Its seven a.m. and I am not sure that I want to go to work today. Not only am I sleep deprived, and my eyes feel dehydrated, but I know there will be more tears later. I have been up almost all night. I cannot shove Daniel leaving for the army out of my head. I mean, no one likes hearing someone they know is going away. Worse, going away with the army, to war. Well, I do not really know that Daniel will take part in any wars, but what if he does?

At the back of my head is a still, small voice, saying: Why are you worrying? Daniel is in God's hands, protected under His wings.

I slowly start to smile, but I can already feel the tears coming.

"I know," I whisper, turning over in my bed. "I know You will watch over him."

I sigh as I sit up, looking out the window. Suddenly, I hear the sounds of footsteps outside my bedroom door. I get out of bed and slowly walk towards it. I am about to reach for the knob, when the door opens, and in pops my mother's head.

"What are you doing here?" I ask in surprise as she pulls me into a tight hug.

"Can a mother visit her daughter?" she shoots back, laughing softly. "Oh, darling, I've missed you too much. I could not stay away another moment. You look like you have not slept in days. What's bothering you?"

"Well, I have been sleeping fine," I reply slowly. "At least, until last night . . . Mom, have I ever mentioned Daniel to you?"

"Do you mean that boy who was with you in the shooting? He lives a few blocks down, right. Yes, you mentioned him a few times."

"Okay, well, yesterday I learned that he is leaving with the army. I mean, he applied, but learned that his application was accepted by having me open the letter. That's why I did not sleep last night."

My mother looks at me for a moment, nodding slowly. I sit on the edge of the bed; Mom joins me, putting her arm around my shoulders.

"I know how you feel," she says, giving me a squeeze. "Have I ever told you about the time my brother left for the Marines?"

"Which one?" I ask, my throat feels dry. "You have three brothers."

"Henry," Mom replies, "he was eighteen when he decided to join. My dad encouraged him; my mother supported him though she was reluctant to let him go. I was the only one who begged him not to go. Henry left and I cried for weeks. One day, Henry came to visit, and he told me something I never would have thought him to say."

"What was that?"

"Henry said: Sis, if I had the chance to do it over again, and take back my decision, I would do it because of you. You are my only sister, and I cherish you most of all our siblings."

I smile, that is a loving, big brother. I sigh and look towards my mirror, to the picture I have of Daniel. Along with it are three new pictures, of which we took together, after the fundraiser.

"But that is not quite the same," I say softly. "Daniel is just a close friend, whom I cherish. We friggin' survived being shot, and it goes deeper, below the surface. But no one really understands that part."

"Well," Mom says, sighing. "Then that is their problem. You and Daniel have a special friendship, unlike any other I have seen, and I think you have every right to not want him to leave. He means a lot to you, and that matters. I am sure Daniel has thought about it, knowing how you might feel about it. He had you open the letter with him?"

I nod, keeping my gaze on the mirror. My mother is so with it, I miss having her around.

"Well," my mother says, giving my arm a squeeze before getting off the bed. "Enough of that for now. I am here for a couple days, and I want to make you breakfast. How would you like that?"

I smile," Sounds great," I reply, nodding. "Make yourself at home. I am just going to change."

She nods and leaves the room.

~ * ~

"You look pissed," Dylan says as we stack shampoo on shelves.

"I feel pissed," I say, smacking my price-gun on the bottle and shoving it onto the shelf.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" he asks, leaning on the step-ladder.

"Not really," I reply, shaking my head. "It is not something I really can talk about. Besides, my mother is visiting, and she already tried to get me to talk about it. Points for trying, though."

"Heather, ever since Daniel's sudden reappearance, you've changed even more. You're not the same girl that convinced me to work here. You've turned into . . . sorry to call it this, but a goodie-two-shoes."

"This is not what you were going to call me, is it?"

Dylan shakes his head. "I was going to call you something else, but I chose against it," he says, going back to the box of shampoos.

"Dude," I say, rearranging the shelf. "Daniel left an impact on my life. I willingly tried to take two bullets for him. Hard to believe, but Daniel takes an important role in my life lately. I do not understand it myself. Every time I even try to bring up the essence of what happened that night, you block me out."

I shove my last shampoo bottle onto the shelf and move on to another aisle. I soon go to take my shift at the register, ushering customers to form a line. Dylan slowly comes to stand behind me.

"Personal bubble invasion," I say dryly, ringing up a bottle of nail-polish remover. "Mrs. Gibson that will be two dollars and fifty cents."

"Here you are," she says, handing me the total. "You have yourself a good day, Heather."

"You too, Mrs. Gibson."

Mrs. Gibson smiles and turns to leave.

"Heather," Dylan says with slight impatience. "Why can't you see that all I am trying to do is show that I care?"

"I know you care," I reply, ringing up the next customer's items. "But there are just some things that you don't like me to talk about, and this is one of those things. I know your patterns too well, and I know you will possibly stop speaking to me for a while over this."

"Heather," he makes me look at him when the customer is gone. "I want to take you out. I've been miserably watching you for weeks, and I can't take it anymore."

Dylan starts to lean to kiss me, but I push him away.

"Dylan," I say, putting space between us. "You are a great guy; you bring spunk to what should be the most boring job we have. But I do not share your feelings. I only see you as a good friend."

"It's that Daniel dude, isn't it?" he spats back, completely offended.

"No," I reply, shaking my head violently. "And even if it were, you, of all people, would know that by now. Daniel plays an important role, but that is not it."

"Maybe not to you, but I can sense it. Daniel is just another one of those guys trying to get you to mold into something that you are not."

"Stop it. You do not even know him. I am change because I chose to make the changes. And do not bring Daniel into anymore conversations, because you don't know what you are stabbing at."

I force a smile and turn to the next customer. Dylan stalks off silently, but I see him from the corner of my eye. I am half expecting him to come back and apologize. He does not; it is his pattern.

~ * ~

I have just finished my shift, and I am in the locker room, getting my things so that I can go home. I do not have a ride, thanks to Dylan leaving work early. It is okay, however, because I would like to get back into walking. Just like I used to, before not having my legs.

"Thank God for healing my legs," I say aloud, starting for the corner.

Just as I reach the stop sign, a car stops next to me, with the top down. It's Daniel.

"Need a lift?" he asks, opening the door open with his free arm.

I hesitate, "I appreciate the gesture," I reply, nodding. "I would love a lift, and my mom would be glad that I am not walking in the dark."

"You mom is visiting?"

"Yeah, she surprised me this morning."

Daniel stays quiet for a moment. I watch him from the corner of my eye. I don't know, maybe I am hoping to find some detail that can rove Dylan wrong, or something. One thing is for sure, I cannot exactly tell this to Daniel. Not yet. Maybe I will write a letter to him.

"So," Daniel and I say in unison.

"You first," Daniel says, chuckling.

"I was going to ask when you have to leave," I say, smiling softly.

"Not for a few more weeks," he replies, sighing. "I have to be a couple days early, to get things set up, and all that."

"Oh, so you're not leaving yet? Okay."

"I wanted to know . . ." Daniel says after a pause. "The day before I leave, there's going to be a lunar-eclipse. It will be late in the night, so I thought we could go connect stars, or something. We'd have front row seats, if we went to the boat docks. I asked Sarah to come with me, but she is going with my parents. If you would like to join me, I think it would be a fun last day."

"That's sounds like a great idea," I reply, smiling softly. "And I am touched that you want to do something with me on your last day. Well, you name the time, and I will be ready to go."

Daniel smiles, but he keeps his gaze on the road ahead. Daniel is a treasure, I am glad to have him as a friend.