Knock knock knock .. knock knock knock knock... knock knock knock
In her dream Lacey heard the secret knock she and Clara made up whenever she needed to talk. She quickly decided she must have been mistaken as she began to regain consciousness accompanied by the rhythmic sound of Danny's snoring. Contentedly she stretched her arms out, painfully aware that after last night her body was sore all over.
Feeling her move Danny pulled his arms tight around her waist while nuzzling into the back of her neck."I think you've had enough" she said as she turned her head to look back at him just in time to catch him smile mischievously up at her. "No I haven't had enough yet" he said catching her eyes with a look that made her feel both weak and bold at the same time "I don't think I ever will".he added seductively pulling her back into their trance.
The knocking began again and Lacey was just about to figure out what to tell her mother to get her to stop when she heard young girl's voice say "Lacey can I come in"?
CLARA! Shit, SHIT, she thought jumping up alarming Danny as she began running around her room trying to find something to put on. Running to the bed she pulled Danny up roughly by his arm while trying to get his clothes by haphazardly sliding them towards herself with her foot. She managed to gather them close enough to grab before shoving him and his clothes together into her closet. Knowing the routine he placed himself in the corner and closed the door. "Just a minute" she said while he sat there trying to stop himself from getting aroused at the sight of her ass bouncing in her bathrobe as she walked towards the door.
Danny experienced a flash of deja vu when Lacey opened it, but instead of a little girl in pigtails a stunning young woman stood there with long black hair and flawless velvet brown skin, who somewhat resembled Lacey but favored her father more. She cautiously smiled twisting a strand of hair around her finger and as Lacey stood in the doorway staring at her sister Danny remember the exact same scenario 6 years before...
Knock knock knock... knock knock knock knock... knock knock knock
"Lacey" a little voice called from the other side of the bedroom door sounding shaky with fear. "Can I come in"?
"Thats Clara." "Quick Danny get in the closet" Lacey whispered to him. After closing the closet door Danny watched her through the wooden slats as she opened her bedroom to find 6 year old Clara sitting crouched outside with her hands wrapped around her legs and her head leaning against the frame.
"Hey" Lacey said sitting down indian style in the doorway with her. "What's wrong? "I was trying to sleep but I heard Mommy tell Nana that Daddy wasn't coming home tonight." "She sounded like she was crying." "Do you think he's okay?" Clara asked with the slightest bit of hesitation in case Lacey who was usually the final authority on everything said no
. "I'm sure he's fine Clara"Lacey responded but after seeing traces of doubt linger on Clara's face she added "As a matter of fact Poo I KNOW that he's fine." Danny smiled watching Lacey take care of her little sister as he marveled at how very adult she sounded."You on the other hand need to get some sleep". "You have a big meet tomorrow"
"Do you think Daddy will make it?" Clara asked uncertainly tugging on one of her braided pigtails and twisting the end around her finger. "He's coming Clara, but even if he doesn't Mom and I definitely will be there okay" Lacey said hugging her tight and smoothing the stray hairs away from her face. "Now go to bed Poo"?
"Stop calling me that I'm not a baby" Clara said indignant
"Fine" Lacey said kissing her head "but only if you go back to sleep."
Danny watched as Lacey exited the room with Clara in tow. When she returned she had cordless phone held up to her ear. "Dad" she said seeming to forget Danny was still there " I know you and mom said you're taking time off or whatever but Clara doesn't know that. She's got qualifying trials tomorrow and you need to be there for her".
Danny heard Lacey's father murmur a response over the phone "I know you have to work later on but come by and let her see you then you can leave". Lacey stated already seeming to have given thought to his objections ."It starts at 9:00 but try to arrive half an hour early so you can wish her luck then I will tell her later on that you got called in to work". Her father must have consented because Lacey smiled brightly and said "We'll be over in Section B in the 5th row okay". "See you there". "Love you too bye". From the closet he could see Lacey start to pace which she did whenever she was worried.
He opened the door and crept up behind her just as she made a turn towards him. "Danny" she cried out "I forgot you were here"
"Lace are you okay?" he asked becoming worried when she responded by nodding but continued to pace in a circle. "I can go... if you want me too". he added even though he knew he needed to stay. As he stared at Lacey he subconsciously rubbed his hand over the recent bruise on his thigh and waited for her response.
"No Danny stay" she said and he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. The anxiety left his body as did the dread from the thought of what his night would've been like had she agreed with him. He'd be forced to go back home and listen to his father and mother argue silently about HER again and know that SHE would be there as always taunting him with her crooked smile. "
I'm fine Danny". "My parents will be okay they always fight and get back together. Besides you came here to talk and you need to be here as much as I need you here." she said placing his hand in hers, her soft brown eyes staring gently into his almost as if she knew that he needed her reassurance at that moment and Danny felt his insides jump. Letting his hand go she began pacing again and said more to herself than him " We need to figure out a plan...
Lacey stood peering quietly at Clara. She didn't want to scare her away but she was having trouble containing her glee at seeing her. "Hey" she said finally relenting as she smiled deeply
"Hey" Clara said her eyes downcast. She lifted up her arms and tentatively placed them around Lacey's shoulders as if she might break. Lacey picked her up off the ground spinning her around in a circle making Clara cry out in laughter.
"What are you doing here"? Lacey squealed holding her close
"I missed you" Clara said " Mom called me on Friday and said you were home so I bought a Plane ticket from Seattle".
Pulling away from Lacey she stood there quietly looking at her for what seemed like an eternity before speaking.
"Lacey... I' m sorry" she said finally. "I should never have left you alone when you needed me in your corner". "You've never done that to me aand... Clara continued each word seeming as painful for her to say as it was for Lacey to hear " and I keep thinking about that night and how you almost died and how if I hadn't come in to tell you how sorry I was that...that the horrible things I said would have been the last thing you remembered of me".
Suddenly defeated Clara wrapped her arms around herself and began crying. Lacey pulled her back into a hug smoothing out the hairs on her head "Clar I already told you at the hospital that you Do Not Need My Forgiveness." She said slowing as she continued for emphasis.
"What happened then wasn't your fault." "It was mines". "I am responsible for it and I am so sorry that by hurting myself I ended up hurting you". "At the time I thought you'd be better off without me that's how twisted my thinking was but I promise you that I never meant to hurt you or to leave you to fight them alone". "If anything I'm so sorry Poo that i almost wasn't there to protect you when you needed me."
"No Lacey" Clara said firmly pulling away to redefine her personal space. " Listen. I love you so much but I am not a baby." "You are The Best big sister that there ever was but sometimes your more of a mom than Mom is.
Wiping a stray tear from her face she said
"You think I don't how many times you protected me from them by reading me stories under our blanket fortress or by singing me to sleep if they woke me up with their screaming. How about when you suggested to mom that I take gymnastics to make sure I wasn't home enough to see him hurt her." "I couldn't understand it then but when you almost died I never felt so alone in my life and then I thought about you, and how you've probably been feeling that way all along."
"You made me understand that even though you're the most selfless person i know you're still a Person and that you always put yourself aside to protect me. Maybe its time that I started protecting you.
A quiet settled in on the sisters as Clara reached over and wiped the tears away that were Lacey seemed obvious to as they streamed down her face. Gathering her big sister in her arms they stood there until Lacey's sobs subsided
. All of this Danny saw from the closet and he resolved that he wouldn't let anyone including himself ever hurt Lacey again...
Meanwhile secretly crouched in her doorway Judith listened to the sisters with tears of regret staining her face as she silently resolved to herself the exact same thing.
Lacey pulled away from Clara suddenly remembering that Danny was still hidden in her closet.
"Hey Clar let me get dressed while you get settled and I'll meet you downstairs for breakfast. I'll make..
"No Lacey".Clara interrupted "I'm cooking,"Eggs in a basket still your favorite or has The City changed you into a caviar for breakfast kind of girl." Clara said jokingly.
"Its still Eggs in a Basket with Bacon..".
"And a tall glass of Orange Juice" they both said in unison before erupting into hysterical giggles that instantly transported them back into the two inseparable sisters that they always were.
"Okay give me 45 minutes"she said as they walked arm in arm to Clara's old bedroom before turning around and walking towards her own.
Approaching the door she immediately felt Danny's absence and there lying in the middle of her bed was the daisy lying on top of a folded note. Inside there was a small piece of fabric from her camisole. It read:
I hope you don't mind but I took
A little piece of you with me
Danny
Holding the flower to her heart she walked into the bathroom anticipating the day ahead of her