Page 59 of Our Sadie
“Maybe she needs to see them again.” Zach keeps on, a line between his brows.
Maybe. But I don’t know how open she’d be to one of us mentioning it.
––––––––
CHRISTMAS DAY ARRIVES with the sun shining, but Sadie’s not saying much. She’s not eating much, either, but at least when I bring her some marmalade and toast along with some cappuccino, she finishes most of it. I find it strange to wake up in that monster of a bed next to two other dudes, but I guess I’ll get used to it.
We don’t celebrate the holiday. Instead, we stream comedic sitcoms from her laptop right there in bed. I gotta admit to missing the festivities. But the person I miss way more is Paisley. It’s actively snowing by midafternoon, and while it’s pretty, it makes me think of my sister even more. I’ve fallen off my Zoom schedule with her for obvious reasons, but I can’t skip today.
“Hey Sadie, I need to make a call,” I mention to her, and her gaze, despite seeming distant, also seems understanding.
“Of course.”
The sight of my baby sister in a blue Santa hat covered in tiny white bows brings a smile to my lips.
“Merry Christmas, Princessa.”
“Dommy...” She beams at me so enthusiastically that the difficulties of the past week just wash away. “It’s Christmas.”
“Yes, it is.”
“You got me this...” She displays the packet of ten coloring books I bought and sent, and while I wish I could’ve seen her tear off the wrapping paper, I don’t mention this.
“I did. Do you like them?
She shoves them so hard against her chest that they making a slapping noise. “I love them.”
“Good.” I want to hug her, to breathe her in, to confirm to myself that she’s okay. But I can’t.
I’m so preoccupied by this that I lose the first part of what she’s saying. “...game?”
“What now? You wanna play pop-pop?”
“Yeah, but when will you be here again? Here, here, I mean.” She points down at her feet as she signs and dread has me clenching my fist behind my back.
“Soon,” is all can I say.
“Tomorrow?” She brightens, and I want to shrivel up and die.
“Probably not tomorrow. In a few weeks, for sure,” I hurry to add, knowing full well that her understanding of time isn’t the greatest. Abstract concepts like that are mostly beyond Paisley.
“Okay. Can we play?”
“You know it.”
We play our game, and I do my best not to show how much her questions have made me feel like dogshit.
“Innertube?” she asks in sequence, and I’m glad I have some of those mints in my drawer nearby. Can’t fail her on this part of the production, either.
When I come back downstairs, I discover the other three in the kitchen. According to Sadie, Maxine has arranged for a catered meal to be delivered to us, likely since despite it being Monday, it’s also a holiday. After eating, Zach leans over to me and says he also needs to make a call. I pick up on the insinuation. He needs to know if I’ll help Jerome keep an eye on Sadie.
I give him a chin lift, and he scampers off.
After napping off and on throughout the day, we return to Sadie’s bedroom and have another round of orally getting her off. I have to admit, having sex with her—even this type—is still pleasurable for me.
Maybe because her taste is so sweet I could set up permanent residence between her legs. And she seems comforted by all of us lavishing such exclusive attention on her.
It’s encouraging.