Pushing Up Daisies (11 page)

“I think I should go now.”

“I thought you were staying. Is it something I said?”

“No, it’s me. Staying with you is tempting. But I’ll eventually have to get back to reality.” She rushed out the front door.

As Daisy waited for the doorman to hail a cab, she felt a tap on her shoulder. When she turned around, Adonis grabbed her and kissed her deeply. The warmth of his lips and the slight wetness of his mouth beckoned her to stay. She wanted to see what more he had to offer. Their tongues danced rhythmically, their breaths becoming one. She had never been kissed so passionately, so intensely. Daisy moaned, feeling his hardness against her abdomen. She tried to pull away but couldn’t. His lips invited her to stay and she couldn’t turn them down. She gave in to his deliciousness, and before she knew it, she was on the elevator with her back pressed against the wall.

The doors opened and neither uttered a word with their mouths, but their eyes spoke. She couldn’t get enough of Adonis and hadn’t even
had
him yet. She envisioned what it’d be like to be with him and knew she’d drink him with her soul. Suck up every drop of him and carry him inside her for as long as he would stay.

“I’ve wanted you for so long,” Adonis whispered in her ear once they were back in the apartment.

Daisy panted. She had no words, only desires she wanted him to fulfill. She was tired of being empty and guessed—hoped—he was the one to fill her voids.

“I’m glad you came.” He kissed her forehead.

“Me too.”

“Can I do something for you? No, let me rephrase that. I’ll be right back, there’s something I want to do for you.” He went to the back of the apartment.

Daisy sat down and waited. She heard the rush of running water coming from the bathroom. Her day had been filled with surprises and she was thankful. She closed her eyes to absorb the good feeling that pervaded her.

The phone rang.

“Can you get that, baby?” Adonis yelled from the back.

“Yes,” Daisy answered. “I can’t believe he wants me to answer his phone,” she squealed under her breath, happy that he’d asked. She took it as a confirmation of his singleness.

“Hello?”

“Hi, is Adonis home?”

“I’m sorry, who are you looking for?” Daisy asked, knowing whom the woman asked for, but wishing she’d heard wrong. She hoped Adonis didn’t have the audacity to expect her to take messages from his admirers.

“Oh, I apologize for being so rude. I have a husband too. I wouldn’t want some woman calling my house and not introducing herself. This is Denise, Calvin Harris’s sister. Is Adonis in?”

“I’m afraid you have the wrong number.”

“Is this 212–387-…”

Daisy ignored Denise as she spoke. She knew it wasn’t her place to lie, but she had to. She couldn’t allow Adonis and Calvin to speak. On cue she answered, “Yes, this is the number. But no one lives here by that name.”

Daisy fixed her clothes and headed to the door. “Wrong number,” she yelled. “I’m sorry, but I have to go. Something urgent came up,” she lied, and ran out praying that Calvin’s sister wouldn’t call back.

Daisy pulled out of the storage facility where her belongings were stored. Her hands were dirty, covered with God only knew what from carrying all of Jay’s necessities.
This is only the first of many trips.

Jay had always been fortunate—spoiled. While Daisy had taken care of his needs, Jasper had supplied his wants. He had become Noah and spoiled Jay with
every
single thing he’d asked for, in twos. He had two PlayStations, Xboxes, GameCubes, and Game Boy SPs along with the respective games for each. He had a double collection of all things DVD: players, camcorders, burners. A wardrobe of high-priced designer clothes and equally expensive sneakers and boots. Bikes, traditional and motorized. Computers, laptops, and PCs. And a Plasma TV that hung on the wall. He had it all. All the things Daisy couldn’t give him on her own and wouldn’t if she could afford to. She smiled, imagining the expression on his face when he learned that they’d have to share a bedroom. She hoped it wouldn’t feel too awkward, but she knew that they’d both find comfort in each other’s presence. She missed Jay, and the fullness and life he brought to barren rooms. She turned down the radio and drove in silence. She needed quiet, to be surrounded by her thoughts and nothing else.
Today is a new day,
she thought,
and tomorrow will be the same. I’m a new woman now, all Jay’s got. Our new life starts right here.

Daisy sat at Ming Li’s kitchen table, trying to figure out how she was going to fit all of their stuff into Ming Li’s space. Her stomach growled as the tangy scent of the jambalaya teased her nostrils.
What’s gotten into Ming Li? She doesn’t cook.

“How’s it going over there?” Ming Li asked, wiping her hands with a paper towel.

“It’s going. I can’t complain. I have a job. Now I just have to find us a place to live and pay the last installment on my Jeep.”

“Well, I know it seems like a lot—and it is—but you can do it. As your mom would say, you’ve got to have faith.”

“Yeah, I’ve got to have faith—and money. I don’t know which is going to come first, but I wish it’d hurry.”

“Daisy, you know I really didn’t mean…I promised not to tell. I just never thought…”

“It’s okay. I understand. I was going to talk to you anyway. I didn’t want Jay to come home and see us walking around avoiding each other like the plague.”

“So we’re cool?”

Daisy smiled. “Of course.”

“So, where’ve you been? You’re gone a lot.”

Daisy smiled again.

“Adonis, hunh? I should’ve known you had a little bad girl in you. You’ve been releasing stress with him. I don’t blame you; he’s gorgeous. But judging by that glow on your face, he’s more than that to you.”

“I can’t tell you the half of it. The man is more than gorgeous. Adonis was,
is,
everything I’ve ever desired. I used to dream about how I’d give myself to him in every way imaginable. I still do.”

“You need to unwrap that gift and enjoy the present. You’ve spent too much time worrying about tomorrows.”

“I know, and you’re right. But I still think about how stupid I was. As I sat here going over my to-do list, I realized that all the nice clothes, the fancy, overpriced house, the…the
everything,
was for nothing. I mean, excuse me for saying this, but even the sex. Really, it wasn’t worth what I sacrificed. Jasper wasn’t that good.”

“All cash, no flash? Well, at least now you can look back on it and laugh.”

“Dependence is a joke. That’s why I haven’t slept with Adonis. Don’t get me wrong. I want him as badly as I need stability. I’m just not going to allow anyone else to toy with me. I’ve given too much of myself. He may just want to satisfy his curiosity.”

Ming Li shook her head. “Nah. It’s more than that. Gigi told me that he’s always asked about you—for years. If you want him, I say go get him.”

“That’s exactly what I should—”

The telephone rang, interrupting Daisy. Ming Li answered, then handed it to Daisy. “It’s Ms. Christine. She says it’s important.”

“Ma, it’s not Jay is it?”

“No, baby. Jay’s fine. He’s all packed up and ready to go. It’s Lani.”

Tears surfaced immediately. Daisy couldn’t bear the thought of anything happening to her daughter. Panic filled her voice. “What about her?”

“Calvin petitioned for a DNA test.”

“What?”
But I never told him that I was pregnant.

“You heard me. He wants to know if Lani is his daughter.”

“Who told him? How does he know about Lani?”

“I don’t know how he found out, but he did. It was something new to me, I can tell you that. I always had suspicions…but you never gave us a name, just the runaround. But anyway, now he wants to know his daughter.”

“You’ve got to hide her. Send her here—”

“I’ve already taken care of it. He thinks she’s somewhere with you. I told him I didn’t know where y’all were. He’s not falling for it, though. But it’ll buy us some time.”

“Ma, put her on the plane with Jay.”

“Baby, I would. But how are you going to take care of three people when you can’t take care of one?”

Daisy sighed. “Just when I thought it was all coming together…”

“I
don’t want to go to school,” Jay said as Daisy stood above him, holding his uniform. He’d been trying to avoid it all week.

“Well, you’re going. Do you want to be held back a grade?” She sat on the edge of the bed and gently pulled the cover off him. “What’s wrong? You used to love school.”

Jay grabbed the cover back and pulled it to his chin, then rolled back onto his side, away from her. “I’m not going,” he mumbled.

Daisy stood there for a moment, staring at his back. It was taking everything she had not to yank him out of bed. They’d been going at it for weeks. She understood how difficult the transition had been for him, but she’d had enough. She knew that he’d been testing her, despite what the school counselor had said. Besides, she couldn’t depend on the advice of a woman who didn’t have children. Jay knew exactly what he was doing.

She snatched the cover from him in one swift motion. “You have five seconds to get your butt out of bed! Try me if you want to.”

Jay glared at her. If looks could kill, she’d be fully decomposed. He lay there defiantly.

“Did you hear me? I’m going to finish cooking breakfast. Be downstairs in fifteen minutes. If I come back up here and find that you’re not dressed…” Daisy slammed the door behind her.

Daisy took her time buttering the toast, delaying the inevitable. As much as she wanted to put her foot down with Jay, she found it almost impossible. She’d never hit him before, and she didn’t believe in doing so. There had to be some other way. But she was seconds away from snapping.

“Mmm, that smells good.” Ming Li opened the refrigerator and removed the carton of orange juice.

“It’s just turkey bacon, scrambled eggs, English muffins, and fruit, nothing spectacular.” Daisy nodded toward the spread on the table. “Oh, and toast for Jay. He doesn’t eat muffins.”

“So, you’re making him go to school today?”

“He has no choice, and neither do I. I’m starting on a new project today. The boss is going to be there. I can’t keep taking Jay to work with me.”

Ming Li sat down and began nibbling on a piece of bacon. “You shouldn’t have taken him with you in the first place. He’s going to run you ragged.”

Daisy placed two slices of buttered toast on Jay’s plate and joined Ming Li at the table. “I don’t know what to do about him. On one hand I feel sorry for him—”

“And he knows it. That’s why he’s been doing this. He’s taking advantage of you. He may be a child, but he doesn’t think like one.” Ming Li took a sip of her juice. “How do you think he was able to manipulate you into buying those clothes and expensive sneakers? Like you could really afford to spend a hundred and fifty dollars on shoes.”

“He needed the clothes. He grew a lot over the summer. And the other kids had the sneakers.”

“The other kids, my ass. That boy has everything he could possibly want. He’s had more in nine years than some people have in their entire lives. ‘What the other kids have’is nonsense. Anyway, the last time I dropped him off, everyone had on uniforms.”

Ming Li was right. Jay had been taking her for granted. It would be a hard task to change the monster she’d helped create, but she’d get through it. And so would Jay, if he knew what was good for him.

Daisy glanced up at the clock. Jay was late. Adrenaline started coursing through her veins. She needed to calm down, she told herself as she headed up the stairs, before she accidentally hurt him. “Jay, get your butt down these stairs now!”

“I don’t feel good. My head hurts.”

“We can fix that.”
You won’t feel a thing after I knock you out.

Daisy sat on a bench in Central Park and finished off her tuna on rye. She turned her face into the cool breeze and slowly inhaled its crisp scent. She’d always felt rooted in the park, almost one with nature. She thought it spectacular and dreamed that one day she’d be able to design her own magnificent oasis.

Looking at her watch, she realized that Adonis was running late. Any other day, she would have been annoyed, but today she needed the time alone to weigh her options. Jay had been driving her crazy. On several occasions, she’d had to remind herself that he was just a child; he couldn’t possibly appreciate all that she’d done. Daisy sighed, wondering if she was doing the right thing by keeping him. She had abandoned her own child and was struggling to raise that of someone else—someone she’d never met.

“I just don’t know what to do,” she whispered. She’d never be able to provide him with all that he was used to, but she had a wealth of love to give. Money came and went, but love was forever.

“Hey, you.” Adonis strolled toward her on the wide cement path, looking delicious as usual in a pair of dark jeans and a black turtleneck.

“Hey, yourself.” Daisy stood to hug him. “I was getting a little worried.”

“Sorry. I got caught up at work. You should see the amazing architecture of the building I’m restoring. I don’t know how they came up with it.” He smiled, then gave her shoulder a squeeze. “I’m sorry for going on about my work. So what’s up?”

“Let’s walk,” she said, taking his arm. “I need to walk off some of this tension.”

“What’s wrong? Anything I can help with?”

They walked hand in hand for over an hour. His warmth and caring put her at ease, made her feel that she didn’t have to hide any of her emotions or problems. He seemed to accept her as she was, flaws and all. After chatting about trivial things, she explained her problem with Jay. Adonis reassured her, said it was just a part of bereavement, that Jay was having a hard time coping with his father’s death. He wasn’t just being difficult; he was angry.

Adonis looked at his watch, then led Daisy by the hand to the other side of the park. “Come on, we’re going to be late.”

Daisy stopped. “Late for what? Where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise.”

“Sorry,” she said, shaking her head. “I can’t. I have to be there when Jay gets home from his after-school program.”

Adonis smiled slyly. “I’ve taken care of everything. Ming Li’s going to watch him.”

“You asked Ming Li to babysit Jay?”

“No, she volunteered. Said she’d keep him all weekend if we wanted.”

Daisy fell silent, deciding to follow Adonis wherever he was taking her. But jealousy crept in. She trusted Adonis, but she didn’t want him talking to Ming Li when she wasn’t around. Ming Li was not only promiscuous, but secretive.

Adonis stopped when they reached West Fifty-seventh Street. Daisy looked around. “Where are we going?”

Adonis pointed. “Right here.”

“To the spa?”

“Yes, for a couple’s massage. Trust me…you’ll love it.”

“Couldn’t you just massage me yourself?” she teased, feeling bold.

“I can do anything you want.”

Daisy sat quietly between Adonis’s legs on the floor of his bedroom, listening to the sultry ballads flowing from the speakers. She rolled her head slowly as he gently rubbed her shoulders and kneaded her neck, then rested it on his thigh and took in the room. As many times as she had been to his apartment, she’d never seen his bedroom, had avoided the temptation of it. Suppressing a grin, she remembered how often she had dreamed of lying in his bed.
I’m really here. Now what?

As if he could read her mind, Adonis stood, slowly slid his hands under her arms, and pulled her to her feet. She tried to turn to face him, but he held her in place. He pressed his body into her back and swept her hair to one side, exposing her neck. She moaned, her heart pounding, as she felt his warm lips on her nape. As much as she had dreamed about being with him, as badly as she’d always wanted him, she was nervous. It had been a long time since she’d had sex, years since she’d had great sex.
Maybe we shouldn’t. What if he can’t live up to my expectations? What if I can’t satisfy him?
She was afraid to ruin the perfect fantasy that she’d created, but her uncertainty faded with the warmth of his mouth on her earlobe.

She gave in to it, leaned her head on his chest. As Adonis’s hands moved to her breasts, gently cupping and squeezing them, her nipples hardened. All of his moves were slow and deliberate. She decided that he was intentionally trying to drive her crazy, push her over the edge.

“Let me turn around,” Daisy pleaded breathlessly. “Please.”

“Ssh.”

His hands moved from her breasts to the hem of her sweater. She lifted her arms as he pulled it off in one quick motion, then unfastened her plum lace bra. She arched her back as he planted delicious kisses from the top of her shoulders to her waist. She wanted to reach out and grab his head but couldn’t.

“Turn around,” he commanded in a seductively deep voice as breathy as hers.

Daisy turned, and he went down on his knees, his lips meeting her navel. Gently, he grabbed her by the waist and licked her stomach. Their eyes met as she looked down at him.
That’s right, beg for it.
But if he kept up this slow, teasing pace, Daisy knew, she’d soon be the one who’d be begging.

She felt her jeans fall down to her ankles, and she stepped out of them. Her lace panties followed seconds later. And so did Adonis’s succulent lips. She shivered as Adonis’s mouth traveled up her body, planting erogenous kisses on the inside of her knees, inner thighs, cleavage, and then neck as he stood tall. She couldn’t take it anymore. Daisy stood on her tiptoes and hungrily kissed his full lips, her hand tracing his jawline, her eyes inviting him to do whatever he wanted. Whatever he asked, she’d give it.

Selfishly, she stepped back and watched Adonis undress. She didn’t help—and didn’t want to. What she wanted was to take in every delectable inch of his nakedness. She stared first at his face, then his chest, then his rippled abdomen, but her gaze traveled no farther. She was afraid to look down. She wanted the rest to be a surprise—a pleasant one.

Pushing him onto the bed, she climbed on top of him. She’d never been so eager, or hot, before. Her legs were throbbing in time with her heartbeat. She had to have him. As she reached out to grab him and lead him inside her, Adonis stopped her and flipped her over. He grabbed her by the hips and pulled her up on all fours. Daisy squeezed her eyes shut as she felt his face between her legs, his razor stubble tickling her thighs. His warm breath increased her heat as his skilled tongue danced between her lower lips. Daisy grabbed the headboard, trying to keep her balance as his tongue traveled from her slit to her rear. “Oh, God,” she moaned, then held her breath and braced herself as Adonis’s tongue moved into unexplored territory.