She didn't understand him. Since arriving in the city her fiancé had been impatient, aggressive and withdrawn.
Sam didn't want to go to the Maria Luisa and Oscar Americano Foundation. He remembered and it hurt. Sam's first wife Adrianna had died a few years earlier in a car crash.
Adrianna's parents had taken part in a foreign student exchange program. Adrianna and her siblings had grown up with young men and women from all over the world, staying between a few months to two years. Sam had been one of them.
He was American, born in North Dakota, but grew up in California. Adrianna, who had been born and raised in Sao Paulo, liked Sam. He had humor, was lively and mature for his age. Sam put it down to having tried a lot of things, and he had been an inquisitive child. It didn't hurt either, that he was tall and dark haired with beautiful green eyes. On the other side Sam's stubbornness, short temper and jealousy could drive Adrianna mad.
She fell in love the longer she knew him. Adrianna added generosity and compassion to her list of Sam's positive traits. Adrianna had black hair and brown eyes and was around 5 ft 8 in tall.
Once Adrianna finished the relationship with Sam. His jealousy had gotten the better of him, and he had punched her best friend Rei. In rage she slapped him and explained whom he had just hurt. Sam didn't give up, though. She couldn't avoid him, because Sam still lived in her parent's home. Adrianna could be as own minded as Sam and ignored him for nearly a month. He confronted her, when he was sure they were alone. Sam admitted he thought she was beautiful, intelligent, and she could have had any man she wanted, and there were men out, who were better than him. Adrianna told him off, because she thought, he was the only man suitable for her, and took him back.
From then on Sam and Adrianna were inseparable.
When they were together for a couple of months Sam was sure he wanted to marry Adrianna. He was meticulous in the planning and execution of his proposal. To be able to by an engagement ring, Sam had to save for half a year and invited Adrianna to the Maria Luisa and Oscar Americano Foundation. They were having tea on the porch of the cafe, surrounded by the beautiful garden, birds twittering in the background. Sam retrieved the ring box from his pants pocket, sank to his knees and asked Adrianna, if she wanted to marry him. She said yes, smiling and crying at the same time. Both were very happy. They wanted a small wedding. Adrianna's father Roger didn't agree. He wanted to invite all his business partners and their families. Roger felt sometimes like he was talking with a wall. In the end he gave in, but not without grumbling to his wife Maria Isadora her daughter was stubborn as hell. Sam's parents Jack and Madeleine agreed to pay for the wedding and the honeymoon.
Sam never forgot the first time Rei met his father. Nicolo, Rei's partner, was Sam's best man. Sam introduced both of his friends to his father. Nico shook Jack's hand and said something like pleased to meet you. Rei reacted differently. He gave Jack a bear hug and kissed him on the mouth. It left Jack shocked and speechless. Sam laughed. He had tried to convince Rei not to do it, but Rei couldn't help himself. He kissed strangers and friends, no matter if they were male or female, on the mouth. Jack believed Sam had set him up and took it with humor, when he had recovered from the surprise. Only when knowing Rei better, he realized Rei always behaved that way.
Sam and Adrianna spent three nights at the Alvear Palace in Buenos Aires as honeymoon. They had once dinner at Daniel Bondeaux's. It was the highlight of the trip. Adrianna had fun at Sam's cost, when she tried without success to teach him tango dancing. Music wasn't her husband's strength. They brought home loads of photographs and memories.
Sam was reminded of his more or less eleven years of happiness with Adrianna and the reason why he didn't want to go to the foundation. He didn't want to discuss his sadness and loss with Hue, who thought she was standing in the shadow of Sam's wife and was jealous.
Sam had fallen in love with Hue, because she not only looked different than his wife, but had also different character traits.
In the end Sam came clean why he had behaved oddly. Hue was understanding and said next time she would appreciate honesty from the beginning.
©2011
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