The Little Lost Bee (a DDlg story)

Theo

{971 Words}

Beau was right. Henri did sound like an old boring professor in his human headspace. But Annie loved how boring and calm he was, when they weren't play fighting like doggies and vicious bees.

If she fell asleep quickly for her nap, she would sleep in her crib while Henri slept in his doggy bed under her crib. But when she had trouble falling asleep, she would ask Henri to read her one of his boring books.

It didn't really matter which book he was currently in the middle of because she didn't pay attention. She would drink her bottle curled up with Henri in his kennel. She was right, it was as comfy as it looked.

It never felt like a scary jail cell like at college. It felt like one of the safest places she could possibly be curled up with Henri and listening to his calming voice lure her to sleep.

She was working through her upper level classes almost as quickly as she was supposed to be. She was still very behind because it took her over a year extra to get through her lower level classes.

The saddest part was as a student, she couldn't finish her trial period with Daddy until she graduated. So even though she had been with her dynamic for longer than the typical month, they still couldn't make it official.

Anytime this made her sad, she tried to remember that Daddy said that it was a-okay. Annie was still his special and important baby bee even though she couldn’t graduate when most people graduate!

Annie was working on her homework at the kitchen island when Mr Theo came to visit. He said he needed a cup of sugar from his neighbour. He even brought a measuring cup.

This was dumb!

Mr Theo didn't even live very close to them. And he could have just gone to the store like normal people! Daddy helped him get the sugar from the pantry even though there was enough sugar in the kitchen, Annie could see the sugar container!

Henri was laying under Annie's feet since he was given the task of keeping an eye on his baby sister while Daddy got Mr Theo his sugar. The more Annie grumbled, the more Henri smiled. Henri knew very well what Daddy and Step Daddy were up to in the pantry.

Theo did not stop by to be neighbourly.

“Hello, little one. How is your homework coming along?” Mr Theo asked grumpy Annie. He was holding Daddy's hand and being really icky. Annie glared.

“Better if you didn't steal my homework helper. 37 minutes!” Annie pointed at her watch. “It doesn't take 37 minutes to get something out of the pantry!”

All three men chuckled at the little girl.

“It did take a little longer than expected. The sugar was hiding and we needed to find it.” Theo explained.

“Louisa was right about you. But Daddy isn't a moron and should have been able to find it.”

“Well, I probably distracted him with some kisses.”

“Icky! You better not have gotten cooties near my Cheerios!”

“There is no such thing as cooties. So I think your Cheerios will be fine.” Theo assured her.

Annie glared at Theo. “There are too! Don't fib! Bigs call them STIs! Molly was right about you too! You aren't Step Daddy! You are Daddy Fibber and you probably have cooties too!”

“I… I’m not a fibber! And I don't have… cooties!”

But Annie was too busy storming off with a doggy following her to answer.

“What a bunch of help you were!” Theo turned to Felipe who finally released the laughter he was holding.

“You have such a way with littles, it's always fun to watch.”

“Why do they all think I'm a fibber?! You know I'm not a fibber, right? And I don't have… cooties.”

“I’m not sure I can believe your cootie-free status since you are such a fibber.” Felipe said while laughing.

Theo huffed. The nickname wasn't going away anytime soon, much to his dismay.

“It's alright, babe. A nickname for or from a little is like the ultimate sign of respect and care. I learned that in my class.”

Felipe and Jimmy both had to take the Caregiver classes online in order to claim Little Annie. Because they both had careers, they didn't want to take the classes in person.

Jimmy grumbled about not having the time but at least they didn't get forced to go in person. Theo’s father, the Boss, made Theo go in person with Louisa. Louisa had gotten into her Papa's ear about how Theo was a moron for not realising she was a middle. So her Papa made her Daddy attend in person to help him be less of a moron.

It was debatable if it had work. Depending on who you asked, he was still very much a moron.

“You think the littles call me ‘fibber’ because they respect me?”

“You let Louisa call you ‘moron’ but you get upset when the other littles call you a ‘fibber’. You'll be fine. Come here, babe.”

Meanwhile, grumpy Annie was in Henri's room complaining to her doggy brother about how icky and dumb bigs are. She was so distracted by Daddy Fibber that she didn't even ask if Henri could read to her today, she just made herself at home in his kennel.

Henri smiled and grabbed the book he was in the middle of. Nap time was a highlight of his day now. He curled up with his baby sister and began reading. Before he had even finished the chapter, she had fallen asleep. So he finished the chapter, got comfy and fell asleep himself.

Having a baby sister wasn't planned but she did make everything better, including naps.