The girl marched over to her. She stepped back when she raised her hand. She swiftly swung her hand in front of Sadie and stopped. Her hand was out as if she wanted to shake hers.
“Well, let me be the first one of many heartbroken girls around the world to shake the hand of the woman who snagged Stone. Girl, you are my friggin’ hero.” She laughed. Roxanne continued to laugh as Sadie skeptically looked between them and cautiously reached for her hand.
Roxanne came to Sadie’s side and draped her arm over her shoulder. “Sadie Wallace, meet my best friend in the world, Emory Kern.”
“It’s, uh, nice to meet you…I think,” Sadie said warily.
They both burst out laughing again. Emory released Sadie’s hand and before she knew it, she was in a three person group hug. “I friggin’ love her, Rox!” she exclaimed.
“I told you!” Roxanne agreed.
Their “girl talk” commenced in Roxanne’s room when they finished up in the kitchen, Stone and the guys were helping their dad outside after all the guests left. Roxanne insisted Sadie hang with them since Stone had shit to do.
Once in Roxanne’s room, Sadie was given the history of their friendship, beginning with the day they met. Emory warned Sadie to prepare for some major shenanigans at Roxanne’s “delayed birthday bash,” which she was invited to. These two had her laughing until she cried with their stories. Sadie also learned of Emory’s undying love and devotion to all the Garrison boys. She’d been in love with them since the first time she walked through the door.
“But you got my favorite, Sadie, you lucky bitch. Bogs is too much of a jokester, he’s always teasing me. T is too moody and I annoy him to no end. And Ethan, well…” She paused in thought with a somber smile. “He just ignores me. But Stone? He was juuuust right!” She finished in a mocking Three Little Bears voice.
“Sorry!” Sadie lied sympathetically.
“Sorry enough to share him?” she asked with a smirk.
“No way!” Sadie laughed and they joined in. This was an amazing feeling, laughing with girlfriends. Sadie realized what she’d missed out on.
Emory got up from the bed announcing she was getting snacks and stormed out the door. Roxanne and Sadie were left on her bed waiting. She was still laughing at Emory’s last comment.
“She’s great, Rox,” Sadie expressed with a smile. Roxanne nodded her head but her face was serious.
“What’s wrong?”
Realization hit Sadie and she quickly got up from the bed. “Oh, I should go. You probably have a lot of catching up to do with Emory.”
“No Sadie, I don’t want you to leave.” She grabbed her hand to keep her from moving. “I just…well, it’s going to sound weird but I just want to say thanks.” Sadie’s eyebrows scrunched together and she gave her a puzzled look. Sadie had no idea what she was being thanked for.
“I told you it would sound weird.” She snorted. “Look, I don’t know what happened back in Cedar Bluff and I’m not asking, that’s between you and Stone. But whatever did happen, I know it was all him and not you. I also know losing you wrecked him. It completely wrecked him, Sadie. Stone has always been stubborn and he wouldn’t talk to me but I knew whatever went down with you two wasn’t good. Then, there you were in our yard. You came for him, not knowing if he’d even want you here, you came for him. So thanks. That’s all just thanks!”
Sadie walked around the bed and plopped down next to her. She threw her arm around Roxanne and pulled her close. Damn that girl, she made her a hugger.
“You’re welcome.”
Sadie felt close to Roxanne. She was about to use that closeness to find out something that had been bothering her since it happened. Sadie knew she was Stone’s sister and she would never betray him by telling her his secrets but Sadie wondered if she’d give up just one. It was a question that had been on her mind for a while.
“Rox, can I ask you something? You don’t have to answer but I’d like to know,” Sadie asked, feeling a little awkward. Roxanne’s face watched hers and she looked curious.
“Sure, anything.” Sadie knew she meant it, too.
“Well, remember that day we met in the grocery store…”
“When you introduced yourself as Stone’s side piece?” she joked as Sadie’s face got red. She still couldn’t believe she did that. Sadie feared that story would be told for many years to come. Damn!
“Yeah. Anyway, um, Stone whispered something in your ear when you asked who I was. I just wondered what he said.” Sadie looked at her and rushed the words out. “If you don’t want to tell me you don’t have to.”
Roxanne let out a light chuckle, grinned at Sadie and in a hushed tone whispered, “He said, ‘this is my woman; she just doesn’t know it yet.’”
Sadie grinned back at her.
The door flew open and Emory entered with her arms full of beer and food. This was going to a long night.
Sadie stayed later than she planned. Emory was staying over and would be there on Thanksgiving. As Roxanne said, “She’s the sister God forgot to give me.” Sadie left her room as they continued to laugh and settled in for the night.
The hallway to the stairs was long. Sadie passed by John’s room and turned left to pass another closed door. The downstairs was dark except for the light under the cabinet gleaming from the kitchen. The house was quiet but not eerily quiet. She was comfortable here, like she was home. Not the trailer home but home in her heart.
Sadie assumed everyone had gone to bed, including Stone. She thought he would have come and gotten her from Roxanne’s room. But he didn’t. Sadie started up the stairs tiptoeing. She didn’t want to wake anyone.
Unfortunately, she
