Page 35 of Daisy
She had been alone for so long, living with her guilt and regrets. Now she was a happily married, pregnant woman. The future was bright and her life was finally worth living. Luke was thriving with Marley at his side. While he had always seemed happy and content with his life after the accident, Daisy was certain he had not been this happy before either. The change in both their lives was noteworthy. The fact that she had taken early retirement from the Navy had surprised everyone, especially Luke. Daisy thinks back to the conversation she had with Luke about it.
“Hey Luke, I have some news for you,” Daisy had called to let her brother in on a secret.
“What’s that, sis?” Luke inquired. Daisy heard the concern in his voice. She had not ever really called him with good news before. She felt bad that he was probably thinking she was heading overseas again. She hurried to assure him; it really was good news.
“I have decided to take retirement at the end of my contract with the Navy,” Daisy waited for a response, but all she heard was silence. After several strained moments, Luke finally replied.
“Are you pulling my chain?” Luke demanded, almost angrily.
“Nope! I have already signed the papers…It’s time,” Daisy smiled to herself before continuing. “I want to be a wife and a mother. I want a house full of children and someday grandchildren. I want to be around to see them. I want you to not be worried about the causality assistance personnel calling you to tell you I am MIA or injured. But most of all, I want to grow old with Ethan.”
“Daisy, I don’t know what to say,” He paused as he thought about what he wanted to say. “It wasn’t that long ago you were declaring your work was your life. Are you sure about this?
“Yes, Luke. I’m sure. Yes, my workwasmy life for so long, but now I have better things to live for. Ethan, children, my brothers,” Daisy hesitated before continuing. “I have applied for a position with the Veteran’s Administration. The system needs help and I hope to help effect some changes that will improve health care for our veterans. I will still be helping our service men and women, but I won’t be going overseas or into combat.”
“Daisy that is wonderful! I just want you to be happy,” Luke replied. The relief in his voice was easy to hear. Daisy could hear the sincerity in his voice. “If retirement is what will make you happy then, I’m all for it. How long will it be until you make me an Uncle?”
“Hopefully not long.” Daisy chuckled into the phone. “We are working on it.”
“That’s great, Daisy!” Luke exclaimed. “Call me the moment you find out okay?”
“You will be the second to know, after Ethan of course,” Daisy laughed at her brother’s enthusiasm.
After their sudden engagement, Daisy had made an appointment to have her IUD removed. It might have been fast to observers, but both Ace and Daisy knew what they wanted. Daisy wasn’t getting any younger. Her biological clock was ticking as they say. They wanted to get started sooner rather than later. They had a small wedding a month later at Luke’s beach house in Virginia Beach. Ace had practically been living with her anyway since he had rescued her from the Afghan desert, so he had ended his lease at his apartment and moved into Daisy’s house, permanently.
It had taken longer than they expected for her to conceive, but she was now 10 weeks. They were so happy. They often visited with Hawk and Charlotte and their newborn daughter, Lily. Daisy made sure Ace was getting plenty of practice holding a newborn, changing diapers, and burping. It was heartwarming to see him with Lily, Joshua, and Jesse. However, the team was enjoying ribbing Ace about diaper duty, but Hawk came to his defense.
“There is nothing better than changing your baby’s diaper,” Hawk declared one night when the guys were giving Ace a hard time. Several of the unattached men raised an eyebrow and began to snigger. “Yes, it can be gross and smelly sometimes, but when it’s your child, none of that matters. You are responsible for this tiny human. It’s the second-best job in the world.”
“Second-best?” Wallace inquired. Hawk gave him a big grin as he reached for Charlotte.
“Yeah, being a husband to this kind, loving, giving woman is the best job, ever,” Hawk pulled Charlotte into his lap. She was blushing, but gave him a kiss. Wallace just stared at the couple for several long minutes.
“That sounds great, Hawk and I’m happy for you, but I don’t think that will ever be me,” Wallace said with a sad tone of voice. “I want a wife, kids, and the house with the proverbial white picket fence, but I don’t think I will ever find what I’m looking for. I’m 32 and I have dated a lot of women, but I’ve never found one I would settle down with. All the good ones are gone, at least around here.”
“I was 46 when I met Charlotte,” Hawk reminded him. “Don’t give up yet. You never know when she will appear in your life. You might run into her in a café, the gym, or the grocery store. Be patient, when destiny is ready, she will send her your way.”
They all sat in silence as they thought on Hawk’s words. Daisy was thinking back to when she met Ace on a plane headed overseas. She was definitely not looking for love, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer and she was more than happy he had been persistent. Later that night at home while lying in bed, she and Ace discussed Wallace’s sad admission.
“I feel so bad for him,” Daisy told Ace. “He seems so resigned to the fact he will be alone for the rest of his life.”
“Yeah, I know. Tank said something very similar to me when he was helping me plan our engagement diner,” Ace replied. “I tried to assure him, but he didn’t seem very convinced.”
“Maybe we could help them out,” Daisy raised up to look at Ace with determination. “I will call Charlotte and Elise and we can brain storm on who we can set them up with.” Daisy was talking faster and faster as her excitement grew.
“Hold on, matchmaker,” Ace chuckled. “You need to let Destiny do her thing. No interference, but Hawk is right. Wallace needs to be patient,” Ace told Daisy as he held her close to him. “I wasn’t looking for love, in fact I had just recently sworn off dating all together, but the moment I saw you sitting there in that plane, I knew you were the woman I was supposed to be with. Destiny laid you in my lap and I was not going to miss the opportunity.” Daisy turned again so she could look into his eyes.
“You really knew that moment that I was the woman for you?” Daisy inquired.
“Yep. That’s why I wouldn’t take No, for an answer, despite your snarky comments and off-putting behaviors. I was going to have you, one way or another. I just had to convince you that we were meant to be together,” Ace told her as he placed a kiss on her forehead. “I love you.”
“I love you, Ethan. I’m very glad you were persistent,” Daisy snuggled into his embrace. “I am the happiest I have ever been. Thank you.”
“You are welcome, sweetheart, but it has been my pleasure,” Ace reached over to turn off the bedside lamp. He proceeded to show his wife just how much she meant to him.
* * *
A few weeks later…
Wallace was in the local grocery store getting his groceries for the week when he heard a woman laughing in the next aisle over. His body reacted instantly to the sound of the woman’s voice. He was intrigued and wanted to know more about her. He causally made his way into the aisle where there were two women carrying on a conversation about their latest dating failure. Wallace stalked them through the store eavesdropping on their conversation. The woman he heard laughing was beautiful. She was medium height with blonde hair. She had curves in all the right places, but from listening to their conversation, Wallace could tell the woman had no idea how attractive she was. She made remarks about her weight and not being interesting to men. He wanted to show her just how wrong she was.
Wallace paused in his stalking while he was trying to come up with some way to introduce himself to her. When he looked up, he realized he had lost track of them. The women had simply disappeared. He searched up and down every aisle for them, but they were already out of the parking lot by the time he emerged from the store. Luckily for him, he had over-heard the woman’s friend’s name. He was hoping against hope that she was on Facebook or Instagram and using her profile, he would be able to find the mystery woman that had caught his attention. He was surprised at his reaction to the woman. He had not felt such an attraction since high school. Hawk’s lecture from a few weeks ago, flashed into his mind. Was this the woman he was intended to spend his life with? He didn’t know, but he was damn sure going to find out.