A few days later, Danny's parents were arguing.
They woke Danny from her sleep. She couldn't exactly hear what they were saying, but she knew it wasn't good.
Curiosity took over and Danny slipped from her bed. She crawled to the top of the stairs and watched her parents. Her mother sat calmly on a kitchen chair, while her father paced in front of her. Her mother wore a tight white dress and a robe that Danny had never seen before. Her father was dressed in his work clothes, which confused Danny since they'd been home for a long time. She was about to leave her perch and go back to her bed, but her father spoke again.
"You can't go off and do these ridiculous things. You have a family. You have Danny."
"Daniella doesn't even look me in the eyes. She's too busy with you," venom dripped from every word. Danny climbed down a few steps to see better.
"Danny doesn't understand, she's only seven. She'll be better, but you have to try, too. You can't go off and be with other men." Danny didn't understand. The world was filled with boys. Who did her dad think he was with telling her mother who she can't be with. In her eyes, it was impossible to not be with boys.
"I'm done with you telling me what I can and cannot do." Like a snake, her mother stood from her chair, her perfect posture never bending, and walked to the door.
"Mama?" Danny ran down the steps and hugged her mother by the legs. Her mother, taken aback, uneasily rubbed Danny's back.
"Daniella, you should be asleep." Her mother pushed Danny back.
"Where are you going?" Danny looked up at her mother with wide eyes. Behind her, her father cleared his throat.
"Come here, Danny."
"No, it's fine." Her mother kneeled and held Danny by her face. "Mama's gonna hang out with a friend," she switched her gaze to her husband. "I'll be back." She stood up and put her shoes on. Then slithered out of the house with a smile on her face.
