SATURDAY - MAY 29, 1976

Sarah groaned as the tent flapped opened allowing the morning light to shine in on her.

"Good morning!" Midgie's voice sang out, entirely too loud for Sarah's pounding head. "Pete's making pancakes, are you going to get up, sleepyhead?"

"No." Sarah's mouth felt dry, and she still tasted the wine in the back of her throat. Or maybe it was the wine coming back up, she couldn't tell and didn't want to think about it. She pulled the pillow over her head. "Just let me lie here for a couple minutes.", she whispered as she drifted off again.

When Sarah made her way out of the tent, a half hour later, Sam was sitting at the table with Pete and Midgie eating pancakes. He smiled when he saw her, she had on last nights tee shirt, and a baggy pair of boxers; her hair was loose and jumbled around her shoulders and down her back.

He didn't think he had ever seen any girl look so sexy. He patted the bench beside him, "Good morning, beautiful. How did you sleep last night?"

She groaned as she sat beside him resting her head on his shoulder.

Pete motioned towards the end of the table. "Aspirins are right there for you."

Sarah whispered, "Thank you" and reached for them, then poured herself a cup of coffee. She took a couple bites of the pancakes he set before her, then pushed the plate away. Her stomach was churning.

Sam looked down at her in concern, "I didn't know you would be so sick this morning."

Pete let out a low chuckle, "She'll be ok, she just gets this way on wine." He looked over at her, "A hot shower will make you feel better."

Sarah nodded, and held onto Sam's shoulder as he helped her up.

Midgie let out a loud laugh, she hadn't paid too much attention when Sarah came out of the tent, but she saw her now. "Girl, what in the hell are you doing in Pete's pajamas?"

Sarah looked down, seeing that she was wearing the boxer shorts Pete wore to bed. She looked over at Pete, who just shrugged his shoulders, trying not to laugh.

Sarah sounded confused as she said, "I don't know, they were the first thing I grabbed this morning." She turned and shuffled into the tent.

Sam had sat quietly through it all, watching carefully. He tried not to let his mind dwell on the image of Sarah and Pete together. He made up his mind not to read too much into it.

Sarah came back out of the tent with a puzzled look on her face. "I can't find my other shoe." She looked over at Sam. "I had them both on last night, right?"

He nodded in agreement, adding, "When I left here, you had both shoes on."

Midgie got up from the table with a sigh, "No more wine for you, Sarah." She opened the flap and walked into the tent, then reappeared, holding the missing shoe. "It was over by Pete's bag."

Sam's hand jerked, spilling his coffee. As he wiped it up, he kept telling himself that he was imagining things.

Midgie announced she was going to the showers with Sarah, "Somebody has to go make sure she can find the way. That girl cannot handle her wine." She shook her head as she followed her.

It was quiet at the table after the girls left. Pete concentrated on his pancakes, eating a huge stack, hungrily.

Sam glanced his way, "Sarah told me that you've seen me sing. Where was it at?"

Pete chewed his bite, then looked over, setting down his fork. "It was at the music hall on the other side of Buffalo. You guys put on a hell of a show. I was pretty wasted, but the music was good." He paused, thinking, then went on, his voice low and forceful. "You were with a red head that night."

Sam looked shocked, he felt the hard ball of dread form in the pit of his stomach. "How do you know who I was with that night?" He demanded.

"She was in the front row, I saw you bend over and say something to her." Pete pushed his plate back and lit a cigarette, offering one to Sam.

Sam shook his head, and pulled out one of his own from his pack on the table. He looked over at Pete, through the smoke. "That doesn't mean I was with her that night."

"No, it doesn't. But I was in the same motel as you." Pete paused to watch Sam's reaction, "In the room next to yours." He paused again, then added with a smirk, "You two were very loud. She was a screamer."

Sam sat and felt a numbness flow through his veins. Then he looked sideways at Pete. "Does Sarah know this?" He added quickly, "Although, you know, this was before I met her."

Pete shook his head. "No, there is no way I will tell her that. It would tear her up. I know it was before you met her. But that's why I told you yesterday that she isn't like those girls. She doesn't do one night stands."

Sam looked over at Pete, calculating. "Then let me ask you this. I came back here last night for my cigarettes, I had dropped them without knowing it. I saw you and Sarah looking pretty chummy, sitting right here, on this table. What was that all about?"

Pete sat up sharply, looking alarmed. "Why didn't you let us know you were here?"

"I don't know. There was something about the way you two were sitting there, I felt like it was a private moment between you two. I didn't think I should intrude upon it." Sam squinted his eyes and challenged him. "Is there something between you and Sarah?"

Pete stood up. "Sarah and I are good friends. I fucking told you that before." He bit it out, angrily, and grabbed his car keys, headed for his car, "Fuck, man, she is crazy over you. If you can't see that, then you're fucking blind." He got in his car and gunned the engine as he tore out of the campsite.

Sarah walked back from the shower house alone, Midgie had gone back up to Dave's office. She saw Sam standing by the firepit. She looked around, then asked, "Did Pete leave for work already?"

Sam turned around and looked at her. Her face had more color in it, but her eyes were still shadowed with dark circles. "Are you feeling better?" He crossed over to her, enveloping her in a hug while his hand played with her braid.

She nodded her head against his chest. "Yeah, much better. The hot shower helped my headache. So, did Pete leave already?"

Sam sat at the picnic table and pulled her down on his lap. His hands ran the length of her braid, he stared at it as he rubbed the end of it between his fingers. "I think I really fucked up, Sarah."

Sarah looked at him in bewilderment. "What do you mean?"

"I came by here again last night after I said good night to you. You and Pete were out here talking, and hugging..." He glanced up as he felt her body tense.

"You came back? You were here?" Sarah's fogged mind tried to process it. If he came back and saw them, did he also hear what they said? She wanted to ask him, but was afraid to hear his answer. All these years Pete had kept his life private, it would kill him to know that his secret had been found out.

Sam saw the worried look on Sarah's face. Maybe there was more to last night than what Pete had said. "What the fuck is going on?" He asked curiously, his voice rising.

"Nothing is going on. Pete was having a bad night and we were talking, that's all." She looked at him through her lashes, hoping that would appease him. She saw the doubtful look on his face. She had to talk to Pete before she told Sam anything else.

"Do you always sit and hug each other while you talk?" Sarah heard the heavy sarcasm in his voice.

"You have to understand. Pete and I have known each other all our lives. We grew up together, we have always talked and helped each other out. If he's having a bad time with things, then, yeah! I will hug him!" Sarah was getting upset with Sam. He still didn't look like he fully believed her.

She looked at him, her face angry, her voice raised. "We are friends, good friends. Don't you know by now that I don't sleep around! Haven't I made that clear enough to you? If there was something going on with Pete, I wouldn't have spent the whole fucking day with you!" She stood up and stomped off, into the tent.

Sam sat there, stunned; he and Sarah had just argued. He reached over for a cigarette, then spotted a joint in the pack. He took it out instead and lit it, holding in the smoke as long as he could, before he slowly let it out. He watched it dissipate into the air then hit the joint, again, holding the smoke in.

He knew Sarah was right, she wouldn't have been with him if she had something going on with Pete. But he couldn't shake the feeling that he was missing something. He sat and smoked the entire joint, waiting for Sarah to come out.

Finally, shaking his head, he walked towards the tent, calling her name.

***

Sarah had stormed into the tent, then stopped just inside the door. She looked around, not really seeing anything, her mind was a jumbled mess. She couldn't believe that she had just argued with Sam, and it was over Pete.

Pete! Oh my god! She felt tears forming as she wondered what he was going through now, if Sam had told him. Maybe he didn't even know.

She had to find a way to talk to him today. She knew Sam was still out there, waiting for her. But she wasn't ready to face him yet.

She sat on her sleeping bag and swiped at the tears that refused to stop. Looking around the tent, she thought of all the times she and Pete had been in here alone. Just five years ago, they had shared a sleeping bag. Now, they shared secrets. She would never tell his secret to anyone, Pete trusted her and knew it was safe.

But what if Sam knew? He hadn't said if he had heard what they were talking about. She had no idea what his feelings about homosexuality were, but her first instinct was to protect Pete. She knew she would have to face Sam and lie to him if he asked about it.

She heard Sam call out to her, asking her to come out. She sighed as she lifted herself off the floor, it was time to face him and talk things through.

***

"I'm sorry."

Those were Sam's first words as she exited the tent. She went into his open arms, resting her head on his chest, and wrapping her arms around his waist.

He tucked a finger under her chin bringing her face up. Smoothing the tears from her cheeks, he leaned in for a tender kiss. "I'm sorry, Sarah. I was wrong. I didn't mean to hurt you."

She looked into his face and saw the sincerity in his eyes. "I'm sorry too,Sam. I'm sorry that I lost my temper." She raised up for a kiss and he met her halfway, both hungrily reconnecting.

"You know, we could go inside the tent and make up?" Sam said, half in jest. His lips moved over hers, planting small kisses.

Sarah laughed and gave him a solid smacking kiss before moving away. "Or we could just spend the day at the beach." she looked over her shoulder at him, teasing. "I think I'm safer at the beach."

Sam nodded, reluctantly, "Before we do anything, I have to call Georgie. Is there a pay phone around here?" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a scrap of paper. "He's at the hotel now, I'm sure."

Sarah was at the table, packing a bag for their day by the lake. Her heart jumped when she heard his question. There was a pay phone in town near the hardware store. She could slip in and talk to Pete.

They walked back to Sam's campsite to get his bike. Sarah was excited, giggling as she told him that she had never ridden a motorcycle. Sam pulled the helmets from the saddlebags, and put one on Sarah. He laughed as he hooked the strap under her chin, "God, you look cute!" He gave her a kiss, then put his on own .

She climbed on the back, Sam showing her where to put her feet. Then he started it up and they left the campground.

Sarah loved the freedom of riding, the wind blew Sam's hair into her face, tickling her cheeks. She tightened her arms around his waist as he turned onto the main road. It was a quick ride, over before she was ready for it to end.

"We have to go for a ride when we are done here!" she told him as soon as he stopped. She hopped into his outstretched arms, and he spun her as he set her down.

Sam chuckled, pleased at her excitement. "I'll give you a good ride, sweetheart. I promise." He headed for the phone booth on the corner. "I'll just be a few minutes."

Sarah looked across the street at the hardware store, an idea popped into her head. "I'm going to run in and get some batteries for our flashlights. I'll be right back."

Sam watched her as she entered the store, he knew she was going to talk to Pete. He didn't really believe they were actually fucking yet.....He knew who was doing the most pushing in that direction. He had felt the hostility coming from Pete.

Sarah entered the store and spotted Pete, a few aisles over, stocking the shelves. She hurried over to him, grabbing his arm. "Did Sam say something to you about last night?" she asked, worriedly.

Pete shook his head. "It was crazy. Sam said he saw us last night."

"Did he hear us? Does he know what we said?" She glanced around, keeping her voice low.

"No, I don't think he did. Baby, I'm sorry, I lost it when he said he saw us. All I could think about was that he might have heard us."

"We had a pissy little argument, but it's okay now." She looked out the window. She could see Sam still in the phone booth. "I told Sam I was coming in to get batteries...Can you just give me a couple packs, quick, I think he's almost done on the phone."

Pete walked over to the battery display, handing her the batteries. He looked out the window and saw Sam, standing by his bike. "I think he's waiting for you. Is he going to be here tonight?"

"No, I don't think so. He said he had to be in Cleveland tonight. Why?" She watched Sam out the window. He was still standing by his bike, his back to the store, she knew she couldn't be much longer.

"Meet me later?" Pete glanced at Sarah sideways. "Maybe we can take the boat out."

"I'll meet you here." She promised, then hurried out of the store.

She held up the batteries as she walked up to Sam. "Can we put these in your saddlebags?"

"Yeah, no problem." He took them and stored them inside a bag, then turned to her and grinned wickedly. "Ready to go for a ride, sweetheart?"

Sam took her on the back roads, gunning the engine and letting the bike fly over the small rolling dips. He could hear Sarah giggling behind him as she felt her stomach pitch. He liked the feel of her arms around him, her legs hugging his hips. He turned down a road that dead ended into a rise. The lake was just on the other side, beyond the tall scrub grass.

Holding Sam's hand, Sarah climbed off, removing her helmet.

Sarah looked around, and laughed, "I know where we are." She turned her head his way, tipping it to one side, flirting. "You know, this is a pretty deserted area. Not too many people come here."

"Lucky for us." He grinned mischievously and led her over the rise and down the hill. The shore line was rocky, moss covered the bases of the huge rocks and swirled around as the waves washed against them. Trees and thick bushes edged the shore on both sides, blocking their view of the surrounding neighborhood. They walked over and leaned against a boulder, sharing a joint as they looked around, admiring the beauty and solitude.

Sam reached for her braid, automatically, "I really am sorry for this morning, you know that, right?" He asked softly.

She nodded and looked up at him. "I know, it's alright " She turned to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, smiling, sadly, up at him. "We only have a couple hours until you leave. Let's not talk about this morning." She leaned up and kissed him, her tongue sliding around his as Sam pulled her up and deepened the kiss.

When the kiss ended, Sam tucked Sarah's face into his neck, whispering in her ear. "You're staying with me tomorrow night, Sarah. Agreed?"

"Yes", she said dreamily. Then she popped up her head, shaking it, "Oh, shit!" she exclaimed.

"What's wrong?" Sam was puzzled.

Sarah shook her head, in frustration, "I'm on my period. The timings all off, I don't want our first time to happen like this." Sarah looked at him, a small giggle escaped.

Sam growled, and she burst at laughing. "I'm sorry, it's not funny, I know. But the look on your face." She wrapped her arms around her middle as she giggled some more; Sam grabbed her with a laughing growl this time, and swung her out near the water.

"No! Sam put me down!"Sarah shrieked. She was overcome by laughter now, and totally helpless as Sam held her arms pinned and swung out closer to the water.

Sam's foot sunk deep in the wet sand and they stumbled towards the water. He swung around to take the impact before Sarah, causing her to collapse on top of him.

They gasped in surprise as Sam hit the water, then Sarah landed on him. The water was deeper than they thought; it splashed around their shoulders, soaking them both. Sarah started laughing again; turning it into a contagious bout of hilarity, both giggling and rolling in the water, trying to stand up.

Sam caught his footing and pulled Sarah up, wiping the water off her cheeks. He held her face between his hands, smoothing back the stray strands that escaped from her braid; he leaned in and kissed the tip of her nose.

Sarah took a deep breath, and giggled, but Sam stuck out a finger, wagging it. "No more, please." Then he let out a chuckle and wrapped his arms around her shoulder, pulling her to him. "You are amazing, sweetheart."

They found a boulder large enough to recline against, their feet barely grazing the sand. The warmth of the sun dried their clothes, and they both felt the tranquility as they lay there.

Sam felt for Sarah's hand, locking their fingers. After lying there quietly, for awhile, he spoke, "You're good for me, Sarah. I feel different, better, since I've met you."

"What do you mean?" Sarah questioned.

"When I pulled into the campground yesterday morning, I was wound up tight. That was the reason I wanted to drive to Cleveland by myself. I needed time to relax and I thought it would be best if I was by myself." Sam's voice was thoughtful as he remembered it.

Sarah laughed, "You weren't by yourself very long."

"No." Sam agreed, truthfully. "But it was so much nicer when I met you."

He turned on his side, propping up on his elbow. She had pulled her braid to the front, and he picked it up and played with it.

"I love all the colors in your braid." He murmured. Then he touched her face with his fingers,lightly, following the curve of her cheek.

Sarah smiled and rubbed her cheek against his fingertips.

"Will you still spend the night with me tomorrow?" He whispered.

"If you still want me to." She looked into his eyes and saw her answer.

He kissed her, tenderly, whispering against her lips. "I want you to."

***

Sam leaned back in his seat on the bike and held his arm around Sarah's waist as she stood beside him. "I'll see you tomorrow afternoon?"