The Delinquent's Haven

Chapter 6

Chapter Six

 

          "Why aren't you in school, Darin?"  Maragret asked as she stepped through the front door and took in two relaxed figures on her couch.  Haven had her legs resting across Darin's lap and they laughed together as they dipped potato chips in coke, sharing jokes and small stories.  The sight had Maragret smiling, yet wondering why Darin hadn't left for school with Jackson like he normally does. 

          "I just . . . didn't feel good this morning," he lied smoothly while turning his head to give Haven a look to not say anything.  Maragret smiled and nodded, slightly catching his lie but not saying anything about it. 

          "Well, you seem to be doing fine now," she observed and gestured toward her two foster teens.  She smiled sweetly at Haven, who returned it almost immediately and then shoved a chip in her mouth.  

          "Oh, you two are going to have so many cavities . . . "  She said, sighing before asking, "Would you mind helping me with the groceries?" 

          "Sure," they said together and jumped up.

          Before they left and did what they were asked, the coke and chips were set on the table.  Then they were out the door in no time, still chuckling and talking about some joke or another.  Maragret sighed, going over to the table and lifting the coke.  She put a coaster under it and stood straight up, looking out the window at Darin and Haven. 

          She's never seen him smile and laugh as much as he did when he was around her.  It made her happy, of course, but also made her wonder what this girl held that was so different than the others.  Why could she make him smile after less than twenty-four hours of knowing each other?  Why was he so concerned on where she went last night?

          When Darin first came to the foster home, he was mute.  It took Jackson pestering him to no end until he finally exploded.  He was quiet and calm after that, only talking when spoken to.  He kept to himself and didn't spend much time around the other kids.  When he did hang out with the others, he was always listening to music or working on a car or motorcycle in the garage with Ryan.  It really didn't take him long to start hanging out and getting close to Jackson and Derek, though . . . but even then, he preferred to be left alone. 

          He hung a tire on his wall not long after his fascination with cars began.  After that, there wasn't a time that he was in the house.  He was always either at an auto parts shop, the junk yard or in the garage working on his latest project.  Not a day went by that he didn't come inside with greasy hands or oil stains on his clothes and in his hair. 

          "Thank you both," Maragret said once the groceries were inside and on the counters in the kitchen.  She didn't buy as much as she thought she had, but it was nice to have a break from unloading.  Her back had been aching and her feet were killing her.  Sighing, she watched as Darin and Haven headed out to the garage, only catching one thing that was said. 

          "Why do you say depression is consuming?"  Darin asked Haven as they walked out the back door.  Haven turned to him and laughed a little, pushing his arms and making him stumble slightly.  She felt happy around him; not hard, cold and secluded like she was with her "family". 

          "Because it is, Darin," she said with a weak smile after they stopped laughing about her shove.  He sighed as he opened the garage door, revealing a recently tore apart engine. 

          "But how do you cope with it if it's so consuming?"  He asked and she shook her head, telling him without words that she didn't want to talk about it, "Alright, some other time then?"