“Hmm, could be lack of sleep or it could be that you’re low in iron. I’m suspecting both, but won’t know for sure without a blood test.”
Crap. “I don’t like needles.”
“Most Littles don’t,” Doc replied in what, for him, was almost a soothing voice. “What if you sit on Daddy’s lap and he holds you while I take it?”
Suddenly she felt very shy. She wasn’t really sure about showing her Little side to anyone other than Clint. But Doc seemed so matter-of-fact about it all. She wondered if he’d ever had a Little. It seemed unlikely given his manner. Clint sat next to her on the sofa and pulled her onto his lap. She buried her face against his chest, letting the scent of him soothe her as she felt her arm being pulled out and held. Something tight was placed around her arm just above her elbow. She tensed.
“Easy,” Clint said in a low voice. “It will be over soon and then you might get a sticker, would you like that?”
She wanted to snap that she couldn’t be bought by a sticker, for God’s sake, but then she felt a tiny prick. She took a sharp breath, ready for the pain that usually accompanied any needle.
“There, all done,” Doc said.
She turned her head away to peer down at her arm. “It’s done? But it didn’t hurt.”
“I try never to hurt my Littles if I can help it,” Doc said indignantly. He was busy writing on the small labels that covered the vials of blood. Ew. She glanced away from all that blood down to where Daddy held a cotton ball on her wound.
Doc turned back. “I’ll just put a Band-Aid on it. Mermaids, superheroes or princesses?”
She blushed, but wasn’t going to let embarrassment get in the way of a cool Band-Aid. Hmm, maybe she could be bought. “Umm, mermaids please.”
“Good choice,” Doc said approvingly. “You were very brave.” He put the Band-Aid on then reached into his back pocket and brought out a pack of stickers. “Would you like a sticker for you hand?”
She watched his face to see if he was making fun of her, but he seemed very serious. Daddy gave her a squeeze. “You’re safe here to be who you want to be, remember? I’d never allow anyone near you who would make fun of you.”
“Certainly not.” Doc appeared appalled and she worked up enough courage to reach out and point to a glittery sticker that was the image of a fairy with wings and a magic wand.
Doc peeled it off. “Hand.”
She reached out with her hand and gently placed it on. Okay, maybe he wasn’t such a bad guy.
“All right, her hand is looking good. I’ll be able to take the stitches out tomorrow and then she can go back to work. But I don’t want her working long hours and becoming overtired. If she starts to get really tired, put her down for a nap.”
Was he serious? But Clint was nodding as though taking it all in.
“Lots of small meals like I said. Get some red meat into her. I’m going to want to weigh her once a week to make sure she’s gaining weight until she’s at a weight that satisfies me. I have some multivitamins for her. You know how to give these?”
“Yep,” Clint said as Doc pulled out a strange looking packet of multivitamins.
“What do you mean, how to give them?” she asked. “I don’t like swallowing pills.”
“Well, luckily these are given rectally. Once a day. If she needs extra iron, I’ll need to order some in. Might do that anyway, always good to have on hand.”
Luckily? There was nothing lucky about that.
“I don’t want them.” She gave them a disgusted glance. “Can’t I have the chewy gummy bear kind?”
Doc snorted. “No, you may not. These are far better for you.”
She wasn’t really concerned about what was better for her, she cared about the fact that they were going up her butt.
“Daddy, I don’t want them.” She gave Clint her best pouty look.
“This is for your health, little girl. It’s happening.” He turned to Doc as she said several unflattering things about them both. Silently, of course. “I wanted to talk to you about sex.”
Her grumbling over the vitamins came to a screeching halt.
“Clint,” she protested.