Chapter 25 Gilly
GILLY
Before the sale could be completed, there were several things that needed to be done.
I had to get all of the right licensing done, open a new bank account, and deal with the name change, but we needed to figure out what happened with the business records and where money was missing first. Since I wasn’t taking out a loan of any kind, it wasn’t actually a legal requirement, but everyone knew it was a smart thing to do, even Uncle Clay.
He brought all of his information over to Daddy’s house, and I asked Rob to help.
He said he couldn’t because it felt like a conflict of interest and it wasn’t his area anyway.
Instead, he found a colleague, Candace, who was willing to help and had her come over.
When she arrived, I shook her hand. “Thank you for coming, Candace. I’m Gilly. ”
“You’re more than welcome, and call me Candy, please.”
“Sure, Candy. This is my uncle, Clay, and my Da—uh, boyfriend, Nate.”
Candy winked at me, then greeted everyone else. “So nice to meet you. We’ll need somewhere we can spread out.”
Nate opened his office door. “I’ve cleared the counters and brought in a folding table. Figured you may need to sort documents.”
“Exactly.” Candy brought out her laptop and set it up on Nate’s desk. “The first thing I need to do is make sure I understand your business and how you operate. How money comes in and how expenses are paid.”
My laptop was already set up on the side, so I moved it over closer to her. “Let me show you.”
We got down to work after that. Uncle Clay supplied receipts and withdrawals that I didn’t have.
Some of them were for actual business purchases and some were personal.
It took time to figure out how everything matched up, but by Sunday afternoon, we had it all figured out and squared away.
Better yet, I felt a lot more comfortable with my ability to take care of the business finances.
Without my uncle doing his own thing, I’d be able to keep things under control.
Afterward, Daddy made an early dinner, and even Rob and Preston came over. There was nothing better than good food, good friends, and family, except maybe a new start.
Rob lifted his glass. “To Gilly and the new business. What are you going to call it?”
“Paint Zone.”
Uncle Clay put his arm around my shoulder. “I like it, short and sweet.”
“Thanks.” Zone had a lot of different meanings for me.
In Fortnite it could mean a particular group play strategy where the team builds up one member, or it could mean getting into the flow of things, like my Zen-mode when I painted.
I thought both of those were great, but it could also mean an area, as in an area of the house to paint.
There were other things it could mean, but I focused on those few, feeling confident in the name even if nobody else understood it.
Candance set her glass down and walked over to me. “I know people who can do logos for you, and I’ll get you the family-and-friends discount. That name could be really cool-looking.”
“Thanks. I have some ideas about that, but I’m not a graphic designer or anything.”
She gave me a card. “Make sure you tell them I sent you.”
The rest of the evening went well, but I felt tense, not used to being the center of attention.
I hadn’t experienced this since my birthday party before I met Nate, and that was months ago.
There weren’t as many people here as then, but I still felt better once everyone started leaving and I could relax.
Daddy Nate wrapped me up in his arms. “Now that all of the chaos is over, how about tubby time?”
“I think that’s exactly what I need. Thanks, Daddy.” He read me like a book, always knowing what I needed and when I needed it. We sure had gotten to know each other better, and now I was moving in with him. What a whirlwind my life had been this year.
Six Months Later
It was still super weird knocking on the apartment door where I used to live, but I had to be respectful of Rob’s boundaries, plus I’d already given back my key.
He quickly opened the door and paused, looking me up and down.
“Gilly? What are you wearing?” He gripped the hem of my T-shirt that read Daddy’s Boy across the front.
“You know you want one too.” I winked at him.
“Yes,” he gasped and hugged me. “I totally want one. You sure have come out of your shell.” He dragged me inside the apartment and into the living room.
“Is that bad?”
“No, and you seem so happy. I love that for you, and I mean it.” He didn’t seem all that happy though, frowning like that.
“Why do you look sad then?”
“Daddy problems.” He waved his hand and plopped down on the couch. “Don’t worry about it. Let’s play.”
We settled down to the game, playing Fortnite in Save the World mode so we could work together on our campaign for a while.
We played online together all the time since Daddy made me a gaming spot in my playroom, but I liked visiting sometimes too.
It was a fun way to get to see my friend.
We didn’t live together terribly long, but I missed him and needed the in-person interaction.
After a few hours, my tummy rumbled, then again a second time, only louder.
Rob laughed. “Hungry much?”
“Yeah, always.” It seemed like the more I ate, the hungrier I was.
“Let’s make snacks.” We paused the game and went into the kitchen where Rob opened the fridge. “I have sandwich meat and cheese; we can make our own Lunchables. How’s that?”
“Sounds great.” I pulled out a cutting board, since I knew where they were, and Rob loaded the goods on the counter before grabbing crackers.
“I have the circles or regular saltines.”
“Both?”
“Sure.” He put the boxes on the counter and pulled out a few plates while I cut up meat and cheese into bite-sized pieces. “You know, Gilly, you look great, and you’ve put on weight too, but in a good way, like you look healthier.”
I glanced down at my body. Still skinny, but he wasn’t wrong. “Honestly, I think it’s Daddy’s milk.”
“What? Really?” His eyes widened.
“Why are you surprised? Don’t you nurse from Daddy Preston?” Hell, Daddy Nate and Preston knew each other from the Lactin Brotherhood, so I assumed Preston was the same.
“And here comes the problem. Daddy doesn’t seem to like it. Or he’s uncomfortable or something. I think he resents me for wanting to do it. I don’t know. I hardly ever see him anymore, and I don’t think he’s going to the meetings either.”
“Meetings?”
“Lactin Brotherhood meetings.”
“Oh. That’s where Daddy is now. I thought Preston would be, too.”
Rob shook his head and looked down at the plate he was loading up with our snackies. “He said he’s working.”
I wanted to help my friend but didn’t think there was much I could do. We ate and went back to the game with a couple bottles of water, changing the subject back to everything game-related. But there was something else I wanted to know. “Rob?”
“Yeah?”
“Are you a Little like me?”
Rob paused the game and put his controller down. “Not like you. I don’t think. It’s complicated.”
I turned to face him, studying his face. He didn’t look confused, but maybe a little concerned, and I wasn’t sure what was going on with him. “What do you mean?”
Would he open up? “Gilly…” He sighed and leaned his head back as if studying the ceiling. “Remember when you looked that stuff up? Did you see anything about Middles?”
“Yes. And Daddy Nate ‘splained it to me too.”
“Okay.” Was he a Middle then? He lowered his gaze and scrunched up his face like he was thinking hard. “I’m more in the Middle category. I tend to be bratty or sassy. But…I flow into Little sometimes too. Especially if I get Daddy-milk.”
“Oh. Daddy-milk is the best, isn’t it?” I understood what he was saying because I had often slid in and out of Little headspace and sometimes lost track of when I needed to have my adult hat on.
“It is the best.” He winked at me. “Does that answer your question?”
“Yes. Do you want to do something else?” I held up my controller. “I’m bored with this now.” It wasn’t so much that I was bored as that I’d done exactly what we were talking about and let my Little come out.
“Sure. I have some coloring books.” He got up and found them after I nodded so hard I thought my head would bounce off.
We sat together and colored quietly for a few minutes. “Daddy says I could use a play time with new friends. Do you have other Little or Middle friends?”
“I do, but none of them are as close as we are. Mostly we just meet at the club sometimes.”
I looked over at his picture. “Very nice. You should give that to Daddy Preston.”
“Hmm…think he’ll like it?”
“I do.” I hummed and colored some more before asking the question that was really bothering me. I was thankful Rob gave me time to let it all float around my head. “Do you think your friends would like me?”
“Of course. They would love to be your friend.”
“Yay! Just like Ellie. Let’s do it.”
Rob laughed and fell over backwards. “Maybe we can have a big party of all Littles and Middles.”
“That would be fun.”
When Daddy Nate came to pick me up, I showed him the page I colored. “Can you hang this on the fridge for me?”
“Yes, baby.” He did that kissy-on-my-head thing and then helped me tear out the page.
“Thanks for hanging out, Rob. I had fun.” I gave my friend a big hug.
Then we did a high five. “Anytime, buddy!”
We walked out to the car, and Daddy buckled me in. “Did you have fun?” he asked, climbing into the driver’s seat.
“Yeah.” I had, but what Rob said about his Daddy was still bugging me. “Was Daddy Preston at your meeting?”
“No. He hasn’t been going to many. Probably because he’s spending time with Rob.”
“I don’t think so…”
“Oh? Did Rob say something?”
“Sort of.” I glanced out the window, thinking about how much I should share. “I think they’re having problems. That makes me sad ‘cause Rob deserves to be happy.”
“Of course he does. Well, I’ll give Preston a call and see what’s up with that.”
“Will you?”
“Yes. of course.”
“Just don’t tell him Rob said anything. I don’t want to upset my friend.”
“Nope. I’ll just say I haven’t seen him at the meetings. That should be enough to open the door to a conversation.”
“You’re the best Daddy ever.” Not that I would actually know that.
I’d never had a Daddy before now, but Daddy Nate had turned out to be everything I would ever have wanted in one, and I loved him so much.
I hoped that we would stay together forever.
Things had been going so great since we’d gotten together.
Not only did I have the best Daddy for me, but I now owned my own company, and I’d made so many changes that were already making us more money.
I even had a brand-new, well, new-to-me, warehouse space for it, so we didn’t have to bug Uncle Clay.
I felt successful and special, both things I never knew I could feel.
“You know, we’re together and so happy, and that’s all because of Rob and Preston introducing us.
I’d be super happy if we could return that favor. You know?”
“Don’t get upset if it doesn’t work out the way you want, though.”
“No, but we have to try.”
“Then we will.”