Page 74 of Sinful Skulls
After my niece died, I was pretty low but I didn’t give up. It’s the best thing about life. If you stick with it, eventually you’ll catch up to some good days. Maybe even your best days.
Daisy squeals. “They’re here!” She claps her hands as I dry mine.
When I join her, Elizabeth and JD are just coming up the walk.
“Yay! You guys made it.”
Elizabeth looks a little nervous as Daisy holds the door open for them.
“Good to see you guys.” I pat JD on the back as he walks past me. “Make yourselves comfortable; supper’s almost ready. Can I get you guys something to drink?”
“Sure, we’ll take a couple beers if you have some,” JD answers for the two of them.
“Do I have beer?” I laugh and head out to the kitchen.
Daisy follows me. “I can finish cooking. Go visit with your friends.”
I hand her the drinks. “I already know them. You don’t. Go on. I’ve got this.”
“You’re sure?”
I palm her ass cheek in one of my hands, giving it a good squeeze. “Go.”
She smiles at me and dips her head, finally leaving me to it.
When I return to the living room a few minutes later, her and JD have their heads bowed together over the box of my grandma’s old albums. It makes me laugh.
Elizabeth is watching them. I sit down beside her, and she startles.
“Everything okay?” I ask.
“Oh, yeah, I had too much coffee today. Makes me a little jittery.” Her gaze goes back to Daisy and JD.
“Find anything you like?”
JD laughs. “Fuck off. You know I’ve been trying to talk you out of some of these for years.”
Daisy chuckles with him, making Elizabeth smile.
“Have you heard this one?” he asks her.
“No, I haven’t.”
He pulls an album out and places it on the turntable.
“Why don’t we fill our plates first? Then we can come back out and enjoy the music.”
“You’re just hungry, aren’t you?” Daisy accuses and they all laugh, but they follow me into the kitchen.
“Brody, did you make all this?” Elizabeth asks.
Daisy wraps her arms around my waist. “It was all him. I was planning on cooking tonight, but I got sidetracked on a project I was working on.”
“Oh, that reminds me of a project of my own. I have a gift for you. It’s in the truck.”
“I’ll go grab it,” JD offers, handing his plate to his wife.
We’re just sitting down when he walks back in. He waits for Daisy to set her plate on the coffee table, and then he hands it to her. Tears immediately begin to pool in her eyes.
