Burning Sage

Chapter Nine

The house was filled with people dressed in black as some shuffled towards the front door. Everybody had just returned from the burial grounds to bury Priscilla.

The week before, after her passing was hectic, more so for Morris and Letoya.

Sage tried her best to be of comfort for both, putting aside the hell she experienced as the triplets grew within her.

"I'm so sorry for your loss," A plump woman who was friends with Priscilla said to Morris who stood near the exit, shaking hands and giving thanks.

Sage passed them and headed to her room. Her feet were aching and she needed to lay down a bit.

She walked in and saw Letoya laying in her bed with Trisha by her side.

"How is she?" Sage asked lowly before sitting on her bed.

Trisha shrugged her shoulders, "She dozed off."

"I'm awake," Letoya mumbled and turned to face them. Her face was puffy with red moist eyes, "And I'm fine."

Chelsea walked in, followed by Pearl and Zoe.

"Your dad is seeing people off, we'll clean up after they've all left," Chelsea announced and went to Letoya.

She embraced her in a hug that had Letoya sobbing. Pearl and Zoe sat next to Sage.

"You'll be okay," Chelsea said behind Letoya whilst rubbing her back.

When Sage told her friends about her stepmother's passing, they made means to come at the beginning of the weekend. Sage had tried to change their minds, with reason to not burden them but it fell on def ears.

Chelsea and Letoya clicked, which didn't surprise Sage. Chelsea's hugs alone could mend a broken heart.

The pair parted and Letoya looked around the room, "Thank you guys so much," she sniffled, then held both Chelsea and Trisha's hands, "For the support. For being here."

"We're always here for you Toya," Trisha said and the rest agreed in shorts hums and nods.

"It's unfortunate we met under such circumstances but we're here for you too," Pearl said.

"Yeah, you're our friend's sister, we had no choice but to support," Zoe added.

Letoya couldn't hold in her cries, "I can't believe she is gone," she croaked.

"Yeah, me too," Sage said with a sad tone.

The room was heavy with grief, no words could lull the pain the house imprisoned. The loss was great, not just for Letoya and Morris but for Sage as well.

...

Nicole followed Samantha to a room that she'd occupy for as long as needed. The clicking of heels irritated her ears but she was too out of it to complain.

Brian picked her up from the hospital she was in for a week to drop her off in the same rehabilitation centre Sage was once in.

Her husband didn't leave the car, he hardly visited her in hospital and Nicole grew to accept the ways things were between them.

"This will be your room, Mrs Woods," Samantha beamed and placed a large suitcase by the end of a single bed, "There is a bathroom," she point to a doorless entrance behind her, "And a wardrobe, I can assist you with unpacking," she offered, her eyes following Nicole who approached the bed slowly.

"I don't think that is necessary, I'll be out soon," Nicole spoke with her back to Samantha. She removed her flat pumps to sit on the bed.

"I hope so," Samantha smiled and walked towards the new patient.

Nicole tried very hard to maintain her ostentatious character, from the cream long sleeved satin blouse with puffed shoulders paired with navy high-waisted straight leg pants and red high shoes to the way she addressed people.

She did not want to leave room for sympathy and seem weak before people even though that's how she felt.

Samantha sat near her and Nicole gave her a glare filled with disgust. This didn't faze the nurse, she had seen that face in many shapes and colours.

"The first few weeks will be tough, but I am here to assist, just as I did with your daughter," Samantha assured.

Nicole scoffed at the mention of Sage, "Please, you didn't do anything there. That girl is more of a rebel than before her stay here."

Samantha furrowed her brows then quickly fixed her face, "I assure you, you'll leave in a better place."

Nicole stared at the kind eyes, "Is that all? I'd like to sleep in this thing you call a bed," she motioned to it.

Samantha cleared her throat and stood up to fix her navy blue top, "Of course, dinner will be at five."

"You can put it on the table, I'll be asleep," Nicole waved her off.

"You'll have to come down to the dining hall to eat," Samantha informed Nicole. which displeased her.

"I'm paying you, correct?" Nicole narrowed her eyes at Samantha who simply nodded, "Then you'll do as I say."

Samantha bowed her head and exited the room. She smiled as she thought of how this would be a challenge, something she loved.

She prided herself in assisting people, especially those who needed it but refused it at first.

...

"Ashley, talk to me," Sean boomed through the speaker of Ashley's phone.

She had just gotten home from Priscilla's funeral and was removing her high black pumps when her phone rang.

"We just buried her stepmom, so it might be two weeks," she said, placing her phone on the bed.

She remembered how she had laid on it, watching her cousin twerk before the mirror and grinned when she thought of how it was hers.

"Okay, I'll wait."

Sean hung up and Ashley sighed before throwing herself on her bed.

After the visit to her uncle, life looked up for her. She moved into Trina's apartment and her father was no longer a bother.

She had no idea where his body was but did not care to request for a funeral. It was good riddance.

She had went and purchased a new wardrobe, to fill up the spacious walk in closet and the medication she was switched to treated her well.

She couldn't drive yet as she didn't have a license, but her uncle pushed her towards that by purchasing her favourite car that was parked in the garage downstairs.

Hope was rebirthed within her, not only because of the great changes around her but because of what she was tasked with.

Hate led her as she thought of how things were falling into place, she'd destroy her best friend's life as she had intended months ago and all she had to do was simple.

Bring Sage closer.