by Anne Schraff
“But I should stop complainin’,” Liselle continued. “If it wasn’t for the money he’s making at his security job, I wouldn’t be able to live here or go to school,” she said thoughtfully. “Besides, he works so much he’s hardly ever here. You probably won’t even see—”
Just then, the front door of the apartment opened, and a young man wearing a navy-blue uniform rushed into the living room. He was tall and broad-shouldered with cinnamon-colored skin and close-cropped hair. “I forgot my beeper and I . . . ,” he explained but then stopped when he saw Darcy.
“Well, speak of the devil,” Liselle said. “We were just talking about you. Darcy, this is my brother, Brian. ”
Brian stepped toward Darcy with his arm extended. “Don’t believe anything my sister says about me,” he said, gently but firmly shaking Darcy’s hand. His eyes were intense, and she noticed he had a wide mouth with perfect white teeth which contrasted nicely with his dark skin.
“Nice to meet you,” Darcy replied, noticing he wore a musky cologne.
“Darcy will be babysitting for me after school, Brian,” Liselle explained. “And I already told her all about you, so don’t you be gettin’ on her nerves when I ain’t here. ”
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to bother her at all,” Brian said, giving Darcy a playful smirk. “I just came home to get my beeper. The boss likes me to have it all the time, just in case he needs to reach me. ” For an instant, he stared at Darcy and smiled. She could feel herself beginning to blush under his intense gaze. At one point, Brian seemed to nod slightly as he looked at her. Then he grabbed the beeper off the coffee table and turned toward the door.
“Well, I guess I’ll see you around then,” Brian said with a grin. He glanced one last time at Darcy before walking out the door.
Darcy smiled. “He seems nice,” she said to Liselle after Brian left.
“Oh, he’s real smooth all right. Don’t let him fool you,” Liselle said, rolling her eyes.
On her way home, Darcy wondered about Brian and why Liselle seemed so bothered by him, but then her thoughts turned to Hakeem. She hoped that she would speak to him soon and he would tell her that the move to Detroit had been canceled. As she waited to cross the street, Darcy saw Tarah and her boyfriend, Cooper Hodden, heading in her direction.
“Girl, you look like a zombie walking around in a daze,” Tarah said.
“I just got a lot on my mind,” Darcy replied.
“I betcha I know what you were thinking about,” Cooper said, smiling. “Or should I say, who you were thinking about. ”
“Shut up, Coop,” Tarah scolded, playfully hitting him on his chest. “Hakeem leaving is bad enough without you makin’ a big fuss about it. ”
Darcy cringed. “It isn’t even definite that Hakeem is moving away. His father has some really good doctors, and maybe they’ll make him healthy again. ”
“Don’t bet on it,” Cooper said. “Things usually don’t go the way we want them to. I always plan for the worst. Then if I’m wrong, at least I’m gettin’ good news. That’s what you should do. Plan for Hakeem to move to Detroit at the end of the school year, and expect that you’ll never see him again. ”
“Thanks a lot, Coop,” Darcy said sarcastically. “That makes me feel so much better. ”
Tarah gave Cooper a swift nudge in the ribs. “Will you just keep your mouth shut?”
“Why?” Cooper asked. “I’m only bein’ realistic. ”
“No, you’re bein’ stupid,” Tarah snapped. “Look Darcy, even if Hakeem moves away, which I hope he doesn’t, you two can still keep in touch. ”
“I wonder what the girls are like in Detroit,” Cooper blurted out.
Darcy and Tarah both glared at him angrily.
“Come on,” Cooper said, “I’m just kidding. Darcy, you know Hakeem’s got his eyes only on you. ”
“Yeah, Darcy,” Tarah said, “Hakeem ain’t lookin’ at nobody else. ”
“Look, guys. I gotta get home. I’ll talk to you later,” Darcy said. She turned and headed across the street. She was not in the mood for either of them. Cooper’s jokes hurt her, and Tarah’s words only made her more worried.
If Hakeem left, would they keep in touch as Tarah said? Darcy wondered. Hakeem barely even called her now, and he lived only a few blocks away. What would happen if he moved to a new city? And what about the girls he would meet in Detroit? Darcy knew that as soon as Hakeem pulled out his guitar and began singing, they would flock to him just as they did at Bluford.
Maybe it’s just a matter of time, Darcy thought, until I completely vanish from his mind.
On Saturday, Darcy and her family moved into their new house. While it was only three blocks from their old apartment, it seemed like an entirely new neighborhood. Instead of directly bordering the sidewalk, the house had a patch of grass in front of it the size of a compact car. There was even a tiny fenced-in backyard with a small cement patio, a young tree and a few bushes.
Up until the day before the move, Darcy’s mother appeared quite calm. But on moving day when she and Dad took their belongings to the house, Mom’s demeanor changed completely.
“My goodness! What a beautiful room,” Mom exclaimed when she first saw the master bedroom. “Look how big. Oh my!” she gasped over and over again.
“Remember, Mattie, I promised you a room fit for a queen,” Dad said proudly. “Well, here it is. I’m finally making good on my promises. ”
Darcy was thrilled to see her mother overwhelmed with joy in the center of the spacious room. “Carl, I can’t believe my eyes. I feel like pinchin’ myself, just to make sure I’m not dreamin’,” Mom said happily. “This is really our home?”
“Mattie, you and the girls deserve this and more,” Dad said, hugging her.
The family was making a new start, Darcy thought. Everyone seemed ready to put the painful past behind them, almost as if it had never happened. Even Jamee was caught up in the excitement of the move, going from room to room saying, “Can you believe this?”
Darcy wanted to feel as enthusiastic as the rest of her family, but she could not. Where everyone else focused on the family’s new beginning, Darcy kept worrying about what might be ending. Standing in her new house, Darcy could not stop thinking about Hakeem moving to Detroit.
“Angelcake, what’s happening?” Grandma asked, snapping Darcy out of her thoughts. In the new living room, surrounded by unfamiliar walls and furniture, Grandma looked uncomfortable and small in her wheelchair.
“We’re in our new house, Grandma,” Darcy said. Then she gently wheeled the frail woman from room to room and explained what each room was.
“Look, Grandma,” Darcy said, moving her outside to the tiny patio in the backyard, “in that tree there’s a bird-house, and it’s already full of birds. ” Darcy was happy to see that the tree provided shade and blocked some of the view of the surrounding houses and apartment buildings.
“Are the birds singing?” Grandma asked, gently tilting her head to see the clusters of birds perched in the tree’s branches. A thin smile stretched over her weathered face.
“Yes,” Darcy said, kneeling beside the wheelchair. It warmed her heart to see Grandma happy. Darcy had worried about whether Grandma would be able to handle the stress of living in a new home. Seeing Grandma smile made Darcy feel the new house might actually improve Grandma’s health.
“I like to hear the birds sing,” Grandma said. “I want to hear them sing to me every day. ” She lifted her frail hand and waved to the birds.
Just then, Jamee stepped outside. She gave Grandma a hug and said, “Isn’t this great? Aren’t we all so lucky?”
“Blessed,” Grandma smiled. “We are all blessed. I’m so glad we moved back to Alabama. It’s good to be home. ”
Darcy and Jamee exchanged a sad look. Grandma had not been the same since her stroke. The once-powerful, strong-willed woman was now a shadow of her former self.
“I’m tired, Angelcake. I’m tired,” Grandma s
aid softly after a few minutes outside. Darcy quickly helped Grandma into bed for a nap. Leaving the old woman’s bedroom, Darcy walked through the new house, listening to the sounds of her family getting settled. Jamee kept running back and forth to the car to unload her belongings. Mom and Dad were talking softly, their conversation occasionally interrupted by Dad’s booming laughter. At times, Darcy could hear Mom let out a nervous giggle, as if she was suddenly happy, but afraid to admit it.
Darcy wondered if they would be okay in the new house. It seemed like only yesterday when Dad ran out on the family, and Mom was forced to move into their old apartment, with its small rooms and cracked ceiling. Darcy remembered how much her mother cried and how Grandma held Mom in her arms like a little girl. Darcy had been in elementary school at the time, but the sight of her mother in that state still haunted her.
Looking at the bright carpet and freshly painted walls of their new house, Darcy hoped there were no more shocks in their future. But with her thoughts drifting uneasily to Hakeem and Grandma, Darcy had her doubts.
Hakeem was absent from school again Monday. He had called Darcy to explain he would be with his father at the hospital. The doctors were checking to see if the cancer was in remission. Darcy worried all day and was anxious to call Hakeem after school.
As soon as her final class ended, Darcy bolted out of Bluford. Outside, heat from the blazing June sun made the asphalt beneath her feet soft and sticky. Stopping to wait for a traffic light, Darcy heard the approaching rumble of rap music being pumped through a powerful stereo system. She glanced toward the sound and noticed a car full of unfamiliar boys. They seemed to be her age, and they were staring at her.
“Hey, girl. You need a ride? I got room for you right here,” said the boy in the passenger seat, gesturing for her to get inside.
“Or you could come back here with me,” another called out from the back seat. The driver laughed wildly.
“No thanks,” Darcy said, glad to see the light turn green.
“Oh, she think she special or somethin’,” another boy added. Turning up the music even louder, the boys slowly drove off.
Darcy quickly crossed the street and approached her old apartment building. As she passed her former home, Darcy noticed a shiny red Toyota Camry parked across the street in front of Liselle’s. “Hey Darcy,” a familiar voice called out. “What a coincidence. ” Brian emerged from the car holding a cloth.
“What are you doing here, Brian?” she asked.
“I was just cleanin’ my car,” he explained, flashing a wide white smile. “Now it’s my turn. What are you doin’ here? My sister said you moved. ”
“We did. My house is only a few blocks up the street. ”
“Can I give you a ride home?” he asked.
Darcy hesitated for a moment. Brian was wearing a white T-shirt, which showed off thick cords of muscles on his arms and shoulders. He was handsome too. There was only a short walk left, but she had no reason not to accept a ride from Brian. Besides, she did not want to be hassled by the boys again.
“Sure,” Darcy said, crossing the street. “Thanks. ” She climbed into the car. It was spotless and had dark tinted windows and a miniature gold and red crown mounted on the dashboard.
“That’s my crown,” Brian said proudly. “I’m the king of this castle on wheels. Still lookin’ for my queen. ”
“It’s a really nice car. I can’t wait until I get a car of my own. Then I could go anywhere,” Darcy said, imagining herself driving to see Hakeem in Detroit.
“Well consider me at your service, Darcy. Whenever you need a lift, just let me know,” Brian offered as he pulled away from the curb. “I’ll get you where you need to go. ”
“Thanks,” Darcy said, wondering if he was serious.
“Liselle really digs you,” he said, changing the subject. “She’s glad you’re keepin’ an eye on Kelena while she’s at school. ”
“I like Liselle a lot. ” Darcy smiled. “Kelena too. ” As she spoke, Brian stopped the car at a red light, and a small object rolled out from under the seat and bumped Darcy’s shoe. It was a chocolate-colored lipstick tube. Brian did not seem to notice it, so Darcy nudged it back under the seat.
“So, you a sophomore at Bluford?” he asked.
“Yeah, but only for a few more days,” Darcy answered. “I can’t believe I’ll be a junior next year. Some days it seems like I just started at Bluford. Other days it seems like I’ve been there forever. ”
“I know what you mean,” Brian nodded. “It only gets worse as you get older. Trust me. ”
Darcy smiled and looked out the window.
“You know, you seem more mature than any high-school girl I know,” he added.
“Thanks,” Darcy said, flattered. “Not everybody feels that way about me. Oh, that’s it. That’s our new place. ” She pointed to her family’s new house.
“It looks great,” he said as he pulled up in front of the house. “I guess now I know where to find you. ”
“I appreciate the ride,” Darcy said, getting out of the car. “Thanks again. ”
“Ain’t no big thing. Besides, you got plenty of time to thank me now that you’re working for my sister,” he said, raising an eyebrow.
As the Camry slowly pulled away, Darcy found herself smiling and waving, pleased with Brian’s interest. But as he vanished around the corner, she thought of Hakeem and rushed up the front walkway. It was Hakeem she wanted to be with. It was Hakeem she needed to speak to.
Chapter 3
“Hey sweetheart,” Dad called out when Darcy came home. He was still dressed in the dark suit he wore to his job at an upscale men’s clothing store. “Mom just left for work. Another nurse called out sick, so she’s got a double shift tonight. I told her to say no, but you know your mother. ”
Darcy smiled. She knew Dad wanted to be the family provider. It bothered him that Mom worked so much. Yet she also knew her mother was not about to depend on Dad’s money, not after what he had done. She remembered what Mom said five years ago after Dad ran out on the family— “I ain’t ever gonna depend on a man again. ” When Dad left, Mom sometimes worked sixty hours a week to take care of Darcy, Jamee, and Grandma and to pay the rent. If it had not been for Mom’s nursing job, the whole family would have been penniless. But Darcy knew that mentioning how important Mom’s income had been would only hurt Dad’s feelings.
“How’s Grandma?” she asked, noticing the empty wheelchair in the living room.
“She’s fine,” Dad said. “We were singing old church hymns a little while ago. Your grandma don’t sing much no more, but she likes to clap her hands. We had a good time, but she’s resting now. ”
Darcy went to the kitchen and grabbed the telephone. She quickly dialed Hakeem’s number. After a few rings, Hakeem answered “Yeah?” with an unusual edge to his voice.
“Hakeem, it’s me. I just wanted to know how your dad was . . . I mean, how were the tests?” Darcy asked.
“We didn’t get any results yet. That’s how this stuff is. It takes a while. But I got things to do ’round here, and I’m waiting for a call from my uncle. Can’t we just talk tomorrow?” Hakeem asked.
“Yeah, I guess,” Darcy replied, stunned at how abrupt Hakeem was. A second later she heard a click, and Hakeem was gone. She hung up the phone and leaned against the wall.
Hakeem has never treated me so rudely, Darcy thought. She knew he was under a lot of stress, but usually he talked to her, or at least tried to. She wanted to reach out to Hakeem, but she did not know how, not this time.
Frustrated, Darcy trudged into the living room and collapsed on the chair next to her father.
“What’s botherin’ you, baby?” he asked.
“Nothing,” Darcy grumbled, trying to hide her feelings.
“Come on, Darcy,” Dad said. “I know something heavy’s on your mind. What is it?”
Darcy took a deep breath. “It’s Hakeem,” she admitted. “His dad is very sick, and now he mi
ght move to Detroit with the family. I might never see him again. ”
Her father nodded thoughtfully as she spoke. When she finished, he folded his arms on his chest and looked up as if he were searching for something in the ceiling. “Well now,” he began, shifting his body several times. “That’s a tough one. I’m no expert on high school romances,” he continued cautiously, appearing uneasy, “but I know most guys and girls usually don’t stick with the people they date in high school. You’re gonna like lots of guys before you find the right one. Hakeem’s a nice guy, but you’ll meet others. Give it some time. You haven’t even gotten to college yet. ”
Darcy rolled her eyes at her father’s words. How dare he suggest her relationship with Hakeem was trivial? “Dad, I don’t want anyone else!” she yelled, struggling to calm herself. “I really care about Hakeem. Can’t you understand that?”
“I’m sorry, baby,” Dad said, lowering his head.
“It’s okay,” Darcy said, getting up. She went to her bedroom, closed the door, and flopped down on her bed. A stack of boxes from the old apartment still sat in a corner of the room, but she did not feel like unpacking them. She knew they contained relics of the past— pictures, a few posters, stuffed animals, and some books. Looking through them now would just make her feel depressed, and she already felt sad enough.
Darcy could not shake being bothered by what her father said. Part of her wished she had not told him anything. But another part wondered if Dad’s words might be true.
Arriving at school the next morning, Darcy saw Hakeem pull his motorbike into the parking lot. She hurried over to him. “Hi,” she said, trying to sound upbeat. “What’s up?”
“Hey,” Hakeem grunted, barely looking at her. “Dad is pretty sure that we’ll be leaving, Darcy,” he said, in a somber voice. “The doctors say it’ll be a while before he regains his strength, and my uncle has promised him a good job, so Dad says we gotta go. ”