Flower Girl | h.s.

39.

Daisy

"Yeah. Actually, I'd like to talk to dad. Something confusing just happened, and I need to know what's going on. Now would be great."

I stood with my arms crossed, one hand held up to my ear with my phone holding still against it. The coolness of the screen touched my skin before I heard my mom's voice once again. Still wasn't my dad, which only made me more anxious and ready for the conversation to be over with.

They genuinely didn't know how to make things easy if they tried. 

"Daisy, he wants to see you in person if you want to have any kind of conversa–"

I sucked in a breath, responding too quickly that I couldn't even comprehend it.

"I'll be there tonight, mom. Tell dad that I'll be there in a little over an hour, okay? I want to talk, and if he has to do it in person, then so be it." There was a bit to my voice that held my impatience, and I'm trying my best to stay calm with it.

I could hear her sigh on the other end of the line, almost like she knew what was going to come of this. I wasn't entirely sure myself, but what I did know was that this was going to hurt. It was going to be more personal, and I suddenly felt bouts of nerves rush into my thoughts.

"We'll see you then." Mom clicks the phone off before I take a deep breath. It's a quick inhale, one that makes me shut my eyes at the feeling. Not that it hurt or shocked me, but mostly because my lungs needed to breathe properly.

It only takes a few seconds before I'm putting the phone back in my bag. Harry has made his way back over to the car; I assume to give me a bit of privacy when he recognized that I could handle myself.

He's standing by the vehicle, the kids and the kitten in the car waiting on me when I approach them.

"Everything okay?" Harry asked me upon seeing me. HIs voice is soft, but not too undermining. He knew I wasn't okay, but I could tell another side of him saw that I was stronger than I was before. 

I nod to him, a curve of a smile is on my lips as I feel the way that a simple breeze knocks some hair into my face.

"Everything's great." I tell him, knowing full well that I didn't mean a single ounce of the words spoken. The words may be a lie, and he may know that, but I'm willing to keep it close to my chest for the time being.

There wasn't any closure yet, and that's what added the pressure.

I slipped into the passenger side, the three kids in the back of the car already arguing about where the new kitten was going to sleep that night.

Brooks was adamant that Cherry sleep with him, making note that he 'had a race car bed that Cherry would really like'. Harry laughed at the suggestion, his head shaking.

"I don't think that cats like race cars," Harry says, "I think the kitten can sleep in the carrier tonight so it can get used to us just being around and having a home." He further suggests as he starts to merge onto the highway.

That's met with significant groans and gasps, almost as if everyone in the car is offended that Harry would suggest that a kitten spend the night alone for a second.

"The baby can't sleep alone!" Lottie explains from the back, she sticks out her bottom lip as we hear small mews coming from the crate, "Look, she wants to be held now."

I watch Harry's eyes move to the mirror to look in the back, "Do not take the–"

But before he's done speaking, I look around to see that Lottie is now holding the kitten in her lap, the small orange and black kitty is meowing away, small purrs here and there. It's magical to watch animals start to bond with their owners.