Nancy swore that this was the
last time she was going to take
Kayla to the supermarket. From
the time they walked through
the automatic doors the pestering
started and continued up and down
each aisle.
Sheer will-power, counting to ten
and silent prayers kept her temper
in check. Things almost came to
a head at the candy section.
Kayla picked up a candy bar
and Nancy calmly told her to put
it back. “I already picked up one,”
she said. At first the six year refused
and held on to the bar. “I want another one.”
Nancy’s index finger came up, followed
by a voice quiet but quite firm.
The no-nonsense expression was
hard to miss and Kayla’s mouth
quivered before it became a pout.
She still held on to the bar and
Nancy’s threat, “Put that back
now or else you get no candy at all”
did the trick.
Still pouting, Kayla turned and
put the candy back. Then she
folded her arms and continued
to pout. Nancy straightened up
and taking one of her folded
arms, she marched up to the
cash register to check out.
The drive home was quiet.
Kayla sat in the back, still
pouting and her arms still
folded. She was still fuming
over the candy bar.
Nancy shrugged. She could
listen to the radio for a
change.
