PamperedPrince

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 She laughed when she noticed how outdated the cellphone was.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

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

Was Grace upstairs when Maddie's parents were talking to Hannah's parents? I believe that there was some discussion about Maddy staying in the same cabin as Hannah. If Grace heard this, she might put two and two together and suspect that Maddie still wears Pull Ups. Nice to finally see a chapter. Very good so far. Keep it up!

Everyone, it has been a very busy season for me. But i'm ready to continue on this story and you'll be able to see the rest of what happens to Charlotte. Stay tuned. I will be working on the next chapter and I'll let you know when I have it finished. 😀

Chapter 64 Charlotte squinted as her eyes were met with the golden glow of the sunlight that peered through the window of her bedroom. This was the sun’s greeting, and Charlotte’s response was a simple groggy yawn as she rubbed her eyes and squinted again. A sense of happiness and excitement filled Charlotte as she sat up and hugged Bobo, who was carefully nestled underneath her covers. A sense of innocence and curiosity filled Charlotte as she browsed the room to realize that the room wasn’t her own. Another thing that confused Charlotte were some rather peculiar thoughts that began to invade her mind like a defenseless nation. Thoughts that strongly suggested that she was a lot older than what her current age was. Charlotte immediately abandoned these thoughts to her childlike sense of giddiness and wonder. That, and her attention span was not long enough to linger on these strange and foreign thoughts of Charlotte’s supposedly forgotten adulthood. It just didn’t make sense, as her attention was focused on all the stuffed animals that were underneath the covers. And like a mental bee sting, the thoughts immediately jolted back into Charlotte’s mind, forcing Charlotte to give heed to them with her limited three-year-old understanding. It sounded like an adult was yelling at her and she just didn’t like it. All she wanted was for the loud voice to leave her alone. But unbeknownst to Charlotte, the loud voice was her very own. Charlotte gasped, as her mind immediately sobered to the reality that was upon her. ‘How did I almost forget that I used to be an adult? Wow, that was scary. I almost lost myself entirely…’ Charlotte’s fear dissolved into her eyes as hot tears began to run down her cheeks. ‘I was so close to losing everything that I am! I would’ve been stuck with the mind of a helpless three-year-old!’ Charlotte’s attention shifted over to another problem. She felt a wetness around her crotch, but it was cold, like it had happened hours ago. Her nighttime diaper had leaked. The door creaked open with a loud screech, followed by the light flicking on, which made Charlotte squint again. “Charlotte! It’s time to get you up for the Dashing Ducklings Turkey Race!” Before Charlotte could even think anymore about her inner conflict brewing inside her, she was scooped up by her mother, who felt the fresh tears on her cheeks. Darcy felt the large wet spot around the crotch of Charlotte’s pajamas and gave her a look of concern. “Oh sweetie! You leaked! Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! Shhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! It’s okay, dear. We’ll get you cleaned up and changed into a fresh diaper. We need to get you cleaned up for the race anyway.” Darcy informed the maid on that floor about the wet bedding before she carried Charlotte to the bathroom, where she gave her a quick shower. Charlotte watched as her mother rubbed a generous glob of shampoo into her hair before rinsing it out and repeating it one more time. After that, she was scrubbed from top to bottom with a soapy loofah. Charlotte was in a way grateful that she still had some semblance of adulthood still inside her mind. But at the same time, she felt humiliated that she couldn’t do this herself. While this had been the norm for a while, it started to bother her for some reason. It bothered her until… It didn’t bother Charlotte anymore. It almost scared Charlotte just how easily she found herself letting go of the shame, embarrassment and humiliation of her mother bathing her, diapering her, and clothing her. The autopilot was becoming more and more pervasive as she spent more time in her toddler body. While Charlotte was being changed into a new diaper, she found herself staggering in and out of her three-year-old headspace. Charlotte compared it to running in and out of a room, with an adult chasing her. But this was taking place in her mind and it added to the frustration and confusion with what identity she should hold onto and what one she should ignore. Her childish headspace, which had already been more recently winning more often, got the best of Charlotte and her eyes began to curiously dart around the clothes that her mother was putting on her. It appeared to be some kind of running clothes. A plain white t-shirt with a pair of pink elastic jogging pants that sat a little below the waist, causing her diaper to peek out around her entire waistline. Darcy wasn’t bothered at Charlotte’s slightly exposed diaper. After all, everyone at the Dashing Ducklings knew that Charlotte wore them anyway. ‘And her friend still wears them too! I think it looks cute.’ Charlotte was now near the entrance of the Ashcroft Estate, where she was sitting on a bench while her mother slipped two shoes on her feet. The running shoes. Charlotte enjoyed the comfort that the shoes provided her with and especially loved the warm feeling that ran from her feet all the way up to her chest and into her heart. If Charlotte was using her adult mind, she would’ve described the feeling like the effect of a drug. But to Charlotte’s innocent toddler mind, it just felt good. Darcy got Charlotte to her feet, her eyes immediately trained on the door ahead of them. “We need to go, Charlotte. Heather has already left with your Aunt Darlene. We still have time. Let’s go, Charliecakes.” Once in her car seat, Charlotte wandered back into her adult self again but was then interrupted by a tap on her shoulder. It was Lauren. Her friend. No. Her sister. Her older sister. Soon to be. Lauren’s face glowed with a bright and radiant smile that she was saving just for Charlotte. Her hands brushed over the smooth and silky follicles of Charlotte’s black hair. “Hi Charlotte! I couldn’t miss you running your big race of yours! My baby sister is going to run her first big race!” “Not baby sister yet!” Darcy teased as she shifted the gear into drive, setting the 4Runner on course for its destination on the road that led out of the Ashcroft Estate. Lauren made a playful swipe towards her soon to be mother. “The wedding is a done deal so we’re basically family now!” Her eyes shifted over to her father, who was sitting in the passenger seat. “Isn’t that right, daddy?” Michael nodded and smiled at Lauren. “I guess it’s okay to call Charlotte your baby sister if it’s okay with Darcy.” Michael teased. He then gazed over at Darcy and simply let himself get lost in her beauty. The drive over to the running trail didn’t take very long, and Darcy parked the 4Runner in the driveway of her house. Like yesterday, the Dashing Ducklings Turkey Race was held at the same running trail. And as Charlotte walked out towards the starting line with her mother, she could see the small group of people lining the outside of the trail, with various cars parked along the streets nearby. When Charlotte glanced out at the trail, she could see large plush turkeys lining what she guessed were different markers for the race. Darcy, Charlotte, Michael, and Lauren all found Darlene and her family sitting on chairs on a grassy area near the boundary of the running trail. Darlene was holding Allison and Heather was sitting in Daniel’s lap. When Heather saw Charlotte, she sprang up and ran towards her. “Hi Charlotte!” Heather greeted. “Are you ready to beat me today? I know that you and Diana are the fastest!” Charlotte smiled at the moment that Heather mentioned Diana. ‘That’s right! Diana will be running in the race too!’ Just then, Charlotte was almost knocked down by someone a little shorter than her. “Shaw-wit! Ah yoo weh-dee tah wace wif me?” It was Diana, who had her hair tied into a neat thickly braided ponytail. Diana eagerly cupped her two hands over Charlotte’s shoulders and pointed in a different direction, as if she wanted to talk to her someplace else. She made a sweeping glance at the footwear that she had on that was similar to Charlotte’s and then whispered into Charlotte’s ear. “Wat meh-rah-fawn do ya fink wee will bee wunning dis tiem?” Charlotte once again felt chills running down her spine when Diana mentioned running a marathon. It was very clear to Charlotte that Diana knew how these shoes worked, as Diana could also remember running the last marathon with her. They were both in Paris, both locked in a friendly competition for first place. Charlotte shrugged her shoulders and sighed. “Aye dah noh Dye-on-nah. Wee fye awt!” Diana smiled. “Wee boff fye awt! Wait wif mee nee-ah staw-ting line!” Charlotte nodded and kept pace with Diana, who was tugging her towards the starting line, where a few other kids were standing. A few girls and boys had their parents standing next to them for support. Three mothers and one father. Charlotte became lost in her thoughts again while Diana just ran in a small circle nearby her. Charlotte didn’t know what to make now of nearly losing her original identity. A sudden whisper in her mind got Charlotte’s attention immediately. Let the obstacles catch up with you. Charlotte could tell that the voice was from her mother. And when Charlotte thought of her obstacles this time, she just didn’t feel bothered by them anymore. ‘Let the obstacles catch up with me.’ Charlotte repeated in her mind. And for some reason, Charlotte just didn’t feel all that bothered from that advice this time. It felt so…good. And it just felt right. Like it was the choice that she should’ve made the whole time. And as Charlotte thought of her decision to just let everything go, a sense of peace came over her. ‘All this regression from adulthood to childhood. Maybe it was supposed to happen. Everything. I get another chance. I get to start over and be a kid again!’ This would’ve been a perfect train of thought for Charlotte, only she realized that there was one problem. The regression was not stopping. Sooner or later, Charlotte just knew that she was going to regress again. ‘And to what? An infant? A newborn? Will I just cease to exist?’ “Dashing Ducklings, are you ready?” The announcement was enough to snap Charlotte out of her reverie. Miss Davis, noticing that Charlotte wasn’t paying attention to her, repeated her question to get the attention of the entire class. “I SAID, Dashing Ducklings, are you ready?” All of the kids shouted in one big collective “YEAH!!!!” Miss Davis glanced around at the small group of adults that were watching from nearby. “Parents, volunteers, and especially our Dashing Ducklings, I would like to welcome you all to our 20th annual Dashing Ducklings Turkey Race. It has always been the tradition to hold the race a day after the Turkey Trot to give our little runners plenty of space to use the whole track and take their time in completing the race. I am already aware that we have a couple of runners that are not going to give this race a single minute. Why, they will probably both finish the race in under ten minutes!” Miss Davis glanced at Charlotte and Diana, who both gave her giddy smiles. “Now for the rules of the race,” Miss Davis continued. “With this being a program for 3- to 5-year-olds, there is no expectation for them to run even close to five kilometers. Instead, they only have to run a half mile. To help our Dashing Ducklings, there will be turkeys serving as markers throughout the race. So, my Ducklings, what are you going to look for to help you finish the race?” “A TURKEY!” The small group of young runners shouted. “Very good!” Miss Davis said with a smile. “Now pay attention to this next part! You will keep running past turkeys until you see a bigger one with a sign that says TURN AROUND! It will be sitting on the middle of the track instead of on the right. Now, my Dashing Ducklings, what do we do when we see the big turkey?” “TURN AROUND!” the kids all shouted. “Very good!” Miss Davis said, praising them. “Now, after you turn around, you will see more turkeys coming back. You will also see a gigantic turkey just before you reach the finish line, so keep running towards that giant turkey and you’ll be done with the race! Now, my Dashing Ducklings, what do we do when we see the giant turkey?” “KEEP RUNNING TOWARDS HIM!” The kids all shouted, with the younger kids repeating the same instructions after the older ones. “Very good,” Miss Davis said with a smile. “Now, if my Dashing Ducklings lose their way and don’t know where to run, we have a few helpers that will guide them back to the marked path. So worry not, my Dashing Ducklings. You have help if you get lost. Now, who’s ready for a fun Turkey Race?” “ME!” All the kids shouted. Miss Davis laughed at this cute and touching sight. “Well, I think that you’re all ready then. Dashing Ducklings, gather around the starting line where Miss Monica is standing.” She watched as all the kids lined up in a straight line behind the starting line with Monica’s help. “One more thing,” Miss Davis told the kids. “I am going to count to three. After three, I am going to shout ‘Dashing Ducklings Dash!’. That’s when I want you all to run as fast as your legs can take you! Are you all ready? Okay. One……..Two…….Three…….Dashing Ducklings DASH!!!!!” At the very moment that the word DASH left Miss Davis’s mouth, Charlotte and Diana immediately broke into a full sprint, while the remaining runners began running a little later. Charlotte could very quickly tell that the running trail was beginning to vanish around her. Diana, who was right next to her, had a very excited look on her face. “Shaw-wit!” Diana shouted. “Ih haw-pin ah-ghin! Wee wun ah-nah-thah meh-rah-fawn!” Charlotte could no longer see the running trail as she sprinted along a marked road surrounded by skyscrapers. While Charlotte could make out a tall and skinny tower, one thing was very clear. Amidst the crowd of exciting onlookers, a lot of the shouts were in Japanese. Then it all came back to Charlotte. The tower that she just passed was Tokyo Tower, and she was about to enter Hibiya Park. And like all the other races, Charlotte could see the evidence of her adulthood. Her taller stature. Her rounded curves that were her breasts. Her pink compression tights that were smoothly hugging her skinny thighs. “Hey mi amiga!” Charlotte noticed Diana, who was running right beside her through Hibiya Park, towards Tokyo Station that marked the finish line. Diana wiped a bead of sweat off her forehead and smiled as she glanced at her legs, which were pumping rapidly at a pace that no other marathon runner could even match, except for Charlotte. She stole a quick glance at her shoes and looked beside Charlotte. “Can you believe it, Charlotte? We’re in Tokyo again! Just a moment ago, we were both three. And now look at us! We’re both gorgeous adults. When do you think it happens, Charlotte? I think it happens when we reach a certain speed with the shoes…” Charlotte now realized that she had an opportunity to ask Diana an important question. How was it that Diana had a very similar pair of shoes? Besides the color on Diana’s shoes being purple instead of pink, the shoes looked exactly the same. Charlotte pointed at Diana’s shoes as Tokyo Station began to appear in the distance. Charlotte began her attempt to ask Diana, which turned out to be feeble. “Diana? Your shoes….” This was all that Charlotte could manage. Diana nodded. “Yes Charlotte! My shoes look similar to yours. Why do you think we’re both running this marathon right now? Also. I just wanted to let you know. The loser has to buy all the sushi and saké!” Charlotte was frustrated at her failed attempt to ask Diana so she tried again. “No Diana! Your shoes…” But Charlotte was quickly cut off again by Diana. “Yes Charlotte,” Diana interrupted, trying to sound patient this time. “I already explained to you. Now you’re being tonta, mi amiga!” For a moment, Charlotte felt like everything froze when in reality both her and Diana were still running. Both of them were side by side as they closed in on the finish line. Charlotte began to notice her compression tights moisten around her crotch, as the pee began to spread and drip down her legs. Charlotte began to swallow the very question that she wanted to ask Diana as they both crossed the finish line. “Hikiwake!” Charlotte frowned. “What does that even mean?” Diana smiled. “I think it means it’s a tie! For some reason, I can remember studying Japanese words on the flight here.” As Diana began to catch her breath, her purple compression tights began to darken as a large wet spot began to spread around her crotch, before the wet spot began to run down both her legs. At this, Diana shrugged her shoulders. “Whoops!” Just then, a very thin young Japanese man that was slightly taller than Charlotte and Diana pulled them both aside. “Congratulations!” Charlotte was surprised at how fluent that exclamation sounded. There was only a slight hint of accent in his voice. The man maintained his big infectious smile. “You both won the race so can I please have a picture with you two? I’m Tatsuya Sato!” Another man holding a microphone spoke to Tatsuya in Japanese. From the exchange, Tatsuya politely nodded and stepped aside. The man holding the microphone looked middle age and spoke with a much heavier accent than Tatsuya. “You both win Tokyo Marathon! It was a tie! I interview Charlotte Warren first! Charlotte? Charlotte? Charlotte? Charlotte? Charlotte?” And in an instant, Charlotte could see the finish line and Tokyo Station vanish before her very eyes. In its place was all the scenery that resembled the running trail in Langford, Sonoma County, California. Charlotte was about to collide with the giant turkey, as she had already crossed the finish line, next to Diana, who was standing next to her. “Charlotte?” Miss Davis said, in another attempt to rouse Charlotte from whatever daydream she was having. “There you are! Both you and Diana are finished. And wow. I’m impressed with you two girls. You both ran a half mile in 3:51.49! You both can sit down and watch the rest of them finish.” Charlotte shared a spot with Diana, noticing the soggy squish of her diaper as she sat down. Diana cupped her hands around her running shoes and gave Charlotte a giddy smile. “Wee wun mah-rah-fawn in Toh-key-oh.” Charlotte nodded and once again tried to ask Diana about the shoes. When did she first start wearing them? Charlotte began to speak again, but felt tongue tied when she felt it. Rumble. Rumble rumble rumble rumble. Charlotte’s abdomen churned as she suddenly began to feel an uncomfortable sensation. Rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble. Finally, Charlotte couldn’t take it anymore, so she pushed as hard as she could. After the first push, a large goopy and soft mush of poop gushed out and spread around the inside of her diaper around her butt. But Charlotte wasn’t done. With each additional push, mushy poop continued to spread around her diaper, piling up towards her lower back towards her waistline. And then, the last two pushes are what did it. A noticeable stain began to form on her jogging pants around her inner thighs near her crotch. It took Charlotte a moment to look down and realize what had just happened. When she saw the mushy stain, and feeling it smear all around the inside of her legs, her eyes became flush with tears. The hot tears ran down her already red cheeks. “MOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!” It didn’t take more than a few seconds for Darcy to have sprinted over to where her crying daughter was. She glanced down and gasped. “Oh Charlotte baby! That looks like a horrible mess. Let’s go home and get it all cleaned up, okay?” Darcy did everything that she could to console Charlotte. From her initial glance, she already knew what she was going to be dealing with. From the stain alone, it looked like a blowout. And not just any blowout. It was a total blowout. Whatever happened, Darcy knew that Charlotte’s diaper couldn’t hold that massive of an accident. Charlotte was carried the whole way home and was immediately placed in the shower, where her mother proceeded to strip all her running clothes off her, leaving her in a heavily soiled diaper, with mushy poop escaping from both sides around her legs. At this point, Charlotte had cried so much that she was beginning to hiccup. Charlotte watched as her mother peeled off both tabs, revealing the extent of the accident. Charlotte was covered in smeared poop from below her waist to around her upper thighs. Darcy rolled up the soiled diaper and tossed it in a plastic bag since it was too messy to throw away conventionally. She then quickly turned on the shower, spraying every trace of the brown stains she found on Charlotte down the drain. After Charlotte was sprayed clean, Darcy used shampoo and soap to finish cleaning her. Now clean from the yucky accident, Charlotte was wrapped in a towel and taken to her bedroom. Darcy quickly changed Charlotte into a new diaper, using a little more baby powder than usual due to her recent accident. After that, Darcy zipped Charlotte into her pink footed sleeper and carried her into her master bedroom, where she sat and rocked Charlotte. Charlotte didn’t know why Darcy was rocking her, but she knew that she felt better as a result. ‘Maybe my mommy does this when I’m not happy? ‘Cause I wasn’t happy earlier…’ As Charlotte began to calm down, those strange thoughts returned to her mind again. Thoughts that Charlotte with her toddler mind would not be able to understand. Again, it sounded like a woman younger than her mother yelling at her. This made her cry again, further confusing Darcy. “What’s wrong, sweetie?” Darcy said with a sigh. “You’re all cleaned up and in your jammies and a fresh diaper. What more could you need? I know! I’ll feed you your sippy cup. Moments later, Charlotte was sitting in her mother’s lap again drinking microwaved milk from a sippy cup, which her mother fed to her. Darcy held the cup while Charlotte sucked down every last drop of milk. Charlotte didn’t know what the mean woman in her mind wanted, but she decided that she didn’t like her. As Charlotte drank her milk, she could hear the soothing sound of her mother singing to her. The song made her smile and her eyelids very heavy. ‘Mommy is singing a very happy song! I’m happy…’ Charlotte was confused as to what had happened earlier that day. ‘Did I run a race? Did I win?’ Charlotte was unsure but she felt like the race was like a dream to her. Her eyelids flickered as she began to fade in and out of sleep. Charlotte could hear the sound of her mother. It was like she was talking to someone on the phone. The words blurred in and out as she slept through some of the conversation. “……..Darlene.........Charlotte……..cleaned…………sitting…....lap……….…” “…………….sorry…………………….early……..Diana……..wanted………talking….her………..have it……………trophy…………….pick…….later….” Darcy smiled as she saw that Charlotte was now sleeping, comfortably cradled in her arms. “Darlene? Yes. I’m still here. Charlotte is sleeping now. She was crying so much earlier because of the blow out. Poor girl…So you have Charlotte’s trophy? Yes. You told me. I get it. That Diana girl really wanted to talk to Charlotte. You know, it was very cute to see both of them running together. I will have to talk with Miss Martinez and see if we can arrange a playdate. It would be so fun to have Diana over! Well, I’m going to let Charlotte sleep just a little bit longer. Otherwise, she won’t be able to sleep through the night! Really, it’s very cute. I’ll take a quick picture and send it to you. My lil Charliecakes is fast asleep. She just ran her first big race and it took so much out of her…” Darcy took the picture and then sent it, smiling at the adorable sight of her sleeping daughter. --- Charlotte woke up in a lavish and luxurious looking bed. She glanced at her figure and sighed. “Again? Come on. Me? An adult? I know that I’m dreaming.” Charlotte lunged out of bed and walked over to her mirror with a scowl. “You know what? Just end the dream already. Put me back in diapers and give me back the warm embrace of my mommy…” “You got it.” Just then, Charlotte saw a familiar woman sitting on her bed which sat in her gigantic master bedroom of her Beverly Hills mansion. “Lex, you’re absolutely right.” Lexi stood up and smiled. “Aren’t I, Charlotte? Hey Maya! Come here! Get this. Charlotte is finally agreeing with me!” Maya appeared out of nowhere and was sitting on the large king-size poster bed. She gave Lexi an incredulous look and smirked when she saw Charlotte. “You agree with her, huh? Well, say it again. Say to me what you just said to Lexi. Come on, Char.” Charlotte sighed, growing with impatience when she realized that she was still dreaming. “Well, this is a dream,” Charlotte declared. “So I’ll say it again gladly. I want the dream to end already. Just end it. Put me back in diapers and give me back the warm embrace of my mommy. Need me to say it one more time?” Maya shook her head. “No. But I am very proud of you, Charlotte. Neither of us would ever think that you would get it.” Lexi nodded. “Yes Char. Sit down on the bed. Let’s have a friendly chat. You’re among friends.” Charlotte cast a skeptical nod at both of her friends. “I’ll do that but just know that I am well aware of this being a dream. Besides, I’m not an adult anymore.” Maya nodded along with Lexi. “We know, Charlotte. But can you be a good little girl and tell us how old you are? Here. Sit between us.” Charlotte sat between her friends and nodded. “Yeah, I can tell you. I am only three, okay? This may sound weird, but deep down, I know that this is the age that I’m supposed to be. Who I am right now is a lie.” Lexi nodded. “Bingo. You said it. Now Char. Let’s talk fashion. Isn’t modeling fun?” Charlotte was taken aback at the question. Was modeling really all that fun? From Charlotte’s most recent experience with it at four, she wasn’t really sure if she really liked modeling anymore. “Are you crazy, Lex? Modeling is stupid! Do you know what I would rather do, Lex? I would rather run. Run for miles and miles.” “There’s my little girl.” Lexi said with a teasing smirk. Charlotte ignored Lexi’s sarcasm and glanced around, as if she was trying to find an exit to her dream. “Hey Lex. Is there any way that I can get out of this dream? Who knows where I am right now? I could be in my mother’s lap, or I could be sleeping in my crib.” Lexi and Maya both shook their heads. “Nope.” Lexi told Charlotte. “We’re not done. I just wanted to say that I’m proud of you, Char. And trust me when I’m saying this. You are making the right choice.” Charlotte nodded with impatience. “Uh huh. Yeah. I know. I’m just tired. Tired of running away from what I should’ve never ran from in the first place. It’s inevitable, okay?” Lexi and Maya exchanged glances and nodded. “Hey Char?” Lexi said. “Both Maya and I are going to change into a different outfit. “No peeking!” “And what if I wanna peek?” Charlotte said, her voice brimming with sarcasm. “It’s MY dream! But to be fair, I won’t peek.” Charlotte closed her eyes for a few seconds. “You can open them!” Charlotte opened her eyes to realize that she was younger. “Am I seventeen? I’m not. This is still a dream!” “Of course it is, Char.” Charlotte realized that the voice was not coming from Maya this time, but from Monica. “Monica?” she glanced over to see that Lauren was sitting next to her instead of Lexi. Both Lauren and Monica gave Charlotte a group hug. “You did it, Charlotte!” Lauren exclaimed. “I didn’t think you would do it, but you’re such a big girl!” Charlotte scowled. “Um Lauren? No I’m not. I’m three, remember?” Lauren nodded. “We know, Charlotte. And that’s why we are so happy. No more trying to get back to your normal age! No more mystery notebooks, right?” Charlotte nodded, secretly hoping that the dream would suddenly end. “Yeah! I know that three is my real age! My adulthood doesn’t exist anymore so I’m three!” Lauren nodded and glanced around. “How about another friend?” And in the next blink, Lauren transformed into Jess and Monica transformed into Kelly. Charlotte gasped. “Ha ha. I’m thirteen again. But I’m not really thirteen. I’m three. Can I just wake up now?” Jess hugged Charlotte. “Not yet. I’m just very proud of you. Who knew that such a cute little girl could make it so far?” Kelly nodded and giggled. “Yeah. Who KNEW!” And with that, Kelly tackled Jess to the ground Jess sighed. “Kelly! Enough with the silliness! We can save it for later! Now, we need to celebrate a birthday…” Charlotte watched Jess morph into Gabrielle. At this point, having also noticed herself get younger, she nodded. “Yeah yeah. I’m seven again. Can we just get to waking up?” Gabrielle gushed with excitement. “You got it! I’m so happy and proud! How about another friend that can make you happy?” In a mere flash, Gabrielle transformed into…Charlotte’s best friend. Diana. Diana Martinez. “Isn’t this great?” Diana beamed. “You’re having this fun dream and you’re accepting yourself as you really are!” As much as Charlotte wanted to be impatient, she knew that she couldn’t for Diana. She noticed herself a little older than she was before she fell asleep. “It looks like I’m four! Now, let me guess. Are you all just figments of my imagination? Because let’s face it. You couldn’t tell me about that race.” Diana shook her head. “Why don’t you ask me at Daycare next time?” Charlotte nodded. “Yup. The real Diana wouldn’t say that!” Diana nodded. “But real or not, we have all served our purpose to help you. Now who wants their mama?” Charlotte began to cry. The adult that she was at the beginning of her dream just wasn’t there anymore. She just wanted her mommy. “MOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMY!!!!” Diana transformed into Darcy and she began to rock Charlotte on the large four poster bed in Charlotte’s dream mansion in dream Beverly Hills. “Charlie Darlie, it will be okay. Mommy’s here. It will be okay Charlotte, okay? It will be okay….” Charlotte woke up to find her mother wiping the tears out of her eyes. ‘Finally! The dream is over!’ For much of the day, Darcy spent the first bit of time unpacking from the Thanksgiving stay at the Ashcroft Estate while she had Charlotte sit and play in her play pen. Both lunch and dinner consisted of Thanksgiving leftovers, of which there were plenty for Charlotte and Darcy. Lauren was busy with Monica that weekend. Michael was also busy that day, but he had time to spend with Darcy on Saturday and Sunday for the rest of the weekend. Charlotte still felt tired as her mother changed her into her nighttime diaper and zipped her into a yellow footed sleeper. She was then lifted into her crib with the drop side railing lifted up before Darcy secured it with a pin. She then turned the padlock and locked it around the ring to ensure that Charlotte could not free the pin and escape her crib. Charlotte looked around the four walls that made up her crib. While Charlotte was supposed to feel imprisonment….while she was supposed to feel trapped….while Charlotte was supposed to feel locked in despair….. Charlotte felt free. Charlotte felt liberated and happy. She felt secure and safety in her crib. Especially with that pad lock around the pin! ‘Yup. I am truly protected.’ A sudden peace began to fill Charlotte, and a sudden warmth as she began to fill her diaper. The core of the thirsty diaper lapped up the pee with ease and gelled up, becoming squishy. The obstacles have caught up with Charlotte. And Charlotte felt true peace and happiness. She hugged Bobo tight and she fell asleep.

I really love this story so far! Being a twin myself, I can definitely relate to the things that Lillian and Eleanor have to deal with as twins. As for the hourglass, I wonder if it will affect Lillian only or if it will affect Eleanor as well? Maybe it will affect them both if Eleanor uses it? I can also see that Lillian has had a few close calls in making it to the bathroom. I can only guess that her bladder was normal prior to buying the hourglass. I wonder what change we'll begin to see in Lillian? Will she drop from a junior to the sophomore? With a Montessori school, the drop is not going to make much of a difference. Anyway, I am really enjoying this story so far and I can't wait until the next chapter!

You are correct in saying that Sonya did not create the shoes. But Diana's shoes are a slightly different color than the shoes that Sonya got for Darcy at the beginning. I mentioned how they were "similar" so these shoes were different. Again, this will all be explained soon so stay tuned. 😀

Yes. It looks like Charlotte is running out of time. As for how all this plays out, you will just have to wait and see. 😀 Both Charlotte and Diana are wearing different pairs of shoes. I like to think that both shoes have the same effect on them. And what makes you think that Sonya created both pairs of shoes? She could've very well have only made one of the two pairs. A little more on Diana in the chapters to come... 😀

Chapter 63 Charlotte removed her running shoes in a large shoe closet adjacent to the entrance hall of the Ashcroft Estate. Darcy, who was watching Charlotte, also removed her shoes, arranging hers neatly next to Charlotte’s so that they could find them later when they would get up early for the Turkey Trot tomorrow. Charlotte found herself anxiously clinging to Darcy’s hand, as they proceeded through the entrance hall, which opened into the foyer, which featured the grand staircase. Nearby, Charlotte could hear the sound of playful laughter, followed by two little girls which each had orange pacifiers hanging out of their mouths. Darcy glanced at the two girls, which both bore striking similarities to each other. It didn’t take her long to realize who they were. ‘It’s the twins,’ Darcy thought, her face conveying a look of disgust. ‘Michael told me about them already. They’re Neil and Daisy’s youngest daughters and they, like all the other kids, were homeschooled.’ Darcy noticed that both twins were in matching orange floral dresses, with snap crotch openings covering both girls around the pelvis and groin. Charlotte ran up to one of the twin girls that was now sitting on the floor and giggling, her orange pacifier dangling just barely out of her mouth. “Hi!” Charlotte shouted, trying to get the girl’s attention. “Ah Shaw-wit! Wha yul name?” The girl removed her pacifier and smiled, recovering from her fit of giggles. She glanced at her twin, as if she were making a signal for her to come over. The twin followed suit and sat next to her, pacifier still in her mouth. But when she saw her sister with her pacifier out, she followed suit and took hers out as well. “My name is Raina!” The girl said with much happiness and enthusiasm. “My name is Rosa!” The twin girl said almost immediately after her twin said it. Charlotte noticed that the twins were just a little taller than her sitting down. “Hah uld ow yoo?” Charlotte held out three fingers. “Ah fu-wee!” Both girls held out their four fingers with their right hands at exactly the same time. “Four-and-a-half,” they said, finishing their sentences at almost exactly the same time. Darcy was appalled. She had heard that the twins were in a preschool curriculum with their homeschooling through Michael, but why were they still sucking on pacifiers at four? And why were they both wearing snap crotch dresses intended for babies? Just then, Raina smiled as a loud and longly sustained fart began to sound, which made Rosa laugh. “You pooped!” Rosa shouted. “No I didn’t!” Raina said in protest. “Then what was that farting noise?” Rosa said with a frown. “I’m gonna tell mommy!” Raina playfully tackled Rosa to the floor. “Don’t tell mommy!” Rosa shook her head. “Well, you told mommy on me last time I pooped! I’m telling mommy this time!” Just then, a loud fart came from Rosa, and another woman was entering the room, holding what looked like a large diaper bag around her shoulder. The woman came in to see both twin girls pointing fingers at each other. Both girls shouted their accusations at the same time. “Mommy! Raina pooped!” “Mommy! Rosa pooped!” Charlotte glanced at both girls and let out a sigh of relief. ‘At least I’m not poopy. But I definitely know that I’m wet.’ Darcy let out a nervous chuckle as she saw the woman with long strands of auburn hair approach the twin girls. “I take it you’re Daisy?” Daisy nodded. “I take it that you’re Darcy, the soon to be wife of my brother-in-law Michael? Please excuse me. I have to change my babies.” Daisy found an area out of the way from the foyer by a wall and got a changing mat out of her diaper bag. She then wagged her fingers at her girls. “Raina? Rosa? Come over here so mommy can change your diapers.” Both girls grabbed their orange pacifiers off the floor and ran over to the changing mat, with Raina managing to lay down on it first before Rosa. Raina smiled as she began to suck on her pacifier. Darcy frowned at Daisy and pointed to Raina. “Excuse me? Your girls are four and a half and they’re still in diapers? I take it that you tried potty training them before? My sister has a daughter their same age and she is finally starting to use the potty again.” Daisy shook her head. “Neither Raina nor Rosa have even been potty trained yet. All my children have learned to use the potty at their own pace. Now girls. Do any of you want to learn to use the potty?” “NO!” they both shouted, fiercely shaking their heads. “I rest my case,” Daisy told her. “They will let me know when they’re ready.” Darcy sighed. “They do look small for their age. They look more like two-year-olds than four-and-a-half-year-olds.” Daisy nodded. “Yes. They were both born very premature, so they have some catching up to do. Now if you would excuse me. I need to finish changing Raina. And then Rosa.” Darcy sighed again when she saw both of the twin girls sucking on their pacifiers. ‘Poor girls. Is their mother ever going to let them grow up?’ Just then, an older girl ran into the room. “Mom!” the girl shouted. “Can you please come…oh. You’re changing the twin’s diapers? Okay. Just when are you going to get them potty trained?” Daisy gave the girl a smirk. “Jade, don’t give me that when you’re not fully potty trained yourself. You still need your youth diapers for bedtime!” Jade blushed when she saw Darcy standing there. “Mom! Don’t tell her!” Daisy finished wiping Raina clean and began to rub some Aquaphor on her. “Sweetie, you’re ten years old. I already told you that there’s no hurry in mastering the potty, okay? Now you’re almost there! Pretty soon, you will have nighttime mastered like Tyler and Zachary.” Jade let out a frustrated sigh and left the room. “I’ll tell her later!” When Daisy finished changing Raina, she ran over to where Charlotte was, pacifier still in her mouth. Charlotte was sucking on her thumb. She couldn’t help but do this when she saw the twins sucking on their pacifiers. She removed her thumb and glanced at Raina. “Yoo nul use dah pah-tee? Yoo nul use dah pah-tee Way-nah?” Raina shook her head and removed her pacifier. “Mommy never showed us how to use the potty before. We don’t want to, ‘cause we can just go in our diapers!” Raina then approached Charlotte’s pink onesie dress and gave Charlotte’s butt a quick poke. “You wear diapers too?” Charlotte nodded. “Mah-mee seh ah not wea-dee!” Rosa walked over to where Charlotte and Raina were, pacifier in her mouth, until she noticed that her sister had it out, so she copied her. “What were you talking about?” “Diapers!” Raina told her twin sister. “Charlotte, mommy said that we don’t have to learn how to use the potty until we’re ready!” “I don’t ever wanna be ready!” Rosa shouted. “Me neither!” Raina said with a giggle. Both girls stuck their pacifiers back in their mouths and began to run around and giggle again. Darcy, Daisy, Charlotte, and the twin girls all walked over to the large living room that Charlotte could remember from last weekend with Lauren and Monica. In the living room, Jade was sitting on one of the couches, playing what looked like Minecraft on a tablet. Daisy tapped Jade on the shoulder and gave her a respectful glance. “Now what was it that you wanted to tell me?” Jade pointed to the iPad screen. “Mom, I beat the boss! I wanted to tell you that but you were changing the twins again!” “Are you talking about the Ender Dragon?” an older boy asked. “That is so easy!” “Yeah Zachary.” The older teen boy nodded. “I remember doing that. I have since moved on to the Nintendo Switch. I’m going to see what Lauren and Bridget are doing. We’re all seniors and we’re going to graduate next year! Except I’m homeschooled so it won’t be the same…” Daisy nodded. “Tyler, you don’t need a public school. Those will poison your mind, dear.” Tyler sighed. “But what about private schools? Lauren tells me about Langford, and I wish that I could’ve gone there! Bridget has even attended a private school so couldn’t you have done that?” Daisy shook her head. “There wasn’t a private school that me and your father could decide on. So I settled for teaching you all at home. Besides, all the hired private tutors that have taught all you kids are top notch!” Tyler sighed. “Whatever mom. I’m going to talk to Lauren now.” Meanwhile, Charlotte, Raina, and Rosa all found Heather sitting on the floor, with her dolls all sprawled out while Allison ran around pushing a toy corn popper with colored plastic balls inside a plastic dome. Heather smiled as she pointed underneath her dress. “I just used the potty again! Mommy has me in Pull-Ups now!” Heather now towered over Charlotte and was also taller than the Ashcroft Twins. Rosa stuck her tongue out at Heather and made a raspberry sound. Raina also made raspberry sounds which made Rosa laugh. Rosa then tugged underneath the crotch enclosure to feel her diaper. “So? Me and Raina and Charlotte can go potty anywhere we want! You have to go into a room to do it!” Heather made a raspberry sound. “But diapers are for babies and I’m not a baby! Plus, mommy’s gonna buy me big girl underwears if I keep using the potty like a big girl!” Charlotte glanced at the twins and pointed at Heather. “Dat Heh-thah.” She told them. “She big gul ‘cause she use pah-tee. She mah cah-sin!” Heather glanced at both girls and gave them a puzzled look. “You’re both sisters but why does your mommy dress you alike? What are your names?” Raina smiled as she pointed to herself. “I’m Raina!” Rosa smiled the same and pointed to herself. “I’m Rosa!” “We’re twins!” Raina told her. “Mommy says that twins are alike!” Raina then glanced around the living room and frowned. “My living room at home is bigger than this.” Starting to get bored, Raina stuck her pacifier in her mouth. Rosa too, followed suit and both twins were sucking on their pacifiers. Heather frowned. “Why do you both still have your pacies? I don’t have mine anymore ‘cause the pacie monster took it away when I was three…You better be careful ‘cause the pacie monster might take YOURS away!” Both twins had worried looks in their eyes until Raina began to smile. “The pacie monster hasn’t come yet!” Raina told her. “And if he comes…” Rosa began. “WE’LL PROTECT OUR PACIES FROM HIM!” both twins shouted at the same time. Charlotte, like her mother, was greatly surprised at the immaturity that she saw from the Ashcroft twins. ‘The poor girls. Why is their mom babying them so much? They have their entire lives ahead of them! But not me and Diana. We have the perfect excuse to not care about our maturity anymore. That, and we have to deal with our stupid toddler brains. So how is this supposed to be fun?’ Meanwhile, most of the adults were playing poker in another room (with Lauren, Bridget, and Tyler all supervising the kids in the living room.) Gathered around the game table were both Darcy and Michael, who both smiled since it seemed like they had a good hand. William and Nancy, Michael’s parents, were also playing poker with them, each displaying frowns since their hands were not any good. Peter Roberts sat next to Lacy, Michael’s younger sister. Neil, Michael’s older brother, was also playing with Daisy. The remaining adults only watched the poker game, each lounging on sofas nearby. Mark and Linda Evans (Daisy’s parents), Anthony and Donna Miller (Darcy and Darlene’s Parents), Darlene and Daniel Baker, Alfred and Judy Roberts (Peter’s parents), and James and Mary Baker (Daniel’s parents). The adults all conversed among themselves about recent life updates including the upcoming wedding with Michael and Darcy. The poker table, on the other hand, was completely silent until Neil broke the silence. “So how’s business?” Neil asked, directing his question to Michael. “I just launched an AI startup that will double my fortune within the next five years.” Michael gave Neil a casual nod. “That’s fine, Neil. Business is booming as usual, and all my assets are performing well. I see no need in doubling my fortune, since I already have a net worth of $86.5 billion. What did you say yours was again?” “$53 billion,” Neil said with a smile. “And with that AI startup, It is guaranteed to be more than $100 billion by 2030.” Daisy smiled. “We’ll be able to buy that resort in Waikiki and build another mansion!” Michael sighed. “Another one? Isn’t that 61,000 square foot mansion that you have in Florida enough?” Neil shook his head. “It’s another investment, Michael. It can be rented out for guests, with the private family quarters off limits. Besides, the estate we have now in Windermere is so close to Disney World. The twins just love it! Isn’t this estate only 41,000 square feet?” “41,273 square feet,” Michael corrected. “On 112 acres with a private vineyard and private quarter mile running track that my daughter uses for practicing her running. And let’s not forget the four-story parking deck! Bigger is not always better, brother.” “Enough with your jabbering!” William shouted. “I’m pleased to hear that both of my boys are doing really well but can we show our hands already?! If you’re going to talk, join the others on the couch!” Both Neil and Michael nodded, looking embarrassed, and everyone showed their hands around the poker table, one at a time. Both Michael and Darcy ended up having the best hands, with Michael having a full house and Darcy having four of a kind. The rest of the day continued, with Charlotte finding herself having a lot of fun with Heather, Raina, and Rosa. Although Charlotte still had the worry and dread of her eventually disappearing, this was forgotten for a short time as she enjoyed playing with her new cousins. Meanwhile, the older cousins played among themselves, which included Lauren, Bridget, Maxwell (who was Bridget’s younger brother and was 14), Tyler, Zachary (who was 13), and Jade. At one point, Lauren thought it would be nice to play some games with the younger cousins, so they all did that before dinner. The meal for that evening was uneventful, since the chefs were all preparing for Thanksgiving. Lobster bisque was served, with open-faced sandwiches and plenty of caviar for the adults. The menu was slightly different for the younger cousins, who had chicken nuggets, fries, carrots, and apple sauce. After dinner was wrapping up, both Raina and Rosa approached their mother with a wanting look, as they both stared at her breasts. “Can we have milk, please?” Raina asked her mother. Daisy got out of her seat and waved the girls over to her. “Not here, girls. We will do this in another room. Okay?” Michael glanced at the girls and nodded. “Use one of the private sitting rooms. No one is in there.” Both Darcy and Darlene exchanged looks of disbelief. Darcy sighed. “Four and a half and you still breastfeed them?” Daisy was almost out of the dining room with the girls, but she turned her face and nodded. “Yes. What’s wrong with that? It’s very healthy and it helps to stimulate their brains. Come now, girls…” Daisy left the dining room with Raina and Rosa to find one of the sitting rooms. That night, Charlotte was put in her same room that she had during her weekend stay with Lauren and Monica. She was tucked in the same King-sized bed with Bobo and Snoopy lying next to her. Lauren even got Bonnie for Charlotte (although she was secretly disappointed in letting Charlotte borrow Bonnie again). Charlotte smiled as she thought of the fun that she had with Raina and Rosa, her new cousins. ‘I wonder where they’re sleeping?’ she thought as she began to let out a deep yawn. --- Charlotte shivered in her winter coat as she was carried out of the Ashcroft Estate by her mother. She squinted her eyes and was still a little drowsy. She was barely awake when her mother changed her out of her soggy diaper. And now, her soon to be big sister was opening the door for Charlotte. As she stared up and watched Lauren buckle her into her car seat, she glanced down at her running shoes that her mother slipped on her feet over her footies. “Way-or ow we goin’ mommy? Way-or ow we goin’?” Lauren, who was sitting in the seat beside Charlotte smiled. “We’re going to the Turkey Trot! I’m running in the race and so is Monica and Roxy!” Charlotte glanced at Lauren again and noticed that she was wearing a pink sweatband around her forehead. A white running jacket over a light weight long-sleeved white top, and black leggings, with her white gloves resting in her lap. ‘Lauren’s going to run? This is going to be fun!’ Charlotte almost wanted to ask if she could run with Lauren, but she remembered. ‘That’s right! I run the Turkey Race with the Dashing Ducklings tomorrow! That will be so much fun!’ Charlotte also realized that her best friend Bobo was in her lap so she began to cuddle him. Darcy exited the gate to the Ashcroft Estate with the 4Runner. She knew that it may not have been the best idea to get Charlotte out of bed, change her, and then bundle her up for the Turkey Trot before heading out the door. But Darcy was definitely prepared. She had a sippy cup filled with Carnation Breakfast Essentials plus one more sippy cup filled with water in case Charlotte was thirsty. And of course, four diapers and two changes of clothes in case Charlotte has a very bad accident. The 4Runner parked at Darcy’s house, since her house was close enough to the trail and they could walk to the starting/finish line of the race. Michael and Darcy got out of the 4Runner, with Lauren helping Charlotte out of her car seat before carrying her out. Darcy also got the Graco stroller out of the trunk of the 4Runner. As much as she didn’t want to use it, there was going to be a large number of people at this race, and having Charlotte in the stroller would ensure that she wouldn’t get lost in the crowd. Charlotte found herself being laid into the stroller and buckled in, before being covered up to her neck in two blankets. As Charlotte began to suck her thumb, her mother unzipped her diaper bag and handed Charlotte her pink pacifier. Charlotte swapped her thumb for the pacifier and began sucking on it instead. The onlookers gawked at Charlotte as they saw Darcy pushing her in the stroller. One mother who had a ten-year-old girl dressed up in running clothes pointed to the stroller and smiled at Darcy. “That is such a cute little girl!” the woman beamed. “How old is she? 12 months?” Darcy shook her head. “No. Charlotte is three..” The woman was in shock. “Oh. Really? That is pretty small for a three-year-old.” “It saves me money!” Darcy joked. “Most of the clothes that Charlotte fits in are 12-18 months. My soon to be other daughter is running in this race, and I thought that Charlotte would want to see this!” The woman glanced at Lauren, who waved at her. “Hi!” Lauren told her. “Yes. I’m running in the race. I’m going to line up with the others!” Once Darcy found the spot where Darlene was standing with Heather and Allison (they arrived earlier and drived separately), she stopped the stroller and grabbed one of the two fold-out chairs that Michael was holding. Charlotte watched as the large crowd of runners began to swell around the starting line of the running trail. While adult Charlotte would normally not mind the large crowds of people, Charlotte suddenly felt very uncomfortable as she glanced at the large group of people around her. And Charlotte just couldn’t take it. Her toddler instincts kicked in and her eyes began to pool with tears. “MOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMYYYYYYY!!!!!” Darcy immediately unbuckled Charlotte and hoisted her out of her stroller. She cradled Charlotte and sat her on her lap and began slowly rocking Charlotte back and forth. “Sweetie? It’s okay. It’s okay, Charliecakes. Mommy is here. Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Shhhhhh!!! There. See? It’s going to be okay, dear.” Charlotte’s rapid sucks on her pacifier were beginning to slow down as she felt the warmth of her mother’s embrace. Charlotte was wrapped around in a warm flesh that was her mother’s lap. Her mother’s arms….Her mother’s hands….Every one of them made Charlotte feel safe. They made her feel comfortable. Her mother gave her the sippy cup filled with Carnation Breakfast Essentials and Charlotte guzzled the whole cup like she had never eaten anything in her life. Heather walked over to Charlotte and offered her very best smile. “Don’t cry, Charlotte!” Heather pleaded. She then glanced at Darcy. “Aunt Darcy, why is Charlotte crying?” Darcy calmly rocked Charlotte back and forth and smiled. “Heather, Charlotte is crying because she’s not used to all these people. It’s too much for her.” Heather nodded. “Oh.” Heather leaned her face down near Charlotte and grinned. “Don’t cry, Charlotte! I know it’s a lot of people but I’m here to make you happy.” Charlotte continued to calm down and nodded, suddenly having a semblance of her adulthood again. ‘Thanks cuz. It’s not easy to control my emotions in this toddler body. It’s almost like I’m a different person!’ She then looked at Heather and smiled. “Fank-ooh Heh-thah!” Heather smiled. “You’re welcome, little cousin!” While Charlotte was well aware of the reality that she had to deal with, being called “little” by Heather kind of bothered her. ‘This was the girl that I used to babysit! And now I have just cried in my mother’s arms and my little cousin is now towering over me! I am the little one now, and….it just…it just….hurts….’ Charlotte knew that Heather couldn’t read her mind, but with all the shame and embarrassment that Charlotte had just felt, it could’ve just happened the same anyway. ‘I’m an adult. Yeah. I am thirty years old. Really I am. I’m….a big girl…’ But Charlotte had to abandon this belief entirely when her butt began to feel very warm. The warm pee beginning to pool and spread, before being lapped up by the thirsty diaper. Charlotte’s diaper swelled and expanded as she sat in her mother’s lap. Darcy felt the warmness and gasped. And then, turning to Darlene, she said “It looks like I’ll have to change Charlotte after this race is over. She just warmed up my legs!” The race began and all the runners took off from the starting line. Charlotte actually felt strange watching a race instead of running in it. She wanted to be a part of the action, instead of watching from the sidelines. About 18 minutes later, Charlotte was back in her stroller and could see Lauren in the distance. Lauren was about to cross the finish line, so Charlotte kicked her feet in excitement. But as she kicked…. Charlotte’s left shoe flew off and landed on the edge of the running trail. Then her right shoe followed, launching off her foot like a catapault. It landed a few feet to the right of the other shoe, almost on the edge of the running trail. Lauren, who had just crossed the finish line, saw the shoes flying and began to recover them, one at a time. Lauren found the first shoe and picked it up. A pink and white Bottega Venata running shoe. The tiny shoe, Lauren noticed, was a size 5 toddler. She then found the second shoe, which was handed to her by a mother nearby. Having seen these shoes plenty of times, Lauren knew that they belonged to Charlotte. Monica walked up to Lauren and laughed when she noticed the shoes that she was holding. “Did someone lose their shoes? Those look like Charlotte’s!” Lauren grinned, as she wiped some sweat off her chin and the beads of sweat that were beginning to form around her face. “They are. I’m going to return them. Over there. I see the stroller!” Charlotte noticed both Lauren and Monica approaching her, with Lauren carrying her running shoes. “Looking for these?” Lauren said with a teasing smile as she slid both shoes back onto Charlotte’s footie pajamaed feet. Darcy laughed at the sight of this. “Lauren, I saw the whole thing. When Charlotte saw you approaching the finish line, she began kicking her feet and her shoes went flying.” Monica laughed. “At least they didn’t end up on the trail. The runners would’ve tripped over them!” Lauren pointed at Charlotte’s feet. “You didn’t get Charlotte dressed yet?” Darcy shook her head. “No,” She replied with a yawn. “I just got Charlotte out of bed, changed her diaper, and came right here.” Lauren glanced at her sweat stained clothes. “Well, I need to go home and get a shower.” She glanced at her father, who was standing next to Darcy and Darlene (Daniel didn’t come since he wanted to sleep in). “Daddy, is the limo coming? I scheduled one to pick me up after the race.” Michael laughed. “Well, if you scheduled one, it should be coming dear.” The award ceremony followed, and Lauren ended up getting third place, with both Monica and Roxy not even placing (Monica and Roxy were a minute behind Lauren). A half hour later, everyone was finally home. Darcy changed Charlotte out of her diaper that was about to leak and into a new diaper. After Charlotte was all dressed, her mother took her to the living room, where both Raina and Rosa were sitting on the couch in their orange onesies, drinking apple juice from baby bottles. Darcy was about to lose her mind. “Bottles? Really? Four and a half years old and they still drink from baby bottles?” Daisy, who was sitting in a nearby recliner, looked annoyed. “Yes Darcy.” Daisy said, looking impatient. “They both still drink from bottles. Normal cups are out of the question as they will spill their drinks. And I have lost count of how many times they have popped off their sippy cups. Because of this, I really can’t trust them with sippy cups yet. Plus, I don’t see anything wrong with this. They like their bottles! Don’t you, Rainy and Rosie?” Both twin girls nodded, removing the bottles from their mouths. “YES MOMMY!” For the rest of the late morning, Charlotte played with Heather, Raina, Rosa, and Allison while the older kids played, periodically checking in on their younger cousins. After lunch, all the younger kids were put down for naps. This included Allison, Charlotte, Heather, Raina, and Rosa. Thanksgiving dinner was served around 4:00 in the afternoon, buffet style. It was held in a banquet hall that was larger than the normal dining room, with a table that could seat 30 people. Highchairs were set up for Allison, Charlotte, Raina, and Rosa with a booster seat set up for Heather. Michael stood up and addressed his family before leading them in a heartfelt prayer. After the prayer, all the members of the family could get up with their empty plates and help themselves to the Thanksgiving buffet. Various buffet tables had all the fixings: Turkey, wet and dry stuffing, green bean casserole, cranberry orange relish, candied yams, ten types of olives, fruit salad, a Jello mold, various family recipes, garlic butter dinner rolls, and many other dishes. Once everyone got their food, everyone had to share what they were thankful for. Michael was thankful for Darcy and his soon to be new family and Darcy likewise was thankful for Michael and having such a nice family to spend Thanksgiving with. When Charlotte was asked what she was thankful for, she pointed to Raina and Rosa, saying, “Ah fank-fah fo dem!’ This made the adults laughed and they remarked how cute that was. After that, everyone ate, and the room got very quiet. When mostly everyone was finishing, Anthony Miller pointed to Charlotte, who was still sitting in her highchair, finishing her food. He glanced at Darcy, giving her a quizzical smile. “Do you still have the crib?” He asked her. Darcy nodded. “Yes dad. Charlotte still needs that crib. We have tried big girl beds before, and Charlotte is a roller. Just about every morning with the bed, I find Charlotte lying on the floor. The crib solved that problem.” Anthony nodded. “Of course it did, Dar. Did you know that I built that entire crib for you from scratch? You slept in it and Darlene did when you were both babies.” Darlene glanced at her father with a red face. “Yes dad. We have heard the story many times. How you as a master carpenter and furniture store owner decided to build a crib when you and mom were not happy with any of them before Darcy was born.” Anthony nodded. “I know. But I think that it bears repeating. Especially with all this hubbub about banning drop side cribs. The one that I built was ahead of its time. I built it extra tall so that Darcy couldn’t climb out. And I made the slats very narrow so that Darcy wouldn’t get her head stuck in the railing. And with that latch and padlock, that drop side railing is going nowhere. Just why would they want to recall this one? It’s custom-built and totally safe. I even refurbished it for you Darcy, before Charlotte was born so that she could have it. I had to re-sand and repaint all the chew marks in the crib, because you chewed on that crib a lot.” Darcy’s face turned red. “Dad! Stop!” This resulted in a jab in the side from Donna, Anthony’s wife. “Shush!” Donna shouted. “Look what you’re doing! You’re embarrassing your girls!” This resulted in Peter, Lacy’s husband, speaking up. “What’s Thanksgiving without an embarrassing family story? I like it. Bring it on!” The discussion continued, with more adults pitching in their embarrassing stories of raising their kids. Charlotte herself was surprised to hear the truth about her crib. ‘My mom slept in the same crib when she was a baby?” Charlotte began to suck her thumb as she continued to hear the adults speak. A little later, everyone returned to the buffet tables, which now all had dessert dishes, including ice cream. Darcy gave Charlotte one small brownie and a tiny scoop of vanilla ice cream. After dinner, Charlotte played with all the younger cousins. Time seemed to fly by, and it seemed like it was bedtime before she knew it. Darcy then ruffled Charlotte’s hair in her fingers. “Say goodbye to Raina and Rosa because you are going to bed, and you will be running in the Dashing Ducklings Turkey Race tomorrow. We will not be coming back home, but to our house. Okay?” Charlotte approached the twins, who were playing a game to see who could run to their pacifier and grab it first. Charlotte got Raina’s attention and sighed. “Ah goh tah bed ‘cause mommy wants meh too. Ah run too-mah-roh an ah nah comin’ bak hee-or.” Raina nodded and gave Charlotte a hug. “Me and Rosa are going back to Florida with mommy and daddy tomorrow. The pool was fun here but we gots two pools at home with one outside and one inside. Both of them are bigger than the one here.” “And the water slide at our pool is BIGGER!” Rosa added. She too, like her sister, hugged Charlotte and smiled. “We had lots of fun. Mommy is probably gonna get us ready for bed too after we drink some of her milk.” “Bye Charlotte!” Both twins shouted at the same time before they each picked up their pacifiers before looking for their mother. Charlotte was deep in thought during the whole bedtime routine. Her quick shower (since there wasn’t any time for a bath), her teeth being brushed, her being changed into a nighttime diaper, her being zipped into a mint green footed sleeper, and being tucked into her king-sized bed before Bobo, Snoopy, and Bonnie joining her., all surrounding Charlotte like they were standing guard. Charlotte was deep in thought about the race tomorrow. It was yet another race and should she enter her special trance, she would likely be running another marathon with Diana again. And most likely, she would be running in another world city. ‘What’s going to happen with this race?’ Charlotte wondered. ‘And who’s going to win? Me? Diana? Or is it just going to be a tie?’ Charlotte had none of the answers, but she knew that the race was going to be a lot of fun. While Lauren and Monica ran their race today, It would be Charlotte’s turn tomorrow. Charlotte, Diana, Heather, and the rest of the Dashing Ducklings would be running the Turkey Race and Charlotte just couldn’t wait.

Chapter 62 THWAK! THWAK! Charlotte woke up, suddenly realizing that her arm and leg just hit some kind of barrier. She reached forward and felt something narrow and long. Her vision focused to notice the dark silhouette of a series of wooden slats that ran from left to right. They looked like bars to Charlotte. The bars towered over Charlotte, and when she realized what she was lying in, her heart sank. ‘No. This can’t be. Is this a crib?’ Charlotte stood up in frustration, the bulk of her soggy diaper weighing against her footed sleeper. But even with Charlotte standing up, the railing still towered over her. ‘Oh, I hope that I did not get any younger!’ Charlotte didn’t feel any younger. But in the crib, she saw Bobo and her new friend, Snoopy. When Charlotte saw Snoopy, she smiled. ‘Okay. Maybe I didn’t get any younger. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have Snoopy.’ But Charlotte’s smile was short lived when she came to the realization that she now had to sleep in a crib. That collision woke her up good, as she found herself leaning against the railing of the crib. Charlotte felt the railing with her fingers, running them back and forth through the narrowly spaced slats like she was playing an instrument. For a moment, this amused Charlotte, but she quickly lost attention and pouted when she realized that there was no way to get out of the crib unless her mother let her out. Her resentment continued towards the crib, and it made Charlotte wonder just how many differences there were in her room, considering that she hadn’t been in it since she was four. And with her being three now, it begged the question. ‘Why did I need a crib at three? Was mom afraid of me falling out of bed?’ Charlotte let out a frustrated sigh as she laid back down underneath the covers, staring up at the towering bars that seemed to mock her. ‘Trapped. That’s what I am. Trapped in this body and trapped in this crib.’ She could barely keep her eyes open, so she closed them. TING! Charlotte woke up to the sound of her mother pulling out the pin that held the drop side of the railing in the raised position. After the pin was pulled out, the railing fell to the floor along the sliding track. ‘It really is like a prison.’ Charlotte sarcastically retorted in her mind. ‘Time to let the prisoner out for her day of school!’ Darcy scooped up Charlotte and then placed her on the floor near the crib. She then raised the railing back up and put the pin back in. As an additional security precaution, she overlapped the metal loop where the pin was with the padlock and locked it before returning to Charlotte. “Good morning, honey! Are you ready for some more pre preschool? You have a short week this week because of Thanksgiving. I am betting that you need a fresh diaper. Here. Let mommy get you ready.” Darcy was careful with her choice of words, and did not call Charlotte’s school a “Daycare” since she knew that Charlotte despised that word and said that Daycares were for babies. Darcy knew that it had to be Heather, since she was already in preschool and she saw how Charlotte wanted to be like her. Charlotte found herself hoisted into the air by her mother and was carried over to the changing table. Her footed sleeper was unzipped, and her mother gently freed her arms and legs from the sleeper before discarding it in the dirty clothes hamper. Charlotte found herself high enough to see her dresser and she watched as her mother opened the top drawer. There were no more Pull-Ups in the drawer. Instead, it was all diapers. Most of them were daytime ones, with the nighttime diapers tucked in their own section in the far right side of the drawer. ‘Well, this is no surprise. I’m three now so I’m probably not even potty trained anymore. I mean, mom didn’t even take me to the bathroom!’ Charlotte knew that it was futile, but she tried anyway as she saw her mother returning, holding a Pampers Babydry diaper in her hand. “Ah go pah-tee mommy? Ah way-or pahlup? Ah way-or pahlup? Ah way-or pahlup?” Darcy laughed as she fluffed the diaper in her hand. “Charlotte sweetie, we already tried potty training six months ago. While you did use the potty a couple of times, you leaked through all your Pull-Ups and there were so many poopy accidents that mommy had to clean up. We tried it for a week, dear. You’re not even close to being ready for potty training. But don’t worry, sweetie. We’ll try it again next summer when you’re three and a half. Now, legs up dear.” Charlotte put her legs up and sighed as her mother removed a heavily saturated diaper from between her legs and slid a new one underneath her. ‘It was worth a try. I probably wouldn’t make any progress anyway since I probably have an infant’s bladder as a toddler…’ Charlotte could see her mother gasp as she saw a slow stream of pee begin to flow out. ‘How did I just do that? Right now, I’m not even aware that I just peed!’ Darcy quickly powdered Charlotte and folded the diaper between her legs to catch the flow before fastening the two tabs. “Wait until the diaper is on before you tinkle, dear. We don’t want to make a mess, okay?” Charlotte gave her mother a frustrated scowl. ‘Yeah mom. Like I can consciously hold it! I’m a helpless baby, remember?’ Darcy grabbed a stack of six diapers and shoved them in Charlotte’s backpack. She then got out a mint green floral romper dress, with white flowers sprinkled throughout the whole pattern. She inspected the tag and grinned. “12 months, Charliecakes. You are such a little peanut. We need to get some more food in you to make you bigger.” Darcy pulled the dress over Charlotte’s head and pushed both her arms through both of the ruffled sleeves. Finally, she snapped the three crotch buttons to cover her daughter’s diaper. Charlotte couldn’t help it now, but she had a giddy smile on her face. For some reason, she loved it when her mother dressed her in the morning, but she couldn’t explain why. Before she knew it, it was over, and she was hoisted into her mother’s arms, with her mother giving her soft pats on her diapered butt, which made her giggle. Darcy checked her cellphone. “We need to get you a quick breakfast, dear. And then it’s time for pre preschool!” Charlotte gasped when she heard the word pre preschool. ‘That’s right! I wonder how different school is going to be now that I’m a year younger? And what about Diana? Is she going to be older than me? Younger than me? I don’t know.’ As she was carried down the stairs, Charlotte suddenly felt warm again as another small stream of pee began to fill her thirsty diaper. And just as fast as the stream came out, it was immediately absorbed into the core and began to gel up. Charlotte only felt the warmth, but not any wet sensation at all. Darcy mixed up a cup of Carnation Breakfast Essentials in a clear see-through sippy cup with measurement lines. She placed Charlotte in her highchair and gave the cup to Charlotte. Darcy quickly took the cup away from her when she drank half of the cup. She then placed it in the fridge before lifting Charlotte out of her highchair. Charlotte smacked her lips, still tasting the chocolate from that breakfast shake. ‘Wow. I can’t believe it but that almost made me full.’ Charlotte was sat on the floor by her mother, who slid Charlotte’s already tied running shoes on her feet. Darcy then smiled at Charlotte. “Guess what, hun? You have ANOTHER Dashing Ducklings meeting tonight! You seem to really like the new class! I just wanted to give you a heads up.” Charlotte nodded. ‘Yeah. Of course it’s new now since I dropped a year. Just put me in my car seat and take me to school already.’ It didn’t take Darcy very long before she did just that. She buckled Charlotte into her car seat and the 4Runner was off to Little Lilacs Daycare and Preschool. Darcy used the same check-in to sign Charlotte into the school and Charlotte was put in the same familiar area where she played with all the toys. Charlotte felt the warm embrace of her mother, followed by a kiss on her forehead. “Bye sweetie!” Darcy said with a smile. “Have a good day at pre preschool!” It didn’t take very long before Charlotte saw a Hispanic girl running at her at full speed and tackling her to the floor with a hug. Charlotte didn’t even have to guess to know who executed that friendly tackle. It was Diana and as she found herself locked in Diana’s embrace, she noticed the stylish outfit she had on. A white onesie with tiny green, purple, and pink hot air balloons lightly speckled throughout the bodysuit. But what made the outfit stand out was the cute little lavender cardigan she had on over the onesie. The long-sleeved cardigan went from the collar with the length stopping around the belly, allowing Charlotte to see most of the onesie. “Shaw-wit!” Diana shouted, now standing up and helping Charlotte to her feet. “Shaw-wit! Yu goed dawn! Yu goed dawn!” Charlotte, now standing next to Diana, noticed that she was just a little taller than her. ‘Goed down? Is she trying to say growed down?’ Diana giggled as she pointed down to the similar running shoes that she was also wearing. “Paw-wis wuh fun! We won vewy fast!” Charlotte gasped, and was so much in shock that she felt her diaper getting warm again. ‘Oh my God. How does Diana even know about me running in Paris? Was she also running with her shoes at the same time as me?’ “We won taw-geh-dah!” Diana told her with a giddy smile. “We boh goed dawn!” Charlotte knew that she dropped a year. But how much younger was Diana now? Was she two? She had to find out. “Dye-on-na. Haw uld ow yoo?” Diana held out three fingers. “I fu-wee!” Wow. Charlotte couldn’t believe that she was still taller than Diana at three. ‘Maybe she’s on a different growth curve? We were both the same height at four!’ Diana pointed at her three fingers that she still had held out and gave Charlotte a wanting look. ‘Haw uld ow yoo, Shaw-wit?” Charlotte smiled and held out three fingers. “I fu-wee too!” In addition to that, Charlotte also knew that she just had a birthday about two weeks ago. But when was Diana’s? “Wah moth yoo birday?” Charlotte asked her best friend. Diana scratched her head and then grinned. “My birday foo-wah moths aw-go. It Ju-why. I ul-dah den yoo!” Her expression then changed to a more serious one as she took Charlotte next to the building blocks. “We go dawn till we dih-saw-pee-yah. Pay wif me and let’s hav fun!” Charlotte sighed. “Ih ho-puss. I twapped in taw-dah’s bahdee an we-yah dy-paws all da time now.” But Diana gave Charlotte a compassionate pat on the back. “I twapped too, Shaw-wit. Ah used tah bee sahd but I haw-pee. Yoo nul bee sahd an bee haw-pee wif me!” Charlotte glanced around the classroom and sighed. “Wah we do tah-day now dat we fu-wee?” Diana shrugged her shoulders. “I-dah-no! We have fun ah-nee way!” Diana then looked both ways before whispering in Charlotte’s ear. “Mah-mah not we-mem-bah me bee-in fu-wah. She tol me dat I was sillwee…” Heather then approached both Charlotte and Diana. “Hi cousin!” Heather said, waving at Charlotte. “Are you playing with Diana? Let’s play a fun game.” Heather then began to notice a very foul smell that was nearby her. “Ew! Diana? Did you poop again? You should’ve done that in the potty!” Diana shook her head. “Ih nah me. It Shaw-wit! I poo-pee lay-tah!” Charlotte didn’t even realize how bad the odor was until Heather pointed it out. ‘Did this just happen? It’s like it came out without me pushing.’ One of the daycare staff named Miss Chloe was walking around the play area to supervise the group that she was responsible for. When she saw Charlotte and Diana standing next to each other, she approached them. “Which of you girls need a diaper change?” Miss Chloe said with a smile. She sniffed the air and gave the girls a teasing smile. “Oh, it looks like we have a stink bomb. Which of you girls did it?” She sniffed around Diana to find nothing. But when she sniffed around Charlotte, the smell was even worse. “Charlie-daisy, come with me and we’ll change that stinker.” She glanced at Diana and waved her hand. “You come too. You probably need a change as well.” Diana nodded. “I oh-wee wet!” Miss Chloe took Charlotte over to a changing table that was near the building blocks. She waved over another daycare staff member and pointed to Diana. “Miss Stacy? I’m changing Charlotte. Can you please change Diana for me? She’s probably only wet.” Miss Stacy nodded and picked up Diana while Miss Chloe was picking up Charlotte, and both girls were laid on changing tables that were nearby each other, with four other ones still vacant. Charlotte glanced up to see the warm smile coming from Miss Chloe. She had golden curls of hair and wore a beautiful sky-blue cardigan over a white top with faded blue jeans. She proceeded to unsnap the crotch buttons on the mint green ruffle onesie dress to reveal her soiled diaper. Miss Chloe smiled. To her relief, it was not a blowout. But whatever Charlotte did in there, it smelled really bad. She tore open the sides of Charlotte’s diaper to reveal a large pile of poop beginning to smear towards the front of the diaper. “Pee-yew, Charlie-poo! Let’s get you cleaned up good!” Miss Chloe wasted no time in skillfully wiping all over the disaster area where “ground zero” happened. When her front was all wiped, she propped Charlotte up with one hand while wiping underneath her butt with the other. When Charlotte was clean enough, she powdered a new diaper that she took from Charlotte’s backpack and had Charlotte sit on it while she finished piling the soiled wipes into the soiled diaper before rolling it up like a bean burrito and sealing it with both tabs. Miss Chloe then quickly checked for rashes and nodded. “No rashes,” she told Charlotte, but we’re doing this to prevent them anyway.” Miss Chloe took a thick glob of Aquaphor and rubbed it all over Charlotte. She then powdered Charlotte before she folded the diaper between her legs and sealed her in with both tabs snugly around her waist. ‘There we go! Now doesn’t that feel much better?” She glanced at Miss Stacy, who was already holding Diana’s wadded up soggy diaper. She handed Charlotte’s wadded soiled diaper to Miss Stacy. “Here. Throw them both away.” Miss Chloe returned her attention to Charlotte, where she simply stretched the crotch enclosure over the diaper and re-snapped the three crotch buttons. She finally lowered Charlotte off the changing table, where Diana was waiting for her. “There. You girls can go play.” Charlotte ran off with Diana back to the building blocks where they found Heather standing there, smiling. “I just used the potty!” Heather said with a smile. “And my diaper was still dry!” She glanced at both Charlotte and Diana, who had noticeably poofy bottoms like hers. “You two are not ready on the potty training chart and I just made it to first steps! Don’t worry. You two will get there some day.” Diana stuck her tongue out at Heather and gave her a raspberry. “Nu! Ah use my dye-pah fo-evah!” She turned and tapped Charlotte on the shoulder. “Haw bot yoo?” Charlotte nodded with a glum look on her face. If Charlotte was going to regress to infancy until she disappeared, she really would be wearing diapers forever until she vanished. Heather smiled as she pressed her hand on her dress, feeling the soft padding of the diaper through it. “My mommy wants to try Pull-Ups again after Thanksgiving. I’m going to get to Looming Lilac and wear my big girl underwears again! Paige is already there so I want to wear Frozen underwears like her! Now let’s play!” But no sooner than the words left Heather’s mouth when she heard Miss Julia shout “CIRCLE TIME!” Both Charlotte and Diana began to follow Heather, but she shook her head. “Nah-ah.” Heather told them. “You two are three so you go with Miss Chloe to the three-year-old room!” Diana tugged Charlotte’s shoulder and they both began running in the other direction, when Miss Chloe saw the two girls and laughed. “Whoa!” Miss Chloe shouted. “Slow down, you two! We’re not going to start without you so there’s no need to hurry! This way. We’re going to the Thriving Threes room.” Charlotte smiled as she followed Miss Chloe with Diana. “Thiving fu-wees!” She repeated as they walked past the changing tables and over to a small hallway that was toward three rooms. Both Charlotte and Diana entered the Thriving Threes room with Miss Chloe to find that nine other kids were already sitting on the floor, playing with toys. Miss Chloe then turned around and smiled at the two toddler girls. “Guess what? Circle time is not until 9:30 so you both get to play for another half hour! Why don’t you both play with Kendra? She’s stacking plates over there in the kitchen, and I think that she wants to make something! Why don’t you girls make a delicious meal, and I’ll try it. Okay?” Just then, two other girls and a boy approached Miss Chloe. “Miss Chloe!” The girl with brown hair and freckles shouted. “Landon pooped!” “Yeah!” The other girl with red hair and pigtails shouted. “It smells bad!” “He needs his diaper changed.” The boy with a red and white striped t-shirt said, giving her a look of disgust. Miss Chloe nodded. “Emma, Olivia, thank you very much for letting me know. Liam, I know. Why don’t you all go back and play? I will take care of it. Okay?” Miss Chloe approached a boy who was sitting on the floor, moving toy cars back and forth, making engine revving sounds. “VRRRRROOOM!” The boy shouted. “VROOOOM! VRRRRROOOOOM!!!” Miss Chloe laughed and sighed, as she did not want to interfere with his playtime. “Landon? Can you please come with me for a moment?” Landon shook his head and kept playing with his cars, making engine revving sounds. “No, Miss Koe-wee! Da cars need ta win race!” Miss Chloe nodded. “The cars are going to wait for you while we take care of this, okay? Now I smell something that’s very stinky and your other classmates already told me. Come with me and we’ll get that diaper changed, okay?” Landon let out a reluctant sigh. “Okay Miss Koe-wee…” Kendra looked up as Charlotte and Diana joined her. Diana pointed at Landon and smiled. “Lawn-done way-ors dye-pahs?” Kendra nodded. “He does. But so do you and Charlotte. I don’t wear diapers. I wear Pull-Ups ‘cause I’m a big girl!” She pointed to two other girls in the room. “So do Emma and Oliva. We’re all big girls! Miss Chloe told us last time…” Kendra then glanced at the stack of plates. “No one will play kitchen with me. Do you and Charlotte want to make food with me?” Charlotte knew that it was only pretend food, so she sighed. “Ih nah weal fudd!” Diana nodded. “Ih nah weal but it fun! We pah-tend it weal an hav nice meal tah-geh-thah!” Diana walked over to Kendra and smiled. “Ow yoo settin tay-bah? I cawk on stove wike mommy! Shaw-wit, yoo cut fudd!” Diana handed Charlotte a plastic cutter. Charlotte shrugged her shoulders. ‘I might as well play along.’ Charlotte grabbed the cutter and pretended to dice various vegetables and meats. While the girls continued playing, Miss Chloe returned with Landon, who ran right back to his cars and continued playing with them. The three girls all played for 15 more minutes before Miss Chloe got the attention of the room. “Circle Time!” Miss Chloe shouted. “Everyone, we are going to sing some fun songs! Don’t worry about playing. You will have plenty of time to play later!” Circle time began with the kids singing “The Wheels on the Bus”, “Five Little Monkeys”, “The Ants go Marching”, “Old MacDonald Had a Farm”, and a couple others. Following circle time was a morning snack, where Miss Chloe and the other helpers served the three-year-olds trail mix and juice boxes filled with apple juice. Following the snack, the kids were all taken outside to play in the playground, with Miss Chloe supervising them. Charlotte ran with Diana in a small circle that followed the outside of the playground. As Charlotte was running, she realized how much easier pre preschool was compared to preschool. She glanced at Diana and frowned. “Pee-pee skawl too easy!” Diana smiled. “What pee-pee skawl? It day ceh-are!” Charlotte sighed. ‘Daycare?’ she thought. ‘Daycare is for babies! Is this my life from now on?’ “Hah yoo still haw-pee Dye-on-na? We gah-nah dis-ah-pe-yah!” Diana hugged Charlotte, which made her stop running. “Ah don cawr if ah dis-ah-pe-yah! Ah liv fo tah-day. An too-ma-roh if too-ma-roh cahm. Ih nah fay-ah but we can’t do any-fin. So let’s be hah-pee!” Charlotte couldn’t help but shed a few tears. She was surprised at just how well Diana was accepting her fate. ‘How can she? She is aware that like me, she’s going to be an infant soon. Then she will cease to exist. How can she be so calm and accepting of this?’ “Ih too shawt.” Diana told her. “I ah-dawlt once but ah go dawn an dawn an dawn fo weeks. Now I fu-wee. We keep wunning. We wun on-til we dis-ah-pe-yah. Ah okay wif dat ‘cause ah hah-pee.” Part of Charlotte just wanted to accept what Diana was telling her. Charlotte was well aware that they were both adults trapped in pint-sized fleshly cages with no way out. And Charlotte could only imagine the kind of struggle that Diana went through before she accepted her gradual end. Maybe what Diana was deciding was something that she should decide? To merely accept the journey to nothingness? From adulthood to infancy and then non-existence? It was a tough pill to swallow, and Charlotte wasn’t sure if she wanted to swallow hers yet. The ”pre preschool” day continued with both Charlotte and Diana getting their diapers changed after going back inside. Landon too was changed, but he was only wet this time. Kendra and the other kids in Pull-Ups were encouraged to use the potty before lunch time began. After lunch, Miss Chloe did an art project with the class where she traced their hands to make turkeys for a Thanksgiving picture that each kid would give their loved ones. During story time, Charlotte heard Miss Chloe sing a story song called “Little Bunny Foo Foo”. Charlotte was shocked at the ending. ‘I don’t want to be a goon!’ she thought, frowning. She was then jabbed by Diana. “Wut wong?” Diana whispered to Charlotte. “Ah don wanna be ah goon!” Charlotte whispered back. But Diana smiled. “Sill-wee Shaw-wit! We nah hav field mice tah bop! We nah bee goons!” But during naptime, Charlotte dreamt that she was Little Bunny Foo Foo, and she was abusing all the field mice that she could. And while the Good Fairy gave her three chances, she wasted all of them. Charlotte trembled as the Good Fairy turned her into a goon. Charlotte woke up, full of terror, but only found that her diaper was fully saturated. The rest of the day continued, with an afternoon snack of animal crackers followed by a fun puzzle that she had to solve with Diana and a few other kids in her group. Miss Chloe ended the day with a closing circle, and gave the kids permission to play until their mothers or other guardians picked them up. As Charlotte exited Little Lilacs Daycare and Preschool with her mother, she saw her glancing down with a curious look. “So how did it go?” Darcy asked her. “Did you have fun at pre preschool Charlotte?” Charlotte nodded. “Yah mommy! Ah paid wif Dye-on-na an Ken-dwa an Miss Coh-wee sung a ska-wee song cod lil bah-nee foo foo!” Darcy laughed. “How is Little Bunny Foo Foo scary? Is it because of the Good Fairy turning Little Bunny Foo Foo into a goon? Charlotte, you are a good girl, so you don’t have to worry about being turned into a goon. There’s nothing to be afraid of, sweetie. Now, are you ready for Dashing Ducklings? You are going to have so much fun!” At the Dashing Ducklings meeting, Charlotte saw Diana and Heather there. Like before, both Charlotte and Diana outran Heather and were the fastest in the whole class. And like before, Charlotte and Diana were running at what appeared to be an equal rate of speed. At the end of the class, Monica and Miss Davis had a special announcement for the class. “Don’t forget!” Miss Davis shouted. “This Friday is a special Dashing Ducklings Turkey Race. We will have the whole running trail to ourselves, but the goal is to run a half mile. Can you ducklings complete a half mile and finish the race?” Both Charlotte and Diana smirked, as they felt that they were capable of running at least four times the distance. Monica then looked at Charlotte. “And you don’t want to miss me and Lauren running either. Thanksgiving is Thursday, and both of us will be running the Turkey Trot in the morning. It’s quite a bit further than the Turkey Race but you’ll be able to run it someday.” That night when Charlotte was being tucked in, her mind was on the running that she did earlier. She couldn’t help but admit that the running did help take her mind off the despair that seized her earlier in the day. It just felt so easy and so natural. The thrill of running always excited Charlotte and took her mind to an entirely different place. A place where Charlotte could be happy. Charlotte felt the kiss from her mother on the forehead as the light flicked off and she left the room. She was in her crib again, with Bobo to her left and Snoopy to her right. Charlotte’s mind focused on just one thing. The race. ‘I can’t wait to run the race!’ Charlotte thought. The next two days at “pre preschool” seemed to fly by, as Charlotte enjoyed spending more time with Diana and Heather on occasion. And for Heather, she seemed to use every opportunity to share her potty training success with Charlotte and Diana. For Tuesday, it was “I only had one accident all day!” Then Wednesday: “I had no accidents all day and all my diapers were dry!” Heather even mentioned that her mother would put her right into Pull-Ups during Thanksgiving. Heather proudly pointed to the potty-training chart, glancing at both Charlotte and Diana. “Mommy said that I’ll be moved from ‘first steps’ to ‘moving forward’ next week!” Of course, none of the encouragement even phased Diana or even Charlotte, as they both knew the truth about their situation. And Charlotte began to think about Diana’s indifference to potty training. ‘Perhaps she knows that it’s pointless to try if she’s just going to be an infant the next day, or week, or whenever. Yeah. I can see that. Besides, I’m petite for my age so I have a 12-month old’s bladder. Anything that I drink will almost guarantee me pissing myself within a half hour.’ But during Tuesday and Wednesday, Charlotte couldn’t help but feel jealous about Diana’s unwavering acceptance of the fate that they shared. She was care-free, and she wasn’t afraid to let every one of her toddler instincts take full control of herself. It was like she didn’t even fight it. She just let everything happen. Charlotte understood these nagging instincts that vied for control, and Charlotte knew that she was fighting a losing battle. Her mental fatigue becoming greater and it becoming much easier to just let her instincts take over. Diana was almost acting ignorant of her adulthood, but Charlotte saw the lucidity of her glances and knew that she was still aware of her circumstances that both girls understood so well. While the adults and everything else in their environment are oblivious to their gradual regression, both Charlotte and Diana were well aware of it, and were equally thankful to be friends, as they both understood what was going to happen to them. Charlotte was buckled in her car seat after experiencing the last day of pre preschool before Thanksgiving. Charlotte watched as the 4Runner went past their house and onto the road that led to “Millionaires Row” ‘Um, mom? This is not the way home. Home is that way!’ Charlotte pouted and looked at her mother. “Hahm not dat way!” Charlotte protested. Darcy arched her face at Charlotte and grinned, trying to lighten her daughter’s mood. “Sweetie, we are going to the Ashcroft Estate for Thanksgiving. I have already packed all of your things and you’ll get to see all the relatives! Like Aunt Daisy and Uncle Neil! They’ll be your aunt and uncle soon when I marry your daddy. Guess what? They have five kids! Two of them are twin girls that are just a little older than Heather. Won’t that be fun to play with them?” Charlotte felt like objecting, but she succumbed to her toddler instincts instead. “Too-in guls? I pay wif bof of em!” Darcy smiled as she saw Charlotte beaming at the thought of playing with her new relatives. “That’s good, dear. We’re almost there, Charliecakes!” The 4Runner was granted access into the Ashcroft Estate by a gatekeeper, that opened the gate for them. After that, the 4Runner drove down the private road where the Ashcroft Estate was coming into view. Charlotte glanced at the large mansion, knowing how fun it was going to be once she got inside. It was now time to celebrate Thanksgiving with her family and the new relatives that she hadn’t met yet. And after half a week of pre preschool, Charlotte couldn’t wait for the fun to begin.

Things do seem quite hopeless for Charlotte right now. But is there a way back? Stay tuned. 😀

Chapter 61 “Wake up, Charlotte! Look!” Charlotte’s vision focused, as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. Standing in front of her was a bronze statue of Snoopy standing right next to Charlie Brown. Her face perked up and she clapped her hands, now very excited about the statue that she was looking at. “ih doggy!” She shouted. “Ahn boh-ee!” Lauren nodded, as she tightly gripped both handles of the Graco stroller. “Yes Charlotte! That doggy is Snoopy, and that boy is Charlie Brown!” But Charlotte was well aware of who Snoopy and Charlie Brown were, having watched numerous cartoons in her original childhood. If anything, she felt like Rerun Van Pelt right now, Lucy and Linus’s younger brother. Just the baby being pushed around in a stroller by her older sister (although Charlotte could remember an episode with Rerun sitting in a shopping cart conversing with a little girl sitting in another shopping cart). ‘Yeah. It’s Snoopy and Charlie Brown. I know.’ But for some reason, Charlotte felt paralyzed when she tried to speak, and could only produce words from her three-year-old mind. “Ih Soopy and Chaw-wee Bown?” Charlotte attempted, feeling self-conscious for butchering the words with her toddler voice. Charlotte reached down next to her blanket and found her pacifier. She stuck it in her mouth and sucked on it, soothing her from her sudden shyness and anxiety. ‘Good grief! This pacifier is just like Linus’s blanket! Whatever. I’ll take it over dying from embarrassment.’ Lauren was completely unaware of the conversation that Charlotte was having with herself. A conversation within her mind. She pushed the stroller out of Depot Park before she glanced down at Charlotte again. “How would you like a friend for Bobo? We saw Snoopy in one of the stores. Would you like a Snoopy?” Charlotte nodded while she still sucked her pacifier. She then watched as the teen girls continued to talk, which once again made her bored. She grabbed her sippy cup that was still mostly filled with water and continued to drink it. The girls stopped at two more stores before heading back to Depot Park. The first one was a bookstore, where they bought “It’s the Small Things, Charlie Brown”, along with a stuffed Snoopy. The next store was called Honey Muffin, and it sold children’s clothing. Lauren bought Charlotte a Chambray Faded Denim Ladybug Dress, which made both Monica and Roxy Smile. “Oh, she’s going to look so cute in that dress!” Monica said with a grin. “How about we change her into that before we go?” Roxy gave Lauren a nod of approval. “Charlotte probably needs another diaper change anyway. It’s been about two hours.” After buying the dress, Lauren used the family restroom inside Honey Muffin and laid Charlotte on the changing table. Sure enough, Charlotte’s diaper was soaked, so Lauren cleaned Charlotte and changed her into a fresh diaper. She took off her pink corduroy overalls and put on the denim ladybug dress, which fit Charlotte perfectly. Lauren used the small pair of scissors to carefully cut off the tags and took a picture of Charlotte in the dress and texted the picture to her father. ‘Oh, daddy’s going to love seeing Charlotte in this!’ Charlotte happily sucked her pacifier, tightly embracing both Bobo and Snoopy with both arms as she comfortably reclined her legs on the footrest of the stroller. She could still hear the giggles and laughter coming from the teen girls above and could hear at least one compliment which she believed was directed at her. ‘Awww! Charlotte is such a little cutie!” “She is, Roxy! Charlotte will soon be my baby sister!” “Correction Lauren. Charlotte is three years old now. She’s a big girl. Wouldn’t she just be your little sister?” Lauren shook her head, looking a little offended. “No. Charlotte is more than a decade younger than me, so she’s my baby sister. Besides, she’s very petite for three years old so she looks so small. Like a cute little baby!” “Coot wittle bay-bee!” Charlotte repeated as she happily lisped through her pacifier. Charlotte stared wearily up at the trio of girls who were in a heated conversation that she was not a part of. From their laughs, she could only guess that some of the conversation had to do with her. But still, her boredom continued as Bobo and Snoopy, her new friend, rested on her lap, sitting atop the warm blanket that covered most of her body. Charlotte’s disposition as a petite toddler made her feel uncomfortable and out of place. It also made her realize just how much of her adult mind that she still had intact. ‘This is my life, I guess,” Charlotte quietly sulked, desperately fighting the despair that ebbed away at her soul. ‘Three or four months ago, you could never tell me that I would just be a helpless toddler being wheeled around by what used to be my peers. Hell, I’m supposed to be older than all of them!’ Charlotte defaulted to her item of comfort. She reached down for the pacifier and stuck it in her mouth and began to suck it out of frustration and resentment. But then her mind began to slip into what she could only guess was her toddler instincts. And all of a sudden, she felt comfort and tranquility as she sucked on her pacifier. A sense of curiosity and wonder began to fill her mind as she was uncertain of where the girls were going to take her next. Just minutes later, Lauren stopped the Graco Stroller at Depot Park and confidently hoisted her “little sister” out of her stroller. To put her in her car seat. Monica had already opened the back door for Lauren, so she was ready to take her little princess home. Charlotte could feel her diaper warming up for just a moment. She felt as if something was missing. Like she was trying to remember something. Was it something she thought of? A dream? A dream. It was one of several dreams that Charlotte had while she was being pushed around in the stroller. But this particular dream stood out and somehow remained fresh in Charlotte’s mind. In the dream, Charlotte could still remember seeing herself hold something. A notebook. One that was all so familiar to Charlotte. A notebook that read: SUPER SLEUTH CHARLOTTE’S MYSTERY NOTEBOOK For solving The Mystery! Charlotte could distinctly remember that this was the original notebook, before Lauren ripped out the pages and changed the title to “CHARLOTTE’S DOODLE’S”. Sure enough, Charlotte had the notebook in her dream, and every page was accounted for. And this included all the pages that Lauren ripped out. CLICK! CLICK! A hopeful smile came over Charlotte as Lauren buckled her into her car seat. ‘Could Lauren still have the pages that she ripped out? But this was before I turned four, and now I just turned three. Could she still have the pages? Maybe they could help me find Mythra again? She says that she’s working on my wish, and I want to know when she’s finished!’ Charlotte never considered how ironic her whole mission was, considering that she now possessed the brain of a three-year-old, so it would be impossible to read any of the pages, even if she were to find every single one. Perhaps it may have been Charlotte’s carelessness as a toddler, but she totally ignored this lack of foresight and her fixation on finding the missing pages only grew by the minute. Growing to the point where she began to mumble her mission out loud. “Ah faand noh-bawk paw-jis! Ah faaand noh-bawk paw-jis!” Charlotte’s declaration, which sounded like silly mumbling to Lauren and Monica only made them laugh. This even made Roxy, who was about to head back to her Rolls Royce look back to see what the laughter was about. “Hey.” She said, glancing at Lauren who was sitting in the driver’s seat. “What’s so funny? I don’t want any FOMO!” Lauren pointed to Charlotte, who seemed to be in a daze, while repeating “Ah faand noh-bawk paw-jis!” “It’s Charlotte. She’s going on about finding some pages in a notebook.” Roxy shrugged her shoulders. “That’s weird. Could she be talking about one of those stores that had all the notebook paper? Kids are very observant, Lauren.” Lauren nodded and grinned. “You’re right. Charlotte is just pretending and probably a little tired. Thanks for coming today!” Roxy nodded. “Anytime, Lauren! Do you think the boys are really camping?” “I bet that they are,” Monica chimed in. “They’re probably sitting in their tents playing their Nintendo Switches.” Lauren sighed. “Really. Aren’t they supposed to leave that at home? Well, they’re still outdoors.” The girls all laughed before Lauren waved goodbye and rolled up the window to the Maybach. Charlotte’s fascination with the notebook and the missing pages continued for the rest of the trip back to the Ashcroft Estate. Charlotte tried to think where Lauren would be keeping the pages. ‘Could it be in her room? And if it was, where would it be?’ “Tickle tickle tickle tickle!” Charlotte woke up, squirming and giggling uncontrollably in her car seat as she was tickled by Lauren. From her brief frenzy of laughter, she noticed that she peed her diaper a little bit. This didn’t bother Charlotte, as she had more important things to focus on. And that was the torn-out pages from her Mystery Notebook. Lauren unbuckled Charlotte from her car seat and gave her a playful boop on her nose. “You are such a sleepy girl!” Monica leaned forward and peered into the Maybach, where she booped Charlotte with her index finger right below her chin. “Boop! Did you have a nice nap, Char?” Charlotte had her right arm wrapped around Lauren’s left arm as she was being carried by her big sister. Lauren’s left arm cradled Charlotte’s butt and her right arm rested on Charlotte’s back. She sucked on her pacifier and nodded. “Yesh. Ah have gud nop Monka!” Once in Charlotte’s weekend bedroom, she was lying on the changing table as she saw both Lauren and Monica softly speaking to each other, resulting in them both nodding. Charlotte couldn’t make out what they were saying but was hoping that it wasn’t anything bad. After their private exchange, Lauren undressed Charlotte, removing her ladybug denim dress and wet diaper and changed Charlotte into a swim diaper. She was then dressed in a pink Bluey one-piece swimsuit, with Bluey, Bingo, and prints of strawberries, pineapples, lemons, and watermelons all over the suit. Charlotte smiled and glanced up at Lauren. “Ah gah simming?” Lauren nodded. “Yes Charlotte! We’re going to go for a swim!” Once in the pool room, Charlotte could not even recognize the swimming pool, even though she had swam at the same swimming pool 8 weeks ago. The pool seemed so much bigger to Charlotte. Even the shallow end went over Charlotte’s head. But the safety of her purple water wings splash jammer kept her afloat. And rather than swim around the pool, Charlotte found herself deathly afraid of swimming anywhere, so she sought the safety of Lauren and wrapped her arms around her torso. “Ah dohn wanna sim….” Charlotte whimpered. Monica waded over to where Lauren was with Charlotte and tried to cheer up the frightened little girl. “You just need to get used to the water!” She told Charlotte, trying to reassure her. She cast her gaze at Lauren, giving her a quizzical look. “That reminds me. Has Miss Warren given Charlotte swimming lessons?” Lauren sighed. “It doesn’t seem like it. But she packed a swimsuit for Charlotte, so I can only guess that she at least wanted to introduce Charlotte to the pool. Charlotte seems to be very afraid of it….Ooh! Do you smell it?” Monica grinned. “You mean the smell of you farting?” Lauren splashed water on Monica’s face. “That was not me and you know it!” Monica laughed. “I was joking! What I meant to say was the smell of a three-year-old girl who just loaded her swim diaper.” Lauren sighed. “I knew what you were talking about. I’ll be right back. This way, you silly stinky girl…” Lauren changed Charlotte’s swim diaper near the poolside, since she had the wipes to easily clean Charlotte off. Fortunately, the poopy accident wasn’t as bad as the one she had earlier at Americana. With that, she quickly changed Charlotte into a new swim diaper. After that, Charlotte didn’t want to do that much more swimming once she was placed back in the pool. And when Lauren began to swim with Charlotte out to the deep end, Charlotte began to lose it. Charlotte eyes were swimming in tears as she began to wail. “Nuh sim in puhl! NUH SIM IN PUHL!” Lauren quickly removed Charlotte from the swimming pool and sat her on one of the poolside lounge chairs. Monica got out and joined Lauren in trying to calm down Charlotte. “Charlotte, it’s going to be okay.” Lauren said in a soft and soothing voice. Monica gave Charlotte a big smile and gave her a soft pat on the back. “Hey Char. We’re out of that scary pool so let’s take a deep breath and relax, okay? Look at me, because we’re both going to relax together, okay? Yeah. That’s it. There we go…” Charlotte felt very bad about being such a liability to her friends. At this point, Charlotte could no longer resist any of her pent-up impulses that her toddler brain was telling her to do. Already, she was feeling a sensory overload of everything being much bigger than what she was used to. The chlorine in the pool didn’t taste very good and Charlotte was starting to have a headache. Charlotte just wanted to lie down. To relax. To not be in this wet swimsuit anymore. Charlotte cupped both her hands over her forehead and continued to cry. “Mah head haughts…” Charlotte cried. Monica nodded and pensively glanced at Lauren. “I’ll go get the Children’s Motrin.” Lauren sighed, as she let the girl sit in her lap. She rubbed the smooth black hair on the top of Charlotte’s head. “Oh, it hurts? Where does it hurt, Charlotte?” Charlotte pointed to the center of her forehead. “Ih haughts wite hee-yah.” After that, Charlotte spent the next few minutes quietly sobbing in Lauren’s lap, while Lauren gave soft and gentle rubs all over Charlotte’s face. Monica came back with the Children’s Motrin and handed Lauren one 100 mg tablet. “I looked up the dosage,” Monica explained. Charlotte’s 2 to 3 years and she weighs between 21 and 35 pounds. Based on this information, she gets one chewable tablet.” Lauren smiled and handed Charlotte the tablet. “Here Charlotte. Eat this. It will make the owie in your head go away. Just give it a little while and there will be no more owie, okay?” Charlotte snatched the tablet out of Lauren’s hand and began to chew it until it dissolved into her mouth. ‘Mmm. It tastes like grape.’ After Lauren took Charlotte upstairs to give her a quick shower and change her into a new diaper, Charlotte began to smile a little more. Her face began darting around, as if she was looking for something. “You silly girl,” Lauren teased. “What are you looking for, Charlotte?” Charlotte kept looking around in her room. “Ah luck fo noh-bawk paw-jis. Noh-bawk paw-jis! Noh-bawk paw-jis!” Lauren shrugged her shoulders. “Charlotte, there isn’t any pages anywhere in this room. Let’s go watch some more Bluey, okay?” Charlotte spent the next couple of hours watching Bluey before it was time for dinner. She was already put in her footed sleeper early, which made it easy for Lauren since she only had to change her into a nighttime diaper. For dinner, Charlotte was given a few mini corn dogs, along with some Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and a tub of strawberry apple sauce. As Charlotte ate, she began to think about the Mystery Notebook. While she guessed that she still had the original book now titled “CHARLOTTE’S DOODLES”, the torn pages had to be somewhere in Lauren’s room. But where? She finished the last spoonful of apple sauce and drank the sippy cup filled with milk. After dinner, Lauren and Monica let Charlotte watch three more episodes of Bluey before it was her bedtime. Before Lauren changed Charlotte into a nighttime diaper, she found that Charlotte messed her diaper again, but it was very mild compared to any of the other ones she had to deal with today. Lauren was surprised, as she found herself not even gagging or groaning in disgust. Maybe it was muscle memory, but all Lauren did was almost ignore the grossness of the mess and carefully did the deed with gentleness and plenty of care. She used less wipes and only used one more to clean off her hands before she added the Aquaphor to only one rashy area and the rest was used to coat Charlotte. And after the powder, she folded the HealthyBaby diaper between Charlotte’s legs and fastened both Velcro tabs snugly around the landing zone. After the diaper was changed, she threw the wadded up messy diaper into the Diaper Genie and zipped Charlotte back up in her pink Minnie footed sleeper. She tucked her in and placed Bobo around her arms. After that, she gave her a kiss on the forehead. “Good night, Charlotte.” Lauren said with a smile. “I’ll see you in the morning.” Lauren was just about to leave the room, when she began to hear Charlotte shout. “Mah pawsee? Mah pawsee? Maw pawsee? Maw pawsee? Maw pawsee?” Out of frustration, Charlotte began to suck her thumb. Fortunately, Lauren knew exactly where Charlotte’s pacifier was. It was on the couch since she watched Bluey with Lauren and Monica before dinner. Lauren scooped up the pacifier and ran back up the two flights of stairs to return to the guest bedroom. Lauren presented the pacifier to Charlotte, who smiled and popped it in her mouth. “Goodnight, pacie girl.” Lauren playfully teased. Charlotte didn’t even pay attention to Lauren’s comment. She sucked away and calmed herself down. Charlotte felt weird but still keenly aware that she was an adult trapped in a three-year-old’s body. Her tiny prison weighed on her, with her toddler brain weighing on her the most. Once that brain started, Charlotte swore that it ran on autopilot. No impulse was controllable for her anymore, so she gave up on trying to fight them. To fight was to try to push back a locomotive, which Charlotte knew that she lacked the strength to do. For a moment or two, Charlotte could feel a multitude of thoughts and feelings that began to overwhelm her toddler mind. ‘Is there a monster under the bed? It’s kind of dark. I’m scared of the dark! Will my sister put me in that scary water again? What is my sister doing right now? I know it’s not daytime anymore but can I still play? Does Bonnie hate Bobo? I don’t see Bonnie in here. Only Bobo. Will my sister give me another fun stroller ride? Will I be able to run on the track again? That was fun! I could run on it forever…’ The rate of speed that the thoughts were flowing through Charlotte’s mind made her all the more anxious, which made her suck her pacifier even faster. Charlotte finally managed to quiet the toddler brain with one simple command. ‘Breathe. Just breathe. Focus on your breaths. Each suck. There we go…’ Charlotte found herself calming down as she slowly managed to regain some semblance of control in her pint-sized prison. ‘I need to sneak into Lauren’s room somehow. They’re probably both watching television downstairs or talking to mom and dad so now’s my chance…” Charlotte lifted back the covers and got out of bed to hear a soft rustling of the HealthyBaby diaper against her footed sleeper. Like the MillieMoon and Coterie diapers, Charlotte found these special diapers at Lauren’s to be a lot more soft and comfortable than the ones that her mother buys for her. ‘I mean, they’re nice.’ Charlotte reasoned in her mind. ‘But these ones are definitely more comfy. Man. I can’t believe that I’m comparing my comfort level with different diapers. This has got to be an all-time low.’ Noticing that the door was closed, Charlotte once again had to step on her tiptoes to reach the doorknob before she reached up and hung onto it, turning the knob and swinging herself backward, which resulted in her tumbling onto the floor. Charlotte got to her feet and left her room, searching the third floor for Lauren’s room. --- Meanwhile, both Lauren and Monica were about to watch Deadpool & Wolverine. Lauren was reluctant to watch the movie but did so for Monica’s sake. “C’mon!” Monica urged. “Deadpool is hilarious! It’s definitely not a movie that would be appropriate for Charlotte because of all the gore, sexual jokes, and explicit language.” Lauren sighed. “Monica! Do we really have to watch it? The movie sounds too raunchy for my tastes.” But Monica hit the play button and the narration from Deadpool began. The song “Bye Bye Bye” by the Backstreet Boys was about to play when Lauren hit the pause button. “We’ll watch the movie, but I want to call Miss Warren…I mean, mommy first and daddy.” Monica nodded. “Okay. We’ll continue afterward.” Lauren dialed the number to Darcy, who picked up after a few seconds. “Hello Miss Warren? You and daddy are eating? Where? Le Bernardin? I love that place! It has the best French seafood I ever had! It’s just as good as what me and my daddy had in Paris! So, what is daddy having? He’s not telling? He’ll send a picture? I think I know what it is since he gets it all the time.” A brief pause. “How’s Charlotte? We just put Charlotte to bed and I’m about to watch Deadpool and Wolverine with Monica. Not really my choice of movie to be honest.” “Tell them about that messy blowout that you changed!” Monica said, chiming in with a smirk. Lauren nodded. “Here. I’ll put it on speaker phone so you can hear us better. Now Monica, can you repeat that?” “I just wanted Lauren to tell you about the massive blowout that she changed,” Monica said, almost laughing. “A blowout? Oh dear. Where did this happen? If it was during your outing, please tell me that you had a change of clothes.” “Nope!” Lauren said with a teasing smile. “Both Monica and I had to cancel our outing and take Charlotte back home! I’m just kidding! Of course we had a change of clothes! Poor Charlotte. Her floral dress had poop stains smeared all over the inside. Monica had to show me a special technique to get the stain out before putting it in the washer. I was about to have the maid do it but Monica insisted that I learn how to do this. So yeah. I’m very comfortable with carrying Charlotte and I changed just about every one of her diapers today.” “Almost every one? Lauren, I am so proud of you. Already you feel like my older daughter even though the wedding is not too far away. I think you’ll make a wonderful sister and babysitter should Michael and I want to have another date like this. Didn’t you say something about exploring the Railroad Square Historic District in Santa Rosa? That is a fun place to go, and it even has a nice park. And we all know that Charles Schultz spent much of his life here. The airport is named after him and there’s a nice statue of Snoopy and Charlie Brown right in Depot Park.” “That’s where we went!” Lauren told her. “It was just a fun afternoon with me pushing Charlotte in the stroller while I had fun with Monica and Roxy. Now Charlotte was quite fussy about being put in the stroller at first, but she seemed to have gotten used to it.” “That’s weird. Charlotte usually likes to ride in the stroller. It might just be one of her phases. Did you keep her entertained?” Both Lauren and Monica exchanged glances and laughed. “Miss Warren,” Lauren continued. “Charlotte spent much of her time in the stroller sleeping. It was kind of cold, so we had to keep her covered up in a warm blanket. When she was awake, she just looked curious as I pushed her around.” “So Lauren. You have to tell me. Where did the blowout happen?” Lauren laughed. “Oh. That. You’re not going to believe it, Miss Warren, but it actually happened while I was waiting in line with Monica and Roxy at Americana. I kept stalling and I so badly did not want to change her but I’m so glad that I did.” “Why did you wait so long? She usually starts to cry after being in that mess for just a few seconds.” “Miss Warren!” Lauren said as she began to burst into laughter. It took her about a minute to recover from her fit of laughter. “Oh…I’m sorry. It smelled so bad, and Charlotte was sleeping through the whole thing! I didn’t want to wake her…” “I am betting that you got some ugly looks from others who couldn’t stand the smell. Lauren, the next time that happens, just go and get her changed. There have been numerous times that I have changed Charlotte while she was asleep.” Lauren nodded. “It’s no problem now, Miss Warren. For any other messy one now, I don’t even give it a second thought! I am starting to really get used to the gross smell and I just try to change it as quickly as possible.” “That’s my buttercup. Your mother would be proud.” Lauren wiped a couple of tears out of her eyes. “Yes, she would. The outing was fun, daddy and I’m sure that Charlotte enjoyed it too. Now, where’s that picture?” “Lulu, the waiter just took our drink orders so it will be a while before I send you that picture. Now, I am very happy to hear that Charlotte is having such a wonderful weekend with you and that she has a capable babysitter breaking you in. Now, Darcy said it but I’ll say it too. I am proud of you, Lauren. I am sure that up there in heaven, Cindy is applauding you.” Lauren’s eyes gushed with tears again. “Well daddy, Monica’s giving me that face. She probably wants to see that raunchy movie!” “A raunchy movie? Well, it’s good that Charlotte’s in bed. What movie did you say it was again?” “Miss Warren, it’s Deadpool and Wolverine.” Lauren told her. “Monica’s so convinced that it’s going to be funny.” “Oh. That one! Daniel, my sister Darlene’s husband, and your soon to be uncle is a big fan of all things Marvel. He has all the comic books, and he tries to see every movie. And my sister and your soon to be aunt couldn’t shut him up about the Deadpool and Wolverine movie. From what my sister told me, I think you will enjoy it.” Lauren sighed. “Yeah. What’s to enjoy about an R-rated movie? I’m thinking that Mel Gibson’s The Passion of The Christ is the only exception. But whatever. Monica wants me to see Deadpool and Wolverine! So, I’ll do it. Have a nice dinner at Le Bernardin!” “We will, Lauren! Enjoy the movie with Monica!” “We will, Miss Warren!” Monica chimed in again. “Bye!” Both girls said in unison. “Now are you ready?” Monica said, grabbing the remote from Lauren. “Get ready to laugh.” Monica pressed play and the movie continued, with the humorous opening montage blaring out of the Dolby Atmos surround sound speakers. --- While Lauren and Monica were talking to Darcy and Michael, Charlotte was wandering around the third floor, looking for Lauren’s room. Most of the doors that Charlotte found were closed, and she didn’t want to try them until she searched every door. But towards the end of the hallway, Charlotte found another door that was open just a crack. Charlotte pushed the door open to see what looked like a massive bedroom. A king-size bed sat on one corner of the room, near two windows, covered in silk white comforters and pillow shams. Two other king-size beds sat further down, each with their own nightstands and were decorated similar to the first bed. A mini kitchenette area sat in another corner with an island with four different raised seats that were all circular in design like bar seats. A large bookshelf sat next to a couch, which was also near an enormous walk-in closet, which felt like walking into a normal-sized master bedroom. Near the bookshelves were a few modeling mannequins and near the door to the walk-in closet was the door that led to the master bathroom. Charlotte was taken away by the sheer size of the room that looked more like an apartment. ‘Is this Lauren’s room?’ Charlotte did not have to guess for long, as she saw Bonnie lying on the neatly made king-size bed between the two pillow shams. ‘Is this where Bonnie ran off to?’ Charlotte continued to glance around the room, knowing that her mission in this room was much more important than a stuffed rabbit. An eerie silence could be felt in Lauren’s room, which was unsettling to Charlotte as she was used to hearing more of the common sounds around her house. She decided to try the mahogany desk that was near the large bookshelf and the couch. The desk had a large center drawer, with four smaller drawers on both sides. Charlotte opened the middle drawer to find only various notebooks with a few old paperbacks stacked on top. After searching through all the notebooks, she could not find any loose papers anywhere. ‘Not this one.’ The first top left drawer had various different hair ties and old hair scrunchies. The second drawer beneath that had hair ribbons of various different colors. The third drawer was packed with various hardcovers of books that Lauren used to read. Although Charlotte couldn’t read anymore, she could see the illustrated pictures that went to The Ringmaster Chronicles and The Raidemirillion. The fourth drawer had more books in it, with a number of them being thick hardcovers. Since Charlotte had no luck with the left drawers, she decided to try the right drawers. The first one had nothing but lipstick and dip powder. The second drawer was filled with creams, makeup, makeup remover, and wipes. And then Charlotte opened the third drawer. What she found was a total mess. The drawer was stuffed with old papers. School papers, stories, and various other miscellaneous pages that were mostly on lined paper. But to Charlotte’s disappointment, none of them looked like torn pages. That wasn’t until… Charlotte reached the very bottom of the drawer. Buried underneath all the old papers was a wad of paper that all had the same torn ends where the metal spiral used to bind the pages together. This had to be it. These were the missing pages from her Mystery Notebook that she was looking for. ‘Perhaps Lauren forgot about it?’ Charlotte thought. ‘I went backwards in age from four to three so even if Lauren managed to read it, there would be no way that she would remember anything that she read. Either that, or she just shoved the paper into the drawer and just forgot about it. I mean, all these other papers in her drawer are forgotten…’ Charlotte victoriously held the torn pages in her hands and began to walk over to the bed that had Bonnie laying on it. Charlotte climbed onto the bed, looked at the pages and…. Realized that there was one big problem. Charlotte couldn’t read. Charlotte never considered the possibility of her lack of literacy. All she wanted to do was find the missing pages. And for what it’s worth, Charlotte didn’t think that she would make it that far. Charlotte groaned in frustration as she leafed through every page, trying to make sense of what each jumbled combination of letters actually meant. It was indeed English and Charlotte did indeed write every one of those words, but it now felt like she was reading an entirely different language. While Charlotte recognized some of the letters, none of the words made any sense to Charlotte at all. ‘Urghhh!!! This stupid brain is useless! I can’t read anything! Not even the first word! What does this all say?’ Charlotte got more frantic and more desperate the more times she leafed through the torn pages. Each time she flipped through the pages faster and faster until… Charlotte let out a deep sigh and sulked on Lauren’s bed. She piled up all the pages and then crawled over to where Bonnie was. Charlotte pressed her face into the pillow sham next to Bonnie and cried into it, her one hand reaching over to Bonnie and resting on it. She sucked her thumb until her strength was spent. --- “Charlotte! What are you doing in my room?” Charlotte could feel a gentle tap on the head and saw that it was Lauren. She shyly glanced away, hoping that Lauren wouldn’t notice the dried tears in her eyes. Lauren sighed as she picked up the stack of papers that she found on her bed. “Charlotte, what were you looking for? Every one of the drawers in my desk were open! If you are wondering, Charlotte, there are no toys in here.” Lauren took the torn pages without looking at them and stuffed them back in the drawer with the other assorted pages. “A lot of those pages were special assignments that I wanted to keep from school. Some of them were from elementary school. Some were from middle school. It’s all mixed together.” After that, Lauren closed all the drawers and returned to her bed with a yawn. “Now Charlotte. Were you hoping to find a toy in here? I’m a big girl, Charlotte. So I’m not going to have the same toys as you.” But Charlotte gave Lauren a doubtful stare as she fixed her eyes on Bonnie. Lauren’s face turned red when she realized what she had done. ‘Wasn’t I supposed to leave Bonnie in Charlotte’s room? That’s right! I forgot!’ Lauren picked up Bonnie and smiled. “Was this what you were looking for, Charlotte? Were you looking for Bonnie? Well Charlotte, just to let you know, I would never put Bonnie in a desk drawer.” Monica entered the room, not noticing Charlotte at first. “Hey! Wasn’t Deadpool and Wolverine awe…” Monica noticed Charlotte and stopped midsentence. “What is Charlotte doing in here? Could she not sleep?” Lauren smiled. “I think that she was trying to find Bonnie. Well, if you want to take Charlotte back, I will escort Bonnie.” Monica gave Lauren a smirk. “Admit it, Lauren. You just want an excuse to hold that stuffed bunny as long as possible.” Lauren’s face reddened and she shook her head. “No! It’s not that!” Monica laughed. “Sure, it isn’t! Why are you blushing then? You seriously have never parted ways with that bunny. You are as bad as Linus with his blanket.” Lauren ignored Monica as she picked up Charlotte while Lauren hugged Bonnie in her arms. It was very clear to Lauren that Monica didn’t understand the significance of this rabbit. When Lauren was two, she could remember her mother giving her that rabbit. And since the days of her mother’s passing, Lauren slept with Bonnie every night. Because it was not just Bonnie that she saw when she held the stuffed rabbit. It was her mother. And even though Monica was Lauren’s closest friend, this was one thing about the rabbit that she never shared with her. It was just something that was too close to her heart. Too personal to share. Charlotte glanced at Lauren, who was giddily smiling as she hugged her Bonnie. ‘You really like Bonnie, don’t you? Well, it’s okay Lauren. I like Bobo just the same.’ Monica tucked Charlotte back into her king-size bed with Bobo. Lauren then tucked Bonnie next to Charlotte as she felt a fresh tear flow out of her eye. ‘Don’t worry, Charlotte. My mommy will keep you safe. And I will try to as well…’ “Good night, Char.” Monica told her charge. Lauren leaned down and kissed Charlotte on the forehead. “Goodnight, my baby sister.” Monica smiled. “That’s cute. But doesn’t Charlie Brown also call Sally his ‘baby sister’?” Lauren nodded. “Exactly! Charlotte is more than a decade younger than me, so she is pretty much a baby.” Charlotte could feel the weight of Lauren’s words, as she understood the significance of them more than she did. ‘Pretty much? Oh, it will happen any day. One day, I will be a helpless infant.’ Charlotte watched as Lauren and Monica faded into silhouettes before leaving the room and closing the door, which clicked as it closed. Charlotte could feel the full weight and bulk of her diaper as she shifted back and forth underneath the covers. ‘What now? I can’t even read the pages so getting them again would be totally useless. It’s over. My perfect life is over. I have officially lost my adulthood forever….’ Charlotte clutched both Bobo and Bonnie while she sucked on her pacifier, trying to quench the anxiety and despair that began to crush her. All throughout Sunday, Charlotte went through the motions until her toddler autopilot did the rest of the work for Charlotte. Sunday was more relaxed and chill, with Charlotte taking a nap after lunch and watching Sesame Street and Bluey while she was awake. While Charlotte did have a few messy diapers, none of them were blowouts and Lauren changed every one. For dinner, Charlotte ate a happy meal that a butler catered from McDonald’s. Lauren preferred this approach over any delivery app since the butler could just pick it up instead of a stranger. After Charlotte finished her chicken McNuggets and fries, Lauren gave Charlotte a bath before getting her ready for bed. Charlotte was surprised to be going to bed at Lauren’s. ‘What about preschool? Am I going to preschool tomorrow?’ Charlotte’s wondering continued as she was kissed goodnight by Lauren. --- Darcy carefully approached the door with Michael and held out her index finger, making a “shhh!” sound. It was already past 10:00 at night, and they drove to the Ashcroft Estate right from the airport. As they opened the door, it made a gentle creak. Darcy pointed to both of Charlotte’s bags, motioning Michael to carry them for her. Michael nodded and picked up Charlotte’s overnight bag and diaper bag. He slung both on his shoulders and watched Darcy approach Charlotte. Darcy scooped up Charlotte and carried her out of the room, with Michael opening the door wider for her to pass through with the sleeping child in her arms. “It was a fun weekend.” Lauren whispered to Darcy as she watched her almost little sister sleep peacefully in Darcy’s arms. Monica nodded. “Yeah.” She whispered. “It was a blast. At this point, I totally trust Lauren to babysit her alone.” Darcy nodded. “We need to go home. We’ll talk more tomorrow.” Michael loaded both of Charlotte’s bags in the back trunk of the 4Runner, while Darcy buckled Charlotte into her car seat. Darcy waved goodbye to Michael and drove home with Charlotte. The 4Runner entered the garage and Darcy smiled as she got the sleeping Charlotte out of her car seat and carried her inside. They were finally home after a fun and adventurous weekend.

I live near Midland.

Chapter 60 Lauren picked up the wadded-up diaper and threw it away in the Diaper Genie nearby. Fortunately, it was only a wet one and not a messy diaper like earlier. Charlotte glanced at the new soft diaper that hugged around her waist. It was definitely a Pampers, but Charlotte knew that it felt softer than that. She then laid her palm over her diapered butt, feeling the cushiony soft cloth backing of her diaper. “Ih soff.” Charlotte blurted, her carefree smile gleaming brightly in the room. Lauren nodded and smiled. “Of course it’s soft, Charlotte! It’s a Pampers Pure! Now that you’re in a fresh diaper, let’s get you into some fun clothes for our outing. What did your mommy pack?” Lauren found a pink floral dress with white daisies and dressed Charlotte in it. She snapped the three crotch buttons and tied the matching bow on Charlotte’s hair. Lauren then got out her camera on her cellphone and took a picture. “Oh, you look so cute!” Charlotte produced a tired and shy stare and began to suck her thumb, which made Lauren gasp. “Oh, that’s right!” Lauren gasped. “I need to get your pacifier. Your pacie…” Charlotte continued sucking and grinned as a small amount of saliva began to flow out of her mouth. “Mah pawsee…” Monica entered the room, holding Charlotte’s pink pacifier. “It was downstairs on the couch.” Monica said with a laugh. She walked over to Charlotte, who removed her thumb and stuck the pacifier in her mouth. “There you go!” Charlotte happily sucked her pacifier as she was carried by Lauren out of the room. She was taken down to the second floor and through the long corridor that led to the parking deck. She saw what looked like a black SUV, watching the door open to see the interior. An LED pink light curved around the entire black interior of the luxury SUV. She was sat in what felt like a very comfortable car seat. She saw Monica, who handed her Bobo and Bonnie, which made her smile. Charlotte was on autopilot. Wherever her true self was, Charlotte seemed to have given up. She was merely an observer now, watching all her three-year-old instincts run wild in her body. Every mood and every impulse were not her own anymore but made up the shell of what Charlotte used to be. Her toddler mind filled with curiosity as she glanced around the spacious interior of the Maybach. Her limited attention span immediately shifted back to Bobo, which she held tightly like some prized possession. She happily sucked on her pacifier and began to feel a little drowsy. Charlotte opened her eyes as the Maybach was beginning to turn out of the private road that led into the sprawling acreage that was the Ashcroft Estate. Her diaper felt a little warm, yet she had no memory or awareness of having just wet it. Her pacifier had fallen out of her mouth and was now on the plush car seat she was sitting in. Charlotte felt surrounded with comfort, but especially felt it in her feet, wearing the comfortable running shoes that Lauren put on her before they took off. The warm comfort surged up Charlotte’s feet and through her legs. Up her pelvis, through her stomach, and all the way into her heart. Where they were going didn’t matter to Charlotte. What they were doing didn’t matter to Charlotte at all. Nothing else mattered. But Charlotte’s little ears could hear the conversation that Lauren and Monica were having in the front of the cabin. Most of the conversation didn’t make much sense to Charlotte, but she listened anyway. “Did I get everything?” “Lauren, you are overreacting. We’re only watching a three-year-old, okay? There’s plenty of diapers packed already. I already checked.” “What about a change of clothes? If Charlotte’s diaper leaks or she has a blowout, we will have to go home if there’s no change of clothes.” “Didn’t you see? If you would’ve looked in the diaper bag, there’s a set of pink overalls inside. Also, two shirts and even a pair of elastic jeans. And three extra pairs of socks. Miss Warren is super prepared.” “That’s good. You do remember that this is my first time really watching a kid.” “You’re doing fine, Lauren. She’s going to be your little sister soon, so you really need to be comfortable in taking care of her. Something tells me that you’ll be doing a lot of babysitting for Miss Warren.” “Does she need a change yet?” “Lauren, you just changed her into a new diaper before we left! What one did you put her in?” “A Pampers Pure.” “Then Char should be fine. Now, when did Roxy say she was going to meet us?” “She should’ve sent a group text, Monica. She said that she would meet us at Depot Park.” “Depot Park? It’s been a hot minute since I’ve been there. I went on a date a month ago with Quentin there. We ate at Chevys. It was amazing.” “We probably won’t eat there since I’m not in the mood for Mexican food. Now do you think that three sippy cups are enough?” “Lauren, it’s more than enough. We’re not going to be out all day. There’s one with apple juice and two with water. They’re in the mini fridge in the back.” “I know. I put them there. Now how would you like to do a girl’s night out? Just you, me, and Roxy.” “I getcha, girl. We can plan something like that soon. Of course we still have a few more years before we can really have fun with the drinks. But hey! There’s plenty of mocktails we can have in the meantime.” The Maybach was now making its way towards the city limits of Santa Rosa, and Charlotte’s eyes were now glued to the window, her mind full of curiosity, excitement, and wonder. The Maybach continued deeper into Santa Rosa, heading towards the heart of the city. Charlotte continued to zone in and out as the car neared Railroad Square Historic District. First, she woke up when the car began to slow. She woke up again when she heard the various sounds of doors opening and closing, with the sound of the trunk closing. Her eyes traced the pink ambient light that curved around the entire interior of the Maybach in a thin line. Finally, she heard the clicking sound of the buckle to her car seat releasing before she felt herself being hoisted up by Lauren. “Up you go, my baby sister.” Lauren cooed as she carried Charlotte from the cabin of the SUV towards the Graco Stroller that stood nearby. As tuned out as Charlotte was, her eyes became alert when she saw the stroller and she began to kick with her legs, trying to squirm free from Lauren’s grasp. Charlotte’s face became one of disapproval and disgust as Lauren began to bring her nearer to the stroller. ‘No. Again? Why am I being put in that stroller? It’s bad enough that I can’t ever be an adult again. I can walk! Really I can! That’s for babies, and I AM NOT A BABY! Charlotte crossed her arms defiantly and began to pout. “Nul Law-in! Nul stow-lah! I naw ah bah-bee!” Lauren was completely shocked and surprised at Charlotte’s behavior. “Charlotte, what’s wrong? I thought you liked the stroller! We used it yesterday when your mommy went to the airport and you never complained.” Monica nodded. “And I wheeled you all the way back to the limo and you rode like a champ.” Charlotte knew that last part wasn’t true. ‘Seriously. What is wrong with you? Yesterday, you let me walk all the way back to the car. Walk! I never rode back in the stroller. Never! C’mon Monica! You said it yesterday! Dashing Ducklings don’t ride in strollers. They dash!’ She grimaced at Lauren and whined when she glanced at the stroller. “Nooooo….Nulwideinstowlah….Nul Law-in…” Lauren sighed. “Charlotte, I’m sorry. You’re going to have to sit in the stroller. With all the walking that we’re doing, it’s too much and you’re going to get tired.” Monica nodded and pointed at Charlotte. “Can I say something to her, Lauren?” Monica stooped down to Charlotte’s level and smiled. “Hey. I know how much we like to run, but you’re going to get tired if you walk everywhere we’re walking. How about this? Would you like a passenger to ride with you?” Lauren nodded and exchanged glances with Monica, knowing exactly where she was going with this. “Bobo is still in Charlotte’s car seat.” Lauren’s smile increased as she tried to console the unhappy toddler. “Charlotte, I think that Bobo wants to ride with you. Would you like him to?” Charlotte wanted to scream “NO!” at Lauren, but like any out-of-control itch, she acted on her toddler instincts almost instinctually. “YEAH!!!” Charlotte squealed. “Bul-bul sih wif ME!” Lauren smiled. “That’s my little sis. But first, let’s get you buckled, okay?” Lauren delicately sat Charlotte in the seat of the stroller and buckled her in. Charlotte was also wearing a warm pink coat to keep her warm with the weather being cooler. After Lauren adjusted the buckle to the right tightness. She fetched Bobo and tucked him in with Charlotte. Monica draped a soft blanket over Charlotte, allowing her to ride in warmth and comfort. Finally, she handed Charlotte a sippy cup filled with apple juice, so that the girl would have plenty to drink. Charlotte stretched her legs out, pressing both her feet out against the leg rest that sat below her seat. At this point, Charlotte really felt like a prisoner in her own body. Not only was she trapped in the body of a petite three-year-old, but she was also now restrained in a travel stroller intended more for babies than a girl like her. She was still older than two but only guessed that the age that she was would not be guaranteed the next day. For all she knew, she could very well skip two and become an infant the next day. This really was a nightmare, as no one around her had the slightest memory of what happened yesterday. The Pull-Ups. Her walking out of the airport instead of riding in the stroller. All those memories did not exist to Lauren or Monica anymore, as the clock turned back for Charlotte, which mysteriously altered every single event around her. ‘Fine. I’m already trapped as it is. I’ll just ride around in the stroller and be treated like a baby. What’s next? A baby bottle? Baby food? I don’t want to know.’ A familiar car pulled up next to the Maybach in the Depot Park parking lot. Charlotte could distinctly remember what car it was, as she used to own a car like this herself. It was a Rolls Royce Phantom, which brought a look of shock to Charlotte. She watched Roxy step out of it, which made her sigh. ‘Her family’s probably loaded. I never had any car like that when I went to Langford…’ Roxy was dressed in a lightweight off-white top with loose fit high elastic wide leg suit pants. She wore a black light trench coat to give herself an extra layer of warmth. Both Lauren and Monica were dressed similarly to Roxy, only Lauren’s light trench coat was fastened and was pink, and she wore white wide leg suit pants. Monica’s light trench coat was opened like Roxy’s, revealing her lightweight black top and black wide leg suit pants. Roxy waved at both girls and warmly smiled when she saw the Graco stroller. “I’m here!” Roxy announced. “Oh! What a cute little stroller you have! That’s Charlotte in there, right?” Charlotte quietly scowled. ‘Of course I’m in here. Where else would I be?’ She could see Roxy leaning down and giving Charlotte a cutesy smile. “Oh, you’re so adorable!” Roxy chirped as she lightly touched Charlotte’s nose with her index finger, which elicited a giggle from the little girl. She shot a double take at Charlotte and glanced back up at Lauren, and then Monica. “And you said that she just turned three?” Lauren nodded. “Yup! Charlotte is a big girl now! She just had a big birthday party a couple of weeks ago.” Roxy gave Charlotte another careful look and was surprised. “So, she’s three? That’s very petite for a three-year-old.” Charlotte glanced up at the giddy teens, looking bored and guzzling her apple juice from her sippy cup as the conversation continued. “Seriously.” Roxy continued. “From the size of that stroller, I thought that you were watching a baby. More recently Monica, I just finished watching a girl named Megan a month ago and I swear that she looked the same size as Charlotte, only she was 12 months old. What does the little cutie wear?” Monica gave Roxy an insightful nod. “For diapers, Charlotte wears size 3’s. And she can still easily fit in 12-18 month clothing. Really, it’s very cute since we can dress her in all kinds of baby outfits. She’s actually going to be Lauren’s little sister soon since her father is getting married.” Roxy smiled. “That’s right, Lauren! You told me about that! Now as for Charlotte still wearing diapers, I am kind of taken aback by that. Sure, she would need them at night. But during the daytime? Shouldn’t Charlotte be in Pull-Ups?” ‘Thank you,’ Charlotte thought as she glanced up at Roxy. Monica nodded. “From what Miss Warren told us, she tried to potty train Charlotte at two-and-a-half but failed miserably. For now, Charlotte just wears diapers full-time, which kind of makes it easier on an outing like today. Charlotte is also fairly new to the Dashing Ducklings, since they only allow kids from ages 3-5. This past Monday was her second week there!” “Monica, is Charlotte that girl who likes to run? Just this last weekend, I babysat a girl named Diana. I found out about her from buying shoes from her mother’s shoe shop in San Francisco. That mother seemed desperate for a babysitter so I volunteered. That girl would not stop talking about a girl who likes to run in Dashing Ducklings. I believe she was talking about Charlotte!” “She was, Roxy. I know Diana. She has been attending Dashing Ducklings for quite a while now. Such a cute little girl…” Charlotte glanced up at the teen girls that loomed over her. At this point, Charlotte longed to be part of the conversation. But instead, she felt uncomfortable and out of place. It was almost awkward, since Charlotte knew her true age and yet she was sitting in a stroller and watching a trio of teens ramble on about babysitting, school, boyfriends, modeling, and running. Charlotte wanted to say something so badly. Just one thing so that she would feel like she was a part of the group. But when Charlotte opened her mouth to speak, a loud “Hi!” was the only thing she could manage. The three teen girls all looked down and laughed, before they responded with a loud “Awwwwwww!” Lauren glanced down at Charlotte and waved. “Hi Charlotte!” Roxy too waved as well. “Hello, you little cutie!” But when Charlotte glanced at Roxy, a sudden anxiety and shyness filled her body. She reached around and began to fuss. “Paw-see! Mah paw-see!” Charlotte whined. The girls were halfway out of the parking lot and moving towards Depot Park when Lauren sighed. “Excuse me,” Lauren told Roxy. “Charlotte’s pacifier is in the Maybach, and I need to go back and get it before she has a meltdown.” Roxy laughed. “I get it. One of the kids that I babysat was a four-year-old girl that still needed her pacifier. We’re not too far. We’ll wait for you.” Out of desperation, Charlotte placed her thumb in her mouth and began to anxiously suck on it. She sucked it even faster when she saw Roxy standing there. Something about Roxy just rubbed Charlotte the wrong way and she just couldn’t put her finger on it. But moments later, Lauren returned with Charlotte’s pink pacifier. She reached down and handed the pacifier to Charlotte. Charlotte quickly swiped the pacifier from Lauren and stuck it right in her mouth and began to suck on it like there was no tomorrow. Over the next few minutes, her pace relaxed as she continued to hear the teen girls laugh and converse with each other. Charlotte could only continue to see the awkwardness continue, as she now was soothing herself in front of three girls that she knew was older than. Despite the fact that they didn’t know this, she still felt the awkwardness lingering as the conversation continued. “Oh. That’s such a cute pacifier!” “Thanks! Miss Warren actually got that for her. I have no idea how many pacifiers she owns.” “Yeah. And Roxy, did I tell you that I was training Lauren on how to be an excellent babysitter?” “I don’t think you have. Do continue. We’re both pros at this, but it’s always fun to hear from a beginner.” Charlotte looked bored now as the words began to fade in and out as she fought to stay awake as she slowly sucked her pacifier. “……never believe….....Lauren……….out.…………….change………………diaper…” “……….chickened……………Poopy………………easy………..” “….pros………cut……………….promise……………….next one….” The three girls all walked around Historic Railroad Square, with Lauren pushing Charlotte in the stroller while she peacefully slept. For two hours, they walked around Depot Park and walked through the visitor center and various different shops while Charlotte took a nap. While they walked through Depot Park, Lauren noticed the Snoopy and Charlie Brown Sculpture which she wanted to point out to Charlotte, but she was fast asleep, much to her disappointment. “Aw.” Lauren said in a hushed tone. “We’ll have to show Charlotte the sculpture later when she’s awake!” Monica nodded. “Yeah! What kid doesn’t love Charlie Brown?” “A blockhead!” Roxy quipped, which resulted in quiet giggles from the other two teen girls. Lauren, Monica, and Roxy were now all waiting with Charlotte to get a table at Americana for lunch, since they never bothered to get reservations. As the three waited, Lauren began to smell a foul odor, which made her glance at Monica. “Monica?” Lauren said with a smile. “Did you just fart?” Both Monica and Roxy exchanged glances and nodded. Monica shook her head. “Nope! But I do know of a little girl that’s still sleeping that’s going to need a change very soon…” Lauren sighed and spoke in a soft tone. “Oh Charlotte! Did you have to do it while asleep? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a kid do that.” Monica shook her head. “It’s because you don’t watch kids. Babies do it all the time.” A young couple that looked to be in their thirties gave a sour glance at the three girls, with the man pointing his finger at them. “I don’t mean to be rude,” the man addressed them. “But could you please change that little girl? It’s beginning to smell really bad!” “Yeah!” the woman added. “Go change the baby.” She softly murmured to the man. “I’m so glad that we’re never having kids…” Both Monica and Roxy just rolled their eyes at the rude couple. “Yeah.” Monica said in a stern tone. “That’s the idea. Do you think that we’re stinking up the line for the hell of it? Why don’t you grow some balls and have a kid!” This quieted the man, who now stared at Monica with his mouth wide open. A woman who was standing there with three older girls nodded. “Those two don’t get it. I have raised Kylie, Kayla, and Kendra and can tell you as an experienced mom that this is perfectly normal. You don’t want to wake her early as she’ll probably get cranky. How old is your little one? She looks like such a cute little thing!” Lauren smiled. “That is Charlotte and she’s my soon to be little sister since my daddy is getting married. She’s actually three years old.” The mom’s jaw dropped as she glanced at Charlotte again. “I’m sorry. I thought that she was 12 months old. She’s quite petite for just three. She’s kind of similar to Kylie, who’s only seven. A lot of people think that she’s a preschooler but she’s in the second grade! Kayla is 10 and Kendra is 13. Don’t worry about Charlotte. Each kid comes in their own unique shape and size!” Kayla sighed. “Mom, when are we going to eat?” The mom smiled. “When they call us, honey. Hopefully, that will be soon.” She looked back at the trio of teenagers. “Nice talking to you three! When she wakes up, get that changed!” Lauren was half-tempted to go and take care of it while Charlotte was sleeping, but she decided to keep waiting. Mainly because she didn’t really want to change Charlotte. Almost 20 additional minutes passed, with the smell getting worse and worse by the minute. It was bad enough that everyone getting into line and in front of the stroller could smell the foul stench while Charlotte slept. A woman just little bit ahead of the girls pointed to another stroller that had her little boy in it and then pointed to her diaper bag. “Just get it done. I just took care of mine. We need to get rid of the smell. Please?” Lauren sighed as she glanced at the stroller. ‘I guess I have no choice. Charlotte is still sleeping. Here we go…’ But just as Lauren was about to take Charlotte to the bathroom, a woman approached the three girls. “Lauren, party of four?” The woman said, counting the girls and noticing that Charlotte was the fourth one. “Your table is ready. This way, please.” Lauren decided to follow Monica and Roxy to the table with Charlotte so that she would know which table she would return to after the diaper change. Lauren pushed the stroller and could hear some quiet groans from nearby tables remarking on the lingering odor that permeated the restaurant from the stroller. Charlotte squinted her eyes open and could see what looked like the inside of a restaurant. She now felt well rested, but at the same time felt very wet and messy. Charlotte frowned, her face looking uncomfortable as the stroller approached the table. “Law-in? Ah wen poopy! Ah wen poopy Law-in!” Both Monica and Roxy exchanged glances. “Go and change Charlotte. We’ll get her a highchair, okay?” Monica then smirked. “That is unless you’re going to chicken out and let me do it!” Lauren looked a little irritated and fiercely shook her head. ‘Why, of all the nerve! Does Monica really think that I can’t do it? Well, just for that…’ She glanced down at Charlotte and gave her a polite smile. “C’mon baby sis. Let’s go and get your diaper changed.” She swiftly pushed the stroller away with her charge and quickly looked back to cast a spiteful smile at Monica. ‘I can’t change a poopy diaper? I’ll show you…’ Lauren found a woman’s bathroom and entered it, finding the handicap stall in the back. She folded out the changing table that was attached to the wall and took Charlotte out of the stroller. She laid Charlotte on the changing table and buckled her in so that she wouldn’t squirm too much. But it was after she took Charlotte out of the stroller that she let out a loud gasp. Sitting in the seat of the stroller was a large wet spot, with a brown stain smeared towards the bottom. And when Lauren pulled back the blanket, it revealed more. Underneath the fold of Charlotte’s floral dress, there was a large wet spot all over the crotch enclosure of the dress, with soft and mushy poop oozing out of both sides of the enclosure. Charlotte’s diaper had not only leaked, but it was a complete blowout. Charlotte glanced up to see the distressed look on her best friend’s face. No. Her older sister’s face. This face belonged to the sister who was supposed to take care of Charlotte. The big sister that was supposed to assume full responsibility over her baby sister. She watched intently, partially hoping that she would get to work on her leaky and soiled diaper quickly. She needed the face of someone who was capable. Someone who was responsible. But from what Charlotte saw, Lauren wasn’t giving her that face. ‘C’mon Lauren! It’s really sad for me to say this, but I just can’t take care of myself anymore. I need someone else to do it for me. So can you…will you…please…change me? Yeah, it’s gross but you need to push through it!’ Lauren thought of giving up, but all she could think of was the taunting and teasing that she would get from Monica and Roxy if she decided to let them do it instead. Her feeling of doubt, stress, and anxiety, turned into anger. This fueled her determination and resolve to begin the unpleasant and nauseating task. “Monica,” Lauren hissed. “You are not going to change this one! It’s mine! Got it?!” Lauren’s determined face became more crazed and maniacal as she got out the supplies. She just knew that Charlotte needed a change of clothes. Her floral dress had to go. So in within a minute, Charlotte was laying bare on a very messy diaper. Lauren continued, placing the soiled onesie dress into a plastic bag to wash later. Lauren opened the wipes and began to dig in. It didn’t matter to her how dirty she got. All she could think of was getting Charlotte as clean as possible while washing her hands for two whole minutes afterwards. Charlotte glanced at a more determined Lauren and could feel the cold wipes on her that made her shiver. Charlotte couldn’t believe it, but she felt a little better than she did before her nap. At this point, she knew that someone had to take care of her no matter what. And of all the people that had to take care of her, she was glad that it was Lauren. Charlotte now looked happy and glad that her big sister was up to the task. ‘Thank you. This really is something that I could never do myself. I mean, I’m so sick of trying. Maybe I just need to let go of it all. And oh yeah, big sis. You missed a spot.’ Lauren did her final round of wiping on Charlotte, managing to get the spot on Charlotte’s butt. But unbeknownst to Lauren, Charlotte was fully aware of what was going on, and she gave a smile of approval once she wiped the spot that she missed. At this point, Charlotte didn’t know why, but she was very excited to get into another diaper. But she understood that she had to wait longer as she watched Lauren use a few wipes to clean off her own hands. She watched as Lauren took a large glob of Aquaphor and rubbed it all over the reddish areas where the rashes were beginning to form. And then everywhere else to form a protective barrier to prevent other rashes from forming. Charlotte’s nose was greeted by the pleasant scent of Johnson’s Cornstarch baby powder with Aloe & Vitamin E, which Lauren shook liberally all over the inside of Charlotte’s new diaper. She shook some on her hand and then rubbed it on Charlotte’s butt before laying her on top of the diaper. She liberally shook more powder on Charlotte before folding the front of the Pampers Baby Dry diaper between Charlotte’s legs. She then saw the two tabs being snugly fastened around her waist. Charlotte smiled, enjoying the diaper’s warm embrace around her pelvis, waist, and butt. Lauren smiled in victory, as the soiled diaper was now thrown away in the small waste bin inside the stall. Over the next couple of minutes, she got Charlotte into a new change of clothes, which ended up being her pink corduroy overalls and a white T-shirt with blue speckled dots underneath. She was relieved to find three snap buttons around the crotch, which would make it easy to change Charlotte for later. Charlotte was relieved to finally be in a new diaper and new clothes. Her pink corduroy overalls felt comfortable. Charlotte couldn’t believe that it was happening, but she was finding herself slowly beginning to accept some of the simpler things in her life. Things like the warm embrace of her sister as she hoisted her back into her stroller. And Charlotte realized that she was really happy now since she just didn’t care anymore. And somehow, the happiness from her toddler brain began to permeate her adult mind. While Charlotte felt mostly content, she couldn’t help but feel a slight tinge of unease within her. ‘Yeah. It’s still annoying to be trapped in a toddler’s body like this but what else can I do? Nobody’s going to believe me so why bother? So yeah. I’m totally done caring. I’m starving now! And thirsty!’ When Charlotte was brought back to the table, she was sat in her highchair next to Lauren, Monica, and Roxy. Both Monica and Roxy teased Lauren as they both smirked at her. “How was it? Did you get someone from the restaurant to change her?” Monica joked. “No.” Lauren replied firmly. “It was a complete blowout. Quite possibly one of the worst diapers that I have ever changed but I did it.” Monica noticed Charlotte in her pink overalls instead of her pink floral dress. “I’ll say! Was it that messy that you needed a new outfit? There’s some bonus points. What do you think, Roxy?” Roxy studied Charlotte and gave Monica and Lauren a thumbs up. “Yeah. A change of clothes from a diaper change is definitely going above and beyond here. Guess what, Lauren? For doing that, Lunch is on me.” Monica grinned. “And I’m paying for Charlotte’s lunch too! Get her whatever you want!” Charlotte glanced at the menus that were sitting on the table, out of reach from the highchair she was sitting at. She so badly wanted to order her own meal but knew that she couldn’t read anymore. So, she began frantically waving her hands at the menu. “Law-in ah voowee hunghee! Ohdah sumfin off mehwu peese! Ohdah sumfin off mehwu peese!” Lauren smiled and chuckled at Charlotte’s innocent request. “Why certainly, Charlotte! Let’s see what they have! Oh. Did you know that they serve breakfast all day here? They have pancakes, Charlotte and you can get them with chocolate chips!” Charlotte nodded. “Yah! Ahget chaka chip pahncakes! Ahget chaka chip pahncakes!” Charlotte chirped with a proud smile. Monica glanced at Charlotte’s selection and whispered something to Lauren. “Maybe just give her one. She’s not going to be able to eat all of that.” The waitress finally returned to the trio’s table, and they all ordered lunch. Lauren let Charlotte order her own meal, so she pointed at Charlotte. “Okay Charlotte.” Lauren said. “Tell the waitress what you want!” “Ah wan chaka chip pahncakes!” Charlotte told her proudly. The waitress laughed as she wrote down Charlotte’s order. “What a sweetheart! It’s a pretty good-sized order so you’ll have a lot of leftovers!” Monica shook her head. “No. I’ll eat what she can’t finish. I’m a pancake junkie! Gimmie those griddle cakes!” Both Lauren and Roxy erupted into a frenzy of laughter. The other girls ordered their lunches. Lauren ordered a Blue Cheese/Mushroom/Bacon Burger, which she planned to share a tiny sliver with Charlotte since she knows that Charlotte likes burgers. Monica ordered a Breakfast Burrito and Roxy ordered Huevos Rancheros. When the food came, Lauren shook her head when she saw one of the girls beginning to eat. “Can we all say grace, please?” Lauren pleaded. “It’s kind of my custom to thank God before I eat my food.” Roxy nodded. “Sure. It’s good that you have that custom. Let’s say it.” Lauren said a quick prayer, thanking God for their food and being able to successfully change Charlotte, which made both Monica and Roxy chuckle. After that, the girls all went to work on their lunch. After that, Lauren cut one of Charlotte’s pancakes into small pieces, knowing that Charlotte would not be able to eat more than one. Monica, seeing the rest of the pancakes, took them. But to be fair, she agreed to only eat them if Charlotte was full. Charlotte proved Lauren wrong by devouring all the little pieces of chocolate chip pancake that was fed to her, since the restaurant didn’t have child sized silverware. She only wanted a little more pancakes, so Lauren cut a tiny slab off another pancake. Lauren also offered a piece of her burger, which Charlotte managed to eat every bite. But after the burger, Charlotte was full. She also gave Charlotte her second sippy cup filled with water, which Charlotte gulped down in seconds. Monica smiled at all of Charlotte’s leftover pancakes. “We’ll see if these are better than IHOP,” Monica joked, as she proceeded to shovel in a mouthful of pancakes before devouring it. Four pancakes later, Monica nodded. “Yup. Definitely better than IHOP.” The girls all paid the bill and Lauren pushed Charlotte in the stroller. Lauren had to wipe out the wet spot in the seat of the stroller and use an extra unused blanket to line the seat so that Charlotte wouldn’t sit on any of the dried stains. Charlotte could now feel how stretched out her stomach was. She was indeed full and was now beginning to experience a food coma of sorts, from all the starches in the pancakes, along with the syrup, fruit sauce, and chocolate chips. And from the combination of her full belly, mixed with the smooth and ambient voices from the three girls, Charlotte’s eyes began to flicker as she let out a deep yawn. She could feel like a hand was giving her another sippy cup of water. “Lauren, no! Charlotte looks like she’s about to fall asleep…” But Charlotte, looking very lethargic, took a few sips of water and began to reach for her pacifier. It didn’t take her more than a few sucks before it dropped out of her mouth, and she began snoring. The three teen girls all exchanged smiles as they continued their fun adventure with a sleeping Charlotte through Santa Rosa’s Railroad Square Historic District. It was a fun adventure so far, and they all looked forward to all the fun that they would experience next.

I'm sure that Charlotte will want to see Diana on Monday. Especially since the regression has taken place. As for the missing pages, this is something that I actually plan to get to very soon, so stay tuned. 😀

I really don't know what a stuffed bear and a stuffed rabbit would produce for a child. Anyway... Chapter 59 Charlotte opened her eyes and let out a contented yawn. To her surprise, she found Bobo laying right next to her. And Bobo wasn’t the only one to greet her. Right next to her was Bonnie. ‘Bonnie’s here again! Bobo really likes Bonnie.’ Charlotte sat up in the large king-size bed, noticing the soft and comfortable diaper that she was wearing now had a soggy squish. And like a very bad itch, Charlotte was now overcome with a strong urge to suck on…something. So, she positioned her right thumb and stuck it in her mouth. She got out of bed as she tightly sucked her thumb. Charlotte removed her thumb and stood on her tiptoes to reach the knob of the door with her small hand. She clumsily grasped it and somehow managed to turn it. She leaned back and fell on her butt as the door swung open. Now getting to her feet, Charlotte made small and energetic strides out of the room and made it to the grand staircase. Charlotte sat down and scooched her butt, planting both feet down on the next step down. After that, she sat down and scooched again until she got to the second floor. She then walked to where the staircase wrapped around and began scooching down the flight of stairs until she was on the first floor. At this point, Charlotte had no idea where she was going, but she was having a lot of fun. Instinctually, Charlotte stuck her thumb back in her mouth and sucked it again. ‘Why am I doing this? I don’t know why, but I do feel a lot better.’ Charlotte couldn’t even explain to herself why she suddenly liked to suck her thumb, but it was now something that she just couldn’t stop doing. Thumb in mouth, she quietly walked forward to hear what sounded like Lauren talking on her cellphone in the living room. Charlotte sucked her thumb, listening intently on what her soon-to-be sister was saying. “So are you enjoying New York so far?” Lauren asked. “Yeah. I’m sitting right here with Monica. I haven’t even gotten Charlotte up yet. She is probably still sleeping.” A brief pause, before laughter coming from Lauren. “Believe it or not, Miss Warren, Charlotte didn’t cry for it once last night. Maybe this weekend would be a good weekend to wean her off of it? Oh. You don’t think that’s a good idea?” “Yeah. Things are going good so far with Charlotte. You’ll never believe it, Miss Warren. Last night, Monica and I took Charlotte out to the racing track and she ran two whole laps by herself! That’s pretty far for such a little girl! I know. I was impressed, too. So you two are hungry and want breakfast? Well, I’m hungry too so I’m going to go and get Charlotte up. No. I didn’t use any of your nighttime diapers since there’s plenty of them here. Yes, they’re plenty absorbent! Mandy never had a problem with them with Louie. Oh. What ones? Millie Moon. Yeah. They’re a lot softer than your Pampers Swaddlers Overnights that you use on her. And yes, daddy. I can hear you. I’m having a good time. Well, I’m going to let you go so we can have breakfast! Okay. Bye!” Charlotte was still rapidly sucking her thumb as she walked into the living room, catching both Lauren and Monica by surprise. Lauren gasped. “Charlotte! How did you get down here? Those stairs are dangerous! You could’ve gotten hurt!” Monica nodded. “Yes Char. Please wait in your room next time.” She then smiled when she saw Charlotte sucking on her thumb. “Lauren, I think we need to get it. Charlotte has found something else to suck on. I’ll be right back.” Lauren sighed. “I thought that we were going to wean her from that. Okay. Fine…” Monica left the room while Charlotte made an energetic dash towards Lauren. Lauren walked over to the couch and patted her palm on the seat. “Do you want to sit on the couch with me, Charlotte!” Charlotte nodded, like she was the happiest girl in the world. “Ya! I sih ahn cawch!” Charlotte didn’t know why she talked so differently. But she didn’t let that bother her. ‘I sit on couch? Well, close enough….” Lauren then grabbed the television remote as she watched Charlotte making silly sounds and strumming her lips with her fingers before she stuck her thumb back in her mouth. In moments, Lauren had a streaming app loaded. “So Charlotte. What do you want to watch?” “Ah wawch Booey!” Charlotte said, with a very big smile. As Lauren was beginning to find an episode, Monica came back carrying a small object in her hand. When Charlotte saw what Monica was holding, she started to go ballistic. “Mah pawsee!” Charlotte shouted. “Ah wahnt mah pawsee!” Monica shook her head just as held the pink pacifier out of reach. “Nah ah, Char. You need to say the magic word first before I give you your pacie. Now, what’s the magic word?” “Wah pawsee!” Charlotte shouted, frantically trying to grab it out of Monica’s hand. Monica shook her head. “No. The magic word is ‘please’. So can you say ‘please’ Charlotte? Say the magic word!” “PEEEEEEEESCE!” Charlotte said, flailing her hands near Monica’s arms. “Say pretty please!” Monica told her. “Pih e peese!” Charlotte repeated. Monica smiled and finally handed Charlotte her pacifier. Charlotte grabbed the pacifier out of Monica’s hand. She then stuck it in her mouth and began to suck it rapidly. Lauren smiled. “Aw, that’s so cute!” Lauren poked Charlotte to get her attention. “Charlotte, do you like your pacifier?” Charlotte gave Lauren an attentive glance. “No!” she shouted, and she continued to suck on it. Lauren frowned. “I don’t get it. Shouldn’t she be saying yes?” Monica laughed. “Kids her age do that a lot. When kids are learning words, they don’t quite understand the meaning of them yet. So, she might say no when she really means yes. Watch.” Monica pointed to the television. “Charlotte, are you ready to watch an episode of Bluey?” Charlotte fixed her eyes on the television screen. “No!” Lauren stood up and glanced at her charge and Monica. “I’m going to cook breakfast. I’ll have you play with Charlotte. Okay?” Monica nodded. “Go ahead! Me and Char are going to have so much fun!” Charlotte focused her eyes on the television and smiled as she saw a blue dog talking. “Ih Booie!” she shouted, pointing to the screen energetically. Monica nodded. “Yeah! And she’s playing with her younger sister Bingo! Here! Let’s keep watching!” Charlotte was beginning to have a tendency to glance away at the screen, causing Monica to keep redirecting her attention back. About a half hour later, the smell of breakfast began to waft into the living room. “It’s ready!” Lauren told Monica. Lauren then leaned down and scooped up Charlotte effortlessly. At this point, Lauren felt more confident in carrying Charlotte than last night. Charlotte was still sucking on her pacifier when she found herself being carried away from the living room. “Wahr we gohwen?” she lisped, because of the pacifier. Lauren gave Charlotte an over enthusiastic smile. “We’re going to the dining room because your big sister has made you some breakfast!” Monica grinned. “Not until December 14th!” Lauren sighed. “Close enough! To me, I see Charlotte as my sister already! Now, you are going to LOVE what I made.” Lauren was halfway through the kitchen and almost to the dining room when Monica pointed to Charlotte’s pelvic area. “Shouldn’t we change her first?” Monica suggested. “That’s the first thing that I do when I get the kids up. Then I feed them breakfast and an hour later, it’s time for another change. Especially if they poop!” Lauren sighed. “Let’s just feed her breakfast first. We’ll change her after breakfast.” Charlotte could hear the whole conversation and smiled. ‘Yeah. I’m hungry. After breakfast, it will be time for a Pull-Up.’ As Charlotte was carried into the dining room, she noticed a delicious breakfast that was on the large table. But there was only one problem. The table only had two plates instead of three. Charlotte also tried to locate where the seat cushion was from last night, but it was nowhere to be found. Instead of a seat cushion, a highchair sat next to the two seats, with a plate containing Charlotte’s breakfast on the tray. A look of resentment began to fill Charlotte’s face as she pointed to the table and began to fuss. “No! Ah sih ahn cahsin!” Lauren frowned. “What did she say?” Monica nodded. “I think that she said that she wanted to sit on a cushion. What gave her this idea?” Lauren smiled. “That’s right! I showed her the cushion during Halloween!” As Charlotte was placed in her highchair, her fussing became more intense, and she started to whine. “Noooooooooooooo! Ah wan cahsin! Cahsin! Nul haw cheyah. Cahsin!” Lauren looked appalled and upset. “Charlotte, I can’t have you sitting on the cushion with us. You’re too short!” She gave Monica a puzzled look. “I don’t know what her problem is. She had no problems eating in the highchair last night. She was a very happy girl.” Charlotte gasped. ‘That can’t be right! I can distinctly remember sitting in a cushion last night! A cushion!’ Monica nodded. “She’s just going through a phase. It’s very common with kids that young. This is what you do.” Monica approached Charlotte’s level and pointed to the highchair. “Charlotte, I want you to listen to me very carefully, okay? We are not going to shout or scream. You are going to eat your yummy breakfast, or we can just take you upstairs for a nap. So, what do you want, Charlotte? Breakfast or a nap?” “Bawkfist!” Charlotte exclaimed, pounding her fist on the tray of her highchair in frustration. Monica smiled. “Breakfast it is. Start eating it! Yum yum!” Charlotte began to grasp her small fork and stab the tiny pieces of bacon before bringing it into her mouth. As she ate the bacon pieces, the fluffy egg pieces, the tiny pieces of sausage, and the bits of buttery toast, she tried really hard to think about what just happened. ‘Did it happen again? Did I just get younger overnight?’ A sudden chill suddenly went down her spine. ‘Oh no. PLEASE no!’ Charlotte noticed that her plastic cup was replaced with a sippy cup. As she was drinking down the juice, Charlotte suddenly felt a very strong bowel movement, so she pushed it out with very little effort. Lauren watched Charlotte finish her juice when she smelled a foul odor nearby. Her look became a look of worry and disgust. She then glanced at Monica. As much as she wanted to be the responsible one, this was just too much for her. So, she chickened out. “Monica? Help?” Monica laughed. “Oh come on! It’s just a poopy diaper! But if you insist, fine. Only if you get the next one. Otherwise, you’re changing them both.” Lauren nodded. “Deal.” Monica pointed upstairs before she picked up Charlotte. “Get the changing mat. I saw that with the changing supplies when we looked at the changing table last night. And get everything else you need! You’re going to watch me do this one!” Minutes later, Charlotte was undressed down to just her diaper and laid on a changing mat in the middle of the living room. Charlotte was now glancing up at the ceiling, looking confused. ‘Why am I laying down? Isn’t Monica just going to change me into a Pull-Up?’ She watched as Monica carried all the supplies near the changing mat. But something was wrong. Monica was not holding a Pull-Up in her hand. Monica was holding another diaper. Charlotte’s smile vanished. “No! Ah wayor anah tha pahlup! Ah wayor anah tha pahlup! Ah wayor anah tha pahlup!” Lauren again looked confused. She leaned down and looked at Charlotte. “Charlotte, I don’t know why you want to wear a Pull-Up so bad. All your mother packed for you were diapers.” She then pointed to the diaper that Monica was holding. “That’s a Coterie. Mandy also uses those from time to time so it’s a pretty good brand.” Monica smirked. “I know what brand it is. I’ve watched a bunch of rich kids.” Charlotte cast a skeptical look at Lauren, thinking about her false statement. ‘No it wasn’t! I’m pretty sure there’s Pull-Ups in there. I just know it! Diapers are for nighttime! Pull-Ups are for daytime!’ Monica smiled. “I think that Charlotte saw a commercial for Pull-Ups and now she wants to wear one! How cute.” Lauren shrugged her shoulders. “I’ll ask Miss Warren about it later. All I remember is that she has not been wearing Pull-Ups since I first met her. And during the dinner at Pierre’s, I did actually change Charlotte’s diaper once, but it was a wet one.” Charlotte was now in disbelief. This didn’t make any sense at all. ‘No.’ Charlotte protested in her mind. ‘You have it wrong! You changed me into a new Pull-Up! What is this madness? Arghhh! I feel like I’m in a bad episode of The Twilight Zone!’ Monica pointed to the diaper that Charlotte still had on. “Pay attention, Lauren, because you’re doing the next one.” Monica opened up the diaper to find it heavily soiled from front to back. Lauren groaned in disgust. “Quick! Change it before I puke.” Monica laughed. “It’s just poop. You’ll live.” Monica skillfully scrubbed all around Charlotte, getting every nook and cranny. About half a dozen wipes later, there were only a few traces left to clean up. Charlotte was now lying bare on the changing mat, and Monica used a couple more wipes to get everything really good. She piled the used wipes into the opened up the soiled diaper. She then pointed to Lauren. “C’mon. Roll it up like a sleeping bag.” Lauren nodded, remembering what she did with Charlotte’s wet diaper. She rolled up the messy diaper and fastened it with both tapes, forming a wadded-up ball. “Gross. I’m throwing it away.” Charlotte grimaced as she was laid on a freshly powdered diaper. Her grimace turned into that of sadness, knowing that her last semblance of maturity was taken away. Gone were the Pull-Up’s and in its place were diapers that she now had to wear 24/7. ‘Is this how it’s going to end?’ Charlotte thought as she pouted. ‘Me turning into a helpless baby and disappearing?’ She watched as the front end was folded between her legs and the two tabs were fastened, trapping her pelvis and butt in a soft and padded prison. Lauren and Monica invited Charlotte to sit back on the couch, but at this point, Charlotte felt more defeated and dejected. Throwing a fit was futile, as Charlotte knew that this wouldn’t change anything. Lauren saw the sadness in Charlotte’s eyes and as a big sister tried to cheer her up. “Charlotte!” she asked in a very playful and friendly voice. “Give me a big smile! Come on! You’re a big girl now so I want to see your big girl smile! Because remember Charlotte. You’re not two anymore. You’re three! You’re a big girl now!” Monica nodded. “Yeah Char!” She then poked Lauren in the side. “That reminds me. How was Charlotte’s third birthday party? I didn’t get to see her transformation into a three-year-old.” Lauren smiled. “It was great. It was just the family. They even did something special at daycare. Or should I say pre-preschool. Charlotte doesn’t like the word daycare.” Charlotte felt the sting when she heard the words “three-year-old” come out of Monica’s mouth. She also felt it every time she heard Lauren say “three”. ‘Just what the hell is their problem? I am not three! I’m four!’ “I foowah!” Charlotte said, pouting. Lauren laughed. “No Charlotte. You turn four in another year! You can say that in another year, okay?” But that was the very thing that creeped Charlotte out. “Just yesterday, she was four and she became a three-year-old overnight. Not a three-year-old going on four, but a freshly new three-year-old with only two weeks of experience. At this point, Charlotte just didn’t know what to do. Charlotte just shut down at this point, leaving only her toddler instincts to take over. She found the pacifier lying on the couch cushion next to Lauren and popped it in her mouth. She sucked on it and began to cry. Lauren frowned. “What’s wrong?” She turned to Lauren. “What do I do?” Monica smiled. “Just give her a short nap. She got up a little early so I would let her rest for an hour. In the meantime, I think that we should get ready for a fun outing. We’re going to be outside, so we’ll definitely want the makeup. Charlotte was still in her pajamas from last night when Lauren carried her upstairs and into the guest room with the King-Size bed. She laid Charlotte in the bed and tucked her in, along with Bobo and Bonnie. Lauren glanced down at Bonnie and winked. “Take care of Charlotte. You’ll be back in my room on Sunday, okay?” She then kissed Charlotte on the forehead. “Have a nice nap, my sweet little sister.” Lauren closed the door to find Monica standing right outside it. Monica then pointed to the grand staircase. “Think about getting some fencing if you’re going to have Charlotte living here. She already escaped and she’ll probably try again.” Lauren nodded. “I’ll talk about it with daddy and Miss Warren…I mean, mommy.” Meanwhile, Charlotte stared up at the ceiling, filled with regret. ‘Sure, I’m three today. But who knows how much younger I’m going to be tomorrow?’ Choked by despair, Charlotte’s eyes welled up with tears and she cried herself to sleep. … Darcy and Michael both walked around Sheep Meadow, a beautiful expanse of grass full of Manhattan natives and tourists all dressed in coats. The expanse extended out into Central Park, where the looming skyline of Manhattan’s Upper West Side could be seen in the distance. Both Darcy and Michael were wearing small backpacks while they enjoyed the light breeze of the cloudy New York day. Michael smiled as he took in the beauty that was Darcy. “Just how much modeling are you doing?” He finally asked her, breaking the silence. “You told me that you were just freelancing, right?” Darcy nodded. “I freelance and then that’s pretty much it. I was thinking about getting Charlotte into modelling eventually.” Michael nodded. “How would you like to do it full time? I have some connections that could certainly launch your career. We could also get Charlotte started with modelling, too.” Darcy nodded and decided to change the subject. As much as she liked modeling, she wanted it to be more about Charlotte. “Since you’re going to be my husband, I would like to tell you something that I haven’t told you yet. Charlotte is my miracle child. I call her that since I had her in my mid-forties. She is also that since I had a miscarriage about 30 years ago right before Richard died. Unfortunately, the man that I had Charlotte with turned out to be a loser and he dumped me. But do you know what? I may have lost him, but I got Charlotte out of it.” Michael gave Darcy a hug. “It was meant to be. You were never meant to stay with that other man. You would’ve never met me if he didn’t dump you.” “You steady my heaaaaart!” The female artist sounded from Darcy’s cellphone. Michael smiled. “Kari Jobe? Lauren and I love Kari Jobe!” Darcy nodded. “That’s what Lauren wanted as her ringtone! Let’s see how she and Monica are doing with Charlotte.” Darcy swiped the green answer button. “Hello? How is your progress going with weaning Charlotte off her pacifier? Oh. That was just a joke. I know very well that both Charlotte and that pacifier are inseparable. Ah. So, she was sucking her thumb? Yeah. Charlotte will do that if she doesn’t have her pacie. So, what’s Charlotte doing? You’re giving her a short nap? Okay. I agree. When she gets moody like that, she usually needs a little nap. Now, what did you want to talk about? Here. Let me put it on speaker so that Michael can hear too.” Darcy pressed the speaker button. “Can you still hear me?” “Yes Miss Warren. I can hear you fine!” “Now, Michael and I are enjoying ourselves in Sheep Meadow in Central Park. What did you want to talk about?” “Well, Miss Warren, I wanted to talk to you about Charlotte’s behavior this morning. To start with breakfast, Charlotte was just freaking out since I wouldn’t sit her in a cushion. I think that she was talking about the cushion that I showed her this Halloween.” Darcy smiled and nodded. “Well, that’s strange. Why would Charlotte want to sit in a seat cushion all of a sudden? She’s not quite tall enough for one of those yet. She usually seems to be quite happy in her highchair.” “I know, Miss Warren. Every time we eat as a family, you have always had her in her highchair. I think that the cushion that I showed her at Halloween got her excited.” Darcy nodded and glanced at Michael. “Her cousin Heather also sits in a seat cushion when she eats. She’s a little more than a year older than Charlotte so maybe Charlotte was thinking about her cushion too? I wish that you and Monica could be here. The scenery is amazing!” “I know, Miss Warren. Daddy has taken me to New York a few times before.” Michael nodded. “Your favorite thing here is ice skating at Wolman Rink, right?” “Yes! I would love to go ice skating with you again!” Michael smiled. “Darling, did you know that when Lauren was a little girl, she wanted to be a figure skater?” “I did! But when I saw my mommy modeling, I wanted to do that more! Now, I think we got a little sidetracked. Miss Warren, Charlotte also began to fuss during her diaper change this morning after breakfast. She wanted a Pull-Up instead of a diaper!” Darcy glanced at Michael and was unable to contain the laughter that was inside her. Her laughter was released, which elicited laughter from Monica on the other end. “I’m sorry, but Charlotte is nowhere near ready to use Pull-Ups.” “But she kept asking for one, Miss Warren! What do you think the reason could be?” Darcy scratched her head. “There could be two reasons. First of all, we get to see my sister a lot, so she gets to see her cousin Heather. Heather is still not potty trained, and she used to wear Pull-Ups very often. Also, I tried the whole potty-training thing when Charlotte was two and a half. I took away her daytime diapers and tried Pull-Ups. Worst mistake ever. She leaked through just about every Pull-Up and messed at least two Pull-Ups a day. I put Charlotte back in diapers within a week. I mean, it wasn’t like I didn’t try. We used the chart at Little Lilacs, a chart a home, videos, rewards. Nothing worked. Maybe Charlotte remembers wearing her Pull-Ups and she wants to wear them again?” “Monica thinks that it’s because of a commercial that she saw for Pull-Ups.” “It could be. Maybe that commercial was all it took for her to remember. Now besides that, is everything okay over there?” “Pretty much, Miss Warren. I think that I am getting better at taking care of Charlotte. Her diaper was poopy, so I had to give it to Monica. I promised that I would change the next messy one.” Darcy sighed. “You need to, Lauren. I am so good at changing poopy diapers now that I can do it without even thinking. And you need to get that good, too if you’re going to be a mother to your children someday. Now, Michael and I are going to enjoy our walk through Central Park.” “One more thing Miss Warren and I’ll let you go. When Monica and I started talking about Charlotte’s third birthday, she freaked out and told us that she was four. I told her that she’ll be four in a year.” All Darcy could do was grin. “Charlotte is just beginning to learn her numbers. Since three and four are right next to each other, I am guessing that she got the two mixed up. Charlotte also has a really good imagination. She’ll make up things randomly and it’s always funny to watch! Do you have any plans when you get Charlotte up from her nap?” “We do. Monica and I just finished getting ready and putting our makeup on. We are going to take Charlotte out for a nice walk around the Railroad Square Historic District. Roxy is going to join us so it’s going to be so much fun. Just us four girls walking around old Santa Rosa.” “Sounds fun! Give us an update later on. Michael and I are going to explore Central Park and have a wonderful lunch. We’ll also provide an update later on. Take care!” Darcy hung up the phone and smiled. “It seems like they have everything under control back at home.” Michael nodded. “They do. Are you ready, Darcy? I will lead, since I have been here a few times. This way, my sweetheart.” The two held hands and began their romantic stroll from Sheep Meadows into Central Park. … Lauren hung up the phone and smiled. “It looks like my daddy is having fun in New York with mommy.” Monica grinned. “Don’t you mean Miss Warren?” she teased. Lauren shook her head. “It’s a done deal! They’re getting married next month. She’s my mommy!” Lauren paused, as she thought of her original mother. “My new mommy…” She glanced at her cellphone. “Shouldn’t we be getting Charlotte up?” Monica shook her head. “It hasn’t even been an hour yet! It’s only been about 40 minutes. I would wait at least another half hour…” Lauren nodded, and quickly glanced at the weather app. It’s going to be sunny, but still chilly. A high of 50 degrees. We’ll need to make sure that Charlotte is bundled up.” Monica nodded. “There we go. Now you’re thinking like a babysitter…” Lauren gave Monica a playful shove. “It’s common sense! We can’t just leave Charlotte in just her normal clothes. She’ll freeze!” Lauren was restless as she glanced at the conversation log from last night. “I think I’m going to talk to Victor.” Monica slapped her hand over Lauren’s wrist. “Don’t bother. All the boys are on a camping trip this weekend. That also includes Quentin. They’re having their boy time, remember?” Lauren sighed. “That’s right! I forgot.” Monica rolled her eyes. “Why else do you think we’re hanging out with Roxy too? James is camping with them, so I would not disturb the boys.” Lauren was now glancing around listlessly, looking bored. “What now?” Monica laughed. “How about getting things ready for the outing with Charlotte? Do you have enough diapers? Maybe a few toys? A snack? Something to drink? Also, what are we taking? You seriously have like eight different cars.” Lauren gave Monica a confident nod. “We are taking the Mercedes-Benz Maybach GLS 600. It has to be this one since I just installed a brand-new car seat for Charlotte.” Monica nodded. “Nice. And with the mini fridge in the back, we can keep some of Charlotte’s drinks cold.” Lauren made a few taps on her cellphone and nodded. “The seat that I installed is a DUO plus forward-facing ISOFIX-equipped child car seat. It will be perfect for her ride to the Railroad Square Historic District. There will be no butler this time, since I’m driving the Maybach myself.” Monica glanced over Lauren’s shoulder and smiled. “Checking the remote start on the app?” Lauren nodded. “I just want to get everything ready.” Now ready and with their makeup on, the teen girls began making preparations for their fun outing with Charlotte. Charlotte awoke to Bobo and Bonnie on either side of her. It was almost like they were giving her a group hug. But despite them being there, Charlotte couldn’t help but feel sad. The despair choked her at her recent discovery of being another year younger. And noticing just a little bit more space in the king-size bed, Charlotte knew that this was so. But she was still beyond belief that she went from a four-year-old to a three-year-old overnight. How can this be so considering that her last regression was almost a month ago? Charlotte thought that the regression came to a complete stop, and that she would have to wait 26 years to get back to her normal age. But Charlotte was wrong. The age reversal continued, with Charlotte now guessing that there would be no end in sight. Charlotte was a mere three years away from vanishing forever, and that regression would only take mere days or weeks at the most. Charlotte glanced at her little hands again and pouted. ‘It’s not fair! Why do I just keep getting younger? Why can’t I just go back to my adulthood? Why can’t I just wake up from this nightmare?’ But then Charlotte thought of Diana. Considering how different she behaved compared to the other kids, she could only guess that Diana too regressed to some degree. But how much younger would she be compared to Charlotte? Or would she be the same? Would Diana also be three and facing Regression Row along with Charlotte? This wasn’t Death Row, as the opposite effect was happening to Charlotte. But Charlotte knew that vanishing from existence would be just as bad as death itself. A Benjamin Button kind of exit from the world that she lived in. Charlotte’s thoughts were interrupted to the swift sound of the light switch flicking on in the room. And then a soothing voice that sounded like her soon-to-be big sister. “Charlotte dear?” The syrupy sweet voice filled the room, which soothed and calmed Charlotte. “It’s time to get up from your nap.” Lauren approached Charlotte and scooped her up from the comfortable bed that she was laying in. “I hope that you slept well. We are going to have a fun outing today.” Lauren’s words fell flat in Charlotte’s mind, as the crushing despair was all that Charlotte could feel on the inside. ‘Fun?’ Charlotte scoffed in her mind. ‘Going on an outing as a three-year-old toddler with my decades older friends to who knows where? Yeah. Some fun.’ The despair was so strong in Charlotte that she didn’t even realize that her thumb was already in her mouth, and she was sucking it hard. To Lauren, Charlotte was only casting a shy stare. “Oh, baby sister. Don’t worry. We’ll take your pacie too, okay?” This prompted a strong and silent retort from Charlotte. ‘Oh. My pacie? I’m thrilled. It’s what I live for!’ Charlotte’s wide eyes faded into a blank stare as Lauren carried her to the changing table. Whatever outing they had in store for Charlotte, she was not looking forward to it at all.

You make a good point here, but I have also explored this glaring error. This will be explained in a later chapter. Stay tuned! 😀

Chapter 58 Charlotte opened her eyes and immediately glanced at her hands. Seeing that they were still small, she let out a frustrated sigh. ‘Of course! What else is new?’ It has now been two weeks since Charlotte’s fourth birthday, and each day that she woke up was met with the same frustrating results. Over the past couple of Sundays, Darcy was invited to church by Michael, so she took Charlotte with her. Since Charlotte was too young to worship in the auditorium, she was dropped off at the Hope Valley Community Church Youth Center, which served as the youth wing for the church. She was checked in and placed in the 3- and 4-year-old room. During the first service, she saw Lauren helping with the 3- and 4-year-old room. While Charlotte saw a few girls that looked her age, she didn’t make it a point to make any friends during any of the two Sundays that she had to sit in the classroom. Granted, she sung along with the other kids, but her mind was in a different place entirely. ‘I should be an adult right now.’ Charlotte thought in despair. Lauren was gone for the second service, since she was worshipping with her father and Darcy in the auditorium. After the second service, Darcy was there to pick Charlotte up during both weekends. After church for those two Sundays, Charlotte was once again modelling clothing for Carters at the modeling studio. It was more onesie dresses, bubble rompers, and footed sleepers. Despite Charlotte not being in the mood, she managed to fake a smile for each one of the shots. To her frustration, they even found her fake smiles to be fantastic. “Wonderful!” Kendra shouted. “Your daughter is going to be a successful model some day!” Charlotte sighed. ‘Someday? If only you knew. Too bad some day is never going to happen…’ Besides the two other Dashing Ducklings meetings that she has attended, there really wasn’t anything to look forward to anymore. At this point, Charlotte was just existing, as she really didn’t call this living anymore. But for some reason, it has been almost a month since she regressed from a 2nd grader to a preschooler. ‘Maybe it finally stopped?’ Charlotte thought. ‘Great. It will take 26 years to get back to my original age!’ Or maybe the wish was granted and all it did was stop the reverse aging. While Charlotte was lost in despair and frustrated, all it looked like to Darcy was Charlotte being a moody four-year-old. Her occasional fits and tantrums was something that she just couldn’t figure out. ‘Why is my daughter not happy? Charlotte has always been a happy girl. What is going on?’ Over the last couple weeks since that following Monday, the teachers at Little Lilacs Preschool and Daycare have noticed Charlotte’s depressed and moody behavior and have worked with Charlotte more closely to help her with various lessons and activities. With that, Charlotte’s normal class interactions have become one on one interactions with mostly Miss Julia and the other teachers. The teachers still let Charlotte play with the other kids and greatly encouraged it. But Charlotte felt more withdrawn and despondent as the days progressed. Diana seemed to be the one that understood Charlotte’s situation the most and talked to her often. Again, Charlotte didn’t understand why Diana had this kind of understanding, but she knew that Diana was there for her and she could help her with what she was going through. Now fully awake, Charlotte could now smell what seemed quite familiar. The gooey and sticky mess stuck to her skin as she sat up in her soggy diaper. ‘Great. I shit myself again. Well, this day is going off to a good start. Well, at least it’s Friday.’ Darcy sighed as she glanced at a parking lot that was completely full, with numerous cars in front of her trying to find a place to park. ‘Great. I’ll have to find another place to park nearby.’ The 4Runner ended up parking three blocks away from the preschool. Although Charlotte felt frustrated, she could hear the sound of shuffling in the trunk behind her. CLICK! Charlotte’s seatbelt unbuckled and she could see herself being lifted up by her mother and sat down into another seat. She glanced around to see a hood above her while her mother fastened the buckle in the new seat she was sitting in. ‘What is this?’ Charlotte glanced at the seat again to suddenly realize that the seat was moving. She was being pushed from behind by her mother. ‘No. It can’t be! Please God. No!!! A stroller?!! Why? I can walk!’ Charlotte crossed her arms and pouted. “No stroller mommy!” Darcy sighed as she hurriedly pushed Charlotte in the stroller down the three city blocks towards the preschool. “Sweetie, I don’t have time to argue with you about this. The distance is too far to walk. Can you please not argue about it this morning? I need to get you to preschool!” Charlotte sighed, as she glanced at the running shoes that were on her feet. ‘Why, I could run to the preschool in a couple minutes. Why use this stupid stroller? C’mon mom! It’s a lame excuse!’ Charlotte was still pouting when Darcy wheeled Charlotte across the still busy parking lot and into the preschool. In record time, Darcy checked Charlotte in and dropped her off at the preschool. She hurried home to find Michael standing next to her half-packed luggage bag and Lauren glancing at both of them (Lauren had a half-day at Langford, so she was already home). “Are you sure that we want to do this trip?” Darcy asked him. “I’m not even packed! Besides, I need to take care of Charlotte…” Lauren shook her head. “No, you don’t. We already discussed this, okay? I will be watching Charlotte this weekend with Monica. It will be fine, okay?” Darcy scooped some lingerie and piled it into her luggage bag. ‘It will be fine?’ On the Tuesday after Charlotte’s birthday, Darcy invited Michael and Lauren over for dinner. Some time after Charlotte retreated to her bedroom to play, Michael did the unexpected. “How would you like to go to New York with me in a couple of weeks?” Darcy was just not prepared for such a proposition. The request. It was so sudden. So spontaneous. “How can you do this?” She responded in a panic. “Charlotte will have to come with us, and I’ll have to call the preschool…” “No.” Michael told her suddenly. “It would be just us for the weekend. You would have to find someone to watch Charlotte.” Darcy sighed. “How can I find someone on such short notice? Darlene is going to be busy that weekend with Heather and Allison. Some family get together since Daniel’s family can’t make it for Thanksgiving.” Lauren found herself on the threshold of a wonderful opportunity. An opportunity to show just how responsible of a big sister she was to Charlotte. “I’ll do it.” Lauren spoke up. I hushed silence came over the whole room. Moments later, Darcy glanced at Lauren with an expression of both doubt and worry. “No.” Darcy insisted. “I don’t want to put the burden on you to babysit Charlotte this weekend. Why, you wouldn’t know the first thing! She’s a lot more responsibility than what you think!” But Lauren wouldn’t take no for an answer. Much of her life has pretty much consisted up being pampered and given everything that she could ever want or dream of. But this, she decided, was no excuse to not plunge herself deep into becoming a responsible adult. This was a golden opportunity for her, and she wasn’t about to see it slip out of her fingers. “No!” Lauren shouted. “I will take care of Charlotte. I can do it!” Darcy scowled and gave her a smirk. “So, you can do it all? Change Charlotte’s Pull-Up’s, change her diapers at night, make sure she’s fed, entertained, cared for, loved, comforted, cherished…You’re telling me that you can do all that when you can barely change a Pull-Up?” She glanced at Michael and sighed. “You know what? Just forget it. We’re not going to New York. Charlotte needs me!” Michael sighed. “You need to let Charlotte go and learn to trust others to take care of her. Now my daughter Lauren here is my flesh and blood, and I trust her with my whole life. Now if you’re going to be my wife, you need to learn to trust her and trust me. Don’t you think that Lauren needs that practice? Give her that opportunity.” Lauren nodded, wiping a few tears from her eyes. “Yes. Thank you, daddy,…” Darcy glanced at Lauren with an uncomfortable sigh. Here she was, about to let someone like Lauren take care of Charlotte for the whole weekend when she didn’t know the first thing about babysitting. “Fine. But she can’t do it by herself. Does she know of anyone that is much more experienced at taking care of kids? I would feel a lot better if one of her friends helped her this weekend.” Lauren gave Darcy a victorious smile. “Monica. Have you forgotten Miss Warren? Monica is an expert at babysitting.” Darcy gasped, feeling the sudden revelation hit her on the head. “That’s right! Monica is very good at babysitting, isn’t she? Then it’s settled. Michael, I will go to New York with you if Monica is there helping Lauren watch Charlotte.” Lauren was suddenly making a series of fast keystrokes on her cellphone. “Monica can do it!” She joyfully squealed. “She can spend the weekend with me! She has that weekend open!” Michael pointed to his daughter and glanced back at Darcy. “You see, Darling? Charlotte is not going to be with just Lauren, but with Monica too. There is absolutely nothing to worry about.” While Darcy knew this, she couldn’t help but feel her motherly instincts kick in. Her worries and uncertainties regarding what could happen to Charlotte while she’s gone. Still unsure about the decision that she was making, she nodded. “Okay. We’ll go to New York. What date is the departure and what time?” Michael gave her a romantic smile. “We will be departing on November 22nd at 5:00 PM, with a connecting flight from STS to LAX. The flight from LAX to JFK departs at 8:00 PM.” Darcy sighed. “I will have to pick Charlotte up from preschool early that day. We can still make it work.” Lauren smiled. “How about I take her back to the house with Monica? Your plane doesn’t leave until 5:00 so just give me all her things and we’ll take her back to my father’s house.” Darcy liked the idea. “So, you’re going to meet us at the airport? Well, that makes things a lot easier. It surely saves a trip home.” Lauren nodded and couldn’t help but smile. She had done it. Her one opportunity to show her future mother that she could be responsible with her future sister was well within her grasp. And she could only imagine the fun that she would be having with Monica and Charlotte that weekend. “It will be fine,” Lauren repeated, rousing Darcy out of her daydream and bringing her to the present. “Remember? Our discussion last Tuesday night?” Darcy nodded, glancing at the young woman that would very soon be her second daughter. Little did she know that she was thinking about the very discussion that Lauren was referring to. All that needed to be done now was to grab her last few odds and ends before getting her toiletries from the bathroom. Michael helped her, as it had been a long time since Darcy has been on an airplane. “Our room will have most of the toiletries that you are packing,” Michael reminded her. “So don’t pack them. I would be careful with some of those items as most of them would be flagged by the TSA. The hotel has shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and toothpaste so pack small if you’re going to pack anything similar to that.” Darcy nodded and let Michael continue to help in finishing the packing for her luggage bag. That Friday seemed to pass before Charlotte’s very eyes. To her, it was failure after failure. Each new soggy Pull-Up only added to the frustration. Darcy arrived early at the preschool, at just 10 minutes before 2:00 in the afternoon. Darcy explained the reason that she was there early, so Rena let her in early. Once inside, Darcy saw Miss Julia bringing her index finger to her lips. She then waved Darcy over, inviting her to talk in an office away from all the sleeping children, since it was still nap time. Miss Julia glanced at Darcy, looking a little surprised. “You’re here early, Miss Warren. Are you getting Charlotte out early? Do you have something special planned for the weekend?” Darcy nodded. “My fiancée and I are flying to New York for the weekend, and I need to go directly to the airport.” Miss Julia smiled, looking very happy for Darcy and her fun weekend plans. “That sounds like a lot of fun. Are you taking Charlotte with you?” Darcy shook her head. “No. My future daughter who’s a senior in high school is watching Charlotte for the weekend with her best friend who’s an expert babysitter.” Miss Julia nodded. “Expert huh? Anyway, before you leave with Charlotte, we need to talk about her toileting issues. Over the past couple of weeks, Charlotte’s progress has worsened with the potty. Last week, she only made it three times and this week, she only made it on Monday. Since then, she has shown no interest in wanting to sit on the toilet. The leaky Pull-Ups are getting frustrating to change and there has been a couple of messy ones as well. For most days, she has used up most of the changes of clothes that you brought her. And for today, she has just one Pull-Up left already. I strongly recommend that you move Charlotte down to ‘not ready’ on the potty-training chart.” Darcy sighed. “I think that we are about to move in that direction. But can it wait until after the week of Thanksgiving? Let’s give her one more chance during the short week. If by Wednesday next week she shows no progress in her potty training, you have my permission to move her back to ‘not ready’ the following Monday. From that point on, I will be packing diapers for Charlotte instead of Pull-Ups and you and the other teachers can change her on the changing table.” Miss Julia gave Darcy a reluctant sigh, muttering “I would’ve moved her to ‘not ready’ right away,’ under her breath. “Very well, Miss Warren. She’s your child so you have the final say in how we at this preschool help to meet Charlotte’s needs.” Charlotte was woken up to a light tap on her shoulder. “Honey.” Darcy whispered. “We need to leave early today. I’ll explain in the car.” Charlotte was surprised as she found herself being carried out of the preschool. ‘Why am I leaving so early today? Is there some special surprise?’ “NO!!!!!” Charlotte screamed in her car seat after hearing her mother explain her weekend plans with her. “DON’T GO MOMMY! DON’T GO!!!!” Darcy sighed. “Charlotte, daddy and I are having a special vacation this weekend, and you can’t come with us. Besides, you have Lauren and Monica watching you this weekend. Won’t that be fun?” Darcy hoped that the mention of Lauren and Monica would help to calm Charlotte down. But Charlotte kept screaming. She flailed her arms and legs up and down, continuing her tantrum while confined in her car seat. As the 4Runner stopped at a traffic light, Darcy turned her face around, now glancing at Charlotte sternly. “Charlotte Marie, you are going to stop your fit this instant, or you’re going to get a spanking.” Darcy winced at the very thought of this, as she firmly didn’t believe in spanking children. But out of desperation, she had reached her breaking point, and she needed leverage to get her daughter to stop whining. Charlotte could almost sense the pain that she would feel on her butt if she didn’t stop her tantrum. So out of reluctance and defeat, she quieted her sobs and stared sullenly at her mother. Her toddler instincts now felt like a relentless itch that she needed to scratch. So, she found herself losing her rational adult mind during each one of these instances. Her desire to be with her mother strongly ached in her heart every second at this point, and she wasn’t about to lose her for even a single weekend. Charlotte felt the emotional pain, and she responded like any needy three- or four-year-old would: crying out for her mommy. Her quiet sobs were now fading as she gave her mother a longing glance. “Why do you have to leave, mommy?” she finally said as she choked out one more sob. Darcy smiled. “Charlie dear, I love you more than you would ever know. But sometimes, mommy just needs time alone and this trip will give her some more time with daddy.” Charlotte’s response would’ve been more understanding if her mature mind was in control, but her impulsive four-year-old mind lashed back instead. “No! If you go, mommy, I go with you!” Darcy laughed. “No dear. You are going to spend the weekend with Lauren and Monica, okay? You’re going to have a lot of fun with them. Trust me.” The 4Runner arrived at the airport about 45 minutes early, and Darcy checked in with the car park and got her ticket for when she came back on Sunday. Once again, Charlotte found herself being placed in the stroller and wheeled all the way into the terminal of the airport. Charlotte once again pouted. “No mommy! I don’t want the stroller! I can walk!” Darcy sighed. “This airport is too big for you to walk around, dear. Now, I already let you walk to the car at the preschool, okay? This place is much bigger, so please mind, okay?” Charlotte provided no response, as she crossed her arms, sulking all the way through the terminal of the Charles M Schulz – Sonoma County Airport. Darcy glanced at a sign showing Snoopy and smiled. “Look Charlotte! It’s Snoopy! Did you know that this airport was named after the man who created Snoopy and Charlie Brown?” Charlotte was still pouting in the seat of the stroller, but did find that fact to be mildly amusing. Moments later, Charlotte was taken into a bathroom where she was changed into a new Pull-Up. Darcy also had to use the toilet herself, so she went and flushed the toilet after she stood up. She lifted Charlotte off of the fold out changing table and placed her back in the stroller before grabbing the wadded-up Pull-Up and taking it with her and Charlotte to throw the Pull-Up in the trash. Once at the gate, she found what looked like Lauren and Monica approaching them. Darcy waved them over and pointed over to two empty seats that she was sitting next to. Charlotte glanced up to see who she knew to be her friends approaching her. And here she was, sitting buckled in a stroller that was for babies. Charlotte squirmed around, trying to free herself from the buckle. ‘They can’t see me like this. Not in a stroller…’ Charlotte found the red square button on the buckle and pressed it to release the buckle. She climbed out of the seat, seeking her mother for comfort. She climbed onto her mother’s lap and sat there, finding more relief and comfort there than in the infantile stroller that she was confined to. But ironically enough, Charlotte was completely unaware that her clinginess to her mother was just as childish, if not more so than the Graco Stroller that sat nearby. Darcy glanced down, looking a little surprised. “What an escape artist you are!” she said with a smile. “Well, I guess it’s okay that you sit in mommy’s lap for a while before I board.” Lauren and Monica could do nothing but smile at such an adorable sight. Some hushed “Aww”s could be heard from their lips as they approached their charge that they would be watching for the whole weekend. Monica glanced at the stroller and grinned. “I don’t think she likes the stroller. Why did you bring it? You’ve seen Charlotte at the Dashing Ducklings. She’s amazing!” Lauren smiled. “Yes. You have shared those stories with me, and I love hearing how much of a runner Charlotte is!” “It’s cute.” Monica continued. “There’s another girl named Diana that she runs with, and I am NOT kidding. That Diana can run as fast as Charlotte! I can definitely see them running in track and field one day.” Charlotte listened on, as she watched her two close friends gawk at her before they both smiled. Darcy then handed a couple of bags to the two girls. “All of Charlotte’s belongings are in those two bags. I trust that the babysitting expert will do a wonderful job in training the novice.” Monica laughed. “It’s a piece of cake, Miss Warren. It’s only one girl. And my am I so lucky. Because Lauren and I get to watch the cutest girl in the whole world!” Charlotte ran her fingers through the long strands of black hair that ran down the back of her neck. ‘Me? Cute? Do I really look that cute?’ Monica glanced at what Charlotte was doing and nodded. “We’ll have to fix that hair when we get back to your place, Lauren.” Lauren then smiled at Charlotte. “There’s a special escort that’s going to take us home. Your chariot awaits.” Monica and Lauren exchanged glances and laughed. “Yes,” Monica said in agreement. “A special chariot to escort the beautiful princess. Princess Char.” Charlotte didn’t know whether they were complimenting her or teasing her. But what mattered was that they were finally together again for another sleepover. And this time, it will be for a whole weekend! Once again, Charlotte’s toddler brain took the helm, and she gave them both a confused glance. ‘Me? A princess? Do I get a castle and my own kingdom?’ She then gave Monica a naive stare that conveyed her childish innocence. “I’m a princess?” Both Lauren and Monica nodded with big smiles on their faces, trying to hold back laughter. Darcy smiled as she continued to enjoy the last few minutes with her daughter before the weekend. Michael then made his entrance, arriving as he wheeled his luggage bag to where Darcy, Charlotte, and the two teens were sitting. “I had to take another limo to the airport,” Michael explained. “The meeting ran a little late but my calendar is blocked out for the whole weekend.” He glanced down at Charlotte, who was sitting comfortably in Darcy’s lap. “And I see our little peanut is happy. Did you give Lauren the things already?” Darcy pointed matter-of-factly at the two bags that were sitting on Lauren’s lap. “Everything’s all set. It looks like we’re going to board in 20 minutes. Is that enough time to get a quick bite to eat?” Michael grinned. “We’re flying first class, Darling. Let’s wait to board first.” Both Darcy and Michael spent their remaining minutes saying goodbye to Charlotte. Charlotte then saw her mother giving her a smile. “Give me a hug, dear,” Darcy said, as she wrapped her arms around Charlotte. “Mommy and daddy are leaving for the weekend, but we’ll be coming back on Sunday. Okay?” Michael hugged Charlotte and nodded. “Be good for both of us, pumpkin. You’re with two very fun babysitters. One of which will be your sister soon. Bye Charlotte! Have fun at my place!” It didn’t hit Charlotte that hard until she saw both her mother and soon to be father walking through the gate before vanishing from her sight. The heartache could be felt in her little body, and she began to cry. Monica smiled, trying to cheer Charlotte up. “They’re going on a fun trip, Char. We’re going to have fun too this weekend!” Charlotte couldn’t help but smile when she saw her two friends standing next to her. And best of all, Lauren was going to be her big sister soon! But that smile turned into a grimace when she saw the Graco Stroller sitting there, almost like it was mocking her. Monica grabbed one of the bags with Charlotte’s things and she let Lauren carry the other bag. When she saw Charlotte looking at the stroller, she stooped down to Charlotte’s level to get her attention. “Hey Char! Guess what? You get to help me decide something very important.” Charlotte’s face lit up. ‘Important? What? I’m listening!’ “What is it?” she asked. Monica pointed to the Graco stroller. “Do you want to ride in the stroller, or do you want to walk?” Charlotte was now very happy as she was already glancing away from the stroller. “Walk!” She said almost immediately. Monica nodded, volunteering to push the empty stroller all the way to the parking lot of the airport. “That’s my Char. Because you’re a Dashing Duckling, right? And Dashing Ducklings don’t ride in strollers. They dash!” Charlotte giggled as she managed to keep up with both Lauren and Monica’s pace. To Charlotte’s surprise, a stretch limo was parked right outside of the terminal of the airport. The chauffeur smiled as he saw Monica folding up the stroller and collapsing it. Monica pointed to Charlotte and glanced back at the chauffeur. “She didn’t want to ride in it.” She explained. “Her mother is a little overprotective.” The chauffeur quietly nodded and opened the rear door of the limousine. He then glanced at Lauren. “We’re traveling back to the Ashcroft Estate, I presume?” Lauren nodded. “Yes. We have a special guest. My soon to be little sister Charlotte!” Charlotte gave the chauffeur a cutesy grin. Charlotte didn’t care if she was Lauren’s little sister. All that mattered was that she was able to spend time with Lauren and Monica again. It was like a reunion of sorts, only Charlotte was 13 years younger than her two friends. ‘I may be younger but we’re still together, right?” And best of all, Charlotte was going to live with Lauren soon. ‘My best friend is going to be my older sister!’ Charlotte didn’t really know what to make of this yet, but she did feel happy sitting in the plush leather seat that made up the limo’s luxurious cabin. No sooner did the limo begin to leave the parking lot of the airport than Charlotte began to fall asleep. Both Lauren and Monica quietly pointed at Charlotte, taking in the adorable sight. “She’s such a cutie when she sleeps!” Lauren whispered. “Right?” Monica whispered back. “It’s going to be a fun weekend with the three of us girls!” Charlotte felt herself being jostled by someone. She opened her eyes and glanced out the window to see a large mansion behind her. “Wake up, sleepyhead!” Lauren said with a laugh. “Char, you slept the whole way!” Monica added. “Let’s go inside and get you situated.” The first thing that they did was put Charlotte’s things inside the familiar guest bedroom that she slept in before. Charlotte could distinctly remember sleeping in that same bedroom when she was at the Halloween party a little more than three weeks ago. While the king-size bed was still there, Charlotte noticed one key difference in the room. Sitting in the corner of the room now sat an elegantly crafted changing table made of chestnut wood. When Charlotte grimaced at the changing table, Lauren gave her a loving poke. “Don’t worry, Charlotte,” Lauren reassured her. “It’s for nighttime, okay? During the daytime, you still wear Pull-Ups like a big girl. Speaking of…” Monica gave Lauren a quizzical look. “So, you’re going to handle this one? Okay. Just know that I’m not going to bail you out.” She said this to tease her babysitter-in-training. Lauren undid the straps on Charlotte’s pink overalls to reveal a Pull-Up that was just beginning to sag. She inspected the Pull-Up for Minnie’s Xylophone, which was completely faded away. “She needs a new Pull-Up.” She said, glancing back at Monica. Monica laughed. “Don’t look at me! You’re the babysitter!” Lauren nodded and grabbed the bag off the king-size bed. She grabbed the baby wipes, barrier cream, and powder and sat them all on the bed. First, she took off Charlotte’s running shoes. She then tore off both sides of Charlotte’s Pull-Up and rolled it up in her hands until it was a soggy ball. She then took a couple of wipes and began wiping Charlotte. She was about to grab the barrier cream when she saw Monica shaking her head. “Nah ah.” Monica told her. “Check for rashes first. If you see any redness, rub a little bit in.” Lauren nervously nodded as her face reddened. She glanced around to find no redness at all. “No redness.” She told Monica. “Now to shake the powder.” She shook a little baby powder inside the Pull-Up and then shook some in her hands. She then rubbed both palms on Charlotte before she helped her into the Pull-Up one foot at a time. Once the Pull-Up was securely around her waist, she began to help Charlotte back into her pink overalls. “Stop!” Monica said with a smile. “I have a better idea. Do we have any clothes she can run in?” Lauren smiled when she realized what idea Monica had. “Are we taking her out to the track? I’m sure that Miss Warren has some running clothes packed for her.” Monica unzipped the other larger bag to find a white T-shirt and pink jogging pants. “This is perfect.” Charlotte watched as she found herself being dressed in her running clothes by Monica. She took her cute blue polka dotted white shirt off and replaced it with a plain white T-shirt. Her pink jogging pants were pulled up just below her waist, which resulted in her Pull-Up peeking out above her waistline. After that, Charlotte stepped back into her running shoes, which sent a jolt of comfort up her legs and directly into her heart. Charlotte could do nothing but smile when she had those shoes on her feet. Nothing else really mattered to Charlotte right now. Nothing else mattered. Charlotte was overjoyed when she saw the large oval quarter-mile track in the back which had a beautiful bed of roses and other flowers in the center field. There was no one else around. This was Charlotte’s track to run to her heart’s content. And this time, she didn’t have to worry about Miss Davis telling her that she couldn’t run. Lauren gave Charlotte a pat on her shoulder. “What do you think? Before this mansion was even built, the Langford School used to be here. But it was relocated to a new site, and this land was up for sale to be developed for Millionaires Row. My grandpa was the first to buy the land, so he built a beautiful mansion with a vineyard and we decided to keep the track.” While adult Charlotte would appreciate Lauren’s history lesson on the track, all toddler Charlotte wanted to do was run. She giggled and began to trot out towards what was once the starting line of the track when the school used to exist at the old site. Despite the numerous decades of aging, the track looked well maintained, even looking like it was freshly paved with newly painted white lines marking the various lanes around the track. Without Lauren or Monica shouting “Go!”, Charlotte broke into a fast sprint, running as fast as her little legs could take her. Like so many times before, Charlotte saw that the track that she was running on begin to vanish. It was like the entire track and the property of the Ashcroft Estate vanished and disappeared before her very eyes. The track was gone. Charlotte was now running on darkness. Within seconds, the darkness dissipated, and Charlotte was no longer running on the track, but was in the middle of another marathon. It didn’t take her very long to realize where she was when she saw the Eiffel Tower in the distance. ‘Wow! I’m in Paris again!’ And to her surprise, she saw another woman running next to her. Charlotte carefully studied the woman’s details while maintaining an equal pace with her. Her tan body and slender figure was unmistakable. ‘Is that…Diana?’ “Hi Charlotte,” Diana said with a smile. “Or should I say, ‘bonjour’! I see that we are neck and neck in yet another marathon. Whether I win or you win, we are celebrating at a café afterwards. The loser has to buy all the pastries and coffee!” Charlotte still had the look of shock on her face. She could not believe that she was running next to what looked like an adult version of Diana. “This race. How am I running this race with you right now?” Diana glanced down at the similar footwear that she had on, not missing a beat as she was now a mere inch ahead of Charlotte. “It’s like any other race that we have ever ran, Charlotte. It’s the shoes! It’s always been the shoes. This isn’t your first time around this track. Now, are you going to buy me those pastries? It doesn’t look like you’re keeping up. C’mon! I want to see a real race! One full of passion! Put your heart into it, Charlotte. Mi amiga…” Charlotte nodded and began to exert more effort since she now had a real rival for once. A friendly rival but it was still a runner that threatened her losing the gold medal. Diana glanced at Charlotte, smiling at her with a feeling of ecstasy. “Yes! Yes! That’s it! Can you feel it, Charlotte? The endorphins. The thrill and happiness of a good run. Now let’s go faster. Mas Rapida! Mas Rapida!” Charlotte dug deep and gave the marked path everything that she had inside of her. And during the last few seconds of the marathon, Charlotte somehow managed to be ahead of Diana by just four inches. Diana didn’t look disappointed at all with second place, but was very happy for Charlotte. “Congratulations!” Diana shouted as she hugged her best friend amidst the various flashes coming from cameras nearby. “You did it! No. We did it! I guess I’m going to have to buy you those pastries then! And the coffee. Let’s celebrate Charlotte. Okay Charlotte? Charlotte? Charlotte?” “Charlotte?” Charlotte found the racetrack immediately reappearing before her very eyes as she saw both Lauren and Monica grabbing both her hands from both sides, stopping her from running any further. “Charlotte?” Lauren said with a smile. “I think that you ran enough for today.” Monica laughed. “This is a quarter mile track, Charlotte. Did you realize that you just ran a half mile? That’s two whole laps!” Charlotte shrugged her shoulders as she was quite convinced that she had just finished a marathon in Paris with her best friend. It all felt so real, and the vividness of the event was still fresh in her mind. She looked at Lauren and Monica with a big smile on her face. “I run a marathon!” Lauren laughed. “Maybe someday, Charlotte. For now, let’s just focus on getting to one mile, okay?” Charlotte was certain that she could’ve kept running but decided to stop for her friend’s sake. Once inside, Charlotte was taken upstairs to a familiar bathroom that was near the guest bedroom where she was. To her surprise, Lauren filled the bathtub with a bubble bath solution, and she enjoyed a fun bubble bath with both Lauren and Monica playing with her. Lauren nodded as she lathered Charlotte’s soft black hair with suds. “Isn’t this a good idea, Charlotte? Get all cleaned up and then have a nice dinner. And guess what? You’re having chicken nuggets for dinner.” “And not just any chicken nuggets,” Monica chimed in. “They’re dinosaur chicken nuggets!” Lauren said with an overly expressive happy face. “You get to eat dinosaurs for dinner! Won’t that be fun?” Charlotte nodded as she happily splashed the sudsy water around the tub. After the bath, Charlotte was wrapped in a towel by Lauren and was carried by Monica into the guest bedroom. Monica glanced at the changing table and marveled over the design. “Wow! Some craftsmanship! Was this built from scratch?” Lauren nodded. “It was. My father is already making preparations for Charlotte’s room, and this will be it once he marries Miss Warren…I mean…It’s close enough to the wedding, right? So, I’m just going to say it. My new mommy…” Monica glanced at the vast array of different changing supplies that filled every section of the changing table. One drawer had various different diapers all stacked from left to right. Another drawer had different brands of baby wipes that she only knew from babysitting some of the wealthier kids. And the butt pastes, barrier creams, and other creams seemed like they were imported from other countries. And while the ordinary cornstarch baby powder was there, some fancier brands lined the inside including some with lavender, chamomile, aloe vera, and various other pleasant scents. Monica picked out a diaper and smiled as she held it. “Wow. These diapers are so fancy. Millie Moon, HealthyBaby, Coterie, Kudos, Honest…None of them are your standard Pampers or Huggies.” Lauren nodded. “I talked to Mandy. She’s one of the nannies here and she strongly recommends Millie Moon. In fact, my daddy tasked me with ordering all of the diapers and supplies for Charlotte’s room. With this many to choose from, I think we have quite the variety! And regarding your comment on Pampers and Huggies, look again. There’s also a few Pampers Pure as well.” Monica laughed. “But this is just for at night! I think it’s pretty fancy that we get six different overnight diapers to change Charlotte into!” Lauren nodded. “Hey! Charlotte’s going to be my little princess, and we want nothing but the best for her!” Monica laughed when she saw the four overnight diapers that Darcy packed. “Well, so much for Miss Warren’s stash of Pampers. Forget the Ford Focus. We have Cadillacs here!” Lauren nodded. “And Lexus’s, and Mercedes, and Rolls Royces…” She continued, as she compared each brand of luxury diaper to a luxury car. Lauren held the Millie Moon diaper and sighed. “So, how does this work?” Monica laughed. “Watch and learn, Lauren, because I’m only going to show you once.” Charlotte watched as Monica unfolded the diaper and laid it on the changing table. She could overhear Monica explaining each step to Lauren as the towel was removed and Charlotte was carefully hoisted into the air. Charlotte was sat on top of an opened up diaper that was freshly powdered. Charlotte could immediately feel how soft the diaper was around her butt. Monica then pointed to the barrier cream and squirted a glob on her fingers. “Just one application around her whole diaper area is all you need. Get those princess parts good because we don’t want any rashes. I even like to rub one application on her butt incase she poops. After that, you sprinkle the powder…” Monica shook a liberal amount of powder all over Charlotte’s diaper area. “And then, you seal it up. Watch carefully, because you want it nice and snug. Too loose and you’ll have a leak.” Charlotte now witnessed the diaper being folded between her legs. Both tabs were snugly fastened around her waist. And right away, Charlotte could feel the pillowy comfort of the soft diaper hugging her all around. It was a softness that was different than the brand that she normally wore to bed. ‘This feels good.’ Charlotte thought, enjoying the comfort of her soft Millie Moon diaper. ‘It’s a lot softer and more comfy. I hope that my mommy can buy me more diapers like this.’ Lauren carefully took mental notes as she watched Monica lay Charlotte inside a Gerber mint green footed sleeper with butterfly patterns on it. She guided Charlotte’s arms through both sleeves before tugging up on both legs of the sleeper until both of her feet were secure in the padded footies. She zipped the diagonal zipper that ran from her left leg all the way up to the collar. ‘Got it.’ Lauren thought. ‘Dressing Charlotte will be the easiest.’ Monica then pointed to the rounded flap that covered the top of the zipper. She pressed the snap button in on the rounded flap and pointed to it. “Don’t forget to snap the protective flap,” she warned sternly. “While the newer footed sleepers all have the protective flaps for every one up to 24 months, the vintage ones don’t have them. One of the kids that I watched wore a set of old footed pajamas that the family got from a thrift store. When I came to check on the little girl, her chin was bleeding because of the teeth of the zipper rubbing on her chin. She was okay. All I had to do was dress up the wound and call the family. After that, the family threw away all the sets that they got from the thrift store and only bought her the new pajamas with the flap. Don’t forget the flap. Okay Lauren?” The story both shocked and scared Lauren. She fixed her gaze on the rounded flap and nodded. “Yes! I will definitely remember. I will not forget!” Charlotte could feel her stomach rumbling as she was carried downstairs by Lauren for dinner. Monica wanted Lauren to get some practice carrying Charlotte, so she showed her the proper way to carry her. With her left arm, she stretched her hand over Charlotte’s butt, with her pointer finger resting just over the pit of Charlotte’s left knee. With her right arm, she softly rested her hand over Charlotte’s chest. Lauren quickly glanced at Monica, not wanting to drop Charlotte. “Am I doing it right?” Monica laughed. “Yes. Trust me. I will catch her if I see you doing anything wrong. Just remember. Left hand supports her butt. Right hand supports her chest. It’s like a pincer grasp between both arms, with most of the weight being on your left arm. Your chest should be supporting some of that weight if you’re leaning her towards your body. I can show you a few more ways to hold her if you’re interested.” Lauren quickly shook her head. “This way is fine!” Once downstairs, Charlotte was sat in Lauren’s old cushion where a plate full of dino nuggets was waiting for her. Charlotte wasted no time in devouring the dino nuggets. The hot and tender meat was crispy and full of flavor. Charlotte also polished off the tater tots, which resulted in her hiccupping because she ate them too fast. Monica laughed and offered Charlotte a few tiny sips of water until the hiccups went away. Finally, Charlotte ate a small tub of chocolate pudding for dessert. She got a good portion of pudding all over her face, which Lauren had to wipe off. “So much for a bath.” Lauren sighed. “At this rate, we’re going to need a second bath!” Monica shook her head. “Not quite. All she needs is her face wiped off good.” Charlotte washed down the chocolate pudding with a glass filled with milk. Monica and Lauren supervised, making sure that Charlotte didn’t get milk all over her face. For the most part, she did well with the milk, only managing to get a few drops on her chin. Monica showed Lauren another technique to carry Charlotte. She let Charlotte rest on her right shoulder while she supported her butt with one hand and wrapped her arm around Charlotte’s back with the other. “If she’s tired, this is a good one to use.” Monica explained. Lauren nodded as she watched the master babysitter show off her expertise. ‘That looks easy enough. Maybe I’ll try it next time.’ Once in the bathroom, Lauren was about to open up the tube of toothpaste when Monica stopped her. “Do you want to get toothpaste all over her pajamas?” Monica said in a panic. “Take her pajamas off first and then brush!” Lauren removed her pajamas and carefully brushed every one of Charlotte’s teeth. She then put Charlotte’s pajamas back on afterward. After that, the girls took Charlotte to the living room to watch a little bit of TV. Charlotte felt content as she laid in Lauren’s arms. Granted Charlotte thought that it was weird laying in the arms of her best friend. ‘But she’s going to be my sister soon!’ Charlotte thought, making it perfectly okay to be resting in the arms of a member of the family. The soft droning of the TV was enough to lull Charlotte into a deep and restful sleep. Lauren glanced up at Monica. “So she fell asleep in my lap. What now?” Monica let out a quiet laugh. “You tell me, babysitter. What are you going to do with a sleeping child? I’m not going to do it. This is all you.” Lauren sighed. “Take her upstairs and put her in bed. I was hoping you were going to do it!” Monica grinned. “Not a chance. I’ll only help if you get stuck. Take her away, babysitter.” Lauren tilted Charlotte so that her head was resting on her shoulder. Her left hand supported her butt, and her right arm wrapped around her back, with her right hand cupped over the back of her head and neck. Surprisingly, none of the carrying woke Charlotte up. She was still fast asleep. As Lauren entered the guest bedroom, she could suddenly feel Charlotte’s butt getting very warm. ‘Oh my goodness.’ Lauren thought. ‘Is Charlotte peeing right now?’ Lauren almost laughed as she carefully laid Charlotte on the king-size bed. She pulled back the covers and situated Charlotte underneath them, tucking her in next to the pillow, where she laid her head. Lauren gasped as she suddenly remembered something important. She unzipped Charlotte’s overnight bag and pulled out Charlotte’s favorite stuffed bear: Bobo. She laid Bobo underneath the covers and glanced at him with a sudden frown. “Oh,” Lauren said with a smile. “I think that Bobo misses Bonnie.” Lauren couldn’t bear the thought of separating herself from her stuffed rabbit, but she knew deep inside that Charlotte needed Bonnie more. Within a couple of minutes, Lauren re-entered Charlotte’s room holding her dear stuffed rabbit in her hands. “I’m sorry, Bonnie.” Lauren said sadly, not wanting to part with her stuffed animal. “But it’s only for two nights! You’ll be back in my bed after that. Okay?” Lauren suddenly felt silly when she thought of the idea of being seventeen and a half yet still being attached to her stuffed rabbit. ‘Did Linus have to go through this with his blanket, or did he grow up with it?’ Lauren smiled, guessing the latter giving Bonnie one final hug before placing her next to Bobo. Lauren quietly closed the door as she left, letting her soon to be little sister have a good night’s sleep.

Chapter 57 Relief. That’s all Charlotte could think of when the motorhome pulled out of the Sonoma Coast State Park. Her smile seemed genuine enough to hide her frustration and resentment towards wearing diapers all weekend. While Charlotte wasn’t entirely miserable, there definitely were times when Charlotte wished that she was back at home. Charlotte found herself smiling at various different times during the trip so in a way, she secretly enjoyed some of the camping trip, but not all of it. Since her mother’s stern warning of sending her to bed early when they got to the campsite, Charlotte didn’t dare scream or throw a fit. When Lauren saw how Charlotte was behaving, she tried to cheer Charlotte up by playing with her. They took turns making silly faces with Charlotte being declared the winner by Lauren. Lauren patted Charlotte on the back and smiled. “Charlotte, I know how much you want to wear your Pull-Ups like a big girl. But daddy has spent a lot of money on this motorhome, and we don’t want a leaky or soiled Pull-Up to make a mess of it.” ‘That’s an excuse,’ Charlotte retorted in her mind. ‘A poopy diaper would definitely make a mess of the motorhome. But you’re big and I’m small, so whatever.’ That afternoon, Darcy, Charlotte, Michael, and Lauren all went swimming at Bodega Dunes Beach, which was a short walk from the motorhome. Charlotte didn’t like having to wear a swim diaper when she was put in a swimsuit. ‘The last time I went swimming, Monica’s swimsuit wouldn’t fit me, so I had to wear one of her junior kid suits instead of a two-piece suit. When I found out that I was that much younger than Monica, it really bothered me. But now, I’m just barely four wearing a pink swimsuit that’s covered in allover flamingo prints that looks like a onesie! And worst of all, I’m wearing a swim diaper underneath!’ The three all kept their eyes on Charlotte, carefully watching for taller waves so that Charlotte wouldn’t get hit by them. Charlotte splashed her feet in the water, finding that she couldn’t help but like it. It was hard for Charlotte to stay frustrated for too long, as she often found herself succumbing to her childish instincts. Sure, Charlotte was an adult inside, but she had to fight the toddler body that she was in, complete with a toddler brain, which limited her reasoning at times. That night, the adults all made hot dogs, beans and canned corn, since Charlotte was too small to eat corn off the cob. Each of their ingredients were cooked on a campfire that they built. For Charlotte’s portion, Darcy cut the hot dog into little pieces and fed Charlotte pieces of hot dog bun along with the beans and corn. When Charlotte showed hesitation in eating, Darcy promised dessert. When Charlotte heard the word dessert, she ate all the rest of the food without hesitation. As promised, the adults all made S’mores for dessert after they cleaned up dinner and put it away. Charlotte was entertained by an iPad connected to one of the Tiffin Zephyr’s numerous charge ports. She contentedly watched Bluey while Lauren cooked the marshmallow for her S’more. When Charlotte’s marshmallow was a nice golden brown, Lauren summoned Charlotte to a portable picnic table they had nearby. “We’re going to make a S’more, Charlotte.” Lauren said, pointing to all the ingredients. “We have two graham crackers and one half of a Hershey’s bar. And now that your marshmallow’s cooked, we just take it off the skewer like this.” Lauren slid the marshmallow off the skewer and onto the chocolate square sitting on top of a graham cracker. She then took the other graham cracker and pressed it onto the marshmallow, flattening it so that it crunched into a gooey and sticky mass that began to ooze out of the graham crackers. Charlotte began devouring the S’more, but not without getting sticky marshmallow goo and melted chocolate all over her hands, fingers, and face. Lauren laughed and took a picture with her cell phone. “That is so cute! Wait until I text this to Monica. Miss Warren, is that Charlotte’s first S’more?” Darcy nodded. “I don’t think that we ever made S’mores at home, so yes.” Darcy grabbed a few baby wipes and began to wipe the S’more mess off Charlotte’s face. Charlotte frowned when she realized that her S’more was already gone. “That was so good, mommy! I want some more!” Lauren grinned. “You mean you want S’more?” Darcy sighed. “One is plenty, dear. I don’t want you getting a tummyache.” Lauren glanced at her S’more and looked at her soon to be mom. “Is it okay if I give her half of mine?” After Lauren saw Darcy’s nod of approval, Lauren snapped the assembled S’more in half. But since it was snapped unevenly, she gave the slightly larger half to Charlotte. After the S’more, Darcy changed Charlotte into a new diaper and placed her in the king-size bed, which Michael gave to her while he and Lauren slept on the two fold-out sofa beds. After Charlotte was put to bed, the adults all talked by the campfire. “I’m very glad that I was able to take the time off to do this,” Michael said with a grin. “It’s nice to see us all bonding as a family. It’s good practice for after I marry this beautiful sweetheart.” He pointed at Darcy and kissed her on the cheek. Darcy kissed Michael back. “I appreciate the practice. Having someone like you in my life has helped me to heal from losing Richard. I can’t believe it’s been almost 30 years.” Michael nodded, with his facial expression becoming somber. “I get it, Darling. I still think of Cindy every day. And I strongly feel that she would want me to be with someone like you. It’s been 12 years…” Lauren let out a forlorn sigh. “Daddy, please stop! Don’t talk about mommy. You’re going to make me cry!” Michael nodded. “Then I will refrain. Just know that I miss her as you do very much. I know that you do a fair amount of grieving in private.” Lauren nodded. “But this is a time for a new chapter in our lives. Charlotte’s going to be my little sister soon. Isn’t she almost four, Miss Warren?” Darcy nodded. “Yes. Charlotte’s fourth birthday will be next week.” Lauren smiled. “You’re not going to believe this, but I brought something for Charlotte. I brought Bonnie!” Michael gave his daughter a teasing smile. “You still have that stuffed rabbit? Three years ago, you told me that you were done sleeping with her. Before that, you slept with her every night since you got her for your second birthday.” Lauren gave Michael a pouty face. “But I love Bonnie, daddy! To be honest, I never actually got rid of her. I just stuffed her in my box of childhood keepsakes.” Michael laughed. “Admit it. Charlotte’s not going to have any time with that stuffed rabbit. You brought Bonnie for yourself.” Lauren’s face turned red. “No! I will share my Bonnie with Charlotte. I promise! Here. I’m going to get her out.” Lauren quietly entered the motorhome and quietly rifled through her luggage bag. She pulled out her stuffed rabbit Bonnie and hugged her. “I’m going to show you to them at the campfire and then you’re going to meet a new friend, okay?” Lauren tenderly whispered to her stuffed companion. She tightly embraced Bonnie and left the motorhome with her. “Introducing Bonnie!” Lauren said, proudly showing Darcy and her father her stuffed rabbit. Michael grinned. “Darcy, you know what this reminds me of? For me, I have the cutest memory that comes to mind. Lauren was only Charlotte’s age when I can remember Lauren introducing Bonnie to every one of our house guests, since I host a lot of events at the Ashcroft Estate. I did this more when Cindy was alive.” Lauren nodded with a giddy smile on her face. “Yes. And I always wanted to show mommy that Bonnie could do all the poses just like her. It had her laughing every time!” Michael scratched his chin. “That reminds me, my tulip. How has your schooling been lately? I would imagine that your modeling classes are stellar.” Lauren nodded as she could easily visualize a basic routine in her mind, along with more advanced routines if the assignment required it. “My schooling has been fine since the last time you asked me, daddy. I’m getting straight A’s in every class. And as for my modeling, mommy would be proud of me.” Darcy nodded. “Wasn’t your mother a famous supermodel?” Lauren nodded. “One of the best in the industry and she had a heart of gold! Not like some in the industry now. They can be quite rude and ruthless. You’re not going to believe this, but some of the top modeling agencies already want me to work for them. IMG Models wants me to start right after I graduate!” Michael smiled. “Splendid! It had to be the impression that you set for them during your summer internships, right?” Lauren laughed. “It has, daddy. One of the older ones told me that I reminded them of Cindy Ashcroft. To that, I responded to them, “She was my mother!’ Darcy had to hold back her laughter when she realized that Lauren was still holding Bonnie. “How about you quietly introduce Bonnie to Bobo? I think that Bobo would like that.” Lauren nodded. “Certainly!” Lauren quietly re-entered the motorhome and sat Bonnie right next to Bobo before returning to the campfire. Lauren glanced at the engagement ring that was on her father’s finger. “So daddy? When did you say the wedding was again?” “December 14th,” Michael answered. “The invitations have been sent out about a week ago.” Darcy smiled. “And the church and venue have already been picked out! Even the honeymoon destination, which will be after Christmas in February.” Lauren gasped. “Is it going to be at our church? It’s got a rather large auditorium and even a smaller chapel!” Michael nodded. “It is. Good ole Hope Valley Community Church.” He then glanced at Darcy and smiled. “I’m going to have to take you to church. Lauren and I attend every Sunday. She helps out with the Sunday school, and I teach a small group bible study during the first service.” Lauren nodded in agreement. “I love teaching Sunday school. If you’re going to marry my father, attending church with us is required.” Darcy had no reservations in attending church with her fiancée. To be honest, Darcy couldn’t remember the last time that she attended a church service. “I just hope that I’ll fit in,” she told him. All Michael could do was smile. “Fit in? This isn’t some kind of country club. It’s a place of worship. God doesn’t care what you look like or where you’ve been. Just come as you are.” “That’s right!” Lauren said. “You don’t have to be perfect to attend Hope Valley. All are welcome!” The adults talked for almost another hour regarding Charlotte and her upcoming birthday. After that, they all turned in for the night. The next day was spent soaking up the sun and doing some more swimming at Bodega Dunes Beach. The day began with a hearty breakfast of bacon, eggs, sausage, and buttered toast. Lunch consisted of leftover hot dogs, beans, and corn. Dinner was a hearty stir-fry of cooked vegetables and chicken over a bed of rice. The orange ginger sauce was perfect and it wasn’t too spicy for Charlotte. Dessert consisted of leftover S’mores, which Charlotte really enjoyed. So when Sunday rolled around, Charlotte was very eager to go home, since she was tired of being in diapers all day. One thing she did enjoy about the trip was Bonnie keeping Bobo company and most of all, the S’mores. ‘I hope that mommy can make some S’mores back at home!’ And one thing that Charlotte liked the most about going home was being able to wear a Pull-Up on the way home. The trip back wouldn’t take more than two hours, so that wouldn’t be enough for her to leak through a Pull-Up. And from her heavily soiled diaper from this morning, Charlotte didn’t have to poop at all on the way home. The motorhome stopped at Darcy’s house and Darcy got out. Lauren and Michael helped Darcy get all her things back into her house before driving back to the Ashcroft Estate. And best of all, Charlotte was able to use the potty when she got home. Not her diaper, but a POTTY. Sure, Charlotte wasn’t an adult, but this was as close as she was going to get. Charlotte spent the rest of her Sunday in her room, playing with her stuffed animals and dolls. Darcy ordered a cheese pizza for dinner. For Charlotte’s slice, she cut it up and fed it to her. The evening routine was like any other, since Charlotte knew that she was going to be wearing diapers to bed anyway. She was given a shower and her mother brushed her teeth. She then got her in her footed sleeper before tucking her in and kissing her goodnight. Charlotte smiled as she tightly embraced Bobo in her arms. It was good to be home. In the school week that followed, Charlotte found it to be very frustrating to make it to the potty on time. This only happened a couple of times, with all the other times resulting in Charlotte soaking her Pull-Up. Charlotte blamed the camping trip for setting her potty training back. With all the diapers that she filled that weekend, her body felt that it was okay to do the same in a Pull-Up. It didn’t matter that Charlotte didn’t make it to the bathroom. She wanted to sit on the toilet anyway. Miss Julia felt bad for Charlotte wanting to make it to the potty yet always being too late. All she could do was smile and encourage Charlotte. “You’re on the right track, Charlotte,” Miss Julia told her, as she tore off the sides of Charlotte’s soggy Pull-Up. “I know that you’re frustrated about not making it but it will come with time, okay?” Charlotte nodded, almost crying as Miss Julia helped her into a new Pull-Up. As for Charlotte’s play time with Diana that week, Charlotte refused to play with her at first but reluctantly played with her most of the time. Diana could tell that something was bothering Charlotte again, but she was kind enough to not ask Charlotte right away. Maybe this was something that Charlotte needed to work out on her own. For Monday, Charlotte at least found solace in running, when she attended Dashing Ducklings in the evening. Unlike last week’s Dashing Ducklings meeting, Felica Davis was there this time. While Roxy was a good substitute, Miss Davis demonstrated a lot more expertise when it came to fun activities and drills for the three-, four-, and five-year-olds in the class. And unlike last week, Miss Davis kept the class engaged for the whole time and ended the class with a fun cool down game, where the kids walked and counted down to a certain number before they stopped. “3 2 1 STOP!” Miss Davis said with a smile. “1 2 3 STOP! 4 5 6 STOP! 7 8 9 STOP! 9 8 7 STOP! 6 5 4 STOP! 3 2 1 STOP!” While Charlotte and Diana were able to run extra laps last week, Miss Davis kept a careful eye on both of them and stood in the way during their final lap. “I heard about last week girls.” Miss Davis told them. “No extra laps. I know how you both love to run, but save that for somewhere else, okay?” Overall, Charlotte found relief in attending the Dashing Ducklings meeting and Diana being there especially helped. It took until Wednesday for Diana to finally confront Charlotte about her problem. They were both swinging on the swings during playground time when Diana glanced at Charlotte. “What’s wrong now?” Diana said, with a concerned look on her face. “Something was wrong after Halloween and now you look even worse after the weekend.” Charlotte sighed. “I can’t make it to the potty! My mommy made me wear diapers all weekend during the camping trip and now I can’t make it to the potty. And I know that you don’t care ‘cause you wear diapers but I do!” But Diana shook her head. “No Charlotte! I care!” Diana launched herself off the swings, landing perfectly on her feet. “How about we run instead?” Charlotte sighed, leaping off the swings and joining Diana in running. “Oh yeah. I have also been making my wish every night. On Halloween, my big sister who’s not my big sister yet spoke to Mythra and told me that my wish is going to take time to get granted. It’s been almost a week, and my wish still isn’t granted! I HATE being little!” Diana nodded as she carefully listened to her best friend speak to her. “Charlotte, just forget about the wish! I know exactly how you feel so just forget about the wish! It doesn’t matter! Okay?” “No you don’t!” Charlotte said with a pout. “You don’t know how I feel!” But Charlotte knew that wasn’t the truth. Deep down, Charlotte knew that Diana understood what she was going through. She didn’t know how that was possible yet but knew that Diana was different than the other kids that she played with. “Charlotte,” Diana told her. “It’s okay. You can tell me the truth. I know that you are lying. I know how you feel, and that’s the truth!” Charlotte stopped running and stared at Diana. Her face began to fill with tears, which made Diana stop. Diana, seeing this, gave Charlotte a big hug, trying to comfort her best friend. The two girls hugged each other for a moment at the playground. Charlotte felt better after Diana hugged her. Maybe only for the moment, but it did help. She couldn’t believe how much Diana understood or even cared. And Diana was the first girl who even understood what Charlotte was going through. ‘How can she?’ Charlotte thought. ‘No one else would believe my story, but it sounds like Diana would.’ For Thursday, things went a little bit better for Charlotte. She was still frustrated over her wish not coming true, but Diana was there to listen. To help Charlotte and comfort her. Charlotte knew that she was an adult, but there was no way for her to get back. That wish was her only ticket there and it wasn’t working. Charlotte also was able to make it to the potty once on Thursday. And although Diana had no interest in potty training, she congratulated Charlotte for her victory. Friday finally came. Charlotte woke up to another squishy and soggy diaper as usual. But the lights flickered on and Darcy smiled, scooping Charlotte out of her bed which made her giggle. “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, Happy birthday dear Charlotte, happy birthday to you!” Darcy sang. “It’s your birthday today, Charlotte! Can you tell me how old you are?” Charlotte held out four fingers. “Four!” Deep down, Charlotte knew that she should’ve been 30 instead of four. ‘I so badly want to go back to adulthood, but I’m stuck!’ Darcy smiled and carried Charlotte out of her bedroom and towards the bathroom. “You got a big day today, so let’s get you ready, birthday girl!” Charlotte felt despondent as her mother gave her a quick shower and got her into a new Pull-Up and pink embroidered tulle dress. ‘What does it matter if I’m another year older? Now that there’s no way for me to return to adulthood, why bother? Why even move on?’ Darcy was beginning to notice Charlotte’s melancholy expression and sighed. “Sweetie, what’s wrong? I thought you would be happy with it being your birthday! Come on, Charry dear. You’re four years old today! You’re a big girl!” Charlotte could only produce a shy grimace, which only served to hide her frustration and despair. ‘Like you’re going to believe me, mom. Yeah. I may be four but I’m really 30. You would never believe that!’ Darcy smiled, trying to get her daughter to cheer up. “When you see the breakfast, that will have to cheer you up. Also, there is so much fun planned at preschool today!” Charlotte responded with a stiff nod as she was led downstairs to the kitchen. Breakfast consisted of a hearty plate of waffles drenched in syrup and topped with whipped cream and strawberries. Four candles were even placed around the waffles, with Darcy ready to treat Charlotte to her joyful rendition of “Happy Birthday to You”: Happy Birthday to You Happy Birthday to You Happy Birthday dear Charlotte Happy Birthday to You “And many morrrrrrrrrrrrrre!” Darcy sang, holding the last part of the song by a sustained note. Charlotte blew out the candles and produced a weak smile as she began to eat her birthday waffles. After Charlotte drank her apple juice, she slipped on her running shoes while her mother got the covered plastic containers that all contained frosted cupcakes. Half of them were chocolate while the other half were vanilla. Once at Little Lilacs Preschool and Daycare, Charlotte walked in with her mother. Darcy glanced at Rena and pointed at Charlotte. “Guess what? It’s Charlotte’s fourth birthday today!” Rena smiled. “Wow! She’s four already? My, how time flies!” She glanced at the round plastic containers that Darcy was holding. “And is that a special treat for the class?” Darcy nodded. “I made cupcakes for each of the kids. Half are chocolate and half are vanilla.” Rena glanced at the containers and smiled. “I’m sure that they’ll love them.” She then fixed her eyes on Charlotte. “Happy birthday, Charlotte! I hope that you have a wonderful birthday today!” Charlotte weakly nodded, as she didn’t really know what to do with her being out of options to return to her adulthood. ‘What does it matter that I have a fourth birthday? When I get younger, all this will be forgotten.’ Heather approached Charlotte with a smile. “Happy birthday, Charlotte! You’re now my age!” Diana glanced at Charlotte with a smile. She once again could see that Charlotte wasn’t feeling like herself. With that, she gave Charlotte a hug. “It’s your birthday! C’mon Charlotte! Be happy!” Charlotte sighed. “Why bother?” But Diana did nothing but maintain her smile. “It’s ‘cause you need to be happy! Be happy for me! Be happy for your friend! Don’t be selfish!” That’s where it hit Charlotte where it hurts. ‘Yeah.’ Charlotte thought. ‘I guess I am being a little selfish. But how are others going to appreciate my company if I’m not going to be around much longer? While I never asked Diana, I feel like she’s going through this with me, too and she’s a lot happier for some reason. If anything, I need to try.’ Charlotte then felt tired. She didn’t know if it was because of her breakfast, but at that point, she just didn’t feel like using her adult mind. So she let her instincts take over. And just like that, she giggled and proceeded to pin Diana to the floor. Diana also giggled and retaliated, pinning Charlotte to the floor. “Let’s play a fun birthday game!” And that’s just what they did. Paige, Jodie, and Tiffany all gave Charlotte their birthday wishes and played with Barbies, making one of the Barbies Charlotte. And at that moment, Charlotte was no longer in the preschool, but was at a mansion with a scenic view, with Diana, Heather, Paige, Jodie, and Tiffany all frolicking around the spacious yard. “This is so fun!” Diana squealed. “What do you want to do, birthday girl?” “Go for a spin in my convertible!” Charlotte told her friends. “But there’s not enough room!” Heather said with a frown. “There’s four seats and there’s six of us!” But Charlotte knew just what to do. “There’s a button to make the car longer!” she told them. Charlotte got in the car and pressed the button to extend the car, adding another row of space. Charlotte then rode around the field in her convertible, circling her mansion and enjoying the warm breeze. Suddenly, a loud voice thundered from the sky. “Circle Time! It’s Circle Time!” And just like that, the field disappeared, and all six girls were back in the preschool, crowded around a toy convertible, with six Barbies all crammed in the four seats. For Circle Time, Miss Julia let the entire class enjoy the cupcakes that Darcy brought in and they all sang Happy Birthday to Charlotte. For a fun activity, they all made birthday cards for Charlotte while Charlotte was tasked with making a birthday hat, which Miss handed out to the entire class already made. Each of the kids put on their cone shaped hat and worked on their birthday cards while Charlotte worked on her birthday hat. For learning centers, it was mostly fall themed. Snack time consisted of Rice Crispy Treats with confetti on top. Playground time was next, where the girls had Charlotte sit in the center of the carousel while they spun her around. Lots of smiles and giggles could be heard from all around the playground. Story time came next, where Miss Julia told a special story about a girl who had a birthday, and she was given one birthday wish. From hearing the story, it gave Charlotte an idea. ‘It’s my birthday so do I get a birthday wish? If so, I will wish to be 30, and that everything is back to normal.’ During lunch, the kids all enjoyed a special birthday lunch of small pre-cut pizza slices with apple slices and a chocolate brownie for dessert. By nap time, Charlotte was very tired. She was having so much fun that Miss Julia had to interrupt Charlotte’s fun play time just to use the bathroom. But every time she did so, Charlotte already had a wet Pull-Up. But Charlotte didn’t care. Charlotte shrugged when she saw the yellow pee stain in her Pull-Up before Miss Julia wadded it up. She put a new Pull-Up on her and helped her into her footed sleeper. Once in her sleeping mat, Charlotte was out like a light. She had a brief dream of playing with Diana and her friends again but was promptly awakened to find that her nap time was already over. Snack time followed, with some leftover Rice Crispy treats and brownies. For Music Time, they all watched a series of songs sung by Miss Rachel on a TV screen. Charlotte, Heather, Diana, and the rest of the class all sang along to her songs. After that, Charlotte enjoyed some more playground time with her friends. This time, she spent most of the time on the swings with Heather and Diana. For the final circle time, Miss Julia played zoo once again. Diana became a cat and Charlotte became a Cheetah. Heather became a rabbit. Darcy picked up Charlotte and took her home. As Charlotte sat in her car seat, her mother smiled at her. “Oh Charliecakes!” Darcy said with a grin. “It’s so wonderful to see that smile of yours! All you needed was a fun day at preschool.” Charlotte nodded. ‘That, and I get a birthday wish tonight, like the story that Miss Julia told!’ That night, there was a small birthday party consisting of Darcy, Charlotte, Michael, and Lauren. And since Charlotte wanted McDonald’s for her birthday, everyone enjoyed their Big Macs and fries while Charlotte enjoyed her chicken McNuggets Happy Meal. After dinner, it was time for presents. So, the family all gathered in the living room. About 20 minutes later, Charlotte opened up all her gifts. A lot of the gifts were more dolls, a few dresses, a couple pajama sets, and some Disney Princess underwear (which Darcy hoped would motivate Charlotte to use the potty more). Michael got Charlotte a new iPad. Lauren got Charlotte two blank notebooks and two themed ones for more coloring, plus a full set of crayons and markers so that Charlotte can continue to color. After that, came the moment that Charlotte was waiting for: The birthday cake. Her birthday cake was a marble cake with white frosting, with “HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHARLOTTE” written in pink frosting. Four candles were spread throughout the rectangular quarter sheet cake. Charlotte’s heart skipped a beat when she saw her mother lighting the candles. Lauren was sitting by her, smiling. “You see that, Charlotte? Four candles! You’re not three anymore, but four! What a big girl!” But all Charlotte could think about was the wish. ‘Just when I thought that all hope was lost, I get to have a birthday wish! I just want to make the wish already. I’m tired of being a helpless toddler!” Darcy sat down the Bic lighter and dimmed the lights in the dining room. “Charlie dear, we’re going to sing happy birthday, and then have some cake and ice cream. Are you ready? One…two…three…” Happy Birthday to You Happy Birthday to You Happy Birthday dear Charlotte Happy Birthday to You “And many morrrrrrrrrrrrrre!” Darcy sang, holding the last part of the song by a sustained note. But before Charlotte even began to blow out the candles, she was nudged by Lauren. “Charlotte!” Lauren said, reminding her. “You need to make a wish before you blow out the candles! Close your eyes and don’t say the wish out loud. Then, blow those candles out!” Charlotte closed her eyes and wished as hard as she could. ‘Oh, I WISH that I could be 30 instead of four! That everything is back to normal and I can move on living my adult life!’ Charlotte opened her eyes and blew out the candles. Everyone enjoyed their cake and ice cream after that. Bedtime came after all the birthday fun was over. Charlotte felt restless as her mother got her ready for bed. Her teeth were brushed, and she was changed out of her soggy Pull-Up and into a nighttime diaper. She was then changed into a two-piece set of Bluey pajamas, which she felt was a relief since they looked less babyish, despite the soft diaper that she felt around her waist. And after Darcy tucked Charlotte in and kissed her goodnight, she sadly stared up at the ceiling, holding Bobo in her arms. ‘When is the wish going to come true?’ Charlotte thought, still feeling disappointed since the moment she ate her cake. ‘I wished as hard as I could! I really did! Do I need to wait until tomorrow? Maybe it will come true then.’ Charlotte yawned and closed her eyes, hoping that her birthday wish would come true.

I like to think that someone in the Martinez family made them. If you remember the prologue, there is some mystery behind the shoes even being in the backroom in the first place. As for Lauren reading the pages, one of two things may happen. She either stored the pages away somewhere and forgot about them or she read them. Even if she did read them, I would think that the pages would leave her so scared that she would get rid of the pages. Chapter 56 Charlotte just couldn’t believe it. There Mythra was, standing there with a crystal crown adorned on her forehead. The sparkling glitter on the crown flashed as the light reflected and danced off of it. And best of all, her necklace with the Sky Pendant was in plain view. Somehow, Mythra managed to find her Sky Pendant without Charlotte’s help. With that being the case, Charlotte wanted to get her wish granted and leave her fragile shell that was her toddler body. Seriously. Being almost 30 years old would be far better than being forced to relive her entire childhood all over again. But even worse than that, she was on the downward spiral, getting younger at unpredictable times, making this chance encounter with Mythra all the more important. Charlotte timidly approached Mythra, almost dropping the red marker that was in her hands. She attempted to rehearse in her mind exactly what kind of wish she would be presenting to the Fairy Queen of the Shimmering Cloud City in the Upper Lands. It had to be precise, she thought, since she only got one wish. Lauren glanced down and smiled at Charlotte. She was very happy with the work that she went through in designing the Mythra costume. In being a big fan of The Ringmaster Chronicles in the past, she was able to produce every detail of the costume to a tee. Everything from the sparkling crystal crown to the Sky Pendent that hung around her neck. The sky-blue stone flashed as the light reflected off of it. Her sky-colored dress, sky-colored slippers, and fairy wings all helped in making her a near perfect replica of Mythra herself. A pleasant laugh could be heard from her lips as she saw just how mesmerized Charlotte was in looking at her costume. It was as if Charlotte earnestly wanted something. “Good evening, Charlotte.” Lauren said in an elegant yet regal voice that reflected Mythra’s beauty. “That’s a rather nice Super Sleuth Astronaut costume you have there. What have I the pleasure of assisting you with tonight?” Charlotte knew exactly what she wanted to say, but her nerves stood on end. Even with the pair of running shoes on her feet (which went well with her costume), her anxiety only multiplied when she glanced at the Sky Fairy Queen herself. She could feel a warm splash of moisture as she began to fill her Pull-Up. Finally, as the notebook began to fall out of her hand with the marker and magnifying glass, she finally managed to say something. “Um…” Charlotte stammered. “M-mythra Queen? Please? Can I…wish…can you….I want….granted….okay?” Lauren scratched her chin and gave Charlotte an understanding nod. “Be still, child. I am well aware of what you are trying to ask me. Charlotte, I know of your pursuit in trying to find my Sky Pendant. I commend your efforts to retrieve this mythical emblem of power for me. But in my more recent flights, I have managed to locate the Sky Pendant, and now it’s here, safely around my neck. I can feel the aura of magic coursing through my veins. Could you, dear child, be asking me to grant you a wish?” Charlotte was speechless. This was exactly what she wanted, and she was gracious that Mythra knew what she was trying to say to her. She averted her eyes from Mythra while timidly tilting her head up and down. “Y-yes. Myth….ra. Wish….Can I…Would I…Tell…wish?” Lauren gave Charlotte a compassionate nod but sighed when she thought of the implications. ‘This poor girl…My little sister. Her little heart would be crushed if she told me her wish and I couldn’t grant it.’ So, an idea emerged in her head and a calmness came over her face. “Child, as much as I would want to hear your wish, I think it best that you tell me with your heart. Please refrain from speaking your wish out loud or it will not come true. There. I can hear it, Charlotte. Words are not needed. Your wish is entering my heart. In your bed tonight, quietly whisper the wish alone. And then sleep. Your wish will come true, and happiness will follow you all the days of your life.” Charlotte glanced up and felt as if a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. Mythra did it. ‘The wish has been set into motion, and it will be granted when I fall asleep. Oh, I can’t wait until I return to my old life! I am tired of getting younger and losing my independence. It all ends tonight. Everything. I will have a happy ending, thanks to Mythra.” Charlotte gave the Sky Queen a shy smile. “Thank you, Mythra.” Lauren smiled. ‘Aw! This is so cute!’ She curtsied to Charlotte and gazed at her with a warm smile. “You are most welcome, Charlotte. Now child, this is a most special evening. Enjoy the festivities!” Mythra walked away, her delicate and graceful steps putting Charlotte in a trance. Charlotte took in her surroundings as the festive music continued playing. She focused her attention on the woman in the red hair. ‘Who is that woman, and where’s mommy?’ But the red-haired woman approached Charlotte and smiled. Right next to the woman was another woman with black hair dressed in a blue cavewoman outfit. Then, Charlotte saw Heather, but she was dressed like a princess. “Heather!” Charlotte shouted. “You’re a princess!” Heather nodded, before acting silly, contorting her body around in a vain attempt to dance to the music. “I like your astronaut costume!” Charlotte sighed. “It’s Soopa Sooth Astanaut!” Heather nodded. “Yeah. A super sleuth! Let’s go look for Blue’s clues! We might find some clues over there!” She pointed to a series of tables that each had dishes full of snacks on them. Each table had tablecloth that almost draped to the floor. She giggled and ran towards the tables, with Charlotte following her. Darcy glanced at Charlotte, maintaining her eye contact on her. She was poked by Darlene, who smiled. “Nice costume, Dar!” she told her. “Are you Lucy from ‘I Love Lucy’?” Darcy nodded with a big smirk on her face. “And Mikey here is Ricky Ricardo!” Michael nodded as he glanced at his wig and his outfit. “I am! And Luuuuuuuucy! You have some explaining to do!!!” The three adults laughed, with Daniel frowning. “What did I miss?” Daniel said with a sigh. “An ‘I Love Lucy’ reference, Barney Rubble!” Darlene said, pretending to be upset. “Uh, sorry Betty!” Daniel said in his best Barney impression. The laughter continued among the group of adults, with Darcy still managing to glance at Charlotte out of the corner of her eye. Another woman entered the room. But by the way that she was dressed, it was clear that she didn’t look like a woman at all. Her brown hair was done up in twin pigtails and she wore a vintage onesie bodysuit, which featured aqua green-blue below the chest line and small white polka dots. The sleeves were the same green-blue white polka dot pattern with pink marking the sleeve openings and the collar. The pattern leading up to the chest was marked with a narrow band motif pattern of yellow ducks, pink ribbons, and pink rattles against a blue background. The chest piece around the collar was a solid white with a pattern of blue/pink/yellow balloons, a blue baby bear drinking a baby bottle, a pink/yellow/blue ball, a yellow giraffe with pink spots, a baby blue truck, a pink bunny, and more blue/pink/yellow balloons. The bottom of the woman’s onesie was completely covered by a diaper that was worn over top of it. She held a pink rattle and there was a pink pacifier dangling from a pacifier ribbon that was clipped to the collar of her onesie. From her outfit alone, she was not a woman at all but looked like an overgrown baby girl. “Goo goo!” The woman said jokingly, shaking her rattle as loud as she could to get the attention of other adults nearby before she began twirling her right pigtail with the fingers from her other hand. Another woman made a swift pace into the room. She was professionally dressed in a black dress and black leggings. She hurried over to the woman-child and gave her a soft pat on the back. “There there, Monica. Your babysitter is here.” “Yay!” Monica shouted, as she clapped her hands giddily before giving her rattle a soft shake. Lauren, who was holding a plate of snacks nearby, walked over to the two women to see what the commotion was about. When she saw Monica, she burst into laughter. “Nice costume, Monica! So does this mean that you gave up on babysitting?” This resulted in snickers from Monica and the woman next to her. “Just for tonight, Lauren. As many kids that I have babysat, I figured ‘Why not be one of them for once?’ So, I went all out and decided to be a baby.” “Monica, only you would have a costume this crazy.” Lauren said with a grin. “And Roxy? I really admire your black dress and leggings. And with your purse and diaper bag, you definitely look like a babysitter.” Roxy laughed. “Yeah. It was kind of a last-minute thing. Monica needed me to have a costume, so I decided to be her babysitter.” Lauren gave Monica a questionable look when she saw the diaper. “Is that diaper the only thing that you’re wearing besides the onesie?” Monica laughed. “Um, definitely no Lauren! Notice how I’m wearing the diaper OVER the onesie instead of underneath. Underneath the crotch opening is my actual underwear.” An older woman walked by and gasped at Monica’s baby costume. “I didn’t know that they actually made baby diapers that big. Where did you get that?” Monica smirked. “From some kink website called ABUniverse. There’s actually a subculture of adults that like to dress up like babies and wear diapers. It kind of creeped me out when I did my research. This is an ABU Little Kings diaper. It came with the sample pack that I ordered since I do not intend to buy an entire sack or case.” “Why not?” Roxy joked. “Just give up babysitting forever and I’ll be your babysitter!” “Ha ha.” Monica said sarcastically. “But seriously, I think my outfit looks very cute.” The conversation continued and got the attention of Darcy and Darlene, who were standing nearby. Darcy shot a glance at Monica and gasped. “Monica! You’re a baby for Halloween? I can’t believe it!” “Believe it!” Monica said with a cute smirk. “Goo goo! Ga ga! Look at me, evyones! I baby!” And with that, Monica tugged on the ribbon and grabbed her pink pacifier. She then placed it in her mouth. “Are you going to suck on it?” Roxy said in a teasing voice. “C’mon! Get into character!” Monica gave her pacifier a few sucks before spitting it out. “It don taste wike stawbewwy!” She lightly stomped her feet, making a pretend temper tantrum. Meanwhile, both Charlotte and Heather were walking under snack tables, looking for clues. Charlotte sighed and glanced at Heather, who was still searching everywhere around her. “Heather, we’ve been looking for clues forever! Can we do something else?” Heather nodded. “Sure! I don’t see any clues. Let’s go!” Charlotte carefully walked towards the draping tablecloth and lifted it up like a curtain. She could see a lot more adults in costume now. And she could see Mythra standing next to…’Wait.’ Charlotte thought as she gasped. ‘Is that Monica? She looks like a baby!’ A look of worry and concern began to fill Charlotte’s mind. ‘Did she also get a wish from Mythra? Was it to turn her into a baby? Why would Monica want to go backwards?’ But then she noticed that Monica was still tall. ‘There’s still time to change her back before she shrinks! I’ll see if Mythra can grant her another wish. I’m coming, Monica!’ Charlotte hurried over to where Monica was standing with Mythra. She got Mythra’s attention and pointed at Monica. “You give her nother wish to change her back?” Lauren laughed but knew that she had to maintain her Mythra act for Charlotte’s sake. “Oh, dear child. We meet once again. As much as I would want to grant her another wish, I am afraid that I cannot fulfill such a request.” Lauren winked at Monica, who nodded and winked back. Monica glanced at Charlotte and shook her rattle. “Yay! Another gul to pway wif! No Shawwit. I make wish to be baby, so I stay baby.” But Charlotte shook her head in protest. “No! I get you another wish and change you back!” Both Lauren and Monica exchanged glances and nodded. Lauren then glanced at Charlotte. “Well child, I truly admire your persistence. It was only a test, and you have passed. Monica gets one more wish and it cannot be spoken out loud. It must come from the heart. Oh, what’s that? Monica’s wish just entered my heart. Monica, all you need to do is whisper your wish alone before you fall asleep. Your wish will then come true, and you will be happy all the days of your life.” Both Lauren and Monica winked and nodded. Charlotte on the other hand was confused about what they were doing. She gave Mythra an impatient look. “So are you gonna change her back?” Lauren nodded. “If that is what Monica wishes, it will be granted after she falls asleep.” Charlotte gave Monica a worried look. ‘Oh, I hope that Monica made the right wish! I know that I did…’ Two more men approached the open great room and glanced at Lauren and Monica. They were both dressed in overalls, with one wearing a red shirt and red hat and the other wearing a green shirt and green hat. “Oh wow!” Roxy said with a gasp. “The Mario Brothers?” Lauren gave the man in the Mario costume a lovestruck look before kissing him on the cheek. “Hey Victor.” Monica smiled, giving the other man the same look as Lauren. “Oh hi, honey! Who do you want to be called tonight? Quentin or Luigi?” Quentin laughed. “Just call me Luigi tonight! And why am I stuck babysitting tonight? Sheesh!” Monica pointed to Roxy. “No Weegee! Wahkzee babysit me! But yoo babysit me laytah, kay Weegee?” Quentin shook his head. “It’s MAMA LUIGI to you!” Monica sighed and briefly dropped the act. “I don’t get it.” Quentin laughed. “Of course you wouldn’t! It’s from an old Mario cartoon! Luigi was babysitting Yoshi, okay?” Charlotte was now starting to get overwhelmed. Between Mythra (Lauren) and Monica’s boyfriends and all the other adults partying in the room, it was starting to get too much for her. Then, Charlotte saw a man that looked familiar. ‘Could it be?’ The man was dressed in knee breeches, a white shirt, a black waist-coat, a brown jacket, and a dark green cloak. ‘Oh my gosh,” Charlotte thought. ‘He looks just like Rowwin Ruggins from The Ringmaster Chronicles! He’s…he’s…” James. James Richardson. And he was approaching the girls very quickly. But it only took a split second for Charlotte to remember that James betrayed her by dating Roxy. James approached Roxy and smiled, giving her a tender kiss on the cheek. Roxy in turn kissed him back. Charlotte was immediately repulsed, and she had to look away. Her jealousy was about to explode inside of her. She wanted to go and tell James off. To tell him that he was making a mistake for choosing Roxy instead of her. But instead… Charlotte just approached the six teens and let out a loud and exasperated sigh. “Hmmph!!!!” She exclaimed in her declaration of disapproval before pouting and stomping away. Charlotte wandered by herself over to the various tables that served food. Due to tonight’s theme, they looked more like morbid body parts than food. There were olives that looked like eyeballs. There were cocktail wieners that looked like monster toes. Garlic rolls were made to look like stuffed pumpkins. There was even a Halloween version of Chex Mix. In addition to this, there was a platter of a ring of tacos that looked like a spider. Cookies that were shaped to look like ghosts. Another plate had black cat face cookies. There were even cookies that looked like witch fingers. Despite all the food that Charlotte saw, there was someone that she really missed. And as her instincts began to flood heavily into her little body, she could no longer resist the urge to cry. So, Charlotte cried at the top of her lungs. “MOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMYYYYYYYYY!!!!” Darcy, who had kept a careful eye on Charlotte for most of the night, saw Charlotte by the snack tables. “Oh sweetie! What’s wrong? Mommy’s coming!” Charlotte saw a red-headed woman run towards her. ‘Who is this?’ The sight of the red-headed woman made Charlotte cry even more. Darcy removed her wig and pointed at herself. “Charliecakes, don’t worry! It’s just a costume! Mommy’s here!” Michael, who now approached Darcy glanced at Charlotte with concern. And having seen her remove her wig, he removed his. “And see Charlotte? It’s daddy! Well, not yet but soon!” Darcy glanced at the snack table. “I am guessing that you are hungry, and you want something to eat. Let’s get you a few snacks, dear.” Monica approached Darcy, who saw the tired girl still crying. “Char also looks tired, so you’ll probably want to get her ready for bed after a little snack. I actually have a good idea. Why don’t I help get Charlotte to sleep after her snack? I’ll let you do her nighttime routine first and I’ll find out from Lauren which bedroom we can have her sleep in. Probably a guest bedroom on an upper floor away from the noise.” Darcy nodded. “Good idea, Monica! You’re so good with kids. Besides…” She teasingly gave Monica’s diaper a soft poke. “I know of another little girl that is waaaaaaay past her bedtime.” Monica laughed. “Ha ha. It will be my bedtime. I will be helping her sleep! But in all seriousness, I will sneak out after she’s fast asleep.” Darcy scooped up Charlotte and carried her over to the snack tables. Monica picked out a couple of paper plates and began placing a few snacks that Charlotte might like on both plates. Charlotte was still sniffling a little, but her tears had finally stopped. She was in the warm embrace of her mother, as her best friend was picking out snacks for her. Charlotte saw the monster toe cocktail wieners and pointed at them. “I want that!” she shouted. She also pointed at the garlic stuffed pumpkins (garlic rolls). Darcy glanced at the rolls and rubbed her chin. “Sweetie, those rolls are stuffed with pizza sauce. Are you okay with eating that?” Charlotte nodded and watched Monica place one stuffed pumpkin on one of her two plates. Charlotte saw the Halloween Chex Mix, with the candy corn pumpkins and various candy mixed with the Chex. “I want that!” she said, her hands trying to swipe the Chex Mix that was out of reach, because her mother was holding her above it. Monica laughed. “It’s okay, Char. I scored you a scoopful.” Charlotte continued pointing at the snacks that she wanted on her plate. A taco from the ring that looked like a spider. One ghost cookie. One black cat cookie. And one witch finger cookie. After that, Charlotte kept pointing at more snacks, but her mother shook her head. “Charry dear, I think that you have plenty of food on your plates already. We don’t want to have too much.” Charlotte pouted when she glanced at the snacks that she wasn’t able to have. “But I want more, mommy…” Monica smiled and poked Charlotte on her space suit. “Hey. I think that there’s a lot of good food on your plate already. If there’s anything else that you want, your mommy can just pack it up and you can eat it tomorrow! How’s that, Char?” Charlotte nodded, glancing at her friend that still looked like a baby. ‘I hope that Monica made a wish to turn back. Monica, you made the worst wish ever!’ She glanced at her friend and nodded again. “Uhn hnn…” Darcy found a table in the dining room area and was about to seat Charlotte at one of the chairs when Lauren walked by, noticing them with Monica. “She’s going to be too short. But I’ve got the perfect thing! I’ll be right back!” Moments later, Lauren came back carrying a pink booster seat cushion with white unicorns, crescent moons, stars, and planets on them. She glanced at Charlotte, maintaining her persona as Mythra. “Charlotte, I just had a rather pleasant conversation with Lauren, and she gave me this booster seat. She also told me that she used to use that booster seat when she was a little girl.” Charlotte glanced at the seat and gasped. ‘Lauren used to use that seat? Was she my age or younger?’ Monica winked at Lauren and pointed at Charlotte. Lauren then nodded, pointing at Charlotte and winking. Lauren placed the booster seat on one of the dining room chairs and Darcy placed Charlotte on it. Over the next few minutes, Charlotte began eating all the snacks that were on the plates while Darcy sat next to her, her Lucille Ball wig resting on her lap. She ate everything except the witch finger cookie, since she was too full. After that, Darcy took Charlotte up to a bathroom that was on the third floor and got her ready for bed. Charlotte’s Pull-Up was completely soaked, so Darcy removed it and gave her a quick shower. And since she brought Charlotte’s toiletries, she helped Charlotte brush her teeth before taking her to one of the spare bedrooms. She went and got Charlotte her overnight bag from the car (since they would be leaving late) and got out an overnight diaper. She powdered it before rubbing some barrier cream on Charlotte and powdering her. She then zipped Charlotte in a pink footed sleeper and placed her on a king-sized bed. She took Bobo out of the overnight bag and gave it to Charlotte, who clutched the stuffed bear tightly. Monica cracked the door open, checking in on Darcy and Charlotte. “It looks like I can take over.” Darcy nodded. “You can.” Darcy then gave Charlotte a kiss on the forehead. “Mommy and the adults are going to have some more fun and then we’re going home. Good night, Charlotte!” Monica nodded. “And Char, we’re just going to relax in this bed. Okay?” Monica picked Charlotte up and sat beside her, before laying herself on the bed. She got underneath the covers and tucked Charlotte in on her side. She then watched Charlotte wrap her two little arms around Monica’s side. “Oh, that’s cute. Well, let’s sleep Charlotte!” Charlotte nodded, her eyes starting to get very heavy. That’s when Charlotte was hit with a sudden realization that made her gasp. ‘Oh no. I can’t make my wish because Monica is in the room. I’ll just wait for her to leave. Then I will…wish…’ It didn’t take very long before Charlotte’s eyes squinted shut and she fell asleep. While Charlotte was sleeping, Monica gave a very soft kiss on Charlotte’s forehead before quietly leaving the spare bedroom. Charlotte woke up, realizing that Monica was not in the room anymore. This was just enough to jog her memory. ‘Oh yeah. That’s right! Mythra told me to whisper the wish to myself alone before I fell asleep. I wonder if it’s still going to work?’ Charlotte glanced around the room to make sure that she was the only one in it. “Here it goes,” Charlotte said in a quiet voice. “I wish that I was back to my normal age. That all reality would shift back to the way things were before I even got younger. That I am once again 29 years old. Mythra, Fairy Queen of the Shimmering Cloud City in the Upper Lands, grant this wish of mine and make it true!” Charlotte felt better after she made the wish. ‘I just hope that it’s going to work. She said that I had to fall asleep first. Well, I look forward to adulthood again…” Charlotte lovingly embraced Bobo and smiled as she fell asleep again. … The adults continued to party in the great room, which consisted of a large room that opened up to the dining room and kitchen. There was plenty of Witch’s Brew (fruit punch with alcohol in it, which everyone was guzzling. Both Lauren and Monica glanced at the adults while they enjoyed a version of the Witch’s Brew without alcohol. Monica sighed. “I only tried alcohol a few times, and it was at a couple of parties. So, your dad won’t let us have a little bit?” Michael, who was in high spirits, smiled. “You girls can have one little glass.” Lauren shook her head. “No daddy! Do you want to get us in trouble? We only have about three and a half more years until we can drink legally.” Monica sighed. “Fine. Just the kiddy Witch’s Brew for us.” Lauren jokingly poked Monica on her diaper. “Well, you kind of are a kid. And haven’t you drunk a lot of punch already? You better be careful or that diaper is going to actually be used!” Monica smirked. “Why else do you think I chose to wear a costume with a diaper? Oh, I’m going to have a big accident in my panties, and my diaper is going to get soaked.” Lauren gave Monica a look of disgust. “Are you really going to?” Monica laughed. “Of course not, Lauren! I’m joking! Monica then surveyed the room. “Where did Roxy say she was again?” Lauren rubbed her nose. “I think I remember Roxy saying that she was going to go lie down. She won’t be with James since he already left. I’m guessing that she had too many snacks. Monica grinned as she pointed to the adults. “I hope that the adults are going to be okay. They’re starting to look very tipsy!” Lauren nodded. “It’s okay. We will just have a lot more people staying the night here. There’s a team of designated drivers that will drive that person’s car back to their house if they really need to be back home.” Monica frowned. “Then how do they get back to the Ashcroft Estate?” “Simple!” Lauren told her. “The other driver follows behind. I think that Charlotte’s mommy wants to go home, but they will drive her instead.” Monica grinned. “Won’t she also be your mommy soon?” Lauren nodded. “Yes. Sadly, my mommy is not with me. She’s probably watching us from heaven.” Monica nodded, giving Lauren a somber face. “Did you say that it was breast cancer?” Lauren slowly nodded, as her eyes began to mist up with tears. “Yes. When I was only five. It was very sad and still is very sad. But at least Miss Warren will be able to fill the gap and pick up where my mommy left off.” She glanced at her Mythra costume and at the rest of the party. “I think I’m going to change out of my costume and into my nightgown. It’s time to get cozy.” Monica shrugged her shoulders and nodded. “Going to bed?” Lauren shook her head. “Not yet. We can talk in the living room.” She then once again teasingly patted Monica’s diaper. “Are you going to stay a diaper baby?” Monica laughed. “I think I’m going to take mine off too. You did say that the limo is going to take us to Langford tomorrow, right?” Lauren shook her head. “No. I already have it cleared up with the school that I would have tomorrow off. I’m going camping with my daddy, Miss Warren, and Charlotte, remember?” Monica nodded. “That’s right. I can drive to Langford. I mean, I drove here tonight. So, I’m with you, girl. Let’s get our jammies on and get cozy!” Both Lauren and Monica left the great room to change out of their costumes. Over the next hour or two, the adults were starting to drop like flies. The only ones that managed to hang in there were Darcy, Michael, Darlene, and Daniel. The four of them entered the living room where they found both Monica and Lauren lounging on the sofa, laughing from a interesting conversation. “So what did you do with the diaper, Monica?” Lauren said, her face red from laughing so hard. Monica laughed and waited until she could regain her composure. “Well, After I took the diaper off, I went over to the bathtub and began to fill the diaper up with water. I wanted to see how much it could hold, okay? And, Oh. My. God. Does it hold a lot! I then threw it away.” “Aw!” Lauren laughed in disappointment. “You should’ve brought it downstairs and showed us. Or you could’ve blamed it on one of the adults.” Darcy grinned. “You could’ve definitely pinned the blame on one of Michael’s friends. Just pick any one of them! They’re all passed out in the great room right now!” Michael nodded. “Well, this is the last time we have alcohol mixed with punch! Next time, let’s just drink responsibly!” Michael’s eye’s perked up with curiosity when he glanced at Monica. “Did you just say that you filled up a diaper in the bathtub?” Monica grinned. “Yeah. And it’s in the trash now. It’s just the one that I had for my costume.” Darcy glanced at the girls. “Well, we should get things winding down. Michael and I are taking Charlotte camping tomorrow. And Lauren? You said that you wanted to come with us, right?” Lauren nodded. “Yes. I’ve never camped in a motorhome before! It’s going to be fun!” When she thought of Charlotte again, she sighed. Monica glanced at Lauren. “What’s wrong?” Lauren pointed upstairs. “When I was Mythra, I told her to whisper her wish and go to sleep for her wish to be granted. I’m afraid she’s going to be disappointed if her wish doesn’t come true. What if it’s a mountain of ice cream or for one of her dolls to come to life? None of those are going to come true, I’m afraid.” Monica laughed. “Well, she’ll just learn that I guess.” … Charlotte woke up and glanced at both her hands. She began to speak, just to be sure. “Did it work?” Charlotte said out loud. To her disappointment, her voice was still small and high-pitched like an almost four-year-old. Charlotte pouted and crawled out of her bed. “it didn’t work! I’m gonna tell Mythra that it didn’t work!” Charlotte was now on a mission. She got up on her tiptoes to reach the doorknob. She could barely reach it. She turned the knob and pushed the door open a crack. Charlotte wandered down the stairs, looking for Mythra. ‘Could she still be at the party?’ Charlotte made light steps in her footed sleeper, her tiptoes producing a noticeable rustling of the soft cotton against her cloth-backed diaper. She tried to find where the party was but ended up wandering down a couple of hallways. Finally, Charlotte made it to the stairway leading to the first floor. She carefully stepped down each stair like she did with the previous floor and was now at the grand staircase. She wasn’t too far from hearing two women talking. It sounded like…Monica and Lauren? Charlotte, still upset about her wish not coming true made her noisy entrance. She made her feet pound against the soft carpeting of the living room. “Where’s Mythra!” Charlotte shouted, glancing everywhere around the room. “My wish didn’t come true!” Lauren gasped when she saw that Charlotte was up. “Charlotte? What are you doing up? You’re supposed to be in bed!” Monica smiled and stood up. “Lauren, I got this.” Monica made a friendly approach over to Charlotte before scooping her up and tickling her. Charlotte was giggling out of control until she was sat on the couch with Monica. That’s when she realized something that made her even more upset. “What’s going on? Her wish came true! Mine didn’t!” Monica nodded. “Yeah. I think you should talk to Lauren about that. She was able to talk to Mythra before she had to leave.” Monica then gave Lauren a wink. Lauren winked back and nodded. “Yes. Mythra did talk to me earlier before she had to leave. She told me that your wish is a very special one and it’s going to take a while, okay? She hasn’t forgotten about the wish. Be patient, Charlotte!” Monica nodded. “Okay Char?” Darcy entered the living room to see what the two girls were doing. She gasped when she saw Charlotte. “Sweetie? What are you doing out of bed?” Lauren smiled. “Charlotte didn’t get her wish granted from Mythra.” Darcy frowned. “Aw. That’s too bad.” “But I told Charlotte that the wish is just taking a while and to be patient,” Lauren explained. Darcy’s expression changed to a smile. “That’s good.” Darcy picked up Charlotte and carried her back upstairs. “I’m sorry, dear, but cleanup is taking a while. I’ll take you home when it’s finished, okay?” Darcy sat Charlotte back in the king-sized bed. And after Darcy tucked Charlotte in and placed Bobo in her arms, it didn’t take Charlotte long to fall asleep again. … Charlotte squinted her eyes and stretched her legs out in her bed. When she glanced at her hands, something looked…different. “Is this it?” Charlotte said out loud, suddenly realizing the difference in her voice. “Yes! My age is normal again!” But Charlotte was still at Langford. ‘Hmmm…Why am I here?’ Then it hit her. “That’s right! They’re filming the Runway movie!” Charlotte got out of bed to find Bobo tumbling out. “Hey Bobo, old friend.” She carefully sat Bobo on her bed and turned around. Charlotte then looked at her room. Everything looked exactly as it did when she left after high school. She glanced at the mirror and smiled. She could see her beautiful curves again. They were noticeably bulgy, the outline evident from the pink nightgown that she had on. Charlotte suddenly had to pee, but she ignored it. ‘I can hold it now.’ She thought. ‘I have a cast-iron bladder!’ She then wanted to write one more entry in her Mystery Notebook. The one with the title that she now had memorized: SUPER SLEUTH CHARLOTTE’S MYSTERY NOTEBOOK For solving The Mystery! Charlotte went over to her desk to find a notebook sitting there, stacked on the top above all the others. It seemed like it already had a title. ‘Could this be the one?’ Charlotte picked up the notebook and read the title: CHARLOTTE’S DOODLES Charlotte could see where the old title was scribbled out. Her heart began to sink as she held it in her hands. ‘This can’t be right.’ She opened the notebook and could clearly see the tear marks of what used to be the pages of all the ages that she experienced. They were torn out, and all that was there were her two drawings of her finding the Sky Pendant and getting her wish from Mythra. And taking another look at her body, she got her wish alright. She then smiled. “I’ll get the pages from Lauren.” Despite her loss of the pages that told her about her past, Charlotte decided to write a new entry. She turned to a new page and grabbed a pen. But before Charlotte could even write, she felt it. A dark spot began to spread around the crotch of her nightgown and began to run down both her legs. “No!” Charlotte screamed. “How am I suddenly pissing myself? I have a cast-iron bladder!” The droplets of pee began to run off her feet and onto the carpet. A small puddle began to form, darkening the carpeting with her accident. Charlotte walked over to her dresser. “It’s okay. I’ll get some new clothes and get a shower.” Charlotte opened her underwear drawer for some new panties. But to her horror, there were no panties to be found. Instead, there were mostly Pull-Ups in the drawer, with a few nighttime diapers neatly arranged on the right. Charlotte held the Pull-Up in her hands, which was indeed too small for her to wear. The diaper too had the same problem. “What’s going on?” Charlotte said in a panic. Charlotte glanced at her bed again to realize that it was a lot smaller. It looked like her toddler bed. “NOOOOOOO!” Charlotte shouted in disbelief. Charlotte then heard it, it was the sound of her bones rearranging in her body. They creaked and cracked, as if they were losing volume. She looked at one of her hands again. It was noticeably smaller. She then glanced in the mirror again. Charlotte now saw a girl staring back that looked almost four. “No!” Charlotte shouted, her now tiny voice filling the room. “No!” Charlotte woke up, her diaper feeling noticeably wet and soggy. She then took a quick stock of her surroundings and glanced at her hands. ‘Damn it! I was so close!’ The door quickly swung open, and the light switch flicked on. Darcy, suspecting that something was wrong, rushed over to Charlotte’s bed. “What’s wrong, sweetie? I heard you shouting.” She lifted up the covers and rubbed both hands around the fitted sheets. ‘It’s dry, so I can rule out her wetting the bed. Then what’s her problem? Maybe it’s her diaper. I would guess that it’s completely soaked like usual.’ Darcy unzipped Charlotte’s footed sleeper to reveal Charlotte’s swollen diaper, which sagged around her legs from front to back. “Is it your diaper, dear?” Charlotte didn’t say a word. She knew that it wouldn’t make sense to give her mother the real answer. ‘I can’t just say, “My wish to become an adult again didn’t come true.” How would she believe something like that?’ Darcy was now softly pressing the palm of her hand over Charlotte’s forehead. “Oh honey. Could it be your disappointment in a wish not coming true? Lauren already told me of her conversation with Mythra, dear. If you made a special wish, it’s going to take time to happen, okay? Now, let’s get you ready. You only have a half day today since I’m taking you out of the preschool early. We’re going camping with your soon to be sister and daddy! Won’t that be fun?” Charlotte gave her mother a skeptical look. ‘So it’s going to take time, huh? How then did I just dream about my wish coming true? It felt so real. Like I wasn’t even dreaming…’ Charlotte’s morning proceeded like a whirlwind and felt like a blur. A quick shower, getting dressed, a quick breakfast, and then a record setting trip to Little Lilacs Preschool and Daycare. Even when Darcy was in the parking lot before unbuckling Charlotte from her car seat, her mind was still filled with all the things that she had to pack for Charlotte. Her concern was also with how Charlotte would take to wearing diapers for the entire weekend. As much as she didn’t want to delay Charlotte’s potty training, dealing with leaky and poopy Pull-Ups was the last thing that she wanted to deal with during this very hot weekend. ‘If she throws a fit, she’ll just have to deal with it,’ Darcy decided as she opened her door before exiting the 4Runner to unbuckle Charlotte. ‘Not to mention I still need to pack all her clothes and toys. And I especially can’t forget Bobo!’ Darcy hastily escorted Charlotte to the preschool and was let in by Rena. Darcy only had time to kiss Charlotte goodbye as she was so much in a hurry to go home and pack. ‘The motorhome arrives at 11:00 and I need to pick up Charlotte by 12:30 after her lunch.’ She glanced at Charlotte and smiled. “It’s a half day, honey, so I will be picking you up after lunch! Bye Charliecakes! Be a good girl and use the potty! Okay?” Charlotte, still looking distracted and disappointed, nodded as her mother quickly left the main room. That morning, Charlotte felt broken and dejected as she had to push herself just to play with Diana. Diana could tell that something was wrong with Charlotte, and Charlotte knew that Diana had an understanding that surpassed that of a typical four-year-old. To Charlotte, it felt like an understanding of an adult. “What’s wrong?” Diana asked Charlotte, getting right to the point. “I can see that something is wrong. Can you tell me what it is?” Charlotte sighed. She knew that it was a long shot, but what other choice did she have left? Her very last hope of returning to her adulthood had seemed to fail. With that, what else was left? “It’s stupid. You’re not going to believe me.” Diana shook her head. “What could you tell me that I would not believe? Please tell me. I might understand.” Charlotte nodded, feeling just a small amount of comfort from the running shoes that she was wearing. “I wanna be older. I made a wish to a fairy named Mythra and my wish was almost granted. And then…it didn’t happen.” Diana gasped. “It didn’t? Well Charlotte, maybe you need to not worry about it. I never worry about anything anymore and I’m a lot happier. Don’t you want to be more happy? Join me! Besides, wishes are stupid!” Charlotte nodded. “Yeah. They are!” Although Charlotte was still disappointed in her wish not coming true, she still decided to play with Diana anyway. All during that morning, Charlotte was unable to keep her Pull-Up dry. For each instance that Miss Julia checked her Pull-Up, it was after she had already soaked it. And because of Charlotte mourning over the death of her only hope to become an adult again, all the morning activities frustrated and irritated Charlotte. Another leaf activity for Circle Time. More Learning Center stations that either the teacher or a friend from her group had to help her with, since Diana wasn’t paired with her group this time. Heather and Paige helped her with the Math and Literacy Centers while Dramatic Play was easy, and Library Center only had Charlotte listening to the teacher read the story and answering some questions after she read it. Following that was snack time. Playground Time followed, where it was so hot outside that some teachers had to bring out some water for the kids to drink. Diana even decided not to run since she found herself sweating too easily, due to the heat. Story time followed, where Miss Julia read The Three Billy Goats Gruff. Charlotte loved how the third goat didn’t take any nonsense from the troll. He just got rid of him, and the goats were able to freely use the bridge after that. After that was lunch time, where all the kids had chicken nuggets and crinkle cut fries, with apple slices and a chocolate chip cookie for dessert. While Charlotte was in the middle of eating her lunch, she could feel a tap on her shoulder. Charlotte looked up and gasped. “Mommy?” Darcy laughed. “Charlotte? Did you forget? I told you that it would only be a half day, dear. Now we’re going to be leaving after you’re finished eating so say goodbye to your friends.” Charlotte couldn’t believe that she forgot about the camping trip so easily. ‘Of course! She told me earlier! Why else would she be here so early?’ While Charlotte was eating, Miss Julia was talking to Darcy about her potty-training progress for today. Miss Julia decided to take the discussion further away from where Charlotte was, so they moved to the opposite side of the room. “Charlotte has made no progress today. Every one of her Pull-Ups was soaked, and she refused to sit on the toilet, regardless of how many times I tried to convince her. Do you think that it’s time that we move her to ‘not ready’?” Darcy shook her head. “Let’s give Charlotte a little bit more time. She’s been very upset lately and we’re going on a camping trip to the Sonoma Coast. Now I don’t want to tell her this yet, but I’m going to have her in diapers for the whole weekend. I mean, I don’t want to risk a leaky Pull-Up ruining my fiancée’s brand new motorhome. Why a soiled one would make things even worse! So I would definitely anticipate more delays with her toileting come Monday.” Miss Julia smiled and nodded. “Then I won’t be so harsh on her then. I will just be providing gentle encouragement for her. As a precaution for Monday, I would pack extra Pull-Ups for the next couple weeks until we see her toileting habits improving.” Miss Julia scratched her head. “Oh! And you know that Little Lilacs keeps track of every child’s birthday, right? For upcoming birthdays, I see that your Charlotte is going to be turning four. I will definitely have it in mind to plan some special activities to celebrate Charlotte’s special day. We will provide some brownies and a small serving of vanilla ice cream. If you want to bring anything in for Charlotte and the class, that is up to you.” Without warning, Charlotte sprinted over to her mother and tugged on the hem of her denim dress. “Mommy! Mommy! I’m done, mommy! I’m done! My lunch is all done, mommy!” Darcy laughed and playfully rubbed her hands on Charlotte’s black hair. “Okay kiddo. Let’s get you into a new Pull-Up before you go. And then say goodbye to your friends!” It only took a couple of minutes for Darcy to change Charlotte into a new Pull-Up. Like all her other ones, the Pull-Up she tore off was heavily saturated. After Charlotte got out of the bathroom, she could see teachers beginning to set up the sleeping mats, blankets, and pillows for nap time. Charlotte was about to walk towards her mother when she pointed to the kids. “Say goodbye to your friends first, honey.” Charlotte sighed, feeling very oblivious and stupid. ‘That’s right!’ Charlotte spotted Diana laying on a changing table as Miss Julia began to unsnap the crotch buttons on Diana’s orange ruffle romper. Miss Julia pinched her nose when she saw Charlotte approaching Diana. “Charlotte, you might want to keep your distance. Diana just made a very stinky poopy.” Diana giggled in response to Miss Julia’s description of her soiled diaper. “Are we playing after our nap, Charlotte?” Charlotte frowned. “No. My mommy is taking me out early ‘cause I’m going on a camping trip.” Charlotte then closed her eyes in disgust. “Pew! That’s gross!” Diana grinned. “Don’t worry. She’s putting me in a new one.” Miss Julia nodded. “Yes. Let’s get you out of that stinky, Diana!” Charlotte continued saying goodbye to her friends. She approached Heather and waved at her. “I’m going camping with mommy and my future daddy and big sister.” Heather nodded. “My mommy already told me. Have fun in the big house car!” Charlotte looked puzzled. ‘What did she mean by house car? Aren’t we camping in a tent?’ Charlotte finished saying her goodbyes to Paige, Jodie, and Tiffany before running up to her mother. Upon leaving the preschool and walking through the parking lot, Charlotte was surprised to find that there was no 4Runner sitting in the parking lot. Instead, a large motorhome was parked, which both puzzled and intrigued Charlotte at the same time. Darcy smiled as she carried Charlotte to the brand-new motorhome. It was a 2024 Tiffin Zephyr, which was 45 feet long. Charlotte was surprised to be greeted by Lauren, who hugged her after she was sat down on the floor. “Hi Charlotte!” Lauren shouted. “We’re going to have a lot of fun this weekend! Here. Where you sit is a little different since you’re in a motorhome. Let me show you to your seat.” Lauren guided Charlotte to her car seat, which was installed on one of the seats comprising the dinette/computer workstation. Charlotte was shocked to see everything that was supposed to be in a house all in a car as Lauren buckled her into her car seat. “Why did you pack the whole house in the car?” Charlotte asked, looking confused. Lauren laughed. “Charlotte, this vehicle is designed to have everything that a house has. A bedroom, a kitchen, a dining room, and even a bathroom! It’s called a motorhome or recreational vehicle. RV for short.” Michael walked up to Charlotte and grinned at his soon to be daughter. “Since we’re all going to be a family soon, I figured that we should all have some bonding time. So, I bought a brand-new RV for all of us to enjoy. Now, it’s time to leave for the campgrounds. And from what your mommy told me, it’s your nap time, so we’re going to be very quiet. Have a nice nap, pumpkin. By the end of your nap, we should be at the campsite.” Lauren laughed. “If we’re lucky. Google Maps is showing heavy traffic towards the Sonoma Coast.” Charlotte nodded and let out a deep yawn. Her vision blurred as she watched her mother hug her and give her a kiss on her forehead. “Have a nice nap, sweetie…” Darcy’s voice faded as Charlotte was now out like a light. … Charlotte woke up to find Bobo nestled in her lap. ‘You came too, Bobo? Awesome!’ The motorhome seemed to have stopped, with the door quietly opening. “is she awake yet?” Darcy’s soft and quiet whisper filled the peaceful tranquility that could be felt inside the Tiffin Zephyr. Darcy noticed Charlotte’s eyes blinking, followed by a soft yawn. ‘I’m sorry that I’m going to have to do this to her but am not going to ruin the interior of a $900,000 motorhome.” Charlotte could feel the squish around her legs and butt from her moderately saturated Pull-Up. Having just woken up, she felt groggy and a little sleepy as her mother carried her into the bathroom. She could hear her mother tearing off both sides of her Pull-Up. And then… Charlotte was hoisted up and laid back down on something soft. She felt a new layer of barrier cream being rubbed on her. And then a soft sprinkle of powder. She then felt the waistband being folded up between her legs, followed by the sound of Velcro flaps being opened. It was when her mother secured the two Velcro flaps around her waist when she realized that something was off. She could see the sun gleaming into the bedroom from the bed that she was laying on. ‘That did not feel like a Pull-Up.’ As Darcy began to pull Charlotte’s mint green dress back down, she could see Charlotte’s expression beginning to change. First a look of confusion. Then a frown, followed by a pout. “Mommy?” Charlotte said as she felt her diaper around her lower back. “Why am I wearing a diaper in daytime?” Darcy sighed. “Charlotte, we don’t want to make any messes in future daddy’s new motorhome. Messes will be easier to clean up if they’re not done in a Pull-Up, okay?” Charlotte glared at her mother and reached around her waist, trying to remove the diaper. “NO DIAPER MOMMY!” She screamed. “I WEAR IT AT NIGHTTIME!” Darcy’s face immediately became stern. She grabbed Charlotte’s face with both her hands and brought it level with her face. “Charlotte Marie Warren, listen to me. You are going to be wearing diapers this weekend, and you are NOT going to throw another fit. If I hear another scream from you, you are going to bed early. Do I make myself clear, Charlotte Marie?” Charlotte frowned, as her only semblance of being a “big girl” was taken away from her for the whole weekend. Sure, she wore diapers at night, but she at least wanted to feel older. Even if it was a four-year-old’s idea of being “older”. Her wish didn’t work so this was her only coping mechanism. A Pull-Up to feel more Grown-Up. But this was replaced by the epitome of babyhood: a diaper. Charlotte now resented the very idea of being a child with her only hope of adulthood failing. She was trapped. Trapped in a fleshly prison of a four-year-old’s body with no way out. No adult would believe that she was actually almost 30. No adult would believe her tragic tale of her slow and painful loss of her entire adulthood. She wistfully stared up at her mother, completely envious of the body that granted her absolute freedom. ‘So, this is camping? I’ve had enough. Let’s just go home.’ For Charlotte, she could tell that one thing was quite certain. Her weekend at the Sonoma Coast was going to be a long one.

Chapter 55 The red Toyota 4Runner turned into the parking lot of the Little Lilacs Preschool and Daycare. Darcy found a place to park towards the entrance to the daycare and exited the vehicle. She unbuckled Charlotte, who she dressed in a “Super Sleuth Astronaut” costume. It consisted of a white space suit with pink arm bands, a pink decorated belt, and pink bands around the ankles. It was complete with a space helmet with a pink outline around the front and white gloves. She also let Charlotte hold a plastic magnifying lens, one of her markers, and her notebook (which read CHARLOTTE’S DOODLES). She was very proud of the costume that she was able to put together for her (and quite relieved that Amazon was able to deliver the astronaut costume on time). “So, are you ready for a fun Halloween, Charlotte?” Charlotte was carried by her mother out of the 4Runner as she thought of the answer to her question. She felt like she was an astronaut, touching down on a black tarry surface of a strange planet. Considering what happened yesterday with her and Diana, she just knew that Halloween was going to be fun. In staying true to Diana’s request, Charlotte managed to make it to the preschool yesterday with her running shoes on. But this wasn’t without her mother almost forgetting to grab them. It took until Charlotte was sitting in her car seat to notice the sudden absence of her running shoes. She did not see the shoe laces, but only pink Velcro straps. “NO MOMMY!” Charlotte cried. “Diana said…Diana said she wanted me to wear my running shoes!” This greatly frustrated Darcy, who was already on the road leading to the preschool. She turned the 4Runner around and drove back home. She then ran into the house and got Charlotte her Bottega Veneta running shoes. Darcy popped both shoes on Charlotte’s feet and didn’t even bother to tie them until she got to the preschool. Was it even worth going back just to please her emotionally distraught daughter? After all, Charlotte was all that Darcy had, with the wonderful exception of Michael Ashcroft finally coming into her life. ‘Well, I went through all the trouble in buying her the shoes, so my baby is totally worth it.’ And after seeing Charlotte’s radiant smile that seemed to brighten up the whole cabin of the car for the entire trip there, her one heroic sacrifice made the whole ordeal totally worth it. And that in turn made Charlotte’s day, and Diana’s, totally worth it as the two girls engaged in a game of zoo tag where the cheetah Charlotte had to tag the feline Diana. And with Charlotte having her shoes on, catching Diana was easy. But at the same time, it was very easy for Diana to catch Charlotte. Both girls were equally matched in their speed and what seemed like boundless endurance. During the circle time song, both girls ignored the song and Miss Julia had to pry both of them away from their imaginative play. But as much fun as Charlotte had that day, it resulted in nothing but accidents. There was not a single drop of pee that even reached the potty, as every drop filled a record-setting number of Pull-Ups. Charlotte somehow managed to leak every single one that she wore. And as if the alluring comfort of the running shoes had her under some kind of spell, none of the accidents even mattered to Charlotte. Nothing did. Not even the last Pull-Up that Charlotte soaked right before her nap time. She had already peed through her first extra set of clothes and would have to wear her second extra set of clothes after her naptime. It didn’t matter. Charlotte felt the warmth and comfort emanating from her running shoes. This comfort flowed up her legs, through her stomach, and into her heart. Nothing really mattered at all to Charlotte. Nothing else mattered. And after Charlotte soaked through the first of the Daycare’s Pull-Ups, her footed sleeper, and her sleeping mat, this greatly upset her. But after Miss Julia wiped her, changed her into a new Pull-Up, and put her last fresh set of clothes on her, Miss Julia pointed to a set of shoes on the tiled floor. “Don’t forget your shoes, Charlotte.” Miss Julia reminded her. Charlotte slipped on the tied running shoes and she could feel all her worries, fears, and concerns all melt away before her very eyes. Gone was the humiliation and embarrassment of peeing through all her Pull-Ups. Gone was her sadness for having peed her footed sleeper after waking up from her nap. It all melted away before the warm and comforting running shoes that flowed that comfort straight to her heart. ‘What did it matter that Diana and I had that water drinking contest? I won!’ After Charlotte’s snack and learning a Halloween Song called “Five Little Ghosts”, Charlotte leaked another Pull-Up again. Miss Julia, who was more vigilant due to Charlotte’s increase in accidents, told Miss Amanda to take her to the bathroom. When Miss Amanda checked Charlotte’s Pull-Up, she could see droplets of pee beginning to run down Charlotte’s legs from her oversaturated Pull-Up. In frustration, she tore off both sides of Charlotte’s Pull-Up. “You and Diana need to stop with the water drinking contest.” Miss Amanda told Charlotte. “Now we’re going to have a talk with your mommy and Diana’s mommy and tell them what you both did. This behavior is not acceptable or tolerated at this preschool. You have already used all the Pull-Ups that your mother packed for you, and this will be the third Pull-Up that we will have to use from Daycare.” Charlotte nodded nonchalantly and sighed. ‘All mommy needs to do is pack more Pull-Ups!’ Charlotte thought. ‘It’s not my fault that I’m going through them so quickly. It’s the stupid water drinking contest…’ Miss Amanda gave Charlotte a very impatient glance. “Look at me, Charlotte! This is not a funny game. Both I and Miss Julia are tired of your attitude today, and that also goes for the rest of us at this preschool. Now Diana too needs to shape up or both of you will not be welcome here anymore. We will talk later. Now, what do you say, Charlotte?” Charlotte let out a deep sigh. “Um…Sorry Miss Amanda!” Miss Amanda nodded. “Good. Now go outside and play.” Both Charlotte and Diana were having fun during their playground time. But when Charlotte slid down the slide, she felt a massive bowel movement that came on her so strong that she just released it without hesitation. This sent a goopy brown mess down her legs and onto her socks. It didn’t take long for various kids to begin pointing at Charlotte and her accident. “MISS JULIA! CHARLOTTE JUST POOPED HERSELF!” Charlotte was taken to the office and was told to sit there by Miss Julia while she called her mother. “Hello?” Miss Julia said. “Miss Warren? I have your daughter Charlotte in the office. She just had a blowout with her Pull-Up on the playground. Change of clothes? No can do. That was her last change of clothes. It is not our job to supply clothes for Charlotte if something like this happens. You will need to come and pick her up early. Also, I will want to have a word with you and Miss Martinez regarding Charlotte’s and Diana’s rambunctious behavior today. What behavior? That will be explained when you come and pick her up. I will want both you and Miss Martinez to be present. Another teacher will supervise them while the three of us talk about what to do with your daughters. Just know that this incident is not going to happen again or Charlotte will no longer be allowed to attend this preschool. What incident? Again, it will be explained when you pick Charlotte up. Let’s just say that it resulted in Charlotte peeing through all her Pull-Ups and soaking three sets of clothing, not including her pajamas, which she also soaked. She also soaked a sleeping mat, which the staff will have to wash. The same will need to be done with a couple blankets. You’re almost there? Good. See you in a few minutes, Miss Warren.” Shortly after Miss Julia hung up, Diana was led into the office by Miss Amanda. Miss Amanda told both girls to wait, as Miss Julia was going to call Miss Martinez to pick Diana up. Diana frowned as she sat there with Charlotte. She gave Charlotte a frustrated look and sighed. “It just doesn’t matter, Charlotte.” She said, whispering into Charlotte’s ear. Charlotte nodded. ‘It doesn’t. What does it matter how much trouble we get into? Once I regress to a younger age, all the adults will forget the whole thing ever happened. And when I disappear…Nothing will matter anymore…’ Diana, as frustrated and sad as she was, couldn’t help but smile a little bit at Charlotte. She once again gave her an understanding glance, as if her eyes could tell Charlotte more than what her lips could in 1,000 words. Charlotte saw Diana’s gaze and was immediately stunned at what she saw. Charlotte didn’t need words to realize just how much Diana understood the situation. ‘I don’t know how she got here, but we both somehow got into this. Just how old was Diana originally? Was she older than 30? Younger? Charlotte no longer had any doubt in her mind that Diana could’ve possibly been in the same predicament as her. The coincidences were too similar to ignore. They both wore different color shoes that were similar in design. They both were able to run at the same rate of speed with the mysterious footwear on. And it seemed like Diana was trying to figure out Charlotte’s predicament too. Charlotte actually noticed a few times when Diana was looking at her shoes. And furthermore, Diana even mentioned running marathons and winning them. There was no mistake that Diana could’ve possibly experienced the same alternate dimension that Charlotte had been whisked away to on a few of her many runs. A dimension where they were running marathons and outrunning every single runner. It was clear that judging from the similar shoes that Diana was wearing that she knew how the shoes worked. But the only thing that Charlotte couldn’t figure out was why she kept aging in reverse. Perhaps it could’ve been the strange and mysterious shoes clouding her mind and preventing Charlotte from discovering the answer. Perhaps all the shoes wanted was control. And the best way to maintain that control was to surround its host in a maze of confusion. A maze of marathons and mental gymnastics. An endless maze that led to draining more life. A life that filled the shoes with more energy. An energy that rewound every single strand of its hosts DNA. A rewinding that has reversed days, months, years, and even decades of Charlotte’s life. And with each day, month, year, and decade that Charlotte has lost, it has resulted in nothing but frustration and confusion over her constant leaking in maturity and years. This was something that Charlotte had never asked for nor did she ever wish it upon herself. But there it was, her entire adulthood lost over a rather unfortunate circumstance. But was it unfortunate, or was it a secret gift? But even if it was a gift, Charlotte didn’t welcome it, as she was determined to wrest control over her life and figure out the cause of this no matter what that cost would be. And with her being merely three going on four, Charlotte had to figure something out. Something somehow. Charlotte couldn’t help but feel bothered at just how content Diana looked. ‘We’re both in trouble. How can she be so cool about this? Does she have any idea just how little time she has left? We’re both on borrowed time and we could disappear any day. We’ll disappear…forever…’ Forever. Charlotte refused to allow herself to be erased from existence. It just wasn’t fair. And Charlotte sulked in her car seat as her mother drove her home. Darcy didn’t say a single word to Charlotte until they got home. There was a lot to discuss, and she didn’t want any of it to be discussed in the car. ‘I will send her to bed early but will have a discussion with her before that.’ And that is just what happened. After Darcy fed Charlotte a Chicken McNugget McDonald’s Happy Meal for dinner, gave a shower, brushed her teeth, and dressed her in her nighttime diaper and footed sleeper, she sat Charlotte on her bed while she sat on the floor next to her. Charlotte looked at her mother with a mixture of dread and fear. ‘Is this about today? About what me and Diana did?’ “Charlotte sweetie,” Darcy said in a careful yet stern voice. “Miss Julia told me about your playtime with Diana. Can you tell me about that playtime?” Charlotte froze in a panic, trying to find the right words to answer her mother’s question. “Y-yes mommy.” Charlotte stammered. “I had a fun time with Diana and we….played.” Darcy frowned. “Yes honey. You both played, but what did you two play? Miss Julia told me that you both had a bunch of Dixie cups filled with water and were both drinking them. Can you please tell me about this game?” Charlotte was on the verge of tears. “Yes mommy! Diana wanted to have a contest with me to drink the most water! And I won!” Darcy sighed with a disappointed expression on her face. “Charlie dear, none of the other teachers had this activity or game. And while you think you may have won your game, do you have any idea how many accidents you had today?” Charlotte gave her a sheepish smile. “One?” Darcy shook her head, looking more impatient. “Charlotte Marie, I sent you to preschool this morning with two fresh changes of clothes, your pajamas for your nap, and four Pull-Ups. Because of your drinking contest with Diana, you not only soaked all four Pull-Ups, but you used another three from the daycare. And if we include the one that I sent you to school with, that’s EIGHT Pull-Ups!” Charlotte sighed, strongly hoping that her mother was done with the talk. “I’m sorry, mommy…” “I’m not done,” Darcy said, looking sterner and more impatient. “You soaked two sets of clothes, soaked your pajamas, and soiled your last set of clothes on the playground all because you and Diana thought that it was cute to drink a lot of water. You also soaked the sleeping mat and a couple blankets. Miss Julia also told me that Diana went through all of her diapers, and she actually needed to wear one from daycare today.” Charlotte shrugged her shoulders. “Well, doesn’t her mommy pack a lot of diapers for Diana?” Darcy nodded impatiently. “Yes Charlotte. But guess how many diapers Miss Martinez packs for Diana every day? Guess Charlotte!” “Four?” Charlotte asked, thinking it was the same number as her Pull-Ups. “Wrong Charlotte,” Darcy told her. “It’s six! That means that Diana went through seven diapers and needed an eighth one from daycare. From what Miss Julia tells me, Diana usually only goes through about four of the diapers that her mommy packs. Not all six.” Charlotte’s eyes began to fill with tears. “So can I not play with Diana anymore, mommy?” Darcy sighed. “That is what I discussed with Miss Julia and Miss Martinez. This is what we decided. First of all, none of you girls are even allowed to handle the Dixie cups unless its for a drink during snack time. Even then, one of the teachers will have to feed you the water. Even if they decide to let you do it, none of you two are allowed to drink any water unless you’re fully supervised by either Miss Julia, Miss Amy, Miss Amanda, Miss Emily, or Miss Valorie. If either of you are caught holding a Dixie cup unsupervised, You will be sent home. You can still play with Diana, sweetie! It just can’t be any game involving Dixie cups.” Darcy then tucked Charlotte in her bed. “Now, you’re going to bed early so you can have plenty of time to think about what you did today. I now have to wash three outfits and one set of pajamas because of your accidents today. Let’s move past this, Charlie honey. Be the good girl that I know that you can be. Okay? Good night, sweetheart.” Darcy kissed Charlotte on the forehead and left her room. Charlotte squinted her eyes and clutched Bobo tight, knowing that she wouldn’t dare touch a Dixie cup tomorrow. “Charlotte? Hello? Charliecakes?” Charlotte could feel the helmet on her Halloween costume, completely forgetting the question that her mother just asked her. “Yes mommy?” Darcy gave Charlotte a playful smile. “Mommy said are you ready for a fun Halloween? Are you, dear?” Charlotte playfully waved her plastic magnifying glass and red marker along with her notebook (which Lauren made into a doodling notebook after ripping all her handwritten pages that she wrote from her older ages out). “Yeah mommy! I’m gonna play with Diana and solve a mystery!” “And no Dixie cups, Charlotte.” Darcy said, reminding Charlotte of the incident that happened yesterday. After Rena gave Darcy the all clear at the check-in, Darcy escorted her Super Sleuth Astronaut daughter into the main room of the preschool. Once inside, there were various kids all dressed up in costumes. There was Spider Man, a few Disney Princesses, a couple Blueys, one Sonic, one Mario, one pumpkin, and a cute looking cat. The cat approached Charlotte and smiled. “Look at me!” Diana shouted. “Mamá got me a kitty costume for Halloween! Mamá already talked to me about the Dixie cups, so let’s just play zoo!” And that is just what they did. Both the Super Sleuth Astronaut and the Calico cat played with each other until circle time began. Charlotte couldn’t believe just how fast the day went. It was a day filled with fun Halloween songs, a fun art project, counting ghosts and other spooky things, playing Barbie haunted house, having a little candy, playing outside with her costume on, and other fun things. At one point, Miss Julia had to hang onto Charlotte’s magnifying glass, pen, and notebook since she kept dropping them and figured that she might lose them if she didn’t keep them in a safe spot. So with some convincing, she had Charlotte keep her loose items in a cubby next to her backpack and she could pick them up at the end of the day. Before Charlotte knew it, she found herself acting like a ghost, during Miss Julia’s special Halloween edition of circle time, where she was trying to find some spooky things for her “Spooky Zoo”. A few boys howled like werewolfs and Diana still acted like a cat, after explaining that she was a black cat. Darcy quickly picked Charlotte up and she was in her car seat in no time. As the 4Runner was pulling out of the parking lot, Darcy gave Charlotte an excited look. “We need to get to Mikeys. The Halloween party tonight is going to be at the Ashcroft Estate. This is where we’re going to live very soon, Charlotte after I marry Mikey, the man that’s going to be your new daddy.” Charlotte gasped when she heard her mother say “The Ashcroft Estate”. ‘Just how long has it been since I was there?’ Charlotte’s mind was very fuzzy on the details. And as if by some miracle, a distinct memory entered her mind. ‘Yeah. Of course. The last time I went there, I totally pissed myself in Lauren’s limo! Thank God she will not remember that.’ Charlotte was suddenly struck with the irony of that memory, as she just finished peeing in her Pull-Up. ‘Well, I can’t have a perfect record.’ To contrast her day of accidents from yesterday, Charlotte only had one accident in her Pull-Up, with the exception of nap time, where she was always wet. For all the other times, she peed in the toilet and then pooped right after her nap. Her only accident at preschool was right before the first playground time. Charlotte’s mind returned to the unpleasant memory of her embarrassing accident in Lauren’s limousine. This was something that Charlotte was not supposed to remember, yet here it was. All she could remember is just how gracious and kind Lauren was in handling the whole situation. She was…like a sister to Charlotte. And interestingly enough, she will be Charlotte’s sister for real when her mother marries Michael. Charlotte’s big sister. “Big sister.” Charlotte said softly in a voice that was just below a whisper. Charlotte was still stuck on the memory of the last time she was at the Ashcroft Estate. ‘Why is it that I always remember the bad things that happen? How old was I? I had to have still been in high school…’ But even those memories were newly constructed due to various adjustments made to accommodate Charlotte’s new alternate reality. Her childhood with Lauren. Her childhood with Monica. None of it would have ever happened if she remained in her adulthood. ‘Just who were my true childhood friends?’ It took Charlotte a moment to bring up her original friends. And there they were, fresh in her mind. Lexi Bloomingdale (Gables). Maya Adams. As much time as she had spent with them in her childhood, her memories with them have all but faded. They have faded and have been replaced by other childhoods leaving Charlotte confused as to which one she should hold onto and which one she should forget. The 4Runner turned onto a private road and made a sudden stop before approaching a gate. Charlotte wanted to know why the car was not moving. So she took off her helmet and glanced at her mother. “Are we there, mommy?” Darcy shook her head. “Almost, dear. We are at the gate to the Ashcroft Estate.” Charlotte’s simple mind was suddenly confused by the very idea of needing to stop at a gate. It wasn’t that Charlotte didn’t know about the Ashcroft Estate. It had more to do with the childish impulses and tendencies that began to run rampant in Charlotte’s mind. Her adult mind was fighting a losing battle and now her toddler brain was taking center stage. “Where’s the house, mommy? Why are we stopping at a gate? I don’t see a driveway.” Darcy laughed. “Charlotte, Mikey’s house is so big that a large gate surrounds it. A big private road goes all the way to the driveway where a really big house is. And he even has a vineyard, which is a garden with a lot of grapes. There is also a big track and a large parking area that is way bigger than our garage at home.” Charlotte nodded, not sure if she understood her mother’s answer. But one thing was for certain, she needed a way to restore her adulthood. When Charlotte caught a glimpse of her former Mystery Notebook, her adult mind fought the army that was her childish self and managed to break through the lines just long enough to retain her focus. ‘I need to find Mythra and get my wish granted. If I don’t, who knows if I will see another day?’ Her instincts took over again as her curiosity was aroused by all the sprawling acreage that she saw outside the windows of the 4Runner. The large mansion began to fill her view, along with the vineyard she could see in the distance and the quarter-mile track further back. To the right of the mansion was a large parking deck, which resulted in Charlotte poking her fingers at the glass window. “What’s that, mommy? What’s that?” Darcy patiently nodded as she pointed to the large four-story structure. “That is a parking deck, honey. It’s a very big garage that holds a lot of cars. We will not be using that since we got here early and there is still plenty of parking around the front of the mansion.” The 4Runner parked in the wide circular driveway, which sat near a towering fountain. Darcy unbuckled Charlotte and scooped her up before setting her on the cobblestone driveway. Charlotte glanced at the towering mansion that was ahead of her. A row of intricately decorated Jack O’ Lanterns lined the path leading to the entrance. She held her notebook with her red marker and magnifying glass, walking with her mother towards the entrance where she watched her mother knock. ‘Yeah. I’ve been here before. But it’s going to be different with me being a child now.” The door immediately opened, where Darcy was greeted by Lauren, who hugged her. “Welcome!” Lauren said, her warm greeting sounding pleasant and sweet. “My daddy is helping set up all the snack plates for the candy and appetizers that we’re going to have later.” Darcy couldn’t help but tease Lauren on her white dress. “Nice costume,” She joked. “Are you the white maiden?” “Ha ha.” Lauren responded in a sarcastic tone. “No. I will be changing into my costume later. I am helping with all the decorations.” Darcy glanced at her orange dress and nodded. “Not to worry. I’m not in my costume either. It’s in the back of the 4Runner and I’ll change into it later.” Lauren then focused her attention on Charlotte, who was nervously glancing around the large foyer of the mansion with the magnifying glass loosely dangling from her hand. “Oh. That’s a cute costume. You told me that you were going to be a Super Sleuth Astronaut. I love it!” Lauren walked up to Charlotte and hugged her. “Let’s find you something to do.” She gave Charlotte a pensive glance before a lightbulb went off in her head. “I know! You can watch a movie in the home theater with Mandy! Charlotte, Mandy here is our nanny for the children of the staff who work here. She watches all three of the Tiffin children, including Andrea. How would you like to meet Andrea, Charlotte? She’s four, very close to your age. Here. Let me call Mandy.” Charlotte watched as Lauren got out her cellphone to call Mandy. ‘So Andrea is close to my age? I don’t think she even goes to Little Lilacs. She probably goes to a different preschool.” Lauren began her conversation with Mandy. “Hello? Mandy? I’m here with Charlotte. She’s my dad’s fiancée’s daughter, and my soon to be little sister when they get married. Can we go and see Andrea? Oh. You’re changing her into a new Pull-Up right now? Charlotte wears Pull-Ups too just in case you need to change her as well. I was thinking that it would be a good idea for Charlotte to see a movie in the home theater. Oh, it looks like Andrea is very excited. She wants to see a movie too? Well, we’re coming upstairs so take care of that Pull-Up! Did you change Louie already? You did? In a fresh new diaper? Good. What’s Sandra doing? Putting on makeup? Yeah. That’s a typical ten-year-old right there. Me and Charlotte are coming up stairs then. See you in a bit! Bye!” Lauren hung up the cell phone and smiled at Charlotte. “You’re going to see a movie with Andrea! We’ll see if Sandra wants to see it with her.” She noticed Charlotte’s apprehension in her gaze at the large and grand foyer she was standing in. “This house is pretty big, Charlotte. It’s a lot to take in, but you’ll get used to it! This way, sweetie!” Charlotte followed Lauren up the staircase until they reached the third floor. She then followed her down a hallway which led to a spacious guest room, which was like it’s own apartment. Once in the room, Charlotte saw a girl that was a little taller than her playing with Lego Duplo bricks. She was building what looked like a tower. The girl had brown braided pig tails with tied pink ribbons for each one. Charlotte approached the girl, her curiosity piqued by the tower she was working on. “Whacha building?” The girl sat down the green and blue bricks that she was holding and glanced at Charlotte. “I’m building a tower for the castle! The princess is going to live in it!” She pointed to a Lego Duplo girl that resembled a princess. “That looks fun,” Charlotte told her. “What’s your name? I’m Charlotte!” “I’m Andrea!” Andrea said with a playful smile. She then laughed when she looked at Charlotte’s costume. “Are you an astanaut?” Charlotte shook her head. “No! I’m a Supa Sooth Astanaut! I solve mysteries and travel through space!” Andrea smiled, glancing at her green dress and then around the room. “I’m gonna be a princess for Halloween. Mommy will dress me in my costume later.” Lauren glanced at Mandy, who was dressed in a lavender dress. Mandy was just a little shorter than Lauren with a petite frame. “Hi Lauren!” Mandy greeted with a warm smile. “I just finished reading a few books to Andrea. I see that Charlotte is really taking a liking to her.” Lauren nodded, as she watched the two girls exchange glances and smile. “Charlotte’s a very nice girl. She’s in the Dashing Ducklings so I also hear a little bit about her from Monica.” Mandy scratched her head. “Hmm. Is that some kind of running group? I don’t think I have heard of that.” Lauren nodded. “You wouldn’t. It’s a running group for older toddlers ages 3-5 and from what you told me, Andrea is not a runner.” Mandy laughed. “Nope! She definitely isn’t.” Mandy then cast a glance towards another room within the multi-room suite that was the spacious guest room. “Louie is taking a nap, and I feel like he is about to awaken anytime.” Lauren then scratched her head. “How is Sylvia liking her new job at the accounting firm? After all, she is so busy with it that we had to hire you.” Mandy nodded. “Very busy. I get regular updates from her and she is still able to tuck her kids in at night.” “I think I remember you telling me that. She’s supposed to be joining us downstairs to help decorate since she took a half day off from work.” Lauren then glanced at the door. “Well, are we ready to have the kids watch a movie?” Mandy nodded. “Absolutely! I think that Andrea and Charlotte would love it!” Mandy walked over to Sandra, who was applying some kind of foundation to her face. “Sandy? Lauren is taking Andrea and Charlotte to see a movie in the home theater. Would you like to see one with us?” Sandra placed the brush down and closed the case to the makeup. “I guess so. I really don’t have anything else to since I already finished my homework for my homeschool stuff.” She walked over to where Andrea and Charlotte were having a conversation. “Are you ready, Dray Dray?” Andrea laughed. “Yeah! But when is mommy coming home? I wanna be a princess!” Sandra sighed. “Our mommy might be working late, so I may have to help you with your costume. Let’s go see a movie!” Andrea nodded and stood up with Charlotte. Mandy then gave Charlotte a curious glance. “Lauren told me that you are wearing Pull-Ups. Before we go and see a movie, do we need a new one yet?” Both Mandy and Lauren helped Charlotte remove her spacesuit to check her Pull-Up. Sure enough, Minnie’s xylophone was faded away. Mandy was about to use one of Andrea’s Pull-Ups on Charlotte when she found that Andrea’s Pull-Ups were too big on her. “What size is Charlotte? Andrea wears a 3T-4T for Pull-Ups.” Lauren smiled. “I think that Charlotte is in a 2T-3T. Her mother has packed plenty of them. I’ll be right back.” A few minutes later, Lauren came back with a Pull-Up that she took from Darcy’s purse. They then put the Pull-Up on Charlotte and were finally ready. Lauren, Mandy, and the three girls all walked to the home theater to watch a movie. Charlotte, Andrea, and Sandra each reclined in a seat as they watched an older movie called Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey. Charlotte loved the movie, since it had two dogs and one cat in it. ‘How can those dogs and cats talk?’ Charlotte thought. ‘I want a talking cat!’ Partway through the movie, Mandy had to get Louie up from his nap. Lauren stayed with the three girls in the meantime. When Mandy got back, Lauren gave her the responsibility to watch Charlotte while she “got ready for Halloween”. After the movie, Mandy took Charlotte back downstairs to the foyer while she took the other two girls back up to the guest room. Charlotte could begin to hear the sound of Halloween music. The song “Monster Mash” began to play, as she saw a bunch of different people all dressed up in different costumes. Charlotte could see a red-headed woman standing next to a man that looked Hispanic. Then, Charlotte saw her. She thought that she was seeing things, but there she was. It was… Mythra. She looked just like she remembered her in her dream and was standing there with her sparkling crystal crown. But then Charlotte saw something else. Was that…her Sky Pendant? She found it? This was it. Charlotte now knew what she had to do. She had to get a wish from Mythra. Just one wish. One wish to undo her youth and return to her adulthood. One wish to return back to her normal life. One wish was all it took. Charlotte smiled and approached the Fairy Queen, ready to get her wish granted.

Chapter 54 Charlotte tumbled around in her bed, rolling into Bobo, which roused her awake. Her groin suddenly felt very hot, as she began to fill her diaper. The diaper slowly began to balloon around her butt and back, as the pee was quickly drank up by the thirsty diaper, wicking all the moisture away from her skin and into the absorbent core. Charlotte let out a contented sigh and tightly clutched Bobo in her arms. She squinted her eyes and fell back asleep. “Wake up, Charliecakes!” Charlotte could feel a few fingers running through her black hair, which made her smile. As she began to gather her thoughts, one of them took center stage. ‘I really enjoyed running last night! I would like to run with Diana again!’ That immediately triggered another related thought from her fun Dashing Ducklings meeting from last night. ‘That’s right! I need to play zoo with Diana during playtime this morning. I’ll be a cheetah. RAWWWR!!!’ Charlotte’s thoughts were interrupted by her being scooped up by her mother. Her mother was already dressed and showered, and Charlotte didn’t need a shower since she had a bubble bath last night. Darcy smiled as she held Charlotte, supporting her around the butt, where she could feel the large bulge through Charlotte’s footed sleeper. ‘Wow. It looks like she soaked it good. Better get her on the toilet before she goes again. I need to keep her up with the potty training.’ Charlotte’s trip to the bathroom with her mother was once again uneventful, like it usually was most mornings. Her mother removed her footed sleeper and diaper and sat her on the potty. She sang the “potty song” again and much to Charlotte’s disbelief, she managed to pee a few short trickles out. ‘It seems to work every time! How can a stupid song make me pee? And I didn’t really have to go either!’ Charlotte’s mind was distracted all the way to school. She was distracted when her mother put her new Pull-Up on her in her bedroom. She was distracted when she was dressed in a pair of Old Navy mint green ruffle-trim twill shortalls and pair of white socks. She was even distracted when she was reminded to finish her Honey Nut Cheerios and strawberry Danimals yogurt and drink her apple juice. All Charlotte could think about was spending more time with Diana. She could imagine herself running with her without any limits or restraints. It took her mother’s shout to break her out of her reverie. “Charlotte! We’re here!” Charlotte was excited as her mother unbuckled her from her car seat. Once inside the preschool, Charlotte’s eyes darted around the main room, frantically searching for Diana. She wasn’t there. Even after a couple more scans, Diana wasn’t there yet. Heather, who was watching Charlotte rotate her face to and fro, tapped Charlotte to get her attention. “What are you doing, Charlotte?” Heather asked her cousin. Charlotte sighed. “I’m looking for Diana! Where is she?” Heather laughed. “She’s not here yet! Let’s go play Barbies!” Charlotte unwillingly found herself walking towards the dollhouse where neatly stacked bins filled with Barbies sat next to the dollhouse, Barbie vehicles, and other accessories. Both girls each got a Barbie out of the bin. Charlotte glanced over her shoulder and… “MEOW!” Diana had just entered the main room and was now beginning to run towards Charlotte. “MEOW!” Diana said, as she approached Charlotte before purring. Charlotte knew what she had to do so she began her transformation into a cheetah. “RRRRRRRREEEEEEORRRREAAHHOOORR!!!!” Charlotte growled, giving her best cheetah impression. Seeing that Diana was already on all fours, she got on all fours, and they began growling and meowing as they walked around the main room like cats. Heather, not wanting to be left out, decided to play zoo with Charlotte and Diana. She hopped to and fro next to them and munched on her imaginary carrots. Diana then assumed a prone position as she prepared to pounce on Heather. Charlotte too as a feline saw that Heather would make a delicious snack. But Heather eluded them both, as she hopped away from the two ferocious cats. After a few more minutes of play, Miss Julia approached the girls as she did yesterday. “Charlotte,” Miss Julia said pointing to her. “It’s time for a potty break. Come with me.” She then quickly glanced at Miss Amy. “Miss Amy, change Heather’s diaper.” “Right away,” Miss Amy cheerfully said as she went to go and fetch Heather’s backpack. Once in the bathroom, Miss Julia removed Charlotte’s shortalls and inspected her Pull-Up. “Charlotte!” Miss Julia said with a hopeful smile. “I still see Minnie’s xylophone! Get on that potty!” Miss Julia pulled down Charlotte’s Pull-Up and sat her on the potty. To Charlotte’s surprise, she was actually peeing in the toilet for once. She went for what seemed like more than 30 seconds before the stream became a light trickle, turning into just a few small drops before stopping. Miss Julia offered Charlotte her hand to give her a high five and Charlotte slapped her hand on Miss Julia’s. “Good job! You see? I just think that you had a bad day yesterday.” Charlotte gave Miss Julia a determined look. “Can I move back to moving forward?” Miss Julia shook her head. “Not yet, Charlotte. That will be up to your mommy to decide when that happens. Until then, just keep using the potty. Okay?” Charlotte nodded. “Okay.” As Miss Julia was putting a new Pull-Up on her, she sighed. ‘I hate these stupid rules. I want to move back to moving forward today!’ That’s when a random thought entered Charlotte’s mind. ‘Why am I still a kid? I could be at my job right now! I could be modeling! And then a trip to the spa after work!’ These very thoughts began to fight her innate childish instincts. ‘I wanna be a big girl! I wanna play with Diana some more! I wanna hear the circle time song again!’ Her adult mind fought back again. ‘What are you thinking? If you stay complacent like this as a care-free almost four-year-old, you WILL disappear and will be gone forever! Charlotte, you need to come to your senses! Stop playing baby games and learn to adult!’ Charlotte could hear a big gasp in her mind. Her original adult mind did have a point. If Charlotte just kept getting herself distracted, she would run out of time. Her adult mind raged on. ‘Just look at yourself in the mirror, Charlotte! You are three years old being helped by a preschool teacher! If you keep waiting, who knows how much younger you’ll get? A younger toddler? An infant? A newborn? Your time is running out so don’t blow it!’ Charlotte could now feel a chill running down her spine. The very idea of disappearing and being gone forever really frightened Charlotte. This downward spiral of age reversal was something that Charlotte knew was beyond her control. Once she could control it, then she could get back to her adulthood once again. But she had to do something first. ‘I need to find Mythra’s Sky Pendent and get my wish! I need to solve the mystery!’ “Charlotte? Are you there? I need you to wash your hands.” Charlotte was snapped back to reality, and she began the task of washing her hands while being reminded by Miss Julia that she had to sing “If You’re Happy and You Know It” before turning the water off. Once out of the bathroom, Tiffany was standing there with Miss Amanda, who was holding Tiffany’s backpack. Charlotte could feel her adult mind being overwhelmed by her feeble mind of an almost four-year-old. As much as she wanted to get back to normal and solve the seemingly impossible mystery of her reverse aging, her biggest obstacle was contending with her twin mind of a toddler, which held much more sway over her moods, actions, and behavior than her adult mind, who was only observing at this point. Her smaller body also further limited her energy level, along with having only the brain of a child. Charlotte’s face lit up as she resumed her cheetah persona. Now on all fours, she galloped around the main room, looking for Diana. She found Diana, who was now lying on a changing table. The purple bow in Diana’s hair matched the spaghetti strap romper dress that she was wearing. Charlotte was in disbelief as she watched Miss Julia unsnap the three crotch buttons, revealing her diaper. Charlotte tapped the side of the changing table in an attempt to get Diana’s attention. “Diana? You wear diapers?” Diana tilted her face to see Charlotte standing there, still on all fours. “Yeah Charlotte! I wear them all the time!” Charlotte now stood up, shedding her cheetah persona. “But…” she argued. “You told me that you pooped a Pull-Up before!” Miss Julia was now removing the tapes from Diana’s diaper. She politely turned to Charlotte and wagged her fingers at the other toys in the main room. “Charlotte, I am changing Diana’s diaper right now. You can play with her once she’s changed.” Charlotte sighed as she glanced at Diana. But instead of playing, she backed away from Diana and watched her at a distance. ‘I should’ve known that Diana was in diapers. When she got on all fours yesterday, I could see crotch buttons dangling from another dress that she was wearing. And last night at Dashing Ducklings, her butt was enormous! That was probably a nighttime diaper.’ Charlotte took a quick walk over to the potty-training chart near the bathroom. Although she couldn’t read words, she could at least recognize a few letters. When she glanced around the “Not Ready” section where Heather was, she could make out a “D”, which she guessed went to Diana’s name. BOOM! Charlotte was suddenly tackled to the floor. “MEOW!” Charlotte glanced up to see that it was Diana who was giggling at her. “You fell down!” Diana said, laughing. Charlotte nodded and gave her a curious glance at the crouch enclosure on her purple romper dress. “You still wear diapers? Why didn’t you tell me?” Diana shrugged her shoulders. “I thought you knew already! You should wear them too! They hold everything in a lot better than Pull-Ups!” Charlotte adamantly shook her head. “No! I wear Pull-Ups like big gul!” Charlotte brushed her hands over the soft cloth backing of her Pull-Up. “You said that you pooped in a Pull-Up. When did you stop wearing Pull-Ups?” Diana scratched her head and wiggled her fingers, as if she was counting something in her head. “I think it was about a year ago! Yeah. I think it was November. I know ‘cause you were new to Dashing Ducklings. Why don’t you remember, Charlotte?” She glanced down at Charlotte’s shoes to discover that it was a different pair this time. “Yeah. So after I pooped my Pull-Up, I ended up pooping my Pull-Up for the next week and a half here at preschool. I didn’t care anymore. My mamá put me back in diapers and I just didn’t care. And you shouldn’t either, Charlotte! Stop being a big girl and let’s just have fun! Join me! It’s not going to matter anyway…” Charlotte froze when she heard the question “Why don’t you remember, Charlotte?” It wasn’t that she didn’t want to tell Diana about her predicament, but that Diana just wouldn’t believe her. ‘Besides, she’s only four years old! How is a four-year-old supposed to understand anything?’ But Charlotte was suddenly caught by the irony of her statement. Charlotte was indeed almost four, yet she understood everything that was happening to her. What could be going on with this Diana? ‘Could she be experiencing what I am?’ Charlotte was too afraid to ask Diana as she didn’t want to risk embarrassing herself if she was wrong. Charlotte could feel Diana’s hand firmly on her shoulder. It was a look of understanding, and a stare that seemed different than what Charlotte saw before. Diana glanced at Charlotte like she was on the verge of telling her something, but something was holding her back. Finally, the words choked out of her mouth. “I understand, Charlotte. I understand. Let’s just play!” This further confused Charlotte. ‘What did she mean by I understand? Understand what? Pooping in a Pull-Up? What does she mean? Is there something she knows that she’s not telling me?’ Charlotte was paralyzed in thought, her mind trying to unravel everything regarding Diana. Charlotte knew that she wore diapers and that she was the same age as her. But what else? The other thing that Charlotte could gather was that Diana didn’t seem like she was in any hurry to grow up. For all she knew, Diana was perfectly content just playing all day long. But two words just didn’t make sense to Charlotte. And it must have just been the way that Diana said them. “I understand.” ‘Just what does she understand? I’m a helpless three-year-old about to turn four…’ Charlotte looked at her small feeble body and gasped. ‘Could Diana be a mind reader? Does she know that I used to be an adult?’ The very thought of this frightened Charlotte to the core. ‘But if she understands, wouldn’t that mean that she used to be an adult?’ But Charlotte couldn’t do it. Not only would it violate Diana’s privacy, but it would leave her completely embarrassed, should her theory not be correct when she admitted the truth to her new friend. As Charlotte was working through this reasoning, Diana patiently watched on, giving Charlotte a knowing stare. She then bared her “cat claws” and began scratching Charlotte on the shoulder straps of her shortalls. “Let’s play! Don’t know what you’re thinking but let’s play!” Charlotte was relieved to hear this. Maybe Diana wasn’t a mind reader. But there was still something about Diana that aroused Charlotte’s curiosity. Her calculated glances were more than just a childish quirk. ‘Well, if she really is experiencing what I am, then she probably just wants to make the most of it. Fine. We’ll both play like silly toddlers!’ Charlotte dove right into her cheetah persona and scratched Diana back directly on the ruffled fabric around her chest. “RAWWWR!!!!!” Charlotte roared, giving Diana her very best cheetah impression. This resulted in Diana giggling, which made Charlotte giggle. The two girls giggled so hard that their sides began to ache. It was at that moment that Charlotte could feel a little bit of pee escaping her bladder and fill her Pull-Up. “Oh no!” Charlotte shouted. “I laughed so hard that I peed my Pull-Up!” Diana smiled. “So did I! Don’t worry about peeing! I never do. Just do everything in your Pull-Up!” “No!” Charlotte said, pouting in protest. “I wanna grow up and be a big girl!” Diana crossed her shoulders. “Well I don’t! Sometimes, I don’t even know that I peed until Miss Julia changes me! That’s what they’re for! Let’s have fun!” Charlotte quietly scowled. ‘If she really is like me, why would she just want to give up?’ If Diana really did share the same tragic fate, Charlotte reasoned, then she could possibly be on the same borrowed time as Charlotte. ‘She’s a bad influence. She would rather stay in the kiddy pool instead of wading out to the deep end.’ Both Charlotte and Diana’s game of zoo was interrupted by Miss Julia heralding the beginning of preschool with her “circle time” song. The kids all sat their toys down and gathered around the circle with Miss Julia. The circle time passed like a blur, as Charlotte found herself working on another art project. It involved four cut out popsicle sticks with four different colors of leaves. The project was to glue all the sticks together to form what looked like a wooden vase, with an opening to hold each of the four leaves, which were colored red, brown, yellow, and green. Like yesterday’s project, Charlotte didn’t know how to glue the sticks together properly and it looked like a jumbled mess. Diana’s project on the other hand looked perfect. Diana glanced over at Charlotte and then back at Heather, who she was sitting next to. “I’m going to help Charlotte,” she told Heather. Diana leapt over to Charlotte and began taking the popsicle sticks apart. “Let me help you. This isn’t the right way to do it.” Charlotte sighed. ‘She may not want to grow up, but it seems that she’s a master at arts and crafts.’ “Fine!” Charlotte shouted. “Help me!” Diana patiently guided Charlotte’s hands to where each of the four popsicle sticks should stick together. “See? Then you put the four leaves in the gaps at the top. Yeah. Like that. I’m going to watch Heather finish hers!” Diana joyfully skipped back to her seat and sat down and made a silly face. After circle time was over, the class shifted to the learning centers. This time, Charlotte was grouped with Diana, who helped her on the Literacy and Math Centers. For the Dramatic Play and Sensory Centers, Charlotte had no trouble, and she had fun making up new games with Diana, Joshua, and Paige. Following that was snack time, playground time, story time, and lunch time. Despite Diana’s unwillingness to grow up, Charlotte couldn’t help but enjoy every minute of her time that she spent with Diana. Sure, she knew that there were things that she didn’t want to follow herself. But Diana’s energy was contagious and irresistible, and Charlotte always found herself gravitating towards her circle now. And because of Charlotte spending more time with Diana, more kids wanted to be a part of the fun, so during playground time, they all had a roaring fun time on the swings, the slide, and the carousel. After lunch time, Charlotte once again felt defeated. She had peed in her Pull-Up when she was in the middle of eating her chocolate chip cookie for dessert. ‘So much for moving back to moving forward.’ Charlotte sighed. Diana saw Charlotte’s grimace and gave her a look of concern. “What’s wrong, Charlotte?” Charlotte sighed. “It’s nothing you would care about. I peed in my Pull-Up again!” Diana grinned. “I think I already did that in my diaper three or four times. Don’t worry, Charlotte! Just pee if you have to pee!” Charlotte gave Diana a frustrated sigh. ‘Figures. I can’t tell her anything about pissing myself or she’ll just try to discourage me.’ Charlotte was taken by Miss Amanda to the bathroom to have her Pull-Up changed and to change into her pajamas for her nap. “Don’t bother putting me on the toilet!” Charlotte said with a scowl. “I already peed in my Pull-Up! I wanted to make it!” Miss Amanda gave Charlotte a hopeful face. “Don’t worry if you didn’t make it, Charlotte. There’s always next time. Being good at the potty takes practice!” Miss Amanda got Charlotte into a fresh Pull-Up and into her footed sleeper and guided her out of the bathroom to her designated sleeping spot. Charlotte found Diana being led by Miss Julia to her sleeping mat that was right next to Charlotte’s. Diana then tilted her face next to Charlotte’s and whispered something in her ear: “She said it was soaked!” With that, Diana returned to her sleeping mat in a quieted giggle. Charlotte sighed. ‘So am I supposed to be proud that you soaked another diaper? Just why are you so excited about using your diaper? How about being excited about using the potty? Have a nice nap…’ Despite her resentment towards Diana, a longing still remained with her. There was something about Diana that Charlotte just couldn’t explain. Something…different…She rested her head on the pillow and fell asleep, as she saw Diana hugging a stuffed bunny out of the corner of her eye. Charlotte woke up from her nap with a soaked Pull-Up but knew that this wouldn’t be counted against her for her potty training, since her training was only tracked while she was awake. Charlotte could also smell something really bad coming from nearby. When she saw Diana, she sighed. “Pee yoo!” Charlotte said, looking at Diana in disgust. “You made a poopy!” Diana seemed unbothered by the production that she made in her padded pants. “I make poopys every day after lunch time. Don’t worry. Miss Julia will change it.” Moments later, Miss Julia approached Diana and patted her on the diapered outline of her footed sleeper. “Is that your daily stink bomb, Diana?” Miss Julia teased. “Let’s get you changed into a new one. Okay?” Miss Julia scooped a giggling Diana up, while Miss Amanda tended to Charlotte. Miss Amanda led Charlotte to the bathroom and changed her into a fresh Pull-Up and her mint green shortalls. Since she didn’t oversleep, she had her snack of a few graham crackers and played some more with Diana until 3:00. Music time followed, where Miss Julia sang a song called “Old MacDonald Had a Farm”. The kids all loved the song including Charlotte, Diana, and Heather, who all laughed at the sounds that the animals made. After music time was over, the kids had another half hour to play outside. At the playground, Diana didn’t play on any of the equipment this time. Instead, she began to run around the outside of the playground in a circle. Diana then called to Charlotte. “C’mon Charlotte! Run with me!” Charlotte smiled and began to run with Diana. Charlotte quickly realized that Diana was running circles around her. When Diana realized that Charlotte wasn’t keeping up with her, she slowed down and sighed. “You’re not wearing them.” Diana said with a frown. “They make you run fast. Can you wear them next time? We can run fast together! We can beat marathons!” Charlotte gasped when Diana mentioned marathons. ‘Did she just say marathons? How does she know about running marathons? I can definitely remember running marathons with those shoes on, but how does Diana know about that? Did she? Could she?’ Charlotte only had a split second to glance at the footwear that Diana had on her feet. For toddler shoes, they looked very fancy. Although they were not the same color as Charlotte’s shoes, they were in a unique design that reminded her of her favorite shoes. Her running shoes. ‘Now I definitely can’t. I don’t want to embarrass Diana. Or myself if it’s just some crazy coincidence.’ Diana smiled as she kindly slowed down her pace to match Charlotte. “It doesn’t matter, Charlotte. Your accidents that you had in your Pull-Up. You getting stuck on the art project. Not knowing a letter or a number in the learning centers. Nothing else matters, Charlotte. Join me in letting go of everything. You’ll be happy. Trust me!” Charlotte felt unsettled at the invitation. How was Diana able to just let it all go? She knew that growing up was not Diana’s priority at all. She was all intent on living in the moment and having as much fun as she could. ‘Could she be on to something? Could I experience the same freedom if I just let go?’ Charlotte heard her mother’s proverb again: “You are a runner, Charlotte. And as a runner, I tell you to do this as your mother. While these changes that you can’t control or explain are obstacles, you may try to run through them. You may try to run around them. You may try to run past them. But don’t. Let the obstacles catch up with you. And when they do, accept it. Accept all of it. Because when you do, you will find yourself to be a lot better. You will be happier. You will be braver. You will be wiser. You will be stronger. And in that place, you will find true peace and happiness. You will find true happiness and joy when you let your obstacles catch up with you and you accept all of them into your life.” But Charlotte couldn’t let go. Something inside her just couldn’t let go of the obstacles she was facing. And here Diana was, living as carefree as can be all because she let every one of her obstacles catch up with her. Charlotte then felt a swift tap on her shoulder from Diana. “Hey Charlotte!” Diana said with a look of concern. “Are you going to let go? I see that you don’t want to. Come on! Join me! Forget the potty and let’s just play. It’s not going to matter anyway.” Charlotte was beyond words. ‘What’s not going to matter?’ Charlotte thought in her frustration. She knew that her days were numbered, and she was just going to disappear. She would surely be an infant soon. And then…She would disappear. ‘If Diana was somehow experiencing this same tragic event, does she know? Is this why she is saying that it’s not going to matter? That she too knows that her time is short and any of her actions now are going to be inconsequential? Is that her line of logic? That I’m just going to disappear so why bother with potty training anyway?’ But Charlotte just couldn’t bring herself to ask Diana about the possibility of them sharing the same fate. Those special bonds that held both Charlotte and Diana together could quite possibly make them twins not physically, but spiritually. Twin sisters sharing the same fate but not the same bloodline. The only problem was that Charlotte wasn’t certain if this theory was even valid or so. Diana was finally sitting down on one of the swings, so Charlotte joined her on the other one next to her. She glanced over at Charlotte and pointed at Charlotte’s feet. “Bring your other shoes tomorrow. The ones that you wore at Dashing Ducklings. And run with me. Stop holding on to things that aren’t important. Just let it all go and play with me. I was mad and sad before I let it go, so let it all go. It doesn’t matter. What you’re holding onto is stupid, trivial, meaningless, and insignificant.” Charlotte gasped. ‘Did Diana just use a few advanced words? Those are words that an adult would say. Not a four-year-old. Could she also be stuck like me? I just don’t want to ask her.’ Diana looked at Charlotte again, this time with a look of frustration. “I’ll say it again, Charlotte. La vida es demasiado corta.” Charlotte scowled. “I don’t know Spanish! What does that mean in English?” “Life is too short.” Diana explained. “For some, that life is even shorter, so live it to the fullest. Bring your shoes tomorrow and run with me. And play! We need to play, Charlotte.” Diana let go of the swings and stood up. She left Charlotte and glanced back one more time with a hopeful look on her face. After playground time was over, there was one last circle time, where Miss Julia decided to play zoo one more time because a few kids requested it. To Charlotte’s surprise, Diana didn’t even stand up to be a cat this time. Her arms were crossed, and she was pouting. Charlotte tried to cheer her up by coming up as a cheetah, but Diana didn’t budge. Then Charlotte felt some churning in her groin. ‘Oh no!’ Her hand shot up, catching the attention of one of the teachers. “Miss Amanda, I gotta go poop!” Miss Amanda grabbed Charlotte’s backpack and kindly escorted Charlotte out of the circle to the bathroom, where she successfully pooped and then peed in the toilet. She then put Charlotte in a new Pull-Up. Charlotte was able to get back to the circle just as they were finishing zoo. Diana was still pouting with her arms crossed. Miss Julia looked at Diana with concern. “Diana, where’s my cat? You usually love this game!” “I don’t wanna play!” Diana fussed, as she glanced at Charlotte. “I’ll play zoo tomorrow!” Miss Julia gave Diana an understanding nod. “That’s okay, Diana. You don’t have to play zoo today. You can play tomorrow.” Just then, Sonya walked into the main room and approached Diana. “Mamá!” Diana shouted, with tears beginning to burst out of her eyes. “Oh mija!” Sonya said as she scooped Diana into her arms. “¿Qué pasa querida mía? Aquí. Mamá va a revisar tu pañal.” Sonya yanked back the crotch enclosure on Diana’s romper dress and pinched her fingers over the front of the saggy diaper. She then pat the back of the diaper, where it was sagging just as much. “Ay caramba! Lo empapaste de adelante hacia atrás! Te llevaré al baño ahora mismo! Rápidamente mija! Rápidamente!” Sonya was about to carry Diana to the bathroom when one of the teachers stopped her. “Miss Martinez,” Miss Julia politely addressed. “That particular bathroom is only used for kids that are learning the potty or those that have mastered it. I believe your Diana is still in diapers so please use any of those changing tables over there.” Sonya, looking a little embarrassed, nodded. “Thank you. I will change my Diana over here then.” She made a quick pace over to the nearest changing table and laid Diana down on it. She delicately unsnapped the three crotch buttons revealing a soggy diaper that looked filled from front to back. “Ay caramba! How many times did you change her today?” Miss Julia held out five fingers. “Five times, Miss Martinez. And if you need any other information, I have the exact times documented, along with how wet the diaper was and whether it was soiled. She has only soiled one diaper, with the other four just being wet. She did drink a lot of water during her snack a couple of hours ago so that was probably what did it. And your change will be number six.” Darcy arrived right in the middle of Diana’s diaper change. Charlotte, feeling overjoyed to see her mother at last, leapt into her arms and clung to her like a monkey. Charlotte, once in her car seat glanced at her mother. “Mommy? Can I wear my running shoes tomorrow to preschool?” Darcy smiled. “Sweetie, you usually only wear those shoes to the Dashing Ducklings. But you seem to like them very much, so I don’t have a problem with you wearing them tomorrow. What made you want to wear them?” Charlotte smiled. “Diana wants me to wear them tomorrow so I told her that I would wear them.” “Ah!” Darcy said as she smiled at her daughter. “Both you and that Diana really like running around. Did you know that her mommy designs shoes for a living?” Charlotte gasped. “She does?” Darcy nodded. “She does, honey. She has an entire store with nothing but shoes in it!” Darcy then thought of why Charlotte wanted to wear her running shoes to school all of a sudden. ‘Well, that daughter of hers also has a pair of interesting looking shoes. From what I saw, they looked very unique for just a pair of toddler shoes. I think it’s a good idea for Charlotte to wear them tomorrow. Oh, it will look so cute to see both Charlotte and Diana running around in their special shoes!” Charlotte was given an early shower by her mother when she got home. She was put in a new Pull-Up and her same clothes from the day, since it was only around dinner time and not quite bedtime. Charlotte then thought of the mystery that she had to solve. And when she entered her room, the notebook that laid on the floor by a couple of chairs jogged her memory: SUPER SLEUTH CHARLOTTE’S MYSTERY NOTEBOOK For solving The Mystery! Charlotte quickly flipped through the earlier pages, which still looked like a different language to her. She finally stopped on the page where she was coloring pictures. She found the one that showed her handing the Sky Pendant to Mythra and getting her wish granted from her. ‘That’s it! All I need to do is find the Sky Pendent now. Maybe I can get a second wish to help Diana out as well? But then again, I don’t know if Diana is going through the same problem that I am since I didn’t ask her…’ Tap. Tap. Tap. Charlotte turned around to see the door opening. She couldn’t believe her eyes. It was Lauren. Lauren Ashcroft. Her future sister. The Lauren that had dinner with her at Pierre’s. THAT Lauren. ‘What is she doing here?’ “Hi Charlotte!” Lauren said with a smile. “Your mommy told me that you would be up here. I just wanted to visit and say hi to my soon-to-be little sister.” Lauren sat down next to Charlotte on the floor and noticed the open notebook with a colored drawing on the lined pages. “What are you drawing?” Charlotte covered the drawing out of shyness and embarrassment. ‘This is my private notebook! What would she know about this picture anyway?’ “No Charlotte,” Lauren pleaded. “Don’t cover it up. Please. Let your soon-to-be big sister see it. Can I? Please?” Charlotte slowly lifted her hand from the page and offered Lauren a glance at her drawing. Lauren slowly studied the drawing, trying to make out who was in it. “So, can you please explain this drawing to me, Charlotte? I see a princess with wings and what looks like a little girl. Is that you?” Charlotte nodded. “Yup! That’s me and that’s Mythra granting me a wish ‘cause I found her Sky Pendant!” Lauren gasped. “Are you referring to the same Mythra from The Ringmaster Chronicles? I LOVE that trilogy! I used to read it all the time when I was in the seventh grade. I read it until the ninth grade and moved on to other books. That Mythra is actually the Fairy Queen of the Shimmering Cloud City in the Upper Lands. That Sky Pendant is the source of her power, and she can’t grant any wishes without it. So you wanted a wish from her, Charlotte? If Mythra could grant you a wish, what would you wish for?” Charlotte shook her head. “If I tell you, it won’t come true!” Lauren nodded. “Okay. Maybe it’s best that you keep the wish a secret then. Can I see what else you colored in that book? I want to see your very first drawing!” Lauren flipped the book over to read the front cover. “Super Sleuth Charlotte’s Mystery Notebook,” Lauren read. “For solving the mystery? So Charlotte. What do you want to be for Halloween?” Charlotte smiled. “A Supa Sooth Astanaut!” Lauren laughed. “So you want to be a sleuth and solve mysteries? Well, I don’t think that you wrote that title. I don’t think that you can write yet. Now, let’s go to page one to see your first picture.” Lauren flipped to the first page only to find that it was nothing but words. “Hmm.” Lauren said in a puzzled voice. “These first pages look like someone owned it before you…” Lauren quietly read part of the first page. “Charlotte’s Super Secret Observations (HIGHLY CLASSIFIED)” Lauren gasped. “Highly classified? Maybe I shouldn’t be reading this.” Lauren leafed through all the pages until she found the page where the drawings and coloring began. She then ripped out the pages with words in it and re-read the rest of the first page. “It looks like the previous owner was a girl with your same name that had a very good imagination.” Charlotte looked at Lauren and sighed. ‘If only she knew the truth. That girl was me! And none of it was my imagination! It really happened!’ Charlotte wished that she could divulge every detail of the story to Lauren. That the writer of those words was actually a troubled woman experiencing a tragic episode of progressive de-aging over a short span of time. Charlotte used to be that woman but was that woman no more. Those pages offered the only evidence of Charlotte’s actual past, only someone like Lauren simply dismissed the facts as a captivating story told by someone who coincidentally had the same name as Charlotte. Charlotte wanted to tell Lauren, but the very idea of her not believing the truth really bothered Charlotte. All Charlotte could do was identify Lauren as her friend as she did with Monica at the Dashing Ducklings. Pretty soon, Lauren would be better than a friend to Charlotte. An actual sister! Her big sister. ‘Only because I’m now 13 years younger than you,” Charlotte thought with a sad sigh. Lauren held the small stack of pages that she ripped out of the notebook. ‘I’ll look at these later. I find it to be an interesting coincidence that this other Charlotte also lived in Langford! Either that or it was someone they knew there. She mentioned living in Beverly Hills, so this other Charlotte could’ve grown up in L.A.!’ Finally, Lauren took a pen out of her purse and scratched out the title of the notebook and wrote a new title. It now read: CHARLOTTE’S DOODLES Lauren glanced at the first picture to find that it was just before the second one that she drew. “Oh! That looks like the Sky Pendent! Is this you finding the Sky Pendent, Charlotte?” Charlotte nodded. “Yeah!” “Because you want Mythra to have her power back so she can grant you a wish, right?” Lauren asked Charlotte. Charlotte nodded. “And I can’t tell you the wish!” Lauren nodded. “I know. It won’t come true if you do.” Lauren then glanced at her cellphone. “Well, I can’t stay for dinner. My daddy wants me to come home. I’ll see you again on Halloween for the party, okay? Your mommy told me that you would be at my daddy’s house! Here. Give your soon-to-be big sister a hug. Lauren extended her arms and embraced Charlotte. “Bye Charlotte! It was fun looking at your drawings!” Lauren then held the pages that she ripped out of Charlotte’s notebook and left with them. Charlotte sighed, seeing her soon-to-be sister with the notebook pages that were critical to her past. ‘Well, I can’t read anyway but I still would’ve wanted to keep them!’ Charlotte’s dinner was a Kid Cuisine Twist and Twirl Spaghetti and Meatballs with corn and a chocolate brownie for dessert. Considering how small Charlotte was for her age, she was stuffed after eating it. After finishing her meal, Charlotte gulped down her glass of milk. Darcy then got Charlotte ready for bed, brushing her teeth and trying to get her to use the potty one last time after seeing that her Pull-Up was only slightly damp. Charlotte peed for a short while in the toilet and her mother helped her wash her hands. Darcy then changed Charlotte into her nighttime diaper and dressed her in a mint green footed sleeper. She tucked Charlotte into her bed and tucked Bobo right next to her. “Good night, Charlie Darlie.” Darcy said. She kissed her on the forehead and left the room. Charlotte’s mind was in a flurry from all the things that happened today. The first thing that filled her mind was Diana. She wanted her to wear her running shoes tomorrow. Charlotte couldn’t help but think about how upset she was. But why? ‘Did Diana just want me to join her? To be as carefree as her and forget about adulthood altogether? To abandon my potty training and join the not ready club and be in diapers all day just like her and Heather? What if I don’t? Is she just going to stay mad at me?’ Again, Charlotte felt something different about Diana. It was like she didn’t fit the mold of any of the other girls. Especially when she used words that only an adult would know. ‘I know those words too, but how does she know them?’ Charlotte’s mind was in a fog, not even realizing just how close she was to figuring everything out. Something was preventing her. Something was holding her back. But whatever it was, Charlotte just didn’t have the energy to think anymore, so her tiny body gave out and she fell asleep.

Does she? A very interesting question and excellent theory. Does Diana actually own her own pair? Did she used to? Or does she just like shoes in general because of her exposure to them from her mother's business? What then could explain her unmatched speed in being able to keep up with Charlotte? The plot thickens. What's the most interesting is the return of the mother. If you reread the Prologue, it is clear how long her absence has been from the story. As for the answers, you will just have to keep reading. I have plenty to work with regarding the mystery behind the shoes and their origin... 😀

Chapter 53 Darcy finished checking Charlotte’s Pull-Up in the girl’s locker room at Langford Middle School. Darlene, who was nearby had just finished helping Heather put on her pink jogging pants. And with the long sleeved sweatshirt that only went down to Heather’s bellybutton, Heather’s diaper was peeking out from the top of her rear to her back. Darcy gave Charlotte a thumbs up. “It’s still dry, Charlotte. Let’s get your clothes on and off to the gym.” She put on a Simple Joys clothing set by Carters, which consisted of a pink long sleeved shirt with a navy blue shelled turtle and pink jogging pants with a tied pink ribbon in the center of the waist. And like Heather, the shirt was barely large enough to cover her bellybutton, which resulted in her Pull-Up peeking out of her jogging pants. Charlotte’s pink socks were next, and then a pair of shoes that made Charlotte’s heart skip a beat. The running shoes. And despite Charlotte being three now, the shoes still fit her feet perfectly. The size was at least a Size 6 Toddler now, which was the perfect size to fit around Charlotte’s little feet. Charlotte felt the tingling sensation flow from her shoes and up her legs. It then passed her torso and went directly into her heart. Charlotte loved wearing the shoes and felt very happy with them on. And at this point, her accident at the preschool was all but a distant memory now. It just didn’t matter to Charlotte anymore. Nothing else mattered. As both moms took their girls to the gymnasium, Darlene tapped Darcy on the shoulder. “Dar,” Darlene said as she pointed at Charlotte. “I heard you talking to Miss Julia about Charlotte’s accident at the preschool. Don’t you think you should put Charlotte back in diapers? If it were my household and Heather poops a Pull-Up, she would be put in diapers. And since I did this, Heather has kept pooping in her diaper so we’re probably going to revisit potty training later on when she’s ready. I would say at least after Christmas.” Darcy shook her head. “No. I can’t put Charlotte back in diapers. She would have a fit! She’s already upset about being demoted to ‘first steps’. I just can’t bring myself to make Charlotte wear diapers during the day. I guess if it keeps up, I may consider it.“ Charlotte could overhear her mom talking about putting her in diapers and began to pout in defiance. “No diapers in daytime mommy! I wear Pull-Ups ‘cause I’m a big gul!” Darcy smiled and nodded. “Don’t worry, sweetie. Mommy is not going to put you back in diapers, okay? You are staying in Pull-Ups during the day. The only diaper you’re going to wear is at night.” She then fixed her glance back on Darlene. “For right now, I want Charlotte to learn the potty and be a big girl.” Darlene nodded. “I want Heather to be a big girl, too. But Heather is going to take her time with the potty. Isn’t that right, Heather bean?” Heather nodded as she wildly shuffled both of her legs back in forth. “Yeah! I do it when I’m ready!” Charlotte followed her mother into the gymnasium, along with her Aunt Darlene and her cousin Heather. A rush of excitement began to fill Charlotte as the desire began to fill her legs. She wanted to run, and there was no doubt that she would be the fastest runner in the Dashing Ducklings. ‘Sorry Heather,” Charlotte thought. ‘But when it comes to races, there is only one winner. The other two get silver and bronze.’ As Charlotte walked further into the gymnasium with her mother, she could see most of the kids around her age all sitting in a circle, along with what looked like two adults in the center. One of them was a woman, and she looked very familiar. ‘Wait! I think I have seen her before!’ The woman, who was sitting next to the other female instructor smiled. “Nice to see you here again, Charlotte.” Her voice was all it took for Charlotte to realize who it was. It was…It was… Monica. Monica Swanson. The Monica that helped in Junior Track. The Monica that babysat her when she was 13. That Monica. And now she was one of the two instructors for the Dashing Ducklings? Charlotte didn’t really know the name of the other woman, but she looked to be about the same age as Monica. Charlotte could hear the sound of rapid footsteps. But by the time she turned to see who it was, the footsteps stopped. As she continued to glance at Monica, her mind began to fill with fond memories that she had with her. ‘She may not remember it, but we are still friends.’ Tap. Tap. Tap. Charlotte was startled to find that Diana was tapping her on the back. Diana smiled and pointed at Charlotte’s pink and white shoes. “Nice shoes, Charlotte!” Heather sighed. “Diana, you always say that about Charlotte’s shoes!” Charlotte was taken aback. ‘Wait. That same Diana is in the Dashing Ducklings? She was acting pretty weird today.’ Diana pointed to Charlotte’s shoes again. “I really like your shoes.” Heather nodded. “So do I. Charlotte’s got shoes that are nicer than mine!” Both of the women stood up facing the fifteen toddlers that all sat in a circle. There were seven boys and eight girls. A few mothers sat on the bleachers watching their kids from a distance. Monica smiled and glanced around the room. “Welcome to the Dashing Ducklings! I’m Monica Swanson.” “And I’m Roxy Belmont, filling in for Felica Davis, the head instructor since she’s ill tonight. I’m a volunteer instructor so I have plenty of experience like Monica does.” Charlotte gasped. ‘Roxy? Wait a second! Didn’t she do something that wasn’t good?’ It took Charlotte a few minutes to think about it while Monica and Roxy were still on their introductions. As they were wrapping up, it hit her. ‘That’s it!’ Charlotte thought. ‘Roxy took my boyfriend James when I was in high school! Urrrrrr...I don’t know how I remember that, but I’m still upset!’ Charlotte suddenly realized that all the boys and girls were standing up, so she stood up with them. She was standing right behind Diana and realized that she was about the same height as her. Diana was also wearing navy blue jogging pants with small white polka dots. She almost walked into her large poofy butt. Charlotte then glanced at Heather, who was standing behind her. ‘Could Diana…?’ was the only thought that Charlotte could manage before moving ahead with the rest of the boys and girls. Roxy lined up the Boys on one side of the gymnasiam and Monica lined up the girls on the other side of the gymnasium. “Now girls,” Monica addressed. “We’re going to warm up with five laps around your half of the gym. The boys are running around their half of the gym with Roxy so don’t cross paths with them. Stay on this side and run just five laps. When you finish, we will play a fun game.” The young girls all nodded and took their places where Monica showed them. Monica then traced the area where they were supposed to run with her finger in an oval to make sure the girls knew where to run. “Are you ready, girls?” Monica asked them. “On go, I want you girls to run as fast as you can. On your marks, get set, GO!!!!” Heather and Charlotte immediately began taking off, with Charlotte quickly leaving Heather and the other girls in the dust. As Charlotte was beginning her run around her half of the gym effortlessly, a totally unexpected thing happened that caught her by surprise. Diana was outrunning all the other girls and was very quickly closing distance between herself and Charlotte. Diana was…running really fast? Charlotte could not believe what she was seeing. Diana was now at an even pace with Charlotte and was about to outrun her. And like Charlotte, Diana showed no signs of being short of breath. Diana smiled as she was just a few paces ahead of Charlotte. “You run FAST! I also run fast!” Charlotte could not believe it, but she actually had to put some effort into running faster for once. In seconds, Charlotte was just barely ahead of Diana. At this point, both Charlotte and Diana only had one more lap to go, while the remaining girls were just beginning their second lap, with Heather just a few paces ahead of them. Diana began to pick up speed, but Charlotte increased her speed at the same time. The finish line was approaching… Diana began to pass Charlotte. Charlotte began to pass Diana. And at the finish, they both crossed at the same time. But instead of stopping, both girls continued to run around the gym, with Monica laughing. “Charlotte!” Monica shouted. “Diana! You can both stop running!” But neither girls did. Their pace was now both dead even, with neither of them even close to being short of breath. Both of them felt it. It was the thrill of running. The excitement and adrenaline flowing through their veins. And Charlotte could feel something else flowing. It was her now warm Pull-Up swelling up with pee. Still running beside Diana, she was still in a state of shock. ‘Just how? How is Diana keeping up with me? I was supposed to be the fastest! I can run and win marathons…’ Charlotte could vividly remember Diana running really fast through the preschool the other day. ‘Just where did her speed come from?’ Diana on the other hand smiled as she ran beside Charlotte. She was glancing down at Charlotte’s running shoes. “Charlotte, we both run fast!” But Monica was standing directly in their path, extending both hands out in an effort to try and stop them. “Girls, you both need to stop running. The other girls are already done. Just look at you two! You have both ran 11 laps and you only needed to run five! Now let’s join Roxy and the rest of the kids and get ready for the next game, okay?” Both Charlotte and Diana exchanged smiles as both of them were only beginning to pant. Both were equally frustrated that they both couldn’t run anymore. They wanted to run longer, as neither of them were tired. Monica and Roxy decided to join both the boys and the girls together for the next activity, which was a game of tag. Both Charlotte and Diana smiled, knowing that they could outrun even the boys for this game. And they were right. During the game of tag, Charlotte tagged one of the boys and none of them could even keep up with her. The same was the case when Diana was tagged and she decided to tag a nearby boy. Neither Charlotte nor Diana could be caught during the whole game. For the rest of the meeting, both Monica and Roxy let all the boys and girls run around and play if they wanted. Almost all the girls sat down and played some quiet games, with Heather, Charlotte, Tiffany, and Diana being the only ones that were still running. Three of the boys continued to run with the rest of them just sitting down. Tiffany smiled at both Charlotte and Diana. “I wanna run fast like both of you! How do you run so fast?” Diana smiled. “We’re just fast! Keep running and maybe you’ll be fast!” Monica then approached Charlotte and waved her over. “Charlotte? You’re another one of the girls in this meeting that still has toileting issues. Can you please come over here for a moment? You’re the only one that I haven’t checked.” Darcy, who saw Monica at a distance, knew exactly what she was doing, so she slowly approached her. Monica reached down underneath Charlotte’s jogging pants and felt a noticeable sag between the legs. “Yup. Everyone that I’ve babysat fills them almost exactly like this. Let’s get you changed, dearie.” Darcy grinned at Monica as she held out Charlotte’s pink heart backpack. “I have three Pull-Ups in her backpack so I can take care of this.” But Monica held out her hand and grabbed the backpack from Darcy. “Please let me do it, Miss Warren. As it is, Charlotte is about to have a new sister. And with me being Lauren’s bestie, she’s about to also gain an honorary sister.” Darcy nodded. “Go ahead. You’re very good at this so I trust you.” Monica nodded. “Good. I have lost track of how many kids I have babysat. Now let’s go, Char and take care of that wet Pull-Up.” Charlotte nodded and followed Monica to the locker room. Monica pulled down Charlotte’s jogging pants to reveal her sodden Pull-Up, which was sagging heavily between her legs. “Oh, we got a sagger! It’s a wonder that didn’t leak!” She removed the Pull-Up from Charlotte and gave her a pensive stare. “So Char. Talk to me. It looks like you were having a lot of fun with that Diana tonight. Do you like to run, Charlotte?” Charlotte’s face lit up and she bobbed her head up and down in an exaggerated nod. “I love running! Why couldn’t we run anymore, Monica?” Monica laughed. “I’m sure that you two girls would’ve wanted to run for the whole meeting, but this meeting isn’t just about you two. It’s about you two and all the rest of the Dashing Ducklings. We’re all one flock so us Ducklings need to stick together.” She reached into the backpack and shook a little bit of cornstarch baby powder into the Pull-Up before grabbing a pack of wipes to wipe Charlotte clean. As she continued her job, another smile came across her face. “So Char, are you looking forward to Halloween. Oh, look at that face. That big big smile. What are you going to be, Charlotte?” Charlotte grinned. “I’m gonna be a Soopa Sooth Astanaut!” Monica produced a big smile as she began to put a new Pull-Up on Charlotte. “A Super Sleuth Astronaut? Wow. That’s very creative, Charlotte. Now what do you think I’m going to be?” Charlotte could distinctly remember a passion that they both shared when they were closer friends. “A model?” Monica laughed. “No Char. But that was a very good guess! It’s a big surprise, so you’ll just have to find out on Halloween! There’s going to be a big party at Lauren’s house, so you’ll be there and I’ll be there too. And one day, Charlotte, when your mom marries Lauren’s dad, Lauren’s big house is going to be your new home! What do you think of that? Wow! That’s what your face looks like right now. Wow! Now, to make sure that your Pull-Up is on properly, I need to press your belly button. BOOP!” Charlotte giggled as Monica lightly tapped Charlotte on her belly button. “The Pull-Up is on tight!” Monica made an exaggerated and playful gasp as she pulled Charlotte’s jogging pants back up. “Okay. Let’s go find your mom in the gym. Maybe you can run with Diana if she’s still there!” The very thought of this had Charlotte trotting just a few paces ahead of Monica, who was carrying a wadded up soggy Pull-Up to a trash bin, where she threw it away. Once at the gymnasium, a few kids had already been picked up but Diana was still there. Diana, who immediately spotted Charlotte, pointed to Charlotte’s running shoes. “Let’s go fast!” Charlotte nodded and joined Diana in a casual jog that was at the same pace as her. Diana glanced at Charlotte with a wanting face. “And play zoo with me tomorrow! I always play by myself since no one ever wants to play zoo with me during play time!” Charlotte nodded. “Alright, I’ll play zoo with you!” “Yay!” Diana beamed. “I’m gonna be a kitty. What are you gonna be, Charlotte?” Charlotte was suddenly reliving her last moments at preschool earlier that day, only there was no poopy accident this time. Just a reminder of the traumatic episode that resulted in her demotion on the potty-training chart. “A cheetah,” Charlotte whimpered, thinking only of the incident that happened earlier that day. Diana looked at Charlotte with concern. “What’s wrong, Charlotte?” Charlotte sighed. “When we played zoo today and I told Miss Julia that I was a cheetah, that’s when I found out that I pooped my Pull-Up!” Diana gave Charlotte an empathetic look and smiled. “I’ve pooped a Pull-Up before, Charlotte. It’s not fun. I know exactly what that’s like. It’s STINKY!” Diana then gave another passing stare at Charlotte’s running shoes before retreating her gaze back to Charlotte’s face when Charlotte gave her a curious stare. Charlotte felt a little better hearing Diana admit to having an accident in a Pull-Up. “You did? When did you poop in a Pull-Up?” Diana sighed. “You don’t remember, Charlotte? It was almost a year ago in the Dashing Ducklings! I was in the middle of the race and I lost ‘cause I pooped in my Pull-Up. Everyone kept staring at me and one of them laughed. All I could do was cry. Monica helped me feel better. She cleaned me and changed me out of the yucky and poopy Pull-Up and into a new Pull-Up. You were there, Charlotte. How can you not remember?” Diana glanced at Charlotte’s running shoes again. Meanwhile, Darcy was fondly watching Charlotte and Diana run together at a distance when she saw a woman wave at her. Her expression and smiled greeted Darcy as she turned her face to look at her. A question reached Darcy’s ears without warning: “How are the shoes?” Darcy glanced at the woman and smiled. “Oh Sonya! It’s you.” “How are the shoes?” Sonya said with a smile, patiently repeating her question in her thick Spanish accent that sounded like a beautiful melody. “Does your daughter like them?” Darcy nodded. “Well, we’ve had them for about six months now. Six months ago, Charlotte went from a size 5 to a size 6 so she needed a new pair of running shoes. Thank goodness that you had the perfect shoes for her. Now what are you doing here?” Sonya warmly smiled and swiftly pointed over to her daughter who was running with Charlotte. “I’m here to pick up Diana. She’s my daughter.” She gracefully made delicate steps over to where Charlotte and Diana were running. “Mija! Mami esta aquí!” Charlotte gave Diana a puzzled look. “What did she say?” Diana gasped. “She’s speaking in Spanish. Mamá is here to take me home.” “Vamanos mija!” Sonya said, conveying a sense of urgency. Diana sighed as she glanced at Charlotte. She quickly glanced back at her mother. “Por favor mamá! Déjame decir adiós a mi amiga!” Sonya smiled at the sight of seeing Diana standing next to Charlotte. She glanced at her daughter with a loving gaze. “Una amiga? Ve y dile adios a mi amiga. Esperaré aquí.” Diana looked overjoyed as she graciously gazed at her mother. “Gracias mama! ¡No hay que preocuparse! La haré rápida!” Sonya laughed. “No no, mija. Take as much time as you like.” Diana ran over to Charlotte and gave her a hug. “Bye Charlotte! I’ll see you tomorrow! We will play zoo, okay?” Charlotte was still puzzled at the exchange of a conversation that she didn’t understand. The language barrier felt unsettling, frustrating, and confusing to her. “Do you talk to your mommy a lot in Spanish?” Diana nodded. “I talk to mamá like that all the time at home. My mamá knows more Spanish than English so it’s easier for her. Bye Charlotte!” Charlotte smiled and waved her hand at Diana. “Bye!” Diana was scooped into her mother’s arms along with some kind of oversized bag that her mother was holding. Charlotte sadly glanced down at her running shoes and at the gymnasium. ‘Why did this meeting have to go by so quickly? I wanna run more with Diana!’ Monica, who saw Charlotte looking sad, approached her. “What’s wrong, Char?” Monica said, offering a patient and understanding gaze. Charlotte glanced around the gymnasium. “I wanna run again with Diana!” Monica smiled and rubbed her fingers over Charlotte’s black hair. “You’ll be able to do that next week, Charlotte. And do you know what? I think that it would be fun if you, me, and Lauren all did something fun. Wouldn’t that be fun? We could go on the fun water slide at Lauren’s house. We could play mini golf and check out all the fun shops in Historic Railroad Square! There are even some places to buy some toys. How would you like to spend some time with me and your soon to be sis?” Charlotte couldn’t believe it. ‘Yes! I would love that! It would be like a sleepover again! It would be like old times! You, me, and Lauren. Besties for life.’ She glanced at Monica and smiled. “You and Lauren are my besties for life.” Monica laughed. “Oh, that’s so cute! I wish I was recording that. That’s so adorable.” With Darcy looking impatient, she scooped up Charlotte and began to carry her out of the gymnasium. Charlotte glanced at the Langford Middle School gymnasium one last time before it faded out of view. Dashing Ducklings was fun tonight, and Charlotte was already looking forward to next week’s meeting.

Chapter 52 Charlotte woke up and sat up, noticing Bobo being thrown off her shortly after her awakening. She smiled and glanced at her stuffed best friend. ‘Were you protecting me, Bobo?’ Charlotte wondered. In reality, Charlotte held Bobo in her arms before she fell asleep, and he remained with her throughout the night. Charlotte squirmed and noticed an uncomfortable and moist squish as she jostled her rear on her bed. While her bed was dry, her diaper felt very soggy and wet. The squish and crinkly rustling against the fabric of her footed sleeper could be heard as she adjusted her sitting position on her bed. She yawned and began to rub the sleep out of her eyes. Charlotte then heard footsteps, followed by her door opening. Darcy flicked on the light switch and smiled at what looked like a tired Charlotte. “Good morning, Charlie dear! I hope that you slept well because mommy needs to get you ready for school!” Charlotte gasped. ‘Oh right! School! I have to attend school! Just who is my teacher again? Miss Willo?’ The name didn’t sound familiar for some reason, as Charlotte immediately realized what she thought in her mind. ‘No. It can’t be her. I don’t feel like she’s ever been my teacher for some reason. I’m younger so I obviously won’t be having her as a teacher. I’m almost four now so what school am I going to now? Am I still going to Langford Elementary?” Darcy scooped up Charlotte and sat her on the floor. Charlotte got to her feet and Darcy took Charlotte by the hand to the bathroom. ‘Her diaper is obviously going to be soaked, but I want to get her in the right mindset for potty training.’ Darcy closed the bathroom door and sat Charlotte on the toilet. She sang a couple verses of the “potty song” until she heard a couple trickles enter the toilet. “Oh! Look Charliecakes! You went potty! What a big girl you are!” Charlotte didn’t think much of it as her mother hastily removed her footed sleeper all the way and wadded up her soggy diaper. Moments later, Charlotte was in the shower with her mother. She felt blasts of hot water cascading on her black hair as she felt the gentle touch of her mother’s hands rubbing shampoo in, followed by soap all over her face and body. Charlotte’s mind wandered as she continued to be bathed by her mother. ‘What am I going to learn today? What do schools teach girls that are almost four?’ Charlotte was now in her room, sitting on the carpet wrapped in a towel as her mother quickly picked out an outfit for her. Darcy got a new Pull-Up out of the top drawer and had Charlotte step right into it while she tugged the waistband until it was snug between her legs. She glanced at the Pull-Up and smiled. “Be a big girl and use the potty some more, okay? You’re making good progress, and I want you to keep it up, okay?” Charlotte nodded and noticed the dress that her mother was about to put on her. Her face was now inside the dress as her mother tugged down on the collar, resulting in Charlotte’s head emerging out. Her mother then guided her hands through both of the long sleeves. She glanced down and saw that the dress was pink, with a pattern of Bluey all over the dress. And while Charlotte didn’t know why, she smiled at the sight of the Blueys on her dress. Once in the kitchen, Charlotte climbed onto her cushion on one of the chairs and watched as her mother sat a small bowl before her. It was a pink bowl filled with Honey Nut Cheerios and milk. A container of strawberry Danimals yogurt was sitting next to the bowl, with her mother looking at her expectantly. “Eat up, Charlie.” Darcy said, trying to encourage her. “I’ll get your juice while you eat.” Charlotte took big spoonfuls of cereal, which resulted in milk splashing on her lips as she munched it all down. She saw a cup of apple juice and an orange Flintstones vitamin sat next to the cup. After she finished the cereal and her milk, she chewed the vitamin immediately before opening up her Danimals yogurt. She unscrewed the cap and squeezed the pouch, squirting yogurt into her mouth. After that, she guzzled her apple juice. Moments later, Charlotte saw her mother carrying another bag with her. Her mother noticed that Charlotte was barefoot and sighed. “Did I forget to put your socks on? I did!” Darcy hoisted Charlotte up and carried her upstairs, where she quickly picked out a pink pair of socks to put on Charlotte’s feet. Once Charlotte was back downstairs, her mother had Charlotte step into a pair of shoes, which she then velcroed both straps. Charlotte touched the pink backpack and smiled. “What’s in the backpack, mommy?” Darcy smiled. “It’s for later, dear. You’re in the Dashing Ducklings after school. You have been in the Dashing Ducklings for almost a year. Don’t you remember, Charry? Or are you just trying to be funny?” Darcy grinned, guessing that her daughter was probably joking. The Dashing Ducklings, she knew, was a wonderful after school program for her daughter to be in, considering how much she loved to run. And considering how she remembered how much Charlotte looked forward to the weekly meetings, she just knew that Charlotte was probably trying to be funny. Charlotte on the other hand had no idea that she was going to an after school running group for older toddlers. After all, she was a second grader before the weekend and now she’s barely four. How was she supposed to know about something that was new to her? The shift in reality made it common knowledge for her mother, but all of this information was almost too much for Charlotte to keep up with. Darcy buckled Charlotte into her car seat and sat another backpack next to her. Curiosity got the best of Charlotte, so she slowly zipped open the mint green backpack. Inside were four Pull-Ups, two changes of clothes, a set of pajamas, Ziploc bags filled with crayons, activity books, a small notebook, a few books, and two stuffed animals. ‘So mom is packing all this for me? Well, I’m younger so I need a little more guidance…’ Her thoughts shifted to this morning, when her mother praised her for peeing in the potty. ‘I did use the potty this morning, so I AM a big girl! Yeah!’ Minutes later, Charlotte glanced outside the window to see a familiar looking building that had a huge playground in the back. There was a sign that had words that looked foreign to Charlotte. ‘What does that say? I can’t read anymore!’ Letting out a frustrated sigh, she glanced at her mother, who was navigating through the parking lot, trying to find an open spot to park and take Charlotte in. “Mommy!” Charlotte said in a burst of frustration. “What is dis place?” Darcy laughed. “What a funny girl you’re being today, Charlie Darlie! You know this place, Charlotte! It’s Little Lilacs Preschool and Daycare! It’s your preschool, hun! You’ve been going here since you were only six months old. Just tell me, dear. Why are you being so funny today? Could it be that you’re excited about Dashing Ducklings later on?” Charlotte gasped, as she knew that this preschool now looked familiar. But how was it familiar? ‘So I’m not going to an elementary school and I’m going to a preschool now? I guess that makes sense.’ What relieved Charlotte was that she wouldn’t have to work on any assignments. Instead, she could just play with toys as much as she wanted. ‘Am I just going to play with toys? Isn’t that what you do at a preschool anyway?’ Charlotte was lifted out of her car seat and was sat down feet first on the blacktop. She was led by the hand by her mother, who had the mint green backpack slung around her back. Darcy entered the preschool with Charlotte, who gasped as she took in the surroundings. Charlotte smiled at what she saw. She saw beautiful watercolor pastels painted all over the walls of the preschool. The faded tan carpeting was soft, and there was a security check-in point where she was, that separated the lobby from the main room that led into the big room that comprised the preschool and daycare. Darcy approached the security check-in point with Charlotte and smiled, pointing to her daughter. “Hey Darcy!” A woman smiled as she checked her along with Charlotte. “Dropping Charlotte off? Your sister already dropped her little one off.” Darcy nodded. “I know, Rena. We’re running a little late today. Like always, Charlotte’s green backpack is labeled with her name on it. I packed four Pull-Ups today, so I want Charlotte to use the potty a lot like a big girl.” Rena nodded as she glanced at Charlotte. “Why certainly! Miss Julia will make sure that Charlotte uses the potty. Both Miss Julia and Miss Amy! I’ll have you see Charlotte in.” She then glanced down at Charlotte. “Oh, you’re going to have so much fun today!” Charlotte was led into the big room that made her gasp again and took her breath away. Although Charlotte had seen it all before, seeing it again really jogged her memory. In the main room there was another check-in area before the rest of the room opened up to various different areas where the children could learn, grow, and play. It wasn’t just a basic preschool with toys. All those were clearly there, with a few children playing with them. One area had boys playing with miniature cars and monster trucks. Another had a couple girls playing with Barbies, dolls, and different dollhouses. As she walked deeper into the room with her mother, the age range for the toys got younger. There were toys that made sound, along with the traditional toys that infants and toddlers played with. Blocks, stackable colored rings, colored shaped pegs each with their own respective holes, rattles, and various toys used for teething. Another station had play doh, sand, and even a few activity tables that children could use to color, paint, or create some kind of art. Not only were there toys available, but various different ways that a child could use their artistic expression. And for children that were overwhelmed by coloring in the same area, there were private areas that had soft beanbag chairs that allowed the children to read or play in peace. Next to these chairs were racks of children’s books that any child could freely read if they wanted to. At the end of the play area was a blank space with a tall stack of sleeping mats, blankets, and pillows, which was reserved for naptime. There were even a few rows of cribs for children that had more specialized needs. Next to the cribs were a couple changing tables equipped with various different boxes of diapers and Pull-Ups. Another area had a plastic tote that was filled with pacifiers, bottles, and bibs. Charlotte could feel her arm being yanked by her mother, who looked puzzled. “Charlie honey. You’re heading towards the daycare. You need to be in the preschool side.” An excited squeal caught Charlotte by surprise. “Charlotte! You’re here! Let’s go play!” Charlotte turned to notice that it was…Her cousin. Heather. Heather was standing there, holding a Barbie doll in her hands. And by the look on her eyes, her playtime with Charlotte must begin immediately. “Let’s play Barbies, Charlotte!” Heather said as she began to yank Charlotte by the arm. “There’s another Barbie that I have that you can play with. Let’s go!” Charlotte smiled as she saw Heather now yanking on the sides of her dress. “Heather go to this daycare, mommy?” Darcy laughed. “There you go again, Charlotte, being funny! Of course she does, hun. You have both been going here since you were both very young. Now go play with your cousin, Charlotte. Mommy will be back later. Bye Charlotte!” Darcy left Charlotte to have a brief conversation with Miss Julia before she left. Charlotte fixed her gaze on her mother, as she did not want her to leave her here by herself. “Mommy?” Heather nodded. “Yes Charlotte. Mommy also left too. Don’t worry. Our mommies will be back later. Let’s play!” Charlotte was led to another area, where a pile of dolls laid in a plastic bin. Most of them were Barbie dolls with a few of them being different. A nice dollhouse was nearby, allowing them to have a very fun playtime together. Sitting next to Charlotte and Heather were three other girls playing a game of their own with Barbie dolls. “No!” The girl with brown pigtails shouted. “That’s not how my Barbie became a fairy princess!” “How did she then, Jodie?” The blonde girl said with a frown. She then pointed to a stuffed fish. “I think that she talked to Mr. Fish!” “No Paige!” the girl with long brown hair shouted, pointing to a pink stuffed bird. “She talked to Mrs. Bird! Birdeeta Bird!” Jodie sighed. “No Tiffany! That’s how YOUR Barbie became a fairy princess! Mine became a fairy princess by talking to Miss Darla Dog!” She pointed to a stuffed dog, which lay next to her Barbie. Heather laughed at the game that the girls were playing. “That sounds like fun! Let’s play Barbie fairy princess with them, Charlotte!” Charlotte reached into the bin for a Barbie doll, who wore a white dress when a Hispanic girl with black braided pigtails and a light purple dress came running by the girls, waving her fists at them and giggling. “MEOW!” The girl shouted as she made wild swipes in the air, making the girls nearby Charlotte laugh. “Diana!” Heather said as she started to laugh. “We’re not playing zoo! We’ll play that later!” Diana didn’t like Heather’s answer, so she responded with a hiss. “RRRRRREAOOW!!!!” She yowled, as she began to position herself on all fours. This exposed a snap crotch enclosure beneath her dress. Charlotte caught a quick glimpse of Diana still acting like a cat and walking on “four legs” before she focused her glance on the girls playing fairy princess Barbie. After seeing how the girls played the game, it seemed simple enough to her. ‘Just find a stuffed animal to talk to Barbie and she’ll become a fairy princess!’ Charlotte chose a stuffed bear, which reminded her of Bobo back at home. Heather grabbed a stuffed rabbit and smiled as she held it. “I miss Hoppy,” she said as she began to think of what this stuffed rabbit was going to say to Barbie to make her a fairy princess. Miss Julia saw the girls right in the middle of their game and nodded matter-of-factly. She glanced at Miss Amy and nodded. “Miss Warren wants me to work more on Charlotte’s potty training. Miss Wilson also wants me to try with Tiffany as well.” Miss Amy smiled. “And the rest of the girls are Looming Lilacs?” Miss Julia quickly studied the remaining girls and laughed when she saw Heather. “Everyone except Heather. Paige just became a Looming Lilac this past Friday before the weekend. Jodie is ‘almost there’! Heather is ‘not ready’.” She walked over to the girls and knelt down where they were playing. “Hey girls! I know that you’re all having a fun time but we’re going to take a potty break! Paige here just became a Looming Lilac so Paige, maybe you should wait for Charlotte and Tiffany to go first.” Paige nodded. “Okay!” She then glanced at Charlotte and Tiffany and gave them an encouraging smile. “No accidents!” Charlotte could feel a light torrent of pee begin to fill her Pull-Up just as the words left Paige’s mouth. ‘Guess I’m not going to make it to the potty this time.’ Charlotte stood there with a concentrated look as the light torrent of pee became a heavier flow, which fully saturated the Pull-Up. Miss Julia noticed what Charlotte was doing and gasped. “Charlotte? You’re not peeing in your Pull-Up, are you?” “No!” Charlotte said bashfully as the flow steadied into a few light trickles. Miss Julia sighed as she grabbed Charlotte’s green backpack. “Come with me, Charlotte.” Charlotte followed Miss Julia past the potty-training chart on the wall to the bathroom that was nearby. She closed the door and locked it. Miss Julia then gave Charlotte a serious look and pointed down at Charlotte’s dress. “Charlotte, you just told me that you did not pee in your Pull-Up. Now I know exactly what happened, but we’re going to check to see if you peed in your Pull-Up or not. If you didn’t, we’re going to sit on the potty, okay?” Charlotte’s face reddened as Miss Julia lifted up the fold of Charlotte’s pink Bluey dress. When Miss Julia glanced at Minnie Mouse’s Xylophone, she couldn’t find it. It was gone. And not only that, but Charlotte’s Pull-Up also was heavily sagging between her legs. Miss Julia pointed to where Minnie’s Xylophone should be. “Charlotte? I don’t see Minnie’s Xylophone. It’s all faded.” She peeled off both sides of the soggy Pull-Up and pulled it off of Charlotte before wadding the Pull-Up into a ball. “Now Charlotte, when I asked you if you peed in your Pull-Up, you said no. Now why did you lie to me?” Charlotte began to cry. “I’m sawwy Miss Julia! Very sawwy!” Miss Julia nodded and reached into the mint green backpack. She pulled out another Pull-Up and glanced at Charlotte. “Charlotte, I accept your apology. Just don’t lie to me again, okay? Now I’m going to put a new Pull-Up on you and we’re going to try the potty later. We need to hurry since Tiffany still needs to go potty.” Charlotte stood in the middle of the bathroom as Miss Julia helped her into a new Pull-Up which clearly showed Minnie’s Xylophone. Miss Julia opened the door to see Miss Amy standing there with Tiffany. “You better hurry with Tiffany,” Miss Amy told her as she grabbed Charlotte’s backpack. “She’s been squirming around and doing the ‘potty dance’.” “Oh no.” Miss Julia said, as she released her grip on Charlotte and grabbed Tiffany by the hand, along with her backpack. “In here, Tiffany. We need to hurry before you have an accident.” Charlotte glanced up at the potty-training chart, which she distinctly remembered from the last time that she was here to pick up Heather. Now that she attended preschool, her name had to be somewhere on the chart. But where was it? ‘I should be a Looming Lilac!’ Charlotte thought with a proud expression on her face. Charlotte saw Paige’s name under Looming Lilacs, along with a fair-sized grouping of other names, but she couldn’t find her own. While she couldn’t really read, she could still recognize some names. She glanced further down to see “almost there”. Her name was nowhere to be found. Then Charlotte glanced down to see “getting there”. ‘Surely I am here, right?’ But Charlotte could not find her name anywhere. Below that was “moving forward”. But before Charlotte could even locate her name, Miss Julia came out with Tiffany, who glanced at Miss Amy. “Tiffany was slightly damp but was able to pee the rest in the potty.” She told Miss Amy. Miss Julia then glanced at Charlotte, who was glancing at the potty-training chart. “Trying to find your name, Charlotte? You’re under ‘moving forward’. But just a fair warning for you, honey. You’re two accidents away from being moved back down to ‘first steps’. So let’s try to make it on the potty next time, okay Charlotte?” Charlotte nodded and sighed. The rest of the girls used the potty before they resumed playing. Jodie used the potty unsupervised, as did Paige. Both girls used the potty without any accidents. While Jodie and Paige used the potty, Miss Julia took Heather over to the changing table by the daycare and changed her diaper there. As Miss Julia was removing Heather’s soggy diaper, she frowned. “Why aren’t you letting me use the potty?” Miss Julia sighed. “You’re not ready, Heather. Now I have already had this discussion with your mommy for a couple of weeks now. Until she thinks you’re ready, I’m going to be changing your diapers on this changing table, okay?” Heather crossed her arms and pouted. “Okay…” Part of her was just jealous that Paige was able to become a Looming Lilac, which was now something that she wanted so bad. The furthest that she made it on the chart was “getting there” with everything falling apart since the day that her mother told her about the couch at home that she peed on, which was something that she knew that she didn’t do. What Heather didn’t know was that her then babysitter Charlotte was responsible for her precipitous decline on the potty-training chart. The girls continued to play while Miss Julia and Miss Amy did checks on all the other kids in the preschool to make sure that they all use the potty. For a few of the other “not ready” kids, Miss Julia changed their diapers on the changing table. After that, Charlotte and the rest of the girl’s play time was cut short when Miss Julia began to sing a song loudly and slow to the tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It”. It’s time to gather round and have some fun, it’s circle time So put your toys away and gather round, it’s circle time So it’s time to have some fun, around the circle one by one It’s time to gather round and have some fun, it’s circle time A few kids were starting to gather to the carpeted circle, yet a few were still playing. With that, Miss Julia sang the song again, but at a faster tempo: It’s time to gather round and have some fun, it’s circle time So put your toys away and gather round, it’s circle time So it’s time to have some fun, around the circle one by one It’s time to gather round and have some fun, it’s circle time Charlotte and Heather sat around the circle with Tiffany, Jodie, and Paige. Heather smiled as she heard Miss Julia sing. “I love the circle time song!” At this point, only three kids were still playing with toys. Diana was one of them. Miss Julia sighed, while maintaining a bubbly and cheerful demeanor on her face. “I see three that are still playing with their toys. Joshua, Eric, Diana, please put down the toys. There will be more time to play later.” Diana sat down her creation that she made with Lego Duplo bricks, hissing like a cat in protest. Miss Julia grinned. “Ah. Someone’s not a happy kitty! Come to the circle, Diana. Joshua and Eric are coming, so how about you come too?” Diana walked on all fours like a cat and began making slow strides to the circle, where she took a seat next to Paige. After she sat down, she began licking her right sleeve and making purring sounds. Paige laughed. “Diana, we’re not playing zoo yet! Stop acting like a cat!” Diana sighed. “But I like zoo!” Miss Julia held out her index finger, making a “shh!” sound. “It looks like everyone is quieting down. While Miss Amy, Miss Amanda, Miss Emily, and Miss Valorie are getting the rest of the kids finished up in the bathroom, you are going to hear a very fun song. And guess what? The song has pumpkins in it!” Miss Julia uncovered a cloth to reveal five pumpkin finger puppets made out of green tubes and a combination of orange and green construction paper. “Now class, this song has not one, not two! Not three! And no. Not even four! It’s got FIVE pumpkins!” Miss Julia pointed to the pumpkins and began to count as she put them on her fingers. “One, two, three, four, five….” Miss Julia then broke into a sing-song style nursery rhyme, pointing to her pumpkin puppet fingers using her opposite hand as progressed through the rhyme: Five Little Pumpkins sitting on a gate. The first one said, ‘Oh my it’s getting late!’ The second one said, ‘There are witches in the air!’ The third one said, ‘Well, we don’t care!’ The fourth one said, ‘Let’s run and run and run!’ The fifth one said, ‘I’m ready for some fun!’ Then, ‘Oooooh,’ went the wind and out went the light, And the five little pumpkins rolled out of sight! Charlotte and the rest of the preschoolers all laughed at Miss Julia’s theatrics with her little pumpkin finger puppets. A number of students shouted “again!”, so Miss Julia repeated the rhyme one more time, causing more laughter and giggles throughout the room. Miss Julia then took off the pumpkin finger puppet that was on her thumb. “Today for art, you are all going to make your own little pumpkins! Each of you are going to make five, so you have one pumpkin for each one of your fingers. Won’t that be fun to all have your own little pumpkins to play with and show your family what you made?” Both Charlotte and Heather were now very excited as Miss Julia and the other three teachers were handing out the art supplies to make the five pumpkins. “Class,” Miss Julia instructed. “Both I and the other teachers are going to help you make the first one, so call for help if you need help with the other four little pumpkins, okay?” Charlotte couldn’t figure out how to make the pumpkin, even though all the orange pumpkins and green stems were already precut for everyone. Charlotte arranged the stem on the top and placed the pumpkin on the green tube. It wasn’t until Miss Julia showed Charlotte the glue stick that she was able to figure it out. She showed Charlotte where the glue should go for the stem and the tube and Charlotte began to work on her remaining pumpkins. In the middle of Charlotte’s fourth little Pumpkin, she felt a sudden urge to pee. But before Charlotte could do anything, she could already feel her Pull-Up getting warm. The warm pee spread around her groin before being drunk up by the dry and parched Pull-Up. The warmness began to fade into a slightly cooler squishiness as the saturation made the Pull-Up swell out between her legs. Charlotte knew that it was too late at this point, but she wanted to raise her hand anyway. ‘Maybe she’ll give me credit for trying.’ Charlotte thought as she began to tug at the hem of her pink Bluey dress. Miss Julia came over to Charlotte with a hopeful smile. “What is it, Charlotte?” Charlotte pointed down towards her groin and gave her an uncomfortable look. Miss Julia knew what this meant, so she nodded. “So you have to go potty, Charlotte?” Charlotte shyly nodded and got out of her chair, feeling the weight of her Pull-Up sag between her legs. Miss Julia wasted no time in hurrying Charlotte to the bathroom while the other kids were finishing up their little pumpkins. She grabbed Charlotte’s mint green backpack and closed the door behind them. Miss Julia gave Charlotte an excited look. “Hurry Charlotte! Take off your Pull-Up and sit on the potty!” Charlotte glanced at Miss Julia and silently sighed. ‘If I take my Pull-Up off, she will see that I already had an accident in one. If I don’t, she’ll want to know why I said I had to go potty and will probably check me anyway. Well whatever! You caught me.’ Charlotte pushed on the soft plastic backing on both sides of her waist. The Pull-Up then quickly fell, landing with a soggy squish on the tiled floor between her legs. She sat on the toilet, which resulted in only a few small trickles of pee coming out. Miss Julia sighed, but she couldn’t help but acknowledge that Charlotte was trying. “You soaked it, hun. But look! You did go in the potty a little bit. Why didn’t you say you had to go?” Charlotte gave her a forlorn stare. “I didn’t know I had ta go until it was too late. Honest! I…I was on the fourth pumpkin….and….I….I….” Charlotte was quickly losing it. Warm tears began to run down her cheeks and she began to wail. “I’M SOWWY MISS JULIA!!!!!!!!” Miss Julia gave Charlotte a hug and gave her a soft pat on the back. “There there Charlotte. Just try it next time, okay?” At the same time, Miss Julia didn’t want to discourage Charlotte, so she didn’t tell her that Charlotte only had one more strike before she was demoted on the potty-training chart. Charlotte gave her a frustrated glance. “So, do I still have two strikes Miss Julia?” Miss Julia gave Charlotte a sad stare as she slowly shook her head. “No Charlotte. You are one strike away from being moved to ‘first steps’. Now I have been generous with you these past weeks and have given you extra chances! But your accidents are getting worse, Charlotte. I can’t give you any more freebies. Yeah. I’m sorry, Charlotte. Let’s get a dry Pull-Up on you and get that last pumpkin done, okay?” Charlotte nodded as she continued to stand there while Miss Julia lifted both her feet so that she was completely out of the Pull-Up that was trapped between her legs. She watched as Miss Julia helped her into a new Pull-Up, pulling it nice and snug around her waist. ‘This is it. One more accident and I’m back to first steps.’ Once at the table, Charlotte finished her last little pumpkin with Miss Julia’s help, since she wanted to move to the next lesson. The next lesson involved Charlotte rotating through different learning centers with a group of four others led by Miss Amanda, with the other three groups of five led by other teachers. For today, Charlotte and the other kids all rotated through four different learning centers, spending 15 minutes on each one. Charlotte was shown different letters and had to write the ones she saw at the Literacy Center. After that, she had to count pumpkins, leaves, black cats, ghosts and apples at the Math Center. After that, Charlotte was able to make up a game where Barbie had to take care of five pumpkin children with Ken at the Dramatic Play Center. She wanted to just have Barbie take care of some stuffed animals, but Paige (who was in her group) suggested that they use their little pumpkins that they made instead. Finally, Charlotte spent the last 15 minutes at the Sensory Center and the group was given three different colors of Play Doh to feel and create whatever they wanted. The colors were orange, green, and yellow. After the learning centers were done, Miss Julia and the other teachers led the kids to different tables, where some snacks were waiting for them. Charlotte helped herself to the portion that they gave her: two apple slices and ten animal crackers. She stuck the straw in the Juicy Juice grape juice box and gulped down the drink in seconds. For 45 minutes after snack time, Charlotte played on the playground outside with Heather and Paige. Tiffany also joined them on the swings before they all decided to take turns on the slide. After seeing a group of kids jump off the carousel, they all flocked to it, with both Heather and Tiffany spinning the carousel really fast before they all jumped on and held on the bars for dear life. All the girls giggled and squealed as they all held on until the carousel slowed down before eventually stopping. Story time followed, where Miss Julia told the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Charlotte loved this story, despite it being told many times to her already. For lunch, the preschool had chicken nuggets and tater tots for everyone to eat. The kids all washed this down with cartons of milk, which they all drank with straws. Following lunch, Miss Julia and the other teachers were setting up everything for the kids to have nap time at 1:00 in the afternoon. One of them moved a tall stack of napping mats and began to arrange them across the room. Another grabbed piles of blankets and neatly laid each blanket over a napping mat. Still another took handfuls of pillows and laid them on each mat and blanket that was already laid down by the first two teachers. The fourth and fifth teachers arranged each kid’s backpack so that it sat on top of the area where they would be napping. They all unzipped the backpacks and sat the pajamas on top of the blankets. For the kids that were still in Pull-Ups and diapers, they sat those respective items on top of the pajamas. Charlotte found herself being led by the hand by Miss Julia, who was carrying another Pull-Up, along with a pink footed sleeper that her mother packed for her. She pouted as the door to the bathroom was closed. “But I don’t have to go yet!” Miss Julia sighed. “How many times have we done this, Charlotte? It’s nap time now, and every nap time you complain about not needing to use the potty yet. Now we’re going to try to go and then get you into your new Pull-Up and pajamas for your nap. How does that sound?” Charlotte continued to pout as she now sat bare on the toilet seat. Within a split second, she felt a sudden need to pee and began peeing in the toilet. “Yay! I made it!” Miss Julia nodded. “And you would’ve had another accident if I just let you have your nap. Now this always happens. After lunch, you usually pee in the potty before your nap so please don’t argue about not having to go, okay?” Charlotte nodded and felt the inside of her Pull-Up. It was completely dry. She was about to pull it back up when Miss Julia stopped her. “No Charlotte,” Miss Julia told her. “It doesn’t matter that it’s dry. You need a fresh one.” She ripped open both sides of the Pull-Up and helped Charlotte into a fresh Pull-Up. Charlotte quietly scowled. ‘What a waste! It’s dry and you won’t even let me wear it? Whatever…’ Charlotte was half awake when she heard the sound of the footed sleeper being zipped all the way up to her collar, with the safety flap being snapped over the zipper. She squinted her eyes open to see Miss Julia tugging on her hand and smiling. “Are you getting sleepy, Charlotte?” Miss Julia said with a grin. “Not yet. You can sleep on the mat. Okay?” Miss Julia took Charlotte out of the bathroom while Miss Amanda guided Tiffany into the bathroom, holding a Pull-Up. Once at her designated sleeping mat, Charlotte was laid on the mat, with Miss Julia covering her up. No sooner did Charlotte’s head hit the pillow than she began to snore. Charlotte was fast asleep. Charlotte woke up to bright lights in the room and the sound of kids talking nearby her. But when she sat up, she could feel what felt like a totally bloated Pull-Up. ‘No fair!’ Charlotte pouted. ‘How can I hold it in my sleep? This is it. Strike number three. I’m going back to first steps.’ She weeped as Miss Julia approached the sleeping mat. “Miss Julia, I had an accident!” Charlotte confessed. “Is this strike three?” Miss Julia smiled and shook her head. “Why of course not, Charlotte! Your potty-training progress here is only tracked when you are awake. Do not fret, Charlotte. You are still on your second strike. Also, we have a snack for you on the table once I change you into a new Pull-Up and your other clothes. Let’s get you changed, okay?” Miss Julia took Charlotte to the bathroom, where she changed her out of her soggy Pull-Up and into her last Pull-Up that her mother packed. With her pink Bluey dress back on, they left the bathroom. Charlotte discovered that the snack was a small pile of trail mix sitting on a paper towel next to a Dixie cup that was filled with water. The trail mix had peanuts, raisins, cranberries, and chocolate chips. ‘Yum! I LOVE chocolate chips!’ Charlotte ate all the chocolate chips first and the rest of the trail mix last. After Charlotte ate her snack, she gulped down the Dixie cup of water and asked for a refill. Miss Amy refilled Charlotte’s Dixie cup with water and handed it back to Charlotte, who gulped down the water quickly. Charlotte then found Heather building a toy city with Paige and Jodie, with Tiffany just sitting and watching. Diana ran by the city, pretending to be a monster that was going to knock it down, but Heather and Paige stopped her. “No!” Paige shouted. “Don’t wreck our city!” “But I wanna be monster!” Diana whined. Heather pointed to a haphazardly assembled arrangement of Lego Duplo bricks that were sitting a short distance away. “How about you wreck that Lego city over there? It’s just a bunch of blocks all stuck together.” Diana smiled as she spread her shoulders outward. “I go wreck Lego city!” With that, she stomped over to her sloppy construction and began to break apart the Lego Duplo bricks in a chaotic manner. “RAWWWWWR!!!!” Charlotte was just about to get into the continued construction of Heather’s, Paige’s, and Jodie’s make-believe city when she heard Miss Julia begin to sing again. “Already?” Charlotte said with a sigh. Heather nodded. “You were the last to get up from your nap, Charlotte! You’re such a sleepyhead! We’ve actually been playing for a while!” “We were the first to get up from our naps.” Paige added. Miss Julia sighed and repeated her song to the tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It”, since she detected that most of the kids were not paying attention: It’s time to gather round and have some fun, it’s music time So put your toys away and gather round, it’s music time So it’s time to have some fun, and sing a fun tune one by one It’s time to gather round and have some fun, it’s music time Charlotte and the entire preschool class were now gathered on the floor in a circle, with Miss Julia sitting in the center. Over the next half hour, Miss Julia taught the class “Head & Shoulders, Knees & Toes”, pointing to each respective part of the body as she sang. She invited the class to follow her lead, as they all sang the song, pointing to their heads, shoulders, knees, and toes. Miss Julia then briefly taught the class about each body part they sang about and stressed how each person had a different head, shoulder, knee, or toe. Following that, there was more playground time outside, only it was for half an hour instead of 45 minutes. When all the kids came in, Miss Julia and the other teachers assisted the kids in taking them to the bathroom if they needed to go. Charlotte didn’t need to go so they didn’t take her. When the last kid finished using the bathroom, Miss Julia sang the “Circle Time” song one more time, which quickly brought all the kids to the carpeted circle in the far side of the room. “Class,” Miss Julia said with a smile. “To finish our day, let’s all pretend that we’re taking a field trip to the zoo. But there’s only one problem. I need some animals! Do I have any animals at the zoo?” Diana was the very first to volunteer so she ran up to Miss Julia on all fours. “MEOW!!!!” Diana shouted in a high-pitched voice. She then sat down on the floor, purring and licking one of the sleeves on her dress. Heather quickly joined Diana, making short hops and holding her hand near her mouth, biting into the air. “What animal is Heather?” Miss Julia asked the class. “A rabbit!” A brown-haired boy with a striped polo shirt shouted. The boy then walked on all fours and ran towards Heather and Diana. “Arf! Arf! Arf! Arf!” “A doggy!” Tiffany shouted. She then crouched down and leapt before crouching down again. “Ribbit! Ribbit!” Charlotte couldn’t think of what animal she wanted to be, but she did hear a gurgling sound in her abdomen. After that, she gasped. ‘Oh no! I really have to poop!’ The gurgling sound became louder as she began to feel a strong bowel movement. The preschoolers continued to assume different animals, with another girl acting like a monkey, another boy acting like a snake, and yet another boy joining Diana as a second cat. Charlotte was now at the point of no return. If she moved a single inch, all the floodgates would open. Jodie began “tweeting” and flapped her arms, joining the “zoo” as a bird. Paige made a neighing sound and trotted to the “zoo” on all fours, joining them as a horse. Pretty soon, Charlotte was last, and she still didn’t know what animal she wanted to be. Miss Julia frowned. “Well Charlotte? What animal are you? You usually love this game!” Charlotte sighed, her mind in a panic to pick an animal to join Miss Julia’s “zoo”. ‘It’s gotta be something really fast.’ Then it hit Charlotte. ‘Wait! Aren’t cheetahs really fast?’ Charlotte got down on all fours and made what she believed to be her very best cheetah impression: “RRRRRRRREEEEEEORRRREAAHHOOORR!!!!” She pressed her two hands against the floor before pressing her two feet against it as fast as she could. But there was only one problem. During Charlotte’s first cheetah stride, her push forward ended up pushing a large log of poop out and it began to pile down to the bottom of her Pull-Up. Each additional push forward pushed additional logs of poop out until the warm and sticky mass was piled almost to the top. As Charlotte stopped, she was suddenly hit with a strong urge to pee. And with her needing to push herself one more stride forward, she did so, which resulted in a torrent of pee flooding into her soiled Pull-Up. “What animal are you, Charlotte?” Miss Julia asked her. “It sounded like a cat.” That question was all it took for Charlotte to realize what she just did. Not only did she completely soil her Pull-Up, but she flooded it as well. And now, she was about to flood her face with tears. “I’m a cheetah!” She cried as she stood there still on all fours, in complete embarrassment. Miss Julia gasped. “What’s wrong, Charlotte?” With Charlotte just a short distance away from her, it didn’t take her long to smell what was wrong. “Oh my! Miss Amanda, we have an emergency. Can you go and take Charlotte to get her cleaned up and changed?” Miss Amanda dutifully nodded and gave Miss Julia a curious glance. “Does she have any more Pull-Ups?” Miss Julia sadly shook her head. “No, she doesn’t. You’ll have to get one from daycare. Charlotte wears a 2T-3T. Please take care of it quickly.” Miss Amanda hurried to where the daycare area started and spoke to one of the women on that side, pointing to Charlotte in the process. The woman nodded and opened a drawer, which contained sacks full of Pull-Ups that were in Charlotte’s size. She handed one to Miss Amanda, who hurried with Charlotte to the bathroom. It took Miss Amanda more than ten minutes to wipe Charlotte clean before cleaning her up with baby wipes. The soiled Pull-Up was in the trash and Charlotte quietly wept while Miss Amanda cleaned her up. Finally, Charlotte glanced at Miss Amanda with a hopeful expression on her face. “So,” Charlotte said, still sobbing. Do I have any more strikes left?” Miss Amanda shook her head. “Charlotte, I’m sorry. You pooped in a Pull-Up, and it was almost leaking. We’re going to have to move you back to ‘first steps’.” That did it. Charlotte’s face reddened as new tears began to flow down her eyes. “NO MISS AMANDA! GIVE ME ANOTHER CHANCE!” Miss Amanda did her best to maintain her cheerful demeanor. “I’m very sorry, Charlotte. Just keep using the potty and you’ll get back to ‘moving forward’. Okay? Just know that we will need your mommy’s approval to move back to that rank. Okay Charlotte? I’m sorry…” Sorry wasn’t going to fix anything for Charlotte. From what just happened, Charlotte was demoted on the potty-training chart. “First Steps” was just one rank above “Not Ready”, where Heather still remained. Miss Amanda kept trying to console a whining Charlotte, while she put a fresh new Pull-Up on her. Upon opening the door, Darcy was standing there, with a worried and concerned look on her face. Charlotte instinctually leapt into her mother’s arms and continued sobbing. “Mommy! Mommy!” Darcy patted Charlotte on the back, trying to console her crying daughter. “Oh sweetheart. Miss Julia told me everything about your day. Especially what just happened. Charlotte? Charlotte? Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! Shhhh!!! There there, sweetie. It will be okay. Charlotte was carried out of Little Lilacs Preschool and Daycare by her mother, who knew that she had to go back in to get Charlotte’s mint green backpack. As she was being buckled into her carseat, her mother smiled, trying to cheer Charlotte up. “I know that they moved you down on the potty-training chart, honey.” Darcy said, trying to keep her tone calm and soothing. “Charliecakes, I know how much that chart means to you and how some of your friends are a lot higher on it. You know what, Charlotte? If it takes you more time to master the potty, I wouldn’t worry about it. How about this, Charlotte? We are about to go to a Dashing Ducklings meeting! You love to run! Won’t that be fun? Now mommy’s going to go back and get your backpack. I’ll only be a minute, okay?” Charlotte watched her mother hurry out of the 4Runner and rush back into the preschool to retrieve her mint green backpack. She glanced at the pink heart-shaped backpack and sighed. ‘Maybe a little running will take my mind off this miserable day.’ Charlotte continued thinking, determined to try to keep her mind in a positive light. ‘And I may not be on the chart where Heather is. I’m wearing a Pull-Up so I will keep trying. She glanced at her small and stubby arms and legs. ‘I’m a big girl,’ Charlotte thought. ‘Bigger than Heather since she’s still in diapers! Yeah.’ “I’m a big gul!” Charlotte shouted out loud. She then frowned when she realized her poor pronunciation of the word “girl”. ‘Nuts! It always sounds perfect in my mind!’ Charlotte once again glanced at the pink heart-shaped backpack and smiled. ‘This is going to be fun. From what mom said, this is a running group, but for older toddlers! I’ll be the fastest one there!’ At that, Charlotte pressed her back against the soft plushness of the car seat with a smile. Charlotte looked forward to her meeting with the Dashing Ducklings. For Charlotte wasn’t going to just dash. She was going to run.