Prelude of Lies

by Victoria Smith

  The fine hairs on her body seemed to stand and she rubbed her arms to try to dispel the chill. The cold air swirled around her, moving from her ankles to her neck and then back. Something brushed her face, like a hand or a feather, and she turned to find nothing. She took a step, her legs heavy and her brain confused. There was a weight on her back, as if she tried to carry someone twice her size. Each step was a chore, but somehow she managed to move her feet in rapid succession, finally running and feeling the pains and weights drop from her body.

  What the hell?

  Her whole body shook as she kept running. Up until right now, she’d always felt safe here. She’d lurked around the campground at any time of the night and had never been creeped out. It was like she moved with some kind of invisible protection in the past.

  Obviously, that protection wasn’t present this morning. What if Sydney had helped her guardian cross over and now she’d face the world on her own? Did she even believe that? Catching her breath, she entered the cabin to find Sydney at the table.

  “Couldn’t sleep. You okay?” Sydney looked up.

  “Weirdest thing happened,” Daisy said, then explained what she’d experienced, watching the shock and worry on her sister’s face.

  “We’re messing with the environment. Sometimes that incites paranormal activity. You told me that.” Sydney shook her head as if she didn’t believe she’d repeated those words.

  “Yeah. I did. I couldn’t see anything, but I sure felt it.” She ran her hands over her arms.

  “Maybe your conflicting emotions about your mother’s impending visit and the inspection have something to do with what happened.” Again with the head shake.

  “I don’t know. Oh shit, Syd. What if she shows up during the inspection?” She banged her head on the table, too hard.

  “We’ll have one of the guys watch for her. Tucker will probably do it.”

  “She’s my problem.”

  “Wrong. She’s our problem. You have to be present for the inspection or we don’t pass. Violet probably planned Nadine’s arrival. That bitch.” Sydney rose and paced around the table.

  “I’m sure she did. Okay, fine. Tucker can handle Nadine if she shows and we’ll deal with the rest later. No problem. I’ll talk to him when he gets here.” Daisy tried to sound confident, even though she didn’t feel that way.

  “Good. Let’s get going. We’ve got an hour before Uncle Al gets here.” Sydney disappeared into her room, leaving Daisy alone to try to organize her nerves.

  An hour later, Al parked on the newly spread stones in the parking area, surprise on his face. The inspector also appeared surprised, but also a little skeptical. Was he now going to quit being fair?

  A third man stepped out of the car and looked around. Daisy had never seen him before and wondered who he was. She glanced at Sydney who shook her head. New rules, probably. New Vile Violet rules. This could not be good.

  Al approached, his usual easy manner and friendliness absent. Yet, he winked. “Good Morning, ladies. You know Edgar. This is Peter Green, mediator. Violet feels our relationship has influenced Edgar. She now insists we bring a second opinion inspector each week. We’re not to use the same person twice.” Al rolled his eyes so only they could see.

  Shaking hands with the men, Sydney’s smile was pleasant. Most definitely fake. “Shall we get started then? We’d like to show you the office area.” Sydney led the way.

  Neither man seemed to own a face that didn’t border on grumpy. Not even a grimace when they told them about the snakes and the deer. The inspection seemed to take forever. Daisy couldn’t help but stare over her shoulder for the ominous presence of her mother. Tucker would alert her if she showed. She needed to keep smiling and trying to hurry this up without seeming like they were trying to hide anything.

  Finally back at the car, Edgar’s pinched expression was now gone. “You ladies are doing a fantastic job here. Pass.”

  He ducked and got into the car.

  “I only have the before pictures I saw to go on, but the difference is remarkable. Pass.” The mediator returned to his seat and Daisy did her best to keep still.

  “Same bonus as last week. You gals are in good shape.” Al stepped toward them and lowered his voice as he handed Daisy an envelope. “Violet in two weeks. Just so you know.”

  Daisy couldn’t stop thinking about different things she could do to drive Violet crazy when she showed up for inspection in two weeks. If she dug random holes and covered them with leaves, she could trap the horrible woman. Paint buckets in doorways, the snakes, or maybe the bathhouse that seemed to be a mosquito breeding ground. All were good ideas, but too obvious.

  “Get the revenge ideas out of your head. We couldn’t get away with any of that stuff.” Sydney elbowed her in the ribs.

  “What are you, a mind reader now?” Daisy asked.

  “I was thinking about taking her out on the pond and showing her the fish we found. Or the caves on the edge of the property.” Sydney giggled.

  The fish was one of the biggest Daisy had ever seen. She didn’t remember the pond ever having such huge fish. Now, they seemed to be awash in hideously huge carp. The caves were the winter resting place of a family of bears. So far, they hadn’t bothered them, and Daisy hoped it stayed that way. According to the conservation ranger she talked to, the bears would move on soon.

  “You’re bad.”

  “You were thinking the same thing.” Sydney waved at the retreating car, her face frozen into a polite smile.

  Probably matched hers. “Paint cans, snakes, and the mosquito breeding ground.”

  “Yeah, but we’ll have that done before she arrives.” The bathhouse contractor was due to start today.

  “Damn. Too bad.”

  As soon as the car pulled away, Daisy let her shoulders slump. “We did it.”

  “Not without help.” Sydney yawned.

  “I know. We’re lucky. And we’re stupid. Why did we let them talk us into staying up until four for nothing?” She glared at Marshal’s cabin, where it remained quiet.

  “Because we owe them. Last night was pretty lame, wasn’t it? We didn’t even see a thing. What’s up with that? And then you have an experience this morning.” Sydney kicked a rock as they stopped in front of the stones for the campsites.

  “Holy shit, this is going to kill us.” The enormous pile would take them the rest of the week to spread, even with the extra help.

  “Don’t look now, but I think Nadine is here.” Sydney’s gaze went beyond where Daisy stood.

  Taking a deep breath, she turned, shocked at the petite woman who trailed after a pissed-off-looking Tucker.

  “I tried to call you. No signal.” He held up his phone. “She wouldn’t wait.” Breathless, Tucker stopped in front of her.

  Daisy nodded at Tucker with a wry smile, trying to decide if this woman could really be her birth mother. She regarded her with no emotion. Nadine stared back with hard, calculating eyes, her face finally crumpling into the fakest tears Daisy had ever seen.

  “Oh, my baby. My baby. I’ve tried to find you for so long. Oh. You are so beautiful. Come here.” Nadine held her arms out.

  Daisy stepped back.

  “Don’t you know me? I’m your momma. I told you I would be back.”

  Daisy retreated again. “You’re not my momma. I have momma and you never were and you never will be her. What do you want?”

  At her harsh tone, the woman, her birth mother, stopped the fake crying and glowered at her.

  “I was told you were beside yourself missing me and I rushed to see you. What kind of people did I leave you with that you turned into such an ungrateful brat?” Venom dripped from her words.

  “You left me with people who love me and taught me how to be a good person. I shudder when I
think of what I would have turned into had you not dumped me when I became inconvenient to you. You did me a favor.” Daisy held on to the anger she’d found this morning. Gone were the hurt and questions. She could see now that she’d been a very lucky child.

  “What do you know about me? How dare you judge me? You have no right.” Nadine screamed, shaking her finger in a ridiculous gesture.

  “I have every right to judge you. I’m the one and only person who has that right. You abandoned me. Left me to go party and spread your legs for any member of your beloved band that would do you.” Daisy kept her tone even and her volume low. “See? I know plenty about you.”

  “You owe me. I gave up so much when I had you. You ruined my figure and gave me these terrible stretch marks. You wrecked my body.”

  Sydney stepped forward, but Daisy grabbed her arm.

  “I didn’t ask to be born. Is Joe Brown really my father? Or just a name you made up?” Daisy held on to Sydney’s arm when she tried to take a step forward. She wouldn’t stop her, but she’d have to wait until Daisy spoke her mind.

  “How dare you? You little slut! How dare you speak to me that way?” Nadine’s hands shook as she reached into her pocket for a pack of cigarettes.

  “How dare you show up here thinking I’m going to be glad to see you? I would have been glad when I was four, six, or nine, or even sixteen, but not anymore. You are not my mom and you never will be. And how dare you call me a slut? You don’t even know me.” Daisy stepped back and released Sydney’s arm.

  “Do you know what I spent to come to you? I heard you needed me so badly. I dropped everything, even quit my job to come and rescue my baby.” The fake tears started again, stopping long enough for Nadine to take a drag from her cigarette and blow out the smoke.

  “It was nice of you to visit, but you really should be going.” Sydney moved toward Nadine, her tone pleasant but firm.

  “Who the hell are you? Don’t tell me. Nancy’s baby girl. Half-owner of this hellhole. I heard all about how you think you’re entitled to a bigger cut of the property because you’re blood related. Well, let me tell you something . . .”

  “Lady, you have no idea what you’re talking about. How much did she offer you to come here and cause trouble?” Sydney was now inches from Nadine’s face. “Go away.”

  “I have a right to be a part of my daughter’s life. Damn you, move and let me talk to my baby.”

  “You gave up that right when you signed the adoption papers without even asking how Daisy was doing. Don’t come here expecting to be a part of her life. She has family. Family that loves and supports her. I am her family and I will not let you hurt her.”

  Daisy had to admit, Sydney had an impressive way. Nadine seemed to shrink a little, not that she’d seemed very big to begin with.

  “Her name is Starshine. My little Starshine.” Nadine pushed Sydney away and took a step, with her arms out toward Daisy.

  “Don’t fucking touch me.” Daisy yanked her arm away when Nadine tried to touch her, her legs shaking. “Go to hell.” She was done with this. She wanted answers, not this drunken whore.

  “I’m already there, baby. I need your help to get out.”

  The pleading hacked at her resolve. Daisy took a deep shaky breath. She couldn’t let this woman suck her in.

  “No. You had your chance. Obviously, you didn’t love me enough to stay clean. Why would now be any different? You love your drugs and booze and whore-men more. I hope they take care of you when you’re old, because you won’t have me to do that for you.” Her chest burned and she fought tears, but she walked away with her head held high. The last thing she heard was Sydney asking Tucker to escort Nadine from the property and Nadine swear she’d be back.

  Daisy leaned against the side of the cabin and banged her head a few times. She wanted to scream, cry, and pound her fists like the tantrums her mother should have had to deal with when she was little, but didn’t. She wanted to know why. Damn it. Why she hadn’t been enough to keep her mother straight? Why hadn’t her mother loved her enough to stay clean? Why hadn’t she wanted her?

  Instead of the sobs working their way to the surface, she let out one of Sydney’s screams. Half-expecting Sydney to run to her, Daisy didn’t know whether to take a walk or stay put. She needed her sister, but at the same time, needed time to make sense of Nadine’s angry words and ‘you owe me’ attitude. What kind of mother blamed her child for ruining her life and wanted payment for stretch marks?

  Never once had her mom said those things to Sydney. She’d never complained about the stretch marks. She’d always said they were her badge of honor for delivering such a beautiful child. The way she’d used her words hadn’t made Daisy feel bad for not giving her any.

  Really, Nadine had done her a huge favor by dumping her. She most likely would have turned out just like the woman. Though, she still wondered if she did have some of her mother’s tainted ways. So many things she’d done might be because of the crappy DNA she’d inherited.

  Granted, she tried not to sleep around, but still had her fair share of one-night stands and sex just for the sake of sex. She’d never done drugs. Never would. And she’d never found an obsessive streak about anything.

  She was a bit odd, she knew that. Knew from the strange looks she sometimes received when talking about her interests. Maybe all photographers were just weird. She doubted that. She liked to take pictures others had told her they’d never thought of before.

  At least, and it was a little comfort, she had talent and had managed to make a name for herself. Her work was requested and the few gallery showings she’d had sold out before the end of the first evening. Her repeat customer list grew all the time and she could now charge whatever she wanted.

  Not that she would raise her prices to the level her agent wanted. Daisy consistently refused. Tripling prices over the span of two years seemed ridiculous to her. And vain. Somewhat calmer, she circled the pond. Wondering what her mother would try next stuck in her gut and she didn’t know how she could continue to survive the confrontations.

  Once had been enough.

  She’d be stupid to believe Nadine wouldn’t show up again. Not after some of the stuff she’d said. Obviously, Violet had painted Sydney as the evil step-sister. No big surprise there coming from The Vileness. They should have expected that. Jace hadn’t said anything, but then again, depending on where he got his information there was no way he could have known.

  Sydney called her name. Daisy ignored her and kept going. Hopefully, she could get her train wreck of emotions under control before talking to Sydney. She wished she knew if she was normal, or if she was some freak of nature like her mother.

  She watched the fish shadows moving under the now clear surface. Sydney waited by the benches for Daisy to decide she was ready to talk.

  Daisy truly was blessed. She needed to remember that. She was part of a team with Sydney. Both equals, with their own strengths and the same vision for this beloved ground. Gramps had never once treated her like anything but a true granddaughter. He’d often tell her she was God’s gift to him because he had so much love to give his grandchildren and her parents hadn’t been able to have another child after Sydney.

  With a sigh, she approached her sister, knowing whatever she waited to tell her would not be welcome.

  “She left you this.” Sydney passed her an envelope.

  Daisy opened it, removing the contents and dropping the envelope on the ground as she sat on the bench.

  Baby pictures. The obligatory puffy newborn picture taken in the hospital when she was only hours old, and several snapshots over the next few days until Nadine walked out of her life. The last picture finally broke her and she sobbed in Sydney’s arms. A mother-daughter portrait obviously taken shortly before her mother allowed her addictions to take over.

 
; CHAPTER 14

  Sydney wasn’t sure what to do. Daisy’s shoulders shook. Out of rage, sadness, or both? She’d never been as close to physical violence as she’d been when Nadine demanded Daisy pay her for all the damage she’d done to her life and body. Sydney didn’t care about the nonsense Nadine spouted about her. Violet was good at rearranging the facts to suit her needs and obviously Nadine had willingly fallen into her trap.

  Nadine cursed the whole way out of the campground. At least she’d left, crawling into the back of a filthy, dented van with the crappiest-looking guys Sydney had ever seen. She’d heard one of them ask Nadine if she’d gotten the money, but didn’t wait around to hear the answer.

  The horrid woman would be back. And soon, too.

  The way Nadine’s hands shook told the story. She was in need of a fix. Sydney seriously wondered if they should hire a security guard to make sure Nadine didn’t come back during the quiet of the night. Would that help Daisy sleep any better? Or would it make things worse?

  She didn’t dare ask right now. Those pictures had sent her sister into an abyss she wasn’t ready to come out of yet. Nadine was either good at manipulating people, or had followed Violet’s sinister advice.

  Drop off the baby pictures. Show the kid how great things had obviously once been. Give Daisy a link to a past she can’t remember and make her wish for things that never were. Bitch.

  Nadine would not do Violet’s evil thing to Daisy. Sydney would make sure of it.

  Daisy continued to squeeze her in a soul-crushing hug, the sobs wetting Sydney’s shirt and breaking her heart. That Daisy had grown up with all the love in the world didn’t matter right now. That her own mother had rejected her for a life of drugs, booze, and men hurt more than anything Sydney could imagine. She rested her head on Daisy’s, her tears wetting Daisy’s hair.