by Kitty Parker
She's the first to turn her back on Adam and Jack still talking and walks away.
…
She's so happy – and relieved – with how the cupcake shop is doing. Some days are slow but some days are very busy and it all balances itself out.
She and Matty have adjusted to the schedule, too. She's able to walk him to school as always and then get to the shop to begin preparations for the day. And then after school, the bus stops right in front of the shop at three to let Matty off and he'll hang out and help her with a few things before she closes for the day and they then go home for dinner and then football practice.
And Otter seems to have gotten into their schedule, too.
That poor dog. He's only been with them for a couple of weeks but Daisy and Matty love him so much already and Daisy knows that it's going to take a long time before Otter can – hopefully – get past his own past. And Daisy will do nothing but love that dog and take care of him so he hopefully can.
Otter walks with them to school in the mornings and then he comes to the shop with her for the day. She hates the idea of him being cooped up in an apartment all day while she and Matty are gone and at the shop, she's gotten a bed for him and he usually spends his days, sleeping on it behind the counter, beneath the cash register. He comes to football practices and games and Sundays, he spends with them on the farm.
Daisy is determined to show Otter how good of a life he has now and that this is going to be his life forever now. The only person who will ever yell at him again will be Dawn, when the woman from the first floor comes storming up to yell that that dog is barking too much – even though he barked just a few times at a squirrel he sees out the window and Daisy is so happy that Otter has a reaction to something, she doesn't even care with Dawn's yelling.
And Matty has fallen completely in love with Otter, too. He always wants the dog near and is trying to get the dog to sleep in his room at night though for the time being, Otter is sleeping on the floor in the living room and doesn't seem to want that to change. Even though Otter is so much stronger than him, Matty loves to be the one to walk him and Daisy likes to think that Otter knows that Matty is just a little boy and doesn't try to pull him too hard because of that.
She likes to think in his own way, Otter's already attached to them, too.
And she's never felt unsafe in her apartment building but suddenly, having a pit bull as a dog, she suddenly feels very safe. She believes that Otter would protect her and Matty. And Otter will be doing her a huge favor if he just starts growling at any man that gets too close.
…
The bell above the door tingles and Daisy wipes her hands on her apron, stepping away from the counter where she had been piping and approaching the front of the shop, smiling when she sees that it's Rosita. Rosita beams as soon as their eyes meet.
"What are you doing here?" Daisy asks. "Shouldn't you be working?"
"More than six kids in my afternoon class are sick and when that happens, they have to cancel for the day," Rosita explains. "So, with an unexpected free afternoon, I came to see you in hopes that you'll help in adding to my holiday weight."
Daisy rolls her eyes at that. She'd kill to have the body of Rosita – a woman's body. "Anything I can do to help," she then laughs a little. "What can I get you?"
Rosita scans over the cupcakes in the case. "I think I'm going to get two," she then decides and Daisy gets the small, appropriate box. "One chocolate peppermint and one banana."
Daisy takes each cupcake and carefully stores it into the box and then tapes it shut.
"So, what's going on with you and Adam Hersh?" Rosita asks rather unexpectedly.
Daisy's eyes instantly fly up to her. As she stands at the counter in front of the cash register, her finger poised over the keys but unable to ring Rosita's order up, she can feel the warm breath that Otter exhales on her ankle as he sleeps. It's really the only thing she can feel at the moment as Rosita stands across from her, smiling a little.
"It's a small town," Rosita then adds. "You seem to be friendly with one another and I know that after Jack…" she trails off then as if she doesn't really want to say Jack's name around her and Daisy finds herself grateful for that. "If you and Adam are interested, maybe you two and me and Abraham can all go out together. I just wanted to tell you that I'm happy you've been able to move on past him. You're so sweet and beautiful and there's no reason why there shouldn't be guys tripping over your feet to get with you."
That snaps Daisy out of it and she shakes her head, finally able to add up Rosita's total. "I'm not looking to get with anyone," she says.
"I didn't mean it like that, Daisy," Rosita begins to say, her voice quiet and regretful.
"I know, Rosita," Daisy is quick to assure her, not wanting her friend to feel guilty over doing absolutely nothing. "I just don't want to even think of men anymore. I put myself out there and it didn't work out so lesson learned."
She does her best to give a smile as she hands the box over to her but Rosita is looking at her and looking so sad, Daisy has to quickly move her eyes away.
…
They see one another at the grocery store – completely by accident and unplanned. It's Saturday evening – another win and the Gators are advancing to the finals against the Bulldogs. Daisy is nervous about it already, considering what had happened to Matty last time they played that team – but she can only hope and pray that he will be alright during next Saturday's final game.
They're in the cereal aisle, Daisy looking over the boxes on sale as Matty stares at the boxes of Lucky Charms, hoping she'll just pick that one up and put it in the cart. She's beginning to think, though, that Matty is eating too much sugar and though he's definitely active, she wants to try and get him a cereal that might be a little bit better for him – and his teeth.
She sees him from the corner of her eye again. Someone turns their cart into the same aisle and she feels eyes on her and she turns her head to see who it is. And she completely freezes and he seems to have gone completely still, too.
She takes a moment to look at him. They don't see one another anymore – even living across the hall from one another. She knows that she's been trying to do her best to avoid him and it seems as if maybe Jack is doing the same.
He looks tired just as he had Saturday at the field and he looks a little dirty so that means that he probably had just gotten back from hunting. She had seen him at the field that morning, standing at the end zone on the other side of the fence as that had become his usual spot now during the games. She had asked Matty how he felt about Jack still coming to the games and the boy had shrugged and hadn't given an answer at all.
Daisy thinks how she feels about Jack being there and she wants to be angry that he keeps showing up in Matty's life without even trying to talk to him but the truth is, she finds herself feeling a little relieved that he's still around in some capacity even after he made it pretty damn obvious that he doesn't want to be.
For a moment, Daisy considers taking her cart and just pushing it out of the aisle without saying a word to him but she needs cereal and they live in the same town – in the same building – and they are going to run into one another eventually.
He stares at her, obviously waiting for her to leave, but instead, she just turns back towards the boxes of cereal and pretends to be putting all of her focus into choosing one though honestly, she can hardly even see any of them in front of her at the moment.
She's aware of every move he makes; aware of the eyes he still hasn't taken off of her. He slowly pushes his cart forward.
"Congratulations on your game today, Matty," he then speaks in that same gravel tone and she gets the same goosebumps as always from it.
She looks to Matty, not sure how the boy is going to react or respond.
"Thanks," he says, staring down at his shoe as he scuffs it across the floor.
A heavy moment of silence passes between all of them and then Jack begins pushing his cart away past
them.
"Are you going to come next week?" Matty then blurts out, turning around to look at Jack.
And Jack seems to freeze once again with the boy actually speaking with him. Daisy can't exactly blame him for being surprised. She's definitely surprised herself.
"If you don't mind me bein' there…" Jack finally says.
Matty shakes his head. "I like having you in the end zone," he admits and Daisy looks at her son, truly surprised. Why hasn't he told her any of this? Did he think that she would be hurt or angry? She always wants Matty to be able to talk to her about anything – including Jack.
"Then I ain't gonna be anywhere else," Jack promises him and Matty grins at that.
Daisy can't help but think of the last time Jack made a promise to her and how within just a few minutes, he had broken it.
"I ain't plannin' on goin' anywhere, Daisy."
She can hear his voice in her head, saying those words, and she has to turn her head away now so no one can see the tears glassing over her eyes. She does her best to blink quickly in an effort to get rid of them.
She can just pray that Jack doesn't break this promise to Matty as easily.
…
Daisy's cleaning up dinner – just simple grilled cheese sandwiches – and Matty's in the living room, watching Jurassic World, lying on the floor with his head propped up on a couple of pillows taken down from the couch and Otter is stretched out next to him. When there's a knock on the door, Daisy startles, having no idea who it could be. If it was one of her family, they would call before just showing up and she doesn't have plans with anyone.
She wipes her hand on a dishtowel and goes to the door, standing on her toes to look through the peephole and her heart instantly leaps into her throat, lodging there. It takes her another moment and then, slowly and almost hesitantly, she turns the locks and opens the door, looking to Jack standing in the hall. Will these butterflies always flap around in her stomach whenever she sees him no matter how much has passed?
He looks nervous. At least, she thinks that what it is. She's rarely seen him like this. He glances at her for just seconds at a time before looking down to the ground and he seems to be shifting on his feet as if ready to bolt at any second but leaving himself there.
"Can I talk to you a second?" He asks her finally, gruffly, and Daisy blinks at him. She never would have expected this; him coming to her first and wanting to have a conversation.
For a second, she's almost not too sure what to say.
She finally remembers herself and nods. "Okay," she responds softly. She looks back into the apartment. "Matty, I'm going to be right out here in the hallway if you need me," she tells him and Matty doesn't even move his eyes from the television.
Otter lifts his head and looks towards her as if he's trying to decide whether or not she's in danger – at least, she likes to think that that's what he's doing – but then, knowing she's not, he lays his head down again.
"Okay," Matty responds, in some sort of trance as he keeps watching the movie.
Daisy steps out and Jack takes a couple of steps back to give her more room and she pulls the door shut behind her. The hallway feels chilly to her compared to the warmth of her cozy apartment and she's wearing a sweater that evening. She pulls it tighter around her.
Even though he asked her to come out here, she actually doesn't expect Jack to say anything. She expects to just stand there awkwardly until she sighs impatiently and goes back inside and she'll wonder about it for the rest of the night.
"I'll only go to the game if you're fine with me bein' there," Jack says.
It takes just a beat for Daisy's head to register his words. "You promised Matty that you'd be there. You have to be there."
He nods. "And I wan' to be there. I just don't wanna make you uncomfortable."
"You have to be there," she says again and he falls quiet and she feels disappointed that this is the reason why he asked to talk with her.
For a brief second, she had thought that maybe he had wanted to talk about them. But there had never been a them even though she had thought or wished for that to be true.
Tightening her sweater once more closer to her, his silence pounding her ears, she turns back to the door, figuring that he was done with talking with her.
"Wait," he then says suddenly and she feels his fingertips on her elbow, stopping her.
She turns her head enough to look at him back over her shoulder. He's closer to her now and his eyes are staring at her and she wonders if he even realizes that he's touching her because just his fingertips on her elbow, she feels instantly warmer than she had just a moment ago. Now, she wants to shiver for an entirely different reason.
She slowly turns towards him and as she does, his hand drops down to his side.
"I was talkin' with Adam-" he begins and Daisy doesn't know why she feels the sudden need to cut him off right then and there.
She's hurt and angry and he's standing right here in front of her so she's finally able to show him that. She wishes she won't though. Too late.
"Whatever is going on between me and Adam is none of your business," she interrupts.
Jack stares at her. He visibly swallows. "Is there somethin' goin' on?" He asks.
She shrugs. "That's none of your business," she tells him once more.
She wishes in that second that she can take it back.
Of course nothing's going on. She likes Adam but she doesn't like him. She loves Jack. She's still completely in love with him and she misses him so much, it feels as if her body is always hurting. She needs him and wants him and loves him and sometimes, just thinking about him, she still wants to cry. She's never felt this way for anyone ever before and she can't imagine ever having feelings of this magnitude for someone else in her life.
Jack Belton is it for her and he's made it clear to her that she's not someone he's interested in sticking around for.
Jack then nods his head slightly and Daisy feels her entire stomach drop to her feet. He visibly swallows again. "A'right," he says softly. "I didn't know. I thought…" he begins but he doesn't finish but she thinks she already knows.
No, no, Jack, please. Daisy starts pleading with him in her head. Please, stay. Please, say something else. Please don't leave again.
Without looking at her again, he turns and she watches him open the door to his apartment and her tongue feels too big for her mouth all of a sudden because she can't call out to him to, asking him to wait. The sound of his door shutting behind him echoes in her ears and tears instantly flood her eyes.
She leans back against the door and slides down to the floor, hugging her knees to her chest and burying her face in her arms as she starts to cry.
…
"Oh my god," Maybelle says, sweeping into the bedroom, going straight for the windows and pushing back the curtains.
Daisy groans as the sunlight hits her and she turns her head, burying it into her pillow.
"It's like some terrible CW show in this room," Maybelle says and then comes to sit down on the side of the bed beside her, bouncing up and down slightly, making Daisy groan again. "What are you doing still in bed, Daisyy? You have a bakery to open."
"I walked Matty to school and I was feeling a little dizzy so I came back home," Daisy says, her words muffled against the pillow but she knows Maybelle can understand her perfectly.
"Mmmm-hmmm," Maybelle says in that annoying "I'm your older sister and know you better than that" tone that annoys Daisy to no end.
Daisy sighs and turns her head so she can look at her. "Why did Otter let you in?"
"Oh, please," Maybelle smiles. "It's hard to believe that that dog spent the first two years of his life fighting. He is nothing like the ferocious beast you would expect."
Daisy doesn't say anything to that. She knows that. The dog may be scarred on the outside as well as the inside but he's as far from terrible as a living creature can be.
"You could just try and talk with him, Daisyy," Mayb
elle then says in a soft, gentle voice and Daisy has to close her eyes because this topic of discussion is not something she thinks she's able to handle at the moment.
She shakes her head. "He tried and I spoke without thinking and… and he's not going to try and talk to me again. I know that. And I can't talk to him first."
"Why not?" Maybelle asks and Daisy feels her stroking a hand over her hair.
"I was always the first… anytime we talked, it was because I wanted us to. I'm tired of it. I wanted him to… but he tried. For once, he tried and I made a mess and that's that," she says and her throat begins feeling scratchy and thick.
She's going to start crying again and she knows there's no way she can stop herself.
"Daisy, one of you need to make that first step. If he tried… maybe you can try this time," Maybelle suggests and that makes Daisy open her eyes and look at her.
She can't help but be a little surprised with Maybelle's advice. Maybelle has always been the quintessential older sister. If someone ever hurt Daisy, Maybelle immediately hated that person. Daisy can't believe that Maybelle is giving her advice about making up with Jack when the whole Greene family knows that he hurt her.
And Maybelle seems to be reading her mind – and her confusion – because she smiles a little and she shrugs her shoulders. She then shakes her head. "You love him," she says as if all of this is as simple as that. "And he loves you."
Daisy closes her eyes and turns her face back into her pillow. She doesn't have to tell Maybelle just how wrong she is because even if Maybelle doesn't believe her, Daisy knows the truth. Jack doesn't love her and she doesn't understand why Maybelle would think that he does. If a man loves a woman, he just doesn't leave after promising her that he wouldn't. All Jack has done for the past year is walk away and how much more is she expected to take? No, she can't talk to him first. If Jack wants to be with her, he needs to show her that'll he finally be willing to walk towards her.
"Daisyy," Maybelle then says softly. "I know you're hurting right now and believe me. I want to punch him in the nose for hurting you. But, with someone like Jack, I think you need to be willing to take a few extra steps than you would for another guy."
