Page 1 of Daddy's Little Fighter
CHAPTER 1
FRANKIE
3 Years Ago
“I’m going to go to the store to grab some butter for the cookies,” Frankie called out.
She had been getting better and better about leaving the house with or without Daddy. It was getting a little easier, even if she shook out in public.
He was helping her.
“Do you want me to come with you?” he asked as he walked by the front door. “What am I saying? Give me a couple of minutes and I’ll come with you.”
“Daddy, I’m perfectly fine going by myself.” She pouted. “I’ve done it a couple of times, and I can do it again. I’m just going to the store to get butter, and then I’m going to come back. It’s right down the street.”
It wasn’tright down the street, but it was pretty close. She was going to have to take the car if she wanted to have time to make the cookies before work.
“Little One.” Daddy popped a hand on his hip. “It is not down the street, and you know it. You will have to take the car.”
“Thank you!” She ran up to him and kissed his lips.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?” he asked. “I just need to finish putting this food away, and then I can come. Are you going to have enough time to make them before we head to work?”
She sighed. “Yes, Daddy. I am sure I can do this on my own. I’m also sure that I will have enough time if I leave right now to get it.”
He held up his hands and shook his head. “All right. If anything goes wrong, you call me right away. Understand?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
“Do you have my credit card I gave you?” he asked.
Frankie sighed once again. “Yes, I do. I always have it with me. If I don’t use it and spend some of my own money, then I’m going to get into trouble.”
He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Good girl for remembering. Now, be safe, and I want to know when you made it there and when you are leaving. Understand?”
“I understand, and I will. You know I always do,” she mumbled toward the end.
It was just as hard for her to leave without him as it was for him to let her leave alone. Frankie didn’t want to go, but she needed to.
“Are you sure?” Daddy asked.
“If you keep asking me, I’m going to say no,” Frankie pointed out. “I need to do this alone. It’s just butter, and it won’t take me long.”
She had been trying to get better about going out alone and not letting people’s stares affect her. It was a lot harder than she thought it would be, but she was slowly improving.
Going out alone. Not the not caring part.
Frankie still cared when people looked at her hands or sometimes her head. That was when she wanted to crawl into the wall and hide away from everyone.
It didn’t get easier when little kids pointed at her shaking hands or body whenever they walked by.
Children didn’t know any better, but it didn’t make it hurt any less.
“I know, but you don’t have to do this alone. I can come with you. I can help you,” Daddy gently said.
“I want to try it on my own,” she whispered back. “I want to see if I can get better at this. You aren’t always going to be there for me. You might get busy, and I have no choice but to go out on my own. If you are constantly with me, then I will never be able to go out alone.”
Maybe she was exaggerating, but she needed to do this on her own.
