“But it’s not fair!”
Esther was sitting in her chair on the front porch, sipping some iced tea.
“Uh-huh,” she called back in through the screen door at Little Byrd.
“You’re just taking Amanda’s word for it!”
A slow sip during the warm afternoon offered little comfort. “And Amanda’s friend Tori. And Amanda’s mom.”
Byrd came marching up to the screen, peering through but having to squint against the sun. “All of them would take her side. It could be a ‘spiracy!”
Esther looked back to her. “Where are you supposed to be?”
Byrd faded back in and her gram listened to her little feet pad off back to the stool in the corner of the front room. The only thing that separated them was the large bay window, but Byrd wasn’t content to keep her argument in check at her punishment chair. So she had to keep being reminded that if she didn’t sit for the Time Out, it was just going to get longer.
“Her mom wasn’t even there,” came more of the argument.
Esther took a shot. “Wasn’t there for what?”
“For when I—” but Byrd caught it too quick. “Nuh-uh.”
Fine, Esther thought to herself, picking up the pitcher to refill her glass. You stay in there, I’ll stay out here, and neither of us will get to enjoy this day.
She rocked back and forth on the seat. The she heard the stomps come to the door again.
“She started it.”
“She did, did she?” Esther asked, and was genuinely curious because, while Amanda’s mother had been very clear about Little Bird smacking her daughter across the face, she had given absolutely no reasons as to why or what had lead up to it. “How did she start it?”
Byrd just frowned. “By being Amanda.”
Esther raised her hand and pointed, “BACK!” while still holding onto her tea glass. Byrd stomped once more to the stool, defiant the whole way.
