Jennifer opened the door to her apartment and found that Sarah looked much different than the last time she had seen her, but not in the physical sense, by the expression she withheld through her clouded blue eyes. They looked heart-broken, scared and lonely. Jennifer ignored the fact Sarah had an arm full of bags and drew her in for a tight hug. Sarah gladly accepted, her bags dropping to the floor. Sarah finally let her tears roll and Jennifer stood there embracing her while she sobbed, her hand gently rubbing her back and through her hair. She didn't hesitate to calm Sarah down, instead she thought it was important for her to cry it out and she was right. Sarah cried until she couldn't any longer and apologized for making herself look a fool. Jennifer shook her head and helped her gather her things into her apartment. They made themselves something to eat and caught up on life, besides Mort, and Sarah found it a relief to hear about someone else's problem's other than hers.
"So Jen, do you think, I'm stupid?" Sarah asked finally as they starred down at their plates.
Jennifer shot her strange look, not so sure what she getting at. "How so?"
"I mean, for getting with Mort in the first place?"
"Sarah, I set up the date " She laughed.
"I know, but I mean, should I have known... that he was going to be like this?"
"No, there really were no signs at all, not from what you have told me, besides him hiding that story from you kind of, but that's really not that big of deal, that wouldn't have meant he was a murderer, to me." Jennifer explained.
The words 'murderer' made Sarah uneasy and she glanced away from Jennifer when she said that. She couldn't help but think that Mort didn't mean to do what he did or that he had a reasoning to do it.
"I don't know anymore. I'm just going to forget about." Sarah replied.
Jennifer nodded and took a sip of her Coke. "Yeah, it's not like you ever have to talk to him again."
Sarah stopped and thought about those words and her heart almost broke again. Then she thought about Mort's letter, "Call me and let me know you're safe". She did have to talk to him again. One last time.
"Jen, can I use your phone real quick?"
"Yeah, sure." Jennifer reached behind her and handed it to Sarah kind of hesitantly. "Who are you calling?"
"Just give it to me..." Sarah sighed.
Jennifer returned the sigh and gave it to her.
"I'm calling Mort, he told me to call and let him know I'm safe, he directed me to in that letter. But he even thought enough to tell me to call private number. So I'm going to. I won't tell him where I am, but I figure it's the least I can, he gave me the money, right?" Sarah explained.
Jennifer shrugged. "I suppose you are right."
Sarah dialed private and then the number she knew by heart and waited for him to answer. The rings felt like a death sentence.
"Hello?"
It took Sarah a minute to collect her words and when she went to speak her throat clicked.
"Hey, it's me."
"Hey " Mort all but jumped off of the couch. Then he coughed and changed his tone. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
"Good, you got the money?"
"Yeah, I got it. Thank you."
"It's fine. I'm just hoping it's enough. If you need more... or anything.... well..." He trailed off, knowing that she probably wouldn't come back.
"Yeah, I know." Sarah glanced up at Jennifer who was clearing away the dishes.
"Is it decent where you are at least?" Mort asked. "I mean, you don't have to answer that, I'm not prying I'm just caring."
Sarah smiled at the words caring and replied. "It's nice Mort, really, I'm safe and I'm being taken care of. I'm okay."
"Good."
"Listen, are you okay?"
Mort was quiet for a moment and then sighed. "I'm alive Sarah, alive. And that's all that matters, but knowing that you are alright, makes me more than alive. It makes me happy."
Sarah smiled and heard him eating something. "Are you eating Doritos?"
Mort chuckled. "How'd you know?"
"That's all you ever eat when I'm not there to cook..."
"Guess, I'll be eating them a lot." Mort's voice cracked and Sarah could tell that he was hurt.
"I should get going though." Sarah said, not able to bare much more.
"Yeah, I guess so."
"Um, thanks again."
"You're welcome. Take care Sarah."
"You too Mort."
"Good-bye, and I know this is horrible to say and it will fuck me now after I say it, but I love you still the same."
Sarah felt her tears coming back. "Good-bye Mort, I'm sorry."
And with that she hung up the phone.

~*~
One Month Later
Sarah and Jennifer were getting along great and Sarah had fully moved into her own room of the apartment. She found a job as a waitress at a local diner called "Miss Peppers" bringing home a decent amount. She was paying half the rent and groceries and finally felt established for once in her life. When she had met Mort, he assured her that she had no need to work and that he'd pay for everything, which in the beginning Sarah had a problem with that, but she learned to except it. Mort was a good deal older than Sarah, she was only 21 and he was 28, he was ready for a family and she had dreams of college and more of party life, but when she met him he had convinced her otherwise. She had no problem with starting a family, she had always dreamed of that too, but she did however have plans of her own. Oh well, this was something, but it was just barely getting by. She was working her butt off and barely had time for making any new friends. But every Friday night she and Jennifer would go out to the bar and try to look for some guys, but that wasn't working as planned, not for Sarah at least. All Sarah could think about was Mort and how much she missed him and how he was doing. Everyday she fought with herself upon calling him, even if it was just to hear a "hello" and hang up just to hear his voice. Every night she took out that picture of the two of them just so she wouldn't forget the little ways his face looked. She was starting to forget how tall he was and she couldn't remember how his hands felt anymore. But one thing she would never forget was the way he made her made her feel inside or the way he smelled. Going to bed at night was the hardest thing. She found it difficult waking up with the covers still wrapped around her, because Mort always used to steal them away from her in his sleep. She slept with her own hand on her hip because she wasn't used to not having a hand there and sometimes when she couldn't fall asleep she'd run her own fingers through her hair just like Mort used to. Maybe she was going crazy? Maybe she was pathetic? But she did know that deep down she did still love him.