Something About Sam

Chapter 13

I knew I was in deep shit as soon as we pulled into the driveway. It was 1 AM, and the kitchen lights were still on.

I swore, pulling the corvette back into the garage. Wordlessly, the two of us headed towards the back door.

My mom was sitting at the kitchen table still in her dress, her head in her hands. My father had clearly been pacing behind her. As soon as they heard the door chime, their eyes snapped up to us. My mom was on her feet now, the menacing look in her eyes something I hadn't seen in years.

My father stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders. "Your mother has been worried sick, TJ! Neither of you answered your phones, we had no idea where you were. What in the Sam Hell were you thinking? My Corvette, Taite? And it's one in the morning, god damn it!"

"Mom, dad—"

"It was my fault," Sam pushed my body behind him. "All of it was my idea."

"No, it was not," I stepped in front of him this time. "I wanted to have fun. It's my birthday. I'm not a kid anymore, I'm twenty years old. So we were gone for a few hours. So what? We're fine. We're not kids."

My dad's hands rubbed over his tan, wrinkled forehead for a minute. He looked up at me then, a tired look in his eyes. "It's late. Go to bed. We'll discuss this in the morning."

My mother was not about to let me off that easily. "Not so fast." She held her hand out towards me. "Phone. Now. You'll get it back in two weeks, then hopefully you'll know how to answer it when I call."

"Mama, you're not serious?"

"Now, Taite! I pay the phone bills, not you, smart Alec."

"Mom, the only way I talk to Sam is over the phone, I can't go two weeks without it! Take my truck, take anything! Just do not take my phone."

She cocked one eyebrow upwards in a fashion that so very resembled my sister's. "Three weeks, then?"

Swearing under my breath, I dug around in my pocket and handed her my stupid phone. She placed it on the edge of the kitchen table as if to taunt me. "Thank you. Now get up to bed. Lesson learned, I hope."

I mumbled an incoherent "Lesson fucking learned," then turned and headed for the staircase before either parent could chastise me for my choice of language. Sam followed closely behind me, the two of us making a quick getaway to my bedroom. When we walked in, Sarah and Marley were lying on my bed. Instantly, they jumped up. Both of them were still wearing dresses.

"Oh god," Sarah looked horrified. "You two don't look happy. Is Taite in trouble? Is mom sending Sam home?"

"No," I mumbled, collapsing into the bean bag across from my bed. "She took my phone. Two weeks."

"No mate, I think it turned into three weeks. Remember? You talked back."

The three of them climbed onto my bed right as Marley gasped. She, too, looked horrified. "That means you two can't..."

I gave her a warning look. "I swear if either of you say the words phone or sex..." I trailed off, a hand rubbing over my face. "I'm just really not in the mood."

"You can borrow my phone. Anytime." Sarah was the first to offer. Sincere sympathy fell from her eyes.

"Mine too," Marley quickly added. "Whenever."

"Thanks, guys."

They only nodded somewhat solemnly, exchanging a strange look with each other that I didn't bother calling out.