Two weeks later, on a sunny February day, Daisy drove down a highway through the golden fields of Kansas with Carter in his Porsche 356/2 Gmünd Cabriolet. With the top down, Daisy's laughter filled the air as the wind blew through her hair, tickling her scalp. But she stopped seeing the look of abject terror on Carter's face.
"C-carter, sweetie, are you okay?"
"No, red, I don't think I am! I just realized I'm about to meet your mother for the first time, and I didn't bring so much as a gift!"
"Don't worry about that! Be your usual gentlemanly self, and Ma will love you. I have more to worry about than you!” Daisy spotted a mile marker, realizing they were still far from their destination. ”Carter, please stop the car!"
As Carter heard Daisy, he stopped the car in the middle of the highway. And she held his hands as she looked at him with a depressed expression.
"I've been too cowardly to ask, but now it's do or die. When you all assumed I was dead. How did Aisha and Belle take it?"
"I wish I could tell you. I learned from Belle when she sent me a letter. And maybe it was wrong, but I didn't keep in touch with them!” Carter took his hand from Daisy, placing it over his face. “When I thought you died, it felt like life didn't have meaning anymore. Except maybe for finishing the war and getting revenge!"
"Carter, let's promise ourselves something right now. No matter what happens in this war. We fight for justice and not revenge!"
"There's a difference?"
Daisy grew a scowl, pulling Carter’s hand from his face to see fury like he had never witnessed before from his lover.
"Justice is about doing what's necessary to protect the innocent. However, revenge is getting hedonistic pleasure from inflicting harm on another!"
As Carter heard Daisy, he looked at her in shock but quickly gave her a nod of acceptance. As she saw him, her scowl disappeared, her usual light-filled smile replacing it.
Daisy kissed Carter.”Let’s keep going!”
Later, the couple gazed at their destination, Lilyville. A small midwestern town in the middle of a vast green field adorned with hundreds of heavenly peace lilies and sunflowers. The scent of the flowers bombarded Daisy with a wave of nostalgia for her upbringing. She looked toward the fields, remembering the community celebrations, the church functions, and family picnics! It was a homely and peaceful land devoid of even the tiniest trace of the violent war outside its border. Almost detached from the rest of time as it marched forward for everywhere else.
Daisy cried."Home at last!"
"I've never been anywhere like this before. And Daisy, do you hear that?"
Daisy positioned her ear to listen. "I don't hear anything but the birds!"
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"That's just it! There are no cars, trucks, or people shouting. It's as quiet as a grave!"
Daisy giggled."You'll get used to it, city boy!"
Daisy took Carter's hand and led him to her town, cracking a nervous smile. The couple swiftly approached Aisha's house. Every step Daisy took required herculean willpower, but as she got close, she faltered. However, with one kind look, Carter restored her resolve, and Daisy moved forward. But they stopped again momentarily as Daisy heard two familiar voices, Aisha and her father, Devon, participating in a shouting match!
"Girl, leave this house and do something with your life!" Devon shouted.
"Daddy, what's the point? My best friend is dead, and nothing matters! I wish I died too!"
Aisha stormed out of her house and slammed the door behind her. She quickly burst out in a rage, beating the door until she broke down crying, a sorrowful mess on the ground! Daisy looked at Aisha, miserable with horror, and hurried over to her friend! She quickly reached Aisha and made her look at her. But as Aisha saw Daisy, she crawled away in fear!
"My god, a ghost," Aisha said, terrified.
As Daisy heard Aisha, she took her hands."Feel my hands. I'm alive and well. So please don't say things like you want to die!"
Aisha looked at Daisy as if she hadn’t seen her in eternity. Her eyes released a flood of tears, this time ones of joy, and she hugged Daisy tightly. Daisy reciprocated everything Aisha did. And the two young women clung to each other as they became sobbing messes on the ground!
Later, Daisy walked through the town with Carter and Aisha, heading toward her childhood house. As they made their way to the David family farm, they drew the shocked gazes of the townspeople. And seeing Daisy back from the dead, they all hurried behind her to get an explanation for the miracle.
Meanwhile, Belle was still in bed even as the afternoon was minutes away. Surviving the deaths of her father and younger sister left her life without meaning. The young woman lost the strength to care for herself. She wallowed in her misery with her unkempt hair, malnourished body, and dirty nightgown in the loose bed sheets.
She wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of her days sleeping. But as Belle tossed and turned, she tumbled off the bed and hit the floor face-first. Belle burst into a crying fit until she heard a commotion outside. Using the last vestiges of her sanity, Belle struggled to her feet and staggered to a window to check. She saw Daisy outside with the crowd of townspeople, and life returned to her dead eyes!
Belle dashed into the living room to her mother, Mary, on her chair. Mary was the spitting image of Belle but with Daisy's long, blood-red hair tied loosely at the end in a ponytail. She stared off into space, looking dead inside with her sunken, malnourished cheeks, clutching a frame with Daisy's baby picture inside as if it were the real thing. Like her daughter, surviving her husband, Joseph, and Daisy’s deaths robbed her of much of her sanity. But Belle grabbed her hand, dragging her out of the living room.
Outside, Daisy prepared to open the front door. But before she could, Belle and Mary ran out. And life quickly returned to Mary’s face as she saw Daisy before her!
Mary cried."By the lord in heaven, he raised you from the dead and sent you back to us!"
"I-I never died, Ma!"
"What?"
"It's a long story, but I managed to escape the nemesis. I wanted to call you all sooner, but things happened!” Daisy cried, wiping tears from her eyes. “I am so incredibly sorry for putting you all through this torture. Can you ever find it in your hearts to f-".
Belle and Sarah swiftly grabbed Daisy, giving her a monstrous hug. They fell to their knees, holding each other tightly, and Aisha burst into tears upon seeing them. But as Mary saw Aisha crying, she dragged her into it.
"B-but I don't understand. How can you forgive me so easily?"
"Sissy, you're back with us, so nothing else matters!"
"Your sister took the words right out of my mouth!"
"Ma, in that case, can you please make some of your delicious apple pie?"
Mary giggled."Of course, sweetie, anything you want!"
The family continued to embrace each other more joyously than before. When the townspeople saw them, they burst into celebration. But Carter stood close by quietly, wiping small tears of joy from his eyes, seeing the happy family together.