The Art of Discipline: Running Toward Trouble (The Mockingbird Chronicles) (29 page)

* * *

Hearing footsteps, Dani looked up from her usual job of chopping vegetables and grinned. “Hey, Vinnie,” she greeted.

“Hey, cousin, thought you might need this.” He tossed a pillow at her.

Catching it, she found it taken almost immediately from her hands. “Nah, she doesn’t need that. I heard that this one,” Nick gave Emma a kiss on the cheek, “got Pop to put his belt back on.”

Vinnie bowed deeply to Emma. “My hat is off to you, Emma. Think you can get him to do that next time he chases me with the belt?”

“Hey, that was no chase, Vincenzo,” Frankie boomed entering the room and greeting his family. “She didn’t even leave the room. I’ve told you all, up and down two flights of steps chasing Nicky, that was classic.”

Emma laughed as Dani blushed. “So Nick, what did you do to have your father so uptight?”

Nick simply shrugged. “Ya know, to this day I’m not sure, but I think it may have been something to do with a bra, the statue of the Virgin Mary, and moving her from the sanctuary at Holy Cross to the bar down the street.”

Dani smiled, looking toward Frankie. “Isn’t that like what my father and you did? Put a bra on the statue of the Virgin Mary when you were a kid?”

The room became quiet momentarily. “Pop did that trick first?” Vinnie slapped his older brother on the back. “Guess trouble does run in the family,” he quipped.

Frankie grinned. “I, however, never saw fit to move the Holy Mother to a bar.”

Nick shrugged. “It was divine inspiration.”

“Alright, enough,” Toni directed. “It’s almost time to sit down. Dani, finish setting the table, Emma, help me over here, Giuliana and Vinnie, start getting the drinks on, and Nick, finish up that dessert you brought.”

Frankie gave Toni a kiss on the cheek. “And me, Antonia?”

“You, go sit down and stay out of the way.”

Dinner proceeded with the usual fanfare. The spotlight was even taken off of Dani as the family caught up with each other and shared the joys and challenges of the past week, before moving on to discuss the events of the upcoming week. Dani found herself easily submerged in the banter and chatter, wondering once again what it would have been to grow up here instead of with her grandparents.

Once the dessert plates were cleared, Nick cleared his throat. “Dani, I could use some fresh air, how about a walk?”

Looking at Emma, Dani caught her smile and nodded. “Sure, honey, just don’t go out of sight of the house.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve been under house arrest before,” Nick chuckled and then grinned as Dani backhanded him in the stomach.

“Still got it, I see,” he commented as they grabbed their coats and headed outside.

“What do you mean?”

Nick smiled at her. “You don’t remember? You used to beat me up all the time. I never wanted to play house, but you did,” he laughed. “If I refused to be the dad, you’d hit me and sit on me until I gave in.”

“I wish I could remember,” Dani replied remorsefully.

“You really don’t?” He took her hand in his and squeezed. “We were like brother and sister. I cried for a week solid when you left. Kept asking my folks why you had to leave.”

Dani stopped and looked at him. “I wish I could remember, Nick, I’d like to have some happy memories.”

Nick nodded and smirked. “Well then, how about I help you with that? We may have been little, but we managed to do some pretty memorable things.”

“Tell me?” Dani asked.

“You just try and stop me,” he answered, beginning to walk again.

“Nick, what was the playhouse like?” Dani asked quietly.

“You remember the playhouse?”

Dani shook her head. “Not really, but I’d like to.”

“Well, first off, that’s where you sat on me the most,” he chuckled. “It was this replica of your house. Uncle Liam had it made for your third birthday, but it was big enough that we would have been able to play in it until we were about ten or so.”

“How much of a replica?”

“Well, the outside looked like your house; it was two stories, yellow with dark green shutters and big forest green door. There were even curtains in the window. Inside it was one big room, but was divided up into sections. There was a play kitchen, a small couch for us to sit on, and a couple of beanbag chairs along with lots of toys.”

“Sounds like a lot of fun,” Dani commented, trying to remember.

“It was.” Nick squeezed her hand again. “The last time we played there before you left, we’d pretended that we had a kitten. You wanted a kitten so badly, you asked your folks for one all the time.”

“Yeah, I’ve always liked cats,” Dani grinned.

Nick returned the grin. “Well, on this day, we played as if we had a kitten, and then you decided if your mom wouldn’t get you one, that you’d act like one,” he laughed. “You kept meowing at her, pawing at her, and even tried to get her to feed you off the floor.”

Dani laughed. “What happened?”

“Well, everything was fine until you scratched my mom for telling you no about something and you climbed the tree in our yard.” He shook his head at the memory. “By the time Ma got you down, you were yowling. By the time she handed you back to Aunt Charlie, you were glaring at her and rubbing your backside.”

“Muttering about mean
zias
, even if they could climb trees?”

Nick whooped, picking Dani up and twirling her around. “That’s your first memory, Dani. We’re gonna get them all back for you, I know we will.”

Dani and Nick continued the friendly banter and a few more stories before they decided it was time to head back to the house. They had just entered the patio, when Dani stopped walking. Looking Nick in the eye, she smiled softly. “Nick, will you tell me about the last time you saw me?”

“Please, Dani, let’s not think about that today,” he pleaded.

She frowned and they continued to walk. “Was there a big black car and a tall man with a red hat?”

“Yeah, that was your grandfather. He never smiled or anything. Called you over to him like a dog. You were clinging to Ma, begging her to not make you go, promising to be good if they’d let you stay. Ma just held onto you and kept kissing you.” Nick wiped a tear from his cheek. “I thought Pop was gonna hurt the man, but he just stood there.”

“What happened?”

“Your grandfather finally came over and grabbed you. He had to pry your fingers from Ma’s neck. You screamed so loud we could hear you as they drove away.”

“I don’t remember,” Dani said softly.

“I can never forget,” Nick answered as he opened the door and allowed Dani to enter the house first.

Walking into the family room, Dani bent over the back of Toni’s chair and put her arms around her, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

“Not that I don’t appreciate it, but what was that for?”

“For rescuing your favorite kitten from that tree,” Dani answered with a grin.

Sitting down on the loveseat next to Emma, she whispered that she’d explain later as the family returned to their game of charades.

* * *

Emma held Dani close as they snuggled on the couch in the carriage house. “So your first memory is of Toni swatting you?”

“Yeah, strange, huh?” she said as she melted into Emma. “Nick told me about the day my grandparents took me. I think I understand about the red hat in my nightmares now. My grandfather was wearing one the day I went with them. I just wish I knew why they wanted me.”

Emma kissed Dani’s temple. “You may never know, sweetie.”

“I guess not,” Dani sighed again. “In a way I’m glad I don’t remember them taking me; it sounded awful.”

“I imagine it was your way of protecting yourself, not remembering,” Emma agreed.

“Yeah,” Dani looked at the clock and groaned. “It’s already 8:15? This is so not fair,” she pouted as Emma stood and held out her hand.

“Come on, little girl, I’ll walk you upstairs tonight and help you get into your pajamas before you and the corner become reacquainted.”

Rolling her eyes, Dani stood and took her lover’s hand. “Thanks, Emma.”

Putting her arm around Dani’s waist, Emma led her toward their bedroom. “You’re welcome, Danielle,” she intoned quietly.

* * *

“Dani, wake up,” Emma was shaking her girlfriend as she whimpered in her sleep. “Dani, Dani,” shaking her a bit harder she relaxed as Dani opened her eyes and moaned.

“Again?”

Emma brushed the hair back from Dani’s face. “Yeah, you had another one, do you remember anything?”

Dani shook her head and snuggled into Emma’s arms. “Not much. I can remember a red hat and red socks and feeling scared, terrified actually.”

Emma pulled Dani to her tighter. “And the man?”

“He’s the reason I’m terrified.” Dani buried her face in Emma’s chest. “I wish I could remember. There must be a reason I’m having them again.”

“Maybe there is, but we aren’t going to figure it out now. Try to go back to sleep, sweetie. Maybe you can finish the night without waking up again.”

Snuggling down, Dani frowned at the thought of returning to sleep, but eventually she yawned and was able to find it again.

* * *

Dani yawned once again. Emma had deposited her with Toni directly after breakfast and then returned to the carriage house to work on the bookstore’s final tax assessment.

“Everything okay, Dani?” Toni asked from her spot across the room.

“I’m fine,” Dani huffed. “Just don’t see why the DVDs have to be in alphabetical order. It’s stupid.”

“Danielle,’’ Toni warned.

“What?” Dani shrugged as she yawned yet again. “I’m just saying it’s dumb. Why not arrange them by genre or something?”

Covering yet another yawn, Dani dropped a pile of DVDs with a loud crash. “Damn it!” Bending to pick them up, she felt a swat to her backside.

“Hey, what’s the idea?” she rounded on Toni. “What did you do that for?”

Toni pointed at Dani with a single finger. “You, young lady, are very close to the edge.”

“The edge of what?” Dani returned, yawning again.

Realizing that Dani’s comment wasn’t sarcastic, Toni changed her tone. “Danielle, how much sleep did you get last night?”

Dani shrugged. “I dunno, three hours, maybe four.”

Shaking her head, Toni removed the DVD from Dani’s hand and placed it on the coffee table. “Come with me, young lady,” she directed, leading Dani to the bedroom she’d used when she had first spent the night several weeks ago.

“What are we doing here?” Dani demanded.

“You are going to take a nap while I catch up on my reading,” Toni supplied.

“I am not taking a nap,” Dani protested.

“Bed now, Danielle,” Toni commanded tersely.

Huffing, Dani did as she was told. She lay down on her stomach, only to become angry as Toni covered her with a blanket. Before she knew it though, she felt her eyelids began to droop, and couldn’t help the small smile that formed as she let herself feel loved.

“Have a nice rest,
piccolina
,” Toni whispered, kissing her on the temple before grabbing a book from the shelf behind her and sitting down in a large overstuffed chair to read.

Toni was just fighting her own eyes drooping when Dani’s moans brought her attention back to her sleeping goddaughter. Suddenly Dani screamed, causing Toni to drop her book and fly toward her. “Dani, Dani, wake up.” She shook her until the screams stopped.

Crawling onto the bed, Toni began brushing her fingers through Dani’s hair. She then let her use her lap as a pillow while Dani continued to cry softly.

“Nightmare?” Toni asked gently.

“How did you know?” Dani asked, wrinkling her brow.

“Oh, Dani, you had them every night after the murders. It was all I could do to get you back to sleep.” She stroked Dani’s hair gently. “You were so scared; I usually ended up letting you sleep with Frankie and me.”

“I started having them again. All I can remember is the red hat and socks and feeling terrified,” Dani sniffled, her tears beginning to lessen. “I just wish I could understand why I’m so scared.”

Toni stroked Dani’s cheek. “We think you saw the killer,
piccolina
. We’re pretty sure your nightmares were about him.” Not getting an immediate answer, Toni began to hum softly as she continued to stroke Dani’s hair. “I’d like you to sleep a little longer, but it’s getting late. I have another idea.”

A short time later, Emma entered the kitchen and stopped short. Dani was sitting at the table with Toni, laughing and enjoying what obviously was a large bowl of chocolate ice cream.

Turning, Toni smiled at Emma. “Hi,
piccolina
, did you get your work finished?”

Emma nodded. “I’d ask the same thing, but since I saw the DVDs still on the floor, I’ll assume Dani didn’t?”

Toni shook her head. “No, somebody was a little tired and needed a nap.”

“And apparently chocolate ice cream,” Dani grinned.

Emma sat down and looked at Toni. “I thought she was being punished.”

“My house, my rules, Emma. You agreed,” Toni smirked.

Emma shook her head. “I give up,” she said. Sticking her finger in Dani’s bowl, she swiped some of the treat. “That’s good, where’s mine?”

Toni merely shook her head. “Nope, this is all for my Dani.”

Groaning, Emma put her head in her hands. “Wrapped, she’s got all of you wrapped around her little finger,” she teased as Dani quietly filled her spoon and allowed Emma a single bite before returning to her treat with a vengeance.

“Brat,” Emma teased as Toni began to laugh.

Chapter Fourteen

It was late Monday evening when Dani and Emma settled into the backseat of the car. Carl was driving them back home, but at the moment both were lost in their own thoughts. Being Monday, they knew that the store had been closed as usual that day, but both women were looking forward to getting back to their normal routine in the morning.

All and all, they’d spent a little more than four weeks with Frankie and Toni, and in that time Dani’s daily spankings as well as her grounding had passed. Life was again back to normal, and returning home was just the icing to their bittersweet cake. It had been a heartbreaking moment leaving, for although they had enjoyed their time with Dani’s extended family, they knew that it was time to get back to their lives. Goodbyes were tearful, but necessary as they promised to be back for Sunday dinner at least once a month.