Nodding, she stroked the baby’s cheek almost reverently.
Not willing to let this go until she gave him a bit more information, and maybe until she admitted the truth to herself, Beau continued to push gently.
“Do you like school?”
“Nu.”
He snorted at her answer. “You know, I never did either. Do you like anything you’re learning in your classes?”
She tapped her chin and Beau could feel himself being drawn into her pull.
“Nu.”
“Do you like staying in the Littles’ dorms?”
“Nu,” she answered very quickly that time. “Well, I like when Miss Samantha comes to stay with us. It’s only when they need someone to fill in, but I really like when she comes.”
“What makes her visits fun?”
“She plays with us and she brings craft stuffs.”
“Oh, that does sound very fun.”
“And she doesn’t treat me like a Big girl.” Palmer’s face scrunched up as she struggled to find her words. “She doesn’t ‘xpect me to be Big. She brushes my hair... and holds my hand... And tucks me into bed. Not just me, any Little who wants it and I like that. I like not having to think… but maybe that’s bad.”
Chapter Eight
The fear of rejection was so heavy in her chest, Palmer could almost taste it in her throat.
“Why would that be bad, pretty baby?” Beau asked.
Palmer studied his face looking for any signs of disgust or judgment, but she only saw sincerity. Taking a breath, she straightened her shoulders. “Maybe it’s selfish of me to ask for that. It could be a burden to ask someone else to make all the choices for me because it’s hard.”
Beau studied her for a moment, but not in a judgmental way—kinda like he was looking right into her heart. “I don’t know any Bigs who feel like someone trusting them that deeply would be a burden. All of the ones I know would see it as a gift.”
“A gift?” Well, that was hard to believe.
“We need to be needed, honey. We crave to do things for you, things that make your life easier. When you depend on us, we get what we need too.”
When Beau explained it in his calm, gentle, and one-hundred percent certain tone of voice, it made a lot of sense.
He reached over and took her hand in his. “Palmer, your trust is and will always be a gift, sweet girl.”
“What if I’m too much? What if my needs are too heavy for someone else to carry?” Her eyes filled with the tears that never seemed too far away. She swiped at them angrily. Before she could even get them all off of her face, Beau lifted her into his lap and kissed them away.
“Sorry,” she mumbled, embarrassed he was seeing her in another emotional moment.
“You never have to be sorry for your feelings, honey, or your fears. It’s okay to be scared. Trusting someone like you are can be terrifying.”
“It is scary,” she agreed.
“I want you to understand, though, baby. You're not going to be too much for the right person.”
Resting her head on his shoulder, she played with his wild curls. “How do you know?”
Beau rocked her back and forth. “Because…”
Palmer lifted her head to look at him.
