by Kitty Parker
Jack stands there and he's not too sure what to say to that. He guesses Daisy's been watching him, though, just like he's been watching her.
…
Cletus's definitely up to something but what it is, Jack has no clue. He just knows that his older brother is out a lot, spending his time with his old buddy, Len, who's also from this area and those two idiots spending so much time together can never be a good thing.
But Jack doesn't ask. He guesses there's nothing for him to do anyway because Cletus does what Cletus wants to do and all Jack can do is wait for the phone call – either from the police or the hospital regarding his idiot brother.
Whatever it is though, Cletus doesn't try to drag Jack into it with him and Jack's grateful for that. Maybe Cletus's finally realized that Jack's not interested in screwing up this life he's got going for himself here. And maybe Jack's realized that, too. He's done following his brother around like some sort of puppy.
After driving home from the garage that night, he lingers outside for a few minutes, finishing the cigarette he had lit on the short drive home and once finished, he flicks it into the street before turning, heading into the apartment building.
He stops short in his tracks though when he looks up the stairs. There, sitting on the top one is Daisy. He stands there and stares at her for a moment, wondering what the hell she's doing and why she isn't inside her place and wondering where Matty is but then he hears her let out a quiet sniffle and he realizes that she's crying.
Shit. He's really not good with anyone crying and he bets he's completely clueless when it comes to Daisy crying. But still… this is Daisy crying and she's sitting on the stairs and he can't just walk past her and act like he doesn't see her. It's Daisy.
He takes the stairs and slowly, without saying a word to her, he sits down beside her.
Daisy doesn't look at him. It's almost as if she's not surprised in the least that he's there.
Her hair is down and curled that evening and she's wearing a dress with flowers all over it. Her feet are bare – her heels off and in her lap – and he wants to tell her how pretty she looks that night but the words clump in his throat. He can't say something like that to her.
She sniffles again and finally lifts her head. She looks ahead though instead of at him.
"Maybelle's watching Matty for me. I don't want either of them to see me right now," she says.
Jack nods and looks at her and doesn't say anything. He waits for her to say something else. And she does after a moment. She sighs softly and looks down to the heels in her lap.
"Spencer's office had just won some big case and they were having a dinner tonight to celebrate. Spencer wanted me to go with him so I did…" she says and Jack doesn't say a word as he listens to every word that she says.
He wonders if he'll finally have a legitimate reason to punch Spencer in the face.
"I'm not a stupid person. I've never felt stupid. I know I went to culinary school and not college but I'm not stupid. You can't be stupid and be a baker," Daisy says and finally turns her head, looking at him. He sees the redness in her eyes and the flush across her cheeks.
"Did they call you stupid?" He asks and he hears how low his voice is. He can already feel the anger bubbling in his stomach at just the possibility of someone insulting Daisy like that.
"No. Not really," she shakes her head and then sighs. "Just being in a room with all of them… they've been to these amazing universities and then these amazing law schools… Did you know Spencer's mom is a Congresswoman? I saw more than one of them giving these looks to Spencer as if they're wondering what the hell he's doing, dating someone who's just bakes cupcakes."
"You're not jus' anything," he says firmly. "And if anyone's an idiot, it's Spencer and his friends if they can't see how great you are."
She laughs at that – softly – but it's not a true laugh. It sounds hollow and it hurts his ears.
"You don't think I'm great, Jack," she then says, her smile gone again.
"Yeah, I do," he mutters softly and he can't blame her for not believing him. After everything he's done – and not done – why should she believe him? "Too great for me," he then says and it's the first time he's ever said something to her that's close to why he did what he did.
Daisy is quiet, looking at him, and he almost shifts because she's not saying anything and he doesn't know what he wants her to say but he wishes she wasn't staring at him like that.
And she still doesn't say anything but she leans in and for the first time in what feels like forever, he feels her lips on his cheek.
…
In the back of his mind, Jack's been waiting for it and the call comes when he's at work.
"Jack!" Martinez calls out and Jack walks towards the phone on the wall, wiping his hands on his bandanna.
"Yeah?" He answers.
"Hey, Jack. It's Sheriff Ames," the man on the other end of the phone says and Jack knows that it's something official because if it had just been a regular call, he would have said that it was Casey instead of his fancy title. "Do you think you can come by the station? Maybe at your lunch break?"
"What'd he do?" Jack says while suppressing a sigh. He's already going over the money he has saved – wondering if it will be enough for bail.
"He and a friend of his were cooking meth in a trailer a bit ways out of town. Exploded today," Casey answers. "Both are fine," he's then quick to add. "But they've been arrested."
Jack wants to act angry or upset but the truth is, he's not surprised in the least. He knew Cletus was up to something and trying to cook his own meth is definitely stupid enough for Cletus to try and think he can do.
"Yeah, I'll come by at noon," Jack says and hangs up the phone.
He loves Cletus. He loves him as much as a Belton is capable of loving anyone and Cletus's been the only person he's ever had in his life – even with Cletus constantly coming and going again. But the Beltons are nothing if not loyal to one another and even though Jack thinks Cletus is an idiot and this is just another in a long string of idiotic things Cletus has attempted to do, he will do anything he can do to help Cletus out.
When he gets to the station a few minutes past noon just as he promised, Casey is waiting for him at the front desk and he holds out his hand, Jack shaking it. Since moving to this town, he's met quite a few people and the Sheriff is one of them.
"He's getting transported up to Atlanta tomorrow morning," Casey tells him as they head towards the back where the jail cells are. "He'll get a date and when the judge hears his case, he'll set bail. If he can't make bail, he'll stay in the jail until his court date," Casey tells Jack all of this as if Jack's never had to go through any of this before.
He's not surprised that along with Cletus in the holding cell is Len.
Cletus grins when he sees him. "Hey, baby brother," he says and comes up to the bars.
Casey stands nearby, keeping an eye on all of them.
It's always amazing to Jack how Cletus can always act like being in a jail cell is just some huge joke to him. Jack's never been arrested but he knew that if he was sitting in a cell, he wouldn't be grinning about it like Cletus.
"You need anythin'?" Jack asks even though he really just wants to call Cletus an idiot and tell him he's done with all of this. That will never happen though and they both know it.
"Officer Friendly tell you?" Cletus asks.
"'bout you goin' to Atlanta tomorrow or you bein' stupid enough to try and cook?"
Cletus chuckles. "Both, I suppose."
Jack just sighs. "Call me when you can and lemme know your date."
"You gonna come?" Cletus looks a little surprised even though Jack has never missed one of his days in court before this.
"'course I'm gonna come," Jack says, frowning a little, and he wonders why Cletus would even question that. He may be missed but if Cletus's taught him anything, it's this.
Blood is blood and nothing is thicker in this world than that. Cletus's all he
got.
…
He's just pulling out a rabbit he cleaned and put in the freezer from one of his past hunting trips to thaw and cook it up for dinner when there's a knock on his door. For a second, he expects it to be Carolina. He hasn't been to the bar in a while and hasn't seen her in that long and he figures she's come around, looking for him. Or maybe it's Daisy wanting something. Maybe he can tell her that he can cook the rabbit and make her dinner this time.
But it's neither of them.
Instead, it's Matty and the boy stands there, grinning up at him.
"What's up, kid?" Jack asks and Matty thrusts out a piece of paper towards him.
"Mama's birthday's next weekend. Grandma and grandpa are having a dinner and you're invited," Matty informs him.
Jack takes the paper and sees that it's an invitation to a birthday dinner for Daisy's twenty-fourth birthday – a dinner described as casual scheduled for next Friday night.
He looks at it for a moment and then shakes his head slightly. "Don't know if your mama would want me there," he says and he really has no idea where he stands with her. She kissed his cheek and he still comes over for dinner some nights but he still doesn't know what any of it means; if it means anything.
Matty's brow furrows as he looks up at him. "Grandma was asking mama how many people she wants at the dinner and she said your name. You have to come!"
Jack stares down at the kid for a moment, letting those words roll around in his head. "She said my name?" He asks and he feels a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
…
He's actually never bought a birthday present before – especially for someone like Daisy – and he has absolutely no idea what to get her. He figures her family will be getting her all sorts of baking stuff for her birthday but he doesn't know what else to get her. He realizes that he doesn't know that much about her at all.
Their town is small and doesn't have a lot of stores but they do have a little department store though and Jack wanders in there after work one night, having never been in there before and having no idea where anything is. There are makeup and perfume counters but Jack avoids them entirely. He doesn't want to buy Daisy perfume. He likes the way she smells. Buttercream and chocolate and sugar and none of these bottles will have anything that smells nearly as good as that.
He follows the signs and takes the escalator to the lower level where housewares are. He doesn't even know what he's looking for but he figures he'll just wander around until something catches his eye. He had no idea so much crap was sold just for having a home and most of the stuff sold in the kitchen department, he has no idea what it's for.
He stops at the baking pans and looks them all over. They sell the sort of cupcake pans that he's seen in Daisy's kitchen and he crouches down, looking at them closer because they're on a lower shelf. The silicone pans are cheaper, he notes, but he remembers Daisy saying once that she doesn't like cooking in silicone so he stays away from those. There are pans in all sorts of colors and he picks up a yellow colored one. It's ceramic and heavy and it's only big enough to cook six muffins or cupcakes but he looks at it and instantly thinks of Daisy.
He stands up and turns it over, looking at the forty dollar price tag.
Whatever, he thinks to himself. Not like he's spending his money on much of anything else. Cletus's arraignment is next week and he's going to go and hear how much bail is but Casey warned him that with all of Cletus's priors and his crime this time, the judge might not even offer bail. He supposes he could save all of his money until then but it's Daisy's birthday and Jack wants to get her at least one thing.
But as he walks away from the baking bans, his eyes begin catching other things in the department – and other departments, too – and they all start reminding him of Daisy.
"Would you like a basket, sir?"
Jack turns his head to see a woman with a name-tag smiling at him and he then looks at all of the things he's holding in his arms. He hadn't even realized that he had grabbed that much already.
"Uh, yeah," he says and the woman smiles, holding one out for him and he carefully sets everything down in it before taking the basket handles in his hand. "Thanks," he grunts.
"Do you have a store card?" She then asks. He just frowns, his brow furrowed. "If you sign up for a store card today, you get fifteen percent off your first purchase and then we will send you coupons in the mail for future sales and exclusive card holder deals."
Jack's still frowning but after a moment of thinking it through, he gives his head a nod. "Sure," he agrees and the woman's smile somehow manages to grow even bigger. "I ain't done shoppin' yet though." He hasn't even gotten to the different kitchen utensils yet.
"Of course. Please take your time. When you are done, I'll be at that register over there," the woman says, pointing to the nearby register close to the escalator. "Come find me and we'll get you your application for a card."
Jack's brow furrows once more. "Application?"
"Just your name and address and general information like that," the woman explains. "And we have to make sure that you have a good credit score."
Jack doesn't know what that is. He just pays for everything which cash or a check. "Okay," he says though. He figures he'll explain that to the woman once he's done with his shopping and he wonders if fifteen percent off is even worth what sounds like will be some hassle.
They sell food here, too – jars of nuts and packages of popcorn and boxes of candies and chocolates. Jack looks over everything and then grabs a few things to load into the basket. He looks down at his selections. He came here to get Daisy one thing for her birthday but looking over everything, he's gotten her at least ten. He's going overboard, for sure. Maybe he should just put all of this stuff back and just get her the yellow ceramic baking pan.
But he's reluctant to take even one thing out of the basket. It's Daisy's birthday and she said his name about who she wants at her birthday dinner and he knows he's a dick but maybe, he's just tired of being a dick to her.
"All set?" The woman asks once he gets to the register and sets his basket down.
"Yeah," he answers while adding obviously silently in his mind to himself. Why the hell else would he have come up here with his basket?
"This is quite a haul," the woman just keeps smiling as she starts unloading the basket.
"'s my friend's birthday," Jack explains though he doesn't know why he feels the need to explain anything.
And is this what it is? His friend's birthday? He still has no idea if that's what he and Daisy are or if they're still just across-the-hall neighbors and nothing much more than that.
But she said his name.
No matter what happens from here on out, he'll just keep reminding himself of that.
…
Her mom refuses to let her bake anything for her birthday.
"You're not allowed to bake your own birthday cake," Annette tells her as if this is some sort of rule etched into stone somewhere.
But Daisy doesn't argue. Just as long as Maybelle doesn't try to bake it. She loves her sister, of course, but Maybelle burns toast and her pasta is always hard because she's too impatient to let it cook long enough and Daisy takes cakes and all desserts very seriously – obviously – and she wants a delicious birthday cake like anyone would want for themselves.
Birthdays have always been a big deal in the Greene family. A person's birthday made it their day and it's their decision to how that day is spent. This year – and the past few years since giving birth to Matty – has been low key for Daisy. She has preferred it that way. Being so busy being a new mom and going to school, she admits that she put making friends on the back burner. And now that she feels like she's ready to start making some new ones again, she has found that it's hard for adults to make new friends. Where do they meet?
She has gotten close to Rosita and she invites her to the birthday dinner and along with her and her family, she also mentions to her mom that she might invite he
r across-the-hall neighbor. She's not sure why. She's been inviting Jack over for dinner and he was incredibly nice to her when he had found her crying on the stairs because of Spencer but she still doesn't know what that means for them. She has gotten used to Jack taking one step towards her and then five steps back.
Matty told her that he gave Jack one of the invitations but Daisy honestly doesn't expect him to show up. She's prepared for him to have a freak out over being invited to her birthday dinner and she expects that he'll pretend – again – that she doesn't exist.
She definitely doesn't expect him to show up.
…
"It smells delicious in here," Daisy says, sniffing the air as she enters the kitchen on Saturday afternoon, finding her mom standing at the stove, stirring something in a large pot.
"Are you sure this is all you want for your birthday dinner?" Annette asks her which will now make this an even dozen times that she has asked that same question since she asked Daisy what she wants to eat and Daisy told her.
Daisy smiles now. "Yep."
She sees the finished cake on the cake stand on the counter and goes to it, practically licking her lips just at the sight. She asks for the same cake every year for her birthday. Chocolate with chocolate buttercream frosting and sprinkles. She's tried to make it herself a few times but there's just something that never tastes right. Only her mom can make it just right and she wonders if Matty has anything he loves just because mom makes it.
That morning, she had woken up to Matty eagerly clambering onto her bed, handing her a birthday card he had made for her the day before in school – a drawing on the front of him and Daisy made in crayon, surrounded by hearts and his best drawing of cupcakes. Daisy had hugged him close and kissed his head again and again, telling him it was the best card she had ever gotten and she hung it on the refrigerator for a proud display. He had promised her a present, too, but he said she wouldn't get it until dinner at the farm later that night.
The rest of the family arrives soon – Maybelle and Nathaniel and Shawn all arriving with hugs and presents wrapped in brightly decorated paper. Rosita arrives after with her own present and Daisy immediately notices the way Shawn is looking at her son's teacher and she makes a note to talk with her brother later about that. Rosita hugs Daisy tightly and then hugs Matty and asks him if Daisy loved her card.
