The Sweetest Things In Life

"Do you think she'll notice if we bring this stuff into the house?"

Charlie's worried voice seemingly sails over Darcy's ears as she drags him through Marks & Spencer, their arms already full from going to Tesco 20 minutes before. They've been at this for hours, ever since Darcy dragged him into an empty laneway when school got out and told him of her plan, which he was all for in the beginning, but now was questioning if they could even pull it off.

Sarah Nelson, other than being a saint, was punctual as hell and if they messed up by even a second, he was sure Sarah would get home before they could even try and somehow hide everything. That would end with some really awkward explaining and while he knew Sarah would be okay with it, touched even, he didn't exactly want to mess up everything.

Darcy, however, seemingly thinks that they'll be fine, as evidenced by the look on her face as she turns to Charlie. It too, has the same anxiety he's feeling, but it's tinged with determination and longing that Charlie has sparks of from a few years ago when he first met Sarah, but nothing too grand to talk about as Darcy speaks. "I just want to show her how thankful I am to her, for taking me in."

Charlie knows Darcy's always had to prove herself. With her Dad long gone and her Mum being completely toxic and grossly inadequate as a parent (Sarah's words, not his), Darcy had always struggled behind the scenes of their friend group with the concept of family and love and caring.

Then both Tara and Nick came into her life and along with him, despite all the love she gained from Tara in spades, he'd brought his Mum and like Charlie, Darcy had found herself more loved and doted on than she had ever in her life. So much so that when her Mum and her had their big blowouts, Nick's house (or really, Sarah's house, since Nick had graduated and was attending uni 4 hours away) became a safe haven for her and all the emotional baggage that came with her. Nick, in the periods he was home for the weekend, became a very close friend in those dark times and Sarah was a light that surrounded them both and Charlie when he was in attendance as well.

(In actual fact, it was around everyone who met her that felt that light, but Darcy swore there was a certain shade of it only her, Nick and Charlie could see.)

Eventually, however, that light can't fix everything and the day Darcy turns up at Higgs with a black eye and hurried excuses about the bruises on her cheek, Tara immediately embraces her and calls Charlie, who shows up and uncharacteristically holds her like Nick would have if he was here while she falls apart in her girlfriend's arms.

After a lunch break spent making several phone calls, some hurried checking of Child Safety Laws in the UK on Google and the confirmation Darcy is 17 and can make her own decisions legally, everyone that is still in school with her in her friend group shows up en masse at Darcy's former front door to clean her room out.

Her "mother" was at work, so she had no idea she's left her until she comes home to a silent house and an even more echoing room that swallows Darcy's name sneering from her mouth, stripped of anything that had shown Darcy's personality and left as bare bones, the bed and other large furniture being the only thing still remaining. She, of course, bombards Darcy's phone with numerous texts, demanding an explanation, demanding she come back home and whatever she's up to, she stops right now this instant and grows up. Darcy's phone is commandeered by Tara however at the moment due to Issac, Charlie and her setting up her belongings in his spare bedroom as quickly as possible with Nick talking over them on Charlie's phone. Against Darcy's protests, she sends the nastiest, hate filled text she can muster and the phone suddenly goes quiet.

Thankfully, so far, it's stayed that way.

Now, a couple of weeks later since everything went down, it's Mother's Day. Nick's unable to make it due to mid-semester exams and David's been avoiding both his mother and Nick due to Tori being the best big sister ever to Charlie -- leaving Darcy who has been living under Sarah's roof for almost 2 months hellbent on making sure she has the best Mother's Day ever. Ever, ever, if she gets her way.