The Gathering 01.39 –  How
Do We Deal? Pt 3 – Ache

            “Hawaii?”  Marina
looked at the plane ticket that Sam was handing
her.  She gave the tomboy she hardly knew
a perplexed look.  Sam
gave her a neutral stare.

            “That’s where Jenny
wanted to go.  She’s strong enough to go now
I thought she might need a bit of time away to gather herself.  She’s been looking pale.”  Sam slapped a
bottle of sun block into Marina‘s
hand with a laugh.  “Make sure she wears
that though.  Doctors orders.”  Sam sat down
at the table with Marina,
and the exotic beauty studied her. 

            “You’re a
romantic.”  Sam‘s
devilish grin spread over her face.  She
shrugged and pulled out one more thing from the tattered jean jacket she was
wearing.

            “Hotel, car rental and
of course helicopter ride vouchers.”  Marina
took the packet and sat stunned; unable to say a word.  She took a long breath into her body and let
it out slowly.

            “How can I take this?”

            “How can you
not?”  Sam 
She thought that Jenny deserved the dream
trip she’d mentioned to the others on that faithful day.  ***** it was only money.
questioned it was two months after the car came crashing into the Planet and
they were finally getting thing in order.

            “I’m paying you back
for this.”  Stated Marina
waving the ticket at Sam.

            “***** no, that’s bad
karma.  I don’t need more of that in my
life.  Enjoy.”  Sam
said and walked away, putting a hat on and going off into the sunlight.

*****

            “So you sent them off
to Hawaii?”  Lara inquired
as she chopped the onions the knife a flurry of wood and metal.  Sam was
stirring the spaghetti sauce everyone was there that evening.  All the casts were off and Dana
was moving around albeit slowly but under her own power.  Save for Jenny
and Marina who were off to Hawaii
at that very moment. 

            “Well…”  Sam
shrugged where was her knight in shining armor when she
needed her?  Oh Shane?   Come save me?   Thought Sam with a soft inward chuckle.

            “Romantic.”  Lara
snorted the knife a blur as she sliced a cucumber this time her face a mask of
concentration as she did what she loved to do.

            “Why does everyone say
that?”  Asked the tomboy gruffly turning
her hat backwards in one swift motion. 
She had always played the cold hearted physician with everyone but
C.J.  Now there was a roomful of women
who thought she was a romantic.  Booger them.