Chapter 22

In the morning Sarah and Richie met in the kitchen, sitting at their usual seats.

Today was Saturday so no therapies and Sarah’s last day at the center. It was hard to believe that day had come so fast, now they had to say goodbye and neither of them wanted to.

“How did you sleep?” Richie asked, keeping their conversation casual like nothing had happened. “Good,” Sarah answered, “until 5.”

“What happened?” Richie asked even though he knew, he’d like to hear it from her. “I don’t know,” she shrugged, “it just got very cold in my bed.” “That’s weird.” He said, feigning deep thought. “I missed you.” Sarah said quietly so nobody but Richie could hear her.

It had taken her at least an hour to get comfortable in her bed after Richie had left but she hadn’t been able to fall asleep again. She had liked having Richie that close, even when she slept.

“I missed you too.”

After breakfast they did the washing up so the rest of the group didn’t have to. Richie intended to spend every minute of today with Sarah.

They both hoped to keep their relationship going after next week, but who knew what would happen once they went back to their real lives. So many things had changed now.

Once the kitchen was neat and tidy, they went to the living room. Even thought it was a small rehab center with not much patients the living room was full except for one couch. Richie and Sarah sat down together. It was the reason Richie had picked this place, it was small and private, and there would be less chances that anyone recognized him, except for Megane then.

He looked around the room for her but didn’t see her, instead he paid attention to the tv. It wasn’t very interesting, someone had turned on the discovery channel again, but it was passing his time and most important he got to spend his time with Sarah.

Unlike Richie, Sarah liked the discovery channel; at home she would watch it too, at least that way her time was sort of spent useful. Not anymore though, as soon as possible she’d go out and find a job, while she was still confident to do it.

After a while she noticed Richie was getting bored of the documentaries. She rubbed his arm. “Do you want to go outside?” She asked, looking up at him. “Yes, that would be great.” They’d be alone and private, he always liked that idea.

They got up and walked past the bookcases, to the sitting area.

“Richie!” They heard behind them. Richie turned around to see who it was. He couldn’t believe it, not her again. “What?” He answered more than a bit rudely. “I’m sorry; I shouldn’t have done that yesterday.” He was surprised she was apologizing but if she was truly sorry, it would make his last few days a lot easier. “It’s alright.” He said, he knew how fans aceted.

“I really am sorry.” Megane looked over at Sarah, then back at Richie. “I”ll let you be now.” Megane turned around and walked away.

Richie still thought it was strange, fans usually didn’t apologize, maybe Tina talked to her about it.

They continued their walk outside to the bench they always sat on. When they sat, they kissed shortly.

Richie stretched out on the bench, his legs stretched in front of him, crossed at the ankles. He leaned back in his seat and held his arm open for Sarah to sit with him.

Sarah moved closer, ducking under his arm, she rested her head on his shoulder and he closed his arm around her.

Once again they had perfect peace. Together at their bench with a beautiful view of the pond and the garden, it was completely quiet except for the chirping of the birds and rustling of leafs.

They were oblivious to time while they talked, mostly about the future and the past, leaving the present unspoken. It was easier to not think of what happened tomorrow and the next week.

They had now and now was very nice.

Soon enough it was lunch and they went back inside, just like earlier they sat together. Some people congratulated Sarah on finishing her stay and telling her how much improvement they noticed in her. She felt proud when she heard all the compliments.



It was the same way their evening went.

After dinner they all gathered in the living room. She received more compliments, now even from nurses and therapists. Sarah was proud of her improvement; she was at a party right now and felt perfectly fine with everyone around her.

Even the few new people, including Megane congratulated her. She hadn’t often felt this proud of herself in her life. It was a great feeling and she hoped she could keep feeling it after tomorrow.

As the evening past, people started to stay goodnight.

When half the people had left, Tina appeared in the living room. She had taken a liking to Sarah and Richie and for once she left her desk. “You’ve done so well.” Tina hugged Sarah. “Work on that relationship, you don’t want to lose him.” Tina said so only Sarah could hear.

Sarah nodded, she knew she would. She had trusted Richie with so much, she didn’t want to leave that behind at the center.

When Tina was about to leave again, Richie followed her. “Thanks for talking to Megane.” He was sure Tina had and that Megane would keep her distance now, she hadn’t said a thing to him all night.

“What? I didn’t talk to her.” Tina told him. “Oh.” Richie was surprised. “She apologized earlier.” He explained.

“Ah some good sense in her anyway.” Tina said. “I guess you and Sarah worked things out yesterday then?” She too had heard what happened after Megane tried to play the poor rejected girl. Too bad for her most of the people here were double her age and saw it differently than her.

“Eumh, yeah we did.” Had she seen him? Or seen him sneak in and out of Sarah’s room? “I see everything Richie.” Tina said with a smile. “Do you ever sleep?” Richie wondered. “We have cameras.” Tina pointed them out on the ceiling.

How could he not have noticed that in these three weeks, he thought while looking where Tina pointed? “Maybe there will be some technical difficulties tonight and tomorrow morning.” Tina said as she walked away.

Richie smiled, did she just give him permission to sneak in to Sarah’s room?

When he returned to the main rooms, more people had left, he checked his watch, 10.07pm, usually they did something fun on Saturday nights, today that was replaced by Sarah’s goodbye party.

But Richie didn’t want to say goodbye to her, he hoped he had made that clear to her.

Soon enough it was only him and Sarah sitting on a couch, just like the rest of the day, they didn’t say much, they both felt the same sadness.

Sarah lied on his shoulder just like when they were sitting outside. She felt herself getting tired and her eyes got heavier.

“Do you want to go to bed?” Sarah snapped awake at the sound of his voice, not realizing she was dozing off already. She sat up and rubbed her eyes with her hands. “I guess so.” Sarah said, adding a yawn to it.

Richie stood up and reached out a hand to help her stand. He gave her a hug before moving his hand to the small of her back and guided her to her bedroom, not stopping when he turned to the ladies wing of the upstairs hallways.

Richie opened her door and followed her inside, closing the door behind them.

“Are you staying the night again?” Sarah asked sleepily as she sat on the bed. “If you want me to.” He hoped she did, after last night he knew he would never sleep as well without her as he had with her.

“Of course I want you to. I haven’t slept that wall as last night in years.” Sarah said honestly. After Richie had left in the morning she had been unable to get back to sleep.

“Okay.” Richie took off his shoes and socks while Sarah went to change in the bathroom.

Just as she walked back in to her room Richie was taking his shirt off. Last night she had averted her eyes in the darkness when he took his shirt off but tonight she watched him. The room was dimly lit by a table light at the side of her bed so it was still hard to see.

Which was okay, she wasn’t sure if she was ready to see him half naked yet.

They got in bed together like the night before; Richie lied behind Sarah and wrapped his arm around her.

He didn’t want it to be her last night. He liked sleeping with a beautiful woman; he didn’t want it to be the last time.

Sarah had mixed feeling about leaving; she was scared of what would happen after she left. She had been in a protected environment for a month. The real world would be a lot harder. Did she really have the courage to go out and look for a job? Did she have to courage to have a relationship? It wouldn’t be the same as it was here. Was she really ready for it all?

Then again, here she was in bed with the beautiful man that had changed her stay. Before she had talked to him she mostly hid away in her room. The man with whom she hoped to have a relationship. The one she had to trust with her feelings. The one she should confide in.

“Richie?” She asked softly. “Hmmm.” Came his sleepy answer. “I’m scared.” She said just as softly.

That woke him up. “What?” He watched Sarah turn around to face him in the dark. “Why?” He asked.

Sarah felt a bit silly, she had been so confident until it came to it. “About leaving, facing the real world. Everything will be so much more difficult than it was here. I don’t know if I can do it.”

He couldn’t deny that, it would be more difficult. “It will but you know how to handle it, you’ve practiced conversations and stuff.” He tried to encourage. “I know, but it’ll be different.” Sarah said sadly followed by a yawn.

“Come here.” He pulled her closer in to a hug and kissed her softly. “Don’t worry. You’re tired; tomorrow you’ll feel better about it. You need some sleep.”

Richie hugged her close and waited for her to fall asleep before he allowed himself to go to dreamland.


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