Choices and Sacrifices Ch. 07 Pt. 1

Sorry about the delay!

I have no idea how the hospital works, so this is probably not accurate hahaha.

Enjoy and please leave me feedback!

"Mr. Sage," The doctor called from the start of the room. He had a clip board in his hand and his head downturned onto it. Only after the name was called did he make eye contact with Keegan. Keegan ran his clammy hands on his jeans before extending it toward the doctor.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Dr. Plyith; I've been working with Bethany." He introduced.

"Nice to meet you." Keegan replied bleakly. He waited patiently for whatever information the doctor had for him. He'd been waiting on it for the past few hours. Dr. Plyith signaled for Keegan to have a seat in a secluded area beside the front desk.

"Are you aware of Bethany's emotional state?" Keegan shook his head timidly. "Well, six months ago Bethany was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder." He drank in the man's words. Six months. He'd left Florida six months ago. "Is your relationship with Bethany the reason this has happened, Mr. Sage?" Keegan responded soundly,

"Yes." The doctor nodded knowingly.

"Bethany had taken lethal amounts of her anti-depressants. So a gastric lavage was preformed just in time. But the more concerning aspect of her attempted suicide is the blood loss. A blood transfusion is being done now to ensure her survival." Hearing all the things that was happening to Bethany was difficult. It made his stomach churn to know that he was responsible for everything that was taking place.

"Now, because Bethany attempted suicide, she needs to be placed in a psychiatric ward for a minimum of two weeks. I've learned that this isn't her home state so we will be transporting her back to Florida once she's capable of taking the trip. And since you were involved with her reason for attempting, you both will be required to take 10 hours of therapy and 5 hours individually."

Keegan's pulse stopped. His face dropped all pigment and took on an ashen color instead.

"And this is not optional." The doctor's tone darkened as he noted Keegan's grave expression. He left on that note and stalked away to check on his patients.

Reflection consumed Keegan's body and his thoughts went rampant. Telling Sabrina what was happening would be the most honest thing to do. But Keegan obviously wasn't familiar with the honest path, and now, after lying for so long, it didn't seem like it'd be most beneficial to him.

"Keegan!" Footsteps were growing closer toward him and Keegan searched for the source. Visitors and nurse's whirled around him before he spotted Quincy. His face was masked in worry yet he could see it subside once he laid eyes on his friend. Keegan stood up, suddenly awoken with unrecognizable life as an idea rushed his thoughts.

"What the fuck is going on? I saw all the blood on the floor so I just—" Quincy forced the words frantically.

"Q, I need you to do me a favor." Quincy furrowed his brow at the gleam in Keegan's deep grey eyes. The gleam wasn't exactly uplifting and seemed more intimidating than anything else. Exhaustion left huge purple bags under his eyes and stained them red. He truly looked insane.

Quincy awaited his friend's request, ready to come through for him if need be.

"Go to Sabrina's job, tell her that something came up with the house—anything you want, I couldn't leave and I'll be home tomorrow. I left my phone at the apartment and I don't want to call her from the hospital phone. Tell her you're my—" Quincy shifted on his feet before he interceded Keegan's words.

"I'm not lying for you." Quincy's tone was nastily rebellious. The pitch curled upward toward the end, signifying his stance on the proposition. The two men competed in a deadly staring match that was accented by a sudden coldness. The front door of the lobby had opened wide and allowed a hard breeze to cloak over their bodies. Everything seemed to coincidently grow quiet, changing the ambience of the room.

"Q, you know that if the positions were switched—if you needed me to lie for you, I wouldn't ask any questions." Keegan could see the consideration on his friend's face, so he decided to push a little further. "I'm going to tell her everything; I just need some more time. I promise." Desperation soaked his tone and he parted his lids to allow his eyes to look larger. Quincy flexed his jaw while looking off into the distance. Keegan was loyal, he'd always been. But he knew just as well as Keegan did, that he'd never tell Sabrina the truth. Although for some insane reason, he'd participate in extending her inevitable heartbreak.

*

"I'm done!" Sabrina cheered, throwing her arms into the air and smiling at the women behind her. The dental office was finished its last patient for the day and it was time to get ready for the next day's work. Over the past few years Sabrina successfully turned the dreary process of collecting receipts, cleaning utensils, vacuuming and cleaning bathrooms into an enjoyable project.

"Turn the radio on Annette!" Rochelle called from the back room. Soon after, she appeared out of the hallway and stood beside the receptionist table. Annette was an incredibly shy middle aged woman. She was good at her job but it was clear she wasn't an outspoken person. So in the beginning, Sabrina and Rochelle tried to go easy on her. But as time passed, they slowly began revealing themselves. Now she anticipated their weird antics and flip-flop relationship.

Britney Spears' Toxic played loudly from the portable radio. Sabrina absolutely loved the song; it only got better as years went on. She sang the words loudly as the women watched her jump around the room. It was probably the realization that she was one step closer to leaving and Keegan was on his way home to meet her in bed that had her overly excited. After his sweet text to her, she'd been in high spirits for the remainder of the day.

"Sabrina, get off my chair!" Rochelle chastised from the rim of her clipboard. She was gazing down on the check-in list when Sabrina began dancing on the waiting room couch without her shoes. Her fluffy hair was flying all over the place as she screamed lyrics carelessly, occasionally laughing at herself in the midst of it all. She ignored her best friend's empty warning and kept enjoying herself.

*

Quincy took a deep breath at the door. He could hear music playing on the other side, so he was sure someone was still inside. He took a deep breath and placed his hand against the knob.

He was trying to ready himself for an endless line of questions that he couldn't answer.

Slowly, the door creaked open and his eyes landed on who he knew was her. He stood in the entryway, paralyzed by his view.

Her back was toward him and he could see her perfect, rounded backside clearly through her loose fitting scrubs. They were a feminine black and worked well with her body. Her socks were bright yellow and playfully propelling her on and off of the couch. Her hair was a wild mess around her shoulders and when she turned around, he fell into the hold of her brown eyes. The large portion of white was a nice contrast against the deep mahogany of her skin. Her full lips parted in embarrassed astonishment just as the music was stopped.

Quincy took a step inside only to find it even more difficult to stop staring at Sabrina. She hopped off of the couch and slipped on her Crocs. Her chest was heaving from her recent activities and she gave Quincy an apologetic smile.

"I'm so sorry you had to see that." She placed a hand over her heart and Quincy could feel himself go weak in his knees. She was absolutely stunning.

"N—no it's fine, I uh—" Quincy swallowed the blade trying to slip down his throat. "I actually need to—" Quincy's nervousness stemmed from the idea that this woman was completely in the dark. Just knowing that she was ignorant to all the disrespect she'd been receiving over the past six months made disrespecting her again twenty times harder.

Quincy caught sight of movement beside him. Another gorgeous honey colored woman was standing off in the corner, eyeing him suspiciously over her glasses. A larger woman shared her same expression behind the receptionist's desk. Quincy could hear his heart thudding in his chest and he fought for words.

"I need my teeth whitened." What the hell? That was not what he wanted to say. But by the time he decided he'd said the wrong thing, it was too late. Sabrina nodded in compliance.

"Can I whiten him up really quickly?" Rochelle gave her a skeptical look; it was past closing. "He saw me jumping on a chair to a Britney Spears song, the least I can do is whiten his teeth." Sabrina got a tiny chuckle from Quincy.

"Hurry up." Rochelle said. Sabrina led the way, with Quincy hot on her heels and his eyes trying to stay above her waist.

It'd been a long time since he'd been this attracted to a woman, and Sabrina wasn't even his type. Usually the women he slept with were merely used for his own sexual satisfaction than physical attraction. But Quincy surprisingly thought Sabrina was beautiful and sensual.

She led him to a room with a long chair that took up a majority of space. Quincy took his seat and Sabrina positioned herself behind him. He could hear her messing around with some latex gloves and preparing for his unplanned teeth whitening.

"How was your day today?" Sabrina asked, gathering her tools and making small talk with him. Quincy reclined in his chair, basking in the peppermint scent of her hair that clouded the area.

"It was alright, I went to work for a few hours and then I came home." Sabrina laughed sweetly.

"A few hours was just enough for you huh?" Sabrina asked teasingly. He chortled in response.

"I didn't have much to do, so there was really no need for me to stay longer."

"Well what occupation is this and where can I get my application?" Sabrina asked, loving the way he made his job seem. The calm tone only added to the overall luxury of leaving work when he wanted.

"I'm an accountant." Sabrina did a long groan as she tied a napkin around his neck.

"Oh no, You can keep that application; I'd kill myself if I had to do math every day—I'm gonna lean you back." Quincy cracked a smile at her unexpected charisma. He crossed his ankles as his chair reclined deeply. The intoxicating smell seemed to strengthen when his head leaned further into her lap. Once she was satisfied with his height, she used her gloved hands to briefly lift his thick lips and examine his teeth.

"What's your name?" Quincy asked as if he didn't know already. Sabrina looked into his eyes fleetingly, uncomfortable with what she saw in his caramel orbs. She swallowed roughly and averted her gaze elsewhere.

"Sabrina." She replied quietly. It came out even more muffled because she wore a medical mask. Quincy could hear the apprehension in her voice and he understood it completely. She was in love with someone else—his best friend. But at this moment, while he contemplated his attraction toward her, Keegan hardly affected his thoughts.

"I'm Quincy."

*

Unfortunately, Quincy couldn't talk to Sabrina as much as he wanted to while she repeatedly put objects into his mouth. But he didn't waste the opportunity to be in her company, so he kept his eyes intently on hers while she worked above him. He relished in her soothing commands and dark auburn irises as they darted around his mouth with so much focus. Her simple stud earrings sparkled from the large light in front of her and added to her beauty.

Quincy could now understand his friend's hesitation. Not to say he agreed with the lying or prolonged reveal, but even he didn't want to hurt her. He didn't want to see the uneasiness on her face when he told her Keegan's terrible lies.

"Okay, we're all done." Sabrina handed him a hand held mirror. He smiled into it, allowing his perfect white teeth to come into view for both of them to see. He nodded in approval and was now somewhat glad he didn't have the courage to fulfill his true intentions of visiting this dentists' office.

"They look good," He turned around in his chair to hand the mirror back to Sabrina. His tiny smile caused her cheeks to rise a little. "Thank you."

"No problem—Now it's time to go home." She chuckled while standing off of her stool and peeling off her gloves. Quincy stood too and allowed his eyes to roam over her captivating features once more.

"Sabrina," He called quietly. She watched as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small business card. He spotted a pen on the counter beside them and grabbed it swiftly. Within a few seconds, he had his cell number scribbled onto the back of it. He gave it to Sabrina and she gave him a meek smile. Quincy knew she had intentions on throwing it out as soon as they had 50 feet between them, but he couldn't help himself. He strolled out of the room and headed to pay his bill.

He knew that he'd just completely pissed on Keegan with what he did. But Quincy no longer had any value for him, so the act didn't influence his conscious as much as he would've expected. Soon Sabrina would lose respect for him too, and hopefully Quincy could be there when she did.

*

Keegan watched as Bethany looked him right between his eyes. She'd awoken from sleep just seconds ago. Her expression was bleak, as if testing to see how conscious she actually was. When time passed on, she realized she wasn't where she thought she would be. Her heart sank as her cheeks grew hot from humiliation—she hadn't died. She'd have to face her family and Keegan with an attempted suicide reigning over her crown constantly. Unable to face him any longer, she repositioned herself to stare out of the darkening window.

Keegan sighed deeply while resting his elbows over his knees.

This was by far one of the most stressful days of his life. Bethany's well being preoccupied him immensely over the past 5 hours, but Sabrina still had her beat. He wondered how she'd taken the news and whether she was content with what Quincy told her or pissed that things weren't really adding up.

He could picture her cute arched brows hanging downward while she thought deeply. She would lay in bed with Venice by her side, snuggled up in his tee-shirt and thinking of him. She was probably soothing herself with her flat little thumb, hoping to fall asleep and put her mind at ease. Keegan leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes and tried to utilize his imagination.

His daydream was in first person so he walked through the front door of Sabrina's apartment. Everything was darkened and she wasn't anywhere around. So he approached her bedroom and knocked softly a couple of times. A small silence passed before Sabrina responded.

"Keegan?" She called faintly. Keegan smirked at the surprise in her pitch. He slowly pushed the door open and she sat up straight in the dimmed room. Her frizzy hair was wild in the center of the bed. When she saw him standing in the doorway, she took in a tiny gasp and began crawling up to the edge in a rush. He had to stumble backwards a little as the velocity of her body collided with his. He wrapped his arms around her waist while she hugged him tightly.

"Can I get a kiss please?" Keegan chuckled, looking down on the crown of her head expectantly. She laughed before looking up and rolling her eyes playfully. He watched as she closed her lids to conceal her large eyes and puckered her already pouty lips in preparation for his kiss. He moved his palm to the corner of her jaw and leaned forward to touch their lips.

But just before his thoughts could get him to the most blissful moment of his musing, a voice brought him back to his terrible reality.

"Okay, Tampa General Hospital is expecting you both this Saturday." The doctor announced his presence but it was hardly acknowledged. Bethany didn't move a muscle, and Keegan hardly spoke a word. As if he could feel their attitudes, the doctor made quick work of leaving the room so that the two could continue their silent session.

*

"Hey, Keegan it's me. I'm getting a little worried—your phone is off and I haven't heard anything from you in..." 29 hours... "awhile." She decided to say instead. It was a little past 6 o'clock and the first thing Sabrina could do was check her phone for any missed calls after she found the bed cold. She could hardly feel the exhaustion that involuntarily slowed her down. She hadn't gone to bed until at least 2AM. Venice pressed into her as if she was trying to fill the void that came with the unused pillow. Sabrina gently ran her hand down the dog's crown as she ended her voicemail.

Hopefully she'd hear from him today.

*

"Quincy where the fuck are you?" Keegan left his best friend a nasty, short voicemail from the hospital's phone. Bethany had yet to move since last night when she'd awoken from and turned her body in shame. Keegan was quite content with her lack of words; hearing anything she had to say would only make his life more difficult. He didn't plan on dealing with her emotions right now, or anytime soon for that matter. The therapist would hopefully do that all for them when they arrived to Florida in a few days.

Keegan had expectations on getting done the therapy hours within a week. They'd both visit every day until he thought they were finished. Keegan would leave Bethany with her mother back in Florida and he'd return to Sabrina with a bucket full of confessions. Getting back to her wasn't an option—it was his only choice for living a sane life.

His heart raced at the thought of never being able to hold her again. It made him sick to his stomach to even entertain the idea that another man would touch her the way he had. This situation could not ruin his relationship to a point that couldn't be recovered. No one could ever love Sabrina the way he did.

*

It was the third time his phone had rung today, and it wasn't even 8 o'clock yet. The effects of deceit were heavy on him last night. He awoke earlier than normal with only Sabrina on his mind. The woman inevitably brought up thoughts of Keegan too but he tried to ignore those. He wanted to hear from her, just to see how she was doing and if she needed someone to keep her mind busy.

He felt guilty as he realized that he wanted to capitalize off of her pain. He'd build their relationship from the base of her breakup if that meant he'd have a chance to be with her. He smiled as he remembered how wild she'd been the day he first saw her. She went from a screaming, jumping child to a modest, sweet woman in a matter of seconds. The quality was a redeeming one to say the least.

Quincy left his phone home and decided to grab his Ipod instead. With a muscle tee on that was cut down the sides, sweats and a heart racing French Montana beat ringing in his ears, he set his ADT alarm and closed the door to his new, 3 story home. He strolled over to the garage and revealed his Audi R8. The glossy black car was a beautiful yet strong looking vehicle that always got him stares while driving down city streets. He walked over to the driver's side, but halted himself sturdily. A tiny gleam against the passenger side door caught his attention. His brows furrowed while acknowledging the pin sized scratch against the black paint of the expensive car. He balled up his fist in agitation.

"Fucking bullshit!" He cursed huskily to himself. He definitely needed this trip to the gym.

*

"I don't think I can deal with Olivia tonight." Rochelle stated. Sabrina walked through the front door as Rochelle walked by. Sabrina silently closed and locked it behind herself before following her friend into the kitchen. Curry chicken radiated from the entryway, but it didn't provoke Sabrina's stomach the way it should've.

She honestly didn't think she wanted any.