Page 45 of Pushing Daisy
“I think I’ll be putting out that best friend application I’ve been working on. It seems I am in desperate need of a new one,” Daisy says dramatically.
“I am hurt. Wounded to the core of my being,” Petra deadpans.
“Oh, I bet you are.”
“Jokes aside, I’m sorry I forced you into that position, but I’m not sorry for how it seems to have worked out,” Petra says.
Daisy rolls onto her side, propping her head up on one hand. “What do you mean?”
“Daisy, you aren’t the biggest fan of change and are even less of a fan of working with people you don’t like. You left me no choice but to force you into a situation where you had no other option but to deal with it.”
“A conversation beforehand would have been nice. I would have agreed to meet Sloan there instead of you.”
Petra scoffs. “Bullshit!”
“It’s so not bullshit!”
“It is! Daze, you seem to forget that I know you. You would have done anything to back out of it before going. In fact, I guarantee you tried to get out of it at least twice after she showed up.”
Daisy pauses, thinking over how she first reacted when Sloan ambushed her at the reception counter. And again, how she was trying to pack her things and leave after their first dinner together. Fucking Hades, she’s right.
“See. I told you,” Petra says when Daisy doesn’t respond.
“Oh, shut it.”
Petra laughs through the line. “It was for your own good. This is a big event, and you’re running out of time to pull it off. Sloan is a great resource, and there is a reason we paired you two together.”
“Oh, and what are these great reasons for making me worth with the spawn of Hades?”
“She is not the spawn of Hades,” Petra says firmly. “Well, first, unfortunately, it is because she is from a prominent family, and having her name attached to it will help. It sucks, but that’s how it is. Second, we’ve seen what she does in the community through her volunteer work, so we know what she is capable of. Third, because of her work in the community, she has great connections with many organizations that would be happy to partner with you. Lastly, even though I don’t like her all that much, Sloan isn’t as bad as she seems, and I think if you could get over yourself, you’d actually end up being great friends.”
Daisy’s free hand finds its way to her lips, remembering the feeling of Sloan’s lips against hers. “I guess that makes sense,” she says softly. A part of her hates that Petra has a point. After spending the weekend with Sloan, she can see what Petra says is true. Sloan isn’t all bad and was great at handling Daisy’s tough moments. But there’s still that lingering hesitation.
“Believe it or not, all of this, this opportunity, this working relationship with Sloan, this chance to do something other than be at the Acorn—not that that’s bad, but we can see you wanted more—is to help you see your potential. So show it to us. Show us what you can do. The council believes in you. Lach believes in you. I believe in you.”
Daisy sniffles and wipes a stray tear from the corner of her eye. “Well, fuck me.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I’m married to the finest demon in all the land.” Petra laughs.
“Damn right you are!” Daisy hears Lachlan call from somewhere in the distance on Petra’s end.
Daisy smiles, happy Petra and Lachlan made it through everything they went through with Grog, the council, and losing Gladys. Petra hasn’t had it easy, either. Her mother passed when she was young, and her father abandoned her and his family responsibilities, leaving it all to fall on her. When Grog challenged her to prove she was worthy of the Premier Witch title—by getting married in thirty days—she took it all in stride and took him down in the process. So seeing her now, over a year later, and so infuriatingly blissful, Daisy can’t help but be happy for her, too.
“So, tell me everything that happened this weekend!” Petra says eagerly.
Daisy recounts the initial ambush, the single bed, the couple’s massage, and everything else. Well, almost everything. She doesn’t tell her about the kissing. She’s not ready to share that yet, afraid that if she talks about it, she’ll forget the details and the memory of it won’t be nearly as strong as it is now. Those moments are only for her.
As the call comes to a close, Petra says, “I’m happy that despite the challenges, and hilarity of it all, that you two ended up at an okay place at the end. Hopefully it allows you two to move forward and to finish putting together a wonderful event.”
“Thanks.”
“I look forward to hearing more about it as plans become solid. Love you, westie!”
“Love you too, witch,” Daisy says.
Daisy rolls onto her back again, flinging her arms above her head, and stares at the ceiling. She runs over the weekend with Sloan in her head again, and how she’s now had both Sloan and Petra tell her she needs to get over herself. It sounds like great advice, but what exactly does she need to get over? Her childhood trauma from being bullied? Or how about the impact of her parents being downright pissgoblins who abandoned their role as her caregivers for the hope of quick money through illegal activity? These aren’t things she can easily forget.
No one realizes the impact that these experiences have on a person. She can’t just say “oh well” and be done with it. No, these experiences have become part of her core, and she doesn’t know any other way to be than to be shaped by pain.
