Chapter 13
“I know, Bitty,” Pike soothed, holding her on his lap on the exam table.
He was so thankful the Ranch staff and guests had jumped in to help his Little one, but he was shaken up.
His baby had been hurt and although nothing looked broken, she had a nasty gash above her eye—an eye that was black from where one of her weighted pool toys she was holding had caught the corner of her eye when she’d fallen.
“I’m sorry, honey. I need to get a good look at the area. I’m worried it might need stitches,” the Ranch doctor, Dr. Nelson, explained.
At the mention of stitches, Dallas dissolved into a puddle of Little girl tears. “I love Frankie, but I don’t want to be Frankie!” she wailed.
“You’re not going to look like Frankenstein. I promise,” Pike soothed.
“I promise I won’t let you look like Frankenstein,” Dr. Nelson promised solemnly, holding out his finger for a pinky promise. “I know it’s Halloween, but we won’t make you look like a misunderstood monster.”
Sniffing, Dallas wrapped her own pinky around his. “I wanna be a cowgirl mermaid. I can’t be a cowgirl mermaid wif a boo-boo eye. How will I ride and rope the seahorses if I can’t see?”
Pike hadn’t brought a mermaid costume; he'd brought one that was a cutesy version of her favorite creepy clown one. That was okay though. They still had ten days until Halloween; he could definitely have one shipped to the Ranch in time if the well supplied store didn’t have one.
“Your eye will be all better for Halloween, Little one. A mermaid is such a good choice. What’s your grown-up going to be?” he asked, looking at Pike.
Pike smiled at the term “grown-up” but imagined it was so the doctor didn’t make assumptions about their relationship.
“Daddy’s gonna be a sea-horsie.”
Pike made a note to check on express shipping for a costume for himself. He was large and broad, and he knew it would be harder for him to find one his size and he doubted Rawhide Ranch had one.
“Well, those are very good choices,” Dr. Nelson said, sitting on a stool and sliding closer to her.
“I’m going to use this teenie tiny flashlight to check your boo-boo, okay?”
“Yas, Sir.”
“You’re being so brave!” Pike praised.
Dallas gave a few quiet sniffles, and the doctor examined the area.
“Well, the good news is that you won’t need any stitches,” Dr. Nelson said.
Pike let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.
“I’m going to put some special glue on the area.
It will keep the cut from continuing to bleed without risking the chance of scarring and, unlike stitches, it will come off itself so we don’t have to worry about needing to get them taken out after a few days.
After forty-eight hours the glue is waterproof for quick showers, but it can’t be exposed to wet areas for long periods of time.
So no swimming underwater for the Little mermaid. ”
Pike nodded, taking all the information in.
“Can I still play in the pool if I promise not to go under the water?” Dallas asked, her eyes filling with more tears.
“You can, Little one. I want you to take it easy for twenty-four hours. Lots of fluids, quiet activities, lots of naps. Then you’re free to go play like normal, okay?”
“Yes, Sir.”
Pike pressed a kiss to the back of her head.
“Okay, I’m going to go get the glue and then we can rock and roll, okay?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Thank you,” Pike added.
Dallas brought Teefs up to her face and rubbed the lovie’s foot across her face.
“You’re being so brave, Bitty Baby,” Pike told his Little girl.
“I have lotsa big feelings,” she said, turning to rest her head on his shoulder.
“That’s okay, baby. Daddy has lots of big feelings too.”
“You do?”
“I do, Bitty. My heart is still beating like a drumline, and my stomach hurts because it dropped so fast when you fell. I’m angry because you were knocked down by a person who was told repeatedly to stop running, but I also feel a bit of empathy for him because he seemed genuinely sorry.
I also feel guilty because Daddy should have walked with you, but my cock was hard from watching your delicious body move through the water, and I didn’t want everyone to see when I stood up. ”
“I’m sorry you feel scared and guilty, Daddy.
I’m not mad at you at all. It’s sweet you were turned on by me.
I’m mad at the Little boy too, but if I knocked someone down, I’d feel sad, so I bet he feels sad too.
I’m sad that I can’t swim under water for a while and sad I have to take it easy for a whole day, but I’m really glad you’re here with me.
In all the confusion and feelings, I’m glad you’re here with me, Daddy.
Not just at Rawhide Ranch, but in life.”
Pike swallowed the lump in his throat and pressed another kiss to Dallas’ head. “You are my best friend in the entire world, Bitty, and there is nowhere I’d rather be.”
Pike checked in on Dallas as she napped in the crib of the attached nursery.
His heart clenched painfully in his chest just from looking at her injury.
The glue made her ouchie look much worse than it was.
The swelling in her eye had gone down a good bit, but it was definitely going to be black.
Several people from the Ranch had come by the infirmary to check on her and he found himself thankful for their support.
A knock on the door, had him leaving his Little one to rest. He walked through the small sitting area and opened the door. He smiled when he saw Master Derek. He felt his smile falter when he saw the Little boy who knocked Dallas over, but he worked to control his emotions. It had been an accident.
“Good afternoon,” Pike greeted.
“Hello, Master Pike,” the Little boy said.
“Billy wanted to come talk to you,” Master Derek explained.
“I’m so sorry I knocked over Dallas and that I hurt her. We, the other Little boys and I, like to run fast and we’re always getting in trouble for it, but we never hurt anyone before today. I’m so sorry, I promise not to run anymore,” he said with big tears rolling down his face.
Even in Pike’s anger he did feel empathy for the boy. “Thank you for apologizing, Billy. I do understand that it was an accident and I’m glad you’re promising to stop running inside.”
“Is Dallas hurt really bad?”
“No, she cut her face when she fell, but Dr. Nelson used some special skin glue, and she has to rest for a bit. Her eye is going to be black for a few days though because her toy hit her in the face when she landed.”
Billy nodded. “Master Derek said she might be resting and that I could apologize when she comes back to the nursery.”
“Yes, I’m going to keep her with me tomorrow, but I will pass on your apology until she goes back to the Caterpillars.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“I assure you, Billy’s bottom won’t allow him to run after we’re done in my office, right, Billy?”
“Yes, Master Derek.”
Pike almost felt bad for the young man.
Reaching into his pocket, Billy pulled out a folded piece of paper. “I made Dallas a card to tell her how sorry I am until I can apologize in person.”
Pike took the card from him. “Thank you, Billy. I will make sure Dallas gets this. I want you to understand that neither one of us are mad at you. You made a mistake, but you’ve owned it honorably. I’m sure when Dallas is done resting, she’ll tell you the same.”
For the first time, Billy looked hopeful and not miserable. “Thank you, Master Pike.”
Master Derek, Billy, and Pike talked for a few more minutes before Master Derek excused them to go take care of Billy’s punishment.
Pike picked up a menu and looked over what he could order himself and his Little girl for dinner.
Deciding on a dairy-free pizza for them to share, he placed the order with room service.
He was tired and knew it would be an early night for both of them.
He was glad he’d picked up the spooky Halloween goodies from the Ranch store.
Pike hoped it would be a fun surprise to lift Dallas’ spirits.
Someone knocked on the door and he stood, answering it again.
“Hello, Mr. Miller. We heard about Dallas’ accident and we wanted to bring her a gift basket,” Nanny J said, holding out a black basket of goodies.
Pike took the basket from her. “Thank you so much, that was so kind of you.”
“We were glad to do it. We love Dallas so much. Do you think she will be in the nursery tomorrow? Some of the students are planning on making her cards.”
“I don’t think so. I think I’m going to keep her with me for a bit. We’re both a bit shaken up,” he admitted.
Nanny J smiled knowingly at him. “I understand that. Maybe she would enjoy going to the barn and meeting the animals. I bet she would enjoy the petting zoo.”
Pike nodded. “I remember seeing something about a petting zoo on the website. She would love that, thank you for the suggestions.” Pike felt a huge weight lift off of him knowing he had something fun Bitty could do without it being too much stimulation.
He also realized how grateful he was, once again, for the community Rawhide Ranch provided.