really want to know?”

“Well, I think if it concerns me I should know, don’t you?”

“It’s not you exactly,” blue eyes drove home the point. “She’s talking about

grandchildren now.” Brooke elaborated. “Randi is the only daughter to have given her grandchildren. I’m not saying that she’s on me about it… just in general.”

“I’m sure that Terri will be soon to follow.”

Brooke looked down to the floor and snickered. “If Terri can stay home long enough to have sex with Rick.”

“Are you trying to tell me you’re interested in having children?” Sam asked softly.

“Me?” Brooke looked over to her lover with terror filled eyes. “Uh…well…I never really thought about it. I figured it was a moot point where I’m concerned, you know?” The woman shrugged.

“Brooke…” Sam reached out and lovingly touched the woman’s face. “All it takes is the right partner. Lots of women raise children or adopt.”

“I can’t see myself playing drums pregnant.” A silly grin came to her face and she heard the sound of giggling coming from the woman next to her. “What?”

“Now that’s funny. We’d have to get you extra long drumsticks just to be able to hit the skins when you’re eight or nine months along.” Sam raised her hand to cover her mouth, trying to hold back the laughter. “I’m sorry. Hey, maybe adopting would be better.”

“UmmHmm… go ahead and yuk it up.” Brooke brooded for a moment then came back with her retort. “We would just have to make sure I don’t get pregnant.” She looked down at the blonde’s lap. “You’re missing something there if you’re thinking about getting me pregnant, but feel free to try all you want.”

Sam looked to where Brooke’s eyes were fixated and she could feel the heat of a flush rushing up her neck. “You are bad…incorrigible even, Brooke.” The young woman shook her head, hoping to cool her rising temperature.

“Why? You’re the one who decided to elaborate on the baby discussion.” Brooke smiled at how easily she could make her lover blush.

“You don’t know…that can be done different ways than just the natural one?”

“What?” Brooke looked seriously at Sam.

“Forget it.” Sam continued playing with the food on her lap. “We’ll discuss it when the time comes.”

“T-time…what time? C…comes, when?” Brooke tried to grasp the concept.

Patting the nervous looking woman’s hand, Sam remained calm. “Time for us to think about a family. I mean…I…” she hesitated and looked at Brooke’s face, seeing the beginnings of a smile start. “I think I’m getting ahead of myself here.” Sam let her gaze fall to the makeshift table in her lap.

There was silence in the tiny room for a moment before the sound of Brooke’s softly spoken words could be heard. “Hey, Sam…”

“Yeah,” the blonde continued to play with her food.

“What do you say that sometime in the future we try to work on this baby thing?” The dark-haired woman leaned over, placing a kiss behind Sam’s ear. Sam nuzzled into Brooke’s shoulder, “God, Brooke. You know what that does to me.”

Brooke smiled as she continued, “We haven’t been together that long, so I don’t think it should be anytime soon.” Brooke pushed back a stray strand of blonde hair and kissed her again. “But if I’m going to have a family…” the woman’s large hand slipped over Sam’s smaller one and held it, “I want it to be with you. Sam, I love you. What do you say, bright eyes?” She whispered, then kissed the blonde hair.

“That makes me want you all the more.” Sam glanced at the clock as she went to lean back from Brooke’s shoulder. “But not now.” She straightened up, “I’ve got to get a move on if I’m making that first class of mine.” The young woman took another bite of her food, then hurriedly closed the container and moved it aside. She turned to see Brooke sitting there, poking her bottom lip out and sulking. “Hey, you could help me out, you know.” Sam tugged at Brooke’s fingers as she got up off the bed, sending an invitation with her eyes. “You could always help me wash my back. Care to give me a hand?”

The pouting woman’s face turned jubilant in a split second of time. She practically jumped off the bed, sweeping Sam up in her arms and carried her toward the shower as Sam gleefully giggled.

The blonde rolled up on her side, her nose deep into a book as she tried to focus her mind on studying. The day hadn’t started off like any other and the rest of the day seemed to follow suit. Now she had to get back down to the business at hand, school work. Come on Sam, just get the studying done and you’ve got the rest of your life to fantasize about her. The young woman tried to get the images of Brooke’s naked body lying on her bed watching her as she dressed for class, out of her mind.

Sam reached over to the remote, turning on the CD player as she tried to drown the images from her mind. Satisfied that it would help, she settled into her book, letting the rhythm of the music move her body as the book moved her thoughts along to marketing. After only a few minutes of reading, Sam heard the knock and looked up at the door, half-expecting C.C. to poke her head in any minute. With the second round of knocking, Sam knew it wasn’t her roommate at all. Getting up, she danced over to the door with the book in her hand.

Opening the door, she saw the wide-eyed face of her cousin, “Hey Crystal, what’s up with you?” Sam hesitated then asked, “Something wrong?”

“No, I just thought that maybe we could go do dinner or something. You interested?” The woman pointed to her relative using the hand with a bottle of water in it.

“Interested…yeah, I’m starving. I haven’t had anything since breakfast this morning.” The woman’s mind thought back to breakfast in bed with a certain tall woman at her side.

“My God, you actually still make time for those big breakfasts of yours?”

“Ah…I had more than just breakfast, Crys.” Sam smiled, “It was breakfast in bed served by someone we both know.” The blonde smirked, “And oh, can she serve.”

Crystal rolled her eyes at the look on Sam’s face. “Well, come on Babycakes, you can tell me all about breakfast over dinner.” Crystal took a sip of water.

“Okay, just let me leave a note for C.C. or she’ll worry about me.” Sam went to the desk and shifted through the clutter for some paper and a pen.

“So… Ms. Wonderful brought you breakfast in bed? Wow! That’s quite a drive for some toast,” Crystal teased her cousin.

“Well, it was more than just toast…” Sam’s coy smile said it all. “Let’s just say that she wet my appetite.” She cleared her throat, “Ah…all of my appetites.” Sam could feel the flush start and quickly tried to head it off. “So what’s on your mind, Crystal? You don’t drive almost two hours just to share a meal with me on the spur of the moment either. Something up with you and Peter?”

Acting very dignified, Crystal stated, “Actually, I had to attend a seminar near the campus.” Then the impish grin crossed her face and she confessed, “Peter’s moving here.”

“Hmm… you must have really made an impression on him.”

“Well…I hope I did. He said he’s been thinking about a change for quite a while now.”

“He has. I see that it’s for the better with you in the picture,” Sam teased as she scribbled out her note and then straightened up.

“You think so? My God Sam, everything is happening so fast and I don’t even want to stop it.” Crystal paused for a moment then added, “I don’t think I would if I could.”

“Yeah, he’s really a sweet man. I can see that he likes you.” Sam turned to face her cousin still standing in the doorway, “Well, don’t knock it, look at Brooke and I…”

“Good because I’ve got it bad for him too. Sam, you’ve been together for at least 2 months. Peter and I have known each other for less than two weeks.” Crystal shook her head then laughed, “I absolutely love it though.”

“Oh…now that is bad,” Sam joined in the laughter. “But you know, I kissed Brooke the second time I was in her company.”

The older woman’s eyes lit up as she stepped inside the room and closed the door. “Second time, huh? Oh do tell.” She crossed to the bed and made herself comfortable, waiting to hear the story.

“Yeah, well…the first time C.C. introduced me to her family at a dinner, there was Brooke…” Sam took in a breath as though it was just happening to her now, “I remember how her family kept picking on her about settling down.”

“Really, huh?” Crystal teased her.

“Yeah…” Sam hung her head, shy with embarrassment, “And now look at us.”

“Hey…why are you hanging your head?”

“I was just thinking…bet she never took anyone else breakfast in a dorm bed.” Sam looked up with a twinkle in her eye and a coy smile on her face.

“What’s going on in that head of yours, Sam?” Crystal laughed at her cousin, then took another mouthful of water, finishing the bottle in her hand.

“Can you believe we were actually talking about giving her mom grandchildren.”

The sudden spray of water coming from Crystal’s mouth showed how surprised she was by the topic. “Wha…what?” The woman sputtered out as she tried to catch the waterfall.

“Nothing definite, mind you. The topic just came up, that’s all.”

“What do you mean, ‘came up’ exactly?”

“She said that her mother was interested in having more grandchildren, but I think she was really testing the waters, just to see if I’m receptive to it.”

“You think?” Crystal now viewed her cousin in a different light. They weren’t kids anymore at all.

Sam nodded her head, “I think. You know, Crystal…I could see it happening… Brooke and I with kids of our own.” Sam became quiet for a moment as she gathered her thoughts, then slowly started. “I see me…and Brooke, of course,” she grinned, “…with an armful of children. Each one getting as much love as they need from the both of us. You know, it’s like the more we love, the more we have to give. Stupid, huh?” Sam looked to Crystal who was shaking her head, then continued with her dream. “I see her house… our house… full of life and love with children popping up everywhere.”

“No, not stupid. I think it’s really very sweet.” Crystal smiled as she asked, “So just how many little rugrats do you plan on having with Ms. Thing? I mean, obviously Brooke would have to be ‘Daddy’, she’s so butch, you know.”