Chapter 17

Patty and Sammy were sitting on the floor, hip to hip, backs against the wall, at the foot of Bobby's bed, listening to his rhythmic breathing as he slept.

Earlier, when Bobby was awake, Patty again witnessed the connection between him and Sammy. When they looked at each other, they had serene smiles on their faces. It was as if words weren't necessary between them.

Patty was staring up and out the window at the blue sky outside. She was trying to make sense of her own feelings.

She was still sad that she'd missed the opportunity to have that relationship with Bobby, but was glad for Bobby and Sammy, apparently finding happiness together.

Then she thought of her relationship with Morton. It brought a smile to her face. Morton was wonderful. She knew in her heart that he was a better match for her than Bobby, if she was honest with herself.

But when she had seen Bobby with his face covered in dried blood, the depth of emotion it caused could not be denied. Her visceral reaction was forcing her to reassess her feelings. The fact that she was here in Bobby's room with him and Sammy, instead of in Julie's room with her boyfriend, said something. She just wasn't sure what.

As she sat deep in thought, Sammy sat patiently next to her. Patty could sense that Sammy was not threatened by her presence, or uncomfortable with her silence. They had been chatting for over an hour, talking about nothing in particular. Sammy had let Patty lead the conversation, to wherever she wanted it to go. Now that Patty had fallen silent, Sammy sat with her quietly, occasionally reaching out to softly rub Patty's arm next to her, as if she was lovingly soothing a tired baby.

"Sammy..." Patty finally said, "My head's pretty fucked up right now."

Sammy said nothing, just smiled and shook her head slightly, in silent and friendly disagreement.

"I don't know what I want anymore," Patty said miserably. "Not like... like you and Bobby seem to."

"Nobody's going to get married tomorrow, you know," said Sammy kindly, gesturing with her head towards the sleeping Bobby. "And we're all still going to be friends. You know that, don't you?"

"Yeah," Patty replied. "But... it feels like a ship that I'd been packed and ready to get on my whole life has just sailed without me. I can't help wanting to jump in the ocean and swim after it."

Sammy chuckled quietly. "Patty," she said softly, "I don't think you're getting my meaning."

Patty resumed speaking in a steady stream, as if a dam had burst.

"What's there to get?" she asked. "You and Bobby are going to get together, and I'm with Morton, but is Morton going to want to be with me, when I still have feelings for Bobby that I don't understand myself? It's not fair to Morton to expect him to commit himself to me while I try to get my head on straight. He's a wonderful boyfriend that any girl with half a brain would grab onto. And how can you still want to be friends, if you know I'm going to be mooning over your boyfriend all the time? I just..."

Just then, Dave came around the corner. "Hey," he said to the girls sitting on the floor. "Sammy... could I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure," she replied. "Can you give me a minute? I'll be right out."

"Oh, sure, no problem," said Dave, turning and leaving the room.

Sammy took Patty's hand in hers, interlacing their fingers. "Patty... you haven't asked how I knew where to find Bobby on the hill."

She blinked back at her. "Oh. That's right. How did you know?"

"Don't think I'm crazy, but... I had a dream about my mom. And... she showed me where Bobby was."

"Wow."

"Yeah. But... that wasn't all."

"Okay."

"Patty... the dream finished with me... in a wedding dress. I was walking down the aisle... towards Bobby."

"Oh," said Patty, stunned.

"So Patty... that's why I'm not worried about you... not being sure how you feel about Bobby. Like I said, no one's going to get married tomorrow. Or for a long time to come, either. Until then, we can just... we can just do what feels right."

Patty sat speechless.

Sammy got up to her knees, still next to Patty. "Patty, we'll talk some more. I'll be right back, okay?"

Patty shrugged her shoulders, and said somewhat dazedly, "Okay. I mean, I don't know what there is to talk about, it's really all my problem, you don't have to..."

Sammy put her hands on her hips, looking sternly down at Patty, who stopped speaking at Sammy's change of expression. Sammy had seen both Morton and Collette calm Patty down in this manner before. It seemed to work for her too, but she couldn't sustain the look, breaking out in giggles.

"Hey," Patty said hurriedly, starting up again, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to tell you your own business, I know you've got enough complications of your own without me spilling my guts about my shit, I mean..."

Sammy was trying to decide whether to use the other trick she'd once seen Collette use to get through to her friend. Did it feel right? And perhaps more importantly... did she dare?

This time, when Patty stopped speaking, her eyes also went wide with shock and surprise. She had stopped talking because Sammy had leaned over and briefly covered her mouth with her own. Patty sat frozen with her mouth open. Sammy giggled again as she stood up.

"I'll be right back, Patty." She turned and went out the door after Dave, leaving Patty to sit quietly, eyes wide and heart thumping.