2011

With the first arc wrapped up I'll be taking a little break with Trapped In Babyland. In the meantime I want to hear from you. Leave a comment about what you might want to see in future parts or leave a critique where you think some areas might need work but remember to keep it polite. Part Fifteen: The Return and the Confrontation Morning light filtered through the small holes in the nursery roof, now plugged with swollen diapers that had done their job through the night. Raven stirred first, the thick nighttime diaper squishing heavily beneath her as she sat up on the stone bench. Mira was already awake, folding the blanket they had shared. “Morning, Raven,” Mira said softly, offering a small smile. “The storm’s passed. We should head back after breakfast and a change. The others will be worried.” Raven rubbed her eyes, the lavender romper rumpled and the bulky padding between her legs a constant, humiliating reminder. “Yeah… fine. But I’m not exactly thrilled about it.” They moved to the magical changing table once more. As soon as each of them lay down, the soft glow activated. Warm wipes, powder, and fresh diapers handled everything automatically — gentle, efficient, and strangely comforting in the quiet ruins. When they were both clean and taped into thick daytime diapers with rainbow stars, Mira reached into her satchel and pulled out the last of their snacks: a few soft cookies and two small bottles of milk they had saved. They ate in silence on the bench, the stuffed bear and lamb sitting between them like quiet witnesses to the night. Mira finished her bottle first. “I’m ready to go back. Pamperton may feel babyish to you, but it’s home for me now. Safety. Sisters. No more wondering if I’ll be alone.” She looked at Raven gently. “You don’t have to feel the same. Not yet.” Raven said nothing for a long moment. Then she stood, walked over to the corner where Daphne’s diary still lay, and picked it up. She brushed dust from the cover and tucked it carefully under her arm. “I’m taking this. Maybe there’s something in here — some clue about the fairy, the magic book, a way out. I’m not giving up.” Mira nodded without argument. “I understand. Let’s go.” They left the ruined nursery together, the gradual shift in atmosphere beginning almost immediately. The overcast sky lightened, the vines grew thinner, and the distant pastel glow of Pamperton slowly brightened on the horizon. Raven’s steps were reluctant, her thick diaper forcing the familiar waddle, but she kept moving. As the castle towers finally came into view — pink and blue spires topped with giant pacifier shapes — a shimmer of light appeared on the path ahead. A small, ethereal figure materialized: pink hair floating gently, sparkling skin, frilly pastel dress, and a glowing magic book tucked under one arm. Raven stopped short, frowning. The face looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t place it. The fairy girl tilted her head, a mischievous smile spreading across her lips. Her voice was light and teasing, exactly the same as the one Raven had heard in the park. “Well, well… look at you, Pamperton’s latest arrival. You look so much better in a diaper and pretty romper than those old black clothes, don’t you think?” Raven’s eyes widened in recognition. The voice. That exact playful lilt. The twinkling book. It all clicked. “You,” she snarled, fists clenching at her sides. “You’re the one who did this to me! You ruined my life with that stupid book!” Luminara giggled softly, floating a few inches off the ground. “I only offered what your heart was already crying out for, Molly. And you do look adorable now — all padded and safe. Much happier than that grumpy goth girl in the park, if you ask me.” The reminder of everything she had lost — her freedom, her clothes, her dignity, her entire identity — hit Raven like a slap. Blame surged through her, hot and sharp. “You did this!” she shouted. “It’s all your fault!” Without thinking, Raven bolted forward, chasing the floating fairy girl with furious, waddling steps, her thick diaper crinkling loudly. Luminara laughed and darted ahead playfully, staying just out of reach. “Catch me if you can, little one!” Raven ran harder, cheeks burning with rage and humiliation, the lavender romper bouncing around her padded bottom. She rounded a final bend in the path — —and slammed straight into a very cross-looking Queen Rosabella Snugglebug. The Queen stood blocking the path to the castle gates, arms crossed over her rainbow robes, brown curls framing a face that had lost all its usual warmth. Her big kind eyes were narrowed, and Mr. Whiskers dangled forgotten at her side. Behind her, the five princesses stood in a worried cluster, watching the scene unfold. “Molly,” the Queen said, her voice low and stern — the first time Raven had ever heard her sound truly angry. “That is quite enough.” Raven skidded to a halt, breathing hard, the diary still clutched under her arm. Luminara hovered just behind the Queen, smiling innocently.

I always crave it upon waking and after 35 plus years, I always put one on, even if it's just for 30 minutes before work and do what I gotta do (#1 only).   I want to wear to work, but find pull ups uncomfortable for that many hours.  I don't even wet it.  I think someone was hinting as well one time too.

When I think of doing nothing:  for some dumb reason I think of Mr Toomey in the "Langoliers" where he is ripping paper and looking upwards.  

Chapter 37: Morning arrived slowly.   Golden desert sunlight filtered through the curtains, painting warm amber streaks across the room. Somewhere outside, birds chirped faintly while the distant sound of traffic drifted up from the street below.   Chris woke first, blinking sleepily as he realized he was still curled against Bill beneath the blankets. For a moment he simply stayed there, warm and comfortable, listening to Bill’s slow breathing.   Then Bill stirred too, eyes cracking open just enough to smile at him.   “Mornin’, buddy.”   Chris smiled instantly. “Mornin’.”   For a few quiet moments neither of them moved. They simply stayed tangled together in the oversized hotel bed while the morning light filled the room around them.   Then reality slowly returned.   Bill glanced toward the clock on the nightstand and groaned dramatically.   “We gotta move.”   Chris flopped backward onto the pillow. “Nooooo.”   Bill laughed tiredly. “We’ve got another long drive today.”   “How long?”   “About eight hours.”   Chris stared at him in horror. “EIGHT?!”   Bill grinned. “Road trip life.”   That finally got them moving.   Soon the peaceful hotel room turned into organized chaos as they packed everything back into travel bags. Bill folded blankets and repacked the diaper supplies while Chris gathered stuffed animals, crayons, coloring books, and the growing collection of random souvenirs they’d accumulated along the way.   Chris waddled sleepily around the room in a fresh morning diaper and oversized t-shirt, dragging Patches by one arm while trying very seriously to “help.”   “I packed Elvis,” he announced proudly.   Bill peeked into the backpack and found Elvis shoved upside down between a coloring book and several snack wrappers.   “Excellent packing skills.”   “Thank you.”   The smell of coffee and breakfast drifted faintly through the hallway as Bill loaded bags near the door. Outside the window, the mountains stood crisp and blue beneath the bright New Mexico morning sky.   Another travel day was waiting for them.   And somehow, despite the long drive ahead, neither of them could stop smiling.   The road west from Santa Fe stretched endlessly beneath a brilliant blue sky, the desert landscape shifting mile by mile into something even more dramatic and untamed. Towering red cliffs rose in the distance, scattered mesas breaking up the horizon like ancient stone islands. The farther they drove, the more the world seemed to open around them.   Chris sat curled comfortably in the backseat beneath his blanket, Elvis tucked under one arm while Patches rested against his lap. He still looked adorably sleepy despite the late morning sun pouring through the windows.   Bill glanced at him in the mirror. “You awake back there?”   “Maybe,” Chris mumbled dramatically.   Bill laughed softly. “Good. Because you’re officially promoted to Road Trip Navigator.”   Chris perked up immediately. “Really?!”   “Big responsibility.”   Chris straightened proudly in his seat while Bill handed back an old folded paper map during a stoplight.   “What if I mess up?”   “Then we accidentally end up in Mexico.”   Chris gasped in mock horror before dissolving into laughter.   The hours passed comfortably. They stopped at scenic overlooks to stretch their legs and admire the desert views, snapping goofy selfies together with enormous rock formations behind them. Bill pointed out distant mountain ranges while Chris invented ridiculous names for them.   “That one’s definitely Haunted Cowboy Mountain.”   “That’s not on the map.”   “It SHOULD be.”   By early afternoon, the sun hung high and bright overhead, turning the desert gold. The SUV had grown cluttered with snack wrappers, stuffed animals, juice bottles, crayons, and travel pillows — the unmistakable evidence of a long road trip settling in around them.   Eventually, the fuel light blinked on.   Bill pointed ahead toward a weathered roadside gas station sitting alone against the desert backdrop. “Pit stop time.”   Chris immediately cheered. “SNACKS.”   The little gas station looked like something frozen in time, complete with faded signs, dusty pickup trucks, and giant racks of tourist souvenirs outside. Wind chimes clinked softly near the entrance while warm desert wind swept across the parking lot.   Inside, the cool air conditioning hit them instantly.   Chris wandered the aisles in complete awe, carefully considering every possible snack option like a tiny food critic. Bill watched him fondly while grabbing coffee and filling their arms with road trip essentials.   Chris finally emerged carrying an armful of treasures.   “Okay,” Bill said. “What’ve we got?”   Chris proudly displayed each item one by one.   “Gummy worms. Beef jerky. Tiny donuts. Chocolate milk. And…” — he lifted the final item dramatically — “DINOSAUR CHICKEN CRACKERS.”   Bill burst out laughing. “Naturally.”   While Bill paid for gas and snacks, Chris stood nearby coloring quietly at a little table near the window. Every so often he looked up just to make sure Bill was still there.   Back outside, the heat hit them again immediately. The desert sun baked the asphalt, and waves of heat shimmered across the parking lot.   As Bill opened the SUV door, he caught a familiar smell.   He paused.   “Oh buddy…”   Chris immediately froze.   “What?”   Bill gave him a sympathetic look. “I think we’ve got a situation.”   Chris’s face turned bright red instantly.   “Oh no.”   Normally diaper changes didn’t bother him much around Bill anymore, but something about being stuck in the middle of a random gas station parking lot made him wilt with embarrassment.   “Can it wait?” he asked quietly.   Bill crouched beside him gently. “I really don’t think so, buddy.”   Chris groaned dramatically and buried his face against Elvis.   The gas station bathroom turned out to be tiny, cramped, and completely lacking a changing table, leaving Bill with only one option: the backseat of the SUV.   The process quickly became… difficult.   The desert heat made everything uncomfortable almost immediately. The SUV felt cramped despite Bill trying his best to make space, bags piled everywhere around them. Chris was overtired from the long drive and increasingly embarrassed by the whole situation.   “I’m sorry,” he mumbled miserably while Bill worked calmly.   “Hey.” Bill paused long enough to meet his eyes. “Nothing to apologize for.”   Chris sniffled a little, overwhelmed more by frustration than anything else.   “I hate doing this in the car.”   “I know. It’s not exactly luxury accommodations.”   That earned the tiniest reluctant smile.   Bill stayed patient through every part of it, even when wipes got knocked onto the floor and Chris accidentally elbowed the horn with his foot, making them both jump.   “HONK!”   Chris stared in horror for half a second before Bill burst into helpless laughter.   “Oh my gosh.”   Soon Chris was laughing too despite himself, his earlier embarrassment softening under Bill’s steady calmness.   The change still took longer than usual. The cramped space, heat, and exhaustion made everything harder, but Bill never rushed him once. By the end, Chris was tucked into a fresh diaper and soft shorts again, hair messy and cheeks pink but visibly calmer.   “There,” Bill said warmly while helping him sit up. “Good as new.”   Chris leaned forward and wrapped his arms tightly around Bill’s neck without warning.   “Thanks.”   Bill hugged him right back. “Always.”   A few minutes later they were back on the road with the air conditioning blasting and country music drifting softly through the SUV again. Chris munched dinosaur crackers happily while Bill sipped coffee beside him.   Outside, the scenery slowly transformed once more. The desert deepened into richer shades of red and orange, jagged cliffs rising higher as Arizona stretched endlessly around them.   As evening approached, the sky exploded into brilliant colors — fiery oranges, deep pinks, and soft purples washing over the desert landscape. Chris stared out the window silently, completely mesmerized.   “It looks fake,” he whispered.   Bill smiled softly. “Yeah. Kinda does.”   By the time they finally reached their hotel near the Grand Canyon, both of them were exhausted in the best possible way.   The lodge-style hotel sat surrounded by towering pine trees, the cool evening air carrying the scent of woodsmoke and earth. After hours of desert heat, the mountain chill felt refreshing.   Bill parked the SUV and shut off the engine.   For a moment neither of them moved.   Then Chris smiled sleepily from the backseat.   “Are we really gonna see the Grand Canyon tomorrow?”   Bill looked back at him and grinned.   “First thing in the morning.”     Chapter 38: The lobby of the lodge-style hotel felt warm and inviting after the long day on the road. Massive wooden beams crossed the ceiling, and a huge stone fireplace crackled softly near a cluster of leather chairs. The scent of pine, cedar, and faint campfire smoke lingered in the air, making the whole place feel cozy despite the size of it.   Chris stepped inside and immediately tilted his head back to stare upward.   “Whoa…”   Bill smiled at the look of awe on his face. “Pretty nice, huh?”   “It feels like a giant cabin.”   The woman at the front desk greeted them warmly while Bill checked them in. Chris stayed close beside him, holding Elvis under one arm and absently leaning against Bill’s leg whenever he got sleepy. His oversized cowboy hat sat slightly crooked on his head after the long drive, which only made him look more adorable.   The receptionist smiled at him. “That’s an excellent cowboy hat.”   Chris straightened proudly. “Thank you.”   “Are you here to see the Grand Canyon?”   Chris gasped dramatically. “YES.”   Bill laughed softly while accepting the room keys.   Their room was on the second floor with a little balcony overlooking the pine-covered hills behind the hotel. As soon as Bill opened the door, Chris hurried inside to inspect everything.   “BIG BED!” he announced immediately.   Bill tossed their bags near the dresser. “You say that every single hotel.”   “Because they KEEP being big.”   The room was rustic and cozy, decorated with Navajo-style blankets, wood furniture, and warm amber lamps. A small electric fireplace flickered quietly beneath the television, adding a soft orange glow across the room.   Chris wandered around happily while Bill unpacked the essentials. His slight waddle from the thick diaper beneath his shorts was more noticeable after being in the car all day, especially now that he was tired again. Bill noticed it immediately and couldn’t help smiling fondly as Chris shuffled around the room in his boots and oversized cowboy hat like the world’s sleepiest ranch hand.   Eventually Chris flopped onto the bed dramatically.   “I can’t move anymore.”   Bill raised an eyebrow. “Interesting, because five minutes ago you wanted tacos.”   Chris sat up instantly. “I HAVE RECOVERED.”   That earned a full laugh from Bill.   A little while later they headed back out into the cool evening air in search of dinner. The nearby tourist village was filled with little shops, glowing lanterns, and cozy restaurants tucked between towering pine trees. Families wandered the sidewalks while laughter and music drifted through the crisp mountain night.   Chris walked close beside Bill, occasionally bumping against him sleepily while still trying to look very serious and grown-up in his cowboy hat.   The taco restaurant they picked smelled incredible the moment they stepped inside — grilled meat, fresh tortillas, roasted peppers, and sizzling onions filling the warm air. Chris immediately became fascinated watching cooks press tortillas by hand behind the counter.   Bill let Chris pick his own tacos this time, which he treated like the most important decision of his life.   After several minutes of careful consideration, Chris finally ordered crispy beef tacos with cheese, rice, and a horchata almost as large as his head.   “Excellent choices,” Bill approved.   Chris grinned proudly.   When the food arrived, Chris practically lit up with excitement. The tacos crackled loudly with every bite, showering lettuce everywhere despite his best efforts to stay neat.   “These are AMAZING,” he declared through a mouthful of taco.   Bill laughed. “Slow down before you inhale them.”   “But they’re SO GOOD.”   Several people passing their table complimented Chris on his cowboy hat throughout dinner.   One older man tipped his own hat politely and said, “That’s a mighty fine cowboy hat, partner.”   Chris absolutely glowed afterward.   “Did you hear that? He called me partner.”   Bill smiled warmly. “You’ve officially made it.”   After dinner they wandered through the nearby gift shops together, taking their time exploring shelves filled with postcards, handmade jewelry, carved animals, blankets, snow globes, and Grand Canyon souvenirs.   Chris drifted slowly through one little shop in particular while Bill browsed nearby postcards.   Then Chris spotted something.   He froze.   Carefully sitting on a shelf was a small hand-carved wooden bear holding a tiny heart against its chest. The carving was simple but beautifully made, polished smooth with warm brown wood grain catching the light.   Chris picked it up carefully.   Bill noticed him lingering nearby. “Whatcha got there?”   Chris immediately hid it behind his back.   “Nothin’.”   Bill narrowed his eyes playfully. “Suspicious.”   Chris hesitated for a moment before quietly walking over to the register with determined little steps. He paid for the carving with some carefully saved allowance money from home while Bill pretended not to notice.   Outside the shop, Chris finally handed the tiny wooden bear to him shyly.   “It’s for you.”   Bill blinked in surprise. “Buddy…”   Chris shrugged awkwardly, suddenly embarrassed. “Because you take care of me all the time. And it looked nice.”   For a moment Bill couldn’t even speak.   The little carving wasn’t expensive or fancy, but the sincerity behind it hit him harder than he expected.   Bill crouched down and pulled Chris into a tight hug right there on the sidewalk beneath the glowing lanterns.   “I love it,” he said quietly.   Chris hugged him back immediately.   When they finally returned to the hotel, both of them were exhausted again from another full day together.   The room felt especially warm and peaceful now, the fireplace flickering softly while the cool mountain night settled outside. Bill helped Chris into pajamas after another quick diaper check and change, the poor kid clearly worn out from the drive and excitement.   Chris stayed clingy afterward, following Bill around the room with sleepy little shuffles until Bill finally sat on the bed and opened his arms.   “There’s my cuddle bug.”   Chris immediately climbed into his lap with Elvis and Patches tucked tightly against him.   Bill warmed a bottle and handed it over while Chris curled against his chest beneath the blankets. The television played softly in the background while Chris drank sleepily, his cowboy hat now resting carefully on the nightstand beside the little wooden bear.   Halfway through the bottle, Bill paused long enough to burp him gently over his shoulder, rubbing slow circles across his back while Chris yawned dramatically.   “Tired?” Bill teased softly.   Chris nodded against his shoulder.   The second bottle came not long after. By then Chris could barely keep his eyes open anymore. He drank slowly while Bill stroked his hair and held him close, the steady crackle of the fireplace filling the room with soft warmth.   Again Bill burped him gently afterward, smiling when Chris let out a tiny sleepy mumble of protest before settling back against him.   Within minutes, Chris was fully asleep in Bill’s arms.   His cheek rested against Bill’s chest, one hand loosely gripping Elvis while slow, peaceful breaths warmed Bill’s shirt.   Bill stayed there for a long time without moving, simply holding him while the firelight flickered softly across the quiet room.   Tomorrow they would finally see the Grand Canyon.   But for now, this moment felt just as unforgettable.

53. My New Approach When I woke up in the morning, I stretched out and smiled. I felt more relaxed than I had in a long time, and I was looking forward to the day ahead. My head was still full of dreams, and there wasn’t a thing that could have spoiled that moment. Although there was something that could make it better, like stretching out and feeling a warm body beside me. Seconds later I was teasing Ffrances into wakefulness, so she could share my joy at the new day, and it wasn’t long before she showed me that she still had all the power in our dynamic. A half hour later, I could easily have gone back to sleep. There was no spear of sunlight invading through the gap in the curtains, no hint that the sky was fading from black to grey outside, but I knew that sooner or later my alarm was going to tell me I needed to start the day. As a compromise, I rolled onto my side and put an arm around Ffrances again. “You know, you should be getting breakfast ready, shouldn’t you?” “I’ve got a few minutes before my alarm, I think,” I answered. “You turned it off already. Ten minutes ago. Don’t remember?” I turned my head, and saw that my alarm clock was on the floor somewhere. An overenthusiastic flailing arm could have been responsible for that, now I thought about it. Sometimes I was very good at tuning out distractions. So I pulled myself out of bed, checked the time, and then set it back in its usual place. “My mind must have been on other things,” I said. “Now, you wanted some rest, didn’t you? I’ll bring you up some breakfast in bed after I got Tess sorted. I assume she’ll be up by now.” “I heard her voice a moment ago.” Ffrances’s hearing was a little better than mine, so I didn’t mind the second hand information. “A little yelp of surprise, I think. But breakfast in bed would be very good. Can’t remember the last time I had a day off work that wasn’t filled with the minutiae of residents’ association meetings, bills, and other nonsense.” “You should stay here more often. That stuff can’t reach you here.” I didn’t quite catch her mumbled response as I headed downstairs, but I guessed that it was the usual happy indecision. As much as we wanted to live together, she was still nervous about it, and had been putting off a real decision for a whole year now. Tess seemed as cheerful as usual, and she looked like a real child when she was fidgeting in the kitchen chair. I called her ‘baby’ and she didn’t even fight it. I knew a part of that would be from the hypnotic suggestions; wetting her diaper was a childish thing in her mind, so she would have less objection to being treated like a child. But I liked to think that a lot of her reaction was influenced by the number of variations of this scene we had played out over the last three or four weeks. By now, even when she wasn’t anywhere near her child headspace, calling her a baby would only get a perfunctory objection. She was getting used to it, and that would make it so much easier to take her one step further. I still didn’t know what effect my new suggestions were having; if they were working as intended, or if her subconscious was just discarding the suggestions that didn’t seem to fit. I knew that I needed to find the truth, but I didn’t want to push it by trying too many things too fast. But I could ask a few questions, even if it wasn’t quite the truth. I told Tess that I was going to set off for work late today, and would have time for cleaning the house first. I asked if I would need to do her room; whoever emptied the bins would usually do the whole house at once, so that was one occasion she didn’t mind me going in her room. She blushed and stammered before admitting that she’d had an accident again. But her diaper was in the bathroom bin today, not her own. That was a change in routine, and suggested that her subconscious mind was taking the suggestions exactly how I had hoped it would. “I said the trigger last night, didn’t I?” I probed, wondering if she would be able to admit what had happened. But she just blushed and said that maybe it hadn’t worked.  Like I’d told her before, it wouldn’t be one hundred percent. That helped me to judge her responses a little better; she remembered being told not to have an accident in her sleep, but had forgotten the instruction to wet after she woke up. But I still couldn’t be certain which had actually happened. I had enough experience with hypnosis now to understand that your mind isn’t like a computer following a set of commands; the results might not be exactly what you expect, but they’re usually in the right area. More clues pointed in the same direction. I suggested that if the hypnosis didn’t work, perhaps she should see a doctor, and she said no. And then she asked if I could ask Ffrances to talk to her about something. Something she didn’t want to let me know. I could imagine what that might be; perhaps she was somehow blaming the hypnosis for her early morning accident, and wanted reassurance. Before she left the house, my mind was already whirring, wondering how I could find a way to reassure her without her needing to admit what had happened. I needed her to think it was helping her, because those suggestions wouldn’t last forever. Tess needed to be okay with Ffrances trancing her again, at least until she’d accepted her life as a little. Before I could think much more about it, Tess had one more thing to make me worry. She wanted to go out again with the thug who’d been trying to corrupt her. She promised me that it was just his birthday party, a whole bunch of friends going out to see a movie, but she didn’t even tell me what movie it was going to be. It was hard to trust her, when she kept on defending the guy like she really knew what was going through his mind. But still, there was little I could do. I couldn’t keep her home from school, not without a good reason. I couldn’t control her communication with the outside world, and I was well aware that being too protective would bring me a huge weight of criticism from people who didn’t understand the thought process of older boys. I tried to sound supportive today, as if I trusted this boy now. I just told her to be cautious, to call me if she had any problems, and that she was going to have an accident if the guy tried to kiss or otherwise molest her. “Thanks,” she said. “But you’re not my mum. And Spike isn’t like that, he’s a good friend. Okay?” She gave a wave, and was still smiling as she walked through the door. I could only wait, and hope that my precautions wouldn’t be necessary. Once Tess was out of the house, I put a tray together for Ffrances. I could start work late today, and I fully intended to spend the morning pampering my girlfriend. I could take a few minutes to clean up now that I’d told Tess I would; or if Ffrances wanted my attention for a little longer, she could take care of chores while I was at work. I carried the tray upstairs, and was surprised to hear a faint voice when I got to the top. Ffrances was just putting her phone down as I stepped in, and I could tell from her expression that she wasn’t impressed with what she had just heard. “Tess seems to be enjoying herself,” I told her, hoping to cheer her up a little. “Trying to pretend she’s a big girl, but can’t stop grinning. She said she wants to talk to you later, I’m not sure if the trigger needs reinforcement, or if she wants to add something.” “Okay, I’ll ask her. But I can’t do anything unless she can tell me what she wants. She knows that, right?” “Yeah. So, who called?” “Work. There’s… a bit of a crisis. Not something I can talk about, but… they need me in today. And it’s going to be late, so I can’t make my famous paella for you.” “Okay. But you have to enjoy your breakfast. Okay? French toast, sticky waffles, bacon, fried peppers, and your favourite coffee.” “You really know the way to a girl’s heart,” she smiled, and I knew that a small change of plans wouldn’t be a big deal for either of us. I put the tray down across her lap, and watching her eat was all the fun I could have asked for. She never let anything get to her, and the time we spent together meant the world to me. A heavy work schedule could be dealt with when I got to work, and I could wait until Tess called me to see how today’s experiment had gone. For now I was in heaven.