Marigold and Daisies (H.S.)

Forty Six

3 weeks later

Marigold's POV

"Thank you guys for today! Have a good night. See you tomorrow!" I waved goodbye to the girls as they bid their farewells and exited through the main entrance of the shop. With a sigh of relief, I let my shoulders relax, feeling the weight of the day's responsibilities slowly melt away as I slumped onto the counter.

Taking a moment to gather myself, I tidied up the remaining items on the counter, methodically arranging them in their designated places. I shut off the lights, casting a gentle glow over the now-empty space, and I tugged on all the doors to ensure they were securely locked.

Settling into my car, I reached for my phone and dialed Jacob's number, his familiar face appearing on the screen as he answered the FaceTime call.

"Hello?" Jacob answered the call with a warm smile.

"Hey! How is everything going there?" I asked, trying to mask the weariness in my voice as I settled back into the comfortable seat of my car.

"Everything's great! We're just about to get ready for bed." Jacob turned the camera towards Daisy, who was sitting next to him on the couch, a popsicle in hand.

"Hi, mommy!" Daisy exclaimed, pulling the stick away from her mouth, revealing her red-stained lips and cheeks. I stifled a laugh, placing my hand over my mouth to contain the mirth that threatened to escape. I'd have to get onto Jacob for giving her sugar this close to bedtime, but that would be a discussion for later.

"Hi, bug... Are you having fun?" I grinned at her.

Daisy was spending the next two weeks with Jacob in South Carolina, a significant step in our lives. We had discussed it extensively and agreed that he was finally ready to take on the responsibility of having Daisy with him for an extended period of time. It hadn't been an easy decision for me, as I had never been away from Daisy for this long. The separation tugged at my heart, and I despised the feeling of not having her within arm's reach. But deep down, I knew that this step was important for both Daisy and Jacob. His parents were thrilled to finally meet Daisy, and Jacob had assured me countless times that he would take good care of her. And I believed him.

Daisy nodded at the camera, her eyes twinkling with excitement. "Mhm! Glammy said that we're going to bake pies tomorrow," she revealed, referring to Jacob's mom by the affectionate name they had settled on.

"Oh, yummy! I am so jealous. She makes some of the best pies," I exclaimed, widening my eyes and adding a touch of playfulness to my voice. "Well, I just wanted to call and say I miss you," I sighed, I tried not to sound so depressed without her.

"Call me in the morning?" I asked Jacob, my tone laced with hope.

"Of course. I wouldn't miss it," Jacob nodded, reassuring me. His face appearing on the FaceTime call. Daisy had already been staying with him in South Carolina for three nights, and each evening, he made it a point to call me at exactly 7:45 PM. Despite the time difference, I gladly took a break from work to have a few minutes to say goodnight to my precious Daisy. In the mornings, when it was a more reasonable hour in Los Angeles, he would call me without fail.

"Love you, sweet girl. Talk to you later," I said with a tinge of sadness in my voice as we ended the call. Driving home, a sense of emptiness settled in.

It was rather lonely without Daisy here. The two of us had already settled into a new rhythm of life without Harry. It was a significant adjustment, to say the least. Daisy couldn't quite understand why we hadn't seen Harry at all in the last month. Harry would text to check up on us maybe once a week and FaceTime twice during the past month. Harry and I both wanted to ease Daisy into getting used to not talking to Harry as much as she's used to. I felt extremely guilty separating her from the man she looked up to as a father.