CHAPTER 19

DARCY

 

“That’s the third call this morning for a service,” I tell Stephen.

“Good maybe things are picking up then…”

God, I hope so. The last two weeks haven’t been busy at all. I was starting to think that maybe it was time to give up, this place is killing me trying to keep it afloat, I don’t know how I’d explain that to Dad though.

It’s been in the family for so long. I smile at him and walk back to the office.

While Adam and I were away for the night, Todd went through the books for me and it doesn’t look good... I was thinking it was only me that got the figures wrong; I’d gone over it so many times I thought it was my eyes but apparently not, this place is sinking and if I don’t do something about it then I’m going to sink with it.

With Dad’s problems, I can’t afford to let that happen. He’s not good, he’s so depressed- he doesn’t get out of bed unless we make him and I’m so worried about him.

The day quickly passes, it’s surprising how quick it goes when you’re busy. I’ve forgotten what that felt like!

We’ve had a couple cars in for MOT’s in and people have been just dropping in on the off chance to see if we can fit them in, it looks like those flyers are starting to do the trick. I wrap everything up here, lock up and head home.

I notice Dad’s in bed again when I reach the house, their bedroom is on the front and I can see the curtains are closed.

Letting myself in, I go straight through to the kitchen. Mum is sitting at the table staring at nothing. “Mum?”

Breaking from her trance, “Oh, Darcy. Hello sweetheart, I didn’t hear you come in.”

I frown. “Are you okay, Mum?” She doesn’t answer right away; just keeps staring at the wall it seems.

Sitting beside her, I hold her hand but they’re cold. “Mum please talk to me.” Her bottom lip starts to quiver as the tears fill her eyes. Slowly one by one they start to trickle down her face.

“Oh Mum, please don’t cry.” I pull her towards me and rest her head on my shoulder, hugging her to me.

“I just don’t know what to do anymore, Darce. I don’t think it’s about the pain or not being able to do what he wants anymore, he’s just severely depressed. The tablets he’s on knock him out so he sleeps all the time, I can’t get any sense out of him... I’m at my wit’s end, honey.”

I feel so bloody helpless. “Mum, I’m sorry I went away. I should be here helping you - not going off on a night away thinking of myself all the time.”

“Now you listen to me, Darcy. You’re young, you’re beautiful and you deserve a life of your own. You’ve spent long enough already helping us out and I want you to have some fun... you have Adam too now.”

I glance at Mum’s face - she looks so sad.

My phone ringing brings me out of my musings. Grabbing it quickly before it rings off, I look at the screen and see it’s Adam. I place it back down and concentrate on Mum. “It’s Adam. I’ll ring him back.”

“No! Go and speak to him, it might be important.”

“But you’re important too, Mum.

“Answer the phone. I’ll still be here.” I nod. Swiping across the screen I pick up the call.

“Hey,” I say and head upstairs.

“Hey babe, You ok?”

“Not really,” I say sighing. “I came home to Mum just staring into space, I don’t know how to help her Adam... I try and... I don’t know.”

“I’m coming over.”

“No, you don’t have to do that.”

“No arguments. See you in ten.” The next I hear is the dialling tone. He cut me off.

I head into my Dad’s room but again he’s asleep. “Dad. Are you awake?” I wait for a moment and watch for movement but there’s none. I walk towards the bed worried.

“Dad?” I say a bit louder but still nothing. Getting towards the edge I pull the duvet back an inch or two, he’s lying on his back and I can see his chest moving up and down. I shake him gently. “Dad, wake up.” I say it a bit louder.

I lie on my side next to him on the bed and watch him sleep. All the memories come flooding back from my childhood. Dad tossing me around, carrying me around on his back. Laughing, joking, teaching me about cars.

The boys at school were so jealous of me because I could tell them the model of any car... but it also got me the wrong attention too.

Boys telling me I’m a tomboy because I didn’t like dolls. By the time I went to secondary school, I’d got over the idiots trying to bully me because I was different to the other girls it was like water off a duck’s back.

Dad moves so I try again… “Dad? Are you awake?” he slowly starts to open his eyes and looks at me.

“Oh hey, sweet pea,” he groans.

“You okay?”

“Yeah... I’m just tired.”

“Dad, you’re always sleeping. Maybe you should ease up on those tablets, huh?”

“No. They make me feel better.”

“How can they make you feel better, when you lie in a room with curtains closed twenty-four hours a day and all you do is sleep, you barely eat. Mum is a mess and me... well I just want my Dad back,” I tell him weakly.

A lone tear makes a path down my cheek until it reaches the corner of my mouth. “Please Dad.”

“Come here.” He says. I move closer and cuddle him. “Let me just have half an hour longer and I’ll get up.”

“I love you, Dad.” I tell him with a sigh. I move off the bed and realise it’s no good - no matter what I say he’s not getting up. As I leave the room I see him reach for his tablets and take another two.

Shaking my head, I leave the room and let him go back to sleep. I head straight for my room, drop face down on to the bed, bury my head into the pillow and cry to let the hurt out.

I hear a quiet knock on my door, I quickly wipe the wetness from face and shout out, “Yeah.”

The door opens and standing there is Adam. The dam breaks as he rushes towards the bed and wraps me up in his arms. Lying on the bed snuggled into Adam, I forget everything and I let him be my strength.