Chapter IV

Samantha had ushered Stuart to his boyfriend's for the evening and cooked for Pete. She had made her speciality dish, sweet-and-sour chicken with egg fried rice, and had brought out the whiskey glasses before bringing up the subject of their impending wedding.
Now they poured over endless lists of paper, citing places to hold the reception, family members from both sides and friends on separate pieces of paper, places to honeymoon in, and modes of transports.
Pete took a gulp from his glass and said, “Too much paper! I work in a paper-free office and don't need this stress!”
Samantha laughed and kissed him on his forehead. “Honey, I haven't even brought up the subject of clothes. Do you even know how many types of suit you can have?”
“Yes,” answered Pete, “and I think I own most of them!”
He ran his hand over the various pieces of paper and picked up the one that listed his family all the way down to the second half-cousins.
“Right,” he said, “I've narrowed it down to fifty members. Just a few more to shave off.”
“You can invite as many people to the ceremony as you want,” Samantha reminded him for the twentieth time that evening. “it's the reception where we have to have limits.”
“It's not that simple,” protested Pete. “You only have an extended family of ten. My parents are from large families who in turn have married into even larger families. It's hard not to offend people when you are too selective at things like this.”
“Okay, well, just try to make it small.”
“I'm trying!”
“Fine, I don't want an argument about it! I'll just cut back on my friends list to accommodate a few more spaces.”
Samantha reached out for her friends list and started crossing off people.
“I don't even need to invite some of these people,” she said. “I haven't seen her since uni and she'll only accept for the sake of it. The same goes for her. And him. And him.”
“You inviting people from work?” Pete asked.
“I was gonna invite just the other girls as they're really the only people I see outside of work hours, but I doubt they can all come because we'll all be taking time off on the same day and the office needs at least two of us to function. So its best not to, really.”
“Well, I was gonna invite a few of the other programmers but not the analysts or the finance lot. Really just the others in my department.”
“That's okay,” Samantha assured him, scanning over her own list for any amendments.
“I'm not in touch with anyone I knew from uni,” Pete continued, “Well, other than you!”
“Yeah,” Samantha replied distractedly. “Well I've crossed off just about everyone I knew from uni, apart from the peeps I did a house share with in my final year. I still talk to them a few times a year.”
“Sam, are you okay?”
Samantha looked up from her list. “Yeah, why?”
Pete put his list down and gave her his full attention. “You just don't seem to be your usual self.”
Samantha's eyes darted across his face and then back to her list. “I'm fine,” she replied, unconvincingly.
“Look, if this wedding is stressing you out already, we can put the date back and give ourselves a bit more time…”
“It's fine!” Samantha interrupted, raising her voice a little more than she needed to.
Pete looked a bit taken aback. He then leant forward and pushed his hand onto her cheek. “Sure?” he asked softly.
Samantha closed her eyes as she felt his hand and pushed her face deeper into his palm. She loved him for being concerned.
“I'm sorry,” she finally ventured, opening her eyes and looking into his. “It's just that Mum is being rather erratically for a recently bereaved person and its getting Lauren down. I'm just worried about her.”
“I was wondering,” mused Pete. “Is it bad or just regular weird stuff that bereaved people do?”
Samantha explained the whole deal about the regular clubbing and suspected one-nighters. Pete sat in silence the whole time, and didn't seem to react as much as Stuart or Amy did. When Samantha finished, she mentioned his lack of response.
“It's just that this is obviously getting you down and well…” Pete shifted uncomfortably.
“What?” asked Samantha.
“My boss has just closed this great deal and wants me to take the contract.”
“That's great!” Samantha exclaimed. “Why didn't you say before? We could have gone out to celebrate instead!”
“Because it isn't really much cause for celebration,” Pete answered flatly.
“Why ever not?”
“The contract's in Newcastle.”
Samantha's stomach dropped. “Newcastle?”
Pete nodded.
“For how long?”
“Three months, but it could easily be extended. It depends on how well the transfer goes. I would have to live up there and wouldn't be able to come down on a weekend because it's just too far for it to be worth the journey. It'd be knackering and…”
Samantha suddenly got up and went into the kitchen area. Pete got up to follow.
“Don't follow me!” Samantha said loudly, pointing her arm towards him.
“Sammy, don't get like this!” Pete protested.
“Don't 'Sammy' me!” Samantha bit back. “How could you accept this? We're supposed to be getting married in April and you're gonna be all the way up in Newcastle until two months beforehand!”
“Three.”
“That's not the point! The point is you're supposed to be with me, organising stuff, helping each other out, sampling married life before it's a reality!”
“I had to take it, Sam. It's good money. You think I wanted this?”
Samantha put her hands on her hips and walked over to the window, staring out at the parking lot below. Pete came over and stood behind her.
“I'm really sorry,” he said. “It's shit timing, but it's a great bonus and we could do with that kind of money to pay for the wedding.”
Samantha didn't respond.
“Don't you even want to know how much?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“It's not the money thing. I need you here to help me. Especially now this thing with Mum is going on.”
“I know.” He paused and exhaled audibly. “But this could do wonders for my career. My own contract! This could mean leaving my job and going freelance. We could get our own place - a house even. Not a flat, a house!”
Samantha folded her arms but remained silent. Pete put his hands on her arms and squeezed her slightly. “But this sort of thing doesn't happen all the time,” he said softly. “It's now or never.” He turned her around and looked straight at her. “And I need you to tell me it's okay and you'll let me do this for us.”
Samantha was visibly upset. But Pete was searching her face intently, pleading with her to say 'Yes'.
“Fine,” she finally said. “You go to Newcastle and do the contract. I shouldn't stop you furthering your career if it's important to you.”
“Really?” said Pete, a smile breaking out on his face. “Samantha, you are wonderful!”
He kissed her on the lips and grinned. “I am gonna get you the best house this side of the river!”
Samantha falsely smiled back. “The best wedding this side of the river will do me just fine!”
Pete went off and started talking about the contract and his plans, but Samantha was only half-listening. She had never felt so alone. She needed Pete to be her backbone. She wasn't strong enough for Lauren to rely on and Amy wasn't always going to be available. Pete was all she really had and he was leaving her. Everything had been going fine and then the last twenty four hours had been a complete disaster.
“Are you even listening?” Pete cut in through her thoughts.
“Yeah,” Samantha replied, suddenly aware that she hadn't heard a single word Pete had been saying.
“I said I'll give you my new email address and we'll keep in touch that way.”
“What's wrong with your usual email?”
“Oh I have to use the account at the company we're working for. No personal emails, but I can email your workplace and say you're a client.”
“Right,” Samantha said, slightly confused.
“Oh, you know, I'll still have my mobile but it'll be switched off most of the time.”
“I see.”
“And I'll be back for Christmas. Promise.”
“Okay.”
They both stood in silence, unsure of what to say.
Pete was the first to feel uncomfortable. “I'd better get going,” he said, looking at his watch.
Samantha nodded.
“Sure,” she said, “I'll finish off here and send you all the finalised details. Just do your guest list for me, yeah?”
“Sure,” he said, picking up the relevant pieces of paper and grabbing his coat. “I'll call you, yeah?”
“Yeah,” Samantha replied, kissing him lightly. “See ya.”
“See ya.”
Samantha watched him let himself out and sat down amongst the papers strewn about. She felt a sudden wave of fatigue and felt a tear steal its way down her face. She was tired and fed up. It'd been a long day and too many things were happening at once. She needed chocolate. But it would involve getting up again and searching the cupboards.
“Hey!” Stuart called as he came through the door.
“Hey!” Samantha called back, as Stuart came into view.
“Where's Pete?”
“Newcastle.”
“Huh?”
“Well, that's where he's headed tomorrow. Can't even wait till Monday!”
Stuart scratched his head and sat down opposite her, his face full of confusion. “You're gonna have to fill me in here. Why is he going to Newcastle?”
“New contract,” Samantha replied simply.
“And you're annoyed because…?”
“It's until January.”
“Jesus!” exclaimed Stuart. “That's like…”
“Yep.”
“And you have to do the wedding on your own?”
“Well, I'm thinking of roping Amy in more than I was going to. It was just gonna be the dress shopping but it's gonna be everything now: reception bookings, invite printing, transport, honeymoon, everything.” Samantha stopped and pushed her face into her hands. “I can't do this, Stu. It's not fair that I have to do everything!”
“So why is he going now? Can't it wait?”
“Once in a lifetime thing, apparently,” Samantha said, beginning to shuffle up the papers. “Boost to his career. Money is better. I'm sure there were other reasons. We had a bit of a barney.”
“Not good.”
“I know.”
“But maybe in a way it's a good thing.”
Samantha stopped and looked at him doubtfully.
“It's a good thing?” she repeated.
“Yeah,” he answered. “You know, spending a bit of time apart before you take the plunge. That way you can have a bit of breathing space before you're in each other's pockets.”
“Hmm, I guess…” she finally said.
“Good, now that's done with… How's tomorrow for you?”
“To do what?”
“Décor shopping! I seriously need to get rid of this banal magnolia!”
Samantha laughed.
“I'm serious!” Stuart said. “Colour is much needed in here.”
“Fine, just no feature walls!”
“Agreed!” Stuart got up and headed to his bedroom. “Up bright and early tomorrow, my ladyship. No excuses!”
Samantha saluted and watched Stuart close his bedroom door before gathering up the papers and slotting them into a folder marked 'The One With Pete and Sam's Wedding'. It was a reference to when they first met at a Friends meeting at university. They had spent the whole evening comparing the best lines said by each of the cast members and quizzing each other on various facts about the series. By the end of the term they were officially dating and they always noted special events in the style of Friends episodes. It was like their own little in-joke, something only they knew the real reference to. It was nice to have their own little secret 'thing'.
Samantha smiled to herself. She really did love Pete. She gently told herself off for being awful to him earlier. She rang his phone at home and got the answering machine. She left a message to say that she was pleased for him and she would support him the way she'd expect him to support her. She then got into bed and was thankful that she managed to resolve at least one of her problems.

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