Daisy's Choice (A Tale of Three Hearts) (56 page)

“
For what, mama?”

“
For the way I treated you when you came home. Charles would have wanted you there. I’m your mama. I shouldn’t have… I shouldn’t have treated you like that.”

“
It’s okay.”

“
No it isn’t. I understand now,” Martha replied. “This world is so full of temptations. I can’t blame you for getting tangled in them. You stayed away to protect your baby from that man.”

Daisy narrowed her eyes on her mother. Martha closed the distance between them. She reached and pulled her into a hug. “Mama’s sorry. So very sorry.”

The embrace lasted for a few lingering minutes and Daisy let her go, smiling. “I’m sorry too, mama. I was wrong to stay away. To keep Amy away from you. I loved daddy so much.”

“
I know, baby. I know.”

Daisy hugged her mother tighter. She could explain the rest later. She just wanted to have her mother’s love once more. Martha rubbed her back. “It’s okay. I’m here now, and I’m not going to leave you. We’ll fix it together.”

****

“
You hungry?” Pete asked. He pressed a kiss to Nina’s shoulder. She stretched up against him. The rain began to pour. The night hadn’t fully crept in but it was dark in the room, except for flashes of lightening. “Yeah, I could go for some room service,” she said, turning in his arms.

They fought, talked made love, and though a lot was left unresolved, there was so much more to look forward to. Pete chuckled deep in his throat. “Let’s eat later,” he said, rolling her over to her back. Nina laughed, and the phone rang just before penetration. “What the hell?” he frowned. They were staying in her hotel room. He’d checked out of his own.

“
It could be Daisy,” she said. “Maybe she wants you to come over to talk to Amy?”

“
In the rain?” Pete reached for the phone, snatching it up. “Hello?”

“
I need you to come to the lobby. I want to talk.”

“
Who's this?”

“
Aiden.”

The line clicked off. Pete looked at the phone, frowned, then re-set it on the cradle.

“
What is it, Pete?”

“
Nothing.” He moved off her.

“
Who was it?”

“
No one,” he said looking for his jeans, tugging them on sans underwear, and then searched for a clean shirt.

“
Where are you going?”

“
Nowhere, Nina,” he grumbled.

“
Pete!”

“
Order whatever you want from room service. I won’t be long.”

“
Huh? You serious?”

Pete looked at her, sheet pressed to her chest and eyes wide with questions. He walked over to her and grabbed her by the back of her head to kiss her sweetly. “I’ll be back. Order me some onion rings.”

She bit back another question. He winked, snatched up the door key card and headed out.

****

Aiden lowered his cell phone. He kept trying Daisy’s home number and got her machine. He called her cell and nothing. One thing at a time he told himself. Standing in a puddle he bought in with him from the storm, he waited in the hotel lobby. It wasn’t too hard to find them. Mrs. Johnson’s words echoed in the back of his mind. Rattled, his already shaky confidence gave him more nervous energy than he needed.

He dialed Daisy’s number once more. “Daisy, its Aiden. I need… I need to see you, sweetheart. I’m sorry for how I left. Call me, okay?”

The elevator dinged. His eyes flipped up as the doors parted and Pete walked off. Their eyes met, and he approached.

“
Well, can’t say I’m surprised you’re here. But yeah, glad you came. Time you and I got some things clear,” Pete began.

Chapter Twenty

Daisy stepped away from her mother's embrace. The sound of the storm echoed through the kitchen. The wind blowing in off the sea slammed rain in a harsh spray over the slick windowpane. She was drawn to that window, the ocean breeze whipping the storm up into a frenzy. A beautiful mix of darkness and light stung her eyes, with flashes of the turbulent sea coming in over the shore. Her hand gripped the cool edge of the sink and a gentle reminder of sadness came out in her thoughts. Mom was here. She had forgiven her or at least opened her arms to her. That was good. It was a start.

But where was he
?

He hadn’t called all day, hadn’t come to her and hadn’t sent a message or courier. He hadn’t forced her to acknowledge him and this thing they said they couldn’t deny anymore. Nothing. Aiden Keane never gave up. Not on something or someone he wanted––it just wasn’t in him. Yes, he was upset, but he was a fighter, her fighter. He boxed his way into her heart. That’s what she loved about him.

“
Daisy? You okay?”

“
Mama,” she answered in a weary tone. Lightening flashed again and she blinked, her lids slid closed. Then came the thunder. It clapped loudly. “We need to talk about everything.” She then dared to look back at her mother who stood there. “About Aiden.”

“
Pete’s the father,” Martha quickly tossed out, with her arms crossed over her breasts, a smart satisfied smile curled to her lips. How Martha Johnson knew enough to be happy over that little detail concerned Daisy. She didn’t want her mother taking sides––not on this; it was hard enough for her to stand strong in the face of having to raise Amy with Pete from two different states, two different homes. She knew the drill and how it all would play out. The thought of times where her daughter would be miles away with Pete and his new wife and new family during birthdays and holidays was a little disconcerting. Milestones in Amy’s life, shared with a man that could barely hide his disdain for her mother, was all she could look forward to. No, if she couldn’t take sides, choose one man over the other, have no say in who the father was, then her mother surely shouldn’t.

Daisy dropped her head. The weight of disappointment on her shoulders left them sagging. She couldn’t hide her shame and torment. She should have had this conversation with her parents the day she found out she was pregnant. Now her father was dead and gone and so was her chance to explain herself. To explain why a man like Aiden could capture her heart and make her careful with his was still a mystery to even her.

She stood upright, spine straight, a deep breath solidifying her will. Then she turned and faced her mother. Daisy was relieved to find no judgment in her eyes, just a mother’s understanding. But that relief would be short-lived.

“
Yes, Pete’s the father. Janette shouldn’t have told you about this thing with him and me. Pete had only given daddy half the story and I’m not sure how of much of that story daddy shared with you.”

“
Enough to turn my stomach,” Martha said.

Daisy flinched. “Okay. Well it’s my job, my responsibility to give you an explanation.”

“
Honey, I’ve lived long enough to know the details. Spare me.”

“
Not what I mean, mom. I’m talking about how I met Aiden and why I agreed to his deal. What I’ve been doing, and why…why I’m um—”

Martha stared on. The look she gave caught Daisy’s breath. She lost all train of thought. Her throat went dry. She pressed her backside into the sink and nervously picked at the molding right under the edge. Daisy stalled, trying to gauge her words to measure the right mix of truth and damning information. But there was no way to gauge this. Truth was truth. Sooner or later Aiden would stop running, just like she did. And when he came for her, not even the bond she shared with her mother could keep her from going to him. His hold on her didn’t weaken in his absence. In fact, it grew stronger. He was under her skin. Yes, she knew it. When he was ready, she’d open the door for him. Her mother, her sisters and even Pete won’t stop that. They’d all have to accept it.

“
What you saying, girl?” Martha asked, her eyes searching, worry lines forming around them as they squinted and studied her. “Speak up.”

“
I’m saying that I love him,” she confessed, like a sinner to a minster. She hated the sound of her voice. Loving him wasn’t wrong, and if she couldn’t make that clear now, then how could she expect her mother to ever understand it.

“
Pete? You love Pete.”

“
No. Aiden. Aiden Keane. He and I… we’re in love.”

Martha just stared, no reaction, not even a blink. Was she angry? Disappointed? Confused? Did she hear her? Daisy sucked in another breath of courage. “It has nothing to do with money, mama. When we met again, it just happened.”

“
That’s enough,” Martha said forcefully. “Enough, Daisy. You’re breaking my heart.”

“
Mama, I want you to know. I need you to know.”

“
I know. I understand. You’ve always walked through life with blinders on. That’s Charles’ fault and I suppose mine too.”

“
Daddy had nothing to do with what I did.”

“
Charles had everything to do with it. He always ruled you with a gentle hand, and I was always the one you didn’t respect. Think I didn’t know about you sneaking out in the night to run the streets with that whore, Jessiemae? Think I didn’t know about you skipping school and letting Pete into my house when I wasn’t home? I’m your mother, child. I know more than I want to know about the paths you choose.”

“
That’s not fair.”

“
Hmpf! Your daddy was blind to your faults and made you blind to your own. He treated you like some kind of porcelain doll. He was hard and strict with Janette, with Denise, but you and Sandra came later––his baby girls. You were the surprise though. I didn’t think I could make any more babies when I was caught pregnant with you. Charles was over the moon. Thought you were going to be a boy. I remember when the doctor put you on my belly. I remember his face.”

Daisy frowned. “Are you saying that daddy didn’t want me?”

Martha laughed. It was a bitter dry laugh, void of humor. “Oh no. He may have been disappointed, but I woke up to find him holding you. He had you pressed up into his chest, whispering to you. And Lord forgive me, but I swear that man held you to his heart more than he did any of us until his last breath.”

“
How could you say that? Daddy loved us all.”

“
That may be. But you was his baby. You didn’t even cry, and if you did in the night, only he could settle you. Gave me fits though. Wouldn’t take to the breast and wouldn’t do any of the things I needed you to do. You was his.”

“
A child belongs to both parents. If I haven't learned anything these past days, it’s that.”

Martha stared at her long and hard. Daisy shifted under her mother’s gaze. Her hands tightened the grip they had on the edge of the sink.

“
He named you Daisy, after his grandmother. He said she was something else in her day. Guess he knew what was in you before I did. Your daddy was instantly in love. You’ve had that effect on men, and you used it. From school… to church… to wherever you went, you used it against them.”

Daisy cringed. She didn’t like what her mother was implying. She’d heard a different version of this ‘thing’ mama said was in her that made her bad, wayward, thoughtless, selfish and blind. Daddy would always come to her defense. Defend her spirit. Especially when she failed to live up to her parent's hopes for her. Grades mediocre, she never finished anything and barely graduated from school. Daddy said she was a dreamer, and that there wasn’t anything wrong with dreams. Sure, she made mistakes like any kid, but for her mother her mistakes were larger than life compared to her sisters. They only made her feel less and less worthy.

Martha took a step. “I’m saying to you, child, that you always looking for the easy way and always latching on to some man to give it to you. That’s why you took up with one of the Doyle boys. I ain’t never seen a Doyle man with a black woman. Mrs. Doyle did everything ‘cept put roots on you to get you away from her son. But Pete trailed you around town, nose wide open and he ain't been with a white girl since. You had him doing your bidding, running away." She wagged her finger at Daisy. "That was your idea, wasn’t it?”

“
Not true! I fell in love with Pete and… and we were grown. We left because we were in love.”

“
Right. That’s why you dumped him over a weekend in Vegas?”

“
You’re wrong. Our breakup was because of something we
both
agreed to. We both wanted it.”