Page 12 of Rot In Knotty Pieces

“But he’s not your real dad, though, is he? He’s just a pretend father?”

“He saved me from a life of…” I stumble over the word, “tweedium.”

Rolly’s lips turn down, and I panic, thinking I’ve made him upset. I jump up from the bed, shaking. My knees feel weak, and I think I might vomit.

“It’s okay, though, because I’m big, and I can fight.” Tears fill my eyes, and I start to shake. “I promise I’m not whining. I’m good. No nagging. I like my new life.”

Rolly reaches out, his expression so soft. He takes my hands in his and holds them.

“Dove, he is a bad man. He didn’t save you. He stole you, and he hurt you, and that’s not what fathers or family do.”

“But-”

He gets up and pulls me into a tight hug that feels like safe.

“No buts. He’s bad, and it is not your fault. Nothing was your fault. We are not going to let him steal you again.”

He is quiet for a while, and I calm down.

“Now, Rose gave me the cream for your back. Are you okay if I have a look and put it on?”

“Okay,” I say really quietly.

He turns me around really gently and then pulls my shirt up at the back.

“Does it hurt?”

“No, I can’t feel it at all!” I say happily, playing with my dolls.

His fingers brush my side, and I giggle. “That tickles.”

“Sorry, but good to know you have a tickle spot; we can have a tickle war later!”

I laugh.

“Can you just play in here for a couple of minutes? I’m going to go cut up some fruit for us, and we can go play outside. Have you played Red Light, Green Light?”

“No?”

“Ah, well, let’s see if we can get the whole pack to play.”

I squeal, and he walks away, leaving me in the room. At the doorframe, he pauses.

“I am so glad Rose found you, Dove.”

I don’t know how long I play for, but there’s this strange tension in the air. I walk to the doorframe and sneak through, padding silently to the kitchen.

Rolly is crying. He vomits into the kitchen sink and rinses his mouth out.

“How can she not feel that? Where is the pain?”

Rose puts his head in his hands. “We think Kest took it. Raven mentioned once that Kestrel takes their pain.”

“What the fuck?” Rolly says and wipes his eyes. “What the fuck? Why would-” he cuts off sobbing, “why would anyone do that to her?”

He’s not mad at me, but he doesn’t understand.

“I was bad.”