“Then I guess we’ll all have to be content with frozen meals and takeout for the foreseeable future.”
“This food smells amazing,” I said.
“It’s from Ginseng. Everything on their menu is delicious.” Dr. James took a pair of tongs from a drawer and began transferring spring rolls from an aluminum tray to one of her bamboo plates. I got up to wash my hands so I could help arrange the food. “I sure hope I have enough food for everybody. Does this look like enough for about twenty guests?”
“You have plenty of food, Mom,” said Sean. “She always worries that she’ll run out even though she gets enough for like 300 people.”
“Well, you know me, Sean, always a worrier. Especially when it comes to food. I didn’t grow up like you did, you know.”
“Where did you grow up?” I asked. I went back to the counter and used a couple of plastic forks to transfer a separate tray of spring rolls.
“Detroit, in the ‘70s. It was a little turbulent at times. My dad got laid off from his job at the Ford factory when I was little, and after that it took a while for him to find another high-paying job. My mom tried to make ends meet by selling clothes she made to people in the neighborhood, but even when they were both working regular jobs, it was a struggle to pay all the bills and buy groceries for a family of five people. That was one reason I decided to become a doctor. I knew early on that I wanted a job where I would always be in demand. And of course, I’m a problem solver by nature. If I see somebody with a problem, I want to fix it, so making sick and injured people better is something I feel called to do.”
“And you’re good at it too,” said Sean. “Not all doctors are as good at what they do.”
“Thank you, Sean. I’m good at what I do because I care about the patients, not just the salary.”
“What kind of medicine do you practice?” I asked.
“I do internal medicine. And Sean’s dad is a cardiologist. He works at University Hospital.”
“Oh,” I said, automatically perking up. “My mom is an ER nurse at University Hospital.”
“Is that right? I wonder if they might know each other.”
“A lot of dad’s patients get referred from the ER,” said Sean.
“I’ll tell you one thing; if your mother is an ER nurse and a mom, then I know she’s a hard-working woman.”
I nodded in agreement. “She is. And she’s a single mom, too.”
“Well then, we might as well give her a cape and a mask ‘cause she’s a super hero.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at her comment. “She’s good, huh,” said Sean.
“You know for a middle-aged mom, I have got some good material.” She wiped her hands on her apron and looked behind her. “Oh, Lord,” she said. “It’s almost six o’clock. My guests will be here soon. I need to go change. Could you two finish setting-up the plates for me? I’ll only be a few minutes.”
“Mmmhmm,” said Sean, opening another tray. “A few minutes is code for about an hour.”
“It’s fine,” I said, waving my hand. “We’ve got this under control, right Sean?”
“Yep, but there might be a small spring roll tax.”
“Don’t you eat all my food,” called Dr. James as she shuffled down the hallway toward the steps.
“I’ll protect it,” I said.
“Thank you, dear.”
I’d finished plating a tray of spring rolls and was moving on to the dumplings. “I like your mom,” I said after a moment.
“I thought you two would hit it off.”
An hour later the party was in full swing. Sean and I had finished setting up the food, including all of the sauces, and put out the ceramic appetizer plates and napkins. Sean’s dad had come home from work and after a quick wardrobe change (which included a red Hawaiian shirt and khaki pants) headed straight for the wet bar, in an alcove off the kitchen, to pour himself a bourbon. He was just as relaxed and affable as Sean’s mom. “I’m the bartender for tonight,” he said. “I’ve been informed that I’m not getting paid though. Should I put out a tip jar?”
He made us virgin, sparkling martinis. “I wouldn’t mind letting you two try a little wine or something,” he said, “but then Sean wouldn’t be able to use my car to drive you home later. And your mom might kill me,” he said. I laughed, knowing that my mom felt guilty about killing the mice that got into our kitchen once, and even called my grandpa over to remove the carcasses, but that she’d still appreciate the caution.
Sean’s mom had come down in a comfortable but elegant looking turtleneck sweater dress just moments before her first guests arrived. Sean and I said our hellos and finished our drinks before slinking off to the basement. “We’ve got a pool table,” said Sean, as I followed him down the steps just outside of the kitchen. “Do you want to play?”
“Sure. I kind of suck at it though.”
“Me too. At least, I suck compared to my dad.”
Sean arranged the balls in the triangle, then broke, scattering them around the table way more effectively than I could have. “So that drawing I did of you. I hope you don’t think I’m being a creep or anything.”
“No. I don’t think that. It was a nice surprise, actually.” I took a shot, aiming for a ball that seemed perfectly aligned with both the cue ball and the pocket, but still managed to miss.
“Cool,” said Sean, cocking his head in punctuation. “I’m glad you like it.” He spent a moment walking around the pool table, assessing his opportunities. When he finally took a shot, he made it. “That was just luck.”
“You liar. You don’t suck at all.”
He shrugged. “You just happen to be worse than me.” He took another shot and missed.
From upstairs came sounds of animated laughter. “They sure are having fun up there.”
“Yeah, I think they’re all starting to get tipsy. Another hour or two and they’ll be straight-up drunk.”
I took another shot and missed. “Well, I think it’s great that they’re having so much fun.”
Sean laughed. “Yeah, you’re right. They deserve to let loose once in a while. I’m just glad you’re here to make it less awkward for me.”
“That’s funny. I always thought I made things more awkward.”
“Nice try, but no. I mean, I don’t know what you’re like in every situation, but gardening was definitely better once you joined.”
“Really?” Sean made a shot. He circled the table looking for his next move. I plopped myself down into a nearby leather armchair.
“Yeah. I mean, the kids all loved you. It made things easier for me and Mr. Brooks. Plus, I kinda like hangin’ with you. You’re nice and you laugh at my lame jokes.”
“You kinda like hangin’ with me?”
“I think you know I more than kinda like hanging with you, but I’m a guy so I’ve gotta play it cool.”
I laughed, wondering how much longer he was going to “play it cool.” He leaned his cue stick against the table and sat down in the chair next to mine. A small round table separated us. I put my hand on the table, looking over at him. A few seconds later, he put his hand next to mine, letting our pinkies overlap. He started to lean closer, putting his whole hand on top of mine. My heart was beating faster, like a drummer picking up speed for the chorus. Was I really about to be kissed by a boy I liked who actually liked me back? It seemed too good to be true.
“Sean!” His mom’s voice boomed from the top of the stairs like thunder after a flash of lightning, making both of us jump.
“Jesus,” he said. “How does she know?”
“Sean,” she yelled again, “Molly’s here. Come up and say hello!”
A look of surprise covered Sean’s face, and I couldn’t tell if Molly’s arrival was good or bad. “Should we go upstairs?” I asked.
“Um, yeah. Molly’s a friend of mine. I didn’t know she was coming, but I guess it makes sense since our moms know each other. Anyway, I’ll introduce you to her. You guys will probably like ea
ch other.”
He stood up and headed for the stairs as I followed. Between seeing the look of trepidation on Sean’s face and having our alone time interrupted, I couldn’t help but worry about the arrival of his friend, Molly. Get a grip, Darcy, I told myself. Sean can like you and still have other friends who happen to be girls. I tried my best to curb my jealous instincts.
Until we got upstairs and I saw her. She had been sitting in the living room looking at her phone, but stood up when she saw us walk in. “Sean,” she squealed. He leaned in to give her a hug, one that lasted several seconds (not that I was counting). “It’s so good to see you. I’ve missed you these last few weeks,” she said.
“I didn’t know you were coming, but yeah, it’s good to see you too.”
“I know, but it was a last-minute thing. And then I thought it would be fun to surprise you.”
Molly’s gaze shifted from Sean to me. She gave me a slight smile. She was wearing skinny jeans, ripped at the knees, with brown boots and a dark green bohemian blouse. I’d seen her before, first in Sean’s sketchbook and then in one of his Peeps photos. She was even more beautiful in person. “This is my friend, Darcy,” said Sean after a moment of awkward silence, as if he’d been hoping we would do the introductions ourselves.
“Hi Darcy,” she said with a polite wave.
“Hi,” I said back sheepishly.
“Darcy and I met at Taft. She started volunteering there last month,” said Sean.
“We came here straight from the school garden,” I said, eager to explain my shabby appearance, “which is why I look like this.”
“Oh, that’s great! I actually volunteered there over the summer. And then I got Sean to join me in the fall, but I ended up being super busy with MUN and I couldn’t keep it up. It’s so good that you got involved, so Sean wasn’t left deserted the whole time.”
I nodded eagerly, feeling a little like a bobble head, trying to mask my insecurity with enthusiasm. From hearing her explanation, I gathered that Sean hadn’t joined Taft’s Junior Gardener’s program on his own, but at Molly’s behest. “Cool,” I said, looking at Sean. I caught his eye for a second, before he turned his gaze to the floor. “Yeah,” he said. “It was great when Darcy joined.” He looked back up at me and smiled meekly. I forced a smile back, but couldn’t help wonder why he hadn’t mentioned that Molly, the girl whose angelic face he’d taken the time to draw in his sketchbook before meeting me, had been the real reason he started volunteering at Taft.
“Those kids are cute but they’re a lot to handle,” said Molly, tucking her red locks behind one ear. “So where do you go to school, Darcy?”
“East Point Prep.” I tried to sound matter-of-fact, hoping not to have the conversation in which I explained my precarious financial situation that required hours of my janitorial services each week.
“Ooh, fancy,” she said. “Do you know Natalie Suarez? I’ve met her at a couple of MUN conferences. She’s really sweet.”
“And smart,” I said.
“Yes!” Her green eyes sparkled. I had to admit, Molly was affable, on top of being a young Jessica Chastain look-alike. If Sean had feelings for her, I couldn’t blame him. In fact, it was difficult for me not to feel a little entranced by her.
“So, what about you? Do you go to school with Sean?”
Molly waived her hand. “Oh no. I don’t have an artistic bone in my body. I go to Oak Mount.”
“That’s a great school, from what I hear,” I said. Oak Mount, the school I would have hoped to attend if Norwood hadn’t been outside the city limits, was the best public high school in Cincinnati. All of its students pass a rigorous entrance exam, while many are placed on a wait list hundreds of names long. So not only was Molly gorgeous, she was intelligent, and already working toward a future in diplomacy.
“Yeah, I like it. But I do miss Sean. He and I went to the same grade school, and our moms were on the PTO together. And we still have a lot of the same friends. Speaking of that. . .” She turned her attention to Sean, crossing her feet at the ankles and angling her body to face his. “Did Benny tell you I saw him at an MUN conference last week?”
“Oh yeah, I think he mentioned that,” said Sean, scratching his head.
“He told me that he’s been dating Ethan. I had no idea!”
“That’s right, for about the last month. They seem pretty happy together.” I listened on to the conversation between Sean and Molly about Benny and Ethan, which eventually shifted to Jimmy and Serena, another newly minted couple. After a few minutes of watching them, seeing their natural chemistry, the way Molly smiled and the way Sean nervously smirked and looked down at his feet, I began to get flashbacks to Paige’s party, feeling painfully like the third wheel yet again. Tonight, I had thought it was finally my turn to play the romantic lead with the guy I liked, but as it turned out I was only the understudy, and the star actress had shown up to reclaim her role. This time, there was no supporting-male character to turn to, so it seemed my only option was to exit the stage entirely.
Abruptly, I turned around and grabbed my backpack, which I’d stowed on the bottom landing of the stairs before the party guests arrived. “Hey, Sean,” I said, interrupting his conversation with Molly. “I just remembered that I’ve got an essay due on Monday, and if I don’t start it tonight, there’s no way I’ll finish on time.”
“You’re leaving?” He turned to look at me, a troubled expression on his face. “But how are you getting home? I was going to drive you.”
“It’s fine. My mom actually just texted me. She’s in the neighborhood running errands so she’s going to pick me up. Thank your parents for me. See ya! And nice meeting you, Molly!”
I ran out the front door before Sean had a chance to question me further. Of course, I had made up the part about my mom texting me, but I knew she was off work, and I was pretty sure that she would be able to pick me up. I quickly ran in the dark toward the main road until I was no longer in sight of Sean’s house, then took out my phone to call her. “Of course, I’ll come get you”, she’d said when I explained my whereabouts to her. “Just walk to the shopping center and wait for me there.”
What I hadn’t made up was the part about my essay for Ms. Rose. I had planned to start it the next day, but why not get a head start? It would certainly beat a night of comparing myself to a gorgeous MUN aficionado. For the first time since starting high school, I was happy with who I was. As disappointed as I was in losing my chance with Sean and in the fact that my job as East Point cleaner was about to resume, my time at Taft had given me a glimmer of hope for the future. I no longer wanted to be Paige or Maya, or even Molly. I was following my own path, one that was meant just for me. Ms. Rose had helped illuminate it for me and now I needed to keep her light shining. There was no time for a pity party. In fact, I figured it was best to avoid parties altogether.
I kept running until I got back to the main road. From there, I could see the lights from the restaurants and shops to the left. I waited for a break in traffic, then darted across the street. Up ahead I could see an outdoor table situated just outside a coffee shop. Once I reached it, I took a seat to wait for my mom, who arrived just a few minutes later.
“I expected you to be out a little longer,” she said after I’d gotten into the car. “Did something happen?”
“No. I was just ready to leave. And I think I’m finally ready to start that essay for Ms. Rose. I want to get the word magic flowing before I lose inspiration.”
“Well, great. I can’t wait to read it.”
After we got home, I spent a few minutes catching up with my mom in the kitchen. Between her work schedule and the time I’d been spending away from the house, it seemed like we’d hardly spoken all week. She took the bag of buttered popcorn that she’s made before picking me up out of the microwave and poured it into a big bowl. I sat at the countertop and munched on the popcorn while telling her about how gardening had gone the last few days, how much fun I’d had with th
e kids and how much I was going to miss them.
“You know, Darcy, I’ve been thinking,” she said. “You’ve been so happy the last month, since you stopped your after-school cleaning and started volunteering. I’d hate to see you lose that sense of belonging that it’s given you. So, I have an idea. I know our house has gone up in value since I bought it. If I make a few updates, I bet I can get a good price for it. If we sell, I can use that money to pay for your school, and you can keep volunteering and doing the things that you love.”
“Sell our house?” I said, more loudly than I’d meant to. “Where would we live?”
“I’ve already talked to your grandparents about it, and they said we can move back in with them. In fact, they’d love it if we moved back in with them. And it wouldn’t be for forever, just until I save enough money to make another down payment on a different house. And who knows, maybe you’ll want to go out of state for college. I can wait and see where you end up and buy a house close to you. The nice thing about being a nurse is that I can find work anywhere.”
Her suggestion left me completely flabbergasted. From my point of view alone, it sounded totally perfect. But I knew it would be selfish to agree. I couldn’t let her sell the house just to get me out of cleaning, not after all the work she’d put into buying it for us. “Mom, it’s wonderful that you would even consider doing that, but I can’t let you start over, not after all the time and money you’ve invested in this house. If you want to sell, you should sell, but not so you can pay for my school. I don’t mind going back to cleaning. I do want to continue with volunteering, but I’m sure I can find opportunities on the weekends and over the summer.”
“Darcy, I’m your mom. It’s my job to take care of you. And I know how hard you work, so now I want to help make you happy.”
“I’m happy with things the way they are. Trust me, you don’t need to change anything.”
My mom let out a sigh. “You know, I do remember what it was like to be in high school, just a little bit. And I know that being the only kid who stays after school to clean probably makes things hard for you, socially. I should have considered that more when I first signed you up for East Point Prep. It’s just,” she looked up, putting her hands up in the air for emphasis. “At the time it seemed like such a good opportunity.”
Darcy, Defined Page 14
