Beneath a Southern Sky - By Deborah Raney Page 0,67
under her breath.
“Natalie Joan!”
That got her attention, but she hesitated a split second too long, giving the wheel one more deliberate spin.
With jaw clenched, Cole pried her hands from the wheel and lifted her over the front seat, plopping her into her car seat in the back. She immediately began to wail as though she’d been stung by a bee.
Trying to remain calm, Daria buckled the screeching, bucking child into the car seat.
“Natalie!” Cole shouted, putting his right arm on the back of the seat and turning back to glare at her. “Stop that screaming right now.”
Her voice rose another octave, and Cole reached to put a hand gently but firmly over her mouth.
Daria touched Cole’s arm and pleaded with him. “Honey, please…”
“She has got to learn that she can’t get her way every time she throws a fit, Daria.”
She held up a hand, frantic to keep the situation from escalating. “I know. You’re right, honey. But you’re the one who taught her to love driving the car so much in the first place. Can’t we just let it go this time? You’re going to have her so worked up she’ll be a mess when we get to the café.”
His face grew red, and he shouted above the wailing child. “And that’s exactly the point! She knows if she screams loud enough you’ll give in and then she’s won! She is playing you like a violin, Daria, and you don’t even see it.”
He turned away from Daria and spoke firmly to Natalie again, “Natalie, you stop screaming this instant or you will not get to go to Grandma and Grandpa’s house. Do you understand me?”
Daria was horrified. She knew her daughter well enough to know that Cole’s threat probably wouldn’t faze her. And she knew her husband well enough to know that he would follow through on his promise if necessary.
Sure enough, Natalie took a deep breath and screamed even louder. A look of determination crossed Cole’s face, and he turned in his seat and started the ignition. Daria closed the back door and climbed into the passenger seat, fastening her seat belt in silence. Cole headed out of the driveway and toward town.
Natalie began to grow quiet as they drove, and they were entering Bristol’s city limits when Daria finally mustered the courage to test Cole’s intentions.
“I hope I remembered to pack her dressy shoes,” she ventured, trying to keep her tone casual.
Cole stared at the road ahead as he answered tersely, “She’s not going to need her dressy shoes, Daria, because she isn’t going anywhere.”
“What do you mean?”
“She has got to learn that when we say something we mean it. She is not going with the Camfields this weekend.”
“Cole! They’re waiting for us right now!”
“They’ll just have to understand. It is going to take something serious to get through to this stubborn little girl, and today is as good a time as any to start.”
“Cole, that’s not fair to Jack and Vera,” she pleaded. “They’ve driven three hours to get here, and you’re asking them to just turn around and go back without her?”
“I’m sorry, Daria. I’ll explain the situation to them, and I’ll apologize for their wasted trip. Maybe we can offer to bring Nattie to Kansas City next weekend. But I feel very strongly about this. She has got to start understanding that we mean business, and in order for that to happen, we have to start meaning business.”
Her mind reeling, she clenched her jaw and tried to steel herself for the encounter with the Camfields.
Nineteen
The Camfields were waiting in their sedan when Cole and Daria drove in to the parking lot of the café. Vera’s lipsticked smile evaporated the instant she saw Cole emerge from the driver’s seat. She turned away from them and busied herself with something invisible on the dashboard. Jack got out of the car and took Cole’s outstretched hand politely, but his downcast eyes refused to meet Cole’s gaze.
While Daria released a suddenly cheerful Natalie from the car seat, she waited to see how Cole would explain his decision to Natalie’s grandparents.
“Jack, I’m afraid we’re going to have to disappoint you today,” he started, dipping his head in a show of deference. “We’re going to disappoint you and Natalie,” Cole continued.
Jack cocked his head, obviously curious. Daria saw Vera’s car window glide down slowly—she knew that the woman hadn’t missed a word.
“What’s this all about?” Jack asked.
“I sincerely apologize that you drove all this way for nothing, but Natalie isn’t going