Chapter 28
JOSIE
“Rise and shine, my little lovebug.”
Daddy’s voice pierces the heavy fog of sleep clouding my brain and I groan as I roll to press my face into my pillow. “Go ‘way.”
“Aw, is my little baby still so very sleepy?” His voice is syrupy-sweet, too sweet. “Do you need Daddy to help wake you up?”
“I need Daddy to go away,” I repeat, my voice muffled by the downy softness of my pillow.
“Hmm. Afraid I can’t do that, bug.”
Alarm bells ring in my mind a moment before his fingertips dig into my sides. Shrieking with laughter, I try to wriggle away from him, but Daddy has me pinned beneath him, and he is merciless.
“I’m awake, I’m awake!” I squeal, as I wiggle and fight.
“Are you sure?” His laughter joins mine as he continues to tickle me. “I'm not so sure.”
I’m so lost in the simple delight of being tickled, I don’t even notice the pressure in my stomach until it’s too late.
“Daddy, stop! Stop!”
His fingers still, worry creasing his brow as he frowns down at me. “What’s wrong, baby?”
A sob rises up in my chest as I bury my face in his side. “I’m sorry!”
“What are you sorry for? What happened, baby?”
Unable to speak my shame out loud, I press a hand between my thighs as I cry.
“Oh. Did you wet yourself, bug?”
I nod, and then I’m in his arms, being cradled against his chest as he gently rocks me. “Daddy is so proud of you, baby.”
Shocked, I lift my head to stare at him through blurry eyes. “Y-you are?”
“Of course, my sweet little bug. You used your diaper without Daddy having to force you. My good little baby.”
“But it was an accident.”
“That’s okay. That just means you trust Daddy to take care of you, always.”
Sniffling, I bury my face in his neck as he rises from the bed to carry me into the nursery. “I didn’t think of it that way.”
“That’s what Daddy is for. To remind you that you being my baby is a good thing and you never have to be embarrassed. Okay?”
“O-okay, Daddy.”
He continues to praise me, telling me what a good baby I am and how proud he is while he changes my diaper and dresses me in a yellow tutu and a cute white shirt with a ducky on the front that says Release the Quackin.
The shirt makes me giggle, and I’m still laughing when he carries me downstairs to the dining room.
But my laughter dies on my lips when I realize the whole family is waiting for us.
Daddy brought me dinner up to our room the night before, so I haven’t seen any of them since my spanking.
For a long, impossibly tense moment, I stare at the people I betrayed and they stare back, all of us waiting for someone to say something.
“Josie!” Lanie’s delighted squeal cuts through the silence like a knife. “You’re awake! I didn’t think I’d ever get to see you again.”
“I think you’re being a smidge dramatic there, little runaway,” Uncle Axel says with a laugh as he reaches over to wipe maple syrup from his babygirl’s chin.
And just like that, everyone goes back to normal, talking and laughing and passing food around the table as if nothing ever happened.
Daddy buckles me into my highchair and Uncle Colt piles a plate high with pancakes in front of me while Uncle Eli shoves a platter of sausage my way, muttering something about Little girls needing plenty of protein for all the mischief they make.
Daddy feeds me, all while my uncles joke and tease each other, as well as me and Lanie, and with every passing second I can feel the tension draining from my body.
When I’ve finally cleared my plate, Daddy wipes my face and unbuckles me from the chair. “Do you want a bottle of milk before you go play, little bug?”
Excitement blooms in my chest. “Island milk?”
Chuckling, Daddy carries me to the end of the table, where he places me in Auntie Gray’s waiting arms. “Yes, baby, island milk.”
Auntie Gray grins down at me as she lifts a bottle to my lips and I suck greedily at the rubber nipple. “Have you told her about the special cows on the island yet?”
“No. I was waiting for things to… settle down a bit.”
What? Why would he need things to settle down to talk to me about cows? Is it just because he knows I don’t really like cows?
Humming softly, Auntie Gray bounces me in her arms as I drink. “Someday soon, we’ll take you and Lanie to the island so you can meet the very special cows that make your milk. Would you like that, Josie?”
I nod, but even as I do, I realize it doesn’t matter. They can take me anywhere they want, as long as I’m with them.
As long as I’m with my family.