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“Aw, honey,” Rosie said, drawing Samantha’s stiff, unyielding body into a hug,
whether Samantha liked it or not. “Lugal’s right. I should have realized that’s what’s
been going on with you. Talk to us, Sam,” she encouraged. “We’re here for you, hon.”
“There’s nothing to talk about.” Shrugging out of Rosie’s grasp, Samantha blasted
the trio with a caustic glare.
“I’m sick to death of listening to all of Lugal’s psychobabble,” she barked. “He
doesn’t know what he’s talking about. None of you do. Can’t I simply be pissed off with
Lugal because he acted like a horse’s ass? Why does it have to have anything to do with
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the fact that…that…” she sucked in a shuddering breath. “That he’s leaving me in a
few…a few…”
Two fat tears escaped her eyes, coursing down her cheeks. Then her entire body
shook with a series of violent trembles.
“Oh God,” she sobbed. “What am I going to do?” She dropped to her knees,
burying her face in her hands, weeping.
Lugal knelt at her side, wrapping her in his arms, soothing her as she cried.
“I can’t lose you, Lugal,” she sobbed into his chest. “Without you life is
meaningless. And, good God in heaven, I can’t bear the thought of you being trapped in
that awful bottle again. Oh God, Lugal, what are we going to do?”
“It will be hard for us,” Lugal said. “But you are bold and strong. You have the
support of Rosie and Charlie and you have the daily operations of Beyond the Scale to
fill your thoughts while you grieve. You will survive this loss, my love, and you will go
on to live a productive, happy life.”
“No…no, not without you, Lugal. I can’t.” She clutched onto him for dear life. She
would have crawled inside him if she could.
“If I had it in my power to make a wish for myself,” Lugal said gently, “it would be
that you find yourself a good, caring man who will give you a houseful of adorable
little goats and take care of you until you are old…the way I wish I could do for you. In
fact, Samantha, I would ask that you consider making that your third and final wish
before I must depart.”
By this time, Rosie was crying and Charlie snorted in a big manly sniffle.
“How could I ever think of being with another man after I’ve had you in my life?”
Samantha asked through her sobs. “No man could begin to compare to you, Lugal. I
could never feel for anyone else what I feel for you.”
“The phrase, time heals all wounds, is a worthy one, Samantha,” Lugal said. “You
will see…with the passage of time, the ache in your heart will ease and you will find
enough room in that big heart of yours for another man to share your life.”
“I don’t really think you’re a horse’s ass, Lugal. Or a numbskull. Or a dodo, or any
of those other awful things I said.”
“What about macho and stubborn?” Lugal asked.
“Definitely.” Samantha laughed a little. “But those traits are part of what makes
you the dear, wonderful man I love—with all my heart, Lugal. I’m sorry for all those
terrible things I said.”
“It is all right. I understand.” Lugal brought Samantha’s hand to his mouth,
brushing his lips across her knuckles.
“Jeez, I hate like hell to have to bring this up now,” Rosie said, “but it’s almost time
for your next Warrior Fitness class, Lugal. Think you’ll be able to teach it—or should we
cancel it?”
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Lugal rose to his feet, bringing Samantha up with him. After kissing her forehead,
nose and lips, he straightened, giving Rosie a half-hearted smile.
“I am ready. I have only a few more classes to lead before I leave and Charlie takes
over. Charlie, you will come with me so that I may introduce you to the class members
as their new instructor, yes?”
Charlie took in a deep breath and shook his head. “I keep telling you, they’re never
going to accept me, Lugal. Those women love you, adore you. You’re like a rock star to
them. You could do classes every hour around the clock and still never be able to meet
the demand.
“And the men,” Charlie huffed a humorless chuckle, “well they envision
themselves looking like you and having all your charisma and magnetism once they get
in shape. They’ll take one look at me—a carrot-topped professor of ancient history and
classical archaeology—and never come back.”
“Nay, you speak foolishness. You are a man of great galanzu and nam-silis.
Knowledge and strength,” Lugal clarified. “Physically you may have been a henzer, a
weakling, in the past, but no more, Charlie. Today you have a warrior’s body. You must
work on your confidence, my friend.” Lugal slapped Charlie on the back, a gesture that
sent him flying before he got in shape. “So, we go now?”
“Sure,” Charlie said, boasting a smile of renewed confidence. “Thanks, Lugal. Hey,
Rosie, can you stay with Sam for a while?”
“Absolutely. It’s time to lock my office door and dig into my desk drawer.”
Samantha sniffled. “For what?”
“My chocolate cache,” Rosie confessed, her eyebrows bouncing. “A good chocolate
binge will make us both feel better, you’ll see.” She winked.
Samantha couldn’t help but chuckle a bit.
“You are a very wise woman, Rosie,” Lugal said as he and Charlie left her office.
Rosie checked her appointment book. “I’ve got just over an hour before my next
client appointment. That should give us ample time to chow down on chocolate and
talk.”
“I’m free for about forty-five minutes,” Samantha said. “Good God…” She licked
her lips as she watched Rosie draw a bag of chocolate decadence from her drawer. “I
can’t believe we’re about to feed our faces with chocolate, right here in the offices of
BTS!” She laughed.
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