Chapter 24

Sleep was becoming a long distant friend. Luca laid awake in bed staring at his mother's ring and the new engraving he had asked the jeweler to put inside.

Sunshine

What the hell was I thinking? Luca slammed the small black box shut and tossed it under his pillow. Rolling onto his back, he stared up at the ceiling as his jaw ticked. He placed his arm behind his head, hoping to get comfortable but nothing helped.

The racing thoughts in Luca's mind would not quiet down. He felt like a tea kettle with immense pressure building up inside his chest. All he needed was something to ignite the anger in him.

Growing restless with every passing hour, Luca sat up and reached for the ring once more. He pulled the lid back and held it up to the moonlight, letting the diamond sparkle brilliantly in the darkness like a glass flower.

Why didn't you just get another ring? Luca asked himself as he sat the ring back into the box. Now it's forever changed. It'll always be her size. Made for her hand. A perfect fit for her.

Fuck, Luca groaned, running his hand through his hair. Stop thinking about her. Stop.

The restlessness began to travel up from Luca's legs to to the rest of his body. He stood up and paced the floor of the guest bedroom as the floorboards creaked beneath him. The night creatures sang their song outside and the moon bore witness to the torment raging through Luca's mind.

Ever since his conversation with Dr. Ford, Luca couldn't look at Daisy. He couldn't look at her without feeling as if he was drowning. The air would run out of his lungs and leave him feeling light headed. The tightness in his chest only amplified the confusion he felt when he was around her. He knew he could never love anyone beside Stella. Yet, every time he looked at Daisy....his heart did strange things.

It was wrong. All of it.

Luca knew he shouldn't play with the girl's emotions. His affection for her would run out someday. It was bound to happen. No one could ever replace Stella. No matter how different Daisy felt....she was not Stella.Luca had to keep reminding himself of that. Daisy was not Stella. Daisy was not Stella. Daisy was not Stella.

She could never be Stella.

As Luca stood staring out at the dark woods behind the barn, heavy footsteps hurried across the floor overhead. Something dropped and then the sound of gagging could be heard.

"Daisy?" Luca pushed the ring box into the pocket of his sweatpants and ran out of the room. He took the stairs two at a time before arriving at the landing and finding the blonde hunched over the toilet down the hall.

"I'm okay," Daisy said, holding up her hand as she covered her mouth with the other.

"Jesus," Luca said under his breath as he saw her face.

Her eyes were teary and her cheeks flushed. She looked as if she too had been tossing and turning in bed from the way her hair stuck up from the back of her head.

"I'm fine," Daisy flushed the toilet quickly before Luca could enter the bathroom.

"Are you sure?" Luca asked, standing over her and looking down with concern.

"Yeah," Daisy nodded just a second before she gagged once more and leaned over the toilet.

Luca kneeled beside her and sat her down on his lap. He began to rub her back and hold her hair back as she placed her elbows on the toilet seat and groaned. Every time they thought she was done, a new wave of nausea came over her. Goosebumps rose all over Daisy's skin as she began to tremble from how weak her body was growing.

"What the hell?" Richard's groggy voice came from the dark hall, startling both Luca and Daisy. "What's going on?"

The lights in the hall turned on as the old man walked up to the bathroom door. Daisy pulled a wade of toilet paper off the wall and wiped her mouth before tossing it into the bowl.

"You okay, Q-tip?" Richard asked with concern.

Daisy nodded, "Yeah."

"You don't look okay," Richard squinted. "You're throwing up worse than the night you got drunk in high school."

"You got drunk in high school?" Luca pulled back to look at Daisy as she sat on his lap.

"Not now," Daisy pushed her elbow back into his ribs. When she tried to get up, Luca pulled her back down by her shirt.

"What's going on?" Richard asked once again, eyeing Luca and Daisy.

"Nothing," Daisy looked up at the man, her heart pounding in her chest. "I'm fine. Must have been something I ate."

"We all ate the same thing," Richard said.

"Maybe a stomach bug," Daisy wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand. She was tucked in between Luca's legs on the floor. The ground was uncomfortable but his cold feet beside her felt good and calming.

Richard looked unconvinced by Daisy's answer. Luca watched the man's eyes travel back and forth between the pair before they hardened and his mouth set in a grim line.

"You're pregnant, aren't you?" Richard asked.

Luca felt Daisy hold her breath. Richard's eyes shifted towards him and narrowed.

"You're the father?" He asked.

"Yes, sir," Luca said without missing a beat.

"God damn it," Richard placed his hands on his hips and cursed her his breath. Daisy quickly climbed to her feet and shifted her weight around anxiously. Luca had never seen her like that. For once she actually looked scared of someone.

"Dickie," She stepped forward.

"You're still in school," Richard said.

"I know," Daisy nodded.

"Is he making you have this baby?" Richard pointed towards Luca.

"No!" Daisy shook her head. "I wanted to have this baby."

"Was it planned?"

"It was a surprise."

"A surprise?" Richard looked baffled. "A birthday cake is a surprise. Not a baby! Does your mother know about this?"

Daisy nodded.

"Of course, she does!" Richard furiously shook his head. "You're too young to be having a baby. How are you going to take care of it?"

"She's not alone," Luca spoke up. "Richard, I'm not going to leave her side. I know you're worried and you're right, she's too young...but she wants this."

"She also wanted a tattoo at fifteen!" Richard said. "We can't all get what we want, Lucas!"

"His name is Luca!" Daisy yelled.

"Fine, put it on his tombstone so everyone knows who he was when I shoot him!" Richard shouted. "He got my daughter knocked up!"

"I thought you said he was soft spoken," Luca looked at Daisy. "A thinker?"

"Dickie," Daisy ignored Luca and walked over to her stepfather. "I'm going to marry him."

"I knew it!" Richard's face turned red. "I knew it the moment I saw him step out of that car. You would never bring home a guy if it wasn't something serious."

"I was going to speak to you about it tomorrow," Luca said. "I wanted to ask for your permission be-"

"My permission?" Richard huffed. "I don't know you! How can I give you permission to marry my daughter?"

"Do you want me to be a single mother?" Daisy asked.

"Like you would listen to me if I said no to him," Richard rolled his eyes. "When have you ever listened to anyone?"

"Why are you yelling then?" Daisy questioned.

"Because you people have no values!" Richard said. "Do you even want to marry and be a family? Or is this all because there's now a baby in the picture?"

"I want to marry your daughter, Richard," Luca said. "With or without a baby."

"And what about you?" Richard looked towards Daisy. "You don't even believe in marriage."

"I do," Daisy said.

"Oh really?"

"Yes," Daisy took a deep breath. "Luca makes me believe in marriage. I love him and I want to spend the rest of my life with him."

Daisy's words crackled like thunder across Luca's mind. A mountain of terrible turmoil erupted within him. He felt as if someone had punched all the air out of his lungs and left him for dead. He stared at the girl beside him while his ears rang like a fire truck.

She didn't mean that, Luca thought. She can't possibly mean any of that.

"I want to build a family, Dickie," Daisy continued, unaware of what her words were doing to Luca.

Hearing Daisy speak those words unleashed terror inside Luca's heart. He had never felt fear so raw and strong. It latched onto every breath and poisoned his system.

She didn't mean that, Luca told himself again. She can't mean that.

"I want a life with Luca," Daisy reached down and took Luca's hand. "He makes me happy."

No, Luca wanted to pull away. She couldn't love him. He would break her. He could never love her back. It wasn't possible. She would get hurt and it would be a mess. A big break breaking mess. Luca couldn't picture Daisy suffering the same way that he had after Stella passed. He couldn't allow himself to go there.

But there she was. Saying all the words Luca could not hear. All the words he could not say back to her.

"I don't buy it!" Richard waved his hand and shook off the idea. "People don't change like that."

"I'm going to marry him with or without your permission," Daisy said stubbornly.

"Then why are you here?"

"Because I want your blessing," Daisy said. "I don't need it. But I would like it if you stepped up as my father figure and gave Luca your permission."

"No happening," Richard shook his head.

"Dickie-"

"We should talk about this in the morning," Luca finally spoke up. "Give everyone time to think things through."

"Nothing to think through," Richard said. "You ain't marrying my daughter."

"And why not?" Daisy asked. "Why are you being so stubborn?"

"Daisy," Luca pulled her back. "Relax. Clean up and let's all go back to bed."

"Back to your bed," Richard said. "Downstairs."

"Oh come on!" Daisy threw her arms up. "I'm pregnant! You know how that happened!"

Richard's angry glare turned towards Luca.

"I'll be in my room," Luca held up his hands. "Just trying to protect the peace."

"I can not believe you, Dickie," Daisy grabbed the cup of water by the sink and pushed past the man in the hall. Luca stared after her as she muttered furiously under her breath and stormed into her room, slamming the door shut.

"There's a bathroom downstairs," Richard said, turning towards Luca.

"Rich," Luca rolled his eyes.

"You're carrying the ring with you, aren't you?" Richard looked at Luca's pocket and the imprint of the ring box.

"Yes."

"You kids are so stupid," Richard shook his head before turning away and heading back to his room.

Exhausted and drained, Luca turned out the bathroom light and made his way downstairs. His feet dragged in the darkness as he entered the room and sat down on the edge of the bed. His head spun with all the words Daisy had spoken upstairs and it was beginning to scare Luca more and more.

Was he giving her false impressions? Was he leading her on? Of course, he was.

Luca fell backwards against the bed and threw his arm over his eyes. Any time he was around Daisy things had a way of getting out of hand. Luca hated admitting that he had slipped up too many times. God forbid she actually felt that way about him. What a nightmare that would be. He could never.....never love her. Impossible.

As Luca sat thinking about Daisy, the door to his bedroom opened and the blonde herself walked in. Daisy paused in the doorway and peered at Luca with a strange look on her face. She hesitated for a second before walking in and closing the door behind her.

"Sorry about all that," she said as Luca stared straight ahead with his elbows resting on his knees. "I didn't think he would act that way."

Luca nodded.

"Also....." Daisy's voice lowered. "Everything that I said upstairs...."

Slowly, painfully, Luca dragged his eyes towards Daisy.

The first thing he noticed was the color in her cheeks. She looked better, healthier. Her lips were plump, her hair was glossier, and the glow on her face was brighter than the moon.

"I said it to make Dickie believe our story," Daisy explained.

I know. Of course, I know, Luca thought. "I know."

"Okay good..." Daisy cleared her throat.

"All of it was part of the story?" Luca asked.

"Yeah..." Daisy nodded.

"Okay," Luca rubbed the back of his neck and stared at the trees outside his window.

"I'll see you in the morning?"

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Good night, Luca."

"Good night, Sunshine."

________________________

Break the next morning was tense and awkward. Daisy covered her nose as soon as she walked into the kitchen and smelled the eggs. Her stomach started to churn as she pushed down the nausea and poured herself some warm water.

"Are you seeing a doctor?" Richard asked from where he was making breakfast.

"Yeah," Daisy cleared her throat.

"How far along are you?"

"Not too far," Daisy sipped her water quietly and took a seat at the breakfast bar.

Without saying a word, Richard shook his head and flipped the pancakes. Daisy wanted to know what he was against but she was too exhausted to ask. She sat turning the glass of water in her hand when Luca walked in and paused at the door.

"Good morning," Richard mumbled.

"Good morning," Luca greeted the man, but his eyes were on Daisy. He walked up to her and without warning, placed his hand against her cheek and stepped closer.

"What are you doing?" Daisy asked suspiciously, feeling the warmth from Luca's hand travel down her body.

"How are you feeling?" Luca asked, his eyes filled with concern. "Did you sleep?"

"Not at all," Daisy shook her head.

"You can get some sleep while we're out today," Richard announced, turning around with a plate of pancakes. "I'm taking Luca hunting with a few of my friends."

"I remember," Daisy said. Luca slowly pulled his hand back and sat down beside her.

"Richard," Luca began as the man picked up his coffee mug and arched his brow.

"Yeah?"

"I want to ask you something very important."

"No."

"He didn't even ask you yet," Daisy rolled her eyes.

"I know what he's going to ask," Richard said. "And my answer is no."

"Stop being so stubborn," Daisy groaned. "You want your grandchild to grow up without a father?"

Richard opened his mouth to speak but thought better of it. His brows knit together and a deep frown appeared on his face. His eyes shifted Luca before going back to Daisy.

"Do you want bacon?" He asked.

"No," Daisy shook her head.

She couldn't stand the awkwardness in the house. Luca took a seat beside her and watched her as she stabbed her pancakes and poured syrup all over.

"Stop looking at me," Daisy sat down her fork and turned toward him.

"Or what?" Luca arched his brow. "I'm just making sure you're not going to throw up everything you're eating."

"I can't eat if you stare at me like that," Daisy said.

"Stop being so childish," Richard objected. "You want something to eat before we head out, Lucas?"

Luca slowly turned his attention towards the man and sighed, "No, thank you."

"His name is Luca," Daisy said.

"I'm old," Richard waved his hand. "I forget."

"Being old is not an excuse for being an ass."

"Don't be a smart mouth," Richard warned. "No one likes a smart mouth."

Daisy glared at the man as she cut off a chunk of her pancakes and shoved it into her mouth. She didn't say anything else as Luca finished his coffee and set off to get ready for the day. Richard bagged his hunting rifles in the yard and threw them into the backseat of his pickup truck.

Daisy could see the scowl on his face from the front door as he picked off some early fallen leaves from the windshield. She pulled her cardigan tightly around herself and walked out into the yard. The wet grass tickled her feet as she shivered from the early morning chill and stopped beside the old man and his truck.

"Can you please be nice to him today?" Daisy asked. "I really like him."

"I'm not being mean to him, am I?" Richard asked.

"No, but you're not being very warm."

"I'm not a damn heater."

"You're the closest thing I have to a father," Daisy said. "Luca didn't have to come here and ask you anything. But he wanted to because he knows how important you are to me. I think he deserves a little credit for that."

Richard slowly nodded his head, "Let me ask you something then."

"What?" Daisy waited.

"Do you want me to give him my permission?"

Daisy shifted her weight and pulled her cardigan tighter. She felt a familiar warmth spread around her body as if Luca had his hands on her skin. Her heart started to beat a little faster and her lips pulled back into a smile without her permission.

"I don't think I've ever seen you blush," Richard said.

"He makes me do things I thought I would never do," Daisy sighed.

"Are you going to say yes to him?"

"Yes," Daisy nodded. "And I want you to give him your permission and blessing."

Richard was once again quiet. He scanned the treetops in the distance as the door opened and Luca walked out, dressed in jeans and a light jacket.

"We'll see what happens," Richard said, patting Daisy's arm. "Go back inside."

Daisy stepped back and turned to face Luca. She walked up to him as his eyes peered at Richard inside the truck.

"He's not going to make this easy, is he?" Luca asked.

"No," Daisy shook her head and laughed.

"This doesn't change anything between us, right?" Luca's eyes shifted towards Daisy.

"What do you mean?" Daisy asked, suddenly thinking about the way he had sat her on his lap the night before.

"I mean our contract," Luca said. "We're still getting married, right?"

Daisy nodded her head, feeling slightly disappointed. She wasn't sure what she was hoping Luca would say, but his words left her feeling cranky and irritated.

"You should go before Dickie gets upset," Daisy muttered.

"What's wrong?" Luca asked, grabbing Daisy's elbow as she tried to walk around him.

"Nothing," Daisy pulled away.

"Was it something I said?"

"Lucas!" Richard called from the truck.

"Get going, Lucas," Daisy turned away and headed into the house, leaving Luca standing out in the yard with Richard honking the truck horn.

_____________________

"Nice shot," Luca said as Richard lowered his gun and the duck in the distance fell to the ground from the sky.

"I can shoot anything," Richard looked up and pinned Luca with his gaze. "Or anyone."

"I don't doubt that," Luca said as he raised his own rifle and aimed for the bird. He waited for the right second to pull the trigger. As soon as he had the duck where he wanted in the sky, the bullet shot out of the rifle with a loud bang. The dogs began to bark instantly, ready to retrieve the hunt.

"He's good," James, Richard's hunting buddy, laughed as he pointed toward Luca.

"You've been hunting before?" Richard asked.

"No, sir," Luca shook his head.

"You're good with a gun," Richard observed.

"I've been around guns before," Luca chuckled.

"Oh yeah?" James asked. "Shooting ranges?"

"Yeah," Luca shrugged.

It would have been inappropriate to tell the men Angelo had given Luca a gun at the age of ten. Luca didn't want to spook Richard, especially not when he was trying to ask for the man's daughter. He remembered it being so much easier when it had been Stella's father. Mario was also a good listener and a calm thinker. Luca knew he would come out with a yes with that man. But with Richard, everything was up in the air, like the ducks. Luca felt restless as he tried to speak to the man and steer the conversation to the marriage.

"How did you and Daisy meet?" James asked.

"She's my sister's best friend," Luca said.

"Isn't that always fun," the man laughed, looking at Richard. "I know I messed around with a few of my sister's friends when we were younger."

"James," Richard's voice was cold and even. "I don't want to think about Lucas messing around with my daughter when I have a gun in my hand."

"We haven't," Luca said. "If it makes you feel any better."

"So you're telling me Q-tip is Virgin Mary?" Richard snorted.

Shit, Luca facepalmed himself in his mind. Stupid.

"Daisy and I didn't mess around," He began. "We're serious about one another. I want to marry her."

"Why?" Richard asked.

"Because she's the mother of my child," Luca said.

"No," Richard said casually as he raised his rifle and shot another duck.

"She's smart and independent," Luca continued. "My family adores her."

"And you?"

"Me?" Luca asked.

"Yeah," Richard lowered his gun. "How do you feel about her?"

"I..." Luca stared at the man's hard face. He felt his throat close up as his pulse started to rise.

Luca knew what Richard wanted to hear. It was expected. Any father would want to hear their daughter's boyfriend say those words. Hell, even Luca would want to know the man asking for his daughter's hand in marriage loved her.

"You're hesitating," Richard said, with a small sigh. "Luca, I'm sure you're a gentleman. I'm sure Daisy loves you. But I don't know how you feel about her."

Luca gripped the rifle tightly in his hand. He watched James step away from the pair to allow them some privacy. Richard waited until they were alone to speak again.

"Daisy didn't have an easy childhood," he began. "She had a lot of men come in and out of her life. Her mother....."

"I know," Luca said. "This is why I want us to be a family. I don't want the baby to have to go through what she had to."

"But how can I trust you?" Richard asked. "How do I know you will not be like Patty's other husbands. Like me. How do I know you won't leave her and the baby?"

"Because I can't live without her."

As the words tumbled out of Luca, he felt a wave of emotion rise up and grip his chest. All the air in his lungs vanished. He should have gone mad from the pressure and the weight on his shoulders, but strangely, there was a sudden peace that came over him. It was as if every ounce of frustration, anger, and mixed emotions found a release.

"I think about her day and night," Luca continued, filling his lungs with the sweet air of the trees around him. "I think about her first, everything and anyone else. She came into my life like a storm and wreaked havoc. But in the center of it all....in the center of the storm that she is, there's peace. She's my peace and my headache."

Richard listened closely without saying a word. His eyes were unreadable. Luca waited for a sign, any sign. The wind blew through the trees and the dogs barked in the distance. James ordered them to retrieve the ducks. Luca could hear the dogs jumping into the marsh and running off. Somewhere in the distance, a duck flapped its wings.

"I believe that's your shot," Richard said.

Without hesitation, Luca raised his rifle and shot the duck out of the air within seconds.



Sorry for the long wait guys :/ I had writer's block and I have been sick