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No. She pushed aside the self-doubt. She’d stick with her plan—milk this win for everything she could, and use the profits to fund her next endeavor. Which wasn’t all that different from what she did now. It was still a social media channel. But it had the potential to make a real difference in people’s lives. Help them to believe in and better themselves.
It was late, but she texted Adam to ask if the fifth space at the strip mall was still available.
When he responded yes, she asked him to write up the lease. She wanted it.
Daisy flew home the next day and jumped into the fray of nonstop family obligations—Uncle Pete’s funeral in Charlotte, helping pack and move Bella to her parents’ house in New Bern, and enduring a schizophrenic play put on by a hodgepodge of geriatric thespians. Still mourning her son, Nana had debated canceling the whole thing, but in the end, decided the show must go on, saying it’s what Pete would have wanted.
It wasn’t until Sunday dinner that she finally had a chance to tell her family about her plan to expand her brand.
“I’ll stick with the ‘traveling on a budget’ theme as my bread and butter,” she said. “Income from that will pay my rent and expenses. But I’m also going to start another channel to deal with personal development. It’ll be all-encompassing—exercise, nutrition, meditation, positive affirmations. Stuff like that.”
“That’s a great idea,” Kate said. “Those are all the rage right now.”
“I realize it’s a competitive field,” Daisy said. “And I know it won’t be as lucrative as my current business right off the bat. But winning the award bought me some time to grow a new audience.”
“So, what do you need the storefront for?” Adam asked.
“It will mainly be a place to record videos, but I also want to branch into personal coaching and perhaps write a book or two on travel. I’ll have you cut the space into sections that will act as backdrops. So, a corner that looks like a gym to film exercise videos. A mini kitchen to do recipes and talk about nutrition. An office with bookcases and maps and stuff to do more general videos. And I’ll need storage for the endless barrage of merch I get.”
“Sounds like you’ve got it all planned out,” her dad said. “I’m really proud of you, honey.”
“We’reproud of you,” her mom said.
Daisy blushed. Sharing her ideas with her family was climbing out on a limb. And now that they were out, she’d have to get going on them.
“In the meantime, while the remodel’s happening, I’m gonna strike while the iron’s hot and do some local travel. I’m leaving tomorrow on another trip.”
“So soon?” her mother complained.
“Sorry, Mom,” Daisy said. “It won’t be for long.”
She could have easily put the trip off, but staying around town, wallowing in pity over Noah ditching her, wasn’t an option. Traveling—that sounded better than running away—was her go-to method for dealing with unwanted situations.
Later that night, Emma and Daisy were alone in the living room. They had always been especially close, but since Emma had gotten married, heart-to-hearts with her were rare.
“Hey, sis. Can you keep a secret?” Emma asked.
“Of course,” Daisy said. “Even though I think I already know what it is.”
“Oh, really?”
“You find out the sex of my next niece or nephew?” She nodded to Emma’s midsection.
Emma laughed. “Yes. The little bugger finally quit being so modest and gave the doc a peek. I’ve been dying to tell everyone, but, well, you know.”
“I get it,” Daisy said. “Uncle Pete’s death, Bella moving in, Lucy about to pop any day. There’s a lot goin’ on around here.”
Emma smiled. “Yeah, and it’s a little anticlimactic when Kate’s already had one, and Lucy’s about to have another.”
“Somehow, I don’t think Mom will ever tire of it. So, I’m dying here. What is it?”
“A girl.”
Daisy had never seen a bigger smile on her sister’s face. “I’m so, so happy for you,” she said. “I won’t say anything until you find an opening to announce it.”
“So,” Emma said. “What’s up with you and Noah? You like him?”
“Pretty sure I jumped past like,” Daisy said with a sigh. “I know I can be impulsive, including falling in and out of love easily, but this felt different.”
