Little Red

FORTY TWO

Occasionally glancing back at the list that her mother had given her, Dani sighed as she pushed the cart down the aisle. Dr.S figured that since she was back at home, she would be able to get in more movement with her legs, so Michelle took that as the perfect opportunity to kick her daughter out of the house and send her off to get groceries...Well, her along with someone else...

"Ellie, can we get Cocoa Puffs?"

Dani let out an amused snort as she pushed down the cereal aisle, with the product in question coming into view.

"Is it on the list?" she asked with an eyebrow raised while waving the paper in the air.

Frankie tilted his head to the side as he squinted his eyes and tried to get a read of it. "I don't know. I can't read it 'cause someone keeps moving!!" he sassed, which caused Dani to roll her eyes as they came to a stop.

"Well, Mr.Smartypants...this list actually says to not -and I quote- under any circumstances let Frankie pick out the cereal," she read off to him, and her features shined with amusement as she looked back over to see her brother's frown.

"That's not what it says," he said while shaking his head, and his expression reminded Dani heavily of his father who had done the same thing earlier at the therapist's office.

"Oh yeah? Then you read it," she said and handed him the paper.

Frankie took the list out of his sister's hands and looked at it before he gave the girl a rat-like smirk and said, "This paper says -and I kwote- let Frankie pick out whatever he wants!!"

Dani snorted before bursting into laughter, which caused Frankie to giggle.

"Give me that, you little monster," she said while pulling the list out of his grasp to place it back into her pocket. "I tell you what, you can't have Cocoa Puffs, but you can have M&Ms if you promise you'll be on your best behavior."

Immediately, Frankie's features lit up with excitement as he asked, "Really?!"

Dani nodded with a small smile.

"You got a deal, baby!!" he exclaimed, which caused her to laugh before it quickly faded as his words reminded her of when Greta had said the same thing the day they'd changed her name.

Frankie frowned at the girl's sudden mood change as he asked, "What's wrong, Ellie?! Did I make you feel sad?"

Snapping out of her momentary trance, Dani gave her brother a reassuring smile and shook her head. "I'm fine, bud. You didn't do anything, don't worry," she said as she grabbed a box of cereal, not Cocoa Puffs, from the shelf.

Frankie's frown quickly turned into an angry pout as he folded his arms and said, "You're lying."

"What? No, I'm not," Dani immediately said with a shake of her head, but her words had only caused his pout to deepen.

"Yes, you are!! When you lie, you do something funny with your eyes," Frankie said, which made Dani look at him in disbelief.

Shaking her head again, she said, "I do not!"

Frankie narrowed his eyes as he said, "Do too!!," which made Dani narrow her own.

"Do not!!"

"Do too!!"

"Do-"

"Alright, that's enough!! God Richards, can't you act your age for once?!" a familiar grainy voice suddenly said from behind them.

Instantly knowing who it was, Dani groaned as she turned around to see the blonde giving her a smirk as she waved her fingers.

"What do you want, Locks?" Dani asked, not at all in the mood to deal with the girl's antics.