The Escape Collection: (The Escape Collection) (91 page)

“Hey.” Cam's voice surprised her and she jumped to her feet. She wiped her dirty hands on her thighs, heedless of her clothing. “Hey, are you okay?” Cam crossed the lawn towards her.
 

“I'm fine,” she said, trying to cover the quaver in her voice. “I thought I'd do a little gardening. It’s long overdue.”

Cam reached out and touched her face; gently wiping away a tear that she didn't know was there. “You’ve been crying.”

Darci shook her head; a denial they both knew was ridiculous. “I was just thinking.” She looked down at the pile of dead plants at her feet. When she looked up, she said, “I want to do it. I want to run the half marathon.”

His face transformed from concern to a smile that lit up his features.
 

“But,” Darci hesitated. She looked again at the long neglected garden that she’d just dug up. When she looked up, there were fresh tears in her eyes. “I'll need your help.”

***

There was one more thing that Darci had to take care of and it wasn't something that Cam, or anyone else could help her with. She had to talk to Felicity on her own. The problems at the shop weren't going to go away, she’d always known that. It was long past time that she addressed the situation.
 

There was no point putting things off either. Felicity had sent an email over the weekend, asking Darci to meet her at the shop on Monday morning. In the past, Darci would have assumed that the older woman wanted to discuss a new product line they should carry, or some new ideas for a marketing campaign. But with the way things had been going for the last little while, the meeting request filled Darci with a sense of dread. That was, until she decided to come clean.
 

Pulling up to the shop, Felicity's car was already there. Darci took a deep breath and opened her car door. After almost seven years of pretending she could do it on her own, of burning herself her out trying to be super mom, and the best employee she could, Darci was finally ready to admit that she needed help. The scariest part was, she had know idea how her boss would react.
 

Felicity was flipping through catalogs when Darci opened the door. The tinkle of the bells announced her entrance and Felicity looked up with a smile and a wave. “Good morning. How are you?”

Darci tucked her tote bag under the counter and trying her best to relax, she offered a weak smile.
 

“Are you alright, dear? I made some rose hip tea.” Felicity, in all her fierce businesswoman ways, also had a soft side. Darci relaxed a little, remembering the way Felicity always warmed to Taylor, offering her little treats every time she saw her.
 

“Tea would be great.”

Darci accepted the cup and wrapped her hands around it, absorbing the warmth.
 

“I know I called this meeting,” Felicity said after a moment. “But I’d say that it’s you that needs to talk about something. Am I right?”

Darci nodded.
 

“Go ahead, I’m listening.”

Darci took a sip of tea, swallowing slowly before speaking. “There's something I should-”

“Good morning!”
 

Both women turned to look towards the voice and the chime of the bells as Monica pushed her way into the store.

“What are you doing here?” Darci asked. She hadn’t intended to sound quite as rude as she did.
 

Monica ignored her and flounced towards them. Darci half expected her to jump up on the counter the way she usually did, but with Felicity standing there, Monica quickly grabbed a clipboard and a pen. Darci had never seen her look so efficient and even she had to admit that she looked almost business like.
 

Darci tried to hide her disappointment at seeing Monica. It would harder to talk to Felicity with her there. A lot harder. But Darci knew what she had to do and she’d already waited to long

“I didn't think you were on the schedule until this afternoon,” Darci said.
 

“Oh, I'm not.” Monica spoke casually, but Darci wasn’t fooled. “I’ve been coming in earlier lately, and staying late too.” She shot a look to Felicity, who didn't seem to be listening. Monica spoke louder. “I really want to get a grip on how things are run around here. You know, now that I've been made assistant manager.”

“Right.” Darci spared her a quick glance, and took another sip of the tea in an effort to fortify her.
 

“Maybe you'd know that if you were around more.” Monica delivered her parting shot and Darci sucked in a sharp breath. She restrained herself, but just barely, from glaring at Monica. Instead Darci's gaze landed on Felicity, who obviously had heard it too. She was watching Darci with a quizzical look.
 

Darci gulped down the rest of her tea and swallowed hard. If she was waiting for the perfect time to talk to her boss, it wasn't going to get much better.
 

“That's actually what I wanted to discuss with you today, Felicity. I'm sure you've noticed that I haven't been as present in the shop as I usually am.”

The older woman nodded. “It hadn't escaped my attention, no.”

“And I am sorry about that. You see, I've always prided myself on doing my very best at all times. Both as a mother and as a shop manager. I love Golden Moon Health.”

“I know you do.” The kindness in her words encouraged Darci to keep talking.

“And I've never asked for help. That's been important to me too. I know how important it is to you as well that family doesn't get in the way of professional life, and that's why I’ve worked so hard to balance everything. In the last six years, I’ve rarely called in sick or taken time off because of Taylor. I've done everything I can...” Emotion overwhelmed her and Darci had to turn away to compose herself.
 

Nobody spoke for a moment and it was Monica that finally broke the silence. “That's really not something I need to worry about. My attention is totally on the shop.”

Darci shot her a look but it was Felicity that spoke. “Monica, why don't you run out to the bakery and get us some muffins for breakfast?”

Monica sulked, but didn't protest. They waited until the door shut behind her, and then Felicity spoke again, “Whatever gave you the idea that I didn't think family was important?” She spoke softly, her gentle voice a stark contrast to her usual business persona.
 

Tears built in Darci's eyes and she blinked hard to keep them at bay. She would not cry in front of her boss. It was bad enough that she was spilling her guts. “I just...you've always been so focused and...”

“And I don't have a family of my own, right?”

Darci nodded. “You give everything you have to your business,” she said. “I've always admired that about you. So I’ve tried to give you that too.”

“Well, let me tell you, Darci. It wasn't all by choice. I've often wished I had a family too.”
 
Felicity waved her hand in the air. A wistful look passed over her face, but was gone before it could settle. “I'm not going to bore you with stories of years gone by. But you should know that even if I don't have a family of my own, I recognize their value. Family is truly our one greatest gift. And yes, sometimes they conflict with work and that's okay too.” She smiled warmly and put her hand on Darci's and patted. “Do you know why I hired you, all those years ago?”

Darci shook her head. Unshed tears pooled in her eyes and she didn't trust herself to speak.

“You were a fighter. You'd just lost your husband and had a beautiful young daughter to raise. Instead of crying into your coffee, you pulled yourself up and were determined to do your best to give that little girl a good life. You were a fighter then, and you still are today. Now, why don't you tell me what's been going on.”

“How do you-”

“Darci, I know it wasn't you that messed up the inventory. This old bird is much smarter than that. But I also know that something is going on with you. So, talk.”

For the next few minutes, Darci filled her in on Taylor's health status and their trips to the hospital. She explained why the store had been closed that Monday while Darci was at the hospital and Monica hadn't shown up to cover her shift. She explained that she'd been distracted, and while she hated doing a bad job, she needed the time to focus on Taylor.
 

When she was done, Felicity surprised her by pulling Darci into a firm hug. While they were embracing, Monica returned with the muffins.
 

“I guess this means I'm not getting her job,” she said, and dumped the box on the counter.

Felicity and Darci pulled apart and stared at her. “You were never going to get her job, my dear,” Felicity said.
 

“But I thought-”

“You got a promotion because you had been doing a good job. But I must tell you, I don't tolerate sneakiness and underhanded behavior.” She fixed Monica with a sharp look that left no room for questions.
 

Monica opened the box and reached in. “I’m sorry,” she said. She handed Darci a muffin. Her favorite, blueberry. “I am sorry,” she said again.
 

Darci looked at her. Things would be different and they’d probably never be friends again, but she didn’t have time to hold a grudge. She took the muffin. “I know,” she said.
 

A look of relief washed over Monica’s face. “How is Taylor?”

“She's coping pretty well.” Darci said. “But it's been rough.”
 

“So.” Felicity clapped her hands, and said, “What can we do to help?”

Chapter 23

The party was in full swing, and Darci sat back with a tall glass of lemonade watching her daughter and her friends dancing. She couldn’t keep the smile off her face watching the girls dominate the dance floor, while their male counterparts sat on the sidelines watching. At least she wouldn't have to worry about Taylor dating for a little while yet.
 

“You did good,” Cam said as he slid into the chair next to Darci. “Looks like the Sugar Crash party is a huge success.”

Her stomach somersaulted at his easy smile. “Thanks. The kids seem to be having fun, and I hope they learned something too. Joelle was so good showing them the needles and explaining how Taylor needed insulin to live. I think they got it.”

“I think they did.” Cam nodded. “They're smart kids and they all really care about Taylor.”

Darci sighed, and looked around again. There was one very notable absence at the party. She'd been hoping, for Taylor's sake, that Susanna and Jennica would come. Or at least Jennica. Taylor told her that the other girl had been avoiding her more than usual at school, and although she said it didn't bother her, Darci knew that it did. Despite her overbearing mother, Jennica was one of Taylor's closest friends, and it would have meant a lot to her to have her there.
 

“You can't make everyone happy,” Cam said, reading her mind. “Some people just take longer to understand things. She'll come around.”

“I hope so. And I hope it's not too late for their friendship, or for the team.” Darci looked pointedly at Cam. She couldn't help feel a little responsible that the Chargers were missing one of their strongest players.
 

Cam waved his hand. “Don't worry about that. I've been dealing with difficult parents for years. We see them at the store all the time.” He grinned and ran a hand through his hair. “It was an easy call to back you guys up on that one. I said it before, and I'll say it again, I will not tolerate disrespect of any of my players.”

She reached out and before she could over think it, she put her hand on Cam's knee. “Thank you.”

“Don't mention it.” For a moment, his eyes locked on hers and she thought he might kiss her again. She couldn’t count how many times she’d replayed their kiss in her mind. And with their relationship, or whatever it was, on the mend again, Darci didn't know what to think. Or what to expect.
 

She kept her eyes locked on his, but something over her shoulder caught his gaze and he looked up and over her head. “It looks like someone may have come to their senses after all.”

She turned to see where he was looking.
 

Susanna and Jennica stood in the doorway to the community hall. Susanna patted her hair and looked around nervously. For a moment, Darci took pity on her. She looked so unsure of herself and out of place and Darci couldn't remember Susanna ever looking unsure of herself. Then she remembered all the awful things the woman had said about Taylor and diabetes, and any whiff of pity she'd felt vanished.
 

 
But pity or not, Darci knew she had to talk to her. Reluctantly, she looked to Cam one more time, and said, “I think there's someone I need to talk to.”

He stood with a smile and helped her to her feet. “I thought so.”

On her way across the hall, Darci caught Taylor's eye and gestured towards the doorway. Just as Darci knew she would, Taylor picked up on her cue right away, and ran over to Jennica. Darci was still too far away to hear what they said, but after only a moment, Jennica took Taylor's hand and they ran off together to the dance floor. Darci smiled, proud of her daughter's infinite ability to be warm and welcoming. Taking a note from Taylor herself, Darci put a smile on her face and crossed the distance to Susanna, who, without Jennica by her side, was looking even more uncomfortable than she had a moment before.
 

“It was good of you to come,” Darci said.
 

“Well, I...” Susanna glanced around. “I thought it was the right thing.” Her forehead furrowed and Darci could see the conflict work across her face.
 

“It is.” Darci reached out and took Susanna's hand. “Thank you for coming.”
 

It took a moment, but the other woman's face softened. Darci knew the emotional cost it must have taken for her to come after everything that had been said. She squeezed Susanna's hand. “Come and get something to eat,” she said. Darci scanned the crowd and found Joelle, chatting with a group of parents. “And there's someone I want you to talk to.”