Free A Dream to Cling To by Sally Goldenbaum Page A

resented Joey, but I knew I wasn’t cut out to have someone dependent on me like that—forever. Sometimes, just because of the way I felt, I thought I was cheating Joey.”
    “So you finally got away,” she said softly.
    He nodded thoughtfully. “I don’t mean it was the people here I was getting away from, Brittany. They were fine people. But no one understood, no one felt that same pull to explore and digest that world out there with the same intensity I did. And when I finally was able to move on, well, it was
wonderful
. Like a parched spirit finally finding water and nourishment. I went off to Penn State, a little late but no worse for wear, and the world opened up for me. Things I’d never touched before the way I wanted to—music and art and plays. Different kinds of people and philosophies.And after college I plunged into every opportunity that came along. I guess I’m still catching up, moving on to each thing life has to offer.”
    “It seems to me you’ve done a pretty good job, Sam. You’ve experienced so many things.”
    He wove his fingers into her hair as they walked and considered her words. “There’s a
lifetime
of different things out there, Brittany.”
    The smile in his eyes spread across his whole face, and Brittany found herself caught up in the magic of the moment. He was lost in a dream, flying away. Making sure his parents’ kind of life didn’t settle upon him and hold him fast.
    “And speaking of tasting different things …” He stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, his eyes fixed on the garish neon sign. A crooked grin curved his lips. “We have here Jake’s famous hamburgers, guaranteed to fill even a teenager’s bottomless belly. What do you say, Brittany? Doesn’t the smell alone lift your spirits?”
    She looked at the cafe-curtained windows, then grinned up at Sam. “At this point, raw hot dogs would be welcome! Let’s try it.” She tugged on his hand and they pushed their way through the heavy glass door.
    Settled in a shadowed booth and fortified with huge mugs of hot chocolate delivered by a short-skirted teenager, Brittany and Sam smiled tiredly at each other.
    “What a day,” she said. “My mind feels nicely full.”
    He leaned his head against the back of the booth and concentrated on the golden flecks that danced in her eyes. “Full of what?”
    “Oh, thoughts of you mostly. And now I need to digest all this and see what I can make of it.” Her light laughter only partially hid the jumble of emotions their afternoon together had stirred up. It would take a while to sort it all out. And for what purpose? She shook her head slowly and looked up into Sam’s thoughtful eyes. “Maybe I ought to digest some food first.”
    He leaned forward, propping his elbows on the table,and cupped both her hands between his. His head bent close enough for her to feel his breath and smell the autumn cold that clung to his jacket.
    The smile was there, and the laughter and light flowing from his incredibly dark eyes. She swallowed around the lump in her throat and met his gaze.
    “Brittany, don’t think too hard about any of it. It’s just background, like your having gone to Sarah Lawrence.”
    She nodded, smiling, but knowing just as surely as Sam did that the past
did
matter—and one’s reaction to what had happened there mattered—and that it
was
worth thinking about. In sifting through the past, the present often became more clear. And sometimes even the future …
    Platters were slid between them, and she sat back and stared at a burger large enough to feed six. “Sam!” She laughed, relieved to concentrate on something as easily analyzed as food. “How did you ever manage to keep in shape eating stuff like this?” She eyed the crisp hard roll and the butter dripping in yellow puddles along the plate and felt her stomach growl.
    “Isn’t it great?” He lifted a golden fried onion ring from the basket and held it up to her mouth, one finger crooked