Page 67 of Healed
A couple of days later Daisy stood in the kitchen looking nervously at the piles of home made toaster pastries she’d made. They were perfect. Perfectly golden brown, crispy on the outside, fruit filled centers, and more than enough vanilla frosting on the tops of them. But she still wasn’t convinced they were good enough.
“Are you sure this’ll be okay?” Daisy asked.
“Honey, why are you so nervous about bringing a dessert? Getting together with your cousins is nothing new,” Janie said. “And yes, the homemade toaster pastries are fine. Three choices of flavors and lots of frosting — what could be better?”
“You should have made something,” Daisy grumbled.
“Why?”
“Because I want to be sure it’s good,” Daisy said.
“They are good. I ate three, one of each flavor.”
“Hope everybody else agrees,” Daisy mumbled as she packed up all her pop-tarts.
“You do realize you’re cooking for your cousins. Some of them ate dirt as kids! I’m sure it’ll be okay,” Janie said.
Daisy couldn’t help but chuckle, but quickly squelched it. “I just want them to think they’re good.”
“They will. And seriously, why the worry? You usually just show up, add your contribution to the table, and not think about it.”
Daisy sighed, spun on her heel and faced her mother with her hands on her hips. “Because I haven’t shown up in a while! And Charlie’s coming, and I want him to think I can cook!”
“Ohhh. I understand. Well, you can cook.”
“Not like you.”
“Not a lot of people can cook like me, except Avaleigh, and nobody cooks like her. But we all have our specialties. I grew up cooking. You didn’t. But what you do cook, is always very tasty,” Janie said.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. If you want to learn to cook a wider variety, start cooking more at home. I’ll help you.”
“I’ll have to find time for that. I really have to up my game,” Daisy said.
“Up your game? I didn’t know you had game.”
“I don’t, apparently. Which is why I need to up it.”
“Well, then you let me know when you have time and we will up your game. Honestly, though, I don’t think Charlie cares too much about your cooking skills. He’s more interested in the woman, not the skills.”
“I hope so. I really let my guard down with him, and I’m regretting it already.”
“Don’t. He’s a good man, and he adores you, and Carson adores you.”
“Carson adores Dad,” Daisy said with a laugh.
“Oh, my God, he adores your Dad so much!”
“It’s sweet,” Daisy said.
“It really is. Especially because your dad loves him, too,” Janie added.
Daisy tucked a sheet of wax paper over the last layer of her home-made toaster pastries just like she’d placed between each of the layers stacked inside the picnic basket she’d loaded them into, and closed the lid. “Alright, I guess that’s it,” she said, looking around to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything.
“Is everybody coming?” Janie asked, as she followed Daisy to the front door.
“I don’t know. Havoc called yesterday and said, and I quote, ‘Barbecue at my house tomorrow afternoon after work, be there or be square. Charlie’s coming with Carson. Bye.’”
