Page 69 of Grasp The Moment

“Listen, Mama Bear, she really wanted it, and who could say no to that face?—”

Cutting her off, I give her a sharp look. “Did everyone in this house decide to get gold nails without me? Where was my invite to this nail date?”

“Papá, can we do your nails too?” Deli asks from my chest, her head perking up as she looks between the two of us with bright eyes.

That look right there is what makes everything worth it in life.

I give my kid a smile and nod, unable to find the words to say “yes.” I’ve watched this girl grow for four years, and it still notches my heart when she looks at me like I’m her entire world.

My eyes trail from her large doe eyes to the smattering of freckles across her nose—pain lancing through me.

But God… she looks just likeher.

I adore Delilah’s beautiful markings of life, but I wish they weren’t connected to such a painful memory.

We’ll never be as young and free as we are right now, and that’s apparent more than ever as Rosemary runs through the meadow of daisies. Her auburn hair is bright and bold under the spring sun. The sound of her giggles echoes throughout the air.

When she stops in the middle of the field, her hair flows before her face, covering the eighth wonder of the world before my eyes.

I know that we’re young, but I am certain that I will never ever see a sight as breathtaking as Rosemary Stone.

Rosemary has always been adventurous, running around with me on the ranch in the summer and dancing her way through life. But this version of her is a girl whom I have yet to meet.

She’s calmer here, and yet this is also the wildest I’ve ever seen her.

“What’re you doing over there? Get over here and see this, DJ!” she exclaims, gesturing to the broad field of daisies surrounding us.

I chuckle, knowing that wherever this girl wants me to go, I’ll always be there in an instant.

She stands before me, her hands on her hips as she stares up at me.

“You love to make me wait,” she says, pursing her lips.

Kissing them softly, I grin, tugging her to the ground with me, “You love to watch me chase you.”

“I do.”

She lies down next to me in the bed of flowers; the daisies surrounding us represent who we are. Two teenagers in love.

Rosemary grins up at me, the freckles in the shape of the constellation Lynx across her nose wink at me as I kiss them. I want to stay like this—with her, forever.

“You know, you never call me Rose…” she says, her voice soft and far away as we stare up at the setting sun.

We’ve been out here for hours, talking, laughing, and enjoying the last few hours of spring break, completely ignoring the outside world.

“That’s because you aren’t one. You’re like a daisy to me—you’re sweet and pure. You radiate a love that only a few can obtain, and you’re just… you. You’re unapologetic and kind—the best goddamn dancer I’ve ever seen and probably the most cheerful girl I’ve ever met. Which is why I love you?—”

Oh shoot… I wasn’t supposed to say that?—

“You love me?” she asks, her voice hopeful as she sits up.

It’s that look in her eyes. The one that tells me that she’ll take my heart and guard it with her life, that makes me go on. It’s that look that may ultimately lead to my demise.

“I do. I love you, my daisy.”

“Are you absolutely positively sure that your mom doesn’t hate me? I don’t want to… fork this up.” Georgia chuckles depreciatively, looking between Delilah and me as Deli giggles.

“You said fork,” the four-year-old muses as Georgia’s eyes widen. She fakes a dramatic gasp, pointing at Deli.