Daisy Isabella Bell and Jamie Sarah Potter
A Sequel to “Daisy Isabella Crack's Her Egg”
Act II
Heart to Heart

The first sight I laid my eyes on after stepping through the patio sliding glass door was Jamie. Jamie was sitting perfectly posed as always, wearing a dark navy colored skirt, a cream colored turtleneck sweater and heeled leather booths. She was sitting a black iron chair, reading a manga. The cover of the manga showed a redhead girl sitting in a dunking booth. She appeared to be wearing a Japanese school blue swimsuit, the kind you often see in slice of life anime.

“Miss. Potter.” Lily said. Her voice echoed off the gray concrete flagstones that paved the outdoor patio section. “Miss. Bell is here.”

Jamie slowly lifted her eyes from the black and white pages of the manga. A little smile formed on her face and gently folded the page she was reading down and then she placed the manga down upon the iron table and smiled as she fixed with me with those big blue eyes of hers.

“Thank you Miss. Potter.” She said, smiling a little.

“May I please take you two ladies drink orders now?” Lily asked as she smiled toward Jamie and I, I could tell she was taking the whole maid act to the extreme. She had even managed somehow to tame or hide her deep, southern accent. It sounded more formal British English than Southern American.

“Hot chocolate, with a bit of cream and two sugar cubes blended in. Please ma'am.” Jamie said as she peered toward Lily. She then fixed her eyes on me again and in the very manner of speaking as Lily, again a more upper-crust British English accent that totally sounded out of place here in semi-rural Benton. 

“And what would you like, Miss. Bell?” Jamie asked. “Don't worry I'll be paying for the ticket. So please order whatever you feel like. I'm still a bit in your debt after all.” She added.

“Hot chocolate for me too, the same way Miss. Potter requested hers.” I said as I peered toward Lily and then toward Jamie. Lily nodded her head and then retreated behind the sliding glass patio door and Jamie then returned her razor sharp focus on me.

“Now Miss. Bell you and I have a lot to talk about.” Jamie said as she pushed her manga to the side a little. “Please, take a seat, I'm afraid I'll be doing most of the talking at first. I've been collecting notes and trying to put them into order. In short, I've been building a case. And I want to make sure I'm following the correct trail of breadcrumbs if you will. So please allow me to finish first. Then I would like to ask any and all questions and add your own comments as you will.”

“Jamie. What is this all about?” I asked as I slid into the offered seat.

“Well, first thing first. First I owe you an apology. It was a wrong of me to draft you into staffing the 'Pie Toss Booth' and it was also wrong of me to let those emotions get the best of me. I should have listened to Winter. I was not really thinking, all I was thinking about  was following in Lily's steps.” Jamie paused.

“I see.” I said, taking a deep breath.

“Anyway the first point I want to get too is this, this is the second time you said something that hinted at you being transgender. Now, the first time was shortly  after you and the so-called 'Beast' had that little match. I believe you muttered something along the lines 'I wanted to to be reborn as a girl in the next'  or something to that effect. Now, mind you, you were almost lifeless at the time. And  we should have taken you to the hospital. Second time was while you were getting changed for the pie toss. You said something if I can correctly recall you said something along the lines. And I quote 'I wish I had breasts too!” Jamie said as she looked me squarely in the eyes.

At this point I turned my eyes and focused in on a group of willow trees that were growing near the banks of Wilson creek. 

“Also.” Jamie's voice softened. “I called your mom. I'm sorry what happened to you at St. Katherine's Episcopal Academy. I had no idea.. it was hard.”

I was about to say something when I felt Jamie hand touch. I turned away from the group of willow trees and peered straight into Jamie's eyes, almost moist with tears. A small, sad smile was slowly on her lips.

“You mother, told me how they or how the headmaster had expelled you for defending yourself. About all the fights you were having. She told me even how those bullies tried to assault you in the changing room after gym class one afternoon. And the only reason you managed to escape was because you nearly clawed one of the guys out. Once I knew that, it kind of made sense to me why you were so quick to defend Cerridwen then that bully poured her carton of milk over her head and why you decided to face the bullies head on instead of running away. Or letting the Headmistress handle it.” Jamie whispered to me in a gentle tone of voice.

“They wanted to rape me.” I muttered under my breath. “They wanted to teach me a lesson because I looked 'Too Pretty' and their girlfriends were not giving them any. Plus they said I owed them, because I'd entered that charity show to help raise some money to help the families that had been displaced by flood water.”

Jamie blinked.

“I believe that was the first time you ever used the name 'Daisy Isabella Bell' am I right? And I remember the flooding, it was raining almost every day that winter and when spring came, Short Creek swelled and broke it banks and for the first in like forever Wilson Creek spilled over and started flooding the backyards of houses built along Wilson Street and a good many yards on Croft Street went underwater. A lot of the shacks on Swamp Alley and Catfish Row went under though.. Since my family lives on Town Creek, which oddly enough is the highest point in Benton, the flood water never really came near us. Though I do remember the lower end of Main Street was flooded with most of the businesses located on what is called Lower Main took major flood damage and the towns Post Office and Episcopal Church suffered water damage. That was the summer before I was conscripted by Lily to be our school's hostage.” Jamie said to me.

“Right well since that night I've been struggling, okay struggling is not the right word. I've been battling with a  lot of things. I kind of jump at any and all chances I get to enter into 'Daisy's' frame of mind. And it always seems so short the time I get to spend being her.” I said, I knew I was making little or no sense at this point. “In a way I felt like I'd tossed open Pandora's box and all manner of spirits escaped. I mean I know I raised some money to help the struggling families of this town. And for all my trouble I was almost taken by a few brutes in the shower room. I mean they only stopped and started to back up after I'd clubbed one with a  bar of soap and tossed a bottle of Old Spice Aftershave into one of the guys eyes and nearly bit off one of their ears. It was a life or death girl.” I visibly shuttered as I was forced to relive that horrible moment frame by frame.

“Oh.” Jamie looked away. Her face was starting to lose all its color. “I'm sorry.”

“Why?” I asked, taking a deep breath.

“Because you had to go through all of that in your old school. I just had to deal with Linda going insane and slapping me to the moon and back. I spent the night in the hospital after that attack. I mean the bitch almost broke my jaw.

“You know that my step-sister right? Mom and dad adopted her.”

“I know. And I know she's changed and she got her life together with your mom and dads love and support. Listen Daisy, I think before we tackle the bull in the room. I should address my own feelings toward you. When I first met you, you were ten and I was twelve. And we were both still boys. Looking back through the murky past, I can clearly see that you and I were battling our own demons. Anyway fast forward four years, I'm now sixteen and you're now fourteen. Sixteen and I've just had my sweet sixteen birthday and I've just endured two years of coming out of the egg, and with the love and support of my friends and family I've finally gotten my shit together enough that I was ready to enjoy the two remaining years of High School I had left.” Jamie said with a sigh.

I nodded my head.

It was at that moment Lily once more appeared. She was caring a silver serving tray in her hands, her golden blonde curls bounced with every step she took. A soft smile appeared on her lips as she gently placed the serving tray down upon the table and with skill and grace she moved the first chine coffee cup from the tray onto the table.

“Our House Special Hot Chocolate for you Miss. Potter.” Lily said smiling as she peered toward Jamie, she then shifted her eyes toward as she moved the second chine coffee cup from the tray and set it in front of me. “And also our House Special Hot Chocolate for you Miss. Bell.”

“Thank you Miss. Potter.” Jamie said blushing. “That will be all for now. But I'm sure we'll need several more cups of your House Special Hot Chocolate before this conversation is over.”

“I fully expect. May I suggest you two ladies take a break before things become too heated and enjoy your Hot Chocolate while it's still hot? Also would you mind Miss. Potter if I weigh in on the conversation?” Lily Said.

“I would like that. So very much, thank you for that thoughtful suggestion Miss. Potter.” Jamie said sighing a little. “I might be over my head,” Jamie said smiling.
I just sat back and sipped my hot chocolate.

“Happens to the best of us, Miss. Potter.” Lily paused and then smiled. “After all this is what Big Sisters are for.” She smiled. “I'll let you two ladies finish your drinks and I'll be back in a quarter of an hour.”

And so while I sipped my hot chocolate. I could not help but ponder Lily's offer and what Jamie wanted to say and how I was going to respond.