Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75457 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75457 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
We weren’t laughing broken…just the emotional kind of broken.
Daddy cuddled me against his chest tighter, whispering too. “I understand that your people used to laugh and have similar expressive emotions but being sad for so long affected a lot. That old man, though.”
He was different.
“He should’ve been born after we got boring, Daddy.” Maybe Baldron didn’t know that? We’d been boring for a long time. “He had stories about lots of the people.”
Daddy sighed and looked like his tummy was feeling funny. “He had stories about the kids who’d gone to school with his relatives and a few other cousins and such who went over there. He didn’t have any stories about the other families like he would have if he’d just been gathering information.”
I shrugged because it was a good way to show I was confused. “Everyone here thought it was fine. Everyone there thought it was weird.”
“Yeah.” Daddy hugged me tight and rubbed my back. “That was kind of odd too. Only the people from the other side of the gate could see how strange the situation was.”
“I think…I think it might’ve been strange when I was young.” Maybe? “He was really old then too and…and he smiled a lot. I think I forgot that.”
Maybe young me hadn’t paid enough attention?
“I think he’s done something sneaky but drawing attention to that seems like a bad idea.” Daddy made thinking sounds and rubbed his face against my head. I was making Daddy relaxed, so I did wiggly snuggles because he liked those too. “Alright, I don’t see any logical reason that we need to draw attention to it. No matter what that old man did.”
Daddy didn’t like that.
“He did stuff but the here people would think we were playing imagination games.” Littles liked those. Imagination games were fun. “I don’t want that.”
Imagination games were private.
Daddy and my books said that was fine.
“Yeah, we’d look insane unless the old man confessed what he’d done and backed us up.” Daddy gave me another kiss before leaning back and giving me his you’re important look. “I declare us done worrying. We’re going to have cuddles and play and then get you a bath. Do you want bubbles?”
Oh, bubbles.
“Yes. Bubbles.” Bubbles were best when Daddy made them. “What can we play?”
Daddy had been sneaky and brought some of my special stuff over, but he’d given me his naughty grin when I’d tried to peek. He was still being naughty because he made his silly thinking sounds. “I don’t know. Should we play castle or blocks?”
“I like blocks. I like my castle.” Daddy liked blocks too. “You can practice.”
Daddy winced. “Yes, Daddy needs more practice making the blocks sticky.”
Hmm.
“We could play chase.” I liked chase. “I’m fast.”
“Hmm…why do you look so sweet when you say that?” Daddy was smart. “I think you’re being magey.”
Ha.
Ha.
“Me? Noooo.” I was so cute. I wasn’t magey. “I’m your cute little dragon, Daddy.”
He tilted his head and gave me his thinking face. “Most of the time dragons are big and chase things like deer through major cities so it looks like there’s a random stampede.”
Oops.
Naughty dragons.
“I’m cute, Daddy.” Cheek kiss time. “I like being little because I’m fast.”
Little two-legged me liked little dragon me.
“Oh.” Daddy got his lightbulb face again like he was a cartoon. “Your smaller form. I bet that’s fast.”
He was silly and looked around our room getting confused. “Where could you go fast?”
“Not here, Daddy.” Think. Think. Think. “Oh. I’m smart.”
Ha.
Daddy was smart too because his eyes got big. “How smart?”
“Very smart and very cute.” Kiss. Kiss. Kiss. “You want to adventure, Daddy? It’ll be a good story.”
Oh.
I was very, very smart.
He sighed.
“That’s cheating.” Huff. Puff. Sigh. “A really good story?”
“The best story, Daddy.” Time to have an adventure. “You need…your cute coat…and…and a blanket. Like for a picnic. They have picnics in my books, Daddy.”
“Like a picnic.” Daddy stood straighter and nodded. “I can do that.”
“You can do anything. You’re Daddy.” He could even be silly and forget how special he was, but I was smart and I’d help him remember. “Picnic time.”
Daddy smiled and gave me his you’re silly headshake. “I think we need a treat to take on our picnic.”
“Yay. Oreos.” What else did a special Daddy picnic need? I didn’t know. “What else?”
Daddy got his think-think-think face on before he gave me his sneaky smile. “I know. You get a drink for us and I’ll get everything else.”
A drink for Oreos.
Hmm.
“Do you drink milk, Daddy?” Had I seen him drink milk? “Oreos have milk in books and on TV.”
Going very still, Daddy took a deep breath. “Yes, as long as it tastes like milk and you don’t tell me what it’s from.”
Silly Daddy.
We needed to sneak back his milk next time.
Hmm.
“Deal.” I was smart. Very smart. “Hurry, Daddy.”
I was sneaky too.
“Okay, bathroom trip for Daddy and then I’ll get everything ready. I have a plan.” He was excited about his plan and hurried to go potty, but I was fast and sneaky and cute and I was a good actor.