Daria - The Next Chapter


Author's notes: This is part 2 of an ongoing story line set in 2008/2009. You can read this part freely or read Part 1 then this.

Legal Stuff: Daria and her compadres are property of MTV/Viacom

Feedback: Any and all feedback is encouraged. Please send to dltbow@aol.com

Set-up: Events are bringing people back to Lawndale.. some good, some bad.

Sidenote: I will be adding new characters while only referencing some of the characters. If any other writer wants to use any character I create to help their story line, please feel free.


Part 2 - The Car Knows The Way


Daria and Allen arrived in Lawndale a week later. After spending a week at her parents, Daria was ready to move. They found a modest four bedroom house about three miles from her parents. Allthough they had no children, they wanted guestrooms for when Quinn and her kids would visit once Quinn returned home. After rocky years of growing up, the sisters' bond had grown stronger since their dad's second heart attack two years ago. Quinn's husband, Jeff was coming from New York to help them move. They would meet Daria and Allen in New Haven early the following week.

Daria and Allen took a week to get settled into their new abode. They stayed mainly in their house. Even though they visited her parents often, Daria and Allen rarely left her parents house once they arrived. Daria gave him a condensed tour of the town. One afternoon, Allen decided to go to Lawndale Community College so he could familiarize himself with the campus. While he was gone, Daria worked on her latest editorial. After sending it to the editor, she began to work on the novel she started six months earlier. After a couple of hours, she stepped away from the computer. She stepped outside of her house and rubbed her eyes. She was still in a state of shock. She had moved back to the one place she was trying to avoid. Her parents; on the other hand, were thrilled. They were lucky if they saw her more than once a year. Now, they were coming over for dinner at least once a week.

After some time to gather her wits about her, Daria decided to drive around to see how much things had changed. She frowned when she saw that the pizza parlor she and Jane had hung out at had been turned into a bland chain restaurant. (Yet another small business gone to hell in a handbasket). She made a mental note for her next editorial. She drove to and stopped across the street from Lawndale High. It didn't look like the prison she had remembered it as. She continued her route around town. Then, she turned down a road she knew well. She stopped her car and stared at the house at 111 Howard Drive. The house she spent most of her high school days hanging out at-- the Lane's residence. Her mind rushed back to those days of the past. A faint half smile came over her face briefly followed by her eyes allowing a rare tear to fall. As she looked at the home, she turned to the driveway. A car that looked vaguely familiar was parked. The car lacked a Massachusetts license plate. Part of her wanted to park her car and knock. Something inside stopped her. (She would never talk to me after I left Boston that way.) She put her car in drive and headed to meet her dad for lunch. After eating-- instead of going her now usual way home, she went back to the Lanes. The car was still there. Daria wasn't certain if that was Jane's car. Jane bought it about a month before Daria left Boston. Again, she could not find the courage to go up to the door. After a long drawn out breath, Daria headed home.

Little did she realize that someone had seen her. A pair of blazing blue eyes looked out the window to check on the roofers at her home. Allthough Daria was not sure about the car in the driveway- the woman behind the blue eyes knew Daria's vehicle very well. The image of it driving away from her in Boston had been seered into her memory. What is she doing here? Why now? She looked at the plate on the back of Daria's car. Connecticut? She went to Connecticut after she left Boston. Did Tom and I's second relationship cause her to go there? Tom, if you can hear me, I really wish you were here. Give me a sign. Just then, she felt a tug on her shirt.

"Can we go play outside until Uncle Trent gets home?"

"Sure Anne. Let's go play."

Daria sat on her couch. A cup of coffee slightly shaking in her hands. Coming back here was a big mistake. What will I do the first time I run into her or Trent. Trent - damn - just when I thought I had this all figured out. She didn't even hear the door open. She jumped slightly when she felt a pair of arms go around her. She looked up at her husband of two years. A look of concern hit his face. She put everything in her mind on hold.

"Everything okay Dar?"

"It is now." She tried to make herself believe it.


Part 3 Coming Soon

1/18/2010