Mimi's Daddy Ch. 38: A Gold Chain

Mimi stood in front of the long mirror, amazed at the vision before her. She looked like an adorable doll. The dress was shaped to her with puffy transparent sleeves which provided just the right amount of poof. The short dress fell to several inches above her thighs. She'd had to tuck the slip under the crinoline so that it wouldn't show. The girlish socks showed off her plump legs, and she had chosen a white pair of Mary Jane's with thick soles.

"Can I look?" David asked.

"Yes." She held up the ears but was a little afraid to put them on her head.

"That's the one. You look like you just walked out of a storybook."

"One with a happy ending?"

"I hope so. I wish that for you." Dillon stood up. "Sit down at the dressing table and let me help you with the ears."

Mimi took her place on the padded pink seat and sat with her hands folded in her lap.

He tucked her curls this way and that until he settled the ears on her head. The headband fit comfortably. Dillon gave her shoulders a friendly pat. "You couldn't be any cuter."

Mimi lifted her hands and lightly touched the fluffy ears. "Do you think Adam would like it?"

"I do."

Mimi focused on her reflection.

"Do you love him?" Dillon asked.

"I do."

He adjusted her left fox ear, rotating it until it mirrored the other one. "Have you told him?"

She grimaced and sank into the chair. "No, not really."

"You should. Sometimes their family members can be too stubborn for their own good." He gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze. "If it helps your courage at all, Ann is convinced he loves you."

"But he is used to being around sophisticated people, people who know things." She gestured to the surrounding building. "Who do things!"

Standing behind her, he smiled at her in the mirror. "The whole point," he gestured to the building like she had. "Is exploring who you are, and what you like. What you want. You don't have to be one thing to be right for Adam. You just have to be yourself."

"And this is me?"

"Maybe for the moment. Only you know."

She felt adorable, and like she wanted to spin in circles or dance. "Can I have this one?"

"She said you could have them all if you wanted. If you choose to stay in our odd little family, this could be your room. If you get overwhelmed, or if you need some quiet or a place to play, come visit us here. You can repaint the walls, decorate, make this room your own."

"Dillon, do you have a room?"

"I have a whole summer camp. She built it for me."

Mimi toyed with the layers of ruffles. "Did she do that because you like it?"

"Yes, being outside is where my heart is most happy. My Lady tells me I can't help being a Boy Scout, so I shouldn't fight it."

One leg crossed over the other, the man looked refined. The idea of him tromping through the woods brought a smile to her face. People could be so surprising. "Do you earn merit badges?"

He laughed. "We do that sometimes. And we sell cookies and camp out. Because I like to work with horses, we've talked about adding a stable, but that would involve hiring more staff to manage the horses' care."

"I think I would like your summer camp."

"Then you should come and visit. Swim, do some arts and crafts, and play. We have regular retreat weekends. You should get Adam to come with you. Sometimes the man gets too serious and caught up in his head. He needs more fun in his life."

"I'm kind of fun." Mimi held out her skirt and swayed back and forth, watching the fabric move.

"You are indeed. Lady Ann thinks you are perfect for her nephew."

"But she has barely met me."

"In my experience with the woman, her instincts are very good."

Mimi did a full turn before the mirror. "Are you sure Adam would like this? It's not too silly?"

"I know he would find you adorable smiling like that. Get him to put work away and take time to play if you can. He grew up too fast and missed a lot of fun."

***

The whole drive home, Mimi thought about her time with Dillon and Ann. She might not fit into every dark part of Adam's world, but she could rock the rainbow glitter section. She had four dresses and matching adorable shoes in her back seat with promises to pick up more. Ann and Dillon had helped her understand she didn't have to like all of it.

Sharing who and how they were was enough. She was enough. Adam thought he didn't have any family besides Sarah who loved him. He did, and she was part of that family. Mimi was going to secret her surprises at the farmhouse and go talk to Adam's stubborn ass. She wasn't going to give up on family just because he had. They could use the divorce paperwork to start the first grill out at the farmhouse. Mimi was not signing the paperwork ever. She pressed a hand on her belly. They weren't signing it.

She pulled her car into the drive behind Adam's truck. "Let's see him run now." Ann and Dillon's open acceptance of her had made her brave. She squared her shoulders, ready to fight for her family.

Sarah's light shone underneath her door. The house was quiet. The kid must have her headphones in. In stockinged feet, Mimi eased Adam's bedroom door open. It was hard to imagine how hard his teen years had been. Work had been his only focus because he'd had to keep a roof over his family's head. He'd given up a lot for his family. She knew joy was hidden within him.

Quietly as she could, she undressed, laying her overalls on the desk. With only her socks on, she slid into the covers. He was turned to the wall, and he didn't move or say anything as she took her place in the bed. She snuggled close, turning him into a giant little spoon, and slid her arms around him. Adam was toasty warm, and she kissed the center of his back. "I love you, Adam." His body gave a tiny jerk, betraying that he had heard her. She spread her hand open on his heart. "You know that, don't you?"

His big hand came over hers and pressed her palm into his bare chest. Snuggled close, his pajama bottoms were worn softness over his solid thighs. Mimi pressed her face to the center of his back. "Would it be so bad if we tried having a real marriage?"

He twined his fingers in hers. "You want to stay?"

"With you?" She nodded against him, "Yes." Mimi brushed her face against his back. "This house I don't like so much. I will be grateful when we are in our own home up at the farm."

"Our home?"

"The farmhouse you bought us."

"You earned it. It is yours, not mine."

"Have I earned you?"

He rolled over toward her. His big hand cupped her cheek. "Your family is so loving, and mine is a mess. Why on earth would you want to be part of my crazy life?"

She shrugged, looking up into his face, dimly lit by the moonlight slipping through the blinds. "I guess you are worth it."

He sighed and sank deeper into the bed. Adam tugged her closer, and they lay together. She could hear his heartbeat through his chest.

Adam kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Mimi."

She smiled. "I know." His arms tightened around her.

***

Saturday, Adam had sent her on to her folks alone. The twins, Sarah, and she were having a rowdy game of hearts. Sarah picked up a card and threw it at Jim.

"Sore loser," Jim said, grinning. Her Dad was comfy in his big chair, feet kicked up with a book in his hands when Adam arrived at the screen door with a box full of cheeping. Her husband's giant grin made Mimi laugh.

"Finally," Mimi said, getting up to let him in. "I was about to send out a search party. What on earth do you have?"

Adam lifted the box out of her reach, eyes alight with mischief. "Not for you, Cupcake. These are for your folks."

He strode across the living room and placed the box in her father's lap. "Here are the chickens your wife asked for. I'm working on the goats."

Her dad's sunburned face cracked into a smile. "Wilson's Hatchery is an excellent company."

"I peeked inside to make sure they all made it."

When her father opened the box, the chirping got louder. Mimi looked in at the assorted mix of tiny chicks.

"I ordered an assortment. I wasn't sure what your family would want."

Her pa looked pleasantly surprised. "Ma is going to be so happy. She's been trying to get me to order chicks." He shook his head. "Guess she knew what she was doing when she set the brooder up." He winked at Mimi. "Did you know about this?"

Mimi raised her hands. "Not at all."

Her pa reached in and touched the head of a tiny fluffy chick. "Noah is going to have fun figuring out what each of these are." He nodded to Adam. "Thank you, son. You saved me hours of listening to my wife talk about the various kinds of chickens she might like to raise."

Adam crossed his arms happily. "Want to give me any kind of idea what type of goats I should be looking for."

"Well, it might be nice to add some genetic diversity to the girls. We can talk Nubians."

Mimi placed her hand on Adam's arm and kissed his shoulder. Her Mom and Noah were out at the fish pond, feeding them. Her little brother loved doing that, and it was often his favorite part of the day. She left the men discussing goats and stepped down the steps to the backyard. Warm sun on her face, she felt hope bloom open in her heart. Her Dad had called him son. He was stuck now, one of them.

***

Adam walked into his aunt's grand house. There was a line of cars outside parked along the drive. Mimi had said that she was coming into the city early. He had seen her car out front. Adam hadn't wanted her to face his aunt's friends without him. When he'd stopped to change, he'd rushed to get ready before he drove into the city. Music was playing, lovely acoustic guitar, and he could hear voices. He handed Dillon his coat.

"I'm glad you are here."

"Where is Mimi?

"In the living room with friends."

Dillon was a good guy. Something about him relaxed his aunt and quieted her. She smiled so much more now that he was in her life. He was dressed in leather pants and his chest was bare. Leather cuffs on his wrists and an elegant black collar completed his look.

"And Adam. Mimi is a good woman. Don't let her go."

Adam smiled at his elegant uncle. The man had never given him bad advice. "Her quality has never been in question."

Dillon nodded. "Neither has yours."

His words touched him. "Has she been doing okay?" Her laughter rang out from the other room.

Dillon tilted his head. "Yeah, I think so." He gestured toward the living room and went to put away Adam's coat. "Go look for yourself."

Mimi took his breath away. His wife was sunshine shining in the subdued, elegant room. Adorable barely touched her as a description. She sat on the edge of her chair, animatedly discussing earrings with a woman who knelt on the floor. She wore a confection of lavender and lace, and fluffy fox ears peeked from her curls. An anime storybook princess. He cleared his throat and her blue eyes locked on him. She touched her sternum and dampened her lips.

Around her lovely throat was the slim leather collar he had placed on her when they went to the dungeon. That night he'd wanted it to be clear to anyone who saw her that she was his. He had hidden the leather in his drawer and not looked at it since she'd handed it back to him. A delicate gold chain fell from the leather. The length unfurled in her opening palm as she lifted her hand toward him, offering the lead.

His focus dilated to just her. There was no one else in the room. He stepped toward her. "Are you sure?"

She gave a pretty shrug. "I'm yours."

His throat tightened. He wanted nothing more. She beamed up at him as he lifted the delicate lead from her hands.

"It is real gold. A wedding gift from Ann."

He looked at his graceful aunt, and she nodded.

Struggling to find a voice, he said, "Thank you."

Mimi slid from the chair to sit on the floor, next to the person she had been talking to. This woman, his cupcake, offered him her seat. He looked down at her on her knees, sitting prettily on her heels in layers of lavender, and his body thrummed with heat and pride. His girl. His cock ached, thickening. Willing to step into this part of his life, he sat down, letting the delicate chain slide through his fingers, toying with it.

Ann brought her hands together. "Now that we are all here, how about some cocktails?"

Mimi shifted closer to his chair and the side of her body touched the outside of his calf. He slid the jewelry-like leash loop onto his wrist. As if nothing unusual was happening, Mimi flowed right back into her conversation with the woman next to her.

The brunette leaned closer, clothed in the somber black that was a constant in the room. "We have been thinking about a dog, but we don't want to train them. Maybe a small one."

Mimi wiggled. "Oh, I might have just the right fit. She is still grieving, but a group of puppies has brought her back to life. She is a grown little lady, very petite, and rarely barks." Mimi reached for her phone before she remembered she didn't have it. She looked up at Adam and he handed her his phone.

When Mimi continued as if the room they were in was just a country living room and burgers were on the grill, he allowed himself to relax. Adam took a deep breath and let his shoulders loosen. The woman leaned closer as Mimi scrolled through the dating site for her rescues. She turned the screen toward the woman and her sir. "Her name is Tiny."

"Oh my gosh, she is so cute." The woman tugged on her Sir's pant leg. "Sir, can we go meet her?"

He leaned forward, looking at the tiny dog. "That creature could fit in my pocket." His accent was European and musical.

The woman beamed up at her dominant. "I know, sir, isn't she awesome? Can we go see her on Monday?"

"You can. I have more meetings scheduled than I wish to have already." He stroked the back of her head. "Go meet her."

Mimi swayed, excited. "I have the perfect spot where you can sit with her. Or you could take her on a walk. She likes walks now."

"What happened to her?"

"Her person died, and she was left alone."

With her hand wrapped around her sir's ankle, the woman pleaded, "Sir."

He nodded. "Go see the rat-sized dog on Monday. If you like her, begin the paperwork."

Mimi was going to make sure everyone in the room adopted something fluffy before the night was over. He touched the edge of her fox ear and her beautiful face turned trustingly toward him. His collar around her neck was so distracting that when he was offered a glass of Champagne, Dillon had to say his name. Feeling sheepish, he claimed two glasses.

Mimi's nose wiggled like a bunny's as she sniffed the bubbles.

He encouraged her. "Go on. My Aunt has amazing taste. Just one sip, though."

Aunt Ann beamed. "I would say that good taste runs in the family." Mimi clinked her glass with her new friend, oblivious to the compliment. She made friends everywhere she went. He envied her that magic. After taking a hamster-sized sip, his good girl placed her glass on the end table. Adam took a sip and crisp, fresh sweetness burst across his tongue. He lifted his glass to his aunt, and she lifted hers to him.