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Dawn forced herself to ask calmly, "Then where did you go every time you said you were going to Lucy's house?"
Daisy shrugged one shoulder. "Well, I usually just went behind the shed in our garden and wrote letters to Freddie. If it rained, then I'd go to Mrs. Smythe's house next door and she'd give me tea and biscuits." She bit her lip and asked, "Are you cross with me?"
For a second, Dawn didn't answer. While she was a little upset at the fact Daisy had lied to her—she hated lying more than anything—it was more fear for what could've happened that she struggled to control.
Daisy was far too trusting. One slightly crooked stranger could've taken her little girl away from her for good.
Daisy added quietly, "I won't do it again, I promise."
The words snapped Dawn back to the current situation. Needing to feel the comfort of Daisy's touch, she took her daughter's hand and squeezed. She said slowly so as to keep her voice calm, "I don't like that you lied to me. But you did tell me the truth and I hope you'll honor your promise to not lie to me again." Daisy bobbed her head a few times, and Dawn continued, "I do wish you would've said something sooner, Daisy. Are other kids or teachers treating you differently, too?"
She shrugged as she swung her feet above the floor again. "Some of them have been meaner. But I didn't like most of them anyway. Those of us who went to the dragon camp became our own group of friends. I also have Freddie and Emily."
Oh, Daisy. Her daughter had suffered on her own and never shown it.
She really was growing up.
Not caring that Daisy was eleven and maybe thought she was too old for it, Dawn tugged Daisy off the chair and helped her into her lap. Once she wrapped Daisy in a hug and laid her head against her daughter's, she said, "You've worked so hard to help other people like the dragon-shifters, haven't you?"
"I try. The dragon-shifters have always been nice to me. And I don't know why people would be mean to them or want to hurt them. Especially when most people have never met them. It seems silly. We're not supposed to judge without knowing someone, right? That's what you always tell me."
Dawn stroked her daughter's hair, smiling at how Daisy threw her own words back at her. And in a strange way, it was something she needed to hear considering everything that could happen. "Some people are afraid of what's different. I suppose I was one of those, too. I guess I need to listen to my own advice, huh?"
"Well, did you change your mind after tonight? Bram is nice. So is Mr. MacLeod. And you had fun with Mr. Whitby, too, right?"
"I'll admit that I'm less afraid now than when we first arrived here."
"So what are you going to do, Mum?"
The all-important question—what would Dawn do?
She took a second to squeeze Daisy tighter against her and merely revel in how much she loved her daughter.
However, as Daisy tried to turn around, Dawn leaned back to meet her eyes and said, "I have one more question first, love. Has anyone on Stonefire ever been mean to you? Or tried to scare you away?"
Daisy shook her head. "No, although Freddie says there are some older kids who tease everyone. So if they tease me, it'd almost be like I'm part of Stonefire, too. So I actually hope they do tease me soon."
Dawn bit back a smile. Daisy knew so much about the dragon clan, to the point she even knew how to be accepted among the younger crowd.
As she played with her daughter's hair, Dawn took a second to review all she knew and be absolutely certain of what she was going to say next.
Daisy was having more trouble with the kids at the human school than with the dragons.
Lucy and her mother had all but abandoned Daisy for her connection to the dragons she loved so much.
Daisy and Dawn both wanted another child in the family.
And through her daughter's enthusiasm, Dawn was fairly sure she could become more comfortable around the dragon-shifters.
Not to mention she didn’t love her current job, and she could find another, like she’d done a few times before.
There was really only one option to take.
Daisy shifted her position in her lap, and Dawn finally spoke again. "I'm not going to say yes to everything just yet. However, Bram said the doctor here can make Mr. Whitby's dragon quiet for a few days so I can talk with him. After that, I'll make my final decision. But in the meantime, you'll have to stay with Emily's family, provided they say it's okay."
Daisy frowned. "I can't stay here, too?"
Dawn smiled at Daisy's devastation. "Not yet. You have school, and I need some time alone with Blake, er, Mr. Whitby."
