Author's Note: The song 'Heart on my Sleeve' is written and sung by Idina
Menzel from her album 'still I cannot be still.' I am only borrowing it.
This is the concluding chapter of 'Isolophobia.' Stay tuned, for a threequel will soon be arriving.
April 15, 2005, 11 PM, Le Blues Bar
The party was full swing, so when Darcy came behind Asher somewhere close to eleven in a request to talk, a somewhat surprised Asher nodded. The party was being held at the bar, much to Duncan's dismay, and Darcy led Asher to the small alleyway behind the bar. She leaned against the wall, arms crossed, eyes downcast to her feet.
"Lovely night, huh?" asked Asher.
"Yeah. Lovely. Ash?"
Asher let the shortened version of her name slide. "Yah?"
"You know that doctor appointment today?" To which Asher nodded. "I'm pregnant."
"Well, that's wonderful, isn't it?" Asher hugged her friend tightly, but Darcy did not return the gesture. "Is it not?" she repeated.
"It is Mike's." Darcy still watched her feet, but she looked up now, to see Asher's curious glance. "I suspected since mid-February."
"How far along?"
"Four months. I just kept putting this off, not wanting it to be confirmed, but now," she trailed. "But it was, it is. I'm so young, Asher. I'm not ready for this. I have so many things I want to do, so many things I want to see first."
"Shhh," comforted Asher, taking the now tearful Darcy into another hug, who clung to her. "It will be ok, it will be. I mean, sometimes the best things in life are unexpected, right?"
Darcy managed a smile and nod, straightening herself again, wiping the tears from her cheeks. She knew Asher referred to Richie, and what they had together. "Yeah, I guess."
"You going to be ok? Want me to come with you when you tell Mike?"
"No. I'm a big girl, Asher. I can manage. Hells, I'm older than you!" To which the two girls and friends shared a smile. "But thanks."
"Welcome." A thought dawned on Asher. "Hey, Darce, few days ago, when you told me you thought had fallen in love, was it Mike, you meant?"
"Guilty?" she shrugged. "More of a charade, than anything else. I still hate him, but," she trailed again. "We should go back inside. It is half my party, and I would hate to miss it."
"I'm here for you, Darcy, you know that, right?"
"Always," to which Darcy reached over to squeeze Asher's hand, and together the two returned to the inside of the bar and party.
Duncan was already at the podium, and he grinned when he saw Asher and Darcy step back inside. "Ah, there she is!" he announced.
"Everything ok?" Richie whispered to her. Darcy had stepped away, Asher guessed to find Mike.
"Everything is fine," she whispered, lightly kissing his cheek.
"Without further ado," continued Duncan, "I present a certain talented young woman and her guitar. Ladies and gentlemen, I give to you, Asher Jacobs."
Kissing Richie again, this time lightly on the lips, Asher took her place on the stage. She took her guitar in hand, smiled shyly, and announced, "I call this, 'Heart on my Sleeve.'
She will never be invincible
She will never be some Florence Nightingale
Her threshold's invincible
But she'll hang on like hell
And yes she may be transparent
Got no defenses to speak of
But she'll stand here before you
With no pride or prejudice
Steadfast and certain
That she'll land on her own two feet
And you'll think you can break her
Cause you think that she's crazy and weak
But her power will defy you when
She wears her heart on her sleeve
Having found one another, standing side-by-side just behind the bar, Mike wondered just how he should go about proposing, and Darcy just wondered how she should tell him of the baby.
She will never know your tranquility
She will never learn how to just let things slide
Her joy overwhelms her and
Her sorrow won't subside
And yes she may be transparent
Got no defenses to speak of
But she'll stand here before you
With no pride or prejudice
Steadfast and certain
That she'll land on her own two feet
And you'll think you can break her
Cause you think that she's crazy and weak
But her power will defy you when
She wears her heart on her sleeve
In the Immortal booth, two couple sat, one having only just recently found one another again, the other never having been lost, listened, calmly sipping their drinks, and understanding the truth of the words being sung.
Oh you may condemn me
Your bitter words untouchable rage
And you may torment me cause I don't
Lead my life in your way
But I'll stand here before you
With no pride or prejudice
Steadfast and certain
That I'll land on my own two feet
You'll think you can break me
Bring my head down to my knees
But my power will defy you when
I wear my heart on my sleeve
Silently, with no words spoken or needed, Richie crossed the steps to the stage, pulled Asher into his arms, to kiss her. A kiss both equally tender and passionate. Kissing him, being warm in his embrace again, she didn't have the heart to tell him: she was isolophobic. Especially when it came to him.
This is the concluding chapter of 'Isolophobia.' Stay tuned, for a threequel will soon be arriving.
April 15, 2005, 11 PM, Le Blues Bar
The party was full swing, so when Darcy came behind Asher somewhere close to eleven in a request to talk, a somewhat surprised Asher nodded. The party was being held at the bar, much to Duncan's dismay, and Darcy led Asher to the small alleyway behind the bar. She leaned against the wall, arms crossed, eyes downcast to her feet.
"Lovely night, huh?" asked Asher.
"Yeah. Lovely. Ash?"
Asher let the shortened version of her name slide. "Yah?"
"You know that doctor appointment today?" To which Asher nodded. "I'm pregnant."
"Well, that's wonderful, isn't it?" Asher hugged her friend tightly, but Darcy did not return the gesture. "Is it not?" she repeated.
"It is Mike's." Darcy still watched her feet, but she looked up now, to see Asher's curious glance. "I suspected since mid-February."
"How far along?"
"Four months. I just kept putting this off, not wanting it to be confirmed, but now," she trailed. "But it was, it is. I'm so young, Asher. I'm not ready for this. I have so many things I want to do, so many things I want to see first."
"Shhh," comforted Asher, taking the now tearful Darcy into another hug, who clung to her. "It will be ok, it will be. I mean, sometimes the best things in life are unexpected, right?"
Darcy managed a smile and nod, straightening herself again, wiping the tears from her cheeks. She knew Asher referred to Richie, and what they had together. "Yeah, I guess."
"You going to be ok? Want me to come with you when you tell Mike?"
"No. I'm a big girl, Asher. I can manage. Hells, I'm older than you!" To which the two girls and friends shared a smile. "But thanks."
"Welcome." A thought dawned on Asher. "Hey, Darce, few days ago, when you told me you thought had fallen in love, was it Mike, you meant?"
"Guilty?" she shrugged. "More of a charade, than anything else. I still hate him, but," she trailed again. "We should go back inside. It is half my party, and I would hate to miss it."
"I'm here for you, Darcy, you know that, right?"
"Always," to which Darcy reached over to squeeze Asher's hand, and together the two returned to the inside of the bar and party.
Duncan was already at the podium, and he grinned when he saw Asher and Darcy step back inside. "Ah, there she is!" he announced.
"Everything ok?" Richie whispered to her. Darcy had stepped away, Asher guessed to find Mike.
"Everything is fine," she whispered, lightly kissing his cheek.
"Without further ado," continued Duncan, "I present a certain talented young woman and her guitar. Ladies and gentlemen, I give to you, Asher Jacobs."
Kissing Richie again, this time lightly on the lips, Asher took her place on the stage. She took her guitar in hand, smiled shyly, and announced, "I call this, 'Heart on my Sleeve.'
She will never be invincible
She will never be some Florence Nightingale
Her threshold's invincible
But she'll hang on like hell
And yes she may be transparent
Got no defenses to speak of
But she'll stand here before you
With no pride or prejudice
Steadfast and certain
That she'll land on her own two feet
And you'll think you can break her
Cause you think that she's crazy and weak
But her power will defy you when
She wears her heart on her sleeve
Having found one another, standing side-by-side just behind the bar, Mike wondered just how he should go about proposing, and Darcy just wondered how she should tell him of the baby.
She will never know your tranquility
She will never learn how to just let things slide
Her joy overwhelms her and
Her sorrow won't subside
And yes she may be transparent
Got no defenses to speak of
But she'll stand here before you
With no pride or prejudice
Steadfast and certain
That she'll land on her own two feet
And you'll think you can break her
Cause you think that she's crazy and weak
But her power will defy you when
She wears her heart on her sleeve
In the Immortal booth, two couple sat, one having only just recently found one another again, the other never having been lost, listened, calmly sipping their drinks, and understanding the truth of the words being sung.
Oh you may condemn me
Your bitter words untouchable rage
And you may torment me cause I don't
Lead my life in your way
But I'll stand here before you
With no pride or prejudice
Steadfast and certain
That I'll land on my own two feet
You'll think you can break me
Bring my head down to my knees
But my power will defy you when
I wear my heart on my sleeve
Silently, with no words spoken or needed, Richie crossed the steps to the stage, pulled Asher into his arms, to kiss her. A kiss both equally tender and passionate. Kissing him, being warm in his embrace again, she didn't have the heart to tell him: she was isolophobic. Especially when it came to him.