Chapter 39. Fever

Mary looked tenderly at the newborn child she was holding in her arms. As Sarah and Sam basked in the joy of fatherhood, the room was filled with warmth and pleasure. In the most unlikely of settings, a tiny cottage tucked away in the middle of a magnificent forest, they had discovered comfort and contentment. Mary couldn't have imagined a more idyllic place to begin their family than in the midst of nature's magnificence.

Mary glanced up at Sam with a mix of devotion and desire as the light peaked through the trees, leaving dappled shadows on the cabin floor. "Sam," she said, her voice a delicate mixture of hope and fear, "I've never been happier than I am right now. Our baby is a miracle, and being here with you, taking care of our little one, it's all I've ever dreamed of."

"Can we consider getting married, Sam?" she asked all of a sudden.

Sam's eyes, which were tinged with both delight and trepidation, met hers. He responded, his voice soft but laced with reluc