Authors Note: A small section of this story contains some harsher elements of the Daddy-Dom and little girl relationship. Some readers may find it not to their liking so I am leaving this small warning. For regular readers of Calliope's story, I hope you enjoy. ~ellie
Over the following few weeks, Calliope continued her training and got to know Padraic's routine well. On Monday nights, they had people over for dinner. Bea and Jesse and Jamie came every second week and in between they invited someone else from the family. Tuesday to Thursday was all work with training followed by relaxing evenings on their own. Fridays were cleaning days and in Calliope's mind ass-fucking days, while it was never as bad as that first time, Callie still didn't quite love it the way Padraic did. Saturdays were shopping days, and Calliope looked forward to these as Padraic loved to spoil her, she could ask for the things she wanted or needed and he would then take her somewhere nice for lunch. At the moment Sundays were their day to relax, they had no routine. They preferred to just hang out and play but he had told her that they might occasionally go to Sunday School with the rest of the family in the future.
The thought of the playroom still weighed on Calliope, especially after one Monday night dinner with Uncle Odin and Sarah, at which Sarah took great delight in telling her all about Shelly and how in love Padraic had been with her. Calliope had tried to ask Bea about it but couldn't form the words she wanted to say, so she sighed and gave up. She finally asked Jamie one night in a brief moment they had been left alone together as Padraic and Bea looked at something on his computer. Jamie had been tight-lipped except to say that she shouldn't listen to anything Sarah says because she was a brat.
Calliope didn't want a room in the house that belonged to another little girl that Padraic loved. The thought of sharing him bothered her a lot. Padraic always instilled in her the need to tell him what she was thinking, claiming that he wasn't a mind reader, but she didn't know what to say or how to say it. So eventually she decided to put it in her journal, and she drew a plan of the house labelling each room. In the place of the word playroom though, she had labelled it Shelly's room. It wasn't that she wanted to be in there particularly but like her own room she would like it changed so that the ghost of Shelly didn't haunt her thoughts when she saw the closed door. Finally, in very neat writing she captioned the picture.
"In Daddy's house there are two little girl's; one is me; the other is a ghost called Shelly who has her own room. I don't like it."
Padraic said nothing when he saw it but that night when he had put Calliope in the bath he called Bea to ask her if she had told Calliope about Shelly. She in turn recounted Jamie's story and Padraic smiled into the phone, "He really is becoming such a nice young man."
"Yes, he is. I know you don't like to dwell on it but maybe it's time you told Calliope the whole story?" Bea suggested with some concern. "I mean Sarah is not the only little brat in our family. She is bound to hear things when you start coming to Sunday school again. Best she hears the truth from you, rather than dwelling on half-truth and rumour."
"Yeah, I guess," Padraic grimaced. "Seems the playroom needs an overhaul too, she thinks that it is Shelly's room, and that's why I won't let her play there."
"Is she right?" Bea said without accusation, but more to point out that it could be true.
"No!" Padraic was aghast, but he considered not for the first time if that was why he had not wanted to play with Calliope in there. "I am thinking of turning it into a different type of playroom, not so school like."
"Probably a good idea, let me know if you need a hand," Bea laughed knowing he never would. The man was so particular about the things in his life he would never trust anyone with redecorating the room.
Padraic hung up after ending the call and finished making dinner for them before getting Calliope out of the bath and dressing her in her pajamas. They ate dinner out on the back deck watching the summer storm brew and head towards them. As usual she took their plates to clean up the kitchen and once again marvelled at how little mess he left for her to deal with.
Busy loading the dishwasher she didn't hear him come into the kitchen until he murmured softly, "We better have a talk about this," he placed her journal on the bench.
She closed the dishwasher and immediately her hand went to twirl a stray ringlet of hair as she turned to face him worried that she was in trouble. Rather than being upset Padraic face showed concern, and she relaxed slightly.
"Come, baby," he held out his hand to her and taking it she let him lead her into the lounge room. They sat on a large cushioned sofa facing each other, and Padraic leaned forward to kiss her lightly. "You couldn't just tell me what Sarah said? It obviously bothered you," he said gently tilting her face up to his so he could read her eyes. Calliope shook her head slightly still not quite having the words to ask what she needed to know.
"So you wrote this message in your journal for me," Padraic stated the obvious and she nodded. "Would it be enough for me to assure you that Shelly is no longer part of my life and that I do not care for her the way I once did?"
Calliope frowned, she wasn't sure if it would be enough. Thoughts of the ghost that was Shelly haunted her now, and she needed to know more. More about who she was, what she was like and the type of relationship they had. She closed her eyes and wondered if she really wanted to know it all. Would knowing that she was gone for good be enough?
"You are special Callie. You are different from any other little girl I have ever known, and you are perfect for me. Shelly pales in comparison, but I guess I let her memory live in that room and so I will change it, to make it your playroom, but the rules in there will still apply." He looked into her eyes and saw her smile slightly. "In that room, when it is yours, you will do exactly as I say, the moment I say it, even if you don't like it, or it hurts, or you are scared. In there you are only to trust and obey, you understand?"
"Yes, Paddy," she said sincerely. Now that the conversation had started she was reluctant to let it go so easily, and she asked the one question that she needed an answer to. "Sarah said you were madly in love with Shelly and that you never got over her..." she gulped at a strange look that flittered over Padraic's face. "I mean if, she came back... I um," her voice faded as struggled to find the words she needed yet again.