Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 43818 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 219(@200wpm)___ 175(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43818 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 219(@200wpm)___ 175(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
Instead I found her. She has no idea yet how ironic that is or what her new life could look like. I haven’t told her for two reasons. One, I want her to regain her strength first. And two, I’m praying to the heavens that she regains her full singing voice.
She’s going to be frustrated when she finds out there is no way in the universe she will ever perform in front of live audiences like she had hoped for her life. That just isn’t something Little girls do on Eleadia. It’s out of the question. She doesn’t yet grasp that absolutely no female on this planet maintains a job outside the home. It’s not how we operate, and it never will be.
Our females are submissive. We coddle and protect them. We cherish them and treat them like spun gold. We do not let them out of our sight. They don’t drive or hold jobs. They don’t cook and clean.
However, Fate does not make mistakes, and I’m beyond certain She didn’t this time either. There’s a reason the manager of Club Zoom hired Sara to sing in the club that night. Perhaps Zack felt the pull of the higher power, too. A power that would have eventually put Sara in my path because she was always destined to be mine.
I’m fascinated by the fact that Sara went to the club many times begging Zack to let her sing. She even offered her talent for free. She wanted to be heard by hundreds of people in one place. It was a great opportunity for her. Zack turned her down time and again, finally relenting on a night after I had arrived. Fate.
I’m smiling as I slide into the room and quietly shuffle closer to my Little songbird.
When she spots me, she turns her head and smiles. “Did you hear me singing, Papi?”
“I did, Baby girl. You’re like an angel.”
She frowns. “I don’t have my full range back yet. Do you think I’ll get it?”
“I’m confident, Little one. It’s stronger than yesterday.”
She awkwardly lifts her arm and snags one of the rings spinning above her. “Look what I can do.”
I set my forearms on the side of the railing and watch her, grinning like I’m the luckiest man in the universe, because I am. “I saw you in the monitor, Baby girl.” I point toward the corner of the room, reminding her that I can always see her.
“Oh right. Will you help me? I want to sit up. I want to get stronger.”
I detach the hanging toys from the railing closest to me and lower the side. “Of course I’ll help you, Baby girl. I don’t want you to get frustrated, though. You’re way ahead of schedule.”
“I want to run, though,” she argues.
I lift her into my arms and nuzzle her neck, inhaling her sweet scent. Heavens, I love her. As I lower her onto the changing table and pull the restraint over her torso, I give her an admonishing look. Or I try to. “No running, Little one. I’ll spank your bottom if I catch you running.”
She frowns. “No running? That’s silly, Papi.”
I tap her nose. “It’s not silly. It’s a rule. Except when we’re at the park. You may run in the grass. Not in the house. There are too many obstacles. You might fall and bonk your head on the corner of a table or chair or the wall.” I remove her diaper and clean her up while she glares at me.
It’s almost cute. I want to chuckle at her reaction. To see how she’ll react, I decide to lay down several more rules. “No going outside without Papi either. Don’t ever open the front or back door unless I’m with you and I’ve given you permission. No climbing on the furniture. You may only be up on the sofa or chairs if I’m holding you, and I lift you there. As you get more mobile, I want your bottom always on the mattress in your crib or the floor if you’re in your playpen. No climbing out of either of them. No standing inside.”
Her gaze narrows. “Surely you’re kidding.”
I shake my head as I grab her hands with mine and bring her knuckles to my lips. I kiss them, hoping to ease the blow.
She shoots daggers at me with her eyes. “Don’t you dare try to distract me with your kisses. I thought you were kidding when you told me I’m not permitted to touch the stove. Surely you don’t expect me to do all those things.”
“I wasn’t kidding, and those are Papi’s rules. If you break them, you will end up standing in the corner, nose to the wall, bottom red and heated.” I know she’s shocked, but it’s better to rip this bandage off now. She needs to understand.