TheUnknownAuthor

This is a Rom-Com starring Jennifer Lawrence where she's hired by a 19 year old's parents to date him in order for him to come out of his shell before he heads off to college. When she first attempts to seduce him, he ends up getting so anxious that he breaks out in a rash all over his torso and as she's putting cream on his rash, they start talking about why he's so socially awkward and after he shares his story, she tells him about the time she went to a Halloween party as a baby when she was 21 and when she was about to hook up with her crush they both discovered she had diaper rash and they have a little exchange about it. Nothing Earth shattering, but interesting nonetheless.

I truly am history's greatest monster, huh? I'm honored to have been your first *official* follower, that means that I am in fact streets ahead when it comes to recognizing greatness! The pull to race to the finish line will always be there, but kudos to you for keeping the urge at bay, I know how hard it is, especially when you have something you're working on that you're proud of and enjoy working on, but I also know how bad it feels when you do rush and the finished product isn't true to your original vision, so hold on and be strong and you'll finish when you finish and everyone will shower you with praise, I'm positive of it. Thank you so much for the new chapter, it's a delight as always! Also, glad you're feeling recharged after your vacation, mind and body at peak for success and happiness and all of that.

I adore this story! It's not just that it's well written and clearly planned out, though that is a huge positive, but it's that it's paced so well that we, the audience, have our anticipation built to such heights that we're on pins and needles for what comes next. Speaking as someone that is absolutely guilty of doing it, racing to the point that we all know is coming to some degree because of the content of the story leaves a lot of the nuance you've got here by the wayside and makes for a less satisfying story. You're building such a compelling narrative that the journey is the hero, not the conclusion, and I really cannot emphasize how wonderful a job you're doing. I hope all is well with you and that you know that eagerness from invested readers is in no way an indication of impatience with you or the length of time between installments of your story. You truly have a great talent and I am very excited to see not only what more you have in store here but in future stories you write.

You're quite welcome! To answer your question, it's very common to feel sad that your story is ending IF you're enjoying writing it or your characters or setting or whatever else, trust me I've had stories I couldn't wait to finish working on for various reasons but I've also had stories that I've looked back at numerous times and thought about ways to revisit/continue them because I liked them so much, so it really just depends on whether it's working for you as the author. No matter what you feel towards your own work, your feelings are valid and there is no reason to think they are anything bu positive to be experiencing.

@OlympiczeroI've been trying to come up with the right words to put here to accomplish two things, the first is to adequately convey just how impressive the work you've done with this story is and the second is to not embarrass myself by fangirling all over you for entire paragraphs in the process, it's gonna be tough, not gonna lie. To preface all of this, I am not, historically speaking, the biggest fan of physical regression stories, but you’ve lovingly crafted a story that is so charming and compelling that I genuinely find myself excited to see a new chapter because of how well you've managed to draw things out to the point where my expectations are continually subverted without ever feeling forced or frustrating, which is very easy to have happen when a story goes on long enough. Your incorporation of magic/paranormal elements as the catalyst for the events of the story in a way that feels grounded and believable is, I think, the most impressive thing here, because it's very easy to have things become bombastic because magic and yet you keep things centered and realistic and I absolutely adore it and wish I had the ability to keep such discipline and focus in my own writing. The only problem I have is that I know this story will end at some point and despite it being one of the best and most satisfying reads on this board in a while, I will somehow still feel like I didn't get enough. Fantastic work all around, thank you for all your hard work and for sharing your talent with us.

So, this is possibly....probably, the last thing I'll be writing. Life has gotten to be a little too much to afford me free time and thought to be creative and I feel like it's probably a sign that I need to hang up my...laptop I guess. Anyway, should this be the last thing I contribute, I apologize it wasn't a better piece, but hopefully someone will enjoy it. Thank you to anyone and everyone that's read my work over the years, thank you to those that shared their like of my work and thank you for those that shared their dislike of my work, all feedback is useful if presented in a constructive way, it's just how you choose to interpret it that counts. To anyone just starting out as a writer, keep trying. Even if something you write gets no feedback, write for yourself, if you have something interesting to say, your audience will find you. Don't be afraid to be weird and push concepts, if it's something that sparks creativity in you, it's great even if it's crap. You will write bad stories and people may tear them apart, though by and large people here are very helpful and encouraging, but for every bad story you write you have an opportunity to add to your writer's toolbox and become better than you were when you wrote that stinker. I'm not a great writer and I've started more stories than I've finished in my time, but I've written a number of things that I'm very proud of and I'm happy that I pursued this path. Goodbye and good luck, everyone. ❤️ With A Little Help From My Friend By: The Unknown Author Misty was a sweet girl, sweet enough to make every attempt to make a woman fifteen years her senior feel welcome at her new job, include her in conversations and the like. At almost forty, I’d all but given up trying to understand the younger generation, their way of speaking may as well have been a foreign language half the time, their struggles were ones that I’d long since overcome, and finding common ground was often an exercise in me feeling too old to live and them seeming like children to me, but, as I said, Misty was a sweet girl and I found myself looking forward to being around her. “Yeah, my daughter loves it!” Gina, another early twenties member of the team said as I entered the break room. Misty nodded, “It’s amazing!” she chirped happily. I smiled at them both as I crossed the room to fill my coffee cup. “Have you seen Greeny?” Misty asked. I shook my head, “What’s that?” I asked, completely oblivious to what she was referring to. “It’s this cartoon about a green cat named Greeny and her family.” Gina piped up, “My daughter loves it.” she repeated. I looked at Misty, she was twenty three, chubby and short and had such a bubbly personality that I couldn’t help but smile whenever I saw her smile, and she was smiling the happiest smile I’d ever seen her have in my short time knowing her. “Isn’t your daughter like three?” I asked Gina. The Latina mother nodded, “Almost four.” she said. I filled my cup and went to the empty chair at the table and pulled it out, taking a sip of my coffee as I sat down, “So, it’s a baby show?” I asked. Misty’s smile turned into what can only be described as a pout, her chubby cheeks flushing as she looked down at her hands in her lap, “It’s not only for babies.” she mumbled. I felt immediate regret at my choice of words, “Hey,” I said, “I’m an old lady, what do I know?!” I joked, trying to bring Misty back to her usual happy self. The blonde shrugged slightly but remained quiet. I sighed softly, “Why don’t I watch it this weekend and give you a full report about it afterward?” I offered. She looked up at me like I’d just unloaded a truck full of Christmas presents in front of her, “You could come to my place and watch it.” she offered. A genuine invite to a personal get together was rare, to date all I’d gotten was offers to meet with groups of coworkers at a bar or restaurant after work, “Okay, should I bring anything?” I asked. Misty shook her head vehemently, “Just yourself and an appetite!” she chirped excitedly. The conversation moved on from there to actors and musicians I didn’t know and shows I hadn’t watched and I faded back into the scenery before ultimately leaving, wondering if going to Misty’s place was such a good idea after all. ********** I’d ignored Misty’s declination and brought a small cake, thinking that dessert would be a fairly safe thing that no one could be upset if it appeared unexpectedly and parked beneath the metal canopy at the apartments Misty lived in. The weather had turned warmer but hadn’t gotten warm enough just yet, so I’d topped the light dress I’d worn with a light sweater, the cream of the sweater complimenting the purple of the dress. I armed my car’s alarm and followed the walkways and signs to a set of stairs and found the number she’d given me on the door behind the top of the stairs, tucked away in the corner. “You came!” she practically squealed when she opened the door after I’d knocked on it, “And you brought cake!” she added, holding out her hands to receive the plastic container. I handed the cake to her and crossed the threshold once she stepped aside and closed the door behind me. “Take a seat anywhere you want, I’m just putting our snacks into the oven.” she said as she hurried to the kitchen and put the cake into the fridge. I hadn’t had high hopes for the young girl being neat and tidy, and she certainly didn’t disappoint. The couch was a rumpled mess, the carpet had stains of various sizes and colors around the couch and near the kitchen and there were what can only be described as toys all over the floor and small table near the bar of the kitchen. Not wanting to be an overbearing nag, I moved to the bar and set my purse down as I sat on one of the bar stools. “Sorry about the mess, I’m so tired after work that I didn’t have a chance to get around to cleaning up.” she apologized as she read the instructions on a box on the counter. I shrugged despite her not looking at me, “I was your age once, I know how much of a bummer cleaning is when all you want to do is party.” I said with a warm smile. She looked up from the box and returned my smile, “You’re way cooler than you should be.” she said. I chuckled, “Thank you?” I said, turning it into a question. Her cheeks flushed, “I mean, most people your age get all parental with people my age, and you don’t.” she explained. “Not a parent.” I said, “Never married and never had kids.” I added. She dumped the box of chicken nuggets onto a well used baking sheet and stuck it in the oven before setting a timer on her phone, “Did you ever want those things?” she asked. I shook my head, “I always thought of myself as a free spirit.” I said, “I was happiest being able to go anywhere and do anything, or anyone.” I joked, delighting in her giggle and smile, “Being tied to a family like that wasn’t something that ever seemed right.” I added. She nodded softly, “Drink?” she asked after a moment. “Whatchya got?” I asked. She went to the fridge and opened the fridge and freezer doors, “Milk, apple juice, cranberry juice, Vodka.” she recited. I looked at my watch, “It’s a little early for the hard stuff, any water?” I asked. She nodded and grabbed a bottle from the door and set it on the bar in front of me, “I’m glad you came over.” she said. I smiled and sipped the water, “Are you?” I asked. She nodded, “Gina never comes over because of her kid.” she said with a glumness in her tone. I looked around, “With all the toys, she’d probably have a blast.” I teased. Her cheeks pinked, “It’s not that bad, is it?” she asked, standing on her tiptoes to look beyond the bar to the living room. “I guess you’re lucky I don’t have that mom energy, otherwise I’d have you pick up, young lady.” I joked before taking a sip of my water. Her blush deepened, “I’m sorry.” she said quietly, avoiding my gaze. I sighed softly, “Hey, it was just a joke, Misty, relax.” I said. She hazarded a glance up to my eyes, “You’re not mad?” she asked. “Because you didn’t clean up for my benefit?” I asked, “It’s your house, Misty, you can keep it however you like.” I said. Her smile returned and she checked her phone, “Wanna watch a Greeny before the nugs are done?” she asked eagerly. I smiled at her and nodded. She scurried to the couch and flopped down, looking over at me expectantly before patting the cushion beside her. I got up and joined her on the couch as she turned on the TV and navigated through the list of apps and streaming services, landing on one of the many geared toward preschoolers and toddlers. “Someone likes her cartoons.” I mused. She giggled and nodded, “They’re such a simple thing but they make me happy.” she said with a playful shrug, “Same with the toys.” she added. The show was indeed for babies, I learned that in about two and a half seconds of the nine minute runtime of the episode she chose, but my lack of interest in the program and her enthrallment with it allowed me to watch her without her noticing, and a funny thing happened as I watched her. When I met Misty I found her to be a sweet girl, as I said, but she didn’t seem like she belonged in an office, she was giggly and fun and silly and seemed more like an escapee from the office daycare center than a worker, minus her adult proportions. Watching her watching the cartoon allowed me to see much more of that, her eyes transfixed on the colorful images, rarely blinking as she giggled at the jokes and antics of the characters. I felt less like I’d come over to hang out with a coworker and more like a babysitter waiting for my charge’s parents to return, but not at all in a bad way. “Wasn’t that silly?!” she chirped, looking at me eagerly for a response. I looked into her eyes and knew that, at least some part of me, loved this girl, or was at least fascinated by her in a way that wasn’t strictly friendly. I nodded and reached up and stroked her hair, “It was.” I said with a warm smile. Her eyes scanned my own for a moment before she blushed and looked away, “Don’t look at me like that.” she said softly. I pulled my hand down to my lap, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-” I started to say before she interrupted. “You can’t look at me like that because it makes me think things that aren’t true.” she said, looking up at me, her eyes as pink as her cheeks. I stared, mouth agape, “What do you think isn’t true?” I asked. She wiped her eyes, “That you like me.” she said softly. My face softened, “But I do like you.” I said, hesitantly putting my hand on her shoulder. She sniffled, “I mean like like me.” she clarified, sounding every bit as young as she’d seemed while watching her cartoon. I swallowed, “What if I did?” I asked, my hand gently caressing her shoulder. She looked at me again, her eyes searching mine, “Do you?” she asked. Her vulnerability caught me off guard and I impulsively closed the distance between us and kissed her lips, keeping my urges as in control as possible and keeping my tongue in my own mouth, but I tasted her in that kiss, a sweet almost candy like flavor from her lip gloss, the faded mint of her toothpaste, the tart of the cranberry juice she’d drank, I kissed her and she kissed me back and when our eyes opened she giggled nervously. “I liked that.” she said simply. I smiled and stroked her chubby cheek as the timer on her phone went off signaling our nuggets were done cooking, “After lunch maybe we can see if there’s anything else you might like.” I said lustily, surprising myself at how aroused I was. She nodded and scurried off to the kitchen to get our food, returning a short time later with two plates of nuggets and a bottle of ketchup under her arm. I took my plate and the offered ketchup and sensibly squirted a little mound of the dipping sauce onto my plate before handing the bottle back to her, watching as she drowned her nuggets in the sauce, giggling and blushing when the bottle made gurgling fart sounds as she squeezed it. Watching her eat reinforced my earlier feeling of babysitting, her fingers slathered with ketchup, little drips of it on her chin, the couch, her shirt, all while she regaled me with synopses of her favorite Greeny episodes of all time, giggling as she repeated the jokes and described the silliness. “Such a messy eater.” I gently chided as she finished her last nugget. She flushed, “I’m not great at multitasking.” she admitted. I nodded and popped my last nugget into my mouth, feeling somehow superior to her with my cleanliness. I didn’t think I was superior to her, but there was something there that served as a divide between us, our age difference seemed to have grown for one, and something inside me felt compelled to explore that, to test it to find how great it had actually become. I took her plate and mine and headed to the kitchen, getting a paper towel and wetting it before returning to find her sucking ketchup from her fingers, “Here, let me help.” I said softly as I knelt down beside her and gently took her hand from her face to wipe it clean, performing the same task with her other hand and then her face, delighting in the blush her cheeks became painted with. “Thank you.” she said quietly. I gave her an affirmative nod before looking at the little red dots on her shirt, “Arms up.” I said as I reached for the bottom of her shirt and began lifting it, exposing the pale flesh of her chubby tummy. She raised her arms slowly but complied nevertheless and in one quick motion her shirt was in my hands as she put her arms down slowly, her hands fidgeting in her lap. “Where’s the bathroom?” I asked. She turned and scooted off the couch and went around me and it to lead the way. The bathroom was in worse shape than the living room, toothpaste in the sink, the tube open and leaking on the rim of the sink, bras hung on the shower bar, the bath mat and towels on the floor near the shower. The smell of urine hung on the air as we entered and I moved to the sink to soak her shirt, and another surge of that superiority washed over me, “Look at this place.” I chided, slightly less gently than I had with the living room, “Someone needs a lesson in cleaning if she wants me to come back in the future.” I said, not exactly warning or threatening but playing into the role I felt I’d been cast into for this particular afternoon. She stood a few feet away, almost in the doorway to the bathroom, her hands clasped in front of her and her eyes cast down to the floor as she nodded her understanding. I cleaned the sink enough to feel good about leaving her shirt to soak in it and turned my attention back to her, “Well, I think I’ve seen everything but the bedroom, so let’s go see how messy that is.” I said, smiling as she turned on a dime and hurried to the closed door behind her and hesitantly gripped the knob before opening the door and stepping aside for me to enter first. The urine smell from the bathroom persisted, making my nose wrinkle involuntarily as I searched the wall with my hand for the light switch, the Greeny nightlight below giving off just enough light for me to know I was going to be chastising her once more. Clothes littered the carpet across the room and around the bed, the bedding twisted and wrinkled as though she’d tried and failed to wrap herself in all of it at once and just left it. Various beauty supplies sat haphazardly on the dresser, some still open from the last time she’d used them. “I’m sorry.” she said in a quiet, defeated tone from the doorway, sensing my disappointment. I turned and approached her, feeling our height difference as I lifted her chin and smiled down at her, the foot gap in our height seeming so much greater as she stood half dressed and ashamed before me, “Are you going to clean everything up for me and have it nice and tidy for next time?” I asked. She looked up at me and nodded, “Yes, Ma’am.” she said. A pleasant tingle ran up my spine when she addressed me as an authority figure and I kissed her lips once more before I stroked her cheek and nodded, “I’ll come over the same time next week.” I told her, “If you tidy up like a good girl, you’ll get a special treat.” I said, “But if you don’t tidy up…” I intentionally didn’t finish the statement, leaving her mind to fill in whatever blank she could come up with as I moved past her back to the living room and retrieved my purse. “You’re leaving already?” she asked, her voice thin and on the verge of being whiny with disappointment. I nodded, “You have a lot of work to do and I’d just distract you.” I said with a knowing smile, “Clean things up and maybe I’ll stay longer next time.” I said as I turned to the door, “Maybe I’ll even sleep over.” I added as I let myself out and headed back to my car, intoxicated by the rush of power our little interaction left me with and eager to return the following week. ********** Misty gave no outward sign that anything had happened between us back at work, she was her usual self even when we were alone, and I started to worry that maybe I’d gone too far and she’d decided to cut her losses with me, but she never made an excuse to cancel our standing appointment, never told me not to show up, so I knocked on her door the following weekend with apprehension and uncertainty, half expecting her to be out and to go home disappointed. When the door opened I was taken aback as she launched herself toward me and threw her arms around me, her cheek pressed against my breasts as she squeezed me. “I’m so happy you came back!” she said. I smiled and hugged her back, “Well, I wanted to see your handiwork.” I said, falling back into the role I’d assumed. She let me go and hurried back inside, practically bouncing where she stood as she watched me cross the threshold. The toys were gone, the carpet was clean, the couch was arranged neatly, the kitchen appeared to be devoid of dishes and I was genuinely impressed, “Well, someone was a busy bee, wasn’t she?” I asked as I set my purse down on the bar. She nodded eagerly, “Yes, Ma’am.” she said politely. I smiled at her, “And the bathroom?” I asked. She hurried away toward the bathroom and I followed, delighting in the sight of her standing by the doorway waiting for me to inspect her work. The bathroom was immaculate, towels folded neatly, a clean smell filling my nostrils as I looked this way and that for signs of any of her previous infractions. “One more room.” I said. She crossed the hall and opened her bedroom door and moved aside for me to enter, clean laundry was neatly folded and on the shelf in her closet, the bed was made and the floor was devoid of any kind of garments or items. I turned to her and beamed proudly at her, “Looks like you did a lovely job, sweetie!” I praised, advancing on her and kissing her softly. She gave a little moan of pleasure as her tongue slipped into my mouth and darted back into hers as though she was afraid to show how eager she was for us to kiss more romantically. I stroked her cheek and smiled at her, “I’m very proud of you, Misty.” I told her. She blushed and beamed up at me proudly, “Thank you, Ma’am.” she said softly. Another pleasant tingle ran up my spine, “So polite and formal.” I mused, “You make it sound like I’m in charge of you.” I said, exploring the situation. She chewed her bottom lip, “You kinda are.” she admitted, “I mean, you told me to clean up and I did.” she said. I nodded, “But why did you do what I told you to do?” I asked. She looked away nervously, “Because I like you and want you to like me.” she managed to squeak out. I reached down and took her hand in mine and started walking into the bedroom, leading her to the bed, “I’d like to show you how much I like you.” I told her as I stood before her and gently pushed her down to sit on the bed. She watched with eager anticipation as I knelt down and untied her shoes and slipped them off, setting them aside neatly to maintain the integrity of the work she’d done for me, then I pulled her socks off and balled them up to sit them inside one of the shoes. “Arms up.” I commanded, smiling at her as she complied and allowed me to lift her shirt off which I folded neatly and set atop her shoes before I pushed her back gently and unbuttoned her jeans and shimmied them down her legs and off to fold them and place them on her shirt before I stood up and admired her. Her pale skin practically glowed in contrast to her powder blue bra and cute little matching panties, her stomach rose and fell lightly but quickly as she breathed in anticipation, the rolls of her chubbiness begged to be kissed and caressed, and I smiled down at her where she lay on the bed and perched above her, her eyes darting back and forth as she scanned mine for any sign of what I may be thinking. When I finally kissed her, her body shuddered beneath me as though she’d waited an eternity holding her breath for me to do so. Unlike our other kisses, this was the start of something different, something romantic, my tongue found hers and entwined with it, danced with it, beckoned it to join in a fusion of sorts and become one as I planned us to do. She moaned softly and writhed beneath me, her hands at her sides twitching softly as she fought her urge to use them on me. The feeling of power welled up inside me once more as I broke from our kiss and moved downward to kiss her neck and chest, “Should I take this off for you?” I asked, my finger hooking the center of her bra where the cups joined. She nodded softly, her eyes heavy with lust as she bit her lip once more, “Yes please, Ma’am.” she said sweetly. I backed up and pulled her to a seated position and unhooked her bra and pulled it away before I let her fall back down, her ample breast lolling to either side of her as the supple flesh spilled down like a pale waterfall. She was blushing again and I was recognizing that something far more potent than lust was forming in my heart, “You’re gorgeous.” I whispered. She shut her eyes and shook her head, “Nu.” she said, mispronouncing her protestation, “I’m fat.” she added. I smiled and leaned down to kiss her breasts, “Nothing wrong with fat.” I whispered, my tongue circling her areola as I held her breast in my hand and gently manipulated it. She shuddered and let out a whimpering moan. I kissed down her tummy, kissing across her rolls as I went until I reached her panties and found a dime sized damp patch waiting for me, the smell of her arousal pungent as I hovered above them, “Mm, someone’s very excited.” I mused. She nodded vigorously, “Yes, Ma’am.” she admitted. I took the waistband of her panties between my teeth and pulled them downward, delighted to see she was hairless, her womanly folds glistening for me. Making a show of it, I dragged the panties down with my teeth and tossed them aside with a flick of my head as I opened my mouth and returned to her eager lips, teasing them with my tongue as I took a taste of my prize. She squeaked and moved to close her thighs reflexively but caught herself and parted them once more for me, “You did a very good job cleaning up for me, Misty.” I praised, my breath against her sex making her quiver and shudder. “Thank you, Ma’am.” she whispered, “I wanted to be a good girl for you.” she added. I shuddered as the last piece of the puzzle I’d been struggling to put together since the previous week fell into place with her words, I wasn’t superior to her, I was merely older and more mature, an adult to her little girl in need of guidance and instruction, I found myself drawn to the notion in the fog of arousal, “Were you afraid I’d spank you?” I asked, licking her lightly from bottom to top of her tender folds. She squirmed and nodded, “Yes, Ma’am.” she shakily whispered. I licked little circles around her firm little nub, “What else were you afraid I’d do?” I asked. She bucked her hips beneath me and bit her lip to stifle a loud moan and shook her head, “Dun wanna say.” she weakly protested. I lifted my head, “Should I stop then?” I asked, knowing that it was almost impossible for me to keep myself from continuing. She whined, her breathing frantic in the face of losing her source of pleasure, “Bottom drawer.” she whimpered. I furrowed my brow and looked behind me to the dresser and crawled back and off the bed to kneel down and open the drawer, moving the items inside around before looking up at her, her eyes shut tight as she lay still on the bed. I left the drawer open, giving it another look as I returned to her, a calm washing over me as everything made sense in my mind, “That doesn’t look like a punishment drawer.” I told her as I slid my hands beneath her ample behind and gripped her firmly, “That looks like a secret side of you that I’m dying to explore.” I added. Her eyes opened and she looked down at me through her legs, her eyes scanning mine for signs of deceit, finding none, they began to glisten as tears welled up in her eyes. “Shh, don’t cry, baby.” I whispered as I lowered my head and went to work making things all better for her. *****One Month Later***** Greeny played on the TV as I stirred the pot on the stove, Misty’s giggles lilting in from the living room after cartoon sound effects played. Turning off the burner, I lifted the pot and dished out a portion of the shells and cheese into a bowl and opened the drawer to pull out a dish towel and another for a spoon before I headed into the living room and took a seat on the couch, “Lunch time, baby.” I said, pausing the cartoon and getting settled. She turned and beamed at me from her position on the floor and awkwardly got up, moving to all fours first and then raising her butt high in the air as she got to her feet and hurried to join me on the couch. I tucked the dish towel into the collar of her shirt and leaned in to kiss her lips softly before I raised the bowl up and got a spoonful for her and guided it into her mouth. “MMM!” she exclaimed as she ate the spoonful and eagerly opened her mouth for another. “Mommy’s a pretty good cook, huh?” I asked. She nodded vehemently, “Uh huh!” she chirped. Spoon after spoon I fed her until the bowl was empty and wiped her cheesy lips with the dish towel before heading to the kitchen to rinse the dish and put the remaining shells and cheese into a container I put into the fridge, grabbing the second part of her lunch and putting it in the microwave, stealing a glance over the bar at her as I waited, admiring my handiwork of doing her blonde hair into pigtails with some ribbon I’d brought over. As the microwave beeped I heard her rustling her way to me and smiled as she hugged me from behind. I patted her hand and stroked it softly, “Don’t think that being a little sweetheart is going to earn you more TV and playtime, baby.” I said, slipping from her grasp with ease and turning to face her, “You’ve got a date with a warm bottle of milk and a story before we get you settled in for a much needed nap.” I told her, taking her hand and leading her to the bedroom. After our romantic encounter a month earlier, we lay together in the bed and she opened up to me completely about the contents of the bottom drawer of her dresser and I listened and held her and assured her that none of what she shared with me was wrong or bad and that I wasn’t disgusted by her and after thanking her for trusting me with her secret, I got up and got her dressed for bed and she fell asleep in my arms. A month later and we’d fallen into a routine. I’d come over bright and early Saturday morning and kiss her grumpy face as she hid behind the door and let me in, I’d ask her how she’d slept as I felt her overnight diaper and led her to the bathroom to get her a nice bath before I dressed her for the day. We’d gone out together in that time, day trips mostly, the kind of thing that allowed her to feel a little less exposed with a diaper on under her clothes and no chance of anyone we knew seeing her, but we’d also spent a fair amount of time living a domestic fantasy, her playing on the floor watching cartoons while I busied myself with one thing or another, usually saving sex for right before bed. I got settled on the bed, the crinkling of the waterproof sheet making me smile and her blush before she snuggled up beside me, head resting on my arm as she looked up at me and took the nipple of her bottle into her mouth and closed her eyes. “Mommy’s got an extra special story for her baby today.” I told her. “Once upon a time, there was a beautiful woman that never wanted to be married or have babies.” I said. Her eyes lazily opened as she nursed the bottle and then closed again a moment later. “That was, until she met an adorable and beautiful little girl that made her realize she’d been so silly and foolish for wanting to spend her life alone.” I continued, “The little girl was a perfect baby but sized like a grownup, she had the most pinchable, kissable cheeks,” I raised her head and kissed and pinched her cheek, getting a wet giggle that sent dribbles of milk down her chin, “and precious rolls of baby fat that the woman loved to kiss and tickle,” I said, reaching down and lifting her shirt to expose her tummy so I could tickle it, producing another giggle and more milky dribbles, “and she even wore diapers and spent her days crawling and toddling around in them and doing all her potties in them like a good baby should.” I said, reaching down and caressing the swollen front of her soaked diaper, her hips pressing into my hand lightly and a disappointed whine coming between sucks when I pulled my hand away. “The woman fell in love with the little girl, both when she wasn’t a baby and when she was and found herself feeling an unfamiliar fullness in her heart that she realized was what she’d been missing all along.” I told her. The bottle was nearly empty when she opened her eyes again and let me pull the nipple from her mouth, “I like that story a lot.” she said before a yawn overtook her. I smiled at her and kissed her softly on the lips, “It’s my favorite story.” I whispered. She sighed contentedly and hugged me, “I love you, Mommy.” she sleepily declared. I hugged her back and rocked our bodies together, “I love you too, baby girl.” I told her. I spent too long thinking that having a committed relationship and a little one dependent on me were a bad thing, or that they were separate beings, turns out, having both in one person was the key. Was I excited to change her messy diapers? No, but knowing that she’d made them as a demonstration of her trust in me made it easier to stomach. Was it hard knowing that our age difference meant we’d have far less time together than we would if I were her age? Absolutely, but if I were her age I wouldn’t be what she was looking for or needed in her life and she wouldn’t be those things for me. After a dry diaper and some rocking and snuggling, she was out like a light in my arms and as I yawned and closed my eyes, I was happy that I’d had my outlook changed with a little help from my friend. The End

In another story perhaps... Chapter 9 “In other news, State Senator Marvin Jenkins will meet with Governor Mayhew to discuss a broad range of topics, but the focus of their meeting is expected to be Proposition Four, which is touted to not only combat the city’s gang related problems, but also provide much needed assistance for those families that have been affected by the drug Talc, which has become a significant issue in recent months.” the news anchor reported. “Shh!” she hissed quietly, finger to her lips as she looked at the TV in the living room sternly, looking over her shoulder at Marcus sleeping on the couch. There had been a time, not long ago, that Kiesha, Marcus’ younger sister, had been on track to get out of the city and do something great with her life. Colleges wanted her, numerous scholarships had arrived in the mail and she and her family were thrilled that her hard work had finally bore fruit, so she decided to put off making a decision for a night and go out to celebrate with her friends. She’d met a guy at the bar and missed him spiking her drink with Talc, and ended up left in the alley behind the club half naked and mentally regressed, wailing like an infant as she shivered on the cold wet asphalt. Keisha never did accept one of her scholarship offers, her ability to read the letters was nearly eradicated, and unless the university accepted correspondences written in crayon with drool or food spots on them, she’d never write a response to them. The man that had spiked her drink had done so with pure Talc, not the same form that was so prevalent today, “stepped on” to give a euphoric high of babyish bliss with side effects only persisting with prolonged exposure. Her mind and body had been destroyed in one night and only now was she beginning to show signs of being able to relearn things she’d already mastered once before. “What are you doing up, little one?” Marcus groaned, his voice thick with sleep and a hangover. Keisha turned and crawled to him, “I wanted to watch cartoons but the poopy news is on.” she told him, “I didn’t mean to wake you up.” she said timidly, pouting as she cast her gaze down on the carpet. He summoned the energy to sit himself up, putting his head against the wall to anchor it as the room spun, “Gimme a second, I’ll get you set up.” he told her. Crawling had come first for her, her coordination returning slowly to allow her, like a real baby, to roll over on her own and then elevate herself onto all fours and eventually propel herself around, and shaky walking came after that, using furniture or someone’s hand for stability. At this point in her rehabilitation process, she was mentally and emotionally on the level of a three or four year old most of the time but with increasingly more frequent moments of her true age flitting in and out, which caused her the most frustration and pain when she fully grasped all that she’d lost. Marcus pulled her up from the floor in front of him and onto his lap, gently taking the remote from her and flipping to the cartoons she wanted before setting the remote aside and holding her, rocking her body with his own, “Sleep good?” he asked. She nodded absently, her eyes glued to the cartoons. He smiled groggily, “I rented out your room to a family of spiders.” he said, testing to see if she was listening. Her thumb had slipped into her mouth as she nodded a little slower. “Big ones, with sharp fangs and an appetite for soggy bottoms.” he continued, checking her sodden diaper with his fingers. He wasn’t anywhere near awake enough to carry her to the changing table and get her cleaned up and dressed for the day, but the dim light outside let him know that it was still too early for that to be an issue, so he just lay her back against his chest and kissed her cheek from behind as he cuddled her and eventually fell back to sleep. ********** The baby monitor beside the bed crackled to life with Marisol’s cries, rousing both Rosario and David from their peaceful slumber. Rosario looked at the clock and groaned as her husband’s hand found her shoulder in the dark. “I’ll go, you sleep.” he told her, kissing her shoulder once he moved his hand away. Despite being half asleep, Rosario was still stunned that her husband even woke up to their daughter’s cries, let alone was willingly getting up to deal with whatever was wrong, “She probably just needs a change.” she sleepily mumbled. David Briggs rose from the bed and pulled his sweat pants up, tying them tight around his waist before rubbing the sleep from his eyes and slipping his house shoes on to head to the bedroom door and down the hall to the nursery. Marisol was kneeling at the side of the crib bawling when he entered, the nightlight by the door giving him a clear path to his daughter. “Hey, what’s all this about, baby?” he asked her quietly as he approached the crib and gently stroked her hair. Marisol sniffled and gurgled an unintelligible reply as the side of the crib was lowered and she was lifted out to clutch to her father’s bare chest as her legs wrapped around his waist. David grunted as he shifted his daughter to a more comfortable position and recovered the dangling pacifier that was clipped to her pajamas, inserting it into her mouth to quiet her as he moved to the rocking chair in the corner and sat down with her on his lap, smiling as she rested her head on his shoulder as she noisily sucked her pacifier. He kept an eye on ‘Berto, not wanting the boy to wake and try and crawl out of the crib and get hurt, but the mound of covers where he was still sleeping hadn’t stirred yet as far as he could tell. “What’s wrong, baby girl?” he asked his daughter as he began to rock the chair softly with his body. Marisol was quieting down, her sniffles and whimpers barely audible now. He sighed, “You know,” he said as he rubbed her arm softly, “I fought your mother about all of this.” he told her, “Your brother never was going to make anything of himself, we both knew that, and much as I’d prefer not having to wipe his butt and nose until the end of time, it’s not much of a difference from how he was before.” he explained, noting that Marisol’s eyelids were looking heavy and her breathing had slowed signaling that she’d be back to sleep sooner than later. “You on the other hand,” he said with a pang of sadness, “you were on your way to greatness.” he told her, “Maybe you’ll recover and pick up where you left off, baby, but at least you’ll be alive to have a chance to do so because of what we did.” he explained. She was asleep again, her pacifier moving rhythmically as little snores came from her. He kissed her forehead, “I hope you can forgive us for taking so much from you, Mari.” he whispered as he hefted her back up and carried her back to the crib to lay her down and tuck her in beside her brother before putting the side of the crib back up and sneaking back out of the room and back to bed. Rosario stirred as he climbed back into bed and spooned her, his arm draping over her midsection, “She okay?” she dreamily asked. David kissed his wife’s bare back and nodded, “As okay as she can be.” he told her. With the rest of the family asleep and the house quiet once more, David lay with his wife and prayed that one day things would be back to normal for them all and added a prayer for the strength to deal with things if they didn’t. ********** “Bunnies or flowers?” Marcus asked his sister. Keisha lay on the changing table, her overnight diaper replaced with her training panties beneath her gray leggings, one leg crossed over the other as her brother held up her choice of socks for the day, cream colored with smiling bear heads or purple with yellow flowers adorning them. She drew out a prolonged ‘um’ and finally pointed to the purple socks. Marcus nodded and put the bear socks back in the drawer beneath wear she lay and slipped one sock on her dangling foot and did the same with the other once she switched her legs around. Helping her to sit up, he lifted her off the table and set her down before smoothing out her clothes and checking her hair one more time, “I think you’re all set!” he declared. She felt pretty standing in front of her big brother, happy that he’d let her pick out her clothes for the day as she admired her purple and black striped shirt that had a built in ring of frilly cloth around the waist so she almost had a tutu on. He’d gotten better at doing her hair too, the twin puffs bunched on either side of her head made her giggle as she looked at herself in the mirror after he’d done them for her, “Thank you, big brother.” she said sweetly, hugging him tightly. A shower, Tylenol, and coffee had all but eradicated his hangover, and he was firing on all cylinders as her guardian after waking on the couch to find her playing quietly in a dangerously close to leaking diaper that he apologized for leaving her in repeatedly as he gave her a bath after his shower, moving her and her toys to a towel on the bathroom floor to be sure the carpet stayed clean. Sunday used to be for church, but since their mother’s passing, Marcus hadn’t been inclined to devote time to anything more than honoring their mother’s memory and looking after Keisha. Sunday’s were now for Keisha to go to daycare while he ran errands for the week, and he felt bad for looking so forward to dropping her off, but after everything that had happened with Marisol, he wasn’t in the best headspace to give his sister the care and attention she needed. Catering to Talc users or addicts, the daycare center was set up for adults that functioned like babies or small children either while high or as a result of prolonged use of the drug and was currently part of the proposition on the ballot that would grant them federal funding rather than the donations they were currently running on and allow them to stay open and expand their operation to assist more people in need. Holding his sister’s hand, Marcus walked down the sidewalk with her the few blocks to the daycare center. “Miss Ariel said I could do finger paint today!” Keisha happily chirped. Marcus nodded, “Don’t forget to ask to go potty.” he reminded her, knowing the majority of her daytime accidents came when she was playing or otherwise engrossed. “I know!” she told him as though it was an outlandish thing to remind her of. He smiled, “Is Alex going to be there today?” he asked her. His sister shuffled her steps awkwardly and shrugged, “I dunno, why?” she asked. He parroted her shrug, “Well, I know how much you like her and-” he started to say. “I do not!” she snapped, grumping up at him, “She’s just real smart and funny and-” she trailed off. He stopped walking and knelt down in front of his sister, “And pretty.” he said. She chewed her bottom lip, “And pretty.” she agreed reluctantly. He’d been trying to encourage his sister to embrace her feelings in the hopes that it would aid her rehabilitation, and she’d made great strides, but she still didn’t quite grasp the concept of romantic feelings versus friendly feelings, and as surprised as he was that his sister seemed to have romantic feelings for another woman, he’d seen more of the old her since she’d met the girl at daycare. He rose and continued walking with her, “I’d just hate for you to have an accident in front of her and be embarrassed.” he said. She giggled, “Alex still wears diapers all the time.” she told him, “She’s not a big girl like me.” she said proudly. He squeezed her hand, “Well, maybe you can be a big helper and show her how to be a big girl like you.” he offered. The idea set her imagination alight as they walked and she swelled with pride and accomplishment at being such a big girl, forgetting that her pacifier and stuffed bunny lay in her princess backpack she toted with her along with a change of pants, two additional pairs of training pants and two diapers should the worst case scenario unfold during the day. ********** Rosario cleaned the kitchen after breakfast while David cleaned the kids, the floor beneath the highchairs sticky with syrupy crumbs of pancake as were the trays of the highchairs and the bibs left on them. The trip to the zoo had worn her completely out, the only saving grace being that Marisol, syncing up with her brother surprisingly fast, had messed her diaper shortly after ‘Berto, sending Rosario down the path to catch up to Scott and Robert as they headed to the bathrooms. She’d been in the process of getting the changing supplies set up when Scott had left the family stall with Robert beaming proudly and Scott praising him for being a big boy, and Scott had helped her out by lifting both her kids from the stroller one at a time and putting them back in once she’d changed them. Her husband had assured her that he’d never make her handle both of them together after she came home almost in tears she was so tired, and he’d lived up to his promise so far, getting up to deal with Marisol, feeding her while his wife fed ‘Berto, and offering to give them a bath once they were fed. “’Berto, sit still, buddy.” David chided his wiggly son as he tried to wash him. Marisol giggled from her place behind her brother in the tub, her hands gently rubbing her bare breasts. “Mari, no, baby.” David told her, pulling her hands away. He sighed wearily and stretched his back, remembering this chore being difficult enough when the kids were actual babies, but now that they were grown, it was nearly impossible to handle the two of them at the same time, something he felt he needed to apologize for putting on his wife’s shoulders again. Marisol’s giggles stopped abruptly, “Papi?” she asked, clearly and coherently. David’s attention turned to her and he saw the understanding in her eyes mixed with the worry on her face, “Mari, baby, it’s okay.” he said softly, “Just breathe, this will pass.” he reassured her. She looked around, unsure how she’d ended up in the tub with her brother being bathed by her father, but she didn’t have long to think about it as her thoughts slipped away like the bubbles in the water popping and she was back to being a baby again, burbling happily as she smacked at the water and giggled. David breathed a sigh of relief and kissed her forehead. “Everything okay?” Rosario asked from behind him. He turned to look at her and nodded, “She had a moment of her old self.” he told her. Rosario hurried to the side of the tub, “What happened?” she asked, stroking her daughter’s hair. “She was looking around and clearly confused, but I saw her eyes, she was in there.” he explained. Rosario sighed, “Maybe we should give her another dose?” she suggested, sounding unsure. David shook his head, “I don’t want to kill that part of her.” he said, “I just worry that she’ll hurt herself if she comes back and tries to run or something.” he explained. Rosario nodded, “Should I see if M-A-R-C-U-S would come visit?” she asked. Another head shake, “That could make it worse.” he said, “We’ll watch them together and keep an eye out for any signs that she’s coming back.” he explained. The water bubbled as ‘Berto farted and both kids giggled. “Or we could get a couple of nanny’s with the money they gave us.” she offered. David rolled his eyes, “That money is for after all of this is done.” he reminded her, “To undo all of this.” he added. “If we can.” she said grimly. He sighed, “If we can.” he agreed. ********** “Good morning, Keisha!” the heavyset woman running the counter at the daycare cooed when the pair entered. Keisha waved excitedly, “Good morning, Miss Ariel!” she chirped as Marcus helped her get her backpack and coat off. “Alex’s parents just dropped her off,” the woman explained as she took the bag and coat from Marcus and hung them on the cubby hook behind her with Keisha’s name written on a slip of paper in a placard, “would you like to be a big helper and see if she’s awake yet and give Miss Janine a hand with her?” she asked. Keisha nodded and turned to run into the daycare before stopping herself and throwing her arms around her brother’s waist, kissing his cheek when he knelt down to hug her back, and then ran off giggling happily. They watched her go, both smiling, but Miss Ariel’s smile faded when she turned back to Marcus, “This isn’t a hotel, Marcus.” she said sternly. He sighed, “I know, Ariel.” he said, “I’ve had a lot going on recently but everything has been settled and I’m going to be more present from now on.” he assured her. She folded her arms across her chest, “Show me, don’t tell me.” she said, “Your sister needs you to be there for her, to teach her and re-raise her, not spend the night here with me because you’re God knows where doing God knows what.” she continued. He nodded, “I know.” he agreed, “Believe me, it won’t happen again.” he said. She nodded, “If it does, I’ll have to report you, and they might take her away.” she warned. He gritted his teeth and forced a smile, “I appreciate your concern, Ariel.” he said politely. “Also,” she said as he turned to leave, “spend more time on her potty training,” she said, “I don’t know how successful she is at home, but here she’s getting really close to us having to insist she go back to diapers when she’s here.” she explained. Another heavy sigh, “Give her a break, Ariel, she’s been through a lot.” he said. Ariel’s expression changed immediately, her anger no longer contained, “And the other people here haven’t?!” she snapped, “Alex, the one she’s checking on right now, her parents are this close,” she said, holding her fingers up with barely any space between them, “to dumping her here permanently.” she said, “Howie’s wife is drawing up divorce papers and won’t let their kids see him any more,” she continued, “Sierra’s son died in a car accident last week and she’s so far gone she doesn’t even know she had a son.” she explained. “Your shit isn’t more important, Marcus, so don’t act like it is!” she snapped. He nodded, “I’m sorry, you’re right.” he said. “Be here to pick her up before five or I’m making that call.” she warned. “Yes, ma’am.” he said sincerely, “For what it’s worth, this place has saved our lives.” he said. She sighed, “Hopefully we can stay open and continue to help.” she said, looking past him at a heavyset man leading a younger woman in by the hand, “Good morning, Hannah!” she chirped to the sleepy looking young woman still in her pajamas, clutching a stuffed bear and suckling on a pacifier. Marcus moved aside and to the door, finding himself amazed despite all he’d seen and done recently at how commonplace all this Talc stuff seemed to be now, and then he thought about Marisol and pushed her from his mind as he stepped outside. “Vote ‘yes’ on Prop Four.” a woman said as she shoved a flier into his hand as soon as he exited the daycare. He vaguely grunted a reply as he looked at the paper and read some of the information on it, his focus dialing in on one of the bullet points, ‘federal funding for programs to help Talc affected citizens and their families’. Over the years he’d filmed hundreds of reports about corrupt politicians pocketing money for low income housing or other programs and using cheap materials to do a half assed job because poor people weren’t a priority, but what if something similar was happening with Talc and the people it affected, what if this thing he and Marisol’s parents had been forced to go along with was to keep the news from digging into the proposition and possibly causing the deal to fall through? The kind of money he’d been given didn’t come from some random person, it had to come from someone with enough to move it around without raising eyebrows but also have enough power to ensure threats could be followed through on if need be. He grimaced as he pulled out his phone and started to text Rosario, but stopped, worried that he’d be putting Marisol and her family in danger if he did. He sighed and put his phone away and tried to think of a way he could look into his hunch and not raise any red flags. ‘Town hall meeting tonight at 8PM’ the flier said at the bottom. He texted Ms. Rollins. Marcus: Can you watch Keisha tonight while I go to this townhall about Prop 4? He waited a minute or two and his phone chimed. Ms. Rollins: Of course, honey, just let me know when you need me to come over so you can get to it He thanked her and calmed his racing thoughts, collecting them into something resembling order and coherence as he thought of the questions he’d ask to try and get some answers that might fix some of the damage he’d caused. To Be Continued….

That's what Marisol said...too soon? Man, I don't know what's gonna happen here, but I'll bet another chapter would provide some comfort...unless it ends up making things worse, which it might, best to read it and find out I suppose! Chapter 8 He almost looked back at her as he retraced his steps to the entrance of the zoo, but knew that seeing her again would most assuredly change his mind and put them both at risk. He almost went back for her when he reached the turnstyles, thought of rushing to her and snatching her up to take her on the run with him and keep her safe, but he knew that he wouldn’t be able to protect them for long until they were inevitably caught and permanently dealt with. The side of his car took the brunt of his rage and frustration as he kicked at it repeatedly and tore the side mirror off as he roared in futile anger and got back into the car before he ultimately broke down into sobs when he smelled the lingering perfume of baby powder and urine that she’d left behind in the back seat and looked back to find the space she’d been sitting devoid of her face smiling at him, trusting him, loving him. His phone chimed in his pocket and he begrudgingly pulled it out and typed a quick reply to the question regarding the completion of his task. He hated himself for abandoning her, whether it was for the best or not, because his own father had abandoned him and his family when he was too little to understand what was happening, his only hope was that the Talc would erode him from her memory and she’d be happy with her birth family and not recall that she’d had someone else that loved her and took care of her. He sighed wearily and started the car, resolved to drive to the nearest bar and drown his sorrows until the ache in his chest dulled to a point that he could function normally again. He glanced at the glovebox for a moment and shook the thoughts of using the gun within to solve his problems out of his mind, resolute that he’d get through all of what lay ahead and return to Marisol when things were safe to do so. ********** Rosario hummed softly to her daughter as she undressed her in the family bathroom, the dead weight of the sleeping woman made moving her nearly impossible, but mother’s find ways of caring for their babies any way they can, and the stroller became a mobile changing station once the wheels were locked. She leaned her daughter forward and moved her like one would a doll until she was naked save for the generic diaper taped around her waist, the deep yellow in the crotch curling her lips into a smile as her heart melted at having her baby girl back. As her mother deftly changed her while she sat asleep in the stroller, Marisol dreamed. Her dreams weren’t coherent, the Talc saw to that, but she understood some of what she was seeing. She was standing in a field, her white dress flowing down her body and across the ground behind her like she was a cake with icing adorning her in such beautiful detail that despite how sweet and delightful it would be to dig your hand into it and eat it, you couldn’t stand to mar the elegant design. Daddy was standing with her, holding her hands and telling her things she couldn’t understand but that made her feel good, but then Daddy was gone and she was cold and afraid and her dress was in tatters and she was crying and Mommy was rushing to her. Rosario stood back and admired her handiwork, looking at the photo on her phone screen as reference and beamed proudly. The photo was of her and her husband with their then infant son and daughter at a family function they’d been at, Humberto and Marisol were strapped into their dual stroller, much as they were now, Humberto was dressed in a matching shorts and shirt combo designed to look like a baseball uniform, his name written on the back with his age, 01 as the number both on the back and the breast, his little head was covered with a blue and white cap to synchronize with the colors of the main outfit and his powder blue pacifier hung limply from the corner of his mouth as he slept soundly. She’d replicated her son’s outfit to a tee, changing the number to match his current age and sizing the shorts so they hugged the thick padding beneath as they had when he was an actual infant. Baby Marisol in the photo was dressed in a pink and white checkered jumper with adorable ruffled, pink bloomers on over her own diapers, her socks were frilled at the ankles and she had the most darling little pink patent leather shoes on. Adult Marisol was dressed identically to her former self, but now that she had more hair, her mother had done it into lovely pigtails and secured them with pink ribbons to match her outfit. Rosario snapped a photo of her babies once she’d gotten the changing supplies back into the diaper bag and caught her breath, sending the photo to her husband first for his approval, then to Marcus as a way of allaying his apprehensions about turning Marisol over to her, and finally to the man that had showed up on their doorstep less than an hour after Marisol had left home to start her new life and career in the city to fulfill her end of the arrangement they’d made that day. Her husband praised her for her attention to detail, Marcus didn’t respond, and the man she and her husband had met with responded with a link that sent the agreed upon amount of half a million dollars into their bank account. Hombre De Negro: Very good, Mrs. Briggs. I trust I don’t need to remind you what will happen should your daughter suddenly grow up and return to work. Rosario: No, she will be no trouble, sir. Hombre De Negro: There will come a point when you’ll no longer need to keep her as she is, I will let you know when that point is, but we will be watching until then. She shuddered as she slipped her phone back into her purse, performing the mark of the cross on herself before looking over at her sleeping children, her fears for their safety diminishing as her maternal instincts shook off whatever cobwebs lingered since Humberto had started his journey back to infancy and she rose to give her little ones a fun filled day at the zoo. ********** Marcus sighed as he looked at the picture Marisol’s mother had sent and downed the shot of Whiskey in front of him, “Keep ‘em comin’, Don.” he grumbled. Don refilled the shot glass and leaned over the bar to get a look at the phone screen, “For what it’s worth, you did the right thing, kid.” he said, “Girl’s gonna be safe and happy with her family.” he added. Marcus glowered at him, “She was under the impression that I’d be her family.” he said. Don nodded and put his hand on Marcus’ shoulder, “And one day maybe you can be.” he said, the threat of hopefulness tinging his voice. Marcus scoffed, “Right, because I can show up after she’s had her brain melted down into nothing and just pick up where we left off.” he sneered. Don smiled, “Kid, if this city has taught me anything, it’s that stranger things can and probably will always happen.” he said. Downing another shot, Marcus rose from his stool, “Gotta piss.” he grumbled, heading to the back of the bar and into the men’s room where he sidled up to the urinal and unzipped his pants. The door opened behind him, hard soled shoes sticking and tapping on the disgusting floor as the person entered, “I know it doesn’t feel like it right now,” the man’s voice said, “but you made the right choice.” he added. Marcus shuddered when he heard the man, his voice deep and rumbling despite being quiet, “Come to kick me while I’m down?” he asked as he urinated onto the bright orange cake in the basin of the urinal. “On the contrary,” the man said, his tone almost brightening, “I come bearing gifts.” he said. Marcus finished peeing and tucked himself back into his underwear and pants before zipping up and turning around to face the man, “Yeah?” he asked as he went to wash his hands. The man moved his position so Marcus could see him in the mirror and reached into his jacket pocket, the finely made suit he wore looked incredibly out of place in the third world country of a bathroom, his leather gloved hand pulling out a fairly thick envelope, “The agreed upon fee.” he said, setting the envelope down on top of the trashcan beside him, “And as a way of letting you know we’re not complete monsters,” he continued, fishing a black leather case similar to one that would contain glasses from the other side of his jacket which he set on top of the envelope. “What’s that?” Marcus asked warily. The man smiled, his perfect white teeth standing out in the yellowed, well, everything of the bathroom, “That, my boy, is the key to your and Marisol’s happy ending once this is all said and done.” he cryptically replied, “Follow the instructions in the case and she’ll be back to her normal adult self in less than a week.” he explained, “Or,” he smirked, “you can keep her as she is now, whatever gets your rocks off.” he added with a wink. Marcus envisioned crossing the room and punching the smug face of the man until there wasn’t enough left to fill a shot glass, but he calmed himself, “So, I’m done then?” he asked. The man nodded, “Your part in this is over, my boy.” the man said. “Not your fuckin’ boy, you pasty fuck.” Marcus hissed. The man smiled again, “Stay away from the girl and her family until you hear otherwise.” the man warned, “Wouldn’t want little Mari to lose her new Daddy so soon after finding him after all.” he added before he headed to the door. “I know you’re not going to tell me, but why her?” Marcus asked. The man turned and removed his sunglasses, his steel gray eyes looking at Marcus as though he were sizing him up, evaluating him, “You’re a bright young man, Marcus, I’m sure it won’t take long for things to click into place for you, until then though, keep a low profile.” he warned before leaving the bathroom. Marcus breathed a sigh of relief and went to the trashcan, picking up both items the man had left, the envelope he knew contained $40,000, but the small case he found contained a cylindrical tube of clear liquid and instructions on the lid for doses and duration of giving them for desired effect. He put the case to his chest, “I’ll make this right, Mari, I promise.” he thought, hoping he could will his inner thoughts to Marisol somehow. ********** “WAN DAYEE!” Marisol wailed at the top of her lungs over and over again outside the Hippopotamus enclosure. The pair in the stroller had woken up nearly at the same time, while Rosario was steering them down the slightly bumpy path of decorative pave stones adorned with animal footprints, and ‘Berto gurgled happily when he saw his sister, rocking the stroller as he excitedly bounced in his seat, but Mari had woken with remnants of her past life still lingering in the tendrils of sleep that clung to her mind and started to whimper and struggle in her seat, culminating in the full blast assault of her infantile speech carrying throughout the area and making all eyes turn to the frazzled mother of two adult babies. “Baby, it’s okay, shh, we’ll see your daddy when we get home.” Rosario assured her, kneeling down in front of the girl to grab for the pacifier hanging from her dress. The problem Marisol was experiencing was that she had flashes of her life as an adult and a belief that she still held the same abilities she had only a few hours prior, but as she struggled against the three point harness securing her in the stroller, she balled her fist and swung at her mother in a fit of adult rage, this is when she was shown that an adult body doesn’t mean adult strength or coordination as her mother recognized the gesture for what it was and easily and gently grasped her daughter’s hand in her own and kissed the back of it softly. “Mari, hitting is naughty, recordar?” she calmly chided as she retrieved the pacifier and inserted into her daughter’s mouth. Marisol began to suck the teat of the pacifier the moment it crossed her lips, and began to calm immediately, her tantrum and the reason for it forgotten as her focus reset itself on ‘Berto beside her and her mother in front of her. She burbled happily at her mother and took her brother’s hand clumsily in her own when he rested his head lovingly on her shoulder and started picking his nose. “Aye, ‘Berto, no mining for gold today.” Rosario said, pulling his hand away from his face and adjusting his pacifier for him to suck on it. Rising to her feet, Rosario sighed, pleased with herself for quelling the first of what she hoped would be few tantrums because of things that no longer concerned her daughter. “Quite a set of lungs on her.” a man’s voice said. Turning, Rosario found a tall man with muscles nearly as big around as her thighs standing with another young man riding piggyback on him. The tall man’s wrist had the same white band she wore with ‘ADULT’ stamped on the center, while the young man he carried had a baby blue band she knew declared him a ‘BABY’. Rosario chuckled softly, “I know, lo siento,” she said, “I’m sorry.” she clarified, guessing the gringo didn’t understand Spanish. The brown haired man smiled warmly, his short brown hair was neatly brushed and parted while the young man with him had unkempt blonde locks. “He’s cute.” Rosario said, gesturing to the younger man. The tall man nodded and knelt down to set the young man on his feet before rising again and taking his hand, “You got a compliment, Robert, what do you say to the nice lady?” the tall man asked his charge. Robert stood shorter than even Rosario by a few inches, his denim shortalls adorned with a cartoon airplane on the bib, his knees dirty from playing or crawling, one sporting a Scooby-Doo bandaid that brought a smile to Rosario’s face as she looked at him nervously cuddle against the taller man’s side. “He’s shy with new people.” the tall man explained, tousling Robert’s shaggy hair lovingly, “I’m Scott, by the way.” he said, extending his hand to her. Rosario nodded politely and shook his hand, “Rosario, and those two are Marisol and Humberto.” she said, gesturing back to her kids. Scott smiled and gave a little wave to the stroller’s occupants, “Twins, huh?” he asked. She nodded, “Si, they weren’t the easiest thing to bring into this world, but I don’t know what I’d do without them.” she said. Scott looked surprised, “Oh, they’re your biological kids!” he said, sounding astonished, “Pretty young woman like you, I thought you were just babysitting after school.” he told her. Rosario rolled her eyes and chuckled, “You’re sweet, but don’t waste that kind of thing on an old lady like me.” she told him. Scott smiled, “Fair enough.” he said. Robert started tugging on Scott’s shirt, “Daddy, I gotta poop.” he said bluntly. Scott and Rosario laughed together, “Well, that’s apparently my cue.” Scott said, “Enjoy the zoo.” he said as he turned and led Robert away. “You too, it was nice meeting you both!” she called out, waving when Scott half turned and waved to her. She missed interactions like that, one parent to another was a nice break from babytalk and silly voices. Her husband wasn’t hands on with the kids, never really had been, and she’d always felt a bit alone when it came to parenting. She heard grunting behind her and turned to see ‘Berto leaning away from his sister, his eyes closed and face scrunched up as he tried to fill his diaper. Sighing softly, she went back to her babies and knelt beside her son and stroked his hair softly, praising and encouraging him quietly until he was done and settled back into his seat. “You can wait until your sister needs a change, ‘Berto.” she told him, leaning in to kiss his forehead before she got up to resume their journey. ********** Marcus stumbled into his apartment and fumbled with the door lock for a moment before it clicked into place and he made his way down the narrow hall to his living room and flopped onto the couch with a heavy sigh. “Rough day?” came the quiet female voice from behind him. He grunted an affirmative and strained to roll over to face her. Just a hair shorter than Marisol, the young woman stood at the end of the hallway, the dim lighting keeping her mostly in shadow. “What are you doing up?” he groaned, “Wait, what time even is it?” he asked aloud as he fumbled for his phone and saw the photo of Marisol again and dropped it to the floor with a sigh. The girl approached slowly, almost timidly and retrieved his phone from the carpet, looking at it before she set it on the coffee table, “It’s almost nine.” she informed him, “Is that her?” she asked. Marcus had his arm draped over his eyes as he nodded, “Are you dressed for bed?” he asked. “Yes, sir.” the girl said quietly. Sitting up with another groan, he looked at her standing beside the coffee table and smiled, patting his lap softly as he shifted on the couch with his back against it and pulled her into a hug and onto his lap as she approached. “Did you eat?” he asked her. She nodded as she lay her back against his chest. “What’d you eat, baby girl?” he asked her. She brought the stuffed rabbit she’d been carrying up to her chest and cuddled it tightly, “Chicken nuggets and mac and cheese.” she told him. He nodded, “Did Ms. Rollins help you with the stove?” he asked. She nodded, “She came over and made it for me.” she told him. He put his arms around her middle and sighed contentedly, “You smell good, she give you a bath too?” he asked, the smells of cocoa butter and baby powder filling his nostrils. She giggled softly and nodded, “Yes, sir.” she said politely. He made an approving groan, “Did your hair all nice too? Damn, little one, you’re all set for landing a husband.” he teased, tickling her stomach through her thin white nightgown with little purple and pink flowers on it. She giggled again and squirmed on his lap, the overnight bulk secured around her waist rustling noisily as she wiggled against his fingers. He stopped tickling her and kissed the top of her head, “Why don’t we say goodnight to Mama and get you tucked in?” he suggested. She nodded and slipped off his lap, letting him take her hand in his as he led the way down the hall to her room, stopping at the little alcove with the white ceramic urn inside and the picture of an older woman hanging above it, the little light in the top of the alcove bathing the display in a Heavenly glow. “Goodnight, Mama.” the girl said softly, leaning forward to kiss the urn. He nodded approvingly, “Good girl.” he praised her as he continued on to her room and opened the door. The nightlight beside the door showed him that she’d cleaned up her toys, probably at the insistence of their neighbor Ms. Rollins, and the scent of the powder used when she’d been dressed for bed still hung in the air masking the scent from the bin by the changing table that he reminded himself to empty in the morning as he led her to the bed with the little rails on the sides across the room and scooped her up to gently lay her down and tuck her in as he knelt beside it and cupped her cheek with his hand. “I’m sorry about your friend.” she said in the middle of a quiet yawn. He nodded, “Me too, little one, me too.” he said sadly. She raised herself and kissed his cheek, “I wish I’d gotten to meet her.” she said sleepily as she lay back down on the pillow. He kissed her forehead, “She would’ve loved you just as much as I do.” he told her. She nodded and cuddled her stuffed bunny, slipping her thumb into her mouth as she closed her eyes and got comfortable, “Wuv yoo, big bwover.” she dreamily told him. He gave the blanket a final tuck and gave her padded bottom a soft pat, “Love you too, baby sister.” he said before he rose and made his way out of the room and back to the living room to pass out on the couch, stopping at his mother’s urn on the way, “I’m sorry if I disappointed you today, Mama.” he said to the urn, the ache in his heart bringing a hard lump to his throat, “I just wish you could tell me if I did the right thing or not.” he lamented, sighing when silence responded and he went back to the couch to break down and cry himself to sleep. To Be Continued...

Seven The shower worked wonders to clear her head, the lingering desire to behave younger than she was faded considerably as the hot water washed over her, she found her mind wandering from thoughts of diapers and bottles and cuddles with Marcus to critically analyzing their budding relationship, wondering if he’d be able to see her now without being reminded of her behavior the night before. Her thoughts were interrupted when he entered the bathroom and quickly slipped into the shower behind her, moving the curtain aside to step in and replacing once he’d entered. “Presumptuous, aren’t you?” she asked, drinking in the sight of his nude form. He smiled at her, “I thought it might be quicker if we shared.” he said, putting his hands on her hips. She felt a flutter in her stomach as she looked up at him, “I’m feeling better.” she said. “Yeah?” he asked, shimmying past her as he held her steady so he could get under the water, “Better how?” he asked. Now that her head was clear, her apprehension and shame at mentioning anything about what had happened had returned and she searched for the least embarrassing way to tell him what she was talking about, “You know, with the Talc stuff.” she offered. He nodded as he soaped up his armpits and chest, “So no diaper bag and change of clothes when we go out?” he teased. She felt the heat rise in her cheeks, but chose not to engage his teasing, “Where are we going?” she asked as she turned and got her shampoo from the caddy behind her and squirted a blob of it into her palm before lathering it up. He watched her soap her hair as he rinsed off his body, tracing her delicious curves with his eyes, “Well, I thought we’d go out for lunch but after that I’d kind of planned to see how you were doing before I put too much on your plate.” he explained. “Meaning?” she asked as he shimmied back around her to let her rinse out her hair. He shrugged despite her eyes being closed, “Well, I thought maybe little you would like the zoo or the park and that you’d probably need a nap after all the excitement.” he explained, “But, since you’re all grown up, maybe we can come up with something to do together.” he added. She gave no outward sign that what he’d said meant anything to her, but inside she was a gooey mess of feelings, an ear to ear smile hiding inside of her as she rinsed her hair beneath the water. Marcus was obviously attractive, and great in bed, but the knowledge that he’d considered her mindset when planning their day, making sure to cater to the little girl she’d been the night before despite knowing she was an adult was hands down the sweetest thing any guy had done for her. Wiping the water from her face, she looked up at him, “For the record, big me likes the idea of the zoo.” she said simply. He chuckled softly, “Zoo it is then.” he said as he moved past her to wash his genitals. She kept her eyes on his as he washed himself, “You would’ve taken complete care of me today, wouldn’t you?” she asked. He nodded, “You kinda couldn’t do much for yourself.” he said. She stepped forward and threw her arms around his shoulders as she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him deeply, gasping as he lifted her up and held her as he kissed her back, his arms folded beneath her bottom to keep her where she was, “You’re gonna kill us both.” she breathlessly whispered between kisses. He gently set her back down, “So little trust.” he teased as he turned and shut off the water before opening the curtain and stepping out onto the mat in front of the tub, holding his hand out for her to take so she could step out and join him. She gently shook her head, “I trust you completely.” she admitted as she stepped out and grabbed her towels to wrap her hair and body in. He raised an eyebrow, “Completely, you say?” he said. She rolled her eyes, “Don’t go getting any bright ideas, sir.” she playfully chided, “We’re having a grownup day out today.” she reminded him. He nodded, “You’re the boss.” he said, a devious smirk on his face as he picked up a towel for himself from the shelf above the toilet and dried his feet before heading back to the bedroom to dry off. ********** “Penny for your thoughts?” he asked her as he drove them to the restaurant for lunch. She’d been staring out the window, not looking at anyone or anything, just thinking, but turned to look at him when he broke the silence, “Huh?” she asked. He chuckled, “Where were you just now?” he asked. She shrugged, “Just trying to piece things together.” she vaguely admitted. He stopped at a red light, “Pieces of what?” he prodded, reaching his hand out to her thigh to softly pat it. Her stomach fluttered pleasurably at his touch, “The gangs, Talc, my brother, me.” she admitted, placing her hand on his, “Us.” she added hopefully. The car started rolling forward as the light changed, “Well, the gangs make Talc, your brother probably took some or is taking some, and you’re a smart and beautiful woman with a ruggedly handsome admirer.” he said, “Seems like everything is sorted out.” he added, smiling and squeezing her hand softly before returning his hands to the wheel. She sighed, “If only it was that simple.” she said, “This is a huge story and no one is covering it, why?” she asked. He shrugged, “The gangs aren’t really a threat, I mean, you said you had some trouble with a few of them at the market, but they weren’t armed or anything, right?” he asked. She shook her head, “No, but they were aggressive.” she said. “Like playground bullies, right?” he asked. She nodded. “I’ll bet if I’d been with you they wouldn’t have tried anything.” he said, turning a corner. She smiled as an image of him pushing her in the shopping cart flashed through her mind but quickly pushed it away, “You’re probably right.” she said glumly. The car pulled into the lot of the restaurant and he parked it and shut off the engine, “Hey,” he said, taking her hand again and kissing it softly, “we’ll work the story together.” he said, “Starting tomorrow.” he added, “Today is about our story.” he told her. Her stomach fluttered once more and she felt that pleasant tingle run down her spine from the base of her skull and unbuckled her seatbelt and scooted closer to him and rested her head on his bicep, “How are you so good at this?” she asked. He smiled and softly stroked the back of her hand with his thumb, “You make it easy.” he told her. She sighed contentedly, “New plan,” she said, “drive back to my place and we’ll order food and spend the whole day naked and happy.” she told him. He laughed and patted her hand, “And this is why you’re not in charge.” he told her as he let go of her hand and helped her sit back up before unbuckling his seatbelt. “Am so.” she said, her tongue defiantly sticking out at him. He smirked, “Keep it up and you’ll be eating in a highchair, young lady.” he playfully teased. Her whole body went hot in waves of embarrassment and arousal that she chose to ignore as she opened her door and got out of the car, her thoughts swirling around why she found his playful and empty threat so enticing despite the Talc effects having faded completely from her mind. ********* The restaurant was far nicer than the diner they’d eaten at previously, it was romantically lit and the clientele was comprised of business men and women and couples rather than families. When the hostess had greeted them and started heading to their table, she melted when he took her hand, feeling so little beside him as she followed along beside him. The booth they’d been seated at had wine colored upholstery on the backs and plush cream upholstered seats, the sconce on the wall beside them had a fake candle light in it to give the lighting of candlelight without burning the place down, and the table was a rich caramel colored wood making everything seem expensive and lush while also being very warm and inviting. “How many girls have you brought here?” she asked as she picked up the leather backed menu to see what she wanted to order. He didn’t look up from his menu, “Counting you?” he asked rhetorically, “Two.” he said, “I brought my mom here for her birthday a few months back, Frank in the comm room’s cousin owns it.” he explained. She smiled behind her menu, “Good answer.” she told him. The server appeared, smiling warmly at them, “Can I start you off with something to drink?” she asked. “Iced tea, please.” Marisol said when Marcus gestured to her to go first. “I’ll have the same, but with lemon, please.” Marcus said. The server jotted down the drinks and nodded, “I’ll be right back with those.” she said before leaving. “Anything sound good to you?” he asked. She was looking at the menu and weighing the messiness of each item, wanting to avoid getting sauce or food on herself and looking foolish, chiding herself for wearing a light colored blue top and white pants of all things to an Italian restaurant, “Um, it all looks good.” she said noncommittally. “The eggplant Parm is really good.” he told her without looking up from his menu. She wrinkle her nose at the suggestion, “I’ll probably get the chicken Alfredo.” she said. Their drinks arrived and they ordered, her the chicken Alfredo and him the eggplant Parm and then they were alone looking at one another across the table. He smiled at her, “Nervous?” he asked. She shook her head, “We’ve gotten a lot of ‘die of embarrassment if it happens in front of him’ stuff out of the way already.” she said, her cheeks warming at the thought of all the ways she’d humiliated herself in front of him in such a short amount of time. He reached out his hand and placed it on hers, “And here we are.” he said, “I didn’t run away.” he reminded her. She smiled without looking up at him, “Why didn’t you?” she asked. “What do you mean?” he asked. She looked up slowly, “I mean, any other normal guy would’ve noped out immediately, but you not only stayed, you leaned into it.” she said. He shrugged, “I told you, big family, lots of experience.” he reminded her. “Right, but family and real babies are pretty different from girl you want to sleep with.” she said. He smirked, “Not to me.” he said, “You needed someone and I was there, and I’d already caught feelings for you, so it wasn’t all that hard.” he explained. “And the teasing and threatening me with a highchair?” she asked, “I’m not high anymore, so what was that?” she asked. He leaned back and smiled, “Did you not like it?” he asked. She cleared her throat, “Not the point.” she said. “Look, it’s okay to feel sexy feelings about this stuff, it’s a sexual thing for some people.” he said. She stared at him, “Is that what this is?” she asked, “Are you one of those people?” she asked without allowing him to answer the first question. He shrugged again, “I definitely wasn’t not turned on by what happened last night.” he told her without a hint of shame. Waves of heat ran through her body once more and she grabbed her glass of tea and took several large gulps to cool herself down. “I’m guessing you feel something similar?” he asked. She wanted to tell him the random thoughts and fantasies she’d been having, wanted to confess and share in his openness, but decades of growing up to be silent about sex kept her drinking her tea without uttering a word. He smiled and leaned forward so only she could hear him, “How about this,” he said, “I’ll ask you twenty questions, and all you have to do is nod or shake your head to answer,” he explained, “if I can correctly give a name to what you are then you agree to do what I say today.” he told her. She set her tea back down, “And if you can’t?” she asked. He shrugged, “What do you want your prize to be for winning?” he asked. The server returned with their food, sizable plates of saucy pasta for her and a hunk of lasagna like eggplant parm for him. Once the server left they began to eat, with her taking small bites and doing her best to keep her face and clothes clean as he ate casually and periodically took notice of her eating habits. “Are you afraid of making a mess?” he asked, holding up one finger to illustrate that it was in fact his first question. She nodded softly. He took a bite of food, “Because of what happened at the diner?” he asked, raising a second finger. She shook her head softly. He smiled, “Because you’re not always a clean eater?” he asked, a third finger rising. She nodded softly and felt the heat roll through her body, her stomach fluttering wildly as she looked down at her plate of food. “Would you feel better if I fed you?” he asked, a fourth finger extending. She chewed her bottom lip and felt her head nodding, feeling like she’d lost control of herself once he’d suggested feeding her. He smiled at her, “If you ask me nicely I will.” he told her. She moved her fork around her pasta aimlessly but remained silent, wishing she could just look up at him and say the words she wanted to say but couldn’t bring herself to. “Do you actually want today to be a grownup day out?” he asked, raising his last finger on the hand he wasn’t using to hold his fork. Her heart was racing and her stomach was fluttering as she stared into the tangle of pasta, she’d fought so hard to convince herself that with the Talc out of her system she could go back to being her normal self with him, but the more she thought about the night before and about her brother, the more she wondered if she maybe hadn’t been mistaken as to which her felt more right to be. She looked up from her plate and into his eyes, he’d caught feelings for her when they’d been normal adult coworkers, but he’d stayed and taken care of her when she needed him and sex had followed shortly afterward, so she wasn’t sure which her he was more attracted to. He sipped his tea casually, “Awful lot of thought for a simple question.” he mused aloud. She looked back down at her plate, hating how calm he was while she was tearing herself apart inside grappling with unpacking all her thoughts and feelings about where she stood in the grand scheme of things. She sighed softly, “It’s not a simple question.” she finally said. He picked his fork back up, “Is it not?” he asked. She looked up at him, “No!” she whined, louder than she’d intended to, looking around nervously at the other patrons, relieved that none of them cast a look in her direction. He looked around the restaurant with her and smiled, “No one cares.” he said. “We live in a city plagued by gangs that dress and act like babies that peddle a drug that makes the user uncontrollably behave that way for real and everyone’s just kind of accepted it.” he explained. She stared at him, wanting not to believe him, but after seeing the girl in the diner and the women at the market, she knew he was right. He leaned forward, “You’re an adult baby, Mari.” he said softly, “Talc heightened something that was already in you, maybe something you didn’t realize was there.” he continued, reaching out to place his hand on hers, “Your brother obviously is too, but he’s more accepting of it because he’s always been the less mature of you two, right?” he asked. She nodded absently, his words reaching into her mind and untangling things at such a speed that she was amazed at how clearly she could think now and how right he was with his assessment of her. “I think you’re seeing him indulging in the life you want and are jealous but unable to admit it to yourself because you’ve always been the smart and mature one.” he said, “I think that when the Talc was in your system it broke down your mental block about allowing you to-” She looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears. “Hey, don’t cry, it’s-” he started to say. She smiled, tears rolling down her cheeks, “Happy tears.” she managed to say as her bottom lip trembled, “You’re right.” she said. “About which part?” he asked. She chuckled and sobbed at the same time, making a weird sound that surprised them both, a wet choking sound that blossomed into a light and happy laugh, “All of it.” she said. “All morning I’ve been seeing these flashes of us together, but their never as equals or a couple, they’re me in the seat of the shopping cart with you pushing, me in a highchair in the restaurant with you feeding me, me riding piggyback on you at the zoo.” she confessed, feeling the stone in her chest shift and shatter, allowing her to take a full breath. “I’m an adult baby and I want you to be my Daddy.” she said, wiping her eyes. The server cleared her throat, looking so uncomfortable awkwardly standing in the fallout of what Marisol had said, “E-everything okay here?” she stammered. Marcus smiled up at her and nodded, “Just fine.” he said. The server nodded decisively and turned and scurried away. Marisol’s mouth hung open in disbelief, her cheeks blazing with shame. “You just came out as an adult baby to the guy you like and a complete stranger, how do you feel?” he asked her. She slowly closed her mouth and smiled at him, “Like I want Daddy to feed me my lunch and take me back home and get me properly dressed for a baby day at the zoo.” she told him, her shame dissolving into a bubbly happiness that brought the most innocent giggle from her lips as Marcus slid from his side of the booth and came to sit beside her, tucking her cloth napkin into her shirt as a makeshift bib before he began feeding her her lunch. ********** After lunch, they returned to her apartment where they celebrated her newfound understanding of herself with much nudity and interconnecting of their intimate parts, and by the time he was helping her out of the tub after getting her cleaned up, and carrying her back to the bed, she was feeling a similar sensation to when she’d been high on Talc but with all her faculties. She was mentally present as he carried her and gently lay her down on the bed, she adored the little tickles he delivered to the bottoms of her feet as he dried her off or the raspberry he blew on her stomach when he declared her dry and started gathering the supplies to diaper her, she wasn’t sucking her thumb as she watched him care for her because her body had defaulted to infantile behavior without her consent, she was sucking her thumb because she was content and immersing herself in all the trappings she’d found pleasant in being a baby. Once she was diapered, he dressed her in the clothes she’d worn to the restaurant, her white pants struggling to fit over the new bulk she wore, but he got them on and she payed no attention to the fact that it was obvious she was wearing a diaper from the bulge to the rustling sound of plastic that came with every step to the inch and a half of diaper that stuck out above the waistline of her jeans because once she was dressed he was holding her in his arms again, rubbing her back softly and telling her sweet things a Daddy would tell his baby girl. She melted in his arms, slipping effortlessly into the role of baby as she was bolstered by his strong arms and loving embrace, his deep voice penetrating her mind and turning back the clock as he set her down, took her hand in his and led her, toddling giddily beside him back to the car, a grocery bag with two diapers and the changing supplies in his other hand. He buckled her into the backseat for the ride to the zoo, and slid the lavender shielded pacifier into her waiting mouth before he kissed her forehead and backed out smiling at her as he closed the door. She was wiggling her feet happily as she wet her diaper after thinking about doing it the whole way from the apartment to the car, and as the warmth pooled around her and she sucked her pacifier, she felt like her mind was a bushel of balloons being released into the sky, her thoughts stayed together, coherent for a time, but began to separate, going off into many different directions as they got smaller and smaller in the vastness of the sky, some popping never to be seen or heard from again, and some just fading away as the distance became to great to find them again. “Who’s a happy girl?” he asked from the front of the car, half turning to gently pat her knee. “Me!” she burbled, bouncing in her seat and giggling at the squish of her now wet diaper beneath her. After they got on the road he looked back at her in the mirror, “Penny for your thoughts, Mari.” he said warmly. She met his gaze and giggled, “I wetted my diaper, Daddy.” she told him, beaming proudly behind her pacifier. He chuckled, “That sounds a lot better than what you were thinking about before, huh?” he asked. She nodded but turned her attention to a playground they were passing, “Daddy, wanna swing!” she exclaimed, bouncing in her seat excitedly. “Maybe tomorrow, baby, we’re going to the zoo, remember?” he asked her. She giggled and nodded, “Aminals!” she clumsily squealed. He smiled back at her, “Animals, baby.” he gently corrected. She giggled again, “Dat’s what I said, Daddy!” she insisted. He nodded once and turned his attention to the road, taking the exit to the zoo. Once she was out of the car and holding his hand in the parking lot, the zoo a few hundred feet away, she was a ball of energy that he calmed by kneeling down and having her climb onto his back for a piggyback ride serenaded by giggles and cheers that almost made her lose her pacifier. By that point, the amount of diaper showing above her pants was almost doubled, her shirt having gotten trapped behind her diaper making it obvious she was little more than an overgrown baby, whether you noticed her behavior or the pacifier in her mouth or not, but Marisol was oblivious to the rest of the world, all she knew was the zoo entrance was getting closer and Daddy was carrying her. The attendant at the gate smiled at them, “Welcome!” he greeted warmly, the deep creases of his laugh lines becoming impossible to ignore. “We’re meeting someone and should have tickets waiting for us.” Marcus told the man. “Yes sir, what’s the name?” the attendant asked. “Briggs.” Marcus said. The man typed into the computer, “Looks like a Rosario and Humberto Briggs checked in about twenty minutes ago under an adult and child ticket and I have another adult and child ticket for Marcus and Marisol.” he explained. Marcus nodded and fished his wallet from his pocket, showing the man his ID first and then Marisol’s. The man looked at the ID’s and then at the pair in front of him and marked the tickets as claimed before opening a drawer and pulling out a pink wristband, “Can I see your arm, little lady?” he asked Marisol. Marcus stooped forward as Marisol obediently extended her arm, the silicone band sliding over her hand, the word ‘BABY’ stamped across the center of it. A white wristband came from the drawer next and Marcus allowed the man to slide it onto his wrist, the word ‘ADULT’ stamped across the middle of it. “Mrs. Briggs said she’d be waiting at the cafe near the entrance.” the man said. Marcus nodded, “Say thank you, baby.” he urged Marisol. “Fankoo mista.” Marisol chirped obediently. Walking through the turnstyle, Marcus looked around for the previously mentioned cafe, and saw Marisol’s mother and brother seated at a table outside beneath an umbrella. As he approached he could see that Humberto was in one of the two seats of the adult sized stroller, his bare feet dangling limply as he slept peacefully, the baby blue pacifier in his mouth rhythmically bobbing. When Marisol’s mother saw them, her face lit up behind her sunglasses, and she covered her smiling mouth with both hands as she stood to greet them. “Mami?” Marisol asked. Marisol’s mother launched into a string of Spanish coos and adoration as she approached them and kissed Marcus on both cheeks before he knelt down to let Marisol off his back and her mother hugged her tightly and fawned over her. “Whatchoo doin’ here, Mami?” Marisol asked. Her mother took off her sunglasses and held her daughter’s hands in her own, “Mommy’s here to take you home, baby.” she cooed, gently guiding Marisol toward the table. Marisol looked at Marcus and her mother in confusion as she was guided down into the stroller beside her peacefully sleeping brother and strapped and buckled in with the three point harness. “The money will be in your account once you leave the zoo.” Marcus said quietly, “I don’t need to remind you what happens if she comes back and tries to make problems, do I?” he asked. Rosario shook her head vehemently, “She’ll be no trouble for you or your boss.” she insisted. Marisol looked from her mother to Marcus, her mind trying to comprehend what was happening. “She got a dose at the restaurant a few hours ago,” Marcus said, “make sure she has another dose within the hour to keep her from causing you any trouble.” he explained. Rosario nodded and half turned to fish in the large diaper bag on the table to produce a bottle with a pink plastic cap, “It’s so warm out, baby, have a drink.” she cooed as she popped the cap off and pulled Marisol’s pacifier from her mouth to easily replace with the nipple of the bottle. The liquid inside the bottle was cool and refreshing and whatever concerns or confusions she was experiencing faded as she greedily suckled the juice within. Marcus sighed and nodded, kneeling in front of the stroller to gently stroke Marisol’s hair, “Be a good girl for your Mommy, okay?” he said, his voice thick with emotion as he rose and kissed the top of her head, clearing his throat as he turned back to Rosario, “I’ll visit in a week to make sure you’re holding up your end of the deal.” he said, looking over at the increasingly relaxing Marisol, “Make sure she knows I care about her if she asks.” he added. Rosario nodded, “Maybe when all of this is over-” she started to say before he stopped her. “We shouldn’t make plans if we can’t be sure we’ll be able to honor them.” he told her, giving one final look toward Marisol and smiling sadly at her as she slipped off to sleep lazily holding her bottle, “But if there’s a way this ends well, I’ll be back for her.” he added before walking away. Rosario watched him depart and breathed a sigh of relief once he was gone and turned to her children, her heart swelling with maternal love as she beheld her sleeping babies in their stroller. Pulling out her phone, she snapped several pictures and posted them to her social media pages with the caption, “Familia Completa.” before she went back into the diaper bag for the outfit she’d made and packed for her daughter and made sure it was on top with a fresh diaper before she went around the back of the stroller and put the bag in the basket below and pushed her darling babies toward the family restroom to remove the last remnants of her daughter’s adult life and dress her for her new role as Baby Mari. To Be Continued...

Six Officially, Marisol woke up first early in the night, agonizing about her need to relieve her suddenly angry bowels and quietly accepting her role as the baby of the evening the Talc had chosen for her, but she’d quickly fallen back to sleep on Marcus’ lap after messing her diaper, so it didn’t really seem fair to count it as “waking up”, so it was that Marcus woke up as sunlight filtered in through the blinds of the living room window, glinting shards of light across his closed eyes until he stirred and finally awoke. His smile when he saw her peacefully cuddled up on his lap, pacifier half hanging from her mouth, her too large shirt askew to give him another glimpse of her shoulder and collarbone faded quickly when he smelled what she’d done in her diaper. Sighing softly, he raised his arm and gently stroked her head, “Marisol.” he said softly, “C’mon, honey, we need to get you changed.” he told her. She stirred slightly, her eyes slowly opening as she looked up at him. When their eyes met they both knew she’d weathered the storm and regained her faculties, she saw her coworker and felt deep, immeasurable shame and humiliation for her actions the night before, and he saw the intelligence behind her eyes, the simple thoughts rising and disappearing like soap bubbles she’d demonstrated the night before replaced with calculation and understanding. “I-” she started to say. He shook his head, “We’re not talking about anything right now.” he said softly, his smile returning, “Have a shower and I’ll make coffee for us and once we’ve both woken up we can talk about whatever you’re comfortable talking about.” he explained. She numbly nodded and climbed off his lap as gracefully as she could weighed down by a sagging pouch of her own urine and feces and wearing a shirt that allowed for her breasts to be exposed the moment she leaned too far forward. The shirt did cover her shameful diaper as she waddled away, so she was at least grateful for that much. When she reached the bathroom and shut and locked the door behind her, she caught sight of herself in the mirror, her hair mussed from resting her head on the stiff couch pillow all night, the collar of her shirt damp from drool, and then she lifted her shirt and looked down at the diaper he’d bought and taped her into the night before, the front discolored from a heavy wetting she chose to believe had happened before she’d come down from the Talc and not while she was sleeping. Still holding her shirt up with one hand, she sent her free hand behind her to assess the damage she’d done to the seat of the crinkling garment, a soft lump evading her fingers as she lightly pressed against the plastic shell, the knowledge of what it was she was feeling making her shudder and whimper softly as she let her shirt fall and turned on the tub faucet to cover the sound of her humiliated sobs. ********** Marcus waited for the water to start running in the bathroom before he got up from the couch with a groan, his shoulder and back aching terribly from the position he’d slept in. He trudged to the kitchen and searched for coffee and cups and went to work brewing some for the two of them before he began searching for air freshener to get rid of the lingering scent Marisol had left in the apartment, his goal being to remove the offending odor so she wouldn’t be reminded of the incident any more than she already would be, and spare her any further embarrassment where he could. ********** She’d stopped crying from humiliation, but she found herself crying out of frustration when she tried and failed numerous times to successfully navigate a position safe enough in her mind to allow her diaper to come off and not make an awful mess. She’d considered sitting on the toilet but dreaded smashing her mess against the seat, she squatted a few times trying to figure out the best way to lower herself onto her back to remove the diaper, but a few unsteady teeters had frightened her too greatly that she’d fall down on her butt and the diaper would explode like a stepped on ketchup packet, she’d even thought of shimmying it down like underwear, but found Marcus’ tape work to be quite snug indeed. With a sniffle, a trembling bottom lip, and a quickness in her heart’s beating, she shut off the water and put her hand on the doorknob. ********** “That was fast!” he called out when he heard the bathroom door open, “I forgot to ask, do you take cream and-” he stopped when he looked up and saw Marisol shuffling toward him, her eyes cast down on the floor, her breath coming out in heaving sobs as she stopped, pigeon toed a few feet from him and reluctantly looked up. “I can’t get it off!” she wailed, clear liquid running from her nose before she sniffed it up and tried to catch her breath as she let out a string of stuttering sobs that sounded like someone was throttling her. His heart broke for her, his assumption that the Talc hadn’t fully left her system and she’d just had a moment of clarity after waking up, and he quickly went to her and, without thinking, bent and picked her up, hugging her to him as her arms and legs wrapped around him instinctively. “Shh, it’s okay, baby.” he whispered, gently patting and rubbing her back, “It wouldn’t make sense for babies to be able to take their diapers off, would it?” he joked. She sniffled, realizing that he thought she was still high given the way he was talking to her and rushing to comfort her like she’d fallen off her tricycle or dropped her ice cream, she thought briefly about setting the record straight, but being in his arms made her feel so safe and loved, something she’d been missing since leaving home. She took stock of the situation, of the pleasant warmth running down her spine as he rubbed her back, she was a grown woman with all her faculties intact, but she was wearing a soiled diaper she couldn’t manage to get off by herself and had an emotional meltdown like a toddler as a result, and Marcus didn’t seem put off by the situation in the slightest, he was just as willing to hold her in his arms as he was to make coffee. Was she a bad person for letting him believe she was still high? Was allowing him to take care of her as though she were a baby even though she wasn’t wrong to do? “C’mon, sweetie, we’ll get you cleaned up, alright?” he rhetorically asked as he started heading toward the bedroom with her. She felt like the door had closed on her chance to argue, to tell him the truth and let him decide whether he was still willing to take care of her or not, when he lay her down on the plastic changing mat on the bed and she looked up at him as he looked down at her and his smile created this pleasant warmth in her stomach, like the nervous fluttering she’d been experiencing was quelled immediately and replaced with something so close to love that she felt her cheeks warm as she smiled back up at him. “Hey, there’s a smile!” he exclaimed in a tone meant for an actual baby to be on the receiving end of as he bent down and gave her sides a little tickle. Being extremely ticklish, she giggled and squirmed the moment his fingers began to dance on her sides, quieting when he gently sat her up and deftly pulled her shirt off before laying her back down and moving to the tapes of her diaper, she whimpered softly, “I’m not high!” she blurted out, eyes shut tight so she didn’t have to see his reaction. The sound of tape pulling apart from plastic broke the momentary silence, “I know.” he said calmly. She opened her eyes and looked up at him, at his smile and blinked in confusion. “Marisol, I spent last night with you, I know what you’re like when you’re high on Talc.” he said as he pulled the front of the diaper away from her and began wiping her clean with the baby wipes, his attention on his task and not on her face, “I thought you were initially, but when I picked you up I knew,” he told her as he lifted her legs and continued cleaning her, “It’s hard to explain, but basically you were stiffer when I held you, like you were conflicted about it rather than happy to have me hold you like you were last night.” he explained. “I was happy to have you hold me.” she said quietly, her eyes once again closed so she didn’t have to see him grimacing as he cleaned her messy behind, which he assumed he was. “Look at me, Marisol.” he gently commanded. She opened her eyes slowly and saw him smiling at her. “I like you.” he said as he finished his work and balled up her diaper with the used wipes inside that he set on the floor beside him, “Is it ideal to be changing your messy diaper?” he asked, “No, it’s not how I’d choose to be spending the morning after spending the night with you for the first time,” he explained as he took a seat on the bed and hefted her up onto his lap, his strong hand gently rubbing her back, “but,” he swallowed hard, “taking care of you is nice.” he said, looking into her eyes as he smiled. Her cheeks burned, “You’re really good at it.” she said, her hand moving to his as it rested on her knee, her thumb softly stroking the back of it. “I’ve had a lot of practice with my siblings over the years.” he reminded her. She nodded softly, “I really like you.” she said, looking down at their hands, “I felt like I ruined everything last night and then kept on ruining it this morning, but you were so caring and patient with all of it that I just-” her words were silenced by his lips on hers. The kiss was everything she’d hoped it would be, electric and deeply fulfilling and served as a final lesson to her that he was in control, her thoughts fizzling away as she melted on his lap, hoping beyond hope that she was making it pleasurable for him, wanting nothing more than to please him and keep him interested in her. Her head swam as his lips parted from hers and she drunkenly looked into his eyes. “You seemed to be spiraling a little and I’ve wanted to kiss you for a while and it seemed like the best way to calm you down.” he explained. She nodded dreamily and wiggled her bottom softly when she felt his stiffness beneath her, “What’s the best way to calm you down?” she whispered, climbing off his lap to kneel between his legs on the floor as she reached up for the zipper of his pants. “Marisol-” he started to protest, but her hands were already around him, pulling him free of his pants. Her eyes lit up at the sight of his cock, perfect in every way she could imagine and she made a soft purring sound as she leaned in and kissed his shaft near the base and kissed her way up to the head, the smell of her used diaper laying beside her filling her with shame as she kissed the head and took him into her mouth. ********** They lay together beneath the covers of the bed hours later, his strong arm around her middle as she lay against him as his little spoon, both of them sleeping peacefully after a rigorous sexual decathlon. She’d pleasured him with her mouth until he decided he wanted more and gently guided her from him, the little wet pop of him escaping her mouth, the pout on her face and petulant whimper that came from her being parted from her new toy made his lifting of her from the floor to the bed all the more exhilarating for them both as he stripped quickly and climbed onto the bed atop her, her body quivering with anticipation as she took in the sight of his muscular form and ran a hand over his rock hard chest. He took control of the events without a word and without making it feel like he was dominating her, reducing her to little more than squeals and whimpers of delight as he satisfied her with his mouth, hitting the right speed and pressure immediately to bring her to climax with alarming speed and frequency, and when he entered her, that was nothing short of life changing in her mind. Despite his size in comparison to her, she never felt pain, only wave after wave of unadulterated pleasure as he filled her completely and took her on a spiritual journey with his cock as her guide. As it turned out, Talc wasn’t the only thing that brought out a littleness in her, but sex to that point hadn’t been anything special, mostly just boys fumbling in the dark where Marcus was a man with detailed pussy and clitoris schematics memorized like a bank robber eyeing Fort Knox. She’d screamed ‘Daddy’ more than a few times in the heat of the moment, and when the time came for him to finish, she was so exhausted from all her own orgasms, nothing more than a quivering puddle of satisfied goo, that she moaned as she sucked her thumb and merely smiled up at him dreamily as he pulled out of her and moved up to the head of the bed to replace her thumb with his twitching cock and filled her mouth with the results of their love making, swallowing what she could but ultimately failing in her task leaving her chin and the bed below a mess that he cleaned up for her without missing a beat, playfully teasing her messiness before taking his place behind her as she slipped her thumb back into her mouth and they fell asleep. When he woke up he smiled and basked in the warmth their bodies created, kissing her bare shoulder softly as he listened to her quietly snoring beside him. The kiss brought her out of her slumber and she mewled happily before rolling over to face him, pulling her thumb the rest of the way from her mouth before doing so. “Hi.” he said, brushing her hair from her face. She smiled at him, “Hi.” she said dreamily. They lay in silence together for a long time, looking into each other’s eyes and smiling, neither sure what to say after such an eventful night and morning, but Marisol was the one that finally broke the silence. “Is it possible that Talc just heightens what’s already in a person?” she asked, not really asking him but more throwing the question out as a thought that she’d had and wanted feedback on. He smiled at her, “Anything’s possible.” he said, “We don’t know much about Talc beyond the way people behave when they’re on it, but yeah, if you’re already the kind of person that acts like a baby, it would definitely trigger that.” he said. She thought of Humberto and of her own behavior, “Do you think you could be with me if I was like that?” she asked. “All the time?” he asked. She shrugged and sighed, “You make me feel,” she paused, looking for the right word, “different.” she settled, “No guy has ever done anything for me like you did, and I’ve never called a guy ‘Daddy’ in bed or sucked my thumb during sex.” she explained, feeling increasingly vulnerable as she talked, “But with you, it’s not even a conscious thought, it’s just what feels right.” she added. He nodded softly as he listened. “Like, right now, the room smells like a nursery and brothel had a baby, and I know we need to get up and shower and be productive members of society, but all I can think about is you carrying me to the bathroom and giving me a bath and putting me in another diaper and spending the day with you here.” she confessed. He leaned in and kissed her lips softly, “How much of this is you talking and how much is the aftershocks of the Talc?” he asked, “Or the thing with your brother.” he added. She shrugged and chewed her bottom lip, “Until I know the drug is completely out of my system, I guess I don’t know.” she admitted. He nodded, “Until then, I think we should take things slow and not go down a path we can’t get back from easily.” he explained. She sighed, “I know you’re right, but I just want to pout and whine right now until I get my way.” she admitted. He smirked at her, “Girl, the way I was brought up, that kind of behavior would get you the belt.” he said. She groaned and planted her head against his chest so she was facing the mattress, “Sure, tell me we’re taking it slow and then threaten me with a good time!” she whined. He laughed out loud and lifted her head to look into her eyes, “Taking it slow just means not throwing out all your panties and diving headfirst into being a full time baby,” he explained before kissing her lips softly, failing to keep from smiling when she whimpered softly into his mouth, “I can absolutely spank you if that’s what you really want.” he added, looking at her expectantly. She pouted, “I don’t like this thing where you have all the power and I’m just horny and helpless.” she grumbled. He hefted her up on top of him and put his arms around her waist, “Oh, are you the bossy little princess that runs the show from her playpen?” he teased. She nodded and kissed his chest, “Duh.” she playfully chided him, “I mean, who’s going to be waiting on who hand and foot in this relationship?” she asked. He brushed her hair from her face, “Relationship, huh?” he asked. She looked worried, fearful that she’d overstepped, “I mean-” she started to clarify before he was kissing her once more. “Why don’t we work on keeping your pants dry and clean before we worry about whether we’re going steady or not.” he teased. She stuck out her tongue, “Going steady?” she asked, “How old are you?” she added. He chuckled and reached down to pat her bare behind softly, “Old enough, little girl.” he said with a smile, “Now go have a shower so we can do something more productive than just fall for each other in bed.” he told her. She nodded and slid off of him, crawling backward to the end of the bed where she stood and looked at him for a moment, a smile on her face. “What?” he asked. She giggled, “I really like you.” she said, “I mean, maybe not enough to go steady.” she said, trailing off. He rolled his eyes, “Shower. Now.” he said jovially. She locked her heels together and straightened her back to salute him, “Yes, sir, Daddy, sir!” she barked before breaking into a fit of giggles as she scampered off to the bathroom. Once the door closed, he sighed contentedly, “I’ve been called worse.” he said with a smile. To Be Continued...

Looking for an ancient story, 20+ years old probably. The basic premise is at least four female friends are staying together for a weekend/holiday and play a game where they're assigned ages to play as and earn higher or lower ages based on behavior. I believe they rotate being Mommy, but I honestly can't recall. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

As is the case with most of my stories, because I'm a dumb and don't plan anything out, I started with a concept, people arriving at D.E.A.T.H. after ABDL related circumstances led to their demise and realized pretty quickly that that isn't a story, so I started expanding the scope and did a whole bunch of stuff really quickly that thankfully mostly worked out. I think I rushed the story a bit to make that change, but I'm overall pleased with the end result. Delilah and Ella was a big thing for me and I wanted it to be as much of an emotional core as Ella and Mira's relationship was. Ultimately, I wanted the story to be driven more by relationships than anything else, and I think I did that to a point, but again, rushing things waters that down a bit. The vision thing was originally going to be a chapter focused on each character and what they saw, "The best day I never had" being the life they missed out on because they died, it was all SUPER heavy and changed the tone of things so dramatically that I scrapped the majority of it in favor of touching on it briefly because I did genuinely love the idea, but overall I didn't want to bum everyone out super hard. I will say that Lucy's vision legit gutted me because she died so young and missed out on so much, but Mira's vision was equally rough because it showed us that she loved her sister but couldn't articulate it because she couldn't get past her own hangups. At the end of the day, I think this is a solid story that accomplished a fair amount of my original vision for it, and the things that came later in the process, like God and Satan turned out to be really fun to write...aside from remembering to capitalize their pronouns...and the final chapter's bit with Satan being a great father to Mira was hands down the best thing to write in this story. I'm very happy you liked the story and greatly appreciate you sharing your thoughts with me! I'm sorry it took so long to respond, that's my problem and I'm dealing with it. Thank you for hanging in there and sticking with it, I'm glad it turned out to be so enjoyable for you to read!

Done and dusted! Hope you all enjoy the finale of this story, as always if you like it let me know, if you hate it let me know! I hope to see you in one of my other stories! Chapter Ten “Fin” “Ella?” Mira whispered softly, gently shaking me awake. I groaned softly but didn’t open my eyes, trying to stay asleep longer, “Go back to sleep, Mira.” I grumbled. “He’s here.” she whispered, her voice small and frightened. I opened my eyes to see my sister laying beside me, her head raised to look over me to the room beyond. I rolled over and saw Him sitting in the rocking chair, one leg crossed over the other hands in his lap, a smile on his face that carried ill will in it. He uncrossed his leg and rose slowly, “Good,” He thought for a moment, “I suppose afternoon would be correct.” He said. I sat up and glowered at Him, “You can’t be here!” I snapped. He smirked, “Can’t I?” He asked. I shook my head, “This is our home, we had a deal with God.” I reminded Him. “And what of my deal?” He asked. I sneered, “Like we’d ever make a deal with you.” I spat. He smiled, “You and Lucy wouldn’t.” He said, “But you’re a good deal smarter than your crib mate.” He added. My blood ran cold as I scooted back and reached behind me to hold onto Mira, “Any deal she might’ve made with you ended when we made our new deal.” I told Him. He shook his head, “Not how it works, kiddo.” He said, “Little Mira there made a deal with me, and I’ve fulfilled my end of it, so now I’m here to collect my payment.” He explained. Mira whimpered softly behind me. “What was the deal?” I asked Him. He shrugged His shoulders, “That’s not for me to divulge.” He said. “Mira, what was your deal?” I asked her without taking my eyes off of Him. She sniffled, “Happiness.” she whispered, “I wanted to have a happy family again.” she explained. He stuck His hands into the pockets of His black, very expensive looking dress pants, “See, poor little Mira didn’t really know what she wanted, so she was nice and vague about her terms,” He explained, “turns out, your little whisper while she slept got through and she felt true happiness in this little family you’ve cobbled together when you informed her she’d be the little sister.” He continued, “Doesn’t it just warm the cockles of your heart?” He asked. I ignored Him, “What did you promise Him?” I asked her. He raised one hand from His pocket, “That one I can answer!” He said, vanishing in a blur of darkness to appear at the side of the crib, His arms folded on the top of the rails as He looked down at us, “She’s to be mine.” He said, “No specifics on the nature of the relationship, but given her current state, maybe it’s time for me to settle down and be a good father.” He explained, his smile spreading as he looked at Mira with hungry eyes. “I won’t let you take her!” I hissed. He sighed, “Ella,” He said, lowering the crib side before walking back to the rocking chair to sit down and once again cross one leg over the other, “Let me tell you a little story.” He said, “Well, show you.” He corrected. The room vanished, leaving Mira and I standing in darkness. I moved around so we were side by side and took her hand tightly into my own, “It’ll be okay, Mira.” I reassured her. “As you know, God and I have a, “unique” relationship.” He said, placing emphasis on ‘unique’. Images appeared in succession before us, Him with Her bent over a rock, Her face frozen in orgasmic bliss as dinosaurs roamed behind them, Her atop Him as knights waged war all around, their bodies slathered with blood and mud, Him holding Her hair tightly as She felicitated Him as plague doctors loaded bodies into carts. “Over the course of our existence, I’ve groomed Her to be the perfect lover.” He explained, “I broke Her of Her will to disobey me when it came to sex and made Her satisfy me as I destroyed Her creations.” He continued, “Do you know that She begged me, cock in mouth, not to kill the last Dodo?” He asked, a self satisfied chuckle ringing in the darkness. “Not only did I kill it, but I made Her use its beak as a butt plug for nearly seventy years for having the nerve to think She had any say in what I did.” He added. Mira squeezed my hand tightly as the image of God with a sizable beak in Her ass as She sucked His cock displayed in front of us. “The reality of the situation, girls, is that God isn’t in any kind of position to make deals, least of all with my property.” He said, “The home you built in your adorable little pocket universe? Created with power I gave Her.” He added. I shook my head, “God doesn’t need you to give Her power.” I sneered. “No?” He asked, “Slut!” He shouted. God appeared before us, naked and on Her knees in front of Him. He knelt behind Her and lifted Her chin so She was looking at us, “Tell them the truth.” He commanded. She nodded softly, “I surrendered all my power to Him.” She said. He reached down and roughly pinched Her nipple, drawing a gasp and moan from Her, “Why?” He asked. She bit Her lip, “To be allowed to cum.” She confessed. He chuckled softly, “Pathetic, isn’t She?” He asked us, “So focused on carnal delights that my refusal to allow Her to orgasm brought Her to surrendering everything She had.” He said. “So our deal-” I started to say. “A sham, I’m afraid.” He said, cutting me off, “You have what you have so I could get what I want.” He continued, “And what I want is for Mira to come to her new Daddy.” He said, smiling wickedly at us. I felt her grip loosen, “I propose a new deal!” I exclaimed, squeezing her hand tight. His smile remained, “Go on.” He said. My mind whirled as I tried to come up with something to outsmart Him with, “She offered me a role as God.” I finally said, pointing at the naked deity on Her knees beside him getting Her head stroked like an obedient dog, “If I agree to that deal, to take Her place, you leave Mira and Lucy alone forever.” I said. “Ella, no!” Mira whined. He stroked His beard in contemplation, “Tempting, but no.” He finally said, “You’re not my type and I know I’m not yours.” He said knowingly, “Come along, little one.” He said, crooking his finger to beckon Mira to him. Her grip loosed as her feet began to move in his direction. “No!” I wailed, holding her hand tightly and pulling as hard as I could to keep her with me, my pajama clad feet sliding as she pulled me along with her. He smiled at me, “Don’t worry, Ella, I’ll take good care of her.” He said, “But you need to let go now, sweetie.” He told me, “Here, cuddle this instead.” He added, flicking his wrist in my direction. A stuffed bear appeared on the ground in front of me, the fur pink and fluffier and softer looking than anything I’d ever seen before, the urge to rush to it and pick it up to cuddle it overwhelming me as I felt hot tears roll down my cheeks as I let go of Mira and rushed to the bear, dropping to my knees to scoop it up and snuggle it. Mira moved quicker without me anchoring her, dropping to her hands and knees to crawl the rest of the way to Him and perch on her knees with her arms wide open to Him. He knelt and scooped her up, placing her on His hip as He gently grabbed her wrist and bobbed her hand up and down, “Say, ‘bye bye’, Ella.” He cooed. Mira stared vacantly at me, “Bye bye, Ella.” she repeated in a monotone voice before resting her head on His shoulder. I was sobbing uncontrollably, desperately trying to let go of the stuffed bear to go to my sister, but all I could do was cuddle the fluffy bear and rock softly as I cried, watching them vanish in a swirl of shadow, the nursery returning once they’d left, leaving me in the middle of the room cuddling the bear with God still on Her knees across the room. “I’m sorry, Ella.” She said softly. I glared at Her, the thrall of the bear breaking its hold on me as I tossed it aside and got up to rush to Her, tackling Her and raining my fists down onto Her face. Over and over I punched, Her pristine skin bruised and bloody after dozens of blows until I pushed myself off of Her panting and sobbing. She spit blood onto the carpet as she rose to a sitting position, “Feel better?” She asked. I shook my head, “Why are you still here?” I hissed. She sighed, Her wounds healing instantly, the blood disappearing from Her mouth and the carpet, “Powerless, remember?” She said, “He sapped the last of it when He decided He was done with me.” she explained, her tone rich with self pity. “You fucking deserve it, you coward.” I spat. She nodded, “Yeah, I do.” She admitted, “Mira doesn’t though.” She added. I glared at Her, “You don’t get to say her name.” I warned. She smiled, “I used to know love like that.” She said, “He used to love me as much as you love Mira, or Lucy, but absolute power and all that.” She continued, “Now, I matter so little to Him that He’s fine leaving me powerless and alone without so much as a goodbye.” She said sadly. “Oh, poor God, tricked by the well documented master of lies.” I sneered, “He’s right, you are pathetic.” I added. She nodded, “I am.” She agreed, “I’d go back with Him in a second if He came to get me, knowing that He’d eventually find some new plaything to replace me, and I’d do everything He asked because He’s what I deserve.” She explained. “You deserve to be miserable for all the pain and suffering you’ve allowed people to experience,” I said, “you deserve to be degraded and used so you can feel a fraction of what the people in the realm of the living have to endure.” I continued, rising to my feet to walk over and stand above her, “You deserve to be punished for all of it, but for me, you deserve to suffer for ruining the lives of my family.” I told her. She sighed, “Is this the part where you spank me and force me into diapers or something, because that wouldn’t be so much of a punishment, honey.” She said. I shook my head, “No, you’re not worth my time and energy.” I said, “You’re going to crawl to that door and into D.E.A.T.H. and find someone that can get you back to Heaven and you’re going to tell them the truth about everything.” I commanded. She scoffed, “And why would I do that?” She asked incredulously. I smiled and knelt down, stroking Her cheek softly, “Because if you don’t, Lucy and I will find all kinds of new and interesting ways to degrade and humiliate you.” I said. She smirked, “Don’t threaten me with a good time, Ella.” She said. I slapped Her hard across Her face, “Fine, you’ll do it because if you don’t, I will spend the rest of eternity bringing you to the edge of orgasm only to deny you the privilege.” I explained, “You’ll beg and plead for release, but it won’t come, you’ll be eternally frustrated and it won’t end because none of us is going anywhere ever.” I said. She stared at me in disbelief before she smiled, “You’re a nasty little bitch, aren’t you?” she asked. “When it comes to my family? You bet your ass I am.” I said. “Now, get the fuck out of my house, whore.” I spat, folding my arms across my chest as I watched Her obediently crawl to the door. She turned to look back at me, “Once I have my power back, I’m going to ruin you.” She threatened. I nodded, “I’ll believe it when I see it.” I told her. She opened the door, revealing the cubicles on the office floor of D.E.A.T.H. and crawled through after taking a deep breath, the door shutting behind Her once She’d crossed the threshold. Once I was alone, my strong facade faltered and I collapsed into a heap on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably as I pounded my fists futilely into the carpet and swore and screamed in rage until I exhausted myself and fell asleep after crawling to the discarded bear to cuddle for comfort. ********** Lucy and I carried on the best we could after Mira left, we removed the nursery from our house after it became obvious I was never going back into it, too many things to remind me of what I’d lost. I gave up everything baby related cold turkey, viewing that part of me as weak and stupid, focusing on work and pushing Lucy further and further away as time went on. “Do you even want me here anymore?” Lucy asked one night at dinner, the meal she’d prepared cold and uneaten as I picked at it with my fork. I wasn’t listening to her, I rarely did after Mira left. Maybe it was resentment that she wasn’t there to help me when He’d taken Mira, maybe it was me not feeling deserving of love and happiness while Mira suffered whatever was happening to her alone, but whatever it was, she left without saying goodbye and I eventually stopped going back to the home we’d built together, returning to my space at D.E.A.T.H. with nothing but my own thoughts to keep me company in the times I wasn’t pouring myself into work. I’d see Lucy around the office occasionally, she’d moved on with her afterlife, started a new relationship with someone in Reaping, from what I could tell when I saw her talking to the busty blonde that seemed to hang on her every word and follow her around like a puppy. Being back at D.E.A.T.H. was for the best, it removed my ability to cry and let me feel awful without being able to release myself from the hurt, a nice eternal torture for me to savor for the rest of time. When the envelope appeared in my living space I was taken aback, the all black envelope with my name written on the front in red, the lines of the crudely scrawled letters chunky and deliberate, like a child had written it. I picked it up and opened it, pulling the paper inside out to unfold and read it. “Dear Ella, You’re cordially invited to Mira’s first birthday party. If you’re interested in attending, a door will appear wherever you are at the time of the party, all you need do is step through it. A gift would be welcome but is unnecessary if you are unable to secure one. She would love to see her big sister. Regards, Satan” I collapsed to my knees and let the letter fall to the floor, my mind racing with possibilities. I needed to tell Lucy, to convince her to join me, thinking we could get Mira back somehow if we went together to the party. I used my will to find her and went directly to her via the door to my living space. “Ella?” she asked, looking up from her book as she read on her couch, “What are you doing here?” she asked in surprise. I handed her the note, “We have to go, we can fix all of this!” I told her. She read the note and looked up at me, “You broke my heart, Ella.” she said after a long silence, “You shut me out and didn’t even try to stop me from leaving.” she explained. “I’m sorry!” I told her, taking her hands in mine, “If we get her back, things can go back to the way they were!” I explained. She pulled her hands free of mine, “No.” she said, “You lost me.” she said, moving back on the couch so she could stand up, “It took everything I had to make peace with the fact that you didn’t love me anymore, and only now am I finally starting to feel slightly better.” she explained. I stood up, feeling impossibly small as I looked up into her eyes, “Please, Lucy, Mommy,” I corrected, “I need you.” I pleaded. Her face softened as she put her hand to my cheek and leaned in to kiss my forehead, “No.” she said sadly, “I want you to go and try and get Mira back, but I’m not coming with you and-” she hesitated, “and I don’t want you to try and contact me anymore after you leave.” she said. My spirit shriveled as I searched her eyes for a sign that I might be able to change her mind, finding none, I nodded softly, “I’m sorry.” I said quietly before I turned to leave, “I fucked up.” I said, turning to look back at her, “I felt so helpless and terrible for not being able to save Mira that I didn’t feel like I deserved to be happy, but I never explained that to you.” I said, “I hope you find happiness, Lucy, you deserve it.” I added as I made my way to the door and out of her life. ********** Some time later the door mentioned in the letter appeared in my living room, black and swirling with shadows as a door to Hell was expected to be, and I got up and walked to it, placing my hand on the knob and giving it a turn and push before being pulled across the threshold, the door slamming shut behind me. I don’t know what I expected to find on the other side, pools of lava, demons, naked people being tortured in disgusting ways maybe, but what I absolutely hadn’t considered was that He’d host Mira’s birthday at a Chuck E. Cheese. “You made it!” He exclaimed, rushing up to me and throwing His arms around me to hug me tightly. He’d traded in his black and crimson finery for khaki’s and a seafoam green polo shirt, His dark aura replaced with something more akin to a candle store employee, still a hint of darkness just under the surface, but for all intents and purposes, warm and inviting. He was clean shaven now, His dark hair now brown with blonde highlights cut short and parted on the left side of His head making him look like a newscaster or weather man. “What the actual fuck is going on?” I asked Him. He pulled away, a look of shock on His face, “There are children here, Ella, let’s keep the language G rated, huh?” He playfully chided. I stared at Him in disbelief, “What happened to you?” I asked. “Fatherhood!” He exclaimed with a bubbly joy that genuinely startled me, “Having a kid changes you, man!” He said, “Hang on.” He added, stepping around me, “Hey, Karen, would you mind keeping an eye on the kids for a mo, Ella’s here to see her sister!” He called out to a bleach blonde woman in white stretch pants over by the arcade that nodded and gave him a thumbs up in response. I shuddered, “This is so much worse than what I imagined.” I thought, “So, you’re good now?” I asked Him. He chuckled and turned, throwing an arm over my shoulder as He started us walking, “Good? Nah! I’m great, kiddo!” He exclaimed, “All that time being God’s “master and commander”, living only to tantalize and torment the poor girl for my own sick pleasure turned me into a dark dude.” He explained, “But after I brought little Mira home, she changed me, devoting myself to her happiness and well being set me on a path to becoming a better person.” He explained. “But you’re not a person.” I said. He waved His hand dismissively, “I know, I know, but you know what I mean.” He said. We walked past the tables of children eating pizza and drinking soda and juice, “Who are all these kids?” I asked. He looked around as we walked, “Uh, some belong to the guys from my Daddy and Me class, some belong to parents I met at the pediatrician, and some are just damned souls that get a fun little break from the pits for the afternoon.” He explained. “I’m genuinely trying to figure out what of those three things is the most upsetting.” I confessed. He chuckled, “Oh, you!” He said, gently squeezing my shoulder, “Hey, Lucy didn’t come with you?” He suddenly asked. I shook my head, “We broke up.” I told Him, unsure why I was doing so. He stopped walking and gave me a sympathetic head tilt as He pouted, “Aww, I’m sorry, kiddo, that’s rough.” He said as He hugged me again. I gasped when I saw her over His shoulder. She was seated in a booster seat with closed holes for her legs to go through on a throne that made her look smaller than she was. Her raven hair was styled into precious ringlets, the dress she wore was the same seafoam color as His shirt, the frills and ruffles looking like they were devouring her with teeth made of satin and a gullet of petticoats, she was nursing a pink pacifier and wore a tiara atop her head, and her eyes absolutely lit up when she saw me. “Ewwa!” she squealed, wriggling in her seat futilely, arms outstretched to me. I moved to pull away from Him, to go to her, but He held me tight, “She’s happy, Ella.” He whispered, “Happy and safe, please respect that.” He requested before letting me go and stepping aside to allow me to go to her. I laughed as tears sprung from my eyes as I hurried to her, climbing the set of small stairs in front of her throne to throw my arms around her and effortlessly lift her from the booster seat, her legs wrapping around my waist as we hugged, “I missed you so much, Mira.” I sobbed. “Missed you too, Ewwa.” she burbled around her pacifier, the words on the front of it reading “Daddy’s Little Devil”, a smiley face with red horns beneath the pink lettering. He put his arm around me and leaned in to kiss the top of her head, “We’ve got some time before cake and presents if you’d like to take her to the ball pit or something.” He said. I nodded, “Can you walk, honey?” I asked her. He chuckled, “Carrying is probably best.” He said, we wouldn’t want that pretty dress to get dirty, would we?” He asked her. She shook her head, “No, Dada.” she agreed. I carried her away to the large ballpit nearby and set her down on the soft wall that contained the balls, kneeling in front of her to slip her shiny leather shoes from her feet, the white tights beneath adorned with little purple flowers, “You look so pretty!” I told her as I put her shoes in one of the little cubes nearby. She giggled, “Fankoo, Ewwa.” she said sweetly. I stood up and sat beside her to take my own shoes off and put them in one of the other cubes before raising my leg up and over the wall as I got into the ball pit and picked her up to bring her in with me, setting her down amid the balls before I sat down in the shallow enclosure with her, “Was he telling the truth, are you happy and safe?” I asked her. She nodded and flopped her arms in the balls, sending a few scattering away from her as she giggled and bounced on her butt, “Dada take good cawe of me.” she said. I smiled and wiped my tears away, “That’s good.” I said, realizing only now that I was crying, something I hadn’t been able to do since we lived at the house. I cleared my throat, “So, a whole year old, huh?” I asked. She nodded as her pacifier fell from her mouth and she brought one of the balls up to replace it, giving me my first glimpse of her drooling mouth devoid of teeth, her pink gums sliding over the surface of the plastic ball as she tried to chew on it. I sighed, “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you, Mira.” I said quietly. She dropped the ball and rummaged around the sea of other balls for her pacifier, finding it and popping it back into her mouth before she crawled to me and pounced on me to cuddle me. She smelled like strawberries and baby powder, a soft and sweet combination that made me relax as I adjusted her so she was on my lap, the thick diaper beneath her bushel of petticoats squishing against my thigh as I softly bounced her, “I’m glad you’re okay.” I said. She pulled her pacifier from her mouth and held it up in front of my face, “Dada said you was gonna come home wif us.” she told me. I smiled and gently pushed her pacifier away and guided it back into her mouth, “I don’t think so, baby.” I told her. “Are you sure?” He asked, suddenly seated on the wall beside us, “I’ve got more than enough space, and you’d get to be with your sister forever.” He said, his tone lilting as he dangled the prospect over me. I scoffed, “Yeah, an eternity as a toothless infant?” I asked. He smiled at Mira, “It was her choice.” He said. I looked from Him to her, seeing her nodding softly, a blush in her cheeks as she avoided eye contact with me. “Why?” I asked. “Tell her.” He softly urged Mira. She sighed heavily, “Being big hurts.” she said, “I wanted Daddy to make me small but He couldn’t, but He could make it so I didn’t have anything big except my body.” she explained, her demeanor completely changed from the baby I’d just been holding on my lap to my older sister. I looked at him in stunned silence. “Teeth, coordination, speech, mobility and toilet training, all gone with a snap of my finger.” He said, “She wanted to start over and I made it happen, so this is a celebration of her first birthday in the most literal sense possible.” He explained. “Oh, Mira.” I said softly, looking at her once more, “Baby, I’m so sorry.” I said, gently rubbing her back before I hugged her tightly. “I told you before, she’s happy and healthy and safe.” He said, “And you could be too.” He added. “You can be the big sister for real, choose what, if any, aspects of childhood you want returned to you and live with her and I, a happy family.” He explained. “We had a happy family.” I reminded him, glaring at him. He nodded, “And for what it’s worth, I’m sorry I destroyed it.” He said, “I can’t give you that family back, unless Lucy agrees to join us, but since she wouldn’t even agree to join you in coming here, I don’t see that happening.” He pointed out, “The next best thing is a life with your sister being cared for and loved.” He added. The smell of strawberries and powder faded, replaced with the earthy aroma of a soiled diaper and I sat numbly as Mira crawled off my lap and back to Him, giggling as He scooped her up and out of the ball pit, standing with her before He extended His hand to me, “She needs a change before cake and presents, this is where you make your choice, Ella.” He said, “Take my hand and join our family, or refuse and celebrate your sister’s birthday knowing that you won’t see her until the next one.” He added. I looked up at His hand and then at His face, His expression devoid of anything but sincerity as He gently bounced Mira on His hip. I looked at Mira, her face bright with hope that I would take His hand and be with her forever. I rose to my knees and started to reach my hand out to place it in His when I saw Lucy walking over from the entrance and my mouth hung open as my eyes welled up with tears. “Sorry I’m late, traffic was a nightmare.” she joked as she walked up to the ball pit, “So, what’d I miss?” she asked, smiling at me and giving me a little wink. He cleared His throat, “I was just offering Ella a place in my family so she could be with Mira forever.” He explained. Lucy nodded, peering around Him to Mira, smiling as she reached out and playfully pinched her cheek, “Happy birthday, cutie!” she cooed. Mira giggled, “Fank you, Wucy, I glad you came!” she said happily. “I’m glad I came too!” she said, turning her attention to me, “To make sure you stay out of trouble young lady.” she said, smiling down at me. “No trouble, just an offer of en eternity of happiness and whatever little trappings she may want.” He explained. Lucy nodded as she listened to Him, “And what about me?” she asked Him, “Do I get an invite to Casa De Diablo?” she asked. He smirked, “Do you want one?” He asked. She slapped His back, “You kidder, do you really think I’d deprive these two adorable angels of a strong female influence in their afterlife?” she asked. He chuckled, “So you’d be a Mommy to them?” He asked. “Darn straight!” she said, smiling at Mira and I as we giggled at her. He nodded softly, “I do spend a lot of time on business trips, and Mira doesn’t seem to like the nannies I bring in.” He confessed. Mira shuddered, “They scawy, Dada!” she exclaimed. He sighed, “Alright, you’re invited into the family as well.” He said. He looked down at me and then to Lucy, “I trust you can handle her while I take care of Mira.” He said, looking from me to Lucy. She smiled and knelt down, resting her arms on the cushiony wall and her chin on her arms, “What do you say, girly?” she asked, “Ready to stop playing pretend and get back to reality?” she asked me. I chewed my lip softly and nodded as I rushed to her and threw my arms around her, giggling as she scooped me up into her arms and hugged me tightly, spinning us around in a circle before she set me down and kissed me deeply on the lips. “We’re going to have a long talk when we get home, young lady.” she said before kissing me once more as she took my hand in hers. “Yes, Mommy.” I agreed once our lips parted and she led me by the hand to follow Him to the bathroom. Epilogue “Happy birthday, dear Ella, happy birthday to you!” Mommy and Daddy and Mira sang. I wiggled happily in my seat and clapped my hands when they finished, leaning forward and blowing out the candle on my cake. Daddy turned the light on in the dining room as Mommy came over to take the cake to the side of the table to cut it up, pulling the little wax three from the cake and setting it onto a paper plate, “Did you make a wish, angel?” Daddy asked as He came over and kissed the top of my head. I nodded, “I did, Daddy!” I told Him. Time didn’t exist where we lived, but birthdays still happened. Mira had just turned two a short time ago, and as her big sister it was only natural that I’d be older, even if there wasn’t much difference between the two of us now apart from one little wax number that is. Everything had changed after Mommy had put me back into diapers at Mira’s first birthday party, I’d told Daddy what I wanted for myself and He’d made it all happen with a snap of His finger. I no longer knew how to use the potty, I could walk if a grownup held my hand or I could stabilize myself with a piece of furniture, I kept my teeth and my ability to talk like an adult, but chose to talk like a baby more often than not. Mommy and I stopped working at D.E.A.T.H. entirely, but she kept in contact with her trainee, the buxom blonde I’d seen her with what felt like a lifetime ago, and told Mira and I bedtime stories about God and what had become of her. It turned out that, the now former God, had obeyed me and crawled around the D.E.A.T.H. offices until she found someone that could help her get in touch with Heaven, when they did, a team of men showed up to pick her up and nobody really knew what happened to her, until a caseworker friend of Mommy’s started noticing an uptick in clients with claims of a baby that, either directly or indirectly, caused their deaths. Charlotte, as she was now known, was an infant bouncing from foster home to foster home, dropping bodies along the way. Daddy explained that He’d given little Charlotte just a tiny bit of power, enough that she could get herself into trouble, and the little firebrand didn’t disappoint. Heaven was unwilling to put the infant to death outside of her scheduled expiration, which was a good ninety one years away, so they made a deal with Daddy, very hush hush given the nature of what was to happen, and turned a blind eye when little Charlotte suddenly vanished in the night, never to be seen or heard from again. An ear piercing wail came from the living room, making all of us exchange knowing glances. Daddy excused Himself and left while Mommy sliced the cake. “Someone woke up and wanted to wish her big sister a happy birthday!” Daddy cooed as He held little Charlotte in His arms, rocking her gently as she sucked her fist and drooled. Mommy hadn’t thought bringing Charlotte into our family was a good idea, but Daddy promised that He’d take full responsibility of her and hadn’t broken that promise yet. Once Charlotte arrived, Daddy explained that He’d given her back her adult mind but hadn’t connected any of the wires, so she was basically a prisoner in her never to age infant body, and every time she cried or needed a clean diaper, I’d smile at her, knowing she was in Hell where she belonged, and not just Hell adjacent where our house was. “Alright, baby, here’s your cake.” Mommy said, sliding a paper plate onto the tray of my highchair, “And a bib to keep that pretty dress clean.” she added as she secured a bib around my neck and kissed the top of my head. I watched her set a piece onto Mira’s highchair tray and smiled at my baby sister, “Thank you, Mommy.” I said, giggling when Mira smiled back at me, drooling onto her bib as she dug her hand into her slice of cake and smushed the fistful into her still toothless mouth. Not wanting to miss out, I copied Mira and we both giggled when we saw each other’s icing and cake smeared faces. “Looks like it’s bath time after presents.” Mommy said, smiling at us both. Daddy’s watch beeped and He checked it, “Ooh, it’s time for someone’s baba!” He cooed at the squirming baby in His arms as He headed to the kitchen for a bottle of Mommy’s milk. ********** “Did you have a good birthday, baby?” Mommy asked as she settled down between Mira and I in the crib. I nodded softly and yawned as she opened her shirt and unhooked her bra so Mira and I could nurse before bed. She sighed contentedly, “Y’know, when I died, I thought that was it for me, that I’d be four years old for eternity, destined to reaping kids until the end of the universe.” she said, stroking our hair softly as we suckled from her, “But then I met you and we had the strangest journey in existence, and all of it was worth it because I have the two most perfect babies in the entire span of human history forever and ever.” she said. I looked over at Mira, her mouth working rhythmically but her eyes closed as she drifted off to sleep, and I pulled Mommy’s nipple from my mouth and scooted up to kiss her cheek, “How many more birthdays until I can kiss you for real?” I asked before latching onto her breast once more. She sighed again and smiled, “Well, you’ve been a pretty good girl, so let’s see where we’re at next year.” she said, kissing the top of my head. I wiggled happily, my punishment for hurting her had been a purely parental relationship until I could prove I’d learned my lesson about being open and honest about my feelings, and Charlottedamn was it hard not being with her, but I had her and Mira and yes, even Daddy, and everything was absolutely perfect. With full tummies and pacifiers in our mouths, Mira and I cuddled in the crib as Mommy put up the side and crept out of the room. I watched the mobile overhead with drooping eyes, another yawn escaping me as my diaper warmed and turned my head to touch pacifier shields with Mira, “Love you, Miwa.” I whispered. Mira stirred lightly, crinkled her nose and passed gas before going still again, “Wuv yoo, Ewwa.” she gurgled dreamily. I sighed and smiled as I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep, the life I’d always wanted had eluded me for so long that I never dreamed it would actually become a reality, but it did, it was mine and I wouldn’t change a single thing about it...maybe not having to spend the night cuddling a poopy baby, but even that was kind of great in its own way. The End

Five The first thing he did was clean up the mess she’d made when she wet herself, then he placed an order to have some things delivered from the grocery store, which he did after taking a spot behind her on the floor with her sitting between his legs as he held her and rocked back and forth with his body to keep her calm and not get upset about her wet pants. “What’s that, Daddy?” she asked, pointing at the screen of his phone. He hesitated for a moment, not wanting to incite a tantrum, but ultimately deciding that if he was going to be her ‘daddy’ for the next few hours or longer, he’d have to accept that quelling a tantrum may be in the cards, “Daddy’s shopping for some things he needs so he can take care of you tonight.” he told her. Marisol wasn’t listening to him, she was leaning against him and looking up at him while trying to wrap her diminished mind around why her naughty spot was tingling so much. Order placed, he stood, helping her to her feet, and led her on uncertain legs to the bathroom connected to her bedroom, “Daddy needs to get you cleaned up because you wet your pants.” he explained, “Can you be a big girl and get your pants and underwear off by yourself?” he asked. She stood there staring at him blankly, her thumb twirling her hair around it before she stuck it into her mouth. He smiled at her, “Can I get you out of your wet pants and underwear so you can have a bath?” he asked, wanting her consent to appease his gentlemanly nature. She giggled and nodded, her toes wiggling as she wobbled slightly. Clinical was the word he chose to use to describe the undressing and subsequent bath, making sure he only touched what needed to get clean and only for long enough to get the job done. He left her bra on her but removed her shirt to keep it dry and helped her step into the filled tub and sit down gently as he got a washcloth soaped up. “You a good Daddy.” she murmured around her thumb as he washed her below the water. He smiled, “Thank you.” he said, “You’re a pretty good baby.” he added, feeling stupid the moment the words left his mouth. She wiggled her feet happily and smiled. His phone chimed as he was draining the tub and helping her to her feet, and he deftly picked her up and carried her to the bed wrapped in her towel, “Can you stay right there until I get back?” he asked. She nodded softly, continuing to suck her thumb, drooling a bit as she lolled her head to the side and smiled at him. Salvation came in plastic bags, one with a package of adult diapers, the other with a pack each of bottles and pacifiers and wipes and powder, and he honestly couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so happy to get a grocery delivery as he made his way back to the bedroom, glad any future messes would be contained and eager to get her thumb and hair from her mouth. She began to fuss when he opened the pack of diapers and pulled one out, but he took charge effortlessly. “Hey, there’s no need to be upset about this.” he said, unfolding the diaper, “This isn’t some regular old baby diaper, no ma’am, this is a pack of genuine magic princess diapers!” he told her. She stopped fussing and stared up at him, her eyes wide with wonder as she gazed upon the alleged magic diaper, “Nuh uh!” she said, sounding like she wasn’t entirely sure he was lying. He nodded, “I swear!” he said, “These diapers are the most comfortable thing you’ll ever wear and the magic in them makes it so Daddy’s can’t help but cuddle you and make you dinner and play with you all night long!” he told her. She wiggled her bottom, “All night?” she asked, her thumb falling from her lips. He nodded, taking the opportunity to replace her thumb with one of the pacifiers he’d bought, “Until your eyes get too heavy to stay open and you fall asleep.” he said. She sucked the pacifier and smiled, nodding her head excitedly, “Kay!” she squeaked. The process was relatively quick, all things considered. Marisol tried to get more out of the fleeting instances of his hands touching her sensitive flesh, but Marcus was focused on the task at hand, barely looking at her nudity as he performed an act he’d carried out many times over across numerous siblings in his time on Earth. He smiled proudly when it turned out he’d guessed the size she’d need, the tapes sealing the plain white garment around her waist snugly, the smell of powder filling the air around them as he stood up and went to her dresser, “Do you have any pajamas we can put on you?” he asked. “No ni-ni, wanna fuck!” she whined, struggling and writhing on the bed as she tried and finally succeeded in slipping her bra off and quickly scrambling to retrieve her pacifier as it tumbled from her mouth to the bed in the struggle. He had to fight hard not to laugh, turning to face her, “Marisol, that’s not a very nice word for a little girl to use.” he told her. She timidly sucked her pacifier, “Sorry, Daddy.” she said glumly. He pulled an oversized shirt from the top drawer and returned to her, “Hey, I’m not mad and you’re not in trouble, but let’s not use any naughty words tonight, okay?” he asked as he slipped the shirt on over her head and guided her arms into the other holes. Scooping her up and setting her on his hip, he smiled at her, “How about we get some nummies in that tummy?” he asked, tickling her stomach gently and holding her tight as she writhed and giggled before resting her head on his shoulder. In the kitchen, he set the bottles down on the counter and did the same with her, giving her a warning that she needed to sit still if she was going to be allowed to be up high as he went to the fridge and got some milk from inside to fill the bottle with, warming it in the microwave before handing it to her and taking her pacifier from her mouth so she could drink it. “Does mac and cheese sound good?” he asked. She nodded excitedly as she sucked her bottle. The search for what he needed to make her dinner took the longest amount of time, the way Marisol had her cabinets organized, or lack thereof, frustrated him greatly, but he found a pot and the blue box of pasta and started cooking for her as she watched intently and nursed her bottle. “The secret to really good mac and cheese,” he said, tying an apron on himself, “is having a cute girl to taste test while you make it!” he told her, touching her nose with the tip of his finger and winking at her. She giggled and dribbled milk down her chin and onto her shirt, her diaper rustling softly as she bounced on her butt happily. “What did Daddy say about sitting still?” he asked her. She stopped instantly and resumed quietly sucking her bottle. He pulled out his phone and opened up his music player and found some music he thought she might like, up tempo Spanish music with lots of energy to play while he cooked for her and periodically danced, to her great delight. He caught himself looking at her periodically, telling himself he was being a responsible temporary guardian and making sure she was safe on the counter, but he knew it was a lie to absolve him from feeling creepy about himself. He wasn’t looking at her lustfully, he could honestly say that, but he was looking at her and taking in little things that were making him feel closer to her, pulling him in to something that would feel pretty amazing if the circumstances of the situation were different. He found himself noticing the way her hair frizzed just a little bit where she’d been laying her head on the bed, noticed the semicircle of flesh visible where the too big for her shirt lazily hung off to the left of her, her collarbone and shoulder a rich caramel color with a smoothness he wanted to kiss to know the feel of. He drank in the sight of her legs crossed in front of her, the dress of a shirt pooling in her lap, the fullness of her lips as she gently suckled the nipple of her bottle, every new detail he noticed made him glad he was with her and eager to spend more time with her going forward. He shook his head to regain his focus and went back to cooking, smiling to himself as he worked and thought of her. “Taste.” he said, holding up a little spoonful of orange yellow pasta in front of her. She smiled at him, her dark eyes sparkling as she opened her mouth and accepted the spoon, “Mmm!” she hummed excitedly. “Yeah?” he asked, moving to the pot to start putting it in bowls for them. She was nodding enthusiastically, “Nummy, Daddy!” she said with a giggle. He filled the bowls and took them to the table before returning to the kitchen to pick her up and carry her to the table and sit her down in the chair beside where he’d put his own bowl, “Can you feed yourself?” he asked, holding up a spoon for her. She nodded and took the spoon from him, holding it in her fist like a toddler would. An idea struck him, “How about this?” he said, picking her up once more and sitting down with her on his lap, her bowl pulled to him as he scooped some of the pasta onto it and held it to her mouth. He didn’t know what a swoon felt like, but her body relaxing the moment he set her on his lap and pulled the bowl over let him know that he’d made the right choice in her eyes. Just as he had noticed her while he’d been cooking, she noticed him as he used a silly voice to get her to open her mouth to accept the airplane spoon carrying her macaroni. Her thoughts weren’t her own currently, her rational, adult mind was taking a nap somewhere in the back corner of her mind, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t thinking, in some ways, she was thinking clearer than ever without things like inhibition and self consciousness getting in the way of her feelings. When she looked at him, she saw his strong arms that carried her and held her without a second thought, she saw how he transitioned effortlessly into a caregiver that knew every move to make to keep her safe and happy, she saw that none of the things he said or did were an act, that he was comfortable being her Daddy in a way that gave her hope he’d stay with her forever and continue to be her Daddy. “Such a messy eater.” he playfully teased as he picked a few fallen macaroni noodles from the bowl her oversized shirt had created. She giggled, thinking about a forever being with him as his baby, wondering if he’d take her to play with her brother and meet Mami and have deep, meaningful, boring conversation while she and ‘Berto crawled around giggling and playing together. “Whatchya thinking about, little one?” he asked after she’d failed to get all of another bite in her mouth. Her diaper warmed beneath her, “You be Daddy all time?” she asked. He never stopped smiling at her as he set the spoon down and took her hand in his, “Marisol, sweetie,” he started, “do you know what pretend is?” he asked. She nodded softly, she remembered playing pretend, holding a microphone and talking to his camera like a big grownup news lady, “Peetend is no wheel.” she told him. He nodded, still smiling, maybe even smiling differently, proudly, maybe? “That’s right!” he praised, “This is pretend.” he told her, his thumb stroking the top of her hand, “You’re gonna be a big girl again soon and you won’t need a Daddy to take care of you.” he explained, not sure how much of any of this was getting through to her, “But, when you’re a big girl again I will take you out to a nice restaurant, take you dancing, and we can see if there’s something between us that might lead to us being together.” he said, kissing her cheek. She smiled when he kissed her cheek and turned and hugged him, she didn’t fully grasp what he was telling her, but he was smiling and had kissed her, and that’s all she needed, that and more of his nummy mac and cheese. ********** After she was fed and he ate his meal, he set her down on the couch and turned on cartoons for her to watch, refilling and warming another bottle of milk for her while he cleared the table and cleaned up the kitchen. Once everything was back where it had been and clean, he made his way to the couch and sat down by her feet. She looked over at him and sat up, her teeth clamped down on the nipple of her bottle as she crawled onto his lap and curled up to look up at him with drooping eyes. He knew the second bottle was putting her to sleep, and gently took hold of it for her and held it so she could finish it, watching as her eyes closed as she nursed. He situated her so he was cradling her and felt something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Since he’d met her, he’d been attracted to her, she was quite beautiful and smart and enjoyable to talk to, but holding her in his arms, the warmth of her skin on his, the smallness of her form on his lap as she drank from a bottle in an oversized shirt with a diaper he knew was wet underneath made her seem like a different person while still being the same person. He imagined the feeling was something like what a parent feels when the baby looks like a shrunk down version of their partner rather than a mix of the two or an adopted child. He was falling in love with the baby version of her, not in a way that would be, in his opinion, wrong and an abuse of his power, but in a way that dictated he’d die to keep her safe and happy, to ensure that this little bundle of adorablness in his arms never felt sad or alone, that she was always loved and cared for because she had him. When the bottle emptied, he gently sat her up and patted her back, drawing out a large burp and a sleepy giggle before her lips wrapped around the pacifier he put to them and lay her back down for more light rocking until her soft breathing turned to soft snoring allowing him time to sit in the quiet of the living room once the TV was turned off and process the deluge of new thoughts and emotions he had now with regards to her. ********** It was still dark when she woke up, disoriented for a moment in the quiet darkness of the living room until she saw him, sleeping sitting up and realized she was on his lap. Her cheeks flushed as she recalled some of what had happened, her hand probing the squishy middle of the diaper she wore as a wave of shame and embarrassment washed over her. She’d made a total fool of herself in front of him, and he’d taken it all in without hesitation, stayed with her in her time of need, bathed her, clothed her, fed her, and nurtured her in a way that no coworker ever should or would for someone they worked with. She was still sucking the pacifier he’d given her when she lay her head back down on his arm and watched him sleep for a moment. This man was truly something special, he’d stayed when he could’ve run, he indulged her infantile needs when she was high on Talc, he’d given her love and attention she hadn’t felt since, she saw ‘Berto in her mind and thought of her mother. “What would Mami think of me now?” she wondered, a brief image of her and ‘Berto crawling around on the floor as Marcus and Mami watched over them flashing in her mind, “She’d love to have both her babies back at home.” she thought with a tingle up her spine that brought a spurt of warmth into her diaper. Her thoughts were straightening out, but she was still feeling the effects of the drug, the pacifier was helping to keep her calm in the face of overwhelming feelings of how big an apology would be required to make things up to Marcus for spoiling their night, though the adult part of her knew he’d hear no apology from her on the subject, she couldn’t help but wonder if he’d ever be able to see her as anything but this version of herself going forward. Her thoughts derailed when her tummy rumbled ominously, the milk she’d drank combined with dinner and the drug still in her system made the need to poop come on quite suddenly and very intensely, and she started thinking of ways to get off his lap without waking him and get to the bathroom without waking him, remove her diaper and use the toilet without waking him and get back on his lap without waking him. As she thought, crunching numbers and extrapolating data, plotting the geometry of what she needed to do, her body gave her an ultimatum in the form of a strong cramp and she sighed softly as she looked up at him in the dark before closing her eyes and pushing down on her bowels to relieve the pain and discomfort, vowing to herself that she’d never ever in a million years tell him that the messy diaper he’d had to change on their first date wasn’t created while she was high and not in control of her faculties, that she’d merely chosen to use her diaper so she didn’t wake him, but as the mess settled in the seat of her diaper and she settled back down in his arms with a sleepy yawn, she knew that wasn’t the whole truth, but she was too sleepy to deal with the reality that being his baby wasn’t even a little bit unpleasant and that maybe Humberto had a pretty good idea after all. To Be Continued...

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I know this story is confusing and that it's probably not at all worth anyone's time, but I'm continuing it regardless of that because once I have an idea in my head I can't stop it, like when you try and stop peeing, it hurts and is no bueno for you. Anyway, this is the only time I'll ever bring this up going forward, but even if no one reads or cares, I'm going to finish this story and maybe some day someone will see it and be like "wow, people really did waste a lot of time on stupid shit back in the day", that's going to rule when it happens. Anyway, magic stuff is happening and reality is changing and Cecilia is a See You Next Tuesday and the story definitely peaked with the last chapter, not gonna lie, but maybe we'll have something good somewhere down the line, right? ...right? VIII “Like A Mule With A Spinning Wheel...” The more she thought about it, the stronger her resolve got, her fingers working the crimson jewel around her neck as she looked at herself in the mirror of the ladies room. The spell she’d cast that had turned everyone’s lives upside down was forgotten by her, the events leading to it erased from her mind in place of memories created to furnish the life she now had, but she still had power and still had the ability to affect the world around her, even if she wasn’t aware of it. The jewel was crystallized demon blood, a family heirloom that she’d gotten from her mother when she became a woman, and her life had changed from that moment onward, sometimes for the better and sometimes not, but, in the grand scheme of things, she was still new to magic and learning how to control her power. The problem with her situation now was that she had limitless power dangling around her neck in a vessel no bigger than a dime, but lacked the knowledge to fear and respect it’s capability, so, like a toddler with a shotgun, she teetered on the brink of destruction and tragedy every moment her fingers touched the jewel and her thoughts passed through her mind. Her desk was the first thing to experience changes, photos of her and Jason with their kids at Disney World shifted to accommodate the new reality, a groundwork for the new normal she was creating without knowing she was doing so. Jason had had baby Hannah on his back in the carrier he wore, his arm around his lovely wife, her right hand on Molly’s shoulder as she stood next to her brother and sister while Jason had his left hand on Jeremiah’s shoulder as they posed together in front of the huge castle near the entrance. The day had been perfect, Hannah had been so dazzled by the sights and sounds that she’d been happy and quiet the whole day, Molly had pitched in with the baby and the twins without being asked, Jeremiah and Beckah were on their best behavior and had gone almost the entire day without tantrums, though kids their age couldn’t help what happened when the dreaded N-A-P time loomed on the horizon, and Jason had been a great father and loving husband making the smiles in the picture genuine and not forced as so many other smiles in other family photos were. The picture that sat on her desk now was quite different, as was the story behind it. The frame was two connected pictures, on the left, the family together, but this time the pose was more indicative of the pecking order of the household. Cecilia stood in the back, her hands on Molly’s shoulders while Molly had one hand on Jeremiah’s shoulder and the other on Beckah’s as they stood side by side in front of her, they each had their hands on the bar of the double stroller in front of them that held Hannah on the left and Jason on the right. Cecelia’s will had distorted the family further than she’d already done starting with Jason and rippling outward. The couple’s relationship had shifted shortly after they’d started dating and she’d discovered his kinks, pushing his boundaries and keeping him under her thumb meaning that by the time the family they’d made went to Florida that Summer, Jason was cowed to the point that he allowed himself to be dressed in a matching princess dress with their infant daughter and carted around the park like any other baby. Without a strong male figure in his life, Jeremiah followed his father’s example and became as much a girl as his twin sister, in the photo, there was next to no difference between the pair as they stood in matching Minnie Mouse patterned dresses, frilly ankle socks and shining black patent leather shoes, both with their hair in pigtails and both with something significantly thicker than training panties beneath their dresses. Molly presented herself as a mature and confident young woman, like her mother, her hands on the twin’s shoulders less for the photo and more as an indication of her role as their second authority figure in the house. As it stood, Molly had been called Mommy nearly as much as Cecilia by her younger siblings, and had carried out her fair share of diaper changes and punishments to her father in her mother’s absence. The second picture was of Cecilia and David, the man she’d previously referred to as ‘Mr. Harris’ around the office, kissing in a booth at a fancy Italian restaurant the night they’d agreed to make their lust for one another more official. Cecilia kept the photo beside the one of the family as a reminder to Jason of his place in their relationship, he was loved and cared for and had blessed her with four beautiful children, but at the end of the day he was little more than another needy infant while David was the man she deserved. As the magic shaped reality, her desk became Jason’s desk, smaller than it had been before and far less professional looking as the wood changed to pink plastic and stickers appeared on the surface. The computer ceased to be sleek and modern and became chunky, childish plastic, the monitor shaped like a flower, the keyboard keys made larger for Jason’s clumsy fingers to peck away at as he pretended to work for his Mommy while accomplishing little more than making deposits into his diaper and sucking his pacifier. The walls transformed into something more likely to be seen in a little girl’s nursery, pale pink with rainbows and suns and clouds adorning them, the plaques Cecilia had accumulated in her time working for the company were replaced with a brightly colored potty chart filled with next to nothing but rain clouds and frowny faces, not that she allowed her secretary to use the potty, but rather kept track to prove to him what a complete failure he was in the arena of continence. Jason’s former office was now Cecilia’s, lavishly decorated with expensive furniture and paintings, the desk far larger than her husband’s had been when he owned it, and everything exuding success and status. Jason wasn’t allowed in her office, his regularly sticky hands were barred from touching anything when he was allowed to enter for whatever reason. She’d rendered her husband pointless at home and now had done so at work as well, his role as her secretary was merely a title, one that she would threaten to remove and send him to the daycare on the first floor if he misbehaved, not that he ever would considering what a good little girl he was for his Mommy and boss, but she enjoyed the look he got on his face when she reminded him that he could always be brought down lower. ********** Back at the house, everything changed to accommodate Jason’s new role, Hannah’s bassinet disappeared from the main bedroom, the room becoming a strictly adult’s only space while the twin’s room became the nursery for all the little one’s to sleep and play together in. With Jeremiah being as much a girl as Beckah, all traces of gender neutral decoration or things he’d owned as a boy were replaced with frilly and girly things, purples and pinks dominated every surface as dolls and dress up clothes filled toy boxes and closets. The twin bed with the low rails the twins shared became a princess canopy bed made of white wood and a crib large enough for Jason and Hannah to share appeared on the wall between the windows. With none of the occupants being able to control themselves, diapers filled the shelves of the changing table on the opposite wall and the bottom of the two closets contained enough diapers to keep up with the constant use until the twins were old enough to go to college in over a decade. History changed as the house did, David had built the crib and the twin’s bed and moved them in when they were done and spent more and more time at the house until he and Cecilia had agreed that it was far easier for him to just move in. Jason had been quite distraught when the couple broke the news to him that he’d be moving out of the grownup bedroom and into the nursery, but David had quelled his tantrum with a firm hand applied to the man’s hairless backside and then ravaged Cecilia after putting Jason down for a nap in his new crib. As the dynamic of the house shifted quickly, so too did Jason’s appetites, he’d become submissive to Cecilia out of devotion and love, but he became enamored with David’s raw, manly power every time he saw the man at work in his expensive suits or saw him shirtless around the house working on projects Jason had never gotten around to. David became the man Jason was meant to be, and the idea of David’s manliness became something that enticed Jason the way Cecilia’s maternal power over him did, leading to Jason seeking the man’s approval and attention more and more frequently, presenting himself as a little girl desperate for daddy’s attention. ********** Cecilia’s heels clicked on the floor as she crossed the threshold into Jason’s office, “It’s almost time for lunch, baby girl, are you hungry?” she asked as she crossed the room to stand before the little pink desk looking down at her husband. Jason sat on his chair, pacifier bobbing softly in his mouth as he looked up from the princess coloring book on his desk, the thick purple toddler crayon in his clenched fist as he nodded softly, his pigtails swaying forward and back in the most adorable way as he smiled up at her. “Stand up and let Mommy check your diaper.” she cooed. With a crinkle, Jason stood up and made his way around the desk to her, his pink skirt barely covering half of his bulky, princess adorned, pink disposable diaper, his smooth legs shining under the fluorescent lights, his bare feet slapping softly on the wood floor, his purple painted toenails showing signs of needing to be redone already. His top was baby blue with an adorable white kitten on it with a purple bow atop her head, the kitten on the shirt was fuzzy and made Jason happy every time he petted it with his purple painted fingernails. Cecilia’s leaned forward and probed the leg gathers of his diaper before turning him around and pulling out the waistband of his diaper, “Did you know you were stinky as well as wet, sweetie?” she asked, softly patting the little lump in his seat. He nodded, “Did a doody.” he mumbled. Cecilia smiled at him and kissed his cheek, “Good girl!” she praised, her smile turning slightly wicked as she stood upright, “Would you like to show Daddy what a good girl you were?” she asked. Jason giggled and nodded excitedly. Taking his hand in hers, she led him down the hall to the elevator, ushering him inside when the doors opened and riding up three floors, exiting and heading down the hall to David’s office. “Well, there’s my girls!” David chuckled when they entered, “Is it lunch time already?” he asked. Jason wriggled his hand free of Cecilia’s and scurried across the room to David as he rose from his chair and met the excited man to receive the big hug and give one in return. Cecilia’s heels clicked as she crossed the room, “She wanted to show you what a good girl she was.” she explained, leaning in and kissing David’s cheek. David pulled Jason from him and knelt down, “Whatchya got to show me, princess?” he asked. Jason turned around and raised his bottom toward David, “Did a poopy, Daddy!” he exclaimed. David chuckled and patted the little lump in Jason’s diaper, “Good girl!” he praised before standing up, “And do you have something to show me, my queen?” he asked Cecilia as he turned to her and put his arm around her waist to pull her in for a deep, passionate kiss. She nodded softly, “Angel, be a good girl and go ask Ms. Serena to take you back to your desk, and close the door on your way out.” she dreamily commanded Jason as she gazed hungrily into her lover’s eyes. Like a good girl, Jason obeyed his Mommy and toddled off to perform his task, leaving Mommy and Daddy to their special meeting. ********** Some time later, Cecilia returned to find Jason napping at his desk and gently roused him so she could pick him up and carry him to her office where she’d set up a rocking chair to feed him in at lunch time. The magic had made Jason as light as baby Hannah despite both of their sizes, and Cecilia settled down with him on her lap as she got her breast out and guided him onto it, rocking softly as he began to sleepily nurse from her. This part of their lives was what Cecilia craved, the power was intoxicating, the degradation of her husband was beyond arousing, but having him drink from her as their children had was the one thing that truly brought happiness to her life. She’d never admit it, of course, appearances being what they were, but she’d trade every sexual encounter with David and every instance of self gratification for being able to hold the man she loved with all her heart in her arms and listen to him gently breathe through his nose while he suckled her milk. Some part of her knew that it was only a matter of time before everything changed for them, that David would get her pregnant and she’d have to make the change she’d been putting off for the better part of her marriage to Jason, the change that would see a new ring on her finger and informing Jason that he’d have to move out and find a new life. She sighed, chiding herself for breaking him so completely that the notion he could function in the world on his own was ridiculous and almost heartbreaking to her. Looking down at him, she felt a tear roll down her cheek, wishing she could keep him safe and cared for forever while marrying David and having his child. The thrum of energy emanating from her jewel shattered Jason’s body, reducing him to nothing but atoms that absorbed into her body as quickly as he’d vanished, leaving a newly fertilized egg in her womb and a smile on her face as she contemplated names for the new life growing inside her, the massive diamond on her ring finger glinting softly in the sunlight that poured into her office as she thought of when the best time to tell her husband she was expecting would be. The pictures on her desk told the tale of the perfect, happy family, David and Cecilia on their honeymoon nearly a decade before, the happy couple welcoming Molly into their lives, the happy couple each holding one of their twins, and the four of them at Disney World together, smiles all around as Cecilia held her hand over her swollen belly containing baby Hannah who was now dangerously close to hitting her terrible two’s. Cecilia smiled wearily, the twins still weren’t a hundred percent out of diapers during the day, and were zero percent out of them at night and Hannah showed little interest in being anything but her mommy’s baby, so the notion that she’d soon have yet another baby to take care of filled her with dread, but nothing made her happier than being a mother, being needed and having little ones to look after, she was just grateful that Molly was willing to step in as much as she did and put the girl’s looming departure to college away in a distant corner of her mind. “Everything will be fine, right, baby?” she asked the life growing inside her, another smile spreading across her lips, “Life is perfect.” she thought, unaware that her jewel began to fade and go dark, its purpose for existing now fulfilled as it went dormant until she passed it on to Molly when the time came. To Be Continued...