Disclaimer: This is a non-commercial work of fanfiction. Anything recognizable from Newsies belongs to Disney and not to me.
Chapter 119: Bittersweet
"Careful with that tray, Les," Davey cautioned. "It's a little warm; those pastries just came out of the oven a few minutes ago."
"I've got it," Les said confidently, gripping the platter that he was holding even more tightly as he followed Davey out the door of the Becker apartment. "There's no way I'm letting any of these fall. Mrs. Becker let me try one from a batch she made earlier this morning, and they're the best thing I've eaten so far this year!"
"Well, make sure you leave some for the other guests," Davey admonished, half serious and half joking as he slowly started down the stairs with his own tray of pastries. "I'm sure they'll want to enjoy them, too, and it sounds like most of the tenement will be coming today."
"It's awful nice of Mr. and Mrs. Becker to throw us a party," Les remarked. "None of our other landlords did anything like that."
"Sadie told me that they started this tradition six years ago after Lilly had a frightening accident and they almost lost her. It was a way for the Beckers to celebrate the gift of her life and to invite their tenants to join them in remembering all of the good things that had happened in the previous year while looking forward to the year ahead."
Les looked thoughtful.
"You said Lilly has seizures, right?" He'd met the second-oldest Becker sister, along with the rest of the family, that morning when he and Davey had arrived to help set up for the tenement party. "Does that mean she can't leave the apartment?"
"I think she's physically able to, but it doesn't sound like it's something that happens often," Davey answered. "From what Sadie's told me, it's difficult for her to get down the stairs, and there's always concern about her falling if a seizure hits while she's out. Even at home, Lilly has to have someone nearby all the time."
"Sounds tough."
Davey nodded. "Yeah...I think it is." He'd heard Sadie mention the complexities of the situation often enough, but being reminded of the Becker family's difficult reality made his respect for them grow anew. It couldn't be easy to live life caught between the desire to personally care for a loved one and accepting the physical and emotional toll that such a choice would require.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, the Jacobs brothers made their way around to the back of the tenement which had been set up for the party earlier that morning. Chairs had been strategically placed throughout the area to facilitate conversation, and cranberry colored linens covered the tables, all of which were tastefully decorated with the simple candle and greenery centerpieces that had been assembled earlier that morning.
Sadie was standing on a ladder facing the back of the yard, the ribbon of her hat fluttering in the breeze and a paper snowflake garland trailing behind her like the tail of a kite.
Les gave the decorations an appreciative look as he walked over to set his tray down on the refreshment table.
"Wow, this place looks great!" he exclaimed loudly. Sadie started in surprise, and Davey narrowly avoided dropping his own platter of pastries in a reflexive urge to rush over and prevent a potential fall. There was no need for his intervention, though; the landlord's daughter steadied herself easily enough, then turned over her shoulder to smile at them.
"I'm glad you think so, Les. Your brother helped set up this morning and put together some of the centerpieces with Abby."
"I heard he also would've botched those paper snowflakes if you hadn't stopped him," Les remarked.
"Well, even people as competent as Davey can't be good at everything," Sadie smiled. "And in any case, I'm grateful to both of you for your help."
"Your mom told me there's a cider cake coming," Les confided. "I can't wait to try it. She said that once I'm done helping to carry down the food, she has an extra big slice set aside for me!"
Remembering this incentive, he turned to Davey. "Can I go back upstairs and get another tray?"
Davey nodded. "Just be careful coming back down, all right?"
"Sure thing!" Les bounded away.
Sadie smiled as she watched him go. "I think my mother is enjoying having a boy with a voracious appetite around."
"And I think Les is equally happy to be enjoying her food," Davey agreed, walking over to where she was standing. He couldn't stop himself from casting a wary glance at the ladder, and Sadie caught his look.
"I know what you're thinking," she gave him a knowing smile, "and I can assure you that I'm perfectly safe. This ladder is quite sturdy, not nearly so precarious as a stack of books."
"That's true," he agreed half-heartedly. "But even so, you should be careful. You almost fell a moment ago."
The landlord's daughter put a hand on her hip, looking slightly miffed. "I was momentarily startled but in no danger of falling," she contended. "I'm not that clumsy, Davey."
"Of course not," he concurred quickly. "You're not clumsy at all. It's just that you're too…"
"...too what?" she pressed when he failed to complete his sentence. "Reckless? Unsteady? Capricious?"
Too precious to risk had been the descriptor he'd been about to use, but thankfully he'd managed to stop himself before the incriminating phrase had left his mouth.
" - too short," he finished, inwardly cringing at the impulsive and slightly insensitive word choice. "You're, uh, just too short for this kind of thing, Sadie. I mean, especially when you've got a friend here who's taller than you and could easily hang up the garland himself since you probably have a lot of other important things to do, and - "
Sadie dropped the strand of snowflakes into his hands and descended the ladder.
"Point taken, Davey."
She swept away, and he hurried after her, trying not to let the garland drag on the ground.
"Wait! I didn't mean it, Sadie - I mean, I did mean it - but not in an insulting way!" She stopped at the refreshment table, ignoring him as she examined the trays of food and began arranging them to her liking. "I wasn't trying to make fun of you, and I didn't mean to overstep or to imply that you weren't capable. I just...I just wanted to…" he trailed off awkwardly, unsure of how to explain himself without making things worse.
"You just wanted to help," Sadie said evenly, setting the last tray in place as she completed his sentence, "and I, in turn, was rather ungracious to you just now in my response."
She was still for a moment, as though lost in thought, but before long she looked up and gave him a small, hesitant smile.
"I apologize for my curtness, Davey. I think I'm still nervous about this party, and it's put me a bit on edge. I didn't mean to speak so shortly with you. I just want everything to go well."
"And it will," he assured her. "It will, Chare. You've put so much work into planning this that I know it's going to pay off. Everything's going to go smoothly, and all of the guests are going to have a great time because they're going to feel welcomed and celebrated by all of the effort that you've put into making today special."
He smiled at her encouragingly, and saw her expression soften.
"Thank you," she murmured. "I appreciate you saying so."
"I wouldn't say it unless I meant it." Davey glanced down at the strand of paper snowflakes in his hands, suddenly aware that it looked hopelessly tangled. "I...think I may have just made a mess of this garland, though."
Sadie laughed. "You and those snowflakes are a bad combination!" she teased. "I'm starting to suspect that your dislike of the cold weather may be somehow related to these unintentional attempts at sabotage!"
"Or, more likely, I'm actually the clumsy one around here."
She shook her head at his rueful response. "Never. In fact, I had the very same problem with that garland earlier today. I had to enlist Abby as a second set of hands to help me untangle it. If you don't mind holding the string up, I should be able to fix it in short order."
Davey did as he was asked, spreading his hands and letting the looped and knotted garland hang between them so that Sadie could see everything more easily. She examined the tangle for a moment with an appraising eye, then went to work, tugging and pulling and unwinding with quick, deft movements.
Despite the fact that it was an innocuous enough task, it became very clear to Davey only a few seconds into the endeavor that he was not in the best frame of mind to be assisting with such a thing. With nothing to do but stand as still as possible, he found himself watching Sadie as she worked, becoming increasingly distracted by her close proximity and by the gentle tugging and pulling of the string across his hands.
She worked efficiently, her fingers dancing among the strands like a weaver with her shuttle, and in the tilt of her head and the look of concentration on her face, he recognized the same lambency that he'd observed when he'd seen her sew, that small spark of pleasure that seemed to glow inside of her whenever she was creating or mending something with her hands. And as she lost herself momentarily in her task, so focused and sure and so unassumingly riveting, he found himself wondering if he'd ever seen anything so lovely before in his life.
Her fingers suddenly brushed across the palm of his hand, chasing a particularly stubborn tangle, and the gentle, feather-light touch sent an unexpected shudder running through him. Swallowing, Davey resisted the urge to let his fingers twitch in response, thankful that Sadie's attention was occupied at the moment.
"Is there, um, anyone you're especially looking forward to seeing this afternoon?" he said aloud, hoping that some conversation would provide a diversion for his hopelessly distracted mind.
"It's always a pleasure to see any of our friends around the tenement," she answered, her fingers still ghosting softly over his hand. "But I'm particularly keen to catch up with Mrs. Neil, one of the ladies who lives downstairs. She just had a baby recently, and this will be our first chance to see the little one. And I'm thankful that my sister Judith will be able to make it to the party, too; she's been feeling unwell as of late, but said this morning that she thinks she'll be up to stopping by."
"That's...good." His voice came out sounding a little strangled.
Get a hold of yourself, Davey!
His attempt at conversation had yielded only a modicum of relief, and the continuous if barely-perceptible contact was slowly beginning to drive him crazy, so he forced himself to look away and stare at an imaginary spot on the tenement wall, willing himself not to flinch or to falter.
Don't move...don't move...don't move...
"There, that ought to do it!" Sadie announced, undoing the last of the tangles and mercifully bringing an end to Davey's silent discomposure. "If you tie this end to the hook nearest the ladder and slowly work your way down the length of the garland, it shouldn't give you any more trouble."
No sooner had she said this when the sound of approaching voices was heard, and Les, Abby, and Philip appeared around the tenement, the former bearing a tray of sandwiches and the latter two carefully carrying jugs of beverages destined for the drink station that sat at the far end of the courtyard. Taking advantage of the commotion, Davey hurried over to the ladder and busied himself with hanging the garland as Sadie had directed. Being able to focus on the simple task eased his nerves considerably, and by the time he'd finished, his equanimity had returned to the point where he felt confident enough to approach the landlord's daughter and ask her to check his work to make sure that it was to her satisfaction.
After receiving her approval and words of thanks, he made his way over to the drink table where he would be reprising the role of beverage server that he'd filled at the last party the Beckers had hosted only a few months ago in celebration of Sadie and Abby's birthdays. It had been a voluntary decision on his part; Sadie had hesitantly broached the subject with him during their preparations, and he'd quickly agreed to the job despite her concerns that she'd already asked too much of him, for the truth was that he really didn't mind. Serving drinks allowed him to interact with the other guests without feeling the pressure of having to mingle or initiate small talk, and he generally felt more at ease when he had something to do, so the arrangement was advantageous on both sides. And if it gave her one less thing to worry about, then that was more than sufficient reason to agree.
By the time he'd finished setting up his station, some of the other tenants had begun to arrive, and he watched as Sadie went to greet them, gracious and warm and welcoming as she invited her guests to make themselves at home and to enjoy the food that had been prepared. Several of the ladies made delighted remarks about the decorations, and he saw her smile modestly in response, but he could tell that she was elated, and he felt a little bit of pride well up inside on her behalf.
Before long, the yard was full of tenants who had come downstairs to eat, drink, and chat with their neighbors. Davey was kept busy by a steady stream of beverage requests, but everyone was so patient and affable that it never felt like a rush, and he had plenty of lulls in between where he had time to catch his breath and observe the party as it unfolded.
He saw Les sitting with Caleb and Samuel and the Kogan Twins, their little posse bunched around a table as they devoured a plate heaped high with more sweets and pastries than was probably healthy, momentarily unhindered by any adult supervision that would have prevented them from such immoderation. Despite the fact that Les and an exorbitant amount of sugar were generally a recipe for future havoc, Davey felt no inclination to leave his post to intervene. There was a celebratory mood in the air, he was happy that his brother had found a group of friends at the tenement, and they didn't get to eat food like this very often, so there was no reason why he couldn't let the younger boy indulge himself for the day.
At the other end of the yard, Philip was conversing with a family that had recently moved in, a young couple with three children who were shyly clustered around their mother's skirt. Judith and her husband stood nearby, listening attentively, while Miriam was engrossed in conversation with several ladies at an adjacent table. Even Lilly was there, sitting next to her mother as she silently observed the festivities. Davey caught her eye and waved a greeting which she didn't return, but he saw her smile a little before she looked away.
Eventually, his own parents showed up as well, Mayer clearly favoring his injured leg but trying not to lean too much on Esther for support. Davey saw Sadie go to greet them, the cheerful lilt of her voice discernable above the noise of the crowd even if he couldn't make out the words, and he watched as she ushered them over to a table, introducing them to some of the other tenants who were seated there.
Several requests for drinks distracted him then, and by the time he'd fulfilled them all, he saw that his parents had been drawn into conversation by the kindly Mrs. Gerlach and that Sadie was already greeting another family who had just arrived. The landlord's daughter was clearly in her element, and it was fascinating to see how those whom she welcomed seem to relax and soften in her presence, as though they knew that they were received and accepted and embraced, because Sadie instinctively knew how to draw a person in and make them feel like they mattered.
If only she knew how much of a gift that genuine hospitality was.
Davey poured himself a cup of cider and took a sip, letting the warm, spicy liquid slake his thirst. He was starting to get a little hungry and thought that maybe he'd try to flag down Les to cover the drink table for a moment while he went to get some food, but before he could do so, he felt a tap on his shoulder, and turned around to see Abby standing behind him.
"My sister said that she wants me to watch the drinks so that you can go eat," the youngest Becker said without preamble.
"Oh...thanks Abby." Davey could tell that she wasn't thrilled at the idea of being taken away from the party, so he added quickly, "I won't be long," then hurried over to the table where the refreshments had been set up.
It was quite a spread: there were pastries and cakes and cookies of all kinds, as well as pastrami sandwiches and several varieties of salad. Davey eagerly filled his plate, his stomach already beginning to growl in anticipation, and he was about to turn and head back to the drink station when he sensed someone nearby and looked over to see Sadie stocking her own plate beside him.
"I came to make sure you were following orders," she said cheerfully as she reached for a turnover. "I know you're not the kind to abandon your post even for the sake of your own nourishment, but I thought that if I provided a competent substitute, you might be willing to make an exception."
He smiled, slightly embarrassed but also secretly pleased that she knew him so well. "Thanks, Chare. I appreciate it."
She dipped her head in acknowledgement. "Of course. I'd be a poor hostess indeed if I neglected the wellbeing of those whose hard work has made all of this possible!"
"Everything's going great," Davey said encouragingly. "I'm impressed with your ability to manage all of the logistics and still welcome everyone as though it's your only responsibility."
"I had a couple of close calls where I nearly forgot a few of our tenants' names," Sadie confessed, "but thankfully my recollection returned just in time. And speaking of logistics..." She looked around the yard, searching for someone, "...I need to speak to my father about something as soon as I can find him. He usually gives a very brief welcome and a toast around this time when most of the guests have arrived, but I need to ask him to hold off for just a moment so that I can go up to the office and get some more cups for our guests. We've had several families come whom we weren't expecting, so I'm afraid we'll run short without the additional supplies."
Davey joined her in scanning the crowd for Philip Becker, but the man was nowhere in sight. Sadie bit her lip in concern, and Davey was about to offer to go look upstairs, when a voice suddenly called out from across the yard.
"Sadie!"
The landlord's daughter turned in surprise, and her expression immediately lit up. "It's Mrs. Neil!" she exclaimed. "And she's brought her little one with her, oh!" She looked as though she was about to hurry towards the woman, but stopped short, hastily glancing around for a place to put her plate of food while muttering to herself, "But I need to find Papa first to make sure he doesn't give the toast before we've brought the extra cups down; it would be terrible for some of our guests to be without, and - "
"I'll find him," Davey offered. "And I'll bring the cups down from the office, too. They're the ones stored in the boxes behind the desk, right?"
Sadie nodded, clearly conflicted. "Are you sure? I didn't mean to saddle you with my errand..."
"I'm sure, Chare." He held out a hand for her plate. "I'll take care of this, too."
She hesitated for a moment more, then quickly capitulated.
"Thank you," she murmured as she surrendered her food and gave him a grateful look. "I really don't know what I'd do without you, Davey."
And before he could answer, she turned away and went to greet her guests, leaving him behind to smile like the utterly smitten fool that he was before he pulled himself together and hurried off in the opposite direction to locate the landlord.
"Would you like anything else to eat, Mayer?" Esther leaned over, examining her husband's empty plate.
"I wouldn't say no to another one of those cherry and cheese turnovers," he replied. "And perhaps a refill on apple cider, if you don't mind."
Esther nodded as she rose from the table. "I'll get the pastry first and then be right back." Transversing the yard, she made her way over to the refreshment table which, despite the considerable amount of guests, was still well stocked with food. Procuring the requested cherry and cheese turnover and adding a slice of chocolate cake for herself, Esther returned to where Mayer was sitting, exchanging the plate of sweets for his empty cup.
They were the only two left at their table; the party was slowly winding down, and the other guests, including the amiable Mrs. Gerlach, had drifted back to their apartments or else regretfully excused themselves to take care of other responsibilities, but the Jacobses had lingered, enjoying the relatively temperate weather and the chance to socialize and meet some of their neighbors.
Mayer had been surprisingly affable, and it had heartened Esther to see him leave behind his natural reticence and venture into conversation. He was generally ill-disposed to chitchat, but something about the genuine interest and cordiality of the others around the table had drawn him out, and Esther was thankful that Sadie had introduced them, for the tenement would feel more like home now that they could put names to some of the faces that they'd only seen briefly in passing.
The sound of her younger son's laughter reached Esther's ears, and she looked over to see Les playing a game of marbles with a few other kids from the tenement. She was glad to see him settling in with some of his peers, and even caught him leaning over to help one of the smaller boys, something that was unusual for him. Les generally didn't have a hard time fitting in, but occasionally the company he found himself among was of the less collegial kind, so Esther was grateful that the friends he'd made at the tenement seemed to be agreeable.
David, too, had found his footing over the past six months, more quickly than he usually did after a relocation, and as Esther made her way towards where he was stationed at the other end of the yard, she watched as he served drinks to a handful of tenants, conversing freely with them, his bearing uncharacteristically relaxed and easy. It was clear that he was comfortable, and moreover, that he was happy, and this inspired another upwelling of gratitude, for it was rare to see her older son in such a state, and the relief of knowing that both he and Les were doing well was a gift that Esther treasured deep within her heart.
As she drew near the drink table, the other guests drifted away, and David caught sight of her and smiled.
"Hi Mom. More to drink?"
"Your father would like a refill of apple cider." She held out Mayer's empty cup which David took, replenishing it with the requested beverage.
"Are you enjoying the party?" he asked as he handed it back to her.
"We are. Sadie introduced us to some of the other tenants, and all of them were wonderful. We met the rest of her family, too, even her sister and brother-in-law from Boston."
David nodded. "The two older boys in that group Les is playing with are their sons. I understand that they'll be returning home within the week, but I'm glad Les was able to enjoy their company for a while. They're good kids."
"The whole Becker family seems to be gracious and good-hearted," Esther remarked as she observed the aforementioned boys. "They've been through so much, and yet there's a kindness about them too, like they've somehow determined to enjoy the blessings of life while not ignoring its various hardships." Philip's earlier words of welcome along with his toast had given her a glimpse into the complexities and challenges that had shaped the family and had inspired the annual tenement party in the first place, and Esther had only found her appreciation growing as she'd heard the landlord speak so fondly yet so candidly of his second oldest daughter and the way her condition had moved them to celebrate the continued boons of family, friendship, and community even amidst the uncertainties of life. It was a timely reminder to stop and appreciate the gift of the moment, but to also look forward with hope to the year to come.
Turning back to her older son, Esther smiled. "Have you gotten a chance to eat yet, David? The food is delicious."
He nodded. "Sadie made sure I got a plate. Everything was good - especially the turnovers."
"Those were your father's favorites, too. I understand that Mrs. Gerlach made them - apparently, she's quite the baker." Esther glanced over her shoulder. "Speaking of which, I should probably return to our table; he's waiting for his drink."
David nodded. "I'm going to stay until the end of the party to help the Beckers clean up, but I'll see you back at the apartment. Tell Dad I'm glad he made it down."
Esther promised that she would, then bid her older son goodbye and made her way back to the table where Mayer was sitting.
"David seems to be in uncommonly good spirits," he remarked as she set the drink down in front of him.
"I think he's enjoying himself." Esther took her seat, reaching over to procure her piece of chocolate cake. "He said he's glad that you were able to make it."
Mayer chuckled dryly. "I doubt that my presence has very much to do with his happiness." Esther looked at him in confusion, and he gestured subtly in David's direction, bidding her to look.
She did as he'd directed, and as her eyes alighted on her older son again, she saw that his attention was absorbed not in his task (for there was no one waiting for a drink) but rather by something - or rather, someone - on the other side of the yard.
Sadie was standing underneath the garlands of paper snowflakes that traversed the far end of the lot, chatting with several guests who appeared to be taking their leave. Their voices floated through the air, punctuated by lighthearted laughter, and Esther watched as the landlord's daughter embraced or shook the hand of each one, ending with a gentle kiss on the forehead of a baby in the arms of a smiling young mother. There was an undeniable sweetness in Sadie's mien as she bade her guests goodbye, cheerful and warm like the glow of the afternoon sun...
...and David was watching her with a look of open adoration on his face.
The sight of it stunned Esther, for that soft and tender expression was something that she was unused to seeing, and if she hadn't been observing David for as many years as she had, she would have perhaps second-guessed her assessment...but the longer she watched him, the more certain she became: her son was enamored, so thoroughly enchanted, in fact, that he wasn't even cognizant enough to hide his condition.
Esther had secretly suspected that David might have had feelings for Sadie ever since the day the latter had visited the Jacobses' apartment, for she hadn't missed his little surreptitious glances and slight smiles, and she'd heard the unmistakable warmth in his voice, but she'd always wondered if it had been merely an appreciation - albeit a heartfelt one - for a friend who had eased his transition to Manhattan, and nothing more than that.
Watching him now, though, she knew that her initial suspicions had been correct. The look on David's face was unmistakable.
And apparently his father could see it too.
"That's going to be trouble," Mayer sighed, breaking into Esther's contemplation.
"I think it's adorable," she opined. "He's always so worried and preoccupied...he needs to be able to let his guard down...to unwind and fall in love like other boys."
"It'd be less problematic if he'd set his affections on a more suitable target," came her husband's blunt rejoinder. "Or if he was at least a little more circumspect in his predilection."
Esther smiled ruefully. "He is rather obvious, but maybe it's only because we know what to look for."
"I doubt it."
The words were so sharp that Esther was taken aback. "Mayer...you're not actually worried about this, are you?"
"Of course I'm worried about this. David needs to learn that he can't have everything he wants."
"I'm sure he knows that already; the last six months alone have made it abundantly clear."
"I'm not speaking of his schooling or of his work situation," her husband clarified. "I'm speaking of his ill-advised affection for Miss Becker. She may be his classmate and friend, but she is still the landlord's daughter. He cannot be thinking about her that way."
"He admires her, Mayer. There's nothing wrong with that."
"There's nothing wrong with it, strictly speaking. But think about how he'll feel when reality sets in. Think about how he'll feel when he realizes that there is no recourse for his infatuation. He'd do better if he was reminded of these realities now before he gets in too deep and ends up being hurt. David's like you - he takes things to heart. If his heart becomes set on Miss Becker, it will only be a harsher and more rude awakening once he remembers his place and realizes that there are certain boundaries which can't be crossed."
Esther fell silent, pondering the thought for a moment.
"We have to think rationally about this, Esther," Mayer continued, a touch more gently. "You said it yourself earlier this morning: we're very fortunate to have found our current living situation. We can't afford a misunderstanding with our landlord or his family. David's fascination with Miss Becker could easily lead to one if he were to act amiss, even unintentionally, and that could mean an unfortunate falling out, or even worse, eviction."
"You're assuming that his attraction is only one-sided and that Sadie isn't fond of him as well," Esther pointed out.
Mayer looked at her wryly. "Do you honestly think she would give our son a second glance?"
A bit of motherly indignation flared up. "Why wouldn't she? He's thoughtful and intelligent and kind!"
"He's also a newsboy."
"A newsboy doing honest work!"
"Honest work that won't lead to anything in the long run. Despite his intelligence and gifting, David at present has very few career prospects and little else to recommend him. His job selling papers has been providential in providing the income that we desperately needed, but it won't impress a girl who's used to a more comfortable way of life, let alone satisfy her family. Have you forgotten that the landlord's office alone is nearly the size of our entire apartment? Miss Becker would be foolish indeed to take any interest in David as a sweetheart."
"He's your son, Mayer! You should be proud of him!"
"I am proud of him, Esther," her husband answered calmly. "But I'm also practical. I don't want to see David hurt. And I don't want our situation as tenants to be jeopardized." His voice softened a bit at the end, and Esther knew that, while the words had been gruff, they had not been unkindly meant. And, as much as she would have liked to deny it, there was a grain of truth in them, too.
That didn't make their implications any easier to swallow.
"Are you planning to say anything to him now?" she asked quietly.
Mayer thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Not at present. David's always been a pragmatist; it may be that he comes to his senses without our intervention, and I'd rather not interfere unless I have to. But if this fascination of his progresses, or if he begins to act improperly, I'll speak with him."
He took a sip of his cider, and Esther, knowing that the subject was closed, silently took a bite of her chocolate cake...but all enjoyment of the indulgent confection had now left her, and its taste was dry and bittersweet.
A/N: I know, I know, just when it seems like things are looking up for Davey, something else happens. Chalk it up to me being a typical writer who likes to make life hard for her favorite characters. But, in my defense, a story devoid of obstacles does not a mature and well-developed character make. Consider it a form of tough love, if you will. ;)
Thanks for hanging in there, gracious readers! If you have a moment, I'd love to hear your reaction to this chapter (and my heartfelt thanks to those of you who have been sharing your thoughts - I can't overstate how much they encourage and motivate me! :)).
