When Daddy Trevor had rubbed my shoulder to wake me up, and I had come back into groggy consciousness, though, the first feeling to rise up into my sleepy mind was dread. My papa would arrive soon… maybe he had already gotten here. I had ruined everything, hadn’t I?
As if he could read that thought in my mind, Daddy Trevor continued, “He wouldn’t have requested reassignment to our unit if he didn’t want to spend time with you, honey.”
My eyes went wide. They hadn’t told me that part before.
“He requested reassignment? Here?” My heart started to beat very fast.
Daddy Trevor nodded slowly, smiling at my reaction.
“Do you… you and Daddy John and Daddy Omar, I mean… do you…” My voice dropped to a hesitant whisper. “…mind?”
Daddy Trevor’s mouth quirked into a wry little smile. “Well…” he said.
My lips parted and I felt tears start at the corners of my eyes. Maybe this part was the thing that had really put the dread in my tummy—not the fear of the punishment I felt terribly sure Papa Georg had to give me.
But Daddy John saw my tears and he shook his head as his smile got bigger.
“No, Briana, honey, we don’t mind, really. We love you, but we think from what Papa Georg says…”
“Wait, he’s already here?” I interrupted. “You… you all… talked to him?” It came out like talking represented some outlandish or even forbidden activity, and I saw Daddy Trevor’s grin get even bigger in appreciation of the humor.
He nodded. “We did. We do that sometimes.”
I made a face. “You’re such a daddy sometimes,” I said, and twisted my mouth to the side. Suddenly my heart felt light. They had all talked. And it didn’t seem like anyone had punched anyone else?
Daddy Trevor laughed. “Guilty, honey.”
“And?” I demanded.
“Don’t get sassy, young lady,” he admonished. “Or I’m going to spank you myself after Papa Georg has finished.”
“Sorry, Daddy,” I mumbled. It felt like the old days, before Garonov had kidnapped me. I remembered suddenly that the whole thing had only occupied a day at most—but it felt like so much time had passed that all my most important relationships needed reconstruction.
But the reconstruction was going so well!
“That’s alright, honey,” said Daddy Trevor, always my kindest daddy. “I know you want to know what we talked about and what I think of him.”
Him. The reconnection I needed the most—like I needed water, or air.
“We like him. A lot. And more important, we can tell he loves you—and from what we’ve seen of your reaction, we’re pretty sure you love him too.”
I knew Daddy Trevor meant his words to stop me from crying, but instead they drew a sob from deep in my chest. “You—you…” I choked out.
He had been stooping next to my bed, but now he sat down on the edge of it, his solid body rocking me in that pleasant way I remembered from my months of complicated happiness as the Lumberjacks’ fuck toy. Before…
I blinked as I remembered again that it had only been thirty-six hours, at the very most, since those days had ended forever. Another little sob came to my lips as I scooted a little toward the wall to make more room for Daddy Trevor.
He put his hand back on my shoulder, and I remembered that my Lumberjack daddies had put me in my nice red silk baby doll after my bath. I recalled the last thought I had had before falling asleep… wondering whether Papa Georg would like to see me in that sexy nightgown, or whether he would tell me to take it off and put on something more appropriate for my age.
I even remembered how sleepy and confused that thought had gotten, because another part of me had said, You’re nineteen, Briana… you can wear red silk nightgowns that show your nipples through the lace… while the first part had insisted, No, I’m Papa Georg’s little girl, and maybe he wants me in an old-fashioned cotton nightgown and pink cotton panties.
Most of all I remembered how very warm and happy that thought had made me despite how strange and illogical it seemed now as I looked up at Daddy Trevor’s kind face. That made me sad, because I knew things were going to change with my Lumberjack daddies, but it made me happy because they knew me so well, and somehow it seemed they understood about Papa Georg.
I bit my lip, feeling the tears flow down my cheeks.
“Shh, honey,” Daddy Trevor said. “We talked to the people back at Advanced Guidance…”
“My old daddies?” I asked, my eyes going wide. Had they talked to everyone about me?
Daddy Trevor nodded. “They told us you would probably get emotional, and that it’s a good sign.”
“Why?” I managed, though a new sob had risen into my throat.
“Because it means you know we understand and accept what happened. They also said…”
I swallowed hard. “What?”
“Well, they have a lot of data, as you know.”
My bodily and mental reaction to this statement, which Daddy Trevor delivered with a tone that seemed like the vocal equivalent of a wink, confused me greatly; I blushed and laughed and felt happy to be so known, all at once. But things got even more complicated in the next moment.
“Some of that data is about Georg Gruner—that’s Georg’s real last name.”
I frowned, trying to follow. For a moment I had the absurd thought that he must mean some other Georg, because my Georg was Papa Georg, and shouldn’t everyone know that? Then my brain caught up.
“And?” I practically demanded despite Daddy Trevor’s warning not to get sassy.
“And your old daddies told us that you and Papa Georg are… well, they actually said…”
My mouth opened in surprise and anticipation. My sadness seemed to vanish, as my heart rate increased.
“Said what, Daddy?” I asked, as meekly as I could.
“That you’re a match made in daddy heaven.”