The Runt of the Litter

Chapter 37

I crawled with uncertainty, trying to keep steady so that way I wouldn't fall again. I crawled into the kitchen slowly and smiled up at Frank.

"Daddy! Daddy! Look!" I cheered. "I got to the kitchen all by myself!"

"Oh, Kitten, I'm so proud of you," he said.

He leaned down to kiss the top of my head and I giggled.

"Go on and play, I'll get you a little snack," he said.

I nodded and went to the living room. I stumbled, falling onto my side along the way twice.

"Andy, Andy, I gots a new toy from Daddy," I said.

I stumbled over to my toy box and pulled out my little toy helicopter.

"This one doesn't gots the remote thingys because I broke my last one," I said.

"That's cool, Gee," he said.

I smiled and crawled to sit in front of the tv.

"Where's Mia Bia Chia Fia?" I asked.

"She ran to the store," Andy said. "She wanted to get you a little gift."

"Why is everyone getting me gifts?" I asked.

"Because they just missed you and it's sort of, like, get well gifts because they're all just glad you're okay and they want to keep you happy because you've been through a lot," he said.

"Oh, well I really like all the gifts," I said.

"You still having nightmares?" He asked.

I nodded sadly and he reached down to gently pet my head.

"It's just so scary seeing them when I sleep," I said quietly.

I crawled over to the window and tugged on the curtains, trying to close them. I let out a small cry of frustration, my eyes watering.

"Baby, what are you doing?" He asked.

"Close," I said. "I-I want them closed."

"Gee, you really don't have to be afraid to go outside," he said. "Or just afraid of the outside in general."

"Outside is bad," I said.

"Outside isn't bad, baby," he said.

I whimpered, tugging on the curtains again. Frank sighed and shut them for me. My lip quivered as I looked up at him.

"Daddy, I-I don't want them coming for me," I whimpered.

"They won't, I'm going to keep you safe," he said. "I made sure the locks to the gates are fixed and I put things around the bars so they can't just slip in like you had done."

"I'm sorry," I mumbled.

"You didn't know what was going to happen, it isn't your fault," he said. "I was the one who shouldn't have left you alone, I said everyone would need to be by your side at all times but I left you alone."

I sniffled and he picked me up, sitting on the couch with me on his lap. Andy had gone upstairs earlier and left the two of us here alone.

"Daddy, I missed you so much," I mumbled.

"I missed you too, more than anything else in the world," he said.

"Do you think we can do something special now that I'm back?" I asked. "I-I know I can't do much because of my tail and all my other ouchies but I still wanna do something."

"Well, you can't leave the house," he said. "Maybe tonight I'll make you a very special, romantic dinner. It'll be just the two of us and I'll play some soft music and light some candles and then we'll cuddle up in bed together and watch some more movies again and then we'll snuggle all night long until we fall asleep."