Chapter 2 - The Vacation Nobody MentionedThe first sign of the vacation appeared in Toby’s school backpack.
He and Daisy attended the same elementary school, though Toby was two grades above her. One Tuesday afternoon, Daisy was searching for a blue marker when she found a printed resort brochure between Toby’s notebooks.
The front showed a grand hotel surrounded by palm trees.
Inside were photographs of swimming pools, water slides, boat rides and children eating ice cream beneath striped umbrellas.
Across the top, Melissa had written:
HOLLOWAY FAMILY VACATION — FRIDAY TO MONDAY.
Daisy read the words twice.
She counted the days.
Friday was only three days away.
At dinner, Toby talked excitedly about an upcoming surprise.
Daniel kicked him lightly beneath the table.
Toby stopped speaking.
Daisy looked between them.
“What surprise?”
“No surprise,” Melissa said. “Finish your vegetables.”
Daisy ate quietly.
After dinner, she waited until Toby went upstairs.
Then she placed the brochure on the kitchen counter.
“Are we going to Florida?”
Melissa’s hand paused over the dishwasher.
Daniel looked up from his phone.
“Where did you find that?”
“In Toby’s backpack.”
“You shouldn’t go through other people’s things,” Daniel said.
“I was looking for a marker.”
Melissa took the brochure.
“It’s a short trip.”
Daisy’s face brightened.
“I’ve never seen the ocean.”
Daniel sighed.
“You’re not coming.”
The excitement vanished from her face.
“Why?”
“You have school on Friday.”
“Toby has school too.”
“Toby’s class has a teacher-planning day.”
“My teacher said we can do assignments at home.”
Melissa closed the dishwasher harder than necessary.
“This is exactly why we didn’t tell you. You always turn everything into an argument.”
Daisy looked down.
“I wasn’t arguing.”
Daniel stood.
“Toby earned this trip. His soccer team won the regional match.”
“I helped him practice.”
“This isn’t about you.”
Daisy swallowed.
“Can Grandpa stay with me?”
Her parents exchanged a glance.
It lasted only a second, but Daisy saw it.
“Mrs. Alvarez next door will check on you,” Melissa said.
“For four days?”
Daniel laughed as though the question were ridiculous.
“We’re not leaving you for four days. We’ll decide what to do.”
That night, Daisy called Grant from the small phone he had given her for emergencies.
He had bought it after Evelyn’s funeral because Daniel often forgot to charge the house phone.
Grant answered immediately.
“Hello, sunflower.”
“Grandpa, have you ever been to Florida?”
“Many times. Your grandmother loved the Gulf Coast.”
“Did she see dolphins?”
“Once. She screamed so loudly that the dolphins probably heard her.”
Daisy laughed softly.
Grant smiled at the sound.
“Why do you ask?”
“No reason.”
Grant heard the hesitation.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sure?”
There was a long silence.
“Would Grandma still choose me if she were here?”
Grant sat up straighter.
“She would choose you every single day.”
“Even if Toby was there?”
“Especially then. Love isn’t a contest.”
Daisy whispered good night before he could ask anything else.
Grant stared at the phone after the call ended.
The next morning, he telephoned Daniel.
“Is something happening with Daisy?”
Daniel sounded annoyed.
“She’s being dramatic because Toby earned a weekend trip.”
“You’re taking Toby somewhere?”
“To Florida.”
“And Daisy?”
“She has school.”
“Let her miss one day.”
“We’ve handled it.”
“Who is staying with her?”
Daniel became silent.
Then he said, “Melissa is arranging something.”
Grant asked for details.
Daniel changed the subject.
After the call, Grant considered driving to their house.
Instead, he told himself to wait.
He did not want to accuse his son unfairly.
He did not want to become the interfering father Daniel always claimed he was.
That decision would trouble him for years.
On Thursday evening, Melissa packed three suitcases in the master bedroom.
Daisy stood in the doorway.
“Where is mine?”
Melissa continued folding clothes.
“You’re staying home tomorrow.”
“With Mrs. Alvarez?”
“She’ll come by.”
“What time?”
“In the morning.”
Daisy looked at the three suitcases.
One blue.
One beige.
One black.
There was no purple suitcase for her.
“When will you come back?”
“Monday.”
Daisy’s eyes widened.
“You said you weren’t leaving me for four days.”
Melissa finally faced her.
“We’ll call you. You know how to use the microwave. There are frozen dinners.”
“Can I call Grandpa?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because he encourages your behavior.”
“What behavior?”
Melissa closed the suitcase.
“Making people feel guilty whenever you don’t get your way.”
Daisy returned to her bedroom.
She took the emergency phone from beneath her pillow and checked the battery.
Thirty-two percent.
She plugged it into the charger.
May you like
Then she placed her purple backpack beside the bed.
She did not know whether she was preparing to go somewhere or preparing to escape.
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