by Pepper North
Penelope: Dr. Richards’ Littles 13
Pepper North
Edited by
Maggie Ryan
Text copyright ©2017 Pepper North
All Rights Reserved
Author’s Note:
The following story is completely fictional. The characters are all over the age of 18 and as adults choose to live their lives in an age play environment. This is a series of books that can be read in any order. You may, however, choose to read them sequentially to enjoy the characters best. Subsequent books will feature characters that appear in previous novels as well as new faces. Prepare to enter the new world of Dr. Richards’ Littles. Enjoy!
Dear Readers
Thank you for choosing to read a Dr. Richards’ Littles book. I began writing this series in 2017 and have enjoyed each Little’s story. Penelope’s novel is a very sweet story that I think you will enjoy reading and rereading. If this is your first Dr. Richards’ Littles book, I’m so glad you found this series. On the other hand, if this is your thirtieth (or more!) Pepper North book, I’m so glad that you found my books as well and thank you for continuing to read!
I love to hear from readers. Please connect with me to stay up with the latest news. My links are posted below along with the Littles’ League link to join my newsletter. A free short Littles story is featured in each newsletter and I’ll notify of each new release with a quick email alert.
Most important – keep reading! There are a lot of Littles out there who wish to tell their stories. Stay tuned!
Pepper North
Other titles by Pepper North
Zoey: Dr. Richards’ Littles 1
Amy: Dr. Richards’ Littles 2
Carrie: Dr. Richards’ Littles 3
Jake: Dr. Richards’ Littles 4
Angelina: Dr. Richards’ Littles 5
Brad: Dr. Richards’ Littles 6
The Digestive Health Center: Susan’s Story
Charlotte: Dr. Richards’ Littles 7
Sofia and Isabella: Dr. Richards’ Littles 8
Cecily: Dr. Richards’ Littles 9
Tony: Dr. Richards’ Littles 10
The Keepers: Payi
Abigail: Dr. Richards’ Littles 11
Madi: Dr. Richards’ Littles 12
Penelope: Dr. Richards’ Littles 13
Christmas with the Littles & Wendy: Dr. Richards’ Littles 14
Olivia: Dr. Richards’ Littles 15
Matty & Emma: Dr. Richards’ Littles 16
The Magic of Twelve: Violet
Fiona: Dr. Richards’ Littles 17
The Keepers: Pien
Oliver: Dr. Richards’ Littles 18
The Magic of Twelve: Marigold
Luna: Dr. Richards’ Littles 19
Lydia & Neil: Dr. Richards’ Littles 20
A Little Vacation South of the Border
The Magic of Twelve: Hazel
Roxy: Dr. Richards’ Littles 21
Dr. Richards’ Littles: First Anniversary Collection
Jillian: Dr. Richards’ Littles 22
The Magic of Twelve: Sienna
Hunter: Dr. Richards’ Littles 23
Sharing Shelby: A SANCTUM Novel
The Magic of Twelve: Pearl
Dr. Richards’ Littles: MM Collection
Electrostatic Bonds
Grace: Dr. Richards’ Littles 24
Looking After Lindy: A SANCTUM Novel
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Epilogue
Afterword
Excerpt From Brad: Dr. Richards’ Littles 6
Excerpt From Carrie: Dr. Richards’ Littles 3
Chapter 1
Jack O’Neil’s phone rang on his way home from the office. It was late, and his day had been complicated by the discovery that a clerk in the accounting department had been siphoning money from the company. Exhausted, he ran a hand over his face and looked quickly at his phone to see if he could ignore this call or if he needed to answer. He expected to see a call from the accounting supervisor at his company, but instead, he saw Dr. Matt Richards’ name appear. He accepted the phone call with curiosity.
“Matt, how’s my favorite orthopedic surgeon?” Jack asked with a smile. Dr. Richards had repaired a nasty femur break that resulted from a spectacular descent on a ski slope named the Devil’s Mistress. They’d formed a friendship that had included an introduction to Zoey, Dr. Richards’ Little girl. Jack had admitted that he and his partner, Dylan had been searching for a Little girl for several years.
“Hi, Jack. I’m sorry to bother you. I know it’s late,” Matt said with warmth.
“I don’t think it’s time for our monthly social with the Daddies in our group, is it? If so, let’s meet at a bar. I could use a drink this evening,” Jack said with a laugh.
“Been a tough day, huh?” Matt chuckled before getting serious. “I may make your day a little tougher. I have a patient who arrived at the hospital two days ago. She’s young – only twenty-five. She is also very sick. I’m treating her for a broken arm, but she’s a cancer patient as well.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, Matt, but I don’t see how I’m involved?” Jack responded baffled.
“She was brought in by a man whom she calls Daddy. Unfortunately, he’s not the kind of Daddy that she needs. He severed ties with her when he brought her into the emergency room. He just dropped her off. He didn’t even get out of the car. The nurses had to convince her to come in and let a doctor examine her obviously broken arm. She didn’t have any money to pay the bill. She was just going to walk away. All she has is a stuffed cat named Persimmon. No clothes, no insurance, no one to care about her, nothing.” Matt fell silent, and after a long pause, he continued, “She’s all alone. She’s sick. I believe that she was almost finished with her treatments, but all her progress will be in jeopardy if she doesn’t continue. I do know that without care, her survival chances are small.”
“What can I do? I’ll be glad to cover her hospital bills and treatment,” Jack said immediately. His remote demeanor gave people who didn’t know him well the impression that he was uncaring. Those close to him knew better.
“Thank you. That will be a good start to saving her,” Matt answered with relief.
“Why do I think there’s more?” Jack asked smirking.
“She’s a lost Little. She needs a Daddy. She needs both physical support and emotional support. I don’t think one Daddy would be enough. I immediately thought of you and Dylan. You’ve been looking for a Little for a long time. Will you come to meet her? She might be the right one for you both,” Matt asked with his fingers crossed. Jack and Dylan would be taking a big risk. They could become emotionally intertwined with this sick young woman, and there were no guarantees that she would make it. He thought of the small Little lost in the covers of the hospital bed. The cast on her right arm was almost larger than her body. Her color wasn’t good, but her spirits were decimated by the abandonment of her Daddy.
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br /> “I’m turning the car around. What room is she in?” Jack asked without hesitation.
“She's in room 623. Her name is Penelope. Thanks, Jack. I know it’s a long shot, but somehow I know you all are fated to be together,” Matt said with a smile. Maybe there was hope for the Little. He said a quick goodbye and headed to his nursery to look down on the sweet, sleeping face of his precious Little, Zoey. He couldn’t imagine life without her.
Chapter 2
Jack immediately asked his phone to call Dylan’s cell. As he listened to the rings, Jack knew already what Dylan’s response would be.
“Hey! When are you going to be home?” Dylan’s rough voice rasped over the line.
“I’m taking a detour, and I would like you to join me. I just got a call from Matt Richards. He has a patient in the hospital who needs help.” Jack recounted Penelope’s story. Just a few sentences in, he heard the rattle of keys and the beep of the alarm system being armed. Dylan was on his way to the hospital. The enormous personal trainer and professional bodybuilder had a heart as big as his biceps. “I’ll meet you in the lobby?” Jack asked Dylan.
“I’m going to try to beat you there,” was Dylan’s response.
A few minutes later, Jack walked into the lobby of the hospital and saw Dylan pacing restlessly. Their eyes met, and sparks flew like always. Jack wrapped his arms around Dylan and kissed him. The two had been together for several years. Their relationship was as solid as bedrock. But they knew something was missing.
“Well, I’m not sure what we are walking into, but at least we can help financially. I sure wish I knew who her former Daddy was. I’d like to meet him in a dark alley,” Jack said ominously.
“Only if I was there, too,” Dylan swore. “What Daddy could just abandon his Little?”
“Not the kind of Daddies that we know. Come on. Penelope is in room 623,” Jack said as he turned. The pair walked quickly to the elevator and ascended to the sixth floor. Following the directional signs, they wove through the warren of hospital hallways and found the correct room. They hesitated at the door before nodding at each other. Jack led the way into the room.
Penelope lay sleeping in her hospital bed. Her dark brown hair was cut short in a boyish cut. Her thick eyelashes rested on deeply shadowed eyes. They could barely see her chest moving as she slept. Dylan swore in a low voice. Penelope’s eyelashes fluttered and opened to reveal deep purple eyes.
“Hi! You don’t look like nurses. I’m glad. I really don’t like shots,” Penelope said pleasantly with a small smile. She knew she was in a dire situation, but her mother had always taught her to be nice and polite.
“Hi, Penelope,” Jack began in his gruff voice. “I’m Jack, and this is Dylan. We’re friends of Dr. Richards. He asked us to come to meet you. It looks like you could use a couple of friends, too.”
“Wow! Could I ever!” Penelope said with a big smile that disappeared quickly. “I’m probably not the friend you need. I’m pretty messed up.” She looked down at her broken arm and her eyes filled with tears.
“Sweetheart, don’t cry. Does your arm hurt?” Dylan immediately reached toward the call button to signal for some pain medicine.
Big tears welled from her eyes and rolled down her hollow cheeks. Penelope closed her eyes, and she hugged Persimmon to her thin body. “I’m okay. Thanks for visiting,” Penelope said in a fake positive voice.
Dylan walked over to a padded chair and pulled it next to her bed. He sat down and reached over the protective bed rail to put his hand on her uninjured left hand. He looked up at Jack in amazement as her fingers quickly linked with his. She held on to him desperately without opening her eyes. “I’m not visiting, Penelope. I’m here to stay as long as you’ll let me,” the big man said softly.
Pulling up a chair of his own, Jack patted their intertwined hands. “Count me in, too, Penelope. You just got two new friends,” Jack added. They watched Penelope nod slightly before she drifted off to sleep with tears drying on her cheeks.
Dylan leaned over to whisper to Jack. The Little still gripped his hand tightly. He wasn’t going anywhere. “Jack, go home and sleep. I think we should probably take turns staying with her. I can cancel my appointments tomorrow morning. Come relieve me after lunch, and I’ll head to the gym.” When Jack shook his head to say no, Dylan urged, “Go. You look exhausted. We’ll need our energy to help,” he said wisely.
The handsome man in the well-tailored business suit sat and watched Penelope breathe shallowly for several minutes before standing and kissing Dylan’s full lips. Dylan was not just his lover, but was his best friend as well, and Jack leaned on his shoulder for a long moment before slowly walking out of the hospital room. Dylan is right, he thought to himself as he tried to talk himself out of going back to spend time with Penelope. She needed someone with her all the time. They’d have to divide their time. He drove home and showered before sliding into bed between the luxurious sheets. Jack forced himself to clear his head and go to sleep.
Chapter 3
Hours later, Dylan awoke with the feeling that someone was watching him. He sat up from his slouching position in the now uncomfortable chair and looked immediately at the hospital bed. His eyes met the vivid purple eyes that had enchanted him last night. “Hi, Penelope. Did you sleep well?” He looked down to see her fingers still entwined with his.
“You’re still here?” Penelope said with amazement.
“Yes, Penelope. Jack and I plan on being here with you always. He’s at home sleeping, but he’d much rather be here. I’m the lucky one. I got to stay with you,” Dylan said with a wide smile. He watched her squirm in the hospital bed. “Do you need something, Penelope?”
She turned bright red and nodded. “I need to call the nurse, but I didn’t want to let go of your hand. I’m so silly,” she said looking down.
Dylan put a big finger under her chin and lifted it so that he could see her eyes. “I’m not going anywhere,” he said softly trying to convince her that he wouldn’t abandon her. “Now, do we need to call the nurse, or can I help you?” He’d met the nurse on duty when she had come in to check on Penelope and to administer additional pain medication and antibiotics in her IV.
“My cancer treatments have weakened my bladder. I wear diapers all the time now.” Penelope blushed and explained softly. “Just call the nurse, and she’ll come in to help.”
He stood, looking around the room finding a stack of adult diapers and a package of wipes. “I think everything we need is here. It will take the nurse a while to get here. Will you let me take care of you?” Dylan asked in his rough voice.
“Oh, you don’t have to do that. My Daddy was always grumpy about changing my diaper. I’m used to waiting. We can call the nurse,” Penelope reassured him.
Dylan’s anger at the other man who dared call himself a Daddy rose inside his chest. His face hardened and his fists clenched. He saw Penelope squeeze herself back against the pillows in fright. He forced his muscles to relax, and he tried to smile at her. “I’m sorry, Penelope. I’m not angry with you. Little girls deserve to be treated like princesses. I don’t understand your former Daddy’s behavior or actions. I just know that you deserve better.”
Penelope relaxed against the pillows. “Oh, I’m probably the worst Little in the world. He just got tired of taking care of me. It’s okay,” she said to reassure him.
“Look at me, little girl,” Dylan said seriously. When she met his eyes, he continued, “I don’t know who your former Daddy was, but he shouldn’t have ever been called a Daddy. A Daddy doesn’t get tired of taking care of his baby. That’s what Daddies are for – taking care of their Littles.” Dylan gathered a diaper and the wipes and moved to the bed. “Will you let me take care of you?”
At her small nod, Dylan lowered the rail and folded back the covers. He straightened her twisted hospital gown before lifting the bottom edge to expose her wet diaper. His eyes noted her hollow stomach and protruding hip bones. He tried to be as clinical
as possible, unfastening the tape at her hips and removing the soaked diaper. He wiped the stubble that shadowed the area between her thighs. She’d obviously been shaved at some point. More neglect, Dylan thought to himself. Dylan wiped her pink folds and lifted her slightly to wipe clean her buttocks before sliding a fresh diaper under her hips and fastening it into place. He lowered her hospital gown and pulled the covers back to her chin.
“Thank you, Dylan,” Penelope whispered before falling back to sleep.
How did she remember my name? he wondered as once again he sat down in his chair and watched her sleep. Dylan glanced at the clock in the room and pulled out his phone. He sent a quick message to Jack letting him know that she was okay and not to worry.
Chapter 4
At nine o’clock, a hospital worker came in and placed a tray of oatmeal, orange juice and coffee in front of Penelope, waking her up. She quickly said, “Oh, no. I didn’t order any breakfast. Could you take it away and make sure it doesn’t go on my bill?”
The hospital worker tried to explain that she wasn’t charged for breakfast. The hospital bill included her meals at no additional cost. He urged her to look at the menu and choose something that she would like to eat. He turned to Dylan with a bewildered look. “I hope you’re a family member. The nurses have just been ordering meals for this young lady trying to tempt her with some food. She doesn’t want to eat. Could you help me explain that she can eat without raising her hospital bill?”