Until Sage (Until Him 2)

Turning my cell off airplane mode as I walk, I put my phone to my ear to listen to the three voice mails I got while I was in the air. Two from my mom, the first telling me that she loves me and the second telling me I’m an ass and I better make things right with Kim and bring her home. I expect the third message to be her apologizing for being harsh, but it’s not her. It’s Kim whispering she’s sorry.

Hearing the hurt in her voice, I rub the back of my neck and quicken my steps. As much as I want to call to tell her everything will be okay, I don’t. What I need to say needs to be said face-to-face, no more hiding, no more bullshit. I’ve been taking it easy and going slow for her, but that shit is done. Now that I know about her illness, I will never take a moment with her for granted, and I sure as fuck won’t allow her to, either.

Knocking on her parents’ door two and a half hours later, I wait for someone to answer. I should have grabbed her dad’s numbers off the fridge before I left, but I didn’t think about it at the time. Clenching my hands as the porch light comes on, I take a step back, not sure what to expect.

“Took you long enough,” her dad, Donald, says in greeting as he opens the door to me, and my brows draw together. “I knew you’d show up. Though, I did expect you a few hours ago, to be honest.” He steps back, letting me inside and closing the door behind me.

“I was in the mountains. I didn’t have phone service, so I had no idea she’d taken off until a few hours ago,” I tell him, and he nods.

“Figured it had to be something. When she showed up, I knew that if you were the man I thought you were, you’d be here to set her head straight.” He pats my shoulder. “Glad to see I was right about you,” he states, and my muscles that had coiled on the drive here relaxed.

I wasn’t sure what kind of situation I would be walking into, but I knew one way or another I would be talking to Kim, and it’s a relief to know I won’t be fighting with her parents to get to her.

“Thank God.” At those quiet words, I turn my head and watch Kim’s mom, Pattie, come toward me with her arms open. Giving me a hug, she leans back, patting my cheek and sighing. “I told her everything would be okay,” she says, and then her eyes narrow slightly, reminding me a lot of my mom. “Everything is okay, right?” she questions, studying me.

I nod. “It will be.”

“Good.” She shakes her head. “She’s been a mess since she got here. I probably shouldn’t tell you that, but it’s the truth. So if you go in there and she tries to play it cool, don’t let her fool you.”

“I won’t.”

“All right, go on then. Her room is at the end of the hall on the left.”

“Thanks.” I lift my chin to both her parents before heading down the hall. Reaching the room, I pause with my hand on the handle and pull in a deep breath. I turn the knob, but before I have a chance to push in, the door is pulled from my grasp.

“You’re here,” Kim squawks, right before she’s throwing herself at me and wrapping her arms around my neck. Mine instinctively wrap around her middle, hauling her tighter against me as she sobs. “I’m so sorry.”

Picking her up, I carry her farther into the room and kick the door closed behind me before searching through the dark for the bed. Seeing it across the room, I move us there then settle her sideways on my lap.

“Calm down,” I whisper, and she cries harder, clutching me as she apologizes over and over again, which kills me. I’m the one who should be apologizing for losing my shit, being a dick, and taking off. “Please, baby, calm down,” I beg as her tears rip me open one-by-one.

“I should have told you. I should have told you, but I didn’t. I… I was a-afraid that you would… wouldn’t be able to handle it a-an… and that you would leave me,” she says between sobs, and my stomach turns.

I did exactly what she thought I would do. I flipped out then took off. I didn’t tell her that we would talk about it when I had a chance to calm down, so she didn’t know I wasn’t leaving her.

“I’m sorry, baby, I shouldn’t have left things like I did. I just needed to clear my head,” I tell her, tucking my face into her neck and breathing in her warm scent.