Among The Wildflowers

𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕥𝕪-𝕗𝕠𝕦𝕣: Last Straw

On the drive back to the cafe, Gina is trying to calm herself down. If she sees those two kids in the state she's in, she'll kill them. Literally.

She pulls into the back parking lot, and Will does the same.

All four exit their separate vehicles, both children looking nervous.

The door swings open as they approach it, revealing a very worried Lorie.

"Oh my goodness," she gasps, pulling her son into a hug,"I didn't know if you'd be okay. Oh, I'm so glad you're okay."

"I'm alright, mama," Stan says, gently, hugging his mother tightly.

Lorie pulls back and gives her son a stern expression.

"Good, because I'm gonna kill ya, boy. What were ya thinking?"

Gina ushers everyone inside and has the two children sit on the couch.

She paces for a while, searching for the words to say.

"First of all," she begins,"I'm extremely disappointed in the both of ya. Beyond disappointed, really. I cannot believe you two would do something so insane and dangerous! Ya could've died!"

Will and Lorie stand off to the side as Gina lays into the two children. She points out what could've happened, she explains how dangerous what they did was.

By the end of the lecture, Stan has silent tears rolling down his face and Nic's eyes are glued to the ground.

"Lorie," Gina says, her eyes on Stan,"what do ya wanna do with him?"

"I definitely want him spanked," Lorie says, sternly, glaring at her son,"I'm almost mad enough to do it myself."

"You'll do it then?"

"I said almost, Gina."

Gina nods.

"That's fine. He can come by here after school tomorrow and I'll handle it then."

Stan's shoulders slump at the bad news.

"And your daughter?"

Gina almost forgot Will was here, until he asked that question. She looks at her daughter who is still staring at her feet.

"I don't know."

"You don't know?" Will asks, obviously confused,"if you're spanking Stan, shouldn't she be spanked too? It was her idea."

"Will," Gina clips,"can I speak with ya a moment?"

She begins walking towards the swinging door, Will following close behind.

Once they're out of earshot, Gina turns to Will.

"I can't spank her."

"Why not?"

Gina takes a deep breath and quickly fills Will in on all that she knows about her daughter's past.

"Well, ya gonna say something?"

"Yeah," Will says,"sorry, that's a lot to digest."

"That's why I can't spank her."

"Gina, do you think spanking is abuse?"

Gina's face scrunches up, her eyebrows drawn together.

"Of course not."

"Then why do you act like it is?"

"What are ya talking about?"

"If Isabella was abused, and you're scared to actually discipline her because of that, aren't you treating said discipline as abuse?"