Epilogue

Sara rested in Michael's arms, naked and very satisfied. They took a risk, being exposed like this. All the guards have to do is open the door and they will see them. But the guards have never done that before, except that first day when they took too much time and the guards were afraid Michael had hurt her, but they did knock before entering.

Since then they have let them be alone. Michael and Sara have taken advantage of the privacy to kiss and be intimate with each other after their first time together in the cell, after Michael got over his objections that is. Their times have been short, very satisfying, but short and fast.

Sara wanted more time together. So she took a trolley with several medical equipment on with her and said she was gonna do a full check up on Michael. She told the guards it would probably take one hour or so. It was one extra reason she wanted more time with Michael today, it's her birthday. Spending time in Michael's arms was an excellent birthday present.

Michael caressed Sara's lower back in gentle circles.

"I know you said you want to take one day at the time, but you must have made plans for what you will do once you are a free man? It's only 2 months left. Am I in them?"

"Of course you are. I thought you understood when I said the first thing I wanted to do was ask someone out to dinner, that I meant you."

"Yes, I was hoping you meant me, but I wasn't sure."

"One reason I don't want to talk about it, is that I'm afraid I will not be able to see you as much as I want to."

"Why not? I love you, Michael. I'm not gonna stop seeing you, if you are worried about that."

"No, I just thought that we maybe have to hide our relationship for a while."

"Why would we have to do that?"

"What if someone from the prison see us hold hands or kiss during a dinner out. They may ask questions and then they might think we were involved during my prison time. Which is the truth, but that could get you in trouble and we don't want that."

"I haven't thought about it like that, but you are right. That would raise questions I don't want to answer."

"Second thing is I don't have anything to offer you. Until I get a job, which is gonna take a while, I can't take you places, restaurants, etc. I don't even have an apartment anymore, I sold everything."

"Michael. I told you I don't need any fancy stuff. You are everything I need. Even if it isn't safe, I want you to live in my apartment. I was hoping you would. I don't want to spend our time apart."

"No, I don't want that either. And you did invite me to your apartment already before, if that offer still stands?"

"I did?"

"Yeah, when you said 'You should see my apartment, I'm a pack rat'. When I gave you the rose."

"Oh yeah, so I did. That reminds me, I never thanked you for the rose... roses." Sara looked at the desk where a second rose lay, the one she got today from Michael. "It did brighten my day."

"That was the point. Rose!" Michael exclaimed. "I do have something. " He showed her his tattoo. "This."

"I don't understand."

"What do you see?"

"Christ and a rose?"

"Yes, more exactly Christ-in-a-rose, Christina Rose." Michael pronounced it to clarify. "The name of my mother and the name of the yacht I have waiting for me in Panama. It was gonna be our home, mine and Linc's, a part of my escape plan. So at least I can offer you a vacation trip."

"You own a yacht? So I was right? Only you had already bought it."

"Yes, you were close. So you want to go sailing with me someday?"

"Of course I want to, Michael. Maybe not right away, it may look a little bit suspicious if I take holiday leave on the same day you get released. But I would love to go straight away, then we wouldn't have to be careful and worried if anyone will see us."

"Yeah, that would have been the best."

"So what did we end up with the living arrangement? Will you stay with me in my apartment?"

"Wild horses can't drag me away. Is there a rule of dating ex-cons? When will it not look upon as strange that you and me are together?"

"I don't know if there is a rule and frankly I think I don't care that much. They can fire me if they don't like it, I don't know if I want to continue working there once you are released. Treating those that did assaulted you and those that attacked me isn't gonna be easy. Keep a straight face and keep saying hello, when I now have the knowledge what some of the guards do."

"What do you wanna do instead?"

"I don't know. I just want to be with you, you are the best thing that ever happen to me Michael. The more I think of it, sailing out on the ocean, just you and me sounds amazing. We can do whatever we want, whenever we want."

"It does sound more appealing by the minute. Having you in my life is all that matters to me, I want to spend my life with you. Where doesn't matter to me as long as I am with you. I love you, Sara."

"I love you, Michael. So much. I didn't know you could love someone this much."

"Me neither." They kissed for a long time.

"What will your father say, when he find out his daughter is dating an ex-con?"

Sara laughed softly. "At this point he don't even ask or care if I am dating someone or are in a relationship. He has given up the hope I will find a decent man. So an ex-con isn't gonna surprise him, probably what he expects from my taste of men. Your occupation, a structural engineer, might impress him, but the fact you have been in prison is probably gonna level it to a draw."

"When I was thinking about if you would say yes to go on a date with me, if I would to ask you out when I got released from here. I wondered if you would be interested in me or if I would remind you of people like your father, men dressed in suits and only talking business, boring as hell."

"No, Michael. I can't believe you were seen as boring from other people. I definitely don't think you are boring. I think I have gotten to know the real you once you stopped pretending. If you have more sides to show me once you are outside these walls, I'm really looking forward to it. It's a lot of talk about dating, but technically you haven't asked me out yet."

Michael looked at Sara and saw her cheeky grin. "Sara, would you like to go out to dinner with me someday?"

Sara looked him deeply in the eyes. "I would love to."

They both smiled and sealed the deal with a kiss.