thought of you and where you'd gone

sage savannah adler thirty-eight. married. bartender at the jagged yard. lifetime resident of providence peak.

[sage-adler]

location: sage’s house, claret park. status: closed for @atlaswilliams​

The walk back to her house from Daniel’s wasn’t long, but it felt like the sidewalk branched on forever as her feet wavered from step to step, the concrete both moving and completely still at the same time. Her heart had started to ache from the moment she stepped away from his closed front door, the realization that even though it was already two in the morning, she would go home to an empty, quiet house and spend the rest of the night alone finally hitting her. Thoughts turned to worries as she wondered how Magnolia was doing. Was she sleeping? Had Atlas fed her enough? Was she scared without Sage there? The ache in her heart grew and suddenly, she was remembering the last time she left Ruby alone with someone else, and when the ache turned into her entire chest tightening, the blonde dug for her phone in her pocket and found Atlas’ name in her contacts. The ringing trilled on for what felt like forever as her steps gradually inched her toward her house where the porchlight awaited her, illuminating the tear that had managed to slip down her cheek. When the tired voice on the other line spoke up, Sage barely waited for the greeting before she questioned softly, her own voice barely making it past the lump that had grown in her throat. “Hey, um... I know it’s late, but can you please bring her home?”

[sage-adler]

noah fielding​:

The crispness of the air was a stark difference to the inside atmosphere and the splash of cool against her skin was already starting to help bring her back around and sober up a little bit. Her movements were still sluggish, but Noah wasn’t swaying quite as much as they walked down the sidewalk. “Easy promise to make, I won’t poke any fun at you. I teach kids to surf all the time, so I’m used to people being utterly terrible at things I’m teaching them,” she chuckled with a mirthful smile. As much of a clown as Noah could be, there were times that she could actually buckle down and be serious and the gym was one of those rare few places she had it in her. “Well, maybe not just yet, but…when you are ready for a good time, you know who to call.” The responsibility of having a kid was lost on Noah. In her world, she just picked up and went where she wanted and did what she pleased without having to worry about anything else, let alone another human being. “Do you think you’ll go back to doing this again? The bar thing?”

.

“Surfing is... something I’ve never tried, actually,” the blonde lifted her eyebrows in consideration of surfing, or even attempting to surf. Her balance was okay, she had always been an active person, but the idea of being in the middle of the water with who-knows-what underneath wasn’t something she had ever been okay with enough to actually try. “I’m more of a mountain hiker, if I’m being honest. I’m not so sure I’m into more than sunny days on the beach, safely in the sand when I find myself by an ocean.” A soft laugh fell from her lips, thumb running gently over the baby’s silky fair hair. “But I may be willing to give it a try if you’re willing to be my teacher.” Her shoulder nudged the other’s, just enough to show she was teasing and not actually completely unsteady her. Sage wasn’t sure just how much the woman had to drink before she showed up at the bar, but judging by the amount of time it took her to find her balance after hopping off of the stool, it wasn’t a small amount. “It was never supposed to be a forever thing, just a stupid reckless decision I made after Ruby died, but... I don’t know. Can I run something by you? I haven’t told anyone yet and I’m almost positive it’s not going to happen, because it’s insane...”

[sage-adler]

maya lee​:

The last thing Maya wanted to do was create a misunderstanding when it came to her friendship with Atlas. Seeing the blonde’s reaction though – that left her a little confused; though smiled regardless. Honestly, they were good friends, and she trusted him but the brunette was never one to pry into his business, especially with the opposite gender. Still, the comment didn’t sit well with her, seeing as… it took two to create a baby. “I mean… I think that should have nothing to do with how good of a father he can be. Kids know what we want them to know at the end of the day. If there’s love and support, it shouldn’t matter to her.” Pressing her lips together, Maya nodded her head a little, not making any judgments. She could get stupid as hell while drunk, so. “Yeah… I know. I’m not worrying about that either.” Making a face, she smiled again. “It’s nice to officially meet you, Sage… and your precious little one.” Maya added, her face brightening when looking at the baby. “I may be biased but I think there’s nothing unfortunate about that. Trust me, it might not look like it, but they both have great genes. It just takes a little bit of time to notice them in Atlas’ case, but doesn’t mean they’re not there. He is a good guy.” With another nod of her head, Maya collected her things, “Yeah.. you could say that. I think they like me, considering they haven’t thrown me in the wolves yet.” she joked. 

.

The lack of sleep and new mom brain caused Sage to take a little longer to realize the misunderstanding bubbling up in her interaction with the other woman, her insult toward Atlas, which would have been taken as endearing when spoken directly to the man, hadn’t been taken as such with the other and the blonde realized that it hadn’t been viewed as the gentle tease she had intended. “Oh, of course,” She quickly attempted to correct, her hand wrapping around the stroller handle as though she wanted to have an escape route planned just in case things went south and she mistakenly offended one of Atlas’ close friends. “I think it came out worse than I meant for it to. We jab at each other all of the time and sometimes I forget that not everyone knows that. He’s a great dad and I couldn’t care less about who he sleeps with.” With the reassurance, Sage nodded and she offered Maya a soft smile. “They’re lucky to have a friend as good as you to keep them in line. God knows they’d throw each other to the wolves without some sort of words of wisdom.”

[sage-adler]

daniel salazar​:

If he’d caught her hesitating, if he’d seen that familiar look crossing her eyes that he’s seen in so many other pairs before, Danny doesn’t betray it. As anything else to do with his grief, he promptly ignores it and shoves it aside. With Sage, he knows that she’d have much the same frame of thought: no one experiencing this liked the reminders, no one liked hearing the same old meaningless shit over and over. He appreciates that she and him can have this silent understanding, that they know better. “I know.” He teases, looking over at her with a smirk that masks every last bit of melancholy that could’ve touched him. “It’s what makes me such a great writer.”

Assuming a more serious stance, he lets his features grow sober while listening to her. “No, I agree. Hating people is exhausting, I’ve given it up years ago.” Mostly because he didn’t have the energy for much else. “I mean, I’m not gonna tease you about it if you want to talk, y'know.” Encourages the writer, this time stripped of ulterior motives. “I just think… well, not to sound like the sage old man because you know better than to see me like that, but –– If there’s still some love there, it might be worth looking into it. Not everybody gets a second chance.” He tries his hardest not to sound bitter saying it, but doesn’t know how successful the attempt is. “Did she tell you anything else or just the aunt thing?”

.

The somber mood turned teasing, the force of the wine in their glasses coursing through her veins as the night started to feel lighter and she cast a soft smirk and a playful eyeroll his way. “Something makes you a great writer, I can’t quite put my finger on it though.” The tip of her finger tapped against her chin as she pulled a twisted, thoughtful expression, finally gasping dramatically and pointing in his direction. “I know! It has to be the fact that you’re an absolutely relentless friend, huh? I can’t believe I’ve given you all of these juicy details for years for what? A bottle of wine?” A laugh feel from her lips and she lifted her glass to take another, long sip. “Although, it’s pretty good wine, I’ll give you that,” Sage finally admitted, knowing that she had more wine than she had initially intended to solely for the reason that it was good wine and went down so smoothly, she was sure she’d have to pump for days to get rid of the amount she consumed that night. His next statement had her sighing, because she knew he was right, not everyone got a second chance. He certainly hadn’t. “I don’t know, Dan,” She started, unsure of what she actually needed in life at that moment. Was there a point when she would have given her ex-wife another chance? Absolutely. It was impossible to just fall out of love with someone so quickly. But now? She wasn’t so sure. “There will always be some sort of love there. She was my entire world for the longest time and that doesn’t just go away, but I’m not sure there’s anything left for us... without Ruby, everything that used to connect us just... has fallen apart.”

[sage-adler]

daniel salazar​:

“We don’t hate her. Noted.” There wasn’t much conviction behind the words. Even a hint of disappointment, perhaps. It was the most anticlimactic of the options, after all. Good for her on being mature and whatever, but it hardly made a good stories when all parties lived harmoniously without an ounce of hardship. Something dark crosses Daniel’s features at her question, the shadow of grief ever so present in him and always threatening to make itself known. He thinks of the person he missed most in the world, of the short life he had spent with her, and takes a far too generous gulp of his wine to drown such images. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He says quickly, as if nothing had dented his armor. Leaning forward slightly, he stage whispers: “But in my version, you do still hate her. It’s a better story.”

Moving over to take a seat on the balcony by her, he studies his friend’s features for a moment before deciding to impart his wisdom. “However, this is real life. Have you seen her again yet? How was that? Any… lingering feelings still there?”

.

The thought of saying I’m sorry flitted across her hazy mind as she realized that the man next to her knew exactly, if not more of, what she was talking about. But, she bit the apology back and the words never fell between them. After Ruby’s accident, I’m sorry seemed to be on the tip of everyone’s tongue, because what else do you say to someone who just lost the most important person to them? There were a few who understand, who had also harbored that same loss in their lives, but the majority of people just... didn’t get it and as happy as Sage found herself for them, to have never experienced a pain like that, the fact that those people just didn’t get it left their I’m sorry hollow and empty and had irritated her more than that phrase. It’s all she heard for four years and the only thing she had never wanted to hear again. So instead, she granted Daniel the quick passing over the topic, instead allowing the corners of her lips to lift in an amused smile as she teasingly scoffed. “Your version of me is way more entertaining than I could ever be.” She shook her head. “At some point, I just think you just get tired and it’s exhausting to even think about hating someone like that.” Hate was a strong word, one she tried not to use for anyone outside of Atlas, though she would reluctantly admit that it was only in jest. “She stopped by the other day, just showed up at my door.” Sage shrugged, taking another sip of wine, feeling it cloud her mind in a pleasant way. “I thought something was off with the divorce settlement, but... I guess she’s just back in town to help her aunt. For feelings talk, though, I might just have to charge you.”

[sage-adler]

noah fielding​:

The first statement from Sage brought a lift of Noah’s brows, a cheekiness to her smile as Sage amended her words slightly. Noah most definitely would have assumed the door was open otherwise, though she was never one to assume any door was closed. You just have to tug hard enough to yank it open sometimes. “We’ll table the making out for another time, that’s fine. I can wait,” Noah announced with a little shrug, a glint of trouble in her eyes. She always had liked a challenge, after all, and that was exactly what Sage had presented her with. As they left from the bar, Noah’s eyes blinked a bit, her eyes not adjusting as quickly as they normally would to the brightness of the sun. Falling into a slow pace at Sage’s side, Noah ambled along, her head tilted over towards the other woman. “I guess I could use a walk. Not sure how much exercise you’ll really get from it, but…” she trailed off with a vague shrug. “If you ever want to really work out, let me know. It’s something I’m actually kind of good at.” Incredibly good, actually. Though she had no real background in any exercise science studies, she had lived it and breathed it her entire life. Having had absolutely no responsibility in her life, Noah couldn’t imagine her identity being completely caught up in being a mother and looking after other people. Hell, she could barely look after herself. “Well, you’re good at it, I think, so I guess there’s worse things to be. You should have some fun, though, seriously. Take a night off of being a mom and just…let loose. You know, one last time before you’re too old or whatever.”

.

Sage smiled and offered the other a shrug as well. Sharing a walk in the late summer’s breeze with a friend was enough for her, any serious exercising could wait until they both were in a more capable state. “That would be nice, actually,” She finally agreed with a nod of her head as they walked. “Staying in shape was always part of being a paramedic, but it’s been awhile since I’ve had to move an entire body so it’s something I haven’t really been paying much attention to. As long as you promise not to poke fun when I can only lift half of what I used to be able to.” An amused chuckle fell between them and the blonde wagged her finger at Noah teasingly. The woman’s next statement caused her grin to fall, only a soft smile remaining as she shook her head. “I don’t know... she’s only two months and hasn’t been out of my sight since she was born... I just talked to my boss about going back to work, but I’m not even sure I’m ready for that, to be honest.”

[sage-adler]

daniel salazar​:

starter: @sage-adler​ location: danny’s kitchen, wine night. 

Going strong as they oft did, Daniel finds himself back in the kitchen to pick out a second bottle of white wine from his reserve – nothing fancy, it’s just what he called the cabinet where he kept the bottles. “So, do we hate her?” He asks while uncorking it, a frown forming in his face. “I’m not judging or anything if we do, this isn’t one of those things where you shouldn’t tell me to hate her to be a better person. Like, I’m prepared to hate her.” Justifies the rambling man, now setting aside the cork and pouring more wine into their respective glasses. “But I would like to know if I should or not. I do well with directives." 

.

The first few hours after officially dropping Maggie off at Atlas’ for the night left a dull sensation in her chest, as though she was missing a huge part of her, the worry that something would happen while the baby was out of her sight only drove that sensation into an aching pain and had it not been for the bottle of wine Daniel had immediately uncorked for them as soon as she had arrived, Sage was sure she would have left within the hour to make the drive back to Atlas’ to pick Maggie back up. But after the first two glasses, she found her worry lessening and the sensation dulling, replaced with the need to divulge to the man that her ex-wife had shown up in town again. “We don’t hate her,” the blonde assured him, swirling the last few drops of liquid in her glass as she watched Daniel open another bottle. “I did for a long time, but... I just want to move on. I’m ready to move on. Do I miss her? I mean, isn’t it normal to miss someone you spent almost half your life with? I don’t know... I spent four years wondering if she’d ever come back and now that she is...” Sage trailed off, tipping the last sip of wine against her lips before setting the glass down and pushing it toward him for a refill. “I better get at least ten percent of whatever story you’re using my life as inspiration for.”

[sage-adler]

noah fielding​:

“Okay, fine I can just pretend to drown and we can make out or something instead. That’s basically the same thing as you swooping in and being a hero,” Noah suggested with a goofy smirk plastered across her lips. “And Sage, come on. You’re not that old yet, you don’t have any days behind you.” Noah didn’t know exactly how old Sage was, but she was willing to believe that Sage was still plenty young and had plenty of good times ahead of her. It took Noah a good stretch of time to get down from the stool, her movements swaying a bit as she clambered down and got herself together enough to stand up. It wasn’t the most graceful, but she got herself up and was following Sage out to walk along wherever the woman was going. “So, where are we off to?” Noah asked, taking her steps slowly to make sure she had her balance under her as they exited from the bar. She chuckled a bit, definitely knowing what Sage meant. She personally wasn’t all that interested in hearing baby stuff, but she’d tolerate it for a bit for the right person. “Damn, so you’re full in on the mom thing then, huh? Don’t expect I’ll ever be one myself.” Noah didn’t mind kids, but she was pretty sure it would never be her thing. At the very least, it wouldn’t be for a long time.

.

“No pretend drowning and no making out in front of little eyes,” Sage pointed out, eyebrow raised in Noah’s direction. Realizing how she had phrased her declaration and how it may have left a door open for making out while not in front of little eyes, she chuckled and amended, “No making out at all and definitely no drowning.” Noah’s comment about her age flattered her, but she knew it had been meant to do just that. As someone who was well aware of exactly how old she was herself, the blonde had a hard time believe that anyone would think she was young. Maybe people would have a slightly easier time judging her age if Ruby were still there. Having just had a baby meant she could be any age within a twenty year range, but having a ten year old at her side? That would definitely age her. She was glad Noah agreed to walk with her and was patient as the woman found her bearings, Maggie resting tightly wrapped against her chest. Her hands hovered near the woman in front of her until she was sure she could stand upright and gratefully led them out of the bar and into the mid-day sun. “I just though we could walk. It seems like you need it and well...,” Sage motion to the baby attached to her, “After having this little personal carry-on, I could use a walk to get back into shape.” She laughed, patting Maggie’s bottom as the tiny infant snoozed on. “She’s not my first, technically not my second if you count raising my little sister after our mom... you know. I’m not sure I know how to be anything other than a mom.”

[sage-adler]

maya lee​:

She smiled softly, knowing they all somehow went through that face. It must have been different, when Maya would be in her own mom shoes but until that happened the brunette’s priority was her family. Unable to control herself from clapping her hands together in excitment when the blonde responded that she was, in fact, meeting Atlas; Maya’s face lit up. Was this little Mangolia? Having only heard her name, and seen a few photos, it was difficult to not show any kind of emotion. The little one was precious, though the brunette didn’t want to make her mom feel… awkward. Blinking a few times, confusion washed over her face. “A previous….?” Maya repeated, furrowing her brows. A previous what? Putting one and one together, she then burst into a laugh. “Oh, God no — no, no, nothing like that.” she quickly exclaims, shaking her head. “Don’t get me wrong, Atlas is hot but it has never been like that. We’re friends. For as long as I remember, I’m like the annoying good angel over his shoulder. Emphasis on the annoying.” she joked, “But in all seriousness, Orion is one of my best friends. I’ve known them for as long as I can remember. So yeah.. nothing like that. No need to worry.” Was there something going on between them? Maya didn’t know, and wasn’t going to ask. If Atlas felt comfortable, he would tell her. 

.

Sage laughed. Out loud. Hard. She was extremely pleased she hadn’t just accidentally run into one of Atlas’ old flames, but amused so much that she found tears forming in the corners of her eyes at the woman’s assumption that she would be at all worried if the other had been one of the man’s old flames. When her laughing finally died off and she was able to catch her breath, the blonde shook her head adamantly. “Please, the only thing I was worried about was what his body count actually is... for the sake of his daughter, the last thing she needs is to grow up knowing how much of a whore her daddy is,” She began to reassure her, another chuckle escaping her lips. “I’m gay, albeit a gay that makes really bad decisions when she’s drunk and grieving, but... I’m really not worry about who Atlas... y’know.” Finally, Sage held out her hand, feeling like an introduction was long overdue. “My name’s Sage... and this is Maggie,” She offered, waving her free hand at the cooing baby. “She’s unfortunately the spawn of Atlas, but if Orion is anything to go by, maybe she’ll luck out and only snag the good Williams’ genes. So you know the family pretty well, huh?”

[sage-adler]

charlotte adler​:

“That’s kinda a hard question” Charlotte took a deep breath so she could figure out how to tell her the story about how uncle Mark had died without cracking and start to cry, If it was anyone else, the lawyer shrug off, put a brave face and pretend everything was fine. The lawyer used to that. But with Sage, everything was in a whole different level, some part of her told she could let herself being vulnerable, they had been there through the years they were together, the blonde was the one she could lean on, while other part said she didn’t had the right of doing it, especially with the divorce and everything that happened between them after Ruby’s accident.  “Well, Uncle Mark died a month or so. So I came to live here with aunt Diane and their kids.  I’m living in their garage, it’s not the best place in the world, but it’s okay I guess.” Instead, the lawyer just said what it was trapped in her throat, fighting her best to not break while saying it. “To be honest, if it’s any indication, it might mean that she will do great things in the future.” She said closing her eyes and giving breath to calm her own nerves, and glad that so far she didn’t ruined everything with her non-sense yet, “Thanks that would be great actually. It’s okay. I’m… I’m try to stop drinking.” The lawyers shrugs, making her way inside the house. This somehow gave her some sense of familiarity and comfort she didn’t felt in any other place. “This place looks really good, though. I don’t know why, but it always smells like Christmas morning in here”  She couldn’t help to crack a smile. “Sorry, I just remember when you were trying to teach me how to change Ruby’s diaper for the first time, that she took it out really easily. You were always like the most mom from both of us.” 

.

“Oh...,” Sage started, although she wasn’t quite sure where she was going. She blinked once, then twice, processing the news that Charlotte had dropped on her doorstep. They had spent a good portion of their life together, two worlds entangled into one, over a decade of dating and almost as much married - of course the blonde knew exactly who the woman was talking about, but with all loss, it was just something she wasn’t able to believe, especially when the both of them had experienced their fair share of loss already. When would the world realize it had taken enough from them? At what point would the loss stop coming? “I’m sorry.” The apology finally came, a breath falling from her lips as she finally realized she didn’t know what else to say. Even standing there, in front of her ex-wife, already brought back painful memories Sage thought she had gotten over after the divorce, but talking about loss was a stinging reminder that their daughter was still gone, no matter how much she thought she’d gotten over it. Her free hand pushed the door closed behind Charlotte, allowing the other to walk more fully into the place they had once shared together, her chest freezing at the sight. It was a lot easier to think you were past something until that something stood right in front of you. 

“Looks really good... didn’t think I’d hear that compliment for awhile,” Sage finally gathered herself, chuckling lightly as her free hand moved through her hair, knowing that house had seen better days. With Maggie to worry about and the possibility of purchasing the bar on her mind, the last thing she was worried about was picking up the baby toys scattered across the living room floor or moving the milk covered burp cloths from the counter to the laundry room. “It smells like breastmilk and dirty diapers and it’s a cluttered mess, you can tell me the truth.” The soft teasing came surprisingly easy and for a moment, as she cast a slight grin toward the brunette, it almost felt like nothing had changed. “Being a mom came easy after raising Asher, but you weren’t so bad yourself. You caught on quickly,” She reassured Charlotte, nodding toward the kitchen, surprised to hear the woman was planning stop drinking. “Do you want anything else? Water? Tea? A snack? God, I do sound like a total mom, huh?”

[sage-adler]

liesl-anne easton​:

“I meant both of you.” She promised, glancing up to flash the blonde a soft smile as her hand dropped. Because as much as she wanted to know how the little bean was doing, Liesl cared just as much about Sage and how she was coping. “Bless her.” She hummed when Sage commented on how much Maggie was growing. “She’d definitely bigger than when I saw her last.” Which— wasn’t a surprise; that’s sort of what babies did. But it was good that she was growing so well, even if it was leaving Sage a bit drained. Her smile widened when Sage assured her that it hadn’t been too much, which she was glad for. She hadn’t wanted to overwhelm the other woman, but she wanted her to know how much she was loved, that people were thinking of her. “You can leave here with anything you want and you won’t be paying a dime.” She insisted, shaking her head, though a chuckle escaped her when Sage said she felt like all she’d been doing was sitting down. Her head tilted, however, when the other woman asked about starting her own business. “I— It was what I needed. I needed a place that was my own, that I had control of, after what happened in Marshall…” She swallowed briefly, knowing that Sage knew what she was referring to. “After I gave up nursing, I needed a quiet place, that was mine.” A gentle shrug fell from her shoulders. “It was a risk, but it worked out for me. Thank goodness.” And she loved Silver Sun, loved what she’d been able to make for herself. It wasn’t the path she’d hand planned for her life, but maybe it was better, in its own way. “Why—? What have you been thinking about?” 

.

“Sometimes I wake up in the morning and it feels like she’s bigger than I last saw her too,” Sage joked, a chuckle pulling her lips into a grin, happy to be spending a few moments in the quiet shop with her neighbor and friend. It seemed as though Maggie was wasting no time in growing like a weed and she couldn’t help but wonder if the little girl would ever stop or if she’d simply just continue to grow until she broke through the roof and towered over the city. Hopefully, the roof she chose to break through, wouldn’t be Liesl’s flower shop, because nothing beat how lovely the little building was on quiet weekdays. Would she potentially have that one day? Maybe not the quiet loveliness that the woman opposite her had seemed to harness in this one shop, as The Jagged Yard held quite a different vibe, but something of her own, to take a second to breathe in and feel alive with something that was completely and utterly her own? “Of course.” Listening to Liesl, Sage nodded, a soft reassurance on her face as the other spoke. “It really did work out for you, Liesl. Silver Sun is one of my favorite places to be and you’d be hard pressed to find someone that doesn’t enjoy what you’ve done here.” The blonde took her bottom lip between her teeth, hesitant to actually speak her thoughts out loud, having kept them to herself since she spoke with the current owner of The Jagged Yard, a woman she had admired since the very beginning of her employment there. “I, uh... the opportunity arose to...,” Sage let out a breath, her hand settling on Maggie’s back, “Well, to potentially buy The Jagged Yard. And I know, I know, it’s not as cute as Silver Sun and is a huge risk and up until the current owner told me she was planning on selling, I had planned to potentially return to working for emergency services, but I don’t know... it’s become a home and I’m not sure I’m ready to give it up yet.”

[sage-adler]

maya lee​:

There were so many things she didn’t know about babies, or the things they needed. Maybe a time would come when Maya would have to do her own research, but for now she would be happily oblivious. Life was already too stressful, and caring for another being didn’t sound as the easier thing. She always admired the people who did though and she was certain the blonde was doing an excellent job so far. “Yeah… but hey, a time will come when you will be able to leave her at home and she will be able to feed herself on her own.” It could have lookd like a long way, though time passed.. fast. “Oh…. wait, you are?” Maya questioned, a little surprised. It didn’t take long to put one and one together, “Wait, are you talking about Atlas?” 

.

“Oh, and I’m sure she’ll never let me forgot how much she can do on her own.” A soft chuckle fell from her lips as she thought about Maggie growing past the age of six, growing into a full fledged preteen who has all of the Franklin spunk and stubbornness and all of the independence from her father, it was something Sage never thought she would be able to experience in a child of her own, but also a phase that she was entirely too scared of if raising her sister was any warning. The woman’s expressed flashed to surprise and her own brows furrowed, wondering what she may have said wrong. It wasn’t until the other then mentioned Atlas that Sage finally got her answer. “I... am,” She started slowly, a nod of her head as she stood. She knew Atlas was well known around Providence Peak, mostly for the rescue specifically, but she also knew that there were quite a few women in the city who knew him for something else entirely. “It’s totally none of my business, but are you, uh... a previous...?” The blonde didn’t finish, not being able to find the correct term she was looking for, and instead let her gaze fall to the woman in front of her.

[sage-adler]

bennett miller​:

When things weren’t going well at home, Bennett made good work of spending as much time at the hospital as he possibly could. It was the coward’s way out of a conversation, but he was doing good for people who needed it. That, and he knew that Alicia needed a moment to herself after everything had happened. The day’s work had been spent on two surgeries; both of which were successful. In between those, he’d answered at least fifty questions about his wife and how she was doing after the accident in the stairwell. He’d assured everyone that she’d be back before they knew it. Their questions had only led him to missing her more than he already did though.

In an attempt to distract himself, the man had headed toward the cafeteria for more coffee. It wasn’t the best, but it beat walking in the heat to visit a local shop and he wasn’t desperate enough to go home just yet. To his greatest surprise, he was greeted by a blonde on his way to the coffee cart. “Something like that,” he grinned weakly, though eyes lit up at the sight of the blonde’s daughter. “This must be Maggie. I’ve heard a lot about her from that better half of mine. She talks a lot about her.” At least she had before everything had basically fallen apart between them. “I hate to break it to you though, but she’s at home this week. She had a bit of a fall and it’s the doctor’s orders. Everything okay?” 

.

“Something like that? Doesn’t feel real, does it? It never really does until out pops a whole human being you’re now responsible for,” Sage chuckled softly, patting her own little human being on the bottom with gentle taps, a motion that never really failed to keep her calm. A part of her couldn’t imagine Bennett and Alicia with a baby, while a bigger part of her knew that it was what they were destined for. They had always been so great with Ruby, it seemed like a universal shame that they had so much trouble trying to have one of their own. “As she should, I asked her to be Maggie’s godmother, so if anything happens to me...” The blonde raised her eyebrows teasingly. “Anyway, we just came from a check-up and this little one is doing great except that the doctor did diagnose her with a little bit of Needs-to-Meet-Uncle-Ben-itis, so it’s a good thing we ran into you after all.” Upon hearing that Alicia wasn’t even in the hospital that day, her lips turned into a frown, brow furrowing in worry when the man explained that she had a fall. “I’m fine. Wait, she fell? Is she okay? Is the baby okay?”

[sage-adler]

charlotte adler​:

Charlotte’s heart beats fast in her chest. It was the first time she was acknowledging that her plan sucks, and that she didn’t even know how what to say. In her head it felt like it had sounded a loud alarm, “Oh no, the divorce papers are okay, really. The process is already set and done. You know I won’t fight for anything, whatever you say, I will just accept it.” She answers, trying to come up with some explanation. “It’s complicated. I mean, I came back to live here I guess, at least until aunt Diane kicks me out for being a bad influence, or one of the kids finds my weed’s stash.” The lawyer mentally facepalmed for doing such lame joke. It felt like when they started to realize their feelings for each other, and whenever she saw Sage, she made a fool out of herself for saying something stupid. “It’s story for other day. It seems that you are busy right now.” Charlotte didn’t get why her legs refused to obey her orders and started to move back to the car. Her eyes got caught admiring how gorgeous Sage was with the baby in her arms, and daring to think that she was even more beautiful than when they were married. “Your daughter is beautiful. She looks just like you.”

.

“Oh.” Came Sage’s lame response, her voice trailed off as they both stood awkwardly at the door, not one of them leaving nor the other moving to invite one in. It was almost as though she didn’t quite know how to be around Charlotte, a woman who had once been the person she was the most comfortable around, the one who had known her inside and out. She had never been divorced before, how were two people supposed to act after living in so much love for such a long time. The other woman offered a joke and Sage softly chuckled, thankful that it appeared the brunette was feeling just as awkward as she was. They had fallen out of love, fallen out of the routine they had spent over a decade building; where did they go from here? Was there somewhere to go? “You’re living with Diane? Why?” She couldn’t deny that she was curious as to why her ex-wife was living with a relative. “Is everything okay?” Swallowing as her gaze met Charlotte’s, she finally stepped back from the door, the compliment the woman gave her caused a blush to heat her cheeks. “Thanks. After my sister and... Ruby, I guess the Franklin genes are strong.” Her left hand fell from where it was holding onto the door, as though the feeling had kept her grounded, and she motioned, hand waving slightly over Maggie’s head in an awkward manner, “Do you want to, uh... come in? I can put some coffee over or... tea? I have a few beers too, but it’s been months since I’ve been able to drink, so I’m not sure how great they taste anymore.”

[sage-adler]

noah fielding​:

“Good for you, dude. Nice work,” Noah replied with a drunken laugh. Kids weren’t her thing, she didn’t know how to react with babies, but she figured that if anything she should be happy for Sage. Head swiveling around with a wide, goofy smile, Noah let her eyes lock on with Sage’s. “Now that’s just not fair. Of course I missed you. Every day, I come, I sit, I wait, and you don’t show up. It was honestly starting to get a little pathetic, so it’s a good thing you showed up today.” Noah was mostly joking, though that wasn’t to say she hadn’t noted the other woman’s disappearance to some degree. She just wasn’t the sort of person to do anything about missing people. People came and went in her life without ever really sticking and it was something she’d grown far too used to accepting. “Well, if you ever want to pretend to save my life again, let me know. I can go pretend to drown, you can bring me back with some mouth to mouth…” Noah trailed off with a smirk, a warmth seeping through the drunkenness in her eyes. Eyes flickering around the bar for a moment after Sage’s offer, Noah decided there wasn’t really anything better for her there and nodded. She wasn’t exactly in walking shape, but she’d figure it out along the way. “A walk sounds good, yeah. Yeah. I can tell you all about the trouble I’ve been getting into. Totally. And you can tell me about…I don’t know, baby stuff?”

.

“Please don’t,” Sage chuckled with a shake of her head. “As much as I miss playing the hero, allowing you to drown yourself is definitely not how I’d like to return to my former glory days. Besides, I think those days are probably behind me at this point.” She thought about the conversation she just came from, the current owner of The Jagged Yard telling her that she’s planning on selling, and the opportunity that arose from the conversation. Going back to her old job was something she considered when she found out she was pregnant, not sure how being a bartender and raising a baby on her own would ever work out, but that decision had stalled as her pregnancy had progressed - and maybe for good reason? “Alright, c’mon, up you go.” The blonde hopped off of the barstool, waving her hands as she ushered Noah out of her own seat. She was sure it would take the other woman a moment to level out, but whatever was going on with Noah, Sage hoped that a short walk in the sun and maybe the ear of a friend would help. “Oh, you don’t want me to talk your ear off about baby stuff. I don’t think that conversation would ever end, I could brag about little Maggie’s gurgles and laughs and blinks all day. I guess that’s why no one likes a mom friend.”

[sage-adler]

liesl-anne easton​:

Liesl-Anne glanced up when she heard the bell to the shop chime out, a smile spreading on her lips when she saw Sage entering. “Oh hey there lovely.” She sung out, trotting around the counter, eyes lighting up at seeing Magnolia resting against the blonde’s chest. It brought Liesl never ending joy that Sage had picked such a gorgeous plant name for the little one. They weren’t in season yet, but when late winter rolled around, Liesl-Anne would make sure to keep the shop stocked with them. “How’s this sweet little lady doing today?” She asked, a hand coming up for a finger to gently stroke the chubby little cheek, cooing at the softness of newborn skin. “Oh, it’s fine.” She waved her hand when Sage said she couldn’t believe how long it had taken her to visit. “You’ve been busy.” Which was totally understandable. “But I’m so glad you could drop by. I’ve missed you guys.” A blush crept up onto her cheeks when Sage mentioned the flowers that Liesl had left all over her house before she’d gotten home from out of town, but it was followed by a giant grin. “I couldn’t help myself. I hope it wasn’t too much.” Flowers was Liesl-Anne’s love language, and she had been sad she couldn’t visit Sage in the hospital. “Oh, you have to take a bunch on your way out.” She insisted when Sage complimented the flowers, before ushering her further into the store. “Do you need to sit, get off your feet?”

.

“Tired. Exhausted. Touched out,” the blonde responded to Liesl quickly, before she grinned and nodded, “Oh, you meant Maggie, huh?” The baby gave a quiet gurgle at the touch against her cheek and Sage realized she was still getting used to the fact that Maggie was an entire human being, her reactions and abilities growing with each day, no longer just a tiny newborn alien trying to figure out what the heck was going on around it. “She’s doing... amazing. Growing like a weed and eating like she’s never had milk a day in her life. Even after two months, she still manages to impress me.” Part of her wondered if Atlas’ appetite had been a big one as an infant too and if it had any correlation with his height; internally she hoped Maggie wouldn’t have to worry about having the height of a small giant. The last thing she wanted for her daughter was for the girl to struggle with doorways for her entire life. “Please, too much? It was so lovely. You know I don’t have a green thumb worth anything and it’s not like I have anyone regularly keeping the house stocked with flowers anymore, so they were... very much appreciated and this little girl loved looking and smelling them too. You better bet I’m leaving here with one of your famous bouquets, but I’m definitely paying for them this time. No arguing.” She wagged her finger in true mom fashion toward Liesl, following the woman further into the store. “Oh no, I feel like all I’ve been doing is sitting for the past two months. I’m healed, I’m doing good, I’m just ready to be back at it. Whatever it is. Actually, I’ve been meaning to ask you...,” Sage trailed off, pausing as she glanced at Liesl, “How did you know owning your own business was the right move?”

[sage-adler]

noah fielding​:

When Sage sat down next to her and patted Maggie’s back, Noah’s eyes blinked a bit, realizing that there was a whole extra human right there between them. “Oh, shit. You had a baby. Congrats, I think?” Noah chuckled, her eyes a bit wider now as she took it all in. She hadn’t really stopped to think about why she hadn’t seen Sage around, nor had she had the wherewithal to ask after her, but it all immediately made sense now that she’d seen the baby. “I mean, I think my needs are also important and you abandoning me was terrible, but yeah, I guess I can give you a break for that one.” Noah didn’t spend much time around kids, babies especially, so she wasn’t exactly well versed on how to handle one being around. Luckily in this case Maggie was wrapped up comfortably against Sage’s chest and Noah didn’t have to pretend to know how to hold her or anything of the sort. Flexing her hand a bit to show off the scar, Noah had a half grin curled at her lips. “It’s good. I like a little edge. So, thank you…again for that.” Even while drunk, Noah’s voice softened a bit, genuinely grateful that Sage had patched her up without it having to become a whole fiasco with her management team. That was just one less headache for her to figure out. “Don’t sell the kid short. Looks to me like they’d be able to serve up a mean drink. I’m…yeah. I’m good, always good. Same as I have been, only as much trouble as I need to get into.”

.

“I had a baby,” Sage confirmed, lips pressing together as she offered Noah a reassuring nod, amused with the surprise in the other’s tone, as though the newborn, nor her leave of absence, had been noticed. She certainly didn’t blame the woman for not noticing she wasn’t at the bar. After some time, all of the staff began to look the same to the bargoers. To remember where everyone who had ever served her was would be like asking the blonde the whereabouts of any of her customers on a given day. “Don’t worry, I’m a cog in an industry that keeps on moving whether I’m here or not, I don’t blame you for not missing me.” Bartending was surely different from her previous job, where if she would miss a day, or two, it would definitely go noticed. She supposed slinging bottles and dancing on a bar were a lot different from saving lives. “It’s nice to relive the golden days, so I should be thanking you for letting me pretend to save your life.” A soft smile was thrown in Noah’s direction, her hand extended to rest on the other’s arm. “Between me and her dad, she’ll get there one day... hey, I was just going to head out, want to join us for a walk? You can fill me in on all of the necessary trouble you’ve been getting up to.”