Daisy's Choice (A Tale of Three Hearts) (46 page)

“
Mommy, I wanna go, now!”

“
One second, baby… please,” she said, trying to fill out the last section on the form. She wrote with her hand shaking and the pen drying of ink every few letters She sucked in a ragged breath and coughed, turning away from a daughter who she didn’t want to make sick.

“
C’mere, Amy. Sit down… right here,” Janette ordered. Amy dropped her head; her naturally dark brown locks were pushed from her face with a pink headband. Tiny pink gemstones pierced her ears. She wore a jean skirt and vest over a pink short-sleeved shirt. Obediently, she went to the seat on the other side of her aunt.

There were more questions on the form than necessary. Hell, she was there to get answers, not give them. Daisy signed the final sheet, wiping her nose with a tissue.

“
Pete! Nina? Over here!” Janette exclaimed.

Daisy’s hand froze. Pete wouldn’t.
Nina? He bought her here?
She’d decided last night to let it go. Pete’s past or current loves weren’t that important, just enlightening. But that was considering a few things. First and foremost that he had left Nina and come here in search of her. Even if they weren’t together or would never be, it validated what they had been.

Her eyes lifted to the happy couple. Pete stood there in faded jeans, a white tee and a fatigue jacket with a hoodie. His hand held Nina’s. He smiled at Janette, never looking Daisy’s way. Nina, however, locked eyes with Daisy. Boldly.

They walked over toward Janette. Eventually, when they stopped, Daisy broke eye contact. If she hadn't, Nina would have seen the rapid emotions stampeding over her heart. For the first time since she claimed Peter Doyle as hers in the tenth grade, had she ever had a true rival. Sure, girls were jealous and some even prettier offered goodies, but Pete was always one hundred percent hers.

However he and Nina hooked up, she could see it clearly. Their connection was solid. She sniffed. Her face was feverish and her hands weak. She was so miserable and so frustrated that she wanted to cry. Instead, she closed her eyes and forced herself to deal.

“
Hi, Daisy,” Nina said, her voice clearer than the others. Daisy looked up once more. She returned her gaze to the clipboard.

“
Am I supposed to fill out something?” Pete asked, with a nervous chuckle over the icy silence that lingered.

“
Hi Pete!” Amy grinned. Her daughter slid down out of the chair and ran to his open arms. Pete picked her up, peppering her cheek and nose with kisses. “Mmmm. Gummy bear.”

Amy laughed. “I not a gummy bear.”

“
You sure about that? You’re soooo sweet!” He blew air bubbles into her neck, tickling her side.

“
So you’re Amy?” Daisy heard Nina speak.

“
Hi.”

“
It’s so nice to finally meet you, Amy. I’ve heard so much about you.”

“
Amy, sit down,” Daisy said. Her voice was dry and rough. She sniffed, continuing to scribble. She could feel the stares of them all. “Now.”

Pete lowered Amy, who walked back over to her seat.

The silence between them thickened. Janette cleared her throat. “Ah, yeah, Pete. They have your form up there. Daisy gave them your name.”

Daisy sneezed. She rose without speaking and walked past the couple, tossed the clipboard and pen at the nurse, and then walked out. “Watch Amy for me. I need air,” she mumbled. In the hall, she closed her eyes and tried to catch her breath. Her head ached, her chest burned and her sinuses clogged. The fever seemed to be in her blood and it cooked her bones. God help her. She’d give anything to just climb back in her bed and pull the covers over her head. She removed her sunglasses and wiped her eyes.

“
Not feeling well?”

It was Aiden. She knew before she looked up. There was such a cooling relief that went through her at the sound of his voice. He smiled. Hands in his pockets, he was sharply dressed, tidy, not a spec of lint on him. Daisy relaxed as he drew nearer all handsome with green eyes and perfectly groomed hair. Unguarded manly appeal and inherent strength was so palpable for her that it draped off his shoulders like a warm blanket. For the first time, she believed he would make things right. She walked straight to him and he reached for her hand, drawing her into his arms. He hugged her, took on her burden and her lungs cleared, allowing her to breathe.

“
I’m so glad to see you,” she sighed, resting her face against the fine threads of his silk tie.

“
You’re warm. I can feel it. Daisy, are you okay?”

“
Tired… just a little tired. That’s all,” she moaned.

He kissed the top of her head. “You should be in bed.”

“
Don’t. I’m contagious.” She tried to break away.

“
I don’t care,” he said as he lifted her chin and kissed her. He gave her a devilish smile and she shook her head, having the first laugh of the day. Aiden's palm stroked the side of her cheek. She thought he wanted to say something. He looked as if he might. But then it passed. He dropped his hand and squeezed hers.

“
You ready?”

She sniffed. “Yeah, yes.”

He led her back inside. Nina was seated across from Janette and Amy. Pete stood at the receptionist window having things explained to him by the nurse. When they walked in, Amy looked up first. Her daughter's eyes lit like a light bulb.

“
Daddy!” she yelled. Every head in the office turned. Daisy was unable to stop any of it. Amy was out of her chair and running straight for him. In the wake of her achy head and cold ridden body, she forgot this one problem. Amy called Aiden
daddy
.

She wasn’t surprised to see the shock and hurt in Pete’s eyes. She wasn’t the least bit surprised when that shock turned into rage. Aiden, however, seemed unaffected. He swept Amy mid-leap into his arms. Despite her weight, he threw her up and caught her. She roared in giggles and hugged his neck tightly. “Look. Look what I bought. Show them daddy. Show them your trick.” She revealed the gold coin.

Aiden adjusted her in his arm and had the coin roll between his fingers and then disappear. Amy laughed and hugged him again.

“
Daddy? You told her that he was her father?” Pete asked, stepping toward them.

“
Don’t. Not here,” Daisy stammered.

“
Don’t? Why the hell would you—”

“
Pete.” Nina stood. Daisy cut her eyes over to her. “Let it go,” she said firmly.

He stepped back, but everyone knew it required much restraint on his part. Pete glared between Daisy and Aiden. He nodded the way men do when the bell is rung to break away from a fight. He went over to sit next to Nina. Daisy and Nina’s eyes met once more and they both turned away in disgust.

“
Aiden,” she touched his arm, speaking softly. “Put her down. You have to sign a consent form.”

He did as he was told. He placed Amy on her tiny feet, pulled the coin out of her wild curls and put it in her hand. Amy giggled, running over to Janette to show her what she claimed to be her “treasure”.

Aiden gave Daisy a sly smile that meant something she couldn’t read. He went to the nurses' cubicle. Sneezing into her tissue and just not caring, she found a seat and lowered into it. She watched Amy dancing around. She ran over to Pete with the coin wanting him to touch it.

“
Sit down, Amy,” Daisy said.

The nurse appeared at the side door. “Amy Locke,” she called, looking over at their group.

“
That’s me, mommy! I’m right here,” Amy said, waving at the nurse before running over to Daisy. Pushing her way between her legs, she eyed the nurse from across the room.

The nurse smiled. “Want to come with me?”

“
No,” Amy said shaking her head.

“
Amy, you're a big girl, right?” Pete asked.

Amy shook her head no. He winked. “Sure you are. Bet they got candy for you too.”

“
We have lollipops,” the nurse said.

“
Really?” Amy looked back at Daisy. “Do they?”

“
If she says so.”

Amy shrugged. She reached behind her and took Daisy’s hand, forcing her to rise. “You come too, mommy.”

Daisy rose, allowing Amy to pull her along. “I’ll be right back, daddy!” she called out to Aiden.

He turned and winked at her.

“
C’mon, mommy. They’ll give you candy too.”

They were led to an exam room. Amy was immediately placed on the exam table that looked so inviting to Daisy that she nearly stretched out over it.

“
You okay? You look sad,” Amy asked.

“
Mommy’s fine. Can you be a big girl for me?”

“
I don’t want a shot,” Amy said, shaking her head.

She rubbed her hand. “It’ll be okay sweetie. I promise.”

****

Aiden passed the nurse the consent form and then turned. Pete, Nina and Janette all stared. He took a seat on the opposite side of Janette and smirked at Nina.

“
You haven’t won yet, playboy,” Pete hissed.

“
Won? Who says this is a competition, Petie-boy?” Aiden smiled.

Pete glared.

Janette sat forward. “What do you mean by that? He hasn’t won?”

“
Forget it,” Pete grumbled.

“
I think you and I should have a talk, Pete. A minute please.”

Janette rose from her chair. Aiden glared at Pete but said nothing. He watched them leave before returning his eyes to Nina.

“
It’s really childish, you know. Goading him the way you do. That should be beneath a man with your means and all. At least you would think so,” Nina said.

Aiden chuckled. “Yeah, but it’s so much fun.”

****

Pete paced. Janette couldn’t believe the change in him at just the mere sight of the man. She knew that the two men had a rivalry, but she’d never seen Pete this worked up. He was red as a beet, fists clenched. It was sad because out of the Doyle men, mostly known in the Hollow for their quick tempers, Pete was the most sociable. “I think you should calm down.”

“
She has my daughter calling him daddy! Calm down? He’s lucky I don’t crack his damn jaw.”

“
First, we’re here to find out who’s the father. That’s not predetermined by either of you.”

“
But—”

“
Second, this is not a competition. There’s a child’s life at stake. She’s an innocent baby that didn’t know either one of you existed past a week ago. Are you going to come into a doctor’s office and get into a shouting match in front of her?”

“
You don’t know who he is and what he’s capable of.”

“
I’m not done. Hear me out. I don’t know him. That’s true, but I know you. Known you all your life, and I don’t like the way you handled things. All the way back to Vegas up until now, you’ve been all over the place. You've been punishing people, namely my sister, for something you too took part in.”

“
I see, you heard one side. You listened to Daisy’s side and decided it’s the only truth?”

“
I got eyes. You came back to town and don’t tell us nothing. I asked you right after you came back. I begged you for information on her. What did you tell me, Pete?”

He grunted and looked away.

“
Remember? You said she left you and you didn’t know where she went. That’s all. You made me think she ran off to God knows where.”

“
She did!”

“
Then what? You caught an attack of conscious? ‘Cause I don’t know what you told daddy, but you broke his heart.”

“
Daisy broke his heart when she whored and slept with Aiden Keane.”

“
No, Pete. That can’t break my father’s love. But it broke yours. Right? That’s what this is about? Your hurt feelings! That man in there has an obsessive attachment to her, five years later. That’s all there is. Let me ask you a question.” She folded her arms. “Why didn’t you tell my sister about Nina? Nina say you two broke up, but I see that ain’t the truth. So now I’m wondering, what is really going on?”