group
Daisy froze when he turned his gaze on her. The way he looked at her… She didn’t know how he could look at her like that.
At his words, she winced, knowing that she’d said all the wrong things. It seemed as if she hadn’t said one thing right, and she felt awful for it.
“I’m sorry. I— I shouldn’t have said anything,” she murmured, her cheeks bright red as she turned away to look it the window, anywhere but his face.
“No,” Arvil sighed, reaching for her hand and giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. “I’m glad you did. I want to know what goes through your mind. And I also want to calm that storm that rages through you at times like these.”
group
“I just… I don’t understand how you can— Why? Why are you always so patient with me? How can you possibly be so fricking patient with me, when I can’t even be that patient with myself?” Daisy asked, turning back to him with her face scrunched up.
Arvil looked at her quietly for a few seconds, unable to find words to respond. When he finally did, his voice was soft, calm.
“Because this isn’t an ideal situation for either of us, and it’s only right you feel this way,” he said. “But you need to be patient with yourself, too, Daisy. Only you know what you’re feeling. Don’t judge yourself on that.”
group
Daisy let out a long breath, turning away again. She rubbed at her eyes with her hands, shaking her head. This was all just such a mess, and she hated it, hated that she had to deal with it, hated her parents for doing this to her.
“I hate them for this,” she muttered, unable to meet his gaze again.
“Hate is a strong word. You’re angry, but you have a right to be,” he turned his attention back to the road, “There’s nothing I can say or do to make this mess a little clearer.”
group
Daisy sighed and leaned back on her seat. She drew her legs up to her chest and rested her chin on her knees.
“You’re helping,” she murmured. “You’re talking to me, and that’s helping.”
“That’s good,” Arvil looked her over again briefly. “We should get going now. We’ll be late.”
group
Daisy turned, finally meeting his gaze, and nodded once. She looked back at the road, falling silent once more. If only she hadn’t said anything… Then she wouldn’t feel like she’d upset him. They would figure things out, though. They always seemed to.
Finally, they reached Arvil’s mother’s home, where Arvil parked his car and took a deep breath.
“Well, here we are,” he murmured. “Home sweet home.”
group
Daisy sighed quietly, looking out at the house that awaited them. She nodded once, turned to Arvil, and cocked her head to the side slightly.
“I think I’m ready… Are you?” she asked softly.
Arvil nodded slowly, peeling his fingers off of the wheel. He didn’t look back at Daisy.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” he muttered, unbuckling his seatbelt. “I haven’t seen her in so long… she’s going to be pissed, or extremely calm. The latter is scarier.”
group
“You haven’t? Why not?” Daisy asked as she climbed out of the car. She waited for him to get out before walking over, tentatively offering him her hand. “You sounded fond of her when you were talking about her the other day…”
Arvil locked the car before he looked at the hand she held out. Then slowly, he linked their fingers together, marveling at how nicely her hand fit in his.
“I am fond of her,” he said in reply. “The past few months have been… rough. I don’t want to be like those children who leave their parents behind when they get a job, but… it gets harder to visit when so much work piles over.”
group
“Ah. I can’t say I know how you feel, but I do think that I understand that. Work is a lot of… well, work,” Daisy said with a soft chuckle at her own unintended joke. She shook her head before continuing, looking up at him gently. “I’m sure she’ll understand. And I hope that she is excited for our marriage—“ fake as it may be “—as I think she will be.”
Arvil smiled at her gratefully. “Thanks, Daisy,” he squeezed her hand before turning to look at the house. “Well… let’s go, then. Let’s not wait here and give her an opportunity to catch us outside just standing.”
group
Daisy nodded once, slowly, and gently nudged his shoulder with her own. “Yes, let’s. The sooner we can get this over with, the better.”
They both walked over to the front door of the house and waited after Arvil rang the bell.
After a few seconds of waiting, the door opened and a woman emerged. She had black hair, which had begun to get slightly grey. Even though there were slight wrinkles on her face, she still looked a little young.
“Arvil,” she breathed, engulfing him in a hug. Arvil hugged her back, relieved that she hadn’t scolded him. Then she pulled back and gave him a look that said she’d deal with his absence later. He shot her a grin.
Then she turned to Daisy with a softer smile.
“Daisy. Arvil’s told me so much about you,” she looked a little conflicted, but then she stepped forward and pulled her into a hug as well. “It’s so nice to finally meet the woman who has been keeping him on the ground.”
group
Daisy stiffened slightly when she was pulled into the hug, having not expected it. After barely a moment, though, she chuckled softly and hugged the older woman back.
“Well, it’s nice to meet you, as well, Mrs. Davis,” Daisy greeted her with a smile. “Arvil speaks of you fondly.”
Arvil wanted to thank Daisy for throwing in those words. His mother merely gave him a look before settling back on Daisy with a smile.
“Please, call me Taylor,” she stepped back to let them in. “Come on in. We can talk inside.”
group
“Of course. Your home is lovely even from the outside, Taylor. I’m sure it’s even more beautiful inside,” Daisy said as she followed her soon-to-be mother-in-law into the house.
“Thank you,” Taylor smiled as she lead them into the living room. “My husband is on a business trip, otherwise he would have joined us. The Davis men like their work more, it seems.”
“Oh, come on, mom,” Arvil laughed, shaking his head. “You know it’s not like that.”
His mother simply gave him a shrug of her shoulders.
“Have a seat,” she said, sitting down on a couch. Arvil sat opposite of hers, pulling Daisy down with him. “So. Tell me about yourself, Daisy?”
group
Daisy laughed softly at the interaction between mother and son. When Arvil pulled her down beside him, she sat with a surprised, “Oof.” She glanced over at him and glared, blushing slightly, before looking to his mother again.
“I’m a journalist, and I believe you know of my parents?” she said, giving the woman a smile. “There’s really not much to tell.”
Arvil wrapped his arm around Daisy, but other than that, he did nothing. Not in front of his mother, at least.
“How did you two meet?” Taylor questioned, curiosity heavy in her words. “Arvil has been dodging my questions quite a lot. It’s only been recent that you’ve both started to appear on the news more.”
group
“Oh. Well, we, uh, met at something Arvil’s work was holding,” Daisy said with a shrug, glancing up at him with a slight smirk. “He ran into me. Literally.”
“But you fell for me,” Arvil shot back with a smirk of his owner, nudging her head with his affectionately. “Literally.”
“I’m amazed you can bear my son for long,” the mother’s comment caused the son in question to release a gasp. Taylor ignored it. “He’s a handful. Childish, immature, forgetful—“
“I’ve never forgotten anything in my life, mom!”
“—and a piece of work,” Taylor finished. “The Davis men are like that. So is his father. You do realize by marrying Arvil, you will practically marry trouble?”
group
Daisy chuckled, turning to look at Taylor. “I’ve noticed that. He definitely is a handful, and I am definitely aware of how much trouble I will be marrying.”
Arvil sighed in betrayal, throwing his head back dramatically.
“Two of the important women in my life, turning against me like that,” he said mournfully. “I knew this day would come someday.”
group
Daisy rolled her eyes and poked him in the side. “Drama queen,” she chuckled.
“Well,” Taylor stood up, looking at them with a smile. “Shall we eat?”
