Page 24 of Daddy's Little Surprise

“I like things in even numbers. I know it’s silly, but when I don’t have even numbers, my skin starts to crawl,” she rushed out. “I know it sounds silly, but it’s just how I like things. It sounds like I’m a lunatic.”

“Stop,” he commanded.

“You can’t tell me I’m wrong. I am! I have had so many people tell me there is something wrong with me. That normal people don’t have their skin crawl when they don’t get an even number of things. That their breathing doesn’t pick up, and they feel like they are going to puke whenever it’s not an even number. Doesn’t matter what it is. An even number is what I like and always have.”

“Stop! I won’t have you talking badly about yourself.”

She glared at him.

“Who cares about their opinions? Everyone isdifferent. If it helps you not feel like you are going to crawl out of your skin, then you’ll get even numbers. I’ll make sure of it.”

Rainey didn’t know what to think. She certainly wasn’t expecting him to say any of that.

“What?” she whispered in disbelief.

“You’re okay,” he gently said. “I know you weren’t expecting that response, but everything I said is true. I want you to know this is a safe place. I am a safe place for you and always will be. I want to know everything that helps you calm down. I want to know everything so I can help you.”

“I don’t need help.”

“Maybe help was the wrong word. I want to know everything to make life enjoyable and comfortable for you. There is no reason for you to feel like your skin is crawling. If I had it my way, I would make sure that never happened.”

That wasn’t ever going to happen. There were so many things.

“I know it’s going to take a while for you to believe me, and it’s a challenge I have accepted,” he said. “From now on, you’ll get even numbers. Anything else I need to know?” He ate one of the pieces of strawberry, making it an even number now.

For the first time, Rainey took a deep breath and felt like her skin was calming down.

“The texture of spinach makes me puke. I can’t help it. Makes my skin crawl, and I gag, which results in me being sick because I can never get it out of my mouth fast enough,” Rainey blurted out.

“Good to know,” he said.

She was expecting him to laugh at her for it. Her motheralways did. Made her eat it every single time, which always ended in her puking and lying on the bathroom floor.

“Is it the slimy texture, or just spinach in general?” he asked.

She opened her mouth but quickly closed it. “I think spinach in general?”

Rainey had only ever had spinach one way.

“I’m not going to push you to try it again. We don’t need you puking at all. I was just curious,” Daddy said. “Is there anything else?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t think so. Or I can’t think of it right now. I know there’s a coupleof other things, but… my brain is just not thinking at the moment.”

Daddy took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “That’s okay. Whenever you do think about it, you let me know. Promise?”

“Promise.”

Rainey felt a little lighter after she told him about those issues. It was probably because he didn’t make fun of her but tried to understand where she was coming from. It made her realize that maybe he was telling the truth.

He had been nothing but kind to her, and he was still showing that quality.

“I didn’t scare you off with all that?” Rainey chuckled, trying to make light of the situation.

“Little girl, it will take a lot more for me to be scared off.”

“Even if I killed somebody?”

“If you killed somebody, I would ask where you put the body. I would make sure nobody would be able to find the body to keep you safe. Then I would ask what happened and have you walk through everything.”

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