Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 34052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
“I didn’t set up anything specific yet. I’ll call Elijah when we get there.”
Elijah is a friend of Daddy’s who’d worked on the same police force as him here on the mainland before he took a job in security on the island. Petra, his Little girl, used to be a member of the Dungeon. I didn’t know her well before she moved with her Daddy to Regression Island, but I met her several times. I’m looking forward to seeing her.
Littleworld is going to be the best fun ever.
Chapter Four
I’ve never been on a ferry before. I love it. I’ve been grinning for the entire hour. We’re sitting up on top, and the wind has been blowing against my face the entire time while I watched the island grow bigger and bigger.
Well, Daddy is sitting. I’ve been standing because I’m too excited to sit. He picked seats for us along the railing, and he’s held me between his legs with his arms around me for the whole trip.
I’m giddy and nearly bouncing. And I don’t mind standing in the circle of Daddy’s arms because he’s cocooning me a bit, which keeps me from worrying about the fact that I’m only wearing a T-shirt, a diaper, and my shoes and socks.
Almost every Little on the ferry is dressed the same, so it shouldn’t bother me, but this is my first time in public in such a young headspace, so I’m self-conscious.
“What are we going to do first?” I ask as the ferry docks.
Daddy kisses my neck. “Our first stop is the clinic.”
“The clinic? Like a doctor’s office?”
“Yep. All Littles check in at the clinic when they arrive, Baby girl. The doctor will get a file started in case anything happens to you while you’re visiting.”
I frown. “I don’t need a doctor, Daddy. You didn’t mention this before.”
He turns me so I’m facing him, keeping his arms around me. “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to spend time fretting about it. And I heard your mom ask you if you’d made a yearly physical exam last week. You told her no and promised you would.” He lifts a brow. “Did you make that appointment?”
I sigh. “No. I don’t like to go to the doctor.”
“All the more reason. And I’ll be with you the entire time.”
“I don’t like doctor’s offices. They have a smell and sharp things. I don’t like sharp things. I don’t like needles either. I won’t need a shot, will I?”
“That seems unlikely, princess. It’s just a checkup. The doctor needs to know one of his guests has sensory issues anyway. It’s an important part of your file.”
It’s obvious I’m not going to talk him out of this, so I lean into him, squeeze my eyes closed, and take deep breaths. It’s probably best that he didn’t tell me before right now.
Daddy rubs my back. “You’ll be fine, princess. I promise.”
“You’ll go into the exam room with me, right?” I mumble against his chest.
“Yes. Of course. I will not leave your side, Baby girl.”
Chase understands me better than anyone alive. I’m confident he understands me better than my parents. I don’t know why, but he just does, and it makes my life so much easier because he runs interference for me everywhere we go.
He knows what I can and can’t handle. He minimizes my triggers to the best of his ability. He looks ahead, anticipates what will make me nervous, and moves heaven and earth to fix it for me.
Tipping my head back to set my chin on his chest, I say, “I love you.”
He kisses me. “I love you too, Josie. Ready to get off the ferry?”
“Yes, Daddy.” I’m both excited and nervous. I want to see Littleworld bad enough that I’m willing to battle my anxiety to make it happen.
This entire experience is way out of my comfort zone. Until a year ago, I lived with my parents in an environment that helped me control my anxiety. Melissa helped me realize I needed my own apartment and that I needed to start working on my independence.
My apartment was super close to my parents’ house. They have always been supportive and helped me out. I loved having my apartment. I created a space that was exactly what I needed.
After that transition, Melissa helped me take the bold step of joining the Dungeon so I would have a space I could go and interact with like-minded people. Littles. That had been way, way, way out of my comfort zone, but I did it, and I met Daddy.
Moving in with Daddy was my next huge life event. I’d already been staying at his house more often than not and gradually moving my things into his home, but letting go of my apartment entirely had been gigantic for me.
I love Daddy’s home, and he moves mountains to make it perfect for me. Heck, he tore out the rose bushes in front before he even brought me there the first time because they were red. That’s when I knew he was a keeper for sure.