“Say it,” she said, and he said, “I love you. I’ll always love you. Forever. It’s a life sentence. Now put the damn ring on.”

“It’s a promise ring,” he said solemnly. “The lady at the store said it’s what you give the girl you love. It means I want to marry you someday.”

“Eliza—” I said, “so many of the books I’ve read to you said love was the most important thing of all. Maybe I should tell you that I love you now.” “Go ahead,” she said. “I love you, Eliza,” I said. She thought about it. “No,” she said at last, “I don’t like it.” “Why not?” I said. ”It’s as though you were pointing a gun at my head,” she said. “It’s just a way of getting somebody to say something they probably don’t mean. What else can I say, or anybody say, but, ‘I love you, too’?”

“I’ll always love you.” “I’ll love you, too.” He touched my face. “Forever.”

“Melanie O’Leary” he said as he kissed her lips softly. “I love you so much.”“I love you too, Sam Cooper.” Melanie replied and smiled.“Forever and always?” He asked.“Forever and always.” She replied.”

“You were right,” she said. “You were always right, about everything. And I will always love you, Sam. Forever.”