“I’ve never sleepwalked before; Someone had hypnotized me!” Shana was relieved that it had been Sam who found her, since she would’ve been mortified if a total stranger had come to her rescue. She felt safe and warm in his arms. And he smelled so nice, like cologne or aftershave. She could fall asleep in his arms and dream….
“What do you think was the hypnotic suggestion that was given to you?” Sam asked. He woke her from her brief reverie.
“I think I was supposed to feel unimportant and insignificant in the scheme of things…making me want to kill myself by jumping off the tower.” Shana got the chills when she thought about what had almost happened to her.
“Don’t worry, you’re safe now. I’m bringing you to my office; no one will be there. You can rest and put on some warm clothes. When you’re ready, I’ll take you back home.”
“Please don’t tell anyone—not even Linda. I have to figure this out myself.”
Sam entered his private office and laid her down on the couch. “You’re not alone in this; all your friends are here for you. I’m here for you. You can tell Todd anything. I’ve been through so much with him that you can trust him with your life.”
“You can tell Todd, but my friends don’t need to know yet. It wouldn’t serve any purpose except to frighten them further.”
“Okay, I’ll do whatever you ask. When you’re ready, you can tell them yourself.”
After she changed into Sam’s extra clothing and rested a bit, he drove her home. She felt embarrassed about what had just happened; she couldn’t understand what could have made her climb up a tower in the middle of the night and then consider jumping off.
Huddled against the car’s door, she took a quick peek at Sam’s face. He was staring ahead at the road, deep in thought. Then he turned his face toward her and gave her a warm smile. She realized for the first time that even with his tough exterior, he was soft and gentle inside. She sank back into her seat and closed her weary eyes.
Shana opened her eyes and was startled: she didn’t know where she was. She peered into the darkness. She was lying on her bed in her room—but she had just been in the car with Sam. She glanced over at the chair beside her bed and found Sam sound asleep. He must have carried her to bed and then had conked out on the chair. He did look tired: events must be getting to him. He carried so much responsibility on his shoulders. She’d just have to be nicer to him in the future. With that thought in mind, she fell asleep. She slept through the night, knowing that she had Sam beside her to protect her.
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