Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33327 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 167(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33327 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 167(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
“That’s why I’m here,” she whispered in response, her lip trembling as she glanced from one caregiver to another. Were they kicking her out? Was she so unwanted that they didn’t see any hope for her?
Nurse Kay was sitting to her left and stroked her leg. “You’re here to tap into your inner Little and learn to live in that space fulltime. You’re here to find a caregiver, sweetie.”
Mindy slowly nodded. “Isn’t that what I said?”
Nurse Kay’s brow was slightly furrowed in concern. “Your caregiver doesn’t have to be a Daddy. Have you ever considered that?”
Mindy stared at her for a long time, processing, thinking, panicking. She could picture her mother glaring at her wide-eyed, disgust her only feature. The disappointment. The total lack of acceptance. The hostility. And then the abandonment. The humiliation. The betrayal.
It all came back to her now, making her shake. Tears came to her eyes. She squeezed them shut, but she couldn’t make the pain go away.
“Mindy?” The voice belonged to Dr. Farwell. “Little one… Are you okay? Talk to us. Tell us what you’re feeling. We’re all here to help you.”
She held her fists over her eyes. “I’m supposed to want a Daddy. That’s how it is.”
Chapter One
Two months ago…
“Are you playing with that?”
Mindy tipped her head back from where she sat on the floor to face the bratty Middle who often harassed her when she was at the club. The girl had on black clunky boots, tight black spandex pants, and a black concert T-shirt. The band name—something Mindy had never heard of—was in neon colors on the front.
Mindy glanced down at the mind-twister she had in her hand. She’d been trying to figure out how to get the two pieces separated from each other for half an hour. It was damn obvious she was indeed playing with this object. “Yes.”
Karen—AKA mean girl—rolled her eyes and cocked out a hip. “Well, you’ve had it forever. Don’t you think you should give someone else a turn?” She reached down and snagged it from Mindy’s hands. “It’s not polite to hog the toys. Didn’t anyone ever teach you any manners?”
Mindy swallowed. Manners? Ha. If there was one thing that had been pounded into Mindy’s head her entire life, it had been manners. Her mother had been a socialite. All the woman had cared about was manners. This bratty middle could use a dose. That was for sure.
But Mindy said nothing. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she pursed her lips and looked away. Fine. Let Francesca have the mind-twister. Mindy didn’t care. She hadn’t been able to solve it anyway. Franny Franny Franny. She thought the word over and over in her head to keep from crying. No one called Francesca Franny, but Mindy did in her head because she thought the nickname better suited the mean girl.
Franny leaned over and flicked Mindy’s hair. “Do you know how silly these pigtails look on you? They stick straight up. Why do you bother?”
Mindy drew in a slow breath and reached for the coloring book and crayons near her, trying to ignore Franny. She knew her hair was thin and willowy. She knew the pigtails she wore stuck up like little spikes. She wore them anyway because they made her feel young.
“Francesca.” The sharp voice came from behind the mean girl, and she glared at Mindy before turning around. “Yes, Sir?”
“What did I say about bullying?” The man approaching put his hands on his hips as he narrowed his gaze at Franny. Mason was one of the dungeon masters.
Franny stuck out a hip and planted her fisted hand on it. Wrapped in that fist was the mind-teaser. “I’m not bullying anyone, Sir. Mindy is just sharing her toys with me.”
Mason was a firm Daddy Mindy had seen here many times. He wasn’t Francesca’s Daddy, but he often took her under his wing when she visited. He seemed to enjoy the thrill of the brat, and every evening the two of them played always ended up with Franny getting her bottom spanked hard—which Mindy supposed was Franny’s goal.
“What have I said about lying?” he questioned next.
Franny gasped. “I’m not lying, Sir.” She spun to face Mindy more fully. “Right, Mindy? Tell him. Tell him we’re sharing.”
Sharing wasn’t a word Franny had in her vocabulary. Mindy wasn’t sure how to respond. She certainly didn’t want to lie either and risk getting punished. She licked her lips and glanced at Mason.
But Mason wasn’t looking at Mindy. His entire attention was on Franny. “Hand the toy back to Mindy, apologize, and come with me.”
Franny’s eyes widened. She could be such a drama queen. “What did I do?”
“Now,” Mason barked, “or you’ll be getting a cane to your naked bottom instead of my hand.”
Franny huffed as she dropped the brain teaser onto the floor in front of Mindy. “Sorry.”