This Can't Be Love

Chapter 4: Playing Dumb

Samantha sits in the bed of her upstairs room at her mother Bethany's house. She has a note in her hand that she did not want her mother to know about. There was no insurance in the envelope as she had told Bethany earlier; it was a letter from Aaron. Samantha doesn't like her mother bringing up the subject of how much Aaron likes her, so she'll do what she can to make it seem innocent and minor. This includes hiding from her mother, the love notes that Aaron sends...

"Dear Sam, I am hoping you liked the necklace. I am sure it will look just divine on you. Everything does. Well, I am hoping you are aware of this, I put your name on the guest list for my company's cocktail party tomorrow. I hope to see you there. And I hope you wear this necklace. It'll be great to see you again, as it always is. Take care, gorgeous.

-Love, Aaron"

"Why does he do these things?"

Samantha shakes her head and folds up the piece of paper. She reaches down to the bottom drawer on her dresser and pulls it out. There are hundreds of other similar folded up notes just overflowing the bottom drawer. Samantha tosses the newly folded letter in with the rest and pushes the drawer in with her foot.

In another side of town, a similar drawer closes in a brighter lit household with seemingly more expensive furniture. It is not just any drawer; it is Aaron's personal safe. He has just taken out a family heirloom from it; his mother's engagement ring. Aaron stands in front of a full length mirror wearing his evening tuxedo, rehearsing what he may or may not say to Samantha when he sees her tomorrow.

"Oh hey Sam... I also wanted to ask you a quick question..."

He pulls out his mother's engagement ring, as if imitating a secret agent pulling out a gun.

"No, that wouldn't work."

He hops in place and shakes off his posture, exhales, and tries again. This time he raises one eyebrow and puts on a half smile, deepening his voice to a lower octave.

"Samantha, that's a nice necklace. How would you like a matching ring to go with it?"

He once again releases his posture and looks down at the ground. He runs his hand down his face while exhaling, as he usually does.

"Come on, Aaron! Think! Be clever, be clever, Sam likes clever..."

Back at Bethany's house, Samantha now sits at the dinner table, eating with her mother. The usual dinner small talk takes place.

"How are things at the university?"

"Stressful, painful, dreadful, if I didn't get to come home every weekend I'd probably kill myself-ful, you know... that sort of thing-ful."

"That good, huh?"

The two share a short laugh, but continue the silence of enjoying their dinner. A few short seconds later, Bethany once again breaks the silence.

"So I assume you'll need to borrow a dress tomorrow?"

"A dress?"

Samantha is very well aware of the party Aaron invited her to, but has no idea that her mother had been told about it as well, so she played the clueless card.

"What the hell would I want to borrow a dress for?"

"Oh doll I'm sorry, I guess I forgot to tell you... Aaron called. He said he put us on the guest list for one of his company's fancy parties tomorrow."

"What do you mean 'us'? I thought it was just me."

"So you know about it?"

"Well, no, I mean sort of. I mean, no. It's just you know every week he invites me somewhere and I'm just so used to it now. It's weird, that he'd invite both of us, that is..."

Bethany laughs a bit.

"Look at you."

"What?"

"You don't want me to go."

"What? No, it's not that. I'd love for you to go. Like I said, it's just he never, you know... ahh nevermind."

"I understand doll I'm just teasing you. Look, I have no intentions of going, it's not my kind of thing. He only said he'd put "Plus One" just in case. But, if you want to borrow a dress, the offer still stands."

"Thanks! I think I'll take you up on that offer. I'll go and have a good time and you can stay home, and be weird by yourself..."

"I'm not weird..."

"... watching 'Lonely Lady' or whatever it is 50 year olds do."

"Sammy? I'm 43!"

"Potayto Potahto. But it's okay... Be weird, mom, be weird. You're good at it."

"Hehe you're such a jerk."

Bethany laughs with her daughter and they continue to eat their dinner.

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Author's Note**

I am very open to any questions anyone may want answered in future chapters, or anything that you would like me to explain or go into more detail as well. Please don't forget to vote and fan me if you like my work :) Thank You so much for letting me share this with you. -GB