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Poet in My Heart Jane Harper RATING: PG-13 SYNOPSIS: Moving day for Sarah, moving-over day for Leo. ARCHIVE: Sure. HTML available on request. DISCLAIMER: I'm just a stowaway on the USS Sorkin. Don't throw me overboard, OK? Pretty please? * * * * * Pulling out the cell phone Leo had given her - and that he insisted she carry - Sarah called the Auto Club. Thirty minutes later, the truck arrived. The driver opened the hood of the van, jiggled something, then said, "OK, start her up." "What was it?" Sarah asked. "Loose distributor cap," the woman said. "Strange, too. That sort of thing almost never happens unless somebody does it on purpose." "Then that is strange," Sarah replied. "But thanks." She pulled out of the parking space for the last time. Driving over to her new home, she began to puzzle, and to worry. Who would have wanted to keep her from driving, and why? She certainly associated with high-profile people, but how would harassing her affect them? Her work certainly wasn't important enough to attract anyone's attention, and to her knowledge she hadn't angered or offended anyone enough to make them wish her ill. Had the computer wars at the Department of Veterans Affairs gotten that nasty? Arriving at the condo, she took out the keycard and opened the gate, finding her parking spot right by the elevator. She was dog tired and starving, and would have been ecstatic finally to be home, except for one thing: she still had to find an unpack something to wear to work the next day. So she rolled up to the front door of the home she would now be sharing, and slipped the key into the lock. It wouldn't turn. Frustrated, exhausted, and hungry, she started to cry. Feebly, she knocked on the door, wondering if Leo was home before midnight for once. After a short while, he opened the door to see her sobbing. "Hey, Toots, what happened?" "What a horrible day!" she answered, rolling through the door, tears streaming. "Up at oh-dark-hundred, insufferable meeting all morning, lunch was late, bad news about the kitchen, Sam stood us up for dinner, somebody had messed with the van, and now my key won't work!" "Wait a minute," he interrupted. "What's that about the van?" "Somebody jimmied my distributor cap," she answered. "And you didn't call me?" "When did you become a mechanic? I called the Auto Club!" She had gone from frustrated and exhausted to angry. "Sarah, somebody might be trying to hurt you." "And why the hell would somebody want to do that? Don't be paranoid, it was just some kid having fun." Sam walked out of the guest room. "No, Sarah, he's right. We should look into this." "Sam? Where were you? What happened to dinner?" He was followed shortly thereafter by Mallory, Josh, Donna, CJ, and Toby. Sarah was very confused. "What's going on?" Looking around, she noticed that her boxes were not there. "And where's my stuff? Tell me it didn't get here." Mallory came over and gave Sarah a hug. "It's here, sweetie. It's all put away. Dad got some people to unpack you. We meant to have a surprise welcome party for you tonight, so... well, we wanted to make sure you didn't get here too early." "You guys did this on purpose? Who was in on this?" "Everybody," CJ said. "Everybody?" "Yeah," Josh responded sheepishly. "Even your boss. We hauled your butt out at gawdawful o'clock to make sure... well, we just did." Sarah got very quiet. "We didn't do the thing with the van, Sarah," Donna added. When all the others turned to look at her, she concluded, "Well I thought we should say that." *Maybe somebody _is_ trying to hurt me,* she thought, as her hands started to shake. She started toward the kitchen. "I've got to fix myself something to eat, anybody else hungry?" "No, you don't," Leo said, stepping between her and the kitchen. "I haven't had dinner," she responded with an angry edge. "Please get out of my way." "No, you don't understand," CJ chimed in. "It's already here-" She walked into the kitchen and turned on the lights. Sarah couldn't believe her eyes. The kitchen had been completely rebuilt, top to bottom, with all the extras required to fulfill the Jewish dietary laws. Two sinks, two refrigerators, two sets of everything. "But- But- Leo, you said-" He squatted down on his toes to look her in the eye. "Surprise," he murmured. "This is why the locks were changed, Sarah," Mallory chimed in. "So you couldn't come in while the work was being done. I was supposed to switch your keys tonight, but I didn't have the chance." Sarah looked around the room from one smiling, concerned face to another. "Well, if dinner's there, somebody get some plates!" Then she leaned forward and kissed Leo, long and deep. "You are one lucky bastard," she murmured after they parted. "Why?" "I didn't take my shillelagh to work today," she answered. "If I'd come in with that honking great stick, you'd be black and blue by now." "C'mon, Toots, I wouldn't let you lay a hand on me," he grinned. "Not in front of anybody, at least..." Standing behind them, Sam cleared his throat. Loudly. Sarah looked up at him. "What, you next?" she grinned. "Shhhh," he answered. "I thought you didn't want them to know!" Leo stood up and looked up at the taller and younger man. "Am I gonna have to turn you over my knee, son?" "That's _my_ privilege," Mallory responded, as Leo whipped around agape. "Quick, somebody put a kishke in there," Toby quipped, pointing at Leo's open mouth as everyone laughed. Then, wordlessly, Leo took a box out of his briefcase and handed it to Sarah. In the small cardboard Tiffany box lay a silver keychain with a key attached. "Tiffany is making your keys now?" she squeaked, wide-eyed. "Oh read the damn inscription," Leo responded, grinning. *Sarah-you are the poet of my heart. Love, Leo.* "How fast can you guys eat?" she asked, looking around at her friends. "First things first," Toby muttered. "Dinner now. He can wait till Shabbos for dessert." Leo's jaw dropped. "Toby, it's Tuesday!" End
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