((Okay- sorry bout the wait, you guys. But summer's here and I have time to
write! Especially now that my computer is brought back from the dead! YAY!
Okay then, hopefully this chapter will clear everything up a bit from the
last one...))
Chapter Eight: Calling All Angels
Summer immediately came out of her shock. She was not going to let this happen again. Marta had helped her, and now Summer would help Marta before it was too late. She was probably the only one besides Dewey who knew how Marta was feeling right now, and she was not going to let another Summer Story come over her good friend. She ran out into the hallway, looking for Marta...
Flashback
It was the group's seventh grade. They still young then- none knowing the pain and hardships of life just yet. The band's practice had just ended.
"I can't wait for our gig this weekend!" Marta was exclaiming to Summer as Summer's mother drove them home.
"I know! You guys are awesome! I can't believe me and Dewey actually managed to get us playing at the mall!"
"I know! Then again, you can do just about anything, Summer." Marta smiled sweetly.
"I can't sing, that's for sure. Remember in fifth grade...?"
"Oh! Please don't remind me- my ears were hurting for weeks!"
The two giggled uncontrollably until Mrs. Hathaway pulled into Marta's driveway. It stopped instantly as the two saw Marta's dad pacing, frustrated and worried in the driveway. Summer could see her Mom's face frown in the mirror. Instead of just letting Marta hop out like usual, Mrs. Hathaway parked and got out herself- making sure she reached the panicky man before either of the girls did.
"What do you think is wrong?" Marta's eyes shone with confusion and worry.
"I dunno..." Summer shrugged, equally confused.
Their parents were muttering quickly under their breath. Summer's ears strained to hear... Then her mother turned away, gently pulling Summer with her into the car. Marta walked up to her father.
"Come on, honey, get in..." Her mother commanded softly. Summer, still lost, paused a moment with the door open- just enough to hear Marta and her father's conversation.
"Marta... your mom... your mother has had a heart attack. She's in critical condition in the hospital... they're almost sure she's going to be fine..."
"Summer!" Her mom barked in a whisper. As Summer stepped into the car, with new realization, she saw Marta hug her Dad- both with tears in their eyes...
End Flashback
Summer raced down the stairs as the memories continued to flood her. As she ran out into the street- she saw a minivan racing away down the street. Quickly, she hailed a cab- her eyes never leaving the van.
The driver, a squat old man with a wrinkly face, followed her line of sight.
"Let me guess... follow that van?" He laughed raspily.
Summer nodded. "Could you?"
"Not a problem- haven't done a car chase in four years, toots. Hold on to your horses, here we go!..."
As the cab rushed to catch up with the car, Summer already had an idea where it was going...
Flashback
Come on, Summer thought, where is she? It was well after dark- and she was racing through the city as fast as she could. Sneaking out had never been one of her key accomplishments, but then again, as Marta had said earlier, Summer could manage just about anything.
As soon as she had gotten home, and after her mother had given her 'the talk' about how most were lucky to have their health and all that, she had raced to the phone and dialed Marta's number. According to her already frantic father, Marta had run off somewhere soon after Summer had parted- and he and others of the neighborhood had been looking for her and waiting for her to call.
If anybody could find Marta, it was Summer. She had already checked Marta's usual 'anger spots'- places were she would sit and think, like after Frankie dumped her last year and when she got her first 'F' on a major project. She had been at none of them- so now Summer had taken to searching randomly- trying to avoid Detroit's 'night life'.
"Marta! Where are you?!" Summer was walking down a shop-filled street. She looked across the road into a city park. It was completely void of anything... wait... Summer did a double take.
There was a girl sitting on the jungle gym. On top of the tube you could crawl through. A girl with blonde hair and pig tails. Summer immediately dodged traffic and ran across the street, silently climbed up onto the plastic playground and crawled on top of the tunnel next to Marta.
"Hey." Summer said silently, giving her friend a comforting hug. "You have us all so worried. What are you doing here?"
Marta sniffled and looked up into the moon- her eyes shining with tears.
"Praying."
"About what?"
"Everything. My Mom especially."
"Yeah... I would be, too. Listen, Marta. She's going to be fine. I promise you. Everything will be okay. You had us so worried running off like this."
"How did you get here, huh? Did the Great Summer Hathaway finally break the rules and come out to look for me?"
"Yes. I did. And it's a good thing, too. Marta? Why did you come here- besides to pray?"
"To get away from all of it."
"Well, your plan certainly worked. Were you going to come back?"
"Yeah. Eventually. Not for a while, though. Not until I was sure she was okay."
"She's okay. Trust me. Everything is going to be fine."
Marta paused.
"Thanks."
"For what?"
"Coming here and talking to me. I mean, you actually broke a rule. To come and find me."
"Well duh. Did you think I was just gonna leave you out here for the street rats?"
Marta smiled weakly. Summer did, too.
"Come on. Let's go home. Both of us."
They slid off and started the trek home silently into the night...
End Flashback
"Here!" Summer shouted. "Stop here!"
The cab driver slammed on the brakes in a traffic filled, shop- lined street. Summer thrusted a twenty into his face.
"Keep the change! Thanks!" She shouted before hopping out into a city park. Sure enough, there was a much older blonde girl, sitting on top of the plastic tunnel, staring off at space. Summer waited before going next to Marta. She stayed hidden behind a garbage can close behind the playground.
"Please, Mom..." She could hear Marta whisper. "Up there in heaven, I'm sure there are plenty of angels to spare. We need some here... I need... an angel for Katie and Zack... An angel for the band, too... maybe an old, dead rock star for them... I need a Charlie angel to look out for Summer... he can help her through this. Or maybe Zack is already her angel... And Mom... you can be my angel. Please... please look out for us. Be our angels..."
Tears stinging Summer's eyes, she finally climbed up next to Marta.
"Hey." Marta began this time.
"Hey. It's been a while since we've been up here, hasn't it?"
"...Yeah."
"Are you okay?"
"You promised me she'd be okay that night. Remember?"
"Yeah. I remember."
"And Dad and the doctors promised that, too."
"Um..."
"Nobody knew she hadn't quit smoking."
"I thought..."
"That's what we all thought. She lied. And now it killed her."
"I... I don't know what to say..."
"Tell me that she'll be all right."
"Marta- your mom is dead."
"That doesn't mean she can't be all right."
Summer took it in for a moment. Marta's Mom... Charlie...
"You're right. Listen, Marta. After Charlie... after Charlie died I felt like the world was over. You see what happened. Please... I don't want anybody else to have to go through that..."
"Everybody does at some point. Everybody. I miss her, Sum."
"I know... Everybody does at some point. But not everybody has to change as drastically as I did about it. Eleven years ago you told me that I could do anything. You are wrong."
"We already know you can't sing, Summer."
"That's not what I meant. There is one big thing I can't do. And that's let go of the past. You... Marta, I can tell that you've already accomplished what I can not."
"Oh big whoop! I'm better than Summer Hathaway at a grand total of two things! Look... I know you're trying to help. But you're not! This is not about you and Charlie and what happened! This isn't even about me! It's about my Mom, okay? And even if she's all right, I am not! And... I have no clue what I'm saying. Sorry..."
Summer was taken aback as she spoke, then sympathetic.
"I understand. Look... we can help each other. I can help you through this thing that I have already experienced. You can help me let go of it. Together, we will embrace the present and the future- and try our best to have this great time with the band. Together again."
Marta took one look at Summer and smiled- both with tears streaming down their faces. As they slid off of the tunnel, Marta pronounced, "Take one look back now- cause we're heading into the happy-filled future, got it?" And so they did as they walked off into the city once more- back to Dewey's...
((Okay... let me know if this was too mush-fest extreme, okay? Thanks! Leave me a review! :) :) :) ))
Chapter Eight: Calling All Angels
Summer immediately came out of her shock. She was not going to let this happen again. Marta had helped her, and now Summer would help Marta before it was too late. She was probably the only one besides Dewey who knew how Marta was feeling right now, and she was not going to let another Summer Story come over her good friend. She ran out into the hallway, looking for Marta...
Flashback
It was the group's seventh grade. They still young then- none knowing the pain and hardships of life just yet. The band's practice had just ended.
"I can't wait for our gig this weekend!" Marta was exclaiming to Summer as Summer's mother drove them home.
"I know! You guys are awesome! I can't believe me and Dewey actually managed to get us playing at the mall!"
"I know! Then again, you can do just about anything, Summer." Marta smiled sweetly.
"I can't sing, that's for sure. Remember in fifth grade...?"
"Oh! Please don't remind me- my ears were hurting for weeks!"
The two giggled uncontrollably until Mrs. Hathaway pulled into Marta's driveway. It stopped instantly as the two saw Marta's dad pacing, frustrated and worried in the driveway. Summer could see her Mom's face frown in the mirror. Instead of just letting Marta hop out like usual, Mrs. Hathaway parked and got out herself- making sure she reached the panicky man before either of the girls did.
"What do you think is wrong?" Marta's eyes shone with confusion and worry.
"I dunno..." Summer shrugged, equally confused.
Their parents were muttering quickly under their breath. Summer's ears strained to hear... Then her mother turned away, gently pulling Summer with her into the car. Marta walked up to her father.
"Come on, honey, get in..." Her mother commanded softly. Summer, still lost, paused a moment with the door open- just enough to hear Marta and her father's conversation.
"Marta... your mom... your mother has had a heart attack. She's in critical condition in the hospital... they're almost sure she's going to be fine..."
"Summer!" Her mom barked in a whisper. As Summer stepped into the car, with new realization, she saw Marta hug her Dad- both with tears in their eyes...
End Flashback
Summer raced down the stairs as the memories continued to flood her. As she ran out into the street- she saw a minivan racing away down the street. Quickly, she hailed a cab- her eyes never leaving the van.
The driver, a squat old man with a wrinkly face, followed her line of sight.
"Let me guess... follow that van?" He laughed raspily.
Summer nodded. "Could you?"
"Not a problem- haven't done a car chase in four years, toots. Hold on to your horses, here we go!..."
As the cab rushed to catch up with the car, Summer already had an idea where it was going...
Flashback
Come on, Summer thought, where is she? It was well after dark- and she was racing through the city as fast as she could. Sneaking out had never been one of her key accomplishments, but then again, as Marta had said earlier, Summer could manage just about anything.
As soon as she had gotten home, and after her mother had given her 'the talk' about how most were lucky to have their health and all that, she had raced to the phone and dialed Marta's number. According to her already frantic father, Marta had run off somewhere soon after Summer had parted- and he and others of the neighborhood had been looking for her and waiting for her to call.
If anybody could find Marta, it was Summer. She had already checked Marta's usual 'anger spots'- places were she would sit and think, like after Frankie dumped her last year and when she got her first 'F' on a major project. She had been at none of them- so now Summer had taken to searching randomly- trying to avoid Detroit's 'night life'.
"Marta! Where are you?!" Summer was walking down a shop-filled street. She looked across the road into a city park. It was completely void of anything... wait... Summer did a double take.
There was a girl sitting on the jungle gym. On top of the tube you could crawl through. A girl with blonde hair and pig tails. Summer immediately dodged traffic and ran across the street, silently climbed up onto the plastic playground and crawled on top of the tunnel next to Marta.
"Hey." Summer said silently, giving her friend a comforting hug. "You have us all so worried. What are you doing here?"
Marta sniffled and looked up into the moon- her eyes shining with tears.
"Praying."
"About what?"
"Everything. My Mom especially."
"Yeah... I would be, too. Listen, Marta. She's going to be fine. I promise you. Everything will be okay. You had us so worried running off like this."
"How did you get here, huh? Did the Great Summer Hathaway finally break the rules and come out to look for me?"
"Yes. I did. And it's a good thing, too. Marta? Why did you come here- besides to pray?"
"To get away from all of it."
"Well, your plan certainly worked. Were you going to come back?"
"Yeah. Eventually. Not for a while, though. Not until I was sure she was okay."
"She's okay. Trust me. Everything is going to be fine."
Marta paused.
"Thanks."
"For what?"
"Coming here and talking to me. I mean, you actually broke a rule. To come and find me."
"Well duh. Did you think I was just gonna leave you out here for the street rats?"
Marta smiled weakly. Summer did, too.
"Come on. Let's go home. Both of us."
They slid off and started the trek home silently into the night...
End Flashback
"Here!" Summer shouted. "Stop here!"
The cab driver slammed on the brakes in a traffic filled, shop- lined street. Summer thrusted a twenty into his face.
"Keep the change! Thanks!" She shouted before hopping out into a city park. Sure enough, there was a much older blonde girl, sitting on top of the plastic tunnel, staring off at space. Summer waited before going next to Marta. She stayed hidden behind a garbage can close behind the playground.
"Please, Mom..." She could hear Marta whisper. "Up there in heaven, I'm sure there are plenty of angels to spare. We need some here... I need... an angel for Katie and Zack... An angel for the band, too... maybe an old, dead rock star for them... I need a Charlie angel to look out for Summer... he can help her through this. Or maybe Zack is already her angel... And Mom... you can be my angel. Please... please look out for us. Be our angels..."
Tears stinging Summer's eyes, she finally climbed up next to Marta.
"Hey." Marta began this time.
"Hey. It's been a while since we've been up here, hasn't it?"
"...Yeah."
"Are you okay?"
"You promised me she'd be okay that night. Remember?"
"Yeah. I remember."
"And Dad and the doctors promised that, too."
"Um..."
"Nobody knew she hadn't quit smoking."
"I thought..."
"That's what we all thought. She lied. And now it killed her."
"I... I don't know what to say..."
"Tell me that she'll be all right."
"Marta- your mom is dead."
"That doesn't mean she can't be all right."
Summer took it in for a moment. Marta's Mom... Charlie...
"You're right. Listen, Marta. After Charlie... after Charlie died I felt like the world was over. You see what happened. Please... I don't want anybody else to have to go through that..."
"Everybody does at some point. Everybody. I miss her, Sum."
"I know... Everybody does at some point. But not everybody has to change as drastically as I did about it. Eleven years ago you told me that I could do anything. You are wrong."
"We already know you can't sing, Summer."
"That's not what I meant. There is one big thing I can't do. And that's let go of the past. You... Marta, I can tell that you've already accomplished what I can not."
"Oh big whoop! I'm better than Summer Hathaway at a grand total of two things! Look... I know you're trying to help. But you're not! This is not about you and Charlie and what happened! This isn't even about me! It's about my Mom, okay? And even if she's all right, I am not! And... I have no clue what I'm saying. Sorry..."
Summer was taken aback as she spoke, then sympathetic.
"I understand. Look... we can help each other. I can help you through this thing that I have already experienced. You can help me let go of it. Together, we will embrace the present and the future- and try our best to have this great time with the band. Together again."
Marta took one look at Summer and smiled- both with tears streaming down their faces. As they slid off of the tunnel, Marta pronounced, "Take one look back now- cause we're heading into the happy-filled future, got it?" And so they did as they walked off into the city once more- back to Dewey's...
((Okay... let me know if this was too mush-fest extreme, okay? Thanks! Leave me a review! :) :) :) ))