Chapter 5
TOBIAS
Groaning, I roll my neck as I sit up in bed. I couldn’t stop thinking about Mila calling me daddy the whole night, which resulted in me not being able to sleep much.
“Get yourself together,” I mutter before looking over at Mila who is still sound asleep.
My eyebrows pull together as I get out of bed. She’s still sleeping?
I place the back of my hand against her forehead gently.
“No fever,” I mumble.
What could be wrong? Why is she still asleep?
I pick up my phone and dial Aiden, worry still flowing through me.
“What?” he groans. “I was asleep.”
I look at the time to see it’s nine in the morning.
“Still?” I ask. “I thought you would be awake and doing things around the lodge.”
“Today is my day off,” he grumbles. “What do you need? You could have just texted me if you were letting me know you’re leaving.”
“Mila is still asleep,” I blurt out. “She fell asleep in the car and woke up very briefly when I carried her into the hotel room.”
“What?” He sounds more alert now. “Does she have a fever?”
“No, she feels normal. Maybe she’s just exhausted and needs this rest? I think we should stay here another day to allow her to rest, and when she wakes up, we can get on with the journey.”
Aiden hums. “Or you could carry her to the car again. I bet she’ll wake up a little while and you can see what she wants.”
Sighing, I agree and hang up the phone.
“Mila.” I gently place a hand on her shoulder and shake it. “Can you wake up for me, Little One?”
“Hmm?” She rolls over and blinks her eyes open. “So sleepy. So warm. I don’t wanna move.”
“I’ve got a question for you. Can you listen to me for a couple of minutes?” I ask.
She stares at me with half-opened eyes, and my heart breaks. Maybe I should just allow her to sleep in the bed, and we can go later.
“What is it?” she asks, snuggling into her stuffy.
“It’s nine in the morning. Do you want to stay here so you can sleep, or do you want to sleep in the car while I drive?” I say slowly.
She blinks several times. “Car,” she mumbles.
“Do you want to go to the bathroom before we leave?”
She hums but continues to lie in bed. Chuckling, I help her sit up in bed, and she cracks her eyes open.
“Don’t wanna,” she whines. “But gotta pee.”
“Let’s go to the bathroom then,” I gently say.
“Uppies!” she demands, her eyes closed as she looks up at me.
I pick her up and walk to the bathroom, carefully setting her down on the ground.
“Okay, Little One. Why don’t you go to the bathroom and I’ll wait out in the room,” I suggest.
“Hold me,” she says.
“I still am,” I can’t help but smile at her.
But before I know it, Mila has pulled her pants and underwear down. My neck flushes as I gently help her sit down on the toilet and she immediately starts going to the bathroom. I look anywhere but her as she does her business.
She can’t be aware of what she is doing right now. If she was, she would be totally embarrassed and yelling at me to leave.
“Wipe me,” she demands.
“Little One,” I calmly say after a deep breath. “I can’t do that. You’re going to have to be a big girl and wipe yourself.”
Even though I’ve helped many Littles going to the bathroom before, Mila and I haven’t talked about this. There is no way I’m going to cross that boundary. Just being in the bathroom with her right now without previously talking if she was okay with it is crossing something.
“Don’t wanna,” she mumbles.
“Come on, Sweets. I’m helping you stay upright right now. Do you think you can wipe yourself for me? I’ll give you a treat,” I try to persuade her.
“Candy?” she asks.
“I’ll buy you some candy when we stop at a gas station. I just need you to wipe yourself first and pull up your bottoms,” I say.
“Okies!” she cheerfully says.
I let out a sigh of relief as she does her business and stands up, pulling her pants back to where they should be.
“Uppies!” she demands.
I pick her up, grab my wallet and phone, before heading back out of the room. Hopefully after this she’ll go back to sleep and the next time she wakes up she’ll be more coherent.
“Did you have a good stay?” the receptionist asks as I hand her the keys.
“Yes, thank you,” I reply.
Before she can say anything else, I walk out of the hotel and get Mila into the car before getting in myself. I look over at her and take a deep breath.
“Everything’s going to be okay,” I mumble to myself.