Page 2 of Love Legacy

Maybe. What’s in it for me?

Theia

Wine.

Also, snuggles with Basil. And then maybe we can watch a movie?

Sage

I’ll be over in 30 minutes

Theia

Thank youuuuu!

Theia was my older sister—foster sister, I mean. It was her parents, Melody and Ken Davis, that took me in. Theia’s four years older. She was a junior in high school when her parents first fostered me. We spent two years together under the same roof before she left for college, but those two years were enough.

Theia had always wanted a younger sibling, and that was part of the reason why her parents became fosters to begin with. Our connection was different, and I think that’s why her parents made the decision to adopt me. We became the best of friends. Thankfully, Theia was acoololder sister. She’d take me on tripsto the mall, let me hang out with her and her friends… Maybe it was because I was a foster kid, but she made every effort to make me feel included, no matter what.

It was tough at first when she left for college. I was bullied in high school, but when Theia was around, nobody messed with me. Class President, Salutatorian, the women’s basketball team captain—she was the perfect student. All the teachers loved her, and the students equally respected and were intimidated by her. No one would even think of messing with Theia, and I was afforded the same protection by association. Once she left though, all bets were off.

Pinebrook University is only two hours from our family home in New Jersey, so thankfully, Theia came home for every holiday (even some of the smaller ones like Valentine’s Day), and at least one weekend a month to spend time with me and our parents. Her visits, plus transferring to a different high school, helped a lot, and before I knew it, it was time for me to apply for college.

I applied to one school—Pinebrook University.

Should I have cast a wider net? Sure. Did I have any idea what I wanted to do? Not a clue. Before I was placed with the Davises, going to college wasn’t even on my radar. I wasn’t sure if it were something I would be able to afford, and hearing these horror stories of adults in their forties and fifties still paying off their student loans, I was going to pursue a different path. Maybe cosmetology? But when they tried to adopt me, they made it clear, if I wanted to go to college, I’d have their full support, emotionally and financially.

So, of course I picked the school that would have me close to my sister. My freshman year of college was high school all over again, minus the bullying. Theia took me under her wing to show me the ropes around campus. I mean, she was the one who convinced me to rush a sorority in the first place. She was president of Kappa Theta Alpha her senior year, which inspiredme to run my senior year. Theia was the blueprint, and I got to follow in her footsteps, with her right there with me.

Since Theia decided to get her master's, and now PhD, at Pinebrook University, she’s still here on campus with me. We’re not too far from home, but since she’s still enrolled, I can drop by on a random Tuesday, especially since Theia’s new apartment is in the same complex as mine.

It takes me all of five minutes to walk over to her building, but first, I had to change into some comfortable clothes and grab a couple pints of ice cream. I knock on the door, sending Theia a text that I’m here as well.

“Sage. If you’re going to knock on the door, you don’t have to also text me. You’re so annoying.” She rolls her eyes, opening the door.

“You know you love me,” I say, giving her a quick hug as I enter her apartment. “I brought ice cream!”

Theia takes the bag from me, bringing it into the kitchen to open. “Did you get the—”

“Banana’s Foster Cashew Milk Ice Cream? Yes.”

She pulls the pint out of the bag, doing a little happy dance. “I freaking love you.” Theia puts the pint and my dulce de leche ice cream into the freezer.

“So what exactly do you need help with?”

Meow.

I turn toward the soft mewing sound to see Theia’s orange tabby, Basil, laying down on the top shelf of his cat tower. “Basil! Hi, baby, how are you?” I coo, reaching out to lift him and snuggle him to my chest. Basil was a young cat, only about two years old. Theia adopted him last year and we always joke that he’s basically my cat.

Since I’m over on a regular basis, he stays glued to my side anytime I step through the door. Basil’s basically a dog trapped in a cat’s body. He’s extremely playful and relatively high-energyfor a cat. He’s social as well and loves physical touch, which is why he’s snuggled into my chest right now, purring very loudly.

“Sage! You came over to help me, remember?”

“Sorry, but he’s such a precious baby,” I say, giving her an apologetic smile as I stroke my hand along the fur on his back.

“I unpacked the best as I can. The furniture store is supposed to be coming by in an hour or so to deliver some furniture. I have to clear space for them, assemble my bookshelves, and then unpack the rest of my things,” she explains, running down the list that she has sitting out on the counter. Ever organized Theia; she has a list for everything.

“Why isn’t Aaron here helping you?” I ask, sitting in one of the folding chairs she has in the living room.

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