Chapter 6 - The Last Straw
Doreen stepped toward Lula.
“Go inside.”
Lula instinctively moved closer to Taryn.
“No.”
Doreen's eyebrows rose.
“What did you say?”
Taryn answered.
“She said no.”
Doreen's face hardened.
“You are raising her to disrespect me.”
“I'm raising her to understand that nobody is allowed to hurt her.”
Doreen looked around at the guests.
“Listen to your daughter. She thinks she can challenge everyone now.”
Taryn felt her hands begin to shake.
She looked at Lula.
Her daughter was staring at the grass.
She looked embarrassed.
Ashamed.
As though she had done something wrong.
Taryn couldn't bear it.
She turned toward the cake.
The enormous cake sat directly in front of her.
For a moment, she simply stared at it.
Then she reached forward.
She picked it up.
The guests gasped.
Doreen's expression changed.
“Taryn.”
Taryn didn't answer.
She threw the cake.
It struck Doreen squarely in the face.
Frosting exploded across her hair, cheeks, dress, and jewelry.
The backyard fell completely silent.
Doreen staggered backward.
Then she crashed onto the grass.
Taryn stood there breathing hard.
Lula stared at her mother.
Taryn looked down at her.
“Are you okay?”
May you like
Lula nodded.
For the first time all afternoon, she smiled.
