“I think it looks great.”
“Hmm, but I don’t want you scared if it’s too dark.”
That was so sweet of him.
“I’ll leave the door open, Daddy,” she said, finding herself slipping into Little space.
“I’m sure I have something better, though.” He clicked his fingers. “I have an idea.”
When he returned, he held a plastic container with smiling pumpkin lights. That was unexpected. She raised her eyebrows.
“Kiesha,” he told her. “From the one time I let her decorate for Halloween.”
He climbed into the fort and she bent down to watch as he strung them up. Then he turned them on. “You’re not scared of smiling pumpkins, are you?”
He climbed back out.
“Surprisingly, that is one thing I’m not scared of.” She grinned at him. “Daddy, it looks great.”
“Good. Anything else you need?”
“Do you think you have anything that could be a steering wheel?”
“Steering wheel? Like a car?”
“Like the helm of a boat.”
He looked at her onesie. “Aye-aye, Captain Georgie.”
“Well, get to it then, Second Mate Daddy.”
“Hey, can’t I be first mate?”
“No way. That’s Squawkers' job.”
“Outdone by a parrot. Story of my life.”
“Time for lunch and a nap, Georgie-girl,” Ed called out. “Come on out.”
“Can’t come out, busy!” she said back.
“Finish what you’re doing and come out. You need to eat.”
“Daddy.” She popped her head out of the door of the fort that Ed had helped her build in the living room. It had taken her a while to relax enough to let her Little side come out, but Ed had been patient. Lying down in the fort with her, even making lots of silly noises when she’d decided the fort was actually a ship, exploring the seven seas. “I can’t come out. I’m Captain Georgie and with my First Mate, Squawkers, we’re searching for buried treasure.”
“The buried treasure will still be there after you nap.”
“Captains don’t take naps, Daddy!” It had become easier to call him Daddy as well. To the point now that she didn’t even think about it. Daddy just popped out of her mouth naturally.
“Well, Captain Georgie does. Because her Daddy says that she has to.”
“I don’t think Captains have to do what their Daddy’s say.”
“Captain Georgie does. Because her Daddy doesn’t want her getting sick. Which is what is going to happen if she doesn’t get enough sleep. And eat enough food.”
“But if I leave now, the pirates might find the buried treasure.” She pouted. “You don’t want the pirates to get the buried treasure, do you, Daddy?”
“That would be terrible,” he agreed. “But Daddy will keep an eye out for those pirates and I promise that if they appear that I will fight them off for you.”