Equilibrium by Lorrie Thomson

Author:Lorrie Thomson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp.
Published: 2013-07-04T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

In the early days of A.S.—after suicide—Daddy’s natural citrus-musk scent had hung heavy in his writing studio and clung to all the surfaces. Back then, Darcy couldn’t tolerate hanging out there for more than a few minutes at a time. Entering with a full stomach pretty much ensured serious muscles cramps, not to mention nausea extending to her fingernails.

Months ago, Darcy had searched Daddy’s desk for his smell and came up with nothing but a nose full of lemon polish.

Today, she knew what she wanted. But first, she needed a snack.

Darcy let the screen door slam, announcing her return. Mom must be losing it. She didn’t pounce on her, asking about her day. Didn’t happen upon her, checking out whether the outfit she was wearing this morning had miraculously transformed into scandalously revealing non school-approved clothing. Okay, so where was she? She’d better be home.

Darcy kicked off her sneakers. Her mother’s giggle reached around the corner. Then another laugh, deep and throaty, a full manly guffaw. Mom’s buddy Aidan was having trouble keeping to his part of the house again. For once, Darcy would take this as a good sign.

Might as well go for it, after that snack.

Darcy peered into the kitchen. Mom was sitting sideways, her legs crossed in faded jeans, her pink-painted toenails shimmering. Darcy squinted. Her mother rarely painted anything except walls.

Aidan was staring at Mom as if she were the most fascinating woman on earth. He was grinning like that goofy kid who’d followed Darcy around freshman year, drooling on his shoes. Hands resting on his thighs, Aidan leaned back in his seat, legs falling apart at the knees in the way only a guy could sit, the designated Y-chromosome position. Give those manly ’nads breathing space.

He couldn’t have seen her, but he stopped laughing and sat straight up as soon as she came around the corner. “Hey!”

Mom uncrossed her legs and offered Darcy an explanation she hadn’t asked for. “Aidan has today off and, lucky me, he happened to pull into the driveway right when I needed help with the groceries.”

Darcy glanced around the kitchen. Mom’s usual Friday lineup of grocery-filled blue canvas bags blocked the cabinets. Okay, and who cared?

Darcy’s stomach churned so loudly that Aidan narrowed his eyes.

“You need a snack, honey?” Domestic goddess Mom flew in to save the day. “I bought a ton of strawberries. I could whip some cream, too, if you like.”

Mom turned to Aidan, and Darcy could’ve sworn she brushed her hair out of her eyes in a soap opera–type gesture. “Low blood sugar.”

Okay, now she felt not only like a gross noisemaker, but a sickly wimp loser. Not that she cared what Aidan thought. She was only putting up with him for Troy’s sake. The guy had totally calmed Troy down when he’d gone off on his Daddy rant during dinner, something her mother hadn’t even been able to do. That had scared the wits out of Darcy.

But she didn’t have to like him.

She’d eat something, and then ask Aidan for what she wanted.

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