Page 20 of Falling Again
CHAPTER 6
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Natalie got both kidsout of her vehicle just in time for Otis to break into a full-blown temper tantrum. Apparently telling her two-year-old he couldn’t have another juice box was the wrong thing to say. As soon as Natalie opened the back door, Madeline unbuckled herself and sprinted toward the door. “Wait,” Natalie ordered. “You need to stay with me, Maddie.”
Madeline stomped her feet in rhythm to her brother’s wails, causing Natalie’s blood pressure to skyrocket. “But Mooommmyyy!” the little girl whined, dragging out each syllable at a decibel that could shatter the windshield. “I don’t want to listen to Otis cry anymore.”
Neither did Natalie, but misery loved company. “Maddie, you know the rule. You do not run away from the car without Daddy or me. Okay?”
“But we’re home now,” Madeline surmised, turning to look around their garage.
Natalie unclipped Otis from his car seat and tried not to roll her eyes at her daughter’s observation. “Come on, sweetie,” she cooed, trying to cover her son’s head as he flailed against the back seat. The last thing she needed was a trip to the ER—or another toddler slap to the face. As she put Otis on the floor, he sprinted to the door and started banging on it.
“Let us innn,” Maddie wailed. Natalie tucked her tote under one arm and grabbed the kids’ bags with her free hand. She fantasized about the glass of wine she was going to down once the kids were situated.I can never mention moments like this to Ginny, otherwise no one in the Sanchez household is having children.
Unfortunately, the moment of solitude would have to wait. The door from the garage swung open to reveal they had a house guest. A very unexpected house guest who bore a striking resemble to her husband.
“Auntie Alice!” Madeline screamed as she jumped into her aunt’s waiting arms. “Yay!”
Otis jumped up and down until his aunt paid him the same amount of attention. Since he was still mastering his verbal skills, all that came out was “Owie Owllis.” Natalie couldn’t fault the kid for trying.
“There are my little terrors,” Alice laughed, ruffling Otis’s hair while she tried to back into the house.
Natalie took a deep breath and prepared herself for a visit from Anthony’s sister. At first glance Alice seemed fairly put together. Her brown hair was recently cut, her cheeks had a healthy hue, and she wore a T-shirt featuring the logo of her most recent alma mater. Alice was a perpetual student, and no one in the Snyder clan had any idea what to do with her.
“Alice. Hi,” Natalie said as she plowed ahead with all their bags. She was weighed down both physically and metaphorically, and she would have laughed at the image if she wasn’t so damned exhausted.
Alice didn’t bother trying to help carry anything, just turned and sauntered back into the house. When Natalie reached the kitchen, she saw there was an open bottle of wine––one that she had been saving––on the counter and the remains of a frozen pizza. Natalie stifled a groan at the thought of what else Alice had gotten into. She tended to result to raccoon-like behavior, scavenging for whatever she could eat in a moment’s notice. Such was the life of a college student.
“Hope you don’t mind, but I was hungry,” Alice said as she pointed to the remnants of her lunch.
“Not at all,” Natalie replied through clenched teeth. The very last thing she wanted right now was to babysit Alice on top of her own two hellions. “So, what brings you back to Buckeye Falls?”
If Natalie had to guess, she’d assume Alice was out of money. The woman had a knack for avoiding responsibility at all costs. Which was an odd trait from someone who grew up in a household of type A personalities. Then again, perhaps this was Alice’s way of rebelling. Natalie didn’t have enough time to mull over the Snyder family’s choices—especially now.
Alice poured herself another glass of wine and took a sip before she thought to offer some to Natalie. “Oh hell. Do you want a glass?”
“That’s a bad word!” Madeline yelled as she bounded around the kitchen. Not only had Otis’ tantrum gotten her excited, but an unexpected visit from her favorite aunt had driven her over the edge. The girl practically vibrated with unused energy.Can you spare a little of that for Mom, kiddo?
“What?” Alice asked, her gaze bouncing back and forth between mother and daughter.
Natalie sighed and motioned at the wine bottle. “We have a swear jar, so you just cost yourself twenty-five cents. And I’ll have a glass. Thanks.”
Madeline climbed up on a stool and reached for the jar of change. She stood at Alice’s feet and jangled the jar until her aunt paid her attention. “A quarter, please,” she said sweetly. Natalie had to hand it to the kid; she was a hustler.
“I’m a little cash poor at the moment, Maddie. Hit me up later?”
Not understanding that adults weren’t made of money, Madeline frowned and shook the jar one more time. The jangling change did nothing to soothe Natalie’s burgeoning headache. “But you said H-E-L-L. Daddy and Mommy said that’s a bad word and it costs twenty-five cents.”
Alice looked to Natalie for support, but Natalie was enjoying the moment too much to interject. “House rules I’m afraid. If you don’t pay her, you’ll have to sing at least one song fromFrozen.”
Alice looked like someone had slapped her. “Oh God,” she breathed. Backing away like her niece was on fire, Alice rummaged in her bag until she found a quarter. Dropping the coin into the jar with a clink, Madeline beamed and ran away with her stash.
“Safe from the fate of another Disney sing-along,” Natalie chuckled.
