From Duty To Desire

Chapter 10

Daisy's eyes narrowed , her voice firm. "Ethan, listen to me. Nothing can separate us. Nothing except death itself. We love each other, and that's all that matters. Gregory's opinions, his judgements....... they mean nothing".

"Daisy, I don't know how this will work. I'm not sure if I can........ if we can make this work". Ethan said, his voice laced with uncertainty.

"I don't care about the obstacles or the challenges. I only care about one thing: my love for you. And nothing on earth can stop me from loving you. Not your marriage, not your fears, not anything. My love for you is unshakable, unbreakable. And I will fight for it, no matter what ". Daisy said, her voice unwavering.

" Daisy, I want to work on this. On us. But I need some time. Please, just go back to your work and leave me to think ".

Daisy's face fell, her eyes clouding with disappointment. But she nodded, her voice barely above a whisper." Okay, Ethan. I'll go ".

She turned and walked away, her shoulders slumped in defeat. Ethan watched her go, his heart heavy with emotion. He knew he had hurt her, but he needed time to think, to figure out what he really wanted.

As the door closed behind her, Ethan let out a sigh and rubbed his temples. He felt like he was torn in two, his heart and mind at war over what to do next. But one thing was certain: he couldn't keep hurting Daisy like this. He needed to make a decision, once and for all.

************

Dora lay in bed that night, her eyes wide open as she stared at the ceiling. She couldn't sleep, her mind racing with thoughts of her father. She missed him so much as she was just 12 years old at the time he died, a tender age when she needed her father's guidance the most.

She thought back to when she was a little girl, no more than 6 years old. Her father would tuck her in at night, reading her stories and singing her favorite lullabies. He would treat her like a princess, making her feel like the most special girl in the world.

But her mother would often scold him, saying "You're spoiling her, she needs to learn to be independent". And her father would reply," But she's my little princess, and I want to make her happy ".

Dora remembered one particular night, when she was 8 years old. She had fallen asleep in her father's arms, and he had carried her to bed. Her mother had been angry.

" You're going to make her too dependent on you", she said

" I just want to make her feel loved and safe. That's what fathers are for ".

Her mother had sighed" But what about when you're not here? What about when she needs to learn to take care of herself? ".

" I'll always be here for her, even when I'm not physically here. She'll know that I love her, no matter what ",her father had replied.

Dora's eyes welled up with tears as she thought about those words. Her father had been right, she had always felt his love and support, even after he was gone. And she knew that he would want her to be happy, to find love and joy in her life.

But it was hard, especially nights like this when she felt so alone. She missed her father's hugs and kisses, his stories and songs. She missed the way he made her feel like a princess.

She remembered the shock and pain she felt when her mother told her the news. She had been in school, and her mother had come to pick her up, her face pale and tears streaming down her face. Dora had known something was wrong, but she had never imagined it was this. Her father's death had left a gaping hole in her life, a void that she struggled to fill.

As she lay there, tears streaming down her face, Dora knew that she needed to hold on to those memories, to keep her father's love close to her heart. She wished he was still here, to guide her through the ups and downs of her life. She wished she could talk to him, ask for his advice and hear his words of encouragement.

With a heavy heart, Dora finally drifted off to sleep, her father's memory etched in her mind like a precious gem.

************

After a long day at work, Brittany trudged through the front door, her feet aching and her mind exhausted. She settled into her favorite armchair, opening the novel she had been eager to dive into. As she began to read, she became completely absorbed in the story, the characters and their struggles captivating her attention. The hours flew by, and she forgot about everything else, including her issue with Ethan.

As the sun began to set, casting a warm orange glow through the windows, Brittany turned the pages, her eyes scanning the words with increasing intensity. She was so engrossed in the story that she didn't even notice the darkness falling outside, or the silence of the house.

It wasn't until her stomach growled with hunger that Brittany finally emerged from her literary trance. She stretched, her muscles stiff from sitting for so long, and yawned, realizing it was already late at night.

With a sigh, Brittany closed her book, marking her place with a bookmark. She stood up, her legs a bit shaky from the long period of sitting, and made her way to the kitchen. As Brittany entered the kitchen, she was surprised to see Amanda scrubbing the sink, her hands moving with a quiet efficiency. The kitchen was spotless, and the air was filled with the scent of cleaning products.

"Hey, Amanda", Brittany said, her voice a little husky from her long reading session "I didn't know you were still up".

Amanda looked up, a hint of surprise on her face. "Oh, Brittany! I thought you were asleep. You've been in your room for hours".

"Yeah. I got lost in my book. I didn't realize how late it was". Brittany smiled, feeling a bit sheepish.

"So, what can I get for you? Something to eat? Drink?"

Brittany yawned, her eyes heavy with fatigue. "Actually, it's really late, and I don't want anything too heavy. How about some trail mix? That sounds perfect for a late-night snack ".

Amanda nodded, her eyes sparkling with understanding." Great choice! I'll go grab it for you". Amanda headed to the pantry to grab the trail mix and as she poured some into a bowl, Brittany watched her with a sense of contentment.

As Brittany began to eat, Amanda found herself glancing at her again and again, searching for any sign that she was ready to talk. She couldn't help but wonder if Brittany would finally open up about what she had promised to share with her that morning.

"I had a quarrel with Ethan .......", Brittany started after taking another handful of trail mix, savoring the salty sweetness. She went on explaining how it had all happened from the morning till she got home.

Just then, Amanda gave a discreet cough.