No Shame (Book 2 - No Regrets)

Chapter Four - Where Does the Axe Fall

DOMINICK'S POV

  Making dinner with a cranky-stubborn toddler makes assembling a piece of furniture with a million pieces and instructions written in a foreign language, seem like child's play. Mollie, unfortunately, did not take her nap this afternoon; which means she is very tired and cranky.

  Usually, Tyde or I would enforce the nap-time. However, today is the first weekend in weeks where I actually had the energy and motivation to run errands. Now, I realize re-stocking my hidden snack stash and buying more frozen meals were not worth missing nap time. Mollie is headstrong naturally; but without a nap reasoning with her is nearly impossible to do. Trying to put her down for a quick nap, even fifteen minutes while I make dinner, or to bed hours earlier than usual, would only throw her schedule off further.

The knowledge of tonight's dinner being pasta and broccoli has not helped improve Mollie's mood. "No!" She whines as I place the broccoli in the microwave to steam. "No broccoli!" She slams her palms down on the counter.

"Mollie, that is not how we communicate." I scold firmly. I am clinging tightly on to the very thin patience I have. In the last two hours, a clearly tired Mollie has whined, shouted, and thrown a few temper tantrums.

Mollie lets out a loud angry scream in response to my scolding. "Mollie Benji, come in and see me." Tyde calls from down the hallway. Mollie lets out a whine in protest as I lift her up from the stool where she was standing beside me at the kitchen counter. However, she does obey and goes to the room where Tyde is laying down. I hear the sound of Tyde's firm voice, but I am too far to make out what she is saying. Although, her and I are usually on the same page when it comes to disciplining Mollie. We make the same points with her.

After talking with Tyde, Mollie comes back into the kitchen as I am taking the, now fully cooked, broccoli out of the microwave. Without looking up from her feet, Mollie climbs up into her stool. "I am sorry." She mumbles.

"What are you sorry for?" I respond as I scoop out pesto into the pot with the noodles inside.

"I was loud and unkind." Mollie says. "I sorry for no listen." She adds.

"I forgive you." I say to her. I look over, she has raised her head a bit and our eyes meet. I hold her gaze as I say, "Just work on listening, obeying, and acting like the sweet girl I know you are."

Mollie nods her head. I work on finishing up on making dinner. I mix the pesto into the pasta. "I want some." Mollie says leaning over closer toward the pot. Her hand stretching out to reach into the pot. I react at a speed faster than lightning once I realize what she is doing. "No, do not touch. Too hot right now. That will burn you and it will hurt." I say quickly grabbing Mollie's wrist, stopping her.

Mollie jerks her hand away from me, "No!" She yells at me. She stomps her foot angrily on the stool.

"Mollie, that is too loud." I scold. "Go sit at the table and I will bring your dinner to you. Right after to you eat, you are going to bed. You're sleepy and acting out."

"No!" Mollie cries out. Before I can even process or react, Mollie grabs the bowl of broccoli. "I don't like!" She cries and with all the force she could muster throws it straight down. The bowl shatters upon impact. Broccoli shoots out and spreads along the tile floor. I stare at Mollie, unable to hide my shock. She even looks surprised by herself, she jumps down from the stool. The sound of her feet when they hit the ground snaps me out of my frozen shocked state. I approach her, avoiding the broken pieces of glass, both one hand grabbed each of her arms. "No, we do not behave that way when we are upset! We do not break things. That could have hurt someone or you!" My shock and slight anger soaks my tone.

"What happened?" Tyde asks walking walking into the kitchen. She lets out a gasp when her eyes fall on the broken bowl surrounded by pieces of broccoli. She doesn't need to ask or be told what happened to add things together. I pick Mollie up, she starts crying knowing what is coming. A spanking.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"Tyde, I am starting to get worried." I say sitting down beside her on the couch. Mollie is asleep in bed now. After getting her spanking, she ate a bit of dinner and went straight to bed.

Tyde rests her arm on the back of the couch and rests the side of her face on her hand.

"She is a toddler. This is all a part of the age." She replies. Her eyes soften a bit and she takes my hand into her other hand. "I promise you, this is all normal. My younger brother acted the same way."

I pull my hand away from her, I tiredly hang my head in my hands. "This does not feel normal." I let out a sigh and lean back.

"I know, but it is." Tyde says gently.

"I can't help but feel..." I trail off.

"Feel what?"

"Feel as if..." I sit up and turn to face her. "Ever since I got her back, I have done everything I could to make sure she felt loved and safe. What if, I was too focused on that. What if I have been too focused on other things that I let them-" Tyde holds up her hand stopping me.

"That is defiantly not the case." She says.

I am suddenly aware of how exhausted I am. "Something else on your mind?" Tyde asks.

I nod my head. "School related or other?" She asks.

"Both." I answer.

"Want to talk about either or both?"

"No."

Tyde doesn't respond immediately, I don't have to look at her to know she wants to press further. However, she doesn't.

And I am glad.

***AUTHOR'S NOTE***

Chapter Bundle 2/7

I am currently on vacation. And as both a celebration and a thank-you, I have decided to supply you with a chapter spam while I am on vacation.

I will post one chapter a day.

Please forgive any mistakes, i will fix them once I am "back in office".

VOTE, COMMENT, FOLLOW, do what you want.

THANKS FOR READING! I HOPE YOU ENJOYED!