Chapter Twenty
Marco
“Welcome to Ye Olde Little Shoppe!” A sweet voice said after Marco walked through the glass door. Looking around, Marco was confused where the voice was coming from.
“Uh, hello?”
“Oh, I'm over here!” Marco walked around a large Christmas tree and smiled when he saw a short woman facing what looked to be an aisle of diapers. She waved and smiled widely.
“Hi, there! Im Pixie! Let me know if you need anything.” She pulled the last diaper forward before moving toward another aisle.
“Oh, thank you, Pixie. My name is Marco. Actually, yes, could you pull the Christmas tree dress and matching outfit off the mannequins in the front?”
“Oh, yes, I can do the suit but Miss Cilla said the dress is reserved for someone that's currently playing. I'm so sorry.” Pixie did look genuinely sorry.
“Marco came in with that same girl, Pixie. I take it you're buying the dress for Penny?” Pricilla came into view pushing a shopping cart full of items.
“Yes, as an early Christmas present for her.”
“Neato! Are you her and that Little boy's Daddy?” Pixie asked excitedly as she rushed to the front of the shop.
“Please slow down, Pixie, your Daddy won't like it if you hurt yourself,” Pricilla admonished softly.
“Sorry, Miss Cilla!” Pixie smiled from where she was disassembling the mannequins.
“No, she's Kai's sister. That's my Little boy. I figured I’d just surprise them. They both really liked the design.” Marco walked around the small shop as he took everything in.
They had three main sections: clothes, toys, and accessories.
The toy section was the biggest and it was split into two parts.
All different kinds of toys ranging from baby age all the way up to teenage years.
Anything to make a Little or Middles heart happy.
The second part were sex toys. There were so many that Marco felt a little overwhelmed.
He selected a few items of both the toys and sex toys before moving on to clothes and accessories.
“Here, looks like you'll need this,” Pricilla brought over a cart and Marco gladly dumped his items into the basket.
“Thanks,” he said. “How long have you been open?”
“Its been about three months now. I appreciate Bill for giving me this chance. I was saving up for an actual real store and hoping for a place like the playground and he made it a reality.”
“Here you go!” Pixie came up with two brown paper wrapped bundles tied with red and green bows.
“We ran out of Christmas paper yesterday.”
“Thanks so much, Pixie. They look so pretty! I really appreciate it “ Pixie flushed and smiled.
“Thank you! My Daddy says I have a gift for wrapping.”
“He's right, you've been a blessing this holiday season.” Pricilla smiled sweetly down at the smaller woman.
“Your shift has actually ended. Why don't you introduce yourself to and play with Kai and Penny until your Daddy comes.”
“Yay! Thank you, Miss Cilla!” Marco chuckled then continued his perusal of the store as Pixie left. He hoped Kai was having a fun time.
Kai
“Weeee!! Faster!” Kai giggled as he and Penny ran holding the bars of a merry-go-around as Pixie squealed on the platform. She'd come up not long ago and introduce herself. She was so sweet and genuine that Penny and Kai had immediately gotten along with her.
“Ready?” Penny asked and Kai nodded enthusiastically.
Penny jumped onto the metal platform and Kai soon followed along but he misjudged the distance and knocked his knee into one of the metal bars.
Tears instantly filled his eyes and he cried out, “Owie, owie!” Pixie and Penny immediately helped to stop the merry-go-round.
“Oh my God! Are you okay?” Pixie asked with tears in her own eyes.
“Didja get a boo boo?” Penny asked. Kai hugged his throbbing knee and nodded while sniffling. Penny kneeled next to him, patting his shoulder.
“I want Daddy,” he whimpered.
“I'll go get him!” Pixie turned around and ran towards the shop. Before long Marco was by Kai's side.
“Oh, bambino, are you okay?” Kai wrapped his arms around Daddy's neck and let his tears loose.
“We was playing on da merry-go-round and,” Penny started.
“And Penny and Kai went to jump onna it and then i tink Kai hit his knee,” Pixie finished. Pixie and Penny held onto each other. Kai held onto his Daddy's neck, already feeling better because he was there.
“Shh, it's okay, little boy, Daddy is here. Can Daddy look at your knee, bambino?”
“Noooo!” Kai wailed.
“Why not?”
“What if I broked it too!”
“That’s why Daddy needs to look at it. To make sure it's just sore, not broken.” Kai nodded and then felt Daddy place Kai on his knee. Sighing, Kai leaned back and looked at his throbbing leg with concern. He idly scratched at the edge of his cast until Daddy lightly pulled his hand away.
“Why were you playing so roughly with your arm in a cast?” Daddy asked as he started pulling up Kai's pant leg.
“Why were you playing so roughly with your arm in a cast?” Daddy asked as he started pulling up Kai's pant leg.
"I wasn't using my bad arm, Daddy. Plus, Penny and Pixie couldn't run as fast as me."
"You need fast running to go on the merry-go-round?"
"'Course!" all three Littles said at the same time.
"Oh, my bad, well, maybe next time you can come ask Daddy and I could spin it for you instead. Okay, bambino, can you bend your knee?" Kai whimpered but did as he was told. It hurt as he bent it and his knee was starting to turn purple.
"Can I touch it?" Kai nodded. He whined slightly as his Daddy gently pressed and manipulated it.
"Is it broked?" Pixie asked, worriedly.
"I'm afraid it's worse than that."
"Really?" Penny asked, holding her hands to her face.
"Yep, we're going to have to chop it off. Right here." Daddy lightly tapped above Kai's knee.
"Nu!" Pixie whined with wide eyes.
"I don' wanna stump!" Kai cried out.
"You're okay, baby boy. I'm sorry, Daddy was just kidding. I don't think your knee is broken. You can still move it. I think we'll ice it once we get home. I'll text Vince just in case." Kai glared at his Daddy.
"That was mean, Daddy."
"I know, baby, I'm sorry. Just trying to lighten the mood." Kai let out a little gasp when Marco stood with him in his arms.
"What are you doing, Daddy?"
"I left my bags with Pricilla and Daddy doesn't want you walking on your sore knee. I have a present for Penny too."
"A present?" Penny asked in surprise as she and Pixie fell into step next to Marco.
"Yeah, an early Christmas present. One for you too, baby boy." Kai's ears pricked up and he bounced eagerly in Daddy's arms.
"Daddy!" Pixie called and ran for a tall man, taller than Pricilla who he was currently talking to.
"Pixie-baby, what have we told you? No running on the playground. Why are your eyes red? Have you been crying, what hurts baby?" the man leaned down and started lightly patting Pixie all over.
"Daddy, I'm not hurted," Pixie rolled her eyes. "I was cryin' cause my new friend got hurted then his Daddy said we might hafta chop his leg off but he was just kidding." Pixie stopped talking and smiled at her Daddy. The man stopped and looked over at Marco who waved.
"Oh, well, that's very sweet of you to cry for your friend. It was nice of your friend's Daddy to try to make you laugh."
"Yeah, it kind of backfired," Marco chuckled. "My name is Marco. This is my Little Kai and his sister Penny."
"Oh, yes, Cilla did say that Pixie was playing with some new friends named Penny and Kai. I'm Valentine but you can call me Val."
"Can you hand Penny her present, Pixie?" Marco asked. Pixie squealed then grabbed one of the packages and thrust it at Penny. Kai looked at the brown paper with interest. Penny gently opened it then gasped when she saw the Christmas tree dress.
"Oh, wow, you didn't have to get me this dress," she looked up at Marco with large eyes.
"I know but I wanted to. I got Kai the matching outfit too.
That way you two can match at the party tomorrow night.
" Penny smiled widely then hugged Marco around the waist. Kai sighed happily as he laid his head down on Marco's shoulder.
He could hear Marco, Pixie's Daddy, and Pricilla all talking but he wasn't listening for the words.
All he could think about was how sweet his Daddy was and how lucky Kai was to have him.