Clockwork Daisy

Chapter 14

Deacon

Chapter 14

Home was where I craved to be, but the clock tower was where I had to go. Facing Dirk was not at the top of my to-do list. I felt like a jerk, a bigger jerk than any Disney movie could create, because of how I'd snapped at Madge. Innocent little Madge Spell, who I'd known since the days of glitter glue, polka dot paint and Reading Rainbow. I couldn't fathom the idea of losing her, but I didn't know how to be the hero. 

Dust splashed across my face as I kicked open the clock tower door. I waved my hands wildly, attempting to purify the air. It did no good. "I'm just doing some power cleaning." Dirk called from the ladder's top as he slammed his rag into every dirty spot possible. "You can finish up." 

He started climbing down and I just knew. "You spoke to Madge." I concluded, setting down my backpack.

"She skipped last period and came here to talk to me." Dirk said, sounding saddened. 

"Madge skipping school?" I couldn't believe it. She strives for perfect attendance. 

"What you did to her was pretty rough, boy." Dirk shook his head. He was so close to me that I could see the grease on his moustache. "Yelling at her in the middle of the hallway like that? The things you said to her? Unforgivable."

"Dirk..." I stumbled over my words, feeling foolish and weak. "How can I make it up to her?" 

Dirk pursed his lips and grabbed his grey jacket, which had his name embroidered on it in cursive. "Do something big." He brushed past me in a flash. "Lock up when you're done."

Mom had her feet up when I walked in. She sunk into the 80's patterned couch like an iron weight, leaning her head against the arm rest as Anya zoned out to cartoons from her perch on the stained carpet. "Dee!" She jumped up when she saw me, colliding with my legs. 

"Hey, Anya." I greeted, patting her fiery hair. "How was school?"

"Terrific!" She announced. "We made landscape paintings. Mine's still drying, though. I'll bring it home when it's done." 

"Okay, Anya." I smiled. "You do that." 

She scurried back over to her cartoons and I walked over to the couch, stuffing my hands into my pockets. "Mom." 

Her eyes flickered open and a grin spread across her face when she saw me. "How are you, Dee?"

"I've been better." At least I was honest. "You look exhausted. How was work?"

"Good, actually." She looked pleased. "I got hired to a new house today." 

"Really?" I couldn't control the happiness that rushed through me. "That's great!" 

"It's great, but the woman is very specific. Likes things done in a certain way." Mom smirked. "It's kind of admirable in a weird way." 

"Huh." I wasn't sure how to respond, so I slinked into the kitchen. 

"Oh!" Mom called, sitting up. "I saw Beth there."

I gulped and kicked off my sneakers. "Where?"

"At the house I was just talking about." Mom said slowly. "She was there with the woman's daughter."

Beth had tons of friends and I was sure many of them lived on Wisteria Hill, but that didn't suffice. "Who's house were you at, exactly?"

Mom stood up and rolled her shoulders, attempting to relieve tension. "The last name is Wells." 

I nearly fell to the linoleum. 

"Deacon, are you okay?" Mom pulled herself up off the couch. "You look a little faint."

I shrugged away from her. "I'm fine. It's probably just something I ate. I'll be in my room." Drowning in misery. 

The vending machine was refusing to work. My fist had collided with its plastic coating over ten times as I attempted to get my money's worth. All I wanted was a miniature bag of cookies. I only had ten minutes before first period and my stomach growled from the lack of breakfast I had put in it.

"I didn't realize your mom still did cleaning work." Beth was inches away from me out of nowhere. She leaned on the vending machine, adding just enough pressure so that as she spoke, my snack came tumbling out. 

I bent down to pick it up, a little self conscious. I hadn't had a real conversation with Beth in over a year. "It's steady and reliable." 

"I saw her yesterday." Beth fiddled with a button on her cashmere sweater. 

"I know. She told me." I popped open the bag. "You were at Ellie's."

"I was." Beth cast her eyes on the ground. A habit she'd formed over the years whenever she was hiding something. 

"What's on your mind?" I asked, trying to catch her gaze. "Why'd you come over to talk to me?"

Beth's eyes were glazed over as she peered up at me. She opened her mouth, but snapped it shut quickly. She took a big chomp on her spearmint gum and recovered. "I just wanted to let you know I saw your mom, that's all. I have to get to class." 

She spun on the heel of her sparkly shoes. I could have stopped her and reminded her we both have the same class first period. I could have walked with her. We could have had an honest to goodness conversation. We could have. 

"Madge, I can't even begin to express how sorry I am. I can't afford to lose a friend like you. Please forgive me." I drew my eyes away from a dented locker, which I was pretending was Madge. "Trevor, how was that?"

Trevor motor-boated his lips in disgust. "You said Dirk said do something big, not something pathetic."

I knocked Trevor lightly on the side of the head. "Thanks, man. You're a big help." I sunk down onto the cold hallway floor. It was the last period of the day, and Trevor and I had snuck out of our study halls to practice what was sure to be a failure of an apology. "The last time I had to apologize to Madge was when I stepped on her favorite Malibu Barbie and its head flew off."

"Barbies are a pretty big deal." Trevor chuckled. "If she forgave you for that, she has to forgive you for this." 

"Shut up man!" I yelled from the floor. 

Trevor spun around, avoiding my flailing arms as I tried to hit him. Then suddenly, something at the end of the hall caught his attention. "Hey there Ms. Wells."

I shot up like a lightning strike, I even dumbly attempted to smooth out my wrinkled plaid shirt. Ellie walked toward us at a dainty rate, a pleasant smile on her face. "Hello Trevor." She gave him a small wave and he nearly fell over in excitement. She noticed me shortly thereafter. "Deacon, nice to see you." 

I swallowed down whatever nerves were holding me back. "Listen, Ellie. I'm sorry about my mom. I didn't know she'd be working for your family..."

Ellie held up a hand, signalling me to stop my chatter. "Your mom is lovely." She took a few steps closer to me. "I didn't, and will not, judge you for your mother's job. She works hard. She deserves the money she makes."

A cool wind of relief passed through my body. I relaxed, leaning on the locker behind me. "Thank you, Ellie."

She gave a small nod. "No thank you necessary." She turned, as if to leave, but thought of something else to add and turned around. "And just so you know, Deacon, I wouldn't judge you for anything else, either. What's past is past." Ellie left after that, heading in the direction of the bathrooms. It took me a moment to  digest what Ellie had said. 

"Trevor, what do you think she meant..." I began to ask, but soon I was answering my own question. "Trevor, let's pick this up later. I need to find Beth."