Sam could hardly contain himself. Finally, he was going to do it.

When the idea had first occurred to him, Sam had wanted to rush home to Ali immediately, anxious to see her reaction. But on the way back to the apartment, he had wondered if impulsiveness was going to ruin the moment. It was important he did this right.

He had considered making it her Christmas present. But Sam thought it might be too much of a cliché. There would be too many people around, this was a private thing. It was between him and Ali. Sharing such an intimate experience with only Ali, watching her reaction only for him was the right way for them.

But Sam knew with the utmost certainty now was the perfect time. There was nothing to get in his way, no one around to spoil the moment. This was the way it was supposed to be. Everything had led to this. What they had just done proved they were meant to be together. Ali had taken control, teasing him, showing she knew exactly how to drive him wild with desire and yet please him at the same time. Sam's heart was so full of love he could not wait a moment more.

Luckily Sam had brought it with him on the trip. Truth be told, he carried it on him most of the time. The weight of it in his pocket gave him a feeling of confidence. Sam smiled at all the possibilities it represented.

He wished he had dropped off his coat and bags in the bedroom first, instead of selfishly taking a dip in the pool upon their arrival. Then it would have been in the room right now. But it wasn't. Retrieving it meant unwinding himself from Ali. It took a lot of effort, but the venture was going to be worth it. Sam knew it in his heart.

As he approached his coat, he heard his phone ringing. Looking at the screen out of habit, some part of his mind noted it was his mother calling. Ignoring it, he searched his other pocket. Nothing was going to stop him.

Evelyn would want to talk about what happened with his father yesterday, try to mend things. Knowing her, she probably had an excuse ready for her husband's behaviour. But Sam wasn't ready to hear it.

On the plane ride down, Sam had played the scene over in his head while Ali slept. He had already concluded his reaction to the situation had been irrational and a little over the top. Running away hadn't worked last time. Sam knew he should have sat down with his father, at least listened to his request. After all, it was the first time his father had come to him for help since coming back.

There was the problem though, the reason Sam figured he overreacted. Of all the ways Christopher Harrington could have reached out to him, why did he have to choose one involving politics? Wasn't there something else they could bond over?

Sam knew it must be hard for his father to have all this knowledge and political power and not be able to share it with his only remaining son. His legacy would not be passed on. But Sam couldn't be a part of his world in such a way. He just couldn't.

His mother understood. One day, shortly after returning to the east coast, when they were sitting in her kitchen waiting for his mother's scones to bake, they had had a long talk about his reasons for leaving. She asked him to explain why he didn't want to follow in his father's footsteps, lead a life in politics. Trying not to insult his father and avoiding directly talking about Thomas, Sam laid out his feelings. She listened and he felt better afterwards knowing she was on his side.

Sam knew he had to do the same thing with his father. He owed it to him. Along with offering an apology for rudely storming out. Sam winced thinking about the anger he heard in his father's voice as he called after him. It would be difficult but if they were ever to move past this, they had to talk.

Ali had taught him this. Their relationship was based on being honest with each other. It was a constant challenge to keep those lines of communication open, particularly around tough subjects. One thing Sam knew for sure – after talking with Ali he always felt better.

At last, Sam found what he was looking for. Pulling out the diamond ring, Sam examined it in the sunlight for a moment. His mother had been an unexpected ally in this area as well, producing a family heirloom out of the blue. The engagement ring had last been worn by her mother for over 50 years. However, the art deco style felt modern with its large square-cut center diamond nestled between to smaller ones. The moment he saw it, Sam thought of Ali. Strong, bold, an indistinguishable light.

"I'm so glad you like it," Evelyn bubbled as she hugged him. He hadn't known what to say. She answered the question in his mind without him having to voice it. She knew Ali was the one for him and he would need the ring soon.

As usual, his mother was right. Sam needed it now. He was practically skipping on his way back to Ali. Should he wake her first and then ask? Maybe he could place the ring on her pillow and when she opened her sapphire eyes it would be the first thing she saw. He was still debating when he entered the bedroom.

A tinge of disappointment ran through Sam. Ali was no longer in their bed. She was standing with her back to him, already dressed in her robe. Sam feared he lost his moment.

"My love..." but the rest of that sentence caught in his throat. Upon hearing him, Ali turned to face him, a phone pressed against her ear. Her face was pale and etched with concern.