The Fall

Chapter 7

Kaden, Present

"Sorry I'm late. I brought you these today." I smiled, stepping into the room with a bouquet of white roses. Yesterday I cleared out the dying flowers and organized the remaining ones into smaller bouquets.

Setting my bag down next to my usual seat, I held Sage's hand in mine and leaned down beside her ear. "Listen, I know you can hear me and you've never been a quitter, Sage, so don't start now. Too many people love you and need you." I gave her hand a squeeze before sitting in my chair. Might as well get some studying done.

I was deep in my econ notes when a knock sounded on the door and look up to see Ms. C. I the doorway. "I thought I'd get here before you just one time, Kade." She leans in and kisses Sage's forehead and whispers, "Mommy's here, sweet girl. I need you to wake up, Sagie Bear."

Putting my books away, my gaze catches the ring Ms. C. wears on her ring finger. An engagement ring, maybe? She's barely divorced and already engaged. "My last class let out early so I thought I'd sit with her." It wasn't a lie, in all honesty, I look forward to seeing her, that maybe she'd know I was here and she'd wake up.

"You were always so thoughtful, Kaden." She sniffles, her perfectly manicured fingers brushing Sage's hair back. Her hair had grown out making her roots a brownish blond color most girls would kill for. "How's Kyle doing? He rarely answers my calls these days."

I reached forward and held Sage's hand. My gaze focused on her face, so peaceful in sleep before I drew my attention to her mother. "He's getting better. More focused on baseball and graduating this year." Her eyes, more gray than blue, brighten with hope for her son. She smiles and reaches into Sage's bedside table for a chapstick and moisturize her plump lips.

Why am I noticing her lips? Sure they're a little chapped, but I should not be noticing that. I clear my throat, "Dr. Stone mentioned her latest scans are promising." I swallowed hard. Sage has always been a fighter. It's all she does.

"No. My Sage is a fighter. She has to be." Ms. C breaks down into tears and I don't think, I just grab her hand with my other one. "Remember all those times she would climb that tree and get stuck because she was scared of falling again. No matter how angry or scared you were, you would sing to her to make her feel better." I squeezed Sage's hand, soft from the moisturizer the nurse's have been putting on her.

"I haven't sang to her in ages." She sniffles and kisses Sage's forehead. "Would you like that, sweet girl? Okay then mommy is gonna sing for her little angel." I smiled as Ms. C. voice carried throughout the room.

When I left the hospital, I stopped by Lola's because I needed her help. Sage is running out of time and I refuse to let her waste away. "Hey!" Lola greeted me with a kiss. "How was the visit?" I collapse on her couch and run my hand down my face. "What happened? I though the doctor said she's progressing?" Her green eyes bounce around me face.

"That's what he said, but it's been months, Lo." I buried my face in my hands. "What if...?" She grabs my face in her small hands and glares at me. "Don't you even think about giving up on Sage, Kade! She's fighting so don't you give up too!" I pull her onto my lap and she holds me, her face in my neck.

"Thank you, Lo. Today was just hard. Kendall, her mom, was there and she broke down. It's just been rough on everyone." She pulls back to look at me, her fingers spearing my hair in a way that always comforted me. "Why don't we do something for Sage, huh? Isn't her birthday this weekend?"

"Her parents are already planning something, I think. What'd you have in mind?" My hands settled on her hips and she smiles, "I think we have a party, something small, a celebration of Sage at the hospital. I can call and see how many visitors she can have in her room."

My brows shoot up. Sage did have a lot of friends, if you can call them that. Not that any of those people actually showed up to see her. Bella asks about Sage everytime I pick up flowers for Sage, so I'm sure she'd love to come. "Okay, I'll ask Ms. C and Mr. H. if that's cool with them."

"Good, because Sage needs all the positive energy and love she can get. It might help wake her up." She shuffles on my lap and of course my dick wakes up at the friction. "Feeling better." Lola murmurs against my neck. The smile that I feel against my skin has me flipping her over on the couch and fucking her until her neighbors know my name.