Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45188 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45188 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Papi finally turns me so I’m cradled in his arms again. He pops my pacifier out and lifts a bottle to my lips. “You need to eat, Baby girl. It’s been too many hours. I’ll keep you on a strict feeding schedule for a while. You’ll remain on a formula diet for several weeks. Eventually, I’ll slowly introduce other foods to you. Like your young on Earth, we’ll want to be careful to make sure you don’t have a reaction to anything. Your body isn’t used to our foods. So far, there have been no reports of any female having an allergic reaction to any of our foods, but we remain cautious and careful.”
I suckle while he speaks, surprised by my ability to suck even though I can’t find my voice or move any of my extremities. It must have something to do with instinct.
Papi’s grin is wide as he feeds me. He’s so happy, and his happiness is contagious. In the back of my mind, I remind myself that Ava also arrived today. She’s waking up in the arms of her Papi too, but I suspect she’s not feeling as calm as me.
I hate that I grow tired as I take my bottle. I want to stay awake and see things, but my eyes are heavy, and Papi has to jiggle the bottle several times to help me stay awake long enough to finish it.
The next time I awake, I’m not in Papi’s arms. I’m in a crib. I recognize the slats on all four sides. There’s a pretty pink mobile above me. Tiny hearts and stars hang from it. Dozens of them. They are dancing around in a circle, twinkly lights bouncing from the movement.
I smile. It’s mesmerizing. I love it. When I try to move my arms, I can’t. I can’t even lift a finger. It’s frustrating. I want this stage to be over. I hope Papi was right, and I’ll have my strength back within two weeks.
Papi is suddenly next to me. He’s winded as if he ran from somewhere to get to me. He drops the railing on one side of the crib and pops the pacifier from my mouth.
I whimper, and I think I even frown. I don’t want him to take away the paci.
He looks pleased. “Your facial expressions are already coming through. I know you want your paci, but you need to spend some time without it. A lot of Little girls wake up addicted to their pacifiers from suckling for six months during the trip. Your speech will return faster if you work your jaw a bit and keep trying to make sounds.”
He lifts me into his arms, carries me to what I know is a changing table, and immediately pulls a strap over my middle, trapping my arms to my sides. “I will always restrain you on the changing table, Little one. It’s high off the floor. I don’t want you to fall.”
He quickly changes my saturated diaper before releasing me to lift me into his embrace again. More kisses rain all over my face. “I missed you so much, Baby girl. I can’t wait for you to be able to waddle around this house on your own two feet.”
Papi carries me through his home from room to room, giving me a tour as we go. I’m overwhelmed by everything. He wasn’t kidding about the furniture. It’s all pretty high off the floor. The kitchen table is even taller. The chairs are higher.
I gasp when I see the colorful highchair pushed up to the table. It’s for me. Papi is going to feed me there. I wonder if I will always be a Baby to him or if he will let me age some.
I’m able to shift my gaze to his.
He points toward the highchair. “It will be a while before you’re ready to sit there, Baby girl, but when you do, I will feed you myself. I’ll control the size of your bites to be certain you don’t choke.”
Choke? Is he kidding? I don’t normally choke on my food.
He chuckles before kissing my forehead. “I’ve heard from other Papis that food sometimes becomes an argument in their homes. Let’s not go to that extreme, how about?” he proposes. “To answer the question I can see in your eyes, you will forever be my Little girl here. It’s our custom. The reason we Papis are so overbearing and cautious is because traveling across the universe to find a mate is arduous. We never want anything to happen to her.”
It makes sense, but it seems like he intends to go to the extreme with his rules and safety concerns. I’m not sure how I feel about that. I suspect I will challenge him and end up over his lap with his palm on my naughty bottom.