by Marie Force
“I think Daddy might be the exception to that rule,” Janey said, making the others laugh.
“Thank you, Princess,” Big Mac said. “I might’ve talked to Uncle Frank this morning, and he might’ve asked if it’s okay if he comes back for the weekend, and he might’ve also asked if Betsy is still staying with us.”
“Mac!” Linda said. “That’s huge! Why didn’t you say something?”
“I am saying something.”
“How’s Betsy doing?” Joe asked of the woman who’d been staying with them for a couple of weeks now. Her son Steve had been killed in the boating accident that had nearly claimed the lives of Mac, Evan and Grant and left Grant’s friend Dan Torrington badly injured.
“She seems a little better every day,” Linda said.
“It’s nice of you guys to have her at the house,” Janey said.
“We love having her around,” Linda said. “She’s no trouble at all and so thankful for the change of scenery. Lord knows we’ve got plenty of empty bedrooms these days.”
“So Uncle Frank and Betsy, huh?” Janey said, intrigued by the possibilities.
“Wouldn’t that be something?” Big Mac said. “I’ve been hoping he’d find someone new since Joann died all those years ago, but he’s never even had a serious relationship that I know of.”
“I don’t know about you guys,” Janey said, “but I suddenly can’t wait for this weekend.”
Chapter 5
Daisy couldn’t recall a day that went by as slowly as Tuesday did. Every time she glanced at the clock, it seemed only a few minutes had passed. Even though she was busy at the hotel, the day still dragged on endlessly. While she couldn’t wait to see David later, she was anxious about the conversation they planned to have.
Worries about what he might say and how she would feel about it weighed on her as she walked home from the hotel. It stayed with her in the shower and as she dried her hair. Standing before her closet pondering her limited options, she could think of little else but how this night might unfold.
She so wanted him to be different from the men she’d known before. There was something about him that appealed to her on the most basic level. It went beyond his dark good looks. She sensed the same kind of loneliness in him that she’d known herself.
During the evenings they’d spent together, she’d found out what it might be like to have a normal relationship for once, one in which she didn’t have to constantly be on guard against emotional or physical abuse. She’d made bad choices in the past. They were her choices, and she owned them, but she didn’t want to make bad choices anymore. She’d promised herself after the mess with Truck that she’d be more wise and discerning about who she spent time with in the future.
David had seemed like a wise choice, and she hoped she hadn’t been wrong about that.
In the far back corner of her closet, she found a dress she’d forgotten she had. It was basic black with a cowl neckline, a cinched waist and a skirt that came to just above the knee. She’d had it forever but hadn’t worn it in ages—mostly because she hadn’t had an occasion where it might be appropriate.
Feeling uncertain, she hung it on the outside of her closet and took a picture with her phone that she sent to Maddie.
Is this too much for dinner at Domenic’s?
While she waited to hear back from Maddie, Daisy took the dress into the kitchen to iron it on the counter.
Not at all, Maddie replied. It’s perfect.
I’m nervous. We’re going to talk before dinner, and I’m afraid of what he’ll say.
It would matter to me that he’s telling you himself and not letting you hear it through the grapevine.
I know… Still. I like him. A lot.
Hear him out and then decide how you feel. You don’t have to decide anything right away.
That’s true. Thanks for the consult.
Any time. Hope you have a good time!
Thanks! I’ll report in tomorrow morning.
I’ll be waiting. And Daisy…it’s okay to be a little afraid of falling for someone new after what you’ve been through. Just don’t be too afraid to take a chance.
I’ll try… Thanks. Xoxo
The pep talk from Maddie helped, and Daisy tried to stay focused on all the positives of her relationship with David as she got dressed and found some earrings and a bracelet to wear with the dress. She pulled on black, high-heeled sandals and then checked the ensemble in the mirror with a critical eye.
“I guess you’ll do,” she said as she looked over her shoulder at the back of the dress. She’d lost weight she couldn’t afford to lose since the attack and was more waifish than ever thanks to Truck’s punch to her jaw that had made it difficult to eat for weeks.
Remembering that awful night, Daisy told herself that whatever David had to say it couldn’t possibly be worse than what she’d already been through—and survived. Not just with Truck, but with a string of men who liked to be in control of the women in their lives and hadn’t hesitated to exert some muscle to bend her to their will.
No matter what David might’ve done in the past, he would never harm her physically. That much she already knew for sure. No, with him she had to be far more vigilant about her emotional well-being than her physical safety. It hadn’t taken long for him to become an important part of her daily life. The connection she felt with him wasn’t one she’d experienced before, and that was enough, on its own, to strike a chord of fear in her.
“You’re going to be strong, listen to what he has to say, and make the best decision for you,” she told her reflection.
Satisfied with her self-lecture, she went downstairs and realized it wasn’t even six o’clock. She had more than half an hour to kill before David would arrive, so she sat down to flip through a magazine and enjoy a glass of lemonade while she waited.
A few minutes later, a disturbance outside her door had her rushing over to peek out the window to see if David had arrived early. At the thought of seeing him, her heart beat faster with excitement and adrenaline. She was surprised to find an older woman sitting in one of the rockers on her porch.
“What the heck?” Mindful of safety, especially lately, she opened the door slowly to get a better look.
The woman’s hair was standing on end as if it hadn’t been brushed in days. She wore a sweatshirt with flannel pajama pants, and her feet were bare and caked with dirt. Something was very wrong here, Daisy thought as she stepped outside the door. “May I help you?” she asked softly, trying not to startle the woman.
“No.”
“Are you lost?”
“I don’t know.”
Daisy glanced down at the woman’s feet, which were cut and bruised, and wondered how far she had walked before landing on the porch.
“I’m Daisy. What’s your name?”
“Marion.” She had blue eyes that looked past Daisy vacantly. Between that and the cuts on her feet, Daisy was concerned that the woman was in some sort of danger.
“Is there someone I could call for you, Marion?”
“My husband is coming for me. His name is George Martinez. He’ll be here soon.”
“Could I offer you a drink while you wait?”
“Some water would be nice.”
“I’ll be right back with it.” Inside, she debated about what she should do and finally decided to call Blaine Taylor. After Truck attacked her, Blaine had programmed his cell phone number into Daisy’s phone in case she ever needed help.
“Hi, Daisy,” Blaine said when he answered. “Everything okay?”
“Hi, there. Yes, I’m fine, but an older woman named Marion is sitting on my porch.”
“Marion Martinez?”
Through the curtain, Daisy made sure that Marion didn’t leave. “Yes, that’s her. She seems a bit disoriented, and her feet are cut. It looks like she might’ve walked quite a distance on bare feet.”
“Thank goodness you found her. Her sons are going crazy looking for her. Would you
mind sitting with her until I can get over there?”
“Not at all. She said her husband George was coming to pick her up.”
“George Martinez has been dead for ten years.”
“Oh,” Daisy said, saddened for Marion.
“I’ll be right there.”
Daisy ended the call and took a glass of ice water outside to Marion, who accepted it gratefully.
“You look very pretty,” Marion said.
“Do you think so? I have a date tonight.”
Marion’s smile was so sweet and innocent. “I hope he’s a nice boy.”
“I think he is.”
“I have two boys—Alex and Paul. You should meet them. They’re very handsome, but they might be a little young for you. Alex is in tenth grade and Paul is a senior this year. The kids call them A.M. and P.M.,” Marion added with a smile. “George and I are very proud of them.”
In her mid- to late-sixties by Daisy’s guess, Marion seemed too old to have children that young. “I’m sure you must be.”
“What’s your young man’s name?”
“David.”
“I have a brother named David. That’s a nice name.”
“I think so, too.”
“Are you going to marry your David?”
Daisy laughed nervously. “We’re not talking about marriage yet.”
“My George and I knew right away that we’d get married. After the first time we went out, I told my mother he would be my husband.”
“That’s very sweet. You’re lucky that you knew right away.”
“We were lucky.” She looked directly at Daisy for the first time. “I think you know right away if a person is the one for you. At least I did. I can’t imagine what’s keeping my George. He’s always right on time.”
Daisy patted Marion’s hand, her heart breaking for Marion’s loss. “I’m sure he’ll be here soon.”
“It’s very kind of you to keep me company. What did you say your name is?”
“I’m Daisy.”
“A very pretty name.”
Daisy thought it a silly name that worked well for a child but not so great for an adult. But her mother was a whimsical sort who didn’t think things through far enough to contemplate an adult named Daisy trying to get people to take her seriously.
Her thoughts were interrupted when Blaine pulled up to the curb in his police-issued SUV. Tall, handsome and intense, Blaine was another of Daisy’s heroes after Truck’s attack. His timely arrival had saved her life, and she’d always be grateful to him.
Marion eyed him suspiciously. “Who’s that?”
“Hi there, Mrs. Martinez. I’m Blaine Taylor. Remember me?”
“I don’t know you.” To Daisy, she said, “I don’t know him.”
Daisy took her hand. “He’s the chief of police, and he’s here to help you.”
“I don’t need his help. My George is coming to pick me up.”
“I spoke with Paul and Alex,” Blaine said, his sharp eyes taking in her disheveled appearance and injured feet. “They asked me to give you a ride to the clinic to have your feet looked at.”
“My feet are fine.”
“They’re bleeding, honey,” Daisy said softly.
Seeming surprised to hear her feet were cut, Marion looked down at them. “How did that happen? Where are my shoes? Did someone tell George to bring my shoes?”
“We’ll let him know,” Blaine said. “The boys are going to meet us at the clinic. You don’t want to keep them waiting, do you?”
Marion glanced nervously at Daisy. “Should I go with him?”
“I really think you should. Your sons are worried about you, and they’re waiting for you.”
Marion clamped down on Daisy’s hand. “Will you come with me? Please?”
Daisy looked at Blaine, who nodded. She tried not to think about the fact that David was due anytime. “Of course. Let me get my purse, and I’ll be right back, okay?”
Marion didn’t seem to want to let go of Daisy’s hand, but she finally loosened her grip.
Daisy went inside, grabbed her purse and a sweater as well as a pair of flip-flops for Marion to wear to the clinic. She started a text to David and found a message from him.
Getting off the boat but got called into the clinic to see a patient. Will be a little late, but I’ll be there.
She replied, I’ll meet you at the clinic.
Back on the porch, Marion was looking down at the porch, studiously ignoring Blaine.
“Ready, Marion?” Daisy asked.
“Ready for what?”
Daisy’s heart broke for the poor woman. “We’re going to go with Chief Taylor to meet your sons, Alex and Paul.”
“But George is coming. We can’t go until George gets here.”
Blaine bent to rest his hands on his knees. “Paul is waiting for you, and he’s really upset because he couldn’t find you. We don’t want to keep him waiting, do we?”
It took some more cajoling, but they finally were able to convince Marion to accept the borrowed sandals from Daisy and shuffle down the sidewalk to the backseat of Blaine’s SUV. Daisy climbed in next to her and assisted Marion with the seat belt.
On the short drive to the clinic, Marion asked at least twenty times where George was and how he’d find her now that she’d left the house.
“Paul and Alex will help him find you,” Daisy said each time. She met Blaine’s grateful gaze in the rearview mirror and shared a sad smile with him.
When they pulled up to the emergency entrance to the clinic, two dark-haired young men ran up to the car. They had brown eyes and skin so tanned it might’ve been August rather than June, and both were in their thirties by Daisy’s guess.
“Mom! You scared us! Where did you go?”
“Now, Paul, I just went for a walk. There’s nothing to get worked up about.”
Alex hung back, tension coming off him in palpable waves.
David appeared at the door to the SUV. His eyes met hers, surprise registering in his expression. He wore a white polo that offset his light tan, with khaki pants. His hair fell across his brow, making Daisy want to brush it back for him.
“Hi, Marion,” he said. “How are you?”
“Who are you?”
“I’m Doctor Lawrence. Remember when I came to see you at your home?”
Of course he’d been to see her at home, Daisy thought, because that’s the kind of doctor he was. She was so damned happy to see him.
“I don’t know you.”
“It’s okay, Mom,” Paul said. “Dr. David needs to look at your feet, and then we can go home for dinner.”
“Will Daddy be there when we get home?” she asked, a hopeful glimmer in her eye.
“No, Mom,” Alex said. “Dad died. Remember?”
Marion’s face crumpled, and she let out an anguished wail. “Why would you say such an awful thing? He’s not dead! He’s at work! He works hard for all of us. Do you think it’s easy running your own business? Until you’ve tried it, you have no right to speak poorly of him.”
Alex turned and walked toward the clinic door, hands in pockets, shoulders hunched.
Daisy’s heart broke for the entire family.
“He wasn’t speaking poorly of him,” Paul said in defense of his brother. “The sooner we let Dr. David check you out, the sooner we can get home.”
“Yes, because Daddy is there waiting for me.” To Daisy, she said, “My George is waiting for me.”
“I know,” Daisy said.
“This is my friend, Daisy,” she said, sounding amazingly lucid again. “My son Paul.”
“Nice to meet you,” Paul said. “Thank you for helping Mom.”
“I was happy to do it. She’s very nice.”
Marion beamed at her as David and Paul helped her out of the SUV and into the wheelchair David had brought outside. “Daisy! Where’s Daisy?”
“I’m here, Marion.”
“I want you to stay with me.”
&
nbsp; Daisy took the older woman’s outstretched hand. “I’d be happy to.”
“Have you met my sons? Aren’t they handsome? Do you have a boyfriend?”
Daisy met David’s gaze and saw amusement mixed with sadness in his expression. He mouthed the word yes to her, which made her heart flutter.
“Yes, I do,” Daisy said with a small, private smile for David as he wheeled Marion inside to an exam room.
“That’s too bad. I hope he’s a nice boy.”
She looked at David again. “He’s a very nice boy.”
“Paul, don’t you think Daisy is pretty?”
“Very pretty, Mom,” he said, sounding as embarrassed as Daisy felt.
“If things don’t work out with your boyfriend, I’ll fix you up with my Paul. He’s very handsome.”
“Mom…”
“What? You are handsome. Isn’t he handsome, Daisy?”
“Yes, he is, Marion,” Daisy said, trying not to laugh at the absurdity of it all.
Paul grimaced and said, “Sorry” under his breath.
“Alex is handsome, too, but he can be grumpy sometimes.”
“Mom… Stop.”
“What? Isn’t it the truth?”
Fortunately, Victoria, the nurse practitioner who’d been so nice to Daisy after the attack, came into the exam room and offered to help Marion undress.
“Why do I have to take my clothes off? I’m not taking my clothes off!”
“I need to examine you to make sure you aren’t injured anywhere else,” David said gently. “It’ll only take a few minutes.”
“It’s okay, Marion,” Victoria said. “We’ll help you.”
“I’ll wait outside,” Daisy said.
“Me, too,” Paul added.
Over Marion’s protests, they left the exam room and went to the waiting area, where Alex was pacing. Both brothers wore dirty clothes and sturdy boots. Daisy wondered what they did for work.
“How is she?” Alex asked.
Paul combed his fingers through his hair repeatedly. “Confused, annoyed. The usual.”
“We have to do something,” Alex said. “We can’t go on this way.”
“I know.” To Daisy, Paul said, “How did you end up with her?”
“I found her on my porch, sitting in one of my rockers.”