Page 17 of Pocket Full Of Posies (Snowberry #2)

When we first step through the doors to the house no one seems to notice us. Nymphs of all kinds are present, holding champagne flutes and cocktail glasses. Some nibble on tiny finger foods delivered on silver platters by white coat staff members. None of the food present is any larger than an appropriate bite size so as not to make anyone look like an uncivilized commoner. Not a burger or plate of pasta in sight.

The first to spot us is thankfully Endo, who weaves his way through the guests to meet us, his bright smile in place and directed at my blossom.

“Hi Daisy. Nice to see you again. You look lovely tonight.” My brother is only being polite, and his tone only suggests friendship, but I still don’t like him looking at Daisy like that.

“Thank you.”

“Have you seen Keiko yet?” Endo asks, turning to face me and the possessive fire burning in my gut simmers with his eyes off Daisy.

“Not yet, we just got here. Thankfully no one seems to have noticed us yet.”

“That won’t last long. Mom is impatient to meet Daisy. I’m sure she’ll spot you soon. Until then, why don’t we get a drink and maybe even enjoy ourselves?”

I keep an arm wrapped around Daisy’s waist as we make our way to the bar in the rec room, specifically built to host such parties. The ceiling is high, and the furniture is sparse. Tall tables are set up along the perimeter with a central table to break up the open space, ladened with a massive floral bouquet I don’t recall making with Daisy. Mom must have gotten it after arriving from somewhere else. I have no idea where, since there’s nowhere else in town to get flowers except for Daisy’s Gardens. The lights of the crystal chandeliers are set low to create a soft warm glow in the room, imitating an autumn sunset.

Behind the bar, set along the far side of the room, two bartenders tend to drink orders, both female fairies. Neither that I recognize. Much like the rest of the staff they were probably brought in from out of town. The pale blue fairy takes our drink orders and quickly prepares them before efficiently moving on to the next waiting guest.

We manage to find an empty table in a quiet corner, when I spot Keiko in the crowd. Waving her over, she moves gracefully through the guests like water around stones. Her butter yellow dress trailing behind her like a wake.

Daisy is pressed close to my side sipping her drink, her eyes scanning the crowd constantly and doesn’t notice my sister heading straight for us. She’s obviously nervous, but I admire her strength attending an event I know she must feel out of place at.

“Keiko, there you are,” Endo casually announces our sister’s arrival, as she gracefully glides up to our table.

Keiko is the one who looks most like our mother, with her pale silver-blue skin and matching hair, with the same tri-pointed fin ears and dark blue spots resembling freckles. Her eyes are a luminescent aquamarine that light up with joy at our presence. Cobalt blue lips pull into a soft smile as she greets us.

“Hello Endo, Kai, and this must be Daisy. I’m Keiko, Kai’s sister and I am very happy to meet you.”

Keiko extends her long delicately fingered hand to Daisy who accepts it with a gentle squeeze.

“It’s nice to meet you, too. Kai has spoken very highly of you.”

“Is that so?” Keiko gives me a knowing look but isn’t at all displeased.

“You know you’re my favorite, Keiko.”

Keiko just hums and smiles with closed lips. She may be quiet and demure but she’s not ignorant. She watches and listens and knows a lot more than my family gives her credit for.

“Sadly, Kai has told me very little about you, other than how wonderful you are and that you own the flower nursery in town with your brother. Did you make the arrangements for the house?”

Daisy smiles, at ease talking about flowers and arrangements.

“Some of them, yes. Not this one.” She gestures to the large one in the center of the rec room that’s more like a ballroom. “Although it is lovely.”

We all momentarily turn our attention to the massive arrangement of autumn blooms in reds, yellows and oranges. It’s nice but unless the flowers are in Daisy’s hands or hair, I don’t care what they are.

My sister and Daisy fall into a quiet conversation about flowers, and I watch and listen but don’t interrupt, only joining in when Keiko turns the conversation from flowers to our relationship.

“How did you two meet? Kai never told us.”

Daisy giggles and threads her hand through my arm, sliding down to grip my hand under the table. I reciprocate the gesture and rub my thumb across the soft skin of her hand, relishing in the small intimate act.

“Kai found me in the woods arguing with Delphi over her stolen goods.”

“Who’s Delphi?” Keiko asks.

“She’s a nosey little sprite Daisy has befriended,” I interject, recalling the sprite's fascination with me. “Cute thing, overly friendly but harmless.”

“She just likes you,” Daisy squeezes my hand and smiles up at me, comfortable and at ease, which alleviates the concern constricting my chest. “I was checking on her nest in the woods before winter to make sure it was sturdy, and Kai just strolls up like we’re not alone in the middle of the woods and starts a conversation.”

I recall when I first saw her and my fascination at her conversing with a sprite and how cute she was with her tail and ever-changing hair flowers. I still don’t know what all of them mean but I have an idea about one of them. At least I hope I know what it means. I’ll find out soon enough.

“Let me guess, he was shirtless and charming?” Keiko raises an eyebrow at me and smirks. She knows me all too well even if I haven’t seen her in months.

“How did you know? Does he do that a lot?”

“Meet girls in the forest? Not that I know, but he does like to prance around shirtless and can talk his way out of anything.”

“I do not prance,” I argue, but it does no good. The two females ignore me completely and Endo muffles a laugh enjoying not being the topic of conversation. I can’t wait till he finds a girl and brings her home to meet the family. We’ll see who’s laughing then.

“Yes, you do. Like a proud peacock.”

The two girls, and my brother, break down with laughter at my expense, but I can’t be mad. Not when Daisy is laughing and happy and getting along with my two most important family members.

Servers circle the space carrying trays laden with the bite size appetizers. One approaches our table and offers us a plate of tiny quiche. Endo and I snicker silently at my previous comment about poisoned quiche. It’s vegetarian and Daisy plucks two off the tray and sets them on a napkin on the table. I’m going to need to make sure to find her some real food soon. Or maybe we’ll go to Dottie’s after we leave early. That sounds like a grand plan to me, because I know I’ll be starving after this.

“That’s a lovely bracelet, Daisy. It looks just like the one I gave Kai.” Keiko inspects the bracelet on Daisy’s wrist as she bites into a quiche.

“Oh, I tried to tell him to take it back, but he resized it and now I can’t take it off. I said it was too much and I didn’t want to take it, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer—”

“It’s okay, Daisy,” Keiko interrupts Daisy’s frantic apology. “I don’t mind that he gave it to you. Actually, I’m happy he did.”

“You are?”

“Of course. I gave it to Kai because he’s important to me, and he gave it to you because you’re important to him. It doesn’t matter where the item originated, only why it was given.”

Daisy curls her arm into her chest, cradling the bracelet clad wrist to her heart, her fingers stroking the golden band.

“Thank you.”

I can’t stop myself from reaching out to comfort her, hold her. Sliding my hand across her lower back and curling around her hip, I bring our sides flush and press my nose to her hair, inhaling the perfume of her flowers and essence, and whisper in her ear.

“Told you so.”

I hear Daisy let out one small chuckle and pull back to see Keiko and Endo watching our interaction, approval, and something akin to disbelief marring their faces. I don’t blame them. I’ve never been the possessive type, or the overly sweet and affectionate type. Flirtatious, suggestive, and physical absolutely. But nothing emotional or intimate. My siblings are rightfully stunned at my behavior.

A few relatives and family friends stop by our table and offer greetings and a few words of nice to see you again, who is your date, we’d love to see you at more events, etcetera etcetera. Nothing meaningful or honest, simple pleasantries bred into them from birth. Not once do I detach from Daisy’s side, blatantly signaling our relationship to one another.

During one similar conversation, I spot a familiar and unexpected female in the crowd. Nysa, an animal nymph from a high bred family with uncommon characteristics of a moth, including a stunning set of wings and furry antenna, her coloring pale pinks and teals, flutters about the room speaking with guests as if she’s always attended our family equinox event.

I haven’t seen her in almost a decade since our short, and purely sexual, relationship. As far as I knew, our families only interacted socially at large important public events, but nothing more. Not that my mother hadn’t wanted a closer relationship to the family known for their impeccable breeding and high standards. I just didn’t realize she’d finally established that connection. But that still doesn’t explain why she’s here.

I lean into Endo and whisper, trying not to be overheard by Daisy and Keiko so as not to concern them.

“Why is Nysa here? Did Mom finally convince them to be part of her inner circle?”

Endo tilts his head to better see Nysa, then shakes his head.

“I have no idea why she’s here. Then again, I try to stay out of Mom’s business as much as possible, so there could be a logical reason for her presence.”

Whoever was talking to us politely excuses themselves with regurgitated friendly formalities, and that’s when I see my mother, from all the way across the room, set her sights on me and Daisy.

Well, here we go. The moment I’ve been dreading the entire night. I lean in to speak directly into Daisy’s ear.

“My mother is heading our way, are you ready to meet her?”

Daisy sucks in a breath and stands taller, but nods.

“Yes. I’m ready.”

“Okay. Remember I’m right here with you, Blossom. If you’re ever uncomfortable, just say the word and we’ll leave. Your comfort is most important to me.”

To punctuate my words, I give her dainty ears a nibble and kiss. Daisy’s heart rate quickens but she holds her composure with only a slight shift in her flowers. That’s when my mother appears at our secluded table, with Nysa right behind her. Shit.