Breaking The Routine

            The airport terminal was really packed but Sam guessed that was normal considering it was near Christmas and all that. She chewed her lip nervously as she and Robert exited the plane and into the airport. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea," she said nervously taking a few steps back and feeling a sense of panic wash over her. Robert gave her a "don't be silly look" as he draped his arm over her shoulders and guided her towards the baggage claim.

            "Chill, just take deep breaths Samantha," Robert told her and grabbed her luggage handing it to her. "You know many times we work up our fears in our head so much that they are usually larger than life. If we gather up the courage to actually face them more times than not we realize that that what we fear really wasn't worth the fear in the first place," he explained and grabbed his own.

            "I hope you're right because I feel I just stepped in to the lion's den," Sam admitted honestly with a frown and he mussed her hair playfully. "Great, just great, I am a nervous wreck and now look a mess, thanks a lot! You're doing a great job in making me feel much better," she told him with mocked anger giving him a push smiling. However it faded when she saw Mark was with Tabby. He was frowning looking very unhappy to be there. Why did he have to come, he hates me, she thought darkly. Tabby rushed up to her and gave her a bear hug squealing Sam deaf but she didn't care was just as happy to see her friend.

            "How I have missed you girl," Tabby squealed giving Sam a once over smiling then eyeing Robert over. "So this is your friend?"She asked putting special emphasis on the word friend with a sly smile at the end.

            "Yes this is my friend, Robert; Robert this is Tabby and that is Mark" She said and Robert held out his hand smiling. "Nice to meet the ever famous Tabby, Samantha talks about you non-stop," he said shaking Tabby's hand and just nodded to Mark with a cool expression which Mark seemed very happy to return.

            "Aw really, you talk about me." Tabby said clasping her hands together.

            "Of course, you're my best friend. How am I not going to talk about you," Sam told her and she could almost able to see the blonde's ego grow. Tabby snagged her arm around Robert's and Sam's. Mark's frown grew colder, Sam noticed.

            "So tell me Robert, how did you meet my dear Sam and how the hell did you get her to let you call her Samantha? She has always hated her full name," Tabby asked as they walked out of the airport

            "Oh I know she told me several times how much she hated it but I just ignored her and kept calling her Samantha till she gave up telling me how she hated it," Robert told her with a evil smile.

            Tabby nearly doubled over with laughter. "Oh I like you," Tabby told him and he grinned at her.

            "You're not so bad yourself," Robert replied with a smile. "Samantha and I met when I helped her find her classes. I teach philosophy, the business and the philosophy departments are pretty close so I knew where all her classes were since she obviously didn't pay much attention to the orientation," he explained giving Sam a light disapproving look and she  shrugged with a smile as Robert went on relating their first meeting.

            "So you guys want to come to the apartment first or leave your things at your hotel first?" Tabby asked and Sam stiffened wanting to avoid Mark's apartment at all costs. If she was there David could pop up in any minute. Sam swore she would avoid any place that David might be as if it has the plague.

            "I think we should stop at the hotel first then how about we meet somewhere for lunch?" Robert suggested smoothly and Mark seemed as relieved as Sam felt. Tabby pouted a little but agreed that they would meet in their hotel lobby in an hour.

            When Robert and Sam got in the taxi she waved to her friend from the window and sat down with a sigh of relief. "Thanks coming up the lunch idea. Their apartment is not at all neutral territory," she said looking out the window at the big city starting to think she didn't like it as much as she did Indianapolis.

            "No problem Samantha that is why I am here," he said patting her on the shoulder.

            "Plus I don't think Mark seconded that invitation at all," Sam replied.

            "So that was stick in his ass Mark," Robert asked with an evil grin and Sam smiled slightly and nodded. "I see I got his name right then," he added looking positively impish and Sam could help a burst of laughter escape and she slapped him on the shoulder.

            "Now that wasn't very nice," Sam scolded him.

            "No but its true, the man looks like he just ate a whole bag of lemons,"

    "I don't think he liked that you and Tabby got along so well," she told him but it was clear

because of the distance but because of the traffic. Sam definitely didn't like New York as much as she did Indianapolis. By time they checked in, got to their room, they had only fifteen minutes to get ready for their lunch with Tabby. Once alone in her room, Sam started feeling

washed her face in the bathroom trying to calm her nerves and telling herself that Robert was right that she was making a big deal of

      "Come on, the place I picked out is awesome," Tabby cheered when Sam arrived and explained that Mark had other plans already and couldn't meet them with lunch. Sam knew it was a lie but she was glad. She didn't really need a reminder of how much he disliked her or

       "Good because I am starving!" Robert declared rubbing his stomach and Sam

            "You are always hungry Robert," she

         "So what if I am, being incredibly charming and intelligent takes a lot of fuel," he told

had good taste. They sat at the table the waiter lead them too. Tabby and Robert chatted away, they seemed to get along very well but Sam wasn't listening.

           It seemed like a life time ago and she wasn't the same person anymore. That carefree and happy Sam was gone and replaced by the worried and guilt ridden Sam who wasn't sure if she could remember what being happy was like any more. Her thoughts turned to David, she wondered as she had done so many times before: where he was, what he was doing, who was he with? She felt her pulse

     "Samantha, everything ok?" Robert asked placing a concerned hand

      "Huh...oh um yeah I am great," she said with a

     "You Sam are anything but great," Tabby said pointing her

"I have to agree with her on that one," he stated

    "I know you're not going to like what I am going to say but I think you should really talk with David while you're here," Tabby said looking at her with

keep saying that? It wouldn't fix anything Tabby!" Sam angrily stabbed a piece of chicken on

voice, "it would absolutely fix everything. If he is still upset by what happened maybe your apology is just what he needs to move on and if he has moved on then

to ring the bell and say "hey it's me and I just wanted to

believe it do you a lot of good. So stop being a coward and face

me a coward! Are you going

  "If the shoe fits," was his

does everyone gang up on me, why can't anyone side with me for once? So let's say hypothetically I agreed and I stress hypothetically. I can't exactly show up on his door step and say hey surprise I am in New York. Let's

         "Well first it's not a surprise. He knows you're here," Tabby said as if she was commenting on the weather and

She asked her voice starting to rise. Robert draped his arm over her shoulders telling her to calm down but she ignored him. How could she be calm at a

"I am sorry Sam, but he overheard me while I was talking with Mark. I didn't know you wanted to keep it secret," Tabby justified to

           "This is horrible, absolutely horrible! See Robert, this is why

her reassuringly and she noticed some people turned and

building as David much less having a conversation with him! You know he probably hates me and I would rather pass on hearing what nasty things he has thought up to call me," Sam ranted. Tabby gave her a look that seem to say she wanted to say something but just shrugged and gave her a smile. "Don't give

        "Nope, for once I am not getting in the middle. You want to know more then you

little late for that one don't you think?" Sam snapped acidly knowing she was being rude and unreasonable with her friend but she had to make them understand. "Listen up the both of you and make sure you both understand this really well! I am not going to meet up with David, got it! I am not going to do it. I won't talk to him, I can't! I came here to just see you and only

          The rest of the meal was a little awkward, both Robert and Tabby appeared to want to push the David topic but knew better. When they said good-byes to Tabby Robert insisted they go visit one of the many museums and then some site seeing so that Sam could relax.

she slipped into the steaming hot water feeling what was left of the stress that came from the realization that David knew she was there leave