Sage

Chapter Thirty

"Are you comfortable?" Morris asked his wife after he fluffed the pillows behind her back for the fourth time.

Priscilla gave a small smile, "Yes, I am, stop worrying about me," she said kindly.

She was back home, the doctor ordered bed rest until her follow-up visit in a week. Morris took time off work to tend to her and the only time he left her side was to make her food.

"I'm just making sure," he said then sat down beside her.

"Have you spoken to Letoya? Or Sage?" Priscilla asked with concern laced in her voice.

Morris sighed heavily, "Sage won't take my calls, as for Letoya, I think she needs some space. This came as a shock."

"If only she'd talk to me, I wouldn't want to die-"

"Don't talk like that," Morris cut her off and snuggled close to her.

He lived in fear of losing her but would never admit that to a soul. He put trust in the doctors for his wife's survival.

"We can't ignore the fact that it's a possibility and I wouldn't want my relationship with my daughter to..." a sob escaped her.

"It won't, she'll come around," Morris assured her. He was certain Letoya wouldn't avoid her mother forever.

Priscilla shifted out of her husband's hold and looked into his eyes, "Please do me a favour."

"I'll always be here for her, you know I love her like she's my own," Morris said, feeling slightly touched that she'd even ask such.

Priscilla giggled, "That's good to hear but I was going to ask that you go take a shower," she wiggled her nose as she went into full laughter whilst wiping her eyes.

Morris joined in and stood up, "Do I stink that bad?"

Priscilla shrugged her shoulders and laid her head back.

"Okay, okay, I'm going," he said and leaned down to kiss her forehead, "I love you."

"I love you too, now go get cleaned," Priscilla pushed him away and he left chuckling.

...

Sage had her head on Junior's chest as they laid on the makeshift bed placed on the balcony. Junior organized a cosy outdoor dinner that they just finished and Sage couldn't stop smiling.

Nerves were bubbling under her happiness as she had an idea of how the night might end, or rather how she'd love the night to end.

The air was warm and the many candles complimented the stars that lit the dark sky above them. The railings were covered in fairy lights and the rose petals that started on the bed were now scattered all around on the shiny wooden floor.

Active Child's Evening Ceremony played lowly from Junior's portable speaker, compliments to the night's DJ which was Sage.

"That was a meal," Sage commented in efforts to spark conversation.

Junior gave a short hum with his eyes still focused above.

"If you were to be granted a wish right now, what would you wish for?" He asked randomly.

Sage was taken aback a bit, but pondered on the question, "I don't know hey, I guess I'd wish to take back some mistakes I've made," she said neutrally.

"What mistakes?" Junior looked down at her as he placed his hand on her lower back.

Sage wasn't certain as to whether she was ready to speak about what she did but she trusted Junior.

Junior sensed her hesitation, "You don't have to tell me now if you're not ready."

She sat up and straddled him, "No, I want to," she said looking into his eyes.

"Now how will I hear you when you're sitting on me like that," he spoke.

Sage giggled, "Oh sorry, let me get off," she said before attempting to slide off him.

Junior held her back in place, "Where the fuck do you think you're going?"

Sage laughed and shook her head, "I thought..."

"You didn't, now talk to me," he said. His hands remained on her hips and he couldn't help but massage them through the summer dress she was wearing.

Sage felt hot inside, from his touch alone.

"We'll exchange regrets if you want," he offered.

Sage nodded her head, "Okay," she looked down at his bare stomach and brushed down the little hairs just below his belly button. She then played with the strings to his basketball shorts thinking of where to start.

She drew in a breath then let it out, "I lived with my mother and father, well who I believed was my father and life was what people call privileged and grand," It just occurred to her that she hasn't shared this with her boyfriend, "I won't lie and say I hated the lifestyle but in a way it made me find value in things deeper than material."

Junior studied her face as sadness took over, he sat up without moving Sage off him.

After they got situated again, Sage proceeded, "My parents didn't show me, love, I felt unwanted, like a piece of furniture in the house - like a mistake. The only time my father spoke to me was if he was lecturing me, as for my mother, she hardly conversed with me. Even to ask as to how I am doing or how was school. Nothing," she paused and her teary eyes looked up before she shut them and lowered her head to focus on Junior.

"I started taking coke, socially at first with my friend Zoe, she was the one who introduced me to it and supplied afterwards," she looked down at her hands, trying to hold back her tears.

"One early morning, after a few days high," a tear escaped and Junior immediately wiped it away with his thumb as his hand lifted her head, "I remember being exhausted, not from what was in my system or that I hadn't slept for days prior but of everything. I was tired, tired of feeling and thinking. I wanted to shut the world out and drugs weren't doing that anymore," she couldn't hold the flow of tears.

"I drank a bottle of pills, I don't remember if I finished the whole bottle but as my body laid on my bedroom floor, I watched the sunrise through the window and thought that was my last sunrise. I felt weak, light like a feather, and relieved because I wouldn't be a burden to anyone anymore."

Junior held her and she cried on his shoulders. His heart was bleeding, it was as though he shared her pain. He let her cry for a moment before speaking.

"I am so happy you didn't die that day because I wouldn't have met you," Junior's deep voice vibrated against her neck, "And you wouldn't have gotten the chance to experience the love you deserve."

Sage wiped her tears away and lifted her head up. She watched her boyfriend as he placed small kisses on the sides of her eyes and down her cheeks.

"This pretty face should not cry over the past or people who fail to see how great of a person you are," he said, "You are beautiful inside and out, you are amazing. I admire your resilience and strength, you've come far from who you were then and never allow your past actions to have a hold on you."

Sage nodded her head as her face got wet all over again.

"I didn't mean to make you cry Mami," he chuckled.

"No, it-it's not like that," Sage croaked, "I'm just grateful to have someone like you in my life," she flung her arms around his neck and put her head on one of his shoulders.

"You are loved, deeply. By me, never forget that," he said into her ear.

"Thank you, babe," she managed to say, "And I love you."