Part Two
"Thanks," I said taking it, "This is a beautiful house."
"Yeah, I grew up here. It was nicer when we first moved in, but you know us..." He smiled.
I laughed. "Yeah, I can imagine." We fell silent. It had been like this since I stepped in the house, the silence. We just didn't know what to say or do to fill it. So we just sat there.
"Daniel listen..."
"I just wanted..."
We stopped and laughed. "You first." I said.
He put his cup down and put his hands together in front of him. "I just wanted to say that if this is too weird for you, I'll understand if you want to leave. I mean, I don't know if it is for you or not." He sighed.
I began. "It's not weird, just slightly uncomfortable because I don't know what to say. I had it planned out some, I thought about it the whole time I drove up, but now that I'm here I forgot it all." I moved to his side on the couch and took his hand. It was cold. "You know if you want to cry do it. It doesn't show any weakness about you. A very good friend helped me learn that."
He looked up at me with tears in his eyes. He opened his mouth as if to say something then started crying. I slipped my arms around him, letting him cry.
So he cried and so did I, but not because of his tears. I cried for the connection and the love I had always wanted finally being there between us. I cried for him and for myself.
After we stopped and Daniel caught his breath, we leaned back and he told me about the things that had happened. How his mom went out every night and he didn't know who with nor did he want to know. He told me his sister never came out of her room, not even when his father wanted to say good-bye, and how his brother never even made it up. He had called nonstop but there was either no answer or the answering machine kicked on.
"I can't believe how fucked up my family is. They couldn't care less. My mother only wanted money to take care of herself after my father was gone." He said getting up and pacing while fighting back more tears. "I mean, Jesus Christ, my father hadn't even died and she was jumping into some other man's bed!" He finished yelling.
He stopped and looked up, as if asking for an answer to some unspoken question. I went to him and pulled him to me, embracing him as he silently cried again.
"Cry," I said, "just cry. I don't care and there's no one else here. Let it out." I whispered.
"I have to ask you something." He said into my shoulder between sobs. He sighed and straightened up, taking a deep breath and wiped his eyes.
"What?" I asked.
"I, um...," He led me back to the couch and we sat. "See...now that my dad is gone, no one wants this house. My mom is somewhere with someone and my sister is probably with my brother by now and I have no where to stay but here." He said. "So I was wondering..."
"What?"
"I was wondering if you would want to move in and live with me?"
* * * *
"I don't need an answer now....I still have to sign some papers or something. I also have to get my dog and the rest of my stuff. But I don't think I could do it alone, to be alone. I need someone to be with me and you're my first choice." He grinned.
I laughed. "Of course I will. This is so weird." I laugehd again. "Fuck! I don't believe I'm doing...we're doing this. I have waited so long for this." I threw my arms around him and he fell back on the couch. He kissed my neck and hugged me. Then realizing something I sat up straight and became serious. "Wait, wait....we, you can't go back."
"Huh? What do you mean 'I can't go back'? I have a car you know, it's not a problem."
"No, that's not it. Before I drove up, I walked to the bank for money and your 'friends' grabbed me and told me to give you a message. They don't like you and don't want you back there. So, I think it's...we're probably better off if I go back alone."
"Did they hurt you?" He asked quietly.
"No. But it was 'nothing I couldn't handle' if they did." I answered quoting him. He chuckled.
"If they did that to you then I don't want you to go back alone, so I'm going with you. I won'dt do anything but drive and you can pick up our stuff. i won't even get out of the car." I opened my mouth but he cut me off. "There's no arguing. I'm going with you."
"Okay. Where are the keys?"
The drive back was long but fun. Daniel and I sang along with music to the radio, honked at complete strangers and talked about the things we would do when we got back. Sleeping arrangements came up and Daniel voiced his opinion. Loudly.
"What are we going to do about sleeping arrangements?" I asked.
"What do you mean 'sleeping arrangements'? You're living with me and there's only one place for you...beside me!" He exclaimed grinning.
"Jeez a little forceful don't ya think?" I laughed.
He came to the intersection of Piney Green and the road into my neighborhood. Taking a right he turned and headed down the road.
"I'll be right back." I said running to the house. I had my keys so it was no problem getting in. I slipped it into the lock and slid in. I crept upstairs into my room and started fishing around for the things I needed. I was almost done when the lights flashed on.
"What the hell is going on?" My mother said at the door. Apparently I had woken her up.
I turned looking like a deer caught in the headlights, though I had nothing to hide from her. "Nothing. I'm just getting a few things."
"Why?"
I looked down at the floor, then to my bag. I toyed with the strap as I spoke. "Cause I'm moving out." I mumbled.
"What?"
Looking up I shoved the drawer shut. "I'm moving out. I'm leaving, saying good-bye, whatever way you say it I'm gone."
"Where are you going to live?" She asked, her voice low.
"With Daniel, in his parents house. No one else wants it and he asked me to be with him. So I am. I just came back for some of our things. That's all. Good-bye mother." I rushed past her fighting back tears.
"Tara...Tara!" she yelled. I stopped. "You...don't leave me alone here. I...we have to talk." She said her eyes filling.
I took a deep breath and spoke without turning around. "It's a little late for that." My voice cracked. I ran out, not looking back.
Daniel was waiting for me as I jumped in the car. "Let's go."
* * * *
"It's in the top left hand drawer under a stack of...maybe I should just go in instead?"
"No, I'll find it. Just keep the car running. I don't want to be here any longer than we have to.
I jogged up to the porch and opened the door. Daniel's dog, Mercedes, greeted me. "Hey you." I cooed patting her head. She followed me up the stairs and into Daniel's room. I first went to his desk and searched for the folder containing the house papers. After finding it I shoved it into his duffel bag then started putting in clothes. Mercedes started to get anxious, whining and stepping back and forth. "What's wrong girl?" I asked turning around at the same time hearing a sudden explosion of shouts and yells from outside.
"Ohhhhhh, crap." Grabbing Mercedes and the bag I ran outside and put her in the car. Looking up over the hood I could make out the group of guys I had met with three days earlier standing in the middle of the street about halfway down. After making sure the dog was in and the car was locked I took off down the street.
"We told you to stay away. What are you stupid? huh?" Daniel was down on the ground after taking a punch to the face and DJ was getting ready for another.
"Stop, STOP! What are you doing?" I yelled. They all turned to me as I ran into the middle of the circle. Daniel looked up from the ground and I ran over to him. His face was cut and he was wheezing but he was alive. I turned around and glared at DJ. "You are such a CHILD DJ! All of you are. Do you think beating the living hell out of someone shows how good you are, or how manly? Well, news flash you idiots, it doesn't. It never has either. All it shows is how small you all are and how childish. Do you hear me? CH-ILD-ISH! There, I said it slow so you could understand me." They stepped back momentarily shocked. "I mean, come on people. GROW UP!"
The group was silent and stayed that way as I helped Daniel up and walked with him back to the car. They seemzed dazed as they broke apart to let us out, but we paid them no attention. When we reached the car Daniel broke away from me and started coughing. "Why...why did you do that?"
I stood in my place. Huh? "What do you mean by that?" I asked.
He looked at me breathing hard. "I don't need you to protect me all the time, I can handle things. That's the second time you've done that. Anymore and they're going to start thinking I can't fight on my own."
"Piss off! I just saved your ass!" I yelled clenching my hands into fists. "You were outnumbered eleven to one and about to kiss the pavement. If you want the shit kicked out of you then fine! Next time, I won't stop them!" I shouted. I walked around the car to the door and pulled forcefully. Locked and I had lost my set of keys. Mercedes began to whine inside. Standing there, I waited for him to open it.
"Damn." He breathed. He slowly walked over to me and put his arms out. When I didn't go to him he came to me and wrapped me in a hug. He rested his head on my shoulder and spoke in my ear. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I've just been really stressed lately and those guys didn't help much. But I shouldn't have taken it out on you." He leaned back and looked me in the face, giving me that I'm-just-sooooo-sorry look. I turned away and looked at the streetlight. He sighed. "Come here, come on." He hugged me tight and apologized again. I relaxed.
"I forgive you."
* * * *
"Daniel...Daniel wake up! Damn it Daniel, come on!"
He stopped tossing and turning and opened his eyes. He was sweating and his breath came out in short quick gasps. Earlier, when we had gotten home, we both realized how exhausted we were. After getting things settled, we crawled into bed and fell asleep. About an hour later the dreams started.
"Oh man, I'm sorry Tara. This is what? The third time? Here," he pulled back the covers and got out of the bed, "I'll go sleep on the couch so you can get some sleep." He reached over and grabbed his pillow.
"You don't have to do that," I said sitting up, "it's fine. Come back to the bed. With the way you were tossing and turning in here, you'd probably fall off the couch out there." I smiled, laughing.
He looked down and chuckled softly before climbing back in. The night air coming in through the slightly open window was cold and crisp and we snuggled together to keep warm.
"So what were your dreams about?" I asked him as put his arms around me and moved closer.
"Oh," he mumbled, starting to fall asleep again, "they had dead bodies and blood. It was so real. In one of them, I died."
