It’s a Small Uber World After All
Chapter Five
Carrie Ryan
“Sam, I can’t believe that out of all the places we could have gone for dinner
in Washington DC, you insisted on the Hard Rock.”
Brooke had been teasing her wife since the moment they had been seated at the
restaurant hours before. They now walked around the Nation’s Capital
taking in all the sights as the sun began to sink lower in the sky.
“Well, what can I say, honey? I loved all of the museums and the different exhibits you’ve shown me but you know I’m a Rock-N-Roll kind of girl. Besides, I’ve never been to one so I wanted to see what all the fuss was about,” Sam replied with a twinkle in her green eyes as she held on tighter to her wife, just enjoying the closeness.
One dark eyebrow found its way into Brooke’s hairline as she knowingly glanced at her wife as they started across the street to the hotel entrance.
“Oh... is that the reason? So, you’re telling me that the fact that there was an autographed Anti-Zero snare drum hanging above our booth had absolutely nothing to do with it?”
A small blonde head nodded once in affirmation. “That too!”
Brooke stopped once they were in front of the hotel as Sam continued towards the door. The taller woman could only shake her head and laugh silently as she watched Sam walk away.
“You coming?”
Brooke was brought out of her musings at the sound of her wife’s voice. Quickly, she found her way back to the blonde’s side as she simply replied, “Yes, Dear.”
************
“Well, at least the bathroom’s back in one piece,” Brooke mumbled as she entered the room and began to prepare herself for bed.
“I told you not to worry about it. I mean really, Brooke... Did you honestly think that Ms. Kent wouldn’t have it taken care of? You worry too much, Hon.” Sam turned the volume down on the television and followed the grumbling woman into the bathroom. She stood with one shoulder against the doorjamb as she watched Brooke wash her face.
The older woman shrugged her shoulders.
“Maybe. Speaking of....” She looked up and into Sam’s eyes reflected back in the mirror. “You certainly seemed pretty excited to meet her earlier.”
“Well, of course I was! She’s a fantastic artist.”
Brooke indifferently shrugged her shoulders.
Small fingers worked their way through short blonde tresses. “Oh, come on, you Fuddy Duddy. I saw you admiring her work earlier. Admit it.”
Sam held her chin up high knowing her lover could not dispute the truth.
Brooke hung up her washcloth and grabbed her toothbrush and toothpaste. After a moment of silence she looked once again into her wife’s refection. Toothbrush in hand, she threw her hands up in defeat. “Okay, I admit it. It just...” she paused momentarily, looking for the correct term to describe her earlier actions. “Shocked me to see her standing at our door. I guess for a moment I thought she was flirting with you.”
Sam’s sudden burst of laughter filled the room.
“Flirting? Really, Brooke. Come on, Honey, she wasn’t flirting with me. Ms. Kent is a very happily married woman. As a matter of fact, she’s married to one of my favorite authors, Torrey Gray. And don’t even try and tell me that you didn’t get a kick out of hearing that her daughter is a fan of yours.”
Sam didn’t miss the smile that lit up Brooke’s face. She walked up behind her and wrapped her arms around the tight stomach, pulling gently on the naval ring under her fingers. “You’ve still got it, Honey.” Sam stood on her tiptoes to kiss the brunette’s cheek. She started out of the bathroom, leaving Brooke to finish up, but not before pinching a firm rear end on her way out.
“Hey!”
Sam giggled as she continued out of the bathroom, enjoying the feel of the thick, clean carpet beneath her small feet. She walked over to the bed and turned down the covers as she prepared herself for bed.
“You know,” Sam raised her voice to be heard over the running water in the adjacent room. “I don’t think I ever thanked you earlier.”
“Thank me? For what, Baby?” Brooke asked around a mouthful of toothpaste.
“For bringing me with you and showing me around. Brooke, I really appreciate it”
“Well, Baby... you really had to come with me. I mean... Janet can easily show up at any of these shows over the next couple of nights to see how well you’ve handled the promotions for this tour. If she’s not happy with what you’ve done, she could hold you back from graduation.”
“I know,” Sam sighed as she crawled into the queen-sized bed.
Brooke shut off the bathroom light and walked back into the bedroom area of their room. She began to pack up their bags so they could leave for Atlanta in the morning, leaving out only what they would need when they awoke. “Honey, don’t worry about it. You did a fantastic job with all the promotions. Last night’s show in Fairfax went off without a single hitch. For what it’s worth, the band loves everything you’ve done. And so do I.”
Sam smiled as she looked up into honest blue eyes. The nervousness she felt surrounding the beginning of the tour as well as her pending graduation began to fade.
“Well, they do seem like a great bunch of guys. Unfortunately, they can’t give me my final grade. Tell you what... why don’t you hand me the map and the rest of that stuff so I can go ahead and highlight our route to Atlanta?”
“That’s my girl,” Brooke replied, relieved that Sam was beginning to relax a bit. She picked up all the various paperwork off of the desk that included their program from the National Museum as well as a road atlas and Line Of Fire’s tour program which held all of the dates for the first leg of their East Coast tour. She turned out the light over the desk, grabbed her briefcase and walked over to the bed to hand the requested materials to her wife.
“Here you go.”
Brooke sat cross-legged on the opposite side of the bed and began searching through her briefcase. Holding up three different colors of highlighters, she asked, “Which color do you want?”
“Brooke, look at this!”
Brooke’s attention shifted from the briefcase in her lap to the penciled sketch in Sam’s hands.
While searching through the stack for their map, Sam came across the drawing left for them as a “thank-you” of sorts.
Brooke was struck speechless as she gazed on at what was obviously, her and Sam. The detail was amazingly accurate and she didn’t even want to begin to think of how long it probably took the artist to draw. A simple “Thank you” was neatly written above the unmistakable signature of Taylor Kent.
The record exec placed her briefcase on the floor, taking her eyes off of the drawing just long enough to look at the blonde’s face.
“Oh my God, Brooke. Isn’t it beautiful?”
The brunette’s gaze never left Sam’s face as she replied, “Yes.”
Sam looked up as no further commentary came forth from the woman at her side. Their gazes locked for several moments before Sam gently placed the drawing on her nightstand and turned out the light. Next, she grabbed the remote and turned off the television before leaning over and turning off the light on Brooke’s side as well.
The only illumination in the room came from a single moonbeam shining through a small crack in the thick burgundy curtains and straight onto Brooke’s face. Sam didn’t even try to stop herself from leaning forward and claiming the lips under hers. Long arms wrapped around and began to trace soft patterns across a small back. After several leisurely moments, Brooke pulled back slightly and let her eyes focus on the emeralds above hers.
“What do you say we plan the rest of our trip in the morning?”
Sam’s smile was brighter than anything Brooke had ever seen as she replied by kissing her lover again. She rolled Sam over onto her back and supported her own weight on her forearms as she continued to thoroughly kiss the woman who had stolen her heart months before. Brooke pulled back slightly as she stared down into her lover’s glazed eyes.
“You know, Darlin... I hate to spoil a perfect moment but I have a confession to make.”
“Oh yeah? What’s that?” Sam asked as her hands found their way into the inky black tresses cascading over her like a curtain.
“During all my travels with the band, there was one thing that I grew to dislike more than anything.”
“What’s that, Babe?”
Blue eyes lit up, mischievously. “The smell of new concert t-shirts,” she replied as she indicated the band t-shirt Sam had acquired the night before.
Sam looked down at the shirt she wore and then returned the playful look on her wife’s face. “Well, that’s easy to fix. I was thinking that it would look better thrown on the floor anyway.”
Before long, the t-shirt as well as any other thought was gone and forgotten.
************
“What do you suppose those two ghost busters were doing in DC, Baby?” Brooke asked.
Sam shifted in the seat, wondering if it was too soon to stop at a rest area. “I dunno. You got more of a chance to talk to them than I did. I can think up some real PR possibilities though.”
“Did you get their names?”
The blonde smiled mischievously. “I did better. I got their cards. Dr. Aeron Malone and BJ Taylor. They have all the contact information.”
“Way to go, Baby. Ya done good.” The dark-headed woman gave Sam a big grin.
“Thanks, honey.” The blonde’s face mirrored Brooke’s expression perfectly
************
“Would you care for another round?” the young waitress asked as she made her way to Brooke and Sam’s table.
“Yes, please. Two Coronas with extra lime and another water please,” Sam replied as she fished some money out of her pocket to pay for their drinks.
A slightly larger hand was placed over hers to stop her actions. “That’s okay, Sam. This round’s on me.” The brunette with the warm green eyes quickly paid the waitress before she made her way back to the bar.
“Thanks, Janet. But you really didn’t have to do that.” Sam finished the remaining contents of her glass, as she looked first to her wife and then at the woman sitting across from her.
Janet waved off her student. “Nonsense. Let’s just say this is a congratulatory round. Compliments of your favorite PR professor.” Janet tipped her bottle back to drain the last of her beer before placing the empty bottle back on the table.
“Janet?”
Green eyes looked up into smaller eyes of a similar shade. “Huh?”
“You’re my only PR professor,” Sam pointed out.
“So, see? I have to be your favorite then.” The two shared a laugh as Brooke tried unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn.
Sam reached over and ran a hand across her lover’s jean clad thigh. “You okay, Babe?”
Brooke vigorously rubbed her eyes before finishing her own beer. “I’m fine. It’s just been a long day. Aren’t you tired yet? You know you’re going to need all the rest you can get, Sam.”
“I’m fine, Honey. Really,” Sam tried to reassure her partner who seemed to be worrying about her even more than usual lately. She had decided weeks ago that she should just get used to it since Brooke showed no signs of letting up anytime in the near future. “Brooke, we can go if you’d like. I know you’re tired.”
“I’m fine, Baby. Really.”
It had been an extremely long drive to Atlanta from Washington DC and Brooke had driven the entire way, choosing to let Sam get as much rest as possible. She only received one speeding ticket in the process for her trouble thanks to her ever-present “lead foot”.
They had shown up mere moments before Line Of Fire went on stage and were unaware of Janet’s presence until after the show when Brooke’s long time friend found her way backstage to the surprise of her Sam. After quite the interview session between professor and student, Janet informed her that she had accomplished all the requirements needed for the upcoming graduation.
Now, the three women sat in a local bar to celebrate Sam’s success.
“Sam, are you sure you wouldn’t like a beer or a glass of champagne to celebrate? I don’t normally make it a habit to drink with my students but, I’ll make an exception in your case.”
Sam smiled but politely declined the older woman’s offer. “No thanks, Janet. I’m fine with my water here.” Sam looked over at Brooke and smiled as she felt a loving caress against her abdomen.
Before long, the waitress made her way through the throng of bodies back to the table and placed their drinks in front of them and then clearing away the empty bottles and glasses. After she had walked away, Janet resumed the conversation.
“So, where to now?”
“Well, the guys have a gig in Mayport tomorrow and then one in Orlando at the end of the week.” Sam looked over to Brooke who nodded her head in confirmation as she grabbed her beer bottle.
“Yeah. But we’re going to drive straight through to Orlando,” Brooke stated as she took a healthy swig of her beer.
“We are?” Sam asked, wondering why the change in plans. Brooke looked over at the surprise evident on her wife’s face.
“Yeah. I figured since Janet showed up tonight, we’d go ahead, continue down tomorrow, and spend the rest of the week. You’ve worked so hard on all of this, I thought you’d like to enjoy a few days of downtime and go hang out with a big mouse.”
“Disney? We’re going to Disney?” Sam asked in amazement. The smile on her face informed Brooke that she had made the correct decision. The only answer she gave Sam was a smile. Before she knew what was happening, a very excited blonde was in her lap showering her face in kisses.
Brooke couldn’t help but laugh at Sam’s enthusiasm. “Well, Darlin’ I’m glad you approve.”
“Approve? Are you kidding? I love it! And you. Thank you, Brooke.”
Janet watched for a few moments as the newlyweds shared a few kisses. She wasn’t too concerned for the two considering that everyone in the bar was heading towards the stage area to watch the drag show that was about to begin. When she thought that she had been forgotten, she cleared her throat.
“Hi... thank you. Remember me?”
Brooke balled up her cocktail napkin and tossed it at her friend as Sam returned to her own chair. Janet easily caught it and placed it on the table.
“So are you staying on the Disney site when you get to Orlando?”
“Yeah. I called and changed our reservation to extend it a few days when I went to the restroom earlier. Good thing I called when I did too or we’d have been in trouble. There’s some convention going on there this weekend. Bardcon or something like that.” Brooke shrugged her shoulders, not really sure if she heard the hotel clerk clearly.
“Bardcon? What in the hell is a Bardcon?” Janet asked aloud as she looked across the table.
“Shit if I know. It’s just a Bardcon.” Brooke answered, not really knowing what to give as an explanation.
“Bardcon. Damn. Maybe you should crash it.” The beer seemed to start having an effect on Janet as she started mumbling aloud to herself.
“Uh... yeah. So what’s going on here?” Brooke asked Janet as she nodded her head towards the stage.
Janet turned around as the house lights dimmed a bit, signaling the beginning of the show.
“Well, I overheard a conversation in the hotel elevator. They were talking about a drag show going on here tonight. So I figured what the hell? I’ve never seen one and got kind of curious. I guess some of the kings and queens are staying at the hotel. I overheard them mention something about Buffalo.”
“The animal?” Sam asked with a hint of amusement, knowing that if the alcohol was starting to affect Janet’s senses, it would drive the older woman nuts.
Janet rolled her eyes. “No, Silly... Buffalo, New York”
“They have buffalo in New York?”
Janet was speechless as she looked first at Sam and then over at Brooke. “And you live with her? Willingly?”
Brooke’s only answer was a smile and a tilt of her beer bottle as the first queen took the stage.
************
Brooke, Sam and Janet had become so engrossed in their conversation that they had missed the star performer of the evening and before long, the house lights were coming up signaling the end of another night. They remained at their table and continued their conversation as everyone else quickly left the bar.
“If you are not a king, a queen, or sleeping with a king or queen... please find your way to the nearest exit, quickly. Thank you.” A powerful voice came over the house p.a. system to the laughter of some of the other performers.
While Brooke continued her conversation with a now tipsy Janet, Sam looked up to where all the laughter was coming from. She noticed some of the performers from earlier in the evening as they stood at one corner of the bar. There was one person, in particular, that she did not recognize.
Standing in the middle of everyone at the end of the bar was someone easily as tall as Brooke with short black hair that looked almost blue when the light hit it a certain way. She’d have thought this person to be a finely dressed young man in the tailor made suit until she noticed that she answered as someone called the name “Taryn”.
Sam gasped when she noticed a smile and sharp blue eyes light up as a smaller woman with red-gold hair walked towards her.
Brooke abruptly cut Janet off when she heard Sam gasp.
“What is it, Baby? What’s wrong?”
Sam pointed towards the bar. “What do the two of you see over there?”
Brooke and Janet turned their attention towards the couple standing at the end of the bar in the middle of their friends.
“A couple. What about it?” Janet couldn’t see what the big deal was.
“You have got to be kidding me. And I’m the sober one!” Sam couldn’t believe she was the only one to notice.
Brooke placed her hands on Sam’s shoulders and began to massage them lightly. “Baby, calm down. Now, what is it?”
Sam rolled her eyes before looking over at Brooke. “Brooke, if that woman over there had blonde streaks in her hair, she’d look just like you did four years ago when you were in Anti-Zero.”
Brooke, as if in reflex, ran one long hand through her long dark tresses.
“No, Baby. You’re just tired. She looks nothing like me”
Sam looked at Brooke in disbelief. She knew who this “Taryn” person looked like. After all, she was the one who was the massive Brooke Loran fan. Even though her wife was the former Brooke Loran, she knew her eyes were not deceiving her.
She was brought out of her musings as the waitress came up to the table and informed them that the bar was now closed. As Brooke held out her jacket, Sam noticed the brunette’s companion leave to go into the restroom.
“Brooke, honey... could you let the waitress know that I had to run to the restroom real quick. I guess I had too much water.” Sam looked sheepishly up at Brooke and then apologetically to Janet.
“Of course. We’ll be right here waiting for you.”
Sam smiled and started towards the bathroom as Janet resumed the conversation. As she got closer to the crowd at the end of the bar, she barely missed walking into the woman who had walked out just moments earlier.
“Oh, excuse me.”
“I’m sorry.”
The two women looked at each other for a moment before laughing at the same time.
“I’m really sorry,” Sam apologized for almost colliding with the woman.
The other woman smiled warmly to let her know there was no harm done. “That’s okay. You looked a bit preoccupied, so I think I stepped out of your way just in time. Are you all right?”
Sam shook her head as if to clear it. “Yes, thank you. I’m sorry.” Sam extended her hand in greeting. “Hi, I’m Sam.”
The other woman took her hand and shook it. “Rosalind”
“Actually, I was trying to get a closer look at your friend. She reminds me of someone.” Sam nodded her head at the woman in question.
Rosalind followed her gaze. “Who? Taryn?” She noticed Sam’s nod. “Who does she remind you of?”
“My partner, actually. Well, she would remind me of her if she had a few scattered blonde streaks through her hair. Her name’s Brooke. She was a drummer a few years back for Anti-Zero.”
“Anti-Zero? Now there’s a name I haven’t heard in years. Brooke Loran is your partner?”
Sam nodded her head and pointed Brooke out to Rosalind who looked first at Brooke and then over at Taryn with obvious adoration and love in her eyes.
“Now that you mention it... I guess T would kind of resemble her. I dunno... she’s always just looked like Taryn to me. Hang on.”
Before Sam knew what was happening, Rosalind was calling the taller woman over. In three long strides, Taryn was standing in front of her looking back and forth between Rosalind and herself.
“Taryn, this is Sam. Sam, this is Taryn.” For the second time in as many days, Sam’s hand was encased in the hand of some woman who resembled her wife.
“Hello, Sam. Nice to meet you. I see you’ve met Ros...” Taryn shook Sam’s hand and then slipped an arm around Rosalind’s shoulder.
“Sam just wanted to meet you and get a closer look. Apparently, you look a bit like her partner, Brooke from Anti-Zero,” Ros offered as an explanation as she pointed out Brooke for Taryn’s own observation.
“That’s pretty interesting. But, honestly, I don’t think we look a thing alike. Wait a minute... Didn’t she used to have blonde in her hair?” Taryn pointed out as she brought her eyebrows together in slight confusion.
“Taryn, I said a bit, not identical.”
“Well, I think I look like your partner,” she whispered in a small ear.
“And don’t you forget it!”
Once again, Taryn offered her hand to Sam. “Well, Sam, it was a pleasure meeting you but I need to go pack up my gear.” Taryn smiled before giving Ros a kiss on her cheek and walking backstage.
“Thanks, Taryn. Nice meeting you too,” Sam called after the taller woman before turning to look at Ros. “Well, thanks for satisfying my curiosity. Brooke thought I was a little nuts when I mentioned it to her. Thought Taryn looked nothing like her.”
“Well, I can see why you would think so even if T can’t.”
“Thanks. At least I know I’m not the only one.” Sam laughed a bit before she heard Brooke’s voice.
“Honey? You ready?”
Sam turned back to Ros and extended her hand. “Well, I better get going. I need to get that one in bed. Thanks again. It was nice meeting you, Ros.”
“Nice meeting you too, Sam.” Ros shook the offered hand and then followed her own tall, dark and gorgeous backstage.
Brooke stood at the table with Janet as Sam walked back over and wrapped small arms around her waist.
“Feel better?” Brooke asked her wife with a hint of amusement in her blue eyes.
“I never made it to the bathroom. I almost ran into Ros and we started talking.” The trio made their way out of the bar and across the parking lot to Brooke’s truck.
“Ros?” Brooke asked as she opened Sam’s door and helped her into the truck.
“Yeah. She’s here with Taryn,” Sam answered as if that explained everything.
“Taryn?” Brooke helped Janet into the backseat. The three were staying at the same hotel so it was pointless for her to take a cab. Brooke shook her head from side to side as she climbed in the driver’s seat.
“My little social butterfly. What do you say we get you to sleep and then to Orlando before you make anymore friends?”
The last thing Janet heard before dozing in the back seat was an “Ow!” caused by a playful smack to Brooke’s upper arm.
To be continued in Chapter 6 ....