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Happy 4th of July! Chapter 146: Counsel and Tests BETH LOOKED UP at the woman, “I was going to go change her diaper? She asked me to?” “Is this true?” the woman asked. “Yes, ma’am. She’s my friend,” Carly replied. “Why not use one of the HoloChangers?” “They scare me,” Carly answered honestly. “Hmm… I don’t think this…” The woman was about to argue further when Amanda came from the hallway behind her. “Hi, my name is Doctor Westerfield, Carly is my granddaughter, and Beth is a close family friend. Is there something wrong?” Beth looked at the woman as she seemed to calculate her response. “It’s nice to see you, Doctor Westerfield; we met once; I’m Doctor Shapiro,” she told Amanda. Amanda just stared at her for a moment, “That wasn’t the question I asked. I asked if there was something wrong?” “Umm… I believed this girl was possibly abusing or forcing…” “She’s not,” Amanda said. “I…” “Girls, go ahead and go change Carly, please, and get to class. Doctor Shapiro and I are going to take a walk to my office.” Beth felt her veins freeze with the temperature of Amanda’s voice, “Okay, thanks.” Beth followed the advice and quickly left the building with Nikki close by her side. “That’s the new Dean?” Nikki asked. “Yes,” Carly told her. “Pleasant woman, isn’t she?” “I was curious if I was going to have to take care of her as a problem,” Nikki responded. “Somehow, I don’t think that conversation is going to be too pleasant?” “Honestly, I hope not,” Beth said. “I wish her well if she’s going to try and take on Amanda…” “I just hope I don’t end up a hostage,” Carly told her nervously. Beth cringed at that but nodded, “Don’t worry, with your grandma, along with my mom and dad, and Charlotte in your court…? I would put my money on Shapiro losing every time.” As they made it to the building, she could tell Carly was genuinely afraid – and that was strange to her. Carly had stood up to a whole gang of thugs more than twice her size, armed with knives and guns. Not a single moment had she seemed afraid then. Here? Carly was actually almost trembling as they reached Marconi Hall, and she carried her into the nearest bathroom to Carly’s class. Beth squeezed her tight and rubbed her back like an upset child, feeling a little guilty at that. Opening the bathroom door, she prepared to place her down on the changing table but stopped in just the nick of time! It looked like a warzone had exploded on the table. Bits of poop, smears, and more were all over the table, the walls next to it, and as Beth looked more closely, she saw it was also on the floor. She’d just missed stepping in it! ‘This is normally the cleanest changing table!’ she griped. “Carly, maybe we should try another bathroom?” “Beth, she only has three more minutes to get to class,” Nikki said. “Crap,” Beth said. She looked at the counter beside the sink and decided that Carly was small enough for her to change her there. Beth wasted no time in changing Carly and hugging her. “It’ll be okay, Carly. Just focus on your test; we’ll meet you in the lobby afterward.” Carly leaned into Beth’s hug, nodded, and said, “Thanks, Beth.” Beth placed her down on the ground and watched her walk in with less confidence than she’d ever seen the girl. Clearly, something was bothering her with everything – and Beth didn’t necessarily think that was unwarranted. She was a couple of minutes late to her Fields class, but the professor was running late as well, so no one noticed. Beth had a difficult time focusing in class, but as the professor was giving them a test on Friday, it seemed stupid to ignore him. She forced herself to take notes, adding some last hints he had given, and avoided looking at her phone. I WASN’T SURE why, but after seeing Dr. Shapiro essentially ready to attack Beth and myself, I was badly shaken. I was sitting down in my usual seat, and Carter, who was also in my Intelligence class, asked, “Is everything okay? Who was that other woman?” “She’s the new interim Dean of Littles,” I told him. “She didn’t seem like a very nice person…?” “Definitely didn’t give a good first impression to my grandmother,” I told him. “What was the deal this morning? I heard all the Littles were rounded up…?” “I’m still not sure,” I told him. On a whim, I showed him the email of edicts. “What the fuck?” He said in response. “Definitely looks like trouble coming our way,” I told him. “Keep your head down,” he told me, “but remember, people stood up for you all not that long ago. I’m surprised they’re stupid enough to try again so soon.” “I’m not,” I sighed. Right then, Professor Davis started passing out test pads. “Good morning! This test should run most of you about ninety minutes, but you have the full two hours during the class time. I’ll even extend that another hour until the next class needs this room if anyone really needs it.” ‘Rather generous,’ I thought to myself, appreciating at least one faculty member not choosing to be a jerk that day! When he got to my desk, he shuffled through the tablets and handed me one that was significantly smaller. “I thought you might appreciate one that is better sized,” he said to me. “Thank you,” I told him, even as I worried that someone would use that as a way to ensure I failed a test. He’d been fair to me the whole semester, though, so I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Shortly thereafter, I logged into the test and clicked through the multiple-choice questions. There were a couple questions that asked for you to type a response, but it was one of the more straightforward tests I could have hoped for! I was finished and triple-checking my answers just an hour into the test. It made me terrified I was making stupid mistakes. It was either that or I really did know what I was doing… After reviewing it again and making one or two additions to some of the open-response questions, I pressed submit. Gathering my stuff, I was sure I was the first person finishing the test, and Professor Davis raised his eyebrow as I handed in my tablet. “Did you complete the test?” “I believe so?” I told him. “Problems?” “No? It was pretty straightforward?” “I hope it went well; I’ll post scores tonight,” he told me. “That’s quick, thanks,” I told him. I made my way out the door and found the lobby area was pretty quiet. I was just about to walk towards Beth’s class when I saw Grandma sitting in a chair. “Grandma?” I said. “Done already?” She said. I nodded, “It was mostly multiple-choice, and all just regurgitation of facts?” “Hopefully, it went well,” she told me. “We need to talk… I already let Nikki know to tell Beth you’ll have to catch her after lunch today.” “Where are we going?” “Lunch with some friends,” she told me cryptically. “Okay…?” I said, even as she picked me up. “It seems that there’s some information being spread that needs to be stopped,” Grandma told me. “Wasn’t I supposed to keep my head down?” “That was before Melanie Shapiro decided to declare war!” BETH WORRIED AS her class concluded that a shoe was ready to land on their head with everything. She’d already been worried about Reila, but now it seemed there was another problem for Littles, too. Those dorms had lost many people before the protests but seemed to be mostly stable since then. Carly and her friends had definitely seemed happier, at least! As class ended, she saw a message from Nikki saying that Amanda was taking Carly for lunch. ‘I hope she’s safe,’ Beth nervously thought. Amanda had looked like she was prepared to go full-on ‘mama bear’ with that woman. “Where do you want to eat lunch?” Nikki asked. “I’d already mentioned to Livy we could do some last-minute studying for our Calc final if we met up at Westerfield?” “Let’s head that way, then?” Nikki told her. Beth and Nikki walked silently down the sidewalks, even as she noticed some small things going on with the Littles that she hadn’t paid attention to earlier that day. Every girl Little had either braided pigtails with bows tied to the ends that morning or loose pigtails. Usually, she would see some variation beyond that. It was clear that it had been coordinated that day to only have two options. The one or two girls she saw with hair too short for pigtails had been given elastic headbands, like the ones she’d seen for infants before, complete with a bow on top. The boys looked like extra care had been taken with their hair that day, with gel and hairspray, as if it were picture day for elementary kids. Beth found Livy in the Union in line for chicken and decided to join behind her. “Hi, Livy,” she told her. “Hey,” she said. “Where’s Carly?” “Her Grandma took her for lunch somewhere?” “Is she okay?” Beth fought to keep from worrying, “I think so.” When they had their lunch, she couldn’t help but watch one Little at the checkout line getting upset, “What do you mean I can’t have a drink?” “I’m sorry, sweetie, but we don’t have any sippy cups at this location yet, and we’re not allowed to serve Littles in anything that’s not spillproof. We can let you fill one if you have it?” “Why would I have a sippy cup?!?” The boy looked like he was close to blowing when a tall girl behind him said something to him. Beth watched his shoulders roll over, and something was said to the cashier as the girl took two drinks. Several other Littles seemed to be behind them in line, trying to figure out what to do about it all. “What the hell is going on today?” Livy asked quietly. “At breakfast this morning, they insisted on all of the Littles wearing bibs? I saw half of them being shoved baby bottles, and the rest had sippy cups?” Livy was a little taller than Beth, but both knew when push came to shove, they were not Bigs. “Here,” Beth said, showing her a picture of the message that Carly had shown her. “You’ve got to be freaking kidding me?!?” Livy hissed. “I wish I was,” Beth said. “So they’re just going to… what?” Livy asked. “I don’t have a clue. From what I can tell, there’s some new Little’s Dean that came in this past week? She seems to have hired a new nest mother as an interim, too?” “Aren’t interim people usually just there to keep the ship afloat?” Livy asked. “You would think so?” “Something else is clearly going on,” Nikki spoke up. “I’d recommend not talking in the open like this.” “You think…?” Livy asked. “I wouldn’t trust anything right now, Livy,” Nikki told her honestly. “Hey, umm… is Reila okay?” Livy asked Beth instead. Beth felt her stomach clench, “Why do you ask?” “She wouldn’t talk much last night?” Beth debated about what she should say if Reila hadn’t told her. “Her test didn’t go so good,” she told her. “She may be in some trouble.” “Why exactly did we come to Emerson?” Livy asked. “I am actually wondering that more every day,” Beth told her. I FOUND MYSELF experiencing something for lunch that didn’t happen all that often back home, even with our family being exceptionally wealthy. Grandma had driven me in her car to a nearby restaurant; they’d led her to a private back room without even asking who she was, and there we found Aunt Megan. “Hi, Aunt Megan!” I told her. “Carly,” she smiled and gave me a hug. “Hi, Mandy,” she told her sister. “Thanks for coming, Megan. Edgar should be here soon, I think,” Grandma told her. “Of course!” she told her. There was a booster seat attached to a chair where Grandma sat me down. A waitress came by right then and took an order for food and drinks for the three of us, even as a tall man, a bit taller than Grandma, arrived. His hair was graying, and he looked to be probably about my mom’s age. “Hi Edgar, I haven’t seen you in a while?” Aunt Megan said to him as she greeted him with a hug. “Too long,” he said. “Good to see you again, Amanda. We don’t normally run into each other this often?” He said. “No, I’d rather not need lawyers,” Grandma told him. “Carly, this is Edgar Freeman. He’s a former classmate of Beth’s father.” “Nice to meet you,” I told him. “Same, I’ve heard lots of stories about your mom!” I blushed a bit at that; it seemed everyone had stories about her! After the waitress took his order, she disappeared and closed the door behind her. Grandma pulled out one of her jammers and activated it. “Okay, thank you both for coming. Something is going on at the university all of a sudden, and I’m worried something will happen to Carly here.” “What’s happening?” Edgar asked. “Well, apparently, last week the Board of Regents decided to appoint a different interim-Dean for Littles while they’re performing their final search after they fired Emma Greene.” “Who did they bring in?” He asked. “Melanie Shapiro?” Grandma said. “The name sounds familiar?” Megan said. “She ran the daycare at the university for thirty years before retiring?” “Now I remember her,” Megan replied, “she was a piece of work in some litigation before she retired.” “That’s her,” Grandma said. “Fortunately, she didn’t do anything to Stacy back then, but I watched her be utterly ruthless with a nanny who didn’t follow procedures back then. I guess my question is, why would you hire someone who’s essentially an overqualified babysitter to run the Little Dorms?” I nodded. “Pretty obvious answer, if you’re cynical enough,” Edgar said. “What else?” “She brought in this woman, Wendy Chester. Cameron and Addison knew her. She ran the daycare Addison first put Cameron in during his adoption. I guess Addison fired her, and she bounced around some other places? We’re trying to get a handle on exactly what happened there.” “So she’s a piece of work, too?” Edgar asked. “Definitely,” Grandma agreed as food suddenly arrived. My cup was plastic, with a straw and a lid, but other than that, there were no obvious signs that I was a baby for once at a meal out. The food was by far too large in proportion. Still, it was a fantastic pasta and chicken dish that I ate as the conversation continued. “So anyway, Carly, tell us about what’s been going on yesterday and today?” I swallowed my bit of food and said, “Well, it started yesterday…” I told them about my conversation with Lilly, then how I had ended up going to bed, having breakfast that morning with the other Littles, who were being bibbed and babied with sippy cups and baby bottles, and then the message from the Dean. I showed that message to them, and they both shook their heads, “What’s gotten into them?” Megan said. “Seriously, they just had a national protest and fired the old people for less?” “I don’t understand it either,” Grandma replied. Edgar looked thoughtful, “I’m going to need to look into some things. It’s interesting that they’ve appointed a new person like this from the Board of Regents. I’m wondering if someone complained about the Littles getting away with too much, talked to the right people, and then brought in Shapiro?” “I think it may be more widespread than that?” I told them, thinking of what I knew about Reila. “Someone hacked one of my friend’s tests, we think, and gave her a completely different test that she then failed.” “That may be unrelated, Carly. I think that has more to do with you and Beth?” She sighed, “I’m not convinced that they didn’t accidentally give that to Reila instead of Beth?” I nodded, “I’ve thought about that, too…” “So, where do we go from here?” Grandma asked. “Well, how far do we want to push this, Mandy?” Megan asked her. “This would have to be a suit from Carly to have standing?” “And she’s signed away those rights,” Edgar told me. I sighed, knowing that was likely the case from the pages and pages of digital forms I’d signed before I came. “So, obviously, we need to figure out another angle?” Grandma said. “The political pressure with the student protests seems to have been successful before?” “Surprising, really,” Edgar said. “If Charlotte Perez was involved again, it might quickly contain itself?” “I could ask?” I mentioned. “You know her?” Edgar asked. “She’s in my filmmaking class; we’re become pretty good friends.” He looked thoughtful, “I wouldn’t ask just yet…” He shook his head, “There are two more days after today before Spring Break. Don’t rock the boat. Wait to take action until afterward, and be absolutely certain that no one can blame it on you. Are you following the tech rules?” he asked. “I handed in my EdgeSphere set and my phone last night. They gave me my phone back today until I go back.” “We’ll try and figure out a way to get some surveillance in the nests. That request made me instantly wonder what’s coming next that they’re trying to hide,” Edgar said. We finished eating and left without a clear plan in place. I could tell that Grandma, Edgar, and Megan thought it was smarter to wait things out. I hoped they were right! Grandma stopped by the changing table near my Math classroom to change me before class, and Molly came in. “Hi, Carly,” she cooed while my butt was up in the air. I sighed, “Hi, Molly.” “Who was that?” Grandma asked me as she carried me to the room a couple minutes later. “Classmate,” I told her. “She seems friendly enough, but watch out for her… She seems to have a mothering fixation there…” “Believe me, we’ve had that conversation!” “Now, I wish you’d had some time to cram. Are you going to be okay for this test?” She asked me. “I’ll be fine,” I told her, smiling. She whispered in my ears, “Tell no one about the contacts. They won’t show up on any scan and should stay on your eye in the same spot until we release them. Don’t give them up no matter what unless someone takes them out of your eyes somehow. No one makes them that size, so they shouldn’t believe you can have them. I’m going to look into something with them later to make them even more functional. They may be your only resource if this gets any worse.” Grandma left me at the door, and I walked into what I hoped would be an easy exam for me! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Thanks for reading! Please press that all-important Like button!!!!! (Pretty please with ice cream and cherries and sprinkles and strawberries and cookies and chocolate syrup on top???) I really appreciate all of you who keep commenting, please continue to do so! My muse for another project is being a bit of a pain right now, so I may swing back by and write some more on this over the next week. Just as a reminder, I started a Discord server if you're interested in the AI Music post I did on YouTube, or just want to chat about my work. For now, that's all it is... it may expand in the future. It's kind of an experiment at this point! You can join here: https://discord.gg/6xVnzUnM

Chapter 145: New Rules BETH WOKE UP to Rachel pushing on her shoulder, “Time for you two to wake up, girls.” “Ugh,” she said, a loose hair from Reila had found its way into her mouth. “Come on, Reila, we both have exams today.” She watched her sit up, climb down from the bed, and then, as her pajamas slipped to reveal the diaper Rachel had put on her, she said, “Eek… how… who?” She looked at Beth, “I promise I’m…” Beth didn’t let her say anything else; she just hugged her. “It’s okay, Reila, I won’t tell anyone.” “How did I end up in a diaper?” She asked nervously. “I dressed you in that, Reila,” Rachel said. “You won’t say anything, right?” Reila said, terrified. “No, and if you would like, I have a set of big girl panties for you, and I’ll destroy that wet diapee?” “Does she have to say it like that?” She asked Beth. “Knowing her? Yes.” Rachel saw her nod and rematerialized the holo-changing table again. From up close, Beth couldn’t believe it just formed in the air like their sets did. She’d never seen a smaller emitter set capable of doing that, and it was impressive. She tried to just look at that as her friend’s wet diaper was removed, she was wiped down, and a pair of panties found their way up her hips. Reila was crying when she was let down, and Rachel disappeared. Beth gave her a hug, “Come on, go get a shower. We’ll get breakfast, and then we’ll go take on the world. You can do this; I have your back.” “Thanks, Beth,” she said. Beth worried about her but had to get her own rear in gear and into the shower! As she showered, the questions that came up from last night were only bothering her more. Even before knowing about the apparent bedwetting issues Reila was having, she’d been worried about her friend failing out. She was pretty sure that, as Tweeners, they were still subject to the ‘you could leave’ rule rather than agreeing to live as a Little. She knew that Reila’s Mom was a Big, but her dad was just about her height. Beth resolved that she would tell her to drop out if that ultimatum came. She’d get her mom and dad to take her friend back home to New Haven if they needed to and get a spot at one of the universities there that were safer for non-Bigs. She shook her head as she left the shower to get water out of her ears, even as she quickly dried her hair, dressed in a comfortable outfit, refreshed her SkinSync makeup, and headed upstairs to Reila’s room. “You ready to go, Reila?” she asked, seeing the door was partially open. When she opened it the rest of the way, instead of seeing Reila putting her hair up or makeup on, she saw Tracy, their RA. “Umm… hi?” Beth said. “I just came to see if Reila’s ready to go to breakfast?” “Just about Beth. If you can just give us a few more minutes, Reila and I are just talking about some changes that need to happen in her room today while she’s gone to class.” The way she said it made her feel like spiders were crawling on her, and she had a bad feeling that Reila’s situation was going from bad to worse! ONCE I DISCONNECTED from the EdgeSphere space of Beth’s, I immediately went on defense with my firewalls and made one hundred percent sure no one could have traced where I was. I couldn’t help but think that things had kind of calmed down since the protests, and now, all of a sudden, everything was kicking into high gear just in time for midterms! I did get some sleep that night, but I also got more sleep than I wanted because Lilly woke me up and said, “Carly, let’s get your bath going so we can get you to your tests.” “What about my swim?” I asked sleepily as she carried me to the bathroom. “Mommy’s sorry, baby, but I’ve been told it’s too dangerous to have Littles swim in the big pool.” Lilly made a face that clearly told me what she thought of that, even as she hugged me tightly. “Sorry,” she said quieter again. “Not your fault,” I told her. It was still a half-hour before she’d wake the other girls up at least, so she actually bathed me and played with me like I was a toddler. It was a little mind-bending that early in the morning! Lilly dressed me all the way without any input from me, from diapering me to pulling all of my uniform pieces, including socks on, and braiding my hair in pigtails with bows. She sat me down at my desk when she was done. She placed a sippy cup of water beside me, “It’s from your bottles,” she quietly said to me, “I’m keeping them in my room.” “Thanks,” I told her while warily eyeing the cup. It was not even a sippy cup for an older baby, more of a ‘baby’s first’ sippy cup with a soft spout that was not that far removed from a baby bottle nipple. At this stage, though, I had to acknowledge there was a difference… especially since she had mentioned baby bottles the day before! I watched her get the girls up and seemingly baby each girl more and more. “May I head to breakfast now… Mommy?” I asked her. She made a face, “I think that’s okay, we may have to go via the rope on other days…” “Thank you, Mommy. Since I’m leaving the nest, may I have my phone?” “Let me finish putting this pretty bow in Mia’s hair…” she said. I watched her run to her room and hand me my phone. “Be good and stay out of trouble,” she told me. “Mommy, why is this all happening?” I heard one of the girls ask even as I was taking advantage of the permission and getting out of the nest. I was the first Little in the cafeteria that morning, and it was clear that it was unexpected to see me already. In my experience, the people who worked the lines were genuinely kind. I soon had a plate with a piece of waffle, bacon, and some juice and found my way to the table Beth and I usually sat at. She came in with Reila and Nikki just before the lines of Littles started arriving on the rope lines. ‘Shit! I hope I didn’t get Lilly in trouble…’ I worried. Reila looked horrible when Beth arrived with her, “Hey, Reila,” I said to her. “Hi, Carly,” she said, her voice sad. “What’s wrong?” I asked her. She shook her head, “I… I can’t talk about it.” “If there’s anything I can do, let me know?” I told her. “Thanks, Carly,” she said. I looked at Beth, but she shook her head and mouthed, ‘Not now.’ Right as I was about to take a bite, I noticed several of the Littles’ tables had their mothers going up and down them to put cloth bibs on them. “What’s going on?” Nikki asked, sitting down suddenly and blocking my view. “I don’t have a clue,” I whispered, “but the new interim Dean of Littles is off to an auspicious start right now…” Nikki’s presence was blocking the nest mothers from seeing me, and it seemed that was the only reason I wasn’t given one. “Carly?” Beth asked. “Last night when I got back to the nest was weird,” I told her. “I thought we were past this stuff?” “Keep your head down until break,” Beth told me. “I’ll try?” I replied. I hurriedly used the app with my Lenses to send a message to Grandma, letting her know that I really needed to talk to her before or after class. I waited for a response, but as I noticed a number of the Littles had their cups replaced with baby bottles because they were complaining about the morning, I made a decision. I asked, “Any chance you all are done eating?” “Yeah, I definitely lost my appetite,” Reila said. I walked behind in front of Beth out of the cafeteria, with Nikki right behind me. I thought there might have been a murmur about me as I left, but I just kept walking and held on tightly to Beth when she picked me up. “You need to tell your grandma about this,” Nikki said, walking beside me. “I messaged her,” I told her. Reila split off from us to go to the library to study before her midterm, saying, “I’ll see you in a bit.” “Good luck!” Beth and I called after her, and I could tell she was just as worried as I was. We had a half hour before class when we arrived in the Kilby building, and Grandma was walking in, too. “Let’s go talk upstairs,” she said to the three of us. In her office, I watched her scan for anything that didn’t belong before she stared into my eyes and said, “I’ve gotten little bits of things; tell me what’s going on from last night until today. We’re going to have to be quick here.” “At dinner, I noticed there were very few Littles eating in the cafeteria. Lilly almost seemed worried when she saw me eating with the girls and told me to make sure I got back to the nest as soon as possible. When I got there, I got the pleasure of meeting the new interim dean and house mother. I told you about that?” She nodded. “Well, when I got to the nest, Lilly pulled me into her room under the pretense of showing me her dress for Thursday, but instead used that bug zapper and kind of gave me a heads up on things.” “You told us all of that last night?” Beth said. “When she was done, we got to have a ‘circle-time’ talk about new rules of calling her Mommy, no phones, no other electronics… We were also informed that the only drinks we could have in the nest would have to be in sippy cups or baby bottles.” Beth made a face at that, “It was awkward, and everyone knew something was wrong. I got ahold of you last night. When I disconnected, I triple-checked that no one could or did trace my connection, and then went to sleep?” “This morning?” Grandma asked. “Lilly told me she had been forbidden from taking me swimming as it was unsafe, and she had been a bad mommy for taking me and risking my safety. She gave me a private bath, then went to get everyone else ready. She gave me a sippy cup on my desk, whispering that it had my water in it… After that, I examined everything and decided to make a break for it if I was allowed. She let me go, but I have a feeling this will be the last day I can go to breakfast on my own… Everyone came in holding onto the rope line things this morning.” “Then they made all the Littles wear bibs, Mandy,” Nikki said. “I watched them go through and replace all of their cups with baby bottles, too.” “What the hell is going on?” Grandma asked. “I wish I knew,” I told her. “Okay, Carly, whatever they tell you to do – go ahead and do it, no matter how stupid and babyish it is.” “I kind of planned on that,” I told her. “Be prepared for this to get a lot worse leading up to Friday… I’m kind of scared for the Littles that are here over the break. I’m going to get an appointment to see Ryan and also give your dad a call, Beth.” “What about Reila?” Beth asked. “More is going on with her too…?” “What happened to her?” I asked. “She didn’t want to say?” She looked guilty but said, “Don’t ever tell her I told you this! I want to help her, though! When we finished last night, I sent her a text asking about her test. She took forever to respond, but when she did, she wanted to come down and asked if she could stay the night.” “How bad?” Nikki asked. “She got a thirty-three percent,” Beth said, “she only got an eighty-five percent on her first test. That would normally be fine since she still has a couple of tests. Unfortunately, this one is weighted heavily enough that she basically can’t pass already. She told me she already had been told she had to meet with her advisor and the dean on the Monday after break.” “About?” Grandma asked. “Probably giving her the ‘drop-out’ or ‘join the Littles’ because that’s all you are speech like we talked about last night?” Beth said. “They can’t really do that, can they?” I asked. “They can… especially since when she came in last night, I learned she was wearing Pull-Ups. She wet one before I even went to bed. I had to push her over since she fell asleep crying and saw it... I had Rachel change her; she just put a baby diaper on her overnight, and then she incinerated both soaked pieces of evidence this morning.” “I’ll triple-check there’s not a trail to you on those…” Grandma said. “There must be one to her… Our RA was in her room earlier talking about ‘changes in her room.’” “You may need to stay away from her for your own safety, Beth,” Nikki told her. “What do we do now? This is getting crazy?” I asked. “Let me and a couple others see what we can do. Both of you need to avoid getting involved anymore! I’m going to meet you for dinner tonight if I can get permission. What do you have the rest of the day?” “We both have two midterms, then my animated film is showing not long after that at the festival. We were going to try to catch an hour of films then for our class?” “Make sure you don’t overstay that time there. I don’t want them accusing you of goofing around…” Grandma said. “And me?” Beth asked. “You two are safer together, Beth. Between Nikki and Carly, you’re probably at your safest. It’s when you’re alone that it’s an issue. Stay together as much as you can. But, right now, you two need to scoot to your classes and exams. Good luck, girls, give me a hug.” We both gave Grandma a hug. Beth had a test then in Logic, so she wanted to get there early. I set myself up at my usual seat. I looked at the time, and with fifteen minutes to class still, it gave me time to read some notices that had been sent to the Littles at Emerson via email. To: Students in Sanders and Wenig Halls From: Dr. Wendy Chester Interim Littles Residence Hall Director Subject: Revision of Rules Per university ordinance, the following restrictions are now in effect for all students residing in Sanders or Wenig Halls. In Sanders and Wenig Halls, portable electronics such as Phones, EdgeSphere units, or gaming devices must be turned in to Nest Mothers while present in the dormitory. Students may take their phones with them outside of the hall for emergency safety concerns. Computers and university-issued tablets may be used in dorms only for schoolwork. No gaming or internet access outside of this shall be allowed. Students must now be safely escorted to breakfast and dinner by nest mothers or designated university personnel/escorts. Students in Sanders and Wenig Halls will be designated to sit at specific tables by nest for breakfast and dinner. They are not permitted to sit anywhere else in the dining hall. All beverages must be consumed only from approved spill-proof containers during meals and in the dorms. Open-top containers, screw-top lids, and similar items are not permitted for residents of Sanders or Wenig. Please send any questions you may have to my office or direct them through your nest mother. My mind went blank as I barely held inside my head a string of curse words. ‘What the hell?!? Why would they be suddenly shifting like this?!?’ There was a pit in my stomach with the worry of everything else that morning, and I was left wondering what would be coming next! BETH SAT DOWN in the classroom used for her Logic class, and made sure she crammed a few last-minute details for the test. “Good morning,” the professor said as his TA began passing out test tablets. “Please make sure that you have all electronics put away and turned off. You may take up to the full two hours for this test, but I’m sure it will take less time for most of you if you studied.” “When you are finished, please press submit. You may turn in the tablet to me at the front and leave when you have done so. Good luck!” he said. Beth went to work on the test problems given, generally finding the questions quite simple… ‘Maybe even logical?’ she groaned at her own pun but kept working through it all. Finishing with about thirty minutes to spare, she ensured she had answered everything solidly and pressed submit! She looked around the room and saw a couple of other people starting to leave, and she joined them by turning in the tablet. Nikki was waiting when she left, “How was it?” she asked her. “Went well!” Beth replied. “Great! You’re done early; want to go pick the girlfriend up from class?” “Yeah, there’s that lounge close to her classroom. We can wait there?” Carly’s professor let them go a few minutes early, and she came out of the classroom to Beth and Nikki with the most angry look on her face that Beth had ever seen. “What happened?” Beth asked worriedly, “Are you okay?” With a sigh, Carly showed Beth the email and felt herself join in the anger! “They what?!?” she hissed! “Apparently, this new lady is out to make everything that happened before seem nice,” Carly told her. “So… like, how does that even work? Everyone’s classes end at different times?” “I think that’s why they didn’t say lunch yet…” Carly told her. “Ugh!!! Let’s get going, we’ve got a walk… and…” Beth sniffed a foul odor, “that’s not helping things either, huh?” She picked Carly up, gave her a hug, “Let’s get that diaper changed, and then we’ll figure out how to get this policy changed… Please tell me you sent that to your grandmother already?” Carly nodded, “yeah, she hasn’t replied yet.” “She will… Littles won the last battle, I think you can win again.” “Keep your voice down,” Nikki warned her. Fortunately, I believed we were far enough that the new dean couldn’t hear her, but that very devil was walking toward us at a rapid pace. “Excuse me, just what are you doing with this student?” Doctor Shapiro asked. Her voice was cold, and something seemed scarily calculating with her look at them. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ You all did it! You gave me my attention-seeking Little self likes and made me feel good! Thank you!!!! Please keep feeding the monster, my muse really does need to be fed likes regularly to keep her happy and writing! Speaking of happy and writing, I'm on my last day I've budgeted to work on this and am half-way through chapter 176. What does this mean for you all? Well, there won't be a long gap of chapters is my hope! I unfortunately am almost to the time of year where my work schedule both consumes all time, but also all ability to be creative. Last year I hit that block early and couldn't get ahead enough. My guess is I have one more year of a writing window that I'll need to finish this. I really hope it doesn't take 2. As of last night I was at 540k words into this tale, and it still has a long way to go! Anyway, let me know what you think about about how things are going. Obviously Littles are getting their proper care it seems now! I mean, who would possibly trust a Little to drink out of an open top container? Big girl cups? Only if you mean sippy cups of course! 😈 A world championship trophy?!?! For me?!?!? I just thought it was one of those dinky dollar store trophies! Wow!!! Yes, you get a chapter (and a trophy!)

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.

Now in the water park, Sam wants to keep as low of a profile as possible. Something which may not be possible when a friendly park employee comes to help her "have fun." --- I am only able to devote as much time as I do to writing thanks to my wonderful subscribers. Writing is my only source of income and therefore I appreciate immensely everyone who supports me. For $5 you can see all of my story updates one week before the rest of the world. For $10 you get all the early stories PLUS 35+ EXCLUSIVE STORIES not available anywhere else AND early access "Livy's New Family: The Comic" Please check out the links below for more information, tiers, and rewards. https://reamstories.com/elfy https://subscribestar.adult/elfy --- In the queue Sam looked around. No one was batting an eyelid at her despite being carried around and so clearly diapered. As they reached the gate Jade handed over the entrance tickets they had bought in the car. Sam pouted as she noticed one of them was clearly a child’s pass. She almost wished SOMEONE would point out that Sam was actually in her twenties. “What do you want to do first?” Jade asked as they walked inside. “Go home.” Sam muttered as quietly as possible. Whether Jade heard her or not Sam didn’t know but she carried on walking regardless. Sam shifted awkwardly and felt the diaper underneath her childish swimming costume move with her. It may not have been quite as bulky as her usual padding but it was certainly just as loud. Sam was carried straight towards a paddling pool area and she whined. All around her were teenagers and young adults going to the bigger water slides whilst she was taken a play area for little kids. The small children’s area certainly had no expense spared. It didn’t lack for activities and there were a lot of small kids running around. Sam clutched Jade tighter, she didn’t want to be put down and have to “play.” It was bad enough at home yet alone doing it in public where so many people could see her. Unfortunately Sam didn’t get much say in what happened to her these days. The shallow water had a small ledge around the sides where a lot of the parents of children were sitting and watching their offspring having fun. Jade sat down along with them and had to practically peel Sam off her chest. The small woman was lowered into the water that went up to her knees. She immediately hugged her arms against her chest and looked around. She wanted to hide but there was nowhere to go. “Go on.” Jade said encouragingly, “Go and play.” “I don’t want to!” Sam hissed. “Well we aren’t leaving until I’m sure you’ve had fun.” Jade shrugged her shoulders. She leaned back with her hands propping her up. “But…” Sam pouted hard and turned away. Arguing was pointless. Walking was awkward when she was wearing thick padding between her legs and Sam was finding it even harder in the water. Her waddle was pronounced but she was far from the only one struggling. A lot of the small kids here were padded. She scanned the area trying to find a place where she might be able to hide until Jade got bored and took her home. The closest thing she could see was a small climbing area that had some staff members making sure no one hurt themselves. Maybe there was hidden area she could wedge herself in. Sam waded through the shallow water towards the play area trying to avoid getting too wet. She scowled whenever an overexcited child splashed past her. The scene at the climbing area was one of chaos. The children were running around, splashing each other and screaming noisily. It seemed like they were having the time of their lives but Sam wanted no part of it. This was a mistake and she was going to beat a hasty retreat. “Hello, my name’s Charlie.” Sam turned to see a young woman wearing a Big Splash Water Park uniform. She was smiling down at Sam with a friendly smile, “What’s yours?” “S-Sam…” Sam replied hesitantly. “That’s a very pretty name.” Charlie said. Her condescending voice was making Sam cringe in embarrassment. She crouched down in front of her, “Do you want to play with the others?” Sam quickly shook her head as her eyes went wide. She took a step to the side with the childish idea that she could hurry back to Jade for protection. The enthusiastic employee seemed to have other ideas though. “Your Mommy told me you were shy.” Charlie said with a toothy smile. Sam was left even more shocked. She looked past this woman at her cousin who was still perched at the edge of the pool talking to some of the other parents and drinking something with a long straw. When she saw Sam looking over she waved. “She also said you really like to have fun.” Charlie continued. It was clear she had no idea she was actually talking to a woman in her early twenties, “Is that right?” It was a stupid question, Sam thought, everyone liked having fun it was just that everyone’s idea of what was fun was different. For Sam being forced to “enjoy” the activities of a glorified paddling pool wasn’t fun at all. In fact it was very much the opposite. Charlie seemed to be taking the lack of an answer as further proof that Sam was just a very shy child. “Well, come with me.” Charlie said as she took Sam’s hand, “It’s not so scary.” “I don’t…” Sam started. Charlie stopped to look at her but she had stopped talking. Sam couldn’t say too much or she would let this woman know that she was actually an adult which would be even more humiliating than her current situation. She bit her lip. Her only option was to try and resist whilst also keeping up the charade that she was actually a kid. “I don’t wanna.” Sam said grumpily. “Oh, don’t worry, Sam.” Charlie said encouragingly, “Everyone’s really nice. You’ll see.” Sam was pulled towards the apparatus that seemed to draw the attention of all the small kids in the area. No amount of digging in her heels or pulling back seemed to be able to make Charlie slow down. Her feet simply slid along the bottom of the pool and she had to concentrate on not falling over. “It’s OK.” Charlie said cheerily, “I’ll stay with you.” Sam now felt like even more of a baby. Apparently she was now so little she needed a dedicated caretaker. She wondered if Jade had set this up ahead of time, she certainly had the money and connections to pay for such a thing. Whatever had happened it wasn’t helping Sam at that moment as she was led closer to a ladder leading up to a platform that had small slides and things coming off it. “Up you go.” Charlie said. Sam was feeling overwhelmed. There were little kids everywhere, she felt surrounded as if the children were a swarm of bees, she was doing her best to avoid them but by the time she was at the ladder she couldn’t help but rub shoulders with them. She tentatively placed her hands on the metal bars of the ladder. “That’s it. Well done!” Charlie praised Sam as if she was accomplishing a grand task. It was only embarrassing her even more. Sam climbed the short ladder. Even when standing on top of the platform she was still shorter than Charlie as the employee stood up and started encouraging Sam to cross a little bridge towards one of the slides. Charlie hurried around to the bottom and beckoned for Sam to go down. Sam could hear impatient children behind her. She looked back over to where Jade was sitting to see she was watching. Of course she was watching, she wouldn’t want to miss seeing Sam embarrassing herself. “Yes, Sam, Mommy’s watching.” Charlie said from the bottom of the slide, “Show her how brave you are!” Sam whined but there was no other way down from where she was other than the slide she was standing on the edge of. She slowly sat down and looked to the bottom where the plastic slippery surface disappeared underneath the shallow water. It was only a short way down. Even for Sam’s small stature it wasn’t particularly tall but that didn’t make it any more palatable. She sat down and put her hands on the sides. After a sigh of inevitability she scooted herself forwards. The water made the plastic even more slippery than she had been expecting and she slid down the plastic so fast that she let out a squeal of alarm. Her legs and arms flew arm as she rushed down towards Charlie. Sam splashed into the water and closed her eyes. She had done her best to avoid getting too wet but now the water had splashed up and all over her. From the top of her head down to the bottom of her feet she was soaked as she slid into Charlie’s arms. The properly sized woman was chuckling and congratulating Sam as she helped her out of the way so the other kids could use the slide. “Well done!” Charlie said as she led Sam away, “That looked like a lot of fun!” For Sam it had been anything but. If she had hoped that would be the end of it and she could go back to Jade she was left very disappointed. Charlie stayed with Sam and took her around various other activities in the water. The swim diaper swelled a little from the water but it was primarily made to let liquid through, it still grew in size and became somehow even more obvious. For a couple of hours Sam was forced to go around the baby area with Charlie. The whole time it was happening she just wanted to go back to Jade. She was aware she wouldn’t find any respite with her cousin but she still felt like safety. Sam was given the run around for most of the morning until she was finally brought back to Jade. She was tired out and soaking wet, the only thing propping her up was the knowledge that she would soon be heading home. “I hope she wasn’t too much trouble.” Jade said as Charlie approached. “She was good as gold.” Charlie replied. Sam glared at Jade but she still gratefully waded forwards to sit down next to her. She tuned out the short conversation Jade had with Charlie as she impatiently waited to be taken home. Another day and another humiliation she would have to one day explain to a therapist. Sam was picked up by her cousin and sat on her lap. Charlie waved goodbye to Sam one final time before finally retreating. “Did you have fun?” Jade asked once they were alone. “You know I didn’t!” Sam growled. “You looked like you did.” Jade countered. Sam knew that was an utter lie. She had done her best to look as annoyed and angry as possible the whole time. She didn’t want to argue though, she had another problem growing and it was something that hadn’t been an issue until that day. She needed to pee but the diaper she was wearing was not made to contain it. With a shudder she realised she had come very close to just letting go, she had become distressingly used to the disposables that were always taped around her waist. “Mommy, I need the bathroom.” Sam said quietly. She was sat in the water which submerged her waist and looked around nervously. “You’re wearing your diaper.” Jade replied simply. “I don’t think this thing is designed for pee.” Sam continued, “And it’s all swollen from the pool water.” “Then just go. No one will find out if you pee in the pool.” Jade said. “Gross…” Sam scrunched up her face. “Sweetie, you’re in a pool full of little children. Do you think they all run to the bathroom when they need to potty?” Jade asked with a smirk. Sam suddenly felt even more grossed out. Regardless of the disgusting stuff children did Sam wasn’t like them! She was an adult and perfectly capable of not urinating in the pool but now that she had mentioned it she was sure Jade was going to make it happen. She was pouting and in a fit of anger splashed her hands in the water. “Don’t have a tantrum, baby.” Jade said warningly. Sam was furious with her lack of say over anything in her life. No matter how much time she spent in this loathsome position she still couldn’t get used to having even her most basic decisions decided for her. She sighed and let shoulders slump, despite all her anger there was nothing she could do to change anything. Sam closed her eyes and did something she had become very used to since being put into diapers. Relaxing her muscles, Sam shuddered as she almost immediately started peeing into her diaper and the pool. “Still, we’ve got other things to do as well…” Jade said. “What do you… No!” Sam was still in the middle of going potty in the pool when Jade leaned forwards and put her hands underneath Sam’s armpits. Sam felt her feet leave the bottom of the pool and she flailed desperately to be put down. It was no use. Her cousin lifted her out of the water and amongst all the dripping of water there was a steady stream pouring out of the bottom of Sam’s diaper and into the pool. She tried to clamp down with her bladder muscles to stop the flow but it was no use, she just kept leaking. “Put me down! Put me down!” Sam desperately pleaded. Nearby people were looking over at all the commotion. Sam had no idea if they could tell that the liquid coming from the small woman wasn’t just water from the pool but to her it felt incredibly obvious. Jade giggled but did at least lower Sam back down. The water in the children’s pool had already been warm but now Sam could feel the rise in temperature, even that didn’t feel as hot as her face which was burning from embarrassment. “Finished?” Jade asked a few seconds later. Sam shamefully nodded her head and this time when she was lifted up she didn’t fight back. She wanted to be carried away from the pool as soon as possible. She welcomed being sat on Jade’s hip as it allowed her to hide her face as she was taken away. This water park now felt like yet another place she would never be able to show her face. --- If you want to find out what happens next RIGHT NOW you can do so at the following links: https://reamstories.com/page/lpjgftb4y2/story/m7x7lotzmt/chapter/mcn3yptjf6904e16 https://subscribestar.adult/posts/1938124

Chapter 46: Rosie's Birthday Elysium – LittleFallenPrincess ------------------------------- February “So you can hear me now?” Maria asked, just like everyone had just moments before, as we all sat in a circle in the playroom, with all attention on my girl right now after she had been in the hospital recovering from her procedure. “Yes, Maria, I told you, I can hear everyone now,” Ella giggled. “Okay… just checking.” “That’s so cool!” Rowan added. Then one of the boys across the room yelled out, “HEY GIRL, CAN YOU HEAR THIS?” before proceeding to blow a huge farting sound into his hands using his mouth. “I swear… they are going to be the first people here to not graduate…” Poppy sighed. “Just ignore them, hun.” “Don’t worry kiddos, I think they’ll learn their lessons very quickly…” Ceres said. Ceres was the Nanny on watch right now, with the other Nannies just outside and down the corridor in the security room. “What do you mean by that?” Ella asked, innocently. Grinning at my girlfriend, Ceres turned her attention in the direction of the boys’ group. “Oscar…” “WHAT?” the guy who made the farting sound called over. “Void.” As Oscar was being lifted up by his Nanny, Aurora, Ceres’ tried her best to hold in her laughter. Me and my friends on the other hand… we were in stitches, unable to breathe because we were laughing so hard. The poor guy’s expression went vacant as soon as Ceres said the trigger word. He got up onto his knees, squatted a bit… and filled the back of his nappy, drool dripping out of the corner of his mouth. The only other thing that came out of that boy’s mouth was babble, as the boys all scooched away from him as quickly as possible, trying to avoid the smell. And from their reactions… I think they all feared being Ceres’ next target, so they shut up and sat in silence as Aurora walked in, grabbed her charge, and carried him out, staring at Ceres with a look of disapproval. “He earned it,” was all Ceres said. Aurora… said nothing. She just walked out with Oscar in her arms, no doubt to change the guy’s shitty nappy. “That… was perfect…” Maria replied, clapping excitedly. “So I assume we can all do that?” asked Ava. “Do you mean can you trigger the boys or do you mean do you all have the trigger installed?” Ceres replied. “Both?” Ava shrugged. You could tell she both wanted to and didn’t want to know the answer to this. “No, you can’t trigger anyone. Only Nannies and staff can. And no, your group doesn’t have the trigger installed.” “Why not?” “Because you’re well behaved. You’re actually going along with the program. If you start to backslide… maybe you’ll find some… influence… being played whilst you sleep.” “So you play hypnosis or something in their sleep and now suddenly they can sh-poop themselves?” “Exactly.” “Why didn’t the other boys get affected? Do they all have different trigger words?” asked Ava. “Nope. I just said his name first. That’s how the trigger works.” “So if you said ‘boys, void’... they’d all…” “Yes. But I won’t do that. Maybe. Probably not.” “That’s so cool…” “I mean… we are always on the lookout for other Nannies…” Ceres said to Ava, taking not only Ava but all of us by surprise. “You mean… if I graduate here… I could become a Nanny?” she asked. “If that’s something you want to do, yes. But you’re not to see it as revenge or anything for what has happened to you, it’s an opportunity to pay it forward. I’m not allowed to say who… but a couple of Nannies started off here as first years…” “Were you in here before you were a Nanny?” “No, sweetie. I’ve been here since the start as a Nanny. It’s a couple of the current first year’s Nannies that were once here as little ones. I would advise not teasing them about it like their charges did once they found out. They quickly regretted it…” “How did you get the job then?” “I was friends with the board. They offered me a position here when they told me of their plans.” Ceres… is a friend of Sophia and Jess? This was new to me… “But yes, if you are interested in becoming a Nanny once you’ve graduated, provided we think you’re a suitable candidate, we can make that happen.” “That would be kinda cool… I do like Venus…” Venus was Ava and Poppy’s Nanny… and she wasn’t as active with us as Ceres and Vesta are. She was more like Juno, she only popped in to change their charges and make sure they’re doing okay, they didn’t interact with the group as a whole, only her particular charges. Ceres is pretty freakin’ special, I’ve gotta admit… Thinking about it… would I want to be a Nanny here? I’ve never really seen myself as the maternal type, but then I never really saw myself as ever becoming the girl that was hidden within me until I came here. Maybe it would be best to keep my options open? If I come out of this a transitioned, happy woman with an amazing girlfriend at the end of this… then I would kinda like to pay it back to Elysium in some way. I wonder who else would like to be a Nanny here? Obviously not Jess and Sophia. Nor Ellie, she enjoys playing baby too much, if anything she’ll probably ask to be re-enrolled here once she graduates! I guess this is very much third year stuff, as that’s when they start building you back up. Or at least when they should be… by the progress of the boys… maybe they need a little more time to cook before they let them back out. I think it should be soon that they start potty training the third years, right? And I assume that’s when they start the super serious growing up stage of this treatment. From what I understand, and from what they’ve told me, the first year is breaking you down to nothing. Second year is letting you grow up again, with love and support and a positive atmosphere. Third year is all about helping you be a better person again, not falling back into who you were before. I… I must admit, I’m a little worried about all that. I don’t know who I am really at this point. I know I’m Rosie. I’ve finally admitted that to myself and accepted it. But who exactly is Rosie? What movies does she like? Does she still have the same favourite things? What about my fashion, do I have a certain style? Most people would just take the best parts of themselves when rebuilding the new them. But me… I’m starting from scratch. Rosie likes games. Rosie likes movies. I know that. Rosie really likes Ella. So clearly I’m… what… a lesbian now? Or maybe bi… I’m not even sure what I identify as really! See! This is the problem. Maybe… maybe I should speak to Joy about this soonish. Maybe I need a little more time than the others to ‘cook’. A few days later… “So… excited?” Ceres asked, smiling down at me, checking both my pigtails to make sure they look perfect after all the work she had just put in to making me look adorable. “Uh huh!” I replied, nervously. “Rosie’s first birthday. In both the literal and figurative sense!” “Huh?” “Well it’s your first birthday as Rosie. So it’s her first birthday! And… it’s your first birthday… kinda. Because you’re a baby…” “Oh… are we being treated like one year olds now?” “Nah, I was just making a joke. I’m still nursing you, kiddo, don’t worry!” “Oh… I… that’s okay too…” “Nervous?” “Uh huh.” “Don’t be. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it loads. And as an extra birthday present… I’m going to let you in on a little surprise ahead of time.” “Oh? Is it something Elysium related that only I can know about?” I grinned at my Nanny. “Kinda. At least for the next week. Then everyone else will be told. But… we’re planning on having some graduates returning.” “Huh? Did they screw up in the outside world and revert to their own ways?” “Pfff, Rosie… we’re good at what we do. Just… ignore the current third and second year boys… no, what we’re planning for the first time… is to have some of our graduates come back to Elysium for a little talk.” “A talk? What about?” “They’re going to try to talk to you all, to reach out and get people to accept that we’re just trying to help you all. They’ll be able to show the benefits of going through the program, the perks and the emotional stability they have now they’re all successful.” “Oh that’s cool! Kinda like a career day kinda thing?” “Yeah, I guess so. We’re currently trying to get a list of graduates together who are able to and happy to come talk to you all, so that’s why we’re not announcing it. But… because you’re already in the know about a lot of Elysium already, and because you’re my little Princess…” “...And because you really wanted to tell someone…?” I grinned at her. “Yes, okay, I did. I really did. But the Nannies here already know… so… boo. At least I get to tell you!” “I think it’s a good idea.” “Some of the graduates won’t want to return, for good reason. They got what they needed out of the place, and they’ve moved on as better people. Coming back may remind them of who they were and what they went through. But I know of a handful of them who would love to come back and see how it’s all going. Especially my two girls.” “You mean the two you were Nanny for before me?” “Exactly. They graduated just before you came in. When you and I met I had no babies in my care, hence why I had a bit more time outside the compound, as they had graduated just a week or so before the school year started. They’re lovely girls, and I would love for them to meet you…” Why did I feel jealous all of a sudden? Why on earth did I feel jealous of her ex-babies? Like… they moved on. Maybe they keep in touch and stuff but she’s caring for me all the time… and will for the next year and a half… So why am I jealous of them? And most importantly… Why do I care so much about it? Ceres is just my Nanny… She's here to help me get better… But for some reason I hate the idea of her babying anyone else… “Happy Birthday to you…” As they all sang the usual song we had heard many a time here, I found myself staring at the flame in front of me. Just a single candle was lit, on a very adorable pink and white frosted birthday cake. When Ceres brought me into the main playroom, it was decorated just like it was for previous birthdays, with balloons and streamers everywhere. The boys had shuffled off out of the room, leaving us to enjoy the day without their comments and jabs. I’d been given cute little presents like outfits and toys and stuff… Ella had even got me my own copy of Alice in Wonderland, to remind me of her. I loved it all. I even got a cute little stuffed bear, though no one could figure out who it was from. We played pass the parcel, pin the tail on the donkey… and we wanted to play musical statues but it was difficult when only the third years can stand up currently, making standing in different poses a bit… awkward. It was an amazing birthday as Rosie. I was so lucky, so fortunate to have such an amazing group of friends and so many people that cared about me, all celebrating my birthday with me, with me… as me. So… …Why wasn’t I happy? “You okay, sweetpea?” Vesta whispered down to me as she checked the back of my nappy. “Yeah…” I sighed. “Looks like she’s in need of a change…” Vesta announced loudly, making me blush. Ceres looked up from cutting the cake. “Really? I changed her not that long ago. Okay, give her here…” “No, it’s okay, I’ll take care of the birthday girl. You get that cake cut up, otherwise we’ll have a bunch of babies attacking us…” Vesta laughed, lifting me up into the air and holding me on her hip. “I’ll be right back…” As she left, Ceres shrugged and continued cutting the cake, whilst Vesta and I walked off towards a changing room. “What’s up, sweetheart?” she asked, sounding really concerned, sitting me on the edge of the changing table, not actually changing me, but taking a step back and leaning against the nearby wall. We were alone in here, and she had disabled the cameras, which made me feel a bit more at ease… but I still didn’t feel like talking. “I’m fine,” I replied, shrugging my shoulders. “You look like you’ve been thrown into a party where you don’t know anyone. You look like you’ve won the lottery only to find out so did a million other people. You look like…” “I get it, I look miserable,” I sighed. “Exactly. So tell Auntie Danielle what’s wrong.” “‘Auntie Danielle’?” I asked, confused. “Well I’m talking to you not as a Nanny that is keeping you captive. I’m not talking to you as Vesta. I’m just Danielle. Or Danny. But then I figured you’re still just a lil baby, so…” she said, grinning at me. “Hey! You’re probably the same age as me!” I whined. “And? I’m the one not sitting in a slightly soggy nappy…” “...Good point. Fine… Auntie Danny… I’m… fine. Just…” “Just what, sweetie?” “I dunno. Something… feels wrong.” “What happened? You seemed so excited for your birthday yesterday. Did something happen?” “No. I just… it feels like the balloon inside me has deflated. But I don’t know what caused it to do so.” “Did Rachel say anything to you?” It was still weird hearing Ceres’ actual name, but Ves- I mean Danielle was trying to be more personal with me. So I tried shrugging off the weirdness. “I don’t think so?” “Because unless you got inside your own head… which is entirely possible considering it’s you we’re talking about…” “Hey!” “Am I wrong?” “...You didn’t have to be so blunt about it…” I pouted back at my ‘friend’. “Sweetie, I’m here to help. As a friend. And friends need to be blunt sometimes. So, did you get in your own head?” “I don’t know?” “Then maybe Rachel said something… What did you two talk about this morning?” “She told me about the graduate thing.” “Did she now? I swear… that girl is going to get herself in trouble one of these days. She’s lucky it’s just you, and you already know most of Elysium’s secrets.” “Most? So there are more?” “Oh yes. And before you ask, I’m not telling you. And Rach won’t either. She knows there are limits. You’d have to ask the board… and I have a feeling they wouldn’t appreciate having you sniffing around. I’d be careful sniffing around them… they’re often messy more than they are dry…” “The mystery of Elysium deepens…” I joked. “It really does. And I don’t even know half of it. But anyway, back to the point… did something about the graduates coming bother you? Do you not want to talk to people who went through the same things as you?” “That’s not it.” “Then what is?” “I dunno! That’s the problem! I just… Cer- Rachel said that she’ll be bringing her two girls in and…” “You got jealous?” she grinned at me, raising her eyebrow. “I… no! What? Jealous? Why would I-?” “Called it,” Danielle smirked. “Why would I be jealous?” “Because you’ve formed a bond with Ceres. She’s basically your Mummy. She cares for you, raises you, changes you, and with your whole unique situation… She's protected you and helped you come out of your boy-cocoon. And now you’re being reminded that you aren’t the only one she’s done this kind of thing for. Minus the transitioning thing.” “Yeah… but she had Ollie before too. Why didn’t I feel jealous then?” “Because you didn’t have her as your exclusive Nanny before. And since then you’ve become a lot closer with her, especially with the transitioning thing happening. She’s practically your Mummy now. I’m surprised you haven’t called it her. Some others have done so here…” “I… wouldn’t!” “Don’t see it as her having done all this for other people, see it as you’re gaining two big sisters. Honestly… I know those girls. They will be extremely protective of you, just like Ceres. You really will be a little sister to them. And don’t worry, they won’t take Ceres away from you. They moved on from Elysium. And I have a feeling you enjoy it too much to just drop it all…” “What do you mean by that? That I’d be like Jess and Sophia? Or Ellie? Are you implying I enjoy this treatment?” “Sweetie, I know I’m Ella’s Nanny, but I’ve seen the way you engage in here. Despite being given an out last year… Honestly you could’ve asked for an out at any point here and they probably would’ve let you leave… and you know that. But you stayed. And not just for Ella. Not just for Rachel. Not just for your mental health. You’re a lot more similar to Ellie and the board than you think. I knew early on you’d probably want to explore this kind of thing more when you graduate.” “I-” “Which is perfectly fine! We do not shame here. We think it’s a healthy outlet. I mean look at Jess and Sophia. They’re doing really well, all things considering. Especially after everything they’ve been through. And Ellie… she’s a bit childish and playful… but she’s also a very sweet, very mature girl… when she’s not filling her pamps.” “So… let’s say you’re right… and you’re totally not… but if I wanted to do this more when I get out of here… do you… do you think-?” “Ella will be accepting? Rosie… She loves you to bits. She’d happily indulge you. I don’t know yet if she’d be into it herself, but she would love you no matter what. And hey, I’m sure Ceres could take a day or two off maybe now and again, and be your babysitter…” Danielle grinned at me. “But yes, don’t worry. Ceres isn’t going anywhere. You’re special to her. Even if you’re not dating each other, she’s still extremely protective of you. More than she was even with her previous girls. Honestly, I’ve never seen her this maternal before.” “Really?” “Really. So… nothing to worry about, okay birthday girl?” “Sorry for…” “Ah ah ah! No! We don’t use that word today. Banned. Got it?” “...Fine. But thank you. For listening. And understanding. And helping.” “You’re my girl’s girl. You’re practically my daughter-in-law at this point. And most importantly, we’re friends, sweetie. I’m going to do my best to protect you just as much as the other two women in your life, with two more being added soon.” “I… really appreciate it.” “Now, why don’t we get a smile back on that face, get you back to that party, and we have a good time?” “Umm… What about my nappy? Won’t Ceres get suspicious if I turn up soggy…” “Good point. Clever girl! Right, lay back and we’ll get this thing changed…” ====================================================== So happy you all loved the previous chapter :3 Don't forget I'm on Subscribestar! Subscribers get 2 weeks early access to chapters, and exclusive short stories (Nessa's Tale is currently the only available one). The next four chapters of my new story posted on my Subscribestar! ======================================================== I hope everyone enjoys this chapter! Please leave likes and comments and all that fun stuff, I love reading them! If you want to read the next 4 chapters, thanks to two weeks early access to my main story and also soon-to-be exclusive access to short stories, why don't you check out my SubscribeStar! Thank you to all my subscribers for their support over the past few years! Seriously, your support means the world to me. New chapters of my latest story every Wednesday/Sunday!Also just a quick note: I don't mind people saving this story for personal reading. But I'd appreciate it if people didn't post it elsewhere, even if you're just suggesting it to other people. If you want to show others, please send them a link to the first page of this post. And it goes without saying, my story is not to be used in any way to create AI work. Thanks!

Hey everyone! We’re getting into some of the last chapters here, so there’s going to be a lot to cover to get us to the end. Also, from this and just how I feel some of these chapters should go by touching on the heavy points, the timeline is going to be spaced out a little more now. I could talk for several chapters about Ashley playing in the sandbox or her rejecting pureed carrots for the seventh time at daycare from Mrs. Jenkins, but that doesn’t really move the plot forward. So, just be a little more vigilant about those timestamps. Next, 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. Additionally, like before, this poll will be shut down right before I post my final chapter on here, which now will be next Monday (07 July). Last but not least and as usual, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! Chapter 26: Finding What Is Important Day 119 – 11:03 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley seemed to be wandering around in life without much direction… or at least not as much direction as she had prior to her break-in at the facility. One might have said she could have been lying low since then, but any casual observer of her would notice several changes that showed it was something more. Simply put, Ashley was different… even younger seeming than ever before. Some differences were small… like an attachment to Bunty, a nearly ever-present object that she carried around with her in her life. It was juvenile, but according to Ashley’s own nightly words, Bunty provided a closeness and sense of security that any Little in this dimension would likely appreciate. Speaking of which, Ashley still kept up her nightly logs, but instead of status reports with official words and concise language, they came across more like personal diaries of what her days were about… gossip, complaints, about the ‘adults,’ and even reporting’s on the latest juvenile embarrassment… though not all were even labeled that way to her anymore either. Other things… were much bigger in retrospect. Diaper usage was frequent and often uncontrollable or to the state where Ashley didn’t even register it… or didn’t care if she did realize the recent swell of her diaper, front or back. Betty and Pete both flashed concern each time they checked and found she needed a change, but all her friends had similar states in life, so Ashley barely batted an eye anymore whenever they checked her diaper and announced its state publicly. Most damming though, was her lack of memory. At first, she believed it just to be a gap like one trying to remember what they had for lunch five weeks ago. Missing or fuzzy, but not a big deal usually that she couldn’t remember it. As she continued to live her new life though, other items began to show in her life that she felt like she should absolutely remember but didn’t. Like the pink rock. Betty had found three more since the first she had plucked, but each time Ashley looked at the rock, she would then shrug with indifference before adding it to her collection on her bedroom windowsill… just like all the other curiosities she found in the park or on the sidewalk… meaningless and just interesting to the Little’s wide eyes. Betty raised more than a few eyebrows and her suspicions seemed raised about the pink rocks… but ultimately remained silent. Then, there was the thing that Ashley was concerned about, but strangely didn’t do anything about. It seemed to be happening each day at daycare now, and needless to say, if she ever caught it, she was downright scared. The only problem though… no one else seemed to see it. Like today… “Come on, Ash!” Ron complained at the first floor of the playground equipment. “You peein’ or something?” Ashley flashed a dirty look back at Ron. “Am not! Or…” Her flash of anger turned to confusion, then from a prodding seemed to switch to one of uncaring and a simple shrug. Lately, her once rocky emotions had seemingly bloomed into something entirely different. Falls resulted in crying fits, being told ‘no’ could be a meltdown, and being fed something like peas was always a tight rope to walk for either one of the attendants or her Bigs back home. They all navigated around her pretty well, but it was yet another pronounced change from before. “Alright! Alright! I’ll go.” Ashley huffed and turned to the tall expanse before her. ‘Oh… that’s really, really high. Maybe I should turn around and get Bunty and…’ Ashley gave a little shake to her head. ‘No, no. Don’t do that. Just go, you big baby. It’s over in a second…’ Frequently a war seemed to be raging in the Little’s head… between her old and new mind. Fortunately for Ron’s patience today, her old mind won out. “Whee!” she yelled in glee as she rocketed down the slide and to the bottom. “Very good, Ashley!” Miss Fiona praised, something the attendant had been doing more lately now that the Little was firmly in her class and needed some extra ‘encouragement.’ “Thanks, Miss Fiona!” Ashley popped off the slide and nearly bounced away like her whole day had been made just by that one compliment. Grabbing Bunty, she hugged the stuffy as tight as she could. “I made it Bunty! But… never again without you!” The Little seemed to be happy and carefree and started to walk away. Until she froze. Ron was regressed and from his file or just any casual observer however, they would know the extent of that regression, but also that he wasn’t like Melissa or Nancy. He had a general understanding of the world still… just in a reduced capacity with some of the physical aspects of a regressed Little. Also, and more critically, logic, reasoning, and critical listening skills seemed intact still. So, as he hopped off the slide, his face quickly contorted into one of concern as he saw his scared friend. “Ash? You okay?” Ashley nearly trembled in fear and then slightly nodded her head over toward the far fence. “There’s a man staring at me,” she whispered. “I’ve seen him before… he wants to take me away…” Ron’s eyes widened and slowly looked over to the figure that Ashley was referring to. “Oh! I see him,” Ron whispered back. Unlike Ashley though, his dependency on others was far more engrained. “Miss Fiona! Miss Fiona!” Miss Fiona ran over in a panic. “What is it, Ron? Ashley? Are you two okay?” Her fingers and eyes quickly frittered about the two Littles. Ron shrank away though and shook his head adamantly. “No, no! Over there!” His finger pointed toward the fence… now completely devoid of life. “But… there was a man!” “A man?” Miss Fiona narrowed her gaze and crouched down before looking deeply at both. “What did this man look like. Think really hard for me now.” Both Littles strained and scratched their heads. Ron just seemed to wince, but Ashley had looked longer. “I… I don’t know. He was in shadows… tall maybe. I… don’t know. I don’t think he was a Big, but… he looked familiar.” Ashley winced herself and squeezed Bunty even tighter than she had been before. “Why’d he look familiar, Miss Fiona?” “I don’t know. I wish I did though…” Miss Fiona sighed and then gave her classic concerned and lighter but still present smile. “I wouldn’t worry though… I’ll talk to Mrs. Jenkins. See what she has to say. For now, though… come with me and maybe play with some chalk where I can see you both.” Ron readily agreed and Ashley eventually agreed as well, but it was clear that even as she sat down in a defeated huff, her eyes never wandered too far away from the fence still. ‘Why did he look so… familiar? Like family maybe? Ugh! Why does my head get all… confusey about these things now?’ Ashley grimaced but Miss Fiona quickly broke her thoughts. “Ashley? Sweetie?” The Big came over and faced her directly. “Let me check your diaper, honey. Your mommy told me you’ve been having a few leaks lately. Just need to check really quick, okay?” Ashley only shrugged. ‘Just go quick, please. Ron’s already starting the chalk without me!’ Experienced and gentle as ever, Miss Fiona crept her hand into Ashley’s pink shortalls today, popped the snaps, and then went through the crotch of her onesie to feel the diaper underneath. “Hmmm… not too bad right now. I think you can wait until after recess…” She removed her hand and stood back. “Okay then… you join Ron now and I’ll grab you for a change afterward.” “Okay, Miss Fiona!” Ashley said enthusiastically before rushing off without a second thought to join Ron and the bucket of chalk he had next to him. * * * Day 121 – 8:01 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 “Daddy… where are we going?” Ashley asked as they drove in the car at night along the long and twisty road under the pale moonlight. “And… where’s Mommy?” Pete kept looking right ahead instead of back at his questioning Little in the back seat sitting in her booster seat. “A special place, sweetie. Mommy will meet us back at home, but this is… we need to do together. We need to go to a place where she can’t go.” “But I can?” Ashley paused for the briefest of moments. “Am I special Little, Daddy?” This time Pete looked into his rearview mirror and smiled. “Of course you are, baby. You always have been. Tonight though… I need to see just how special you really are. So, when we get in there tonight… I need you to be on your bestest behavior, okay?” Ashley looked a little nervous, but lately, Pete’s words seemed only out to help her… even if they were sometimes confusing or restrictive. “Okay, Daddy. I promise.” The car ambled up the curvy and dimly lit pathways before stopping at several gates. If Ashley hadn’t been ‘modified,’ she might have recognized them right away… or heard the guard checking Pete’s ID badge. Still, her face looked out the window once they were through, and her eyes squinted at the building in front of her now. ‘Weird… it looks so strange but so… familiar. Is this another gap?’ It seemed to be like a word one had before but just couldn’t recall. Finally, Ashley spoke up. “Daddy? Have I ever been here before?” Pete sighed as he parked and turned off the car. “Yes, honey. You have a few times. It has a fancy name but we call this place the facility.” “The facility… facility…” Ashley rolled the word around on her tongue as Pete unbuckled and then helped her out of the car, slinging her diaper bag over his shoulder. Before the night was over, she was likely going to need what was stored inside… Pete’s increased skill in that department almost shining as a testament to that fact now. Holding her hand tightly, Pete quickly shuffled Ashley inside the facility. Several of the security guards and staff in general seemed to know him and were quite friendly, but there was also a fair percentage of everyone the pair encountered that looked at them with increasing suspicion with each security checkpoint they passed. The continued stares were not lost on Ashley. ‘Wow! Daddy must be really famous… or are they staring at me?’ No sooner than she asked that question then when one burly security guard about fifteen minutes later answered it. “Good evening, sir. Late night business again?” he asked, his hands neutral but still inches away from a gun that looked about the size of Ashley’s head. “Oh, this and that really.” He then pulled the dumbfounded or at least full of wonder Ashley forward. “Need to check out this little one. You know how things are…” The guard, now seeing Ashley, flinched toward his gun. Pete nearly looked like he was about to faint, but when the guard looked at him questioningly, he shook his head. “Easy there, Davis. She’s no threat to you anymore.” The tension didn’t falter, so Pete sighed and turned to his Little. “Ashley… can you tell me where we are or the state of your diaper right now?” His words were blunt, and Ashley could easily follow them… if not quickly answer them in her own way at least. “Where we are?” She looked around and genuinely looked confused. “Are we… in a candy factory?” The guard seemed to ease up right away, but Pete also looked determined to never want to have to do this type of check again. “And your diaper, sweetie?” “My diaper?” Ashley questioned before Pete’s nodded confirmation. “I, uh…” She wiggled around a little and squinted as if she was trying to solve a complex problem in her head. “I…” Suddenly, inspiration seemed to hit, and her hands shot directly to the hem of her skirtalls. “I dunno, but let me lookie here and…” Just as the underside of her onesie could be seen, the pink of the background surrounding the unicorns emblazoned on it standing out very well, Pete lunged in and smiled before yanking her skirt back down. “No, no. That’s okay. Just wanted to answer a question of Davis here.” With her skirtalls now settled back down, Pete stood up and turned back to Davis. “Satisfied?” Now, it was already heavily and quite well-known to most Bigs that some Littles feigned regression in order to sneak into facilities these days. After all, when the cures for half of your world’s problems could just simply be accessed by wearing a diaper and just giggling, that opportunity is one that most wouldn’t pass up. Fakes used to be entirely common, but now… not so much. But even with that seeming fear in the back of his mind, as Davis looked over the innocent Little, his face slackened considerably, and his itchy trigger fingers moved away from his gun. Ashley was a good investigative journalist and undercover mole when she needed to be, but now… that type of pretend was no longer necessary… or maybe even possible. Davis sighed and looked apologetically at Pete. “Sorry, sir. Just… the last time she came in here, I thought she was harmless, and I didn’t stop her when I was checking the cameras. Next thing I know and she’s stolen files and…” Davis winced at the memory. “I understand,” Pete said calmly, flashing a sympathetic smile toward Davis. “You were just doing your job, but now that you see how she is now… can you let us through?” “Oh!” Davis quickly slid to the side and unlocked the door in front of them with a swipe of his own ID badge. “Sorry. Right this way.” “Thank you,” Pete said with a genuine warmth that was likely meant to ease the officer of the guilt still plastered all over his face. He then turned to Ashley and took her hand. “Come on, Sweetie. We need to get you checked out.” Ashley took Pete’s hand without a fuss and as they passed by Davis, with the hand holding tight onto Bunty, she waved the stuffy at him and grinned simply at the Big. “Bye Davis!” The guard chuckled and waved goodbye, and while neither Ashley nor Pete saw, as the door closed, he sighed and shook his head… muttering something about “there goes another one…” Back in the main lab though, there were several monitors, computers, a few cabinets of supplies, and even a few tubes of oddly colored liquid. ‘I wonder what those taste like…’ Ashley stared in wonder at it all, but her eyes quickly drew to the largest object station directly in the middle of the room. “What’s that, Daddy?” Pete sighed and guided her over to it before reaching under her armpits and setting her on the tray-like device that faced the large hole in the center of the almost doughnut-looking device. “This device… machine helps me see in your head,” he explained before starting to attach electrodes over his Little. “You probably have something like this back on Earth, but this one is a little more… extensive.” Ashley frowned and started to pick at the electrodes being attached to her chest, arms, and head. “Exten…?” “Extensive,” Pete confirmed. “Yes, but, honey…” His hands quickly batted her own away. “You need to keep those sensors own. If you don’t, I can’t get an accurate picture of what’s going on up here.” He pointed to his head and finished sticking the electrodes on to Ashley. “Now then… let’s get you lying down…” Pete then gently cradled his Little downward so that she was facing headfirst toward the opening in the machine. “Now, baby, I’m just going to attach a few straps to you, okay? I promise… nothing bad will happen to you, but… it might be a little scary, okay?” Ashley whimpered as the first reinforced cloth strap was quickly pulled over her waist. “Shh, shh…” Pete consoled his Little. “You hug Bunty there. Hug her tight and don’t let go. If you want… you can close your eyes but try not to move.” As Pete pulled over the final of four straps over Ashley, she looked utterly terrified. Bunty was about as close to her as she could get, but it didn’t seem to help much in the grad scheme of things… especially when Pete backed up and pushed a button that caused her to jerk backwards and into the machine. “Daddy!” “It’s okay, baby. Just breathe.” There was hesitation in Pete, but after a moment, his legs finally willed themselves to step into the other room with a simple window display of the large machine. The monitors blinking, and several images of Ashley soon popped up. “Okay, sweetie. Here we go… In 3… 2… 1.” Pete flicked the switch. All at once, a loud hum roared to life and the machine began to shake. Moments later, bright and flashing white lights began to bathe Ashley in a heavenly but terrifying glow. Moments after, Ashley clinging to Bunty as if her life depended on it, the noise turned to a clicking and then a banging sound. Ashley screamed. “Daddy!” she cried. “Get me out of here!” She clung to Bunty, almost disfiguring the poor stuffy on the spot and threatening to pop it in two. Only Big engineering and skill in its creation seemed to keep it together. “Almost there, honey…” Pete said, pain etched all over his face. There was clearly conflict going through his head, but he still seemed as determined as ever to finish the test. “One more switch!” In seconds, the machine crackled to life and little arcs of electricity began to light up all over Ashley. She screamed. The machine sounded like a thunderstorm going off and the whole thing buzzed and vibrated to the point where the world might have seemed like it had crumbled away from inside. Ashley’s diaper took a pounding… she screamed more and more. And then she blacked out. * * * Day 121 – 9:58 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Words seemed to drift around the peripheries of the blackness. Calming, soothing, and reassuring with every lyric spoken. It seemed so familiar and yet so distant, but soon, Ashley eyes began to creak open. Pete was cradling her close in the same room and was even singing to her. “I dreamed I held you in my arms. When I awoke, dear, I was mistaken. So… I hung my head and cried. You are m…” Pete stopped and looked down at Ashley with a relieved smile. “Oh, sweetie. You’re awake! Are you… are you okay?” The wrinkles of worry seemed more prominent right then than ever before. Ashley wiggled a little in his arms and Pete soon sat her back on the padded surface of the machine. “I... I think so, P… Daddy.” Her words seemed a little hesitant, but more from trying to find the right ones rather than forgetting them as sometimes happened to other Littles. “Wha… what happened? It was… so, so scary.” Pete nodded and rubbed her shoulder. “Yes, and I’m very sorry for that. The machine is very thorough, but that can mean it’s a little intense. I just…” He sighed. “I needed to be sure of something, and tonight’s results confirmed what I initially thought. And because of what I found… we might need to do this a few more times.” “What?” Ashley recoiled and gripped Bunty close to her like a shield against the monster machine to her left. “Please, no! That was really, really scary!” Pete’s expression turned sorrowful. “I know, baby. I know…” He then looked over and pulled up a single scan of her brain. “I wanted to check something, and… well, let me ask you this… do you feel like you’re maybe missing something from your brain? Like missing information or maybe even something you can’t quite describe but can feel the gap where it used to be?” Ashley’s eyes grew wide. “Yes! Ever since… well, I’m not sure… but yes! It feels so strange! It happened right before that old general and meanie Mr. Vasiliou came over.” Ashley was rageful but then blushed. “Wait… how’d you know about that?” Pete sighed and clicked on the screen to show different colors light up in her brain. “There’s no need to be embarrassed over something like that. I can see it all plainly here… I just wanted to confirm it with you just then. Now that you have… you see these darker areas?” Ashley nodded, and Pete clicked forward a few images. “Well, if you look closely, you can see some colors, and they’re dull, but… not black.” Ashley blinked back at the screen several times. The gap in her brain seemed to link up with what she was seeing, but the gap also seemed to be a bridge over the knowledge needed in order to put it all together. “Uh… so what does that mean?” Pete turned off the images. “Well, what it means is that I can help you with that gap if you want me to.” “Help me?” she questioned with both fear and intrigue. Pete nodded. “Yes, honey.” He then gestured to the machine again. “With this machine, while it can scan your brain, it can also redirect currents and stop or restart sections. Basically… if we do what we just did, I should be able to restore many of your memories. Probably not all of them, but definitely some… if you want.” Ashley flinched in her quick look at the machine. “But it’s so scary…” She clung to Bunty even closer now against her chest. “Yes, it can be,” Pete acknowledged, “and that’s okay for you to be scared of the machine. I can’t blame you there, but… don’t let your fear stop you if you want your memories back. In this case, it might only be a few weeks compared to years of memories in the future.” Ashley looked back at the machine once more and her diaper swelled a little as she trembled in its sheer presence. Pulling Bunty up to her face now, she sighed. Her emotions seemed to be at a tipping point but inside was at war as well. ‘He’s offering me the chance to fix this gap… Daddy can help me, but… I’m just so scared! Why does Daddy want to both hurt me and help me, but… why can’t it be both?’ Ashley seemed to debate the topic fiercely in her own mind and remained outward silent except for the occasional whimper and soft stroking sound as she petted Bunty gently. ‘I don’t want to, but another part of me does… if the gap wasn’t so big… if I wasn’t feeling like I was missing something huge… maybe I would do it. But… I am. I’m missing all that stuff and more. Daddy wants to help me, and maybe… maybe it’s like when he put that stinging cream on my owie the other day… hurt a lot, but he said it would help… I don’t want to do this, but…’ Ashley sighed and nodded her head. “Okay, Daddy. I agree, but on one condition…” Pete sat up and looked more intrigued than ever now. “And that is?” Ashley held Bunty up to present her to Pete. “I need to be able to bring Bunty along as well. Bunty can’t do everything for me, but… she’s definitely a big help for before and after…” Pete smiled and nodded. “Of course, baby.” He then came in for a hug and wrapped his arms tight around his Little. His face was awash with emotion and conflict and Ashley may have questioned him… if only she had seen it. Instead, as he backed away from the hug a few minutes later, both wore opposing expressions. While Pete was still clearly relieved, Ashley seemed in a pure state of panic. Pete noticed right away. “What’s wrong, sweetie? Headache? Upset stomach?” Ashley shook her head. “No, Daddy, but… what if you get in trouble with this? I didn’t hear much from meanie Vasiliou, but… he didn’t seem to like me very much, and I don’t think this would help… I don’t want you to leave Mommy or me! That would be awful!” Pete sighed but then smirked after he gave her a tiny hug. “I wouldn’t worry about any of that, honey. You let me worry about that. You… you just need to worry about bringing Bunty along next Wednesday with you, okay?” Ashley hesitated but still nodded. “Yes Daddy…” In moments, she had been helped off the table, but before they could leave, Pete was obviously directing her to the nearest restroom. Ashley wiggled a little. ‘Oopsie! I guess I need a change!’ Ultimately though, she only shrugged and took Pete’s hand as they left. * * * Day 125 – 3:48 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 As the days progressed, there was an odd sort of split with Ashley and her new life. While her memory still looked something like Swiss cheese, the gaps left behind a picture of what she was missing… and while she liked a lot of back then, she held a clear like for her time these days as well. In the nearly three weeks since the accident, the days had not only grown colder, but Betty and Pete seemed more determined than ever to spend time with Ashley. Little treats here and there, apple picking, baking pies, fixing the garden, and even coming back to the store during the day while Betty watched on vigilantly. It was a closeness that Ashley had been lacking for months now, and while the gap in her mind still seemed to concern her, there was a definitive happiness now as well. “Come on, Ash!” Pete encouraged as they hiked back into the main camp area on top of the mountain. Having just come from Hawk’s Nest once again, the trio huffed a little as they neared the cabins and campground in front of them. “Ranger program starts in just a few minutes!” “Coming!” Ashley yelled with some urgency. ‘Okay, Ranger Rick! Here I come, ready or not!’ Despite her exhaustion from the hike, Ashley made it just in time and quickly sat in the circle that had been formed around the ranger for the program. “Okay, you all! Has everyone got their booklets?” Many nodded or nearly screamed out “Yes!” but Ashley looked around in confusion. She then felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around. “Here you go, sweetie,” Betty said kindly as she handed the Little a stamp book of her own. Ashley took the booklet with glee. “Thank you, Mommy!” She then turned around and listened closely for the next instructions. Fortunately for the attention span of Littles, the ranger was quick, thorough, and above all, most entertaining. Ashley never broke eye contact once. “And what animal is this?” the ranger asked the class a little later. Ashley stared at the large sculpture in front of her. ‘Ooh! Ooh! I know! I know! It’s… crud! Another gap!’ Ashley strained and looked at the sculpture again. It had a large mane, tan fur, a tail, sharp teeth, and even a few leopard spots. Ashley squinted closer. “Uh… roar… roar… roar!” “Very good, Ashley!” the ranger complimented. “That’s probably what they sounded like, but I’m looking for a name. Any guesses?” Ashley tried to stammer out her answer… even if it might have been wrong. In truth, with her ‘roars’ and considering her embarrassment afterward, she was likely just thinking out loud… but the ranger didn’t know that, and unfortunately, along with her clue, another Little raised their hand and was called on. “The Liberalia Lion,” she stated proudly, looking at the group in a slightly superior manner, like that she was somehow better than the others. Ashley looked at her with envy and a slight pout. ‘Oh! I knew that! Mommy and I were here before and it was my favorite and…’ Ashley’s pout deepened, and she hugged Bunty closely. ‘Stupid Little… just because she isn’t wearing a diaper, doesn’t make her better than me… right?’ Ashley’s confidence had taken a hit in recent weeks. While much of her screamed that she was an adult, that concept seemed to be increasingly foreign to her. She had those memories still of driving and drinking and going on dates… but they were seeming more distant. New memories, like endless diaper changes, playing with Ron and Kyle at daycare, and loving things like Bunty were much fresher. Also, her enjoyment of certain activities seemed to cement her new status more as well. “For best effort and completion of the program,” the ranger announced as she went down the line a little later, “I present Ashley Jones with the bade of Little Ranger!” Several in the audience clapped, none more loudly than Betty and Pete… both looking more than a little prideful as the ranger pinned the badge onto Ashley’s shirt. Looking down, while the badge showed a cartoon version of Hawk’s Nest and an eagle overhead, Ashley showed a certain amount of pride herself. ‘I got it. I actually got it! Mommy and Daddy are going to be so happy with me, and…’ Ashley looked over and saw the other Little get an even shinier badge than her own. Ashley pouted a little more and just hugged Bunty tightly. ‘Stupid Little… I knew that answer. I was just… slow… But we’re not that different though, right?’ Ashley seemed like she was trying to convince herself of that fact, but the more she looked… the more that confidence appeared to fade. Then, as if to make matters all the more visible on the differences between the two, as soon as the crowd broke up, Betty came over and patted the Little’s rear and popped open the front of her shortalls to check her diaper. “Hmmm… looks like we’ve got a wet one here. Come on, baby. Let’s go get you changed.” Ashley could only continue to hug Bunty, take Betty’s newly offered hand, and waddle away to go get changed. ‘I’m still Big, right?’ * * * Day 128 – 9:34 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 A few days later Ashley was back at the facility, more determined than ever to show how much of a ‘big girl’ she really was. Lately, that was becoming increasingly difficult… Everywhere she seemed to go now, she was treated like any other Little. Maybe more pity or maybe some sympathy or respect that others didn’t seem to receive, but the end results were always the same. Despite her memory gap, per her nightly entries, she still had memories of being different than Ron. But now? Those differences were narrowing… and most of those were starting to come in the form of Betty’s care versus Joy’s for Ron. After all, Ashley still wasn’t breastfed. For some reason, that was one of the few things she seemed to remember from that mostly blank spot of the facility now. Regardless though, Ashley was determined to ‘fix’ that gap. So, armed with Bunty, she had reentered the machine at the facility under Pete’s close supervision. Once again, the machine shuddered, the sounds were nearly unbearable, and lights streaked everywhere… all followed by darkness. And again, Pete held her as she woke up. “…you. Please don't take my sunshine aw…” Pete stopped and looked down at his Little before tenderly easing a lock of Ashley’s hair out of her face and patting her bum in a supportive caring way. “There she is. There’s my girl…” Ashley smiled and while there looked like a hesitation to stay in Pete’s arms… safe and content, she ultimately wiggled away and wavered a bit as she then sat by herself. “Did… did it work, Daddy?” Pete looked a little disappointed but nodded. “I think so. Hard to know for sure, but I’ll keep an extra close eye on you to monitor your…” There was a loud thud at the door before it swung open completely, followed by an impatient general… the same that had been at the house after Ashley had woken up. ‘Uh, oh. Is he going to take my Daddy away from me?’ Ashley clung tight to Bunty. “General… what can I do for you tonight?” Pete asked, his calm and resolve seemingly untouched by the loud and intrusive invasion. “I see you’re taking the steps you talked about with your daughter,” he noted coldly as he observed Ashley for a moment, sending a chill through her body. “I assume that means you did what we asked for? No questions asked and a better formula than the last one?” Pete nodded with a great deal of hesitancy and regret. “I did. In fact, we should be moving onto testing soon of the second formula. One of my colleagues should be arriving soon with our first subject to establish as a baseline for comparison and…” Pete looked over the general’s shoulder and nodded and waved. “Oh! You two are here. Come on in. Just finishing up!” Brushing past the general, two Bigs appeared. The first was a woman decked head to toe in hospital scrubs with silly cartoon pictures all over them. The second was definitely a Big from her height… but that seemed about it that was remotely ‘mature’ on her. Sporting a light blue gingham romper complete with frills around the shoulders, the Big waddled in. It only took a second for even Ashley to smell the immense scent of lavender and baby powder coming off her… leaving little doubt as to what was under the massive bubble of material stationed between the Big’s thighs, butt, and waist. “Oh, you…” the general looked at the Big with a disdain that probably could have been seen from space. “Little Hilda seems like she’s coming along nicely, huh, Pete?” Pete sighed and then nodded begrudgingly. “Yes, she is. I was hoping to use my formula for another purpose, but…” His eyes glanced over toward Ashley. “It’s personal,” the general filled in. “I understand that. Probably weren’t thinking we would go to these extremes, but… we also had to set an example. Can’t think of a finer one to show the community what happens to even Bigs when they cross the lines of secrecy and tamper with other experiments. Isn’t that right, nurse?” The nurse nodded. “Very right, sir, but also… she goes by Hildy now. Hilda was the old version… the fully Big version of her. And as I’m sure you can agree on and that you can see… she’s very different now.” “As planned…” the general said smugly. There was almost a sadistic look in his eyes, but he soon turned back to Pete and patted him on the back. “Very good work here, Pete. Your trade will work wonders for us. Can’t wait to see the next iteration of your formula if Hilda… sorry, Hildy was the first batch.” Smiling, the general then left as quickly as he had entered. Once gone, Pete sighed. “Geesh, I can’t believe I’m working with him again. Feel like I’ve sold my soul.” “But very worth it I take it?” the nurse questioned. “Fine anything valuable tonight or fix anything?” Pete nodded. “Yes. The machine works great, but… still a long way to go…” As the two talked, Ashley stood there with Bunty and waited for her Daddy to finish up. ‘Come on, Daddy! I’m getting’ all sleepy an’… this big lady… baby? I don’t know… she’s making me uncomfortable… like I hate her… but I don’t know her, so that can’t be right… right?’ Ashley squirmed uncomfortably, but at the same time, the other ‘baby’ did as well. Hildy grimaced and scowled for a moment, before looking as near to being relieved as someone in her state likely could get. It didn’t take long for anyone in the room to figure out what had happened. “Oh dear…” The nurse waved her hand in front of her nose with a playful smile over her face. “Guess that feeding from earlier finally caught up to little Hildy here, huh? Isn’t that right, Sweetums?” she cooed down at the ‘Big’ before her. They looked about the same age, but now… that gap never looked larger… especially when Hildy only grinned back and chortled slightly. “Well… it might not all be her…” Pete noted, now glancing over to Ashley. “I thought I felt a little present from my Little as well earlier.” “Daddy!” Ashley yelled, hiding behind Bunty… her embarrassment over the state of her diaper being something that hadn’t happened in weeks now… something that Pete seemed to quickly take notice of. “Awww… someone’s a little shy about their diapers…” He beamed down at his Little… looking almost prideful. “Well,” the nurse said, taking Hildy to one side and laying her down with a toy, “I guess tonight was a bit of success after all, huh, Pete? Maybe the machine has an even better use now as well?” Pete shrugged. “Not sure… best not tell the general though… If his plans are right, we might need that secretive backup just in case…” The nurse nodded and Ashley took Pete’s hand right away and began to tug him away. At the same time though, she looked back at Hildy. ‘I don’t know why you look so familiar and yet I dislike you so much, but… whatever the reason, I definitely don’t care now. You’re a baby too!’ Ashley shook her head. ‘No, no. You know different, Ash. You’re an adult… remember that… remember that…’ Another yank from Ashley, and Pete made his excuses, and the pair left… right towards the nearest restroom. * * * Day 129 – 4:56 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley loved the pool and while she hadn’t been much this past summer, she still would remember the feeling of coming up for air after being underwater for an extended period of time. A breath of fresh air, the water cascading off her hair and face, and then maybe a slight breeze and the sun beating down on her face. When she got back home the previous night… that’s exactly what she described. Except in this case, it was with her mind. The gap was still there for sure and many of her abilities seemed diminished, like the messy diaper Pete changed before they left the facility, but any outside observer could see a change in Ashley. Not the person she was, but it seemed even at daycare today that she had traded regular oven mitts for ones with rubber grips. Still not great enough to play the piano, but marginally better… and in Peirama, that was a rarity. “Come on, sweetie,” Mrs. Jenkins beckoned towards Ashley, now sitting on the floor and playing with Bunty with Ron and Kyle. Ron was as giddy as ever while Kyle said rarely more than ten different words anymore. Smiling wide, Ashley hopped up and ran out the doorway to the main lobby, quickly nearly jumping into Betty’s awaiting arms. “Hello Mommy!” “Hey there, sweet pea! Have a good day today?” she asked, taking Ashley’s diaper bag from Mrs. Jenkins and mouthing ‘thank you’ to her. “Uh huh,” Ashley confirmed as Betty hoisted her up on her hip and walked out of the daycare. “I beat Ron at checkers! I double hopped him!” Betty smiled. “Oh? That sounds like quite the accomplishment. Maybe… something new?” Betty had left the question hanging, but as part of an answer to it, Ashley nodded, understanding her implication fully now. “Yep! I figured it out! Can you believe that, Betty?” Betty had been buckling Ashley in her booster seat in the back of her car but quickly stopped and looked at Ashley with wonder and shock. “Sweetie? Did you just call me… Betty?” Ashley smiled but almost looked confused before nodding. “Oh, wow! I did, didn’t I? I… Betty sounds wrong, but… I know it’s right! So strange! Must be the treatments that Pe… Daddy has been giving me.” There was a look of happiness all over Betty, but there was almost a sadness behind her eyes as well. “That’s wonderful, sweetie. I’m so proud of you.” She smiled as if she was worried about shattering her face if she smiled too hard before leaning over and giving Ashley a quick hug. It was all genuine, but there was a feeling of loss that Ashley picked up on. ‘Is Mo… Betty okay? Is she sad that I’m not calling her ‘Mommy’ anymore? It feels so right and yet so wrong now, but… I just don’t know what to do?’ So, it wasn’t a major shock when Ashley looked at Betty with concern. “Betty… are you okay?” Betty was distant and it seemed to take a moment for Ashley’s question to register. “I… I’m fine, sweetie. Just… a long day. Lots to think about…” She gave a deft smile once more and then closed the car door… no extra flourishes or playtime as she had been doing for a little while now. Ashley could only look onward as Betty sat in the car and started to backout to drive back home. If one looked close enough though, they might have noticed the loss written over her face as well… * * * Day 134 – 10:46 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 It was another day at daycare and the fall leaves scurried about in the faint breezes of the oncoming cold weather. Ashley was dressed in a pair of overalls with leaves and pumpkins embroidered on them to mark the occasion. Now, only ten days away from Halloween, all the Little were excited about their costumes and the candy they would receive. “I’m going as a clown!” Olly announced, his presence back in the daycare a welcome sign to most who knew him before. Only problem though… most of that crowd was now either regressed mildly or just plain too regressed. Fortunately, Ron and Ashley had more than taken on the slack over the lack of other relatable Littles. “Oh no!” Ron nearly screamed. “Not a clown! Clowns are scary!” “Are not,” Olly shot back, tossing the ball over to Ron with some effort. “Are so!” Ron shouted, nearly pegging the ball back at Olly. Olly grunted as he caught the ball and then groaned at the response before turning to Ashley as he tossed the ball over to her. “Hey Ash! Be the tiebreaker here!” “Huh?” Unfortunately, Ashley was too distracted by her own issues and had nearly completely tuned out their conversation… and didn’t see the ball until it sailed past her face and over to the fence. Holding Bunty didn’t hep matters either… “Drats!” Olly cursed. “Come on, Ash!” Ashley sighed and looked over where the ball had gone. “Sorry… I’ll go get it…” She then rustled off to go searching for it… a little fear still present as a result of seeing the previously present shadowy figure. Curiously, he hadn’t shown up in at least a week now. “Oh… where are you?” Ashley bent over and pulled back several branches to look underneath the fallen leaves of the bioengineered trees. It was Fall for sure, but… Utem wasn’t exactly flush with trees everywhere… except in Peirama, in no small part of thank to Betty’s efforts. A stick then cracked, and Ashley spun around in a panic, her eyes wide as she held a single stick up to defend herself. “Hey there, Ash,” the shadowy figure said, his closer appearance obvious to anyone paying the slightest bit of attention or with a good memory. Ashley, however, did not have that luxury and trembled like one of the fallen leaves around her feet. “I… I… you’re…” Ashley froze and then took a deep breath of air. “Hel…!” “Ashley!” Betty ran up behind the shadowy figure and clung to the fence. “It’s okay… it’s me. You can trust him.” “B… Betty?” Ashley still trembled and her knees wobbled precariously, but she edged closer to get a better look at her Big. Sure enough though, with a little more light and a little clearer view, it was definitely Betty. “Wha… what are you doing here? Wh… who is that with you?” Betty sighed. “Just breathe, Ash. We just want to talk to you and… well, that gets a little tough around here.” She then gestured over to the still shadowy figure. “Now… think. I know you and… Daddy have been helping your mind each Wednesday. Had a few now, so he should be clearer. Can you remember his name?” Ashley squinted at the shadowy figure, and while his near hidden appearance wasn’t helping, there was definitely a look of recognition on her face… followed by confusion. Betty picked up on it right away. “Sweetie? Everything okay?” she asked with her typical warm and genuine concern. “Can you not remember who he is?” Ashley shook her head but then tossed her hands up in seeming defeat. “Ugh! I… I wanna say yes, I know him, but… I just keep thinking of my family. Like… like he’s my cousin or… or… brother?” The shadowy figure chuckled. “You want to tell her, or do you want me to?” Betty shook her head as she looked behind her at the shadowy figure. “No, me… I’ll do it.” She then turned back to Ashley. “Baby? You are right. You met this man a while ago and because it’s secretive… you called him ‘Brother.’” It was like a light switch had suddenly been turned on her head and her eyes widened. “Oh! Oh! Brother! Yes! I…” She then trailed off. “I know more… but its all kinda fuzzy still. Still… you were going to help me… leave?” Brother nodded. “That’s right. Anything else?” Ashley strained a little, but in the end, she could only tearfully shake her head. Betty patted her hand through the fence. “That’s okay, honey. We’re all three here now and that’s what’s important. Well, beyond…” Brother placed his hand on her shoulder and stopped her dead. ‘What the…? Darn it! What was she going to tell me? I need to know! This is a gap in my memory, and I feel… I don’t know why I feel this way… but I wanna say that he’s connected to me escaping and that caused the gap!’ Ashley looked concerned and pressed closer to the fence. “Betty… what’s beyond? What’s more important?” Betty sighed, and before Brother could do anything more, she smiled. “Sweetie… we have a plan for this place, and more importantly… you.” Ashley nearly lost her breath.

Sigh... some chapters are easier than others... Enjoy... Chapter 58 I heard Mommy let Auntie-J in, but I didn’t dare turn around. Partly because I didn’t want her to see my onesie where it said, “Naughty Boy”, and partly because my eyes were red from crying. I felt too embarrassed to face Mommy’s sister. I just stood in the corner, trying to will myself to just shrink away out of sight. I overheard them talking and, needless to say, I was the primary topic of their conversation. Julia started with, “I thought you wanted to have an adult conversation with Mom, going to be tricky with somebody wearing a diaper in the corner.” “Well, that was the original plan. But he came home a bit tipsy and the next thing you know… Well, you see the results,” Mommy replied. Julia wondered, “So what happened yesterday?” I heard a clatter of silverware and Mommy, “Here would you mind? Mom stopped by while I was out and Michael was home alone.” Julia’s voice seemed to shift a little as she must be walking around the table setting it for dinner. Her voice sounded concerned when she asked, “Oh oh… did she paddle him or something? Is she that freaky?” I heard one of them stirring something in a glass as Mommy explained, “No, but if I hadn’t come home when I did, she might have. She put him in a maid’s uniform and Michael was bent over, desperately trying not to cum right in front of her. Just a second…” Things were quiet for a moment, then I heard plates being placed on the table. Mommy lifted her voice a little, “Mikey, time for dinner, come sit down.” I turned around and approached the table. I stopped for a moment when I saw the three place settings. Two were steaming plates of chicken and green vegetables, placed before Mommy and Auntie-J. But the third had a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich, cut into four sections and some potato chips. I was about to open my mouth and complain, but the two ladies were already sitting down and placing napkins across their laps. Mommy glanced up at me, “Sit dear. Or would you rather be sent to the nursery without any dinner at all?” I pouted as I pulled out my chair. Sitting down, I winced when my sore butt made contact with the hard seat. Auntie-J was already putting a bite in her mouth. I watched a moment as she closed her eyes and savored her dinner then said, “Mmm.. this is great. How is it you cook so much better than me sis?” She reached for her wine glass, took a sip and continued, “Seriously Sarah, you HAVE to show me how to make this.” I lowered my eyes to my meager dinner as Mommy accepted the praise, “Thanks sis, honestly there’s no real secret, I just have a knack for cooking I guess. There’s a third serving in the kitchen still if you want to take some home. I made it for Michael, but… under the circumstances, he’s lucky I even made him that.” I felt lower than low. Like that old cowboy saying, “Lower than a sidewinder’s belly.” I had a couple of beers and the next thing you know, I’m trying to fuck my wife’s mouth like some porn fantasy. A part of me realized just how thoughtless I was. I squirmed as my bottom was still burning. But my thoughts were interrupted when Mommy said to me, “Eat your dinner baby. After that you’re grounded. You’ll spend the rest of the night in the nursery.” Grounded?!?!?! The nursery the rest of the night? I blurted out, “That’s not fair!! Don’t I get to talk to your Mom about… about what happened?” Both ladies stopped and looked at me. I may have said too much. Then Mommy said in a very quiet voice, “I told you I’d take care of that Michael, and I will. A promise is a promise. But you know how I feel about you grabbing my head when I suck your dick, and yet you did it anyway. I’ve warned you before. Now eat your dinner.” Auntie-J looked down at her plate as she cut her chicken, “Ohhh, I hate it when guys do that too Sarah. I don’t blame you.” Now, I don’t mind a PB&J now and then. Normally if Mommy had fixed me one, I’d have eaten it gratefully. But when I took a bite, it tasted like paste in my mouth. I could smell their dinner and Mommy was still punishing me for what I had done. A spanking was one thing, but this dinner and being grounded. Wasn’t this going too far? They talked a bit more, but I only caught some of it. Mommy explained to Auntie-J, “Yeah, we have a safe word, it’s ‘pineapple’. But Mikey doesn’t like to say it, he gets pretty deep into baby head space. Even when I paddled him tonight. He could’ve put a stop to his punishment, but deep down, he needs a mommy more than he sometimes can admit.” Auntie-J nodded, “Best tell Mom that too. Sammy’s is ‘prune juice’. If she ever says that I know I need to stop. She told me her spanking Sunday; she was very close to using it.” Then she added, “Speaking of Sammy, I’m going to see her this weekend. She wants to show me around town. We might see her mom.” Mommy replied, “From what Sammy said about how she treated her after being assaulted, I’m not sure I’d want to meet her. Sounds like an uptight bitch.” Auntie-J replied, “As opposed to our mom?” Then they both laughed. Soon they finished their dinner and got up, taking their dishes away. Mommy glanced over her shoulder at me, “Finish up baby, when you’re done you can crawl your sorry butt to the nursery.” I stared at my half-eaten sandwich and munched a couple of chips. I took a deep swallow from my sippy cup and sighed. The ladies cleared away the rest of the dinner dishes and Mommy put the third serving of chicken in a container for Auntie-J to take home. Finally, Auntie-J came back and stood over me. She put a hand on my shoulder and said softly, “You really screwed up sweetie. But give her time, she still loves you. Just try to do better.” Then she gestured toward my plate, “Finished with that?” I couldn’t eat any more, so I just nodded. But then she said softly to me, “Wait here a second Michael, I need to talk to Sarah.” ++++++++++ Sarah had fixed a great dinner for me, but she was obviously mad at her husband. Little Mikey was standing in the corner in a diaper and onesie when I arrived. I didn’t want to get too involved between them, but it’s clear that Mikey had done something pretty egregious. But when Sarah had made him just a sandwich for dinner and said he was grounded to the nursery, that was too much. I made up my mind to intervene, at least a little. As we finished up, Sarah told her naughty boy that he needed to go to the nursery. I went back to get his dishes and told him to stay put. I carried his plate to the kitchen and put a hand on my sister’s arm and told her in a whisper, “Sarah, you can’t ground him to the nursery.” She blinked and stared at me, then said, “Julia, I’m the mommy… you know what he did… he tried to fuck my mouth and wouldn’t let go. I had to punch him in the balls!!!” I tightened my grip a little and answered, “I know, guys sometimes are shit! But you still can’t do it. You paddled him, made him eat a crappy sandwich for dinner. If you think he needs something more, fine. Keep his dick locked for a day or something. But you CAN NOT GROUND HIM.” By now, I had raised my voice. I knew Michael heard every word, but I was adamant. Her face was getting red; we were heading for a fight. But I knew I was right in this, so I raised my hand and shook my finger at her like I would have to do when we were little. I had to get it through her head, so I spelled it out, “Sarah, you know he has abandonment issues. Pushing him away like this, leaving him alone in the nursery… You want him to have another panic attack? Is that really what you want? Games are games, and yes, force-fucking your mouth without permission was wrong! But you can’t make him feel alone and abandoned!!” She froze. She opened her mouth as if about to argue with me, then closed it again. That had taken the fight out of her. Her shoulders sagged and she dropped her gaze. Then she replied, “No… No I don’t want that. You’re right. I was just so mad…” I eased off a little, “I know you were, when a guy did that in college, I did the same thing. I punched him in the balls and then stood up and kicked him hard and walked away. I know some women might like being treated like a slut sometimes, but it still needs to be consensual.” I turned my head to see Michael still sitting at the table and I said loudly, “And some women NEVER LIKE IT!!!” He gulped and dropped his chin and nodded a little. I watched as she chewed her lip for a moment. Then she leaned to look at Michael and said, “Okay, you’re not grounded. But you don’t get unlocked until morning, understand?” I watched them carefully. Michael looked over at his mommy and nodded. I heard Sarah clear her throat a little as she stared at him. Then Michael whispered, “Yes Mommy, I understand, mister dinky doesn’t get any playtime tonight.” That seemed to satisfy my sister, she turned back to loading the dishwasher as she said to her husband, “Now, go watch some tv and I’ll bring your bottle in a minute.” I glanced over and Michael was dropping to his hands and knees, crawling towards the living room. ++++++++++ When Julia said I couldn’t ground my naughty little boy, I almost lost it. We had both agreed not to interfere with each other and our ‘littles’. Yet here she was, telling me what I can’t do. But then she brought up his abandonment issues and it was like a glass of cold water thrown in my face. I was still mad about what he had done and was reacting like our own mom would have. Spanking, no dinner (well, not much of one) and grounding the offender. But Julia reminded me, Michael isn’t either of us. I needed to take into account who he is. If I had gone through with sending him to his nursery and ignoring him, that was the one thing he would NOT respond to well. Dang it, she’s right. But I still need to do something… I rescinded his being grounded and said he stayed locked until morning. As I huffed and went back to loading the dishes, it struck me… But that’s just what I told Michael I would NOT do… use his chastity cage as a punishment! Damn it!! How do I get myself into these messes… Well I’m NOT about to change my mind again! I’ll deal with it in the morning, after I’ve had a chance to sleep on it. Julia stood next to me, not saying another word. When I closed the dishwasher, I saw Mikey lying on the sofa sucking his pacifier. I leaned back against the counter and looked at Julia, saying, “This mommy stuff is rough at times. Thanks sis, you were right.” She gave me a smile and said, “You’d do the same for me. We all get upset and forget things sometimes.” After she hugged me, I asked, “You really kicked him in the balls?” She giggled a little, “Oh yeah. He crumpled on the floor. Frankly, he’d been a bit of a jerk all night. Later I found out his dad got him out of trouble for assaulting some girl before that. Hearing that later, I didn’t feel the least bit guilty of what I had done.” I nodded, then added, “Well at least you don’t have to worry about Sammy. Little girls behave so much better than boys.” She blinked and stared at me, then remembering our own childhood, we both burst out laughing and said together… “NOT!!!” I felt better and started making up the two bottles my little troublemaker would have tonight, one in a few minutes, one when my alarm went off at two. I even fixed strawberry, his favorite. After putting one in the fridge, I asked Julia to grab a bib from the drawer by the dining table and headed to the living room. I wasn’t smiling, but I wasn’t still mad as I approached my little boy and told him, “Lift up a second sweetheart, time for your baba.” He did and soon I had him nestled in my lap, a bib tucked under his chin and gently pushed the bottle to his lips. He stared up into my eyes as he started suckling and now I smiled. I couldn’t stay mad forever, and he was behaving; quiet and snuggly. Julia sat in the wing-backed chair and watched silently for a few minutes. Mikey closed his eyes as he suckled, and I stared at his face a few minutes. Then Julia broke the silence by asking, “Do you know what you’re going to say to Mom?” I sighed, I really had no idea where to begin. I told Julia the truth, “Not really. I mean, I don’t want to shut her out of things completely. She wants to be part of both of our new families. I know she’s lonely at times and all that. But she needs to respect some boundaries. Sammy and Mikey are still adults and deserve to be treated like that.” I looked down as Mikey shifted a little, still nursing from his bottle. I giggled, “Well you know what I mean. Yes, they’re babies at times, but… oh… you know what I’m trying to say.” ++++++++++ Watching Sarah feeding a bottle of milk to Mikey and saying he deserves to be treated like an adult made me giggle as well. But yeah, I get the idea. I knew the same thing applies to my Sammy. Yes, she’s an adult and deserves respect, but she’s like Mikey in the sense they want to be treated as little toddler-babies at times. As I looked at Sarah, feelings of being her big sister came up from deep within. I wasn’t sure how I could talk to Mom any better, but this was my little sister. So, I perked up and asked her, “You want me to go first? I’ll talk to her about Sammy and some rules, then you can join in if you want to add anything.” She smiled at me and simply said, “That sounds great.” With a nod towards the coffee table she added, “The PIN is 743811. It’s almost seven-thirty. You don’t want to be late.” I smirked a little as I reached for her tablet. Well, I stepped into that one. I chuckled a little and said, “Now you owe me even more. Quite a debt you’re running up sis.” I opened her tablet and started the video app, then waited for Mom to log in. When she did, she was a little startled, “Ah, there we…. Oh! Did I do something wrong and dial you Julia? I’m sorry, I was trying to chat with Sarah.” I smiled and replied, “No, you’re fine Mom. Sarah just asked me to call in with her tablet, she’s still feeding Mikey his bottle.” I flipped the tablet around so she could get a glimpse of Sarah holding Mikey in her lap and feeding him the last of his bottle. Sarah waved and said, “Hi Mom. Sorry, Mikey’s a bit behind schedule tonight.” As I flipped the tablet back to talk with her, Mom adjusted her glasses and wondered, “Oh, I didn’t realize he was on a strict feeding schedule. I never bothered with schedules with you girls. I just fed you when you got hungry. Shall I call back in a few minutes?” I hurried to move forward and said, “No… no it’s okay. I need to speak with you as well. The three of us have to get some things straight. Now that Sarah and I are… well, involved with some rather unique people, we want to set some ground rules.” “Yes, I gathered something like that was in order. Apparently, I crossed some sort of line yesterday with Michael,” she admitted. I took a deep breath, glanced at Sarah and came right out with it. I said simply, “Mom, we have to have a talk about consent with these things. You can’t just breeze into Sarah’s and Michael’s house, tell Michael to put on a dress and start treating him like some baby girl.” She opened her mouth but I wasn’t finished, “What Michael and Sarah agree to do is between them and nobody else. Same with Sammy and me. Sammy and I have a few things worked out, I know what I’m allowed to do anytime I want, and what I have to ask her consent before doing. And I would bet that Sarah and Michael have similar limits.” I looked over and Sarah was nodding. It looked like Mikey’s bottle was empty as she tugged it from his lips and quickly guided a pacifier into his mouth. Mom looked a bit stunned, she started stammering, “I… I never meant to hurt anyone. And it never occurred to me that Michael didn’t enjoy himself…Girls, you… you have to believe me… I don’t want to cause any harm.” For her to stammer and stutter, I could tell she was truly stunned. “Nevertheless Mom, Sammy and Michael don’t know you like Sarah and me. For this sort of activity, it takes a lot of trust. Trust not only about not hurting them physically, but trust that you aren’t going to hurt them emotionally,” I tried to explain. I was started on a roll, so I kept the ball moving, “And just because Michael gets a hardon a lot, that doesn’t give you permission to tease him and flip him into ‘little girl’ space.” Mom tried to protest that last point, “But dear, I didn’t touch his penis. I didn’t say anything about his condition or that I was going to anything of the sort. I can hardly help it if the man reacts that way…” I sighed and looked over at Sarah and little Mikey. I was going to have to explain it all. Spell it out. I said as much to Sarah, “I’m going to have to explain it to Mom. Explain how things are and everything.” When I said that, Mikey buried his face against Sarah’s chest and nodded. Sarah put a hand in his hair and stroked it. Then Sarah nodded and said, “Go ahead, it’s probably for the best that she understands.” Seriously Sarah, you owe me another dinner for all of this! I looked back at Mom and started: “Mom, you need to understand two things about Michael. You don’t need to know why, or try to fix them, but you need to at least understand them.” “First, it may be old fashioned, but he honestly believes that if he climaxes with another woman, even accidentally, that’s tantamount to cheating on Sarah. And he never… EVER wants to do that. He loves her deeply and would feel incredibly guilty if that happened.” “Second, he suffers from some severe premature arousal problems. Just the thought of being diapered in front of a woman can get him started. Sarah tells me they seldom even get as far as actual penetration before Michael… well before he finishes.” “That’s why he prefers to wear a chastity cage whenever I come over and he’s playing baby games. So that he won’t get aroused and cheat on Sarah.” Mom was quiet for several seconds. I waited as she seemed to be processing things. Finally, she spoke up and said, “Julia, Sarah, I have to be honest with you. I didn’t realize any of this. When I was… well, playing, with Cathy, we had a mutual understanding. I knew what she would like and what she didn’t. We never really had to have explicit consent given; we just did what we liked.” Sarah spoke up from across the room, “What? You mean you never went too far for the other one? Never used a safe word?” Now it was Mom’s turn to stun us, “What, is a safe word? I’m not familiar with that.” ++++++++++ It was late, almost ten o’clock. And my tablet’s battery was fading when we finally hung up. We had talked with Mom about a lot of things, safe words, our limits on public displays, my limits on what she can do with Mikey, or Shelly, when I’m not around. Julia explained some of her limits with Sammy, mostly having to do with anything that might look like a man’s penis. And some of the questions she asked us gave us more of an idea of how her and the mysterious ‘Cathy’ got along. I think she forgot that Michael was in the room, she opened up about several things. But when she asked us if either Julia or I actually ‘squirt’ from our vaginas, we both shivered and told her, “ewww… we can’t talk to you about that Mom…” and quickly changed the subject. It's great to have an open dialog with your parent, but the idea of her and…nope nope nope. Don’t need to know… After signing out, Julia set the tablet down and stretched her arms, “I love you sis, but it’s late. I need to work tomorrow, and YOU need to figure out how you’re going to pay me back for this.” I looked down at my little boy as he stretched and started to sit up. I asked him, “Feel better now sweetie? I said we’d set some rules and limits on her, and we did.” He nodded and smiled behind his pacifier, then leaned and touched my cheek with it in his mouth, a sort of ‘pacifier kiss’. He mumbled, “Yeth mummy… dank yous.” I smiled at him and patted him on the bottom, telling him, “Now go give Auntie-J a kiss goodnight, she needs to leave, and Mommy needs to get you ready for bedtime.” ++++++++++ As I crawled over to Auntie-J, I looked up and tried to whisper, “dank yous auntie, you helped lots.” She kissed my cheek and winked at me, saying softly, “It’s what family is all about.” As I crawled to the nursery, Mommy said goodnight to Auntie-J. I climbed onto the bed and waited, Soon Mommy came in and went to the dresser to get a fresh diaper. She turned and looked at me, then reached into the ‘toy’ drawer. That made me nervous, was she going to stuff my bottom with one of those butt plugs? I let out a sigh of relief when I saw that she didn’t have one in her hand. She turned and stared at me, as if thinking. She came to me and reached between my legs to unsnap my onesie. Then she tugged a little and said softly, “Sit up for me sweetie.” I did so and she started tugging my onesie off. But she stopped as she pulled it over my head without taking out my arms. Then she went behind me and gripped my arms gently. She said softly, “Now just twist your arms, over and over… like this…” Soon my onesie was wrapped around my wrists several times behind my back. Her hands gently pulled me back, causing me to lie back down, arms trapped underneath me. I spit out my pacifier and was puzzled as she started to change my diaper, “Mommy? Mommy what are you…” She reached up and put a finger against my lips, telling me, “Shh…shh… I promised you I wouldn’t use your chastity cage as a punishment.” She had her key in her hand and unlocked me. Then she used a baby wipe to clean my beans and dick. She smiled at me as she slowly started stroking me up and down. I was still puzzled, but my dick knew exactly what it wanted to do, and I started getting hard. She said softly, “I shouldn’t have punished you while I was mad. But I think for a while I can’t really trust your hands quite as much.” She gently caressed my balls as she said, “And we wouldn’t want to keep your baby cock locked up too long…. The poor thing might get even smaller…” She winked at me as she leaned forward and kissed the tip of my cock. When I gasped, she flicked her tongue out and licked the underside. As her tongue lifted away, she smiled and added, “From now on, maybe we’ll just keep your hands safely tucked away when Mommy is going to give you special kisses.” And with that, her mouth descended and took me in completely. I squirmed and tugged at my arm, but the tangled onesie kept my hands secured. She was moving her mouth slowly. When I tried to thrust faster, she stopped, lifted away and said, “Does Mommy need to strap your hips down too? Now behave yourself sweetie… Mommy knows what she’s doing.” I whimpered and did my best to lay still as her mouth descended again. Soon I was spreading my legs as wide as I could as her tongue flicked over and around my cock. She tickled my smooth balls as I struggled to remain still. I started pleading, “M..m..mommy…. Mommy I… I want to cum… p…Please….” She just lifted away and reminded me, “If you had been good this afternoon, you would have cum then.” She didn’t wait for a response; she just lowered her mouth again. I couldn’t help it; I lifted my hips a little. She just sat up straight and slapped my thigh, scolding me, “I said to sit still sweetie…” Her teasing was driving me wild, but I had to prove I could be a good boy… I was torn between my own lust and pleasing Mommy. I whimpered again, “Please… I’ll be a good boy… I’ll try my best Mommyyyyy.” She lowered her mouth again and started moving her head up and down faster. I felt her fingers gently caress my aching balls. Then suddenly, a finger probed against my ass and that was all I could stand. I gasped as I stiffened my legs and climaxed, pumping my little load of cum into her warm mouth. She sat up and smiled as she wiped her lips, saying, “That’s all I ever want sweetheart, for you to try your best.” Soon she had my limp cock safely diapered, without my cage. She helped me sit up and untangled my wrists. As she did so, she casually mentioned, “Maybe Mommy will have to get some cuffs to keep naughty hands out of the way.” I blushed hard as she tugged a nightgown over my head and took my hand. Soon we were snuggled together in our bed with the light turned off. I whispered, “I’m sorry I was so stupid earlier. I can only blame it on being drunk.” She patted my diapered bottom, “I had warned you. But it’s over now, we’ll just have to make sure you don’t repeat it.” I nuzzled closer to her, “I love you Mommy.” She kissed my head and gently pushed a pacifier in my mouth, “I love you too, now get some sleep sweetie… tomorrow is our first ‘maintenance Thursday’.” It was clear she wasn’t going to say anymore, and she wanted me to be quiet now. I cuddled with her and fell asleep. To Be Continued

Emily is playing in the living room when a quite unexpected guest arrives... Though maybe "guest" is the wrong term. --- Every update I post is available on my Ream and SubscribeStar pages one week before it is posted everywhere else. For $5 you can see everything I post before the rest of the diapered world. For $10 you can see every update early plus EVERY exclusive story I have written. That's 35 stories available ONLY on my subscription pages and nowhere else! I rely on my wonderful subscriber's support to be able to write like I do. Writing is my only income and the money I earn goes to help paying the bills, food and everything else my wife and I need. Everyone's support is HUGELY appreciated, without it I would have to find other work and I wouldn't be able to write nearly as much as I do, maybe at all. So thank you to everyone who checks out my subscriber pages and considers supporting me ❤️ https://reamstories.com/elfy https://subscribestar.adult/elfy --- Emily sat in her playpen. She was surrounded by her toys whilst the television played a cartoon of some inoffensive cartoon people talking about morals. “Playing” was something Emily had become much better at in recent times. When you aren’t given an option to do anything else it becomes increasingly easy to lose yourself in childish games. That was the case for Emily who had created her own little soap opera with the various dolls scattered around her. She was just using a small finger-sized doll and a Barbie to enact a scene where one accused the other of cheating when the front door opened. This wasn’t unusual, Amelia had left the house somewhat excitedly a couple of hours previously. Emily was glad she was home though, the diaper between her legs was saturated and surely not far from leaking. “Mommy, I…” Emily started as she turned towards the living room doorway. It wasn’t Amelia looking back at her. It was Catherine. And Catherine was pulling a large suitcase behind her. Emily dropped the dolls and shifted on her knees to the bars of her clearly marked play area. “What’s going on?” Emily asked with a frown. “You didn’t tell her?” Catherine turned to the side and spoke to someone out of view with clear surprise. “Relax.” Amelia’s voice replied. A second later she appeared in the doorway weighed down by a couple of bags herself. She put down the bags and walked into the room, Emily could see Catherine looking apologetic behind her. “Are we going somewhere?” Emily asked in confusion. “No, baby, quite the opposite.” Amelia replied. She unhooked the latch on the playpen’s gate and let it swing open, “Come over here.” Emily, by that point, was used to following commands without question. Her purpose had been to be a good girl no matter what that entailed. She stood up on shaky legs, her wet diaper hanging underneath her very short yellow dress. She waddled around and when Amelia patted the couch next to her, she sat down. Emily looked from her wife to Catherine, who was still standing awkwardly in the doorway, and back again. Amelia pulled Emily close and put her arm around her shoulders. “You know that me and Catherine have been…” Amelia seemed to be weighing her words carefully, “Very good friends?” Emily nodded. It seemed liked an understatement. She had been aware that the two had been having sex for a while now. There was a time when that would have severely bothered her, now it just made her excited and caused her caged up princess parts pain. “Well, Catherine lives on the other side of town and it’s a pain for us to travel back and forth.” Amelia said, “So we thought “why not cut out all the travel?” Do you understand?” Emily did understand. The bags contained Catherine’s things. They weren’t going anywhere, in fact, the therapist was coming to live with them! “I’m… I’m sorry…” Catherine shook her head, “Amelia should’ve asked you first. I thought she had!” “It’s OK.” Emily said quietly. “I’ll go back home.” Catherine said as she started to pick up her suitcase, “This was a mistake. I’ll leave and we can all discuss this…” “It’s OK.” Emily said a little louder. Emily saw Catherine double-take before putting her bags back down. She was frowning. Emily couldn’t help but laugh, it seemed that even though Catherine clearly wanted this she was finding it hard to believe what Emily was saying. “What?” Catherine asked, “Emily, are you… are you sure?” Emily nodded. To be honest this was something that seemed inevitable sooner or later. Catherine was already coming over every other day, this step only made sense logistically. Emily bowed her head, she still felt embarrassed. She’d already given her tacit acceptance for her wife to essentially “cheat” on her and now she was inviting person who had replaced her to live under the same roof. Catherine glanced over at Amelia. She seemed more surprised than anything. She walked into the room slowly and after a few seconds sat down on the other side of Emily. The diapered woman could feel her wife hugging her closer to her side. “I want you to be absolutely sure.” Catherine said, “I’m not trying to replace you or anything.” “I understand.” Emily said. She was looking down to her bare feet, “I know Amelia loves me still, just in a different way. I see how happy you two make each other and I don’t want to get in the way of that.” Far from making Catherine happy, when Emily looked up at the therapist, she only saw a face of concern. Did Catherine not believe her? She would have to continue. She blushed a little, it now felt like she was trying to set the two of them up! “I know now that as an adult… I kind of sucked.” Emily continued, “I was selfish, angry, self-centred, and just plain unpleasant to be around. I couldn’t give Amelia what she needed so maybe it’s better this way. I’m just lucky you both want to keep me around.” Catherine looked more shocked than ever. Rather than having her fears assuaged it seemed she was more anxious than ever. Emily wasn’t sure what the therapist wanted of her. She just wanted to be a good girl no matter what that meant! “You see?” Amelia said as she leaned forwards to talk to Catherine, “She wants this just as much as we do. She’s a good girl.” Emily beamed as the magic words sent tingles down her spine. She saw Amelia wave for Catherine to slide closer until Emily was squeezed between the two other women. They turned sideways and leaned forwards against each other in a deep embrace that left Emily trapped between their breasts. The fatty orbs swung and moulded around her head and, as turned on as it made her, more than anything she felt thirsty. --- “Aw, you’ve become such a dribblepuss.” Amelia said as a tissue was wiped against the sides of Emily’s mouth, “Good girl.” In a strangely Pavlonian response the magic words made Emily drool just a little more. She wasn’t even really aware of it. There was a bib almost permanently tied around her neck and it was frequently streaked with her saliva. Emily was sat in her playpen. She didn’t have a great idea of how much time had passed but it felt like it had to be at least a couple of weeks. Everything was sort of blurring together for her. Every day was feeling mostly the same, it was a comfortable routine to be in. All her needs were taken care of and she didn’t really have to worry about anything. Emily’s days consisted of diaper changes, breast feedings, playing and nap times. There were very few moments where she was given the time or space to think about what she wanted to do so she just went with the flow. This was what she had always wanted, wasn’t it? To live with no responsibilities? Sure, this hadn’t been exactly what Emily had in mind at the start but she couldn’t deny that Amelia was giving her what she asked for. It wasn’t like Emily’s days were completely routine either. Sometimes something happened to break the comfortable monotony. For instance, it had only been a few days ago when Emily’s cage was unlocked for the first time in a long time. To start with she assumed it was just a cleaning as per usual. Amelia had started teasing her, rubbing her neglected princess parts, and calling her “good girl” among other affirmations. It wasn’t long until Emily was rolling around the changing mat and jerking her hips. She couldn’t even remember if she had got hard, but she did remember the sticky mess that dribbled out of her before the cage was locked back on. Emily absent-mindedly pawed at her diaper as she remembered that experience. There had been others and although they may not have happened as often as she would’ve wanted, she looked forward to them greatly. The anticipation seemed to make it feel even better. Catherine had seemingly settled in but often seemed to act a little weird. Emily could see the therapist watching her and even taking notes sometimes. Otherwise, she seemed to take a hands-off approach to Emily. After the incident in the office, she hadn’t changed any of Emily’s diapers, fed her or done anything else. It was all left for Amelia. Emily wiped her mouth with the long sleeve of her onesie. The cloth came away soaking wet from the fresh drool leaking from Emily’s mouth. The diapered woman ignored it and went back to playing with the dolls. Her video games may have been off-limits for quite a while now, which had provided quite a tantrum, but Emily was using the little dolls to try and recreate her games as much as possible. It wasn’t the same but at least this way she never lost. “Emily?” Catherine’s voice came from the doorway as she slowly walked in, “How are you doing?” “I’m OK.” Emily replied with a smile. “Are you sure?” Catherine asked. “Uh huh.” Emily really didn’t know why Catherine had been acting so strangely recently. Catherine looked like there was more on her mind but she didn’t say anything. A second later Amelia walked in and went straight up Catherine, they kissed passionately, though it seemed Amelia was the one much more in control. Emily watched from the playpen, the drool dripping down her front only partially due to the hot scene in front of her. “You should go and get dressed up.” Amelia said to Catherine as she pulled away. “Huh? Why?” Catherine asked. “We’ve got a date!” Amelia smiled. “We have?” Catherine frowned, “I don’t remember anything…” “Consider it a spur of the moment thing.” Amelia said, “I know you like to plan everything but sometimes a little spontaneity can be good.” “But… What about Emily?” Catherine asked. For one reason or another, in the last few weeks, Amelia and Catherine were very hesitant to leave Emily on her own. She knew how she looked and acted but they surely knew he was still an adult… didn’t they? “It’s OK, I’ve got a babysitter booked.” Amelia said. “A babysitter!?” Catherine and Emily repeated in astonishment. “Yes, so go upstairs and get ready, babe.” Amelia said as she rubbed Catherine’s arm. “But I…” Catherine started. “I’ll tell you more later.” Amelia conceded, “But the babysitter is coming in about fifteen minutes so you need to get ready.” “You haven’t given me much time!” Catherine shook her head and then after a protracted sigh and a look around the room she finally turned and left to go upstairs. For Emily, there were some feelings that she didn’t think she felt anymore coming to the surface. She had long grown to accept the way things were but this was the first time someone outside the little “family” unit was going to see her like this. It felt impossible that the way she lived would be exposed to someone else. She could just imagine the babysitter arriving expecting a small child and instead finding a fully grown adult. “Mommy… I don’t want a babysitter…” Emily said slowly. She didn’t like not being compliant, it risked being called a bad girl, something she was desperate to avoid, “I can just stay here by myself until you come back.” “It’s already sorted. The babysitter will be here in no time.” Amelia replied. When Emily was still clearly looking unsure, she continued, “She already knows about your situation.” She? For some reason that made Emily feel even more embarrassed about what was to come. She’d already pushed her luck in talking back and questioning her Mommy though. There was a small silence as Emily was lost in thought. What on earth would this stranger think of her? “C-Could you change me before she gets here?” Emily asked quietly. “I think we’ve got time for that.” Amelia said as she quickly checked her phone, “We’ll have to hurry though.” Emily stood up but although she could physically get out of the playpen herself, she still waited for Amelia to open the gate for her. Emily followed her Mommy up the stairs and through to her bedroom. She climbed up on to the changing table and laid down for the latest in a never-ending number of diaper changes. Through the thin wall she could hear Catherine getting ready. “Where are you going?” Emily asked conversationally. The diaper between her legs was opened and the cleaning started. “Just out for a meal.” Amelia replied with a smile, “I’ll see if I can bring something home for you. You’ll have to have it for lunch tomorrow, I imagine you’ll be in your crib before we get back.” Emily lifted her butt and allowed the saturated diaper to be pulled out from underneath her. When she lowered back down it was on to a clean and dry disposable. Just as Amelia was about to pull the front of the padding up between Emily’s legs the doorbell downstairs went off. Amelia froze for a moment holding the diaper over Emily’s princess parts. Emily was glad this was the case as the shock of the doorbell had caused her to squirt out some urine. --- If you enjoyed this and would like to see the next part of the story RIGHT NOW you can do so on my SubscribeStar and Ream pages: https://reamstories.com/page/lpjgftb4y2/story/m1cuafz5dm/chapter/mchfqd7xe6106437 https://subscribestar.adult/posts/1933043

Chapter 144: Failing WHEN WE FINISHED eating, I was walked back to Sanders by Beth and Nikki. Beth was about to hug me, but Nikki put a hand on her shoulder and cocked her head. It was then I noted we had an audience of sorts, with our interim dean talking with another older woman. Both were clearly not young, but the unknown lady seemed to be in her late seventies, I guessed. I waddled up to the front door in a diaper that was nearly in need of a change and smiled as I passed. “Good afternoon, Carly,” Doctor Shapiro said. “Good afternoon, Doctor Shapiro,” I said politely. “Have you met Carly yet? Doctor Chester?” “No, I haven’t had the pleasure?” the unknown woman said. “Since I’ve only been here since Friday, I’ve been getting acclimated. There are a lot of nests between the two buildings, so meeting everyone is a chore?” “Of course, Doctor Chester, this is Carly Slane; she’s Amanda Westerfield’s granddaughter.” “Oh, how marvelous!” the woman said. My skin felt like I had a predator prepared to strike me then. My diaper definitely warmed as my bladder responded with my ‘fight or flight response.’ “It’s nice to meet you, ma’am,” I said to her. “Same to you, Miss Slane, and please just call me Nana!” I smiled and nodded in response. “Now, are your classes going okay for you, dear? Nothing too difficult?” she asked me. “They’re going great,” I told her with a smile. “They’re honestly everything I hoped they’d be.” “Well, excellent, dear! Make sure you get that soggy diapee changed by your mommy upstairs. I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for you!” “Thank you,” I said. “Have a good evening,” I told them both and waddled my way to the elevator. I pressed the button for our floor and pushed the close-door button, hoping it would move faster! Once I made it to the top, I waddled my way into the room, and Lilly smiled at me, “Hi, Carly!” She practically cooed at me with a voice I hadn’t really heard from her like some of the nest mothers. She carried me to the changing table and proceeded to treat me like I was really about a year old. She even started singing a diaper-changing song?!? “The soggy little diaper Got soggy through the day, Now it’s time for changes In the same old way. Up goes your bottom, Down comes the wipe, Mommy gets you cleaned up And your diaper’s back on tight!” I gave her a look like, ‘What’s wrong with you?!?’ When she was done changing my diaper, with me zipped into a sleeper, she finished, “Now you’re all clean and crinkly, In jammies soft and tight, We’ll rock you in the rocker And kiss you nighty-night. Mommy loves her baby, Forever, she will say, “You’re my Little snugglebug Every single day!” [*] I was still in shock at the sudden change in her personality when she said, “Come see the pretty dress your grandmother helped me get today!” I held onto her as she closed the door behind her and carried me to her bedroom. I watched as she pulled out one of the same devices Nikki used to sweep her vehicle. After a beep, I asked, “Umm… what’s going on?” She looked upset, “The new nest mother had a meeting with all of us today and the dean… They’ve been reviewing footage and aren’t sure that all of us are up to the task of being nest mothers.” “Huh?” I asked, “You’re great, though!” I blushed, “Honestly, the best, but don’t tell Miss Mackenzie!” “Not for what they want… Carly, I don’t think I’ll be able to pass it on to the others, but hopefully you can… be careful. Be very careful! They were specifically asking a lot about you.” “I’m not breaking any rules, though? Getting good grades?” “And that’s why you’re not demerited out,” she told me. “If you’re going to study too late, we need to figure out a way for you to be out of sight.” I sighed, “This is where the swearing rule is a pain.” “It sucks,” she agreed. “Now, umm… I’m just going to warn you, and I’ll try and warn the other girls… We’ve been directed to make sure that we treat you like you are at daycare.” “So treat us just like the nest mothers that were fired had been doing?” “Yes,” she sighed. “What’s to stop another protest from starting up with all of this?” I wondered aloud. “Please don’t ever say anything like that again!” she told me with desperation in her eyes. “She was clear that non-compliance from us would result in our demotions to sleeping in the nests like that Nevaeh girl. Non-compliance in Littles will be an immediate trip to adoption – no exceptions.” “I’ll try and let the girls know it’s not your idea,” I told her. “How far do you have to take it?” “Too far!” She said sadly. “That adorable diaper change song was just the start.” She turned off the device and showed me the dress; it was a beautiful creation, “I know the name of this designer! I can’t believe your grandmother knows her well enough to get a dress the same day?!?” I laughed at that, “Yeah, it’s a close relationship.” She carried me back into the room and said, “Anyway, better get you back to studying! Midterms tomorrow, if I remember correctly, for you in two classes?” “Yes,” I said. “Before we do that, I need all my little sparkles to come join me on the rug for circle time!” Lilly crooned. Willow, Everly, and Mia all had the same ‘WTF?’ looks on their face I had worn. Now that I knew the truth of what was going on, I was still thinking that! I wondered how I would deal with this latest issue… “Okay, sparkles, I need to tell you a couple of new rules we were told about today.” All of the native Littles in our nest suddenly looked like they’d been electrocuted. I guessed they had enough experience to know this was not going to be good for us! “Okay, the first one isn’t too bad, but from now on, I’m no longer Miss Lilly to you all.” I twitched, guessing where this was going instantly based on the conversation downstairs. “You need to just call me Mommy.” “Wha…?!?” Amy started to say something, but Mia read the room and put her hand on Amy’s arm to shut her up. “What do you all say to that?” “Umm… Yes, Mommy?” I said. “Thank you, Carly, that’s exactly right!” She made a forced face that I read as please don’t make me, but said, “Can all of my sparkles try that now?” “Yes, Mommy,” everyone said in unison. “Great! Just so you know, we have a new interim housemother for the nests; her grown-up name is Doctor Chester, but you all are just to call her Nana.” Zoey raised her hand tentatively. “Yes, Zoey?” “What about if we need to refer to you if another nest mommy asks about you?” Zoey asked. “That’s a very clever question, Zoey! You can say Mommy Lilly in that case, but only if it’s to a question like that.” A few minutes later, I learned that, although the ‘curfew’ had technically not changed, they had been instructed to turn off the lights an hour earlier. Additionally, open-top cups and ‘normal’ drinks, like cokes, would no longer be allowed. Sippy cups or baby bottles were the only things allowed for anyone but nest mothers. The bathroom was also going to be locked from now on except for bath times since none of us used the potties anyway. “Oh, and I think this only applies to Carly,” she said with a sad expression, “you may use your tablets and computers inside the nest for studying. You are allowed to have a phone while you’re outside the nest, but you may not possess it here in the nest. When you return each day, you must turn it into me. Additionally, you’ll need to discontinue using your EdgeSphere glasses if you have them. Your new Nana wants to ensure you can focus on your homework and get a good night’s sleep. She’d also like to see you all explore some of the dolls and toys that have been given to you all instead of icky video games!” Lilly deserved an Oscar award for her performance, given I could tell she hated everything coming down. Still, she managed to seem like a happy-go-lucky preschool worker who was great at her job! “She even said the boys are supposed to be getting their own play areas in their nests just like ours over Spring Break, too!” “Yay,” I heard Aria mutter. “Okay, Sparkles, let’s go ahead and do our chant!” I made sure to join in, of course, as we did the Sparkle Chant. I couldn’t help but note that the night of her party the week before had been a genuinely cute and happy thing; right then, it felt like a gun was aimed at each of our heads. After we all stood, Lilly said, “Carly, please bring me your EdgeSphere glasses. The next time your grandma comes, she can take them to her house for safekeeping. Girls, I have a phone case that you can use to keep your phones in until class each morning. Please bring them here now.” “Yes, Mommy,” I said to her. ‘This sucks!’ I thought to myself. ‘Good thing my contacts are secret, and I can do nearly the same things with them…’ BETH WAS WAITING on her EdgeSphere set for a couple hours before finally getting a notification that Carly wanted her to come to visit her in her space. She’d met two possible people to join Nikki’s team earlier. Still, after receiving some very negative anti-Little vibes from them, she told Nikki afterward to keep looking… “Hi Carly, what took you so long to come login?” Beth asked, having already felt more anxious from the interviews. The avatar for Carly was usually pretty animated, as it picked up her movements, but it was oddly still. “Some changes in the nests. Sorry if I come off a bit weird, I’d learned how to work in the EdgeSphere glasses, but those got confiscated…” “Confiscated?” She asked. “Yeah,” Carly said, “give me just a moment, Beth, I’m still trying to figure out this other system, and I want to triple-check that the firewalls are still active in here…” Beth watched Carly freeze like a statue for several minutes before saying, “Okay, I think that’s safe. I hope you don’t mind, but I sent Grandma a message and asked her to come here to talk to her? I don’t really want to push this connection too much. Something is funky…” Right then, Beth got a request for Amanda Westerfield to come in, so she allowed it and saw the taller woman enter. “Hi Carly, why’d you ask to see me here?” “Things are not going well in the nests tonight…” Carly said. “Are you in trouble?” “Not exactly?” Carly said. “They hired another interim dean for Littles that we met earlier, right?” “Yes, not exactly someone I feel like is a great person,” Amanda said. “I did verify she’s only temporary until they bring a new one in April.” “That’s good… hopefully everyone survives that long though. Doctor Shapiro apparently decided to bring in a different person to be the interim head nest mother.” “What’s her name?” “Doctor Wendy Chester?” Carly said. “She’s in her late seventies, I think.” “Interesting… is she the kind grandmotherly sort, or the Littles should be seen and not heard variety?” Beth asked. “She’s the sort that’s threatened all of the nest mothers?” “What?” Beth responded. “Yeah,” Carly told them, “apparently, they watched footage of Lilly, and I assume a few others, who aren’t babying us enough. New rules have been put in place that we can’t have our cell phones in the nest, my EdgeSphere glasses were confiscated, and now we can only call our nest mothers’ mommy.’” “She said as much earlier,” Amanda responded. “You did talk to her earlier?” Carly asked. “They must have just had that meeting when I dropped off her dress. It’s part of why I left her the jamming device. Carly, I believe she’s the only one in that building you should ever completely trust.” “I think I can trust Mackenzie, too,” I told her honestly. “Maybe… but well, let me go look this woman up first. I’ll be back in a few minutes,” she told them. Beth watched her disappear, “You have to stay out of trouble; this doesn’t sound good,” she told me. “By the way, did you steal your glasses back to call, or what?” Carly shook her head, “You have to keep it a secret, but Grandma finally found someone who could make me a set of the contacts. These are a bit different, though, and can work completely like EdgeSphere by sending sound directly into my brain. They also connect neurally so I can have a conversation. I’m hoping I’m not muttering back in my pod, though.” “We’ll have to avoid doing this too much,” she said with a sigh. “So, what happened with your test earlier?” Carly asked. “I have no clue, Carly! I actually hope Amanda can help… I took the test, and it was like no big deal to me. I knew the answers from studying with your help, as well as the study guide our professor gave us.” “Okay, that seems right?” “Reila though… I kept waiting for her to come out! Like, I figured she’d be five or ten minutes behind me at most because we studied together the night before! Instead, she finally turned in her test when she had to as she ran out of time!” “Huh? Does she get bad test anxiety?” Carly asked. Right then, Beth got notifications that Amanda Westerfield, Addison Sylvester, and Cameron Sylvester wanted to come in. “Why do my parents want in?” She wondered aloud. “Huh?” Carly said. Beth let them in and noted her mother looked around the room with her normal critical eye. It was almost as if she wanted to complain that something was out of place but didn’t say anything. “Hi, Beth,” her dad said. She couldn’t help herself; it was virtual, but she gave him a hug and her mom a hug before asking, “Why are you guys here?” “Amanda called us,” her dad said. “Why?” “Because we know this new head nest mother of Carly’s,” her mom answered. “Oh?” “Yeah, she used to work as the head of the daycare your dad went to when he was adopted,” she said. “That’s odd,” Carly said. “Yeah, once I fired her, I honestly didn’t think she’d be working with Littles again?” her mom said. “You fired her, Mom?” “Yes, she allowed a bunch of crap to happen to your dad, and I wasn’t about to settle for that. She was the kind of corrupt ‘all littles should be babies’ type that was in tight with my mother.” ‘I always appreciate she never says, your grandmother,’ Beth thought, shuddering of any relation – adopted or otherwise – with that woman! “Hold on, we’ll come back to this mess,” Carly said. “I’m actually more worried about what you said about that test with Reila. Do you have your test results yet?” She used a virtual screen to log in and discovered they had auto-graded and posted the test. “Yes, one hundred percent,” she smiled at that. “I’m actually kind of surprised by that.” “You studied hard,” Carly said. “What score did Reila get, I wonder?” “Should I ask?” “Maybe tomorrow… was there something else with that test for Reila?” “She said none of it was on the study guide? It was all new content?” Beth felt nervous for her friend, “Honestly, she basically had a meltdown on me there.” “How is that class graded?” Carly asked. “Four tests and a project?” Beth said. “So if she gets a zero, she still can pass…” “The midterm is weighted more… I think it was like thirty percent?” “Something’s not right there, Grandma,” Carly said. “No, there’s too many plots seemingly swirling around here,” Amanda replied. “What’s the game here?” her dad asked. “What happened in the nests after that whole thing blew up?” “Honestly, it became almost like college again to me,” Carly said, “the only differences were mainly the fact we’re in diapers? Some babying, but not much? Really, it was just an occasional bit of trying to make us smile during awkward diaper changes?” “I bet someone doesn’t like that part especially,” her dad said. “I’m going to put some feelers out about this.” “Me too,” her mom added. “We need to figure out where Doctor Chester went for the last twenty-four years. I would assume she would have retired at some point, which would be why Shapiro brought her in?” “Beth, Carly, make sure you stick to the rules, study, and keep your heads down this week!” her mother said. “I’ll look into the situation with Reila,” Grandma said. “If she really did have another test thrown at her, maybe I can get a retest scheduled for her.” “If not?” Beth asked. “Well… it depends on the rest of her grades,” Amanda said slowly. “If they were bad?” Carly asked. “They’d probably offer her a choice?” Amanda answered hesitantly. “A choice?” Carly asked. “She’s only four inches above the cutoff. They’ll give her the same choice they gave Nevaeh,” Beth replied. “They…” Carly started to say. “Carly, disconnect! Someone is trying to trace who’s in here!” Amanda said abruptly. Carly disconnected without waiting for anything. “Is she okay?” Beth asked a second later. “She should be; she did a good job hiding everything. There’s just a very thorough person trying to dig right now. I need to go deal with this. Cam, Addy, I’ll call you if I figure out anything. Beth, be careful and make sure Carly doesn’t go anywhere alone. The more you and Nikki are around – the better!” Amanda’s avatar disappeared, leaving her parents. “Why can’t people just leave things alone?” Beth asked her dad. “I don’t know, sweetie, I don’t know. I do know we love you, and we’ll never let anyone hurt you!” He gave her the best hug an avatar could provide then. They talked for a few minutes more, discussing the vacation a little bit, and then they left, and she shut down her glasses. Beth wiped her eyes and had to find some makeup wipes to clean her face off of the snot and tears that had come while she’d been waiting for Carly, talking to everyone and everything else. She had one more thing she needed to do before resuming studying. ‘Reila, did you get your test score…?’ There was a long pause, and Beth ended up doing a few other things while she waited for a response. ‘Can I come to your room?’ there was a pause, ‘Maybe I could stay the night?’ Beth was really worried then. ‘Sure,’ she said in reply. When Reila arrived, she was already wearing pajamas at least and rushed to hug Beth as soon as she opened the door. She was completely in tears, “Beth, I don’t know what I’m going to do?!?” “What happened?” It took Reila a moment, “I got a thirty-three percent on that test! I basically guessed on everything!” “It’s just one test…” “I got an eight-five on my first one, Beth! The math isn’t there for me to pass!” “Well, it’s just one class, Reila…?” “Maybe, but I think there’s something else going on. My advisor already set up a meeting with the dean on the Monday after break…?” “Why?” “Beth, I think they’re trying to make me drop out or go…” “Go…?” Beth asked, even as she knew the answer. “Live in the nests…” with that, Reila was a sobbing mess. Beth held her and let her cry it out before laying her down on her bed. ‘I have to study,’ Beth thought, getting to work. After a couple hours, Rachel appeared and quietly said to her, “Beth, you really should get some sleep…?” “Ugh…” she looked at the time. “You’re right, Rachel.” She went to the bathroom, washed her hands, and then crawled in beside Reila. As she was doing so, she noticed a purple papery waistband sticking out above her pajama pants. She gently pulled the sleeping girl’s pants down to discover a Pull-Up with its indicators changed to mark that it was wet. “Crap,” she said aloud. “Rachel?” She whispered. “Yes?” “Could you help me with Reila? I don’t want to embarrass her, but she’s wearing a wet pull-up already?” “I’ve scanned her bladder contents; she shouldn’t leak if that’s your concern?” Beth groaned, “Mostly, but I also don’t feel right going to sleep with her wet? She might get a rash?” A moment later, the hologram appeared and gently pulled her friend out of the loft without warning, laying her on top of a holographic projection of a table that suddenly appeared. “What are you doing?” Beth asked. “Changing her,” she told her, “this is what you wanted, right? It’s a part of my programming, and I’m always happy to change an adorable little girl’s diapers!” Before Beth could say more, an actual toddler diaper appeared and was wrapped around her body. She pulled her pants back up and delivered her back to the bed. “There, she’ll be good for the night.” The hologram sounded pleased with herself, even as she felt mortified for her friend, who was still somehow asleep! “Rachel?” She asked a second later. “Yes, Beth?” “Please don’t put that Pull-Up in my trash? I don’t want people to think I need them?” “Do not worry, Beth, I have the evidence it wasn’t you, but I also already disintegrated it. Amanda had already given a directive if something was needed, it was not to be allowed to be known.” Beth rubbed her head; she’d had enough for the day. “Thanks, Rachel. Goodnight.” She hugged her friend and fell asleep quickly, her eyes closing. Not before wondering, though, ‘Where did Rachel get a diaper?’ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Thanks for reading! Please press the Like button and leave a comment! You may not have noticed it, but there was a link to 'The Soggy Little Diaper' sung by AI on my YouTube channel. I'll be throwing a few of those songs in here and there as references; I figured readers might enjoy bringing them to life a bit more. That was one of my longer chapters in a while, and quite an eventful one. Let me know what you think, please! On the writing front, I'm finally making some progress in the past few days that I have scheduled to work on this project. I finished Chapter 170 last night, which officially gets me through to the New Year! I'm hoping to write some more in the next couple of days before I have to switch to another project. If I manage to get a few more chapters ahead, I might consider an extra chapter this week. We'll see how it goes! I'll have to return to this and continue writing again in the last part of the year and the beginning of next year. (UPDATED FRIDAY NIGHT: I'll make a deal, get this chapter to 30 likes and you get a bonus chapter Sunday! I just finished Chapter 172 and am feeling generous! 🙂) Finally, I have no idea how much it'll get used, but I started a Discord Server this week: https://discord.gg/BN39Phbj That link will work until next Thursday. (Message me after that) I started it mainly to provide you all with a place to download those AI tracks if you want. I've opened a channel about this story, where you can have more real-time discussions with each other and me, potentially too. We'll see how it goes! I don't want to see comments disappearing from this site, so I consider it an extra feature. I know it's worked for some other authors!

Amelia and Catherine are heading out, which means a babysitter for Emily. The big baby is obviously nervous, but the babysitter has more in common with her than she thinks. --- Every update I post is available on my Ream and SubscribeStar pages one week before it is posted everywhere else. For $5 you can see everything I post before the rest of the diapered world. For $10 you can see every update early plus EVERY exclusive story I have written. That's 35 stories available ONLY on my subscription pages and nowhere else! I rely on my wonderful subscriber's support to be able to write like I do. Writing is my only income and the money I earn goes to help paying the bills, food and everything else my wife and I need. Everyone's support is HUGELY appreciated, without it I would have to find other work and I wouldn't be able to write nearly as much as I do, maybe at all. So thank you to everyone who checks out my subscriber pages and considers supporting me ❤️ https://reamstories.com/elfy https://subscribestar.adult/elfy --- “Catherine!” Amelia called out, “Could you get that. I’m a little busy here.” “Give me a second.” Catherine replied from the other room. Amelia continued with the diaper change as Catherine hurried past and down the stairs. Emily heard the door open and then a stranger’s voice. She shivered with anxiety as the final tape was placed on her diaper. “Who is she?” Emily asked nervously. “Don’t worry.” Amelia replied as she rubbed the side of Emily’s face, “She’s someone I know from years ago, since college in fact, and we’ve stayed in touch. She was more than happy to help.” Emily had a lot of questions but contented herself with silence. She was taped up in the fresh diaper and then helped off the table. The onesie was popped back together and Emily almost immediately started biting her nails with nerves. “Don’t suck your thumb, baby.” Amelia said, “Here, I have something for you.” Emily watched as Amelia went across the room to a drawer which stored a lot of spare diapers. She didn’t know what her wife was getting and, to be frank, she wasn’t thinking about it. Her attention was drawn much more by the conversation she could hear downstairs. Catherine could be heard clearly, alongside a voice Emily didn’t recognise at all. “Open up.” Amelia said. Emily was so used to following commands that her mouth opened her up almost immediately. She saw her wife’s hand coming towards your face and a second later plastic was hitting her upper and lower lips. A soft silicone rested on her tongue and it didn’t take Emily long to work out she had been given a pacifier. A trail of drool escaped the corner of her mouth as she pressed her tongue against the bulb that filled a surprising amount of her mouth. “Now that is adorable!” Amelia said with a big smile. Emily was pulled into a tight hug. She thought back to a matter of weeks ago where she would never have allowed herself to be in such a situation. She was blushing but didn’t think to take the pacifier out. There was one advantage to this new accessory though as it meant she wouldn’t be expected to say anything. “Right, no point wasting more time.” Amelia said as she took Emily’s hand. Amelia walked forwards and clearly expected Emily to follow. However, even though the idea of being disobedient worried her, Emily remained on the spot. Amelia turned around and looked at her. Looking at the ground Emily expected to be punished for not doing as she was told, a warning was the least she would get, surely. “I don’t want to go downstairs.” Emily said quietly around the pacifier bulb. Her voice was quiet and strangely muffled by the object in her mouth. “I know it’s scary.” Amelia said. She reached out and stroked Emily’s face, “But trust me, everything will be fine.” “But I look like…” Emily turned her head to the mirror in the corner of the room, “A baby…” Emily half-expected Amelia to try to say she was wrong. But that would have been a laughable argument to try and make. Emily was clearly diapered, wearing a onesie and had a pacifier in her mouth which she was busy drooling around. Instead, Amelia simply held her hand and stepped up next to her so she was appearing in the mirror as well. “I know.” Amelia said softly. She paused for a second, “Did you know it’s our anniversary today?” Emily’s eyes popped open. She wouldn’t have said that she forgot the anniversary, it was more that she didn’t really keep her attention on the date at all. Unfortunately, for Emily, this was nothing new. Before all this stuff had started Emily rarely remembered their special day, it was even less often that she did anything special for it. “It’s alright.” Amelia chuckled when she saw Emily’s panicky expression, “But, whilst I have a date tonight, I haven’t forgotten you.” “What do you mean?” Emily mumbled around the pacifier. “You’ll see.” Amelia’s eyes twinkled slightly as she smiled. Emily felt Amelia’s hands take hold of her face. Amelia looked so beautiful and Emily’s face was tilted so she was facing her. Amelia leaned in and kissed Emily on the lips. It was enough to make Emily melt like putty into her wife’s hands. The kiss was broken and Emily looked away feeling embarrassed for some reason. Emily felt herself blushing even harder but as Amelia squeezed her hand she started to follow her wife to the top of the stairs. Emily’s knees shook as they started walking downstairs. She sucked hard on the pacifier which she found slightly calming, it gave her something other than her current situation to think about. The closer they got to the living room the more she heard herself whining slightly. The door was opened and Emily was pulled forwards. She kept her face down as the conversation stopped and she felt all eyes turning towards her. The longer she waited for someone to speak the thicker her diaper felt, the more obvious her babyishness seemed to shine. “Davina, this is Emily.” Amelia said. “Hello Emily.” Davina said, “It’s nice to meet you.” Emily forced herself to look up. She had never seen Davina before and had no idea what she had in common with Amelia. She was sitting down but was clearly taller and stronger than any of the other women in the room. She had long platinum blonde hair and a gorgeous, almost model-like, face. She was smiling, it was clearly genuine and, to Emily’s surprise, she didn’t seem at all surprised by her appearance. “Say hello.” Amelia prompted Emily who was still staring. Not wanting to speak Emily raised a hand and gave a little wave before quickly looking back down. She was pretty sure she would’ve felt less exposed and vulnerable if she was completely naked. She heard Amelia chuckling beside her. “She’s shy.” Emily could hear Amelia’s grin through her tone of voice, “But don’t worry, she’s very friendly. I’m sure you’ll both get on swimmingly. You have a lot in common.” Amelia let go of Emily’s hand and the diapered woman immediately reached out to try and grab it again. She felt like she was being unmoored. That her last link with safety was being severed as Amelia walked over to the couch where Catherine was sat. “Ready?” Amelia asked her girlfriend. Emily looked up with panic in her eyes. They were really just going to leave her there right away. She didn’t know this woman! “I think so.” Catherine said. She wasn’t looking at Amelia though, she was looking at Emily, “Are you OK, Emily?” For the first time in weeks Emily thought about defying Amelia. She thought about leaping forwards and wrapping her arms around her, to beg her not to leave. The “B” word started circling around her head. She didn’t want to be a burden, she didn’t want to ruin a date between Catherine and Amelia, but she was so worried! “If you don’t want us to go out you can just say so.” Catherine said using her patented therapist voice. Emily saw Amelia’s face fall slightly. She clearly expected Emily to put a stop to everything and to mess up her night out. Even though she was scared, Emily hated to see her wife looking upset, she couldn’t make that happen. She reached up and pulled her pacifier out of her mouth. A long line of drool trailed between the pacifier’s bulb and her mouth. “I’ll be OK.” Emily practically whispered. She pushed the pacifier back in quickly, almost as if she was worried that if she left her mouth unfilled she would suddenly change her mind. “I’m sure we’ll be fine.” Davina said from the couch, “Enjoy yourselves.” Everyone said their goodbyes. Emily swallowed hard as Amelia and Catherine left the room and a second later walked out the front door. She couldn’t hear what was being said but Catherine seemed to be talking quite animatedly to Amelia about something. The door closed and silence fell. Emily continued to face the doorway. “It’s nice to meet you.” Davina said again. Emily remained silent though she did at least turn to face her babysitter. She wasn’t sure what to do. The playpen was right next to her but she felt embarrassed. This was the first person to see her like this outside of their little family. She wasn’t sure how this woman wasn’t just outright laughing at her. “You’ve got no reason to be nervous.” Davina said, “I’m ABDL too, it’s all cool with me.” ABDL? Emily wasn’t sure what Davina was talking about. Her tone was friendly though. Emily felt that she wasn’t under any threat, she didn’t think Amelia would leave her alone with a stranger if she wasn’t sure they would be safe. There was another awkward silence. Emily just didn’t know what to say to this person. “So, what do you do for fun?” Davina asked conversationally. “Pway.” Emily lisped around the pacifier. She blushed and pulled the soother out of her mouth, “Play.” “Cool!” Davina replied. She seemed delighted that Emily had responded at all, “What sort of games do you play?” Emily didn’t understand. Why wasn’t this woman making fun of her? Why was she acting like there wasn’t a fully grown woman in her mid-twenties in front of her dressed like a baby. Emily just vaguely pointed at the dolls she often created little stories with. Davina nodded her head. After a couple of seconds Emily stepped into the playpen and awkwardly sat down next to the dolls. Playing was something she had got used to in recent times but doing it in front of another person was hard even when that person was Amelia or Catherine yet alone a stranger. “What are their names?” Davina asked. “Huh?” Emily frowned. “Your dolls.” Davina nodded towards the small plastic figures. “Oh, erm, I don’t know…” Emily muttered around the pacifier. She pulled it out of her mouth, “I guess they don’t have names.” “No names!” Davina acted shocked, “But everybody needs a name!” Emily looked up at Davina. She couldn’t tell if she was making fun of her. She seemed genuine but she was talking to her as if she was the baby she looked like. Maybe she shouldn’t even fight it, after all she looked and sounded like one. No one seemed to expect her to do anything grown up, so why not just accept her place. Was that something she could do? Was it something she SHOULD do? She was supposed to be an adult. For the next little while Emily played with her dolls. At first, she was bashful and only doing it half-heartedly but Davina was very good at making it all feel almost normal. She asked questions about the stories Emily was acting out and even made suggestions to enhance the story. It wasn’t long until Emily was practically putting on a little show using the dolls as puppets. For a good twenty minutes Emily acted out a story in front of the woman who was quickly feeling like much less of a stranger. “That’s great.” Davina said with a little applause when one little scene finished, “But could you come over here for a minute?” “Hmm?” Emily muttered. Davina waved Emily forwards. She was standing outside the playpen patting the bars in front of her. Emily shuffled forwards on her knees and then stood up to waddle forwards. She wasn’t sure what the babysitter wanted but as soon as she was in front of the bars Davina reached down and cupped her hand underneath Emily’s diaper. Without thinking she spread her legs and pushed her crotch out a little in front of her. It was a well-practiced position for diaper checks. “Oh, baby, you’re very wet!” Davina said with a big smile. “I am?” Emily frowned. “You didn’t know?” Davina asked with raised eyebrows. Emily slowly shook her head. She had known she was wet from the way her diaper hung between her legs but she didn’t really remember peeing. It happened so often she had stopped paying attention to when she needed to go, but now that Davina had called attention to it, she could feel that her padding was indeed soaked. “We’ll have to get you changed.” Davina said as she pulled her hand back and walked around to the gate of the playpen. Emily felt her heart hammer a little faster. This woman was undoubtedly hot, she was like a bombshell as she held the gate open for Emily to come through. Emily had never been changed by someone other than Amelia or Catherine but this strange babysitter seemed not to have the slightest hesitation. Emily started slowly shuffling forwards. “Good girl.” Davina said. Emily felt that familiar swell of pride when she heard those magic words. She blushed, it was one thing responding to them when it was someone, she knew using them, it was something else altogether when it was a stranger. Especially one as pretty as Davina. She tried not to let it show how pleased she was by the compliment. --- If you enjoyed this and would like to see the next part of the story RIGHT NOW you can do so on my SubscribeStar and Ream pages: https://reamstories.com/page/lpjgftb4y2/story/m1cuafz5dm/chapter/mcr41ehi6ffa6738 https://subscribestar.adult/posts/1945715

Chapter 59 Thursday I woke up before Michael. I kept as quiet as I could and slipped into the bathroom. Soon I was up and dressed, starting some breakfast. I wanted to cook something nice for my baby boy, so I started with pancakes. Once everything was ready, I leaned against the counter and went online to shop for some sort of restraints for naughty little hands. And more diapers. And pullups. I giggled a little when I thought about my ‘shopping list’. I shifted my hips a little and reached between my legs for a minute. God Sarah, getting turned on thinking about keeping your baby husband in diapers. A baby husband who’s learning how to lick… No… no, not now. First, we have to try out our first maintenance/ training day. My little boy was still asleep, so I went to the nursery and looked around. Maybe some more decorating? A diaper pail of some sort. The bed is nice for napping with him and breast-feeding but doesn’t leave room for a changing table. The room is only so big. Hmm, we need to hang this paddle up, not just laying on the dresser. Show it off somewhere, as a reminder. Dresses in the closet, sigh… Still not sure if I like ‘Mikey’ or ‘Shelly’… Too bad he’s not twins. Whoa, now THAT would be a handful… giggle I heard a soft voice calling, “Mommy?” I spoke up, “In the nursery sweetie, I’ll be right there.” I turned and returned to the kitchen where my little one was standing, his cute nightie hanging down to his thighs, covering his wet diaper. I knew it was wet because I had fed him a nighttime bottle. And as per usual, he wet his diaper while he suckled his baba. I pulled him close and as I hugged him, I softly patted his bottom as I spoke, “There’s my little one, did you sleep well sweetie?” When he nodded, I gave his bottom a squeeze and smiled to myself. Yep, soggy bottom. I held him at arm’s length for a moment and told him, “Now, I made your favorite, pancakes and sausage. Have a seat and it’ll be ready in just a second.” He smiled for me and turned towards the dining table saying, “Okay Mommy.” As I turned on the griddle and warmed the sausage, I heard a question, “Mommy… what… what exactly is maintenance Thursday?” I poured the batter and stood over the pancakes as I started to explain, “It’s a day we set aside to remind us both of our new roles in life. We’re not just playing a random baby game today; we’re trying a whole day as grown-up and little.” I flipped the pancakes, the first one a little wonky, as always. I glanced over at him as he watched me. He seemed to be thinking, then asked, “You mean, every Thursday we do this? And I’m a little boy all day long, no matter what?” I nodded as I waited before flipping the rest, “That’s right. So, you best not schedule things on Thursdays from now on. If you do, you’ll be doing them in diapers with Mommy holding your hand.” Long enough, I flipped the rest. Then mashed the button on the microwave to warm up the sausage patties again. I reached in the cabinet for his sippy cup as I asked him, “How about some apple juice?” When he nodded and said, “Yes please Mommy,” I gave him a big smile. I had to rush a little, setting his cup in front of him, rushing back to the griddle to get the pancakes, and the sausage. Soon I had two plates ready and was sitting down at the head of the table, putting his plate in front of him. He took a sip, using both hands. Just the way a good little boy would. I reached over with my knife to cut his pancakes for him. I didn’t bother giving him a knife. I just smiled and said, “Here, let Mommy cut them for you.” He was a little quiet about it, but I just smiled and asked, “Did you have any more questions?” He picked up a fork and paused, then asked, “Is that all? I mean, I spend other days like that.” I nodded and explained it more, “It’s a reminder day. No matter what else is going on, today I’m the mommy and you’re the toddler. Some Thursdays you may spend the day as baby Mikey, others you’ll spend the day in dresses and pigtails as Shelly. You’ll come with Mommy if I have to go on errands. You’ll take a nap after lunch. The whole day, nothing but Mommy and baby.” I paused to watch him, then I added the last thing, “And sweetie, before your nap, you get a spanking.” His eyes opened a little wider and his mouth hung open. Then he started to object, “But.. but what if I didn’t do anything?” I just shook my head and was firm, “It doesn’t matter. It’s part of the day. It doesn’t have to be as hard as when you’re naughty, but it’s going to happen. Even if you’ve been good all week, you get a reminder after lunch of just who’s the mommy and who’s the baby.” I watched as he took it in, thinking it over. He took a bite of sausage and then a sip from his sippy cup. I took a bite, keeping my eyes focused on him. After he set down his cup, I heard him mumble. “What’s that sweetie? Mommy didn’t hear that,” I prompted. He looked up and said a little louder, “Okay Mommy, I’ll be a good boy.” I beamed my best smile at him and winked, “Or a good little girl, whichever Mommy says… right?” I knew I had won the day when he blushed bright red, nodded, and whispered, “Yes… whichever Mommy wants.” I smirked to myself a little when I saw him squirming. I’m pretty sure that means there’s a tingly little dinky in that diaper. … After breakfast, it was time for my baby’s bath. Since this was going to be a weekly thing, I decided to use the hair remover today instead of Saturday. Soon my little boy had a smooth face and body and was properly dressed. Along with a thick diaper, I decided to break-in the pair of shortalls I had bought. The straps over his shoulders looked cute, and the front had a decal of a teddy bear in diapers. The legs were nice and short; I could slip a finger up the leg and tickle his diaper to see when he might be wet. And a simple T-shirt and sneakers completed his outfit. Taking a look at him, I asked him to come over to check his appearance in the mirror. As he looked, I teased him a little, “There, Mommy’s cute little boy all ready for a full day with Mommy.” I smiled a little when he reached between his legs and cupped his crotch, blushing. The shortalls were cute, but they left no doubt that he was wearing a diaper. Next, I gave him two little assignments. I told him, “Now, I want you to do two little things for Mommy. I need you to get a little loop and a hanger, and I want you to hang up your paddle. Right here I think, where it’s plain for all to see. That way everyone will know what happens when my little boy is naughty. Can you do that for me?” He blushed and nodded. That wasn’t good enough today, so I raised my eyebrow and told him, “Does Mommy have to get an oversized pacifier for your mouth? So you’ll have a reason for not being able to talk?” That did the trick, he bit his lip and answered me, “No Mommy, I can talk. I can hang my paddle on the wall.” I smiled and caressed his cheek, lifting his chin. He smiled back at me, so I told him his other chore, “The other thing you’re to do this morning is gather up all the laundry and get it done for Mommy. Washed, dried, folded, and put away. Understand?” He nodded and smiled for me, answering, “Yes Mommy, I can do the laundry. I know Mommy doesn’t like that, so I can do it for Mommy.” I smiled and gave him a big hug. I whispered in his ear, “That’s Mommy’s good boy. And after that, you can play or do whatever you’d like.” But fair is fair, so while he waddled to his workshop to get something for hanging up his paddle, I got out the duster and vacuum and cleaned house as well. When I saw him waddle past me with the laundry basket full of dirty things, I gave him a smile and said to him, “That’s Mommy’s good little helper.” He grinned and carried it to the laundry room. … Once I was finished cleaning, I sat with my tablet to order the things I had thought about this morning. Instead of some black leather wrist cuffs, I opted for something a bit less… domineering. Something more befitting his status as a little boy that just needs help remembering to behave for Mommy. After ordering diapers and pullups, I went to my new favorite web site to check in and see if there were any new ideas or advice for Mommies. As I clicked and read various articles, I heard the washer sound and then I heard my little boy putting the load of laundry into the dryer. I didn’t even have to say anything more, he did just what he’s supposed to do. Sigh… no more doing laundry for me. A woman could get used to this. After spending some time reading about other mommies and their ‘littles’, my pussy was in need of attention. I got up and peeked in the nursery. Little Mikey was sitting on the floor playing his video game with his pacifier in his mouth. I debated with myself whether to bother him or take care of my situation on my own. I opted for the latter this time. I quietly left and headed for our bedroom. I dug through my panty drawer and found my dildo. Michael knows it’s there, but he just ignores that fact. Soon I had a towel, and my pants were around my ankles as I lay back on it. Closing my eyes, I thought about some of the articles as my fingers slowly stroked through my pubes. I do love my little boy. So what if we have a different sort of sex life. We both enjoy what we have, I get to tease him and it’s sexy how he worships my body. I slipped the toy inside and purred as my free hand gripped a breast. I wonder what he’d think about wearing that strapon to fuck me? He’s insecure about his size, but gee, then he could pound me like some bronze God. Maybe put it over his diaper, so when he cums it goes in his diaper and he can just keep pounding my pussy. I remembered how I sat on the kitchen counter and had him ‘service me’. Oh yeah… that… that was… mmm… right… there… My body tensed as I used my toy, inside… around my clit… back inside… back around the clit. A vision of his bare bottom over my lap. It’s not the spanking; it’s the power trip. He needs me, I want to be the center of his world. He knows I love him and care for him. Nobody means the world to me like he does. My knees went wide as I pressed my feet onto the bed, lifting my hips as I moved my toy faster and faster. I squeezed my eyes shut as I curled my whole body, chin almost touching my chest as I clenched and squeezed my knees together. The increased pressure around my toy just made me thrust it harder. I was holding my breath as I climaxed intensely. But I kept it up, thrusting in and out, forcing myself to a second one. Finally spent, I flopped on the bed gasping. My hand left the toy inside of me, but soon my pussy gently squeezed it out as I lay limp. As I recovered, I listened. I heard an explosion sound and knew that my little boy was still playing in the nursery. I reached between my legs to pull the towel up and wiped myself. Then I lay for a few minutes, basking in the afterglow. But when I heard the sound of the dryer finishing, I thought it best to get up and pull up my pants again. No sense in having my little boy know what Mommy has been up to. I put away my toy after wiping it off and then tried to figure out what to do with the towel. The laundry basket is down the hall. I just shrugged and wadded it up, tossing it on the bathroom floor. Maybe he’ll just figure it got missed. Or maybe he’ll figure out what I did. Mommies have urges too after all. ++++++++++ When I heard the dryer finish, I was in the middle of a battle. Something about being all keyed up, pent up energy while fighting the bad guys, I needed to pee again. I had already wet myself once, so I didn’t give it much thought and let it go as I circled around the tower. I knew there was a weak spot on the other side… But once the battle was over, I remembered the laundry and paused my game. I got up and went to the laundry room. I was waddling more now that my diaper was swollen, but I just smiled to myself. Mommy will check me, she knows I wet my diapers. I folded the things that needed to be folded, hung the shirts, pants, and Mommy’s skirt on hangers. Then I grabbed everything and headed to the bedroom. As I walked past the kitchen, Mommy was slicing something and said, “There’s Mommy’s good little boy! Almost time for lunch sweetie, I’ll call you when it’s ready.” Her praise made my heart soar; and my burden seemed lighter than it was before. I soon had everything put away and returned to the kitchen. I watched a moment and then asked, “Can I help Mommy? Do you want me to do that?” She grinned at me and said, “Such a good boy! Nice of you to ask sweetheart, but Mommy has it all taken care of. Why don’t you just have a seat and tell me all about your game?” She doesn’t normally show much interest in my gaming, but I sat as she had told me and started, “I’m all the way up to level thirty. So now I have lots of skill points. If I get just one hundred and twenty more gold coins, I can buy the super shield.” Mommy licked her finger as she put something away and picked up two plates of food. She smiled and sounded interested, “Really? And where do you find gold coins? In a gold mine?” I giggled, she was patronizing me a little I think, but I went along. I told her, “No… Mommy’s silly!!! Coins are in treasure chests!! Or you can sell stuff in a town shop. If you find a ruby when exploring, they’re worth a lot!! You can sell a ruby for 500 gold coins!!!” She smiled at me and giggled, “That much! Goodness! Now eat your lunch sweetie. Mommy made you your favorite, tuna fish and a pudding cup.” Okay, maybe not my MOST favorite, but it was up there. A nice tuna salad sandwich is easy and tasty. And of course, Mommy had already taken the top off the pudding cup for me. After lunch, I helped Mommy clear away the dishes. For that I got a hug, a kiss, and a smile. Definitely worth it!! Just as I was about to go play my game some more, I felt Mommy’s hand on my butt. She gave it a squeeze. I blushed a little when she said, “Good thing Mommy keeps you in diapers. I’ll take care of that when it’s time for paddle and nap.” I blushed red when she mentioned the paddle. She had said I would be getting spanked at naptime, even if I behaved. And I had been behaving, I did my chores, I didn’t say anything about the towel I found in the bathroom. But Mommy said Thursdays are to remember who’s the mommy and who’s the baby. Oh well, little boys do what their mommy says. I managed to get the coins I needed and was heading to the village where the blacksmith was when Mommy walked in and said simply, “Okay sweetie, time to turn off your game.” She picked up a diaper from the stack, reached into the toy drawer, then went over to sit on the edge of the bed. After I put my game controller away, she simply said, “Good boy. Now bring Mommy your paddle.” I pouted and complained a little as I waddled over to where it was now hanging, “But I’ve been a good boy haven’t I? Why do I…” She interrupted me with a firm voice, “Michael, who’s the Mommy?” I hung my head a little and answered, “You are.” “And who’s the little baby still needing to wear diapers?” she asked. I squirmed as I felt my cock tingling. Being treated like this, I can’t explain it, but it makes my cock stir. I reached between my legs, partly to squeeze my diaper, but partly to grip my dick. I whispered, “I am… I’m the little baby that wets their diapers.” Her voice went softer again as she ended the conversation with, “That’s right, now do as your told and bring me your paddle.” I took it from the wall and waddled slowly over to her. She gently took it from my hand and set it on the bed next to her. Then she reached and unhooked the straps of my shortalls and let them fall. Then she patted her lap, simply saying, “Over my lap sweetie, where little boys belong.” I didn’t argue anymore or even hesitate. I bent over Mommy’s lap and waited. I felt her hand on my diapered bottom as she told me, “Good boy. Part of being a little boy is remembering to do as Mommy says.” She rubbed my bottom a few times, then I felt her fingers tugging at the waist, tugging it down just enough to expose my bottom. Then I felt the wood of the paddle against my cheeks and she said, “Mommy leaves the front of your diaper to cover your little peepee. In case my little crybaby tinkles.” She rubbed the paddle against my wet bottom in a circle and said, “I think just three today sweetie. Do you remember how to count?” I had learned my lesson about that, I whimpered and answered properly, “Yes Mommy, I remember.” She praised me for remembering, “Good Job! My baby finally knows how to speak up and use your words. Let’s begin.” THWACK!! “One Mommy.” THWACK!! “Two Mommy.” THWACK!! “Three Mommy.” And just like that, it was over. Her hand dropped the paddle and gently rubbed my stinging bottom. She asked, “There, that wasn’t so bad now was it? Good little boys don’t need much.” I nodded and answered, “N…no Mommy. I’m a good boy so… so I don’t need a lot.” As she helped me to stand up, she added, “Just a little reminder, so you don’t forget to behave. Now, lay down so we can put mister dinky in his little house and get your diaper changed. Then it’s time for baby Mikey to have his nap.” ++++++++++ And just like that, I had my little boy laying back so I could change his diaper. I noticed that even just those few strokes had made his cock shrivel up and go limp. He was silent as I lifted his limp little dick and slid it into his chastity cage. No protests, no whining, he let me lock away his last bit of manhood. It’s good that he didn’t get hard, spankings in this house are not a prelude to sex, they’re to remind little boys to behave. And the rest of the day, you’re a little mama’s boy. I unbuttoned my top and lay with him. He eagerly took my nipple and I cuddled him close. I reached for the music box speaker and gave it a tap. As it started a soft lullaby, I whispered in his ear, “Mommy loves her baby. You’re Mommy’s baby for ever and ever…” To Be Continued

Part 5 That nail? It came in the form of a simple sentence meant to reassure her of her mother’s preparedness. “If you have an accident all you have to do is let me know and we can get you all changed”, Patrice said, patting her bag. Wait, Cara thought. D-did did she not know then? A wave of relief washed over her followed almost immediately by an equally intense wave of utter mortification. “Wait, MOM! What do you mean!? What’s in your bag?!” Cara asked. “Sweetie, it’s not a big deal. I just grabbed a couple of extra pull-ups in case you need a change. Plus some baby wipes for cleaning you up. I’d much rather that you tell me when you have an accident so I can give them to you than that you sit in your own pee pee and get a diaper rash”. Pee pee? Change? DIAPER RASH?! Cara’s brain nearly collapsed in on itself as her face blazed and her mouth started of its own accord with a whining, “MOOOOOOOM! No! This is too far! Put them back! Put them back now! I’m not a little kid and I don’t need more pul-more of… them!” A quick smack to her butt was all it took to pull Cara up short, releasing her third surprised spurt of pee into the pull-ups and ironically proving how much she truly did need those backups. It hadn’t hurt too much, mostly because the pullup and shorts were protecting her sore behind. What it had done was shock her out of her whining and remind her of what was at stake if she continued with that course of behavior. Damn, was her mom onto something?! Was this… effective? Maybe if Cara had a bit more of that guidance she wouldn’t have failed her two community college courses from last semester, she thought . She hadn’t mentioned that to her parents, of course. Only taking the two classes and working a few hours a week doing basically nothing at the office, it would be hard to break it to them that she hadn’t applied herself at all. But that was a conversation she would definitely not be bringing up until this ridiculous power trip of her mom’s was over. Sure it was their money, but hey, they’re the ones who said she had to go to school or get a job! She would have been happy to just hang out. Cara was so lost in thought that she didn’t even think to protest as her mother again began leading her by the hand to the car, even going so far as to buckle the stunned girl’s seatbelt for her. It was only when her sister chuckled next to her that she snapped out of it and sent a scathing look that way. “-know we were aiming for 9, but we had some… things to handle. Sorry, hon”, came the end of Cara’s mom’s sentiment. “So you had trouble getting her into the pull-ups?”, her dad asked in slightly hushed tones, though not quiet enough that Cara, and surely Ryan could hear it a few feet behind. It wasn’t an especially large car. “We’ll talk more when we get there, but trouble is an understatement. I did what we talked about and we are going to be keeping her on a short leash this weekend”, Patrice said back, not quite as hushed. Cara blushed deeper and just looked out the window at the passing trees as they made their way towards the highway. Normally she would bark back at them for talking about her like she wasn’t even there, but the slight soreness in her butt was enough to make her bite her tongue. “Ah, so that’s why she’s having trouble sitting still”, her dad whispered, to Cara’s absolute horror. And she realized, with even more embarrassment, that he was right. She had been having trouble getting comfortable and part of that was the sore butt. Some of it was also the fact that she hadn’t had a chance to pee since waking up. She had been on the way to the bathroom when her mom had stopped her and after everything she hadn’t gotten a chance. The most embarrassing reason for her wiggling, though it was a close call, was the slight squishiness she could feel now cool beneath her, reminding her that she had indeed used the padding. Although it hadn’t been much, she was convinced she could smell the slight ammonia scent and she couldn’t escape the idea that her mom was right and she was going to get a rash. No chance in hell was she going to be telling her mom that she needed another pull-up. Maybe she could ditch this one in the rest area when they inevitably stopped. Showing up commando would be significantly better than in a pull-up, even if it were completely dry. Despite the rough start, she was eventually able to tune out her parents’ conversation in the front and settle into a comfortable enough position to doze off. She had had a long morning after all. Waking up, head pressed against the window, drool sticking her hair to her face, Cara felt disoriented. Wiping her face and blinking, she looked around and remembered where she was… and all that had transpired this morning. The first reminder was the slight soreness still in her rear, and the strange sensation of the slightly damp pull-up. “Morning, sleepyhead”, came the jovial voice of her dad, smiling at her in the rear view mirror. Cara was too preoccupied to smile back, she was too preoccupied to even blush. All she could think about was how much she had to pee. Her bladder was aching for release and she knew that she would need a bathroom sooner rather than later. Glancing at the clock, she realized she had slept through over half the trip. Good, this would be a totally reasonable time to ask for a bathroom break, she thought. “Hey dad?”, Cara asked, “can we stop at the next rest area?”. A look was exchanged in the front seat between her parents. Beside her, Ryan was mercifully dozing. Cara, meanwhile, was squeezing her thighs together and bouncing a leg. “Honey, do you have to go really badly or can you hold it a bit longer? We were kind of hoping to make it without stopping. If we do that we might just catch the family at the house. We only have an hour and a bit to go…”, was her mom’s response. Ugh, stupid big family and their equally Amazonian bladders! Cara knew which answer they were hoping for, but there was no chance she was going to make it that long. She was starting to worry that she wouldn’t even make it to the next rest area! “It’s an emergency!”, Cara said, now pressing a hand to her crotch to physically hold her urine inside of her. She didn’t have the bandwidth to even worry about how childish she must look and sound. She couldn’t even find the focus to blush, she was instead clenching her teeth and trying to prevent a disaster. Sighing, her dad answered this time in a calm yet disappointed voice. “Okay sweetie, we will stop at the next rest area”. Cara felt badly but she was so grateful to hear that. Every second ticked by like an hour and every bump caused her to press her fingers more deeply into the padding beneath her. Cara didn’t want to be seen as a little kid who couldn’t hold it, but… she couldn’t hold it. “Dad, I can’t hold it! Is the rest stop coming up soon?”, she asked in a panic. “Oh, honey this is what we were talking about this morning”, came her mom’s response. “This is why we wanted you to wear your pull-ups. Try to hold on and if you have an accident before we get there you can just let me know and we can get you cleaned up and changed into a fresh pullup”. Cara felt a small spurt of pee sneak out past her digging fingers even as she whined back, “mooooooooom! Stop talking about them! They’re not mine and I don’t need them and I’m not gonna use them and I don’t need a change and stop talking about it!!!!!”. The volume and force with which she expressed this only served to wake Ryan and open the conversation to one more. Ugh, stupid mom!, Cara thought, even as she could feel another spurt of pee sneaking past her defenses. The agonizing wait for the rest area felt like the longest of Cara’s life, though it was only about twelve minutes according to the passive aggressive digital numbers set into the dash, switching as slowly as possible. Clearly there was something wrong with the clock. When they finally pulled off the main highway and into the service area, Cara nearly cried with relief. She only needed to hold on til she was inside and she would be able to not only relieve this pain but even ditch the stupid garment altogether.

Chapter 65 Charlotte’s vision blurred and all she could perceive is a dizzying kaleidoscope of colors. She took labored gasps of air as she felt as if she had the wind knocked right out of her. Everything was spinning with Charlotte too dizzy to even sit up, let alone stand. It was then that she heard a voice that sent chills down her spine: “You’re mine, Charlotte Spacedasher. Why even try? It is futile…” That’s when Charlotte realized that she was still in the middle of a fierce battle with what could only have been her sworn enemy: Dark Sader. The menacing helmeted figure loomed over her, brandishing some kind of metal rod, which projected a bright narrow beam of red light. Charlotte could feel the intense heat projecting from the red beam as it was brought closer and closer to her face. Judging at just how hot everything was beginning to feel around Charlotte, she knew that this beam would be hot enough to burn her face should the beam come in contact with her skin. ‘No. Not now. Is this how it’s going to end? Me? Being beat by my worst enemy?’ Charlotte attempted to move, but she could barely move her two feet. Dark Sader stared at her with a menacing mask which made it difficult for Charlotte to tell what his facial expression was. He was either glaring at her in anger or smiling at her victoriously. “Charlotte Spacedasher, it’s over. You can’t even stand! I will finish you off, and then I will take the artifact for myself. I will then enslave the entire galaxy.” Charlotte’s voice trembled, creating what sounded like a forced squeak. “No,” Charlotte weakly replied. “You…………………..…will not………………….win………” Dark Sader lowered his weapon towards Charlotte’s face and heard what sounded like shrieks and sobbing coming from the poor frightened girl. Charlotte couldn’t take it anymore. Charlotte couldn’t move at all, so… Charlotte gave up. ‘Yeah. I can’t do this. I’m pathetic.’ No…. Charlotte was surprised hearing the voice as she felt her life flashing before her eyes. Use The Source, Charlotte…. ‘The Source?’ Charlotte had no idea what the voice was talking about. Use The Source….The voice repeated. I know you can do it. Beat Dark Sader! And just like that, Charlotte felt a powerful strength in her that felt so familiar. The surge of energy started in her feet and then flowed up her legs until it reached her heart. It didn’t matter. Charlotte effortlessly lunged up in a backflip, dodging Dark Sader’s strike to her face just in time. None of it did. Charlotte remembered possessing a similar weapon to Dark Sader and used her mind powers to bring the weapon that was lying on the floor to her hands. She swung it wildly against Dark Sader, who blocked her with each swing. The two colored beams crossed each other. Charlotte’s was blue and Dark Sader’s was red. Nothing else mattered. The fierce swordfight continued, a performance done in what could only be described as a fencing duel. Over and over, the blades kept crossing up and down with neither side managing to land a successful strike. But then, Charlotte saw it. She guessed that it could be attributed to The Source, but it was very clear to her within that split second. There was a clear opening that Dark Sader did not take into account. So Charlotte went for it. She swung her blue-beamed blade….and…. Dark Sader was struck square in the chest. The impact sent him falling to the floor. Charlotte quickly approached him, bringing her blue-beamed blade to his face. “Move, and I’ll chop your head off.” Charlotte threatened. Dark Sader held his hand up. “Stop.” Then, he disarmed himself, throwing his weapon on the floor. Holding both hands out, he looked at Charlotte. “I surrender. You fight well, Charlotte Spacedasher. Put your weapon down and we can talk as equals.” Charlotte gasped. “Equals? There is no way that you and I could ever be equals. I am a Commander Super Sluth Astronaut and you are a Dark Space lord intending on enslaving the galaxy.” But to Charlotte’s surprise, Dark Sader was shaking his head. “No Charlotte. It was his vision to enslave the galaxy. When you struck me down, it made me see just what a fool I was. I was being manipulated from the very beginning…” Charlotte sighed, feeling as if her patience was reaching its breaking point. “So? You are galactic scum. We have absolutely nothing in common, Dark Sader.” “No.” Dark Sader insisted, standing up. “We have more in common than you will ever know. Just remove my mask and you will see. Charlotte…Charlotte, I am your sister.” Charlotte’s hands were poised around the helmet, and she shook her head in disbelief. “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! It can’t be! Your voice is too deep!” Dark Sader nodded, and press a button on the special suit. “That should be it,” he said, the voice sounding a lot more feminine. Now take off the mask, Charlotte. You know who I am!” Charlotte could already tell who it was as she was removing the mask. It was… Lauren. Lauren Ashcroft. Charlotte still couldn’t believe it. “You? An evil space lord? Why?” Lauren laughed. “Why not? It was the game you wanted to play, remember? Space Fights? So, here we are! You wanted to be a Super Sleuth Astronaut Commander and I agreed to be Dark Sader. Now, It’s time to head home to your home planet, Charlotte. You have passed the final trial. You have beat the champion. Open up the artifact. You earned it, Charlotte. Now the mothership and fathership are on their way to pick you up. So why don’t you see what the artifact is, Charlotte? This is what you have been fighting for, and I’m so proud of you.” Lauren gave Charlotte a big hug as Charlotte began to hold the artifact in her hands. The bright glow from the artifact shined and shimmered as the seal began to disappear on its own. With the seal gone, it was now a flashing metal box with a latch holding it shut. Charlotte lifted the lid on the hinged box and inside the box was…another box with a thick cardboard lid. The light grew brighter as Charlotte lifted up the lid. The ancient treasure of space. The artifact that the Bylantians were protecting. The artifact that Charlotte worked so hard to find was…. The Running Shoes. And as Charlotte held the shoes in her hand, Lauren and everything that was in the room of trials that she was in began to fade out of view… *** Charlotte awoke, sitting up in her crib, her hands still held out like she was holding the shoes in her dream. ‘The whole time. It was…It always was, the shoes. How could I not know?’ Charlotte could only guess that her mind was being hindered at figuring everything out from the get go. All the pointless postulating about what was the source of her regression. The shoes did all of it. Her matchless speed. Her boundless endurance. All the carelessness that she felt…It had always been the shoes. But the shoes also took something from Charlotte every time that she used them. And just now, she realized this. The shoes kept taking years of Charlotte’s life away from her, reverting her back to her childhood. But Charlotte felt strange. She didn’t feel mad that the shoes had done this to her. ‘Weird. I should be very mad about this but I’m actually very happy. Why am I so happy? Where has all the dread, misery and rage gone?” Charlotte once again remembered the words of wisdom that her mother told her: “Charlotte honey, you are growing up. And as you grow up, you are going to experience difficult changes in your life. Changes that you can’t control and changes that you can’t explain. You are going to get very frustrated at these changes. But don’t dear. You are a runner, Charlotte. And as a runner, I tell you to do this as your mother. While these changes that you can’t control or explain are obstacles, you may try to run through them. You may try to run around them. You may try to run past them. But don’t. Let the obstacles catch up with you. And when they do, accept it. Accept all of it. Because when you do, you will find yourself to be a lot better. You will be happier. You will be braver. You will be wiser. You will be stronger. And in that place, you will find true peace and happiness. You will find true happiness and joy when you let your obstacles catch up with you and you accept all of them into your life.” ‘I let the obstacles catch up with me and now I’m not bothered by it anymore,” Charlotte decided. ‘Yeah. That’s it. The shoes helped me accept the years that it took from me and it helped me to let those obstacles catch up with me. Wow. Just like that? And…Wait a second. Is it me or does this crib feel just a little bigger?’ Charlotte could only guess that it was her imagination, as she could not even remember what happened the day before. All she knew was the wonderful freedom that she had now. ‘I can finally live! No more dreading about the future!’ Charlotte secretly knew that the regression would continue until she disappeared, but not even this bothered her. ‘So? I have made up my mind. I’m just going to be happy and live each of my days one day at a time. And if I disappear, I’m going to disappear with a smile on my face.’ Such freedom. Charlotte stood up to find the railing of her crib still towering over her. As much as she tried to escape, the railing was too high for her to climb. Frustrated, she stumbled back onto the mattress, making a cushioned landing on her diapered butt. She was wrapped in a soft and silky white onesie with cute zoo animals on it. She could vaguely remember her mother dressing her into it before falling asleep. ‘Did she? Or was it another set of pajamas?’ Charlotte’s eyes darted around to notice her stuffed bear Bobo staring at her like he was welcoming her back. She could barely make him out in her faintly lit room, which featured a cute glowing bunny rabbit. Charlotte was then overcome with a strong urge to suck on something. She whimpered until she realized a ribbon that was attached to her onesie. She yanked the ribbon to find a pink pacifier at the end of it. ‘Phew! I needed my pacie! Wow! Did I just say that? Well, the important thing is that I’m happy and this is going to make me happy.’ “Mah-paw-see!” Charlotte said in slurred and broken words. “Ah haw-pee!” Charlotte gave no attention to her sloppier utterance of words and was all smiles as she giddily popped the pacifier into her mouth. Her rapid sucking calmed her anxieties, resulting in her pace slowing down, until the pacifier finally fell out of her mouth as she fell asleep. Charlotte woke up to feel herself being lifted out of her crib. A gentle whisper caressed her ears, arousing her curiosity to the one that she knew and loved. ‘Mommy. What is she doing? It’s morning, but it doesn’t look like the sun is up yet.’ She made a soft fuss as she was gently lifted over the railing and into her mother’s arms. “Shhhhhhhh!!!! Shhhhhhhh!! Shhh….It’s okay, Charlie baby. Mommy’s here. Are you hungry this morning? Here. Sit in mommy’s lap. There you go. Good girl…” Charlotte could feel a steady and rhythmic rocking motion as she calmly rested in her mother’s lap. ‘Am I…In a rocking chair? I guess that would explain the back and forth that I’m feeling. Wow, does this feel nice…’ Charlotte enjoyed the tranquility and comfort and glanced at her mother’s lap. ‘Is it me, or did mommy grow overnight? It can’t be. She was the same size last night…’ Charlotte then saw her mother untying something. Charlotte was still tired so she squinted her eyes closed, only for them to be jolted open seconds later when she found herself to be lifted up again. Charlotte marveled at the wall of skin that was in front of her. It was then that she noticed two bulbous round cones of skin sticking out in front of her face. And above this, her mother patiently staring at her. “C’mon dearie. Are you hungry? You usually take to them right away.” Charlotte glanced at the large fleshly bulbous cone structures to make one awkward realization. These structures were her mother’s breasts, and they were right next to her face. ‘Wait a second. Mom wants me to…WHAT? Nurse them?’ A look of embarrassment came over Charlotte’s face as she blushed. ‘Sure. I have done a lot of things. I have repeated high school. Hell. I have even repeated middle school and elementary school. And even preschool and pre-preschool now! I have worn Goodnights, Pull-Ups, and even diapers. I have even sat in a car seat again which I now think is the comfiest seat in the world. I have now even taken to riding in a stroller again and sitting in a highchair. And a crib? Sure I hated it at first, but now I absolutely love the damn thing! But being nursed by your breasts? Sorry mom. I just don’t know if I can do this. I can’t.’ But before Charlotte could even object, there it was. A breast hanging out right in front of Charlotte’s face. ‘Is it even going to taste any good? I just don’t know if I should do it…’ But none of that even mattered. ‘Why am I doing this?’ Charlotte silently wondered as she found herself operating on autopilot. Charlotte closed her eyes as her mouth carefully traced the whereabouts of her mother’s breast. Her mouth was just short of it, finding a few droplets of milk running down her chin and onto her neck. She brushed her fingers over her chin and tasted the milk. It was creamy and sweet. Much better than any milk that she had ever tasted. ‘Whoa. This is so good. I must have more!’ And that is just what Charlotte did. After a couple more attempts, Charlotte’s mouth was securely locked around one of her mother’s breasts and she began to suckle. The warm sweet and delicious milk flowed into Charlotte’s mouth and down her throat. This prompted a laugh from Darcy. “Careful Char. Not too hard, hun. Don’t bite them. You’re a hungry girl this morning. Take as much as you need.” Darcy smiled as she rocked her hungry daughter back and forth in her lap, fondly staring at her as she took in the nourishment that she needed. It was the loving and nurturing stare of a mother that cared about her daughter’s needs. Charlotte meanwhile was in the process of sucking her mother’s breast dry. When she realized that the flow of milk was beginning to slow to mere droplets, she began to whimper. “Mah mommy! Mah! Mah!” Charlotte found her mother lovingly releasing her from her one breast and offering Charlotte the other one. Charlotte eagerly began sucking on the other breast, filled with a strong sense of desire. The sweet and creamy milk. There was no other way to get it. ‘It’s so good! Why did I ever object before? I hope this other one has plenty of milk…’ Charlotte kept sucking until she found herself beginning to burp. At this, Charlotte felt very full and released her mouth from her mother’s breast. A few droplets of milk tickled her chin and ran down her neck. Charlotte rubbed her fingers over her chin and neck, trying to savor every last drop. Darcy gave Charlotte a few soft pats on the back of Charlotte’s neck. “Are you done, honey? You usually get full around the second one. Now if you have any room, how about some solid food for breakfast. Cheerios and yogurt? Here, Charlie Darlie. There’s still a little milk on your chin.” Darcy grabbed a cloth that she usually had handy for when she was rocking and nursing Charlotte. She wiped Charlotte’s chin until the milk residue was wiped clean. Charlotte almost resented her mother’s removal of the milk. ‘Oh, come on mom! That milk was good! Why did you have to wipe the rest of it off? And now that you mention it, can I have some more?’ Charlotte couldn’t believe what she was thinking. Before it all, she was hesitant. But since she tasted the milk, she became a full-on addict. The anxiety ate away at her as she now had to wait until her next feeding. “Mah!” Charlotte sullenly shouted. Darcy laughed. “We need to wait for them to refill, honey. Plus, you look quite full. I’ll give you another one tonight before bed, okay?” ‘She’s usually out like a light after her nighttime feeding…’ Charlotte nodded, as her face now morphed into a curious burst of energy. She yanked the ribbon to find her pacifier and popped it in her mouth before leaping off her mother’s lap and began making fast strides towards her door, only to be stopped by a tall gate. She let out a frustrated grunt as she stared at the hallway through the gate that stood wedged over the threshold to the door to her room. She was then scooped up by her mother. “Not yet, Charliecakes.” Darcy said as she laid Charlotte on the changing table. “Mommy’s gotta get your diaper changed.” Charlotte didn’t know where her boundless energy and curiosity was coming from, but she didn’t mind it at all. ‘I truly enjoy living now, even if it’s like this.’ Charlotte was surprised at just how soaked her diaper was, and she began reaching to touch the yellowed soaked core on the inside only to be stopped by her mother. “No Char,” Darcy politely scolded. “That’s icky pee. You don’t want to touch it. Here. In a few seconds, you’ll be in a new one, okay? Within the next minute, Darcy rolled up the soggy diaper, wiped down Charlotte, powdered a new diaper and laid Charlotte on it and then sealed the diaper securely around her waist with the two tapes around the landing zone. In reality, it actually took two minutes since a whole minute was spent trying to keep Charlotte pinned down since she wouldn’t lay still while she tried to change her. Darcy then snapped the three crotch buttons back on Charlotte’s onesie and scooped her up. “We’re having breakfast and then mommy’s going to get you dressed. And guess what? I have your iPad in the kitchen so that you can watch Cocomelon while you eat!” For some reason, Charlotte was very excited at the word Cocomelon when Darcy said it. “Cah-cah-ma-won!” Charlotte said with a giddy smile. As Darcy was carrying Charlotte down the stairs, she could feel her cell phone buzzing inside her pants pocket. After letting Charlotte loose at the bottom of the stairs, she checked the caller ID. “Darlene. It’s sis.” Darcy quickly swiped the answer button and grinned. “Hello? What am I doing? I just finished nursing Charlotte and changing her diaper. She did it again, sis. Charlie bean wouldn’t lay still during her diaper change and I had to spend forever trying to pin her down. Now she’s running all over the place. Hold on.” Darcy gave Charlotte a frown. “Charlotte, could you please stop running around? Terrible twos indeed. Oh, you’re still there? So Heather did that too when she was that age? I guess it RUNS in the family! But yeah. Charlotte has become very curious and hyper since her second birthday. I would even say that she started this when she was eighteen months. And now, Charlotte is almost 25 months! Look at where the time has gone! Oh. Heather has a question for Charlotte? What she thought about watching her win the Dashing Ducklings Turkey Race yesterday? Yeah. Charlotte looked very happy when she saw Heather win. When Charlotte turns three, I will definitely enroll her in the Dashing Ducklings ASAP. Can I let you go? Oh. Not until Charlotte answers Heather’s question? Okay.” Darcy found Charlotte about to collide with a coffee table. As she approached Charlotte, it was too late. Charlotte hit the coffee table and landed with a thud. Charlotte began to wail, rubbing her bruised forehead in pain. Darcy sighed. “Charlotte Marie, we do not run in this house. Besides, your big cousin Heather has a question!” Charlotte smiled and approached the cell phone. “Heh-dah!” “Okay,” Darcy said, quickly switching it to speaker phone. “Heather, can you tell me the question that you have for Charlotte?” “Yeah! Charlotte, what did you think about me winning the Dashing Ducklings Turkey Race yesterday?” Charlotte could vaguely remember the details, only instead of her winning, she could now remember Heather winning instead. “Ih gud!” she happily chirped into the cellphone. “Oh. You thought it was good, Charlotte? Well, it was fun to see you there. I’m having Cinnamon Toast Crunch! Bye!” “Sah-min taas cahn.” Charlotte repeated in her cute two-year-old speech. Darcy scooped up Charlotte while she continued her call with Darlene. “Yeah. I have to give Charlotte her breakfast now. I think I’m going to try what Mikey suggested and get Charlotte into modeling. And you’re not going to believe this, Darlene. Michael was able to contact a friend of his and Charlotte’s going to be in a Pampers commercial! We signed all the paperwork before Thanksgiving weekend and the filming is going to be on Monday. This is going to work since I usually always buy Pampers for Charlotte. The hardest part will be getting her to sit still. What will she wear for the shoot? I got these very cute designer shoes that she looks totally adorable in! Besides that, she will just be in just a shirt and diaper since they need to be able to feature the diaper during the filming. Well, I need to let you go. I’m going to get Charlotte her breakfast now. Yeah. She’s going to model a little later so that will be fun. Bye sis!” Charlotte was very happy as she ate her Cherrio’s mixed with her strawberry yogurt in her highchair. Although just a trace of her adult consciousness was still there, she was just happy to let every one of her baby instincts take over. In doing this, Charlotte felt free and liberated. Gone was her desire to return to her adulthood. All she was interested in now was savoring each and every day that she had left. ‘Because God knows that I’ve tried,’ Charlotte thought. ‘I have tried everything. Maybe I was supposed to accept everything as it is?’ Not only did Charlotte feel happy, but for some reason, being two years old now felt very normal to Charlotte. Sure, she was this age once again, but it was now a fun new adventure. Her one-track toddler mind began running faster than what her adult mind could process. While Charlotte managed to get most of the strawberry yogurt in her mouth, various globs of it was all over her cheeks. Darcy laughed, as she brushed a moist paper towel against Charlotte’s face, getting every trace of yogurt in just a couple strokes. “You’re quite the messy girl!” she teased before playfully bonking her daughter on the nose. Charlotte noticed an IPad that was out of reach on the kitchen table and made vain attempts trying to grab it. “Whoosh Cah-cah-ma-won!” Charlotte whined as her cheeks began to redden. Darcy lifted Charlotte out of her highchair and carried her to the living room, trying to calm her fussy daughter down. “Charlotte relax. We’re going to watch Cocomelon on a much bigger screen, okay?” Charlotte’s whining fit was short-lived as she saw the TV screen turn on with the streaming service menu displaying the next episode of Cocomelon. “Cah-cah-ma-won!” She joyfully squealed. “See?” Darcy said, her tone adjusted to speak to a toddler. “There’s Cocomelon! Yay!” Charlotte spent the next hour watching Cocomelon, and making a cute attempt to dance to the nursery rhymes that she heard. She clapped her hands as she tried to mimic the lyrics that she heard to the songs. ‘So cute,’ Darcy thought. ‘Charlotte is such a cutie…’ But a sense of duty overcame Darcy’s mind, as she thought of the housework that she had to do. ‘It will have to wait until she’s taking a nap. I need to watch Charlotte like a hawk now!’ Right after Cocomelon was over, Darcy transferred Charlotte from the couch to her playpen that was nearby, only to be greeted by a pungent scent that entered her nostrils. “Pee yew, Charlotte!” Darcy said, almost laughing. “Did you just make a stinky, honey? Come here, stinky girl so mommy can get you out of that stinky butt.” But Charlotte ran to the other side of the playpen, giggling as she tried to evade her mother’s grasp. While she was successful for a little while, Darcy finally surrounded Charlotte with both hands and lifted her up, the poopy stench now very strong at this point. But Charlotte, being the escape artist, squirmed loose from Darcy’s grasp and began running towards the kitchen. “Come back here, you silly and stinky girl!” Darcy teased. ‘Really Charliecakes. Do you have to do this? This is the terrible twos? It’s even more terrible than what I thought! Patience, Darcy. Charlotte’s only two…” And Darcy knew that even if Charlotte made it to the kitchen, every cabinet and drawer within Charlotte’s reach was latched shut with childproof safety locks. The cabinets and drawers were rubberbanded shut so that Charlotte wouldn’t get into anything. Charlotte popped her pacifier back into her mouth and sucked on it as she saw the spoiler of her fun approaching her. With Charlotte now standing by the fridge, she was cornered, and was beginning to tire. “Tinky!” Charlotte sloppily whispered in her cute voice. She then proceeded to whisper various words that all sounded like gibberish. Darcy scooped Charlotte up again and promptly took her to a changing mat in the living room to change her stinky diaper. After a few more frustrating minutes of trying to pin Charlotte down while she cleaned her, she resorted to distract Charlotte with a toy. Charlotte peacefully sucked on her pacifier while she swaddled a stuffed unicorn like a baby. Her fixation on the toy was enough for Darcy to finish changing Charlotte. The rest of the morning consisted of Charlotte playing with her toys in her playpen. A quick lunch followed, which included Darcy feeding Charlotte a grilled cheese sandwich cut up into squares. This also included some goldfish crackers with a couple of baby carrots and some cinnamon teddy grahams for dessert. Darcy was just finishing wiping off Charlotte’s messy face when she heard the doorbell rang. Not wanting to leave Charlotte out of her sight, she carried Charlotte while supporting her butt and approached the door. “It’s open!” She shouted. The door opened to reveal a very happy Lauren with her father Michael. “Just in time!” Darcy said with a smile. “I was just about to get Charlotte ready for her afternoon nap. Is everything finally cleaned up from Thanksgiving?” Michael nodded. “We let the maids finish the cleanup. Now, are you ready to talk about that modeling agency I told you about? This is going to get you a lot more exposure Darling…” Lauren gave her father a frown and sighed when she glanced at Charlotte. “Haven’t you forgot, daddy? We need to get Charlotte ready for her nap first. You go on ahead. I got this, Miss Warren…I mean, mommy.” And before Darcy could even object, Lauren scooped Charlotte out of Darcy’s arms and carried her towards the stairs. Lauren smiled as she carried her little sister up the stairs. “Baby sister, you are going to have the best nap ever.” Lauren did a couple of pats and did a quick diaper check on Charlotte. ‘She doesn’t need a new diaper yet, but she will need one after her nap.’ She continued past the gate at the top of the stairs and proceeded down the hallway to Charlotte’s room, which had another gate before the doorway. Fortunately, it was opened as Darcy left it, so she proceeded into Charlotte’s room. ‘I’m glad that new gate is getting put to good use. From what my new mommy told me, Charlotte is quite the escape artist!’ Once inside, Lauren laid Charlotte in her crib, admiring the pink cotton dress with white bunnies that her mother picked out for her. Noticing that the ribbon of Charlotte’s pacifier was hanging down, Lauren grabbed the pink pacifier that it was attached to and handed it to Charlotte, who instinctually popped it in her mouth. Lauren then made sure that Charlotte was properly tucked in, since she slept in a crib with bedsheets instead of a toddler bed for safety reasons (due to Charlotte’s petite size). Finally, she grabbed Bobo and laid the stuffed bear right next to her. “Have a nice nap, sweetie!” she cooed before kissing Charlotte on the forehead. Charlotte groggily woke up from her nap to find herself on the changing table, with Lauren changing her diaper. “Such a sleepyhead!” Lauren teased. “Hi Charlotte! Did you have a nice nap? I’m going to finish changing your diapy and then your mommy is going to take you to a modeling studio!” “Mah sah dah….” Charlotte murmured, coming nowhere close to repeating what Lauren told her. Still groggy, Charlotte sucked on her pacifier as she faded in and out. Before she knew it, she was in a car seat and she heard the sound of the ignition. She noticed Cocomelon playing on an iPad that was sat on a tray right next to her and watched groggily as she clapped her hands to the mesmerizing songs. Upon entering the modeling studio, a girl came up to Charlotte and smiled. “Chaw-lit!” The girl shouted. “Ka-eee!” Charlotte shouted. Darcy smiled as she glanced at Kendra. “So this is the modeling studio that you told me so much about! I figured this would be perfect with Charlotte and Karlee being such good friends at daycare.” Kendra smiled. “Yes. I know! It’s so cute watching Charlotte, Karlee, and Diana all play together!” Darcy nodded, as she kept a careful eye on Charlotte. “How did it go with potty training Karlee this weekend?” Kendra laughed. “I think that we’re going to take a break from that. She leaked about every Pull-Up. I just put her back in diapers this morning. We’re going to try again in a few months. Now, is Charlotte ready for some fun modeling?” Darcy glanced at Charlotte. “How about we ask her? Charlie dear, are you ready to model some clothing? We’re going to play some dress up!” Karlee flashed a proud smile. “Ya weady tah maw-del wif mommy?” Charlotte’s adult mind perked up at the word modeling. ‘Maybe I should give it another chance. After all, today has been fun so far. So I’m wearing more baby clothes? Count me in! I’m really starting to get used to this…’ That afternoon, Charlotte modeled five different sets of baby clothing for Carter’s. Although she was two years old, she could comfortably fit into 9-to-12-month clothing. Although Kendra did have her mother dress Charlotte in an 12–18-month outfit, they found this outfit to be too big on Charlotte, while the 9–12-month outfits were perfect. That night, Charlotte enjoyed a dinner of some chicken nuggets with some crinkle cut fries and a chocolate chip cookie. And then, Charlotte was carried into the rocking chair by her mother. She almost forgot why she was being rocked. But it all came back to her when she saw her mother untying the straps of her bra. ‘Oh, that’s right! That milk. That delicious milk! I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I must have more!’ A wanting look began to fill Charlotte’s eyes as she began to whine, glancing up at the silky cover as it was being removed. Both straps fell off and landed on Darcy’s lap, while Charlotte stared up with a feverish look on her face. She was lifted higher until she was level with one of the two breasts. And like the first time, she locked on and began enjoying more of the rich creamy and sweet milk that she craved. ‘Why did I ever complain? Why did I ever fight? The shoes did this to me, so I’m fine with everything now. And if I get to have milk like this every morning and night, then I don’t care if I ever grow up! How does it taste so good? How does…Ugh…getting sleepy…’ By the time that Charlotte began to latch onto Darcy’s other breast, her eyes were blinking. And after a few more seconds of suckling, she fell asleep. For that Sunday, Charlotte found herself enjoying that day even more than Saturday. She didn’t know if that was just her toddler mind at work, but she loved waking up and exploring in the fun world that was around her. Her Sunday consisted of her being breastfed in the morning, going to church with her mother, Lauren, and Michael, and spending much of the rest of the day at the Ashcroft Estate. After that, Charlotte was taken home by Darcy and changed into a nighttime diaper. Once she was all ready for bed, Darcy rocked her and breastfed her daughter again (Charlotte’s favorite part because of the sweet milk). Darcy smiled as she watched Charlotte fall asleep before she could suckle anymore. ‘Always happens on the second one. She’s out like a light.’ “Good night, Charlie baby…” She whispered in a coo as she carried Charlotte into her crib. She raised the railing and latched it shut with the safety latch. She then padlocked the latch and placed Bobo next to her. She kissed Charlotte on the forehead before leaving her room. Charlotte could barely remember anything as she squinted her eyes open before they shut completely.

Part Three I froze. I didn’t like to be cliche, but it was hard to think of another metaphor besides ‘deer in the headlights’. Hannah looked at me, I looked at Hannah, and while under her revealing gaze I could not bring myself to move. The idea of speaking, of saying, ‘I can explain’, occurred to me, but I quickly dismissed the idea. I couldn’t explain, even if I had the capacity to speak. “Is that my dress?” she asked. It wasn’t the detail I would have started with, but at least it had a simple answer. I nodded weakly. She stared a little longer, drinking me in, from my hair to my dress to my puffy diaper. I held my breath. (Fuck, fuck, fuck–) Blinking, I looked away, baffled. “Isn’t this what you wanted?” (I hoped–) “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Hannah, assuming I’d directed the question at her, stepped forward. “I didn’t…oh. Oh.” Realization struck her. She began to laugh. “Oh my god,” she wheezed, leaning against the wall to catch herself from falling. I was falling, too, sinking into myself as my world crashed around me. (No, no, no,) the voice added, horror clear in the repetition. (Please, no–) “Are you wearing a diaper?” Hannah asked, wiping away tears. “Just a ‘widdle baby giwl’? And…you actually put on makeup?” “I…” She shook her head, the surface tension of her laughter breaking as she recognized something on my face. “I bet Ruth put you up to this, she can sound just like me,” she promised. “Let me guess, you got a call earlier today from ‘me’, saying I wanted something special tonight?” Blinking repeatedly to keep away the tears that threatened to streak my fresh makeup, I tried to follow what she’d said. Ruth, her sister. She thought this was all a prank. (This was a bad idea. I fucked it up. Don’t tell her the truth. Pretend it’s a prank, just go along with it, this isn’t going to go well!) “Oh.” I tried to keep my tone level. “I…I guess I fell for it.” “You’re a cutie pie,” she assured me, covering her hand with her mouth as another burst of giggles bubbled up inside her. “And I appreciate that you’re willing to try new things for me! What did Ruth say, I wanted you to dress up like a little baby doll and we could play ‘house’? If I’d have known, I would have found a briefcase and a suit somewhere so I could play into the bit.” “Um–” I stammered, still frozen in place. “Yeah.” (If that’s not an eggy statement, I don’t know what is.) Blinking, I looked down. “What?” Approaching another step, a grin still on her face, Hannah said, “I can see it now–I’d be the big strong daddy coming home from a day at the Business Factory, and then I’d find my naughty baby got into mommy’s clothes and started playing dress up, and I’d have to give you a spanking, then…well I guess we’d bang?” I tried to match her energy and chuckled nervously, rubbing at the back of my neck. (Okay, we can recover this. It’s fine. Nothing horrible has happened yet, you can still hear me, we’re just still at square one. Play it cool, and…who am I kidding, you can’t play it cool. Just don’t say anything.) Hannah hesitated. Her smirk faltered, then returned, and she reached down to dig into her purse. “Here, hold on…” Fumbling for a moment, she took out an eyeliner pencil turned away, marking something on her face. When she turned back to me, she had an obviously fake pencil mustache over her lip. Putting on a comically deep voice, she said, “Oh baby, I’m home!” I looked down at my toes. (Okay, say something, you can’t just go mute.) “Uh…” I started. “Come on,” she said, stepping closer and gently punching me in the arm. “It’s funny! I’m not laughing at you.” “Right…” “Though, you are cute when you blush,” she said, eyes tracing down to around my waist. “And that does make your booty super cute. I guess I know what the ‘baby’ in ‘Baby Got Back’ refers to.” My face burned more, shame making me feel like I would turn to lead and fall through the floor. “Sweetie, that was a joke too.” She tilted her head and looked at me. “Come on, let’s get you dressed in something a little more manly and we can go get dinner like we’d planned.” She took my arm and tugged me towards the bedroom. I almost fell, stumbling, caught off guard by the motion. Turning to face me once again, Hannah frowned. “Sweetie?” “I…” (No, I know what you’re going to say, just shut up, abort, don’t change things any more–) It was too late. Tears were welling in my eyes again and I couldn’t pretend. Words failed me, but Hannah got it. “...Ruth never called you, did she?” she asked. I shook my head. “So all this…” she gestured at me, at my dress, at my diaper. “What is this?” (You’re going to ruin everything, shut up, just–) Tears welled in my eyes and I shut out her voice in my head. “This is me.” Hannah’s eyes widened. “What does that mean?” “I think…” I began, struggling to find the words. (It’s not working!) I fell silent, not because the voice insisted I had to, but because I couldn’t find the words. Hannah put her hands on my shoulders. She had to stand up on the balls of her feet to reach me, but she put her lips on mine, kissing away my fears. When we parted, she whispered, “Whatever you are, you can be that person with me.” I felt numb, but the pins and needles disassociation had been replaced with euphoria, a druggy high. She hadn’t walked away, she hadn’t rejected me. The voice in my head seemed as shocked as I felt. (What?) “I love you,” I blurted, unable to think of anything else. “I love you so much.” “I love you too,” Hannah said. (God, he’s perfect,) the voice thought. (You’d better not lose him again.) I tried to mask my confusion, but there were enough conflicting emotions already coursing through me that I needn’t have bothered. “I don’t know if I can explain.” “You feel like a woman?” Hannah suggested, gently looking me up and down. “Trapped in a man’s body?” (...ugh. Almost perfect, but god that’s dated.) “Shut…” I started, before shaking my head. “Sorry, there’s an annoying voice in my head, I want it to shut up. I don’t know how I feel, I just…I’m still figuring this out.” Stepping back and glancing down, Hannah added, “I might need you to explain the diaper.” “Honestly, I wish I could.” a nervous chuckle escaped me. “I’m not sure I really understand it either.” Reaching down, she gave my butt a gentle pat, which produced a crinkling and made me squirm. “Well…do you need that stern daddy to come home and play house?” My eyes widened. “I…” “I won’t give you a spanking, I promise.” Her wry smile lacked the mocking mirth from before, the humor was purely flirtatious. “You seem like you were waiting for me to take the lead, is all. And…I think I don’t hate the idea, honestly. You’re a cute girl.” (Okay, this is…ugh. What is wrong? He’s getting it, but he’s not getting it. How are you going to mess this up now?) I paused. I wanted to respond to the voice, but I didn’t want to look utterly insane in front of Hannah. “Can you give me a moment? I need to…uh…use the bathroom.” She raised an eyebrow and the corner of her mouth curled up. “Aren’t you wearing it?” “I…” A flush rose up my cheeks, tingling with all sorts of emotions I couldn’t deny were pleasant. “Teasing. Of course. But when you’re done, I want to talk about all this.” She gave me a light smooch on the cheek and pulled away, giving me space to retreat to the privacy of my bathroom. Turning, I hurried away, turned on the circulation fan, and whispered, “What now?” (Nothing’s changed.) “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said. “Everything is different. Isn’t this what you wanted?” (No! You’re going to relapse, you’re going to shove yourself back in the closet–nothing is different here, so somehow, I’m still going to end up like this, and it’s your fault.) I turned and looked in the mirror again, facing myself. I felt crazy saying it aloud, but then again, ‘feeling crazy’ had defined my day. “You’re me, aren’t you?” I couldn’t lie to myself. (Yes.) “So you’re…what, the Ghost of Christmas Future?” I asked. “Trying to set me on a different life path?” Her voice…my voice, really, felt fainter. (Yes, and…you’re making this harder.) “How? Why didn’t you just tell me this right away?” (Because the more you change, the harder it is for me to stick around. It’s too difficult to explain, but if my history is too different from your future, I won’t be able to talk to you any more. I can’t control you any more, you’ve gotten too far away, I’m reduced to just feeling you.) That explained a lot, and yet cleared nothing up. “Then…that’s a good thing, right?” (No! Because I’m in your future, and nothing has changed. I still never started HRT, I still wasted decades, I still…lost Sam. I figured this all out too late, and I was too scared to act on it.) “Who’s–” (You’re calling him Hannah, still, but he’ll figure it out eventually.) I looked at myself. “I don’t know what to do with this information.” (You’re going to fuck it up. You’re going to relapse. If you were going to change things, I’d be able to see it, but my future is still just…nothing. It’s still too late to do anything.) I got a sinking feeling, sympathetic fear that I knew what the issue was. “Nothing has changed for you? Nothing at all?” (...no.) “Then I’m going to go get a tattoo tomorrow,” I said. “Of a…I don’t know…a Yin Yang on my ankle. I promise. That part of your timeline is changed, I’m going to do it.” (No. No.) “Is it there?” I asked. I knew the answer from my silence alone. “You aren’t changing your past,” I said. “You’re creating a new timeline. It’s Terminator 2, not Terminator.” (This was never going to work,) my future self said, despair creeping in. (I just…) “Hey,” I said. “It did work. You saved me.” (But I didn’t save me.) “You said a couple decades,” I said. “You’re in your forties now, right?” (Yes.) “Life expectancy is supposed to go up, so you’ve still got a ton of time left. Why can’t you use it?” (You sweet summer child,) I thought to myself. (I wish I could tell you what the future holds, but I’m already slipping.) “An hour ago,” I said, “I never even thought this was possible. You changed that. And if you can do it for me, you can do it for…well, me.” My future self didn’t respond, but I wrapped my arms around my body, squeezing in a tight hug, hoping that my future self could still feel it. I heard a sob in my mind, and squeezed the hug a little tighter. “You can do this,” I whispered. “You’re strong enough to do this, and you don’t need time travel.” (I can’t.) “You already did, to me. Just do it again.” I could read into my own silence, the familiar, paralyzing uncertainty I’d felt only minutes before. Pulling my arms as tight as they would go without discomfort, I said, “Thank you. I love you.” I hadn’t said that to myself before, but I meant it, and I knew I meant it. (I love you too.) I knew that I meant it then, just the same. (I can’t hold on much longer.) I smiled into the mirror, though tears were welling up in my eyes again. The woman who looked back at me was beautiful in her joy. “That’s okay. You did enough already.” (Take care of yourself. Don’t do the Atkins Diet thing, it won’t help. And don’t lend dad money when he asks in a couple years.) My voice had the tone of a concerned mother, giving advice before sending her child to school, giving whatever warnings she could before saying goodbye. Their voice was fading already, slipping with every word. “Okay,” I said, laughing. “Sure.” (Also, don’t be fashy about it, but when it comes out you should buy bitcoi–) The voice in my head went away, and I was left with myself, face streaked with happy tears. Hannah, or Sam, was waiting for me in my apartment’s living room. I didn’t know what my future was going to be, but I knew for certain that I was going to be me. The End ... Support is always appreciated. If you're interested in something less introspective and more smutty, a new short story, "Truth or Dare", is now in early access for my subs! https://subscribestar.adult/peculiarchangeling https://reamstories.com/peculiarchangelingabdl

Chapter 1: A Fresh Start Sarah Baker stood in the middle of twenty acres of possibility, her new black and white sneakers kicking up small clouds of dust with each step. The afternoon sun warmed her shoulders as she walked the perimeter of the lot that would soon become her dream project. A crisp fall scent flowed through the vacant, filling her nostrils, and spreading through her body. She paused, squinting slightly, and raised her hands to frame the empty space before her, as if capturing it in a Polaroid like she used to do in college. "Right about here," she murmured to herself, stepping carefully over patches of wild grass that were scattered throughout the property having survived the recent flattening. "This is where the main entrance will be." Sarah stood in that spot for a few moments, closing her eyes, and holding her arms out at her side. Sarah let the warmth of the sun envelope her, instinctively commencing one of the breathing exercises she had learned from years of Yoga. After another deep breath, she opened her eyes. The land stretched out before her, an empty canvas waiting for her vision to take form. The breeze picked up as she turned her head to the side, ruffling her ponytail as she turned in place. To the east, a line of healthy cypress trees marked the property boundary, their shadows dark against the bare property dirt next to it. 'Landscaping' Sarah thought, though she knew getting grass in that spot was just about the last step of this entire ordeal. Beyond the cypress, the rooftops of Sunnydale peeked through, a patchwork of terracotta and slate. It was a far cry from San Francisco, but this felt more like home, though there was little terracotta in the Pacific Northwest. Still, Sunnydale was far more her speed than the chaos that was San Francisco. Sarah turned her head back toward the inexistent entrance, took a deep breath, and the building rose around her in her mind's eye. The bare dirt beneath her feet transformed into polished wood floors. Walls sprouted like geysers from the earth, coalescing to form the structure that would house her dream. As the liquid settled, large, clear windows emerged, letting streams of natural light into the foyer of her domain. She could almost hear the echo of children's laughter bouncing off the walls, the squeak of sneakers on the gymnasium floor, the smiles of the employees as they greeted her as Sarah stepped through the imaginary door and into main auditorium. Sarah moved quickly through the abstract halls as she had so many times before in her dreams. "The activity rooms will be over there," she whispered, pointing ahead of her as she reached the western edge of the property. "And the outdoor playground just beyond." Sarah used her arm to turn the handle on the inexistent door, as she stepped "outside" the building to stare at the colorful climbing structures, swing sets, and benches that would not be there for months. A security gate from the outside stood defensively, with a electronic protected door where where parents could enter through to watch their children play. A community garden bloomed in the corner; vegetables and flowers growing under the careful tending of her neighbors. Sarah's chest tightened with a mixture of excitement and apprehension as she turned back through the door, and headed north through the first floor hall. The sounds of children's laughter and cries of "Marco" and "Pollo" called to her as her eyes traced the outdoor pool to the north of the playground. After years of putting her own dreams on hold, it felt almost surreal to stand here, on the precipice of making them reality. Ten years. Ten years of scheduling Matthew's meetings, of proofreading his presentations, of entertaining potential investors in their tiny apartment. Ten years of "not yet" when her mother asked about grandchildren, of "someday" when friends inquired about her own career plans. Ten years of maybe. Ten years of maybe never. Ten years that she both wouldn't have spent in any other way, but that she was glad were behind her. "Ten long years." She remembered the nights she'd spent alone, a half-eaten container of takeout growing cold beside her, while Matthew worked late at the office. The vacations postponed, the family gatherings missed, all in service of his vision. She'd believed in him, supported him without question, because that's what partners did. And he'd succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. But the taste of cold, lonely takeout lingered. It wasn't a taste that was forgotten so easily. Sarah smiled, thinking of the irony. If Matthew hadn't been so single-mindedly devoted to his startup, they wouldn't have the resources to build this center now. Her sacrifice had made her dream possible, in a roundabout way. And Matthew's decade long commitment to help her build her dream, his willingness to step back and let her have "her turn" to pursue her passion, was finally becoming a reality. It was Matthew's turn to sacrifice, and he had been nothing but supportive of her upending their lives to come to Sunnydale. "Excuse me, are you Sarah Baker?" The voice startled Sarah from her reverie as she reached the spot that would be the staircase to the second floor and basement levels of the center. She turned to find a petite woman with silver-gray hair approaching, a clipboard clutched to her chest. Wire-rimmed glasses perched on her nose, and she wore a navy cardigan despite the warmth of the day. "Yes, that's me," Sarah replied, extending her hand. "And you must be Clara Martin." Sarah took Clara in. It seemed an odd fit to be wearing business attire out on an empty lot that was set to break ground the next day. Then again, that was Clara's job at the town. 'Break ground if, of course, I pass this last approval.' Sarah thought to herself nervously. "Indeed I am." Clara's handshake was brief but firm. "I'm here to discuss the code requirements for your recreation center." She glanced around the property with an appraising eye. "You've chosen quite the ambitious site. As you know, this is the last stage before the construction teams can start tomorrow. But don't fret - all your advanced work has been noted, and this is likely just dotting the "Is" and cross the "Ts" is all" Sarah blew out a breath of relief. "I like to think of it as room to grow," Sarah said with a smile, turning and holding herself back from pushing the inexistent stairwell door open. "Would you like to walk through where everything will be? I have the plans in my car, but I can show you the basic layout." Sarah started to walk back toward the location where the entrance would be, but stopped as Clara cleared her throat. "In my experience, it's best to establish the regulatory boundaries before getting too attached to specific plans. Sunnydale has rather particular zoning requirements, especially for facilities serving children. We'll start at the boundary, and make our way in from there." Something in Clara's tone suggested she'd had this conversation many times before, with many eager builders whose dreams had been trimmed back by the cold reality of municipal codes. But Sarah didn't mind. She liked an order to things. "Of course," Sarah nodded, determined not to let her enthusiasm be dampened. "That's exactly why I wanted to meet with you early and often in this process. We can work together to make sure everything is up to code from the start, and never falters." Clara's expression softened slightly. "Dear, I can tell you are excited. And while I don't anticipate any issues today, you might consider adjusting your timeline. These things always take longer than expected. 24 months from start to finish for construction....it's not been done on a project this large in the state ever." "I'm prepared for that," Sarah said, thinking of the decade she'd just spent supporting someone else's dream. "I've learned to be patient. But we have a great construction team, and I appreciate ambition. If I have to wait a few months longer, so be it!" As they walked the property together, Sarah found herself warming to Clara, whose brisk efficiency masked a genuine interest in the project. The older woman seemed to know every regulation by heart, but also offered practical suggestions for working within them. "Young Mr. Sanders tried to build a skateboard park here two years ago," Clara mentioned, gesturing to the eastern edge of the property. "Gave up when he realized the drainage requirements." "I'll keep that in mind," Sarah said, mentally adjusting her vision to incorporate Clara's advice. "It didn't help that he wanted to tear down all the landscaping," Clara mumbled, before pulling up what appeared to be her notes on Sarah's project. "It certainly impressed the town board how much greenspace you have dedicated to put into the property." Sarah watched as Clara put what seemed to be a check mark on her page. She smiled assuming that was good, but before she could inquire, Clara was off again in the other direction, noting something else. By the time Clara was done, the sun was beginning its descent toward the horizon, and Sarah's feet were getting sore. But when Clara handed her a copy of her report, with a large stamp reading "APPROVED" on it, Sarah couldn't help herself and embraced the petite woman in a firm hug, before Clara excused herself. Sarah stood for just a moment longer, watching as her dream once again faded into empty land—but this time, with the knowledge that soon, very soon, it would be more than just imagination. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Matthew Baker winced as the movers bumped another box against the doorframe. The label read "KITCHEN - FRAGILE," which didn't bode well for whatever new kitchenware was inside. He ran a hand through his dark hair, noticing with mild dismay that his fingers came away damp with sweat. Despite the fall weather being in full swing, it was a scorcher today. But they couldn't plan for the heat. And after months of negotiations selling his company, he was just grateful to finally be settling into their new home. "That goes upstairs, second door on the right," he called to a mover carrying a box labeled "OFFICE." The man nodded and disappeared up the staircase, his heavy footfalls echoing through the half-empty house. Matthew wasn't exactly sure what he would be using his new office space for. Hopefully sooner rather than later it would be renovated into a nursery. But for now, he needed a place to store a decade worth of research, data, reports, mockups, and files. Matthew stepped over to the sliding glass doors that opened onto the back deck, pushing them apart to let in the ocean breeze. The view still took his breath away even after three visits with the realtor. Those visits alone made their old apartment in San Francisco feel cramped, and Matthew had spent many an afternoon looking at images of the view before him on his phone to combat the claustrophobia he had developed in the apartment. From this perch on the cliffside, the Pacific stretched out endlessly, its blue waters meeting the horizon in a clean, sharp line as the sun strolled slowly toward its edge. Waves with just the smallest white caps flowed into the beach below, the sound echoing up the cliffside to the row of homes on its edge. The house itself was modest by Silicon Valley exit-strategy standards—just four bedrooms and three baths, with an open floor plan downstairs. They could have afforded something twice the size and then some, but Sarah had fallen in love with the location, and Matthew had to admit she was right. The cedar-shingled exterior blended perfectly with the other homes dotting the coastline, giving it a lived-in feel despite being new to them. They had of course made every renovation permitted inside so that the home had every amenity they could dream of. 'After all, what was the point of the last 30 years.' Matthew reflected, considering his entire life had been a cycle of pushing himself harder and harder. Matthew leaned against the doorframe, suddenly aware of the bone-deep fatigue that had been his constant companion for months. As he allowed his body to slide down the frame, his gaze focused on the horizon. The final stages of selling his company had been brutal—endless meetings, legal documents to review, negotiations that stretched into the early morning hours. He'd built the educational software startup from his dorm room at Stanford, coding through weekends and holidays while his classmates partied, leaving school to finish his project when he couldn't be bothered to go to classes anymore. Now, at thirty-one, he had forty-seven million reasons to believe it had been worth it. But the cost had been high in other ways. The dark circles under his eyes had become an almost permanent feature. His running routine, once sacred, had fallen by the wayside. And Sarah—patient, supportive, wonderful Sarah—had put her own dreams and career on hold for years to support and help him while he chased his. There was a good reason every asset had both their names on it. She was his partner in everything. A familiar bark interrupted his thoughts, followed by the click of nails on hardwood. Ralph bounded into view, his golden coat shimmering in the sunlight streaming through the windows. The retriever skidded to a stop at Matthew's feet, dropping a soggy tennis ball with an expectant look. "Not now, buddy," Matthew said, reaching down to scratch behind Ralph's ears. "We've got to finish unpacking." Ralph huffed, his expression clearly communicating his opinion on priorities, then trotted off to investigate another corner of the house. While moving had been an adjustment for Matthew and Sarah, Ralph had not qualms about leaving the cramped city and exchanging them for his new digs along the beach. Ralph had already happily dug so many holes along the beach, Matthew was sure he would have exhausted himself. 'Oh how wrong I was.' Matthew smiled, watching Ralph go. The doorbell rang, cutting through the sounds of moving day. Matthew picked himself up off the floor, navigated around stacked boxes to the door, and answered it, finding a broad-shouldered man with weathered hands and a practical tool belt waiting on the porch. "Matthew Baker?" the man asked, extending a calloused hand. "I'm Anthony Amato. The contractor for the recreation center. It's nice to see you here again!" "Tony, right?" Matthew shook his hand, recalling the meetings he and Sarah had with Tony months prior. Since then, it had all been e-mails. "Sarah mentioned you'd be stopping by. Come in—if you can find a path through this chaos." Anthony carefully picked his way through the maze of boxes. "The thing is, I wanted to go over the construction timeline while it's fresh. Your wife seemed pretty keen on breaking ground next week." "She's been waiting a long time for this," Matthew said, leading Anthony to the kitchen where he'd managed to unpack the coffee maker. "But you may have to wait for her to arrive. She was just at the site. I don't quite know the plans as well as she does. Coffee?" "Black, thanks," Anthony nodded, a bit of disappointment lingering in his voice. Anthony took the mug as Matthew handed it to him though, pulling a rolled set of blueprints from a tube slung over his shoulder. He spread them across the kitchen island, weighing down the corners with mugs. "I can't stay too long, so you'll have to do your best." Matthew nodded, shaking off the exhaustion to focus on the plans. 'How many days and nights did Sarah have to combat something as silly as being tired for me?' he asked himself rhetorically. "So here's where we stand," Anthony began, his finger tracing the outline of the main building. "Permits are nearly cleared—your wife's been impressively thorough with the paperwork. We can start excavation tomorrow, assuming the final inspection went well today." Matthew leaned over the plans, nodding. "And the overall timeline?" "Six months for excavation and foundation. Six to eight months for the main structure, electric, plumbing, and HVAC. Another four for interior finishing and landscaping." Anthony paused. "That's if everything goes perfectly, which—" he gave a small, knowing smile, "—it never does. Like I told Sarah, we're shooting for two years. But a lot of that rides on you both helping us, the town cooperating, the weather cooperating, and good old fashion dumb luck. More likely 2 and a half years, and that's before you send me a thousand change orders," he added with a wry smile. Matthew's smartwatch buzzed. Another email from his former company's legal team, no doubt. He ignored it, focusing instead on the blueprints before him. "Sarah's hoping to get it done sooner. Whatever you need from us, we'll make it happen." Anthony rubbed his chin, considering. "I'll be honest. Your financial situation helps dramatically. Without the need to wait on public funds, I can keep my guys working without all that red tape. Your wife did an amazing job getting a lot done in advance," Anthony said as he pulled out more paperwork. 'Local, state, federal, environmental reports and approval, town support. You name it, she did it." Matthew smiled. "That's my Sarah." Matthew could tell by Anthony's tone that even the contractor was impressed. "We'll have to push the crew on two pools, and on the gymnasium section, but yeah, look. Like I said, if everything goes to plan, we can see about getting this done as soon as possible. Personally, and as a third generation Sunnydaler, I am thrilled that you decided to invest in the community, work with local contractors and people. I think we can make this happen and it'll be a boon for the community." A crash from the living room drew both men's attention, followed by Ralph's guilty whine. Matthew excused himself to find the dog had knocked over a lamp while chasing his ball. No damage done, but Ralph had already retreated to a up the stairs, his brown eyes wide with apology as he ascended the staircase, unaware that he nearly knocked a mover over who was descending with a box. "It's okay, buddy," Matthew reassured him, calling after Ralph, as he worked to bend the lamp. "Still getting used to having space to run, aren't you?" When he returned to the kitchen, Anthony was making notes on the blueprints. "Your dog seems happy with the upgrade," he commented. "Two years waiting in this place doesn't sound too bad to me." "Ralph's been living in twelve-hundred square feet his whole life," Matthew said. "This place probably feels like a palace to him." They spent the next half hour going over construction details, Anthony explaining the process with a straightforward precision that Matthew appreciated. Matthew worked to note every word, knowing Sarah would ask. As a developer himself—albeit of software rather than buildings—he understood the value of clear expectations and realistic timelines, and he understood the importance in conveying the message to laypersons. As Anthony rolled up the blueprints to leave, he paused. "Your wife's got a great vision for this place. The kids in town are gonna love it." Matthew nodded, feeling a swell of pride for Sarah. "It's her dream. I'm just glad I can help make it happen." After showing Anthony out, Matthew returned to the back deck, watching as Ralph cautiously returned back down the stairs, and made his way to Matthew's side. Matthew scratched Ralph under his ears just how he liked, as it seemed the pup finally settled down. The sun was beginning its descent toward the horizon, painting the water with streaks of California gold. For the first time in years, his calendar wasn't packed with investor meetings and development deadlines, and he simply didn't care what the message on his smartwatch had to say. Instead, his calendar and his attention were both open—open for Sarah's project, open for finally starting the family they'd been postponing, open for rediscovering who he was beyond the startup grind. He was tired, yes—but also ready for whatever came next. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ An array of pink, orange, and yellow hues painted Sunnydale's main street in as Sarah and Matthew strolled hand in hand beside Allison. The sidewalks were dotted with couples and families enjoying the mild evening, the salty breeze carrying the scents of the ocean and food from nearby restaurants. Sarah squeezed Matthew's hand, a silent acknowledgment of how right this felt—their new beginning in this picture-perfect community. "And over there is Lighthouse Books," Allison said, pointing to a charming storefront with bay windows displaying colorful stacks of hardcovers. "The owner hosts reading hours for kids every Saturday morning. Could be perfect for your center's outreach programs, Sar." Sarah nodded eagerly, already making mental notes. "I love that idea. Community partnerships are exactly what I want to focus on." Allison had known Matthew and Sarah since their college days. She and Sarah had been roommates, bonding over late-night study sessions and shared cups of coffee. Matthew and Allison had actually dated for a short time in their freshman year, but it didn't last long. After that the three of them had formed an inseparable trio over the years, with Matthew and Sarah eventually dating and getting married. "Speaking of which," Allison continued, her blonde hair catching the golden light as she turned, "wait until you see the bakery around the corner. The owner makes these ridiculous cinnamon rolls that would definitely win over any potential donors during morning meetings. I catch myself driving here an embarrassing number of times during the week." Matthew laughed. "Always thinking strategically—some things never change since Stanford." "Occupational hazard," Allison replied with a wink. "Child psychologists are always looking for leverage." They continued down the street, past a row of shops with hand-painted signs and window boxes overflowing with flowers. "It's like someone designed the perfect town for us," Sarah mused, peering into a window displaying handcrafted furniture. "Not too big, not too small." "It's wonderful here. I promise. I am so glad that you settled on Sunnydale," Allison agreed. "Though I should warn you about the winter fog. It gets so thick sometimes you can barely see your hand in front of your face. You should be careful out behind your house. You could tumble down the cliffside." "After ten years in San Francisco, I think we're qualified fog experts," Matthew said, draping an arm around Sarah's shoulders. They turned onto a side street, where Allison led them to a small restaurant with a nice patio. The tables were surrounded by vintage street lights and space heaters, spread evenly around the outdoor seating. The hostess greeted Allison by name, leading them to a corner table inside with a view of the street. "Perks of small-town living," Allison explained as they settled in. "You'll get to know almost everyone!" Over plates of fresh seafood pasta and glasses of local red wine, they talked about Sarah's plans for the recreation center. Allison's insights as a child psychologist proved invaluable, offering perspectives on space design that Sarah hadn't considered. "Children need both structure and freedom," Allison explained, gesturing with her fork. "Too much open space can be overwhelming for some kids, while others feel confined by too many walls." "That's why I'm planning those alcove spaces off the main activity rooms," Sarah said, eyes bright with enthusiasm. "Places to retreat without feeling isolated. Matthew watched his wife as she spoke, her hands animating her words, her face glowing with purpose. This was the Sarah he'd fallen in love with at Stanford—passionate, visionary, determined. He felt a pang of guilt, realizing how long her dreams had taken a back seat to his own. "What about you, Matt?" Allison asked, breaking into his thoughts. "Going to help with the construction, or are you too fancy a tech millionaire now?" "I'm planning to be very helpful," he replied with mock indignation. "By staying out of the way!" Matthew paused for the brief chuckles, before continuing. "No but really, I am here to help Sarah realize her dream. But its her dream. I'll be as involved as she wants me to be. In the interim, I've already assembled three IKEA bookshelves for the house." "A modern miracle," Sarah teased, her foot nudging his under the table, before slipping her free hand on to his thigh. Their fingers brushed along his thigh as the meal continued. As Allison continued to talk, Sarah and Matthew's eyes met, and Matthew recognized the look in Sarah's—the same one she'd given him earlier that morning when they'd discussed that tonight was a perfect night to try with where she was in her cycle. By the time they said goodbye to Allison outside the restaurant, the stars were shining brightly in the night sky. Matthew and Allison walked back to their car in comfortable silence, hands intertwined, each lost in their own thoughts about the life they were building together. The drive home was quick, winding up the road to their new house. They found Ralph curled up on his new bed in the living room, surrounded by half-unpacked boxes. He lifted his head as they entered, thumped his tail rapidly against the wall in greeting, then promptly went back to sleep after concluding he had been pet sufficiently. "Poor guy's exhausted from all the exploring," Sarah whispered, bending up from stroking his fur. "He's not the only one who's had a big day," Matthew said, sliding his arms around her waist from behind. He pressed his lips to the curve of her neck, feeling her pulse quicken beneath his lips. Sarah turned in his embrace, her hands coming to rest on his chest. "Too tired for one more adventure today?" she asked, a playful smile tugging at her lips, as she stood on her heels and returned his kisses, making his way down his neck. "Never," he murmured against the feel of her mouth as it slid down his chest. They navigated through the maze of boxes to their bedroom, where their bed stood made up with fresh sheets—one of the first things Sarah had insisted on unpacking. Light from the moon against the ocean spilled through the windows that had yet to have the curtains hung, as they undressed each other with familiar yet still eager hands Sarah's skin was warm under his fingertips as Matthew traced the curve of her waist, the dip of her spine. Her hair fell in dark waves across the pillow when she lay back, pulling him down to her. Their bodies came together like muscle memory, finding their rhythm despite the new bed, new room. "I love you," Matthew whispered against her collarbone, his hands gentle as they moved together. Sarah's fingers tangled in his hair, her breath catching as she arched against him. "We're here now," she said, her voice tender in the darkness. "That's all that matters." a small gasp escaped her lips as he slid gently inside her, her nails pressing down against his back as they fell into a beautiful, joyous rhythm. There was something that made it more special, knowing that it wasn't simple pleasure they were working toward, but working toward growing their family together. Afterward, they lay tangled in the sheets exhausted, Sarah's head resting on Matthew's chest, his fingers idly tracing patterns on her bare shoulder. "Tomorrow we break ground," Sarah murmured, her voice heavy with approaching sleep. "It's really happening."

Chapter 47: Graduates Elysium – LittleFallenPrincess ------------------------------- March March wasn’t very exciting. But then again… is March ever exciting? It’s a bit of a boring month really. January has the fresh feeling of a new year. February has the cold, brisk winter’s air (not that we get to experience that cooped up in this fortress) and the unique limited days. April has more of a feeling of Spring and Easter, along with April Fool’s day. May feels warm and cosy. June and July are the start of summer, and feel very much like the middle of the year. August is all about summer holidays at school, where kids take six weeks off and I avoid going anywhere because it’s always packed with them, as well as sweating profusely through the muggy, humid weather (though again, in here I’ve not had to deal with any of the negative aspects of August, with it being a climate-controlled bunker for the entirety of the month last year). September is the start of the school year, and the start of autumn. October… October is a spoopy month. Yes, I said it. Spoopy. I know we don’t really do much for it in the UK, but it still feels darker and more… spooky. November I guess feels a little bit like March, but at the same time it’s at least got the excitement of Christmas coming up… and I guess we have bonfire night here in the UK too. And December is obvious. March is just… March. And this March was no different. Usual routines. Wake up, be nursed, get dressed, go play in the playroom, snuggle with Ella (though that’s one of my personal routines, thankfully not everyone gets to do that every day), have lunch, nap, more playtime, nurse again, bedtime story, sleep for twelve hours. Repeat. Day after day. Honestly, if it wasn’t for my friends and Ella, I would’ve lost my mind months ago from the repetitive schedule. And as this normal, boring March plodded along… with me and my friends enjoying our time together, watching movies, playing with toys, doing everything we should… and all the boys (except Rowan) all sitting in the corner, chatting shit to each other and teasing each other, overall avoiding playing with the program… I thought this would be just another month we’d sail through, and there’d be nothing to comment on. That was… until the third week. “So they’re coming in today?” I asked. “Yup!” Ceres replied, as she was tying my pigtails in my nursery, just after she had dressed me in a cute pink romper. “Your hair is so lovely, Rosie. It’s so perfect to put into cute little pigtails. I’m glad we got it styled a bit.” “What time are they coming?” “During your playroom time. No one else in your year knows, so don’t tell them, okay?” she said, winking at me. “Why today anyway?” “Scheduling. And… we need to give the boys one last chance.” “Last chance? For what?” “To behave and get in line. We’re going to get some of the former boys to talk to them, ones who graduated and are now successfully living happy lives. Hopefully they can get through those thick skulls of theirs.” “Why last chance though?” “Because… the third years are learning how to use the potty again next month, as well as attending ‘lessons’. And you’ll be returning to the second year timetable tomorrow… which means…” “Will we get use of our legs again?” Honestly? I was kinda excited to be able to walk again. It was exhausting crawling everywhere, having to rely on a Nanny or a third year to stand up to get books in the library or a toy from a shelf. Being able to do it myself again… “Yes. Whilst the third years learn to use the potty again, we’ll be teaching you how to walk again. But…” “The boys haven’t been behaving…” I said, finishing her sentence for her. “They’ve not exactly been misbehaving either, so it’s not like we can punish them… they just don’t play along. They don’t act out, as they don’t want to get punished or demoted, but they also don’t want to get with the program… so they do the bare minimum. It’s like they don’t want to be better people. The girls… you all identified that you weren’t the best people before. Well, you and Ella are special cases, but you get what I mean. Even Rowan realises he may have relied on drugs a bit too much, though to be fair… he wasn’t exactly a priority fix like the other boys, he was just caught in an unfortunate situation and we wanted to help him get out of it and improve his life. Ollie was a danger to others, as were the other ones in your year, or at least if he continued down his path he would be. Rowan just needed a bit of help before he got in deeper and an opportunity to improve his life that he wouldn’t have been given without us.” “So you’re getting the graduates to come in and talk to the boys, get them to follow the program… otherwise… they don’t learn to walk or use the potty?” “Exactly. And we’ll hold it against them until they start becoming better people and learning from their mistakes. Joy does these sessions with all the others in here. They’re a bit like your therapy ones, the ones you and Ella attend, but they’re more about identifying what the problem was before and how they can become better people. The girls are doing fabulously. The boys… they don’t even interact. I genuinely don’t know what’s caused this batch to be bad. We’ve never had an issue like this before.” “Did the third year boys behave when they were second years?” “A bit, yes.” “Maybe it’s Jack and his lot? Maybe they influence the third year boys to resist?” I suggested. “That’s what Joy thinks, or it could also be the lack of the previous third year boys’ influence, as they were quick to adapt to the program and become better people. But we can’t exactly do much about that now. Anyway… no worrying about that. If this doesn’t work, we think seeing you girls and Rowan progress with the program will give the boys the kick up the arse when they are unable to walk or use the potty when the girls can. For now… let’s get you ready to meet your big sisters!” I giggled. “What’s so funny?” Ceres asked. “That’s what Vesta called them.” “She did? When was this?” “Last month. On my birthday. I was… a bit… umm… jealous. She helped me.” “Jealous? Of my girls? Oh sweetie, you’re one of my girls now! You’re my baby! The other girls are special to me, but you hold an extra special place in my heart…” Ceres bent down and kissed my cheek, causing them to turn red in seconds and for it to feel like my face was on fire. “I know that now… Vesta said they’d be very…” “Protective? Oh yes. They’ve grown up to be fine women, I must say. Look at me… talking about them as if I’m their Mother… especially when I’m the same age as them!” “You did re-raise them, I guess…” I laughed. “I guess I did. Right, let’s go introduce you…” “Are they gonna talk to everyone in the playroom?” “Nope. The boys are getting their own talk from the men who graduated from here. The girls are getting more of a ‘bonding session’, as they’re progressing well. It’s mostly just to allay fears, talk to them about possible options after graduating, that kind of thing.” “You say that as if I’m not gonna join them…” “No, sweetheart, you’re not. I’ve managed to convince the board to let me get all three of my girls together in one room, mostly because the girls don’t really want to talk to the group as a whole, they’re mostly just interested in talking to me and my babygirl.” “They… know about me?” “Of course they do! Why else would they come in? I talk to them regularly outside of here, and what they want is to talk to this girl who I ‘won’t shut up about’ whenever I do see them.” “You… talk about me lots?” I replied, blushing. “Of course! You’re my little Princess! Now… why don’t we go see your big sisters?” “Oh my god… she’s adorable!” “She is so much cuter than we were!” I buried my face into Ceres’ neck to hide my blushing cheeks, as the two women fawned over me in what would normally be the room that Joy held our therapy sessions in. “Rosie… you’re going to have to come out of my shoulder eventually…” Ceres whispered to me. “Rosie is such a pretty name. You chose well!” one of the two women said. “Is Rosie going to be your legal name? Or are you just using it as a cute nickname in here?” the other asked. I… hadn’t thought of that. “I… dunno… I umm…” I mumbled, awkwardly. “What about ‘Rose’?” Ceres suggested. “That way you can be ‘Rosie’ to everyone who knows you, but then ‘Rose’ to the outside world. Makes the name more special, I guess.” “I… I like that,” I replied, feeling even more confident about myself now. Rose… Yeah… that’s me. But I’m definitely having everyone I care about call me Rosie. Rosie is definitely more me… but I guess when I graduate from here and I go find a job, ‘Rose’ sounds a lot more professional. “Rose! So beautiful! Are you keeping your last name?” one of the women asked. “I…” I finally removed my face from Ceres’ shoulder, and sitting on her lap, finally got a good look at the two women who would be my ‘big sisters’. And wow… They were beautiful! One was blonde, like me, but hers was closer to strawberry blonde than mine, and hers was also a lot longer than mine, reaching her lower back. The other woman had beautiful raven black hair, about shoulder length in a very modern bob style. They both wore smart-casual clothes, with jeans and jackets and everything, like they worked in a fancy office and did well for themselves. I could tell by the quality of their clothes they definitely didn’t work at the corner shop like I used to. “Oh hi there sweetie!” the blonde one said, waving at me. She seemed a lot more bubbly than the raven-haired one, but it wasn’t like the other one was a grouch or anything, she was fawning over me just as much as the bubbly one. “So, Rosie… this is Kerry…” Ceres said, squishing her cheek against mine from behind, pointing at the blonde woman, before moving her finger over to the other one. “...And this is Laura. These are your new big sisters!” “Hey lil sis!” Kerry replied, waving at me. “I always wanted a little sister, and look, I got the cutest one ever!” “I have to agree with Kerry here… Rachel, you’ve got a little cutie on your hands!” Laura added. “And from what you told us… you only have one baby this year now? What happened to the other?” “Since around November, yeah,” replied Ceres. “When Rosie came out as Rosie, we moved things around a bit and now I’m back over to the girls’ side with her. I do help out with the boys occasionally, whenever I can.” “Lucky woman!” “Hi…” I said, quietly, and very nervously. “It’s… nice to meet you…” “Likewise, little Rosie,” Laura replied. “How are you coping in here?” “I… okay… though I have a lot more privileges than the others…” “We’ve heard. Lucky girl! I would’ve killed to have been in the loop in here!” Kerry laughed. “So… you went through all this? From first years… to third years? You wore… everything?” I asked, nervously. “Yup. Woke up in the basement without any understanding of what was going on,” Laura replied. “How did you react?” I asked. “I nearly killed Rachel. Or at least tried to.” “You did?” I asked, looking up at Ceres, who was nodding and smiling, waiting for her reply. “She did. Though in her defence… She was scared. But it only took a few weeks for her to finally warm up to me and the program.” “It was… unexpected. I genuinely didn’t think it would work. I thought I was going to be sold off to some rich assholes for some fucked up kinky thing. But no… they genuinely wanted to help us here.” “So when we heard Rachel got another couple of babies… of course we had her tell us everything she could!” Kerry joining back into the conversation. “Then when you came out, we just had to meet you. That’s when I suggested we talk to you. Then Rach had the idea that they could ask all the graduates to come in and talk to the current intakes.” “You… came up with the idea?” I asked my Nanny, looking up at her with even more admiration. “I guess I did,” Ceres replied. “So… wait… how long did it take you to get used to… you know…” I asked my new big sisters. “Shitting ourselves?” Kerry giggled. But one look from Ceres and Kerry backed down instantly, looking guilty. “Sorry… Nanny…” The way she called her Nanny… I knew if I had said it that sarcastically, I’d end up over her lap with my nappy pulled down. Benefits of graduating, I guess… “It took us a few months until we felt less disgusted by it. Rosie… you’re looking impatient. Is there something you want to ask?” “I am? Sorry.” I genuinely hadn’t realised I was doing that. But there was one question that was burning a hole in my mind and I needed to ask… “Ask away…” “What’s life like after graduation?” “That… is a tough question. But if I had to sum it up in one word… better. Graduating from here isn’t a magical fix. You’re left figuring out who you are without your old life and your old connections and your old habits. You have all the support in the world, you even have a lot of money to help you accomplish dreams and goals… but it’s inevitably all up to you.” “So I could…” “Get any job you want. Within reason, of course. We were the very first year at Elysium. Some of us went and got normal jobs, some were assisted with setting up their own businesses, some were allowed to pursue creative jobs…” “What do you two do?” I asked them. “I was one of the ones who went out and got a boring job,” Kerry said, surprising me. But that wasn’t as much of a surprise as Laura’s answer. “I livestream,” Laura said. “Wait… what? Really? That’s so cool!” “I’m not really well known right now, I’m still a small-time content creator. But Elysium’s resources have helped me do it full time until I make a bigger name for myself, instead of having to do it part time and get a part-time job to cover bills. And even then, if that fails, Elysium has my back if I want to pursue another career.” “That’s not fair! I came into Elysium just as you left so I can’t even watch your streams!” I whined. “Don’t worry kiddo, this is something I’ve wanted to do for a while, so I’m not going anywhere. You’ll be able to watch me when you graduate… or…” “She can’t have a TV or know anything about the outside world… it’s part of her treatment here…” Ceres said, killing the mood instantly. “Oh come on… surely she’s an exception?” Ceres sighed heavily. “...I can ask, but I can’t promise anything. Maybe I can consider Judy and Sarah to let you watch your sister’s livestreams… but this will be a very rare treat if you do.” I clapped my hands excitedly. “She’s adorable, Rach. You have to let me come in and babysit sometime,” Laura replied. “Before she graduates that is. Girl probably won’t want to go near nappies for a lifetime after three years in here. I know we don’t!” “Yeah, me too! I want to babysit!” Kelly added. “Well why don’t you do it now? Do you want to hold her?” Ceres suggested. “Though remember, you don’t have the strength I do, so she’ll be heavy… and maybe soon you could feed her a bottle?” I blushed as I was handed over to Laura, placed on her lap… like an actual baby. “Part of me wants them to keep you like this forever! You’re so adorable!” she said, cooing at me and smiling. “Eeep!” I squealed, hiding my face in my big sister’s shoulder. We spent the whole afternoon chatting about Ceres/Rachel, about Elysium, about Judy and Sarah, about everything really. They asked me what I saw myself doing after graduating… and honestly at this point I still have no idea. I’m only just figuring out who I am and who ‘Rose’ is (yes, I’m going to go by Rose when I get out of here. Apparently Elysium will be able to change my name and everything and set me up with a new identity). Once time was up though, after I had been thoroughly babied and teased and fussed over by my big sisters and Ceres, they sadly had to leave and I was taken back to the playroom, where I got to join my friends. “So… how was your afternoon?” “I missed you!” Ella said, pouncing on me and hugging me to death. “I missed you too, babe!” I replied, as she finally let go of me and kissed my cheek, before shuffling off to the side of me. “You missed the chance to talk to graduates from here!” Ava replied. “They were like… successful actual adults!” “Oh I didn’t. I got to meet Ceres’ previous girls. They’re my big sisters now, apparently…” “OH MY GOD THAT’S SO CUTE!” Maria cried out. “Were they as nice as the ones we spoke to?” “They were so lovely. We’re all hoping to stay in contact when I finally graduate from here.” “That’s so cool. I wish I had big sisters…” Maria started pouting. Honestly… it was nice to see how babyish the girls were acting without realising most of the time. And Rowan too. Even I noticed occasionally that I’d say something babyish or act bratty or needy like the baby I was dressed up as. It meant the program was working. Though the third years were a little more mature, as they were slowly being re-raised, so their mannerisms were more childish than babyish. “Have you not asked your Nanny about her previous charges? Maybe they could be big sisters for you?” I asked. “They had boys last time. I think they switch it up each rotation or something.” “Speaking of the boys… how are…” I looked over to see the boys all playing with blocks… colouring… “Just what did the male graduates say to get them to play along?” I asked, still shocked by the drastic behavioural change on the other side of the room. “I think it was the promise of a good future and getting to see the results of this program,” Jess said. “Hey… if financial incentive works… I guess that’s all that matters…” “It's a bit disappointing…” “Also I’m pretty sure they told them that if they flunked and didn’t graduate, they’d be permanently regressed and sold off to rich people…” Jess then whispered to me. “...And you let them believe that?” I whispered back to her. “Hey, it was a tactic we used for the first couple of years. Yes, we lied to them. We didn’t like how aggressive and manipulative it was, so we stopped it. But…” “But it seems to be one of the things that gets the boys to behave?” “Exactly. The girls have never been the issue… so… and I hate to admit it… we may need to be a bit more like LETO…” “LETO?” “The old place. Where Sarah and I were taken. We hoped to be different… but maybe fear is what these boys need…” ====================================================== Don't forget I'm on Subscribestar! Subscribers get 2 weeks early access to chapters, and exclusive short stories (Nessa's Tale is currently the only available one). The next four chapters of my new story posted on my Subscribestar! ======================================================== I hope everyone enjoys this chapter! Please leave likes and comments and all that fun stuff, I love reading them! If you want to read the next 4 chapters, thanks to two weeks early access to my main story and also soon-to-be exclusive access to short stories, why don't you check out my SubscribeStar! Thank you to all my subscribers for their support over the past few years! Seriously, your support means the world to me. New chapters of my latest story every Wednesday/Sunday!Also just a quick note: I don't mind people saving this story for personal reading. But I'd appreciate it if people didn't post it elsewhere, even if you're just suggesting it to other people. If you want to show others, please send them a link to the first page of this post. And it goes without saying, my story is not to be used in any way to create AI work. Thanks!

The only thing that breaks up the monotony of our days is when the new government permits journalists and filmmakers to tour their revolutionary new supermax, the crown jewel in their war on gangs. They proudly display their trophies- us gangsters they’ve captured, the defeated and diapered. The Warden gives the tours personally. He’s the only one brave enough to show his face. The only time we get news of the outside world is when the journalists talk to their cameramen and viewers, or when the Warden brags to the foreign journalists about how other nearby countries are emulating their revolutionary padded prison blueprint and tough crackdown on crime. The diapers are his favorite thing to point out. Before a tour begins, he often makes us take our shirts off to show off our gang tattoos. He has us line up at the front of our cells, our bulging, wet and messy baby diapers on full display. One of his favorite lines is “Our country is now the safest in the solar system. Children can safely play outside and go to school and our vendors can sell their goods in peace. Our streets are clean. Now the only thing these criminals dirty are their diapers.” He always laughs at his own lame joke. Today’s tour begins like any other. While the Warden escorts the journalists and film crew through intake- where they will be thoroughly searched as a matter of protocol to prevent smuggling in of any contraband- us prisoners are ordered by the Deputy Warden to take off our shirts and line up facing the cell front in just our soiled diapers, socks, and crocs. Only a few well-vetted journalists from across the globe and the space colonies get the privilege of being international propaganda. I know all this because I hear the journalists comment into their microphones how rigorous and thorough the screening process is. I sit on my bunk bed- my little space on the long metal slab bolted into the cement wall. From my reputation out on the streets and my tattoos that bear witness to my gang rank, I’ve earned the privilege of the bottom bunk. Another inmate and I stare wordlessly at each other, both our faces blank. Out on the streets, we would be rivals and kill each other on site. In here, all we can do is shut ourselves down, sit, stare, and helplessly fill our diapers. I have no affection for him, and he has none for me. But we do have mutual respect for each other as fellow victims of a ruthless regime. Suddenly the guards snap to attention as if sensing an incoming inspection. They’re always paying attention, the guards in front of the cells and the guards above the cells. Sometimes their stances may relax when their shift was almost over, but their eyes are always upon us. I’ve often wondered how they don’t get bored watching diapered jailbirds do nothing all day. How do they keep their minds from wandering and attention from wavering? Their eyes- those the only thing of their masked faces we can see- tell me. The guards fear and hate us in equal measure, and the flames of that hatred have yet to burn out. When it does, the guards will probably quit or transfer to a lower security prison and someone with a shiny new axe to grind will take their place. And here comes the Deputy Warden. Something is off. He’s sweating profusely and looks harried and nervous, not proud and excited like he usually is. He bellows orders, tone short and clipped and unsure. He keeps changing his mind on what inmates he wants up front. He points at one, shakes his head, then points at another. He bangs his baton on the iron bars when the inmates don’t crinkle fast enough for his liking. It would be so, so easy to grab that baton and bash him on the head. No one dares try. Maybe they’ve broken us more than we’d care to admit. The guards are statues, silent sentinels the Deputy Warden ignores as he prowls up and down both lines of cells. He gets near mine. With a resigned sigh, I stand up. My partially wet diaper with the teddy bear ballerinas on it crinkles then sags, the weight of a full, heavy bowel movement pulling it down. Due to my numerous tattoos, I’m usually selected to be up front. My face, head, back, and arms are covered in symbols of the respect and power I once carried. It’s my chest that draws the most interest. My entire abdomen from pelvic area to collar bones features a large hand in the devil horns pose. But the pointer and pinky fingers are the same length. Instead of human nails, these nails are sharp and pointed- claws instead of nails. A demon hand. It represents rebellion against societal norms and inner strength. The journalists are always fascinated by it and always ask the Warden what it means. The Warden loves to point my tattoo out then points out my diaper, especially if I’m visibly wet and messy. Once I helplessly crapped myself in full view of a camera. It was awful. My bruised pride remembers it so well, the first time I messed myself in front of journalists. The Warden and some nameless, faceless journalist stood on either side of my cell, just outside the damn yellow lines. Just one more step and I could’ve reached through the bars and choked both of them, a hand for each obnoxious throat. The journalist rambled on, spewing the propaganda lies he’d been fed, proclaiming how our forced diaper dependence was good and wholesome, how it supposedly shifted criminal thinking and it was a revolutionary new technique in the rehabilitation of hardened criminals. The Warden smugly nodded along. Like that fucker understood the foreign language the journalist spoke. I did. That language is my second tongue. I knew better than to reply or act like I understood, so I just stared dead-eyed and defiant at the hovering camera drone. Suddenly, no warning at all all, not even a tummy twinge, my butt trumpeted out a long, loud, and wet sounding fart. The microphone picked up every sound, every toot and squirt and squelch. The back of my thick diaper visibly ballooned out as I deposited my noisy, massive load. The cameraman operating the drone’s remote controls zoomed in on my defecation act. Then my diaper sagged with the weight of my shit. The Warden looked even more smug than usual. He explained in great detail the cutting edge technology behind our diapers. He even made me turn around so the camera had a better view of my visibly poopy diaper. This time, just like every time, I am chosen to be up front. I take my spot in front of the bars next to the other chosen sacrificial lambs while the rest of our numerous cellmates line up behind us. A few lucky ones get to stay in their bunks at the back of the cells because there is not enough room up front. We all pay attention because it’s the only thing to do in this gods-forsaken hellhole. Even a religious book would be a relief. The main door opens with a loud metallic echo. We hear the heavy stomps of the Warden’s boots before we see him. The Deputy Warden rushes to his side, stiff at attention. The guards all tense as if eager for a prison revolt or riot to put down. Three cameramen and their floating camera drones with multiple lenses to capture everything from every angle follow. Something is off with the Warden. His chest isn’t puffed out and he’s not strutting around like he usually does. He’s nervous instead of eager to show off. More guards in different uniforms come in. I stiffen at the sight. I know those uniforms. Everyone knows those uniforms. The personal bodyguards of the president. I barely repress a sneer. So the big dictator himself couldn’t resist a chance to gloat on intergalactic social media no doubt. I feel the tension in my fellow inmates, anger, pride, and defiance bubbling up. Unless the tyrant has come to personally announce the reinstatement of the death penalty, there is nothing more that man can do to us. He’s already taken away everything. I do not fear him. Hell, death would be an improvement, a release from the decades upon decades in this hell. Like we didn’t have enough guards already. It’s all a shitshow to impress the sheeple. My country’s elected dictator is followed by high ranking sycophants and toadies. His ministers and cabinet leaders, and decorated military leaders in crisp uniforms dripping with medals. The president is talking to the cameras, addressing the world and the space colonies. The Warden’s normal bluster is gone. He’s subdued, submissive to these men of higher rank and social status. My contempt for all of them only deepens. I don’t pay any attention. My eyes glaze over. I stare across the vast room to the opposite cell. It’s empty, awaiting the next load of victims condemned to diapers. The president is still yapping. I tune him out. No doubt his flapping gums are praising himself and his revolutionary new diaper rehabilitation program. He’s probably going to make some new announcement about it-maybe he’s building another prison or some big, powerful country has asked for help in implementing it. Whatever it is, his ego will not allow anyone else to make such a grand proclamation. What better place to announce any breaking news than the torture dungeon that started it all? While he blathers on, some of his entourage break off and look around at the various cells and the prized trophies on display. I keep my gaze straight ahead, my chin up in defiance and my shoulders squared in pride. My tattooed face is a hard mask, unreadable and intimidating. Despite the big baby diaper sagging with my piss and shit, I’m still a terrifying force to behold. We all are. In the past, I’ve made journalists cringe and stay far back from my cell with just my fierce demeanor. I will not give anyone here to gawk the satisfaction of engaging with them, of acknowledging they exist. I never do. Two of the flunkies manage to catch my attention. Hatred flares hot in my gut, rumbling like an impending bowel movement. How didn’t I notice those miserable bastards as soon as they walked in? I loathe those special operation soldiers more than I do any rival gangster. They wiped out the entire set of my gang. They’re the reason I’m in here. I also know a dirty little secret about those experimental freaks. I tried to tell it but no one would believe me. After the atrocities those two committed, they should be locked away in a cell with us. They deserved to be shaved and forever diapered like us. Instead those bastards are celebrated as heroes. It’s just more fascist propaganda. My gaze focuses on them, bitter revulsion smoldering. They don’t notice me. New medals shine on their uniforms. What makes those government lapdogs such monsters? Glad you asked. Nanites. Tiny robots so small you need a microscope to see them. They’re new, first used in medicine about the same time the moon colony was established. They manipulate organic tissue at the cellular level. I read an article in my smart watch about them once when a drug drop off was late. They’re mostly used in surgery to repair damaged tissue and organs. Cut out a tumor and the nanites will construct healthy tissue. It’s revolutionary and saving lives. Spinal cord injuries that would’ve left someone paralyzed a century ago are now nearly fully treatable with recovery just a matter of time. Some causes of blindness can be treatable. Nanites make the lame walk and the blind see, cancer cured. Friggin miracles. Like many new things, the use of nanites first started off only for the wealthy upper classes in rich, privileged countries then slowly trickled down and spread over the rest of the world to the poor and downtrodden and eventually became a new standard of healthcare. Emergency responders carry injectable vials of them. What happens when they’re used to manipulate and fuck with healthy cells? A top secret government and military experiment, that’s what. Super soldier freaks like Thing One and Thing Two walking down the rows of cells. Enhanced speed, endurance, and strength. And fucking night vision. I found that last one out too little, too late. I’ve heard whispered rumors there’s more of the fuckers, but I don’t really know. Then again, I brushed rumors of nanite experimentation off as conspiracy theories and fake news until I saw it with my own eyes. Many civilians say the tattoos turn gang members into monsters. I know the truth. I’m just a human dealt an unfair hand in life who did what he had to to do survive in a cold, hard, cruel world that wanted him to die. Thing One and Thing Two? They’re the real monsters. My gaze locks onto Thing One. He looks like any young man in his late teens or early twenties. Fit, muscled, a perfect soldier boy. His short cropped hair is dyed cherry red. To symbolize his desire to spill blood? His perfect white teeth flash in a radiant smile I remember so well. Even in the midst of a shootout deep in the jungle he smiled. He smiled as he killed my gang brothers. That red hair. Soldiers, government boot lickers, are not normally allowed such self-expression. I guess the monsters get special privileges for being good little guinea pigs. On his hip he carries a slip of a boy, a little waif around fourteen years of age. The boy is a soft, effeminate version of him with porcelain skin and hair dyed cherry red in imitation of his big brother. No denying their relationship. The boy’s head lay on his big brother’s shoulder. He is a delicate doll. He would’ve fetched a high price on the black market. Rich pedophiles would pay anything for such fine, tender flesh. It’s why I ordered my men to kidnap him in the first place. That was my crucial mistake. He is a pampered, spoiled brat born to wealth and power. I never should have taken him. But he was so beautiful, his flesh worth so much. I was blinded by greed and couldn’t resist. Rich or not, I’d have him spirited away so far and so fast his family would never see him again. I didn’t know at the time about his big brother. I never understood Thing One. How could someone born to such a posh, privileged life end up a military guinea pig? Did his father, a well known and decorated general, volunteer his eldest son to prove his loyalty to the new regime? Did Thing One volunteer willingly out of love and loyalty for his country, his people and stupid idealism? Did he martyr himself for the greater good? Fucking dumbass. The baby brother is quiet and still, clinging to his big brother and obviously terrified of all the diapered monsters in their cages. No double reliving painful memories. I hope the little shit got PTSD. It would serve him right. He sucks a petite thumb, drooling. A white terrycloth bib trimmed in red is tied around his neck to catch his drool. Only one of his big brown eyes moves around. The other is unfocused, vacant. Blind. He breathes through a tracheostomy hole and tube in his neck. A feeding tube is heavily taped to one cheek and goes up one nostril and down his throat. The boy’s pants balloon out in an unmistakable diaper bulge. A perfect circle scar of angry pink and white right between his eyes mars the perfection of his complexion. A memento of when I shot him point blank. He should’ve died. I thought he was dead.

Twenty-Seven: A Baby…Like the Rest of Them I have no memory of ever being bathed by someone else before. I’m sure it happened–I doubt that my mother or father just hosed me off in the backyard in my early years. It’s just something that remains outside of my memory. I do have memories of taking baths, though. Memories of my mother filling a tub with water and soap before leaving me to my own devices. “Let me know when you’re done so that I can dry you off,” she’d say–a lesson she learned early on when I’d tromp through the house while still mostly naked and soaking wet. This, too, is a story my sister always likes to tell–especially when there’s someone around who’s never heard it before. I don’t know, baths aren’t things that kids talk about with each other. We don’t go to school and compare notes about the kind of shampoo we use, or our preferred method for using a washcloth. TV shows, and the mutterings from adults I’ve known throughout my life, would suggest that there’s plenty of kids who don’t enjoy baths. And, sure, I guess baths could occasionally be seen as interruptions in my busy schedule of garbage TV shows and playing with toys, but I always liked baths. I liked submerging my head in the bathtub. I’d become a fish. A shark, maybe. Sometimes a submarine. And the game was always fun–at least until the water got too much soap or shampoo in it and I’d have to surface to wipe my bleary eyes dry with a towel. Somewhere in the back of Daycare, Freya and I are in a small semi-private area with a rather large bathtub and a small changing area. It’s not a room–it’s more like a stall. I think there’s a few of these little bathing stations in a row. From further down the hall, I can hear the sound of a feminine voice gently cooing at someone as water splashes. Someone else is getting a bath too. Maybe it’s Gwen. “Do you like these tubs?” Freya asks. I shrug. “I dunno. Never been in one like this before. I guess we’ll find out.” She laughs and shakes her head. “What’s funny about that?” “Sweetie, you’ve been in these tubs before. You’ve been in this particular tub a few times.” “What? When?” But then it dawns on me–it was probably when I was staying in Daycare for a while. When I was consumed by the milk and out of it. “You were here for a few days, remember. And babies need baths.” I shrug. I’m currently sitting in the tub on my ass, my knees pulled up in front of me so they’re level with my chest. For now–while I wait for the water level to completely conceal my body–my arms are wrapped around my legs so that I don’t feel quite as vulnerable. The hot water feels good as it slowly climbs my body. I can already see the dirt and grime floating away from my skin as it mingles with the liberal amount of soap that’s been added. “You were so cute,” Freya coos. “I’d give you a bath, and you’d dunk your head under the water without me asking you too. You were like a little fish in there.” I feel myself blushing. I guess some bathtime habits never really go away. Was I a fish? A shark? Freya has a large yellow sponge in her hand, and she dips it into the warm water a few times, squeezing it when she pulls it out to push out the excess water. When she presses it against my skin, I find that it feels a little more rigid than what I was expecting. “I often prefer a softer one,” she says, assumedly talking about the sponge. “But when you want someone to be clean–especially clean–a little exfoliating is in order.” “Is it going to hurt?” I ask. I have a general idea of what is meant by ‘exfoliating,’ but some folks seem willing to sacrifice a lot of comfort when it comes to cleanliness and beauty. “Does this hurt?” she asks, slowly moving the well-lathered sponge in circular patterns on my upper back. “N-no.” It feels very good, in fact. “There you go.” “What were you like?” I ask. The words just kind of spill out–barely formed and thought through. “Hm?” “I mean…before you were here,” I say. She smiles. “I’m still the same person, believe it or not.” “That’s…” “I know that’s not what you meant, silly.” She playfully squeezes her sponge above my head, causing warm water to cascade down my face. I kind of love that feeling. “Would it surprise you to learn that I was a teacher?” “A little,” I say. “What age did you teach? Because if you were my teacher when I was a teenager, I’d have been thinking about you a lot.” My cheeks blush as I say this–maybe I’m being a little too candid. But she has the sort of personality that makes me feel comfortable with opening myself a little more than I might normally. Mirabelle has a similar quality. So did Maxine. “Just little boys and girls,” she smiles. “If I was in their fantasies, it was probably them hoping I’d skip a lesson and putting a movie on instead.” “And what brought you…here?” I also want to ask if I’m asking too many personal questions, but maybe I should just keep that one to myself and, instead, keep my mouth shut after this. “Love,” she says simply. “But it was a different kind of love that brought me here than the love that keeps me here now.” Well, how can I not ask a follow-up question to that? “How so?” “When I first came here, I didn’t come alone. I came with my husband. In fact, I came for my husband. This was what he wanted, and I was just along for the ride.” “Married?” I say. It is a question, but I don’t actually mean to ask it so much as I just puzzle over it aloud. “He’s not here, if that’s what you’re asking. He’s gone back home. And we aren’t married any longer either.” “Oh. I’m…really sorry to hear that.” She laughs and rubs the top of my head–messing up my wet hair with her fingers. “Don’t be sorry. It wasn’t a bad thing. Sometimes things just don’t work out like you think they will. That was true for both him and I. We’re happier now, I think. In our own ways.” I can’t be entirely sure–the water in the tub is pretty warm–but I think I’m peeing a little. I finally release my grip on my legs, allowing them to extend out in front of me. I feel a little more exposed and vulnerable, despite being submerged, but I find that I don’t mind this feeling. “I… Maybe I know how that is,” I say. “Is that so?” “Well it’s not the same thing,” I shrug. “I wasn’t married or anything. But I did kind of, uh, part ways with someone special in my life when I decided to come back.” “Does that make you sad?” she asks. “Sometimes. It’s not that I think I made the wrong decision or anything like that. I think I just…miss her.” “Oh sure,” she nods. “I know that feeling.” “You miss him?” I ask. “Do you wish he was here?” I’m asking more questions, but I think I get a pass–we’re engaged in a conversation now. “I miss him, sure. He was my best friend. But I don’t wish that he was here, no. He didn’t think this place was for him, and that’s why he’s not.” I wonder–and it’s not the first time I’ve considered this–if Maxine would like it here. It’s possible, but I also don’t think this place is for her. “When you’re not babbling like a baby, you’re very inquisitive,” she says, running the sponge down my chest and belly. “Sorry…I keep telling myself to stop asking you things.” She chuckles. “I don’t mind. And, truth be told, I rarely ever talk about myself anymore.” “Really?” “A lot of the babies I care for aren’t asking questions about me,” she says. “They’re easier not asking anything at all–because they can’t–or they’re asking about what’s in store for them next.” “Babies can be selfish,” I say. “Oh, but we don’t hold that against them,” she says. “We expect that. We cater to that. That’s the joy of The Cradle, isn’t it? You’re here because you want to be cared for.” “True.” Under the water, her hand guides the sponge down between my thighs, slowly dragging it across my skin as she approaches my cock. It’s like a switch has been flipped in my brain, and I suddenly remember the position I’m in–nude and in a bathtub, being cleaned by one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever met. This realization, in turn, causes my cock to stiffen almost immediately–just in time for her sponge to find it. “What is it that always excites you when you’re around me?” she asks. “Is it me? Or is it that you just love being treated this way?” “Can’t it be both?” “You wouldn’t get hard like this for anyone else?” she asks with a wry grin. “Well…” I’d probably sound like a fool if I was to say ‘no.’ And it’s not like I can say that she somehow makes my cock harder than anyone else. “I’m teasing,” she says, her sponge rubbing against the head of my shaft. “T-tease me more,” I say softly–the words, again, slipping out of my mouth before I can stop them. “All you little boys are the same,” she says. “You can’t help yourselves.” I kind of want to take a little offense to this–I don’t want to be like the other boys. I want to be a unique snowflake. But, I mean, of course she’s right. What boy wouldn’t get a little stiff when being given a nice bath–with extra attention paid to said stiffness. “I think it’s your fault,” I say. She giggles at this, gently splashing me with one of her hands. “You think?” I keep my mouth locked shut, afraid I’ll continue to say more than I actually want to. “Boys do seem to have trouble with stiff little things like this,” she muses–almost to herself–as her hand pulls at my cock under the water. “Maybe it is me.” “It…it’s not a bad thing,” I mutter. “Oh, I know that,” she smiles. Her hand slowly glides up my cock again. It’s a strange sensation–being stroked like this underwater. Stranger yet might be that we’re not exactly concealed–anyone could walk by and see this–but because nobody is walking past, most of what I’m thinking about is the thrill of her hand on my submerged shaft. “It probably won’t surprise you,” she says softly, her other hand again casually flipping some hair over her shoulder as she tilts her head and smiles at me. There’s a real sense of intimacy in the moment that I find myself almost completely lost in. There’s nothing else of importance on this planet–it’s just me and her. “But I’m very fond of pleasuring the little boys who come here.” “I…uh…” I’d like to say something about how I expected as much, but it’s hard to say anything at all now. She presses her finger against my lips, reminding me that I don’t actually have to speak. “And, normally, I’d love nothing more than to keep rubbing you like…this.” Her hand slowly slides to my head again and pauses. “And then…like this…” And her hand slides back down the shaft to my balls. “Over and over and over again until you finally lose control.” I’d say something about how that’s a very good idea, but her finger remains pressed against my lips. Instead, I just moan a little–eager for her to continue with that ‘over and over and over again’ it kind of sounds like she’s offering. No. Instead, she stops abruptly. I think–I hope–that she’s just pausing for a moment and she’ll be resuming soon. But then her hand pulls away altogether. “W-wait…” I say, forcing my lips open despite her finger still being there. “Oh, it pains me to stop too, baby boy,” she sighs–though there’s certainly a playfulness in that exhalation. “But I might just be doing you a favor.” “How so?” I pout. She smirks, tousling my hair again. “Because now you’re all riled up. Now you want that sweet release oh-so-badly, don’t you?” “Yes…” How this was doing me a favor, I still didn’t understand. “Good. Now take that energy and go into the Rebirth Festival with it,” she says. “And then you can thank me later.” I’m thinking: I doubt it. But I don’t say it aloud, instead just grumbling a little. “Now, then, let’s get you nice and clean and into a fresh diaper. Doesn’t that sound nice?” No matter how frustrated I might be, I can’t deny that she’s at least right about that. “It does,” I nod. === After being toweled off–and, let it be known, Freya is remarkably efficient when it comes to drying someone off with a towel–I’m escorted back to one of the changing tables, where I find myself in the familiar position of being on my back. A new diaper is slid beneath me, and I’m hit with a few heavy shakes of baby powder before I’m sealed into the warm and cozy padding. “You’ll need something new to wear,” Freya says. “That onesie you were in will need a good washing.” I never really think much about clothing around here. We all have the things we brought from home, and maybe some people do own their own onesies and infantile dresses and what-not that they like to wear. But I didn’t bring anything like that. It’s never been an issue, either. There are always clothes around. Onesies and sweatsuits and shirts and skirts and dresses and overalls and bonnets and bibs and… There’s an abundance of clothes, it seems. And they’re all, more or less, communal. You’ll go and get your diaper changed and you’ll never know what you’re going to walk away from the changing table wearing. She holds up a pastel pink onesie–so light that it’s almost white, but still distinctly pink–with an embroidered flower on the front of it. “I don’t have much in your size at the moment. Not here, at least. Blame all the visitors.” I grimace a little, but I don’t actually care all that much. Pink has never bothered me before, and it’s especially unconcerning in a place as open-minded as The Cradle. “That’s fine,” I say, sitting up so that she can slide it over my head and extended arms. “Are you excited?” she asks. “Uh, well…” My cock isn’t throbbing and hard at the moment, but it’s not completely soft either. Just thinking about her hand on my shaft again gets me a little firmer, though. “Just a little.” She rolls her eyes and giggles. “I don’t mean if you’re pee-pee is excited. I meant, are you excited? About the Rebirth Festival?” “Oh,” I say, my cheeks reddening again. “Maybe. I mean, everyone assures me it’s going to be a good time. But I still don’t really know what it is. I can’t tell if everyone is acting cagey about the details for it, or if I’m just not asking the right questions.” “What do you want to know?” she asks. “Ask me the right question, then.” Yeah, I dunno. I think back to a conversation I had with Mirabelle not that long ago. I had jokingly asked if it was actually a giant orgy–which she hadn’t exactly confirmed or denied. Maybe that would be a fun thing to keep as a surprise. And, well, is that the sort of thing that Freya would want me ‘riled up’ for? I have to laugh. The fantasy of an orgy–especially one drenched in milk–sounds pretty amazing in theory. But I can already sense my body seizing up just thinking about it. An actual orgy? With naked strangers? I could never perform in an environment like that. I’d have eight consecutive panic attacks. I have no questions, for now. === I’ve slipped my feet into a pair of sandals that Freya has provided–I have no idea what happened to my old ones–and she sends me on my way with a tight hug and a playful swat to the bottom. The rain has stopped, for now, but dark clouds remain poised above The Cradle. The ground is still saturated, with plenty of mud and puddles of water to avoid. The childish temptation remains to stomp my way through them all again, but that seems a little rude after all the effort Freya put into cleaning me up. I kind of want to find Sloane again, but who knows where she is by this point. I figure I’ll walk back to the dining hall and start my search there. I have no sense of what time it is. I look up into the sky again, disappointed that I can’t see where the sun is. This makes me laugh, though. I’m not some boy scout–I don’t know how much seeing the sun would actually help me. Maybe if I had my phone… But, I’ve stopped carrying my phone around with me. Seeing as how The Cradle has no reception, there just doesn’t seem to be much of a point in carrying around what is essentially a clock–and occasional camera. Besides, where is a baby even supposed to put a phone? All the onesies I’ve worn don’t have any pockets, and I’m certainly not going to store it in my diaper. It’s better this way. Having distance from my phone keeps me at a further distance from the rest of the world. I wonder if I have any messages. Maxine? Sam? Nikki… I really miss Nikki. Which would probably annoy her if I was to tell her this. She’d snort and say: “Why?” She’d roll her eyes so hard if she could see me now. The baby stuff. The splashing around in mud. The attention from lovely ladies–and that one handsome guy–changing my diapers. She’d be having such a good time right now if she was here–not because she’d be enjoying the same things I was, but because she’d enjoy making fun of me for enjoying them so much. “Alfie!” a voice calls out as the dining hall comes into view. I look up to see Tommy trotting towards me–a little bit of an awkward waddle in his stride. Everyone has a waddle around here, which seems obvious when you consider our underpants of choice. But I find that I’m getting better at detecting the types of waddles. There’s the ‘I’m not used to wearing diapers all the time yet,’ waddle–one that I’ve probably only gotten away from recently. There’s the ‘I’ve pissed my body’s weight into this diaper’ waddle. And the ‘I’ve been wearing this diaper for way too long and now my thighs are starting to chafe’ waddle. And who could forget the classic ‘I’ve dropped a massive load into the back of my diaper’ waddle–which is exactly the one that I think Tommy is sporting. This seems to be confirmed as he draws closer, and a new stink is added to the air. “Hey, Tommy.” I’m tempted to comment on the diaper he’s packing, but I can’t imagine I’d be saying anything he doesn’t already know. “That girl you were hanging with earlier was looking for you.” “Sloane?” He nods. “Where is she now? Still over there?” I point towards the dining hall. “Dunno,” he says. “That was a while ago. I think she left.” “Hrm.” I scratch my head. If she’s not here, I’m not really sure what to do with myself next. “Hey,” he says. “Did I see you outside earlier when all those people were playing in the mud?” “Oh yeah,” I laugh, nodding. I kind of want to brag that the whole mud thing was my idea, but I keep that to myself. “Did I see, uh, Gwendolyn O’Neil out there with you?” “Yeah…” “Shit, man. She actually looked like she was having a good time, too.” “You sound surprised,” I say. “Man, I tried so hard to have a good conversation with her when I was bringing her back from town the other day, but she just wasn’t biting. It felt like I was pulling teeth just to make small talk. You don’t think it’s me do you? Do people just not like talking to me?” “I don’t think that’s it,” I shrug. But…that might be it. It’s not that he’s a repulsive guy–I think he can be a pretty nice guy–I just think he tries too hard. It’s the sort of thing that probably rubs some people the wrong way when they first meet him. Maybe, if I knew him a little better, I could say something about that. For now, I’m going to try and dodge that conversation. “Then what is it?” he asks. “Well, uh, I’ll tell you this,” I say. “You’re not smelling all that fresh. Maybe that’s the problem.” He laughs at this. “Yeah…I guess I am a little ripe.” “Go get yourself changed,” I say, as if this was somehow the cure for whatever ails him. “Yeah, yeah…” He begins to waddle past me, only to stop and glance back at me. “Oh, did you hear about the opening ceremony tonight for the festival?” I shake my head, expecting to hear some gossip about what the plan would be. “The field in front of the farmhouse,” he says. “That’s what I heard, at least. You haven’t heard anything about it?” I laugh. “What would I know about that?” He shrugs. “I just assumed you might’ve heard something. Seems like you and Mirabelle get along well.” I make a mental recording of that and immediately play it back, scanning it for traces of resentment or passive aggressiveness. Results: inconclusive. I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that he’s not actually bitter that I’ve somehow forged a friendship with Mirabelle in my short time here. Because, honestly, I’m not sure how that happened either. “I, uh, haven’t heard anything,” I say. And I’m happy that’s the truth–I worry he’d give me, at the very least, some disapproving frown if I had inside information that he didn’t. “I’ll see you later?” he asks. “Of course,” I nod. “Look for me at the festival-thing tonight.” “Sounds good,” he says, a more genuine smile on his face now. And with that, he waddles off–his ‘I’ve dropped a massive load into the back of my diaper’ waddle even more pronounced than it was before. === I realize that I need a little structure in my life. I’m not ever going to be one of those people who plan out every part of their day–but I just need a general sense of where I’m supposed to be at some point. What I should be doing. How long I should be doing it for. Work, like school–and I have an equal amount of disdain for both–is actually kind of good for this. Even if I don’t enjoy working, it gives me something to do and something to plan my day around. I actually fear retirement, as I worry that I’ll have nothing to do with all my time. Maybe I’ll have a hobby by then, I tell myself. Something like…building model boats inside of bottles, or golf, or whatever it is old men do when they reach a certain age. The Cradle, for all its great qualities, has me feeling that fear a little. There are things to do, but a lot of those roles and responsibilities either seem like you have to be given them by someone else (like Tim’s involvement with the crops, I assume) or you have to just make your own mark on this place (like Holden’s library). I lack the motivation to do my own thing, and I worry I haven’t displaced any desirable skills to get me assigned to anything beyond sorting candies in bags–which I wasn’t even all that good at. All this to say, that I get uncomfortable when I have time to kill here on my own. I think about this as I enter the dining hall again, scanning the area for Sloane. I like Sloane–I think she’s cool–but I don’t actually know her all that well. I’m looking for because it’s easier to kill time with someone else, and I always get the feeling that she’s looking for someone to help her do the same thing. So maybe I’m not just looking for Sloane–I’m looking for anyone that I know. For this reason, I kind of wish Anders was here. He’d take me under his babified wing automatically, and we’d probably have all sorts of fun together. Oh, or maybe if Maxine was here? We’d sneak off into the woods and rub our diapers against each other all day. Hell, I wouldn’t even mind if Nikki was here. She’d probably put her foot down on wearing diapers herself, but she’d sure as hell love making fun of the other babies while following me around. Maybe I’m just homesick? Sloane had mentioned being homesick herself the other day. Yet another reason to want to find her–maybe we could commiserate for a few minutes. “Everything alright?” a friendly voice says as a body appears at my side and a hand is placed on my back. I don’t personally know this guy, but he’s someone I’ve seen around plenty. Liam, maybe? Sure, he’s dressed the part of a baby, with his footed pajamas–the feet of which are crammed into a pair of sneakers–but he still kind of looks out of place here. His tall stature, silky blonde hair, and chiseled jawline remind me of someone hanging out at an expensive bar in the city. The kind of guy who does ‘something’ with the stock market–whatever it is one does with that. “Oh, uh…” I realize that I was probably just standing in one spot, gawking at the crowd with a dumb look on my face, for longer than I meant to. “Looking for someone?” “Sloane?” I ask without thinking. “Yeah, I think I know her,” he says, nodding his head. I don’t trust the smile on his face–I’ve seen it before. Not on him, but a lot of guys have a smile like that. It’s the smug kind of smile that says “Yeah, I’ve seen her–and I like what I saw.” “Have you, uh, seen her around here?” He shakes his head. “I did see her, but it wasn’t here.” There’s an awkward pause in the conversation–as this is the part where I just assume he’s going to tell me where he spotted her. But then I realize he’s waiting for me to ask the question, which makes me want to roll my eyes pretty badly. “So, uh, where’d you see her?” I finally ask. “Well…” He turns and looks back at the door–maybe trying to retrace the steps he took to get here? He scratches his head. “Somewhere between Cabin 6 and here.” That makes sense. Assuming Cabin 6 is close to Cabin 5, and Cabin 5 is where Sloane lives–that probably would’ve been my next destination anyway. Heading back outside again, I’m still thinking about how I’m only really looking for Sloane because I don’t know what else to do with myself. But, really, I’d take any distraction right now. === My diaper is wet again. It’s funny how that happens. I’ll not be thinking about my diaper for a while, and then I’ll suddenly realize that walking feels different–only to discover that it's because my diaper has swollen between my thighs. Of course, it’s almost always a good surprise. I have a general sense of how to get to Cabin 5 from here, and so I lazily waddle down the wet trail–happy that the rain continues to hold off. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a flash of light coming from a small grove of trees about 20 feet away. Maybe it’s not the kind of thing I’d have noticed any other day, but the clouds overhead have made the areas beneath the trees especially dark. Something suddenly lighting up–an artificial bluish-white light–will get your attention. I recognize it immediately as the screen of a cell phone. But the phone illuminates a face and–I think–it’s Sloane’s face. Without thinking about it, I change course a little, walking in that direction to see if it’s her or not. She’s talking to someone, I can hear her as I draw closer. But it doesn’t seem like anyone’s responding, so maybe she’s just talking on the phone. Out here, though? I’ve walked through this area with my phone countless times and I’ve never had good reception. I’d love to know what company she has a phone through. Without even realizing it, at first, I slow my pace a little. If she’s on the phone, I don’t want to disturb her. I figure I’ll hang back a little bit, wait until she’s done, and then go say hi. But it seems I’m a little too close by the time I realize this. I can hear her pretty well. And now I’m nervous that if I turn and walk away, she’ll see or hear me. So I just freeze in the darkness of a grove of trees–praying that she doesn’t spot me and assume that I’m a creepy stalker. “...it’s harder than you think,” she says to whoever is on the phone. I really don’t want to eavesdrop. I try to distract myself with some daydreaming instead. For a few moments, the thought of Freya pressing a sponge against my cock does the trick nicely, but it’s also kind of hard not to hear what Sloane is saying. “...and these people are nice,” she says. “All of them. Just the nicest people. I know you want to make fun of them for having this weird little ‘diaper club,’ or whatever, but they know they’re weird. They embrace it. It’s refreshing, honestly.” I’m missing context, of course, so I really don’t want to assume anything–but if she’s talking about The Cradle, and the people in it, it’s strange to me that she talks about it like she’s not a part of it herself. After a beat, she says: “I dunno. I just… I’ve been here for a while, you know? They trust me.” My eyes narrow a little. Am I in a fucking spy movie all of a sudden? What is she talking about? Another moment or two pass–presumably while the person on the other end of the line is talking. Then: “I can tell you right now, it’s real. This, uh, milk…it works. I promise you that it works.” A pause. “Uh, do you want to know how I know?” she asks, a harsher tone to her voice now. “Because I’m wearing a fucking diaper right now. I have to wear a diaper right now because otherwise I’d be honest-to-god shitting my pants like an infant. So, yeah, I think it fucking works.” Another pause. Maybe I’m wrong? Maybe this isn’t Sloane? As best as I can tell, it looks like Sloane, and it sounds like her voice. But these don’t sound like the sorts of things that Sloane would say. But, again, maybe I just don’t know Sloane that well at all. “Look, I have to get going,” she says. A brief pause and then: “I know. I know. Look, I’m ready whenever you are. I’m here. I know what my plan is. I just need to know that when the time comes, you’ll be ready too.” Sloane looks right at me. Or, at least, she’s looking in my direction. But she doesn’t seem to notice me. It’s her, though–now I’m certain of that. “Yeah, well you figure that out, then,” she sighs. “Let me know when you do. I guess, in the meantime, I’ll just…be a fucking baby like the rest of them. Do you still want me to call you tomorrow?” Pause. “Okay. Bye.” And then she walks back towards the trail, walking right past where I’m lurking in the shadows–my breath held and my body as still as I can make it. It seems to work, as she doesn’t seem to notice me. It looks like she’s walking towards her cabin. I could, I suppose, wait a few minutes and go knock on the door and act like I was just looking for her. But after hearing that conversation–or parts of it–I’m not so sure I want to do that. Who is Sloane? Twenty-Eight: We Are One I still don’t know what time it is, but it’s getting darker out. Somewhere, on the other side of the canopy of clouds extending across our part of California, the sun is setting. “May I have your attention,” a tinny, slightly staticked, voice says. I look for the source of the voice, before realizing that there’s a speaker mounted to a pole nearby. I assume there must be some all over The Cradle. I’m not sure how I never noticed this before. Maybe because they’ve never been used while I’ve been here. “At this time, we’d like to direct everyone to the Farmhouse, where we’ll be commencing with the opening ceremonies for this year’s Rebirth Festival shortly.” From off in the distance–beyond where I can see, at least–I hear a boisterous “Woo hoo!” Closer to where I’m walking, I see a pack of babies heading in the opposite direction suddenly stop, pivot, and walk right back in the direction they just came from. Sure, I’m excited. I’ve wanted to see what this was all about since I was first told that there was even such a thing as a “Rebirth Festival.” Honestly, I kind of want to let out a little ‘woo hoo’ myself, but my excitement feels slightly tampered at the moment. I’m still reeling from the conversation I overheard Sloane having. I know I’m missing the context. I don’t know anything at all about the position she’s in, or who she was talking to. But what I did hear gave me some shady vibes. Even if I don’t know the whole story, I feel like I know enough to be concerned. Someone, I think, is asking her to smuggle milk out of The Cradle. And Sloane might not actually be staying here because she wants to be a baby like the rest of us. “I’ll just…be a fucking baby like the rest of them,” she had said. This might’ve been the most damning moment–the part where she revealed that she doesn’t actually see herself as one of us. I’m tempted to take this information right to Mirabelle. But what then? Would I be adding stress to Mirabelle’s plate when it’s probably overflowing with tasks related to the festival? And it’s not like I have any definitive proof to show for my suspicions. If Mirabelle heeded my warning and asked Sloane what was going on, all Sloane would need to say is “That conversation never happened,” and that would be that. But I know. And I’m an investigator. Well, okay, I’m not. But I have the opportunity to finally be one now. I can be the investigative reporter I’ve always wanted to be. The journalist as opposed to the ‘guy who writes shitty fluff pieces that nobody reads.’ Alfie–Baby Detective. Put that on a fucking t-shirt. First thing’s first, I need to find Sloane again. I’m not going to confront her about what I know, but I want to be able to keep an eye on her. I haven’t decided yet if I’m just going to follow her from the shadows–as if I had the stealth skills for that–or if I’m just going to meet up with her and pretend that everything is fine and dandy. I guess I’ll just see what makes the most sense when I find her. The babies are headed towards the farmhouse in droves. It’d be easy enough to just follow them all, but I reckon that I’m close enough to Sloan’s cabin that I’ll probably see her as she makes her way over there herself. And so I wait and observe. Wait, I think. What if she’s not going to the festival? What if she’s going to take this opportunity to pull off some sort of heist or…caper? What if… “Alfie?” I spin around to find that Sloane is behind me. I’m already questioning my prowess as a ‘baby detective.’ “Oh, hey. I was just looking for you,” I say. “Here I am,” she smiles. I scan her body for tells that she’s being less than genuine. Not only do I not know what I’m looking for, but she seems as ‘normal’ as she’s always seemed. If I hadn’t overheard that conversation, I certainly wouldn’t suspect anything was up while talking to her now. “Were you headed over to the farmhouse?” “Yeah,” I nod. “Are you?” She seems a little thrown off by my tone–maybe I sounded a little too accusatory (Note to self: tone that shit down), but she’s otherwise unshaken. “Well, yeah. I was actually going to look for you, so I’m glad I ran into you.” “Cool,” I say. “Wanna walk over there together?” “Absolutely,” she says. I still detect no fakeness in her tone. I’m torn. I truly want to enjoy both the festival and Sloane’s company. I still like Sloane, and I want to give her the benefit of the doubt that she’s not up to anything screwy–that I just totally misheard or misconstrued the conversation snippets I was accidentally privy to. “I lost you this morning,” she says. “Back at the dining hall.” “Oh, right. I, uh, met this woman and we got to talking and…” I’m realizing how ridiculous this is going to sound as I’m saying it. “...we ended up going outside to jump around in the mud.” She laughs. “That was you? I saw a bunch of people outside in the rain, but I didn’t think you were a part of that.” Not only was I a part of that, but I had helped instigate the whole thing–though I choose to keep this to myself. We’re walking again, headed in the direction of the farmhouse. For a moment, I thought I was following her, but now I think she’s following me. She seems…normal. She seems excited and in good spirits. She sounds like the person I thought she was. If this is all an act, she’s doing a hell of a job. “You should’ve joined us,” I say. She shrugs. “At the time, I was thinking that I never really liked playing in the mud and getting dirty.” “Well, sure,” I shrug. “We all thought that. That was the whole point–to get out there and do something we don’t ever do as adults.” “It was such a mess though…” “You’ve probably had worse messes in your diaper this week.” Her cheeks immediately turn pink and she looks away from me. “Get outta here…” Everything still feels natural with her. She talks and acts like she wants to be here. Like she belongs here. I must’ve misunderstood something–that’s the only explanation. Still, I have to poke the hornet’s nest a little more. I’m not satisfied yet. “Hey, can I ask you something?” “Sure,” she says, the extra pink in her cheeks fading a little. “What brought you to The Cradle? Like, how did you find out about this place?” This, I feel, is going to be where I’ll see right through a bullshit answer. “Friend of a friend,” she says quickly. Too quickly? I’m not sure, but my gut is uncomfortable with the speed of that reply. Or…maybe I just have to poop? “I assume your friend–or, uh, this friend’s friend–must’ve known this place would be the kind of thing you’d be into?” “Uh huh,” she nods. “Her and I–and, uh, the mutual friend we have–we were all part of the same, like, local-ish scene together?” She suddenly sounds nervous and awkward. Is it that she’s spinning lies, or is it just weird to talk about the local scene of diaper-lovers that she came from? “Oh yeah?” I say. “Did your friend come here too?” “N-no,” she says. “He wanted to, but…uh, he just couldn’t commit to it. Married with kids and all that.” I raise an eyebrow. “Married? But he was, uh, playing around with the other adult babies?” She smirks. “Are you just assuming that he was cheating on his wife?” Maybe I am. Or, maybe I’m just reminded of how I’m still annoyed at Anders for keeping my sister so far out of the loop. I guess, in a way, I have his indiscretions to thank for my being here–but that doesn’t mean that he’s automatically forgiven. “Ah, sorry,” I say. “I shouldn’t assume.” “His wife was his ‘mommy’ for a while,” she says. “Well, until she became a literal mommy, you know? They had three kids. She was fine with him having playmates from time to time, though.” “And you were one of those playmates?” I ask. I shouldn’t do this–a professional investigator would probably slap me across the face for putting words in her mouth. “Uh huh,” she nods. The next minute or two are spent mostly in silence. I feel like I fumbled my chance at questioning her. I can try again, but it’ll have to be later–I don’t want her to feel like I’m interrogating her. I replay as many of our conversations as I can remember, looking for moments I might have missed the first time around–statements that might be seen in a different light now. At first, nothing seems suspicious or out of place. But then I recall the conversation we had the other day–the one where she mentioned the possible ban on cellphones. I had made a comment–a joke, if anything, about how government scientists would be eager to get their hands on the milk here. Sloane had said: “That’s interesting.” It wasn’t what she said–it was how she said it. Right? I don’t know if I trust my memory enough to hold anything against her. Maybe I’m just remembering what I want to remember. Besides, with traces of the milk running through my system still, I find it hard to trust anything in my perceived reality. And, on that note, my diapered bottom emits a long bass note–a signal that something worse is coming sooner than later. It’s wet too. I don’t think I’ve full-on messed myself, but I’m willing to bet I just made a brown streak in my padding. I glance over to Sloane–my cheeks already starting to glow–to see if she noticed. I don’t think she has–or if she did, she doesn’t care. The smile is gone from her face. She’s staring down at the ground as she walks. She looks a little…sad. “Hey,” I say. “Is everything alright?” She opens her mouth, taking in a deep breath as if she’s getting ready to say something she’s apprehensive about. A pause. And then nothing–she closes her mouth and blows all the air out from her nose. “S-sorry,” she says finally. “I was just thinking about something else. Just, you know…homesickness. It pops up every once in a while. Usually when you least expect it.” Again, she might just be a fantastic actress. Or, she could be just as genuine as she sounds. I hate that I’m doubting her right now. I mean, what she’s saying is very relatable. There’s a number of people I miss too right now, and everytime I think about them, that longing gets a little stronger. “You, uh, want to talk about it?” I ask. She shakes her head. “Hell no. I want to get distracted from it. I want this festival-thing, whatever it is, to make me blissfully delirious.” “Yeah,” I say, giving her a very enthusiastic nod. I need that too. And you know what? I’m willing to just set aside everything else for now. Whatever’s going with Sloane–whoever she really is–maybe I can just worry about that later. For now, let’s just go and be stupid babies who have fun at a festival made for stupid babies. “Wait,” she suddenly says. “Did you just…poop?” “N-no,” I say, the color coming back to my cheeks. “Are you sure?” I sniff at the air myself. Maybe there’s a lingering trace of noxious gas that’s following me around–I do smell something. “I didn’t mess myself,” I say. “Not yet.” She smirks and skips ahead of me. I cautiously pick up my pace a little–nervous I’ll shake a mess right out of me–to try and catch up. I’ve already forgotten that I have my doubts about her. === The sun is at the horizon now, still tucked beyond the expanse of trees that surrounds us, and the mountains in the far distance, but not so far hidden that the brilliant pink and orange hues of the sky around it aren’t still visible. Still, it’s dark enough that the lit torches–mounted around the perimeter of the field in front of the old farmhouse–create a warm light that washes over everything. No bonfire tonight, it would seem, but there’s still a palpable energy in the air as the babies converge that I doubt it’s necessary. The Maternal Council’s members corral us into the grass, and we slowly but surely begin to fill the space. In the center of the field, a wooden platform has been erected. It’s not very large, maybe only three feet off the ground and maybe eight or ten square feet itself, but a big enough space for someone to comfortably stand atop it, I imagine. Two strands of rope are connected to the side of the stage facing the house, leading up to the building and clearing a path. I imagine that Mirabelle–perhaps Mother herself–will come walking down that pathway at some point before stepping onto the stage. Others have likely deduced the same thing, and they line up at the ropes in the same way that the paparazzi–or perhaps adoring fans–would wait on the other side of velvet ropes in front of a movie premiere or after a pop concert. I can’t help but feel that pull myself–and I wonder if I need to scramble up closer to the stage. Still, I hang back. I think we’ll be able to see and hear whoever is on the stage from anywhere in this field, and I don’t want to just see the presenters–I want to see the whole show. I want to see the crowds react to whatever happens next. I want to take in this entire scene. “Don’t you want to get closer?” Sloane asks, pulling at my arm. “I was thinking I might stand back here,” I shrug. “I kind of like this vantage point.” “I think I want to get a little closer,” she says. “You don’t mind if I head up there without you, right?” I laugh and shake my head. It’s a little flattering that she’s asked me this–that she cares about how I might feel about it. “No, of course not. Get on up there. See if you can get someone’s autograph for me.” She giggles gleefully before her hand slips down my arm, briefly clutching my hand and then releasing it as she trots off. Again, it’s hard to watch that show of seemingly genuine excitement and then think that she has ulterior motives. She seems invested–invested in a way that would be unnecessary if she were trying to fool me. She could show half as much enthusiasm and I’d still believe that she wanted to be here. I was wrong. I misheard her. I’m sure of that now. I let out a sigh of relief, feeling like I can put that worry behind me and fully embrace whatever is coming next. Bring it on. More and more people arrive. I see some familiar faces, and some new ones. In the flickering light of the torches, it’s hard to see everyone’s face though–and so as more arrive to fill in the spaces around me, everyone becomes a little more anonymous. They aren’t anyone in particular, and neither am I. But at the same time, I feel close to them. We’re all here together. Sharing whatever this experience is. We are one. A hand is on my shoulder. I turn to see who it is, but it’s gone just as quickly as it landed on me. It could’ve been anyone. Maybe it wasn’t even someone I know. Is that how things are when we’re huddled together like this? I stick my hand out in front of me, letting my fingers brush against the back of whoever is standing in front of me–someone with long dark hair. They turn a little–just enough so that I can see the corner of their smiling mouth before looking away again. I hear bits and pieces of different conversations around me. I close my eyes, as if restricting one of my senses somehow enhances my others, and try to just take in the sounds. “...and he bet me that I’d need to be changed twice today, but here I am–I haven’t even gotten a single change yet.” “I want her to be here, you know? Like, really, really badly.” “...before it gets too late…” “Stinky? N-no, that’s not me. Uh…I don’t think that’s me.” “I think you’ve proven your point, okay? Please, for the love of god, go get yourself changed.” “...a beautiful night, right?” “I guess they’re not doing the bonfire this year? Is that because…” “...and he told me that he saw a clown. And I was, like, ‘You’re being ridiculous!’” “No, seriously, I’m about to pass out. Go! Get your diaper changed. I’ll save a place for you here next to me. Go!” “...think that’s the one who waved at me the other day. Cute, right?” There’s the sound of throats being cleared. Laughter and giggles. Little moans. So much crinkling. It’s a messy, chaotic sound. But it’s a joyous one. The sound of a community blooming. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been anywhere that feels like this. Not even being in the crowd at a concert feels like this–there, we’re all just ticket-holders who paid to be entertained. We’d share a space, but we’re not necessarily there for the comradery. But it’s different here. We are one. I scan the crowd for Sloane. For Tommy. Holden, Drew, or Tim. Gwen. Birdie Dowell. Anyone I might know well enough to approach. But I can barely tell who someone is ten feet away from me, let alone fifty feet. “It’s good weather we’re having, isn’t it?” It takes me a moment to realize that someone is talking to me. I turn to face them. Green hair. Piercings. The warm light catches the sparkles in her makeup. His makeup? Their makeup? I’m not entirely sure. “The ground’s a little wet,” I say. “What isn’t around here?” There’s some sass in their voice. I like it. “Yeah,” I say, looking up at the stars in the sky as I answer their original question. “I’m glad the rain finally gave us a little break.” “I heard it’s going to start again tomorrow,” they say, crossing their arms in front of them as their lips shift into an exaggerated frown. “Kinda funny, right? Like the weather somehow knew it needed to hold off tonight?” “You believe that?” I ask. I don’t mean to make them feel silly, It’s an honest question. “Since coming here, I’ve seen things that I wouldn’t have previously thought were possible. So…I think I’m willing to believe just about anything now.” I look up at the sky again, noting how vibrant and defined each star seems. No light pollution from the cities and suburbs. Just an increasingly darkening sky and a smattering of brilliant white specks. “Same,” I finally offer. “Saturn,” they say. I look around in the sky above me, wondering if it’s somehow obvious which of these white dots is actually the ringed planet. “Really? Where?” They let out a girlish giggle that seems to betray their baritone-leaning voice. “No, sorry. My name is Saturn.” “Oh…” I feel my cheeks blush. “Alfie. And that’s my name. So far as I know, there isn’t a planet called ‘Alfie.’” They laugh. “I bet, somewhere out there, there’s a Planet Alfie.” “I can think of a few people who’d want to avoid that place at all costs.” Saturn smiles, moving in a little closer as the crowd around us gets denser. “You’re funny.” “I like you already. I don’t know that I’ve seen you before. And, uh…” I give them a once-over again. The vibrant green hair, hanging down the left side of their face and reaching their shoulder, feels like the kind of thing I would’ve noticed before. “This is my home,” Saturn says with a nod. “But I’ve been away for a few weeks. The festival seemed like the right time to return.” “Welcome home.” “And you? Just visiting?” “That’s what I told myself when I came here. But I’ve got a cabin now. And friends.” I shrug. “I dunno. Maybe I’ll stay a while.” “Welcome home as well, then,” Saturn says, smiling. That feels good to hear. === Time gets away from us as we all converge in the same space. I talk to Saturn. I talk to some of the strangers around me. We laugh. We share some stories and experiences. The world around the torch-lit clearing gets darker and darker. “...and I’m thinking, you know, it’s just mud. It’ll wash right off–just like anything else, right? Why not stomp around in it?” I’m regaling Saturn with the tale of meeting Gwen and taking her out into the rain. I don’t mean to sound braggadocious, but Saturn’s asked all the right questions to get me chatting. “And so I managed to convince her to come outside with me and…” There’s some commotion in the crowd closest to the farmhouse. It’s a ways away so it takes me a moment to focus on what’s going on, but then I spot the source of the excitement–Mirabelle is making her way down the cleared pathway towards the stage. She’s smiling and waving. Shaking hands. She’s being treated like a celebrity. Like she’s the president of the United States. Goddamn, I wish she was the president. Some wooden steps have been carried to the side of the stage, and she carefully trots up then and onto the platform. Everyone is cheering and clapping. The excitement level is off the chart right now. It’s hard to be sure, but it almost looks like Mirabelle’s cheeks have some red in them. It’s adorable that she’s humbled by the commotion. As strange as it may sound, I love how human she always seems. She’s saying something, but I can’t hear her over the clamouring. It’s hard to tell if she wants to be heard by everyone, or if she’s talking to someone closer. She motions for something from the farmhouse, and someone rushes down the pathway with a wireless microphone in their hand, tossing it up to her. There’s a small burst of feedback as it’s turned on. The sound comes from closer to the farmhouse, though I’m not sure where the speaker is located. “Hey everyone,” Mirabelle says, her voice crisp and loud as it emits from the PA system. This is met with raucous applause and cheering. “How’s everybody doing tonight? Are we, uh, keeping dry?” There’s some laughter, and an entire chorus of different responses. Yeses and nos, both. She slowly pivots on the stage, as if trying to make eye contact with every person in the crowd. When the commotion settles a little, she continues. “You’re all very good boys and girls for being patient with us while we changed our plans for tonight. The drought. The rain. We’ve had a few obstacles. But, well, look around you. Look straight up. The rain’s stopped, right? The clouds are gone. You might call that coincidence, but…” I look over at Saturn, and they’re looking back at me with a big smile. We are all one. “...what if it’s something a little more than just chance?” Mirabelle continues from the stage. “Once you’ve witnessed magic–any amount of it will do–you’re forced to consider the possibility that anything is possible, right?” Heads are bobbing, and affirmative responses are shouted. “I’ve witnessed magic,” Mirabelle says. “Haven’t you?” She points to someone standing in the crowd on the other side of the platform from where I am. The crowd falls silent as they listen for a response. Whatever is said, I can’t hear it, but that part of the audience cheers. “She said that she’s witnessed magic,” Mirabelle says into the microphone. “And you,” she says, pointing to someone on my side of the platform. “Have you witnessed magic?” This person screams: “I drink the magic!” “She drinks the magic,” Mirabelle repeats into the microphone. “Yes. Yes, I would agree with that. Wouldn’t you?” The audience shouts and applauds. Mirabelle has presence, I’ll give her that. She’s not like a politician–or even a pastor at a church. She doesn’t have the air of a well-rehearsed professional. She’s not even the head cheerleader at a high school pep rally. She’s our mom, psyching us up on vacation. She’s our best friend, making a lap around the room to make sure everyone gets a high-five. “In the past, the Rebirth Festival was, well…kind of an excuse for a big party,” she says into the mic. “And, really, that’s all it ever has to be, right? We work hard to build our community. To care for each other. To improve The Cradle just a little bit each and every day. Don’t we, then, deserve a day where we can all get a little, uhm…silly?” The crowd goes ballistic. Screaming. Hands pumping in the air. Someone standing directly behind me is seemingly shrieking right into my ear. “But this year’s a little different. We’ve reached a threshold–a number of residents, guests, and friends that exceeds the limit of what I thought we’d be able to support when I first moved us all here. Yeah–we have more than 120 members of our community with us here tonight. We barely have places to put them all–though, don’t worry, we’re doing our best to accommodate everyone. I looked at the numbers. I did the math. We keep this trajectory up, we might be twice as large next year.” Cheering. Whistling. Shrieking right into my goddamn ear. “We have momentum. We have size,” Mirabelle says. In the orange glow, I can see her smile from where I stand. I swear it’s like she’s looking right at me. Maybe she is. “We are no longer just a bunch of babies isolating ourselves from the world. We’re a movement. Mother has blessed us with her milk and that milk is unlike anything else. That means something. We have been reborn, my friends and we hold the key to wonders never before seen by the rest of the world.” You know what? Fuck it. I’m screaming too. I want to contribute to this joyous noise. “Better living through rebirth,” Mirabelle says. It’s hard to believe that she could pick my face out of the crowd, but it still feels like she’s staring right at me. Someone starts a chant: “Better-living-through-rebirth! Better-living-through-rebirth!” It catches on, and spreads across the crowd. “Better-living-through-rebirth!” “Better-living-through-rebirth!” “Better-living-through-rebirth!” “Maybe it’s time we have an official name,” Mirabelle says, her voice silencing the chant. Everyone is screaming and cheering. Yes. We want that. “I asked Mother what we should be called. And, uh,” Mirabelle laughs and shrugs, “the answer she gave me was so obvious that I almost felt silly for even asking in the first place. It’s been here the whole time.” Silence washes over everyone. We’re waiting with baited breath. “My friends. My siblings. My babies. Together we are The Children of the Cradle.” Nothing is actually different. We’re the same group that was here a few seconds ago. But there’s something about having a name–an official banner for all of us to unite beneath–that seems to change everything. The Children of the Cradle: better living through rebirth. The enthusiasm amongst everyone is unmatched. The same electric current runs among us all. We are happy. We are hungry. “Alright, I think that’s enough from me,” Mirabelle says, brushing her hair back behind her ear. “I think I know who you’d like to hear from now.” The person behind me shrieks into my ear again. But I don’t mind. I’m screaming too. === A cluster of figures emerge from the farmhouse. The first four, walking in a single-file line down the cleared passageway towards the platform, wear white robes. Dresses? I’m not entirely sure what the garments are. But contrasted against the orange torchlight and the night sky, they practically glow. One of them has Freya’s fiery hair. Another has Marta’s perfect posture. The other two are less obvious to me, but I assume they’re also associated with the Maternal Council. And then, a final figure begins to make her way down the same corridor. She’s draped in a similar garment as the others, though it’s black with gold accents. It’s hard to say for sure from this distance, but the fabric seems shimmering, or perhaps sheer. Mother is here. The people closest to the cleared passageway reach out to her, trying to just touch her or grab onto her. I half expect someone to push them back or warn them to keep their distance, but no such effort is made. Mother herself seems to embrace it, pausing at each person who reaches out to her so that she can touch them back. She clutches their hands in hers. She leans forward–I think she’s kissing someone else on their cheek. She embraces another. I can’t even imagine how those people must feel right now. The way that her touch, or even her glance, must liberate their soul from their bodies. I imagine feeling her lips on my face myself, and I can just picture my bowels and bladder immediately surrendering–emptying into my diaper. Hell, I’m not even close to her and I feel like it could happen. Just her presence alone is intoxicating. I groan a little as I feel a sudden rush of warm wetness seeping into my diaper. “This is for you,” I want to scream out. “I’m all yours.” It takes Mother a while to get to the platform, but I have all the patience in the world. We all do. We all wish we thought ahead to be standing near where she’s walking. We want to be touched by her too. I wonder if Sloane is up there. Is she reaching out towards Mother too? Has mother touched her skin? Kissed her cheek? Run a hand through her hair? Was the excitement so intense that Sloane lost control of her remaining adult faculties? Because I think I am. The weight of the wet diaper between my thighs. The warmth of the bodies around me, encircling me like I was in a womb. The darkness of the encroaching night, making it easier and easier to disconnect from anything beyond what's in front of me. I feel myself getting smaller. Needier. And I’m not the only one. Myself and everyone around me, we’re all babies now. Crying out for Mommy’s love and protection. We need her. We need her more than we’ve ever needed anything before. Tears stream down my eyes. I’m bawling. I release another stream of warm pee into my diaper. The scent of someone’s fresh mess hits my nose–someone around me has loaded their diaper. Hell, it might even be me–I’m not sure anymore. I lose myself for a few moments. I close my eyes, and when I reopen them I sense that time has moved forward without me. Mother is closer to the platform now, and Mirabelle has extended a hand to her to help her up onto it. The sound around me is unreal. Sobbing. Crying. None of it feels anguished though. We’re just crying out for her attention. We’re letting her know that we’re here and that we need her. Mother takes the microphone. For a few moments, she says nothing at all. She looks around, surveying everyone who is staring up at her. She looks in my direction. She looks at me, I’m sure of it. “My babies,” she finally says, ending the tension that's been building in her silence. “Do you have need of your Mother?” This wave of ecstasy washes over me. It’s a familiar feeling, but it takes me a moment to realize what it is. An orgasm. I’m cumming in my diaper. I’m suddenly just spurting into my soggy padding. Was I touching myself without realizing it? Rubbing the front of my diaper as I cried out for her? Or was it just her voice–her presence–that caused this to happen? “Mommy,” I mutter into the noisy air. “Mommy…”

Chapter 47 “Good morning sleepyhead!” Constance says stepping into Lilly’s bedroom and finding her baby girl still asleep in the daybed. She steps to the bed and bops the sleeping teacher on her nose. Lilly wakes up and giggles followed by a long stretch but then she gasps. “Oh!” She says yanking her arms down. “What?” Constance sees the blush on Lilly’s face and then reaches down and slides her covers back. “I… didn’t….. I was stretching…and it..” Lilly tries to explain “Good grief. You really can’t hold your pee pee anymore at night baby… Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.” Lilly steps out of her bed and pouts while Constance unsnaps her wet onsie and pulls it over her head followed by sliding the soaked pull-up down her legs and takes it to the trashcan. “Go hop in the bath, your pee is all the way up your back.” Constance says holding up the soaked garment as she walks out of the door. Lilly groggily walks to the bathroom and starts the shower. Constance comes back and turns off the shower pops Lilly on her bottom and starts filling the tub. “Babies that can’t keep their beds dry take baths. Sit.” Lilly sits down in the warm water and waits for Constance to bath her. “Up.” She says soaping a washcloth and squeezing water over Lilly’s shoulders. Lilly lifts her butt into a squatting position and then a look from Constance confirms she wants her on all fours, ass in the cool air makes her nipples hard and gives her chill bumps. “We don’t have time to let it fill up.” Constance explains while quickly soaping the smaller woman, paying extra attention to her upturned butt. “You can take a real bath tonight ok?” She says starting to empty the tub and rinsing the soap away. Once complete she towels Lilly down and takes her to the master bedroom to get her dressed for the day. A cute navy blue jumper, white long sleeve t-shirt, and white leggings covering her pink pull-up, Constance puts her hair in a high ponytail and has her put her black Mary Jane’s on while she fills her water bottle to get her bladder working against her on the way to school. “Where’s my coat?” Lilly’s asks standing at the garage door looking at the empty coatrack. “Oh, that black one was just not appropriate for a little girl. I got you a new one. Here you go.” She says handing her a pink puffy girl”s parka. “Super cute right?” She says opening the door and telling Lilly to “Hurry up.” The two women get in Lilly’s car and head to school. “We aren’t taking your car?” “No silly, people would notice if your car was suddenly never in the lot. Besides, the Teacher’s lot is way closer to the building than mine.” “Oh.” Lilly says passively as she looks out of the window feeling more like a student being driven to school than a grown woman. Her outfit is almost exactly what she wore to catholic school when she was in middle school and that is also taking a toll on her confidence. She sees her reflection in the window and sees herself at 12, not 22.

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.

Chapter 46 The next two weeks of October move pretty quickly while Lilly and Constance play out several “little” and abdl scenes to the enjoyment of themselves and their growing fanbase. Constance wasn’t lying when she told Lilly she could eventually quit teaching and go full time paid “little”; her once “for fun” account is now generating $3,700 a week in sales. The requests for her used trainers, pull-ups, diapers, toys, and clothing has reached a point that Constance is ordering her multiples of the same outfit so that she can sell them to the “used” crowd. In the meantime DomDaddy and Constance talk about the little crush that Lilly appears to have developed for him, who would’ve thought that our sweet innocent Lilly was bi? She certainly masterbates equally to both of her caregivers. Lilly’s school week works about the same way as it did the first day back, class time teaching with interruptions of sexual stimulation and pee play. Lilly still doesn’t seem to realize it, however her potty training is starting to suffer from the act of using her pull-ups whenever she wants. She also doesn’t notice that what used to be a “hold out till lunch” has become dribbling through 1st period and flooding her pull-up by 2nd period. Constance has giggled watching Lilly cleaning up her floor from leaks and she’s replaced her padded chair with a classic wooden office chair to make cleanup easier. The only time Lilly ever seems to care about her potty trouble is when Constance or DD scolds her during changes telling her that diapers are next if she can’t control herself, of course that concern quickly turns to arousal when “mommy” starts rubbing her clit telling her how cute she will be walking around in a wet diaper. Eventually “little” Lilly takes over and another orgasm down, the shame of being diapered leaves her brain in the afterglow. “You know with Halloween coming up on Friday I think I have the perfect costume for you.” Constance tells Lilly. Lilly doesn’t respond, she’s currently laying in Mommy’s bed on her back while Constance sits on her face, Lilly greedily laps away at Constance’s sex and Constance presses the button to change the pattern on Lilly’s plug.. “I’m going to dress like a sexy housewife and you are going to be my babygirl.” Constance stops talking long enough for her orgasm to pass and then sliding Lilly’s pull-up back in place slides off to the side of the bed. “Wanna see?” Lilly sits up and wiggles her hips in response to the sensation in her ass and nods her head yes. Constance pulls up her outfit and it’s a halter top pinup style dress in a cherry print. “My tits are going to look fucking epic in this dress, and with these heels I ordered… legs are going to go for miles.” Lilly looks at the pics and smiles at how sexy she really will look in that outfit. “Ready for yours?” Lilly shakes her head and then looks at the outfit she will be wearing. It’s a light pink princess dress that on the right person would look like a “sexy princess” outfit but on the freckled faced girl that Lilly sees in her mirror every morning she’s going to look like a little girl. “Here’s the accessories I picked out for you.” Lilly looks and confirms what she thought. Instead of heels, she’s going to be wearing pink Mary Jane’s, her thigh highs are white with pink kitty ears at the tops, two matching pink bows for her usual pigtails, and pink and white rhumba panties underneath. “You already have kitten ears that match in your room you can wear. You’re going to be super cute for the night on the town!” “Night on the town?” “Well yeah! We’re both adults, a night out in the city at the clubs will be awesome… Plus! I’ve got a surprise for you later in the evening. I can’t wait!” She sees Lilly’s concerned face “Baby. It’s Halloween, everyone will be dressed as something. It’s the one night a year girls can be slutty as hell and no one can say shit. Or in your case, cute as a button.” She reaches over and tickles Lilly’s bare tummy causing her to giggle. “Now, let’s get you ready for bed, I’ve gotta head home.” Constance has Lilly brush her teeth, puts her in a pull-up and a onesie, pops her paci in her mouth and tucks her in. “See you in the morning baby. If you can’t hold it, your pull-up should take care of it.” Constance kisses her on the forehead and leaves the house. Lilly glances down at her waist and hopes she’s right. She’s woken up to a desperate need to pee three times this week and couldn’t hold it anymore twice. Constance spanked her bottom both mornings and chastised her for having to clean her sheets… the diuretics along with her conscious desire to “hold it” are weakening her control but by but, and now the muscle relaxers start taking effect, Lilly can’t keep her eyes open anymore falling into a deep sleep…

16. The next several days weren’t all that different from what his life had been like immediately prior to the surprise surgery, as he was still allowed to function as an adult during much of the time. An adult, though, who filled his diapers at the most inconvenient times and who had to wait for someone to discover his accident and change him. At first Amy was diligent in getting Chris into a fresh diaper as soon as she discovered he was wet or dirty, but it didn’t take long before she would sometimes make him wait if she was in the middle of doing something else. She also called him Kristie, or sometimes Kristine, even during his “adult” times and his protests were ignored or answered with a pacifier strapped into his mouth. Admittedly it was hard to object when he was rarely out of a frilly dress or something pink and girly, another battle he knew he was destined to lose based on her admission that she always saw him as a girlfriend and never truly as a man at all. The bottle-time monologues continued, but mostly to reinforce what Amy had already described as their new dynamic or to remind him of the rules of the house. Virtually every time she stressed her happiness in their arrangement, knowing that Chris needed to hear that and also to make it less likely for him to force a showdown over the rules. When he had his first blowout, with poop exploding outside of the diaper and down his back, even then Amy was cheerful and sang little songs as she changed him, blowing raspberries on his tummy once the offensive diaper had been disposed of and his body was cleaned and lotioned. She did make sure to let slip a comment rhetorically asking what other woman would ever be willing to deal with such a mess on their spouse and to do so without being angry. Chris knew it was meant to make him think about what the options were for an incontinent man-baby should his marriage dissolve for any reason, and it had the desired effect. He loved Amy and didn’t think he would ever choose to leave her, but now the ugly prospect of being left on his own to deal with his own dirty diapers was planted in his mind and he knew that for better or worse, he was stuck where he was. Amy was careful not to unveil her baby to the world all at once, as much as she wanted to, but she also didn’t shy away from leaving some clues as to Kristie’s status should a stranger give more than a passing glance their way. The collar of a onesie stuck out from his shirt one time, a pacifier hung from his shirt another time, and of course the diaper bag over her shoulder was a giveaway if anyone were paying attention. Twice she sniffed the air and pulled the back of his pants back for a peek. As embarrassing as that was to Chris, he knew that the days where he was allowed to wear pants were numbered. And he was right. Soon he was wearing women’s dresses and a wig, but only after Amy fussed with his makeup. One dress was so short that the bottom of his diaper was visible when it began to sag. When he soiled himself in a mall, she made sure to visit the baby store and took her time wandering the aisles as other customers looked around for the infant with a dirty diaper. He’d been so distracted by his fear of discovery and the drama each day brought on that he’d completely forgotten about the vacation Lily had booked until Amy began to pack the day before they were to leave. “Am I coming with you?” he asked tentatively. Part of him wanted to go, as the resort sounded so wonderful even if he would need periodic diaper changes, and part of him would be happy to stay home out of the public eye even if it meant having to tolerate a babysitter. “Of course you are,” Amy responded. “Do you really think I’d leave you in the hands of a babysitter for a whole week? I already packed your bag. This vacation is for the whole family, not just a select few. Beth is bringing her baby too.” “But does that mean I’ll be your baby there at the resort too?” Chris whined. “Kristie, you’ll always be my baby,” Amy replied without answering his real question. “Don’t worry, dear, Lily has already made arrangements with the manager of the resort to make sure that you fit right in.” Chris didn’t like the sound of that but that’s all Amy would say. The next morning was a flurry of activity. Amy took extra time with Chris’s bath to make sure he smelled good, and rubbed a new and strongly floral lotion over 90% of his body just to make sure. She put a booster into his diaper and brushed his hair for ten minutes. She seemed nervous and admitted that she wanted both of them to make a good impression solely for business reasons. These were people with money to burn and would make good customers both for her woman’s line and the fledgling baby fashions. He began to object when she dressed him in a onesie. “Relax,” she said. “You need to wear something that gives us easy access to your diapers in case we need to change you in the van. We’ll change you into something more appropriate before we get there.” They were taking Beth’s minivan with all three sisters and their two babies traveling together. Their mom would join them later. The women’s suitcases were large enough, but the babies’ were even bigger. Adults needed outfits for multiple occasions, both casual and formal, but at least they weren’t prone to spitting up or leaking on their clothes. A good portion of the trunk was taken up by Katie’s diapers. “I don’t know how we’ll get a week’s worth of Kristie’s diapers in here,” Beth cautioned. “We might need to hold them on our laps.” “It’s not an issue,” Amy told her. “I had a case delivered straight to the resort. They’ll be in our room when we check in.” “You told them?” Chris asked in horror. “Baby, it’s not something that can be kept under wraps, or for that matter anything that you should be ashamed of. You pee and poop your pants, so you need diapers. No big deal. Would you rather they find out the first time I change you on the beach and make a big scene?” Chris realized then that he’s been in major denial about how this trip would play out. He assumed that all his changes would take place in their room, away from curious eyes. Amy obviously had other plans. It seemed like she could read his mind. “I’m not about to interrupt what I’m doing and run back to the room every time you’re wet or messy. It’s perfectly normal to change babies on a towel at the beach. Otherwise you can just wait. We’ll be outdoors, so the stink of a dirty diaper won’t be so bad.” Chris watched with sad eyes as Amy transferred his car seat to the back seat of the van, directly behind the driver. A nearly identical, though much smaller, car seat sat by the passenger window. Once they were satisfied they hadn’t forgotten anything, the women strapped the babies into the car seats. Lily drove so that Beth, the more experienced mother, could sit between the babies. Amy rode shotgun. They’d barely made it onto the highway when the tension of getting packed dissipated and the excitement of the week ahead took its place. The women had obviously done their homework and chatted about which restaurant would work best for which night, when they might want a massage, which nighttime shows were mandatory to see. “Can I ask something?” Beth chimed in during a pause in the conversation. “I mean, I think it’s great that Kristie is able to come with us and everything, but this is a women-only resort. No men allowed, ever. Will that be an issue?” Chris’s mouth dropped open, almost losing the pacifier Beth had insisted he suck on. This was the first he’d heard about the gender restriction. Thinking back, he never did see the entire website itself; the only information he’d learned had been shown to him by Lily. Of course this would be a problem. He wasn’t so deluded to think that he passed as a woman upon close inspection even when he wore a dress and a wig. “Not to worry,” Lily said. “I had a long discussion with the manager. The rule isn’t quite ironclad. For instance boys up to about age 10, i.e. pre-puberty, are allowed if advance notice is given. I explained Chris’s situation in detail and, along with an additional donation, got permission for him to stay subject to two conditions.” She paused while she passed a line of trucks, finally prompting Beth to ask “What conditions?” “First, they want to verify that he’s incapable of getting an erection. In order to reassure the other guests. Second—” “Wait,” Beth interrupted. “Verify how?” “They didn’t say,” Lily answered. “Then second—” “Aren’t you at least a little curious,” Beth asked, giggling. “And in reassuring the guests, that means that all the women there will know...” “That he can’t get it up, yes,” Lily said with a grin. “But that kind of fits with the second condition. Unless you want to keep focusing on Kristie’s pussy...” Beth giggled some more and shook her head. “Fine then. The second condition is that everyone there, including all of us, the staff, and the other guests, are to treat her as a twelve-month old baby. No exceptions or we’ll be asked to leave. It’ll be strictly enforced, which means no adult conversation with her even in our room, she eats and drinks everything a baby would, wears baby clothes, no seeking privacy when she needs a change, and so forth. The staff and guests will be getting a notice about this. And she suggested we make full use of the daycare center and babysitting services.” “In case you didn’t understand the full ramifications of those conditions, baby,” Amy said, turning to face Chris, “our vacation depends on you behaving. If you so much as utter one word or try to walk or exhibit any adult behaviors, you’ll ruin the vacation for everyone. Got it?” Chris nodded. Stated like that, and the fact that it was too late to make arrangements for him to stay home, put him in a bind. This would be the longest week of his life. Nothing more was said about his conditions and the women chatted happily about their plans. They’d been driving for hours when a familiar and unpleasant odor filled the car. “Which one?” Amy asked Beth. “Checking, she replied. “Oh, yuk. Both of them. How much longer?” “About an hour,” Lily said. “We just passed a sign for a rest stop in about ten more minutes. We can change them then.” “No,” Amy said firmly. “Beth can change Katie, but I think we should leave Kristie in her mess. We want to make a good first impression and how better to show that we’re showing up with two babies and serious about their conditions than to have her stinky. I will, though, change her out of that onesie and put her in a dress. The staff at check-in will know that there’s no true adult male under all the lace.” At the rest stop, the women took turns using the rest room and Katie was put in a clean diaper. Amy pulled out the frilliest, most girly baby party dress that any of them had seen, complete with a waterproof diaper cover designed to keep in the mess but not the smell. When Beth objected to being forced to ride the rest of the way next to the source of the stench, Amy handed her a small bag. “Distract yourself by doing her hair,” she said. Chris felt his diaper get wetter as they continued on their way. Eventually Lily pulled off onto an exit, and twenty minutes later they were traveling down a side road to the resort. His life was about to get interesting and he mentally began counting the hours until they would leave.

19. It was still dark when Chris woke up. Unlike some real babies such as Katie, who snored quietly nearby, he didn’t need twelve hours of sleep every night. He had a vague memory of someone feeding him a bottle during the night, so he wasn’t hungry yet, but whoever that was didn’t change him and his diaper had reached its limits. A quick check revealed that his onesie and the sheet were damp, so apparently it was already past capacity and had leaked. As far as he could tell he hadn’t pooped himself, but the ability to tell even that was diminishing by the day. He sat in dirty diapers for such extended periods that the odor seemed to sit inside his nose even when he wasn’t soiled, so his sense of smell wasn’t any help. Lying there wide awake without any idea of when someone would come to change him wasn’t the only annoyance. Only one day into their stay at the resort and he already felt like he’d descended into hell. His biggest desire less than 24 hours ago had been not to draw too much attention to himself and that had been achieved, but it was a pyrrhic victory. The fact that all of the women here reacted to him as if he were a true infant instead of a grown man being treated like one, and for the most part giving him no more than a passing glance, surprisingly made him feel worse. As if he had lost his adult identity and belonged in diapers, wearing baby clothes and being bottle fed with no chance of return. Eventually, Katie began to stir and make some noise, which brought Beth into the room. Maybe he needed to pay attention to the sounds she makes, mimic them, and condition Amy to respond in the same way. It was several minutes later before Amy appeared, of course with bottle in hand. As she climbed into the crib to feed him she cried out when her hand landed in the rather large wet spot, and instead helped lower him to the floor for his feed, calling out to Lily to notify housekeeping. When Chris finally finished the bottle, he was surprised when Amy tied a bib around his neck and produced a bowl of runny oatmeal with green vegetables stirred in. “Breakfast in the room today, baby,” she told him. “We want to get to the beach before it gets too hot.” She backed up her stated desire to save time by spooning mush into his mouth faster than he could swallow, with predictable results. One more bib into the hamper, covered in as much food as made it into his stomach. Amy led him to the playpen while everyone scurried to get ready to go. When Amy returned, she was in a revealing striped bikini which Chris recognized from a pool party they’d attended while they were still dating. He was enthralled with and turned on by it then, but now it saddened him to view it as her child instead of as her lover. In her hands she carried a pale pink and yellow one-piece suit with flower pedals scattered around it. “Isn’t this adorable?” she asked rhetorically. “You’ll be the talk of the beach.” As she fed his feet through the leg holes and pulled it up his body, she paused. “Oops. I should have changed you first. No big deal, any leaks will just look like you’d been in the water. Besides, we can change you there.” Chris cringed. He knew he stunk of pee and his bottom itched, but he’d prefer being stinky and itchy to being changed out in the open. It took all his restraint not to say something or somehow signal his displeasure. He feared the consequences of acting out more than any public diaper change. It still took several minutes to get out the door, with one dash back to the room to get a forgotten hat and extra sunscreen. They apparently made a wrong turn once but found the path to the beach and soon Chris could see the sand and water in the distance. The group unexpectedly stopped when they reached the edge of the sand, where a large sign announced they were at the right place. “Private Beach Reserved for Guests of the Resort Only,” it announced, for which Chris was grateful. No outsiders would see him this way. His relief was short lived when he heard Beth titter, and he read a second notice posted beneath the first. “Clothing Optional,” it said. “Sorry, I’m going to the pool,” the women’s mom announced. “No one wants to see this old body.” Beth agreed to accompany her, leaving Amy, Lily, and Chris to forge ahead. They were forced to abandon the stroller and Amy allowed Chris to waddle beside her as long as he held her hand. As usual, Chris kept his eyes down to avoid seeing the stares he was used to suffering. “I see one umbrella nobody’s using,” Lily said, leading them further down the beach. Only after Amy spread out a couple of beach towels in the shade and lowered Chris to the ground did he dare look up. Despite having read the sign, he wasn’t ready for what he saw. There may have been twenty or thirty women on the beach and every one was topless, with most having forgone their bottoms as well. Just a few feet on either side of them were naked women sunning themselves or reading a book while nursing a drink. “When in Rome...” Lily said, unhooking her top and letting it fall to the sand while she lowered her bottoms. Amy shrugged her shoulders and did the same. Chris was beyond uneasy. He hadn’t seen Amy unclothed in forever, and with his sister-in-law sitting at his side completely nude, he didn’t know where to focus his eyes. In every direction were women in the buff. That Lily didn’t hesitate to strip down in his presence again made him aware of how the women had begun to view him. As a baby girl, not a man in any sense of the word. His train of thought was broken by a voice coming from their left. “She’s so cute, what’s her name?” Chris tried to find the source of the voice without staring but even a quick peek was enough. The woman looked to be in her early twenties, with blond hair and freckles, and a body to die for. And he could see all of it. To his horror, she pulled her lounge chair closer directly in his line of sight as the women began to chat. He tried to close his eyes and considered pretending to nap, but Amy plopped a plastic pail and shovel in front of him, expecting him to engage himself with the baby toys. In doing so, there was no way to avoid clear visions of the three women surrounding him. A few minutes later, he saw all three women freeze still for a moment and look directly at him. A telltale odor followed seconds later. His worst nightmare was coming true. He’d dirtied himself in front of one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen, not to mention his naked wife and her equally nude sister. And there was nowhere to hide. “I’m so sorry,” Amy said. “Do you know where the restroom is?” “Don’t be silly,” the stranger, who identified herself as Gretchen, responded. “You can change her right here, I don’t mind. I babysat myself through college and watch my niece all the time. A stinky diaper doesn’t bother me, in fact I’d be happy to help.” Chris waited to hear Amy decline her offer, but instead felt himself being gently lowered back onto the towel. Amy unzipped the ever-present diaper bag while Gretchen positioned herself between Chris’s legs, her breasts swinging gently inches from his face. He was so distracted that he didn’t see the pacifier coming until Amy pushed it between his lips. Lily and Amy lowered one shoulder of the swimsuit each, allowing Gretchen to pull it off the rest of the way. “Phew,” she said, laughing as she turned her head, “she did a number on this diaper. I think we’ll need a lot of wipes.” And she did. Eventually all three women contributed to the cleanup, although Gretchen handled his more private areas herself and took extra time to make sure they were clean. When she was done, she took two more wipes to clean her hands. “I think after all that, we deserve a drink,” she said smiling as she signaled the resort employee over. “What will you have?” Soon all three women were relaxing and having the time of their lives getting to know each other while imbibing tropical drinks and nibbling on nachos. The beach began to get more crowded. Chris noticed that there were no other children among the beachgoers. “Would you like to go in for a swim?” Gretchen asked the other women. “I can watch Kristie.” Chris was offended by how quickly and enthusiastically they accepted the offer, and he watched their naked bottoms disappear into the water. He apparently was too obvious in his distress. “Don’t worry, little one, Mommy will be back soon,” Gretchen soothed. “No need to cry. Here, maybe a bottle will be just what baby needs.” She reached into the side pocket of his diaper bag and pulled out a bottle full of formula. “No need to warm this up today,” she said to herself. She moved behind Chris to have a view of the beach while she positioned him across her lap. As she removed his pacifier, her nipple grazed his lips. “Uh hu, baby, not that one,” she said gently as she placed the bottle’s nipple in his mouth. Chris’s face was nuzzled into her exposed boob and he knew that inches away from his diapered bottom was her naked crotch. If ever there was a situation for him to respond down there, this was it, but other than the usual internal tingle, he could tell nothing was happening. Inside, he cursed Lily. He was still nursing when Amy and Lily returned. They were unphased by his being fed by this woman with nothing to cover her, again making him feel emasculated. After another round of drinks, they decided they’d had enough sun and sand and began gathering up their belongings, exchanging contact information with Gretchen, who leaned down to Chris, giving him a peck on the forehead as she said “Bye bye.” Coincidentally, they arrived back at the room at the same time as Beth, their mom, and Katie, who was extremely fussy. “She needs lunch and a nap,” Beth told the group. “But I’m starving too. Should we call Anna and go get a real meal?” “No need,” Lily replied. “Let’s restock the diaper bags and turn right back around. We can drop the girls off at the daycare center where they can be fed and put down for a nap. We can be at a table in the restaurant in ten minutes.” And so they did.

WELCOME to PART THREE of A NEW INTIMACY Sorry for the delay in posting this part! I'll have the audio of these first few parts posted on my YouTube channel soon. For more about me and to out my "Pampered Fairy Tales" audio series, please visit diaperhypnosis.com So let's continue with Samantha and Mark as they explore A New Intimacy! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PART THREE It happened so gradually, Mark could hardly say when the shift began. Maybe it was after he started wearing onesies every evening. Or maybe it was the routine of nursing in Samantha’s arms, the warmth of her voice, the security of the padded softness between his legs — that ritual that ended each day with a whisper of praise and a kiss on the forehead. What he knew for sure was this: when he came home, the outside world vanished. He didn’t have to decide, or lead, or question. He simply was. And Samantha took care of the rest. His speech at home started to soften. Not by intention — just naturally. When he talked to Samantha, his voice lost its edge, the grown-up words felt unnecessary. He answered in simple terms, gentle tones. Sometimes he’d add a little lilt, a playful sound. “Yes, Mommy.” “Okay.” “Mmmhm.” It was like his mind was unwinding, shedding layers of stress and adulthood. Samantha noticed, of course. She encouraged it. She gave him a pacifier — soft blue silicone, with a rubbery mouth shield. The first time he tried it, he was sheepish. But the relief of it. The stillness it brought. The way his jaw softened and his mind went quiet. Before long, he didn’t want to take it out. Not during TV time. Not while coloring in his soft picture books. Not when snuggling on the couch with his head in her lap. Samantha filled their evenings with soothing cartoons and gentle activities. She gradually rotated out the adult shows, slipping in more playful, colorful options. At first it was nostalgic stuff — old Saturday morning cartoons. Then slower-paced shows, with animals that talked, soothing narration, calming background music. He didn’t even notice the change. He just knew he felt better. Calmer. Grounded. The toys changed, too. They began as puzzles, soft stuffed animals. Then blocks. A rattle. A teething ring — which Samantha playfully handed to him one night, and which he found himself chewing as he watched TV, completely unaware of how far he’d sunk into her care. He was always good when he played with his toys. Quiet, focused, grounded. And Mommy always noticed. “You’re such a good boy when you play gently,” she’d whisper, brushing his hair. “You make Mommy so proud.” Those words warmed something deep inside him. Made him ache — not from embarrassment, but from how deeply he needed her praise now. He wanted to be good. For her. Always. One Friday evening, Mark came home from work — briefcase in hand, coat on — and stopped cold in the doorway. The living room was completely transformed. A giant, soft-sided playpen filled the center of the space. Cushioned matting, padded walls, a scatter of plush toys and baby-safe activities inside. Surrounding it were new baby gates across doorways, cabinet locks on the drawers, even corner guards on the furniture. Samantha greeted him with a warm smile. “Welcome home, baby.” He was speechless. “I thought,” she said gently, brushing his shoulder and slipping the briefcase from his hand, “it was time your home matched the way you’ve been feeling.” He looked around again, heart pounding — not in fear, but in awe. “You… did all this for me?” “Of course I did,” she said, guiding him gently toward the nursery. “You deserve a space where you feel safe. Where you can just be. No pressure. No pretending.” The dining room now had a custom high-backed chair — like a high chair, but scaled up for him. A wide tray, soft padding, safety straps. And the nursery… His breath caught in his throat. There was a crib. Large, white-painted wood, with tall slats and a soft mobile overhead. The bedding was pastel and plush. A full-sized changing table sat nearby, with shelves filled with wipes, creams, and folded outfits. A basket held his pacifiers and bottles. There were storage bins for his toys, shelves of soft books. Mark stepped inside slowly, tears prickling the corners of his eyes. It was too much. Too perfect. Too him. “I don’t deserve this,” he whispered. Samantha came behind him and wrapped her arms around his chest. “Baby,” she said, pressing a kiss to the back of his neck. “You deserve all of this. And more. You’ve been so brave. So trusting. And Mommy is so, so proud of you.” That night, she helped him into his softest onesie — the yellow one with clouds and moons — and laid him gently in the crib. He looked up at her, pacifier in his mouth, thumb curled around his favorite stuffed puppy. “You’re really going to tuck me in here?” he mumbled sleepily. She smiled, pulling the blanket up to his chest. “Every night, if you want me to.” He nodded, his eyes already fluttering shut. She stroked his hair. “You don’t have to try anymore, baby. Just rest. Mommy will take care of everything.” And for the first time in a long, long while… he believed her. He drifted off to sleep in the crib she made for him. Full of trust. Full of love. Safe, and small, and seen. The next morning, Mark woke up to the soft chime of his mobile above the crib. It spun slowly, its little clouds and stars turning in gentle circles, casting dancing shadows on the nursery wall. He yawned, stretched his arms under the warm blanket, and blinked against the sunlight streaming through the sheer curtains. His pacifier was still between his lips, his hand still curled around his stuffed puppy. He wasn’t embarrassed anymore. He didn’t question why he was there. This was just home now. This was how things were. Samantha entered with a soft knock and a warm smile. “Good morning, baby.” Mark grinned sleepily behind his pacifier and reached his arms out to her. She came to the crib and lowered the rail with practiced ease, lifting him into a hug, cradling him against her chest. He melted into it, sighing with contentment. She whispered into his ear: “Did you sleep well in your big-boy crib?” “Mhm,” he mumbled. “I like it…” “I’m glad,” she said, giving him a kiss on the temple. “Because from now on, that’s where Mommy’s baby sleeps every night.” He didn’t argue. He didn’t want to. Over the following weeks, Samantha introduced more structure. A printed daily schedule was taped to the nursery wall. Mark now had: Set diapering times Bottle and cuddle breaks Afternoon quiet time Evening bath and storytime And always, bedtime at 8 PM sharp. Each moment of his day was carefully designed to help him feel calm, safe, and adored—but also firmly controlled. “Mommy knows best,” she would remind him, with a kiss and a squeeze of his padded bottom. She kept a soft journal where she tracked his moods, his behavior, and his little accomplishments. She praised him when he behaved—when he used his words sweetly, when he accepted redirection, when he played quietly on the rug. When he fussed or hesitated, she’d take his hand, look him in the eye, and say, “Do you need Mommy to remind you who’s in charge?” And the answer was always yes. One Friday evening, as he knelt at her feet in his playpen, stacking oversized blocks and sucking his pacifier, she called to him gently. “Baby? Come here.” He waddled over in his soft fleece romper, crinkling slightly as he moved. He knelt before her, eyes wide. “I want to try something new,” she said, lifting a folded piece of paper from her lap. It had gold star stickers across the top and thick letters across the middle: “Markie’s Reward Chart” “For good boys,” she said softly, brushing his hair aside. “Every time you follow your rules, every time you use your words nicely, every time you show Mommy how little you want to be… you earn a star.” “And if I get a lot of stars?” he asked, heart fluttering. “Then Mommy lets you pick a treat. A new toy. Or maybe…” She leaned in close. “A special privilege. Like nursing twice that night.” His cheeks flushed. “I wanna earn lots of stars, Mommy.” “I know you do, sweetheart.” Over time, Mark’s internal world changed. The longer he lived in the world Samantha created for him, the less he wanted to think or act like an adult. He began calling her “Mommy” instinctively. He stopped watching the news and asked her to pick his shows. His work stress didn’t follow him home anymore — because “home” was a nursery where he was cherished, where expectations were soft, firm, and always lovingly enforced. And most importantly… he wanted to be good. For her. One Sunday evening, as she changed him into his softest bedtime diaper and zipped him into his cloud-print pajamas, he reached up, touching her hand softly. “Mommy?” “Yes, sweetheart?” “Do you… like having me like this?” Samantha paused, then knelt beside the crib, cupping his cheek. “Oh, baby. I love it. I’ve never felt more needed. More trusted. More adored.” “I do adore you,” he whispered. “I know you do. And Mommy adores you, too. That’s why I take care of everything. That’s why I give you rules. Because you belong to me now.” He closed his eyes, tears of gratitude brimming. She lifted him into the crib and tucked him in. Then she leaned over, pacifier in hand, and gently pressed it between his lips. “There’s my good boy.” And so their rhythm deepened. Samantha, the guiding hand, nurturing and in control. Mark, the devoted little one, finding peace in her structure, meaning in her approval, joy in his surrender. There was no more need to pretend. No more need to juggle roles or resist desires. At home, in their perfect, private world, everything made sense. Because Mommy knew best. And her baby boy was exactly where he belonged.

Chapter 2 - Breaking Ground Matthew reached across the bed, his hand finding only cool sheets where Sarah's warmth had pulled him down into just hours earlier. Sunlight streamed through the windows, reminding Matthew he would need to get those curtains up sooner than later. Matthew blinked, his eyes catching dust motes that danced up from the floors and revealed themselves in the shine of the sun.. He blinked again, orienting himself in their new bedroom, the events of yesterday filtering back to him in his grogginess. Moving day. The recreation center. Dinner with Allison. Making love to Sarah. And now, apparently, waking up alone. It was the last of these that seemed to occupy his mind as he sat up. A folded note sat on her pillow, Sarah's neat handwriting immediately recognizable: "Couldn't sleep—too excited! Gone to meet Tony at the site. Coffee machine is on the fritz - please bring me a mug when you wake up! I'm ready to go. Love you! –S" Matthew smiled, the quiet loneliness slowly dissipating. He couldn't help but picturing Sarah bouncing out of bed at dawn, too eager to wait for him. He checked his watch—8:17 AM. When was the last time he'd slept past seven? Probably sometime before college. Matthew sat up, taking in their bedroom properly for the first time. Last night, they'd been too busy unpacking essentials and then... well, they'd been distracted. The room was spacious, with vaulted ceilings and the same cedar-shingled aesthetic as the exterior. Their king bed sat against the northern wall of the room. Floor to ceiling windows stretched across the western wall positioned perfectly to watch the sunset from bed. To the left, double doors led to a walk-in closet that Sarah had immediately claimed as a project. Behind them, their en suite bathroom gleamed with new fixtures they'd chosen together during a frantic weekend of decisions six months ago. And across from the bed were the wide double doors into the hall, currently wide open to their new home. A stack of flattened moving boxes leaned against one wall, beside a dresser they'd yet to fill. One of Sarah's scarves had been draped over the corner of a full-length mirror—'probably the one she had decided to not wear today," Matthew elicited. Matthew showered in the new bathroom, still getting used to the more powerful water pressure. The marble countertops were cool beneath his fingers as he brushed his teeth, examining his reflection. The dark circles under his eyes had faded slightly overnight. "Smaw victowies," he mumbled, his mouth full of toothpaste, before rinsing and heading toward where he believed his clothes to be. He dressed in jeans and a Stanford t-shirt that had seen better days—no meetings, no investors to impress, no reason to put on a button-down for the first time in... years? The thought was both liberating and unsettling As he made his way downstairs, Ralph greeted him with nothing more than a brief turn of the head, before turning back and returning it to its place pressed firmly against the balcony door, enthusiastic tail-wagging. "Morning, buddy. Need to go out? Have you moved on from the city so quickly?" he chuckled to himself. The kitchen was a mess of half-unpacked boxes, but Sarah had indeed found the coffee maker. It was one of those fancy espresso machines, a far cry from the "Mr. Coffee" they had operated on for so many years. At its foot was a mess of drippings, grounds, and liquid that Matthew didn't have any interest in discerning its origins. "Fritz?" Matthew asked himself, inspecting the machine, before going through the process the salesman had showed him. "I think you just didn't pay attention when I showed you how to use it." Matthew continued the conversation with himself as he finished making himself a coffee, taking it with him before he filled Ralph's bowl. 'The scent of coffee always broke in a new room, new place,' Matthew thought. Coffee shops, coffee scented room, stale coffee in the air - they were the constant in an array of places Matthew had often come up with his best ideas. Through the kitchen windows, he could see their backyard sloping gently toward the cliff edge, ending in a small fence that marked the property boundary. There was a path off to the left that led to a winding wooden staircase down to the beach, which, despite its age, the realtor had assured them was perfectly safe. Beyond it, the Pacific stretched endlessly blue "Not a bad view for breakfast, huh Ralph?" Ralph, busy with his kibble, offered no opinion. "It's just you and me bud. No ignoring me." Coffee in hand, Matthew wandered into the living room. Yesterday's chaos had been partially tamed—the movers had positioned their L-shaped sectional facing the stone fireplace, and the TV had been mounted above it, though not yet connected to any of their streaming services. Family photos lined the mantelpiece—their wedding day, hiking in Yosemite with Daniel and Becca, Sarah's parents at Christmas, Martin, Diana, and the kids skating in central park, his parents playing checkers on their old stained kitchen table. It made the room feel immediately like home. He picked up a framed photo of himself and Sarah from eight years ago, both looking impossibly young at a tech conference after-party. He'd just secured his first major investor that day. Sarah was beaming at the camera, her pearl white teeth and stunning eyes stealing the show, while he stared at his phone, clearly reading an email. He hadn't noticed that detail before. As he stared at it more, he couldn't believe how young he looked. What was more amazing was how Sarah looked almost unchanged. Matthew set the photo down with a frown and continued unpacking the remaining boxes in the room, finding places for books and decorative items that had survived the move. Their collection reflected their journey—textbooks from Stanford, entrepreneurial guides that had shaped his business strategy, novels Sarah loved and he'd meant to read. The move hadn't been too burdensome, with their replacing all their furniture and only bringing their personal items. Still, it all felt like a lot. After a half hour hour, he'd made decent progress on the living room but found himself at loose ends. He wandered into what would be his home office, a room they'd agreed would eventually become a nursery. For now, it housed his desk, computer, and boxes of files he couldn't quite bring himself to discard. The room had the same stunning ocean view as the rest of the western and southern sides of the house, but it felt strange standing there without a specific task at hand. Now, his calendar showed exactly nothing for the foreseeable future. As if on cue, his smartwatch buzzed—an email from his former CTO asking about some documentation. Matthew started to reply, then stopped himself. He wasn't on the clock anymore. This could wait. But what couldn't wait? What exactly was he supposed to do now? "Sarah. Sarah wanted coffee" he reminded himself, heading back toward the kitchen. Matthew wandered back downstairs, Ralph padding faithfully behind him. The dog nudged a tennis ball toward his feet with his nose, looking up expectantly. "At least you know what you want," Matthew told him, picking up the ball. "First, let's go on that beach walk I promised you. Let's see if you trapped and hoomans in your freshly dug holes from yesterday. Then, coffee for mom." As if he understood his owner, Ralph barked excitedly, heading off toward the back door with Matthew in tow. Supporting Sarah, yes. That was his purpose today. For the near future. For as long as she needed. Starting a family, hopefully soon, as they had both discussed. But more than that. Supporting all her dreams. Making them reality. Not long later, Ralph having done his business - and charged into the ocean at least a dozen times - and with a full Stanford to-go-mug in hand with coffee, Matthew grabbed his keys from the counter, suddenly needing to get out of the quiet house. "Come on, Ralph. Let's go see what mom's up to." He closed the door behind them, feeling both completely free and utterly adrift for the first time in his adult life. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Sarah's brand new work boots were already dusty by eight in the morning, and she couldn't have been happier about it. The construction site hummed with activity around her—surveyors marking boundaries, excavators warming up their engines, Anthony directing his crew with efficient hand signals. Set a safe enough distance from town to walk, but far enough that excess noise wasn't an issue, Sarah was able to secure a permit to have work started at 6 AM each day. By the time she'd arrived at 7, she'd been sad to see she'd already missed an hour of work. Still, the air smelled of fresh earth and possibility. Sarah hugged her clipboard to her chest, already littered with notes, personal phone numbers, and follow up questions. Sarah stood safely off to the side, watching as the empty lot began its transformation from dream to reality. It felt almost surreal to be standing here, on the cusp of something she had planned for so long. Sarah unrolled another blueprint, weighing its corners with stones on a makeshift table she had made with some plywood. The morning breeze threatened to carry the blueprint away, so she held it firmly down to reinforce the work the stones were providing. All around her, the lot that had been so empty a day earlier with just her and Clara present buzzed with activity. Workers in hard hats called to each other, smiles on their faces. The mechanical growl of earthmovers, crunches, diggers and smashers threatened to deafen her. The sharp beep-beep-beep of trucks shifting from "Drive" to "Reverse" was endless. Sarah squinted beneath her own pink hard hat - a custom purchase - as her fingers tracing the lines that represented months of planning and years of dreaming. "We marked the main building footprint first thing this morning," Anthony said, approaching with a hammer slung over his shoulder. His work boots left distinct prints under his weight in the dusty earth as he walked. "The backhoe's already started on the east-side trenches for the foundation. Its a great start. We don't always get that." Sarah nodded, trying to contain her excitement to a professional level. "Perfect. And the drainage issues Clara mentioned? I don't want to become skatepark 2.0 and chased out of town hiding my head!" "Already addressed." Anthony pointed toward the cypress trees. "We're putting in a special drain system that'll divert any runoff away from the building. Expensive, but necessary. Thankfully, our operations account is more funded than its ever been, thanks to you and your husband. No skatepark disaster on my watch." Sarah smiled, remembering Clara's warning. "I appreciate the thoroughness. So what I'm hearing is we're basically a year ahead of schedule? Sound good to me!" Sarah joked, but deep down, hoped it might actually be the case. "Haha not quite," Anthony replied. Sarah could tell he appreciated her enthusiasm and drive, but he was quick to temper expectations. "The thing is," Anthony said, crouching down to tap a spot on the blueprint, "we need to decide about the pool excavation timing. If we start now, we're looking at exposed pits during the rainy season." "As long as it doesn't impact the timing, let's hold off," Sarah decided after a moment's consideration. "I'd rather not risk delays from weather issues." They walked together across the lot, Sarah's boots kicking up small clouds of dust with each step. Anthony pointed out where each section of the center would eventually stand—the gymnasium to the east, activity rooms along the western and northern walls, the outdoor playground and pool to the east. In her mind's eye, Sarah could already see children running through these spaces, their laughter bouncing off walls that only existed in her mind at the moment. "Ms. Baker?" A voice called from near the temporary site office—a metal trailer positioned at the edge of the property. "The marble and stone supplier is here." Sarah excused herself from Anthony and made her way to her makeshift drafting table set up outside the trailer. Three men in button-down shirts waited, sample cases open before them. "Ms. Baker! Such a pleasure to meet you in person." the man at the front greeted Sarah with a handshake. "We brought several options within your specifications," the tallest one explained, gesturing to the array of stone samples. "All locally sourced from our quarries, as requested." "Mrs," Sarah corrected him with a smile, extending her own hand. She was proud to be "Mrs." Baker, and didn't want to let it slide. "And thanks for meeting me here, these all look amazing!" Sarah examined each piece carefully, considering how they would look in the center's entrance hall. The budget allowed for a few luxury touches in key areas, and she wanted the lobby to make a statement about the center's quality. "I like this one," she said, pointing to a pale gray marble with delicate white veining. "Can we see larger samples?" "Mr. Delaney from the quarry brought a full slab," one of the men replied, gesturing to a truck parked nearby. A weathered, older man with sun-creased skin stood beside stacked slabs of stone that had been carefully positioned on wooden pallets. His calloused hands suggested years of work with stone, and his eyes lit up when Sarah approached. "Bellingham gray," he said, patting the top slab. "Best marble in the county. Been quarrying it since my grandfather's time." Sarah pulled on a pair of work gloves and ran her hand over the smooth surface. "The veining is beautiful," she remarked. "How does it hold up in high-traffic areas?" "Harder than most marble varieties. Its been a while since we've done any builds with it, as we don't have much left, so its not really fit for a full scale project" the man huffed, almost offended that Sarah would ask such a question. "The quarry is shut down now, but the last of it is yours if you want. Should be just enough for the dimensions you asked about, but not much more." As Sarah traced the pattern with her fingers, a curious sensation traveled up her arm—a subtle tingling, almost like the static shock from touching a fuzzy blanket. She paused, frowning slightly. "Something wrong with the stone?" Mr. Delaney asked, his bushy eyebrows drawing together. "No, just..." Sarah shook her head. "Static electricity, I guess." She withdrew her hand, flexing her fingers as the sensation faded. Must be from all the synthetic materials in her work clothes, or perhaps the dry air. "We'll take it for the main entrance and reception desk," she decided, pushing the odd feeling aside. "And as discussed, we're going to want to make a cornerstone recognizing the date of the building on it. Let's discuss delivery schedule, but I imagine we'll need all of it." After finalizing details with the suppliers, Sarah returned to find Anthony reviewing plans with his foreman. The sun had climbed higher, and she took a long drink from her water bottle, realizing she'd been so caught up in the excitement that she'd forgotten to stay hydrated. "We're looking at three weeks for complete excavation," Anthony explained, pointing to different areas on the site map. "Concrete foundation pour starting in month two, assuming no major weather delays. Structural steel delivery is scheduled for month four." Sarah nodded, making notes on her clipboard. "Marble should arrive in time. Don't break any - there is no extra to work with," Sarah added. She was glad to have made a quick decision - it was easy in the end. The marble was gorgeous. "And the timeline for the roof?" "If everything goes according to plan, we'll have the building closed in before next winter. Interior work can continue regardless of weather at that point." Anthony explained "What about the specialized equipment for the climbing wall?" she asked. "We'll coordinate with the vendor during month eight or so. The structural reinforcement needs to be in place before installation." A worker approached with questions about electrical conduit placement, and Anthony excused himself. Left alone for a moment, Sarah stood in what would someday be the center of her dream made real. The breeze stirred her ponytail as she closed her eyes, imagining the building rising around her, floor by floor, wall by wall. Her phone buzzed with a text from Matthew: "Ralph and I are on our way to see your progress." Sarah smiled, typing back a quick reply. The text had barely sent when a familiar golden retriever bounded across the lot, dragging Matthew behind him. "Someone's excited about construction equipment," Matthew called, slightly out of breath as Ralph strained toward a nearby bulldozer. He handed Sarah her coffee, which she took greedily. "The coffee machine works fine, as you can see," he added with a wink. Sarah laughed, sticking her tongue out mocking Matthew as the sound from the crew carried across the busy site. The strange tingling sensation was forgotten as she stood together with her husband and their dog, ready to share in this moment she'd waited so long for. Chapter 3 - Building Dreams Six months passed in a blur. Between coming to the site several times a week, and getting settled in the town, it was almost unbelievable how they'd only lived in Sunnydale for such a short time. They'd made friends in the last six months. Sunnydale was big enough that it didn't feel small and quiet. But it was still small enough that it felt easy to meet people. Matthew had joined a few games clubs in town that their neighbor Michael had invited them to. Michael and his wife Jen were very friendly. They had two older kids in middle and high school and were well settled in the town. Sarah had met more than her share of friends too just through her major project garnering so much attention. It helped that Sarah's little sister, Becca, and her husband Daniel lived only 20 minutes away in the next town over. Between their social lives and construction project, Sarah and Matthew were always busy. Sarah's boots crunched on gravel as she followed Anthony across the construction site. The pale spring morning was overshadowed by the steel I-beams that rose like a towering ribcage from the concrete foundation. Puddles from yesterday's rain reflected the pink-tinged sky, and the air smelled of wet earth and fresh-cut metal. "The concrete cured perfectly," Anthony said, tapping his boot against the foundation wall. "No cracks, no settling issues. You picked a good time to build—dry winter means no delays. I hate to say this out loud...but we are ahead of schedule. Maybe by a month or two." Sarah nodded, running her hand along the cool surface of a support column. Six months ago, this had been nothing but dirt. Only Sarah had been able to see more. Now, the shell of her center was taking shape, giving physical form to plans that had lived only on paper and in her imagination. "The delivery truck with the remaining steel beams should be here by eight," Anthony continued, checking his watch. "We'll have the crane in position by then. After that, framing, wiring, and plumbing. This is taking shape." They made their way to the temporary site office—a significantly upgraded trailer now, with proper heating and Sarah's old Mr. Coffee machine that she had insisted on installing. Inside, blueprints and schedules covered every available surface. "The truss delivery for the gymnasium is scheduled for next Wednesday," she said, reviewing the construction timeline pinned to the wall. "And the roofing materials the week after. "I've got to supervise the beam placement," Anthony said. "The pool excavation starts this afternoon, too." Sarah watched as he walked away, calling instructions to his crew. She felt a surge of pride. A few months ago, she didn't understand a thing about construction. But she had learned quickly. The sound of barking drew her attention to the parking area, where a familiar golden retriever was tugging at his leash. Matthew followed behind, balancing a cardboard tray of coffee cups and a box of donuts. "Delivery service!" he called, navigating around a stack of lumber. Sarah met him halfway, relieving him of the coffee tray before Ralph's enthusiasm could cause a catastrophe. "You're up early," she said, rising on her toes to kiss his cheek. Other than pride in herself, Sarah was happy at how seamlessly Matthew had found a backup role to her stardom. "Couldn't miss a special beam day," Matthew replied sarcastically. "Plus, Ralph's developed a weird fascination with the crane operator. I think he wants a career change. Remember how he used to run away from them those first few weeks?" Over the past six months, Matthew had gradually found his footing in their new life. After initially feeling adrift, he'd started volunteering at the local community college, teaching a night class on entrepreneurship. The rest of his time was split between supporting Sarah's project and enjoying his newfound freedom to run on the beach, read books that had gathered dust during his startup years, and explore the hiking trails with Ralph. "You brought enough for an army," Sarah said, looking at the donut box. A wiry man already covered in swear and wearingn a well-worn tool belt approached, eyeing the donut box with undisguised interest. "Those wouldn't happen to be from Lighthouse Bakery, would they?" "Only the best for special beam day," Matthew confirmed, opening the box. "Then you've officially made a friend for life," the man said, selecting a glazed donut. "Jake Collins, site maintenance and general fixer of things people break." He extended his free hand to Matthew. "Matthew Baker," Matthew replied, shaking his hand. "Donut deliverer and husband of the boss lady." Jake laughed. "So you're the famous tech genius. Your wife talks about you all the time. Only good things," Jake assured him, taking a bite of his donut. "Though she didn't mention your excellent taste in breakfast pastries." "Jake's been helping us modify the gymnasium design," Sarah explained. "He had some brilliant ideas for the ceiling height and ventilation system." Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of a sleek silver SUV. A woman with dark curly hair pulled back in a practical style emerged, carrying a folder of documents. "Olivia!" Sarah called, waving her over. "Perfect timing—we're having an impromptu donut party." "Before nine in the morning? You're a terrible influence, Sarah Baker," the woman replied with a warm smile. She approached the group, her movements precise and purposeful. "Matthew, this is Olivia," Sarah said, introducing her friend. "She's the pediatric nurse I told you about—the one helping us design the first aid station." "I hate to break up the party, but yer kind of in the way!" the call came from a dump truck that had pulled up to the group, too enthralled in conversation and donuts to appreciate that they were preventing access to the main site. "Everyone move, or Tony will have my head" Sarah called out, as the group shifted to the side, happy to watch the project continue to unfold before them. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ A year into the project, Sarah had become adept at translating construction jargon into exciting milestones for community members. Her enthusiasm remained infectious, even on days when delays or supply chain issues tested her patience behind the scenes. "We're still way ahead of schedule," Matthew would remind her each morning. Sarah would nod, trying to stay focused. But it was hard to fight her thoughts. 'Ahead on some things,' she would tell herself with melancholy. While the recreation center project was going swimmingly - literally, both pools were already set and ready to be filled - other things at home were not. It had been over a full year at this point that she and Matthew had been trying to get pregnant, to no success. A year of tracking hormones, of strict dieting, regular fitness, and everything else Sarah could think of doing to try and help their chances. A year full of a lot of wonderful, wonderful sex. But a year passed, and every month, a single bar on a pee stick was there to remind her that she would just have to be patient with something else. 'Once again," Sarah told herself, feeling the exhaustion of yesterday's -12th time wasn't, in fact, the charm - test. But she couldn't complain, and knew she needed to keep her spirits high. 'These things take time," everyone would tell her. And in the interim, she was blessed with her other dream project - the recreation center was really coming along great. Near the temporary office, now supplemented with several heated tents, Olivia manned a table laden with thermoses and stacks of paper cups. She wore a jacket with her hospital's logo embroidered on the chest - now a sponsor and donor to the recreation center, thanks to Liv - her curly hair contained by a knitted cap. "Perfect weather for hot chocolate," she remarked, filling another cup for a shivering father. "Though I'm starting to think we should have offered something stronger." Sarah sat down with her friend with a smile. Liv had become a great friend over the last year. She and her husband Ethan were always inviting Matthew and her out, and Liv in particular had become a great confident with Sarah's efforts to conceive with Matter. "That comes after the families leave, but you'll have to have one for each of us" Sarah whispered with a wink, knowing that Liv knew she wasn't drinking. "Anthony's got a bottle of whiskey in the office for the brave souls who stay to help secure the site before any storms. He says he normally needs to restock once a month, but that the weather over the last year has been so cooperative, they haven't even made it through a second bottle yet!" Olivia laughed. "Ethan's sorry he couldn't make it. Budget meeting in San Francisco that couldn't be rescheduled." "Next time," Sarah assured her, watching as Olivia expertly handled the line of visitors. Across the site, Anthony was helping Matthew climb onto a lower beam where workers were attaching storm shutters to the windows of what would become the community room. "Just nail it in straight," Anthony instructed, handing Matthew a hammer. "Four nails per shutter, one in each corner." Matthew, looking slightly out of his element but determined, positioned the first nail carefully. Unlike Sarah, who seemed to have absorbed construction knowledge through osmosis, Matthew still approached each task with the careful consideration of a novice. Still, he'd become a regular presence at the site, his initial aimlessness giving way to genuine interest in the project's progress. "Here goes nothing," Matthew said, before driving the nail home with three solid strikes. "Perfect," Anthony confirmed. "You're a natural." "That's my construction man!" Sarah called across the site. Matthew returned the comment with a smile and a thumbs up. Sarah's phone buzzed in her pocket as she finished explaining the center's membership structure to a potential donor over a cup of hot chocolate. She excused herself, asking Olivia to explain the last few items, and stepped under the awning of the temporary office to take the call. "Di! How are you?" she greeted her older sister. "Exhausted," came the reply, accompanied by the sound of what was clearly a child's cartoon playing in the background. "Noah had his school play last night, and he's been reprising his star role as 'background shrub number two' ever since. Do you know how much traffic we sat in getting cross town to Madison Ave last night just to hear him not have a single line? Sarah laughed, picturing her nephew's theatrical enthusiasm. "I bet he was the most expressive tree in the forest." Sarah knew that Diana hated Manhattan traffic. 'Their fault for living in the city,' Sarah though to herself, considering the utter lack of traffic now in Sunnydale. "You have no idea. He added a dance move that definitely wasn't in the original choreography. The drama teacher nearly had a stroke. You could see her off to the side, you know, behind the curtain. I thought she was going to pull him off the stage." "That sounds like Noah," Sarah said fondly. "How's Lily? She's well?" "Lily has been amazing—she's getting big so fast. I forgot how quickly they grow. I am going to start weaning her soon, but I just don't know If I am ready yet..." There was a noticeable pause after the statement, an unspoken "you know?" hanging in the air. Sarah most certainly did not know. "I'm glad to hear it." Sarah said, breaking the silence. "How's the construction going?" Becca asked, changing the subject as if sensing Sarah's thoughts. "We're making progress, despite Mother Nature's best efforts to slow us down today. Actually, we're having a community event right now—lots of families checking out the site." "That's fantastic, Sar. I can't wait to bring Noah and the baby to visit when it's done." "Me too," Sarah said softly. "Give my favorite nephew a hug from Aunt Sarah." After ending the call, Sarah rejoined the event, pushing aside the familiar ache that conversations about her sister's growing family always left. Instead, she focused on the concrete evidence of her own dream taking shape around her. The center was more than halfway complete, rising despite weather delays and supply challenges. they were ahead of schedule. 'That's all that matters today.' _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Spring sunshine and smells poured through the newly installed windows and wafting across the freshly laid maple floors of the gymnasium. The scent of sawdust mixed with fresh paint and varnish as workers moved purposefully through the nearly completed recreation center. Outside, landscapers rolled out strips of emerald sod and positioned young oak saplings in carefully plotted holes, transforming the once-barren construction site into what would soon be a vibrant community hub. Sarah paused at the gymnasium entrance, admiring the warm honey tones of the wood gleaming beneath the overhead lights. Two workers in kneepads were installing the final section of flooring, smiles across their faces. Across the vast room, another crew was mounting basketball hoops. "We'll have the court lines painted by Friday," one of the workers told her. "Two full basketball courts, plus volleyball and pickleball markings in different colors." "Perfect," Sarah nodded, making a note on her tablet. "And the equipment storage?" "Shelving goes in tomorrow. Custom built just like you specified. Sports Equipment all arrives Monday, so the storage will definitely be done in time" Around the corner, painters were putting finishing touches on the activity rooms, each one a different primary color, with welcoming artwork from local artists hanging on the walls to compliment the rooms. The art room glowed a cheerful yellow, while the science lab was a calming blue. The music room's walls were painted a vibrant red that seemed to vibrate with potential sound. The Nursery on the north end of the center a pale pink, with soothing and relaxing lighting. Each doorway was wide and accessible, the light switches at a height reachable by children—details Sarah had insisted on from the beginning. "Ms. Baker?" A familiar voice called from behind her. "I'm here for the final inspection." Sarah turned to find Clara Martin approaching, clipboard in hand, her silver-gray hair neatly styled as always. Despite the warm weather, Clara wore one of her signature cardigans, this one navy blue with practical pockets that bulged with pens and a small tape measure. "Clara! Right on time," Sarah greeted her with a warm smile. "Shall we start with the emergency exits?" Over the past eighteen months, Sarah's relationship with Clara had evolved from cautious professionalism to mutual respect. The older woman's encyclopedic knowledge of building codes had proven invaluable, and her occasional stories about the town's history had given Sarah deeper insight into the community she was serving. Without Clara, they wouldn't be at this stage - six full months ahead of schedule to complete the recreation center. They walked through the building together, Clara checking off items on her inspection form with methodical precision. She tested every emergency light, examined the spacing between handrails on the stairs, and measured the height of water fountains with her pocket tape measure. "The fire suppression system in the computer lab," Clara noted, while she was glancing up at the ceiling. "You've gone with the inert gas option rather than water sprinklers." "Yes," Sarah confirmed. "To protect the equipment in case of a fire.it was more expen-" "It's the right choice," Clara finished for her, making another check on her form. "Young Mr. Sanders tried to save money on his skateboard park by skimping on safety features. That's why it failed its final inspection." They continued to the second floor, where the administrative offices and multipurpose rooms were located. The walls here were painted in soothing earth tones, with large windows offering views of the town on one side and the ocean on the other. In the center, a large open area housed a room for various groups to organize events, like cards, mahjong, and other community events. "The natural light is lovely," Clara commented, pausing by a window. "In my experience, that makes all the difference in how a space feels." Sarah nodded. "We positioned the building to maximize sunlight in the most used spaces." Soon, they found themselves on the lower levels. Smaller rooms with sleek wooden floors for dance and yoga classes lined one side of the recreation center. Clara went into each room, checking off boxes, before following the hall across the center to the exercise gym across they way. Brand new equipment stood firmly, shining on padded floors. Clara selected several machines to review, ensuring that they were marked with the appropriate age requirement and safety warnings. Finally, Clara made her way to the large, indoor Olympic sized pool, with a smaller pool adjacent for kids programming. She went through her process, the smell of the freshly filled chlorine water filling their senses, before they headed back to the main stairwell upstairs. By the time they reached the lobby again, Clara's clipboard was filled with check marks. She adjusted her glasses, reviewing her notes one final time. "Well, Ms. Baker," she said, her tone formal but her eyes warm, "it appears you've built a recreation center that not only meets but exceeds Sunnydale's requirements. Pending a few minor adjustments to the parking lot signage, you have my approval for your certificate of occupancy." Sarah resisted the urge to hug the petite woman, settling instead for a heartfelt "Thank you, Clara. Your guidance has been invaluable." Clara's professional demeanor softened slightly. "You've done something special here. This town has needed a proper community center for decades." She glanced around the lobby once more. "I look forward to seeing it full of young people." After Clara departed, Sarah found Anthony supervising the installation of the centerpiece in the lobby—a curved reception desk crafted from the pale gray Bellingham marble she'd selected all those months ago. The stone gleamed under the recessed lighting, its delicate white veining creating patterns that seemed almost alive. "Last piece," Anthony said, nodding to where workers carefully maneuvered a large marble slab that would become the front of the desk. "Once this is in place, the lobby's essentially complete." Sarah watched as they positioned the heavy stone, sliding it into the metal framework designed to hold it. When the workers stepped back, Anthony ran his hand along the seam where it joined the countertop, checking for perfect alignment. "Want to do the honors?" he asked, gesturing to the freshly installed piece. Sarah stepped forward and placed her palm flat against the cool surface of the marble. Immediately, that strange tingling sensation returned—stronger now, a warm current that seemed to flow from the stone into her fingers and up her arm. She drew in a sharp breath, startled by the intensity. "Something wrong?" Anthony asked, frowning. "No, it's just..." Sarah flexed her fingers, the sensation lingering even after she withdrew her hand. "The stone is beautiful. Perfect choice." Anthony nodded. "We had just enough to make the reception desk. Well, that and the cornerstone piece marked with the year of the construction." Sarah nodded. The feeling hadn't been unpleasant, just... unusual. Like the building itself was somehow alive, humming with potential energy. She dismissed the thought, attributing the sensation to static electricity one again or perhaps the emotional impact of seeing her dream so close to completion. "I know. I love that the foundational piece on the outside is made of the marble. You can't help but notice it when you walk in the building!" Upstairs, she found Matthew in what would be her office, arranging furniture with the same careful consideration he once gave to lines of code and business plans. He'd positioned her desk to face the windows, with visitor chairs angled to share the view. "What do you think?" he asked as she entered. "Too much like a principal's office, or properly welcoming?" "It's perfect," Sarah assured him, taking in the thoughtful arrangement, before planting a kiss on his cheek. The bookshelves he'd installed held reference materials and community resources, and a small seating area in the corner would be ideal for less formal conversations. Matthew nodded, satisfied, then picked up a framed photograph from a box on the floor. It was a picture of the two of them from their wedding day, laughing as they fed each other cake. He placed it carefully on the desk, positioning it so it would be visible to Sarah but not blocking her view of visitors. "I'm just down the hall, past the reception desk. My office is appropriately smaller. It can always be repurposed when you need it. But I figured, with wanting to replace my home office eventually....." Matthew trailed the thought off. He was trying to be hopeful. Sarah touched the frame, her throat tightening unexpectedly. In the eighteen months since they'd moved to Sunnydale, they'd transformed not just this building but their lives. While their attempts to start a family hadn't yet succeeded they'd agreed to keep trying, to let it happen in its own time Together they walked to the window, looking out at the landscapers planting the last of the young oak trees that would someday provide shade for picnics and outdoor classes. "It's really happening," Sarah said, leaning against his shoulder. "Grand opening in three weeks." "Did you ever doubt it would?" Matthew asked, bumping his wife with his backside. "About a thousand times," she admitted with a small laugh. "Especially during that week when the delivery trucks couldn't get through because of the roadwork in town. I thought they would never get that resolved" "Or when the first roof trusses arrived in the wrong size." "Or when Ralph got loose and left paw prints in the wet concrete." They shared a smile at the memory. From below came the sounds of the construction crew cleaning up for the day, their voices carrying through the open windows. Together, they descended the stairs to the lobby, and made their way outside. Sarah found herself walking over to the marble cornerstone, and bending down, brushed her hand across it to remove some dust. That same warm tingle ran up her arm, but this time, she didn't pull away. Instead, she let her fingers linger on the stone, a small smile parting at her lips. Whatever strange energy the building held, it felt welcoming—like the center itself was eager to fulfill its purpose.

18. Anna placed Chris in the playpen while she attended to preparing his bottle. Minutes later she arranged pillows in his crib, balancing the large baby bottle Amy had brought from home against the bars while she guided him up and in. As he laid across her lap, head propped up with a pillow, Anna spread an oversized burp cloth on his chest and under his chin. Chris noted her efficiency, and within minutes after the rest of the family left to explore he was drinking awful-tasting formula in a crib. He had to bend his knees in order to fit as he nursed. “Good girl, Kristie,” Anna cooed as he drank. “You need to get all your vitamins in order to grow up tall and healthy. I’m not sure it’ll help certain parts of you grow, though.” She hummed and kept her eyes focused on him as the minutes ticked by. Eventually he began to suck air. As much as he wanted to resist revealing that he actually needed a nap, a wide yawn escaped his mouth. “Not yet, baby,” Anna said softly. “You have one more to go.” She crossed the room to a mini-fridge and, without rinsing out the bottle, refilled it with juice. “Two bottles each time to make sure baby stays wet,” she said as she repositioned herself, “one of formula and the other with prune juice, to support healthy bowels.” The taste of prunes mixed with the small amount of formula left over made Chris want to gag, but he also detected a faint medicinal taste and wondered if Anna had supplemented the juice. Above all, the possible effect of prunes on his digestive system worried him. He remembered his mother using prune juice a couple of times when he was young when she thought he might be constipated, and the results were disgusting and long-lasting. He couldn’t imagine why anyone who’d be in charge of changing his dirty diapers would encourage such a thing. He struggled to finish but Anna rose the bottle straight up into the air, causing the flow to increase. It was either swallow or choke to death and he chose the former. The last couple of swallows also confirmed that it wasn’t just prune juice. What she’d added, though, he could only guess. By this time, he could barely keep his eyes open. Anna extracted herself from the crib, readjusted Chris’s head, and pulled up the bars until they locked with a solid click. She reached over to push a button on the mobile, and the hushed sound of music filled the room as soft pink bunnies began to circle above his head. She pulled the curtains shut and softly closed the door. Chris was disoriented when he awoke, unsure if he’d slept for a few minutes or hours. The sound of multiple voices from the next room indicated that the family had returned. He strained to distinguish one from another, hoping not to hear Anna in the mix. It was only then that his senses were all assaulted at once with what he’d done in his sleep. He could feel a wet, slippery mess shift and move around his midsection as he tried to sit up, and he could see his diaper sag. Mostly, though, he smelled a now-familiar stench. He faced a decision. Do babies at whatever age he was supposed to act cry when they’re messy, or do they ignore the discomfort, or do they even enjoy the feeling? It didn’t take him long to decide not to call attention to what he’d done, despite knowing that discovery and the humiliation that followed was inevitable. Each minute that passed, though, was miserable. He was just starting to reconsider his decision when Beth walked through the door carrying a sleeping Katie. “Oh, ugh!” she said loudly. “Amy, what do you feed this girl?” Amy soon entered along with Lily, who laughingly pinched her nose and commented that she was glad she was the one sister who wasn’t in the running to change diapers this vacation. To Chris’s dismay, Anna appeared in the doorway a few seconds later. “I can stay as long as you need me,” she announced. “Remember, you essentially have my services 24/7 during your stay. Think of me as a sort of au pair, except my bedroom is a five-minute walk away. Our goal here is to relieve you of this exact sort of responsibility. If you like, I can wait to change her until you’re at dinner. Or do you intend to bring her with you?” “We’d like to all be together for our first dinner here,” Lily answered, “especially now that Kristie had the courtesy to get this out of her system now rather than waiting until the restaurant. But if you don’t mind, would you...?” “Of course,” Anna answered cheerfully. “Let me know where you want to eat tonight and at what time and I’ll call now to make sure suitable seating arrangements and other accommodations are ready for your arrival. Then I’d better get this little stinker in the tub. Would you mind laying an outfit for her?” The group left the room together, with Anna returning alone a few minutes later, closing the door behind her. She disappeared into the adjoining bathroom to start the water, then perched at the side of the crib. “Well, I guess I can’t put this off much longer,” she said to the room. “I do marvel at their optimism that babies aren’t capable of blowouts twice within a few hours. C’mon, Kristie, let’s get you up on the table.” Lying prone on the changing table, Chris heard the snap of latex gloves and a pair of hands protected by them immediately appeared in his view. Anna had also donned a mask. She kept up a running commentary about the volume and smell of his waste as she used at least a dozen adult-sized scented wipes on every inch of his diaper area at least twice. Finally, she disposed of the diaper in the pail along with the soiled gloves. “That’ll contribute to making this room smell like a nursery,” she said. “Now, bath time.” Chris crawled to the bathroom and rolled over the side of the tub, which was only filled about six inches. Anna must have added some sort of scented oil, as the water smelled like flowers. She scrubbed him everywhere, spending more time than was necessary on his private area, making sure she poked deep into his rear end with a soapy washcloth. After the bath, it was back to the changing table, where she quickly covered his whole body with a sickly sweet baby lotion, followed by copious amounts of baby powder, which stuck to the lotion. She disappeared with his diaper briefly before returning and quickly getting it taped on. To Chris’s dismay, she had pre-wet it. He was further disappointed to see the dress that Amy had laid out. It was new, the most babyish outfit he’d seen yet, a yellow and pink bubble suit that puffed out everywhere, with baby bottles sewn onto the bodice and layers of ruffles across the butt. It ballooned out to make his diapered bottom look even puffier than it already was. He crawled out to the living area, sitting on the floor between Amy’s legs as she meticulously brushed out his hair, then used a small comb to pull together tufts, which she held in place with bows and barrettes. Anna took Katie into the next room for a diaper change, then returned holding two baby bottles, one large and one small. She ended up feeding Chris while Amy dressed, then did the same for Katie while Beth got ready. “I’ll be back after dinner,” Anna told the women as she got ready to leave. “Just text me.” Chris’s joy at seeing her leave was immediately tempered when Lily and Amy strapped her into the stroller and slung a giant diaper bag over its handle. As they rolled out the door, Chris felt himself flood his diaper with pee. Please, he thought to himself, help me through this meal. Amy kept the canopy of the stroller back so that Chris was totally exposed to passersby as he was slowly pushed in the direction of the restaurant. To their credit none of the women that walked by stared or made rude comments and there were even a few mutterings of “adorable” and “how appropriate.” At least he had a snap crotch so that his accident wasn’t in plain view. All too soon the entrance to an Italian restaurant came into view. The hostess greeted them without the slightest hint of surprise, which confirmed Chris’s assumption that the entire staff, if not all the guests as well, has been prepared for his arrival. In some ways their lack of a fuss made his situation more tolerable, but it also made him uncomfortable at how easily everyone accepted his status as a helpless, diapered infant. He would have liked at least some sort of acknowledgment that there was an adult underneath the babyish attire, but as far as anyone here was concerned, there was no difference between himself and Katie, or the couple other babies at the resort. Naturally a highchair has already been set at their table, and they seem to have purposely been positioned exactly in the middle of the dining room in plain view of every other guest. Chris was locked in tight, the tray slid up against his stomach. Amy withdrew a pink and yellow, especially frilly bib from the diaper bag and tied it around his neck. Even her eyes, Chris noticed, didn’t give any recognition of his true age. She was in full mommy mode and maybe, in her mind, saw him as an actual baby. He worried about her ability to snap back to reality once this week was over. “Hello and welcome, my name is Sarah,” a pert, young server said as she came to the table. “Is this your first time at one of our restaurants? You’ll find that with the exception of our two adults-only options, all of our restaurants not only have kiddie menus but for the younger children are willing to customize food to any texture or level of spice, and can mix in veggies and fruits that will keep baby regular for the duration of your stay. There’s a centralized bathroom for all five family restaurants complete with a mother’s room with a nursing area and changing tables. In fact, if your little one has a smelly oopsie in the middle of your meal, one of our staff would be happy to handle it for you so that you won’t need to let your food get cold. Now, can I start you out with some drinks, and would you like me to have bottles warmed for your girls?” To Chris’s dismay, both Amy and Beth took up her offer on the bottles. Within minutes Amy was holding it to his lips as he drank a horribly sweet, thick concoction that alternately made him gag and burb. He closed his eyes to avoid seeing scores of women watch his feed. He could feel dribbles of the formula run down his chin onto his bib. At least she didn’t burp him when he was done. He did his best to ignore the conversation among the women, which focused on activities he wouldn’t be a part of. Sarah came and went several times, eventually placing a huge bowl of a grayish-green mush on his tray along with a rubber-tipped spoon. Being an Italian restaurant, Chris assumed there was pasta in there somewhere but if so it had been pulsed into an indistinguishable mass. Amy and Lily on either side of him took turns pushing overflowing spoonfuls into and around his mouth. He could detect broccoli, asparagus, maybe some pear, and a dull sort of tomato sauce, along with several unidentifiable additives. It was gross, and there was so much of it. By the end, his bib looked like a splash painting. Katie, on the other hand, looked as clean as she had before the meal. “Well it looks like someone enjoyed herself,” came Sarah’s voice from his side. “Did you get any inside of her? I’ve brought some wipes but if you need more let me know. Why don’t you peruse the dessert menu, and if you like I’ll send Briana by to bring little Kristie to the changing room. We don’t want the neighboring tables to complain.” Chris was astonished, and only then realized that he’d soiled himself yet again without any awareness that he’d done so. The odor was faint but obvious. Surely, though, Amy wouldn’t want yet another strange woman to take over diaper duty. He was wrong. Within minutes he was being wheeled past dozens of tables full of curious onlookers to the women’s room by yet another twenty-something, pretty, freckle-faced woman. Their personnel department did have a type, he thought. The women’s room, which served five large restaurants, was itself enormous, and was bustling with activity. There were women primping at the mirrors, washing hands, and touching up makeup. He was pushed past the stalls into a separate room with nursery rhyme décor on the walls, soft chairs and a couch against one wall, and four changing tables with stacks of supplies on the shelving beneath them against another. The table he was led to was three times the size of the others. Right next to it a mother nursed her baby; Chris quickly looked away. His carer managed to get him up on the table with a minimum of his own assistance, and got right down to work. As she unsnapped his crotch and loosened the tapes of his diaper, the smell of his poopy bottom filled the air. A small crowd, including the nursing mother who came to take a peek without buttoning her top back up, watched the change. He heard giggles as the front of his diaper was lowered and tried to avoid eye contact while being wiped. Comments about the large size of his mess and small size of something else floated by. One mother asked if she could lotion him, another to fasten him up. Despite the team effort, to Chris the change seemed to go by in slow motion. By the time he got back to the table, the rest of the group was getting ready to leave. After a quick comment from the server that he smelled so much better, they made their way back to the room, where Anna was waiting for them. It couldn’t have been much later than 8:00, but she readied he and Katie for bed, including two more bottles for him, as the women dressed for some sort of evening out. As Anna turned on the mobile and dimmed the lights, he grumbled to himself that it was way too early for bed. Within minutes, he was sound asleep.

Hey all! I just wanted to put a quick update out there about the next chapter. I normally wouldn't do this, but since we're getting so close to the end, I thought you all deserved an update. So, a few things came up today that were unavoidable and pushed my writing and fleshing out of the next chapter. Unfortunately, I already have plans for tomorrow for most of the afternoon and the next day is the Fourth of July... both are busy and will take me away from writing all this completely out. I can write a little between now and then... but not a whole chapter and then edit it properly. As such, the penultimate chapter will likely be posted on here sometime on Saturday. I will try and push hard to get it up by Friday night, but at this point, I just can't guarantee that. So, until then, I wish you all the best and hope you all are having a good week.

17. Amy asked Lily to pull over just as the resort came into view. She turned to Chris and made sure his eyes met her own. “From this moment on until this automobile is at this point of the drive heading home in the other direction, you are not to give the slightest indication that you’re anything but a drooling, babbling infant. That includes not staring at anything or anyone or showing interest in anything but your fingers, toes, and your bottle. Got it, little baby girl?” Chris gave a small nod, after which Lily drove on. He tried his best not to react as an adult would as the resort came into full view. It was enormous and even from the outside appeared opulent. The lawn was lush, the front of the main building immaculate and imposing, and the view of the water impressive. Lily pulled up and parked in front of the entrance, where they were immediately joined by a young woman with a luggage cart. Lily and Beth unloaded their hoard onto the cart as Amy pulled something out from the cartop carrier. Chris couldn’t see what it was, as he was still strapped into his car seat, as was Katie, who seemed disinterested in the whole process. Chris decided he should pay more attention to her and follow her example in order to avoid any accusation of grownup behavior. He was still gazing in Katie’s direction when Amy opened the door next to him, causing him to jump. He could fee a stream or warm pee run down his crotch and into the already sodden diaper. “OMG, Beth, it’s so stinky back here. How did you survive?” Amy laughed as she unbuckled Chris’s car seat. “Told you so,” Beth replied as she did the same with her own baby. “You get to ride in the back on the way home.” Chris tried not to appear that he was giving Amy much help as she guided him out of the car but wondered how he’d get inside without walking. Surely she didn’t expect him to crawl on the asphalt. Then he saw it. A giant monstrosity of a stroller, an exact replica of those he’d seen at the park, complete with bottle holders, a basket for diapers and other supplies, and a collapsable canopy. This version, though, allowed the front bar to swing out from one side, allowing baby to slide into the seat without having to be lifted. Without being told, Chris did just that. Amy immediately shoved a bulbous pacifier into his mouth. Chris looked down at himself as the stroller began to move. His dress was bunched up due to the crotch strap, providing a clear view of his diaper. He hadn’t been aware until now that this particular diaper clearly revealed when the wearer had wet, and the large dark spot continued to grow even as he watched. He wasn’t sure how many bows and barrettes Beth had put in his hair, but she’d worked on him for at least twenty minutes. And even out in the fresh air, he could smell his foul bottom. Sixty seconds from now would begin one of the most horrific and embarrassing times of his life. To her credit, the bellhop recovered from her initial reaction at seeing Chris quickly and was soon pushing the heavily-laden cart off to wherever their room would be. As the group approached the front desk, a tall, blonde, well-dressed woman in her thirties quickly exited from behind the counter and hurried in their direction. The manager, he assumed. She barely gave the stroller a passing glance. “Hello, you must be Lily’s group. I’m Ms. Adams, the general manager. How was your trip? Why don’t we go and sit over here on these couches while we get acquainted and I tell give you our official welcome.” She took two steps, sniffed the air, then turned and bored her gaze directly on Chris. He looked away and sucked harder on his binky. “On second thought,” she told the group, “why don’t we move out onto the veranda.” Once they were settled, with Chris’s stroller positioned between Amy and Beth, Ms. Adams took out a phone and spoke into it briefly as she looked at Chris. “I assume this is Kristie? I’m pleased to see that she’s dressed appropriately and that she’s thoughtfully provided some proof that her toileting skills are that of any other young infant. I’m sorry if I sounded a bit harsh when I laid out the rules for her being here. Despite this being strictly a resort for women only, a refuge from the male world if you will, you’d be surprised at the lengths our female guests go to sneak a man in. Nothing this extreme, however. I’d be shocked if any self-respecting man would allow himself to be dressed in that way or, above all, soil themselves in full view of strange women, just to be able to get around our rules. Nevertheless, we still need to verify. Ah, here she is.” Chris watched warily as a young freckle-faced woman who couldn’t have been more than nineteen approached the group, smiling widely. “This is Anna,” Ms. Adams told them. “She’s been assigned to your group for the duration of your stay. She can help with dinner reservations, arrange activities, or troubleshoot any issues you may have. More importantly, she’ll provide babysitting services for your two little ones whenever you don’t have them placed in our day care facility. She’s certified to watch over children of any age, but her favorites are the babies. She’s a pro and detecting when a diaper needs changing and can take care of it as fast as any mother. Kids seem to love her. I encourage you to free yourself up to enjoy all we have to offer and to trust us to provide your babies with excellent care. Now, speaking of diapers...Anna, baby Kristie here is past due for a change, as you can probably tell. Please take her to a private area where you can clean her of that toxic diaper, and give her the test.” “The test?” Amy asked, but Chris didn’t hear the response as he was wheeled away in a hurry. He was able to get small glimpses of the beach through the trees but was soon pushed past a heavy door into a large family bathroom. Anna spread out an oversized changing pad on the floor and guided him down onto it. As she lifted his dress up and tucked it out of the way, she leaned forward, providing an unobstructed view down the front of her blouse. Chris tried his best to look totally disinterested, which wasn’t easy. “Phew! Let’s get you cleaned up, shall we baby girl? You and I are going to become best friends over the next week. This won’t be the last diaper of yours I change, but honestly I hope it’s the worst. This is going to take some time.” She kept up a stream of chatter, getting increasingly babyish as she cleaned. Once most of the mess had been wiped away, she took a few baby wipes and spent at least two minutes on his penis and balls, continuing way past when they should have been spotless. “Hmm,” she said to herself. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a container of baby oil, pouring a generous dollop directly onto the tip of his dick. Giving him a conspiratorial look, she lowered the top of her blouse over her shoulders, letting it drop until her braless breasts were exposed. Again, she leaned forward as she began to stroke him, rubbing the oil up and down his shaft. Getting no reaction, she shifted so that her crotch was resting on his face, never letting up on her manipulation. Internally, Chris was in upheaval and it took every ounce of control he had not to moan or otherwise reveal the shockwave he was feeling. From her expression and a few of her mutterings, he knew that she was aware that he wasn’t regressed mentally, so she must have also known that this was pure torture for him. Finally, after he stayed as soft as when she began her ministrations, she got up and washed her hands, ending his test. “You passed,” she said with a grin. As she placed a clean diaper beneath him, though, she squatted over him, pulled her panties aside, and let loose a stream of pee onto his groin area. “Your prize,” she giggled. Chris was too irritated with his situation to feel any pride in having passed the test, or even any sense of relief. He was too focused on the prospect of spending the next week with a young woman with a sadistic side hidden beneath her innocent features, who seemingly would delight in teasing him relentlessly. Minutes later the pair rejoined the group, who by now were enjoying drinks as they learned of the features of the resort. Even Katie was enjoying a bottle. Ms. Adams looked a question at Anna, who nodded and announced, “No more reaction than any other infant. And,” she added with a smirk, “about the same size.” “Well,” Ms. Adams said decisively, “it looks like we can now show you to your room. Anna, would you be so kind? It was delightful to meet you all, and I hope you enjoy your stay.” From his place in the stroller, Chris could only hear snatches of conversation, words like “show,” “steak,” “beach,” and, unfortunately, “nap.” They seemed to walk forever. Amy lowered the canopy, so all Chris could see were other guests from the waist down as they passed, but he swore they all slowed down as they got close, and he heard a couple laughing. They passed several two-story buildings before coming to an area that had individual cottages, which is where they paused. Anna opened a door and watched as they all filed in, smiling at Chris as he was pushed past. “It’s delightful!” Lily cried when they were all inside. “And look, the girls have their own room. Amy took Chris out of the stroller, which she folded and put to the side. The room they were in was gigantic, with two king beds, a sitting area, and a deck with a hot tub. A large playpen sat in one corner, already stocked with infant toys. Amy prodded him to crawl in the direction of the “baby’s room.” As he entered the room, he sat back on his rear, astounded. This room as also big, which it needed to be to fit two cribs, one larger than the other, a changing table, a rocking chair, and a playmat. A small bathroom with a tub but no toilet was off to one side. The cribs each had their own mobile, and a diaper pail sat prominently at the end of the changing table, which was stocked with a myriad of multi-colored bottles. A highchair was squeezed against one wall. Anna anticipated the women’s questions. “We have some regular customers with special needs children who are here multiple times per year, so we invested in a slightly larger crib, changing table, and highchair. The crib will be a bit of a tight fit for Kristie, but she’ll be fine. Note the cameras around the room, which you can access through our app to check on your babies while you’re elsewhere. Of course, I’ll be here as well so that you won’t leave them alone. The maids will empty the diaper pails each morning, more often if they get too foul. There are an assortment of soaps and bubble baths near the tub. “I tell you all of this, but we encourage you to allow me or the women at the day care to take over most of the care of your children this week. We provide a full service, so if you choose you won’t need to change a single diaper or warm even one bottle all week. We’ll make sure we keep the babies entertained and will take them for walks and bring them to the baby pool and playground. You can see as much or as little of them this week as you desire.” “I’ll take you up on that right now, if that’s okay,” Amy said. “Katie slept in the car, so she can come with us. Anna, can you put Kristie down for a nap while the rest of us explore the grounds? She’ll need a bottle first.” “Of course,” Anna replied. “We even have a bottle warmer here in the room. I’ll take good care of her.” Chris wanted to scream out not to leave him alone with this woman, even at the cost of getting kicked out of the resort, but before he could do anything he heard the outside door in the next room close, and he was once more alone with Anna.

Hey everyone! Wow… some of you are a little dark in your thinking out there. Definitely points for creativity, but this is a story with a different purpose as you all will eventually see. I absolutely have a few other stories that I think you all will love that go down some of the paths you all were taking, but spoilers… this isn’t it… mostly. Okay… now I will admit that I changed the plot after this a little bit from what I originally had. Ashley was originally going to get regressed heavily and then accept her fate in the end. Keep in mind that plot was thought up from at least four years ago now and was very basic in the stages where this story’s very rough outline was only about 12 chapters long at most. Then, re-reading it when I started this story back up again, I knew what I had was weak and didn’t fit with Ashley’s character development very well… at least not in the way I wanted it to. That being said, due to this being a sequel to Project Nurture, I couldn’t change it too radically in parts, but I knew deep down that my original plan just wouldn’t work very well. So, knowing that, starting a while ago and now finishing, I jumped ahead and fully fleshed out the rest of the chapters from here on out to get the plot that I wanted and which I felt fit with all this story better. This, more than anything else, is why this chapter is being posted later than usual. So as such, while the total still stands at 28 chapters and some of them will be long, the bottom line is that the plot has been corrected and completed. Now, I just need to put the finishing touches on each and edit them out. With all that in mind and the total number of chapters still at 28… I know this story will be done in the next two weeks. With this chapter being released today and factoring in some of my prior commitments and holiday events… my plan now is to release another two chapters next week and then a final chapter on the Monday afterward (07 July). This should give me enough time to flesh them out a little more and let any of you out there either vote or simply catch up on the story. Next, keeping that in mind, just as a reminder with the deadline just around the corner now, 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. Additionally, like before, this poll will be shut down right before I post my final chapter on here. Further announcements will be made regarding this when the time gets closer. Last but not least and as usual, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! Chapter 25: Missing Pieces Here and There Vincent removed the visor and stared back at his computer while taking deep breaths. “Holy crap! Darn it, Ashley! You just had to go in and get yourself caught!” He shook his head at seemingly yet another regressed Little to be lost to the system. And Vincent might not have given the program another thought and simply reported the whole situation back to LRG headquarters and moved on. But a little green light blinked still on his screen. “Huh?” Vincent leaned forward and clicked on it. “Just what are you little buddy?” The page was soon loaded, and Vincent’s eyes grew large. “Woah… wasn’t expecting that…” Before him, showed the loading screen to what was left on the file. Apparently, he had barely even scratched the surface. Exhaling, Vincent stretched backward in his chair and lifted his arms in confusion. “Okay… that had to be the end of Ashley? Right? So… maybe it’s another file? Or another Little and their story?” Vincent seemed to be able to come up with a dozen or more possibilities with why there was so much, but in the end, his conclusions all came back to the same point. “Well… there’s nothing to it. Gonna take my break and then jump back into…” Another light began to flash on his screen. “Oh great… what now?” Vincent muttered to himself before leaning in and clicking on it with a sigh. Reading only one line in, Vincent’s instincts were good enough apparently that his face immediately began to grow pale. “Vincent… Urgent! Our sources have now confirmed that a Big presence is definitely headed your way as of this morning. We at LRG will do everything we can to stop them, but officially, we recommend that you flush and wipe your system ASAP just in case we can’t redirect or completely stop them. As this is a possibility and their intentions seem hostile at this juncture, we suggest you conduct yourself with only one-hour sessions now regarding Ashley’s file and also limit your contact with the outside world. If our defenses or diversionary tactics do not work, we will inform you to confirm their approach and need to leave ASAP. Regardless, good luck. -X” Vincent sat back on his chair and looked at the clock versus the timestamp for when the message was sent. “Crap… this is already two hours old. For all I know, the Bigs… whoever they are, could be here any minute.” He sighed and looked over at his still prepared bugout bag and the heavy duty and custom magnetics safely stowed above it to wipe his computer in a hurry. Sighing again, he stood up and shook his head. “No… not yet… I’ve gotta keep going.” Eying his monitor closely, Vincent then fixed a little food and quickly returned to his chair. He briefly rubbed his sore and reddened temples before picking up the headset once more to go back in. “I’ve got to find these answers. I need to know what happened to Ash, but also… something is in here. I… I just don’t know what.” Once again, his eyes shifted to the clock, but after a moment, he shook his head. “No… no hour timer. I need to do this… power through it and find what I need. If I don’t, there’s no telling if these files will even be able to be transferred elsewhere…” Breathing in deep, Vincent placed the headset on his head for what could be the last time, adjusted it to fit properly, and then hit the still blinking ‘resume’ button. * * * Day 1#8 – #:#9 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 * Er#or. Error. Ple#se reboot and #ry again. * * Footage not found. * * * * Day 110 – 1#:3# #.M. MDT – Earth 2 Things were dark… fuzzy… unfocused. Sounds could be heard all around. A small alarm bell here and some yelling there. A faint form of Ashley’s vision began to take shape and the image for the first time in a while seemed to almost solely be coming from her eye camera instead of an external feed as well. Even then, though, static crackled through the scene and shapes only really moved in blurry grayish blobs. If one had to guess, it almost appeared as if the camera in Ashley’s eye had been damaged… or had some interference of some kind. But the images faded in an out continuously still. Blinking occurred at several points and the image would shift from maybe a triangular blob to one of a square or more of a rectangle. A faint whimpering could almost be heard, but the sound was so corrupted that it was hard to truly make out what was happening. Until it wasn’t anymore. Despite the darkness all around, objects became more focused. Railing, calming shapes overhead, and a dull light coming from what could only be described as across the room. It was peaceful, but unfamiliar. The views switched a few more times and Ashley blinked back at the world… but then soon retreated away from it. She then began to shake. ‘It’s just a dream… justa dweam…’ She shook her head like she knew what she was saying was wrong and could somehow will everything back to normalcy. ‘Caught… caught… bad man… good goal… right?’ Everything seemed frazzled, and maybe as a way to fight off all the scariness of purely unknowing where she was, Ashley closed her eyes once more. ‘Iss justa dweam… no… Just. A. Dream… not hard, but… real… much too real…’ Keeping her eyes closed, Ashley pulled a nearby blanket into a soft mound and hugged the inanimate object tightly. Not long after, she passed out and everything faded to black once more. * * * Day 111 – 3:17 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley’s eyes fluttered open. It was clear she was still groggy and maybe a little fuzzy as she clutched her hand and squinted at the lights just beyond where she had been sleeping. Before, while the shapes were blurry, Ashley had definitely known that she was in an unfamiliar place. Now, she was back home. Ashley rubbed more sleep out of her eyes and looked around. While everything was much as it had been, there was still something that was different. ‘Weird… there’s almost an odd glow to everything… wait… I can think normally… right? Does that extend to everything else?’ Ashley strained as she clutched the temples on her head. ‘Think! Think! Anything different? Come on, Ash! Don’t fail this! It’s important!’ So, she kept straining… much to her obvious failure though. ‘Darn it! I feel something’s missing… but what? It’s like I can see the outline of the thing I’m missing but not in the object itself. Is that… is that normal? Shouldn’t it be more? Or at least not… this? What is going on here?’ Still, despite her thoughts or maybe in spite of them, Ashley shook her head and sat up in bed. ‘Okay… hold on there, Ash. Go slow. Check your body and then speak… you need to know how bad this is… this missing piece that is… whatever it is…’ Ashley then looked down at her body. She stretched forward after pulling off her covers and started examining every little part of her body. ‘Okay… toes… feet… ankles… calves… knees… thighs… legs… so far so good…’ Her hands moved higher, but from her clothing, her exam couldn’t be as thorough. ‘Do I take my onesie and diaper off, or do I…?’ She shook her head. ‘No, no. Keep them on, Ash. Don’t do that. Don’t even entertain that thought…’ She then winced like a habit of something she should have repulsive… but didn’t. ‘Okay… I don’t feel any lumps or pains in my stomach… chest… neck? No… face? Still no… head?’ Ashley seemed most nervous about that one and winced only once. ‘Ouch… kinda feels like a bruise up there… strange. Not super painful but… maybe I fell?’ She winced again. ‘Ugh! Why can’t I remember? I came to the facility… I know that, and then… I got the files? I think?’ Ashley scratched her head like she was readying a generator to fire out her thoughts, but she only grunted in the end. ‘Darn it! It gets so, so fuzzy after! I just…’ Ashley frowned and quickly pulled her stuffed kangaroo close to her to hug. ‘Why can’t I remember? And… why do you feel so soft and fluffy all of a sudden? Why do you feel like the friend I’ve been looking for? Why…?’ Ashley shook her head. ‘No, no. Focus, Ash. Some oddities from a bruised head… maybe, but… what else? Why do I feel there’s something else?’ Ashley then set her stuffed kangaroo to her side, its soft body still slightly touching her… like a comforting hand still remaining on her shoulder. ‘Okay… here it goes. Speak, Ash. Speak…’ Ashley took a deep breath in. “Mary had a little lamb…” The relief was immediate over her face. ‘Oh, thank goodness! I can speak! I can speak!’ It seemed like a high victory, but Ashley quickly gathered herself up once more. “Okay… I can speak… still something missing though… something different. Let’s see…” She stroked her chin and then snapped her fingers. “I got it!” She took another breath. “Let’s see… Earth’s fuel ran out in 2038 after several military conflicts spurred on it’s demise quicker than most scientists expected which led to collapse and that led to the dark ti…” Ashley shook her head. “No… that’s fine… maybe…? Yes! Okay… start simple. One plus one… two. Two times two… four. Square root of 49… seven. Okay… not gonna test out any other math stuff… never my strong suit, but… something’s still missing. Maybe I need to go over facts about myself and the people here…” Ashley nodded at her own suggestion. “Okay… I’m Ashley Cutters… investigative journalist, but here, I’m going by Ashley Stevens. I’m investigating the town of Peirama, and I’ve been taken in by two Bigs called…” Her door then opened, and Betty stood there with a relieved smile over her face. “Oh! Someone’s finally up! I was so worried. How are you, sweetie?” she asked walking quickly over to Ashley’s bed and then resting her hands on the short railings on one side. “Feeling okay?” “Weird, but… yep!” Ashley confirmed. “I’m doin’ fine, Mommy!” Betty’s eyes widened in shock. If she was a Little, from that same state of panic and horror, she might have just dirtied her diaper on the spot. But Betty was a Big and her calm under situations like these came to the forefront. Her experience as a botanist and scientist in this crazy town likely also helped her as well. “Oh… I’m so glad to heart that…” She winced slightly, her outer calm cracking ever so slightly. “But sweetie… you called me… Mommy. I… well, I love that name, but… what’s my name?” Ashley looked confused for a moment. “That’s a strange question, Mommy, but… your name is B…” Ashley paused and while she looked supremely confident before, it now appeared as if there was almost what could be described as a misfire in her brain somewhere. “Your name is… Mommy!” Despite her questioning look previously, now, there seemed to be no doubt. Betty let out an exasperated sigh. “Yes… I… you…” She then shook her head and smiled as best as she seemed able to. “I guess that’s my name now…” She then removed her side toddler railing and held out her hands. “Come on, honey. Let’s change that diaper of yours. I can see the droop from here.” Ashley looked down in puzzlement at the thick padding around her, but this time with a curious expression of surprise and then soon to uncaring. ‘Mommy will take care of it. She always does, right? And Mommy seems to think I’m okay, so I must be fine too, right?’ Ashley just smiled and let herself be adjusted into the proper position to be changed. * * * Day 111 – 4:47 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley was left alone in her room, but today, that didn’t seem to matter as much when Betty told her to ‘stay put’ until she came back. Ashley had simply shrugged and sat on the rug in the middle of her bedroom floor and pulled out a coloring book after setting her stuffed kangaroo next to her. After finishing coloring in an outline of Adventure Sam, she sat up and pulled her stuffed kangaroo close. “Mommy was acting a little weird when she left. I wonder if she’s okay…” The kangaroo only looked back at her with its black and shiny unblinking eyes. It was lifeless, but whether she was meaning to or not, instead of just a sounding board as she used it sometimes before, there was a tone in Ashley’s voice that blurred the lines between pretending and having an actual conversation with the stuffy. Ashley sighed. “I hope its not because of me, but… why do I feel that it is because of me? Is it the gap in my head I still feel? But… if it was, wouldn’t she have said something? Taken me to the hospital?” Ashley didn’t get any response back, at least none out loud to any mature being, but that also didn’t seem to stop her. “Yeah… I wish I could figure out the gap in my head. Something feels wrong… but what?” Ashley gave a half smile to her kangaroo and held it up in front of her. “You know… you being this close to me and all, I feel I should give you a name. Maybe Hoppy?” She seemed to rattle the idea around in her head before shaking it. “No… not Hoppy. Maybe…?” “I don’t care that you were doing just what you felt was right!” someone yelled from downstairs. “Your feelings don’t matter in this case, Pete! Damn it! I thought you of all people would understand that with the work you do here! Or am I wrong?” Ashley stopped and looked toward her mostly closed door and then back to her kangaroo. “Sounds like someone’s yelling at Daddy. I can’t have that. Come on!” She pulled the kangaroo into her arms. “Let’s go check it out!” Ashley then steadily got to her feet and went to the door. Right before she touched the handle though, she stopped cold and then looked down at her kangaroo, tightly wrapped in her left arm by her side. “Wait… what about what Mommy said. She told me not to leave this room, and I don’t want to brea…” “That doesn’t matter, Pete! This is national security we’re talking about!” the unfamiliar voice sounded off again. In between though, another fainter voice that was too soft to make out fully through the doorway could also be heard fighting back angrily as well. “Oh, screw that!” another voice yelled, this one sounding more nasally and whiny. “She was caught directly trying to steal things away from us. I vote she should be put back in the machine and fried to a crisp. It’s too much of a risk otherwise!” The quieter voice seemed to spit back their own verbal thrashing immediately at that idea. Ashley looked at her kangaroo once more and then shook her head. “No. Mommy told me to stay, but she would want me to help with Daddy. I feel… I need to help him… or at least listen in and jump to help Daddy if he needs it. Also, though… why do I feel I should be listening to this? Why does it suddenly feel so important?” Her kangaroo didn’t respond, but with a small boost of confidence, Ashley nodded and then redoubled the effort within herself. So, with a deep breath, she then opened the door before heading out to the top of the stairs. “Yes, general,” Pete acknowledged. “I understand all that. I truly do, or else I wouldn’t be here, but… I just couldn’t stand back and watch those butchers tear into h…” “Shut it!” the now identified general and first voice thundered. “Don’t you get it? We’re up to our necks at Dark Cliff! That prison was formed over 13 years ago, and we have so many Littles locked up in there that the warden is afraid at least once a week of a prison riot… from Littles no less! It can’t continue!” “Yes, general. I’ve read the reports…” The general seemed to be getting to Pete, and his tone was far more reserved now… like a dog that had been whacked on the nose too many times with a newspaper. The general sighed. “Our adoption facilities aren’t doing much better either… mostly bursting with delinquents or just plain barebones now. We Bigs need what you all are working on here. It could change everything in our favor… and your Little was trying to undo all that!” Ashley leaned in closer but squinted and scratched her head like she wasn’t sure what they were talking about. ‘I’m so confused…’ She leaned forward. ‘But wait… is this the blank spot I’m feeling?’ “Your work here is critical and that earns you a lot of freedom from any of my staff from looking too closely at this whole mess. Be thankful for that.” The general sighed deeply. “Now, enough of all that. Give me something to tell the head of the committee when they ask me about all this mess when I return to New Columbia.” Pete sighed. “Yes, sir. We have several projects that are coming along now. Project Nurture is actually showing several positive results… more than we ever thought possible before. Plus… with our findings mostly concluded now, we are forming a final report to submit to the board and then to your committee based on those findings. Should be ready by next month… maybe the month after.” “Good, good. Very good.” The general seemed to huff for a minute as if he suddenly exerted a good amount of effort. “Would do you think Mr. Mayor?” Ashley leaned forward and stepped down a single step after glaring at the title and who it belonged to. Mr. Vasiliou sighed, his nasal voice almost grating the walls around him. “Well, you know my opinions on this matter, general. I think security is paramount around here and what happened is a major violation of that, but… we do need Pete and his expertise. I… at least I hope that this time, better control will be learned and more… drastic steps won’t be needed.” Ashley’s eyes seemed to be swirling with information and yet confusion about how it all fit together. ‘Crud! It’s like I’m hearing the left and right side of the street with traffic racing in the middle, but I just can’t find the wires to connect the two sides together in order to understand it all! Stupid brain gap! I know you’re there, but… I just don’t know what I’m missing!’ Eager to learn more, Ashley stepped down another stair, but this time… her footsteps creaked loudly. The trio of people talking suddenly stopped and before Ashley could move, three faces were looking right back at her from the bottom of the staircase. “It’s her! She heard everything!” Mr. Vasiliou yelled, his face quickly turning red. “Get her!” Pete jumped in to block his advance though. “Absolutely not! You’ve done enough already! I’m sure she didn’t mean anything, and besides… do you even know if she understands us anymore?” That last part was said quietly, but right after, all three faces looked back to Ashley. “Sweetie?” Pete asked carefully, walking up a few stairs to get closer to her. “Did you hear us talking downstairs?” Ashley looked back towards Pete. ‘Okay… I might be missing that big, big piece of whatever, but… I can at least tell when I need to be just a big dumb baby.’ Ashley grinned and nodded her head. “Of course, Daddy!” Pete’s face took on the same expression that Betty’s had previously in hearing their new title. This moment though, there was an obvious level of fear to all of it. “I heard shouting, and I wanted to come and see if you were okay,” she continued in pursuit of her half lie. “Look!” She held up her stuffed kangaroo like she was presenting a shield of protection or the most special prize on Earth to him. “I even brought back-up in case you needed it. Do you want my stuffy to help you, Daddy?” She seemingly made her eyes grow as wide and as innocent as possible. From the rear, the previously solemn general smiled and even snickered briefly before Mr. Vasiliou looked at him angrily. “Well… I think all is okay here. Just a Little and her ‘stuffy.’ Can’t be too mad about that now, can you, Phil? Seems like your work was quite thorough.” From her spot on the top couple of steps still, Ashley grinned ever so subtly. ‘Ha! Now I’ve got another way of fooling all these evil Bigs against Mommy and Daddy and Ron!’ Mr. Vasiliou nodded toward the general and his comments about his ‘work.’ As soon as the general turned away though, and Pete’s back was still towards him, Mr. Vasiliou glared mincingly at Ashley. “Yes… my modifications seem to have worked wonders. Pity I didn’t get to test…” “Bee!” Pete shouted, cutting Mr. Vasiliou from continuing to elaborate on his likely dastardly plans. “Can you come here for a moment?” A far door in the upper hallway opened and shuffled footsteps hurried up to the scene where Betty looked down at Pete first. “Yes? Is everything…?” She then stopped and looked further at everyone and at everything that was happening… including the still seated Ashley at her feet now. “Sweetie? What are you doing outside of your room? I thought I told you to stay in there?” Ashley looked up at Betty, and seemingly still improvising, pointed back down the stairs “I heard shouting and Daddy seemed upset, so I came to help.” She then held her stuffed kangaroo up. “Look! I even brought support, Mommy!” Betty sighed. “That’s very good, sweetie. Just hold there for one moment while I talk to Daddy…” She then looked back at Pete and the others. “Pete… did she… overhear something?” Pete shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. We just… can you take her away for now? We need to discuss a few more things before they leave.” Betty nodded and then leaned down to pick up Ashley. “Alright you. Come on. Let’s go see if you can draw me a really nice picture in your room.” Ashley nodded and only wrapped her arms around Betty to get closer with one hand still gripping her stuffed kangaroo. She seemed entirely content there as Betty pulled her up as she stood as well. She was seemingly too distracted to notice the worry written all over both Betty’s and Pete’s faces. * * * Day 112 – 3:12 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley hadn’t gone to daycare today. While she was a little pouty over that fact, she was absolutely entranced by both Pete and Betty staying home to watch over her. Curiously, every time she sneezed, coughed, or even tripped, both Bigs were on the scene in moments to check if she was okay and then quickly wrote something down in a little notebook that both had on them. Still, Ashley was a little lonely and while her stuffed kangaroo seemed to be a good companion for her, she only had one. “I wish I had more of you… still need to figure out a name. Maybe George? Or are you a girl kangaroo? Ooh! What about Roo?” Ashley shook her head. “No… not that. Familiar but strange… I’m not sure why…” It was another gap in her memory. Since she had woken up the previous day, she kept finding new spots that seemed to be missing. Large facts seemed to be there, but the smaller things… several of those seemed to be gone now. Ashley sighed and hugged her kangaroo. “If only I knew what I was missing. It just… I feel fine, but it seems so important. Maybe if I think really, really hard, I can remember.” Ashley strained for a moment but only seemed to let out a tiny toot. “Oopsie! Maybe not push so much… Besides, Mommy and Daddy seem just happy that I’m here and they’re here and that’s weird, but I don’t think I should protest that because…” “What did you people do to her?” Betty asked loudly in the kitchen. “Nothing! I swear, Bee! I didn’t do anything to her,” Pete defended. “As soon as I got the call about her and heard, I ran over and got her out. I promise that I didn’t do anything to her.” “But she’s different, Pete!” Betty seemed more emotional than usual. Despite her brain gap, Ashley definitely could still pick up that they were talking about her. ‘Not good. I thought they were fine, but… I think they’re talking about my stupid brain gap. I wanna know, so… let’s go.’ Now seemingly more curious than cautious, Ashley placed her kangaroo on her back and then crawled over to the door between the dining room and kitchen. Leaning up against the wall, she clutched her kangaroo tight and listened in more closely. “I mean… she had trouble reading today!” Betty fumed. “That was never like her before. Something obviously had to happen to her!” Ashley pouted a little. ‘It was just one of the bigger words… I thought it looked familiar, but… Mommy stopped me and helped me out before I could try again…’ “Again, Bee… not me,” Pete said sighing a little. “Still, I know what they and our ‘great mayor’ did to her before I got there. It’s only temporary in some areas. Plus… I didn’t have any choice but to accept this for her.” “Bull!” Betty seemed ready to fight in a second for Ashley. “Bee… you have to believe me. I…” Pete seemed he was just as crushed as Betty, but while hers was coming in the form of anger, his was in the form of sadness. “I had to accept it… if I didn’t and with what she did… we could all have been accused of treason. And you know the penalty know for something like that. You saw Hilda, remember?” Betty gasped at the memory of the woman who had spiked Ashley’s drink. “You don’t mean… she spiked our Little’s drink and several others, causing months of research for other projects to be set back! She even… what did she call it? ‘Commandeered’ the drugs she used? She stole, Pete! And we…” “Yes, Bee,” Pete sighed. “We would be subjected to a pre-selected time in diapers. If we even got a hard judge… we could be temporarily regressed mentally and have Ashley taken away from us… Permanently.” Ashley did her best not to whimper and only hugged her stuffed kangaroo more. “From the work we’ve done here,” Pete continued, “it actually might become the norm for punishing Bigs now. You heard the general… Dark Cliff is becoming too crowded. Soon, those type of facilities will only be for Littles while we Bigs might have to work off our debt society… or for the really bad cases, receive what is essentially Little treatment…” “My god… that’s terrible, but…” Betty seemed in disbelief but there was the very tiniest hint of a ray of positivity to this. “You know though… if that happens, people might see what its like to be a Little… could cause some reforms…” “Doubtful…” Pete said skeptically. “But anyways… yeah. I had to accept it all… or risk losing you both. I… I couldn’t do that.” A little shuffling could be heard, and curious as ever, Ashley took a quick peek at what was happening. Inside the kitchen with their eyes closed, the two Bigs had fully embraced each other and were seemingly offering comfort in the face of such adversity. ‘Awww… Mommy and Daddy still love each other! Yay!’ The two then broke off a minute later and Ashley was once again glued to the wall. “Well… I’m glad I know at least, but…” Betty paused and took a deep breath. “What the heck do we do now?” Pete walked around and a few taps could be heard. “I needed to do some thinking last night, but I have a plan. We just…” Pete then paused, and a few whispers could be heard. “Ash? Can you come out of hiding, sweetie?” ‘Shoot! Did he see me?’ Ashley didn’t move an inch. “Baby… I can see your foot and your stuffy’s tail,” Betty noted, clearly having tuned around from her original position with her back to the entrance where Ashley had been hiding. “Come on out. We promise… you’re not in trouble.” Like they were magic words, Betty stood up and moved around the corner. “Promise?” Betty smiled and nodded. “Promise, sweetie.” Pete then stepped forward. “So, I’m guessing like earlier yesterday… you heard at least some of that?” ‘Crud. He knows!’ Ashley seemed to panic but then ease a little. ‘But… this is Daddy… it can’t be a trap, right? Daddy wouldn’t hurt me…’ Ashley nodded. “Yes, Daddy. Sorry for lying…” Pete smirked. “No, that’s okay in this case. Thank you for apologizing and knowing we don’t lie in this house, but… for those men… I think your mommy and I can forgive it this one time.” Ashley quickly smiled and stepped closer without so much fear this time. “Now,” Pete continued, “I need to ask you a few questions. You can answer or just nod for me for them, okay?” As instructed, Ashley nodded to Pete’s question, eliciting a bigger smile from the Big now. “Good. Let’s see here…” Pete then proceeded to ask several questions… several that were near identical to the ones that Ashley had asked herself. Others… tended to veer into the more intimate nature… but Ashley either didn’t care or didn’t know about those… like the current state of her diaper for example. Despite those little hiccups though, often, the Little seemed to grow bored, but Pete was patient and Betty encouraged Ashley to continue on as much as she could. Still, despite their teamwork, at one point, Betty had to promise Ashley a single cookie for every five questions she answered. It worked… mostly. “Now… lastly, what month did you come here and what month is it now?” Pete asked after about 43 other questions. Ashley scratched her head. “Well… I think I came here about three months ago… so that’s…” She started counting on her fingers. “Yes! I came here in June. And now… it’s…” Ashley looked over toward the calendar. “Yes… that’s what I thought. It’s still September.” Pete turned around and smiled at seeing the calendar. “Well, I guess we should have hidden that, but it still shows me you have an awareness of your surroundings and at least most subjects.” “Is that good?” Ashley asked inquisitively, her gap still clearly bugging her… especially after she couldn’t answer some his previous questions… like those dealing with the internal layout of the facility. Pete nodded his head. “It’s not really those types of questions, but yes… you did very good. Answered all my questions as well as you could and that’s all I could really ask for.” Ashley beamed at the praise and then turned to Betty. “I think that’ll be six cookies then.” She even held her hand out. Betty shook her head and curled Ashley’s hand back toward her chest. “Not right now, sweetie. I’ll let you have one on our daily afternoon walk to the park, but until then… can you go upstairs and grab your sunglasses and hat for me? Remember, you set them on your desk last night…” Ashley nodded and ran upstairs right away. The park was obviously important to her and missing one second seemed to be completely out of the question now. So, grabbing both her tiny ballcap that Pete had gotten her showing off his hometown sports team, the Philadelphia Pegasi, and her sunglasses, she ran back downstairs… only to hear that Pete and Betty were talking once more. “I know, Bee… I know…” Pete said wearily. “I just liked her so much how she was,” Betty admitted sorrowfully. “I’ll love her no matter what, but… I loved her independent spirit and her uniqueness amongst the other Littles here. Now… I don’t know where she ends and Vasiliou’s tinkering begins.” Ashley crept over to the archway and looked in at Pete comforting Betty in the kitchen. “Well, right now she needs us, and I know we’ll both give her the love she needs.” Betty quickly nodded silently towards Pete’s vow. “Besides… as I said, I have a plan, and this might not be forever, but even if it is… is this really such a bad thing?” Betty recoiled and looked like she wanted to punch him in the face. Pete was quick to defend himself though. “Woah, woah… not what I meant. I just… I would never wish this on her in a million years. But think about if for a minute as well… combine our love of her no matter what and the notion of… well, us never having kids, and…” Betty sighed and her face relaxed and she nodded. “I was thinking about that as well… but I hated myself for it. She’s just…” “I know, Bee… I know…” Pete then hugged his wife closely… something it looked like she could probably use right then. “We just… we can’t have kids and while Ashley isn’t a kid per say… she’s a relatively high functioning Little who now definitely needs our help, and we can give that to her.” Betty nodded. “As long as she needs us… I’m in.” * * * Day 112 – 4:29 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 By the time the trio had prepared and arrived at the park together, the time was getting later, and many Littles had been let out of their respective daycares and ‘special facilities.’ Littles like Ron, Kyle, or even Olly, weren’t there today, but the playground equipment was teaming with activity. For Ashley, fresh-faced and full of wonder more than ever before, it was an open invitation to join in. Betty and Pete watched from the sidelines with the other Bigs with concern but relief as Ashley smiled wide as she played game after game. For Ashley, recent weeks had forced her hand to interact with Littles more like Ron and Kyle… but there was always a pause or a hesitation before, and there was almost a degree of acting in her play style. Granted, imagination is the key to many Little’s games, but her acting came into more the part of enjoying herself. True, she exhibited genuine joy some of the time… but never all the time. Now, she freely skirted from one activity to the next… pretty much wherever the most fun was and for whatever group of Littles would have her. Most often, those Littles were regressed though, so her activities were more juvenile in nature as well. What’s more… less than an hour into play and Ashley nearly seamlessly blended in with the rest of the Littles so well to the point where she nearly became lost in the mix. Betty and Pete seemed to struggle with finding her again… at least until she stood alone and watched a baseball game. Coming from Earth, the game had grown in popularity here, but it was still struggling to take off in Peirama. So, for today at least, a game was taking shape, but it was mostly just practice. Ashley, as smart as she still was… had lost some things… vigilance seemed to be one of them. So, when one of the Littles… uncoordinated and not knowing that fully yet, threw a ball… he missed his mark. Instead, the ball went sailing right into Ash… more specifically her kangaroo which she had used as a shield. “Holy smokes!” one of the Littles called out as the ball scurried along the ground. “Dang it, Jimmy! You almost clocked out the lights of this Little. Good thing for you that her stuffy bunted the ball away.” The Little, older and definitely newer to Peirama, nodded and jogged over to Ashley. “You okay there?” Ashley lowered her stuffed kangaroo and nodded. “Yeah… that was just really scary!” The Little laughed and stretched out his hand. “Must have been. Again… super sorry for my friend. He’s an idiot, but… my name’s Craig.” Ashley smiled and after shifting her stuffed kangaroo around a little, shook his hand back. “Ashley…” “Good to meet you, Ashley.” Craig then smiled, tipped his own ballcap, and jogged back to join his friends. Alone once again, Ashley viewed the field for a minute longer and then looked down at her stuffed kangaroo. “Well, thanks there. Definitely gonna have to call you by an actual name now. What was it they said?” Ashley paused and scratched her head just under where she was wearing the ball cap and a few inches forward of her ponytail sticking out the back. “Oh yeah! Bunted! They said you bunted the ball away, but… bunted s’not a good name. How about… Bunty?” Ashley held her stuffy out in front of her and smiled wide. “Yeah… Bunty is great! Hello Bunty!” She then pulled Bunty back in and gave it the biggest hug imaginable. Inevitably though, after so much fun and excitement, the sun in its late September way began to set behind the trees. Just as it was eclipsed by the tall canopies and the mountains beyond, Betty waved over at Ashley. “Ash! Come on, sweetie. We need to get back for dinner!” Ashley looked around, and while she could have whined to stay longer… her face briefly taking on a more mischievous look, she ultimately shook her head and ran back to join with both Pete and Betty. Being a park though, while there were many paved paths, Ashley didn’t follow them back. Instead, she took the gravel path… and didn’t see the divot one side of the path or the larger stone on the other. So, the divot caused her to stumble forward, and the large stone caused her to trip and fall right into the dirt. She didn’t stand a chance and began wailing in pain. “Oh, shi…!” Pete didn’t finish his words, much to the seeming relief of everyone around him, but he was quickly on the scene with Betty not far behind him. “Okay, baby. It’s okay, it’s okay. Show me where it hurts.” Tears streaming down her face and Bunty covered in dust, Ashley woefully pointed to her elbow and her knee. Neither were bleeding, but a few scrapes were definitely noticeable. “Oh, no. That just won’t do. Betty?” Betty nodded and as she circled around to support Ashley from behind, she also reached into the convenient diaper bag and pulled out a package of baby wipes. “Here, Pete. Take them and do your magic.” Pete nodded and diligently took the pack before pulling out a wipe and tending to Ashley’s injuries. Meanwhile, Betty had positioned Ashley right in her lap and was hugging her close with Bunty tightly woven into the mix as well. “Shhh, shhh… it’s okay, honey. We’ve got you. No more nasty scrapes. Pete’s going to fix all your owies.” Ashley sniffled as her cries subsided and she clung tightly to Betty, flinching every so often as Pete wiped her elbow and knee. ‘Darn it! Why am I so emotional, but why does it hurt so much! It’s just a scrape. I shouldn’t be crying this much, right?’ The confusion etched on her saddened face seemed to only make her cling to Bunty and Betty further. “There,” Pete said, finishing the last of his wiping. “All gone. All better, right?” Ashley looked at her knee and elbow and nodded, but almost randomly… if she hadn’t seen it a hundred other times with other Littles, she looked right at Pete. “Kiss ‘em, Daddy. Make ‘em feel better. Please?” Pete didn’t seem to know what to do with that request for a moment, but in the end, he smiled and kissed both spots tenderly like a loving father would of his daughter. For Ashley, relief spread quickly over her face. “There, baby. All better now.” Pete then repositioned himself closer and wiped a few tears away from her cheeks. “Sweetie… I…” Pete trailed off for a second before seemingly resolving himself a little more. “I want you to know… we’re not going to let anything else happen to you, okay? We want to make you better, and… we’ll be here for you for whatever and however long you need it. Also… well, before anything else happens…” Pete winced slightly before looking deeply at Ashley and then holding Betty’s hand tight. “I just want you to know that we love you very much.” “Forever and ever, honey,” Betty emphasized as she gave Ashley a squeeze from behind with her one free hand. Ashley’s bottom lip quivered for a moment, and it looked like she might cry… until she broke in a different way and pulled Pete closer and hugged him tight. ‘Yes… this is right… this feels good. Maybe this was part of the gap that I was missing? Dunno, but… this… this is good…’ Not wanting to be left out, Betty pulled in closer as well to hug her husband as well. Right then, the three, on that late fall day and in the middle of a gravel path at the park, hugged each other as tenderly and as tightly as they could. * * * Day 113 – 8:06 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 It was the next morning and Ashley rose as usual. No nightmares… no worries… no concerns about what just happened in last memory or the gaps that she had. Now, she had Bunty and Betty and Pete. And for today, that seemed like enough for her. Not long after, as usual, Betty came in to greet her happily, check her diaper, change her, and then run a bath. Of course, now, Betty had found out that Ashley had lost some independence and modesty in what happened to her, so the Big stayed to watch over her and lend a hand if needed. Ashley was smart, but… there was a Littleness about her now that was hard to quantify exactly while also being completely obvious at the same time. Maybe it was her uncaring attitude at being naked after her diaper was removed and she was wiped down from her nightly business. Possibly it was the fact that she happily splashed about in the tub with her toys or so seamlessly let and even seemed to want Betty to wash her while in there. It definitely could have also been her booming fit of giggles as Betty tickled Ashley’s foot in the tub or after when she was drying her off… or even when she had finished taping a new diaper on her and she blew raspberries directly onto her tummy. It wasn’t obvious with just one thing, but it was obvious with several smaller things… and led to one conclusion. Ashley was different. But while there was sadness in her eyes at the loss that Ashley didn’t even seem to care about today, from her overall expression, the Big didn’t completely hate the new version of her Little either. There was no burden in the Little. There were no brooding stares or shrieks about being modest… just shrieks of laughter whenever Betty applied some giddy force to her. While any rational and mature adult might have been horrified at the scene, Betty wasn’t and couldn’t necessarily be blamed for her actions now. With such strong reactions of glee from Ashley, Betty pushing the envelope more into Little territory not only seemed necessary at times… it seemed like the right thing to do as well. So, after Betty had snapped the last button on her skirtalls, Ashley found herself sitting on the newly added changing table to her room. Pete had ordered it specially last week after diaper seemed to be a more permanent fixture for the Little, but now… it almost fit right into everyone’s new lives in the house. As far as her room though… there was plenty of room to push over her bookshelf to one side. Nothing really had changed… except any observer could see that it had. This morning however, as Ashley drummed her heels into the side of the changing table and Bunty sat next to her diligently as they always did without fail now, Betty brought over a few needed supplies. “Okay, honey. Just stay still and let me fix your hair, okay?” Ashley nodded with an infectious smile. “Okay, mommy. Just don’t pull too hard. No knots!” Betty held her hand up and shook her head. “No pulling of the knots… Promise!” With that oath now taken, she went in and began to comb out her hair to divide it into a requested style of pigtails today. Just as she finished the left side though, Betty paused and looked over to her right before picking something else up that had nothing to do with hair. “Sweetie? Do you know how… this got on our front porch?” Betty opened her hand and Ashley looked inside. It was a pink rock. Ashley squinted at the rock carefully. ‘Gee… looks awfully familiar but…’ Ashley shook her head. “What is it, Mommy?” Betty squinted and looked at her Little closely. “Baby… this is a pink rock. You made them before… don’t you remember?” Again, Ashley squinted at the rock like her brain was quickly going into overdrive to decipher the riddle of the century… but again, she shook her head. Betty pulled the rock closer to her and looked at it carefully herself before sighing. “Ash…” she said with a more serious tone now, “you said you used to paint these. Do you not remember that? Or the others you did?” She then gestured over to her art table at the small basket of stones and paints that Ashley had collected for a while now. Ashley looked over at her art table and she nodded. “Oh! That’s what those are! I was kinda wondering, Mommy. I really didn’t know what they were!” Betty set the rock down and several thoughts seemed to be driving all around her head. She looked both concerned and confused… to the point where she looked like she might even throw her hands up in defeat or scream in frustration… but she didn’t. Instead, she just sighed and shook her head. “Yes, but… oh, never mind, baby… I’ll… I’ll have to check something about them myself. Maybe a new craft project… or something for us to do together…” Betty seemed to emphasize the ‘something’ a little more than usual. Still, she quickly went back to work, combing out Ashley’s hair to get her ready to go back to daycare again. Meanwhile, Ashley stared at the rock right beside her now. Even with the pulling at gathering of her hair, she seemed far more transfixed by the object that had just been presented to her… and not in a way that made it look like she was more interested in the pretty colors instead. ‘I… I feel I should remember this, but I don’t! Is this the gap, or something I should know or remember? I feel I should, but… oh!’ She grinned. ‘Mommy’s done! Daycare and friend time!’ Smiling, Ashley let herself be helped off the changing table, Bunty tight in one hand and Betty, her mommy’s, in the other.

CHAPTER FOUR “A girl’s night sounds so fun. What do you think, Kaleigh?” “Umm, yeah, sure. Sounds good.” Kaleigh tried to match the smile of the woman who’d asked, but it felt forced, like the grin she’d slap on during team photos right after she’d taken a stick to the shin. She watched as her friends splintered off down the narrow, winding road, each heading to a different guest home for the night. It was kind of cute, she supposed—a quaint town ritual, everyone being hosted by families like some wholesome exchange program. But she would’ve much rather been in a hotel suite with her teammates, a couple bottles of cheap wine and a pack of cards, not scattered to the wind like kids at summer camp. “You are just too cute,” the woman beside her said softly, leaning in with a gentle touch to her arm. “I bet you get that a lot.” “Oh, umm… thanks,” Kaleigh stammered, her voice faltering for just a second. It was true—she was cute, with that round, sweet face and big, wide-set eyes. She knew how to wield it like a weapon, how to twist it just so that people underestimated her until she slipped past them, stick in hand, and buried the ball in the net. On the field, she was a nightmare to cover—too fast, too sneaky, too determined. She watched Hannah—her biggest rival for that coveted top scorer slot—head off down the road, laughing with some hot local guy and her stomach twisted. Hannah was using the same tricks she’d always relied on—flirty smiles, puppy-dog eyes, that helpless little giggle that made defenders back off and lose track of her—and doing it better. Kaleigh chewed at the inside of her lip. Ugh. Whatever. She wasn’t here to play second to Hannah tonight, even if the “game” was nothing more than the weird social rituals of a town she’d never heard of before. She was sure she’d be hearing all about Hannah’s night with the local town hottie when they piled onto the bus tomorrow. “Weren’t you the one that went flying in at the diner?” Vicky said with a teasing smile, edging Kaleigh with a faint nudge to her lower back as she steered her up the path toward their modest home. “Oh, yeah… sorry about that,” Kaleigh said quickly. “I just— I really had to pee.” She really had. And she still did. The sign on the bathroom door in that tiny, too-bright diner—“OUT OF ORDER”—had been a gut-punch. She’d tried to play it cool, bouncing her leg under the table and sucking down glass after glass of lemonade she definitely shouldn’t have had. But by the time they reached the porch of the Sheriff’s home, her thighs were pressed tight together, and every step felt like a test she was seconds from failing. “You look a little… flushed, dear,” Vicky said in her overly-polite drawl, her hand resting lightly on Kaleigh’s back. “Oh, I’m fine,” Kaleigh lied, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. But Vicky paused at the door, fumbling with the keys. It took forever—she was talking, chattering about the town’s annual festival, about how she’d just love to show Kaleigh around in the morning. Kaleigh nodded along, even as a bead of sweat trickled down the side of her neck. She couldn’t even hear half of what Vicky was saying over the rushing sound in her ears. “Could I maybe… use your bathroom first?” she finally managed to ask, her voice thin and tight. “Oh, of course, dear. Just let me get these keys sorted. The Sheriff is so particular about safety and rules. There’s always one that sticks in the lock. Such an old house, you know?” Kaleigh nodded again, forcing her hands into fists so Vicky wouldn’t see them shaking. She bit her lip and tried to think about something—anything—other than the growing ache in her bladder. The door finally swung open and Kaleigh stepped inside, relief flooding her face at the sight of the bathroom door off the main hall. She took a step forward— “Oh, wait—hang on, Kaleigh,” Vicky said, her hand on Kaleigh’s shoulder. “I know you’re in a rush, but could you just slip off your shoes? I just mopped the floors.” Kaleigh froze. Her eyes flicked to the bathroom, only a few steps away. She hesitated, but bent to unlace her sneakers. Her hands shook as she fumbled with the knots. One more step, just one more step, you’ve got this. But as she straightened, she felt it: the sudden, mortifying warmth spreading down her thighs. A hot, unstoppable trickle that turned into a flood, soaking through her thin shorts and splashing onto the polished wood floor. “Oh—oh God, no—” she gasped, her face going red as she clamped her thighs together, but it was too late. Tears pricked at her eyes. She felt small, pathetic. Like she was seven years old again, too embarrassed to even look at Vicky. Vicky’s expression softened as she watched the small blonde’s face crumple. “Oh, sweetie,” she cooed gently, brushing a strand of hair from Kaleigh’s cheek. “Accidents happen. I’m sure you’ve had a long day. Let’s just get you cleaned up, okay?” Kaleigh sniffled and nodded, a tear slipping down her flushed cheek. She wanted to argue—to insist that she never had accidents, that this was a one-time thing—but the words wouldn’t come. She just stood there, mortified, as Vicky guided her deeper into the house, promising over and over, in that sickly sweet tone, that everything would be okay. o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o The quiet hallway echoed with the steady click of Vicky’s heels on the polished hardwood, each step measured and calm. Kaleigh shuffled along behind her, the wet cotton of her socks squelching softly with every step. She tried to step lightly, to keep the noise down, but it didn’t help. Her socks stuck and slipped on the wood, leaving faint, dark prints in her wake. Every squish felt like a spotlight on her shame, a reminder of what she’d just done. Kaleigh’s heart pounded in her ears, her wet shorts clinging uncomfortably to her thighs. She barely registered the door Vicky opened—just a faint whiff of something sweet and familiar, the soft colors of the walls blurring in her vision. She was too focused on what she’d done. On the warm, humiliating dampness between her legs and the dark trail of wet footprints she’d left behind. She caught a faint glimpse of soft pink and white out of the corner of her eye, but her mind was on fire with embarrassment. “I… I’m so sorry,” she stammered, her voice cracking. She couldn’t meet Vicky’s eyes. She wanted to sink into the floor, to vanish completely. Vicky’s hand was warm on her shoulder, her touch steady and calm. “Don’t be silly, dear,” she said, her voice sweet and kind. “It was just a little accident. It could happen to anyone.” She stood there awkwardly, arms wrapped around herself, as Vicky moved in closer. “Let’s get you cleaned up,” she said softly, her hands already at Kaleigh’s waistband. Kaleigh’s hands shot down, grabbing at her shorts. “Wait—please. I can just—” But Vicky’s hands were gentle and insistent, her voice calm and final. “No, sweetie. Let me.” Kaleigh’s eyes darted around the room, looking for some excuse, some exit, but she had nothing. She let out a shaky breath and let her hands drop as Vicky peeled her wet shorts down, slow and careful, like she was handling something fragile. The cold air hit her skin and Kaleigh shivered, her cheeks burning. Her eyes flicked to a mobile hanging above a large crib, to a rocking chair in the corner, to the faint, childish patterns on the walls. Why are we in a nursery? she thought, but the question was lost in the rush of heat flooding her face as Vicky reached for her panties. “Please,” she whispered, her voice thin and small. “I can just… do it myself.” But Vicky just gave her that same sweet, patronizing smile. “Shhh. Let me take care of you, Kaleigh.” She tugged Kaleigh’s panties down next, and Kaleigh’s breath caught in her throat. She pressed her thighs together, but it didn’t do anything to hide how exposed she was. “Yeah, but… I can just—like, use your bathroom and clean myself up,” Kaleigh said quickly, her words tumbling out in a rush. “It’s fine. Really. I’m not… I don’t need…” She trailed off, swallowing. She hated how small her voice sounded, how pathetic she must look standing in her wet panties like a child. She tried to keep her chin up, but it was so humiliating. Like she wasn’t just a grown woman standing in a nursery half-naked—she was a little girl again, with someone else wiping away her mess. Vicky began to wipe her down, gentle but thorough and Kaleigh squirmed, her hands flexing at her sides. “Please—I can do it myself. Just give me the cloth, okay?” Vicky didn’t answer and kept wiping, slow, careful strokes that made Kaleigh want to crawl out of her own skin, until she was clean and felt absolutely raw with shame. When Vicky was done, she reached for a small package on the shelf. Kaleigh’s eyes went wide. “Umm… what?” Kaleigh blurted, her voice a half-laugh that didn’t reach her eyes. “You can’t be serious. Those are for… like… actual children.” “It’s just for tonight,” Vicky said soothingly, as if that made it any less mortifying. “Just to be safe, dear. You had a little accident already, and we wouldn’t want to risk another one, would we?” Kaleigh felt her stomach drop. She hated how small she was, how easy it was for people to assume she was younger than she was. She was 5’1”, not five. Vicky’s expression didn’t change. “Kaleigh, I know this is hard. But I still have to clean up the mess you made at the front door—and I can still see your little drips through the hallway. You don’t want to make another mess while I’m cleaning everything up, do you?” Kaleigh froze, her cheeks burning. She opened her mouth to argue but… Vicky was right. “I… I guess,” she muttered finally, her shoulders slumping. Vicky gave her that same warm, maternal smile and guided her feet into the pull-up, sliding it up her legs like it was totally normal. Like it was no big deal that Kaleigh—Kaleigh Turner, the D1 prospect and team’s leading scorer, the girl who never let anyone push her around—was standing here in a goddamn Goodnite, just letting it happen. She wanted to scream. She wanted to run. But she just stood there, her face hot and her heart hammering. “There now,” Vicky said softly, brushing a strand of hair off her forehead again. “All safe and sound. Make yourself comfortable and let me take care of that little mess you made in the hallway, okay?” Kaleigh could only nod, feeling smaller than she’d ever felt in her life. o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o “Umm… can I help?” she called out a few moments later, her voice coming out small and uncertain. Kaleigh watched Vicky from the door as the woman calmly knelt to scrub the dark trail of wet footprints in the hallway. The padded pull-up clung around her hips in the most humiliating way, every small shift of her weight making it crinkle softly. She tried to keep her hands at her sides, but couldn’t help tugging at her shirt, trying to pull it lower but it didn’t work. She still felt… ridiculous. The gentle swish of the sponge and the faint scent of cleaner filled the air, and Kaleigh felt her face go hot all over again as Vicky looked up, her smile warm but her eyes firm. “No, sweetie. You’re a guest in this home. And besides, you’ve done enough for tonight, don’t you think?” Kaleigh swallowed and nodded, biting the inside of her cheek. She shifted from foot to foot and didn’t know what to do with herself. Stand here and watch? Go back to the room? She hovered in the doorway for another minute before turning back down the hall. She needed something—anything—to distract her from the fact that she was basically wearing a kid’s diaper in some stranger’s house. She drifted back into the room, her eyes darting around like she was seeing it for the first time. The crib in the corner looked almost absurdly large, the mattress covered in soft pastel sheets. A row of picture books sat neatly on a low shelf, each one worn at the edges like it’d been read a hundred times. A stuffed rabbit with floppy ears leaned against the wall, one button eye missing. Kaleigh’s stomach twisted at how deliberately babyish it all felt—like the room itself was stuck in a time warp. She ran her fingers over the edge of the crib absentmindedly, trying to calm the anxious flutter in her chest. Vicky must have kids. Or… or maybe she babysits? But the longer she stood there, the more that explanation didn’t feel right. There were no family photos in the room, no signs of actual children anywhere else in the house. Just this nursery. This perfect, pristine oversized nursery. She pulled back, hugging her arms around herself. She wanted to find her friends, make some jokes, laugh about how weird this all was—but she was alone. Kaleigh hesitated, then lifted the hem of her oversized shirt just enough to peak at the ruffled pink waistband. She dared a glance in the nursery mirror, staring at how the thick padding clung to her hips and curved around her ass. She yanked the t-shirt down and peeked out into the hallway again. Vicky was still scrubbing, humming softly to herself like she was cleaning up after a toddler who’d tracked in mud. Kaleigh’s cheeks flamed and she ducked back into the nursery, unable to bear another second. She noticed another door off the hallway and thought about exploring—anything to get her mind off the humiliating crinkle between her legs. But some small voice inside her, something instinctive and wary, told her not to. This wasn’t her house. That would be rude. So she stayed in the nursery, awkward and quiet, as Vicky finished cleaning up the mess she’d made. Each second felt like an hour. And each second made her feel a little smaller, a little more trapped. o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o Vicky came back into the nursery humming softly under her breath, wiping her hands on a dish towel like she’d just finished cleaning up after dinner, not the humiliating parade of puddles Kaleigh had left in her wake. She gave Kaleigh a warm smile, her eyes calm and bright. “All cleaned up out there, dear,” she said in that same sweet, patient tone. “Like it never happened.” Kaleigh stood there in the oversized t-shirt, tugging the hem lower as she shifted from foot to foot. She felt so exposed. “I’m sure you’re feeling much better now too, hmm?” Kaleigh managed a small nod, her cheeks burning. “Um… do you have my clothes?” Kaleigh asked, her voice small as she tugged at the hem of the oversized t-shirt for the millionth time, feeling the cool air on her bare legs. Vicky looked up from the laundry basket she’d carried in from the hall and gave her a gentle smile. “Oh, sweetie. I tossed your wet clothes—and everything else you brought—into the wash. You made quite the mess out there,” she said lightly, like it was just a minor inconvenience. “But don’t worry, they’ll be clean and fresh for tomorrow.” Kaleigh’s face flushed. All my clothes? Even the clean stuff? She opened her mouth to argue but hesitated. The thought of making a fuss about it felt… petty. Like she’d already embarrassed herself enough for one night. She shifted her weight, looking down at her bare legs, the faint crinkle of the pull-up under her t-shirt reminding her exactly how childish she looked and cleared her throat, trying to sound casual, even though her cheeks were burning. “Okay.. Do you… um, do you have any shorts or sweats or something I could wear?” she asked, her voice a little too quick. She hated how small she felt in this moment—how much she hated having to ask for clothes like a child. Vicky looked up from where she was folding a blanket, her smile soft and patient. “Of course, sweetie. Let’s see…” She crossed the room and opened a small dresser, rummaging around until she pulled out a folded set of pale yellow pajamas covered in tiny cartoon ducks. Kaleigh’s stomach dropped. She stared at them, her cheeks going even hotter. “Oh. Um… that’s…” she stammered. “Aren’t these just precious?” Vicky said softly, her eyes soft but her tone leaving no room for argument. “This should be just about your size, I think..” They looked… childish. Like, straight-up toddler-level cutesy. Kaleigh stared, her stomach flipping. She shook her head quickly. “No. That’s… I’m good,” she said quickly, her voice cracking as she tugged the t-shirt lower. “I’ll just stick with this.” She tried to keep her tone light, casual, like it wasn’t a big deal. But inside, her heart was thudding. She’d rather die than put on those ducky pajamas. Vicky’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “Alright, dear,” she said calmly, folding the pajamas back up and slipping them into the drawer. “Whatever makes you comfortable.” Kaleigh just nodded stiffly, swallowing down the sour taste in her mouth. Comfortable was not the word she’d use. But she’d take the oversized t-shirt over those baby pajamas any day. She shifted her weight, feeling the padding push into her in a way that felt so wrong, and tried to pretend it wasn’t happening. But the truth was… she couldn’t. She felt so small, so weirdly little, and there was no hiding it. Vicky turned back to her and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Alright then,” she said softly. “Let’s get you settled for bed.” --------------------------------- The Sweet Hollow series is a psychological thriller mystery. Follow along as Kaleigh and the other girls from the bus discover the mysteries of this sleepy little town that seems determined to turn them into little girls. You can read the ENTIRE 55k word story RIGHT NOW on Ream or SubscribeStar or grab it now on Amazon. Find Abby McGee here: SubStar | Ream | Amazon

Chapter 46: Just a Fluke I stood frozen in place with Hannah’s arms wrapped firmly around me. At least she had hugged me around my chest. Any lower and her hands might have stumbled upon the padding beneath my shorts. I needed to get that pull-up off. I should have known better than to keep it on so close to when everyone was coming home for the evening. I could have encountered problems even if it weren’t for Hannah’s surprise visit. And what had I gotten myself into? I deeply regretted telling Hannah that we were friends back at camp, even if that had been the only plan I was able to come up with to purchase her silence about my bedwetting. I watched over Hannah’s shoulder as her cousin, Emma, practically dashed out the door. Not fair. She got to go play soccer. I had to stay home and babysit her cousin. It was an annoying ending to what had otherwise been a perfect day of having the house to myself to experience wearing an actual diaper for the first time. Who knew how long it would be before an experience like that again? I should have taken at least one more diaper when I had swiped one from Hannah’s suitcase back at camp. Like she would notice one more was gone. My little brother Jackson came pounding down the stairs behind me as I watched the front door shut following Emma’s exit. Hannah finally released me from the hug. I wasn’t sure if it was her pull-up or mine that I heard crinkle when we each took a step back. If Jackson, who had witnessed Hannah’s accident on the front steps when he had arrived home with Mom only minutes ago, had any further thoughts on what he had seen, he didn’t make them known. He turned the corner to the living room with a handful of miniature toy cars held in his arms. Well, he was only five. Kids that age had memories about as good as goldfish. “I’m going to start making dinner,” Mom said. “Hannah, do you like eating spaghetti?” “No,” Hannah said with a shake of her head. “That’s gross.” “How about fried rice?” Hannah shook her head again. “I could make you some chicken nuggets.” That suggestion brought a smile to Hannah’s face. I couldn’t believe it. Mom never let me be that picky when it came to dinner. If I didn’t like something, I had to try it, but I wasn’t required to finish it. But being able to reject dinner options multiple times in a row? That was unheard of. I wasn’t all that keen on spaghetti, but I would have preferred if Hannah had stuck on that or fried rice rather than nuggets. That was Jackson’s favorite meal. I didn’t mind it. But it wasn’t something I wanted to eat more than a few times a month. “Why don’t you show Hannah around?” Mom said. “It’s going to be a while before dinner is ready. Have to get the oven heated up first.” I gave Hannah a short tour of the house, showing her around the main level before heading upstairs. I gave Jackson, who was playing with his toys in the living room, a wide berth. Hannah ran up the stairs ahead of me to the second floor, and I realized I had made a mistake in the clothes I had picked out for her. Many of my shorts didn’t tend to be high-waisted. After all, there wasn’t any need to worry about a pull-up sticking out the top. On Hannah, this was a problem. If she was standing or sitting still, her shirt settled in place just enough to keep the top of the pull-up concealed, but the second she lifted her arms up, bent over, or leaned to the side, her unusual undergarments were plain as day. I didn’t like other people wearing my clothes. I didn’t ever share clothes with Emma or Angie, though they, at times, would swap pajamas at sleepovers. It was an unexplainable ick. I hadn’t objected initially to getting the shorts for Hannah both because Mom had asked me to do so and because there hadn’t been any alternative solution to her wet pants, which was also partially my fault. It wasn’t until I took the first step up the stairs that I became aware again of how I still had a pull-up under my shorts as well, as the padding scrunched between my legs with each step upward. At least my shorts were a pair that was better suited to hide the pull-up. I had to get the pull-up off before Grace got back. Mom didn’t seem to have noticed, and Jackson was obviously oblivious. I didn’t think Dad would be a problem, but my older sister had called me out in a wet pull-up that morning after the birthday sleepover. Would Grace notice a dry pull-up beneath my shorts? I didn’t want to chance it. After getting up the stairs, I pointed out each bedroom as I walked down the hallway toward my own one, which was at the very end. Once inside, Hannah ran toward my bed and launched herself in the air onto it. “It’s crinkly, just like mine,” she proclaimed loudly. I winced, glancing instinctively toward the hallway. Thank goodness that Jackson had already made his way downstairs. I needed to get Hannah off of the topic of pull-ups and bedwetting, lest she accidentally blurt out the wrong thing at the wrong time. I chose not to acknowledge her comparison of how our beds both had protective covers on the mattresses. Though it did make me wonder. My experiment today seemed to suggest that Hannah’s diapers could hold a massive amount of pee without leaking. Why would she also need a plastic mattress protector? Hannah didn’t seem capable of sitting still. She practically leaped off of the bed as she perused the entire bedroom. There was no stopping her as she touched and sifted through all my things, all while giving a running commentary of what she thought about all of it. I had left the top drawer of my dresser open. Sure, Hannah already knew about my pull-ups. But I couldn’t be this careless. What if Jackson had wandered into my bedroom? He was just tall enough that he might be able to see into the top drawer if he stood on the tips of his toes. Hannah peeked into the drawer before I had a chance to go over and shut it. “That’s a lot of pull-ups!” Mom had just restocked. I belatedly remembered her comment about how she would get me the name-brand ones like Hannah wore rather than the generic ones I had the next time she was going to purchase pull-ups for me. It was a shame that I would have to wait a while for that. Hannah, thankfully, didn’t remain fixated on the pull-ups, her attention drawn next to some of my soccer trophies. While Hannah examined the trophies, I slid over to my dresser and closed the top drawer. As I stood next to the dresser, I clenched my legs together instinctively as a sudden urge to pee struck me. When was the last time I’d gone to the bathroom? It couldn’t have been that long ago. I relaxed as the need to pee went away, resuming my watch over Hannah as she continued to peruse my bedroom. A few moments later, the need to pee was back in full force, my bladder feeling as though it had suddenly arrived at its breaking point. What to do? Risk leaving Hannah alone in my room? Or risk not making it to the toilet in time? I had the pull-up on. I could wet it. No. I wasn’t like Hannah. I didn’t need to use pull-ups because I couldn’t make it to the toilet on time during the day. “Be right back.” I walked calmly to the bedroom door, acting as if my bladder wasn’t practically screaming at me, quickening my pace the moment I rounded the corner to the hallway and was out of sight. I locked the bathroom door behind me and then collapsed onto the cold toilet seat in a hurry. I barely managed a trickle. That was odd. I was sure I had needed to pee more than that. I strained for about a minute, getting a little more urine to come out. I was probably just feeling off because of how much extra water I had drunk today. That had to explain why my body was acting strange. I’d be fine tomorrow. I did look down at the pull-up as I attempted to empty my bladder. The absorbent lining on the interior remained completely white. Nothing had come out on accident. I relaxed slightly. The quarter-sized leak on my underwear earlier today had just been a one-off. I toyed with the idea of taking the pull-up off, hiding it somewhere in the bathroom, and returning to the bedroom commando. But in the few seconds I had before needing to get back to my bedroom, I couldn’t think of a suitable location that my family might not accidentally stumble upon before I’d have the opportunity to retrieve the pull-up. I wiped myself clean as fast as I could, trying not to think about what Hannah might be getting up to in the bedroom in my absence. I didn’t wait for the water to warm up as I washed my hands under a cold stream in the sink, shaking them dry and rubbing them on my shorts as I hurried back to the bedroom. I found Hannah with her head stuck inside my closet, looking through all the clothes hanging on the rack. A few shirts on the floor and empty hangers above them evidence enough that she wasn’t being all that careful. “What are you doing?” I asked as calmly as I could, doing my best not to snap at her. I’d put too much work into putting my laundry away neatly to have her come along and mess it all up. It was one of my least favorite chores to do. I tried — and failed — to surprise a large sigh. Hannah just had no concept of personal space or privacy whatsoever. There had been many times in my life when I had wished that I had a sister closer in age to me than Grace — maybe even a twin. But no, at least with siblings a decent distance in age from me, I was granted privacy in my room, and I certainly wasn’t expected to share any of my clothing. “I want something else to wear,” Hannah said. “I don’t like these shorts. They’re itchy.” I looked at the shorts Hannah was wearing. I’d last worn them a week ago at camp. Nothing had been wrong with them then. That didn’t make any sense. I knew my shorts weren’t itchy. Just like I knew my pull-ups weren’t itchy. I didn’t understand why Hannah would claim that they were. Maybe that was just her way of saying that she didn’t like them. It was bad enough that Hannah was already wearing that pair of shorts. I didn’t need her trying on half my clothes to finally find something that would better suit her picky tastes. And what did it matter that her pull-ups showed, anyway? That secret was already out. “Can’t you just wear the shorts? It’s only for a few hours.” “But,” Hannah said, her voice rising an octave to a high-pitched whine. A distraction. I needed a distraction. No more conversations about pull-ups, bedwetting, or clothing. I knew what would work. Even if I also knew that it would send Hannah on another tangent that there would be no getting her off of. I walked over to my desk, opened the drawer, and pulled out the portable video game console. “Do you want to check out this Harry Potter game?” <><><> “Maddy, Hannah, it’s time for dinner.” At the sound of Mom calling from the foot of the stairs, I looked over at the clock. Nearly forty-five minutes had passed since Mom had come home. I hadn’t been expecting dinner just yet. I knew Grace wasn’t home. She always went back to her room to change clothes after returning from work, and I knew I wouldn’t have missed her walking in the hallway. “Can you play for a few more minutes?” Hannah asked as I pressed the pause button on the game and set the console to the side. I eased myself off of the bed, again careful to make sure my pull-up didn’t show. I had to get it off. Maybe I could let Hannah run ahead. It would just take a moment. I could slip the pull-up off. Exchange it for regular underwear and return it to the dresser. I let Hannah head out the bedroom door without following behind her. I waited, listening for her footsteps. I’d be able to tell if she made it down the stairs. That would give me enough time. But the creaking of her footsteps in the hallway came to a pause. And a second later, Hannah poked her head back around the bedroom door. “Aren’t you coming?” she asked. I suppressed a sigh. There was no choice but to follow her. I noticed that only five spots were set at the dining room table when I arrived at the bottom of the stairs. “Isn’t Hannah staying for dinner?” I asked as Mom rounded the corner from the kitchen, a tray of breaded chicken tenders in one hand and a bowl of spinach salad in the other. “Of course she is,” Mom said, setting the food down on the center of the table. “But where is she going to sit? You didn’t add a spot for her.” “Oh, Grace is covering for a coworker’s shift, so she isn’t going to be home for a few more hours.” That was really good news. I still needed to get the pull-up off, but Grace was my main concern. I would have a few more hours to get free from Hannah before. Before I could respond, Hannah walked to the other side of the table, taking a seat in Mom’s spot. For meals in the dining room, we always sat in the same spots. Mom and Dad on one side of the ovular table. Jackson was seated between Mom and me, and Grace was to my left. I stomped my foot. “You can’t sit there, Hannah. That seat is for Mom.” I pointed to where my older sister would normally sit. “You can have Grace’s spot.” Mom just laughed. “Maddy, it’s fine. We can mix things up tonight since Grace isn’t going to be here.” “Who’s Grace?” Hannah asked. I took a seat – in my proper spot, at least. “That’s my older sister.” “I’d like to have an older sister,” Hannah said while fiddling with her fork. Mom called out to Dad and Jackson, who came over from the living room to join us, with each going to their normal seats at the table. I looked over the options for the meal: frozen chicken strips with ketchup, ranch, and honey mustard to dip them in, a spinach and strawberry salad, and instant mashed potatoes. The dishes got handed around the table, and I helped myself to servings of each. Hannah looked apprehensively at the scoop of salad that Mom helped serve onto her plate. “Strawberries are a fruit,” she said. “Salads are for vegetables.” I gritted my teeth as Mom just laughed off Hannah’s comment, assuring her that it would actually taste good. I knew I wasn’t supposed to criticize food at dinner. Why were the rules different for Hannah? I picked sullenly at my dinner. I would have preferred the spaghetti that Mom had originally been planning. Hannah was not the neatest of eaters. Twice, she let ketchup drip onto her shirt while raising a chicken tender to her mouth, for real. Not even potty trained. And probably not far off from needing a bib. Nothing more was said about the circumstances surrounding Hannah’s arrival at the house. I didn’t doubt that Dad already knew, though. Information tended to flow freely between my parents. My parents asked Hannah some basic questions: Where was her family from, whether she had siblings, and what she liked to do for fun. Hannah answered nearly all of them with her mouth full as she focused on downing her chicken strips, the salad still untouched. Jackson’s chair squeaked as he pushed it back and stood up from the table. Mom looked first at Jackson’s plate – chicken mostly finished, salad and potatoes uneaten — before calling out after him. “Jackson, you need to clean your plate before you go play.” Jackson didn’t turn around as he gave his reply. “I need to poop.” I rolled my eyes as I stabbed another chicken strip with my fork, preparing to dip it in a small puddle of ketchup pooled in the corner of my plate opposite the still, untouched salad. What was with boys his age and their obsession with saying poop or pee rather than just saying they were going to the bathroom or restroom? As if Jackson’s sudden exit had reminded Hannah of something, she stood up from the table as well, glancing down the hallway to where Jackson had gone to the first-floor bathroom. Hannah’s feet were crossed, her legs quivering slightly. “Is there another bathroom?” I realized I hadn’t directly pointed out the upstairs bathroom on our tour. “It’s upstairs on the right side of the hallway,” Mom said. Hannah dashed off, nearly losing her balance as she rounded the corner to the stairs, which were visible from where I was sitting at the dining room table. Her shirt flew up as she took the stairs two at a time, exposing enough of her pull-up to make it more than obvious. I started to work on my salad after finishing the last chicken nugget. Not my favorite, but one Mom had made before. I didn’t really like spinach, so I tried to ration out the strawberries so I would not end up having to take bites that only contained that awful-tasting green leafy stuff. And then I needed to pee. Again. I clenched my legs together. It wasn’t fair. We only had two bathrooms in our house. I knew that Angie’s place had three. This wouldn’t even be a problem if my parents had just bought a house with a reasonable number of bathrooms in it. I probably had overdone things this morning, drinking way too much water in my eagerness to make sure I made full use of the diaper. Now, my bladder was all confused. And there was nothing I could do. Both bathrooms were full. I couldn’t think of any excuse to leave the table. There was no way to know how much time had passed since Jackson and Hannah had each gone off to the bathroom. I couldn’t see the clock near the entryway, and I knew better than to pull out my phone at the dinner table. Doing so was strictly forbidden. The pain between my legs was building rapidly. I didn’t have much time left. Maybe I would be safe. It wasn’t as though I had peed that much during the last two close calls. I tried to stare blankly at my pile of mashed potatoes as my bladder gave in without warning, the familiar warmth between my legs now terrifying rather than comforting. I found myself unable to breathe as I silently counted out the seconds. Three. Five. Seven. Done. The flow of urine into my pull-up ceased as suddenly as it had begun. I shoved a large spoonful of mashed potatoes into my mouth, not daring to look up at Mom and Dad. Was I safe? They hadn’t reacted. Despite the warmth of the newly wet pull-up, I didn’t feel the telltale wetness around my inner thighs that would be the first recognizable sign that the pull-up hadn’t held up. It was Hannah’s fault. If she hadn’t been here, I would have been able to go to the bathroom without being stuck at the table and forced to instead go in the pull-up. I continued to pick away at my food, stabbing irritably at the remaining spinach on my plate. Jackson arrived back at the table a minute later, followed closely by Hannah. I looked over at Hannah’s plate. She had picked each strawberry out of her salad. I doubted that she had eaten a single leaf of spinach. As much as I tried to ignore the feeling of the wet pull-up, I wasn’t able to take my mind off the sensation. I needed to get it off as soon as possible. But how? I had to get away from Hannah. But the only place in the house she would leave me alone would be in the bathroom. Couldn’t leave the pull-up in the trash. That would raise too many questions if it was noticed. I was still in the midst of contemplating a way out of my predicament when Hannah loudly announced she was done eating and stood up from the table. She took one step away before pausing, her eyes drawn to the floor by a sudden pitter-patter of feet from beneath the table. “A cat!” Hannah exclaimed. I leaned down and looked underneath the table. Chester was standing underneath Jackson’s chair, his tail flicking back and forth. “Does your family have any pets?” Mom asked. “No,” Hannah said. “I really wish I could get a cat.” As Hannah walked toward Jackson’s chair, Chester darted away, pausing at the foot of the stairs before running up to the second floor. Hannah pouted. “I just wanted to pet him.” “Chester can be shy sometimes,” Mom said. “Maddy can show you how to play with him.” I was happy for the chance to avoid finishing the small pile of spinach on my plate. I was not happy to be forced to stand up from the table with all eyes on me. Not with what was under my shorts. Certainly not, given the condition that it was. The moment of truth. I stood up from the table as carefully as I could, ever so casually giving my shirt a tug to ensure the waistband of my shorts was fully covered. I didn’t look down. I didn’t want to draw any attention to that area of my body. With each step away from the table, I was fully aware of how the pull-up was sagging off of my body, though I was experienced enough to sense that it wasn’t nearly as full as its maximum limits. I hoped more than anything that my posterior didn’t appear off to anyone watching me. At least the shorts were large on me, not form-fitting to the point where the outline of a wet pull-up would show. I followed Hannah up the stairs, struggling to keep pace with her while also trying to walk normally. It wasn’t hard to find Chester. There weren’t many places for him to go. The doors to Grace’s and my parents’ bedrooms were both closed. We checked the bathroom first, but he usually only went in there after showers to lick drops from the faucet in the tub. We arrived at my bedroom to find Chester lying sprawled out on my bed, nestled in between my two pillows. Before I could even open my mouth to warn Hannah that she needed to slow down or risk scaring Chester away again, she bolted forward, right up to the edge of the bed, leaning right over the cat. Chester was not amused. He jumped out of his spot on the bed and made a beeline for the door. When Hannah dashed after the cat, I didn’t make any attempt to stall her. This was the distraction that I needed. I listened to the sound of Hannah’s feet pounding down the staircase. Poor Chester. Maybe I could make it up by sneaking him a catnip treat later. With no hesitation, I dropped my pants to the floor, along with the pull-up. The wet pull-up got rolled up and tucked beneath the plethora of dry pull-ups in the top drawer of the dresser. Not ideal. But I could toss it out in the garage in the morning. That was the normal routine, at least after realizing that keeping the wet pull-ups in the garbage can in my room or the bedroom was leaving a lingering scent of urine. I grabbed a clean pair of underwear and nearly put it on before realizing belatedly that it would be better to get cleaned up first. With my shorts and underwear in hand, I dashed down the hallway and into the bathroom, where I quickly wiped myself dry with toilet paper, flushed, and then got dressed into more age-appropriate clothes. I wasn’t in a rush to get back to Hannah. I adjusted my shorts while looking at myself in the bathroom mirror. So many close calls. I promised myself that I would be more careful going forward. But I didn’t fret. It wasn’t my fault, especially not the last accident. Just a fluke. But no matter how I adjusted my shorts, the underway hidden beneath them didn’t feel right. I found myself wishing it was already time for bed when I could wear a pull-up freely, with my little brother being the only person I would need to keep it hidden from at night. As I meandered down the stairs, I wondered if Hannah had managed to corner Chester. For his sake, I kind of hoped that she hadn’t. If Chester had been a smart cat — in possession of more than one brain cell — he would have disappeared into the basement to hide in the dark corners of the laundry room until Hannah was gone for the night. Chester was not a smart cat. He had instead made his way into the living room, where he was hiding underneath one of the sofas. Hannah was busy attempting to coax him out to play. She had found one of his favorite toys, a little fishing pole with a soft mouse at the end of a short, stretchy string. Dad was in his recliner, feet up, typing away on his work laptop. Jackson was playing with his miniature toy cars, making the most awful sounds that didn’t bear any resemblance to the actual thing. Mom was off in the kitchen. I could hear the sound of running water coming from the sink in the distance as she worked to tidy up from dinner. As I took a seat on the couch, I found myself subconsciously tugging my shirt down again while sitting. I pulled my hand away. Completely unnecessary. Not like I had anything I needed to hide now. The shorts I had loaned to Hannah didn’t fit her as well as they fit me. As she laid down further to reach for the cat, the top several inches of the pull-up became visible. I averted my eyes, pretending to suddenly be really interested in the remaining tea in the glass on the side table to my left. I adjusted my shirt again. “Dad, dad,” Jackson said, until his whining caught Dad’s attention, and he looked up from his laptop at my younger brother. “Why is she wearing a pull-up? Only babies wear pull-ups?” My cheeks burned with secondhand embarrassment. Hannah didn’t look up. It was still hard to tell how much she heard through her noise-reducing ear muffs, but I had come to realize that unless she was actively paying attention to a conversation, things happening to the side didn’t catch her attention. I didn’t recall much of the potty training process my parents had used for Jackson – that had taken place before my interest in pull-ups and diapers had begun – but I did recall that what had done the trick for him at least had been making the clear distinction for him that in order to be a big kid, he had to move on from wearing pull-ups. Dad’s eyes shifted to the left, briefly taking in the sight of Hannah, whose pull-up was still showing, before providing an answer to Jackson’s query. “It’s not polite to talk about other people’s underwear,” Dad said. “And yes, sometimes older kids need to wear pull-ups if they have a medical condition, and their bodies have a hard time remembering to go in the toilet.” “OK,” said Jackson. He accepted the answer and resumed making even more irritating noises with his toy cars. I looked over at Hannah. She was lucky enough to be able to block all of that out. “Maddy,” Dad said, looking at me and nodding in Hannah’s direction. I looked down at Hannah, who was still loudly attempting to get Chester to chase the toy and come out from under the couch. “Can you help her out?” I scooted over to the other side of the couch and gave Hannah’s shirt a slight tug downward to get it back into place, removing the pull-up from sight. Hannah remained too focused on her unsuccessful attempts to play with Chester to pay any heed to my intervention. I rolled my eyes as I watched her continue to whack the toy back and forth under the couch. I slid off the couch and took a seat on the floor next to Hannah. “Give it here,” I said as I took the toy from her. “You have to wiggle the mouse and then move it out of sight so that he gets curious about chasing it.” It took about a minute, but after a few final deft maneuvers with the cat toy, Chester came darting out from underneath the couch. Hannah immediately attempted to grab him. Not a good idea. “Ouch,” Hannah squealed, jerking her hand back as Chester sprinted out down the hallway at full speed. Despite Hannah’s whimpers about the fresh cut on the back of her hand, I was able to make out the sound of the cat scrambling madly down the stairs. <><><> Picking out a band-aid for Hannah proved nearly as difficult as finding pull-ups or clothes that she liked to wear. The plain ones were ugly. She didn’t like any of the superhero ones reserved for Jackson. There were a couple of Harry Potter-themed ones remaining from a pack Mom had purchased for me a couple years back, but none of them were in the right size to properly cover up the inch-long gouge Chester had left on Hannah’s hand. “Ow, ow, ow,” Hannah cried as Mom finished applying disinfectant to the wound. Hannah had finally acquiesced to one of the standard Band-Aids, if only because I told her that she wouldn’t be able to play on my videogame system unless she had a bandage on the cut. Sequestered in the bedroom, there wasn’t any more damage that Hannah could do. No more uncomfortable interactions with Jackson or my parents. No pull-ups being shown off at inopportune times. The only breaks I got from her were the trips to the bathroom. Hannah made three mad dashes to the bathroom. As far as I could tell, she managed to avoid having any accidents. I remembered the potty training watch Hannah had been wearing the first time we had met earlier in the summer. She hadn’t worn it at camp either. Perhaps Hannah had forgotten it back at Emma’s place. Seemed like something she should still be using. For myself, I made two quick trips to use the toilet, though neither had been prompted quite as urgently as what had led to the accident at the dinner table. The sound of the doorbell ringing a couple hours later had me letting out a massive sigh of relief as Hannah raced downstairs to greet her parents. Hannah darted up from the bed to race downstairs. I tagged along more slowly. The sooner Hannah was out the door, the better. But when I got to the foot of the stairs, it was Grace I saw coming in through the entryway, not Hannah’s parents. Hannah didn’t say anything to my older sister. Her attention was focused straight down the hallway, right at Chester, who was in the living room. This time, Hannah didn’t run after Chester. She started tip-toeing as slowly as possible in his direction. Grace took a look at the bandage on one of Hannah’s outstretched hands. “Looks like she learned to be careful with Chester the hard way,” she said. “Her family doesn’t have any pets,” I said. Grace and I continued to watch as Hannah moved in slow motion down the hallway. Chester, who had flopped in the middle of the living room, was now occasionally looking back in her direction. Hannah paused each time he looked up at her like she was in the middle of a game of Red Light, Green Light. “What’s the deal with Hannah wearing pull-ups?” Grace asked in a hushed tone as Hannah finally made it to within a few feet of Chester. I took a close look at Hannah before replying. Her pull-ups weren’t visible at all. “She has autism,” I said at last. That had been a sufficient enough explanation for Mom. “I see,” Grace said. She paused for a second before turning around to head up the stairs to her bedroom. That was a close call. Not for Hannah, but for me. What would have happened if Grace had come home for dinner when I still had a pull-up of my own underneath my shorts? I nibbled slightly on my lip as I thought about what the answer to that question might be. That had been a close call. Even if I’d kept my pull-up dry tonight, if I’d still had it on, Grace would have been aware, and it would have been impossible to try and explain away why I was wearing one a couple hours before my bedtime. In the distance, Hannah was now only a foot away from Chester, every motion remaining slow and very exaggerated as she started to bend down. Chester seemed relaxed enough. Maybe she’d get away with petting him without needing any additional bandages. Her pull-up was visible once again as she bent down further. There was no helping her with that. Then the doorbell rang for a second time. Chester flew up right into the air, scrambling as he landed back on the floor and dashed away back to the basement. Hannah turned around to watch him run, stomping her feet as she did so. “I’m coming,” Mom called out from the kitchen. I took a peak through the window as Mom walked to the front door. The two adults at the door bore a close resemblance to Hannah. She was finally going home. Thank goodness. Mom ushered Hannah’s parents, Steve and Megan, inside as Dad stepped into the living room as well to greet them. “Thank you so much for looking after Hannah,” Megan said. “We hadn’t even realized that she had run off until your daughter texted Emma.” Mom reassured her that it hadn’t been an issue at all. “We have Emma over all the time. I’m sure we’ll be seeing Hannah again.” “Hannah was so excited when she got back from camp last week. She said she had a lot of fun being in the same cabin as Maddy,” Megan said. “Having a new friend to look forward to is making the move so much easier.” I started picking at my fingernails. Hannah had promised not to speak of my bedwetting or the fact that I had been wearing pull-ups during the day at camp as a means to make her feel better. What did her parents know? Even if Hannah hadn’t mentioned that I was a bedwetter, telling them that I had been in the same cabin as her, one reserved for kids with that issue, was just as bad. “When is your move-in date?” Dad asked. “We don’t have an exact date yet,” Steve said. “But it will be sometime later this summer. Need to get everything settled before school starts.” “Will they be in the same grade?” Dad asked. “Maddy is starting eighth grade this fall.” “Hannah is in seventh grade,” Megan said. “But we have her signed up for a private school about fifteen minutes from here. That was one of the reasons we relocated, actually. We were looking for something that offered more specialized attention.” “Hannah,” her dad said. “We need to get going. It’s almost time for you to get ready for bed.” I watched as Hannah started to walk over to her parents. Her shirt briefly slipped up to reveal the pull-up waistband again for a half-second. Cause her shorts didn’t cover it. Because they were my shorts. It was bad enough that she was borrowing them for the evening. I didn’t want her taking them home. “Hey,’ “I said. “Can I have my shorts back before you leave?” Hannah’s parents both looked at me quizzically and then at their daughter. Apparently, Emma hadn’t informed her aunt and uncle about the extent of her cousin’s accident. Mom stepped in to explain. “Hannah’s shorts got wet, so I tossed them in the wash and gave her a pair of Maddy’s to wear for the evening.” “I see,” Hannah’s mom said with a nod that suggested this wasn’t an unusual occurrence, taking another glance over at her daughter. “Maddy,” Mom asked. “Can you go grab Hannah’s shorts from the laundry room? The dryer should be done by now.” Mom had tossed Hannah’s urine-soaked shorts into the washing machine with a load of laundry, so it took me a couple minutes to pick through the nearly too-warm-to-touch clothing in the dryer before I found her shorts. Hannah happily took her shorts back from me once I returned, rushing to the bathroom to get changed before returning to the room and tossing my shorts right at my chest. I caught them but held the shorts gingerly as if they had been contaminated. I didn’t like touching other people’s dirty clothes, even if it was my clothes that someone else had worn. As our parents talked, Hannah kept peeking down the hallway and sneaking glances into the kitchen, but with two new strangers arriving, Chester appeared to be out of sight for good this evening. That left Hannah and I standing awkwardly in the dining room as our parents talked about boring adult stuff like interest rates and the housing market. I watched as Hannah attempted to stifle a yawn, causing me to yawn for real. So much for needing to get home urgently for Hannah’s bedtime. That at least caught the attention of Hannah’s mom. She looked at her watch before motioning to her husband. “I think we need to head out for real now,” Megan said. “Emma mentioned she had friends coming over for a sleepover tomorrow, so we’ll see you then.” My heart sank at the reminder of the sleepover, which I had pushed to the back of my mind since Emma had told me earlier today that her cousin would be in town for it. How was I going to survive it? The sudden hope of getting a chance to snatch another one of Hannah’s diapers clashed head-on with the fear of my secret getting out to the last two people in the world who I wanted to find out. Hannah would expect me to be wearing pull-ups tomorrow night. Emma and Angie would assume I’d be in regular underwear. Somehow, someway, I would need to convince all three of them that they were each right. I glanced over at Hannah as she crinkled past me on her way to the front door. She had better keep her promise. --- Links to all my stories can be found at https://abdlwriter.wordpress.com/

Chapter 48: Training Elysium – LittleFallenPrincess ------------------------------- April First week of April and it was already off to a good start. The third years were in a much better mood this week, as they start potty training very soon. Though apparently because the third year boys took so long in getting in line with the program, they’re not doing this whole potty training thing until next month. I don’t know why it’s some big deal though, as it’s clear they’ve done something to our brains or something to turn off our potty training, and isn’t it just a quick switch back with more hypnosis? Or did it remove it completely and now they genuinely have to start from scratch? I guess I’ll hear more from the third year girls when they start later this week. Except Ellie, apparently. They all pretty much know she’s into this at this point, it’s not exactly subtle. They still don’t know about the deal she has to be in here, but they do know she doesn’t intend to get her potty training back. Walking was needed in the outside world, so she played along with that, but potty training… Apparently she didn’t want it back at all, so she opted out of the plan. I mean… that’s a pretty drastic decision… but I think she’s been told if she ever wants to regain control, Elysium will be happy to give it back when she’s ready, even if it’s years after graduating. Sia, her ‘big sister’ may not hate being babied, but unlike her ‘little sister’, she can’t wait to get into pullups after being in nappies for so long. Because that’s what they’ll be wearing… pullups. They’ll get little plastic potties and everything, apparently. They know because that’s what happened with the third years before them. When they were in second year, they watched the third years go through months of potty training. Having to ask a Nanny to be taken to the potty, being punished if you have an accident in your pullups… I could see the appeal of not going through that, as even if they were silly punishments like being returned to nappies for a few days, I don’t like earning punishments. I… like to be a good girl if at all possible. In other good news, Ceres got permission for me to watch some of Laura’s livestreams, just one per week at most, for an hour. And only when she’s playing a game and nothing real life is being talked about, as I’m still supposed to be in the dark regarding the world outside Elysium’s walls. The first night watching was amazing, I must admit. Ceres must have told Laura that I was going to be watching that evening, so Laura picked a rather childish, family-friendly game to play on stream. I sat there, in the chair, cuddled up with my Nanny in her arms, with her tablet showing the livestream in front of us, all snuggled up in my pyjamas, watching my ‘big sister’ show off her livestreaming skills. Honestly… I never would’ve guessed the slightly reserved woman I met just the other week had such charisma on camera. But what made it special, was when Laura made a little call out. “I’m going to name this villager Rosie, because she’s cute,” she said. Then apparently the chat was asking who Rosie was, if she was a girlfriend or a friend or something (I wasn’t allowed to view the chat, in case anything from the real world got mentioned). Rosie just replied with “she’s my little sister. I only met her for the first time the other week, and she’s the cutest little bean! Shout out to my baby sister, Rosie!” I squealed and squirmed in Ceres’ arms, flailing about with happiness. “Happy now, Princess?” Ceres asked, kissing my cheek. “Uh huh!” I replied. “I like Laura. I really hope we become closer when I graduate.” “Me too. She was such a good girl for me when she was in here. Kerry was a bit of a handful on occasion, you saw how excited and bubbly she gets. Now imagine an adult-sized three year old version of her…” “I can imagine. Thank you for this.” “Oh sweetie, you know I’d do anything for you.” Much later on in April, it was now our turn for our special training… walking. Third years were already in pullups, well… the girls were… the boys had to wait a tinier bit longer. Now it was time for the second years to begin walking. And just like the third years… the boys (Rowan excluded) were being delayed a month for taking so long to get with the program, which caused a lot of groaning and complaints from Jack and Ollie and that lot, but thankfully that was all it was, just complaining. They were behaving a lot better now at least, though they still weren’t friendly with any of us on the other side of the playroom. I hafta admit… I missed Ollie. It had been nearly half a year since he showed his true colours and defected over to the boys. He still didn’t get along with Jack, Frankie and Harry… but he did get along with the third year boys. The third years, from what I observed, tolerated Jack and his gang hanging out with them, but they rarely got on with them like they did with Ollie. Which made me worry for Ollie, because once the third years graduate, he’ll either have to make friends with Jack… befriend the new second years… or do all this on his own. Unless he puts whatevers bothering him behind him and apologises so he can rejoin our group. But anyway… Yes, walking. This was… humiliating. Not as humiliating as sitting on a potty in front of everyone to do your business… at least nappies made it discreet when it came to using them. I felt kinda bad for the five third-year girls who were attempting to potty train, whenever they sat on a potty… their faces turned beet red as they quietly wished for it to end. That doesn’t mean our training wasn’t humiliating at all, but in comparison, we had it easy. I will admit though, falling back on my padded arse over and over again got old quickly, as did the snickers and giggles coming from the boys’ side of the playroom. But hey, that just means we can laugh at them next month when they go through the same! Whereas the potty training for the third years would take a few months, apparently, we got walking done by the end of April. We were still a bit wobbly, whatever programming they had pumped into our brains made it so we were still required to take it slowly, and the thick padding between our legs didn’t help to keep our balance, so we’d often fall. We’re all just glad the playroom floors are soft… “Ella, you were so good today!” I said to her, as I snuggled up with her in my crib, with Ceres sitting idly in the background playing on her tablet. “You think so?” “You didn’t fall over once! You’re definitely the Queen of walking in the second year.” “Oh shush. Rosie… you’ll get there eventually.” I hoped so. Sure, I had managed to get used to walking again… mostly. I can do it unaided…. Most of the time. Legs are still a bit wobbly though, and I often resort to crawling instead because of the amount of times I’ve fallen back onto my padded backside. “Why do I need to walk anyway? I have Ceres to carry me everywhere… and crawling is underrated!” This made Ella giggle, but it also caught Ceres’ attention. “You can’t rely on me to carry you to job interviews or to appointments… I can’t take you shopping hun… once you graduate, that’s it, you’re on your own. Well, on your own with Elysium support.” “What are you going to do once we graduate?” I asked my Nanny. “I don’t know.” “It’ll be six years here… think you could do another three?” “Not sure yet, hun. They have a very generous leaving package if you do decide to leave after you’ve done a set of three years. I could go travelling, do something I’ve always wanted… I get the same benefits as graduates, which means I could even start my own business, if I wanted.” “I sense a ‘but’ coming…” I replied. “But… I like it here. Elysium is home. I’m very protective of it now. Maybe I wasn’t at first, but by the end of my first three years… I knew what good this place could do, and what good I could do here. So maybe… maybe I will stay? Again, this is something I’ll figure out next year. I’ve still got a year and a half…ish… of changing your soggy nappies!” I blushed, which caused Ella to smile and kiss my cheek. “I think you do a lot of good here. You fix things and you support everyone. I know the board must be so glad to have you here.” “I have to agree. You’d be amazing as like a ‘Head Nanny’ or something!” Ella replied. “Is that even a thing here?” “No, it’s not. Just the board, and the Nannies,” Ceres answered. “Maybe I’ll stay. Maybe I’ll go and get some more free time, spend it with my favourite baby…” She quickly stuck her tongue out at me. “Hey! Once I graduate, I won’t be one!” I replied in defence. “Give it time. You’ll miss Elysium eventually. You’ll be one of the ones who end up getting a kink out of this place.” “I… no! Shush!” “Hey babe… if you did… I wouldn’t mind, you know that?” Ella said, taking me by surprise. “Really? If I ended up wanting to be treated like this outside of Elysium? Not that I do! Just hypothetically speaking. Right now… I don’t think I will. Just saying.” “Suuuuure…” Ella trailed off, making it clear she didn’t believe me. “But if you did… you make an absolutely adorable baby…” “You could be her Mummy…” Ceres blurted out, giggling to herself, causing both Ella and myself to blush, avoiding eye contact with each other. “But no, seriously, if you do or don’t continue this… Elysium, me… and it seems your girlfriend… will support you no matter what. If you want a nursery, Elysium is happy to supply you with one.” “Wow… really?” I asked. “Surely all this custom furniture must be expensive? I doubt you can just go to the shops and get an adult sized crib…” “If you gained a kink in here like others have… that’s down to us. Plus it means you’re letting out your stresses in a healthy way, not reverting to bad habits. Which means we don’t have to readmit you or keep a close eye on you. So yes, it’s a small price to pay, knowing that you’re doing well outside of Elysium.” “I guess that makes sense…” I genuinely don’t know if I would be into this once I graduate. Because on one hand… I really do like being cared for. Feeling small, feeling all my adult stresses disappear… it was better than any night out or spa vacation or anything. I really did feel like my best self here… which worried me. But one look at Jess and Sophia, and at Ellie,and they’re well-adjusted adults… when they’re not enjoying playing with blocks anyway. They manage a life, or at least I assume Jess and Sophia do. And I know Ellie was into it before coming here… though forcefully getting kidnapped by a shady institute to get to live out your kink probably isn’t the best, most sensible thing… Maybe… provided Ella is okay with it like she says she is… and provided I still want to wear these nappies after spending nearly three years in them by the time I graduate… maybe it’s something I’d like to explore. “For now, you just focus on being the best little babies for us, okay sweetpeas?” Ceres said to us, smiling over from her chair. “Don’t worry about graduation yet. That’s for when you’re in third year. Your job this year is to enjoy your new babyhood, to spend time with friends, to fill your pamps…” I buried my face into Ella’s shoulder, as she did mine, as I’m pretty sure by the squishiness I felt between my legs, the same squish that was pressing against hers… that we were both in need of a change right now. ====================================================== Don't forget I'm on Subscribestar! Subscribers get 2 weeks early access to chapters, and exclusive short stories (Nessa's Tale is currently the only available one). The next four chapters of my new story posted on my Subscribestar! ======================================================== I hope everyone enjoys this chapter! Please leave likes and comments and all that fun stuff, I love reading them! If you want to read the next 4 chapters, thanks to two weeks early access to my main story and also soon-to-be exclusive access to short stories, why don't you check out my SubscribeStar! Thank you to all my subscribers for their support over the past few years! Seriously, your support means the world to me. New chapters of my latest story every Wednesday/Sunday!Also just a quick note: I don't mind people saving this story for personal reading. But I'd appreciate it if people didn't post it elsewhere, even if you're just suggesting it to other people. If you want to show others, please send them a link to the first page of this post. And it goes without saying, my story is not to be used in any way to create AI work. Thanks!

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.

Summer has been hot but I am still a huge summer fan. Like to be active and do all sorts of things. What has every one been doing with the summer? Hopefully having fun. I wanna go skating myself! (Art by yours truly too!)

This week I caught the bedwetting fairies red-handed. This is hardly new news but still, it was an interesting visitation of a type I’m not sure I’ve experienced before so I shall relate it. I was having a remarkably long, convoluted and vivid dream. In it, I was house-sitting overnight in somebody’s house. The house itself and the people I was minding it for kept changing abruptly as they do in dreams unbound from the concrete boots of reality. It was also a lucid dream. I knew it was a dream and that it wasn’t real whilst I was having it. I have these from time to time. At this particular juncture, these dream-people were supposed to be leaving me with the house to attend a party but the evening was drawing on interminably with them constantly finding some reason to further delay their departure. I looked at an old-school “flip-card” digital clock on their wall which read “23:44” and wondered what their party hosts would make of guests arriving well after midnight. Not my problem though. A long dissertation from them was underway from them about the requirements of their large and utterly-unruly dog that was cavorting about before me. It occurred to me that this dog would be of a lot less trouble when my friends had finally left so I could go about ignoring it from out in the backyard where it belonged. This was a dog that needed LESS attention, not more. I looked down to see that the reason that their unpronouncably-Scandinavianly-named wonder-pooch (the friends I was dreaming of HAD actually existed in real life, WERE Scandinavian and DID have a large, over-indulged-and-challenging dog), had stopped jumping on me was in order to have a pee on the carpet instead. It was an impressive quantity and I watched it pool and darken an implausibly-tartan floor. It occurred to me that this latest problem was technically out of my scope: my friends hadn’t left yet and it was THEIR carpet and THEIR dog. So I simply drew to their attention this latest problem pooling beneath their noses and amusedly waited for yet another departure delay. This is where it gets even weirder. I then became aware that I had started wetting my nappy but it wasn’t part of the dream. At some level, I knew this was happening back in bed tucked under the covers laying on my side. That I was wetting myself did NOT reflect in that dream at all. That was just a soggy sensory postcard from a distant reality. The dream-dog incident had resolved itself (because I had decided it so) and there was now new fussing to do with the car they were taking as I felt hot trickling and creeping warmth from pants back in a different mental dimension. I was aware that I was extremely comfortable back in bed and was utterly unbothered by my urinating in the midst of this complicated and somewhat-interesting dream. At some point this dream must have concluded and I lapsed back into deep sleep. Early the next morning I stirred. Grey, weak light was creeping in under the glass sliding door blind. I was STILL curled up on my left side. I was comfortable in bed but I could feel that my nappy felt quite wet. This was unusual. I was wearing a disposable. Disposables generally don’t feel wet, just warm. In particular, I could feel that the wetness was concentrated down one side and that my hip felt like it was resting in a bath. I could clearly recall both the complex dream and apparent pee incident that overlaid it somewhere. This recollection included the disturbing detail that I’d likely fully unloaded my bladder whilst laying on my left hand side. This is typically a death sentence for adult disposable nappies: something that clearly didn’t enter my head at all back when it happened. I wouldn’t do it if I were awake. I’d roll over. Nil desperandum: covering my nappy was my double-terry-lined plastic pants. I’d probably have some laundry to do but the bed should be ok. Some exploratory rummaging around inside those plastic pants revealed however that my Rearz InControl BeDry Night Premium (aka: “Colin”) had, amazingly, risen to this occasion. It was well-used but predominately on one side confirming my recollection. My hip WAS wet. There was a small amount of pee trapped between my skin and the un-padded plastic wing of my Colin but it had stayed there. Amazingly, my terry/plastic pants had remained dry. Colin had dealt with a fairly major nocturnal wee that happened 100% on my side and Colin held it. This was a remarkable effort. I’ve never seen an adult disposable nappy cope that well with this use case. Still, I wouldn’t make a habit of it. Colin is better but in the manner of adult disposable nappies, he is far from infallible. There were some other remarkable aspects to this incident. Firstly, I’d peed myself during some kind of bizarre sleep/dream-state. I didn’t decide to pee (that I was conscious of). I just became aware it was happening because I could FEEL it happening. Secondly, all of my conscious checks and balances were switched off. Despite being aware that I was laying on my side, I just remained in my somnolent state making no effort to stop or reposition myself and enjoyed the comforting physical sensations of a nappy getting wet around me. The thought of leaking simply never occurred to me. I don’t think I was even overtly aware that I was IN a nappy. I just knew that I was warm, comfortable and it was “ok” to pee. Thirdly, the nappy-wetting incident did not appear to directly manifest in my dream (the dog-on-carpet moment didn’t seem to have any obvious symbolism but perhaps it prodded the thought that I too could “go”). I’ve had pee-dreams before. Typically these have involved convoluted scenarios and sequences that attempt to rationalise that I’m about to pee my pants, or that I’ve just peed my pants or I’m in the ACT of peeing my pants whilst asleep in bed. In THIS situation, I simply became aware that I was wetting myself somewhere back in the real-world and at some level, I knew that was NOT part of a dream. I was informed but not consulted. It was actually quite pleasant – especially when I realised I had not leaked at all. A full shout out to Colin the wonder-nappy for surviving the adult disposable nappy torture test of a side-loading.

I love being a gurl, being diapered and wearing skirts and dresses. I have two denim miniskirts that I love to wear. I know it's risky to wear such a short skirt, but I do it anyway. Last night as usual, I get home take off my work clothes, put on a diaper, plastic panties, top and of course my miniskirt, then go over to my friend's house. Evening went as usual. Every time I go up I made sure to pull down my skirt. My diaper was dry so I didn't have to worry about it sagging. At the end of the evening, I was leaving and she told me to be careful with the back of my skirt that it wasn't long enough to keep things covered. I just said OK and left. Needless to say I was a bit shocked that so much was visible. I'm glad I work plastic panties that didn't show the diaper print very clearly. Guess I'll have to be more careful the nest time I go over.

Possum is free, running through the woods a couple miles away.

Got em! But I'm not FROM Alabama or I'd be planning a menu instead of a release!

I live in the future.

Part 4: Rubbing her stinging butt through her shorts and the dumb pullup, Cara winced at the soft crinkle. Not wanting to disobey her mom, Cara wasn’t planning to stop on the way down to the car, but when she saw her reflection in the full-length mirror at the top of the stairs, she stopped dead in her tracks. The first thing she noticed was her tear-streaked face and red eyes. She was usually the kind of girl who spent lots of time on her makeup, not to make it look gaudy, but to enhance her lacking visible maturity. The mascara and eyeliner running down her cheeks and her red-rimmed eyes, paired with what she saw below was not doing her any favors in that arena. Her mom had made no effort to hide the pull-up and the outfit Cara was wearing was not up to the task at all. The tank left about an inch and a half of trim abdomen showing above her skimpy shorts… or at least that’s what usually happened. Right now, the waistband of her pullup was filling the gap, ruffled plastic designed to feel and look like fabric… it wasn’t fooling the mirror. And the slight bulge beneath seemed so obvious to Cara as well. Glancing quickly behind her, she could hear the toilet flushing from her mom’s room and the water running. She knew she didn’t have time to deal with everything, but she could at least handle something. There was no way she was going out to her sister and father looking like this. So quickly slipping back down the hall and into the bathroom there, Cara grabbed a washcloth and ran it under warm water before attacking her face with it. Setting her backpack down on the closed toilet, she rummaged inside finding her makeup bag. Thankfully she had put most of her important stuff where she could get to it quickly instead of stowing it in the trunk with the rest of their stuff. Because she was a grownup! Sure, her dad had asked that they keep stuff inside the car to a minimum, and he was always so ridiculous about planning where every last thing would fit, but she couldn’t share a suitcase with her little sister and not be expected to bring a bag of her own! Her parents could figure out how to fit it in. They always did, after all. It served them right for being so annoying. Finding her makeup remover, she quickly set to work undoing the damage the span-the uh conversation… with her mom had done. Had… had that really happened?! Cara pouted a little as she removed the last of the eye makeup and moved on to where her lipstick had been decimated. She knew she wouldn’t have time to redo everything but maybe she could quickly do a bit of foundation and coverup to take away a bit of the youthful freckle-look, the ruddy pinkness her crying and everything else had caused before she faced the car of family. She could always redo the rest of her makeup in the car and- The rest of that thought was cut off when her mom’s voice boomed from behind her, shouting, “Cara?! Where are you?! We’re waiting!”. Not wanting a repeat “conversation”, Cara knew she was out of time. Thankfully she had closed the door to the bathroom behind her. She could pee and wash her hands and just play it off and deal with looking like a scolded kid in front of her family until she got the makeup going. Less thankfully, she had failed to lock the door. Cara realized that mistake with a very mature “eeep” and a spurt of pee into the pull-up that she was momentarily grateful to be wearing, as the door swung open and her mom entered. Her bag clattered to the ground, makeup bag tumbling loose inside. And yet Cara made no move to grab it. Somehow the spanking from earlier had seemed to give her mom’s demeanor a bit more authority. At least that’s what it seemed like to Cara. “Cara, what are you doing? We’re going to be so late and it isn’t fair to your dad”, Patrice scolded, frown deepening as she saw Cara standing there seemingly wasting time. “N-nothing! I-I was just… uh… just going to the bathroom”, she ad-libbed, rushing to tuck the pull-up’s waistband into her shorts and blushing as she realized that it been true in a way. It was only a small wet spot, but somehow her stupid pull-up, which she had been adamant she wouldn’t need, had been the only thing between her and needing new panties. “Well it looks like your hands are all clean, did you really need to get the whole towel wet though?”, her mom asked, moving to hang the facecloth Cara had washed her face with. “Okay, well let’s get a move on then, it’s past time to be in the car”, Patrice said, taking Cara’s hand and pulling her from the room. In the doorway, Cara pulled up short, dragging her feet and saying, “wait!” She needed to pee still, and ideally change into a dry pull-up. Or maybe she could even sneak some panties on, she thought, realizing she didn’t know where the grey pair she had been wearing had ended up. “Cara, come on, we need to go. This is getting ridiculous”, came her mom’s scolding tone. There was a sense of finality and a hint of demand in it. Cara had better figure out a really good reason for wasting more time if she wanted time to pee and change. “Ummm…I… I n-need…”, Cara started, but trailed off as her mom shook her head and started pulling her again through the bathroom door. They were already in the hallway before Cara dragged her feet again, pulling the pair of women up short. “M-mom! Wait!” Cara squeaked. She still didn’t know what to say, so she just went with the truth. Or a partial truth. She wasn’t going to admit she was planning on changing out of a slightly damp pullup. But if all of this was about her accident last year and making sure this wasn’t like last year, then surely her mom wouldn’t deny her a final trip to the bathroom. “I-I just n-need umm I mean I just wanna go to the… the bathroom again real quick. To be safe”, Cara stumbled over her own words. Her mom’s look of frustration turned to one of loving pity. She stopped trying to pull them forward and put her hands on Cara’s shoulders, bending down to look her in the face. “Baby, but you just went potty”, she started, and Cara nearly collapsed. H-how could she know that!? The revelation that her mom was aware of her slight accident was enough to produce another quick spurt into her pull-up before she regained conscious control of any of the muscles in her body. But Patrice wasn’t finished. “I’m so sorry if I made you stressed about it, I didn’t do this to make you so worried about having an accident again, it’s the opposite”. She patted Cara’s padded behind and the small girl jumped a bit. Could she feel the accident like that?! “I know it’s hard for you to hold in your pee pee sometimes, and that’s okay. That’s why your pull-ups are there though, so it doesn’t lead to a whole scene and a big mess like last year”, Patrice said kindly. The whole thing couldn’t have been worse, from the sincere words to the tone, to the final nail in Cara’s maturity coffin that came next.

I have decided to split the sleepover into two chapters as otherwise I feel it would probably be to long as one chapter. Please enjoy and offer any feedback below. Chapter 15 “Managed anything?” Sophie asked as she stepped into the bathroom. Katie shook her head, still sitting on the toilet. She feared she might regret not being able to go now—but her body wasn’t cooperating. Sophie nodded and motioned for her to stand. She pulled Katie’s pull-up back into place, smoothing it over before covering it with her skirt. They headed to the car in silence. The short journey to her uncle and auntie’s house felt much longer than it was. Katie stared out the window, dreading what was ahead. At the door, Sophie grabbed the overnight bag filled with clothes, pull-ups, and nappies. The door swung open almost immediately. Claire stood there, beaming with a grin that made Katie’s stomach churn. “Morning!” Claire chirped. “Morning, Claire,” Sophie replied warmly. “Charlie and Paul already left?” “Yeah, with the flyover and roundabout closed, traffic to the station’s been a nightmare, so I stayed the night so they could get away early.” “Well, that was thoughtful of you. I’ll give her a call in the car, then. Katie hasn’t had breakfast yet. And did Charlie or Paul fill you in about her potty watch?” Sophie spoke so casually, as though everything she was saying was entirely normal for an eleven-year-old. Katie stared silently at the floor, cheeks warm with shame. “They did,” Claire said with a bright voice. “Apparently she’s been keeping her nappies dry and clean—day and night—since you started it. Great job, little one! Let’s keep that up, shall we?” Her tone rose in pitch, thick with condescension. “Lisa’s doing brilliantly too. No accidents for almost three weeks. I think she’s nearly ready for big girl panties.” “Oh, that’s great! Hopefully Katie earns hers by Sunday—just in time for our holiday. I don’t fancy changing nappies in the Bulgarian heat.” Sophie pulled a face at the thought. She gave Katie a gentle push toward the hallway. “Right, in you go, kiddo. And remember, same rules as home. Claire and Sam are in charge—what they say goes, okay?” Katie glanced back at her mum, eyes wide with silent pleading. Sophie only smiled. “Good girl.” She handed Claire the overnight bag, seemingly unaware of the desperation in her daughter’s expression. Katie turned away, a small tear forming in the corner of her eye, and walked toward the living room. Sophie thanked Claire once more and left. Sophie returned to her car and played back the look on Katie’s face as she said goodbye in her mind. Something didn’t sit right but she couldn’t put her finger on what it was. She started the car and started her commute to the office. The front door shut with a click. Claire let her smile shift into a more mischievous one. She spun around. “Katie?” she called. Katie stood in the living room, staring open-mouthed at the setup in front of her. A potty, wipes, and a pack of changing supplies were arranged neatly beside the sofa. The potty itself was bright pink, adorned with Elsa and Anna and the words “Let it go” printed around the rim. Claire didn’t wait. She walked over and yanked Katie’s skirt to the floor, exposing her pull-up. “Hey!” Katie shouted, flinching. “Same rules as home,” Claire said with a shrug. “And I know you’re not allowed to cover up at home. Now lift your legs so I can take the skirt off.” Katie glared but reluctantly lifted each foot, letting Claire remove the garment. “Still dry,” Claire commented, pulling the waistband out for a quick check. “Good girl. Let’s go see Lisa—I’ll get you some breakfast.” Katie hesitated as memories of last time—of vile and embarrassing “baby food”—crept back into her mind. Still, she followed Claire to the kitchen. Inside, Lisa sat in her booster seat, smiling from ear to ear. Another identical seat sat beside her—Katie’s, unmistakably. Without thinking, Katie climbed into it. She didn’t need telling. This was expected. “Hey, Lisa,” she greeted, trying to sound cheerful. “Katie!” Lisa beamed. “I’ve been looking forward to this for ages!” Katie smiled back, momentarily lifted by Lisa’s enthusiasm—until Claire fastened the straps around her waist, locking her into the seat. “I’m making porridge for Lisa. Would you like some too, Katie?” “No thanks,” Katie replied quickly. “Just toast, please.” “Are you sure? Nothing else?” “Just toast. Thank you.” Claire gave a mock-sweet smile and turned away to prepare breakfast, leaving Katie strapped in her seat. Claire returned with a bowl of warm porridge for Lisa and a plate of toast with strawberry jam and butter for Katie. Katie eyed the toast warily, convinced Claire must have tampered with it. “It’s just toast,” Claire said, reading Katie’s expression. “Nothing to worry about.” Claire busied herself at the worktop, leaving Katie to eat. A few minutes later, she returned with two bright pink sippy cups covered in rainbows, each filled with lemon squash. “Just juice,” she added casually. “Don’t worry—Sam made me promise not to do anything like that again.” Katie felt a flicker of relief. Maybe Claire wouldn’t sabotage her progress after all. She finished her toast and took a few sips from the childish cup, trying to ignore the plastic spout brushing her lips. “Finished?” Claire asked. “Yes, thank you,” Katie replied carefully, trying her best to be polite. Claire raised her eyebrows and tilted her head expectantly. “Yes, thank you...?” Katie froze, then sighed inwardly as she remembered how Claire insisted on being addressed when no other adults were around. “Yes, thank you... mummy,” she muttered, cringing at the words. “Good girl.” Claire smiled sweetly. “Let’s get that watch set and get you out of your seat so you can play with Lisa.” She cleared away the dishes, bent down beside Katie, and tapped her potty watch until it beeped to signal a thirty-minute countdown. Then she unfastened the booster seat straps and helped her down. Lisa was still eating, her face covered in porridge. “I’ve set Lisa’s toys up in the playroom,” Claire said. “You can go start—I'll bring her in once she’s finished. And remember, if you need the potty before the timer goes off, come find me. Let’s get you out of those pull-ups for good, hey?” The way she said it almost sounded caring. Katie, unsure how to take it, simply nodded and padded off toward the playroom, the soft rustle of her pull-up following each step. She opened the door and paused. It was unmistakable—these weren’t just Lisa’s current toys. Claire had clearly dug out all of Lisa’s old baby toys for her. Building blocks, train sets, dolls, a play shop and kitchen—all laid out deliberately. Katie sighed but knelt on the carpet and began gathering bricks, lying on her stomach to play. Her tummy gave a gurgle, followed by a long, unmistakable fart that lingered in the room. Claire entered with Lisa in tow and let out a laugh. “Sorry, looks like you’re having tummy time. That just tickled me.” Katie blushed and sat up quickly, crossing her legs. But even that made her feel more self-conscious about the pull-up being on show. “Want to play shop?” Lisa asked with excitement. Claire sniffed the air, her face changing as the smell reached her. She made a beeline for Katie and pulled back her waistband, expecting the worst—only to find clean padding. “Oh,” she murmured in surprise. “Sorry, I did a fart and it smelt bad,” Katie said awkwardly, her voice small. “Do you need the potty?” “No, I’m fine,” Katie replied, then saw the look in Claire’s eyes and quickly added, “Thanks, mummy.” “Alright. Just come find me when the watch goes off or if you need to go before then, okay?” “Will do... mummy,” Katie said, forcing a smile. She knew keeping up the sweet act was going to wear thin quickly. Lisa, now sorting out toy food at the play shop, looked up. “What’s so special about that watch?” “It’s a potty watch,” Katie explained. “When it goes off, I have to try and use the potty.” She already felt silly, but Lisa’s wide-eyed response didn’t help. “I didn’t need a watch to tell me,” Lisa said matter-of-factly. Katie bit back a retort, reminding herself Lisa was only three. Just as she felt her frustration peaking, the watch vibrated. It was time. She walked to the living room and found Claire and Sam curled up on the sofa, watching a show on Netflix. “Mummy, my potty watch is going off,” she said, feeling her cheeks grow warm. Claire paused the show and stood up, all smiles. “Let’s get you on the potty then, princess.” She grabbed the pink dummy with the unicorn on it—the same one Katie had used at the splash park—and popped it into her mouth before handing her one of the potty training books. Without ceremony, she pulled down Katie’s pull-up and helped her sit on the small pink potty. It was lower than her usual one and uncomfortable. Katie adjusted her position, dummy in mouth, cheeks burning as Claire returned to the sofa and resumed her show, snuggling back against Sam. Not long into the episode, a character swore loudly. Claire hit pause again. “Probably not great with little ears in the room.” “She’s probably heard worse in the playground,” Sam replied. “Maybe, but she won’t be hearing it while I’m in charge.” “Okay,” Sam said more seriously, “but stop making her call you mummy. It’s unnecessary.” “You’re spoiling all my fun,” Claire said with a playful nudge. Katie tried to block it all out, focusing on the calming rhythm of the dummy in her mouth. But then her body betrayed her again with a loud fart. “Oh my!” Claire exclaimed. “I was about to get you off the potty, but I think you’d better stay a bit longer.” “No wonder you thought she’d had an accident earlier,” Sam muttered, wrinkling his nose. Katie sat frozen, humiliated. After another long silence, Claire finally stood. “Okay, stand up.” Katie obeyed. Claire checked the potty. Bone dry. She took the book from Katie’s hands, pulled up her pull-up, removed the dummy, and reset the watch for two hours. “Off you go. And remember—come find me if you need the potty. Oh—and you don’t need to call me mummy anymore.” “Okay,” Katie mumbled, then darted out of the room, eager to escape the weight of everything she'd just endured. Did you go?” Lisa asked as Katie reentered the playroom. “No,” Katie mumbled, not wanting to relive the humiliating scene that had just played out. “All that time for nothing? Seems like a waste to me.” Lisa shrugged, then perked up. “Shopper or worker?” “Er… shopper,” Katie said, her voice low but steady. They settled into play, switching roles between shopkeeper and customer. Eventually, Lisa expanded the game to include the kitchen, insisting the shopper was actually the owner of a restaurant that the shopkeeper would visit for lunch. Katie glanced at her watch—thirty minutes left on her countdown. Then the doorbell rang. She froze. Voices floated down the hall. “Jenny! So glad you made it! And who’s this little one?” Katie’s heart dropped. More people. More strangers. She couldn’t make out Jenny’s response, but she heard the front door shut and three sets of footsteps approaching. In a panic, she crouched behind the plastic toy cashier desk. “Hey, it’s my turn to be shopkeeper,” Lisa protested just as the door opened. “You two have been playing so nicely, don’t spoil it now,” Claire chided. “I brought a friend over for you both. Katie, is it Lisa’s turn to be shopkeeper?” Her tone had that sugary sweetness adults used when speaking to toddlers. Katie simply nodded. “Okay then, come out from behind there and show Emma what lovely items she can buy.” Katie took a breath and stood. A girl—Emma—stood beside Claire. She looked a little older than Lisa but still younger than Katie. Katie didn’t know what to say. After a long silence, Lisa stepped in. “As shopkeeper, I’ll help you find what you’re looking for,” she said, running over to Emma. “Looks like you two were thirsty earlier. I’ll refill your bottles,” Claire said. “Emma, would you like a drink?” “Yes, please,” Emma answered with a sweet smile. Claire and Jenny left for the kitchen, their laughter echoing down the hallway. Claire returned with Lisa and Katie’s sippy cups and a normal plastic cup for Emma. “Lisa, Katie—come here, please.” Both girls obeyed immediately. Claire pulled down Lisa’s jeans and checked her pull-up. “Dry. As expected.” She gave Lisa’s hair a ruffle. Then she poked at the front of Katie’s pull-up. “Still dry.” Katie shifted her weight, feeling the pressure starting to build from all the squash she’d had. But with her watch due to go off soon, she decided to wait. Both girls shook their heads when asked if they needed the potty. “Okay, if you’re sure.” Claire’s eyes lingered on Katie, making it clear where her suspicions lay. “Emma, if you need the toilet, it’s the first door at the top of the stairs,” Claire added brightly. Katie caught the implication. Emma—a guest, and younger than her—was trusted with full toilet access and a grown-up cup. She, on the other hand, was being checked and managed like a toddler. Claire clapped her hands once. “Now play nice. Emma was bored at home, so Jenny brought her over to have some fun.” With that, Claire and Jenny disappeared again, their laughter fading into the background. Emma looked Katie up and down. “What’s with the nappies?” “They’re not nappies,” Katie said, stung. “They’re pull-ups.” She cringed the moment it left her mouth. “Okay, whatever, babies. I don’t know why I got dragged here. I was fine playing my Switch. Now I’ve got to play with the potty twins.” Even so, Emma joined the game, slipping easily into the pretend shopping and cooking routine. Katie tried to lose herself in the game, surprised to see Emma actually getting into it. But the moment was short-lived—her watch buzzed again. She stood up and made her way to the living room. Claire was nestled against Sam on the couch, with Jenny in the armchair. The same Netflix show was still playing. “Claire… my watch is going off,” Katie said, eyes fixed on the floor. “Do you need to go?” Claire asked, not taking her eyes off the screen. Katie hesitated, then lied. “No.” “Okay then. I won’t set the timer—we’re almost at lunch anyway. You can try after you’ve eaten.” Claire didn’t even look at her as she waved her off. Katie returned to the playroom. “That was quicker than this morning,” Lisa observed. “She didn’t make me try. I said I didn’t need to go and she said okay.” Emma snorted. “You actually use the potty?” “Be nice to my cousin!” Lisa snapped. Emma only laughed harder. “Can’t believe I’m stuck with the potty-training twins. Let’s just play your baby games.” She returned to the toy kitchen and, to Katie’s surprise, slipped easily back into character. Katie pushed away her embarrassment and joined in. Even Emma seemed to be enjoying the make-believe. But Katie’s earlier decision caught up with her—her bladder was growing more insistent by the minute. Just then, Sam appeared at the door. “Lunch time, girls.” “Sam, can I use the potty, please?” Lisa asked brightly. Emma giggled behind her hand. “Of course you can,” Sam replied with a smile. Then he turned to Katie. “You?” Katie felt a fresh wave of shame. She needed to go, but the idea of announcing it in front of Emma was too much. She shook her head. “Okay. You and Emma head to the kitchen. I’ll get Lisa on the potty.” “I think I’ll use the toilet before lunch,” Emma added breezily, disappearing upstairs. Katie trudged into the kitchen—and immediately spotted the dining table setup. Three places: two booster seats and one normal chair. For a moment, she let herself hope. “Jenny, can you get Katie in her seat while I dish up lunch?” Claire called out. And just like that, the hope vanished. Katie climbed into the same booster seat from that morning. Jenny fastened the straps tight, clicking them into place with finality. Katie sat there, bound in the seat, the pressure in her bladder rising by the second. Emma strolled in and stopped short. Her eyes lit up, and a full-on belly laugh burst from her lips. She dropped into the regular chair while Lisa followed, cheerfully taking her place in the other booster. Sam secured her straps while Katie stared at the table, wishing she could melt away completely. A divided plate was set in front of Katie and Lisa—fish fingers, chips, and peas each neatly occupying their own section. Emma, by contrast, was handed the same meal on a normal plate, further reinforcing the quiet hierarchy at the table. Katie ate in silence, struggling not just with the food but with her steadily building need to use the potty. The dryness of the meal had her sipping repeatedly from her sippy cup, each sip compounding the pressure. She was just about to ask when Claire placed a bowl of ice cream in front of her. It didn’t seem like she had a choice. Feeling that any request would be waved off, she dug her spoon in and ate the dessert quickly, trying to stay composed. The three teenagers eventually joined them at the table with their ham and cheese toasties. Katie finished her ice cream. The moment her spoon clinked against the bowl, she knew: she had to go, and she had to go now. “Claire, I need the potty, please,” she said—her practiced politeness replaced with naked urgency. “Can’t it wait? We’re eating,” Claire replied casually, despite the obvious desperation in Katie’s voice. “Not really. I’m quite desperate.” Claire sighed. “Can’t even get through lunch without being disturbed. It’d be so much easier if you were still in nappies.” The words hit harder than Katie expected. She felt herself sink. “It’s okay, I’ll take her,” Jenny offered, standing. “I’m not hungry anymore anyway.” Katie didn’t care who took her—she just needed to get to the potty. Jenny pushed her plate aside, walked over to Katie, and unfastened the booster seat harness. Katie scrambled to her feet, ready to run, but Jenny gently held her back. “Whoa, not so fast, little one,” she said with a chuckle. “She needs her dummy and potty book,” Claire called out. “They’re by the potty.” Jenny nodded and followed as Katie rushed into the living room. Katie grabbed the book and popped the dummy into her mouth—anything to get through this quicker. Jenny followed, tugged Katie’s pull-up down to her ankles, and motioned for her to sit. Katie obeyed, and relief came instantly as a stream of urine hit the plastic bowl beneath her. “Almost didn’t make it. You should be more careful,” Jenny said lightly, then left, returning to the kitchen. Katie remained seated on the potty, alone in the middle of the living room. Eventually, the others entered the room, pointedly ignoring her. Claire rummaged through Katie’s bag and pulled out her pyjamas—and a night-time nappy. Katie’s heart sank. “Jenny, can you grab some PJs for Lisa? I’ll get the girls ready for their afternoon nap.” “I don’t need a nap!” Emma protested. “I’m a big girl!” “I know,” Jenny said patiently. “You can play on your Switch while the little ones rest.” Katie blinked. Little ones.That’s what she was now. Jenny left to get Lisa’s pyjamas. Claire approached and removed Katie’s dummy. “All done?” she asked. Katie nodded. Claire raised the dummy to put it back, but Katie seized the moment. “I don’t need a nap—I’m a big girl too!” she said quickly. The words betrayed her, sounding even younger than she intended. Claire hesitated for a beat, then smiled. “I know you’re a big girl, princess. Now let’s get you into your night-time nappy. You know the rule—same as Lisa. And she’s having a nap.” Her tone was syrupy and smug. Before Katie could protest again, Claire popped the dummy back in and knelt to remove her pull-up. She helped Katie off the potty and led her to the changing mat. Katie lay down, suckling her dummy, staring at the ceiling. She heard the rustle of the nappy being prepped. “Legs up.” Katie lifted her legs. Claire slid the nappy under her and adjusted it twice before fastening the tapes snugly. She slipped on Katie’s pyjama shorts, then her top. Jenny reappeared with Lisa’s PJs. Lisa was changed into her pyjamas without fuss. She was left in her pull up. As aClaire pulled Katie’s dummy from her mouth. Katie spoke immediately. “If I’m being treated the same as Lisa, why can’t I stay in my pull-up?” The words fell out fast and soft, and instantly Katie knew how small she sounded. Emma smirked. “Lisa’s wearing what she wears to bed. Do you normally wear a pull-up or a nappy to bed?” Claire asked, clearly enjoying herself. “Normally?” Katie snapped, voice rising. “Normally I’m an eleven-year-old girl wearing proper clothes!” “Okay,” Claire said calmly. “Let me rephrase. Lisa wore a pull-up to bed last night. What did you wear?” Katie deflated. The fight drained out of her. “A nappy,” she admitted softly. Sam entered the room, carrying two bottles—baby bottles, unmistakably filled with warm milk. “Katie, Jenny wants to give you your bottle. Go sit next to her, please.” Katie gave Claire a pleading look. Before she could speak, Claire cut her off. “Lisa has a milk bottle before nap time, so you will too. No arguing.” Claire’s grin widened. Jenny was already seated on the sofa, patting the cushion beside her. Katie swallowed what little pride she had left and walked over. The nappy rustled with each step, the pyjamas doing little to disguise it. She sat beside Jenny, and Sam handed over the bottle. Jenny gently pulled Katie into an embrace and offered her the bottle. Katie hesitated, then opened her mouth. Warm milk filled her mouth as she suckled. She closed her eyes. Lisa climbed onto the sofa beside Sam and did the same. Katie tried to remind herself it would be over soon. But in that moment, nestled into a teenager’s arm, drinking from a bottle, she didn’t feel like the girl she wanted to be. She felt exactly like what everyone else had decided she was. Katie’s eyelids grew heavy as the warm milk slowed to a trickle. She hadn’t realised how tired she was until Jenny gently pulled the bottle away and gave her two firm but gentle pats on the back. A loud burp escaped her lips, catching even Katie by surprise. Claire glanced over at Lisa, who looked just as drowsy, her bottle nearly finished. “Right, let’s get these two to bed,” Claire said brightly. She took Katie’s hand and hoisted Lisa onto her hip, then led them both upstairs into Lisa’s bedroom. Inside were two beds—one smaller, pressed against the far wall, and a larger one opposite. Claire settled Lisa into the smaller bed, then turned to Katie and gestured toward the other. As Katie climbed in, she heard an unfamiliar rustle beneath her. Every shift against the mattress made it louder. “Plastic sheet,” Claire explained, catching the confused look on Katie’s face. “To protect the mattress in case your nappy leaks.” Katie didn’t respond. She simply lay back, letting the covers be pulled over her. Claire knelt beside her, lowering her voice to a whisper. “Same rules as at home—no potty while you’re in your night-time nappy. I’ll come and wake you in an hour and a half. Sleep tight, little one.” She flicked off the main light, casting the room in dim shadow. The only glow came from a small nightlight plugged in beside Lisa’s bed. Still warm from the milk, and cocooned in the soft quiet of the bedroom, Katie let her eyes fall shut. The quiet rustle of the plastic sheet beneath her was soon replaced by slow, even breaths as she drifted off—for her first afternoon nap in nearly eight years. Katie woke with a jolt, panic surging through her. Sharp cramps twisted in her stomach, leaving her breathless. She turned her head toward Lisa’s bed—her cousin was still sound asleep, her chest rising and falling in a slow, peaceful rhythm. Katie had no idea how long they’d been napping. She held onto the hope that Claire would be coming in soon, that she'd be taken to the toilet or potty in time to avoid disaster. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to will the sensation away. Maybe she could drift back to sleep, forget the urge. But the next cramp hit harder, doubling her over. Clutching her belly, she shifted onto her hands and knees, hoping the new position would ease the pressure. The loud rustling of the plastic sheet beneath her echoed in the silence, and she froze. But Lisa didn’t stir. For a moment, the pain dulled slightly—but the next wave came with no warning. Her body clenched, then pushed before she could stop it. A heavy, squelching mess filled her nappy. The smell was immediate, sour and suffocating. Defeated, Katie let go—physically and emotionally. Her muscles relaxed, allowing the rest to come. She remained there, hands planted on the bed, bottom raised, eyes closed as the shame soaked through her more thoroughly than the nappy ever could. Then came the soft creak of the bedroom door. Light from the hallway spilled across the room, painting long shadows. Katie didn’t dare move. Claire stood in the doorway, surveying the scene: Lisa sleeping soundly in one bed, and Katie—on her hands and knees, in a visibly loaded nappy, the smell unmistakable—frozen in place. “Such a big girl,” Claire said softly, stepping into the room

Chapter 2 The next morning I woke up to a shock. For a moment I had thought everything yesterday was a dream. I reached down and felt my diaper, looked around and saw that I was in the guest room and realized it wasn't. Then I realized I could feel my very full bladder. I got up to go to the bathroom, but remembered again the results of yesterday and smiled. I simply laid back down and peed, unleashing a flood of urine into my diaper. "Ahhhhhh!, that feels incredible." Susan had bought a baby monitor and had it set up to listen to my every move. She had been up for hours planning out my day. "Good morning, baby," she called through the baby monitor, her voice a mix of amusement and authority. I jumped, realizing she had been watching me. "Good morning, mommy," I called back, feeling the wetness spread across my crotch. Her footsteps grew louder as she approached the nursery. "Did you have an accident, baby?" she cooed, opening the door with a knowing smile. "No mommy, I peed after I woke up this time." "Well, we'll put a little whiskey in your nighttime bottle tonight and fix that right up honey." I grinned at the thought of waking up wet tomorrow. "But now," she announced with a firmness in her voice, "It's time for breakfast. And remember, you're not allowed out of that diaper until I say so." "Yes, mommy," I replied as I jumped into her outstretched arms. Susan carried me into the kitchen. She put me at a seat at the table and tied a kitchen cloth around my neck. "While you were sleeping this morning, I went online and ordered a ton of goodies that will start arriving for you today. You were right, it's amazing what you can get on Amazon." I nodded with excitement as my cock stirred awake at the thought of what was coming in the mail. "I also contacted someone about an adult sized highchair and crib. Those will take a little time to arrive, the chair first, but they're also on the way. The thing I was really surprised about was how expensive the diapers are. You didn't tell me you had been spending so much on these while you were hiding it. And I know that you bought them a pack or two at a time, so you weren't getting the "by the case" discount, were you little boy?" "No, ma'am." I had a bad feeling where this was going. "Well, you know how I am about you wasting money, and this has been an expensive secret you've been keeping from me. How long have you been doing this? We've been married almost 10 years. Has it been this whole time?" I hung my head in shame. "Yes, ma'am." "Well, then this has been a VERY expensive secret. We'll have to deal with that later during your spanking." I knew that's what she was going to say. "Speaking of which, I also ordered some spanking implements from Amazon that should keep that part of our new relationship interesting." I gulped. "At least for me anyway." She looked at me with a sly smirk that hid some true malice. As she finished talking she made a bowl of oatmeal, and poured me a glass of juice she put in a travel mug with a top on it. "Bottles that are your size will arrive soon. But for now, you will always drink out of a cup with a lid, got it?" "Yes, mommy." I nodded as I reached for the mug with two hands, gulping down the orange juice. "Mommy, this tastes a little funny." "Don't worry about it sweetie, it's just a different brand of juice than you're used to." I just accepted her explanation and fisnished the glass before moving onto the bowl of oatmeal. "Eat up, Baby Boy!" As Susan watched me scarf down the oatmeal she had made, I couldn't help but feel the warmth of the diaper against my skin. It was oddly comforting, a stark contrast to the coldness that had filled my stomach when she had told me that our traditional marriage was over. After breakfast, Susan told me it was time to get cleaned up. She brought over a baby wipe warmer and a pack of baby wipes. "Lay down, baby," she said with a gentle yet firm tone. I laid on the bed and she began to clean me up, taking her time to wipe my cock and balls. The way she talked to me, with such authority, had my heart racing. Once I was clean, she grabbed the fresh diaper she had laid out on the bed. "Open up for mommy," she instructed, and I obeyed, spreading my legs wide. She slid the diaper under me and began to fasten it. I felt like a baby again, but this time it was a feeling that was welcomed. "Mommy, why do you want to do this?" I asked, my voice filled with curiosity. Susan paused, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "Because, Max, I love you, and I want to help you find peace with your kink. But also, I think it turns me on a bit." She said it so casually, like we were discussing what to have for dinner. I didn't see her dominant side at home much, but when I would accompany her on the rare work event, like a dinner party or happy hour, the people in her office told tales of a very different Susan. One guy once called her the "Boardroom Ball Buster." I had no idea what it was that Susan actually did at work. Her company was a Fortune 500 corporation that had two towers of people downtown connected by a really cool glass-covered bridge on the 25th floor. She was feared and respected at work in a way I was only just now seeing at home. Our sex life was never much to write home about, I think mostly because she was incapable of conceiving, something we didn't know when we got married. That never really bothered me much, but it seemed to break her heart. And her sex drive. I mean, I got some on my birthday every year, sometimes a blow job if I was lucky, and we usually had sex on our anniversary and Valentine's Day, but that was about it. We had each retreated to our own means of satisfaction years ago. It's part of the reason I had developed diapers from a coping mechanism for bedwetting, to a sexual fetish, and my preferred means of orgasm. As the years went on, it was also how my tastes in porn seemed to evolve from the usual "hot chick with tits," to the more "exotic," like what she caught me watching when she came home yesterday. "Mommy, people at your office always seems to describe a more intense, dominant version of you, but until you spanked and diapered me last night, I had never seen that side of you." Susan's eyes narrowed slightly. "You see, Max, in the corporate world, you have to be tough, you have to be in control. It's not all fun and games, it's survival of the fittest. And sometimes, it's the same in marriage, especially when you've been keeping secrets for so long." She finished fastening the diaper, giving it a final pat. "But now that we're in this...new phase," she said, her voice softer, "I want you to know that I'll take care of you, but you have to earn it. You have to be a good little boy for me." "I will, mommy," I promised, feeling the excitement build up again. "What's my first task?" "Your first task is to accept that this is your new reality," Susan said, her voice firm. "You're my baby now, and that means you follow my rules. Now, let's get you dressed for the day." Susan put a plain blue t-shirt over my head. It was a little small and barely landed at my waist, exposing my entire diaper to view. "But Mommy, don't I need shorts?" "Not when it's just us at home Maxy, I want to be able to see when you use your diaper. Now, I'm going to go to Home Depot and get some supplies to start turning the guest room into a nursery. I want make you come with me, but I do NOT want you getting in trouble while I'm gone, so here are the rules. You will remain on the couch, in the living room while I am out. You can watch something on Disney Plus, or play a video game. I took away the violent ones this morning. No more of those for my baby. Understand?" "Yes, Mommy." "Also, there will be NO masturbating while I am gone, is that clear, Diaper Boy?" She pinched my face with her hand and looked me straight in the eyes. I mumbled, "Yes, ma'am." With that she picked me up and took me into the living room, depositing me on the couch with a crinkly plop. She picked up the remote and turned on Bluey. I was content. "I shouldn't be gone too long, but it is a Saturday, so Home Depot will probably be packed." She pointed right at me, "Stay our of trouble. Or you'll get it when I get home." With that she shut the door. I heard her car start and pull out of the drive way. The house felt eerily quiet without Susan's presence, but the sound of cartoons filled the space. I watched the screen for a few minutes, but my mind was racing with thoughts of what she had in store for me when she returned. I knew she would be checking the baby monitor she had installed, so I made sure to behave. But the feeling of the diaper was too much. It was like a warm embrace that was driving me crazy. As the minutes ticked by, my curiosity grew. I looked around the room and spotted the baby gate she had set up last night. The living room was now my "playpen" for the morning, and the thought of being confined to it was both terrifying and thrilling. I tried to focus on the cartoon, but the feeling of the thick padding around my crotch was too much to ignore. I squirmed in my seat, the plastic liner of the diaper rustling with every movement. The TV was filled with the bright colors and simple stories of "Bluey," a stark contrast to the complex reality unfolding before me. My hand inched towards the waistband of my diaper, the temptation growing with every second that passed. I knew Susan would be mad if she found out, but the need was overwhelming. Just a quick feel, I thought to myself, but as my fingers brushed against the soft, shiny plastic of the diaper, I realized it was already too late. I slid my hand under the waistband, my heart racing as the coolness of the diaper met my skin. The warmth of my pee was surprisingly comforting, and the scent was faint but present. I began to stroke my cock, the padding of the diaper providing a delightful friction. My breathing grew heavier and my strokes more vigorous as the cartoons played on, a bizarre soundtrack to my secret indulgence. I thought back to the night before, where I was able to fuck Susan for the first time in a very long time. The way her pussy felt around my small, hard cock, that feeling was enveloping me right now as I jacked off on the couch. I had never felt so alive in our marriage. It was like a rebirth. Like I had been hiding in a shell for so long, and now I was free. But, I knew I had to be careful. The thought of Susan finding out about this little act of defiance had me on edge, so I tried to keep it quick. But my excitement was too intense, and I found myself getting lost in the moment. Within no time my breathing was fast and heavy, my face flushing red, like my bottom last night. That reminded me of the spanking. Oh that spanking! That was it. I exploded load after load of cum into my diaper, coating my penis and my fingers in sticky jizz. I took my hand out of my diaper and realized I needed to wash my hands, but the bathrooms were all locked now that I was in diapers full time. If I used a baby wipe, Susan might notice. So I did something I rarely did, I licked the cum off my hand and my fingers, cleaning myself with my tongue. "Oh wow! That was a great orgasm." Just then I felt a rumble in my tummy. "Uh oh." I knew what that meant. I had to go poop. The feeling was a mix of excitement and fear. I had never done a number two in a diaper before, but here we were. Maybe I could hold it until Susan got home and convince her to let me go in the toilet? Then it rumbled again and I began farting. "That bitch! She spiked the orange juice with something!" I knew it tasted funny. My stomach was on the move. What was I going to do? I decided to sit on the floor and clench my ass as tight as I could. Sometimes this worked when I was a kid and didn't want to get up to poop. Thus began the struggle to hold it. I tried concentrating on the adventure of Bluey, Bingo, Mom, and Dad. I loved this episode, it's the one where they might move! I watched intently, groaning, straining, trying to hold in the torrent of shit that was fighting to escape my colon. Soon the episode was over and I heard Susan's car pull into the drive. As the door swung open I got up to see her. That's when it happened. All that poop I had been holding back, all the effort I had made was for nothing. My butt exploded, filling my diaper with a dump truck load of mess. It was loud. It was obvious. "Ahhhhhh!" I was relieved. "Maxy! What an awful smell you have made. But I guess the juice worked." I was furious. "I knew it! You put something in that juice to make me shit myself! That was cruel!" I was hot to trot, but she was having none of it. "Don't you dare talk to me like that, young man," Susan said sternly, her eyes flashing. "You're in a diaper now because you need to learn obedience. Now, let's get you cleaned up." She grabbed my arm and dragged me towards the guest room. Susan laid a large, plastic mat on the bed and threw me on top of it. The poop in my diaper began squishing around my balls, and up my back. She was furious. "I told you to be a good boy, and you couldn't even last a few hours without making a mess!" She said, her voice rising. "Now, I'll have to clean you up, and you're going to sit right there until I say you can get up." "Plus, I saw what you did on the baby monitor while I was gone." I gulped. "Wait, what?" "Did you think I wasn't monitoring you to see if you could keep your hands out of your pants while I was gone?" "Oh shit." She slapped me across the face. "You watch that language Diaper Boy. This adds one more thing to extend your spanking later tonight. Mark my words, you will only cum when I give you permission, or you will suffer the consequences." With that she untapped the diaper and began cleaning me up. She noticed the cum pile in the diaper and slapped my dick to get my attention. "Did you think I wouldn't see this?" I shrugged, upset that I was caught, but not for giving myself a great orgasm. "I'm sorry, Mommy, I just couldn't help it." Susan's grip on my wrist tightened as she pulled me out of the diaper. The mess was everywhere, and the smell was overpowering. She grabbed the soiled diaper and tossed it into a plastic bag, her eyes narrowed in disappointment. "You really are going to pay for this," she said through gritted teeth. "I thought we had an understanding?" I nodded meekly, "I know, Mommy. I'm sorry. I just couldn't resist." Susan's expression softened slightly, but the anger in her eyes didn't fully dissipate. "I know it's a hard adjustment, but the rules are in place for a reason. Now, let's get you cleaned up and into a fresh diaper before you get any more ideas." As she worked, Susan spoke to me in a firm but patient tone, explaining the importance of following her rules and the consequences of disobedience. She washed my soiled bottom thoroughly, making sure to scrub away every trace of my accident. I felt a strange mix of shame and gratitude as she tended to me, her touch both gentle and firm. Once I was clean, she picked up the new diaper, laying it out on the plastic mat. "After you're all cleaned up and changed, I want you to take a nap on the couch while I start some work in here, okay? Do you think you can do that for Mommy?" "Yes, Mommy," I said meekly, feeling the sting of her slap still resonating. Susan looked at me with a mix of anger and disappointment. "I know it's a lot to take in, Max, but we need to establish trust in this new dynamic. If you can't follow simple rules, how can I trust you with the more complex ones?" "I understand, Mommy," I said, feeling the weight of her words. "Good," she said, a hint of satisfaction in her voice as she began to fasten the fresh diaper around my waist. "Now, remember, no playing around. You need to be a good boy and take a nap while I work." I nodded, feeling the thickness of the new diaper around me. The scent of baby powder filled the air, bringing with it a feeling of submission that was oddly comforting. Susan pulled me off the bed and grabbed my hand. I felt so little, so childish as she walked me back to the couch, my thickly diapered butt swishing and crinkling with every step. "I actually am kind of tired, Mommy." "Good, honey. Now lay down on the couch. I'll turn down the TV so it lulls you to sleep and close the curtains so it's a little darker in here." As I laid on the couch, I watched her close the curtains on both sides of the front door darkening the room. She put a blanket on me, then kissed me on the forehead in the most intimate and yet authoritative manner I had ever felt. With that I drifted off to sleep. I awoke to a start. The front door was open and Susan was talking to a delivery girl. I looked at her, and she looked right back at me, laying on the couch. It was in that moment that I realized I had kicked off the blanket in my sleep. I was laying on the couch with my thick, adult diaper showing this delivery girl everything as she handed Mommy a bunch of boxes. "Oh, I see you have a big baby, huh?" Was she really striking up a conversation with Mommy... about me? "Why, yes I do. He is my big baby boy. Isn't he cute?" I turned shades of red I didn't know I could emulate, and as if triggered by my deepest, darkest desires, I immediately began wetting my diaper, in full view of the front door. "Uh oh! Looks like Junior there is going to need a change soon. Good thing I'm delivering you all these diapers, ma'am." Mommy laughed as my humiliation reached new heights. "Yes, indeed, he is quite the handful sometimes," she said, her eyes sparkling with mischief. The delivery girl glanced at me and smiled awkwardly before handing Susan the last box. There was a large pile in the front entryway. "Here, if you ever need a babysitter for your boy there." The delivery girl handed Mommy a sticky note. "Thank you..." she looked at the note, "...Jenny." I might just call on you for some help. With that she shut the door. "Well Baby Boy, we might have just found you our first babysitter!" I was mortified. And a little turned on.

Part 7: Time seemed to stop. Or was it reality? Ivy didn’t know, only shame and shock filled her brain and body. It was a teeth clenching, gutteral wail coming from nearby that seemed to snap Ivy back into her body. Not that she particularly wanted to be in her own body right now, but having a complete break right then and there wasn’t advisable. There could still be a way out. She was a smart girl-no, woman! When Ivy took her next breath, ragged and heaving, she realized two things. First, that she had been holding her breath before that, and second, that her face was wet. “Shhhh shhhhh it’s okay, baby, it’s okay”, Karen shushed soothingly from above. Her Little must be waking up, Ivy realized, reaching up with her mittened hands to figure out why her face felt wet. Was it raining? The slight peek of sky she could see beyond the smiling cloud decals looked just as sunny as when she had boarded. Just as she was noting this she felt something part her lips before she fully saw a female Amazon’s hand pulling away, patting her head before fully retreating. Ivy’s tongue probed at the thing now invading her lips, grateful that the previously-mewling little above had been pacified for the time being, at least enough so that she could think. Could figure out that-*suck*- that it was a soft, silicone nipple… a pacifier, now sitting between her lips. Her mittened hands pawed at the shield but again were distracted by the dampness nearby, wiping instead at her sore eyes as *suck*. The pacifier bobbed between her lips as her mouth subconsciously suckled at it, some ancient lizard brain inside of her being soothed by the gentle action. A quiet chuckle overhead reminded her that she wasn’t alone. And though she knew the woman was likely still focused on her own fussy Little, Ivy quickly fought the urge to spit the pacifier out. It would be so much worse if Karen thought she needed it inflated… if Ivy could just convince her that she- *suck* -that she liked the thing *suck* maybe that would mean she could keep some control over it. *suck* Over this… this *suck* this thing. This-*suck*-damnit, why was this so soothing?! “There now honey, that’s much better, isn’t it?”, Karen asked, probably mooning over her own bab-Little, Ivy knew. Ivy actually smiled to herself slightly at the irony. If Karen knew that she was similarly calming down from her own near-meltdown, from such a mortifying accident… well, thank goodness Karen was too distracted by the other Little’s feelings to notice. Ivy sent up a silent thank you to the quieted Little that she wouldn’t turn to see. It would be too much to see her there, to see her potentially wearing those matching mittens Karen had mentioned, perhaps her own pacifier perched between suckling lips. Well, Ivy thought, still sucking on the teat in her mouth, now more rhythmically, this one was technically the other Little’s as well. Not that Ivy could see the woman taking it back. I mean not that Ivy needed it or anything though… maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have one of her own… I mean, you know… j-just for camouflage. But still, to see herself reflected there would be too much. Too real. Her body still felt disconnected from her brain as it was. Even after the wetting had stopped and her breathing evened out, the shock was still coursing through her, jelly replacing her bones and a cool sensation settling near her core. Well, at least it was distracting her slightly from the warmth in her pullup, she decided, too afraid to shift in the bit of space she now had, free from the restraints. She didn’t need any reminders that the garment below was saturated in her own urine. But… the cool sensation was odd. Now that she was feeling more aware of herself, it was taking her a second to figure out just what that feeling was. It was on her thighs mostly. Maybe it was because the buckle was undone? She didn’t want to look. Then she would be forced to see the soggy pull-up that felt like it had swelled to five times its’ size. She still didn’t know what to do, how to avoid being captured and “adopted” at this point. Beyond that, how was she going to get her mittens off before getting to work? She could remove the sodden pullup no problem, though the accidents and everything about this bus ride had unsettled her to the extreme. What would happen if she had another accident and didn’t have a pull-up to protect her? “Why didn’t I bring a spare pull-up”, Ivy thought to herself, then immediately blushed at the thought. She didn’t need a spare. This wasn’t going to happen again. She could just take this one off in a bathroom somewhere and go commando. Maybe there would be a coffee shop near the building. She could try to blend in with the busy morning amazons and sneak her way in to change. Then… she still had no way to get the mittens off, but she’d have to figure it out. When the bus lurched to a standstill at the next stop, a large hand held Ivy firmly against the seat, just as secure as the harness seatbelt had been moments before. She sucked harder on the pacifier as the woman lifted her from the seat and settled her-not on the floor of the bus, but rather on her own hip. “Ut ou oin?! I ca wat!” she blurted out, frowning, too slow to realize the issue. Karen pulled the pacifier from her mouth with a subtle pop and a line of saliva stretching out from the bulb and landing on Ivy’s chin. Ivy blushed, wiping at the drool with her pink mittens before starting again, “u-umm… I-I don’t need h-help anymore, th-thank you. I can walk now”. As she spoke, she looked across the mountainous breasts of the Amazon and noticed that there was no second head there, no little settled on the other hip. Ivy frowned and looked down a bit before noticing the baby sling and feeling a bit of queasiness. The little inside was dozing peacefully, indeed wearing matching pink mittens and sucking on a pacifier. B-but hadn’t she just been crying a few minutes ago? Hadn’t her momm-the Amazon- Ivy caught herself even in her own thoughts-been soothing her just now? Her eyes didn’t betray any redness or tears, and she smiled a little in her deep slumber as Karen’s voice broke through Ivy’s haze. “Oh honey, I know you want to be a big girl and do it all on your own, but sometimes we all need a little help, right?”, Karen said. The words were both kind and fair and didn’t even seek to make Ivy feel like more of a baby. What was happening? “Now”, the larger woman continued, suddenly popping the pacifier back into Ivy’s mouth, Ivy not even noticing how readily she opened for it, how quickly she took to suckling at the bulb again as the woman spoke, somehow soothing the anxiety that had been building in her gut since the accident. “I can take this exit and then walk a few blocks to my own office, it’s no problem. We don’t want just anyone to scoop up such a little sweetie like you before you get to your mommy”. Karen suddenly frowned and shifted Ivy a little away from her, smiling a second later with a rueful chuckle. “Uh oh, it looks like somebody sprung a leak!”, she said, indicating the small dark patch on her blue collared blouse. Ivy looked down at the spot,then followed the woman’s gaze to her own pants and the much larger half-moon patches blooming from each side of her sodden pullup. She had… leaked?! Ivy started to whimper, afraid of the woman’s reaction, already feeling the phantom sting of Karen’s hand falling on her bottom for this inconvenience. She sucked at the pacifier and didn’t even bother to try to pull it out as she tried to apologize, quickly working herself into a panic that made the little next to her in the sling shift in her sleep. “I-i’n showwy! I-I I-in’ meam ooo!” She tried, only for the woman to settle her right back against her shirt, this time near her shoulder, shooshing and patting her soggy bottom, seemingly completely unconcerned about the grown woman’s urine seeping into her shirt further. “Shhhh, shhhhhh, it’s okay baby, I know, I know you didn’t mean to!”, she said, rubbing little circles on Ivy’s back. And it felt better, Ivy admitted. It felt nice to have this comfort that she refused to indulge in, never wanting to seem immature, shrugging off hugs from friends and relatives and shifting to shake their hands instead. Ivy found herself leaning her cheek into the woman’s warm shoulder, found her mittened hands reaching up to rest on her swollen breasts, and slowly found herself calming as she was rocked and patted, rubbed and shooshed. Ivy sucked at the pacifier and let the woman comfort her, and even as she could feel that they were moving, she simply closed her eyes and turned her face so that it was hidden in the soft yet stiff fabric of Karen’s shoulder. A gruff voice spoke from nearby then, “oh, I was just coming to get her out of the car seat, but it looks like she got a lift”. The driver. Part of her brain bucked against the calm that was settling over her, saying that she should feel embarrassed to be seen like this. That she could have avoided everything with Karen if she had just waited for the driver. Of course they wouldn’t just leave her there, he had asked for her destination after all! But the exhausted and overwhelmed part of her brain-and that part was much larger by now-admitted that this was far less horrible than she had envisioned, that some of it was kind of… nice. She didn’t have to stress about the next step because Karen would handle it. She didn’t have to struggle to get down from the car seat, didn’t have to figure out how to deboard the bus without falling onto the pavement. Didn’t have to change herself, Karen would take care of that too… after all, Ivy was too little to handle it all on her own.

My Mom finds out. My aunt put a change pad on the living room floor; it was right in front of everybody. That’s what she did at night, so I don’t know why I expected any privacy. I complained, “Do we need to do this here? Can’t I go to the bathroom and clean up by myself?” My aunt looked at me like I was crazy. In her eyes, only a little kid would wet their pants, so I was just a little kid. She shook her head and said, “I have to make sure you are cleaned properly. I don’t want you to get a rash. Now, stop stalling and lie down.” I guess this was kind of what I wanted, but it scared me anyway. I was also putting on a bit of an act. I was afraid that she would suspect something if I didn’t complain. I grumbled in a whiney voice, “I don’t want to.” Aunt Amanda rolled her eyes, put a pacifier in front of my mouth, and said, “Tough, now lie down.” To be honest, I was beginning to like the pacifier. It calmed me down and helped me relax. She put the pacifier in my mouth, and I calmly laid back down on the floor. She praised me, “Good boy.” She finished wiping, helped me into the clean Pull-up, and then warned, “This is a Pull-up, not a diaper. You still need to use the potty like a big boy. If you can use the potty, you can have your big boy pants back. If not, you’re going to have to go back to diapers.” I muffled through the pacifier, “How long?” “Just like last time. Three days. You can get your big boy pants back on Saturday.” She patted my Pull-up in a condescending way and said, “Go to the nursery and get dressed, then you can play with Scott and Debbie.” Going back to Pull-ups was the first part of my plan. I knew I would need more accidents to be put in diapers, but I didn’t know how many. Scott told me that he sometimes stays in Pull-ups after an accident but usually goes back to diapers if he has more than one. I figured that one accident wouldn’t be enough, and I would need to have at least two accidents in my Pull-ups. I didn’t want to make my aunt suspicious, so I didn’t have any more accidents that day. That night my aunt praised me for keeping my Pull-ups dry, and then got me ready for bed. I made sure to wet my diaper again that night. In my mind, I had to start wetting the bed to make my plan believable. It was getting easier to wet my diaper. I no longer had to visualize standing in front of a toilet. I just started to pee when I wanted to go. My aunt noted the wet diaper in the morning but didn’t seem all that concerned about my sudden bedwetting. She acted like everything was normal. I thought my plan was going well. My aunt was acting like these were real accidents, and that I might need to go back to diapers. I figured it would be fun to act like a baby for a few weeks, and I didn’t have to worry about other kids finding out. Nobody at my school would ever know. However, teenagers don’t always think about all of the factors before acting. I forgot about my mom. My mom wasn’t around, and I didn’t think she would know anything about it. It didn’t dawn on me that my aunt told my mom all about it. That was stupid! My aunt told her that I pooped my pants, so why didn’t I think my aunt would tell her that I wet my pants and started wetting the bed. Mom called me on Wednesday morning, which was the day after I peed my pants. I also wet the bed three times. A week earlier, I complained about having to sleep in a crib after pooping my pants, and now I was wetting the bed again, and I already wet my pants once. I hadn’t wet my pants since I was in 2nd grade. She asked, “Tommy, what’s going on? Do you know why you’re wetting yourself?” My first instinct was to deny it. “I’m not peeing myself.” My mom tersely replied, “Tommy, stop it! Aunt Amanda told me that you wet your diaper twice. She also told me that you peed your pants yesterday. Why is that happening?” I tried to blame my aunt. “It’s not my fault. Aunt Amanda is making me sleep in a crib, and I can’t get out when I need to pee.” Mom shook her head, “I don’t buy that one bit. You were dry for the first five nights. You only had to stay dry one more night to get out of diapers.” I dejectedly answered, “I know.” Mom continued, “What about the accident yesterday?” I stammered, trying to think of an explanation. I went back to what I used to say when I was little. I meekly answered, “I didn’t know I had to go.” Mom sighed, trying to contain her anger. “That means you have to wear Pull-ups again, right?” I was too embarrassed to answer, but I nodded to avoid more wrath. “What about this morning? Did you wet again last night?” My lack of an answer gave it away. Mom replied, “Tommy, you’re much too old to be wetting your pants like a baby. You know that if this continues, Aunt Amanda is going to make you wear diapers during the day.” I shifted my eyes away from the camera and mumbled, “I know.” “Well, is that what you want?” This was the first time Mom implied that I was doing this on purpose. I emphatically denied the charge. “No! She is going to treat me like a baby. I don’t want that. Why would you even let her do that?” I hoped turning the tables might put my mom on the defensive. My mom sighed and said, “Tommy, I can only think of two reasons that a boy your age would suddenly pee himself. You’re either doing it on purpose, or something is wrong.” “It’s not on purpose.” I protested. My mom replied, “Ok, I guess Aunt Amanda will have to take you to the doctor.” The thought of telling a doctor that I was wetting my pants was humiliating. I cried out, almost begging, “Don’t do that. Please. I’ll stop. I’ll stop, I promise.” Mom clearly didn’t believe me. She asked, “Are you telling me that you can stop? That means you’re doing this on purpose.” I was getting frustrated. She was turning everything against me. I cried out, “I’m not doing this on purpose!” “Then you can’t promise to stop.” She paused, while I tried to think of a way out. Mom continued, “It doesn’t matter anyway. You still need to go back to diapers.” “What? Why?” “Because, if you don’t wear a diaper, you’ll pee your pants. That’s why babies wear diapers.” I whimpered, “But, she is going to treat me like a baby.” Mom replied, “Why shouldn’t she? You should be treated like a baby if you aren’t potty trained.” I protested, “I am potty trained! Stop saying that.” Mom snapped back, “You aren’t if you purposely pee your pants.” “I’m not doing it on purpose!” By this point, I was on the verge of massive tears. The kind of meltdown I only had when I was very young. “But that means you need diapers to avoid accidents, and you’re not ready to diaper yourself.” She paused in the middle to give me time to process what she was saying. I was confused, “Diapering yourself?” “That means you change your own diapers, and I don’t think you’re ready to do that.” I indignantly asked, “Why not?” “Tommy, it takes a lot of maturity to take care of your own diapers, and you’re not ready. You have to make sure you clean everything and then get rid of the diaper without making a mess. I don’t trust you to do any part of that. You don’t even pick up after yourself when you take a shower, and I still have to nag you to take a shower.” Mom continued, “If you really are having accidents, you’ll have to learn how to handle it like an adult. I can’t ask Aunt Amanda to teach you something like that, so you’ll have to wait until we get home. Until then, Aunt Amanda is going to take care of it her way.” I was stunned, and said, “But, that’s the whole summer.” Mom scoffed, “It’s probably going to be a lot longer than that. I need to see a lot more maturity from you before I’m willing to teach you. You will need to be potty trained all over again.” Once again, I protested, “I am potty trained.” “Big boys don’t pee their pants. You keep peeing and pooping in your pants, so obviously you aren’t potty trained. I didn’t do it right the first time, so maybe it is time to let Aunt Amanda have a try.” Mom saw the look on my face and asked, “Tommy, did Aunt Amanda put you in a Pull-up, or is she making you wear a diaper?” I meekly replied, “a Pull-up.” “That means she thinks you are ready to use the potty on your own. If you show her that you can be a big boy and use the potty, she won’t treat you like a baby. You can do that, can’t you?” My mom was talking to me like I was a baby. Her voice was high, and she used short phrases. She used euphemisms like potty and pee-pee, just like I was a small child. I regained my composure and said, “Mom, can you stop talking like that? It makes me feel like a baby.” Mom replied, “That’s the point, Tommy. If you don’t want to be treated like a three-year-old, stop acting like a three-year-old.” “I’m not a baby!” Mom rolled her eyes and said, “Prove it. If you want to become a teenager, act like one. Stop peeing your pants, don’t wet the bed, and stop whining when you don’t get your way. If you act like a little kid, you’re going to be treated like a little kid.”

Getting my underwear back After my mom failed to come to my rescue, I sulked for the rest of the day, which I guess kind of proved her point. I didn’t get my way and just moped around for the rest of the day without talking to anybody. In my mind, it was safer to stay silent. If I did talk, my aunt would just make me suck on a pacifier to keep me from pouting. I kept to myself, read some books, and looked at my phone. I wanted to go to my room, but my room was the nursery with the crib in it. Fortunately, my aunt left me alone. She asked me to do some minor chores, which I complained about until she said, “Tommy, don’t you want me to treat you like a big kid.” Oddly, I wasn’t treated like a baby during the day. It was nothing like how she treated Scott, who wasn’t allowed to do much of anything. Scott had to stay close to an adult, or Jessica at all times. He had to take a nap after lunch, and there was the highchair and sippy cups. He also didn’t have any chores, short of putting the toys back. I wasn’t even treated like Debbie, who technically was considered a big kid, but she was still kind of little and needed to be watched closely. She still took a nap, but she slept in her own bed. Other than the Pull-ups, my aunt didn’t treat me that much differently than I hope she would have. My aunt didn’t even have a problem letting me explore the property near their house, which was something that my mom didn’t always allow. Things always took a drastic turn after dinner. That’s when I had to take my shower, get diapered for bed and then put in a crib at a ridiculously early hour. From dinner till morning, I was just a little baby who wore diapers and slept in a crib. Complaining about it didn’t do any good, and I didn’t hate all of it. To be honest, I really enjoyed our story time when we would cuddle up next to my aunt and listen to her wonderful stories. I kind of wondered what it would feel like to pee in the Pull-up. It’s no secret that I wet the bed, and even had accidents during the day when I was younger, but my mom stopped using diapers and Pull-ups after I started school. She said, “You’re a big kid and big kids don’t wear diapers.” I wished I could just go back to diapers and not wake up with pee all over me. Especially because my mom would yell at me, and I was still crying when I got to school. I asked Scott, “What happens if I accidentally pee in my Pull-up?” I had to do that on the sly, because I didn’t want my aunt or Jessica to know what I was thinking, nor did I want anybody to think that I really needed them. Scott answered, “Mommy just helps me change, and then reminds me that big kids use the potty. Mommy puts me back in diapers if I do it again.” I asked, “Does she get mad?” My mom used to get furious when I had an accident. Scott shook his head, “No. Mommy never gets mad. Even when I have to wear diapers. She says that I’m just not ready, and that’s why I still need diapers.” I knew that was true. I never saw Aunt Amanda get upset about changing diapers, nor did she say anything mean. She had a really strict ‘no teasing’ policy in her house, so I didn’t even have to worry about getting teased. I could wet myself one time, and nobody would say anything. However, I didn’t want to give Aunt Amanda the satisfaction. I wanted her to know just how ridiculous it was to put a fourteen-year-old kid in a Pull-up and make him sleep in a crib like a baby. I used the bathroom and didn’t have any accidents. Aunt Amanda inspected my final Pull-up Thursday night after dinner, and upon seeing that it was still dry, put a third smiley face on my chart. “That’s three smiley faces in a row, do you know what that means?” I smugly replied, “It means I don’t have to wear these stupid Pull-ups anymore.” My aunt didn’t like the tone of my reply and shot me a terse look, “Is that what you say Tommy?” I immediately shrank back down and meekly mouthed, “Sorry.” I couldn’t risk giving my aunt ammunition to extend my time in Pull-ups. She nodded, and so I answered more appropriately, “It means that I can wear underwear tomorrow.” Aunt Amanda nodded and announced, “Yes, Tommy has proven that he is ready for big boy pants. No more Pull-ups for Tommy!” My cousins both raised their hands and shouted, “Hooray for Tommy!” She had the nighttime diapers laid out and I asked, “What about those, why do I still need to wear diapers at night?” Aunt Amanda kept telling me that we were only concentrating on my daytime potty training, so I should have realized I would have to wear a diaper a few more nights. “Now that we’ve taken care of your potty training during the day, it’s time for you to show me you can be dry at night.” I pouted, “That’s not fair! I haven’t been wet all week. Why do I still have to wear diapers?” Aunt Amanda rolled her eyes, grabbed a pacifier, and ordered, “Open up.” I started to protest, but she plopped the pacifier in my mouth and said, “We don’t whine in this house. Go stand in the corner and I’ll get you when I finish with Scotty.” I stomped to the corner and sulked as my aunt took care of Scott. I heard her giving Scott loads of attention. I once saw a kid getting treated like a baby by his mom and it was so different than what my aunt was doing. That kid’s mom was mean and making fun of him, while my aunt didn’t even seem mad. Part of me was mad at her. I couldn’t believe my aunt was doing this to me, but another part of me was mad at myself. I knew I wasn’t helping myself by throwing tantrums. Things were so much easier for me when I just let her do her thing. What if she decided I wasn’t a big kid yet, and made me wear diapers all the time? Aunt Amanda didn’t seem mad when she came to the corner. I mouthed, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get mad.” My aunt hugged me and said, “I know honey. You’re just over-excited and tired. Let’s get you diapered and ready for bed.” I had tears in my eyes and asked, “Do I still have to wear Pull-ups tomorrow?” She had a confused look and remarked, “Of course not. You earned big boy pants, remember?” “But I threw a tantrum.” “That’s not good, but if you don’t make it a habit, we won’t worry about it.” I asked, “How much longer do I need to wear diapers at night?” Aunt Amanda replied, “Now that we know that you are potty trained during the day, it’s time to see if you can stay dry overnight. If you are dry three nights in a row, you can move to Pull-ups.” “Will I have to sleep in a crib after that?” Aunt Amanda shook her head and reminded me, “Big kids sleep in a bed. You’ll get to sleep in the guest room. That’s where you were going to sleep until you pooped your pants.” “What about my bedtime?” “You’ll be a big kid, so you should get a big kid bedtime. You’re fourteen, so this summer will be a good chance to show that you can manage your own bedtimes. First, show me that you are ready, and I’ll treat you like you’re in high school. Does that sound good?” I had time to think after my aunt finished her story and tucked us in our cribs. I allowed my aunt to put me in a diaper and make me sleep in a baby crib, even though I didn’t wet the bed, and then she made me feel guilty when I complained about it. She wasn’t only crazy; she was evil. I did the math in my head. Three nights would take me to Sunday morning, which was a week after I got here. I wondered if this was all part of an elaborate plot my mom concocted to get me to grow up. Maybe she planned this whole thing! I get treated like a baby for one week just to make me realize I shouldn’t be acting like a child. I thought about punishing my aunt by using the diaper, but based on how she treated Scott, it didn’t seem like much of a punishment. She didn’t seem to think it was a big deal to change his diaper, even when it was poopy. I would just have to wear diapers a while longer. Aunt Amanda would wake us up around seven o’clock, which was much earlier than I wanted to get up. However, my bedtime was so early that I wasn’t groggy in the morning and didn’t get cranky. My aunt praised me when I was still dry the next two mornings. She then removed the diaper, wiped the area, and let me get dressed in the bathroom. She typically waited until Scott had breakfast before changing his diaper, so he ate breakfast from his highchair while staying in his soggy diaper. For me, everything was normal during the day, just like it would be if I never had to wear Pull-ups. Aunt Amanda gave me some chores, which I would eventually do after getting tired of her nagging, and then leave me alone for the rest of the day. I usually kept myself entertained and didn’t bother anybody. Aunt Amanda worked from home and paid Jessica to help keep an eye on Debbie and Scott. My aunt did most of the parenting, but Jessica was there to help. It was very clear that my aunt felt Jessica was more mature than me and far more responsible. My aunt didn’t think I was mature enough to watch Scott or Debbie, even if we were just outside. Jessica didn’t seem all that interested in me. I think she knew about my Pull-ups, and she probably knew the second crib was mine, but she mostly ignored me during the day. At first, I tried to avoid being around my younger cousins, because I felt like another little kid. However, as the week progressed, I didn’t seem to mind it and spent more time around my cousins. Scott liked a lot of the same things I did when I was little, so it was kind of fun playing with him. I started to get these weird thoughts in my head. It is hard to explain, but I was a little envious, especially with all the attention everybody gave to Scott. I still counted how many days I had left in diapers, but I started to accept and even eagerly anticipate the nightly diapering routine. By Saturday night, I offered no resistance when it was time to get ready for bed and compliantly allowed my aunt to change my diaper. It was enough that she commented, “My, you are so calm and being such a good boy. I didn’t even have to tell you to stop wriggling.” She started to say something else and stopped herself. I remember thinking she was going to say, “It is almost like you like it,” but then decided to stop. I was desperately trying to convince myself that I hated it, but I knew that wasn’t true. She finished up, hugged me, and said, “If you’re dry tomorrow, I won’t need to do this again. You won’t need diapers anymore. Isn’t that nice?” I answered with an awkward, “Yeah.” I wanted to sound excited and with a huge sense of relief. My nightmare was finally over, but it was hard to hide the reality. I think I came off sounding disappointed. I tried to regain my composure and asked, “Will I still have to go to bed so early?” Aunt Amanda smiled and answered, “Of course not. You and Scotty have an early bedtime because little kids need more sleep. If you show me that you’re not a little kid, I can treat you like a big kid.” I said, “Thank you,” but part of me was disappointed. I didn’t think my mom cared about me anymore. It felt like Aunt Amanda really did care, especially when she was putting me in diapers and being so nice. I wondered if that would stop when I didn’t need diapers. This was my sixth night wearing a diaper, and I still hadn’t peed in one. I had the Pull-ups for three days and never wet one. I asked Scott how it felt when he wet his diaper, but the question sounded weird, and Scott didn’t know how to answer. This was my chance to see what it felt like to pee in a diaper. I didn’t think Aunt Amanda would get mad. That’s what the diaper is for. It would mean another three nights in the nursery, but that didn’t seem so bad. I felt a slight pressure on my bladder. It wasn’t that strong, but it was enough that I could pee if I wanted. I thought, “Why not just pee in my diaper?” It was harder than I expected, but I eventually started to pee. The warmth spread and I fell back asleep wondering what my aunt would say in the morning.

In a cabinet under the diaper changing table my BF built for me, it also has a wipe drawer with all the commodities and the top is padded. Just love being changed by this wonderful man. Yes I change him too on the same table.

For the poopers, a diaper with invisible dehydrated poo built in so as soon as you wet it, the poo reconstitutes and you have an instant full diaper!

I'd love to have a daddy pee into the back of my diaper, maybe even save me some to drink before I get down to the business of pleasuring him.

11. Over the next several days, Chris’s life returned to normal, if normal can be defined as days spent in sopping wet diapers and baby clothes, drinking formula twice per day. Bibs became a fixture at every meal and Amy regularly made use of the pacifier whenever her intuition told her Chris was about to complain. And she was usually right. Chris watched as the closet in his room began to fill with a colorful variety of dresses, while the drawers under the changing table contained an ever-growing number of rompers, onesies, and other infantile garb, all designed and sewn by his wife. Stacks of diaper seemed to pop up in multiple locations and cases of them were stacked in the closet. Chris once asked about returning to the master bedroom, which caused Amy to laugh at his thought that he was mature enough to sleep in “Mommy’s room.” It also dawned on him that they hadn’t had sex, even using the hollowed-out dildo, since his diapering began. Amy didn’t seem to be bothered by this despite her insatiable sex drive, leading Chris to conclude that the occasional buzzing he heard through the walls and Amy’s muffled screams were exactly what he’d feared they were. It wasn’t fair, he thought, so if she could pleasure herself he should be able to do the same. But the snug diapers proved to be as effective as any chastity cage, and even if he could cum, he had nowhere to hide the evidence. And so with each passing day he became more frustrated as his sexual desires built with no outlet to satisfy them. His job became his refuge away from this madness, despite having to navigate around his forced nap time, and being diapered for the last several hours of the workday. He panicked the first time he felt himself wetting his diaper while in the middle of an intense conversation with a client, as if somehow they could detect what was happening over the telephone line. He wondered if his voice would betray him, just one more thing to worry about. One Friday Amy seemed even more chipper than usual at lunch time. “I’ve got a meeting this afternoon with a manufacturer who’s enthusiastic about my new line of mother-baby clothing,” she told him. “And if all goes well I’m sure we’ll go out for dinner and drinks, so I may not be home until late.” Chris was elated. A chance to be on his own, as an adult, without no diaper or bottle to drink, and above all the chance to finally chase the elusive orgasm he’d been yearning for. He was already so horny that he felt sure he’d spontaneously ejaculate if he wasn’t able to release in more controlled and pleasurable circumstances. His bubble was quickly burst. “Of course, that means I won’t be here when you get up from your nap and might return after your bedtime,” Amy continued. “And based on your behavior when left to your own devices I can’t leave you unsupervised. Do you remember that pretty young college girl who served us when we went out to eat last week? She’s volunteered to be your babysitter! Isn’t that good news?” Chris was stunned into silence, which Amy took as confirmation that he was as excited for Rosie’s availability as she was. “Anyway, I shouldn’t have to review the rules, but this is a new situation for you so we’d better be safe. As an adult, she’s in charge. That means whatever she says goes, with no debating or whining on your part. And this doesn’t change the fact you can’t touch or change your own diapers, or even tell her that you need changing. In fact it might be best if you keep your binkie in the whole time. Anything I can do with you, she can do. Well...” Amy tittered, “almost anything. So you be on your best behavior. Any report of naughtiness will result in a punishment.” She glanced at the clock. “Ooh, I didn’t realize what time it was. Let’s get you settled for an early nap so that I can get ready.” She led Chris upstairs, stripped him, diapered him, then thought for a minute before pulling out a mint-colored floral romper with lace at the arm and leg openings, a ruffled bottom, and a bow in the center. The diaper area was lined with plastic on the inside. It was one of the most ghastly things Chris had ever seen. Once she had it on him, he could tell the bottom of the outfit ballooned out, leaving no doubt as to what lay beneath. Amy slipped a pair of lacy ankle socks on his feet then clipped two pink bows in his hair as a finishing touch. “Such a pretty girl,” she muttered under her breath. Chris couldn’t sleep knowing what was in store. He wondered if Rosie would view him as a freak, or maybe sympathize with his plight and allow him to act grown up. It would make her job easier and it would be their secret. He ran various scenarios that would make this happen through his head as he heard Amy’s hair dryer, then her making noise downstairs as it seemed like she was moving furniture. Eventually the doorbell rang and voices exchanged greetings before they moved out of hearing range. The front door shut loudly about ten minutes later. It was another half hour or so before Rosie entered the room. She was wearing short shorts and a halter top that barely held in her generous chest, and Chris was determined not to give her the satisfaction of staring. He waited a moment too long to feign sleep, though, so she wasn’t fooled. “Well, aren’t you the cutest thing,” she cooed as she sat on the edge of the bed. “Did you have a nice nap? We’re going to have just the best time together while your Mommy’s off doing big person stuff, but first let me check your diaper.” Rather than feel the outside of the diaper, or at most put a finger or two inside one of the leg gathers, Rosie put her full hand down the front, moving it around to various spots and with each movement brushing up against Chris’s penis. To his dismay, and totally against his will, he began to respond. He looked away, but not before he saw Rosie smirk. “All dry for now,” she announced. “Good girl, Chrissie.” Now would be the time to put a stop to the baby girl treatment, he thought to himself, before she immersed herself in the illusion. He opened his mouth and began to speak, but a pacifier beat him to it. Rosie held it in place and leaned down until she was inches away from his face. “I’ve been hired to sit a baby”, she said forcefully. “And your Mommy made it clear that I’m to report any behavior suggesting otherwise. Now,” she went on with a cloying sweetness, “shall we move downstairs and play some games?” When they reached the top of the stairs Rosie released his hand and gently pushed him into a seated position. “Little children go downstairs on their bottoms,” she told him. Chris was almost glad to have the pacifier reminding him not to speak out, as the temptation to respond to her treatment of him in the first few minutes was overwhelming, but she wasn’t done. “Crawl,” she commanded when he got to the bottom landing. “Over into your playpen.” Playpen? Chris thought. I don’t have a playpen. He was proven wrong two seconds later as he entered the living room and immediately came face to face with a set of wooden bars. He pulled back to get a better view. Before him sat a playpen identical in every way to a baby’s, only bigger, right down to the insets with little wooden balls to slide back and forth and plastic toys to spin. A rag doll in a dress identical to his own sat in one corner. Soft blocks and an assortment of rattles were scattered around the floor of the playpen. He moved forward when Rosie pushed him on his bottom. She followed him in and latched the door behind her. “Look at your doll, sweetie!” she said. “It’s dressed just like you but with one big difference.” Rosie lifted the doll’s dress with one hand and Chris’s with the other. “She doesn’t wear diapers. She must be potty trained and do her peepee and poopoo on the toilet. Your mommy tells me you’re headed in the other direction.” For the next hour, Rosie encouraged Chris to build small towers with the blocks, or to shake the rattles. She played peek-a-boo and other infantile games and made sure Chris played along with subtle threats. Finally she reached down inside his diaper again and this time gave him an unwelcome squeeze. “Mmm,” she said. “Baby must not be getting enough fluids.” With that she left the playpen and disappeared into the kitchen. When she returned, she brought a baby bottle filled to the brim with formula. Chris grunted and tried to make her understand that he only drank a bottle before naptime and bedtime, but without the use of words only made him look ridiculous. Rosie laughed. “Look how excited you are to get your bottle!” She leaned up against one side of the playpen and lowered Chris’s head onto her lap, nestled tightly into her breasts. He could barely pull away enough for her to guide the nipple of the bottle into his mouth. Rosie sang a soft lullaby as he drank. As his body relaxed, he recognized the ache of his bladder and tried to remember how long it had been since he used the toilet. Mid-morning at the latest, he thought. The thought of Rosie discovering that he’s using the diaper horrified him, but bedtime was long off. He’d try his best to put it off as long as he could. The large amount of warm formula wasn’t helping. He was happy when he began to breathe air, but was in for a surprise. “That formula must taste pretty awful, huh?” Rosie said with a smile as she set the bottle down. “Let’s give you something to get that taste out of your mouth.” From somewhere she produced a second bottle, this one filled with apple juice. Chris didn’t even know Amy had bought more than one bottle. He didn’t know how his body could find the room to fit twenty more ounces inside. His body had a solution, however. He was about halfway through with the juice and slowing down when his bladder betrayed him and he uncontrollably began to wet himself. Slow at first, the harder he tried to stop the flow the faster and harder it left his body. He tried not to betray what was happening, but Rosie knew and put her hand down to feel. How is it women always know, Chris wondered. “That’s my baby girl,” she whispered before leaning down to put her mouth next to his ear. “And how humiliating it must be to be pissing a diaper in front of a sexy woman younger than you are. A diaper with a design more infantile than a real baby’s, covered with a dress even a two-year-old would find too babyish to wear. No one will believe it. Next time I’m bringing a couple of friends. Well, enjoy your smelly pants, baby. I won’t be changing you until bedtime.” Rosie forced the bottle’s nipple back into his mouth and kept it there until Chris managed to get the remainder of the juice down. She then had him crawl into the playpen, where he stayed while she scrolled her phone, occasionally looking over at him and smiling. About an hour later the two bottles caught up to him and he peed so much that he leaked, a puddle spreading out and soaking the hem of his dress. It took a long time before Rosie noticed. With a disgusted click of her tongue she got up and went upstairs, returning with a wet rag and a pair of plastic pants. Soon the floor of his playpen was dry but he was sitting in an overflowing diaper and starting to itch all over his bottom. And he was bored. Eventually Rosie turned on the television, changing channels until she found programming aimed at toddlers. Time passed slowly. At first Chris thought having the television on despite its infantile content would be better than nothing, but his interest quickly waned. He was staring at the screen in disbelief at a pink mother bear telling a blue baby bear that there was nothing to be ashamed of for soiling his pants at the park when Rosie opened the playpen door behind him. “Interesting lesson they’re teaching there,” she said sarcastically. “But appropriate for present company, don’t you think? C’mon, stinky bottom, if you can tear yourself away from the tv crawl into the kitchen and get some dinner.” Crawling caused his saturated diaper to shift and bring urine to the last dry areas of both his diaper and his skin. Its weight made even crawling challenging and he moved slowly. By the time he got to the kitchen, Rosie was hovering, tapping her foot impatiently. She pointed to a chair covered with two dish towels and he sat down with a squish. Seconds later she tied a bib on and placed a plate on the table in front of him covered in three different colored piles of mush: pale green, purple, and a dismal gray, all of which were mixing together at the edges. Chris gagged. “Your mommy didn’t let me know if I was supposed to blend your dinner up or not, so I did. I assumed that anyone still so far from being potty trained and who drinks from a baby bottle isn’t chewing her food yet. Let’s get this over with, the smell of this stuff is going to make me barf.” Chris reached for the spoon but had his hand slapped away. Rosie dipped the spoon in the purple mess first and shoved it in his mouth. It was horrific and before he could push it back out of his mouth she was there with an overflowing spoon of the green stuff, which tasted worse. Chris was faced with a decision. Swallow or gag to death. He’d barely swallowed when the gray stuff made its appearance, and it was the worst of all. Rosie seemed to take joy in missing his mouth, and in scraping the food on his face back in deliberately smeared its path. Blobs of mush fell onto his bib, most of which also found its way back onto the spoon. Chris estimated that only around half of his dinner made it to his stomach and he was still hungry, but he wasn’t about to ask for more. He wasn’t sure he could keep this down. His thoughts were interrupted by the flash of Rosie’s cell phone camera. He reflexively reached for it. “Nuh uh, baby. Your mommy just texted me asking for a picture and I bet she’ll like this one.” A second later her phone dinged. “Yep,” Rosie said happily. “She loves it.” The evening dragged on and as every minute ticked away Chris’s bottom became more sore. He was certain that Rosie moved his bedtime up by at least an hour but he wasn’t going to complain. He needed to be changed. He’s never worn a diaper this wet. Rosie was delighted to find the Velcro strap and adjusted it so that it was so tight Chris couldn’t even wiggle. Nevertheless, he sighed with relief when she untaped and opened his diaper. The fresh air against his skin felt so good. He flinched as she wiped his bottom and if there was no strap would have jumped up off the table when she pushed a wipe-covered finder up his bottom and moved it around as she looked for something, keeping it there and adding pressure. Chris arched his hips and his member began to harden. He closed his eyes and tried willing himself to get soft without success. Then suddenly, as he felt himself on the verge of losing control, she pulled her finger out in order to pull the used diaper out from under him and replace it with a fresh one. Unfortunately for Chris, she wasn’t done teasing. She slowly stroked him as she cleaned his penis, then squirted a large dollop of baby lotion on and began to work it in, over and over. Chris clenched his teeth. He’d been so horny and even under these circumstances was rapidly building to a climax. He groaned from behind his pacifier then made the mistake of opening his eyes. Rosie hovered above him, her breasts having escaped from their halter prison. It was all too much. Chris cried out and exploded with pleasure as Rosie raised the diaper and caught his load in its folds. “Goodness,” she said. “What will your mommy think of that? I’ve heard babies get erections during diaper changes and sometimes send a steam of pee flying, but this is new. Lucky we caught it all in time.” As she spoke, Rosie pulled the diaper into place and began to fasten the tapes. Chris could feel the mess spread over his belly. He was in a panic. If Amy ever found out about this, he was dead. He was so distracted in his worries that he didn’t notice Rosie had again prepared two bottles until he felt the sweet apple juice replace the taste of formula. He heard her mumble something about “no crib?” as she tucked him in. “Do you want a bedtime story?” she asked him. “Once upon a time there was a little girl who thought she was a man. His mommy kept her in diapers for part of each day but let him think she was a grownup sometimes and only wear panties, eat real food, and sleep in a bed. But one day the little girl did something really naughty and when her mommy found out, she made sure her little girl was a baby 24/7. From then on the girl never used a potty again and made stinky and weewee pants and ate in a highchair and slept in a crib and had her messy diaper changed in a restaurant where everyone could see. The end.” Chris cried as Rosie closed the door and lay in bed, sleepless, well into the night.