Love Always (NG4)

6 - Ready

Sam counted down the days until he left for Boston. Even though Boston was filled with memories of Rory, they weren't everywhere like on The Point. He avoided the beach and The Landing. He was never so glad not to be a coffee drinker.

On Saturday night, he couldn't hide in his room, so he sat at the dinner table. No surprise Anna was next to Cole. Sam had eaten dinner at the Harris' as often as Anna ate at his house.

After he finished eating, he left the table and went upstairs to get his camera. His appetite was back, and he got hungry especially when he was out all day and didn't bother to stop for lunch. Sam ate with gusto until something reminded him of Rory. He lived on a seesaw, with constant ups and downs and not much balancing in the middle. Dinner was an 'up' with Keira talking about going to the water park the next day. It was the last outing for her gang before Ben Probst and Kevin Bennett headed to their colleges early for freshman orientation. He immediately thought of Rory already starting classes. Then he remembered all the good times they had on the water slides. She was a part of every nook and cranny of his life except photography.

Anna stopped him when he walked through the house with his camera. "We're going to the beach, do you want to come?"

He shook his head. "I'm going to..." He lifted his camera.

She smiled like she knew a secret. "If you change your mind. Come find us."

"Anna. I don't want to be your third wheel."

Anna cried, "It's like you're gone too."

He would be soon, but not soon enough

Earlier Cole and Anna had gone swimming next door. He couldn't imagine hanging out at the place Rory had loved. Besides, Lana would mention Rory. She was living at Lana's house in Virginia. He was also convinced Lana put the idea in Rory's head.

Instead of photographing the sunset, he curled up on his bed. Before he shut his eyes, he sent her a text. Instead of sending a photograph, he opted for honesty.

🗨To Rory: I miss you ❤

🗨 I miss you too.

Sleep came easily, even though it was never sound.

Anna wasn't around the next day, and Sam was just as happy. Cole said nothing, but Sam's stepbrother had been supportive. Maybe because he had his heart broken back in high school. Sam could be righteous and compare, but at the time Cole had been hurt.

Finally, his countdown neared the end. He had one full day left. After dinner the day before his last, he took his cameras and tripod and walked up to Evan's fish market. He had taken very little video but wanted one of the sunset. He set up behind the market closer to the ice cream shacks away from the docks.

The video didn't require attention, but he tried to capture different angles with the still camera. He captured a silhouette of a kid eating an ice cream cone while he pushed back memories of hundreds of cones.

"Sammy, Sammy!"

A small body ran into his legs and hugged him. With his camera securely hung around his neck, he picked up JP, who talked a million miles an hour about the beach with Liam and a sleepover. Thankfully, he never mentioned his oldest sister. JP thought Sam was his friend, a part of his family.

Across the pavement was a group of familiar faces. Emma walked toward them holding Charlotte's hand with Liam right behind. Was he ready to see Jack and Maddie? He frowned at Lana.

Maddie called the kids to get their cones. Sam let JP down and picked up his camera. Lana walked over to him holding an ice cream.

She handed it to him with a frown. "Jack ordered this for you."