The Art of Discipline: Dani’s Discovery (The Mockingbird Chronicles) (24 page)

“Hmm?”

“Are you really at a five?”

“About two and seven eighths,” Emma replied with a wink. “How you feeling?”

“Better. You were right. The water does feel good,” Dani admitted. “And I’m getting a little hungry.”

“Time to get out then, I think,” Emma decided as she stood and held open a fluffy towel for Dani to step into. “I’ll go heat up the soup again.” She then excused herself, leaving Dani some privacy to get dressed.

By the time that Dani had redressed herself, Emma had returned with the reheated dinner. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Emma replaced the tray and again handed a spoon to Dani. “Not gonna throw this one, are you?” she half-joked.

“No,” Dani smiled, as she took the spoon and then attacked her soup. She didn’t realize just how hungry she was.

Emma watched her for a moment, slowly eating her own soup. Her appetite was a good sign, and she hoped that Dani would be feeling better soon. “You know, Dani, it’s not gonna work.”

Dani stopped her spoon in midair. “What?”

“The harder you push me away, the harder I’m going to push back. I love you, Danielle Ryan, and nothing is going to change that.” Pausing for a moment, Emma smiled. “Not even your attempts to get my attention, which by the way, you have in spades.”

Dani gulped, “I do?”

“Uh-huh,” Emma smiled. “As soon as you are done with dinner, you and I are going to discuss your punishments.”

“Punishments?” Dani looked at Emma, her eyes wide, “As in more than one?” Putting the spoon back in the bowl, she frowned. “I think I’m done now.”

Emma raised an eyebrow. “Finish it, Danielle.”

Dani grumbled but picked the spoon back up again. She’d learned quickly it was a bad idea to argue with the eyebrow.

The next few minutes ticked by slowly, but eventually Dani was able to choke down the rest of her meal. When she put down her spoon a second time, Emma was satisfied enough to take the bowl from her. “Had enough?”

“Yeah, thanks. It was really good.”

“Thank you,” Emma replied, before brushing a piece of hair from Dani’s face. “Now, I think it’s time I let you in on your punishments.”

Dani swallowed hard and suddenly found her hands very interesting.

“Look at me, Danielle,” Emma commanded gently.

Looking up, Dani focused on emerald eyes.

“First, I promised that I wouldn’t spank you tonight, and I’m not going to,” Emma began, noticing Dani visibly relax, “However, as soon as you are feeling better, you will be getting a spanking. And before you ask, I don’t know yet. I’ll judge your behavior until then, and that will set the tone on just how hard of a lesson it needs to be.”

Dani groaned, allowing her eyes to once again drop to study her fingers.

“Secondly, you’re grounded.”

“Grounded?”

“Yes, one week. Basically, if you’re not working, you’ll be here in the apartment. No electronics, no eating out, and you will be going to bed early every night. Also, I’m cancelling movie night with Stevie and Anna this week.”

“But what about my work? I need my phone and my laptop—”

Emma held up her hand, stopping Dani’s argument. “As soon as you are feeling better, you can work your normal shift in the morning at the store. Then, if you need to do anything for Ryan’s Events, you may use your laptop or your phone in my office.”

“Where you can keep an eye on me,” Dani mumbled.

“Exactly,” Emma agreed. “And I hope that I won’t have to stress that there will be serious consequences if I catch you doing anything other than business.”

Dani crossed her arms over her chest. She was not liking this idea at all. “What about my morning run? You gonna babysit me during that too?”

“I don’t think skipping a few days of running is going to hurt you, especially when you are sick,” Emma returned evenly.

Dani scowled. If she couldn’t go on her morning run, she couldn’t get her large diet soda. And what about not eating out? They would starve. No diet soda, no food, no TV; this week was going to kill her. Looking back at Emma, she asked, “When do I have to go to bed?”

Emma glanced at the clock. “Now sounds good.”

Dani also looked at the clock. “It’s only seven-fifteen.”

“Yes, and you are sick. You need to sleep.”

“But I don’t wanna!” Dani protested in a very clear whine.

“Two and eleven-twelfths,” Emma emphasized, tapping Dani affectingly on the nose. “But if you think you can manage to be good and lay down, I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep.”

Dani sighed. “I’d like that.”

“Me too,” Emma returned, pulling down the sheet and encouraging Dani to snuggle up below them, before scooting over and allowing Dani to use her lap as a pillow. Emma tucked a piece of hair behind Dani’s ear. “I love you, Dani.”

“Love you too, Emma,” Dani easily returned.

* * *

Dani opened her eyes and stretched. She was feeling much better and wondered if she could slip out and go for her morning run before Emma even woke up. Slowly moving, she slid out of the bed, almost jumping out of her skin when confronted by a sleepy voice.

“Where are you going, Dani?”

“The bathroom,” Dani answered quietly.

“Okay,” Emma slowly sat up. “Then back into bed with you. I want you to sleep for a while longer.”

“But it’s already six,” Dani complained.

“And sleeping in until seven or eight won’t hurt you,” Emma countered.

“Fine,” Dani huffed as she padded to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

Chuckling, Emma lay back down, wondering if Dani would ever learn to control her temper.

It was almost exactly an hour later when Emma finally relented and let Dani wake up for good as she realized that now that Dani was awake, she had to be as well. Padding off to the bathroom, Emma returned with the thermometer. “100.5. Sorry Dani, you’re still in bed today,” Emma announced, turning the thermometer off.

“Come on, Emma, it’s not that high, and I feel a lot better,” Dani whined.

“You aren’t getting out of that bed until your fever is under 100.” Emma’s eyebrow raised as she stared at Dani.

“Fine. Just what am I supposed to do all day?” Dani crossed her arms in front of her chest and put her lower lip out into a pout.

“Rest,” Emma replied with a smirk. “I’m going to go make us breakfast. Be back shortly.

“Can I at least check my work emails?” Dani asked in a last ditch effort to not die of boredom.

“I guess that would be okay.” Emma left the room for a moment and returned with Dani’s laptop. “Work email and work-related things only, Danielle,” Emma reminded her.

“Okay, I get it,” Dani replied, trying not to roll her eyes as she turned on the beloved electronic device.

The day passed slowly. Finding nothing urgent enough to allow her to keep her laptop, Emma had spirited it away, replacing it with a stack of books from Uncle Sean’s study. Normally Dani would have relished the opportunity to stay in bed and do nothing but read, but given that was her only option, at the moment she’d rather be doing anything but.

Emma had closed the store down and came in periodically to check on her. The attention was nice but was also difficult. She could do nothing with Emma babysitting her all day. Looking at the clock, she groaned. It wasn’t even lunch time yet. In desperation, she called out to Emma.

Appearing almost immediately, Dani pitched her plea. “I’m feeling a lot better, Emma, can you please check my temperature again?”

Shaking her head, Emma rolled her eyes, and much to the delight of Dani, complied.

“Well?” Dani’s eyebrow rose expectantly. “Can I get up?”

Emma looked at the thermometer as it beeped. “I guess you can. It’s at 99.0 now, but if it goes back up, you are right back in bed.”

“Yes!” Dani pumped her fist into the air and immediately left the bed. “I’m just glad it didn’t last past lunch.” Walking down the hallway, Dani flopped on the couch and grabbed for the television remote.

Feeling the remote removed from her hand, Dani moaned as she looked up into green eyes. “Please?”

Emma shook her head, “Nope, you’re still grounded, young lady. That means no television.”

“Emma,” Dani whined as she flopped back onto the couch. “I wanna watch TV.”

Emma grinned. “Well, you can’t. But you could read a book or do something else.”

“Fine,” Dani sat up and grabbed a magazine from the table next to the couch. Flipping through it, she muttered under her breath while looking at it. A few minutes later, she tossed it back onto the table. “Boring.”

Emma looked up from the book she was reading. “Danielle, if you don’t want to read, find something else to do. Of course, if you prefer, I’m sure I can find something to occupy you with if you insist on continuing with the attitude.”

Swallowing hard, Dani stood up. “No, that’s okay. Think I’ll go read in the study for a bit.”

Emma nodded. “Good choice.”

* * *

Dani moved her green beans around her plate with her fork. “Are you sure we can’t order pizza?”

Emma leaned back in her chair and sighed. “There is nothing wrong with your dinner, Dani. Now, eat it.”

“Baked chicken is so blah,” she protested.

“But easy on your stomach, so eat it anyway,” Emma directed.

“Could I at least have a diet soda?”

“No, you know the rules—water with meals. Besides, you’ve had your limit of soda today.”

“But they were just cans.” Dani’s eyes went wide as Emma’s eyebrow raised.

“Exactly what do you mean by that?”

“Nothing, never mind,” Dani tried, putting a bite of green bean in her mouth. “You know, green beans aren’t that bad.”

“Danielle.” Emma put her fork down and waited for Dani to speak.

Dani looked at her plate and put a piece of chicken in her mouth, making an effort to slowly chew it.

“Have you been having more than three sodas a day?”

Dani’s head shot up. “No, Emma, I’ve only been drinking three.”

“Then why the trouble today?”

“Because I usually get a large one from the convenience store after my morning run, then run across the street for my other two.”

“Ah, I see. And what size have you been getting?”

“The caffeine explosion size,” Dani responded quietly.

Emma let out a long slow breath, picking up her fork again. “So, when you say you’ve been drinking three sodas a day, what you mean is that you’ve been drinking three sixty-four ounce cups.”

Dani nodded.

“I guess we’re going to have to figure out how much three a day means then,” Emma responded, returning to her meal.

“I’m not in trouble?”

Emma shook her head. “No. Although you’ve been exploiting the situation, it’s partly my fault for not explaining what I meant by three a day.”

“So I can have my caffeine explosions?” Dani asked hopefully.

“No,” Emma smirked. “However, you may continue with your large soda after your morning run. After that you may have two cans or the equivalent of two 12-ounce cans. In a few weeks, we’ll adjust it from there. I don’t want you to have horrible headaches, so we’ll take it slow.”

Sighing, Dani relented. Putting her fork down, she sighed heavily again and took a drink of water. “I think I’m done.”

Reaching across the table, Emma clasped Dani’s hand in her own. “Okay, sweetie, time for you to get ready for bed then.”

“Bed? Emma, it’s only seven!”

“Have you forgotten that you’re grounded?” Emma responded calmly finishing her own meal and starting to clear the table.

“How could I with you as my prison guard?” Dani asked before storming to the bedroom and slamming the door behind her.

Shaking her head, Emma couldn’t help but wonder what kind of child Dani was, for she certainly had a flare for pushing limits now.

Chapter Fourteen

Dani smiled as she handed the customer his bag. “Thank you, and come again,” she intoned watching him leave. The moment he was out of the door, she moaned and leaned against the counter.

“What’s up, Dani?” Anna asked as she entered the store, handing a medium soda to Dani and opening her own coffee.

“Nothing,” Dani pouted.

“Still feeling sick?”

“No, bored out of my mind.”

Anna grinned. “Grounded, huh?”

Dani’s eyes widened in surprise. “How did you know?”

“You aren’t the only brat to ever get grounded.” Anna smirked. “So let me guess, no TV, electronics, and an early bedtime?”

“Oh yeah. Not to mention no eating out.”

“Ouch, that must be like torture for you. Are you guys starving?”

Dani chuckled. “No, actually Emma is a pretty good cook, but don’t tell her I said that.”

Anna made the motion of locking her lips. “My lips are sealed.”

“Thanks, so how do you get through it?” Dani asked, taking a long sip of her drink.

“What, being grounded?”

Dani nodded, watching as a customer entered the store and headed toward the biography section.

“I find creative ways to keep myself occupied,” Anna answered with a wink. “I’m sure you’ll think of something,” she added before heading off to help the newest customer.

* * *

“I am not eating that,” Dani protested, putting her fork down next to her plate.

“I’m only asking that you take one bite, Dani,” Emma replied, picking her fork up and taking a bite herself.

“No, they look like they’re bleeding.”

“Danielle, they’re red beets. They’re supposed to look that way. Now try a bite.”

“No,” Dani repeated, eating around them until nothing remained on her plate except the dreaded vegetable.

“Danielle, one bite,” Emma tried again.

“No.” Dani crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head.

“Okay, I’m not going to force you.” Emma stood and began clearing the table. “Since you’re done, I want you to go put on your pajamas and wait in the corner for me.”

“What?” Dani stood up quickly. “Okay, I’ll eat the damned beets.”

Emma looked at Dani and shook her head. “This isn’t about the beets, Danielle. We need to talk about the other night.”