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Date Posted: 18:24:05 03/05/01 Mon
Author: Lakota
Subject: Waiting for You - Chapter 19

A break in the evening’s entertainment provided an opportunity for the ladies at table 27 to adjourn to the powder
room to refresh makeup and perfume. Carrie, Sami and Victoria excused themselves leaving the men to discuss
sports, war news speculation and the charms of the ladies who had just departed.

“I have to say I envy both of you. Those Brady sisters are not only beautiful, intelligent and funny but they both dance
like Ginger Rogers.”

“Victoria’s not exactly hard on the eyes, Kurt. Sophisticated is the word that comes to mind when I look at her.”

“Yes, Mike, I agree - too bad we’re cousins. I know the Roosevelts are related in the same way, as cousins, but
we’re both looking for different things in a mate other than not having to change the monogram on the towels or
stationery.”

“Kurt, with all your money and I have to say this, good looks, you can have your pick of the Washington or New
York society debutantes. Mothers must scour the society page to see where you’re going to be next so they can be
sure their daughters attend.”

“That might be true, Lucas, but ……..you’re going to think I’m making this up….I have no interest in a woman who
attends parties as an occupation becoming a permanent part of my life. I know there are people who probably
mistakenly have that view of me. They think a wife would just be something nice to have on my arm to host parties.
It’s not true. I would really like someone like Carrie or Sami - - working for a cause, wanting to make a difference in
the world - like the war effort. I’d like someone who’s got opinions and isn’t afraid to express them – especially to
me.”

“Well, THAT sounds like Sami, all right,” Lucas said with a smile on his face. It was the same smile, Mike noticed,
that hadn’t left his brother’s face since the moment he and Sami had returned to the ballroom. Whatever has
transpired with Sami had changed Lucas’ demeanor completely from what it had been since he first had met him at
the plane from England days before. There was almost an easy contentment in his body language and facial features.
More importantly, his eyes had lost that haunted vagueness he’d been concerned about. Mike was optimistic about
what might have happened but would Lucas learning about the letters send him emotionally reeling again?

“Yeah, I have to admit – Carrie’s not exactly the shrinking violet type, either. I figure it has something to do with that
Brady Irish blood they both have. They’ll fight for what and who they believe in even when everyone else tells them to
stop. I think they’d sacrifice their own happiness for someone else if they had to.”

“I know they would, Mike, “ Lucas solemnly replied knowing what Sami had done in the name of her love for him.

Mike looked across the table at his brother realizing there was something behind his brother’s reply that went beyond
merely affirming his comment about the Brady loyalty.

“Well, I’m convinced. Aren’t there any other Brady women free of romantic entanglements who might be interested in
taking me on? At this point I’d even be willing to try another branch of Salem’s families. Mike, got another sister?”

“Sorry, Kurt, there is only one Jenn. She’s a bit of a handful - stubborn, opinionated, curious to the point of almost
being exasperating at times…

“”….yeah, don’t ever have a secret and have her know you’ve got one, Kurt, you’ll regret it.

“Lucas is right - she’s relentless until she finds out what it is. She’s also high-spirited but loyal, idealistic, and in need
of a gentle hand to rein her in. Jack’s got his work cut out for him. Underneath it all Jenn’s one of the most loving,
giving people I know. She just has a need to be involved and feel useful. Sitting on the sidelines has never been where
you’d find her. My thinking is once the war is over, Jack will probably get involved in politics, like his father, and Jenn
will no doubt be there campaigning beside him.”

“Something tells me she and Victoria have a lot in common, though Victoria restrains all her energy beneath that
English-trained placidity. You should have seen her this afternoon getting everything ready in here. Field Marshall
Montgomery has nothing on her for maneuvering troops. I’m very lucky to have her working with me.”

“She did a terrific job on the ball, Kurt. Aren’t you worried some soldier or sailor will come along and sweep her off
her feet and you’ll be left without her talents?”

“Well, to answer your question, I’ll tell you something I haven’t told many people but since I think we’re rapidly
becoming good friends I feel I can trust you. When she first came to ask if she could come to the States to help set up
the office in New York, I asked her something similar to that. We hadn’t seen each other in about three years, what
with me being in the States and Switzerland while Victoria was going to the University in England. She got very quiet
and told me about Peter Jamieson. His father was a member of the House of Lords and served on the British
contingency for the International Red Cross. Victoria and I had known Peter quite a few years growing up. Victoria
knew him better because she saw him frequently once she started her college studies back in England. They were
close and I think due to the societal class issue involved, everyone thought they’d be a good match. I really thought of
them as friends…not lovers…but the families seemed to have them practically engaged from the time they were
adolescents. It wasn’t long after Victoria was home that the families made the formal announcement of Peter’s
intentions to marry her within the year. Peter left Cambridge and joined the RAF as a pilot. He was killed during the
Battle of Britain. I had no idea what had happened when I asked her the question about working for me. Victoria
took it harder than people thought she would. When she told me about all this, she said she felt guilty that she hadn’t
loved him the way a fiance’ should. She’d gone along with everyone’s wishes about a political match. She hoped
Peter died thinking she’d loved him. After that, she made a vow to never marry for anything other than love – that’s
why she made the remark earlier about leaving the class issue behind in England. She also is adamant about not
getting involved with another serviceman until the war is over. Her feeling is she’s buried one already she won’t do it
again. So, it is my good fortune to have Victoria helping me as a result of her misfortune.”

“Well, Kurt, even with her feeling that way, if the right young man comes along, she may well change her tune. She’s
far too clever and attractive to not have men noticing her. One of them is sure to change her mind. He’ll just have a bit
of convincing to do before Victoria will give him a chance.”

“Speaking of them, how long have those women we’ve been talking about been gone? It won’t be long before the
band finishes playing for the night. I wanted to dance with Sami at least one more time before the night’s over.”

“Well, something tells me, Lucas, they’re probably involved in a similar kind of discussion in the powder room about
us.”

The three men at the table smiled knowing the truth of Mike’s assessment. They moved on to talk of the upcoming
presidential election year wondering if FDR would seek an unprecedented fourth term and who would even think of
contemplating running against him.

= = == = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Standing beside one another to share the mirror Sami and Carrie touched up powder, lipstick and hair while the taller
Victoria stood between and behind them doing similar ministrations to her face and hair.

“I don’t know why I’m bothering to primp. It’s not as if I had a date for the evening other than my cousin, that is.”

“I think a number of women in the room tonight would find that an enviable position to be in, Victoria. He’s not
exactly chopped liver, you know.”

“I agree, Carrie, he is more like…………a fine pate’, isn’t he?”

Carrie and Sami both smiled at Victoria in the mirror at her gourmet assessment of her cousin’s obvious better
qualities.

“How in the world does he avoid a romantic entanglement? Is that part of your various job skills – keeping women at
bay?”

“Hardly, Sami, look at him. He towers over me by a good six inches….three, if I wear heels. No, his restraint is all
self-imposed. It’s funny, you know, I think most women look at him and see a good-looking, athletic sort of gent - -
not the worst thing to be thought of but, I think, partly what keeps Kurt from going with one woman for long is they
bore him after a couple of dates. Most women don’t understand that he’s much more than just the fancy wrapping - -
there’s a mixture of wonderful contents when you open the box. Unfortunately, most of the women who travel in the
social circle affiliated with high public visibility and charitable causes don’t want to break a “mental nail” opening the
present that is Kurt. He loves a person who’s interesting and challenges him mentally. Many is the time he’ll tell me
about a date the following day in the office and he won’t talk about where they went or what they did but about how
he couldn’t stay interested when she couldn’t talk politics, theater, sports and a myriad of other things. He is also that
rarest of creatures who simply has no idea how devastating he is to a woman’s equilibrium when he’s near. He truly
has no idea how …how….oh, what is that term I’ve heard before?”

“Ummm….drop dead handsome?”

“Yes! That’s the expression….thanks, Carrie. He has no idea how drop dead handsome he is. All he worries about is
if people will take him seriously when he’s in a diplomatic setting trying to procure funds or inform people of what the
International Red Cross is doing for the war effort. Oh dear, I have gone on about him but I’m so lucky to be a part
of his endeavors, especially now. Well, if and until he finds the woman who can match energy and wits with him, I’ll
be here to do what I can. Goodness, I need to make sure the Dorsey band has been paid before I rejoin you at the
table. I’ll see you back there in a bit.”

“All right, Victoria,” Carrie said as she watched over her shoulder until Victoria had left the powder room. She waited
a little while and then turned her gaze back to the mirror and in Sami’s direction.

“I suppose you noticed a change in the temperature between Lucas and me?” Sami asked although already knowing
the answer.

“Well, it is obvious that whatever went on once you left the ballroom was significant….am I right?…….Wait, I’m
sorry…..I have no right to ask you about your personal life and especially anything that’s going on between you and
Lucas…..”

“No, no…..Carrie, it’s all right.”

“No, it’s not all right, Sami. I need to respect your privacy as much as you do mine when it involves Mike. There’s a
point beyond which maybe we shouldn’t share things.”

“Carrie, if you hadn’t been there for me to talk to about Belle’s secretive letter writing campaign to get Lucas and me
together, I don’t know what I would have done…especially to her. You, almost more than anyone, have a right to
know what’s happened.”

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to know, but that is beside the point. I care about both of you…Lucas is one of the
best friends I’ve ever had. I know people used to think he was just a spoiled brat and wondered why I wasted time
being his friend but I always knew beneath that overly self-confident exterior, was a very genuine, loving person who
just needed someone to believe in and appreciate him. I’m not talking about myself, here, I’m talking about you,
Sami. When you two found one another I saw him change for the better. He wasn’t afraid to be vulnerable any
more.”

“Neither was I, Carrie. I fought what I felt for him for months, thinking I could never possibly be interested in a guy I
thought I’d have to constantly fight for the mirror.”

Carrie smiled remembering the times her sister had sworn she had no interest in that “stuck on himself, Lucas
Roberts” as Sami always described him in those days.

“I was terrible to him back then. I told him one time he thought he was God’s gift to women but they should keep the
receipt because they’d be returning him.”

“Sami, I don’t remember that. What a terrible thing to say.”

“Well, he deserved it back then. But, …..one day……I was having trouble working on an economics homework
assignment in study hall. He asked if I needed help and I decided to, once and for all, put him in his place. I figured
I’d let him try to do the problem and embarrass himself when he wouldn’t have a clue how to do it after bragging
about his so-called business capabilities. I had it all planned out to gloat and ridicule him in front of my study group.”

“Samantha Brady, I had no idea you could be so diabolical. Remind me to keep on your good side!”

“Remember, I was only about sixteen at the time. It sort of went with the territory of being a teenager, I think.
Anyway, he had the problem done in less than ten minutes, explained it to me so that I understood it and asked if
there were any others I needed help with. He never gloated. It was as though he genuinely wanted to be able to help
someone else…made him feel needed. It was the first time I began to see that person you’d seen right from the start,
Carrie. From then on I, too, saw the real Lucas who longed to be appreciated and had all this love inside him just
waiting to give someone. He can be so incredibly thoughtful and caring – he takes me by surprise even today. After all
the terrible things he’s been through, there’s still so much of him he wants to give and not ask for anything in return
except to be loved……..sorry, I seem to be gushing about him…guess Victoria got me started when she was talking
about Kurt’s good qualities.”

“Victoria might be part of the gushing factor but there’s something else, isn’t there? Sami, you DO still love Lucas. I’m
not wrong in believing that, am I?”

Sami looked at her sister’s reflection in the mirror and then turned more to her left until she directly faced Carrie. The
range of emotions Sami had been through during the past few hours showed briefly on her face as her blue eyes filled
with tears while she smiled simultaneously.

“Oh, yes…..Carrie, I do so love him. How did I ever think I could live without him and be better for it? For the first
time in four years I can breathe without feeling as though my heart is crushing the air from my lungs. I’ve been half
alive…walking around in a world of emotional pain I thought would never end. I won’t ever turn away from Lucas
again…I love him, and, …amazingly, he’s never stopped loving me, no matter what I did to him thinking it was the
best for us both. Tonight, we forgave one another for our past mistakes.”

“This is all wonderful to hear, Sami, …..really, I’m happy that you’ve found your way back to him, but there is a
rather large obstacle looming on the horizon to all this happiness….”

“He knows, Carrie.”

“Knows……..meaning the letters?”

“Yes, the letters and…...everything else.”

“Everything else…”

“Carrie, it’s time I told you why I stayed away from Lucas all this time. I want to tell you because it was you who
wouldn’t let me lie to myself any more about my love for him. I only ask that you promise not tell anyone else.”

Carrie looked at her sister for a few moments knowing what complete trust Sami was willing to place in her. Giving a
promise was something Carrie never took lightly, particularly one of this magnitude.

”Please understand, Sami, that as much as I would like to promise you that, I can’t. Wait…..before you say anything
let me explain. In the past I would have readily said ‘yes’ ….before Mike became a part of my life. Sharing things is a
part of our being together, in love….that would have to include this, especially because it involves his own brother….”

“…then it’s not a problem, Carrie. Lucas is planning to tell Mike everything, too. I understand what you mean about
sharing things. Lucas already told me we have to face anything that comes along from now on together without holding
out on one another and I agree. So, will you promise not to tell anyone…….other than Mike?”

“Yes, I promise.”

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Mike, Lucas and Kurt animatedly talked about the following day’s Rose Bowl game until the only way to completely
settle the entire debate was to make a wager. Each placed the five dollars on the table with Lucas putting down ten
dollars choosing the Washington Huskies against Mike and Kurt’s siding with USC’s Trojans.

“You know, I never thought about it before but rather than have this fancy ball, I could have just had Lucas bet the
guests on the game that the Huskies will win tomorrow. It’s such a sure thing. Think of how I could have saved my
feet from not having to dance with endless society matrons let alone imagine the money I’d make for the Red Cross.”

“Yeah, yeah, Kurt - - we’ll see. I still say the Huskies are gonna surprise everyone and take the game.”

“I’m only putting in the five dollars because it’s the one way to get back that loan Lucas made off me that he’s never
paid back.”

“What loan was that?”

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten. You had a date with Sami to take her roller skating and didn’t have the money for the
skates or sodas afterward. Six years……six, count ‘em I’ve waited to see that five spot. You should be lucky I don’t
charge you compound interest, little brother.”

“Six years? You really have a long memory when it comes to money. I didn’t pay you back? I thought I had. Boy, I
still remember sweating it out hoping someone would come through with the money. I had promised Sami for weeks
to go and just knew she’d never talk to me again if I told her I couldn’t take her. Mom had refused to give me the
money and wouldn’t give me a good reason why. Funny, I think I know why now.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s kind of complicated….anyway, you’re still not going to get the five bucks when my Huskies finish biting the
Trojans in their spear carrying backsides.”

“Hello, gentlemen…do I detect a friendly wager going on?”

“Hi, Victoria. Yes, the lure of football’s big day tomorrow in Pasadena is bringing out the gambler in us. It’s one of
those rituals American men participate in.”

“Ohhh, yes…the Rose Bowl game, right?”

“Right….very good, Victoria. I’m impressed. You do know your football.”

“Thank you, Lucas, but I owe whatever expertise I possess to Kurt. He used to live and die with the Northwestern
and Harvard teams every year.”

“Still do. I went to the Northwestern games with my grandfather and played as a defensive back when I went to
Harvard.”

“You know, I think I still have that football you gave me as a present from Harvard. It’s right next to the Harvard
hockey puck on the bookshelf. I was always glad you were thinking of me….I just wasn’t always sure WHAT
exactly it was you were thinking of me when you got them for me. Anyway, though I hate to do this, Kurt, I need you
to come with me and get everything squared away with payments for the Dorsey Orchestra, the florist and hotel. The
raffle drawings will be in about ten minutes and I think probably after that people will begin to leave in large numbers.
Hope I see all of you before you head out?”

“Sure, Victoria, we’ll see you here at the table before we take off.”

“Great, see you then. Come on, Kurt, time to pay the Pipers….as in Pied? Just a little Dorsey humor, you
know….their musical singing group?”

“Quick, Kurt, take her away before Lucas puns her back.”

Kurt and Victoria left the table with wide grins to finish their business portion of the evening. Lucas lightly punched
Mike in the arm - a gesture they had shared since bonding as brothers some years before.

“You feeling okay, Lucas? There for awhile I was getting concerned you were having a small setback. You were pale
when you left the table.”

“I’m fine, Mike. Wait,…I take that back…I’m great. In fact, I haven’t felt this great in a long time. For the first time
since I got back, I know…..I feel, like I’m really home and I owe that to you and Carrie but most of all, Sami. I’ve
been dealing with a lot of guilt, Mike.”

“About what?”

“Being the only one of my crew to come home alive….come home, period. I hate to say this but now I can. There
were times in the past week when I really wanted to die. I really believed that it was what I deserved. I just felt there
was no reason I should be coming back to my family when the other guys’ families would never have them come
home…not even to be buried.”

“I wish you’d said something when I first saw you, Lucas. It’s not an uncommon occurrence for men such as you,
who have survived while their buddies haven’t, to feel that way. Part of my combat field hospital training covered that
subject. If you need to see someone….”

“No..I’m okay now. What I mean is….I still see them die in my dreams or have the image of the plane exploding but
the will to live is much stronger now. When I saw Sami at the train station, I felt someone was finally holding out a
hand to pull me from the sea of grief I’d been drowning in. Whenever I have the bad dreams, at some point I start
seeing her face, her smile or those amazing blue eyes and the other visions go away. Loving her as much as I do is all
that kept me alive for the first few days. I had to see her, talk to her….touch her - just once more and give it one last
try to make everything right between us again. You want to know the most amazing thing, Mike?

“What?”

“I was right. She still loves me. After everything that happened, including the night at the prom, her not talking to me
for so long, when I looked in her eyes I could see it, even though she wouldn’t say it.”

“It must be a Brady family trait. I’ve seen that look in Carrie’s eyes for me.”

“Then you know what it feels like to need to see that look. It’s kind of a reassurance that everything is gonna be okay.
I know, now, that I can deal with everything in the past as long as Sami is here beside me now and into the future. To
think it all started with one little letter.”

“Lucas…..maybe you shouldn’t….”

“It’s okay, Mike…..I know………about the letters…..that Belle wrote them.”

The astonished look on Mike’s face brought a grin to Lucas’.

“But…I …Carrie…we….were so careful…”

“Yes, you were and I know you all were trying to protect me until everyone thought I was ready to handle the truth. I
knew Sami wasn’t comfortable around me but I thought it had to do with not having talked since the night she found
me with Nichole Walker. That was the last time we were together and it isn’t the image either one of us would choose
to remember of the other. Then, tonight when she was filling out the raffle ticket, I realized her writing wasn’t the
familiar style of the letters.

“Oh, my God, the raffle tickets. Of course, she filled yours out along with hers. I never thought about it."

“Neither did Sami. That’s why I left. I put it all together except who actually had written the letters. I felt scared all of
a sudden because maybe I’d been reading Sami all wrong….maybe even her eyes were lying to me….maybe she
didn’t love me. I went out onto the terrace and all I remembered was the last thing she’d said to me at the prom that
night in the locker room. She told me she’d wished I were dead. Suddenly, just for a fleeting moment it didn’t seem
like such a difficult wish to grant her.”

“Lucas…I knew you were troubled but you could have talked to me.”

“I know. Somehow, deep inside, I think a part of me knew she’d come find me. We finally talked – really talked and
there are things neither of us knew that contributed to what tore us apart four years ago. I’ll tell you about that later.
The wonderful thing is, she forgave me, Mike, and I won’t ever do anything to lose her again. “

“Wow- - I ….don’t know exactly what to say except that I’m glad you felt you could tell me all of this and that I love
you…..and Sami.”

Lucas’ luminous brown eyes looked at his brother’s face and saw the sincerity of what he’d said conveyed in his
expression as well. He took a long, deep breath and smiled as he covertly removed the small wet streaks that had
appeared in the corners of his eyes with his right hand.

“Yup, the same back at you…and Carrie.”

It was Mike’s turn to smile.

“I think Sami is probably telling Carrie everything right about now so that you two won’t have to worry that one
knows something the other doesn’t.”

Just as Lucas finished his sentence he saw Carrie and Sami returning from the powder room smiling at one another
and deeply involved in an animated sisterly conversation.

“Will you look at those two. Aren’t they just about the most beautiful angels ever granted time here on earth?”

“Couldn’t agree with you more, Mike, and I’ll be forever grateful, one of them is spending that time on earth with
me.”

“Hey, you two. What’s up with the grins and covert conversation, huh?”

“I might ask you the same thing, Carrie Brady.”

Lucas and Mike rose and pulled out the chairs for Sami and Carrie, each kissing their respective angels before
returning to their own chairs.

“What happened to Kurt and Victoria?”

“They’re finishing some last minute business involving the evening. It’s almost raffle time. Sami, got an idea what you’d
like to win.”

“I don’t really care, Lucas. I’ve already won what I want.”

As the younger couple gazed at each other, Mike and Carrie shared a look that facially was the equivalent of saying
“awwwww”.

Kurt suddenly appeared in the spotlight behind a microphone and gave a few remarks thanking everyone for
participating in the ball and announcing the grand total of money raised for the International Red Cross. He introduced
Victoria who began calling out the winning raffle ticket numbers.

“The next prize is a suite for the weekend here in the hotel, complete with Sunday brunch. The number is 920.”

“Mike!! Oh, my gosh, that’s you!”

“What? No, really? Hey, it is!”

Mike stood up and waited for the applause to die down as the envelope with the prize announcement was brought to
him. Anytime a serviceman won a prize, the applause seemed to be longer and louder as it was for Mike.

Light banter continued at their table until sometime later when Victoria called out another number that amazingly was
at their table.

“The next prize is a dinner for two at the Rainbow Grille atop Rockefeller Center complete with complimentary
champagne. The winning number is 917.”

“Lucas!! I don’t believe it!”

After realizing Mike wasn’t pulling his leg he stood to the audience’s warm applause as the envelope was brought to
him. The applause seemed longer and louder and more appreciative than any time before, perhaps because of the
sling the young soldier was wearing on his right arm and the sight of numerous battle ribbons he wore above his left
pocket near the bomber squad insignia. When the raffle concluded Victoria and Kurt made their way back to the
table where their four friends sat.

“Congratulations, you two. Those are great prizes.”

“Thanks, Kurt. My luck is definitely changing,” Lucas said as he looked at Sami.

“Yeah, well, not after tomorrow when I finally win the five dollars you owe me.”

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