Page 98 of Hidden Ties

Worried, she got up to go to her sister. She kneeled down by her side and unlocked a box on the side table, taking out a bottle of medicine. She gave it to her sister, who wouldn’t take the medication until the girls were asleep.

Fear filled her at the way Glory was breathing.

“Are you okay?”

Her sister gave her a weary smile. “I’m just tired. If not for leaving you with the mess I’ve made out of my life, I would turn that oxygen tank off.”

“Don’t say that.” Stricken, Sage sank all the way to the floor to lay her head on Glory’s lap. “None of this is your fault.”

“Isn’t it?” A bitter laugh escaped from her gasping lips.

“Stop it, Glory. You’re making your breathing worse by becoming upset.”

She plucked some tissues from a box and gently patted away the tears coursing down Glory’s cheeks.

“All I wanted was a romantic dinner with Denny. I should have remembered the candles.” She sobbed. “I thought I had put them out.”

“Shh …” Sage got up off the floor to hug her sister, rocking her as she cried. “It was an accident. Don’t blame yourself,” she begged, not for the first time.

“Don’t fall in love, Sage. Don’t ever fall in love with someone. Life isn’t worth living without them,” Glory sobbed.

“I won’t,” she promised.

Glory’s anguished moan was like a knife to her heart. She had tried so many times to console her sister, yet there was no alleviating the heartache Glory lived with every day.

Sage rocked her until she stopped crying and was no longer gasping for breath, then eased her from the couch to help her to the bedroom.

After making sure Glory’s oxygen level was in the nineties and she was settled comfortably in bed, she went to take a shower.

Her sister managed to put on a brave face during the day when the girls were awake. It was nighttime when she no longer had to hide the grief and guilt of losing Denny.

Watching Glory wither away day by day was taking an emotional toll on her. Despite how many times she told her that the fire wasn’t her fault, she still blamed herself. It didn’t help with Victoria throwing out the accusation each time she wanted to guilt Glory into seeing the girls.

Dry-eyed, she toweled herself off. She had to remain strong for the girls and Glory. She never allowed herself to cry. Not when they turned Denny’s machines off, not when she had finally been able to see her sister, and not even when she had to tell the girls their daddy wouldn’t be coming home.

She slid a nightgown on and quietly entered the bedroom to slide into bed next to Glory. Reassured by her even breathing and the low hum of the oxygen machine, she closed her eyes. She would drop the girls off to Victoria before going to her second job. At least her hateful comments couldn’t hurt her as they would Glory.

EIGHT

“How’s your day going, chickadee?”

Managing to unstick her locker, she turned toward April, who was emptying out hers.

“Not so great,” she admitted. “I just had to drop the girls off to their grandmother.”

April linked her fingers together to crack them. “I wish you’d let me take care of that bitch.”

Rolling her eyes at April, she released the first carefree laugh she had in days. “I wish I could let you. The problem is, I don’t believe in violence to solve my problems.”

“Shit …” she drawled out. “That’s how I solve all my problems.”

Sage rolled her eyes at her friend again. “You mean you get Dragon to solve your problems,” she corrected her.

“Same thing.” Shoving one of her breasts coming out of her red bra back inside the tiny cup, April continued cleaning out her locker. “You want the rest of this gum?”

Sad, Sage took the pack of gum and put it in her pocket. “I was hoping you would change your mind about leaving.”

Dread filled her. When she had started working at Foxy Maid’s, she and April had been partnered together to cleanhouses. April had been a Godsend. The women hired to be cleaners were given the choice of cleaning the house topless or clothed, in a uniform. Cleaners wearing the least amount of clothes were paid more than those who wore more, which were given a standard salary. Not only did those willing to shed their clothes get paid more, they weren’t expected to share their tip money.