A life of luxury was what she craved above all else, and nothing or no one was going to stand in her way.
“What are you smiling about, Darla? Let me guess. You love how your hair looks?” Peggy paused her work to assess the progress so far.
“I love it, honestly. And I have just had a moment of genius. I am going to go to Hollywood and become an actress.” Darla held out the open editorial to Peggy that showcased the young actress.
“What a wonderful idea. Get away from here. Start fresh.” Peggy removed the drape and brushed some loose hair from Darla’s shoulders. “Okay dear, my next appointment is waiting. Good luck!”
Back outside the salon, Darla felt recharged and ready for the next stage of her life. She didn’t care that Charles was following her. The money rightfully belonged to her.
She strutted confidently, head held high. She felt lighter, partly because her hair was a shorter length, and partly because she was about to claim what was rightfully hers. She admired people she passed on the street.
The bank wasn’t far from the salon, and she wanted to take the time to savor these moments. Her attempts at opening herself up to people proved fruitless. She was better off taking care of herself and focusing on her needs alone.
All the lives she had lived so far have helped her. They have all guided her to this moment: her life as a child, as Jane, taught her how to survive: cold winters, brutal summers, famine, disease. It all taught that there was a time and place to take help from people around while also minding your own responsibilities.
Her time as Abigail taught her the importance of mastering a skill set, one that would provide a sense of accomplishment as well as a source of income. She learned that even small dreams were possible with enough hard work and determination.
Theresa’s time showed that even the people closest to you could cause you the most harm, both intentionally and unintentionally, that relying on others for your success andhappiness was a fool’s game that would ultimately lead to your downfall.
Richard was complicated, as so many years were spent as him. She learned how to grow an established business into a booming empire. Femininity was lost as male dominance had to reign in making sure the business was prosperous. He did not keep up with female trends and fashion.
But now as Darla, she had reclaimed her love of femininity, and had come out the other side stronger than ever. She felt like she had a superpower that she read about in the magazines during her hair appointment. Once she had the money, and all the business was sold and dissolved, she knew what her next path was going to be.
She arrived at the bank in no time and headed straight to an open teller. The key thumped on the counter and made a loud clang sound. The teller jumped in surprise at the sound and her hand knocked her black-rimmed glasses askew on her nose.
“Good morning. May I help you?” The woman fixed her glasses and smiled professionally at Darla.
“Yes. I am here to make a withdrawal.” Darla smiled wide in triumph as she pushed the brass key towards the teller.
The nearby cherry blossom trees in Seattle, Washington, lifted Darla’s spirits as she poured over the maps spread out on the hood of her car. Her latest movie had finished filming, and her director was sure that he would be able to secure an Academy Award nomination for her role as an awe-inspiring professor.
She loved her time in Seattle, especially filming on campus, but she was ready to get home to her familiar bed. She carefully studied the map, marking the route she would drive.
Flying was an option, along with the rest of the cast, but she preferred to keep her feet on the ground as much as possible. She had the pen cap precariously tucked between her teeth as she battled the soft tendrils of hair curled around her face.
She smiled to herself and triumphantly capped the pen, satisfied with the route taking her from Seattle to Los Angeles. She enjoyed stopping to see various sites during road trips, and in her younger years of acting, she would usually opt for a more relaxed plan of just heading in the direction and looking at a map when needed.
Now that she was older, she preferred to map out the route, carefully ensuring she could get home quickly. Her next project was scheduled to start in two weeks, and she only felt settled when she acted.
The rush acting gave her had filled any urge to swap places with other people. She could step into a new character, make them come to life with her talents, and it allowed her fewer complexities since there wasn’t a need to hide what she was doing. There was no more need for careful planning. These thoughts swirled in her head, as she carefully folded the map to show the beginning part of the route on top for quick reference and headed to the driver’s seat.
This,she thought as she inhaled deeply,this is what it's all about. Freedom in all ways.She gave a final look in the rearview mirror at the beautiful campus and the cherry blossom trees in full bloom. She smiled as she put the car into drive.
An hour into the drive,she decided to pull over and grab a cup of coffee. There was still a few hours until her hotel stop in Portland, and she was already feeling exhaustion stiffening her muscles.
It was a small diner, shallow blinking lights filled the sign by the road enough for it to read Earl’s Pit Stop. The welcoming lights shone brightly on a variety of patrons. History had proven that even the safest of situations could cause the greatest amount of harm, and diligence was key when traveling alone, especially at night.
The bell above the door gave a startling trill as she pushed the glass door in. It was much louder than she anticipated, with a jukebox blasting an Eagles song. She turned and headed to abooth as far away from the music as she could get. She felt the weariness melt away as the electric vibes of the diner hummed within.
I needed this, out of the dark car and some coffee.
She sat in the corner booth, the worn vinyl stuck to her skin as she moved. The diner was packed, and she observed as the server hustled behind the long bar taking orders, refilling drinks and delivering food. For a small town, Darla was surprised that a dinner rush would be in full swing at 8 pm in the evening.
“Hi, my name is Kinley. What can I get for you?” A small-framed girl appeared in view of Darla, and she was taken aback by how young she looked. Based on the roundness of her face, Darla guessed she was either twelve or thirteen. Her apron, which looked like it once had been white, was streaked with various food and grease stains. A faded logo for the diner was stretched across the fabric and peeling along the edges. The young girl had the apron strings wrapped twice around her waist, the sizing clearly meant for a full-sized adult and not this teenager before her.
Darla was struck by how beautiful Kinley was. Her striking black hair contrasted perfectly with her pale complexion, and her blue eyes reminded Darla of the ocean on a clear blue-sky day.
“Yes. Hi, could I please have a cup of coffee. Just black is fine. And I will need a few minutes to look at the menu.” Darla blinked away her thoughts as Lizzie’s blue eyes filled her head.Lizzie, if only you were here now to enjoy this food with me.
