Chapter 19
They started their day at the Lincoln Memorial, admiring the statue of Abraham Lincoln and enjoying watching the tourists snapping photos, trying to get the perfect shot for social media.
“He wasna a king?” Callan peered at the statue.
Daisy pulled her ponytail through the back of a baseball hat.
“No. Lincoln led the country through the Civil War and abolished slavery. He’s one of the most revered presidents in American history.”
They waited for a bus of tourists to leave before moving closer to read the Gettysburg Address engraved on the wall.
Frankie was delighted at all the new smells and people.
As they decided what to see next, a little girl with wavy blonde hair and big blue eyes approached them, her gaze fixed on the dog.
She was wearing a bright pink pair of shorts and a white tee shirt with sparkles that proclaimed her a Swiftie.
Her parents were talking to each other, unaware of what their kid was doing.
“Hello,” she said in a small voice, looking up at Daisy and Callan with a hopeful expression. “Can I pet your dog? I love dogs, but my mommy and daddy won’t let me have one. Mommy says their hair gets everywhere and daddy says they stink. Does your dog stink?”
“Only when he rolls in the mud.”
Callan grinned as Daisy squatted down to eye level with the kid, rings catching the light, her heart melting at the hope on the girl’s face.
“Of course, sweetie. This is Frankie. He loves making new friends.”
The little girl’s face lit up with joy as she petted Frankie, who wagged his tail even more vigorously and licked her hand and face in greeting, making her shriek with delight.
The girl’s parents approached, annoyed looks on their faces.
“Sorry if she’s bothering you,” the mother said. “She’s been asking for a dog for a year.”
“Not at all,” Daisy replied. “Frankie loves the attention.”
The look on Callan’s face made her wonder what he was up to, as he knelt down to chat with Amelia.
“Perhaps Frankie can convince your parents to reconsider,” he suggested with a wink.
Amelia looked up at her parents with big, blue pleading eyes. “Please, Mommy? Please, Daddy? Look how happy Frankie is! I know our dog would be so happy to have a home.”
Her father laughed, shaking his head. “Nice try.”
Callan leaned in, adopting a conspiratorial tone. “Ye know, a dog can be a great companion. They keep you company, protect ye, and they’re always happy to see you.”
Daisy nodded, joining in the playful persuasion. “Plus, they give the best cuddles. Frankie here is a certified cuddle expert.”
Amelia’s mother smiled, clearly amused by the team effort. “We’ll think about it, sweetie. But for now, you can play with the dog.”
The kid squealed with delight, making Callan wince, and continued to shower love and hugs on Frankie, who soaked up all the attention, tail wagging.
After giving the dog a biscuit, they walked along the National Mall, as Callan took in the Washington Monument, rising tall in the air.
Luck was on their side, as they were able to purchase two tickets.
“They used more than 36,000 stones to build it. You’re going to love the view from the observation deck.” Daisy told him.
The grassy expanse stretched out before them, dotted with families having picnics and children flying kites. The scent of fresh grass and blooming flowers filled the air, mingling with the distant hum of traffic.
“How do we get to the top? It looks like a lot of steps.” Callan asked, nodding towards the monument.
“They no longer allow people to climb the stairs. There’s an elevator that will take us up to the observation deck,” Daisy explained. “We’ll be able to see all around, including all the way to Virginia and Maryland.”
Callan nodded, intrigued. “Lead on, then.”
Before they went up, Daisy met someone she knew that used to live in Boston. He’d pet sit Frankie and drop him off at the campsite after the symphony.
It was fun watching Callan as he looked out at the views. Once they were back on solid ground, they decided what to see next.
The Smithsonian was packed, so they decided to skip it and stay near the monument, enjoying the day. When Callan said they’d stop on the way back home to see the Smithsonian and the National Gallery, Daisy thought her heart would burst. So he was planning to come back with her, after all.
Filled with happiness, Daisy left Callan and Frankie watching a brother and sister flying kites.
“I’ll bring lunch back.”
Distracted, he nodded as she made a beeline for a store she’d spotted earlier.
The shopkeeper greeted her with a friendly smile as she selected a simple but elegant St. Christopher medal for Callan to replace the one he had lost when he’d traveled through time.
Late that afternoon, they made their way towards the Kennedy Center for an afternoon performance by the National Symphony Orchestra.
The grand foyer was impressive, the scent of fresh flowers permeated the air as Callan took in the opulent surroundings—the chandeliers, the plush carpets, and the sweeping staircases.
“This place is magnificent,” he remarked, his voice hushed.
She smiled, leading him towards their seats in the concert hall. “Just wait until you hear the music.”
They found their seats, and as the audience settled, a collective hush fell over the room as the musicians took their places.
When the first notes of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 filled the air, Callan leaned forward in his seat, eyes glued to the stage.
After a few minutes, he sat back, eyes closed, a look of pure serenity on his face as he allowed the music to wash over him.
“Isn’t it wonderful?” she whispered, leaning close to his ear.
Callan opened his eyes, his expression one of awe. “Aye, makes my heart and soul happy.”
When the famous “Ode to Joy” theme rang out, Daisy clasped Callan’s hand, her heart full.
When the last notes faded, and the conductor lowered his baton, the audience erupted into applause. Daisy and Callan joined in, their cheers mingling with those around them. The conductor took several bows, acknowledging the thunderous appreciation of the crowd.
As they left the concert hall, he took her hand.
“Come on, we’ll take a drive before heading to the campsite.”
They drove around, looking at the Capitol and other buildings, watching the lights come on.
They’d had hotdogs with all the fixings and ice cream for lunch, so Daisy thought for dinner they’d have a simple meal of corn on the cob, a steak salad, and slices of watermelon.
After shucking the corn, and taking the trash out, Daisy returned to find her friend had dropped Frankie off.
The dog and Callan were sound asleep in a hammock next to the van.
Not wanting to wake them, she bustled around, cutting up the watermelon, slicing the steak, and making the salad.
They’d bought a couple of bottles of Martini & Rossi Asti Sparkling Wine that she’d serve with dinner.
When she set the small table outside, she caught Callan just waking up, looking refreshed. He noticed the small package on the table and raised a brow.
“Did ye go shopping, lass?”
She’d changed into a yellow and white gingham sundress and left her hair loose.
“It’s just a little something,” she said, handing him the package. “Open it.”
Callan unwrapped the medal, his eyes widening in surprise.
“You remembered the one I lost traveling. I will cherish it, thank ye, lass.” He pulled her into a hug, the warmth of him enveloping her.
Who knows how long they would have stood there if a cat hadn’t sauntered by, instantly waking Frankie as he lunged for the feline. But Daisy was faster, grabbing the leash.
“Sit.” She commanded, and with a small whine, Frankie sat, looking after the cat, who slowly made his way down the road without a care in the world.
After they’d finished dinner and Callan had cleaned up since she’d fixed the meal, they sat in the camp chairs enjoying the warm night.
Callan told her how he and his mother had been banished by the clan when he was six, how hard it had been to make ends meet. When he was done, she shared a story from her own past.
“When I was eleven,” she began, her voice shaky, “my parents went on a trip to Portugal. Their plane was delayed on the way back, and I was left alone for five days.”
“They did not have someone to look after you?”
She shook her head. “They said it would be a quick trip and told me to go across the street to the neighbor if I needed anything, but they didn’t know, or maybe they forgot, that the neighbors had gone on vacation.”
There had been other times the same thing had happened, but this one always stuck with her.
“I ate cereal and microwave dinners, somehow made it to school on time, and spent a lot of time being afraid that someone would find out, tell on my parents, and they’d take me away.”
“You were verra brave.” Then he smiled as he took her hand, “’Tis probably why you are so messy.”
In mock outrage, she scowled, then laughed. “You’re probably right.”
It was also why she worried everyone would leave her, but she didn’t say that, knowing it always made guys run. She didn’t want Callan to run. If only he would stay. Be hers.
Now, in the habit of waking early, they quickly packed up and got on the road. Callan volunteered to drive the two hours to Richmond.
They had decided to splurge this morning and go through the Starbucks drive thru. Sipping an iced coffee, her feet up on the dash, the air conditioning on high, Daisy reached out and turned the radio down.
“Would you tell me more about your life before... well, before all this?”
Callan nodded, focused on the road. “There was a winter, the year after my mother died. I had just turned fourteen, and it was one of the harshest I can remember.”
Daisy glanced at him, wanting to know everything about him. “What happened?”
Callan took a deep breath, the memory still vivid after all this time.