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Chapter 17 Martha pulled a notebook from a small safe in her closet. She took out a small snub nosed pistol, a thick wad of cash, and a bundle of driver logs. Then she pulled out a small box of jewelry that belonged to her mother, all beautiful pieces, but an emerald ring caught her eye and she put it on her finger. “OK Martha, you can do this,” she said. Martha looked through the bundle of driver logs and written on the inside cover was the name Benny and a few phone numbers. The first two she dialed were disconnected, the fourth one was picked up by a woman, “Hello, DiMaggio residence?” “Umm, hello, I’m calling for Benny DiMagio?” Martha said. “Benny? Who’s this?” the voice asked? There was a pause, just long enough to make Martha wonder if the line had gone dead. Then, the woman’s voice softened. “Hang on.” Muffled sounds. Footsteps. A man’s gruff voice in the background: “Who?” “Someone Hector used to know. Says it’s important.” A few more seconds passed. Then a raspy male voice came on the line, still thick with sleep or age. “This is Benny.” “Hector told me to call you if I ever needed help, and… I need some help,” Martha said. There was another long pause. “Jesus. Hector’s Martha?” Benny finally said. “He’s been dead for what, ten years?” “Eleven actually.” “He was a good man, very punctual. What kind of trouble could you be in?” “It’s not for me, a friend, she’s got a kid, and needs to disappear.. She needs IDs, for her and her baby.” “Are you getting scammed, like is this some Guadamalian you picked up in a Wal-Mart parking lot. “No, nothing like that. I had a close friend who died awhile back, and this is her daughter. She’s like my daughter now, and her kid is like my grandson. I’ve known them for years. “Well what’s wrong, why do they gotta disappear, is the law involved,” the gruff voice asked. Martha hadn’t really thought about that, but a story formed in her mind and she went with it. “It’s her X, he’s trying to get custody, he was abusive and she’d had enough. He has friends back where she lived. He’s made it look like she was abusive and they are trying to take her son.” “Huh,” Benny said. “Sounds like a piece of shit. 20 years ago we’d pay someone like that a visit and take care of it real quick. “She just wants to get away from him and make a new life,” Martha explained. Another pause. Then a slow, dry chuckle. “I would have never chosen to live the life I’ve lived if it hadn’t given me the opportunity to help those who I cared for. Your husband was a good man, and loyal and he only asked for one thing. Martha Delgado, it’s time I repaid that. You got a car?” “Yes.” “Drive to Sarasota. There’s a bait shop called Angelo’s. Ask for Red. Tell him you’re the one Benny owes a favor to. He’ll know what to do. Make sure your friend is with you, he’ll need photos.” “Thank you,” Martha said quietly. “You’re gonna need cash though, is that a problem?" Hector asked “How much cash?” “A few thousand, Red does good work,” Martha looked at the fat roll of 100 dollar bills Hector had left her, “That won’t be a problem.”

Hey everyone! Starting off here, I think for future polls, at least for a little bit, I might ease up on the Diaper Dimension stories. I am absolutely thrilled that this story was chosen and that I finally got to write it after three years but considering that I’ve written 17 stories including this one and 14 have been set in that universe, I think easing off in terms of poll choices might be the better move. Also, I just counted, and as of today, I have 29 possible stories not set in the diaper dimension, so… there’s definitely plenty more to tell. I’ll still go by the polls, but I just might not load them up with the DD stories as much anymore… just have to see though. Speaking of polls… the results are now in. Counting personal messages, any listed on here, and the ones from the poll… winning 55.81% of votes, the winner is ‘Sissification and Babification Government Study’ (Title TBD)! So, with what I previously noted, I will carry over the ‘Bethany’ story into the next poll as the DD story, but I will retire The CONtinuance on polls for now. It won’t go away forever, but it’s been at the bottom for a little while now and I think other stories of mine should be given their due. Also, I think I’m going to stick to the two possible votes for future polls. I think it gives everyone a chance to narrow down what they want, and looking at the results… there was a clear first and second place this go around. Looking ahead, this next story is a bit of a task to write. There’s lots of nuances I need to be careful of in that story with some of the topics involved and there’s a number system involved that makes my head itch in making sure it all works still. That all being said, I’m going to take a tiny break once again and I will post the first chapter of that story on 01 August. This should give me time to air out my own head, relax a smidge, ensure the plot is still good for the story, update all the DD materials, and take a crack at the first few chapters of the story at least. Also, I just want to give a big thank you to all who have read this story and to anyone who commented on it or engaged with it. It may not be my most popular story ever, but with that you all have been saying, I have no reason to be saddened over that. My goal is to always improve with these stories and provide a little outlet for you all to enjoy on here. From what you all have said, I think I have achieved that goal, so again, thank you. Now, last but not least and as usual, I hope everyone enjoys this final chapter! Chapter 28: Delivering the Scoop Day 140 – 5:42 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 The trio now staring back at Pete seemed only moments away from either fainting or fighting. For his own part however, Pete blinked back as if he was about to ask if they had heard him. For Ashley, it had to be seen as yet another seeming loss in this horrible dimension. Seeing Pete there and him telling her a big fat ‘no’ to leaving… from her facial expression and sudden lack of life in her body, it was almost like a little of her soul seemed to have died. “Pete…” Betty began, almost stumbling over her words as she tried to explain what was happening. “I…” “Not now, Betty,” Pete said adamantly though curiously and likely thankfully not hatefully. “We need to discuss other things at the moment. Our conversation about all this secrecy can wait, but… seriously, did you all not hear me? Ashley can’t leave as far as I can tell.” Seemingly snapping out of his previous stupor, Brother popped in next. “And just what the heck does that mean?” he asked, stepping back up to the countertop and placing his hand firmly on top to emphasize his point. “Betty and I have a vested interest in getting Ashley back home. You, however… you work for the people actively trying to keep her here. You betrayed her and…” “Woah, woah… settle down there. I can tell feelings might be a little flared, so before you go and challenge me to pistols at dawn, can I at least explain myself here? I mean… you all are assuming the worst of me,” Pete noted hastily… almost like he was trying to defend himself against an angry mob about to descend on him. “I mean… have you even dealt with the chip in Ashley yet?” Everyone’s eyes bulged and Ashley even began to search her body for the sign of a chip. “Chip?” Brother questioned, the seeming skeptic of the group now. “What chip?” Pete sighed and then turned slightly to show off better when he pointed to the back of his own neck. “Here…” He then turned back around to face the trio again. “When Ashley broke into the facility and was caught, our esteemed mayor had a real bone to pick with her. He was going to obliterate her on the spot! And by that, I mean… near absolute brain death. She would be a newborn at best… it was a ‘no chances of recovery’ sort of policy with him after what she managed to pull off.” “No…” Betty looked like she was going to cry or faint any second now. “He wouldn’t… couldn’t…” “Well, he didn’t because I stopped it, Bee… I got the phone call and got there just in time to stop things,” he explained. “Vasiliou was threatening everything he could at us. He had the evidence with him and everything, so he had the means and the temperament to throw us down and destroy us. Right then, we had no chance. We were going down…” He then trailed off for a moment before looking back up and sticking one finger out. “But I knew there was something even he couldn’t pass up or say no to… FOY.” No one said a word for a few seconds after that. “FOY?” Ashley questioned, seemingly the most perplexed and yet intrigued about it. “I’ve heard about that before, but…” “Pete…” Betty now seemed horrified as she interrupted Ashley… almost like she had just realized something terrible in implication. “You didn’t… please tell me you didn’t.” Pete sighed. “I wish I could tell you that I didn’t, Bee. I really do, but… we were going to lose Ashley and then we had a 90% chance of going to jail ourselves. I weighed the options and chose the second choice of amnesty. I had to agree that she would be regressed in certain ways, a chip would be planted inside her spine to keep her grounded, and… I would finish the FOY compound for them… but nothing else for us. It was a deal I knew I would never get again...” “And what the heck is FOY?” Ashley asked, nearly stomping her foot, her patience seemingly wearing thin now over her previous question having gone unanswered. “It’s death to any mature Little,” Brother explained with clear disdain in his voice, most of it now appearing to be directed squarely at Pete. “There’s a street version that’s been out for at least a decade now… maybe more, but it essentially causes Littles to regress in a massive way… permanently.” “That’s right,” Pete confirmed with a heaviness in his words that indicated he knew exactly the lengths of negativity that he was now unleashing on the world of Littles. “I hated it, but at the time, I felt I had no other choice. My family that I loved or a population of Littles… I hate myself for it even now, but I gave Vasiliou and the general the new compound. More stable… less bugs than the street drug, but more importantly for those two… a way they could affect every Little across the board without exception…” He then winced quickly. “And certain wayward Bigs as well…” “Wait… I thought that was just a myth!” Brother seemed horrified over the possibilities of such a powerful drug. “Are you telling me…?” “It was… but now that I’ve altered the drug, it can be used against Bigs… Middles… Littles… everyone! For the sake of my family… I sacrificed everyone else. I will regret that the rest of my life, but… now, we need to focus on the future. What we can do now. I have a plan, but we need to refocus on Ashley first.” The trio, though still horrified and shocked over that revelation, nodded in agreement. Pete then turned to Ashley. “So… back to what I was saying about the chip…” He looked deep into her eyes with a sense of sympathy and regret. “Sweetie… that chip can’t be removed. And, in all likelihood, it would kill you if you left this dimension.” Ashley’s eyes instantly watered over the clear implication. “No… please… tell me no!” Seeing her Little in distress, Betty quickly ran over and comforted her, but it seemed even her presence combined with Bunty wasn’t helping the now shaking Little. In desperation, Betty looked back towards her husband. “Isn’t there anything you can do, Pete?” she asked her eyes full of hope… even if it might have only been false at this point. Pete sighed. “Maybe… but not right now. Right now… we need to focus on that camera in her eye… and critically, what’s stored on it.” He pointed right at Ashley. “That is our best shot of getting back at these people and maybe our solution for getting out of this mess.” Ashley sniffed and seemed to break through her dashed hopes… if only for a moment. “You know about the eye?” Pete nodded. “Yes… and you really being an investigative journalist.” He sighed and then pulled out a file from his nearby briefcase labeled ‘Ashley Cutters.’ “I’ve known about your identity for months now…” He opened the file up. “I’ve known some personal trainers in my time, and frankly… you never struck me as one.” Ashley winced through her tears. ‘Crud… I knew that cover wasn’t good enough!’ “At first, I just waved it off as personal trainers being different on Earth, but then… you started asking me questions. Littles are inquisitive, so again, I didn’t think anything of it… but then you broke into my office.” Pete blinked back at Ashley as if he was waiting for an explanation. For her part, Ashley could only stare back at Pete for a moment before wiping her nose and sniffling a little. “You… you knew about that?” Pete nodded. “I did, but I didn’t raise a fuss about it. If anything, it made me even more curious about you… so I pushed harder with some of my more anonymous contacts in portal travel, and… well, your file of ‘Ashley Jones’ was good. Definitely professional… just not good enough for us and our methods of deep analysis and detection. But since you were a Little coming over voluntarily… no one really cared at the office when they found out at first. To be honest, I think most of them just thought you were going to be captured and regressed. Which, frankly, was a good guess… at least usually.” “And you didn’t tell me?” Betty asked, now finding out all this herself now as well. “I didn’t want to burden you, Bee,” Pete said in earnest. “When I found out about all that, you had just been told about your slim chances to conceive, and I had never seen you so passionate about taking care of a Little. So,” he then turned back to Ashley, “I stowed your file and kept an eye on you.” “And that’s it?” Ashley questioned, wiping a few more tears away. While she was clearly still deeply saddened over the chip and what that meant to her, the investigative journalist in her always looking for the truth seemed to be coming out fully now. “Well, no…” Pete sighed. “See, when you broke into the facility, that set off a lot of things. First off, they discovered your identity as well, but like the portal agency, by then, they didn’t care since they had caught you and only thought you had the physical copies of the files. Secondly, though, in the whole investigation that was launched, one of the more loyal guards to me, and not Vasiliou or the general, handed me this file.” From inside the thick manila folder, Pete pulled out a familiar looking small one. “Wait…” Ashley pulled the file closer. “My memory is fuzzy, but is this…?” Pete nodded. “The one that was hidden from me in my own files. You had taken it and from what I can tell, you were going to show it to Betty and me. I knew about your eye camera by then, so there wasn’t a more rational explanation of why you would take something so cumbersome with you. So, more than a little curious and suspicious of the company, I looked inside and…” Pete sighed and pulled the file over to Betty. “This brings me to my last point. When I saw what was in there, I knew Diamond Technologies was dirty, but I had always felt that they were an ‘ends to justifying the means’ kind of company. Seeing this file to better show how to manipulate me and my wife… and then later when they started to threaten all three of us…” Pete’s knuckles cracked, and he stood up and took some deep breaths. Meanwhile, Betty’s expression turned to horror, shock, and despair as she looked over her file… particularly the spots regarding getting closer to Ashley because she couldn’t have kids and Ashley would make a great substitute… and way to manipulate the Big. Pete then turned around. “So… time to lay out my cards…” Pete took in a huge breath of air. “When I saw all that… something in me clicked and I knew something needed to change. So, as part of that, I need all three of you for this to work, but bottom line… I’m planning on going against Diamond Technologies with what we all know.” The room sat unmercifully still and silent for at least a minute. Pete looked relieved to have finally gotten it all off his chest. Brother looked suspicious but as if he was already scheming as well. Betty looked stunned but maybe relieved as well… probably owing to the fact that Pete had not betrayed them and seemed to actually be currently helping them instead. For Ashley, her face was still full of sorrow, but maybe a little confusion and more than plenty of concern. “I… I’m stuck here. It’s… it’s terrible, and I want to help with my camera,” she noted with sincerity as she pointed directly to her eye housing the camera. “And it might be important, but it’s just one thing and I can’t access it. Also… I’m leaving without any way of helping you all. I just… I want to help, but… I just don’t see how you all can go against this place and come out on the other side.” Betty sighed. “I have to agree, honey. Ashley may be a huge part of this, and it’s great she wants to help, but… what about us? She gets to go home, but… we’re still here, right? Between the general, Vasiliou, and even Beakerman, all this just seems like suicide… or at least a one-way trip to being regressed ourselves with your own new formula. So… tell me. Am I missing something here?” “Yes and no,” Pete admitted after a heavy sigh. “It’s one of the reasons I’m just telling you all this now. I wasn’t sure about a few details, and I’m still not, but… I needed LRGs help in this, and I didn’t know about Brother until the other day when I arrived home a little earlier than usual and saw the man that we suspected to be codename, ‘Brother’ exited the driveway. Naturally, I was curious, so, I came home early today to listen in… and I did.” “Okay… fine,” Brother said with a clear impatience now… seemingly still trying to figure out if all this was a trap or not. “You need LRG, and I can get that for you, but… how does it all connect? How does Ashley, me, and even Betty work into you screwing over this place?” Pete smirked and sighed. “Well, I have a plan. I just… I need some time to put it all in motion. I’ll explain everything, but… can you all wait to enact your own previous plan?” It was an obvious risk, and from everyone’s facial expressions, they knew it as well. Ashley ran the risk of staying here longer, now that Brother had shown his face, he was running a risk, and Betty waited on all this in her own yet unannounced role. Plus, all this was hinging on the trust of one of the top scientists and personnel in Peirama. Still, after a moment, all nodded. With the addition of Ashley’s chip, whatever Pete had planned now had to be better than simply sneaking Ashley out of town and risking her life just getting home. * * * Day 152 – 10:16 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Wait. Listen out and wait… those were the instructions that Pete had ultimately passed to the trio on that fateful Monday. He had laid his plan out in its entirety, and while it was strong and had a high chance of both hurting Diamond Technologies and freeing Ashley, it still needed time. And in Peirama, with everything exposed now, it was a large risk. Still, everyone was motivated in both of their tasks now and vigilance seemed to be the key while Pete gathered up what he needed in order to execute the plan properly. And in the meantime, each member had their own tasks. Brother needed to contact LRG to provide passes and transportation afterward to not only guarantee they could leave in something besides what turned out to be a company car if needed but also get Ashley away safely as well with her chip. Betty had to gather her own information on the plant that FOY was derived from coming from Tanassum. Knowing its components and makeup, nature sometimes had a counterbalance… or in this case, cure. Plus, her own research had touched on several projects in town, and she knew several of the Bigs and were on friendly terms with them, so, she had also been assigned to ask a few questions to add to the information being sent back about Peirama. Ashley, given her high visibility as a Little both around town and at daycare, and her apparent value to Beakerman, she had the unenviable task of simply laying low. Stay out of trouble. Not fights, no inciting riots, no risks whatsoever. For the Little that had been at the center of so many things, being pushed to the side to protect her own well-being and the safety of the information in her head was tough… but ultimately necessary. Fortunately, Ashley knew that and while she sighed and bitterly complained about it at first, she mostly went on as she had before when it was just her, Brother, and Betty making the plans. Simply put… she had to act like a true Little and blend in. The general and maybe even Vasiliou knew that something was happening at the facility each Wednesday for her, but the outcome was still very much left in the dark. Now that Pete had shown his hand, so to speak, it was obvious that it was done on purpose. So, time passed on. Naps, diaper changes, and Bunty were all mixed in with secret meetings, hushed discussions, and a plan coming together. If one wasn’t too wise, they might have thought that it was all just stalling, but soon, it seemed every activity in Peirama was now twinged with the prospect of the four’s ultimate plan. It was November. Halloween had passed with much fanfare and all the Littles had dressed up in their very best and had taken away a haul of candy. But with that passing and the days growing both colder and darker, the last of the fall festivals had descended on the town of Peirama. Ashley, not one to shy away from fun anymore and adopting her role of bestest Little ever, had readily joined in with her friends as they took part in the various activities located just outside of town… namely for the pumpkin chunkin held there. Given that it was Peirama though, the various contraptions used to throw old pumpkins away were far too dangerous for Littles, so Ashley and her friends readily enjoyed the other fall activities. “Alright, honey,” Betty guided as she sat down at the top of the hill where one of the slides had been set up, “I’ve got the burlap sack all situated. You just sit between my legs and hold on.” “And Bunty?” There was an edge of fear in her voice… one of the many things that still hadn’t abated after several Wednesday night sessions with Pete. Betty smiled. “She’ll go right between your legs. Keep them closed tight and Bunty will be with you the whole way… just like I will be.” “Yeah, Ash,” Olly actively encouraged from just behind them. “It’s just a slide. No big deal. I mean… if Marilyn and Simon could do it…” He looked down the large hill at the two Littles and their respective caregivers right behind them. Ashley nodded. “Right. Can’t have them showing off better than me, but… just in case…” Ashley sat down and stuffed Bunty instead inside the front part of her denim overalls. “There! Now she won’t be going anywhere!” Betty smiled and clung onto Ashley. “Very clever. Now… ready?” Ashley winced as she stared just beyond Betty’s feet and at the drop off coming in moments… but still nodded. “Alright! Here we go!” Betty took a breath and gripped the sides of the hay bales lining the track. “And… one. Two. Three!” With all her effort, she pushed off and the two rocketed downward. “Ahhh!” Ashley screamed bloody murder as they raced down the hill. Betty clung onto her as she clung onto her Big. There was definitely a sense that though Ashley was supposed to be pretending and had ‘matured’ in the past few weeks thanks to Pete, there was a legitimate sense of comfort and protection that she received from Betty. “Oh! Look at Daddy!” Betty called out, temporarily moving her hand from Ashley and pointing to Pete while also using his public name. In truth, she did know that Ashley no loner called him that, but for multiple reasons, Littles simply never went back to calling their Big by their first name once they started with ‘Mommy’ or ‘Daddy.’ So, it was decided as a group, even with Ashley’s approval, that Betty and Pete would still be called Mommy and Daddy, respectively, in public. Nearby and on the side of the track going down the hill, just a little way up from the bottom, Pete was standing and waving as he took a picture of the two women in his life. It was a classic family moment that no doubt millions had captured before them. It was almost too perfect. “There’s my girls!” he called out, racing over to them while snapping several photos once they reached the bottom. Ashley was laughing but it did take a moment for Betty to pry her hands off her pant legs once they had come to a stop. “It’s okay, Ash. We’re at the bottom now.” Ash let go quickly and jumped up. “Oh! I wasn’t scared. Just… safety is all…” Betty looked skeptical but Ron beat her to it. “Right… and that screaming Little coming down the slide was… someone else, right?” Ashley rolled her eyes and just turned in time to spot a hurdling Olly come down with his mommy as well. It seemed the tradition today… along with the face paint that most of the Littles had gotten or the petting zoo where all had chosen their favorite miniature animal… including Ashley. With all Littles and their Bigs now firmly on the ground, the group took off to wander around the fall festival once more. Pete gawked at the odd machinery and several stalls of tantalizing food, eventually succumbing and grabbing a slice of Milo pie. From her juice at the daycare, Ashley immediately seized on it as well. “Still can’t believe this tastes like apples…” she mused, getting her mouth slightly sticky from the filling inside the delicious treat. Betty smiled and pulled out a convenient baby wipe to clean her mouth off with. “Well, of course, sweetie. Milo is our version of what you call the apple. It’s the same thing.” She giggled slightly like it was the most obvious thing in the world… much to Ashley’s resultant blush. “Oh, don’t be too hard on her, Bee…” Pete said, swallowing yet another bite of the pie himself. “It took forever for you to learn that yourself in college during our Earth course together.” Betty sighed and nodded, and for a second… almost looked wistful, nostalgic, and yet sad as she looked around her. Ashley might have pressed more, but a microphone soon buzzed to life in the speakers overhead. “Attention! Attention! The mayoral speech will be beginning in approximately two minutes on the main stage.” Given the trio’s run-ins with the mayor lately, it likely wasn’t a shock to any of them as they all simultaneously groaned. Still, they continued to the main stage… likely to keep up appearances as supportive members of the community. On the way, however, they also bumped into Brother. Of course, here, he was simply the overall landscaper of the town. Ashley had seen him around before and had even caught him staring at her a few times when she first got here, but she had always shrugged it off as another odd Big. Now though, there was almost tension between the four of them as they passed each other. It wasn’t in an adversarial way. Just… more of a way that they all knew the other was carrying around a secret with them that could undo the rest in a second. Being seen together, knowing that they all knew each other’s secrets seemed dangerous in such a public setting. So, after a bit of a frozen and tense moment, Brother quickly departed from the family trio. Pete only brushed it off and continued toward the stage with Betty and Ashley following close behind hand in hand. “Good afternoon!” Mayor Vasiliou began, soon going on several tangents about the fall weather, corporate success, and all manner of things that sounded more like a would-be future CEO rather than a simple scientist or the mayor that he was. Still, it was pretty typical and even boring to anyone but the most loyalist company members… which didn’t include people like Pete or Betty. Then, he started talking about company loyalty. That got their attention. “We are all a family here. The disloyalty of one member… or even two, is never something we should take lightly. What one of us does affects us all. This can be both bad…” His focus now seemed to be directly hovering over Pete and Betty. “Or with loyalty and cooperation, a good thing!” He then walked to the left of the stage. “Soon, we will be judging the weights and sizes of our animals.” He gestured over to some of the fattest pigs known… all a result of specific genetic and specialized food manipulation. “Or… the event you all came for… our pumpkin chunkin competition!” He then turned to the general behind him on stage. “General? Will you do the honors of throwing the first pumpkin today?” The general stepped forward and smiled. “It would be my honor.” The man then stepped up, and in one motion, yanked the cord and activated the machine… sending the poor attached pumpkin hurdling far and away toward the distant mountains. Everyone cheered. A few bits of pomp and circumstance later, the speeches were over, and the crowd dispersed. Betty, Pete, and Ashley ambled around as they perused more treats, gadgets, and homemade items, but it didn’t take long for them to run right into a wandering general and mayor. “Betty… Ashley… Pete…” Vasiliou glared with hot hatred behind his eyes at the three of them. Knowing all she did about him now, Ashley clung to Bunty even tighter and backed up into Betty for some measure of comfort and safety. By the way she gripped her Little as well though, Betty seemed like she needed the added support from her as well. “General… Mayor…” Pete nearly growled at Vasiliou and while no punches were thrown, the hatred simmering between Pete and Vasiliou seemed boundless. Only the general seemed to be the mediator and the lynchpin which kept them from brawling on the spot. “So… any progress with my next formula?” he asked with a near twinkle in his eye. “Some…” Pete was clearly trying to be as vague and murky as possible. With his distaste for his work now and the eventual leak of information, more progress had been deemed ‘unwise’ in the planning stages previously. He would stay on and work, but only as a means to keep finding out more information. Actual progress would either be nearly stopped or at least slowed to a crawl. But the general didn’t know that. “I see…” the general sighed. “Seems to be going slow these days, but… I guess that’s just progress for you here. Waited for years for that special formula before, and then, bam! You got it in less than a month!” “Speaking of which,” Vasiliou jumped in and looking first at Pete and then towards Betty and Ashley. “I hope you all our minding yourselves. Wouldn’t want a repeat of what happened last time now, would we?” His words seemed to slide off his cruel tongue and worm their way around the family at present. “I can promise you this… there won’t be any third chances with some special deal by creating yet another drug for us…” His glared narrowed on Ashley and the Little let out a little squeak of fear. ‘Oh no! Does he know about us? Our plans? Is he just toying with us? Are we sunk yet again? And this time I’m going to be regressed, and Pete and Betty jailed or worse? And then I lose my mind, and the world goes to pieces and…’ Betty pulled in Ashley tighter and bent over slightly to hug her upper chest from behind. It wasn’t a full hug, but the Little’s thoughts slowed, and she took deep heaving breaths. “Well, thanks for that lovely image, mister mayor,” Pete nearly mocked. “We’re all fine and even… I have to say that we’ve never been happier. I’m sorry to say that your efforts have been in vain to hurt my family further. Sad really…” Vasiliou snarled and stepped closer, cracking his knuckles as he did so. Pete simply reached to his side and gently nudged Ashley and Betty behind him. Once again though, the general nearly hopped in the middle of it. “Now, look here you two! We cannot have our mayor and top scientist at odds with each other! I want this to end righ…” He then stopped and his right eye seemed to quiver before easing up in nearly an instant. “But that can wait for another day. Come, Mayor. You have other… mayoral duties to attend to. I’m sure the animal size contest needs an extra judge to break a tie…” Vasiliou sighed before glaring intensely at Pete and Ashley and Betty behind him. “No, those can wait. This employee is making a bad example, and I think Beakerman should be informed that As…” “Phillip!” The general grabbed the mayor by the shoulder and nearly shoved him to the ground from the sheer might of his single grip. “We will do this another day.” Mayor Vasiliou glared back at him for a moment before nearly shrinking away. “But I…” “Please…” the general emphasized. “They have a… matter to attend to.” When that didn’t seem to work though, the general shifted his eye movements in the direction of Ashley. “An important, Little matter.” Right then, Vasiliou seemed to finally understand the implication. “Oh… right…” Turning back, he glared at Pete before adopting a more neutral look. “Until next time, Pete. And you better have progress with that new formula.” Not giving Pete a second to speak, Vasiliou turned and walked away. The general, sighing, turned to Pete. “We really need to get you two talking again. It’s not good to have you two in this stalemate of bickering.” Pete nodded. “You have yourself a good festival, general.” Pete was blowing him off, but gratefully, the general was either too dense to understand that or too diplomatic to make any move against him. So, like Vasiliou, he nodded, thanked him for the formula again, and then left. Once gone, Pete turned to Ashley with a wide smile. “Oh! That was brilliant thinking, Ash! The general deals with Littles all the time, but he can never stand their actions… particularly some of the more squishy, sticky, or smelly aspects that come along with them! Using your diaper like that was a stroke of genius to get him to leave and end the conversation. 10 out of 10 for effort and execution!” Ashley looked like she was about to object but stopped cold and wiggled slightly. ‘I’m… mushy? I went… poopy? I… I didn’t know…’ She winced but still played it off. “Well, you know… anything to help. I don’t like either of them anyways…” Pete chuckled and Betty sighed before readjusting the strap of the diaper bag draped over her shoulder. “Come on, sweetie. Let’s get that mush tush of yours all nice and clean.” She held out her hand. Ashley quickly took and walked away with her now usual waddle. She didn’t say anything, but dread filled her expression completely… likely dread over her own future after all this was over. * * * Day 157 – 6:05 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley paced around the room nervously. “Where is he?” she asked for at least the seventh time in the past ten minutes. “He should’ve been here by now!” “Easy there, Ash,” Betty said trying to calm her Little down. “Brother said six and it’s only five minutes after.” “Right,” Pete agreed, stepping back from the front room where he had been on the lookout for any suspicious activity. “He needs to be careful. After today, all this could be done, and besides… talking to him, we need the codes he has to ensure this message gets sent out.” “Yeah. I just…” Ashley shook her head and kept pacing. Her stress wasn’t dissipating though, but it wasn’t too surprising given everything it had taken to get where they were right then. Codes, at least two dozen more interviews from Bigs and Littles alike about the various experiments going on here and a massive data copy from the facility’s main servers. All had been done in secrecy as much as possible, but they were all still committing a massive crime… both for the company and legally speaking as well. Also though, Ashley was now getting nervous about what came after all this. Get more information and then bundle it up and send it out. That was the plan, and it was darn simple, but there were elements that hadn’t been discussed… at least not with her. It wasn’t the worst thing ever, and per her continuing nightly logs, she knew being a Little and vulnerable to interrogation after being regressed if captured that she would be left out of some things… just not most of the plan. Further, while elements of the plan still seemed a mystery, her life afterward continually plagued her mind. Pete’s efforts were nearly miraculous given the scans of her brain that he had done before. He had literally reawakened part of her that might otherwise sleep forever until the end. So, that was great… but it still wasn’t enough. Simply put, Ashley wasn’t herself… or at least the self she was when she first came to this dimension back in June. Five months later, Ashley was a different Little. First off, she was a Little. Not regressed, but daily she would be reminded of her changes in likes, movements, abilities… it all was different. Various shades maybe, but when Betty still had to change her diapers or a life without Bunty seemed utterly horrifying to her, those shades seemed pointless. “Ash,” Betty said with a little more force. “Please… sit by me and take a breath. Please, honey.” Her words seemed to work and the Little stopped pacing and sat where instructed. “Good. Now some deep breaths for me and remember… don’t get too worked up over this. We take it one step at a time, and we don’t worry what we can’t control, right?” Ashley nodded and hugged Bunty tighter as she breathed harder in and out as instructed. Relief soon came to her. ‘I don’t want to stay, but… what am I going to do without Betty?’ The question had been asked before dozens of times… and even now, it still lingered. Soon though, hearing the designated knock, Pete went to the back door and let Brother in. “Sorry I’m late. I think you might have a spy checking in on you. Circled the block at least four times in the past hour. Not good, so I have to ask…” He then reached inside his bag and produced a flash drive. “Are you sure about this?” Pete looked over at Ashley and then back at Brother with a fierce set of determination. “Absolutely.” Brother nodded and handed the drive to Pete. Pete wasted no time and unlocked the door to his basement office. After the group arrived in the basement as well, Pete showed off the massive computer he had been tinkering with recently. “Okay… I’ve had a chance to look at the specs of Ashley’s eye. Combined with these codes, my information, and what Betty could pull as well, we now have a deep file on this place.” “And… we mail it to someone?” Ashley asked, almost innocent and Little-like in that one moment, only further emphasized by how close she was hugging Bunty still. Pete smiled but shook his head. “Not exactly. Based on the schematics I pulled, I can just wirelessly connect the feed from your camera into a file that I will then send out. Just to be sure, I’m going to send it through the portal transmission network to your paper’s branch on Earth, but just in case its monitored and intercepted before going through, I’m also sending it to a few areas around here… including several LRG locations.” He then pointed to the now inserted flash drive. “Hence the codes I needed.” Brother nodded. “Yep. All should be there. The locations I tagged… they’ll sit on the information as requested, but I have to say… once they act on it, you two,” he said pointing to Betty and Pete, “are going to be in some awfully hot water. You have to know that when you do this, Diamond Technologies will absolutely know that this data was pulled, and… you would be a prime suspect.” Ashley clinched to Bunty closer, even moving her up to caress her cheek tenderly. Pete nodded. “Yes, I thought of that, and I was very thorough covering my tracks. Helps to be one of the top scientists at the facility… gives me access to erase things.” He then took a deep breath. “But also… tomorrow morning, I am handing in my notice of resignation. I am leaving Peirama.” Brother’s mouth dropped open and Ashley gasped. Betty smiled and took Pete’s hand. “Actually… we both will be.” “You’re doing… what?” Ashley seemed flabbergasted over this new information. Pete and Betty were pillars of the community and the company here. ‘Holy… leaving here for them would be like if the Statue of Liberty suddenly up and left New York City!’ “We’re resigning and leaving Peirama, sweetie,” Betty reiterated before sighing. “Ash… we know you can’t leave this dimension, but if you stay here… you’ll never have a normal life again. Plus, we don’t care for the company or the town too much anyways. It’s a win-win.” As Ashley seemed to be mulling it all over, Pete then turned to Brother. “Also… I’ve anticipated them possibly finding out that a leak came from me. So, I am also sending this information to a secure server. There, I have to send a safety code to it every three days. If I don’t, a message will automatically be sent to every paper across the country about all the nasty deeds being done here. If Betty, Ashley, or I ever are captured or confronted about the leak, it will be our bargaining chip… or at least our revenge.” Ashley, clearly still thinking on the information, seemed to have only one outward thought though. “So… if you all are leaving… I’m assuming I’m coming with you all. So… am I just going to forever be your Little to be carted around the country forever now?” Pete almost said something, but Betty was faster and quickly took Ashley’s hands in hers. “We would never want that for you, honey. I know as a Big, I was never happier than when you called me Mommy… but that wasn’t you… or at least not the you that I wanted in my life.” She blinked a few times, the weighted emotion of it all clearly getting to her still. “I would be happy forever if you stayed with us as we wandered around the country, showing you all the sights, but… both of us have already found jobs at our alma mater in Cepalocum.” “And what’s there that’s so special?” Ashley asked, her satisfaction clearly not having been met yet. “There’s a lot there,” Pete then explained. “It’s actually where we first met each other, but also… the university there can advance our research into FOY and combatting it, and with Brother’s help, we’ve already been in contact with the LRG offices there where we can help out even more.” Brother nodded from his spot in the corner of the room. “But for you,” Pete continued, “they might have the equipment to help you and even remove the chip from in your neck.” “So, I then can go home?” This time, her desire for satisfaction seemed to be more replaced by hope. Betty sighed with a deep set of sadness but nodded. “If that is what you want, then yes.” There was silence for a moment afterward, but the computer then beeped. “Oh! It’s done. Link established!” Pete exclaimed. He then clicked on several buttons and a few more beeps sounded off before he turned around to Ashley. “Ash… since this is your story… your information… you paying the high cost of getting it all… I want you to do the honors and push the button.” ‘Execute’ flashed in green to the lower left of the screen. “That’s it?” Pete chuckled but nodded. “That’s it. Push that, and instantly, all will be transmitted out there.” Ashley looked at the button again, but instead of pushing it, went over and hugged both Pete and Betty. “Whatever happens next… I just want to thank you both. I… all this has changed me in ways I’m still not even fully sure about, but… if it wasn’t for you two… and even you Brother,” she noted, looking over in the corner to the for once happy looking red head, “I might have never succeeded. I would have just been another blip… another stat of a failed journalist over here or worse, a babbling and regressed Little. So... thank you.” “And you’re very welcome, sweetie,” Betty beamed, her Little’s thank seemingly warming her heart in a place that had been cold ever since Ashley had stopped calling her ‘Mommy.’ It still likely wasn’t perfect, but her bond with her was one without regrets. Pete smiled. “You’re also very welcome, honey. But now…” He then turned her over towards the screen once more. “Push the button and complete your story.” Looking back for a second, Ashley smiled and nodded before turning back the button. “And here we go…” With a sigh of relief of completion, the Little pushed down on the button. * * * * Recording Terminated – End of Line * * * * Vincent unhooked from the headset for what seemed like the final time. “Woah… all the data… it’s… it’s all the data from Diamond Technologies from Peirama. This is… this is huge. I…” He sighed and looked back at his screen. “I wondered what happened to them though…” Vincent pressed in on his screen and immediately began to transmit the final data package to ‘X’ and LRG headquarters. It would take months… likely even years to sort through it all, but it was there. “Now, let’s see where you three ended up and…” Vincent stopped and saw another blinking light in his mailbox. “Huh… wonder what that is.” Vincent clicked on the message. “Looks like it’s from ‘X’ about another file they found that seemed linked to Ashley’s? Oh, and here’s the link to the page with the files. Seems like it’s a Sgt. El…” His screen blacked out for a second and soon, another message popped on his screen that turned Vincent white. “They’re coming! Run! - X” Vincent briefly and visibly panicked and looked towards his monitors and other security devices. Seconds later, switching to another view from the perimeter, several vans showed up and were soon unloaded with at least a dozen soldiers. Vincent shot back and checked the status bar of the transmission of data. “Okay… almost done. The perimeter fence is at least a mile away from me and it’ll take them a second to bust in. Gives me a moment longer to ensure the next steps…” So, as he had practiced before when his safety was threatened previously, Vincent sent a message to LRG about a possible tracer bug on the file, a mystery code for further contact, and a coded transmission to prove it really was him. Then, he copied the files as well on to a removeable drive and stashed that in his bugout bag. “Okay… just need to…” The sound of an explosion ripped through his small cabin. “Well… crap. They made it through. Gotta go now!” Looking at his screen the information was sent, and again as practiced, Vincent ran over to a very specific box and pulled out two very powerful and specialized magnets. “Sorry my beauties, but… I can’t risk you all being read.” With a sigh of anguish, he then scanned all his devices… and erased them. Finally, he pulled all his paperwork in a specific and high-end incinerator and burned all the perishable files to a crisp. Dinging to show it was done, Vincent checked the monitors one last time before cratering them as well. “Sorry… but on to a new place I guess!” Vincent then grabbed his bug out bag, took one last look around and fled out the back door. About fifteen minutes later, the front door caved in, and the cabin was surrounded by armed military personnel. Moments later, they began to search everywhere and under every object. “All clear!” the leader announced about a minute later. Several of the armed personnel left, but then two very familiar figures walked in. “Did they find anything, captain?” the general asked as he scratched his head in seeming exhaustion. “Negative, sir. Appears the hacker wiped everything down,” he informed the general. “We’ll still take it all back with us to analyze. Could be something left or a manufacturer’s tag or something useful for us to track him down. And we could also analyze the house for any photos or receipts or…” “There’s not going to be any of that, you idiot!” Mayor Vasiliou exclaimed, looking nearly half-crazed at that point as he threw his hands up in the air. “He managed to avoid us and set several traps for us and is situated on a compound in the middle of fucking nowhere and…” “That will be all, captain,” the general noted quickly before Vasiliou could yell anymore. “Thank you, and good ideas all of them. But… will you give us just a minute here?” The captain nodded wordlessly and used some hand signals to get all his men out of the cabin as well. Now alone, the general glared back at Vasiliou. “May I remind you that in all likelihood, the reason that Pete and Betty left was because of your handling of the situation? Your hot temper cost them the original life of their Little. If you were any kind of decent father to Nancy, you would know that.” Vasiliou growled before turning away and kicking one of the discarded trash bins over. Meanwhile, another armed personnel came from the back. “Sir? Sorry to disturb you sir, but we found a trail out back. Can’t be too old, but… it leads off outside of the back perimeter here to some tire treads in the mud. Subject is probably gone, but we could follow to maybe see his next move and go from there.” The general nodded. “Good, good. Send a team to follow and have the rest come back here and begin taking this cabin apart for evidence.” The man nodded and nearly trotted away before the general stopped him. “Oh… and sergeant?” The sergeant stopped and walked back into the cabin after placing only a single foot outside the door. “Can you do me a favor and cut the power or disconnect that camera?” he said pointing to one of the few blinking cameras still in the corner of the room. “Could still be being watched by the hacker or whoever he works for. Don’t want to take that risk.” “Yes, sir!” The sergeant then walked over and stood on the couch before reaching up and grabbing one of the wires. “This… should do it.” He then gave the wire a hard yank. Everything turned black.

Thursday part two, Michael is finally accepting that his life is changing... for the better. Chapter 60 Thursday, part two. It wasn’t very long, and I felt my little boy waking up again. I wasn’t surprised as he lifted up his head and looked around, I didn’t think he was really very tired. “Mommy? Can I get up now?” he asked. I tugged my shirt closed over my breast and smiled. Then I reached up to touch his arm. I told him, “Sure sweetie, you’ve been a good boy and laid down for a little bit, that’s all I ask.” Then I pointed, “Do you want some help with your shortalls? Want Mommy to fasten the shoulder straps?” I smiled when he blushed a little, I think he might have even forgotten all he had on was a diaper and shirt. Sigh… he’s adjusting pretty well to being my baby. But the web site suggested weekly training days, just so they don’t forget. Soon he was dressed again, and I patted his cute bottom as he left the nursery. … I wonder what I can do for Julia? She’s helped so much with Mom. I had already cooked her a nice dinner; maybe I could bake her something. I wonder if I have some cream cheese, she might like a nice cheesecake. But she’s going to see Sammy this weekend, better get it to her before Friday night. ++++++++++ After naptime, Mommy helped me with my outfit. Then I went out towards the living room. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do at first, but I wandered down to my basement workshop and looked at my project. Standing there, staring at the drawing I was working from, I felt the urge to pee, so I just naturally grabbed at my crotch. That instantly took my mind from my project to the fact that I was in a diaper, and my cock was in my cage. Why did she put that on? Not like Julia or Francine are coming over. And certainly Sam wasn’t visiting. I’ve been good, she agreed on that. And she’s always said this isn’t for punishments. But here I am, feeling a trickle over my balls but as I squeeze, not feeling my dick. Let me point out, for the record, that when you’re locked in a chastity cage, thinking about it and grabbing your crotch is a silly thing to do. The more I thought about it, the more my cock tried to get hard, which just emphasized the fact that I was in a chastity cage. It’s a vicious cycle. Soon my thoughts were of nothing else. I went over to the hiding place and looked for my spare key. It was right there, where it was supposed to be. Either my wife never found it, or she chose to leave it where I put it. I could use it. Just take and unlock my dick for a quick one and put it back on??? Sarah wouldn’t find out… would she? And it’s not like masturbating is against any rules… She’s often said ‘perfectly natural… especially for little boys…’ But what if she did find out? She might decide to paddle me. Not just a few swats like earlier. But I’m not even sure WHY she put it on in the first place. She didn’t say I COULDN’T play with myself… As I thought about the idea, my hand was rubbing some more. That just made my dick more desperate. Maybe this is a test? She’s testing to see if I can behave. But she played with herself this morning… I smelled her scent on that towel. She gets to relieve herself and I don’t? Is that the test? Or is she hoping I’ll get desperate enough that I’ll agree to something. Agree to anything just so I can cum? “Mikey? Mikey where are you sweetie?” she was calling me from upstairs. I jerked my hand away from my diaper. Even though I could tell she was still upstairs, the thought of being caught trying to jerk off made my heart start pounding. I tried to sound calm as I answered, “Down here Mommy… in my workshop.” “Oh, well I need you to come up here, we’ve got to do something,” was her reply. I started up the stairs. Maybe it’s good that I didn’t unlock myself. I couldn’t have put it back on before she would have come down and caught me. At least this time, I didn’t have to decide on my own. As I closed the basement door and turned to look at her, she had her purse and car keys in her hand. She said simply, “There you are. We have to make a quick trip to the store, I need to get some cream cheese. I decided to bake a cheesecake for my sister.” I blinked and realized, she’s talking about taking me, dressed just like I am!!! I wasn’t ready for this, and I started to say as much, “But... but I can’t go out like this! These pants are way too… too…” I was somewhat at a loss for anything more to say. Shortalls with crotch snaps?!?!?! Everybody would be staring at me. And these are pretty snug, everyone would know I’m wearing diapers!! She frowned at me and put her hands on her hips. Then she said calmly, “Sweetie, it’s only for a couple minutes and your Auntie is working so she can’t babysit.” Then she went on, saying, “I told you, Thursdays, you’re a little mama’s boy or girl… period. I’m not about to leave you home alone and that’s final. Baby’s that still wet their diapers are much too little to be left home.” She reached out to grab my hand and started towards the garage. As she opened the door and led me towards the car, she added, “If you behave yourself, I’ll let you sit in the car while I run inside. If you put up a fuss, then you’ll have to come into the store with me. Understand?” … On the way to the store, I made up my mind that I was going to behave. But I was extremely nervous, which didn’t help my bladder. Mommy did take a moment to find a parking space that was farther away, not next to any other cars. As she gathered her purse, she smiled at me and leaned over to give me a kiss. She said softly, “I wouldn’t really take you inside the store like this, but I wanted you to behave. I’ll be back in just a few minutes sweetie, then we’ll be back home before you know it.” ++++++++++ As I rushed through the store, I picked up a couple of other things. But I kept it under ten items so I could use the express lane. I know it was a little mean to lie about bringing him inside, but he behaved, and I just pushed him a little outside his comfort zone. When I got back to the car, there was somebody parked on his side. Some lady got out with two kids and headed inside. I don’t think any of them even noticed Mikey. Just the same, I quickly got in and looked over at him, asking, “Are you doing okay?” He blushed a little but nodded. Then he said, “Yeah, they didn’t seem to notice anything.” “Then why are you blushing?” I asked. He took a deep breath and let it out, saying, “Just as the car pulled up, it sort of surprised me and I wet myself.” I leaned and kissed his cheek, “It’s okay, you’ve been a very good boy for Mommy. Done just what Mommy asked. Now, let’s get home again shall we?” It was adorable, the little smile he gave me as he said, “Yes Mommy… I’m a good boy.” … When we got home, I carried my shopping inside and set it on the counter. As I started putting things away, I explained to my baby, “Now Mommy has to get this started and in the oven quick sweetie. Mommy can change baby’s diaper in a little while.” As I reached for my large mixing bowl, I noticed he just squatted down and sat in his ‘spot’ on the kitchen floor. I gave him a quick smile and got out my recipe box and started. I knew the recipe almost by heart, but I stopped a few times to pretend reading. Actually, I wanted to slow things down and watch my baby. He’s so cute, sitting there with his knees spread, sucking his thumb. Mashing the butter and crumble together and spreading it in the pan, I heard a crinkle and glanced as I saw his hand rubbing the front of his diaper. Soon I was pouring the mixture into the pie pan. Still rubbing sweetie? Bet you wish Mommy hadn’t caged your little dinky, don’t you. Have you thought to even ask? Well until you do, you’ll just have to do without. I popped the pan in the oven and started rinsing out the bowl and dishes. With my back to him as I stood at the sink, it wasn’t long and I felt a bump against my bottom. Without turning around, I just leaned forward a little and poked my bottom at him. I giggled a little as I felt his face nuzzling right between my cheeks, so I said, “Ooo… is someone trying to give Mommy some special kisses?” I heard a soft murmur as I finished rinsing the mixing spoon and leaned forward, my elbows on the sink. I spread my feet apart and he buried his face deeper. I wasn’t super interested, having already pleasured myself this morning. But I knew my scent was fairly strong and let him smell me. How about now baby? Does the smell of Mommy’s pussy make your little dinky hard? Oh that’s right… you haven’t asked me to unlock it yet. Which is it going to be sweetie… play in your diapers like a little baby? Or ask Mommy to let you jerk off? When I felt his fingers reaching for the waist of my jeans, I decided that was enough for now. I stood up straight and turned around, smiling down as he raised his chin to look up at me. I gently brushed his cheek and smiled, “Now, does my little baby want to wear a wet diaper until dinner? Or should Mommy change you before you get a diaper rash?” He was quiet for a minute, staring up into my eyes. Then he asked the one thing I was afraid of, “Mommy, can we go to the bedroom and make love?” Sigh, you still haven’t accepted it have you… I hate to do this but… I smiled and said as gently as I could, “No sweetie, that’s the one thing you just can’t do.” The poor guy, I honestly think he expected me to say yes. But it’s time to be totally frank. He has to face the reality of things, “Sweetheart, I love you more and more every day. But you know what will happen. I’ll strip you down, you’ll see me half naked and POOF!! You’ll make a mess all over the bed, or me, or both. Then you’ll get upset. I’ll have a mess to clean up, you’ll start crying and need me to hold you. And then I’ll probably have to put you back in diapers before you piss yourself. In the end, we’ll be right back here, you in diapers and me loving you just the same.” Sigh… Julia is so right. When they’re in diapers they get so much more emotional. Here it comes… My poor baby’s eyes started filling up with tears and he plunged his face against my crotch as he hugged my legs. I ran my fingers through his hair and let him whimper for a minute. Then I explained, “It’s okay!... I keep telling you, I LOVE YOU… premature squirting and all. I love taking care of my little baby and that’s never going to change. You can make my toes curl up with that mouth of yours like… like nothing else in the world. You just have to learn to love yourself sweetheart. The same way that Mommy loves you.” He stayed there, face buried in my crotch for several minutes. I was pretty sure his little dick had gone limp, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he soaked his diaper. It really is okay darling, I’ve had more orgasms this past month than I would have thought possible. And knowing how special you are, I feel secure in knowing that no woman is going to steal you away. I glanced at the clock, a few more minutes before the cheesecake needed to come out. But almost Julia’s quitting time so I needed to send her a text. I gently pushed my baby’s head from me and lifted his chin to say to him, “Mommy needs to send a quick text, then let’s get my wonderful little boy in a clean diaper shall we? Go to the nursery and Mommy will be right there.” He put on a brave face, wiped his wet cheek and nodded, whispering, “Okay Mommy.” I took out my phone and sent a quick missive as he started crawling towards the nursery. ///// “Hey, if you stop by, I made cheesecake!” “Be there in 20.” “It will barely be cooled by then!” “Then set a plate for me and we’ll have it for dessert.” “LOL… I’ll order pizza. Still like Hawaiian?” “Yes please. Packing up to leave now.” “Slow down girl, you’ll get a ticket. Besides, baby needs changing first.” “Does he ever use the potty anymore? Sheesh…” “Not your concern now is it. Besides, I love him.” “Yeah, you’ve been in heaven this whole time.” “Pbbbt… jealous.” “Nope, I have Sammy. Getting in car now.” “Drive safe, see you soon.” ///// ++++++++++ As I climbed onto the nursery bed and laid back, my mind was a mix of emotions. Said we’re probably never going to make love ever again. She didn’t say never, but what she did say seemed pretty final. Her words had the ring of truth, but still, it stung. I’m not a porn star, I’ve always known that. But I’m not even a regular guy when it comes to sex. But I do have a wonderful woman that loves me and accepts me as I am. I know a lot of guys wished they had this much. And it’s not like I don’t get my balls drained often enough, even if it is into a diaper or my wife’s mouth and not her pussy. Well, I hope she’ll still give me blowjobs. I really screwed that up yesterday. She might not do that with my cock for a while. She said something about cuffs? To keep naughty hands out of the way. Might be the only way she’ll suck me off now. Just as I thought about my wrists tangled behind my back, she walked into the room. She smiled and told me, “Auntie-J will be here for pizza in just a few minutes. Let’s get my little boy taken care of shall we?” She grabbed a diaper and some wipes and sat down on the edge of the bed. She reached and it took a few seconds to undo the half dozen snaps running along the inseam of my shortalls. She had me lift a little as she tugged them up out of the way and soon there was the familiar sound of diaper tapes ripping open. As she wiped me clean, she didn’t seem to notice any of the precum I knew had been leaking from my desperate cock earlier. Maybe it had all washed away when I peed myself. Oh geez… when she wipes my balls like that… I felt my dick trying to grow again but she ignored it. Then I had to hug my knees for her. That exposes my backside. A month ago, I didn’t know this would arouse me… being touched there… she’s wiping around it… Almost teasing my hole. My cock was as erect and swollen as my cage would let it. But I knew if Julia was coming over any minute now, it was going to remain safely locked away. As I was about to start whimpering, Mommy slid the clean diaper underneath my bottom and had me lower my legs. Soon she was snapping up my shortalls again. She leaned down and kissed me on the cheek, “There’s Mommy’s good little boy. Now you just relax until Auntie-J gets here, I’m going to order some pizza.” And that smile… sigh…All in all, I’m one happy little boy. ++++++++++ When Sarah said she made cheesecake, and would order pizza, it was perfect timing. I hadn’t a clue what I wanted for dinner. I arrived and parked just seconds before the pizza delivery. In fact, I rang the bell and turned to smile at the college kid as she walked up to the door. Sarah opened it and I let myself in as she dealt with the pizza. I looked around and smiled when I saw a little boy sitting on the floor of the living room. I smirked as I thought… Letting the pizza girl see you? Or did you just figure it was me? You’re staring at me, but I know you can hear your mommy talking to her. Is that why your cheeks are pink? You do look cute, sitting on the floor in your little outfit. “Come get it while it’s hot!” I heard Sarah say as she carried the delivery over to the table. I leaned down to smile at Mikey, “Ooohh… Pizza!! Let’s go have some yummy dindins!!” I reached and took his hand, leading him to the table. After sitting him in his new place, I reached over and opened the drawer where I knew Sarah kept the baby’s bibs. I giggled a little as I dropped one over Mikey’s chest and gently tied it around his neck. I gave him a quick peck on his head and took my own seat just as Sarah brought me a glass of wine. “And for my little prince, some nice juice,” she said as she set his sippy cup down and sat herself at the head of the table. I took a bite of pizza and watched them for a moment. I knew Sarah was happy these days, so I looked closer at Mikey. He was munching away and seemed to be enjoying dinner. After we all had a couple bites, I broke the silence, “Mikey, your mommy tells me you use your diapers a lot more. Did you spend the whole day in them today?” Whoops… he’s still shy about that, look at that face turn red. I glanced at Sarah, she looked like she was about to say something, but Mikey spoke first, “Yes Auntie… Thursdays are ‘baby’ day. No matter what, I’m Mommy’s little one on Thursdays. All day. We even went to the store today.” I blinked and saw that Sarah was a little surprised as well. This was a very adult answer from a little boy in shortalls and a bib. I was about to ask another question when Mikey just came right out and said, “It’s important that little boys like me remember who’s the mommy and who’s the baby. I even got a spanking. But just a little one because I’m a good boy.” He’s grinning! He’s actually beaming with pride that he got spanked! And that he’s a ‘good boy’. I looked at Sarah as she stared at me. I think she was just as surprised as I was. In fact, she stammered a little, “That… that’s right sweetie. You’ve… you’ve been a good boy all day.” ++++++++++ After Mommy and I talked, I had been thinking about it. If I’m probably never going to be a normal guy and have normal sex with my wife, I just need to accept it. And that means accepting who I am. Mommy loves me as her little one, and I enjoy it. Do I really care about people like Frank, or that Mrs. Jones friend of Nanna’s? I sat on the floor watching cartoons and made up my mind, when the pizza comes, I’m not moving. I’m going to stay right here and just enjoy my tv show. When the bell rang, it turned out to be Julia and the pizza at the same time. I looked up and stared at Julia, doing my best to ignore that some stranger was seeing me, plain as day, in my shortalls and diaper. Julia helped me to the table and put a bib on me. Then she actually gave me a kiss on the head!! I think it finally hit me, just like Mommy had said a couple weeks ago. In her own way, Julia does love me. But when Julia asked if I had spent the whole day in diapers, I answered her openly and frankly. I think it took her breath away. I just blurted it out; this is what we do on Thursdays now. I even said with a hint of pride, “I even got a spanking. But just a little one because I’m a good boy.” There! I said it. I’m a little mama’s boy and that’s that. I’m a good little boy, well most of the time. It’s funny in a way, as they stared at each other, I felt sort of calm. I just took another bite of pizza and a sip from my cup. After a moment of silence, Mommy smiled at me as if nothing had happened, then said to me, “And even when you’re not so good and need a spanking, Mommy still loves you just the same.” I grinned at her and said with a mouthful of pizza, “I wuvs you too.” Looking at Auntie, I swear her eyes were glistening, but she simply said, “Don’t talk with your mouth full sweetie, it’s not polite.” … Soon it was time for dessert and we each had a slice of the cheesecake Mommy had made. It was delicious of course, and Mommy had even topped it with a strawberry glaze which added to its deliciousness. All three of us cleared away the table. As I carried my plate to the kitchen, Auntie commented, “Well look at you… Mommy’s little helper.” Instead of blushing though, I smiled and simply said, “Cuz I like helping Mommy, she takes care of me, so I help her.” ++++++++++ I could scarcely believe it when Michael told Julia about our day. I think he finally is accepting who he really wants to be. A real breakthrough if you will. But then, he’s always been a ‘good boy’. One of the many reasons I married him is that he’s a thoughtful and considerate person. But Julia had work tomorrow, so she had to leave shortly after dessert. I wrapped up the rest of the cheesecake for her. She mentioned she was only working a half-day, leaving for Sam’s around lunchtime tomorrow. As she left with the leftover dessert, she winked and said, “This is only a down payment, you still owe me. Depending on how this weekend goes, I may collect the rest next week.” “What’s that all about? Something big planned this weekend with Sammy?” I asked. She grinned and whispered, “We’ll see. She and I have been talking all the time now and we might be ready for the next step. She’s talked to her boss and she’s going to telework for a bit. From my place.” I hugged her tight, “That’s WONDERFUL!! Anything you need, you just ask. Bring her around for dinner. Oh, except on Tuesday, we’re going out.” ++++++++++ When Mommy said goodbye to Julia, I could tell something was up. Mommy smiled and stared at me for a moment, then went to the kitchen to get my evening bottle. Soon I was climbing up on the sofa to lay in her lap. Just before Mommy pushed the nipple of my bottle into my mouth I asked, “Is Auntie happy about something?” Mommy gently pushed the nipple in and I started suckling as I looked up at her. She simply said, “If things go well, Sammy might be moving in with her mommy. Isn’t that exciting?” I nodded my head as I kept suckling, trying to smile behind the nipple of the bottle. I thought for a moment as Mommy snuggled me close, the cool chocolate flavor on my tongue. Then I tried to ask, “doth dat mean more pwaydates?” Mommy smiled and wiggled the bottle’s nipple in my mouth. Saying softly, “Shh… drink your bottle… like a good boy.” I blushed a little and suckled. Mommy’s fingers played with my hair a little as she asked gently, “Would that be okay? You know the rules around little Sammy and all. Maybe you could show her your nursery?” When Mommy said, ‘the rules’, I immediately remembered my dick was in my cage and I reached between my legs. I squirmed a little as I felt my cock twitch a little, as if trying to get hard. I closed my eyes and sucked harder on my bottle. It comforts me somewhat to have something to suckle. Julia’s gone, and I’ve been a good boy… why hasn’t Mommy let me out? If Sammy visits more often, I’m going to be like this more too. I realized I’m trying to rub myself and opened my eyes to see Mommy staring at me. I blushed a little and she smiled. She could tell I was getting horny, but she didn’t say anything. I was spreading my legs apart and making a bit of a spectacle of myself, sucking harder on my bottle as she gently held my head in her arm, my diaper was crinkling louder as I rubbed. It wasn’t long at this rate and I was sucking air, my bottle empty. Mommy just kept smiling and tugged the nipple from my lips. Then she set the bottle aside and brought a pacifier to my lips. She touched it to my lower lip and asked, “Would the little baby like his paci? Suck on your little dummy?” My hips were constantly squirming as my cock was begging for a chance to get erect. My lips drew in the pacifier without my even thinking. As it started bobbing against my lips, Mommy curled her arm and hugged me to her breast, pressing my face into her warm, soft chest. She just whispered, “Such a good baby…. Mommy’s right here little one… Mommy’s got you.” In my desperation, I gripped my diapered crotch and squeezed my legs tightly together, my bottom wriggling. I was just getting myself worked up more and more. Mommy’s free hand reached and stroked the side of my face as she held me. How could she not know how desperate I was, but she just cooed and leaned to kiss my ear as she whispered, “Mommy’s little baby… “ I whimpered and finally pleaded with her, “P…Please Mommy…. I… I needs to make cummies… Please???” As soon as I said that, she loosened her grip and gently gripped my chin and smiled at me, “That’s all you needed to do sweetie… Just ask… Mommy will let you make them, you’ve been a good baby today.” Really?!?! Just like that? I just had to ask? And… and I get to… Mommy urged me to sit up and went to the nursery, leaving me sitting with my hand in my crotch. She returned quickly, holding up the key in one hand, a onesie in the other hand. She dropped the onesie on the sofa and started to undo my shortalls. She tugged my hand to stand and face her as she sat back down saying, “I just needed to hear you say it sweetie, now stand up for Mommy.” She had my shortalls down and her fingers in the waistband of my diaper, tugging it down to my thighs. She winked as she reached for my caged dick and started to unlock me, saying, “Little Mikey still needs to work on using his words sometimes, that’s all.” Quickly, my dick was free, and Mommy took it in her hand and tugged a couple times. I closed my eyes and was in heaven. But before I got very far, her hand let go and started tugging my diaper back up again. I opened my eyes and looked at her as she explained, “No special kisses though… Not until Mommy gets you some hand restraints.” I blushed at that; she wasn’t ready to trust me again so easily. I couldn’t really blame her, but I was still disappointed. She tugged off my shirt and put my onesie over my head. When her hands bumped against my bulging diaper to snap it closed, I gently thrust my crotch at her hand. She just smiled and patted the sofa next to her and told me, “Now… you can sit down right here next to Mommy and play with your little dinky all you want sweetie.” Something about being told to masturbate on demand takes some of the excitement out of it. I mean, it’s as if I’m being told to perform some little magic trick or recite a poem or such. I was suddenly struck with performance anxiety. Mommy must have understood, she gently tugged my hand and guided me to sit next to her. She picked up the tv remote and found an old movie. Her one arm gently slipped around my shoulders and cuddled me. I slipped one hand between my legs as I leaned my head on her shoulder and just gently squeezed. Mommy seemed to be engrossed in the movie and didn’t say anything as I started rubbing again. I tried to slip my hand down the front of my diaper, but the onesie made that pretty hard to do. But desperate times call for desperate measures. I finally forced my hand into my diaper. One of the snaps on my onesie let go as I gripped my desperate cock and started tugging. It had been a long day and I had been horny since Mommy put me over her knee. Mommy’s arm released my shoulders as I squirmed to lay back down in her lap. My mouth was sucking on my pacifier faster as I turned to press my face to her chest. Here I was, jerking off in a diaper, laying in Mommy’s lap. I felt her fingers gently play with my hair, she didn’t say a word as I nuzzled her breast, my mouth sucking on my pacifier desperately. It was mere seconds, and I felt my muscles clenching, trying desperately to hold on. But It was useless, I started squirting my load into my diaper. As I gasped and went limp, my pacifier fell from my lips. Mommy gently touched a finger to my cheek and said quietly, “There… baby feel better now? Make your little cum-cums in your diaper?” I blushed red but nodded. She gently rubbed my back and simply said, “There’s my little mama’s boy. Now just relax while Mommy watches her show.” To Be Continued

20. Moving from the fresh air and relative calm of the outdoor area of the resort into the reception area of the daycare was like being transported instantly into a totally different world. The walls were a blaze of primary colors with bright decals of building blocks, forests, and nursery rhyme characters. Ceiling fans did little to dissipate the stale odor of used diapers. Every inch of the floor was covered by spongy colored waterproof tiles. Soft lullabies played in the background, mingling with the crying of unseen babies and the shouts of toddlers. A smiling woman greeted the group from behind a desk covered in blue and green bins filled with forms. “Welcome!” she said enthusiastically, rising to greet the women. “Ms. Adams told us to expect you at some point, so we’ve already got most of the information we need to take in your two adorable girls. Just to confirm, neither is potty trained and both are still being bottle fed with some beginner solids, correct?” “Yes,” Amy responded as she and Beth scanned a paper thrust at them. “I do have one question. The materials we received aren’t really clear on your hours or how long we can leave the girls here.” “That one’s easy,” the woman replied happily. “We don’t have hours. We’re open 24/7. As long as you leave us with enough changing supplies and clothing, we’re good to go. Some parents choose to leave their children here for their entire stay, others will do a few hours here and there. Are either of you breast feeding? If so, our facility is set up for you to drop by to nurse or to pump at your convenience. We also have a wet-nurse on staff, but she’s only here during the daytime. If you want that option, just check the box down at the bottom there.” Lily and Beth giggled to see Amy reach over to check the box. It took a few minutes longer to discuss dietary needs and to transfer the diaper bags, but all too soon Chris watched as the women headed toward the door, chattering as to what they wanted for lunch. He longed for the days when he had a choice as well, or at the very least something he could chew. “Now, then,” the woman said, “let’s get the two of you settled. Ginger, could you please come out here and take one of these little ones back to the appropriate room? If they need additional help, are you free?” A young woman with dark red hair and freckles, wearing cartoon scrubs, appeared from the back room, smiling broadly as she approached the strollers. “I can have Alice cover for me in the toddler room,” she said, “I was hoping I’d get a chance to take care of this one. And just in time for lunch it appears.” She read a clipboard attached to Chris’s stroller as she pushed him past reception into the depths of the center. They passed a playroom with young children around kindergarten age running, climbing, jumping, and screaming. They passed another room with a small circle of preschoolers listening intently to a story. They passed a room of toddlers sitting in a row on plastic potty chairs. Chris expected to be pushed into that room, but they kept going. Finally they arrived at a closed door with a stork holding a bundle in its beak. Ginger opened it with an electronic key and pushed Chris inside. He was immediately assaulted with a wall of scents, most of them bad. Stinking diapers, spilled formula, and ammonia, mixed with sickly sweet ointment odors and the cloud of baby powder floating in the air. Surprisingly, he saw very few babies in the room. There were lines of cribs, a few couches, two playpens, and a kitchenette, but only one other infant that he could see. The ventilation in this room must be awful, he thought. “All right, then, let’s get you some lunch,” Ginger said sweetly as she unstrapped him from the stroller. “Crawl over to the highchair, sweetie.” As Chris crawled, he was surprised to feel his diaper hanging heavily toward the floor. He’d just been changed, hadn’t he? Wouldn’t he have known if he’d peed since then? He may be incontinent, but he thought he at least he had the awareness of an adult when he urinated. Lunch brought more awful smells and with it terrible tastes to match. The food in the restaurants was meant to impress guests, but apparently the opinion of anyone who couldn’t verbalize their distaste for the cuisine wasn’t considered important. For the first time he wondered if it affected the odor emanating from his diaper when it came back out, and was instantly embarrassed that such a thought even entered his mind. For her part, Ginger played the airplane into the hanger game, then switched to a train entering a tunnel, then sang little ditties about healthy girls needing healthy foods. Her overly dramatic gestures with the spoon distracted Chris enough that he was constantly taken by surprise when it eventually was pushed into his mouth. At first he used his tongue to push it right back out, but Ginger was right there to scrape it back in again, and it tasted worse the second time. By the time lunch was over, he thought he could feel the contents of his stomach jumping around looking for the fastest way to leave his body. Ginger wiped his face gently with a warm, wet washcloth before leading over to a couch and placing him over her lap. She produced an oversized bottle of cool purple juice which by comparison to the foods he’d just eaten was a pleasure to drink, although her whispering what a good girl she was to take her medicine so well disturbed him. The day’s events had worn him out and he was hoping this was where he could take a nap, both to rejuvenate and to get away from the world around him for a while, but there was one more surprise. Ginger slid out from under him but held his torso up off the cushions as another body took her place. This woman was slightly older, perhaps near thirty, and had a kind look as she gazed down at him. He began to close his eyes, but she pinched his cheek with a “not yet.” Opening his eyes back up, he was horrified as she lowered her blouse and revealed a mountainous breast, the end of its nipple dripping with milk. “Open up and stay awake, baby girl,” she cooed softly, “you have two boobs to empty.” Without another word, she slipped her nipple into his mouth and pulled him closer to her chest. Milk immediately began to dribble onto his tongue and within seconds he had to swallow or choke. She whispered “suck or auntie will spank” into his ear in a tone that would take no dissent. Drinking from her wasn’t the same as from a bottle and it took Chris time to figure out how to maximize the flow, but once he did it came fast and seemed endless. He wanted to scream that he couldn’t drink another drop when the flow slowed and the woman used a finger to pop the seal his mouth made around her. She turned him on his side, patting and rubbing his back, and was rewarded with a wet belch. His burp did little to clear more room and all he wanted was to be tucked into bed, but her other breast still needed to be drained. It took longer this time and he came close to throwing up there was so much. At some point he must have fallen asleep while he nursed, because the next thing he knew she was lifting him up and carrying him to a crib. Chris was uncomfortably full and couldn’t stop little belches as he was laid down for his nap. Ginger came back into view and placed a Velcro spit-up bib around his neck, then put her hand down inside the front of his diaper, rubbing it right up against his penis. “We should have changed her,” she said quietly to someone. “We may have to change this sheet later.” When Chris awoke, it was from a dream that he was floating in a swimming pool. The image wasn’t far off. Pee puddled in the rear of his diaper and spilled out onto the bed. He was pretty sure he’d soiled himself as well. He needed changing and he needed it now. When shuffling around making noise didn’t work, he tried to imitate the crying babies he’d heard earlier. That did bring Ginger around. “Wakey, wakey, stinky pants,” she said with a wide grin. “Does someone need to get all clean and dry?” Lying on the changing table, Chris realized that he’d been at the resort only about 24 hours, and this was the third complete stranger to change his diaper. His thoughts wandered to his life ahead for the next month, or six months, or year. How many times would he have to endure the humiliation of having his most private areas wiped down and scrutinized by women who not long ago would have looked upon him as a possible sexual partner, but now would see nothing but a drooling, poop-smeared baby in need of their care? Ginger monopolized him for the rest of the afternoon, playing baby games with him in the playpen, singing songs, making up stories to picture books and, no surprise, feeding him yet another bottle. She was using a baby comb to make small tufts that she would then snap bows on when Ms. Adams came to say that “his Mommy” would be by shortly to pick him up. Ginger sighed with disappointment. “You’d better come back again soon,” she told him as she put him into the stroller. The air got fresher the further they got away from the nursery room and Chris sighed with relief, not noticing that he’s just added a bit of a foul odor by peeing himself just as they arrived in the reception area at the same time Amy and Beth walked through the front door. “Kristie, baby!” Amy said with genuine enthusiasm as she leaned down to give him a kiss and hug, sighing with a “tsk, tsk” as she felt his diaper. “I’ll bet you’re ready for a bottle.” Chris’s eyes opened wide. It was the last thing he wanted or needed, but he kept quiet as he was pushed back out the door.

This popped up in my YouTube feed.

Chapter 3 : Settling In ----------------------- Lynn being in a big fluffy diaper didn't change what all three housemates had come there to do, and that was studying their butts off for their first round of exams. Each of them wanted to do a good job on their studies, which is why they had come back during the vacation period in the first place. Life back home was filled with life and energy and life going on, while the rented house was filled with people studying and, as Lynn had found out, people supporting each other. On top of that, the university town was mostly empty: no parties, few students lounging about, and a calm wintry quiet perfect for focus. Which Lynn really needed, focus was not her strongest skill, fortunately being absorbed in her interesting studies usually made up for that. As much as Lynn liked the support from her friends, maybe even Madison's teasing a little, she thought she might study best in her own room away from everyone. And so, she voiced that thought out loud as she got up from the kitchen table: "I'm going to study in my room." With not a moment of pause before her reply, Madison shot out: "Are you really going to make Peony climb the stairs every ten minutes to check on you?" There was a twinkle in her eye and a playful smile on her face. Peony was looking at Madison, her cheeks slightly coloring. "See, her cheeks give it away that she will." The playful smile on Madison's face turned into a warm smile. "That's just the kind of person she is: caring, attentive. But you already know this, so just make it easier for her." Peony took a deep breath then added: "I'll make sure she behaves. You can maybe build a little literary fort around the lounging chair, use your favorite blanket to cozy up and study. I'll make sure Madison behaves. Well, as much as she can behave." Her eyes glanced in Madison's direction, calm warmth in her eyes. She didn't look like she was trying to keep Madison in line, she looked like she genuinely believed in Madison's maturity to behave the right way and support her friends. Madison smiled. "I'll let our baby study, no need to twist my arm. I believe in her just as much as you do, mama-bear." Lynn didn't make her agreement explicit, but in her mind she had given before Peony had even said she would keep Madison in line. Her friends wanted her here and she was still riding on the gratitude she felt for her friends wanting her to be her weird self. She had wanted to be in diapers, Ultimately it took each of them a couple trips upstairs and back down to bring all their study materials into their own corners. Well, corners for Peony and Lynn, for Madison everything was scattered across the living room. Both Peony and Madison gave Lynn pats on her diapered butt as they passed her on the stairs or in the hallways as she moved her books downstairs. Peony so softly that Lynn almost didn't notice. She cupped her hand to go between Lynn legs from behind, almost like she was checking if Lynn had wet her diaper. When Lynn noticed, it made her blush but thankfully Peony had already passed and could not see. Madison didn't bother hiding her pats, making the diaper crinkle as loud as she could then smiling. One time she said: "It's cute how it crinkles. Like it's announcing you. As it should." By the time Lynn had installed herself in her corner in the living rooms, sitting in the lounge chair with a blanket covering her legs and her diaper, there was a tray on a small side table with a steaming mug of tea and two cookies. She grabbed one, dunked it in the cup of tea, stuffed it in her mouth, and then opened her first book. It fell open on the first bookmark, pastel yellow in color, with the text in her handwriting that said "start here". She had been through these texts already, of course, and she had tried being diligent throughout the year, which had been hard but now looked like it was absolutely worth it. As she went through the course again, she got lost in her memories of reading the books on the reading lists, memories of moments in class, and even memories of the time Peony and Madison had caught her in diapers. The parts of the course from right after that discovery were going to be hardest for her, since she hadn't been focused at all. She flipped to the next page that had a bookmark. The bookmark said: "I must stand quite alone, if I am to understand myself and everything about me." She remembered why that line had resonated with her then, but it was rather out of context. Her situation wasn't about honor, duty, or loyalty, it was simply that she felt alone because of trying to discover herself. The quote came from Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House. Another quote followed soon after: "Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves." That one was from Rilke and had snapped her out of her introspective confusion about being caught in a diaper. Lynn had thrown herself back into her studies, trying to distract herself from the loneliness she had put herself in. And now here she was, studies and diapers together like a book and its analysis together. She put a hand on her diaper in contentment and quickly grabbed her notebook to note down: "I do not know why the thick padding brings me joy, yet its warmth drowns out all doubt." She looked up and saw Madison dancing through the living room, head phones on. The latter suddenly cast a glance at Lynn and when she saw Lynn looking back, she winked at Lynn and said: "Studious baby," smiling happily. A look at Madison's whiteboard, positioned right next to one of the doors into the living room, revealed the sketch of a diaper of all things, with some words next to it that Lynn could not read from where she was sitting. The diaper itself had clearly gone through multiple iterations, there were smudges all around it. On Lynn's side table were some fresh fruits and her tea mug was full. Surely she had drunk from it before? She looked up in the direction of the kitchen, seeing Peony talking to herself and then glancing back in her direction, smiling warmly as their eyes met. Pulled out of her literary realm for a few moments, she felt pressure in her underbelly: her bladder reminding her she wasn't a character in a story, those almost never needed to pee. Lynn on the other hand was all too real and needed to go. She put her book down on the ground next to the chair and moved to get up. The crinkling noise as she shifted brought the padding snugly hugging her bottom back front and center in her mind. She could feel it again, she had practically forgotten. She looked down but could only see the heart-covered onesie that was hiding her diaper from direct sight. She smiled and let go. Eh, tried to let go. She felt her face heat up and then suddenly she could hear herself peeing into her diaper. It seemed so loud to herself, that she looked up to see if Peony or Madison had heard, but oddly Madison was distracted reading in her own textbook, leaning on her elbows on the living room table. And the only part of Peony that showed through the door was her shoulder. Lynn quickly sat back down with a squish more than a crinkle, she felt her face heat again. It was great her friends accepted her in a diaper and wanted her in a diaper, but it was kind of embarrassing sitting in a used diaper where people could notice. She quickly draped the blanket back over herself and escaped back into her class books. Between tea and shifting in the chair to give her bottom parts a little more space on occasion, she managed to make quite some progress through her books. It all felt a lot less orderly than during her classes. Her professors had warned that the exam would require linking all the material they had seen together to show understanding, so maybe that was not so odd. Holding her diaper again, eating some fruit, and drinking some more tea later, she realized she needed to go. Suddenly she heard Peony's voice right next to her, where Peony had in fact snuck up to her. "Are you alright, Lynn sweetie? You look like you forgot something very important." It only half registered. She had to go. Absorbed in her studies in the warm caress of her diaper she hadn't noticed the pressure in her backside swelling slowly. She threw her legs out from under herself and her insides seemed to drop even lower, announcing the epilogue of this particular story. She needed the bathroom now, or she would really be a baby, helplessly filling her diaper. She liked diapers, even wet diapers, but... she wasn't an actual baby. She rushed upstairs. "You’re not getting cold feet now, are you?" Madison said after her. Lynn didn't look back or pay any real attention to Madison's words, or she would've realized Madison knew exactly what the problem was. No, Lynn simply barged into the bathroom, closed the door with her left hand while snapping the snaps of her onesie open with her right hand. Her diaper dropped to the tile floor with a heavy thud as her bottom sat on the smooth toilet seat and she let go. She felt embarrassed. Once the pressure was released, she had time to take a look at the diaper on the floor before her, the one she had been wearing. She knew she had used it, she had decided to use it, but the yellow had spread over the inside a lot further than she had thought while wearing it. Seeing it lie on the bathroom floor it looked quite heavy too. There was still plenty of white padding on the front and back, however. She didn't actually know how long she could keep on a diaper, how much she could or should use it. She knew she didn't want to waste her friends' gift, so... she should put it back on, she decided. Finishing in the bathroom, she took the diaper back to her own room and put it on her bed, making sure it was laid out well for her to lay down back on top. It took a second to position her butt, laying herself down as she thought the diaper should fit. She pulled the front back between her legs, and it was in fact quite heavy, yet that just seemed to help it fall back into place. The way it seemed to grip her lower area seemed so tight and close fitting. She began with the lower velcros to tape the diaper shut, had to adjust a couple times to make sure the diaper gripped her hips the right way that she didn't have to worry about it falling off even with its weight. She snapped the buttons on her onesie shut around the diaper once again. Standing up, she was well aware of the diaper's weight now. She had used that diaper more than she had thought and she had almost gone number two in it as well. That was a little... maybe Madison was right to tease her. Just a little right maybe. She had been studying very hard, had been distracted, and the diaper had allowed her to focus for... well, it was almost four o'clock in the afternoon now. She felt her stomach be as surprised as she was that they had skipped lunch. The diaper actually had helped! That was wonderf... no reason to go number two in her diaper. She hadn't planned on coming that close and that just gave resonance to Madison's teases. She took a deep breath and headed back downstairs. "She's back," Madison yelled toward the kitchen as Lynn descended the stairs. "I'm guessing you're still just a wet baby? A cute, wet baby, I'll admit." Lynn felt her face grow warmer again and she tried to ignore Madison's teasing. Instead, how right Madison was was written large in her mind, and she felt her face flushing hot. Peony was at the bottom of the stairs in a few moments. "Are you alright, sweetie?" Waiting just a moment for Lynn to swallow and nod. "Did you get your diaper back on alright? Do you want me to check if it's nice and snug?" Lynn wanted to say no, but Peony was already pulling on her onesie so she could take a look at the fasteners. "Oh, you did a wonderful job. Well done." It didn't sound patronizing, it sounded motherly, even though Peony was the same age as Lynn. She finished with a pat on her friend's diapered bottom and disappeared back into the kitchen. Lynn heard pots a few moments later, evidently Peony was hungry too. "You know," Madison said before Lynn could hide back in her book corner, "I have no interest in wearing a diaper myself, but I really think they look good on you." She gave Lynn's bottom a slight squeeze. Lynn felt nothing of the squeeze since her padding at this point was so incredibly thick it was already squeezing her butt by itself. She didn't know what to respond. Was Madison teasing her out of good fun rather than genuinely making fun of her? After too long a silence she said: "I appreciate the compliment." "Don't worry, I'll stop making those, and instead keep poking fun at you." She grabbed Lynn around the shoulders. "Looks like your diaper soaked up all the water in the Nile." In an instant Lynn's face felt hotter than the Sahara. Madison smirked. "That's why we got you the super thick kind, so you could soak up the Nile. You're just using the product for its intended purpose, so you're getting value for your money. Well, Peony's and my money, but all the same, you're not wasting money." The economics jargon didn't exactly soothe Lynn's embarrassment. Madison's admission that she wasn't misusing their gift however, did come as a soothing surprise. "I appreciate the gift, Madison, really. And even though you want me to wear it, it still feels embarrassing to wear." "No Lynn, that's nonsense," Madison came back. "You're the baby of the house, it would be embarrassing if you weren't wearing a diaper." Lynn sighed. "We're all the same age, Madison." Another smile from Madison, a very warm one. "Yeah, but..." And she gestured at Lynn's onesie and diaper, even gave the latter a little tap on the front. Lynn had to giggle at that. Somewhere in the back of her mind she realized something was wrong with the logic, but the warm smile somehow melted her embarrassment and made her admit, at least in her deepest inner self, that she was in fact the baby of the house. Who else would want to wear diapers anyway?

It took a month to get my appointment, which I suppose was good as it took three weeks for the VA to approve it (and multiple phone calls). I'm not sure what is going to happen as the appointment is listed as "Evaluation" and is supposed to be 90 minutes long. I'll post an update later.

Hello! This is a story loosely based on a real experience I had on a day trip to a little beach town where I had some local apple cider. It was so hot outside and the juice was so yummy that I drank a whole bottle very quickly… only I forgot that apple juice (especially local organic hand-pressed type) is a natural laxative. In a tourist town with very few bathrooms available on a busy day in summer, it very quickly created a potty emergency that took over the whole day. I hope you all enjoy this story that was inspired by the event! … “Okay honey do you see anything else you want? We need to pick up the pace if we don’t want to spend all day just seeing the general store.” I resisted the sudden urge to grab every souvenir and piece of candy I could see and gave a hesitant nod, handing mommy the glass bottle of blueberry apple cider I had picked out. We just finished having a big breakfast at a famous local diner to start our day trip but we were already drawn in by the signs for homemade fudge outside of the little shop. We didn’t end up getting any, deciding it made more sense to stop on our way out rather than carrying fudge around on a hot day, but I still couldn’t leave without getting at least one little treat. Mommy was a sucker for my puppy dog eyes and I knew she’d get it for me if I asked. She set the bottle of juice on the counter and paid for it before taking my hand and leading me outside back onto the Main Street. It was a cute little seaside town that we were spending the day in; full of little shops, small niche museums, ocean views, and family-owned restaurants. Vacation days like this were some of my favorite kind because the places were so busy that no one looked twice if they noticed mommy holding my hand, the slight waddle in my walk from a bulky diaper between my legs, or whatever smells might come with it. Even if they did, we’d be lost in the crowd so quickly that they’d forget about it immediately and I’d never have to see them again. It was the perfect environment to blend in and feel like I was just another little boy being taken on an adventure by his mommy. Out on the street mommy moved us into the shade of a tree while she looked at the town tourist map on her phone. As she mentally planned our root for the day I opened my blueberry apple cider and started to chug - the shade not doing much to cool me down in the balmy summer heat. The only saving grace besides the ocean breeze was that I was wearing just a thin blue tank top with bright green shorts. My shirt had a shark in the middle which had already prompted several verses of the “baby shark” song in the car. And even though my outfit helped to keep me cool, it was amazing how difficult it was to regulate your temperature when you had a big plastic-backed diaper taped around your waist. It was not breathable whatsoever, even when fresh and clean, but especially not now when it was already a bit damp. The pee I let out at breakfast had created a humid environment in my pants that was making the rest of my body feel a bit tacky. A few minutes passed before mommy finally looked up from her phone to give me the plan and start heading to our first location. Just as she looked up she saw me guzzle the last bit of juice left in the large bottle, a few sticky drops trailing down my chin and landing on my shirt. Mommy froze for a moment and instantly I knew I did something wrong. I tried to wrack my brain for what rule I broke but I was already feeling a bit regressed just standing there in my wet diaper and my foggy brain was struggling to use adult logic. “Young man! Did I say you could have your juice yet?” Oh… oops. I shook me head slowly and looked sheepishly at my Velcro sandals to avoid her eyes. “You know the rules mister. Vacation doesn’t mean you don’t follow mommy’s rules. You should have waited until I put some juice in your sippy and then mommy would hang onto the rest. I hope this isn’t going to set the tone for the whole day! Because if you aren’t going to listen to mommy then we can just go right home.” She looked down at him and crossed her arms, and as bad as I felt for upsetting her - I also loved feeling like a little boy in trouble. “I’m sorry mommy… I was thirsty…” I mumbled, handing her the empty juice bottle and wiping half of my face with my arm. “And you’re making a mess too! Stay still and don’t touch your face!” She reached into my diaper bag and rifled around before pulling out a wipe. She tossed the empty bottle in the trash can before taking my chin in her hand and roughly wiping my mouth and chin with then baby wipe. The smell and manhandling only added to my regressed state and I felt my maturity slip further and further away. Once my face was clean, mommy threw away the used wipe and pulled out my reusable water bottle. It wasn’t as fun as my sippy cups at home but for discretion she had gotten me a grown up water bottle to use out of the house. Although she did get me one with a spout that’s about as close to a sippy cup as she could find! “Here is your water, that’s all you can have for the rest of the day. No more juice. That’s way too much sugar! Do you know what apple juice does to your tummy when you drink too much too fast? And not let mommy water it down for you?” I shook my head again, knowing that I should probably know the answer but it felt like most of my adult knowledge was buried under hundreds of blankets in the back of my head. Instead of searching for it, I just gave in to mommy and let her be the one with the answers. “Well you’re about to find out, little man. Now come on, mommy forgives you, let’s just focus on having a good day, okay? Be a good little boy for mommy and maybe we’ll even get ice cream later!” I perked up right away at that and smiled, already forgetting about the juice and whatever mommy had said about it. I was going to be such a good boy! I put the water bottle up to my lips and tilted it up out of habit, drinking it with both hands like it was a big metal sippy cup. As I felt the cool water go down my throat, I simultaneously felt a warm wetness leaving my body and soaking into my diaper. When I finished drinking a moment later I handed the bottle back to mommy and she put it in the pouch on my diaper bag. She had her hand out waiting for me to take it but I hesitated a few more seconds before I did, not being able to focus on the request while I was still wetting myself. Mommy knew exactly what was happening and waited patiently for me to finish my peepee and then take her hand before we started down the street towards our first stop - a little historical house with a gift shop. I may have been oblivious to the consequences of what I had done, but mommy was already planning in her head for the inevitable disaster that was on the horizon. Her plan was just to get as many activities in as possible before the storm. And oh, what a mighty storm it would be… To be continued!

Chapter 66 Charlotte squinted her eyes as the golden rays of sunlight danced around her forehead and on her cheek. Charlotte noticed her hair was considerably longer, and…she immediately felt a heavier waist around her. Upon taking in her surroundings, she noticed that the crib was gone and in its place was a bed. ‘Wow. Are these…breasts? I almost forgot what it was like to have them.’ Charlotte was also in a pink silk nightgown instead of a onesie and…Charlotte traced her fingers around her waist, only feeling a soft cotton band that was snugly wrapped around her torso. ‘Panties? Yes! No diapers!’ Charlotte sprang out of her bed in delight and paced over to the light switch in a waltz. She glanced in the mirror that she had next to her desk to see what her age was. “A teenager again?” She sighed. “Well, I guess it’s better than being a toddler.” Charlotte heard a buzz vibrating on her desk. She laughed when she noticed how outdated the cellphone was. “What is that? An iPhone 4?” But when Charlotte saw the caller ID, she gasped. “WHAT? Lexi? Why is Lex calling me? Doesn’t she have her oh so important modeling job?” Charlotte missed the call, so she immediately called Lexi back. “Hello?” “Charlotte, where are you? We were supposed to do a quick jog before school!” Charlotte gasped. “Before school? Lex, don’t you have a job in modeling now?” “Very funny, Charlotte. Now if you are finished joking, Maya and I are waiting. You know what? Let’s forget about running this morning. We don’t have time. Now, I’m going to pick you up and take you to Langford. I’ll even let you ride shotgun. Maya is in the back seat. Two more weeks and we have Winter Break! I hope that you got your Christmas shopping done, Char. We can do some of that after school. So get ready. Don’t keep me waiting!” Charlotte nodded. “Okay Lex! I’ll see you in a few minutes. Bye!” Shortly after Charlotte hung up, there was a soft knock on the door before it opened. “Good morning, sweetie!” Darcy announced. “Are you just getting up? It looks like you missed your run with your friends. I just finished toasting a pop tart for you so get some clothes on and have a wonderful Monday at Langford!” “Thanks mom!” Charlotte nodded, shooing her mother out of her room so that she could get dressed. “Gotta get ready, but thanks!” The door closed, and Charlotte changed into a school outfit in record time, changing into new panties and putting on a fresh bra. ‘I’ll shower before Phys. Ed.’ Charlotte thought to herself as she hastily got a pink bubble skirt that caught her attention in the closet. She then proceeded to lazily tie her hair into one thick ponytail. And being the makeup master that she was, she made a few quick applications before she left her room, still tugging the ankles of her socks until they were snugly around her feet. “All dressed! Where’s the pop tart, mom?” Charlotte’s question was answered when she saw a plate with a frosted strawberry pop tart on top of it. “Thanks mom! You’re the best!” Darcy smiled, but then glanced around Charlotte, as if something was missing. “Charlotte, what about your backpack?” Charlotte gasped. “Oh shit!” Darcy scowled. “Charlotte Marie, we do not talk like that!” Charlotte ignored her mother as she tore off a piece of pop tart and shoved it in her mouth, before hurrying upstairs to retrieve her backpack and her cellphone (which she also forgot upstairs). As she finished chewing her pop tart, she ran downstairs holding her backpack and cellphone to retrieve the rest of her pop tart. She stuffed the rest of it in her mouth and began chewing. Darcy gasped. “Take smaller bites, honey! You don’t want to choke! Here. I’m going to give you some grape juice to wash it down. Charlotte nodded and accepted the glassful of grape juice as it was given to her. She drank the entire glass in a few gulps. “Okay mom! Lex is on her way. Love you!” Darcy glanced at Charlotte, who was just in her stockings. “Are you going to wear any shoes? And don’t forget a coat. It’s cold this morning but it will warm up later.” Charlotte nodded as she scrambled to the closet to find a coat. She put on a pink puffer coat which she didn’t bother to zip and put up the hood. ‘Oh, I hope that this doesn’t mess up my hair.’ Charlotte rummaged around the bottom of the closet for shoes and found a pair that looked familiar. ‘Bottega Veneta? The Running Shoes? Yes. I gotta wear these!’ Charlotte quickly laced up the running shoes and tied them. Darcy kindly handed Charlotte her purse. “You left it in the living room last night, dear. Try not to stay up so late next time. Have a good day!” “I will!” Charlotte took the purse and put her cell phone in it, before cradling the right strap of her backpack around her right shoulder. She approached the door just in time to hear it ring. DING DONG! Charlotte opened the door to find Lexi standing there in a white puffer coat. From the expression on her face, Charlotte felt that Lexi looked relieved that Charlotte was actually on time. “Good!” Lexi said with a smile. “You’re actually on time. Let’s get to Langford! You have shotgun!” Charlotte approached the car, which she found to be a white Mercedes-Benz. “A white Mercedes?” Lexi laughed. “Where have you been, Charlotte? It’s a 2010 Mercedes-Benz E Class! I got it last year for my birthday since I got my driver’s license. Remember?” Charlotte nodded, pretending to remember with a sigh. That’s when she also remembered that Lexi’s family was very wealthy and could only guess that her father bought it for her brand new. That could only mean…’It’s 2011? I’m actually in the year 2011?’ Charlotte got in the car with her purse and backpack to notice Maya smiling in the backseat. “Char, you missed our run!” Maya said with a frown. “We decided to go without you since you wouldn’t answer your phone. Hope you’re not too hurt.” Charlotte shook her head. “I’m not. I actually needed the sleep.” She lied, not wanting to tell her friend about what she really went through. ‘Heck. I’ll take redoing 13 years of my life over redoing 28 years.’ The conversation on the way to the private high school was typical of what she remembered regarding Lexi and Maya. Lots of discussion about modeling, how their Thanksgiving break went, and Christmas shopping (something that didn’t cross Charlotte’s mind due to her recent arrival). They also talked about boyfriends. During this topic, both Lexi and Maya smirked at Charlotte. “Charlotte?” Maya said with a teasing smile. “So are you going to ask him? Brandon Ashmore? We both know you really like him.” Maya nodded. “Don’t blow it, Char.” Charlotte gasped. ‘This is my second chance to get the boyfriend that I missed out on in the first place! Challenge accepted, Lex.’ She smiled as a great fondness came across her face. “Sure! I’ll ask him! I’ll get him a Christmas gift. A little mistletoe and he’ll have to kiss me!” All the girls laughed as the white Mercedes-Benz pulled into the parking lot of the Langford School. The three girls all shivered all the way through the parking lot and into the building. Charlotte forgot just how much work school was, but managed to pick it up pretty quickly. Especially with her first class, which was modeling. What surprised Charlotte even more was how well she remembered all the poses. Physical education was next, which made Charlotte relieved. ‘Finally! I can get a shower!’ Charlotte took a brief shower and noticed a couple other girls starting theirs right after her. One of them was…Wait! Was it? “Diana…” she softly whispered under her breath. Diana just noticed Charlotte as she began to walk out of the showers. “Mi Amiga!” she exclaimed. “Charlotte! We need to talk! Wait in the gym.” Charlotte nodded, and was surprised to see Diana in the same class as her. ‘Did she want to tell me how we both got older? I’m happy, too. I can’t wait to talk!’ Charlotte hurriedly wiped herself with a towel and got into her physical education clothes, which she kept in her locker. While she had a spare set of Nikes, she opted for her running shoes instead. Now dressed in her pink t-shirt and black jogging pants, she was ready for another session full of running. Charlotte sat on the bench in the gymnasium and was surprised to be one of the first ones to finish showering and getting ready. She then felt two arms wrapping around her in a warm hug. “Mi Amiga, Charlotte! I’m sorry! Lo Sienta!” “Diana,” Charlotte said with a smile, which turned into a puzzled look. “What are you sorry about?” “Our high school days, Charlotte.” Diana told her. “During our days at Langford, I was always the mean girl, and I bullied you. I’m very sorry! Can you forgive me?” Charlotte was moved and a little bewildered. ‘To be honest, I don’t remember any of it. Maybe I chose to forget as a coping mechanism?’ “Charlotte,” Diana continued. “We both went to the same school. I was with a group of girls and we always teased you. I feel very bad about it now. I mean, everything that we’ve been through, you know? Are you wearing them? You are! So am I…Let’s run fast, Charlotte. Rápida!” Charlotte nodded. “We will, Diana! It’s okay if you were mean to me in the past. What’s important is that you have changed, and so have I. I mean, we’re older now. Isn’t that awesome?” Diana glanced down at her shoes and grinned. “I hate to burst your bubble, mi amiga, but this is a dream. We are both sharing the same dream. It is the shoes, Charlotte. Have you figured it out?” The very words that entered Charlotte began to produce a sinking feeling in her, but she resolutely decided to dismiss it. “A dream? Fine. If we’re both going to be babies when we wake up, then let’s savor being older for a little bit, okay? Yes. I figured out that the shoes are doing this.” Diana carefully brushed her fingers over the soles of her purple running shoes. “And what do you think, Charlotte? Are you happy with who you are?” Charlotte sighed, but then produced a gentle smile. “At first, Diana, I wasn’t happy with who I was at all. But do you know what? When I figured out that the shoes were doing this to me, I decided, ‘Hey, why fight it?’ Now, I am more happy than I have ever been in my entire life!” Diana nodded. “Same for me, mi amiga. When I let go, I became very happy. Now are we going to play at daycare tomorrow?” Charlotte nodded. “Of course! And I think we’re going to play with another girl too! Karlee? Yeah, it’s going to be fun.” Diana giggled. “Karlee’s a lot of fun. She's a little older than me. How old are you outside this dream?” Charlotte moved her fingers, doing math in her head. “I think my mom said that I’m about 25 months. Almost.” Diana nodded. “Yup. You’re about four months younger than me. I’m almost 29 months. Karlee’s 31 months.” Then it hit Charlotte. ‘The question! I need to ask her about her shoes!’ She pointed to Diana’s shoes. “Diana, how did you get those shoes?” Diana cupped her hands around the soles of her running shoes and smiled. “They were a birthday gift, Charlotte. I got them for my 30th birthday.” Charlotte gasped. “Wow. Then you started experiencing this a little bit before I did. I got my shoes not as a birthday gift, but more of a special gift from my mom. Kind of one to show her appreciation for me running my marathons. While I appreciate the gift, I never realized what they would do to me.” Diana nodded. “Your shoes. Where did your mother buy them?” Charlotte frowned. “My mother never told me where she got them.” Diana carefully studied Charlotte’s shoes. “The craftsmanship…the design of the shoes are very similar to mine. Only my mamá can do that kind of work. Charlotte, your mother got those shoes from my mother’s shoe store. Ay caramba!” Diana’s face began to turn almost pale. Charlotte gasped. “What’s wrong?” Diana glanced at her shoes again. “Charlotte, when I was little, long before I owned these purple shoes, my mamá spoke about a pair of shoes that she wore that gave her the fountain of youth. She spoke about how she could run fast in them and how it gave her boundless energy. I thought that she was making all of this up until I got those shoes on my 30th birthday. Then it hit me. Did she give me the same shoes that she wore? But she wouldn’t do that! The shoes she wore were mint green, too so this had to be a new pair.” Charlotte nodded, looking concerned. “So do you think that it had to do with what the shoes were made with?” Diana nodded. “Father used to make a lot of shoes when I was little. Then something happened and I haven’t seen my father since. He used to have a lot of leftover material to make shoes, but my mother had thrown all that away. My mamá …I knew that she did this. She would never make anything with father’s materials…” Charlotte gave Diana a curious look. “Well, I think that the materials somehow got mixed in somehow. I mean, look at us! We were once both 30…well, me almost 30…and now, we’re both two! I think that something strange happened…” Diana nodded. “I know, Charlotte. All the old stories that my mamá told me are coming back to me. Every one. All we can do now is happily accept our fate. Who knows? Maybe our happiness will be rewarded. After all, this is not our fault!” Charlotte nodded. “I am already at peace with disappearing. If you think that there’s a reward, I will be all the more happy about disappearing with you.” Charlotte glanced around and frowned. “Where’s the rest of our class?” Diana smiled. “It’s our dream, Charlotte! They’re not going to come out. We can make it whatever we like!” Charlotte, satisfied with that answer, got up to her feet and gave Diana another look. “I can’t believe that you used to be my bully.” Diana nodded. “But no more, Charlotte. I’m your best friend, now. We both learned lessons and we grew from it. How about a fun run around the gym? Rápida, mi amiga! Rápida!” Charlotte agreed and both girls began running around the gymnasium, with the teacher and the rest of the class absent. It felt surreal with it being empty, but at the same time there was a sense of peace and tranquility in the room. Both Charlotte and Diana were running fast, yet they were both at an equal pace with each other. Charlotte was finally satisfied with her question answered, but the mystery of the running shoes just produced more questions inside of her. ‘Who made the running shoes for Diana’s mother? And while Charlotte knew that Diana’s mother made the shoes for Diana, who made her shoes? Was it possible for the shoes to change color? Afterall, the shoes that Diana received for her birthday were supposed to be normal, according to Diana. But somehow, the mysterious magic found its way to both Charlotte’s and Diana’s shoes. Whatever the case, Charlotte was satisfied with one thing. ‘I solved the mystery!’ “Diana,” Charlotte said, looking down at her shoes as she ran. “I solved the mystery! The shoes were responsible for my reverse aging the whole time, so I guess we just see what happens next?” Diana nodded. “We do, Charlotte. Neither of us would ever imagine that a pair of running shoes could even make us little, but they are. And from what mamá told me in her stories when I was little, these shoes are giving me and you the same fountain of youth. We live our best days, even if they are as babies. I pray that I may be rewarded. I didn’t do this. Mamá gave me a gift, and I’m sure that she didn’t mean to give me shoes like the ones that she had. Charlotte, there’s something weird about my mother’s shoe shop. It’s always been weird.” Charlotte nodded, and they both continued their run around the gym, for what felt like their 50th lap. Charlotte felt a sudden urge to pee, which she decided to release on purpose. A warm spot began to expand around her crotch and run down both her legs, until droplets of pee began dripping onto the hardwood floor of the gymnasium. Diana gave Charlotte a knowing smirk. “I know what you just did.” Charlotte nodded. “Yes. Outside of this dream, I am still a toddler. I am guessing that what I just peed is now gelling up inside my diaper.” Diana nodded, as she pointed at her legs beginning to drip with pee. “Same as you, Charlotte. Neither of us will have to worry about anything when we wake up. Now, I can’t wait to see you at daycare!” Charlotte nodded as she ran beside Diana, feeling mildly embarrassed that she peed herself on purpose but at the same time knew that she had no bladder control outside of her dream. *** Charlotte squinted her eyes open, the dream immediately feeling like a blur to her. While Charlotte was keenly aware of her adulthood, all she could even sense and feel when she woke up was all her two-year-old instincts. And because of this, she couldn’t make much sense of the dream that she had, and the memory of it seemed to have faded as quickly as it arrived. All toddler Charlotte knew was that there was a noticeable wet bulge around her butt and crotch. And Charlotte didn’t like it at all, so she did the only thing that she knew she could do in that situation. Charlotte cried. ‘MOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!” In seconds, the door swung open, with Darcy flicking the light on in a gasp. ‘The baby monitoring app woke me up early. What could it be? Another wet diaper?’ Darcy hoisted Charlotte out of the crib and laid her on the changing table immediately. It was earlier than what she would expect Charlotte to wake up, but she knew that as a mother, emergencies like this are expected. Darcy unsnapped the crotch buttons on Charlotte’s pink onesie to find a wide bulge around the crotch and butt of Charlotte’s diaper. The wetness indicator was completely blue, so she peeled back the tapes to see the extent of the damage. Just as she expected, the inside of Charlotte’s diaper was soaked from end to end. ‘Goodness. The poor girl was about to leak.’ She calmed Charlotte down and guided the pacifier into Charlotte’s mouth from the ribbon clip that it was attached to. And while her daughter sucked on her pacifier, Darcy wasted no time in changing Charlotte’s diaper. Within the next two minutes, Charlotte was wiped, cleaned, powdered and in a new diaper. With it almost being 4:00 AM, Darcy decided to feed Charlotte early. She carried Charlotte over to the rocking chair and cradled her in her lap, rocking her back and forth in a rhythmic motion. Charlotte watched as she noticed herself in the rocking chair again. ‘Am I going to get the milk again?’ Charlotte gazed up and watched as she was elevated up to the same level as her mother’s chest. She watched her mother loosen the straps, exposing the fleshly bulges of skin. She was guided closer until she closed her mouth around her mother’s breast and begin suckling. Charlotte was full part way into the other breast, so she burped as her eyes flickered. She yawned as she sank into her mother’s lap. Charlotte woke up as she found her mother changing her into another outfit. A pink floral tulle dress with two ribbons tied in the center. And Charlotte didn’t know if it was her imagination, but she felt like she was in another new diaper. Shortly after this, Charlotte felt her bare feet being clothed with her mother sliding pink socks onto her feet. She was carried with her mother, who had a bag filled with all her essentials for daycare. Downstairs, she was fed a quick breakfast of cheerios and strawberry yogurt before being taken to the closet, where her mother slid on a miniature pair of the running shoes that she had on in her dream. It didn’t matter what size Charlotte’s feet were. The shoes always magically adapted to her size. About 20 minutes later, Charlotte was wheeled into Little Lilacs Preschool and Daycare in a stroller, with her calmly sucking on her pacifier. Darcy checked Charlotte into the daycare with Rena and made sure that Amber had Charlotte’s backpack filled with diapers, spare clothes, food, a couple of bottles of apple juice, and toys, and other things that Charlotte needed for daycare. And with that, Darcy kissed Charlotte on the forehead and she was off. A little bit of Charlotte’s adult mind remembered that there was something different about the daycare. ‘I was in the three-year-old room before. Am I in the two-year-old room now?’ Charlotte’s question was answered when she saw a couple of other mothers dropping off their kids. One looked familiar, since she was carrying Diana. The other one was also familiar since the girl in the mother’s arms was one that she saw at modeling. The girl was…Karlee. The three girls all began their playtime like no time has passed. Whatever games they were playing before, they resumed like they were all best friends. Charlotte understood this well with Diana, but was very surprised at how much she could remember Karlee. With Charlotte being merely 25 months compared to Diana's 29 months and Karlee’s 31 months, she was the baby in the group. But subconsciously, Charlotte knew that it wouldn’t be too long before both her and Diana would both be babies compared to Karlee. Diana pointed at Charlotte’s pink running shoes. Charlotte in turn noticed Diana’s purple running shoes that magically adapted to her now toddler feet. Charlotte knew that just wearing the running shoes would result in her losing more years of her life, but that didn’t matter to Charlotte. None of it did. Nothing else mattered. The three girls remained in their little group and played on, pretending to have a tea party or some other made-up game. Charlotte seemed to have worn herself out, as she felt a set of hands guiding her to a crib, before lifting her up and laying her inside it. Charlotte tiredly squinted her eyes closed. The time seemed to have flown by, as Charlotte saw two large hands scoop her up into her mother’s arms. ‘Mommy…Is here already? Why so soon?’ What Charlotte didn’t understand was that Darcy had Charlotte enrolled in half-day daycare, as mothers and other caregivers had the option of half-day or full-day care at Little Lilacs. “Come on, Charlie baby. We need to shoot the Pampers commercial.” Darcy glanced at Amber and pointed at Charlotte. “Is Charlotte in a fresh diaper?” Amber nodded. “She is. I changed her right before her nap.” Darcy nodded, and placed Charlotte onto a nearby changing table. “Well, just to be sure, I’m going to check again.” Darcy checked Charlotte’s diaper only to find that it was only slightly damp. She quickly changed Charlotte’s diaper, wadding up the slightly soggy diaper and tossing it in the nearby pail. Just as Darcy was carrying Charlotte to her stroller, she noticed another mother carrying Karlee. “I couldn’t help but overhear that your Charlotte is going to be in the Pampers commercial.” Kendra said with a smile. “Karlee’s going to be in it too! Normally, I have Karlee in all-day daycare but she gets special time off for this!” Karlee proudly smiled. “I bee-in dye-pah cah-ur-shal!” Darcy buckled Charlotte in her stroller and grinned. “Well, I’ll see you there!” Charlotte’s adult mind was weighed down by the pure and playful innocence of her toddler mind. ‘What is…cah-maw-shal? Can I play some more? I want my pacie…’ Charlotte’s happiness and bliss continued to fill her as nothing seemed to bother Charlotte anymore. The only things that bothered her now were the normal things that would bother a toddler that just barely turned two. If Charlotte’s mind was going for a ride, she was having the time of her life. And the more of herself that she lost, the more content that she was with her new way of life. Afterall, this was the way that things were supposed to be. ‘I am a baby. I am a little girl…’ Charlotte contentedly sucked on her pacifier as she felt herself sink into the plush padding of her car seat. At this point, Charlotte had begun to forget the pressing demands of her former life. It almost seemed like a dream to her. That woman that Charlotte saw in her mind. Who was that? Ironically enough, that was Charlotte. But if you were to tell her that, she would just say that it was a woman that looked like her mommy. Charlotte squinted her eyes open to notice that she was moving. She was in her stroller again and could see bright lights and cameras in a large room. Darcy walked over to the director and sat Charlotte down, who still looked a little dazed from her nap. “We’re ready to shoot.” The male director, looking very focused and alert, passively nodded. “We’re not. Take her to makeup. She will need a new diaper.” Darcy glanced at the wetness indicator on Charlotte’s diaper, which was still a solid yellow. “But Charlotte’s dry!” The director, who had the top of his sunglasses resting on his hair, took his sunglasses in one hand and gave Darcy a stern look. “Look Miss Warren. We need the shot for the new Pampers that we’re featuring in the commercial. Those ones won’t do. It doesn’t matter if she’s dry. Get her in that new diaper. We’ll get someone to change her at makeup, since the tape job on the diaper needs to be perfect. Get her changed, and then makeup. I then want her here in a few minutes. Do I make myself clear? Because listen to me.” He said, his voice becoming softer and more stern. “We have more than enough babies in this commercial and your kid doesn’t have to be in it if you don’t follow the rules.” Darcy nodded and without hesitation placed Charlotte back in her stroller. She wheeled her to another room with a sign that read “MAKEUP”. Darcy wheeled Charlotte in to find a young woman that looked all glammed up like a Barbie doll. The woman had long blonde hair with a thick layer of red lipstick all over her lips. The woman pointed to a changing mat that laid on top of a desk. “Is that Charlotte?” The woman said with a grin. “I’m Courtney. I will be changing Charlotte into the new Pampers diaper and will be working with Tamera to get Charlotte all ready for television. It’s going to be a 30 second commercial and we’re going to need a lot of shots.” Tamera nodded and glanced at Charlotte. “Oh, she looks so cute! How old is she? 12 Months?” “25 months,” Courtney said, correcting her. “Didn’t you read the documents? This is the very reason why we’re having Charlotte in the commercial. She’s very petite and would definitely pass for a younger toddler. And based on her recent measurements you gave us, Charlotte is going to fit fine in a Size 3. You’re going to love it, Miss Warren. This new Pampers is going to be the softest and most absorbent diaper yet. More absorbent than that Baby Dry. Now, Mr. Spencer wants all the kids there in 15 minutes.” Darcy nodded, and took notice of a few sippy cups filled with apple juice. “That’s a lot of apple juice.” Courtney nodded, as she quickly powdered Charlotte and changed her into the new Pampers diaper. “It is. It should be more than Charlotte needs. Now I want Charlotte to drink that juice until she’s full. For the commercial, we also want to test the effectiveness of the new product. It has already done really well in focus groups. Now for the closeups with filling the diaper with a blue saline solution, we already filmed that on a different day.” Courtney carefully checked her tape job on Charlotte’s diaper, making sure that the tapes were perfectly aligned in the center of the landing zone. When she saw that everything checked out, she gave Tamera a thumbs up. “We’re ready for make up.” Darcy glanced at Charlotte, who was wearing nothing but a diaper. “What about her dress?” Courtney shook her head. “The dress is going to cover up the diaper. This is a diaper commercial, so the Pampers diaper needs to be clearly visible while they’re rolling. Please don’t test Mr. Spencer’s patience. He has already turned away two kids from parents arguing with him.” Charlotte glanced at herself, feeling the comfort of the soft and fluffy diaper that she was wearing. “Na dess?” she said, pointing to her bare stomach. Darcy nodded. “It’s for the commercial, sweetie. When we’re done with the commercial, we’ll put the dress back on, okay?” “Atay!” Charlotte shouted in a manner that conveyed her sweet toddler innocence. Both Courtney and Tamera went to work on applying the right about of makeup on Charlotte. Since Charlotte was staying still, Darcy gave Charlotte her pacifier to suck on. After that, Charlotte remained still while the two women applied the rest of the makeup on Charlotte. Just as Darcy carried Charlotte out, a couple more mothers carried their children into makeup. One of them was Kendra, who was carrying Karlee. With Karlee being noticeably bigger than Charlotte, Kendra gave Courtney a sheepish smile. “Do you have size 5’s?” Courtney nodded. “Yes. We have up to size 7.” Darcy quietly waved at Kendra as she left the makeup room with Charlotte. As Charlotte was being carried, her toddler mind went to work, trying to figure out why she was here. ‘What this place? Why there powder on my face? I wanna play! Will mommy let me play?’ Charlotte glanced at her mother, giving her a wanting look. “Mahpay!” Darcy sighed at Charlotte and then glanced at one of the staff. “She wants to play.” The female staff member rolled her eyes and pointed to a pile of toys that a group of other kids was playing with. “She can play with those toys.” She said in a bored voice. “Filming starts in five minutes.” Darcy sat Charlotte next to the toys and the other toddlers that were playing with them. They looked to be a group of kids, with most of them ranging from 18 to 24 months. Two women staff members supervised them nearby. After Charlotte spent a couple minutes stacking blocks, she saw another hand grab one of the blocks. It was Karlee. “Weady fah cursial? Karlee asked Charlotte. “Mama sawd ah gah be on tee vee!” Charlotte shrugged her shoulders, recognizing only the words “mama” and “TV”. This triggered another idea in Charlotte’s toddler brain. “Cah-cah-maw-won!” Charlotte glanced around, hoping that her mother could put on an episode of Cocomelon for her. When she saw that this wasn’t happening, she began to cry. “Wah Cah-cah-maw-won!” Karlee, realizing what Charlotte was saying, smiled. “Wahch caw-caw-meh-won ah hohm! We on tee vee!” Karlee pointed to the camera and smiled. “Smy-yah foh cahm-rah!” Charlotte, still sad about there being no Cocomelon, shook her head. “Nu!” Darcy sighed and approached Charlotte. “What’s wrong, sweetie?” “Wah Cah-cah-mah-won!” Charlotte demanded, glancing around for a TV or iPad screen. Darcy sighed. “We’ll watch Cocomelon later, dear. I promise! Now, I need you to smile for that camera because you’re going to be in a diaper commercial!” Charlotte’s expression changed when she saw a couple of the women staff begin making funny faces. She returned to where Karlee was sitting, also in nothing but her diaper like Charlotte. “Ih bee awkay!” Karlee said, smiling at Charlotte. “Mama shaw mee cahm-rah! Ah smy-yah!” Charlotte felt a twinge of maturity inside of her, and it was just enough for her to straighten up and stop crying with just a minute remaining before filming began. The other babies filed into the room with their mothers, all in just the new Pampers diaper that was being advertising for the commercial. “Places everyone!” Mr. Spencer shouted. “I don’t care where the children sit. Just have them sit and play when we start shooting!” Mr. Spencer ended up firing a total of eight children since another six didn’t make it to the shoot in time. They either showed up to the studio late or didn’t get ready in time. Whatever the case, the 20 children was now reduced to just 12. “Ready?” Mr. Spencer said, glancing around at his staff. “Lights, camera, and….ACTION!!!!” The cameras began rolling, all capturing a scene of a nursery with a bunch of children playing. The camera angles were carefully focused on the new Pampers diaper that all the toddlers wore. The staff did different things that made the kids either laugh or look surprised. As the filming and the scenes continued, Charlotte felt a warm flood in her diaper. After the flood, it seemed as if the diaper was only mostly soaked, like it could handle a couple more floods. As the filming continued, the staff took notice of the diapers. While they were sagging, none of them were leaking. Darcy, who noticed Charlotte’s diaper from a distance, gasped. “Wow. That is much more absorbent than the ones that I normally have her in.” Mr. Spencer smiled. “That’s the beauty of it, Miss Warren. Those are only the daytime ones. Now, since everyone in this room has signed an NDA, you all know that your kid will also be shooting a commercial for the new nighttime Pampers in February. Now, we got a few more shots, and then we’ll have all the kids changed and clothed. Places everybody!” Charlotte kept playing with Karlee as the cameras continued rolling, feeling her diaper grow bigger and bigger, swelling against her groin. Even at this point, it was not leaking but was now heavily soaked. A few minutes later, Mr. Spencer nodded. “And that’s a wrap! We got it, everyone! Thanks for bringing your kids to the filming! As per the contract, you will all receive your paychecks and a free year supply of our new Pampers for your kid. Mothers and caregivers, take your kids to makeup and we’ll get them on their way. We got some gold today!” By the time that Charlotte got her diaper changed at makeup, she felt like her diaper was about to burst, but it never did. As heavily saturated as it was from front to back, the new Pampers diaper did not leak. Darcy didn’t have the new Pampers diapers yet, so she had to put a less absorbent Pamper on Charlotte. Charlotte shivered when the baby wipes were brushed over her. After she was powdered, she felt the embrace of a fresh and dry diaper hugging her waist. Both tapes were snuggly fastened by Courtney and Charlotte smiled. It felt great being in a fresh diaper. After Darcy put Charlotte’s pink floral tulle dress on (pacifier ribbon still attached to it), Charlotte began sucking on her pacifier and smiled. Time to go home. And Charlotte cast a hopeful stare at her mother, wondering if she remembered about her promise to put on Cocomelon when she got home.

And the lightening strikes! … The walk back to the car was rough for both of us, and probably for anybody within smelling-distance of me as well. The heat of the day made my diaper feel humid and swampy as the mess coated my skin and got moved around more with each step. On the bright side, my tummy was feeling a bit better. It still wasn’t feeling content but at least the gurgling and cramping had subsided for the moment. Mommy was trying to calm me down by saying comforting words every few minutes, telling me she was going to make it all better and that I was a good boy for making a stinky in my diaper. It helped a little bit but mostly I was just desperate to be changed. I don’t think I would’ve even cared at this point if she laid my changing mat out on the middle of the beach. No sooner had I had that thought when mommy suddenly stopped and pulled me off of the boardwalk and onto the grass. The beach was about 20 feet away on our right, more shops were across the street to our left, and ahead was what felt like an endless expanse of boardwalk that would never reach the parking lot. Mommy turned to face me and used her hands to wipe the fresh tear tracks off of my cheeks. “Sweetie, the parking lot is still almost a mile away at this rate. I didn’t realize just how far we walked this morning. If you really want to try to get to the car I’ll take you, but I think maybe we should try something else.” I looked at her a bit confused but mostly exhausted from the emotional turmoil of my accident. “What do you say to mommy just setting up your changing mat right here? It’ll get you out of that diaper way faster and maybe save you from a rash, plus once you’re all clean we can keep exploring the area instead of heading home. Do you think you’d be willing to try that?” I hesitated for a moment as I thought about it. Part of me couldn’t believe I was even considering it! But my toddler brain was too upset to care about the humiliation I was being offered. “But… But all the people mama…” I practically whispered as my hand crept up towards my mouth, wanting so badly to slip my thumb inside. “Don’t worry about them. Just watch!” Suddenly she turned and dragged me closer to the edge of the beach where hundreds of people laid on towels and Adirondack chairs in the sun. Mommy raised her voice as loud as it could go and mustered up every ounce of motherly authority she had (which was a lot). “Alright everyone! Listen up! I need to change my boy’s diaper! There are no public bathrooms around here and we can’t make it back to the car! If you don’t like it, don’t look! If you’re uncomfortable, get up and move somewhere else! But this is what’s going down. Got it??” She glared around at all of the heads that had swiveled to listen to her announcement. People had a variety of reactions but mostly just gave her a weird look and turned back around. One person who was closest to us picked up his chair and turned it to face the other way so that his back was to us, a small look of disgust on his face but still not seeming that perturbed. “There we go, see baby?” My eyes were wide as a few lingering stares saw me standing there in my sagging shorts, clearly knowing I was the one in the diaper that was in desperate need of changing. Despite the embarrassment that caused my cheeks to flush deep red, I just nodded and completely submitted to mommy’s control. She knew best, after all, and if this meant getting my butt wiped clean then I was willing to do it. Mommy pulled out my large changing mat and did her best to lay it out on the place where the sand met the grass. It was a big waterproof mat with an aqua blue background and little colorful cartoon fish swimming around on it. Oddly fitting for the circumstances! “Come on honey, let’s hurry up and get this done before too much sand gets on the mat and ends up in your diaper! I let her help guide me down onto the mat that was uneven over the lumpy sand. Suddenly, just like out of a cartoon, the sinking of my foot into the sand below the mat caught me off guard and I fell backward with a splat. This was the moment that my abused diaper finally gave up. I felt warm wet sludge spurt out of the leg gatherings and drip down into my green shorts. That green quickly began to stain brown where my legs met my body and I could feel the same happening in back. This time though, before I could start crying, mommy jumped right in as if she knew this was going to happen. She shushed me comfortingly and reassured me that she’d take care of it and not to worry. I nodded and sniffled as another tear made its way out, then leaned back until I felt moisture crawling up my back too. My thumb quickly found its way into my mouth and I proceeded to suck on it while mommy pulled my shorts off to expose the bulging diaper beneath. Most of the people who were still spying took this as a cue to look away, but a few people were still keeping their eyes on me as if they were watching a car wreck. … to be continued..

The thunder rolls… … ”N-No…” I say quietly, already feeling the itch of the slippery mess that slipped out between my cheeks. Nothing had landed in my diaper yet, but I knew from experience what that feeling meant. It was too dangerous to trust a toot anymore… if I had been wearing my training undies instead of a diaper I would definitely have a skid mark by now. Mommy looked at me skeptically and pulled me forward again. I instinctively put my hand on my butt to try to help me hold in the inevitable mess that was threatening to leak out at any second. We continued at a much slower pace in the direction of the bathroom. By this time if I had any ounce of adult self respect left I would have been aware of what a scene I created - waddling with one hand in mommy’s grasp and the other tightly held against my thickly padded rear, my posture hunched over just a bit to try to calm the roaring gurgles in my tummy. But at this point I couldn’t think about what others might be thinking. All I could think about was how to prevent myself from loading my diaper in front of all of these people. I shuffled behind mommy as quickly as I could until we could finally see the public bathroom in the distance. It was clearly not well maintained, similar to a park bathroom in the way that it probably got cleaned once a month at best. Graffiti covered the walls and a line of other desperate tourists circled around each side from both the men’s and women’s sides. I could already hear people complaining about the filth and lack of toilet paper from here. “Mommy… I don’t wanna go in there…” I whined as we approached the dirty building. “I know baby. Mommy doesn’t really want to take you in there either. But it looks like this is our only choice unless you think you can make it back to the car.” She gave me a look of sympathy that told me the car was nowhere near us. I stood in front of the building doing my best to ignore the people staring at us as they tried to figure out what was going on. It’s not like I was planning on using the bathroom anyway, I hadn’t used a real potty in over a year at this point and mommy wouldn’t have let me use a toilet even if I begged. I had just had some hope that maybe I could poop my diaper in the privacy of a family bathroom and then get a change right away. But I was realizing now that there was no way there’d be room or privacy in here to have an adult diaper change. And even if there was - there’s no way any surface would be clean enough for me to be willing to lay down on. In the end it wasn’t even a conscious decision to let go. If I wasn’t in such a desperate regressed mindset I could have mustered the last of my strength to waddle behind a tree or something so I wouldn’t be out in the open. But the toddler that was running my brain was upset and uncomfortable and just wanted his tummy to feel better. With one final whine my hand slipped off of my behind and reached over to grip mommy’s shirt instead. I didn’t even need to squat more than I already had before I loosened my sphincter and let go. I can’t even say that my mess poured out of me because that wouldn’t do justice to the speed or velocity of what happened inside of my diaper. Poop the consistency of custard shot out of me with such ferocity I’m sure it looked like someone tried to shoot a paintball from the inside of my diaper. I gripped mommy’s shirt even tighter to avoid being knocked off balance by the torrent of soft poop that was rushing out of me. “Uh oh…” Mommy said with a hint of teasing but mostly genuine sympathy. She usually tried not to call too much attention to public accidents out of respect for the people around us, but at this point I truly was in distress and my needs mattered more to her than trying to shield strangers from a genuine accident. At this point they should just feel lucky they weren’t going to be the ones changing it! Tears had started to form in my eyes as the slippery mess continued and weighed down my already heavily soaked diaper. The occasional grunt or whimper escaped my lips as I lowered myself a little more to try shifting the mess forward in order to make more room in the back. The feeling of the hot poop against the front of my diaper area was yucky but I knew that having it go up my back would be even worse. Mommy just rubbed my back and made soft comforting noises to me as we waited for the diarrhea to slow. When I thought I could finally stand I had to go right back down as another load spewed out of my sore behind in quick increments like a sputtering car exhaust pipe. I kept my eyes cast downward to my hand in mommy’s shirt and gripped as tight as I could, doing everything I could not to look up at the gawking faces of tourists watching a seemingly grown man destroy the inside of his diaper. The next time I attempted to straighten myself up I was more successful, but the last of my resolve had broken. Tears spilled down my cheeks and I turned my face into mommy’s shirt to cry out of discomfort and embarrassment. “Mommy…. Poopy….” Was all I could get out, which didn’t help the gasping and leering of everyone still in line for the bathrooms. “I know baby, let’s get you back to the car so mommy can change your diaper, okay?” I nodded into her snot-covered shirt and wiped my face half-heartedly on my arm. This time mommy didn’t scold me for making a mess, she just guided me away from the crowd and in the direction of the parking lot. The load in my diaper sloshed with every step and made it difficult to walk without being extremely bow-legged. I continued to sniffle and quietly cry as mommy held my hand and guided me through the crowd. I think at some point I heard whispers of people assuming I was special needs, and at this point I didn’t care what anyone thought. All I wanted was for mommy to make it all better and change my poopy diaper. … To be continued….

The calm before the storm… … I followed mommy around, my hand in hers, for the next hour. We stopped at a few historical houses which didn’t interest my much, but mommy liked learning about the history and I entertained myself in the various gift shops that were often set up on the last leg of the house tour. It was around the third house that the signs began of a storm brewing in my pants. As usual, I missed them entirely, too stuck in my hazy regressed world to see the big picture. But mommy certainly noticed and connected the dots when I couldn’t stop tooting on the tours. At first she scolded me to be polite and try to hold it until we were outside, but she quickly realized I could barely hold them in. Sometimes they created a muffled noise inside of my diaper and sometimes they were silent, but mommy knew the source of the stinky smell that was following the tour groups around. When other guests started sniffing the air, making faces, and visibly searching for the baby with the dirty diaper - that’s when mommy decided we weren’t going to stay in too many small enclosed spaces. Just as we got to the gift shop of the current house, we walked to the small kids table covered in books and toys, and suddenly I let out a low, almost comically long fart, that was more bubbly and moist than any that had preceded it. I giggled a bit with my finger hooked in my mouth and mommy just smiled and shook her head, enjoying how blissfully unaware I was of the destruction I would soon cause in my own diaper. “Buddy, do you have to go potty?” She asked gently, trying to prompt me to check in with my body’s signals. “No!” I replied instantly before letting out another loud fart that caused at least two heads to hurt. “Hmm…. If you say so… but just in case, maybe let’s start looking for a family restroom, okay? I’m sure that diaper could use a change soon regardless.” I realized then that I had indeed wet several more times as we walked around and my diaper was getting pretty heavy. My instinct was to argue and insist on having more fun, but in all honesty I was getting a little bored of the educational museums and wouldn’t mind heading in a different direction. Mommy took my hand again and led me out of the gift shop, a few casual glances from guests being made to my enhanced waddle in my soaked diaper, and we started down the main road towards a sign pointing in the direction of a public toilet. The sign said it was a half mile away and mommy knew that trying to ask for a bathroom at a shop would be a gamble and would likely require a purchase, so they started off in that direction. Unfortunately for me, the brisk walking pace in the blazing sun was not as easy to handle as a simple walk through an old house. As soon as we got a few minutes down the road I started to feel an uncomfortable gurgling sensation in my tummy. I tried to ignore it at first but it seemed that as soon as it began, it dug its feet in and just continued to get worse. “Mommy…” I whined, “My tummy hurts…” “I bet it does!” she said and just kept walking, keeping my in pace by gripping my hand and pulling me along. As we continued down the sunny sidewalk, dodging between a huge crowd of other tourists, each step made my bowels protest further. I began to pass small bits of gas with every step, though most people probably couldn’t hear it over the noise of the crowd. We passed another sign for the bathroom, this time updating us that we were a quarter mile away, just as I was forced to stop in my tracks to let out the longest, wettest fart yet. This one was different than all the rest so far - even after it ended I could still feel something slippery between my buttcheeks. Mommy noticed me stop and paused with me, having a pretty good idea what was going on. “Sweetie, are you going potty?”

Our experiences sound very much the same, except that I buzzed them to come and change the pull up before I leaked. It wasn't until my last three nights out of seventeen that they cleared me to wear my own diapers. What I really fought hard to end was the wellness checks at 23:30, 02:30 and 05:30. Poor sleep prevented me from maxing therapy during the daytime. Hospitals are the last place on earth to go if you need rest!

Hey everyone! Hope everyone had a great Fourth of July here in the states, and I hope everyone else just had a good last few days themselves. Personally, it was a little hot and buggy, but I still maintain that everyone turns into an eight-year-old when the fireworks start going off. I see it all the time, and I always wonder who out there could be reading stories like this one or any of the others… and how many would if they just gave them a try. Regardless, we’re moving on here with the second to last chapter. As I stated before, the last chapter will come out sometime on Monday, July 07. It’s already fleshed out and I just need to do a big edit on it as well as calculate the final tally for the next story. Speaking of which… just as a reminder, a new poll is up for you all to let me know which story you all would like to read next. Story options and the link can be found back in the beginning of chapters 2 and 14. As I mentioned before though, if you feel more comfortable leaving a comment here or as a private message to me, I will count these as well. So, just to reiterate, this poll will be shut down sometime on Monday before I post my next story, so if you haven’t voted yet… do it soon! Last but not least and as usual, I hope everyone enjoys this penultimate chapter! Chapter 27: Wait For It… Day 134 – 10:57 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 “Wha… what?” Ashley asked in disbelief. She couldn’t put a lot together lately with even basic things, but this played in her head like a remembrance of an old dream. ‘Okay… I need a minute, but… woah! A plan coming from Mo… Betty who wants to help me and Brother who was originally going to get me to escape? This oughta be good!’ She leaned in closer to hear the plan after looking behind her shoulder… just in case another Little or attendant had snuck up behind her. “A plan? What plan?” “Well, it’s simple, sweetie,” Betty noted. “I saw you acting very strange since you were taken by the facility. I thought it was just what those butchers did to you, but then the pink rock… I saw that and that you didn’t have any understanding of it. It was something I knew you knew about, but the way you were looking at it… it was like you were almost looking through it… like it wasn’t even there.” “I was?” Ashley bit her bottom lip and was clearly trying to puzzle it out, but that spot was still a blank. Betty nodded. “You were. It was too strange, but… I honestly thought that the you I had come to love was gone and in its place was a new version… someone who was my babygirl and called me Mommy.” She paused and took a breath… all this change and information clearly charged with emotion. “But then the other day you called me Betty again…” Ashley winced at that information. ‘Darn it! I knew that hurt her! I shouldn’t have said anything. I should have just passed it off as a mistake. I… Betty isn’t my mommy but… I don’t want to hurt her!’ “It’s okay, Ash. Really,” she emphasized before sighing, almost as if she could read Ashley’s fraught mind. “I have no right to keep you as my regressed Little if you aren’t already that. So, I made it my mission to figure out what was happening to you on my own. I knew that LRG had a presence in town… then add that with the pink rock and daycare telling me about a stranger possibly watching you the other week… I put it all together and...” “And found me,” Brother noted with no small amount of annoyance. “I couldn’t believe it! Three years in this town alone and one Little’s Big finds me in less than two days!” Betty smirked back at Brother. “Well, it wasn’t easy if it makes you feel any better…” She then turned back to Ashley. “Anyways, I found him, and we got to talking… Sweetie… Ashley… we need to get you out of here.” Her words were straightforward and there was no need to interpret them, but there was still seemingly a conflict within Ashley. “Wait… get out of here? As in…?” “As in go back home, Ash,” Brother finished for her after she paused for a moment, appearing like she was getting stuck on the concept now. “I know it might be more difficult than before for you, but we now have a Big on our side. That’s huge!” Betty nodded adamantly. “That’s right. I listened to his plan before and it might have worked, even with the enhanced security after this summer, but with my help… we can be sure to get you out of here now.” Ashley smiled and seemed to appreciate the gesture and plan of action from both Betty and Brother, but there was still a great deal of hesitation in her eyes… and it was hard to blame her. While her memory was still fuzzy in spots, as reported nightly, she was remembering vast sums of her life… and a healthy distrust of Bigs and shadowy figures were two shaky grounds to put any amount of trust in. ‘Crud… no doubt that hundreds… thousands of Littles have found themselves in my spot right now. They trusted who they thought they should and bam! They go further down in their regression and never resurface… sometimes literally!’ Ashley’s expression narrowed. “I appreciate it… but what kind of reassurance do I have here or at least…” She turned to Betty. “Why are you getting me out? I’ve seen your looks. If I had any money to bet with, I’d bet it all that you would want me to stay. How can I trust that this isn’t a trap now?” Betty sighed and nodded her head before even holding Brother back. It seemed she needed to get something off her chest before anything else. “You’re right… you’re absolutely right, Ashley. But also… that’s why you have to leave.” “Huh?” Ashley seemed struck dumb with pure confusion. Betty leaned into the gate and gestured behind Ashley. “You’re a Little and you just need to look at your friends to see what will happen to you one day if you stay in this town any longer… or even what happened to you before to know. Bigs are just too tempted and too crafty to be trusted with your well-being here as a Little.” She then looked down and it seemed her pained heart weighed a great deal today. “But… you are right as well. I want you to stay, but… sometimes caring for someone means doing what’s best for them… even if that means letting them go. Now that I’ve taken my own feelings out of this… I can see that Peirama is no longer a safe place for you. I may not be your mommy anymore, but… I would still be devastated if anything were to happen to you.” Ashley was about to speak, but she had apparently lingered behind the cluster of trees and bushes for too long now. “Ash! You get lost in there, or something?” Ron called out. “It’s just a ball! Come on, slow poke!” His youthened patience was clear and the pressure from others came through as well. For Ashley, it was a reminder, but for Brother and Betty, it sounded like a warning more than anything else. “Come on, Betty. We gotta go,” Brother insisted. “You don’t want an attendant catching us back here.” Betty nodded and turned to Ashley. “Okay, sweetie. We have to go.” Ashley nearly flung herself at the fence. “Wait! I…” “Ash?” Ron seemed more concerned than annoyed or impatient now. Knowing him, his imagination was likely conjuring up all manners of evil that had befallen her. Ashley winced and looked at Betty. “I gotta go, but… what’s next here?” Brother stepped back into the deep shadows once more. “We will meet next Monday at your house while Pete is at work to discuss the plans further. I will coordinate the details with Betty further.” Betty hopped in before disappearing as well. “Two last things… don’t mention this to Pete, but also… try to blend in and act normal… here and until Monday. Promise?” Ashley held up her hand like she was reciting an oath. “Promise.” The two then completely disappeared, Ashley retrieved the ball and ran back to join Ron… just as Miss Fiona was walking over. “Get lost, sweetie?” the attendant asked with an unusually stern and more than a little concerning suspicious glance. Ashley shook her head. “No. I just…” She held up the ball. “It got stuck and…” She wobbled her arms up and down like they were made of spaghetti. “Not long enough!” Miss Fiona sighed, but ultimately smiled and patted Ashley to rejoin Ron and Olly… seemingly none the wiser that Ashley had just met up with Brother and Betty… and was now planning to escape. * * * Day 138 – 10:39 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley looked around the locker room at the rec center that Betty had taken her to today. The days were getting shorter and colder even with Peirama’s weather device. It meant the community pool was now closed and all Littles who could, or were allowed to by their Bigs, were now headed to the rec center for their swimming test to determine their future as swimmers here. Safety was always a top concern, and the rec center was no different. Ashley blushed heavily as Betty slipped on the disposable swim diaper up her legs. “Just one moment, sweetie. Can’t have you going in the pool without one of these.” Ashley could only stand there and nod. Her one piece of solace afterward was that her swimsuit… though the bulge in the crotch and butt was very obvious of what she was wearing underneath, could have been worse. Her one piece dark purple and pink flamingo patterned swimsuit was childish… especially with the elastic so prominent around the leg holes, but looking around, it could have been much worse. Being the first of many swimming tests, many of her friends were here in similar attires… except those seemed to be designed to be as childish as possible. Hers at least had dignity, but for example, Marilyn’s was a floral pink and lime green one piece with a tutu-like dress around her midsection. Other of the female Littles had two pieces and would show off their scars, diapers, or would just plainly sport logos or cartoon characters any mature person would never be seen in. Of course, there were also the ones that had managed to run away and were now being chased by their Bigs… the Littles completely nude and not giving one care about that fact. “I don’t know if I can do this…” Ashley moaned as Betty pulled up the last of the straps over her shoulders. “It’s very, easy, Ash,” Betty replied, laying her hands gently on her Little’s shoulders. “You just hop in, swim a little back and forth, and then tread water. Easy peasy.” Ashley shook her head. “No… not that. I meant…” She leaned and whispered. “The blending in thing.” Betty pursed her lips and nodded in understanding. “Oh, I see. Well… you just do your best. No need to suck your thumb or cry all the time, but if others splash, then go for it. Play along with the others, don’t cause a fuss, and just try to have fun. Don’t overthink it.” Ashley sighed as she caught a Little being splayed out on one of the nearby benches getting their diaper changed, again, without a care in the world. “Easier said than done.” Betty sighed and nodded, giving Ashley one last little squeeze on her shoulders before standing up and removing her bathing suit cover. Underneath was a dark blue one piece that sported a few small golden anchors on the chest and one near each hip. “Wait… you’re swimming too?” Ashley looked up at her Big with her mouth nearly completely open in shock. Betty chuckled. “Well, yes! Remember, you’re in the toddler class for the swimming test for Littles. You might still be like a duck to water here, but others… hard to know what their skill level is anymore or what could freak them out at the drop of a hat.” “Oh…” It was obvious that Ashley hadn’t thought about any of that, and looking around at her friends, it was hard not to remember who they used to be. Ron had been so strong and proud, Olly had been a pain and studious, and even Marilyn or Simon had been independent and intelligent or even rebellious. Now, all were Littles. All were diapered. All were in a swimming class now meant for toddler Littles. Betty smiled tenderly and stretched out her hand. “Come on. I promise… it won’t be bad. You’ll see…” Ashley nodded and sighed. ‘Geesh. I know she means well, but… why do I feel like she’s acting the mother to me right now? I know its just who she is but…’ Ashley shook her head and took Betty’s hand. ‘No, no. Just do this and make it until Monday. Take a breath and… oh!’ Ashley grimaced as she started to walk and caught her reflection in the mirror. She may have been the most mature Little there, but in the image reflected back at her, the swimsuit and bulge of the diaper she knew about… but she definitely hadn’t realized that a little bit of the swim diaper was also going to stick out prominently from her leg holes. As she exited the door, she tried in vain to cover herself up. * * * Day 138 – 10:56 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Entering the main pool area, the area was surprisingly large for the smaller town of Peirama. Apparently, water experiments may have been conducted in the vicinity at one point, but now, the large area was essentially split into three parts. The first was the 20-foot-deep end for the diving boards perched above it. The second was the play area and contained a lazy river, multiple slides, fountains, and splash pads. Lastly, the final was divided into two sections most of the time, with a deep cordoned off into lap lanes and the second being shallower in one end and slightly deeper in the other. This is where Betty guided Ashley. Listening in to other Littles, it only took seconds for Ashley to realize that it was all about swimming lessons. “Awww! Come on… do I have to?” Betty sighed and pushed her closer to the main instruction group… all full of Littles. “Yes, you do. It’s getting colder and soon, even around here with our climate controlled, all the pools will close, and we will come here. Any Little coming here… no matter their mental age, is required to take this course. So, please…” She then lowered the volume of her voice into a near whisper. “Like we discussed, at least for appearances-sake, just play along.” Betty sighed heavily but nodded and sat down with the other Littles in front of a large whiteboard. A whistle then blew loudly and out walked Miss Pearl… much to most of the Little’s clear confusion. “Hello, everyone! It’s so nice to see you outside of daycare!” “Miss Pearl?” Ron questioned with a funny look on his face. “Are you our instructor? Aren’t you our daycare teacher instead?” Miss Pearl laughed light-heartedly. “Why, yes, Ron. I am your daycare teacher but I’m also an instructor here on my time off. I was part of the Libertalia Olympic swim team a few years ago in fact. Now though, with my skills from daycare, I usually make the perfect instructor for all you Littles to make sure you’re okay with coming here to swim.” “Including those of us who can already swim?” Olly asked annoyedly. From her look, it seemed like Ashley exhibited the same level of annoyance. Miss Pearl nodded her head. “Of course, Olly. While we trust you to have the skills maybe from even a month ago, we also know that many of you have changed since your first came to Peirama.” She paused and looked a little devious for a moment. “Do me a favor… can anyone who’s felt they changed physically since they first came here, please raise your hand?” While her words seemed more for adults, her question about loss of something seemed to resonate with nearly everyone. Every Little, including Olly, raised their hand. With Miss Fiona’s point well-made, he soon shirked away “Now then, let’s get you all to dip a toe into the shallow end of the pool.” Her attention then directed to the Bigs behind the Littles. “Bigs? Guide your Little into the water. Regression can have odd effects on Littles. Some of them may be scared of the water now, and it’s up to you to support them in this transition period.” Following along as well, Betty soon got behind Ashley as they waded into the shallow end… first a few inches and then up about two feet of water. “Still okay?” Betty asked with more than a little hope and caution. Ashley sighed. “Yes. I’m fine.” She almost gave a bad attitude towards Betty but was stopped looking over at another Little who was already in another daycare. ‘Woah… I thought that guy loved the water. Now…’ Much to Ashley’s evident horror, the Little was thrashing all about in the water. Their self-proclaimed mommy tried everything, but the Little soon went into a near-meltdown. Fortunately, they were the only ones to freak out, so after a little consoling and special instruction for them, Miss Pearl stood in the water in front of everyone else and continued. “Perfect! You’ve just taken your first test to pass to come here as much as you want. Now…” She pointed to the whiteboard that another worker had brought to the edge. Since I’ve got you all in the pool, we can now talk about the rules.” She pointed out and explained several of them, and there were several that were typical like no running around the pool or diving in the shallow ends. Looking further though, there was one section that seemed different. “Okay,” Miss Pearl continued, “with those done, we need to talk about access for you Littles.” She looked around and shook her head. “Since none of you are or have independent Littles, all of these will apply. So… six inches of water… any Little is free to play. No Big supervision is required.” She paused and went to the next. “One foot of water… a Big needs to be within 15 feet of their Little. From this point onward, all of you will need to pass the swimming test at the end of this class. Regardless… two feet… and a Big will need to be within five feet or still 15 feet if you use floaties.” Several Littles, including Ashley, looked at their Bigs. For some, like Olly and Ron, looked at their Bigs with determination that they would definitely be using floaties to get the extra space with more humiliation… which they probably didn’t care about. For Ashely though, based on her near snarl at the prospect of the use of floaties, it was a look that they would do anything but floaties here. Miss Pearl chuckled a little. “Well… I guess for those of you who want them but moving on.” She then gestured to the last two lines. “Three feet or higher… a Big will need to be holding onto the Little or be within five feet of their Little. Four feet or higher though… and Littles are completely banned or the use of floaties are absolutely required. Now… any questions?” Ashley blinked at the board and then around the pool. Despite being ‘Little friendly,’ seeing the signs posted in the three areas, it was obvious that no floaties meant a lack of access to at least a third… if not more, of the pool. ‘Hmmm I wonder if that’s on purpose to divide the Littles and the Bigs… or if this really just is a safety thing?’ With Miss Pearl continuing to talk though, Ashley quickly concentrated on the lesson once more. * * * Day 138 – 12:19 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Miss Pearl was a firm, but fair and cautious daycare attendant, and that readily transferred over into her abilities as a swimming instructor of the Littles. After a quick instruction, lunch, and then break, while belittling in many cases, she made sure to go through the steps with caution… ensuring every Little could progress together. It was curious when the initial sign-up paperwork had questioned the mental and physical abilities of the Little in question, but now it was obvious. For those older or less regressed the lesson would have been boring and they likely would have goofed off, disrupted the others and gotten into trouble… or just simply derail the entire lesson. For example, if an adult has had their mind regressed to something of a pre-teen, they could get into all kinds of mischief and even potentially hurt those with toddler mindsets. On the flipside, Littles registering as ‘newborns’ could be subjected to too hard of tests and potentially harm themselves. After all, as per their design… accidental or otherwise, body movements could be spastic and muscle tone weak at best. They needed constant support and while ‘newborn’ for Littles could sometimes be applied to any Little with the mental or physical abilities under four months, a pool environment could be downright deadly if not cared for properly. Being blunt, the pamphlet for the rec center described their lessons as more ‘how to float’ or ‘how to automatically go to the edge of the pool.’ Which, for them at least, translated into more of… delay as much as possible until an adult can rescue you easier. So, for Ashley’s group, the margins were fairly wide for whoever was accepted. Simon, who still consistently drooled and sported a wide and unfocused look most of the time, was on the younger end of the spectrum and required more input from his mommy, Sharon. On the other end though, Ashley could almost be classified into the higher spectrum of Littles… but her cover from previously still had to be maintained, so she mainly just used betty’s support as something of a comfort… rather than a necessity in her lessons. Per the swimming instructions, once the Littles were acclimated to the water, including submerging and getting splashed, they were taught getting in and out with practice entering and exiting the pool using the ramp, steps, and sides of the pool, with a particular emphasis on their safety. Like the younger class, they also practiced holding onto the side of the pool, but for them, this also involved using a floating device. For some, it was to build their confidence in the water again, but for Ashley, it was a chance to practice her other skills and mostly just relax. “You know, you’re really good at this,” Betty praised, almost seemingly forgetting that Ashley wasn’t a ‘true Little’ anymore. Ashley still smiled though. “Thanks… I always loved to swim and it’s just never something I forgot. Even before…” She looked around as she floated on the boogie board. “Well… you know.” Betty’s face clearly then just remembered that Ashley was ‘pretending’ now outwardly. She didn’t say anything about it… but there was almost a little sadness as well. If it wasn’t obvious before, Ashley leaving was still tough on Betty. “So… any thoughts on after?” Ashley practiced her flutter kicks… the next lesson that several of the more toddling Littles were having a problem with. “No… I… I want to continue with what I did before and…” She trailed off for a moment. ‘Shoot. Almost blew my cover there. Betty knows that I want to escape and is helping me, but… I don’t think she knows I’m Ashley Cutters… only Jones… the personal trainer.’ Ashley cleared her throat for a moment. “But… I might take time off work for a while… government assistance programs back home can help me a lot to regain…” She shifted and her swim diaper shifted as well… a current reminder that yes, she was going to have to do some reacclimating to the world when she got back to Earth. She then shook her head. “But… explore. Definitely explore like Europe or something.” “Oh?” Betty seemed surprised, but not in a way that she didn’t know what or where Europe was… only that she was shocked of her destination. “I’ve heard its very nice there. Very similar to our own Europa… even more than Libertalia is to the U.S.” Ashley only managed to nod before Miss Pearl called everyone back in. “Okay everyone! Now, we need to practice some of the skills you all will be using for your practice swim test. Then, you all will take it, and we’ll see where we are. Anyone who manages to pass it will be free to either practice more or I have some games you can play to help your skills more. For those who don’t pass, you’ll stay with me, and we can work harder on the skills you need to pass.” Everyone nodded at her instruction, but it was clear that some Littles were much more apprehensive than others about the prospect of a swim test so soon. * * * Day 138 – 12:57 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 The practice and swim test were easy… or at least they were easy for Ashley. First up was jumping into a pool and then immediately going to the side to cling on. Second, was to tread water for about a minute, and then third was to swim just one length of the pool. Ashley had a little trouble with swimming the length of the pool, but she managed it without the offered floaties. Not that the test was designed to fail Littles, but there was a certain expectation of struggle… one that Ashley hadn’t exhibited in any real sense, other than maybe being slightly out of shape or just not used to swimming for so long. Plus, doing it all without any floaties, per her choice, was another item that some gave her the side eye over. No one really cared, but when most of the Littles were floundering by the forty second mark at best in treading water or had trouble making it halfway without the floaties on their first attempt… Ashley stood out. Regardless though, she passed. So, her name was recorded down in the rec center’s records, and she and Betty were able to leave and enjoy the rest of the pool. Using the floaties though, which was also marked down, Ron and Olly soon joined her… as the only other two Littles to pass in at least the first two attempts with or without the floaties. “Whew! Talk about a challenge, huh?” Olly asked, gliding over and into the knee-deep water around the mushroom fountains stretching high over their heads. “Yeah… I could barely tread the water for thirty seconds without the floaties on,” Ron commented, giving his still adorned floaties a light squeeze before looking questioningly at Ashley. “What gives, Ash? You some kind of super Little?” Ashley squinted and shook her head. “No… what are you talking about? It’s just a swim test… we did all that stuff earlier in the summer… remember?” Ron scratched his head while Olly nodded. “Yeah, Ash. I remember, but… that was a long time ago. None of us were in swim diapers and… well, a lot has happened since then.” “Oh…” It was right then that it was clear that Ashley had realized her mistake. Again, there were no alarms or sirens going off in her success, but it still was an awkward pause that Ashley was different. ‘Crud. This secrecy thing is going to be harder than I thought! Totally didn’t think about that. Special or advanced is fine, but standing out when I’m going to try and leave? Not good…’ Ashley twirled her wet hair and stepped closer to Ron and Olly like she had a secret. “Well… aliens kidnapped me, and they wanted me to become their queen. I said no and they gave me super-secret powers.” She held her finger up to her lips as she recalled a small story her friend had made up when they were kids. “Shhh! Kingda Korona might return, and they can’t know about me!” “Oh…” Ron’s eyes widened, and he nodded before at first silently promising with a few gestures to not reveal her secret. “Won’t tell nobody, Ash… Shhh…” Olly didn’t comment at all, but he had a knowing look on his face. He was regressed… having experienced a lesser version of the white cream which had so affected so many others, but he wasn’t as severe. Definitely not an adult status and he had been in diapers for longer than Ash… but there was an awareness there… likely one that could see through the act that Ashley had just put on. But… he was also a good friend to Ashley still and before they went back to splashing around without a care in the word, in a solemn gesture, he simply pinched his fingers and made a gesture to seal his lips. He knew, but his silence would remain firm. Ashley couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief after… only covered up by the loud roar of the tall fountain mushrooms all around them. * * * Day 138 – 1:49 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Splashing around and going down the slides. That was what made up the next hour of Ashley’s life. There was a simplicity to it that the journalist had to find appealing… at least from the peals of laughter coming from her. She was ‘mature’ again, but there was something almost of a release in her since her capture… whether she knew it or not. Before, she was all business. Everything in her life was for her story back on Earth. Playtimes? Just a means to get with other Littles. Dressing up how Betty suggested or even requested sometimes? A necessity to blend in better and to ease what she could when she could in order to better acclimate and interview other Littles. It was all designed for her story. Now, though, the line between the adult journalist and the regressed Little seemed to blur. Not so much that black and white were mixed in a new gray color, but just enough where if one was to not notice some of the subtle hints of non-regression, Ashley might have just seemed like any other Little. What distinguished her though, something that not even Betty was going to take away from her… were her thoughts. While unbeknownst to the world at large, at times, they were powerful and all telling… like when some of the Littles left for a nap or at least paused for a feed… like Ron. Nearly alone, Ashley placated herself by getting on an innertube and floating through the center’s lazy river. Of course, rules being rules, Betty wasn’t far behind. She would occasionally speak up, but there was a reservation about her now that seemed to check all her actions. Whereas before, she would simply do something, there was now a pause. Likely, in the case of joining her directly in a double innertube on the lazy river, she paused and gave the ‘mature’ Little her space. Without the others, while she didn’t show any changes outwardly, Ashley was readily thinking about home… and what that meant. ‘My job… responsibilities… it all sounds so nice and yet so distant still. Here I am on a lazy river in swim diaper that is on me for a reason. I can’t simply push past that and think that I get on the other side of the portal and everything will be okay. Maybe a month ago, I could have believed that, but now? It seems more like a fantasy… How do I go back and live the life I once did?’ The thoughts that swirled around in her mind could to some be misconstrued as poisonous to someone ‘undercover’ and drown them in sorrow or confusion, but for Ashley, her thoughts were her saving grace. Being in deep for so long now, she was about to pass the point where others would come looking for her… but her thoughts were also natural for someone away from their previous life so long. While Betty was no jailer and her treatment here for the most part could almost seem luxurious, doubts about going back plagued her mind like they sometimes did for prisoners of war. The desire to go back was there, but the execution of doing so now seemed in doubt. ‘Could I even live on my own anymore? And… is there every really a true going back to how things were?’ Floating along though, her thoughts were soon interrupted by Ron, Olly, and a few of the other Littles joining her once more now that more had passed. Others though, like Kyle, were still lagging behind with Miss Pearl. “Hey, Ash! We were just talking about Halloween! What are you going as?” Ron asked. “We all had bets on what it is you’d be.” “Simon’s a dog, Ron’s a cowboy, Marilyn’s a princess, and I’m an astronaut,” Olly clarified, only to have Simon clear his throat that was somehow also mixed with a whine. “Sorry… Simon is going as a doggy.” Ashley stared back at her current group of friends… all of whom had just come from their quick nap, feed, or diaper change. In truth, she hadn’t given the matter much thought. In the urgency of Brother and Betty, leaving Peirama seemed to be something to happen within the week, and given that it was Saturday and Halloween was all the way next Friday… she had only one passing thought. It was the reason for her being here… the reason for Peirama in the first place… the reason why she had changed… and the reason her story was now going to have weight behind it. So, she blinked a few times and said her answer plainly. “Scientist.” * * * Day 139 – 3:35 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley sat in her room and bounced Bunty over to the plastic doll that one of Ron’s coworkers had gotten her a few weeks ago while she was still regressed. Despite her faculties coming back… at least mostly, the doll held a special place in her heart. It was a constant source of embarrassment, but ‘Cindy’ was loyal and had been there for her when she was needed. She was the type that kindergarteners might like with her fake features, flow hair, and several clothes… something of which Ashley had almost once liked. While Marilyn had tried to get Ashley to bring her back to daycare, Ashley had so far refused. Cindy was now a private doll to play with Bunty… and Bunty was a whole different matter. Bunty was a shield… a shoulder to cry on when no one else was around… and a friend that never judged her no matter what. Besides Betty and even Pete… no one else had more loyalty towards Ashley. Yes, the Little now knew she was just a stuffed animal, but Bunty was still almost always with Ashley wherever she went these days. Even yesterday at the pool, Bunty was in the car. Ashley sighed and bounced Bunty towards Cindy. “Well, Cindy… I wonder how much longer we’ll be together. I like you but… I don’t know how it would look like if I brought two toys back with me.” Ashley shuddered and hugged Bunty tight. “One… well, I just can’t give Bunty up.” More and more now… Ashley was thinking of her future… of escape. “Tomorrow…” she sighed wistfully. “I just have to wait until tomorr…” “Blast it, Pete!” a voice yelled from downstairs… one that was now all too familiar to Ashley. ‘Oh no… not again…’ Ashley propped up Cindy and grabbed Bunty tight before creeping over to the top the stairs once more. Sitting down on the top step, Ashley whispered to Bunty. “Betty’s out on some errands and Da… Pete is talking to the general again…” “I said no, general,” Pete noted firmly. “But you two are doing nothing with her!” the general shot back. “She’s one of the more unique Littles around here in a long time between what you all did for her and what Mr. Vasiliou subjected her to. Plus, I know her mind is more malleable now than ever… or did you think I didn’t know about your little late-night visits to the facility?” “I didn’t hide anything, and you know it,” Pete defended himself and his actions. “I merely didn’t inform you and… she’s mine and Betty’s Little! Our treatment of her… unless we use a facility drug… is no one else’s concern.” “But Beakerman wants a new Little!” The general now seemed to be getting more than a little irate. “You know her and how her mother was… they want something, and they’ll do most anything to get it… including your Little.” Several heavy footsteps could be heard before the door creaked open. “You can see yourself out, general. Your visit was… well, it’s always good to see you, but I think you have my answer. I doubt you would have even a second of luck with my wife. Best use a cup if you go talking to her about this…” There were a few grumbles before even heavier pacing could be heard then growing fainter. “You may come to regret this, Pete. You were her favorite, and now? I just don’t know…” “Well, consider me put off, general. I’ve done a lot for her, but this? If she was even half the Big she claims to be, Ms. Beakerman would never ask this of another Little. And… I’ll add this…” Considering the subject, Pete was doing an excellent job of not losing his temper. “If she wants Ashley… she better be prepared to go to court over this, and we both know if she does that… she will lose.” Without another word, the front screen door slammed shut and a heavy sigh could be heard afterward, followed by the simple click of the main door. With the general clearly having departed, Ashley held Bunty close and began to descend the stairs. Peeking out and seeing Pete in one of the single cushion armchairs with his head in his hands, the Little’s face grew concerned. “Pete?” Pete looked up toward his descending Little. “Ash… I… did you just hear all that?” Ashley nodded and toddled over to Pete with a disheartened expression. “Could I really be taken away from you and Betty?” While she might be leaving Peirama and even this dimension soon, there was still something frightening about Ms. Beakerman. Being the head of Diamond Technology, she had all the factors on her side in order to rip Ashley away within a single night. True, per Carer+, Ashley was legally under the protection of Betty and Pete, but there always seemed to be some sort of twist or rock to stumble on in this dimension when it came to Littles and Bigs. That fact appeared to weigh heavily on both Big and Little now. Ashley then took a deep breath and while she looked in pain to do so, there was a question that was clearly on the tip of her tongue that she had to ask. “Could she… I mean, could she really take me away from you two?” Pete looked hurt over such a straightforward question, but his expression also seemingly answered it as well. “I… I can’t lie to you, Ash. She… if she really wanted to… she could. Betty and I would fight for you, but yes… she could take you away.” Pete then stood and walked over to Ashley before crouching down and taking her by the hands while also being careful to keep Bunty stuck firm into the crook of her elbow still. “But right now… let me tell you this… you’re not going anywhere with her.” It was just a statement, but there was something firm and reassuring just by the way Pete had looked while making that pledge to his Little. For Ashley, her relief was evident, and she quickly hugged Pete. ‘You’re not always the best out there Pete, but when you want… you can be a real lifesaver.’ Ashley smiled and hugged Pete tighter. ‘But also… why did you emphasize those last two words. It almost… well, it almost sounded like you knew something more than you were letting on. Kind of like… I might still be going somewhere… just not with her.’ Ashley frowned in contemplation over those two little words, but after a moment, only squeezed Pete tighter. Considering that tomorrow was the meeting with Betty and Brother… remaining moments like these may be few. * * * Day 140 – 5:24 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Daycare was as smooth as ever now that Ashley found herself in between two worlds. Her bout with the facility had given her the freedom of a Little, but now, thanks to Pete’s machinations each Wednesday night, she had the mind to remember and execute the rules of the daycare properly. Also… if needed, she knew how to execute a plan to get away with seemingly nearly everything. She didn’t take advantage of that often, but when she did, there was usually an extra cookie involved for all her friends. Needless to say, her popularity had never been higher. Still, the whole day, she couldn’t get her mind off the business of what was to happen after daycare. It was such a small thing with just her, Brother, and Betty, but it was hard to get around the fact that potentially, after this afternoon, she might have a near guaranteed plan of going home. With Betty’s help as well, everything seemed perfectly in line for her to leave Peirama… forever. There were things to like here, though, and as Betty pulled into the driveway and left Ashley in the main dining room to go signal out back from Brother to come inside, her saddened expression was notable. ‘I can’t believe this actually happening now. Before… it might have been a fool’s dream to escape, but with Betty… how can I not go home? How can this plan fail? And… I would never admit this out loud, and I definitely want to leave, but… I kind of feel sad to know that I’ll be leaving Betty and Pete and all my friends so soon…’ The sliding back door opened, and Brother walked in, and for the first time, he removed his hat and other concealment garments to reveal a messy mop of red hair and freckles all over his face. “Hey, Ash. I guess there’s not much point in hiding my identity in here anymore…” Ashley was clearly stunned for a moment, but in the end, stuck out her hand to shake his. “Hey… Brother?” Brother smiled and shook her hand back. “Yeah… let’s just stick to that name for now. That can cause a lot of issues later but faces… Bigs still haven’t cracked the technology for mental images yet.” “But they have for names?” Ashley questioned with a slight shudder. Betty scoffed. “Yeah… cracked that a while ago. Near potent truth serum essentially. 99% effective and combine that with a neural analyzer and enhancer… even the most regressed Little could be temporarily unregressed and spill tons of verbal secrets. Tough nut to weave around I’m sure for you LRG folks.” Brother nodded. “You wouldn’t believe, but…” He leaned forward over the countertop. “Let’s get to why we’re here. No telling if Pete could be home any moment now. So… Ashley. Your information… how…?” “Do I get it out?” she questioned followed by a confirmation nod from Brother and Betty. “Well… it should be uploaded automatically when I go back, but until then… I was given a series of commands for it to extract the information.” “Wow…” Betty gawked. “That’s a lot of tech for a Little. How does a personal trainer get that kind of gear back on Earth. It’s out of date here now, but on Earth? That had to be quite the challenge to even get a hold of that…” Betty looked over to Brother questioningly. ‘Wait… he knows who I am, but Betty… I thought he would have told her by now… especially since she found him and even coordinated all this about me.’ Brother seemed to be able to read her expression. “Nope. I didn’t say one word to her, Ash, about any of your background.” “Yeah,” Betty confirmed, “and I grilled him pretty hard about it too. Asked him at least thirty times about it, but… he just wouldn’t talk about that stuff with you.” Her gaze then narrowed on her Little. “So… how about it, Ash? We’re doing all the sharing today… so you go now. How’d you get the eye?” “Because she’s an investigative journalist,” a horribly familiar voice said from the shadows. The three schemers turned towards the hallway and saw Pete walk in. Each seemed seconds from fainting in shock. “And there’s more…” he continued. “The way I see it now… Ashley won’t be leaving Peirama.” He blinked a few times and stepped forward before leaning over the countertop himself now that Brother had recoiled in shock. “So… I guess we need to talk then, huh?” Ashley gulped and looked at Pete with horror in her eyes.

Chapter Fifty Nine John sat in the booster seat, irritably pulling at the lap belt holding him in place. After everything that he’d been through today, the last thing that he wanted was to feel like a baby. That LPS woman had pretty well spoiled what little patience that he usually had for the baby treatment. As MeMaw put a bowl filled with little cubes of honeydew melon in front of him, he looked for a fork, but there wasn’t one to be found. “MeMaw? Fork?” he asked. But as his toddler cup was placed in front of him, she said “These are finger food, you just eat up and I’ll fix you a drink that Nana Claire said you would like!” Rolling his eye, admittedly still just irritated with the babying treatment, he picked up a cube of honeydew melon and looked at it suspiciously. Fully expecting to like it just because Nana Claire said he would made him even more irritable, but he took a bite anyway. Oh that was oh so slightly sweet, cold from the fridge and the texture was -just- right. Not realizing that he’d closed his eyes until he opened them, he was MeMaw waggling his toddler cup at him expectantly. So without even bothering to argue, he took the cup from her and took a sip. It was Spriten Up. John stared at the cup and blinked. From his left he heard “What’s the matter, do you not like it?” “No, no. I absolutely like it. It tastes like home, in a way.” was all he could think to say without paying any attention. Nana Claire now had not one, but two bigs buying the same inter dimensional beverage for one little. And while he had no way of knowing how much it cost, and there was no way any of the bigs were about to share that knowledge with him, it had to at least cost them something. And he was just one little. If everyone in this town went to Nana Claire for stuff for their littles ... Nana Claire is VERY good at her job. Blinking a few times as his brain caught up, he took another pull from the straw and smiled up at MeMaw as a plan came to him. “Oh! MeMaw?” She immediately smiled back at him and asked “Yes, sweety?” His smile only grew wider as he answered “You know, MeMaw, this drink reminds me of home. Would you like to try some of it? I want you to know what it’s like where I’m from!” Completely unaware of what was about to happen, MeMaw gave him a big kiss on the forehead before turning to go to the kitchen. While she was gone, John looked over at Mom. She had obviously heard the conversation, because she stood there by the couch with a shocked look with both of her eyebrows up. John just smiled at her until MeMaw came back with a bit of Spriten Up in a glass for herself. She held it up and John grabbed his cup and held his up too. After they clinked his cup and her glass, he took a drink from his straw while he watched MeMaw take a great bit swig of Spriten Up at the same time. There was a slightly delayed reaction until her left eye clamped shut, he right eyebrow twitched a bit before her right eye started blinking a little. MeMaw did a slight full body shudder as her head started twitching slightly side to side like some sort of robot glitching out. MeMaw finally managed to move her hand to put the glass down on the counter, but that was only so that she could make a pawing motion at the air for a moment. Then her hands both balled up into a fist and he could see her forcing herself to swallow the mouthful of Spriten Up. After a few moments, she pinched the bridge of her nose and he could just barely make out her mumbling “Why is it in my sinuses. HOW is it in my sinuses. Goddess spare me I can taste my sinuses.” Finally recovering a bit, MeMaw turned around and looked at John who was just smiling as he took another drink for himself. Of course, he held out the cup and offered her another drink. “It’s good, right? Would you like some more?” MeMaw was obviously trying to look mad, but with John looking like an innocent smiling little, she just couldn’t. “No sweety, why don’t we just save some and you can share it with your PaPaw next week?” Johns grin grew even wider as he heard Mommy behind her chime in. “Mom! Will dad even survive that, he has less tolerance for sweet things than we do?” MeMaw patted Mommy on the shoulder and explained “After we left your Father made up all sorts of stories about why you can’t plant the lettuce I want, complete with making up international articles with convincing sounding reference numbers and just kept making it up the entire way home. He’ll survive.” They both stopped to look at John. John, for his part, just ate another cube of Honeydew melon. They knew what he just did on purpose. But if they weren’t going to call him out on it, he was just going to eat his snack and play innocent. He’s just a little, after all. John was slowly catching on to how this world works. After finishing his bowl of melon cubes, MeMaw picked him up and carried him to the bathroom and put him on the counter and ran water. Without thinking about it, she washed and dried his hands for him. “MeMaw, I can do it.” “I know sweety, but I want to help you.” With a half sigh, half growl, he complained “MeMaw, I just … I don’t want … MeMaw, I don’t want to feel like a baby right now, okay?” Suddenly MeMaw stopped and looked him in the eyes without speaking for a few moments before she nodded. “You know, sometimes after a rough inspection, littles need a bit of time to calm back down. Usually after the inspection we are gone and we don’t see it directly. You are still a little, so you DO still have to accept some help. But maybe we can talk about this for a bit.” With a huff, he said point blank “MeMaw, you said I’m a toddler. I’m still an adult.” Slowly nodding for a moment, she picked him up and got him up so his butt was on her arm as she spoke softly to him. “John, this isn’t the world you are used to. And quite frankly, most littles here aren’t as mature as you are. And even then you still need to learn to accept what you can’t change about this world.” Letting his head slump onto her shoulder, he kept complaining “But I’m an adult. I’m not a toddler. I can work, and cook, and mow the grass, and stock shelves, and do everything you can. Just … smaller.” Feeling her cheek on top of his head was comforting, but not reassuring in this moment. “John. Sweety. Littles … I don’t know how to put this gently. Did you know that we have portals and trade with three dimensions of littles?” Looking up now, he asked “Wh… what? Three dimensions of littles?” She simply nodded and explained “And those are only the ones we trade with. There are a few more that … Well let’s just say that those places are not very nice. Every one of them are run by littles.” John didn’t really notice that MeMaw had started walking around and patting his butt trying to keep him comforted. “And us Bigs have been watching all these littles from different dimensions and then there’s the littles here that grow up and then sometimes they … grow back down. And we love them all the more with every passing day.” With that, she lifted him up and gently bumped her forehead against his. “I know that this might be a bit more than you’re ready to digest. But while I know our world isn’t perfect, we don’t let littles go hungry and homeless here. Does that happen in your dimension?” John stammered a bit. This was the most direct and maturely that anyone had addressed him the entire time he was in this dimension. “Well … uhhh…. Yeah. It does, but what does that …” She stopped him with one finger to his lips as she answered “You are one little in a wide world of Bigs and Littles. You don’t know the way things are here, and that’s perfectly fine. Please just try to accept that we know what this world is like, and we are going to do what’s best for you in it. You may not understand it, and honestly you don’t need to understand all of it. You just have to trust us. Okay?” All he could do was nod silently along. How do you respond to being told all of that? “Now. I hate to spoil this moment, but it’s time for you trust me now.” And with him on her arm, he was carried as she went to the fridge and got out a bottle of milk, ready and waiting. As she carried him to the rocking chair, he caught on to what was happening and started trying to squirm to get down. By the time she was sitting down and getting a blanket to wrap him up in he was trying to push her arms away. “MeMaw, I don’t want a nap!” He protested. “Sweety, you don’t have to take a nap right now, you need some milk. It’s nutritious, and you’ll feel better. You can nap later.” While she looped the blanket over him, he tried to roll to get loose, but she simply wrapped him up like he was a toddler burrito. “MeMaw, no!” While he squirmed and tried to somehow wriggle out of the top of the swaddle he was stuck in, she kissed him on the cheek and held the bottle to his lips. He tried to protest again “NO-umpphh” but the nipple of the bottle went right into his mouth. He tried to refuse to drink, but with a little squeeze of the bottle a few drops went into his mouth and he started to swallow and suckle on the nipple seemingly on autopilot. Without knowing how long it was taking to drain the bottle, he tried to do anything he could to stay awake while he got halfway through the bottle. He tried wriggling what little he could. He tried moving his toes. John patently refused to fall asleep right there in her arms and on her terms. As he finished the bottle, his eyelids felt like they were made of lead when he was slid up onto a shoulder and his back was patted in just the right spot to make him give off a soft burp. Pulled back around and resting against MeMaws chest, he felt a pacifier against his lips and gave in to take it. And there, with a belly full of milk, a pacifier in his mouth, and swaddled up nice and warm as the slow motion from the rocking chair moved him back and forth, John dozed off.

As a pre-teen, wearing diapers were part of my general clothing. It was a routine that, right after school, I was diaper checked either by the sitter or by my mother. If I had an accident, then a bath would be given and then after the bath, I would be placed into a new diaper. As I got older it was routine after every day that this was done automatically After becoming a adult and having a gf-wife this continued to happen as well. It would not be announced, it would just be done. Sometimes, while at home during numerous activities.

Three weeks to go until convention time. Fursuit is ready. Daddy has the out and about diaper bag packed. Excitement is BUILDING!! 😁 Will be great to see staff, friends and those folks who are so close they are like family 💖

Hello, I'm Susie, fulltime transwoman and parttime big, little gurl located in SE AZ. I'm easily recognized as a transwoman but keep my private life private. I love to wear and wet my diapers, wear little gurl clothes, pigtails and plastic panties. I also enjoy my paci and have a couple of bottles I haven't used in a long time. If you're wondering what a "big little gurl" is let me explain. I love my gurly printed diapers, ruffle butt plastic panties and little gurl clothes. I wear my hair in pigtails, diapers and plastic panties in public. I do my best to be discreet by wearing big gurl skirts and dresses over my diapers. I have several onsies I can wear with my big gurl clothes. What I don't do is crawl, baby talk, play with dolls, color or watch cartoons. I walk, talk and behave like a big gurl, even when diapered and dressed in my little gurl clothes. What am I looking for? Mainly someone to enjoy some big/little time with, an understanding daddy or just friends to hang out with. I live in a small town and don't have a car so finding a daddy has been difficult. That's me, any questions, feel free to ask them.

I think I remember watching this but not for sure, I was just beginning to realize this wasn’t something I was alone in feeling so it did kinda help me

Cassandra's eyes fluttered open, her gaze meeting Mara's. Her mind raced. Everything was so new, so overwhelming. She wasn't sure what she wanted, or even if she was ready for more. "I- I don't know," she said, her voice trembling. Mara's fingers slowed, her expression softening. "That's all right, dear," she said gently. "It's your first day. You'll figure things out." Cassandra nodded, her cheeks flushing as Mara withdrew her hand. She felt a twinge of disappointment, but also relief. It was just a little too much, too soon. Mara applied another generous dollop of anti-rash cream, her touch gentle and soothing, before sliding a fresh diaper under Cassandra's butt and taping it in place. "There we are," she said, stepping back to admire her work. "Good as new." Cassandra felt a strange mix of disappointment and gratitude. Mara leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to Cassandra's forehead. "Now, let's get you back to the library before Sister Val wonders where you've wandered off to." ~~~ "Cassandra, you've been gone for ages. What happened?" Val asked when Cassandra returned to the library. Cassandra hesitated, her cheeks flushing. "I- I had an accident," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. Val leaned forward, her tone conspiratorial. "Oh? And did you find someone to help you get cleaned up? Or are you still wet" "No." Cassandra felt her cheeks burning as Val talked about her wetting herself as the most normal thing in he world. "I found someone." Cassandra's heart raced as she realized she couldn't lie. "Sister Mara," she admitted. Val's lips curved into a knowing smile. "Mara, hmm? And how was that?" Cassandra felt her face grow hot. "She- she was very kind," she stammered. Val chuckled, her eyes twinkling. "I see. And tell me, Cassandra, did you like it?" Cassandra's mind raced. She thought of Mara's touch, her words, the way her presence made Cassandra's heart flutter. "I'm not sure. Maybe," she admitted, her voice barely audible. Val's smile widened. "Maybe is a start. Just remember, Cassandra, this place is about exploration. Of knowledge, and of self. We may be hidden from the outside world, but we're not hiding from each other; nor from ourselves. Don't be afraid to feel." Val's demeanor was quite different from what it had been earlier, and Cassandra found herself wondering if it was just the caffeine that was taking effect or if there was something more going on. The rest of the day was spent running errands, or carrying things in her messenger bag when accompanying Val or one of the other sisters around the library. The actual work was simple enough; it was essentially a more high-stakes version of how she had spent many an evening in the past, just with less wine and more walking. Cassandra had lost track of time by the time that Kira appeared on the balcony. "I'm here to pick up the baby," she announced loudly, making Cassandra blush and Val chuckle. Cassandra let Val lift the messenger bag off her shoulder and walked to the stairs. When Kira came close, she gave Cassandra a hug. "So, did Cass here do a good job today?" she asked Val. "A little slow getting back here with the coffee refills, but other than that, she was a good little helper." Val stroked Cassandra's back. Kira nodded. "That's good," she said, then slipped a hand down to give Cassandra's crotch a squeeze. "So, do you need a change?" Kira asked, a little louder than Cassandra would have liked. "No." Cassandra shook her head, blushing again. Kira gave the diaper another squeeze. "Have you been holding it all day? That's not good for you, you know." "Mara changed her when she went to the kitchen a couple of hours ago," Val chimed in. "Mara, huh?" Kira grinned. "I kind of figured the two of them would find each other." She started back up the stairs. "You comin'?" Cassandra followed Kira back to the dormitory. Apart from one of the sisters showering, it was empty. Kira nodded to the bald woman before sitting down astride the bench next to the showers. She lifted her robes, exposing her own wet diaper. "We'll get going in a minute. I just need to get changed." Kira lay back and began undoing its tapes. "You want a hand with that?" The woman stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel to dry herself. "Yes please." Kira put her feet up on the bench and lifted her hips to let the woman pull the wet diaper out from under her. "Oh, Cassandra, this is Sister Tanika." "Hi." Cassandra was busy looking everywhere else. Watching Kira have her diaper changed felt like an intrusion. Kira reached out to touch Cassandra's leg. "It's OK to look. After all, you're going to need to know h-" Kira paused as Tanika's fingers spread the anti rash lotion down between her legs. She let out a little moan as Tanika slowly worked her fingers up and down. "You don't mind?" Cassandra whispered. "We sleep together, eat together, and care for each other. There's a reason we don't have privacy here. Privacy breeds secrecy, and secrecy breeds shame. You are free to touch, to pleasure, to explore. Your body is yours, but it is also ours. You can always say stop." Kira's explanation sounded a little rehearsed to Cassandra, but it also made sense. "Always?" Cassandra asked and shrugged in her straitjacket. "Well, almost always." Kira smiled as Tanika wiped her hands on her towel before sliding a fresh diaper under Kira's hips and pulling it up between her legs to fasten it in place. "You sure you don't need to go?" Kira asked Cassandra as she sat back up. "Last chance before the daily communion with Mother." "Communion? Like in church?" Kira chuckled. "Not quite. You'll see." She guided Cassandra out of the dormitory and down the corridor to the elevator. ~~~ The huge circular room where Cassandra had first been introduced to the other sisters looked different than it had the night before. The afternoon sun streaming in through the windows made the domed ceiling look almost golden. There were maybe twenty sisters already there when Kira and Cassandra entered. Some of them were standing near the central platform, talking, but most of them were sitting in what looked like chrome deck chairs. Kira led Cassandra halfway around the room before helping her sit down in one of the chairs. "Assigned seating?" Cassandra shifted this way and that, trying to get more comfortable. Her diaper had bunched up and it felt like she had a roll of towels halfway up between her buttocks. Kira shook her head. "No. I just like finishing communion in the sun." She sat down in the chair next to Cassandra and closed her eyes. "So, Tanika? Is she new too?" Kira squinted at Cassandra. "What do you mean?" "You know..." Cassandra looked up as if to point to her own bald head. "Oh. Uh, no. She just prefers to shave her head. She says hair just gets in the way." Cassandra nodded. "Are you two... you know..." "No no no. She's just big on helping out." "Ah, okay." They sat in silence for a while. "So how does this work?" "Just close your eyes when it feels natural and just... feel, I guess." "What do you m-" "Sshhh. It's starting." Cassandra looked to the centre of the room where Sister Pia stepped onto the platform. The buzz of conversation died down as the last stragglers sat down. There was a hum as shutters slowly closed in front of the windows, plunging the room into darkness. As Cassandra's eyes adjusted, she saw pinpricks of light on the domed ceiling, almost making it look like a starry sky. "Sisters," Sister Pia began. "We gather before Mother to find strength in Her presence. We surrender our pride, our shame, our secrets. We embrace Her, and through Her we embrace each other, our community." She stepped off the platform as it split open with a low rumble. A slowly pulsing beam of light emerged from below, reflecting off panels in the ceiling to create the impression of a giant tree. "Mother protects us," Sister Pia intoned. "She loves us and shelters us. We surrender ourselves to Her." The pulsing light created the illusion of branches gently moving in the wind. The other sisters were all humming a melody and Cassandra found herself joining in. The room felt warm and comfortable and her eyelids felt heavier and heavier. Cassandra closed her eyes. ~~~ What happens next? (And as before, remember that if you want your vote to be counted, you HAVE TO cast your vote at The Scriptorium. You can of course still post comments and suggestions here though.) Alternative 1: Cassandra feels a profound sense of unity with the other sisters. Alternative 2: Cassandra dozes off and has a strange dream. And as before, comments and suggestions are welcome. I can't guarantee suggestions will be used, but if I like them, I might use them in this or a future story.

I would say for you to wear diapers to the study, I now you will sleep better with a diaper, and if the test is anything like mine was you may only sleep 5 hrs anyhow. they will do all the hook up, and ask if you need to use the restroom, and that's a good time to say no I wear diapers or say protection to bed etc, and thats that..If your wife has to wake you up like you said, you will get a machine. And you will get soo much more real rest after you get used to having the mask, I was soo attached to the mask , once I got used to it, that I had to have it on so I could get to sleep, kinda like a pacifier to help you sleep, And I cut off the handle on a baby Paci so it fit into the mask,, was soo cool, it stayed in...

Welcome to DD 😁

I'll update how the trip went with regards to diapers are I get home, but there weren't any issues. The box was waiting for me when I got to the hotel in Toronto. Only drawback is that the box was hard to carry while I dealt with my bag. I don't remember if the advice came from this forum, but whoever advised me about the False Creek Ferry in Vancouver- I'm giving you a really big virtual high five. That was a great choice for the day, and made my day in Vancouver.

This is one of my favorite stories!

A friend in upstate NY had surgery and learned to live with a cholostomy bag. It was rough at first, but he got some good support. Finally, he could crack jokes about it. "Hey, they can't fuck me over... I don't have an asshole..." lol He got to the point where he accepted things and could even make fun of things. Sometimes you just have to meet life head on and keep going.

Chapter 6 - Weekend at the Vineyard The winding road to the vineyard stretched before them, bordered by rows of grapevines that seemed to reach for the cloudless sky. Sarah adjusted the air conditioning vent, directing the cool air toward her face as Matthew navigated the curves of the California wine country roads They had left Sunnydale right on schedule, picking up Rebecca and Daniel, who they now followed in their own car a few minutes ahead. Sarah stared out the window, her reflection in the glass betraying the frown on her face that had been there since she'd woken up that morning. "Do you want to talk about sweetie," Matthew said, doing his best to hold his own emotions in. Matthew stole another quick glance at his wife before returning his eyes to the road. ‘Maybe changing the topic will help,’ Matthew thought. "Everything okay with the center? Did Jill call already?" Sarah shook her head, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "She texted. Everything is fine. I just….” Sarah let loose a big breath she’d been holding deep in the pit of her stomach. “What are we doing wrong? I don’t understand?” Sarah had come out of their bathroom with tears on her face just a few hours earlier. "I got my period.” The four words Sarah had been uttering with disappointment for months and months. "Oh, Sar." Matthew reached across the console to squeeze her hand. His touch was warm and familiar, but it couldn't quite chase away the hollow feeling in her chest. "We are not doing anything wrong. I…We’re doing everything right. It will happen for us. We just need to keep at it. I know we’ll get there.” "Me too." She tried to smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I just really thought... I don't know. It felt different, and my breasts were sore this past week, and I just thought, it must be what it was. I thought maybe this time." Matthew nodded, his thumb tracing small circles on the back of her hand. There was nothing to say. They were both disappointed. But no one was to blame. "Almost eighteen months now," Sarah said, the count precise in her mind. Each month had become a cycle of hope and disappointment. “I just…cant help but wonder maybe it’ll never happen. Maybe I’m too old. I don’t know…” "It’ll happen," Matthew said with a gentle laugh. "My mom had me at thirty-eight. And your sister had Lily after she was what...thirty-six? " Sarah sighed, watching the vineyard rows blur together outside the window. "I just feel like we're doing everything right. The tracking, the vitamins, the timing. What if there's something wrong? What if we should be doing more tests?" Matthew was quiet for a moment, navigating a particularly sharp curve in the road. "We could see a specialist if you want. But I think for a lot of people it just takes times. There’s only so much of a chance each time. We may just be unlucky so far. But we’ll be the luckiest when it does happen.” "I know. You're right." She squeezed his hand back. "It's just hard not to worry. Or get too excited. Especially after spending yesterday in the daycare. "The daycare?" Matthew raised an eyebrow. "What were you doing there? Sarah smiled, her first genuine smile of the morning. "I went to check on how Helen was doing with the little ones, and I ended up reading them a story. There was this little girl, about three, with these adorable beaded braids. She asked if I was 'the book lady.' So I just... stayed. I wanted to be there." "The book lady," Matthew repeated with a warm chuckle. "That's perfect for you." "It felt right, you know? Sitting there with all those little bodies crowded around, all those eyes looking up at me." Sarah's voice softened. "There was this one little boy who kept scooting closer and closer until he was practically in my lap. He smelled like baby shampoo. You know? The one that can get in your eyes and no one cares.” Matthew smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You've always been good with kids." "It's just so strange," Sarah continued, "spending all day with other people's children, building this amazing place for families, and then coming home to... just us." She immediately winced. "I don't mean that in a bad way. I love our life together. I already miss Ralph - thank goodness Allison is with him." "I know what you mean," Matthew assured her. "It's not what we planned. We thought we'd have the house, the center, and a baby on the way by now." They fell silent as the car rounded another bend. A wooden sign announced they were five miles from Oakridge Vineyard and Spa. "What about you?" Sarah asked, changing the subject slightly. "You were playing basketball yesterday? I never thought I'd see the day." Matthew laughed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, it surprised me too. Marcus invited me to join, and I just... did. It was fun, actually. Not something I would have done a month ago." "The recreation center seems to be good for you," Sarah observed. "You seem more relaxed." "I am," Matthew admitted. "It's strange. I never really took time to just... play. To do something just because.” "Well, I like this playful version of you," Sarah said, nudging his shoulder. "Maybe we both needed this change more than we realized." "Maybe we did." Matthew nodded thoughtfully. "And maybe... maybe the baby will come when it's supposed to. When we're ready." Sarah took a deep breath, trying to let go of the disappointment that had shadowed her morning. "You're right. We can't force it. And we've got so much to be grateful for." She gestured at the beautiful countryside around them. "Including a weekend away with my sister at a fancy vineyard." "With excellent wine," Matthew added with a grin. "At least that's one perk of not being pregnant yet. You can officially drink this weekend and not raise any questions!" Sarah laughed, feeling some of the tension leave her shoulders. "True. I can drown my sorrows in Cabernet." "That's my girl," Matthew said, his smile tender. "And hey, practice makes perfect, right? Maybe all that wine will lead to some vineyard romance... "Matthew Baker!" Sarah exclaimed, but she was giggling. "My sister and brother-in-law will be right next door." "Then we, well you, will have to be very, very quiet," he whispered, waggling his eyebrows ridiculously. As they both laughed, the car crested a hill, revealing the sprawling vineyard resort below. "It's beautiful," she breathed, taking in the scene. "Yes, it is," Matthew agreed, but he was looking at her, not the vineyard. "We're going to have a good weekend, Sar. And whatever happens with the baby stuff... we'll figure it out together." Sarah leaned over to kiss his cheek as he turned into the long driveway leading to the resort. "Together," she echoed, watching as Rebecca and Daniel's got out of their car ahead of them. "Now let's go celebrate my sister's birthday in style." The restaurant at Oakridge Vineyard glowed with warm light as the sun began to set beyond the rows of grapevines. Their table, positioned near a wall of windows overlooking the valley, was dressed in crisp white linen and adorned with a small arrangement of local wildflowers. Sarah smoothed the napkin across her lap, taking in the elegant surroundings. The first day at the vineyard had been pleasant—a tour of the grounds, a dip in the infinity pool, a couples massage for Rebecca and Daniel while Sarah and Matthew explored the gardens. Now, dressed for dinner and waiting for the birthday toast, Sarah felt almost relaxed after an awful morning "To the birthday girl," Matthew said, raising his wine glass. The rich red liquid caught the light as he tilted it toward Rebecca. "Thirty looks good on you, Bex." Rebecca's laugh was bright and quick. "HA. Not thirty yet. Careful there, Matt.” Sarah watched as Rebecca's face found its laugh so easily. "To Rebecca," Sarah added, raising her own glass. "The most talented, outspoken, and fearless person I know. Happy birthday, sis." They clinked glasses, and Sarah took a sip of her wine, letting the complex flavors linger on her tongue. As she her glass down, she couldn’t help but notice that Rebecca didn’t drink her own. Before she could say anything though, the server arrived with their appetizers—a charcuterie board for the table and a bowl of truffle-scented soup for Rebecca, who had specifically requested it. "God, this is heaven," Rebecca sighed after her first spoonful. "I've been dreaming about this soup for weeks." She glanced at Daniel, who nodded almost imperceptibly. Something passed between them—a silent communication that made Sarah curious. "So," Rebecca said, setting down her spoon. "We have something we want to share with you both." She reached for Daniel's hand, their fingers intertwining on the table's edge. "We weren't planning to say anything just yet, and I was going to tell your earlier this week on the phone, but…" Her free hand drifted to rest lightly on her stomach. "I'm pregnant. Twelve weeks yesterday." The world seemed to slow around Sarah. She felt Matthew's hand find hers under the table, squeezing gently. His thumb pressed reassuringly against her palm. "That's... wow…" Sarah managed, her voice sounding distant to her own ears. "Twelve weeks already?" Rebecca nodded, her eyes searching Sarah's face. "We wanted to wait until the first trimester was over. You know, just to be safe. Danny's been reading every pregnancy book he can find," Rebecca said with affectionate exasperation. "He's already created a spreadsheet for tracking things. Matthew was the first to fully recover. "That's incredible news," he said, his voice warm and genuine. "Congratulations to both of you.” He stood up to shake Daniel’s hand, before making his way across the table to Rebecca, holding her tight in his arm.” When are you due? "December 15th," Rebecca replied. "Though you never know.” Sarah felt a tightness in her chest, a tangle of emotions she couldn't quite unravel. Joy for her sister, absolutely. Rebecca would be an amazing mother. But beneath that joy was a current of something darker—envy, or a sense of being left behind. Just that morning, she'd awakened to the familiar cramping and disappointment of another failed month. "Sarah?" Rebecca's voice was tentative now. "You okay over there?" Sarah blinked, realizing she'd been silent too long. "Yes! Yes, of course. I'm just... oh my god Becca!!! This is AMAZING! It's wonderful news, Bec. Really wonderful." She jumped up to try and cover what felt like an inappropriate response and grabbed her sister in a long, deep hug. "I'm going to be an aunt again!" "The best aunt," Rebecca said, her eyes still watching Sarah carefully. "Just don’t tell Di I said that. No one else I'd rather have showing this kid how to color inside the lines. Lord knows they won't learn that from me." The server returned to take their main course orders, giving Sarah a moment to compose herself. She ordered a branzino without really registering what she was saying, her mind still spinning. Daniel launched into an explanation of the nursery he'd already started designing, complete with a color scheme based on neuroscience research about infant visual development. His enthusiasm was endearing, if somewhat clinical. "We're thinking of converting my home office," Rebecca added. "It gets the morning light.” "That's perfect," Sarah said, finding her voice again. "Your big window seat would make a great nursing spot too." Rebecca's eyes lit up. "I hadn't even thought of that! See, this is why I need you. You've got the mom instincts already." The comment stung more than it should have. Sarah took another sip of wine to hide her sadness. Matthew, sensing her discomfort, smoothly changed the subject. "Have you told your parents yet? Or Diana?" "No, you two are the first to know," Rebecca said. "We're having brunch with them next weekend. And I’ll call Diana and Martin after. I’m sure Lily and Noah will be excited about having their first cousin" She paused, setting down her water glass.” Rebecca regretted the words when they slipped out "Sarah, can we talk for a second?" She stood, gesturing toward the restaurant's terrace. "Just sister stuff." Sarah followed Rebecca outside, where the evening air carried the scent of lavender and earth. Strings of fairy lights illuminated the terrace, casting a gentle glow over the wooden railings. "I know this might be hard for you," Rebecca said without preamble, turning to face Sarah. "With you and Matthew trying for a baby." "It's okay," Sarah said, blinking back unexpected tears. "Really, I'm happy for you. It's just..." "It's just that you've been trying and it hasn't happened yet," Rebecca finished for her. "And I'm the irresponsible sister who accidentally gets pregnant while you're doing everything right. I was just hoping I could wait to tell you and maybe you’d be too and we could do this together and maybe then it would be less scary" "You're not irresponsible," Sarah protested. "That came out wrong. I just... yes, we've been trying, and it's been harder than I expected. But that doesn't mean I'm not thrilled for you." Rebecca pulled her into a hug, tight and familiar. "Your turn will come, you know. And when it does, I'll be the cool aunt who teaches your kid all the bad words." Sarah laughed against her sister's shoulder, feeling some of the tension release. "And you’ll get to tell me how to get through all the bad days.” "Obviously." Rebecca stepped back, holding Sarah at arm's length. "But until then, can we just enjoy this weekend? Just wine—well, sparkling cider for me—and spa treatments and making fun of Daniel when he starts talking about algae blooms again." "Deal," Sarah said, managing a genuine smile. "But I reserve the right to spoil my future niece or nephew absolutely rotten." "I would expect nothing less," Rebecca replied. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Saturday morning brought clear skies and the gentle scent of tea tree oils through the open windows of their villa. Sarah lay in bed a moment longer, listening to the shower running in the bathroom where Matthew was singing an off-key rendition of some pop song she vaguely recognized. Despite the emotional turbulence of the previous evening, she'd slept deeply, her body sinking into the plush mattress and premium sheets. Today was a new day—spa treatments, wine, and celebration. She'd promised Rebecca, and more importantly, she'd promised herself. "You decent?" Rebecca called, knocking on their door an hour later. She poked her head in without waiting for an answer. "Spa time, people! Danny's already down there asking questions about PH level or some nonsense. If the baby didn’t make me throw up all morning, that would have." Matthew emerged from the bathroom, hair still damp. "Give us five minutes. Sarah's just finishing up." "Make it snappy," Rebecca said, tapping her watch. "I refuse to be late for anything involving the words lavender, massage, therapy, and hot stones." The spa occupied the lower level of the main building, and Sarah and Matthew made their way down, hand in hand. Sarah and Rebecca were whisked away to the women's area while Matthew joined Daniel in the men's section. "How are you really doing?" Rebecca asked as they lounged in fluffy robes, waiting for their treatments. "And don't give me the 'I'm fine' routine. I invented that routine." Sarah wiggled her toes in the plush slippers. "Honestly? Better than I expected. It still stings a bit, but I'm happy for you, Bec. Truly. I just needed to sleep on it I think. It’s going to be wonderful." "Good," Rebecca said, squeezing her hand. "Because I'm going to need you. I have no idea what I'm doing. Yesterday I cried because we were out of pickles." "I’ve done that and never had pregnancy as an excuse," Sarah said, laughing. "But seriously, you're going to be an amazing mom." "I feel like Di had the easiest pregnancies. That or she never told us," Rebecca said, before considering. “Or me at least. I was kind of little.” With that, a spa attendant appeared to lead her to her treatment room. "See you on the other side!" Sarah's massage was heavenly—ninety minutes of expert hands working out knots she hadn't even realized she'd been carrying. By the time she floated back to the relaxation room, she felt like she was moving through honey. Matthew found her there, looking equally blissed out. "I think that guy realigned my spine," he said, dropping into the lounge chair beside her "Remember when we could only afford those twenty-dollar massages from that place in the strip mall? Or worse, those chairs at that mall you just put the dollar into and get like, two minutes out of?" Sarah asked, smiling at the memory. "Progress," Matthew said, clinking his cucumber water against hers. "Definite progress. We both worked hard for this." Sarah smiled. Matthew's constant acknowledgement of her contributions had always made her feel valued. After lunch—a light affair of locally sourced salads and freshly baked bread—they met their vineyard guide at the edge of the estate. The guide, a woman somewhere in her sixties with silver hair and sun-weathered skin, introduced herself simply as Jo. "Been growing grapes here for one hundred forty years," she said, leading them down a path between rows of vines. "My family started when this was just a patch of dirt everyone said was too rocky for anything good.” The tour wound through different sections of the vineyard. Jo explained the soil composition, the trellising systems, the careful balance of sun and shade needed for perfect grapes. "These Cabernet vines are our oldest," she said, pausing beside a row of gnarled plants. "Planted about 1895. Like people, vines get more interesting with age. That’s why you all love me so much!" Sarah found herself standing beside Matthew, both of them absorbing the peaceful scenery. "It's pretty amazing," he said quietly. "All this care and patience just for a bottle of wine." "Good things take time," Sarah replied, the words feeling significant as they left her mouth. Matthew's hand found hers, warm and solid. "Yes, they do." The wine tasting was held in a stone building with massive wooden beams crisscrossing the ceiling. Six glasses stood before each of them—except Rebecca, who had a flight of specialty grape juices. "Don't laugh," she warned them, "these are actually delicious. And I am not sharing any.” The sommelier guided them through each pour, describing notes of black cherry, tobacco, and a host of other flavors. Sarah found herself closing her eyes to better concentrate on the flavors, without much success. ‘Still, I can identify that they are delicious.’ "This is way more fun than those business dinners where everyone pretends to know about wine and just order the most expensive bottles," Matthew whispered to Sarah. "I actually feel like I get it now.” Sarah smiled, warmth spreading through her that had nothing to do with the wine. This was a side of Matthew she'd glimpsed more and more lately—playful, present, relaxed. She looked at him, seeing his fully rested face for what felt like the first time in forever. That evening, they gathered on the terrace of their villa, watching the sunset paint the vineyards gold while they shared some of the bottles they had ordered up to the room.. Daniel had built a small fire in the outdoor fireplace and they lounged in comfortable chairs around it. "I've been thinking," Rebecca said, her feet propped in Daniel's lap as he absently massaged her arches, "we should plan a trip after the baby comes. Nothing crazy—maybe a beach house for a weekend. All of us. Di can come in with the kids. And mom and dad too." "That sounds perfect," Sarah said, trying to picture it—Rebecca with a baby. The image came more easily with each passing hour than she expected it would. Daniel cleared his throat. "Actually, I've been researching optimal developmental environments for infants. Ocean sounds have been shown to have a calming effect on newborns. So beach house would be good.” "See what I'm dealing with?" Rebecca said, but her eyes were fond as she looked at her husband. "I've married Mr. Google. "Better than marrying the human Twitter, or whatever its called now" Matthew quipped, earning snickers around the fire. The conversation flowed easily into the night, touching on everything from Rebecca's latest graphic work to to Daniel's research on kelp, and of course to Sarah and Matthew's adventures at the recreation center. Whether it was the wine or the grape juice, neither couple was very successful at being particularly quiet later that night in each of their rooms. Thankfully, there were thick walls. Sunday morning arrived before they knew it. The weekend was surprisingly more enjoyable than Sarah envisioned it would be after her day Friday "Promise we'll do this again," Rebecca said as they hugged goodbye in the parking lot. "Before I'm too huge to see my feet. "Promise," Sarah replied, holding her sister a beat longer than usual. "Take care of my niece or nephew in there Daniel." The drive home felt different from the journey out. Sarah reclined her seat slightly, watching the landscape transition from vineyards to suburbs to the familiar streets of their own town. Matthew hummed along to the radio, one hand resting on her knee. "That was nice," he said eventually, as they turned onto the highway that would take them home. "Better than I expected, honestly." "Even with the big pregnancy reveal?" Sarah asked, glancing at his profile. "Even with that," he confirmed. "It was hard, I know. For me too. But I'm proud of how you handled it." Sarah looked out the window, watching a hawk circle lazily over a field. "It's still hard, but... I don't know. Seeing Rebecca so happy, even though it wasn't planned. It made me think maybe we're putting too much pressure on ourselves." Matthew nodded slowly. "I've been thinking the same thing. All those months of precise timing and tracking. Maybe we need to just... live a little.” "Like playing basketball with teenagers?" Sarah teased gently. "Exactly like that," Matthew laughed. "Or reading stories to preschoolers." They fell into comfortable silence for a few miles, the familiar landscape rolling past. "I'm actually looking forward to getting back to the center tomorrow," Sarah admitted. "Is that weird? It's only been three days, but I miss it." "Not weird at all," Matthew said. "I've been thinking about it too." He hesitated. "There's this art project the middle school group was working on. I kind of want to see how it turned out." Sarah turned to look at him fully. "Matthew Baker, are you telling me you participated in an art project?" "Maybe," he said, a slight flush creeping up his neck. "It was surprisingly fun. This clay sculpture thing. I wasn't very good at it, but it felt good to make something with my hands instead of just typing code all day." Sarah reached over to squeeze his hand. "I walked by the room when they were doing that. How did I not see you? Either way, I am glad you’re getting involved with the programming. I need to do more of that this week.” "I like it too," he admitted. "The center's been good for both of us, I think.” As they crested the hill that overlooked Sunnydale, the recreation center came into view. "One day," she said softly, "we'll drive this road with a baby in the back seat. Heading home from a weekend away, just like this." ************** Updates should be a little slower now, as I have caught up to where I had written before I started publishing here and the long holiday weekend of editing is behind me. I hope you are enjoying the story so far, and I am excited to have you all along for the journey! Those are for BABIES Sofia. I don't know why you are so concerned with the supplies in the daycare! Still, I am always appreciative of you following my stories. Its always the nicest to receive comments!

My experience with being diapered in the hospital wasn’t as good as yours. I was forced to use theirs and they didn’t work very well. They did come and change me regularly but there were several times when I leaked. They were good about changing the sheets as well but I know I would have been better off with my own diapers. When I asked if my daughter could bring some of mine I was told no.

The stroke landed me in two emergency rooms, and three hospitals. In both emergency rooms they were too busy running tests to worry about my underwear, so I was wearing a Molicare when I was admitted and sent to a ward. The staff insisted that I wear the flimsiest pull ups imaginable, and they changed me during the wellness checks every three hours, and when I buzzed for them in between. It was not a big deal. The third unit was a stroke rehabilitation ward, and the same routine until the last three days. By then I could walk around unassisted, and had some use of my right hand (my right side was paralyzed in the beginning),so they stopped the wellness checks and let me wear my own diapers. At night I would spread out my Bambino Bellissimo, lay down and powder myself, then pull the diaper into place. Then a nurse would come in and do the tapes. They taught me a neat trick: inhale,then exhale and squeeze your abdominal muscles for a count of three. They apply the tapes one by one, and you get a very secure fit. Some of the staff were interested in the diaper, and so I ended up singing its praises. We all laughed about the cheap, shoddy pull ups they were using, but we all know how cheap hospitals are when it comes to patient care. Everybody who changed me, both male and female, was thoroughly professional, and the therapists worked hard to get me to bathe and change my diapers without assistance. When I left the hospital, I was self-reliant, and in no small part because I was working with real pros. So my advice would be to wear what you need, and rely on professionals to behave professionally. I have tried to convey a sense of this professionalism in the scene with Herb and Bernice.

My boyfriend changes me with regularity as I do him. Having wet diapers is normal for us.

I agree with Rusty, if you wear diaper 24/7 for any leakage then wear diaper and tell them you have leakage issues they will say nothing about it and if you need to change your Diapers let them know and have a diaper with you, they will have cameras on you they entire time. You can sit up and they will come in or at least when I did mine many yrs ago. Its a sleep study bed, it will have bed protector n the mattress, they will wash it down after every patient or change the entire cover, sheets etc, I am sure they are very used to wet spots on the sheets.. I used mine 15 yrs, and then when I started sleeping sitting up in my recliner I wasn't wearing it enough for ins to cover my supplies, so I haven't used it ,,, my Dr did and keeps doing testing every 6 months , and he's ok with the way I sleep, but I sleep with an oxygen mask on. See if your apnea is not really bad, it will affect you more when your at an angle or laying down, if its really bad it won't matter if you sleep sitting etc. If your Dr wants the test as rusty said take it very serious he will tell you what you need to take care of it..

Chapter Four Between the two options Sarah was pushing on him, one was obviously better than the other. She had thoroughly trapped him, too. It wasn’t just a matter of doing what he was told in order to keep those pictures from being shared; now he had to worry about Anna getting a confusing phone call about how he was absent from daycare. Considering how his sister and her friends had fully taken advantage of something as simple as him needing a ride to school, he couldn’t imagine how she’d react to all this. Taylor reluctantly agreed to Sarah’s harsh terms, which apparently wasn’t enough. Instead of letting him mumble about how he’d stay through Friday, he was pushed to repeat her phrase. In his little girl voice. “I deserve to wear panties through Friday.” As if that wasn’t bad enough, the way he spoke as quietly as possible, to avoid their conversation being overheard by anyone, made him once again sound awkward and shy. “That’s what I thought,” Sarah giggled. Now that he was playing along properly, she switched from the harsh tone to being more amused at his situation. Though he had landed in it himself to begin with, she was the one who had successfully escalated and prolonged the whole daycare thing. With Taylor’s hair in pigtails and the hushed conversation completed, Sarah gave his head a pat and roamed towards the other side of the room. She still had a job to do, and couldn’t spend all of her time focused on a single girl. Besides, it wasn’t as if Taylor was going anywhere. Even if they hadn’t just had that little talk, he was wearing a dress and had learned yesterday that sneaking off wasn’t so simple. He also had his backpack with him this time, which would further complicate such an escape plan. He had mentally prepared himself for an afternoon of puzzles and another game of Simon Says or some other childish activity. What Taylor hadn’t expected, however, was anything that involved leaving the safety of the secluded classroom. Ms. Hamilton announced that it was a cloudy day, which was perfect for playing outside and getting some exercise. Most of the girls seemed excited by the prospect of the change of scenery, as there was only so much to do indoors. Of course, there were a handful of girls who would rather stay in, as well as Taylor who didn’t want to risk so much as stepping out into the hallway. Yesterday, Sarah had mistaken him despite the immature/girly ensemble. What if the same thing happened with someone else he knew? He wasn’t exactly in a position to argue against the activities planned. Like the more indoorsy girls who would prefer working on homework or more calm activities, he was stuck listening to those in charge and going along with what the majority of the girls were excited about. Taylor practically held his breath as they left the classroom in a single file line, half expecting someone on the baseball team to be standing right out in the hallway to bust him for all of this. Obviously, that didn’t happen. His teammates were all at practice, where he was supposed to be right now. There was also the fact that he hadn’t walked in a single file line since elementary school. It was just the norm for all the girls around him, but he felt embarrassed and out of place as he followed those in front of him. Stepping outside was more nerve-wracking than being in the high school halls. Though they were on the more secluded side of the building, with a path that led towards the playground that was their destination, any number of Taylor’s classmates could have chosen this area to loiter after school while waiting for a ride or whatever. It turned out that his concerns were valid, as a guy from one of his classes was hanging out with some girl on the swing set. Heart racing and face flushing, Taylor immediately cast his gaze downward and turned his head slightly away. As badly as he wanted to hide behind the girl in front of him, shifting too much in line would potentially draw attention to him more than remaining in his place would. Luckily, the two of them weren’t going to be staying. Before Ms. Hamilton approached them to ask if they would mind vacating the playground for the daycare group, the couple got up and walked off in the opposite direction. It probably wasn’t difficult to tell why a group of girls would be heading towards the area. After Sarah and Ms. Hamilton went over a few ground rules, everyone was free to split up and do whatever they felt like. As the girls dispersed, Sarah pulled Taylor aside. She could get away with it, as he was still the ‘new girl’ who was still figuring everything out. “One more thing, Taylor,” she said, after making sure no one else was within earshot, “You have to actually participate. Act like you’re having fun, too. If I ever catch you pouting, I’m adding a day of panties and daycare. Got it?” She couldn’t do that! “But-” “Ah, ah,” Sarah cut him off, “Give me your biggest smile, right now, and tell me that you’re a little girl. Or maybe you want more time in panties and pretty dresses?” Every time, it was a choice that wasn’t really a choice. Sarah could effortlessly set up such concepts, being the one with all the power for once. Smiling while dolled up like this went against every fiber of Taylor’s being, but he forced both the expression and the voice to keep the power-tripping brunette from shifting the goalposts beyond Friday. “I’m a little girl,” he said, with a smile that was more demure than cheerful due to his hesitation. “Hmm, are you sure? You don’t want to be a big boy?” Sarah taunted him. Barely keeping up the smile, he gave a small shake of his head. “Of course you don’t,” she said, “That’s why you put on panties and came to daycare yesterday. You’re a little girl, Taylor. You deserve panties and pigtails. Now, go play with your friends. Remember, this is supposed to be FUN.” With that, Sarah turned him towards a group of girls drawing a Hopscotch board with chalk and gave him an encouraging little push from behind. Taylor had never understood the point of Hopscotch. Jumping from square to square was a stupidly easy feat, even when he was a kid. This was actually the first time he had ever played, as he had pretty much always thought it was a dumb, girly activity. Turns out, the rules were about as simple as he expected. Toss a bean bag into the first square, jump from beginning to end while skipping the square with the beanbag in it, then repeat the process with the second square. Stepping on a line or on the wrong square meant having to redo that round after everyone else took their turn. The first girl to successfully do ten rounds would win. Thanks to his recent chat with Sarah, all Taylor could do was focus on keeping himself from scowling in annoyance. One by one, the girls took their turns, until it was time for him to do the same. Though Sarah was halfway across the playground, he could practically feel her eyes on him as he stepped up to the chalk. Tossing the bean bag into the very first square was nothing for a baseball player like himself; it was the next part that was a bigger ordeal. Forcing out a girly giggle, he proceeded to start hopping forward. The Mary Janes he was wearing weren’t nearly as familiar as the sneakers or cleats he wore on a daily basis, and every jump caused his pigtails to randomly bounce around. After a successful round, he picked up his bean bag and went to the back of the line to wait for the next one. When he glanced from side to side, double checking that no one from school was walking past the playground or remotely within sight, he noticed that there was another daycare group across the field from where they were. An all boys’ group, doing their own outdoor activities that were easily preferable to what the girls around him were interested in. A large group of them were playing Kickball, some others were playing a game of HORSE, and a few were just tossing a ball around. Even something as simple as catch sounded more appealing than a game of Hopscotch. “Ooh, Taylor!” the blonde girl behind him in line called out his jealous staring, for a reason that she was reading in a completely different way, “Do you have a crush?!” He was so off guard that he almost responded in his actual voice. Managing to catch himself, he just shook his head and muttered a higher pitched, “No.” It was enough for the girl in front of him to turn around. “You totally do!” she exclaimed, “You’re blushing!” That wasn’t his fault. He was a guy–a straight guy–who was now being mistaken as a little girl and being called out for something that wasn’t true at all. In their defense, they were assuming he was straight, but had his gender backwards. “Is it Thomas?” the girl behind him asked, “John? Luke?” He didn’t give into their curious badgering. Mostly because he didn’t want to lie and ‘admit’ to some random name, when he didn’t actually go to the school across the way. That, and he was going to be stuck at daycare for the whole week, and didn’t want a false crush to become a whole thing. Instead, he just insisted that he just liked playing Kickball, and wished they could be doing that instead. All while somehow maintaining an idle smile and faking a girl's voice. Eventually, they let it go, since the line was moving and it was soon Taylor’s turn again. He did just as well the second time around, though he almost lost his balance halfway through due to the unfamiliar shoes. The pigtails weren’t the only thing that bounced, as the skirt of the borrowed dress also swished and shifted as he hopped from square to square. Never enough to risk flashing the BARBIE panties, but mortifying nonetheless when he was used to wearing shorts and jeans. Taylor really had no interest in winning. While he was competitive when it came to baseball games, he had nothing to prove to a group of tween girls. However, he still was annoyed when his athletic talents failed him a couple times throughout the coming rounds. After the third square, landing the bean bag properly became a little more difficult; throwing a ball to first base didn’t perfectly translate to tossing something underhand to a spot outlined by colored chalk. He also messed up once just because of how one of his jumps caused him to touch one of the lines. Not his best showing, when he was used to being the star player everyone cheered for. As the game progressed, Sarah drifted over once or twice, always making sure to catch Taylor’s eye before moving on to check on another group. A constant reminder that he should be having fun with his ‘peers,’ rather than pouting about his situation. He’d use something different than pouting, but still. He ended up having to constantly purse his lips into a forced smile, selling it with his eyes whenever his brunette classmate was around, and included a couple more girly giggles along the way when necessary. By the end, he took third place out of the group of eight girls. There was still time left in the afternoon, and they decided to move on to doing some jump rope together. Taylor was along for the ride, as otherwise he’d have to roam the playground and insert himself into some other activity that had already started. When it was his turn, he quickly learned that the pigtails/skirt bouncing was even worse when he had to constantly move up and down in rhythm with the ropes that the girls on either side were rotating for him. “Keep going, Taylor!” Sarah was back, and cheered him on in a way that would sound completely normal to those present while also being a subtle warning to him, “You’re having fun, aren’t you?” To the others, it was like she was checking on the new girl. Taylor’s interpretation, however, was that she wanted more than whatever he was currently doing. So he giggled more for her benefit this time, rather than for the sake of positive energy, smiling big and chirping, “SO much fun, Ms. Sarah!” That’s what the other girls called her, so he felt compelled to follow suit when in a situation where he was being treated the same as the rest of them. Not too much later, Ms. Hamilton told everyone to line up so they could head back inside for pick-up. Similar to the previous day, Taylor was the last ‘girl’ left, and Sarah was willing to give him a ride. In fact, she told Ms. Hamilton that it was an arrangement she had made with Taylor’s family, as his house was on her way home and she was good friends with Taylor’s sister. All of it was bullshit, since he was fairly sure Sarah and Anna had never met. Like yesterday, Sarah took his hand and walked him out of the classroom. This time, he at least had his backpack with him, though that was the first thing she commented on once it was just the two of them. “Your backpack is too boy-ish, by the way,” she said, “You’re wearing your sister’s panties, right? I bet she wouldn’t mind if you borrowed some more of her things.” He still cringed every time she said it like that. Technically, yes, the cartoon print panties were his sister’s. But he didn’t take them out of her drawer or anything like that. They were from a box in the basement, and no one was currently wearing them except him. Before he could figure out how to respond to that, Sarah changed the subject. “Oh! I overheard something about you having a crush on a boy? I bet all those baseball boyfriends of yours would love to know that you swing that way.” “I don’t!” he exclaimed. Being stuck in the girly tone didn’t help anything. “Mm hmm. Then why don’t you have a girlfriend? All those cute boys you ogle in the locker room have girlfriends. But not you. Why’s that, little girl? Is that why you pretend to like baseball? So you can be surrounded by hot guys?” “No!” Taylor knew she didn’t actually believe anything she was saying, but he still felt flustered by how she was twisting the facts. He didn’t check out teammates in the locker room. If anything, it was the opposite; he went out of his way to avoid being seen. His ‘little secret’ was also why he was still single despite the numerous girls who had expressed interest over the last few semesters. Chuckling to herself, Sarah offered him yet another ‘Would You Rather’ type decision, “Well, here’s what I think. Tomorrow, while you’re pretending to be a big boy, we can tell people that I’m your girlfriend. Or, if you’d prefer, we can tell everyone that you’re gay.” Taylor’s eyes widened at that. Sarah? His girlfriend?! He would never date a nerdy girl like her! But he was also well aware that a blow to his reputation in that regard was nothing compared to what would happen if everyone saw him dressed up like he currently was. And he absolutely wasn’t going to let the whole school think he was into guys! For starters, it was blatantly untrue. And it would make things incredibly awkward in the locker room, whether people believed it or not. Since it was pretty easy to guess which way Taylor would end up leaning if pressed to choose between the two options presented to him, Sarah simply gave his hand a squeeze and said, “It’ll be fun, babe. Besides, I’m the perfect girlfriend for you. I won’t judge you secretly liking panties and pigtails more than you like baseball. Now, do you want me to pick you up for school tomorrow? Looks like you don’t have your own ride any more.” Until Sarah pointed it out, Taylor hadn’t noticed the now obvious absence of his car. He had been thinking about it that morning, when it was fresh on his mind, but hours of being dolled up and faking smiles through daycare had thoroughly distracted him. Apparently his car had been towed, as he vaguely remembered where he had parked it the previous day. He nervously scanned the rest of the lot, as if his sedan would magically appear in a different spot, but it was nowhere to be seen. “Aww, what’s wrong?” Sarah taunted him, once again reveling in her ability to turn the tables on the obnoxious jock she had to put up with until recently, “It’s fine, Taylor. You’re eleven, remember? Girls your age are too young to drive.” He was speechless. Partly out of surprise, partly because it was difficult saying anything when he was supposed to be talking like a daycare girl. Sarah just chuckled at the look on his face, tugging him along towards her own car. “Let’s go, little girl. Do you know if your older sister is home?” Taylor had no clue. Anna’s schedule was all over the place, plus his baseball practices meant that he wasn’t the one to ask about what his sister was doing on any given afternoon. He just shook his head, still processing this latest turn of events. “Hmm, guess we’ll find out,” Sarah shrugged, “I think it’s best if I escort you all the way inside from now on.” ----------------------- Check out my website: www.ladyluciastories.com And read more of "From Taylor to Tay-Tay" (14 chapters currently available) and other exclusive stories on my SubscribeStar: https://subscribestar.adult/lady-lucia

just woke up sitting hear in my crinklz astronots soaked and messy.

Messing my wet morning diaper has become a normal and natural routine for me. I am not incontinent so when I wet my diaper during the night I know when I am wetting and simply go back to sleep. Yesterday I got NorthShore AirSupreme diapers delivered so of course I had to to try them. I had a very wet night, multiple wettings, and this diaper performed flawlessly. I got out of bed with a substantial diaper sag, walked downstairs, and while getting coffee I relaxed and went poopie in my diapie as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening. Feeling my already bulky diaper from being so wet get full, warm, lumpy, squishy/slippery was an intense emotional and physical catharsis making me tremble with pleasurable sensations cascading throughout my whole body. Walking to my laptop feeling my potty jiggle inside my diaper was another sensory pleasure but the most intense pleasure second only to the initial relaxation and going potty in my diapee has been sitting down feeling my mess flatten in my diaper and squish around my perineum. It is hard to type this because of the intensity of the pleasure I get from such a natural function of going poopie with the twist of going in my diaper, Thank you cranial nerve 10, Vagus Nerve for the wonderful innervation and sensory pleasure. Fortunately for me I don't mind cleaning up at all, only takes me a few minutes with wipes, and a soapy wash cloth, and I am clean and fresh again. I wet my diaper all the time while in public without anyone knowing and I wish I could mess my diaper too in public but social courtesy prevails and it is against my Diaper Code of Ethics to expose and/or offend anyone with my diaper, whether dry, wet, and especially if messy. My current feelings expressed with emojis:

Check out the linkat the very bottom. I've used this with great success and you can find different shaped glass bottles for mason jars. I used ball flute mason jars with lids that are 16 ounces in a four pack at Walmart for 14 dollars. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjt38i15J6OAxWMFlkFHcq2N5IQFnoECBcQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FBall-Regular-Mouth-Tapered-Mason-Jar-16-oz-4-pk%2F728789759&usg=AOvVaw3ZApDHepo8qzxCpDSg66i7&opi=89978449 https://www.theglassbabybottle.com/how-to-make-a-glass-baby-bottle/

@Dubious just pretend it's an old Attends from the late '80s early '90s. They were great diapers at the time, but had a tendency to lose fluff.

I've had this happen, thankfully not at work, but I was out walking the dog a while back - probably at least a couple of years ago - and it was a hot day, and I guess I'd been in the diaper I was wearing, for a while, and suddenly, I felt a sensation like snow, or mist was landing on the back of my legs, while I was walking down the street on a dry, sunny evening. I realized that the adhesive or material at one of the leg gathers had let go, and fluff was slowly making its way out, as I walked, and tumbling down my legs from inside my shorts. This was inconvenient, but at least I was close to home when it happened. I also once tore my diaper while squeezing past a dog crate in my room, when the dog was a puppy, and lumps of wet SAP and fluffing trailed across the floor behind me, which I had to clean up, before the dog found them, lest he eat them. My wife was concerned that it was toxic, although I pointed out that we don't put babies to bed wearing bags full of toxic gel that they could potentially get into. She thought maybe adult diapers were different; I said, "Nope, they're just oversized baby diapers."

I want to thank EVERYONE! who has supported me and the story by reading on Kindle or buying the book. I am truly honored that my writing has found an audience. I write every morning for about 2 hours. I'm currently working on a sequel to this story, and a non-fiction ABDL book, which by the way, I"m looking for some collaborators if anyone is interested. I plan on posting all the chapters of The Gift, but after this one I'll start removing the earlier chapters so I don't violate kindle's policy. Chapter 16 Daniel rubbed his temples, then dragged his hands down his face in frustration. “Guys, seriously, I’m not transitioning. I’m just switching up my look, okay?” The chat scrolled relentlessly: user420: “Bro, you’ve said that like five times.” PixieNite: “It’s giving egg 🌈💅” RetroFan77: “We love Briella. Just be you, girl 💖” Then a giant superchat box flashed on screen: $50 from OGDragon: “I’ve been here since the start. Time to come out, man. The trolls are gone. We’re all in on Briella.” Daniel stiffened. “Okay. I’m done for tonight.” KnightSnack: “Wait! How many of y’all would drop cash if our girl shows up glam tomorrow? Dress, wig, and maybe some makeup. let’s razzle dazzle!” Small donations started rolling in one after another, the notification sounds piling on top of each other. Daniel watched the ticker climb—$5, $10, $20... Then another superchat exploded onto the screen: $250 from DeeZeeSimp: “If Dannyboy’s lookin’ cute tomorrow, I’ll match this. Let’s goooo.” Daniel hesitated, mouth dry. “I’m... I’ll think about it.” He reached for the mouse and quickly ended the stream. The silence afterward felt like a vacuum. *** Daniel checked both directions while he tried to look through a rack of tops without “looking” like he was looking for one. They’ll think I’m shopping for my girlfriend, this is no big deal. Goodwill seemed like a good choice to get something cheap and he was sure that no one would bother him. Eventually he found the dress section. Daniel had always been slim for a middle aged guy who spends most his time gaming. After he did some research and a few measurements, he figured he could wear a size 14 or 16 dress, which he was sad to see placed him in the plus size category. Still there were lots to choose from. He quickly lost his reluctance as he began browsing through the dresses. So many colors, styles, patterns. He then realized that several women nearby were looking and no one paid him any attention. He started taking things off the rack and holding them up to him. Then he saw it, Briella’s dress. A white ruffled dress, adorned with lace, with a gathered bodice and princess sleeves. He held it up to him then nervously looked around. No one was paying a bit of attention to him. Daniel stood in front of the cracked full-length mirror tucked into the corner of the Goodwill fitting area, adjusting the white lacey dress over his frame. It had delicate floral embroidery and a slight poof to the skirt, something between a garden party outfit and a low-budget bridal rehearsal look. It was marked size 14, and to his surprise, it fit. A little snug in the shoulders, maybe, but it zipped. That alone felt like a win. He knew it was absurd. He looked ridiculous. And yet… there was something intoxicating about it. The sheer absurdity of it, the softness of the fabric, the way it made his arms and legs look almost fragile in the mirror. He grabbed his hoodie, threw it over the dress, and bolted from the fitting room before he lost his nerve. On the way to the register, he passed the accessories and noticed a synthetic chestnut wig perched lopsided on a display head. It had thick bangs and curled slightly at the shoulders. It looked more cosplay than couture, but something about it made him stop. He picked it up. It was $7.99. What the hell. His chat would eat it up. At the checkout, a cashier with short purple hair and a silver septum ring scanned his items. “Cute dress,” she said with a little smile. “Doing a themed shoot or something?” Daniel cleared his throat. “Uh, no. Just… streaming.” “Oh! Twitch?” He nodded. “That wig is gonna photograph really well,” she said. Then, without missing a beat: “Girl you’re gonna look great.” Daniel blinked. “What?” The cashier just shrugged, still smiling. “The dress, the wig. I mean, you’re clearly going for a look. You’ll kill it.” He didn’t answer, just grabbed the bag and left, feeling like his face was on fire. He couldn’t decide what unsettled him more, that she’d assumed he was dressing up as a woman… or that he hadn’t corrected her. Twenty minutes later, Daniel was in a Walgreens, scanning a wall of makeup kits like he was defusing a bomb. He snatched a “Glam Beginner's Essentials” kit off the shelf foundation, powder, lip gloss, blush, mascara, and a tiny instruction card with a cartoon of a doe-eyed girl. He added a pair of press-on nails and a set of makeup remover wipes for good measure. As he stood at the checkout, he caught a glimpse of himself in the security mirror. White hoodie zipped halfway up. Wig box under his arm. Makeup in hand. A different person stared back. Not Briella. Not Daniel. Someone in between. He didn’t smile. He didn’t panic. He just paid and left. *** The overhead ring light cast a soft, flattering glow on Daniel’s face as he adjusted the camera one last time. He took a steadying breath, reached up, and tugged the chestnut wig into place. The synthetic bangs framed his face just right, softer now, a bit thinner in the cheeks than he remembered from a few months ago. He smoothed the front of the white lacey dress. With the padded bra underneath, the slight puff of his developing chest gave it just enough shape. Over the bodice was the faux-leather belt he’d added as a nod to Aurelia’s Embrace, the magical item that had started this whole transformation in his fantasy RPG. In the right light, it looked like cosplay. But when he sat down and looked at the monitor… It didn’t look like Daniel in drag. It looked like her. “Okay chat,” he said, his voice soft but steady, “you win.” The stream exploded. 💬 OMG YESSSSS BRI-BRI LOOKS AMAZING 💬 Our girl is glowing fr fr 💬 $100 DONO IF SHE DOES THE BUBBLEGUM KISS FACE AGAIN The tips and superchats came rolling in, each one triggering a sound effect he’d programmed weeks ago. Chimes, bells, fireworks. He barely had time to read them all. At one point, a fan offered to commission artwork of Briella for his Twitch banner. Another sent in a voice message calling her “the queen of cleric cosplay.” Daniel laughed until he cried. Real tears. He wasn’t pretending tonight. He was Briella. The makeup had made his skin glow. The press-on nails made typing slower but prettier. And when he did the end-of-stream thank-you shoutouts wearing a fake tiara one of his fans sent the previous week, he didn’t feel humiliated. He felt seen. He signed off at 2:11 AM, peeled off the wig, and curled up on top of his comforter without even changing out of the dress. He’d clean up tomorrow. *** Mary carried a basket of clothes down the stairs. She was feeling bad about her last conversation with her son. Maybe he was just growing up? She sat her basket down and checked the door of his basement apartment, it wasn’t locked. She went in and found Daniel splayed out across the bed still in the delicate dress, the wig beside him and face covered with smeared makeup. “What the hell is this!” Daniel bolted upright with a gasp, mascara-streaked eyes wide. “Mom, what, what are you doing?” “I live here! What are you doing?” She took a sharp step forward, eyes raking over the mess. “Are you crossdressing now? Is this some kind of kink? Have you lost your damn mind?” Daniel rubbed his eyes, trying to find his footing. “It’s not, Look, it’s not what you think.” “No? Because what I think is I just found my forty-eight-year-old son passed out in a wedding dress.” “It’s not a wedding dress. It’s a costume, well, kind of. It’s stream content.” Mary blinked. “You’re dressing up like a woman for strangers on the internet?!” Daniel stood up, stumbling a bit as the hem of the lace caught under his foot. “Yes! And guess what? I made almost two grand last night!” That stopped her cold. He ran a hand through his hair and pointed toward his computer. “People love Briella. It’s a character, like cosplay. I do voices, I wear outfits. It’s like acting. You know how many guys are out there throwing cash at girl streamers? You think I was gonna make money being another middle-aged dude playing video games?” Mary’s mouth opened, then shut. “I tried doing things your way,” he continued, his voice picking up steam. “I tried jobs, I tried being normal. It never worked. But this? This works. I finally found something I’m good at, something people want from me.” “You mean they want to look at you dressed like a doll,” she snapped. “It’s easy money!” Daniel shouted. “You think I want to wear a dress and makeup? No! But they love it! They pay more when I lean into it. I’m not stupid, I’m giving the audience what they want.” Mary crossed her arms. “And what about what I want? What would your father have wanted?” Daniel looked away. “He’s dead. And you just want me to sit in the basement and rot.” “I want you to act like a man!” she snapped. “Well maybe being a man never worked out that well for me,” he muttered. Mary stared at him, really stared. Then, slowly, she set the laundry basket down. “This isn’t just an act, is it?” she said quietly. Daniel didn’t answer. Mary shook her head, stunned. “You’re not just doing this for your streaming, ever since you got back from Florida you’ve been different. Did you get estrogen down there, go to a transgender camp or something?” “What is the big deal, it’s a dress and makeup, why are you being such a bitch?” Daniel whined. “You need help. Go to the doctor, go get some counseling, go see Father Brown,” she demanded. “No Mom, I’m not doing that, I’m fine.” “No Daniel you're not, this has gone on long enough, you’re not living here in a life of sin and debauchery under my roof. If this is how you’re going to make money I want you out!” He stood straighter, still dressed in the soft, lacey dress that hugged his changing body in ways he could no longer deny. “Fine,” he said, voice flat. “I’ll go.” Mary blinked. “What?” “You want me gone? Then I’ll go.” He turned toward the desk and unplugged his laptop, then moved to the closet for his backpack. “I’ve got some money saved. I’ll figure it out.” Mary was silent. Daniel leaving? She believed he would stay here until she passed away. “Wait a minute now where are you going to go?” Daniel had a moment of doubt, he felt the female emotions welling up and started to cry. “You don’t understand, I didn’t want this, but I can’t stop it,” he said. Mary stood in the doorway, arms still crossed, but her expression flickered, confusion, fear, and something dangerously close to sympathy. “What do you mean you can’t stop it?” she asked, more softly now. Daniel wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, smearing mascara and leaving a faint streak of foundation across his cheek. He couldn’t even look at her. “I mean… it’s like I’m turning into someone else. My body, my feelings, the way people look at me, it’s all different. And the worst part is, part of me… likes it.” His voice cracked. Mary waved her hands in frustration, “Just stop taking the hormones, that’s what’s got you like this, you’re a man, you don’t understand what it’s like to feel like a woman.” Daniel sighed, it seemed like his only choice, the truth would only make him seem more crazy, “No Mom, I can’t.” Mary took a few steps back and then asked, “Where are you going to go?” “I’m going to go stay with Linda, she needs help now anyway that Jim is dying.” “You think she’s going to be fine letting her transgendered nephew move in?” “She already knows,” he said. Mary nodded with a grim expression, turned on her heels and walked back up to her bedroom where she cried for nearly an hour. She was still on her bed when she heard Daniel’s car leaving the driveway.

Sounds like a climatic time!

Chapter Three The pigtails had done a number of Taylor’s long hair, and he didn’t have running water to deal with the mess thanks to how the water was currently shut off for the ongoing renovations. All he could do was force a brush through his dark locks in an attempt to get them back to how they usually looked. It wasn’t actually that big of a deal, now that he was safe in the privacy of his room. He and Anna weren’t particularly close as siblings, and their parents being out of town so often meant that the only time he might be seen was when he went downstairs to figure out dinner. Besides, she had seen him with unkempt hair in the mornings; the only reason he was hesitant to run into her right now was the lingering nervousness from sneaking through the house, as well as the reason why he looked slightly different than he usually did after school. Anna probably wouldn’t be that perceptive, though she would also be more familiar with hair stylings than he was. Taylor also had to make a trip down to the basement to look through the boxes of old clothes that their parents hadn’t donated or thrown away. Though he was specifically looking for Anna’s old dresses, as of course his younger sister was taller than him at this point, that search was one thing he wasn’t worried about. If Anna decided to come down to the basement herself for whatever reason, Taylor would hear the door open and have plenty of time to stash her stuff away and pretend he was there for something else. The part that made him embarrassed was that he had to find an outfit Sarah would approve of, panties included. There were a lot of pinks and purples, many of them with girly scripts, flowers, or other immature designs. He eventually found a simple dress that was solid purple, which would have to do. As for underwear, he settled on a white/pink pair of BARBIE panties. That was close enough to what he had been caught in that afternoon. Since all of his stuff was back at the school, there were a few other complications. He couldn’t work on homework, not that he took school that seriously when baseball was a better use of his time. Taylor also didn’t have his backpack, and needed a way to discreetly transport the girly outfit he was going to be changing into after his last class of the day. And then there was the matter of how he was going to get to school in the first place, as that would be quite the walk. The backpack thing was the easiest fix. It was just a matter of looking through more boxes in the basement and finding one of his old bags. His tastes for darker colors hadn’t changed much since his early teenage years, so the alternative backpack wasn’t the worst. Once that was sorted, he just had to ask Anna to ask one of her friends if he could ride with them tomorrow. A senior guy, being driven to school with a bunch of sophomores. Sarah and her friends were popular enough, which helped, but still. He just had to explain why he couldn’t drive himself. Waiting until the next morning wasn’t a good idea, either. There was a chance all of the seats were already taken, in which case he’d have to figure something else out. Taking the bus had crossed his mind, except he had no idea what the schedule was or where the closest stop to their house was. So he reluctantly knocked on Anna’s door, ultimately giving up on his earlier plan to avoid her for the whole night. Anna didn’t comment on his hair, nor did she seem to notice or care. However, she was predictably difficult about his request. “I’m pretty sure the last time I asked you for a ride to my friend’s house, you laughed in my face. Why can’t you drive yourself, anyway?” It was more of a scoff, but still. Going with the best lie he had come up with before approaching her, Taylor explained how he and his friends drove together to hang out after school, and swinging back to get his car was too much of a pain once there was traffic. “Uh huh,” Anna said, crossing her arms, “I still don’t see how this is my problem.” After a little more back and forth, Anna offered a compromise. She was enjoying the fact that her older brother was relying on her for something, but also wanted to be careful that she wouldn’t get in trouble for being the reason he didn’t make it to school. And, unlike him, she wasn’t a brat who enjoyed picking on easy targets. “I’ll see what I can do,” she said, “But you’re going to give me $20 for gas, and treat all of us to coffee on the way. Deal?” He reluctantly agreed. That was a good chunk of his monthly allowance, though he also had a credit card for emergencies, baseball expenses, etc. The following morning, Taylor stuffed everything he needed into his old backpack. Dress, panties, Mary Janes, and the hair ties for the pigtails he’d be in later. He knew no one would be going through the bag, yet he still felt the need to cover up the girly clothes with one of his baseball uniforms. That, and he was still holding onto the slim hope that Sarah would let him off the hook and he’d be able to go to practice like he was supposed to. When Anna’s friend arrived to pick them up, she made it clear right away that she wasn’t impressed that their school’s star pitcher was getting into her car. To her, Taylor was simply Anna’s obnoxious older brother. “My car, my rules,” she said, as the two siblings got into the back of her hand-me-down sedan, “No talking unless one of us asks you something, or I’ll pull over and let you out. Cash for coffee and gas?” She held out her hand expectantly. He couldn’t believe a sophomore was talking to him like that. And that she was getting away with it. Her little power trip did make a little bit of sense, as she wasn’t someone Taylor could target later for revenge. Between her confidence and the fact that she was one of Anna’s friends, she knew how much she could get away with while Taylor was relying on her for a ride. “My wallet is at school,” Taylor admitted. “Anna?” she asked. “I’ll pay for now,” Anna shrugged, “Taylor will pay me back later, plus interest. As long as he admits that sophomores girls are better than senior boys.” Suddenly, all three girls were staring at him. Feeling put on the spot, though alert enough to make sure none of them had their phones recording him, he begrudgingly muttered the phrase. Repeating it word for word in a flat tone made it so it was obvious that he didn’t mean it, though the girls still giggled in amusement. Once they were done having fun taking advantage of the rare situation where Anna’s older brother needed something from them, everyone basically pretended like he didn’t exist. Taylor didn’t mind being ignored, though having his phone would have been a nice distraction from the giggles and all the girly conversations he didn’t care about. All three girls ordered large specialty drinks, splurging more than they normally would since Anna would be fully reimbursed later. Then they headed to the school, where Anna’s friend pulled over half a block from the parking lot. “You can get out here, Taylor!” she said, “Do you need a ride after school?” No, he didn’t. As for being dropped off in a less convenient spot, that was fine. He didn’t need to be seen carpooling with them, just like they didn’t want to be seen doing a favor for some jock. As Taylor crossed the nearby intersection and made his way towards the school, he slowed down to check on his own car . . . It was nowhere to be seen. Had it been towed? Maybe. That, or he was mis-remembering where he had parked it the previous day, and just couldn’t spot it amidst all the other vehicles. Students didn’t get reserved spots, so it was always first come/first served each morning. He didn’t have time to investigate, as the warning bell meant that he only had five minutes to swing by his locker and get to his first class. Thanks to the mortifying events of the previous day, as well as how Sarah took him directly home after daycare, Taylor hadn’t done any schoolwork. That wasn’t completely out of character for him, since he and his friends would often hang out after baseball practice and shirk all of their responsibilities. Still, he usually found time to at least do the bare minimum, like burning through a simple assignment at breakfast or cramming for an upcoming quiz. The school day was normal enough; once he was sitting with his teammates in first period, Taylor gradually settled into the familiar routine. Talking about the upcoming game, picking on a couple of the usual targets, and generally being immature boys between classes and at lunch. He didn’t say anything about how he was going to have to miss practice later; his excuse was pretty weak, and he didn’t want someone to mention it to their coach before the end of the day. Instead, he waited until the end of PE before turning to one of the guys and lying about how his parents screwed up and scheduled an appointment for him on the wrong day. Naturally, they told him to blow it off and come to practice instead. If something like that actually did happen, that’s exactly what Taylor would do. But since he needed to satisfy Sarah’s conditions, he just came up with some bullshit about how it was important and that rescheduling stuff like that was a total chore thanks to how his parents were out of town so often. Learning his lesson from before, Taylor didn’t shower right away. His friends hadn’t shared any knowing glances or said anything about the prank, which made him think it was some random classmate who thought it would be funny. Either way, he waited until the area was mostly cleared out and, this time around, had a spare set of clothes secured in his locker as an extra precaution. He also wasn’t going to put on panties and a dress in the boys’ locker room. After drying off, he grabbed his stuff and made his way to the bathrooms just around the corner from where the daycare room was. Bracing himself for the awkwardness, he called into the girls’ bathroom, “Anyone still in here?” If there was, he planned on darting into the other bathroom and letting the person(s) think it was a janitor checking. Luckily for Taylor, it was empty. He tentatively stepped into the opposite gender’s restroom, quickly scanning the stalls to make sure some shy girl had failed to speak up or whatever. Once he was sure it was clear, he darted into the far stall and hung his backpack on the hook before stripping down. He still couldn’t believe he was doing this. Putting on an old pair of his sister’s panties, followed by a childish dress. And, finally, swapping out his shoes for the Mary Janes he had been given yesterday. It wasn’t too late. He could still change into his baseball gear and go to practice, and tell his teammates that he decided to skip his fake appointment. Sarah’s leverage on him was too damning, however, and degrading himself for the second day in a row was the only way to make sure no one else saw it. The ‘girl’ in the mirror was an embarrassing sight. Taylor knew he was a guy, which meant he could see that it was a short male in a dress looking back at him. But he could also see how Ms. Hamilton and the others so easily believed he was a younger girl. Between his height, his long hair, and his barely existent body hair, the dress that he was wearing easily sealed the deal in terms of making him look like a girl who belonged in daycare. Doing his best to will the blush away, he slung his backpack over his shoulder and left the girls’ bathroom. At least he had his stuff this time. Life after daycare would be a lot easier now, even if it made him a little nervous to have identification and high school assignments stashed in his bag. But Ms. Hamilton had no reason to go through his things; as long as Taylor didn’t take out his actual assignments, like some of the other girls did, he’d be fine. He hesitantly turned the corner, walking towards the classroom of girls and bracing himself for another afternoon of daycare. Right away, he thought Ms. Hamilton was going to figure out that he didn’t actually belong there and start asking questions. To his surprise, she simply greeted him with a smile and checked his name on the sign-in sheet. As in, there was a name to check off. Before he could dwell on that, Sarah was sauntering over. “Taylor!” she exclaimed, “So good to see you again.” Her smile wasn’t quite as friendly. “Come on, I can do your hair.” With that, she took his hand and walked him to a desk near the opposite corner of the room. At this point, only around half of the girls had arrived, giving them plenty of time to get sorted. “You should really learn how to do this yourself, by the way. Pigtails are perfect for a little girl like you. Maybe your older sister can teach you?” Taylor simply sat there and allowed the nerdy girl to braid his hair. From here on out, any talking he did would have to be in a feminine tone, so he only planned on talking unless absolutely necessary. As badly as he wanted to ask about how his name had been added to the list, or say something about how he was not a little girl, he opted to stay quiet. Of course, Sarah wasn’t going to make it that easy. “You’re wearing panties, right?” With how she was positioned behind him during the braiding process, she could speak close to his ear and keep anyone else from overhearing their conversation. Grateful that he was facing away from the girl, Taylor blushed and gave a small nod. “Good,” she giggled, “Where did you get them? You better not be wearing the same pair as yesterday.” Taylor tensed up. Would Sarah know if he was lying? She gave him a ride home, and there wasn’t a store that was particularly close to his house. There was a good chance she already had an idea of how he acquired panties between then and now. Clearing his throat, doing his best to recreate the girly voice from yesterday, he meekly said, “My sister . . . ” “Wow, really?” Sarah asked, “What did Anna say when you asked to borrow her panties?” It- It wasn’t like that! “Umm, she didn’t,” Taylor muttered. He gave a brief yet awkward explanation as to how he found some of her old clothes. Sarah just smirked, reveling in how the tables were totally turned on the jock that usually bullied her and so many others. “You’re such a freak, Taylor. Going through your sister’s underwear. Dressing up like a little girl. Did you wear Anna’s panties all day?” Taylor merely shook his head. No, he just changed into all of this. As for the rest, he was in no position to defend himself. It did sound bad out of context, even though they both knew he was only doing this because he had to. Regardless, it would be better if Sarah stopped referencing his sister, who had nothing to do with this. “Huh. That’s no fun,” Sarah replied, “From now on, I want you in panties 24/7. You clearly like wearing them, and it will remind you that you secretly wish you were a girl despite how you pretend otherwise at school.” “No, you said-” Taylor started, cutting himself off as he tried to remember what exactly Sarah had said. The whole thing was kind of a humiliating blur, outside of her insistence that he show up again to daycare. Still, the point was that he was only supposed to deal with this for another afternoon. “I said you needed to decide,” Sarah giggled again, giving his completed pigtail a flick, “You chose daycare. Besides, I already went through the trouble of getting you registered. If you don’t show up, Ms. Hamilton is going to call your sister to verify that you’re not coming. We can re-negotiate some of this stuff after daycare on Friday, okay? Until then, you’re only allowed to wear panties.” Until Friday?! He couldn’t skip that many practices! Not to mention the rest of it. That his name was on the list because Sarah had registered him, the implication that Anna’s number was used for contact information, and the suggestion that he should wear panties to class. “Sarah-” “Shush, Tay-Tay.” As she finished up the second braid, she gripped both of them and gave a rough tug. “You think picking on girls is funny? Now you can see what it’s like to be a girl who gets pushed around.” “But-” he started to protest. “I said shush,” Sarah murmured, with another sharp tug, “It’s up to you, girl. We could make it two weeks of daycare. Or you can agree that you deserve to wear panties through Friday. Which would you prefer?” ----------------------- Check out my website: www.ladyluciastories.com And read more of "From Taylor to Tay-Tay" (10+ parts) and other exclusive stories on my SubscribeStar: https://subscribestar.adult/lady-lucia

Out of curiosity I googled the cost of day spa packages locally. The prices ranged from $200 - 750 for a full day. These included full body massages, facials, pedicures, and a haircut. None listed a time element. Now I have no idea exactly what the Diaper Spa actually offers in services. I doubt they are offering the beauty treatments, but if they offer diaper changes and feedings, and other interaction they prices aren't out of line. Especially since you aren't going to be sharing facilities with random strangers. I think regular spas have multiple customers in the building at the same time. Still not going to go there.

Arriving at My Aunt’s House I realized that my aunt was crazy! She was completely nuts, but at fourteen years old, I didn’t have any recourse. I was in the middle of nowhere and couldn’t run away. I couldn’t fight back and change her mind. I could only stay out of her way and not rock the boat. Fortunately, I wasn’t going to keep pooping my pants and I hadn’t wet the bed since I was ten. My aunt promised to let me wear underwear again if I could stay dry for three days, which seemed easy. I expected my mom to flip out when she found out what my aunt did. It was a Monday, and my mom promised to call me on Wednesday after she got settled at her base. I just had to make it until then, and this would all be over. I felt sorry for Scott, especially when I noticed how his mom was treating him. She treated Scott like he was two years old. He had to stay close to an adult all the time and he didn’t have the same privileges that Debbie or I had. In fact, he had to sit in a highchair for dinner. I wasn’t sure if he could help it when he peed, and I wondered if he really did need diapers. I didn’t notice much at first, other than my aunt putting him in a diaper after she put me in the Pull-Up. He and Debbie both sat in car seats. He was kind of a small kid and still fit in a car seat, so that made sense to me. I remembered that I used a car seat when I was his age. He also had a sippy cup in the car, but Aunt Amanda would probably make me use a sippy cup as well. It wasn’t until we got to their house that I noticed anything. First, Aunt Amanda told me, “Tommy, you’re wearing Pull-Ups, but I expect you to use the potty like a big kid. Do you want Auntie to help when you go potty?” I was trying to hide my annoyance, but my tone didn’t do much to hide it. “I can do it myself!” Aunt Amanda rolled her eyes and remarked, “Ok! Just remember to tell me when you go potty.” “WHY?” “Don’t yell at me. It’s not my fault you pooped your pants. Remember, if you want me to treat you like a big kid, you have to show me that you’re a big kid.” I huffed, “Fine! But why do I need to tell you when I go to the bathroom.” “I need to make sure you’re using the potty like you should.” I gritted my teeth and said, “Fine!” I needed to pee, and I had no intention of wetting the Pull-Up, not that I felt that was likely. I tried not to sound snarky, which is difficult for an annoyed fourteen-year-old. “Can I use your bathroom?” Aunt Amanda smiled, “Of course, honey. Remember, this is your house for the summer. It’s right down the hall.” I did my thing, and when I came out, she asked, “Did you go?” I rolled my eyes, “Yes.” “Did you pee or poop?” “I peed.” In a falsely excited voice that you would use if I was just learning to use the potty, my aunt cried out, “GOOD JOB! I’m so proud of you. Now, did you wash your hands?” In reality, I pulled my pants down low enough to aim (albeit my aim wasn’t all that great), zipped up, and left. I didn’t wash my hands, which was normal for me at the time. I replied in a halting and questioning tone, “Yes?” It sounded more like a question than a response, and I think my aunt knew I was lying. She looked at me and asked again, “Are you sure?” I gave away my deception with my stammer, “Um, uh.” “Why don’t you go wash your hands again? Remember, it’s very important to wash your hands after going pee-pee and poo-poo.” While I hated being talked to like I was a three-year-old, I knew that protests would get me nowhere. What I didn’t expect was that I would receive praise when I complied with my aunt’s absurd request. Aunt Amanda praised, “Thank you for being such a good boy; I’m glad you washed your hands.” I know this sounds strange, but I didn’t get much praise from adults back then. My mom tended to criticize me most of the time. She didn’t like my grades; she got mad when I played video games for long periods, and she was mad when I didn’t put away my things. It felt like anything I did was going to make her mad, and when she wasn’t mad, she ignored me. Even my teachers got upset with me, and when I was praised, it was backhanded praise. It was always something like; “See, look what you can do when you apply yourself.” Suddenly my aunt praised me twice in just a few minutes. Ok, it was for peeing in the toilet and washing my hands, but she sounded genuinely proud of me. My aunt changed Scott’s diaper in the living room, right in front of everybody. It seemed weird to me, but my aunt is crazy. It wouldn’t be unusual if he was only three years old, so my aunt didn’t think it was unusual now. At least, she acted like it was normal. Scott seemed resigned to his fate, although he begged me not to watch. Unfortunately, I couldn’t turn away. After his diaper was changed, Scott returned to his cheery self and asked, “Can Tommy and I go play in the yard?” They had a neat playset that he was excited to show me. My aunt shook her head, “I’m sorry, honey. Mommy has to put stuff away, and you need somebody to watch you.” He immediately protested, “But Debbie is playing outside.” “Debbie is a big girl, and big kids can play outside if they are careful.” “I’m a big kid.” Scott’s voice was more of a whine than a true protest, and I’m sure he knew what his mom would say next. “Do big kids wear diapers?” Scott smirked, “Sometimes?” “No, they don’t. Big kids use the potty. When you use the potty, you get big kid privileges.” I felt bad. A few years ago, Scott was still in diapers, but my aunt let him go outside as long as he stayed with me. I figured the same thing still applied and I said, “I can watch him.” “Sorry, but I don’t think so. You haven’t shown me that you are responsible enough yet.” “WHAT?” Aunt Amanda shot me a disapproving look and remarked, “Maybe if you can show me that you can handle responsibility, I’ll let you watch Scotty. But not yet.” She then looked over to Scott, whose face was disappointed, and said, “I’ll tell you what. Jessica is next door, and maybe she is willing to watch you while I get dinner ready.” Jessica looked close to my age. Based on her looks, I figured she was in middle school. Aunt Amanda asked Jessica, “Can you do me a favor? Scott wants to show his cousin the playset outside, but he’s been put back in diapers and doesn’t have big boy privileges.” Jessica smiled, “More accidents?” “I’m afraid so. He wet himself twice on the ride to pick Tommy up.” Jessica nodded and agreed to take us outside. It felt like she was babysitting me as well, which was strange. Jessica asked, “You look old enough to babysit; how old are you?” Now, I was somewhat embarrassed, but maybe I could impress her if she knew I was in high school. I guessed she was in eighth grade, and she might think it’s cool to date a kid in high school. That’s what boys my age should do, and I hoped that she could be my girlfriend for the summer. This summer might not suck so bad if I had a girlfriend. Unfortunately, I had no idea how to get a girlfriend, and I only wanted one because that’s what I thought every boy my age wanted. I confidently gloated, “I’m fourteen. I’m going to high school next year.” Jessica didn’t seem all that impressed with a fourteen-year-old who wasn’t even allowed to watch his younger cousin for a few minutes. “Really? Why didn’t Mrs. Whitmore let you watch Scott?” I shrugged and said, “I don’t know; I think she is mad at me.” “Already? What did you do?” I hoped that sounding like a bad boy would help my cause and responded, “She talked down to me, and I don’t let people do that. I’m not a little kid, so you got to treat me with respect.” “I see.” She smirked with a kind of mocking tone, and replied, “Well, I’m younger than you. I’m only thirteen, and I’m going into eighth grade.” She then noticed the elastic band of my Pull-Up peeking above my shorts. “Is that a Pull-Up?” My eyes grew big, and I tried to hide it, but I am terrible at lying. Everybody knows when I’m lying. “NO! Do you think I’m wearing Pull-Ups?” “Whatever, dude. It looks like you are wearing a Pull-Up.” “Well, I’m not.” “If you say so. Just remember, if you are, you still have to use the bathroom. Your aunt is really strict about that.” I shook my head and turned my attention to Scott. They did have a cool playset. It had a jungle gym, a tire swing, and a teeter-totter. If I was still a little kid, I would probably think it was the coolest thing, but I wasn’t supposed to be impressed with stuff like that at fourteen. Scott whined when his mom pulled out the highchair. “Please, Mommy. I don’t want to sit in the highchair.” Aunt Amanda put a pacifier in Scott’s mouth and said, “That’s enough whining out of you. If you want to be a big kid, you have to use the potty. If you keep whining, you are going to sit in your playpen until everybody finishes dinner.” While I did feel sorry for Scott, I knew it was a bad idea to argue with my aunt. I ate in silence, hoping to avoid making her mad. Fortunately, Aunt Amanda left me on my own, but she did have to remind me to clear my plate when I was done. I guess my mom was right; I wasn’t very responsible. We finished dinner, and Aunt Amanda announced, “Ok, kids, it is time to get ready for bed. Tommy, go take a shower and then put on your PJs.” “What? It’s only seven o’clock.” “Yes. It’s almost bedtime. Go shower and put on your pajamas.” Her tone was getting more and more insistent. “I don’t wear pajamas. I don’t have any.” Aunt Amanda looked disgusted. “You don’t. That’s not going to work. It’s too late tonight, but tomorrow we need to buy you some pajamas. I guess you can wear one of Uncle Ron’s tee shirts tonight.” She waved her hands and warned, “Now take off your clothes, and go take a shower. Don’t make me ask you again!” I knew it was a bad idea to test Aunt Amanda any further, so I stripped down to let her inspect my Pull-Up. She praised, “It’s still dry; that’s good. Hopefully, you’ll stay dry for three more days, and you can get your big kid underwear back. Now it’s time for you to take a shower.” “But it’s early,” I complained. “No, it’s not. It’s almost bedtime. Maybe I’ll have to give you and Scott a bath together.” “I don’t take baths.” “Then go take a shower.” Once again, my attempt to establish independence failed miserably. Scott was getting his diaper changed on the floor when I came out. I didn’t have any clothes with me, so I wrapped a towel around my body and asked, “Where is my underwear?” Aunt Amanda pointed to a tee shirt and said, “I’ve got a shirt for you to wear, but I need to put a diaper on you first.” “What? I don’t need diapers.” She asked, “Are you sure about that? You pooped your pants today.” “I don’t wet the bed anymore, I promise. You can even ask my mom.” My case wasn’t helped by the fact that Aunt Amanda knew I wet the bed until I was ten years old. Aunt Amanda was unswayed and simply replied, “I’m sorry, but no. If you need Pull-Ups during the day, you have to sleep in a diaper. That’s our rule. That way, you don’t have to worry about staying dry at night until we know you are potty trained during the day.” She was crazy, but I couldn’t do anything about it. I remarked, “I’m going to tell my mom.” Aunt Amanda was unimpressed and scoffed, “You are? Are you going to tell her you pooped your pants? Your mommy told you to follow our rules, right?” I nodded. “And in our house, big boys don’t poop their pants, do they?” I nodded. “Until I know that you can use the potty like a big boy, you need to wear a diaper at night. Now lie down, so I can get you ready for bed.” She held a pacifier in her hand and ordered, “That’s enough pouting. Now, open up.” I obliged and allowed my aunt to plop the pacifier in my mouth, and reluctantly laid down on the mat. I was trying to hold back cries and sobbed, “Why are you punishing me? It was an accident; I didn’t do it on purpose.” Aunt Amanda hugged me and said, “Honey, I’m not punishing you for pooping your pants.” “You aren’t? It feels like it.” “Well, I’m not. Do you think wearing glasses is punishment?” “No.” “Well, it’s the same with diapers. I don’t want you to pee in your sleep, and the diaper protects it.” “But I don’t pee in my sleep,” I cried. “And if you can show me that’s true, you won’t need diapers anymore. Ok, it’s getting late. I’m going to read you guys a story, and then it’s off to bed.” My uncle’s shirt fit me more like a dress than a shirt. It dropped down to my knees, which made it look like I was wearing a nightgown. Aunt Amanda asked, “How does that feel, sweetie?” “I don’t like it. It feels like I’m wearing a nightgown.” “I agree, but it’s all we have tonight. We’ll get some pajamas for you tomorrow.” We snuggled up next to my aunt, and she told us a story of a boy in a magic land, which was kind of like Jack and The Beanstalk, but her original version. That’s what my dad used to do before he died, and I missed hearing his wonderful stories. After the story, my aunt took us to our rooms. Debbie’s room was a little girl’s room with a lot of pink, and there was a princess bed in the corner. Then we walked into a room that looked like a nursery with two cribs. Aunt Amanda said, “Tommy, you’ll sleep here with Scott.” I cried, “That’s a crib!” She calmly remarked, “Yeah, fortunately, Debbie has a big kid bed, so you can use her old crib.” I cried, “I can’t sleep in a crib. I’m not a baby.” I wanted to avoid the pacifier and stay calm, but it made no sense. I’m fourteen years old; it’s still daylight and I’m being sent to bed; I’m wearing a diaper, and now she is making me sleep in a crib! Aunt Amanda countered, “little kids sleep in a crib.” “But I’m not a little kid, I’m a teenager.” “Big kids don’t wear diapers.” “But I don’t need a diaper.” “Did you poop your pants?” It was a vicious cycle. When I reminded her that I wasn’t a baby, she told me that big kids don’t wear diapers. I whined that I didn’t need the diaper, but she reminded me that I pooped my pants. I needed the diaper because I pooped my pants, and I needed to sleep in a crib because I was wearing a diaper. I tried more tactics to delay my bedtime. I said, “I’m not tired; it’s too early to go to bed.” Aunt Amanda countered, “You’re pouting, and you’re cranky, so I can tell you are tired. It’s time for bed.” “I’m thirsty.” She pointed to a baby bottle. “There is a bottle for you to drink.” She then warned, “Scott already knows this, but I want to make sure you know. Stay in your crib until I get you.” I suddenly found a flaw in her plan. I can’t pee in the toilet if I’m stuck in a crib. She had to lower the rails. “What happens if I wake up and need to pee? If I use the diaper, you’re going to think that I peed in my sleep.” She paused a second and then said, “Scotty sleeps through the night, so usually that’s not a problem. But there is a baby monitor on, and I can hear when you cry. Just remember, if I take you to the potty, you better pee.” In reality, at that age, I rarely woke up in the middle of the night. I usually slept until the morning, and peed after I woke up. I got in the crib, and I have to admit it felt nice when Aunt Amanda tucked me in. She calmly said, “Good Nite.” It was strange; I hated all the baby treatment, but the attention felt good. I never got that attention at home.

Chapter 36: Trust I WOKE UP to my diaper being pulled off, “Finally waking up, huh?” Mackenzie asked me. She quickly ticked my belly, “Since you’re awake and have a dry diapee, why don’t you go try the potty?” I nodded and found myself carried to the potty and sat on it. It took no time to have my bladder releasing, and I was surprised by how full it was. “Good boy,” Mackenzie cooed as she wiped me unasked. A moment later, the swim diaper was held open for me, and I was dressed in my swimsuit. My morning started off well with more laps, and I found myself racing a large body again after a while. I’d lapped the person several times before Mackenzie again pulled me out of the water. Miss Lilly had started treading water then and said, “I wish our dorm could participate in the intramural swimming contests; you would place well!” I just laughed, “I can only wish, Miss Lilly.” Mackenzie had helped me into the shower after she checked the swim diaper for any signs of a mess. I’d shaken my head and got ready as fast as I could that morning. I could finish getting ready before she pulled anyone from their pods by hurrying through my morning routine and tossing my hair into a low ponytail. As I hurriedly worked on my Screenplay homework with the university’s computer, I watched her pull the other guys out of the pods. Each was as deeply asleep as I had been, and I wondered if there was more to it than being tired? I also watched every nest member get marked down as wet for their night diaper. Liam no longer had a potty chart, but Mackenzie made a big deal about teasing him for being poopy too! ‘That must suck to be stuck in a poopy diaper overnight!’ I thought. ‘Of course, he will probably get used to it pretty soon. Mom said she got desensitized pretty quickly.’ ‘Why am I the only one still dry at night?’ I worried I was standing out in a way that would get me negative attention. The extra time before everyone else was up paid off, though, as I managed to get through the homework for Screenwriting and made a good start on a couple of assignments that I knew from the syllabi would be coming up for other classes. Liam was carried to breakfast instead of walking. “I just don’t want to bend over to grab your hand today,” Mackenzie told him as she loaded him on her hip. “Besides, it’s not like you weigh much!” Liam had turned bright red, and I couldn’t help but feel an odd jealousy as she carried him as the rest of our nest walked beside her to breakfast. I found myself sitting with the group I was considering ‘my friends,’ now out of the littles, with Ava and Amy. They had three other friends on the other side at a long, short table we sat at together. I leaned over to Ava and quietly asked, “Is anyone in your nest not wetting the bed at night?” “Connor… that’s…” “Embarrassing, I know. So…?” She shook her head, “Everyone, including myself, has been wet every night. I really don’t understand it! According to my mom, I haven’t wet the bed since I was three.” She blushed, “I even checked and messaged her asking last night.” I nodded, “They’re doing something to everyone.” “Really?” She asked in surprise. “This girl Maya,” she pointed towards a dark-haired girl about her height at an adjacent table, “said something new had to be happening. She said no one in the nests was staying dry since they returned from break.” I nodded, “I’m worried…” “The diapers keep it from being too bad,” she told me, “or have you been having the other kind of accidents?” I blushed, “No, the problem is I’m the only one who isn’t having those accidents.” She looked at me, “How?” I shrugged, “I have some ideas, but I’m worried it will get me noticed if I’m the only one who’s not. Would you let me know if you hear anything being said about me?” Ava looked perplexed but nodded. “I should hopefully be seeing Professor Owens today, too; he is sitting in on a couple of my classes this semester to learn more about the Big’s history here.” “We’ll see how long he lasts,” I said quietly. “Huh?” “He almost wet himself in my meeting with him and Dean Northrup last week.” She looked like she was about to ask more questions, but right then, Kaylee, her nest mother, came up. “Come on, Ava sweetie, we need to make sure you’re in a dry Pull-Up and ready for your classes today!” I looked at her, and she blushed, “I’m not….” She tried to argue. Miss Kaylee was more than twice her height, and I had a feeling she could be terrifying, but she just gently lifted her under her arms and stood Ava on the seat she had been sitting on. A quick tug up of her skirt pulled it upwards to where the waistband was the only part still in place. It showed off a pink Pull-Up that was certainly not dry given how swollen it was, and the princess crowns had disappeared! “If you were getting ready to say you’re not wet?” Kaylee said sternly. “I was going to say that wet, but I was wrong Miss Kaylee; sorry.” I worried she’d get scolded more, but instead, she was given a hug, “That’s quite okay! Sometimes little girls like you don’t know they wet that much! Usually, that means we probably should just use diapees, but we’ll keep trying Pull-Ups a little longer, though - maybe today is a fluke!” Ava shook as she grabbed her bag and followed Miss Kaylee and most of her nest out of the dining hall. Amy looked across at me then, having been one of the few girls not gone by then. “That’s getting old,” she said. “Did you end up with Pull-Ups after what Dean Northrup said the other day?” I asked. She shook her head, “Not until I can have only one wet diaper a day,” she sighed. “Miss Madelyn says sleeping counts, so it only takes one mistake or not being able to reach the potty… and let’s just say it happens more than that.” “Sorry,” I told her. She shrugged, “Ready to go to classes?” I nodded, “Yeah, probably should get going.” I shouldered the backpack that weighed more today with the weight of the school laptop, my laptop, and the tablet. All of those were pretty thin and light devices, but when you added them up, they still weighed a quarter or more of my new body weight! I hiked to the Kilby Center on my own and stopped by the bathroom before heading to my Intelligence class. I’d completed all the homework for that class, and I felt well prepared as I entered and found Professor Turing setting up for the lecture. I noted the high chair seat was clipped to the long table but decided to see if I could just sit in a chair first. Before I could even consider assembling the folding booster seat, though, I had a set of large hands picking me up. “Let me help you!” the female voice said, and I realized it was Skylar as I turned to see her. She wasted no time buckling the safety straps and setting my bag before me. “There you go, cutie!” she said as she ran a hand through the loose part of my ponytail. “Umm… thanks,” I said awkwardly. “You’re welcome!” She said, then whispered, “Look, I’m sorry if it seemed like I was overbearing the other day. I will fully admit that I have problems with my stupid hormones and mothering instincts.” I looked at her with surprise at the admission, “I accept your apology; I know from my family that it’s hard for you to resist sometimes.” She laughed, “I wish it was only sometimes! It’s like a constant thing for me, but I don’t want to force a Little to be my baby. I guess I kind of hope someday I can find someone who actually wants to be cared for by me.” I nodded nervously at her, “I hope you can understand that’s not my goal?” She nodded, “I promise I won’t push anything on you. I just may not be able to resist helping you if I see you struggling to do something?” I shrugged, “As long as you’ll take no for an answer if I say it?” She tensed but clearly forced herself to agree, “I promise.” “Good enough for me,” I said with a smile. She smiled back and then asked quietly, “Listen… I’m really embarrassed to ask this, but did you understand the homework?” I looked up at her, “It wasn’t hard?” Her face fell, “It was to me?” “What didn’t you understand?” I asked her. Professor Turing glanced over at us as she explained what she was having trouble with. It was about ten minutes before class began, so I did my best to walk her through where she was lost. “I wish you could help me study!” She said, “That already makes more sense,” she blushed. “I don’t have much free time in my schedule, but if you want to get together for lunch tomorrow, I might be able to help you then?” “I’m not on the meal plan since I moved off campus… Would they let you eat at one of the other restaurants here?” “I think they will?” I shrugged, “How about we trade numbers, and I’ll ask?” “What time do you have a break tomorrow?” She asked after trading contact info. “I should be off from 13 o’clock in the morning until I need to get to my next class at about 1:40 in the afternoon?” She nodded, “I’m not free for long then… You have a big gap between classes?” “Only on Thursdays, Tuesdays I’ve got a seminar I have to be at in the middle of that.” “Maybe next week…?” we discussed a couple ideas and decided we would have to finalize a time this weekend. We were about to keep talking, as I did think the girl was mostly harmless – even if she was clearly baby crazy - but Professor Turing began speaking. BETH WENT ABOUT her morning as calmly as she could, even as she cursed her schedule. She’d basically locked herself in her room last night to study. She was at least gratified that she didn’t feel completely lost in her Logic or Fields and Waves classes that morning in the beginning. Unfortunately, by the end of the class, the professors had both chosen to push the next steps, and she felt like she was back to being impossibly behind in understanding! In an effort to catch the concepts she’d missed, she carried her notes and tablet to lunch and sat down in a corner to try and figure out what the professor wanted. She was so into her work she didn’t even realize she’d had company join her for a long while. “Umm…” she jumped, “How long have you been there?” Connor smiled at her, “Just a few minutes. I didn’t want to interrupt? Do you mind if I sit here? I promise I’ll just be working on my own work?” She saw he had his tablet propped against his lap and the table even as he was munching on some fries. “Umm… sure?” “What are you working on anyway?” “This stupid Fields and Waves chapter…” she groaned and explained it to him. Connor smiled at her, and Beth couldn’t help but think, ‘I love looking at his face. He’s cute,’ she thought. ‘I wonder if he would ever let me play with that hair of his?’ When she finished explaining what she was lost on, he said, “Okay, well, assuming nothing has changed with the dimensions methods, you just need to…” Twenty minutes with Connor was like the two hours of class should have been with her professor. She now understood what was being taught, and it took everything in her not to leap across the table and hug him. “So, what are you working on?” she asked him. He sighed, “Holo Field Theory, I was able to get caught up last night before today’s class and thought I was going to be better off? Well, I guess I was, but there are still so many unique terms and concepts that I’ve never heard that I will have to spend several more hours again on it!” She nodded, “That’s how I felt before you helped me. I doubt I can help much, but what are you stuck on?” Connor explained the parts he was struggling with, and Beth found herself shaking her head, “I recognize about every other word you’re saying, Connor… I can see why people say that’s a nightmare class. It’s almost as bad as the portal physics majors talking about their dimensional wormhole homework.” Connor sighed, “I’ll get it; it’s just going to take a lot more hours of studying.” “Do you have enough time for it all?” Beth found herself asking. “I was up till after midnight last night trying to get everything done; I can’t imagine they let you stay up that late?” Connor shook his head, “No, definitely not normally.” “Not normally?” Connor looked around, “Mackenzie is taking me to some spicy eating contest tonight after the nest is asleep?” Beth looked worriedly at Connor, “Are you nuts? Those things are like deathtraps for Littles?” “Remember me at the restaurant last week? I think I’ll be fine.” “This is the one at Westerfield Hall tonight?” He shrugged, “I’m guessing? She didn’t say?” “Maybe Cassie and I will stop by and make sure you can live through things?” Beth found herself saying. Connor smiled, “That would be nice.” Beth felt her insides feel funny with that smile, and she couldn’t help but be sure she was really having a crush on this smaller guy. Eventually, they needed to head to class, so they walked together to Euler Hall and separated to go to their separate classes. As she sat down in Calculus, she hoped she could make it through the semester without breaking her heart with her crush. I SAT DOWN on my booster and made it through the one class that clicked fairly easily for me that day. At one point, Doctor Nash started calling on each of us for answers, and I’d been pleased that I’d had the correct one. Molly had been the only other person in the room to answer one correctly, and we were both trying to pin down a time study after class ended. “So… maybe Mondays after this class?” she suggested. I nodded, “I think that will work!” “Sure, you can’t do Saturday?” I shook my head, “My grandma will pick me up for the weekend.” “Your grandmother is really Professor Westerfield?” She asked. I nodded, “Yes, she is.” “That’s crazy! Anyway, I’ll see you Friday then. Are you sure you don’t need any help in the bathroom?” She asked as we reached the bathrooms I was heading to. “I’m good, thanks!” I told her. She looked genuinely torn to leave me, but I was proud of her for tamping down those instincts she’d told me about. As I used the folding step to reach the urinal, I thought about how Mom had said Grandma struggled with the same thing, especially her first week after she arrived so short. I was deep in my thoughts as I walked back to the nest room and put on my goggles to work on Holo homework first, then my other classes. Mackenzie showed up at some point, “You still want to join me tonight?” she asked. I noticed that Grayson suddenly looked interested. “Sure, I said I would?” She smiled, “Great! Once we get everyone ready for bed tonight, I’ll get you ready, and we’ll go.” I smiled nervously and said, “Okay.” “You going to get anything to eat before lights out?” I shook my head, “Figure I might as well save the room for the challenge.” “Okay then,” she said and walked to her apartment door, closing it behind her. I looked at the clock and saw we had about ninety more minutes until the lights were out. I was about to put my goggles back on, but Grayson came over, “What was that about?” “A deal I made with her; she’s going to take me to a spicy food-eating contest tonight.” “What?!?” He asked me. “That’s after lights out?” He practically sputtered, “And are you crazy? Littles can’t even stand the first round of that?” “What’s he talking about?” Logan asked. Soon I had all of the nest trying to talk me out of being stupid. Even Liam looked like he thought I was being crazy this time. They wasted about fifteen minutes of my time before I got them to go away, and I got to work again. As Mackenzie put everyone in their night diapers, Grayson came to me and said, “You realize she’s taking way too much interest in you, right?” I nodded, “Yeah, but better to keep your enemies closer,” I told him. “Besides, I’m looking forward to us making a profit tonight!” He shook his head but said, “Your funeral.” When everyone was finished, she came for me and said, “I know you can use the big boy potty, but given we’re putting you straight to bed when we get back, I’m going to put you in your nighttime diaper.” “What if I need to go before bed?” “Then I’ll take it off if you let me know.” I nodded as I knew there was no choice in it. Normally I pulled the dry Pull-Up down, but she instead just ripped the sides of my pull-up apart like it was messy and needed to be changed. The diaper that she dressed me in was just a standard baby diaper. Still, I knew I couldn’t easily pull the tapes loose from my experience the first day. She pulled the tie and button-up shirt off of me, and instead, from somewhere, she pulled out a pale green Emerson University onesie that featured a diapered Griffin on the front. The onesie seemed more of a pale color meant for a girl instead of a boy. She pulled the crotch closed and snapped the tail together before pulling up the pants I’d worn with my uniform. “We should probably have put some of your jeans on you that I saw your grandma bought,” she told me. I shrugged, “these are already worn.” She nodded, “Do you like the shirt?” I blushed, “It’s a little… much for me.” She smirked, “Good; hopefully, everyone will be so caught up with how cute you are! But first, we need to do your hair!” Mackenzie carried me into her apartment and placed me into a highchair. I remembered being off to the side before. She didn’t buckle me into the harness, so it was just a tall seat at that moment. I sat still as she brushed my hair, and I could feel her pulling it to the sides. “Are you putting my hair into pigtails?” I asked, blushing but secretly feeling goosebumps up and down my body. Something about her care made me feel good. “Why yes, I am,” she said with a smirk as she peeked around, “I told you I wanted to play with your hair!” When she finished, she showed me myself in the mirror, and I realized I looked more like I belonged in the girl’s nest then. Two bows that matched my onesie were tied off in cute bows. “There, everyone will believe you’re being punished for being stubborn, and we can enjoy ourselves tonight without any of the other mommies saying anything!” “What about the other guys?” I asked as she moved to pick me up. She smiled, “They’re already asleep, cutie. Let’s go!” I couldn’t help but look at the dimly lit pods as she placed me on her hip and carried me like a toddler out of the room. Unless they were faking it, it appeared she was right, ‘What is up with those pods?’ I wondered. The diaper bag she grabbed on her way out didn’t make me feel much better about my nerves, but I tried to trust her as she carried me to Westerfield Hall! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Thanks for reading!!!! Please consider leaving me a 'Like' and a Comment! The next couple of chapters are some of my favorites... so I might be convinced to post again this weekend with enough Likes/Comments. I'm not going to put a number on it, I'll let you know if you hit it, though! As always, if you enjoy my writing, please consider purchasing one of my novels on Amazon! If you do purchase them, please consider leaving me a 5-star review to help aid them in showing up on search results!

Chapter 34: Teetering I WATCHED AS Kelly thankfully moved to the back of the room. As others filed in, I couldn’t help but think a few of them looked at me like predators! Fortunately, I kept up a conversation with Will, and I had some hope for a few relatively normal people to be in class with. Even if those normal people were three times my height! Doctor Gibney eventually got our attention and began class, “Good morning, everyone! Welcome to Screenwriting I!” He smiled, and a holo-presentation started, “Here in the Emerson Film department, we pride ourselves in as hands-on of an experience as possible, so this will be a very practical-based course. Throughout this semester, you will have three projects you’ll be responsible for creating.” I saw a projection of three sets of words standing on a facsimile of old film reels. “Unlike most of your classes, we’ll begin with the longest project first.” I noticed some of the class make sounds at that, which he seemed prepared for based on his chuckle. “Because of how this class works, by Thursday, you need to have at least an outline of a script for a forty-two-minute pilot episode for a show.” There was a collective gasp in the room, “Yes, that is a significant length for the full script, but for an outline, we’re not going to need all forty-two-plus pages of the script yet. For the outline, I expect the overall plot to be visible, characters listed and described, and between twenty to forty shots and scenes storyboarded.” I felt my head pounding at the storyboarding; that alone would take way too much time! “Now, the reason for this rush on this project is the third Thursday of class; you must have this turned in via the online submission portal. That weekend the Cinematic Narratives class will begin selecting which scripts they would like to select to shoot for each of their groups. That class will be responsible for bringing your creations to life with support from our makeup and costume studio classes.” “This is going to be impossible,” someone behind me breathed. ‘This is going to be insane, but also really cool!’ I thought to myself as he went into more detail on the requirements for the project, as well as listed the information for the short film that was our second project and the thirty-second commercial that would be our final project. “Any questions on the projects?” He asked. I heard a familiar voice, “Any restriction on what we can write?” Kelly asked. “Nothing that would be illegal would be my request. From past experience, the scripts should avoid being too controversial if you wish for them to be selected to be filmed. Films should primarily feature college-age students or older for groups to think they’re attainable enough to choose them.” A few other questions passed, and I wondered what Kelly would want to write…? We had about eighty minutes left in class when he explained the projects. So he began going into terminology, style, and other information we should incorporate into our scripts. I knew most of the formatting and concepts from my studies back home, but it was good to hear his perspective and expectations. I also appreciated that he walked us through some specialty software available, including figures and artwork easily manipulated into storyboard boxes. I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized that was something I wouldn’t have to hand sketch! All of that was crammed into the first ninety minutes. As we were nearing the end of class, I definitely began feeling like a potty break was needed as soon as class ended! It wasn’t bad enough. I wasn’t worried about wetting my pants yet, but I suspected that state was closer than I would like! BETH LOOKED OVER the syllabus for Signals and Systems and couldn’t help but note this was yet another math course! It was Fourier and Laplace analysis items, z-transformations, and more. It seemed she would never get away from Calculus and other advanced math equations this semester. Given that the other students in the room probably felt the same, she figured she’d get through it. ‘At least I have that filmmaking class this afternoon; it should be fun!’ she thought as she stood from the room and walked out. Reila walked beside her, “That class is going to suck,” she said. There was a squeak then as Beth looked ahead and was surprised as she turned to see Reila suspended in the air by an extra tall Big girl. The girl was probably her mother’s height and had Reila easily in her grasp, with the skirt of her dress flying up into the air to show off her dark blue panties. “Little girl, you do not cuss!” the girl admonished her. “Please put my friend down; she’s not a Little,” Beth told her calmly, seeing that the girl most definitely wanted to spank Reila. “She might as well be!” the girl countered. “She’s not, though, and if you proceed to assault her like I think you’re about to do, I’ll be forced to make a complaint to the police. If you don’t put her down, I’ll call them in five seconds.” Beth did not like getting into it with Bigs but couldn’t let a friend get beaten. The girl stared her down as Beth reached for her phone and started to dial. “Fine!” The girl said, roughly pushing Reila to the floor and walking away. “What the hell is wrong with that girl?” I heard another Tweener ask from the side of a doorway they appeared to have hidden in. “Time of the month?” Beth suggested. “Hope she doesn’t come across any Littles; we could still report her if you want, Reila?” She looked again at Reila and realized she was crying and encircled her in a hug, “It’s okay, Reila,” she told her sobbing friend. “I’m so tired of this crap!” She complained a few moments later as she sniffled and got herself back together. “I know,” Beth told her. “Let’s head to the restroom and give you a chance to get your face back together.” Reila nodded, and the two of them found a nearby restroom that was thankfully empty apart from them. Beth stood guard over the door as Reila went into a stall, “Oh no!” Beth heard her cry from the stall. “What’s wrong?” “No!” Reila quietly hissed. Beth put the pieces together, “Do you need a new pair of panties?” “This isn’t fair!” Reila complained. “No, it’s not, but I have a spare pair in my bag if you need them?” “Really?” she said. “Really,” Beth said. Reila came out, and Beth was grateful her friend had worn a skirt that day, so after a quick change of panties, she was fine. “What should I do with these?” Reila asked, embarrassed. “Throw them,” Beth advised, “Last thing you want is to have them in your bag if someone checks!” Reila nodded and redid her makeup quickly before asking, “What are you doing now?” “Heading to lunch; you want to join me?” Beth said. “Please…” I LEFT CLASS as quickly as possible and had to dodge a few giants to make my way out of the room. I had gone from needing to go to desperately needing to go pee in the span of five minutes! I hadn’t felt this close to peeing my pants since I was a kid out at a camp playing capture the flag and not wanting to waste time going to the bathroom. That day I had wet my pants, and I worried that would be my fate this day as well! Each step seemed harder to control my bladder, and I was beginning to wonder if I would make it just as the door to the bathroom was suddenly in front of me. That’s when my feet suddenly left the ground! “Where are you going in such a hurry, Little boy?” I heard as my body was manipulated onto the hip of the last giant I wanted to see. “The bathroom,” I said. “Well, let’s see if you’re even still dry now!” Kelly smirked. “You looked like you were doing the potty dance pretty well during class!” With one hand, she ripped apart the snaps on the pants I was wearing all the way down to my ankles showing off my blue Pull-Up, which still had its fade when wet designs showing at least. “What cute whittle baby panties you’re wearing!” She cooed at me. “If you wet them, I can put you into a nice dry diapee instead!” I saw her hand begin to go towards tickling me when I heard a clearing of a voice, “Um-hmm!” I looked over and saw Doctor Gibney. “Umm… Hi, Professor,” she said. “Hi,” he said. “Now I need to go to the restroom, and I think that’s where this young man was on his way to before you tried to interrupt him. Why don’t you put him down, and as long as he doesn’t have an accident, I won’t make you have one when you fail my class?” I was gently sat down, even as I was barely holding it still. It was physically painful to hold it in as I managed to shove past Kelly, open the door, and look at the too-tall urinal. I pulled down my unsnapped pants and Pull-Up, but before I could contemplate my step-stool, a strong pair of hands lifted me in the air high enough to reach just as my bladder burst open. I sighed in relief, even as I wondered who was holding me up like a toddler to the potty. When the stream finally ran out, I heard, “All good?” I was sat on my feet and pulled my Pull-Up back up to avoid being naked in front of Professor Gibney. I blushed solid red, “Yes, thanks for the help.” “No problem; you need a hand with all those snaps?” He asked me. I blushed but shrugged, “I guess? You don’t have to, though?” “Nonsense,” he said, picking me up and setting me down on the bathroom’s diaper change station. “Even managed to keep your Pull-Up dry through that little witch’s stunt; good for you!” I sat still as he closed the many snaps that Kelly had ripped open to get to my Pull-Up. When he was done, he carried me over to the sink and held me there to wash my hands. “Thank you, Professor,” I told him. “It’s no problem. One of my grandsons never reached past the Little height mark, and I despise anyone who picks on you all like they did him.” “Well, thanks…” I awkwardly said, “I’ll see you in class Thursday.” “See you Thursday,” he agreed and walked towards the urinals for his needs as I opened the door to walk out. ‘That was a close one,’ I couldn’t help but shudder as I walked towards the dining hall for lunch. With only a couple hours until the dreaded Little Seminar began, I decided to eat in a corner and hope to get some studying done. I found a booth that was one of the mixed ones. With the aid of the booster from my bag, I could easily reach the hamburger and fries plate I had, and my computer and I began scratching together some ideas for this screenplay I had to write. ‘All of this in two days?!?!?’ I worried. I sketched out an idea using some of the stories Grandma had told me from the weekend about an autonomous project she’d been involved with, starting the Mars colonies that were now a small thriving city in this dimension. Tessa had been tweaked for several years to prepare her for the project. Grandma’s advancements with nanites and AI had allowed nearly single-handedly her part of the project to build the facilities for that colony before a single human had to be involved. I decided that could be a fun beginning of a plot line but going to Io instead. The crew arrives to discover the AI holograms have taken on a true life of their own and have no clue what to do with the humans. It was sort of a horror and comedy sci-fi twist, and I thought it would work well in my head, at least. I had finished the last of my fries and was creating a timeline and my fifteenth scene when I realized someone was sitting across from me. I looked up to see it was Mackenzie. “Umm, hi,” I said. “Have you been there long?” She laughed, “Like five minutes? Do you always get so lost in your work?” I shrugged, “When I like what I’m doing?” “What are you working on?” “Homework for Screenwriting, our professor gave us an impossible assignment to have completed by Thursday. Hoping I can get most of it done today, though.” I looked at her, “Honestly, the early lights out time will put a crimp in getting everything done as easily.” She nodded, “I’ve heard that complaint. The other side of it, though, is that if you have more rest, you can be more effective and work faster and more accurately?” I shrugged, “I guess. Did you need something?” “Actually, I needed two things. One, I received an email from your Screenwriting professor informing me that you had been the victim of an attempt at bullying. He said a girl, Kelly Danvers, attempted to prevent you from going to the bathroom?” I blushed, “That’s what it seemed like, I guess…” She nodded, “He was certain of it, so he’s put in a complaint to Dean Northrup. She’ll be warned by the university, but I have been told to make sure you notify us of any further issues from her. She’s already been on the radar because of her friend over there,” she tilted her head towards the Amazon ‘Little’ sitting in an overgrown highchair. I noted the pink bib she was wearing seemed to be covered in baby food that her nest mother was spooning into her mouth and intentionally missing. “Okay,” I said, nodding. “The other thing?” “I have permission to keep you out late for my night off tomorrow night. There’s an event at the Union for a spicy eating contest?” “And you want me to hustle a bunch of Bigs?” I smirked. “Maybe…?” “What do you get out of it?” “Time with you, and I’ll make some bets on the side?” “My end of this?” “Swimming each day not enough?” I nodded, “True, okay, deal!” “You really can eat spicy food, right?” She asked. I laughed, “Yeah, I’ll be fine, I’m guessing.” “Well, I’ll let you get back to studying then. See you after your classes.” I watched her leave and looked at my watch. I only had a half-hour before the seminar, so I hopped down, put my booster away, and hit the restroom before finding my way to Destiny Hall. ‘I wonder if the propaganda is the same as when Mom was here?” BETH HAD WALKED with Reila to lunch at one of the other on-campus restaurants. She thought she needed something besides the dining hall and treated her friend to a soup and sandwich combo place Beth liked. “I’m so sick of being seen as a Little all the time,” Reila vented. “Do you get that often?” Beth nodded, “Sometimes… I mean, I’m taller than you, but I’m still the size of a first grader? My siblings are probably the worst about picking on me about my height, but at least they’re not doing it to be really mean.” “And they’re not likely to put you into a diaper?” “That shouldn’t happen to you either, Reila,” Beth assured her. “I’m afraid my luck will run out soon here. Yes, I’m bigger than a Little, but I would certainly fit into a preschool class without any problem. Then they can have their potty-training failure dummy to point at…?” Beth shuddered, “Just keep an eye out where you’re at… and don’t draw attention to yourself by swearing. That girl should have realized you didn’t have the Little’s uniform on!” “I think it might actually make it harder to be adopted if I was a Little,” Reila said. “Huh?” Beth asked, truly perplexed. “How in the world would it be harder?” “Have you noticed all of the law reforms that have been passed all specifically tailor themselves to Littles? I think we have fewer protections at this point!” Beth had never really considered that. “But we still don’t have the auto-adoption laws in place for Littles?” she countered. “Mark my words; in the next few years, I bet we see just as many Tweeners being adopted.” “I hope you’re wrong,” Beth said morosely. “Me too,” Reila said as she finished the last of her food. “Thanks for lunch, Beth… and for helping me; you didn’t have to? That was risky to help me!” Beth laughed, “I couldn’t look at myself in the mirror if I had walked away. We just both have to hope we can avoid any more attention! This semester has already been way too much excitement for my taste!” “You heading back to the dorm by chance?” “Yeah, for a little bit to work on homework before my next class.” “What’s next for you?” “Cinematic Narratives – it’s like my only fun class for the semester.” “Cool!” Reila said as they walked back together, “Thanks for lunch.” +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Thanks for reading! Please press the 'Like' button and consider leaving a comment!!! I really appreciate all of you who do so regularly! Due to my traveling at the moment I'll be most likely be without internet to post next Friday. I will try and post late Sunday night my time next weekend if I'm awake enough! Thanks for your patience!

Chapter 33: Mornings I WOKE UP the next morning as Mackenzie opened up the ‘pod’ and lifted me out. “Well, good morning, sweetie,” she said to me. I wanted nothing to do with the giant manipulating my body like a baby. Still, I managed to grumble, “Morning,” to her. She moved me onto her hip and squeezed me a moment later. “Ready for your swim?” I nodded, “Please, it helps me wake up!” She smiled as she sat me upright on the changing table and began unzipping the sleeper I wore. I blushed and jumped at the intrusive diaper check as she exposed it. “All dry still!” “Good, that’s the way I should be,” I told her, noting she was only wearing a bikini right then, and her breasts were far too close to my face right then. I turned red thinking about that! “Well, yes, you are a big boy after all,” she managed to sound both supportive and completely condescending at the same time. She pulled me completely free from the sleeper and picked me up off the table, placing me naked except for the diaper on her hip. “Let’s take you to the potty; I’m sure you need to go!” I nodded, as it was actually pretty bad too! I was placed down on the floor by the potty, and she pulled the tabs of the diaper free before picking me up to sit me down on it without giving me a chance to do it myself. I blushed as she stared at me as I went, but I released my bladder directly into the juvenile toilet while trying not to look at her. ‘Something about having someone like her watch you go potty all of the time has to be a tactic to desensitize us,’ I guessed. When I was done, she left me no opportunity to wipe myself, instead reaching to take care of it quickly with a wad of paper. “Okay, let’s put your swim diaper on, then we’ll get you downstairs!” she said with a smile. I followed her directions mostly without giving her much reaction as she dressed me into the swimsuit. My hair was placed into the swim cap, and we were out the door with me clinging to the mostly naked nest mother! ‘Somehow, I bet she thinks she’s getting skin-to-skin bonding time out of this,’ I nervously thought. Fortunately for me, the rest of the trip down to the pool was harmless, and I was in the water and swimming for a good hour before she caught my attention. This time she carried me back up to the room without talking to anyone else. I was feeling self-conscious when she carried me in when I saw several of my nest mates staring out their pods. At least a couple of them looked… jealous. ‘Probably want to use the potty,’ I thought from a couple more pained expressions. She sat me down and dug through my clothes, handing me a uniform minus the blazer already hanging from my chair. The juvenile Pull-Up was at the top of the pile, and I couldn’t help myself from blushing. ‘At least it’s not a diaper,’ I reminded myself. ‘Not that I’ll probably be able to avoid that forever!’ Mackenzie followed me into the bathroom and took the swim diaper from me. She threw it away after looking at it, “No poopies!” she said with a smile. “I don’t know if you’ve looked at your potty chart, but right now, it’s definitely the best one in the nest!” “Umm… I hadn’t, but thanks,” I told the tall nest mother. My whole naked body was blushing, and I felt like I had a fever! “Of course, at the rate, the rest of the nest is going, you’ll probably be the only one still wearing big boy pants next week. Can’t believe how many accidents everyone else is having! And no one except you has had a dry diaper the past couple of days at night.” “Huh,” I said passively. I was awkwardly moving towards the shower. “I’m going to take a shower; maybe someone else will be dry when you get them out of bed in a moment?” “Maybe,” she agreed. “I doubt it, though; I heard the other nest mothers talking about there being more bedwetters this semester in their nests already too.” She shrugged, “Enjoy your shower!” Finally clear of the giant staring down at my naked body, I quickly hopped into the shower area! As I showered and prepared myself over the next hour, I watched several of my nest mates look confused. Apparently, bedwetting was new for most of them, and they didn’t understand why they started now in their fourth semester? We walked together to the dining hall for breakfast. I ended up at a table with Ava and Amy, which Grayson and Elijah joined. It was undeniable that Elijah was crushing on Ava, and I couldn’t help but trade a few comments with Amy quietly about it since she sat beside me. “So… umm… I have kind of an embarrassing question?” Ava asked. “Huh?” I found myself saying with a couple other voices. “Do they like put something in the food all the time?” “What do you mean?” Amy asked. “I haven’t wet the bed since I was three years old, according to my parents, but I’ve now wet the last three nights without waking up?” Elijah shook his head, “Probably not in the food,” he looked around to see who was about, “I think they put some sort of devices in our pods or something. I’ve never had the problem unless I just couldn’t hold it because Mackenzie left me there for extra time. Suddenly I’m not waking up and just going in my sleep?” Grayson looked at me, “You haven’t had one yet, though, have you?” I shook my head, “No?” “I wonder if it’s just because he keeps getting Mackenzie to let him out early to do whatever they’re doing together in the mornings?” Elijah asked semi-accusingly. “She’s just taking me to the pool to go swimming. When we had our orientation, they mentioned that if you were good, some nest mothers would take you to exercise in the mornings…?” “First time I’ve ever heard of that happening,” Grayson said while Elijah nodded. “I bet she’s picked you,” Elijah said. “Picked me?” I asked. Ava and Amy looked on silently while Elijah ensured no one else was around. “It’s not a formal rule or anything…? And they’d deny it if anyone ever made an accusation. Still, when a nest mother graduates with their graduate degree, they get to take their pick of the litter, so to speak.” “You’re saying Mackenzie has picked Connor?” Ava asked. “What do you even mean by that?” “That she’ll want me to be her ‘adopted’ Little,” I replied for him. “I’d kind of already guessed that.” “You had?” Grayson asked. “I’m not stupid, but I also know the longer she is happier with me, the longer I can avoid getting any sort of penalties to force me that way. I’m not without some resources if there’s no just cause,” I added. “Like?” Elijah asked. I nodded at where Beth walked in with Cassie, “Beth’s dad is one. Apparently, our parents were friends in college.” “Why does that do any good?” Ava asked. “Her dad is a Supreme Court Justice,” Grayson said approvingly. “You are connected, I guess.” “We’ll see if that does any good, though?” I shrugged, “I will say if I end up getting stuck here, Mackenzie wouldn’t be the worst mommy.” “No, that’s definitely Madelyn’s honor,” Elijah said. With a look in his eyes, I realized the nest mother was sitting at a tall table, and several of her nest were all in high chairs around it. One of the Littles was sitting in her lap and facing her… “She’s breastfeeding Everly?” Amy squeaked. “You’re with her, aren’t you?” I asked. She nodded, “She’s been pushing things like pacifiers and having me leave our diapers uncovered when we’re in the nest… I didn’t… she can’t…?” Amy nearly had a panic attack then. I reached over and grabbed her in a side hug, “Just don’t volunteer for it,” I said. “You do not want to start drinking that,” I added, “it’s addictive to us, and you will lose all of your continence.” She hugged me back for a second, “Thanks for caring. I’m screwed,” she said. “Huh?” “I bet that’s the special milk she gave me in a baby bottle last night,” she said quietly. “Oh,” several voices joined. Right then, Mackenzie appeared, “You doing okay, boys and girls? Are you all friends? Maybe we can set up a nest playdate this weekend?” Her words came quickly, and it allowed some distraction for Amy. Ava said, “Sure, that would be fun!” “I’ll see what I can do; you’re with Miss Kaylee, right Ava?” “Yes, ma’am,” she said. “I know Madelyn would enjoy it too, so we’ll see what we can do! You all have fun at class today; make sure you pay good attention in class!” We all nodded. “Well, what do you have for classes today?” Grayson said to switch the subject. Thankfully, that was a better topic until we mentioned we had the Littles Seminar together later. “You’re not freshmen; why are they making you take that?” Grayson asked. “Probably so they can be aware of their ‘options,’” Elijah answered. I nodded, “That was my guess…?” “What is that?” Amy asked. “Basically, a class to make you aware of how much better your life will be if you give up the college dream and volunteer instead to be adopted through the university services,” Elijah told her quietly. “If I ever get within two demerits from going out, though, that’s my choice,” Grayson said darkly. “Fortunately, I haven’t had a single one this year.” “What?” Amy asked. I looked at the time and said, “I’ve got to get to my first class; if these guys don’t explain it well enough, I’ll try and fill you in later. I’m sure it’ll be obvious within five minutes of the seminar, though.” “Where are you heading?” Elijah asked “Matisse Center?” “Oh, art class?” Elijah looked surprised. “Screenwriting this morning,” I replied. “I have another class there after lunch for Cinematic Narratives.” “Cool, good luck!” “Thanks,” I said, shouldering my backpack and getting stopped by Mackenzie on my way out. “All dry still?” she asked as she knelt before me and felt my Pull-Up through my pants. I nodded, blushing, “Yes, Miss Mackenzie.” She smiled, “Good boy! Have a good day in class! I’ll see you when you get back today.” “Thanks,” I said, “Umm… you too.” Her face brightened, and I wondered if that was the closest to politeness or affection she’d gotten for some reason. BETH WAS FINISHING her breakfast when she noticed Connor look towards her for a second. She and another dormmate Reila were having breakfast together that morning. Yesterday she’d discovered she was taking the same Signals and Systems class with her. Reila was a shorter Betweener, closer to her dad’s height when he first arrived at Emerson. She was about six-foot-three, so she was always on the watch for Bigs deciding she was close enough to a Little to be used as one. “So, I was at the store with my parents, and this stupid lady threw the contents of a water bottle on me!” “Seriously?” Beth asked. “What did you do?” “Well, she immediately was like, ‘Uh-oh, did the wittle girl make tinkles in her panties?’ I knew I was in trouble, especially because it smelled like pee!” “Wait! She actually…?!?” Reila nodded, “It was sooooooo gross!!!” She squirmed in her seat. “Thankfully, the store had cameras, and my dad was nearby. Since he’s ten feet tall, they at least listened to him say watch the video before letting her kidnap me.” “What did they do then?” “Well, the woman tried to run as soon as they agreed to run the cameras, but the security officers for the store held her. Once they saw what had happened, the police officers took her into custody and charged her with attempted kidnapping.” “What did you do then?” “Well, the manager was kind enough to bring me a set of clothes to change into.” Beth noticed her blush and asked, “But…?” “Ugh! They were like for a preschooler! And they,” she looked around and whispered, “brought me a damn princess Pull-Up for panties!” Beth couldn’t help but laugh then, “Sorry, Reila, that sounds horrible!” “You have ever been that close to something?” She asked. Beth squirmed now, not about to share her truth with this girl she was only casually friends with. “Unfortunately,” she said, adding, “Nevaeh over there is in the Littles dorm for that one…?” “Huh?” She looked over, “Oh, is that why a Big got demoted?” Beth nodded and told her the story before they threw their trash out. She headed to Marconi Hall for a class she knew would be yet another brain-buster this semester! IT WAS A pretty decent trek to get to the Matisse Center on campus. It was on the other side of the quad from any of the main science and engineering buildings. I felt sick as I walked and realized I would have to pass the campus daycare each of these days! There were Littles outside ‘playing’ on the playground equipment. Most seemed to be crawling around, but a few toddled back and forth. Not wanting to seem interested, I kept my head moving forward and soon found my way to a normal-looking classroom. About fifteen minutes early, I decided to skip back to the bathroom. I quickly used a urinal with my step stool, washed my hands, and returned to find an older gentleman setting up a presentation upfront. “Oh, hi there,” he said kindly like he was talking to a kindergartner, “I’m Professor Gibney. Are you lost?” “Good morning, I’m Connor Slane,” I smiled even though I hated that voice. “This is Screenwriting, correct?” “Why, yes, it is?” “Then I’m in the right place,” I said. Not wanting to invite help, I found my way to the front of the first terrace in the classroom, placed my folding booster on the chair, and climbed up. It was still pretty tough to see over the long table that extended around the front row in front of me, but I figured I could make do. “I’ll have to remember to ask for a Little chair here to help you out, Connor. Unusual to get a Little in this class.” I smiled, “I’m sure it’ll be a great class,” I told him. He smiled back and thankfully got back to whatever he was setting up. I pulled out my university tablet and found a note-taking app I’d discovered. I was simultaneously watching people enter the room. It was quite an eclectic group of students entering what would apparently be a larger class for me. I quickly counted chairs and figured we’d have around twenty-six students if it was a full class. I didn’t see anyone less than a Betweener’s height, and most of them seemed to be typical Bigs. Some of the people who walked in looked like they would fit in well with the business world back home. In contrast, others looked like they were trying to outdo each other with outrageous hair color patterns, piercings, and the coolest tattoos I’d ever seen! One guy was carrying his jacket in his arms and, despite the cold room, showed off his bare arms with his short sleeve shirt. I found myself entranced by the tattoos on one of his arms. There were several, but the largest featured an eagle swooping in at a fish. The art was so detailed and colorful that it would probably have been considered amazing back home. Still, this one was actually moving and swooping in! It was like some old-fashioned GIF but on his skin. This particular guy seemed to be almost as tall as Beth’s mom. He sat down next to me and noticed me staring, “Hey, I’m Will,” he said politely. “Hi, I’m Connor,” I responded, “your tattoo is really cool.” He smiled, “Thanks, Christmas present from my girlfriend.” “Cool,” I said. “I’ve never seen anything like it before.” “Huh?” “I’m not from here,” I started to say, realizing I recognized one of my classmates. She and I made eye contact at about the same time, and while I grimaced, she grinned like a cat swallowing a canary. “Well, we meet again, little boy! We’re going to have so much fun in class this semester!” The girl who I thought was a prima donna, Kelly, was in my class. ‘Shit!’ I thought to myself. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Thank you for reading! Please press the ‘Like’ Button for this chapter! Comments are always super appreciated as well! I appreciate those of you who pushed the chapter to the required likes this past weekend! I'm starting a couple of weeks of vacation and travel and will post the next chapter probably on Saturday if I had to guess. After that, I'll be in a remote area without internet for a good week. I'll hopefully get you all a chapter the day I make it back to civilization and resume normal Fridays after that! As always, your support through likes and comments means a lot to me. If you’ve enjoyed this or any of my other works, consider supporting me by purchasing copies of them on Amazon Kindle! 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Chapter 32: Now You Tell Me… I FOUND MYSELF looking over at where Liam sat every now and then. At some point, Mackenzie had placed a plate of food before him, but he seemed not to be in the mood to eat. ‘Not that I blame him,’ I admitted. “So, how were your classes this morning Connor?” Livy asked me, drawing my attention to the girl beside Beth. I shrugged, “My first class made complete sense, and I don’t think I’ll have too many difficulties with it.” “Which one is that?” Livy asked. “Computational Intelligence?” I told her. She looked at me oddly, “Most of my older friends who have taken that one have said it’s a nightmare class?” I felt a sense of dread at that but shrugged, “Maybe I just am further along in knowledge? My second class is the one I figure will be a nightmare. I didn’t understand half the words Doctor Daniels was saying in Holo-Fields.” “Huh?” Livy looked at Beth, “Know anyone who’s taken that one?” Beth shrugged, “I think I might have heard one or two seniors mention it once, but it’s not in my major.” She sighed, “And I certainly wish Fields and Wave wasn’t in mine!” Livy laughed, “You want to trade for my organic chemistry class?” Beth shook her head rapidly, “I got through my chemistry requirements and am quite happy to not have to take another one of those classes. Give me pure physics-based science any day of the week!” I had friends back home, of course, but I quickly settled into deciding that these two girls were awesome to hang out with. ‘I wish I was taller; I can’t imagine Beth ever being willing to go out with me.’ Before I knew it, the clock had run down, and we all needed to get to classes. “Where’s your next class, Connor?” Beth asked. “Euler Hall?” I replied. “Huh, we don’t have any of the same classes today, but you’re in the same buildings at the same times. That’s a weird coincidence. Livy, where are you going?” “Same place as you, Calc IV,” she said. “Oh yeah, forgot!” she smiled. “Shall we head to Euler then?” With that, I found myself walking to the left of Beth and Livy on her right. The three of us kept up a banter about all sorts of topics as we walked to the building that housed most of the math classes at Emerson. Their class was in a lecture hall on the first floor, while mine was on the fifth, so I split off from them and headed up an elevator to discover what my Math Analysis class would bring. When I arrived on the fifth floor, though, I took a quick detour by the bathroom, ‘Don’t want to join Liam in diapers any sooner than I have to,’ I thought. BETH WAS GLAD that Livy had the same class as her then. They found a seat about halfway back in the larger lecture hall. This class was one of the last she expected to have with a large group, but even still, she guessed there were only eighty students in the lecture hall as everyone filed in. “Are you sure it’s a good idea to keep hanging out with him?” Livy asked from beside her while they waited for class to start. “Huh? What do you mean?” Beth reflexively asked as she noted that the eight Littles who had somehow advanced to this class were walking to the front row of ‘Little Accessible Seats.’ “After the past few days of being targeted, aren’t you worried something will eventually happen?” Beth sighed, “Terrified of it, to be honest.” She noticed several of those Littles now getting a boost into those ‘seats’ by wannabe mommies. ‘More like overgrown highchairs!’ she snorted in her mind. “So why not just stay away from him?” Livy asked. Beth turned to her, “I don’t honestly know… but… look...” She felt uncomfortable for a moment. “Dad has never told me everything… but Connor’s mom did something to help him before she left to go home. He’s never told me what, but I guess it was life-changing enough that he felt he owed her. For my dad to feel like that…?” She sighed, “I guess I feel like I have to ignore common sense here.” “You like him, don’t you?” Livy asked. “No!” Beth responded, probably too quickly, “he’s just like a… umm…?” Livy giggled, “Don’t worry, I won’t tell him. I also won’t tell Cassie or Desiree – not that they haven’t already figured that out!” Beth had never been so grateful for a math professor to begin droning on about calculus! As he started right then, it saved her from being interrogated anymore! I FELT QUITE out of place in this larger world, but I took some solace that the others filing into the classroom looked as nerdy as anyone! Two Betweeners came in, but at a quick glance, there was no doubt that Littles were not expected in this classroom! While I’d been told many classes had the equivalent of booster seats or high chairs available, this room didn’t have those. It also seemed to be lacking a crazy giant professor, from what I could tell! Instead, I saw a woman who, while significantly taller than me, looked like she was barely past Little status herself! I didn’t think she was a TA based on her age. She saw me as I pulled my booster out and smiled, “Sorry, if I’d known there was a Little in my class this semester, I would have requested a different room?” I shrugged, “This will work; I’m Connor Slane,” I told her politely. “Doctor Nash,” she told me with a wide smile of her own. She looked in her mid-forties and looked very motherly, “It’s nice to meet you. Let me know if you change your mind; there’s probably a room open somewhere that’s more accessible.” “Thanks!” I told her. I had just planted the booster on the swivel chair when a girl saw me getting ready to climb up. “Would you like a lift?” she asked me. “I’m guessing you can get up there, but…?” I looked straight up at a girl who was probably about Cassie’s height. She had a mousy appearance, and she seemed less threatening than many of the Bigs I’d been around so far. “Umm… Sure?” It took no further encouragement; she picked me up, sat me down on the booster, and commented, “You probably should have a seat belt or something here…?” I shrugged, “We didn’t make it with one.” “Here’s your bag,” she said, “I’m Molly, by the way.” “Connor,” I said to her. She sat beside me, “Not many Littles make it this far in the math department. What’s your major?” “Computer Science and Filmmaking,” I told her. “You?” She smiled, “Portal physics.” “What year are you?” I asked. “Junior, I assume you are too?” I shook my head, “I’m a sophomore.” “How are you in this class then?” She asked. “I tested out of everything in the math placement. This class sounded interesting and maybe useful down the road?” She shook her head, “You and I will be having study parties this semester.” “Huh?” “It’s odd enough they let a Little in this class, but if you managed to test out of everything, you’re going to be a better math student than most!” I laughed, “We’ll see! I still have to convert everything in my head with the Base 60 system, which sometimes takes a bit more effort.” “Huh?” “I’m not from this dimension; we use a Base 10 system back home….” I could tell Molly wanted to ask more, but the professor cleared her throat then. “Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to Mathematical Analysis I...” BETH GROANED AS she left another heavy class that would require a ridiculous amount of studying and going to extra sessions. Overall, she was a solid math student and had earned an A in her three semesters of Calculus before this semester, but that didn’t mean it was easy for her. Her professor had held nothing back in going straight into things since it was just a continuation of the previous semesters. As such, she already had a good two to three hours of studying to do for that class! ‘Add in the reading for Fields and Waves and the module for Logic…’ she sighed. Livy didn’t look any less stressed beside her as they walked together. “So, easy class, huh?” Livy said sarcastically. “I wish…” Beth sighed again, “I’m in so deep this semester; I don’t know how I will get everything in!” “Well, at least it’s still just mid-afternoon. That was your last class for Mondays, right?” “Yeah, that helps. Now I can go home and study for fourteen hours, go to sleep at midnight, and repeat over and over again,” Beth griped. Right then, two Bigs walked by carrying Littles in uniforms. As they passed, Beth wrinkled her nose, and it was clear that one or both needed a diaper change. ‘At least I hope they were wearing diapers,’ she thought. “Could be worse!” Livy reminded her as they passed. She nodded, “You’re right. At least tomorrow, I have one fun class for the semester. I’m looking forward to the Cinematic Narratives class I’m taking.” “That should be fun!” Livy agreed. “Do you have any other classes today?” “Unfortunately, I have a late class this semester on Mondays. Starts at seven and doesn’t let out until nine in the evening!” “Ouch… So, what are you doing now?” “Honestly, I think I’m going to go take a nap! It’s been a long day,” she said with a smile. “You?” “Study,” Beth said. “I can get a few hours in before dinner.” “Lame,” Livy kidded her. “Yeah,” Beth agreed. I WALKED OUT of the building after using the bathroom again and started back towards Sanders Hall. I wasn’t sure if we were allowed to just study anywhere, and I knew I needed to ask Mackenzie about that. I had traded numbers with Molly and wished I had done so with Skylar. Both of them wanted to study together, and I felt like, as baby crazy as Bigs were, that might be a bad idea. But I also knew that having study buddies was critical back home for my grades! I mentally did the math in my head and knew I only had five hours to cram studying in before lights out would be coming. Normally I would probably have spent even more. I also had to squeeze dinner in there too! I could see Beth and Livy almost get run over by two Bigs carrying Littles in uniforms. They were far enough ahead though I wasn’t going to try and catch up. Even with Beth and Livy being Tweeners instead of Bigs, they still had waaaaay longer legs than I did! I was just about to Sanders when I encountered Miss Lucy. “Well, hi! Connor, right?” I looked up at the tall nest mother and nodded, “Yes, Miss Lucy.” “Done with your classes for the day? Or just coming back for a nap?” I smiled pleasantly, “Done for the day, time to go study.” “Good for you! Make sure you keep up with those studies so you can go home with a great education!” “I’m going to do my best,” I told her. Her smile made me nervous, but I was glad she let me pass by. I used my ID on the lower reader at the door and appreciated the auto-open door then. I walked past the person on duty at the front desk for the dorm without comment and rode the elevator to our floor. The nest door was open, and I found some guys, including Liam, inside. “How was your first day?” Liam asked as I walked in. I could tell he needed a change again and wondered where Mackenzie was to bail him out. “Tiring,” I responded. “Two of my classes will just be a lot of work; one will be like learning a whole new language. You?” He sighed, “I do really well back home! I’m a junior and finished all five required math courses for my Computer Engineering coursework! That test they gave us… They put me back in Calculus I. Can you believe that?!?” I nodded, “Did you do the math in Base 60 or Base 10?” “What?!?” He asked. I sighed, “No one told you they use Base 60 math here, did they?” “…no?” He looked at me like I was crazy, “Why in the world would anyone use that as their system?” I shrugged, “Babylonians used it in our dimension. Probably something didn’t change over the same way with cultures, and they stuck with that here? You’d have to ask Doctor Owens that question once he’s studied here some.” “So… how does that even work?” He asked. I went into the basics and how my mom had taught me. “You’ve got to help me, Connor!” He said with desperation in his eyes, “I already have ten demerits now! If I fail math…?” “I’ll do my best, but I need to spend a few hours on my homework too. Maybe you can bring your stuff to dinner, and I can help you then? “Dude, I will owe you so much!” “Just don’t fight or do stupid things, and you should be able to make it, Liam.” He sighed, “You even tried to warn me about that the first day… Look where it got me!” He said, pointing at the pants in danger of being brought down by the drooping diaper. “Might start wearing the onesie version of the uniform shirt,” I suggested. “It would help hold your diapers up better.” He looked at me angrily for a second but sighed and nodded, “I guess I remember my mom doing that with my baby brother since he took forever to potty train. I guess my mom has another boy back in diapers, though?” he shook his head. “I’ll get to work. Thank you for any help you can give me,” Liam said. I walked to my desk and thought, ‘Hmm… he might have a chance after all?’ I sat down in my desk chair and pulled my tablet out. I started reading and doing the work I needed to. Beginning with the morning class, I looked at my notes from Computational Intelligence and realized there was a programming module they wanted me to complete. I started looking at it on the tablet and remembered I had the EdgeSphere goggles I could use. I took a second to connect them to the tablet and placed them on my head. I was immersed in a blank environment with my avatar and quickly navigated through some options to connect to the module. It wasn’t the most difficult assignment, just a reading and three problems to complete a programming solution. Using my prior knowledge, I knocked that out within a half-hour. I decided to move on to the next ‘easy’ assignment of Math Analysis. I made my way through the chapter we were supposed to read, did thirty suggested practice problems, and then checked over them before submitting them for the professor to look over. I looked at the clock the goggles offered and realized I’d been at it for another hour and was getting hungry. I decided to pull the goggles off then and noticed several guys in the room giving me odd looks. “What?” I asked. “Aren’t you a portal Little?” Elijah asked. “Where did you get those goggles?” “Seriously, those are like the top of the line?” Grayson asked. “My grandmother took me shopping this weekend,” I told them. Apparently, Elijah had missed the story since he’d been in trouble, so I filled him in. “That’s unbelievable; why on earth would you come here?” I held up the goggles, “We don’t have these back home,” I smirked. I looked around and didn’t see Mackenzie still. “Do we just go to dinner whenever we want?” Grayson nodded, “You can’t tell on weekends or before classes begin, but since we have different schedules, it’s impractical to babysit us all the time on weekdays.” “Plus, Mackenzie has her own classes,” Elijah pointed out. “We typically get a small break in the watching if you come back during the daytime.” “Well then… I guess I will get dinner so I can come back and work on Holo Theory until bed.” “You’re taking Holo Theory?!?” Grayson asked in shock. “Yeah?” I replied. “That’s like one of the hardest courses in the engineering department.” “Now, someone tells me!” I said. I shrugged, “I’m going to figure it out. Today was just difficult because there were so many terms I had never heard of.” “How did you even qualify with the prereqs?” He asked. “You have to have four semesters of calculus, and I thought something more advanced?” I smiled, “I did well on the math placement test.” “How well?” Liam said suddenly. “Well enough?” I tried to cage. “Seriously, don’t lie; how well did you do?” Elijah joined in again. I sighed, “Seven-ninety-six?” “Out of?” Grayson asked, “We take the CARES exam, not that one.” “Eight hundred,” Liam answered for me. “Dude, you nearly scored a perfect score!” “Yeah, one stupid question got me!” The other guys looked at me like I was crazy, “I’m good at math, and I have a mom that is like crazy smart. She always stayed on top of me and does the same with my little sisters.” I shrugged, “Anyway, I’m going to hit the restroom and head for food,” I said while grabbing my tablet. “Not sure if anyone else wants to go?” “I’ll tag along,” Grayson said. “I’m waiting for Miss M,” Liam blushed. I realized then he was still soaked. “Oh, okay. Hopefully, Miss Mackenzie is back here soon!” I spent about an hour with Grayson at dinner and was joined by Amy and Ava. I occasionally would glance at my tablet for notes and had not quite two hours left before ‘lights out’ when I made it back to the dorm. Fortunately for Liam, Mackenzie had shown up and changed him in time for him to be getting dinner as I left. I spent every last minute I could studying the unknown terms about particles, resonance frequencies, stasis fields, and more until Mackenzie tapped my shoulder. “Connor, it’s time to stop playing games and get ready for bed?” I pulled the goggles off my head, “I was working on homework, actually.” “For what class?” “Holo Field Theory?” I told her. She made a face, “I’ve heard that class is a nightmare!” “I’m quickly discovering that! Hopefully, I’ll get it figured out, though.” “For now, go potty, and then I’ll get your nighttime diapee on you.” I sighed at the dichotomy, but as I lay down after the diaper went on, I had to acknowledge for the first time that the early bedtime was a bit annoying. ‘I could have studied two or three more hours!’ With nothing else to do, I closed my eyes and tried to get some rest in the hopes of being ready for my longer classes the next day! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Thank you for reading! Please press the ‘Like’ Button for this chapter! Comments are always really really super appreciated as well! I'm getting ready to hit the road for a vacation/work late next week. I won't be able to post at all the following week. If I see 25 likes on this chapter by Wednesday this week I'll post Wednesday while I still have some privacy. I may be able to make one more post then before I go mostly dark on the internet at the end of the following weekend. Thank you all again for your support of my works! If you enjoy them, please remember most are available via Amazon!

Chapter 28: Back to… SATURDAY NIGHT FLEW by for Beth as she made sure she was as ready as she could be for the semester to begin. She’d hung out with her siblings in an EdgeSphere game for a couple hours before staying up all night working on writing a novel she liked to play around with for fun. She was about eighty-thousand words into writing the book she never planned to let anyone ever see! After returning to her dorm from lunch, she found a new nasty surprise outside her door. Cassie was with her and couldn’t help but laugh. “This is so not funny, Cassie!!!” “It’s not, but their desperation is?” Someone had ordered four boxes of diapers that were neatly stacked in front of her room like it was a delivery. A printed label said ‘Elizabeth Sylvester’ to ensure that any passersby knew it was no mistake that they were in front of her room. From where she stood, well away, they were covered in a collection of unicorns, princesses, and cartoon characters that would make any Big mommy coo about how cute they were! Also, from the large size range listed on the boxes, she had no doubt they would fit her! “That stupid bitch!” Beth hissed. “I’d watch that mouth if I was you,” Kelly said, standing up from the lounge couch where she had stationed herself to watch. “Any baby who needs diapees like those will get a mouth washing when they get moved to Sanders Hall.” “Nevaeh filled you in, huh?” Cassie hissed back. “Why don’t you just back off bitch?” “Nobody does things like that to my friend! Nobody!” She turned to leave, even as Penelope showed up. “Kelly, what are you doing on this floor?” “The couches on my floor were all taken, so I came down here to read for a bit.” “Kelly, if I see you on this floor again, you’re going to Sanders Hall. I’m done playing!” She pushed passed Penelope even as she came up to the girls. “Someone downstairs said there’s a big girl who apparently isn’t one?” Beth sighed and pointed at the pile of diapers, “I’m pretty sure Kelly was only down here to ensure her delivery had maximum shock value.” “You have proof she did this?” “Unfortunately, no…” Beth said. “You have cameras here, right?” “Not right by the rooms, only in the common areas,” she said. “I’ll get security to collect these and check the footage. Then, if Kelly delivers them on the recording, we’ll move her immediately! We should be able to see her carry them upstairs!” Cassie hugged Beth a few minutes later while they waited for security. They took the boxes as evidence, even as the woman leading them looked skeptically at Beth and looked like she wanted to pull her pants down. “You won’t find anything wrong with my underwear Ma’am,” Beth found herself telling her when she tried to check her panties. “My father and President Barnes will not be pleased if you continue to push this!” Penelope had shown up right then and managed to diffuse things, “Beth, have you ever thought about moving off-campus for housing?” “My parents aren’t in favor of it until next year,” Beth told her. “Well, if you change your mind, let me know, and I’ll expedite it from the university.” Fortunately, no one had gone into her room. Unfortunately, the only people who had delivered the diapers were innocent delivery workers who had been paid by a local Little’s store to make the delivery. Kelly got off scot-free, having somehow even managed to anonymously pay for the diapers and the delivery! Her parents had been really worried when she called, and even though she tried to assure them not to be, she couldn’t help but worry more. I HAD A great time hanging out with Shelby and later Meggy, but Ryan had made an appearance too. Even though Meggy was older than my moms, with the rejuvenation treatment, she seemed more like Shelby’s little sister. While Meggy would act like an adult, or at least a fellow teenager, part of the time, it was impossible to mistake her addiction to pacifiers and her mommy’s milk as anything but babyish. I had turned completely red when I went to the bathroom and returned to find Meggy nursing from Aunt Megan! “How can she still be doing that twenty years later?” I’d quietly asked Shelby. “For some reason, Aunt Megan never dried up… she tried weaning Meggy off and went a month without nursing, but her breasts wouldn’t stop producing milk. So she finally gave in since Meggy was horribly addicted anyway and was getting pretty angry, I guess… So when Meggy had her rejuvenation treatment, Aunt Megan had her own done too, so being a nursing mother wouldn’t feel as awkward as looking like a grandma.” I shook my head, thinking about that still as we approached the campus in Grandma’s car. Grandpa had joined us and was in the front passenger seat. We didn’t speak much as they drove me back, and I fought to not fall asleep from the smooth ride! We took time to eat lunch before leaving, so it was a couple of hours into the afternoon when we pulled into the Emerson Faculty parking lot. I noted that Grandma still had a reserved space – showing how important she was to the university! She came around to the side and unbuckled me, setting me down on my feet. “Thanks,” I told her as she knelt beside me. “You’re welcome, we’ll walk you back, but before then, I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciated you coming to our place this weekend! I was so glad to see you and Shelby make friends so quickly! So, if you’re okay with it, I’ll talk to Dean Northrup and pick you up after your last class Friday and just drop you off for your first class on Monday? After that, you can probably get more studying done at our place?” I thought for a second, “I think I’d like that, but isn’t Meggy’s birthday party this weekend?” Grandma laughed, “It is, but don’t worry, you and Shelby can babysit the little ones; no need for you to worry about joining them.” She paused, “Unless you want to, of course; I wouldn’t have a problem with that?” I blushed, “No thanks… I’m getting enough of that treatment here! Unless something changes, that works for me; just let me know what she says.” “Will do; now you have your phone, that should be easier!” I nodded, “Thanks again for that, by the way!” “You’re very welcome, but you can thank your mom, really. She’s the one who set up the account to help you out here.” She smiled. I was wrapped in her arms then, “We love you, Connor, even though we’ve never had a chance to meet in person until now; your Grandfather and I have loved you since the first time your mom showed you to us at the portal communication station. But, if, for some reason, something goes wrong, we will move heaven and earth to protect you.” “Love you too, Grandma,” I felt somewhat emotional at that, but I kept my tears at bay by biting my tongue. “Now, let’s get you back to your nest; you probably have a lot of new nest mates to meet this afternoon!” I nodded without speaking and walked beside her and Grandpa back to Sanders Hall. Grandma and Grandpa weren’t the only family members dropping off Littles then. Many Littles had Little parents with them, and others had Betweener-sized parents, but they were among the very rare Bigs. The elevator ride up to my floor took no time, and we walked down the hallway to the next room and found it… empty! “Where is everyone?” I wondered. “Probably out for a walk or something; I’m sure they’ll be back. You can take a chance to settle in without dealing with the other things. I’ll email Mackenzie and Dean Northrup the potty chart information for her records for the weekend.” I blushed, “Even if I don’t have accidents?” “Especially if you aren’t having accidents,” Grandpa said. He gave me a hug then too, and I watched them leave. I hit the restroom, returned to my still empty nest room, and went to work to prepare for the next day’s classes. I sort of noticed something seemed to be missing by the door, but I couldn’t quite remember what had been there before. I took the time to make sure my class schedule was marked in my calendar, complete with silencing alarms and any sounds that could come out five minutes before a class until five minutes after a class. I pulled out the tablet then and ensured the schedule was present. Still, I was grateful because the university used MelonCorp tablets that my calendar had already synced from my phone! I took a couple minutes then and emailed my moms and sisters. I’d sent a separate email to Riley with the picture of Mom and Bella together and one with the family on Saturday, suggesting that would make a great birthday gift to her in a few weeks! I’d just sent the final message when I heard voices and watched the rest of my nest come in. I figured out what was missing then… The stupid rope ring line thing was being gripped tightly by the eight guys following Miss Mackenzie holding onto the end. “Oh, Connor, you’re back! I hope you haven’t been waiting for us long?” She asked as she led them all the way into the room. She looked back at them and said, “You may let go of your ring now.” There were sighs, blushes, and a couple muttered words that I hoped she didn’t hear as they did so. “Everyone, this is the other new kit in our nest! This is Connor!” “Hi,” I said quietly. The stares I was getting from the others were odd… I couldn’t determine what the others thought of me at first glance. Like everyone, I was dressed in the uniform when I returned. My hair was again pulled back into a low ponytail like I usually kept it. “I’m not going to make everyone do circle time again like we did with Liam, but just so Connor has a chance, can you introduce yourselves?” I felt transported back to the day we left suddenly as they took turns, “I’m Elijah,” a relatively beefy dark-haired guy nearly a foot taller than me said, “I’m a Psychology Major.” “I’m Levi; I’m a Poli Sci major,” a slightly shorter blonde-haired boy said. “I’m Logan; I’m a management major,” a guy with his hair completely shaved down said. He seemed to be a smidge taller than the first guy. “Hey Connor, I’m Grayson; Electrical Engineering is my major.” Grayson was the tallest in the room, but I doubted he was more than five feet tall. His hair was in a short, white, and blue dyed style that seemed pretty edgy for a Little. “I’m Wyatt, Journalism,” a rather portly guy who was still probably ten inches taller than me. “Ben, Chemistry Major,” the second shortest guy in the room beside me said. He was nearly as skinny as I was but had a kind of messy brown hairstyle. “And I have to say it’s nice to not be the shortest anymore!” “Benjamin!” Mackenzie scolded. “I’m not being mean; it’s just the truth!” he told her. He was still almost a whole head taller than me! “It’s okay, Miss Mackenzie; I understand where he’s coming from!” I tried to defend him. “No offense taken.” “Thanks,” I heard him whisper. “I’m Jack,” the last guy said, “I’m a business management major too.” I noticed he was barely shorter than Ben, but whereas Ben was a skinny stick, Jack looked like he still had plenty of ‘baby weight’ on him. ‘That could be dangerous,’ I couldn’t help but think! “Well, now that we’ve all met, you all have about two hours to hang out and get to know each other before dinner. I need to check everyone’s pants quickly here, so please line up by the table.” Liam looked the most uncomfortable while the others made resigned-looking faces as they lined up before Miss Mackenzie. I ended up in front of Liam but behind everyone else as they let her pull down their pants. I could smell some strong scents as I stood there and wondered if someone in the line really did need their pants changed. “Uh-oh Elijah, this is the second Pull-Up you’ve wet since you got back earlier! Maybe we should look at something a little more absorbent?” I watched the guy in front of me twist and turn a little nervously. “No, thank you, Miss Mackenzie,” Elijah told her. “Well, if you can keep your big boy pants dry and clean the rest of the day, I’ll let you have one more chance. But another accident is strike three, and we’ll have to take a step back to diapees.” I heard him nervously ask, “For how long?” “Oh, sweetie, I think at this point, based on your chart last semester, we probably should just be throwing in the towel on the potty for you. If I put you in diapees on the three strikes rule this semester, you’ll have to stay in them the rest of the semester.” “But…” “If you don’t want to return to diapees, just make sure you use the potty like a big boy!” She patted him on the head, “Now, just stay here to the side, and I’ll change you when we finish the other big boys.” I blushed on his behalf then, feeling horrible for the poor guy. Three others were wet ahead of me, including the ‘formerly shortest boy,’ Ben, and told to stand to the side too. She pulled down my pants and said, “And what a big boy! It’s such a shame you had that messy accident that first day; I think you might have had a chance at a gold star!” ‘Gee, thanks for announcing that to the world,’ I couldn’t help but think. She pulled my pants back up and patted me on the butt, “Go ahead and go meet the others.” Liam was behind me, and I remembered he was back in Pull-Ups if he behaved, so I wasn’t surprised to see him in the Pull-Up. However, I was surprised it was as babyish as any diaper I’d ever seen, with blue coloring and some brightly colored puppy characters on the back. I had just sat at my desk when she pulled his pants down and said, “Wet,” and then turned him around, “And it looks like poopy too?” “What? I didn’t poop?” I watched him turn around and try and look. “Liam, I don’t think you’re trying to lie to me, which means you must not know when you’re having an accident. I think it’s time for us to go ahead and face the fact that Pull-Ups just aren’t going to work for you at all. This, plus the three accidents yesterday, mean I should have already put you back into them.” I watched in morbid horror as he cried as he was lifted up. “You can’t do this to me!!! Put me down, you witch!” I expected him to be spanked then like he had before, and Noah before him, but instead, she stuffed a pacifier into his mouth. “It’s okay, Liam; I know you’re just experiencing some really big feelings! Suck on this while I get you into the diapee you need.” One of the guys came over to him, “Connor, right?” He asked. “Yeah, I’m sorry I couldn’t keep track of everyone’s names.” “No worries, my name’s Grayson. Looks like your friend isn’t going to be around for long?” I sighed, “I don’t really know him that well. It’s a big university back home, so I only met him when we left to come here, but I think you’re probably right.” Liam was soon toddling back towards his desk with just a shirt and a diaper, still sucking on the pacifier, “No need to put pants on since we’ll be here for a while. I can keep a better eye on when you need to change then. That wasn’t a lot of poopy in your other diapee, so I’m sure you’ll need to go again before din-din….” Grayson and I talked while I watched the other Littles who needed to be changed. One more was threatened with a third strike later, while another was admonished that ‘he’d been doing so good before break!’ I shuddered as I saw a new side to Miss Mackenzie that was more manipulative than sweet like she’d been with me, and I wondered which side was the real person…? ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Thank you for reading! Please press the ‘Like’ Button at the top of this chapter to like this work and help others find it! Comments are always super appreciated as well! I'm currently nearing one of my last productive writing windows until next January. Positive comments and likes are really appreciated to help spur me on! (My goal is to not have any downtime in chapters for this story until it’s concluded!) LCW will have a new posting normally every Friday for the foreseeable future! Your support through likes and comments means a lot to me. If you’ve enjoyed this or any of my other works, consider supporting me by purchasing copies of them on Amazon Kindle! (And if you do so pretty please consider leaving me a 5-star review (you can just leave the stars and no public reviews are viewable then!))

Chapter 23: Time Capsule SHELBY PUSHED OPEN the large door, and I immediately guessed Grandma had never changed a thing in her room over the nearly thirty years since Mom had left. She’d shown me some pictures of her room when I decided I was coming here. I think she’d really hoped it would scare me off from coming… Instead, it made me wish to do it more. From what I remembered of the photograph, the only thing that had been changed in thirty years was the comforter, and the bedding was a dark blue design. The pink princess bed she’d slept in looked the same as in the photo, complete with the crowns on the top of the four posts and the rail designed to keep a toddler from falling out of bed. The room was even still decorated with butterflies everywhere and white furniture that looked the same. I noticed the changing table looked the same. There were no contents in there, other than it looked like maybe the closet had a couple of really frilly baby dresses still inside of it that Grandma probably retained for memory’s sake. ‘I certainly can’t fit in any of them!’ What I liked most about the room was that the furnishings were small enough to feel comfortable there. “Sorry, it’s still really girly,” Grandma snuck up behind me and said, “I just couldn’t change anything when your mom left.” I looked at her, “She misses you too, you know.” She walked towards me then and knelt down, enveloping me in her arms. “I was so glad to hear at least a piece of her would visit. We can change the décor if you want?” I looked around, trying not to show my honest thoughts, “It’s like having a piece of her here with me; please don’t worry about it.” She smiled, “If you change your mind, let me know. I’m going to head downstairs and wash all of these new clothes. Why don’t you get to know your cousins here? Your grandfather is firing up the grill; we’ll eat dinner in about an hour,” Grandma left me with Shelby and Ryan then. Shelby smiled at me, while Ryan looked more disinterested. “Actually, I need to go respond to some messages from work that came in just before you arrived. I’ll catch up with you at dinner,” Ryan looked around the room like it was contagious or something and ducked out. “What’s his deal?” I asked Shelby. “Biggest fear of his is being adopted and put into a nursery that looks like this… When you grow up having nightmares like that, this can be a little unnerving.” “Oh, do you want to go elsewhere?” I asked. She shook her head, “No, I used to play in Aunt Stacy’s room when I was little; this holds a lot of memories for me. I’m glad you’re staying here!” “Me too,” I told her. I sat on the floor, and she sat with her legs crisscrossed opposite me, leaning against a ginormous bear I hadn’t noticed. She looked like she had done it often, and the bear was easily her bothers height, so it looked like it could envelop her in a hug. “What’s its name?” I asked, pointing to the bear. “Mom said Aunt Stacy named her Brooke?” “Wonder why?” “She said something about she named almost all of her stuffies after people she saw lost?” I felt my stomach turn then, “That’s depressing.” “But normal, especially back then!” “Is it really better now?” I asked. “Overall, I think so. It used to be like ninety percent of Littles were on track to being adopted when she was in college. It’s closer to sixty percent now.” “What happened?” I asked. “No one is really sure, actually? I guess Big’s fertility rate was at its lowest back then, with sixty percent of them unable to have kids here in Ames. Then, about the time when we were born, it went back up to where it’s only like thirty percent can’t have kids here? Selgnasol is still in the forties, so whatever changed seems centralized here.” “That’s a big change; how did it happen?” I wondered aloud. “No one is really sure, but I heard Grandma whispering with Grandpa once that she seemed to think Aunt Stacy may have had something to do with it?” She looked at me, “Do you know?” I shrugged, “It wouldn’t honestly surprise me… Mom is kind of too smart for her own good sometimes. But if more can have kids, why are sixty percent of Littles still babied?” She sighed, “For fifty percent of the population of Bigs, there is a serious problem with letting go of their baby’s younger stages. It’s like some sort of enhanced post-partum disorder, and it’s even talked about in our sex-ed classes now. Unfortunately, the only way those women seem to deal with it is by having a forever baby….” “I wonder if the same thing caused that?” “Who knows… At least whatever it seemed to bring up the protection instincts. Abuse of Littles is one of the most serious crimes now, and permanent removal of mobility has to be approved by a panel of doctors and a judge now.” “That is a good thing, at least!” “Doesn’t help with teeth still…” she shuddered, “I think my worst fear isn’t being adopted; it’s having my teeth removed by some ‘mommy’ so I can’t bite her.” “Are you in danger of that?” I asked her. “We both are,” she said grimly to me. “At least you have that university student band there. I’m only safe for now until graduation day.” “Then what happens?” I asked her. “Then I hope Grandma and Grandpa are intimidating enough that no one tries to catch after we throw our hats...” I gaped at her, “I thought they had to have cause?” “Graduation day that doesn’t stop a determined new adult who suddenly can legally adopt.” “So I take it you’re not looking forward to graduation?” I asked. “Not the end, but I am looking forward to leaving here to go to college! I have a full ride to Hamilton in New Haven, where we’re much safer!” I smiled at her there, “I’m glad to hear that!” “Now, you’ve asked about me; tell me about yourself? Tell me about your sisters? I hate that I have cousins that I’ve never met!” BETH AND HER friends walked up to the hostess stand at the new stir-fry place she’d heard so much about. You apparently filled a bowl with whatever ingredients you wanted, and the chefs fried it on a large metal grill in front of you while you watched. It was all-you-can-eat, so she knew many of her guy friends regularly visited. In front of them was a ten-foot-tall big carrying a Little in her arms. The woman bounced the Little up and down as she waited for the hostess to return to the stand and seat them and her Big daughter, who looked about twelve. “Mom, she needs a diaper change,” the girl wrinkled her nose. “Volunteering?” Her mom asked. “No, that’s gross. I don’t even know why you felt like you had to adopt him anyway.” Then, at a glare from her mom, she said, “I mean her...” “Now, Mindi, don’t be mean. Mommy needed to feel useful again with you becoming such a big girl. I assume you didn’t want to return to diapees and nurse from Mommy again?” The girl blushed, “No, Mom, that would be gross.” “It wouldn’t have been anything you didn’t do when you were a baby, sweetie, but don’t worry, I’m happy to have you become a big middle schooler, and baby Mandy here takes care of the itch.” “Can’t you take care of the diaper?” She grumbled. “I’m serious; if it bothers you, you can change her. Otherwise, you’ll just have to wait until we have our table. I’ll go then.” The diaper and wipes the woman held were obviously her sign of being ready for the diaper that, unfortunately, was making it to Beth’s nose too. As the woman turned, she could see that the ‘girl’ had been treated to her hair being extended and some facial adjustments. Of course, the laws did nothing to stop cosmetic surgeries… You couldn’t take breasts or a penis off of a Little when they were adopted now without the courts, but that didn’t prevent crazy Amazons from adjusting every other aspect of their ‘Babies’ to match. This woman seemed to want a typical two-year-old toddler look, with the hair just long enough for pigtails. Their face wasn’t completely like a doll, but it wasn’t an adult’s face by any means anymore. The blush as they made eye contact told her this was a pretty recent adjustment for the poor Little. Not too far off of Mid-size, he had probably worked in her office or something. Beth turned to look at Cassie, “So you’ve been here before?” “A couple times,” she smiled. “They have really good choices of shrimp, fish, and some other weird seafood to go inside. You can even have them barely sear things if you want them to be more raw like sashimi.” “I’ll pass on that here… any place that serves all you can eat isn’t a place I’ll trust for that!” They were seated soon after that and made it to the line to choose their bowls of ingredients. The woman was now leading the Little by the hand instead of carrying him… her… ‘Ugh!’ Beth gripped in her mind. The whole situation of forced adoption was so infuriating! She picked vegetables, some peppers added some beef, and then some spicy sauce. But just a little; she didn’t have a huge tolerance like her mom! ‘Or maybe like Connor,’ she thought with a smile, thinking of dinner a couple days ago. ‘I sure couldn’t eat that dish!’ As she handed over her bowl, she was surprised to see the Little handing over his own bowl as an adoring mommy thought it was so cute to see her baby do such a ‘big girl’ thing. Beth shook her head and watched the food fry, grabbed the cooked food when it was done, and sat next to Livy and across from the other two girls. “You okay?” Livy asked her quietly while Cassie and Desiree were wrapped in their own conversation. Beth just nodded towards the ‘Little Girl’ who was allowed to eat alone in the high chair. The only restriction was no utensils, so even from across the room, she could see the bib, and her face was covered already. “I hate this place sometimes…” Livy nodded, “Something is on your mind, come to my room to hang out when we get back?” Beth thought but nodded, “Sure.” “We’ll make it a slumber party! So bring your PJs and snacks!” Cassie and Desiree eventually finished whatever they were talking about, and the four of them soon gossiped about one thing or another. I HAD A great time hanging out with Shelby until Grandma came in and said, “Dinner’s ready; why don’t you two wash up?” She motioned to the attached bathroom, which I hadn’t explored yet. “Step stools are in there; you can just use that sink.” I blushed but nodded, “Why don’t you go first, Shelby? I actually need to use the bathroom too.” She smiled, “Go ahead, I can wait.” “You sure?” “Yep!” I walked into the open bathroom door and pushed it closed behind me. Looking at the door, I realized there was an extra low doorknob there I could easily reach. Shutting the door, I turned and saw the most enormous bathtub I could have imagined. It rose to just below my chest. The toilet was nearly as high but featured a step stool and one of those child potty toppers on it. I pulled down my pants and the pull-up and climbed on top. Like everything else in the room, it was pink. As I emptied my bladder, I couldn’t help but see all the painted butterfly details gathered about the room. I could remember the twin’s nursery had a lot of butterflies. Still, I didn’t really remember much about Riley’s for some reason. ‘Probably we’re too close in age,’ I thought. ‘I never understood why Mom raised butterflies, but I guess I do now!’ I thought to myself. I wiped myself and pulled everything back into place before washing my hands and letting Shelby in. “Thanks for letting me go first,” I told her. “No worries, I’m not worrying about accidents at this point.” “Huh?” My brain screeched to a halt. “Seriously, if it happens at home, it happens. Give me just a second, though, so it doesn’t happen.” I waited in the bedroom for her, ‘How can she not care?’ I wondered. I heard the toilet flush, and she came out to me. Only then, as she pulled at her shirt, I realized she was wearing a Pull-Up. She noticed my gaze and shrugged, “Connor, even though I am fully potty-trained – and no, I didn’t have an accident, as a Little, it really is just easier to wear a Pull-Up.” “You mentioned you don’t care if you have an accident?” I asked curiously. She shook her head, “Not at home, at least. Grandma never makes a big deal about it, and it’s not like Mom has room to speak. She hasn’t used a potty regularly since she was adopted.” “How does that even work now?” I asked as I followed her back to the stairs. “Huh?” She said. “Like…” I tried to pull for the words, “Like she was adopted… a baby for better lack of a term… how does she have you two?” “Oh,” Shelby said as we began hopping down the stairs. “Why don’t I let Mom tell the story? She tells it better since it’s her story?” “What story?” I heard a booming baritone voice come from beside the stairs. I was leaping down one at a time. “Hi, Grandpa,” Shelby said sweetly, “Mom’s story about our father.” “Oh,” he said. He noticed I was still only halfway down the stairs but within reach of his giant frame. So he plucked me off the stairs and said, “How about a ride?” I nervously laughed, “Umm… sure…?” “We didn’t put in small stairs when we bought the house. Your grandmother thought they were better for security.” He carried me into a large dining room, where I took in the table. At the head of the table was an oversized chair, and to the right, another large chair, which I assumed rightly had to be Grandma and Grandpa. Beside the one on the right was a highchair that looked well used, and then a couple of chairs with booster seats beside them. Several other high chairs were folded up against the wall, but I saw one that looked like it had just been assembled, sitting to the left of Grandpa’s chair. “I know you probably don’t want to sit in a high chair, Connor, but we have a rule you have to be at least five feet to sit in a booster.” I blushed, “That’s okay…” He removed the tray with one hand and put me in the chair. As he buckled me into yet another annoying 5-point harness, I had to note that the chair was one of the most padded I’d sat in outside a recliner. It was actually relatively comfortable. The tray was actually removed, and he pushed me toward the table. I saw Aunt Bella being strapped into her seat and pushed in. “What about the tray?” I asked, looking at it. “If any guests come over, we have to use them as it’s too dangerous to put a baby up to the table,” Grandma came in with a platter of food, “When it’s just us, we trust you both not to push yourselves over!” Grandpa laughed, “Usually.” I wondered about that but forgot as they began making a plate for me of a smaller portioned burger, some fries, and a few other sides. “This looks good!” I told them. A taste convinced me, “It tastes good too!” I said when I finished the bite. “Hmm… He eats neater than Stacy ever did,” Grandpa said. Bella giggled at that. We all ate for a while, and once the dishes were cleared, Grandma asked, “Does anyone want coffee with dessert?” “Please?” I asked. She smiled, “I guessed you were like your mommy there.” Bella smirked at that, “She was an addict on lots of levels there!” Grandma smiled and nodded, “Yes, she was. How do you take yours?” “Just black, please,” I told her. “I’ll bring some creamer just in case,” she said. Once, we all had a piece of delicious cake in front of us and coffee in front of all but Bella; Shelby said, “Mom, Connor was wondering about how we were born?” Her mom did a spit-take, then said, “Umm… What?” “Like our father. Geeze, not like that, Mom!” She wiped her own face with the bib she wore. “Oh,” she looked at me. “I guess I can see you being curious. I was never able to tell the full story to your mom either… you’ll have to tell her when you return!” “Okay,” I said. “Well, twenty years ago…” ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Thank you for reading! Please press the ‘Like’ Button if you’ve enjoyed it! Comments are always super appreciated as well! LCW will have a new posting every Friday for the foreseeable future! Your support through likes and comments means a lot to me. If you’ve enjoyed this or any of my other works, consider supporting me by purchasing copies of them on Amazon Kindle! (And if you do so pretty please consider leaving me a 5-star review (you can just leave the stars and no public reviews are viewable then!))

Chapter 20: Big Little I WOKE UP the following day when Mackenzie’s large hands slipped underneath my body and picked me up. I blinked my eyes open and gasped as I was being lifted up unexpectedly! “Morning, Connor,” she whispered to me. I grumbled something that sounded like ‘morning’ as I looked at the room bathed in very low light from some nightlights by the changing table. “Not waking up as quickly this morning,” she giggled. “Let’s see how you did last night!” I was on the changing table now, and she unzipped the sleeper all the way down to expose the thankfully still-dry diaper. Her hand intrusively pinched at it and said, “Well, all dry!” I gave her a thin smile. That was definitely a positive thing! “Let’s take you to the potty before I put on your swim diaper.” “Kay,” I replied. I was placed on her hip, now only wearing a dry diaper. She carried one of the swim diapers in her other hand, and I was soon in the bathroom. She sat me down on the potty and pulled at the diaper tabs. Briefly lifting my body off of it, she balled it up and walked toward the wall. I took the opportunity to force my bladder to open, which wasn’t hard because I did feel really full! My bladder pushed for several moments, and as the trickle ended, she was right there with toilet paper to wipe my front and check my back. A tiny bit of gas must have escaped me in the night as I noted some brown on the piece as she tossed it in the bowl. She held open the swim diaper for me to step into and led me to the bathroom sink to wash my hands. I realized then there was a taller sink against the wall she used. “Let’s get you dressed,” she told me while picking me up again. I felt self-conscious as I was nearly naked as she carried me to the room. However, I did feel better once I had the swimsuit on that covered my chest and diaper! She was dressed in a t-shirt and soft shorts that must have been covering hers because she had just grabbed two towels, handed me my goggles, and carried me downstairs like a toddler this time. ‘Less like a toddler,’ I had to admit, knowing I was closer to a six-month-old in size than someone like a Big toddler! It was early, and there were very few signs of life. I noticed a couple nest mothers were working out in the fitness room, but we were the only ones initially in the pool area. She placed me on a chair and said, “I managed to get a couple swim caps; which color do you want?” Apparently, the only choices were pink or purple! I blushed, “The purple one, I guess…?” “Sorry, they didn’t have any other colors,” she said as she gathered my ponytail and wrapped my hair inside the cap. “And it’s a good thing you have so much hair; I think this would be too big otherwise!” I blushed, “Somehow, I think that’s going to be a problem with just about everything this semester.” She hugged me reassuringly, “You’ll be fine; I’ll keep an eye out for you.” I was just diving into the pool when I realized the door opened and saw another nest mother in a swimsuit gape at me for a moment. I decided ignoring the giants was my smartest move, so even as I registered she and Mackenzie starting a conversation, I started swimming my laps. I alternated twenty-five sets of laps of freestyle, butterfly, and breaststroke, even as I noted another body was trying to keep pace beside me. I didn’t stop; I kept going until I had done the cycle three times, and a tall giant body blocked my path. I righted myself and looked up at this stranger. “Hi, I’m Miss Lilly. Where did you learn to swim like that?” She asked, seemingly out of breath. “My mom taught my sisters and me?” She shook her head, “Probably partly because we don’t let Littles really learn to swim, but I’ve never seen a Little swim like you do!” “Thanks, Miss Lilly,” I told her politely. Beside her, I noticed Mackenzie, “He said his mom thought his family was part dolphin,” she laughed. “I’m guessing it’s more than part!” The girl giggled, “I agree.” “Come on, my little dolphin, time to get Liam up, breakfast, and then we’ll go by the bookstore to make sure you both have any materials you need for the semester.” “And then I think my grandmother is picking me up after lunch?” I asked as she picked me up and wrapped me in a towel. “I think so,” she said. “She sent me an email saying she might come earlier. She’s supposed to text me,” she added. Again I found myself carried on her hip once she had us wrapped in towels. A couple other nest mothers were about and smiled at us. They seemed to think I didn’t see the winks they gave Mackenzie for some reason… BETH SPENT THE evening hanging out with Cassie as they washed her new panties back at the dorm. Given the accusation she’d been given, it was good to have a taller friend around, just in case! By the time she’d gone to bed, she had a brand new mattress that had never been removed from the plastic before being delivered and set up on her bed. Cassie had given her a hand on making it, ‘Since Mom had just made it, I had been looking forward to not having to deal with that. But, at least it’s done...’ She was at breakfast with Cassie and Livi when Desiree showed up. They’d all just about finished eating when nests of Littles were coming in. “What in the world?” Desiree asked, seeing the too-tall Little in the nest coming in. Well, Nevaeh wasn’t a Little… but the uniform she now wore definitely displayed the diaper below it like one of the Littles who had gotten into too much trouble. “What happened to her?!?” Desiree asked, “She’s taller than I am!” Beth nodded, “She decided to go along with Kelly and try and land me in diapers,” she told her. “What?!?” Desiree hissed. “Neveah broke into her room, stashed some wet pull-ups around, stole her panties completely, and Kelly tried to get Penelope to search to confirm her problems.” “How did you bust them?” Desiree asked me. She looked apprehensive, “That should have been enough to land you in Sanders or Wenig?” “It would have been, but my dad had already seen it on the video surveillance we hid in my room,” Beth whispered that part. Desiree smiled then, “So caught red-handed?” “Especially when they found all of my panties cut up into pieces in her room!” Beth smirked, “Still pissed they did that part! They made her pay to reimburse me… that reminds me, I need to send a receipt to Dean Northrup so she can get me paid back!” They were getting ready to leave when they heard, “Please? Can’t I go use the bathroom? It’s just down there?” Nevaeh was begging the nest mother, who was only about a foot taller than her. “No, we go potty before we leave the nest, or we hold it until we all go to the potty. A Little girl like you can’t wander off alone. Plus, you’ve already used that diapee for pee-pee; I can tell it’s wet. Just go in your diapee, and we’ll change you when we return to the nest.” “But I need to…?” It was like the whole cafeteria came to a stop right then. The diaper had already been peaking out underneath the skirt, and anyone could have seen it as she stopped mid-sentence. The girl who had seemingly towered above Beth before now seemed to take a step back in status so far that she wouldn’t seem big anymore! Height would no longer matter to anyone, as every single person in the cafeteria had stopped to watch the train wreck. Nevaeh bent her knees slightly as everyone heard the loudest fart on the planet! Bluuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrt!!!!! The sound seemed to go on forever, even as she gasped and grunted. She was turned away from Beth and her friends right then, so they had a front-row seat as the back of the diaper began drooping significantly and turning brown. Beth thought that would have been the most humiliating thing that could happen to anyone! Still, she grimaced as she realized little bits of brown began escaping and running down the girl’s legs. “Oh, you poor dear, you’ve had a full blowout here! I thought you said you were a big girl?” the nest mother shook her head and seemed somehow more than a foot-and-a-half taller than the girl now. Nevaeh burst into tears, and Beth almost felt sorry for her. Almost! CONNOR AND LIAM had arrived not long before the world’s largest Little had come into the cafeteria. They were eating and joined by Amy, Willow, and Mia. At the same time, Mackenzie hung out with their nest mother, Madelyn, at a nearby table. “What happened to her?” Liam asked. “Apparently, she’s being punished. She broke into some other girl’s room and tried to plant used training pants in there and stole her panties,” Mia said. “Ava told me the story last night,” she added. “So even though she’s a giant, she’s considered a Little now?” Liam asked. “Probably,” I told him. “You have to be really careful here,” I told them. I was just ensuring we weren’t being overheard when I saw the blowout of the century. A whiff made it to my nose just as I took a bite of eggs. “Eew,” I couldn’t help but complain. “Miss Mackenzie, can you watch Ava and Avery for a bit while I clean up my little girl here?” “Sure thing Kaylee, we’d rather not smell that messy diaper all through breakfast! Not to mention that poopy rolling down her legs isn’t sanitary.” “Thanks; we’ll use the bathroom here, so we don’t have to be gone long.” I watched as the bawling girl was led by her hand from the dining hall to the hallway. I winced as I saw two brown splotches land on the floor, and I was grateful when a worker quickly cleaned up after her. I also noticed a handful of other Big girls following behind the pair with their phones in hand while excitedly jeering at the poor girl. “That’s horrible!!!” Amy said. “Yeah, I bet they poisoned her like they did us that first night,” Willow added quietly. Ava and Avery were helped into two tall chairs beside Mackenzie and Lucy. Apparently, they thought they really needed to look after them while they were gone. “So, how long do you think we last?” Mia asked quietly. “Last?” Liam responded. “Yeah, before we’re having our own poopy diapers regularly? Didn’t you have one the past couple of days?” He blushed, “Yes, but at least she let me wear Pull-Ups today.” “What did you do anyway? She’s pretty kind compared to most of them?” I whispered. He turned even redder, “Well… I was kind of pis… angry,” I noticed him stop himself, “when Miss Mackenzie took me back and insisted I wear a diaper. I called her some very bad words and tried to fight her…?” “That was it?” I asked. “There was something else, but I won’t relive it…?” Willow squeezed his hand reassuringly, “Sounds bad?” “So, how long do you think, Connor? You seem to be the expert?” Mia asked me. I looked at her and shrugged, “Depends on what you do and your nest mother’s plans. Right now, I think that big girl is well on her way to being babied out; maybe that helps Ava and Avery make it longer.” “What can we do?” Mia asked. “Well, for one, don’t fight wearing Pull-Ups. You may very well have accidents and be pushed into diapers – don’t fight when it happens.” “Yeah… doesn’t do any good,” Amy said. “What happened to you?” Liam asked. “First night?” She said. “Oh,” Liam and I said together. “I knew that was coming,” I told them. “Did you know it would be impossible to stay dry till morning?” Liam asked. “Actually, I’ve been dry every morning,” I told him. “Same,” Willow said. Amy and Mia shook their heads. Mia said, “I’ve had to wake up and pee every night. Going back to sleep with a wet diaper su…?” Mia stopped mid-sentence just in time before Mackenzie was looking over at us. “You five having a good time?” she asked. We nodded, “Yes, Miss Mackenzie,” I said. “Well, you have about ten minutes, and we’re heading back to the nest. Your grandmother just texted me that she’s coming to pick you up.” Mackenzie looked at me then. “Great, thanks!” I told her. “What’s this about a grandmother?” I was asked again. “My mom…” BETH WAVED AT Connor as she left and went with her friends to the bookstore. “I don’t even know why we have a bookstore anymore?” Livy said. “All of my classes the whole time have been digital books?” Beth laughed, “They have to sell overpriced University gear somewhere!” “Not to mention gifts for someone like Nevaeh…?” Cassie motioned to the ‘First’ part of the store. It was the creepiest part of the store to Beth, and she knew most Betweeners felt the same way. ‘I can only imagine what the Littles think,’ she thought. The ‘First’ part of the store was everything a Little hoped to avoid. A ‘Baby’s First Pacifier,’ ‘Baby’s First Bottle,’ ‘Baby’s First Onesie,’ and things along those lines. It took up only a tiny area of the store. Still, she knew many a Little somehow was adopted by a new ‘parent’ off-campus, or something would come to rub in their new baby’s status as they left from confirming the adoption with the university. Beth found herself over in the supply section of the store and picked up a new stylus for classes. Livy was picking through the university shirts in her size when they noticed the exchange students coming in with their nests. Beth saw the absence of Connor but recognized a boy from his room, “Where’s Connor?” “Lucky bas…” he caught himself, “guy got picked up by that grandmother of his… Wish I could get away for the weekend!” Beth nodded at that, “Yeah, I know she was talking about that. Good for him. Good luck this semester,” she told him. She noticed that most of the students were in thinner underwear then. They were checking out as one of Littles was trying to buy one of the bracelet versions of the ID. “What do you mean you can’t sell one to me without an adult? I saw one of the other exchange students got one?” It was one of the other boys who she noted wasn’t that far off of Mid-Size. ‘Just a couple inches shorter than I used to be,’ she thought darkly. “It’s our store policy; an adult has to be here to confirm your registration.” “Can my nest mother do that?” “No, it has to be a parent, grandparent, or guardian you grew up with,” the woman said. “My parents are back home in the other dimension; how can I possibly get one of these?” “I don’t know; you might be able to talk to Dean Northrup? But, for now, I need to check out the other customers,” the woman said. “How did Connor end up with one?” Beth heard as she took her receipt and kept moving outside the store. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Thank you for reading! Please press the ‘Like’ Button if you’ve enjoyed it! Comments are always super appreciated as well! I'm currently working on Chapter 57, and always have a much more productive weekend with more comments and Likes making me feel loved! (Once I get a few more chapters 'in the can' I might post a little more frequently as long as I can stay ahead of my goal, which is to be covered through December with once-a-week (57 does that!)) LCW will have a new posting every Friday for the foreseeable future! Your support through likes and comments means a lot to me. If you’ve enjoyed this or any of my other works, consider supporting me by purchasing copies of them on Amazon Kindle! (And if you do so pretty please consider leaving me a 5-star review (you can just leave the stars and no public reviews are viewable then!))

I have been into diapers for most of my life. Met a few diaper lovers around southeast nb, but sorta list contact for one-way reason or another Sent from my SM-G903W using Tapatalk