(24) Women's Fiction: Daisies For Ella

TITLE: DAISIES FOR ELLA
GENRE: Women's Fiction

After dramatic mood swings crash the trajectory of her life, a law student discovers a multi-generational family secret, and the choice she must make—confront the issue, and create a new life, or build an emotional cave to crawl into.

The grocery bags, slapping against my legs, contained the ingredients for an apology, one to be delivered gift-wrapped in wine, food, and candlelight. A romantic evening designed to purge away my fiancé, Sam’s, lingering bitterness toward the flying shoe incident that occurred on Monday. Last night, I tried to apologize and even vowed never to throw anything again, but this morning, his hug felt cold, not icy, but slushy.

As I crossed the lobby of our apartment building, the sacks felt as heavy as my heart—weighed down by memories of flying shoes, shattered mugs, and previous promises to maintain my self-control. Sam earned the right to be angry.

I elbowed the elevator “Up” button, and the diamond sparkling on my left hand flashed. Soon, I would be Mrs. Sam Hutchinson; mood swings were not going to destroy my happily ever after.

The old-fashioned brass doors opened, and standing inside was Sam’s former roommate, Eric, pulling a suitcase.

“Hi Eric.”

He bolted out of the elevator. “Sam’s in the apartment.”

Odd, I thought as the car clanked up to the seventh floor. The doors parted, and I hauled the groceries down the hallway.

“Sam?” I called, and kicked our apartment door closed behind me. After dropping the bags on the kitchen table, I followed the sound of slamming drawers.

The scene inside the bedroom, clothes strewn across the floor, and Sam dumping T-shirts into a suitcase, soured my stomach. His eyes grew wide when he spotted me standing in the doorway.

“What’s going on, Sam?”