"Thank you again for the wonderful weekend. <3" Candace texted Sam Monday morning.
"I'm glad you had a good time. :)"
"I didn't have a good time. I had a GREAT time. You wore me out, though. I passed out at 8 o'clock last night and just got up about an hour ago."
"lol I'd say I'm sorry, but I'd be lying. It was your idea to go hiking yesterday, remember? :P"
"I don't think that's the main reason I'm so tired and you know it. ;)"
"Still not sorry. :D"
"I know you're not. I love you."
"I love you too. Get some rest, babe."
"We still on for this weekend?" Sam texted Wednesday morning. It had become their routine during the week when Sam was at work.
"I don't know, babe. Still really tired. Starting to feel like I'm coming down with something now. :/"
"Sorry you're not feeling good. :( What if we just watch a movie at your place Saturday?"
"That sounds good. Sorry I'm a party pooper."
"I care more about you than going out."
Candace's heart swelled. His words made her feel better about ruining their weekend too, especially with Sam's departure looming closer.
Candace woke up on her couch, disoriented, Sunday morning. She sat up and found Sam, still mostly sitting up, fast asleep. He looked so childlike and sweet with his mouth hanging slightly open. Still, she couldn't stop the tears that flooded her eyes out of nowhere. The title screen on the movie they had been watching the night before still played on the TV. She had fallen asleep on Sam's lap.
Candace hurried to the bathroom to relieve herself and not wake him up with her crying. Sobs wracked her body by the time she closed the door.
What is wrong with me?
she wondered. Candace knew why she was upset, but even she thought she was over-reacting.
There was a soft knock at the door a few minutes later. Candace jumped.
"Candace? What's wrong, baby?"
Shit. She didn't want him to see her crying. She couldn't exactly hide in her bathroom and wait for him to go away either. She sucked it up and opened the door.
"What's wrong?" his face clouded with worry as he held his arms out to her. Candace fell into him, burying her face in his shirt and letting herself cry. At least he couldn't see her face.
"I'm sorry I fell asleep on you," she blubbered. Sam stroked her hair.
"Is that why you're upset?" he asked. She nodded her head. Sam stifled a laugh and was glad she couldn't see his face.
"Sweetheart, it's ok. It's not like you meant to. Hell, I fell asleep too." He had hoped it would make her laugh, but had the opposite effect. Sam hugged her tighter.
"It's not ok," Candace mumbled.
"Why?"
"Because you're going to be leaving soon," she finally started to regain her composure. "We can't keep avoiding it and pretending like it's not going to happen."
"Ok, ok," he spoke soothingly as he let her finish crying.
"I'm sorry," Candace wiped her eyes a few minutes later, stepping back from him. "I don't know where that came from. I don't get like...that, a lot," she wouldn't look him in the eye.
"Don't tell anyone I said this, but it's ok to have feelings, you know?" He finally got a laugh out of her.
"Not in front of other people it's not," she grumbled.
"Life isn't always rainbows and sunshine," he kissed her on the temple.
"Why don't I make some French toast?" he tried to distract her.
"I know what you're doing," Candace smirked with her hands on her hips.
"Can't blame me for trying, can you?" he smiled back. "I think you've had enough excitement for one morning. Can't we pretend for one more day?"
It turned out to be a good thing they avoided the inevitable for one more day. Sam texted her, as usual, the next morning while he was at work, but asked if he could stop by later. He felt bad lying, saying he just wanted to check on her. But what he really needed to tell her was not something he wanted to say over the phone. He didn't want her to know something was up and worry about it all day. It was bad enough that it was all he could think about.
Telling her the news that he was leaving in less than a week went about as he expected. He wasn't any happier about leaving sooner than originally predicted than she was. Still. She cried, of course, and so did he seeing her so upset.
"I'll come by and see you after work each day," he offered. She just nodded in agreement.
"We can do whatever you want this weekend."
"You know I don't care what we do," she looked up at him with bloodshot eyes.
"I know," he spoke solemnly, stroking her hair.
