::~~:: SOAP OPERA ::~~::
Nine
Jody stood in the doorway and let the dogs out into the front yard, their leashes tied to the metal lamppost.
"Didn't we just walk them?" Charlie appeared behind Jody.
Jody spun around. "Yeah, but these dogs go 24/7. They're insanely hyper, all the time."
Charlie nodded and sat on the 3 small steps leading up to the house. "I thought you said your mom was doing better."
Jody sat next to him and rested her head on his shoulder. "She was doing really bad until like 2 weeks ago. Then she was suddenly doing like 90% better. So, we all kinda knew something was off, and figured something else was gonna happen."
"Oh." Charlie put his arm around Jody. "I'm sure everything will be fine."
"I'd really like to think that. But… I just have this really bad feeling."
Charlie kissed the top of Jody's head softly. Jody lifted her head and smiled at him. He leaned in closer and kissed her.
A few minutes later Nick and Michelle appeared in the doorway behind them.
"Oh get a room." Nick said.
Jody pulled away from Charlie and blushed. "Hi Michelle, Nick. Um, this is Charlie Simms." Jody said awkwardly.
"Don't we know it." Michelle said.
Charlie shrugged at Jody and stood up. Then he helped Jody to her feet.
"Michelle, Nick, can you let the dogs inside? I'm gonna go sit by the phone up in my room incase Dad calls or something." Jody ran inside and up to her room.
Charlie watched her leave and then turned to the other two. "Well, it was nice meeting you. I'll see you later I guess." Charlie smiled at them and walked up the stairs.
Michelle turned to her brother. "Jody loves him."
"Really?"
Michelle nodded.
~~~~* 2 DAYS LATER *~~~~
Jody woke up and rolled over. Charlie was lying there, which startled her.
"Charlie, how'd you get here?"
"I walked up the stairs. The guestroom is only on the 2nd floor.
Jody smiled and kissed him. "Well, good-morning Charlie. Sleep well?"
"Like a log?"
Jody giggled and rolled out of her waterbed. "I'm gonna go take a shower, ok?"
"Ok, have fun."
Jody picked up her pillow and threw it at Charlie. She walked into her bathroom and took a shower. She blow dried her hair and changed into gray cotton hip huggers and a blue tank top. She walked back into her room and Charlie looked up.
"Wow Jody, you look great."
Jody lay back down and kissed him again. "I slept in this outfit a month ago and you think I look great?"
Charlie smiled. "I think you look really great."
"How long are you staying here?"
"Well, I have enough clothes for a while, but it's already Sunday. So, I probably should get back someday soon."
"Oh, ok. So, so how's Jon-" The phone rang, cutting Jody off. "Uh, hold on." She sat and picked up the phone. "Hello?" Uh, yes." Jody shooed Charlie out and he left.
Several minutes later Charlie went back into Jody's room and found her crying on her bed. He instantly sat down and wrapped her in a hug.
"What's wrong?"
Jody buried her face in Charlie's chest and sobbed. Charlie's stomach tied itself into a knot to see her like this. He hugged her tightly and she eventually calmed down.
When she eventually pulled back she managed to say, "My mom… she died."
Charlie was in shock. He hugged her again and kissed her forehead.
"Charlie, I don't blame you if you wanna dump me now. Not that we were ever really back together, but oh well. I mean, I'll probably have to stay here even longer now. So, I mean, you can just go back to New York and forget about me."
Charlie, hurt, looked into Jody's teary blue eyes and shook his head. "I can't believe you'd think I'd ever leave you Jody, especially now. I… I love you too much. That's what I came back up here to say, cause I wasn't sure if you'd figured that out yet. I mean, I came to Indiana to see you, and to tell you that I love you. I've never stopped loving you. The minute you left all I've wanted to do is come here and be with you. You have no idea how lonely New York is without you."
Jody smiled slightly. "I love you too Charlie." She bit her lip and sighed deeply.
"Jody… I love you. And I just don't know what to do. I really should get back to New York soon, before Jonathan has a cow. But I can't leave you, especially not now."
Jody shook her head. "Charlie, you have to go back to New York. You live there, you work there. I'll be fine… eventually. But you have to go back!"
Charlie closed his eyes and asked, "Are you sure?"
"Yes, you should go. You should go today."
"How about if I go tomorrow?"
"Ok." Jody agreed quietly.
Charlie held her closer as she cried softly.
"How am I going to tell Nick and Michelle?"
"I don't know… you wanna try finding them first?"
Jody smiled and wiped her eyes. "Yeah."
Charlie pulled Jody off the bed and held her hand as they walked down stairs.
"Nick! Michelle!" Jody called out.
The twins came running from the den. Jody bit her lip and Charlie squeezed her hand.
"Um, guys, I just got a call from the hospital. And, um, mom's… she's gone."
Michelle stared at her. "You mean she's dead?"
Jody nodded and closed her eyes. Nick shoved past Jody and ran up to his room. Michelle followed shortly. Jody sighed and turned to Charlie, tears forming again.
"That went well."
Charlie leaned forward and kissed Jody.
Charlie left the next day, making Jody even sadder. She spent the next week locked in her room, for more than one obvious reason.
