Nin Chronicles: My Word

I Know

Thank you to PackWolfLegolas, MOStar598, nathalieAlice, and fateclaws for commenting and voting on the previous chapter! 

Thank you to Breizh8, RhonnaGarcia4, BlueDotAwards, and TrashyBoi666 for adding this book to their reading lists! 

The woman's eyes flickered in surprise. "I . . . I do not what you could do. Anita is not . . . reasonable when she is upset."

"Not many children are," Ariel said, smiling. "But do let me try soothing Anita."

As the woman nodded hesitantly, Ariel set Nightwing on a bench outside a sweet shop and put an apple in his hands. "Sit here, little night."

"Why?" Nightwing asked.

"Because someone needs my help," Ariel explained.

Nightwing glanced at the woman, now flushing red, and nodded. "Okay."

Ariel knew he would stay put as she approached Anita and knelt by her. The girl glared at her, her face scrunched into lines of misery.

"Hello," Ariel said. "I am sorry you are upset. I know how awful it feels to be hurt."

Anita peeked at her. She tensed as Ariel picked her up. "Are you going to market today?"

"Cakes for ada," Anita said wistfully. "I will not have any now I have been bad."

"Well," said Ariel. "I am sorry to hear that. Do you buy cakes from Madame Naidin's?"

"She gives me cookie bits sometimes," Anita said with a nod. "She is nice. Like you."

"Come, Nightwing," Ariel said, holding out a hand to her son. "We are going cake shopping."

"For ada?" Nightwing asked.

"We might buy one for ada," Ariel said.

Anita wiggled and Ariel set her down. "You must hold your mother's hand."

"I do not like my nana," Anita spat. "She is not my nana."

The woman bit her lip and tears sprang into her eyes.

Quickly, Ariel led the woman to the bench. She dropped her head into her hands and began to cry, exclaiming, "I hate that child! She is awful to me! And she is not even mine."

"Children do not have evil hearts," Ariel said firmly.

"I have tried to love her for my husband's sake," the woman said. "But it is no use. All Anita wants is her birth mother. She is beastly to me."

"From what I saw, you are quite beastly to her."

The woman bristled and wept, "That is not true. What else am I to do when the wicked girl defies me at every step? How else am I to make her respect me?"

"As seeing as Anita recently lost her birth mother, I am sure she is struggling as much as you," Ariel said. "What you must do is show Anita you understand she values the memory of her birth memory and will not disrespect it. You must be slow and patient with her. You must take things one step at a time. And, I assure you, spanking will not improve matters at all."

The woman sniffed. "It is well for you to say. Your son is a model of good behavior."

Ariel glanced at Nightwing, calmly eating the last of the strawberries from her basket. She flung back her head and laughed. "Model of good behavior indeed! Why, my dear-"