Page 25

“Sage!” My surprise is whispered, I’m still aware we’re in a hospital but I can’t hold in the relief that washes over me at the sight of her. Being back in her presence is like a balm to everything that feels wrong right now.

For the second time, I can’t stop myself from pressing our lips together, audience be damned. It’s an awkward as hell position, me sitting in the uncomfortable chair and her squatting over me. I’m half-way to pulling her into my lap just to get her a little closer when a sharp cough startles me.

“Uh, I’m here too.”

Fuck.

Reese stands on the other side of our mother’s bed, his face is red and he’s refusing to look at me. “God, Reese. I’m sorry.” I stand from the chair, squeezing Sage’s arm, I round Mother’s bed to wrap my arms around my brother. “I’m glad you’re here.”

Reese hugs me back, a breath shuttering out of him. “Is she okay?” His voice is so small.

“Yes, Mother is strong as hell. They’re going to take her into surgery soon.” Resolve solidifies inside me, finally I feel like myself and able to take control like I’m supposed to. “She’s not going to be able to travel for a while but I’m going to take care of everything. Don’t even worry about it.” I pull back from our hug, moving my hands to his shoulders. His jaw is clenched, his eyes glassy but he offers one quick nod. “It’s going to be okay.”

“Oh, my dear, no tears.” Mother’s dry voice shocks all of us. Reese and I turn to find Sage in my old seat. Her head is resting on the bed and her shoulders are shaking. Mother’s hand resting on Sage’s head, her fingers tangling slightly in the strands. “I’m okay, Sage. It’d take a lot more than three little steps to take me out.” That pulls a watery laugh out of all of us. Sage tilts her head slightly, making eye contact with Mother.

“Bea, you can’t scare me like that. You’re having surgery!”

“My dear, it happens. I’m far too stubborn to do anything but be the perfect patient. My recovery will be so speedy, they will write in medical journals about me.” Mother’s voice is still weak but it’s a comfort to everyone in the room to hear her joke around like she always has.

“Yeah, you better. I was just starting to like you.” Sage teases. My heart tugs at the easy banter between the two of them. Watching Mother and Sage interact warms my heart. Reese chuckles and props his butt on the edge of the bed. With Mother awake and a little more coherent, we chat about nothing until the medical team returns to take her into surgery.

Unbidden, I find myself by Sage’s chair, wrapping my arm around her shoulders. Her arms wrap around my thighs, we’re holding on tight to each other and I’m more sure than anything that this is where she’s supposed to be.

Next to me in all things.

The door closes once Mother and the medical team are gone, leaving me with Sage and Reese. I feel Sage sink into my body just a little more and I press a soft kiss against the top of her head.

“Well, this is a little awkward.” Reese chuckles. My body stiffens as I remember Reese had invited Sage on a ‘walk’. I remember how interested Reese had been in Sage all weekend. How many times I’ve kissed Sage in front of my family since I found my mother earlier this morning without thinking.

“Yeah, it is.” Sage’s amused voice is just above a whisper. I don’t know how to exactly read her tone or the feelings in the room but her arms around me tighten slightly. I press another kiss to her head.

“It doesn’t have to be,” Reese starts, “thinking about it, you two do look good together. Never thought you had such good taste, big brother.” A laugh explodes out of me in a harsh bark, it feels foreign given our current location. Sage stands, walking over to Reese and offers him a hug, his arms wrap around her and I step closer to the pair, engulfing them both in my arms.

A group hug is just what I needed to actually feel like everything was going to be okay. Mother spoke nothing but the truth when she declared she was too stubborn to be anything but okay after surgery and during recovery. It was a long road ahead of us but with my family and Sage, nothing seemed impossible.

24

SAGE

As we settle to wait for Bea to get through surgery, York calls Mars and together they decide it’s better to not bring the kids to the hospital to just sit and wait. I’ve stopped looking at the clock. Bea had been moved to a more permanent room before Reese and I arrived, so we are just hanging out until we get an update. There are only two seats in the room. I had offered to sit on the floor while Reese and York fought over who would give up their seat but that did not go over well.

Eventually, York pulls me in his lap. His arms tighten around my waist as he presses a soft kiss against my shoulder. Snuggling closer against his body, I take deep greedy breaths of his scent. It’s only been four days but the smell of him has quickly become something that gives me a sense of peace.

I’m not love-drunk enough to ignore the slightly awkward tension of being this close to York with Reese only a few feet away. His reaction was surprising but nice. There is a part of me that worries that he’s so overwhelmed by what’s going on with Bea that he has just blocked out the fact of York and I being together.

I’m doing my best to push the worry away. That’s not fair to think less of Reese like that. I’ll have to trust his word.

“Honey, I need to get up.” York’s hands squeeze my soft sides and I start to scramble off his lap but he doesn’t let me get very far once we are standing. His warmth surrounds me as he gives me another hug. I don’t want to let him go, the thought of him leaving my line of sight sends a bolt of worry through my veins.

I know, I know, that this fear is a result of Bea’s accident.

Does that calm me down?

No.

No, it does not.

“I’ll be right back.” York tucks a piece of hair that fell out of my bun behind my ear and presses a soft kiss against my jaw before leaving the room. I sit down in York’s vacated seat, glancing at Reese who is looking at his phone, typing with a smile pulling at his mouth. His quiet chuckle helps to calm some of my anxiety.