Samantha gave her a puzzled look. "I am sorry." she said "I don't know what you mean."

Pollyanna smiled "I hear you have 3 older brothers and a younger sister. In our family the girls came first!"

"OH!" Samantha smiled nervously and nodded. "Yes. I have 3 older brothers Christopher and Peter are twins and then Nicholas. I am next, then Rachel."

"Do all of you live in Carmel?" Pollyanna inquired.

Samantha shook her head "I am the only one who lives in Carmel. Christopher and his family live in Malibu. Peter and his wife and kids live in North Carolina. Nicholas and his family are in New York and Rachel and her husband live in Seattle."

"Wow you certainly are spread out! Didn't Howard tell me your parents live in New Mexico?"

Samantha nodded again. "My father is a professor at the University of New Mexico. My mom is an architect." Samantha grew quiet for a moment. 'I wonder what Howie has told her about me?' she mused.

"You are a webpage designer right?" Pollyanna verified in an attempt to keep the conversation going and ease Samantha's nerves. Samantha nodded her head. Pollyanna smiled "I will have to remember to keep you away have our cousin Steve then." She paused when Samantha gave her another confused look then went on . "He designs websites as well. If the two of you get to talking shop, no one else may ever get to meet you!" she added with a laugh that sparked a giggle from Samantha.

"He would probably find what I do to be rather boring." Samantha stated. "It is mostly commercial sites for businesses and stuff like that. Nothing too exciting but I like what I do."

"Samantha" Pollyanna said softly "You don't have to be afraid of me. I want to be your friend." she said glancing at the girl in the seat next to her. "You have nothing to be nervous about. If Howard likes you as much as he does then I know you are a great person! My little brother is a pretty savvy guy. A savvy guy until he talks about you that is. Then he turns into a babbling fool who won't shut up!"

Samantha laughed "That is basically the same thing John said when he picked me up at the airport last night!"

"You think we are kidding right?" Pollyanna asked with a light laugh. "We're not! Howard just about drove us insane this week trying to make everything perfect for you! The boy didn't seem capable of completing a conversation without somehow bringing you into to it!" She turned the car into the parking lot and headed for an open parking space. "Howard really loves you Samantha." Pollyanna said as she turned off the engine.

Samantha blushed. "Pollyanna, I love him more than I ever thought I would be capable of loving someone." She reached to open her door. "Howie makes me feel so alive. So special." She joined Pollyanna and they headed toward the mall. "He has this way of making me feel like we are the only two people on Earth." Sam laughed. "Do you think babbling is contagious?" she inquired wrinkling her nose and smiling at Pollyanna.

"I don't think so Samantha!" Pollyanna replied smiling back. "I would say in both of your cases, it is more like a way of getting to know each other by expressing to everyone you know, all of the ways you care about each other." She reached and opened the door to the mall, gesturing for Samantha to go ahead of her.

"Thanks Pollyanna." Samantha said as Pollyanna joined her. "So where do we head to first?"