That’s a relief. At least I haven’t broken her.
Dankin stands. “Let’s get her exam done so the two of you can head home.”
I rise, still supporting her back without necessity, and bend to lower her to the end of the table.
She whimpers and won’t let go.
I don’t want to pry her off me because I’m worried about hurting her with my strength.
Dankin steps up to help me out. He sets a hand on Janelle’s head. “I need to examine you, Little one. You won’t have clearance to head home until I sign off on your departure.”
She eases her arms back but continues to grip my shoulders.
“How about if your Papi holds your hand the entire time? He can stand right next to you while I do my exam.”
She sniffles. “Okay.”
I inhale deeply, relieved.
She grabs my hand and grips it with more strength than I knew she was capable of.
Dankin tips her head back. “I’m going to look in your eyes, nose, ears, and mouth first. Just like doctors on Earth do. How’s that?”
“Okay,” she whispers.
I haven’t spoken to her about reverence toward other males. I reach up to stroke her cheek. “I expect you to speak respectfully to the doctor, Little one. Don’t just mumble and nod. Address him as Sir, understood?”
She swallows. “Yes, Papi.”
“Shall we get started?” Dankin asks her.
“Yes, Sir,” she murmurs.
My heart lurches. She’s so accepting of what’s expected of her. I’m wondering if the bottom is going to fall out any minute. I keep throwing more and more expectations at her. I worry one of these times she’s going to rebel and tell me to fuck off. It won’t end well for her, but I keep worrying it’s coming.
She sits still while Dankin begins his exam. He grabs his stethoscope next. “I’m going to listen to your heart now, Little one. Can you sit up tall for me? Hands at your sides.”
She’s still gripping mine, but she does as she’s told. It doesn’t seem to bother her too much that her chest is bare. I’ve heard horror stories about Little girls having tantrums over being exposed to the doctor. Often Dankin is the first person who’s seen a Little since she was claimed by her Papi. Even though every Papi has carried his Little onto the pod, down the halls of the starship, and into the intake room, Littles have a tendencyto burrow into their Papis, and they usually have a blanket over them.
I didn’t offer Janelle the luxury of being permitted to enter the ship with her full modesty intact. She didn’t make a fuss about it. She did remain plastered to my side, but I don’t think that had anything to do with hiding her body.
Dankin listens to her heart and sets the stethoscope aside. “She’s underweight,” he comments.
I nod. “She hasn’t had good nutrition for a long time.”
“Ah, well, she’ll be in full perfect health by the time you arrive on Eleadia. Keep her tummy full and she will hardly recognize herself.”
I agree with him. She’s going to be stunned at the difference. After asking her a lot of questions about her childhood, leading all the way up to the present, I realize she’s never had very good nutrition. Her mother couldn’t afford it, and frankly the human female sounds like she didn’t make sound decisions when it came to either herself or Janelle.
I’m sad for the life my Little girl has led thus far, but it was a blip on the radar compared to the centuries that stretch out in front of her. Decades from now, she will hardly remember her first twenty-four years.
“Help her lie back for me,” Dankin tells me as he pulls over a tray.
I lower my girl onto her back and lift her hands over her head, saying nothing as I secure her wrists to the end of the table.
“Papi?” She squirms, her heart rate increasing, as I knew it would.
I keep my palm over her combined hands. “I’ll be right beside you the entire time. The doctor needs your hands out of the way while he examines you.”
