“I heard puppies barking, like more than just Mr. Fluffy. Silly, huh?”
“Hmm,” he replied.
“Daddy?”
“Yeah, baby doll?” he said with a note of amused exasperation.
“And I thought I heard another voice. It sounded like Reverend Pat. That’s funny, huh?”
“It’s funny all right. That’s a story for in the morning.”
“Can I have the story now?” she asked. She liked stories.
“No. You can sleep now,” he told her sternly.
“Daddy?”
“Baby doll, are you going to ask me questions all night?”
“Just one more, I promise.”
“Okay, ask.”
“Were you scared tonight? Cause I was.”
He tightened his hold on her. “I was fucking terrified.”
“Daddy?”
“Baby doll,” he said sternly. “It’s time for sleep. Let me get your pacifier.”
Not only did the pacifier help her relax into sleep, but they’d discovered one day by accident that it could help during her migraines. It seemed to loosen her jaw.
“Oh yeah, that might help. You know what else might help?”
“What’s that?” he asked as he climbed out of bed and moved around to her side of the bed. She wondered why he didn’t just reach over her. But she guessed maybe he didn’t want to bump her.
“A kiss.”
“All right, you can have a kiss.” He climbed back into bed and leaned in to kiss her lightly.
“Daddy?”
He groaned. “Yes, baby doll?”
“Love you.”
“Love you too. Now sleep.”
She slept. Held in Daddy’s arms. Because she was always a good girl.
* * *
“No, no, that’s in the wrong place. They should go more to the left,” Mrs. Spain called out.
“Go right,” Andrey countered.
“I really think they’re perfect where they are,” Mrs. Larsen added.