“How was detention?” Darren asked.
Danni grimaced. “It sucked. How was your doctor’s appointment?”
Darren laughed. “So, are you busy right now?”
“Not really, but how was your doctor’s appointment?”
“Come over and I’ll tell you.”
“Okay, but why can’t you tell me now?”
“I’ve got news,” he said.
“What kind of news?”
“I’ll tell you when you get here.”
“Okay, see you in a few.”
Danni couldn’t imagine what Darren had to tell her, but she figured it must be something good. If it was bad, he wouldn’t have sounded so breathless.
* * *
The grin Darren wore when he opened the front door confirmed Danni’s suspicions. Whatever he had to tell her had to be good.
“What’s the news?” Danni asked.
Darren widened his grin. “You’re not even going to say hi first?”
“Hi,” Danni said, leaning in to give him a kiss. “So, what is it?”
“What if I told you it was that we’re all alone in the house?”
“That’s nice, but we can be alone at my house anytime you know.”
“That’s true,” Darren said. “You want anything to drink?”
Danni sighed. “I’d rather hear your news.”
“You will. I’ve been dying to tell you all day.”
Taking her by the hand, he led her into the family room where they dropped down on the couch.
Danni fixed him with an expectant stare. “So, what’s the news?”
“I found out today that I might be able to get a prosthetic arm, and I don’t mean some Captain Hook looking thing,” Darren said. “I’m talking about a fully functioning, prosthetic arm with a working hand.”
“You mean like one of those mind-controlled robotic things?” Danni asked.
“My doctor said there’s one that can fit over my shoulder. I’d have to learn to use my shoulder muscles to control the movement of it.”
“You could do that?”
“My doctor says I could, and once I learn to use it and control my hand, there’s no reason I can’t play baseball again,” he said.
“That’s good, but baseball season’s already over.”
Darren laughed. “No, it’s not. Baseball’s a spring sport, but I wasn’t talking about playing for Taft anyway.”
“Then who would you play for?” Danni asked.
“I was thinking I’d spend the year practicing and if I got good enough, I’d see if I could get on the community college team as a walk on,” Darren explained. “If I prove myself there, I might be able to get a university to take a chance on me.”
“You want to play baseball in college?” Danni asked.
“Yeah, I miss being an athlete and being part of a team, and I miss playing baseball. If I do this, I could get that back,” Darren replied. “So, what do you think?”
“What do I think? I think it’s the greatest thing ever. I can’t wait to see you play again, and this time you’ll even know I’m there.”
Darren laughed again. “I have to get good enough first and then I’ll have to try out.”
“You’ll get good enough. I just know it. So, when do you get the arm?”
“I don’t yet. My doctor had to put in a request to the insurance company and then we wait to hear from them.”
“How long will that take?” Danni asked.
“The doctor said it usually takes about ten days to get a letter, but if we call in a few days they might be able to tell us if it’s been approved.”
“You mean they might not let you have it?”
“My doctor said it’s a slim possibility.”
Danni bit down on the inside of her lip to keep from saying what she was thinking. Was this the same slim possibility as losing his arm in a car accident or him getting an infection while in the hospital? Or the same kind of slim possibility as him losing the rest of his arm during the second surgery?
“Anyway, I figure I can spend a couple of years at community college and get my general eds out of the way and then transfer to whatever university you’re at,” Darren continued.
“Or I could take all of my general eds at community college with you and then we could pick a university together,” Danni suggested.
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I know, but it makes sense. We could save a ton of money if we do two years at community college, especially if we take some of our general eds together.”
“That’s cool, but you don’t have to skip out on college for me.”
“I’m not skipping out on college,” Danni said. “It’ll be the same degree, whether I spend four years at a university or do half at community college and half at a university.”
“You think your mom will be pissed if you do that?” Darren asked.
“Who cares? It’s not like she can do anything about it.”
“What if she doesn’t pay for college or kicks you out?”
“My college tuition is already saved,” Danni said. “My mom put all the child support my dad sent into accounts for me and Nick, and she matched the amount every month.”
“That’s cool that she did that for you.”
“And I seriously don’t think she’ll kick me out. It’s not like I’d be saying I don’t want to go to college. If anything, she should be happy about the money I’d be saving her,” Danni said, and then frowned at Darren. “Are you trying to talk me out of this because you don’t want to go to college with me?”
“I’m not trying to talk you out of anything. I just don’t want you to give up anything for me.”
“I’m not giving up anything. I want to do this.”
“Are you sure?” Darren asked.
“I’m sure. Are you sure you’re okay with it?”
“Are you kidding? I think it’s great. We can go to city for two years and then transfer to state and get married right after we graduate.”
Danni giggled. “You’ve been thinking about this?”
Darren’s expression stayed serious. “You know I have, and you know what else I’ve been thinking?”
“What else have you been thinking?”
“If I get this arm I’ll be able to wear my wedding ring on the left hand, like I’m supposed to.”
“I love you,” Danni said, and Darren laughed as she leaped into his lap to throw her arms around his neck.
It wasn’t that long ago she had to beg him to go back to high school. Now he was talking about going to college. For the first time since Darren’s accident, Danni felt there was a real hope of him finding true happiness.
* * *
“So, Danni, how’s detention?” Chelsea asked, giving her a sly grin.
Danni rolled her eyes. “It sucks out loud. I can’t wait for it to be over.”
Chelsea laughed. “That’s what you get for fighting in school.”
“Screw you,” Danni replied, making her friend laugh even harder.
“I think you’re a bad influence on her,” Marcy said, looking at Darren.
“That’s true,” Chelsea agreed. “Danni wasn’t this bitchy until she met you.”
Darren smiled. “I like her this way,” he said, leaning over to give Danni a kiss.
“I think I’m gonna lose the lunch I’m still eating,” Chelsea moaned.
A cold wind whipped through the air to remind them it was nearing the end of October. Danni shivered and scooted closer to Darren.
“Speaking of lunch, how come Spencer’s not hanging out with us today?” Chelsea asked.
Darren shrugged.
“He probably realized what a bunch of losers we are,” Marcy said. Her cheeks pinked as she slid her eyes toward Darren. “I meant what a loser I am, not you guys.”
“Please,” Chelsea snorted. “We’re all losers. You’re the nerdy bookworm, I’m the fat girl, Darren’s the one-armed man, and Danni’s
the girl with the freaky one-arm fetish.”
Darren laughed. “Hey, I thought I was the homecoming king.”
“Didn’t you hear? You only won because the whole school feels sorry for you,” Chelsea joked.
“Excuse me, but I just kicked Whitney’s ass for saying that,” Danni said. “Don’t think I won’t do the same to you.”
Chelsea grinned. “You think you could take me? I’ve got like fifty pounds on you.”
“You’re not as big as you think you are,” Darren said.
“Tell that to your brother,” Chelsea said.
“Hate to tell you, but my brother’s gay,” Darren informed her.
Chelsea’s smile fell away. “Are you serious?”
“Of course I’m serious,” Darren replied. “Why do you think you’ve never seen him with a girl and he’s not married?”
Danni frowned. It seemed strange that Darren never told her that before. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t picture Justin kissing a guy. Not that it disgusted her or anything, but he always struck her as straight.
“It’s just not fair,” Chelsea groaned. “All the good ones really are gay or taken.”
“Or crippled,” Darren muttered.
“It doesn’t have to be a total loss.” Marcy offered Chelsea a sympathetic smile. “You guys can still be friends and hang out and stuff.”
Chelsea grimaced. “No, thanks.”
“At least you found out now before you tried to get with him,” Marcy added.
The familiar purr of a Camaro engine filled the air. Danni and Darren jumped to their feet and started toward the car. Justin emerged and gave the group his typical wave, complete with perfect smile. Instead of responding with her usual sigh and over the top wave, Chelsea gave a half-hearted flick of her hand.
“Hey,” Justin said, frowning as he spoke. “What’s with her?”
Darren grinned. “I told her you’re gay.”
“That’s not exactly what I meant when I said I needed to come up with a way to let her down gently,” Justin said.
Danni furrowed her brow. “Wait, you’re not gay?”
“Nah, he’s straight as a pole,” Darren said. “No offense, but I just get sick of hearing Chelsea constantly talk about how she wants to do my brother.”
“Is that because you’re jealous?” Justin asked.
“Why would I be jealous when I’ve got the perfect girl?” Darren said as he draped his arm around Danni’s shoulders.
“Good point,” Justin agreed. “By the way, I probably shouldn’t say this here, but I have to thank you, Danni.”
“For what?”
“For putting a certain fake bitch in her place,” he said, laughing. “Anyway, we gotta get going, D.J. I need to be at work by three.”
“Why so early?” Darren asked.
Justin heaved a sigh. “The life of a restaurant manager. Both of you take my advice and never work in the food service industry. Stay in college and get your degrees so you can get good jobs.”
“I thought you had a bachelor’s degree,” Danni said.
“I do, and hopefully I’ll be able to put it to good use and open my own business one of these days,” Justin answered.
“What kind of business?” she asked.
“I’m still working on that one. Anyway, I’ll catch you later.”
“Later,” Danni echoed.
As soon as the guys were gone, Danni rejoined her friends on the grass. The sad look on Chelsea’s face almost made Danni tell her the truth, but she decided against it. Maybe this was what her friend needed to get over Justin Jacobs once and for all.
* * *
Until she came out of detention on Friday afternoon, Danni hadn’t realized how long a school week could feel. As she trudged toward her car, she made a vow, and not for the first time, never to end up in detention ever again. Danni couldn’t wait to put some distance between her and the school. There was no way she was going to look at the library the same way again.
Danni revved her engine and then backed out of her parking spot. When she put the car into drive and started down the street, she turned on the satellite radio. It took a search of several channels to find a song worth listening to, but the effect was instant. Her spirits lifted as she hummed along, and things were only going to get better. In a few minutes she would be with the hottest guy in school.
Though they hadn’t planned on doing anything other than ordering pizza and probably watching a Humphrey Bogart movie, it was just what Danni needed after her week. She even had to admit she was starting to understand Darren’s love of Bogart movies. So far, she had watched Casablanca, The Caine Mutiny and The African Queen, and thought all three were amazing.
Darren was right when he said Bogart was a good actor. Although Danni liked the love story of Casablanca better, she couldn’t believe his performance in The Caine Mutiny. The slow way his character went insane was phenomenal.
As Danni pulled her car up to the curb and parked in front of Darren’s house, she wondered what movie Darren had in mind tonight. Even though they never went out, she didn’t mind this kind of date night. Darren was always more fun and relaxed when they hung out at his house. The few times they had gone out, he’d been quiet and withdrawn as he endured the stares and whispers.
Danni rang the bell and waited for Darren to open the door like he always did when he knew she was coming. Instead, it was Ann who opened it. A frown pinched her face as she held a cordless phone against her ear.
Covering the receiver with her hand, she told Danni, “Darren’s in his room, sweetie, so go on up.” Uncovering the receiver again, she said, “Yes, yes, I’m here. Go ahead.”
Whoever Ann was talking to must have been important because she didn’t remind Danni to make sure they kept the door open. Danni smiled as she trotted up the stairs to Darren’s room and knocked on the closed door.
“Go away, Mom,” Darren called. “I don’t want to talk.”
Danni’s smile morphed to a frown. “It’s me.”
Within seconds the door opened. Right away, Danni recognized the sad look in his eyes. Her nerves were already on edge as he reached for her hand and drew her inside the room. When Darren dropped down on the bed, she didn’t hesitate to sit beside him.
“What’s wrong?” Danni asked.
“The insurance company said no to the arm,” Darren answered.
“What? How can they do that?”
“They said it’s considered cosmetic and since I don’t need it to function, they’re not going to pay for it.”
Danni frowned at him. “How do they figure you don’t need an arm?”
“It’s not that I don’t need an arm. They’ll cover a prosthetic, but not the kind I want,” Darren said. “They want to give me a piece of shit, passive prosthesis.”
“I don’t get it,” Danni said. “What’s the difference?”
“A passive prosthesis doesn’t do anything. It’s just for looks,” Darren explained. “The one I want is myoelectric, but it’s the best there is and not just ’cause it looks the most real, but because it’s the most functional.”
“Myoelectric? What does that mean?”
“A myoelectric prosthesis uses natural electrical charges to move the arm,” Darren said. “Every time a muscle moves it creates an electrical charge. This prosthesis would use the charges created by my shoulder muscles to make the arm move.”
“Really? How?”
“The way my doctor explained it they put electrodes on the surface of the muscles and they pick up on the electrical output, which lets me move it.”
“That’s amazing. I didn’t even know anything like that existed.”
“Me neither until my doctor told me about it, but it doesn’t matter since I’m not getting it.”
“And why won’t they give it to you?” Danni asked.
“The insurance doesn’t cover it,” Darren said. “They’re telling my mom there’s a fifteen-thousand dollar limit.”
br /> “Fifteen thousand dollars isn’t enough?”
“Not for this kind. I don’t get all of it, but it has something to do with all the electrical parts making it cost way more than a regular prosthetic arm.”
“How much more?” she asked. “Maybe we can raise the money.”
Darren shook his head. “Not likely. They said it was eighty-thousand dollars.”
“Eighty-thousand?” Danni almost choked on the words.
“Yeah, so I either get the piece of shit that doesn’t do anything and looks fake or I don’t get anything at all,” Darren said.
Danni didn’t know what to say. How was it fair that someone who didn’t even know Darren got to decide whether or not he got the arm he wanted? How could they sit in some office and say a seventeen-year-old didn’t need a working arm? Whoever they were, they probably had both of their arms.
“Danni, I need to know you’re okay with this,” Darren said.
“Of course I’m not okay with it,” Danni replied. “It shouldn’t matter how much it costs. It’s not fair.”
“I mean that you’re still okay being with me now that I’m officially going to be the one-armed man for the rest of my life,” Darren clarified.
“You know that doesn’t matter.”
“Are you sure you’ll still think that when you see me with my shirt off?”
“Take your shirt off and we’ll find out,” she suggested.
Darren furrowed his brow. “Are you serious?”
“Why not? If we’re gonna get married, I’ll have to see it sometime.”
Darren drew in a shaky breath. “Um, okay.”
Danni’s eyes widened. She hadn’t expected Darren to agree, let alone so quickly. Even though he did, the hint of regret in his eyes almost made her tell him to forget it. When he rose from the bed, she thought he was going to take off his shirt, but he moved to close the door instead. For a long moment, Darren stood with his back to Danni. Finally, he turned to face her. Taking another deep breath, he crossed the room and dropped down on the bed across from her.
“Can you help me?” Darren asked.
“Help you how? You mean like with your shirt?”
“Yeah, I’m still learning how to do all this.”
Danni tried to be careful as she pulled Darren’s sweatshirt over his head and set it aside. He was wearing a white T-shirt underneath. When she reached for it, uncertainty flickered in his eyes, but Danni didn’t say anything. It wasn’t the right time to reassure him. First, she needed to see him and see the change. Then she would be able to give him an honest opinion.