Sam & Penny Short-Stories *English*

UNEXPECTED THINGS OFTEN HAPPEN - Trouble with the Ex

When Sam came home the next morning everything was quiet. Penny's brief explanation had reassured him, but it didn't change the fact that he didn't like Max's attitude and Penny obviously didn't feel comfortable around him. That alone was enough for him to avoid Max. But while he was getting ready for bed, he found his team's photo laid out in the kitchen and as he lay in bed he couldn't shake the feeling that something was different in his bedroom too. He fell asleep, but he slept fitfully, waking up when he heard Max getting ready and leaving the house. He kept dreaming about Max and Penny - however, Penny wasn't as averse to Max in his dreams as he was in reality, which made him jump up several times. Finally, he woke up when he realized something and, without knowing what it was, leaned over his bedside table, following an intuition. He opened the drawer and took out the stack of photos - photos from the fire station, mostly pictures of Penny, sometimes with Elvis, Ellie or Arnold at work, sometimes alone, but also some where he was dancing with Penny - when they gave Steele lessons or at various festivals. Would he ever get closer to Penny than he did on these occasions?

Suddenly something fell out of the pile in his hand and when he picked it up, surprise was mixed with anger. It was a photo where he had also danced with Penny and their eyes had met. Elvis had gotten a real snapshot with it because he was closest to her and she looked at him with a radiant smile that he would never forget. Every time he'd looked at that photo, his eyes had been glued to her face, his mind filled with hopes, his senses remembering her scent and her touch, his stomach churning with butterflies fluttering in excitement.

But now that wouldn't be the case anymore, because the photo had been torn cleanly in half and you could only see a little of her hand in his, the rest of her was missing.

He angrily jumped out of bed and went into the guest room. It wasn't like him to invade other people's privacy, but who started it? He tore open all the drawers, looked under the mattress, the sheets, the pillow and in Max bag, but he found nothing. That bastard had to have it with him, Sam thought as he got ready for work and then waited anxiously for his colleagues to return from their emergency.

As Penny went up the stairs to start her shift, she heard a loud crash and stormed up the stairs, but she stopped at the corner and retreated into the shelter when she saw Sam had grabbed Max by the collar and pushed him against the wall.

"You're just a guest here, both at the station and in my house. If you behave like this always and everywhere, I'm not surprised that Penny doesn't want to have anything to do with you anymore. Now give me back my property."

"Sami, Sami, take it easy. I was just curious to see what drives our great hero. She's amazing, isn't she? Tell me, is there something going on between you?"

"Even if that were the case, it's none of your business. The picture! Now!"

"That's fine," replied Max and Penny heard something rustling. "Then let the better man win. You're a worthy opponent for me," he then added with so much mockery in his voice that it made Penny's stomach turn.

"Don't play games, Max. You're only here as a substitute and Sam is therefore your superior. Show him the respect he deserves," Penny objected as she entered the room angrily - if he played his games with her it was one thing, but he had to keep Sam out of it. "What has he done now?" she turned to Sam, who quickly put something in his pocket.

"Nothing, we've sorted everything out and I hope it doesn't happen again." He turned to Max with a warning look, who shrugged with a smile before turning to Penny.

"Hey little mouse, how about if I invite you to breakfast at the nice Cafe down by the harbor tomorrow morning?"

"No, thanks Max, I'd rather starve. Have a nice evening," Penny objected resolutely and sat down next to Sam. They both could see something darken in Max's face before he turned away and went down the stairs. "What happened, Sam?" she then asked, but Sam shrugged.