“Um, could you explain that to an old man whose kids are already grown up and out of the house? I’m not really up on all the new lingo.”
Darcy laughed at his confusion but explained what she was going to do. “It means I’ll be strapped to an instructor during the jump. I don’t really want to learn how to sky dive. I just want to experience the activity. The instructor will be pulling the parachute cords and will know what to do if the parachute doesn’t open”
“You mean the instructor will know how to pray that the two of you turn into a giant rubber ball and bounce instead of being crushed by the solid rock?”
Darcy bit her lip at his description. She wanted to laugh but his words were too terrifying. “Stop, you’ll make me lose my nerve. I really want to do this,” she said.
“I don’t get it.” Jim said, still shaking his head. “The idea of falling to earth with only strings and fabric to slow me down just doesn’t appeal to my sense of adventure. A hot tub,” he said pointing a finger into the air, “well, now that’s another issue. Add a cold beer and a beautiful blond and I’m all over that scene. But then I’m too old so I guess I’ll never understand the pursuit of fear and danger as a hobby,” he said and chuckled. He was walking out of her office when he stopped and turned back to her. “Michael really told you that you were afraid of living?”
“Yep. And he was right.”
“So now you’re going to defy death and jump out of a plane?”
“I hope I’m only experiencing life the way it should be lived,” she said, laughing at his description.
“You’re not nervous at all about jumping out of a plane?”
Darcy shuddered. “Of course I’m nervous. But I’m not going to let it stop me. I’ve been afraid most of my life. I’m trying not to be afraid anymore.”
Jim still didn’t get it. “Well, can you update all your files before you leave on Friday night? And we’ll open an ad in the papers for your replacement. Hopefully we can get some people in to interview on Monday.”
“Jim, stop it,” Darcy said, laughing at his teasing. “It’s not going to be that bad,” she said, as much for herself as for Jim.
He shook his head and left the office.
By Friday, she was terrified but determined. She had been to Michael’s office two more times where he criticized her approach. She defended her ideas, sometimes loudly and was able to convince him that she had things under control, but it took all her will power to keep herself from hitting him during those two days. He was so obstinate and ornery, she was muttering to herself Friday afternoon as she made her way back down to her office.
Jim was in the hallway and heard her mutterings. “What’s going on?” he asked.
“That man!” she said, the word becoming a curse.
Jim looked behind him, then back to her face when he didn’t see anyone following her from the elevators. “Can you narrow that down a little?” he asked.
“Michael Attracelli!” she exclaimed. “He’s driving me nuts. He questions everything I do.”
Jim nodded his head in agreement. “Yeah, he can be a bear sometimes.”
“Uh!” Darcy wanted to yell. “He thinks I’m afraid of life,” she muttered, slapping the reports onto her desk. “I’ll show him,” she gritted out, forgetting that Jim was still in her office. She was shoving papers and files around her desk, slamming them on top of each other in her frustration. “I’m not giving in to his intimidation. I’m going to win that damn contract and then I’ll shove life back down his throat.”
“Darcy, are you okay?” Jim asked, leaning against her doorframe.
Darcy looked up and blinked, looking like she just realized who he was. She smiled brittely, “Of course, I’m okay. Why wouldn’t I be okay? Just because your boss thinks I’m an idiot and completely inept, doesn’t mean that everything isn’t just peachy wonderful!”
Jim’s eyes were wide by the time she finished. “Okay. I’m going to back out of the room now,” he joked. But Darcy was already turning off her computer and slamming files into her bag to take home.
Jim strolled into Michael’s office a few minutes later. staring out the window at the Washington, D.C. skyline. thoughts?” Jim asked.
He observed Michael “Can I interrupt your
Michael turned around quickly. “Of course. What’s up Jim?” Michael asked then sifted through the papers on his desk.
“What’s going on with Darcy?” Jim asked casually.
Michael sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Nothing. Why do you ask?”
Jim took a seat. “Well, I was just down in her office and she was using your name as if it were a four letter word.”
Michael laughed but there was no humor in it. “I can imagine.”
“Did you know that she’s going sky diving tomorrow?”
Michael was instantly alert. “No. Where did you hear that?”
“From the source. She’s determined to prove to you that she’s living her life or something along those lines. Does any of that mean anything to you?”
“That woman is going to be the death of me!” he said under his breath. “She’s driving me crazy.”
Jim knew better to respond and kept silent but his eyebrows were raised and his curiosity was peaked. There was definitely something going on between Michael and Darcy and, personally, he was thrilled. He couldn’t think of two people better suited for each other, although he wasn’t sure if they would admit it.
Michael dragged his hands through his hair then picked up the phone. Jim quietly left the office as Michael started calling all his buddies in an effort to find out where Darcy was going sky diving. Jim wondered why Michael didn’t just call Darcy to find out, but figured it probably had something to do with why Darcy was furious.
Saturday morning dawned with bright blue skies and no winds. Darcy sighed, wishing it were raining so she didn’t have to jump today. Now that her anger had burned itself out, she was terrified to jump. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad, she told herself as she sipped her coffee that morning.
She went to her horseback riding class earlier in the morning. Initially, she considered skipping because of her nervousness. After considering her options, she decided to go ahead and attend the class, knowing she’d need something to take her mind off the anticipation of jumping out of a plane and falling to the earth with only thin silk slowing her down. Unfortunately, she had a difficult time in her class. They were practicing galloping and she had a little trouble controlling her horse which made her nervous. The horse fed off her anxiety and acted skittish, stomping around and not accepting her commands immediately.