Come To Me

Anyway you need me

*Sage*

*GASP!*

My eyes shot open, and I inhaled oxygen deeply as if I’d come from underwater and my life depended on it.

I sat up, drenched in sweat, trying to get my bearings and become more aware of my surroundings.

I usually slept in one of Madds’ oversized T-shirts and my underwear. Which were lace boyshorts and no bra.

Gawd, no bra at night.

These DD cups would probably strangle me in the middle of the night.

Thank goodness my hair was in a bun on top of my head. It’d be a matted curly mess.

My eyes glanced around the room searching.

For what, I never knew but I sighed in defeat and was partially relieved.

“Just another nightmare Sage.”

I wiped away the sweat that nearly dripped into my eyes, feeling exhausted.

It clearly isn’t time to get up. I look to my right at the balcony window.

Not a hint of sunrise, my favorite asset that we’ve been blessed enough to be greeted with every morning.

I dropped back down to my pillow and exhaled as I reached over to the nightstand on my left for my phone.

I looked at the screensaver of Maddox and me on our last hiking trip.

Even being in the great outdoors can’t keep the night terrors away.

My therapist thought that was what I needed, so Madds jumped at the idea of helping me out yet again.

Gotta love good ole Maddox.

He was sort of like a brother to me.

I’m adopted with no siblings or any other family that I know of biologically.

There were no records of who I am just left with no note at the firehouse in some rich neighborhood at five years old.

It didn’t help that I couldn’t speak much yet. So when they asked me questions, the only answer I gave was Sage.

Apparently, the name just stuck.

Ugh.

I shiver at the amount of therapists I’ve seen throughout my life.

I have no memories or photos of my bio parents. I can’t complain since I grew up in West Palm Beach, Florida.

I wouldn’t have it any other way since I’ve always loved the sun.

I met Maddox through my last and final foster dad, Roger Middleton, and his business associate, James Watson.

Maddox was James’ son and almost ready to take over his father’s company.

He was 22 and only needed to finish his final two years of university at UIC in Chicago, IL.

His father suggested I go with Madds since I only needed two more years with the credits I had already obtained online.

His dad had a two-story home there in the south suburban area that he rarely used, so it was perfect for us since we could both drive.

It was tough at first, with Madds being a popular manwho.re and me being anti-social.

We bumped heads a lot in the first couple of months, but we soon came to an agreement when Madds learned first-hand of my night terrors.

Things changed between us, and he’s been overprotective ever since.

That was three years ago, and I was 18.

I’d decided after two years of being Roger’s intern and personal assistant at his marketing company, Silver Stakes Inc.,

that I needed to spread my wings and go off to college.

I graduated from high school early, at the age of 16, and had already enrolled for college courses online behind Roger’s back.

At least, I thought I was being sneaky about it. There wasn’t anything that got by Pop.

Guess that’s why he’s so wealthy now.

He wasn’t angry so much as he was slightly disappointed. He wanted me to wait and enjoy life a little before running off to college.

I don’t know how he expected that to happen when I worked all day. Which, to be fair, isn’t his fault that I’m a workaholic.

A strange one, he always called me. I really worked hard so I’d be too exhausted to dream.

Which I suspect he knew being a night owl himself.

He and his wife, Candice, had adopted me at 13 while he was 33 and she was 38.

Ma found out early on that she couldn’t have children due to an IUD that had to be surgically removed when she was 22.

The sad part is she had only gotten it because her periods were irregular. She was saving herself for the man she

planned to marry.

She met Roger shortly after at 25 and married him at 28. She thought him too young then, but she eventually gave in to his “overbearing persistence,” she called it.

He definitely didn’t look his age now, so I can imagine how baby-faced he was then.

He kept himself in shape and had a full healthy head of golden locks that he kept neatly combed daily.

He kept everything neat down to the pet doodle. His eyes were an intense gray.

They were very unique and mesmerizing, according to the girls who saw him pick me up after school before I graduated

high school.

His skin was a little pale, I always thought, and he was handsome, I guess.

Or at least all of our thirsty- I mean pleasant neighbors that made it their business to be outside coincidentally at the same time he had to leave for work..... and when he pulled back home into the driveway, thought so.

Ma had died about six months after I turned 15 from a brain tumor.

The sweetest woman I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. I met her when I was 8. Mrs. Middleton.

She was my grade school and middle school principal. She knew my situation and always treated me like I was her own.

So it came as no surprise to me when the janitor caught me sleeping in the girls’ locker room in 8th grade that she did everything in her power to help me.

Even if that meant welcoming me into her home.

I didn’t meet Roger until the foster process started. He was a man of few words but kind still.

Even after the loss that turned our world upside down and shook us to the core, the man hasn’t gotten a wrinkle yet.

He really didn’t look a day over 25 if you asked me. Hmph. Good genes I guess.

Although, he is a lot like me. Introvert to the core and has no real family that is.

Well, besides his estranged brother Marcellus, also known as he who shall not be named. That’s a story I’m dying to hear one day.

Candice was all we had. He took care of me without so much of a whisper of a complaint after the loss.

I’ve never seen a love as great as theirs.

He was her first and only love, her soulmate. And she was his one true "Beloved".

His nickname for her made her blush like one of my infatuated classmates.

The way he hung on her every word and dotted on her as if nothing was more important than her happiness.

The looks they had for only one another had me gagging over my meals and talking to myself most days.

As an adult, it’s what I hope to find one day, and yet I wish to never find it at all. I know... I’m just a tad bit unstable in the

cradle if you know what I mean.

If you don’t, well, that’s the beauty of it, because I don’t either.

That’s one of the reasons I’m still a virgin at 21. Not the part about me being crazy.

Normal people are crazy. I’m talking about wanting but not really wanting that kind of love.

A notification dings while my phone is still in my hand. I swiped the screen unlock to see the incoming message.

3:13 am. FROM: Madds ~ This one sounded intense. Are you decent? I’m coming down.

I let out an exasperated sigh before replying.

3:15 am. Me: Noooo Maddy. I’m all good. Go back to sleep.

I reached over to lay my phone face down back on the nightstand.

Did I forget to mention we continued to live together after we came home from college?

A dual graduation gift to us when we got back home from James.

Pop Roger was pissed of course, but I was still an adult and able to make my own decisions.

James said I was like the daughter he always wanted and that I deserved it just as much as Maddox did for all the hard work I put into graduating ahead of my classes.

How could I refuse?

I didn’t wanna move back home and hold my Pop(inside joke we have) Roger back from living his life.

Although he swears I’m just being stubborn, I really want him to get out more, and I know Mom would, too.

My thoughts were interrupted by a light tap on the door.

“C’mon Madds. It seems neither my door nor my text was going to stop you anyway.”

I sighed and scooted over more into my king-size bed to make room for the giant of a man.

The door opened, and he closed it right behind him as he slid in with his favorite pillow that I would forever have to

blackmail him with should the day arise.

Madds was 6 ft 4 and as handsome as all get out.

He had his father’s strong facial structure and his mother’s green eyes and beautiful curly brown hair that he kept relatively low for business.

He had flawless caramel skin and a kilowatt smile that every woman delivered her panties first class to him just to get one.

We won’t get into his body that I’ve had the displeasure or pleasure..-I haven't decided yet- of being nearly blinded by it more times than I can count during college.

Let’s just say I may have peeked a couple of times. You do the math.

There it is. That world-class irritating smile he was giving me now lets me know he did see my text and he didn’t give a damn.

I rolled my eyes not caring if he saw or not.

He was wearing only a pair of jogger pants because he knew I liked to sleep with a blanket in our two-story air-conditioned home. He got hot quickly under my big fluffy comforter.

“You know you want my cuddles kitten.”

He yawned sleepily as he slid under the covers before unexpectedly jumping back up a little.

“Jeez kitten, was it a wet dream?! You’re damn near soaked and so is MY half of the be-OUCH!”

He rubbed the arm he got socked in while I blushed furiously, already irritated by his presence.

He knew I hated that stupid nickname just as much as he hated Maddy.

“You didn’t have to come in here, ya know. And your half?! I think you’re getting way too comfortable, Pendejo.”

I smirked and enjoyed his brief moment of discomfort. He threw his arms up in surrender.

“Kidding, Kiddiiiiing. It’s not that bad. Plus, I’m not going all the way back up those stairs.”

He shrugged and slid under the covers. Lazy self. This man worked out more than any normal person and he couldn't tackle a flight of stairs.

Yea Okay.

I was happy he did stay either way.

“Madds, you really didn’t have to come...I appreciate it though.”

I snuggled into his chest as he laid on his back and wrapped one of his arms around me.

He kissed my forehead, and I sighed in contentment while my eyes slid closed.

“I will always be there for you kitten. Even when you think you’re fierce all by yourself and don't need me.”

His chest vibrated as he chuckled.

“Hmmmm.”

I was already halfway to Sleepy Town when he began to mumble again.

“Anyway you need me to be here for you kitten. I love you.”

I was in and out and barely heard the first part.

“I love you too, Maddy.”

A response made out of habit as I drifted back to sleep.