“Oh, it is,” Martha replied with a warm smile. “Every year is a blessing when you’re with the right person.”
Daisy felt Callan’s gaze on her, and she met his eyes briefly, a silent exchange passing between them. She wondered if he was thinking the same thing, if the idea of a shared future was something he too was thinking about?
Not wanting to wake Callan,Daisy quietly climbed down from the sleeping platform, careful not to step on the pullout bed where he was sleeping. Frankie, tail wagging, followed her out into the humid morning air. The air here in North Carolina was so heavy, she could almost touch it.
Frankie bounded ahead, leash jingling softly. Daisy followed, letting him go where he wanted, her mind still hazy with sleep.
As they walked through the quiet campground, the world seemed to pause, caught in that magical moment between night and day. Then, a scent drifted towards her, the salty air and some kind of flower, and suddenly, she was no longer in the campground, but taken away to another time, to a memory long buried.
She was seven years old,staying on one of the small Greek Islands with her parents. The air was warm, filled with the scent of olive trees and the distant hum of cicadas. They were staying in a small rental house near the coast, her parents excited about a new underwater find.
They had left early one morning to go out on a boat, leaving Daisy behind. They told her to stay in the house and not to talk to anyone.
“We’ll be back soon, sweetheart,” her mother said, kissing her on the forehead. “Just stay inside and be a good girl.”
But “soon” turned into hours, and then days.
At first, Daisy wasn’t too worried. She played with her toys, read her picture books, and tried to entertain herself. The house was quiet. The only sound, the birds outside and the distant murmur of the sea.
By the third day, the food was running low. Daisy had found some bread and cheese in the kitchen, but it was starting to mold. She nibbled at the least spoiled parts, trying to stave off the growing hunger.
“Mommy and Daddy will be back soon,” she told herself, voice trembling. “They promised.”
On the fifth day, fear set in. She was hungry, dirty, and scared. She wanted to go outside, but the warning not to talk to anyone echoed in her mind. She peered through the window, watching the people pass by, scared her parents would never return.
A full week had passed by the time her parents finally returned. They burst through the door, sunburned and excited, completely oblivious to the trauma their absence had caused.
“Daisy, we’re back!” her father called, his voice filled with excitement. “You won’t believe what we found!”
Daisy was curled up on the couch, dirty and hungry, her eyes wide and hollow. Her mother’s smile faded as she took in the sight of her daughter. “Oh my God, Daisy, what happened?”
“You left me,” Daisy whispered, tears streaming down her face. “You forgot about me.”
Her parents were horrified, realizing once again they’d gotten so consumed with work that they forgot everything else, including their daughter. They tried to comfort her, but the damage was done. The fear of abandonment had taken root deep within her.
The year she turned eighteen, her mother, tipsy on sparkling wine one night, had confided that she and Daisy’s dad never wanted children, but her mom had been on an antibiotic and the birth control failed, so here she was. They’d tried their best, but they hadn’t cared enough to be good parents.
To this day, the fear of abandonment had been her constant companion. She’d tried talking to therapists, reading books about the issue, and other things, but the deep-seated fear that she wasn’t enough wouldn’t leave her.
As Frankie ledthe way back to the van, resolve settled deep within her. It was time to embrace the possibility of a future with Callan. And if he went back to his own time, it wouldn’t be because he wanted to leave her, but that he needed the community of family with his half-brother.
She opened the van door, the smell of coffee greeting her. Callan was up, his sleepy smile a welcome sight.
“Morning,” he said, his voice rough with sleep.
Daisy returned his smile, a newfound determination in her heart. “Good morning,” she replied, stepping inside to a new day, to a future she was finally ready to embrace.
As they drove towards Wilmington,Callan occasionally pointed out interesting sights or made light-hearted comments that brought a smile to her face.
By the time they reached the waterfront, Daisy felt lighter, the heaviness of the memories fading into the background.
Their first stop was the Battleship North Carolina. Moored serenely on the Cape Fear River, the imposing structure was a majestic sight.
They spent hours exploring the battleship, wandering through the decks and corridors, each turn revealing a new piece of history. Daisy found herself caught up in Callan’s enthusiasm, his wonder at the ship infectious.
As they stood on the deck, looking out over the river, Daisy decided she’d make so many new memories that they would crowd out the bad for good.
They ended the day with dinner and a walk along the riverfront, the setting sun casting a golden hue over the water.
