“Yeah.”
“I can’t remember; it’s been for quite some time now. What about her?” I could sense the urgency in her tone.
“I saw her today,” I breathed out, looking away. “We are neighbors here in Sunnyvale.”
When I finished, she let out a soft gasp, blinking unbelievably.
“You two are neighbors? Incredible! How’s that even possible? Oh-oh...now I remember, she has ties in Sunnyvale. One of her relatives lives there, but how-”
“From the look of things, she just arrived today. She had her luggage with her.”
“Oh really!” Daisy sighed and fell quiet momentarily.
“Figures. How do you feel?” she added.
I swallowed. How did I feel? Not that I knew particularly how I felt, but I hated to know that Clara was making me so distracted and restless. The look of animosity that had been in her eyes in the rain still haunted me.
“She hates me.”
“Of course, she hates you! Who wouldn’t- I mean...” She suddenly quietened. “I’m sorry.”
“Yeah.” I sighed, looking outside the window. Her house was just right beyond the picket fence.
“So what’s your plan? What do you want to do?”
“I’m guilty; I know that and want to take responsibility. I want her to forgive me.”
“That’s it?” She queried.
I nodded.
“That’s good. I must tell you, though, that you have to be very careful in your approach; as you should know, she’s already sensitive enough.” She advised me.
“Yeah, yeah, thank you.”
She then sighed, “I’ll try to reach out to her. Personally, I don’t know-” she blew a raspberry. “We sort of fell apart. We never had an official argument, but,” she winced. “We lost touch after you guys broke up. I was affected, yeah.”
“I messed up big time, I apologize,” I said.
She nodded and thought for a while.
“I love you, dude.” She smiled.
“I love you too.”
“Have you spoken to Mom recently?”
“No, why?”
“She acts cranky these days, I’ve had to flee from home. I think something is bothering her, but she doesn’t want to tell me,” she said.
“Oh boy!” I sighed.
“I know, I know,” she was wearing a pitiful look.
“Dealing with her is a lot, and, thankfully, I am neither the son nor the first child.” She let out a wicked laugh.
“Daisy!”