Babes Stripping For Love

It was late in the evening when Gage’s family arrived at the hospital, Rockford had gone back to the club after a private conversation with Gage when Bree took a quick coffee break.

Bree was alone by his bedside when his parents, Edith and Graham greeted her. “Bree, thank you for waiting on Gage.” His mom put her hand on Bree’s shoulder as she said her words.

“He’s asleep,” Bree turned to face his mom, “I’m going to wait outside for your privacy.” She didn’t want to stay around, Bree was not sure how much Gage wanted his parents to know about his condition. But before she could get out of the room his mom put her hand on her arm to stop her and pulled her in for a hug.

“I know you love my son, thank you for being here for him.”

“You’re welcome,” Bree blinked to rid of her unshed tears, “I’m going to get some coffee,” Bree said softly and Edith finally let her go and joined her husband by her son’s bedside, the older couple looked broken Bree wanted nothing more to do but give them comfort but she has been putting up her brave front all afternoon and she was getting tired.

Her legs took her to the public restroom and she entered the stall before she finally breakdown and sobbed, hard. Her chest was tight, her heart was breaking, she was shattering, her hands were shaky, tears rolled down easily and tissue after tissue was discarded.

“Bree?” Sally, Gage’s brother greeted her as she got out of the stall to wash her hand. Her face was sad and looked like she wanted to say something when Bree cut her off, she didn’t need Sally’s bad vibe. “I need to check on Hazel.” She took out her phone and quickly exited the bathroom. The corridor was not enough, she was suffocated and felt a great worry for Gage as she was reminded of the procedures that her aunt went through, the same steps that were going to be taken to the man that she loves.

“Mrs. Mancini, hello… how’s Hazel?” she asked trying to not let her shaky voice out.

“Oh, honey, she’s sleeping, don’t you worry about her. Your friends Dee and Rocco stopped by with treats for hazel, and we talked…” Bree smiled as she was listening to Mrs. Mancini’s comforting voice, she said she had packed an overnight bag for Bree and Elvis was going to drop it off by the hospital after his working hours.

Bree smiled at the thought of her friends who made sure that everything was taken care of. Jojo even called her hours earlier telling her to take some days off and take care of their boss, her words made her smile, and realized that she needed her friends more than she realized.

With coffee in her hand and phone on the other, Bree gazed off onto the white hospital walls. She heard her stomach growled and she started drinking the coffee, Bree was too consumed with Gage’s news that she was not ready to function and nourish her body knowing she needed it. Her thoughts were contemplating all the scenarios that might unfolds days from now.

“You should eat, how long have you been here?” Marvin was to her side, Bree didn’t even notice when the man took a seat beside her.

“A couple of hours?”

“Yeah, nice try, the nurse said you’ve been here since this morning.”

“You’re checking up on me?” Bree muttered, she was not in the mood for details with Gage’s annoying brother, she just wanted to be left alone.

“Shit, sorry, I didn’t mean that. It’s just that you looked awful…”

“Thanks,” she cut his words and the man cursed once again for using the wrong words to say.

“I saw a diner across the hospital,” Marvin was trying to be nice to her since he noticed that he was wrong and that Bree truly care about his brother after all.

Gage’s younger brother felt like a dickhead for accusing her to be a gold digger while Bree obviously cared about his brother. Marvin had nosily asked one of the nurses about Bree and another nurse who was about to go home told him that she saw the pale-looking lady hours before and that she had been there since morning and hadn’t left his side unless for getting shitty coffee from the small stand down the hall.

“Come on, just a quick bite while my parents stay with him.”Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

“Maybe I should eat,” she said as her stomach growled for attention.

Once their food arrived, they both didn’t eat much though the meals looked delicious. Bree managed to finish half of her burger and fries before she decided she had enough. Marvin finished his coffee and bought five more coffees to go before they got back to the hospital and he gave one to Bree.

They saw Edith crying by Gage’s bedside. Bree realized that he must’ve told them about the tumor, and Gage looked at Bree the second she stepped into the room with Marvin following behind her.

“I took her for dinner across the street, how are you doing brother?” Marvin asked his brother when he reached Gage bedside. His mom leaned onto her husband for support and Bree suddenly felt out of place when she just stood there, trying to assess the situation.

“Thank you, Marv, I will be fine. Bree, you should go home and rest.” Gage looked at her from head to toe, there was no dismissal in his voice. Bree felt he just wanted her to go home and rest. She knew he meant well, but she didn’t want to go home, she wanted to be by his side.

And being dismissed in front of his family made her feel more out of place so she walked back towards his door.

“Bree…” she could hear him call out her name making her turn around and smile at him, she knew he wanted to know that he was not dismissing her, but still… she wished he had told her to stay with him instead.

“Be with your family.” That was all she said as she continued to walk out of the room.

Bree sits back in the far corner of the waiting room and waited until Elvis arrived with her small overnight bag. “Why are you waiting here in the waiting room?”

“Gage’s family is in there, I don’t want to interrupt.”

“Oh, okay, do you need anything else? snacks, water?” the beefy man looked at her in concern.

“I’m good,”

Elvis watched her pale expression, Bree didn’t look so good and the man reminded himself to talk to Rocco and Cassidy later about Bree since he wasn’t known to be sensitive to other people’s emotions. Though Elvis was sure that Bree should have someone to check on her tomorrow. The big man didn’t stay long, he went home after he was sure that there was nothing else that he could do for Bree.

Meanwhile, inside his VIP room, Gage was struggling with his family. He wanted them to go back and leave him alone with Bree. Gage was sure he recognized her expression. The man didn’t want to burden Bree with his illness, but he was confident with his doctor and he wanted to convince Bree that he was not going to go anywhere.

“Son?” his dad took him back from his thoughts.

“I’m sorry dad, I’m just a bit tired, I should rest.”

“Right, we should probably go, we’ll be back here tomorrow.” His mom kissed his forehead as if he was still seven years old.

Gage’s family finally left and Bree made sure that they didn’t see her. It was not until hours later that she slipped into his room and sleep in the uncomfortable chair by his side, and Gage smiled when he woke up late that night and felt Bree’s cheek on his healthy hand while she sleeps quietly taking all of his worries away.