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That at least gets her attention. I’m not joking or lying. I will gladly abandon this family and their archaic beliefs for Daisy without a second thought. Inheritance be damned.

“Very well Kai. If that’s what you require.”

She says she’ll abide by my request, but the tone of her words implies otherwise. Not necessarily malevolent but definitely callous. The glimmer of a secret flickering in her eyes as she continues to smile her plastic smile at me.

“Right. Well, I’ll be picking Daisy up in an hour.”

“Very good. I can’t wait to meet her.”

“Uh huh.”

You ever have that feeling that the person you’re talking to is just saying what you want to hear so you’ll stop talking? That’s what I’m feeling right now with my mother. Like she’s hiding something and just can’t wait to spring it on me and is giddy at the idea of my response.

There’s no backing out now. If something goes wrong tonight, we’ll just have to leave.

Chapter 16: Daisy

Calling Calliope was the right move. When Kai went home to change and inform his mother we would be attending tonight, Calliope and I headed upstairs to my room. My wardrobe mainly consists of denim shorts, denim overalls, long flowy hippie skirts and a few sun dresses, and to no one’s surprise only one pair of shoes. The slip-on fur lined rubber boots Sage bought me.

“Is this event formal? Cause if so, you’re going to be underdressed,” Calliope calls from deep inside my closet.

“I don’t think so. Kai said to wear whatever makes me feel comfortable. But maybe a dress or skirt? I don’t want to show up in grass-stained jeans.”

“Good idea.”

Calliope digs around in my closet more while I sit on my bed, legs crossed and waiting patiently. I’ll wear whatever she tells me to. I’m going to have to defer to her knowledge of party attire. I am completely out of my comfort zone here.

Calliope rambles on about choices as she goes through every piece of clothing I own, while my attention wanders to the plants in my windowsill. They’re looking a little droopy and sad at the lack of warm sunshine. I stand and go to them brushing my fingertips across their petals and leaves, sending them my magic to help them grow and flourish. Infusing their roots with missing vitamins and nutrients. The green of their leaves brightens and the pink and yellow blooms perk up and stand taller. In their strange flower way they thank me.

“Ok, how about this one?”

Turning around to see Calliope’s choice, she’s holding up a short baby pink dress with tiny white flowers on it.

“I don’t think so. It’s too spring and this is fall.”

“Okay there’s always this one.”

She produces a lacey white dress I bought for my twenty-first birthday. It's spaghetti strapped and shows too much skin and I tell her as much.

“Alright then.”

With one more shuffle through my closet I hear Calliope call out in victory.

“I found it! This is the one.”

“The one” is a long ankle length dress in a brown mustard, burnt orange color with puffy little cap sleeves, a drawstring at the neckline and a fitted bodice. Tiny red embroidered flowers line the hem of the ruffled skirt.

“I think you’re right. That looks perfect.”

“Okay now for your hair and…do you own any makeup?”

“No.”

“Okay not a problem I think I have some mascara and lipstick in my purse we can work with. You don’t need it anyways because you’re naturally pretty.”

I blush at the compliment. Outside only Kai has called me pretty. Actually, I believe his words were ‘arousingly beautiful.’

“Okay sit here and let’s see what we can do with all that glorious hair of yours.”