Chapter 60

Sitting at a red light Kara decided she really didn’t want to go home. She stopped and got her prescription filled and went to the person she knew who could make her feel better about this whole situation.

She just hoped Jen was home.

Pulling into the driveway Kara heaved a sigh of relief. Her friend’s car was there and her daughters weren’t home from school yet. They could talk in relative peace. She checked her watch, for about an hour anyway.

When Jen pulled the door open she was surprised to see Kara standing on her front step.

“Kara? What are you doing here? Why aren’t you at school?”

Kara gave her friend a sad smile, “I need to talk to you” she whispered.

Jen ushered her in, “what’s wrong with your voice?”

Kara took off her coat, “that’s what I need to talk to you about.”

They sat at the kitchen table, the place where they always sat and talked about whatever was bothering either of them. The room, that table, held more than just dishes and dinner; it held hopes, dreams, fears and joys. Today, the fears were going to be added to.

Kara buried her head in her hands, “I’m so scared Jen.”

Jen reached over and gently pulled Kara’s hands away from her face, “tell me what’s going on.”

Kara told Jen all that had happened in the last few weeks, about being sick, her delay in going to the doctor, her trip to see Richie, her achingly sore throat, her last week at school and her latest trip to the doctor. “He gave me a prescription and told me not to talk any more than absolutely necessary.”

At that last statement Jen got up and went to her desk. She handed Kara a pen and a pad of paper, “don’t talk, write.”

ara huffed out a sigh and set pen to paper. How am I supposed to do my job if I can’t talk or sing? She turned the pad so Jen could read it.

Jen laid her hand over Kara’s, “you’re not. You’re going to take the week and let the medicine do its job. It’s only a week Kara, it’s not forever.”

Kara turned the pad back, toying with the pen before writing again, what if it is. What if the medicine doesn’t work? What if it is something more serious than just the swollen glands? Then what do I do? She paused before adding, how do I tell Richie?

“Just wait Kara” Jen held up her hands, “you can’t worry about what might happen. Worrying about what if never did anyone any good. Just take it a day at a time. I’m sure once the meds kick in you’ll be fine. Just focus on that for now. And as for Richie, you need to tell him what you just told me, only make sure you do it in an IM or a text. NO talking, remember?”

Kara nodded her head and wrote, I know. And I know I should tell him, but he’s on tour, he doesn’t need to be worrying about me, he’s got enough on his plate right now without me adding to the burden.

Jen just shook her head at her hard-headed friend. “He loves you, right?”

Kara nodded her head and wrote, yes, and?

Jen wanted to shake her friend, “he’ll want to be there for you Kar, that’s the kind of guy he is. He won’t want you to deal with this alone.”

Kara looked down at her paper, she knew Jen was right. You’re right. I’ll tell him later. I’ll IM him when I get home.

When Maddie and Lizzie came charging through the door after school Kara spent a few minutes listening to their chatter before heading for home.

Jen watched her leave, wondering if Kara really was going to be okay, or if her dream was going to end up being just that, a dream. She hoped for her friend’s sake, that whatever this thing with her throat was that it wasn't serious and that her dream would indeed become a reality. She deserved that much at least.