Whatever It Takes by Gwynne Forster Page A

recoiled, backing away from him. “What did you want me to do? Stay out there all night on that highway? Besides, Daddy, I was hungry, and the couple who gave me a lift took me straight to Mealey’s.”
    â€œWhy didn’t you at least telephone your mother so that she wouldn’t worry about you? We all know you don’t care how you make your sister feel.”
    â€œDaddy! How can you say that?”
    â€œEasily.” He looked at his wife. “She’s all yours, Cynthia.” He walked back to the door and stopped. “Lacette, I don’t think we should leave the car out on that highway all night. By tomorrow morning, it won’t have a single tire. I’ll take you by a filling station where we can get a couple of gallons of gas, and you can bring the car on home. Where are the car keys, Kellie?” She fumbled in her pocketbook until Lacette’s heart thudded from fear that Kellie might have left the keys in the car. Kellie found the keys and handed them to her father.
    â€œLet’s go, Lacette.”
    Kellie threw up her hands as if she were helpless. “Sorry, Lace, but you ought to keep your tank full.”
    Lacette didn’t answer her; she couldn’t, for nothing that came to mind was suitable for her parents’ ears. They found the car intact, although its shiny white coat had been defaced with mud from the tires of passing cars. He put the gas into the tank and trailed her home, and she wasn’t surprised to receive his early morning call the next day.
    â€œCan you spare twenty minutes for coffee before you start work this morning?” he asked her.
    â€œYes, if I hurry. Where do you want me to meet you?”
    â€œWe can have it in the hotel, and you won’t have to go out of your way.”
    She hurried to complete her set up before her father arrived and finished as he walked into the booth. “This is very elegant,” he said. “How’s it going?”
    â€œGreat. The company wanted to extend my stay here, but I’m planning to open my own business the first of March, and I need at least two months to work at that. Bradley has taken care of the necessary papers, and next week I’ll sign the lease for space in the Catoctin Building across the street. If you’ll meet me after work one evening, we can go over and look at it.”
    In the coffee shop, he ordered black coffee and a brioche for himself, coffee and buckwheat pancakes for her. When the coffee arrived, he took a few sips, savored it and placed the cup in its saucer.
    â€œLacette, this is not going to be easy for me to say or for you to hear. The Bible says if your right eye offends you, pluck it out, and if your right arm offends you, cut it off. I’m not asking you to go that far with your sister, but I’m warning you that it is time you held her accountable for her acts. You give, and she takes. She treads on you, and if you’re not careful, you’ll develop this kind of relationship with men.
    â€œKellie is my child and I love her, but she’s like parched earth soaking up rain water after a long drought, taking all the moisture for itself and leaving nothing for plants. She is not going to change.”
    â€œI know, Daddy, and I’m beginning to accept that I love my sister more than she loves me.”
    â€œThat’s a terrible thing for you to say; I hate to hear it. I don’t know if it’s true, or if she thinks love accommodates the things she does. I’ve talked with her about this, but I’m fairly certain that I didn’t make a dent.” He rubbed his chin as he did when he was worried. “It’s a pity. She’s going to pay, and heavily too.”

    â€œYou still mad about the car?” Kellie asked Lacette the following Saturday morning.
    â€œA week is a long time to stay angry, don’t you think? And it’s a long time to wait for an apology. Is that what you’re doing,