Isabella looks up at me, her question clear in her eyes. “Can I?”
Already, she knows that I have the ultimate say where she is concerned. Such a smart Little girl. “Yes, little one. Cat, would you like to do the honors?”
“I was hoping you’d say that. Come here, Isabella.” Smiling widely, she holds her arms open. “Or do you prefer to be called something else?”
Isabella hesitates, but just for a moment, before crawling into her Auntie’s arms. “My friends call me Izzy.”
A rather inelegant nickname for such a precious little doll, but I don’t have the heart to erase the smile on her face by insisting she go by Isabella instead. So I hold my tongue as she settles into Cat’s embrace.
“Well, I would like very much for us to be the best of friends, so Izzy it is.” Cradling my Little girl in her arms, Cat lifts the bottle to her lips. “Darling little Izzy. Would you like to hear about the rest of your family now?”
With her mouth full of milk, Isabella can only nod. Taking my cue, I settle back, watching the scene in front of me with a heart that’s full to bursting as I pick up where I’d left off. “Your Uncle Jasper is next, and his Little girl, Juliet. I’m sure you’ll come to think of Jasper as the fun uncle, but Juju will be the first to tell you he’s much more strict than you’d imagine. And as for Juju, well…” Sliding my gaze to Catharina’s, we share a knowing look. “Don’t let her drag you into any trouble. Juliet is a brat, and she takes great delight in keeping your Uncle Jasper on her toes.”
“And the rest of us, for that matter,” Cat adds with a throaty laugh. “Never a dull moment with Juliet around.”
“That’s for sure. And lastly, we have your Uncle Evan. Short for Evander. He can be a bit scary at first, but he’ll spoil you just as much as your Auntie Cat if I let him. Don’t tell him I told you, but beneath his tough exterior, he’s a bit of a teddy bear. I can only imagine how tightly he’ll end up wrapped around his own Little girl’s finger when the time comes.”
“He’d gut you like a fish on the spot if he heard you say such a thing.”
Cat’s offhand joke doesn’t go over Isabella’s head. My little doll jerks in her Auntie’s arms, choking and sputtering as milk spills out onto her cheeks.
“Give her to me.” My voice is sharper than I intend for it to be, but Cat doesn’t flinch as she passes Isabella to me. Holding her against my chest, I pat her back until the coughing fit passes.
“Shhh. There, there, little doll. You’re alright. Daddy’s right here. Daddy’s got you.”
“I’m so sorry.” Face stricken, Cat wrings her hands, her dark eyes round with worry. “I wasn’t thinking, Gideon. I’m sorry. Is she okay?”
“I’m sure she’ll be fine. Won’t you, little one?”
Still clinging to me, Isabella nods silently and I force a smile for Cat despite the fury boiling in my veins.
She didn’t mean any harm. I know that, and it’s the only thing keeping me from lashing out. But my Little girl is trembling in my arms, and whether she meant to frighten her or not, Cat is the reason for it.
“I think I’ll put her down for a nap. It’s been an eventful morning.”
“Of course.” Cat’s smile is strained as she rises to her feet. “I, ah, was planning to take Tori and Juju out for a girls’ day sometime soon. We’d love for Izzy to join us.”
“We’ll see. I’d like to give her some time to get settled in here with me before sending her out with anyone else. You understand.”
“I do.” Reaching out, Cat runs a gentle hand down Isabella’s back. “Sleep well, sweet girl. I’ll come visit you soon.”
Without waiting for Cat to leave, I turn on my heel and carry Isabella out of the room and upstairs to my bedroom. She should nap in her crib, but after the scare downstairs, I’m not quite ready to let her out of my sight just yet.
So I lay her in the bed with me, my heart lodged in my throat when she immediately curls into me when I join her on the mattress.
“It’s all right, little one. Daddy’s right here.”
“Was Auntie Cat telling the truth?” she whispers, her voice smaller and more frightened than I’ve heard it before.
“About what?”
“Uncle Evan. Would he really… would he hurt you?”
The heart she already holds in her hands melts at the quiet, worried question. “No. He might grumble and threaten, but at the end of the day, we’re a family and if there’s one thing your Uncle Evan prizes more than anything else, it’s family. He would never hurt you or me or any of the others. I promise.”
Holding up a fist, she holds out a delicate finger. “Pinkie-promise?”
It’s quite easily the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen, and even if I’d wanted to, I would be helpless to resist her innocent charms. Hooking my finger with hers, I lean in to press a kiss to her forehead. “Pinkie-promise. Sleep tight, little doll. Daddy will be right here when you wake up again.”
