Sugar Crash (17 page)

Darci gulped down the rest of her tea and swallowed hard. If she was waiting for the perfect time to talk to her boss, it wasn't going to get much better.
 

"That's actually what I wanted to discuss with you today, Felicity. I'm sure you've noticed that I haven't been as present in the shop as I usually am."

The older woman nodded. "It hadn't escaped my attention, no."

"And I am sorry about that. You see, I've always prided myself on doing my very best at all times. Both as a mother and as a shop manager. I love Golden Moon Health."

"I know you do." The kindness in her words encouraged Darci to keep talking.

"And I've never asked for help. That's been important to me too. I know how important it is to you as well that family doesn't get in the way of professional life, and that's why I've worked so hard to balance everything. In the last six years, I've rarely called in sick or taken time off because of Taylor. I've done everything I can..." Emotion overwhelmed her and Darci had to turn away to compose herself.
 

Nobody spoke for a moment and it was Monica that finally broke the silence. "That's really not something I need to worry about. My attention is totally on the shop."

Darci shot her a look but it was Felicity that spoke. "Monica, why don't you run out to the bakery and get us some muffins for breakfast?"

Monica sulked, but didn't protest. They waited until the door shut behind her, and then Felicity spoke again, "Whatever gave you the idea that I didn't think family was important?" She spoke softly, her gentle voice a stark contrast to her usual business persona.
 

Tears built in Darci's eyes and she blinked hard to keep them at bay. She would not cry in front of her boss. It was bad enough that she was spilling her guts. "I just...you've always been so focused and..."

"And I don't have a family of my own, right?"

Darci nodded. "You give everything you have to your business," she said. "I've always admired that about you. So I've tried to give you that too."

"Well, let me tell you, Darci. It wasn't all by choice. I've often wished I had a family too."
 
Felicity waved her hand in the air. A wistful look passed over her face, but was gone before it could settle. "I'm not going to bore you with stories of years gone by. But you should know that even if I don't have a family of my own, I recognize their value. Family is truly our one greatest gift. And yes, sometimes they conflict with work and that's okay too." She smiled warmly and put her hand on Darci's and patted. "Do you know why I hired you, all those years ago?"

Darci shook her head. Unshed tears pooled in her eyes and she didn't trust herself to speak.

"You were a fighter. You'd just lost your husband and had a beautiful young daughter to raise. Instead of crying into your coffee, you pulled yourself up and were determined to do your best to give that little girl a good life. You were a fighter then, and you still are today. Now, why don't you tell me what's been going on."

"How do you-"

"Darci, I know it wasn't you that messed up the inventory. This old bird is much smarter than that. But I also know that something is going on with you. So, talk."

For the next few minutes, Darci filled her in on Taylor's health status and their trips to the hospital. She explained why the store had been closed that Monday while Darci was at the hospital and Monica hadn't shown up to cover her shift. She explained that she'd been distracted, and while she hated doing a bad job, she needed the time to focus on Taylor.
 

When she was done, Felicity surprised her by pulling Darci into a firm hug. While they were embracing, Monica returned with the muffins.
 

"I guess this means I'm not getting her job," she said, and dumped the box on the counter.

Felicity and Darci pulled apart and stared at her. "You were never going to get her job, my dear," Felicity said.
 

"But I thought-"

"You got a promotion because you had been doing a good job. But I must tell you, I don't tolerate sneakiness and underhanded behavior." She fixed Monica with a sharp look that left no room for questions.
 

Monica opened the box and reached in. "I'm sorry," she said. She handed Darci a muffin. Her favorite, blueberry. "I am sorry," she said again.
 

Darci looked at her. Things would be different and they'd probably never be friends again, but she didn't have time to hold a grudge. She took the muffin. "I know," she said.
 

A look of relief washed over Monica's face. "How is Taylor?"

"She's coping pretty well." Darci said. "But it's been rough."
 

"So." Felicity clapped her hands, and said, "What can we do to help?"

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

The party was in full swing, and Darci sat back with a tall glass of lemonade watching her daughter and her friends dancing. She couldn't keep the smile off her face watching the girls dominate the dance floor, while their male counterparts sat on the sidelines watching. At least she wouldn't have to worry about Taylor dating for a little while yet.
 

"You did good," Cam said as he slid into the chair next to Darci. "Looks like the Sugar Crash party is a huge success."

Her stomach somersaulted at his easy smile. "Thanks. The kids seem to be having fun, and I hope they learned something too. Joelle was so good showing them the needles and explaining how Taylor needed insulin to live. I think they got it."

"I think they did." Cam nodded. "They're smart kids and they all really care about Taylor."

Darci sighed, and looked around again. There was one very notable absence at the party. She'd been hoping, for Taylor's sake, that Susanna and Jennica would come. Or at least Jennica. Taylor told her that the other girl had been avoiding her more than usual at school, and although she said it didn't bother her, Darci knew that it did. Despite her overbearing mother, Jennica was one of Taylor's closest friends, and it would have meant a lot to her to have her there.
 

"You can't make everyone happy," Cam said, reading her mind. "Some people just take longer to understand things. She'll come around."

"I hope so. And I hope it's not too late for their friendship, or for the team." Darci looked pointedly at Cam. She couldn't help feel a little responsible that the Chargers were missing one of their strongest players.
 

Cam waved his hand. "Don't worry about that. I've been dealing with difficult parents for years. We see them at the store all the time." He grinned and ran a hand through his hair. "It was an easy call to back you guys up on that one. I said it before, and I'll say it again, I will not tolerate disrespect of any of my players."

She reached out and before she could over think it, she put her hand on Cam's knee. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." For a moment, his eyes locked on hers and she thought he might kiss her again. She couldn't count how many times she'd replayed their kiss in her mind. And with their relationship, or whatever it was, on the mend again, Darci didn't know what to think. Or what to expect.
 

She kept her eyes locked on his, but something over her shoulder caught his gaze and he looked up and over her head. "It looks like someone may have come to their senses after all."

She turned to see where he was looking.
 

Susanna and Jennica stood in the doorway to the community hall. Susanna patted her hair and looked around nervously. For a moment, Darci took pity on her. She looked so unsure of herself and out of place and Darci couldn't remember Susanna ever looking unsure of herself. Then she remembered all the awful things the woman had said about Taylor and diabetes, and any whiff of pity she'd felt vanished.
 

 
But pity or not, Darci knew she had to talk to her. Reluctantly, she looked to Cam one more time, and said, "I think there's someone I need to talk to."

He stood with a smile and helped her to her feet. "I thought so."

On her way across the hall, Darci caught Taylor's eye and gestured towards the doorway. Just as Darci knew she would, Taylor picked up on her cue right away, and ran over to Jennica. Darci was still too far away to hear what they said, but after only a moment, Jennica took Taylor's hand and they ran off together to the dance floor. Darci smiled, proud of her daughter's infinite ability to be warm and welcoming. Taking a note from Taylor herself, Darci put a smile on her face and crossed the distance to Susanna, who, without Jennica by her side, was looking even more uncomfortable than she had a moment before.
 

"It was good of you to come," Darci said.
 

"Well, I..." Susanna glanced around. "I thought it was the right thing." Her forehead furrowed and Darci could see the conflict work across her face.
 

"It is." Darci reached out and took Susanna's hand. "Thank you for coming."
 

It took a moment, but the other woman's face softened. Darci knew the emotional cost it must have taken for her to come after everything that had been said. She squeezed Susanna's hand. "Come and get something to eat," she said. Darci scanned the crowd and found Joelle, chatting with a group of parents. "And there's someone I want you to talk to."
 

Susanna didn't protest as Darci led her, weaving slowly through the crowd, but as they approached the table full of people, she stopped and yanked back on Darci's hand.
 

Darci turned and saw Susanna's eyes filled with unshed tears. "Susanna?"

Tears spilled down her perfectly made up face and Darci grabbed a paper napkin off a nearby table for her to blot with.
 

"I'm so sorry, Darci." She sniffed loudly, and blew her nose. "I said terrible things, and-"

"Forget it," Darci said. "You're here now."
 

###

The rest of the evening went by in a blur of dancing, laugher and fun. Looking around, Darci marveled more than once at the amount of people who had come out to support Taylor. A community filled with people that she'd spent years keeping at arms length had rallied in support of her and her daughter. The thought brought her to the verge of tears more than once. But, she still reserved her tears for her nightly runs, although she cried less and less.

Cam came up beside her and touched her back. Lightly, tentatively. "It's almost time to wrap this up," he said, his voice full of regret.
 

Darci looked around the crowd again, then back at Cam. "There's just one more thing I have to do." With a quick smile in his direction, she went to search out Tim, who fulfilled her request and plugged a microphone into the sound system. He helped her climb up on the table, and then she was there, standing in front of a community of people most of whom were still strangers to her. One by one, heads turned in her direction and the noise settled down.
 

 
All at once, Darci was unsure of what she was about to say, about what she should say. But there was no turning back. Everyone was watching. She cleared her throat creating a terrible sound that reverberated through the speakers.
 

Darci closed her eyes for a second, took a deep breath and then said, "Hello everyone. I just wanted to take a minute to thank you for coming." Her voice cracked and wavered as she looked through the crowd. Scanning, she found Taylor's smiling face and locked onto it. She smiled at her daughter and continued, "It means so much to both Taylor and I that you all have chosen to learn about diabetes and to support us. It's all been so overwhelming." A few of Taylor's friends broke out in spontaneous cheers of "Yay, Taylor" and "Woo hoo". Darci smiled, swallowed hard and continued with the part of the speech that she hadn't planned until only a few moments earlier. "But it's not enough," she bellowed into the microphone.
 

She watched Taylor's face turn down into a frown. Scattered gasps and whispers went through the crowd.
 

"There is till so much that can be done. So much that is still unknown about diabetes. Millions of people, people like Taylor, and maybe even a relative, friend or neighbor is living with diabetes, with no hope for a cure. Just a lifetime of insulin shots and managing a disease that could one day take their vision or maybe even a limb. A disease that could one day take their life." Darci had to look away from Taylor. Her eyes searched the group; everyone was riveted on her words. She found Barb, who was smiling in support. Susanna, her eyes still red from crying, dabbed fresh tears from her eyes. Finally, Darci found Cam in the crowd. She smiled and he winked.
 

"There's more that we can do," she said. "A friend of mine recently encouraged me to sign up for a half marathon and all of the funds raised will go to Team Diabetes, a charity that is dedicated to supporting those who live with diabetes as well as those working to find a cure. I will be running in honor of my daughter, and the cure that I hope they will one day find. I would like to invite you all to join me." Darci raised her hand to settle any protests. "There are distances to challenge everyone. No matter what your fitness level is. It's a challenge for sure, but so is living with such a terrible disease. So please," Darci looked over the room. "Will anyone join me?"

For a few excruciating moments, the crowd was silent except for a few murmurs. Darci turned, and looked slowly, trying not to focus on anyone in particular. After what seemed like an eternity, but must have only been a few seconds, Cam's voice rose above the crowd. "I would be proud to run with you for such a great cause."
 

She smiled gratefully in his direction, but didn't have time to say anything because Cam had caused a chain reaction of people shouting out, "Me too" and, "I'm in" or, "Sign me up". Darci blinked back tears, but it was one voice that permeated the cacophony of voices that reached her ears. One voice, that broke her heart and made it swell with pride all at the same time. "I want to run too, Mom."