As they danced, Samuel couldn't help but smile down at his wife. Hope's teasing response brought a smile to his lips. "I'll make sure to put in the effort, then, lest you find yourself delivering babies and mending shoes," he replied, his tone playful and warm. He rubbed his fingers across her knuckles. She was so soft, so gentle but so strong in her own way.

Her words of wanting to always keep their love strong resonated with him. He gazed into her eyes, his expression sincere. "And I will do my utmost to ensure that you always feel loved," he promised, his voice soft with genuine affection. He had thought himself in love before her, but he knew now that had been infatutation.

"Indeed, it feels like only yesterday," he mused, his tone gentle as he recalled the memory- at how sorry he had been feeling for himself with how things had gone down with Melody. "And look at us now, dancing at this grand ball, and you can't get rid of me."

He tightened his hold on her, his touch conveying his gratitude for the path their lives had taken. "I couldn't be more thankful for how fate brought us together, my love," he whispered. The ballroom around them seemed to fade into the background as Samuel's gaze remained fixed on Hope. The world outside didn't matter.

wrap?