Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 44307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 222(@200wpm)___ 177(@250wpm)___ 148(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 222(@200wpm)___ 177(@250wpm)___ 148(@300wpm)
Tears come to my eyes.
“Am I fat?” Ava asks.
I gasp and shake my head. “No. You’re like a model.”
She rolls her eyes. “My tits are bigger than yours. They’re heavy, too. And just because I’m tanned doesn’t mean I’m not also flabby.” She shrugs. “I don’t care anymore. My Papi adores me just the way I am.”
I glance over my shoulder in the direction of my Papis. They’re watching me and smiling. I give them a wave, feeling less panicky.
“And you have two Papis. Double the love,” Janelle says.
Ava giggles. “Or double the punishments.”
I find myself laughing. It feels good. For the first time in my life as I rise up onto my knees, I look down and think maybe I’m not as repulsive as I’ve always been told. Maybe I’m okay being who I am. My Papis definitely think I’m perfect. They make me feel small. They carry me around like I’m a feather.
My new friends are giggling and having fun. I like them. Maybe I can make friends on this planet. They seem to genuinely not care about my rolls.
I’m not fat. I’m soft. That’s not a bad thing. It’s just how I was created.
Maybe if I keep telling myself that, I’ll eventually believe it. Maybe one day soon I’ll get kicked out of the funnel cloud and land on my feet.
Chapter Fifteen
Kafran
“Did you have fun, Little one?” I ask Mercy as I push her stroller away from the park.
“Yes, Papi. Thank you for making me do that. They were all so nice.”
Skarg is walking backward in front of us, and he winks at her. “See? We told you everyone would be kind.”
She squirms in the seat. “Can you take this thing out of me now?”
Skarg chuckles. “No, but you should consider adjusting your attitude before we get to Ekert and Sophie’s house. If you speak disrespectfully to either of us or either of them, we won’t hesitate to take your diaper off and spank your naughty bottom where everyone can see that you’re also wearing a thick plug inside you.”
I lean over the top of the stroller to see her purse her lips and humph. She’s adorable every second of the day, even when she’s naughty. It’s really hard to keep a straight face when she’s grumbling. Her pleading will never cause either of us to give in, but it might make us chuckle frequently.
It doesn’t take long to get to Ekert’s house, and once again her stress level is palpable. I pick her up and settle her on my hip as Skarg knocks on the front door.
She grips my neck for dear life as Ekert answers the door. I’ve heard he’s very good at helping soothe a Little girl’s fears, so I’m hoping that will be the case today. We won’t force her to get her nipples pierced on this visit. We’re here primarily to see the stones and help her learn to accept the idea.
“Hey there. You must be Mercy,” Ekert says as he backs up to let us all into the house.
“Yes, Sir,” she mumbles, remembering her manners.
He shakes my hand and then Skarg’s before nodding toward a door to one side. “Come on into the shop. Sophie’s in there. She’s really excited to meet you.”
I’ve met Sophie a few times. She’s a cheerful blond who jumps up from a Little-girl-sized table when we enter. She skips toward us. “You’re here.”
Mercy swallows hard as I squat down to set her on her feet, keeping her between my thighs. “Hi,” she says quietly to Sophie.
Sophie beams. “Your Papis thought the anzerine stone would look amazing on you, and now that I see you, I agree. I picked out the perfect set. Want to see them?”
“Yes, please,” our girl says, trembling.
I release her and resume standing, letting her follow Sophie toward the small table. What a neat idea. We should consider ordering a Mercy-sized table for the corner of the kitchen. That way she could color or paint without us worrying about her falling from sitting up too high. So far we’ve only let her sit strapped into her highchair, and even then we keep a close eye on her.
Mercy pulls out a chair and grins. “It’s my size. I’ve never seen a table and chairs like this.”
Sophie giggles. “Yeah, Papi had it made. Christine’s Papi, Strogan, makes furniture.”
“I met Christine at the park,” Mercy tells Sophie.
“Oh fun. She’s super sweet. But really everyone here is sweet. I love that I get to meet every new mate a few weeks after they arrive because I also help choose their stones.”
“You choose them?” Mercy’s eyes widen.
Ekert steps behind Sophie and sets his hands on her shoulders. “Turns out Sophie has a very keen eye for gemstones. She’s invaluable.”
Sophie flushes. “Papi… It’s no big deal.” Changing the subject, she points toward a tray in the middle of the table. “See what you think about these.”