Out Of Time

The Ring

This chapter is rated M for sexual content.

Sam stared at the leather bag in front of her. It contained her clothes and her other items. She was deciding whether or not she should leave or stay. She wanted to hear Arthur out, but she'd been in a similar situation before. She'd been engaged, then the man she was supposed to marry left her for another woman. She didn't want to go through that again, but Arthur was not that guy. She wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. Still, her insecurities were nagging at her and causing her to go down a rabbit hole of dark thoughts. What if Arthur decided to run away with this person? Oh God, she dreaded to think. Where would Sam even go if Arthur was leaving her? Somewhere far away from here. Suddenly she heard a knock on the door.

"Sam?" she heard Hosea say.

"Yeah?!" she replied a bit more coldly than intended. She cleared her throat. "Sorry, yes Hosea?"

"May I come in?"

"Sure."

Hosea opened the door and walked in. "So...what's goin' on here?"

Sam sat on the bed and held her head. "I don't know."

"...You ain't plannin' on leavin', are you?"

"...I might."

Hosea sat next to her on the bed. "But you don't even have your gun and bow."

"I'll buy a new rifle and bow."

"With what money?"

"I still have my savings," she said, patting her bag.

"I see. Well, why would you want to leave, Sam?"

"Arthur is with Mary right now. What if he...if he...leaves me for her?"

Hosea laughed. "Arthur ain't the type, Sam. Trust me."

"I can't help but think he might. It...it's happened to me before."

Hosea wrapped an arm around Sam's shoulders. "I see. You're worried it'll happen again, huh?"

"Yes."

"Well, it won't. Trust me. Arthur isn't that type of man at all."

Sam looked at Hosea with hope in her watery eyes. "Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. I've known the man almost his whole life. And I've met Mary. I can tell you right now, that woman can't hold a candle to you."

"Really?" she asked while wiping her eyes.

"Of course. Now, I don't necessarily condone him goin' off to see her without lettin' you know first, but that's the only idiot thing he did and will do when it comes to the subject."

Sam chuckled and wiped her eyes, sniffling. "Thank you, Hosea."

"You're welcome. Now, why don't we unpack your bag and you can go back out there and beat Micah around some more?"

Sam laughed and nodded. "Okay."

Hosea helped her unpack her back but stopped when he saw her mortar full of toothpaste. "What's this?"

Sam looked at him as she folded a shirt to put into her chest. "Oh, that's just something I made to help clean my teeth."

Hosea raised a brow as he smelled it. "Is that mint?"

"Mmhmm. Helps freshen the breath."

"I know a few camp members who could use some of this."

Sam nodded. "Well, then I'll make more. I'd need to go into town, though. No, I better go to Rhodes. I don't want Bronte's men to see me...even if Bronte is dead. By the way, any word on that?"