“Miles,” Owen and Daisy both say at the same time, warning lacing their tone.
“I know, I know, I’m not gonna do anything,” I say.
Eli points a finger at me as he says, “Good move.Let the cops take care of it while you focus on taking care of your girl.”
“Always,” I say, tightening my arms.
Eli nods, glancing at Owen once more before he says, “Alright, I gotta finish up here.The good news, Daze, the damage doesn’t look too bad.Structurally, I think you’re okay.”
“Really?”she asks, and for the first time since I got here, I hear a tiny glimmer of hope in her voice.
“Yep,” he confirms with a nod.“I reckon a new front porch, a bit of new siding and a fresh coat of paint and you’re good to go.”
Daisy lets out a sigh, and I can almost feel the weight that lifts off her.“Thanks, Eli.”
He gives her a small salute.“Anytime,” he says, turning to Owen and Sloane.He says something I don’t catch, giving them both another quick hug before he disappears back toward the shop.I see a policeman chat with him briefly before the cop turns in our direction.
“You wanna get this done?”I ask Daze.“Then I can take you home.”
“Yeah,” she says, finally giving me a tiny smile.
After Daisy and Sloane speak to the police, they head back to the ambulance to get the all-clear to go home.Thankfully, there doesn’t appear to be any signs of smoke inhalation, although we get a list of the warning signs.
“You good to go?”I ask, standing outside the ambulance, unable to leave her side.
“Yeah, let’s go home,” Daisy says, smiling at me before she turns to Sloane.
The two of them embrace, wrapping their arms around each other.Owen and I watch as Daisy whispers something to Sloane, who then whispers something back to Daze, the two of them sharing a teary laugh before finally letting go of each other.
Owen and I say our goodbyes, making a plan to catch up tomorrow to find out what the police have managed to do, and then I take Daisy’s hand, and the two of us are walk across the side street to our house.
“Let’s go home.”
I can’t getthe image of Isaac lighting that match out of my head as I look over my shoulder at the bakery before Miles and I head home.Coupled with the heat of the fire and the sound of the powerful streams of water that doused the flames, it clouds my thoughts, making the opening of the bakery take a backseat to it all.
While Eli said the building’s structure was spared, it certainly looks worse for wear as Miles and I stand outside looking at it.Neither of us says anything, his arms tightening around me as I let out a ragged sigh.
The paint is peeling and bubbling up.All that hard work that Miles and I, along with our friends, put into this place feels like it’s been ruined.Curled up and burnt is the adorable pink and white striped awning, and all the custom-made floral garland that was supposed to for last years, is blackened and soot-covered.
Around the outside of the building is bright yellow caution tape; an investigation will begin tomorrow to determine the cause of the fire.
The city doesn’t need to investigate.I know what caused the fire, and I know who.While all of this was reported to the police and the security footage was turned over to them, they still have to do the investigation.This way, I can submit the claim to the insurance company and hopefully get reimbursed for all this damage.
“Why do you think he did it?”I absentmindedly ask Miles.My body is trembling in his arms, the fear still lingering.He could come back at any time, try to burn our house down instead, and while I was hell-bent on getting out of the bakery as it was burning, I’m not sure I have it in me to fight again.
I let out a yawn.My body feels like it’s run a marathon, exhausted and defeated.My mind wanders to all the what-if scenarios.
Sloane and I could have died in there, all because I made the worst choice of my life to get into a relationship with Isaac.That stupid piece of paper, that restraining order, meant nothing to him, and I knew that.
“Daisy, I wish I had an answer for you,” Miles whispers, his voice soft and soothing.“But even if I did, would it make any of this better?”
“No.”
It wouldn’t.Knowing Isaac’s reasons won’t bring the bakery back.It won’t heal the trauma Sloane and I will now endure because of it.It won’t stop my racing thoughts or my fear of him.
“Are you okay, baby?”Miles now asks.It’s a question asked out of concern and sympathy, but he already knows the answer.
I lean into him more, my hands clutching his T-shirt, the smell of smoke permeating his clothes, but I still find so much comfort in his touch and in being near him.
