“Drunk.”
“Huh?”
He sighed. It didn’t matter if she spoke properly. All that mattered was getting Ashlynn through this first leg of travel. They still had six more hours of driving before they reached their hotel for the night. Chris didn’t think they’d make it.
“Can you play ‘Baby Shark’ again? Maybe that will help her.”
Absolutely not.If he had to hear that song one more time...
Chris’s phone pinged. “I think we’ll try a different song when they get back in the car.” He picked up his phone, glancing outside toward where Erykah had disappeared. They’d stopped at a coffee shop for her to grab some liquid fuel and take Ashlynn to the restroom.
Lamont
Nevaeh says try white noise. You can find a video on YouTube to play.
Tuck
My mom also said try hanging a mirror in the back.
Chris checked Ashlynn’s car seat. There wasn’t a mirror. “Hey, Cheyenne, does your sister have a car seat mirror?”
“Yes.”
He blinked. “Where?”
The little girl reached over and pulled a mirror that was tucked at the top. “It’s supposed to go here.” She tried to put it across from where Ashlynn would lie but couldn’t reach. “I need out.”
“I’ll do it.” Chris unbuckled himself, then came around to the back seat and set the mirror on the empty Velcro spot. “Will that help her not cry?”
“Probably. That and Mama always playsFrozensongs to keep Ashlynn from crying.” Her eyes welled. “I want my mommy,” she wailed.
Tears ran down her face. Chris glanced out the car, but there was still no sign of Erykah, which meant he had to calm Cheyenne himself. “I know I’m not your mommy, but I can give you a hug. Would that help any?”Lord, I don’t know what to do. How do you help a five-year-old recover from the loss of her parents?Chris felt so ill-equipped.
“I want Charlie,” she whimpered.
As if understanding he was needed, the dog whined from his crate. Chris unlocked the kennel at Cheyenne’s feet and took the guy out. He immediately settled in the little girl’s lap, and her cries slowly subsided.
A minute later, Erykah returned to the car, looking harried and close to weeping herself. She settled Ashlynn into the car seat. Her tears stopped when she noticed the mirror.
“What just happened?”
Chris pointed to the mirror. “Cheyenne also said we need to play theFrozensoundtrack.”
“One or two?” she asked.
“There’s more than one?”
“Yes,” she and Cheyenne spoke simultaneously.
“Mama plays them all.”
Chris didn’t know ifFrozenwas better than “Baby Shark,” but he’d take anything else at this point.
“Hey, Cheyenne, I need to put Charlie back in his crate. Will you be okay?”
She brushed the tears away. “Yes.”
He settled Charlie back in, then walked around to where Erykah stood outside the truck. “You okay?” He lowered his voice, hoping the kids couldn’t hear him through the closed doors.
