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He kisses my cheek. “I’m going to put you down, Little pet.” He squats low, reaching for my hips, but I wrap my arms around his neck and hold on tight.

“No, Daddy. Please don’t.” My heart races at the thought of being untethered. Plus, I hate it when he’s not touching me. I need him right now.

“Look at Daddy,” he demands.

I face him, trembling.

“What happened today was horrifying. I’ll never forgive myself for not listening to my gut instincts when I met those assholes. If anything had happened to you, I would have died. I promise I will never leave you alone like that again. I thought you would always be safe as long as you were in your kennel, but I was wrong.”

I sniffle as I listen.

“I love you, Little pet. So much that it hurts when I’m in another room. I won’t leave you like that again. But right now, I need you to do something.”

“What, Daddy?” I ask, my voice cracking.

“I need you to find the little marn. I know she could have gotten out through the giant hole in the wall, but I bet she’s in here hiding somewhere. She trusts you more than anyone. You’re her mama. I know you won’t be able to rest until she’s back in your arms. Can you find Suzy, Little pet?”

I gasp. There was so much to unpack in what he just said. Besides the fact that he’s going to let me crawl around completely free on the floor, I think his primary objective isn’t for me to find Suzy. I suspect he wants me to regain some confidence. My world was shaken badly today. I’m clingy. He doesn’t mind me holding on to him, but he wants me to know that I will be okay when I’m not touching him.

I’m scared. “Can I have a leash, though, Daddy? Maybe a long one attached to the center of the room?” I don’t recognize the woman I’ve become. A week ago, I was so angry about being restrained that I didn’t want to live. Now, I’m stressed by the idea of not being tethered.

“Not this time, Little pet. I promise I will always chain you to the floor in the future, but right now, I need you to be brave and crawl on your own so you can find the marn.” His voice is firm.

“Okay, Daddy.” I really want to find Suzy. Wherever she is, I bet she’s so scared. And hungry. She hasn’t had a bottle in too long.

When Daddy sets me on my bottom on the padded floor, he cups my chin. “Be brave for me, Little pet. I’ll stay close to you the entire time.”

I’m shaking as he stands, but I have a job to do, and it’s very important. The tiny marn is too small to go without food for this long. I need to find her.

Finally, I turn onto my hands and knees. The clothes spare me the humiliation of being naked in front of all these strangers. I’m grateful for this small act of kindness.

I crawl around on the floor, looking under and behind everything I can. Suzy is too small to have gotten onto anything higher. I know she’ll be hiding low to the ground.

The more I search, the more nervous I get. What if I don’t find her? What if she was so spooked she went out through the hole in the wall? She’ll never survive outside on her own. She needs me. I’m her mama.

I look everywhere, and still no Suzy. My heart hurts. I’m going to cry.

Finally, I hear a tiny, whimpering purr, and I jerk my head toward the sound. I bet she’s been purring for a long time, but no one could hear her over the din of the workers.

I nearly smack my own head when I realize where the noise is coming from. Duh. I hurry over to my pet bed. It’s where we nearly always sit together. Of course, she wanted to go somewhere familiar that smells like me and gives her some comfort.

Her purrs grow louder as I approach. When I arrive, I pull the pillow slightly away from the wall. There she is, squished behind the bed, hiding under a corner of the blanket. She’s trembling, and her tiny eyes go wide when she sees me.

For a moment, I worry she won’t come to me. Maybe she doesn’t trust me now that she’s been so frightened. But when I hold out a hand, Suzy leaps up from her hiding spot and bounds onto the pet bed. She’s so cute as she rushes to me that I can’t help but giggle.

She’s safe. She’s going to forgive me. As soon as I scoop her into my arms, she crawls up my chest and rubs her ears against my shoulder. She’s purring so loudly. I hope her purrs are from relief.

One of Daddy’s employees hands me a bottle, and I situate myself on my pet bed so I can feed the eager little marn.

Daddy is smiling when I look at him. “Good girl,” he praises. “See? Suzy knew right where to wait for you.”

I ask the burning question that’s been at the front of my mind for days. “Can I keep her, Daddy?”

He reaches out to cup my cheek. “Of course, Little pet. She’s yours. I wouldn’t dare take her away from you. She’s already been adopted by my precious Little pet.”

My chest tightens. I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy. There’s one more thing I need that will help me feel grounded. “Please, will you put my leash on me now, Daddy? The short one that keeps me here, on my pet bed.”

He gives me a warm smile. “Yes, Rava. Let’s make you feel safe.”