Three Talks – Daniel 56

[For a quick guide go here: Quick guide.]

[Old back story is here: Story so far at 30 Nov 2020 and read more recent Daniel episodes especially this one.]

[Other back story through in-links.]

The drink was quiet, refreshing and needed.

“What do you mean you need her to come and stay with me? - I thought you were doing all the schooling stuff now - have I missed something?”

“It’s this bloke at school, honestly if there were another way I would take it. Daisy’s been really well settled but now it’s a nightmare. I see him almost every time I go into the playground and there’s always some argument about to happen.”

“And this happened because of work?”

“Yeah, he was a customer and it went wrong. I tried to do something for him, he thought we’d sorted it out and... well maybe we had. But then he came up with a whole load of other demands.”

“Demands?”

“He wanted to. Go out with me. He thought he’d bought me too I think. He was lonely and thought I was the answer...”

“What were you selling?”

“It wasn’t dodgy, honestly. I was selling brand awareness. You know how this works, he was being demanding and I...” Daniel trailed off.

“What did he want?”

“Coffee and cake mainly. Or rather asking me to be there while he bought me coffee and cake...”

“Sound nice.”

“He was being a pain. Over the top. Too much.”

“You do know how disruptive this is going to be? We’re all very used to how everything is.”

“I wouldn’t be asking if I didn’t think it was...”

“And all because you can’t put up with someone doing nice things for you?”

“They’re not nice and they need to stop. The cakes need to stop.”

"So tell him. No more cakes."

Daniel took another long sip of his drink. Yes, relaxation was easier with a glass of beer. And no one else around.

“So is this the end of it?” Trinny had said.

“I think it might be for the best…”

“You got us a great client, a great payer, keen to invest in the cutting edge part of the app and he dumped us…”

“Entirely my fault...”

“So now you’re dumping us?”

“I’m offering to resign. It seems the right thing to do.”

“Do you want to leave? I mean, do you have anything to go to?”

“No, actually. But this just feels a bit embarrassing to carry on with.”

“You can’t just put it behind you?”

“Could you?”

“There are worse things behind me to be honest.”

“And what did you do about them?”

“Nothing. They’re still there but they don’t matter.”

Just a beer. And some crisps. And the weather changing. The sun going in and the rain coming down.

“I’d stick with it if I were you,” said Nadia finally, having listened to his tale of woe. “Things are getting easier - at least they should be getting easier. Daisy at school, people going back to their office. People going out with each other again. That should be good for the app, right? You’ve come a long way and it would be a shame to just dump it all now. Do you really need that hassle?”

“But look at it all,” moaned Daniel.

“You’ve just got stuck in a rut with this one parent,” observed Nadia. “He’s given you some grief and difficulty and you’ve tried to work it out and…”

“It’s all gone wrong.”

“Not entirely. You’ve tried to put it right. I think they’re right. It’s way more disruption all round if you send Daisy to Chrissy and pack the job in.”

Daniel listened to the wind howling around his house. He was standing in the corridor outside Daisy’s room while she slept peacefully within. Never mind what he’d been through, nearly two thirds of Daisy’s life had been spent under the cosh of the pandemic. She’d not been able to see her friends, not been able to see her family. Constantly been told that she had to avoid people, new people especially. Wear a mask, not go on the playground equipment and be careful what she touched.

If for no one else he thought, for Daisy he needed to keep everything on track and maybe this was the best track he could find right now.

Daisy had only just gone off to sleep. It was early(ish) evening and Trinny and Chrissy would still be awake. So he texted them both, apologised for the earlier phone conversations and told them that he’d decided to make no changes. He would ignore Gordon, take care of Daisy and redouble his efforts for Together… Apart. He would carry on with what he was doing and make everything alright. At least, he thought, until the next crisis.