Sam watched the street lights zip by one at a time, illuminating the activities going on in the area, bored from the car ride, peering out the limousine window. Why did this drive seem longer than walking? She could hear Maria's pencil scratching against her note pad, "Everything works out on paper." An annoying truth that was impossible to argue. Sam looked down, concentrating on the gift in her lap, a rectangular blue velvet box, wrapped with a red bow. A small smile crept its way across her face, no matter the choices Ben made to try and win the election, she still called him a friend. Ben was generous enough to check on Sam after the kidnapping, and she did not forget his kind words and gestures.
Sam was sure the receptionist could hear her smiling over the phone, booking an appointment to see Ben put Sam in a good mood. She thought about there visits, there long conversations, ranging from a variety of topics. Thinking about it now, Sam realized how much she missed Ben, and how far they had bonded as friends.
Sam thought about a magical book, one that never runs out of pages. It could be telepathically linked to Ben so he could record his thoughts, similar to voice typing. That was her idea before the kidnapping occurred, then her opinion for his gift changed.
Mitchelletto used blood magic, a ritual to be exact, to weaken the bond between Sam and Jake. It failed to trick Jake, but it resulted in Benny's death, and Sam still struggled with it. It was a twist of fate that the Bone Harp didn't save the assassin against the ring Jake inherited. Dragon fire disabled the Bone Harp. Mitchelletto could still be alive, missing a limb. Sam prayed he died from blood loss after the fight with Jake. No body had been found.
Though Sam continued to experience a dark cloud of emotions from the incident, she did manage to summon a thoughtful idea out of a negative situation.
Inside the box was a magical chain necklace. One that could change shape and colours to match one's outfit. That was not all. Sam had asked Maria's deities to make a chain necklace for Ben, one that would permit him to feel Kerr, like Ben had been fully blood bonded.
Ben and his bond to Kerr crossed her mind numerous times; the countless conversations about what Ben had lost. Sam could not replace the memories, but she could at least give him something back.
Under the weird ritual, Sam's blood bond felt unstable, fractured, watered down, and it infuriated her. Sam had been so use to being connected to Jake, even now Maria had made the final preparations to reverse the spell; the ingredients needed, for one, were hard to find. It had taken valuable time and labour.
Sam could not tell Maria what it was for, even to tell Maria something private Ben had shared with her was wrong, no matter how long Maria and Sam had been comrades. Maria thankfully understood and trusted Sam. It was inspiring to be apart of the process; it had given Sam a deeper appreciation for Maria. No one but Sam and Ben would know what the item could do.
The limousine slowed to a halt. Sam looked up from the gift in her lap. She could not wait to see Ben. Maria thrust her notebook inside her black handbag, exiting the limo first. A long dress with swirls of green and gold scattered across her backless gown, a high neckline that hugged her throat, and cute little flats tinted black.
Gliding around the back of the limo to open Sam's car door, a graceful pull and click, and the door swung open. Sam grabbed her bag, the gift and stepped out. Black boots with silver buckles placed firmly onto the pavement and accompanied with a dark purple fuzzy coat, dark blue jeans, a bright royal blue long-sleeved shirt with a square cut for the neckline. Her hair in a simple braid, thrown over Sams's shoulder. Maria closed the car door, and both proceeded inside.
The people inside hustled and bustled within the foyer, strolling up the receptionist's desk with a big smile on Sams's face. Both ladies looked swamped. One acknowledged Sam, "Mr. Samson is excepting you. Let me check to see if he is finished business for the night."
"Thank you," Sam said politely. She promptly sat down in a chair in the coffee shop, within eyesight of the receptionist, Maria taking another chair beside Sam.
"Thank you again, for letting me be part of the process, and for being understanding," she whispered while grinning at Maria.
"You are the exception," Maria winked at her, which made Sam giggle. How fortunate it was that Sam had a companion like Maria.