LWLU – First Time
Michael’s steel blue gaze bored through her soul. “You heard me, Sara.”
Unbidden, her eyes traveled over him. He looked good as ever, even in the bulky grey turtleneck and jeans he wore. Then again, the man could probably wear a burlap sack and he would still look like a god to her. She flicked her tongue over her suddenly dry lips, wondering if he could read her thoughts. “You know you shouldn’t be here, Michael.”
“I shouldn’t do a lot of things and it’s never stopped me. Never will either.” He took a swig from the bottle in his hand. After studying her for another moment, he sat next to her and handed over the bottle of amber liquid. “You need this as much as I do right now.”
Hesitant fingers accepted the bottle. “What is it?”
“Does it matter?”
“No.” She took a swig and let the liquid burn down the back of her throat, wondering if it could burn away the despair in her heart. “Why are you here?”
“Why are any of us here?”
She rolled her eyes and lifted the bottle to her lips again. “Why are you here with me?”
“I was looking for you.” His fingers brushed her arm to stop its upward movement when she next tried to raise the bottle. “I’m worried about you. Nika told me what happened earlier.”
Sara finally lifted the bottle to her lips and this time tasted the salt of her own tears mixing with the bitter liquid. She looked away; couldn’t bear to see the concern she’d find in his eyes. “Michael…”
“The time you’ve been given today is a gift, Sara. I didn’t have any warning when I lost my mother. One day she was fine and the next the doctor’s were telling us that if they’d caught it sooner then…” His voice broke in emotion and he cleared his throat. “You still have time.”
“Three months!” Sara slammed the bottle down on the wooden crate next to her and stalked to the other side of the now empty stable. “My mother is going to be dead in three months, Michael. What am I supposed to do with that?”
“I would have given anything for just one more day.” She heard his approaching footfalls and felt his hands come to rest on her shoulders from behind. “Don’t waste away all the time you’ve still got.”
She spun around on him, shoving him back. “Don’t tell me what to do, Scofield! My mother is dying! She’s spending the night in the hospital and I got sent home! They sent me home!” Hot tears streamed down her face. “How am I supposed to make the most of the time I’ve still got with her when they won’t even let me see her? Huh?” When Michael said nothing, she pounded his chest with her fists. “Dammit, Michael! I don’t want to be here! I want to be there with her! I want to see my mom.” Her fists slowed. “She dying. Oh, God…she’s dying.”
Michael caught her when her knees buckled out from under her, gathering her to his chest while she sobbed. “It’s going to be alright.”
“It’s not. It’s never going to be alright.” Her voice was weak, her heart throbbing in her chest. “She was supposed to take me shopping for my prom dress next year. She was going to help me pick out my wedding dress. She was…”
“Shh…shh…” He smoothed the auburn locks down her back. “You’re allowed to be sad and you’re allowed to be angry. Just don’t focus so much time and energy on being angry that you forget she’s not gone yet. A lot can still happen in three months, Sara.”
Sara’s eyes flickered open and the soft light of the bathroom was a welcome reprieve from that memory. That was the first time she’d found out how serious her mother’s condition was. Without Michael, she probably wouldn’t have made it through the night without a total meltdown.
And he was right, too. A lot did happen in three short months.
