What Happened That Summer

Chapter Seven

Darcy was in a much better mood, once she had gotten the chance to talk to Melody and Cadenza. They were the one constant in her life, and to be honest, the best thing that had happened to Darcy.

It was an accident, of course. No nineteen year old in their right mind would decide to get pregnant in their second year of college.

Her then-boyfriend, Martin Albens, had been drunk and so had she. Six weeks later, they broke up.

Three weeks after that, Darcy found out she was pregnant. Martin had gotten a different girlfriend, Cadenza Berring. She was pissed for the first six minutes, but after she realized Darcy was a really good cook, she took their situation into consideration.

A plan was drawn up, one that they all had agreed on. The semester was ending in a week, and Darcy wouldn't take classes. Cadenza and Martin would take custody until Darcy was able to provide. Darcy would visit almost every week. It was a good plan.

With a major flaw.

Martin's job in the military.

Three weeks before Darcy's due date, he was killed by a faulty RPG on the base in North Carolina while training.

And since then, it was just Darcy, Cadenza, and Melody. Darcy made the move to New York City because her uncle had decided to leave his diner in her hands. She had it remodeled and renamed, and soon it became Melody's, named after her late mother and her daughter.

Even though Cadenza didn't like Darcy very much in the beginning, they became good friends, and Darcy trusted her. It was all she could have done. Cadenza had done everything for Melody, even working three jobs for a while when Martin's life insurance ran into some hiccups.

The late-night coffee runs, the jokes about Martin's taste in redheads, due to Cadenza's own ginger locks.

"Am I seeing this correctly?" Ares' gasped. "Darcy Quinn, smiling? I am shocked!"

Darcy nearly fell off the bed in fright. "Jesus, don't you know how to knock? Also, I do smile a lot more now than I did when I was 16. It's not a rare occurrence."

"First of all, no. And second of all, you don't smile when I'm around." Ares said.

"Maybe I was smiling because you weren't here," Darcy suggested.

"Ouch! Kitty's got claws." Ares clutched his chest.

Darcy rolled her eyes at how dramatic Ares was acting.

"Any reason you're acting like a fifteen-year-old girl who got roasted?" She asked him.

"No reason. Just cause I feel like it." Ares mused.

"For some reason, I'm not surprised." Darcy sighed.

"You should be," Ares said. "Wanna watch a movie again?"

Darcy shook her head. "Actually, I have plans."

"Shocker," Ares said.

"Says the one who's been lounging on the couch and drinking booze." Darcy retorted.

"I said I'll pay you back. And I wasn't lounging today. I've been busy."

"Don't bother, not as I drink anyway. You probably just drank all of Tori's booze stash. She'll kill you."

"She can do whatever she wants. She's hot. Or have you not noticed?"

"She's also not interested in guys," Darcy replied. "She's lesbian."

"Damnit. Does she have a twin or something?" Ares mused.

Darcy wrinkled her nose in disgust, "If she does, I hope the twin never crosses paths with you."