Yellow Dress

It was dark. It was so extremely dark that Daisy almost felt like it was squishing her. Clouds blocked out all the stars, and it was one of those dangerous nights where there was no moon. Daisy felt very alone, in a way she'd never felt before.

She twisted her small, cold hands into the skirt of her yellow dress and looked up at the sky, huge brown eyes searching for any sign of light. Daisy thought back to the day before. The day that had gotten her stuck in this endless dark.

She and Momma had been out shopping for clothes. There was a tiny little thrift shop right down the corner and it had the nicest clothes Daisy had ever seen. Rows and rows of long, colorful dresses and skirts that nearly swallowed Daisy whole. It was like a thick, soft jungle that Daisy felt she could be happily lost in for hours. She'd spun through the rows, pretending to be a dancer on stage, like her Aunt Leona, or a pilot like her daddy.

"Daisy, come along, now!" Her momma had called, reaching a hand into the clothes for Daisy to grab. She knelt down in front of her and held up a small yellow dress with flowers sewed on.

"These are daisies!" her momma had said. "Just like you. And it's just the perfect size for you, Daisy!" She'd grabbed the dress, spinning around and squealing with delight.

"Can I try it on?" She'd asked, and he momma steered her towards the dressing room door with a smile on her face. She'd put on the yellow dress, beaming at herself in the little, age-stained mirror in front of her. I look like a fairy princess! She thought, pretending to hold a magic wand and cast a spell.

Daisy didn't know how long she'd stood there, twirling around in the cute little yellow dress.

"Daisy?" Her momma called. "Are you alright in there?" Daisy sighed.

"Yes, momma. I'm fine." She put her hands on her hips even though she knew her momma couldn't see her. That's what Momma always does when she's mad! She thought, then pretended to be a momma, imagining having two little babies of her own, and a husband.

Finally, Daisy decided that she wanted to show her momma, and everyone else she knew, the yellow dress. She fluffed out the skirt, brushed her black curls out of her face, and stepped out the door.

Momma wasn't there. Daisy was sure she'd still be standing there, beautiful and regal like always.

"Maybe she went outside," Daisy whispered to herself, thinking it very odd that her momma would leave her there. They had to leave soon anyway, to get home in time for Daddy's dinner. He always cooked on Tuesdays, because Tuesdays were when Momma taught piano lessons to the boy across the street.

"Momma?" Daisy asked, getting no response as she'd feared. She pushed open the door of the thrift shop, the little bell ringing as she did so. It was getting cool outside, and the sky was a wonderful painting of pinks and oranges. Daisy had to stop for a second and stare at the sunset, it was so beautiful. Then she huffed and started walking in the direction she thought their home was.

"Momma?" She called again, looking for the red shirt she was wearing. Her momma’s musical voice didn’t respond. Starting to get frantic, she ran down the street, not recognizing any of the buildings that she saw. She called out for her momma, first quietly, then louder and louder. Tears started streaming down her face as she ran faster and faster. Then she couldn’t run anymore, and her momma was nowhere. She was standing in an abandoned parking lot, her eyes red, her dress stained, and very, very, alone. 

Daisy was still alone, and though the tears had gone away, the pain in her heart hadn’t. Why would her momma just leave her? Daisy looked around and walked over to sit on a curb. She put her chin in her hands, feeling the tears start to come back. They dropped into the skirt of her new yellow dress, the one that had gotten her into all this trouble. She swatted at the skirt, now mad at the dress itself. 

“Hello?” A voice called. Daisy stood up quickly, hoping it was her momma. “Hello, is someone there?” She felt her heart sink. It was a man, and not her daddy’s voice either. Maybe he could help, though. 

“Yes?” She whispered, wiping her face. “I’m here.” The person walked closer. 

“Oh, Darry, it’s a child!” This was a new voice, a woman. The two people turned on a flashlight, and Daisy blinked at the sudden brightness. 

“Hello?” She said timidly. They were two strangers, both with red hair and green eyes and very pale skin. They looked so different from her momma, with her curly black hair, black eyes, and brown skin that at first, she felt a little bit shy. 

“Are you lost, sweetheart?” The woman asked, bending down to be at eye-level with Daisy. Daisy nodded, clutching her hands to her chest. 

“I can’t find my momma!” She said in a hushed, choked voice. The woman’s eyes filled with moisture, and Daisy’s fear was replaced with confusion. She hadn’t lost her momma too, had she? 

“Well, uh, where did you last see her?” The man asked. He seemed nice enough, Daisy decided, and the woman too, so she thought it was okay to talk to them. 

“At the thrift store.” She responded. The woman and the man exchanged a glance. Daisy got the feeling that she was very lost. 

“At the thrift store?” The man said. “That’s at least two miles away!” Daisy didn’t really know what a mile was, but it seemed very far. She just nodded, her bottom lip starting to quiver again. The woman must’ve been a mother because she immediately took Daisy’s small hand in her larger one and sat down on the curb next to her. She opened her mouth to talk, but before she could say anything, a new voice spoke. 

“Is something the matter?” A new figure was walking into the light. He looked not quite old enough to be an adult, but still much older than Daisy. He had blonde hair and blue eyes and lips pulled into a frown. 

“They’re trying to help me find my momma!” Daisy said, feeling happier with the arrival of a new person. The boy smiled at her and joined the few sitting on the curb. 

“I can go ride my bike to see if I can find her.” He said, glancing at the watch on his wrist. “It’s getting late.” Daisy nodded urgently. 

“Yes, please!” She exclaimed. “She looks just like me, except taller and she’s wearing a red shirt.” The clouds shifted to reveal a single, shining star. The boy nodded, shaking Daisy’s hand before running off and hopping on his bike. 

“Can we help?” Two older women walked near to them, their silky black hair greying and pulled up into ponytails. Daisy didn’t know them, but they reminded her of her Granny, with her knit scarves and fresh-baked cookies. Daisy stood up and promptly hugged both of them. They laughed, and the sound warmed her heart. 

“I just called the owner of the thrift shop!” A man said, walking forward as the clouds shifted yet again. He had shining brown eyes and a thick brown beard. Upon Daisy’s confused expression, he laughed and told her that the boy with the bike had told him about the situation. 

More and more people began filing into the small abandoned parking lot. They were all smiling, and all running about, shouting for others to spread the word and find “Momma”. Soon the little parking lot was filled with people that were bringing Daisy a jacket, a water bottle, and fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies that smelled so much like her granny’s that Daisy nearly cried. 

And then, finally, when the sky was shining with stars and the night was beginning to warm into the morning, a very worried, very beautiful woman with a tear-stained face rode into the parking lot on the boy’s bike. She looked around at the masses of people before running to Daisy and scooping her up in her arms. 

“Oh, my sweet baby!” She cried, hugging Daisy almost as tightly as Daisy hugged her. 

“Where were you, Momma?” Daisy whimpered, the emotions of the night coming back to her in painful waves. 

“I was just in the bathroom, sweetheart.” Daisy let the tears begin to fall at that outrageous statement. She buried her head in her momma’s shoulder, not caring that her yellow dress was stained with dirt and tears. 

Finally, her momma set her down and looked at her, wiping her eyes as she turned to face all the people surrounding them. 

“I can’t thank you all enough.” She said, and the people started cheering. For what, Daisy had no idea. But she knew it felt good. 

With a start, Daisy realized something. 

“Hey, Momma!” She whispered. Her momma looked down at her. “Do you like my new yellow dress?”