Mee

Hm-hmm! It's actually a pretty effective trick, if I may toot my horn. Put simply: disappear for almost a year and write in the meantime. Then, come back and post what you've written regularly to create the illusion of timeliness! Simple! Don't worry, I'm gonna be a dry well of ideas soon enough. Thank you for using your "awesome" on my story! And I know; it's almost a little embarrassing to be complimented on managing a weekly release. For my next great feat I will tie my shoes. In all seriousness though, thank you for commenting and enjoying! I'm going to assume this is a positive emotion/emoji, so thank you! Thanks for reading and commenting! As the story works into developing their lifestyle a bit more, I want to try and up the frequency a little with those cushy moments just to signal their new norm. Thank you!

Thank you very much! I like formatting again. Also, I think I'm a day late by my self-imposed deadline. I think I really do need a Joyce for some structure. Please enjoy! CH37 - Wait and See “Emily, I’m--!” By now her routine was rehearsed and practiced, refined to become the perfect technique. Around the corner. One step out in the open. Pivot on the heel. Tighten the muscles, then pounce! Emily’s naked feet soared across the vast valley of slate, a forbidden place where no bare soles would dare to roam. It was sure suicide for Emily’s poor appendages. But she was bold. She was brave. Her gamble as always paid off, taking a leap of faith and being caught by her rescuer and guardian angel. Emily squealed with delight as Joyce’s firm hands slipped under her thighs and Emily’s legs caught around Joyce’s waist and between her arms like a plug into a socket. The joy on Emily’s face was always the same, yet the novelty never left. Wrapping her arms around Joyce’s neck she put on her best rosy smile. “Welcome home!” Emily giggled. “G-good to see you…!” Joyce grunted for a second, setting Emily back on the floor after a duly needed kiss. Thankfully Joyce found the time to keep her muscles in shape, somehow, but that didn’t mean she was always primed for a surprise attack like that. Give her a second to prepare and she could carry Emily to the depths of hell and back. Catch her on a bad second, and well, she might need a minute. “Did you do all your chores?” “Of course I did.” Emily nodded assuredly, pacing to and fro as Joyce took off her flats. As much as Joyce claimed to be “caught off guard” by these ‘welcome home’ antics, a niche sort of rule came from it that always made the crime premeditated. Thus, these sort of pounces were no surprise when Joyce might happen to hint at not wearing heels that day, for understandable reasons. With her back facing Emily, she couldn’t help but giggle thinking about the day that spawned that one. No sprained ankles, but a five-hundred dollar pair of heels went down the drain… Needless to say, Joyce had to do a lot of mommying that night to cheer Emily up. So much, in fact, that she made up the rule just to let her think she’d been punished and absolved of her sins. “What’s so funny?” Emily asked on her knees, gently rocking Joyce from her shoulders. “You~” Joyce smirked as her feet were freed from submission. “Speaking of who, were you a good girl today?” “Of cour-- Wait,” Emily frowned. “You didn’t ask me yet.” As a stickler to the rules as she was, even Emily could be prone to getting caught up in the moment. “Oops,” Joyce apologetically smiled, but held hope given Emily’s susceptibility to the momentum. “First, are you gonna be my good girl for the night?” Emily puffed her cheeks as she tried to make the moment look contemplative. “Of course I will...” Her cheeks reddened. “It’s a Friday, after all...” “Choose your words carefully. The F-word alone is enough to excite me!” Just as Emily was starting to stand, Joyce promptly pulled part of her back down by the waistband. Emily went up, but her pants did not. “E-Emily?” “...Yeah…?” “Where are your panties?” “...W-well...I sorta just...” Her face was starting to magnetize toward her shoulder. “I sorta figured since...” There was something in itself of Emily looking so embarrassed, so bashful, yet her knees barely bowed inward as she stood there. Had Joyce been robbed of her imagination, Emily’s dwindling sense of shame would continue to compensate as her crotch and nether regions hid behind nothing but the air itself. “So you took off your panties before I got home, expecting me to find you like this?” “I...I guess...” She sort of did. Creativity was something she unfortunately had a lot of time to stew with, but slightly less now with her daily tasks... “You guess?” Joyce took a stand on the wooden floor where she could comfortably look down on the half-naked girl again. “It’s a yes or no question, Emily.” “Y-yes...” Maybe it was a bit too much for her, starting to bend forward for her pants at the ankles. “Ah-ah!” Joyce caught her by the wrist and tugged her back up straight. “No, I took those off for a reason. But I don’t remember taking off your panties for you. What’s that all about?” “I...I dunno…” Emily unfortunately knew where this was going. “You don’t know?” Joyce laid it into her, just like any stern mother would. “You’re telling me that you took your panties off for no real reason?” “Yes...” “Yes?” Joyce repeated. “I think you do have a reason. I think you wanted me to catch you like this. Have you already forgotten that this is the second time now I’m coming home to find you naked?” “I was wearing clothes!” All of them except for the undergarments… “Yet not where it counts...” Joyce hung her head into her hand, looking as playfully disappointed as could be. “Emily, these are an awful lot of gymnastics just to tell me you like your diapers?” “Wha--?! N-no! I’m...” She blushed and groaned. Bloaned. Screw it, the roleplay was getting too embarrassing for her. “I did it because I thought you’d like it!” Her girlfriend’s eyebrows raised as surprise overtook her look. But her face was a canvas she could paint so beautifully well. Joyce, the emotional artist that she was, formed a crease as she pursed her lips and told a story with her eyes that hardly believed Emily’s “fib” for not even a second. “Uh-huh…?” She nodded patronizingly. Emily scrunched her face as she looked agitated now, knowing she’d never get Joyce to break the act now, not when Emily was making it far too entertaining for her. “Okay, diaper bum,” Joyce calmingly spoke as she clasped her hands, “let’s go get that bottom in something snug!” A bubbly hum escaped her as she took the first few steps. “No, leave the pants, sweetheart,” Joyce calmly instructed her. Once again, Emily with a furnace of steamy, cushy emotions awkwardly stepped out of the yoga pants fully. “Was work good?” Emily tried to remain of an adult mind as she shuffled awkwardly by the door to the nursery. “It was fine,” Joyce said with a smile while she slipped the key into the knob, “but I’m glad to be home. Frankly, I get a little worried knowing that my little girl could be running around the apartment naked from the waist down...” “I was wearing pants! I only took them off like fifteen minutes ago!” “Well, as much as I’d like to help you prove that,” Joyce put on an exaggerated shrug, “the video cameras weren’t recording audio today, so we’ll never see when it happened...” “W-gh...That’s…!” Emily tried to argue, but was so swept up only did she realize now. “Wait, you said audio? That still means you can see--!” Joyce’s hand gave her stress ball a fun squeeze. “Your cute little bum!” She joyfully interrupted by cupping Emily’s naked butt. “S-stop!” Emily whined with a tinge of glee, shooting forward into the nursery. “Your hands are cold!” She laughed as she tried to transfer some heat back into her backside. “And if only you’d have been wearing something to keep you warm...” Joyce tutted. This was always her favorite part; letting their witty banter simply roll off the tongue. Speak reactively. Naturally. Because it was natural, because this was all so real and so casual for them. The first order of business on the way in for Emily was a squeeze on Mr.Bear’s large stuffed nose. Their typical greeting to one another on occasions such as this. It was like having a greeter at a superstore to welcome all the incoming shoppers, except it was the other way around. Mr.Bear was a...greeter receiver? Weird job, but if it paid the bills… And even in a land of diapers, nurseries and pacifiers, the human condition by the way of habit and routine is no less out of place than it’d be anywhere else. Up on the changing table Emily went, and just like the unfortunate routine would go, then the strap came over her. “Do you really need to use the strap?” Emily frowned a small bit, her one complaint becoming the small spice to this “routine” that’d happen to change up the repetition every once and a bit. “It’s to keep you on the changing table?” Joyce feigned ignorance, something she lended herself to so well when it came to teasing and flustering Emily. “It’s not like I’m going to fall off!” Emily threw her hands in the air. Correction. She imagined herself doing so. Strap and whatnot. “Right,” Joyce nodded. So they did agree? “Because you have this strap on.” Maybe not. Emily pouted, but she cooperated. Next came the gentle tap on her thigh as a signal to do her best to lift her hips. “So...” Emily waited to let the crinkling of an unfurling diaper finish, “So did anything at all interesting happen today?” Joyce’s eyes wandered to the ceiling as her spatial awareness seemed to carry on with the diapering like it was breathing. “Mm...I did talk with Sheila a little bit today.” The S-word had become a bit of a squeamish spot for Emily. She trusted Joyce, naturally, but Sheila outside her tangible realm was fantasized more as a ticking time-bomb than a loyal assistant of her girlfriend. “Yeah? About what?” The sweet scent of lavender was starting to cloud on her crotch, as was tradition. Maybe it was good she was under the strap, otherwise she’d be wiggling all over from the tingly feeling… “Uhm...business?” Joyce didn’t sound so sure herself, despite it feeling like such a significant part of her day, now that she thought about it. “A little bit about her. Tiny bit of me.” “That is your highlight?” Emily warped her lips and cocked her head and brow. “Don’t you two talk all the time?” After all, a secretary with no communication probably meant problems somewhere in the chain of logistics… The eyelids on her partner dropped a bit as she looked off to the side. “We don’t really have many personal discussions...” “N-no,” Emily suddenly blurted out. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude.” She gave an earnest look of remorse, despite having baby powder being rubbed into her privates by the one she was apologizing to. “I assumed when I shouldn’t’ve.” “Thank you,” Joyce gave her a kiss on the forehead. “I know it sounds a little weird, but Sheila and I have a pretty limited relationship… Don’t get me wrong; we’re friendly, but we’re boss and secretary above all else. It’s sort of hard to forget that whenever we talk...” For multiple reasons, but most of all Sheila keeping to a gold standard herself. “So she was willing to talk today about stuff?” Emily bounced back. “She’s always willing, just only as an employee, which is good, but also…” she sighed. “But today wasn’t like that for at least a second. She actually started saying something first today, which isn’t like her.” “Well that’s good.” Emily nodded supportively, although she felt ill-equipped to really understand their relationship and the actual significance of these events. Therefore, she would engage in the only way she knew how. “So? Tryna be better friends with Sheila? Are you trying to kick me out and get a new baby girl?” She grinned. Joyce giggled as she pressed the tapes on Emily’s diaper. “I think it’d cause me some problems if my reports were written in crayon. Besides, your diapers definitely would not fit her.” “My diapers?” Emily repeated Joyce’s choice words. “Yes, your diapers,” Joyce emphasized with a smile. “I like where I have both of my girls as is.” “So putting me in diapers is a duty as a boss, too?” Emily laughed. “Of course it is,” Joyce stated as a fact. “I’m the boss of you too, you know?” Joyce undid the strap as she gingerly patted Emily’s crinkly crotch. “This is the fifth complaint I’ve gotten from HR about you running around half-naked! I can only let you off with so many warnings, young lady?” “Uh-huh. Well I’m gonna report you to HR for harassment.” Emily stuck out her tongue as she set up and rolled off her hip onto her feet. “Harassment?” Joyce’s mouth hung agape. “Emmy, sweetie,” she hooked her finger on the diaper’s waistband. “It’s job security!” She paused with a growing smirk, as if awaiting the praise from her masterful wordplay. “Ugh...” Emily groaned with a simultaneous smirk as she turned away just to hide the giggly look. And just to double down before Joyce’s teasing could reach her ears, Emily leapt forward to the corner where her trusty confidant remained as always. As Emily nuzzled herself into the giant bear, Joyce drifted to the other end of the nursery as she fussed through the closet. “I really wish we could just leave your high chair out in the kitchen always...” Joyce passively complained as she contemplated on the few pieces of clothing she had for her baby girl. A crime, unfortunately, one she hoped to rectify soon with more discussions with Amy. Emily’s ears were enveloped in stuffed bear-ness as her mind was still on the track of dodging humiliation, chanting in muffled cries as she ‘blah-blah’ and ‘la-la’ed her way out of conviction. “Out of the bear, missy,” Joyce beckoned, holding Emily’s onesie over her arm. “We have your underwear situation solved, but not your uniform.” “Uniform?” Emily spun her head. Maybe she could hear it all… Joyce held it out in front of her. She’d been sparing with the outfits thus far, just to maximize their novelty. Emily laid eyes on the pink and white stripes for the first time, small pouch pockets and a hanging crotch flap. “Did Amy make that too?” Emily asked with a difficult expression. Impressed, yes, but bashful for being the one about to wear it? Most certainly so. “Yes she did!” Joyce sang as Emily stood up to be stripped of her last pieces of adult clothing. Up and down her arms went as Joyce slipped Emily’s head through the opening. Straightening it out and feeding her arms through the proper holes, one just might have thought her to be an eccentric featuring some kind of dress. Though, with each audible snap as Joyce lovingly fussed with the crotch of Emily’s onesie, her credibility as a fashionista was plummeting rapidly. “It’s soft.” Emily remarked as she ran her hands over her clothed stomach. Just when she went to feel the leg cuffs, Joyce gently moved her hands out of the way. “And just when was it your job to make sure your clothes fit you?” Joyce looked up at her with a playfully stern look. Emily opened her mouth for a witty reply, but then remembered she didn’t actually have one. Not only that, but how funnily bizarre Joyce’s comment was had knocked the linguistic part of her brain off its center. “I...” Emily looked partly over her shoulder just to stifle a random giggle. “...I just wanted to see how it felt.” “Well,” Joyce stood back up, running her hands over Emily’s shoulders before giving the sleeves a gentle tug. “Good thing these have snaps on them. If it slips right off then I doubt it’ll be on you for more than five minutes.” Emily rolled her eyes. “Are we still going with that?” “No, of course not, silly,” Joyce chuckled as she steered her to the exit. “You wouldn’t be in your diapers right now, if we were?” Emily almost made an audible noise of grief for having walked into that so easily. Then again, not so easily, as Joyce seemed to twist her words so masterfully, that Emily could talk about the weather and it’d somehow read to Joyce as asking for a nap in her crib. Either it was all baseless and on a whim, or there existed some kind of mommy logic Emily could never hope to understand. The realist inside of her claimed it was the former, but she stopped being a realist the moment she “lost” her panties. The order in train carts swapped once Joyce took the lead back to the bedroom, ever so happily leaving the nursery unlocked and opened. “Can we get shakes tonight?” Emily crinkled in tow with her innocent question. “You’re being very silly if you think that you’re getting dessert before dinner...” Joyce tutted whilst she unbuttoned her office attire. Emily had laid herself across the bed, watching Joyce half-naked walk around the room. “After dinner?” Emily emphasized her correction, maybe hoping that somehow earned her brownie points. “We’ll see,” Joyce gave her non-answer, rehearsed to a ‘T’ just so she could experience the thrill of getting to say it at any point. The joys of being a mommy, getting to experience all sorts of fun little bucket list items, like feeding her imaginary two-year old vague and empty placating responses. Emily rolled her eyes, technically, as her entire body as well rolled across the bed. “Can we do takeout for dinner, too?” Now Joyce was looking her way. “Takeout, too? What makes you think you’ve earned all those treats, missy?” “...Cuz it’s Friday?” “Friday is only good for one reward,” Joyce sufficed on the spot, somehow finding praise in her infantilized girlfriend surviving a week. But aside from that she also wanted to throw Emily a bone. “But...you also have been good with your chores,” Joyce smiled earnestly, “so I guess that should count for something, too?” Emily grinned back, but in the back of her mind it was only the pessimistic thought of how it could get her anything but an actual job… “So that’s a yes?” Emily giggled as she propped herself up with her elbows. “It’s a wait and see.” Joyce calmly repeated, just about done dressing herself. “Wait and see for what?” Emily frowned. “Wait and see if there’s a tantrum or naughtiness that might undo those two treats?” Joyce peaked over her shoulder with a glimmer and a smirk, as if tempting Emily to say something back. Emily furrowed her brows, nearly about to waltz right into what was surely entrapment, but her last-minute conscience saved her from such. “...Kay.” Joyce nearly pouted, clearly expecting a different outcome, yet she shrugged it off. “In that case, go park that bum by the door. Mommy’s gotta grab a few things before we go back out.” Emily hopped off the bed, doing as she was told, even before the playful swat on her behind sent her forward and onward. As she rocked the heels of her feet on the step just above the slate flooring, Joyce soon came next, stepping down in front of Emily. Just as Emily started to look up, her eyes brought her gaze back down as a long roll of multi-colored cotton unfurled itself from Joyce’s outstretched hand. “When did we get those?” Emily asked, a little caught off guard by the sudden addition to her wardrobe. “I saw these last week. Aren’t they pretty?” Joyce smiled from ear to ear and she kneeled in front of Emily, setting the girl’s foot on her thigh. “Uhm...they’re cute socks, but...” Emily watched Joyce bunch together the cotton thigh-high socks as she slipped it over Emily’s foot and fed the mile-long sock up her leg. “But nothing,” Joyce curbed the “attitude”, as she liked to call it. “It’s only getting colder outside, and even if you’re staying in the car I don’t want you feeling chilly.” “I wouldn’t be though?” Emily tried, although a onesie with a thick diaper was far more compromising than anything Joyce could put on her feet. “You’re right, you won’t be with these comfy socks?” Joyce gently tapped her knee, signaling Emily’s other foot. Emily continued to look pensive and reluctant, but practice had made her diligent in separating her hesitation from her actions. She could complain, moan and groan until the cows came home, but it wouldn’t change her compliance in a diaper change, outfitting, sippy cup and the like. Most of the time, at least. “Wait, why do I have to wear these socks if I’m just gonna wear pants?” Emily continued to poke holes in the plan as it was presented to her, now stepping into sweatpants. “Because these are just until we get to the car,” Joyce calmly explained, but promptly stopped with her hands on the waistband of her pants. “But if you really don’t want to wear them on the walk down, I think a onesie and jacket are fine too?” She already started to pull them down, albeit much slower. “No! They’re fine!” Emily whined right up until Joyce reversed her motions, chuckling no less. “I’ll just keep them on for the ride...” “No, it’s only to give you a little privacy while we’re walking. These come off once we get in the car.” Joyce said back without a laugh, as loving as she was. Emily pursed her lips, knowing that the decision had been made and it was final. Lowering her chin, she tossed her gaze over her shoulder. “I hate that you’re getting so good at that...” Emily pouted with an inflated cheek. “Getting good at what?” Joyce asked with an almost sultry look. She stood back up to pull a turquoise jacket off its hook. “...Mommying...” Emily quietly answered as she stood. Since the hotel incident and even a little before that, their consistent time spent in these sort of roles had led to much more acclimation for them both. Particularly Joyce. She was kind, loving, and as doting as ever. However, she seemed to be touching more on something that simply felt...motherly. Her sense of finality or authority was only growing with each and every moment for it. Drinking her milk. No more juice for the night. No ice cream after dinner. Staying in the bathroom after a bath until she was fully dried off. Using her pacifier... The many little things Joyce maybe once could have been bent out of simply because limits were still being explored. But finally, some of that novelty and newness was starting to wear off, meaning Joyce was starting to find a comfortable level of pressure and Emily was starting to lose her pull… For all perplexingly nice reasons, that is. Every day was another tiny shackle or ringlet to the padded leash Emily was finding herself in, and it only continued to illuminate the many unknown parts of herself she was starting to become strangely infatuated with. While at any point it’d all come back to her immediately, resigning her freedoms and decisions to Joyce really was...exciting. The diapers were certainly not her favorite, but even those were starting to lose their strangeness. Unfortunately...even the wet ones. “How’s the jacket? Soft?”Joyce was bent forward as she even took the liberty of zipping her jacket up as well. “Think so.” Emily answered nonchalantly while she continued to be handled. As for “softness”, it was hard to tell when her onesie was already smothering her with its own cushy feeling. “Good. Now on your bum; let’s get your sneakies on.” “Sneakies?” That look. Of course. The kind that could warble Emily’s mouth into an embarrassed grin that’d betray whatever sense of maturity she was trying to put on. Joyce’s look. Her typical look whenever she seemed to “rewrite reality” in a way that suited her needs. With a slight raise of her eyebrow and a tilt in her head, she asked in such an intoxicatingly wonderfully condescending way, “Honey...sneakies? The things we put on our feetsies?” Emily without a word, lest she start laughing, sat on the edge of the floor with a small crinkle, sitting her heels on the edge just so her knees were high enough to drape her arms over, making the perfect shroud for her flustered look. “I can’t put them on if you sit like that, silly.” Joyce without skipping a beat grabbed Emily’s feet and slid them off their perch with near-frictionless effort. Curse those socks. So went Emily’s modesty shroud as she stifled whatever laughter she was feeling from just a second ago. “Something wrong?” Joyce asked, knowing full well what all the commotion in her girl’s head was. “N-...nothing...” Emily tried to calm herself while she feigned fascination with the plain wall. “Nothing? Emmy, do you think you’re going to be able to handle me taking you out?” Now she had Emily’s attention. “Yes! Why wouldn’t I?” Emily knew it had to be Joyce getting a rise out of her, but she all the same couldn’t let it go unchallenged, otherwise she’d definitely double down… “Well...” All it took was a slight drag in her voice to insinuate the plethora of offenses poor Emily had supposedly committed. “Did I not just get finished putting you in a diaper for running around the house all day naked?” “It wasn’t all day--!” Emily tried to stop the assumptions before they could fester, but killing the fun was tantamount to sin for the woman in charge. “--And all this back-talk about what you’re wearing, what you want for dinner, making demands about dessert...” She made a troubled, exasperated sigh. “Emmy, sweetheart, if you don’t think you can handle going out, I’m more than fine with making us something here.” “No! I’m fine! I can han--” Emily put a stop to herself before she could finish her words. With a scowl she went back to looking by her side. So much for trying to sound like an adult… As if the canvas was fresh once more, Emily looked back at Joyce, the amused mommy, trying to come off as dignified. As dignified as one could be in rainbow socks, a onesie and diaper. “I am more than fine with going out...” Emily tried choosing the best ‘adult’ form of expression as she could. Hopefully it made the mark. “Mmm...well, alright then.” Joyce smiled softly, like poor Emily needed the encouragement to somehow find it in herself to be on her best behavior. “Can we go now?” Emily asked as she held Joyce’s hands like ropes to pull her upright. “Yes, yes,” Joyce ushered as she opened up the door. Though standing in the doorframe she did flash her open hand to Emily. “Hold Mommy’s hand?” While a flustered look was given back, Emily without a fuss did take her hand. With all the layering between her legs, having a tiny bit of insurance did feel inspiring. “Why do I always have to wear pastels?” Emily asked as she swung her sneakered foot while waiting for Joyce to lock the door. “Because it’s what you look so adorable in~” Joyce said back with the slip of her key into her purse. “Would you rather just your diapers?” She smiled thoughtfully. “Never...” Emily practically shuddered. Apart from the soft blow of heating vents inside the car, things were mostly silent. Crinkle Mostly silent. One thigh did their best to brush with the other, vice versa, yet their attempts for companionship were continually hindered by the padding that laid between. Finally, Joyce set her phone down. “Emily, you should really stop thinking about it and just try to go...” “Go…? Go what? I’m fine...” Now she was raising her eyebrow. Emily knew how lying to Joyce could be an exercise in futility, which is why Joyce thought it was absurd to be catching any even now. “Sweetie, you’ve been doing the potty dance in your seat for the past five minutes now...” Emily gasped the slightest bit. “I-Ihm...I’m not doing any dance! I’m just...sitting!” Joyce rolled her eyes. “It’s going to be at least another ten minutes until the food is ready, then we still have to go get milkshakes...” “I don’t mind...I’m fine...” Said Emily, not her bladder, who wavered even more at the mere mention of a prolonged wait. “What’s wrong?” Joyce was starting to find the sympathy in herself once a little coaxing couldn’t seem to do the trick. “Is it because we’re away from the house, is that it?” “No...I don’t need to...I can hold it...” Sort of an admission to guilt, but instead an admission to needing to pee. “I don’t want you holding it in,” Joyce softly reprimanded her. “It’s what you’re diapered for? Whatever you need to get out of your system is something you don’t need to worry about once it’s done, remember?” “It’s the car...” “The car?” “What if...what if it…leaks?” Joyce stared at her for a minute, then undid her seatbelt as she leaned over across the console and Emily’s lap. All it took was Joyce’s finger to brush its way against Emily’s inner thigh and inside her diaper for her to jump with a yelp. “What are you doing?! I’m not wet!” “That’s what I was thinking,” Joyce said without offense. “If your diaper is still dry as a bone, honey, why are you so worried about leaking?” Oddly enough, trust seemed to be involved not only between themselves, but Emily and her diapers. “I...I dunno...just in case...” “That’s my job to worry about.” Joyce readily said. “No need to worry about stuff like that, remember?” “...Yeah, but...” “But nothing. Emily, I want you to use your diaper. Right now.” “Right now? But…!” “I know that I can’t just tell you to forget about whatever might be worrying you, but I’m going to be stern if it’s what helps you. When we go back home you’ll be walking back up in just your onesie.” “Wh-what? Why?!” Emily whined back. That sounded and felt like a genuine threat. She would have gone for the sweatpants immediately to protect them, yet Joyce had confiscated them long since they first got into the car. “Because, if you’re going to assume that you might leak, we might as well keep your pants and socks from getting wet, right?” “That’s not what I mean!” “Whatever you mean, Emmy, I don’t want you to be thinking about it. I want you to focus on all the fun we’re gonna have tonight. The tasty dinner we’re about to get, the yummy milkshakes we’re going to have right after, and all the snuggles waiting for us at the very end. At no point do I want you worrying about what goes on in your diaper. Whatever happens is my responsibility, even if you do leak. Do I make myself clear?” “...But...” “Emily Sen. Do I or do I not?” She was certainly turning up the heat, and judging by Emily’s cheeks, she was certainly feeling it. “Y-yes...Mommy…” “Come on, sweetheart, sit in my lap.” A small, meek gasp came from Emily. Her worries were entirely about something happening to the seat of the car, but now Joyce as well? “Emily, baby...” She coaxed with her voice, invading Emily’s mind with a tone of voice that killed her resistance with overwhelming love and kindness. Sniffling, Emily did crawl over, situating herself on Joyce’s thighs in the driver’s seat. Thank the lord for tinted windows. “It’s only going to be a big deal if you treat it like one...” Joyce stroked her back with a calming rhythm. “Can I do it in my seat…? I get it...I’ll do it, but...” Emily trembled as she tried to squeeze her legs. It was another one of those moments. A fish as far as could be from an ocean. A fish in the desert without an oasis, as much as she wanted Joyce to be that for her. “After I just got my love-bug all cozy in my lap?” Joyce tried to stay lighthearted, steering away from what she’d consider teasing. “Do you want some help?” And by answering her question with a change of topic, Emily figured that to be a hard ‘no’ dressed in sheep’s skin. It was an uncomfortable few moments for Emily as she did her best not to squirm and mentally tensed her bladder with a half-waning resolve. And as her eyes started to water, through a series of soft grunts and reflexively pressing her hands off Joyce’s legs, a trickling warmth started to spread inside her underwear. Partially covered by her onesie, yes, but Joyce had already grown accustomed to the temperature right above her thighs, which is why she could feel the slight increase as Emily’s sniffles started to pick up. “All done?” “Uh-huh…” “I’m so proud of you, you know? Being able to let yourself go like that?” “I can’t though...it’s so hard...and it’s embarrassing…!” Again, at home was one thing. Elsewhere was different entirely. “But you just did? And embarrassment is a very big feeling... You’re too small for big feelings like that, so you shouldn’t be feeling anything like that at all.” “Mhm...” Emily nodded as she rubbed her eyes, not entirely sure if she could take those words as gospel just yet. “Hey, remember when we first went to Amy’s? We were running errands that day?” “Yeah…?” “And you were diapered then, too?” “...Yeah...” If any details might have offered some clarity to the distant memory, Emily would have preferred something a bit more generic. Then again, with their frequency as of late, diapers in their household really were starting to pick up a sense of generecy. Joyce rested her cheek on Emily’s back, smiling fondly. “I remember you went upstairs to Amy’s apartment while we talked about all the clothes I wanted to get you. After, we came up and I found you in the bathroom, covered in tears and you looked so sad...” On the other side of the fence, the victim herself wasn’t seeing it so fondly. “And look at me now...” Emily bitterly spoke. “I haven’t changed at all...” “Really?” Joyce smiled even wider. “I wouldn’t say that at all. A time like that already feels like a lifetime ago, and how far you’ve come with me in this relationship shows that. You have changed, Emily. So, so much. Before, something like this could knock you on your feet and leave you winded for the rest of the day. There’s nothing wrong with that, but think about how things are now? A wet diaper might make you feel uncomfortable, sure,” she stroked Emily’s arm, “but isn’t that about it? Those tears are already drying up, aren’t they?” Milestones were always weird with Joyce. Weird because they were so...weird. Normally a milestone would be a one-month anniversary or buying a house together, spending a holiday together. But their version was always unusual and unorthodox, especially when it was reverse toilet training. She should be cheering for re-training her muscles to relax and pee herself? Certainly in no world of Emily’s did that add up, which is why it could only make sense in a world like Joyce’s, of which she’d been living in for quite some time. “Can...can you change me?” Emily put her thoughts to words before her filter could even find them. Joyce was quiet for a second, leading the poor girl to think she’d done a taboo. It went against their motto Emily was trying to follow; kick back, relax, and go with the flow. Calling the shots wasn’t exactly “going” with anything except for your own decisions. “...No.” Joyce finally spoke, squeezing Emily with another hug. “I love you so much, sweetheart, but Mommy knows that diaper can go for longer...” This was even a step for herself. It was somewhat agreed to let things lie, and Emily herself agreed to staying in her used diapers for more than just a single use, but in fairness, doing it in a new place was likely adding to her nerves. “...Okay...” Emily knew better than to expect anything else by this point, but being told ‘no’ by Joyce was oddly something new to her. “Would I change you if we were back home right now?” “...No.” An obvious answer, with an obvious connection. “So what makes here any different?” Joyce asked. The moral she was trying to teach was obvious, on the level a child would understand, but that didn’t involve any of the harsh rhetoric an adult might get for missing something like this. She was calm, patient and caring. “It’s not...” Emily skipped two steps ahead to the inevitable answer. Whether she could say that it was different or not, whatever was in her heart didn’t really matter if the one responsible for diaper changes felt otherwise. There would eventually be some kind of vantagepoint to look back on this objectively and agree with Joyce, but that didn’t do a damn thing for how boxed in Emily was feeling right then. No real anger towards Joyce, just the unfairness of the situation. She helped Emily off her lap and back into her seat, but not without charging her a kiss. “Just remember that it’s one of the many ways you always show how much you love me?” Joyce held her head there until Emily was ridden with a case of the smiles. “I’m gonna go see if the food is ready,” Joyce opened the car door, baring against the chipper winds of the city night. “Keep the car warm for me!” “Ka--...y...” Emily waved her off, but was hit with a double meaning. Did she mean to keep the heat running? Or… She dashed the thought, and instead resigned herself to a grumpy face while she tried to ignore the warm pad between her legs. With about half of her milkshake to go, Joyce set it back down on the coaster. “Hey...” Joyce turned her head and voiced a gentle warning. “Both hands, remember?” “I know...” Emily with half her attention to Joyce responded. “You should be using both hands too, you know...” Obviously it didn’t click. “Why’s that?” Joyce smiled. “Cuz it’s...so you don’t spill any.” Wasn’t that obvious? After all, she expected the same of Emily. It was good etiquette all around, really. “Well, since I’m the last of us to not spill anything on the furniture, I’m still allowed to use just a single hand.” Power dynamics could not be any more fun. The “privileges” afforded to the few and the rules given to the charges. All the subtle and little things always made it that much more intimate. “It was just water...” Emily moaned back between sucks from her straw. “Was it now?” Joyce didn’t disagree, but she tried not to laugh regardless. How funny it was that time could change her tune so easily on a past memory. The night she spilled water on the couch she was sobbing and beating herself all over. A bit silly to think how light she was making it now, but that was only a good thing. “Yes.” Emily added with childish emphasis. “And I was using both hands that time, too! So it shouldn’t matter if I use both or not!” “...Well, actually, I guess that’s a good point.” Joyce admitted. She did remember both hands on the glass… “See? So I should be able to use one hand, too.” And just to demonstrate… “No,” Joyce shot the fantasy down immediately. Emily’s plastic cup went back down before the rocketship could make it to mars. “That rule doesn’t change. But you still made a very good point!” How good of a point could it be if nothing changed? Emily could only wonder, but she figured a wrong choice of words might get Joyce thinking more than she should. She was scary when she was thinking… “Really, by your logic, it’d probably be safer to swap you to sippy cups and bottles full time then, huh?” “Wh-what? No! I didn’t say that!” “But you said it yourself, didn’t you? Using both hands on a big girl cup wasn’t enough to stop you from spilling it?” “I didn’t say it wasn’t enough, I just said that it wasn’t related!” Emily stressed to point out the difference, too preoccupied to realize that it didn’t really change the point Joyce was making for sheer entertainment. “So if it wasn’t related, then nothing really caused you to spill it?” “That’s...hnnn…” She was starting to make her annoyed kind of thinking noise. “No...yes! Nothing caused it!” Joyce nodded understandingly. “Then...we should definitely keep you on sippy cups then.” “What?! No! Why?” And back to a whining voice as circular logic dictated. “Emily, if nothing caused it and using both hands won’t solve it either, we really can’t stop you from spilling your drinks unless we give you a little more help?” Gosh, it was so hard not to smirk during these kinds of gaslighting sessions. “I already have to use sippy cups!” “Maybe, but...” “...?” Emily turned her head, wondering ‘what gives’. Did she forget her lines or something? The audience was watching… Joyce frowned. “Nevermind. You actually do use your bottles and sippy cups, mostly...” A chance! “Y-yeah!” Emily ever so tactfully spoke up. “Which is why that doesn’t help either. So let’s stop talking about it!” “But that doesn’t include when you’re pretending to be a big girl,” the mama in charge curtly reminded. Probably the biggest flaw whenever Emily tried this sort of thing was the crucial fact that punishments weren’t meant to be collaborative between the punisher and punished… “Come over here,” Joyce beckoned with a hand, and Emily was more than excited to oblige. One to know how to read the mood, Emily’s eyes were already closing as she came in for a kiss. Lips locked and love was exchanged, but what put a real damper on things was when she sat on Joyce’s hand. Her diaper sat on Joyce’s hand, specifically. Both their eyes opened, only one seemed much more giddy than the other. “Thought so,” Joyce’s teeth were peeking between her lips. “Wanna do it here or in your nursery?” “To get...get intimate, you mean?” Emily nervously tried to play it off. So much for a bait and switch… It already felt like she’d wasted a few drops of adrenaline just to psych herself up. “If that’s what a diaper change is to you, then sure?” Her smile grew more like the dreaded disappointment on Emily’s face. “How...how did you know…?” Emily pouted with a turned cheek. “Emily, it’s my job to get a read of the room whenever I’m meeting with other executives,” it really was cute, she laughed, but did kiss her again. “I think I know how to spot a potty face when I see one.” “I don’t have one!” She vehemently denied, but apparently the writing was on the wall as much as the supposed distant expression was on her face whenever it...happened. “Of course you don’t, my little nightie ninja.” She almost pat herself on the back for that one. “Now which is it? Living room or the nursery?” “...Is it a trick question?” Joyce always seemed to fabricate tricks and traps in the strangest of places. “No, but I could think of a way for it to be?” In other words, decide before Joyce did and then some. “Living room.” Emily finally caved, needing so few threats from Joyce to get the memo. At least with the tv on she had some distraction. “Alrighty. Let me go get your changing stuff.” “Stuff that you bought?” Emily with well-placed insecurities reminded her. Just as smoothly though, “Bought you for your birthday?” Well damn. The next step was to deny that she had birthdays, but then that could somehow be used to justify her as a baby completely, and whatnot… Emily could never say for sure if she really understood the “Joyce Summers” thought process, but at least she figured it was close to that. Joyce came back in with an armful of things to perform the ritual. After laying out the mat, Emily astutely noticed the short T-shirt laying by her side. If Emily was already in a onesie, then that could only mean… “I’m not going to bed yet!” Emily complained, something she was learning to get better at. “It’s just for if you were starting to feel stuffy?” Joyce tried to play it down. “Do you prefer your onesie? I’ll have to tell Amy that!” “Noo! I know how this works. You’re just putting pajamas on me!” “...And if I was?” She had the audacity to ask, dressed in all her day-clothes and looking so...mature. “If I’m wearing pajamas, you have to, too!” It was the law of the land. By Emily’s decree. “After your diaper change,” she patted the mat. “I know you weren’t just a good girl to get those treats out of me?” No, she wasn’t… Emily came over to lay down, always unnerved by the squish from her underpants. “Did you have a fun night?” Joyce chatted with her charge while the diaper change ensued. “It’s not over yet...” Emily groaned, always peeved to hear talk about a time being over before it really was. Her eyes may have been bigger than her stomach, envisioned the most but awake the shortest to see the least, but she still liked to be prospective. “But yes.” “Good.” Joyce’s favorite button of Emily’s was the one right on her nose. “And no, I did not say it was over yet. We can watch a movie, if you’d like?” She nodded. “Okay. How about a scary movie?” Had there been any sort of jazz music playing, what taboo was just spoken from Emily’s mouth surely would have stopped the tunes. So in place of that Joyce just stopped short of fully peeling off a diaper tape. “Why do you ask for things that you know I’m going to say ‘no’ to?” Joyce sighed. While she figured herself a stern mommy and a firm girlfriend, by all accounts she figured herself generous. There was more she probably said ‘yes’ to than otherwise, so why was it Emily’s mission to find all the things she didn’t approve of? “Come on…!” Emily, the ignorant and forgetful of memory’s past (not really, but vulnerable to being blinded by a good mood), begged from the floor in the midst of a diaper change. “You let me have stuff tonight. I wanna let you!” “You already have?” The smell of lavender started clouding from her girlfriend’s nether regions. “Emmy, you’ve already had one accident because of the last scary movie...” “Forgetful” as she was, Emily found it hard not to blush from that. “I...know, but...this time I’m wearing a...you know.” Pulling the front of the you-know-what up to Emily’s abdomen sort of made for an answer. “And is that going to solve the nightmares, too?” Joyce didn’t sound any more convinced. “And you’re my dreamcatcher?” Emily added with a glimmer in her eye. Joyce almost flinched and turned away, overwhelmed by such shiny cuteness. Everyone in the right moments had their way with words, and apparently that was Emily’s. “...I’m fine with any other kind of movie, you know?” Hook and sinker. Another “maybe” to a yes or no kind of question that surely meant yes. There wasn’t a refusal, and no refusal clearly meant that there was consent (As far as bad morals went). “Hope you pick something you’re really gonna like!” Emily giggled. Gosh, who would have thought she could use diapers to her advantage? And truthfully, at least this way there wouldn’t have to be any late night bathroom mishaps… Joyce still gave her the kind of look to say that it still wasn’t all so cut and dry, and dry is what Emily would not be by the end of the night. Not that it really mattered. After tugging off her onesie and putting the short shirt on, Emily was just a half-naked woman in a shirt and diaper with a fair amount of skin spaced between. “Okay, you’re all changed. Let me clean up and get changed too.” Emily parked her butt on the couch, lazily browsing her phone. When Joyce came back, she looked much more dressed to code, wearing flannel pajamas and a small bundle of something in her arms. “What’s that?” Emily looked from her phone. “Insurance.” Joyce threw something at her face. A soft collision, thankfully, but actually a kamikaze attack by her questionable companion, Pip. “Pip?” “Figured he might help you get through the movie.” “I don’t actually need a stuff--” Emily tried to explain, sick with a bad case of the open mouth, which Joyce the owner of a medical company prescribed with a pacifier. “It’s the banana one that you like?” Joyce tried her best to entice, and was unfortunately successful. Pulling the silicon out of her mouth she asked, “So that means if I do this, we can watch scary movies now?” “Don’t get ahead of yourself, buttercup,” Joyce firmly kept her expectations in check. “We are going to try this and see what happens. If I decide we’re stopping the movie, no complaints, understand?” Playing for brownie points, rather than a zipped lip, Emily opted for a pacifier between the lips. “Good answer,” Joyce pleasingly smirked. “Let me clean up these milkshakes and I’ll fill up your sippy cup.” And out came the pacifier. “I don’t need a sippy cup...I’m not thirsty.” “You will be,” Joyce knew Emily’s needs better than she did. “One less reason you’ll need to get up and go to the kitchen.” Life was all about compromises...so Emily didn’t push the issue any further. “So tomorrow’s Saturday, by the way?” Joyce broached a new topic with a sippy cup in hand. “And the day after is Sunday,” Emily cheekily added. “So it is.” Getting cozy on the couch was always the best. “I’ve been chatting with Amy a bit?” “Uh-huh?” “She’s been asking me all the time about those clothes that she made for you?” “...Uh-huh...” “Still not feeling up to it?” Now she was burying her head into her knees. “It’s embarrassing...” “And didn’t I say embarrassment is too big for you?” A good back rub always made Emily seem less tense. “You always get to have the final say, but I just want to remind you: She knows what the clothes look like, she knows that she had to make them with diapers in mind...and she knows they’re meant for you, Emily. The only thing she hasn’t seen is you in them?” In other words, Amy had all the pieces, she knew what the finished product was going to be. All that was left was to put the pieces in herself. “...What if she laughs?” “She won’t laugh, Emily. Not only would she know not to, but I doubt she’d make all these pretty outfits for you if she was just going to tease you for them?” “What if I said yes?” “Then tomorrow we would go see her. It’d give me a chance to actually have some more stuff made for you?” “More?” Emily spoke up. She didn’t know whether she was intrigued or a little afraid. She wasn’t sure why, but it was still a lot to take in regardless. “And wait, does she already think we’re going tomorrow?” “She knows that I said I would talk to you about it.” Joyce was explicitly clear. No joking this time. “No one has any expectations, Emily. You’re not hurting anyone’s feelings one way or the other.” “It’s just...I don’t wanna be the center of attention when I’m all...dressed like this.” “I can’t say that you’ll be; I wanted to talk to Amy for a bit too, you know? You can always go upstairs to her apartment if you wanna decompress? I’m sure Ashes will want to keep you company?” She smiled, knowing that definitely put a cozy feeling in her mind. “Yeah...” Emily nodded. “How long would we stay?” “The afternoon?” Joyce shrugged. “We didn’t talk about times. We go when we go, we leave when we leave. For as long as you’re comfortable.” Thinking noises starting leaking from Emily’s mouth, bogged down by troubling thoughts, she leaned against Joyce, hesitantly popping the pacifier in her mouth. “I...I guess we can...” She mumbled through the trinket in her mouth. “Okay.” Joyce said quite simply. “And if you change your mind, just let me know.” Sensing that a sensitive subject had already been poked enough, Joyce squeezed her shoulder while she dimmed the lights with the handy-dandy tablet that controlled it all. “And so, with all that out of the way, I guess we’ll move onto the much more ‘interesting’ part of the night...” Joyce sighed, becoming a mother wise to the proper ways of spoiling a little one. Apparently she had more learning to do though as she browsed for something on the tv that piqued her interest at Emily’s expense.

Anytime! But not really, because I can't guarantee my timeliness. Thank you for the comment! Yes, it was a late-night posting and I was ready to throw another fit about how I've been posting these. I work out of docs currently and my routine has been pasting as plain text then going italicized word by word and re-adding the formatting, horizontal breaks, etc. I think it sort of reached a point where I partly dreaded posting because it felt like punishing myself for writing so much. Then I actually stopped for a second to consider conversion methods. Just like both you and WBDaddy mentioned, I for the first time downloaded as rich text and pasted. What I didn't do like you suggested is putting an extra new line between each paragraph. Learning, but this is much better than my old ways. Glad though I finally stopped to consider any easier way, haha. Also, more chapters exist and are fully written. So...maybe in a week, l'd say? Backlogs are fun to have! Thank you as always for commenting and sharing enthusiasm! I'm sitting on a mountain of half/unfinished stuff that I hope to share sooner rather than later. I do pride myself in my super timely releases. Not that I mean to brag or anything, but I did get this chapter in under a year since the last one! My main issue with the mismatch in formatting is mainly just losing the italicized words. Pasting as plain loses that and leaves me having my monitor split between two windows of the docs text and this editor. I'm just combing through italicized word by word and matching it into the editor. Super tedious and annoying, but it's really just my own laziness that's kept me from trying to solve anything until now. That, and I guess I never really considered it. "Glime-dazzling" was definitely a stream of conscious kind of moment. It was sort of meant to be just two buzz words that could give the feeling of a lively nightlife that catches your eye. Sometimes when I write at least for Sheltered, I might accidentally adopt Emily's perspective that's supposed to be a little more bubbly. I kinda bend the rules a little bit. Sometimes it sticks, other times it doesn't. Thank you for asking about it though! It made me put more thought into it in retrospect than I had actually in the moment, haha. Thanks for staying so interested and commenting! I think I keep moving my "post by X" goalpost each time I get busy. So, with absolute pride my claim to fame is posting within a year of the last chapter! I have let two or three stories completely drop, I think. Part of that was because at the time I wrote those stories when I was younger and it shows with the style and content. At least one or two of them just aren't things that I'm comfortable writing anymore. At least for Sheltered, I'm able to keep writing for it because I still have a bucket list of things I want to reach with them and still find it fun to keep writing for their characters. I may need to use that phrase as an easter egg somewhere in my writing now, "Glime-dazzling." I'm glad you're enjoying the story though, and thank you for continuing to stay interested! And to everyone, thank you for putting up with my erratic schedule and continuing to show so much interest in a story that has been slowly chugging along for literal years now (which doesn't make me so proud to comment on...). I think by this point speaking on my schedule wouldn't hold a lot of weight because consistency is unfortunately beyond my skillset unless it needs to be. That being said, should be posting another chapter soon!

I hate text formatting. CH36 - Misbehaving When Emily did come to, the first thing that hit her first was the mental assault on her concentration. Wonderful, a hangover. Well-deserved though, unfortunately. Seeing Joyce right beside her though did bring a smile to her face. Emily shuffled just a tad closer, but paused as she felt a slight tug on her shorts. Without looking, she even thought something was...touching her butt? Leaning her head over her shoulder, it was a first to see the tendril that was Joyce’s arm having slipped itself not only underneath her pajamas, but her underwear too like it was a cookie jar. Propped up on an elbow she swept aside a few strands of her hair, still trying to decide how she felt about it: weird, or pleasant. Then her eyes drifted back to the culprit, leaving her bountiful chest as defenseless as apparently Emily had left her bottom. “Eye for an eye...” Emily grinned with a murmur as she reached forward. Yet she yelped as her muscles stiffened like a board, locking up her joints and giving her a brief startle. The trap she’d neglected to disarm had activated its claws, giving Emily’s bum a playful squeeze. “Mmm!” Joyce hummed pleasantly as she shuffled herself. “Just what I needed to wake up!” “Do I really need to start sleeping on my back now because of you?” Emily giggled as she slipped Joyce’s arm out of her shorts with ease. Joyce puffed out her cheek before she said, “Well, it’d be a lot harder for me if you were in a diaper...!” “Is that how this works?” Emily raised her eyebrow. “Making the idea of being an adult so unappealing I’ll never want another pair of panties?” Joyce’s eyes shot wide open, sparkling with stars. “Really? Is it working?” She held a bated breath, but her own act didn’t last long enough for Emily to either spring yet another trap or call her bluff. “Sorry; did it make you uncomfortable? I just wanted a little more cuddle action last night...” “As long as it doesn’t keep me from sleeping...” Emily issued her final ruling, rubbing her backside. “Does that mean it goes both ways though?” And before Joyce could answer, Emily mischievously squeezed her breast. “Wh-oAH!” Joyce yelped herself, jumping out of reflex. “St-stop! At least give me a little warning!” She laughed. “These are pillows for you, not stress balls!” “Yeah? Did I leave a ‘welcome’ sign on my ass?” “What’s gotten into you, snarky-pants?” She had been joking, and so was Joyce, but she caved into it like it was something genuine. “I have a headache...” Emily moped. Joyce stroked the side of her head offering a sympathetic look. “That’s what happens when you go past your limit...” She said soothingly, but her stroke slowed down as she remembered last night. The playing field was level again, save for a hangover, but fair enough. “Where were you last night?” Her shift in tone was subtle, yet there wasn’t any play in her voice. Emily looked back at her from her sideways posture. “At the party with you?” It pegged Joyce as a joke or something less than honest. Even from Emily, dodging or twisting a serious question upset her a little. “Emily, I’m not joking. I was worried, you know?” “I’m not joking either...” Emily’s lackadaisical attitude was being dragged down by the atmosphere into her own kind of upset-ness. “Even after we got separated, I was at the party almost the entire time. I waited for you?” How could she have been there? There wasn’t a chance in hell Emily would be found in the crowd, or so Joyce thought, which is why she scoured the empty spaces all around while entertaining conversation with others. “It felt like I searched the entire dance hall! You’re being honest? Then where were you?” “I was sitting at a table with some people,” Emily paused to think for a second, “Two people named Rebecca and Hank.” Joyce pursed her lips, nearly ready to poke holes or call a bluff, but then she did remember at least one of those names being mentioned last night. Drunken Emily had said something about a Rebecca...being a...bitch? But what’s more, Emily had done something on her own Joyce hadn’t expected; socializing. “You were sitting at a table with a group of people?” Joyce clarified. It still seemed a little out of character, but it’d make sense for why she seemed to have vanished. Dinner tables there were a dime a dozen as well as an unlikely place to find Emily, supposedly. In the pursuit of trying to make her search efficient and quick, she’d ironically eliminated her chances of finding the girl altogether. “Are you okay?” Emily asked, witness to the crease forming between Joyce’s brows. Her pupils rose back to the girl in front of her. “I’m fine...” She softly exhaled, “I just...I feel like I let something very obvious slip and it led to only more stress that’s my fault. I’m sorry. I owe you an apology; I came at you last night and just now like it was something you did and not me…” “No, no it’s fine, really...” Emily put a hand on her shoulder. “It’s sort of fair to think I’d be on the edge near the wall...which was true for a tiny bit. I’m...sorry for not being where I probably should’ve been.” “Stop that.” Joyce pecked her on the cheek, “Don’t look for silly reasons to apologize when it wasn’t your fault. I take the full blame on this one. But again, I’m surprised you were sitting with other people...how did that go?” A cheery glimmer started to come back to her eyes, now a little excited to hear about her girl’s little (and safe, now that she knew) adventure. “It...was interesting,” Emily briefly summarized, finding that kind of rating by weighing Hank’s pleasant presence against the exact opposite which was Rebecca. With...maybe a dash of points back in the positive favor, seeing that Rebecca mellowed out towards the end… “Hank was the guy who offered me to sit with them. He was nice, and I think he does financial management stuff. Rebecca turned out to be his high school friend, I guess; she owns theaters. The play kind, not movies...” Emily emphasized the last bit, feeling residually annoyed by how Rebecca had just “assumed” Emily would know which of the two. “Mhm?” Joyce nodded thoughtfully, showing great interest. But of course, curiosity was getting to her. “Last night though, in the lobby you did mention Rebecca I think… Something about...not being so great of a person?” “Oh...” Emily tried to remember, “A bitch, right?” A small puff of air left Joyce’s mouth as she laughed heartily. “I see you don’t feel any different about it when you’re sober?” “Well, I sorta figured it out before I got drunk...Hank would probably agree too. He was sort of like her royal handler or whatever. Those people that have to put up with the kings and queens and help them out?” “A...retainer?” Joyce guessed, trying to find the right word. “Yeah, that! He was like a retainer for her. Long story short, she was sort of mean to me at first, but I guess she didn’t completely mean it. After Hank called her out it seemed like she got really embarrassed,” she giggled, remembering the next part. “Then she apologized by going to get me a parfait!” “Awhh...” Joyce couldn’t help herself. Without the visuals and willfully tweaking the context in her mind, it was the same as Emily playing nice with a new friend who was still learning how to deal with “big” emotions. Cute for a kid, but as an adult...well, maybe it could be bitchy. “Did you get along after that?” Joyce asked. Emily nodded. “That’s how we started drinking, actually. She told Hank to get me wine as well. And..that’s how it started...” as well as ended. “So you left the party after getting drunk?” Disapproval was starting to come back to her face. She was going to outright call it irresponsible, but having shot herself in the foot quite recently, she waited to hear her out. “Yeah, but I think I wanted to stay…” “So they forced you?” And so easily her opinions of these people had flipped; absolutely enraged by these strangers forcing peer pressure on Emily to--! “No...not really,” Emily answered back, oblivious to the turmoil in her girlfriend’s head. “I guess more like sound reasoning. Rebecca was really drunk, like, threw up in the elevator drunk… Hank wasn’t bad though, so he offered to take me back to our room first before he’d take Rebecca to hers.” “But you didn’t have the room key...” Joyce found it difficult to be the silent spectator. Since it was an Emily-grade re-telling, of course she struggled to sit still and save her questions until the end. There were simply too many that a pen could transcribe before the fiery queries would start to burn out. “Right...” Emily agreed, now sounding not so proud. “I uh...went anyway. I think I even took us to the wrong floor...I think that’s how I ended up in the lobby.” Joyce took a small breath, feeling as if she saw the essentials of the picture now. “So, after we got separated, you met these people, drank as much as you could, left the party knowing full-well that you couldn’t get back into our room, then meandered in the lobby, all while I was still looking for you at the party?” Emily’s mouth twitched a smidgen as she averted her gaze. “I...Hank wasn’t gonna let me stay...I was too drunk...” “Did you explain to him how you didn’t have a room key?” Joyce’s attack came as unyielding. For once, she was starting to hold Emily’s feet over the fire. “No...I forgot.” “You forgot?” “I forgot.” Emily repeated, sounding a bit bothered now. “Can I not forget things?” Just as Joyce was about to accelerate, Emily’s defensive tone struck made her realize the pressure she was starting to apply. “I didn’t mean it like that...” “I’m sorry for making you worry,” Emily sighed, with a hand to her throbbing head. “I just...I thought I was doing all the right stuff I should have, up until leaving the party, I guess...” “No, I’m just being selfish.” Joyce softly spoke as she rose from the bed. “Thank you as always for putting up with me… It may sound narcissistic, but I feel like it’s easy to see by now that I’m usually the one in control of everything around me... I always plan and have backups in my work, so a lot of what I do is pre-planned and it makes sense to me. I can’t control you Emily, and I would never want to, but you’re the first thing in a long while that’s sometimes unpredictable to me. You’re the most important person in the world to me. If I don’t know where you are and I can’t reach you, everything’s just so...” She made grabbing motions at her hair. “So crazy...” “I feel that way about you too, you know?” Emily said back. Joyce smiled, “Thank you, that makes me happy to hear.” Though, not that she’d ever doubt Emily’s feelings, Joyce would wager that her own severity was much more. “You...you don’t think I’m a control freak, or anything?” After such a bad taste in her mouth, she was starting to have regrets about what she’d done to Emily with the computer. “No. Not a control freak,” Emily deterred her thoughts, but not completely refuted. “I’d definitely agree you like having a handle on things though.” Call her a mommy, why didn’t she? “See?” Joyce’s expression turned to one of somber. “Even you can tell; I’m hopeless. I feel like I’m always apologizing for some stupid overbearing thing that I do...” “I never said it was unlikable, though?” Emily interjected. Standing on all fours, she crawled over into Joyce’s lap. “Maybe if we were a bit more...traditional, I think I’d have a problem...” Using Jack as her reference, she would be annoyed. But Joyce struck her differently. “But we’re not that. Control is definitely part of our relationship, isn’t it? It’s part of our...you know, lifestyle?” After all, a mother who couldn’t control her child would lead to pure anarchy… Or in other words, it wasn’t realistic without it. “I already said,” Emily began to remind her, “You don’t have to act like you’re flipping a switch…” She paused to think of the right words. Joyce always seemed to be better at that. “I know I’ve gotten upset about it before, but I kind of like it when you get concerned like that about me… How you keep me in sight at all times; pull me aside just to check up on me...coddle me… Obviously there’s a limit when I’m an adult, but...” She started to blush, partially feeling like a liar for having a change of tune since they last “talked”. “Now that I’ve had some time to deal with it...I guess I kind of like it when there’s always a small part of Mommy around...” Emily was laying on her stomach across Joyce’s thighs. The older woman pensively worked with her hands. “You do…?” “Maybe not originally, but I dunno...I guess I’ve had some time to come around. You care for me in a way I don’t think anyone ever has...” “Even if I’m a control freak?” “I promised I’d say something if you get too pushy?” Emily said back to her. A dumb smile was infecting Joyce. “You’re...you’re gonna regret giving me so much leniency, you know?” “And I’ll talk to you about it if we ever get there,” Emily smiled. “Please don’t let this affect anything? I’m sorry for making you worry; I can’t say I was completely aware of everything, but I’ll try to be more considerate down the line...” As she reflected on last night herself, a lump started to well up in her stomach and reach her throat. All the anxiety and worry she’d felt from last night, stomached by the adrenaline of new encounters and social pressure weren’t here to let her appear as strong. She suddenly hiccupped as she wiped her eyes. “I was scared too, you know?” “Thank you...” Joyce massaged her back with her open palm. Renewed and strengthened, both women sat in their positions for just a few more minutes. As Emily enjoyed her position laying across Joyce’s legs, she felt a hook suddenly snag the waistband of her shorts and panties. “Hey, no more for you,” Emily grinned as she didn’t bother to look behind. She was the bartender who decided Joyce had gone past her limit. Though, her expression shriveled a little once she felt the cold chill on her bottom, as a full-on tug brought down her clothes and exposed her bare bottom. She wiggled her hips as her head started to turn. “Joyce? What are you--!” SMACK A brief, skin-to-skin smack filled the room. A light slap, but just the right point of contact for maximum sound. Emily’s muscles reflexively contracted as soon as she felt the prickly sting on her bum. It didn’t necessarily hurt, but Emily had certainly felt it. Was she just...spanked? “J-Joyce?” Emily turned her head. Joyce, meanwhile, had a look of pure bliss; an addict who had found their fix. She held her palm just above Emily’s backside, still relishing the wonderful feeling. “S-sorry...” Joyce apologized, still chasing off her high. “I felt like that was needed. Just a little punishment for bad behavior.” Emily rolled her eyes, but smiled. “I thought when all this started, you said there’d be no spanking?” “If you can change your opinion, I can too, can’t I?” Joyce grinned. She lightly tapped Emily’s butt as she briefly massaged it before tugging her underwear and shorts back up. “Just a little reminder to be on your best behavior~” “Uh-huh...” Emily kept her face forward and away from Joyce. In spite of the lighthearted fun, she was a little concerned about her own reaction. It wasn’t outright revolting… She was already blushing just from thinking about it. Absolutely not. Spankings were not going to be their new thing… “But in other news,” Joyce looked delighted to report, “Sheila said you had no troubles last night getting to bed?” “No, not really…--” Her answer was casual at first, but the atmosphere seemed to freeze, or whatever jovial tune she moved her drum to the beat of had just been crudely stopped. “Sh...Sheila?” Emily sounded confused, somehow hit by a sense of amnesia and reminiscence. “Yes, Sheila?” Joyce said. “My secretary? She’s the one who found you in the lobby and brought you back up to the room so I could wrap up at the business dinner...” Joyce lost that final polish in her tone, now aware too of the mental gap Emily seemed to have had. “You...don’t remember?” “I...I do...” Emily bit her lip from trying to recollect. How much had she drunk? Most of the details were there… Figures, places, blurs, and Joyce’s face. It was like staring at a low quality image from afar, only to realize just how many imperfections it was riddled with the closer you got. Before she could run in circles with herself for too long, Joyce filled in some of the spaces for her. “Sheila found you in the lobby by chance, then got in touch with me. I came downstairs and Sheila said she’d bring you back up to the room… Does that sound familiar?” “It does...but...” It felt embarrassing to admit just how jumbled the night was for her. “Wait...Sheila put me to bed?” As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt like she already knew the answer, re-remembering fragments in all sorts of places, slowly converging into the full picture. “Yes…?” Joyce rubbed the top of her head. “How about we get you something for that hangover?” “Sure...” Emily sighed, only registering the throb again once Joyce reminded her of it. She continued to silently reflect, doing her own kind of digging inside her mind. She was with Sheila… Sheila was in the room… Emily undressed herself...wait, did she? She was given clothes...no, helped into them...she snuggled with Pip, but he sort of just “appeared”, which obviously wasn’t right… When Joyce came back in, Emily’s face hung in her hands as her eyes peered down at the bedding through the slits between her fingers. “Sheila...” Emily said aloud, “Sheila, she...she saw so much last night…!” Despite being a whole other person last night, it didn’t affect Emily’s ability to physically cringe just from thinking about it. She laid herself bare to this effective stranger; leaned on her like an actual child…! “What did she see?” Joyce handed her the glass of water. While Emily was in a mild panic, Joyce seemed much more level-headed. After a long gulp to help her swallow, Emily exasperated, “Pip! She...Ugh…! She must have thought I looked like a complete kid!” It was only them, but that didn’t stop her from wanting to hide from the invisible embarrassment. No, she was mortified. “I couldn’t even get myself dressed!” Joyce felt bad for her, but not so much precisely because it’d been Sheila, the only alternative at this point she would ever feasibly consider in place of herself. “Emily, I know it’s embarrassing, but please trust me when I say that Sheila won’t ever speak a word of this to anyone.” And naturally, in a moment of tension and panic, then came Emily, “H-how do you know that? I’m probably now her weirdest, creepiest work story!” A tiny cold sweat broke on Joyce as her back straightened a little. If only this was the weirdest thing I’ve forced on my secretary… “E...even if it might be,” Joyce decided to leave some landmines buried, “which I don’t think it is, Sheila knows that anything I share with her or have her do is strictly confidential. She’s contracted and it’s been this way for years. ” “Yeah, years of babysitting?” Emily pouted with pessimism. “Stop it,” Joyce was quick to admonish her, “the day Sheila betrays me is the day kittens fly.” Naturally, hearing the botched figure of speech had Emily’s head turning. And for Joyce she knew that she could smile because Emily was still taking in silly stimuli. “I just...” Emily exhaled, but started to find anomalies beneath the mental debris. “Wait, how did she even know about Pip?” “I told her,” Joyce said with no signs of remorse, “otherwise it could have been one of many things that could lead to a bad night...” She ran her hand through Emily’s hair. “It’s nothing to be embarrassed about? Sheila really isn’t the type to pass judgment, and especially tell people about any of that...” “Yeah...but...” Joyce had the thought of biting her lip, debating whether to reveal a small tid-bit of information, if only to help ease Emily’s worries. “You know your diapers? The ones we keep in your nursery?” “Y-yes...” Emily started to blush. Her diapers. Her nursery. Joyce’s expression communicated that she hadn’t quite settled on how she wanted to leak the information. “Well…Sheila had a big hand in getting them for us...” Emily’s eyes widened. She couldn’t be serious. “She KNOWS?” Obviously her voice couldn’t be kept down then. “Wh-why?! Why did you tell her? You said it was--” A hand came over her mouth. “Shh, shh,” Joyce gently shushed. “Deep breath? Unnecessary stress is a great way for naughty girls to bring back their headaches...” Emily did just that before mumbling, “I’m not naughty...” “No, you’re not.” Joyce smiled and nodded. “Sheila knows as much as she needs to. She knows that I wanted them made, and that’s it. Not who they’re for, or why they’re needed. This was a while back, Emily, even before I started planning out your nursery. If she hasn’t said anything by now to anyone, I highly doubt she’d do it in the future.” Emily still couldn’t wipe the blush off her face. All she could do was assume the worst. Sheila was smart, probably, to be working under Joyce. For that reason, Emily hardly thought Sheila would just “forget” about something as objectively curious as that. It was only a matter of time until she figured out how Emily was somehow related to them. “Are you upset with me?” Joyce asked cautiously. She was optimistic, yet she wasn’t a mindreader… “No...” Emily sulked. “It...I can’t say I really trust her because I don’t know her, but I do trust you...” She gave Joyce a hopeful look. “If you say you think she’s safe, then I guess all I can do is go with that.” Joyce leaned forward with her arms wrapping around the girl. “I promise. I absolutely promise that whatever Sheila thinks she knows or does know, it will absolutely not go beyond her.” She hated to consider the thought, but if somehow Sheila was possessed and of another sinister mind to leak what she knew, even Joyce wouldn’t hesitate to strike back. Sheila was important, but even more so herself and Emily alike. All Emily could do was resign herself to fate, leaning her head into the crook of Joyce’s shoulder, feeling the goosebumps appear in droves as a finger traced itself on the back of her ear. “Can I tell you something?” Joyce asked. “What?” “I’m only suggesting this because I think you might need it...” Now she was looking up at her. “What…?” Joyce defused herself for only a second as she fumbled with her suitcase. Emily wondered what travel tissues had to do with any of this, but her heart skipped a beat once she saw what she most certainly did not expect to see in any place other than home. “J-Joyce…! Why’d you--” “Hush.” Calmly, yet adamantly, the stressful girl was commanded into submission. The motherly authority came back on the bed, yet Emily, now silent, still couldn’t take her intense gaze off the pacifier. Naturally she wanted to ask questions, express her worries, but she couldn’t. Not when she didn’t have permission to raise a complaint from the start. As Joyce spoke, even as she bobbed her finger, dangling the pacifier, Emily was distracted for a list of reasons. “I think you’re getting in over your head, sweetheart. You’re having too many big thoughts again. I will always respect your opinion, take your concerns into consideration, but I’m going to put my foot down in this situation. You need a reminder to not be such a worrywart.” Maybe Joyce wanted a verbal response, but Emily was simply becoming too good of a submissive, as she could only quietly murmur, feeling the invisible glue applied to her lips. Joyce looked fondly down at the pacifier, like an old friend who had helped time and time again, only it wasn’t an old friend. A new one, someone that was going to be a fresh presence in their everyday lives. Turning with her hand raised, Emily didn’t do so much other than allow her lips to part as Joyce slipped it in. It was perfect; designed for Emily’s mouth like a key was made for a lock. “See?” Joyce smiled. “I like it much better when my little girl gets to hold onto it,” Joyce grinned, daring enough to even tickle the underside of her chin. Emily was at a crossroads. Part of her still wanted to hinge on the matter that was once at hand, now totally taken from her, courtesy of Momm-- Joyce. The other part? Well, it was instead chipperly awaiting what the real authority figure had in store for her next. There wasn’t any motion from her mouth, and of course Joyce would notice that. Joyce flashed her teeth as their faces were inches apart. “Oopsies, did I forget to turn on the engine?” Raising her finger through the ring of Emily’s pacifier, she gently tugged on it, and just before the silicon teat could break the suction from the infantilized girl’s lips, Joyce pushed it right back in. Tug, push. Tug, push. She needed only to manually make the girl suck with just a few more motions before the machine started to run on its own. “Much better, my little treasure,” Joyce scrunched her shoulders and face into a pleasured smile as the tone had just shifted so wonderfully. “Keep sucking. Just think about your pacifier and how much your girlfriend, your Mommy, loves you so, so much. How I would do absolutely anything to protect you, cherish you, and make you feel oh-so fuzzy inside!” She couldn’t help herself with the dreaded tickle attack, causing the adult woman to squeal with involuntary pleasure as she wrestled away. Correction, allowed to get away. They stared back at each other for a few moments, both mesmerized by the other’s gaze. “This is definitely what you needed.” Joyce said with affirmation. She wasn’t teasing. She was stating the facts. Emily’s response? More sucking, paired by the occasional remark, which was the light slap of plastic from her pacifier ring, if that could be considered a legitimate retort. “Now let’s get you up, buttercup,” Joyce cooed as she grabbed her hands. “Good girls don’t go to breakfast smelling like wine now, do they?” She chuckled happily once she saw her girl’s cheeks redden. Bashful and embarrassed, like she should be. Joyce traced her hand along Emily’s back as they came into the bathroom. It was impressive, equipped to handle them both, but it was surely a feature both Joyce and Emily knew wasn’t quite as impressive as what they had at home. “Cahn ah tahk iht ouh beh-foah thuh sh-ow-er?” Emily earnestly tried to mouth around the obstacle in her mouth, but she oh so adorably failed with flying colors. “I promise I’ll get better,” Joyce giggled as she pulled out the pacifier, excitedly pleased to see a thin layer of drool on it, “but until I learn pacifier-speak, what was that?” Emily reflexively licked the roof of her mouth, always feeling some kind of difference in her mouth after one of those. She was much more meek now, however, surely after being put in her cushy place. “I asked...can I take it out before the shower…?” Though, by the sound of her voice she knew it was a silly question simply because it had already been answered. “Yes, but only if you don’t bring up what you’re not supposed to?” Joyce raised her eyebrow, as if to challenge a potential opponent. But rather prey than predator, Emily nodded with a blush. “Mhmm...” “Then we’ll save it here until we get out of the shower.” Joyce sufficed, already stripping Emily. “I love you...” The words came out of Emily. She wasn’t looking at her lover; too busy up at the ceiling as she assumed the ballerina’s posture, a difficult move only meant for the experienced veterans at helping their Mommy-figures remove their clothes. After Joyce’s head came back up after dropping a pair of pajama shorts, she with the force of her own two lips leaned Emily back a little as she deeply connected with her special girl’s. Taking a deep breath of air she said with a glowing smile, “I love you too. So-so-so much. Could you start the shower?” she asked as she started to undress herself. And as she watched Emily, particularly her bum, move which-way as the proprietor who frankly had it on lease, as far as Joyce’s ownership was concerned, something ran by her mind. Dealing with Emily’s reaction to Sheila taught her something she hadn’t fully considered. Up until now, they eventually did address everything in full, equally and completely. But maybe sometimes...it wasn’t quite worth getting Emily as involved as she thought she needed to be. Rather than give her more rope to feed to a fire she always needed help putting out… Her eyes fell on the pacifier. Like now, and would likely be in the future, Emily maybe needed “help” realizing that some things just needed to stay beyond her. Emmy didn’t have to worry about adult topics or heavy conversations. If Joyce thought it was okay, and she knew it was okay, Emily should only need to deal with it on a smaller level. A safer level. And effectively, it was robbing Emily of control. She was losing out on responsibility. But to Joyce, that was the entire idea. That was the goal. The pattern they were going to follow. Yet why did she feel so confident in doing this? That was the easiest part in her mind; the very trigger itself. Emily gave her permission for it, and she encouraged it. They’d fine-tune as they went along. But frankly? Seeing Emily so subdued with her pacifier, being put in a headspace that proved just how unnecessary some of her worries could be? Hell, if this made the history books, if there ever was one for the unusual adventures of Emily and Joyce, this’d surely be one of her greatest plays. “Okay, time to go,” Joyce announced in two ways. One was the sound of her own voice. Two, was the wet popping noise from a pacifier leaving a mouth that didn’t want it to leave. “I could have done that...” Emily smirked with a blush as she put on a pair of sandals. “I know,” Joyce tickled her chin, “but then I couldn’t have?” “Th...thank you for that, by the way...” Emily said in a shy voice. “For giving you what you needed?” Joyce asked. “Y...Yes...” Yes, for giving her what she needed. “To be honest, I should have been doing that sooner...” Joyce sighed to herself. She was always going to have her mommy-mode feelings and tendencies, but recent events felt like that her conscious efforts had been shell-shocked completely. Making the right kind of play earlier was starting to give her some confidence again in that department. “I love you more than anything, Emily, so I’m going to be better about judgment calls like that. And remember, if I ever do something like that, it’s not because I don’t value your opinion, okay? It’s because I think you’re starting to bite off more than you need to chew.” Emily nodded, feeling her inner feelings starting to stir. It was the parental lock on the computer all over again. She wasn’t being asked or suggested for anything. She was being told. Needless to say, the shorter of the two couldn’t keep her shoulder away from Joyce’s arm as they walked down the hall. “Are there gonna be a lot of people again at this breakfast…?” Emily asked with a tinge of trepidation. “Probably enough for one table,” Joyce considered with previous engagements as her reference. “A big table.” “Is there gonna be room for me…?” “Well that’s why you’re going to be on my lap...” Joyce spoke with feigned assumption and ease as she called the elevator. Then she turned her head. “W-wait, Emily, I’m joking...” She laughed apologetically. “Yes, there will be room. I’m sure they made a headcount based on the guest list; the worst case is that they have extra chairs.” As they rode the elevator, Emily felt the need for more silly, yet in her mind, important questions. “...Is it okay for me to order whatever?” “Within reason,” Joyce decided. “You can order what you want, but I’d like you to keep it light, please? Just go easy on your tummy this morning.” Joyce was the guiding hand that steered the ship, yet by the same stroke Emily held the override switch, and by now Joyce felt comfortable enough to assume Emily knew that. And since there was no opposition, it only led to further affirmation. “I don’t think I want anything big either...” Emily agreed, now with much more grounded expectations. Funny how fickle the stomach could be. One moment she merely thought of the pancakes, waffles and whipped cream, and the next after a single thought about her tipsy night, she suddenly couldn’t stomach the thought of excessive confectionaries, much less be in the same room as one. “And no morning drinks,” Joyce felt the need to include. Emily did not however. “Really? The last thing I can even think about is alcohol...” The poor girl groaned. “Just in case,” Joyce rubbed the back of her head affectionately. “A rule unspoken is a rule easily broken.” “Did you just come up with that now?” “Impressive, ain’t it?” She giggled proudly. Emily rolled her eyes as they stepped off the elevator. The lobby, understandably, looked a tinge less vibrant during the day. The daylight and lack of city lights stripped all the glass windows of their mystifying, glime-dazzling nature, in Emily’s opinion. One of the prized ornaments hanging from above was only half as impressive when there wasn’t an array of warm lights passing through it. Would you be surprised, the restaurant built into the hotel that was serving breakfast, the entrance: glass. Emily was starting to see a theme here… “Joyce Summers?” The two magic words. All she needed was her name and the red carpet seemed to always appear ever so magically. “Right this way,” a waitress escorted the pair down an aisle of a mostly busy place and around the corner. Emily was a little surprised. Big table made her think of five or six people. Not double that. But sure enough, a large wooden circle was where they went, already occupied mostly with others. Though if there was any sort of pleasant surprise, it would be the unexpected diversity at the table. Financial titans to Emily made her think of older men in suits likely born from old money. Joyce was of course her antithesis to that notion, but so was the view before her. Obviously some of the females were just significant others, like Emily, but others just seemed to...radiate that they were on their own account, that their place was earned by merit and not mutual affections. And from that same radiation, Emily for some odd reason was...picking up on a wave of...bitchiness? Amidst the wave of welcomes they received from the table, only then did the head right in front of them turn around to see who had come. “Emily?” Lo and behold, that head was Rebcca’s. “R-Rebecca?” Frankly, Emily as an afterthought was a little touched that she even remembered her name. What part about herself left an impression? Being a doormat and reconciled with through the way of sweets? An outstretched hand with a friendly smile already corralled the girl back on the side of her handler. “Hi there,” Joyce smiled, “I don’t think we’ve met before?” Smiled so much of a smile that you’d think she was smiling. Objectively smiling. Whether positive feelings were behind it, that was another story. While it was another business get-together, these smaller breakfasts thankfully were a tad bit less formal, even if talking shop never quite stopped. Moods didn’t need to be as tailored, the fanciest of dress wasn’t required, and certainly for a mature, dignified woman like Joyce, maybe just a tinge of...unbecoming traits could waft a little. The reality was quite something about Emily getting to other women first before Joyce that quite irrationally upset her. In her mind, it was somewhere between checking Emily’s Halloween candy for tampering and filtering out even the air another predator might breathe so much as even in the same room as her sweet treasure. All this was her natural response, even if all it took was a small sense of reason to snap her out of her unchecked jealousy. But could she be blamed? (Most definitely). There was a damn good chance Emily could have the hots for men or women now. It’d suddenly become the same playing field but with twice the players! “Hello...” Rebecca from her seat reached out to Joyce’s hand, giving it a light shake. Yep. Joyce for sure was radiating with...something. Something that somehow made the atmosphere all...uncomfortable. Joyce’s entranced expression as she gave her a firm shake was popped like a bubble with a blunt touch from behind. “Hm?” With a cute hum of curiosity, all that flame and fire extinguished once her head turned around. Emily’s hand was half-hooked on Joyce’s elbow. She wasn’t as good as Joyce when it came to oozing with emotion like a nuclear meltdown, but maybe her eyes could work a little magic. Be nice! Don’t be weird! She had defused the bomb once Joyce turned her head back, smiling. A more real smile. Still on the side of faux, though. “I’m Joyce, Emily’s girlfriend.” So much for business. It was starting to feel like an exchange at the high school lunchroom. And if only Emily had seen the faintest corners of Joyce’s mouth, like she was doing just the bare minimum to hide a haughty grin, somehow proud for already having the prize to a game Rebecca knew nothing about and likely would have cared even less to play. “Joyce, why don’t you two have a seat?” One of the others at the table, outside the range of Joyce’s...influence, called out in a friendly manner. “If you’re fine with it, there’s two seats next to me...” Rebecca said, though from Emily’s perspective she was slightly averting her gaze from Joyce, looking past her and to Emily, of all people. Unbelievable. But, then again, sort of believable...Joyce was starting to intimidate the woman for no reason other than her own pride and overprotectiveness. Preventative measures, preventative measures…! Emily was still too shy for many words, but she knew something needed to be done for Joyce’s sake. Trying to be casual, but not so casually, she grabbed Joyce’s arm, pretending to play with her hand just for a second so she could be the closer one to the chairs, sitting right down in the one adjacent to Rebecca. Both of them knew that’s the one Joyce had wanted, which is why a look of surprise, and maybe even silly betrayal crossed the reflection in her eyes. “F-...Funny seeing you here, Rebecca?” Emily did her best to make small-talk, but lord if she wasn’t as rigid and stiff as a board. Joyce, given the degree of separation and a moment to pause, she at least sat down without a fuss. If only Emily had known this’d become a sudden job to babysit her babysitter... “Funny...” Rebecca sounded like she half-agreed, whereas her other half was too busy trying to discern the sort of stare she was getting from another chair down. “Have we met somewhere before?” She suddenly asked down the chain. “Oh? Us?” Joyce feigned ignorance as well as paper repelled water. “No, no; Emily told me about you and your other friend last night. Thank you for keeping her company!” “...Oh, that’s right,” Rebecca took a thoughtful second before looking at Emily, “didn’t you say that she was looking for you? Does she misplace you often?” Rebecca grinned, and maybe Emily would have too, but she felt the fire of hell radiating just over her shoulder. Maybe in another life, had Emily been blessed with height she could have fully screened the borderline hostile patron beside her. “I would have found her right away, but it’s a little hard when someone meddles and steals--” “Hi there!” A waitress coincidentally (and oh-so thankfully) interrupted all the different amounts of chatter right then. “Is everyone here to start taking orders now?” “Uhh...sure, that sounds fine,” One of the men at the other end of the table said. “We’ll work our way down if anyone still wants to take a look at the menu.” He said, likely referring to Emily and Joyce, the last arrivees. “Joyce, could we share a menu?” Emily asked, pretending like hers right in front of her didn’t exist. Joyce’s lips pursed as she knew she was being called back inside and for good reason. Emily scooched her chair closer to Joyce, trying to be as quiet as can be while she whispered into her ear. “What are you doing?!” “Nothing! I’m just saying hello to the bitchy bully you met last night.” It was maybe funny and cute last night, but the elevator ride down left Joyce thinking of how all that “bitchiness” had to have been felt by Emily firsthand. “Well stop it!” Emily admonished with a quiet whine. “We’re on good terms now!” At least Emily thought they were. Whatever neutral blood there may have been at the least though, it felt as if Joyce was personally trying to spoil what was relatively untainted. “Think about how this looks for you, too!” Emily then felt the need to roll her eyes, and she certainly did so once Joyce’s face gave the impression she’d just been told ‘no’ to getting a new toy. Honestly, how bad could she be? Was it jealousy or overprotectiveness? Could she at least be discreet about it? Maybe Emily had only herself to blame; they were just coming downstairs from a little intimate moment leaving her partner high on the pleasures of being a mommy… Emily’s inner conscience shook its head with guilt. Of course all this excitement was too much for her poor mommy… “And you?” The waitress was standing by Joyce next. “Oh, uhm...” Joyce hadn’t a second to really ponder the menu, and neither did Emily. “I’ll take a...coffee, please. Black? Two eggs with toast. Sunny side up, please?” “...Okay, sure thing. And you?” Now it was Emily’s turn. Emily blinked, immediately thinking of what her normal preference would be, something involving a pancake or waffle base followed by chocolate chips and a fruit (possibly of the banana variety), but remembering her important talks from the elevator, that was unfortunately off the table… “Uhm...” “Could she have the same thing, actually?” Joyce intervened, finally making her first tactful play of the entire breakfast. “Only can we swap her drink for chocolate milk? Add bacon to hers, too?” Well, not quite how she’d have liked it, not when she was in the audience of Joyce’s business peers… She could have sworn a few even ordered daytime drinks. Coffee was going to be her goto, not chocolate milk…! But it’d already been done and dusted, carved in stone as the waitress flicked with her pen and moved along. “Th...thanks, but I would have liked coffee, too...” Emily felt the need to say in a quiet voice. “But you like chocolate milk, don’t you? I make it for you all the time?” Joyce asked unashamedly. “Not when it’s at a business breakfast…!” Emily found the privacy to complain just a little longer while Rebecca was busy with her order. “Well I don’t want you having coffee either today; I think it’s already a miracle that you weren’t in the bathroom last night...” Thankfully she didn’t go into unnecessary detail. As chaotic as Joyce was being, her conscious mind had never left, sensing it was about time she showed Emily she was still capable of rational decisions. “Rebecca?” Joyce re-extended her hand, “I’m sorry about a few minutes ago. I was a bit bothered by some news I got this morning… Investments falling through.” The lack of a predatory look on Joyce’s face this time seemed to be of good faith, which is why Rebecca took it once more only a bit more amicably this time. “Oh, that’s fine. It happens… Sorry about my comment a second ago… I didn’t mean to insult you if that’s what it seemed like.” And as the two monsters made peace through words, Emily could only wonder why she instead had received offerings of parfaits rather than direct apologies… “I like her!” Joyce smiled from ear to ear on the drive home. Emily drilled a finger in her own ear, just to double check. “Y-you looked like you were gonna punch her at first...” “Huh?” Oh Joyce, so willing to feign ignorance. “Well...maybe I was a little bit out of sorts at first… An investment fell through for me, you know?” She grinned. “Uh-huh...” A hand found its way on Emily’s thigh. “I know...I was already riling myself up on the elevator ride down. I started thinking about what you told me about Rebecca and how she wasn’t nice to you at first...” “You’re a real helicopter mommy, you know?” “And don’t forget it.” Her voice seemed to carry a small sense of pride, like Emily’s mocking comment was a badge of honor. “...You were okay with it, right?” “Okay with how you acted toward Rebecca?” Emily snarked. “Meh. As long as it doesn’t affect you,” she smiled. “No, uhm...I meant about what happened in our room. As...as long as you were okay with it; how I handled that, I promise I’ll stop asking...I’m just...a little nervous since I was so forward...” “For someone who calls this such a lifestyle, you’re throwing in a lot of stops, ya know?” “It is...” Joyce whined with her own smile. If Emily was joking, she wasn’t upset. Good. “We already talked about our stops, so since you told me not to worry...” Emily inhaled, “then I won’t worry.” But always at the end of the day, saying something was far easier than actually doing it. “Okay,” Joyce briskly cut the cord, “time for something else. Enough about that. So, do you think you’d ever want to do something like that again?” “...” “Emily?” “Mmm...” Apparently it wasn’t an easy decision. “I guess if I had to I could handle it...” “If you had to? Well, that’s okay, my little trooper. I think once was enough for you.” “Hah?” Emily reared her head over to the driver. “Didn’t you want me to come with you last night? You were begging me!” “I was not begging,” Joyce put on the best ‘totally wasn’t like that even if it was’ look she could give. “I just thought it’d be nice to enjoy each other’s company while I had to deal with business?” “Yeah, well, that didn’t go as planned.” “No, it didn’t,” Joyce grinned, “but frankly, even if we were together the whole night, I still think I’d have been dealing with a sleepy little girl regardless.” “You would not.” Emily frowned with a sharp correction. “I wouldn’t?” Joyce inflated her tone with feigned ignorance. “No. I was...I just drank a lot, is all. It made me tired.” “No, drinks make you emotional, but they don’t make you sleepy. It was way past your bedtime anyway.” “My bedtime? I don’t have one, need I remind you?” “Maybe not officially when you’re out of your diapers,” Joyce agreed without resistance like it was a simple fact, and so was the possession of her diapers, to which Emily quietly blushed over. “But since we’ve gotten your sleep schedule back in line, you do start to show signs, ya know? When I say bedtime, I don’t mean an enforceable one,” but oh she so certainly would love to, “I mean the time when your body starts showing signs.” “I don’t show any signs...” Emily side-eyed her. In her mind, signs didn’t consist of the generic yawns and eye rubs. “Yes, you do,” Joyce giggled. “You droop your shoulders,” Joyce imitated the posture, “You start rubbing your eyes all the time, and you always do that cute little head-bob…!” “Y-you do the same thing...” Emily tried to strike back, but since the record showed Emily had never once gone to bed after Joyce, she couldn’t say for sure… But instead she was ignored. “Oh! Or when sometimes you start sticking your hand under your shirt? That’s too adorable!” Her last mention sounded completely foreign to her. “What? I don’t do that.” “Huh?” Joyce apparently knew Emily’s body better than herself. But in all fairness, with the way she handled her, her claim actually might hold some weight… “Yes you do? You do it pretty regularly. You always have it on that cute tummy of yours.” Apparently Joyce saw the subconscious things in Emily even though she herself didn’t notice. Did that go both ways? Did Emily notice those kinds of things about Joyce as well? “And by the way...since we were away from the house the entire night...I was thinking maybe you’d like to do some ‘catching up’ on our little promise to each other?” Thankfully, all it took was some mommy-talk and a pacifier in the morning to keep Emily on her allusion game for once. “Really?” Emily stifled a giggle and settled for a chuckle. “You think you’ve earned the right after losing me last night?” “Well, when you put it like that, I do remember last night on the elevator ride down I couldn’t stop thinking of all the different ways I could keep track of you. Bells, a tracking chip, handcuffs...” She hummed for a brief moment, letting the silly act imagine herself as the astute, genius mommy in the making. “But I guess no one at a grown-up party except for you would sound like a crinkle-tush, huh?” “Let’s stick with handcuffs...” “Oh, and if we kept you in diapers we wouldn’t even need to take you to use the potty? More time to chat with others!” “Joyce…!” “I guess I’m just thinking out loud...but I better write that one down. After all, you said it yourself; I seem to misplace you so easily! Heh, I guess I hear you just as much as see you.” “Okay! We can use the nursery tonight! Just please stop joking about that stuff!” With Emily rightly backed into her corner, Joyce felt at ease again to laugh now with herself back on top. “Okay, I’ll let it go, for now.” Thankfully it was a red light, otherwise Joyce would have missed out on the sweet strawberry that’d replaced Emily’s face. Emily took to looking out the window for the rest of the ride home, her dumbstruck face with quivering lips, trying to wipe a naughty smirk off her face. Her strings she never even knew about herself were starting to be plucked more and more as her owner slowly discovered just the right rhythm to make the bashful girl sing on immediate command. And never in a million years would she. Never would she dare to be anything but cohesive and compatible, but the thought couldn’t help but cross the lovestruck girl’s mind. Maybe I should misbehave more often...

Sorry for the late reply, but thank ya kindly! And yeah, think she's in for an unfortunate jog!

(Promise I'm not playing favorites everyone, I shall address all comments soon! Picked this one because it's mentioning my abhorrent timing...) Thank you for the comment! Isn't that Dawn's secret? It's always a tantrum with her ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Regarding the next update, I can't say it'll be a speedy release; I'm still trying to balance Sheltered, attempting one-shots, working on artwork and developing a game. A lot of exciting stuff, but I'm stretched a tiny bit thin! So to answer your question, probably not right away, but I'm chipping away at it little by little. I may surprise myself!

Heard Y'all Like Diaper Stuff Regarding (potentially) seemingly short windows to read the text; unfortunately this is caused by the website's GIF compression, which I cannot do much about. Therefore, if you'd like to see a version with not as rushed timing (closer to the source), then find the same animation with more on my Deviantart! Hope you don't mind a little jog!

11 - Rude Awakening Dawn couldn’t sit still as she paced in the living room, harboring close to the exit where the door was, even if her vertical disadvantage made it an unlikely escape route. She was losing her patience and fast as the imaginary timer slowly ticked away with what time, if any at all that remained, dwindled away until her fast track home would become significantly delayed. “She took everything?” Katherine asked her husband with a bothered look, clearly rattled by the contents of the story. “It’s what it seemed like...” James sighed. “When I found Dawn, she’d already picked the room clean trying to find her stuff. You’d think a tornado hit it.” “Can we please explain what happened while we’re in the car?” Dawn finally drifted back over to complain. Why did everything need to be done in sequence? Couldn’t they talk and drive at the same time? Unfortunately for Dawn, she stood right next to the part of the sofa where Katherine sat. But instead of any real recognition, the only response she got was a brief pat on her head as if to console her. She continued to favor the Amazon’s plight rather than the silly Little’s as Dawn was getting ready to boil over. “Once she explained the whole thing to me, I obviously couldn’t let her stay there...” James mulled. What’s more, they felt no seeming urgency, having the audacity for dramatic pauses. “Absolutely not,” Katherine affirmed her husband’s decision with a small, adamant nod. “To think she could’ve been taken...” “Guys?” Dawn spoke up again. “I’m right here; now please, can we go?” “Dawn, sweetie, I promise,” Katherine smiled down at her. She softened her tone that didn’t carry the same attentiveness she just had for her husband. “We’re gonna get this all figured out, but you just need to be a little patient, okay?” She was going to scream back at her, but instead she turned on her heel as she stormed away. Why, why?! I can’t afford to waste any more time! “So, I brought her back here...” James happened to look over at Waver who was lounging in his dog bed positioned just right for the sunlight from the window to hit him. He looked back at Katherine. “Of course I was going to tell you; I guess I sort of wanted to broach it properly, though… You two didn’t exactly end on a high note.” Katherine’s remaining smile she had given Dawn shrunk a little bit more at that. “No...we didn’t...” Yet she pursed her lips as she laid her palms on her thighs with a brightening look on her face. “But I know Dawn’s been through a lot, and she’s still going through something now, so...I can be patient.” James did smile at his wife’s optimism, but his pure happiness soon dwindled as well. “I promised her that I’d find some way to get her back home, but...” In place of words, he rubbed the back of his head. “You promised her that…?” Katherine looked to see if Dawn was in the vicinity. You’d think he had told her Santa wasn’t real. “But James, her passport and visa...” “I know,” he didn’t let the unanswered doubts linger, “I just...” he sighed once more. “I’ll need to look into it at the very least. It’s not unheard of, right? Traveling Littles?” The topic itself seemed to add awkwardness to the air. “If they’re with their parents...” Katherine said, implying something that needed clarification. “Amazon parents?” He asked. Katherine quietly nodded with a brief glance over her shoulder, but quickly followed up. “They’d have to be officially adopted by that point, though...” She added with the faintest glimmer in her eye. “But we wouldn’t just be able to leave her there, James. Won’t that leave us in trouble here?” “Of course it would,” he nodded without a second thought. “We’d be breaking the law if we left our child in another dimension.” Finally, after Dawn had calmed herself down, she walked back into the living room a bit more level-headed. “Look,” Dawn said clear enough, or maybe she was just lucky on her timing, because now both Amazons stared at her, “I’m sorry for getting so angry, but please...you guys have to understand that I need to get to the Portal Station, or the hotel!” She was practically begging. “There could still be a chance for me to get back now! Today!” Unexpectedly, it was Katherine who was the bearer of bad news. “But sweetie, you don’t have a passport or visa…?” It came measured and soft with that typical patronizing sense. “We’ll...we can figure something out!” Dawn blurted out. She couldn’t accept it as just that. Just because she was short of her documentation, if need be, she’d force her way into the portal...somehow! “But we gotta go! I can’t miss my way home!” She looked to Katherine for a response, but all she got was a saddened look. She turned to James. “Come on…! You promised me!” James was a lot of things, but surely he didn’t have the gaul to back out on a deal. “...I promised you we’d figure this out,” James only partially agreed, “but I didn’t say that it could be done overnight, Dawn… This was never going to be that easy...” But instead, he had taken their contract and twisted and morphed the clauses that bound his obligation so underhandedly. A frustrated whine left her mouth. Her muscles tensed as she balled up her fists. “No! It’s never been easy!” Dawn shouted, tearing up again. “I can’t be stuck here! I can’t! I’ll just...just drop me off there! I can sneak into the portal! Apparently I’m pretty small here, so I think I can manage?” She offered a small, deteriorating laugh of morbid humor. For once there wasn’t the linger of silence and instead an immediate reaction was triggered. “Absolutely not.” Both James and Katherine said in half-synchronized unity. The reply stunned Dawn for a moment. “Wh...what?” James took the lead. “I said we’d think of something, but absolutely nothing that has to do with breaking the law, Dawn.” His words emanated an immovable attitude. “Breaking the…? Why though?! How am I breaking the law if I’m just going back home? What law keeps you people from trapping me in this stupid dimension?!” Dawn shouted with a hot head. “We could talk about why the rules are what they are if you want,” James started, “but I don’t think that’s what you want to hear.” “No,” Dawn said with a sharp exhale of steam, finding her voice much thicker. “it isn’t.” All it would have been was more twisted logic that truly went above Dawn’s head both metaphorically and literally. “W-what if we go there and just...explain my situation? Maybe we can find somebody in my group! I...I can tell them to send for help!” She pleaded, though in her mind she could only think of Heather, who had been poisoned into alienating Dawn entirely. She could only hope that word hadn’t spread… Dawn waited for an answer, but one wasn’t fast coming. She looked to either Amazon, yet neither had a definitive response, as if it wasn’t as black and white as it should’ve been. “You’re kidding...” She said at a loss for words. The drive in her eyes was lost as it fell to the floor. “So what? Do I really not matter? Do you both really care that little...?” Anything in the realm of logic Dawn could throw at them seemed to fall on deaf ears or continuously be “wrong”. If it appealed to emotion and feeling, though? Apparently that was something they could respond to. “Don’t ever say that,” Katherine suddenly admonished her, “You are absolutely important and are our number one priority!” Dawn didn’t look her in the eye, her passion was too bright to witness without flinching, but then Dawn remembered with a sour feeling just what Katherine wanted from her to begin with; why James and Katherine even bothered with her from the start. “Then let’s go already!” Dawn complained with an urge to stomp her bare foot. “Doesn’t it take like an hour to get there? We need to hurry!” “Dawn,” James finally said, “we aren’t going. Not today.” She looked as if she’d just been insulted. “Not...not today? My group leaves today!” Dawn shouted as she tossed her hands in the air. “Don’t you get it?! If I miss the portal, I’m stuck here for who knows how long!” She could feel her lungs closing up as the last few breaths of freedom were escaping her. “And we’ve already been over this;” James spoke with an absolute kind of tone, “your documentation is gone. There’s not a single Amazon there that would let you get within a hundred feet of a portal without that kind of information, and especially without a ticket, even.” His dose of reality was crushing, yet Dawn couldn’t get a grip as she remained in a mindset that still left hope. “Then...I don’t care if I break the law! I’ll sneak in! Just take me!” “We already said no.” James started to wear a stern expression. “Not only would you be caught, but then that would lead back to me and Katherine.” Dawn nearly wanted to say ‘so?’, seeing that their comeuppance felt deserved after what they’d been trying to do, but she backed down a little. And if the guilt from dragging them down with her wasn’t enough, just a little more fuel seemed to be doused on her flame. “Once you’re caught, Dawn, at best you’d only be shipped off to an orphanage that deals with lawbreaking Littles. You’d be conditioned and educated into a mindless toddler. Do you really want to risk that?” His voice and explanation didn’t carry any kind of luxuries or seem to hold any stops in its brutal honesty. Even Dawn felt and looked unnerved. As she struggled for a retort, she felt a hand against her back. “James...” Katherine said with a warning look at him. It was only after a silent scolding from his spouse that he softened his look. “Dawn,” he said after taking a breath, “It’s unlikely that you’ll even see your group if we took you today. I know you’re upset, but it’s better that we approach this safely so that everyone involved stays safe.” Dawn angled her eyes toward the floor where James’ feet were. She was trying not to look aggravated. These two already forced their way into her life without Dawn instigating anything, and yet it somehow becomes her problem and responsibility once her actions affect two intruders? Of course she didn’t intentionally want to bring any kind of burden or legal trouble to these two, yet she was upset, impatient, and worried. It felt wrong to let such a possible golden opportunity slip through her fingers. Unless it was some kind of trap enacted by fate, wasn’t she just an idiot for letting such an escape stroll by? Once again, somehow, she was wrong and the Amazon was right; a rule that never seemed to fail. It broke her heart to try and compromise and sacrifice what she dearly believed was her true means of escape, yet her word seemed to carry so little in this dimension. “F-fine...” Her mouth quivered a little as she said it, feeling the brunt of the finality even from her own voice. “Whatever...” She spun on her heel as she stormed off to the stairs, trying to at least find a quiet place to cry. Katherine was already standing up to follow her, “Dawn, sweetie…!” “Don’t follow me.” She said plain as day with a quivering look, freezing the woman in her tracks. “I want to be alone...” Dawn said with a sniffle. Katherine held her hands together, fingers interlocked as they wriggled amongst themselves uncomfortably. “O...okay...” Katherine did say with a forlorn heart. It was done. She was refused her best chance at getting home. How long would it take for her to get back now? That’s what she hated the most about herself. Only after blowing up and storming off did she think of the follow-up questions that should have been asked. But she couldn’t go back and ask them, not now. She was far too embarrassed and broken. What’s more, her stomach gurgled uncomfortably as she entered the room where her makeshift bed was. What was she supposed to do? Feast on sleep so that she could manage to pass the time without splitting hairs entirely? She didn’t want to be here. She didn’t want any of this. Knowing that bearing with any of it hardly made a difference now in the short scheme of things, it all felt so foreign and strange. She wanted to go home. She wanted her familiar comforts back. She sat on the bedding but didn’t lay down. She sat on her bottom, pulling her knees to her chest as she rested her face between them. Quietly, she sobbed. James only had to give his wife one look before he sighed at the floor, “I know...” “James!” Katherine wore a disappointed look, “You have to be more considerate; she’s only a Little…!” “But still,” he sat up straight to look at her again, “on some level I think this was unavoidable. There’s no way around her being upset about this, Kath.” Katherine’s stern look slowly devolved into a frowning face with sympathetic eyebrows. “I know that…! I just wish I could help her through it...” She said as her head glanced again at the stairs. “Would you have rathered if I didn’t bring her home?” He asked a forward and honest question. “Don’t even say that.” Katherine’s reply was near-immediate, looking absolutely unwavered in her response. “I’m glad that she’s here; I’m happy more than anything…! It...it has to be a sign, right?” She looked at James hopefully. “I...I want what’s best for her James, and I want her to be happy...” James embraced her in a hug from behind. “Maybe after some time has passed she’ll calm down.” James offered as he let her go, though he caught sight of a nearby time. “I really should start to get going...” Katherine nodded. “Don’t worry about us; I’ll make sure it’s a good day,” she smiled confidently. “Though what about tomorrow?” James asked. “I’m in the office again, and you can’t just take another day off...” “We’ll figure something out,” Katherine gave him an inspiring look. “You go finish getting ready for work, okay?” She gently started to push him to the stairs. “Oh, James, take the other car today, okay?” “So you get the carseat?” “Yes please~” She drifted away to the kitchen with a sing-song voice. Dawn could hear the front door from downstairs open and close. Obviously it could mean just about anything, but she figured someone had left. She wasn’t exactly crying anymore, but not being sad would have been a grossly incorrect description. Though, in spite of her sorrowful mood, color her surprised when she could hear the door to the room slowly open, unannounced. Spinning her head around she saw it was Katherine poking her head in. Her heart sank a little, seeing that it wasn’t James, but at the same time it was a small relief after their moment of tension. It took Dawn a second to remember what she was wearing so unashamedly, as she quickly pulled a blanket over herself. She had half a mind to complain about knocking, but instead, “What?” A simple question that insinuated she didn’t want to be bothered. “James just left for work,” Katherine said as she came closer to the makeshift bed, making quiet observations. “I’ll be fine. You can go to work, too. I’ll just stay in here.” Dawn said with conviction. If it had to be her final resting place, just not to experience the rest of this hell, she’d be content with that. “Awh, you can’t stay up here all day!” Katherine sounded much more friendly as she came over and took a seat beside her on the floor. “I’m not going in to work today, actually, so it’s just you and me!” There was some coincidental timing however, as the jingle of a collar waltzed right in. “Sorry, three of us,” Katherine chuckled as Waver casually came over and sat on the bed, though Dawn instinctively inched back a little. Albeit a small reaction, Katherine asked, “Not a fan of doggies?” “Not used to big ones...” Dawn muttered, looking at the furry creature lounging about at the other end. She wasn’t going to start sympathizing or let her guard down, but… “...You didn’t have to take off work because of me.” “I know,” Katherine nodded slightly, looking at Waver, “but I already wasn’t planning to go in even before I found out about the little surprise James brought home.” She giggled. “Besides, it makes me a bit more comfortable knowing there’s someone here to help you out with anything?” Maybe it was the given context, but something about “anything” didn’t sit right with Dawn. She tried to discern it on the Amazon’s face, but it mostly seemed warm and inviting, like Dawn hadn’t cussed it out the day prior. “...Well, I’m fine. I managed at my hotel,” for the most part, “I dunno, maybe if you guys have a stool or something I could use...” It sucked asking for things apart from having to be here, but she figured that she might need at least something like that to last a day or two. “You don’t have to use any stools around here, sweetie,” she chuckled, “all you need to do is ask if you need something?” “...I’d rather that I don’t get in your guys’ way...” “You won’t.” Katherine responded with a smile. There was a sudden, loud bark that felt nearly booming as it startled Dawn. Katherine looked at Waver with a frown. “Jeez,” she tutted as he innocently wagged his tail, “Waver always likes to make it a big deal when we forget to feed him on the exact minute… He’s like a cat,” she laughed a little. Dawn didn’t offer any words, just hoping that they’d both leave. “Waver needs breakfast, and I know I do, too.” Katherine started standing up. “What do you say about joining us, huh?” For breakfast? “I’m fine...I ate something last night.” A very big lie and certainly against her stomach’s wishes, but she’d rather not fraternize with the enemy. “Well it couldn’t have been that recently,” Katherine started to poke holes, “You were with James for a good part of the night, weren’t you? I wish he’d have made you something when he brought you here last night...” “I’m not hungry.” Dawn said and left it at that. “How about you come downstairs at least?” Katherine seemed to try compromising, like Dawn was being an indignant toddler. “I’d rather not.” “I’d rather you did?” She asked sweetly, yet the pressure was light, but still there. “I don’t have any of my clothes. It’s embarrassing.” It was technically true, but coupled with it were her many other reasons to not leave that room. “I still can’t believe that tour guide did that to you...” Katherine sighed with a sad look. “I know you don’t want to walk around like that, but it’s only in the house? And...well, I’ve seen you in pull-ups already, honey, so a diaper really isn’t…--” She reached out her palms to cease the verbal airwaves. “Stop! Don’t...please, just don’t talk about it.” She didn’t want diapers or pull-ups to be so nonchalant. Yes, she didn’t want there to be any attention to them, yet it felt like that was being arrived at by figuring the protection itself was the new norm. Katherine looked troubled hearing that. “Well...how about we just call them undies, then?” She offered as an alternative. Dawn went nearly deadpan. Clearly she didn’t get that Dawn didn’t want to hear about diapers altogether, not just the word itself. Dawn exhaled as she figured a response. “Actually, maybe going commando isn’t so bad...” She started to say as she reached for the diaper tapes underneath the covers. “Whoa, hang on there, silly!” Katherine said as she gently moved Dawn’s hands away from her diaper. “What are you doing?” Having her hands move away from her own body rightfully bothered her. “Doing what I should have done the second I got here. I’m not wearing a diaper. James made me in the first place just so I could sit in a car seat!” “There’s nothing else for you to wear, though...” She said delicately, yet as a mindful reminder as if Dawn had forgotten. “You’ve already seen me naked, so it can’t be that new for you,” Dawn practically scoffed, turning her “logic” right back at her. From another angle, it begged the question of how little Dawn cared to show off her naked figure by this point. In her mind, being naked was far more ideal than being diapered. She went back to reach for her diaper, yet Katherine stopped her again. “Dawn, no.” She said firmly. Dawn rolled her eyes. “It’s whatever. I’m gonna be up here all day. No one is going to see me!” She shook her head, contradicting whatever Dawn thought was the plan. “You’re at least coming downstairs to get out of this room. I won’t budge on this, missy; it’s not polite or mature to walk around naked.” Dawn narrowed her eyes. “I’m not leaving this room.” Unfortunately, as far as being a house guest went, she was being a piss-poor one. “You can walk downstairs like a big girl, or I can carry you downstairs if you think that’s what you need.” “I think I just need you to leave me alone!” Dawn raised her voice, but started to reconsider her tactics just slightly. “I’m sorry I’m being stubborn, but I have my own standards, Katherine! I know you may not be thrilled to have me here,” she said with only all the bad moments they shared in her mind, “but I promise I’ll try to get out of your hair as soon as possible. Just put up with me for a little longer!” “I can’t tell you enough how happy I am that you’re here!” Katherine said as she swooped Dawn into her hands and off the bed. “You have a place here, Dawn, and I don’t ever want you thinking that you need to leave,” she smothered the girl in a hug before she could protest, “but we do have rules. I’m sorry if I need to be stern, but if you’re always misbehaving I’m not going to stay quiet.” “I wasn’t misbehaving,” Dawn grumbled, “I was telling you exactly what I was going to do!” “Well I think we should change your plans a little.” Katherine smiled like it was a minor spat in a sea of good fortune. She held Dawn against her hip as she walked out of the room. Dawn, without the physical strength to do much nor the desire to make things absolutely worse, kept her pissy attitude to herself as she was removed from the room against her wishes. “Come on, Waver!” Katherine turned her head with a rhythmic patting against her thigh. The dog stood on its fours and took the lead in walking out to the hallway. “We have two cars, so once we have breakfast, maybe we can think about going somewhere to get you some stuff you’re going to need while you’re here?” Katherine asked, though in Dawn’s mind it felt more like she was telling her how things were going to be, not what they could be. “I said I didn’t need any breakfast,” Dawn remained stubborn, “and I don’t really need a lot...I’m not going to be here for long...” She hoped. “Join us in the kitchen, then.” Katherine corrected herself with a giggle. “And we need to at least get you some things for starters… We need to get you a toothbrush, some socks, a pair of shoes, a few sets of clothes, undies, PJs...” The list seemed to run through her head as she recited from memory. “I don’t need any pajamas,” Dawn dismissed at least that part. “I just sleep in a shirt and underwear, anyways.” “Okay,” Katherine nodded with a smile. Dawn was a little taken aback by how she agreed so easily. “We’ll be around pajama sets at one point today though, so I’ll ask again, kay?” Then the novelty quickly died. Of course she couldn’t just take a simple ‘no’. There always had to be some kind of followup. Katherine walked down to the kitchen with Waver right beside her. Once Dawn started to sift through her worries, or at least forget about them, seeing the dog that was somewhat intimidating, reminded her of a family dog her distant relatives had. He was cute… “...How long have you two had him?” Dawn found herself asking, and Katherine seemed to light up at the chance for smalltalk. “Waver? Hm...I’d say that it’s been a little over a year and a half, by now. He can be a goofball, but he’s a very good boy, and he’s very smart!” “That’s...cool. So you guys like pets?” “I love them!” Katherine beamed. “James, though, he took a little convincing at first,” she laughed in what sounded like an apologetic manner. “He was willing to get a cat, but he said a dog was too much.” “But you got one anyways?” “I asked him to just try it for a month,” Katherine grinned a little as she reminisced, “he was all over this little puppy within the first week!” “Mm...” She nodded to indicate she was listening, yet groaned inwardly as they descended to the lower floor. “What do you like to eat for breakfast?” She asked Dawn. “I don’t really eat breakfast...” Dawn shrugged. It was the truth, for once she wasn’t being combative. “What?” Katherine said in turn with a hint of concern. “You don’t eat anything in the morning?” “No...not really. I’m too busy, anyway.” It really didn’t make a difference to Dawn. She was busy. Busy with classes and coursework. Things that she’d be missing out on the longer she stayed here. That alone was enough of a stressor… “Well I’m sure we can find some time for you to eat breakfast,” she smiled as she entered the kitchen. “Like I said, I really don’t eat in the morning...” Now she was criticizing Dawn’s lifestyle choices? Then again, she probably had been from the start, except it’d all been kept to herself. “You really should be, Dawn,” Katherine explained like a schoolteacher as she briefly looked around the kitchen, at a loss. “We’ll need to get you something to sit in, too...” She quietly murmured to herself before setting Dawn back on the floor on her own two feet. “The days here are a lot longer than you’re used to, so it’s extra important that you get all your nutrients and energy to get through the day.” It was sound reasoning, but Dawn still wanted to believe that she could manage just fine. Katherine walked over to a closet with Waver in tow as she pulled out a large bag of dog food, somewhat surprising Dawn as the bag looked to be as big as she herself was. Katherine seemed to handle it mostly with ease though as she poured a serving into a metal bowl beside the island. “Do you like eggs?” Katherine asked. “They’re fine.” Dawn plainly responded. Eggs were fine, but she needed a chase to go with them. Toast or something to blend with the...eggy taste. “Then...how about toast?” “It’s not bad.” “Hm...cereal?” “Sometimes, I guess...” She continued her line of questioning, and seeing that until she didn’t receive a lukewarm response, she was just going to keep asking. Wasn’t she making breakfast for herself? What did Dawn’s input matter? “Oh! How about waffles?” Katherine smiled like she knew she’d hit the nail on the head. “I dunno,” Dawn shrugged, “it’s been a while.” Katherine’s smile drooped for a moment. “Alright… We’re really going to need to figure out the things you like, sweetheart...” “Uh-huh...” Dawn gave a passive reply just to placate the Amazon. Waver busily munched away at his food while Katherine started looking through the fridge. Dawn peered in beside her, which didn’t let her see much of anything, given how much shorter she was, but beyond the cool chill from the icy container was an array of ingredients and drinks. “I can help if you want?” Dawn offered, quickly finding herself without anything to do. She’d preferred staying upstairs, but seeing as she was ousted from her fortress, she needed something to pass the time. “Thank you so much for offering!” Katherine said earnestly, yet Dawn could feel a ‘but’ coming along. “But, there really isn’t too much to do. I’m just going to make some eggs and toast.” “I can cook the egg for you?” She looked at a bar stool. “I...just need something to sit on by the stove...” “Thank you, honey, but the stove can get really hot...I don’t want you to accidentally burn yourself?” “Katherine, I’ve used a stove plenty of times back home.” Dawn tried to remind her. “I’m sure you have, and I bet you’re very good at it, too,” Katherine said in a patronizing tone that felt like soothing fluff rather than any real recognition. She sighed and abandoned the losing battle. “I can get the bread for you?” Katherine paused for a moment. “Okay, then!” Dawn was ready to hear which cabinet or drawer that was close to the floor she needed to look in, but no instructions came yet as she was lifted into the air. “Whoosh! Upsie daisie!” Katherine cooed as Dawn suddenly floated off the ground, suspended by an Amazon’s firm grasp. Suddenly it didn’t feel like she was helping out anymore. She was being made to think she was helping, and frankly why Katherine didn’t consider Dawn being aware of this very obvious point felt insulting. Katherine held her out in front of a cabinet above the counter she could have easily reached on her own, only now she had a proxy in her arms for the sake of a “confidence” boost. “Can you open up that cabinet right in front of you?” With an annoyed frown, Dawn did open it. A mix of dry and boxed food items laid about. Sure enough, there she saw a massive loaf of bread cleanly packaged in plastic and tied off. It had to have been about twice in size compared to Earth standards. Katherine had to hold her a smidge closer for her to reach, and clutched in her arms was the care package. “Think you can untie the top for me?” She surprisingly sat Dawn on the edge of the counter, given the long drop down, but it wasn’t so surprising once Katherine stayed right in front of her leaving no chance for falling off. The loaf stood upright between her legs as she found the twisty tie. At least this hadn’t changed. She did quietly notice that the tie was slightly more resistant to bending, but unlike the carseat, it wasn’t anything that her own strength couldn’t handle. Untwist, untwist, voila. Or, that’s what she expected it to be. She untwisted both ends, which seemed to work at first, but then it simply started to go back the other way around. Looking more closely, she saw a tiny knot underneath. Why? “Are you having a little trouble?” Katherine gently spoke up. Dawn suddenly looked up, feeling flustered for not being able to do something so basic. “No, just...give me a second,” she tried to use her nail to find an opening in the knot to loosen it. Katherine did remain quiet for a few more seconds, yet Dawn was starting to get a bit frustrated. “Why do you guys make it so hard?” Dawn complained. “It’s not hard, it’s just a little tricky for the first time, that’s all,” Katherine slowly closed her hands in on it, insinuating that it was her turn to take over. “Here, watch how it’s done,” and she made a quick demonstration of how to untie the packaging for a loaf of bread. If Dawn hadn’t felt pathetic before, this was surely to bring her there. She had been paying attention only partly, but even with that dedicated capacity, Katherine seemed to make no strained efforts in loosening a knot or whittling away at some kind of end. She seemed to roll it between her fingers and pull? Was that what Dawn saw? “...Do it again,” Dawn found herself saying, oddly curious now. Katherine laughed as she set her down on the floor. “Tell you what: I promise you can try again tomorrow morning at breakfast?” “...Nevermind.” Dawn dismissed the notion. She felt like a kid now for getting so invested, and any attempt Katherine made to bridge anything felt like Dawn was lowering her sense of self just to meet her halfway. “Thank you for being my special helper, by the way!” Katherine added with a chipper smile. “Mhm...” Dawn reservedly accepted the gratitude. She didn’t feel like she helped. If anything, she only impeded the process. “Do you wanna watch some cartoons while I cook?” She asked her. “I’m fine. I don’t watch cartoons.” Dawn said. She might have been receptive to normal tv or the news, but she felt silly for not expecting the diminutive offer. “Okay… If you want to, though, just let me know, okay?” “Uh-huh.” “And you’re sure you don’t want anything to eat?” Katherine asked once more, as if she knew Dawn’s needs better than she herself did. “We’re gonna need to go out after breakfast; a single diaper isn’t going to last long.” Her casual remark towards the end left a hotness in Dawn’s cheeks. “Yeah...I’m taking this stupid thing off once I need to use the actual bathroom.” “Hm...I should start making a list before we go...” Katherine thought aloud as she popped the toaster and cracked an egg over a pan. Dawn considered the lack of rebuttal a good sign, but also fostered her concern at the mention of a “list”. She very much didn’t like the idea of that. It felt like another indicator that Katherine was making some sort of heavy investment in her, like this wasn’t just some kind of short-term stay. “Wait,” Dawn suddenly realized, “I can’t go out like this. Everyone’s gonna see what I’m wearing.” Katherine briefly turned her head from the stove as if to see the problem herself. Her slight discerning glance worried Dawn, seeming as if she didn’t think the way Dawn was dressed was strange at all. “Oh! No one is going to think you look out of place, hon...” “I know I will!” Dawn had a minor outburst. “I’m only putting up with it right now because you made me! Can’t...wait, can’t I just wear that sweater again?” She suddenly remembered yesterday when she was first stranded with the two Amazons. Katherine had lent her a cardigan, albeit Katherine’s size, when bundled right she could hide her embarrassing pull-up. “That shouldn’t be a problem,” Dawn could hear her smile as she kept her eyes on the sizzling egg this time. She quietly sighed as she walked to the other end of the kitchen by the table, finally feeling like she’d achieved a definitive victory. She came up to a pair of tall, glass sliding doors that led into the backyard. A long, expansive porch extruded from the home with a wide staircase that led into a sea of green. It was decently sized, but for Dawn it felt a couple magnitudes more than what she was used to. From her viewpoint she could see patches of colorful flowers and sectioned areas of what looked like growing vegetables. “Is this all your stuff?” It was sort of a dumb question the way she phrased it, meaning specifically Katherine’s work, yet as she asked, she did faintly remember her mentioning something about a garden the first time that they met. “Hm?” She leaned back enough to see out a window sitting over the sink. “Oh! Back there? Yep!” She beamed. “When there’s time, I love to go out back and plant flowers and grow some vegetables.” It did look impressive, coming from a girl with just about no green thumb whatsoever, to the point where not even a rainy season and photosynthesis could save a plant from Dawn’s gross negligence. With that in mind, she did respect someone who could overcome that hurdle of forgetfulness. “It looks nice.” She offered a simple comment. “Thank you very much. If you’d like, you can help me water the flowers later today?” The offer wasn’t a turnoff, yet Dawn didn’t quite consider garden work fun either. “Uh...maybe...” Katherine laughed in response. “You remind me of James; he’s always willing to do stuff, but he’s bad at hiding it when he’s bored.” Dawn couldn’t figure out how to respond, so she sheepishly shrugged. Katherine chuckled some more as she took the pan off the stove. Meanwhile, Dawn’s stomach was starting to get a little rowdy again. Katherine finished spreading something on her toast and she loaded up her plate and walked over to the table. “Wanna sit with me?” Katherine offered. Finally, Dawn was smart for once. “Does that mean sitting in your lap?” Katherine was quiet for a moment. “...Well, you’re not tall enough to sit in a chair on your own...” “I’m fine down here.” Dawn decided. Katherine looked a tad bit disappointed, but she conceded and started to eat. Dawn’s stomach yet again made another gurgling noise. She probably should’ve asked for something… “Do...uhm...” She felt shy asking now, hence her words falling off, but Katherine gave her full undivided attention. “Is there any...chips or something?” “To eat?” Katherine asked, likely rhetorically. “Dawn, I thought I asked if you wanted anything for breakfast...” “I’m not that hungry,” she lied, trying to repaint the picture, “I just wanted a little something… I’m still fine from yesterday...” “Why can’t you be more honest with me?” Katherine frowned as she stood up from her chair. Dawn was going to tell her not to make anything, yet she picked Dawn up and sat her on her thigh on the chair, putting her head just above the tabletop. “I said I’m not--” “You just asked for a snack,” Katherine calmly contradicted, “and you definitely don’t get a snack until you at least have real food. You can have some of mine if you don’t want your own.” “I don’t even like eggs.” Dawn complained, finally telling the truth for once. She could see especially how big the egg was on her plate, Amazon sized, which made her feel even more unsettled. The only props she had to offer was at least the yolk looking runny… “That’s no good,” Katherine lightly chided, “you need to eat what’s put in front of you.” “I can eat it,” Dawn groaned, “but it’s so bland!” “Then how about like this?” Katherine sectioned off a portion and laid it over a chunk of toast. She lifted it up and drew it to Dawn’s mouth. “Open wide~” She cooed, yet Dawn frowned at the approaching gesture. “I don’t need help--” Dawn started to say, but the food was inserted into her mouth with deceptive speed as soon as she began to speak. She wanted to spit it out on the simple grounds of being manipulated, but she didn’t. She reluctantly chewed and swallowed. If it could even be called a plus, the egg tasted just like she expected; eggy. However, the toast did its job in masking the taste. She chewed and swallowed before resuming. “I can feed myself.” “This way we won’t have to wash your hands though?” Katherine countered. But it didn’t feel like a justified reason shortly after breakfast as Katherine was still dabbing a wet washcloth on Dawn’s face anyway. She didn’t make a comment on it, but yet again she felt strong-armed into something. “Clean as a whistle,” Katherine smiled, “You can go play with Waver for a few minutes while I get my stuff together?” The use of ‘play’ felt demeaning, but Dawn did leave the kitchen. Sure enough Waver had gone back to his dog bed in the living room. Their couch was impressive, occupying a large span of one wall, then wrapping around to cover just as much length on the other. And while it was still on the theme of silver linings, their television looked quite massive as well. It was big, but, well, Dawn figured that some of the Amazon size factor was attributed to that as well. Not only had she never seen one so big, but Earth’s closest equivalent would likely be priced well in the range of a five-figure price… Yet a sudden loud bark from behind stumbled the girl forward, forgetting about the tv entirely. Her startled heart took a second to calm down as she turned, staring now at the goofy face of Waver with a hint of droopy tongue. As bothered as she was, a moment alone with just a simple, innocent animal did force her to crack a grin. Another thing that was too surreal for her though was his size. Despite every notion she had of housepets being so small compared to the normal person, not only did this furry creature rival Dawn’s, but even surpassed her size. Luckily he seemed friendly enough, otherwise being around an angry dog would be a whole other cause for concern. Just as Dawn was approaching to tame the beast, a loud ring, likely a doorbell filled the home and Waver immediately turned his head. Loud barks ensued as he scampered over to the door. Dawn did groan a small bit at that discovery. “One of those dogs...” She sighed. But aside from Waver, the doorbell was unexpected. Someone was here? Obviously she didn’t want to be seen like this. She leaned around the corner down the hall, wondering where Katherine was. Even if Dawn wanted to answer the door, she might be just physically capable, but it wouldn’t be without its challenges. Now there was a knock. “Katherine…?” Dawn called for her, feeling oddly incapable as she did need to wait on the woman. And luckily she did emerge. Apparently she didn’t know who it was either, because Dawn could hear her mutter above her head, “Who could that be…?” Dawn stood by the couch where at least half of herself was hidden, watching the door as Katherine opened it after shushing Waver into a nearby room. Another Amazon woman, standing just as tall as Katherine, albeit in a small set of heels. She was donned in a suit with some sort of yellow, metallic badge on her breast. Obviously Dawn didn’t know who it was, yet she felt unsettled nonetheless. “Hi there, how can I help you…?” Even Katherine herself sounded off. It wasn’t a straightforward greeting. “Hi there,” came a cordial tone, “You wouldn’t happen to be Katherine, would you? Married to a James?” “Yes…? What’s this about?” “First,” she outstretched her hand, to which Katherine replied with the same, albeit more hesitant. “It’s nice to meet you. My name is Francine Bush. I’m a case handler from Little Protective Services. LPS?” That unsettling feeling in Dawn’s stomach seemed to solidify just a bit more. Hadn’t she heard of that name before? LPS? “Oh, uhm...nice to meet you. Would you...like to come in?” “Please, if you wouldn’t mind?” Dawn leaned back a little as Katherine stepped aside to let her in. Unfortunately, the first thing that seemed to happen was this woman making eye contact with Dawn. It seemed like a warm smile, but instinct told her not to like this person; more so than Amazons in general. Katherine’s tone did sound slightly nervous, as she asked, “Is...is there some kind of issue?” “Well, I wouldn’t say that exactly,” the woman didn’t answer as definitively. “I’m just hoping to ask you some questions just to understand things a bit better. I’m assuming your husband isn’t home right now?” “No...he just left for work.” Katherine said. She seemed to be looking for something, and once she spotted it, she briskly walked over to pick it up. Now that Dawn was in her arms, Katherine sat down on the sofa with the Little securely in her lap. For once, Dawn chose not to make a scene. “That’s alright then; this is just a visit, so I’ll try to pick a better time for the next one.” Her obvious mention of a ‘next time’ was a clear note to make. This woman intended on coming back. Then, the woman leaned forward just the slightest bit from her seat, focusing her gaze on Dawn now. She upped her smile just a slight bit more as she said in a friendly voice, “And you must be Donna!” Dawn hadn’t expected to be spoken to, hence her delay in response. But once she caught up she furrowed her brow. “I’m...my name is Dawn.” “Oh?” The caseworker was apparently surprised. “I’m sorry about that. I think I was given the wrong name!” She said in an overly-apologetic voice, like she was putting on a show for the girl. She slipped out a phone from her suit jacket and then asked Katherine, “Could you spell that for me?” Of course. Dawn didn’t look any happier, especially having the spelling of her own name deferred to someone “more responsible”. Katherine did give the correct spelling and the woman set her phone back down. “Perfect.” She concluded, then set her hands on her lap. “Katherine, how long have you and James had Dawn? When did you adopt her?” It was subtle, yet Dawn could feel a shift from Katherine’s hands around her waist. And more importantly, even Dawn knew the answer to this. She hadn’t been adopted, and she had zero intention of being. “W-well...we only recently took Dawn in. My husband brought her here only last night.” Katherine explained. “So currently it’s unofficial? There’s no documentation, correct?” “...Yes.” She nodded, staying silent for a moment as her eyes glanced at Dawn for just a moment. “Katherine, would you rather we do this privately? If you’d rather Dawn not hear, we could--” “I want to hear.” Dawn finally cut herself in. The moment information started to withheld from her, then she’d most certainly take issue. “It’s okay, I don’t mind.” Katherine then backed her up, as if a Little’s words couldn’t stand on their own. “Okay, that’s fine too.” Francine smiled. “Katherine, your husband might know more about this than you then, but a report was made related to Dawn about a kidnapping?” “Kidnapping?” Katherine’s confusion and concern was clear. “From who? She’s not adopted.” Her voice came off as defensive as well as protective. “I understand that, and we did verify with the one who called to make a report. I can’t share explicit details about the one who made the report, but it seems like they are in a similar situation regarding Dawn as you and your husband seem to be.” “So...they said we kidnapped Dawn from them? We didn’t. She chose to go with us.” It was the most defensive Dawn had ever heard the Amazon be. Francine nodded, but looked no more swayed from her initial intent. “That’s why it’s a difficult situation, because we have two groups claiming the same thing. Do you know where your husband found Dawn?” “A hotel?” She nodded. “We have a witness report from one of the staff about your husband taking Dawn out of the hotel. They received a call about a man trying to take their Little, which is the description your husband fit.” Now Dawn was starting to worry. This woman couldn’t actually “give” her back to that other deranged Amazon, could she? It was the only connection she could make; the reporter had to have been that wacko Amazon who offered to adopt her. That bitch! But alternatively, Dawn suddenly saw this person in a new light. She was an authority figure, she dealt with Littles. Did that mean non-native Littles as well? Maybe this was her chance…! Her opportunity to go home! Maybe she’d be willing to hear her case out, considering James and Katherine could seem to care so little. “She’s lying.” Dawn blurted out. The case worker looked down at her with a tilted look, eyebrows raised, like she was feigning interest in a toddler’s babblings. “That other Amazon is making it all up. I decided to go with James and she was just jealous.” The woman didn’t immediately respond, like she was trying to dissect what Dawn believed was clear as day. “Thank you for telling me that, sweetheart,” she smiled, but Dawn could feel the lack of true appreciation. “I’ll make sure to keep that in mind, okay?” But she clearly didn’t want an answer as she looked back up at Katherine. “I...I don’t understand...” Katherine looked confused and worried. “Dawn hasn’t been adopted yet...so why is LPS even getting involved?” The worker acknowledged and nodded, with more recognition than Dawn seemed to have gotten from her. “Usually we only get involved after the Little has been adopted, yes, but that’s typically because of unfortunate timing, taking our end to get a case worker involved a bit later rather than sooner… But what concerns us in this situation is the claim made about kidnapping. LPS does not take lightly to that sort of act.” The look on her face had become quite serious, creating an even grimmer shift in the room’s atmosphere. “Whether the claim made is false or not, it’d be absolute negligence for us not to follow up on these sorts of things,” she explained. “B-but...we didn’t kidnap her...” Katherine continued to be intimidated by the authority, yet still kept a tight hold on Dawn, who was beginning to see more of a foe from another faction than a potential ally. Francine suddenly stood up. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for today’s visit to put you for a scare; right now we’re just meeting with all the parties involved and investigating the legitimacy of the claims.” She glanced around. “Would it be alright if I just took a quick look around?” “That’s fine...” Katherine answered hesitantly, “but we were just about to go out! We were going to get Dawn some clothes, diapers, a bed, toys, and anything else she’d need…!” She spoke in a hurry like her life depended on it. Maybe Dawn’s. But for Dawn, hearing her short list involved a mention of toys and diapers, both red flags to her. She fought the urge to outrage on the spot right there. When did they ever discuss that? It better have been ridiculous lip service to this horrid woman, otherwise there would be hell to pay. Yet the woman seemed to scrutinize. “So Dawn doesn’t have any kind of nursery here?” “It...It was just going to be done today; we were already planning… We already got a carseat the other day...” Katherine continued to ramble and heighten Dawn’s confusion. Why was it suddenly a measuring contest? Why didn’t Dawn’s own word not carry enough weight? “I won’t be long.” The worker smiled professionally as she turned to the stairs. Dawn could see her pull her phone out as she walked upstairs. “Katherine...” Dawn started to speak up once they were alone. “Katherine…! Katherine!” In a brief state of shock, Katherine only came to after the third call. “H-huh? Yes, sweetie, what’s wrong?” “Don’t say that; say my name.” Dawn scowled. “You can let go of me now.” Her warm grip made Dawn feel like she was on a rollercoaster ride. “What the hell is going on?! Why are you so scared?” Katherine exhaled, but the worry trembled her breath. “We...we’ll talk about it after she leaves, okay? Please, just be a good girl and don’t say anything else…!” It was like all the tiny footholds, if they even existed, in making Katherine speak to her more as a person than a complete infant were completely lost. Unbelievable, so in the end all the “progress” Dawn had made with her seemed to be complete fiction in the face of authority? She almost wanted to make a scene just to prove how sick of Katherine’s dismissiveness she was, but the only thing that kept her from doing so was a quiet voice inside warning her against it, for whatever reason. Dawn continued to be a silent, pissy stress ball for the Amazon until the case worker came back downstairs. “You mentioned getting a bed for her?” She sounded as if she’d seen things most unappealing to the eyes upstairs. Apparently the standards upstairs hadn’t been pleasing. So what, though? Sleeping on the floor for the first night was excusable, so why make such a big deal out of it? “A-a crib,” Katherine retroactively corrected herself, earning an angry glare from Dawn, yet seemed to go entirely unnoticed, or willfully ignored by both giants. “I see...Well, Katherine, it was a pleasure getting to meet you, and Dawn,” she said with a heightened pitch and a syrupy smile at her, maybe even saying her name with more emphasis just to prove to the “little” girl how she’d seen the error in her ways and corrected her name from Donna. She fished out a card from her suit jacket and handed it to Katherine. “You can expect a visit from me within the week, however I can’t give you the time to expect, but I’ll try to come when your husband is here as well.” “Is...is there any legal trouble?” Katherine asked with hesitation. The woman didn’t respond immediately, which even Dawn knew was cause for concern. “Not necessarily,” she finally did say, “this could all be a misunderstanding, after all. Two groups trying to adopt the same Little is a common dispute, but since kidnapping was mentioned...” The silence only left unanswered for a second though, quickly picked back up by the woman. “I should have some more information to share with you and your husband during the next visit. There aren’t any plans to take Dawn from your custody for the time being, given your explanation for only getting her last night. That being said,” she started to show signs of disapproval, “I hope to find that Dawn’s environment is a bit more appropriate for her by the time I’m back?” Dawn had her unfortunate guesses, but Katherine had become a yes-man entirely. “Yes! Of course… We’ll be going out right after this; we were just planning to.” The case worker’s unyielding look softened into a smile. “Great then. I’ll see myself out, but I’ll see you soon.” She said before opening and closing the door on her way out. At the sound of it shutting, Katherine immediately started to sniffle, holding Dawn tighter in her arms as she was again smothered against her will. “K-Katherine…!” Dawn groaned in her grip. “What...first, let me go!” After enough shouting, the Amazon relented and at least let go, though keeping her in her lap. “What the fuck was that even all about?”

Sit Back, Relax, and enjoy the vibes Not like the other animations, so sorry if you were hoping for those. This was a fun little thing based off that common image you get from "Lofi to relax to, etc.". Originally just wanted to make a new profile picture for my deviantart, but this is what it became. Hope you enjoy it nonetheless!

Apologies. I think I've starved all the readers to the point where a 1.5 week gap feels like short. Very sorry... Hmm...! That kind of topic between Joyce and Sheila is going to be very difficult to breach, I think. Difficult for me as well if that is what happens... Sheila's a dedicated worker as well as typically being a no-questions kind of person. I think there's going to be some duality for Sheila in trying to maintain her usual sense of self while on the inside her rabid curiosity slowly eats away at her. I don't think she's figured everything out, but obviously her gears are turning. Who knows? Still some more to learn about Sheila. I won't jump to conclusions in saying that she's into this sort of thing. For now I'd just consider her a diligent secretary. I think what's going to make that night so dicey in retrospect is that point about an invasion in privacy. It's sort of minor, knowing Emily sleeps with a stuffed animal, yet the principle still stands. Oh, and there was also helping her get dressed... Sheila in Joyce's mind can clearly be trusted, as history has shown, but the difference for Emily is not having any kind of history with Sheila whatsoever. As for more interactions between the two? Hmm...Joyce did mention a 'Bring Your Daughter to Work' day many moons ago... Please, don't mind the long comment at all! Getting to read such lengthy responses is a huge highlight. There's definitely some details to Sheila's actions that if Emily properly remembers, will probably have some questions about. And if you think about it, nothing's ever really over. Little things always propagate and keep the ball rolling a certain way! And poor Joyce. She really would need help with her addiction if Emily weren't so accepting of all these things... All it takes is one small cute thing for her to see and she's sent down a spiral of fantasies. But in fairness, I don't think anyone involved that night ended it completely sober. Nothing's ever an absolute! There is the possibility the stars just might align in Emily's pants that night... Whelp, so much for this website then. If I can't accumulate the fake internet points it's beyond me why I'm still here. Peace out.

I definitely agree with Joyce's adrenaline-induced panic, though what might vary is how quickly she can escape the heat of the moment, at least temporarily. I won't try to comment on it too much though, in hopes that the chapter can do most of the talking for itself. Uh-oh. Am I mis-remembering my own writing? The only time I can think of her doing that was when she was sick, or there may have been a night while sleeping with Joyce? I remember the situation though being a conscious (albeit sleepy) choice on her part. So if all my ducks are in a row...no accidents caused by drinking...yet? Extra packing certainly means the possibility for it. But above all else, I think it's just a testament to how "Mommy-mode" Joyce can be. After all, if she were on diaper duty I can't imagine she'd leave Emily hanging without a few extra changes? Decent people indeed! Taking the average of her new acquaintances. Rebecca I think will be a fun character, and without giving much away, she's part of the breadcrumb trail I've been piecing together. Hopefully I can close in on that soon. Uh-oh. Stranger danger. Unfortunately, I don't know if this universe has the sort of ideal kidnappers like that...Only the more malicious kind, I'd imagine. I'm sure they do exist out there though? Another story for another time! Temper tantrum Emily. A fearsome foe indeed. Though, I can say with confidence that we have yet to see her wrath. Who knows if it'll ever come? As soon as the adjective "Amazonian" or "little" was used, clearly. Every ABDL story is either a Diaper Dimension story or one that has yet to become one. (It's not though. Not this one. So the rule of thumb was a lie, I guess...) Possibly? I don't think you'll find any sort of set-in-stone gimmie that'd allude to that sort of thing. Thinking off the top of my head, the closest I've gotten to references/easter eggs in this story have been two subtle call-backs to two other stories I've had on a different forum. One is slightly more tangible than the other though, but they're just tiny little things that are probably close enough to just be an inside joke. Thank you very much! Since I'm guilty of leaving such large gaps between releases, hearing things like this means a lot to me. 35 - Little Miss Summers A bell? A tracking chip? Abandon all the fantasies and just use a child leash as she jokingly intended? A flurry of thoughts raced through her mind. She barely even stopped for the many faces that tried to steal her attention as she left the dance hall. Up until then it had been such an excruciating balance of maintaining her persona while trying to stuff away the sheer panic of trying to find her little girl the entire time! She’d been having the occasional drink just to portray the image that she was socializing and mingling, yet none of the alcohol in her system seemed to do anything to calm her nerves. She would have normally been a slight bit buzzed by now after all the refills she’d had, yet there was none of that. A mere pittance of water scarcely did anything to stop a raging fire. She wasn’t mad, she was simply anxious and worried. How couldn’t she be? She’d convinced her number one responsibility to embark with her on a gauntlet of social intimidation. She promised her number one responsibility that she would care for her every step of the way. She promised her number one responsibility that she’d keep a close watch on her all night, implying that their hands would never leave each other. Did Emily wander off on her own? When did she even leave the party? What if she’d been gone somewhere else the entire night and it was only by chance that she was found in the lobby? The long elevator ride in isolation gave her time to silently reflect on all the absolutely horrible, terrible possibilities that offered so little excuses for Joyce’s actions and inability. Her four faint reflections on every wall shared in the madness as she ran a hand through her hair. Why did this bother her so much? Emily is an adult. She was, she knew that… But in her heart, much like her failed promises tonight, they were only words. Every time Joyce told herself that she’d do better, it only seemed to hurt that much more when she inevitably went back on it by somehow messing up, if not worse, just as horribly… Had she been too lenient? She knew Emily wasn’t holding her hand at the banquet table...She made the conscious decision to let her roam close by. She decided herself to take her attention off her for just a measly minute…! It was the strangest battle Joyce had seemed to encounter in her mind. For once, if for what felt like a rational moment, was the side of herself that chose to believe in Emily as an adult and her girlfriend...wrong? The Mommy in her never would have let Emily stray no more than an inch. The Mommy in her would have kept a firm hold on her hand. The Mommy in her would have made her keep her phone so she could reach her if need be! She didn’t even have a room key to get back to the room if she wanted! But...that was so Emily would stay nearby, but… An audible groan of frustration left her lips as Joyce seemed to be splitting hairs. It was all so...confusing. So tiring… At every turn when she even began to think of Emily as somehow liable, it only routed back to her own incompetence. Emily’s going to do unpredictable things. The unexpected is going to happen. It’s my job to expect these things, and it’s my job to keep a hold on her… All the steam leaving her ears from tired and strained thought made the lobby feel like a shivering draft in comparison once the doors finally opened. Of course, the water fountain and glass windows may have affected that as well, somewhat. She was about to become manic when her eyes couldn’t immediately find Emily. Now not having to deal with the business dinner and its patrons, she was ready to storm the front desk immediately and demand a building-wide search. But thankfully it did not come to that. “Ms. Summers!” A distant call echoed across the marbled floor through the gushing water fountain. Joyce spun her head and briskly walked around the fountain. It was indescribable once she saw her. A thousand little knots that cascaded from her mind to her heart and stomach all seemed to loosen without friction and drown herself in relief. She half-ran as best as her heels allowed over to the pair. The words she’d say didn’t even come to mind as the distance closed. It was a bit sad to say, but Sheila had only just started to become more than an afterthought. After the phone call all she could seem to register was that Emily had been found. It didn’t matter who did it because the ends certainly justified the means, which is why she couldn’t have cared less about what those means were. “Emily?” Joyce raised the pitch of her voice as the tone softened into a delicate comfort. All the inner rage and confusion had all been swept aside so easily. Seeing the one she loved the most had so profoundly shut down anything in her mind that could have been toxic to her little girl. She didn’t see her girlfriend in that split second. She saw what validated all the things in her warped, yet honest mind. “I think she’s asleep right now...” Sheila explained in a lowered voice, still dealing with Emily’s head resting on her shoulder. Though, the tone of her voice still implied the slight awkward out-of-place feeling she had. She was used to working with one person only, not physically dealing with their companions, too. And make no mistake in assuming that Joyce wasn’t acutely aware of their postures. Emily was indeed asleep on Sheila’s shoulder. Another person’s shoulder, and not Joyce’s. But even for her that was being irrational. She killed the unhinged jealousy with swiftness and stayed focused. Sheila had undoubtedly been a godsend. Yet with the last of her tunnel vision she came forward until a mere foot’s length kept both groups apart, to which Joyce bent over just to ensure that she was there in the flesh. Sheila continued to watch, or seem like she wasn’t as her boss so brazenly kissed her companion squarely on the forehead. While it did come off as intimate, though. Parental…? “Thank you...” Joyce sighed, finding with each second she could see Emily right in front of her that all was right again. Could this be used as justification for a bonus? It was too rare to be called commonplace, which is why a unicorn was likely prancing around in Sheila’s head right then. Already a few years she had given to this woman, Joyce Summers, and the anomaly that’d been puppeting her for the past chunk of time was right before her. Being in such an informal situation after a night of dining with her boyfriend and returning to a luxurious hotel; it was the perfect combination to make even Sheila’s tight-lipped nature crack in just the slightest. She was teeming with curiosity. “Ms. Summers...Is this your friend?” An unprovoked question from Sheila was unusual, enough for Joyce to recognize that despite the heat of the moment. But beyond that, a question was a question. “Yes...but also my...girlfriend.” Sheila apart from Emily was her closest confidant. Stating something like that to someone she trusted every ounce of the inner workings of her career with could make even the mighty Joyce stumble, even if just a little. Sheila only nodded as she glanced back down at the girl against her shoulder. Girlfriend. It was embarrassing to admit, yet Sheila hadn’t completely considered it. Well, maybe a little, but not a girl as a lover. Had her pride as the all-knowing been hurt? Nevertheless, the small number of threads left unaccounted for in her head were already beginning to weave… Finally, enough of her adrenaline had been spent for there to be room for rationality and self-awareness. “Wait, where’s your boyfriend?” Joyce asked as she glanced from shoulder to shoulder. “He’s...” Sheila started to say, though for some reason she started to pick up on the sleeping girl’s breathing right beside her. “Waiting for me upstairs. I wanted to help Emily before I went up, though I didn’t know who she was before...” “Thank you again, Sheila...so much.” Joyce repeated as she sat on the other end of the bench, wasting no time in the delicate shift of Emily’s head from Sheila’s shoulder to hers. Alcohol. She certainly smelled of it. Why had she been drinking? Joyce knew she was feeling anxious about tonight, but she also knew there wouldn’t be a snowball’s chance in hell that she’d drink on her own. “I’m so sorry to hold you up like this; I went and lost her at the dinner and have been looking for her since...” “Ms. Summers, it’s no issue at all,” Sheila said quite candidly. After all, she’d been so gracious as to pay for her hotel room. To Sheila in her own exaggerated mind, that warranted at least her life in return. “How long have you two been at the party?” She asked in a somewhat informal way. “If I remember, they tend to go on for a while...” “A few hours...” Joyce answered with a sorrowful look. It was only in retrospect now that time seemed like a factor for anything. Of course Emily was out cold. Even if the alcohol wasn’t part of the equation, she knew she would have been dealing with a sleepy girl by now. “They always start late and end late...” She sighed as she stroked the top of Emily’s head. “Any other normal night and she’d be in bed by now...” And needless to say, bed was where she was headed next. “Were you able to meet with all the people you wanted to?” Sheila asked. As much as her boss disliked these events, their importance couldn’t be ignored. Networking was always the hidden objective, yet always the most important. “Y...not completely.” Joyce came to admit. She nearly put on airs as she looked down at Emily but slowly stopped herself once she remembered that it was only her secretary listening. “I may have been a little...dismissive. I’ve been looking for Emily all night...” She rested her cheek on the top of Emily’s head. “Thank you for helping me with my computers, by the way. That software works very well.” “Of course.” Sheila responded simply, though couldn’t help but glance at Emily, starting to re-interpret the original reason her boss had given her for it… What’s more, the party still had a little bit longer to go, yet Joyce wouldn’t be in attendance for it. Obviously not when she needed to put a certain somebody to bed. “Uhm...Ms. Summers?” Sheila politely interrupted her thoughts, getting Joyce to look over. “If you’d like, I can take Emily back to your room for you? So you can go back to the party?” The look of remorse on Joyce’s face was near immediate. “Sheila, you’re here with your boyfriend, I couldn’t do that to you...” “It’s no issue,” Sheila shook her head. “I can tell Greg that you had something important come up. He’ll understand. Work comes first, Ms. Summers.” As headstrong as Joyce could be around Sheila in spite of her own dutiful stubbornness, it suddenly felt like something exploitative was between them now. Something Sheila was using to her full advantage. “You still need to speak to some people, don’t you?” Sheila doubled down. “If it’s for the sake of the company, you can’t skip out early on these sorts of things, Ms. Summers...” “I know, I know...” Joyce reluctantly sighed. Sheila tended to be right about these things. Always about these things. Yet unfortunately, drunk little girls past their bedtimes aren’t exactly known for getting themselves to bed on their own. By the time she gets Emily settled down in her pajamas, the last thing she’d want to do is leave her… It was undoubtedly a wonderful thing to stress over the woes of being a doting mommy, yet also a slightly inconvenient thing at times… “Ms. Summers,” Sheila said clearly once more, “Please let me do this for you? You’ve already given me and my boyfriend a wonderful night. This is the least I could do for you?” “This isn’t a work-related issue though, Sheila...” Joyce tried to reason. “It isn’t?” Sheila contradicted. “Ms. Summers, if Emily is taken care of, that gives you the time to go back to the party, doesn’t it?” Maybe Sheila was off the rails for being so forward, yet as the synapses in her mind sparked, she felt more daring to assume what she had been hypothesizing from the start. “If her well-being affects your mood and performance at the office, I’d say that this is work-related.” Of course, she wasn’t looking to become another person’s secretary, however. “I mean to say that if I have the opportunity to help you, Ms. Summers, I’ll choose to.” Joyce wore a contemplative look as she fussed over the details in her mind. Obviously Sheila could be trusted, but...what if something went wrong? What if Emily woke up and wanted Joyce, but instead found some stranger in the hotel room? What if something went wrong and Joyce had to come back anyway? She packed pajamas, but what if Sheila accidentally picked the wrong ones? Emily always likes the silk pair over the… Wait...what if Emily had a nightmare? No. Absolutely not. There were too many pitfalls, too many chances for failure. It wasn’t possible. It wasn’t reasonable. “Ms. Summers,” Sheila stared at her clearly. “I promise, Emily is in good hands.” She even smiled a small bit. In the back of her mind was a wild voice screaming cheers of eureka as her thesis had finally been proven; her research and discoveries hadn’t been for naught. The look on her face of deep, troubled thought was all too familiar. It was the same look she had whenever there was a bad day in the office, or when there was a seemingly “out of the blue” conversation she might have with her boss. The same atmosphere for when there was an inexplicably “off” mood her boss may have been having. It most certainly was the final piece that completed the full picture Sheila had come to have such an in-depth understanding of. Tonight she had begun to understand another integral part about her boss. If her work was her craft, she would say that she was determined to perfect it. As her eyes fell on Emily, she saw it as her determination to see Ms.Summer’s troubles and worries taken care of so that she could perform at her best. Besides, it was just taking her girlfriend back to the hotel room? Joyce was quiet for only a moment longer as she exhaled all her hesitations and sat up straight. Maybe she was being silly. She was extremely reluctant to ever delegate things as important as this to anyone. No, not even that. This’d be the first of its kind. At almost any other time she would say no. Yet it was Sheila who was offering, who had already done so much for the two without a single question already… “Okay...” Joyce sighed as she handed her room key to Sheila who accepted without a single remark, only with her typical dutiful look. “It’s not a lot, but just make sure you do a couple things when you get her back to the hotel room, okay? As long as you don’t mind...” “Of course not, Ms. Summers.” Sheila nodded. After all, she’d helped her boyfriend after a rough night in bed before. Strip them and send them off. “Then, as long as you don’t mind, just a couple things… If you could get her undressed once you get back to the bedroom. Just leave her dress hanging on something and I’ll take care of it in the morning. I left her pajamas in the top right drawer of the dresser; she gets stuffy in the other set, so make sure she gets the silk pair. I think she left her phone on the bed at some point, so if you could find it and leave it on the nightstand in case she wants to call me… Oh, and make sure she gets Pip--her...it’s a gift I gave her. A stuffed toy sort of thing. She...likes having it with her in our bed. I...I think that’s everything.” A small smile crept on her face as the words seemed to flow right out of her. “Thank you again, Sheila, I really appreciate this.” There was a moment of pause from Sheila’s end, seemingly overloaded by the long-winded explanation, yet her boss smiled so simply as if it were all second nature. “U...” She cleared her throat. “Understood. I’ll make sure she gets everything she needs.” Sheila couldn’t help but wonder, how high maintenance was this girl? “I’ll be waiting to let you back in your room.” “Thank you, Sheila. Truly.” Joyce gave her a look of complete gratitude before her eyes focused back on Emily. “Would you be able to give me just a minute though? It’d give you time to explain to your boyfriend how I’m tying you up...” She said apologetically. “It’s no issue at all,” Sheila said once more as she stood from the bench. Joyce watched as she strolled to the other end of the lobby before turning back. “Emily...” Joyce softly coaxed as she rocked her shoulder. Maybe the rhythm in her breath had changed, but still asleep. “Emily...” She raised her voice a little, clearly having to fight more than just tiredness this time around. A frustrated groan left her mouth as she started to move her head. Once her eyes opened they squinted into paper-thin slits, assaulted by the blinding light from above. “Come on, babygirl, time to wake up. You can’t sleep here.” “Joyce…?” Emily asked lazily, groping the body right next to her. It did feel like her… “Joyce…!” “Yes, hello to you too,” Joyce kissed her on the forehead. She was all smiles and relieved to be reunited, but that didn’t mean all was forgiven. “Can you tell me why I found you all the way down here? Why weren’t you at the party where I’ve been looking for you all night?” Joyce started the unfair sport as the girl with dwindled energy was still expected to play. “I did wait…!” Emily started to raise her voice with a tired whine. She answered to the sentence she heard in her mind, extrapolated and re-interpreted from the chunks she was actually picking up on. “I sat with Hank and Rebecca all night…!” “Who are Hank and Rebecca?” Joyce asked rightfully so. Did she meet people at the business dinner? Did they take her out somewhere drinking? She could already feel the sense of anger; running off with her special girl after being expressly told to stay where she could be seen. The simple follow-up was a level too critical for Emily’s impaired mind to process. “I...I dunno...rich people?” She whimpered as she tried opening her eyes yet again, yet found so much more solace in hiding them in the dark of Joyce’s side. “Rebecca was a bitch...” Somehow that came out clearly despite the mumbling. Joyce normally would have cracked a grin, yet she was still concerned. All was well in the end, but she still had yet to solve the crime and the motive. Just as much though, she also started to realize Emily was in no capacity to explain herself, much less tie her own shoes it felt like. There wasn’t much merit in a scolding if they weren’t going to truly understand it... She suspended the “talk” with a firm kiss on the forehead. “Emily? I still need to go back to the party to talk to some people. You know Sheila? My secretary, the one that called me on the phone for you?” “Mmhmm...” Emily mumbled with a small nod. It was obvious she wasn’t making the small connections yet, which is why Joyce didn’t spare the expense in spelling it out clearly. “Sheila’s going to take you back up to the room and get you in bed. I’ll be coming back later at night, okay?” “No.” “No?” Emily partly slumped as her head fell into Joyce’s lap and her arms around her waist. “No…!” Emily’s composure was slipping even further. She was exhausted and drunk and wanted nothing more than to go back and be in bed. But she wanted it with the bells and whistles too. She wanted Joyce with her. She’d become unmovable. Nothing else would make her cave. “Emily...” Joyce looked down at her sympathetically, but wasn’t feeling swayed. Sheila was right; a dinner like this was important. “You’re going to be asleep before you know it? I’m only going to be another hour or so--” “No!” She shouted into her dress. The explanation could have been anything and with as much fact and reason as Joyce would have liked. It still would not have mattered, simply because Emily was too far gone to process any of it. “I’ll...I’ll go with you--” She paused for a great, big yawn. Naturally the look was endearing. A stubborn girl who supposedly wasn’t ready for bed, yet everything but her attitude certainly was. “Weren’t you just asleep though? You just yawned, too? I should have said the party was going to run late, maybe then you wouldn’t have been so tired?” Maybe giving her an excuse could convince her... “I’m...” She liberally planted her hands on Joyce’s thighs as she propped herself up, squinting her glossy eyes as they begged to be closed once more. “I’m fine now...I can go too.” Joyce could feel an odd sense of deja vu. “No, sweetheart. Sheila’s going to take you back up to the room and get you in bed.” “I don’t need help...I just want you...” Emily selfishly said. It was all Joyce ever wanted to hear, and yet the timing couldn’t have been worse. While Joyce planned to tote Emily around from the start, seeing her in a state like this would only make her feel cruel. As childish as she was wonderfully being, there had to have been some adult left inside her tired mind to be reasoned with. “Tell you what,” Joyce caressed her cheek, “If you go back with Sheila to the room and get ready for bed, I promise, cross my heart and hope to die, there’ll be an amazingly delicious parfait waiting for you in the fridge tomorrow.” Maybe it was a cop-out bribing her like this, but she couldn’t stand to see her struggle any longer. “Already had one...” Emily mumbled. Well, so much for that. “We can go now...to the party.” She continued to use Joyce’s lap like an airstrip as she fully erected her torso by pushing off her. Just as she started to stand, the first wobble was evident and the prelude to something much more catastrophic. Before she could entirely slip and fall Joyce was already supporting her from behind. “Ah-ah, hang on there just a second,” Joyce said from behind, sitting her down gently back on the bench. “I just need a second to focus…” Emily whined as she rubbed her eyes. Joyce was on a knee now in front of her, trying to zero out the culprit. As light as Emily was, Joyce didn’t feel comfortable asking her secretary to carry someone else, assuming Sheila could even do it. So to spare anyone the complete awkwardness, Joyce carefully slipped a finger in the divot between Emily’s foot and heel, slipping it right off. A draft of air hit the bottom of her feet as Emily was a few seconds delayed in understanding what was happening. Nevertheless it was a refreshing feeling as the light bondage was removed. Joyce stood up with Emily’s heels hanging from one of her hands. “Okay, let’s try that again.” With an arm around Emily’s waist she rose once again, still leaning a bit for support, but able to walk again barefoot. “Better?” “The floor’s cold...” Emily pouted. “Well our suite has heated flooring, you know?” Joyce coaxed. “Come on, Sheila’s right over there, let’s go see her.” As they rounded the fountain, Sheila was off by the other end, seemingly admiring one of the large plants. Obviously more than a minute had passed, meaning she’d run out of meaningful things to do. Once she turned over and saw them approaching however she’d given the royal flora not a second longer. “Okay, Emily, Sheila’s going to take you back up to the room now,” Joyce explained patiently and softly. “Hi there, Emily,” Sheila gave a friendly smile like it was their first introduction. Though, if anyone had been paying attention thus far, one might notice that Ms. Summers got a ‘hello’, whereas Emily was just ‘hi’. Not that she wasn’t worthy of respect, yet even to Sheila, Emily’s very being seemed to dissolve formality. “H-...-i...” Her reply was so short but prolonged so greatly by her teary yawn. From Joyce’s perspective, it hit her like a sendoff to daycare or leaving her for the night with the babysitter, assuming toddlers wore heels as well. Then again, it’d just been determined Emily couldn’t be trusted in them... Joyce released her from her hold as Emily found her hand now in Sheila’s. She really couldn’t be trusted to walk on her own. “I promise I’ll be back soon, okay?” Joyce lowered her stance to reach her eyes head on. Emily gave her a dissatisfied nod. She’d already forgotten her resolve to remain, or discarded it like a fleeting thought. The squint in her eyes was more than just tiredness; mild dissatisfaction. She still wanted to go to the party with Joyce, whether she realistically could or not. But it was out of her hands, literally in Sheila’s. Joyce’s hands came down on Emily’s shoulders as her lips came up to her forehead. “I love you very much,” Joyce said. “Sleep well for me, got it?” “Love you tooh...” Maybe she was in over her head. Maybe some rest was the better option. Joyce soaked up as much of Emily’s appearance as she could. One last time she leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek, but did say quietly, but loud enough for all three women to hear, “Be good for Sheila, okay?” Maybe it could be called unwarranted, but in the time she had known Emily, she wouldn’t put it past her to try at least something a little rebellious just to see her… Solo bedtimes had always been a struggle with her, after all. The previously called elevator finally opened up, signaling that it was time to part. Sheila in her moment alone must have glanced at the room number, because she brought Emily into the elevator with purpose as she pressed a corresponding button on the panel. “Bye!” Joyce stood there for as long as the doors stayed open, giving them a small wave from her hand just above her waist. Her send-off smile slumped away in the company of just herself. Of course she wanted to stay. She wanted to be the one to go back with Emily. She’d just gotten her back but had to willfully lose her again? It ached and made her heart throb, but the only treatment she could depend upon was her juggernaut of a secretary... The ascent was silent amongst the other two, be it that there may not have been a lot to talk about between a fully conscious secretary and her boss’ drunk and tired charge. That was Sheila’s frame of mind, at least. Girlfriend. Emily was Joyce’s girlfriend. It wasn’t difficult to see...but it may have been that Sheila saw more of something else. Maybe she just didn’t fully understand the scope of relationships. The soft tone she used, the doting attitude with a delicate touch and always observing her mannerisms and needs. Girlfriend, yes, but...maybe a different title felt more apt. Ms. Summers is a complete mommy. Yes. That seemed to be the easier end of the equation. “You work with Joyce...?” Emily surprisingly asked. She gathered that much even as tired as she was, but to what degree was still fuzzy for her. “Well, I...I don’t work with her, but I’d say that I work for her,” she calmly corrected, leaving the perfect slot of time a younger student might need to catch up with the rest. “I’m responsible for all of Ms.--...Joyce’s meetings and scheduling.” The calling of Ms. Summers by her first name felt odd in her mouth, like a foreign taste that simply felt wrong. A bland cracker just shy of stale. “That sounds nice...You must do a lot of work for her...” “Enough to keep me busy.” Sheila said back. Her other hand was holding Emily’s heels, keeping her arm bent at a 90 degree angle. It was held that way instead of just drooping by her side almost like a subconscious effort to remind herself of her duties. If energy needed to be spent doing something as obscure as holding up a pair of shoes, that naturally led to questions in the wandering mind which made it impossible to forget what the bigger picture really was. A fun tip she had learned from her work; leave yourself a trail of crumbs should you ever get lost along the way… Once the doors opened Sheila took the lead in stepping out into the hall. While glancing both ways for the right direction, Emily seemed to know as she started walking one way. Sheila gently pulled her back however. “Oops, I think it’s the other way...” She started leading them the other direction. Down the hall they went and Sheila carefully scanned the few passing rooms until the number on the door matched the number on the key. With a quick swipe a digital sound of victory played and they stepped inside. Sheila was in silent amazement by the sheer size of the suite. She had a general idea of what she’d be walking into, but seeing it in-person always had that profound sort of effect. “Okay...” Sheila said to herself quietly, summing all the items in her head that Ms. Summers had listed as careful instructions. “Bedtime...” She said once more, though she’d need a minute to get it all ready. “Emily?” She smiled for her attention, catching her head starting to bob every so often as her eyelids were drooping. “Hmm…?” Emily murmured back. “I’m just going to get what I need ready in the bedroom, okay? Do you want to sit on the couch?” “It’s fine...” Emily yawned as she tried to wave her off. “I can do it...I can get ready for bed. Thank you though...” She finally let go of Sheila’s hand and walked ahead to the bedroom. Sheila didn’t object, though she followed from behind with an observant eye. She was an adult… It only made sense to humor her. In Emily’s mind, the first thing that made sense was to walk over to her suitcase and get her pajamas. She stopped halfway across the room though, remembering that they’d unpacked them once they got here. Small mistake. Forgivable. Back over to the dresser she went. It was a little difficult to discern how many drawers she was looking at though. The lines were sort of blurred as she fished for the drawer handles, not sure why she had to be feeling around for them rather than just see them? Yet somehow as if the universe had heard her plea, or her body understood her desires, her vision became clearer as the dresser and all its detailed edges and corners came into view. Did she have superpowers? Sheila instead, was standing right by a dimmer switch that’d been left off. Emily opened one drawer. Nope. Day clothes. She checked another. Still no, just shirts. The next was socks and underwear, the other was jeans...did she check this one already? Did she check it thoroughly? She was already getting tired of searching. She wanted to sleep, not deal with finding the very things to sleep in! “Okay, okay,” Sheila came from behind with a light hand on Emily’s back. “How about you sit down on the bed and get your dress off? I think Ms.--Joyce told me where I can find them.” Emily did just that without a fight. She wandered over to the bed, tempted to simply slump herself on it, though remembered by just a hanging thread to remove the threads she was currently in. Sheila assumed she had remembered correctly, singling out the top right drawer that Emily missed. Opening it up was a grey set of pajamas, but looking underneath that was a pair of pastel purple ones. Rubbing the material between her fingers deduced that they were silk. “Emily? I got your pajamas...” Sheila said as she turned, but found a girl who seemed to struggle with any kind of progress whatsoever. Her torso bent awkwardly as her hands from top and bottom tried to attack the small zipper behind her back, yet she seemed helpless in the attempt to reach it. “Oh...uhm, those can be tricky...” Sheila wasn’t sure what to say to the drunk girl as she came over to help. It slid down with ease and Sheila helped her finish entirely just to avoid potential confusion with even slipping the straps off her shoulders. Now naked, save for a bra and panties, Emily wanted absolutely more than anything to go to bed. “Just a little longer...” Sheila coaxed, seeing that Emily really was about to embark on the final frontier. “I can do it now...” Emily moaned with yet another stretch in her jaw as she made yet another sleepy howl. Her protests that only commanded force in the way of words had only come after considering the fleeting thought that it may be better to stay modest by dressing herself. She was pretty sure Sheila explained who she was to Joyce at some point, but not even Joyce’s coworkers got to see her naked just because. “Can you?” Sheila humored her as she stopped in her tracks. Emily fell back on her bottom on the bed, holding out her hands for the pajama shorts. “I just need privacy...” Emily said so clearly, yet didn’t give Sheila even a second to consider whether or not she should actually leave. Emily hadn’t even finished her hollow request by the time she was trying to thread her feet into the leg holes of her shorts. Her depth perception must have been exhausted or the world itself was losing balance, because staring down the holes of her shorts so intently somehow made it so hard to keep her legs straight. She’d lift a foot, delicate and slow, then feel the need to shoot it forward like a dart for absolute precision. After the third time of getting caught on the edge and slingshotting them out of her hands, Sheila was already picking them up. It seemed they were past the arguing stage of things because Emily didn’t give many words as Sheila knelt down to feed Emily’s feet into the proper leg holes. And as she did so, she was certainly feeling perplexed. Needing to go back to the office late at night to get a project report, or working overtime just to schedule one of her last-minute meetings. Sheila had explored and ventured her fair share of “bonus” tasks her boss could apologetically ask of her. And under the oath of absolute secrecy, even her request a while back about manufacturing special adult diapers was certainly out of the ordinary, but it was passable because it was yet another detached request. Dealing with inanimate things that were meant for something else. Something that did not concern Sheila. “And up we go...” Sheila’s voice smoothly cooed as she forced Emily’s posture to slide the shorts up her legs. Maybe the pajamas were inanimate, but she’d never been told to do something so...hands-on by her boss before. This time the destination was the task itself. She was working with the person themself now, not the lead-up. The more she thought, the more things were making too much sense. Jumping to conclusions was dangerous, yet the likelihood of everything… It was like she was in high school again, helping her baby cousins get ready for bed. At least thanks to the disparity in height Emily made for an easy girl to get dressed. Once Emily’s head popped through the neckhole of the shirt, Sheila fussed as much as to readjust her slightly disheveled hair. Maybe it was the perfectionist in her. Maybe it was something else. “Okay, let’s get you into bed,” Sheila kept a hand on Emily’s back as she steered her over to the edge where she even pulled back the covers for her. Emily sat on the edge, but she did lay down. “I’m okay now...” She rubbed her eyes. “Thank you...but I’m gonna wait until Joyce comes back.” Sheila didn’t answer back. She walked around the bed as she sought to complete everything entrusted to her. Not only that, but it gave her a chance to think of how she should respond. Emily partly watched as she looked around for something, whatever it was. Either way, she did want to crash and sleep so soundly, but something about her would only permit it should Joyce be there for bed too. Waiting in bed was a certain red flag, hence why she was standing up from the bed. “No, back in bed.” Sheila spoke calmly with a twirl of her fingers, yet her words had no flexibility. Apparently what she’d found was in between both her hands now. Emily quickly realized this too, seeing the womanizer held before her. Pip. The rascal, seemingly shaking around his inanimate, limbless mochi-ball-body for anyone… “I even have your...” What it was exactly couldn’t reach Sheila’s limited imagination, but her resourceful memory filled the gap. “Pip. I have Pip, see? Hop in bed. Joyce will be back later tonight.” Or morning, with how things usually went, but she wasn’t going to torture the poor girl with that. “I just need coffee or something...” Emily started to walk past her, resolving that Pip was probably in good hands, or that the traitor deserved a traitor’s death for fraternizing with the enemy. “Emily, no.” Sheila went as far as to grab Emily’s wrist as she was walking away. Obviously she wasn’t going to cross a line, but so far the girl seemed to respond well to verbal instructions padded with a guiding force, be that because of the alcohol or her nature. Regardless, Sheila wasn’t as merciful to not exploit it. “There’s no coffee,” maybe there was, but in the reality Sheila was presenting to her, there certainly wasn’t, “let’s get back in bed?” “But I’m just...” Emily found herself explaining her actions, but the well of wisdom dried up for a couple reasons. First and foremost was a slight surreal feeling. Why did she need to explain herself, a grown adult, to another adult about why she didn’t need to go to bed yet? Second, why did the louder voice in her head simply want her to fold and obey? Sheila up until now indirectly communicated to the intoxicated and tired Emily that she was a neutral, orderly type. She wasn’t seeing that so much anymore as she stared up at the woman. Maybe it was only for a brief flash, yet she felt the spark of a stern Joyce. One that had a no-nonsense kind of attitude when it came to naps and bedtime. Joyce had the cushy words, coos and delicate touch that made the bitter pill that much sweeter. None of those luxuries were here now as Sheila’s look commanded obedience. Before Sheila could say anything else or Emily could start shuffling awkwardly, she instinctively started to retreat back to bed, tail tucked behind her legs as she carried an odd sense of defeat under her belt. Was this a good time to praise her? Sheila wondered for just a brief moment. Maybe she was getting too immersed into the situation. She did gingerly tuck Pip by Emily’s side though before she drew up the covers. The last step was to leave Emily with her phone so she could call Joyce, but with a recently made escape-attempt to the couch in mind, she made the judgement call to come back in later after she was asleep to leave the phone. “Do you want any water before I shut off the lights?” Sheila asked. It wasn’t part of the original instruction set, but dehydration after excessive drinking was a fair concern. “...Sure.” Emily decided as she rose up from the bed. “No, you stay in bed,” Sheila caught her before her legs came out from under the covers. “I’ll get you a glass. Stay put.” It was like a pecking order. Sheila found herself whimsically thinking as she started to search for a glass, then thought better of herself by checking for a bottle of water in the fridge. Joyce--Ms. Summers, sat at the top, naturally. Then there was Sheila as her right hand, followed beneath her by Emily, Little Miss Summers, affectionately patted on the head by the left hand. Maybe the wine from her dinner with Greg had her fantasizing like this. She was her boss’ girlfriend, not her child, even if the subtle things she did notice meant anything at all. “Do you want the cap off?” Sheila found herself asking, yet was already untwisting the top for her. She waited patiently as Emily sipped from the bottle, taking it back before she could set it on the nightstand. All precautionary. She just got her ready for bed and wasn’t looking to prolong the process by drying water out of anything. “Thanks, Sheila...” Emily murmured as her eyes continued to droop. She wanted to sit up, but the child in her warned that it might only end in Sheila scolding her to lay back down. It was all baseless conjecture, yet both Emily and Sheila in their opposing positions found themselves confused whether to envision each other one way or another. Just an adult, or just a child? Just a secretary, or just a babysitter? Neither answer was completely true, but both were acting in a way that did imply one over the other. Sheila continued to babysit while Emily let herself be sat upon. “You’re welcome.” She turned the lights off next with the only source of light being the faint sky through the hotel window. She hung by the doorway, saying, “I’ll be here until Joyce comes back, so if you need anything I’ll be in the room outside, okay?” “Mhmm...” Emily turned the other way, always mesmerized by how simply turning the other cheek to your pillow could make a world of difference in maximizing your comfort levels. She’d already long forgotten about rebellion, now making amends with Pip as he lay snuggled against her chest. Considered a job past the bulk of its difficulties, Sheila closed the door as silently as she could, turning back into the more illuminated living space as she found herself on the couch. Being in a dress she didn’t feel too comfortable getting comfortable, especially in her boss’ hotel room. Maybe in that regard Emily in her brief little fantasy wasn’t as low as she’d thought in the hierarchy. Joyce’s left hand? It made sense in a way, considering you never hear about the left-hand man as opposed to the right. She never did hear the specifics about her boss’ homelife, only the generalizations and “hypotheticals” that would occasionally pop up. A mostly quiet hour and a half did ensue, leaving even Sheila feeling a bit sleepy. She could only hope that her boyfriend wasn’t waiting for her. This all in itself was a surprise sort of sprung on her, but thankfully she did make it clear beforehand that something like this could happen. Buzzing beside her was her phone, picking it up and seeing that it was her boss. “Hello? Ms. Summers?” Sheila answered. “Sheila? I’m outside the room. Could you let me in?” Hanging up she rounded the couch and over to the door. Looking through the peephole confirmed as the voice on the line had told her. Once she opened it up Joyce on the other side let out a small sigh of relief as her shoulders hung dramatically low. “Finally, it’s over… I would have knocked, but I didn’t want to give Emily an excuse to wake up.” She didn’t hesitate in half-kicking off her heels. “I know how those things can run so long, but I guess my body sort of forgets if they’re too few and far between...” “Did you get to speak to everyone you wanted to?” Sheila asked, hanging by the doorway still. She was always available, but even she wanted to go back to her room. “Yes, I did… Thank you again so much for not only finding Emily, but taking her back up here for me.” Then, by a slip of the tongue she accidentally asked, “Was she good for you?” “No issues,” Sheila confirmed, quietly taking in the last question as a mental log. “I did give her some water before bed though since it seemed like she drank a fair amount...” “Thank you, so-so-so much.” Joyce blinked and rubbed her eyes. “Sheila, please. Everything from tonight, even tomorrow. Please, go out or something with your boyfriend. Buy something nice, go out for lunch; I want to show you how thankful I am. This night was supposed to be a night off for you, but I forced this on you...” “I’ll...keep it in mind.” Sheila sufficed, a little too tired herself to go through the mandatory back-and-forth before an inevitable compromise. “It’s no issue at all. Whenever you need help I’m always available, Ms. Summers.” Joyce nodded with a smile. “Okay.” She glanced over at the room key that was thoughtfully left in an obvious place. “You can leave now. I think I’m ready for bed myself...” “Have a good night, Ms. Summers.” Sheila bid farewell as she closed the door after hearing a final goodbye from her boss. Now with only two in the suite, Joyce eyed the closed door as she tip-toed over to it, gently turning the handle as she crept inside the dark room. By the sound of her quiet rise and fall in breaths through her nose, Joyce was delighted to see that Emily was fast asleep, snuggling with Pip, no less. Damn. If only she could take a picture… She wouldn’t dare though, not when she was sleeping so peacefully. In a chair by their suitcases, Joyce watched for just a little longer. Then she shifted her gaze out the window. Then back to Emily...then back outside. But every time she did glance to and fro, her axle would experience friction as she slowed every time to look at something in between. Her suitcase. One look. Two looks. Three. Certainly Emily was asleep. Certainly. Naughty was the best way to describe it. Peeking at the presents hidden in the attic before “Santa” came to deliver them. Something like that. Joyce was slouched over on her knees as she quietly unzipped a small pocket. Stuffed inside was a packet of travel tissues. A welcome companion, but predominantly a decoy and a rouse for this trip. Joyce was bad and she was completely self-aware. No matter how hard she tried, she never could go completely clean, could she? Dangling from her finger was her little addiction; a fix she couldn’t quite kick. One of Emily’s pacifiers. Her eyes came just above the mattress, fantasizing the dream of “accidentally” leaving it by the girl’s mouth and watching her take to it so easily. She softly exhaled with a dreamy smile imagining the thought. Maybe if Emily didn’t mind they could make this her next habit… But of course, no amount of future plans that involved consent excused anything for what happened in the past or now. When Emily left to go use the computer Joyce had been packing like normal, honest to God. But...she just wanted to see the nursery at least once before they left for the night. It’d been her ritual. A night when it wasn’t used was like neglecting a puppy. She at least needed to see it in all its glory regularly. So with her alone time she did… Then, all the thoughts plagued her mind about tonight. All the things that could go wrong for Emily and how she could just become a big ball of stress. That’s how she got to thinking about bringing Pip. But what good was a contingency plan if not without a backup one? It was all too convenient in Joyce’s mind to not bring a pacifier. It was small, easy to hide, and quick to deploy. And if all went well, Emily would never have to know. And she wouldn’t. These were the white lies she couldn’t rid herself of… But on the other hand, if she were confronted directly about it, of course she’d admit to it. But if Emily never had any suspicions, there’d never be the chance she’d ask? Her finger playfully flicked at the silicon bulb until she started to yawn herself. It was unfortunate in its own way that they didn’t get to use it tonight… Content with her secret little ritual, Joyce started to undress before joining her girlfriend in bed. While Joyce toyed with the cute image of Emily having a fixation on pacifiers, she’d blinded herself to the reality before her that wasn’t far off from her own imagination. Little by little, Emily already was showing tiny cute dependencies or little habits slowly being drawn out of her and inked on her like permanent tattoos. All it took was Joyce getting in bed and the slight impression in the mattress for Emily to slide over in her sleep. Maybe her sixth unconscious sense could feel the tinge of body heat Joyce had, but it didn’t change that something in the girl decided she wanted to be close to the person next to her. Despite being so late to bed, Joyce and Emily were now back in their usual posture; head to bosom and arm over the waist. So in spite of all the hiccups and as a bonus to the good moments that they did have, it was unreal to consider a public outing finally a positive experience. No sore feelings or “big” talks that needed to be had in post. Just a wonderful experience overall, with seemingly endless more to come. Joyce’s hand found itself absentmindedly rubbing Emily’s bottom, going as far as to sneak underneath her silk shorts and beneath the waistband of her underwear. If she wasn’t going to get the feel of crinkly plastic-backed cuteness, she wanted nothing less than the source itself. The panties and big girl clothes were all silly disguises in Joyce’s playful mind. Costumes for the big role Emily put on for everyone else. Seeing down in just her birthday suit maintained that everything she wore was superficial. Everything except what Emily wanted Joyce to decide for her. Thicker, more durable clothes. Bright colors, soft pastels, crinkly underpants. Her last few conscious thoughts were spent on all the different outfits she could see Emily in whilst rhythmically stroking her bare bottom. Both parties feeling content now, Joyce wasn’t much longer until she was fast asleep too.

Thank you for the kind words! It sounds like you very much enjoyed it! In regards to your comment, I've tried looking at it from a a couple different devices as well as three different monitors. Unfortunately, I can't replicate it to a point where I consider the text terribly difficult to read. I'll try to be more mindful in the future, and others may be sharing your issue, but I don't have trouble reading this from my end. For reasons why the text might be harder to read, it could be due to varying levels of contrast/brightness on the display.

Featuring Another Animation! Welcome to Class! Regarding seemingly short windows to read the text; unfortunately this is caused by the website's GIF compression, which I cannot do much about. Therefore, if you'd like to see a version with not as rushed timing (closer to the source), then find the same animation with more on my Deviantart! Don't worry! No potty training required for this class!

Featuring a new Animation! Like what you saw? Show support by frequenting my Deviantart where you'll be able to find more stuff like this and screenshots from WIP updates on my upcoming game! Comments alone just to let me know living people view my stuff is enough! Thanks for checking this small animation out and I hope you enjoyed!

Thank you very much! Slowly working on my higher-res art skills to hopefully put out a different style of work at some point. Thanks! Sure does look like a flash!

BUILD-A-BAB! Hey everyone! If you've stumbled upon this post I'm sourcing ideas for character styles and designs! I have my own ideas on some hairstyles and outfits for characters, but I think it could be a lot of fun getting suggestions from the community and for anyone who might be interested.Currently this is for FEMALE characters only! In the future if this goes well, I'd like to run through it again but with male characters!The goal is to create more hairstyles, hair colors, ABDL clothing, diaper designs/styles and the like! If you go as far as to suggest an entire design from head to toe and it fits well, you could have an entire original character in the game!You don't have to suggest just babyish designs! Female adult/authority figures are welcome as well, such as the nurse and teacher design you can find in my earlier posts. I'm being extremely free-form about how suggestions are submitted, either via this posting or messaging me directly.Right now I have no definite date when I want to close this suggestions box and for all I know it could go quiet and silent. If that's the case, then so be it, but I plan on checking my messages/this post regularly.So please, if you're interested on getting a specific clothing item, hairstyle or character design in the game, please suggest and submit!FOR CONTEXT AND RULES: ALL characters are 18+! The youngest characters can be are 18 year old high school seniors. Contextually the game will be an ongoing regression in a high school setting that affects the students. I haven't considered how adults could be affected, but maybe you can be creative like suggesting daycare worker outfits, or maybe a specific daycare figure you'd like to see!For example, if I wanted to suggest an entire character, I might write along the lines of this:CHARACTER: A female senior high school student named Emily. She has long, straight black hair that reaches just past her shoulders and has emerald green eyes. For ABDL clothing she wears a short, light pink t-shirt that barely reaches her navel and wears denim shortalls to cover her thick diaper. The shortalls on the breast pocket have a sunflower embroidered on them.In this case I opted for a prose format. A list works too. You don't need to submit a character sheet or short paragraph; they can just be individual things, but if you offer detailed descriptions, names of things for me to research, it will help immensely with the research and creation process.So, if this tickles your fancy, please feel free to suggest via the comments of this post or message me on here!Alternatively, you can find me on the FTT Forums where it first originated to send me a message this way! You also might see a couple things you haven't caught on my Deviantart yet!FTT Forums | Maybe [USER: Maybe]Double alternatively, you can find the original announcement on my newly made Deviantart!Deviantart | MaybeMeeClosing this announcement, if you choose to reach me through FTT, PLEASE MESSAGE ME DIRECTLY, as those other locations aren't solely focused on this community announcement. I cannot promise with certainty all suggestions will be approved, but I also want to state that I am very open to ideas right now. If through Deviantart, a direct message or replying on the announcement post works as well!If you read all the way to the end of this exhaustive post, good job! Additionally, thank you so much and I hope to hear from you soon!

Uh oh! I wasn't hoping to create much of a sad vibe with this one. It was sort of meant to be safe/controlled chaos. Granted, Emily is sort of in a dramatic situation right now. Thank you for commenting! Hmm indeed! Thank you for the correction! I do not do the spelling of fancy words very well, it would seem. A lot like Emily, I feel like an impostor when it comes to tackling certain scenes "accurately"... If I had to guess, possibly a light scolding. I see people drawing parallels to the zoo incident which I sort of agree with looking at the general flow, but I would argue there isn't as much emotional tension to this incident, or at least there won't be any kind of break-up make-up kind of play like there was last time.Thanks for keeping interested! Thank you very much! Emily and Joyce never seem to catch a break with each other... As a personal rule of storytelling: if there's a plan, it shall go wrong without fail. Similar to the zoo trip, but thankfully no one's really hurt right now! (Emily's crying fit is thanks to her intoxication and tiredness). I definitely think that Joyce is going to be harder on herself for this one. From the start she's had it in her head that this is something she convinced Emily to do, and consequently all the mishaps that might follow are her responsibility to deal with. She was determined to pamper Emily during the trip, but unfortunately that seems to have fallen through a bit! Thank you for commenting! Joyce I think is going to be getting a bit more limelight soon. I'm still at a crossroads for a certain kind of development, but Joyce will eventually be the one to initiate it. What might happen is definitely going to be an "out there" sort of thing, but hopefully I can make it convincing enough as we slowly bring together all the threads we've seen thus far. Naturally, of course! What fun would it have been otherwise? Thanks for the comment and I hope you continue to enjoy reading!

Bumps have been received! A little busy with other projects at the moment, but hoping to have a chapter around soon. Thank you all for your patience!

34 - A Social Gathering “Toothbrushes?” “Got ‘em!” Emily handed them forward. “Okay...Socks?” It was a short trip over to the dresser and back. “Don’t we only need one pair each?” Emily asked as she handed them. “No. Go get two, just in case.” Joyce said as she played the packing game like it was an emulation of Tetris. “Uh-huh, uh-huh,” Emily nodded along as she went back and forth. “Perfect.” Joyce responded with gratitude as she slipped them into each suitcase. “Okay, uhm...scalpel?” Emily was already turning on her heel to begin the retrieval. “Wait...scalpel? Ugh...” Emily nearly threw a hand over her face once she realized too late that the trap had already been sprung. “Very funny, doctor...” She shoved Joyce, or well, tried to. Joyce shook her head with a chuckle. “Gotta make it fun at least a little...” She sighed, reviewing the job done thus far. “This is a good amount. I think there’s a few more things I want to bring, but these should be the essentials.” Essentials, barring the makeup and toiletries that were packed separately. “Okay.” Emily agreed. “What time are we going to the hotel?” “Let’s leave in about an hour...” Joyce said as her gaze drifted to the time. “The actual event won’t be until later tonight, but it gives us a good amount of time to settle in.” Emily nodded, though she started to wonder if she hadn’t seen Joyce packing the entire time. “Uhm...Joyce,” Emily looked over the bags, “Did you already pack our dresses?” “Definitely not,” Joyce said without a moment’s delay. “It’s not really the kind of thing you’d want to fold over and stuff if you can. Besides, if I ever did that to a dress Amy made for me, I think she’d disown me...” It always seemed that the rare danger Joyce seemed to be wary of was Emily’s idea of humor. “Oh yeah? What if she ever caught us packing the baby stuff?” Suddenly the look on Joyce’s face was much more rosy, unexpected by Emily’s predictions. “Oh? That stuff is fine to pack. With how hard I bet you can play, I think a little time in a suitcase is pretty minor?” She gave Emily a tender, motherly smile, in a way the girl hadn’t expected and left her with a light blush. “Oh...Uhm, yeah, that makes sense...” With the wind out of her sails, Emily tried to dismiss it now. “Did you wanna bring something?” Joyce gave her a telltale grin. “No!” Emily didn’t need to think this time either. “I was just trying to get a rise out of you…!” “Guess you failed~” Joyce stuck her tongue out, naturally turning the tables so easily. “That reminds me though!” She had a sudden moment of shock. “PJs!” She was already walking over to the dresser. Emily sighed with a smile, finding it funny how Joyce could fret over the strangest things. Though, once she saw Joyce pulling out one of her sets, that answered the question a bit more. Whenever it was about Emily it seemed to hold the highest importance. “So are we picking up the dresses on our way, then?” Emily asked once more. “Mm?” Joyce looked at her like she was an afterthought. “No, they’re being sent to the hotel...” She looked back at the pajamas, deciding to put those back. “It might be too stuffy...” She murmured to herself as she put them back. Joyce seemed to be preoccupied with a decision that held the weight of the world, in her mind at least, so Emily saw it as a moment where she might be better to phase out for at least a second. “Be right back,” Emily announced as she left the room. It’d been something she had been toying with reluctantly the past couple of days. As she entered the office she felt her heart getting tense all over again. She hadn’t forgotten her biggest mistake on day one, and her terrible guilt that she held after the fact. For both chore days, since then she didn’t even touch the knob on the door to the office. By this point she feared it like a legitimate drug; an addiction. Yet after some time away and being scared straight, she felt a little bit better about using the computer now. It technically wasn’t the time for it, since her slotted window had been this morning, but Emily reasoned that a few minutes couldn’t hurt especially after staying clean for two whole days… She sat down in the chair and wiggled the computer awake. Clicking on the internet browser icon as usual, she opened up the page, waiting for it to load, and-- Oops! This executable requires parental permissions to be used at this time. Please enter the password below: Before the page could get beyond the initial white screen this odd warning message had popped up. Confused, Emily clicked the small button at the top to terminate it, expecting things to proceed normally. Yet, like a deadman’s switch it killed the internet browser as well. Odd. Emily re-opened the browser, but was surprised and a little annoyed to get the same message. A small worry had her though, wondering if she’d given the computer a virus two days ago? She couldn’t have, could she? Joyce was in her office between then and now, so that couldn’t be it… “Joyce?” Emily called. Emily didn’t consider herself a tech-wiz by any stretch of the means, only aware of the basics, and Joyce as well, but maybe she could fix this…? A few seconds later and Joyce popped her head in. “What’s up?” “This internet isn’t working...” Emily said worriedly as she clicked and clicked, showing Joyce the screen. “It’s not a virus, is it?” “Hm?” Joyce stared at it for a second before realizing. “Oh!” She laughed a little. “No, that’s not a virus. Just something I had put on both computers.” “Both? What do you mean?” Emily asked, glancing down at the other tower. She hadn’t thought to try the other… “Since you didn’t notice until now, I guess that really means you did keep away from the office all this time?” Joyce gave her an impressed, proud look. “This is some insurance to yourself to keep you from going on when you aren’t supposed to.” “Hu...huh?” Emily asked again, still not quite getting it. Joyce saw that it wasn’t quite getting through and that this might turn into something slightly delicate. “Well...Emily, after what happened the first time and how beat up you were about it, I figured this would be like a last resort in case you tried using the computer when you aren’t supposed to?” “But that’s...” Emily started to say. She never expected Joyce to move forward with this on her own. It was Joyce’s computer, but...wasn’t it also Emily’s too? That sounded selfish to say even in her head. “I don’t need a lock on my screen time...” “Of course you don’t,” Joyce agreed, stepping in for Emily to slide the chair back. Joyce leaned over the keyboard and coincidentally blocked the screen as she typed in a way that Emily couldn’t see the password herself. And like magic the internet browser was back and working as intended. “Can’t we turn it off?” Emily asked. “Or just give me the password?” “I love you, Emily,” Joyce said resolutely, “but no, and no. You can job hunt, but it’s in moderation. Since you spilled over a bit last time, I wanted to try some ways that might help with that.” Emily stayed quiet. Amidst all the cuddles, baby clothes, diapers and subsequent use that came with it, this truly felt like she was being treated like a kid. Not in the ways that Emily consensually agreed to and engaged in with Joyce, which is why the effect felt so profound. This had been a one-sided decision made for her that affected her freedoms. “...But, it won’t happen again?” “I trust you and I believe you, Emily,” Joyce smiled as she gave her a kiss. “But I don’t want you beating yourself up again if something did happen. Listen, you won’t even notice it if we just stick to our agreement? I have it set up so it won’t turn on during the time of the day you’re allowed to. Outside of that, all you need to do is ask me? Though, I hope you’d be browsing mostly for fun.” Emily sighed. There was some truth to it, but what rubbed her slightly the wrong way was the means of execution. Maybe it was the explicit use of parental controls that’d be used on a genuine kid that bothered her. But, Emily swallowed the bitter pill and tried to be the bigger person. “Okay...then in that case, can I check my emails?” “Of course,” Joyce answered without a second thought. “I’m gonna throw us together a snack soon, okay? The drive up to the hotel might take a little with traffic.” “Kay, thanks,” Emily said as Joyce left the room. As Emily went back to her usual computer routine, while she felt a gentle leash on herself now, she did ponder things a bit more that didn’t make it seem completely oppressive… Joyce wasn’t keeping her from the internet or access to the outside world. She clearly still had her own phone for that if she needed anything; it was just a computer that she liked to use for business and job related stuff. With that in mind, limiting her time on a specific point of access didn’t really get in the way of most things unless Emily wanted it to. And not only that, but Joyce did sound lenient on the whole thing? Lenient within the idea of keeping the parental locks, though… And as she combed through her inbox, unintentionally the fuzzy corners of her mind started to fantasize a little too much. Guess having my screen time limited really makes me look like her little girl, huh…? Emily had a small grin with a blush, thinking in her mind. Holding something hostage from someone...was it normal to get excited over something like that? “Emily!” Joyce interrupted her devious thoughts with a call from a nearby place. “Come on! Computer time’s over, let’s eat this snack before it’s time to go!” “What?” Emily called back with confusion. Had it really been that long already? She glanced at the clock, once more dreading her inability to track the time. “Off the computer! Now, please!” Joyce shouted again, prompt and firm, like an authority figure would be. Emily did comply without a fuss this time as she shut it down. “It has bananas…!” A coaxing voice called once more. Emily was already on the move, though maybe a keen eye could have discerned that she did move a tiny bit faster at the mention of her trigger word… As they turned into the drive, a circular road attached to the main entrance of the hotel, Emily felt a little intoxicated by the magnitude and grandiose atmosphere from the front steps alone. “Are you pressing your face into the glass?” Joyce chuckled with a side glance at her. Obviously something like this was new to her. “Yesh!” Emily sputtered as she pressed her face against the window, just to find that even then she couldn’t see the top of the building and where it ended. The hotel looked like something you’d find a bunch of snobby yuppies lounging about in, which potentially could be true even in this reality, but the comparison stood. “Are we really staying here?” “No,” Joyce smiled with sarcasm, “I just needed to make a U-turn back the other way.” Emily, still staring out the window made a perplexing gesture, which was to aimlessly flail an outstretched hand back at Joyce, maybe meant to be a shove for teasing her? But being a weak-willed opponent and no match for Joyce’s deftness, she exploited one of her many openings by slipping her fingers between Emily’s. “Glad you came with me, you know?” “Sorry in advance once I make you look bad...” Emily did say with some trepidation. “Oh stop it,” Joyce said, and as they were in a short line of cars, she did have the visual freedom to land a playful shoulder squeeze on Emily. “It’s not going to be as scary as you think…” She tried to reassure her worrisome other half. Emily was still too starstruck to fully notice the car pulling forward, aligning her passenger window with the entrance of the hotel. It took a second then to realize that a cascade of red with arrayed buttons standing right in front of the passenger window was not the hotel, but the uniform of an employee. She pulled back with a blush as Joyce had been amusingly waiting for the realization, finally rolling down her window. “Good afternoon,” The employee had leaned over to fit his face into view. If he had seen Emily making herself look like a complete fanatic, he was doing a good job of not showing it. “Are there any bags you’d like for us to unload for you?” Emily couldn’t find the words as she started turning over to Joyce like she was the adult in charge. But just as she looked back Joyce said, “Yes, that’d be great! Is there someone who can take the car?” “Of course, miss,” the employee nodded as he stood upright and signaled another employee who was meandering by the entrance. After hustling over they disappeared behind the car. “Did we need them to carry it for us?” Emily asked, feeling a little weird. Hotels weren’t a foreign concept to her, but thinking in the past, she’d never dealt with staff this accommodating… Joyce seemed to catch on to this as well while she did look slightly confused, but smartened up right away. Sliding into a coy smile, instead she said, “Well, maybe with two sets of hands we could, but I need to hold your hand to keep you from getting lost, remember?” Emily rolled her eyes. “Would you ever do this to the staff?” “Obviously not,” Joyce laughed. “I’ll let you in on a little secret, Emily,” she grinned, “you’re special to me!” Emily had to turn her gaze because she couldn’t stop the oncoming smile, watching as their familiar-looking bags walked into the hotel. “Okay, silly, our turn to get out,” Joyce announced with the audible unlock of the doors. Warm, orange lights dyed parts of the gushing water fountain. Men and women in suits, dresses, and all kinds of high-end wear flowed into the building. She couldn’t help but find them all seeming so...distant. Like worlds apart. Socioeconomic worlds apart. Emily had all the pieces on paper to know that this was the kind of world that Joyce lived in, yet a literal taste of it was finally being experienced. She was nearly ready to sit back into the car from overexposure right up until Joyce stepped out herself. “Thank you very much,” Joyce smiled as she deposited a set of keys into a staff’s hand, along with a neatly folded green bill. Emily couldn’t have been positive, yet it seemed as if it was a two-digit number and started with a five… She was still as mute and motionless up until Joyce grabbed her hand. “You’re not sick, are you?” Joyce began to show concern. “What…?” Emily refocused on her. “No...just...feeling out of place.” Along with a warm smile, Emily could feel Joyce’s thumb gently massage circles into her palm. “Fishie out of water, huh? I absolutely promise you, you’ll be fine.” Joyce said as they walked together up the steps. Beyond the glass windows and doors it led into a massive lobby, championing a ceiling that selfishly ate away either the two or three floors that could have been there instead. A grand, intricate chandelier hung from above, looking to span by an enormous width yet aligned with hundreds upon hundreds of illuminated pieces of foggy crystal as small as a finger a piece. Simple cream tiles decorated the floor, yet Emily couldn’t help but feel that within its simplicity was its appeal and massive expense. Even the massive plants propped in the corners or as centerpieces looked like they’d turn down the carbon dioxide exhaled from a mere commoner. Patrons occupying the lobby, which was a decent amount, were more of the same kind of people they saw from the car. Joyce was already sighing as they got closer to the desk, or as close as they could with the few guests ahead of them. “Another reason why I hate these overnight things...” Joyce whispered to Emily with a grin. Emily forced a smile, yet there was still an uncomfortable chill lingering in the atmosphere. “Do you wanna go sit down while I take care of this?” Joyce asked. “Uhm...” Emily pivoted a foot on its toe as she squeezed Joyce’s hand a little tighter. “I...I don’t mind staying with you…?” It reminded her of the times as a kid when she’d be too nervous to go about exploring a new place on her own. She wanted her comfort objects and she currently had one right in her hand. “Kay then,” a calm reply came. There was no pushback, yet complete understanding. At a time of extreme uncomfortability, partly induced by Emily’s own mind, what also flooded her thought space was self-conscious, worried thoughts about how close to Joyce she was being. Was she being too affectionate? Her eyes darted from side to side. Were they fully committed to showing themselves off as a pair? “What’s got you so wiggly?” A whisper entered Emily’s ear. The finger’s Emily’s were intertwined with suddenly re-buckled and trapped hers in place. It came with a friendly smile, one that was willing to dissect beyond the broad stroke Joyce already was aware of. “Is...” Emily whispered back, though leaning in a bit closer just to bolster a sense of privacy, “is it really okay for us to act like...you know…?” Joyce’s reaction was unexpected as her eyebrows rose high and the corners to her mouth fell slightly low. Her pupils ran in a small circle before she slightly leaned her head back then dove in with a swiftness for Emily’s face. “Mmmmm…!” Lips locked with lips as Emily wide-eyed only pulled away with the loud finish from Joyce, “-wah!” Immediately Emily looked around to see if anyone had noticed. A few people had indeed stared, and some others didn’t… What was Joyce doing? How could she be so bold?! “Does that answer your question?” Joyce gave her a cocky grin, yet melted into a sympathetic smile. “I told you, didn’t I? This is something we don’t have to hide.” Then she blinked, only realizing something as an unfortunate afterthought. “W-wait...you’re okay with this, right? I can kiss you in public, right…?” Her lips had been folded in on each other as she pulled away, but finally, a small giggle escaped Emily as her attention and focus had been stolen so easily and reset to a status quo. Somehow, her mind felt a little less foggy and had less on its plate. A lot less seemed to matter in the face of total upset. An answer for Joyce was by having Emily’s arm stick even closer to hers, nestling itself closer to Joyce’s side as did her arm to Emily’s. “Sorry...” Emily muttered, hoping that the one word could communicate enough on its own. “Don’t be.” Joyce affirmed, looking on ahead. A little bit after Emily had been settled down, it was finally their turn at the front desk. “Good afternoon, I’m sorry for the long wait,” the staff member apologized with seeming sincerity. “It’s no problem, really,” Joyce waved it off with a standard expression. “We have a booked room? Under Joyce Summers?” “Yes, of course,” they nodded, letting their eyes drift to the screen that was below and shrouded from the patron’s field of view. “Not that I doubt it’s you...” they apologetically laughed a little. “Here you go,” she already handed them the I.D. After a quick confirmation and a piece of paper was signed, Joyce asked them, “As for our bags, do you think someone could bring those up for us?” “Certainly.” They responded without hesitation. “Here’s your room key,” the staff handed Joyce a plastic card, then they glanced at Emily before going back to the woman in charge. “Would you like a second one?” “No thank you!” It came as a chipper reply, as if the speaker had been delighted to be asked such a thing. Emily did give Joyce a slightly odd stare, but Joyce was already walking them from the desk. “Shouldn’t I have one too?” Emily asked in a low voice. “Plan on doing some sightseeing on your own?” Joyce innocently asked, yet of course it was sarcasm. “You can have one if you want, but I figured this’d drive home the whole ‘leash’ thing?” “Oh...” Emily said at a slight loss, clearly forgetting their way-back-when discussion. “That’s fine then.” Not only avoiding making waves, but committing herself to her chaperone also sounded nice too. “What about our bags…?” Emily started to ask as she was led away by the hand. “They’ll get there. The staff use a different elevator, so we’ll probably get there before them.” Joyce explained. “Does it feel weird?” She chuckled. “Yeah...” Emily sheepishly admitted as Joyce called the elevator. “You aren’t worried about them stealing our stuff or anything?” Joyce laughed with a tone erring on nervousness. “Well if you say something like that, of course I’ll get worried! But no, not too much. Almost everything we brought is replaceable.” Emily felt her hand give a soft squeeze. “Almost everything.” “Joyce Summers?” A woman called just as the elevator doors dinged and parted open. Both girls turned their heads. “Oh! It is you!” A head of long, blond hair made its way over, glistening in their sea green dress and sparkling pearl necklace. Emily could practically see her own reflection in the white of their unnaturally perfect teeth that peeked through her bright redly dressed lips. “Caroline,” Joyce smiled back, yet Emily, the silent onlooker, could discern between one of her genuine expressions and a mechanical one… She was an absolute machine. “It’s great to see you! How have you been?” The woman made a cackle as she waved her white-gloved hand. “Oh, you know, travel and whatnot...scouting properties…!” “Expanding the business?” Joyce prodded, putting no more energy into her interaction than she had to. “Hm?” She seemed confused for a moment, then had a eureka. “Oh! Business? No, no!” She laughed. “I have a birthday coming up soon and my husband promised me we’d finally start looking into a third vacation home!” She made a small, womanly squeal that to Emily, seemed...off-putting from this particular adult. “Have you been to Italy or France, recently? Ugh...decisions…!” “That does sound difficult,” Joyce acknowledged with a nod, “I hope that works out for you and your husband.” “Thank you so much!” Caroline looked sort of sincere, albeit to Emily everything about the exchange felt forced, or at least one party was trying to placate the other. But then, it was only a matter of time until her eyes fell upon Emily. “Oh? Did you bring your assistant for tonight?” She looked back at Joyce after a brief glance at Emily. “I didn’t think to bring mine...” “No, I didn’t.” Joyce replied with a tinge of curtness, yet so small it went unnoticed by a woman blinded by dollar signs and glitter. Maybe it became a matter of pride, but in some way Emily being seen as anything but her absolute treasure seemed to irk her oddly; like a doctor’s greatest title and achievement being ignored. Emily made a small noise of surprise as an arm came from behind her back and around her waist. “I brought my girlfriend.” There seemed to be a look of genuine surprise on Caroline’s face, indicating she hadn’t pegged Joyce for the type. And as Emily was used as a display item, she remained exactly that with sealed lips despite the reddened cheeks. Joyce didn’t look smug or particularly angry, yet the slight crease on her forehead showed that she was determined to make a point. One to Caroline, and one to herself. “...Oh.” Caroline said only that. Her social balance had been thrown as the situation became awkward. While Emily’s inner part feared the idea of somehow rejection or ridicule, it obviously didn’t seem that way with the woman. She was just surprised. Only that. Had Joyce never shown any signs in the working world? Finally, a fourth player entered the match as it dinged with opening doors. “Well, that’s us~” Joyce continued to steal the rhythm of the conversation as she escorted Emily along by the waist. “See you at the dinner tonight!” After punching in the number, the doors closed. “Haa...” Joyce exhaled aloud, giving Emily a toothy smile. “That felt good, didn’t it?” In return she earned a dumbfounded, confused smile. “Hu...huh?” “You and I?” Joyce made eye contact with a silly grin. “We’re dating?” Emily found the look infectious, but was still confused. “Uh...huh?” But apparently it was enough for Joyce, as she let out her own squeal, although Emily found it to be like music this time. “It just...it really makes me excited getting to tell people that...” She laughed happily. “You sound like a schoolgirl,” Emily laughed herself, “It’s like this is your first relationship?” “...Well...it sort of is...” Joyce suddenly mentioned, which caught Emily by surprise. “Wait, what? Really?” Emily had a double-take. While there was Jack, there were some other smaller bouts, yet all the same that meant she finally had something over Joyce? “Not completely,” Joyce said in a chastising tone, wiping the beginnings of a haughty look off Emily’s face. “This is your first relationship with a woman too, you know?” Emily looked a bit more sheepish with an embarrassed chuckle. “...Good point.” “And what I mean is that it’s my first relationship that...you know, has gone as far as this one has.” Now that their minds were on the same wavelength, Emily could be in agreement. “So...you like getting to tell people that you have a girlfriend that you get to baby?” “Just the first part,” Joyce corrected readily, “but the other half is what makes me so excited… It’s like...if you and your friends each had a pool, and you all said that yours was cool, but deep down, no matter what, you just know that yours is the coolest?” “Uhm...” Emily laughed. “I think I get it? I guess I didn’t think of it that way… You’re my girlfriend, but there’s a lot more to it?” “So much more.” Joyce smiled. “You’re a one-in-a-bajillion, Emily. I love you so-so-so much!” Emily mumbled a response through the hug, but finally the elevator doors opened. “Fancy...” Emily quietly noted as they walked down the tiled hall. It sort of reminded her of the hallway they had leading into the apartment, but a bit more dolled up. But right then, Emily found it craziest of all to think that she could even compare this kind of hotel to her everyday now. “Not a lot of rooms on this floor?” She also commented, noticing the lack of doors. Joyce giggled as she kept Emily at pace with a hand behind her back. “You’ll see.” They stopped in front of a door and Joyce slipped in the key, opening up to the room. Emily was confused. They entered the room, or entrance area, paired with a small cabinet meant for shoes. Then, the area expanded into a much larger one. Tall, glass windows stretching from floor to arches just beneath the high, high ceiling, of which a chandelier was suspended from. A terribly long sofa spanned what seemed like a meager amount of the living space and wrapped around a large coffee table, set before a mini movie-screen. And to the left there was...even an area that looked like a small kitchen? A sink, counterspace, a fridge… “Wh...where’s the bed?” Emily laughed nervously. Clearly the stimulus and realization was putting her into shock. “In the next room,” Joyce laughed at the secondhand spectacle, continuing to guide her. Next over was the bedroom, a fully fledged one. But it couldn’t be right. This. This was what the hotel room was. A decently sized room with a bed, desk, nightstands and large tv. This is what Emily recognized as their room, clearly nice because it was such an expensive hotel. So in that case...She spun her head around from where they came, as if it were all some fever dream that couldn’t be distinguished from reality. What the hell was all that before? Some kind of communal space for everyone else on the floor? “Is...is all that stuff part of this room?” “It is a suite?” Joyce smirked. “But we’re just staying one night?” It was too surreal. Forget a suite; Emily couldn’t think of a time she’d ever been in anything more than a 2-star hotel, if that. “Not that we couldn’t afford it,” Joyce nonchalantly shrugged, “but the room is on another person’s dime? I might have gone a little smaller if I knew it’d do this to you…” Joyce chuckled as she ran her hand through Emily’s hair. There was a distant knocking noise. Joyce turned her head first. “Oh, they might be here with our stuff...” She already left the room with a stunned Emily slow from behind. Sure enough it was, although there seemed to be some additions with their luggage. Staff came inside holding vertical spreads of dress wrapped in foggy plastic along with what could only be shoe boxes. Joyce guided and instructed, whilst Emily remained a fish out of water standing off to the side as she silently watched them unload. Quiet and trying not to be a nuisance, she watched from over the couch as the staff brought everything in. They were deft and orderly, seeming to be gone faster than in the time it took them to come. Joyce ended their aid with more ample tips to send them along their way. “Now we have everything.” Joyce declared after she closed the door. “Are you sure you’re fine? I know this might feel like a lot right now… Just tell me if this is moving too fast for you.” “It isn’t...” Emily laughed apologetically. “I’m sort of just still trying to digest everything. I feel like this is the kind of stuff you only see in movies...” That was essentially the dilemma; feeling as if she truly was in a movie. Her first meeting with Joyce and her home was a lot in itself, but there was her down to earth personality, the home-cooked meals, chit-chat and romance that grounded everything Emily once revered to such a point that she needed to turn away. Yet tonight seemed to reset that level of comfortability that she had and left her in a place she found so unreal and to be so undeserving of, it couldn’t possibly be real. “It’s not a movie, I can promise you.” Joyce chuckled as she came closer, occupying Emily’s vision. “If you ever feel like it’s too much tonight, just let me know. We’ll head right back here. And even then if that’s not enough, I’ll drive us right home.” “Stop it...” Emily sounded appreciative, but she knew that wasn’t realistic. Obviously Joyce was here for the sake of her career. She couldn’t afford to make Joyce be selfish. “So, are you going to tell me if we need to leave, or should I make the judgement call myself?” Joyce gave her a stern, yet loving look. Emily raised her hands and dropped them on Joyce’s shoulders with a smirkish sigh. “I promise I’ll let you know… But I’m fine, really. Getting to see you is enough...” “I’ll keep that in mind tonight,” Joyce smiled and followed up with a kiss, “you can be an attention hog all you want, okay?” “Yah-huh.” Emily nodded as she stepped back with a small breath, feeling a bit better. “Why don’t you come watch me while I unpack?” Emily gave her a weird look. “I can unpack, too?” “But you do so much already now?” Joyce said in an earnest, disappointed voice. “Joyce...” Emily came off as a bit deadpan. “I make our bed, vacuum and get clothes ready to go in the washing machine...I don’t do that much...” Joyce looked a bit troubled, but she gave up fast. “No...you’re right. Okay, we’ll unpack as a team.” “Don’t make it sound like I’m pulling teeth!” Emily whined as she pushed Joyce with both hands, headed back to the bedroom. Joyce hoisted their luggage onto the massive bed and they got to work. Yet an unexpected surprise was sitting in Emily’s bag once she opened it. “Pip?” Emily’s instinctive reaction was to say its name, as if it were an actual person who could respond with just as much intrigue. “I told you, almost everything we packed is replaceable? Not Pip, though.” Joyce gave her a beaming smile like her smart planning had paid off. “You didn’t have to pack him...” Emily said with a tone that wavered on convincing. She gave him a brief squeeze as if to test by his squishiness if it were the original. And it was, meaning with the test concluded Emily flung him forward and to the other side of the bed. “We bring Pip all the way with us and you just throw him?” Joyce teased. Emily shrugged with a coy smile. “I dunno. But you can’t tell me how to treat my stuffed animals?” “You’re right, I concede...” Joyce gave up with her own grin. Emily would argue even now that Joyce overpacked for their one-night stay, given by the decent volume of things they removed from their suitcases. “Doesn’t it make more sense to just leave all our stuff in the suitcases?” Emily asked, truthfully finding it to be unnecessary. “We’re just gonna have to re-pack it all in the morning...” “So you volunteered to help but now you want to weasel out of it?” Joyce laughed. “I never said I wanted to stop; but we aren’t even gonna be here for a full 24 hours?” Joyce was bringing a few bundles of clothes over to the dresser. “That’s true, but you’d be surprised how just unpacking can make a hotel room feel a bit more like home?” And not to mention comfort objects as well, hence why Joyce couldn’t imagine a single trip that involved Emily now without bringing Pip. And the way Joyce saw it as well, she had coaxed and begged Emily into coming to this tonight. She owed it to her to make this a fun and comfortable night. “Does it?” Emily snickered with a small bit of disbelief. “Maybe it does, guess I’ve never been in a hotel long enough to unpack though.” She finished her complaints as she put away two shirts she’d likely never wear while they were here. “Well if you don’t, I will.” Joyce playfully turned her nose up as she moved her last few bundles over. “Could you please get me something from the fridge? I haven’t had anything to drink in a bit.” “Kay,” Emily hopped off the bed and started walking, but stopped for just a second. “Wait, would the fridge even be stocked?” “Usually all fridges are?” Joyce questioned back. “You’ve never been to one that is?” “Maybe mini-fridges...” Emily recollected on the tiny cubes she was aware of, but not the home-grade size that this spacious suite had. “I’m sure it has snacks too, so pick out some good ones.” Joyce added. “One each for us, got it?” She called as Emily was already gone. Finally something clicked for Emily in this high-end hotel. The expensive suite, massive rooms and presence of rich folk were entirely beyond and above her. Living the high-life only seemed to reach her when it was a step-up from her usual, not a leap and a hop. Thus, getting to raid the hotel fridge without caring about the price was what spoke to Emily. This is how she knew she’d made it. Lined with water, sparkling ciders, a few alcohols and juices, everything looked absolutely amazing. What’s more, there was no piece of cardboard waiting inside as a “courtesy” to let you know that you were about to be gouged by overpriced drinks. Was it all free? Did it come with the suite? Small questions lined with just as small prices to read as insignificant. It was silly, yet somehow this meant the most to her because it was the easiest luxury to understand and appreciate. In her much smaller world of finance, this was a tangible prestige. Out came a bottle of water and juice, followed by some kind of cracker and protein bar. “Think fast!” Emily shouted as she lobbed the protein bar. Joyce caught it unfazed, yet nearly missed the following crackers, then yelped as she defenselessly let the water bottle fall in her lap, then...just about screamed once an entire Emily came last. “You’re gonna crush the snacks!” Joyce laughed as she wrenched the cold water bottle from underneath her bundle, gingerly laying it on the nape of Emily’s neck. “S-stop! Stop!” Emily cried as she wriggled forward and free. “Is this how you’re gonna be all night, huh?” Joyce grinned as her fingers wobbled and waved, closing in on the girl like voracious tendrils. “No! Please!” She laughed with wet eyes as Joyce’s talons sunk into her sides, dancing to and fro as they lightly brushed underneath her shirt and atop her skin. She was coaxed into an infectious wail of giggle, but just as it came so did it stop, or was muffled by a hand over her mouth. Joyce was trying to choke down a laugh of her own, still with a helpless smirk as she held her hand over Emily’s mouth. Thankfully the tickling stopped, and Joyce finally released her a second later. “Sorry, I forgot we can’t make as much noise in the hotel...” Joyce sheepishly chuckled. Only then did it click for Emily that they had to be a little more conscious of themselves.Home and however it was designed afforded them the privacy for their sounds, never seeming to have much of an issue. Here it was different. There was yet to be anyone with scornful expressions or neighbors beneath them to complain, yet it didn’t take a person to make Emily feel embarrassed. “S-sorry...” Emily did apologize with remorse, even if it was arguably Joyce’s fault. “Don’t be,” Joyce giggled as she stroked her hair. “I like when you’re playful. I should have remembered that we can’t be super noisy earlier.” “Don’t make up excuses for me...” Emily pouted. “I should’ve known too...” And almost immediately Joyce accepted the momentum of her unneeded apology and flipped the script completely. “You’re right,” she frowned, “you should have. I can’t believe you didn’t know any better!” Emily was too well-versed by this point, or at least had the mental strength this time to see it coming and know that it was another act to talk her out of her own self-conscious thoughts. With the roll of her eyes and crinkling plastic packaging from their snack, they enjoyed their remaining downtime with wonderful bliss. “You promise you won’t leave me?” Emily asked for the umpteenth time as she leaned from foot to foot in her very short heels. “I promise, I won’t.” Joyce repeated as she had for every other time she’d asked, although with just as much patience in her voice as there’d been since the start. She stood much more confidently in her slightly taller heels. “We’ll find something banana-flavored once we get up there. I’m sure there’s lots of food being put out already.” She said soothingly “Don’t say that...” Emily whined. “You make it sound like I need one to calm down...” “Need what?” Joyce gave her a clueless look. “A paci--!” Emily started to respond, but the smile from Joyce spoke volumes. “Ha-ha...funny.” “Sorry, I did want to hear you say it...” She sounded apologetic, but it was still fun to hear. “Guess we’re a bit more on the same page, huh?” “Guess so...” Emily found it even hard to joke as her murmurs drifted toward one of the elevator walls. “How many people are gonna be here?” “More than a couple...” Joyce gave her a sympathetic smile as she circulated her thumb across the girl’s palm. “We’re gonna have to do a little socializing at the start. Don’t overthink things, alright? Just be yourself?” “If I was myself, they’d probably think I don’t belong here...” Emily spoke with a seed of pessimism as she dreaded the coming moment more and more. “Don’t say that...” Joyce started to chastise, but the elevator had reached their destination. Almost immediately their small, silent space had been assimilated into the distant yet growing chatter of voices and orchestral music. Emily wasn’t shy of crowds, per say, only the ones composed of an entire socioeconomic class she’d hear about in the news rather than see face to face. Yet that came as a stretch when Emily was sharing too much of her forward vision with the floor. “We gotta get off the elevator now, okay?” Joyce spoke gently, yet somehow her voice traveled so clearly through the noise. “Mhm...” Emily nodded, no less anxious as she squeezed her partner’s hand a little tighter. Their feet moved across the checkered tile floor, cleanly polished and shined, laced with just enough fog to obscure the reflection. A staff member in a clean red vest with a tablet in hand quickly and deftly seemed to admit guest after guest past the triple array of wooden glass doors. “W-wait, what if I’m not on the list?” Emily tugged on Joyce’s hand with irrational worry. “You’re my plus one; you don’t need to be,” Joyce hushed her as they drew closer and closer. Beyond the entrance Emily could see pockets of empty space ahead, surrounded by many heads in suits and dresses. Beyond that were tall arching windows that exposed the night sky. Not a star could be seen though, drowned out by the flood of light from the city which they were in. Even when so high up they couldn’t seem to escape the clutches of industrial capitalism. But of course, there was irony attending a party that hosted the many hearts of it. “Joyce Summers?” Joyce’s voice startled Emily out of her distant observations. She looked confusedly at her girlfriend, only realizing with warm cheeks that she was giving her name out to the staff member. “...Yes,” he finally said with a smile. “Right here. Have a great night.” He gave both Joyce and Emily a polite smile as Joyce led her into the spacious dance hall. Spacious supposedly, as so much of it had already gone to the endless party-goers. Amidst the crowds there were staff calmly patrolling the party, all with some kind of platter in hand, either dressed in filled glasses, interesting hors d'oeuvres, or empty leftovers from the many guests. Yet what was the entire mass this network of employees navigated through were the guests themselves. Many looked to be sitting at tables, yet just as many also stood about, drinks in hand, conversing amongst cliques of social elites. Naturally, Emily didn’t want to go any further, yet Joyce submerged them without hesitation, caring not to even dip a toe just to see how the water felt . “Doesn’t something sweet sound great right about now?” Joyce chatted with her as they moved wherever she intended them to go. Emily helplessly shrugged, albeit appreciative for the words regardless. Just from standing next to so many people it was like they’d sucked the social lifeforce out of her already. But just to hear Joyce, it reminded her that she was still alive and breathing. “Joyce Summers!” A sudden voice stopped them in their tracks; a man had stepped in front of their path, whether by coincidence or something else. “How’ve you been?” “Tom Fender,” Joyce put on her rehearsed smile as she tried to come off as cheery. “Great to see you, too. I’ve been well, and you?” “Great as always,” his shiny whites came right back. Emily continued to stay quiet. Their use of full names felt odd despite their positive tones; possibly a custom amongst financial titans who readied to trade blows. “Good to hear...” Her eyes started drifting on higher priorities. “Uhm, I hate to cut this off, but would you mind if we found each other in just a little bit? We got here so late...I hate to admit it, but if it meant I could eat, I was ready to buy out an entire restaurant on the way here!” It didn’t even sound close to a joke to Emily, much rather an awkward statement with exclamation. Yet somehow the man in turn was chuckling nonetheless. Ah. A joke that I’m too poor to understand. “No, no, I get it completely,” he laughed. “The food here does all look very good. See you around!” Joyce gave a small wave as the leash on Emily’s hand became taut once more. “Who was that…?” Emily asked in a quiet voice. “Hm?” Joyce sunk a little beneath the noise as her once again genuine smile occupied the girl’s entirety. “Sorry, it’s a little hard to hear you.” “Who...” Emily hesitated and considered dropping the matter entirely, lest she wate all this time over an unimportant question. “Who was that?” She tried to speak up. “Oh, him?” Her moment of visible interest was killed almost immediately. “Pharmaceuticals. I see him about maybe two to three times a year. Not much to tell, but he’s a stubborn guy, I’ve heard. You’re doing great, by the way!” “We just got here, I haven’t done anything...” Emily said in a low voice once more as they continued reaching the other end of the hall. Finally, beyond all the people and through the crowd Emily could finally start to smell the food. Once they emerged, it was a long banquet table of fine silver platters and ornate dishes, mini fountains, tiered displays of never-ending varieties of interesting and delicious looking foods. Finally, Emily had her own glimmer in her eyes. “Wanna eat?” Joyce grinned at her. “Is...can we take whatever we want?” She earnestly asked. Becoming a glutton wasn’t her intent, but she still wanted to sample so many different things… “Yes, but let’s take it slow,” Joyce planned to indulge her from the start, but she worried too much coddling might lead to some kind of upset. After all, she didn’t want her going to bed with a tummy ache. Again, despite all the lavish displays, the massive hall and no less the very establishment it was held in, what spoke to Emily the most were the much smaller, comprehensible details. Stacks of plates and silverware weren’t just at the very end of the banquet table! Multiple stations all along just to break up the traffic and keep everything moving. Maybe it was spurred by logistics and not a “rich people” sort of thing, but Emily was more than willing to fool herself with the fantasy regardless. Joyce reached first for their plates. While she had her eyes on the larger dinner meal kind of plates, instead she disappointedly watched as two considerably smaller ones were plucked from the adjacent stack. “It’s not a one-and-done kind of thing...” Joyce quietly reminded her, finding the subtle look on her face clear as day. It wasn’t, which is why Emily was willing to compromise. Now came the much more important task of finding the right first dishes to sample. The saying of the world being your oyster couldn’t apply more than ever in that moment. If it had to be tweaked though, the world would be your dinner for the night. Sandwiches, sushi, pastas, curries, soups, salads, desserts, chocolate fountains, fruits, flatbreads, things in trays, cuts of meat, and so many more things that Emily couldn’t put a name nor a memory to. It felt like she saw more things she couldn’t recognize than could. Joyce made sure her steps were in sync with Emily’s. She always stayed right behind her, truly with a watchful eye like any honest mother would. “Joyce Summers!” “Ms. Summers!” “How is the company?” “Let’s have dinner sometime?” “Are you interested in some inside info?” Yet as Joyce watched her adorable little girl become so lost in the simple pleasures she enjoyed best, her own face couldn’t go unnoticed by the countless others in attendance. Maybe some were being friendly, but business had taught her to recognize any kind of approach as a pretext to just that; business. “Good to see you Howard.” “Is your wife doing well, McKinley?” “Figures are good; optimistic for the next quarter.” “Reach out to my secretary, I’m sure we can figure something out.” “It never hurts to listen?” But unfortunately, the mama bear had lost her touch, if for just a moment. Turning her gaze back, she’d managed to let Emily get a few steps too many ahead of her, and would luck have it, a stranger stepped right in between them. “E--” Before even the first syllable could leave her mouth, apparently the stranger wasn’t a complete stranger. “Joyce, great to see you!” They were already trying to converse. They also hadn’t inherently done anything wrong, yet Joyce felt herself suppressing a pissy look. Instead, she allowed herself a tiny exhale through her nostrils as she smiled. Just a quick conversation, Emily won’t be far... Back in rose-tinted paradise, Emily found her own game of Tetris as she tried so desperately to find all the best pieces and simultaneously fit them in the tiny field she was given. Though, with how she dawdled and found herself so hung up on what wouldn’t be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but instead a many-in-an-hour kind, she was a little surprised she wasn’t getting an earful from Joyce behind her. But then again, Emily did have the sense to figure Joyce was likely easing her pace just a little, just so she could feel comfortable. “What do you think looks good?” Emily asked Joyce who was presumably behind her. Turning her head as she said it though, it was like a deer caught in headlights when Joyce was nowhere to be seen. Instead, some other woman was beside her, minding her own business as she looked for food as well. Yet Emily’s words were so directed that the stranger gave her a glance like it was meant for her. “Uh-m, sorry, I thought someone I knew was...” Emily bashfully tried to explain, but her mind was already being overtaken by the absence of Joyce. Where did she go? She promised she’d stay with her the whole time, didn’t she? Already the modicum of comfort she was feeling from Joyce like a thin veil had been vaporized immediately. Her brows creased as she hesitated with every step she took. Amidst a sea of people standing taller than her made the task of finding Joyce seem impossibly insurmountable. Was she supposed to stay put until she was found, or go search for her? As her stressed hands clutched the ceramic edges of her plate, instinctively the trouble inside her only swelled when she didn’t feel the squish of Pip, or anything with some give to accept her frustrations. Every way she looked was either the back of a stranger or the face of an unknown. Keep it together...she’s here somewhere… Yet despite her rational mind she was raw and vulnerable, God forbid if one of these people tried to talk to her. She’d be a blubbering mess; they’d find out she didn’t belong. She was an outsider, an imposter. The only excuse she had to be here was Joyce, and without her she was nothing more than a benign tumor hogging the floorspace. She didn’t stare at the food anymore as she nervously followed the banquet table to the very end. Her steps were slow and almost wobbly. Coordination wasn’t necessary, not when she needed to brainpower to look out for Joyce. Getting lost shouldn’t mean anything, yet being alone in a sea of capitalist sharks seemed to shift that perspective. So much for having practice at the zoo. The feeling in her chest only tightened once beyond the thinning crowd she found the tallest attendee at the party; a wall. What now? Emily was needless to say, at a loss for what she should do. Wait, her phone! That’s right! Already she was pivoting on her heels, looking for a spot to set her plate of food down. She felt ridiculous now. It was just a matter of calling her… So much for feeling like an actual lost child. She couldn’t see a good spot, other than the many tables that were already dotted with strangers. But as she looked, the desire to search quickly dried itself up. Emily’s memory was feeling keener by the moment. So keen, that she dutifully remembered as well that there was no phone to use. No phone on her person, anyway. Sitting right where she left it back at the hotel room. Her face scrunched up a small bit as she remembered, thinking of how it wouldn’t be necessary to bring. Joyce would’ve had hers, after all… She wanted to sit down, crouch even, just to give herself a grounded place to decompress. But she couldn’t do that, not here. Not at a five-star hotel, not in front of a bunch of prestigious people, and not in her special dress. This sucked. It all sucked. She didn’t want to be here. She only came because Joyce wanted her to, so where did she go? Emily just wanted to go back to the hotel room. At least Pip was there. But what sucked the most? Crying. Since she began her relationship with Joyce that’s what seemed to be the unexpected dark horse. They didn’t keep secrets from each other, so emotions no less couldn’t be hidden. Whenever she’d start to get herself in a mood, there Joyce was, tearing it all down just to come inside to make her feel better. It was great, obviously. But on the other hand, she was feeling slightly out of practice when it came to solidifying her emotions. Things were harder to bottle up, harder to compose. Taking rhythmic breaths and long inhales though, she was somehow managing. You’re fine...you’re okay. Joyce will find you. Just stay put and it’ll be okay… “Excuse me?” Just keep breathing...you’re making a big deal out of nothing. Maybe snack a little on the food… “Uhm...miss?” Emily shivered like an electrical shock had hit her as her gaze fixated on the person right in front of her. For the sake of appearances she held back a frown. It wasn’t Joyce. And because it wasn’t, her nerves seemed to become all the more worse. “Are you...alright?” He asked. Emily’s eyes were all over the place, following around the navy blue threads of his suit jacket or through the stripes of his tie. Whenever her eyes seemed to be near the man’s though, she didn’t have the nerve to commit. What was she supposed to do?! She wasn’t ready for this, she couldn’t afford to speak with others here. If they find out she’s with Joyce after what a piss-poor person she’ll inevitably make herself out to be, it’s going to be at her benefactor’s expense! Her breath wavered as she stumbled a response. “H-...Hi...” By the warmth in her face, Emily had a sneaking suspicion what she may have looked like to others right then, and seeing only a wordless blink from the stranger seemed to suggest that. “Are you okay…?” He asked once more as his head turned back to the rest of the party. Damn it. Of course she looked out of place. Emily nodded her head, trying to look cheerful, as well as conversational. “Y-yes. I’m just waiting for someone...” “Alright then...” He said, but didn’t leave. “I noticed you’ve been over here for a few minutes,” he made a motion with his finger behind his shoulder. “If you’d like, there’s a couple seats where my friend and I are? You’re more than welcome?” A decision. Emily’s world truly was crumbling. She could refuse and remain to be the awkward wallflower for as long as Joyce was nowhere to be found. Not only that, but make it seem that she spit in this man’s face in exchange for continuing to be a fly on the wall. Yet if she accepted, there would be the monumental task of keeping conversation with these titans and assuredly outing herself as some generic, normal person. It was a lose-lose in Emily’s dramatic eyes, so it was merely the lesser of two evils. “Is that okay?” He chuckled before turning on his heel. “Of course it is! Come on; I’m guessing you want a place to eat, anyway?” Great, now she looked like a glutton to others even at first glance. She wordlessly followed the man back into the crowd, sending a silent prayer that somehow Joyce will find her. This was nothing like the zoo. All the animals this time had no cages and there were no landmarks to find each other. They were in the jungle and Emily had already become prey. She stayed close behind the man’s back as they weaved through the crowd. Out of habit she kept her head down, only following the back and feet in front of her before reaching a clearing, nearly bumping into her supposed savior once they came to a stop. “You didn’t bring a bottle?” A woman said with a tinge of impatience. Was it coyness? Emily couldn’t tell, but Emily was so out of it that her head shot forward with a startle, forgetting social cues to realize that it wasn’t her that was being talked to. “That’ll be your turn then,” he sighed as he set down a half-filled wine glass in front of her. “‘Bring me a drink’ is awfully vague, you know...” “It would seem so.” She said back, seeming to imply that she still wasn’t at fault. It was his mistake for not reading any deeper. Emily remained silent, stiff as a board, unaware of how to broach the situation or whether she still needed to be introduced. Did the upper class work the same way as kings and queens? Do not speak unless spoken to? “Well, better than a bottle,” Emily felt a hand pat her half-naked shoulder. “Found someone to help me keep you entertained.” “Oh?” The interest in her voice was clear, and so was her gaze, even if Emily was too nervous to look at it. “What’d you say to her? She looks like we’re about to eat her.” “She seemed sort of nervous when I found her. Waiting on her friend.” Emily could hear the low sigh from the woman’s breath. “Stop talking like she’s not her own person. Hon?” Of all things, it had to be a pet name that garnered her attention. Out of reflex she did look ahead at the woman. She was pretty. In Emily’s book Joyce was always number one, but this woman was a close second. Her ginger hair was tied back into some kind of intricate bun and the deep freckles on the bridge of her nose looked like the count of people she’s stared down into a submission match. “I’m Rebecca, it’s nice to meet you,” she smiled in a way that felt like a test. She was gauging the poor girl. But for what? “I-I’m Emily, it’s nice to meet you.” Her response was nearly robotic. She didn’t have the confidence to speak off the cuff. Not in a place like this. “I-I don’t want to bother you guys; I can always go back and--” “Why?” Rebecca frowned, interrupting her so smoothly. “You’d rather be by yourself than sit with us?” The sudden twist of her words incited a small panic. “N-no, it’s not that, it’s--” “Ah, I see. You have better people to be with?” “No, that’s not...” Normally Emily would be frustrated by the woman’s curt behavior, but somehow she was only looking distressed. Everytime she tried to find her footing through words, this person seemed to casually sweep her right off her feet. “Rebecca,” the man found his timing much better when it came to interruptions. “Quit teasing her. Just because you hate these things doesn’t mean you have to lash out. Drink already.” The woman seemed to be so animated in the most subtle ways. Emily watched her eyelids droop as her gaze slightly narrowed, as if agitated by the man’s gaul to even think of challenging her. Yet like it was all a game, her mood immediately vanished as she went back to being a resting predator, sipping from her glass. “Fair enough...” She looked away as she said it. “Sorry,” he apologized to me, “Emily, was it? My name is Hank, nice to meet you.” He held out his hand for a shake, and Emily was so frazzled that she nearly went to shake with a plate of food still in both hands. Quickly realizing her mistake with a blush, she finally committed herself by setting the plate down on the table before shaking. “Nice to meet you...” “Did the host come by at all, yet?” Hank asked Rebecca who seemed to be boredly playing with her glass of wine. “Not sure...” she sighed. “Walked around, chatted a little. I’m feeling ready to head back home, already.” “Mm...” Even Hank nodded as he sipped from his own wine. “Well, appearances and all...” It must have been a mutual agreement, because Rebecca didn’t say anything back. “Uhm...” Emily started to speak, yet her throat seemed to close entirely once both faces gave her attention. Great. She poked the bear and for some inexplicable reason expected it to stay sleeping. “Is it just you two sitting here…?” There were only a couple of empty chairs, but two to a single table was still a low number. “Yep,” Hank nodded, though glanced at Rebecca who was with a pissy pout sort of look, already expecting the man to look at her. “Unfortunately we have a bit of a bully at our table, so we’re unpopular at the moment.” “Oh shut it,” Rebecca frowned the smallest bit, yet all the expression seemed to happen from her eyes and up. “Rebecca’s very...strong-willed, as you can see.” Hank whispered to me with a chuckle. The entire time Rebecca watched the exchange, knowing full well she was the topic. Emily would never in a million years say it aloud, but being somewhat bitchy seemed to be this woman’s personality… Lucky to have the few that could stand her and be around her. “So Emily, what brings you--” Hank started to say, but then… “Why bother with a question that has an obvious answer?” Rebecca cut him off. “Ask her why her boyfriend or husband brought her here. She has ‘plus one’ written all over her.” Plus one. The way Joyce had said it, Emily wouldn’t say she felt a charm, but it gave her some sort of fuzzy connection to Joyce in a small way. A fun little title. From Rebecca’s voice, it was a label. An inescapable brand that defined her clearly on the hierarchy amongst nobles. She’d been curtly kicked off the pedestal and back to the ground. It was only more damaging to her self-confidence. Had she thought there was even a chance at looking like she belonged, Rebecca’s bluntness paired with Hank’s gentle approach had shattered it entirely. Naturally, self-consciousness was the first thing to hit her bloodstream. “Is...is it that obvious?” Emily weakly asked Hank. He looked apologetic, but he didn’t disagree. “Not that it matters, though,” he was quick to say. “So in that case, what does your boyfriend do?” “Boy…?” Emily started to ask, feeling confused with the disillusioned mind that everyone in the world should already know she was smitten with a female, not a male. “Oh, uhm...my girlfriend, she has a medical company.” And there would be little to offer after that. It sucked knowing she couldn’t tell much about Joyce, not in the working sphere at least. Unfortunately Joyce had made it an effort to hide the bigger things from her, likely to prevent Emily from seeing her as anything but her sweet, motherly significant other. “Oh!” Hank had a slight tinge of guilt with his voice. “Sorry, we just assumed...” “Sorry about that.” Rebecca chimed in, possibly sounding genuine? “What do you guys do?” Emily asked, finally finding the courage to keep the ball rolling. “I manage a couple accounting firms,” Hank said ever so nonchalantly. “Nothing too crazy, but it has its perks. And just when she thought they were starting to seem like people, she’d been so graciously reminded of the gap. “I own a couple theatres.” Rebecca added to the conversation, just in case Emily wasn’t feeling dogpiled enough already. They weren’t being insulting (barring Rebecca’s attitude), but simply crushing her with facts. But in spite of that, Emily wanted to be brave. At least Rebecca had something tangible. “Oh?” She spoke up in turn, “That’s cool. How often do theaters swap out movies anyways? You probably get to see anything you want for fr--” “No, no,” Rebecca always managed to find a way to spearhead Emily’s gusto. “Not that kind of theatre. Musical productions. Plays. That kind.” “Oh...” Her reply was quiet, desperately trying to escape sheer embarrassment. Why couldn’t she have let her run away with sheer ignorance? “You could have elaborated?” Hank jumped in, throwing Rebecca’s feet on the coals now. “Quit being such a bully.” “I’m not being a bully.” Rebecca slightly averted her gaze at that. Conversation had only become a trap for Emily to make herself look even more foolish. In a twisted way it was like trying to sit at the grown-ups table. All the jargon and conversation went so far above her head that she could be disillusioned into thinking it was actually reachable. She had no reality that knew how to properly set herself apart from these people. Then came an audible sigh from the woman as she stood up from her seat. “Leaving already?” Hank seemed to ask, yet Rebecca somehow saw it as teasing once she shot him a glare. Storming off, Emily could only catch the sway of her dress as she disappeared. “Sorry about that...” Emily always seemed to feel the irrational need to apologize. If she was involved in any capacity she somehow always found fault in herself. “I’m sorry you had to deal with that,” Hank apologized in turn. “Rebecca’s supposed to be a grown woman, would you believe it. But in all the time that I’ve known her, well, she’s not exactly great at playing nice with others...” “How long have you two known each other?” Accounting and theater management. By this point, Emily wasn’t even going to try and fool herself into thinking she could see the connection. “Before the adult working world,” he sipped from his glass, “Our parents sent us to the same private school. Skybrooke?” Emily nodded attentively, deeply invested with a catalog to reference the exact detail in mind. Smile and nod. What the hell is Skybrooke? “She has her...quirks, but she’s a nice person, deep down. But for her to me? I dunno. Maybe she finds me tolerable?” With the sign of a grin, Emily was at least glad to hear he probably wasn’t a doormat to that woman. And quirks she did indeed have many. “Here.” Were her first words of return. Outstretched from Rebecca’s hand to Emily was a wine glass, but not filled with wine. It was filled with a frozen treat, drizzled in a thin wisp of chocolate, capped with scalped strawberries accompanied by skinned and sliced banana. As Emily found herself at a loss, the helpful cue was whispered in her ear next. “Rebecca’s idea of an apology...” Hank helpfully said. “...Take it or don’t,” Rebecca seemed composed, yet she seemed...uncomfortable? “I don’t care.” A gift from a queen? Emily perplexingly stared at the treat. It did look good, yet everything about this exchange was weird. A grown adult was trying to make peace through the offering of a dessert. Before the moment became too dragged out, Emily slowly accepted the glass. It’d be considered quite rude to refuse the Queen’s gift, wouldn’t it? Rebecca stood there for a moment longer, to the point where Emily started to think she wanted her to prove her sincerity by eating it right then. Thankfully that wasn’t the case though once Rebecca finally did take her seat once more. With amends apparently having been made, Hank continued to mediate the flow of conversation as they slowly crept upon their original pace, which wasn’t much to begin with at all. “...but in the end I guess it never really...” Hank was going on with his story about another financially unrelatable situation when his head started to follow something in the background. “What?” Emily tried to follow where his eyes went as infectious curiosity mandated. “...Nothing.” He shrugged. “Thought I recognized someone. If your girlfriend hasn’t told you already by the way, these dinner events are usually about the social aspect. Keeping everyone fresh in each other’s minds. A lot can be inside baseball, too.” “She did sort of say something like that...” Emily tried to reflect, but not for long until Rebecca’s glossy nails rhythmically tapped the cloth tabletop. “We use our words when we’re ready for another drink, you know...” Hank jokingly gave her the side-eye. “What?” Rebecca seemed to snap out of her trance then glance at her empty glass. “Sure, yes. I’ll take another glass.” “With a ‘please’?” He added a slight stretch to his voice just to prolong the teasing. “Red. The same bottle as the last,” she seemed to shoo him off without another look. And again, fate seemed to draw them together as Emily accidentally met Rebecca’s gaze from the other side of the table once more. “Bring Emily some, too.” Rebecca ordered her friend? “Same for you, Emily?” Hank paused to patiently ask her. “Uh…?” The hesitation in her voice was obvious. She hadn’t planned on drinking; this sort of thing was far too stressful for that. But...it was a weird time to take stock of things, yet in that moment all it felt like was sitting around with two decent friends. Maybe it was Rebecca’s gross immaturity or her snobbiness that made it all feel so unreal. An unsociable, unintentional bully who went red in the face as soon as her feet touched the coals. Then again, if she ordered a drink for Emily, was she starting to become part of “the gang” now? “Yes...please.” Screw it. Emily could fabricate a whole list of reasons for needing a drink right then. “Such manners!” Hank pretended to praise, albeit not to tease Emily, especially evident by the coy smile he gave Rebecca who only seemed to return a look of ire. “Be right back.” Hank was gone. “Your girlfriend really must be quite the busy body to misplace you so easily,” Rebecca passively commented. “I don’t suppose we should turn you into the lost and found?” Finally she smiled for once in the entire night Emily had been with her...even if it was by way of teasing. “Yeah, maybe...” Emily sighed, choosing to pass on the bait or instead regard it as unintentional mockery. But really, where was Joyce? The smallest amount of air started swelling in her mouth, favoring to push out her left cheek. “Karla, I’m glad to hear that things are going well,” Joyce cheerily nodded. She’d given this person exactly one minute of her time. Plenty. Generous, even. She should be grovelling for the saint that Joyce was; allowing such important seconds to slip through her fingers into the mediocre unimportant hands of others. “But, say...” She began, glad to be finished with useless talks of investment and prospecting. Who cared about the first ever hover car or working jetpacks? Did she think world hunger mattered more than Joyce’s own dilemma? “You wouldn’t happen to have seen a smaller girl around here, would you?” She maintained her bubbly inquisitive voice, internalizing all the annoyance and agitation every living obstacle seemed to be here. “Smaller?” Karla smiled, awaiting further explanation. “Black hair? Green eyes?” A bottom so round and so cute that it was a crime not to keep it padded? “She’s in a red dress?” Unfortunately not paired with a child leash. That’s the problem with jokes; they’re only jokes. She shook her head, the conniving bitch, so eager to waste Joyce’s precious time. “Sorry, can’t say that I have…Why, find yourself someone you wanna goad into a venture?” Karla started her laugh first, which Joyce did the same in unison, only she was already turning away, well-ready to punch the woman. Where is she?! I take my eyes off her for a single minute…! A business dinner much like Hank said is a chance for socializing and business dealings and opportunities. A chance for the rich to stay rich and perpetuate the inevitable lining of each other's pockets. During any business dinner at any time in Joyce’s life, she would not have hesitated to agree. That’s what these things are. That’s what they’ve all been for. But not tonight. Not this one. Instead, it’d become Joyce’s personal hell, having thrown her precious girl into a pit of lions that all have the audacity to feign ignorance as she tirelessly searches for which one ate her! She was supposed to be holding her hand the entire time...Why didn’t she just hold Emily’s plate for her? Tell Emily to point out the things she wanted? Christ! Why couldn’t these stupid events have a chaperone or something, or maybe an on-site police officer? This dance hall has speakers, so why wasn’t she hearing the call for a lost chi-- adult? What’s more, Joyce was acutely aware of Emily not having her phone. As much as Joyce was ready to shout aloud for Emily, even she had her own warped way of thinking that simultaneously felt the need to dote on Emily so heavily, yet maintain an outward appearance. Yes, it was twisted, and yes, Joyce was aware. As Joyce fought the raging battle inside herself, she could only assume that Emily was okay. What if she was crying? What if a stranger was talking to her? Wait, no, that’s normal at an event like this… But not for Emily! They’re all strangers! Find her! Find her! “Joyce, is that you?” A voice called. She spun on her heel with a trained smile. “Leonard, so good to see you!” A bubble rose in her chest with a fierceness, only for it to sputter out of her mouth as a sudden hiccup, throwing her entire torso forward. Where was she? Emily was slumped forward as she barely supported her head, chin resting in both hands. Rebecca herself still looked focused, yet her heavier blush likely spoke more of the alcohol in her system than any kind of embarrassment that could be found in the prideful lioness. “Sheesh late...” Emily slurred grumpily with a pout. She was no timekeeper, yet she was certain that exactly too-much-time-o’clock was certainly a bad time to not have shown up by then. Emily had done her job. Stay put. What had Joyce done? Who knows, but clearly it wasn’t good enough. “Just to let you know, I...” Rebecca seemed to lose her speech, finding the fuel needed with a final sip from her glass. “...I’m going to be charging for babysitting you so much tonight...” “Shaddup...” Emily groaned, too far from sober to remember formalities, not that either two drunk women seemed to care. “I’ll pay Hank...” She muttered as her head finally dropped with her hands, nuzzling into her forearm. Apparently alcohol was no caffeine stimulant. Not even adult beverages could save her from her hard limits. Quite easily the festivities of the night had gone beyond a time she was comfortable being awake at. “Alright...” Hank finished off his wine as he stood from his chair, commendably without a stumble of any sign. “Let’s go, you two. Before any of us are too intoxicated to get back to our rooms.” “Screw you...” Rebecca suddenly blurted aloud with her eyes not even remotely aimed at Hank. Her eyes widened with surprise only known to the inner workings of her drunk mind as she shocked herself into a laughing fit. “A-huh...” Hank waved off the words as they should have been, raising Rebecca from her seat with ease as he wrapped an arm around her waist. “You have your room key, right?” “F-....ffffuck you...” She murmured in her own headspace yet again, laughing loud enough to get a few momentary stares. “Really?” Hank still remained unimpressed. “I never get you to laugh, but all it takes is to be drunk and be the butt of your jokes...” He maneuvered his charge with him around the table. “Emily, can you get up? C’mon, I’ll take you back to your room. I’m taking Rebecca back, so I’ll take you too.” “No.” Emily meant to say it adamantly, yet it was more of a pout. “I’hm waiting for Joyce...She…” And for some reason she started to sniffle. “She said she wouldn’t leave me…!” The sad drunk started to whimper, bleeding into the personality of a stubborn toddler. “And she’ll be happy as can be once she sees you back at your room. Do you remember your room number? We’ll get you there.” “Mhm...” Emily nodded as she was already standing. So much for the crying fit about staying. Rebecca seemed to need a more hands-on approach as Hank continued to be firm with a grip on her waist. Emily stayed quiet, although holding Hank’s other hand as he led them through the crowd. Had she been of a sober mind, Emily would have certainly been upset, yet would have been forgiving once Joyce did finally see her. Instead of that, all she felt was the cloudy dread of being a poor doe unaccounted for. She wanted Joyce right then. This sucked. She somewhat had fun tonight, even if Rebecca was a pain at first, but the only thing that could solve her unease was getting back to Joyce. “Emily, what’s your floor?” Hank asked the quiet, daydreaming girl. “Fifteen...” She murmured as clear as can be, backed by zero confidence. It was a crapshoot trying to guess the floor even on a sober moment, much less one where half her brain seemed to function. Why fifteen? Because fifteen felt...like a number. Hank punched the number without question on the panel. Up they went. Once they reached the floor with a ding Emily stepped off first. Hank started the process of moving Rebecca who looked even more lurched over, only until she seemed to drag Hank’s suit jacket downard with all her body weight. “Rebecca...” Hank sighed as he stood in an awkward stance, trying to get her upright. “We can’t walk like this if you’re gonna--” A short-breathed grunt escaped Rebecca’s mouth. “G-gonna...” And as the words left her, so did her bile, reaching Hank’s ears as well as the substance reaching his pants did. Rebecca’s arms hung over her head as she was nearly ninety degrees bent over. Hank barely managed to hold her up as his face shuddered in surprise and disgust. “R-Rebecca...!” He cried at a sheer loss, well-conscious enough to know the pointlessness in scolding a drunk. “What the fu--!” He didn’t get to finish his sentence before the elevator doors closed. Emily stood there dumbly in the hallway, a place her room did not belong to, now separated from the other two. As she looked around the empty hallway, she scantly remembered why she even asked for the fifteenth floor. Was that the floor of their home back in the complex? Who knows. Too drunk to remember. She needed fresh air. It was too stuffy. It was hot… Opting for a different elevator, back down to the lobby she went. Thankfully her heels were short. They were like training heels compared to the ones she saw Joyce in. Emily could almost get away with normal footsteps, though needing to invest a slight bit more care in the way she walked, but thankfully within the means of her impaired mind. Her feet clicked across the mostly empty lobby, yet seeming to be a place of internationals and big business, there was always something going on, whether it be check-outs for an international flight, or check-ins for the exact same reason. She found a cozy bench beside the glass windows, sitting right near the entrance and exit as well as in front of the water fountain. Listening to the calming gush of water, leaning her head against the cool glass. It was nice. “Check her out...” A distant voice chuckled. “Think she had a good night?” He sounded as if he was speaking to someone beside him. “Oh, you’re right...Is she okay?” “Probably sleeping off a drink? We sort of do the same thing.” “Yes, but not in the middle of a hotel lobby; we should do something...” “I’m sure she’ll be fine? ” “Greg, don’t say that...Look, I’ll make sure she gets back to her room. Meet you back up at ours? Someone’s gotta put our food in the fridge anyways.” “You got it, boss woman.” It sounded like a salute as one walked farther away while a lighter set of footsteps came closer. Emily was dreamily dozing, half-asleep and half-awake, though she began to lose the former state of mind as a hand touched her shoulder. Emily hadn’t even the clarity to assume she was in danger or being assaulted as she lazily stirred and opened her eyes. “Hello?” A blurry face slowly set into sharpness. Emily needed to blink a few more times just to get things into focus. “What…?” Emily seemed to muster so casually despite them being a stranger. Maybe Rebecca’s interaction seemed to have desensitised her to new meetings. And just as things remained visually unknown for just a tinge longer, deep down, of course she hoped that it was Joyce. “Are you okay? Can you stand?” They asked her. “Are we going back up to the room…?” Emily murmured as she rubbed her eyes. Paired with too much drinking, she wasn’t used to being up this late. “I can take you back to your room, yes. Do you remember which floor?” “You forgot, too?” Emily yawned. Joyce’s touch felt lighter than she remembered. It didn’t feel as hands-on this time. She had half a mind to shove herself into the hand just to get Joyce doing it the right way again. “Well, you never told me...” The woman said at a loss. Emily frowned a little. That didn’t sound like Joyce… She finally fully opened her eyes, looking over. It wasn’t Joyce. “You’re not...” Emily frowned. “I’m...not?” The woman confusedly blinked behind her glasses. “Listen, I think you’ve had a bit too much to drink. Why don’t we go ask one of the staff to help you--” “Can I use your phone…?” Emily suddenly asked in a state of tired delirium. “To call a friend…?” She cautiously asked. “If you give me a number I can dial it for you?” Emily went quiet, biting her lower lip. She forgot Joyce’s number...for whatever reason, it slipped her mind. Digits went in some places, while others felt jumbled and scattered. Why couldn’t she think straight? Where was Joyce? She hiccuped, but not because of alcohol this time. “W-wait, don’t cry. What’s wrong? Hey, can you talk to me?” The voice continued to coax, yet Emily was a mess. She took a long, drawn-out sniff as she’d gone from a moment of peace to complete confusion once again. Why did she even go down to the hotel lobby? For a moment of relaxation? How did this get her any closer to being back home? All she wanted was to be in bed right now. She wanted Joyce to find her. Why wasn’t she here yet? She always found her! “What’s your name, hon? Can you tell me that?” “E-Emily...” She rubbed her eyes. The chandelier above was too bright… Where was a pillow she could just smother her face with? “Okay, Emily, what’s the name of your friend? I can go ask one of the hotel staff.” How likely of a needle in a haystack that could be, though. Lord if Emily could give her a last name to narrow the search. “Joyce...” Emily mumbled. “Joyce S-Summer...s...” “Joyce?” The confirmation was more than just that. Something else, like surprise? Or disbelief? Emily thought she nodded, or gave some kind of murmur as an affirmation. Either way, no more questions came her way, so she assumed that the job on her part was done. “Ms.Summers…?” She spoke next to Emily, though not at her. To someone else. Was she on the phone? “I...yes, I understand...I...yes, but, I think I found who you’re looking for...” She pulled the phone away from her ear. “Emily?” She fished for her attention as she put the phone up against her ear. “Emily?” A slightly hastened voice came from the other end. “Emily? Are you there?” “Joyce?” She answered back. It had to have been her, unless this stranger was able to pick apart Emily’s memories to manifest the perfect doppelganger to ever exist. There was a heavy sigh of relief from the other end. “Thank goodness...Where are you? I’ve been looking everywhere for you all night!” “I’m in the lobby...” Emily tearily yawned. Was she coming to get her now? She really did feel like a lost child. The day had been long and exhausting. She was done doing the heavy lifting. “Don’t move an inch. I’m coming right now. Put Sheila back on, please.” Emily lazily swapped her head to the other shoulder. “She wants to talk to you...” Emily yawned. It was hardly even a thought in Emily’s mind as she heard the name. Sheila. Maybe she’d heard it before, maybe she hadn’t. Too hard to tell at the moment if it bore any significance. Was that this woman’s name? How did she figure out Joyce’s number? “Ms.Summers?” Sheila put the phone back on her ear. “Yes, I can wait here. I’ll watch her, yes. I’ll see you once you get down here. Yes, understood.” She soon hung up afterwards. Emily had closed her eyes once more, nearly falling over onto nothing as she leaned the other way. Sheila thankfully was faster and pulled her back over to her, unceremoniously slumping her onto her own shoulder. This was certainly awkward, maybe helped the slightest bit by a modicum of familiarity. This. This was the final piece to the puzzle. The hidden cog that drove the machine. The arbiter of her boss’ mood, what dictated her whims and generosity. What decides whether it’d be a good day or a bad day for the people in wake of Joyce’s wrath. She looked over at the tiny titan with an odd sense of interest, finally seeing with her own eyes the hidden hand she thought she’d never see. Little Miss Summers herself. In the flesh.

Hey folks, another longer animation. Hope you enjoy!

Sorry, no ABDL on this one, but still another look from the creation lab! Went for a goth kind of look and I thought it wasn't too bad.

Hey everyone! If you do recognize my name at all it's likely from the tiny handful of stories that I have on here. I made a recent announcement on the Sheltered thread about how I'm getting into developing a game. While it's all good and fun, I think my art skills have gone from a solid 2 to a good 10 (out of 100). Improvements have been great, so I thought I'd share an animated piece I made as promo and to garner attention! For context, the character you'll see is the general style of how global sprites will look when in dialogue. Otherwise, you're a smaller sprite navigating a tiled map. Hope you enjoyed! Please share your thoughts and I hope to have your interest in my development! (Promo animations; her arms are missing because it's just a WIP)

Hey peeps! I apologize for the absence. It's no secret life does what life does best. I finished up the semester and swapped into full-time work and haven't had much time to write as of late, however I sometimes find little blocks to sneak some writing in. In addition to that, I've actually been working on a game! I'm very excited with how I'm improving in the art direction of things. There's a few reasons for my delay, but some can't be helped and others I think help me invest into my creative ability as a whole. Hoping to have a chapter of Sheltered around soon, my current one is almost done. Just to give you an idea though, here are some animated headshots from some character models! I apologize if stories are primarily your thing and not games, but the progress I feel that I've been making has been awesome and I want to at least tease a tiny something. If you're interested at all in the development on the game side of things, you can find some of my updates here: https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/foxtalestimes/wip-resource-thoughts-t1029.html Primarily it's sprite/character art at the moment, however there is a tidbit of a proof-of-concept for a bathroom function in the game. And if it wasn't clear, it will be an ABDL-themed game! If games aren't your thing, I completely understand, and only ask that you continue to be patient with me. Sorry for the silence, but I try to update frequently on this dev side of things!

Emily and Joyce will be having a lot of fun together in that sphere, but I can't promise to what extent that goes. Guess we'll have to see. Thank you for the comment and staying so invested! Beach house could be fun! It's alright for readers to make predictions or share their thoughts, but I can't imagine myself confirming any theories, but at best maybe dissuade some of them; I don't want to create any false expectations. Hmmm, that's an idea! Surely Emily could make a new career out of that! Thanks for commenting! Glad to hear people enjoy re-reading this! New chapter is soon! Promise! 33 - The New Routine Bewildered was Emily’s first instinctual response. As she tried to figure what’d just happened, she caught her tongue absentmindedly probing the flavored teat inside her mouth. She stared at Joyce’s back in silence, watching her work away. Her hand drifted to the ring of the pacifier, dangling her finger on it for a moment before pulling it out. “If I’d known how well that worked on you, I think I would’ve kept your paci on me a bit more often?” Joyce grinned as she peered over her shoulder. Emily wasn’t sharing the giddiness though as confusion reigned king in her mind. “What...what’d you do?” “I did what you asked me to do. I helped. Well, starting to help is a better way to put it.” She didn’t respond at first, but a small frown grew on her face as she looked at the baby trinket hanging from her finger. Not that she didn’t appreciate the gesture, but it wasn’t that simple… “I...thank you; but I’m serious, Joyce… What am I supposed to do?” “You’re supposed to relax for tonight,” Joyce calmly instructed, “and listen to how we’re going to make things better. You asked for my help, Emily, and of course I will give it to you, but you’re going to need to be open-minded about this.” Emily tripped over some hesitation before she spoke. “Open-minded…?” That felt oddly vague. Vague enough to remind her of what things were like right as they were just starting to explore their “alternate” lifestyle. Joyce turned from the stove and rested her hands on Emily’s shoulders. “Nothing you haven’t seen before. Just wrapped in a new bow.” Obviously Emily couldn’t fully decipher the meaning, but a sixth sense told her that the dedicated trip to the nursery for a single pacifier wasn’t some arbitrary thing. Joyce could see her looking down at the pacifier with a feeling of trepidation. Joyce gently lifted her gaze with a finger supporting her chin. “Don’t be scared. I’m not going to say I’ve thought of everything; this is something I really only started to play with recently. That being said, I don’t think what we’ll do is something you’ll hate. It’s just going to be...different.” “Different…? Joyce, I don’t get what you mean...” Emily expressed her concerns in the form of visual, yet Joyce’s comforting smile did not falter. “We’ll chat about it once we eat dinner, okay?” She cupped Emily’s cheeks as she kissed her forehead. “I just think maybe there’s a way we can change up the routine, is all.” She lowered her hand to raise the one Emily was using to hold the pacifier. “Why don’t you hang onto this for now?” “Joyce...” Emily thought she could see what Joyce was implying, and it honestly felt like a diminutive fix. “I’m not an actual baby...you can’t just...” She sighed a tiny bit, realizing that she was starting to contradict the very person she begged for guidance. “Pacifiers don’t solve problems for real babies, too, you know?” Joyce giggled as she took it from her hand. “Pacifiers do exactly what they’re called. They pacify,” she explained as she gently forced it back between Emily’s lips. “If you’re angry, sad, or even a little excited, think of this as a way to distract yourself or maybe an outlet to channel all that emotion? Emily, nothing meaningful has ever been done in a single day. You’ve been working so hard since the first day you lost your job, and I can’t tell you how proud that makes me. But now I want you to just calm down...and breathe.” Emily wanted to speak, to contradict or express her doubts, but she felt that if this imaginary spell was going to work, maybe she should stay gullible for at least a little longer. She took a moment and breathed through her nose, leaving the pacifier right where Joyce left it. “See?” Joyce stroked the top of her head. “We just spent a whole minute calming down, focusing on ourselves rather than anything unimportant!” Joyce chuckled. “We’re still doing just fine. You’re doing fine. We still have our house, and everything is as stable as it’s always been.” Emily had furrowed her brow, yet admittedly the crease in her forehead had lessened. “And you look like less of a worrywart now, too.” Joyce smiled. “Emily, I will never make light of your problems. Your struggles are mine just as much, but I need you to know that this isn’t as all-consuming as you might think. If I have to pull you aside like this to remind you of that, I won’t hesitate, understood?” Emily instinctually wanted to reply, but reserved herself to a visual nod. She did feel calmer now. It was more than enough for Joyce. “Good. We’ll have plenty of time to brainstorm during dinner and I can voice my suggestions then. For the time being though, just try not to have too many big thoughts, okay?” She tapped her finger on the plastic shield. “This is your friendly reminder. Stay small for a little bit. We’ll tackle things as we need to.” It was with reddened cheeks Emily continued to help make dinner. It was a weird limbo situation though. She wasn’t exactly Emily, but not Emmy either. As she helped cook with a pacifier in her mouth, Joyce still seemed to regard her as her normal self, albeit with a little more comfort in her words, like Emily needing handling with kid gloves in regard to her emotions. “Howh mush lohnger?” Emily found herself asking around the pacifier. The sentence was finished before she could regret the attempt as a pacifier accent seemed to override her speech. “Should be just a few more minutes,” Joyce flashed her an unperturbed smile, like the sight or sound itself wasn’t especially stimulating to Joyce, of all people, in any seeming way. Emily figured there to be some kind of teasing or sly comment, but it never came. Maybe it was her way of being considerate, or how to treat this as some kind of normal. If I need this, she probably doesn’t want to make a big deal out of it… Emily silently reflected. “Okay...” Joyce decided to untie and slip her apron off. “Emily? Could you put these back in the closet?” She asked as she held the apron out for her. Emily quietly nodded as she took her own apron off, but not quite before Joyce could give her a hand in undoing the knot behind her first. After she pulled it off, Emily was then hit with a one-two as Joyce briefly rested her arms on Emily’s shoulders, gently tugging the pacifier from her mouth and planting a kiss on her temple. “Thank you for helping me cook!” “I can always help...” Emily said in a shy voice as she walked over to the closet. As they ate, Emily couldn’t bring herself to have much conversation. Joyce did chat casually, like there wasn’t some impending bomb Emily expected her to drop at any moment. “What’s wrong?” Joyce asked with a concerned look. “Wait...it doesn’t taste bad, does it?” A look of horror started to consume her. “No, it tastes fine...” Emily mumbled with a slight grin as she angled her gaze closer to the table than Joyce’s eyes. “I’m just...a little scared...” “Scared?” Emily nodded. “I dunno...” She looked more clearly at her, “I’m just thinking that whatever it is that’s gonna happen...I might not like it cuz...it’s gonna scare me...” Joyce nodded thoughtfully, yet with stupefying clarification she asked, “So you’re scared that this ‘thing’ will scare you?” Of course when repeated through another mouth, Emily felt stupid… “Emily,” Joyce left a moment to get her full attention, “I don’t necessarily think you should stop looking for work; if that’s what you want, I respect that. However, I think you need to slow down your pace.” It was a no-brainer, yet the thought of any kind of delay did make Emily worry. It only made her think of all the potential opportunities she could have had, had she been any faster. It was the fear of missing out. “How...how slow?” Emily hesitantly asked. She didn’t figure there was a specific number in mind, yet she needed to know how deep this went. With, in fact, a specific number in mind, Joyce said, “An hour a day at most, kind of slow. And that’s for the weekdays only. Weekends I don’t want you stressing over that kind of stuff.” “An hour…? But that’s...” Emily had an idea in mind, yet Joyce’s figure grossly underbid her own. She was already spending the near entirety of her day job searching, and cutting it down to a mere fraction of that was essentially killing her chances altogether, wasn’t it? “With how things have been, Emily, I think that’s perfectly reasonable.” Joyce said firmly. “I’m going to be honest because I want to make a point to you: there’s absolutely no rush in you getting another job. I intend to be the breadwinner and I will be the financial support. Aside from that though, I’d never stop you from doing what you want, but I will regulate it, now that you’ve asked me to?” She smiled, but Emily was still looking conflicted. Emily tried to reason Joyce’s viewpoint. It was somewhat unfortunate, but Emily had always known before Joyce saying it herself that she couldn’t ever hope to financially compare. Joyce was the foundation, and whatever Emily contributed in that sphere likely couldn’t do nearly as much. Or rather, money was such an excess for Joyce that the concept of spending had become effectively bottomless, so what did it matter adding 1 to infinity? “Related to that,” Joyce continued, “I think this is a good chance to add some structure to your routine. Just because you aren’t working, that doesn’t mean a day can’t be productive? First and foremost, we’re going to decide on a time in the day when you can use the computer to job hunt-- Emily, don’t make a face.” Joyce paused herself just to scold the girl, who was starting to make a face… “I don’t need a specific time…!” Emily argued with a tinge of whine. It was one thing to be imposed with a harsh time restriction, but when she was allowed for it as well? “Yes you do,” Joyce gently, yet firmly contradicted, “otherwise you could be overlapping with all the other things that’ll keep your day busy?” The mention of other things surprised Emily a little, but she sort of expected it… But still, “What happens if I get an email, or a reply to a job offer or interview? I need to respond as soon as possible!” While this was constructive and it felt needed, Joyce’d be lying if she said that there wasn’t some element of “parenting” to this that she felt, and certainly enjoyed. “We can discuss that when it happens,” Joyce decided, “But until then, I won’t budge.” Emily felt defeated. There wouldn’t be any room for argument in getting that to expand. It was probably going to be the one thing of this entire bill that she wouldn’t negotiate on, given it being her greatest grievance... “What else…?” She asked her. Joyce quietly sighed, now arriving to the parts she wasn’t a fan of personally. It was likely trivial to Emily, but Joyce wasn’t excited about sharing her responsibilities, at least with Emily. In a power dynamic that poised Joyce at the top as the dominant caregiver, it felt wrong to make her charge participate, like giving her housework. “I...want to give you some chores to do on a daily basis.” “Chores…?” Emily asked, surprised. Joyce nodded. “Things like running the dishwasher, making the bed...vacuuming...” Now her lack of preparedness was starting to show. This was obviously something she didn’t want to dig into because she didn’t like the idea altogether. Yet, the duality was that it benefited Emily despite Joyce’s selfish suffering. “I don’t mind,” Emily spoke truthfully, “but...are you okay with it?” “Yes, I am,” Joyce smiled warmly as she lied through her teeth. “We can make a chart,” she did start to see the fun side of things, imagining a cute chore chart for Emily on the fridge, “and that can help keep you busy for at least a little bit.” Call it weird, but Emily didn’t mind the idea of housework. She said it herself and quite clearly that it was eternal boredom without Joyce, as well as tiring from job hunting. Not that she wanted to stop, but she knew her body needed to rest; she just needed someone to force her into it. “I can vacuum the rooms and wash the bedding?” Emily chimed in, better shaping Joyce’s ideas. “Mhm, that could definitely work,” Joyce nodded. “Oh, and I guess I could tidy up the nurse--” “Absolutely not.” Joyce didn’t look so friendly this time, like one of her prized assets was about to be attacked. “I want to be the one in charge of the nursery; I’m your mommy, after all.” The seriousness in her look was almost absurd to the point that the uninformed would be expected to laugh, or find the look on her face quite strange. Emily, however, instantly understood just how much it meant to her. In a strange way, giving these sorts of duties to Joyce was a big step for her, oddly enough… “O...okay...” Emily nodded, seeing that she nearly crossed a line. “Everywhere but there?” Joyce paused, considering any loopholes she may have left. “That’s fine. But, let me know if any of this feels like it’s too much for you, okay?” Her expression softened. “I don’t want to overload you...” “Joyce,” Emily gave a look that thought her to be a fool, “Up until recently I was working full time...I can do some chores.” She chuckled. “I know, I know...” She smiled, happy to see that at least Emily could make mention of it now without sour feelings. “Is that it…?” Emily asked, not implying whether she wanted more or not, just wanting to know in general. “...” Joyce took a bite from her food first. “It can be?” “What do you mean?” “I’d say we’re past the point of me getting to make decisions based on what I want. Now I want to include you; what we both want.” For once, Emily felt like she could see a little into Joyce’s headspace. “You mean, something related to the pacifier?” Again, she didn’t think that it was an unrelated, out-of-the-blue sort of thing. Joyce nodded. “To be honest, I think it might help you out a little.” And like that, Emily had fallen off the wagon. “How so…?” “We haven’t even mentioned your nursery once in the past week, Emily.” Joyce tried to hide her own frustrations, because she knew that this would be good for her as well. Deep down though, this idea wasn’t out of complete self interest. “I know we’ve had obstacles in the past, but I really want to give you a space in the day where you can just unwind; forget about the complicated stuff and focus on relaxing.” “What about you?” Emily asked after a moment of silence. “I don’t want to talk about me because I don’t want it to influence you,” Joyce said, “I want you to be selfish, Emily.” What she wasn’t sharing were the benefits she’s reap from this as well. It wasn’t any secret to herself that Emily being in poor sorts lately has affected Joyce and her attitude at the office. Nothing jeopardizing, but more than anything she simply wanted their old dynamic back, if not toned up a bit. “How would that work…?” She asked hesitantly. “Well, I guess it’d start once I get home from work each day. Assuming that all the chores have been done by then, we’ll go to the nursery and get you all set up. For the rest of the night you’ll get to be my baby girl.” “What about in the morning, though?” Emily asked, already wondering what was to be done with her diaper. Joyce did leave early in the morning, after all. “I’ll make sure to get you into some panties before I leave,” Joyce chuckled, “I feel pretty confident that you’ll sleep through it anyway.” “Yeah, but, if we do it every day...doesn’t that mean I won’t ever have a chance to have…’grown-up’ time around you?” She most certainly didn’t like that. Being a baby was fun, but it wasn’t a complete end-all be all. She needed some kind of breathing room around Joyce. “You most certainly will. First and foremost, you’ll always be the one that decides if we’re going to do it that night. If you say ‘yes’, we go to your nursery, but if it’s a ‘no’, you won’t hear me mention it until the next day. Emily, even when you are my little girl, there’s nothing stopping you from asking or talking about what you want, you know? The way I see it, all we’re really doing is giving you a space that discourages that sort of thing, but it’s not like you can’t be yourself. This isn’t meant to be you putting on an act; I want this to be an outlet for yourself.” “It is,” Emily found herself agreeing almost immediately, “but...I dunno. Maybe too much of a good thing is a bad thing? I guess we haven’t really tried...” “Maybe, but if we might have those kinds of limits, this is a safe way for us to explore them. At any point you make it clear that you want to stop, we stop.” They ate some more as Emily took a deep breath, finally starting to fully wrap her head around everything. She didn’t expect this sort of thing to be the rest of her life, but she knew that it was going to be like this for at least a little bit. Her bias still couldn’t shake the urgency she felt to strive for “adult” things, but she finally caved and Joyce was telling her to stop, so stopping she ever so reluctantly was. “So it all starts tomorrow…?” She asked as Joyce started to clear up their spaces. “I think it’d be best,” Joyce offered, but added much more resolutely, “but regardless, your computer time is still being limited.” Emily limited her disappointment to her mouth as she nodded. In that case, tomorrow would go back to being the sucky status quo she’d already found herself in if there wasn’t anything at all to do. “Then let’s start tomorrow.” Emily agreed. “And about the second half we discussed,” Joyce explained as she came over to wipe Emily’s face in a casual manner, “you are always in control, and like I said, you always decide whether we’ll do it or not, but...please give me a gentle reminder if I accidentally get pushy after a while...” “You mean if we haven’t done it in a bit?” She asked, wiping the residue of water off her mouth. Joyce nodded with a slightly bashful look. “We’ve talked a lot about how I can sort of lose control, and I know you understand how I can get, but...it’s still sort of embarrassing.” “It’s okay if it happens,” Emily smiled, “I mean, I’d rather not be asked every few minutes, but if its been what you think is a long time, please let me know; I...I get it that this is supposed to be for me, but it’s obviously something for you, too.” Need she remind Joyce that she was the one who pulled her into the rabbit hole first? “That sounds good to me.” Joyce nodded her head. “I love you so much, you know?” “...I love you too.” Emily reciprocated with a goofy smile and reddened cheeks. It still elicited a fuzzy feeling in her chest just to hear and say those words. They came in together for a hug and embraced one another, yet as they shared an intimate moment, it was disrupted by a loud, sniffing. Emily turned her head up to see a flaring nostril. “Uh...what?” Emily giggled. “Uh huh,” Joyce seemed unimpressed, “thought so.” “Thought what?” “I thought that you didn’t take a shower or bath today.” The realization made Emily freeze up. She sniffed herself, not finding any sort of foul odor, but at least not a freshly imbued either. “I...was busy?” “You were distracted,” Joyce disapproved. “We’re adding baths to your schedule, too. Come on, off we go,” she waved her hand to motion Emily ahead first. “Showers are faster!” Emily complained with a sense of play, although she did feel a tiny bit embarrassed. “Showers are for big girls that can keep themselves squeaky clean. I need to take my time with you!” She laughed after catching Emily’s grin. “Besides, I wanna monopolize every second I can get with you!” They both entered the bathroom. Everything was at peace again as Emily and Joyce were dressed in their pajamas, sitting on the bed, specifically Emily in Joyce’s lap as she kept a towel wrapped around her head. Both were on their phones, only Joyce’s torso was a bit taller which allowed her phone to not block Emily’s. Both were quietly browsing up until there was a sigh from Joyce. “What?” Emily asked as she comically turned her gaze up to the ceiling. “I just got some news from Sheila...” Joyce explained with a glum attitude. “Remember that business dinner my mom asked me about?” Emily did her best to rack her brain, but nothing of substance was bubbling to the top. “Uh...” “I have a business dinner coming up this week and I knew it’d be a late night, but I wasn’t expecting it to turn into something overnight...” “What do you mean?” Emily started leaning back to dig her head into Joyce. “The dinner’s at a hotel,” Joyce wrapped her arms around Emily’s waist and flopped on her back. “It’s a nice hotel, but of course the host thinks that he’s doing some of us guests a favor by buying us our own rooms for the night. You’d think people would stop doing that by now…?” She mostly complained amongst herself, because the concept of buying someone a hotel room for the night seemed like a gesture beyond Emily’s purse strings. “Can’t you just turn it down?” Emily partly lifted herself to turn over and rest her chin on Joyce’s sternum. “It wouldn’t look good,” Joyce said as she paused to groan, “being given a room usually means that there’s going to be some kind of breakfast in the morning...at least with this guy.” “Maybe he has a thing for you?” Emily cheekily giggled, but Joyce didn’t outwardly laugh. “Well, if he tries to make a move like that, I’ll just explain that I’m too busy managing your naps and bedtime...” She carried away with the thought like it was an honest threat. “Take a joke!” Emily giggled as the smile did eventually come to Joyce’s face. “What kinda host is it?” “He manages breweries. I can’t say I know much about the business behind alcohol, though.” Joyce gave a ‘no idea’ kind of look. “I don’t think I’m someone special to him, though; he does this for just about any big head that gets invited to his stuff.” “So you’re a big head?” Emily asked, sneakily prodding for information on Joyce. “I’m a mommy who played her cards right.” She smiled as she deflected the chance for inquiry, yet went back to frowning. “But, if he makes me stay the night, I’m not going to be back to spend the night with you!” Now it sounded as if a grave injustice had been committed. Emily didn’t exactly look pleased either as she shrugged. “It’s okay...It’s only one night, and it sounds like this is for your reputation?” “It is...” Joyce bit her lower lip in thought. “You...you could always come with me?” Joyce perked up at the realization. “Huh? Go to the business dinner with you?” Emily looked a tad bit nervous. “I don’t wanna intrude on that kinda stuff...” “You wouldn’t be intruding on anything,” Joyce patted the top of her toweled head. “Believe me, plus ones are more common than not. If anything, you’d help me stand out less?” Emily’s mind couldn’t help but drift to a slightly more sensitive area though. “Yeah but...even if you’re dating another woman…?” Joyce didn’t seem to be fazed, however. “I don’t think it’d affect much?” Joyce chuckled. “Really, all that worries me is the other thing about us going public. Which it won’t,” she reassured Emily and herself. “I might just surprise a few people in my spheres,” she giggled. “Most importantly, I would be a little excited at the idea of showing you off…?” “Showing me off? Like I’m a prize or something?” Emily asked with intrigue. “Other than the person themselves, one of the most fun parts about having a lover is the exclusivity,” Joyce smiled even wider as she leaned her head forward to kiss her. “I get to show everyone how stunning you are and make it abundantly clear that no one else can have you. It goes both ways, you know?” “What would I even say?” Emily asked. “I mean...I dunno if I could handle trying to socialize with any sorta bigwigs...I imagine if we weren’t dating and I just met you, you’d probably be sort of intimidating...” “That’s why you’d be on a tight leash the whole night?” Joyce offered as a solution. “Where I go, you go, vice versa. There’d be lots of yummy food there, too...” She added with coyness. “Like buffet food?” Emily asked with a neutral face. Unfortunately, those never seemed to be too stellar. A bunch of heated aluminum trays filled with lukewarm food. “Dunno, but I’d wager the food you’d have there is better than mine; probably a little above Carmine’s?” Above Carmine’s? That was setting the bar, and Emily falling for the bait was showing. “...I don’t even have a dress ready...” Now she was simply being difficult for fun. Joyce rolled her eyes. “Like you haven’t been pampered like a princess already. Of course you’ll have something to wear! Now come on; wanna come, or do you want to make me lonely for the entire night?” “Fine, fine...I’ll go.” “Great!” Joyce smiled with a giggle. “I’ll ask Amy about getting us a child leash, and--” “Shut-uuup!” Emily groaned, rearing her head back to devour her prey like a beast as she smothered Joyce with a kiss on the lips. Joyce could only flash her teeth with a squeamish noise of glee as she unwrapped the towel from Emily’s head just so she could run her hands through her hair. “I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to see you be so playful!” It was her way of saying how great it was to finally have her away from the computer. “Yeah, well, you didn’t give me much of a choice...” Emily said light-heartedly, but there was some truth to it. “Shush,” Joyce pressed a finger on her lips. “You’re going to be absolutely fine. Now let’s get to bed already; I feel like it’s been a millennia since we both went to bed at the same time!” As Joyce leaned over for the lights, Emily oddly found herself scanning her gaze across the bed, feeling like there was something missing. “Oops, almost forgot him!” A voice could be heard as a stuffed mochi fell into the valley between Emily and Joyce’s bodies. “Where’d he go?” Emily asked, truthfully forgetting their last meeting. “You left him in the bathroom,” Joyce grinned, “I made sure to blow-dry him, though; it was a little humid there...” “Since when do you dry off mochi?” Emily laughed. “Since they started having hair.” Joyce played along, but realism quickly caught up with her mind. “Actually...” she wore a slightly grossed out look, “hairy sweets doesn’t exactly sound all that great...” Emily shuffled herself closer against Joyce in bed. “And I’m supposed to be the silly one...” “No, no, don’t worry, you still definitely are...” Joyce stretched as she found a comfortable position, one that involved Emily’s head nuzzled close against her chest. Most certainly for Emily, it felt like the greatest sleep she’d had in a millennia. Emily, Good morning! I made sure to give you a big big kiss before I left for work! Today’s the first day we’re trying out a new routine, and I haven’t made anything official yet, so I wanted to leave you a note. Today, I want you to do a couple chores around the house. 1. Make the bed (Tug the corners of the bedding to get out all the wrinkles!) 2. Vacuum the living room (I already plugged it in the wall by the TV for you!) 3. Make yourself some lunch (You’ve earned it!) 4. Call me at 12:30PM (I need my recharge!) *5. 1:00-2:00PM You may use the computer for job searching (This one is OPTIONAL!) 6. Put our clothes in the washer at 3:30PM. (I have the washer all set for you, just press the ‘Start’ button. I’ll take care of the rest when I get home!) 7. Don’t cry too much from missing me! (30 more minutes!) 8. Wait 30 minutes 9. Give me the BIGGEST hug you can when I walk through the door! Make sure you don’t overexert yourself today, okay? Call me right away if there’s something you don’t understand or if you just wanna hear my voice! I love you so so so so so so much! XOXOXO - Joyce ❤ Emily had never seen Joyce write this letter, or any kind of letter, so there was room for it being a fake message and from someone else, yet...as she finished reading with a stupid grin on her face, she knew it couldn’t be anyone but the very Joyce herself. It was a lot of words and a lot of love for really three small things to do in the house, padded out by her own interests, as well as keeping herself fed and speaking with Joyce. Hopefully her list of tasks would expand, but for now this was a start. Leaving the small note on the kitchen table, Emily walked over to the fridge to at least have breakfast before washing up to start the day. She tended to those exact things, noticing the vacuum sitting by the wall as she passed through the living room, and first moved back into the bedroom. The bed wasn’t a complete mess, but obviously it had just been slept in. Trying to channel what would have been her working energy into housley duties, Emily took the route of completely stripping the top of the bed just to neaten it down to the very sheets. Overkill most likely, yet Emily felt that if she was too average about it, she’d be out of things to do in a matter of minutes. And while she worked she started to think to herself on the lack of things to do. If Emily could estimate it, even if she gave her all for these tasks, which she planned to, there’d still definitely be time in excess...time she could use to browse on the computer… Her mind felt a little at odds with her heart though. She agreed with Joyce that she’d have designated computer time… But if it were in moderation, maybe? And, as long as she got the stuff done on the list that she wanted, wouldn’t it bolster her case that she could balance both things? Prove she didn’t have to be so restricted? As she reorganized the bed, it was coming closer to a decided conclusion… One honest and thorough vacuuming later it wasn’t even time for lunch yet; just shy of two hours off. As expected, Joyce gave her an ample amount of time. Strangely finding herself looking out for anyone in the apartment that didn’t exist, Emily crept off to the office. Untouched, Emily sat down in the chair. She wiggled the mouse and the screen came to life. Just maybe thirty minutes to check on my emails and stuff… Maybe look at a few postings… Despite it being just another day in the office, Sheila was glad to see that her boss seemed a bit more alert and on task today. It was as if her earlier troubles had sorted themselves out. Either than, or maybe she’d detached herself from the person that she told her about. Either way, her performance was back to where it usually was, and that was a good thing. “Oh, Sheila, that’s right,” Joyce said as she accepted her scheduled drink, “I guess I am staying at the hotel the night of the dinner.” She said it with a smile, which didn’t flag as a problem for Sheila, but it did seem a tinge of strange. She’d never known her boss to be exactly glad over gestures like that. Maybe the first few times, but they tend to add up to the point of being an inconvenience. Sheila didn’t always accompany her, but even from the sidelines it was sort of understandable… “That’s good to know,” Sheila nodded as she made a note on her phone. “I’ll make sure to confirm your reservation later today.” “Thank you. Oh, one more thing, can you make sure that the reservation is for two?” “Two?” Sheila asked, signaling it as confirmation for her ears, but she was honestly surprised. She nodded with a faint glow on her face, like the sun itself was shining from her imagination. “Oh, and that also reminds me; do you want to come, too? I heard that the food is going to be good?” “I appreciate the offer, Ms.Summers, but I’d rather not impose on something like that… If it were for work-related things though, I’d be willing...” “I wouldn’t want you to work the night of a dinner,” Joyce waved off the notion. Truthfully, everything with Emily had put her in a good mood. She was feeling generous, and Sheila’s hard work was always due for some kind of reward. “What if I put you up in a room, at least?” Joyce continued to press, then she remembered hearing from Sheila something on a not so great night. “You and your boyfriend? It’s the least I could do for all your hard work?” And need she mention all the things that she asked of Sheila in excess… “Ms.Summers, I couldn’t do that to you. I really do appreciate it, but we don’t need to--” “But I want to?” Joyce pushed. “I don’t want you to.” Sheila said politely, but firmly. Joyce resisted a grin. Fortunately and not so fortunately, she didn’t fold like Emily usually would. “You haven’t taken any vacations this year yet, right?” Joyce asked. If there was one thing she certainly could remember about Sheila, it was the times that she wasn’t there, awfully because those were so few and far between. “How about that then? You take the day off and I give you and your boyfriend a hotel room? Is it not a nice hotel?” “It is...but if I’m going to be there, I should be on the clock to help--” “But if you were on the clock, how could I get you to justify accepting my generosity?” Joyce raised an eyebrow. “Sheila, let me pay you back a little for everything that you do?” Accepting gifts wasn’t Sheila’s strongest suit. They were nice, but as the supporting role for so long, minimal recognition had simply been the norm. To disrupt that was...well, disruptive. “I...suppose I can ask my boyfriend...” Sheila gave no definitive answer. She wasn’t going to try and talk her boyfriend out of it, but she still didn’t feel wholly comfortable. Maybe it was weird to think, yet it felt like she hadn’t done anything to earn it? Which objective was being extremely modest, given just how much Sheila considered her tasks to be the status quo. And on another note, a dog sitter would be in line as well. “Good!” Joyce nodded with approval. “You don’t have to come to the business dinner, but try to go out to eat? Do something fun; collect receipts for me. I’ll reimburse you for everything.” “I can’t do that!” Sheila raised her voice a little, quickly composing herself. “A room is more than enough, Ms.Summers. I can’t take advantage of you. It’d be a day off, anyway?” Joyce sighed, but still looked happy to have made progress. “Well, if you can go, that’s great; book yourself a room, don’t be stingy, because at the minimum I’m at least paying for that. From there, just let me know if there’s any other kind of bill.” It was most certainly all a definitive maybe in Sheila’s mind, yet gratitude was of course in need. “Thank you for being so generous, Ms.Summers...” “Thank you for always keeping me afloat,” Joyce smiled. Be it in the office or the home, she always seemed to have someone supporting her now. Sheila excused herself while Joyce continued with her work with a drink to help her move along. It was already a regular thing for her, but especially now she was eager to get back home. All the little things she wrote on the note that was left for Emily made her heart flutter and fueled the excitement she was having just to walk through the door. Would Emily really be waiting to give her a hug? She couldn’t wipe a silly grin off her face just from thinking about it. But before that’d even happen, there was also the time that she’d get to talk to her; in all honesty, that was her favorite. It was like a small recharge that she could use to power herself through the rest of the day. Will she call first? Joyce had her guesses, yet continued to play the innocent schoolgirl as she worked away. As her fingers moved so did the time, passing and passing, broken up by a few more talks with Sheila and hearing from other executives. No official meetings yet, thankfully. But, beyond all that boorish routine, the clock was finally arriving at noon-thirty and it was just about time to talk to Emily. Maybe she was making a big deal out of it, but Joyce still made sure that her phone was in clear sight just in case if the ringing somehow didn’t catch her attention. Once it was past a couple minutes, Joyce set aside her work, paying direct attention to her phone. “Maybe she’s busy…?” Joyce quietly murmured, lifting up her phone. She knew she was being overly punctual. Maybe just a few more minutes. 12:35 12:39 12:44 12:49 Finally, Joyce was somewhat frowning with a concerned expression. While there wasn’t much experience to make a fair judgement on something like this, Emily didn’t seem the type to forget about calling her. Giving up on the waiting game, Joyce dialed for Emily on her phone. Emily finally remembered to blink as she rubbed her eyes a little. She was in the midst of writing another cover letter. Easily this is what ate away at her the most, namely because it forced her to exercise her writing muscle, of which she had so little of. Unbeknownst to her, the time she’d been on the computer grossly passed 30 minutes over 2 hours ago. After a good night’s rest her body felt refreshed to find the rhythm again that put her in such a sorry state all over again. Not only that, but the rhythm apparently involved a faint vibrational buzzing noise now, yet it pulsated with its noise. Emily stopped for a second to see if she was hearing things, which she assumed she was, because eventually it did stop. “...I’ll just finish this letter, apply to the other position, then it should probably be time to call Joyce...” She muttered to herself, tracking the time on a sense of feeling rather than visual observation. A missed call. Joyce didn’t like the sight of that. Now it really fell out of Emily’s habits. She tried calling again, but it rang right up until the voicemail. Was everything okay at home? Did something happen? Or maybe she just fell asleep… With that in mind, it certainly was likely. Yet still, losing out on her chance to hear from Emily put a visible frown on her face, like a promised surprise that wasn’t going to happen. Finally though Joyce had enough of the pointless thinking. She navigated through her phone until she had her snapshot back into the apartment via the security cameras. She didn’t have any plans to snoop on Emily, she just wanted to make sure that she was okay… Though, there wasn’t anyone to be found. At least, not in the kitchen, not the living room, not the guest room, not even their own bedroom? While the nursery had no camera inside of it, a funny coincidence considering it wasn’t initially planned to be one, it was locked, and only Joyce had a key. There was only one place left to check, but obviously she wasn’t going to be in there. After all, she had no business there until… And yet of course, there she was. Joyce’s concern shriveled up as soon as she saw Emily, absorbed yet again on the computer as she typed away. She couldn’t see what Emily was up to, but if Joyce could guess, it was an answer she would not be happy with. She sighed as she put down her phone, feeling what she’d best equate to disappointment. Emily had promised her, and by some way or another she had convinced herself to break it. Was she mad at her? No, of course not, but it meant to Joyce that she was apparently being too soft. “Done...” Emily sighed as she somehow found a moment of reprise in the vicious cycle of job hunting. It was long enough for her to check the time, instantly feeling a worrisome feeling in her chest. It was nearly 2:30. All she could wonder in a panic was where the time had gone. Like a cold splash of water she was sober of her technological addition and rapidly closed everything on screen. “Shit…! I was supposed to call her!” Emily realized far too late as she practically jumped out of the chair. “Phone, phone?!” She shouted for the inanimate companion, feeling even worse as that distant buzzing she thought to be mindless noises was actually an important call. It was laying on the nightstand in their room where she had left it while making the bed. Sure enough, her heart sank even further once she saw the missed calls from Joyce. Just as she was about to call her, she stopped for a moment. What if it was a bad time to call now? She could be in a meeting or something? Emily stared down at the screen with a troubled look. Knowing Joyce, she was probably worried; she would want to hear from Emily in some way at least. If not call, then… TO: JOYCE Emily: I’m sososososososo sorry! I was supposed to call!! She sat on the bed nervously with her knees pulled into her chest. Call it a small growing dependency, but she was kneading her toes into the top of Pip who had been nearby. A few minutes later and a reply came. Joyce: I’m in a meeting right now… can’t really talk. Were you sleeping? Apparently she was right about the meeting part, which made her sigh with relief that she did choose to text her instead. But in her text, there weren't any warm or fuzzy words. She was busy, so it made sense why there wouldn’t be, yet Emily couldn’t help but let her guilty conscious already see it as a targeted message. And that part hurt the most. The thought of disappointing Joyce. It was supposed to be day one. The start of something new; rehabilitation. And yet she’d already gone and blown it. What would Joyce think? Emily was better than this. She should know better. She could do better. She was certain to… So,.with a lesson like this already taught to herself...if Joyce didn’t know, maybe it’d be better to just forget about it just this once…? It was a good scare for Emily and it still left Joyce happy. That being said, she’d have to be extra sure to make it up to Joyce when she got home, even if she doesn’t know the full story… Emily: Sorry...I dozed off after vacuuming… The guilt she felt was immeasurable, yet she knew it was a plausible explanation. She wasn’t lying maliciously; it was a white lie… Joyce did it all the time too, didn’t she? So how was this any different? They both had their secrets, so, this was fine...It was okay… There wasn’t any response, and Emily left it alone with the assumption that Joyce didn’t have time to get back to her. Feeling scared straight now, Emily avoided the office like the plague as she tried to keep herself busy. Just to make herself feel like she was still a good person, she tried to adhere to Joyce’s list by making herself lunch even if it did come late. Even if she was being an adult right now, she knew the exact feeling she was going through right now. Naughtiness. Not the sexy, fun kind. But the remorseful, troublesome one. It was what made her feel so small right then despite it being an honest mistake… Everything was going to be fine, yet she lied to Joyce to keep the peace and seemingly got away with it. She tried to forget about it as the day went on, calming down as the time passed… Joyce didn’t move for a second as she stared at the door leading into the apartment, but braced herself for whatever, given what she saw this morning over the cameras. Upon opening the door there was no one waiting for her at the entrance. She frowned a little, honestly disappointed, even if it was sort of joking that she wanted a hug when she came back. I totally wanted one… She silently pouted in her head. Turning around she closed the door and slipped off her heels. “Welcome...BACK!” A loud voice shouted with a wavering quiver as it came with a burst of energy. Joyce slightly stumbled to the door once a pair of arms assaulted her from behind, wrapping tightly around her waist. “E-Emily?” Joyce chuckled as she tried to turn her head around, yet her eyes widened as she saw what she thought she did. With a beet-red face Emily was pressing herself up against Joyce firmly, eyes sealed shut and keeping her lips pursed. While it was strange to see her like that despite the loud and energetic voice, it started to seem more forced than casual once Joyce noticed her distinct lack of clothes. No shirt, pants, nothing. Not even underwear. “W-welcome home...” Emily hugged tighter still from behind as her feet touched the cold slate of the shoe area. Joyce finally worked her hands off of her so she could swap for a frontal hug, which Emily continued to embrace strongly like her modesty depended on it. “H-hello to you too...” Joyce still kept an awkward expression, clearly not expecting this to be her greeting home. “Emily...why are you naked?” “C-...cuz I felt like it...” She tried to look pouty with a protruded lip and pupils to the side, yet her furrowed brow and tomato-red cheeks seemed to sorely contradict whatever act she was trying to go for. Joyce figured there was more to whatever game she was playing, but she also figured Emily was too embarrassed to put it all out into words at once. “Uh...huh?” Joyce smiled a bit, finding a bit of control again once it became obviously clear that Emily was struggling so dearly to be off-the-cuff. “And what’s the reason for that?” “Be...cuz...cuz I...I put all my panties in the wash,” Emily says with a weak ‘hmmf’, already abandoning her stubborn, cool-guy attitude for a different, logical progression kind of trope. Her foreplay was crumbling on account of being too embarrassed to actually carry it out. “All of them…?” Joyce seriously considered it for a second, then had a change of tune once she remembered her own promise. Was this her way of saying that she was ready for baby time? “Well, in that case, it doesn’t sound like you’ve got any panties to wear, huh?” Joyce said, repeating Emily’s own words, yet with a hammer and stake to solidify the loose logic Emily had laid out so hastily. “Y-yeah…?” Emily started to confirm with diction, yet it fell apart just as fast into a question. Had this been a stage production Joyce would have scolded her for making it sound like she herself was the mastermind, but she let it slide on account of her benevolence. “Yes, that is what it sounds like. And you certainly know that my panties won’t fit you either?” Emily had slowly been burying her face into Joyce, still in absolute personal disbelief she had willed herself to fling at Joyce butt-naked. Hopefully this was giving the effect she wanted… “Mhm...” Joyce tutted, slowly pulling Emily back by the wrists to bring her full naked self into view. Emily was like a stumbling doe, nearly slipping over as she tried to follow Joyce’s movements yet simultaneously keep her knees together to mask her crotch. “Now, now,” Joyce gave a stern look, “it’s nothing I haven’t seen before,” she chided. And with extreme reluctance and a small whimper, Emily did shakily pull her knees apart. It was hard to believe she thought that she could pull a bratty act on Joyce while looking like this. Joyce exaggerated a long sigh. “Well since it’s come to this and you’ve gotten rid of all your big girl undies, I guess that really only leaves us with what really seems to be the more appropriate choice for you, doesn’t it?” Emily quietly nodded with shaky legs. “Uh...uh-huh...” And as Joyce looked at her with a waning shock factor, she remembered that Emily already had broken her promise by using the computer so early today. Keeping that in mind, it may have made a little sense as to why Emily was acting so brazenly right now. Maybe working extra hard for brownie points to cushion the moment Joyce inevitably found out? That is, assuming she hadn’t already... Fine. If Emily wanted to do this on account of guilt, Joyce would let her. “And what would that be?” Joyce asked as she crouched to come eye to eye with the embarrassed, naked girl. “Hm? Tell me,” she smiled, “Since you were a silly girl and lost all your panties in the wash, what does that mean you have to wear now?” “D-diapers...” Emily managed to say, but not without looking away. A few fingers found her chin though as they steered her gaze back at Joyce. “I can’t hear you if you look away, honey,” Joyce put on her best chuckle, the kind of laugh a gentle villainess would use. But in Joyce’s headcanon, this was all perfectly justified. “Go on, what do we need to put you in? Say it clearly.” “D-...diapers...” Emily said once more, only quieter as she did her best to look straight on, her face feeling hotter than it had ever been before. “That’s right!” Joyce beamed. “Diapers! Thick, cushy diapers for my little girl,” she smiled as she raised her hand along Emily’s wrist to turn it into a holding of hands than a dragging of the wrist. Though it was virtually the same as Joyce assumed the lead in walking to the nursery. The door was unlocked in a matter of seconds, and Emily was right on the changing table not much long after. It’s been too too long! Joyce practically screamed in her head. She wanted to squeal with joy that they were finally using this space again, like they’d finally opened back up to their other halves after so long. It was like giving oxygen to just a single lung; it was wrong, unnatural, and unsustainable. “Where did we ever get the idea of letting you get to have panties?” Joyce tutted as her outward, stern persona continued. “Maybe I’m the silly one for entertaining it...” “Y-yeah...” Emily filled the space with whatever sounded most agreeable as her head felt fried from the overstimulation. Regardless, Joyce seemed to be in a good mood, so Emily considered it a success, especially because she looked like she didn’t find out about the computer, nor she had any suspicions… Mission successful? Joyce took a long breath as she smiled down at Emily from above, leaning over to take a diaper out of the basket. She giggled so sweetly as she knew this was going to be a great night; making good on the lovely, special diapered cuddles and adorable moments she’d been starved of for so long. And all the same, she’d get to force a confession out of Emily. Emily’s generally embarrassed look froze a little as she heard Joyce chuckle and say, “Ohh Emily...my sweet, sweet, adorable girl. My naughty, misbehaving little girl...” It was all in good fun, but there wouldn’t be fun without scolding. As Emily laid there, the words felt out of place with how things had been moving. But they weren’t, and she knew that. The invisible chains of fate seemed to bridge her left-field comments to something she did this morning… Something she wasn’t supposed to do. “So,” Joyce continued with still a rosy expression, “Would you like to tell me what you did first? Or should I think of my own punishment instead?” There was the pleasant hum as Joyce cooked. Dinner would be ready soon and it will have been their first day trying this new routine. And so far, all things considered, it has gone pretty well. “J-Joyce…?” A sniffling, whimpering Emily moaned. “Yes, hon?” Joyce turned her head with a smile, facing the back of Emily’s head. “I’m...” her voice trembled and was on the verge of tears. “I’m really sorry…!” She sobbed as she started to turn her head. “I know you are,” Joyce tried not to laugh as she left the stove for a moment. “But keep that nose in the corner for ten more minutes,” she said as she gently steered Emily’s face back to the point where the two walls met. “Sorry...” Emily moped, sounding even more disgusted and disappointed in herself. “It’s alright. Once you finish your punishment, all is forgiven.” Joyce said a bit more compassionately as she straightened the waistband of Emily’s diaper, then walked back to the other end of the kitchen. Funnily enough, once Joyce “confronted” Emily in the nursery, not more than a few seconds passed until Emily was an absolute mess. She couldn’t have spilled the truth any faster if she tried. Joyce mentioning a punishment was sort of a joke, but...obviously what Emily had done meant a lot to herself. Joyce was a little disappointed about what happened at first, though it felt unnecessary once she could see how much Emily was beating herself up over it already. Then comes the more unusual part of the aftermath; the timeout. Emily was like a puppy that needed something to chew on. Or as another metaphor, she needed to “atone for her sins”, which wasn’t a lot, but maybe she’d feel better after? In other words, Emily essentially asked for a timeout… And as a passing thought which did make Joyce smile to herself was the likeness to an actual toddler. Then again, with the way Emily seemed to reflect so heavily, maybe even she’d give an actual kid a run for their money. From Emily’s perspective, it was thirty minutes in a scorching hell. String her up, torture her by any means, pull out her teeth, pull out her tongue; anything! She couldn’t believe what she had done. She had promised Joyce, she told herself that she was going to commit to this. And yet, she failed on day one? Not only that, which was offensive on its own, but also her attempts to lie about it and hide the truth from Joyce. She was absolute scum. She deserved this. Only the lowest of the low deserved a punishment like this… And again, back to Joyce’s perspective, all she could see was her girlfriend slouched over in the corner, looking like she had a teary scowl on her face. Under the guise of boiling water, Joyce sighed with a smile as she muttered, “My little crybaby...” “Okay, Emily?” Joyce spoke up approximately ten minutes later. “It’s been thirty minutes, you can come out from the corner now.” “Mhm...” Emily somberly nodded, slow in her motions to leave her grim prison. “Don’t just ‘mhm’ me,” Joyce finally laughed as she hoisted Emily up onto her feet. “The punishment is over, so don’t act like it’s still going on?” “It should be though!” Emily said. “I...what I did was bad, Joyce. I lied to you and I did what I was told not to do...” “Yes, you did,” Joyce acknowledged, “but that’s why you’ll prove that you learned your lesson tomorrow? It’ll be the same situation, so just remember today when you start tomorrow.” While the words meant well, Emily didn’t look very much inspired. Rather, the words were simply overpowered by Emily’s immense, and unnecessary guilt. Finally Joyce was losing her patience with a roll of her eyes. “Do I need to pull down your diaper next and spank you to high heaven? Is that what you want?” The bold suggestion caught Emily off guard. “N-no...” “I don’t exactly want to do that either,” Joyce agreed, “so can we please forget about this now? I was a little upset at first Emily, but I’ve moved on, don’t you think you should too? You’re making me feel like I kicked a puppy.” She snickered, then gave her a toothy smile.” “O...okay.” Emily nodded, finally feeling ready to put this to bed. Yet let it be known that she planned to carry this serious offense with her moving forward. A warrior steeled by their scars of the past. “Good.” Joyce nodded with approval, lurching Emily forward with a firm slap on her padded rear. “Now sit that bottom down at the table. We’re eating and I want to hear all about the stuff you did today, then I’m going to tell you about mine,” She sounded almost like a drill sergeant despite the pleasant suggestion. “Understood?” “Yes...” A smile finally started to come back to Emily’s face. “That’s what I like to hear. Let me get some plates out.” She said as she reached for the higher cabinets. For Emily’s sake, I probably should give her less opportunities for failure… In retrospect, she probably should have seen this coming, but Emily was quite the self-destructive ball of emotions, come to find out. Maybe Sheila might know something about computer software...

Mission failed. Who knows? Maybe James was planning to reveal Dawn sooner rather than later, but he was looking for the right window to do it. And whoa, whoa, so many assumptions about Dawn being babied! All I'm saying is, just because she's a Little in an Amazon's house, diapered, that's an awfully large leap in logic we're making here to think that constitutes being babied. I mean, Amazons are level-headed people, right? However, I'd have to think that no matter what, Waver snuggles is a solid guess... There's a comment down below that beat me to the punch, but Alex Bridges had an interesting take on the whole dog situation. Not sure if they were the first to do it, but that's the one I remember as the most recent. Though, that was domesticated bears as dogs. Call me simple, but I'm just opting for bigger dogs. That being said, I could definitely see bears from Earth being introduced into this universe as exotic pets? Laughed a little seeing the mention of lapdogs. Yes, definitely, surely that transcends dimensions! Home's where the heart is! Dawn's trials and tribulations may be in that same sphere, but it'll be a bit more clear as the story goes on... Thank you for the comment! I know, I know, I'm really setting records here with my release speed... Glad you enjoyed the chapter! At first I wasn't planning for them to have a pet, but the more I thought on it I figured that it could make for some fun moments down the road. Waver's definitely going to be a fun friend to have. As for interacting with Littles, dogs I figure are a bit harder to teach a complex kind of prejudice that belittles Littles. Either that or its absorbed in a much more simple way? Littles are small, therefore a dog would relate it to any other experience they've had with someone small... Not 100%. Not claiming to know much about dogs. An explanation from James... Well, given the current situation, it doesn't seem like Katherine is going to have much opposition! James, James...the wild card indeed. Set Dawn free or make Katherine as happy as can be? (I'm sorry, it popped in my head, had to put it down). The Devil is in the details, though. It might be the circumstances surrounding them that make it harder to realize Dawn's wish. Definitely a situation that has some serious duality. James seems to have to ends that are being tugged on. Katherine has already said that she's operating on consent, but that's not going to change just how she perceives Dawn, and unfortunately more time spent with her might start to bend her values? Thank you for the comment! ^^ This! It was definitely an interesting idea I hadn't considered. It's a fun way to force a Little to be afraid of particular animals. Truth be told, I needed about a minute to figure out the dog's name. I knew there was going to be one, but I didn't decide on a name yet. I just thought of that one like a dog's tail that wags is sort of like someone waving their hand to greet someone? Thank you! I can't wait to see what I come up with next, too! I'll figure that out once I start writing the next one, haha. thanks for commenting!