Chapter Fifteen

The next two months found Sarah and Karli settled into a natural rhythm as roommates. Sarah realized how lonely she’d sometimes been before Karli moved in, and she was grateful her best friend was now just down the hall instead of across town.

They shared a love for romantic comedy movies, so they developed a Friday night routine that Karli dubbed ‘chocolate and chick flick’ night. Jodie would sometimes join them, and the three would talk and giggle until the wee hours of Saturday morning.

“She is such a sweet woman,” Karli said of Jodie after one such evening.

“She really is,” Sarah agreed. “She was the first person I met in Arlington, and she’s been my rock.”

“She’s good people, as my dad would say,” Karli grinned.

“Yep. Hey, I’m turning in.”

“See you in the morning,” Karli said as she attempted to leverage herself off of the couch.

Sarah snorted.

“Having issues?”

“Help,” Karli laughed, holding out her hands, and between the two of them working at it she was finally standing upright.

“Geez,” Karli breathed. “I’m not even really that big yet and I’m already having trouble getting around?”

“And you have what? Four more months, something like that?”

***

A few days later Sarah could tell Karli was frustrated.

“What’s wrong?”

“I must be losing my mind… I could have sworn I put the mortgage closing documents in my box of stuff that came here, but I can’t find them,” Karli fumed.

“Karli, calm down. I’m sure they’re in the storage unit. You’ll find them.”

“I’m going to go look.”

“Okay, be careful.”

Karli had been gone about twenty minutes when Jodie called, and her voice sounded very strange.

“Can you come down to the office please?”

“Sure, be right there,” Sarah said, and locked up her apartment before heading downstairs and to the front of the complex.

She opened the door to the office and her eyes went wide. Jodie was on the floor beside the desk.

“Jodie? What’s going on?”

“Hey, kiddo,” Jodie gasped, her eyes glazed with pain. “Thank God I was able to pull the phone down off the desk. I think my hip is broken, honey.”

“What?? Then why did you call me and not 9-1-1?”

“Because I need you to gather up my medicines, Sarah. They’re going to want to know everything I take and the doses.”

Sarah yanked her cell phone out of her pocket and dialed 9-1-1 to get an ambulance en route.

“What happened?”

“Tripped over that damn cat,” Jodie growled, referring to the stray she’d been feeding.

Sarah stayed with her until the paramedics arrived, then went to Jodie’s unit to gather up her medications.

Before she went back to the office, she swung by her own apartment to leave a note for Karli – With Jodie, will explain later – then hurried back to Jodie’s side.

As they loaded Jodie into the ambulance, Sarah told her, “I’ll follow you in the car.”

Jodie nodded, and answered, “Call Larry for me please. And my sister.”

***

Sarah returned home around one a.m. and a concerned Karli launched to her feet from the couch.

“Where have you been? Is everything all right?”

“Jodie fell and broke her hip,” Sarah said wearily. “They took her to the emergency room, then admitted her. They’re doing surgery at nine.”

“Oh my God. Is she gonna be okay?”

“I think so. When she finally chased me out of there, she was in the process of trying to set the night nurse up with her grandson,” Sarah answered with a chuckle, then glanced at Karli.

“Something’s different with you. What’s going on?”

“Get comfortable, it’s a long story,” Karli said with a gleam in her eyes.

Sarah sat, her eyes growing wide as Karli relayed discovering her late husband’s infidelity and her confrontation with Jordan.

“And? What happened?”

“He told me he’s in love with me,” Karli smiled.

Hah! I knew it, Sarah crowed in her head.

“So, what are you going to do?”

“Jordan’s a great man, and I am going to see where this goes,” Karli announced. “I was holding back because I felt guilty about Evan, but after finding out about everything he did, I don’t feel guilty anymore. I deserve to be happy and being around Jordan makes me happy.”

“I agree one hundred percent,” Sarah answered. “You glow whenever his name comes up.”

“I do?”

“Yes,” Sarah smiled at her best friend. “Yes, you do.”

She yawned and stood up.

“I need to get some sleep. I want to be back at the hospital in time to visit with Jodie before they take her into surgery.”

“Let’s both try to get some rest, and I will go with you,” Karli replied.

***

Five weeks later, the surprise baby shower that Jordan had enlisted Sarah’s help with had finally arrived.

“I’m glad this is almost over,” Sarah told him. “It’s been hard keeping secrets from her.”

“I know. It’s been difficult for me, too,” Jordan confessed. “But I really, really want it to be a complete surprise for her. She deserves that.”

They talked a bit more, laying out last-minute details, then Jordan said, “We’ll meet you there. I’m on my way to go pick her up now.”

“See you in a bit,” she confirmed, and hung up.

“Well,” she said to Jodie, “I need to get moving.”

“I wish I could be there,” Jodie frowned.

After her surgery the doctor had insisted on placing her in an inpatient rehabilitation center, and Jodie was out of patience with the pace of things.

“I know,” Sarah said as she patted her hand. “But it’s better to go slow and make sure everything heals right, remember?”

“I remember,” Jodie grumbled. “Bring me some cake.”

Sarah laughed.

“Of course, I will. I’ll come back by with it this afternoon.” And she leaned over and kissed Jodie’s cheek. “Love you.”

Jodie’s features softened at the sentiment.

“Oh, kiddo. I love you too.”

***

When the baby shower was successfully concluded, Sarah dutifully wrapped up a chunk of cake and returned to see Jodie.

They spent some time visiting, and when Jodie began to yawn, Sarah gently said, “I’m going to get out of here so you can take a nap. But I’ll be back tomorrow.”

Jodie nodded sleepily, and Sarah hugged her before leaving.

She’d been back in the apartment about an hour when Karli launched herself through the door.

“Um, I’m moving in with Jordan,” she announced with a huge grin on her face.

“Took you guys long enough,” Sarah teased, and hugged her. “I’m so happy for you, Karli, you two are great together.”

“We are, aren’t we?”

“So, when is the move happening?”

“He has to work tonight, so, sometime tomorrow.”

“Well, then,” Sarah declared, “I think it’s time to have a mid-week chocolate and chick flick night, don’t you?”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

They went back and forth before settling on The Holiday with Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz.

“I know it’s not Christmastime, but it’s just such a good movie,” Sarah reflected.

“I agree,” Karli said. “And after that, how about Fifty First Dates?”

“Done,” Sarah proclaimed. “Popcorn, or just the chocolate?”

“It’s a celebration,” Karli answered, “so let’s do both.”