Before Michael was to leave for his surgery, James insisted on a picnic. Juliah was scared to death that this wasn’t going to work.
The tension between Sarah and Orion was unbearable. James wanted at least one good day. Everyone gathered on the front lawn. Despite everything individual people were going through, they seemed to be having a great time. Orion hadn’t spoken to Sarah since that evening.
Her heart began to flutter. She brushed it off. A sense of dread filled her. James noticed something was wrong. “Sarah, are you alright,” he asked. Orion noticed her reaction as well.
She looked up to see a lady running toward them from the side of the castle. “Jack,” Sarah whispered. For a moment, she just sat there. “Jack!” She jumped to her feet running toward the lady; then past her. She found Jack lying in the Queen’s garden. “Jack.” She fell by his side, holding his hand. “Jack.”
He never opened his eyes. “It’s time, my dear.”
“No, it can’t be.”
“My sweet Sarah.”
“Jack.” She cried. “Don’t leave me.”
“Do you?” He shivered, “remember when we first meet?”
She tried to laugh, “on the playground. You threw dirt in my hair every day.” She sniffed, “one Sunday I asked you to stop and you did. The next day, instead of throwing dirt on me you brought me an ice cream.”
“We sat there forever.” He panted.
“Jack.” Her voice cracked.
A tear rolled down his cheek. “I have loved you Sarah. I have loved you since the first time I saw you.” He drew a sharp breath.
The family was standing behind Sarah in silence. Paul clung to Orion. This was his first real experience with death.
“Jack.” She whispered.
He opened his eyes. With a trembling hand, he caressed her face.
“Don’t leave me Jack.”
“I have,” he moaned, “too.” He drew another deep breath and closed his eyes, “Princess.”
“Jack.” She sobbed. “Jack.”
His hand became limp.
“Jack!” She screamed leaning over him.
“Dad,” Paul whispered. Orion knelt beside his son. “Is he dead?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“Is that what death looks like?”
“Sometimes, death is different for everyone.” Orion turned to a maid that was standing at the edge of the garden, “take him in the house.”
She took him by the hand, “come young one.”
Orion went over to Sarah, kneeling beside of her. He laid his hand on her back. She fell backward on him, sobbing.
No one knew what to do or say. They watched in horror. Finally, they all felt. Orion continued to hold her as she cried.
When she came around, she was in her quarters.
“Can I do anything?” Orion asked.
“No.” She whispered.
“Anything at all?”
