Chapter 17: The Discussion

Daisy Dyer's POV

I was putting my stuff on the counter as I was sighing. Today has been exhausting with my labs and all the things that I need to think about. Not to mention the funding that can make my father proud of me. I smiled at the thought.

Then, my phone rang.

I went to pick it up and I saw it was Aunt Milly's number. I answered it in a heartbeat.

"Aunt Milly. This is odd for you to call me," I said as I was sitting on the sofa. I felt like I was home before Aunt Milly was asking how I was doing.

"How are you dear? You haven't been calling me of late," she said as I laughed at her. She can make me smile without an effort.

"I know, I am so sorry. I have been busy with my labs and research that I need to think about,"

"I thought you want to prove that Meteorite was the cause for the Old Ocean was forming. Or are you thinking about something else?" She said and instantly, the image of Dylan going down on me was filling my retina. I cleared my throat.

"Why would I think about anything else?" I said as I was trying to brush it off with a laugh. Aunt Milly was silent.

"You don't fool me, girl. I know when you were thinking about something else but the research that you have been working for 2 years now," she said as I sighed. I rubbed my temples as I did not know how to approach the subject.

"It's just…I've been under a lot of pressure lately. I don't know how to make a tough decision. Was it good? Was it bad? I don't know what to think, Aunt Milly," I said as I was leaning against the sofa. I was looking at the ceiling before I was waiting for her answer to wisdom.

"Aunt Milly?"

"What was it about then? That you cannot decide?"

"It's this funding for my research—"

"You know it will pay the research that you were doing. I think you should take that chance. You will send that proposal to Lucia or so God help me, I fly out to New York to knock some sense into you, girl," aunt Milly said as I was chuckling at her. Even though we're miles apart, she always said the right thing at the right time.

"Well, I think that solves one problem," I said before I can sense that she was arching her eyebrow at me.

"What do you mean, girl? Out with it," she said before I was rubbing my neck. Should I tell her? Should I ask an old widow to trust the issue of my heart? Well, I guess I just have to tell her to find out.

"There's this guy that I met—"

"Who was he? Did I know him? When will you come and introduce him to me?" She interrupted me before I was sighing.

"Aunt Milly,"

"Was he a good man? Is his family good to you? Have you met them?"

"Aunt Milly!"

"What?" She said as she was babbling her nonsense that I thought it would not end before I can continue this discussion with her.

"He's someone that I have been working with for 2 years now," I said as I was looking at the ceiling. She scoffed.

"Was that Windell boy?"

"What! No, of course not, why would you think…okay maybe it was him but my friend said that I cannot have a relationship with someone that I was working with. It will come with a lot of complication," I said as I was gripping the end of my hair strands. I wondered what aunt Milly thought about it.

"Hmm,"

"Hmm? What was that supposed to mean?" I asked as I was looking at the window. I bit my lower lips before she grunted.

"Do you like this boy?" She asked me before I was closing my eyes. Do I like Dylan Windell? Do I see myself with him 10 years from now on?

"Yes?" I said it but it's more like a question to myself.

"Be an honest girl! I cannot help you if you were being indecisive like this," she barked at me before I was putting the phone away from me. I sighed before I sighed.

"Okay, maybe I have been having this feeling forever but recently, he accused me that my father was the reason his father lost everything," I said as I was looking at the ceiling before I was hearing to Aunt Milly.

"Who is his father?"

"Theodore George Windell,���

"Hmm, I think I heard that name before. Well, don't do anything rash until I tell you everything that I know about this Windell boy and his father. I think I need to get to the farm now. I call you later," she said as I was hung up from her. I think my aunt was badass.

I took a good look and I smiled. I think this would give me more opportunities to tell the world about the theory. I smiled before I was studying the pamphlet and all the things that I need to consider to tell Lucia tomorrow.

Maybe this will be my chance to prove Dylan wrong.

The next morning, I emailed Lucia to meet her and discuss the funding and my progress in my research. I was happy to know that she will meet me at 10 AM. So, I got ready for my meeting as I woke up at 7 AM.

I worked out for a bit as I went for running around the block before I was cooking my breakfast. I made a smoothie to go with it and I went to take my shower. The sun was shining as the Spring was here.

I smiled before I pulled my sundress. I think I can wear this now. I was looking at the sky and thought to bring a cardigan if it was chilly in the evening. I went out of my apartment as I locked it up and went to the subway station.

I was listening to music as I was looking out of the window. It was nice and I think I wanted to sing to the world but I thought better of it. I got off at the university before I was walking to the Geology department. I was greeting the familiar faces that I saw as I made my way to Lucia's office.

But my day was getting worse.

Dylan was talking with Lucia as I was looking at their interaction. I think Dylan was getting more relaxed and he was happy. I gritted my teeth before I was making my way to them.

"Ah, Daisy. You're here. Come in. I am ready for you," Lucia said before Dylan was looking at me before excused himself to do some 'work'.

"What are you guys talking about?" I asked Lucia before I was putting my stuff on the floor before I pulled my thesis paper to give to Lucia. She took it.

"Oh, nothing. Just about the funding and the progress that he will be taking from now on," Lucia said as she was putting on her glasses. I think she looked like Aunt Milly in some way. I smiled.

"Why? Is there something wrong with his thesis paper?" I said as I was looking at her. Lucia glanced at me from her glasses before she was smiling at me. A knowing smile that I don't know why she was amused about.

"Nothing. It's just some indecisiveness that I have persuaded him to take," she said before she was looking at the paper and me.

"Now, about your progress…" Lucia started and there it was my one-hour meeting with her was to discuss my papers and funding.

Good news: she thinks that I will need the funding to get more understanding of the matter and went on that expedition that was lead by Chris Yang.

Bad news: I need to have more data to support my theory and more analysis from the scientific paper that was discussing my theory.

I think it was all work on a good day.