Page 35 of Sawyer
“Because when I told you who was sleeping where, you kept arguing with me. Now do what I told you to do.”
With the most adorable scowl on her face, she settled into the corner as he instructed. “I was just trying to be nice, Daddy. What's wrong with that? I thought I was supposed to be nice. Wait, stop!” She dropped her hands to grab the waistband of her pajama bottoms.
“Put your hands back on your head, naughty girl, before this shift from corner time to another spanking.”
With her pajama pants now bunched around her ankle, her top rose when she put her hands on her head, leaving her bottom, still a light blushing pink, on display.
“All right, new rules. No arguing with Daddy when he tells you to do something. And no, you do not have to be nice. You have to be kind.”
“What’s the difference?”
“We’ll talk about that another time. Right now, the thing you need to know is the very first person you have to be kind to is yourself. I want you to be helpful and accommodating when you can, but when doing it means you are being unkind to yourself, that is not okay.”
She turned her head toward him. “How do I know the difference?”
“That’s a good question. If what you are doing for someone else causes you to do something you would not ask someone else to do, then you are being unkind to yourself. Have you heard the phrase, ‘treat others the way you want to be treated?’ Well, I want you toflip that. Stop asking yourself to do things for others you wouldn’t ask others to do for you. If you were at a friend’s house, would you ask them to sleep on the couch so you could sleep in their bed?”
“Of course not, Daddy. I wouldn’t ask them to give up their bed!”
“Right. But you are asking yourself to give up your bed, when there is no good reason for me not to sleep on the couch. That is being unkind… to you. Your second new rule is you cannot be unkind to yourself. Understand?”
He hated the look of pained confusion on her face. “Yes, Daddy. I’ll try.”
“That’s my good girl. I’ll be here to remind you when you forget. Now put your nose back in the corner.”
After she’d done as he said, he sat on the side of the bed. “Now, I want you to say your new rules, twenty-five times, loud enough for me to hear. Say, I will not argue with Daddy, and I will be kind to myself first.”
He waited as she repeated her new rules, hands on her head and PJ bottoms around her ankles. When she finished, she tugged up her pants and turned to face him. He held his hand wide open, and she ran to him, throwing herself into his embrace.
“I’m very proud of you. Now, let’s get you into bed.”
Once he had her tucked in and settled, she asked. “Do you know the five kisses rule, Daddy?”
“No, Half-Pint. I can’t say I do. Tell me about it.”
Sitting on the side of the bed, he listened. “When Daddies kiss their Little girls goodnight, they give them five kisses, one each on their forehead, their eyes, the tip of their nose, and their lips. That’s the way Daddies do it.”
“Well, I’m glad you told me, babygirl. I don’t want to get it wrong.” Standing, he followed her instructions and pressed kisses on each spot. Once he was finished, he said, “Okay, I want you to go straight to sleep. We’re leaving early tomorrow morning.”
When he reached the door, she asked, “Daddy, do you think the shooters will come back tonight?”
It cost him, but he kept the smile on his face. “No, darlin’, I don’t. They are not going to shoot at your windows while you sleep. And if they are foolish enough to try, Daddy’s here. Trust me, I will protect you.”
With a smile much dimmer than the ones he was used to seeing on her face, she nodded. “Goodnight, Daddy.”
“Good night, Half-Pint. I’m turning out the light, but I’m right outside on the couch.”
With a nod, she rolled onto her side, tucked Lucky under her chin, and closed her eyes.
Sawyer kept vigil all night. He walked around checking the windows and, while he was at it, cleaning up the glass that had splattered into the house. Every time he went by Lele’s bedroom, he stopped and watched her sleeping. The gentle breathing, the sleepy smile, the peace on her face that no one who’d just had their windows shot out should reasonably have. He hoped that peace was possible because she knew that he was there watching over her.
How she would feel when it was time to tell her the truth, he didn’t know.
Tonight, he knew only one thing.
No one was hurting her while he had breath in his body. No one.
CHAPTER 12
