Falling Into Love with You (The Hate-Love Duet 2)

“Where the hell is everyone?” Savage mutters. “Mimi always watches TV around this time—and never in bed. Mimi says it makes her sleep better at night if she spends most of the day outside her bedroom.”

“Adrian,” a voice says behind us. And when we turn around, it’s Savage’s pretty cousin, Sasha Wilkes—a Mother Earth type I’ve spoken to several times on FaceTime. Not surprisingly, given that she shares genes with Savage, Sasha is a beauty with dark hair and eyes. Also, from what I’ve seen, she’s someone who’s earned Savage’s full trust and admiration.

“Sasha! Whew. I was getting nervous.” He bounds across the room toward his cousin and hugs her. “Is Mimi watching TV upstairs?”

Sasha swallows hard. “Yeah, she’s in her room. Sit down, sweetie.”

Savage’s body stiffens. “What’s wrong?”

“Sit down.”

His chest heaves. “Just tell me, Sasha.”

“Sit down. Hello, Laila. It’s so good to see you.”

“You, too.” I hug her and take a seat on a couch next to Savage, who looks like he’s suddenly having trouble breathing.

After taking a chair across from us, Sasha says, “Adrian, Mimi hasn’t gotten out of bed in over a week.”

“What?” Savage whisper-shouts.

Sasha’s face contorts, like she’s holding back tears. “She hasn’t been doing well, Ady. Even before the move, she was in a state of rapid decline. But now that she’s here, it’s like she’s exhaling with relief. It’s like she thinks she’s reached the finish line.”

“No,” Savage says, his voice tight. “No, Sasha. That’s not why I bought Mimi the house—for her to give up! I bought it so she’d have a reason to keep going!”

“It doesn’t work that way, honey. She says she’s ready to go now.”

“No!” he shouts, this time not whispering. “No! We’ll tell her no. Have you told her no?”

Sasha smiles through tears. “Actually, I’ve been telling her yes. I’ve told her she’s free to go, whenever she wants. I’ve told her we’ll be okay and she’ll always be with us.”

“No, Sasha!” Savage pulls on his hair, his body convulsing. “Why the fuck did you tell her that shit, without asking me first? I never agreed to you telling her that! You should have consulted me!”

“She’s in pain. I don’t want her to feel pain anymore.”

“Well, neither do I, obviously! But Mimi can’t go yet.” He chokes up. Pauses. Pulls himself together. And finally says, “I still need her, Sasha. You don’t. But I do.”

I scootch over to Savage on the couch and put my arms around him and he pulls me fiercely into him, his body wracked with tremors.

Tears spill down my cheeks as I hold him.

“Why didn’t you at least tell me she hasn’t been getting out of bed?” Savage chokes out, his voice tight and pained. “You let me think everything’s been fine. You said she was tired because of the move. You didn’t say she’s ready to go!”

“I didn’t want to worry you. I knew you were coming today. So, why worry you before then?”

“Because you promised you’d tell me when it was time for me to drop everything and come! You swore to tell me that, Sasha!”

“I’m telling you now. You both have had a busy shooting schedule for the show and I didn’t want you dropping everything for nothing. I knew Mimi was determined to hang on to see you both, in person. I knew that.”

“But I would have had more time with her, Sasha! Fuck the show! I only signed on to do the goddamned show in the first place for Mimi—so she could watch me on her favorite show while lying in bed in the master bedroom of this house.” He’s shaking. Fighting tears. “Are you telling me she won’t even make it to see the first episode?”

Sasha swallows hard. “I doubt she’ll still be here by then.”

Savage makes a garbled sound that breaks my heart. His body quaking, he pulls out his phone, pushes a button, and brings the phone to his ear. His chest heaves. His Adam’s apple bobs. And then, “Nadine Collins, please. This is Adrian Savage. It’s an emergency. Thanks.” He waits. And as he does, Sasha and I look at each other, both of our cheeks wet with tears. Savage inhales sharply before saying, “Hi, Nadine. Thanks for taking my call. Listen, I’ve got a family emergency on my hands. I’m in Chicago with my sick grandma. She’s like a mother to me. The only mother I’ve ever known. And I’ve just been told her time is a whole lot shorter than I realized. Sing Your Heart Out has been her favorite show since the beginning. She’s never missed an episode. So, I’m calling to beg you, literally, beg you, to please send me the first episode, so I can sit down and watch it with her right away. I’ll sign whatever you need and promise whatever you want. But I need this favor from you, Nadine.” His chin trembles as he listens to whatever Nadine is saying on her end of the line. His shoulders soften. His chest lurches. He whispers, “Thank you. I appreciate that. Thank you. Bye.”