Chapter Twenty-Four
Daisy
I carefully tucked the sheets under my cot and smoothed out the wrinkles, the routine of it helped calm me. After three months, the pain in my chest had finally started to ease. It was worse at night. When I laid down at night and closed my eyes, when my hands stilled and my mind took over, the yearning for Brick’s arms to be around me took over. Even my dreams were filled by him. I tried to remind myself that he wasn’t the kind of man who deserved my pain, but it didn’t help.
During the day, I helped out around the shelter. Nadia, the woman who ran and owned it, was my lifesaver. She’d found me three days into living on the streets, huddled under an awning while the rain poured down with a hungry stomach, dark circles under my eyes, and a nasty cold. Nadia took me in, cleaned me up, and cared for me until I was back on my feet. I had nothing to offer her in return besides helping her out around the women’s shelter. When she asked for help, I quickly agreed.
I didn’t understand why she’d ask me when she’d just met me. If I couldn’t even take care of myself, how was someone in my situation supposed to help anyone else? I was a wreck. But after meeting with some of the other women, it was obvious I was one of the most able-bodied women in the shelter.
My pain was nothing compared to theirs. Victims of violent rape. Spousal abuse. Child abuse. One teenager had gotten pregnant and her father beat her so bad that she miscarried. My broken heart was nothing compared to what they had experienced, and helping them had slowly helped me heal.
Last week, I finally started to enter the real world. Nadia and I worked out a new schedule so I could get a job. I wasn’t leaving the women’s shelter, but it was time for me to stand on my own two feet. Not just financially but mentally as well.
The job at Burger Mac was hardly glamorous, but the fast food world was easy for me to navigate, and I needed that right now.
There was a soft knock on my door. I looked up and smiled at Nadia. The elderly woman had a brutal history herself, and she’d used that pain to help others. Her past was etched in every wrinkle of her face, but when she smiled, it warmed my heart. She was a beautiful person inside and out.
“Good morning, Daisy. A generous donor is bringing us a new washer and dryer today, so we won’t have to keep using the coin laundry. I’m going out now to meet them. Everyone is already eating breakfast in the kitchen, but Sarah is still in her room. Will you check on her before you leave for work today?”
“Of course. I wanted to spend some extra time with her this morning. She still hasn’t unpacked her duffel bag.”
“You should know as well as anyone that it takes time for them to feel safe,” Nadia said sadly.
Sarah had been at the shelter for a week now. She’d had bruises on her arms and abdomen. One of the police officers that Nadia works with had accompanied Sarah to the shelter, but the woman had barely said a word since she got here.
After I finished straightening up the room, I headed downstairs to grab a box of cereal, a cup of milk, and a bowl. I didn’t think that I’d be able to convince Sarah to eat with the rest of the women, but I wanted to make sure that she got breakfast.
“Sarah. It’s Daisy.” When I knocked softly on the door and didn’t get an answer, I eased it open. The twenty-something-year-old woman was sitting on the bed and staring out the window. I recognized the blank look in her eyes all too well. “I brought you some breakfast. Granola and berries. I’m a fan of Cocoa Pebbles myself, but Holly keeps eating it all before I get down there.”
Keeping my voice light and cheery, I sat the tray of items on the bed. Opening the window to let in some fresh air, I poured myself a bowl and settled into the small chair. The rooms here at the shelter were sparse. There were fifteen bedrooms total. Most of them had two beds in each room, but a few were singles. It helped cases like Sarah to feel more comfortable in the shelter before bunking with someone else.
Nadia’s shelter was set up for twenty-five women. Right now, there were only fifteen women living there. A few weeks after I arrived, a few of the women had saved up enough money to get their own places and moved out. Nadia had thrown them a going-away party. It was then that I knew this would be a good place for me. It was obvious that the women were close. They had found a family here, something I desperately needed.
“Officer Jenkins said that he was going to stop by later. I know it might be hard to talk to him, but it’ll be easier if you’ve eaten and showered.”
Sarah turned her head and stared at me. “He arrested my boyfriend. He’s supposed to tell me today if the judge set bail for Donnie.”
“You don’t have to worry. Even if your ex did make bail, Nadia and the police are very careful about keeping your whereabouts a secret. He won’t get you here. No matter what happens, you’ll have a place here for as long as you need it.”
Nodding, Sarah slowly reached for the bowl, and I mentally pumped my fist in victory. I didn’t want to push Sarah for her story, just wanted her to make sure she ate.
“How long have you been here?” she asked, pouring the cereal and milk.
“Three months.” I stirred the granola around and smiled encouragingly at Sarah. “I was in a strange situation. My boyfriend was sort of pimping me out to his boss for extra money. I was in a bad place. I’d just lost my home, and thought my boyfriend had my best interests in mind, but he was just after the money. Things didn’t go well, and I ended up leaving. I was homeless when Nadia found me.”
A horrified look crossed Sarah’s face. “You were sold as a sex slave?”
“It’s not as bad as it sounds. I was a willing participant—even thought his boss might have feelings for me, but I was wrong.”
“You fell in love with him?”
“Yeah.” It was easier for me to admit it now, after telling Nadia first. And the shame about that had been following me around since I’d left Brick’s condo was slowly starting to fade. I had fallen in love with Brick Langston. “I felt horribly guilty about it. I was supposed to be with my boyfriend, and here I was, falling in love with the man who had bought me. I wondered what kind of woman did that.”
“It’s not your fault,” Sarah said harshly. “You don’t have to feel guilty about it.”
Bingo. “You’re right. I don’t. And neither do you, Sarah. I know what your boyfriend did to you. And about the hospital visits and the death threats. I know that you tried to leave him before. What he did to you was not your fault.”
“He went after my sister. If I had left him sooner…”
“No.” Leaning over, I squeezed her hand. “Listen to me. It’s not your fault. What happen to you and what happened to your sister is because of your ex-boyfriend and no one else. Do you understand?”
“She’s never going to speak to me again.”
“How do you know that? Sarah, you haven’t visited your sister in the hospital. Officer Jenkins says that she’s been asking for you. You need to let go of this needless blame that you’re carrying and go visit her, okay?”
Slowly, she nodded. “Good. If you’re feeling up to it, Officer Jenkins will take you to see her today. If it makes you feel safer, your sister can stay here with you as well until things settle down.”
We finished our cereal, and by the time I left her, Sarah was getting ready to take a shower and walk around for a bit. I checked on the rest of the women. Two of them had job interviews, so we went through the community work outfits to find something that would fit them and went over some mock interview questions. I cleaned up the kitchen and got ready for work.
Burger Mac was slow when I clocked-in. Pulling my hair back, I signed into the register and quickly counted the cash. I had just finished setting up when a figure approached the counter.
“Welcome to Burger Mac,” I said, looking up, but under those familiar piercing eyes, my smile faded. “Brick.”
He looked horrible. His normally penetrating eyes were red-rimmed and heavy with dark circles. His hair was a mess, and his clothes were unkempt. He obviously hadn’t shaved in days, but despite all of this, he was still beautiful.
“Daisy,” he said hoarsely. “I’ve been looking for you.”
I glanced around uneasily, and my manager, Karen, immediately walked towards me. “Welcome to Burger Mac,” my manager echoed. “Daisy, I’ll be happy to take care of this customer.”
“No.” Brick reached out and grabbed my arm. “Daisy, I need to talk to you.”
“You don’t have to do this,” Karen said in a low voice. She didn’t know Brick, but she’d read the situation enough to know that I was uncomfortable. She was just trying to protect me.
Brick immediately pulled out his wallet and withdrew a few hundred dollars. He slapped it on the counter. “I need to talk to her. Leave us alone.”
“I’m not interested in your money,” Karen snapped.
“Karen, it’s okay.” I smiled at her. “Take the money. It’ll help pay for your sons soccer equipment. I’m going to talk to him for a few minutes. I’m okay.”
She hesitated, but nodded. I removed my hat and walked around the counter. Grabbing Brick’s arm, I led him to a booth in the corner. He resisted. “You don’t belong here, Daisy. I’m here to take you away from all of this.”
“I’m not leaving,” I said mildly and sat down. “If you want to talk to me, you’re going to have to do it here.”
After a moment of hesitation, he slid into the booth and reached for me. I quickly pulled away, knowing just how alluring his touch could be. “Brick, what are you doing here?”
“You left me. I know why you left me, and I’m sorry. But when I found out what Ralph did, I took care of him.”
“What?” I blinked. “What do you mean, you took care of him?”
“I had him investigated. I thought I’d have to go deep to pull up some dirt, but it turned out that Ralph had been stealing from me—from my company. I had him arrested. You don’t have to worry about him. You can come home.”
Obviously, he expected me to just fall at his feet. I gritted my teeth. “And where is home, Brick?”
“With me, of course.”
“Ralph was a problem, Brick. But he wasn’t our problem. He was mine. He deserves to be in jail for what he did to you, but I wasn’t scared of him anymore. I left him. Just like I left you, and had no plans to return to him. Just like I don’t have any plans to return to you.”
“I’ve been looking for you, Daisy. You have to come home.” He stared at me like he couldn’t comprehend what I was saying.
“Ralph humiliated and used me, Brick. He made me feel like I was worthless, but so did you.”
“No.” He shook his head. “I was angry, not thinking. I didn’t mean to… You said that you loved him. I heard it. On the phone that night. He didn’t deserve you and it upset me. I’m sorry, Daisy. More than you’ll ever know. But I never meant to hurt you.”
Slowly, I took a deep breath. Every fiber of my being wanted to forgive him and wrap my arms around him. But I was stronger now and knew what I wanted.
“I’m sorry that you overhead that, and that it hurt you. I only said that to Ralph because he was upset and wanted to hear it. He threatened to tell people about our arrangement if I didn’t. The man that I loved was you, but you only saw me as a woman that you bought. A possession.”
“If you’re talking about the collar…”
“I’m not,” I said quickly. “It’s not about that. When I was in bed with you, it was liberating. I enjoyed our time together. This isn’t about the sex, but I think for you, it was. I need something more, Brick. I need to be with a man who sees me as his equal.”
“Daisy, I love you,” he said hoarsely. “Come home with me, and I’ll prove that to you.”
My heart sang. How long had I waited to hear those words? Looking in his eyes, I knew that it was true. That he loved me. But it wasn’t enough.
“You told me that when my time was up at the end of the month, I would know what I deserved, and you were right. Brick, if you love me, then you’re going to have to get rid of this idea that you need to save or own me. I’m living at a women’s shelter and working at a fast food restaurant.”
“I can change that,” he said immediately. “You want to work? I’ll give you a spot in my office.”
I held up my hand. “Stop, Brick. This is exactly what I’m talking about. You see my life, and you want to save me. Nothing has made me feel more free than living at the shelter. Nothing has made me happier than believing that I finally have control of my life. I can make my own choices, and no one is going to take that away from me.”
He sat back and stared at me. I wasn’t sure what to expect of him. Would he yell and demand that I leave with him? Would he just get up quietly and leave for good?
“I’ll always be grateful for you, Brick. I spent my life listening to my parents use sex as weapons to just hurt each other, and I thought that was what love was. It made me terrified of that kind of passion, but you showed me that I need that in my life. But that’s just one little piece of me that’s been made whole. I need to find the rest, and need to do it alone.”
“I went a little crazy after you left,” he said finally. “What I did to you was wrong and I hated myself for it. When my investigators finally found that you’d been hired here, I planned this whole sweeping and romantic big gesture. Flowers. A limousine. A diamond ring. I was going to take you away from all of this and make it right, but couldn’t wait long enough to plan it all. I needed to see you today.”
A diamond ring? My heart pounded in my chest, but I couldn’t just let go of finding my real self either. “Brick…”
“No. Let me say this. I do love you, Daisy. But I’ve never been in love before. I’ve done this all wrong, and you’re right to turn me down. You want to be wooed.”
“What? No, that’s not what I meant, Brick.”
“I doesn’t matter, baby. You deserve that. Making you happy is that only that that matters to me, and if that means being patient, then I’ll be patient. I don’t mind putting in the work for you, Daisy. You’re worth it.”
Stunned, I watched him get up and leave, not entirely sure what just happened. But Brick wasn’t a patient man, which meant I had no idea what was going to happen next.