Page 28 of Their Little Foursome

The foursome turned to find Sadie, Hayleigh, and Haven standing at the top of the slope. Behind them stood Derek, Jared, Erika and the two women who’d been in the hall along with a whole bunch of Littles Lori didn’t know. Her mouth dropped open to see Wren and a real cowboy seated on the backs of a pair of horses. Even Moses was there and when she gave him a little wave, he grinned and waved back. Every single person was staring at the four of them.

“I have to agree with Sadie,” Derek said. “I think we’re all in Wonderland with you. How about we get you back up to the lodge and have us a little story hour.”

“It might take more than an hour,” Gordon said as he bent to pick Lori up only to discover she had no intention of releasing Blake’s hand. Her Daddy looked at Auntie B, who’d laughed.

“Don’t look at me. You’re the Daddy.”

As his first big-brother gesture, Blake solved the problem by suggesting Gordon hold Lori while Blake kept hold of her hand and his Mommy thought it a fabulous idea as long as she got to hold Blake’s other hand. As a rather ragged line, they began to maneuver their way toward the others. They crested the hill without falling down, though it took Jared reaching out to grab hold of the backpack’s strap and pull Beverly forward when she started to teeter backward.

Lori was beaming as she watched people come to hug Blake and then shift aside to allow the next person to reassure themselves that he was okay. Finding the man who’d saved her soothed her heart in ways she’d never be able to express. Discovering he was a Little like her was truly magical. But, seeing her Auntie B again standing next to her Daddy was like seeing all the sprinkles in the world raining down on this magical Ranch.

As they started back toward the resort, Blake tugged on Lori’s hand. When she looked down, he whispered, “Why does your Daddy call my Mommy Barb?”

Instead of answering, Lori looked up at her Daddy.

“The same reason your Mommy called Lori, Lauren. Those were the names they had before,” Gordon said.

“Before what?” Blake asked.

“That’s part of the story, buddy.”

Lori knew it was all confusing and she’d lived it. Hearing everyone around addressing her Auntie Barb as Bev was a little strange, but she really didn’t care if they called her Bingo, Benji, or Bonzo.

“Don’t worry, names change all the time. I bet you were called Blakey or something when you were a little Little, right?”

“Yeah, but?—”

“It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that we found each other again, right?”

Blake looked at the Bigs and then back up at her. “I-I guess?”

Lori beamed and squeezed his fingers. It was far more than just right. It was all she’d ever wanted.

One frightened Little boy had run into the woods, but it was the large group that had come looking for him, the people who so obviously cared about each other in ways she’d never experienced that let Lori know Rawhide wasn’t just a resort for kinky vacationers. It was a place where people actually lived their lives practicing inclusion, diversity, and unconditional acceptance.

CHAPTER 10

Gordon

“Bar… I mean Bev wants to check out Blake and Lori before we all sit down,” Gordon said once they’d all returned to the lodge.

“I’m not surprised,” Derek said. “Are you sure you’re all good with this?” He gestured to the crowd around them. “Say the word, and I’ll change the plan.”

“But we want to hear the story too,” Sadie said.

Gordon looked at Bev who stood holding the hands of Lori and Blake. “What do you think?”

“Unless you want to spend the next week retelling the story a few dozen times?—”

Before Beverly finished, Gordon cut in. “I believe once will be quite enough for all of us.” As three heads nodded, he turned to address Derek. “How about we meet in a half hour. In your office?”

Derek chuckled. “I might have a large office, but believe me, it’s not big enough for this.” He took a moment to consider as suggestions of a meeting place were tossed out before he lifted a hand. “Thank you for suggestions, but I don’t believewe need to involve every guest, resident, staff member, or Little on the entire Ranch. That rules out the lobby. I’m not willing to put a deadline on how long this might take which rules out the cafeteria as people will be expecting lunch at some point. We’ll meet upstairs in the family room, Nurse MacIntosh knows where.”

Chef Connor spoke up. “I’ll have coffee and hot cocoa ready by the time you get there.”

“And cookies!” Hayleigh said and when her Daddy gave her his best stare, she shrugged and took his hand. “Everyone knows you can’t have cocoa without cookies, Daddy.”

“And sprinkles!” Haven suggested.

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