Chapter 17
Caden kissed the top of his little girl’s head. Brooklyn had chosen a favorite spot to rest and watch movies as she recuperated. Cuddled up next to him on the large couch, she sat as close as possible on the same cushion. He loved having her close.
“I need to go change the laundry, Brookie.”
“You can’t go right now. It’s the most exciting part!”
He’d discovered the key to keeping her quiet and entertained. It didn’t take a detective to deduce her favorite video. They’d already seen this one three times. One glance at her eager face and he couldn’t go anywhere.
“Thank you for reminding me, little girl.”
Caden relaxed on the soft leather couch and enjoyed the rest of the show. Spending time with his little girl was much more important than laundry. When it was over, he asked, “Shall I play it one more time?”
She shook her head hesitantly. It had taken a couple of days for her dizziness to abate. He hated to see her expecting negative effects when she moved. If only he’d been here.
“Stop, Daddy. You’ve got that look again. You had nothing to do with my clumsiness. Like you’ve told me a million times, it’s called an accident for a reason. It’s not an on purpose.”
“Okay, sweetheart. I’ll try to remember that. Zale thought you were healing incredibly well.”
“Thank goodness he took off that awful bandage. My head is much better now,” she told him. “If I could only wash my hair…”
“We’ll try that dry shampoo tomorrow. Give your skin time to heal.”
“But my head is itchy now.”
Caden had already wiped the blood caking her hair with a damp cloth. That had done nothing for her itchy scalp. “Come sit on a stool at the island and let Daddy check your stitches. Maybe it wouldn’t make a difference if I played hairdresser today.”
“Yes! Thank you, Daddy.”
She quickly maneuvered away from him to stand up. Caden groaned and got up from his comfy spot. He’d been at home for two days with his Little. Caden wasn’t used to sitting around. If Brooklyn kept making progress, he’d at least go for a run tomorrow.
Halfway to the kitchen, his phone rang. His heart froze seeing Jerico’s name. “Don’t tell me.”
“Okay. I won’t. We’re not deployed. I have a little girl over here who’s making herself sick worrying about Brooklyn. Is there any way Aspen could come over for a short visit?”
Caden studied Brooklyn. Her color had improved. She’d taken a long nap in her nursery after lunch. “Would you like a visitor? Aspen is worried about you.”
“I’d love to see Aspen. Could Giana and Pippa come over too? They never got to see my dollhouse.”
When she bounced with excitement, Caden wrapped a hand over her shoulder and stopped her motion. “You’ll have to stay calm. No jostling your brain.”
“I’ll be so still you’ll wonder if I’m a tree!”
Caden looked at her skeptically but spoke into the phone. “Come over in an hour. I need to get Brooklyn ready for company.”
“You got it. Want me to call Koa and Zale?” Jerico asked.
“Yes.” Caden added, “Better call Hank and Max. They’d probably like to visit as well. Stress that it’s a quick visit this first time.”
“You got it. Short visit. Notify the team.” Jerico disconnected the call with that crisp, short, military-style review of the essential message to share with everyone.
“They’re going to bring dinner,” he told Brooklyn.
“I didn’t hear you say anything about food.”
“I know those guys. They’ll want to help. Food is important to soldiers. They’ll descend on us with enough stuff to feed an army.” Caden smiled to himself. He’d worked with a lot of teams during his time in the military. Whoever had put this group together had outdone themselves.
“They’ve all been so nice to me,” Brooklyn said softly as Caden picked her up and sat her on a stool.
“I’d hope so,” Caden told her before stepping into the laundry room to grab a clean towel from the stack on the dryer.
He’d given up putting everything in the cabinet as he folded it.
Brooklyn had needed him to hold her. As much as Caden had pushed the memory from his mind, walking into see a blood-soaked towel with more evidence of a serious accident or attack smeared on the tile floor had scared him—more than some of the horrendous events he’d witnessed in the military.
“I’m okay, Daddy,” she whispered to reassure him.
“You see too much, little girl.” Caden had always prided himself on his poker face. Brooklyn could read him like a book.
“I’m supposed to, Daddy. I love you.”
“Thank goodness. Now, no squirming. Let me see your stitches.”
Caden carefully drew a few rogue strands of hair that had gotten tousled out of place away from the wound. The skin was pink and not as angry as it had been before. “Your wound looks good. I’m game to try my hand at dry shampoo if you’d like.”
“Oh, yes! Thank you!”
Caden read the directions carefully as she fidgeted. Wanting to be extra careful, he noted the warnings.
“Daddy. It’s not that hard. Sprinkle it on and brush it through. I could do it,” she offered.
“No way, little girl.” He sent her a steely glance that squelched her wiggles. Caden shook the container and applied the powder at the ends of her tresses as far as possible from the wound. Some of the material blew toward her stitches, making him second-guess whether this was smart.
“What’s wrong?” she asked impatiently.
“The powder is floating all over.”
They looked at each other for a moment. He could see the disappointment in her eyes. Could he use something as a barricade for the powder? What could he lay over the stitches that wouldn’t wet or stick to them and would be easily removed?
“I’ve got an idea.”
He could feel her eyes on him as he opened the drawer where he kept his potholders. He picked up a silicone square he used as a hot pad to protect the table from casserole dishes. Caden grabbed sharp shears and cut a piece slightly larger than her injury. He washed and dried it carefully.
“Okay, sweetheart. You’re going to have to stay still so you don’t knock this off,” he told her and had to steel himself from smiling as she stiffened into the perfect soldier on alert posture.
“I won’t move,” she promised.
Placing the strip carefully, he picked up the shaker bottle and applied more to her head. “This is working, little girl. Keep that statue thing going.”
Soon, he brushed her hair thoroughly, leaving a sprinkle of rusty flakes on her shoulders and the floor. The tension in her shoulders eased. “Feel better, Brookie?”
“I can’t wait to wash my hair for real, but this is heaven. You’re really good at this.”
“Want Daddy to braid your hair to keep it out of the way?”
“Yes, please.”
He quickly removed the silicon barrier and finished her hair, giving her the first braid to hold while he did the second. “Okay, sweetheart. Hold the ends of this one, and I’ll go get something to tie around them.”
He was back in a flash with the cotton string he used to tie meat together for smoking. Cutting a couple of pieces, he fashioned small, adorable bows on the end of each braid. “How’s that?”
“Thank you. You’re good at this.”
“Braiding?” he asked with a smile.
“Being my daddy.”
His heart skipped a beat. For years he’d waited to find the perfect Little who matched his style of care. He’d found her. Stepping forward, he hugged Brooklyn tight and picked her up in his arms to settle her on his hip. She rested her head on his shoulder as he swayed back and forth.
Caden could see her eyelids fluttering shut. The flurry of activity had worn her out. He carried Brooklyn to her nursery and tucked his exhausted Little under the soft comforter. “Go to sleep, baby.”
“My friends are coming over,” she protested, yawning.
“They’ll be glad to let you nap for an hour. Then you can play.” He tucked Fluffikins into her arms and smiled as she rubbed her nose in the bunny’s soft fur. When she had settled, he pressed her pacifier into her mouth and rubbed her back until she relaxed and tumbled into sleep.
A quick text to the group chat delayed everyone’s arrival for a couple of hours. The answers popped in immediately. The team would be glad to come when Brooklyn was ready to see them. Her health was most important.
Caden forced himself from the nursery door. He could listen in on the monitor app to hear when she woke up. Carrying his phone with him, Caden headed for the kitchen to make the macaroni and cheese concoction that all the Littles loved. It would be hot and bubbly when she woke up.
Sniffing, Brooklyn blinked away her sleepiness. She rolled onto her back without thinking and yelped. Turning back on her side, she covered her stitches automatically, protecting them a bit too late.
Caden ran in seconds later. Literally raced to her side. Zale arrived right behind him. “Brookie, what’s wrong?”
“I’m okay. I’m so stupid and laid on my stitches,” she said.
“Sleepy, not stupid,” Caden corrected before helping her sit up and turn slightly so he and Zale could check her head. “The good news is you didn’t rip any stitches. You’re fine.”
Zale seconded that assessment. “I’m glad everything’s okay, but I bet that hurt.”
She nodded, trying to be brave. “I don’t want any pain medicine. That makes me too sleepy.” She looked toward the door and saw the entire group clustered at the entrance to her nursery.
“How about if your daddy gets you some juice to wake up, and we put some ice on your head to see if that helps?” Zale suggested.
“Okay.” She swallowed hard and immediately was thirsty. How did Zale know what she needed before she did?
“Come here, Brookie.” Caden carefully lifted her from her crib, supporting her head as he learned to do since her injury. “She’s okay. Just a bit of a headache. Darn stitches.”
Brooklyn looked at everyone and whispered, “Hi!”
The crowd led her back to the kitchen, where Zale grabbed a bag of frozen peas from the freezer. After handing it to Caden, he made himself at home, getting a sippy cup of juice for her while Caden sat down at the table with Brooklyn on his lap.
“Come join us,” he invited the Littles.
Immediately, they swarmed the table. Talking in quiet whispers, they chose their seats. Soon the women had something to drink in front of them.
The cold pack on her head helped almost instantly. After a big drink of the tropical fruit juice, Brooklyn rallied. “Hi, girls. Thank you for helping me.”
“Of course. While the guys are out of town, we always support each other. You don’t have to thank us. Maybe I’ll need someone to bail me out during the next deployment,” Aspen said.
“Bail you out? Like from jail?” Brooklyn asked in confusion.
“Little girl. What do you have planned?” Zale growled.
“No. Not jail, Daddy. I mean, if my car breaks down or I get sad, I’d need you all to come to my rescue,” Aspen said quickly.
“Better,” Zale told her.
“I’ve never been so glad to see anyone, Giana,” Brooklyn spoke up, distracting everyone from their focus on Aspen.
Her new friend mouthed, I owed you one.
“I was glad to see you when you popped that door open and whisked me away from Tom,” Giana said with a shiver. “I’m glad I was on call so I could come ride with you to the hospital. Let’s call it even now.”
“I like that idea,” Brooklyn said. She lifted her nose to sniff. “It smells really good in here.”
“Are you hungry, Brookie?” Caden asked.
“Five more minutes with the icepack on, little girl,” Zale announced. “That’s enough time for the team to get the food together, and your daddies will bring each of you a plate.”
Brooklyn looked at Caden and whispered, “I have to potty.”
“Let’s go get that taken care of now. Guys, I’ll be right back,” Caden said to the other men as he carried her to the large master bathroom.
When they were alone, Caden instructed, “You hold on to the peas, and I’ll get your pants.”
In a short time, Brooklyn sat on the toilet. Caden hadn’t let her out of his sight since her accident. He always stayed with her in the bathroom now. It was getting easier to relax and pee. Inside, even though she was embarrassed, Brooklyn loved having him there. Nothing was off limits to Caden.
At least he hadn’t dressed her in a diaper today. Brooklyn blushed remembering how she’d actually used one a couple of times while groggy with the medicine. Caden hadn’t minded cleaning her up at all. She smiled a bit, remembering how much he’d seemed to enjoy taking care of her.
“What are you thinking, little girl? You’re not plotting fun with your friends, are you?” Caden asked, looking at her suspiciously.
“No, Daddy. I’m happy being little here with you.”
“I love you, Brookie.”
“I love you, Daddy.”