Chapter 8: The Congress

Chapter 8: The Congress
Elizabeth and Sam lay together in her bed, fast asleep.  Elizabeth was holding Sam close to her, and quite comprehensively.  The new body that Sam had just helped her create was still in two halves.  The upper half was resting on Sam’s chest, and the lower was straddling one of his legs.
Sam was stirring in his sleep.  He opened his eyes and saw mist everywhere.  A woman was walking toward him.  He had had this dream before.
“Hello, Sam.”
“Hello, Katie.”  He found himself unable to look her in the eye.
“So.”
“Yeah.”
“She learns fast, doesn’t she?”
“Yeah, she sure does.  Maybe it’s the doctorate that does it.”
“Well, she has a good teacher.”
“I’m not that good.  Not as good as you were.”
“You’re a better teacher than I was, Sam.  You said it yourself.  It’s easier to learn from someone who’s had to go through the same thing themselves.  I was born with it.”
“Well, you were still good.  In a lot of ways.”
“I was wondering when the conversation would go that way.”
“Katie, I . . . I don’t . . .”
“Sam, I know how you feel about her.  It’s all right.  I understand.”
“It’s not like that, I . . . I just get confused.”
“Maybe sometimes, but part of you knows what it’s doing.”
“She reminds me of you.”
“Well, that’s funny.  She kind of reminds me of you, too.”
“What?”
“I’ve seen the way you two are around each other.  You belong together.  It just feels right, somehow.”
“I don’t want to lose you, Kate.”
“You don’t have to.  I’ll always be right here.  But I don’t want to see you get any worse.  You’ve been closing in on yourself, trying to keep yourself from getting hurt, and trust me, it’s not working.”
“What are you talking about?  I’m fine.”
“Sam, please.  Let her in a little.  You don’t have to go through the rest of your life alone just because I’m not around anymore.  Ask anyone.  Even Steve could tell you that.”
“Every time I find myself feeling that way about her, it feels like I’m betraying you somehow.  I don’t want to let you down.”
“Sam, you could never let me down.  And you don’t have to torture yourself over my memory.  I know that you’re happier when you’re with her.  Just let yourself be happy.”
“I love you, Kate.”
“I love you, Sam.”
In the bed, Sam held Elizabeth’s new upper half tight against himself, and he smiled.