Sugar Crash (13 page)

"Bull shit." Cam sat back and squared his shoulders. "That's an excuse and you know it." He reached for her hand again. "Darci, you're allowed to be happy. You're allowed to have someone in your life too."

She closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the sensation of her hand in his. The warmth from his skin penetrated hers. It felt good. She let herself imagine what it would be like to be with him. To have Cam part of her life, Taylor's life. But the fantasy could only last a second because the reality was that she'd been spending too much time focusing on everything but her daughter. The sounds of the busy emergency room all around them brought Darci back to the moment.
 

"No, Cam." Darci tried her best to keep her voice even so it wouldn't betray her. She spoke slowly, forcing herself to believe the words she spoke. "I don't need anyone. This was a mistake." She slid her hand out from his.
 

"It wasn't -"

"It was." Darci stood and straightened her skirt. "I have to go."

Cam stood too, so close she could smell the aftershave he wore. She knew if she closed her eyes, even for a moment, she'd be able to recreate their kiss. The urge to go to him, to let him wrap his arms around her, was strong, but she knew she couldn't.
 

"Darci?"

She didn't meet his eyes again, just shook her head and mumbled, "I'm sorry."
 

She pushed past him and held herself as tall as she could but didn't look back. It wasn't until she slipped the curtain back around Taylor's bed and was safely inside, that she let her posture slump. Darci hung her head and reached around to massage the tension from her neck. She couldn't help but question what she'd just done. She knew she hadn't been fair to him. Or to herself.
 

"Mom?"
 

Darci looked up to see Taylor watching her.
 

"Are you okay?" Taylor asked.

Darci took a deep breath. Fair or not, she reaffirmed to herself, Taylor came first. "Of course, kiddo," she said, and pasted on the biggest smile she could. "I'm fine. Just worried about you."

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Doctor Wilson wanted to keep Taylor for observation overnight, but he let them go home the next day after running a few tests, including a brain scan. The doctor assured Darci they were just routine, but she couldn't shake the icy fear that clung to her when she thought about what could have happened to her little girl's brain.
 

When they were given the all clear to go home, Joelle warned them that Taylor would likely feel like she'd been hit by a truck for the next few days. "When all of the muscles contract during a seizure, it causes a lot of stress on the body," Joelle said.
 

Darci tried to nod and smile and do her best to appear understanding and as if she was fully in control, but on the inside, she was fighting back a scream.
 

Even after they got home, Taylor still didn't want to talk to Darci about the seizure and she wouldn't talk to her friends either. Abby had phoned three times, but Taylor wouldn't talk to her. Just like when she was six years old and had fallen off her bike, Darci wanted to kiss it better for her and the fact that she couldn't do anything to fix it, twisted at her.
 

As soon as they got home, Taylor went straight to her room and turned her music on full blast. Darci knew enough to give her space. It went against every mothering instinct she had, but instead of chasing her, Darci let her go.
 

Darci hoped it was soon, though. She hated to do it, but she was needed at the store later in the afternoon. Monica insisted that she couldn't work a double shift, and given that it was a school day, the part time girls weren't an option. And with all of the shenanigans that Monica had pulled earlier, she didn't trust her to help out anyway. Darci knew she should just tell Felicity what was going on with Taylor, and let her know that she might need a bit of time off. But every time the idea popped into her head, Darci shot it down. Felicity wouldn't understand, especially since she'd waited so long. After all, things should be under control by now.
 

Darci ran the water in the sink to do the dishes, and almost laughed at the thought of things being under control. She slid a few plates into the water, squirted soap on top of everything and started scrubbing. She gave Taylor an hour. An hour of cleaning things that didn't need to be cleaned, folding laundry, organizing books on the shelf and whatever other busy work she could find to keep herself occupied. Darci hoped Tay would come out on her own, but when it didn't happen, she braced herself, picked up the duster as an excuse, and headed for her daughter's room

"Tay?" Darci knocked gently. "Are you sleeping? I thought I should give your room a little dusting."

Nothing.
 

"Tay?" Darci knocked louder.
 

When she didn't answer the second time, panic built up and she flung open the door. "Are you..."

Taylor was sitting up in bed, staring at her mother. "You don't dust," she said, and pointed to the duster in Darci's hands.

"I don't..." Darci looked down to her hands and back to her daughter. "I thought...are you..."

"You thought I had another seizure?" Taylor's voice was flat. She hugged her knees close to her chest. "I'm fine," she said, resting her head on her legs.

"Oh, Tay." Darci moved across the room and sat on the bed. She stroked Taylor's hair the way she used to like when she was younger.
 

"I'm fine, Mom. I just feel so stupid." Taylor looked up. Unshed tears in her eyes. "I can't go back to school. Everyone's going to think I'm a freak."

"They're-"

"I had a seizure, Mom. Have you ever seen one?" Darci shook her head. "We watched a video in health class last year about epilepsy. It's crazy. It's...I can't believe I did that."

"That's enough."
 

The sharpness in her mother's voice was enough to get Taylor's attention. "Pardon?"
 

"I said, that's enough." Darci stood and grabbed some laundry from the floor. "You had a seizure. You have diabetes. It's not the end of the world." Darci wasn't entirely sure where she was going with her mini lecture, but she kept going. Maybe she could convince herself too? "You can't live the rest of your life in your room."
 

"Yes I can." Taylor buried her head in her pillow.

"No." Darci threw the sweater she was holding at Taylor. "I will not let you hide in your room and feel sorry for yourself. You get one day, Tay. That's it. And then it's back to school and soccer. You have a game tomorrow and Doctor Wilson said you'd be ready to play."

"Mom."
 

Darci picked up another sweater and started folding it. Anything to keep from telling Taylor that it was fine; she didn't have to go to school. That she could stay home and hide with her. That's what Darci wished she could do too, but it wasn't going to do either of them any good. "One day, Taylor," Darci said again. She put the hoodie down and started walking to the door.

"I'm sorry, Mom."
 

Something in Taylor's voice stopped her and Darci turned around.
 

"I didn't even ask you how your date was with Coach Cam."
 

Darci looked down at her hands, but not fast enough to hide her blush.
 

"Mom?" Taylor asked again. "Did it go okay? I know I screwed it up and everything, but when are you going out again?"

"We're not." She looked up and faced Taylor head on.

Taylor hopped up on her knees, her own drama seemingly forgotten. "What do you mean?" she moaned. "Please tell me it's not because of me."
 

Darci forced her face to stay neutral. "It has nothing to do with you. I just don't think I want to date anyone right now."

"Because of me." It wasn't a question. The pained look on her daughter's face told her everything.
 

"No," Darci lied again. "It has nothing to do with you."

"But Coach Cam is perfect for you. Mom, you really should-"

"No," Darci snapped. She instantly regretted it, but couldn't take it back. They stared at each other for a few moments. Finally, Darci swallowed hard and squared her shoulders. "I have to go to work, kiddo. I'm sorry. Just hang out and relax today. There's lots of food in the fridge. You know my number and I'll call and check on you."

"I'm not a kid anymore, Mom. I can handle it."

Darci stopped at the door, looked back and smiled. "I know." She turned and left the room.

"Then maybe you should grow up," Darci heard Taylor mutter. She paused, but didn't turn around. There was nothing she could say to that. She closed the door behind her.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Darci did her best to hide the bags under her eyes with layers of make up before she dragged herself to the shop. Taylor's words kept replaying in her mind and every time she recalled the look on her daughter's face when she told her she wouldn't be seeing Cam again, she cringed. Taylor had looked the way Darci felt on the inside. Admitting that she liked him was the easy part. What wasn't there to like? But she wasn't in high school anymore and it wasn't as easy as simply liking someone. She had responsibilities.

She put the car into park outside Golden Moon Health and took a moment to compose herself before heading in. She had to stop thinking about it, and focus on the shop. Monica hadn't made any overt attempts to sabotage her in the last few weeks, but their relationship had definitely shifted far away from friendship, and Darci had to stay alert. Any thoughts of Cam or the relationship they did or did not have, would have to wait.
 

The bells over the door tinkled as Darci walked in. Monica was lounging against the counter and raised her head up from whatever magazine she was reading.
 

"Busy?" Darci asked. She stored her tote under the cupboard and glanced around. The store was empty except for one woman who was browsing through a selection of natural shampoos.
 

"It's been pretty slow," Monica replied. She tucked her magazine away. "You're late you know?"

Darci looked up at the clock. "I'm exactly on time, thank you very much."

"I believe it was you who told me how important it was to be early for every shift so you can start right on time." Monica slid a clipboard across the counter and flipped through the pages. "I put that on my list of recommendations," she said.
 

Darci strained to see what Monica was working on. "Recommendations for what?"

"Well, now that I'm assistant manager, I thought I would make a few suggestions for the employee manual. If we want Golden Moon Health to thrive, we need to all band together as a team."

Darci tried not to roll her eyes. "We don't have an employee manual."
 

"Exactly my point." Monica scribbled something on the clipboard. "I think it's high time we did. Oh, don't you think that customer could use a little help?" She pointed to the woman who had gone from examining the backs of the bottles, to unscrewing the caps and sniff testing each shampoo. "She's been here awhile."

"Absolutely," Darci said. She pulled out a folder and began to review the day's shipments. After a second, she could still see Monica in her peripheral vision. "Aren't you going to help her?" she asked Monica who hadn't moved.
 

The smirk on the other woman's face sparked a rage that Darci rarely felt. "I'm off shift," Monica said. "You should help her." She looked down and continued writing.

Darci took a deep breath. "You said she'd been here awhile. You didn't ask her if you could help?"

"I was busy."
 

The urge to shove her clipboard into her face was strong, but Darci managed to contain herself. She pasted a smile on her face and moved around the counter to assist the customer.
 

It took almost fifteen minutes to help the woman find a shampoo that was not only made with natural, organic ingredients but also smelled like coconuts. Darci rang up her purchase and waited until the customer had left the store before turning to Monica, who was still lounging against the counter.
 

"I thought you had somewhere to be?"

"What made you think that?" Monica had stashed her clipboard and was once again randomly turning pages in her magazine.
 

"That's what you said when I asked you to cover my shift today. Taylor was just in the hospital again, and I was hoping to be able to stay home with her today."

Monica looked up. "Right. Yeah, those plans got cancelled."
 

She didn't believe her for a second, but Darci swallowed her frustration. It actually made her sad that the friendship between them had disintegrated so badly. They'd been friends. Monica had probably been her only friend. At least, that's what she'd thought. And after the way she'd treated Cam, she wasn't likely to have any friends at all. The sudden thought made Darci sad. "Monica, what happened?"
 

"What are you talking about?"
 

Darci tried to smile. "With us, I mean. I thought we were friends."

Monica raised an eyebrow. "You did?" She laughed, a sound that cut through Darci. A combination of a cackle and a giggle, it was anything but funny. Darci tried not to flinch. "I don't know why you'd think that," Monica said. "I've worked for you for years and let's be honest, you always thought I was stupid."

"That's not true."

"It is. But I'm not stupid at all. I have plans, Darci. And they don't include being a lowly employee forever. I'm going to be the manager of this place and then maybe even owner someday. Wouldn't that be a laugh, you working for me?"
 

Darci's stomach flipped but she tried to ignore Monica's smug look and decided to play it cool. Getting Monica even more fired up, would definitely not work in her favor.

"Sounds like a great plan," Darci said, trying not to gag on her own words. She turned to the till and pretended to busy herself with counting the float.