Page 96 of Daddy, Take Me Away
“I think I’ve got a needy baby right now. Hmmm?”
I nodded. I was almost always a needy baby, but Daddy never minded.
“How about we feed the duckies and go back to the hotel? We can have a nice cozy afternoon and night in. We can have some Tinsley and Dada time.”
I nodded again and Daddy helped me stand between his legs. After pulling some sliced grapes from the cooler, he took my hand and led me to the river.
“Just throw them in, baby.”
I took a handful and tossed them toward the ducks. They swam and dived for the grapes. I liked the way their butts stuck up in the air when their heads went under water.
“Dada?”
“What, baby?”
“Why does a duck have feathers on his butt?”
“I don’t know, baby, why?”
“To hide his butt quack.”
Daddy snorted and tossed a grape at me. “That was awful, Tinsley.”
I bit back a smile and nodded my agreement. It was a terrible joke.
“Why grapes?” I asked Daddy after a minute.
“Why did we give them grapes?”
I nodded.
“Grapes are better for their bellies.”
Oh. Dada was so smart.
We finished feeding the pretty yellow babies and Daddy packed everything back up. “Are you ready for some snuggles?”
That sounded amazing. I nodded.
“Me too, little one. Let’s go.”
Chapter Five
Elliot
I washed the chlorine from Tinsley’s body. She had been so hungry leaving the water park, we’d skipped showers and gone straight for the picnic. I hoped her sensitive skin wouldn’t be irritated.
“Are you itchy, baby?”
She shook her head and continued playing with her mermaid Barbies. Slurping noises filled the spacious bathroom as she sucked her pacifier so hard, I wondered how it didn’t hurt her jaws. She’d had a bottle and several snuggles. After her bath we were going to have a movie night.
I pulled the stopper in the tub, and she quickly slammed her hands over it. “Water! Water!” she yelled. “Oh nu.”
Oh, we were going to be theatrical tonight. I grabbed her pacifier from the water and set it on the counter. I was sure she needed her sassy, little mouth free.
“The water needs to go home, so we can watch your movie.”
“Waterrrrrrrrrr,” she wailed, flipping on her belly and looking down the drain. “Come backs!”
