A Long Distance Love Story
Written by Vicki
My name is Vicki and I am the biggest "Party of Five" in the whole world. I
watch the show religiously and am fond of each and every character. My
favorites, however, are Bailey and Sarah and, like every other fan of the
show, I was very saddened by the fact that they were breaking up. So I wrote
a ten-part story about Bailey and Sarah while he's in San Francisco and
she's in New York. It's called "A Long Distance Love Story". My e-mail
address is po5psycho52@hotmail.com and I would appreciate any comment or
complaint on my story. Thanks and I hope you all enjoy it.
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PART ONE: LONELY HEARTS
Bailey sat on his bed up in the attic, looking at the cascading rain through
his window. He was bored: it was raining and he had nowhere to go. He also
had nobody to go anywhere with since Sarah left for New York City.
He started to hear giggling sounds coming from beneath him. It was Charlie
and Kirsten, going at it again. He envied what they had and it depressed
him. He turned on the radio so that he could drown out the sounds of
happiness. "Out of My Head" by Fastball started to play and Bailey felt
tears in the back of his eyes. He always thought that that song represented
his relationship with Sarah perfectly.
"Was I out of my head? Was I out of my mind? How could I have ever been so
blind?" Bailey sang along with the radio, not caring that tears were flowing
down his cheeks. "Don't matter what I say, only what I do. I never mean to
do bad things to you..." Bailey remembered all the things he's done to hurt
Sarah: lied to her, cheated on her, took her for granted, and nearly killed
her. Bailey still couldn't understand why she had put up with him and all
his crap, and why she still loved him years later. He didn't dare question
it. He was just grateful.
Bailey missed her terribly. He didn't like the fact that the love of his
life was on the other side of the country. He couldn't stop thinking about
her. Every day, Sarah was on his mind. The nights were the hardest, when
he'd lay in bed and Sarah wasn't lying there next to him.
Bailey looked at his watch and noticed that it was 8 pm. It was later in New
York City and he knew that Sarah was lying in bed at that very moment.
******
Sarah lay in bed and looked at the clock on the wall: 11 pm. She couldn't
sleep. Just like every other night, she was tossing and turning. She was
still trying to get used to sleeping alone. She wished Bailey were there to
hold her while she slept. That was the only way she could get to sleep.
Sarah got out of bed and wandered into the kitchen. She reached into the
fridge for some milk and poured herself a glass. She then went and sat on
the window sill, looking outside at the sky. It was full of stars and she
knew that one of them was the one Bailey had given her for her sixteenth
birthday. "I wish to be with Bailey again," she whispered.
She missed him. She sometimes wished she'd never left San Francisco, even
though she wanted to find her birth father. Her search for her dad was going
nowhere however, and she knew that being in Bailey's arms would help ease
the pain. But Bailey wasn't there with her.
Buried in her hands, Sarah's face was full of tears. She wished she'd find
her father soon so that she could be with Bailey again. She wiped the tears
from her face, put the untouched glass of milk on her nightstand and crawled
into bed. I hope I dream of Bailey tonight, she thought. She closed her eyes
and fell into an uneasy sleep.
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PART TWO: CAN'T STOP THINKING
Sarah sat on a stool on Friday night at the karaoke bar where she worked.
She sat there sipping her coffee while she watched a couple in their early
twenties-regulars every Friday night-sing Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe".
It made her sick to her stomach to see those sickly sweet grins on their
faces and them gazing lovingly into each other's eyes. She lay her head onto
the bar and started to think about Bailey.
Just then, Romy came to sit beside her. "Hey, girl!" she said, smiling.
"What's up?" Sarah lifted her head and looked Romy in the eyes. "Lovebirds
make we want to puke," she said.
Romy laughed at that. "No they don't! You happen to love romance just as
much as the next person." Romy then turned serious. "You miss him, huh?"
"Is it that obvious?" asked Sarah wryly. Romy gently smiled and Sarah put
her head in her hands. "I miss him so much, it's driving me crazy! I really
want to be with him," she said sadly. "I wish I never left San Francisco."
"It's not like you came here for nothing," said Romy. "I mean, isn't it
important for you to find your dad?"
"Of course it is!" said Sarah. "But after all this time here, I haven't
found him. Not a clue, nothing! All this time I wasted here, I could've been
with Bailey."
"You're not wasting your time here Sarah. Just keep on looking: the sooner
you find your father, the sooner you'll be with Bailey," said Romy
sympathetically.
Sarah lay her head onto the bar and sulked. "But I want to be with him now!"
she pouted.
******
Bailey arrived home from work at the 8 pm. Earlier than usual, but there was
no need for him at the restaurant. He knew he could trust Mercie and Matt on
closing up the place.
"Hello?" he yelled. No answer. He went into the kitchen, and found a note:
Charlie and Kirsten were at the movies, Claudia was on a study date, Diana
was with Daphne and Owen was spending the night at his friend Bobby's house.
"Alone again," said Bailey as he went into the living room and sat down on
the couch.
Bailey turned on the television and saw that "An Affair To Remember" was
playing. That was one of Sarah's favorite movies. He remembered how, when
they'd watch it together, she'd lean her head on his shoulder, cry at all
the romantic moments, snuggle close to him on the couch, mouthe every words
as the actors spoke them, wrap her arms around him, nibble his ear, kiss him
gently and sweetly...
Bailey turned off the television and stood up. "Stop torturing yourself,
man!" he said aloud to himself. "You trying to make yourself go crazy?"
He went into the kitchen and looked into the fridge. "Milk, apple juice,
fruit juice, tuna, veggies..." he said. He peered in the back of the fridge
and noticed a six-pack of beer. Bailey found it odd because the family
rarely kept any in the house. Then he remembered that Claudia had a party
the week before and some friends had brought some.
He looked at the beer for a second and his mouth watered. How he wanted just
one to take the pain of missing Sarah away. "No!" he screamed and ran
outside, crying. He sat on the swing and leaned back. He couldn't do it.
He'd been sober for too long to fall off the wagon. Plus, he couldn't let
the family down. They'd be very disappointed in him.
One other reason why he wasn't guzzling one down was Sarah. He hurt her
once, he couldn't do it again. His sobriety was all for her and she was the
one that kept him going all these years. He had to stay strong for her.
He continued to think of Sarah. It was painful, but he didn't care. Thinking
of her also made him happy, because the memories were all he had. Bailey
stayed out on the swing, looking up at the sky. It was such a romantic
atmosphere and he wished that Sarah was sitting next to him.
Bailey stayed out on the swing until late that night: until after the family
had come home, until after they had all gone to bed. He didn't want to move.
He wanted to stay there, thinking about Sarah, forever. If only she were
there to be with him forever.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PART THREE:JUST CAN'T TAKE THE PAIN ANYMORE
Bailey sat in his office, doing his accounts. Every few seconds, he'd stare
at the framed photo of Sarah on his desk, which distrupted the task at hand.
Ther was suddenly a knock at the door. "Come in," said Bailey. He smiled
when he saw Claudia walk in. "Hi, Claud!"
"Hi, Bay," she said and sat down on a chair. "How's it going? You busy?" she
asked.
"I'm not bad," he said. He then noticed that it was 11 am on a Monday.
"Claud, shouldn't you be at school?" he asked.
Claudia laughed. "Don't worry, Bay: I'm not truant again. Some immature
freshman, desperate for recognition, planted a stinkbomb at school. So
school was cancelled for the rest of the day," she said.
Claudia laughed again and so did Bailey. "Man, I remember those pranks!"
said Bailey happily. "I remember this one time, me and Will put a cherry
bomb in one of the toilets and the pipes all burst!" He stopped and turned
serious. "We were suspended for a week, as I recall." He laughed again.
"That was fun, though! I miss those days!"
"It's nice to see you laughing again," said Claudia with a smile. "You've
been pretty depressed since Sarah left." Bailey looked at the photo of
Sarah. "I'm alright, Claud," he said. "I just miss her, that's all. I'll get
over it."
"Don't say that. You shouldn't get over it," said Claudia. "You miss her,
and there's nothing wrong with that. I mean, you love her and will always
love her. You're allowed to miss her. No one is saying you can't."
"Thanks Claud," he said. He stood up and walked over to the window. He
looked outside.
"Have you talked to her lately?" asked Claudia as she walked over to where
her brother was standing.
He shook his head. "We've sent letters and e-mails, but it's been awhile
since I've talked to her." He ran his hands through his hair and leaned his
head against the window. "Man, I need to hear her voice again."
"Then call her Bailey," said Claudia. "You know you want to. I'm sure she
wants to hear from you, too." Claudia started to head for the door. "I've
got to get going. Rhiannon and I are going to grab some lunch and then catch
a movie." She opened the door and looked at Bailey. "You sure you're gonna
be okay?" she asked. Bailey nodded, and Claudia left the office, closing the
door behind her.
******
Sarah sat at a coffee shop with Romy in the afternoon, thinking about Bailey
while Romy yakked away. Romy was talking for a good twenty minutes when she
noticed that Sarah wasn't paying any attention.
"Sarah!" said Romy, slapping her on the shoulder. "You're on another
planet!"
"I'm sorry," said Sarah, taking a sip of her coffee. "I was just thinking."
"Bailey?" asked Romy. Sarah nodded and Romy continued. "I knew it! You had
this googly-eyed look on your face that you only get when you think of him."
Sarah smiled and Romy rolled her eyes. "There are those googly eyes again!"
she said. "Sar, you need to get over him! You should start dating someone
else."
"Shut up," said Sarah.
"I'm serious!" said Romy. "How about Maguire? He's real cute and he's
definitely into you."
"Maguire is nice, but I don't like him that way," said Sarah. "I don't love
him. Maguire is not Bailey."
"That's the whole point, girl!" said Romy. "Besides, you don't need to love
him to date him.All you need is to like each other and have fun!"
Sarah stared at Romy in disgust. "You expect me to date someone I don't
love?" she asked. "Are you crazy?"
"It's not always about love, Sarah," Romy pointed out.
"To me it is," said Sarah softly. "It's the greatest when there's love
between two people." She paused. "I love Bailey and he loves me. We will be
together again."
"I know you love him," said Romy sympathetically. "But you two aren't
together anymore. You have to realise that you and Bailey probably aren't
meant for each other."
"Don't say that!" said Sarah angrily. She softened a little and continued.
"We were broken up once for 16 months. 16 months! And do you know where that
led us?" Romy shook her head and Sarah answered. "Back into each other's
arms, that's where. That means we're meant to be together and I cannot, will
not see anybody else!"
Romy took Sarah's hand. "I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't think that these
types of feelings were that important to you." She looked at Sarah and saw
tears in her eyes. "You really love him that much, huh?"
"I do," whispered Sarah, her voice cracking.
"Then call him," said Romy. "You'll feel way better. It'll be good for you
guys to talk."
"You're right," said Sarah. "I really need to talk to him. I'll die if I
don't."
"Call him," insisted Romy. Then she had a mischievous smile on her face.
"You two could have A LOT of fun over the phone, if you know what I mean!"
Sarah's eyes widened and she hit Romy. "You're disgusting!" said Sarah,
laughing. They both giggled and hugged each other. "You're a great friend,"
said Sarah earnestly. "Thank you."
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PART FOUR: PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL
Sarah sat on her bed and looked at the telephone sitting on her lap. She was
ready to call up Bailey. She was real excited: she combed her hair, brushed
her teeth, and even wore her sexy silk nightgown. She didn't know why she
was acting like this over a phone call. "One of those mysteries of love, I
guess," she said to herself with a smile.
With a shaky hand, she picked up the phone. She took a deep breath and put
her ear to the earpiece, ready to dial Bailey's number. But she didn't hear
a dial tone. All she heard was somebody breathing. "Hello?" she asked.
Suddenly, there was a voice on the other end. "Sarah?" asked the voice. "Is
that you?"
"Bailey?" she asked in disbelief. "I was just about to call you!"
"That happens. You just picked up the phone before it rang," he said. "That
just means we connect. I mean, what are the odds of us calling at the same
time? We're perfect for each other."
Sarah laughed and leaned back. "Yeah, we are," she agreed. She then started
to cry. "I miss you."
Sarah could hear Bailey's voice breaking. "I miss you too," he said. "I wish
you were here."
"How's everything back home? Is everyone okay?" she asked. "Are you okay?"
"Everybody's fine. I'm fine." He then continued sadly. "It's kinda hard.
It's very painful without you here with me."
"I know." Sarah sobbed a bit and started to cry. And she couldn't stop.
"Don't cry Sarah," Bailey pleaded. "Please don't cry. It kills me to hear
you that way."
"I'm sorry," she said and composed herself. She looked around and then
laughed. "You know what's funny? I finally have this huge bed all to myself,
and I don't like it. I still sleep leaving a huge space next to me." She
gently touched the pillow next to her and longed for Bailey to be there. "I
wish you were next to me in bed right now," she said.
"You in bed too?" he asked. When she said that she was, he laughed
childishly and continued. "What are you wearing?" he asked in a mock sexy
voice.
"I am wearing that silk blue nightgown you love so much," she answered.
"Really?" he asked, obviously delighted. "You dressed up all sexy just for
me?"
Sarah laughed sheepishly. "Yeah," she admitted. "What are you wearing?"
"I am wearing a suit," he said.
Sarah laughed. "You are not!"
"Yes I am," Bialey said seriously. "Honest."
"That is so sweet!"
"Yeah, well, I had to look my best for you."
They stayed silent for a moment, listening to each other breathe. Sarah
loved it and was mesmerized by the way Bailey inhaled and exhaled. Bailey
broke the beautiful silence a few minutes later when he spoke again. "Any
luck finding your father?" he asked gently.
"No luck. I got a few leads, but I haven't found him yet," she said.
"That's too bad," said Bailey. "I would've loved to have met the genius that
created you."
Sarah giggled and then sighed. "I love you, sweetie."
"I love YOU, baby," he said. "I can't wait until we're together again."
"Me, too."
"So Sarah, tell me about New York City. How do you like it?" he asked.
"Don't leave anything out."
"Well, it's a nice city, but I prefer San Francisco," she said. "One: it's a
prettier city, two: you're there." Bailey smiled at that and Sarah
continued. "I've met a lot of nice people. Romy, she's the greatest. We
always..."
******
Bailey listened while Sarah talked. He loved her voice and the way she
spoke. She talked about NYC and other things. She kept on saying how she
wished he were there. He wished he were.
They continued talking for three hours: until it was 10 pm in San Francisco,
and 1 am in New York City. They talked about everything, saying "I love you"
at every second during the conversation.
When Sarah yawned, Bailey reluctantly suggested hanging up. He didn't want
to and neither did Sarah. "But I want to continue talking with you,"
protested Sarah.
"I know you do honey. I do too," he said. "But you're tired. You should get
some sleep."
"I can't sleep without you Bailey. You know that."
"I know," he said, his heart breaking. "But try okay? For me?"
She stayed quiet for a long time. "Okay," she finally agreed, her voice
really soft and quiet. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight Sar," he said, not wanting to say goodbye. "Sleep well. Dream
about me, okay?"
"I always do."
"I love you."
"I love you too," said Sarah. "Goodbye Bay. Call again, okay?"
"I will," he promised. "Bye."
When Bailey heard Sarah hang up, he hung up too. He got undressed and slid
under the covers, shivering. It was really cold up in the attic. He wished
Sarah were there, to be with him during that cold night. I hope she's not
cold tonight, thought Bailey. He wished he could wrap his arms around her at
that very moment, to keep her safe and warm.
Bailey started to cry. He wished he were still on the phone with her. He
wished she had never left him. He wanted to touch her skin, hold her hand,
kiss her lips... He couldn't wait until Sarah returned home to him. Where
she belonged.
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PART FIVE: MEMORIES
"C'mon, Bay!" yelled Will as he ran down the football field belonging to
Grant High School. "Pass it!"
Bailey threw the football and it flew in perfect spiral formation. Will
caught it and ran towards the end zone. "Touchdown!" he yelled. Bailey ran
towards his best friend and they high fived each other.
"This is really fun!" said Bailey, still out of breath from running. "I miss
this place." Talking to Claudia about high school really got to him, so he
decided to pay a visit to his alma matter with Will.
"Yeah, I miss it too," said Will as he looked around the football field. "I
can't believe how small this field looks. Can you believe we actually played
games here on nights like this?" he asked.
"Yeah," agreed Bailey, looking at the star-filled sky. "It feels like
forever, and it's only been what? Over three years since we graduated?"
"I know, buddy!" said Will as he grabbed the football in his hands. "Bay, go
long."
Bailey smiled and ran up the bleachers, hoping to be able to catch the ball
from there. As he ran, he suddenly stopped and started to stare at the
bleachers. Will threw the football, which hit Bailey in the head. Bailey
felt no pain.
Will ran up to Bailey. "I'm sorry man," he apologized. "I didn't mean to do
that."
"Didn't mean to do what?" asked Bailey. He sounded confused and spoke as if
he were hypnotized.
"I hit you upside the head with the football," said Will. "Didn't you feel
it?"
"You hit me in the head?" Will nodded, and Bailey slapped Will on the
shoulder. "It's okay, man. Don't sweat it."
Will looked at Bailey and then looked at the bleachers that Bailey was
staring at. "What are we looking at?" asked a bewildered Will.
"The bleachers," Bailey responded. He sat down and touched the seat beside
him. "This is where Sarah and I had our first kiss."
Will sat down next to Bailey. "This is kind of a quiet moment for you, huh?"
said Will. "Want me to hold your hand?" he joked. Bailey looked at Will in
an interested manner. Will freaked! "Hey man! I was only kidding!" he
exclaimed.
Bailey laughed and so did Will. "I knew you were joking, man!" said Bailey.
"You actually think I'd want to hold your hand?"
"Oh yeah!" said Will. "I forgot: my hand could never replace Sarah's." He
pretended to cry.
Bailey's mind flashed back to the fall of 1995. He remembered being sad and
hurt one night after football practice, and Sarah had shown up at the
bleachers. She had gently touched the bruise on the side of his cheek. Then
he had kissed her deeply. How he wanted to kiss her right now.
"I'm going to see her," said Bailey.
"What?" asked Will.
"I talked to her on the phone three nights ago," he said. "She misses me and
I miss her. I need to see her again. I need to hold her and kiss her again."
"You seriously want to go to New york?" asked Will.
"Dead serious," said Bailey. "I have to visit her. I'm leaving as soon as
possible."
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PART SIX: I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE HERE
Sarah sat on the window sill of her apartment. She was reading a romance
novel. It was the corniest thing she had ever read, but it still made her
cry. She put the book away, and looked outside the window. It was raining.
She looked down at the people running from the rain and laughed. Why run?
The rain couldn't hurt them. Rain was one of the most beautiful things in
the world, according to Sarah. She noticed a young couple kissing across the
street, not caring that they were getting drenched. "They are so lucky to
have each other," said Sarah aloud to herself.
She also noticed another figure. He was standing across the street. He
looked at the couple and then looked at Sarah's apartment building. Sarah
even thought that he was looking at her. He was holding at suitcase in one
hand and a bouquet of flowers in the other. Probably visiting his lover, she
thought.
The man kept on looking at her building (or at her) and Sarah thought that
he seemed familiar. He actually reminded her of Bailey. "You're
hallucinating, girl!" she said to herself.
She couldn't help looking, though. He did look a whole lot like Bailey. It
could've even been him. Or Tom Cruise. Sarah took another look and stood up.
It was indeed Bailey!
When Sarah stood up, he started to cross the street. Sarah ran out of her
apartment and down the flights of stairs, two steps at a time. She made it
to the bottom and ran outside. Bailey was standing there in the rain,
smiling at her. Sarah quickly went towards him and wrapped her arms around
him. She couldn't believe it!
Sarah looked into Bailey's eyes and he was crying. So was she. "I can't
believe you're here," she said. "I've missed you." She put her hand in the
back of his neck and pulled him close. She gently kissed him and felt tingly
all over. It felt good to kiss him again.
When she pulled away at the end of the kiss, Bailey still had his eyes
closed. "Wow..." he whisperd and sighed. He opened his eyes and looked at
Sarah. "For you," he said, and handed her the bouquet. Sarah looked at the
flowers and then at Bailey. She felt as if she were dreaming. "You're really
here."
Bailey smiled and Sarah took his hand. "Let's go upstairs," she said. She
led him up the stairs to her apartment and shut the door behind her. "This
is my place," she said. "You like it?"
Bailey looked around the apartment. "It's nice," he said and sat down on the
bed. "Is this a safe building? You know: alarms, security system, cameras,
fire escape..."
"Yeah," she said. "And I keep the door locked every night, so you don't have
to worry."
"I worry," he said and smiled. "You know me."
Sarah laughed. "You're all wet," she noticed.
"So are you."
"I'll go get you a towel." She went into the washroom and returned with a
towel. She leaned close to Bailey and started to dry his hair. He just
stared at her as she did. "You are so beautiful," he said. "More beautiful
since the last time I saw you."
Sarah smiled at his words. She gently kissed the top of his head and then
his lips. Bailey grabbed the towel and pulled it, pulling Sarah onto his
lap. They continued kissing and Bailey ran his hands through her wet hair.
"How long are you going to be here?" she asked.
"Five days," he said and nibbled her ear.
Sarah pulled away from his kisses and looked at him. "I'm really glad you're
here," she said. "These are going to be the greatest five days ever."
"I'm glad I came too," said Bailey and tightened his arms around her waist,
with no intentions of letting go. "I needed to see you. I wanted to hold you
again so badly."
Sarah leaned her head closer to Bailey's and he kissed her forehead, her
eyes, her nose, her cheeks, her chin, and finally her lips. Sarah put her
lips to his ear. Her lips brushed it slightly and it tickled him. "Make love
to me," she whispered.
Bailey looked into her eyes and saw that she wanted what he wanted. "You
don't know how much I want to," he said and gently lay her down on the bed.
"I've wanted to for so long." They kissed hungrily and passionately as if
they've never kissed before and, soon after, they started to make love.
******
Thirty minutes later, Bailey and Sarah lay in bed real close to each other.
"That was beautiful," whispered Bailey as he turned and lay down on his side
to look at Sarah. She turned as well to look at him and smiled. It felt so
right making love to him: he was so gentle and so loving and so protective.
And he had cried, which made her cry too. She loved being that way with him
and she didn't want it to end.
"I've missed doing that," said Bailey.
"So have I," whispered Sarah, her eyes filling up with tears.
Bailey lifted his hand to her face and gently wiped the tears off her face.
"I love you Sarah Reeves-Merrin," he said.
"I love you, Bailey Salinger."
"Marry me," he said.
Sarah looked into his eyes: they were tear-filled and
practically begging. "I can't Bailey," she said. "I'm sorry."
Bailey turned to lie on his back and looked up at the ceiling. Sarah knew he
was disappointed and saddened with her answer. "Bailey," she said. "Please
look at me." He didn't move. She put her hand to his cheek and turned his
head to face her.
"Bailey, you know I love you," she started. "But I can't marry you and you
know that. I'm too young and not ready." When Bailey didn't answer, she
continued. "Bailey, you know that you're the only person I want to spend the
rest of my life with. I love you and I will marry you someday. Just not
right now."
Bailey finally spoke. "Really?" he asked.
"Yes," she insisted. "Just ask me someday in the future, and I will say
yes."
Bailey finally smiled. "I'll make you the happiest woman in the world when
we're married," he promised. "I'll treat you like the goddess that you are."
"That's sweet, but I'm already the happiest woman in the world," she said
and snuggled closer to Bailey. He put his arm around her and she lay her
head down on his chest. He kissed her and she drifted off to sleep.
"Goodnight Sarah," he said and turned off the light. He looked at her for a
long time. She looked so serene while she slept. Like an angel; his angel.
She had a smile on her face and Bailey couldn't help but look at the love of
his life. He watched her sleep and stayed that way until the morning came.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PART SEVEN: HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS
Bailey and Sarah walked down the streets of New York City , hand in hand.
What they had shared the night before was amazing, and that morning was just
as special: he made her breakfast in bed and they even took a warm bubble
bath together. Later that afternoon, they decided to go out for lunch. Sarah
also wanted to show Bailey the city.
While they walked, Sarah pointed out to various places. "This place has the
best pizza in the whole world!" she said. "And this is where Romy and I hang
out. It's got AMAZING coffee."
Bailey laughed over her enthousiasm. "You're so cute!" he said and smiled.
"I love you." He then intertwined his fingers with hers.
Sarah leaned her head on his shoulder and they continued walking. "I love
you, too." They then stopped in front of the karaoke bar where Sarah worked.
"C'mon!" she said and pulled him inside.
"What is it?" asked Bailey.
"I work here," she replied.
They walked in and Sarah saw Romy, Maguire and J.B. sitting at a table. She
walked up to them. "Hi guys!"
Romy looked up and screamed. "Omigod! It's Tom Cruise!" she squealed. Bailey
and Sarah laughed. "No you half-wit!" said Sarah. "This is Bailey." She
introduced them. "Bailey, this is Romy."
"Nice to meet you," said Bailey. "I've heard a lot about you."
"Likewise," she said. "She talks about you every second. Shouldn't you be in
San Francisco?" she asked.
"He's visiting for a few days," explained Sarah. "Bay, this is J.B."
"Hey, man! What's up?" said J.B. and extended his hand. Bailey shook it.
"I'm fine," he answered. "It's nice to meet you."
"And this is Maguire," said Sarah.
"Hi!" said Bailey. Maguire just grumbled something and turned away. Sarah
glared at him and then looked at Bailey. "Anyway, we've got to get going,"
said Sarah. "I'll see you guys!"
They left the karaoke bar and continued walking. "They seemed nice," said
Bailey. "Except for that Maguire guy. What the hell was his problem?"
"It's nothing," Sarah assured him. "He just likes me, that's all."
Bailey stopped and looked at her. "Tough luck for him," he said and smiled.
"You're mine." He leaned over and gently kissed her mouth.
They walked down numerous streets and passed by various stores, and they
made it to Central Park. They sat down on a bench and just gazed at each
other for a couple of minutes. "This is a nice city," said Bailey.
"It is," admitted Sarah. "But it's not home. San Francisco is and always
will be my home: that's where you are."
"I hope you'll return home soon."
"I will," insisted Sarah. "I wouldn't be able to stay far away from you
forever, now would I?"
Bailey put his arm around her and they sat there, looking at the people
walking by. Every time they saw a couple walk by, they smiled at each other.
It was nice to know that other people in the world were as happy and in love
as they were.
Bailey then noticed something and tapped Sarah on the shoulder. They looked
and saw, sitting on the bench across from them, an elderly couple kissing.
Bailey and Sarah smiled and then looked at each other. They giggled and then
they kissed.
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PART EIGHT: GOODBYE
Bailey and Sarah sat in the airport lounge. Jewel's "You Were Meant For Me"
was playing on the speakers. They looked at each other and smiled, even
though inside they were both in pain. It was time for Bailey to return to
San Francisco and none were too happy about parting again. "I wish you could
stay a bit longer," said Sarah.
"How much longer?" asked Bailey.
"Forever."
Bailey looked at her sadly and took her hand. He wanted to stay, to be with
her. He wanted her to return to San Francisco with him. "Don't worry," he
said gently. "Just hope you'll come home soon."
Sarah started to speak. "Thank you for coming Bay. These were the greatest
five days ever. They passed by too fast, though." Bailey looked into her
eyes as she spoke and just wanted to hold her forever and ever. She
continued: "Also, these past few nights weren't lonely and scary and cold."
"You don't know how great it felt to hold you in my arms again," he said.
"Both day and night."
"I know how it felt," she said. "I felt it too."
Bailey stood up, took Sarah's hands and pulled her up on her feet. "I have
something for you," he said and pulled out a small box from his pocket.
Sarah recognized it: that box contained the ring he had once proposed to her
with. Sure enough, Bailey pulled out the ring.
Sarah started to cry. "Bailey, I told you: I can't marry you," she said,
shaking her head. Why was he proposing? Why was he asking her at a time
where she was so vulnerable, she would've said yes even if she wanted to say
no?
Bailey looked at her and hugged her. "No, honey, don't cry," he soothed her.
"I'm not proposing, I'm just giving you the ring. You said you'll marry me
someday, but I was hoping you'd wear the ring now." Sarah looked at his
face. "Would you at least wear the ring?" he asked. "Please?"
Sarah nodded and Bailey placed the ring on her finger. Bailey hugged and
kissed her and as he did, the woman on the intercom started to speak:
"Attention passengers: flight 111 from New York City to San Francisco is now
boarding. I repeat..."
"That's me," said Bailey, and they walked hand in hand to the gate. Sarah
held his hand real tight, not wanting to let go. "I have to get on," said
Bailey with tears in his eyes.
Sarah shook her head. "Don't go!" she begged. "Stay here with me. Hold me
and make love to me every night."
"You don't know how much I want to," he said, tempted to stay. "I have to
go, though." He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the ring on her
finger. He then kissed Sarah's mouth for the logest time. It was a sweet
kiss, but one of the most painful they had ever shared. Bailey pulled away
and looked at her. "I love you."
"I love you, too," she said. "Have a safe flight." Bailey kissed her
forehead and turned away. He entered the gate and turned to look at Sarah
one last time. He then disappeared.
Sarh stood there, crying. She waited until his plane took off, and then she
lost it. She sat on a chair and started to cry uncontrolably. People stared
at her, but she didn't care. When there were no more tears left in her, she
wiped them off her face, and then looked at the diamond on her finger. She
knew what she had to do.
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PART NINE: I'M COMING HOME
Bailey lay on the couch, trying to get some sleep. He had been home for two
days and he was still jet-lagged. Or maybe he missed Sarah too much. Either
way, he was tired. Everytime he closed his eyes and started to dream of
Sarah, he was forced to wake up by noises around the house.
Owen suddenly ran to Bailey and jumped on his stomach. "Ow!" he yelped in
pain. "Owen, can you please play somewhere else? I'm real tired."
"Sorry Bay," he said and walked out of the living room. He saw Charlie on
his way out and warned him: "Watch out! Bailey is VERY grumpy." Charlie
swatted Owen's bum. "Go clean up for supper Owe," he said and sat down on
the edge of the couch.
"Supper's ready," he said.
"I'm not hungry," said Bailey, his eyes closed.
Charlie sighed and looked at his brother. He worried about him. He didn't
seem very happy since Sarah wasn't around. When he returned from New York,
he had a huge smile on his face and talked non-stop about Sarah. He wished
that Bailey was happy like that all the time.
He could understand his brother's sadness, though. He knew how lonely it was
when two lovers were apart. He felt like dying when he and Kirsten weren't
together. But now they were back together and happily married. If only
Bailey was as happy as they were.
Diana started to cry and Charlie stood up. "I'll go," he said. "If you're
hungry, there's supper ready in the kitchen."
Charlie left and Bailey lay there, his stomach grumbling. He didn't care
much for food at the moment. He only wanted Sarah in his arms. I wonder what
she's doing right now, he thought.
******
"When You're Gone" by Bryan Adams and Sporty Spice was playing on the radio
as Sarah packed her suitcases. She sang along as Romy looked on: "Baby, when
you're gone. I realize I'm in love. Days all seem so wrong. And the nights
just seem SO long. Even food don't taste that good..."
"Are you sure you want to do this?" asked Romy.
"Positive!" said Sarah happily as she folded her favorite grey sweater and
placed it in her suitcase.
"But you still haven't found out anything about your dad!" said Romy. "Why
are you leaving?"
"Listen, I've looked. I haven't found anything," said Sarah. "I gave
Bailey's number to some people who say they kinda knew my father. If he
calls, great. If he doesn't, why should I care if he doesn't?" Sarah looked
at a framed photo of her and Bailey and smiled. She put it in her suitcase
and shut it. "I'm going to be with someone who loves me."
"That's great girl!" said Romy and hugged her. "As long as you're happy.
I'll miss you though. You know that."
"I'll miss you, too."
Romy then grabbed Sarah's hand and pulled her out of the apartment. "C'mon!"
she said. "Let's head to your goodbye party now, so you can come home early
and get a good night's sleep. You need to be well rested for your flight
tomorrow." They ran out, and Sarah shut the door behind her.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PART TEN: TOGETHER AGAIN
Sarah opened the door to the Salinger house nervously, yet excited. The
house was dark. Obviously, nobody was home. She looked around and smiled at
the familiarity and the warmth of this Victorian house on Broadway street.
This was where she belonged. This was home.
She walked up the stairs to the attic. She placed her suitcases somewhere in
a corner and sat on the bed. She felt closer to Bailey already. She got up
and rummaged through his dresser drawers and found a pair of "South Park"
boxers and a San Francisco 49ers sweatshirt. She put them on and hugged
herself. She felt very warm in Bailey's clothes.
She lay there on the bed, waiting for Bailey to come home. She couldn't wait
to see him and the look on his face. She heard the family come home after
awhile, but she didn't move to greet them. She wanted Bailey to be the first
one to see her.
"Bailey, are you here?" yelled Claudia from downstairs.
"He's probably still at the restaurant Claud," said Julia.
The hours passed and everybody went to bed. The house was dark and very
quiet, but Sarah still waited up anxiously for Bailey's arrival. Time went
on and he still hadn't returned. Sarah was ready to fall asleep when she
heard a noise coming from downstairs. It was the sound of a door being shut
and then locked. Bailey was home.
******
At 3 am, Bailey came home from work extremely tired. He shut the door and
locked it tight. He then tiptoed up the darkened stairway to the attic. He
made it upstairs and set his briefcase down on the floor. In the dark, he
slowly undressed himself as he walked over to the bed. He lay down and
sighed. "Sarah," he whispered. "I miss you."
Suddenly, a dark figure leaned over him and placed it's hand on his
forehead. He looked up and gazed at the person. It was dark and couldn't see
well. Or at least he did see, but couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"Sarah?" he asked, perplexed. He got up and turned on the light, and there
was Sarah sitting on the bed, smiling at him. "Sarah!" he exclaimed happily
and wrapped his arms around her. "Omigod!" He started smothering her face
with millions of kisses and Sarah giggled.
"What are you doing here?" he asked. "Did you find your dad?" Sarah shook
her head. "Then why are you here?"
Sarah lay down and placed her head on his lap. He softly stroked her hair.
"To be with you," she simply said.
"But... your dad," he continued. "Don't you want to find him?"
"I do," she admitted. "And I did leave your number to some friends of
friends of his. I'm hoping he'll call. If he cares, he will. If not, I don't
mind. I'd rather be with someone who wants me in his life just as much as I
want him in mine." She looked up and smiled at him.
Bailey smiled back down at her. "So, you're here to stay?" he asked to make
sure he was hearing right.
"I'm here to stay."
Bailey leaned over and kissed her softly. "It's so great to have you in my
arms again," he whispered. "For good." Sarah smiled as Bailey nuzzled the
back of her neck. She put her hands on his chest as he held her close. "I'm
going to hold you so tight tonight, I am never letting go," he said.
Sarah murmured her approval as Bailey kissed her, touched her, held her,
loved her. She had no intentions of not letting him hold her. He could hold
her forever, for all she cared. " I love you," said Bailey.
"I love you too," she said, tears streaming down her face.
"I'm so glad we're finally together," said Bailey.
Sarah looked up at Bailey smiling down at her. His smile and the rest of his
face were so protective, so warm, and so full of love. She felt so safe in
his arms, in his embrace. She had no idea why she had left him in the first
place. But she knew she had done the right thing by coming back. "Forever,"
she said. They continued to kiss and made love until the the sun came up.