Work

Steven said "Paris? I was told it is dirty."

Sam stopped walking turned around and inquired, "you have never been to Paris?"

"So", Stephen said.

Samantha retorted, "it is barely a half day drive."

"So" was all Steven could say to Sam as she stood there in her yoga outfit looking at him like he was an alien that had just landed on earth and had just asked to her to come back to his ship. Because that is exactly how he felt right now. Like she was trying to abduct him. Take him away from his work. Not that he would be opposed to being abducted by her. It was a new feeling, and one that he was not sure he was going to choose of his own volition.

Work is what made Steven feel safe. It is what gave him purpose. He felt that if he was giving it his all every moment, if anything ever went wrong he would know that he could not blame it on not working hard enough.

"So" said Sam. "Are you going to let everyone else take care of business today and you and me go on a road trip?"

"Um. I have two appointments this afternoon."

"Nope. I cancelled them yesterday and rescheduled them for Monday."

"Why did you do that?"

"You need the day off?"

"I have stuff to do."

"Yes, you do and it will still be there to be done on Monday. Today, is about yourself…and me."

"I told my dad's nurse that I would be there this weekend."

"I checked with her and she did not have anything planned and was okay with staying over the weekend."

As they were bantering back and forth Steven did not realize that Sam had walked back to him and was within striking distance. As Steven started in to his next rebuttal, Sam grabbed his hand. The touch stopped him mid thought and the rebuttal was defenestrated from his mind.

Sam gave her ultimatum, "you can go back to your office and keep looking out that window. Looking for something you have not been able to find from that vantage point, or we can go find some new vistas. I can't promise you we will find any answers. But we will try, for the both of us."