five
Daisy waited until the kids were upstairs playing after dinner to sit down with Esmerelda.
“I’m going to need your help,” she began.
Esmerelda nodded. “I knew there was something going on the second you walked in the door. What is it? Mr. Jordan?”
“No, not him. Cassidy was in an accident.”
Daisy explained about the fall and Cassidy being airlifted from a hospital in Patagonia.
“She’ll be here in two days. We need to get a room ready for her.” She passed Esmerelda a list of medical equipment they would need, including a hospital bed, an adjustable table and a riser with side supports for the toilet.
“I want to put her in the guest room on the second floor. It’s large enough to accommodate a wheelchair, if we need one. We’ll use the elevator to get her up and down.”
Esmerelda read the list. “Good. Because I don’t want to give up my main floor room for the likes of her.”
Daisy laughed. “Why do you have attitude? You’ve never even met her.” Esmerelda had come to work for Daisy long after Cassidy had moved out.
“I heard about her from my cousin.” Esmerelda’s expression turned fierce. “I’ll do what I’m supposed to do, but I won’t like it.”
Loyalty came in many forms, Daisy thought, grateful for the support. Esmerelda’s much older cousin had been Daisy’s, and later Cassidy’s, nanny. She had witnessed Cassidy at her best and her worst. While Daisy wanted to think Cassidy had changed, she had her doubts, which would make the long convalescence seem endless.
“I’m sure everything will go smoothly,” she lied, knowing her cheerful tone wouldn’t fool Esmerelda.
The housekeeper raised her eyebrows. “Really?”
“Sometimes it helps to assume the best.”
“Good luck with that.” Esmerelda waved the list. “I’ll get started on this right away. We’ll get the existing furniture taken out and what she needs brought in. I’ll need to know if she has any dietary requirements so I can do the grocery shopping.”
“I’ll get the information to you. She’ll have round-the-clock nursing for the first few days.”
“Not a problem.” Esmerelda smiled at her. “I’m unflappable. And I’ll keep my opinion of her to myself.”
“Give her a chance. You might like her.”
“Unlikely, but I’ll wait and see.”
Daisy thanked her before going up to the second floor playroom. Ben and Krissa were at the small game table in the corner, a board game between them. They looked up as she came in.
“We’re playing The Game of Life,” Krissa said. “And I’m winning.”
Ben made a face that had Daisy thinking Krissa might not be winning all on her own. She had the absolute best kids in the world, something she would have to remember over the next few weeks. Maybe it would help her deal with the reality of having Cassidy move in.
Daisy sat down in one of the chairs and smiled. “So I have some news,” she began.
“Is Daddy moving back?” Krissa asked anxiously. “I miss him so much.”
Ben watched her, his expression more cautious than hopeful, and didn’t speak.
Daisy felt a jab of guilt as she said, “This isn’t about your dad. Your aunt Cassidy is going to be staying with us for a little while. Won’t that be great?”
“Who’s Aunt Cassidy?” Ben asked.
“She’s my half sister.”
“Sage talked about her the other day,” Krissa told him. “Sage is Mom’s stepsister.”
Ben frowned. “You have a stepsister?”
Daisy nodded.
“Cassidy and Sage’s mother was married to your grandfather for a while. Cassidy is their daughter.”
“That’s confusing,” Ben told her, then added, “But I think I met her once, a long time ago. Maybe with Grandpa.”
“I think I remember that,” Daisy said. “Cassidy was in an accident. She fell off the side of a mountain.”
Ben’s eyes widened. “For real? That’s so cool. I mean, I hope she’s all right.”
Daisy smiled at him. “She’s going to be, but right now she’s hurt and she needs help. She’ll be staying in the guest room while she gets better. At first she’s going to have a nurse to help her.”
“Is she going to look scary?” Krissa asked, hunching in her chair.
“She’ll be bruised and in a couple of casts. For a while, she’s going to be on painkillers, so she might talk a little funny.”
“Will she look like a monster?” Ben asked hopefully.
“I’ll take a look at her when she gets here,” Daisy told them both. “And let you know so you’re prepared. Your grandfather is very excited to have her staying with us. He’s going to come visit in a few weeks.”
Krissa walked over to Daisy, then slid onto her lap. “I don’t want to be scared of her.”
“I know, sweetie. I’ll be right here when you meet her. It might help to remember how she looks isn’t her fault. She’s hurt. Like when you get a bruise. Sometimes it looks really awful, but on the inside, you’re healing.”
Krissa snuggled close. Daisy wrapped her arms around her.
“Did you tell Dad?” Ben asked.
“I’m going to let him know next,” she said, careful to keep her answer neutral. She would absolutely let Jordan know what was happening, but the how was more of a question. Texting seemed so disconnected, but as they still weren’t speaking, she wasn’t sure there was an alternative.
“Daddy’s very busy with work,” Krissa said. “Saving animals.”
“Yes, he is.”
Daisy was used to the disparity in how their children viewed their work. Being a veterinarian made sense to them. They were less clear on what she did. Anesthesia was a vague concept, at best, at least at their ages.
She set Krissa back on her feet. “I’ll let you get back to your game,” she said as she leaned in and kissed Ben on the cheek. “Once I know the day and time of Cassidy’s arrival, I’ll let you know.”
They returned their attention to the board game. Daisy went to the guest suite where her half sister would stay.
Back when they’d all been kids, this had been Daisy’s suite of rooms. When she and Jordan had moved into the master suite, Daisy had converted them to accommodate guests. Jordan had wanted the rooms for an office suite, but had agreed he didn’t need that much space. Instead he’d taken what had been her father’s study downstairs.