Sam finished putting the last place setting on the table and poured a glass of Chardonnay for everyone. She returned to the kitchen to pull the steaming lasagna from the oven. Grabbing a trivet on her way back out to the dining room, she carried the dish to the table, placing it between the garlic bread and Caesar salad. She looked over the table with satisfaction. Her job required so much travel, she didn't get a chance to show off her culinary skills as often as she liked. She called out to the others, letting them know dinner was ready.
Dani and Howie entered the dining room and took their seats silently. Sam gave her friend a sympathetic look, noting that Dani was on the verge of tears. AJ strolled in a moment later. "Mmmmmm, lasagna," he said inhaling the aroma deeply. "My favorite. You always did know how to please me Sam," he remarked too innocently as he slid into his seat. Sam glared at him and he smiled at her in return. He knew that if looks could kill, he'd be a dead man. As the uncomfortable silence at the table lengthened, AJ sought to lighten the mood a little. "Dani, I really like the new hat rack you put in my room," he quipped.
"Yeah, it reminded me of you." she said quietly as she gave Sam an apologetic look. "It's the tribal fertility god you sent me, Sam. It fit the decor in AJ's room," she said, shrugging. Sam gave Dani an exasperated look. "I don't think AJ needs an idol with a 10 inch penis to encourage him," Sam said cooly. "He has a hard enough time keeping his own where it should be." Howie raised his napkin to his mouth as he began to choke on his laughter. He stifled it quickly after a warning look from Dani.
The only sound that could be heard for the next few moments was the clinking of silverware. No one was eating, rather just pushing the food around their plates lost in their own thoughts. AJ picked up his butter knife and ran his finger over the edge. "I'm gonna need a sharper knife than this," he joked, "to cut the tension in this room."
"Well, if the person you had thought you wanted to spend the rest of your life with didn't trust you....." Howie started to blurt out. Dani's head jerked up as she realized the implication of Howie's remark. Howie watched the tears well up in her eyes before she dropped her head into her hands and began to sob. Shocked by her reaction, he quickly moved to her side, wrapping his arms around her. "Oh God, baby, please don't cry. I didn't mean it the way it sounded," he said as he buried his face in her hair.
"I do trust you," she chocked out amidst her sobs. "I'm just trying to protect you."
"You can't do it all by yourself. Let me...let us...... help you baby," he pleaded. Dani turned into Howie's embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck. She clung to him tightly as she began to explain everything. Between her sobs, she told them about the program she had found on the prototype of the CD. AJ and Howie were stunned as they realized the seriousness of the situation and the consequences it could have on the group's future. "Howie, why don't you take Dani into the living room," Sam said as she began to clear the table. "I'll clean up here."
"I'll help you Sam," AJ said solemnly. Sam saw that his hand was shaking as he picked up his plate. She reached out and laid her hand over his. Looking deeply into his eyes she said "It'll be all right. Dani is the best at what she does. She'll straighten it out and we'll get to the bottom of who is trying to hurt you." AJ's eyes caressed her face tenderly as he leaned his head toward hers. Sam hesitated briefly before ducking her head and hurrying into the kitchen.
Howie settled Dani onto the sofa and held her tightly in his arms. As she struggled to regain her composure, Howie stroked her hair back away from her face. Even with her eyes bloodshot and puffy from crying and lack of sleep he thought she was beautiful. He silently vowed to himself to never let anything separate them. "Howie," Dani began, "I have to go to Dallas. My security clearance has been tampered with, probably by the person who put the program in the CD, and it's no longer valid." Dani began to rub at her temples, unable to contain her distress. Her voice rose as she told Howie, "The only way I can stop the production and make sure that the disks are destroyed is to go in person. I'll only be gone a couple of days," she said tearfully.
"Shhh, shhh," he said, trying to calm her. "If you need to be in Dallas, then we'll go to Dallas." Howie said reassuringly.
"You're not going without me," AJ said, having overheard their conversation as he walked into the room. Dani looked up at her two friends. "Oh, Sam," she said, "I am so sorry. We've been planning our vacation for months and now its ruined."
"I came to see you. If you're going to Dallas, then I'm going to Dallas." Sam said emphatically.
"It's decided then, we'll leave for Dallas Sunday morning." Howie said resolutely. "Why don't we give it a rest for tonight. Dani's exhausted." He fixed his gaze on Dani and caressed her cheek gently with his finger. "I'm going to go upstairs and run us a hot bath," he said tenderly.
"That sounds good. I'll be up in a few minutes," she said as Howie kissed her softly. As Howie left, Sam went over and took his place next to Dani. "I'm glad to see that's over with. And now you get to have make up sex." Sam giggled and winked at her friend.
"I'd like to have some of that make up sex," AJ muttered beneath his breath as he strolled over to the CD player and pushed the play button. "Like a Virgin" came blaring from the speakers. Sam groaned melodramatically and fell back against the couch. Dani grinned, knowing her efforts had not been lost on her friend. "Hey cool!" AJ said as he began to dance around the room doing his best Madonna impersonation. Sam and Dani dissolved into laughter.
"I couldn't stand this stuff back in college, much less now," Sam said laughingly. "Although, I will admit the clothes were pretty cool!" she snickered, making fun of herself.
"College! I was in the third grade when this song was out. My babysitter played it all the time. She was a college girl too, if I remember right," AJ said. Sam's laughter faded and she gave AJ a reproachful look. "I'm gonna go unpack," she said abruptly. "I'll be in my room if you need to talk," she told Dani. She left the room quickly and ran up the stairs before either Dani or AJ could reply.
"You couldn't have just let that one go?" Dani sighed. AJ shrugged, "I don't know why she has to be so damn touchy about her age anyway," he griped, as he flipped through Dani and Howie's CD collection. " It's not like she's all that old."
"It's not her age that bothers her so much," Dani told him. "It's yours. And your fans. And Amanda's. She doesn't feel like she can compete with all the young, beautiful women that throw themselves at you."
"She's as beautiful as any of them," AJ said emphatically.
"Try convincing her of that," Dani said as she rose from the couch. "I'm going to lock up and go on upstairs," she told AJ.
"Yeah, you'd better hurry up or Sweet D might just shrivel up on you," AJ joked and winked at her. "Uh, Dani?" he said.
"What, Alex?" she replied.
"Does Sam want to compete? With all those other women, I mean," he said.
"Oh, no!," Dani said throwing her hands up in the air as she walked away. "I am not going there.
If you want to know, ask her yourself."
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