Page 26 of Hexes and Hiccups
Things, she told herself,canbe better.
And she was ready to spend all the time she could trying.
12
Daisy
The sun was beginning to set on Fields’ Herbals.Tourists who laid claim to Willowbrook’s bustling Main Street were making their way towards restaurants or home, desperate to be out of the relentless, record-breaking summer heat they were knee deep in. Patrons no longer lingered within the aisles, no longer loitered beside the front door or filled the small storefront with their gossip. Daisy inhaled deep and slow from her spot behind the counter, leaning forward to rest her elbows against the wood. It was cool to the touch. Beside her, Tessa swiped a rag over the vintage register, her eyes caught on an exchange happening near the opposite side of the store.
Tessa bumped her elbow into Daisy’s side. “Take a look down there, Flowers. Hard work reallydoespay off, doesn’t it?”
Malric held the front door open with his foot, a few suitcases tucked beneath his arms. They were ratty and full of holes, obviously old and used a plenty of times. He kept them together as much as he could, a look of concentration on his face as he diligently listened to the older woman across from him.
“There’s an unused room just gathering dust,” Anne was in the middle of rambling. “My son, the Lord bless him, hasn’tbeen in that room for…for…” Her chestnut-colored eyes were warm and loving as they narrowed, one finger tapping against her button chin. Eventually, she shrugged the math off and gave Malric a beaming smile. “For quite some time. Let’s just leave it at that, shall we?”
Anne hadn’t stopped talking for at least an hour, by that point. Daisy and Tessa had returned from their afternoon meeting with Malric, and they were on a mission. At least,Daisywas on a mission, one that she was more than determined to see through. The gossip that had been plaguing Willowbrook brought a shadow of darkness across the town she once cherished so much. Not everything was sweet-smelling, despite how much she wanted it to be. Daisy remembered a time when neighbors looked out for each other, even more than they might’ve looked after themselves. Family friends had been just as loved as blood relatives. No one had been alone, no matter the circumstances.
Learning that Malric’s parents tossed him out of their home struck a nerve within Daisy. Not that she had ever experienced something as cruel, but it reminded her of a great sadness, one that she was more than familiar with. The boy was barely an adult, and he had been forced to endure things no one should have to alone. Daisy could recognize a sadness like that within a second, and had seen it within Anne. Ever since the rumor about her dumping strays out of town was written on the salon window, Anne hadn’t cracked a smile in the way Daisy remembered. Anne’s warmth and kindness had been whittled down to nothing, and that was the last thing she deserved.
Surprisingly enough, Anne took to the idea of having Malric stay in her spare room instantly. She knew of the rumors surrounding him, of course, but barely paid them any mind. Who was she to judge, when the town ridiculed her for something similar? Daisy had never realized they’d be a matchmade in heaven, though she’d wished for it. Malric’s willingness to live with an older woman was even more shocking. Perhaps he was merely desperate for a home, but the longer that Daisy stared into his dark gaze, the more she became acquainted with the light that lived deeply within him.
“I’ll need to show you pictures of my grandson, Malric,” Anne said. “You remind me so much of him!”
Malric’s cheeks began to burn a bright red, his lips tugging into a smile so wide that dimples poked out. “I’d like to see those,” he replied, his voice quiet but heavy with emotion.
Anne,bless her heart,never noticed how he took her words to heart. She was naturally kind, naturally insistent on delivering as many compliments as she pleased. But there was a difference with Malric. He was not the usual subject of kindness, not trusted to live with a helpless old woman, not trusted around valuables without an extra eye focused on him. Anne simply acted like her normal self, the person she had been before the Book of Gossip hit the streets and tainted her good name.
Daisy leaned over to Tessa, keeping her voice low. The thick scent of the oil they used to keep the vintage register in pristine condition filled her senses, bringing a wave of dizziness over her. “Who knew that a twenty-five-year-old like Malric could take to someone like Anne so easily?”
“Ah,” Tessa drawled before shaking her head. “Is that catering to gossip, I hear?”
“Oh, well, no, I –”
Tessatskedand waggled her finger disapprovingly. “Stereotypes are just as harmful as rumors, Flowers. You know that.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Daisy bit back her laugh, more eager to hear the pair at the other end of the store. She gestured and began to creep towards them, not wanting to interrupt. Tessa, who couldnever turn down a bit of eavesdropping, followed close at her heel.
Anne slung her old purse over her shoulder. “You’re a tech-savvy boy, aren’t you?”
“Well,” Malric mused, the corner of his lip already pulling into a smile. “Just as much as the next fellow, I’d say. Is there something you need fixed?”
“My son got me a new television a few weeks back,” Anne was already blurting, barely waiting for Malric to finish his sentence, “and the darn remote has been set far too loud! I can hardly hear myself think anytime I want to watch the news!”
Daisy pressed her lips together, holding back a giggle. Behind her, Tessa sounded as though she was choking on her breath.Typical Anne,Daisy thought to herself. Any other young person might’ve turned her away at that point, far too annoyed by the elderly’s inability to understand the fast growing technology. But, much to their surprise, Malric only listened as intently as before, nodding every now and then to let Anne know that he was paying attention. There wasn’t a hint of frustration in his face, not in the slightest. In fact, his smile grew wider as the woman continued to ramble on.
“And don’t even get me started on emails!”
“What’s wrong with your emails?”
“The only reason why I got the thing is for the animal shelter.” Anne had her hands on her hips, shaking her head disapprovingly. “All I need is to see the schedules, but I think someone’s hacked it! And they are trying to fax me spam! Can you evenbelievethat? I ought to give the email company a call!”
Daisy and Tessa held their breath, barely able to keep themselves quiet.
“Don’t worry about it anymore, Ms. Fairfax,” Malric politely replied, his dark eyes soft and gentle, much like the strays Annespecialized in rescuing. “I’ll take a look at those for you. And I know you mentioned a squeaky chair –”
“Unfortunately, I don’t have any tools!”
Malric’s smile widened. “I’ve got my own set, Ms. Fairfax. Consider it done.”
