Darcy eyed her to-do list critically. It was much longer than she would have liked for the amount of time she had to do it in, but there was no wiggle room on this one. In just over six weeks, they'd be leaving for Colorado and all of it had to be done. There could be no more putting off.
Darcy's husband was finishing up the second phase of his training for the Army out in Arizona. She hadn't seen him since his graduation from Basic three months before, and even though part of her had really enjoyed living on her own, she was excited to see him again. She was well aware that she'd have plenty of time living on her own as a soldier's wife. Darcy made a face as she thought of herself as an Army wife. The role just didn't fit her and she'd started rebelling against it almost as soon as Aaron had enlisted. She knew it was a good choice for them in their present circumstances and she appreciated the reliable income and health care, but something about it was still galling. So while Aaron was away, she contented herself with small acts of defiance. She lined her eyes in smudged black pencil and dyed half of her hair raspberry red. Aaron only encouraged her. He may have been Army strong, but underneath the muscles and crew cut he was still a skinny punk rocker with blue spiked hair.
She stuffed the list in her pocket. She could get the cracked windshield replaced during the work week. Ditto the minor bits of sorting and packing she could start this far ahead. The other major work on her car would have to wait until her tax refund came. It seemed like almost everything on her list would have to wait at least a little while. Near the bottom was the one task that made her groan, and the one that required more than just money from her. Painting. In the five years they'd lived in their little apartment, they'd only painted two rooms. Now Darcy had to paint the bedroom, living room, and hall by herself in order to cover up the patches from where they had put holes in the walls hanging pictures. The last time they had talked, Aaron had told her to wait on the painting until he was home, but he was only going to be home for a few days before they both had to leave for his first post. Darcy had no intention of spending their last few days in Connecticut painting an apartment they were leaving anyway.
Darcy grabbed her keys and her bag, heading for Home Depot with a determined stride, and closing the front door firmly behind her. She smiled and pulled out her cell phone as she crossed the driveway to her car. She knew just who she could call.
*****
Stones crunched under heavy tires. Darcy grinned as she heard the truck's door shut harder than necessary. She could practically feel the resigned glare focused up on her second-storey kitchen windows and pictured the brief hiking up of baggy khakis, only to have them settle back onto slim hips. After seven years, she knew his quirks as well as anyone's. She was at the downstairs door a moment after he knocked.
"It's too damn early," he grumbled from behind his mirrored sunglasses. Bottle of Mountain Dew in hand, hoodie not quite long enough to keep his belt covered, cargo pants stained with what was probably motor oil, and ripped up Chuck Taylors.
"Well then it's a good thing you're my brother and you love me," Darcy said with a smile and she stepped back to let him into the hallway. "Besides, nine isn't that early. You're usually at work before now anyway, aren't you?"
Chris grunted, unwilling to either argue or concede the point. "I'm not actually your brother, so I'm not sure how far you should really push the whole family obligation thing," he pointed out as he started up the stairs. Darcy couldn't help smiling as he ducked low to avoid hitting his head. At 6'7" Chris never had to reach for things, but he probably did a lot more ducking than most people. He stepped easily over the gate at the top of the stairs and smirked at Darcy when she opened it. She was 5'9" - tall enough to step over it, but she had never wanted to risk losing her balance at the top of the stairs. Chris took off his sunglasses and dropped the backpack he'd slung over one shoulder onto the linoleum.
"So where are we starting?" he asked.
"I'm thinking we should move and cover all the furniture in both rooms first," Darcy replied, staring in the direction of the living room as though she could see through walls. "I think we'll have to move the futon into the kitchen though, or we won't have room to move."
"You're the boss." Chris pulled his hoodie off over his head.
"Damn right I am," Darcy said, and found herself grinning once again.
*****
It took them an hour to get everything moved and covered with drop cloths, including the carpets in the bedroom, where they would start. Although it was only the beginning of May, the day was warm and Darcy was beginning to wish she'd chosen to start on the western side of the house, where it was still a little cooler. Chris had brought his laptop and they listened to his music, a pretty low price to pay for his help all weekend. He'd even agreed to stay the night so they could get it all done and moved back before he went home. Darcy painted to the music, letting the bass lines set her pace. She was actually a little surprised by how many of the songs were ones that she had on her computer as well. Somehow she'd never thought of them as liking the same music.
As the song they were listening to came to an end, Darcy paused and wiped her forehead with the arm, trying to keep the sweat and paint out of her eyes. She put her roller down and grabbed her water bottle, relishing the sensation of the cool water flowing down her throat. The next song came on and Darcy found herself watching Chris as his head bobbed to the beat. She was pretty sure he was singing under his breath too. Neither he nor her husband could carry a tune if the fate of the world depended on it, and Darcy suspected some genetic glitch that could allow the brothers to play almost any song by ear, but keep them from hearing the flaws in their own voices and correcting them.
