Broadway Baby (17 page)

“There will be no cookies tonight, Lily Anne. I assure you that the cookies are exactly where I left them and they had better stay there.”

Shuffling her socked feet across the wooden floors Lily put her shoes, coat, and bag away as directed. “Now can I go check on the cookies?”

“No you may not go and check on the cookies, Lily. You may go to your room and get into something more comfortable. I think that we’ll spend tonight ordering take out and playing a game or watching a movie before I give you your bath and then put you to bed.”

“But it’s early, can’t we go to the park?”

“It’s six o’clock, Lily. We are in for the night.” Shelby held Lily’s gaze. “I am tired and we are not going anyplace tonight.”

“But Mama,” Lily whined. “We just had the matinee today. It’s not like we have to work tomorrow.”

“Lily Anne, I said no.” Shelby’s voice was no nonsense and Lily sighed heavily.

“This sucks.”

“Mind the attitude, Lily.”

“Mind the attitude. Lily,” Lily repeated quietly.

“Alright go to your room,” Shelby directed. “Change clothes and stay there until I come to get you.”

“Fine!” Lily stomped off toward her room hugging her bear and slamming her bedroom door behind her.

Rolling her eyes, Shelby followed Lily down the hallway and turned into her own bedroom. Moving to her dresser, she pulled out a pair of yoga pants and a loose NYU T-shirt. Quickly changing, she wondered if she’d given Lily enough time to cool off. She had known since the clothesline trap earlier at the theater that tonight would probably be challenging, but Shelby still wasn’t sure exactly what would happen.

Shelby made her way to Lily’s bedroom and knocked gently before entering the room. “Lily why haven’t you changed?”

“I didn’t feel like it,” Lily was sitting on her floor legs crossed, holding one of her dolls, a blanket and small hairbrush next to her.

“What are you doing?” Shelby asked moving into the room being sure to step over all of the toys that were now littered on floor.

“Playing. What does it look like I’m doing?” Lily rolled her eyes at the doll.

“And how did all of these toys get on the floor?” Shelby asked ignoring Lily’s attitude for the time being.

“I dumped them out so I could play with them easier, duh.” Lily looked at Shelby and rolled her eyes again. “Sheesh I’d think you could figure that one out. Not like they jumped out of the baskets themselves.”

Kneeling down in front of Lily Shelby put two fingers under her chin and caught her gaze. “You will not use that tone with me, Lily Anne. I will not tolerate disrespect.”

Jerking her chin from Shelby’s touch Lily put the doll in her lap face down. “Fine.”

“You are on thin ice, young lady.”

“I’m not ice skating,” Lily whispered.

“Alright little girl, I think you need a time out.” Shelby pointed to the corner. “You need to go to the corner until I say you can come out.”

“I don’t wanna go to the corner, it’s boring and dumb and I’m gonna play instead,” Lily ignored Shelby’s directive and brought her attention back to her doll.

Shelby took the doll from Lily’s lap.

“Give me my doll back!”

Shelby took Lily by the elbow and pulled her up. “Go to the corner, Lily Anne.”

“Screw you, Shelby.” Lily looked up into blazing hazel eyes and tried to take a step backward. Maybe those words hadn’t been the ones to use at the moment.

“What did you just say to me?” Shelby bent so she was at eye level with Lily.

“Weren’t you listening, Shelby? I said, screw you.” Lily tried to yank her shoulders from Shelby’s grasp. “Let go!”

Holding Lily firmly Shelby spoke softly, “First you do not call me Shelby. I am Mama. Secondly, you never talk to Mama that way, Lily Anne.” Standing fully Shelby guided Lily to the corner and placed her into it with a swat so hard Lily found herself on her toes.

“Ow! That’s mean!” Lily turned and glared at Shelby as she rubbed her bottom.

“Unless you want another swat, Lily Anne, turn back and face the corner.”

“You are just being a bitch,” Lily muttered yelping when another three swats found her bottom.

“Not another word, Lily Anne.” Shelby placed Lily back into the corner and moved away slowly. “I need a time out as much as you do, young lady. I will be sitting right here calming down.”

Lily huffed but faced the corner. Taking a deep breath she was cut off quickly, “Not one word unless you are on fire or bleeding.” Shelby’s voice was dangerous and Lily placed her head on the wall in front of her immediately.

Shelby watched Lily fidget in the corner. Allowing her thoughts to wander as she calmed down, Shelby thought back to the meeting with Cora. It was obvious that Lily and her mother had a tempestuous relationship at best. Lily had been pushing since that day and Shelby knew that this big push was a continuation of the insecurities Cora had brought to the surface.

Deciding exactly what she needed to do Shelby was ready to face little Lily. “Lily Anne, come here.”

“Why?”

“Because I am the mama, young lady. Little girls do what their mamas tell them to do, Lily. Come here.” Lily turned slowly and faced Shelby but did not move. “Come here, Lily Anne.”

“You aren’t my mama.” Lily sniffed. “I don’t have a mama.”

Moving swiftly Shelby crossed the room and took Lily by the elbow turning her and giving her a hard swat to the bottom. “I am your mama, Lily Anne, and you’d do well to remember that.”

Sniffing a bit Lily looked up at Shelby. “Am I in big trouble?” she whispered.

Shelby nodded and held out her hand, “We need to talk, baby.”

“Talk?”

“Yes, using words. Our other talk will come later.”

“You mean the type of talking that doesn’t use words?” Lily put her smaller hand into Shelby’s and allowed herself to be lead toward the rocker.

“Yup.” Shelby sat in the rocking chair and pulled Lily onto her lap. “I love you, Lily.” Shelby whispered kissing Lily’s temple. “Never forget that.”

“I love you too, Mama,” Lily whispered curling into Shelby and beginning to relax.

“You’ve had quite the day,” Shelby’s voice was soft and Lily cuddled into the woman as much as she could.

“Yeah,” Lily grinned. “We got so lucky catching Lou like that.”

“You did,” Shelby agreed. “But I bet it was a surprise to catch him wasn’t it?”

“Yeah we thought for sure we’d caught you.” Lily’s hands immediately covered her mouth. “Uh-oh.”

Shelby looked down into those brown eyes and held her smirk. “Yep. Uh-oh.”

“Steve and Cally are gonna kill me for telling you,” Lily pouted.

“No they won’t. You and I will discuss your trap building later, Lily. I’ve already talked to them about their involvement.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t know this then,” Lily continued to pout.

“But I am not their mama, Lily. I am your mama so we will be having a further discussion on trying to set a trap to catch your mama and how it could have ended a lot differently.”

Lily sighed heavily and laid her head back on Shelby’s chest tucking her head under the taller woman’s chin. “Mama?”

“Hmmm?” Shelby was absently patting Lily’s bottom as they rocked.

“Nothing, I just like saying that word.”

“I like hearing that word,” Shelby responded quietly. “You’ve given me a great gift, Lily. I love being your mama and you are not going to get rid of me no matter what.”

“Even when I’m really naughty?”

“Especially when you are really naughty.”

“Mama, I’ve been a little bit naughty haven’t I?” Lily asked.

Shelby shook her head and hugged Lily tighter. “I’d say you passed a little bit naughty and are now at the naughtiest a little girl can be without burning down the house.”

“Mama!” Lily protested. “I’m not that naughty.”

Shelby pretended to think for a moment, “Well maybe not that naughty, but you are close, baby girl.”

Shelby was silent as she rocked the chair and patted Lily’s bottom gently. Breaking the silence Shelby’s tone was serious but her voice was soft, “You and I are going to have a big discussion, Lily. In fact, I think you might have earned quite the punishment over this bit of naughtiness.”

“I’m getting a big punishment?” Lily’s eyes showed just a hint of childlike fear.

“You are,” Shelby concurred.

“How big, Mama?”

“Well, you have earned a spanking for certain, little girl.”

“Yeah,” Lily sighed. “I hate spankings. Is there more to my punishment?”

Shelby shifted in the rocker and nodded at Lily, “There is, Lily. You are going to be with Mama every day for the next week. I am going to decide what you eat, what you wear, and where you are allowed to play. You are not to be out of my sight at all.”

“But Cally and I were supposed to have a girl’s night on Friday after the show.”

“I’m sorry, Lily, but you will have to cancel.”

“I don’t wanna cancel. Please Mama, I wanna go out with Cally.”

Shelby held firm. “You are grounded, Lily Anne. No girl’s night out.”

“That’s not fair, Mama.”

“That’s the way it is, Lily Anne.” Shelby’s voice was firm. “I am your mama and what I say goes.”

“Dictator,” Lily whispered her face falling into a pout.

“Yep. That’s me,” Shelby agreed. “And if you don’t put that lip back in a bird is going to build a nest on it.”

“It will?” Lily pulled her lower lip back. “Really?”

Shelby nodded, “I’ve seen it happen. When you pout that much the birds can find your lips that much easier.”

“I don’t want a bird nest on my lip.” Lily covered her mouth with her both hands.

“Me either,” Shelby kissed Lily on the forehead. “Now it’s bath time for my little Lily and then we will eat.”

“And after we eat are we gonna watch a movie and have popcorn?”

“Nope. After we eat you and I are going to talk again and then I am going to tuck you in for an early bedtime.”

“A movie and popcorn would be more fun,” Lily protested.

“Probably, but that’s not what’s going to happen tonight.”

“Do I hafta take a bath?”

“You do,” Shelby grinned at the pout once more on Lily’s face. “In fact I think it’s just the right time for that bath.”

“Aw Mama.”

Shelby placed Lily on the floor in front of her and then stood and walked to Lily’s dresser. Pulling out a purple short set and cartoon covered panties Shelby turned back to Lily and held out her hand. “Come on, baby. We need to get you into the tub and then dressed.”

Chapter Eight

Lily was still pouting as Shelby made her wait for her dinner at the kitchen table. The purple short set featured a familiar cartoon dog and with her hair in twin braids Lily looked even younger than the fourteen she portrayed each night on stage.

“But I wanted pancakes,” Lily protested as her feet swung freely under the table and she held Albie close.

“We aren’t having pancakes, Lily.” Shelby turned from the stove and sighed as Lily frowned.

“But pancakes are so good, Mama.”

“They are, but we’re having what I’m making and that is that.” Shelby’s voice left no room for argument and Lily sighed heavily.

“Don’t want chicken and veggie stir fry tonight, I want pancakes.”

Finishing up the rice dish, Shelby plated it and placed it on the table. Moving to the refrigerator she grabbed two bottles of water and placed them on the table as well. Opening them both she placed one bottle in front of Lily and put the other at her place.

“Time to eat, Lily.”

Glaring at Shelby, Lily picked up her fork and took a single bite of the food in front of her. It was good and her tummy was growling but she didn’t want this food. Mama hadn’t even listened to her about that. She had just reminded Lily that she was the mama and what she decided is what they would have for dinner that night.

Taking one more big bite, Lily put down her fork and picked Albie back up from the extra chair she’d placed him on. “I’m done.”

Looking at Lily, Shelby put her own fork down. “You are not leaving this table until you eat at least half of your dinner, Lily.”

“Well I’m not eating that.” Lily crossed her arms around Albie and put her chin on the top of his head. “I guess I’ll just sit here all night.”

Looking to the ceiling and counting to ten Shelby looked back at Lily, “You have a choice, Lily. You eat half of that and then we will go and discuss your earlier behavior.”

“And if I don’t?”

“Then we discuss your behavior and you can come back and finish your dinner after the discussion.”

“Some choice,” Lily pouted. “I could just throw it away or even,” Lily began to move the plate toward the edge of the table.

Shelby jumped up and grabbed the plate out of Lily’s hands before it could hit the floor. Moving around the table she pulled Lily from her seat and gave the girl six warning swats before putting her back on her chair and placing the plate back in front of her. “Eat your dinner, Lily.”

“You’re mean,” Lily sniffed.

“I am the mama, Lily Anne.” Shelby sat down and took another bite of her food. “You need to do what I told you to do, Lily.”

Holding Albie with one arm Lily picked up her fork in the other. “Mama is being really strict tonight,” she whispered to her bear before giving in and beginning to eat her dinner.

* * *

Shelby put the last of the dinner dishes into the dishwasher and turned the machine on. Turning back to the table she put out her hand to Lily. “Come on, baby, it’s time for us to talk.”

“Can we talk while watching a movie and eating popcorn?” Lily asked taking Shelby’s hand and slowly walking with her.

“Nope. We are going to talk in your bedroom tonight.”

“Then what are we doing?” Lily asked quietly.

“Then I am tucking you into bed so you can get plenty of rest. You’ve had a very big day and I think you need some extra sleep.” Moving into Lily’s room, Shelby walked straight to the bed and sat down. Gently taking Albie from the dark-tressed girl in front of her Shelby put him on Lily’s pillow.

Shelby then pulled Lily onto her lap allowing Lily’s feet to dangle between her legs while her head found Shelby’s shoulder.