The Master's Tale - Abandon All Hope, Book 1, Part 6

Epilogue

The night sky was full of brilliant stars out away from the city lights with the sound of crickets and frogs sounding in the still night air with the moon shining brightly and reflecting off of the calm waters of the lake sitting just a few hundred feet away from us. Sam and I were sitting together on an old blanket dressed warmly with hoodies and leaning against each other with our eyes up toward the sky while sitting in silence and enjoying the peace surrounding us.

Sam was the first to break away from his stare, looking back down at me and smiling softly to himself, eventually causing me to look back and catch his warm smile and the look of adoration in his eyes.

I smiled softly up at him, letting out a light laugh and shaking my head, "What?"

Sam shrugged, shaking his head with a smile, "Nothing."

I smiled even wider, letting out a laugh and leaning my head back against him, "I know it's not technically valentine's day anymore, but I'm still glad we made time to go out anyway? I needed this..."

Sam looked back out at the water, taking in a deep breath and slowly breathing out as a half smile spread across his face, "Me too..."

It was quiet for another moment when Sam stopped, glancing down at me and smiling to himself, "Oh yeah, I, uh... I almost forgot, but I actually got you something?"

I stopped, sitting back up and looking back up at him as I raised my eyebrows, "You did? When did you have time to do that? We've only been back for less than a day?"

Sam shrugged as he started to sit up, leaning over and reaching into the picnic basket, "Well, to be honest... I planned this a while ago, I just... I don't know, I'll just let you open it."

I furrowed my brows as I sat up and crossed my legs, laughing and shaking my head, "You didn't have to get me anything, Sam? Now I feel bad that I didn't get you anything?"

Sam pulled out a long rectangular small blue jewelry box, hesitantly handing it to me and shrugging, "I don't want anything. I just want you to be happy."

I looked down at the blue box as I took it from his hand, looking back up at him and shaking my head, "What is it? Is it gonna make me cry?"

Sam made a face as he shrugged, "I don't know, maybe? I'm not doing it just to make you cry, I just- Nevermind, okay? Just open it, please?"

I let out a short laugh, shaking my head and raising my eyebrows as I looked back down and pulled the top off, "Okay? I mean, you know I always appreciate gifts, Sam, but I don't really need them? I'm happy just spending time with-"

My eyes then stopped on a silver necklace with a pendant in the shape of a heart with small angel wings making up the heart on the front and feeling my chest swell as I held it in my hands.

Sam watched my face for my reaction with a slight smile, quietly gesturing to the box, "Open it. It's a locket."

I stopped, furrowing my brows as I glanced back up at Sam, looking back down and gently taking it out of the box before I opened the wings outward, revealing a small ultrasound photo of Gabriel's face.

My eyes immediately filled with tears as I held it in my hands, my chest now aching as I blinked the tears away and shook my head, looking back up at Sam, "He's not gone-"

"I know he's not, that's not why I made that. I just..."

Sam stopped, looking back down at the locket with a slightly pained expression on his face and seeing how much his own heart was aching as he looked down at it, "You said you didn't know what he looked like..."

My expression broke as I looked at Sam, tightening my trembling lips together as I looked back down at the locket, a tear falling down into my lap as I gazed at the small photo of our son's angelic face.

I sniffled, shaking my head as a broken smile spread across my face and my voice wavered as I spoke, "It's beautiful, Sam..."

I reached up and wiped a tear away before reaching back for Sam's hand and smiling back at him, "Thank you."

Sam finally looked back up at me with misty eyes and nodded as he smiled halfway, "You're welcome. It's the least I can do? Even if it's just to remind you every once in a while of why you still get out of bed in the morning?"

I smiled softly, shaking my head, "Thank you, Sam, but... Don't get me wrong, I do love this? I just don't really need a reason to get out of bed in the morning. All I wanna do is stay in bed with you?"

Sam's face lit up with a bright smile, laughing lightly and shaking his head, "We can't stay in bed all the time, but... I'm glad you like it."

I looked back down at the locket in my hand, smiling even bigger as I looked down at the picture, "I love it, Sam. How are you always such a good gift giver?"

Sam let out a laugh, shrugging and shaking his head, "This time it was more like a happy accident, so... I can't really take all the credit... You want me to help you put it on?"

I closed up the locket with my thumb, running my finger over the angel wings and smiling to myself before I shook my head, grinning back at Sam and shrugging, "Maybe after we go skinny dipping?"

Sam furrowed his brows slightly, shaking his head and laughing, "You really want to go skinny dipping? In February?"

I let out a laugh, shaking my head and shrugging, "Okay, fine. Raincheck?"

Sam narrowed his eyes a little, shaking his head with a slight grin, "I'll think about it."

I smiled even bigger, laughing as I leaned in closer, "Okay... Happy belated Valentine's Day, Sam."

Sam smiled back at me as he leaned in to kiss me, "Happy Valentine's Day, Cat."