Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 44495 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 222(@200wpm)___ 178(@250wpm)___ 148(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44495 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 222(@200wpm)___ 178(@250wpm)___ 148(@300wpm)
Papi doesn’t tell me more as he settles me in my stroller and pushes me out the front door.
I hope we’re not going to the doctor. I don’t really feel like being so intensely examined again today. He didn’t mention me going to the clinic again so soon, but anything is possible. He’s been mysterious.
He walks a few blocks and stops at someone else’s home.
“Where are we?” I ask as he lifts me out of the stroller at the front door.
He settles me on his hip again and knocks. “This is Ekert’s house. He’s the jeweler I told you about.”
The jeweler… Is Papi intending to get my nipples pierced today? I shouldn’t be surprised. He said after two weeks. It’s just that he hasn’t mentioned it much since we arrived on Eleadia.
The door opens, and a man with a broad friendly smile opens it wide to let us in. “Hey, Kalbrac. So good to see you.” He chucks under my chin. “You must be Clara.”
“Yes, Sir,” I whisper. I’m a bit panicked because I know what’s going to happen here, and Papi didn’t give me any warning. It’s probably for the best. He didn’t want me to freak out and worry.
A blond girl comes racing toward us from across the room. “You’re here!” she shouts in greeting.
Ekert stops her right before she reaches us by sweeping out a hand and scooping her off the floor. He plasters her to his front so she’s dangling. “What have I said about running in the house, Sophie?”
“Sorry, Papi. I was excited to meet Clara.”
She knows my name. I didn’t know hers until just now, but I assume she’s Ekert’s Little girl.
“Can you be excited without risking your neck and giving me a heart attack?”
“Yes, Sir. I’m sorry.”
The only other Littles I’ve seen so far since I arrived two weeks ago were others in the waiting room at the clinic, and we passed a few playing in the park when we walked by. I’m fascinated by the fact that Sophie seems to have the same banter with her Papi as I have with mine.
When he sets her down and turns her to face me, I get my first good look at her breasts. I’m pretty sure the stones hanging from her nipples are diamonds. They sparkle brilliantly. They take my breath away, partly because they’re so gorgeous but also because I’m a bit freaked out by the thought of having something like that dangling from my titties.
Papi squats down in front of Sophie, putting me at eye level with her. “Clara, this is Sophie. Sophie, Clara.”
Sophie gives me a small wave and a grin. “Hi. Nice to meet you.”
Ekert reaches his hand over her shoulder and flattens his palm between her breasts. “Sophie is a great help to me with the jewelry. She picked out the prettiest stones for you.”
My breath hitches. Sophie works? I smile at her. “Nice to meet you, too.”
She tips her head back to meet Ekert’s gaze. “Can I show them to her, Papi?”
“Yes, Little one.” He nods toward a door at his side. “Come on into the shop.”
Papi rises and carries me through the door. I’m shocked to see that it looks just like any jewelry shop on Earth. The only difference is I think there are far more stones here than I’ve ever seen. They’re organized by color in different display cases around the room.
Sophie skips over to one that’s open.
When we reach her side and I peer into the case, I gasp. It’s filled with the most brilliant red stones I’ve ever seen. I knew Papi wanted to get me red hessonite stones, but I’ve never seen them before, so I didn’t realize what a deep red they would be or how stunning.
Two of the stones are mounted on gold hoops, and Sophie carefully picks them up by the hoops and holds them higher. “They’re a perfect set. I examined them myself. Aren’t they pretty?”
“Amazing,” I manage to whisper before looking at her. “You picked them out? Do you work with your Papi?”
She shrugs. “I don’t work a lot of hours or anything. I just do the fun parts. I help choose the stones.”
Ekert stands behind her, beaming with pride. “Sophie has an amazing eye for the intricate facets of stones. I’ve never known anyone like her before. I’m sure Fate knew what she was doing when she put Sophie in my path.”
I turn my face to look at my Papi. “Do you think I could work with you, Papi? Maybe it’s like them and it’s not a coincidence that we met and we’re in similar professions.”
He smiles and pats my bottom. “I agree that it wasn’t likely a coincidence, and I’m not sure yet what you can do to assist me, but we’ll figure something out if you really want to help Papi.”