The other woman still watched her carefully, gauging her reaction. Charlie sat back on the bed; her legs no longer able to hold her up. Had she really found someone else like her?
“I’ve shocked you.”
“Not because you have stuffed toys,” she managed to say. “I just thought…I wasn’t sure if it was just me.”
“Oh.” Ellie came and sat by her on the bed. She was so short that she could swing her legs back and forth. “You’re not the only one.”
“That’s…good to know.”
Suddenly, Ellie giggled. Charlie stared at her in surprise.
“It is good to know, isn’t it?”
Charlie smiled. “Do you know of anyone else…like us?”
Ellie pursed her lips. “Not here, I don’t think. Eden is hard to read, but I can’t see her cuddling a toy at night.”
She wanted to ask Ellie why Eden was in a wheelchair, but thought it was probably rude.
“Neil, he’s the cook with the broken leg, his wife Andie isn’t a Little. But he is definitely HOH.”
“HOH?” she asked.
“Head of household.”
“Oh.”
“Umm, I don’t know if I’m supposed to talk to you about this stuff, but since you’re like me…”
Charlie nodded to encourage her.
“Well, do you know how things are run around here?”
“Like how the women all have guardians? And the men believe in setting the rules and…and…”
“Disciplining their women if they break them?” Ellie added. “Yep that’s what I mean. Bear loves me. He would do anything to protect me. But…well…he does punish me if I break the rules.”
“And you…agreed to that?”
“Yes.” Ellie nodded. “I need it. It makes me feel safe and secure and loved.”
Charlie nodded.
“Have I weirded you out?” Ellie asked. She nervously pulled at the bedspread.
“No,” Charlie said. “I mean, I’ve never met someone involved in a relationship like that but I have read about it.”
Ellie’s eyes lit up. “Ooh, I might need some book recommendations from you. Mostly Daddy just reads fairy tales to me. But only ones he approves of.”
“You call him Daddy?” she whispered. It was her deepest longing and biggest shame.
“Yes, I do,” Ellie said slowly. “Do you think that’s wrong?”
“No. The opposite.” Charlie cleared her clogged throat.
“Well, that’s good then,” Ellie giggled. “I thought as much.”
“Would you mind, is it rude of me to ask, I mean…”