“Jared,” Gabe began, “it’s not your fault. You’ve done everything right.”

Jared’s head dipped slightly as he attempted a nod.

“Son….” Gabe cupped both of his hands on Jared’s shoulders. “I’m proud of you.”

Jared choked, and his body gave way, allowing him to fall against his father. I covered my mouth, unaccustomed to seeing Jared relinquish control of his emotions. They embraced, and Jared’s knuckles turned white as he held Gabe in his arms. When Gabe released him, Jared used his thumb and index finger to make a quick swipe of his wet eyes.

“It’s good to see you again, Dad,” Jared said with a weak smile.

Gabe beamed. “You’ve done well, Son. You’ve done well.”

“I’ve tried,” Jared said, relieved at his father’s words. He took my hand, then. “You remember Nina.”

Gabe leaned down and kissed my hairline. “Of course.”

Eli walked up the steps, watching with amusement as Claire and Bex crowded their father. “Gabriel….”

“I know,” he said, seeming a bit sad. “One more thing,” he said. He wrapped his arms around Bex and Claire again, and then followed Eli through the double wooden doors, down the aisle of the chapel. Lillian was still frozen. The same sweet, small smile on her face hadn’t moved a centimeter.

Gabriel kneeled before her. He noticed her folded hands in her lap, and tenderly covered hers with his. “She is as beautiful as the day I first saw her,” he smiled. With two fingers, he brushed her cheekbone, and then leaned in to kiss her lips. His mouth lingered on hers for a few moments, and he closed his eyes, taking in his last moment with his wife.

Claire wiped a stray tear from her cheek, but her cheeks were glistening with preceding tears. “Eli…”

“I’m sorry, no,” Eli said.

“We’re already pushing the rules allowing Nina to be animated, not to mention allowing me to be here at all,” Gabriel said. His eyes didn’t stray from Lillian’s delicate face.

“Not unlike hacking into dreams to get your point across….” Eli said, looking away in dramatic fashion.

“The dreams,” I said. The moment I spoke, I wished I hadn’t. Bothering Gabe while he spent his last moments with his wife was ridiculously selfish. Regardless, Gabe touched Lillian’s lips to his once more, and then stood to face me.

“Yes, the dreams,” Gabe sighed.

I hesitated, and then decided to ask, anyway. “Why did you come to me in the dream if there was nothing in the book to help us?”

Gabe looked to the floor, and then to Jared. “At first, we were hoping you wouldn’t go right along with the prophecy and get pregnant the first chance that presented itself.”

A flush of red lit my cheeks, and Jared cleared his throat. “That’s not exactly how it happened, Dad.”