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“And you’ve got Daisy,” her mother said. “What did you two do this morning?”
“We made pancakes with chocolate chips in them, then we opened gifts. Thank you so much for everything. I loved it all.”
“I’m glad you like the clothes,” her mother said. “I know you are pretty plain and simple in your selections.”
She wanted to grind her teeth but couldn’t. In her work clothes she tended to be, but for her everyday life she liked more color. Her mother knew that.
“It will all get worn,” she said. “Did you like the candles and lotions?”
Her parents didn’t buy the things she made. She tried not to take offense to that and sent them baskets of it for all holidays along with other gifts she’d purchased. She knew they used them because they made comments all the time.
“We did,” her mother said. “They always make the house smell wonderful and then on top of it, my hair is so soft and shiny.”
The smile filled her face. She needed to hear that. She was hired to do those things over a year ago.
Shampoos, a men's line, and herbal lotions and candles. She had an idea for more and would broach it with the sisters when the timing was right, but she still had her hands full.
Her heart was fuller to know she was appreciated too and that the Bloom sisters were so impressed that they invested in machinery to keep up with production now rather than most being done by hand.
“I’m glad,” she said. “That is the best compliment there is.”
“Do you have any plans today?” her mother asked.
“No,” she said. “Nothing more than Daisy and I are going to watch some Christmas movies and have dinner later.”
“I’m glad you aren’t completely alone,” her mother said. “You could have brought Daisy home with you.”
Her mother wouldn’t let it drop. “I know, but it was more I wanted to stay for the party. You know that.”
There was silence on the other end and her father said, “We’ll let you get back to your day then. Enjoy it and we’ll talk tomorrow.”
She hung up and then walked into the living room. “Bad conversation with your parents?”
“You heard?” she asked.
“No,” Daisy said. “But I could tell by your tone it wasn’t good.”
“Just more of the same,” she said. Daisy knew the relationship she had with her parents. The ups and downs. It wasn’t going to change.
“I talked to my mom too. She’s having the time of her life in Florida with friends.”
“That’s great,” she said. “You didn’t want to go too?”
“No,” Daisy said. “She didn’t ask and my mother has never had a lot of vacations in her life. She deserved this. I’m happy for her.”
“That’s nice,” she said. She wished she had that close of a relationship with her mother in adulthood but knew it’d never happen.
4
Nowhere To Go
“You don’t need to help me paint,” Luke said on Monday. “I can do it myself, unless you don’t trust me.”
Zane laughed. “I trust you. But it’s my place and you shouldn’t be doing the work anyway.”
He needed to get out of Zane’s house where he was staying until the cottage was ready. Between the party and seeing Heather on Saturday night, then spending Christmas Day with Lily and her sisters and their spouses, he’d felt like the odd man out.
Zane’s parents were there too. His sister, Zara, Zara’s fiancé and his son, Max, then Rose’s father-in-law, Tom. It was the biggest gathering he’d ever been part of in his life and couldn’t wait to get away.
