The Daisy

by Morgan Dawson

  The Daisy

  Morgan Dawson

  Copyright © 2017 by Morgan Dawson

  All rights reserved.

  Cover Design - Erin Dameron-Hill

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  For the people who helped make this book possible. My Mom, Erin Dameron-Hill and Meg.

  And to you, for deciding to read my book. I hope you enjoy (:

  Also, my cat who was not nearly as annoying as she was while I was trying to write my first two books.

  Contents

  Introduction

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Introduction

  The Daisy is the 3rd book in the Carter Sisters Series by teen author, Morgan Dawson.

  You can find the first 2 books in the series by going to https://www.kaypdawson.com/morgandawson

  Follow the Carter family as they face life on the frontier, losing people they care about and finding love along the way.

  Prologue

  And just like that, everything changed. It all happened so fast. First, my older sister Adeline moved out of our house on the farm to move in with her new husband. Then a year and half later, my pa married another woman. And soon after, she and her kids moved into our house.

  So now here I am, lying awake while the rest of my family is sound asleep, pondering why I let this happen.

  I remember the day my pa invited a woman over for supper. Of course, then I never realized how close she would get to my family.

  It’s hard sometimes when I wonder if Pa ever thought of Ma while getting married to another woman. It’s like he moved on so quickly, when I’m still missing her every day.

  If she hadn’t passed away, none of this would’ve happened. Now I have this far too cheerful step-ma, and two obnoxious and spoiled stepbrothers.

  I don’t actually call pa’s wife my step-mom. She is simply Freida.

  I force myself out of my troubling thoughts, focusing my attention to the wind whistling by the window. I note how heavy my eyes feel and I close them, but sleep is unreachable. I haven’t been able to sleep much these past few months. If I do, it’s only when my brain must shut itself down.

  Soon, I can hear the birds beginning to chirp and the sun slowly allowing light into my dusty loft. I’ve made it through another night.

  I much prefer daytime because then I can distract myself, and my thoughts. At night however, I can’t help but be lost in worry and confusion.

  I swing my legs over the side of the bed slowly. I don’t want to wake my younger sisters, Lydia and Hazel, who are sound asleep beside me.

  I decide to wear my navy blue dress so I slip it over my head, then struggle as I brush through my brown curls. I smile faintly, thinking of how Adeline would always reach over and pull one of my ringlets of hair gently, and I’d laugh as it sprang back up. This was when I was much younger of course. I sigh, setting my brush back down on the table next to the bed. Time to go downstairs.

  I slowly climb down the ladder, feeling with my foot for each rung until I reach the floor.

  It’s early and the sun isn’t quite all the way up as I look out the window. The trees sway in the wind and a bird struggles to fly against the harsh, spring breeze.

  I take a seat in my ma’s old rocking chair and pull my knitting out from under the seat. I begin working on the socks I started for Adeline’s newborn twins—one set of blue socks and one of pink.

  I look down at the already finished blue ones, then back to the pink ones. If I can finish these today, I’m hoping Pa will let me take the wagon into town to give them to Adeline.

  The house is silent, the only sounds I can hear are my knitting needles as they hit each other. I find the morning to be one of my favorite times of day. It’s just so peaceful, and you can hear the birds singing their happy songs.

  Soon, I finish the last little pink sock and I smile, feeling satisfied with how they’ve turned out. As I turn them over in my hands, the door to my pa’s bedroom opens, revealing a yawning Freida.

  “Hello, Genevieve. You’re up early again this morning. And I see you’ve finished the socks. They look lovely!”

  Freida walks toward me, sitting down on one of the rockers, and smiling at me.

  I raise my hand to touch the pendant I wear around my neck with a photo of my ma in it. It’s something I gain a lot of self-assurance from. Often when I’m worried, or even just bored, I find myself touching the necklace. Sometimes I don’t even realize I’ve done it. It’s just a nervous habit, I guess.

  With a deep breath, I hold back the scowl I so badly want to give her. How can she possibly be so perky all of the time? Instead I look down at the socks and mutter, “Thank you.”

  “You know, when I was your age I would’ve done anything to have such beautiful hair like yours. Instead, I lived with this frizzy mess.” She grabs a strand of her brown hair.

  I fake a smile and stand up, setting the socks back into my knitting basket. “Well, I should go collect the eggs from the coop so we have something for breakfast.”

  I head toward the door and turn to see Freida standing up too. “Wait, I think I will come with you. It looks like such a lovely morning and I’d love a walk. Perhaps you can show me where the creek is. I feel bad that you’re always the one doing the laundry.”

  I furrow my brow, but quickly smile. “All right.”

  We walk in silence down to the chicken coop, and when we reach it, I gather the eggs as quickly as I can. “Freida? Perhaps we can visit the creek some other time. Everyone will be up soon so we should start breakfast.”

  “Good decision. Maybe this afternoon?”

  I nod, making a mental note to find something to do this afternoon.

  I let out a breath as I reach the house and find Lydia sitting at the table.

  “Oh good morning, dear! How did you sleep?” Freida exclaims, making her way into the house.

  “Very well, thank you. What are we making for breakfast?” Lydia stands, wiping her hands on her apron.

  Freida smiles. “I’m thinking bacon and eggs. Your father and the boys will be out planting today, so they’ll need as much energy as they can get.”

  I sigh, moving to the counter to begin cracking open some eggs into a pan. Lydia moves to stand beside me, and she nudges me with her elbow and whispers. “Out for a walk with Freida this morning? What a cheery way to start the day.”

  I smile, feeling glad I’m not the only one who’s noticed this. However, I’m the only one who doesn’t really like Freida. Hazel, my sixteen-year-old sister, loves her and even calls her ma. Lydia likes her, but sometimes will comment on how loud she is.

  Then there’s me, the older of us three sisters who still lives at home. I can’t stand Freida. I sometimes feel guilty because I’m the oldest. Shouldn’t I be more open to ch
ange and be acting more maturely?

  Soon, the rest of my family, as well as Freida’s two boys, Bradley and Douglas, are awake, so we sit around the table for breakfast.

  “Pa,” I start, but am immediately interrupted by Freida.

  “Lawrence, did you hear about the Baker’s house burning down?” She looks over to me, smiling. “Oh, I’m sorry, dear. Were you saying something?”

  I let out a breath and look to Pa. “Yes, uh… Pa, I was wondering if I could take the wagon to Riverbend today. I finished the socks for Adeline’s twins, and I’m excited to give them to her. Perhaps Lydia and Hazel can come too? I know Adeline’s been wanting to see them.”

  I watch in anticipation as Pa looks to Freida. “Well, I don’t know. Since the boys and I are planting today, I wouldn’t want Freida having to work too hard making the meals on her own.”

  “Oh no, Lawrence. I’ll be perfectly fine. Let them go and have some fun.”

  I smile at this. One good thing about Freida is how she’s so easygoing, letting us do almost anything we want to do.

  “All right, you may go.”

  “Thank you, Pa. Thank you.” I smile, feeling my heart quicken at the thought of visiting my sister again. Not to mention, being away from Freida and her boys.

  Chapter 1

  “You missed a spot on this dish. I refuse to eat off a dirty plate.” Bradley shoves the plate in front of me that I’d just put in the cupboard.

  I scowl and look at the plate. “Bradley, it’s one little crumb. It won’t kill you. Just scrape it off.”

  “You’re the oldest of your three sisters, yet they always do dishes better than you.” Bradley crosses his arms, his dark brown eyes meeting mine.

  “You have no right saying that when you’ve never washed a dirty dish in your life.” I put the plate back in the cupboard, ignoring his request.

  He chuckles, pulling his hand through his thick, blond hair. “I’m a man. Men don’t do dishes because we have to do all of the hard work. You women have it easy. Yet you complain so much.”

  I look up at him feeling my anger rising. I clench my teeth together before replying, “You would take that back in a heartbeat if you became a woman for a day.”

  “I’d rather die. Especially if I was a whiny one like you.”

  Before I can stop myself, I feel the cup I’d been washing slip out of my wet hands and smash onto the ground. Looking down, I see the shards of china all around my feet.

  “Oh, when you clean that up, don’t forget about…” Bradley takes the plate from the cupboard and sets it in the washbasin. “This plate.”

  I glare at his back, silently wishing him to turn around so I can yell at him. He doesn’t, though. He walks out the door to join my pa and his brother Douglas in the field.

  “What was that?” Freida steps out of her room, in the middle of doing her hair in a braid. “Oh dear, don’t worry about that. We all get clumsy sometimes. I’ll finish up for you and you can go join your sisters getting into the wagon.”

  I wasn’t being clumsy. Your son was bothering me. I say the words to myself, but jump at the opportunity to leave. I rush to the door, practically running outside. I hear a shout from behind me. “Genevieve. You forgot your shoes.”

  I turn back and she throws my shoes to me. “Thank you.”

  I pick them up off the ground in front of me and walk quickly to the wagon parked at the end of our lane. Lydia and Hazel are already in the seat next to where I’ll sit to drive the wagon.

  For the first time in a while, I really look at my sisters and I notice how grown-up they now look. It feels like it was only a few days ago that they were standing beside me, with Darlene and Adeline as we watched our mother being laid to rest. Now it has been nearly five years.

  Lydia is the same height as me and is a pure beauty. She is almost angelic. Then there’s Hazel, the youngest of us all, now looking so grown up and mature. How can this be?

  “Genevieve? Are you coming?” Hazel’s voice brings me out of my thoughts.

  “Yes-yes, sorry,” I stutter as I clamber up into the wagon, taking the horses reins in my hands. “To Riverbend.”

  Lydia and Hazel laugh beside me. “To Riverbend.”

  * * *

  “That’s awful. Bradley is so obnoxious. I’m glad we haven’t had brothers up until now. Do you think all brothers are like this?” Hazel looks at me, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

  “They’re not really our brothers. And no, I don’t think brothers act like they do.”

  Lydia sighs, looking at the horse in front of her. “I know they’re kind of obnoxious and are spoiled little brats, but they’re going through the same as us. Their father died and their mother remarried. Perhaps they’ll come around?”

  I smile at her. Trust Lydia to think of other people’s feelings, something I’m not too good at doing.

  “We’re here. I see it.” Hazel points in the distance, and I too can see Riverbend. We drive into the small town. Children are playing in front of the houses and people are walking around, talking to the other people.

  Soon, I’m knocking on Adeline’s door, silently hoping she’s home.

  To my relief the door opens, revealing Adeline with a huge grin on her face. “Girls! Come on in.”

  When we get inside, she pulls us all into a big hug. Out of the corner of my eye, August stands by the table with his hands in his pockets.

  “Oh, I feel like I haven’t seen you in a week.”

  Lydia laughs. “Adi, that’s because you haven’t. Last time we saw you was on Sunday for church and you were still extremely pregnant.”

  “Do you want to see them?”

  We all nod as she leads us to the room where two bassinets are sitting. And in them are two sound asleep babies.

  “I made them each a set of socks. I hope they fit, but if not I’m sure they’ll grow into them.” I hand Adeline the socks.

  She smiles, pulling me into a hug. “Thank you, Genevieve. I’m assuming Darlene told you I had twins?”

  “Yes, I wanted to make them something and I had some spare time. Do you mind if I hold one of them?”

  Adeline moves to look over her two newborns. “Of course. How about you hold Isaac?”

  I smile as she passes me the bundled-up baby, and look down to smile into his pale blue eyes. I rock him in my arms while his eyes begin to close but I keep my eyes on him and his delicate little face.

  I find myself closing my eyes, rocking little Isaac back and forth. When I open my eyes, Lydia is holding Isaac’s twin, Charity. I smile as Hazel makes her way toward me.

  She has a warm smile on her face as she wraps her arm around my shoulders. “Aren’t they precious?”

  “Yes, they sure are.” I pause, looking down at Isaac again. “Here. Would you like to hold him?”

  Hazel nods, her eyes seeming to glow. I carefully pass Isaac to her and she looks up at me smiling.

  I walk out of the room, making my way to the main area where August sits at the table and Adeline bustles around the kitchen.

  “Hello there, Genevieve.” August smiles and looks up at me.

  “Good afternoon, August. How are you?”

  He chuckles, leaning back in his chair. “A little tired if I’m to be honest.”

  I laugh, taking a seat across from him. “Me too. I’ve barely…uh, just lots of stuff going on. Lots of work I mean.”

  He smiles and then looks up at Adeline as she sets a plate of biscuits down.

  “Lots of work? More laundry I guess, and dishes. What with three extra people.” Adeline smiles, sitting in the chair closest to August.

  “Yeah, I guess.”

  It’s quiet for a few seconds, and I look up at Adeline. She’s looking at me, her eyebrows furrowed. I watch as she takes a breath as if she’s about to say something but then decides not to. Eventually, after a long stare-down, she reaches out to touch my shoulder. “Genevieve? Are you all right?”

  I feel my eyes
widen as I force a smile. “Yes. Yes of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

  She tilts her head, her eyes seeming to be searching for something. “You seem…different. Like you’re worn down.”

  “I’m just tired, I guess.” I can feel my face heating up and I look down, pretending to be transfixed on a knot in the wooden table.

  “Come on. Tell me what’s wrong. Would you like August to go to another room or something?”

  “No. No, it’s fine. I’ll tell you. It’s silly, though. It’s just…Freida. I mean she’s nice, but her being around is making me miss Ma more, and she keeps trying to be like Ma and…I don’t know. And then there’s Bradley and Douglas. Oh I can’t stand them, Adi.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “They’re obnoxiously rude. This morning Bradley took a dish I’d washed out of the cupboard and told me I’d missed a spot. He then proceeded to tell me how women have it so easy and how he’d rather die than be a girl. They’re absolute pigs. They walk around the house with their muddy shoes and then Lydia, Hazel, and I have to clean it up.”

  Adeline laughs, reaching to take my hand. “Oh, I’m sorry. It’s not funny. It’s just, oh dear.” She begins to laugh hysterically and I feel myself scowling at her.

  “It’s not funny. And I’ve barely been sleeping. It’s like my mind won’t shut off anymore. I keep thinking that Pa doesn’t miss Ma anymore and just wanted to replace her. And then I wonder what Ma would be thinking right now—if she’s hurt that he moved on.”

  Adeline’s laughing stops, and I watch August look toward the door as if there might be a way out. But I’ve learned there isn’t a way out. You run around and around in circles like a blind mouse searching for the safest exit. But there never is one.