I pulled into the driveway of my parents home, squeezing in behind a handful of cars belonging to the family. My YiaYia was just getting out of my Aunty Demitras car in front of me. She clocked me with a little smile, and hurried herself  around to the drivers side, practically yanking me from my seat. My face was grabbed, cheeks kissed repeatedly "engoní̱" she greeted lovingly. "So beautiful ... so so beautiful. My Koukla" she repeated as she tapped my cheeks still in her hands "You should be married. You are too beautiful to be alone. I can look for you!"

"YiaYia" I greeted with a smile, taking her hands from my cheeks and giving her a quick hug "When I fall in love I'll consider it. But I'm not sure I even want to get married"

She did the sign of the cross over her chest, her cheeks puffing up at the suggestion. "Ay ay ay shhh don't say such things"

"You want babies? Yes?" She asked.

My pause, it made her do the sign of the cross again "No no no don't say another word. Theodora" she called up to the house.

My Mom had appeared on the porch to welcome the family inside "Yes Momma" she called back.

YiaYia went hurrying up the driveway to tell her all about my wayward thoughts. I shut the car door and went to the back to unbuckle the twins. Alba shot out of the car and up the driveway, straight into my Moms arms "YiaYia" she called excitedly "can we play"

Theodore was out for the count, and so I slid him out of his seat slowly and placed his head against my shoulder. I shut the door and carried him back up to the house.

Mama was at the door, waiting on me "hey sweetheart ... how was your day. Alba looks in one piece"

"We had fun" I told her, coming up the steps in front of her.

My Mama squinted at his feet "Where are his shoes?"

"Long story" I replied, passing her into the house.

"This baby has no shoes on" YiaYia noted, coming and rubbing his feet to warm them up. "Not good"

Demitra came out of the kitchen with a glass of wine in hand "Olympia" she greeted, coming and kissing my cheek "I got a ping on my phone an hour ago with a tag of you at a candy store with the twins. The kids faces were blurred, but the size of the candy bags weren't. Maybe pray Millie and Wren don't see that one"

"Have we all forgotten that Millie ate pop tarts for her breakfast lunch and dinner not so long ago? These kids were created with glucose"

I ran my hand down Theodore's back in soothing motions as he stirred a little in my arms.  "Anyone else in the pictures?" I asked, hoping Reva hadn't already been photographed.

"Should there be?" Mom asked, entering the hallway and wiggling her eyebrows at me.

"Who was with you?" Demitra asked.

"Nobody" I said truthfully. "I just didn't know if they caught any of the staff in the picture by accident"

"Not that I noticed" Demitra replied "and you know I don't miss details"

"Good" I said relieved.

Mama placed her hands on my shoulders from behind me affectionately "let my chick into the house. No more questions" she ordered, shooing everyone away.

I carried Theodore through to the family room and placed him on the couch to curl up comfortably. Alba ran past the door squealing as Bastion chased her through the house playfully. That did it, Theodore sat up and rubbed at his eyes. I placed my cell on the coffee table and leant back into the couch so he could wake up slowly snuggled into my side. I tussled his red hair in my hand softly, his little icy blue eyes blinking open and closed as he looked into the yard out the window. Mom was tugging a warm hat onto Albas head as they headed out with a basketball to the twins little kid hoop.

Theodore left my hand stroking nothing but air as he flew off to join them, calling "wait for me" as he ran through the house. I sat and watched as Mama tugged his little yellow hat on and sent him out with a coat to join them. She had found him some rain boots

"There you are" Thea greeted, sinking down onto the couch beside me "here" she said, handing me a glass of wine.

I took the wine glass by its stem and sipped at the sweet red wine. "Not bad" I noted. I usually stuck to rosé.

"I missed you" she told me bumping my shoulder "but I love living vicariously through you"

I nudged her back "I missed you guys too"

Thea looked to me sideways "Someone came into the restaurant a few months back that I recognised. One of your ex's"

I glanced back, nose in the wine glass as I took another sip. "Which one?"

Thea tipped her glass up, downing the last of it "Fair question" and she sat her wine glass down on the table and leant back into the couch beside me "Daisy"

That got my attention "She came with her family?!"

Thea shook her head "A date I'd say, from the way they acted with one another. A little nervous, and giddy. When I came to take their order she went white as a sheet. I don't think you ever brought her down to the restaurant. She had no idea we owned it. I think I might have ruined the vibe for them. They didn't stay for anything but a drink and an appetiser"

It did something to me to hear about her on a date. Just like with Bonnie, I didn't much like thinking of her with anyone else. Although it was slightly different with Daisy. My reasoning was more leaning to the fact that I still wanted her for myself. I wanted her to be happy though, of course, but I just didn't want to hear about or visualise who that might be with.

"What we talking about?!" Demitra asked, joining us on the couch.

"Daisy" Thea threw out there, making me squirm beside her.

Demitra couldn't place the name "Which one was that?"

"Sports reporter... the hot one that Apollo is obsessed with. She's on evenings after the news"

Demitra nodded, finger poised in thought "Yup, got it. The cute little blonde with the adorable name. Daisy....Darling"

Thea nodded "That one"

Demitra sat beside me and patted my thigh "she's beautiful. A knock out. We liked her. I remember. So why are we talking about Daisy? Is there something that I should know about?"

I shook my head and tried to stand up "nope" but both Thea and Demitra placed their hands over me and forced me back onto the couch between them.

I had got myself in an unfortunate position, squished between my theíes. "There's nothing"

"There's something" Demitra poked "otherwise you wouldn't be getting red hives on your neck"

I must have looked panicked as I felt at my neck, it was warm to touch. Thea got out her cell and turned the camera back so I could see myself. I did have hives.

Demitra closely inspected them "the body doesn't lie" she observed, poking at me.

I waved them off of poking at me "it's probably a reaction to the wine"

"If I look on your phone I won't find any texts or sexts then?!" Thea grinned menacingly.

"Not from Daisy no" I said truthfully. "Daisy and I haven't text since high school"

Thea looked shocked. Demitra too.

"Okay so that's dead then" Demitra sighed "Two people who are into one another would have for sure text by now. It's so simple to send a text. It shouldn't take seven years"

"Not true" I replied defensively.

That was hard to accept, because for me it had never been true. I did care. I had always been aware of Daisy's number in my phone, and often searched it out in my contacts for no reason other than to see it existed still. Sometimes I opened it up like a sixth sense she was about to text me, and I could have sworn a couple times I had seen a dot or two like she had hesitated when starting to text me. Maybe she had seen that too. I know I had almost text her every year since the day we had broken up, in the moments she would haunt my thoughts in the silence of a quiet day.

Thea picked up my cell "then why don't we break the seven year itch... and text her" she asked, holding the screen up to my face to unlock it.

"Because I don't want to" I lied.

Demitra raised her eyebrow at me "Hives are spreading" she gestured to my neck.

Mom came in, taking off her jacket as she observed the scene in front of her. "Leave her be" she told them "whatever it is that's happening here... let's leave it and all go get a fresh glass of wine"

"But she's texting" Thea announced, holding up my cell with a shrill sound of excitement. "The itch is about to be scratched"

"Enough with the itch" I begged.

"WHO is?!" Mom asked, coming over and leaning over the back of us on the couch cushions. "Daisy" she answered excitedly, looking at the screen.

My heart threatened to jump out and run away, as we all looked to the screen. She was indeed texting. The text bubbles came and went repeatedly as if she was typing and pausing. I grabbed the cell out of Thea's hand "give me that"

I tried to stand, but all three sat me back down this time. Even my Mom had bought into the drama "Alba mentioned you all saw Daisy today"

Demitra widened her eyes "You little devil you never mentioned that bit"

Thea slapped her hands together "Im more invested in this than I should be"

The bubbles all fell away. Each of us leaned in, holding our breath to see a message ding. Not a ding came.

"She chickened out" Demitra huffed, holding up her hands in dismay. "Olympia text her first for goodness sake"

"No" I argued "It has to come from her"

My Mom leant down and kissed my forehead  from behind me "My little Limpet ... it's okay to put yourself out there if you like someone. Whats the worst that could happen?! You've already seen her today. It's an ice breaker. Your communication has already been opened"

True.

Alba ran in with Chewy and Henrietta coming with her. She got fussed over for a good few minutes by my Mom and my theíes before she claimed my hand. "Come play" she begged sweetly. "Bash has Mario kart on. Im Princess Peach. You can be Donkey Kong. He reminds me of you in the Bigfoot costume"

I gave in and followed her out of the room, happy to be leaving the questions and the prying eyes behind me. Shame I left my cell wedged between my theíes.

***

We all sat at the large table in the dining room at six pm on the dot. YiaYia had assisted my Mom to cook a leg of lamb, with a variety of delicious veggies and potatoes in many forms. The smell was heavenly. Red wine was in every glass on the table but the kids and my parents. My Mom still abstained from alcohol so that she could kiss my Mama, although I'm pretty sure they could go one day without.

The bell on the intercom ringing surprised everyone but the visiting Nomikos women. They shared smiles and little nudges of one another as my Mom stood and walked to the screen.

"Why is Giannis Angelopoulos on my monitor?" She asked, turning to glare at her mother and sisters. "Momma you didn't"

YiaYia looked excited "He's a good boy. I've known his family forever. He's got a good job and a nice house, and all that's missing is a good Greek woman"

My eyes widened, realising what this was. I stood abruptly, almost making the table jump up with me. "No" I told them, my finger poised and pointed at them "I told you I didn't want to be set up"

"It's not a set up" YiaYia explained, tapping my hand lovingly to sit down "he's in town for a conference. He's a dr. I invited him because it was us or hotel food"

"And you thought I might marry him and make Greek babies" I countered.

She made herself look as cute and innocent as possible "if that were to happen I wouldn't be mad. But he's just here for the food... and the company."

"Momma" Mom shook her head. Mama too looked unamused as she assisted the babies to fill their plates.

"Do I buzz him in" Mom asks me.

"Would be rude not to now" Mama returned.

"Eye candy is never a bad thing" Thea added, as she spooned some food onto her plate.

"Candy is always a good thing" Alba agreed,
Sending Mamas hands over her ears.

Mom turned back to the monitor "Come on through Giannis" she told him.

The door knocked a few minutes later, and my Mama went to get it. I focused on the food and the wine and ignored the rising agitation I felt to know I was about to have a blind date at the family dinner table with everyone and the family dog watching my every move.

Mama returned with a very handsome, and clearly Greek, human god. Oof he was something.  Every inch of him looked sculpted. He had short dark hair styled perfectly, and beautiful tanned skin that bulged at his biceps revealing a throbbing vein that should not be turning me on right now. His smile was broad, his bright straight white teeth were revealed when he saw me. "Hi" he waved to everyone "thankyou all for the invitation. I must admit I always crave home when I'm away at these things, and this is home from home"

Giannis disappeared in a greeting of Nomikos women who hugged and kissed him hello. YiaYia pulled him out a seat beside me "please please... sit... meet my Olympia" she introduced.

He sat down beside me and turned to offer his hand and a kiss on the cheek "Olympia" he greeted "it's wonderful to meet you"

I was polite and shook his hand, but a kiss was not offered. His cologne enveloped me. It wasn't one I knew, and certainly not like Cams. It was masculine and warm, and it made me want to ask him what it was. "It's good to meet you too. I apologise now for what's about to happen"

His thick dark brows came together "what's about to happen?" He asked curiously.

I lifted my wine and took a sip "you'll see"

Everyone sat back down. The noise levels increased as each person spoke with their highest volume, and over one another. The dinners I had missed. You could sit back and just enjoy the chaos.

"Callie is running the restaurant with Luke tonight" I heard Yia Yia explain to Giannis "they will take it over one day. You remember Callie's boy Apollo?!" She asked him.

"Yes, he's friends with my little brother Nico" Giannis replied "they went to college together after high school"

"Apollo is on track to be a DR just like you, and Josephine too" she proudly told him.

"Yes I do know Joe" he replied.

Somehow, even over the noise levels, we all seemed to hear that, and the entire family trailed off of their own conversations as we listened in to that revelation.

"You know our Josephine?!" Mom asked.

He looked a little taken aback by the eyes all on him at once "Yes, I was working at her hospital last year. She was one of my interns"

"Wow" YiaYia reacted "A small world"

"She's amazing" he gushed. "A credit to you both" Giannis told my parents "she's so empathetic to her patients, and her work is immaculate. She was my favourite person to see on shift every day"

YiaYia and my theíes shared a look. My Mom and Mama looked to eachother in a similar way.

It seemed that Giannis was being set up with the wrong sister.

Theodore broke the moment of silence, tugging on Giannis arm and pointing to the meat at the centre of the table "That's a dead little lamb you know. You shouldn't eat him"

Giannis smiled down to him "I'm actually a vegetarian"

YiaYia Inhaled sharply at that "no no no" she whispered to herself.

Giannis looked back to Theodore "So I promise I won't. And that's everything to do with your theía telling me similar things every lunch time for an entire year. You're like her" he observed, tapping his nose "same freckles"

"Oh my" Demitra listened, taking a large gulp of wine.

"When Josephine is home you must come back" Thea suggested "a reunion sounds on the cards"

Giannis lit up "id love that. I've not seen her in a little while. My work took me away after that first year"

I had sat and observed the entire thing, far too happy to find out this date was with the wrong sibling. I could see Josephine losing her mind when she returned home next and got set up on another family date. I'd make sure I attended that one, it was fun watching someone else squirm.

My second glass of wine got thrown back just in time to hear the bell ding again on the intercom. Mama got up this time, and I watched her as she looked at the screen, pausing and taking a closer look to whom was stood beside security Steve at the gates "um" she began, turning back to the table. Everyone was talking so loudly that only I seemed to be aware of her stalling. I got up and walked over to see who was on the screen.

"It's Daisy" she told me quietly "Did you arrange to see her after all?"

I shook my head "no" confused "buzz her in"

I grabbed my jacket from the hallway "I'll go outside and greet her"

My Mama nodded "Away from prying eyes is probably best"

I stepped out, immediately lifting the collar of my jacket to the cold air.

Daisy appeared moments later, she had on a grey hoody and a black jacket, her hood pulled up around her ears. Her blonde hair was mostly hidden under a black hat with a rainbow bobble on it, fair strands poking out at her cheeks.

"Hi" I greeted. "What brings you here"

She almost stopped walking, her step slowing as she got to the porch below me. She looked up at me with a slight frown and took her cell from her pocket "you asked me to" she said, holding it up.

I stepped down and came to her side, taking the cell and reading a text from myself an hour ago.

Olympia-
Can you come by? I'd love to finally talk.

Daisy-
I'm not sure that we need to.

"They are dead" I growled, turning and throwing daggers toward the dining room window where Demitra and Thea tried to hide the fact they were peeking out from behind the drapes.

Daisy followed my line of sight, seeing what I was seeing and realising the mistake "it wasn't you" she told herself. She looked mortified.

"I'll go" she said quickly taking a step away from me.

I grabbed her arm a little too quickly and she came tumbling back into me. I steadied her with my hands holding her arms "Don't"

Her eyes searched mine, her nose was red with the cold, her cheeks too. I looked from her nose to her lips and back to her nose again, a small smile lifting my lips "You look ..."

"Cold" she added.

I looked back to the blue of her eyes, falling into them far too clumsily as I nodded "Mmhmm"

Her chest began to rise and fall a little quicker, and as her eyes moved over my features slowly, drinking me in with no regret, she moved closer. Her cold hands taking my own and removing them from her arms to release herself "well are you inviting me in to warm up, or can I leave"

I shook my head "You can't leave"

"Why?" She asked, not taking the step back that I had expected her to.

I looked up at the bobble on her hat and lifted my hand to give it a little wobble. She looked up, gaze falling back to my smile, and the answer "because I don't want you to"

"Then invite me in" she pressed.

I wrinkled up my nose "I can't"

She looked confused "Why?"

"Because I'd rather talk to you without an audience" I told her.

She looked back to the dining room window, and narrowed her eyes at the scene she could see through the window. "Who's the guy?"

"Giannis. My YiaYias attempt to marry me off to the first Greek man she can find"

She shook her head to herself "Of course. You're never lonely" and she looked back to me, her gaze not one of affection anymore. "I'll see myself out"

I watched her walk away, my feet itching to run after her. Her form disappearing from the driveway before I allowed myself to finally move.

I caught up with her, stopping her mid step and forcing her to talk to me "Wait. You're so wrong"

"Am I?!" She argued "about what?!"

"Why are you so mad at me?" I asked "I didn't think you cared"

"I don't" she threw back childishly "I've long moved on Olympia"

"Have you" I questioned.

"Yes" she replied confidently.

"Are you seeing someone?" I asked.

She tried to move me aside so she could walk on, but I only walked backwards, not taking my eyes from her. "Are you?"

She huffed and shook her head with annoyance "Yes. Now leave me alone. I have to get home"

I stepped aside and watched her walk on. When she got to the gate I bit my lip, thoughts racing, heart starting to gallop, palms sweating, and hands wringing.  "You're wrong" I yelled after her.

She turned, stopping with her hand on the gate "about what"

I felt unexpected emotion sit in my throat, my voice breaking a little "I am lonely"

She dropped her hand from the gate, and took a few steps toward me, not saying a word, but taking in my shaky voice, and trying to understand, she paused and stopped.

"Come to my birthday party?" I asked "it's Saturday. Here. A big Halloween party. I'd love to see you. No pressure"

She mulled that over silently, before looking like she wanted to walk away, but her feet were cemented to the spot. "I don't know, I'll have to check my work schedule. I usually work weekends"

I nodded, disappointed "Okay"

She noted my disappointment "I'll text you and let you know"

I bit down on my lip and watched her turn to leave "and Olympia" she called back, turning slightly to see me as she reached the gate again. "I can't believe you never changed your number"

My body relaxed at her sudden change of tone, and her cute grin "Neither did you" I countered.

She gave me a coy look "no idea what you are suggesting"

"Me either" I called after her "not like I've been waiting on you or anything"

She closed the gate and stood on the other side, resting her folded arms on it "You're so fucking stubborn" she cursed.

I pointed at myself innocently "Who me?! Nah. I'd call that patience. It paid off didn't it"

"I don't know Olympia...did it?!" She taunted, throwing me a look that did things to me. She  turned and walked away, leaving me with hot pink cheeks, and that all consuming rush of excitement that the thrill of a pursuit will have you high on.

I couldn't stop thinking about her the second she was out of sight. She better come to that party. 

And just like that...

Daisy Darling once again began to consume and excite me in equal measure.

Uff.