THURSDAY - JUNE 17,1976

Sam turned to close the door of their hotel room, putting out the Do Not Disturb sign first. He turned to see Sarah drop her duffle and sit on the bed, bouncing to test it. The rest of the group had gone for breakfast at the restaurant beside the hotel, but they had begged off, telling everyone they would see them later.

Sam walked over and stood in front of Sarah, pulling her up to him. His hands grazed over her shoulders, sliding the loose peasant top down. He leaned over and planted small kisses over her neck, whispering. "We have all day. I am going to cover every inch of your body with kisses."

Sarah shivered and held his head, running her fingers through the silky waves as Sam worked his way down, telling her how beautiful she was as his tongue followed each kiss. She felt him tugging at her shirt and she lifted her arms so he could remove it. His hands worked at the zipper of her jeans, and she felt the cool air hit her legs as he slid them off. She stood in her panties as his kisses continued further down her stomach.

Sam coaxed her back on the bed, while he slipped his hand in the waistband of her panties, sliding them off also. His voice was deep with passion as he told her that he loved her, his kisses still trailing lower.

She arched against him and he chuckled, nuzzling against her softly curled triangle. "Not yet, sweetheart." She moaned as he traveled down her legs, then captured a foot, tickling her as he flicked his tongue against her arch.

"I love your feet, right down to these hot pink toenails. I don't know what it is, but these toes turn me on!" He kissed her foot, sliding her toe into his mouth, and swirling his tongue around it, sensuously. Finally, he slowly kissed his way up her leg.

"Sam, please!" She begged. Then she sighed and buried her fingers in his hair, arching her hips again as she felt his kisses go deeper.

Sarah leaned over the bed and reached for her cigarette pack, pulling out the joint she had hidden there earlier. She lit it and passed it to Sam, who was propped against the headboard beside her.

"So, what else are we going to do today?" She asked, coyly, as she snuggle up to him.

"We've only been here a couple hours. I thought we could just stay in bed all day." Sam hit the joint then held it to her lips, grinning down at her.

"Really?" Sarah pretended to think about it seriously, "Not a bad idea, but....."

She giggled as Sam's fingers started tickling her belly.

"Not a bad idea?" Sam asked, laughing. "You weren't complaining just a few minutes ago!"

She grabbed his hand and held it. "I thought maybe we could go on a real date."

Sam looked at Sarah's hopeful look. "Is that what you want, sweetheart?" Sarah nodded.

Sam answered her, kissing the tip of her nose as he did. "Ok, where would you like to go?"

Sarah paused as she hit the joint and thought about it. Now was their chance to actually go out alone and have fun. An idea hit her and she giggled.

"How about we go to the movies?" She asked.

"Movies?" Sam sounded surprised.

"Well, yeah, that's a date where I come from, you know." Sarah teased him. She held the half smoked joint between them. "Shotgun?"

"Sure, sweetheart." Sam put the joint, backwards in his mouth, and blew the smoke into her puckered lips. He took it out, and leaned forward, sucking in the smoke that Sarah exhaled. She smiled and touched her finger to his dimple.

"Okay, we'll go to a movie." Sam conceded.

They had checked with the hotel desk clerk and found a movie they agreed on and the clerk assured them that the theater was within walking distance. The times listed allowed them to go to lunch first so they went to the restaurant next door.

Sam bit into his cheeseburger, hungrily, then looked over and saw Sarah set down her sandwich after taking a bite.

"What's wrong? I don't know about you, but I worked up an appetite." He grinned, mischievously.

"I don't know, this fish tastes funny." She pulled the piece of fish out from the bun and looked at it, then shrugged and set it aside. "I think I'll just eat my fries."

They cuddled close during the movie and shared a tub of popcorn and a root beer. After the movie, they held hands and walked back to the hotel, laughing as they discussed Sam's crush on Goldie Hawn.

"I love her giggle." Sam insisted. "It kinda gets me right here." He smacked his chest and looked at her sideways. "Yours does that to me too."

"She has little boobs!" Sarah laughed.

Sam stopped Sarah on the sidewalk; pulling her in to face him, he slid his hand between them to cup hers. "A mouthful is nice, but a handful is better." He said and gently squeezed. "Let's go back to the hotel and I'll show you."

***

Sarah sat next to Trish at the restaurant, laughing as her friend teased her.

"No, we didn't stay in bed all day. We went out this afternoon." Sarah said, giggling. "Sam took me to the movies."

Trish looked at Sarah in surprise. "A movie? What possessed you two to go to the movies?"

"It's not that weird to go to the movies on a date!" Sarah said.

Trish looked around Sarah, at Sam, sitting on the other side. "Sam, how romantic! You took Sarah on a date!" She said, loudly.

Her voice carried over in a second of silence, and everyone stopped and looked at Sam. They all guffawed loudly, teasing him unmercifully. "Aw-w-w! How sweet. A date!"

Sam looked around at them all, and grinned. "If your girl wants a date, you take her on a date!" He winked at Sarah. "Trust me, she'll show her appreciation, later."

They all laughed as Sarah blushed, then went back to their food and conversation continued around the table. She glanced over at Tex to see his reaction, but he was concentrating on the food in front of him.

Trish grabbed her arm, whispering in her ear. "It sounds like you and Sam are getting along better. We didn't hear any shouting coming from your room." Trish laughed and added. "We heard sounds but they weren't angry!"

Sarah giggled and whispered back. "It's the honeymoon stage all over again! I love it!"

Trish motioned towards Gisette, at the opposite end of the table. "She hates it. Look! Serves her right for making you so miserable!"

Sarah looked down the table. Gisette put a forkful of food in her mouth and chewed, then gagged the mouthful into her napkin.

"She looks sick." Sarah said.

"Yeah, well." Trish turned to her own plate, lifting a forkful of salad. "She's so filled with spite, it must be backing up on her.""

Nobody noticed Gisette's struggle but Sarah. She watched as the french girl tried to eat, but couldn't.

At one point in the meal, Sarah saw Tex trying to catch her eye. He looked at Sarah then pointedly down at her plate. She made a face, then took a small bite of her cheeseburger, earning a smile from him as he continued talking with Leon.

After the show, they boarded the bus again, settling in for another overnight ride from Albequerque to Tucson. Sam had again claimed the same seats, arranging their bed.

Tonight however, everyone settled into their beds, and sat up so they could talk through the seats. They played the music loud and passed a bong around, still wound up from another stellar performance. It got quieter as, one by one, they all laid down and fell asleep.

Someone had turned down the radio, and Sam and Sarah were cuddled in their small bed, listening to the soft music. Sarah rubbed Sam's bare chest, putting him to sleep. Her fingers continued to play with the soft black hair as she listened to his breathing. This was so much better than arguing, she thought to herself, and snuggled in with a sigh.

Sarah listened as she heard someone behind her get up and go into the bathroom. She heard the sound of gagging and knew, right away, who it was. After a minute or two of silence, she heard Gisette come out and lay back down.

Sarah could hear as she cried, softly. The cries faded away after a few minutes, and Sarah knew that Gisette had cried herself to sleep.

FRIDAY - JUNE 18, 1976

Sarah sat up in bed, giggling as she tried to get away from Sam's tickling fingers. "I'm thirsty." She squirmed off the side of the bed, picking up his T shirt from the floor. She looked around at the clothes scattered throughout the room and laughed. "We've only been here for a couple hours and look at this room!"

Sam stretched out lazily as he eyed her bare ass. "What do you expect? You jumped me as soon as I closed the door." He pulled her braid as she walked by his side of the bed. "Come on back to bed."

"No!" She laughed as she fell into the mattress beside him. "I'm going to get something to drink. What do you want?"

"I want you naked." Sam buried his face in her neck and rolled on top of her.

Sarah looked up at him, coyly. "Then I couldn't go get us something to drink." She laughed as he slipped off the T shirt. "Does this mean you're going?"

Sam leaned up. "Don't leave this bed."

"Diet, please." She laid her head back on the pillow. "I'll be here."

Sam found his jeans in the chair and threw on the T shirt he'd just pulled off Sarah. He winked as he opened the door. "I'll be right back."

Sam was standing in front of the vending machine, checking out the selection, when Gisette walked in with her ice bucket.

"Oh!" She said, and nervously stepped back.

"It's okay, Gisette. Just get your ice. I'm not staying." Sam put in the coins and pushed a button, then reached down to retrieve the can of soda.

Gisette leaned against the ice machine. She switched to her native language. "Maybe it's good that I ran into you like this. I need to talk to you."

Sam popped open the can, bending the pop top between his finger and thumb as he looked at her, suspiciously. "English, Gisette."

"No, I don't want anyone but you to understand what I have to say." She paused and licked her lips. "My period's late." Gisette dropped the bomb and watched it explode in Sam's face.

Sam sagged back against the vending machine. His heart felt like it was going to burst if it pounded any faster. He felt his stomach churn and his legs threatened to give out. He breathed heavily as he looked at her.

"No!" He said. "I'm not falling for your tricks any more." He looked at her accusingly. "This is a trick, you can't possibly be pregnant. You're on the pill."

Gisette bit her lip, her eyes filling with tears, as she shook her head. "I really wish it was. Believe me please... I went off the pill."

Sam felt the air leave his lungs. "Why didn't you say something?"

"I didn't think of it at the time!" Gisette shouted. She leaned her head against the ice machine and cried. "I don't want to be pregnant! Not now! But I think I am. Oh God, Sam! What am I going to do? What will my father say?"

Sam crossed his arms and leaned back, eyeing her mistrustfully. "How late are you?"

"Five days." Gisette sobbed into her hands.

"It's never been regular. You've never been able to keep track of it." He remembered from their days together. "Give it a few days."

Gisette shook her head. "I don't know, something isn't right. I feel like shit, my stomach is upset all the time."

Sam looked at her, trying out a weak smile. "Gisette, you have always had some kind of health problems."

He stepped toward the door. "I don't think you're pregnant, but then, I don't know what to believe from you. Just wait a few more days, and we'll see what happens. I'm betting your period will start."

Gisette leaned against the ice machine again, letting it support her. "I'm sorry, Sam. Really. If I thought I could handle this alone, I never would have said anything. Believe me when I say that this is not a trick. I gave up trying to get you back. I want to start a new life. I do not want to be pregnant. I can not be pregnant! My father will be so disappointed in me. All my life, I've tried to please him. This will devastate him. He'll pull me off this job. Oh God!" She shook her head and started crying harder. "What am I saying? I won't be able to do the job, anyway! Oh god! Sam, I'm sorry! I just don't know what to do!"

Sam believed Gisette. These hysterics were not an act, she was telling the truth. He back stepped to stand by her. "You really think you are." He said in a shocked voice.

"Yes, I think so. I don't know what to do!" Gisette's body was wracked with sobs.

"Ok, look, we'll figure something out." He slammed the soda machine with the palm of his hand. "Fuck! Why can't I get a break? Things are just starting to look good for Sarah and me! How the fuck am I going to tell her?"

Sam lowered his head as he tried to think. His fingers worked through his hair nervously. "Listen, we don't know for sure, right?"

Gisette shook her head. "Sam..."

He lifted his head and glared desperately at her. "We don't know for sure!"

Gisette shook her head sadly. "It's possible I could still get my period, but I don't think..."

"Ok, then. We'll just wait. Fuck!" He left the room, leaving Gisette as she laid her head on the ice machine and sobbed.

He walked on shaking legs back to his room. A voice screamed through his head. Gisette is pregnant! How do I tell Sarah?

The group was thankful that they didn't have to board the bus right after the show. They had real beds to sleep in that night, but they gathered in Georgie's room to celebrate first.

Leon broke out some high quality hash. He put it in the small glass pipe and passed it around and the sweet smell soon filled the room.

Sarah felt the smooth buzz that hash always gave her. She sipped her whiskey and leaned against Sam, drawing back as she felt the tenseness in his body.

"What's wrong?" She worried as she saw the muscle in his jaw clenched.

He looked down at her, his face smoothing into a smile. "Nothing's wrong, Sweetheart. Let me get you another drink."

Sarah watched as he weaved between the bodies on the floor, headed for the makeshift bar on the dresser. She looked around the room, then turned to Trish, sitting next to her. "Where's Gisette?"

Trish scanned the room, languidly, focusing with one eye. "I don't see her." She slurred.

Sarah looked at her friend, sharply. "Did you take anything tonight?"

"Yep, but only a few." Trish nodded her head as her eyelids slowly closed.

"Oh shit!" Sarah pulled Trish up with her, as she stood and looked for Georgie. But Georgie had been watching Trish from across the room, and was at her side, instantly.

"Take her to my room." Sarah urged and followed him across the hall, unlocking the door.

Georgie propped Trish against the headboard and her lolled to the side. She giggled and straightened it. "I'm okay, Georgie. Just let me enjoy this buzz."

Georgie sat back and picked up her hand, saying tenderly, "I'm staying right here with you, baby doll." He turned and looked at Sarah, then Sam, who had come in and was standing by Sarah. "She'll be okay. But I'm sorry, guys, you'll have to take our room tonight. I'm staying here beside Trish."

***

Sarah crawled in bed, snuggling up to Sam's warm comfort. "Trish said Georgie would pay for his cheating. Is this how she's doing it?" She asked, softly.

Sam lay on his back, with his arms wrapped around Sarah. He felt her playing with his chest hair and he slid his hand over hers.

"I think it is. Georgie told me the other night...." He squeezed Sarah tighter as he remembered how scared he was when she had taken too many Valium.

"I promised you I wouldn't do that anymore. Go on, what did Georgie tell you? " She urged him.

"He said that Trish had done it before."

"That's so sad. Why do they do that to each other?" Sarah asked.

"It's how they deal with this."

"No, I think there are better ways, Sam. I want us to find the better way."

"We will, sweetheart." Sam said, softly.

Sarah listened as Sam's heart beat sped up. She put her hand on it, as she remembered his tenseness earlier. She traced back through their day to see if she could remember when she had first noticed anything different in Sam's mood.

Her eyes narrowed when she was able to pinpoint the exact time she noticed the difference. It was the look on his face when he came back with her soda. He looked stunned when he first came through the door, but as he had turned to close it he had paused and when he faced her again, he was fine.

Now, as Sarah felt his heart race, she knew she had to find out.

"Sam, is something wrong?"

"You asked me that earlier." Sam whispered in the darkness. "And the answer is the same."

The partying tonight had worked on his body, relaxing him, but Sam knew his heartbeat was giving him away. He could feel it pounding in his chest. Tapping out the message that screamed through his brain. Gisette is pregnant! I can't tell Sarah!

He pulled her on top of him, holding her hands beside his head on the pillow.

Sam saw her body outlined in the small slice of moonlight that slipped into the room. She straightened her arms and leaned up to study his shadowed face. "You would tell me, right?"

"Yes, Sweetheart." He closed his eyes and sighed. "I would tell you."