Page 124 of Daddy, Take Me Away
“Pretty flowers,” I said, dropping both their hands, and pointing to the flowers.
“Oh, so pretty,” Uncle Tyler agreed.
I walked over and bent to pick one when Daddy spoke. “We need to be really careful while we’re walking, okay? We don’t want to scare any animal friends.” I froze mid-pick. “Why?”
“Well, if we scare them, they might bite.”
“What bite?”
“Well, snakes…”
I didn’t even let Daddy finish speaking before I was climbing up him. “Tinsley all done.”
“Baby, I didn’t mean a…”
“Tinsley all done,” I said, a little louder this time. I patted myself. “All. Done.”
Daddy held me close and rocked me back and forth. “Take a breath, baby.” My heart was pounding in my chest.
I did. He kissed my cheek. “Daddy didn’t mean to scare you.”
“Scared,” I agree, nodding my head.
“You don’t need to be scared, baby. I’m sorry. Daddy just meant we needed to watch where we stepped.”
“No walking. Tinsley will stay right here. Dada walks.”
“Okay, little one. You just hang on tight, okay?”
“Okay,” I agreed.
Uncle Tyler took Daddy’s backpack and Daddy helped me slide around to his back. I wrapped my legs around his waist and kept my arms around his neck. I had already been bitten by an alligator. We were not adding a snake bite to my boo-boo leg.
Chapter Thirteen
Elliot
I was pouring sweat and my back was cramping, but I knew there was no way in hell Tinsley was going to let me put her down. Guilt ate at me. My Little one hadn’t had the best vacation so far.
“Good job, Dada,” Tinsley whispered in my ear. “So strong.”
“Well, you’re light as a feather, baby.” A feather that was just the weight of a five-foot- three female.
“Let’s trade,” Tyler suggested as he set the second pack he was carrying down.
I passed him my girl, who was still adamant she wasn’t putting her feet in the grassy area. Poor baby, I should have just kept my mouth shut and been aware of our surroundings. After Tinsley was situated in Tyler’s arms, I slipped the backpack on my front and we continued walking the path.
“Hear big water,” Tinsley said, kicking her legs in excitement. The roar of the falls was growing closer. We’d enjoyed the small stream beside us. The soft sound of the rolling water had been pleasant to listen to as we walked.
“Hey, little one, I am not a horse,” Tyler scolded after an apparently sharp kick to his ribs.
“Sorry. Sorry. Just excited.”
He patted her leg gently.
“Did you know these waterfalls are good luck?” he asked.
“Why?”
