Page 39 of Till The Cows Come Home
Chapter Thirty-Six
Sage
I sat up in Miles’ bed, and despite the dull pounding in my head, I couldn’t help the happiness humming through me.
I knew we were scheduled to finish the barn’s frame today, but I wasn’t quite ready to step out of the little bubble we’d been in for the last twelve hours.
The shuffling I could hear, paired with the empty spot next to me, signaled that Miles didn’t share the sentiment and if I guessed, I’d imagine he was already dressed and ready to walk out the door.
“Coffee?” he offered, emerging in the doorway with a mug, and as I suspected he had on jeans and his usual T-shirt, which deliciously hugged his frame.
“How do you always do that?” I asked. “Your coffee timing is always impeccable.”
“Because the most beautiful goddess I’ve ever seen sleeps talks before she wakes up, which in turn wakes me up, allowing me just about enough time to brew coffee.”
“You’re lying.” I glared at him.
“I’m not, it’s adorable actually. Sometimes you talk about me like you’re talking to Ruby, and I get all the hot gossip. ”
“I can’t tell if I’m mortified or impressed with myself.” I chuckled, extending my hands to take the mug.
He let out a chuckle of his own, taking a seat next to me on the bed. “Today seems like it’s going to be a long day, unfortunately. After construction I need to go downtown and work on some paperwork with the insurance company.”
“Okay, I’ll probably just work a little later with Dad then.”
“Be careful, please. I wish you’d take it easy.”
“Not gonna happen,” I whispered, peppering kisses along his jaw.
“I didn’t think so,” he murmured, soaking in my kisses as I moved from his jaw to his collarbone.
Just as I began to lift his shirt, he stopped me, groaning in frustration.
“I told the crew I’d meet them outside right at six to go over the next step, so unfortunately, as much as I’d love to stay here all day with you, I cannot. ”
“Fine,” I huffed, and as I stood to get ready, I made a point to slowly remove my pajamas until I stood naked in the middle of the room.
Walking over to the dresser, I took my time as I bent over, leaving nothing to the imagination.
I retrieved an outfit from my designated drawer space, and when I stood up, I turned around to see Miles watching me, his hands shoved deep into his front pockets.
After shimmying on my underwear and jeans, I raised my arms to pull on my bra, pausing as he strode across the room.
Before I knew what he was doing he bent down, sucking my nipple into his mouth, and I cried out as he bit down, but the initial tinge of pain quickly melded into pleasure.
He used his tongue to smooth away where his teeth had just been, and I rocked on my heels as he continued sucking and kissing along my breast. I tipped my head back, soaking in his touch, until I felt my bra tug down, covering up all the places he’d just been.
“You tease,” I growled.
“I’m the tease?” he boomed, tipping his head back to laugh. “Get dressed. I’m going to go wait outside or we’ll never leave this house.”
I giggled, pulling on my shirt, but before he could get too far I grabbed him, pulling him into a kiss.
“I love you, Miles Carver.”
“I love you, Sage Baker. More than you’ll ever know.”
“I think I have an idea,” I said with a smirk.
He kissed my cheek before heading outside and as I finished my coffee I could hear the crew greet him as he walked off the porch. As much as I longed to stay in my little bubble, it was lonely by myself, so I stepped outside its confines and happily joined the people that made each day worthwhile.
The frame of the barn had taken hold after a long day of work, and we were even able to begin on the exterior walls, putting us ahead yet again.
The sun began to set, and as the crew wrapped up, packing their tools, I gravitated towards my dad to see what he thought we could accomplish.
Occasionally, when everyone headed home for the day, my father and I lingered, working an hour or two extra, and this evening when I’d told my dad Miles was busy, he was eager to hang around.
The time had become our bonding time. Sometimes we’d talk, but a lot of the time we’d just exist. The first time Miles left, he attempted to force us home, but after receiving two Baker stare downs, he caved, instead mumbling for us to be careful.
“You still good to stick around?” I asked, approaching my father who was sitting on a stump sipping from a bottle of water.
“I’m good if you are, sweetheart. What do you think about ordering a pizza?”
“Oooooo,” I cooed, “We're treating ourselves tonight. You know I’m in. ”
“Your mother left town to go shopping, and I’m not super interested in cooking for myself, if I’m being honest.”
“I don’t blame you, Miles and I haven’t cooked a proper meal in weeks.”
“It’ll be done soon, and then you won't know what to do with all your free time.”
“I think I’ll stay busy guiding the youth of Lox through agriculture.” I winked.
“That’s my girl.”
About thirty minutes later, my dad stood on a ladder, nailing in the sheets as I put them in place, a monotonous task but one we could handle together.
We’d decided to tackle the bottom boards for the evening, the lack of light mixed with my father’s deteriorating vision forcing us to choose a task that didn’t require heavy equipment.
I could run it, but I couldn’t bear to watch my father climb up and down a ladder all evening, and although he’d never admit he was too old for the task, he didn’t offer to take it on either.
Just as we finished nailing in another board, the pizza was delivered, and as I retrieved it from the driver my father ran inside to grab more water. We didn’t bother with plates, instead passing the box back and forth, and after a few slices each we both sat engorged.
“How about we finish this section and pack up?” he asked, and I nodded, standing in an attempt to walk off the food coma I’d put myself in. After a few laps, the pizza settled deep in my gut, but we pushed forward anyway, picking up right where we’d left off.
“Just a few more,” I grunted, holding my body against the sheet of wood as I waited for my father to secure it into place. I paused for a moment when I didn’t hear the nail gun, but backed away anyway, assuming my ears had deceived me.
“What the hell, Dad!” I yelled as the board fell onto me.
I caught the brunt of the wood, and when I shoved it away, discarding into the grass, my father’s body laid in a heap at the bottom of the ladder.
“No, no, no,” I mumbled as I ran towards him, kneeling next to his body.
After several unanswered shakes I reached for his wrist, then to his neck.
Nothing.
Trembles slowed my dialing, and after the longest few seconds of my life I finally managed to call for help.
“911, what’s your emergency?”
“My dad collapsed and I can’t find a pulse. I need help. Please, help.”
“What’s your location?”
“1398 Valley View Lane. Baker Farm.”
“What’s your name, sweetheart?”
“Sage. Sage Baker.”
“Okay, Sage. I need you to put me on speakerphone, can you do that?”
My hands shook, fumbling to push the buttons.
“You’re on speaker.”
“Okay, Sage. The ambulance is coming, but since your father doesn’t have a pulse, I’m going to need you to start CPR. Do you know how to administer compressions?”
“Yeah, yeah I do.”
“You can do this, Sage. I know it’s scary, but your dad needs you, okay?”
My father’s lifeless body laid in front of me, yet hearing that he needed me jarred me all the same. Stu Baker, the man who never asked for anything, needed me ?
“Okay,” I whispered.
Everyone at the library was CPR certified, something that Jane had pushed for. We were around kids constantly, and with the occasional wandering parent, it just made sense. But I always hoped it’d be a skill I’d keep in my back pocket, not something I’d have to do to my family.
“Don’t bother stopping to give breaths okay, Sage? Just keep on going with the compressions. The ambulance will be there soon.”
She was right, I could hear the sirens, but their dullness did nothing but cause worry as I pounded and pounded on my father’s chest with no sign of life. My arms burned like hell but I didn’t stop.
I wouldn’t stop.