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“Do you and Sawyer want to have kids right away or wait?” Aurora asked.
“We haven't talked about it, but …” she trailed off, thinking that they would have this conversation when they both got home tonight.
“Butyouwant to.” Aurora grinned.
“Maybe.” She smiled back, ringing the doorbell. She had a key to Samara’s house, but she didn't want to risk herself or Aurora accidentally getting shot if they startled Michael who would be on high alert for anything out of the ordinary. They all knew—aside from possibly Michael and Samara—that the two of them were the perfect couple. Last year when her life had been on the line and Sawyer had been the one tasked with keeping her alive, they had fallen in love, and now they were almost ready to start their lives together. Maybe spending all this time together would be the wakeup call Samara and Michael needed, and who knows, maybe this time next year it would be their wedding they’d be about to celebrate.
“Hi,” Michael said as he opened the door, scanning the street behind them before closing it.
“Everything going okay?” Ashley asked.
“So far no signs of him, but it’s early yet, I’m hoping he might try to make his move tonight.” Michael said the words, but he looked conflicted, and Ashley got it. He wanted the stalker caught so that Samara would be safe, but at the same time, heknew that this was a risky game they were playing. One wrong move and Samara and anyone who got in the stalker’s way could be dead.
“Where is Samara?” Aurora asked, scanning the empty foyer, empty lounge room to their right, and dining room to their left.
“Kitchen,” Michael answered shortly.
“How’s she doing?” Ashley asked. She knew what a huge shock this had to be for Samara. Ashley still remembered every single second of the attack that left her the sole survivor of a serial killer.
“As well as can be expected,” Michael replied. “She’s holding it together, and I think as much as she knows it’s necessary, she wishes she wasn't the center of all this fuss.”
That sounded like Samara.
If her friend could have her way, Ashley believed she would make herself blend into the background, become invisible, so no one paid any attention to her. She thought it was what she deserved, it was what her childhood had led her to believe. Some days, Ashley wished she could shake some sense into Samara. But sometimes you couldn’t help the way you felt, and she also knew that Samara’s feelings were so ingrained and had been there for so long, it was going to be hard for her to see the faulty logic behind them.
“She can speak for herself you know,” Samara said, appearing in the foyer behind them. She was dressed in baggy sweats, and she stood as though in pain, which given she’d jumped from a car going forty miles an hour it was no wonder.
“We brought you lunch.” Aurora held up the pizza.
“And an early Christmas gift,” Ashley added, holding up the large red and white striped box. She’d never been to Samara’s house around the holidays before and was surprised that there wasn't a single decoration up. She loved Christmas, and snow, particularly snowmen, and her and Sawyer’s house looked likea snowman hotel. She’d known that her friend didn't like the holidays, but she hadn't thought it was this bad. It made her feel so sad that Samara couldn’t feel even a little of the joy and excitement that most felt around the holidays.
“You guys didn't have to do that,” Samara said, but her face softened, and Ashley could see that she was touched.
“Actually, we did. Last year when I was in pretty much the same place you are now, you two were there for me, which helped so much. So now we’re here for you, and what better way to cheer you up than a Christmas present?”
“Thank you, that’s so sweet.” Samara smiled and pointed to the living room. “Why don’t we go sit down. Mike, maybe you can let us have some girl time?”
“Sure, I’ll go call Chloe and Tom, see if they’ve managed to find anything.”
Once Michael had gone into the dining room and closed the door, the three of them went into the lounge and sat down. “We hope you like it,” Ashley said as she passed Samara the box.
“I know whatever it is I’ll love it because it’s from you two.” Samara undid the large green bow and lifted off the lid, her eyes lighting up when she saw what it was. “Oh, it’s gorgeous. It’s a Purple Japanese Maple. I don’t have one of these, it’s going to be such an amazing addition to my collection. I can't wait to start working on it,” Samara gushed.
“We took photos of your collection,” Aurora explained. “Took them to the garden center and asked for the name of a bonsai specialist. He looked at what you had and thought you'd like this one.”
“I do, thank you so much.” Samara set the box down and stood and threw her arms around them both in an uncharacteristic display of affection.
Ashley tightened her hold on her friend. “You're welcome. We know how much you love growing your bonsai plants and howgood you are at it, they're amazing, and I can't wait to see how you grow this one.” Samara’s reaction was exactly what she and Aurora had been hoping for when they chose this as a Christmas gift, and she was so pleased they had decided to give it to Samara early. She wished she could fix all her friend’s problems this easily.
“You two are the very best friends.” Samara sat back, her cheeks lightly tinted with pink as though she were embarrassed to have been so forward when she was usually so carefully restrained. They’d been friends for years now, and although they always had fun together, Samara was so hard to get close to, she didn't let anyone in. Ashley hoped one day they could change that.
“So,” she said, opening the pizza box and taking a slice, “Savannah is baking the wedding cake because, well, she’s amazing, but we need to make some little marshmallow snowmen, I was going to use them as place card holders for the tables.”
“Oh, that’s adorable.” Samara beamed.
“And predictable, you and your snowmen.” Aurora laughed.
“Why marshmallow ones?” Samara asked.
