Honestly, Fred had forgotten about the hand holding; either the contact comforted her enough to forget, or she just forgot. Fred could be absentminded on occasion.
"Oh! This-" As she moved her hand to motion to her friend, she realized that they were still connected. The finger tightening might have been something of a hint too. As politely as she could, she extracted her fingers and gave Sam a soft pat on the shoulder.
"This is Sam. Sam, this is Norman. Norman owns this whole motel and runs it all by himself. And, it looks like he's been busy painting! I like yellow." Fred was trying to soothe any upset feelings that might exist. She knew that Sam wasn't happy, and she really didn't want Mother to wake up.
"Had many guests lately? Have you seen Wesley? Are you eating?" Yes, it always came down to friends and food for Fred.