The outside of the building was very discreet and looked nothing like I imagined. Both Tristan and I were dressed in everyday clothes, but our Daddies had bags with our play clothes. I couldn’t wait to show Daddy another one of my pretty dresses.
David opened the front door, and we followed Daniel inside. The place wasn’t at all what I was expecting. The front held a small reception desk next to a huge set of double doors. On the other side of the room, there was a small café with an equally small dining area.
“Welcome to The Naughty Nook!” The woman who greeted us smiled widely at Tristan before turning her attention to our Daddies. “Nice to see you again, Daniel. It’s been a while.” She paused to place her hand on her hips. “Now, David, I see you nearly every day, but it’s nice to see you here for social reasons and not to work yourself to death.”
All of us chuckled except Daddy, who let out a frustrated groan. “How many times do I have to tell you and Jack that I love painting? It doesn’t feel like work to me. Jack already checks on me every few hours to make sure I’ve eaten.”
Tristan and I looked at each other, both of us covering our mouths to try to stifle our laughter. Daddy always took the best care of me, but I was starting to see that Daddy needed to be taken care of as well. That’s okay, though, I didn’t mind.
The lady’s face softened, and her hands fell, relaxing by her side. “I know, honey, I’m just teasing. But an extra break here and there to stretch your hands wouldn’t hurt.”
David chuckled and rubbed his hand over his face. “Yes, Mom.”
Tristan looked over at Daniel with a questioning look. “Sorry, sweetheart, I got distracted.” He pointed at the lady who was now looking at us with a soft smile. “That wonderful woman is Maggie.”
Just as Maggie opened her mouth to respond, the double doors opened, and a tall man entered the room. The man waved at all of us, then turned to Daniel. Daniel moved forward, shaking the man’s hand and receiving a clap on the back. “And this right here is the man behind it all. Meet the owner, Jack.”
Tristan and I looked at each other nervously and then turned to Jack. Tristan was firmly in little space and didn’t seem comfortable talking, so I spoke for both of us.
“Hi, Jack, I’m Ellie, and this is Tristan. He’s not being rude, he’s just little right now, and sometimes it’s hard to talk.”
Jacked smiled and bent slightly to meet us eye to eye. Tristan and I were of average height, but Jack was very tall. He had to be at least six feet and five inches. “Thank you for letting me know, Ellie. It’s nice to meet you both. I assume you’re here for our little room?”
Both Tristan and I bounced with excitement, but I had to share the real reason. I wanted to play, but I couldn’t wait to see Daddy’s paintings.
“I wanna play, but I’m most excited to see the wall my Daddy painted! He paints the best pictures.” For a split second, shock covered Jack’s face, but he quickly schooled his expression into a cheerful smile.
“He really does. It’s why I keep hiring him; his work is amazing. Does that mean we should take a tour of the new pet room first? As you know, it’s not finished yet, but I have a feeling your Daddy wants to show it off regardless.”
“Yes, please!”
Jack smiled. “Then follow me.”
Just as we started walking, Maggie’s stern voice made us halt. “Uh-uh, you know the drill. Both littles will need to sign a couple of forms since it’s their first time, and all of you need arm bands.”
Daddy held my hand and took me over to the desk. “Sorry, Maggie, we got a bit distracted.”
“It’s alright, honey.”
Maggie gave us all our arm bands and explained that The Naughty Nook had a flagging system. All four of us were wearing red bands signaling we weren’t open to playing with others. Daniel and David were wearing the bands for Daddy, while Tristan and I wore the band for littles. Once we signed our paperwork and confirmed we understood the club rules, we were free to follow Jack into the club.
The other side of the double doors was like entering an alternate dimension. The main room opened directly onto a bar. There was a large stage at the back of the room and various tables and booths scattered throughout the space.
Jack explained that this was where everyone socialized, and they sometimes held demonstrations or events on stage. The room was dark, but still had enough light that it wasn’t hard to see. It was almost soothing.
We made our way through the massive room. Thankfully, it was still early in the evening, so it wasn’t very busy yet. We went down a long hallway filled with doors. Each door had a sign explaining what the room was for and a keypad.
Once we got to the back of the hall, we stopped in front of two rooms that didn’t have keypads. The one on the right was the playroom, and the one on the left was the pet room.
“We still have over a month before opening night, but I’m positive we’ll have everything ready by then.” Jack turned toward me and smiled. “Are you ready to see your Daddy’s hard work?”
I nearly let out a squeal, but managed to contain it. “Yes, please!”
Jack led us into the room, and my jaw nearly dropped at what I saw. It was only about halfway finished, but it was gorgeous. The whole wall was covered in a lush field underneath a beautiful, vibrant sky. The detailed grass was full of various kinds of animals; some were finished, and others were sketched outlines.
Unable to stop myself, I ran over to Daddy and crashed into him, wrapping him in the tightest hug ever. “It’s so pretty, Daddy. Everyone is going to love it.”
Daddy’s voice was strained as he tried to loosen my grip. “Thank you, princess.” Deciding I should probably let Daddy breathe, I reluctantly loosened my hold, but couldn’t bring myself to let go entirely.
