say it ain't so

Sam listened to Elliot go on and on about his baby daughter. Pearl.

"She had the baby right there at the grocery store." Elliot was on cloud nine about it. He told him how he was thankful there was a doctor at the grocery store in the Family Care facility. Amanda didn't have to have surgery. It was all quite natural. Of course, Elliot wasn't quite sure what to do with himself. He'd just left the house. Both mother and baby were sleeping.

"Where did you come up with Pearl?" Sam thought they would have came up with something like Madison or Ashley.

"Asa thought it was best if she had an old name, something that fit with Rose. It was our grandmother's name. And..and since Rosie was named after Amanda's mother. I liked it. We all settled on it." Elliot sounded proud of the name. Sam was happy for him.

"No cigar?" He felt for sure Elliot would be handing out something.

"Is that what you're suppose to do?" Elliot looked baffled. He looked tired too. He looked as if he needed some sleep himself, even if it had only been a thirty minute delivery that he was a part of.

Sam's cell went off. He found his phone on the kitchen table where he'd been diligently studying for the test coming up.

"Its Sam!" He could barely make out it was Rachel, her words sounded so stricken. "He's dead."

Sam suddenly thought, she thought he was dead.

"I'm right here."

"No." She choked on tears. "Its my dog. My dad killed him."

"What?" Sam winced. "When did that happen?"

"He was mad at him. Sam bit him and..and..I can't live there. I can't." More crying prevailed.

"Well, where are you?" Sam found himself asking.

"I'm OK, you..you really don't have to worry about it." She sounded kind of settled. Maybe, but he didn't really think so.

"Well, tell me where you are? I'll come over." Sam winced.

"No, you don't have too." She cleared her throat. "I shouldn't have called."

"No. Just..just let me come and get you. Where are you?" He was ready to drop everything.

"I'm staying with my boss."

"The undertaker?" Sam felt trouble brewing. He winced as if that was the last place she needed to be.

"I'll be fine. I'm not going home. He said I could stay. And, this'll have to do for now. I just can't go home. I hate my dad. I - I know you don't need this right now. I want you to study. I want you to pass the Teacher's test. You have to, Sam. Promise me, you'll study."

"I'm..I'm studying." He sighed. "But I still want to see you. See if you're really all right. You-you could just stay with me..until you figure this all out."

"No, that's the last thing I want." She told him. She hung up then. Sam felt torn. He was glad Rachel was away from that, but with her boss. This couldn't be good, he thought.