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AT BARLEY TWELVE, DARCIE HAD LOST her mother. All it had taken was a little bit of rain and a car to slip, resulting in two very loved women being taken so soon. For four children, they had lost their mother's; for two husbands, their wives.
The reality of her mother's death had not sunk in until the day of the funeral, where two coffins were nailed shut and a community grieved.
In the sea of black, there had been the occasional splash of colour. Those who had brought Adaline Combs clothes wore them, wanting to celebrate Darcie's mother. Joining them, Darcie had worn a flowery pink dress. Rochelle wore the matching dress but in green, though Darcie was alone as her elder sister played on the makeshift stage.
When Rochelle grieved, she played. When Darcie grieved, she...hid.
And that's what she did. Unable to cope with her hurting heart, Darcie fled from the watch of her grandparents, seeking somewhere so that no one could find her. Darcie found an old storage cupboard that she hurried into, hiding behind the boxes as her head fell into her shaky hands. Her breathing quickened, heart matching as Darcie couldn't calm herself down. A panic was spreading inside her as Darcie felt like she was drowning.
Somewhere, Darcie's family were silently looking for her while not risking upsetting her father any further. Yet, for Darcie, she was facing her first panic attack.
"Darcie?"
Gripping her head, Darcie doesn't look up as her eyes scrunch shut, though she's failed at staying quiet. Jacob's appearance gave her mind something to focus on, stilling the panic for a moment.
"Everyone's worried about you," said Jacob, sitting down next to Darcie as it became a tight squeeze for the two. "It's starting soon."
"How are you doing it?" Darcie asked.
"I don't know," Jacob admitted. "I guess I don't have a choice."
Darcie lifted her head, facing her friend. Like her, Jacob was puffy-eyed with tracks of tears staining his cheeks. His hair was tied back but a mess as poor Jacob had always had his mother to help him until now.
"I need my mom," Darcie told him. "I can't do this alone, Jake."
"You're not alone," Jacob promised. "I'm scared too, Darcie."
"Can we stay together?" Darcie asked, hating how frail she sounded. "Rochelle's playing..."
It was the worst part: Rochelle and Darcie hadn't left each other's side since the accident, but now Rochelle wanted to be every musical element of the service, knowing that's what their mother would have wanted. Darcie felt alone now that had opened her eyes to how truly heartbroken she was.
Jacob smiled, offering his hand as Darcie gripped onto it, stilling the shakiness of her trembling limbs.
"I promise," Jacob told her, needing Darcie just as much as she needed him. "We'll stay together."
