Curveball

Chapter 57

Jenna wakes up early, like usual on school days, going down and making some coffee and doing a bit of work before coming back up and getting dressed in a sparkly black tank top and a blazer and some skinny jeans since it's Friday. She goes in to wake Cora up about an hour before they have to leave. She sits on her bed, rubbing the little girl's arm.

"Cor...princess...come on."

The little girl groans.

"Cora. It's Friday. You can sleep in tomorrow," she says leaning down and kissing her cheek repeatedly. "Wake up."

Cora pushes her away.

Jenna grabs her wrist and flips her onto her back. "You have fifteen minutes to be out of this bed and downstairs eating breakfast," she looks at her sternly, getting up and walking out.

"You're not my mom!" she screams out, that alone waking Shawn up.

Jenna stops in the doorway, taking a breath before turning around and looking at her. "No, I'm not, but I'm here, and you will not be late for school even if that means me getting you dressed. Do you understand me, Cora Michelle?"

Shawn walks in right as Cora begins to say something. "Get your ass up Cora. Do not make me repeat myself," he looks at her.

"I hate you," she glares at Shawn as she gets up.

"I don't care right now. If you're not dressed in the next fifteen minutes and downstairs, you will go straight to school and straight home, and you will be grounded from the iPad and TV. Do you understand me?"

"What.ev.er," she enunciates.

"You're grounded. No iPad and TV for two weeks, now get dressed," he says walking out and shutting the door behind him, walking downstairs as he hears her stomp around getting ready. "You okay?" he asks Jenna once downstairs.

"Mhm," she smiles a bit.

"You sure?"

"I'm fine Shawn, I promise."

"Go ahead and go to work, I'll take her."

"It's fine. I'm sure she's just having a bad day."

"No, I want to talk to her, go ahead," he smiles, kissing her cheek.

Jenna smiles, kissing him softly and grabbing her coffee to go before heading out. When he walks back upstairs, Cora is gone. Shawn sighs.

"Cora, don't do this shit," he sighs walking back downstairs and to the living room, seeing her backpack gone along with her boots and coat. "Cora...Cora," he says walking to the front door and opening it. He walks out and to his truck. He drives down the road and sees her walking down the street towards the subway station. He chuckles and pulls up right beside her. "Cora Michelle Rhosen get in..."

Cora climbs in, buckling her seatbelt but not saying anything.

"Cora I don't like raising my voice at you..." he sighs, beginning to drive towards the school.

"Then don't."

"Quit with the attitude..."

The little girl stops talking, staring out the window.

"Is this about your mom?" he asks.

"What about her? I don't even remember her."

"My point exactly," he nods. "Do you wish you had more contact with your mom?"

"No," she looks out the window.

"You know Jenna loves you, right?"

"I know," she crosses her arms.

"Then why were you mean to her this morning?"

"Just leave me alone daddy..."

"No, because I want to know what's going on Cora. Why all this attitude and being mean to people?"

Cora stays quiet the rest of the ride before getting out of the truck and heading inside to the school when Shawn pulls up. He pulls away but makes it a point to text Jenna.

"Keep an eye on her please."

"You know I will," she texts back. Shawn then calls his mom.

"How's Toronto dear? It's snowing like crazy out here."

"It's good. No snow yet but we're getting some this weekend."

"That's good dear."

"So I have a question for you mom. Did I ever start like acting out and stuff like that? When I was younger?"

She stays quiet for a minute then starts laughing. "Sweetheart, you ran away ten times before you were nine. Never made it very far."

Shawn chuckles. "I'm having problems with Cora."

"She's still settling in. You've only been there three months. It's a big change from living in Kelowna. The last time she lived there, it was with you and Janelle, and now it's you and Jenna. A lot has changed for her in her eight years."

"I know," Shawn sighs.

"It will be fine. It'll blow over."

"And what do I do if it doesn't?"

"It will. Every parent goes through it."

"I yelled at her this morning."

"And I've yelled at you on more than one occasion."

"I'm a boy though. They are tougher."

"Shawn Rhosen."

"What?"

"I did not raise you like that. Girls are just as tough as boys."

"I know," Shawn smiles.

"Go home and pack and play well in Texas alright? I love you," she hangs up.