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Chapter Eight
Nick
Daisy won’t answermy texts. She won’t take my calls.
I’d made a quick trip to my house to change my slacks and then driven her parents to the hospital. Thankfully, her parents hadn’t noticed the sex on my pants with all the commotion with the ambulance, but I didn’t want to push my luck by not changing before offering to take them to the hospital.
Daisy had been monotone the whole time I’d been there. She’d let me touch her, but it was obvious she wasn’t processing any comfort I or her parents tried to offer her.
She never left her grandmother’s side. I stayed with her in the hospital that first night, but then she’d sent me home, telling me that she needed space. That her grandmother needed to be her primary concern and that while she appreciated my support, I was just a distraction.
I tried not to let her words hurt. I wanted to be there for her. But I also knew that after all the railroading I’d done, I needed to honor her request.
Turns out her grandmother had a stroke—a pretty serious one.
While Daisy might not accept my physical presence right now, I can’t sit by and do nothing. So, I call in the best medical team money can buy and make sure her grandmother receives top-of-the-line care. The doctors keep me informed with progress reports, and I’m pleased at the progress Mrs. Cunningham is making. It’s much quicker than that of a typical stroke victim, and I credit it both to the woman’s vivacity and the excellent medical team.
And I continue to text and call Daisy every day. I leave her voicemails telling her I miss her and that I’m just a phone call away. I text her pictures of her pond and anything else I think she might like. While she never answers, I take comfort in the little tick mark on my phone showing me when she’s read a message. She’s at least reading what I send her.
I’m being patient—something that doesn’t come naturally for me at all.
As much as I want Daisy right now, this time I’m waiting for her signal, respecting her wishes.
As much as it’s killing me.
* * *
Daisy
“What are you still doing here, child?” Gran asks me.
I raise my head from where I’d had it laying on the side of her bed and smile at her. “Hey, Gran. You’re awake.”
“Of course I am,” she fusses. Her speech is almost completely back to normal. It’s unbelievable, but she’s has a great team of doctors and nurses. Thanks to Nick. My heart aches at just the thought of him, my feelings conflicted with longing and guilt.
“I wake up every day,” Gran continues. “I’m doing fine. There’s no need for you to sit here every minute of the day.”
I shake my head at her, “Gran, I like being here with you. I’m not going to leave you alone.”
My phone buzzes, but I ignore it. I’m pretty sure it’s Nick, but I’ll save his message to read when I can savor it later on when I get to missing him too much. After the first week, I was a bit surprised he still kept texting and calling me even when I couldn’t bring myself to answer him. I was honestly half hoping, half afraid that he would get tired of me and give up, but he hasn’t yet. He tries to contact me every day.
Sometimes his text messages are all that get me through the day.
When my phone buzzes again, Gran pins me with a look. “Go to him, Daisy.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I try to evade her.
“That man is crazy about you, and you’re a fool if you don’t see it,” she says.
I look down at my hands where I pick at her comforter. “I don’t want to leave you. I should have been there before when everything happened—not out on a date.”
Gran cackles in that way of hers. “Jesus, child, is that what you’re punishing yourself for? Hell, there was nothing you coulda done if you had been there. Stop beating yourself up over that nonsense and go be with that man.”
“But, Gran,” I start to protest.
“I mean it, Daisy. Go live you life. I will not allow you to rot away in the hospital with me a moment longer. I’ll have you kicked out if you don’t leave.”
“Gran!” I berate her, wide-eyed.
