She felt lighter; he finally knew the truth.This is no longer a burden I must bear alone. Surely Jenkins will understand now that he knows.
Jenkins’s body vibrated, and his face turned red, a shade Darla had never seen before.
“Are you okay?” Pamela’s voice caused both Jenkins and Darla to jump in their seats.
Darla dabbed away the tears with her napkin. Jenkins stood and faced the window overlooking the pool.
“What’s going on with you two?” She wore a red, white, and orange tracksuit, and her long blond hair lay straight against her back. After a few glances between both Jenkins and Darla she shrugged and grabbed a biscuit from the table. “Sorry I’m late to breakfast. It was a long night, which I can see you already know about.” Pamela smiled as she snatched the crumpled newspaper from the table. “They really know how to capture my good side.”
She tossed the paper back down and shoved a large bite into her mouth. Darla took shallow breaths to avoid inhaling too much of the cigarette scent that oozed off of Pamela’s body.
Pamela turned to leave, and then stopped short. “Oh, and Jenkins, are you coming to my birthday party tonight?”
Jenkins kept his back to her. “Yeah sure.”
“Great! It’s at Dante’s house.”
After a final look between Darla and Jenkins, she twirled and left them alone again. Darla looked at the empty doorway. Her skin burned hot at the sudden appearance of Pamela.
That girl is more trouble than she is worth. Jenkins should be thanking me for getting her out of the picture.Darla stewed as she waited for Jenkins to say something.
“Can you please not switch with Pamela? I know death is scary, but sentencing her to take your death? That is more than I can wrap my head around.” He crossed his arms and leaned his body against the wall.
“Jenkins, I need to do this. I still have so much more I want to experience. More I want to accomplish. There is a reason this gift was given to me, and it feels wrong to not utilize it.” Darla’s eyes pleaded with Jenkins.
“No, I can’t let you do this. She’s still a person, and she has a right to live her life regardless of if we agree with it or not.”
Darla set her jaw forward and clinched her teeth together. “You can’t stop me.”
“If you do this, I won’t forgive you. You’ll lose me forever.” Jenkins welled up and his voice caught in his throat.
How can he not understand the situation I am in? I’m dying, and he is okay with me leaving but wants to let her live a good life?
“After everything I’ve done for you. Everything I have given you. You are going to turn your back on me now? I’m dying, Jenkins. Don’t you understand that?”
Jenkins stood still. He rubbed his stubbled chin with his hand.
“You can’t switch with Pamela. I’m serious. And because of everything you have done for me, I will keep your secret. But consider us even now.” Jenkins stormed out of the room, and Darla tried to grab his arm to stop him. He moved too swiftly and was gone before she could get another word in.
Darla rang her bell, and as soon as Betty arrived, she pushed herself away from the table.
“How did it go with Jenkins?” Betty cleared away the breakfast dishes. “Not well, I’m guessing.” She picked up the whiskey glasses and gave Darla a withering look.
“No, it didn’t. We need to move our timeline up before he can warn Pamela or try to stop me. Do you know what you need to do now?”
Betty nodded and grabbed the handles of the wheelchair. “I’ve installed the locks to the outside of your bedroom door. The windows have been sealed shut. The phone line has been disconnected. There will be no way for her to contact the outside world.”
The two settled into an awkward silence. The weight of the situation hung heavy between them.It’s now or never, and Jenkins better not stand in my way. He’s important to me, but I need to continue my life the way I want. He has no idea what I am truly capable of,Darla thought, as her resolve became absolute.
Her mind was made up to take Pamela’s life as her own and to push forward in securing her new life of wealth and prestige.
Dante’s driveway was lined up with luxury cars and limousines and Jenkins had to park out past his gate on the street. The distant thrum of music drifted through the warm September air. His hands slid across the neatly wrapped box and he kept wiping the sweat onto his khaki pants. As he neared the mansion the music grew to a deafening roar.
He pushed his way through the crowd of people and entered the massive front door. Strobe lights illuminated a well-lit dance floor and the live band played from the upper balcony to allow the party goers more space to rub their bodies against each other. Jenkins swallowed hard as he watched people grind up against each other to the beat.
Who are all these people? Surely not all her friends,he thought as he squeezed past a man who was clearly in his forties, whispering into the ear of an unimpressed twenty-something female.
The ground beneath his feet had a thick layer of spilled drinks and his shoes threatened to come off with every sticky step. The large windows in the back of the house overlooked thevalley below and the twinkle of lights from downtown provided the perfect ambiance for intimate backyard make out sessions.
