I Hadn't Anyone Till You - [Susan Grieve - Daisy Kenyon]

A Little Girl Next to The Atlantic

It was quite comical that the thing I had tried and wanted to avoid straight from the beginning of this dreadful ailment, eventually ended up happening anyways. Daisy caught the flu and I felt quite guilty for being the sole reason why she too had gotten sick.

After one horrendous night, I spent the next three days in bed. At first I was quite frustrated by the fact that I wouldn't be able to go to the office, but at the same time I knew that my inspiration for any sort of writing was completely off. Therefore, it made absolutely no sense to obsess over being absent from there for a few days. Anyhow, if there were any editorial meetings, they could wait and be attended later.

On Saturday I was feeling a bit better, so I finally left the bed sheets that had been constricting my body to the bed for so many days. Though I probably should be, I'm not very used to getting sick. This is primarily due to the fact that it doesn't even happen that often, but when it does, boy does it knock me down to the mattress for days.

Around noon I got a call from my friend.

─ "Hello, Susan?" I immediately recognized his voice.

─ "Hi Stacy, sorry I haven't called" I said as I rubbed my forehead. I realized that I've been quite distant from Stacy without even meaning to.

─ "That's what I was about to say, young lady. You've been radio silent for more than two weeks now, am I not considered one of your friends anymore? What have I done to deserve this unfriendly treatment?"

─ "Oh my lord, Stacy... You old dog, I was sick!" I tried to squeeze in an excuse that was quite lame.

─ "All these weeks?! What happened?" He immediately read right through my excuse.

─ "Well... I just had the flu these last three days ... And I've been spending time with Daisy" I smiled to myself for a bit, since I had been fully enjoying myself with all the time I had been sharing with her.

─ "I'm glad to hear you two are becoming friends" He sounded genuinely pleased to hear that. "How are you feeling now?"

─ "I'm doing good now, I'm almost fully recovered"

─ "That 's good. Well, besides you being sick, what else has happened? How's the writing going?"

─ "Oh let's not talk about that... I haven't been writing at all. I'm actually quite worried about that..."

─ "Well, you more than anyone know that forcing yourself to write is no use. The inspiration will come, you just need to have more patience and occupy your mind on something else, and when you least expect it, you'll get some ideas and the rest will fall into place. Perhaps getting away from New York would be a good idea?"

─ "Maybe..." I didn't find the idea of traveling by myself right now very appealing, I thought I would just get extremely bored if anything. Though the idea of going away with someone else, well that didn't seem too bad and it would be different from all the trips I've taken alone... Quite different. As I thought a little bit more I imagined that if I perhaps took a trip with Daisy that would be delightful and quite entertaining.

─ "Well, I've been doing great. Thanks for asking..." Stacy was sarcastic but in a playful manner that I was well used to.

I laughed it off after being stuck in my own thoughts for a moment.

─ "How have been you doing? I'm sorry for being such a terrible friend" I said shamefully.

─ "While you have been, it's no harm no foul!" Again another quick witted remark. "Well to be honest my dear Susan, nothing really remarkable has happened. I've just been busy at the office, so I guess I'm also guilty for not reaching out. But anyways, please don't stay a stranger, we gotta get together soon. Also, all things considered we'll be spending Christmas together, right?"