Daisy

Those last few weeks had been a struggle, but Daisy finally felt like the weight was falling away from her heart. She was on a new medication, making sure to get her sleep and, well, even looking at those moving boxes with serious intent.

Her therapist, Cheryl, told her moving might be the adventure she needed. A chance to forge a new chapter in her life. It didn’t need to be far; just having different walls to stare at would be enough.

Also, an apartment would be a lot less work. She found the old house difficult to keep all by herself.

But that was just an excuse; it was the memories she couldn’t escape. Cheryl said that was normal. But she couldn’t linger in them. There was still time. Still time to make new memories if she gave herself the space for it.

But the hardest part, the piece she still couldn’t rectify, was Cheryl’s most poignant advice. That leaving her home was the same thing as leaving him behind.

Daisy caught her lip quivering and wiped her face, forgetting the sauce on her gloved hand until the tangy smell hit her nose.

“Ha, Daisy, you old bird,” she reached for some paper towel, “such a goof in your old age.”

“You all good, Daisy?”

Lucy’s worried face hovered over a shelf, the central shelving. A portrait of concern framed by junk food.

“Of course, hun,” Daisy said, tossing the paper towel away, “just getting tired.”

“Well, when you finish up that order, do you want to head out?” Lucy asked, her smile unable to mask her concerns. “It’s nearly 9 anyway.”

Daisy smiled; she really was a good girl. If only the others saw her that way.

She picked up a handful of green peppers and scattered them over the large cheese pizza on the counter.

“You know what, I’ll take you up on that, sweetie.”

She slapped the pizza into the oven and turned back.

“Are you sure you’re ok watching this one…and all the cleanup and—”

Lucy raised a hand as she walked to the counter.

“I’ve got this, Kat, and I have things under control,” she said, looking over to her co-worker at the register. “Right, Kat?”

The call across the long room seemed to startle Kat, who had her nose buried in her phone.

“Oh! Yes…What?” Kat asked.

“Daisy is knocking off early. I’ll man the Stack.”

“Yup, all good!” Kat called back before returning to her texts.

That girl was so distracted this week…Daisy wondered if romance was finally blossoming.

“Ok hun,” she said, hanging up her apron. “Have a great night.”

“You too, Daisy,” Lucy said, before suddenly…hugging Daisy.

“Oh, thanks, kiddo,” Daisy said, a bit flustered. “See you tomorrow.”

Lucy let go, but the pressure seemed to linger, a feeling Daisy carried with her all the way outside.

How long had it been?

Maybe…maybe she’d be okay.

Halfway across the parking lot, and she was still somewhere in that embrace.

Maybe things could be okay again.

But then she heard it. The scraping, the rustling up the gravel behind her.

No, not right now.

Metal dragging against the ground.

I’m sorry, Benji…I can’t look at you right now.

She closed her eyes, but they weren’t tight enough to keep the tears from spilling out.

How could she look away? How could she betray him like that? If she didn’t look…how could she say she ever loved them at all?

The chain was dragging behind her…she couldn’t ignore it. She couldn’t ignore him.

She turned and saw him.

Benji, her golden retriever. Dead for three years, but unchanged.

The grave could not mar his youthful coat, or those big, sad, brown eyes.

He held his lead in his mouth, the end of the chain dangling and dragging on the ground.

His friendly face…full of worry and smeared in blood.

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