Daisy's Choice (A Tale of Three Hearts) (5 page)

The day he told the Reverend about Daisy came back as well. And the old pain of losing her to his pride nearly broke his heart again. He walked stiffly, dragging behind him more than fatigue or regret. He grieved for the Johnson family but mostly for Daisy.

“
Everything okay, Petie?” Maurice their tire specialist asked.

“
No. Reverend Johnson died."

"Shucks, that's awful. Everyone was hoping he'd pull through."

"Yeah, can you um… cover… I got something—”

“
Sure, gotcha back. It’s cool.”

“
Thanks.” Pete headed for the employee room to get his keys and cap. He wouldn’t have time to change. No time to cry.

****

Nina sat in bleak silence. She hadn’t been this affected by death since she lost her sister to pneumonia. Usually, she dealt with grieving families the best but not this. Not this.

There were so many battles waging in her. She never told Pete about Daisy’s return. She couldn’t. She was so scared of what it meant and jealous of Daisy's haughty nature, her confidence. She hated herself for it. The guilt was getting in the way of their news. With Pete opening his shop, getting the loan, and the ring she found in his jeans, it made all of it dampened by the secrecy and lie of omission. He was close to being hers. Was it wrong to want to protect it?

Then there was that blasted card that was the one connection to Daisy wherever she went. Neither Martha Johnson nor her daughters asked for it, though she doubted they knew that she kept it. Nina stared at it constantly, debated, debated, debated how and when to turn it over to Pete. She even went on the internet at the nurse’s station and looked up
Jahi Salon and Spa
. It was some swank exclusive spa that was appointment only. But who was Danielle? Was that her name now?

Nina reached in her pocket and removed her change purse. Inside she withdrew the card. The reverend was dead, and the whole town shook with grief as word spread with the flood of tears flowing out of his hospital room. From his congregation to his family, this affected everyone.

Daisy was out there, unaware. Nina felt compelled to deliver the news. It was the least she could do after keeping the truth from Pete. But at what cost?

****

Daisy rubbed her temples. It was close to three. She would need to leave soon to pick up Amy. When the phone rang, she didn’t even blink. Her phone rang constantly. Clara was right. The calls were flooding in since that television starlet’s visit. She refused an offer to have her spa products, most tested and created with her ideas in mind, featured on the celebrity’s talk show. Clara hadn’t recovered from that one. She loved her business. Loved what she made from nothing. Only half of the million dollars helped her start it. The rest of her fortune was squired by her own hard work and a stroke of luck when she convinced the owner to sell this place to her, debts and all. With her new identity and an infant needing her, she launched her dream. But success came too fast and Daisy felt too exposed. Clara was a godsend. She had no problem stepping into the limelight. Daisy even trusted her with her proxy to manage business deals. Now Clara wanted more and again she'd have to find a way to protect her anonymity.

Reaching for the phone, she sighed. “Danielle Locke speaking.”

“
Ah, hi. I was hoping to speak to Daisy Johnson. Is this Daisy?”

She froze. Her heart literally stopped beating. She could barely swallow, let alone speak.

“
Hello?”

“
Who is this?” Daisy breathed.

“
Daisy?”

“
Who is this!”

“
Daisy, its Nina. Nina Stevens from Hollow Creek.”

Daisy closed her eyes. “Is my father—”

“
I’m sorry… I’m really sorry, Daisy. I thought you should know.”

Daisy dropped the phone. She gripped the chair and closed her eyes tight. Never in her life had she felt such pain. She’d come close with the loss of Pete and the rejection of her mother, but not this. Nothing like this.

She moaned deep and suffered through the shredding of her heart. Her head fell forward and she exploded. Tears and screams racked her body and sent her staff running in. All stood in shock and worry as she wept and fell apart.

Daisy… Daisy… Daisy… Daisy, are you there?

Her hands went to her face to conceal her pain, but she couldn't stop screaming for her daddy. Clara came in and ushered people out. She cried until the voice on the other end stopped calling for her, and the buzz over the disconnected line blared from the phone. She cried until Clara gathered her in her arms and held her, begging for her to explain. The small part of her that belonged to Hollow Creek disappeared for good.

****

Pete stepped out of the elevator. There were people lingering near the Reverend’s door. On his way to the hospital, an old school friend told him that Martha Johnson had to be sedated, and one of her daughters collapsed. He searched the floor for Nina and didn’t see her.

The passing glances he got from some of the church members kept him from approaching the grieving Johnsons. Though they tolerated his presence, he felt the hostility. After all, he was the last one to see Daisy, to take her from them.

“
Pete?”

He turned and Nina was on him, in his arms. He lifted her to him and held her. She wept openly into his chest. Her pain was his. “It’s okay. C’mon,” he said, leading her away from prying eyes. Feeling awkward.

They stepped around the corner and he took her face into his hands, kissing her closed damp lids and stroking her cheek. Nina felt so strongly for everyone. He wasn’t surprised that the Reverend’s death would affect her this way. He couldn’t help but wonder how Daisy would handle the news wherever she was. The bond between her and her father was as close as any daughters. Damn, he wished he knew how to get to Daisy and spare her this pain.

“
You okay?”

“
I don’t know why I’m acting like this. I just… oh, Pete.”

“
I know. I feel it too.” He kissed her and hugged her to him. “I feel it too.”

****

Later that night – Mango Grove, CA

“
Mommy, you not hungry?”

Daisy woke from her grief-induced daze. “What’s that, sweetie?”

Amy smiled, rocking side to side in her chair. “You didn’t eat your peas, your chicken, your potato or drink your juice.”

Daisy smiled. It was a small smile, but she managed the effort. Gathering peas on her fork, she brought them to her mouth and ate. Chewing, she winked.

Amy grinned and opened her mouth to show Daisy her food.

“
Swallow, baby.”

Amy did and reached for her milk. Daisy watched her as she held the glass that was quite large for her small hands and drank too fast.

“
Good!” Amy proclaimed, setting it aside. With a white mustache on the top of her lip, she grinned. Daisy reached and wiped her mouth with her napkin.

“
I finished,” Amy said, moving from her mother’s reach.

Daisy nodded. “Yes you are. Very proud of you.”

“
Can I watch TV?”

“
It’s late, Amy. You should go to bed.”

“
Aw, but I want to watch TV!” Amy demanded. The base in her voice was as defiant as her stubborn will.

"What did I say?"

She dropped her face in her hand with her elbow on the table. “It’s no fair. I never get to do what I want to do.”

Daisy sighed. She could fight the battle, but she had so little energy. “Okay, a little TV but—”

Amy pushed back her chair and slipped off the seat, yelling, “Yay!” as she ran for the stairs. Daisy shook her head. Her daughter was growing and changing each day. Sometimes, the look in Amy's eyes and the small playful smirk on her lips reminded Daisy of Aiden. Those were the times she worried the most. Tonight, she had greater pain than memories of Aiden Keane. Tonight would be the first night she'd have to live knowing that her father was gone.

Grieving, she rose and gathered the dinner dishes. She had made up her mind when she left Hollow Creek that she wouldn’t add to her family’s pain by returning. That meant she wouldn’t attend her father’s funeral. The decision cut deep. She’d have to live with it. Somehow.

****

Sheraton, Hollow Creek, Kentucky

“
Where are you?”

“
Hollow Creek.”

There was a long pause. Aiden understood that silence. He looked up into the mirrored bar glass and sipped his vodka with the phone to his ear, cigar burning out in the ashtray before him.

“
I was planning to return to Vegas next week. We have business with the Commissioner. Or have you forgotten?” Donovan asked.

“
Fuck him,” Aiden mumbled.

“
Aiden, she’s not there.”

“
That’s where you’re wrong, Donovan. I saw her today.”

“
You saw her?”

“
A picture of her. Looks like she’s doing quite well for herself.” Aiden gave a bitter chuckle. "Guess a million dollars does go a long way."

“
Where did you see her?”

“
What difference does it make? The man I hired let her get away. So I’m staying to handle it my way. She will be at the funeral and so will I.”

“
Wait... funeral? The father?”

“
Dead.”

“
Aiden, let it go. Even if she returns, it’s to bury her father. Not for you. She’s made it clear she doesn’t want you. She could be married for all you know.”

“
She isn’t. I’d feel it.”

Donovan breathed a heavy sigh into the receiver. “She’s just as lost as I am. I feel that too.”

“
I’m your friend. I watched you replace one obsession over another. Where does it end, Aiden? I'll tell you. Nowhere good. Five years is a long time. This has to stop, for your sake as well as hers. You find her and you can’t undo the past. She's clearly not your future.”

“
Friend, huh?”

“
You know I’m your friend. I’m telling you this for your own good.”

“
Right,” Aiden chuckled. He sipped his vodka, allowing the ice to tap his lip before lowering the glass and signaling the bartender for another. “Tell you what, friend. Help me find her. I need to get her out of my system. Then I'll let it all go.”

Donovan sighed. “I’m almost done with the business we needed here. I have my visit with Andria so I should be wrapping up in a few days. When is the funeral?”

“
Not sure. Soon, I suppose.”

“
I’ll be there in three or four days. Let me finalize the—”

“
Whatever. Just get here,” his voce trailed off. “If she comes, I'm not sure what I might do.” Aiden ended the call. He looked at the bartender who immediately picked up the bottle and poured. Aiden’s eyes swept the empty seats, then made contact with another woman at the end of the bar. Brief was their connection but enough for her to take his penetrating green stare as an invitation. She made her way over.

“
How’s it going, handsome?”

He said nothing. The cool glass in his hand soon pressed to his lips. Aiden let the alcohol numb his tongue before swallowing down a shot, slamming the glass back down on the bar for another. The woman sat next to him. Her hair was dyed a magenta-red, like the lipstick glaringly bright to her lips. She had round brown eyes and a mole above her lip. Easing in closer, she brushed her fake tits against his arms, looking him over. He figured her trampy nose was keen to the smell of money, meanness and liked the mix. His despair over the years seemed to draw women like flies to shit.

“
Traveling?” she purred. “All alone? They call me Ruby, like my dress and hair,” she giggled.