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Great.
“How about a baby bottle? This one is cute. And it comes with a matching sippy cup.” Both of them had images of flowers on them. She did love flowers.
“Ooh, that one is cute,” she said without thinking. It had a picture of a leaf with a ladybug on it.
“That one is perfect.” He added the bottle and sippy cup to the cart. Along with a set of plates and cutlery. And a bib. She didn’t think she needed a bib, but it was super cute. It was made to look like a ladybug and had a bit that curled up at the end to catch food.
“Look, they even have ladybug Band-Aids. I think we’ll need those.”
“Ooh, there’s ladybug slippers!” They would be so much nicer than those awful hotel slippers she’d been wearing. “But you don’t have to buy them.”
“We’re getting them.” Into the cart they went.
In the end, she ended up with all this stuff she had never dreamed of having. Excitement and nerves flooded her. There were things he could have left out. Like was there really a need for a ladybug shaped paddle? That just seemed mean.
Not that she ever expected he would use it.
Greer was a good girl.
“Now, one last thing.” She watched him type something in and images of Care Bears popped up. Her stomach dropped. How had he figured it out?
Like you weren’t obvious, idiot.
“I don’t want one,” she said immediately.
“I think you just lied to me, baby. But I’m going to let you get away with it this once because I can see it’s upsetting you. I’d like to know why you’re saying you don’t want one, though, when you clearly do.”
“I don’t . . . I just . . . I . . .”
“Whoa. Deep breath in. Slowly out. Now, tell me what’s wrong.”
“I don’t deserve one.”
“What do you mean? Of course you deserve one.”
“I need to be better. Do better. Be a good girl.”
“What the fuck? Who told you that? You are a good girl!”
“Not really. I was a problem for Ma. I’d make things up to get attention. I didn’t deserve one then and I don’t now.”
“Baby girl, that’s just not true. You are always a good girl. Who told you that you don’t deserve one?”
“No one, I just know it. I was always too much trouble. And if I’m a good girl, then how come I ended up in the corner before?”
“Oh, baby. You deserve a Care Bear. You deserve the whole fucking world. Just because you break the rules, get punished, or do something naughty . . . it doesn’t mean you’re bad.”
“No? Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. And I’m also sure your mom never thought badly of you.”
“I know you’re right,” she whispered. “I’m just . . . I don’t know . . . I can’t have one yet.”
“All right.”
“All right?” That surprised her.
“I get it. I don’t agree, but I’m not going to force you. However, one day you’ll see that you’re the best girl in the world. And then we’re going to buy you as many Care Bears as your Little heart desires.”
