Chapter Sixteen
Spring break passed pretty uneventfully. Twyla slept a lot, she ate a lot, and she saw Dr. Eric a couple of times so he could check on how she was healing.
Her parents didn’t call although Principal York came by a couple of times and she got to meet Mr. Fox’s friend Marni who brought her more clothes and offered to pick up some make-up and toiletries for her if she wanted. Dr. Eric and Marni were so nice to her and they didn’t seem to think it was weird if she curled up next to Mr. Fox all the time or if she hugged Pinky to her chest and didn’t let go.
She slept in Daddy’s bed at night but took her naps in the crib in the nursery and sometimes played in there too. She colored pictures with a fresh box of crayons and new coloring books Mr. Fox brought her while he did work to get ready to go back to school. When he told her she’d done a good job and they were beautiful, she believed him.
Her mouth was less sensitive so she’d been having more solid food but she wasn’t allowed to feed herself and she still took bottles, which she looked forward to now. She forgot most of the time that she was in diapers but still felt a low burn of embarrassment when her daddy forced her to use them. But mostly? She was happy. So, so happy. Until it was time to go back to school.
On Sunday night they had finished dinner and were sitting on the couch, about to watch a movie. Daddy always let her pick and she wanted to watchTangledtonight.
Except she was squirmy and restless as they watched and Mr. Fox finally pressed pause.
“What’s going on with you, little girl? You’re usually so sweet and cuddly during movie time. Did you want to watch something else?”
Twyla shook her head. She liked the movie, was mad she couldn’t pay more attention to it because she was distracted.
“Then what is it? Come on, you can tell Daddy.”
“I don’t want to go back to school,” she said softly, not able to meet his eyes. He thought she was so brave and strong—he told her so all the time—and she didn’t want to disappoint him.
“Do you want to know a secret?”
A secret? Mr. Fox had told her a lot of secrets already and she bet if she could be good, he would tell her more. She liked being trusted with secrets.
“What?”
“I don’t want to go back either.”
He smiled at her and kissed the tip of her nose as she let out a little giggle and rolled her eyes.
“Daddy!”
“No, it’s true. I’d rather stay here with you. But Daddies have to work so they have money to take care of their little girls.”
He stroked her hair and she rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes and breathing him in. She was going to miss this so much.
“What are you worried about, sweetheart?”
Twyla sighed. Everything? But Mr. Fox would ask her to be more specific.
“My face is still messed up.”
“That’s not your fault. If anyone makes fun of you for it, that means they’re an asshole and not worth your time or attention. I know it can still hurt your feelings though. I promise I’ll give you extra hugs and cuddles when we get home to make up for it. What else?”
“What if people say I got the boys kicked out of school?”
“The boys got themselves kicked out of school. They were the ones who decided to assault you. They’re just lucky you opted not to press charges. Though you know if you change your mind about that, I’ll do anything I can to help.”
Her daddy was the best.
“What if they make fun of my clothes? What if they say mean things about you because I’m staying here? What if—”
“Oh, little girl,” Mr. Fox said, holding her close and rocking her on his lap. “I didn’t know you were so worried about so many things. You should’ve told me.”
“I didn’t want you to be disappointed in me. You always say I’m a brave strong girl and I want to be, but…”
A few tears slipped down her cheeks and she swiped at them with a fist.
“Being worried doesn’t mean you’re not brave or strong. It’s okay to be worried, just don’t you let those mean people control how you live your life.”
Mr. Fox jostled her a little to get her attention.
“Can you look at me and promise you’ll do that? I promise I’ll be right here waiting for you when you come home tomorrow and I’ll do anything I can to make you feel better.”
She didn’t want to promise. She wanted to stay here on Daddy’s lap forever with Pinky tucked under her arm. With her picture books and the dollhouse in the nursery. But more than that, she wanted her daddy to be proud of her. And most of all, she wanted him to keep her. She wouldn’t know what to do if he turned her out, and no matter how kind and loving he was, she knew people could turn on a dime.
“I promise, Daddy.”