Anna hadn’t expected papa to find her at all... Some mean boys were making fun of her and calling her names. While that wasn’t why she was crying, what happened next was. They ganged up on her and began to hit her anywhere they could before she literally threw on of the boys across the street in panic and bolted home.
Anna had no idea where her parents were, and frankly she didn’t want them to see her like this... She had been sitting next to grandma and Uncle Vivi’s gravestones to just vent without another living soul listening. This is where she usually ran off to if she was upset like this... Somewhere where her parents would never think to look.
She knew whose arm wrapped around her shoulder without even looking up. The hold was familiar, safe. Her tail instinctively reached out to wrap around his, seeking comfort as she leaned against papa and continued sobbing. His words were soft, filled with concern as he asked his little gem what was going on.
At first Anna didn’t say anything, but the eight year old climbed into his lap and sobbed into his chest, tail still wrapped around his.
“T-those boys are s-s-s-s-so mm-m-m-m-m-mean!”
She wailed as the tears continued to flow.
“T-they m-m-m-made fun o-o-o-of me, b-but that’s n-n-not why i’m s-sad. They... gang-g-g-ged up o-on me and h-h-hit me anywhere t-t-t-they could...I g-g-got away b-b-by thro-o-o-o-owing one of t-t-them across the st-t-treet and r-r-r-ran home... I... I’m s-s-s-scared they’ll come a-after me, papa! I d-d-dn’t mean to h-h-hurt him...”
