Daisy's Choice (A Tale of Three Hearts) (52 page)

“
I got this for Amy,” he said, handing her the present.

“
Oh give it to her yourself. She loves getting presents. The girl is larger than life today and wearing me out,” Daisy grinned. “Go ahead. Everyone’s out back.”

Pete stared at her for a moment in complete disbelief. Daisy turned and walked away. He looked to Nina who shrugged. Together, they went out the patio doors to the back terrace. The kids were on the sand lined up getting their faces painted. Others received balloons made in the shapes of animals, and some were gathered to fly a kite. The sun was high in the sky, beaming down over them all. There was a large princess chair not far from one of those inflated air bounce-houses with even more kids jumping and leaping inside. Amy sat in her inflated princess chair that had a slide to come down with a crown on her head. She watched over everyone in her party.

“
Wow. This party has more action than Hollow Creek Fair.”

“
There she is,” Pete said smiling at her.

“
Pete, Nina.” A man’s voice spoke.

He looked over to see Aiden seated next to two other men. He sat there with beer in hand staring directly at him. He lifted the beer to him. “Welcome.”

Pete cut his eyes away, ignoring him all together. He ventured down the stairs into the sand. Nina said a quick hello and followed. Amy slid into the sand.

“
Pete!”

He stooped and held out the present. The chair was a good idea. Amy loved slides. She could climb and slide down that thing all day.

“
Hi there, sunshine.”

“
For my birthday?”

“
Yes.”

“
Look everybody. I got another present!” She held it up for the kids. Most were too preoccupied to turn, but a few of her playmates came over to inspect. “You can get a hotdog. We got hamburgers too,” Amy grinned. “Oh, and I got a slide chair. Isn’t that cool? No one can get on it but me!” Amy laughed hard. She ran off to the table where the other presents were stacked.

“
She likes presents. Definitely Daisy’s daughter.”

Nina laughed. “I see.”

****

Daisy watched Aiden from the kitchen window. He sat with two men that never left his side once they were introduced and they discovered who he was. He seemed to be okay talking with them. He rarely smiled or laughed, but that was just him. She caught him staring at her, or Amy. When their eyes met, he’d wink or mouth the words, “Come here.”

All in all, it felt good having him there. Amy especially enjoyed it. For the most part, he stayed on the terrace, only leaving when Amy insisted he come with her to show him some trick from a clown or to brag to the other kids that her daddy knew magic. She'd then have him show the trick with the coin.

Pete spent time with her too. He taught her to fly the kite and showed her how to share it with others. Twice, he picked Amy up and ran her toward the water with her screaming through fits of laughter. He didn’t toss her inside though. He swung her wide over the waves as if he would.

“
The party is nice,” Magdalena said. Stepping to her side, Daisy nodded. “It is. She’s having the best birthday.”

“
You okay
signora
?” she asked.

“
Yeah, go out there and relax. I can do this.” She took the tray from Magdalena and kept going before she could interrupt. But she arrived in the kitchen to catch the tail-end of a conversation.

No thank you. I don’t drink or smoke now. I’m pregnant.

Daisy stood there staring at Nina who turned and realized her words. The parent caught the exchange and walked out.

“
Congratulations,” she said, going to the counter where she set the tray down.

“
Thanks.”

Daisy looked at Nina. Really looked at her. She was quite different from what she remembered. Her skin was clear, glasses gone. She was a very pretty woman. A lot more confident.

“
Guess you wondering how I hooked up with Pete?”

“
Actually, no.” She blushed, realizing that her thoughts were transparent.

Nina smiled.

Daisy did too. “Okay, maybe a little.”

“
Just happened Daisy. He was pretty torn up for awhile. We connected. My cousin thinks I’m crazy to put up with him, but I love him. Sometimes we can’t help who we love.”

Daisy nodded. “That’s the truth.”

“
You and Aiden?”

Daisy cut her eyes over to Nina.

“
I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”

“
I love him. And he loves me.”

“
Oh, okay.”

“
Nina, Pete deserves to be happy, but so do I. I’m really tired of the blame game. You know? Just isn’t important anymore.”

“
I agree. It’s time we all moved on.”

“
Congratulations. Seriously, Pete will make an awesome daddy.”

“
Well I think so. I was hoping you would too.”

Daisy frowned. “I don’t follow.”

“
Today the results come in and Pete, he has this idea of—”

“
Ms. Locke, somebody’s at the door.”

“
Excuse me, Nina.”

When Daisy stepped out of the kitchen area, she saw her sisters and mother coming through the foyer. Her family. Sandra wore jeans and a silk top. Denise, in a green sundress, screamed when they saw her and ran straight for her. She couldn’t believe the sight of them. They hugged her tight, a crowded hug that had her suffocating. She hugged them back, speechless.

“
Look at you!” gushed Denise.

“
Look at you!” squealed Sandra.

They spoke at once. Daisy stammered her reply. “I didn’t know you both were coming?”

“
What? We got a niece. Are you crazy? And Janette says you some big time hair stylist,” Sandra laughed.

“
Yeah, she crazy!” Denise said, narrowing her eyes. “Going off and having a baby and not telling us. She got this big ole fancy place and we think you out there dead or worse. Girl I oughta smack you for scaring us like that. Five years, Daisy?”

A few of the parents that knew her as Danielle looked on confused. Daisy blushed unable to speak. “I, um.”

“
Where is she? Where is—” Sandra stopped at the sight of Nina. “Hi, Nina?”

“
Where’s that baby-girl?” Janette said walking through. “Time for her to meet her people.”

Nina spoke to everyone. Daisy, however, noticed how her mother hung back. She looked around at her place, never quite looking at her. “Amy is out back. Let me introduce you. Hi momma.”

“
Hello, Daisy,” Ms. Johnson answered.

She led them to the door and out of it. Aiden was on the sand standing with a few adults. Pete was flying a kite, and Amy was sliding down her princess chair. “I see her,” Sandra said, pointing.

“
Oh, she’s so cute,” Denise said.

Daisy looked back to see her mother coming out on the terrace, last. “Momma, want to meet Amy? My daughter?”

Mrs. Johnson smiled but said nothing.

“
I’ll get her,” Janette announced. When her mother didn’t speak, Daisy looked away. Her eyes met with Aiden. He stared at them all curiously. She wasn’t ready to introduce him, especially not to her mother. Then she looked over and saw Pete approaching. Turning, she went back in, escaping the situation altogether.

The phone rang. She went into the kitchen, happy for the reprieve.

“
Ms. Locke, this is Dr Macey’s office. We have your test results.”

“
Now?”

“
Yes, if you can come to the hospital we can go over the results.”

“
Jesus.”

“
Excuse me?”

“
Yes, we’re on our way.” Daisy hung up the phone.

“
Daisy?”

She turned to see her mother staring. “Hi, mom.”

“
Everything okay?” Aiden asked.

Her mother turned and looked at him. “And you are?”

“
I’m Aiden Keane. You must be Daisy’s mother.”

She looked him up and down and then walked out without accepting his hand. Aiden closed his hand and chuckled nervously. “Looks like I lost my touch.”

“
The results are in.”

“
Now?”

“
Yeah… I… I’m scared.”

“
What? Why?”

“
I don’t know. I don’t know. It’s momma. I just don’t need her here now, Aiden. And don’t say anything to her until… just don’t say anything!”

“
What do you mean don’t say anything? I just spoke to her.”

“
I don’t know what Janette told her. She’s my mother!”

“
Daisy.”

“
Leave me alone!” she walked out, avoiding him. Aiden pulled her back. “Hey, look at me. You have nothing to be afraid of. It’s okay.”

She shook her head. “Okay. Okay.”

“
Let’s go get the results. The party can keep going. The hospital is just a block away from here. We'll sing happy birthday first. Amy has to be the one to blow out the candles. I told her I’d help.”

Daisy looked up at him and saw his lopsided grin. It melted her heart. “Thank you.” She walked out, refusing his hand. She didn’t want to push him away. She knew how sensitive he was. But she didn’t want to deal with the look her mother shot him and her. When will it ever end?

****

Daisy walked in with Aiden. Pete and Nina were right behind. The party was dwindling. After singing happy birthday and opening presents, Amy was exhausted and only wanted to be held by Aiden. It didn’t go over well with her mother or Pete. They both glared openly at him. But Daisy was impressed at how he handled it. For the most part, he focused on her. She did catch him smirking a couple times at Pete.

Now they were here and Aiden’s confidence and his arrogance had her rattled. She had answered him truthfully that night. When the doctor put Amy in her arms, she thought of him. When she looked at her child, she saw him. Always. She had to be his. She named Amy after him.

Taking a seat, she looked over to Nina. She appreciated her but resented her presence. She was like some mock example of who her mom would want her to be. It was a reminder of a woman her daddy would be proud of and the one who Pete could compare her to. And she was carrying his child.

“
You okay?” Aiden asked.

“
Aiden…if Amy isn’t—”

“
Ms. Locke?”

She looked up at the doctor. He looked around at the tense faces in his office. Then back to Daisy. She stood. “Yes.”

“
We have the results.”

“
Okay.”

He opened the envelope. Aiden rose, and so did Pete. Daisy wrung her hands. It was the longest envelope opening she’d ever attended. He unfolded it and then looked up. “The test results indicate with a 99% accuracy that Peter Doyle is the father of Amy Locke.”

Pete let go a sigh of relief. Daisy blinked, stunned. Aiden stood there speechless. She and he both just stared at the doctor. Then things exploded. He charged the doctor and snatched the paper from him, reading for himself. The man backed up, frightened.

“
Aiden. Please.”

He didn’t look at her. He just stared at the paper. His hands were tight. His lips forced a thin line of restraint. She felt him, felt his pain and could see what no one else saw. His faith in their new beginning was slipping away. She stepped toward him. “Aiden.”

Pete stepped up. “I told you, playboy. Little girls aren’t for sale. Finally, something ‘The great Aiden Keane’ can’t buy.”

Aiden grabbed Pete by the throat and threw him into the wall with so much force that the women screamed. The results fell to the floor.

“
Aiden, stop! Stop it!! Stop!” she said to his choking Pete. “Please!”