RockScars

Shadows was first to wake up. He left Twyla sleeping soundly and planted a pleasant dream in her mind before he left her room. Knowing that she probably hadn’t slept soundly since losing her eyesight, he figured it was better to not to wake her.

He found Lark sitting at the kitchen counter over pouring the milk into a bowl of cereal. He smiled and walked over to the counter and took the carton from her before she spilled it. “I can do it, I’m a big girl.”

“Yes, you are. I’m just being overprotective. It’s my job,” he winked.

“Want to share my cereal?”

“No, baby, you eat it.” He kissed her cheek and walked over to the coffee maker to get it started. After he set up the coffee maker to brew he turned around just in time to see Lark try and fit the biggest spoon she could find into her mouth. Of course most of the cereal ended up back in the bowl. Shadows laughed to himself and took a smaller spoon out of one of the drawers. He walked around to the front of the counter and handed it to her.

“Try this one.”

“Thanks.” Lark took the spoon and looked up at Shadows. “You’re good a bein a daddy.”

“Really? I was wondering how I was doing.”

“I love you too much!”

He laughed and leaned his elbows on the counter. “I love you too much too. Now eat your cereal and then go get washed up and dressed.”

“Do I have to brush my teeth?”

“Yes!”

“Oh all right.” She dug her spoon back into her cereal bowl and started eating again. Shadows went up to his room and took a shower and put on clean clothes. Tonight was the night Daisy was leaving and it was time to go and say goodbye.

************

“What’s with the sad face? Your parents are here.”

“I know Mr. Vengeance. I’m not sad, really. I’m happy. I’m just gonna miss you.”

Vengeance smiled warmly. “I’ll miss you too. Very much in fact.”

“You mean that?”

He held out his arms for her and she walked right in. “Of course I mean it.” He hugged her tightly and when she pulled back he put his arm around her shoulder. “Come on, there are a few other people who want to say goodbye.”

He walked her out to the living room and all the other guys were there, all except for Gates.

“Well, there’s our girl!” The Rev stepped forward and hugged her. “I don’t know what I’m going to do without your pretty smile lighting up world every day.”

Daisy pulled back and looked up at him. “Mr. The Rev, why’d ya have to go and say a thing like that. Now ya made my eyes start the leakin’ again.”

The Rev swallowed hard, choking on his own emotions. “Promise you won’t forget me?”

“You serious? Mr. The Rev, I never met anyone like you in my life and I assure you, I’ll never forget you.” She hugged him as tight as she could. “I’ll remember you foREVer.”

When The Rev let her go he had to turn around so no one would see his face. “I’m gonna go see Lark.” He left and Daisy wiped her cheek. She turned and smiled at Shadows and walked over to him next.

“Mr. Shadows, it was very nice to make your acquaintance.”

“Same here, Sunshine.”

“Thank you. Would it be to much to ask for you to make me a promise?”

“What is it?”

“Promise you’ll be patient and you won’t give up? I think you know what I’m talking about.” She winked at him and he smiled and held out his arms.

Daisy hugged him and he whispered low enough for only her to hear. “I promise.” He told her. “And I promise that I’ll be here for him too.”

“Thank you,” she whispered back. “That means more to me than you’ll ever know.”

He lifted her chin so she was looking up at him. “I know. Believe me, I know.”

Daisy nodded and turned to Christ next. She stood in front of him and he grinned widely. “You’re a terrible one.” She laughed and hugged him anyway. He blushed when she touched his cheek. “You know, Mr. Christ, one day a lady’s gonna come along and she’s gonna be the one to make you change your wicked ways.”

He laughed and touched her hand. “I’m just sorry that lady wasn’t you, Daisy.”
“Me too,” she smiled. “You’re a fine man when you’re keeping your hands to yourself. I hope you find love one day.”

“Thanks.” He smiled again and kissed her cheek. Daisy turned to Vengeance and the tears started to fall again.

“Don’t you dare!” He warned, but there was no stopping the floodgates.

“Mr. Vengeance, I want to thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I feel like I have another family here. I don’t know where I’d be right now if it wasn’t for you.”

“Don’t give it a second thought. You are family and you’ll always have a place here.”

“Thank you,” she nodded.

“Your parents are waiting in the limo outside.”

Daisy turned and faced every one of the men. “I love y’all. Every one of you.” She turned her head to the side and looked at Vengeance one last time.

“He’s out back,” Vengeance nodded towards the kitchen door and Daisy took the hint.

She walked through door into the kitchen and out the back door. She found Gates standing by the pool looking up at the moon.

“Mr. Gates?”

At the sound of her voice, he turned his head to the side and looked over his shoulder. “Yeah?”

“I’m gonna be leaving now.”

“Well, good luck to you.”

“I …I wanted to say…” She walked a little closer and he took a swig from his bottle of beer and continued to look up at the moon. “I wanted to say I’ll miss..” Before she could get the word out Gates turned around and held up his hand.

“Don’t you do that to me.” He shook his head not bothering to hide his tears from her. “Don’t tell me you’ll miss me.” Gates took his beer bottle and threw it across the yard. It smashed against a tree. “I came out here so I wouldn’t have to watch you leave and now here you are standing in front of me.”

“It didn’t feel right without saying goodbye to you.” She wiped her own eyes and moved closer.

He took two steps back. “Maybe I didn’t want to say goodbye.”

Daisy looked down at the ground. “Mr. Gates, why are you being so mean?”

He shook his head and moved closer to where she was standing. “I’m not being mean. I’m being real. I know you can feel the pain I feel and I know you know why. It fuckin’ hurts.”

He turned around and put his hands on his hips and let his head drop. “DAMN IT!” he yelled and turned back around. He walked right over to her and took her face in his hands. His eyes were as wet as hers and neither one could speak at that moment. Before he lost his nerve, he kissed her.

“Go,” he whispered when he pulled back from her. “Go before I do something selfish and never let you leave.”

Daisy nodded and took an envelope out of her back pocket. She knew he wouldn’t take it, so she put it in his shirt pocket. “I finished my essay,” she said and ran away with tears streaming down her face.

Gates watched her go while his own eyes continued to betray him and his own tears began to spill even faster. He took the envelope from his pocket and opened it. The paper was light pink and he smiled when he unfolded it. The essay read:

My Essay, by me, Daisy.

Mr. Gates,

I aint never wrote no essay before, or at least I can’t really remember if I did, so I’m just going to speak from my heart here. Hope that’s ok. At least I hope I get a B+

What I remember of my life is only the last few weeks. Those few weeks have been the best of my life.

I learned that everyone is different, not just me…

Maybe there’s a man who walks around singing silly songs about grapes or maybe there’s child who believes in a fairytale Prince.

For someone else, being different means being a tough girl even when she really wishes someone could see she’s hurting inside. Maybe there’s a man who’s just as tough, but still afraid he isn’t tough enough to break through.

It could be for one that love remains elusive in his life so he chases after every girl he can get his hands on to hide the fact that he is really trying to find his one true love. For another it could be the need to protect and provide for his brothers and their family.

Being different aint about how you look or how you speak, it’s about how you treat others and how they take the way you treat them and then how they treat you in return. It’s all in the personality, Mr. Gates.

I know for one man, it was hard to get to know me. Not because I was different, but because he himself was the one who stood out. What made him stand out to me was his wonderful ability to admit that he was wrong and his willingness to make it right. That’s a real man right there. Sure is. Even got them big words in those books to prove it.

I am different and I aint ashamed of that, because he is different too, but we are still the same.

I love you, Mr. Gates

Daisy.

“I love you too,” he whispered to no one and folded the paper that was now wet and stained with his tears and put it in his pocket. He covered his mouth with his hand and shook his head.

A hand squeezed his shoulder and he turned to see Vengeance. “She’s gone?” he whispered unable to find his voice.

“Yeah,” Vengeance nodded.

Shadows put his arm around Gates’s shoulder. “Come on, let’s go get a beer.”

Gates nodded and walked in between Shadows and Gates while Christ and The Rev followed behind him. He didn’t get more than a few steps before falling to his knees.

Not one of his brothers judged him for losing control and crying, instead they helped him up and together they would help him heal. No matter how long it was going to take.