Tommy woke up from all the shouting. His little face flushed crimson, his arms reaching for me, wailing at the top of his lungs.
The sight of him, scared and desperate, shattered something inside me.
Lambert seized the moment and shoved me into the car, muttering nonstop. "You always have to blow everything out of proportion. Just get in. Stop making your son suffer."
The car pulled away. Only then did Bernice hand Tommy back to me.
She leaned against the back seat with the air of someone who'd just won a war, cutting her eyes at me.
"See? Was that so hard? You had to make a whole scene and ruin everyone's mood. You're a mother now. Act like one."
I didn't bother responding. I patted Tommy's back gently, soothing him, while my mind worked through a plan.
At the next rest stop, I was taking my son and getting into a different car. No arguments.
It didn't take long for Bernice to start again.
She reached into the trunk and rummaged through my bag. Out came the imported puffs I'd packed for Tommy, along with his comfort bear.
She shoved both into Daisy Acevedo's hands. "Here, sweetie. Try these. Way better than the snacks we have at home."