Daisy watches Ryke leave before she sidles next to me and nudges my hip. “Sorry.” I shake my head and give her a side hug. “You’ve been a valiant soldier. The best.” When she smiles, it’s bright and beautiful, and I wonder how I spent so many years avoiding a relationship with her. Daisy is one of the most soulful people to be around, and maybe if I opened up a little sooner, I’d have felt this joy from the start.
