A Little Training by Abbie Adams Page B

eating. But, instead I was sad and confused about wanting to stay with
him, on his lap. I don’t know how long I lay there before the doorbell rang.
    Uncle
Matt came to answer the door and Daddy came out of his office. I scooted to the
end of the couch where whoever was at the door couldn’t see me. But, when Uncle
Matt started to welcome the visitor in, I jumped up and ran down the hall to my
room. Daddy called for me to come back, but I didn’t want to. I was naked. I
stopped in the hall and came back to the end, just shy of where they could see
me.
    Uncle
Matt came then. “ Alivia , go to Daddy.” He pushed me
out of my hiding spot into Daddy’s line of vision.
    “ Livvy . Come here now.” He pointed to the floor just in
front of him. He was sitting in his chair between the two couches. The guests
were a man and a woman seated on the couch closest to the office or front door,
but I didn’t look at them. I looked at the floor and tried to cover myself as I
walked to him. I didn’t want to make him angry. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind
that he would just spank me in front of the company.
    When
I got to him he turned me around and pulled me backwards onto his lap and spoke
against my cheek. “Honey, this is my friend Dr. Ross and his little girl, Ellie.
Can you say hello?”
    I
turned to him and spoke through my clenched teeth. “I can’t say hi when I don’t
have clothes on.”
    “Yes,
you can because they don’t care. Now, be polite because this is Ellie’s first
time visiting with other little girls.”
    I
finally looked at them as it sunk in that Daddy had said she was a little girl.
She was sitting right next to the man, tucked into his side. She looked a
little shy too but they had both laughed at me when I had spoken to Daddy. She
was quite a bit taller than me but had the same skinny fame. She had a cute
blue sundress on and a ponytail at the side of her head by her shoulder.
    “Nice
to meet you,” I finally gave in as Sara, Caity and Erin were ushered in and sat
shyly on the couch across from the Ellie and Dr. Ross. It was obvious not one
of them wanted to be introduced to company either, but in turn, each of them was.
    I
was very curious about Ellie. I wanted so badly to be left alone with her to
ask if she was in a program like ours before she got her Daddy. I thought I was
going to get my wish because Daddy said the girls could take Ellie to color if
they were going to be good girls. But, when I tried to shimmy away with them Daddy
told me that Dr. Ross was going to see me, and take care of my tummy ache.
    The
Doctor stood with a very genuine smile and held his hand out to me. But, I felt
as though I were going to be fed to a wolf. When I seemed hesitant Daddy picked
me up as he stood and carried me to the exam room. Uncle Tommy was waiting in
there. I didn’t know what was going to happen but I was shaking for some reason
and started to cry right away.
    “I
feel fine now… I don’t need the doctor…”
    I
had very bad feelings about the whole exam room, the bright lights and the
three men. I had my arms wrapped around Daddy’s neck, my legs around his waist
and I was not letting go.
    Daddy
easily pulled my arms from around his neck. “ Alivia ,
that is enough. Be a good girl for the doctor. He is here to help you feel
better.”
    Uncle
Tommy must have pulled me from behind. I don’t know, but one minute I was still
holding onto Daddy and then they were setting me on the table. Daddy stepped to
the back keeping a hand on my arm and Dr. Ross came toward me. Uncle Tommy was
still there but I don’t know what he was doing.
    “Ok,
honey, why are you afraid of me?” Dr. Ross tapped nose and then patted my head.
I brushed away from him and tried to shimmy closer to Daddy. “Have you always
been afraid of Doctors?” he left his hand on my foot. I pulled it back farther
out of his reach.
    There
wasn’t anything scary about him. He seemed like a nice guy and as I write this
I think he was