Stones Have a Way – Chapter 5 – Stone Cold Scheming
Daria paused under a shady tree as she pedaled her new bicycle up Berit's street. She looked behind her, checking that the package was still there, tight in the jaws of the rat-trap carrier and doubly-secured with bungee cords.
"It's been four days since I made Berit mad. Dad had to insist we all get new bikes and spend the weekend riding together like one big happy family. I have to admit having a bike is liberating; maybe I won't forget it in a bad part of town. Okay, a couple days getting saddle sores and a day or two of me being a churlish coward. 'Churlish'? Is that right? Have to look it up again. I suppose she's either decided I dropped off the Earth or I don't want to talk to her. Hmm, maybe I don't. Her crack about my imagination wasn't very nice. I've a perfectly good imagination. So what if most of it involves medical abnormalities, modifying Shakespearean insults, and various ways to get Quinn into trouble?"
She bit her lip and her feet found the pedals. Daria knocked on the front door of the Fergus' tidy two-story.
Mrs. Fergus answered the door and recovered from some initial surprise at finding the short auburn-haired girl on her doorstep.
"Daria! So good to see you. You and Berit were inseparable for days on end and then we don't see you. We thought your family took a trip for the spring holiday. Oh, lovely bicycle, it looks so spanking new. Berit needs a new ride and it being spring break, now would be a good time. We're not going anywhere and she's already getting bored. Dear, she's right upstairs."
Daria thanked her and headed up to Berit's room with the plainly wrapped package in hand. Her mouth watered as she proceeded up the stairs.
"Oh god, something savory and yummy is cooking. Okay, better make this good and maybe I can stay for dinner, er, supper. Dad's making kitchen sink surprise again; weird though, Berit liked it last time."
Berit called out as soon as Daria's boots hit the upstairs hallway. "Daria, come on in. I've been waiting for you."
Berit was wearing an ensemble which Quinn might have considered a fashion mishmash disaster: green slacks and light yellow blouse. A pair of hot pink sneakers were still in their open shoebox. Daria almost smiled at all that, on her it worked as near as Daria could tell.
The two girls met each other's eyes briefly before both looking down.
"Well, then." Berit said.
She swiveled an old office chair to face Daria before sitting. Berit sat straight and looked at her guest expectantly. Daria glanced at the computer monitor noting a website apparently about cutting gems before she could find her voice.
"I think this is the part where I start an apology."
"Hi Berit, spring break, huh?" Mouth suddenly dry, she began.
"I feel like I should be kneeling."
"Yes, Da has a crisis at work so we're not going on holiday anywhere. Just a day trip or two for me with Mom. Your family too, just taking holiday at home?"
"Yeah, staying home with Quinn. To hear Dad tell it, there's always a crisis at work and you know how lawyers are, or maybe you don't. Look, Berit, I'm sorry I'm an idiot. I mean I'm just sorry. I mean here…" She thrust the package into Berit's hands.
Berit had an obvious weakness for surprise packages. Her eyes lit up and she kicked her legs delightedly.
"I'm sorry too, Daria. Well, I'm not sorry you're an idiot; that's your job." Berit's eyes sparkled and Daria repressed a scowl before turning it into a tiny smile.
Berit continued, "We just had a little row between friends. No major dust-up, right?"
Berit slowly opened the package, reminding Daria of Quinn carefully unwrapping gifts, a contrast to Daria's rip and grab method of getting at the prize as soon as possible. Berit held up the contents with curiosity evident on her face.
"We rode fifteen miles one day to that new aquarium." Daria explained. "Imagine those poor sharks not knowing they're in the middle of dry old Texas. Anyway, it's a sponge, a real natural sponge. I thought you'd like it because it sort of looks like a stone, a gigantic kidney stone, that is, you know. That caught my eye. It's great in the bath. I got one too; it's fun to play with with my aircraft carriers and attack subs. I mean: Quinn chose a weird non-aquatic themed plush stuffy that looks like a rhino with was on discount, maybe because it was non-aquatic themed. Dad was happy about that, the discount I mean."
"I'm babbling. Shut up."
Berit was smiling even as Daria was blushing. Berit jumped up and gave her a quick hug then headed for her closet, returning with a squarish item in a plain brown paper sack. She gently handed it to Daria.
"Daria, I have something for you too. Look, we're chums, we don't need to give each other presents all the time. What am I saying? Let's argue and make up like this more often!. I haven't had time to wrap it as lovely as you did."
Daria's naturally suspicious bent made her wonder if the plain brown sack held something really meant for her but then she saw "For Daria" in flowing script on the paper.
"A box of rocks? But, but, I don't care."
She pulled a book out of the sack, flexible and bound in dark green cloth. A genuine smile formed as she opened the book to find blank pages.
Berit explained, "See, most pages are lined but a few are clean so you can practice your doodles. And it opens flat too; that's important because you can't seem to decide if you're left or right handed."
"Thanks, Berit. You know I bet I can practice improving my imagination with this."
"Girls?" Mrs. Fergus called. "I made some little sambos, I mean sandwiches. I'm sure Daria's quite peckish after riding her bike here."
Daria's mouth watered again as Berit's mother set a tray down piled high with interesting looking crustless sandwiches cut on the diagonal. A pot of tea, mugs and some small chocolate squares crowded the tray too.
"Thanks Mom, cucumber and watercress! You're the greatest."
Daria remembered her manners even as she accepted a sandwich from Berit. "Thanks Mrs. Fergus." Berit's mother glanced at them both happily then left.
The girls tucked in silently for a few satisfying minutes. Berit poured some tea for them both and got an interesting gleam in her eyes.
"You know, Daria, I've been thinking. I do that sometimes at night you know. Cathy's learned her lesson from her little tussle with you. That Claire McCandry though, she and her mates are only getting more obnoxious..."
Berit paused and smiled quietly to herself.
"You have something planned for her." Daria said. "Tell me Berit, I'm in. Well, I'm in if we can somehow include Quinn on the receiving end."
"Well, nothing violent of course, but something to more distract her, she might even like it. What we can do…"
The two girls put their heads together as they finished off their sandwiches, chocolate and tea.