‘Actually, he does. He’s got more going for him than you do,’ Lorelai said, shuffling closer to Darren.
‘What? The man in the woman’s shirt and drinking the girly cocktail? Oh please,’ he said incredulously.
Darren looked at Lorelai then and raised his eyebrows as if to ask,May I?Lorelai’s response was to lean in without hesitation. As their lips touched, Lorelai felt a warmth emanate not just from his body but from his soul. She let herself sink into him, momentarily forgetting that kissing for her wasn’t as simple as it was for everyone else.
An image of Darren in a hospital bed started to come into focus. Lorelai barely recognised him as the same person she was kissing. His form had diminished, his skin was grey and sallow, his face gaunt. He was unconscious and hooked up to numerous machines. There were cards and flowers on every surface in the room. Lorelai heard a sudden beeping, and she saw Darren’s heart rate flatline. A woman old enough to be his mother was holding his hand but by the time she had realisedwhat was happening and called for help, it was too late. Darren had already slipped away.
Lorelai didn’t know what had killed him, but it looked like something unforgiving and devastating. Instead of making her want to pull away from their kiss, Lorelai deepened her touch. Darren had limited kisses left, limited time in which to give and receive love and affection, so Lorelai wanted to give him something to remember, another happy memory he could cling to in his final moments. Lorelai was so lost in what she was doing, that she didn’t know the man in tweed had walked away until Darren eased away from their kiss.
‘That showed him!’ Darren laughed, unperturbed by her sudden intensity.
‘Sorry. I got a little carried away.’ Lorelai wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, hoping it looked like a laughter tear, rather than one of sadness.
‘Don’t apologise. Those lips are quite the weapon! Use them wisely.’ Darren sat back and grinned at her.
Her heart squeezed; he had no idea what was coming.
‘Sound advice!’ Joanie appeared above them, leaning on the back of their booth. ‘Looks like I’ve been replaced as your best friend though, Lorelai!’ she huffed in mock outrage.
‘I think I’ve got a long way to go before I could ever replace someone as glorious as you!’ Darren said, smiling.
‘Oh, alright. You’re forgiven.’ Joanie grinned.
Lorelai leaned her head back and looked up Joanie. Joanie frowned a little, noticing the expression on Lorelai’s face and so she kissed her on the forehead.
‘Time?’ Joanie said quietly into Lorelai’s hair.
‘Time.’ Lorelai began to stand, and Darren gently took her hand in his. Lorelai gave it a squeeze back.
‘You’re not leaving, are you? Let me buy you a drink? The party’s only just getting started.’
‘Next time,’ Joanie promised Darren. ‘We got the party started but now I’ve got to get this one home.’ She ruffled Lorelai’s hair, and gave Darren a peck on the cheek.
‘I’d ask for a kiss goodbye, Lorelai, but I think we’ve already covered that!’ Darren chuckled to himself, and a lump rose in Lorelai’s throat. She said goodbye, gave his hand another squeeze, and then followed Joanie out onto the street. Lorelai sincerely hoped she’d see Darren again one day.
‘How are you?’ Joanie asked.
‘Exhausted,’ Lorelai said.
‘Do you want to talk about it, tell me what you saw?’
Lorelai shook her head. ‘I will but not yet. I’m still processing.’ Lorelai looked across the street, and spotted James in the alleyway again. His cigarette glowed in the darkness. ‘Before we go home, there’s one more thing I need to do. Joanie, I need a favour. A big one.’
‘Name it.’ Joanie straightened up, ready for action.
‘See that bike there? The blue one?’ Lorelai gestured across the road to a bike rack. ‘That one on the far left is James’s bike.’
‘How do you know that?’
‘I recognise it from when I kissed him.’
‘I’m not sure I like where this is going.’
‘I need you to, I don’t know, slash his tyres or something.’
Joanie’s eyebrows shot up. ‘You’ve lost it. I can’t do that!’
‘I’m serious. He gets hit by a car when he’s riding his bike –that’s how he dies, and he looked the same age he is now. I need you to do something to his bike that might delay his death. Then I’m going to kiss him again and see if anything has changed. It’s a sure-fire way to know if I’m sealing fates or not. I’m almost certain that is the case after what happened with Riggs, but this would confirm it once and for all.’ Lorelai could see Joanie’s resolve wavering. ‘Plus, plus, plus… you might save his life and let him live another fifty years!Youwould be a hero.’
