Postmortem part 5
Nom de Plume or just Paige
Please, please, please, forget what you saw in DDMD. Thank you.
"So Daria, have you spoken to Mr. O'Neill yet?" Helen asked as she served a hearty portion of lasagna (microwave, but of course) on a plate. The low soothing hum from the refrigerator lulling everyone in the kitchen .Daria, wiping away some spilled milk had been lost in her own thoughts but she knew her mom too well,
'Um, no."
Poking her food, her mind wandered off again and the low hum continued.
"Well, it doesn't matter I guess." Helen replied. As she sat down, she added that she was going to drive Daria to the bus station anyway.
Quinn, who had been jotting a few things down suddenly screeched.
"OH MY GOD, Quinn are you alright? Helen call 911 darn it!"
Helen looked at her husband, her mouth slightly agape.
"Jake, calm down!" she ordered with a grimace though it melted into a lecherous smile. Jake grinned sheepishly and sat down.
"Quinn, what's the matter?" Helen asked, only mildly concerned.
Quinn, however, looked pale, staring at her opened organizer.
Daria looked on, amused and a bit sad that she wouldn't have much other dinners like these with her family. She was getting soft. Nonetheless, she looked on with amusement. Besides, Quinn had not been acting bitchy towards her in a while.
"oh. my. god" Quinn looked on, her lips and cheeks drained of any color.
Daria leaned in to see what exactly her sister was so spooked about. Nothing out of the ordinary; stickers, telephone numbers on pink pieces of notepaper, wallet sized pictures of her and the fashion club. Movie stubs, membership cards to various boy band fan clubs. As she was about to get back to harpooning her food, something caught Daria's eye. It was a color photo of Bobby, the "computer geek" as he had so been christened.
She had to admit; it was pretty freaky. Picking up the photograph, she turned it over. His e-mail address. Just his e-mail address. Just as a mist of honest to goodness worry came over Daria, the ringing of the phone dispelled it. Jake answered the phone.
"Hello, Jake Morgendorffer here."
"Um, okay."
"Yes I understand."
"Ah, I mean, sir yes sir."
As Jake hung up the phone, vulnerability ravaged his face; it's imprints visible especially by the seams on his forehead. Helen looked over at her husband and folded her napkin a few times before asking him what that had been all about.
Jake however remained silent. His memories marching back to his childhood and to his father.
"Jake, who was on the phone?"
Daria silently walked to the phone and after a few moments discovered it had been Mr.DeMartino who had called. Seeing her father hunching over, she felt truly sorry for him. Part of her wanted to embrace him, do anything to in some way show him that he had his own family now, a family that in the end loved him very much. Yet she couldn't. Something greater than her stopped her. She guessed he wasn't the only one with some real emotional baggage.
"May I be excused?"
"Of course sweetie."
As Daria was about to step into the living room, Jake spoke up.
"Hold on there Daria, Mr. DeMartino wants you to be at the bus station at seven hundred hours."
"Um, thanks dad."
She wanted so much for him to call her 'kiddo' just at that moment. A simple 'no problem, kiddo' would have been enough but it never came. Feeling a rock trying to pass up her throat, twisting it, and slashing it as it went up, she had to bite her lip and swallow it down.
Reaching her room, her first instinct was to call her.
Jane sat on a box in the Lane basement. Her brother (the one that was more or less always around) and Jesse, his best friend, were discussing lyrics. It might have been indeed intolerable if she hadn't been prepared; her Walkman was blaring music into her. She did look on with interest. She smiled, remembering the days when things had seemed so much simpler. How many summer nights she had spent doing this exact same thing. Looking over at Jesse, she also remembered how she uses to lust for him. Well, lust was perhaps too strong a word. A laugh promising to burst out of her lungs overtook her. Closing her eyes and counting to ten, she regained her composure. Her gaze now fell on Trent. They had been spending a lot of time together. Just taking rides to secluded spots. He'd bring his songbook and acoustic guitar, she a sketchbook and some charcoal. They'd spend hours together and little by little, she began to see him in a different angle, a light that made everything good and honest visible. Hell, his way of thinking even began to make sense to her and that scared the shit out of her. Yet slowly, she began remembering why she had once looked up to him. Why the thought of him not being there one day was the type of stuff she had nightmares about. Taking off her headphones, she wanted to stop thinking.
" Hey, Trent"
"Yes, Jane?" Trent asked, not looking up from his notepad in which signs that he was going crazy trying to write a half-decent song were evident.
"Think we can do something tomorrow?"
Quinn sat in front of her vanity mirror, brushing her hair aimlessly. It was the one thing she did when she was in a pensive mood. She thought about Bobby and a knot of emotions blocked everything else. He had charmed her. And he was one of the most beautiful guys she had ever seen. A warm flush spread through her face. She had been so sure he would be her first boyfriend, instead, he turned out to be a computer geek. Of course, does that really matter if the FBI is after his tail? She stopped brushing. She had been watching way too much soap lately. Going to her answering machine, she checked how many messages she had.
(Beep) "Hello, like Quinn, this is Sandi, just want to remind you that tomorrow the fashion club is like meeting at Stacey's for the lipstick survey. I hope that you have like your report ready being the vice-president and all."
(Beep) " Hey Quinn this is Jerome, ah, I mean Jamie, want to go out on Saturday? No guess not. Well sorry to bother you."
(Beep) "Hello Quinn, this is Joey. Just want to tell you that I got tickets to the Christina Aguilera concert...um, I got you 5 of them because I know how much you like elbow room...um, you don't even have to come with me. Anyway, bye."
(Beep) Hi Quinn, it's Jeffy. Um, I was wondering if you would please dine with me at the new French restaurant, La Mer. I hear it's a really cool place. Bye Quinn."
Quinn folded her legs against her chest. She was so sick of Lawndale, of her life. She was especially sick of pretending she was happy. She wasn't, in fact she felt she needed an exfoliation for her life, not her skin. She'd do anything to get away from this place.
(Beep) "Hello, Quinn? This is Bobby...from the hotel. Listen, I know things got messy but you have to understand I've fallen completely in love with you. Quinn, you are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen and I want to spend eternity with you. I just got out of jail today on bond. They want to lock me up, Quinn, for 15 years. There's no way I'm going to prison. I cannot stand the thought of not spending every single moment of my life with you. What I ask is that you come with me. You and me, Quinn. I have friends who will help us get to Mexico. If you're willing, meet me outside your house at half past twelve. I adore you, Quinn."
Quinn was crying. Her tears staining her beautiful glacial features. Her lips parted into a relieved smile. A look of happiness, swirling her face.
Daria woke up to the mechanical wailing of her alarm clock. Looking over, it announced it was close to 6 am. Pulling the sheets away from her limbs, she felt heavy as a rock and had to stay still for a few moments. She wanted to stay like that forever, nonetheless, she dragged herself out of bed and into the bathroom. Something was missing. She couldn't quite put her finger on it but as the first cold splashes of water slapped her awake, her eyes shot open. All of Quinn's moisturizers make up, and everything else she kept in the bathroom was gone leaving only shadows. Not even bothering to dry her face, she rushed to Quinn's room. The bed was untouched. Everything was pretty much in order except that her closet was wide open. She hadn't taken with her any of her good clothing; Her ball gowns, silk dresses and blouses, her cashmere sweaters, and her suede jacket hang neatly, but her cotton and muslin dresses, her T-shirts, her jeans, were all gone as were her suitcases. Running to her parent's bedroom, she did not notice the folded pink letter that Quinn had left behind on her nightstand.
Quinn sat in Bobby's car. They had been driving for close to 5 hours and were had stopped at a convenience store. She was nervous, constantly scratching her forearm. When she had seen him drive up, her heart had jumped out of its place and into her throat. He had kissed her and she had felt herself melting into him and combined with the flutter in her stomach, she wanted nothing more than to get out of Lawndale. If she wanted an adventure, this was it, she told herself.
Helen and Jake frantically looked all over the house. Dare had made the call to police. Walking up to Quinn's room, it seemed less horrifyingly cute, it seemed dead. Pacing around, she wondered what on earth could have driven her to run away. Run away to become a model in New York City only to become just another nameless prostitute? Nah, that city was as safe as Disney World now a day. So then Hollywood? She didn't know Quinn to have any aspirations or inclination toward acting; especially after the fiasco at the fair a year or two ago. Breathing out, she threw herself on top of Quinn's bed and that's when she first noticed the folded piece of paper on the nightstand. She reached out for it.
"Mom! Dad!"
Bobby walked out of the convenience store. He had two plastic bags with him. The first rays of light from the sun were beating down on the street and the pink sky had purple clouds painted on it.
"Hey, miss me?" he leaned in and kissed her. His lips were soft and full, she had never known lips like his. When they broke away, Quinn smiled and brushed his sandy blonde hair away from his eyes.
"Okay, I brought you low fat skim milk, a few granola bars, and some junk food." He added the last part with a rueful smile. Quinn smiled appreciatively and dug into a granola bar.
"Yes officer, we met this boy, Bobby, a few weeks ago at a hotel we stayed at, he was our bell boy."
Helen and Jake sat in the living room, still in their pajamas. A police officer joined them, writing down everything. A few other officers were looking through the house. The note left by Quinn had informed them that she had run away with Bobby and that she would be okay. That's all it said. Daria was now dressed however; she had called Mr. O ' Neil and told him that there was no way she could go off to the summer camp. She had also called Tom.
"Daria, are you okay?" Tom asked, she had barely spoken since he had arrived. She had called him a little after 8 am; sounding almost scared though her voice had altered little. They sat in whicker chairs in the backyard of her home. Daria was slumped into her chair, just starring at a void in front of her in the form that was the morning sky. He reached out for her dangling hand and stroked it. She jumped a little at the touch but glanced at him, giving him a small smile gratefully. He inched his chair closer to hers and tried to get her to open up a little.
"Daria, tell me how I can help and I will." Daria, not turning to look at him asked almost absentmindedly how he could .
He shook his head; he didn't know.
"Bobby, will we ever be able to come back to Lawndale?"
Quinn asked wistfully as she looked out the window. The warm desert air blowing in, They were driving down a highway and the red rocky and dry terrain was the backdrop. The sky was a breath catching blue and it seemed to be enveloping them. Bobby looked at her, a smile playing through his lips; she had been so quiet the whole time that he was growing afraid that she was unhappy at his side.
"Sure, Quinn, but not for a long time." She looked over at him. The small blonde hairs on his arms like gold in the sunlight. His tawny skin glistened and she had to catch her breath, god he was beautiful, she thought. He felt her eyes on him and he glanced in her direction. He was smiling, yet she looked lost. He wrapped his arm around her waist and brought her closer to him. He kissed the side of her neck.
"Watch the road!" she managed to say between giggles. Bobby gave her one last peck on the side of her face before returning his attention to the road.
"Daria, this isn't doing you any good." Tom said quietly. She looked at him, though with a blank expression that betrayed little. Tom stood up and pulled her up as well, bringing her close to him.
"Have you had anything to eat yet?" he whispered, looking down at her. She just looked up at him and shook her head.
"Okay, good, neither have I. I'll go ask your parents if you can come with me to Ihop, I'll be right back." He squeezed her hands before he went into her home. He was out a few minutes later. Helen had been too upset but Jake had given him permission. Tom grimaced, Daria's father looked like a worn out man. He wished he could have been formally introduced to Daria's parents under more favorable circumstances.
"Bobby, after we get to Seven Rivers, what are we gonna do then?" Quinn was looking at a road map. She and Bobby had stopped a few miles outside of Galveston, Texas, in order to have some lunch at a truck stop. They sat in a picnic table that was right by a tree, its shade making the heat a little less intolerable. Bobby opened his eyes and looked up at Quinn. His head was resting on her lap. From this angle, she even looked more beautiful, he thought. He smiled silently and sat up. "Well, we'll have to lay low. No shopping with a credit card. No phone calls. In fact, for two weeks, I'm afraid it will be just the two of us in a motel room, kid." She smiled, and folded the map, "Oh, I think I can live with that." He laughed and kissed her hungrily.
" I'm so happy Quinn."
"So am I." She was surprised at how much so. The inconveniences that they were going through didn't bother her at all and that scared her a little. Could this be the real thing?
" We're still 12 hours away. How I hate driving!" Bobby moaned, stretching out his entire body.
"Then let me!" Quinn smiled but he shook his head.
"You don't even have your license yet, Quinn and if by so god dam reason a police officer stops us, it's the end." He took her hands up to his lips and kissed them, "why do you think I've been driving below the speed limit?"
"But you look so tire, you should at least sleep a few hours." She whispered, truly concerned for him.
"Can't do," he shook his head "we are to meet this friend of mine at the Holiday Inn in half an hour, he's going to give us all the papers we need to cross the border."
Quinn looked punctured,
"Quinn don't be sad, things will work out, you'll see."
Tom drove Daria to Ihop; they were seated, and were left alone to decide what they wanted. The restaurant was almost empty, only an elderly couple here and there. She had said very little, which is why he was expecting her to release the floodgates at any minute, figuratively speaking.
"Pick whatever you want, Daria, my treat."
"Well that almost makes up for my sister running away." The minute she said that, she wished she could have taken it back, but Tom seemed to understand; he just laughed quietly and dragged his chair closer to hers.
"Hmmm, sarcasm is back, a very good sign," he patted her back gently, "I was beginning to worry about you, Daria," he added quietly.
"I'm sorry, Tom."
"You are the last person who should be sorry for anything."
She looked up, grinning appreciatively up at him, though she still felt like shit. His eyes, with that sort of gleam in them were staring back at her. She saw them close slowly, his lips searching out for her own. She felt his, warm and firm, on hers. He broke away slowly and he looked at her as he did so. His face was still close to hers. Daria just kept looking at his lips, they glistening a little. He leaned in closer again, this time not closing his eyes. He kissed her a bit harder, pressing his face against hers and smiling inwardly, just a little, when he felt her moan quietly. He broke away. Her face was flushed pink and she breathed with difficulty.
"Hey, Seth" Billy smiled, Seth was an old friend.
"Hey there Billy, long time no see." Seth smiled good-naturedly. He was tall and lean, black hair neatly cropped.
"This is my beautiful Quinn" Billy announced.
"Yes, I recognized her from the photograph. Hi Quinn." They shook hands and once introductions were taken care of, Bobby and Seth got to business.
Bobby looked over the paperwork to see if he liked what he saw. He did. According to them, Quinn wasn't Quinn anymore, she was Marlene Burye-Moore and he was James Moore. They were a newly married couple. According to the false papers, he was 22 and not 18. He looked into a mirror; yeah, he could pass for a 22-year old, he thought. Quinn was, according to the papers, 20. He looked at her; she was sitting quietly, drinking a soda. He wasn't sure about her being able to pass for that age. They would have to work on getting her to look a little older. The only thing left to do was take some formal passport pictures but that was quickly taken care of. Passports, marriage license, birth certificates, social security. Seeing that everything looked good, he told Quinn the basics. His biggest concern being that perhaps she wouldn't like the name Marlene, but she did.
" Bobby, you look like shit man." Seth laughed as the two friends shared a cigarette.
"Man, you don't see me for 5 years and that's all you have you say to me?" Bobby smirked.
"What else can I say, man? One day we're hacking into places and the next you tell me that they want to put you in prison for a long ass time and for something as stupid as what you did at the hotel you worked at."
"I know man, I can hardly believe it myself." Bobby was shaking his head and looking down at his dusty, white sneakers.
"Is she worth it, man?" Seth asked quietly, looking over at Quinn who had fallen asleep siting up.
" I sure as hell think so." Billy said, melancholy visible in his face.
"She sure is pretty, don't get me wrong dude, but what you two are
planning, it's well, like Bonnie and Clyde type of shit."
"I can't believe she agreed to come with me, she barely knows me."
"Which drives me to the next question; have you two done it, I mean, she must be pretty good in the sack for you to be willing to do all this crap?"
"No man, it's not all like that. I really feel something for her, Seth. She's not like all the other girls."
"They all say that." Seth smiled at his friend as he took a puff.
"Yeah, I know, but it's true."
Hehe, that's all folks, at least for now. Pleae be on the look out for part 6 and please, oh, please send me some feedback:)!
MTV own everything. I made no money out of this. Please, I don't think litigation is in order, thank you.
Thank you to Wouter Jaegars and Renfield for being kind enough to agree to beta read. Much love to them both.
And thank you to the lovely, if not disturbed, Cashew Contessa. You are a gem, my dear. Oh, and thank you, dear significant other--hope you're having fun in Disney World.