Chapter 34

Richie woke alone and for a minute couldn’t remember where he was. Seeing the blue robe lying across the end of the bed he smiled. He was at Kara’s. Glancing at the clock he didn’t seem bothered that it was after 11 and he was just getting up. He grabbed his pants off the floor and after a stop in the bathroom headed for the kitchen to see what he could scrounge up for breakfast. He found Kara’s note next to the coffee maker.

Good morning (or afternoon depending on what time it is now!) Coffee is in the fridge, filters are in the cupboard above your head. He glanced up and opened the cupboard; the filters fell to the counter. Help yourself to whatever you can find. I should be back by 5.

Have a good day!

xoxo
Kara

He started the coffee and poked through the cupboards and the refrigerator before finally deciding to reheat the rest of the frittata from the night before. He made a couple slices of toast and sat down at the table, chuckling to himself remembering their activities and the conversation that followed.

After putting his dishes in the dishwasher he headed back to the bedroom to collect his toiletries and took a shower. Coming back into the bedroom he looked at the rumpled bed and decided he should probably make it. When it came to the myriad of throw pillows he was at a loss. He just tossed them in the center of the bed and decided that was good enough.

He wandered through Kara’s apartment noticing the little things he had missed before. The shelf where her television and stereo were was full of framed photos and knick knacks. She seemed favor Precious Moments’ figurines too. There were several on shelves throughout the living room and into the kitchen. He tucked this info away along with the name of the scent she wore that he discovered on her shower gel and her perfume bottle on her dresser.

While Richie was making himself at home Kara was struggling to get through her day. She kept watching the clock, trying to make the time go quicker. After she ushered her last class out before lunch she sat heavily in her chair and sighed. Would this day never end? She pulled her apple and a piece of paper out of her bag and turned on her radio, forcing herself to think of something, anything other than Richie.

She glanced down at the sheet of paper, it was her song list. Reading it over Kara decided to change a few of the songs out. She was definitely starting with My Funny Valentine and ending with Let it Be, but a few of the ones in between were going to be changed. She wanted a mix of old and new, upbeat and ballads. The song on the radio caught her attention, it was by Daughtry, a band that Jen had told her about and with whom she was vaguely familiar.

Shadows fill an empty heart
As love is fading,
From all the things that we are
But are not saying.
Can we see beyond the scars
And make it to the dawn?

Change the colors of the sky.
And open up to
The ways you made me feel alive,
The ways I loved you.
For all the things that never died,
To make it through the night,
Love will find you.

What about now?
What about today?
What if you're making me all that I was meant to be?
What if our love never went away?
What if it's lost behind words we could never find?
Baby, before it's too late,
What about now?

The sun is breaking in your eyes
To start a new day.
This broken heart can still survive
With a touch of your grace.
Shadows fade into the light.
I am by your side,
Where love will find you.

What about now?
What about today?
What if you're making me all that I was meant to be?
What if our love, it never went away?
What if it's lost behind words we could never find?
Baby, before it's too late,
What about now?

Now that we're here,
Now that we've come this far,
Just hold on.
There is nothing to fear,
For I am right beside you.
For all my life,
I am yours.

What about now?
What about today?
What if you're making me all that I was meant to be?
What if our love never went away?
What if it's lost behind words we could never find?

What about now?
What about today?
What if you're making me all that I was meant to be?
What if our love never went away?
What if it's lost behind words we could never find?
Baby, before it's too late,
Baby, before it's too late,
Baby, before it's too late

As the song finished, Kara was sure she could sing it but she wondered if and how quickly the boys coming in that afternoon could learn it.