Vivid Dreams Of A Horrific Nightmare

By: Stephanie Woodworth

©2000-2002 Chaotic Bliss Fan Fiction

Rain fell in sheets as she ran through the heavily wooded area. The baby in her arms screamed incessantly, but Veronica kept pushing on even when she thought she could run no farther. She tried to turn and look behind her to see if her pursuant was gaining on them, but the rain made it difficult to see more than a few feet. The ground was softening more and more as the rain began to soak in.

Run faster, her brain screamed trying to get her feet to move faster. Please God, just let me make it to safety, please that’s all I’ll ever ask of you.

“Shh Sean Michael, please stop crying. Please. …please…Mommy needs you to stop crying.” Veronica continued through the trees and was very happy to stumble upon the road. She was even happier to see the car that was driving towards them.

She raised her arm trying to make the car stop. When it pulled over she silently thanked God. She quickly climbed in. “Go … drive … please … go!” she frantically motioned for the guy to start driving.

~*~*~*~*~

“Momma, Momma,” Spencer yelled and shook the woman in the bed.

Samantha woke with a start. “Spencer?”

“Momma, were you having that dream again?”

“Yes, but it’s all over now,” she hugged her son and played with his curly hair. As she held him she thought back to the life so different from the one she led now.

~*~*~*~*~

Veronica sat anxiously on the plane to Orlando. She hadn’t seen Brian in well over a month and couldn’t wait to be held in his arms.

“Ladies and gentlemen welcome to Orlando. On behalf of the crew and myself it’s been a pleasure serving you today.”

Veronica closed the book she was reading and waited for the plane to taxi to the gate. She watched as everyone exited the plane then grabbed her suitcase and exited herself. She knew that Brian was going to send someone to get her and looked for someone holding a sign with her name on it.

No one was there waiting. She knew that she wasn’t supposed to leave the gate area, but she wandered down to the baggage claim area. She glanced around and finally found a driver carrying a sign with her name on it.

“I’m Veronica,” she said walking up to him.

He grabbed the suitcase that she was pulling behind her and led her to the waiting limo. He opened the door and helped her in. Veronica was shocked to see Nick waiting for her.

“Nick?” she said worried. Brian had promised to meet her at the airport. The look on Nick’s face made her worry even more.

“Veronica, there’s something I have to tell you.” She sat in complete silence as Nick went on and on about death threats the band had been receiving. He even told her that they threatened some of the girlfriends, including her. “We never took them serious, we never thought the person would go through with it.” He paused trying to read her face. “Oh God, I never thought that they’d kill Brian.” Nick said before burying his face in his hands.

Veronica wanted to scream, she wanted to cry, but she couldn’t. No Nick was just lying this was a prank. “Nice try Nick, great joke,” she mock laughed then watched as Nick looked back up at her. She saw it there in his eyes. “Nick, come on, tell me it’s all a joke.” Realization slowly set in and the sound that came from Veronica was somewhere between a scream and a sound of complete horror.

“We have to get out of town. Do you have a passport? We’re going to a house that I have in France. We’ll be safe there.” Nick went on and on and Veronica sat there in complete silence. She never cried, she never protested as Nick took her away from everything.

The limo took them to Atlanta where they flew back to New York, then onto Paris where they caught another small plane to the small town where Nick’s house was.

The ancient castle sat high on a hill surrounded by woods. It was extremely private and that was one of the features that Nick liked most. There were no neighbors to speak of and Nick only had one housekeeper to care for the house and them.

He led Veronica to a room that was next door to his and helped her get into the bed. She has to be tired, he thought.

She was still whimpering as Nick undressed her and laid her on the bed. She clung to him silently begging him not to leave.

Nick climbed into the huge four-poster bed and held Veronica. He lightly kissed her forehead, then her nose, that’s how it all began. Nick continued to plant kisses on her face and holding her. Veronica in her distraught state allowed Nick to make love to her. Only from her safe place deep in the recesses of her mind she was making love with Brian and as her climax washed over her she let Brian’s name escape her lips.

Nick was gone when she woke up the next morning. She didn’t even bother getting out of bed. She just laid there staring blankly at the ceiling. She heard the door open and hoped that it was Brian. She sat up in the bed and was surprised to see a short woman carrying towels walking toward her.

“Hello miss, my name is Mrs. Laux and I’m the housekeeper. Master Nickolas has informed me that you’ll be staying here for some time. He wants you to make yourself at home. He’s gone back to the states to work on some stuff and he’ll be back very soon.” She tidied up the room as Veronica sat there watching her. She laid out a change of clothes that Veronica had never seen before. “If you need anything, just buzz the intercom by the door.” She pointed at the box wondering if any of this was actually registering. “I’ll be back at lunch time with a tray for you.”

Veronica stayed in the spot for days. She didn’t eat the food brought into her, she didn’t speak, she didn’t move, all she did was stare and sleep.

Nick returned to the house with most of her belongings. “I hope you don’t mind, but I brought what I thought you’d need back with me.” He leaned over and kissed her forehead. She never said a word, just followed Nick with her eyes. He put some of her stuff on the dresser and around the room. He put pictures of her family on a table in the corner.

Sitting on the bed next to her he said, “Veronica, sweetie you’re scaring me.” He ran a hand down her face. “Please talk to me.” He waited and she didn’t respond. “Come on Brian wouldn’t have wanted this for you.” She still didn’t say anything. “Well if you need me I’m going next door to my room.”

For days he tried to get through to her, but nothing. No blinking, no response, nothing. He had to return to the states and seriously thought about taking her back with him, but in the end didn’t.

Again day after day Veronica stayed in the bed. Nick had been gone just over a week when she finally found the strength to get out of the bed and wake from her dream like state.

The room was decorated in a gorgeous rose hue and the furniture antique. She walked over to the window and glanced out at the manicured lawn. There was a basketball court in the distance and a huge pool with a pool house at the back of the property. The sun was shinning brightly and the leaves on the trees danced gently in the early spring breeze.

She wandered around the room picking up the frames that Nick had to have taken from her apartment at school. She thought about calling her family, but what would she tell them? They’d more or less disowned her when she started dating Brian.

~*~*~*~*~

She’d been away at school in New York when she literally ran into Brian at a small deli down the block from her apartment. If there was such a thing as love at first sight, well them Brian and Veronica were living proof.

He had to beg and plead with the deli owner to find out who the beautiful blond was. Convincing Veronica to go out with him was a different story. She never tried to deny that she knew who he was. You’d have to live under a rock or in Outer Mongolia to not know who the Backstreet Boys were.

“Would you like to go out to dinner with me tonight?” Brian finally asked.

“I’m not really sure that’d be a good idea.” She didn’t want to be seen with him. If her father found out he’d be furious.

Jack Braun was the mayor of a small town in Northern Indian and hated family scandal. While in high school Veronica was busted at a party drinking and suspended from the private school she attended. Jack threatened to send her to a convent and Veronica promised to never cause shame to the family again.

‘You better never or you’ll be disowned fast enough that your head will spin!’ Veronica remembered the look on her father’s face. The only other time was after the pictures of Brian and her sun bathing in Florida showed up in the news.

She allowed Brian to stay for dinner at her apartment that night and that’s how it all began. They stole moments here and there and she never mentioned Brian around her father.

The pictures wouldn’t have been so bad had Veronica mentioned the trip to Florida for spring break, or even the fact that she was dating Brian. What made them so awful was the fact that she was sun bathing topless. How was she to know that there was a photographer hiding in the bushes, they were on Nick’s private beach. The pictures were all over the next day. God only knows how they found out who she was.

The best week of her life quickly became the worst. He parents flew to Tampa to bring her home but she refused to go with them. ‘If you don’t come with us don’t ever expect another thing from us!’ Veronica could still hear her father’s words.

She stayed at Nick’s for the remainder of the week. Brian helped her with her bills until she could get a job. She stayed in New York and would have graduated in a few months. She never heard from her parents after that day in Florida. She tried to call her sister and was told that she was forbid to speak to her. She never tried again. Brian and the Backstreet Boys became her family. Nothing hurt more than losing her family, until Brian’s death.

Brian was her everything. They’d talked about getting married after she graduated. Now none of their dreams were going to come true. She had no choice but to get on with her life. She packed up all the pictures of Brian and her family and vowed that today was the start of a new life.

~*~*~*~*~

Mrs. Laux brought the normal lunch tray to Veronica’s room and found the bed empty. “Miss Veronica,” she looked all over the room, but she was nowhere. Oh Master Nickolas is going to kill me. She ran around the house looking for her. She was just about to call Nick’s cell phone when Veronica came through the door, soaking wet.

“Hello Mrs. Laux,” she beamed.

“Miss Veronica, it’s nice to see you up and about.” She was shocked to say the least. “Did you enjoy your swim?”

“Oh yes, the pool was warm and very relaxing.”

“That’s wonderful my dear. Is there anything that I can get you?”

“Um…I’d like a salad and please it’s just Veronica.”

“Okay, Veronica it is.” She watched as the young girl walked away. I wonder why Master Nickolas is doing this to her, she seems so sweet.

Nick called later that night. “Carter residence.”

“Hello, it’s Nick. How’s our houseguest?”

“Oh Master Nickolas, she’s up and a totally different person. She went swimming today.”

“You’re kidding me, that’s great!” Nick walked out of the recording studio. “I’m stuck in the states until tomorrow. Don’t tell her that I’m coming home, I want to surprise her.”

“Okay, I’ll see you then.”

Nick hung up the phone just as Brian walked out of the studio. “Hey, are you done for the night?”

“Yeah, I’m heading home.”
“No, let’s go out. We can go to a club or something.”

“Thanks man but I really don’t fell like going out tonight.” Brian’s face was sad.

“I’m sorry Frick. You still haven’t heard from Veronica?”

“Nope, I’m beginning to think that she’s gone for good. I called her parents and they said that they hadn’t heard from her in years and they didn’t even care that she was missing.”

“I’m really sorry,” Nick patted his best friend’s shoulder. “I'm sure she had her reasons for disappearing.”

“Yeah I guess.” Brian climbed into his car. “See ya in the morning.”

Nick finished what needed to be done the next day before catching a flight back to France.

~*~*~*~*~

Nick was highly excited as he pulled up the drive to the house. He hoped that Veronica was still awake he had gifts for her. He ran up the stairs to her room. “Veronica,” he yelled as he pushed open her bedroom door. To his surprise she had the room covered in candlelight and she was lying sound asleep curled up on the bed. Obviously she knew that he’d be coming home. The off white negligee she was wearing must have been new. He sat down on the bed and softly ran a finger across her soft, full lips.

She stirred slightly before opening her eyes. A smile crossed her lips when she saw Nick leaning over her. Her face changed into a frown as she remembered all the work she’d done to surprise him. A tear slid down her cheek.

“Oh Veronica, don’t cry,” Nick wiped the tear from her cheek.

“I wanted to surprise you. Mrs. Laux let it slip that you were coming home today,” she glanced at the clock. “We expected you hours ago. I was worried about you,” she placed her hand over his.

Nick was shocked at best. The last time he’d seen her she was almost comatose. “I’ve missed you Veronica.”

“I’ve missed you too,” she leaned forward to kiss him. When they broke apart she moaned, “Um, I’ve really missed you.”

She kneeled up on the bed and easily removed Nick’s shirt. Their lips met in a fiery kiss. Nick reached down and pulled Veronica’s negligee up. He took a deep breath and seemed to hold it while staring open mouthed at her.

Veronica smiled, “Surprise, I’m pregnant.” She ran a hand down her once flat abdomen. “I’m not too far along.”

Nick quickly regained his composure. He never thought this would happen when he brought her here. “Oh wow,” he pulled her to him and held her tight. “I’m going to be a father,” he kissed her then repeated, “I’m going to be a father.”

They planned for the upcoming birth of the child that Veronica was carrying. Nick wondered occasionally if there was a possibility that the child was Brian’s. He knew that they’d spent a weekend together in her apartment a few weeks before he’d brought her here.

Months past and before they realized it Sean Michael was born. The new family seemed to set into a routine and Veronica was pleased that Nick’s trips to the states became less and less frequent.

Even with Mrs. Laux help, Veronica was more than capable of caring for Sean and herself, but she missed Nick terribly when he was gone.

In the year plus that she’d been in France Veronica was picking up the French language that she found Nick spoke fluently. One day she overheard Mrs. Laux and Nick talking in Sean’s room. They were speaking in a hushed tone and must not have realized that the baby monitor was on.

“How can you leave again?” Mrs. Laux spoke in French.

Nick answered her in French, “It’s my best friend’s wedding. How would I ever explain not going?”

“But what about Ms. Veronica.”

“I’ll tell her a small fib. I can’t very well tell her that I have to return to Kentucky for Brian’s wedding.”

Veronica dropped the dress she was hanging. Brian? I must have misunderstood. She continued to listen to Nick explain the details of the weekend and all about Brian’s fiancé, Amanda. She ran to the phone and dialed the last number she knew for Brian in Kentucky.

“Hello,” a sweet voice answered. She sounded young.

“Is Brian home?”

“May I ask who is calling?”

“I just need to talk to Brian.” She was convinced that she’d heard Nick wrong.

“I’m sorry, but he’s out for the day. He won’t be back until late tonight. I’m Amanda, his fiancé, can I take a message?”
“No … no message.” Veronica hung up the phone and fought the urge to scream. Brian’s alive. Oh god, Brian’s alive.

Nick walked into the room to find Veronica sitting on the floor next to the phone. “Baby, are you okay? Is everything okay?”

Veronica stood. “I was looking for an earring that I lost. I thought maybe it was on the floor.”

From that moment on Veronica looked for a way to leave Nick. She wanted to call her parents, but didn’t know how she’d ever explain all that had happened. She saved any amount of money that she could find. It was three months later when she finally felt confident enough to put the final touches on her escape. Plan was that Nick was going to the states for something and she would run early in the morning. She’d learned the land through her daily walks with Mrs. Laux and Sean Michael and was finally confident enough to leave.

At five the next morning Veronica quietly grabbed the small bag that she’d packed and picked Sean Michael out of his crib. She’d found her passport among her belongings and hoped that she could get by without one for Sean Michael. She constantly looked over her shoulder as she walked down the back stairs and out to the entrance by the pool. Everything was going according to plan. At just the moment she began to run across the huge back yard Nick came running from the house.

“Veronica,” he screamed at her. “Veronica!”

She stopped for just a moment before she realized that it was Nick chasing her. Veronica began running as fast as her feet would carry her. She ran for her life, for Sean Michael. As if being chased wasn’t bad enough the sky opened up and the rain began falling, pelting her face and arms. Sean began screaming incessantly and no matter what she said to calm him he wouldn’t stop. Veronica kept pushing forward even when she thought that she should just give up. Without slowing she tried to glance over her shoulder to see where Nick was, he was gaining on her and that only made her want to run fast. She tried to will her feet to run faster. She kept praying to God that He help her that she would do anything just to be safe again. She glanced at her surroundings realizing that she’d never been allowed to walk out this far. She must almost be to the road. Just as if an answered pray the trees gave way to a clearing and Veronica saw the road. Thank you God. Just then a car approached. Please stop. Veronica frantically waved her arm. The car slowed and Veronica jumped in.

“Go … drive … please … go!” she frantically motioned for the guy to start driving. She tried to remain calm. Just as the car lurched forward Nick appeared out of the trees. “Drive faster!”

To Veronica’s surprise, the driver spoke English. “Are you in some sort of trouble?”

“I’m not sure.” She cried and cried.

The stranger that Veronica met that day helped her more that any other person in her whole life. He helped her get a new life, a new name and transportation back to the states.

Veronica, now known as Samantha flew directly to Brian’s home in Kentucky, she planned to tell him everything, to present him his son. When she arrived she found Brian and his very pregnant wife, Amanda. She never spoke to him and left Kentucky that night.

On a bus bound for Indiana Samantha decided that she had to stop running. The first stop would be her home. She found a job and made a life for Spencer and herself. And that’s just what she’d done. Never did she try to contact Brian, Nick or even her family. She started at the bottom of the ladder at a local clothing store and was now the store manager. Spencer was in the first grade and the small town in southern Indiana had proven to be a great place to live. The only remembrance of the horrible experience was the recurring nightmares that haunted Samantha when she slept.

~*~*~

“I’m fine. My big boy’s here to save me.” Samantha kissed Spencer’s head.

“I love you Momma.”

“I know sweetie.” They spent most of the day cuddled in bed watching movies.

“Will we still be able to do this after you marry Tim?” Spencer asked while she was up changing movies.

“Of course sweetie. Hopefully Tim realizes that Sundays were made to watch movies in bed.”

~*~*~

In just less that a week Samantha was going to be married. At twenty-nine, Samantha was finally feeling safe. She’d fallen in love with Tim, a teacher at Spencer’s school who was ten years her senior. He was wonderful with Spencer and she loved him very much. He’d promised her the perfect wedding and actually planned most of it himself. With no family to speak of Samantha didn’t want the huge wedding, but Tim insisted. He wanted to give her everything and more. It wasn’t until Spencer suggested that they get married at Walt Disney World that Samantha was actually worried. That was their plan. They were flying to Orlando with all of Tim’s family and were getting married at the happiest place on earth. Why wasn’t a small wedding in Indiana good enough?

Surprisingly enough the wedding went off without a problem. There was no mention on Backstreet in Orlando; it was almost as if the group no longer existed. As far as Samantha could tell they didn’t. Only kink in the whole week happened their last night in Orlando.

“Honey,” Tim began. “Now that we’re married and Spencer’s dad is gone. Do you think that he’d allow me to adopt him?”

Samantha dropped her hairbrush. “Um, I’m sure that Spencer would love that.” There was no way that Samantha could allow him to adopt Spencer. A court of law would discover that Spencer’s birth certificate wasn’t real. What would happen if they found out that Samantha wasn’t her real name? Maybe now would be a good time to tell Tim about my other life, she thought. “Tim, there’s something I need to tell you.” Spencer was asleep in the room he was sharing with Tim’s parents. “It’s pretty important.”

“Sam, are you okay?” Tim asked at the concerned look on his wife’s face.

“My name’s not Samantha.”

“What are you talking about? What do you mean your name isn’t Samantha? I married you and that’s the name on the marriage license.”

“My name is Veronica Braun.”

“The Veronica Braun from Elkhart that died years ago? This isn’t funny, Sam.”

“No really, I’m Veronica.”

“She’s dead.” Tim stood and walked out of the room. That’s where they left it. Veronica was dead.

~*~*~

The next morning while waiting for the airplane Samantha was a mess. This was the very airport that Nick had picked her up in over eight years before. Even though she hardly resembled the young girl from that night she still was worried that someone would recognize her. She was amazed that living in Indiana no one knew who she really was. Her father was not a state representative and lived only a few short hours away from her. Rumor had it that he was going to run for President the following year.

“We will begin boarding flight 2498 to Indianapolis at gate 23. Right now we are seating people with small children or those in need of extra assistance.”

Samantha stood and grabbed her bag. “What are you doing?” Tim asked.

“I just want to get home. We have Spencer. Let’s board.” Sam helped Spencer pick up his gameboy and backpack. “C’mon Tim,” she begged. “I have to get out of this airport.”

“Mom, calm down,” Spencer yelled as his mother dragged him to the plane. “What’s the hurry?”

Sam wasn’t watching where she was going or what she was doing. She totally missed the couple with the baby in front of her. She ran right into the pack of the woman. “Sorry,” she mumbled.

“That’s alright,” the man with her said. He turned to get a better look at the woman. It was her. He’d been looking for her for years. He tended to look at every woman that he passed. It had to be her. Her hairstyle and color had changed. Her eyes were a darker color, but he was positive it was her. “Veronica?”

Her heart began to race. No one called her Veronica anymore. Oh god. She didn’t want to look up. She didn’t want to be there anymore. All she wanted to do was return to her two-story ranch in the small Indiana town. “I’m sorry, you must have me confused with someone else.” Samantha reached into her pocket and pulled out her ticket. “I’m really sorry.” She pushed past the couple and tried to get on the plan.

“Veronica, I know it’s you.” Brian put down the baby carrier that he was holding and grabbed her arm. “My goodness, I thought you were dead.”

I wish I were. Sam didn’t know what to do. If she turned around and spoke to Brian her life would be forever changed, not like it hadn’t been already. “Momma, why is this guy calling you Veronica?”

Tim pushed his way through the group of people standing by the gate. “I’m sorry can we help you?” He asked removing Brian’s hand from Sam’s arm.

“I know her. I thought she was dead.” Brian turned to his wife. “This is Veronica.”

“My wife already told you that you confused her with someone else. Now if you’ll excuse us we have a plane to catch.” Tim tried to ignore the panicked look on Sam’s face. He didn’t want to face the truth the other night when she told him, but now it looked like they just might have to.

“Momma, do you know who this guy is?” Spencer looked up at the man arguing with his mother. “Momma, it’s a member from that music group you don’t like.”

“You don’t like our music?” Brian asked. “Why?”

“You know, this is amusing and all, but we really should board the plane.” Tim picked up Spencer’s hand. “Ready buddy.”

“Wait,” Brian grabbed hold of Spencer’s backpack. “Did she ever tell you why she hated my music.”

“She just told me that I was never allowed to play your songs in her house. She said she hated your music and to never play it.”

“Why do you hate our music?” Brian knew deep down that this was Veronica.

“Listen Brian, I don’t have time for this. I really have to get home. I’m on my honeymoon and you are ruining my life.” Like loving him already didn’t ruin my life.

She’d made a mistake; he never mentioned his name. “Congratulation! Does she still have the sun tattoo on her lower back?” Brian was pushing his luck.

“Listen man, you’re talking about my wife.” Tim again tried to board the plane. Sam tried to follow.

Brian grabbed Sam’s arm again. “I want to see your back. Pull up your shirt.”

Tim came around swinging. “Keep your hand’s off my wife.”

Brian dunked and missed Tim’s punch. “I just want to know why she ran away from me.”

“Maybe because you are an ass.” Tim couldn’t see why Sam had ever been involved with this guy. “Now once again I’m taking my family and boarding this plane.” Just as he tried to walk away security walked up.

“Okay folks, time to break it up,” one of the security officer said. “Time to board the plane or move out of the way.”

“Thank you officer,” Tim said trying to once again board the plane.

“Officer, I have cause to believe that she’s got something that belongs to me.”

Sam heard the words leave Brian’s mouth and that was the last thing that she remembered. She passed out cold. When she came to, she was in a small room. She tried to focus against the bright lights. “Where am I?”

“You’re in an office in the airport.” Brian was sitting in a chair across the room. “You got rid of the tattoo,” he said sadly.

She didn’t have a choice. Nick paid for the surgery to remove the tattoo while she was living with him. She loved the tattoo that Brian had bought for her. She had loved Brian with all her heart too. She thought that he was dead. “Why now?”

“I could ask the same thing. Why’d you leave me? I loved you.”

Sam didn’t want to go into this at all. “Where’s Spencer?”

“He’s with your husband. Where’s Spencer’s father?”

“Dead.” Sam didn’t lie. “In her mind and in Spencer’s, Brian was dead.”

“How’d he die.”

“Brian, I don’t want to go into this.” She tried to sit up but was still lightheaded. Brian helped her lay back down. “Will you please just leave me alone.”

“He’s my son, isn’t he?”

Sam began to cry. “Please just leave us alone.”

“You ran because you were pregnant.” Brian stood and paced. “I would have helped. I would have loved you no matter what.” Brian sat back down next to her. “I’m going to get to know my son.”

“No, you can’ tell him.”

“Yes I can! And I will.”

Sam stood up trying to regain her strength. “I’m leaving.” She tried to open the door, but Brian stopped her.

“Why Veronica … why?”

“I was told that you were killed. I was told that I had to get out of the United States, to safety.”

“Who told you this? Who caused us all this trouble?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“Your father? Did your father ship you off somewhere?”

“No,” Sam continued to cry.

“Then who? I loved you damn it! I was going to ask you to marry me. I wanted to spend my whole life with you.”

The door opened and Spencer walked in. “Don’t yell at my Momma.” Spencer didn’t like this guy. No one was supposed to yell at his mother.

Brian walked over to Spencer and ruffled his hair. “I’m sorry little man. I don’t want to upset you.” Brian glanced up at Samantha. “Are you going to tell him, or am I?”

Sam didn’t know what to do, hell even Brian didn’t know the whole truth. How was she going to tell Spencer who he really was? How was she going to tell Brian that it was his best friend that kidnapped her and held her captive in France?

Tim opened the door just in time to hear Brian ask his question. “I think it would best if we found someplace else to do this.”

“Fine, we can go to my cousin’s house. He’s out of town and he wouldn’t mind.” Brian once again looked at Sam. “You do remember Kevin don’t you?”

Sam simple nodded and followed as Brian led the way to the taxis. “We’ll follow you,” Tim suggested.

“No, I think I want Veronica to ride with us.” He opened the door and let Amanda and Sam get in the back with the baby, while he rode up front with the driver.

“My name is Amanda,” the young woman sitting next to Sam finally said.

“I’m Samantha,” Sam said feeling quite awkward. “I’ve actually spoke with you on the phone, about seven years ago. Right after Spencer was born.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t remember,” Amanda apologized.

“Thanks okay, you actually helped save me …” Sam let it trail off not really wanting to remember the bad times.

“Saved you from who?” Brian asked.

“I can’t tell you Brian. Not yet at least.” She wanted to find out if he still spoke to Nick, if Nick had ever mentioned anything to him. “I’ll try to explain everything soon.”

They rode the rest of the way to Kevin’s in silence. The baby the only distraction. The small child that was buckled in between his mother and Sam looked a great deal like Brian. “She’s precious,” Sam said breaking the silence.

“Thank you. She’s our first,” Amanda gushed. “Brian wanted a boy, but he loves her very much.”

Sam let a tear run down her cheek. How was she going to tell Spencer that Brian was his father? How was she going to tell Brian that his best friend stole her away from him?

Sam walked around the living room of Kevin’s house. She glanced at the pictures on his piano. “Kevin’s still married?”

“Yes. They have three kids, all girls,” Amanda asked joining Sam by the piano. “He’s living in LA right now.”

“And Howie?”

“Still here in Orlando. Married, no kids.” Amanda continued on without Sam asking her. “AJ’s divorced two boys. And little Nicky is engaged, no kids.” Sam wanted to cringe at the mere mention of Nick’s name. “We were actually on our way to see him. He’s living in Chicago.”

“That’s nice.” Sam was relieved when the guys finally walked into the room. “Um, I think I need to talk to Spencer. Is there someplace private?”

“I’ll show you into Kevin’s den.” Brian led the way to a secluded area of the main floor. “Kevin liked it quiet when he works.” Brian opened the door to reveal a very masculine room with walls coated in wood paneling, a mahogany desk and leather couches done in deep burgundy. “Do you want me to stay?”

“No, I’ll come get you after I talk to Spencer.” Sam closed the door, then sat down on one of the couches. “Spencer,” she paused trying to find a way to explain this so that he’d understand. “Spencer, I need to tell you something very important.” She patted the seat next to her, “Come sit next to me.”

“Momma, why are we here? I don’t understand.”

“I’m going to try to explain it to you. I was in love with Brian a very long time ago. Out of that love we made you.” She watched him very carefully. “You don’t understand, do you?” Spencer shook his head. “Brian is your dad.”

“But you said that my dad died.” Spencer was trying to understand what his mother was telling him.

“I was told that he died, but the person who told me lied to me.”

“That’s bad!” Spencer yelled. “Lying is very bad.”

“I know Spencer, but I don’t think that this person really meant to hurt me.” Sam played with her son’s hair. “There is going to be a lot that happens and some of it you won’t understand. I’ll try to explain it to you the best that I can, okay buddy?”

Spencer nodded. “Does this mean that Tim can’t be my daddy?”

Sam let a tear slide down her cheek, “I’m not sure sweetie, it’s up to Brian.”

“I want Tim to be my daddy.”

“I know.” Sam stood up and walked over to the door. “Why don’t you go find Tim for me.”

Spencer stood and hugged his mother. “I love you Momma.”

“I love you too buddy.”

Spencer left the room and Sam paced around the small room. She could see Kevin sitting behind the desk deep in thought. She loved her time spent with the group.

“Penny for your thoughts,” Brian said standing in the doorway. “Can I come in?”

“Sure.”

“Veronica, I really need you to tell me all that happened. I need to understand.”

“Okay, first, you need to stop calling me Veronica. My name is Samantha. Veronica died on a rainy day a long time ago in France.” Sam sat on the edge of Kevin’s desk. “I was on my way to see you. I had gotten the plane tickets that you’d sent me and I was very excited to see you. I’d been really sick, I now know that it was because I was pregnant. I flew into Orlando and waited at the gate for Matt. I knew that was our normal plan. When he didn’t show I went down to the luggage area thinking that maybe I was mistaken. I found a driver with my name and went with him. He led me into a limousine and I was expecting you. Instead,” Sam stopped. She just couldn’t tell him about Nick.

“What? What happened?” Brian walked over to her and slightly shook her shoulders. “Who was in the limo? Who did this to us?”

That was all it took. This was done to the both of them. Nick ruined both of their lives. “Brian, I want to tell you, but I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Is it someone that I know?”

“Yes,” she said putting her head down.

Brian placed a finger under Sam’s chin. “You have to tell me. Whoever did this deserves to pay.”

“Brian, it was Nick,” she said in a slight whisper.

“No way! NO way that my best friend kidnapped you and …” That’s when it all clicked. “Oh my goodness, you’re the girl that he was going to see all the time in France. Oh my goodness! The whole time that I was missing you and whining to him he had you held captive in France.”

“He told me that you’d been killed. I had no reason not to believe him. When I found out that I was pregnant he was convinced that it was his.”

“You slept with Nick!” Brian blew up and tried to pace to calm himself back down.

“Brian, he told me that you were killed. I just needed to be held. I just needed to be loved,” Sam cried.

Brian turned to her, “I’m not upset with you. I’m upset with my so-called best friend. How dare he take away the love of my life.” Brian pulled her into a hug. “I’m so sorry, I’m sorry that this ever happened to you.” Brian let go of her. “It had to have been awful for you.”

Sam walked away from Brian. There was no easy way to tell him the rest of the story. “It wasn’t all that bad. The house was gorgeous. I had servants at my beckon call. There was a pool and tennis courts. I made friends with Mrs. Laux and she was almost like a second mother for me. When Sean was born she took care of both of us.”

“Sean?” Brian didn’t understand, “Who’s Sean?”

“Spencer, his given name was Sean Michael. I only changed it when I fled Europe.”

“Nick said that the girl he was dating in France died. He even told us that she was pregnant and that the baby was born early and died. That’s about the same time that he moved back to the United States.”

“I’m so sorry Brian, if I would have know that Nick was lying I would have questioned or something.” Sam didn’t know what she would have actually changed. She’d like to have changed a great deal of things. She’d like to be able to see her family, have them be a part of Spencer’s life. “Brian, I want to return home. I want Tim to adopt Spencer. I want my life to go back to some sort of normalcy. I’ve been living life looking over my shoulder for far too long.” Sam paused and looked at Brian. “I want the nightmare to end.”

Brian granted her wish. He let her return to Indiana with her new husband and their son. He even let Tim adopt Spencer. Every father's day a small package arrived from Indiana and Brian knew that he was thought about. He also knew that the gifts were from Sam and that Spencer had forgot all about the day they met in Florida. The gifts and pictures were all that Brian needed, he survived knowing that his son was loved and taken care of.

Sam and Tim welcomed home a daughter almost a year after their marriage. She was the perfect addition to their family. With the encouragement of her husband Sam even called and talked to her parents. They were happy to hear from her and glad that she was alive. After all that Sam had been through this was an ending that she’d never dreamt of, a happily ever after ending.

The End

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