Between the Lanterns(50)
Samantha dropped it into her purse, which also sat on the table top.
“Sweets, I’m so sorry,” she said, admitting to more than he knew. “I know that it meant a lot to you, but look on the bright side, as they used to say. You can always make another one. You designed it. You have all the same materials in your workshop, don’t you?”
August looked up and morosely nodded. “Yeah, but the thing is, babe, I signed a contract statin’ that I wouldn’t make any more of them,” he said solemnly. “I gave my word, and I’m legally bound not to build another SameSoul ever again. It’s Montek’s property now. That’s what burns. I sold it to pay for the rest of our lives, Sam. But I’m startin’ to regret it.”
Samantha felt awful, but couldn’t let him know that she had it. Not now. She had made her mind up about that. August would not be putting himself into that SameSoul.
“Listen, sweets. You can buy one of theirs once they start making them,” she offered, knowing that it was the wrong thing to say.
August looked up at her with a disgusted expression and said, “Do you really think that I’d do that, babe?”
“Not in a million years, sweets,” she admitted. “But I figured I’d offer it up as a suggestion anyway. Can’t hurt, can it?”
August rolled his eyes, shrugged his shoulders, and seemed to come to terms with the loss of the most important tech he had ever created.
“Well, nothin’ can be done about it now,” he said. “We just have to move on from here, right? How’s packin’ goin’, Sam?”
A change of subject was exactly what they needed, and she was glad August had done it before she could.
“Sweets, I ain’t packing a thing,” she said with a wicked grin. “We got enough Credit to buy whatever we need, wherever we go. Speaking of which, have you decided where we’re going first?”
August’s eyes beamed as he stood up, and walked over to the laundry basket. He picked out the dress that Samantha had worn yesterday; a very simple, knee-length, navy blue dress with white dots all over it.
“You gotta at least take this one dress, babe,” he told her, holding the dress out to her.
Samantha looked at the limp article of clothing in her husband’s hand and realized why he chose that one particular garment.
“You remember, sweets? How on Earth do you remember this dress, August?”
He let out a short laugh before pulling her close, and said, “When the lights went out that night, I wasn’t scared. You know why? Somethin’ felt right; somethin’ close by. Then, when they all came back on, and I saw you for the first time, I knew that I would spend every minute of the rest of my life tryin’ to get you to marry me. Of course I remember this dress. It was what you were wearing between the lanterns when we first met.”
Samantha laid her head on August’s chest and listened to the drum beat of his heart. It always sounded so loud, but it was a comforting rhythm. A teardrop fell from her eye, and she whispered to him, “Sweets, I love you so much… it hurts when you aren’t holding me.”
August kissed her gently and held onto her even tighter. After a silent moment, he said, “As for the first stop on the trip? I picked a place that I know you’ve always wanted to visit… your ancestral homeland, Sam;: China. It’s supposed to be magical but difficult all at the same time. There’s a lot to do there, you know? Trace your family line back, and even find some relatives. Do some sightseeing. Visit the Great Wall! See the panda memorials and where they used to live. What do you think?”
She couldn’t speak. Breathless, light -headed, and with her eyes burning... Samantha’s emotions overcame her. So she hugged her incredibly thoughtful husband as tight as she could, and cried into his shoulder.
August picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. After a little while, they made love gently and slowly. There was no rush. It was more about being with one another, and being a part of one another, than finishing. They lost themselves in each other and found a stronger bond than ever before. It was the most intimate and beautiful moment they ever shared together. But it would be the last time either of them ever had sex.
Chapter 22
DAY THREE
So far, today had been perfect for both Samantha and August. They had both woken still wrapped in the spell of the previous night’s lovemaking; both still drunk on the power of that moment together.
They only spoke a few words here and there, preferring the silence of the early morning while they made breakfast together. Afterward, they just sat on opposite ends of the couch with their legs intertwined and read real books, made of real paper. August read a fantasy novel, as usual, and Samantha read an entertaining autobiography written by a hilarious female comedian. At lunchtime, they finally broke the silence with the sound of their grumbling stomachs.
“Sweets, I think our bellies are trying to tell us something,” she said with a laugh.
August looked down at his stomach and shushed it, saying, “You can’t tell me what to do, Steve.”
Samantha arched an eyebrow at the man she had been with for years, and with a very curious tone said, “Steve? You… you named your stomach Steve?”
He merely shrugged his shoulders, tilted his head, and answered, “He never used to be big enough to have a name, but years of eatin’ your cookin’ have made him large and in charge. He’s earned a formal title.”