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“Mike was right to send you to me. I’m sorry I have been so distracted but from now on I will try to be the best big brother you could have, other than Mike of course.”
Big brother? His words were like a bucket of ice water dousing her. “Wh-what?” she stuttered.
A large white laundered handkerchief appeared. She took it and stepped back to wipe her eyes and nose. “Thank you,” she muttered.
He chucked her under the chin. “Come along, that’s enough tears for today. Those puppies are waiting to cheer you up.” He swung around and grabbed his jacket from the desk chair and ushered her from the room.
* * *
The house was similarto the one she and David owned during her other life. Penny estimated it to be Victorian, probably built around the eighteen hundreds. The layout and decor were quite different to her home.
David hugged a fair-haired petite woman before he shook hands with a tall blond athletic-looking male who slapped his shoulder and turned curious eyes to her.
David made the introductions. “Penny, meet Mark and Emily. Mark and Emily, meet Penny!” Mark ushered them into the hallway and offered David a beer, which he accepted.
“Em, remember what I told you about the puppies,” Mark said sternly before leaving the women to guide David into the house.
Penny watched David disappear and turned her attention to Emily. The young woman was pink-cheeked as she called after her husband her agreement not to disturb the puppies.
Emily was wearing pale blue dungarees over a white tee shirt decorated with small blue teddy bears. Her blonde hair was tied into bunches. Penny knew, she just knew, that Emily was into age-play.
“I like your dungarees,” Penny told her. With a deep breath she decided to take a risk. “Your daddy seems nice,” she stated with a smile.
The other woman tilted her head and grinned. “You too?” she asked.
Penny nodded.
“Does David know?” she probed.
“No. He’d make the perfect daddy though,” Penny admitted honestly.
“He would, and I think he knows it too. I don’t think he’ll admit to that while he’s been dating women like that Fiona Sutton. I’m so glad he broke up with her... How rude of me to keep you standing in the hall, please come on through.” She led the way through the house into a spacious farmhouse-styled kitchen where a large playpen held a beautiful, pale-coated Golden Retriever asleep on her side. Nestled all along her stomach lay six pale puppies; some were feeding, while others, replete, had fallen asleep.
“Ooo, they’re adorable!” Penny cooed.
“Yes, they’re so sweet. I hate the thought of giving them away, although I do see Daddy’s point, we can’t possibly keep them all. I’m sorry but I’m not allowed to wake them up. Would you like to come upstairs and see my room?”
“Yes, please.” She guessed that Emily referred to her nursery and she was right. The other woman opened the first door at the top of the stairs and stood back shyly as Penny stepped into any little’s dream playroom. Slowly she turned about and absorbed the lovely room decorated predominantly pale blue. One wall had a full-size painting of a cherry tree in full bloom. Around bunches of pink blossoms, fairies and butterflies flew. The white single bed sported a fairy and butterfly duvet and pillow set. Stuffies and dolls sat in a cuddled heap at the end of the bed. Resting on the pillow was a large blue care bear with a smiling mouth. Emily grabbed him to her chest and grinned.
“This is my baby Bunting, he’s my special friend.” She held up the teddy for Penny to see.
“Hello, Bunting,” she said. “He looks very soft. I had a unicorn that was special to me but I-I lost him.” Inexplicably her eyes filled with tears.
“Oh, that is sad. Here!” Emily thrust Bunting at Penny. She took him and cuddled him to her chest. It was only when Emily’s arms wrapped about her that Penny gave into her tears.
“Hey, hey, what’s going on here?” a man’s concerned voice asked from the doorway. Mark came over and pulled them apart. Emily immediately buried her face in her husband’s shoulder. It was then that Penny realised Emily was weeping.
Masculine hands spun her around. David stood before her, a frown marring his handsome features. “Are you okay?” he asked, tilting her chin to study her.
“Y-yes,” she stammered, embarrassed.
“Have you girls been arguing?” Mark asked.
“Noo...” Emily wailed. “Penny lost her stuffy!”
David’s gaze sharpened. He studied her. She flushed red.
“You’re a little?” he asked. She cringed at his incredulous tone.
