Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 151384 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151384 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Another giggle escaped.
“Immy, you do not want to fire any more of those balls. You’re already in big trouble.”
Big trouble?
Why was she in big trouble? That made no sense.
“Why is Immy in big trouble?” she asked.
“Because Immy was naughty and disobeyed her Papa.”
“Immy did not!” she gasped. “Immy would never!”
“Immy did,” he said. “First, she shut the door when Papa told her to keep it open. And now, instead of coming down out of the fort like she’s been told to, she’s firing balls at Papa.”
“You didn’t tell Immy to come down.”
“Yes. I did.”
“Nuh-uh. You didn’t use your words.” She leaned out of the open window and shook a finger at him. “Learn to use your words, Papa.”
“Immy. Come. Down. Now.”
“Immy thinks she won’t do that,” she replied. “Immy thinks she’ll stay up here forever. It can be a nice house for Immy. Although Immy will need to put in a regular candy and cookies order. Starting with handbag M&Ms and Twizzlers.”
“Immy is not getting any candy or cookies for the next week,” he told her.
She gasped dramatically. In fact, she actually fell back onto her bottom, her gasp was so big.
“You can’t do that, Papa!” she cried when she finally recovered enough to take a breath.
“Papa can do that, or you can go over his knee for a spanking.”
“That. Is. So. Mean.”
Maybe she’d rather have the spanking.
Although she stopped herself before she said that. Because she should probably think about that for a moment. Did she want him to spank her?
Maybe. Maybe not.
She got up onto her knees, then pulled herself onto her feet to lean out the open window again. “Papa, you can’t do that!”
“Just did. Down here. Now.”
Uh-oh.
She still didn’t think it was a good idea to go down there. But what was her choice?
Hmm.
She turned and looked at the other side of the fort where there was a flying fox that went down to the floor.
It was the only thing to do.
She really had no other choice. Immy ran for the flying fox and took hold.
“Whee!” she cried as she flew down it.
The fort was only about eight feet tall so it really wasn’t a high flying fox. But it was still a heap of fun.
She landed in a pit of spongy pieces.
Okay, so in hindsight, the flying fox was not a smart idea. Because exiting a pit of spongy pieces was not a quick or easy process. She finally managed to crawl her way out, landing on the mat next to the pit while heaving for breath.
The light above her was suddenly blocked by a large man. A man who was frowning down at her.
“Unicorn poop.”
“Yes. You are definitely deep in unicorn poop,” Tobias agreed. Reaching down, he lifted her, setting her on her feet.
She swayed slightly and he held her hips until she was steady. She peeked up into his face. His jaw was tight, his face serious.
Definitely in unicorn poop.
“Sooo, have I told you that you’re looking extra handsome today?” she told him as he took a firm hold of her hand and led her toward the exit. “Oh no! We have to go? But I don’t want to.”
Tobias stopped at the bench where they’d taken off their shoes. “Sit.”
Her lower lip dropped out as she sat on the bench. “This isn’t nice. Immy will be good if we can stay.”
He crouched in front of her, then tilted her chin up so she had to look at him. “Our time is up, Little girl. Leaving isn’t punishment, understand?”
“Can’t we stay a bit longer?” she pleaded.
“No, sorry. They have a group coming in.”
“Can we come back, then?”
“Hmm, well, you haven’t been very well behaved—”
“I’ll do better, Papa! I promise! Please!”
“You didn’t let me finish,” he said. “But we can come back. Just know that next time, Papa will spank you if you misbehave.”
“Papa! That’s not nice to spank Immy.”
“It’s not nice for Immy to ignore Papa’s orders and take off on a flying fox, which is basically running away from Papa.”
Oh drat.
She guessed that technically that was all true. But still, she thought that spanking her was worse.
Tobias slipped her shoes on and then stood to put his own shoes on before taking her hand and helping her stand.
“We really hafta go home?”
“We do,” he confirmed. “But first, as well as one week with no M&Ms and no Twizzlers, you’re going to write Papa a letter about why it is naughty to disobey me and run from me.”
“A letter! Nooo!”
“Yes. And it’s to be handwritten and no less than two hundred and fifty words.”
“Papa! That’s terrible.”
“Well, that might help you to think twice before you misbehave in the future.”
Sheesh.
Maybe she would.
Maybe she wouldn’t.
They’d just have to wait and see.
36
What was wrong with her?
They were driving back home and she was feeling . . . blah.