Amused by her odd reaction, I smile. “Yes.”
“Huh. We totally thought it stood for—” She stops herself, her cheeks turning pink. “Never mind.”
Before I can question her, Victoria climbs into the playpen with Camilla and grabs a doll. The two immediately launch into some kind of game, and my Little girl looks so happy, I don’t have the heart to interrupt.
When I turn back to Maxwell, I find him frowning down at his phone. He glances up and forces a smile, but it’s tight at the edges in a way that has my heart dropping to my knees. “Jasper and the others are on their way over,” he murmurs, tucking the phone back in his pocket. “Apparently Jasper is feeling rather guilty over how he allowed Juliet to mistreat Natalie, and he’s determined not to repeat those mistakes with your Millie. And once he said he was bringing Juliet ever to apologize, Gideon and Evander hopped on board.”
“Evander? You said Natalie didn’t do anything wrong.”
“She didn’t,” he says with a shrug. “Evander just enjoys the drama.”
Sighing, I scrub a hand over my face. “I’ll go have Madison put on a pot of coffee and see if she has any of those lemon bars left. Sounds like we’re going to be having a party.”
Millie
“I really am super sorry we were so mean to you at school.”
Looking up from my doll, my heart does a funny little twist at how sad Victoria looks. And even though my feelings are still kinda hurt, I set that aside and force a smile for her. After all, she did bring me a bracelet as an apology gift, which she didn’t have to do. “It’s okay, really. But, um… can I askwhyyou were so mean?”
A pink blush appears on her cheeks as she lowers her gaze, her shoulders jerking in a shrug. “I dunno. It was kinda hard to think about being your friend after, um, you know. All the exams and stuff.”
Just like I thought. “But I was just doing my job.”
If I think about it though, I can clearly remember how much she and the other Littles clearly hated those exams. Should I have done something differently? Should I have helped them somehow?
Guilt settles like a rock in my stomach as those questions tumble around in my mind.
“I know.” Victoria smiles, but it looks just as forced as mine feels. “And I know it wasn’t fair for us to take our feelings out on you. But…”
She trails off, glancing worriedly over at her Daddy, who is sitting in an armchair beside my Daddy, sipping a cup of coffee.
“I don’t think they can hear us,” I whisper. “And I promise I won’t tell.”
“Well, just… think about howyouwould feel. If you were brought to this island and forced to live like a Little girl andtaken to a doctor who gives the most humiliating and painful examseverand the woman who helped him suddenly wanted to be your friend.”
I think I might be sick from the heaviness in my tummy. “You’re right. You guys shouldn’t have to be my friend after all that. I’ll tell Daddy I don’t wanna go to school anymore.”
“No, I wanna be friends. I guess I just needed some time to get used to the idea. But you were always really nice, even when you were teaching Daddy how to take my temperature the baby way.”
“You’re sure? I don’t want you guys to be friends with me just because your Daddies said you have to. That’s not fair to you.”
It’s not really fair to me, either, but perhaps it’s what I deserve.
Before Victoria can say anything further, the doorbell rings again, and Daddy rises to his feet. I watch him leave, wishing I could climb right out of this stupid playpen and run after him. But all that would get me is another spanking, so I force myself to stay put until he returns.
When he does, my heart sinks into my stomach. All my other “uncles” are behind him, carrying their Little girls. With the exception of Natalie, everyone looks as miserable as Victoria, their eyes rimmed with red. And when Uncle Jasper puts Juliet on her feet, her movements are oddly jerky, and that rock of guilt in my stomach grows even heavier.
“Don’t you have something to say to Millie, princess?” Uncle Jasper’s tone is firm, leaving no room for argument or backtalk.
That doesn’t stop Juliet from rolling her eyes, and I have to fight back a giggle. I’ve always admired how bold she is, the way she doesn’t put up with anyone’s bullshit, even when it gets her in trouble.
“I’m sorry we didn’t make bracelets for you, and made you feel like we didn’t want to be your friend, Millie.”
“Thanks, Juliet. I appreciate the apology. Um, I know it isn’t easy for you guys to see me as a friend after… everything.”
“See?” Twisting around, she glares up at her Daddy. “Even Millie knows why we don’t wanna be her friend!”
But Uncle Jasper does not look moved by this revelation. If anything, he looks dangerously close to putting Juliet right back over his knee. “We talked about this, little girl. You will be nice to Millie and you will treat her like part of the family, or you will get another spanking. And if I have to punish you here, I willalsospank you when we get home. Am I understood?”
