Bygone

She goes back to Rebecca and John for Christmas. The big white house with windows and trees, tucked away behind a low brick wall. Rebecca’s garden is dormant, but Darcy can see the beautiful new gazebo John had commissioned for Rebecca’s birthday.

Now Stark Mansion and even Stark House in London are more familiar to Darcy, she’s visited them for decades. But this newer house has the same vases tucked away on side tables, the flower arrangements always peppered with Rebecca’s favorite variety of pale pink peonies and Darcy’s favorite freesia. In Rebecca and John’s room the scent of John’s cologne and Rebecca’s perfume lingers. In the laundry the crisp scent of the soap John prefers. It all combines, mingles, and this house smells the same as the others had.

A familiar and beloved scent that Darcy’s brain recognizes and welcomes as John and Rebecca and home.

Now there’s also the scent of pine needles from the large Christmas trees in the family room and the main hall. In Rebecca’s music room, where Darcy can pass hours listening to Rebecca singing and playing, is the shiny aluminium tree Rebecca loves, decorated by Darcy and Rebecca until it’s positively garish.

Darcy spends late mornings in bed with Rebecca after John goes to work, with the radio on. Darcy sings along to Crocodile Rock and Rebecca asks if she remembers singing carols at church.

Rebecca’s eyes are foggy with memories and Darcy doesn’t bother to explain that yes, she does. It was going on three years ago. For Rebecca it’s been thirty-five.

It puts Rebecca in a nostalgic mood and she puts on her old records. John comes home and they spend the evening dancing the way Darcy had learned to in the Barnes’ living room.

Darcy ends up with her head on John’s shoulder, immersed in the familiar scent of his cologne mixed with nicotine while Rebecca sits curled up in a blanket with a glass of egg nog in hand.

“We’re headed out.” JJ says from the doorway. His ‘friend’ Andrew stands next to him. JJ and Andrew are getting an apartment together in the new year. Rebecca says that John is okay with it, he just prefers to delude himself that it’s as friends. “Andy thought we should see if Darcy wanted to come?”

JJ’s lips are twitching at the thought. He’s let his facial hair grow and has a thin mustache. His orange suit had flared legs that Darcy could wear as a skirt. Rebecca doesn’t quite hide a giggle.

“Yes, Darcy. You’re young, would you-“ Rebecca offers grandly, a smirk more befitting her brother on her face.

“No thanks.” Darcy interrupts, then gives Andrew a smile. “I’m exhausted.”

She ends up curled up on the couch with Rebecca and John, watching ‘old’ Christmas movies. They pick at a truly terrible fruitcake Gladys had sent, and devour the cookies Gabe had dropped off. Rebecca holds her hand, twisting Darcy’s rings around absentmindedly.

When the snow and ice clear, they all take a weekend up at the mansion while Maria and Anthony visit Maria’s father, who doesn’t get along with Howard at all.

Howard and John sit on the patio and smoke cigars while Darcy and Rebecca take up Howard’s newest plane.

They’ve been up for a while when the radio crackles with Dernier’s voice. “Rogers, I know that’s not you flying up there.”

“Why, Jac, whatever could you mean?” Rebecca asks. “I know you’re not insulting my flying.”

“Rebecca?”

They can hear John and Howard laughing in the background.

“Yes, I think I’m offended.” Rebecca takes them into another barrel roll, just showing off now.

Darcy had made it eight months when she disappears in London. Dum-Dum is there again, along with Coltrouse who stares at her as if he’s seen a ghost. Dum-Dum just looks sad.