Palmer’s heart beat wildly in her chest.
“Now, the people in the evil town always said that cobblestone road was full of big scary monsters! Monsters that would eat a pretty princess right up!”
Palmer pulled her arms from under the blanket and covered her baby’s ears—just in case the story was too scary for her.
“Princess Palmer was so frightened her legs shook and sweat stuck to her skin, but she knew a better life waited at the end of the scary cobblestone road. So Princess Palmer walked down the dark road, she ran past all the scary trolls, she dodged all the skeeterskotters, and she made it to the very end of the road.”
“Did she find a better town, Daddy?”
Beau smiled, his eyes gentle. “She did. She found a wonderful ranch full of people who loved and cared for the princess. And Palmer learned a very important lesson that day. She learned that being brave doesn’t mean you aren’t scared. It means you do the hard thing even when you are.”
Palmer’s eyes were too heavy to stay open any longer, but that was okay. Beau had finished the story and Palmer could sleep easy knowing Princess Palmer was safe and loved.
Chapter Thirteen
The next morning, Beau held Palmer’s hand as they walked down the hall toward the preschool department. Beau tried to keep up a happy stream of conversation, pointing out colorful posters and familiar faces, but he could tell Palmer was so nervous that nothing he said was breaching the wall of anxiety she was dealing with.
He slowed their pace and gently pulled her to the side of the hallway. His heart clenched at the sight of her trembling little body. Not wanting her to think he was upset with her, he knelt down and cupped her cheeks in his hands.
“Hey,” he soothed, his brow furrowed in concern.
Tears filled her eyes and rolled down onto his fingers.
“I-I’m sorry, Daddy. I’m not trying to be b-bad,” she cried.
Beau hated that fucking word, almost as much as he hated the people who’d planted it in her pretty heart.
“You don’t need to be sorry, pretty baby,” Beau said gently, pressing his palm softly against her chest. “It’s okay to be scared. Daddy will never be upset with you for having feelings. That doesn’t make you bad, do you know what it makes you?”
“N-No, Sir.”
“It makes you human, pretty baby.”
Her voice wavered as she asked, “W-will you stay with me for a few minutes?”
“Of course I will, baby,” Beau said, pulling her close. “I won’t leave you when you’re scared. Not at preschool. Not anywhere.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face against his neck. Hot tears rolled onto his skin making him feel fiercely protective.
“Good morning, Palmer,” Miss Samantha said, appearing from inside the Butterfly Room. “I saw you were having a bit of a hard morning.”
Palmer pulled back and wiped her cheeks with the backs of her hands before nodding.
Miss Samantha knelt so she was eye-level with Palmer. “That’s okay. You’re being so brave just by trying. New things can be hard,” she said gently.
“I’m t-trying to be brave.” Palmer sniffled.
Beau squeezed her hand lightly. “You are being so brave. Remember, feeling scared doesn’t mean you’re not brave.”
Palmer nodded. “L-like Princess Palmer.”
Smiling, Beau nodded. “Just like Princess Palmer.”
“Did you know today was National Apple Pie Day?” Miss Samantha asked trying to distract the distraught Little girl.
Palmer shook her head.
“Well, it is!” Miss Samantha said in a sing-song voice. “And you picked the perfect day to start preschool. We’re going to be making no-bake mini apple pies with Chef Connor today!”