He released his breath and shot to his feet. He slowly cocked his head to the right then the left, feeling his neck bones pop and crack like knuckles with the forced release of tension. He righted his head and stared down at her, his face perfectly composed. “Daisy, I imagine your emotions are chaotic right now. It’s a stressful situation coupled with flooding hormones. Thoughts born out of desperation are going to happen.”
Slowly, without ever losing eye contact, he lowered himself down onto one knee before her. Locking her gaze with his, he pulled the ring box out of his pocket and opened it. The princess cut diamond glittered in the sunlight streaming through the window, making it look as big and bright as a full moon. “The fact is, I’ve just been waiting for enough time to go by, waiting for the right time and place. If that’s here and now, so be it.”
She gaped at him and wagged a finger in his face. “That has to be the most unromantic proposal ever in the history of ever.” She snatched up her purse. “I have to go home.”
He snapped the ring box closed. “I’ll drive you.”
She spun and said, “You will not drive me. I’ll get myself home.”
As she ripped open the bedroom door, he said, “Daisy, Peter tells us to cast our cares on Him because He cares for us. If you can find the way to do that, truly do it, that will lessen your shame. He will bear that burden with you and for you.”
Without leaving, she slammed the door closed and turned and looked at him. “You know what, Ken? I was reared up by a youth pastor. I’m a PK, a preacher’s kid. If I wanted platitudes, I would have gone to my father.”
She ripped the door open again and left the bedroom. He forced himself not to follow her. He wanted to make sure she got to the main house okay and then got into a cab okay, but he didn’t. Instead, he waited.
About twenty minutes later, he heard music. He took a deep breath and let it out, then made his way back out to the wedding reception.
Daisy’sphone rang three days later, and she glanced at it. Seeing Valerie’s number, she steeled herself and answered it.
“Hi!” Valerie greeted before Daisy could even speak. “I’m outside your door with two cups of tea. Open up.”
Realizing Valerie had bypassed trying to make plans which Daisy would just decline, she chuckled and made her way through the office to unlock the front door.
Valerie stood outside the glass door wearing a pink skirt and matching jacket. She had on pink heels and a white blouse. Daisy looked down at her comfortable jeans and felt decidedly underdressed. She unlocked the door and smiled as Valerie breezed inside.
“You look incredible. I wish I looked like that at four in the afternoon.”
Valerie held out a paper cup of herbal tea and waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. “It’s just the color. It hides a whole lot of tired.”
As they walked through the office to the kitchenette, Valerie looked around. “Good use of space.”
Daisy smiled at her as she turned on the kitchenette light. “When all the volunteers are working at one time, there’s enough space for everyone. That’s rare, but it used to be in my dining room, so I like having this as an option.”
They settled in at the small table, and Daisy opened a tin of butter cookies that someone had left for them. Valerie took a sip of her tea and said, “We missed you at the reception. Is everything okay?”
Actually, no. Everything was not okay. Everything was very, very wrong. “Ken and I had a pretty serious disagreement. I couldn’t face him. I had to leave. I’m sorry I missed the reception.”
Valerie shook her head. “You don’t need to apologize to me. I’m just here to see if you need anything.”
She smirked. “What I needed was for Ken to give me some support and sympathy. What I got was a lecture and a sermon.”
“You said, ‘lecture and a sermon’?” With her hand over her chest, Valerie chuckled. “I’m sorry. I’m sure this is no laughing matter to you. But, honestly, that’s what you get from Ken. Well, when he says anything at all, that is.”
Daisy had some personal theories, but she suddenly wanted a third party’s insight. “Why do you think he’s so quiet?”
Valerie shrugged and smiled a self-deprecating smile. “When I was younger, I thought it was so he could make himself sound somehow more important whenever he actually did condescend to speak with us mere mortals. You know, like handing down words of wisdom.”
“You don’t think that anymore,” Daisy prompted with a hopeful grin.
Valerie shook her head. “No. I think Ken Dixon grew up way too soon. I think he was deeply insecure as a child, thinking he could never measure up to his brothers or his father.”
“Really?” Daisy asked, seeing the truth of it even at the instant Valerie said the words.
“Really.” Valerie nodded. “And I believe he is very, very smart, and thinks about absolutely everything from every possible angle, hoping to live a life that’s true and pure.”
Daisy nodded. “I completely agree.”
Valerie grinned, enjoying Daisy’s obvious interest in this particular subject. “Ever notice something? He’s always thrown himself into physical activity that doesn’t require a lot of talk or explanation. I believe that’s because he’s terribly shy, and conversation drains him. But peace and quiet restores his soul.”
