That One Summer

July 23, 2011 - Proper Ediquite

Dear Diary,

I've had the best surprise ever.

"I have a surprise for you!" Darla says, too excited to knock on my door before coming in.

Thankfully I wasn't undressed or anything, I was in bed, I still hadn't gotten up since I came to my room after Calvin and Sylvia had left the night before last. I answer Darla with a grumble.

"Hey Jaaaaane!" The familiarity of her voice has me excited before my brain can process what I'm hearing.

I look up to see Vanessa standing in my room and nearly fall out of bed before leaping up to grab her into a hug.

"What are you doing here?!" I nearly cry into her hair.

There wasn't anything better than Vanessa that I could use at that point.

"My, my, I have never seen Jane so happy before. This is so sweet, my goodness." Darla can hardly stand still with her giddiness.

"I felt bad we kept missing each other. I wanted to come visit." There's a secret behind her eyes, I knew her better than anyone, but I would ask her about it later, when we were alone. "Your uncle gave me your grandpas number, I wanted to surprise you. Darla actually paid for my flight."

I could kiss Darla.

"Thank you Darla." She clutches her chest and drops her jaw, not feigning to hide her shock at my manners.

"You're welcome Janie!" She sweeps the both of us up in one big hug. "Vanessa is going to help with the wedding tomorrow too." Darla adds.

"She is?"

"Uh huh, catering. I figured you girlies would want to spend as much time with each other as possible and I knew you had to work the wedding tonight, so. I already cleared it with Calvin." My heart sinks at the mention of him. Vanessa must have noticed something, because she's peering at me ever so cautiously.

"You don't have to come here to work Van." I offer.

"Oh no, I'd be happy to. Darla made it sound like a lot of fun."

Little does she know Darla makes everything sound like fun, true or not.

"Well, we have a training thing today, did Darla tell you? It starts at 9." I say.

"I'll ready you girls some breakfast then, see you downstairs in 5. Jane, can I talk to you in the hall for just a minute?" Darla says motioning towards the door.

I'm happy Vanessa doesn't know Darla well enough yet to tell that the big smile on her face isn't any indication that her words are about to match the expression.

"Okay?"

"Well Vanessa is so sweet." She says in a jolly whisper once we're out in the hall.

"Is that what you took me out here to say?"

"No Jane." She had this special happy eye roll that she would give me now. It was like she was annoyed with me and something I was saying, but she was still smiling like I was just being silly.

"Well thank you so much for bringing her out here. It's nice to have a little piece of home." Darla can't help but squeal in happiness and squeeze my shoulders again with both hands.

"Well you can repay me by being a little nice to your grandpa."

"What?" I cross my arms.

"Jane, I know you're upset with him, but your grandpa loves you so much! He's really torn up that you two haven't been speaking."