Page 28 of Gideon

Two words that were just about the best ones I’d ever heard.

Chapter fourteen

Abigail

Over the next four days, life was pretty much perfect. Daddy was gorgeous, attentive, and I felt better than I ever had in my entire life. The naughty list barely got anything written down on it because I was desperate not to give Daddy any reason to make me leave.

I was getting used to him seeing me naked and the times I went into the bathroom on my own were getting less frequent.

But.

But it was like waiting for a disaster to hit. You knew it was coming and you couldn’t do anything about it. Every day was one day closer to the two-week deadline, and I knew we couldn’t exist in this bubble forever. Daddy had a lot of businesses to run, and he was trying to run them all fromhere because he was scared of leaving me on my own. I think the disaster at the apartment had been in some ways more frightening for him than me.

And while I ached to be taken care of, if this went on, it was almost like self-sabotage. He needed to work, and I needed to go places. I missed Poppy and the shelter, but I knew expecting Daddy to leave me there was going to be impossible and I couldn’t be so greedy with his time. If I asked to go tomorrow, he would insist on taking me.

He’d mentioned Margaret keeping me company sometimes, and while I liked that idea, I didn’t need a babysitter. But I hadn’t done a very good job of showing that, had I?

It was almost like I had a point to prove, but I had no idea what to do. I needed to be brave. I pressed my lips together and looked at the coloring I was doing. It was a book on superheroes and Wonder Woman was my favorite.

“You know you have my authority to make any decisions.”

My ears pricked up. Daddy was on the telephone. He kept the adjoining door open, and he knew I could hear, so I didn’t feel like I was doing anything wrong.

I heard Daddy sigh. “It’s just not a good time for me to be at the club this week.”

So that was it? Of course. He wasn’t going to the club because of me. Could I do this? Was this the thing I needed to do? I went to my clock while listening to Daddy talk about things like electrical contractors and permits and Maddox—Daddy had said his name—must have said something about finding someone because Daddy said he understood Maddox would have to miss the club this weekend, and that finding her was more important. I didn’t know what that meant, but I opened the case on the back of the clock and pulled out my list.

Daddy keeps me forever.

I didn’t need to read the rest of the list because I knew it by heart, and I’d added to it many times, but the first point was the most important.

Daddy keeps me forever.

I needed to make sure he wanted to keep me, and that this wasn’t just about being good. That was easy. This was about being brave. And I had been. I got a job. I lived on my own. I got the bus at least twice a day and went to the shelter.

I could be brave for Daddy, too. I folded the list and put it back in the clock just in time to register Daddy had stopped talking and I turned around to see him leaning against the doorframe and smiling.

“I want to go to the club again,” I rushed out before I could change my mind.

Daddy’s eyebrows nearly hit the ceiling, and I couldn’t help the nervous giggle that accompanied that image.

He pushed off the door and walked toward me. “Why?”

I couldn’t say it was for him. I needed to say something else. “Because you said I might make friends.” He nodded and drew me into his arms, and I snuggled happily. “Will there be any Littles there tonight?”

He hummed. “I can call a few people and find out, but you had a nasty fright only a few days ago. I don’t want this to be too much for you.”

But it was make or break now. If I didn’t show him I could fit into his life, he wouldn’t keep me. “Please, Daddy. I want to make some friends.”

He nodded. “On one very important condition.”

I looked up at him. “You don’t go anywhere else in the club except the playroom without me.”

My eyes widened. What if I needed the bathroom?

He smiled and dropped a kiss on my lips. “There’s a bathroom inside the playroom, if that’s what you were going to say.”

I hugged him tight.

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