Saving Little Sydney (Littles of Rawhide Ranch #17)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

Sydney

The screen faded to black, the soft hum of the video call still buzzing in Sydney’s ears long after she ended the call with Daddy Greg. Her heart fluttered. Wild and nervous, like a butterfly trapped behind her ribs.

As always, he’d looked so handsome on the screen, even in grainy webcam quality, with his full salt-and-pepper beard, dark glasses, and easy smile that always melted her heart.

“I’ll be waiting, Little Syd,” he’d said. “Right outside the arrivals lounge in Yellowstone International. Just follow the signs when you land. Nothing to worry about.”

She held that voice in her chest like a warm hug. He’d have flown to her, and traveled with her if he had the extra money for the plane ticket, but his mom had been very sick and he had needed all his extra money to help with her bills.

And it was fine. Sydney could do this.

She had to do this for her shot at happiness.

Sydney pulled her backpack a little closer, clutching the handle like it might float away.

The departure lounge at O.R. Tambo buzzed with low conversation and the inaudible announcements of boarding gates.

She glanced around her, slightly overwhelmed by all the people.

There were businessmen in suits, rushing to their next plane, a harassed mother trying to wrangle a pair of identical toddlers while the dad fiddled with their paperwork, and a teenager slumped over her phone in the corner, sending a disdainful glare at the family.

And her. A grown woman with a hidden stuffed bunny in her backpack and a pair of soft, pastel socks with bows on them, tucked under her jeans for comfort.

Her dark brown curls were pinned back, neat but not severe, her lightly tanned skin glowing under the warm airport lights.

She wore a soft pink hoodie with a gaggle of Disney princesses layered over a lavender tank top and a pair of slim-fit jeans.

It had taken her ages to come up with the kind of outfit that said “comfortable adult traveler” instead of “neurotic mess, who’s never left the country”.

Sydney had opted for make-up free for this first leg of her journey. No point in spending too much time dolling up, especially if she was just going to end up sleeping it all off on the plane.

But there was nothing that a bit of eyeliner, a lip gloss, and a pinch to the cheeks couldn’t fix when she finally got there.

To her Daddy.

She checked the time on her phone again. Two hours until boarding.

Or so she thought. The announcement hit her like cold water.

“Attention all passengers on Flight SA208 with connections through Atlanta. Due to technical issues, you’ve been reassigned to Flight SA102, now boarding at Gate A12. Please proceed immediately. Your luggage will be redirected.”

What? That wasn’t the plan.

Sydney’s phone buzzed almost like it knew she was panicking, but she ignored it. She stood still for a moment, disoriented. Her stomach dropped and she bit down on the inside of her cheek, hard.

She hated last-minute changes. Surprises were fine for Little girls in Little space, when someone else was in control to handle all the details. But this... this was grown-up chaos and exactly the reason Sydney practically went into hiding all those years ago.

She didn’t want to deal with the big decisions. It was terrifying.

She looked down at her bag and knelt to unzip the small front pocket, her fingers finding the worn ears of Banana, her battered bunny.

Just a touch. Just for a second. She didn’t need to pull it out. Just knowing it was there helped.

Deep breath in. Count of four. Hold. Exhale.

“I’m okay,” she whispered to herself, barely audible above the din of shuffling luggage, crying babies and parents shouting at their kids. “It’s just a different flight. I can do this.”

Still, her fingers itched to call Greg and tell him. He’d want to know anyway, because he’d probably need to leave earlier to pick her up.

But... what if she surprised him instead?

The thought blossomed like a little flower in her chest, even as her nerves twisted tighter. She imagined stepping out of the car at the Ranch, her feet crunching gravel, the look on his face when he saw her hours before he expected her. Maybe he’d scoop her up.

Maybe... he’d say something really swoonworthy like “there’s my girl” and carry her off to one of the many playrooms he’d told her about.

A soft smile crept across her lips.

It was fine. Everything was going to be okay. Sydney was going to America. To him.

After six long months, she was finally going to see her Daddy. Six months of bedtime voice messages, gentle reminders to drink water or take breaks. Six months of stories read in his deep voice, just for her.

And now, finally, she was going to get to curl up in his arms and feel what it was like to be held in real life.

So what if her flight was changed? She’d board the plane, land earlier, and surprise the man who had started to steal her heart.

She made her way through the terminal toward Gate A12. Her nerves were tightening again, winding higher with every step.

She’d just gotten to the gate when a flight attendant in a neatly pressed blue uniform smiled at her and held her hand out for the ticket.

“Miss Sydney du Preez?” The woman asked, checking the name against the system.

Sydney blinked, clutching the strap of her backpack. “Yup.”

“Great!” the attendant said with a reassuring smile.

“You’re one of the passengers from SA208?

Excellent. The original flight had some technical delays, but this one will actually get you there a bit earlier as it’s a direct flight.

And,” she paused to send a wide smile Sydney’s way.

“It seems you’re one of the lucky few who got the First Class upgrade. ”

Sydney stood there for a second, eyes wide. “Wait... direct? First class?” She found it impossible to figure out what to focus on, and Banana was way too far away in her backpack.

“Yes, ma’am,” the woman said brightly. “It’s boarding now, through the gate. Here’s your boarding pass. And no worries, your luggage has already been redirected and will be arriving with you in Yellowstone.”

Sydney nodded mutely and followed, still processing what she’d just heard. Her feet moved on autopilot, but her brain was spinning.

Her thoughts were a swirl of excitement and anxiety.

She should tell Greg. Right? That would be the right thing to do.

She pulled out her phone and saw she had a new message. Expecting it to be from the airlines repeating the fact her flight had changed, she was surprised to see it was from Greg.

Just wishing you a great flight. See you soon…

She’d typed the first letter of a reply to let him know her new arrival time, but then her fingers stilled. The idea of showing up early, unannounced, curled around her like a secret gift.

It was reckless. He could... punish her. That’s what Daddies do when their Littles are naughty, right?

The thought made her cheeks flush and her tummy flutter.

Sydney took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. This was happening. Right now. She was going to him. And if that meant taking the tiniest risk to make their first meeting unforgettable?

So be it.

The attendants guided her onto the jet bridge, and the cold tunnel air bit at her cheeks. The plane door came into view, and soft lighting and hushed luxury wrapped around her the moment she stepped inside.

“Right this way, ma’am,” another attendant said, leading her to the front cabin.

Sydney took her seat in stunned silence.

The chair was wide enough to curl up in, with a blanket and pillow waiting for her, and a touchscreen menu glowing softly from the side panel.

She sank into the leather seat, her fingers brushing over the armrest, almost like she was afraid to touch anything too hard in case it shattered the illusion.

Once she was settled, she reached into her backpack and pulled out Banana, her fingers immediately going to the worn ears to rub them. She placed her gently in her lap under the blanket, away from prying eyes.

No one here needed to know Banana was there with her. No one needed to judge her for it.

She tucked her knees up slightly, hiding behind the little wall of her seat, and looked out the window. The runway stretched ahead, golden with light.

After all the announcements and demonstrations from the pilot and flight crew, the plane moved, and her heart thumped in time with it.

Banana nestled safe in her lap, her fingers curled protectively around one floppy ear, Sydney took a deep, steadying breath.

She could do this.

She was doing this.