Chapter 7

It took three weeks for Sam’s passport to arrive. For Aidan and come to that, for Sam as well, they were three weeks of heaven. For one thing, now that she had discovered how ecstatic sex could be, she was, he had to say, enthusiastic. They coupled daily at least.

September was a busy month at work, but Vicky insisted on taking the extra work to leave him free to go home to Sam. He knew just how much he owed her for that, but as she said, when she was ill after the holiday he lost Julie to look after her.

Not only that, while he was at work, Sam cleaned and tidied the flat. He thought he kept the place reasonably clean until she got to work. She also did all the household chores: washing and ironing clothes, shopping and cooking. She excelled at all these and his life was idyllic to say the least. He had told her she didn’t need to do that, but she was resolute that she had to earn her keep.

They also enjoyed their evenings and weekends, to the extent that his friends assumed they were a permanent item.

A week into her stay, Aidan received an email from Kevin, wondering if they could meet. They met at Aidan’s usual watering hole in the following week, and he asked Sam to join them after about half-an-hour, to give them a chance to talk. She knew where the pub was, for they had been there a few times since she arrived.

“Is there any chance you could meet Julie?” Kevin asked after they had shared news about the family and their parents.

“Why?”

“She’s an emotional mess, Aidan,” he said. “She mopes around the place; she’s always asking about you. You were together for a good while.”

“Kevin,” Aidan said patiently, “you know our history. You told her why Vicky was in my bed?”

He nodded.

“So she knew she had no reason to break with me as she did; it was rank hypocrisy Kevin. I’d found her shagging some random bloke! I was willing to talk then, but she moved out. She knows I was not with Vicky, but she still didn’t come back and apologise. She’s not tried to contact me at all, but she’s seen me around enough. Hell, Kevin, she blanks me when we meet.”

“I think she still loves you,” he tried.

“She’s with another man,” Aidan stated, and waited.

“He’s a friend from work,” Kevin answered. “They aren’t going out together.”

“She’s a temp Kevin, so why is he with her every time I see her?” Aidan reposted. “Last time, we met at the door of this very pub, and she introduced him.”

“You were with another woman,” said Kevin. “She came home in a real state that night. She really does want you back, Aidan.”

“Then why are you here and not her?” Aidan said triumphantly.

“Well, Caroline...”

“Caroline!” he almost shouted, getting a few looks from other patrons. “Since when has Caroline wanted anything to do with me?”

“She feels bad about what’s happened. She’s worried about Julie. I think she realises that Julie really does want you and that she...” he petered out.

“ ... tried to split us up,” Aidan completed for him, “by getting her drunk enough to fuck some bloke on holiday -- two nights, Kevin!”

“Don’t I know it,” Kevin said with feeling.

“Look Kevin,” he said. “You are married to Caroline, so I can see why you feel it’s right to try again, but I am not married to Julie. I did not leave her, even after she fucked that prick. I invited her to the flat to talk about it when I had calmed down; I even did that for her. She sees Vicky and cuts off all communication. Sorry Kevin. It’s over. She needs to get on with her life.”

“Like you have with this new girl,” his tone was accusatory, “American, Julie said.”

“If you were anyone else than my brother,” Aidan said in annoyance, “I’d let you believe that, just to get Julie and her meddling sister out of my hair, but since it’s you, she’s someone I helped out in Edinburgh, and I’m still helping out at the moment. She’s Canadian.”

“But you’re living together,” Kevin said, accusing again.

“Well, she’s got nowhere to go, until she gets a replacement for her stolen passport, so yes, she’s living with me.”

Aidan stared at him, daring him to go further. He dropped his eyes.

“If you must know,” Aidan added with a sigh out of compassion, “we are sleeping together. We get on together very well indeed. Ok?”

“So Julie really is finished,” he said sadly.

“She was finished when she walked out of my flat,” Aidan replied, “long before I met Sam. As I said, I’ve moved on.”

At that moment, Sam walked up to their table.

The effect on Kevin was dramatic. He stared at her, his eyes, at first riveted on her face swept over her body and returned to her face. Aidan just knew that every man who saw her did the same.

“Sam,” Aidan said, breaking Kevin’s trance, “I’d like you to meet Kevin, my brother. Kevin, this is Samantha Grogan from Vancouver.”

Kevin stood and stammered an hello, and she smiled that smile, well used to the effect she had on men.

“Pleased to meet you Kevin. I’ve heard quite a lot about you.”

“Good I hope.”

“Oh, yes,” she smiled, “all good. As Aidan’s brother, you’ve got to be!”

Kevin reddened, much to Aidan’s amusement, and immediately took his leave of them.

“He’s cute!” said Sam with a grin.

“You made a big impression on him,” he laughed.

They had a drink and then, “Time to go home?” Aidan suggested.

“Time to go,” she agreed.

Over the three weeks, letters kept arriving for Sam, mainly new credit and debit cards and new PIN numbers. There was one query from the High Commission, but it was on a minor matter.

The Border Agency inquired how long she was staying, and Aidan assured them she was awaiting her replacement passport, but she was well within the six month window to which her visa entitled her.

Vicky and the team kept up their campaign to give Aidan all the time possible to be with Sam. Their smiles at him showed they enjoyed his happy face and knew what he was doing with Sam back at his flat! The men couldn’t prevent themselves looking envious.

Then, after three weeks and a few days, the package arrived. It was on a Tuesday. Aidan came home from work, to find Sam looking very subdued. He sat down with her and a mug of tea (he had trained her to make tea by default instead of coffee, though she still drank coffee herself), and waited. She knew he was waiting for her to tell him.