Happy Words

"Hey Katie, would you like to talk? I know your daddy would love to hear you say hello, we all would."

Katie nodded.

Nick watched her, wondering if she would do what he was going to suggest. He waited until they had finished their breakfast, and then he reached out and pulled her up onto his knee, he put his mouth close to her ear.

"If we whisper, that bad man won't know. You can whisper in our ears, and you can tell daddy that you love him, we can tell you that we love you, think you can do that?"

Katie pulled herself up to kneel on Nick's knee, she wrapped her arms around his neck, and she kissed his cheek, and in his ear a tiny, barely their voice.

"Hello."

Nick hugged her and whispered back to her, "Hello, Katie."

Nick felt overwhelming relief that she had at last spoken, ok, so it was a whisper she must have been so desperate to say something. Now it would be easier for her, now the dam had been broken, and the tiny trickle of wo