Page 11 of Bash

I stood from the chair and stretched my stiff muscles. “It’s okay, Allybaby. Let’s get some cough medicine in you, yeah?” Looking at the clock, I realized I’d never set an alarm from the last time I’d given her meds. She was way overdue.

She nodded before bringing her fists up to her eyes and rubbing them. The sweet, innocent gesture warned my heart. She coughed again, deep and loud. It sounded like it was painful.

Walking over to the dresser, I quickly suctioned up the right dose. “Does your body still hurt, Allyson?”

When she didn’t answer me, I turned around to look at her.

“Allyson?”

“I don’t like when you call me that,” she said.

I studied her for a minute trying to gauge where she was at and what she meant. Her eyes were glassy, probably from fever, and her skin was pink, but she didn’t seem to be upset or angry. And I didn’t think she was so delirious with fever that she’d forgotten her own name.

While I was pondering her statement, I went ahead and drew up some fever reducer for her too. Grabbing the items, I walked back over to the bed and sat beside her.

“You don’t like when we call you Allyson?”

“No. I-I don’t like whenyoucall me Allyson.”

“Oh? What would you like me to call you, baby?” I asked. I was a bit confused, but interested in hearing her answer.

“I thought I liked sweet baby the best, but I think I actually like Allybaby the mostest.”

Smiling, I lifted the medication to her mouth. I waited until she’d swallowed all of that one before giving her the other one. She shivered from the taste of the cold medicine and I lifted the sippy cup of water up to her mouth. She took several long sips before pulling back.

“So you like Allybaby the mostest.” I fucking adored Little speak and hers was the cutest.

She nodded. “Yas-huh.”

“I’ll try and remember that, okay?”

“Thank you.”

Tucking her back under the covers, I kissed her forehead. “Thank you for telling me what you wanted, Little one. I know that’s hard.”

She nodded. “Is really hard.”

I reached over and grabbed the thermometer before setting it back down on the stand.

“Oh nu,” she said, making me laugh. She was so damn cute.

“Can I take your temp the Daddy way?”

She sighed. “Can I has the candy from Mr. Elliot?”

“Yas, I’ll even let you have it while I take your temp if you’re very careful with it.” I said, trying not to jump for joy at the appearance of her Little side.

“Deal,” she said, holding her hand out for me to shake.

I shook it very seriously, not wanting her to feel like I was mocking her even if the urge to laugh was strong. I stood and grabbed the thermometer from the bathroom and a packet of petroleum jelly and tub of baby wipes from the cabinet. Opening the three items, I set them on the nightstand. Grabbing her sucker from the drawer, I set it on the bed before lifting her over my lap. I pulled the shorts she was wearing down under her. I handed her the opened candy. “No wiggling around, okay? I want you to be safe.”

“Yas-huh,” she said, nodding her head. She popped the sucker in her mouth and waited until she was settled before I dipped the thermometer in the jelly and pressed it into her bottom.

“Ump,” she grunted when it was fully inserted.

Patting her bottom, I sympathized with her. “Thank you for being a brave girl so I can take care of you properly.”

“Not welcome,” she answered.

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