Page 5 of Duke
5
Daisy
I sit down at my desk and put my feet up. It’s been a long day. A group of tourists arrived earlier. My pop’s driving everyone mad. He’s not the kind of man who likes to take it easy, but his leg is still swollen and bruised and I can tell he’s still having dizzy spells by the way he wobbles sometimes when he gets up off the couch. Although, he’s too proud to admit it.
It's already been three days since his accident, and he was hoping he'd be better by now. But the truth is, he's getting old. He doesn't heal as quickly as he did when he was young.
There’s a stack of letters on the desk, and I work my way through them. Throwing the unsolicited sales shit in the trash can and filing the bills away carefully in a little box I have by my feet.
It’s not until I’m finished that I realize there’s a new addition to my office. A little blue flower in a tiny little vase. I pick it up and put it to my nose. It smells delicious. Freshly picked. And I know exactly who picked it, too.
Duke.
I go over to the entrance of the reception area and look out into the field. He’s out there. Working away. His top is on the floor by his feet. A squeegee in his hand. Cleaning the tractor.
Boy, what I’d like to do to that man.
I’ve hardly been able to think about anything else since he arrived. Since that kiss in the kitchen the first night he arrived.
Since then, we’ve managed to keep our hands off each other. But it’s been a struggle. He keeps leaving me all these cute little presents. Smiling at me. Making my tummy fill up with butterflies and my heart grow wings and fly away.
“What you up to?” My mom sneaks up behind me, making me jump.
“Nothing,” I say.
“Mmm-hmm,” she cocks her eyebrow and looks over at Duke, too. “You never were much of a liar.”
“That’s cause you raised me right.”
“Flattery ain't gonna get you anywhere.” She fans her hand in her face. “Whooee, that man’s gonna give me a heart attack if he keeps walking around without his shirt on.”
“Duke?” I say, trying to put on my best innocent, ambivalent voice. “Oh yeah, he’s not wearing his t-shirt again. I hardly even noticed.”
“I bet you didn’t,” my mom says. “That’s why you're out here leaning on the doorframe with your eyes glued on his body. Don’t think I haven’t noticed. The way you two look at each other. It’s written all over y’alls faces.”
I look away. My cheeks are burning. Me and mom are really close, but we’ve never really been the kind to talk about men. I guess there hasn’t been much need to. Duke’s about the only boy I’ve ever really been interested in. Unless you count Dewie in fourth grade. But, I think that was more to do with his nice shiny shoes and his hella-cool bicycle.
“It’ll never work out.” I turn back around to go continue with my administration work. “He’s going back to the city as soon as pop’s better. Then I’ll never see him again. It’s just a little bit of harmless fantasy. That’s all.”
Mom grabs my hand as I go to walk off. She turns me around so I’m looking at her. Cupping my face, she taps me lightly on the cheek. “Don’t sell yourself short, Daisy. That man likes you, and you’d be an idiot to turn your back on that. He’s a good man. Caring. Kind. And he’s not afraid of a hard day's work… even if he is a city boy.” She lets out a slow sigh. “I know you have bigger dreams than this here town. I’ve known it a long time. I guess I just count myself lucky you’ve stuck around this long. But don’t let this place hold you back. All I want for you is to be happy. To wake up each morning wondering how in heck you got so damn lucky to live the life you're living.
“That’s the way I feel with your pop. I know most people wouldn’t. Not with the kind of life we’ve had. But I love that man. And I love our life, and I wouldn’t swap it for anything in the world. But you’re different. Maybe it’s a generational thing. Maybe it’s just in your DNA. You have big dreams and big aspirations, and that’s one of the things I love about you so much.”
“I donno, Ma. What if he doesn’t like me like that? What if I make an idiot out of myself? I mean, look at him! He’s like a frigging superhero or something. And then look at me. I’m plain. Average. Chubby. Uneducated. What in hell would a man like that want with a woman like me? It’s crazy talk.”
She slaps my arm lightly, but there’s a mean look on her face I remember oh-too-well from when I was young and a little too keen to eat all the ice cream. “Don’t you ever talk about yourself like that, Daisy! Besides, I’ve already told you. The way that man looks at you, especially when he doesn’t think anyone’s looking. I guarantee you, he doesn’t see a plain, average, chubby girl. He sees a woman he likes a whole deal! Maybe even loves.”
I turn around to take another look at Duke. Unsure whether to believe what my mom is saying. But I don’t get much of a chance to think about it. Storming across the parking lot, is Billy-Bob.
“Oh, shit,” I say, “what in the heck does he think he’s doing?”
“Fighting,” my mom says, a mischievous smile on her face. “They’re fighting over you, Daisy. And I don’t blame ‘em.” Her eyes dampen and a tear rolls slowly down her cheek. “You’re the kind of woman worth fighting over. And that’s a fact.”
“Oh, god.” I roll my eyes. “When did you get so mushy.”
She wraps an arm around my shoulder. “I’ve always been this way,” she says. “But maybe it’s worse now. I have a feeling you ain't gonna be sticking around much longer. I have to get it all in while I still can.”
I rest my head on her shoulder and squeeze her tight. She kisses the top of my head. “Love you, mom.”
