47 Guava Circle

Karen looked at her calendar, February 14th, blah! She really hated this month; everything with Michael was so tense. Her mind was still reeling from his declaration the other day. She wrapped her PHC sweatshirt covered arms around her body as she walked to the refrigerator and opened the freezer door. Frozen Waffles, sausage, pancakes, ice cream, frozen dinners were all strategically placed in what could only be Karen’s personal order of life. After taking out the container of Butter Pecan she grabbed a spoon from one of the nearby drawers.

When she got into her living room she flopped down on her lazy boy sofa and turned on the television and began flipping through the channels, “When Harry Met Sally, gag! You’ve Got Mail another gag, gees are there only romantic comedies on today?” she asked herself as she began to stumble upon the Julia Roberts category of movies and then Sandra Bullock. Eventually she tossed the remote down dug into her ice cream. This holiday sucked, all it did was remind her about him and that was the last thing she needed, especially after her last dance class.

Michael adjusted his tie and straightened his suit, he knew he had thrown a major curve ball in his relationship with Karen, but he was going to sweep her off her feet tonight if it was the last thing he ever did.

He looked out his window and saw her vehicle was still there and smiled, great she’s still home and probably not expecting any company at all. He could just see her now, in her jeans and probably her college sweatshirt, and she was probably getting upset over all the mushy girly stuff on TV.

He picked up the bouquet of roses and took a deep breath to calm himself, he loved Karen Montgomery and he was going to show her that tonight, even if he had to kidnap her to do so.

Pam rushed around looking at the flower arrangements on the tables and counting candles every so often. The waiters were around but still she had no idea what she was doing, she couldn’t believe Alex had trusted her with this, then again he had trusted her to be a lover and she the same with him. She wanted to scream, she wanted to be back in Pinõn Hallow, sitting in her little studio apartment, watching the snow fall down, drinking white wine, and being wrapped inside Sam’s arms.

“Um Miss Mitchell.” Spoke a hesitant voice, “This was left for you at the front desk.”

Pam turned around and saw one of her waiters, Ricky Kensington holding a red rose and card. “Thanks Ricky, will you go and ask Grant if all the waiters are here yet?”

“Yeah no problem.” He said before leaving her alone.

She looked at the flower she now held and smelled its sweet scent. Could it have been from Alex? No that would not go over well at all, his wife would be with him tonight, and he might have been cheating on her but he isn’t obvious at all.

Pam sat down in one of the dinner chairs and opened the card, the familiar hand writing invoking so many different feelings and memories, yet she knew it could not belong to Sam Adams, he was in Colorado, probably delivering a Pizza at this very moment.

Pam, dreams come true when we least expect them. Perhaps we have the same dream tonight. This is the night.

The last part made her smile, a song title from Clay Aiken, whoever this was knew her and knew her well. She sighed and realized it was probably Jeff, trying to keep her mind from Alex; he was after all the only other logical explanation.

Abigail sat on Peter’s bed rubbing lotion into her hands, “Peter, its alright that you and I did what we did. You’re a man, I’m a woman its natural.”

Peter slunk down into his computer chair, “Abigail, we made out, yeah it happens but that by no means or stretch of the imagination means that I’m not gay.”

“Peter, come on, we have an amazing chemistry between us.” She said as she pushed her hair behind her ears and smiled, “besides I’m suppose to be your girlfriend to help you stay in the closet and last time I checked you haven’t even mentioned another guy for me yet.”

“Yeah well its kinda hard to do when you’re trying to seduce me.” He glared down at his carpeting and shook his head, “You know maybe I’ll just say screw it and come out already, I mean I’m an adult, I’ll be a doctor soon, I should be able to handle this sort of thing, right?”

“If you could handle it, you would be out of the closet already and I wouldn’t be sitting on your bed, in this dress for some charity benefit your parents are hosting at the resort tonight.” She crossed her arms and stood up, showing him the full amazing picture she was in her metallic pink dress.

“Yeah well if I was straight, you wouldn’t still be in that dress hon.” He stood up and went and adjusted one of the adornments in her hair, “there, much better.”

“Too bad, I bet your great in bed.” She teased a moment before the door opened and Eddie popped his head in.

“Phew, ya’ll are dressed. Come on lets go I’m getting antsy being in this tux, lets get to this ball thing already.” He said as his eyes looked Abigail up and down. “Who knows, maybe there’ll be a single girl there.”

“Yeah right, on Valentines day? I doubt it.” Peter said as he grabbed his coat and Abigail’s shawl.

Paula stood up and adjusted the straps on her black ball gown as she studied her image in the mirror. She smiled, very much pleased with herself and all the wonderful things she had accomplished. Well the average person might not think pushing Kate Harris down a flight of stairs would be wonderful, but it gave her a chance to be the star, the one and only Prima Donna.

A soft knock vibrated on the door and Julian Price walked in, with two dozen red roses, “For you my love.” He said as he handed them to her.

“Oh Julian! They’re just wonderful! I adore them!” she said as she brought them to her face and breathed in the scent they gave.

“Are you ready to go to the ball?” he extended his arm to her and she gladly took it.

“I’d go anywhere in the world with you Julian, you know that don’t you?”

“Well I hope you mean that.” He said as he released her arm and got down on one knee, “I was planning on doing this at midnight, but why wait.” He said as he took out a black velvet box and opened it, revealing a 3 caret diamond ring. “Paula, my love will you marry me?”

Paula’s hands covered her heart as it raced with anticipation, “Yes! Of course I’ll marry you Julian! I thought you would never ask!”

Karen took a large spoonful of ice cream to her mouth and began to lick it, enjoying the sweetness of the cream and the salty flavor provided by the pecans. Her front door opened and she knew who it was, only one person in the world just walked in. “Hi Michael.” She said as she concentrated on her sugar fest.

“Wow, yup this is how I figured you were planning on spending the evening. Too bad that’s not what you’ll be doing.” He said as he came into view and she dropped her spoon on her lap.

“What are you so dressed up for?” she picked up the spoon and put it back in her mouth.

He revealed the roses and smiled, “I am giving you a Valentines Day you’ll never forget in a million years.”

“Michael, you know how I feel about Valentines Day.” She said as she stood up and took the roses, “These are beautiful.”

He nodded, “Glad you agree, now you go get dressed, I think the black one with the beads will be perfect. I’m not taking no for an answer, you’ll go with me to this ball, you’ll have a great time and never again will you pine away for that Colorado guy again on Valentines day.”

“That’s not what I’m doing.” She protested.

“Then are you afraid of letting yourself and I be more then friends?” he asked.

“Okay it is about him, but damnit Michael I can’t do this.”

“Yes you can Karen, open your heart up again. I’m here to help you. I’ve been your best friend since we were playing in the sandbox at the playground, I helped you with your first ocean side sand castle, let me help you love again.”

“Alright, I’ll go get dressed.” She said putting the ice cream carton, which was now empty on the table and going up to her room to get changed.

Michael sighed with relief, “Phase one done, phases two and three yet to go.”

The ballroom was full of people from all over the island and some tourists who were on honeymoons and engagement trips. Pam was rushing around, keeping everything in check when she heard her favorite singing voice come over the sound system.

When the world wasn't upside down, I could take all the time I had
But I'm not going to wait when a moment can vanish so fast

'Cuz every kiss is a kiss you can never get back

She crossed her arms over her chest and watched the dancing couples, all of them so in love it seemed. She saw Alex with Carmen, and she knew whatever it was he saw in her, he must see in Carmen as well and the only reason they had been what they had been was he missed her.

Lift me up in your eyes
If you told me that is what Heaven is, well, you'd be right
I've been waiting forever for this
This is the night

When the answer to all my dreams is as close as a touch away
Why am I here holding back what I'm trying to say?

Sam Adams took a deep, nervous breath as he walked into the room. He loved Pam with all his heart and then some. He wouldn’t loose her, not now, not ever. He had sat by and stayed quite while she ruined her life with that idiot Kip Davis, he wasn’t going to let her be some guy’s extra marital play thing.

Lift me up in your eyes
If you told me that is what Heaven is, well, you'd be right
Hold me close to your heart
I would go with you to the ends of the Earth and we'll fly
I've been waiting forever for this
This is the night

Running a hand through her straight hair, she smiled as she thought of her favorite memory of the past year—her kiss with Sam on her couch on Thanksgiving. “Well Clay, you brought us together then in some odd way. I wish you could do that now.”

This is the night where we capture forever and our tomorrows begin
After tonight, we will never be lonely again

The crowd seemed to be parting like the red sea and Sam pulled on his bowtie and held onto the red rose, he knew Pam was across from him. He could feel it in his bones, he always knew when she was close he just hadn’t realized it until now.

Lift me up in your eyes
If you told me that is what Heaven is, well, you'd be right
Hold me close to your heart
I would go with you to the ends of the Earth and we'll fly
I've been waiting forever for this
This is the night

Pam saw the crowd parting and began to look over at the other side. Her arms dropped to her sides when she saw what she could only fathom was a mirage. Her heart was racing, she had to be dreaming as she saw him slowly walking across the dance floor towards her, and a single red rose in his hand.

Sam stood in front of Pam and smiled, “Did you get my note?” he asked.

Her mouth gaped open and she looked at him, “That was from you? Sam, how did you know I was her in Hawaii? I never told you that.”

He looked down at the floor for a moment and then up into her brown eyes, “Well you see I didn’t know until I saw you on the beach a few days ago. Before then I thought you were here but I just thought I was nuts because I never got to tell you that I love you.” A smile crept across his face, “Pam, I live here now. I’m going to the college, when I found out you were leaving Pinõn Hallow, I figured there was no point in telling you I was leaving too. Heck, I bet we were on the same flights here and never realized it.”

Pam reached up and touched his face, “I can’t believe this, you’re here, you’re real. I figured you’d be delivering pizza right now.” Tears began to fill her eyes, “I’ve been thinking about you so much since New Years Eve, I just figured you wouldn’t want to hear from me ever again.”

“That’s so far from the truth Pam, I would always want to hear from you.” He took her hand and covered his heart with it, “You are in my heart, it beats for you and the love you stir inside of me.”