Chapter Three

 

Darcy, Darcy” Toby whispers softly into her hair, “D, babe, its nine-thirty, I’ve got to close.” He says, stroking her hair.

            “Toby?” She questions the air, confusion covering her face. “Where am I? What happened?”

            “You were upset, and you fell asleep, but its nine-thirty now and I’ve got to close. Plus my butt is asleep.” He adds jokingly, flashing her that smile.

            “Oh” She yawns, “oh… OH!!! Oh-no! I’ve got to get home, I’ve got to, got to go” She stands quickly, gathering her bag.

            “D! Don’t go yet! Let me…” He starts as she run out the door, “Drive you.” Quickly locking the store Toby mindlessly walks down the road, the walk quickly turning into a jog, then a full on run. He runs down the street, looking for her, his long strides helping him to quickly catch up with her. “Darcy!” he calls into night, as he runs.

            “Toby?” he hears from ahead. “Toby? You followed me?” She whispers, fighting the sobs that have threatened to overwhelm her since she remembered the day’s events.

            “Yeah D, I did. I want to know what’s going on,” he softly speaks to her as he moves forward reaching to find her in the dark alley.

            “But Toby, I’m no good. I’m a rotten kid. You’re responsible, you run a store, and I don’t deserve you.”

            “D, babe, you don’t know me, and none of that is true but please let me walk you home, and we can get to know each other.” He says reaching into the dark and stroking her cheek.

            “Alright” She whispers, and begins to walk toward her house once more. Stopping only a moment more when he takes her hand, they don’t speak again until they arrive at her front step.

            “You walk all this way everyday, why didn’t you ever just let me drive you?” Toby asks softly.

            “Because, Toby, I didn’t want you to know what scum I am, or why I could never afford to buy your CDs.”

            “Goodnight, D.” He sighs, kissing her hand, before he walks away.

            “Goodnight Toby.” She called after him, chuckling as she walked up the steps and into the decrepit old house.

Upon entering the house the girl follows her usually routine of whispering around the corners, in search of her mother.

            “Mom?” The fourteen-year old girl finds her mother in bed, asleep in her clothes with an empty bottle of southern comfort spilt next to her. With a sigh she covers her mother, and gets some towels to wipe up the alcohol, then adds them to washer, which is nearing full. Laundry tomorrow, she thinks to her self as she whispers her love to her mother and climbs into her bed.     

            “And its not even midnight yet” she sighs and drifts off to sleep. Thinking it would be the first good nights sleep in three years.

            “Darcy!” A crackling voice calls, echoing through the old house. “Darcy!” The voice calls again.

            Slowly climbing out of bed, and checking the clock, Three-nineteen, the girl stumbles sleepily toward the voice.

            “Mom, are you alright?”

            “Darcy… come, sit with me.” The old woman tries to sit up but is dizzy and immediately falls back.

            “It’s alright mom, I’m here now” The girl coos her mother. “Did you have a nightmare?”

            The old woman only nods, as she reaches for her daughter. The young girl lays there in the unfamiliar bed tightly holding her only family member.