Chasing Daisy

I lose my job, so be it.
    ‘Hey, hey, don’t get your panties in a wad.’ He holds up his hands, patronisingly, then gets stuck into his steak again.
    Luis speaks and his tone is hard. ‘You might know Daisy’s father, actually.’
    ‘Oh?’ Norm looks mildly interested.
    ‘Stellan Rogers. I believe he’s the main shareholder in your company?’
    I’ve never seen anyone backtrack quite so quickly.
    ‘Mr Rogers! Stellan Rogers! He’s your father?’
    ‘ Is he?’ an astounded Simon interrupts. Catalina looks on, confused.
    ‘Mmm, yes,’ I reply. I didn’t really want the world and his wife knowing about my family, but quite frankly, fuck it.
    ‘Well, I never . . . I never . . .’ Norm stutters. ‘Goodness me, you pass on my respects next time you see him, won’t you? Goodness me.’
    Out of the corner of my eye, I see Luis smirk. It’s everything I can do to keep a straight face myself.
    ‘Who’s Stellan Rogers?’ Catalina interrupts.
    ‘Daisy’s father, from the sounds of it,’ Simon replies, looking uncomfortable. My phone starts to ring inside my bag.
    ‘I’m sorry,’ I murmur, rummaging around in my bag to dismiss the call. Moments later it rings again.
    ‘Don’t mind us,’ Norm urges. ‘You take it. It might be urgent. In fact, it could be your daddy!’
    ‘Excuse me.’ I stand up and answer the call. ‘Can you hang on for a moment, please?’ Then I walk quickly out of the restaurant before putting my phone back to my ear. ‘Hello?’
    ‘Daisy, it’s me!’
    Holly.
    ‘Hi. What’s up?’
    ‘Where are you?’
    ‘I’m at Raffles Hotel having the time of my life,’ I answer sarcastically.
    ‘Will you be long?’
    ‘I don’t know, why?’
    She sniffs.
    ‘Are you okay?’ I ask, concerned.
    ‘No.’ She bursts into tears. ‘Can you come back?’
    ‘Um, yes, I won’t be long.’ It won’t look good for me to walk out like this, but I’ve just about reached the end of my tether.
    ‘Thanks.’ A muffled sob and the line goes dead.
    I stare down at the phone with concern. ‘What’s up?’ I turn to see Luis standing there.
    ‘That was Holly. I have to go back to the hotel.’
    ‘Why?’
    ‘She’s in floods of tears, I don’t know why. Probably something to do with Simon.’
    ‘Hmm.’
    ‘I guess I’d better come and make my excuses.’ I motion in the direction of the dining room.
    ‘No, it’s okay. I don’t want to put you through any more. I’ll tell them you had a family drama or something, that’ll shut them up.’
    I breathe a sigh of relief. ‘Thanks.’
    ‘Let me walk you out.’
    I don’t argue with him. ‘How did you know about my father being his main shareholder?’ I ask as we head down the stairs. ‘Have you been researching me again?’ I give him a wary glance, but he dismissively shakes his head.
    ‘No. I saw that the first – and only – time I looked you up.
    Gelltron’s our top sponsor so, of course, I noticed his company name when I saw it.’
    ‘I had no idea.’ I don’t know anything about my father’s businesses. It strikes me that perhaps I should.
    ‘The look on Norm’s face . . .’ Luis grins at me.
    ‘It was pretty funny, wasn’t it?’ I grin back.
    ‘Well, seriously. He deserved it. What was he thinking, saying something like that?’
    ‘Mmm.’
    ‘He’ll be fawning all over you tomorrow, you mark my words.’
    ‘I’d rather he just kept his distance, to be honest. Cazzo !’ I halt in my tracks for a split-second before continuing.
    ‘What?’
    ‘Do you think Simon and the others will talk about it to anyone else? I don’t want it getting around, about me. Even Holly doesn’t know.’
    ‘Really? Why not?’ We reach the doors and Luis pushes through.
    ‘I just don’t want to go on about it.’
    ‘Holly doesn’t know about your family, yet you were upset she didn’t confide in you about Simon?’ His lips turn down at the corners as he nods for the hotel concierge to hail a taxi.
    ‘It’s not the same thing,’ I reply defensively.
    He doesn’t answer and I feel irritable. ‘Do you think I’m out of order?’ I ask suddenly. ‘Not telling Holly about my family? Where I came from?’
    ‘Yeah, I do a bit,’ he answers honestly. ‘What would it hurt?’
    ‘I don’t know. I guess I’m always just a bit worried that people will treat me differently, or think differently about me.’
    ‘Not Holly. Holly wouldn’t.’
    I don’t say anything. I know he’s right.
    ‘And I don’t