On the first morning after they had shared their vows, Sam asked Ashton to remove her ring and read the engraving he had had placed inside. She pulled the ring from her finger and read the inscription, “Forever in my heart, S.” Ashton kissed him sweetly, and with damp eyes had once again confessed her love to this man. She told him that there was a story attached to his ring as well, and asked him to take off his ring also. Before he could read it though, she had covered his hand, and looking into his eyes explained her decision.
“This ring, the one I chose for you, was my fathers. I have kept it, along with my mothers, since they were taken from me four years ago. I kept both sets here at the house, because it was the place I remember all of us being together and happy. After you asked me to marry you I took it out, knowing that they would have approved of you and our love. I wanted you to have something special, which is why I gave it to you.”
She removed her hand and let Sam see the inside of the circle of gold. Sam noticed two inscriptions inside the ring. The first read “Soul mates M & P”, and the second one said “For all time S & A.”
“The M is for my father Matthew and P was for my mother, Piper,” Ashton explained. “They were very much in love from the first day until their last, and I wanted us to be that way also.”
Sam slipped the ring back onto his finger and made a fist of his fingers as if he was afraid the ring would come off if not held tight. “Thank you, baby,” he said as he kissed her to let her know he approved of her decision. “I’ll cherish it, always.”
The rest of the day, they decided, would be spent doing whatever they wanted. “After all,” Sam said, “we ARE on our honeymoon.”
Ashton had clapped her hands in delight, and packing a lunch had led them on a walk that took them all over the mountain, not bringing them home until the sun had dipped low in the western sky. They had chased each other through the trees, skinny-dipped in their lake, picked flowers, collected rocks, made love, and gotten drunk on the joy of being one. Their happiness knew no bounds, and they lived as if there would be no tomorrow. Though neither one would put voice to the thought, it was in the back of their minds, squirming to get out, threatening to make their time desperate.
When the sun finally set, Sam brought out candles, and they laughed as children over pizza and sodas, though both agreed the romantic setting made the food that much better. There was no mention of bedtime, but by mutual consent the journey was made, hand in hand, to their room taking time as many stops were needed to touch and taste along the way.
The night sped by as the two wallowed in the joy of each other until the glut of their acts saw them falling into dreamless sleep, wrapped in a cocoon of entwined arms and legs.
Sam woke first the next day, enjoying the quiet of the early morning and the feel of his wife beside him. He thought about his life and the drastic change that had taken place within the last two months. His time as a hired gun for the government was over and his new life as friend, lover, and husband had just begun. He had never been as content and relaxed as he was now, looking forward to each new dawn with Ashton.
He felt her stir in his arms and gave her his attention, neither saying a word but communicating with sighs, gasps and willing bodies.
Ashton rose from the bed and moved into the bathroom, soon to be joined by Sam. Steam billowed and fogged the mirror before two very clean people turned the water off and grabbed two fluffy towels to dry off.
Sam immediately noticed the spot where Ashton had drawn her name on the mirror the night they were married. He smiled, and before she could wipe it off, he grabbed her hand, kissed it and said, “Leave it. I like it there.” Smiling a little sheepishly at being caught doing something so young and foolish, Ashton dropped her hand.
They both dressed for the day, then made their way down the stairs, arm in arm. Ashton made Sam a breakfast of french toast and bacon, filling his belly with food as she filled his soul with warmth.
“Sam,” Ashton said after the dishes were placed in the rack to dry, “I saw something in the woods yesterday that I would like to get, so I need you to give me about an hour by myself.” At Sam’s questioning look Ashton went into his arms and stood on tiptoes to kiss him. “It’s a surprise. I won’t be long.”
Sam relaxed and kissed her back. “Alright,” he said, “I think I can amuse myself while you are gone. Are you sure you don’t need me to come with you?” missing her before she had even left.
“It’s a surprise,” she said again, laughing as she stepped away. She grabbed a bag and headed to the door. “Be back soon, love you,” she said as she let the screen door thump behind her and jogged across the yard to disappear into the trees.
It was Ashton’s intent to pick some wild flowers and place them in a hollowed out log she had seen in the long grass beside a path they had taken the day before. Humming to herself she made her way into the trees. It took her about fifteen minutes to locate the log she wanted. Its weathered look and perfect bowl shape would look wonderful on the porch, and she wanted to give it to Sam. She liked finding him treasures from their mountain and watching his face as she presented each one to him. Her gifts had ranged from delicate flowers to rocks filled with crystals and pieces of petrified wood. Sam probably thought she was crazy but she loved the treasures Mother Nature had provided for them. They meant more to her then expensive things that could be purchased.
As she was bent over trying to pry the log from the ground, Ashton felt a warmth creep into her body and her hands stilled at their task. She wiped her hands on her thighs and rose to face the angel, Saul.
“Hello, Saul,” she said a tremor in her voice. No more would come out of her mouth so she stood silent, dread gripping her. She knew why he was here, but wanted to deny it with all of her being.
“Yes, Ashton, it is time,” he said, pity and compassion in his voice while grim determination was etched on his face.
“Are you sure?” she asked. “Is there nothing I can say or do to change this, to have more time?” She had to ask even though she knew the answer, could see it in his bearing.
“No, Ashton, I am truly sorry. This has to be.”
“Can I have time to say good bye to Sam?” she asked.
“There is no need to say good bye, Ashton,” he said, “you will see him again. Time will pass swiftly and your parting will feel like only a moment in time.”
Ashton let the tears fall freely as she took the steps towards Saul. Saul raised his hand to her, palm up. “It’s time, time for you to join me and mine.”
Ashton took the offered hand and felt herself floating and falling at the same time. Her body began to fade and she found it hard to focus on the physical world as her journey with Saul began. The log by the path remained untouched and the sounds of nature that had stilled before the angel’s presence, resumed there humming as life moved on.