"I love you too." Serena gently caressed his hand, gazing into the mirror at her reflection, trying to appear more understanding and gentle, "I just didn't want to upset Mrs. Cooper and the others, so I thought of a solution. We can live separately; I can move somewhere further away. If Mrs. Cooper still can't accept me, I could even leave Summerfield and start a new life in the neighboring city."
Her eyes met his in the mirror, seemingly sincere and tender, "Don't worry; my love for you won't diminish one bit with distance. Even if I have to live in the shadows, unseen like an alley cat, that's okay. As long as I'm in your heart and you're in mine, that's all that matters."
Hearing her say this only deepened Martin's feelings, his love for her growing.
"You shouldn't have been so harsh with Mrs. Cooper and Ms. Cooper earlier. You're all family," Serena said with a soothing wisdom.
