by Anne Schraff
“I’m watching my grandmother. She’s not feeling so well today,” Darcy explained. As she spoke, Darcy realized she was wearing a beat-up pair of jeans. She felt uncomfortable looking so sloppy in front of Brian.
“Oh, I didn’t realize this was a bad time. Maybe I can come over some other time. ”
“No, it’s all right. I’m glad you stopped by,” Darcy said, glancing back toward Grandma’s room.
“Are you okay?” Brian asked. “I mean, after your breakup and everything. ”
Darcy did not know what to say. She felt strange telling Brian about Hakeem, but she wanted to talk to someone, and Brian always seemed so nice.
“Hakeem moved away today, and I don’t think I’m going to see him again. I mean, I know we broke up and all, but it’s still sad, you know?” she said, surprised at her honesty.
“You wanna talk about it?” he said, moving closer.
Looking into his eyes, Darcy felt the same awkwardness she felt at the beach, but she did not want him to leave. “Sure,” she said. “Come on in. ”
Darcy led Brian into the living room, and they sat on the couch together. Quickly, Darcy recounted the events of the past weeks, including her breakup with Hakeem and their final goodbye.
“I know this isn’t easy for you, but you gotta keep one thing in mind, Darcy,” Brian said. “You can’t stop livin’ through all this. Just ’cause he’s gone don’t mean you gotta lock yourself in your house all summer. That wouldn’t be right. Besides, who knows what you might miss out on. ” As Brian spoke, he put his arm around Darcy’s shoulder. “I mean it,” he said.
“Thanks, Brian,” Darcy said, surprised at how his advice seemed like what Tarah said weeks ago. Maybe they’re right, she thought to herself, but should I just forget about Hakeem?
“I was hoping we’d have some time together ’cause I wanted to give you something,” Brian said, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a small velvet box and handed it to her. Speechless, Darcy opened the box. Inside was a sparkling gold chain.
“Brian!” Darcy exclaimed. The necklace shimmered like liquid fire.
“After our day on the beach, I saw this and thought it would look nice on you. ”
“Thank you, Brian, but I can’t accept this. It’s too much. ”
“It was nothing,” Brian added. As Darcy gaped at the necklace, Brian reached down, picked it up, and placed it gently around her neck. For an instant, both his arms rested on her shoulders, and his face moved to within several inches of hers. She could smell his cologne and feel his breath on her face. Her heart raced as his fingers worked to snap the clasp. “There,” he said proudly, pulling away from her. “It looks great on you. ”
“You shouldn’t have done this. ”
“Angelcake,” came Grandma’s hoarse voice from her bedroom down the hallway. Brian jerked, startled at the sound.
“That’s just my grandmother,” Darcy explained, getting up from the sofa. “Coming, Grandma,” she yelled.
“Well, I should get going so you can be with her,” Brian said, standing up and walking toward the door. “Just remember what I told you. I won’t be happy if you hide in your house all summer. ”
Brian walked out the front door, and Darcy was left standing in the living room alone, her fingers resting on the gold necklace draped around her throat.
“Angelcake,” Grandma yelled again.
“What is it, Grandma?” Darcy asked as she entered the room.
“Was there a stranger in the house?” she asked, her frail voice wavering.
“No, Grandma, just a friend of mine. ” Darcy sat next to her, and watched as Grandma gradually calmed down and drifted off to sleep again.
Running the gold necklace between her fingers, Darcy wondered about her conversation with Brian. One thing he said echoed softly in her mind.
“I won’t be happy if you hide in your house all summer. ”
The next day, Tarah and Cooper came over unannounced.
“Surprise!” Tarah greeted Darcy as she opened the door. “We’re takin’ you out today, and we won’t take no for an answer. ”
“Yeah,” Cooper chimed in, “you don’t have a choice, kid. You’re comin’ with us. ”
“But I wasn’t expecting you,” Darcy replied.
“Of course you weren’t,” Tarah replied. “That’s why it’s a surprise. Me and Coop are takin’ you to a movie, and then out for burgers. ”
“Yeah, we’re gonna go see that new scary movie called Head Count. It’s about a dude who keeps people’s heads in his basement,” Cooper said, chuckling.
“You guys,” Darcy explained, “I really appreciate what you’re trying to do for me, but I have to work today. ”
“Can’t you cancel, girl?” Tarah asked. “Do you want me to call out sick for you?”
“No, I can’t do that. I already missed a week because of exams. Liselle is counting on me. Why don’t we make it for another day this week, maybe Thursday?”
“I don’t know if I can wait that long to see this movie,” Cooper replied.
“Well then, we’ll see a different one,” Darcy said. “I don’t really like scary movies that much anyway. ”
“There she goes again makin’ everythin’ serious,” Cooper teased. “You do know they’re fake, right? Like them wrestlers on TV. It’s all fake. They don’t mean nothin’. ”
“Okay, girl,” Tarah said, ignoring Cooper. “We’ll make it Thursday. By the way, did you see a certain someone before he left yesterday?”
Darcy nodded. “We said goodbye, and I think we’ll still be friends. ”
“Of course y’all will be. Just give it some time, that’s all. ” Tarah said with a smile, glancing at Cooper. “Well, we gotta go, Darcy, but I’ll call you later. ”
Darcy watched Tarah and Cooper head back down the walkway. She could not help but feel a touch of jealousy as the two of them left together. Even though they always teased each other, Darcy could tell that Cooper and Tarah had something really special. Looking down at her new necklace, which she had slipped under her shirt, Darcy wondered if she would ever be as lucky as the two of them.
Darcy arrived at the Masons’ at the usual time. “Come in, Darcy,” Liselle said as she opened the door. “I’m actually on time today, so I have a few minutes to talk. ”
Darcy sat next to Liselle on the sofa. Kelena was in her playpen giggling and clapping. Liselle looked over at her daughter and smiled proudly. “She hardly ever cries,” she said. “She’d rather laugh and smile. ”
“Kelena is the happiest baby I’ve ever seen,” Darcy said, waving at the baby. “She never gives me any trouble at all. ”
Darcy noticed that Liselle seemed a bit tense, as if she had something to say, but did not know how to say it.
“How are you doing?” Liselle asked after a brief pause. “Brian told me your school year is over, and I remember you saying that your boyfriend would leave right after school ended. ”
Darcy wondered why Liselle was so curious about her boyfriend. “Actually, he left yesterday morning,” she said.
“I’m sorry,” Liselle sighed, leaning toward Darcy. “Are you okay?”
“I think so,” Darcy replied slowly. “We broke up about a week ago, and at first things were really bad, but we talked yesterday, and I think we can be friends. Everybody keeps telling me not to stop my life over it. Actually, Brian has been very sweet to me since all this started. ”
Liselle nodded. “You just take your time. It’s hard when you lose someone you care about. Believe me, I know. If you need anything, just page me at school,” Liselle said before leaving and locking the door behind her.
After Liselle left, Kelena took a nap, and Darcy sat in the quiet apartment. For a while, she looked through a few magazines she found on the coffee table. Then she decided to explore the Masons’ apartment. Walking down the short hallway, Darcy examined the pictures of Kelena that were on the walls. At the end of the hall, Darcy noticed one door was c
losed. It had to be Brian’s bedroom, since Kelena and Liselle slept together. Staring at the closed door, Darcy was filled with curiosity. What was Brian’s room like? she wondered.
Darcy knew she should not snoop. But what harm could she do by peeking into a room? Besides, she wasn’t going to take anything. After checking to make sure Kelena was sound asleep, Darcy returned to the end of the hallway and grabbed the cold metal doorknob. She would just take one peek and close the door, she promised herself.
Turning her wrist slowly, Darcy discovered the doorknob would not budge. Brian’s door was locked.
Going back to the living room, Darcy felt guilty for trying to open Brian’s bedroom door. But she also felt curious. Why would Brian lock his own room?
Throughout the evening, Darcy wondered about Brian and why Liselle had acted so peculiar whenever his name was mentioned. When Liselle returned hours later, Darcy wanted to ask her about Brian. But Liselle seemed tired and uninterested in talking, so Darcy kept her thoughts to herself.
Darcy and Jamee spent most of Wednesday morning doing chores around the house. Mom and Dad were both working. Darcy was reaching up to dust a high shelf when Jamee startled her.
“Where’d you get that necklace?” Jamee asked, pointing to the gold chain now draped outside Darcy’s black T-shirt. “I know Hakeem didn’t buy you that. ”
“Brian bought it for me,” Darcy admitted reluctantly. So far, nobody else seemed to notice the chain.
“Ooooh,” Jamee exclaimed, getting a closer look. “I bet that was really expensive. What’s going on between you two, anyway?”
“Jamee, it’s a long story, and to tell you the truth, I don’t know,” she said.
“Did you tell Hakeem?”
“No,” Darcy answered quickly. “Besides, things between me and Hakeem got real complicated right before he left. ”
“Complicated?” Jamee seemed confused. “What was so complicated? Did you guys break up or somethin’?”
Darcy was about to reply when the doorbell rang. Jamee rushed to answer it.
“Is Darcy home?” said the person at the door.
“You must be Brian,” Jamee said, opening the door. “I’m Jamee, Darcy’s sister. ” Watching the way Jamee smiled, Darcy knew her sister thought Brian was handsome.
“Hi, Brian!” Darcy exclaimed, stepping in front of Jamee. “What are you doing here?”
“Hey, Darcy,” Brian smiled “I came by to see if you wanted to take a ride down to the park. I don’t have to work until 6:00, and I thought it’d be nice to hang out for a few hours. ”
Darcy was thrilled to see Brian, but she knew she had told Mom and Dad that she would stay home and keep an eye on Grandma today. “Oh, Brian, I can’t,” Darcy began, “It sounds great, but I’m sitting with my Grandma today and—”
“You can go, Darcy,” Jamee interrupted. “Our chores are done. I can stay here with Grandma. She’ll probably sleep through the rest of the day anyway. ”
“I don’t know, Jamee,” Darcy said, thinking about her grandmother’s weariness and her recent spells of crankiness. “I told Mom and Dad that I would be here too. I’m not sure I should leave you alone, you know, with Grandma the way she is. ”
“I’m not a baby,” Jamee snapped. “I’m only two years younger than you, Darcy. Besides, I’ve stayed with her by myself before. ”
“Looks like your li’l sis will be fine,” Brian said, giving Jamee a wink.
For an instant, Darcy debated whether she should stay home. But Jamee’s wide smile and Brian’s playful grin convinced her it would be okay to leave for a few hours. Besides, Jamee had watched Grandma by herself before.
“Okay,” Darcy said, beaming. “I’ll go. But I won’t be gone long, Jamee. ”
“Have fun, Darce,” Jamee smiled. “And remember, you owe me one. ”
Brian and Darcy drove over to Delancey Park on the other side of the neighborhood. The park was not far from Lincoln High School, and it was in much better shape than the parks around Bluford. While Darcy’s neighborhood park was littered with beer bottles, trash bags, and graffiti, Delancey was clean. Even the benches were in good shape, unlike the broken ones Darcy was used to.
“Neighbors patrol this park almost every night,” Brian said as they walked under a massive oak tree. “All of us on the Lincoln football team used to help clean it too. ”
The mention of Lincoln High School reminded Darcy of the rumor she had heard about Brian being kicked out of school, which made her more and more curious about him. Was the rumor true? Why was his relationship with his sister strained? She was just about to ask him when Brian reached down and gently took her hand.
Darcy’s heart raced as Brian’s strong fingers slipped between hers. She could feel her pulse pounding in her neck so loudly she wondered whether Brian could hear it. For an instant, she was speechless. Rather than try to speak, she walked with him in awkward silence.
“I really like spending time with you,” Brian said, squeezing her hand gently.
“Me too,” Darcy mumbled, her voice barely a whisper. She felt as if she was dreaming, as if Brian, the sunny park, and the touch of his hand were imaginary. Even her own words seemed part of the dream. But as she looked down at her hand and then up at Brian, she knew everything was real, and she was thrilled. For the rest of the afternoon, Darcy walked hand-in-hand with Brian and talked quietly about music they listened to, places they’d like to go, and plans they had for the coming summer.
When they finally returned to the car, Brian drove back to his apartment so he could get ready for work. Darcy decided to join him, figuring she could talk to Liselle while he was getting ready. But when Brian opened the door to the darkened apartment, Darcy knew immediately that Liselle and Kelena were not home. For a second, she felt nervous to be so alone with Brian. She had never been alone at home with any boy, not even Hakeem. She knew her parents would get upset if they found out she was with an older guy in an empty apartment.
“I’ll just be a few minutes,” Brian said as he went into his bedroom to get changed. In the brief instant that his bedroom door was opened, Darcy saw what appeared to be several large trophies on a dark wooden dresser. At one point, Brian reappeared to get something out of the bathroom. When Darcy turned to look at him, he was shirtless, and his broad dark back formed a perfect V down to his waist. Darcy blushed and turned away immediately, but the image stayed in her mind like a vivid photograph.
After a few minutes, Brian returned fully dressed in his guard uniform. “Ready to go?” he asked with a smile.
Darcy nodded, and just as she was about to walk out the door, Brian put his hand on her waist and turned her toward him.
“I had a really good time today,” he said.
“So did I,” Darcy replied, still embarrassed about seeing him shirtless.
“I hope we can see more of each other this summer,” he added, staring into her eyes.
Again, Darcy felt like she was dreaming, as if her feet were not touching the floor. As she looked at him, his face came closer to hers, and though she was nervous, she did not turn away. In an instant, his lips were touching hers, and her heart pounded so much she felt her chest might explode.
The kiss lasted a few seconds, and Darcy closed her eyes until Brian slowly pulled away. As they separated, Darcy felt a whirlwind of confusion. She knew so little about Brian, and things were happening so fast. Yet, as she looked into his almond-colored eyes, she knew she did not want to stop seeing him.
Together Brian and Darcy left the apartment and got into his car. In a minute, the Toyota stopped in front of her house, and Darcy stepped out.
“I’ll call you,” Brian said with a smile. “Thanks for coming to the park with me. ”
“Bye, Brian,” Darcy waved as the Toyota pulled away. In the distance, she heard the wail of a far-off siren. Walking up the path to her front door, Darcy thought about her day with Brian and whether she should tell Tarah about him.
As she reach
ed the top step to her house, Darcy heard the howl of the siren grow louder. Glancing toward the sound, she spotted an ambulance turning the corner onto her street. The ambulance darted around several parked cars and came to a screeching stop in front of her house.
“Did you call an ambulance?” the driver yelled.
Suddenly, Darcy heard the door behind her open.
“She’s in here! She won’t wake up. Hurry!” Jamee yelled.
Chapter 8
“Oh my God!” Darcy cried. “What happened?!”
Jamee wrapped her arms around Darcy’s shoulders and began sobbing. “It’s Grandma! I couldn’t wake her up!” Jamee cried, her voice quivering.
“Where is she?”
Jamee quickly led Darcy and the paramedics into her grandmother’s bedroom. Darcy felt like she had been kicked in the stomach when she saw Grandma sprawled on the floor.
Darcy grabbed her sister’s hand as the medics hoisted Grandma’s limp body onto a stretcher. The girls followed them as they carried Grandma outside.
“Did you call Mom and Dad?” asked Darcy.
“Yeah. Mom’s at the hospital, and Dad’s on his way there. I called them right after I called 911. Mom said to stay here and wait for them to get back from the hospital. She said one of them would call as soon as they learned something. ”
After the emergency technicians put Grandma into the ambulance, one of them strapped a plastic mask across her face.
“She’s still breathing,” yelled a paramedic. Quickly, the driver jumped into the ambulance and slammed the door. Within seconds, the vehicle was screeching down the street towards the hospital, lights flashing.
Back inside the house, Jamee explained she had gone into Grandma’s room and found her lying on the floor unconscious. “I tried to wake her, but nothing happened,” she said. “That’s when I called 911. ”
Darcy felt a twisting feeling in her stomach. She imagined the horror Jamee must have felt when she discovered Grandma on the floor. She was angry at herself for not being home when Grandma passed out.