For All Eternity

The Sea

"Where are we going?" Connie asked from the back of the car over her Mum and Dad's singing. They didn't hear her, too consumed in belting out the words to Here Without You by Three Doors Down.

"Excuse me, I said where are we going?" She said louder, but still they didn't hear.

The frustration was building, they couldn't hear her and she wanted her question answering. It wasn't fair just because they were singing to music didn't mean she should be ignored. Maybe, she thought, if she shouted loud enough, they'd be able to hear what she was saying and answer the most important question... so that's what she did.

"Oi you two, where are we going?" She shouted as loud as she could, coincidentally just as the song went off. Joe jumped and nearly swerved the car as a result.

"We do not, ever, shout in the car, ever," Joe scalded, "no thank you. That was very dangerous."

"But you weren't even listening Joe."

Joe felt a warmth on his thigh that helped him regain a bit of composure, "And you don't call me by my first name either, I'm Daddy. Try again please."

"No." She huffed and crossed her arms.

"Your attitude needs to change right now please. It's not acceptable." Joe said, he was getting progressively more annoyed by her.

"I will not."

"When we get to Zoe and Alfie's you can sit right on the thinking step, then, for five minutes," Joe said, not even noticing he had answered her initial question.

"I hate you."

"Connie-Lou, there's no need to be mean like that, Daddy just wants you to use your inside voice and call him Daddy. He wants you to be polite." Dianne said sweetly, her hand squeezing his thigh a couple of times.

"But he didn't listen, neither did you and now I have to sit on the finking step and my surprise is ruined."

"Daddy just answered your question, I'm sorry we couldn't hear you. Daddy had to get annoyed because he almost crashed the car, alright?"

"No."

"Okay, well you just sit until it turns into a yes. Maybe you can pick the next song?" Dianne suggested, she had reached back and stroked Connie's leg, only to get a foot in her forearm. She didn't scald though, Connie needed to come to her own conclusion about her behaviour. Joe had given her enough to think about.

"The one that you kissed to." Connie said.

"What sorry? When did we kiss to a song?" Dianne glanced at Joe, who was secretly raging, and found herself wishing he wasn't so they could laugh at what Connie was potentially insinuating.

"On strictly."

"Oh, this one?" She put on 'Red Right Hand'.

"No but the other one from the same time."

"The slow one, this one?" Dianne found 'This Year's Love' and pressed play.

"Thank you."

"That's alright. We love you always."

"Mmhmm," Joe contributed, "can you drive please?"

"Course I can, pull in somewhere," Dianne said softly, looking back to see Connie with her eyes closed, completely vibing to the song.

"Sorry," Joe met her at the back of the car.

"It's okay, you're angry and upset. I understand," she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him before getting back in the car.