Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33018 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 165(@200wpm)___ 132(@250wpm)___ 110(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33018 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 165(@200wpm)___ 132(@250wpm)___ 110(@300wpm)
I lick my lips. “What if I don’t have time to take care of a pet, Papa?”
His brow lifts, and he leans back against the couch, glancing at Daddy. “Do you want to get your job back at the cafeteria?”
I shake my head. “No, Sir,” I murmur.
Daddy clears his throat. “Do you want to go to school, Eloise?”
I slowly nod. “I was thinking yes.”
He frowns. “We’ve told you a dozen times or more that you may take any classes you want. We know your mind needs to be stimulated. You did so well in your studies and earned your GED so fast. I’m not surprised you’d want to continue taking classes. Why does this have you so flustered, Baby girl?”
I swallow. Maybe I’m being silly. I don’t know. I’m still worried. “Because…” I draw in a deep breath. “Because I’m afraid if I commit myself to other things, I won’t be at home as much, or I’ll be studying, and I know you like me…underfoot.” It sounds ridiculous out loud.
Daddy chuckles. “Underfoot?”
Papa laughs too. “I’m sure we have said that a time or two, and you’re right, we love having you with us, but Eloise, we won’t stop you from going to school or even working if that’s what you want to do.”
I chew on my lip for a moment and then release it. “What if it changes things, and then you decide you want a Little girl who has more time to uh be…”
“Underfoot?” Papa supplies. He’s grinning as he reaches out to wrap his arm around me and haul me between his legs.
“Well…yeah.” I play absently with the front of his shirt. “I don’t want anything to change. I don’t want you to decide you don’t want me anymore. I want to be the Little girl you want me to be. And if you want me to stay home and be with you, then I will.” I’m rambling.
Daddy reaches out and cups my face, lifting my chin. “Baby girl, take a breath. I know it’s hard for you to grasp, but we will not be changing our minds about you no matter what you do. Never. I know other people abandoned you. Lots of them. But we will never do that. Not in a million years. We love you to pieces, and what we want most in the world is for you to be happy. No matter what that looks like.”
Papa nods. “He’s right. If you want to stay home and play all day, that’s what you’ll do, but if you want to go to school or someday get a job, we’ll support that too. We’ll encourage you to do your studies at Rawhide Ranch, and we’ll also encourage you to get a job at the Ranch afterward, but only because we know you’ll be happier surrounded by like-minded people where you can be yourself.”
“What if I get too busy and—”
Daddy sets a finger over my lips, stopping me. “We will still love you. We’ll do whatever we can to alleviate your stress. Always. We’re a team. Would you leave us if we were home less often?”
I shake my head. “No.”
“What if I wanted to go back to school and study something new and work all day and study at night. Would you leave?”
“No, Sir.”
“Why not?” Papa asks.
“Because I love you, silly,” I tell him.
He lifts a brow. “Are you saying we don’t love you?”
I sigh. “I know you love me.”
“But not as much. Not enough,” Daddy says.
I meet his gaze. Tears well up in my eyes. I can’t stop them. “Everyone leaves me eventually,” I murmur before a giant sob escapes.
Papa holds me tighter. Daddy scoots closer and wraps his arms around both of us. “You’re ours, Eloise Grace. Forever and ever. No one is leaving. Not ever.”
I try to stop the tears, but they keep coming.
My Daddies hold me while I cry, never letting go. When I finally suck back the last sobs, Daddy grabs a tissue off the end table and holds it up to my nose. “Blow, Baby girl.”
I do as I’m told, and then I wipe my eyes with my fingers.
“Tell us what you want to study,” Papa encourages.
“Maybe like a vet tech. I don’t think I want to be a doctor, but one of the helpers.”
“Ah, that’s why you checked out all the books about animals,” Daddy says. “What made you think of this career choice?”
“I’ve been playing with the cat in the barn sometimes. Her name is Maisie. Wren and Travis take care of her, but they let me help. I love her. It’s silly. It’s just one cat. Maybe I wouldn’t like other animals. Maybe it’s just her. I don’t have much interest in the horses or any other animals.”
Papa nods. “Nothing wrong with that. Some people like to work with large breeds and some people like to work with smaller animals. I bet you’d be an amazing vet tech. I’ve seen you cuddling with Maisie. I should have suggested you get a pet before now.”