“Oh.” She jumped out of the chair and he removed his hand. “I won’t need it. I’m a good girl.”
“Of course you are,” he agreed. “But even good girls are naughty sometimes. In fact, there has been quite a lot of naughty behavior from you lately.”
“No, there hasn’t!”
“Hmm. Let’s see. Talking badly about yourself. Lying to Daddy. Those are both big no-nos. Oh, and trying to climb out the window, which is endangering yourself.”
“I wasn’t trying to climb out, I was just looking. And anyway, we haven’t talked about the rules.”
“Very true. Let’s get some rules sorted and written down.”
“There’s a whiteboard in one of these containers.” North walked in, holding two containers. “I’ll go get the clothes.”
“All right, sit on the rug, baby girl and we’ll get these done.” Jared led her to the rug and she sat with a pout.
“I think it’s pointless to have rules, Daddy,” she said.
She was kind of surprised by how easily she was slipping into Little headspace.
Maybe it was Jared’s supreme confidence in his ability to take care of her, to be her Daddy.
Or perhaps it was just because this was something she desperately wanted.
She wasn’t sure.
But she wasn’t going to keep second guessing it. Because all that meant was that she’d talk herself out of this.
Just relax.
“Everyone needs rules,” Jared told her. “Otherwise there would be anarchy.”
North walked in with piles of clothes in his hands.
“North, can you find something for Angie to play in? Maybe a onesie?” Jared asked casually as he found the whiteboard and sat down on the rocking chair to write on it. She moved over to the open container.
Hmm. There was a really cute tea set. Oh, and a doll. She’d never had a doll of her own. Every Christmas she’d asked for one, but she’d never gotten one.
Occasionally, she’d get given gifts from school or the local church. But never a doll.
This doll was dressed in a cute pale pink tutu skirt and white top and her hair was in braids.
Angie drew her out and touched her carefully. Then she set her aside, not wanting to hurt her.
“Do you not like her?” North asked. “I can find you a different one. Or do you not like to play with dolls?”
“You can’t replace her!” She crouched over her, protecting her from North.
Although he hadn’t actually moved. In fact, he was just staring at her strangely.
Right.
She was acting like a crazy person. She sat back on her haunches and stared up at him, then over to Jared.
“What’s wrong, baby girl?” Jared asked. “If you don’t like the doll, it’s fine. You can tell us.”
“But I do like her. I like her so much. She looks like me. I want to name her Miss Melanie.”
“Miss Melanie?” North asked. “Why Miss Melanie?”
