Chapter 41 Daisy & August - Merrymount’s Annual Blueberry Festival
Five years later
DAISY
“We’re late!” I scream up the staircase to my husband and daughter who are taking far too long to pick out a friggin’ hair bow. I pivot and walk towards the door leading down to the basement.
“We’re late!” I repeat to my brothers who are wasting time doing God knows what.
Chaos. I knew today was going to be chaos. But did anyone believe me? No. Of fucking course not.
I recheck the big bag set by the front door, confirming we have everything for the day. Sunscreen? Check. Change of clothes for Kit? Got it. Snacks? Too many, don’t care. Water? Bug spray? What am I missing?
“Mama! Mama!” Kit chants as she clobbers down the stairs. “Daddy said I can do the pony ride.”
“Did he now?” When Kit reaches the first floor, I adjust the straps of her little striped dress with blueberries embroidered all over, a favorite hand-me-down from Penelope. I ruffle her black hair, adjusting some of the wilder pieces of her curls.
Our Kit Magnolia has my hair and eyes, her daddy’s height, and our attitudes mixed together—a lethal combination, if I do say so myself.
“I said I’d have my hand on her the whole time, and I’d threaten Chris’s life to keep his four-legged beasts in check while she rode,” Gus clarifies while making his way to us from the second floor.
“That sounds more like my man.” I lift up onto my tiptoes to kiss him, and he graciously meets me in the middle, like always.
Chris finally figured his shit out. No judgment, we all take our own time.
Once Goldie was born, Red realized she was happy to take a step back from the café to focus on her and Penelope.
And with Margot dividing her time between Nora and Drea and her photography business, she didn’t want to take on more responsibility either.
So, Chris quit cashiering at The Store to take on an assistant manager role at Red’s.
Then one day about a year ago, Chris saw an ad in the paper for two Shetland ponies for sale.
I don’t know who encouraged this plan, but Chris jumped on it.
Turns out, he was saving almost every penny he made across all of his jobs to start his own business, he just didn’t know what he wanted to do.
Twelve months later, he owns two ponies, four bounce houses, a dozen old fashioned popcorn machines, and a photobooth all available to rent for parties and events.
The town hired him this year to run the entertainment portion of the Blueberry Festival. We’re all trying to be supportive through the nerves. I’m holding my breath and not letting my daughter become some injury statistic among town fair pony rides.
Hunter and Chase, who both now tower over me, finally grace us with their presence, slipping their sneakers on at the front door. “Hey,” they greet us in unison.
Creepy twin telepathy.
“Uncle Chase,” Kit says, pulling on Chase’s arm. “Are you gonna ride a pony? Is Brenna gonna ride a pony?”
Chase blushes. Even though the boys are freshly graduated from high school, and I’ve given a very clear blessing for them to date whenever and whomever, he’s still my sweet, shy Chase. His new girlfriend Brenna is a dream, and she absolutely adores Kit.
I know they say teenage love doesn’t last, and maybe we’re the exception to the rule—or we broke the rules and made up our own–but when I peer over at my husband, who’s the same boy I loved at sixteen, and gently trace the black band tattooed around my left ring finger, I have to balk at the idea of the impossibility of it all not working out.
August got down on one knee again the day we came home from the hospital with Kit, presenting me with the most gorgeous aquamarine engagement ring.
I said yes again, obviously. But I’ve never been one who likes the feeling of something constricting my hands.
So my pretty ring sits on a chain around my neck.
Gus booked us appointments to get matching ink with his tattoo artist Jessi once I was done breastfeeding to seal the marriage deal.
“Nah, Kitkat. We’re too big for the pony. But we can do other stuff together.”
“Best day ever!” Kit shrieks.
“And what about me?” Hunter asks Kit, a hint of jealousy in his voice.
The twins have been enamored with their niece since the day we brought her home. It’s been the complete opposite of what I expected raising teenage boys alongside a baby girl would be—in the best way.
“Yeah, you can come too,” Kit answers flippantly, adjusting the flower-shaped sunglasses on her face.
“Alright, time to pack it up. We’ll meet you out there. Chase, make sure Kit’s straps are good on her car seat for me. We just need to grab one more thing,” Gus declares, holding the front door open. The kids file out of the house.
Next thing I know, I’m pressed against the wall, and August has his hand slipped underneath my dress while he starts to kiss, suck, and nip a path up the side of my neck.
“They just kept talking,” he breathes into my skin.
“They do that a lot,” I say, palming his cock through his shorts.
August kisses me frantically, and I meet him with equal need.
Nighttime is for the slow, drawn out foreplay and sex. Lovemaking, if you will.
Gus and I have a hard time waiting for the sun to go down most days, so quickies where we can fit them in work just fine for us.
When he plunges a finger inside of me, I gasp. It’s an electric current shooting through my body.
“August, we don’t have time. I don’t want to have to change,” I whine. But it’s breathy and I know it’s only going to drive him crazier.
“Who said anything about changing?” he growls.
His tongue tangles with mine while he fucks me with his fingers. It’s fast and dirty as I try to quietly cry out. Thankfully each sound is muffled by August’s lips claiming mine.
I greedily ride his hand, letting his praise build up my impending climax.
“So pretty when you’re a mess like this, Mrs. Darling.”
August’s thrusts go shallow, and his thumb toys with my clit.
“Let me come, August. Please. Please. Please.”
“So nice when you want to come, Mrs. Darling,” August teases. He mercifully concedes to my demands though, filling me up at a rapid pace.
“Fuck,” I exhale and my orgasm crashes through me.
August removes his hand from underneath my dress and brings his fingers to his lips. A shiver races down my spine when he sucks them in his mouth.
“You’re foul,” I pant, smoothing out my dress.
“I’m just a guy obsessed with his wife. What can I say?”
AUGUST
“Grabbed you a drink.” Sawyer says, handing me a can of seltzer water and taking a seat on the blanket beside mine.
“Thanks,” I say before cracking it open and taking a swig.
I haven’t had a sip of alcohol in over five years, with no plans to start up again. I wasn’t an alcoholic. I might have never become one either, but it was an easy thing to cut out to ensure Daisy always feels safe around me.
It also feels real fucking good to never wake up and nurse a hangover or have to wonder what I did the night before. I’m a better partner, father, and friend because of it.
And hot damn, do I love to be August fucking Darling. A good partner, father, and friend.
I don’t know what to call our big, blended bunch, but we’re all set up on the grassy hillside next to the high school waiting for the annual fireworks display. There’s not really a day that goes by when we don’t see one another, but this is one of our favorite traditions.
We wrangle all of the kids after a day of too much sugar and fun, and spend the night laughing and talking on laid-out blankets from everyone’s houses with drinks and snacks we all coordinated bringing.
Red and Margot are cackling together, dishing out sparklers to Kit, Goldie, Nora, and Drea, the littles of our crew who we refer to as The Quad, seeing as how they were all born within three months of each other.
Miller is doing a less than stellar job of trying to inconspicuously keep an eye on Penelope who’s on the brink of adolescence and sure as shit ready for space from her overprotective dad. I spot P’s best friend Noah sitting beside her under an oak tree.
Hunter and Chase asked to watch the fireworks with their mom on the other side of the football field, but they’ll meet up with us later.
Right after Kit’s first birthday, Mary Jane showed up at our doorstep to tell us she left Ron, and she was in the process of finding a rehabilitation program to treat her addiction.
They sold the flower shop. It’s a dispensary now.
Despite everything, she’s made significant progress over the last several years.
She’s put in the effort and dedicated the time to really work through truckloads of trauma.
I can’t say I’ll ever like the woman. We still barely speak when we’re in the same room. My loyalty is to Daisy, and I’ll never be able to forgive and forget the way others might. But I’m glad to see her try for the sake of the kids.
Beth is doing what she does best: meddling. I find her down our row of blankets, third-wheeling Melanie and Madison Hayes, the high school English teacher who’s most definitely Melanie’s not-so-secret girlfriend.
It’ll all come out in the wash eventually. It always does here in Merrymount.
Goddamn, the Blueberry Festival makes me nostalgic.
Now where the hell is my wife?
I scan the crowd, looking for my favorite head of black hair, just like I always do. My nerves start to prick at the back of my neck when I can’t immediately spot her.
“You seen Daze?” I ask Sawyer.
Sawyer’s eyes go wide.
“Daisy Darling?” This motherfucker is playing dumb.
“For fuck’s sake.” I push myself up and off the ground, pulling my phone out of my pocket. “Whatever she’s up to, you’re gonna clue me in now.” I easily find her contact, press call, and put the phone to my ear.
Sawyer laughs. “I’m more scared of your wife, and she told me to keep my mouth shut. So that’s exactly what I’m doing.”
The call goes to voicemail.
Small soft hands reach around me from behind. I spin, and sure enough, there she is.
But…there’s been an outfit change.
“Daze, what’s going on?” I huff, lost in admiration at the short white frilly dress she’s got on. It’s somehow familiar, but I can’t place the recognition.
“Shh,” she whispers. “Follow me.” She takes my hand in hers, trying to guide me away from this spot on the hill.
“But the fireworks?” I question, gesturing forward.
“We’re not missing the fireworks, Gus,” Daisy assures me a bit impatiently.
“Kitkat’s good here! You kids have fun!” Sawyer calls as we walk away.
“If I ask you to close your eyes and let me lead the way, will you do it?” Daisy asks me.
“Yeah, darling. Always.” I nod and let my vision go dark.
Daisy walks us through crowds of people, and I feel my boots hit pavement after a little bit. We finally come to a stop, and she tells me I can open my eyes.
We’re standing in front of the brick wall of Merrymount High’s gymnasium. One of our blankets from home is laid out on the ground, along with a picnic basket and a disposable camera.
“Surprise,” Daisy whispers with both of her arms wrapped around one of mine. “I thought we could watch the fireworks from here.”
“This is our spot,” I say, pointing out the obvious. The memory of the day before graduation flashes across my mind. Things are so different now.
“One of them, yep,” Daisy agrees.
I notice the mural on the wall next. It’s been redone, that fresh paint smell still slightly lingers in the air. The piece is crazy good, better than whatever the hell the past students did before.
It’s a map of Merrymount’s landmarks and each one is labeled. I hold my hand up to rest my fingertips on the part of it that’s dedicated to the riverside. The little painted sign reads:
Rivers’ River: One Hale of a Darling Time
“What is this?” I breathe.
“Beth and I have been working on some updates at work. The name didn’t really reflect everything we have going on anymore. It didn’t showcase the two men who kind of make it all happen, y’know?”
“But…this is Sawyer’s business. It’s his family.”
“You’re not really still believing those lies, right, brother?” Sawyer’s voice comes from my back.
I spin to see him, Margot, Miller, Red, Beth, Mel, and all of the kids staring at me with tears in their eyes.
Beth steps forward. “It’s your business, too. It’s your family, too, my boy. It always has been. I’m sorry we didn’t make it official sooner.”
“I don’t have words,” I say, shaking my head.
“How about, ‘Wow, Chase killed that shit!’” Hunter suggests with a laugh, elbowing his brother who stands nervously to the side.
That gets me to turn back around to inspect the signature in the bottom right corner of the mural. Chase’s chicken scratch is scrawled there. If there was any air left in my lungs, it dissipates.
“You did this?” I ask Chase directly.
He rolls his eyes. He still hates any amount of attention on him.
“It was my senior project.”
“Fuck you guys,” I choke out, wiping my eyes. Daisy latches onto me like a spider monkey, and I lift her up into my arms with ease. When Kit sprints over, I scoop her up just the same.
“I know we’re all aware I’m not the speech guy,” I start.
“Come one, Gussy! Speech!” Red yells.
The rest of the gang starts chanting Speech!, egging Red on. Jesus Christ, if we miss the fireworks for this, I’m gonna be pissed.
“Okay, okay. Like I said, this is not my thing. Daze and I got married at the courthouse to avoid this kind of fiasco, in case you all forgot.”
“We didn’t.” Beth narrows her eyes.
“Still sorry about that.” I nod. “Anyway, I love you all. I love the life I’ve been given the opportunity to build here in Merrymount.
Sometimes it feels like we live in a place surrounded by magic.
I know I’ve made mistakes, and I know I’ll continue to make some more, but every day I wake up trying to be the best version of myself for you guys.
So, to make a long story short, thank you. For well—just about everything.”
“We love you more than anything, August Darling.” Daisy smacks her lips on my cheek. “Forever.”
Forever in this town with these people sure sounds like the very best place to be.