Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
A couple of days later, Tessica scowled at the instructions in her hand and then glared at the three shelves on the floor in frustration. “How am I supposed to know which one is shelf A?” she muttered, leaning against the front counter at the animal shelter with a sigh. When she’d bought the shelves online, she didn’t realize they’d arrive in a box.
While she was reading the instructions once more, Fiona’s substitute vet, Gwen, came out from the exam area carrying Butch.
Tessica glanced up at her friend as she locked Butch back in his cage and held the paper out for Gwen to see. “These instructions don’t make any sense.”
“I told you to give Paul a call. He’d be more than happy to put the shelves up for you.”
“Paul is one of my clients. I’m not going to call him to put together a shelving unit like some helpless female. That doesn’t instill confidence.”
Gwen scoffed and walked over to her. “Don’t be ridiculous. Paul is more than just a client. Us kinksters have to stick together. Hell, the only reason I got this job is because you introduced me to Fiona. Besides, doing the books and putting together a shelf are two very different skill sets. He’s not going to be like, ‘Oh, she can’t put together a shelf? Better not have her do my finances.’”
Tessica sighed. “I suppose you’re right, but I’m still not calling him. I’ll call my son, Aiden, and see if he can come help tonight.”
“Tonight? Aren’t you coming to the club tonight?” Gwen asked with a frown. “I mean, I understand why you missed a couple of weeks when Fiona passed. I missed a week, too. But I…” Gwen’s voice grew soft. “Well, I missed you.”
Tessica’s mothering instincts took over, and she walked over to give Gwen’s shoulder a light squeeze. “That’s very sweet of you to say. I forgot it was Thursday. I do plan to be at the club tonight. I’ll see if Aiden can come over tomorrow.”
“Okay, thanks.” Gwen gave her a quick hug.
Tessica patted Gwen’s back, let go, and redirected the conversation. “How was Butch’s checkup?”
“He’s a sourpuss, but other than that, he’s got a clean bill of health.”
“A sourpuss?” Tessica chuckled.
Gwen nodded. “He had his ears back the whole time, and he even hissed at me when I took him out of his cage.”
“Yeah, he is a bit hissy, but he hasn’t bitten or scratched anyone yet. Thanks for checking on him. I appreciate all the extra time you’ve put in these past couple of weeks.”
“I’m happy to do it. It helps me not feel so sad about Fiona.”
“Yeah, I get that,” Tessica agreed. “Working helps me not feel as sad, too.”
“You’ve been putting in a lot of extra hours. Just make sure you don’t overdo it.” Gwen smirked. “Or I’ll tell Paul you’re working too much.”
Tessica smiled and shook her head. “I doubt tattling will end well for you.”
Gwen shrugged. “Or for you .”
“Brat,” Tessica replied affectionately. “Are you all done with the animals for today?”
“I am.”
“All right, then get out of here. I’ll see you at the club.”
Gwen gathered up her doctor’s bag and put on her winter jacket before heading out the door. “See you tonight.”
Tessica dashed through the rain in her high heels to the front door of Club Connections. Once she was in the lobby, she took her hood off and glanced around. The only other person in the room was Tucker sitting at the front desk.
“Glad you could make it,” he said.
She pulled a twenty out of her wallet and handed it to him. While he put the money away, she checked the clock on the wall. It was nine-fifteen. “Looks like I’m late.”
“You’re not that late.” Tucker got up and pushed the curtain aside that separated the lobby from the back room. He nodded for her to go through.
“Thanks.” She took her coat off, straightened her skirt, and walked through, stopping by the lockers to stash her coat and purse.
The club was decked out for Littles’ Night with four different areas. One section had a bookshelf and several pillows on the floor. Another section had a large conference table with crayons, markers, and coloring pages. A third area had a television set up with cartoons playing on low and beanbag chairs around it. The last area had a table with snacks and finger foods.
Roughly thirty-five people mingled in the room. Mostly familiar faces and five couples that Tessica recognized. Judging by their outfits, she could tell there were more Littles than Mommies or Daddies, but that was typical. Paul always made sure the unaccompanied Littles had someone looking out for them while they were at the club. All the single Dominants were expected to step up if a Little was having a bad night.
Paul waved at Tessica from the table with snacks and headed in her direction. Before he made it to her, Gwen cheered and jumped up from a pillow next to the bookshelf. She rushed over to Tessica and gave her a tight hug.
Tessica tightened her arms around Gwen and closed her eyes for a moment. Both of her boys had stopped wanting hugs around the age of fourteen, and her ex-husband hadn’t been affectionate toward her since the twins had been three. Getting affection from all the Littles in the club helped fill that void in her life.
Gwen squirmed out of the hug and pouted. “You’re late.” She grabbed Tessica’s hand and pulled her toward the bookshelf. “Susan brought some new books. You have to read to us, Mommy Tessica.”
“New books?” Tessica commented. “How exciting. Let’s take a look.”
Paul stepped in front of them, halting their forward movement.
Gwen glared up at the 6’4” man. “No fair. I’ve been waiting for hours for Mommy Tessica to get here. You can’t have her.”
“Hours?” Paul asked as he raised one eyebrow.
Gwen scowled. “Well… It felt like hours, and Susan might cry if we have to wait more. She brought new books .”
Paul nodded. “I offered to have Jack read to all of you.”
“Mommy Tessica does it better,” Gwen declared as she crossed her arms.
“I see. Tell you what. Why don’t you and Susan go grab a couple of apple slices to eat while you listen to the story? By the time you get back, I’ll be done talking to Tessica.”
Gwen seemed to consider that suggestion very carefully. Finally, she nodded. “Okay, but you have to promise not to take too long.”
“I promise,” Paul assured her.
“’Kay.” Gwen dashed over to the reading area and took Susan’s hand.
While the two of them were getting snacks, Paul and Tessica walked toward the bookshelf at a sedate pace.
“How are you?” Paul asked.
“I’m all right. Too busy trying to make the animal shelter profitable to do much else at this point.”
Paul put an arm around her shoulders. “Gwen says you’ve been putting in quite a few hours. Maybe a few too many.”
Tessica shrugged. “Probably, but it’s temporary.”
“Just keep an eye on it. I don’t want to have to go into Daddy mode with you, but I will if I think you need it.”
Tessica blushed and shook her head. “No need for that, I promise.”
“I’ll take you at your word for now. And remember, if you need anything, anything at all, I’m more than happy to help.”
She leaned against his solid chest and gave him a tight hug. “Thank you. Knowing I can count on you means a lot.” She let go and added. “But this…” she gestured to the room at large, “…is what I really need right now.”
“I get that.” Paul let her go and went back to the snack table.
Tessica glanced over at Gwen and Susan. They looked like an odd couple standing by the snacks. Susan’s long chestnut brown hair fell straight down her back. Gwen’s short, curly blond hair bounced with every step she took. Susan was tall and thin, while Gwen was short and curvy. Their differences didn’t stop at the superficial. Gwen was outgoing, chatty, and pushy when she didn’t get her way. Susan was introverted, shy, and quiet. But the two were inseparable when they were in their Little headspaces.
A less charitable person might say Gwen bossed Susan around and Susan meekly allowed it, but Tessica thought both Littles got something out of their relationship. Susan got to hang back and let Gwen do the talking, which gave Susan time to assess a situation without being overwhelmed. And Gwen got the ego boost of having someone look up to her and follow her lead.
Tessica went over to the reading area where three other Littles were sitting on pillows around the bookshelf. She sat on a folding chair next to the bookshelf, and the Littles all perked up and greeted her.
After saying hello to the two she knew, Tessica focused on a young man she didn’t recognize who appeared to be in his mid-twenties. He was looking through a picture book with his thumb in his mouth.
“Hi there, I’m Tessica. What’s your name?”
“Marcus,” he said around his thumb.
“Nice to meet you, Marcus. Are you here with someone tonight?”
He nodded and pointed to a man near the snack table.
“Is he getting you a snack?”
Marcus nodded again.
“That’s nice.”
Gwen held two plates when she came back to the book area, with Susan following behind her.
“Sit here,” Gwen told Susan.
Once Susan sat, Gwen handed her a plate, and sat down beside her. Gwen took a bite of apple and said to Tessica, “The new books are on top of the shelf.”
“I see that.” Tessica picked up the three books and glanced through them. She didn’t recognize any of them, so she held up all three for the Littles to see. “Gwen, why don’t you pick the first one?”
Gwen pointed to the book on the right, and Tessica set the other books back on the shelf. Soon she was reading a book about a frog named Norma.
The Littles seemed enraptured by the story, and everyone listened attentively without interruption until the end. Once Tessica closed the book, she focused on the Littles. “Let’s go around the circle and everyone can tell me one thing you liked about the story.”
Half an hour later, all the new books had been read and discussed. Some of the other Littles had wandered in and out of the area while she read, but Gwen, Susan, and Marcus had stayed for all three. Marcus’ Daddy stood off to the side and watched after he gave Marcus a snack.
Tessica focused on Marcus’ Daddy and asked, “Did you want to read a couple of books?”
“No thanks. But Marcus would really enjoy it if you would read a book about cars.”
Marcus nodded his head enthusiastically.
“Cars?” Gwen wrinkled her nose. “Boring.”
“Now Gwen,” Tessica scolded. “Just because the subject matter isn’t something you’re fond of, doesn’t mean other people can’t enjoy it. Have you and Susan colored any pictures yet?”
After an exaggerated put-upon sigh, Gwen turned to Susan. “Want to color for a while?”
Susan nodded, so the two girls went off, leaving Tessica with Marcus and his Daddy.
“Let’s see what books we’ve got about cars. How old are you, Marcus?” Tessica asked.
Marcus held up three fingers.
“I think I have just the book for you.” She riffled through the books on the shelf and found what she was looking for. “Have you seen this one before?”
Marcus shook his head, and the corners of his mouth turned up around his thumb.
“Do you want to snuggle up with your Daddy while I read?”
Marcus glanced back at his Daddy before he shook his head and pointed to her.
Tessica turned to his Daddy for clarification.
“Marcus wants to snuggle with you while you read. Maybe sit in your lap, if you don’t mind. But if you’re not up for that, he can sit in my lap.”
A swell of happiness grew in Tessica’s chest, and she opened her arms to Marcus. “Of course you can sit on my lap while I read, sweetheart.”
Marcus tentatively went over and sat sideways on her lap. She wrapped her arms around him, and settled him even closer against her chest. Marcus was about five-foot-ten, the same height as Tessica, but he curled against her, which made him seem smaller.
“What a nice boy,” Tessica cooed, and then opened the book. She kept one arm around his back while she read. By the time she was on page three, he had his head against her shoulder. It reminded her so much of her boys when they were little, it almost made her choke up.
Once the story was over, she kissed the top of his head. “Do you want to read another one? Or do you want to go do something else for a while?”
Marcus pointed to the book she held.
“This one again?”
He nodded.
“Okay.”
A minute later, Gwen and Susan came back.
“How come he gets to sit in your lap?” Gwen asked, crossing her arms. “And how come you’re still reading about stupid cars?”
“Gwen,” Tessica warned, “If you can’t ask questions nicely, then you can have a timeout. Do you want to try that again?”
Gwen huffed and rolled her eyes. “Can I sit in your lap for the next book, and can it be a book about animals?”
“Good girl. Yes, of course you can sit in my lap for the next one, and it can be about animals. I’m proud of you for asking nicely.”
Gwen turned to Susan for a second before focusing back on Tessica. “And then Susan gets to sit on your lap next. Okay?”
“It’s a deal,” Tessica agreed, pleased that everyone wanted to sit in her lap for a story.