Learning to Be Little Again by Meredith O'Reilly Read Free Book Online

you please sit down on the ground with your back pressed up against the couch so I can show you that with patience, this hairbrush can get all the tangles out of your hair?” I asked and held my hand out for her hairbrush.
    “Fine, but I’m warning you, you’re going to be proven wrong,” she said, handing me the brush.
    “We’ll see,” I said as she sat down on the ground in between my legs and I began to slowly brush her hair. Juliana was right; her curly hair did have plenty of tangles in it. But, like I told her, with patience I would get them all out.
    At first, she sat up straight and I could tell by the angle of her head she wasn’t watching TV. But within ten minutes, she had her head leaning against one of my knees and I knew she was watching it.
    A few minutes later, her right thumb popped into her mouth. I couldn’t help the smile that crossed my face. I knew that watching the children’s program would coax her little side out, and I doubted she knew she was sucking her thumb right now. It made me happy that she felt comfortable enough to allow me to see her like this. It showed me just how much she needed to act like a little girl, even if she wanted to deny it.
    I finished getting all the tangles out of her hair within half an hour. But I kept brushing her hair because I was sure it felt pleasant to her and I wanted her to relax and get used to my touch.
    After another five minutes, I knew she was sound asleep. Her breathing evened out when the third episode of Dragon Tales began, and so I just sat there, still brushing her long, curly locks and wondering how someone could harm someone so innocent and beautiful. I’d told Juliana the truth tonight—that if Boyle ever showed his face around here again, he would have to answer to me.
    Even though we had only been on one date, I cared for Juliana greatly. I knew that it was going to take some time to convince her that I would never hurt her, but she was worth it. Putting the hairbrush down, I thought about how I could show her that being my little girl was a good thing. It was going to be a hard task to do, but I knew I was up to the challenge.
    Before I knew it, two hours had passed. Sadly, I had to go and that meant that I would have to wake Juliana up. I leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Baby girl, you have to wake up now. It’s time for me to go.”
    She jumped a little and then looked up at me with sleepy eyes. “W-what?” she asked, rubbing her eyes with her two little fists. She looked absolutely adorable.
    “It’s about ten. I have an early morning tomorrow, and you need to get your sleep.”
    “Did I fall asleep?” she asked, scrunching her eyebrows together as she tried to think about it.
    “Yes. After the third episode of Dragon Tales, you fell asleep against my knee. By the way, I got all of the tangles out of your hair.”
    She ran her fingers through her curls and looked surprised that I was telling the truth. Then she looked up at me with sad eyes and said, “I’m so sorry! I wrecked this entire night.”
    Wrecked this night? Doesn’t she know that she made my night? “No, you didn’t. You looked so cute when you were sleeping. Besides, I can say as a doctor that the prescription to fix those dark circles under your eyes is lots of and lots of sleep.”
    “But—” she began, but I cut her off.
    “No buts. It was a perfect night. I wouldn’t have changed a single thing.”
    “Okay,” she said, getting up and walking toward the door.
    I slowly followed, not wanting to leave yet even though I had to.
    “Thank you for a wonderful night,” she said, opening the door.
    “You’re welcome. Thank you too.”
    “You’re welcome.”
    We stood there, like two fools. I didn’t want to leave and I could tell that she didn’t want me to leave yet either. So I decided now was as good a time as any to follow my instincts. I gently grabbed her face in my hands and brought my lips down to hers. Her lips were so soft. She