Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 34268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
“Sure, I did. I’m just sorry. You’re right. Someone will adopt us soon. Dr. Farwell said everyone gets adopted.” Mindy pasted on a fake smile and sat up straighter. “It will all be perfect.”
Chapter Eight
Later that night, Annie was in the bath in one of the exam rooms when the door opened and someone stepped in. She didn’t glance that direction intentionally.
For one thing, she was used to one of the nurses giving her a bath, and often someone else on staff stepped in to share information or ask a question. For another thing, Annie was busy playing with her bath toys. Nurse Kay had bathed her, and the kind woman was sitting next to the tub letting her play for a while.
And lastly, Annie preferred to hope the newcomer was Theo. The longer she didn’t look to see, the longer it could be him.
When the man finally spoke, Annie’s chest deflated. It was Dr. Farwell. Not Theo. She was stupid to get her hopes up. She hadn’t seen him all day. Now she was frustrated, and the sensation was growing.
Suddenly, she lifted one of her toys, twisted to face the room at large, and launched the soaking-wet Barbie across the room. Her eyes bugged out a moment later when Theo snagged the doll out of the air as if he’d been practicing this move or expecting it.
When had he arrived? He was near the door, so it probably hadn’t been long. He looked surprised, but he gave her a slow grin a second later.
Nurse Kay gasped.
Dr. Farwell reprimanded her. “Annie.” One sharp word. “What’s gotten into you, Little one?”
Annie jerked her face toward her lap, breathing heavily. She was just as surprised as everyone else by her outburst, but she wasn’t sorry. Her heart was racing, and she was angry. She didn’t even want Theo to visit her. He was a tease. He was confusing her and making her sad.
“I’ve got this,” Theo stated as he approached.
“We’ll wait in the hall,” Dr. Farwell responded. “Let us know if you need anything.”
Annie sat still, her chest rising and falling. She heard the door open and close, so she knew she was alone with Theo now. Why? “Go away,” she grumbled. She was mad, and it was growing.
Theo approached anyway. When he reached the edge of the tub, he sat in the chair where Nurse Kay had been and held the Barbie out in front of her ducked face. “I think you dropped this.”
She sucked in a breath. Dropped it? Ha.
He waited a bit and then set the Barbie in her lap. He leaned his elbows on his knees. “Want to tell me what’s bothering you?”
She shook her head. Her hair was wet, and it whipped around in both directions, spraying water on Theo.
He didn’t flinch. “Did something happen today that upset you?”
She shook her head again, feeling petulant. A naughty side she hadn’t known she had was creeping to the surface.
“I’d like you to talk to me, sweetie.”
She lifted her hands and slapped her palms down in the water at her sides, splashing it. “Why?” She finally jerked her gaze to his. “Don’t you have any other Little girls you can visit tonight instead of me?”
She couldn’t believe the words coming out of her mouth. She’d never spoken to anyone like this before and certainly not Theo. Not the man she wished was her Daddy. Not the man who treated her like a princess.
When he was around.
That was the problem. He wasn’t around enough. He didn’t like her the way she liked him. And she’d reached her breaking point.
He frowned at her, ignoring the water that splashed him again. “Why would I want to visit another Little girl?”
She shrugged and covered her breasts, feeling self-conscious in front of him all the sudden. Naked. Exposed. Little. Naughty.
He reached out and stroked her cheek gently. “You’re mad at me.” He wasn’t asking. He was stating a fact.
She pursed her lips.
“I probably deserve it, but you should use your words instead of lashing out at me.”
She stiffened. “My words? I hardly ever use words when I’m with you. Most of the time you keep my mouth plugged with a bottle or a pacifier.” She hugged herself and squeezed her legs together. It was only in the tub that she was ever able to bring her thighs together. She was chilled. The water had cooled. She wanted to get out.
She wanted to leave this room. She wanted to be alone. She didn’t want to talk to Theo.
Annie glanced around, looking for her towel. She’d never once been permitted to stand or dry herself off, but suddenly, that seemed like the best idea.
“Would you like to get out, Annie?” He reached into the water and dangled his fingers. “It’s too cool. You must be chilly.” He pulled the plug to let the water out and grabbed a towel from the shelf next to the tub. “Let’s get you out and dried off, and then we can talk.”