Chapter 31 ~ Darcy

Liam is doing great. Lizzie is really happy. Everyone is so nice to me, all the girls, the lads and even the fans. I’ve only run into nice fans and they are always lovely. My mum comes today and I couldn’t be happier. I’m so happy with my live, with all the friends I’ve made, all the new things I’ve tried, and all the things I want to do. I’m happy with Liam like I never thought I would be and despite all the things I believed that having a boyfriend would cause, nothing like that happened. I haven’t neglected Lizzie, she’s even happier that I have someone and I believe that it has nothing to do with the fact he is Liam Payne. She is just happy for me. Liam has a busy schedule, but we manage to work perfectly, plus, when he is busy that gives me time to spend with my little sister so I don’t feel like I’m losing something. I’m not giving up on anything.

Things are so great I can’t even believe it. I’ve learnt so many new things that I enjoy; I’ve done so many things just because I want to do them. I’ve learnt so much about myself. Things I didn’t know I could love.

Now I know I love watching movies with Liam whilst he plays with my hair and gives me soft kisses at random moments. I know I love the sandwiches he prepares. I know I love running with Brit. I know I hate heights and I’m not an adrenaline junkie. I know that I get scared in the London Eye but everything is fine as long as I have Liam next to me. I know I love going shopping with Eleanor, Perrie and Lizzie. I know I love playing hide and seek with all the lads. I know I love watching Liam backstage and encourage him when he has to perform. I know that I want to go to Uni now, that I feel it’s the time. I know I want to make my own living, be independent.

And all these things I’ve learnt are thanks to Liam. He showed me all this. He taught me to live for me. And I was completely wrong, you don’t have to forget about yourself to take care of others. You can have a life and still be responsible for others. I see that with Liam all the time, how he looks after the lads and he is so responsible but he still has fun, she still has his life and he can be even a bit irresponsible with his own health. Though he has learnt too, he’s more careful and it’s seems like he’s finally come to terms with his condition.

I’ve made a lot of research about kidney failure, just to be more helpful and I learnt that you can have a pretty normal life, it’s not as threatening as I thought first. He just has to be more careful and everything will be fine. For now, just to help him to get used to all this, I’m following his same diet. It’s not easy the few first days, but I manage. Plus, it’s really good for my own health too. When I told Liam about that he didn’t agree on this idea. He didn’t want me to go through this when it wasn’t necessary, but I insisted. It’s not the big deal for me, but even if he doesn’t say anything, it means a lot to him. He doesn’t feel lonely. Lizzie tried to follow the same diet as well.

It didn’t work.

But she tried and that’s the important thing; plus, we got a good laugh at her when she gave the first bite.

Today Mum gets home and things will change even more. Now I’ll have the chance to prepare to go to Uni, to finally study journalism as I’ve dreamt my whole life. Lizzie will have her mum with her every day, she’ll have a normal infancy, I’ll have more opportunities to live my life and we’ll be all together.

I’m just so happy!

“Your smile is so big!” Lizzie comments whilst we’re waiting for mum to cross the doors of the airport.

“Oh, it’s because I’m really happy. Things are going to be even better for us now, Lizzie,” I answer and she smiles back at me, her eyes shining with the same hope I feel bubbling in my chest.

“Mum will stay with us this time.” Her voice is as joyful as mine. I think we’ve been waiting for this moment since Mum took that job abroad.

“And we’ll be a happy family,” I add with a ginormous smile. The only thought makes me giggle like I’m five all over again.

People start crossing the doors and I know Mum is coming with them, so I grab tighter Lizzie’s hand and we look among the crowd, looking for the woman to whom we owe our lives to. Finally, we catch a glimpse of her and before I notice what’s happening, Lizzie has me running towards our mum. Not that I’m complaining or anything.

Mum lets her bag drop and opens her arms to receive us both in a massive hug. Lizzie is literally hanging from her neck and I’m hugging her so tight it should hurt, but it doesn’t. It doesn’t matter that this time she wasn’t away for so long, we still miss her like crazy even if she goes for a week only.

“Oh my God, I missed my girls so much. Lizzie, you’re even bigger now!” Mum intones letting her youngest daughter on her feet again and I step back a wee bit. “Look at those lovely curls. Is it possible that you got even prettier while I was out?”

Lizzie smiles brightly at all the compliments, the little separation between her front teeth making her look even more adorable. “Eleanor made my hair!” She says excitedly. Before coming to pick up mum, we went to see Eleanor and she insisted on making Lizzie’s hair. The Manchester girl loves Lizzie and her hair.

“Eleanor?” Mum asks and Lizzie shakes her head. Oh Mum, always so bad with names.

“Another friend, Mum. One of the boys’ girlfriends,” I explain and she looks at me with an embarrassed smile.

“You look lovely, too. Happy,” she tells me looking at me with sparkly eyes. I see how delighted she is to see me like this.

“I am happy,” I confess, my smile only growing wider. “And now that you’re here, even better.”

“And I bring wonderful news!” Lizzie starts clapping when she hears that and we look at her with smiles on our faces. “Let’s go home so I can tell you all about it.”

We nod and quickly Mum picks her bag and we head to my car and I drive us home. In the way we buy some chips and burgers to have dinner and as soon as we are seated around the table, Mum smiles at us, her eyes shining with joy. I can’t wait to hear about her new job. I’m dying to know where it will be. Maybe she’ll work in Uni as a professor, or in an important research.

“Well, as I already told you, girls, I’ve got a new job. This will allow me to stay with you and not having to leave for months. They asked me to be part of a research project about earthquakes and volcanoes. Also, I’ll be teaching some classes in a university,” she explains and I can’t stop smiling. I know she will be great.

Wait… Earthquakes and volcanoes? Do they have that kind of projects here in London?

“You’ll be the best teacher, Mum!” Lizzie cheers but I’m still thinking, trying to see where my mum is going to start working.

“What university?” I question and Mum’s happy expression trembles a bit. She hides it by looking at her plate and taking a new bite before answering.

“UdeC,” she says, almost in a whisper.

“Mum? What university is that one?” I inquire. Lizzie looks at me confused; she hasn’t noticed there’s something odd about this.

“It’s a very prestigious university, with a incredible program for Geology,” she explains and I don’t say anything, I’m waiting. “It’s one of the best universities of the country.”

“I’ve never heard of it.”

“It’s because is one of the best universities in Chile. A country that is the dream of any geologist. They are on a geological failure! And they have a cordillera with oh so many active volcanoes. This is an amazing opportunity.”

“Chile?!” I choke in the word. I don’t even know where that country is! “But… I thought– I thought you were staying with us!” At those words, I hear Lizzie gasping. She probably doesn’t understand what’s going on, but now she gets there’s something wrong.

“I am! I mean, you’re leaving with me. You can go with me and we can be together in Concepción,” she even pronounces funny that word. “And I’m sure you’ll learn Spanish easily. It’s not a difficult language, I’ve been told.”

“We have to learn Spanish?” I feel like there’s not enough air to bring into my lungs. I’m drowning! “You can’t be serious, Mum. Do you really expect us to leave everything here and go to Chile? I don’t even know where that country is!”

“It’s in South America, next to Argentina, facing the Pacific Ocean, Darcy. You should know this, basic geography.” She is avoiding my main question. She knew, she already knew this part was going to be hard.

Chile. Another continent. Another language. Another everything. I’ve never been out of England and now Mum expects us to follow her to Chile but I– I can’t just agree. Maybe if she had come three months ago with this proposal I would’ve accepted. By then, Carter was the only thing that could hold me back but now… now I have roots here, I have a life that I really love. I have Liam! I can’t just leave.

“I do expect you both to come with me, Darcy. This job won’t allow me to travel every three months to visit you all. It’s a huge opportunity, I’ve always dreamt of something like this and I can take you with me this time. I’ve been absent in Lizzie’s life for too long, I don’t want to keep missing things.”

“But… Lizzie’s school? Her friends? Our friends, Mum. What happens with the life we have here?” I ask her and I feel burning tears that want to set free, but I fight them back.

“Lizzie is young and we both know she doesn’t have any problem with leaving that school. I know you now have a boyfriend and you made a lot of new friends, but… we’re your family.”

I feel like she’s stabbing me with her words. Of course, she and Lizzie are my family, my little sister is the most important thing in my life but– but I don’t want to leave England, I don’t want to leave London, I don’t want to leave Liam. If I go with Mum, I’ll probably never see him again. I can’t accept that, Liam is– Liam is too important for me. The only idea of leaving and starting a new life away from him hurts like I never thought it could do. I know I’d be with Mum and Lizzie, but I wouldn’t be whole without him.

Without saying anything, I stand up and leave the house.

-:-:-:-

BOOM! And let the bomb hit the readers... Finally all the hints that I gave from the beginning lead to this moment. Will Darcy go with her mum? Will she stay with Liam? 

You know... I studied geology in Concepción for two years (: and in case you didn't know, I'm Chilean so I had to add that somehow to one of my stories. And now I did it :p

Dedication to @den_ice17 'cos her birthday is tomorrow Friday. Have a nice day!

Bel, xx