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Chapter Eight
While I got dressed I thought about Daisy’s comments and convinced myself what I’d done with her was nothing like I had been with anyone else. Once I was decent I sat on the end of the bed. I cussed myself again for the fact I’d never even considered memorizing any of the numbers I may have needed in the event of an emergency.
More than once during the evening whenever I’d passed a phone I’d considered picking up the handset on her landline. However the only people I could think of were at the record and PR companies and no one worked on Saturdays.
After a while of pacing around the room, straightening the sheets, and staring at the flock wallpaper pattern on the wall, I resigned myself to the thought that Daisy was probably not coming back.
For a second I wondered if sneaking out would solve her embarrassment about what had happened, but I quickly discarded that idea as cowardice. Just as I was all out of ideas I heard her footfall on the creaking hallway floorboards as she slowly approached the door.
Freshly showered and fully dressed, Daisy handed me her tablet, the search engine page already loaded. “Sorry, I almost forgot this.” Waving the tablet at me, I stood and took it gently from her hand.
“Thanks, babe. I need to figure out where I am. Can you write the address down for me then I can tell someone where to pick me up?”
Daisy chewed her lip, while one hand clutched the forearm of her other arm, “I’ll get a pen.” When she turned and left the room I had the bright idea of logging into my Skype. I had no idea why I hadn’t thought of that before.
Firstly, I had to log in because it wasn’t my usual device and then couldn’t remember my password. I was such a technophobe. Then I tried my email remembering I could email everyone. I had Paddy’s email as well.
A few minutes later I almost threw the damned tablet out of the window because I couldn’t remember my passwords to anything and I’d gotten it wrong so many times it wanted to send a code to my phone or to my recovery email address which belonged to my personal assistant.
Donna had saved every device with saved passwords to make things easier for me, except for the times when I couldn’t utilize my own equipment.
Eventually, I called my sister in the US using the landline phone by the bed. My big sister and I hadn’t spoken in eight whole months, but it was the only number I knew by heart.I felt ashamed that the first time I was in trouble it was her I had to call.
“Oh, so you’re alive?” The bitterness in her voice stung my ear.
“Sorry,” I replied and sounded suitably so.
“I guess this is trouble when you’re calling at 10pm on a Friday night? The boys and I thought you’d forgotten about us.” I glanced at my wristwatch and saw it was 3am.
“I know how this looks and you can berate me all you want, but right now, Catrina, can you please cut me some slack? I was on my way to Paddy’s wedding when my flight was diverted.” I went on to explain where I was and what the issues were and when I finished she breathed a frustrated sigh down the line.
“If I give you this are Ryan, Nick and I not going to hear from you for another eight months?”
“No, of course I want to see you. The band has been busy, touring and cutting a new album, but I’ll be home to see you the week after next. You and the boys were next on my list; it would have been sooner if Paddy hadn’t been getting married.” That part was true. I missed her and my two eighteen year old nephews. Catrina had been a single stay-at-home mom thanks to my earnings.
The door creaked open and Daisy came and stood in front of me, a small reporter's notebook in her hand and a brewery gifted pen.
After another scolding, Catrina gave me Paddy’s number and I said it back to her as Daisy wrote it down.
“Thanks, you’re a godsend.”
“Remember that the next time I tell you not to give the boys alcohol,” she admonished. I chuckled and told her I loved her then hung up.
It had felt good to have spoken to her because the length of time I hadn’t, had become a weird thing for me about delaying the call.
Glancing up at Daisy, I smiled as I took the pad from her, then I noticed the deep crease on her forehead. I quickly realized how my one-sided conversation had looked.
“My sister—she busts my balls for not calling or visiting,” I explained with a sheepish grin. Daisy shrugged and turned away without comment.
“Hey, wait.” I grabbed her by the hand and stood to face her. “Seriously, it was Catrina. My sister is a single parent and hers is the only number I can remember off by heart.”
She stared me out for a few seconds then her shoulders slumped and in the short time I’d known her I could tell she believed me.
“I’m going to bed. It’s been a long day and I have to be up by 6am for The Drayman.”
I had thought of reaching out to her again, but I figured I should at least know my plans before I said anything else. Without looking back, Daisy left me there, sitting on her spare bed with her tablet and notebook in my hand.
Picking up the handset again, I punched in the number and heard the call connect. The first time it went to voicemail. “Pick up the fucking phone,” I said frustrated and cut the call off. Paddy wasn’t a light sleeper and on the early morning of his wedding I knew he’d have had more than a couple of sherries to drink—so I kept on ringing… and ringing.
