The next day in the morning, after breakfast, Amanda left for the company with her lover and Daisy had to go home to change as well as attend to her son and dog before taking her to the veterinary.
On her way there, she decided to stop at the company and see what was going on because at the latest she has been away from the company due to certain things that came up.
When Amanda saw them walking into the company, she was surprised and eyed Daisy quizzically but the latter smiled, ignoring her friends' chiding glare to see the workers. She greeted everyone and enjoyed a moment touring the same grounds as though reassuring herself of all she has worked for over the years to secure.
"What are you doing here?!" Amanda came behind her, almost startling Daisy who took in steady breath and faced her friend with a biting smile.
"Can't I stop by again to see how things are going here?"
"No, not today. You are supposed to take Ella to the hospital with Daniel."
"Well, I brought him here maybe to convince you keep and_"
"C'mon, Babes, don't be like that," Amanda reprimanded her, having caught up with her sly act. "You can't keep him away from the outside forever. Just because his father is back doesn't mean he should suffer for it. I know that's why you are doing this."
"I'm not..." She lied through her teeth.
"Then take him."
"You know how he gets outside. I don't have the strength of barreling hard around the yard trying to control both of them, please." She gave Amanda poppy eyes and the latter shook her head, placing her right hand on her forehead.
"Just stop being dramatic, Daisy. You take Daniel and Ella almost everywhere, today won't be any different," She rolled her eyes. "It's because of Ethan."
Knowing that there was no way she was going to win against her friend today, Daisy exhaled and sagged her head. "Fine, then I better get going. I just rh__"
"Please, take Ella quickly, her muzzle has been drooling on the floor showing she might have caught something."
"Okay..." Daisy bounced out of the room towards her son who was squatting over a launching Ella, brushing her furs softly. He perked up when he saw his mother and ran to take her hand, "mom, can we go now? Ella is really sick!"
"Yeah, here, Ella, don't be sick..." She sang as she brushed through the beast's furs as they walked out. Amanda's lover waved at her and in return, Daisy gave her a slight smile so as not to appear rude. She might have promised to be cool with her, still, it was a slow process.
"Is she going to be alright?" Daniel asked her.
"Of course, Danny. Every living thing falls sick once in a while, that doesn't mean it will die."She dropped Ella at the back of the car and Daniel jumped in after her.
When they got to the veterinary, she came around to bring her out and as she turned, an attendant came to take Ella from her and kissed his head, repeatedly purring to him. "I will take him inside," She said to Daisy who nodded, and before she would choose the door and twist around, her son was sprinting across the yard after the nurse.
She inhaled deeply and locked the car doors and ventured after them. She was equally worried about Ella. It's all her fault that their dog is sick. If she hadn't missed his veterinary check-up at the start of the week, they would have avoided this.
However, what greeted her when she crossed the entrance nearly made her drop dead. She stood at the door with her heart in her mouth trying to process what was going on. How come?
"Hey, Daisy," Ethan called, his hand around her son's shoulder which snapped her out of her daze and at once was barging across the hall to harshly snatch Daniel from him.
"What the fuck is your problem?! Are you stalking me now?" She confronted him immediately, her son safely tucked underneath her arms. Passerby who saw the manner she snatched the boy stopped to observe.
"Calm down, Daisy. I wasn't stalking you," he tried to manage the situation with a solemn smile.
"Then fuck off!" She hissed at him and tugged Daniel away to the astonishment of Ethan who was dumbfounded for a while. He knew Daisy and how much she can blow off. So in order to avoid that, he simply beamed at his son and stood to the side, not going after them and creating more scenes.
Daisy was beyond crazed now and wished she hadn't listened to Mandy and brought their son here. She should have left him at the house or even at the fashion house irrespective of him revolting. She was his mother and knew what was best for him.
This thought raged in her head as she held tightly to him, her hand covering his face and glaring at Ethan who leered back at them pitifully that she almost bucked and allowed him even though a second with the boy as she can see in his eyes he wants to.
Never!
"Baby, come on let me get you crackers, you want some, right?"She bent to ask the boy whose heads bounced in the direction of his father with a likewise expression.
"Why can I not be with him, mom?"
Daisy easily blocked his view of Ethan. "Because he is not good for you, okay?" Here, what Amanda was avoiding she was doing; bad-mouthing Ethan in front of Daniel.
"But he seemed nice. I --"
"Daniel!" She careened, her voice louder than she wanted to. She quickly smiled to rectify her mistake. "I am your mother and I know what is right for you, okay? You trust me, don't you?"
He nodded feebly and followed her as they walked out of the public reception into the refreshment corner.
After checking out Ella it was confirmed she was growing too much fat and would need exercise and other prescriptions which would demand Daisy drop her off at the pet's gym every day to recover since she won't have all that taken in her hand.
They took her meds and left the veterinary, with her happy when they didn't see Ethan in the hallway. She quickened her steps, hoping to outrun him if he had gone to any of the offices.
When she came outside, she dropped Ella on the floor and it seemed the injection they gave her inside gave her a little energy because the next minute she was barreling in full force down the sidewalk, and before Daisy would get ahold of the situation, her son chased her down.
"Ella! Danny! Stop!" She yelled and ran after them in equal force, a loud unladylike curse leaving her mouth.
They made a U-turn at the corner and ran in another direction and Daisy lost it. This was totally a bad idea. She has often brought Ella to this veterinary check but it was as though nature was bringing to pass her premonition of her suffering in their hands today.
"Danny!"She called when she lost sight of them. "Ella! Oh, God, not today..." She rapidly skidded her eyes about for any signal of them but saw nothing.
She stopped in the middle of the field with her hand to her chest panting loudly from her hot chase, still searching in fear.
"Over here!" She pivoted with so much force she lost footing and went flying to the ground due to her heels. "Son of a gun! I'm going to make sure those two are severely punished for this humiliation!" She veered and made to stand but then a hand came about her and helped her up before she would protest. Her breathing hitched from the contact for a while she was speechless but when she came about, she cringed away and regained her claws to attack.
"Where is my son, you bastard?!" She flared at Ethan.
Ethan stood staring at her, savoring for a moment watching her pour off some pent-up steams.
She couldn't tell how the question she asked sounded funny to him to have an amusing expression. "I swear I'm going to kill you if you touch any hair on his head, Ethan! Give me my son, my dog!" Her eyes flew around in search of them.
"Calm down, Daisy, I was merely walking Boss when I saw your dog bounding down the lane. What did you expect me to do?"
"Where are they?!"
"Playing over there..."He pointed at the field at the corner which her orbs dilated to at once but he blocked her sight from catching anything.
"What are you playing at?" She tilted her head defiantly at him.
"Just a moment with my son, Daisy, is that too much to ask?"He inquired very slowly, yet, suspiciously.
"He is not your son, Ethan, stop talking nonsense!"
"He is, Daisy. It's written all over him," His eyes fell as he spoke, "look, I know I messed up, babe-"
"Don't you dare call me that, Ethan. You lost every right the day you divorced me! From the moment you accused me of cheating, Ethan. He is not your son and would never be! Danny! Ella!"
Having heard his mother's voice Daniel rushed out from the thicket, his face wide in a delightful beam. It broke his mother's heart. He was having such a great time with his father. "Mom!" He coursed and bounded to her with Ella after him and... Well, a nice-looking short-legged Weiler.
"We have to leave now, Danny!" She ordered the little boy.
"Dad said he wants to stay with me a little, mom. Please...."
Dad? Daisy's head exploded.
...