“I know, but meeting Daddy’s family in person is a big deal.” Right? It had to be, or so I guessed.
“You’re overthinking it. Just be yourself and they’ll love you. You know you’re adorkable. Now come on, I have to get this new line of littles wear done and submitted before you leave for your trip to Cali.”
Overthinking…the only time I didn’t was when I played with my toys. Ugh…I needed a tea party break.
On autopilot, and far too comfortably, I stood there in nothing but my undies while Jobe dressed me in outfit after outfit,making adjustments where he saw fit. It was kinda like being in a hazy dream state.
“Okay, what do you think about this one?”
“Huh?”
“This is my first try at making an adult onesie. Tell me how it feels.”
“Hmm,” I bent over and the snaps stayed snapped and the material moved comfortably with me. “I like it. It doesn’t bunch or pinch me. Did they really tell you that you had to submit two of everything? That’s a lot of work, isn’t it?”
“It is,” Jobe reached down and unsnapped it. “But if they pick up the line it’ll be more than worth it. Okay, let’s try the crop top next.” Over my head it went, then shorts and whatever else he made. My brain wasn’t in the game today and I missed my Daddy. I’d been with Jobe and Daddy Stanley for three days now with two more to go.
Daddy called each night and read me a story, but it was so much better when I got to curl up with him while he read to me.
Stupid passport.
“You are so not with me today, Beck. Set up your tea party and I’ll get your sippy cup and cookies.” I felt bad, Jobe was paying me for this, but my brain was all over the place and not where it should be.
I need my Daddy.
“Beck, honey, what’s wrong?” Jobe hurried to my side and pulled me onto his lap as soon as he sat the cup down.
“I-I’m messing,”sob,“everything,”sob,“up.”
“Oh. My. Goddess. And they say I’m the drama queen,” Jobe rolled his eyes and grinned. “Sweetie, you haven’t messed anything up.” Jobe reached over and pulled a tissue from the box on his desk. “Blow.” He wadded it up after I did and made a yucky face and tossed it in the trashcan. “There’s my sweet BFF,” he said when I giggled. “Now, explain.”
“I just…” I huffed, frustrated with myself. “You pay me to model and I’m off chasing squirrels. I’m meeting Daddy’s family and am afraid they won’t like me. I finally have a family of my own and I’m afraid of fucking it up. I have so much to live for after never having anything at all.”
“One,” he raised a stern finger, “you’ve modeled just fine for me and this week I’ve worked you hard since you were already here. Two, there is no way in the world they won’t love you like we do. Three, I can’t believe you just said fucking,” I giggled again. “You hate cursing, so that tells me this runs deeper than tears. And four, you will never lose us as your family. We love you and all your adorkableness.”
More giggles, but at least I was feeling better. “I don’t think that’s a real word.”
“Neither is adorkable but it fits us so it’s staying,” he hugged me tighter. “Now, I think a tea party is just the break we need and maybe you can nap on the bean bag chair while I finish up afterwards.”
Bun-Bun and Daddy Bear were already tucked in and waiting patiently for me to join them under the super soft blankie Jobe bought me.
“’Kay.”
We moved over to my little table and chair set, it was so funny to see Jobe in the tiny chair. “Um, I don’t think you have wine at a tea party?”
He took a sip of his and sighed. “The hell I don’t. If I’m putting carbs into this finely tuned machine, then I’m washing them down with a shot of vino. Now hush up, serve the cookies and drink your chocolate milk,” Jobe winked.
Jobe was Mr. Sassy Pants, but I loved him to the moon and back.
“Why so sad, Bunny?” Daddy asked me during our nightly phone call.
“I dunno.”
“Are you fibbing to your Daddy? Did something happen?”
“No, nothing like that. Jobe said I’m just being a worry wort.” I knew Daddy wouldn’t give up until I spilled the deets. “I’m not myself this week. I keep messing up, even though Jobe says I’m not, and I’m super obsessed about your family not liking me. Then I’ll lose you and…and…” And the sads hit and more tears fell. “Stupid tears.”
“Sweetheart, if you messed up, you and I both know Jobe would call you out on it. So, the fact that he said you didn’t really means that you didn’t. As far as my family goes, I wish I could erase those thoughts from your head. They already adore you and we’ve had this conversation a couple of times already, but nothing Daddy says seems to help. Besides, if, and that’s an if that isn’t real, if they didn’t, there is nothing, and I mean nothing in this world, that will take me away from you.”
