by Nancy Glynn
An idea came to her to get Daisy to stay away from Christian for good. She went to the vanity mirror once again. She closed her eyes and whispered a chant, holding her hands out to the ceiling.
Grabbing her lipstick, she began to write ‘I Love You...’
Chapter Twenty-Two
Daisy slipped into her shorts pajamas and slid under the blankets, grabbing the remote. She would zombie out with TV and forget the world.
“Daisy, can I come in?” Eric asked, softly knocking on the door.
She stared at the door before responding. “Sure.”
He pushed it open and walked over to her bed. “May I sit?”
She turned the TV off and moved over. “What’s up?”
“Do you have your cross on?”
Glancing down at her chain, she pulled the cross out of her top and smiled, nodding.
“Good. I have a confession to make." He told her all about what really happened with Jack. “I care too much for you to keep lying. I’m so sorry, Daisy,” he hung his head.
She swallowed hard and touched his hand. “I forgive you, Eric. I know you were put in a hard place. I know you would never deliberately hurt me.”
He lay next to her and leaned his head against hers, holding her hand. “I really tried to be with that Jessica, but I just couldn’t...”
“Eric, I care so much for you, but my heart...oh, it doesn’t even matter anymore. Christian is marrying Charlotte after his birthday. I’ve lost him forever.”
He sucked in his breath and exhaled. “We’ll get you there. Jack wants you there. I’ll take you as my date. If it’s Christian you really want, I’ll help.”
Daisy sat up. “Really? You would do that for me? What if he loves her?”
He scoffed. “No chance of that.”
“How would you know?”
“Christian texted me.”
“What? He did? What’d he say?”
He sighed heavily. “Just that even though I have you that you’ll always be his and he’ll always be yours. It’s an arrangement with Charlotte and nothing more. There’s no love there, Daisy.”
She pondered the possibilities in her head. “But he’s still marrying her?”
“I guess so.”
“So why does Jack want me there at all?”
He looked into her eyes. “He wants you for himself, Daisy.”
“Wait, so you’re saying you’re willing to bring me there, knowing Jack wants me?" Fear iced her heart.
He sat up and cupped her face. “I know you can fight him, Daisy. I know you have a power so strong. Don’t you trust in that?”
Tears coated her eyes. He believed in her more than she believed in her own self. “But in his church with all his people, it might be more challenging. I only have myself.”
“And me. But Daisy, you only need yourself. That’s what scares Jack so much. He wants me to make sure you leave your cross at home as well,” he added, his eyes skimming down to her throat. “I don’t think you need it as much as you think you do.”
She touched her cross. “Just like he did with my mother the night of her accident. It gives me strength, especially knowing the story behind it,” she said, holding it up.
He nodded. “But that strength is embedded in your soul. That cross is just a symbol, don’t you see that?”
“My father...my real father used it to ward off evil spirits in exorcisms,” she whispered.
“Yes, but you have not only his strength but the strength of his mother. Yeah, his mother used hers for bad things but to protect her son,” his voice trailed off into thought. “Hey, let’s find her and see if she can help you!”
Her eyes widened and then nodded. “I have no idea where to look, but I guess we can try.”
“Let me grab my laptop, be right back!" He jumped out, and came back like a boy with a new toy.
She giggled at his motivation. “You are going to make some girl very happy one day, Mr. Wessington.”
His smile turned down. “I only wish it were you.”
She sucked her lips in and then smiled. “Okay, where do we start?”
“What’s your dad’s full name? He’s a priest so that should be easy enough to find some background, right?" He opened up Google.
There were a few Mark Pauls in the priesthood, but narrowed it down to his parish. It talked about where he came from and living kin.
Eric traced his finger to a paragraph. “Wait, it says here his mother is in a nursing home near his church. It’s called Lincoln Park Sunrise Nursing Center.
Daisy followed his finger and read on. “Her name is Marissa Norcross Paul. Doing anything tomorrow?” she grinned.
“Friday? Why would I have any plans on a Friday, the big loser that I am,” he grinned back.
“Well, you’re my date for the day so don’t ever call yourself a loser. And might I remind you of one hot Jessica that has it bad for you?”
He shrugged. “She’s not my type. I like ‘em beautiful and smart.”
“Well, we’ll just have to find you a beautiful, smart one then.”
“I already did but she’s taken,” he retorted, his smile fading.
“When you talk like that, it makes me want to...”
“What? Strangle me?” he laughed.
“No, not quite,” she answered, arching one brow.
“Oh, really? I’m all yours. Do with me what you wish.”
“Damn, you’re so cute!” she scrunched her nose and laughed. “Okay, get out before I take you up on it!”
His tone softened. “Daisy, what’ll you do if he marries her? You gonna just live the rest of your life without love?”
She stared wistfully past him. “I really don’t know, Eric. My heart won’t allow me to see that far,” she returned her gaze to his.
“You know there’ll be changes in him when he turns twenty-one, right? And not the best changes.”
“What about you when it’s your birthday?”
“I’m different. Since my sister died, my parents begged Jack to let me just have a normal birthday. No powers. Well, he didn’t like that and so that’s when he came up with using me to get to you. He said if I bring you to him, he’ll let me live a normal life. No immortality for me,” he confessed.
“What? But if he doesn’t get me...”
“That’s not the deal I made with him. He said if I bring you, and that’s what I plan to do. There’s no reneging.”
“We’re talking about Jack Red, Eric. The man, or whatever the hell he is, created reneging. Now I’m worried for you!" She held his hands.
“I’m not so you can’t, either. It’ll be fine, Daisy." He cupped her face and pressed a soft kiss, turning more insistent.
She wanted so much to love him that way. She allowed his tongue to possess her, pushing her against her pillows. His hand ran down her side, squeezing her behind, his ragged breathing in her ear.
“Oh, Daisy. What you do to me,” he moaned in between kisses. “You torture me every night in my dreams. I fight every morsel in my being from going to your room." His mouth trailed down to her neck.
“Oh, Christian,” she moaned.
His hand stopped moving and he sat up.
“What’s wrong, Eric? I want you to,” she insisted, pulling him back down.
“You mean Christian?” he sneered.
“What? No! Why would you...oh, my God. Did I say something?”
“I get it, Daisy. I’ll never be Christian." He grabbed his laptop.
“No, Eric. Please come back. I’m sorry. We were just talking about him. I wasn’t thinking about him then,” and this time she meant it. Why she said his name confused her.
He smiled. “Get some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning. No hard feelings, really. I’m used to it." He winked and walked out.
***
“Do you know where you’re going?” Eric asked, as she pulled out into traffic.
“It’s in my old neighborhood, so should be fairly easy." She tried
holding his hand, but he pulled away.
“I think we should cool it on that stuff,” he said tartly, and hid beneath his clipped sunglasses.
Sadness as well as anger filled her. How could she get in so deep with this man? She never hurt anyone in her life before this summer, and now that’s all she seemed to do.
And that included Dane. Desire for her drove him to commit an act that would ultimately take his life. Tears slid down her face under her sunglasses.
His hand reached over and wiped them away, rubbing his thumb against her cheekbone. “Don’t cry, Daisy. It kills me,” his voice croaked.
She sniffled and shook her head. “I don’t deserve anyone’s love. I need to just go and live by myself, maybe get a dog. I just don’t get why things happen the way they do.”
“Because you are so special. I know you’re meant for Christian, I do. Maybe God put me in your life to make sure you get back to him, no matter how the outcome. If you’re meant to be his high priestess there or his wife in a remote town as a teacher, it doesn’t matter.”
“I didn’t know you believed in God,” she stated, shaking her head. She maneuvered in and out of lanes, passing Lincoln Park Zoo.
“You did that to me. If God could make someone like you, then I believe. I don’t believe there’s a guy with a beard sitting on a throne in the sky passing judgment, but I do believe there’s a power bigger than any of us, bigger than Jack. Maybe I’ll be strong enough to leave one day, just maybe.”
“I know you will,” she whispered.
“You know no other girl will ever compare to you, right? I’m always going to say Daisy doesn’t do that, doesn’t like that. You’ve ruined me,” he smirked.
She stuck her bottom lip out to pout, teasing him, which made him laugh. “She’s out there, Eric. I promise. I’ll even go to your wedding.”
His smile vanished, and he looked out his window.
She pulled up in front of a building in the middle of a neighborhood. “Okay, I think this is it. Looks like a nursing home.”
“There’s the sign,” he said, pointing. “Ready?”
Butterflies pinched her stomach. “Nervous.”
“Come on, it’ll be fine.”
It looked similar to a church but much plainer. Just a big brown square with lots of windows and light green drapes dressing them. The lawn was well-taken care of with vertical mowed lines. Trees surrounded it, giving it a homey feel.
The long, smooth sidewalk led them to an unlocked door, which then led them to the front desk. A friendly receptionist greeted them after hanging up the phone. “Hi, may I help you?”
“Hi, yes. I’m here to see Marissa Paul,” she stammered out, feeling strange saying the name out loud.
“Oh, are you family?”
“Um...yes, actually. I’m her granddaughter, Daisy.”
The girl’s eyes popped out. “Oh, I never knew she had any grandchildren. How nice! Let me find out if she’s ready to receive any guests." She made a few calls and returned to her. “Do you mind waiting for about ten minutes? She needs to be bathed still.”
“Sure, that’ll be fine.”
“Great, just take a seat and I’ll let you know when she’s ready for you. She’ll be so surprised!”
Daisy and Eric sat in the waiting area where there was a TV and a few small couches. Garden-cut flowers filled glass vases, and updated magazines covered the table in a colorful spread.
Eric took her hand and rubbed it with his thumb to ease the jitters.
“I thought we were cooling it on that stuff?” she grinned.
“Don’t start with me.”
She laughed and put her head on his shoulder. She could feel him breathe in her scent. “Did I ever tell you you’re my best friend?” she asked.
“All the damn time.”
She giggled and snuggled closer, and jolted when the receptionist motioned for them to come.
“Mrs. Paul will see you now. Enjoy your visit!" She beamed with happiness for Daisy.
“Great, thank you.”
“Just go down the hall and Lisa will direct you from there." She returned to her files.
They walked farther down and met a short, plump girl in a light pink uniform.
“Hi, I’m Lisa. You’re here to see Mrs. Paul? Gosh, the only visitor that’s ever been here is her son, the priest. I never knew there was a grandchild. Mrs. Paul doesn’t talk much these days, so don’t mind if she’s a little quiet. It’s nothing personal,” she smiled and opened a door. “Mrs. Paul, Daisy and her husband are here to see you now.”
Daisy snapped back at Eric and muffled a laugh. “He’s just a friend,” she corrected with a warm smile.
“Oh, sorry." She smiled at Eric and walked out, leaving them alone in the room with what appeared to be a very old woman in a wheelchair.
“Who are you?” she croaked in a shrill voice.
Daisy jumped at her tone. “I’m Daisy. I’m Mark’s daughter, your granddaughter,” she said in an unsure voice.
Eric rubbed her arm to calm her.
“You’re Mark’s girl? Oh, yes...now I know what you are. Your mother slept with my son, or corrupted him should I say?”
“Um, I didn’t mean to upset you. Maybe I should leave. I just thought…”
She waved her arthritic hand at a chair. “Oh, sit down. I’ll talk to you. Sorry, I get paranoid when strangers come into my room, not that it ever happens. Let’s start over. You’re Daisy? Isn’t that a flower or something?”
Daisy sat on the wooden chair across from her and smiled. “It is.”
“Believe me, I asked her the same thing when I first met her,” Eric chimed in, taking the chair next to Daisy.
Marissa Paul scanned Eric. “And who are you?”
“I’m a good friend of Daisy’s. She doesn’t have those much these days.”
“You’re in love with her,” she stated, her eyes narrowing.
Now it was his turn to stutter. “I...yes, ma’am. I am." He glanced at Daisy and smiled.
Marissa spoke again. “But she’s in love with another, aren’t you, girl." She stared at Daisy.
“How do you know...oh, yes, I forgot.”
“What? You got the curse, too?" She closed her eyes and held her hand out for Daisy to hold it.
Daisy looked at Eric and then put her hand in her grandmother’s wrinkled, bony one.
Marissa jerked back in her wheelchair and opened her eyes. “He’s coming for you. The man.”
Daisy snatched her hand back as if on fire.
“Yes, yes. He’s coming and he wants you to be his forever. He wants your power, Daisy. You mustn’t let him have it or he’ll control the world. You hear me, girl?”
“Do you mean Jack Red?" She wanted to make absolutely sure she understood.
“Of course I do. You must marry Christian Stone. He loves you more than that town of his. Jack never intended on you being with Christian, it was only a ploy to get you. He’s wanted you since you were born, maybe before. He put Rose and my son together thanks to your weak man of a father, Richard Lock,” she spit his name out.
Eric’s eyes widened. “You really are a witch,” he whispered.
Her violet eyes flashed at him. “I don’t like that term. I’m a gypsy princess. At least that’s what I call myself. And so are you, Daisy. But your powers are stronger than mine because of my son being who he is, a man of God and one who destroys evil entities,” she said. Her eyes flickered to Daisy’s throat. “I see you have his cross. It keeps Jack from reading your mind and hearing your words, but don’t count on it to save your life. Only you can do that.”
“But how?” her voice quivered.
“You must go to him at this big event happening on September 5th, Black Twenty-One, I guess it’s called, and dress and act the part. Eric will bring you and you must kiss Jack, and while you are kissing him, take your cross out and press it against his heart, or where his heart should be.”
“I thought you just sa
id the cross won’t save my life?”
“Not in ordinary circumstances, but in his church, it will destroy him. But you’ll have to find the strength to walk in there like you own the place, and be able to plant that kiss on him without him snaking his arm around you and killing you first, making you his immortal queen,” she said, coughing, running out of breath. She grabbed her inhaler and took a couple of puffs.
“Do you need your oxygen tank?” Daisy asked, eying the machine next to her bed.
“I’m fine, child. Don’t ever smoke, bad for your health,” she said hoarsely.
“I’ll remember that,” Daisy quipped, feeling a kinship with this woman.
Marissa turned to Eric. “If only I were a hundred years younger...”
They both laughed, needing to release the tension building in them.
“So get yourself ready to go back to this Golden Hills town. It’s gonna be a great shindig!" She cackled at her own joke.
“Ok, I will...Marissa? I’m not sure what I should call you,” Daisy said.
“Call me Granny. I’ve always dreamed of being called that. I didn’t even see this coming!” she smiled, clapping her hands, showing missing teeth but glowing bright eyes.
“Granny it is!” Daisy clapped.
“You’re one beautiful girl. My son did good. Do you look like your mother with that red hair?”
Daisy fished in her purse and pulled out a picture she had carried forever of her mother.
“Oh, my. Can I touch it?”
Daisy handed it to her and watched her close her eyes.
“She was a good woman, very kind and loving. I can see why my Mark loved her, not just for her beauty but for her pure heart, even in those evil conditions. You have that goodness, and Jack wants to possess it. You already went there with him, didn’t you, girl,” she eyed her with a knowing.
Daisy nodded, dropping her head.
“Don’t feel ashamed. He plays dirty. You were sucked in against your free will, something God doesn’t do.”
Eric asked then. “What about God? Won’t He help Daisy?”
She returned her gaze to Eric. “Dear boy, don’t you know by now? God’s in her already, ready to do battle. He’s in you, too! That’s what Jack’s afraid of. God doesn’t show up like Jack does in sheep’s clothing. No, no, no. That light you feel inside? That’s God. You just have to believe.”
