In less than twenty-four hours, a flurry of stories were leaked to the media, from women who had the displeasure of sleeping with Damien while he was engaged to Daisy and the men who swore he owed them money after running up massive bills at clubs. The kind of clubs that are known for drug activity.
Needless to say, he was forced to step down. Then his name was swiftly taken off the ballot after an internal investigation was opened into how he managed his campaign funds.
Pictures of him sweaty and disheveled at Monarchs Stadium will surely haunt him for the rest of his days, and I have made peace with the fact that I may not have put him in his place physically, but I’m sure someone will when he undoubtedly ends up behind bars.
I turn to the scene before me and wonder if it’s ever going to feel normal having Daisy’s adoring gaze on me. She’s in the kitchen, surrounded by women who are the age her mother would be if she were still around. No longer shy in their presence, she moves around the home like she owns the place and offers Luisa’s mom a sample of the rice that’s cooking on the stove.
They’ve been in the kitchen whipping up a storm all morning, even though they swore this would be casual lunch. By the look of the cluttered counter spaces, this feast could easily pass for a holiday dinner.
“Her mother would approve of you, you know,” Carla says, as she comes to stand by me. When I simply stare into her knowing gaze, she carries on. “She never had any luck in the love department. Even after she got pregnant with Daisy, she knew deep down it wasn’t going to work out with George.” She sneers at the mention of his name. “But when it came to her children, she wanted them to find deep, pure love. She knew it would be tough for Nick, given that he grew up without a good example of what a healthy relationship should look like. Still, she hoped he would find it in him to be vulnerable and caring, and I’m glad to see that he did.” She nods to Nick as he places a gentle kiss against his wife’s temple. “But Daisy? She named her after the woman who starred in the biggest love story she’d everwitnessed. She prayed for her children to experience a love so grand it would stand the test of time.”
She pulls out a little velvet pouch and sends a funny smile my way. “I wanted you to be here when I showed this to Daisy. Just in case.”
“Just in case what?”
“Daisy, I have something for you,” she says loud enough to get my girl’s attention.
“What is it?” she says, wiping her hands on the cute little apron wrapped around her waist.
Carla motions for Daisy to open up her hands and turns the pouch over so the contents trickle out.
There’s a tangled-up necklace that has seen better days. A small pair of simple gold hoop earrings. And a thick high school graduation ring.
“These belonged to your mother. She unknowingly left them behind when she moved to London. She told me to hold on to them for when she came back. And now, well… I think these belong to you.”
Daisy’s eyes well as one finger traces reverently over the ring, then the earrings. “My mother wore these?”
Carla nods. “Oh yes. All the time. I tried to get the necklace fixed after she passed, but the chain is broken in multiple places, and the locket was cracked open long ago, leaving one side scratched and unusable. But I was thinking, maybe you could…”
“I could repurpose it,” Daisy says quickly, her eyes darting between Carla and me. “I’ve seen videos where old jewelry has been melted down and turned into something new and beautiful. Giving the piece of jewelry another chance to shine.” Her eyes are back on the priceless gold in her hands as my eyes meet Carla’s knowing ones.
I’m going to have to thank her for that later. But for now, I simply say, “I know a jeweler. I can have him clean up the ringand earrings and see what he can offer when it comes to the necklace. That sound okay with you?” Daisy seems hesitant to hand them over when I open my hand for them. “It’s okay if you need time to hold on to them first. Get acquainted with the pieces before handing them off to be cleaned and altered.”
She releases a deep breath. “Yeah, maybe give me a couple of days to… I don’t know, stare at them?” She chuckles. “But I would love to get them cleaned up so I can wear them as soon as possible. Nick should have the graduation ring, and I’ll keep the earrings. And maybe we could have something created out of this poor old piece.”
“Whenever you’re ready.” I lean down to meet her eyes, then kiss her forehead.
Because that’s what the rest of our future depends on. Daisy’s readiness for the next steps.
I excuse myself to use the bathroom, mostly for a moment of solitude. I’ve been seeing my therapist more often since Daisy and I got together, and the sessions have forced me to face the fears that I do an exceptional job at ignoring.
I close the door behind me and stare at my reflection in the ornate bathroom mirror as I rest my hands against the marble counter.
Every time I tell her how locked-in I am with us, with our future, I worry that I’m rushing her. Threatening to tattoo her name on me and change her last name to mine in front of a stadium full of baseball fans.
Jesus fucking Christ. I lost the plot with that one.
I actually said it out loud. Because I definitely meant it and those things are on my to-do list.
Daisy swears it’s romantic, even though I sometimes think I’m operating like a lunatic.
I’m concerned I might be smothering her. Which is why I packed an overnight bag and planned on driving up to the cabinfor a night or two alone so Daisy can have the chance to say goodbye to the people who have become family for her over the past few days.
I know my girl, and I don’t want her to feel obligated to stay by my side when she should be enjoying these new relationships she’s been gifted. It’s my attempt at proving to myself that I can be a selfless, good boyfriend to Daisy, even when the thought of purposefully spending the night away from her feels like leaving a piece of my soul behind, the soul that I now believe is in fact worthy of her love.
But I already know I hit the jackpot with Daisy, and I don’t want to fuck it up. I already felt like a creeper when I revealed that I owned two floors in our building, including her current apartment.
And as I saw her standing among the crowd that so naturally gravitates toward her, it struck me that the people in this very home could one day be my family as well. I still struggle to let people in, but the ones standing outside this door? They somehow snuck up on me and claimed me as one of their own long before I ever realized it was happening. No number of blunt words or brush-offs could keep them away.
