Search the Community

Hey there, readers! This is... kinda awkward, but it happened again. A new idea for a cute story popped into my head and, well... here's the beginning of a new story! I hope that you enjoy it! Back to Basics (Part 1) by Panther Cub "Alright, Ma'am, I'm gunna need you to pull over into the inspection lane." The tuxedo cat looked down at the jackrabbit lady, the sunlight reflecting off his aviator sunglasses, his mouth a hard frown as he pointed at the lane he had just instructed her to drive towards. She looked up at him from inside her small brown car, a look of confusion on her face. "Please don't start with me this early in the morning," the tuxedo cat mumbled under his breath as she opened her mouth to speak. "Is this some kind of a joke?" The jackrabbit lady didn't even try to keep the giggle from her voice. Tristan hated the fact that he could feel his black and white cheeks starting to blush. From where he sat perched on his special work stool, Tristan bit back a growl and simply frowned deeper, making sure to speak authoritatively. He could feel the snow white feathers on his wings starting to fluff up a bit. "Ma'am, you need to pull over into the inspection lane right now. I won't ask a third time." His paw was already settled onto his radio. "Are you playing inspection officer, cutiepie?" She cooed up at him. The cat felt his blush deepen and his tail began to swish faster in his aggravation. The fact that he could hear a faint crinkling as it did so didn't help. "Charlie 54 Delta, code 11." The jackrabbit looked away from the kitten sitting in what was very clearly a highchair painted black to match his cute little uniform, to see several officers dressed similarly approaching. A large brown and white spotted female owl took up position in the booth right next to Tristan and looked the driver dead in the eyes with a hardness to her own steely gray ones. "Driver! Pull into the designated inspection lane now. This is your final warning!" Lieutenant Haelga was not one to mess around, and the jackrabbit lady immediately knew it. "Wait... am I in trouble?" "He, like every other inspection officer here, radios in a Code 11 when a driver is not complying and driving into the inspection lane after being instructed to do so. Failure to comply can lead to detainment in addition to the inspection of your vehicle as well as count as resisting arrest if you continue to fail to comply." "Now wait just one second... you mean that that... baby is actually working here?! That can't be legal!" Tristan rolled his eyes at that, feeling some satisfaction as the lady was then asked to step out of the vehicle by Officer Skyson. While a bit on the portly side, the vulture was still very intimidating when he wanted to be, like when the jackrabbit lady started to object to her being detained, until he gave her his patented glare. Another officer climbed into the car and drove it away from the booth and into the inspection lane. "Y'know, Tristan," Haelga said with a smirk as she looked down at the kitten, "it really impresses me how much you're able to not lose your cool when these drivers pull this crap." Tristan smiled, feeling his blush fade a bit as he sat up a little straighter in his work stool that was totally not a high chair at some point. "Thanks, boss!" "And remember to call in if you need a quick change." His ears splayed flat at that while his blush returned in full force. "Understood, Lieutenant..." "Oh! And one more thing!" Haelga turned just as she was about to shimmy out of the booth, smiling down at her protege. "Yeah?" "I'm putting you in charge of helping to train the new gal when she starts next week." Tristan had sat in on the interview and gotten to ask a few questions. The new hire's name was Mia, and she was also a tuxedo cat, though she didn't have wings like he did. Also, she wasn't trapped in the body of a two-year-old. Well, to be fair it was more like the body of a one and three-quarter-year-old, but Tristan preferred to round up. He liked how she had been professional and not immediately fawned over him the moment she saw him, like so many applicants had already. That or just ignored him and his questions. He suspected that that was partly why he was selected to help with the interview process, to help weed out some of the less-professional ones. Overall, Mia's qualifications were just fine and she answered all of their questions professionally and succinctly. If he recalled correctly, she was twenty-eight, nine years younger than himself. "I won't let you down, Boss!" He said, resuming his duties as another car pulled in next to his booth. "Good morning sir." "... Is this some kind of a joke?" Tristan sighed and looked at the alpaca in the business suit just staring right at him with a slack-jawed expression. "Sir... I'm gunna need you to pull into the inspection lane up on the right here." * * * Tristan sighed as he watched the forested landscape pass by. Seeing the ever burbling creek going under the little bridge the car quickly passed over always made the kitten smile. But today he just wasn't feeling it. It wasn't a long drive home from work, but when you have to carpool because legally you can't drive anymore... and you have to sit in the back in a car seat, it can make the trip feel like it takes a bit longer than it should. "You line up a ride for next week?" Frank asked from the driver's seat. The gruff old bull looked at the winged kitten in the rearview mirror. "Yeah. I'll be carpooling with the new hire. She already agreed to it, and said that since she lives close by to where I live, it won't be an inconvenience to her." "Good..." Despite sharing a ride to and from work with one another for the last six months, Tristan still found talking with his older coworker to be very awkward. "Yeah... so this is really it then?" Tristan asked as they passed by into the town outskirts, a few houses dotting the now grassy and hilly landscape the forest gave way to. "Yup. Been looking forward to retirement for awhile now." Frank cracked a smile as he came to an intersection and took a left, driving past the bar and grill. The local grocery store flew past next, followed by the elementary school shortly after. Seeing the old school brought back some fond memories to the kitten. A few more turns later, and Frank was pulled up right in front of Tristan's house. It was a simple ranch-style layout. He winced as he took note, yet again, of how badly the old white house was in desperate need of a new paint job. The black and white kitten had to wait for the bull to get out and come around to the backseat door Tristan was looking out of. Opening said door and using his hoof fingers, Frank pressed the big red button in the center of the five point safety harness that was keeping Tristan safe and sound in his carseat. The diminutive feline hopped down and grabbed the bright blue and red child's backpack he used to carry around his lunch and other stuff for work inside, watching as the bull grunted and snorted in frustration, trying to get the carseat all disconnected from how it had been installed. Finally, it came free, and Frank carried it over to the front door, setting it down. He walked back to the car and shut the backseat door, ruffling Tristan's headfur as he did so. "It's been fun, kiddo. Good night." Tristan frowned and batted away at the hoof, giving Frank a sour look. "I'm not a kid... but thank you Frank for the help. Good night, and... goodbye, I guess." Frank smiled and got back inside his bright white car, driving off. The late afternoon light reflecting in the rearview mirror. Tristan walked towards the house, looking left and right, hoping none of his nosy neighbors would bug him today. He knew that they meant well, like old Mrs. Dorrington. "Last thing I need is for someone to call CPS over here again," he muttered under his breath as he fished out his keys from his pocket. He had to reach up a little to get the deadbolt, but after that and the doorknob, and a bit of a shove, he was inside. "Home sweet home." Tristan sighed as he grabbed his carseat and dragged it through the door, which he then shut and locked. Glad that it was the weekend, he undid his tie and unbuttoned his uniform shirt. They were casually tossed aside, along with his pants. Walking by the full-length hallway mirror, he saw a little black and white kitten with stark white wings, wearing a swollen white diaper with green trim. It was after he saw his reflection that Tristan realized he was waddling more. He let out another sigh as his waddling continued on into the bathroom. He looked at the pack of Snuggies and saw he was already halfway through it. He made a mental note to walk on down to the grocery store in the next couple of days to restock. Looking at the other changing supplies and the changing mat laid out on the tile, he briefly reflected on how, thanks to his new height, he had to move everything to a reachable surface, or even just put things on the ground. The exception to this would be his stool in the kitchen. Stripping off his used diaper and balling it up to toss into the awaiting trash pail, Tristan opened his shower door and stepped inside. Dinner that night was a can of Pasta-O's, heated up in the microwave, with a box of juice on the side. As Tristan parked his padded bottom, that may or may not have required some additional adjusting of the tapes in the mirror in the hallway after he had powdered and diapered himself once he had dried himself off; in the old armchair, having to climb up onto it, he carefully pulled the nearby tv tray closer. He tucked a paper towel into his shirt, and scooped out a spoonful. Grimacing at the bland tomato soupy flavor and the chewy and mushy pasta, he reflected on how good a steak, done at medium rare, or some burger patties cooked on his grill tasted. He then frowned and huffed, that having been the first reason a neighbor called CPS after his transformation. Sighing, he started flipping through channels, stopping on some kind of documentary about the new wave popularity of that old boy band Small to Big, rebranded after they got a similar change to Tristan. He let out a growl and quickly changed the channel. "Stupid Regressus Inc. and they're stupid rejuvenation formula... and stupid me for taking that crap." His ears splayed flat on his head as he remembered how excited he'd been when he'd found out that there was an actual legit drug out there that could reverse the aging process. Doing some research, he learned that people could pick their ideal ages and then age regularly again. Tristan had spent almost all of his twenties, his physical prime, taking care of his sick parents. He spotted a picture from back when he was around this age the first time, coincidentally wearing the exact same shirt he was now, being held by his Mom and Dad. She had been a tuxedo cat like himself. His father, being a bald eagle, was where he'd gotten his wings from. Though he suspected it was Mom's fur coloration that caused them to be white. He smiled at the happy family in the photo, trying not to think about how first his father had been the one to get the Big C... and then his mother. They had both insisted that he finish school and get his degree, which he thankfully did. But after graduation, the roles had reversed, and he had started taking care of them. The few friends he had made in college all lived out of town, and he slowly lost touch with them... including Caroline. The sweet tigress had gotten her degree in marine biology and couldn't wait to get out on the ocean. They'd... no, he wasn't going to think about that, and he certainly wasn't going to cry about it. They had made their choices, and even though it had taken a decade when all was said and done, and left him practically penniless, at least before he managed to get a job at the checkpoint. But still, could he really be blamed for wanting to just reclaim that section of his life back? To get to actually be in his twenties? Looking down at the Snuggies with the happy diapered chibi baby lion smiling up at him, he felt that apparently some aspect of fate felt so. As it turned out, there was a small percentage of the population, about 7% overall, who were allergic to the Rejuvenation formula. Rather than get tested, Tristan figured the odds were in his favor. And for a month, it had seemed like they were. Minutes after taking the formula, which turned out to be a spray you inhaled, he had felt a tingling sensation spread out from his face to all over his body. After a few minutes, his clothes felt a little looser, and looking in the mirror, he saw a face he hadn't seen in too long. He'd tried going out to some clubs in the city, which had been... ok, at least in his book. He'd gone down to the coast to try wind-surfing, which had been pretty fun, but wasn't really his thing. He'd tried taking up a bunch of different hobbies, ranging from woodworking to beekeeping, but, aside from a slight pain in his back now being gone, he more or less felt the same. Still, though, he was younger and now had more time to think about what he wanted to do with his life. Then came the morning he'd woken up after having a terrible dream. It was something about being in a neverending daycare, but it was all dusty and covered in cobwebs and empty. The more he'd walked through it, the more he felt a tingling in his whole body, just like when he took the formula. When he awoke, he learned two things. The first, was that he'd shrunk to the size of a toddler, which was right around when he tried getting out of bed and fell on the floor. He bumped his head in doing so, and couldn't stop crying for a good few minutes. The second thing he had learned shortly after was that he seemed to have lost his potty training. That made him bawl outright. It had taken some time, some doctor visits, some proving he knew who he was, knew what year it was, and that he was still mentally an adult, and some thinking on his superiors' superiors part before he'd been allowed to continue working. It was after the first couple of months after his change, when he noticed something odd when he would measure himself with an old yardstick he had found. Not only was he not gaining any new height, he seemed to be shrinking still. Terrified that this meant he'd be transformed into a newborn or something, he had gone to his doctor. After another round of tests, it was determined that while Tristan was shrinking, that was simply because the formula was only finally almost finished. Physically, he'd been hoping to be around the age of three. Instead, his doctor placed him as being just under two. Tristan finished off his Pasta-O's and drank his juice, grape, his favorite, and continued watching TV until he started getting sleepy. He huffed when he saw that it was only 7:37, but knew that his much smaller body would just be getting more tired. He switched off the tv, grabbed his bowl and juice box, and hopped down to the floor. Walking into his kitchen, he used the stool to put the dishes in the sink and run a little water in them. He put his juice box and paper towel into the trash, huffing in frustration when he saw that there were some red splotches on it. Feeling around his mouth and chin confirmed that he'd dribble... again, and so wet another paper towl to clean around his mouth and chin. He then brushed his teeth, checked to make sure all the doors and windows were locked, checked his diaper to find it only a little damp, and then made his way into his bedroom. There, his mattress lay right on the floor, sheets and blankets strewn about on it. Falling out and bumping his head had become a bit of a problem, and this had been his solution. Climbing in, he curled up under the blankets, remembering how his Dad had loved to read him stories when he was this little for bedtime, and how Mom always tucked him in. He let out a little whimper as he listened to his silent and empty house, and started to drift off to sleep. The next day... "Let's see... I'm feeling like... OH! Your Mom's orange chicken recipe!" Mia purred while pushing the cart through the aisles while talking on her phone. The panthress would stop and grab something off the bright yellow list her wife had written. She rounded the corner, and stopped. She spotted a cute little kitten with dark black fur like her own, with a splash of white on his muzzle and chin that matched the color of his wings. He was wearing a pair of denim shortalls over a red shirt. She wondered where his parents were, looking around to spot who might be accompanying the little boy. Then she saw him start climbing the shelves, clearly going for the Cocoa Bombs at the top. "Woah there!" She said, walking up and plucking him off the shelves, turning him around to face her. "That was too dangerous, little guy! You could have fallen and gotten hurt." She said this in a gentle yet firm voice, seeing his ears droop and a blush form on his cheeks. "Mia?" He squeaked out in embarrassment. It was right then that the panthress realized where she recognized this specific kitten from and set him right down. "M-Mr. Granna?" Now it was Mia's turn to blush, practically matching his own, despite her dark fur. "I am so sorry! I didn't know that it was you!" Tristan held up a paw. "It's alright, it was an honest mistake. And please, call me Tristan." Internally he cringed at how her light scolding had made him feel ashamed for what he'd been caught doing. "And... maybe it was a bit... ill advised of me to try and scale the shelves there. I guess I could have gotten an employee to help me get down the Cocoa Bombs." Mia had to choke back a coo at how adorable Tristan was when she first met him in the interview. She had heard of some people having an allergic reaction to the Rejuvenation formula, and thankfully his condition had been explained right before she had entered the room the interview was conducted in, but still. He was a little kitten with wings. She just wanted to pick him up and cuddle him nonstop right then and there! And now, here he was, looking guilty and chastened and just served to enhance his natural adorableness. "Well, since I'm already right here," Mia said, easily grabbing the box of cereal with the chocolate bat advertising the chocolate balls filled with marshmallow goodness. She handed it to him and her heart practically melted at the look of excitement on his face as he took it from her, practically hugging the box before he set it in a nearby shopping basket. Looking inside, she could see several cans of Pasta-O's, some packages of juice boxes,a jar of extra chunky peanut butter, and a loaf of bread. Thanking her for her help, Tristan started to push the basket down the aisle, leading Mia to suspect that he couldn't carry it. "Wait, Tristan!" She walked over to him, smiling as he looked up at her with those big blue eyes of his. She reigned herself back in, remembering that he had the mind of an adult, just in a toddler's body. "Yeah?" "That... looks like a lot for you to try and carry, and pushing it around seems like it'll take forever." "Okay? It's not like I've got much choice. I can't push a cart around." Tristan began to suspect what Mia was getting at. "How about I help? We can put your things on the left side of the cart, and I can grab anything else off the high shelves for you?" Mia was worried that maybe she'd overstepped. Tristan mulled it over for a bit. "Well... okay, I guess that could work... but I am NOT riding around in the baby seat!" He crossed his arms at that, trying to look stern. Mia again almost cooed at the kitten before her. "Deal!" She then bent down and grabbed his basket, gently putting his items on the left inside her own cart, and scooting a few things over to the right. Walking side by side, they continued shopping, with Mia getting looks at the items on Tristan's list. She couldn't help but notice that a lot of his food seemed to be meals already made or in cans. "Oh my goodness," an elderly female coyote said with a happy smile. "Your little one is just so sweet and well-behaved! You must be so proud!" Tristan had to fight the urge to correct this lady and inform her that he is indeed an adult, just one that was regressed, and most certainly not Mia's child. "Uh... thank you so much!" Mia was polite and blushed a little, looking down at Tristan and shooting him a pleading look. He just sighed and waved his paw dismissively. When the old lady was out of earshot did they resume speaking. "Sorry about that, Tristan." "It's okay... better than someone picking me up and carrying me to the manager to report a lost child... again..." "Do things like that happen often?" Tristan blushed. "Yeah... I mean, I know that they mean well, but it really stinks regardless." They rounded a corner, and Tristan's blush deepened. It was the baby care aisle. At first, Mia didn't get why he looked so embarrassed, until; it clicked for her just where in the store they were. "O-oh! We can just go around another aisle..." "Can't... I... kinda need to get some things here." Tristan kept his voice even as he walked past a row of bibs and a row of pacifiers. Mia followed behind, watching the kitten slow down in the diaper section. He looked through all the different packages before grabbing a big red Snuggies pack. His cheeks now almost crimson, he avoided looking at the larger feline, and set it on the little shelf under the cart. This was followed by a tub of wipes and a canister of baby powder. "Okay, I'm done here," he said, starting to walk off. Mia followed behind. just wanting to pick him up and hug him and let the downtrodden kitten know that everything was going to be okay. As they walked to the register area, Mia felt a need to cut through the sudden tension. "Y'know, I love cooking. Maybe Sally and I can have you over some time for a nice home cooked meal." "Uh... that sounds nice," Tristan said, trying to sound polite. They reach the checkout in silence, apart from another nice older lady, this one a mouse, again complimenting Mia for how well-behaved Tristan was. Mia started setting Tristan's items onto the belt first, followed by her own. Despite knowing better, Mia felt guilty about letting Tristan pay for his groceries. She smiled as the teenaged border collie smiled and handed him the bags, until he started to struggle, and then took the heavier things and set them back in Mia's cart. Tristan wanted to object, but elected not to, blushing in silence instead. With Mia's items paid for and bagged, the two exited the store. "Did you get a ride over here?" Mia asked, looking at Tristan expectantly. "Oh... uh... no. Fuber doesn't have many drivers out here, and only one of them has a carseat." Tristan began to rub the back of his head, something Mia was beginning to guess was a tell for when he was feeling a bit uncomfortable. "Wait... you walked all the way here?" Mia asked, suddenly terrified at the thought of the little kitten all by himself, where anything could happen. "How are you gunna carry all your groceries home?" "I brought something to help." Tristan pointed over to one of the decorative trees in front of the store. There, secured with a bike chain, was a little red wagon with a handle. "Tristan, please can I just drive you and your groceries home? It'll be much faster." Mia offered, hoping he would say yes. "That's real nice, Mia... but the law says that I have to ride in a car seat, and we haven't installed mine yet..." The panthress perked up at that. "Oh! But I have one installed already! Me and Sally watch our niece all the time!" The panthress' smile was so bright that Tristan couldn't bring himself to say something that might make it fade. "Uh... w-well, I guess if it isn't an inconvenience..." "Great!" Mia waited for Tristan to unlock and grab his wagon before the two walked in the direction of a powder blue minivan. Unlocking it, Mia slid the door open to reveal a bright pink car seat that Tristan rolled his eyes at. "She loves that unicorn princess cartoon!" Mia chuckled. She smiled as she picked Tristan up under his arms and gently set him in the soft cushiony seat. She hummed while securing the five point harness and gave a test tug, making sure that Tristan was nice and secure. This was followed by Mia going to the trunk and loading up the groceries and Tristan's little wagon before putting the cart in the cart corral, and then getting into the driver's seat. "Okay, Tristan, ready to give me directions?" Mia's voice took on a slightly cutesy tone that Tristan chose to ignore. "Yup." With the engine fired up and Mia pulling out, Tristan started directing her to his home. Mia looked at the ranch-style house and frowned a little. She saw that the paint was peeling and cracked, and the front yard's lawn looked very shaggy. Helping Tristan out and grabbing his groceries and wagon, she followed the kitten up to the front door, which he had to shove after unlocking it. The first thing she noticed after being invited inside was how the light socket in the ceiling just inside the door was missing a bulb. She spotted his uniform clothes strewn on the floor, and could see some dust had started to build up on some surfaces. "Uhm... I know that the place is a little bit of a mess..." "Your house is lovely," Mia said with a cheerful smile. She grabbed some bags and walked down the hall, looking into the first open door on her right. She looked inside the bathroom and instantly spotted the changing mat and supplies on the floor. Her heart started to hurt at the realization that Tristan was truly living alone. "Do you... have any family?" "No..." Tristan didn't mean for it to sound curt, but he walked past Mia with some grocery bags in his paws. He headed towards the kitchen, and Mia spotted the open door to his bedroom, seeing the mattress on the floor. Mia helped Tristan to put away the groceries, letting him take his diapers into the bathroom himself. Sighing, Mia smiled at him when he came right back out. "You know, I'm planning on making some homemade orange chicken for me and Sally tonight..." She noticed how Tristan's ears perked up at that, but he frowned and shook his head. "Thanks, but I've got dinner planned for tonight..." "Maybe I could bring some over later?" Mia offered, looking down at him hopefully. Tristan felt conflicted, but the idea of orange chicken sounded so good. It had been so long. "Well... okay... if you really don't mind." "It'll be my pleasure!" Mia felt her heart warm knowing that the kitten she was looking at wasn't going to be eating only Pasta-O's tonight. With a goodbye, and double-checking that he was okay by himself, Mia left, closing the door behind her. On her way to the car she immediately dialed up her wife. "Sally, hun? I just ran into my new coworker, the one who's gunna train me." "That nice older badger?" Sally's voice asked. "No, the little cutie!" "OH! The little kitten with the mind of an adult?" "Yes! The poor little guy lives all alone!" "Wait... no one's helping him take care of himself?!" Mia heard Sally let out an involuntary squawk. "Yeah! And he seems to mostly eat canned food! I promised him that I'd bring over some of our orange chicken tonight!" "Oh the poor little guy!" "I think he might need a little help..." And there it is folks, the first part of a new story! Let's see where it goes!

18-year-old Benjamin has just been evicted from the college dorms after he has failed out of college for the semester. He sits in the student lounge with his bags while he figures out his next moves. His former professor Megan is talking to her faculty friend and sees him sitting alone. She is confused because he is supposed to be in her class for the semester. "Hi Ben. I missed you in my class this semester. Are you okay?"

Emily takes everything for granted, not least her wife. But how bad can a wife possibly act? Well, it turns out, pretty bad. --- Every update I post is available on my Ream and SubscribeStar pages one week before it is posted everywhere else. For $5 you can see everything I post before the rest of the diapered world. For $10 you can see every update early plus EVERY exclusive story I have written. That's 35 stories available ONLY on my subscription pages and nowhere else! I rely on my wonderful subscriber's support to be able to write like I do. Writing is my only income and the money I earn goes to help paying the bills, food and everything else my wife and I need. Everyone's support is HUGELY appreciated, without it I would have to find other work and I wouldn't be able to write nearly as much as I do, maybe at all. So thank you to everyone who checks out my subscriber pages and considers supporting me ❤️ https://reamstories.com/elfy https://subscribestar.adult/elfy --- Regression Therapy By Elfy Emily stretched out horizontally on the couch. The television across the room was on and playing some trashy day time talk show at a loud volume. On the table between Emily and the television were several empty soda cans, chocolate wrappers and empty chip packets. She belched as she picked up her handheld games console and resumed the game. “Emily, could you clean up the table, please.” Amelia asked as she hurried past the doorway. “Meh.” Emily grunted with indifference. Emily didn’t move from the couch. She didn’t look away from the screen she was holding above her and she didn’t really intend on going anywhere unless she absolutely had to. It was a typical day for the twenty-seven-year-old woman, one in which she was so motionless she might as well have been part of the couch. “Did you hear me?” Amelia asked as she walked into the room. “Yeah… I’ll do it later.” Emily lied. Emily heard Amelia sigh with frustration. After a couple of seconds Amelia walked over, bent down and started to pick up the detritus of Emily’s all-day snacking. She made a lot of noise as she did so, making sure that her displeasure was well known. “It would be nice to have some help round here.” Amelia complained as she stood up. “I said I was going to do it later!” Emily rolled her eyes. “Right…” Amelia replied sarcastically, “Just like you were going to take the trash out later.” “I did it, didn’t I?” Emily lowered her game with a frown. “Yeah.” Amelia shook her head, “Two days later, AFTER the trash had been picked up.” Emily grunted and lifted her game again. Amelia walked out of the room muttering darkly. People might’ve been forgiven for assuming that this exchange was between a mother and their difficult teenage daughter, but that wasn’t the case. In truth Emily and Amelia were married, in Emily’s opinion the marriage was a happy one despite some difficulties. Having first met shortly after college Emily had been a very different person at the start of their relationship. She had been born assigned male at birth and was still presenting that way when she met Amelia. It was only a few years into the relationship that she had realised who she really was. It had been a shock for Amelia but she had been great in helping Emily through the changes which followed and their relationship only strengthened helped by the fact they were both bisexual. Emily had now been on hormones for a few years and, by the time they got married, presented female all the time. She hadn’t had “the surgery” and wasn’t sure if she ever would, she felt like she had a lot of time to decide. She was still young; she didn’t see any need to rush anything. Emily had never had a proper full-time job. Amelia had managed to get reasonably highly paid employment in business right out of college whereas Emily had spent more time looking for work and doing the chores at home. It soon became apparent that Amelia’s job could financially support them both so Emily’s job searching became less vigorous. It was eventually decided that she could stay at home as a housewife and do all the chores and cooking, something Emily was more than happy with. For the first couple of years of marriage Emily had held up her end of the bargain. She did a decent job making sure things stayed clean and whilst she wasn’t the best cook in the world she could make some passable meals. That changed when the pandemic hit. Amelia started working from home more often and slowly, over time, she started doing some of the chores. By the time the pandemic was dying down Emily had managed to hand off basically all of her chores on her wife. A situation she was happy to keep up. Emily didn’t see any problem with how everything had developed. Amelia seemed fine working and doing the chores meanwhile she was delighted to be semi-permanently attached to the couch. Even if her wife wasn’t overly happy as long as she didn’t complain Emily wasn’t going to do anything to upset the status quo, as far as she was concerned this lifestyle could go on forever. It was several hours later before Emily was disturbed again. She was still on the couch when Amelia came in to tell her that dinner was ready. Emily could see that she was looking a little flustered but that was nothing unusual these days, she was always rushing around doing one thing or another after all. She always told Amelia she should slow down and relax but for some reason that just seemed to annoy her wife even more. Emily stood up with a groan and after stretching her back started walking through to the dining room. Amelia was already sitting down. Emily sat down and picked up her knife and fork. Without a word to her wife, she started eating but quickly stopped. The meat was slightly overcooked. Emily sighed in disappointment and used her thumb and forefinger to pull the bit of meet out of her mouth and drop it back on to the plate. Amelia hadn’t started eating but she looked up as Emily licked her lips to try and get rid of the taste. “It’s burnt.” Emily said simply. Emily saw her wife’s hands curl around the cutlery until her knuckles were white. She didn’t pay it too much mind though, Amelia often reacted like that when she was criticised. Emily thought it was always good to let her wife know when things weren’t up to standard though, it helped to make sure she didn’t make the same mistakes again. She brought some of the vegetables up to her mouth. “Ugh, you know I don’t like broccoli.” Emily said as she put the fork back down. The table shook slightly and Emily wondered if it wasn’t a small earthquake. When she looked across to her wife, she saw that she seemed to be shaking slightly. Her eyes seemed to pierce through Emily who had no idea what the problem was. Surely it wasn’t an issue to remind Amelia what she didn’t like, it was just helping her in future. Emily carried on with her dinner. She picked up the drink Amelia had made her but absent-mindedly let it slip through her fingers. The glass hit the edge of the table and the liquid inside poured all over the food. Emily let out a groan as she picked up the glass, it was already far too late to save anything. “Ugh, now it’s all ruined.” Emily said before continuing with a mumble, “Not that it was that good to begin with…” There was a sudden clattering of cutlery hitting the table. Emily looked up to see Amelia pushing her chair back, the legs scraping loudly on the linoleum floor. She stood up and stared down at Emily for a second, it looked like she was contemplating saying something as her lips twitched. Finally, she wordlessly turned away and stomped upstairs. “Why is she being so moody?” Emily muttered to herself as she stood up. Pouring the uneaten food into the trash Emily got a frozen pizza out and cooked that instead. Emily didn’t see her wife for the rest of the day, she didn’t go upstairs since she didn’t want Amelia nagging her about stuff but, as evening turned to night, she remained alone on the couch watching television. She ended up falling asleep there and without having her wife waking her up to go to bed she remained on the couch all night. --- “You need to get a job.” Amelia said. Emily was still waking up. Sprawled out across the couch her eyes half-opened as she looked up at Amelia who was already dressed in her business suit. Her make-up was done perfectly and with her hair tied back she looked very austere. “Huh?” Emily grunted sleepily without moving. She could feel a small puddle of drool underneath her cheek. “You need to get a job.” Amelia repeated, “I’m serious.” “But we’re doing fine, aren’t we?” Emily said tiredly. “No. We’re not.” Amelia replied, “You are not the person I married. We agreed that you would do the housework but you do nothing but lay on the couch all day.” “It gets done, doesn’t it?” Emily said as she slowly pushed herself into a sitting position. “By me!” Amelia exclaimed, “Look, I love you but you’re not pulling your weight. I want you looking for jobs whilst I’m at work, OK?” Emily mumbled something and shrugged her shoulders. She hated the idea of working and making a commitment to find a job was the last thing she wanted to do. “OK?” Amelia repeated. “Fine.” Emily rolled her eyes. “Good.” Amelia smiled. It was the first time Emily had seen her smile in some time, “Don’t forget you’ve got therapy this afternoon. I’ll pick you up afterwards, alright?” Emily again remained noncommittal. Amelia leaned down and gave her a kiss on the forehead before picking up her bag and leaving. Emily remained slumped on the couch with a sizable pout. She didn’t want to look for a job, she didn’t want anything to change. Why did Amelia have to mess everything up by telling her to work? Emily opened up the laptop on the table and placed her fingers on the keyboard. She didn’t really know what to do or where to go so she just typed “job search” in a search engine and clicked the first link. She soon became dizzy as she looked through thousands of vacancies from every profession under the sun. It was all so… daunting. After a few minutes Emily gave up. She shut down the browser window feeling stressed out from the small amount of scrolling she had done. Sure, she hadn’t fired off any applications, really searched for relevant careers or even registered with the website but she had scrolled through a couple of pages. That was good enough for a job search in her opinion. With her promise to Amelia fulfilled Emily instead opened up a video game and started playing. The hours flew by as she ignored all her real-world responsibilities in favour of playing games. It was only when her phone vibrated and an alarm went off that she finally looked away from the screen much later in the day. She groaned as she looked at the screen which was lit up with the word “THERAPY” on it. She quickly swiped at the phone to shut it up and let out a sigh. Emily had been going to therapy for some time. It was the first place she had felt comfortable discussing her feelings about being a woman and was also a useful outlet for her other emotions. She wasn’t really sure if she still needed to go but Amelia insisted. The therapist was actually one of Amelia’s old friends from college. There had been some concerns about a conflict of interests but Catherine, the therapist, had always remained totally professional no matter what Emily had told her. With a groan Emily stood up and put her phone in her pocket. She considered skipping the session but she knew Amelia would only moan at her if she did, the same way she did after Emily didn’t go to the last two. Dragging her feet as much as possible Emily got dressed and headed out. It was only a short bus ride to the therapist’s office but it still felt like too far. “Emily, good to see you.” Catherine said as Emily walked through the door of the office. “Hey.” Emily replied as she walked over to the couch. “How have you been?” Catharine asked with a friendly smile. Catherine was a good therapist and despite Emily’s reluctance to make the effort to see her it wasn’t long before she was opening up. For the next fifty minutes Emily talked about her life, most notably how she was frustrated that her wife had demanded she get a job. “You don’t want to work?” Catharine asked. --- Amelia stepped out of her car and walked into the therapist’s building. She smiled and gave a little wave to the receptionist as she walked past. She had been picking Emily up after her appointment every week for a long while so was able to just walk through to the waiting room. There were still a few minutes to go in the appointment so she sat down and looked at the selection of magazines on offer on the table in front of her. “Want to work!? Of course I don’t!” Amelia froze. She looked at the door to Catherine’s office and could see it was open just a tiny amount. Combined with the suddenly raised voice she could hear what was happening. It was Emily and she sounded belligerent. Amelia bit her lip, she knew she was intruding but wasn’t sure what to do. Before she could make a decision, she heard more voices. “But why not?” Catherine asked. “Why would ANYONE want to work when they don’t have to?” Emily asked in response, “God, I don’t know why Amelia has to mess everything up. We’re happy like this!” “Are you both happy with the way things are?” Catherine asked, “Or is it just you who’s happy?” “I haven’t heard Amelia complain.” Emily responded. Amelia’s hands balled into fists. She couldn’t believe she was hearing this from her wife. She had asked for more help around the home or for Emily to get a job more times than she could remember. Was Emily just lying to the therapist or had she outright ignored her all this time? “Look, Amelia does everything and, you know what, I think it makes her happy.” Emily’s voice said, “She likes looking after everything and being in control. She might think she wants me to do more but I think we’re all happier carrying on as normal.” Amelia didn’t know whether to be angry or upset. As the therapist’s room either went quiet or voices were lowered Amelia slumped in her seat. She loved Emily and always had, but she had never felt quite as despondent over the state of their marriage as she did right there and then. She had made it clear, many times over, that she didn’t want to have to do all the work in the relationship. Emily either hadn’t listened or didn’t care, she wasn’t sure which was worse. For the next five minutes Amelia sat in the waiting room staring straight ahead. The longer she waited the angrier she became. In some ways she felt bad, she wasn’t supposed to hear what was said in therapy, but she had and she couldn’t change that. She had genuinely thought she was getting Emily to start picking up the slack again but it seemed that wasn’t happening at all. For the first time she started to think about divorce. “Ah, hello Amelia, nice to see you.” The door had opened and Amelia had been so lost in her own head she hadn’t even noticed. “Oh, Catherine, yes, sorry I was miles away.” Amelia said as she stood up. Amelia noticed Emily was looking quite surly with her shoulders slumped and eyes turned towards the ground. Knowing that she wasn’t supposed to know about what her lazy wife had said Amelia walked forwards and hugged her. She planted a little kiss on her cheek as she always did. “Are we still on for drinks this weekend?” Amelia asked the therapist. “Of course.” Catherine replied with a smile, “I’ll give you a call later, alright?” “Sure thing.” Amelia replied. She walked over and hugged her good friend. “Can we go?” Emily asked rather rudely. Amelia gave Catherine a small smile and then turned to lead the way out of the building with Emily right behind her. She felt like there was tension in the air, in truth there had been tension between them for quite some time. She decided to break the silence once they got down to the car. “How was therapy?” Amelia asked. “Alright.” Emily replied. She had her arms folded across the chest and was looking out the side window. “What did you talk about?” Amelia asked lightly, “Of course, you don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to.” “Stuff.” Emily grunted in reply. “Suit yourself…” Amelia muttered to herself as she drove out of the car lot and on to the road. If Emily wasn’t interested in conversation, she wasn’t going to force the issue herself. The drive was completely in silence. Amelia was constantly wrestling with what to do about Emily and the knowledge that she had no intention of stepping up to be an equal partner in the relationship. She was desperate to find a way to make their relationship work again, she considered suggesting couples therapy but it was a big enough struggle to get Emily to see Catherine once a week as it was. “I’m going for a nap.” Emily said as soon as they got in the front door a little later, “Call me when dinner is ready.” Amelia sighed through her nose with her lips pursed as her wife when straight up the stairs without even a thank you for picking her up. Of course, Amelia would be expected to cook dinner, even though she had been at work all day and had only just stepped in the house. She kicked off her shoes rather forcefully before stomping through to the kitchen. --- If you enjoyed this and would like to see the next part of the story RIGHT NOW you can do so on my SubscribeStar and Ream pages: https://reamstories.com/page/lpjgftb4y2/story/m1cuafz5dm/chapter/6af1e1c0-cbba-4cfc-981b-37cb05a70f77 https://subscribestar.adult/posts/1508581

Author's Note (Read before you read): This is based off of a roleplay between @Nappy_Queen and myself that can be found in the role play section of the forum. I have edited it and updated the descriptions in it to flow well and offer a more detailed view of the story than our rp offers. Please let us know what you think and where you want to see it go. Chapter 1: Janet got home from another day at the office. She worked part time as a secretary in her husband’s company Designated Adventures, a leading company in technology and science. Today her coworker, a young woman in her early twenties, announced she was pregnant. While Janet was happy for the young woman, she was jealous as well. At thirty Janet expected by now she would have started a family. She has been married to her husband for five years now and they had dated since high school. So many times they had argued about starting a family. Her husband always argued it wasn’t the right time, he’s just starting his business, they wouldn’t have time for each other, the excuses went on. She was so tired of arguing with her husband for something that she felt should come easy for them. They were financially stable, had a beautiful home, great friends, a family of their own is all that was missing. Over the last few months Janet had begun to see her husband as selfish. His every concern was what he wanted how changes would affect him. He acted like a child only caring about his wants and needs and her feelings be damned. Janet poured herself a glass of Riesling as she began looking over the current and recently finished projects on her laptop. She flipped through the documents item after item noting progress. She was about to turn off her laptop when she saw a new project was almost complete that she was not aware was on the books. From the looks of it, the device was a gun that could change the size of anything. Suddenly, an idea formed in Janet’s mind. If he won’t give me a baby, maybe he can be one” The project was two weeks from completion giving her plenty of time to prepare and get her plan in motion. Jon was riding high, he had a beautiful wife, great friends, and a company that was driving full steam toward a public stock trade debut in a month. He had planned that after the release of a few of his newest inventions one of which was his most secret project, the size ray. It was just completing animal trials and would be ready for human testing in two weeks. The thirty-one year old was the owner and CEO of the company he had started with his best friend. They stood to make a ton of money when the company went public. He had already made millions while it had been private. Jon drove home in his blue 2021 corvette stingray. He loved having the top down letting the wind whip through his hair . He pulled into the driveway of his beautiful suburban home which was subtle for his wealth. He and his wife liked to keep their extravagance to a minimum. In the back seat he had Asian food for his wife, a token for him being a little later than usual. He knew she would be upset that he stayed late in the office again, but he hoped the takeout would smooth things over. He walked into the kitchen and saw her working on her computer, "working late there my cute secretary?" He spoke in a sexy teasing tone as he walked up to her. The tall six foot one man put down the takeout bag which wafted it alluring smells into the room. "I got you take out from that place you like downtown." Jon smiled as he put his arms around her. "What are you working on?" he asked looking at her computer, but the screen had long since went black as she seemed to want to keep that a secret from her husband. Janet had gone through half the bottle of the sweet white wine before Jon got home. She sighed as he said he got food from the place she liked. She didn't even like Chinese food all that much. He liked it, much like everything these days though that didn't seem to matter to him. She decided once more she would try to talk to him. "Just looking over the projects, everything seems to be on time. There are even a few things ahead of schedule.” She paused choosing her next words carefully. “Did you hear Lynnette, in accounting, is expecting? You'll have to find someone to fill her place when she goes on maternity leave." Janet refilled her glass of wine. “It's exciting don't you think her and her husband are both still young figuring things out but they're going for it full steam ahead. It makes me think about you and I. About us starting a family of our own." "Yea, well that is great for them and I’m so happy that they are going to have a kid. I’m giving both of them leave. I’m sure we can find someone to pick up her hard work, but she did say she wanted to work for about five months into her pregnancy." Jon said sitting next to his wife smiling. "Janet, is this about having kids again?" Jon’s demeanor changed to a more serious one. "You’re being very baby crazy Janet, why is that?" Jon asked, eating some sweet and sour chicken. Janet frowned at his comment. Putting down her glass of wine she stared at him. "Baby crazy? Is it so crazy to want to start a family with the man I've been with since I was a teenager? Is it crazy if I expect you to care about the one thing I care about when I've always prioritized you?!" She stepped away from him infuriated. "Do you not realize we are in our thirties now? While you've got all the time in the world to start a family I don't. I'm on a timer and my biological clock is ticking! How is it you can do so much for everyone else but not me? I always support you in everything." She shook her head, grabbing her wine glass, she finished the contents and put the glass in the sink. "I'm going to bed." Janet didn't even look at him as she left the kitchen to shower and change for bed. She was tired, emotionally and physically drained. He put everything into his business, friends, even his employees. Why can't he just learn he should have put more into their relationship, into hearing and supporting her wants as she did his. Janet thought went into their marble bathroom. Janet had tears rolling down her face as she got into the shower. She cried not out of sadness but frustration. Again he cast aside her feelings about starting a family; he even called her crazy?! Well she'd have to show him just what baby crazy looked like then. She took her shower and changed into a purple satin pajama shorts set. After lotioning her body and brushing her hair Janet shook her head looking at the main door to the master bedroom. In all the time it took her to shower and prepare for bed he still couldn't even bother to come talk to her. She sighed and got into bed. Changes were definitely needed around here. Turns Out she'd lay out her plan to make those changes happen. Janet turned out her bedside lamp leaving their room in pitch dark. Jon sat at the kitchen table, he felt so guilty, “shit, that’s how she feels?” He asked himself as he poked at his orange chicken. He wasn’t hungry anymore, he didn’t want to do anything but be with his beautiful wife. He was worried she would be upset for him coming after her, but he stood up and sighed. Jon walked out of the kitchen, up the stairs, and down the hall toward his and his wife’s bedroom. He slowly opened the door hoping she wouldn’t bite his head off when he opened the door. He braced for the absolute worst. “Janet? Honey?” He asked softly, wary she could be asleep already. He was met with the sound of light snoring from the slightly drunk woman. Jon entered the room before he stood on his wife’s side of the bed looking down at her sleeping. “Honey can we talk?” He whispered at her. It was a Friday night and he was hoping that they would’ve had a nice night drinking wine and beer like they used to a few years ago. He got no reply and he knew that waking his wife up would make things far worse. He just went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and change into his boxers and t-shirt before he got under the covers next to his wife. He wrapped his arms around her and smiled. “Honey I love you, let’s have a kid.” He whispered into her ear. Janet had woken while Jon was moving about the room getting ready for bed. When he whispered that they should have a child she felt happy but also upset. Instead of ignoring him she let out a sigh. "Please, don't just say it to placate me. Then you'll just resent me for it later. I want you to have a child with me because you want to. Because building a family matters to me just as much to you as anything else you've built. Don't just pity me and decide to do it to ease your temporary guilt or as some sort of consolation." Janet loved her husband and wanted to start a family with him more than anything. She'd been in love with him the day they met junior year of high school. Now for him to say let's have a child she knew she should be elated but she felt like it was a sincere gesture but made more to make peace then out of love for her. "Honey, I’m not just trying to placate you. Let's just talk about it. I feel like you're mad at me, don't you like our life together? I promise I’ll be ready to settle down. The company is going public in a few months and we stand to make millions if not billions off of it. That will make our life so comfortable that we can have as many kids as you want." Jon said as he snuggled up to her and felt himself getting turned on by the heat of her body and the smell of her moisturizer. "I will make a baby with you when you feel like it's right." He said as he kissed her shoulder and then her neck. "I love you sweetie. I just want to make our lives comfortable." Jon said even though he knew the company was all set to go public with or without him. He had his best friend on it and he knew he wouldn't screw him. Mason was his best friend since elementary school and they both stood to make tons of money with the public offering. Janet sighed. "I enjoy our life together but I want more. I want to raise a family with you. I want to carry your children and watch our children grow and teach them with you. How much more comfortable does our life need to be? We have a beautiful home, nice cars, our bills are paid, and we have a decent savings. The company goes public within the month. Having more money doesn't make us more prepared for a child than we are now." She moaned softly when he kissed her neck. Thirteen years together he knew just where to kiss her to excite her. "You've given the company of your time and attention for the last nine years. Mason can take care of things for a bit. It's time to put all your energy into us. Into building something here at home." "I will honey, I love you and I want to help raise our child. I just am not sure how I can be ready. You are clearly the more parental parent than I am." He said smiling as he heard her moan when he kissed her just below her ear. Works every time, he thought to himself as he used his hand to slip under her nightgown and massage her breast. He was in the mood and he was going to have sex with his beautiful wife. He knew there was a condom in the top drawer of his night stand but what he didn't know was that Janet had used a pin to poke a few holes in it. He also was not aware that she was off the pill. "Honey, how about we revisit this after we go public? I know it's hard but it's just another month or two. After that I can focus on you, and starting a family together. Then I will also maybe know how to properly raise a kid, that's something you seem to know a lot about." He massaged her nipple, "how about we relax and enjoy each other?" Janet relaxed under his touch as he massaged her breast. She nodded her head. "Mmmm fine one month." She kissed him on the lips as she gently placed a hand to his cheek. "I won't wait even a day longer so you'd better be prepared." She smiled as she slid her other hand into his boxers taking hold of his hard shaft. "Now make love to me." She kissed him as she stroked his shaft up and down slowly. She knew her husband would reach for his condom. Just like she knew he would never think to check it for holes. Janet was done waiting and doing everything on his time. She was off her birth control and currently ovulating. They would start their family tonight whether he knew it or not. Jon grabbed the condom from the drawer in his bedside table not checking for holes he put it on and smiled. “Who’s your daddy?” He asked as he whispered into her ear. Janet smiled for tonight he could be be daddy. Soon enough he'd be calling her mommy and she'd have another baby on the way. Just the thought of the changes to come excited her. Janet was passionate in her lovemaking giving everything to her husband. It would be the last time he had sex for some time so she wanted it to be mind blowing. The sex was passionate, Jon loved having sex with his wife. She was wild and so hot and she loved being filled by him especially when she felt the condom fail to hold back all of the load. Jon didn’t know but she did, soon she would be pregnant and have another baby in diapers. Jon slumped over in bed and fell asleep almost right away. He softly spoke, “I love you my Janney bean.” She cuddled into him as they lay naked. As he drifted off to sleep she smiled and kissed his cheek. "I love you too baby". Two weeks later… Janet smiled as she received a locked briefcase from the labs. One email through her husband's account stating she would be picking up the size ray for him to do testing off-site and it was in her possession. Jon had said they would start a family, but after thirteen years she knew him. He would find excuse after excuse to put off what she wanted. He'd done so multiple times over the years. For the last two weeks she had been getting things ready at home. Jon never inquired or showed interest when she redecorated. She was certain he hoped her home design projects would keep their discussion off her mind. Nothing could be further from the truth. Janet pored over the notes on the ray and its use until she had it memorized. She had redecorated one of the guest bedrooms turning it into a nursery for a baby boy. Now with the ray gun in her possession she had everything in place. As usual Jon worked late. It gave Janet ample time to get everything in place. Jon had been crazy busy at work, he had forgotten about the deal with his wife to start a family. His size ray was about to start human trials as they had successfully shrunk and regrown lab rats. They also had doubled the rat in size safely giving him confidence that it would work well. He and Mason were also going to use the size ray's success to announce their public stock options. They were also getting ready with age freezing serum that was about to enter human trials too. Together they were going to make billions of dollars. With a successful day behind Jon drove home in his red mustang parking it in the garage. He went right to the kitchen to prepare dinner when he saw the bottle of pink perfume he had bought Janet for her birthday with a note next to it. Hey Handsome, you've been working hard. Get undressed and come to the guest room across the hall from our bedroom. Tonight I'm going to take care of you. He smiled as he looked down at the note. He felt himself getting turned on under his pants. Oh Janet, I love you, He thought to himself as he put down the perfume and started to walk back to the front hall before he went up the stairs to their room. He walked into his closet and threw his clothes on the ground and grabbed a condom. So, she has been working on a sex room, my wife has a wild side. He thought to himself as he walked across the hallway completely nude. He flung open the door and said, "daddy's home baby." Then he paused looking around the room. It was not what he expected at all, it was a baby's room. It seemed to be made for a baby boy, but he also saw some girl things sprinkled about. There was a crib with a mobile of trains swinging around in a circle. There was a changing table with pampers cruisers diapers packs that has Sesame Street prints. There were toys on the floor and the walls were pictures of trains, he loved trains. Next to the changing table holding a diaper and his size gun was Janet and she seemed to look a little taller than her normal five foot frame too. "Honey? What is this?" He asked his mouth going dry as little beads of sweat formed on his neck. He also felt his member begin to harden a little seeing his taller wife. Rather than give him time to run or ask questions she pulled the trigger. A bright ray pf light emitted from the gun and flew across the room at Jon. The ray hit Jon as he looked shocked and confused asking about the nursery. Before her eyes Jon began to shrink inch by inch. Her once six foot tall husband shrunk down to her height. Then the height of the crib. Still she kept the ray trained on him. Down he went getting smaller and smaller. Finally she released the trigger and turned off the ray gun. There before her eyes naked was her husband the size of an infant. Janet smiled as she walked over to Jon and picked him up. Jon was in shock, he had not moved the entire time she was shrinking him and he forgot that she seemed taller than before. He had watched as she and the world around him grew bigger and bigger until he was maybe two feet tall, maybe smaller. He was scared. He could now be manhandled by his nieces and nephews and they weren't even out of pull-ups. He had no clue but when Janet walked over and picked him up he almost peed himself. "It's okay baby mommies got you. This is your new room mommy worked very hard on." She carried him to the changing table. Moving the shrink ray to one of the drawers she laid him on the changing table fastening the safety belt over his chest. Jon’s shock wore off when the restraining buckle on the changing table was fastened. His arms were pinned to his sides which was exactly what Janet wanted. . "Now let's get you changed and ready for dinner." Janet raised Jon's legs and he'd feel the cool baby wipes as she wiped his bottom and little pee pee. Janet hummed as she set about getting Jon into his first diaper. "My new room? Mommy? What are you talking about? Janet Megan Smith you change me back right now!" He yelled using her maiden name. He was red with embarrassment and anger and jumped as the first cold wipe hit his penis which seemed to be smaller than normal even given his smaller size. He looked down as his wife's massive hands moved so easily over his body wiping it down. He then watched as a giant razor was used to clean his hair off before she cooed and got a diaper. The diaper looked huge to him and on the front of it was a smiling Elmo that seemed to be mocking him as she held it close to his face. "I’m not wearing a diaper Janet. I am your husband not a baby!" Jon said as he looked into the eyes of Elmo and then up at his giant wife who seemed to take up the entire space above the changing table. She looked like a heavenly angel from this angle. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a bun and her blue eyes were soft but determined. Despite her looks he was scared of her even with her light smile he was still shrunk being put in a pampers diaper on a giant changing table. Janet couldn't help but chuckle add he fussed on the changing table. She couldn't take him seriously even calling hey by her full maiden name. "My aren't you cranky my little prince. I think sometime is ready for din din and off to bed." Janet laid the diaper under his bottom and sprinkled his bottom with baby powder she gently rubbed it into his skin. Lowering his legs Jon would feel the padding of the diaper under his bum as she powdered his crotch. Satisfied he was well powdered she pulled the diaper up between her fussy babies legs and fastened the tapes closed around him. "There we go isn't that better pumpkin?" The diaper was soft and comforting as it was wrapped up covering his smaller penis. He had watched the slightly hard penis disappear behind Elmo's smiling face. Jon continued to squirm and fuss on the changing table. Janet looked at him, her tone was gentle but firm. "Now Jon that's quite enough of that. If you continue all this fussing mommy will give you a warm bottom so you have a reason to be so fussy". He instantly stopped squirming at her threat. He looked up at her as she unbuckled him from the changing table. "Janet, you have to stop this now, please I am your husband not a baby who needs to have a pampers diaper." He said pointing to the diaper. Janet took out a blue onesie with a firetruck on it after getting his head through she released the strap so she could get his arms in and pull the onesie down snapping it closed at his crotch, the pamper crinkling in response. Janet picked Jon up and cradled him in her arms unhappy with the firetruck as he preferred a train. He hoped his wife didn't see his reaction as she picked him up. "Is my little prince ready for dinner?" She cooed to him as she carried him out of the nursery toward the kitchen. "I ate coming home," he lied as she looked at him holding him close to her ample breasts. He was again looking up at her gentle face feeling himself getting hard in the diaper as she walked toward the kitchen. Janet sighed as she got to the kitchen and set Jon into a blue and red highchair. "It's not good to lie to mommy. You and I both know you came straight home from work." Janet took a white bib with a teddy bear on it from the counter drawer and fastened it around his neck. He blushed as he was caught in the lie, it was like she was a mom and he was a kid who had been caught. He could not believe he didn’t even notice the high chair when he walked in from the garage. He shook his head and spoke. "Sweetie is this because I didn't want to give you a baby? I will be happy to put one in you right now please just make me big again. I can't be seen like this!" He said as he moved around in the highchair trying to escape. He watched his giant wife move around the kitchen. She took out two jars of Gerber baby food and emptied them into a plastic bowl and warmed it in the microwave. Jon’s mouth dropped open as she did this. He couldn’t believe this was real. He felt himself feel sick as she warmed them looking over at him. To make things worse he felt his bladder ask to be released. When the food was at the right temperature she sat down in a chair in front of him stirring the food. He watched her as she approached sitting in a chair and was still taller than him in the high chair sitting down. "I know you're feeling very confused right now so mommy will talk and you will be a good baby, eat your food, and listen okay?" “Talk? Janet, let’s talk when I am bigger and not in a dia..” he tried to finish his sentence when the first scoop of baby mush was put into his mouth by his wife/mommy. It tasted like the food after he had chewed it chicken, carrots, and peas all in one scoop with the plastic blue spoon with a steam engine on it. He wanted to close his mouth but she just kept shoving food in. He tried to keep up but it started to dribble down his chin onto the teddy bib. "For a long time you have been putting all your focus into the company. So much so that you neglected to put any of your attention here at home unless it directly affected your concerns." Janet sighed and continued feeding him the baby food. "For a long time I went along with everything putting my wants aside. You kept taking what I give you for granted. You felt you could make all the decisions for our future and I should be happy and go along. In a relationship, a healthy relationship, the wants and needs of both people are taken into account. Both people plan their future together. For all your smarts you couldn't seem to work that bit out hmm?" She was talking about how he wasn’t listening to her and how he was not being a good husband. She had a point, but shrinking him and making him wear diapers was too far. Therapy would have seemed more logical in his mind. “I did know that, I thought you liked it when I took control.” He tried to respond to her last sentence but it sounded like it was garbled from all the food in his mouth. She probably had understood him but he looked silly for sure. He looked up at his wife as he swallowed then was about to repeat himself when he felt his bladder as again. "Okay, Janet lets talk about this later. I need to pee." He said looking at her expecting her to react or let him out. Janet chuckled, he looked like quite the messy baby. He had food on his bib dribbling from his mouth. "Yes, you have your diaper on sweetie so you can go pee pee while you finish your dinner." She cooed to him as she fed him another mouthful of the baby food. "There is a difference between taking control, making things happen for both parties to be happy, and taking control to ensure that your specific wants and needs are met and your partner just having to go with it." She smiled as he squirmed in the highchair fighting his bladder. "I tried many times to talk to you but you just cast my concerns aside. Then two weeks ago you had the audacity to call me baby crazy," She chuckled. "That's when I realized you weren't going to learn. Sure you said we'd start a family but you didn't mean it. I bet you haven't given it a single thought since that night right? You said you aren't ready to be a dad. So now instead you can be a brother." She smiled placing a hand to her flat belly. "You see, I took your feelings into consideration. I wanted to start a family you don't want to be a dad so I'll raise our family and you can be a good sibling instead of a daddy." Her last words hit like a pile of bricks. Forget the diaper, forget the mushy food in his mouth; his wife was pregnant and he was going to have to be the brother instead of dad. He looked up at her and felt tears forming in his eyes. He was now struggling against his bladder and his eyes. Jon lost the battle against both. A hissing sound was heard as she let her final words hang in the air. She knew what was happening in his mind and in his pamper. The diaper under his onesie started to get warm as his penis released its full bladder. Tears rolled down his eyes as she used the words he used to weasel out of having a kid against him. There he was crying in a wet pamper in a high chair with baby food in his mouth and down his chin. He felt helpless and that was exactly what Janet wanted. "But mommy... I want to be a daddy not a baby brother." He said sniffling as the tears kept flowing as did the pee. She used his bib to wipe his face clear of baby food. "Goodness your fussy tonight. My baby boy needs milk and beddy bye." Taking the dirty bib off him Janet picked up her crying baby. "You’re much too little to be a daddy pumpkin. Mommy wants you to be a good baby brother and maybe when you're grown up you can be a daddy". She carried him to the nursery and laid a baby blanket on the changing table. Janet made quick work of changing Jon's wet diaper and getting him powdered and into a dry one. His diaper changed, Janet used the baby blanket he was on to swaddle him. She held him in her arms as she sat in the rocking chair. "Hush now baby time for milk". He began to calm down as she sat down in the rocking chair. "Janet I am sorry please let me be the daddy to my kid, please I am sorry I learned my lesson." He said as he watched his wife pull out her breasts which were dripping with none other than breast milk. Janet had been taking another invention of the company, a supplement to encourage milk production in the breast for wet nurses. She opened her top and unclipped the cup of her nursing bra. Jon’s mouth went dry and hung open as she smiled. He had always been a boob man even if her ass was fine her breasts were amazing not to mention that now they had grown because of the milk production. Jon let the massive nipple go in his mouth. Instantly, milk started to flow and to not drown he had to swallow the sweet milk that tasted amazing. It was more fatty than he imagined but it tasted so good. Janet smiled gently rocking as her baby husband nursed from her. He seemed to settle down almost immediately when presented with her full milky breast. He kept drinking but in the middle Janet popped him off her left boob and to her right where he kept drinking. He felt his belly fill and he got a small gut from it. He felt safe and warm and had calmed down. He looked up at her as he unlatched full. "Honey, I am sorry." He said as milk dribbled out of his mouth. He had an erection in his diaper which was hidden by the diaper and the blanket. He felt lethargic like one feels after eating too much turkey at thanksgiving dinner. He let out a small burp and a yawn. He tried to think straight and tried to say something to his wife but it all came out as what Janet could best describe as a toddler's ramblings or a drunk man's slurred speech. There was something in there about him wanting to be a daddy and him being a grown up. He didn't say any bad words but he was not happy about being small. That was obvious. At the end of his rant as Janet was putting back in her bra he felt himself get another small boner in the diaper. He also said something that surprised Janet, her shrunken baby husband said something about his pampers being comfy. He looked up at her and smiled. Janet smiled back at him, she could tell he was in a losing battle wanting to talk but being full and warm making him sleepy. Janet was surprised when Jon stated his diaper was comfy. She smiled kissing his forehead as she lay him in his crib snugly wrapped in the soft warm baby blanket. To Janet it seemed maybe this transition wouldn't be so hard for him after all. Jon wanted to fight, he wanted to stop his wife from stripping away everything, but he just simply couldn’t. The crib’s mattress felt like it was made out of memory foam. Janet turned on the train mobile above his crib which played a soft lullaby as the plush steam trains rotated above him. As the trains started to rotate above him he drifted off to sleep like a baby. He didn’t even hear her turn on the baby monitor and night light before turning off the lights to the nursery. "Goodnight baby boy sweet dreams". Janet closed the nursery door and hummed as she went to her bedroom to relax for the evening. Janet could hardly believe how well everything went. She picked up her iPhone and called Mason. "Everything went as expected. Effective tomorrow you will be the face of the company. You were right about the breast feeding he settled down quickly when I left him to nurse and went right to sleep". She laughed pleased with how everything was going. "I'll wait a few days, let him adjust, then we'll come by the office so you and I can iron out the finer details." She ended the call and ran herself a hot bath relaxing thinking about the wonderful future she had before her. -End of Chapter 1

This story is a sequel of my former story Happy Family and Double R project. Allusions and references to those stories are included. Happy Family Double R project Part 1: “Mommy, are you serious? Your idea is crazy!” Ashley Compton shook her head vigorously. “Why, Ashley? I’m your mother and will do everything to make you happy,” Victoria Davis smiled at her daughter. Victoria ‘s idea really looked crazy. Ashley was barren and she desperately desired for children. However, she wouldn’t like to adopt them. Victoria offered her help, but that help was slightly unorthodox. Several mothers helped their barren daughters by carrying their children in their own womb, but Ashley was barren and didn’t have ova that could be fertilized and implanted into Victoria’s womb. Victoria’s plan was quite different. She wanted to take part in an experiment. As the Happy Family affair was over and the regression machine was confiscated by the county, experiments were running at the city university. Later, the machine was abused by the army and secret services in the scandalous Double R project. Now, the machine was still working, and a new phase of the experiments was started. Volunteers were wanted to undergo the regression. Victoria intended to apply for an experiment and get regressed and become Ashley’s child. It looked crazy indeed. “Mommy, you will become my daughter. I can’t imagine it,” Ashley still didn’t believe what she heard. “Do you know a better person than your loving mommy? I’m divorced and live alone mostly. Now I could live with you without being the troublesome mother-in-law.” “Are you not afraid of this change? You will become a toddler and probably stay a toddler forever. According to my knowledge, nobody was able to grow up except for the double-R-project victims.” “We can ask about it. Maybe there is an advance in the research.” “Okay, but I wouldn’t like to agree to your idea all alone. I think we should ask my brother at least; after all you are his mother, too.” “Right, Ashley, we can ask him first. Now tell me how you imagine my regressed form? How old should I be?” “I don’t know, mommy. Maybe two or three? I’d like to have a small child rather than start with a teenage girl. I don’t mind if you stay an eternal toddler. It is my secret dream, mom. A cute toddler is everything I long for.” “Okay, I’m also surprised by my own idea, but it is somehow attractive; it will be my second childhood. Let’s call Harry and arrange a family meeting to discuss my idea.” The next weekend, the family meeting took place. Victoria presented her idea to Harry, his wife Eileen and their three children – Charlie, Annie and Susie. Charlie, the oldest child, was 12. He was a clever boy and good student. His sister Annie was 8 and the youngest girl Susan was 3. Harry was amused by the idea and didn’t mind it at all. “I will have a niece instead of mom,” he grinned, and Eileen nodded. She was a good mother and loved her children deeply. Harry’s children reacted differently. “Daddy, we will lose our grandma,” Charlie was shocked by the idea. “We won’t lose her, Charlie,” Susan shook her little head, “she will be as little as I am,” Susie also was clever and intelligent, but she still was a little girl and accepted the change easily. “Susie, you will have a playmate,” Annie added. “Okay. Would you like to have a cousin then?” Victoria asked them that important question. “Yeah, Granny,” they answered almost unisono; Charlie hesitated for a short moment. “Well, get ready then. I will return as your new cousin soon,” she smiled at them. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Your idea sounds crazy, madam,” the lab assistant shook his head when Victoria explained her application and its reason, “but I have to agree with you. You are the first volunteer that wants to change her family relation, and your motivation is quite strong. Can you tell me your requirements? I can’t guarantee they will be fulfilled, but we will do our best.” “I’d like to become a true toddler 2 or 3 years old and start a new life as a daughter of my Ashley,” Victoria smiled at her daughter. “Does it mean you will lose your memories?” Victoria hesitated for awhile, but the idea sounded attractive. She would forget every bad experience and start a brand-new life. “Mommy, don’t worry. I will tell you everything necessary and leave out your unpleasant memories,” Ashley encouraged her mom, “you will start a true new life.” A week later, all preparations were done. Ashley equipped a nursery for her future daughter and purchased everything necessary to take car of a toddler and a few pieces of clothing; she didn’t know exactly the required size. Victoria and Ashley arrived at the university lab in the morning. The regression machine was set up already according to Victoria’s requirements: - Age about 3 - Loss of memory - Limited motoric skills - Possible grow up Victoria undressed herself, lay down on the bed and the assistant connected the wires to her body and started the regression program. She suddenly felt dizzy and the world around her grew larger. Her mind was changing as well. All her memories disappeared, and she felt incredibly happy at that moment even if she didn’t know why. A wide smile appeared on her lips. Victoria Davis was a past now; Victoria Compton was born … or reborn? “All done,” the assistant switched off the machine and disconnected all the wires from the little body, “dress your daughter and carry her to the examination room please. We need to check her health condition.” “Victoria, sweetheart, mommy will dress you now,” Ashley smiled at her new daughter. She realized Victoria had lost her memories, and she had to teach her the name and all family members first. Victoria smiled back and listened. Her mind was clean and empty. As Ashley grabbed a diaper, she instinctively lifted her behind. Her toddler mind accepted diapers and the memories of an old woman had disappeared. Now she was a little girl that knew her mommy and her name. Ashley put the diaper beneath Victoria and realized that was the first of endless diaper changes. Nevertheless, she didn’t mind it at all. Diapers belonged to the cute toddler image she longed for. She dressed Victoria in a cute dress and pair of tights and pink shoes. “Come, sweetheart, can you walk?” she asked Victoria; the little girl sat up and crawled down from the bed. Her legs seemed to be a bit weak, but she was able to walk. The assistant led them to the exam room where the doctor did a quick check. ” Mrs. Compton, congratulations to your daughter. She is a healthy 3-year-old toddler. You can take her home. Stop at our office to obtain the birth certificate. Also, I expect you with her to have another health check in two months. If you notice any issue, contact me immediately. We need feedback of our experiments.” Ashley was amused by the word ‘birth certificate’, but there was no matching document available to make Victoria her legal child. She put the little girl into a stroller and drove her to the office. As soon as she got the birth certificate, she left the university and put Victoria into a car seat and drove off. Victoria was a bit tired. The regression had been a challenge for her and her little body was exhausted. She yawned when Ashley put her into the stroller, and her eyes closed minutes later. While Ashley was carrying her to the car, she was asleep already.

Hi this is a role i had in mind its almost like the movie coraline if anyone has seen it where coraline goes through this door and ends up in a world with the other mother and other father etc. Here would be my idea and bare with me as i try my best. Valeria is 16 and small for her age but that never stopped her from being a typical teenager, as she lives with her parents and even though she loves them they are just always too busy for her and often times forgets that she exists and has wondered if they ever would miss her if she were to just leave and never come back which she doubts they would as they rarely are ever home with how busy there work schedules were. One afternoon valeria was exploring the home that her parents and her have moved in to and upon exploring it she found a random key and decided to see what door it could unlock. As she gone through the home she happen to come across this door in her closet that was locked so she placed the key in and went to unlock it, and to her surprise it revealed a tunnel and so she decided to crawl through it but little did she know what would be on the other side that would change her life for good. Valeria gets to the end of the tunnel as there was a door at the end and once she passed through it and ended up in some house and when she had second thoughts about this the door she came from suddenly is gone.

Because of the current tech problems I have re-laid the entire story in this chapter. You can still read the comments at the end but they probably won't make much sense. Samantha’s lesson Samantha was being her usual annoying self. Her parents didn’t know why their adorable little baby girl was growing up to be an obnoxious little fiend. She was seven years old but had the attitude of a grumpy teenager who always thought she was right. Her mommy and daddy were at their wits end as to what to do with her and yearned for the days when she was a happy little bundle of smiles, giggles and the only demands she made was for her paci. Now she demanded attention 24/7 and had the house in uproar if she didn’t get it. Her brother, four year-old Nathan, was more often than not left crying because of some act of nastiness that his darling older sister had visited on him. Nathan was a sweet, undemonstrative child, who, though worryingly still in diapers, was otherwise a normal little boy. Having said that, the normal ‘terrible twos’ that his parents remembered so well from when Sam was at that age, appeared to pass him by. Maybe this was down to the fact that they had his sister to contend with and she seemed to be forever in that part of her ‘terrible’ childhood development. Whenever Nathan got any sort of attention Samantha would start acting up, get into trouble, cause an argument or generally be disagreeable. Meanwhile, her little brother would sit there playing with his toys and perhaps wondering why he was being ignored (if a child of his age ever thought that way). The school was always sending messages and asking Sam’s parents in for meetings to ‘discuss’ her behaviour but everything that was tried to remedy the situation failed miserably. That was until her mother accidently came across something that appeared to work. * Samantha had been screaming at her brother. Ridiculing the poor boy because he was still wetting himself, not just at night but also during the day, and, because she had been potty trained since the age of two, told him how much of a baby he still was. After one particular nasty tirade and unforgivable incident where she rubbed his wet diaper in his face, which needless to say had upset Nathan tremendously, her mother decided on her own punishment. She spanked her daughter (much to Samantha’s surprise and something her mommy had never done before), removed her little panties and replaced them with the wet diaper with which she had just been tormenting her sobbing little brother. Sam was the one now crying, and not just because of the spanking, she hated the feel of the wet diaper that now hung between her legs. Her mother had made it pretty clear that if she even attempted to remove it that would produce an even more severe spanking. Samantha was smarting from the first smacking she’d ever received and was temporarily stunned into submission so wandered miserably around the house with her huge drooping diaper easily visible below her little dress. Her mother noticed that somehow this action had calmed her daughter down and, for a few hours at least, she saw Sam behaving herself and, although perhaps reluctantly, start playing with Nathan who was now sitting happily in his dry protection. * As the children played their mother couldn’t help but notice how cute her disruptive daughter looked now she was back in diapers. The way it so obviously hung below her dress when she bent over brought back memories of those happier days when she was a baby. The fact that she now appeared a lot more obedient and agreeable also hadn’t gone unnoticed although, she realised it could have been down to Sam’s reddened bottom. When it was time for Nathan’s afternoon nap she also put Samantha down at the same time and while there was a little argument, it was soon over and she complied. Popping a pacifier into her son’s mouth soon had him sucking wildly as he soothed himself to sleep whilst hugging one of his teddy bears. Without thinking she also slipped one between her daughter’s lips and was surprised to see her also sucking as she closed her eyes and slipped into her own little dream world. Soon both her children were out for the count and mommy was able to have time to assess what had happened. Neither she nor her husband had, with the arrival of Nathan, given Samantha any less attention so wondered if it was more than just sibling jealousy. However, her terrible behaviour at school showed she was quite the tyrant there and that pointed to something else in their daughter’s make up. Physical punishment had never been in the armoury these parents used. However, with this current action, Sam had learned that there were now very definite consequences to her conduct. Meanwhile, her mother decided she was going to at least try and see if she could develop on this more agreeable side to her daughter. * When her children woke up she first changed Nathan, who had inevitably wet himself as he slept, spending time making him giggle as she wiped him clean, powdered and re-diapered him. She covered that with a pair of clear plastic pants and then pulled on his favourite matching cartoon t-shirt and shorts. Happily dry and wide awake he rushed off into the sunlit garden to play on the swing. Sam had warily watched the entire procedure but didn’t dare get up before her mother had given permission. Despite a rather long, deep nap she wriggled uncomfortably in the sodden diaper and could still feel where her mother had spanked her and wasn’t keen on repeating the experience. Once the soggy mass had been removed she anticipated getting her panties back but mom then proceeded to do the same as she had with Nathan; wiping her daughter clean, spreading on some lotion and getting her well powdered. However, despite this obviously leading to the inevitable conclusion Sam was surprised when her mother produced another disposable. The protest was noisy but not unexpected. Nevertheless, her mother just lifted her legs up, swatted her bottom a couple of times, slid the diaper into place and fastened it tightly around her hips whilst her stunned daughter tried to hold back the tears. * Sam was in shock. Twice in one day she bore the marks of her mother’s hand but didn’t know what she could do about it. She wanted to object, she wanted to scream, she wanted to tear the house down but she didn’t want to feel that pain again so, despite every bit of her body wanting to reject what was happening, she grumpily put up with it. As her mommy slipped a pair of plastic pants over her diaper, but before she let her go and play outside, she was told in no uncertain terms that her behaviour was not acceptable and that until she stopped being an awful sister to her brother and started to conduct herself as a young lady, she would be kept in diapers. With that her mommy stood her up, pointed to the door and told her to go and play in the garden with Nathan. Reluctantly she moved towards the door, she didn’t really want to go outside where someone might see her wearing her padded protection, she was a big girl after all but her mother had made it clear that was where she should go and acting up just wasn’t an option. Her mother watched as she waddled out the door. There was no doubt about it, that little glimpse of bulky padding showing beneath her dress made her look adorable. In some way she hoped her daughter would do something unpleasant again, just so she had reason to keep her dressed like that for a little while longer. * Whilst her children were playing in the garden she went to the attic and found some of the baby clothes she used to dress them in. Waves of nostalgia swept through her mind and she wished she could have both her little babies back. She found a pair of pink frilly plastic pants that Samantha had worn as a toddler and remembered how sweet she had looked in her little dress with the frills showing over her bulky padding as she pushed her toy pram. Most of the clothing was Sam’s she had been the first and as such received brand new baby clothes. Little Nathan, when he came along, was saddled with her hand me downs but she remembered that he always looked so sweet no matter what he wore. As her fingers touched each piece of clothing another wonderful memory came to mind. She chuckled to herself at the thought of when he wore the same pink frilly plastic pants that had somehow gravitated to her hands, and how he had crawled around the house unperturbed by such a sweet but ‘girly’ item. He was always such an easy-going bundle of joy and her heart filled with the love she shared with almost every other mother over her children… but sighed to herself as she wondered what had gone wrong with Samantha. * Unexpectedly, the afternoon passed off without any trauma, both her children played together and appeared to be getting on, which was a first for a long time. Sam had even helped her brother build a tent using a blanket and the washing line as they’d played at camping in the wild outback. She howled like a wolf, made chirping and squawking noises as she pretended she was a host of wild animals and Nathan giggled his enjoyment and feigned being scared as he hid behind a rock (the upturned clothes basket). Their mother hadn’t seen such simple pleasure for quite some time and both her kids seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely. When her husband returned home from work he was astonished to see a very relaxed wife, and both his children playing happily in between watching snatches of TV. When he sat on the sofa after he’d eaten he was also surprised to find that this time not only Nathan came over for a cuddle but the normally fussy Samantha also wanted the same. Without making a scene she crept to the other side of her father and settled down as, with one in each arm, he hugged his children together. He looked over at his wife as if wanting an explanation but she just smiled and let him discover the secret for himself. It wasn’t long before he noticed that his daughter, like his son, was also padded and again looked to his wife for some sign as to why this was the case. She was smiling broadly at his incomprehension but he realised that whatever the reason it had appeared to work, for the time being at least, and for that he shrugged in gratitude. Perhaps, for the first time in many months, they would have an evening without a Sammy style outburst, or a neighbour complaining about their daughter’s behaviour. * At night both her children were put to bed at the same time. Both had protection, which once again Samantha tried to rebel against but her mother forcibly made her wear under the extreme threat of getting her daddy to administer a more severe punishment if she didn’t do as she was told. This warning had the desired effect and Sam quietly, if unhappily, submitted. She mumbled under her breath about not being a little baby and resented being put to bed at the same time as her silly little wet baby brother. So, she was still able to lash out even if this time it wasn’t as loud or as prolonged as normal and certainly she was more than a little unsure of the ground she stood on. Her mommy simply popped in her paci, pushed a teddy under her arm and told her to go to sleep. She added that she didn’t want to hear any sound and if there was it would mean ‘big trouble’. Leaving that warning to speak for itself she wished her sweet dreams, kissed her forehead and left to return downstairs to her perplexed husband. When his wife explained the way the day had panned out, and guiltily justified the spanking (which neither really agreed with), all became clear. Both seemed unhappy about what had happened but couldn’t deny the results. When she spoke about her idea to keep their seven year-old in diapers to see if the transformation was permanent, he had to concede that it was at least worth a try. The threat of a spanking as punishment was also going to be maintained but they hoped that the threat would be enough. He would support his wife in her decision but thought that Samantha was a very headstrong girl and expected some reaction to her new situation. His wife sighed as if she agreed that it was inevitable but, and she was adamant about this, she was going to pull out all the stops to try and curb her daughters aggressive activities. * Despite herself and her insistence that she didn’t need to go to bed so early Samantha had a very good night’s sleep and only woke up when her mother shook her to get ready for school. Through sleepy thoughts and wandering hands, which fell on her thick night time protection, she remembered what had happened the day before. The plastic pants felt strange as did the bulk between her legs but it slowly dawned on her that she had wet during the night. She hadn’t done such a thing since she was two and couldn’t understand why it had happened now. However, with mother standing over her and encouraging her to get up she shifted uneasily beneath the covers. Fearing a possible argument or tantrum her mother quickly pulled back the covers and pulled her out of bed and, like her daughter, was surprised to see the soaked diaper. Thankfully the plastic pants had kept everything else dry but even though her mother looked concerned the tears were welling up in Sam’s eyes. She was certain that she would get spanked for it and was crying because of the fear that had gripped her body, which unfortunately didn’t help as she peed a little more as she stood there weeping. Her mother took sympathy on her damp daughter and hugged her telling her it was OK and that sometimes little girls have accidents. Through her blubbing Sam tried to say that she wasn’t ‘little’ and not a baby and that it shouldn’t happen but all that came out was some childish whining and choked-back sobs. Soothing words eventually calmed the wet seven year-old as she was guided to the bathroom to change out of her soaked padding and to get ready for school. Her mother cleaned her up and went to retrieve her school uniform. Fearing that she would have to wear a diaper for school she started bawling even harder but calmed a little when she saw that her mother had returned with panties and not further protection. However, as her mother helped her get dressed she issued a further warning about her behaviour at school. If it didn’t get better, or any of the teachers had reason to complain, she would be wearing diapers to school every day for the rest of the term. Shocked at this terrible threat Samantha meekly put her uniform on and went downstairs for breakfast whilst her mother got Nathan ready for his day at nursery. * Once at school and away from her mother’s authority, the compliant Samantha quickly turned into the overbearing ‘Little Madame’ the teachers had come to dread. Creating uproar, making other children cry and generally being at the centre of mayhem soon led to her mother being called to once again come and collect her disruptive daughter. The drive home was a sullen affair, her mother angry beyond words and Sam insisting that she’d done nothing wrong and it was entirely the other kids fault for acting like babies. However, once through the door her mother quickly dragged her over her knee, pushed up her school skirt, pulled down her panties and smacked her bare bottom for the third time in two days. Whether Sam thought that it just wouldn’t happen again or not, her mother was not going to put up with such blatant disrespect for her, the teachers and other children. Never had Sam’s bottom been so thoroughly chastised and when her mother made her stand weeping in the corner and think about what she had done to deserve such a punishment her extremely red cheeks were testimony to the fury her mother had felt. Her tears eventually dried up and though her bottom stung she was getting bored standing in the corner waiting on the punishment to end. However, the angry words her mother had said about moving an inch were still ringing in her ears so thought better than to defy her so stayed put. Unfortunately for Sam her smarting bottom was just going to be the start of her ongoing punishment. **** Part 2 As she rubbed her sore bottom Samantha wanted some kind of revenge on her mother. Her mind was working on the things she planned on doing and, she thought conspiringly, ‘daddy had cuddled me yesterday so he will be on my side’. Alas for her she was unaware of what her parents had already agreed between them to try and tame their infuriatingly volatile daughter. The anger she felt at least took her mind of her glowing cheeks and she was in a seething world of her own when her mother re-entered the room armed with her daughter’s new clothing. Unable to contain her fury any longer she turned and screamed at her mother and ran off to her bedroom, where, for some reason, she thought she’d be safe. Her mother had always knocked before she entered and Sam naively believed that all she had to do was say “No” and her bedroom fortress could not be breached. Mommy would just go away and leave her to her own devices and eventually call her for dinner when it was ready. The trouble for Sammy was, her mother was not aware of any of this and simply stormed into her room, telling her in no uncertain terms that she needed to learn to behave. Sam was quick to avoid the grasping hands so jumped up and ran around the room, leaping on her bed whilst avoiding her chasing mother. Quick she may have been but her mother was clever and just waited for her to tire herself out as she shouted, screamed and threw things in her wake. Unfortunately for her, she tripped over one of the blankets she had thrown in her temper tantrum and, still kicking and screaming, was scooped up by her mother. Her red bottom was easily identifiable now she was wearing no panties and provided an obvious target for her mommy who delivered another couple of whacks to that already tender behind. Then, as a stunned and weeping Sam struggled to make sense of this departure from the norm, her mother stripped her out of the rest of her clothes, wrapped her in an ultra-thick fabric diaper, pinned it in place and told her that from now on any time she acted like a spoiled little baby, that was just how she would be treated. * Her mother picked her up, carried her downstairs and deposited her in the back garden and told her she was to play nicely in the sunshine with her brother until daddy got home. Wearing only a thick diaper it was Sam who now looked like the baby. Although Nathan was wearing his usual protection at least it wasn’t visible like Sam’s. He playfully told her that she looked like a big baby and was glad she’d come to play with him. It was amazing that, dressed like she was how her whole personality changed. She hadn’t reacted to her brother mentioning she looked like a baby and, once outside in the garden, she just got on and played the games that Nathan wanted. Her mother wondered if Sam was even aware of this dramatic change but she was intrigued as to why, as soon as she had her headstrong daughter diapered, all the anger, violence and screaming just stopped. As they played Nathan did something totally unexpected, he shrugged off his shorts and t-shirt and wore only his diaper like Sam. To him wearing such a thing was completely normal and often ran around the house dressed that way. His parents hadn’t tried to stop him, they enjoyed his diapered exuberance and he was such a contrast to Sam who would be the one often ridiculing him for being “such a baby”. Now, as mommy watched from the kitchen window, she couldn’t believe how sweet her two diapered children looked as they played some imaginative game that was producing gales of giggles. * Their father was somewhat bemused to sit at the dining table with both his children dressed only in diapers. He didn’t say anything because he knew there would be a good reason why his wife had taken such measures and was also relieved to sit through a meal with no squabbling. Indeed, Nathan was explaining what he had done at nursery and Sam quietly listened to all the conversations. Partly because she was worried that her mommy would tell daddy about her being naughty and perhaps… well… she didn’t want anything to happen as she planned on speaking to daddy later. After dinner Nathan sat in mommy’s lap watching TV whilst Sam cuddled up with her daddy. He gently patted her padded bottom as she squirmed around trying to be loving and endearing. She adopted a very childish voice, which was most definitely not what you expected from her, and whispered in his ear just how much she loved her daddy. Despite him realising she was planning something, it had been so long since she’d expressed any form of affection to anyone that he was quite taken aback. Once mommy took Nathan upstairs to bed she saw her opportunity to see if she could manipulate her father into agreeing she need not wear diapers ever again. Hugging daddy she said, in that false childish voice she hoped would sway him, that mommy was being cruel making her wear ‘baby clothes’ as she hadn’t done anything wrong. Her daddy snuggled his daughter tightly but replied that she must have done something as he was sure mommy wouldn’t have done it otherwise. Sam tried to force out some tears as she sniffed that it was all the teachers fault, they didn’t like her and made up lies about her to make her look bad. She looked at her father, desperately trying to hold back those crocodile tears, and told him that she could only rely on him not to be awful to her… protesting her innocence as she let a tear slide down her cheek. Her father was impressed with his daughter’s acting ability and was softened just a little by such a sterling performance. He tried to put Sammy’s mind at rest by saying that he was sure it would all be sorted out soon but in the meantime, and it would probably be only for a short while, the diaper stayed. “Besides,” he said grinning and trying to make his daughter feel better, “you look so cute… and your brother never seems to worry about wearing them.” She was still trying to gain her father’s confidence. “But daddy, he’s a baby and I’m a big girl… and big girls don’t wear diapers.” “They do if mommy tells them they do.” He stroked her head, “Naughty girls, no matter how big they are, wear diapers if their mommies think that’s what they need.” He held his daughter at arms-length and looked into her tear-streaked face. “Sometimes, mommies and daddies have to punish their naughty children… and you have been very naughty…” “No daddy I haven’t, it’s not my fault,” she blubbed. But her father noticed that even this protest was not as vocal or as strident as he would normally have heard from her. He hugged her close, patted her padded bottom in reassurance and told her not to worry, he was sure that her diaper days would soon be behind her. However, he couldn’t help thinking what a sweet nature she could have if she wanted. His wife’s insistence on her being diapered certainly had an amazing effect and, like her, thought that both their children looked delightful dressed in such a way. * Her mother called down that it was time for her bath and though disappointed at not having influenced her father she hung tightly onto his neck as he carried her upstairs. There was no denying the fact that he liked this affectionate version of his daughter. Carrying her cradled in his arms and stroking her padded bottom brought back his deep paternal thoughts. In that brief trip up the stairs he too remembered with a great degree of happiness just how Sam used to be when a baby. How soft she felt, how wonderful her childish hugs were, how sweetly she smelled of baby powder and lotion. His head was filled with all these thoughts when he put her down on her bed and began to unfasten her diaper. No sooner was the diaper removed than that hateful steely look reappeared in her eyes. She kicked out and kicked-off as her daddy tried to guide her to the bathroom. She saw her mother knelt down at the side of the bath washing and playing with Nathan who was giggling as bubbles were being piled on his head. Sam screamed that she wasn’t going to get in with her “smelly baby brother” and that she should have a bath to herself. However, her father picked her up and deposited her in the warm suds with her brother and a warning that he didn’t want to hear another word from her. This didn’t stop her complaining about everything. Nathan was in the way, the water was too hot (and too cold), the bubbles made her eyes sting, mummy rubbed too hard with the sponge… etc etc etc. * Mommy plucked a clean and fresh Nathan from the bath and snuggled him in a huge soft towel. She carried him back to his room, dried him off, powdered and diapered him, gave him his paci and teddy and left him to sleep. Then she went to her daughter’s room and got her nightwear ready only this time, her pjs were augmented with another thick fabric diaper. Once her daddy had fought through all the arguments and mess that her bath time routine had made, he also wrapped her in a towel and took her back to her room. Covered in such a huge thick towel she wasn’t able to run or kick or do anything other than lie still. Once he’d dried her, and while she was still relatively immobile he slipped the diaper under her and had it pinned in place in seconds. Sam’s protest died on her lips as her father pulled her pink pjs over it all and kissed her goodnight. Now she had Nathan settled her mother came in and, seeing her lay quietly in her bed, asked if she’d like a story. A very subdued Sam nodded so her mother picked up a book she’d read at an earlier time of her daughter’s life and began the tale of a pretty princess. Sam snuggled down with a stuffed toy and her mother remembered she had a paci in her pocket and offered it to her, which she happily sucked on as the story continued. It wasn’t long before she too dropped asleep and both parents couldn’t believe how much difference the diaper made. They discussed what had happened during the day and the punishment that had been dealt out. Strange that they both felt so guilty about a strategy that seemed to be working but it was decided that, in the morning, when they were getting her ready for school she would be diapered… just to see if her attitude there could also be changed. * Again Sam slept right through and was only roused from sleep by her mother’s gentle shaking. Sleepily she tried to make sense of where she was and what she was doing with a thick, wet diaper between her legs. This time, because she wasn’t wearing any plastic protection, the diaper itself had not been enough to prevent her pjs, blanket, sheets and mattress from getting a bit of a soaking. As her mother realised what had happened Sam started crying and shaking her head. She just couldn’t understand why, for the second time in two days, she’d woken up wet - she was a big girl and big girls don’t have accidents. Her mother made a note to remember plastic pants next time and felt silly that she had already bought a couple of pairs for her but hadn’t thought to put them on her that night. Still, it was a damp lesson, and one she was determined not to make again. However, whilst her daughter was coming to terms with what had happened, she quickly dried her off, wiped her clean and powdered her before slipping her quickly into a waiting disposable. Sam wasn’t really aware of the quick change so only realized what she was wearing when her mother slipped over a pair of pale blue plastic pants which matched her school uniform. She really wanted to object but was still feeling a little bit ashamed of her mishap. Her mother simply didn’t allow her protest to materialize and soon had her dressed for school. Other than the soft crinkle sound she made as she walked, no one would have been aware of the fact she was now diapered. However, Sammy was well aware of this fact. She thought the rustling noise she made could be heard by everyone who had ears, the thick feeling between her legs a constant reminder and although she hated it there was nothing she could do and would just have to put up with all her friends laughing and calling her names. * Mommy dropped her off at school and walked her into the classroom where she was left to go and join the other pupils. Meanwhile, her mother had a word with the teacher, passed her a bag which contained spare disposables and told her that Sam had had an accident during the night and that they thought, for everyone’s benefit, it might be best if she wore some protection for the rest of the day. Her teacher seemed slightly taken aback at this turn of events but nodded her understanding of the situation and she would see to it that if Sam needed a change, it would be done without any fuss. Despite herself, Sam wet her diaper twice whilst at school so without any fuss she was sent to the nurse who changed her. Sam may have felt awful about having such accidents but she was by no means the only girl in her class who also needed their diaper changed. She still didn’t understand why she wet just because she wore a diaper but the pee came unannounced and the only time she realized what had happened was when she felt the disposable swelling under the deluge. The other thing she was amazed by was that none of her classmates commented on either the crinkle sound or her frequent trips to the nurse, they all seemed relieved that at least for the time being, Sam wasn’t as shrill as she often was. However, the teacher also noticed that, despite her occasional need for a change, her behaviour had improved dramatically. She’d always been the brightest of all the children in her group and had dominated every one of them in every subject and, to a certain extent, the teachers had part thought this was why she acted up so much. Perhaps she felt stifled by her peers and her bad actions were her way of drawing attention to this problem. Maybe, but there was no denying that whatever her parents had done or said to her, she appeared to have calmed down considerably. The teacher didn’t make the connection between the protection and her behaviour but, when her mother came to collect her and heard about such positive conduct, she couldn’t help but feel relieved that she had found some kind of solution to her daughter’s aggression. On the car journey home Sammy was quiet but looked a little grumpy. Her mother tried to make conversation but she just gave one word answers. At least she wasn’t being nasty just deep in thought or at least had her mind on other things. When they arrived back at the house it was patently obvious why Sam had been so quiet, she’d wet herself again and was more confused than ever as to why. Thankfully the plastic pants had protected the car seat and contained the flood but she was a very waterlogged girl who desperately needed changing. * Her mother let her wallow in her damp diaper for a while whilst she unloaded the car and started to put her shopping away. Sam looked most dejected as she waited for her mommy to finish what she was doing and help her change. Eventually, she finished and shooed her daughter up to her room. Once there she helped her take off her school uniform, which left her standing there in the swollen protection. Sam was just pleased that there was no one else who could see what she could see. Her mother helped her out of the plastic pants and the disposable was saggy and saturated. Pulling at the tabs released the weight and, to Sam’s great relief, it flopped to the ground. Her mother laid her back on the bed and cleaned her up; wiping and powdering her thoroughly. Sam may not have liked it but realised that, whilst she was wetting herself, the diapers would be staying. So, when her mother fixed her into a thick fabric diaper like the one she’d worn the day before, she could do nothing but accept her fate. This time, and like Nathan always wore, she had a pair of clear plastic pants pulled over them. Her mommy added a pink t-shirt and was about to add a pair of shorts when she realised that the padding was too thick for them to fit. In the end, like the previous day, she was left to wander around the house in just her protection. Her mother was overjoyed when, just before Nathan arrived home from nursery (dropped off by a neighbour who also had a child at the same place) Sam climbed on the sofa with her and cuddled into her lap. Like her daddy the day before, this was the first act of affection that Sam had expressed for quite some time. Her mother couldn’t have been happier or more thankful and, with an emotional tear in her eye, snuggled her daughter tightly. ***** Part 3 For the next few weeks Samantha wore a diaper to school as well as at home. Every morning she would wake up wet but now took it as normal. She still had no idea why she should be in such a state but now that she did she no longer reacted. The enquiring, lively, though ultimately argumentative young girl had been replaced by someone with a much more placid demeanour, whilst her brother had never had such an attentive playmate. Both mother and father were proud of their daughter and although her diapers were proving extra work for them, it was more than compensated by the fact she was so much calmer and such a pleasure to be around. Also, and this was something they were both relieved about, they no longer needed to spank (or threaten to spank) Sam to make her do as she was told. At school it was like she was a different person, no one was scared or intimidated when she entered the room like they had been before. Also, she soon learned that she didn’t have to go to the nurse every time she wet, the disposable would soak up and store her pee leaving her feeling relatively dry, if slightly more bulky. She even got used to her plastic protection ballooning out a tad as her diaper expanded but waddled around expertly not letting on about her ‘misfortune’ until she arrived home. The moment she got in mommy would always lift her skirt, push a finger past her elasticated leg-holes and check, then if needed (which was nearly always), whisk her up to her room where a store of disposables, fabric diapers, plastic pants, wipes, various lotions and powders now awaited her regular changing routine. Gone was the anger, the shouting and near hysterics that had caused so many problems in the past, all being replaced by an affectionate sweetheart who seemed to be getting cuter and more adorable by the day. Her mother was really enjoying the transformation from disassociated seven year-old into an endearing little miss. She heaped praise and love on her almost nonstop and was even more overjoyed by the positive and tender reactions it brought. So many hugs, cuddles, kind words and general compassion were now happening naturally, it was as if Sam had remembered what it was like to be nice. Mommy purchased prettier diapers, more colourful and fancy plastic pants, as well as an array of new clothing that emphasised what a darling, devoted, little daughter she had. When they went out Sam’s delightful pastel-coloured summer dresses had gotten shorter to reveal her matching padded panties. Sam appeared not to even notice this ‘devolution’ in her clothing and no longer argued about anything she was made to wear. However, her mother was getting much too comfortable and at ease at the way her ‘reborn’ daughter had so effortlessly returned to those less-fraught toddler days. * It used to be a regular event that Nathan would request to go ‘potty’ after the deed was already done. He seemed to only know about it after it had happened and of course by then it was too late. However, as Sammy appeared to be getting younger Nathan was getting the hang of actually using the potty on time. He still occasionally had accidents but they were becoming less and less frequent and both his parents were relieved at this sudden progress. Almost overnight he began to go to school in ‘big boy’ briefs, and as a typical four year-old, when he was with his chums, enjoyed this step up from being a little kid. However, at home there was a different and unforeseen development. As his sister scooted around the house, often wearing little more than her diaper and plastic pants, he wanted to wear the same as she had on. Not that he wanted her girly clothes, he just wanted to wear the same kind of thick diapers and brightly coloured plastic pants as his sister, perhaps missing their snug and comforting quality. As soon as he returned home from pre-school he’d change out of his briefs and ask his mommy to fit a diaper. If they were playing out together and Sam was wearing something new, even if it was something frilly and pink, it didn’t bother him, he wanted to match. He’d sulk if he didn’t get it, though thankfully there was never the histrionics that Samantha inflicted on everyone. He just asked, begged, looked dejected and promised he’d never ask for anything ever again, if only he could wear whatever Sammy was wearing. He wasn’t even using his diaper as much as Samantha, more often than not waking up dry, but it was as if he wanted to show solidarity with her predicament so, he’d decided to dress like her. Despite an initial resistance from his parents, they saw no harm in his request and eventually gave in to his rather sweet desires... even if it was for something pink and frilly. His mommy checked the stuff she had in the attic from when they were both toddlers and found the plastic pants she’d reminisced about only days before. She just hoped that if they fit it would stop Nathan from looking glum because the household had become a pretty cheerful place. The silky plastic cover was a bit of a squeeze over his thick fabric diaper, the frilly nature not worrying Nathan one little bit. He was just happy to be dressed the same as his sister. And that joy was catching because mommy and daddy were equally thrilled to see their two children deep in some game, playing together, or laid out watching TV wearing their matching outfit. Their vibrant padded little posteriors repeatedly making new memories that both parents had thought were long gone. * The entire environment in the house had changed. Bed times were no longer proceeded by refusal and argument, in fact, Sam had started going at the same time as her younger brother without so much as a sulk or pout. On alternative evenings each parent took turns in settling the children down; bathing them, changing them, reading stories and making sure that a pacifier and correct plushie were in attendance. A kiss, a hug and a sweet ‘night-night’ was enough for their children to sleep right through until morning. Neither parent could believe that from 7pm they now had peaceful evenings to themselves and could completely relax. Mom was able to get back to her favourite pastime of dress making, while her husband found time to decorate and repair the many things that had just been left due to a lack of time that a disruptive house caused. Mommy made new outfits for both her children but they were aimed more at Nathan’s age group, than Sammy’s. Cute cartoon characters festooned many designs, though any new dress for her daughter was complemented by a pair of shorts for Nathan. Both children seemed to enjoy coordinating their clothes and were often found in each other’s bedroom discussing what they should wear. A padded bottom had never bothered Nathan and now Sammy didn’t care either. Her wetting was manageable so, perhaps because of the peace which now reigned, neither parent thought it strange that she was continually in damp diapers. Mommy and daddy loved their sweet and well-behaved little urchins and were often complimented by other parents who struggled to control their own kids. Moments like that made them feel that they were doing something right but failed to question how this turn around in Sam’s behaviour had come about. They’d taken it for granted that the harsh but, as they saw it, pertinent spanking had made her realise the destructive course she was on and helped her mend her ways. The diaper punishment had emphasised that her parents were determined to see that transformation in a permanent way and eventually Sam, even as just a seven year-old, had grasped that need for change. Her parents were enjoying this break from a home constantly on the verge of turmoil and certainly didn’t want anything to disrupt the tranquillity they’d achieved. So, although the daily soaked diapers were a shame they considered them as collateral damage, though something she would eventually grow out of. They had tried on a number of occasions to let Sam out of her protection but she still spontaneously wet her panties, the bed and the furniture and looked most gloomy until returned to the comfort and security they offered. * During the second month of Sam’s dramatic behavioural turnaround her mommy was called into school. This hadn’t happened for such a long time that she was shocked by such a request and the phone call had given her no cause to lose a sudden feeling of dread. Once in the office, and nervously smiling, she took her seat opposite a very serious looking Principal. After the cursory pleasantries he held up a sheaf of papers lying on his desk. They were a selection of childish drawings and paintings, scrawls and daubs that any mother of a two year-old would be proud to stick on her fridge, although she wondered why they were being shown to her. He explained that from being the brightest seven year-old in school Samantha now had no attention span, lacked any drive, appeared to have forgotten all that she knew and that this ‘artwork’ was as much as they could get her to do these days. Shaking the sheaves of paper in bewilderment he wanted to know what had happened to alter Samantha’s personality to such a dramatic degree. A cold, dark feeling of guilt and horror had crept into the pit of her stomach. Sam’s mother searched for the correct words to explain the change. She didn’t mention the spanking, she only mentioned about the return to diapers because… for some reason… her mind was racing for a plausible excuse. She came up with one - perhaps it was as a result of stress at school? Maybe that’s why she’d become incontinent? Seeing the Principal now slightly on the back-foot, and desperate to avoid any blame, she continued that maybe all the acting up at school was as a result of their teaching methods? Perhaps, Samantha was sensitive to such pressures that fall upon a seven year-old and she’d rebelled in the only way she knew how? The Principal was shaken by this accusation but, realising she had the slight upper-hand for the time being, seized the opportunity to leave but not before delivering a final desperate comment. For the sake of her child perhaps it would be for the better if Sam was home-schooled from now on and no longer subject to whatever pressurized regime the Principal may have installed in the classroom. * As she collected her daughter from another concerned looking teacher her mind was in turmoil. She smiled wanly and picked up her daughter, felt that her diaper was full but carried her straight to her car. Samantha was telling her mommy what a nice teacher she had and that she’d had a wonderful time painting and playing most of the day. The fact that she was soaked appeared to have no effect on the enthusiasm about school she was sharing with her mommy. On the journey home she responded to her daughter with nods, smiles and the occasional “Yes sweetheart” but her mind was racing for an explanation. Neither she nor her husband had gone too deeply into why she wet but had only been so thankful for the change. Surely, she thought, it couldn’t be the spanking that had made the difference but then she remembered, at the beginning, Sam would still react and shout and scream even after getting her bottom slapped. No, she determined, it was definitely down to when she was put into diapers… that was when she appeared to calm down the most. It was also the time when she began to become incontinent because her morning diaper was always soaked. Her mother was on the verge of panic; what had she done to her lively, outgoing daughter? Once home she quickly stripped her daughter out of her sodden protection. After she’d wiped and powdered her, instead of the diaper she went and found a pair of her little school girl panties. She slipped them up her well-powdered thighs, pulled on a sweet summer dress she’d recently made and sent her out to play. Sam looked a bit upset at not having her diaper in place but these days never argued with her mother and went gloomily to play on the garden swing and wait for her brother to get home. Desperate for some answers her mother searched the internet, clicking on a multitude of sites to see if any other parent had similar experiences. She was angry with herself, and her husband, for not getting to grips with this earlier. Between them they had just been grateful for the less stressful existence. She realised that once she had Sam in diapers, and Nathan to a certain extent, she had babied them both; neither had to make a decision, everything was done for them, she was even happy to dress them as toddlers so that mommy and daddy were simply too grateful to have such sweet, loving children. * As she peered out of the kitchen window to keep an eye on what Sam was up to she was horrified to see her squat down, and without pulling down her panties, begin to pee. A puddle began to form under her but it was obvious from her expression that she was delivering more than just her urine into her pants. Her mother caught her just in time before she went to play on the swing again in her messy panties and rushed her into the house and led her up to the bathroom. She sat her on the toilet and explained that was what it was for but Sam just had a quizzical look and started to unravel the roll of pink toilet paper. Her mother was suddenly struck by the complete lack of understanding her daughter now had of the rudiments she had mastered when she was two. Why she hadn’t been aware of this shift in her daughters decreasing perception she could do nothing but blame herself. However, she was desperate to get Sam back on track… somehow. Nonetheless, first thing first, she needed to clean her up and that meant, for the time being at least, back into diapers and plastic pants. For the first time in a long time she reluctantly applied the various creams and lotions whilst hoping that she would be able to get her potty trained again, especially now that Nathan had managed it. However, as she pinned on the diaper and slipped on her frilly plastic cover, she couldn’t help but think how cute and adorable her daughter was when she was so dependent. Her joyful giggles and laughter rang around her room, the kisses of gratitude and affectionate hugs that always followed her diaper change, the general feeling of happiness that radiated from her sweet smile must, her mother continued to argue internally, account for something. * Mother was in a dilemma, now she knew about her daughter’s apparent regression at school she couldn’t pretend that everything was hunky dory. There had been occasional nagging doubts about the ease with which Sam had accepted her new status but her mommy had just been too overjoyed at getting her little sweetheart back that she pushed them to the back of her mind. Now that the school was aware she couldn’t pretend any more. Despite her vociferous defence of her daughter to the Principal, she knew she would have to do something and perhaps taking her out of school was not the answer. She called the school and apologised to the Principal for accusing them of having a regime of any kind and asked if he had any suggestions as to what could be the problem. He suggested a child psychologist that the school had used in the past who might get to the bottom of the problem. Sam’s mother froze at the word ‘bottom’ and guiltily remembered the red and inflamed little bottom that she’d inflicted on her darling little seven year-old all those months ago. The problem was that she was torn. Torn between doing the right thing for her daughter and torn between the overall pleasures the family now enjoyed. Was she being selfish? Was she in denial? Was it really that awful to have a happy child rather than an aggressive terror that upset everyone? Neighbours who in the past had crossed the street to avoid Sammy were now happy to see her winning smile and cute clothing, and when she and her brother were out together everyone commented on how adorable they both looked “…and so well behaved.” But, as she got older and grew up, her mother realized that she wouldn’t be able to keep her as a toddler for ever. She shouldn’t be washing diapers and changing her children even if she was actually enjoying doing so. This was going to be harder than she thought. There was no doubt that her children were at an age where all this was OK and it didn’t look that strange but could she really see her kids still running around in colourful diapers when they got into their teens? She wavered but eventually came to a conclusion: No, the child psychologist was the way to go and perhaps sort out Sammy’s problem once and for all. ***** Part 4 Samantha slipped effortlessly into her teens, probably because she had no idea what being a teenager meant. She may have grown in size but her mind was still that of a toddler; she wore what a toddler liked to wear and, despite everything, was still dressed in diapers. The psychiatrists (yes, psychiatrists plural), had been useless. The one the school recommended thought it was just a phase and, even after repeated visits, couldn’t come up with a suitable answer as to why Sam was stuck in such a childish regression. Reluctantly her mommy had admitted to the doctor that she had severely spanked her but that couldn’t explain such a dramatic turn of events, could it? The psychiatrist had doubted that such action would have made a prolonged impression and concluded that she was just happy being a little girl again. This didn’t help anyone, except the doctor’s continued fees, so, when Sam’s daddy had got promoted and they moved to another city, they sought a second opinion. However, this doctor, with an array of letters and certificates after his name, was similarly useless. They tried several methods of changing Sam’s routine, dress, behaviour but now, because no school would take someone her age acting like she did, mommy had her at home full time. Between them the new psychiatrist and her mommy adopted new strategies to reach into Sam’s ‘little’ head but all they got in return where smiles, giggles and wet diapers. * Meanwhile, Nathan was also rapidly growing up and had become quite a ten year-old handful in his own right. Not that he was anything like Sammy had been at seven; he was successful at school in both academic work and athletics, captaining the school’s soccer team. He was popular and always in demand from school friends, neighbours and teachers, nothing was too much trouble for him to try and undertake. Having said that, his main priority was still his ‘baby’ sister, who, despite everything, he adored and who he spent time with still dressing as she did in her protection. It was strange that he’d never grown out of that desire and he’d told his mother at one point that it was a real connection he had with his sweet sister that he hoped would never change. It had never occurred to either parent that Nathan’s desire for diapers should be spoken about to the psychiatrists, it was just thought it was something a loving brother did for his ‘baby’ sister. He was now of the opinion that she was born as a ‘toddler’ and that is all he remembered of her, being fun, childish and loving. He never recalled the nasty things she used to do to him when she was angry or simply out of control, he only ever remembered her as she is now… an older sister who just happened to be a dependent little baby, who he doted on. The move to a different city also meant that Samantha’s parents could also start anew and didn’t have to come up with any reason for their daughter’s ‘problem’. Any new colleague, neighbour, doctor just assumed that they had a daughter who was ‘slow’. Perhaps damaged in some way or perhaps from birth, Sam’s parents never made any excuses or gave any reasons so it was left to the individual to come up with their own diagnosis for Sam’s condition. Nearly always it was sympathetic and people were genuinely entranced by such a happy family, who looked good, were perfectly behaved and had a son who was so obviously concerned for his sister’s wellbeing. Yes, in many ways they had become the perfect new caring neighbours and ones who were a delight to be around. * Sam always looked sweet and childlike now her mommy was making her clothes and dressing her in that ‘special’ way that was so charming. Around the house she was still mainly dressed in colourful diapers and plastic pants, with a pretty little t-shirt with a cartoon or animal print on the front. Sam had developed a love for kittens so her room and most of her clothes had the delightful little depictions of the creatures on everything. Even her plastic pants had little pink kittens chasing a ball of pink string running all over them and she looked so cute. Even though she was definitely growing taller and developing she would cry and sulk if she wasn’t in her diaper. And, if she was wearing diapers, so did her caring and considerate brother, who continued to be selfless when it came to making his sister not appear ‘different’. Because the doctors had been hopeless in treating Sam, her mommy and daddy had just decided they would make the best of the situation. There was nothing they could do that they hadn’t tried and nothing had worked. The only time that smile came back onto their daughter’s face is when she was back in her protection and her brother was playing some fabulous game with her. Her parents had settled back into making the most of a… not bad situation… and were enjoying the pleasure their ten and ‘two’ year-old gave them. * Two weeks after Sammy’s thirteenth birthday she woke up grumpy most unlike the way she usually greeted the day. The smile had disappeared, her teddy bear was thrown on the floor, her bed clothes were in complete disarray and, for the first time in almost six years, she hadn’t woken up wet. Sat on the side of her bed wearing just a cute t-shirt and thick protection Sam was in no mood for silliness. She screamed for her mother, who was just about to wake her, and demanded to know why she was dressed in such a “stupid, stupid, babyish fashion?” Her mother was taken by surprise at this aggressive behaviour and tried to placate her ‘little morning ray of sunshine’ but Sam was having none of it. She ripped herself out of her plastic pants, little kittens suddenly needing more than a ball of sting to run after, as she tugged at her thick, well-pinned night time diaper. The normally placid routine was replaced by a furious teenager who wanted answers and wasn’t content with soothing words from her mother. Eventually removing her diaper it fell to the floor dry but with something else that hadn’t been foreseen. * Even though she was now a teenager Samantha’s mommy had never thought to tell her daughter about growing up and the onset of menstruation. To everyone she had been this cute little child, full of fun and happiness, it was felt unnecessary to burden her with tales about growing up but, here she was, blood in her diaper, furious and seething about something her mother hadn’t seen for, well, over six years. Hearing the commotion Nathan walked into his sister’s bedroom dressed in exactly the same nightwear that she had been wearing and stood at the door waiting for his mother to explain what was happening. Sam saw her ‘stupid little baby brother’ still wearing diapers nervously hovering by the door and called out what a ‘big stupid baby’ he was. Her mother didn’t know what to do or say as Sam, now naked, swept past her and checked her closet. She pulled out all the childish clothing, screaming abuse at whomever it was that had stolen and changed her clothes for all this, baby stuff. She pulled the sweet little dresses off their hangers and threw them to the floor in disgust and demanded to know where her ‘proper’ clothes were. Her mother was still trying to calm her down and still talking to her like she was a two year-old. Sam looked at her mother in disgust and sarcastically told her to try and speak like a grown up for a change… it might be OK for the likes of him (and she pointed to a very panicky brother still unsure of what was going on) he may enjoy baby talk but she called emphatically… I’m a big girl. Just like that, the seven year-old Samantha was back and it felt like she had returned with a vengeance. * Her mother tried to explain that she’d been ‘ill’ and that she’d been kept in diapers because she was wetting everywhere. Sam wasn’t having any of this nonsense and demanded to know where her clothes were, she couldn’t even find her panties and wanted to get dressed for school. Despite her pleading for her to ‘just listen’ Sam was not in a mood for listening to anyone. Her mother thought the only solution was to spank her to make her behave and she pulled her across her lap and set about a hard spank to Sam’s wriggling bottom. Now being a bigger and stronger thirteen year-old, the process wasn’t as simple as it once was and Sam was able to wriggle free and for the first time in her life, struck out at her mother. She screamed that if she ever tried to smack her again she’d regret it and stormed off to the bathroom past her younger brother who was now suddenly standing with a quivering bottom lip and in his own very wet diaper. The unfolding scene had upset him and it was if he had suddenly been catapulted back to a time he’d tried his best to subdue. That awful person who had just tried to hit his mother was no longer the sweet little sister he adored but a bully he was afraid of. He may have grown up himself but unexpectedly that sad and scared little boy reappeared and so had his real need for diapers. The whole scene had become a nightmare and the warm flow that suddenly engulfed his diaper produced a tremor which made him burst into tears. * With Sammy having locked herself in the bathroom, her mother went to see to her shocked son. She was surprised to see him so distraught and even more surprised at his heavily sagging diaper. He’d not wet himself since, well, since Sammy had started wearing diapers. He took some cajoling but eventually she was able to get him cleaned up and dressed for school. He seemed very unsure and confused and needed constant approval from his mother to know he was doing the right thing. Thankfully his friend arrived and they went off to catch the school bus together so that was at least one problem solved. Eventually, Sam realised she couldn’t stay in the bathroom all day and emerged to be told that she’d been ill for quite some time and that the only clothes available to her now were those she had thrown on the floor. Even to Samantha this entire experience was a bit debilitating and her thought process missed an opportunity to find clothes that fit. She could have raided her mother’s closet, or even stolen some of her brothers clothes, however, neither of these options presented themselves in her confused mind. So, despite her arguing that she could never wear such things her mother insisted that until they could go shopping they were all that was available. # Reluctantly she fastened herself into a disposable (she wouldn’t let her mother anywhere near her), pulled up a pink diaper cover that looked more like panties than plastic pants and slipped over her head what she regarded as the least offensive looking dress she could find. It was short and still showed off her padded bottom but at least it wasn’t too obvious. It would have to do until they made it to the mall, which she was insisting they set off for immediately as she had no intention of wearing ‘this’ (she flapped at her dress in revulsion) for a second longer than necessary. Mentally she may have still been a seven year-old but Sam soon realised that she was much bigger than she remembered. She had no recollection of this so-called ‘illness’ but surmised that her mother must be telling her the truth. However, why she should have been dressed in such a babyish fashion she could only guess and her seven year-old brain had come to the conclusion that her parents had wanted her that way. She was easier to control as a baby, she had no opinions and what better way to stop her from arguing… stomping… screaming…??? As the car sped towards the city’s main mall Sam suddenly thought about how she used to be, well how she was, well, now she was confused. Quite a lot of her past was filling her head and as she understood she began to smile. She liked being the centre of everything; she liked that the world revolved around her and her opinions, she liked that she could ruffle up neighbours and teachers and other kids just by behaving in an aggressive way. She liked getting her own way, even if it disrupted everybody else’s life. This was a lot to take in as she peered sideways at her intense looking mother desperately trying to concentrate on driving and wondering what to expect now she had her ‘vindictive’ daughter back. In such a short space of time Sam had gone from a toddler, to a seven year-old and now an arrogant teen, she was growing up fast but there again, she thought, she had quite a bit of time to catch up on. * Sam was appalled to find that the diaper was quite comfortable to wear as the drive neared its conclusion. She could see the mall in the distance and it was only the amount of traffic that was hindering their progress but found that she was unintentionally wriggling around in her protection. The smooth, padded feel of the plastic panties against the car seat material was making her feel strangely happy. She soon cut that train of thought out. She wasn’t about to regress again but she was interested in knowing why, with a diaper taped in place, she should now feel a little bit more contented. However, there were a million other things going on in her rapidly expanding mind and getting to the clothes store was the priority. # It didn’t take her long to get a complete new wardrobe of trendy clothes. She may have given the shop assistants a hard time as she slipped into an array of different items, throwing things on the floor as she looked at something new. She saw what other girls her age were wearing and copied them adding her own touches here and there. In less than two hours she was dressed as a normal thirteen year-old girl, in jeans and patterned top, panties, platform shoes and clutching a quilted purple purse that seemed to be all the rage. She wanted to immediately throw away the outfit she arrived in but her mother put it in a bag to take home… diaper and all. Sam couldn’t see the point in keeping it but then said that perhaps her ‘baby brother’ could wear it, as it was far more ‘his style’ than hers. There was no way Sam was going to carry it, she had more than enough bags crammed with new clothing, so her mother had that responsibility when they returned to the car for the journey home. Sam didn’t know any of the songs on the car radio and was surprised to hear baby songs when she pushed the CD button. The look of horror on Sam’s face was equalled by her mother’s huge audible sigh at the loss of recent happier excursions they had taken together. She pressed the eject button then watched as it slowly emerged from the slot, then with a shrug and another sigh tossed the offending silver disc onto the rear seat. * Back home Sam wasted no time in emptying her closet of everything she disliked, which was everything. Her cute, newly made dresses, tops, skirts, together with the collection of nappies, disposables, plastic pants, wipes, powder etc. all went in a big pile, which she cheekily placed on her brother’s bed. She told her mother that he was the only baby now so she would have no further need for any of it and, slamming her bedroom, door shouted that she expected to be treated as an adult in future. The stroppy seven year-old had turned into a very demanding teenager who expected everything but wasn’t prepared to do anything for it. Her mother called her husband to tell him of this new development and both were sobbing at the realization of what they had lost and knew that hoping things might be different this time, was just an act of denial. They thought they knew what was coming but a thirteen year-old’s demands are louder and more confrontational than either was comfortable with. Threats had no meaning, discipline was hard to exact because all Sam kept on reminding them of was - they had kept her as a baby for six years and she was determined to make them pay. Meanwhile, in what seemed a very short space of time, her out-going younger brother, antagonized by his demon sister, regressed almost totally back to being a terrified toddler. The constant ridicule, her sneering, together with her scary anger had that affect - he didn’t want to wear diapers on a night but for some reason had started wetting himself. If Samantha was in the vicinity, just seeing her made him lose any control over his bladder. The flow would be instant and unhindered… there was only one solution and that was for him to wear protection. It got so bad that he was even wearing diapers to school, which some of the kids were only too happy to ridicule him about, which in turn made him even more nervy and scared. The traumatising didn’t stop at school. His loving sister making sure he knew his place, and she reasoned, as his parents had wanted a baby so much, he should take her place. It wasn’t hard to make that a possibility as Nathan seemed to have returned to being completely and utterly dominated by his ‘caring and loving’ sister. Her ‘baby’ clothes quickly found another recipient for their use and Sam would enjoy making sure her baby brother was appropriately dressed. Samantha was once again happy with the return to her status as the centre of attention. She ruled the house, though every night both her parents wished for a return of their ‘little’ daughter… their wish wasn’t granted. Every time Nathan had an accident or was seen to wet his pants, Sam would be there with a cruel word to mock him and insisted he be treated as she had been - those cute little childishly designed clothes her mother had made especially for her looked equally good on her diaper-clad brother. Friends and neighbours who previously thought they were just the ideal family were treated to a constant tirade from this precocious and horrible young lady who had turned into a rebellious and frankly jumped up, self-opinionated she-devil. Samantha revelled in her growing celebrity and enjoyed taking her cowering little baby brother anywhere she could ridicule him and force him to walk around often wearing embarrassing ‘frilly’ protection. He was always too scared to fight her or argue with her or say anything to her… she took control of him as easily as she had taken back control of the household. Despite attempts to get her to revisit a doctor or psychologist she simply refused any such suggestion. They, she decided, had made her into a little baby for too many years so now, it was her time and her teen years were going to be a terrible experience for everyone except her. The blood in her diaper had been the spur to grow up. Now, she was having the time of her life, whilst making everyone else’s a complete misery. ***************** The End

Trapped in Diaper Dreams: Prologue I yawned, despite the three cups of coffee I'd already downed this evening. The subject of my testing, a Mr. Franklin Jones, snored next to me at a decibel level high enough that I wondered if I should be wearing ear plugs to prevent any long-term damage. Well, I'd have to remember that for next time. Mr. Jones was had volunteered for a special sleep study in which I, Dr. Hannah Lynton, tested my ingenious invention on him. It was an apparatus designed to allow a conscious person to control the dreams of someone who was asleep by measuring the activity of the awake person and projecting it as theta waves into the brain of the sleeper. On the surface, not many people see the utility of such a device. Why would you want to control someone's dreams? But they don't see the bigger picture. This could be used to allow people to speak to comatose loved ones. Or perhaps it could be used as a rehabilitation method on the criminally insane? The possibilities are as limitless as… Well, as dreams! Unfortunately, I haven't had much success. The test involved myself and the patient wearing special headgear attached to the machine between us. Then once he was asleep, I was to read a novel–in this case Moby Dick–and then when the patient awakes we ask him what he dreamt about and see if it matches the events of the book. This was our 5th time repeating this test and we've seen few positive results. On the 2nd night he did dream about being on a boat, but that's where the similarities ended. If tonight didn't yield any workable results, I'd be back to the drawing board. The door opened to my right and I managed to glance up from my book to see my colleague, Dr. Bethany Avery bringing me another cup of coffee. "Having fun yet?" she whispered. I gave her a quick smile and turned my attention back to my book. Protocol dictated that I keep distractions to a minimum. Although I had to admit, I could find myself very easily distracted by Dr. Avery… She placed the coffee cup on the tray next to me and took my empty one. "I don't know how you manage to drink so much coffee during these tests knowing you can't get up to use the bathroom until morning. Unless you're wearing an adult diaper or something?” I cringed at the thought. A diaper? Me? ”As if I would ever do something so…” Humiliating? Childish? ”Unprofessional.” She shrugged “Is it really all that less-professional than pissing in a bottle?” She glanced under my chair and I felt heat rise up to my cheeks. I know she couldn't see the bottle I'd hidden inside my purse, but I suppose she must have surmised that I was finding some way to relieve myself during these overnight tests. I think she sensed my discomfort with the topic and backed off a bit “Sorry, I'm being weird. Do whatever you think is best, doctor.” The sudden use of an honorific somehow made me feel like I'd messed up. Pushing Bethany away was the last thing I wanted. “N-no, it's fine! I umm… I guess I just… Never thought of it that way?” Perhaps I was just projecting my own desires, but I could've sworn I caught a hint of a smirk in her eyes. Was she… Enjoying watching me get all flustered? “Well, if you decide you wanna try it, I can probably sneak a diaper from the supply closet for you.” she winked, heading out of the room. My gaze lingered on the doorway after she was gone. Damn. She sure does have a way of getting under my skin… And her idea was… Not without merit. Using my “piss bottle” as she called it, was among my least favorite parts of this whole experiment. I'd never considered that there might be an alternative solution. But diapers? Really? How could I, a grown woman, stoop so low as to wear a diaper and pee myself like some kind of… Baby? And why are my cheeks burning so badly at the thought? *ZZZZZZTTT!* The lights overhead suddenly flickered as something on the machine burst and sparks spewed out. But none of that registered to my mind as my body went completely rigid and my head felt like it was on fire! I don't know if it lasted a second or several minutes, but when the Surge of electricity finally subsided I slumped in my seat, my vision darkening as I fell into unconsciousness… \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (And now, a message from Wannatripbaby): Hi all! So this is the Prologue for a sort of Anthology series Princessdiapergirl and myself have decided to start for any sort of random, crazy story idea we get that isn't quite big or bold enough for a multi-chapter story. This way we can get straight into the good stuff without all the set-up. So far, we have one (1) fully written story for this series which we will likely post sometime within the next few days. After that? Well, that's where you come in! If you can think of any crazy or kinky scenarios you'd like to see us inflict upon our poor Dr. Hannah Lynton, leave a Comment down below and tell us! We might just make it a reality! 😁

Diapered on a Camping Trip: Chapter 1 A/N: Here's another story with a slightly different plot than my previous ones. This story focuses on a pre-established Diaper Lover who admits his love of diapers to his rommmate and his rommmate's girlfriend! They all plan a camping trip together, little does he know the couple has more plans for him than roasting marshmallows. General warnings for this story: Sissy activity, dubious consent with regression, wetting diapers, messing diapers. Possible warnings for future chapters that I may or may not get into are: Breastfeeding, enemas, humiliation, and sexual content. I hope you all enjoy! Telling his roommate (and his roommate's girlfriend by proxy) about his diapers was the greatest thing Steven had ever done, he thought as he stacked his suitcase in the back of said roommate's car. At first, it was just out of necessity. After moving out of his parents’ house and into the apartment with his best friend Hayden, Steven was nearly bursting at the seams to finally indulge in his little quirk. The only hang-up was doing it where Hayden wouldn’t see it. Steven ordered his first case of diapers as soon as the last box was unpacked and waited anxiously for it to arrive. “Hey, I have a package coming,” Steven told Hayden casually that morning. “If it shows up before I’m home can you put it in my room?” “Yeah, sure, no sweat,” Hayden said, more focused on making breakfast than questioning what was in the package at all. This continued for the first few months they lived together. Steven occasionally ran into issues disposing of his used diapers discreetly, but that was the only hurdle. That is until Amelia showed up. Amelia was Hayden’s long-time girlfriend. Steven had met her and even hung out with her on a few occasions, but now that they had their own place, she was over almost every day! And she was quite insistent on pulling Steven along in their dates. If there was a movie night, she’d ask him to come watch it with them, if they were going out to dinner, she was asking him to join. It was very sweet of her in a way that didn’t make Steven feel like a third wheel, but at the same time, it encroached on his diaper time. And then it finally came to a head one day. Steven ordered his diapers as usual and waited for them to arrive. Hayden was given the same instructions to just put them on his bed. Only, Steven was mortified to come home after work one day to see Amelia and Hayden digging through his box of diapers right in the living room. Both their heads turned toward him like sharks in freshly chummed water and Steven could barely keep himself from walking out. “Why would you open my mail?!” He cried out in offense, face burning red and charging toward his room. He didn’t care about collecting his diapers right at that moment. He just wanted to hide and never resurface again. Only, Amelia stepped in front of his door with her arms spread wide. “Don’t be mad at Hayden!” She cried, eyes watering. “It was my fault. I ordered some makeup pallets to be delivered here and I thought the package was mine without even looking at the label.” She often had makeup delivered to their apartment so that it didn’t sit out in the sun on her porch. Steven didn’t even think about the possibility of her opening his diapers by mistake. Still, the shame burned bright within him. “Move. I want to go to my room.” He pouted, looking down at his shoes so that he didn’t have to look her in the eyes. “Hey, man,” Hayden’s voice called from the couch. “Let’s talk this out, okay? We promised to resolve every conflict before going to our rooms.” That was one of the conditions they created when they moved in together… Steven gave a shaky sigh and plopped onto the couch farthest away from the open box. That night, he explained his diaper inclination to the pair, encouraged by their curious glances without a hint of judgment. And, much to his relief, they were quite accepting of it. To the point where Amelia packed his box back up with care and offered to carry it back into his room. “I think these are the cutest,” She couldn’t help but mention, pointing to the case on top that had little lions on it. “Are you going to wear one tonight?” “Uh,” Steven had stuttered. He did plan on wearing that night, but it was something different to tell her that. “Maybe…” “Don’t be shy if you do,” She said sweetly. “We were planning to watch some movies tonight and I’d hate for you to be too embarrassed to join us. Okay?” And Steven did. From then on, he wasn’t shy about his diaper-wearing around the couple. And everything went back to normal…just with a little bit of diapers involved. And so, as Steven loaded his luggage in the back of Hayden’s car, he couldn’t help but think it was an amazing thing that Amelia opened that box. Because now they were going on a week-long camping trip, he was encouraged to bring his diapers along for the whole trip. Amelia, the sweet woman that she was, even bought a diaper bag to store extra diapers and supplies in for the 12-hour trip to the campsite. Her eyes had been wide with glee as she picked a handful of diapers from his stash to fill the bag with, adding in a bottle of baby powder, wipes, and cream “just in case” she said sweetly. The trio loaded into the car with excitement buzzing all around. Only, Steven blinked in surprise as Hayden followed him to the back seat and made sure his seatbelt was buckled up tightly. “Just making sure you put it on,” He said casually. “Do you need a diaper change before we go?” Steven’s face burned red. “No! I just put this one on!” He said shyly, shifting around to hear the faint crinkling of the thick diaper as if to prove his point. Not deterred at all, Hayden reached down and pulled the front of Steven’s basketball shorts open to peer at the front of his diaper. “Hayden!” Steven cried out embarrassed. “Calm down, I’m just making sure,” Hayden said dismissively, letting the waistband go with a snap. “Diaper butt dry and ready for a roadtrip,” He announced to Amelia. “I wonder for how long that will last,” Amelia giggled much to Steven’s protest. “I can hold it!” Steven denied. “I think he won’t last an hour,” Hayden bet as if Steven hadn’t spoke. “I give him two hours,” Amelia said kindly. “But Steven you have to tell us when you need a change so we know which of us is right.” “I-” Steven stuttered. “No!” “Are you just going to sit in a wet diaper the entire 12 hours?” She asked with concern, making Steven feel just slightly like an asshole. “Baby, that’s bad for your skin!” Head ducking down, Steven muttered, “I’ll say something.” “Yay!” Amelia cheered. __________ Hayden was right, though. Steven barely lasted 45 minutes down the road before his bladder was twitching. It must have been his overzealous diaper usage because he didn’t remember holding his pee taking so much effort. And it didn’t help that Amelia was handing him small bottles of juice from the diaper bag to sip on as the minutes ticked by. Steven’s first wetting happened 48 Minutes into the drive. Embarrassed, and slightly spiteful, Steven kept his mouth shut. He put on enough baby powder and the diaper was thick enough that he was sure it could hold another wetting with no problem. That wetting came followed by 3 more bottles of juice and another wetting only 40 minutes later. Just what was the deal with all this pee? He’d never gone twice in the same two hour span! As the 2 hour marker approached, Amelia and Hayden kept making glances at him from the front seat. But Steven was determined to keep his mouth shut until the first rest stop. “That’s two hours!” Amelia said proudly and unbuckled her seatbelt. Steven watched her confused as the car was still moving. Only, for his surprise, she climbed over the center console and slid into the back seat with him! Her hands fiddled until they unbuckled his seatbelt. But the swell of his diaper was obvious even though the thin basketball shorts. “We have a wet one back here!” She giggled. “Amelia-” Steven tried to protest but was shushed. Amelia pushed and shoved Steven until he was laying down across the back seat and her hands yanked down his basketball shorts without hesitation. “Oh, he’s super wet!” She laughed. Kneeling over him, Amelia pulled up both of Steven’s knees to expose the butt of his diaper. If he wasn’t wearing it, he’d have everything out on display! “This is definitely two wettings. Maybe even three!” “No!” Steven tried to deny only for Amelia’s hand to rest on the front of his diaper and squeeze. “I think so, baby,” She smirked. “You little fibber. I should wash your mouth out with soap! Hayden, toss me the diaper bag.” The diaper bag was tossed back with an answering laugh causing Steven to hide his face in his hands. “Amelia, stop it!” “Stop what?” She asked, rooting around in the diaper bag before pulling out a clean diaper. “I’m not doing anything wrong. I’m just changing a baby’s soaked little pamper.” Steven felt his stomach drop but also his heart flutter. Oh god. There was no way she was actually doing what she said she was. They were in a car! There were no cars around, sure, but they were in a car and she wanted to change him! She never changed him before! And now she suddenly wanted to in a car?! What the hell was going on?!

Hello and happy new year to all. I was playing a bit with ChatGPT and let it write a story for me. It is completely written by the AI, with just a not so long prompt. But it got kind of big. I thought some people might enjoy the story. It has minor AI related inconsistencies, but I think it's still a good read. So just have fun! Edit: I let it write a kind of similar story, but still kind of different plot. I really don't know if anyone even cares for that stories, but I wanted another, so if anyone wants to read it, it's here. Since I don't want to take away the audience from real writers with real talents, I just added the second story here and didn't create a new topic. Meredith's Control Chapter One: A Curious Arrangement Leon tugged at the sleeves of his oversized hoodie, standing on his tiptoes in front of the bathroom mirror, straining just to catch his reflection. His girlfriend, Meredith, was out in the living room, busily typing away at her laptop. She always had some major project at work: big team meetings, presentations for important clients, constant video conferences. Yet, she somehow always found time to keep a very close eye on him. He tried to flatten his hair, which always seemed to puff up on top of his head in a boyish swirl. At just around four feet seven inches tall, Leon had a slender, childlike build despite being eighteen years old. When Meredith—who stood at a majestic six foot one—first noticed him at a local coffee shop a few months ago, he was enamored by her confidence, her sultry laugh, and her commanding presence. Their relationship moved quickly. Too quickly for some. But for Leon, nothing could compare to the sense of protection and enthrallment he felt around her. In truth, it wasn’t all sunshine and roses. Meredith’s control over him stretched into the smallest corners of his day: from what he wore and how he styled his hair, to even how he used the bathroom. She managed every routine, every decision. While he sometimes complained, he also found himself secretly liking the structure. It made him feel cared for, oddly comforted. He felt guilty for resisting her, even when he found her rules embarrassing. Leon could hear the rattle of keys in the living room as Meredith shut her laptop. It was probably time to go through the day’s itinerary—a list she insisted on reviewing with him every morning. Leon sighed. He was still wearing pajamas because she had specifically told him not to get dressed by himself that day. Apparently, she had something “special” lined up for him. Slinking out of the bathroom, he walked into the living room, noticing how the top of his head barely reached the bottom of Meredith’s chest. She looked up at him, one eyebrow arched. “You’re late,” she stated in a clipped tone, tapping the face of her silver watch. “I was just—” he began, but her expression silenced him. “I already told you: no excuses. Today is a busy day for me, and I can’t have you making us run behind. Now come here.” She patted the seat of the couch next to her. Her voice carried such authority that he instantly felt a pang of guilt. He obeyed, sitting down. His tiny form sank into the cushion, emphasizing how small he was compared to her. Gently, she rested a large hand on his thigh, letting him know she wasn’t angry—just strict. Their eyes met, and there was a softness beneath her stern facade. “I have to go to the office for some time, but I’ll be back before dinner,” she said. “In the meantime, you’ll stay here. I’ve laid out clothes for you in the bedroom. You’re not to leave the apartment until I get back. Is that clear?” Leon nodded. “Yes, Meredith.” He could feel an odd mix of relief and apprehension. She was going out, but his instructions were so rigid. It felt a little lonely, spending hours in the apartment by himself with such restrictions—especially since he needed permission for almost everything. “Also…” She paused, studying his face. “Have you gone potty yet this morning?” Leon’s cheeks flushed. That question was always mortifying, though he had grown somewhat used to it. Meredith demanded to know about every trip to the bathroom. “Yes,” he mumbled, “right when I woke up.” “Good.” She turned back to her phone, tapping at some notifications. “Remember: no more breaks until lunchtime. If you have to go, wait for me to come home. I don’t want to find out you disobeyed me.” Her instructions were specific and strict. He’d been told only to use the bathroom at set times, always with her permission. Yesterday, he nearly had an accident holding it until she got back from a grocery run. As embarrassing as it felt to beg for the toilet, it was even more humiliating to lose control. But Meredith liked it that way—and, if he was honest, a small part of him thrilled at the notion of surrender. “All right,” he murmured again, his voice barely above a whisper. Meredith patted his thigh one last time before she stood up, towering over him. She bent slightly, leaning in to plant a gentle kiss on his forehead. “Be good. Don’t get into trouble.” Leon felt goosebumps on his arms. “I promise I’ll be good.” She flashed him a knowing grin, then picked up her handbag and left, locking the door behind her with a decisive click. Leon stared at the door for several moments. The apartment, though cozy, suddenly felt huge without her presence. His instructions were clear: get dressed in the clothes she chose, don’t leave the apartment, and most importantly—no bathroom breaks until lunch, when she planned to return. He exhaled. This was his life now. Part of him wanted to rebel, to say that enough was enough. But part of him loved her so much that he convinced himself he needed this, needed her. And so, with a subdued swirl of excitement and anxiety, Leon walked to the bedroom to see what she had laid out for him. Chapter Two: A Childish Wardrobe When Leon opened the bedroom door, his cheeks immediately reddened. Spread across the bed was an outfit he would have never chosen for himself: a pair of powder-blue shortalls, complete with little silver snaps running down the sides, and a plain white t-shirt to go underneath. Next to it lay ankle socks with tiny cartoon puppies stitched into the cuffs. At the foot of the bed sat bright white Velcro sneakers—another childlike touch. He inhaled a shaky breath. This was far from the most juvenile outfit Meredith had ever selected, but it still made him feel about ten years old rather than eighteen. Even if he wanted to choose something else, he knew he was not allowed. From the first week he moved in, Meredith had insisted on taking over all dressing responsibilities, often physically clothing him herself. This morning, however, she’d made an exception by laying out the outfit in advance—probably because she was in a hurry. Leon glanced at the time on his phone: 8:42 AM. He had a while before lunch, and already he could feel an uncomfortable tightness in his bladder. He’d used the bathroom upon waking up, but the morning coffee he’d had earlier was catching up to him. He swallowed hard. Meredith had said no more potty visits until she came back at noon. He tried to ignore the discomfort, telling himself she’d only be gone a few hours. With a resigned sigh, he plucked the T-shirt off the bed. He peeled off his pajama top, then slipped the T-shirt on. Finally, he lifted the shortalls and stepped into them, struggling to pull the straps over his shoulders until he heard the tiny snaps click. They fit snugly, cupping his narrow hips and accentuating how slender he was. The Velcro shoes went on last. He looked at himself in the standing mirror and cringed. The shortalls ended high on his thighs, making him look about as intimidating as a toddler. He could feel his heart pounding as he went back into the living room, half-expecting someone to be standing there laughing at him. But of course, the apartment was empty. He sank down on the sofa, turning on the TV. Maybe he could distract himself with some cartoons or a movie. He was too nervous to watch the news or a serious program. Subconsciously, he gravitated toward more childish things—something that matched how Meredith dressed him. He flicked through streaming channels until he found an old animated movie from his childhood. While it played, his mind kept drifting to the subtle pressure below his abdomen. It had been only a few weeks of abiding by her “no bathroom without permission” rule, but it was long enough that his body felt confused, uncertain when relief was actually allowed. He shifted uncomfortably on the sofa. The anxiety made him want to push the feeling away, yet focusing on it seemed inevitable. Time ticked by painfully slowly: 9:00… 9:15… 9:30… By 10:00, Leon was shifting in his seat, crossing his legs, and trying to stay calm. He was determined not to break the rules—he never wanted to face Meredith’s anger or disappointment. But if she didn’t come home in time… He shook his head. She said noon. You can hold it until noon, he told himself. He’d done it before. He’d do it again. Memories of the last time he disobeyed raced through his mind. About a week ago, she’d caught him sneaking off to the bathroom while she was out. He was wearing a childish onesie she had chosen, and the second she returned, he’d practically run past her toward the toilet. She noticed the onesie was unbuttoned. He’d undone it on his own. She was upset, not screaming or raging, but cold and disappointed. That, to him, was worse than any punishment. So he’d do what she wanted: hold it. By 11:15, he was practically shaking. He paced around the living room, turning the TV off because he couldn’t focus. The pressure was building painfully, and he wasn’t sure how long he could last. Finally, at 11:45, he heard the jangle of keys outside the door. Meredith stepped in, the faint smell of crisp autumn air swirling around her. She closed the door, set her purse down, and immediately looked at him with curiosity. “Hello, sweetie. How was your morning?” Leon let out a trembling breath. “It’s been okay. I… I’m glad you’re home.” She slipped off her jacket, revealing a form-fitting blouse and a knee-length skirt. She looked immaculate, her tall silhouette making him feel ridiculously small. “Did you follow the rules?” she asked, arching an eyebrow. Leon nodded vigorously. “Yes. I haven’t gone to the bathroom since you left, and—Meredith, please, can I—?” She shrugged, setting her handbag on the counter. “Let me think about it.” A slow, playful grin slid across her face. Leon felt heat rise to his cheeks. He crossed his legs again, pressing them together. “Please,” he repeated, bouncing slightly in place. “Come with me to the bathroom,” she said quietly. He exhaled in relief and trailed behind her. The moment they reached the bathroom door, she turned around, blocking his entrance with an arm. “You waited, right?” “Yes,” he rasped. “Good boy.” She unfastened the shortall straps and helped him wriggle out of the garment, leaving him standing there in just his T-shirt, socks, and shoes. “All right, you may go.” She gave him a light nudge inside, standing in the doorway as if monitoring him. Usually, she supervised his toilet visits to make sure he wasn’t disobeying any hidden rules. He quickly tried to focus, lifting the seat and finally letting go. Relief flooded him, but his cheeks were bright red knowing she was right there, watching. Yet this was their arrangement—something he had grown used to, in his own shy way. When he finished, he couldn’t help but let out a quiet whimper of relief. Meredith smiled, nodding with approval. “You did well. I see no accidents,” she remarked, scanning the front of his T-shirt. Leon’s heart still pounded with the aftershock of nearly losing control. “No,” he managed to say. “No accidents.” “Good,” she repeated, leaning in to plant a kiss on his cheek. “I’m proud of you for holding it in.” His insides fluttered at the praise. He always craved her approval. Despite the embarrassment, the rules, the slight fear, there was a warm satisfaction that came from pleasing her. “Come on,” she said, leading him out of the bathroom. “Time for lunch. Then we’ll talk about the rest of the day.” Chapter Three: The Strict Afternoon After lunch—sandwiches she prepared while he stood on a stool at the counter, helping slice tomatoes—Meredith announced she’d be working from home the remainder of the day. She had a stack of documents to handle. Leon hovered in the kitchen, uncertain what she expected of him next. She noticed his anxious glance and beckoned him closer. “It’s going to be a long work session. I need to focus,” she said. “I’ll be in the study. You can watch TV or do something quiet in the living room. But no phone calls and no computer games without permission.” Leon nodded, fiddling with the hem of his shortalls. “Okay,” he murmured. “Do I have to do anything… else?” She tilted her head. “You mean chores?” He shrugged. “Chores, or errands, or something.” “I think you can handle cleaning your room,” she said. “I’ll inspect it later. And you are to ask me if you need to use the potty, understood?” He swallowed. “Yes, Meredith.” “All right. Off you go. And remember, I’ll be checking on you.” With that, she swept away into the study, closing the door behind her. Leon glanced at the clock: 12:40 PM. The next scheduled bathroom break was usually around mid-afternoon—unless he asked for special permission, which she sometimes granted, sometimes didn’t. He made his way to the bedroom to tidy up the bedclothes. After that, he dusted and vacuumed a little, determined to impress her by staying productive. As the minutes passed, he periodically glanced at the closed study door, tempted to peek his head in and see if she wanted coffee or something. But he dreaded disturbing her. She hated interruptions when she was concentrating. Eventually, Leon returned to the living room and flopped onto the couch. The cartoon from earlier was still paused. He pressed play, letting the colorful images fill the screen. But he found it hard to relax. There was a growing sense of tension, deep down in his bladder again. Maybe that second glass of water at lunch was a bad idea. He tried to focus on the cartoon’s cheerful scenes—singing characters, bright backdrops, comedic moments. Time crawled: 1:00… 1:15… 1:30… By 2:00, the pressure was noticeable. Leon bit his lip, glancing at the study door again. Should he ask? Meredith might see it as a sign of weakness or defiance if he kept interrupting her schedule. But the alternative was risking an accident. He rummaged through the coffee table’s drawers to distract himself, coming across old board games and puzzle books. He found a half-completed crossword puzzle from weeks ago, the squares filled in by Meredith’s neat penmanship. He sighed, trying to pass the time, but the throbbing need in his abdomen kept gnawing at his thoughts. Finally, at 2:15, he couldn’t take it anymore. He padded softly over to the study door, raising his fist to knock. He hesitated, heart pounding. She was probably on a call. But if he waited any longer, something worse could happen. Summoning courage, he gave a gentle knock. “Who is it?” came her curt voice. “It’s me,” Leon answered timidly. “I… um… I need to ask you something.” “Come in.” He eased the door open. Meredith sat behind a large wooden desk, papers scattered around a laptop. She looked up, removing her glasses. “Yes?” “I’m sorry to bother you,” he said in a low whisper, “but I really need to use the restroom.” Her lips formed a thin line. “Is it that urgent?” Leon shifted on his feet, nodding. “Kind of. I’ve been trying to hold it for a while.” Meredith let out a slow exhale, then glanced at the clock on her computer. “We were going to do that at three o’clock. But you are asking nicely…” He clasped his hands in front of him, trying to stand as still as possible. “Please, Meredith?” She pondered for a moment. “All right. But I’m going to watch, to make sure everything’s done properly. And no fussing.” His eyes widened, but he quickly nodded. “Yes, ma’am.” Standing up from her chair, she followed him to the bathroom. This time, she didn’t bother to unfasten his shortalls. Instead, she did it for him, as always—though with an air of slight annoyance. “Arms up,” she said, guiding the straps down. Leon turned away from her, aiming to close the door, but she stepped inside too. She always came in with him, but this time the closeness felt more imposing. “Hurry up,” she commanded. Leon’s face was practically on fire with embarrassment, but the need to relieve himself overcame his self-consciousness. He managed to get everything positioned and released. A soft gasp of relief escaped his lips. Meredith observed him carefully. When he was done, she helped him secure his shortalls back into place, snapping the straps. Then she turned on the sink faucet and waited while he washed his hands under her watchful gaze. “I won’t always let you do this,” she said softly. “I have rules for a reason. It’s important you learn how to follow them.” Leon nodded, shoulders slumping. He felt like a child receiving a reprimand. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I just really couldn’t wait.” She gently ruffled his hair. “Shh. It’s all right. Let’s get you back to your day.” And just like that, she returned to her study, leaving him alone in the hallway with the odd, lingering mix of relief and lingering shame. Chapter Four: Footed Sleeper Evenings Late afternoon arrived without further incident. Leon busied himself around the apartment, occasionally hearing Meredith’s voice from the study. She sounded professional and confident, reminding him of just how impressive she was in her career—and, in turn, how small he felt next to her in every regard. By the time 6:30 PM rolled around, Meredith emerged from the study, stretching her arms overhead. Her sharp gaze swept over the living room and kitchen. “Looks clean,” she commented, nodding at Leon. “Good job.” He felt a small glow of pride at her words. “Thanks,” he said. “Did you finish everything?” “Mostly,” she replied with a sigh. “I still have a bit more to do after dinner. How about you start setting the table while I check something in the bedroom?” Leon hopped up to obey, walking to the kitchen cabinets to gather plates and cutlery. He arranged them neatly, making sure everything was symmetrical—knowing she appreciated order. He placed two glasses and a set of napkins in perfect alignment, then set out the salt and pepper. Satisfied, he stepped back to admire his work. He glanced toward the bedroom, wondering what Meredith was up to. She was probably laying out his pajamas. That’s how every evening went: after dinner, she would dress him in some form of childlike sleepwear—often footed sleepers, sometimes with childish prints. If he was especially fidgety or whiny, she’d zip it in the back, removing his ability to unzip it himself. Some nights, she put on mittens, ensuring he couldn’t fiddle with the zipper. Part of him squirmed at the thought, but another part thrummed with excitement. Despite the occasional embarrassment, he found a peculiar comfort in the ritual of being tucked into bed by her. He relished the warmth of her presence, the bubble of security she created around him. She emerged a few minutes later, a sly smile on her face. “Dinner time,” she announced. “Let’s eat.” Dinner consisted of grilled chicken, roasted vegetables, and a small portion of rice. Leon ate quietly, occasionally meeting Meredith’s eyes. She asked him about his day, praising him for keeping busy without fussing too much. He felt an uptick of pride at her approval. However, halfway through the meal, she cleared her throat. “I noticed something when I laid out your sleeper,” she began, fixing him with a steady look. “Some of your underwear had faint stains. Care to explain?” Leon nearly choked on his chicken. He stared at her, face burning. “I… I—It’s just… from earlier,” he stammered. “I was holding it for so long, I guess maybe I leaked a little?” She narrowed her eyes. “So you had a little accident?” He stared at his plate, nodding miserably. “Y-yes, but just a tiny bit, I swear.” Meredith set her fork down. “Hmm. That’s unfortunate. After all the trust I gave you to wait until lunch, then again this afternoon. You said you managed, but apparently, you leaked enough to stain your underwear.” Leon gulped. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize. It wasn’t a full accident. Just a little leak.” “Regardless,” she said, her voice cool, “it shows you’re not fully in control.” His eyes pricked with tears. “Please don’t be mad.” She sighed, leaning back in her chair. “I’m not angry, Leon. But I’m disappointed that you’re struggling with such a simple rule. If waiting is causing you accidents, perhaps we need a more secure solution.” Her words sent a chill through him. “Wh-what do you mean?” She dabbed her mouth with a napkin. “Let’s finish dinner, and we’ll discuss it when we get you ready for bed.” Leon nodded, his appetite diminishing. He forced the rest of his vegetables down in silence, mind spinning with worry and humiliation. He had a feeling he knew what she meant by a ‘more secure solution.’ Chapter Five: An Unexpected Development After dinner, Meredith tasked Leon with loading the dishwasher. He did so mechanically, hands slightly shaking. He couldn’t stop thinking about her cryptic mention of a “secure solution.” Could she mean what he thought she did? She disappeared back into the bedroom. By the time he finished in the kitchen, she called his name. “Leon,” she said, standing in the bedroom doorway, arms crossed. “Come here.” He approached hesitantly, heart hammering. She guided him inside, where the lamp on the nightstand cast a warm glow across the bed. Laid out on the duvet was a footed sleeper, a soft pastel-green color with a subtle pattern of tiny stars. Its zipper ran up the front, but a small padlock mechanism was threaded through the zipper pull. Next to it on the bed was a folded, puffy item. Leon’s stomach dropped. It was a diaper—a large, adult-sized diaper with cartoonish designs across the padding. He stared, speechless. His mind reeled. Sure, Meredith had teased about diapers before, mostly in a half-joking manner when he slipped up or whined too much. But he never thought she’d actually follow through. They were both adults, after all. Even if she treated him as if he were younger, diapers still felt like an extreme step. “I… I…” he started, but no words came out. Meredith cocked her head, her tall frame radiating authority. “These are for nights when you can’t maintain control,” she said calmly. “You’ve proven that you sometimes have accidents while trying to follow the rules. I don’t want you ruining your underwear or the sheets.” Leon’s face burned. “B-but… I—” She held up a hand. “Shh. We’re trying this tonight. Hopefully, it will teach you to be more mindful of your potty breaks when they’re scheduled. If you truly have no accidents, maybe we won’t need these. But for now…” She motioned to the diaper. “Take off your clothes.” He hesitated, a thick lump in his throat, but he knew better than to argue. He undid the shortalls and let them pool at his feet, then peeled off the T-shirt. Meredith patted the bed. “Lie down,” she instructed. Trying not to cry from humiliation, Leon sank onto the mattress, his small frame dwarfed by the plush bed. Meredith picked up the diaper, opening it with a loud crinkle. She maneuvered it under him, adjusting it carefully, then folded it up between his legs. The padding was thick, soft, and unmistakably babyish. Velcro tapes fastened at the sides. She smoothed the tapes, making sure it was snug around his waist. Leon swallowed hard, tears threatening to spill. The sensation of the diaper hugging his lower half was strange and overwhelming. The thick bulk between his legs forced them apart slightly. Meredith leaned over him, brushing a stray tear from his cheek. “Don’t be upset,” she cooed. “It’s just for your protection, and for my peace of mind. You might even find it comforting.” He shut his eyes, nodding wordlessly. Next, she guided his feet into the footed sleeper, pulling it up his body. Once his arms were inside, she zipped it up, locking the zipper with a small padlock near the neck. There would be no unzipping this without her key. Leon shivered, suddenly aware he was completely at her mercy. He could feel the diaper pressing against him, a constant reminder of his humiliation. Yet a small, secret part of him felt a twinge of guilty relief. Now he wouldn’t have to worry about leaking if he had to hold it too long… Meredith helped him off the bed, turning him to face the dresser mirror. “Look at that,” she said softly. “It fits you well, doesn’t it?” He caught a glimpse of himself: a short, slender young man clad in a pastel sleeper, locked, and obviously padded. It was juvenile, babyish, and undeniably humiliating. And yet, he felt a warmth coil in his chest, an odd sense of safety. Meredith leaned down, placing a lingering kiss on top of his head. “All set. Now, it’s still early, so you can stay up with me in the living room if you want to watch TV. But I don’t want you messing with that diaper. Understood?” Leon gulped. “Yes, Meredith,” he whispered. With that, she took his hand, leading him out to the living room, where they sat on the couch together. She switched on a TV show, sliding an arm around his shoulders. He rested his cheek against her side, feeling the crinkle of the diaper whenever he shifted. Her warmth enveloped him. Embarrassed as he was, he couldn’t deny the closeness and the comfort he felt pressed against her. They watched quietly for a while, the only sounds being occasional dialogue from the show and the subtle rustle of Leon’s diaper when he moved. Though she was being strict, Meredith also exuded a gentle tenderness. She smoothed her hand over his hair, letting him relax against her. He wondered if this was how children felt when nestled against a mother’s side—but no, that thought was too strange. He was an adult, even if everything about this arrangement suggested otherwise. After an hour or so, she clicked off the TV. “You’re probably tired. Let’s get you in bed.” Leon’s eyes fluttered. “Okay.” She led him back to the bedroom, helping him climb under the covers. The diaper’s thickness made him waddle slightly, but she made no mention of it. Once he was tucked in, she leaned down to give him a soft kiss goodnight. “Sleep well, little one,” she murmured, stroking his cheek. Leon felt a pang in his chest. Despite the embarrassment, he sensed an overpowering love for her. She had so much control, but also so much care. He closed his eyes, nodding. “Goodnight, Meredith,” he whispered. She switched off the lamp, plunging the room into darkness. The faint sound of her footsteps retreated, and the door clicked shut, leaving him alone with the soft rustle of his own humiliating bedtime attire. Yet despite everything, he drifted off feeling oddly comforted. Chapter Six: A Morning of Conflicting Emotions Leon awoke the next morning, squinting at the streams of daylight creeping in through the blinds. He tried to stretch, but the footed sleeper resisted his movement. The padlock at the collar was still firmly in place. Immediately, he became aware of the thick diaper around his waist. His heart pounded as he recalled last night’s humiliating bedtime routine. He shifted, feeling a slight warmth in the diaper’s padding. Dread stabbed at his chest. Had he wet himself in his sleep? He pressed his thighs together, and sure enough, the diaper felt heavier and damp. A wave of shame washed over him. He couldn’t remember when it happened. He had dozed off so deeply he never even woke up to use the bathroom. A swirl of conflicting emotions rose inside him: embarrassment, confusion, and, strangely, relief. At least the bed was dry. He heard footsteps approaching. In a moment, Meredith appeared, her tall frame filling the doorway. She smiled softly. “Good morning,” she greeted. “Sleep well?” Leon stammered, unsure how to respond. “I—I guess so.” Her gaze fell to his padded midsection. “Did you stay dry?” she asked, though the faint smirk suggested she already suspected the answer. He glanced away, cheeks aflame. “No,” he muttered. “I… had an accident.” Meredith strode over, unlocking the small padlock at his neckline with a tiny key. She slowly pulled the zipper down, revealing the sagging diaper. She pressed the padding gently, confirming it was indeed wet. Leon squirmed, face contorting with humiliation. “Well,” she said at last, “this just proves my point. You need diapers for bedtime until further notice.” Leon’s eyes stung with tears. He hated feeling so incompetent, but found himself nodding obediently. “Yes, Meredith.” “Now, let’s get you cleaned up,” she said. She helped him out of the sleeper, rolling it aside to wash later. Then, carefully, she removed the diaper. The cool morning air brushed his skin. She took a pack of wipes from a shelf in the closet—he hadn’t noticed them before—and began gently cleaning him. He winced at the profound vulnerability of it all, but she was methodical and calm, as though caring for a dependent child. When she finished, she gave his hip a reassuring pat. “Now, go shower. I’ll find you some fresh clothes.” Leon didn’t need any more prompting. He hurried to the bathroom, stepping into the warm shower spray. As he scrubbed away the night’s shame, he let out a trembling sigh. Part of him felt humiliated beyond words, but another part felt a surprising sense of freedom in not having to worry about whether he wet the bed or not—Meredith took care of everything. Chapter Seven: Trying to Please Her After the shower, Leon found another childish outfit waiting on the bed: a bright red T-shirt with a cartoon lion on the front, and a pair of elastic-waist shorts that threatened to show the outline of any padded undergarment if he wore them. However, Meredith had not placed a diaper beside them this time. It seemed he was expected to manage on his own during the day—at least for now. He dressed quickly, then padded into the living room where Meredith was sipping coffee. She motioned for him to sit. “I’m going into the office again,” she announced. “I have some errands afterward, so I won’t be back until early evening. Think you can handle it?” Leon nodded. “Yes, ma’am.” Her eyes flickered toward his shorts. “No diapers right now, but you’re still required to ask permission for the potty, remember?” A knot formed in his stomach. “B-but… you won’t be here,” he said. “How am I supposed to ask for permission?” “You’ll text me first,” Meredith said, as if it were the most obvious solution. “Wait for my response. If I approve, you can use the bathroom. Understood?” Leon swallowed hard. “Yes.” She arched an eyebrow. “I mean it. If I find out you disobeyed, or if there’s any sign of accidents again, you’ll be wearing a diaper all day tomorrow as well. Clear?” A flush crept over his face. “Clear,” he replied softly. Meredith nodded, satisfied. “Good. Now, I have to go. You have your instructions.” She kissed his forehead, grabbed her handbag, and left. The door clicked shut behind her, leaving Leon alone with his swirling thoughts once more. It was nearly 9 AM. He had to figure out how to keep himself occupied all day without leaving the apartment, and with the added stress of obtaining permission to use the bathroom via text message. He eyed the clock nervously. Typically, she gave him scheduled breaks: morning, midday, afternoon, evening. But now the dynamic was different—he had to ask every single time. Leon sighed, trying to calm the flutter in his belly. “I can do this,” he whispered to himself, rummaging around the kitchen for a small breakfast. He settled on cereal, though he couldn’t help but measure how much milk and juice he poured, terrified of needing to go too soon. Chapter Eight: Accidents, Consequences, and Confessions By lunchtime, Leon’s nerves were already shot. He’d texted Meredith around 11, asking if he could go to the bathroom. She replied after ten agonizing minutes of waiting, finally granting permission. He managed to avoid an accident that time. But around 1 PM, as he sat quietly in the living room reading a book, he felt another urge. He checked the time. Meredith had mentioned she’d be in an important meeting from 1 to 2 PM, so he hesitated. If she was in the meeting, she might not respond to texts promptly. Should he send her a message anyway and risk bothering her? Or should he hold it, hoping she’d be free soon? Eventually, he sent her a short text: “Hi, Meredith. May I please use the bathroom?” The minutes passed. No response. The minutes turned to a half-hour. Leon began to pace, sipping his water nervously, which only made things worse. By 1:40, he was practically dancing in place, pressing his thighs together. Still nothing. He sent another, more urgent text: “Please, Meredith. It’s an emergency.” At 1:50, he still hadn’t heard from her. His bladder burned, and tears pricked his eyes. He wanted desperately to follow her rule, but he was about to burst. Could he risk it? Maybe she wouldn’t mind if he used the bathroom since it was an actual emergency. But she had been so explicit. Disobeying meant guaranteed diapers the next day. Could he endure that shame again? He fidgeted, leaning against the wall, clenching every muscle he could. The world around him seemed to blur in a haze of desperation. 1:55… Leon couldn’t hold it. With a choked sob, he felt warmth flood his shorts. The liquid trickled down his legs, pooling on the floor. He froze, horrified. His cheeks burned with shame as he stood there in a puddle. He’d truly wet himself in the living room, at eighteen years old. Trembling, he grabbed paper towels, trying to mop up the evidence of his accident. He peeled off his sodden shorts and underwear, tossing them into the washing machine, desperately hoping to hide the mess before Meredith returned. But he couldn’t deny what had happened. He had broken the rule—except he hadn’t, had he? He’d tried to get permission, but she never responded. At 2:05, his phone buzzed. Meredith’s text appeared: “Yes, you can go now. Sorry for the delay.” Leon nearly burst into tears. It was too late. Chapter Nine: Love and Control Meredith arrived home around 5 PM. Leon was perched anxiously on the couch in a fresh pair of shorts, heart hammering. The moment she entered, he felt tears pricking his eyes. He needed to confess before she discovered the evidence. She set her purse down and fixed him with an expectant stare. “Well, did everything go smoothly?” Leon stood, hands shaking. “I—I tried. I texted you. Twice,” he said. “You didn’t respond until it was too late.” His voice trembled with shame. “I had an accident.” She pressed her lips together. “Where?” “In the living room,” he muttered, glancing down. “I cleaned it up right away. I’m sorry.” Meredith rubbed her temple. “Leon,” she began in a weary tone, “I gave you one simple rule. Did you try waiting or…?” He shook his head. “I did wait. I tried to hold it until you responded. But then I—I couldn’t anymore.” She sighed, stepping closer to him. He braced himself for anger, but instead, she pulled him into a loose embrace. He smelled the faint perfume in her hair. “Shh,” she whispered. “It’s okay. Accidents happen when you’re forced to wait like that.” Leon buried his face against her, tears wetting her blouse. “I’m so embarrassed. I’m sorry.” Meredith patted his back. “I know you tried. This arrangement might be too strict for your body to handle. Maybe I pushed you too far.” He blinked, pulling back, confused. “You… you think so?” She nodded, cupping his cheek. “Leon, I want to take care of you. I love you. But if these rules cause you distress and accidents, maybe we need to adjust them.” Leon stared up at her, feeling both relief and a pang of disappointment. As restrictive as the rules were, a part of him craved her control. “I… I don’t want to disappoint you,” he whispered. She kissed his forehead. “My sweet boy, you could never truly disappoint me if you’re honest with me. Let’s find a way that keeps you comfortable without accidents, all right?” He nodded, eyes stinging. “Yes, Meredith.” She smoothed down his hair. “That said, the diapers at night will continue. It’s clear you’re still having trouble staying dry. And maybe we’ll have you wear them during the day if you’re feeling uncertain. No more holding it to the point of accidents. Agreed?” A complicated mix of dread and comfort flooded him. “Agreed,” he said softly. That evening, after a light dinner and some shared relaxation time on the couch, Meredith once more led him to the bedroom. She had prepared another diaper and the familiar pastel-green sleeper, complete with the back-zip design. This time, he didn’t resist. He let her tape the diaper around his waist, welcoming the soft, bulky security. He noticed that she had sewn a small loop at the back of the sleeper’s collar, likely where she’d attach the padlock or a similar clasp. She pulled it up his body, sealing him in. Leon sighed as she locked him into the sleeper. Oddly enough, he felt relief. There would be no more frantic dashes or accidents; if it happened, at least he was protected. He laid down on the bed, exhaling the tension of the day. “Tomorrow, we can talk more about your potty schedule,” Meredith said, brushing a hand through his hair. “I still want you to ask permission, but we’ll give you a diaper if I’m away. That way, you won’t have to worry.” Leon looked up at her, a small smile ghosting his lips. “Thank you,” he whispered. She returned the smile, bending low to plant a gentle kiss on his lips. “I love you, little one.” Tears threatened to surface again, but they were tears of gratitude this time. “I love you too,” he choked out. Settling down under the covers, he listened to the calming sound of her breathing as she tucked him in. Despite the infantile attire, or perhaps because of it, a sense of safety blossomed in his chest. Meredith was demanding, controlling, and sometimes completely over the top—but she was also caring, nurturing, and, above all, his. Chapter Ten: Renewed Determination Despite the tension and embarrassment of Leon’s accident in Chapter Nine, the next morning dawned with a surprising sense of calm in the apartment. The living room was bathed in golden light as Leon padded out from the bedroom, diaper rustling softly beneath the pastel-green footed sleeper. He still wore the back-zip pajamas because Meredith—early to rise and already dressed in slacks and a blouse—wanted to supervise his morning routine. “Good morning,” she greeted, looking up from her laptop on the couch. “Sleep okay?” Leon nodded, cheeks flushing with the familiar bashfulness that came from being locked into his sleeper all night. “Yes,” he murmured, eyes drifting to the floor. “Thank you.” Meredith patted the cushion beside her, beckoning him to sit. The couch dipped under her weight as she scooted closer, one arm resting comfortably over his shoulders. “Let’s see how you did,” she said, reaching for the small lock at his collar. Her tone was neither cruel nor mocking—it was simply matter-of-fact, the caring severity of someone who expected to find a wet diaper. She withdrew the key from her pocket and unlocked the tab securing the zipper. The faint click sent a tremor of apprehension through Leon. Gently, she pulled the zipper down, revealing the thick, slightly damp diaper around his waist. A sigh escaped her lips—part relief, part acknowledgment. “Not too bad,” she said. “Still wet, but not soaked.” Leon rubbed his arms, noticing goosebumps from the morning chill. “I’m sorry,” he said automatically. She shook her head. “There’s no need to apologize every time. We’ve talked about this. Diapers are here to help until you learn to manage. And if you can’t, well… that’s okay too. We’ll make sure you’re protected.” A swirl of conflicting emotion swept through him. He both hated and secretly welcomed the security of her strict care. Even if it made him feel smaller, something about her unwavering control comforted him. “All right,” Meredith said, gently pressing her warm palm against his upper back. “Let’s get you changed and dressed. We have errands today.” Leon exhaled a soft sigh of resignation. There was never any real choice in the matter—only the understanding that, under her guidance, he would be taken care of. She walked him to the bedroom, where a fresh diaper and a modest outfit lay waiting on the neatly made bed. This time, he noticed the diapers were in the open, lined up on a shelf—obviously a new normal. “You’ll wear this for the day,” she said, tapping the folded padding. “I have a busy schedule, and I can’t always answer your texts immediately. So, no accidents in your shorts this time.” Leon’s face burned with a mixture of shame and relief. “Yes, Meredith,” he murmured obediently. She set about changing him, wiping him down before securing the tapes snug around his hips. With practiced ease, she helped him step into a pair of casual khaki shorts and a short-sleeve polo that—thankfully—didn’t look too childish. However, as soon as he stood up, the outline of the diaper was unmistakable beneath the fabric, giving him a slight waddle. He fidgeted, unsure how to hide it. Meredith tilted his chin up with her finger. “Don’t worry,” she said softly. “You’re under my protection. I won’t let anyone see more than necessary. Now, get your shoes on. We’re heading out soon.” Leon swallowed hard, nodding. A renewed determination to trust her—and to obey her strict potty rules—settled in his chest. If wearing a diaper in public was the price to avoid accidents, he would accept it. After all, he loved her. And in his own private way, he loved this nurturing dominance she provided. Chapter Eleven: An Outing of Discomfort Meredith parked the car outside a bustling shopping center, sunlight glinting off the polished vehicles in the lot. Leon sat in the passenger seat, heart thumping. He hadn’t been outside in a diaper often—usually, Meredith arranged short, discreet errands or handled them alone. Yet here they were, preparing for a full afternoon of shopping. He was diapered under his khaki shorts, his every movement producing a barely audible crinkle. Fear gnawed at him. What if someone heard? What if someone noticed the slight bulge? Meredith unfastened her seatbelt, turning toward him. “Ready?” Leon’s fingers twisted in his lap. “I—yes,” he said, voice trembling. “But—do I really have to wear this in public?” A trace of amusement danced across Meredith’s features, but she tempered it with understanding. “Yes, Leon. You know the rules. You’ve had accidents, and I can’t keep leaving you alone in the apartment every time I need to run errands. This is safer.” His cheeks burned a deep crimson. “I—I understand,” he managed. She offered a small, reassuring smile before exiting the car. Reluctantly, Leon followed, stepping onto the asphalt. The sensation of the diaper’s padding made his walk slightly bow-legged. He glanced around nervously, certain everyone would see. But the world carried on, no one giving him more than a passing glance. It was a busy weekend afternoon: couples strolling hand in hand, parents corralling rambunctious kids, elderly folks lugging grocery bags. No one seemed to notice the shy, diminutive eighteen-year-old waddling after his tall girlfriend. Meredith led him through a few stores, picking up home essentials and groceries. She maintained a calm composure, instructing him softly if she wanted help grabbing an item. Occasionally, she’d slip her arm around his shoulders, guiding him through the crowd. Despite the unwavering sense of embarrassment, Leon felt a protective warmth emanating from her touch. Midway through their errands, as they stopped at a store to browse kitchen utensils, Leon’s eyes widened. The dull pressure in his bladder reminded him of an awkward truth: if he needed to use the bathroom, he had to ask Meredith. And given their conversation, he suspected she might make him use the diaper instead—especially in a public restroom scenario where it might be less private. Swallowing hard, he tugged lightly at her sleeve. “Meredith?” he whispered. She was examining a set of ceramic bowls but turned at his soft plea. “What’s wrong, sweetie?” “I… I have to go,” he admitted, cheeks blazing. “Number one.” Her eyebrows lifted. “Hmm. Well, we could go to the bathroom. But then I’d have to help you remove everything.” Her tone was sympathetic yet firm. “It might be easier if you just let your diaper handle it. That’s what it’s for.” Leon felt a knot twist in his stomach. Wet himself on purpose, in a public store? The thought horrified him. But she was right—unfastening and refastening a taped diaper in a public restroom stall seemed equally daunting. “Let’s finish shopping,” she said in a low voice. “If it’s urgent, use your diaper. Then I’ll change you when we get home.” Leon’s entire face felt aflame. But he couldn’t argue; she was in charge. He stayed close to her side, trying to will his bladder to remain calm. Yet within minutes, the urge intensified. Eventually, he yielded, letting go in subtle spurts, feeling warmth spread through the padding. His heart thumped—he was wetting himself in the middle of a store, next to his girlfriend. It was humiliating and strangely intimate. By the time they checked out and returned to the car, the diaper clung heavily to his skin. Meredith noticed the slight sag, her expression shifting to one of tender concern. “You okay?” she asked, voice gentle. He nodded, too humiliated to speak. As they climbed back into the car, he squirmed against the seat, the wet diaper pressing against him. Meredith placed a comforting hand on his thigh and squeezed. It was a reminder that she was proud of him for following the rules—odd though those rules might be. They drove home in silence, tension coiling in his chest. Yet beneath it all, a flutter of relief swirled: he had obeyed her. He had done what she said, and there was a strange sense of accomplishment in that submission. Maybe he was just relieved to know she’d soon change him, freeing him from the clammy discomfort. Leon stared out the window, cheeks still burning, as he braced himself for the next step: reporting his soggy diaper to Meredith like a dependent child. And, in a bittersweet twist, he realized that he no longer felt quite as anxious about it—because he trusted her. Chapter Twelve: Adjusting and Accepting When they arrived home, Meredith wasted no time ushering Leon to the bedroom. He felt her warm hand pressed firmly between his shoulder blades, guiding him inside. The memory of his wet diaper burned in his mind, a tangible reminder of how little control he was supposed to have. “Let’s get you changed,” she said, her voice low and calm, almost comforting. Leon perched on the edge of the bed, arms folded uncertainly. Meredith stepped into the closet, retrieving a pack of wipes and another diaper from the growing stash. The plastic packaging crinkled loudly as she pulled one out. He lifted his hips obediently, allowing her to peel down his shorts. A wave of cool air brushed his thighs, intensifying the humiliating awareness of the heavy, sagging diaper around his waist. Her expression remained calm—patient, even—like a caretaker simply doing what had to be done. “You did well,” she murmured as she undid the tapes. “I know it must have been scary.” Leon swallowed, cheeks reddening. “It was,” he admitted softly. “I… I don’t like doing that in public. But… if it’s what you want—” She set the soaked diaper aside, using a gentle wipe to clean him. “It’s not about what I want,” she corrected him, though her tone hinted otherwise. “It’s about what works for us. You’re prone to accidents. I don’t want you stressed or embarrassed about sneaking off to the bathroom. A diaper solves that.” He nodded, though a twinge of confusion fluttered in his stomach. Part of him wondered if he was truly that helpless, or if her controlling nature had simply convinced him so. Yet her nurturing presence soothed away his doubts. Feeling the soft, fresh diaper taped securely around his waist brought a wave of both shame and relief. Once she finished, she handed him a pair of comfortable sweatpants. “Wear these for the rest of the day,” she said, then paused, meeting his gaze. “Leon, if you need to use the bathroom and I’m around, I’ll help you remove everything. But if you’re alone, you should use your diaper, okay? No more accidents on the floor or in your underwear.” A small nod was all he could manage. “Yes, Meredith.” Her eyes seemed to soften. She leaned in, pressing a tender kiss to his temple. “You’re doing great. I’m proud of how cooperative you’ve been.” That simple praise flooded him with an inexplicable warmth. He realized how deeply he craved her approval. Every small gesture of reassurance seemed to justify the surrender he felt, the childlike acceptance of her rules. It was disorienting, yet undeniably comforting. The rest of the evening fell into a gentle rhythm. She guided him through a few household tasks—organizing drawers, vacuuming the living room—activities that he performed in his thick, padded undergarment, constantly aware of the faint crinkle with each step. Yet by nightfall, he realized he wasn’t quite as self-conscious as before. He could move freely, even forgetting at times that a diaper was taped around his waist. And so, as bedtime approached, Meredith once again led him through the ritual: a final bathroom check under her supervision, then a fresh night diaper, followed by a whimsical footed sleeper zipped and locked at the back. She tucked him in, pressed a goodnight kiss to his forehead, and switched off the lamp. In the darkness, Leon sighed. This new sense of routine—of wearing diapers day and night—didn’t feel quite as alien as it once had. He wondered if that was a good thing, or if it simply meant he was losing pieces of his adulthood. But his mind didn’t dwell on it long. Exhaustion took him, and he drifted off, lulled by the gentle rustle of his padded underwear and the knowledge that Meredith was proud of him. Chapter Thirteen: Testing Boundaries The days rolled by in a blur of routine: breakfast together, a diaper check, dressing in youthful clothes Meredith chose, occasional errands if she needed something, and always the unwavering rule of requesting permission—or using his diaper—whenever nature called. Leon found himself settling into the pattern with surprising ease. But with familiarity came curiosity—and a streak of rebellion. One afternoon, Meredith stepped out to pick up a package from the building’s reception desk. She instructed Leon to remain in the apartment, as usual. Sinking onto the living room couch, Leon felt the snug pull of his diaper around his hips, reminding him of his constant lack of autonomy. A stray thought nudged at him. What if he tried removing the diaper himself, just to see if he could? Perhaps he’d use the toilet without waiting for her. He was an adult—eighteen, yes, and short, but perfectly capable of managing the simplest bodily functions without a caretaker’s guidance. Right? The idea bloomed into a daring impulse. Meredith wouldn’t be gone long. If he acted quickly, he could strip off the diaper, use the bathroom, and tape it back in place—she might never know, unless she checked the tapes closely. His heart pounded. Could he pull it off? With trembling hands, he stood and slipped into the bedroom, shutting the door. He stared at himself in the dresser mirror—his small frame swaddled in a childlike T-shirt and an unmistakable diaper bulge. Taking a shaky breath, he peeled down his sweatpants to reveal the tapes. He’d never removed them on his own; Meredith always did it for him. Nervous excitement thrummed in his veins. Slowly, he reached for one of the tapes, pulling it free with a soft ripping sound. He paused, listening for footsteps or voices in the hallway. Silence. Emboldened, he undid the second tape. A moment later, the diaper slid to the floor with a dull thud. For the first time in days, he felt the cool air against his bare skin. But just as he turned to head for the bathroom, he heard the distinctive jingle of keys at the front door. Panic shot through him. He scrambled, trying to lift the diaper back into place, fumbling with the tapes. His hands shook so badly that he couldn’t align them properly. “Leon?” Meredith’s voice, suddenly closer than he expected. He froze, a terrible realization sinking in: she had the keys, and the apartment door was already open. He pictured her stepping inside, noticing the bedroom door closed. Any second now, she’d be here. His eyes darted around for a place to hide. His heart hammered. The diaper was half-secured, one tape crooked, the other barely stuck to the front panel. Before he could fully fix it, the bedroom door opened. Meredith stood in the threshold, eyebrows arched. Her gaze swept over him—pants around his ankles, the diaper precariously attached, guilt shining in his eyes. He swallowed, feeling a wave of mortification so intense it made him dizzy. She took a measured step forward, an unreadable expression on her face. “Care to explain?” she asked softly, though her tone carried the weight of disappointment. Leon’s eyes stung with imminent tears. “I—I just…” His voice wavered. “I wanted to use the toilet. By myself.” Silence stretched. Then she shut the door behind her, crossing her arms. The tension in the room was palpable. “You know the rules,” she said quietly. “If you need the toilet and I’m not here, you use your diaper or wait.” He bit his lip, tears blurring his vision. “I—I’m sorry. I just… I wanted to prove I could do it on my own.” Meredith’s gaze softened slightly, though her posture remained firm. “Get on the bed,” she said, nodding toward the mattress. “Lie down.” He obeyed, shuffling awkwardly and sinking onto the comforter. She followed, kneeling beside him, methodically reattaching the diaper’s tapes. Though her movements were gentle, a current of disappointment tinged the air. “I’m not punishing you because you need help,” she explained, voice subdued. “I’m upset because you broke trust. You tried to remove the diaper behind my back instead of talking to me.” Tears slipped down his cheeks. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I just feel so… helpless sometimes.” Meredith’s expression softened further. She cupped his cheek, brushing a tear away with her thumb. “I know it can be hard. But we made an agreement. I need you to respect it.” He nodded miserably. “I will… I promise.” She helped him stand, pulling his sweatpants up over the re-secured diaper. Then, with surprising tenderness, she wrapped her arms around him, pressing him against her tall frame. “You’ll be wearing thicker diapers for a while,” she murmured. “And I’ll check them more often. I have to be sure I can trust you.” Leon’s chest clenched. The idea of bigger, more conspicuous padding made his stomach sink. Yet he deserved it, he supposed, for breaking the rules. “I understand,” he said hoarsely, arms sliding around her waist. She held him quietly for a moment, letting the tension ebb. He felt her lips graze his temple, a soft, reassuring gesture. The conflict between frustration and comfort roiled inside him. Part of him wanted more independence; part of him felt relief that she refused to let him fend for himself. Without further discussion, she led him back to the living room, returning to their daily routine. But now a new tension lingered—an unspoken reminder that she was always in control, and that if he tried to break free, the rules would only tighten. And for reasons that baffled him, a small, conflicted part of Leon found a flicker of solace in that unwavering authority. Chapter Fourteen: Closer Under Stricter Rules The weeks following Leon’s failed act of independence were marked by intensified control. Meredith insisted on thicker diapers, even during short outings. His schedule became more rigid. Now, each morning after breakfast, she’d conduct a “diaper check” to ensure he was properly padded and that he hadn’t tampered with the tapes. Whenever she left him alone, she’d set timeframes for when he could text or call. Sometimes she’d even leave the bedroom door open so she could keep an eye on him from other parts of the apartment. At first, Leon felt smothered—his guilt over lying to her was matched only by the frustration of feeling like a child. Yet something unexpected blossomed in the midst of these stricter measures: an undeniable closeness. Each small act of nurturing drew them nearer in an odd, secret way. When Meredith changed him out of a soggy diaper with gentle reassurance, he felt loved. When she praised him for complying with his schedule, he felt proud. Their bond, once overshadowed by fear and embarrassment, grew into a new kind of intimacy. It happened late one evening, as she was zipping him into a fresh footed sleeper. He lay on the bed, arms folded, face flushed, while she carefully aligned the zipper. Once it was done, she leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his lips—a kiss that, for the first time, felt more than protective. There was a hint of passion, an adult warmth. Leon’s heart fluttered. She pulled away slowly. “I love taking care of you,” she whispered, her voice low and husky in the dim bedroom light. “Even if you test my patience sometimes.” Leon swallowed, eyes shining. “I love you,” he breathed, the admission trembling with vulnerability. “I—I really do.” She brushed a hand over his cheek, hooking a finger around the sleeper’s collar to ensure it was snug. “I know,” she replied, a small, satisfied smile tugging at her lips. “That’s why this works—because we trust each other, don’t we?” He nodded. “I’m sorry about before… trying to remove the diaper on my own. I won’t do it again.” Meredith’s smile softened. “I believe you,” she said, then locked the tiny clasp at the nape of his neck. The soft clink of metal felt final. “Now, get some rest.” With that, she flicked off the overhead light, leaving only a bedside lamp. He burrowed under the covers while she settled beside him for a moment, stroking his hair as though soothing a restless child. The gentle caress lulled him into a half-doze, each breath in tandem with the quiet hiss of air conditioning. He felt a surge of affection so strong it was almost painful. Yes, her rules could be stifling. Yes, he sometimes hated feeling dependent. But she was also his haven—his protector, who willingly took on this responsibility to keep him safe and stress-free. In that sense, the diapers, the childish clothes, and the locked sleepers were all expressions of her unwavering commitment. Eventually, she stood to leave, switching off the lamp entirely. “Goodnight, little one,” she whispered, her voice floating through the darkness. Leon closed his eyes, sinking into the pillow with a soft rustle of crinkling plastic. “Goodnight,” he managed, comforted by her presence even as she slipped away. And as he drifted into sleep, he wondered if this deepening closeness was worth the cost of his dwindling autonomy. Chapter Fifteen: The Unshakable Bond Morning light found Leon stirring early, roused by a nagging pressure in his bladder. He blinked sleep from his eyes, momentarily forgetting the confines of his locked footed sleeper. As he attempted to swing his legs over the side of the bed, the thick padding between them reminded him precisely of his predicament. For a fleeting second, panic seized him—he needed to go, and there was no easy way out. But then memory returned in a warm rush: Meredith. She would help him. He just had to call out. “Meredith?” he croaked softly, clearing his throat. “Meredith!” A moment later, the bedroom door opened, revealing her tall silhouette, hair in a loose ponytail. She flicked on the lamp, letting a soft glow illuminate her concerned face. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Leon swallowed, cheeks warming. “I—uh, need the bathroom. Please.” Her gaze flickered to the locked collar of his sleeper, then down to his diaper. “Let’s see…” she murmured. She retrieved the key from the dresser and came closer. “We’ll get you out. Hold on.” He exhaled shakily as she unlocked the small metal clasp, unzipped him, and peeled open the footed pajamas. The crisp air prickled his skin. Within seconds, he was free—except for the diaper taped tightly around him. “Stand up,” she directed, guiding him gently. He pressed his thighs together, bladder now pleading for release. She plucked at the diaper’s tapes, revealing his bare hips. “All set,” she announced. Without waiting another second, Leon darted to the bathroom. This time, there was no condescending observation or requirement to text for permission—she was right there, consenting to let him go. Relief washed over him, both physically and emotionally. When he finished, Meredith stood by the sink, watching calmly. Wordlessly, she handed him a fresh diaper, indicating he should rejoin her in the bedroom. Leon obeyed, though he felt a flicker of pride. She was letting him do part of it himself—at least carrying the diaper. Back in the bedroom, he lay on the bed, anticipating her usual routine of taping him up. But she surprised him by placing the diaper in his hands. “Try,” she said softly. His eyes widened. “You… you want me to do it?” She nodded, an encouraging smile on her lips. “Yes. Go on, show me.” Nervous but determined, Leon unfolded the diaper. He positioned it under himself, fumbling with the tapes. Twice, the adhesive caught on the wrong spot, creating crooked wings. Meredith watched patiently, offering occasional suggestions: “Bring it up a bit higher in front,” or “Tighten the left tape.” After some clumsy effort, he managed a passable fit. It felt snug—but not quite as neat as when she did it. Still, a wave of satisfaction rippled through him. The partial freedom of dressing himself was exhilarating, even if the result was still a diaper. Meredith patted the front. “Good job,” she praised. “Now, it’s not perfect, but it’ll hold for a while.” He beamed, feeling lighter than he had in ages. The subtle acknowledgment that he could do something as basic as tape on his own diaper, under her supervision, felt like an important step. It was a small slice of autonomy within the realm of her control. “We’ll see how you manage,” she continued, smoothing down his hair. “If you do well, maybe I’ll let you take more responsibility for your changes—under my guidance, of course.” Leon nodded, heart fluttering. “Thank you,” he whispered earnestly. In that moment, a new understanding passed between them. Their bond was unshakable now, grounded not just in her dominance but in a shared willingness to adapt. She’d grown stricter after he broke her trust, but she also recognized his desire for a smidge of independence. They didn’t need to be locked in an endless cycle of parent and child. They were lovers, partners—albeit in a very unconventional arrangement. And so, as Meredith helped him into a pair of soft lounge pants, the corners of her mouth turned up in a gentle smile. “Let’s go have breakfast,” she said, lacing her fingers through his and giving him a tender squeeze. Leon squeezed back, feeling the padded bulk beneath his pants but no longer drowning in shame. Yes, it was still embarrassing, and he still had rules and limitations, but he was beginning to realize that, at the core of it all, they truly cared for each other. Their relationship wasn’t defined by his size or her control, but by the intimacy and trust they cultivated day by day. He followed her out to the kitchen, diaper rustling in time with his step. Love blossomed in his chest, soft and certain. They were forging a balance—one where she guided him with structure, and he offered devotion and openness in return. For the first time since this odd journey began, Leon felt confident that despite the diapers, the childish clothes, and the potty rules, he and Meredith were heading toward something healthy and lasting: a bond that neither of them ever wanted to break. Epilogue A few months later, their small apartment felt more like a sanctuary than ever. The bedroom closet now housed a full set of neatly stacked diapers and childish outfits. A special drawer even contained footed sleepers with various colors and prints. Leon sometimes giggled at just how large their “babyish” collection had grown—and how routine it had become to wear them. But if anyone asked how they lived, they would never fully understand the tapestry of love and control woven into their day-to-day. Leon was still small for his age, and Meredith still stood a majestic six foot one—always a striking figure next to him. Yet their dynamic had evolved into a fluid dance between caretaker and lover, discipline and compassion. Most mornings, Leon took pride in taping on his own diaper under Meredith’s watchful eye, a sign of trust regained after his earlier missteps. He appreciated that small allowance of autonomy, even if the end result—padded underwear—remained the same. They had found a middle ground: Leon could participate in the process while still relying on Meredith’s guidance and final approval. Their schedules remained structured: breakfast together, chores or errands, and occasional nights out when Meredith felt he could handle a discrete pull-up beneath carefully chosen clothes. She insisted on the same strict potty rules—permission required, or else using his diaper. Yet she was more flexible in granting him access to the toilet if he asked politely and the timing worked. She even allowed him the small triumph of undressing himself sometimes, though major clothing changes—especially diaper changes—were still primarily her domain. And Leon discovered that, in this near-constant state of managed dependency, he found security. The embarrassment never fully disappeared—he still blushed whenever she patted his diaper to check for wetness in front of a mirror, or when she zipped him into a footed sleeper hours before bedtime. But he’d come to enjoy the closeness, the protective embrace of her authority. Their love life thrived, too, in its own secret way. While the story behind their padded routines and potty rules was not something they shared with others, it forged a profound trust between them. She cradled him with a mix of parental warmth and adult desire, bridging the gap between caretaker and partner. He, in turn, found joy in pleasing her—accepting her rules, even appreciating them, for what they gave him in return. On a crisp, clear morning, they stood together in the living room, the sun casting bright rectangles across the floor. Meredith had just finished checking his diaper—still dry—and was reminding him of his chores for the day. Leon stared up at her, feeling every inch the smaller man, yet entirely content. “Remember,” she was saying in that measured tone, “if you need the potty, you call me or text me. If I don’t answer, you use the diaper. No accidents on the floor.” “Yes, Meredith,” Leon responded readily. Then, unable to help himself, he wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing his cheek against her torso. “Thank you,” he whispered, though he wasn’t quite sure for what—perhaps for everything. She laughed softly, brushing a hand over his hair. “You’re welcome, little one. Now off you go.” And so their life continued—a carefully balanced blend of loving dominance and welcomed submission, of soft crinkles and locked sleepers, of structure and devotion. In the end, their bond had become unbreakable: the tall, commanding woman and her tiny, adoring boyfriend, joined in a private world of mutual care and trust. Though it defied outside understanding, for them, it was perfect. And in the comfort of that shared knowledge, they closed the door to the rest of the world, content to exist precisely as they were—together.

Rei was on her way home from school blushing after she had another accident “I hope mommy doesn’t find out I’ll have to be careful getting these dirty clothes in the laundry

I've decided to rewrite this completely. It's the usual scenario. : ) Apologies to anyone expecting more of the previous effort. : ) This story is about the slowly developing, major change in a couple's relationship. Rob and Sue's New Life - Chapter 1 Sue arrived home from her work as a business analyst. She rolled her eyes as she saw the front door wide open. As she walked in, she could hear the TV - another of Rob's cartoon shows. Sue put down her briefcase and walked into the living area. Rob was still in his pyjamas, sprawled on the floor close to the screen. He had a bowl of popcorn next to him and popcorn littered the floor around him, along with a half-eaten and badly made peanut butter and jelly sandwich. 'Rob!' said Sue. Rob didn't move. The TV was so loud he could not have heard his wife. Sue picked up the remote from the sofa and killed the sound. 'Rob!' she repeated. 'What?' said Rob, turning to her. 'I was watching that.' 'For heaven's sake, Rob,' said Sue. 'Get up.' Rob clambered to his feet. Sue grabbed him roughly by the arm and led him into the kitchen. She looked angrily at the open peanut butter jar, jelly jar and package of sliced bread on the bench, then at her husband's face. She picked up a dishcloth and wetting it under the tap, took Rob's head in one hand and wiped the swathe of jelly from around his mouth. 'Not only do you make a mess in the kitchen and all over the floor in the living room, but you can't even keep your face clean when you eat,' she said with exasperation. 'You're supposed to be recuperating, not behaving like a messy child. And I think you should find something more useful to do than watch cartoons. Have you done the washing and remade the bed?' she asked Rob, who was rubbing his cheek where Sue had scrubbed off the jelly. 'I was going to,' said Rob weakly. 'Of course you were going to,' said Sue. 'I've been at work all day, and all you had to do was put the sheets you wet into the washing machine, and you couldn't even manage that. It's bad enough you wetting the bed like a toddler. The least you could do is to be grown up enough to do a simple task like start the washing machine. But no, you prefer to make a mess in the kitchen and watch cartoons. You know, it's too bad there isn't a daycare that I could enrol you in. At least I could go to work knowing that you won't be making a mess here.' Rob stood in front of Sue, looking miserable. Sue knew what came next. Rob's psychological condition was as fragile as his physical state. The weeks in hospital after the accident had reduced his physical strength, and the emotional effects had been just as severe. Rob looked at his wife, unable to control the mix of feelings swirling in his head. 'I'm sorry,' he said as the tears began. Sue took him in her arms. Rob wrapped his arms around her. He could feel the fabric of her business suit, and the swell of her full breasts, restrained by the bra he felt under his fingers. He pictured her grown up panties, pantyhose and he had to say, adult clothing, then thought of his pyjamas. He felt very childish by comparison with his well-dressed wife and her important job. At least he didn't have his diaper on. Just holding Sue made him feel better, and his tears began to subside. Sue was angry, but she felt genuinely sorry for Rob. There had to be a better way forward than this, she thought. It was as if they were stuck in a rut. She wondered if Jane the therapist had any answers. 'I'm sorry too, Rob,' said Sue, 'But you have to be more responsible if I'm going to leave you at home like this.' Se held Rob away from her and looked at him. With her heels, Sue was a little taller than Rob, and she too was aware of the difference in their clothing. Sue had just come from a high powered conference at which she was the only woman, other than a minute secretary, and here she was dealing not with large investments but with her tearful husband whose diaper tended to leak at night and who couldn't even manage to wash some soiled bedclothes when he was told to. 'Oh, Rob,' said Sue, looking down at the loose crotch of Rob's pyjamas. the cotton flannel wasn't wet, but it was clearly damp. Sue grasped the damp cloth, pushing aside the soft genitals she felt beneath. 'When did that happen?' she asked. 'Don't know,' said Rob quietly. Sue was sure he didn't. He'd wet a couple of times during the day over the last few weeks. Once in the car on the freeway, and anther time when he'd fallen asleep watching his cartoons. Sue supposed that was the case this time. Rob had been diapered for over a month in hospital when he was semi-comatose. Continuing night time problems after coming home were common, and Rob's medical team had advised Sue about handling the issue as it reduced over time. Naturally, Rob had been upset when he realised that he was being diapered and changed by the nurses, and had found it hard to come to terms with Sue continuing the regime when he arrived home. Sue, on the other hand, found a weird satisfaction in diapering Rob. They were childless, and Sue, who had always volunteered to be 'Mommy' in dress up games as a child, enjoyed her nightly guilty pleasure as she diapered her husband. Even when Rob had managed two dry nights in a row, Sue cheated a little on her instructions from the nurses. She was supposed to 'reward' Rob by a diaper free night, relying on the plastic sheet for any mishaps. She ignored that, instead comforting her bedwetting husband and assuring him that the problem would go away eventuaoly and until then she would take care of him. Sue had even felt a little excited when Rob had wet in the car, and for their next long car trip suggested that Rob wear a diaper. She was disappointed when Rob refused outright. Now, as she helped her still upset husband undress in the bathroom, she wondered if three daytime wettings in as many weeks justified her insisting Rob wear a diaper when there was a chance he'd doze off, or for those long car trips. Sue watched Rob in the shower. He'd been clean shaven by the nurses, and Sue had kept up the practice. She'd decided to use a depilatory as well, and was pleased to see that the regrowth of Rob's pubic hair was now very light and sparse. She felt the familiar twinge of excitement in her own pubic area as she thought about it. She let her thoughts drift. As a result of the accident, Rob was now impotent. The doctors said there could be some change, but it was uncertain. Strangely, Sue didn't mind. Their sex life had never been very dynamic, and since coming home, Rob, a natural cuddler, had been more affectionate than ever. Neither he nor Sue had said anything about it, but he seemed more focused on Sue's breasts now. He'd even suckled her a few times, and Sue hadn't objected. She'd thought happily of her role of 'mummy' in the dress up games of long ago. Rob emerged from the shower. Back in the bedroom, Sue suggested that he put on his night time diaper. 'Now?' said Rob. 'It's only 5.30!' Again, Sue felt the little thrill deep in her belly, and as Rob turned away from her she pushed her vulva against the corner of the dressing table, and briefly closed her eyes. 'Yes, Rob,' said Sue. 'I've got a lot of work to do tonight, and if you're going to sit around and watch TV, I don't want to take any chances.' 'I won't need them,' objected Rob. 'I'll be awake. Today was just, I dunno, I must have fallen asleep.' ''You might fall asleep again,' said Sue. 'I won't' said Rob. 'And what if someone comes over?' 'They won't,' said Sue, making her way to the diaper drawer in the chest and opening it. 'On the bed please, Rob.' Both Sue and Rob knew how this would end. Both partners had slowly become aware of a subtle change in their relationship since Rob's return from hospital. Not only was Sue now the breadwinner, but she tended increasingly to make decisions for both of them. Sue stood by the bed in her business clothes, holding a thick white diaper, while Rob was naked in front of her. His small pink penis lay curled over his modest testicles, now held up tight against his smooth groin by his hairless scrotum. Rob didn't feel any modesty at all now, especially in front of Sue. The weeks in hospital after he had fully awoken, with nurses regularly bed-bathing and diapering him, had removed any sense of embarrassment about displaying his genitals. They were just like any other part of his body now. Rob had accepted that Sue now wrapped herself in a towel in his presence when she was naked, although it made him feel as if she were an adult and he was a child. He didn't like to think about it. 'Here please Rob,' said Sue, laying the diaper out on the bed. Rob gave in, and manoeuvred himself onto the spread diaper. They'd been through the issue of Rob diapering himself. The nurses did it at the hospital, and now at home, after a couple of attempts by Rob, Sue had told him that it was better for her to do it in order to ensure that the garment fitted properly. 'It's too early,' grumbled Rob as Sue finished fixing the tapes. 'Rob, please, no more of that,' said Sue. 'Stand up.' Rob stood quietly while Sue pulled his plastic pants up around his waist. He caught sight of his reflection in the big mirror on the wardrobe door. Apart from their sizes, Sue and he looked like a mother and child. Sue with her full figure, smartly dressed in adult clothing, and Rob, slight and naked except for a bulky white diaper and plastic pants. He felt like crying. Sue left him standing while she found a large t shirt. Rob put his arms up and Sue pulled the shirt over them. 'There you are,' she announced, giving Rob a pat on his padded backside. Rob looked down at his diaper. 'What about pants?' he asked. 'You're just at home,' said Sue.'You don't need pants.' Rob swallowed hard. It was bad enough feeling like a child without looking like one. 'I want them,' he said. Sue laughed. 'Ooh, 'I want pants!'',' she said in a jocular manly voice. 'Track pants,' said Rob. Sue thought for a moment. 'Honey, your track pants are in the wash, which you didn't do today. Your jeans will be too tight over your diaper, so you can wear a pair of my stretchy shorts,' she said. Retrieving a pair from the chest of drawers while Rob stood, unhappily thinking that the phrase 'your diaper' applied to him. Sue helped Rob into the shorts. Rob looked again at the mirror. He wished now that he had put the washing machine on. The long t shirt hid most of Sue's pastel yellow shorts, but they still bulged beneath the shirt. Rob was very obviously diapered, and the white padding of his diaper was clearly visible below the hem of the shorts around his thighs. He reached down and tried to pull the fabric over the diaper, but it wouldn't stay there. 'You look fine, baby,' said Sue brightly, watching Rob's concerned face. 'Cute, even.' Rob felt the emotions mixing in his head again. He didn't want to look cute. 'Come on sweetie,' said Sue, taking his hand and leading him into the living area. 'I'm an adult. I'm an adult,' Rob found himself thinking as he followed Sue, conscious of the thick padding splaying his legs slightly as he walked. He felt strangely adrift, and couldn't help gripping Sue's warm hand. To be continued.

Hey everyone - I wrote this randomly in 4 hours today. Posting it for fun. I usually write stories for my own enjoyment but decided I'd share this one. I know there are a lot of fundamental mistakes, grammatical errors etc and I'm naturally bad at writing pros. I did not really proof read this. I know the content is a bit unrealistic and what not - but it the kind of story I like so I decided I'd take shot at it. Anyway - if people like the general theme or where it is going, I'll clean it up - format it and continue it in parts to share... Kyle's Summer Vacation: INTRODUCTION: It has been one week since summer began, and Kyle Connors was anxious with how quickly the last year had gone by. The 20-year-old boy lived with his parents in upstate New York, they were both professors at a local university and had high expectations for their children. His mother was a neuroscience researcher currently on sabbatical to write her book and his father was an archeologist who had just left for a dig in South America which would last most of the summer. Kyle’s older sister Kayla had been the golden child, she was a math/science prodigy and enrolled in Dartmouth two year’s prior. Kyle unfortunately was not as scholastically gifted as his sister, but he did okay was a B student and had been a competitive track athlete until a nasty fall ended his career during the final meet of the season. This led him to take a gap year instead of enrolling in college, he just wanted time to reevaluate his situation. So, over the past 6 months he’d been taking a few classes at a community college and working part-time at a local supermarket. To his parents’ disappointment – his progress at community college was well below their expectations, with him barely getting a C average his first year. More than anything they were concerned with his lack of attention and complacency, he seemed unmotivated. If anything, this gap year had caused him to go backwards – he was still relying on his parents for so much and didn’t seem to want to grow up. In fact – Kyle seemed to be settling into a normal routine as the child in the household. He would wait until the final moment to do his laundry, usually his mother would just end up doing it for him. He was resigned to playing video games and watching cartoons more often than his parents would have liked. He was naturally a clumsy person, so being around the house more often – he seemed to always be spilling on the furniture and tracking dirt through the house. Things like dishes, yardwork and general adult responsibilities were simply difficult for him to handle, so his parents were resigned to do it all themselves. Not surprisingly – Kyle’s parents had put numerous restrictions around his life. He had an early curfew, still had a bedtime and they even had parentals controls for him when he was watching TV or using the internet. To reduce distractions they’d throttled his phone, so the only apps he could engage with were learning based or educational. Beyond this – they had just taken to treating Kyle a bit younger than his actual age, basically wanting to know where he was at any given moment, what he was doing and wanting to make sure he was safe. In their eyes he simply was a kid, not an adult. Kayla had just arrived home two days ago, she was on her summer break and was ready to enjoy a relaxing summer.. Kyle was extremely jealous of his older sister, and it was really dawning on him how much better she had it. At this moment summer vacation was a thing of the past for him, he had to work at his boring job and was in online classes to make up for the failed classes from the prior year. His parents were elated with all her progress, and she was not under the same rules or super vision Kyle was. She had complete freedom as an adult should. This was not helping his stress and anxiety – the peer-pressure was a lot for him to deal with and he was having trouble sleeping, with dreadful anxious thoughts of failure keeping him up at night. Even though Kyle had been injured the prior year, he was still able to run long distance, and this was his main outlet for relieving himself of anxiety or stress. At 5’3 and 135 pounds – he had the perfect body for long distance and was pushing himself to get ready for marathon coming up in the fall. Even with all the strenuous exercise – he still was having trouble getting enough sleep and this was starting to complicate his life even further. About a week ago, the reality of his sisters return and his depressing circumstances set in on him. His mental health was waning and it was all starting to affect him physically. It seemed to all come crumbling down when he woke up a 4:30 AM to discover he’d done something that hadn’t done since the 8th grade – Kyle had wet the bed. This was not exactly foreign to Kyle – he had issues with intermittent bedwetting all the way up to middle school and had worn Goodnites for his predicament until he was 11. In fact, Kyle had struggled with potty training in his early years and because this he’d started kindergarten a year late, since at age 5 he was still in and out of diapers. His doctor had told his parents he had a small bladder and this was something that he’d likely have to deal with for the rest of his life. Kyle was good about limiting liquids but still usually went to use the restrooms 2 or 3 times more frequently than his peers. This is something he just had learned to deal with. That early morning Kyle was so disappointed in himself, he couldn’t believe what had happened and was not looking forward to his parents finding out. He luckily had a change of sheets in the closet. So quickly – he removed his soil linens and stuffed them in shopping bag and was able to fall back asleep. The next morning, he slept in and his mother was gone when he woke up, likely on her morning walk. He quickly went downstairs to do the laundry and cover up his shameful wetting incident. When his Mom arrived home later that day – things began to get complicated… Kyle was sitting in the kitchen watching Hilda when his mother called out from the den -“Hey honey – did you put some laundry down?” his mother asked in a surprising tone. “Yes, Mom I put it down an hour or so ago, just my sheets – I think it should be done soon” Kyle answered in a nervous studder. “Why did you do your sheets? I just washed them yesterday” his mother inquired shouting from the other room. “Sorry mom, I had night sweats last night and they just were gross – I’ll put them in the dryer shortly” he was really hoping his mother would drop this and move on. “Okay well I appreciate you helping, looks like they just finished so I will put them in the dryer – I need to get the rest of our laundry done” she thought to herself that this was a good sign, Kyle almost never did chores like this, maybe this summer he’ll start to grow up. As she opened the washer she was met with a pungent smell – it was unmistakably urine. As a mother of two children, she knew exactly what had happened. “Hey Kyle” his mother shouted presumptuously “did you forget to put detergent in the washer?” Kyle’s face went pale, and he sat in silence hoping the inevitable would not happen – how could he forget such a simple thing. As he turned to go try to mitigate the incident his mother came around the corner with his sheets in her arms. “Kyle Anders Connors – do you have something to tell me!” she was looking at him with a stern expression. Kyle couldn’t bring himself to admit the truth, so he stared at his bowl of cheerios sheepishly. “Kyle these sheets smell like pee, did you wet the bed last night?” his mother asked concernedly. “I, I, I’m not sure what happened mom – I’ve been really tired and I did 8 miles yesterday I must have drank too much water, I’m sorry” his face was beet red with shame and he wanted to run as fast as he could out the front door. His mother responded calmly but in a serious manner “Young man, accidents happen but I will not have you lying about it. I need you to be honest with me and your father all the time. It’s obvious that you can’t handle this like an adult. Let’s hope this is a one-time thing, if it happens again – you need to tell me right away and I will take care of cleaning it up since you seemingly can’t do it properly. If I’m not here, you need to call or text me to tell me what happened and I’ll give you instructions, am I clear?” “Yes mom” he responded with a very embarrassed look on his face. This was not exactly how he wanted this summer to start. He wanted to come up with some sort of excuse, but he couldn’t think of anything worth saying. His mother left the room quickly and put the sheets in the washer to run them again with soap. As she returned to the kitchen she sat down at the table across from Kyle… she sniffed the air inquisitively, there was a musty smell and she realized where it was coming from. “Kyle! Have you showered since this happened? You smell like pee!” she stated bluntly. “Sorry mom, I was hungry and had come downstairs to eat – I just forgot!” He responded with a terribly embarrassed look on his face. He was almost at tears. “That is ridiculous and gross! You must be more responsible than this. What next, am I going to have to bathe you as well! Go up and take a shower this instant!” Kyle immediately got up from the table and ran upstairs – so relieved to get away from possibly his most embarrassing moment in recent memory. After the awful morning and a long shower Kyle was determined to have a better afternoon. He went for a run on his favorite trail and was going to push to do 14 miles today. During the run he thought about what had happened and how much he must have disappointed his mother. Hopefully the next few days would improve, and this would be forgotten about. Unfortunately – the next few days and week did not improve at all. His bedwetting became persistent, and he only managed to have two dry nights over a 7-day period. There was even a day on his way back from a run when he had an urgent need to pee and ended up soaking hit pants just minutes before arriving home, fortunately he was able to scramble up to his room and throw his jogging shorts along with his socks in plastic bag which he hid under his bed. Each wet morning he would strip his soiled pajamas off, take a shameful shower and after which he would head down would go to his mother to tell her what had happened. This routine was becoming painful for Kyle and for his mother. Both of them just hoped things would work themselves out, but it was becoming obvious something would have to be done to help Kyle with his issues. CHAPTER 1: PLANNING FOR BLACK BEAR It was Sunday afternoon and Kyle’s mother Karen was preparing for lunch thinking about the next few weeks. The next day Kyle, his sister and Mother would be driving 6 hours north to Maine for a 3-week trip at Black Bear Resort and Lodge just outside Acadia National Park. This was an annual tradition for the family and something Kyle always looked forward to. This year, since Kyle’s father wasn’t joining them – his mother had arranged for her research assistant Candice to come along. She was a single mother of a three-year-old girl named Karly. Candice has been having a tough year, with a recent divorce and grueling new project she had undertaken that was putting undue stress on her. Her specialty was in childhood/pre-adolescent psychology, and she had recently been working on a new study to identify issue in children suffering from avoidance and regressive behavior. Kyle’s mother always enjoyed Candice’s company and was excited to have an adult friend to spend time with on her annual vacation. The kids always went off to do the various activities during their trips to Black Bear and it would have been a rather lonely experience to be with the older crowd at the pool and bar by herself. In fact, when the kids were younger, they’d typically be in the kids camps and she would spend most of her time at the adult pool with her husband relaxing during the trip. Candice had been somewhat concerned about having her little girl along with her, especially since she explained that she was struggling with potty training. Candice had decided to take a break on training for the first month of summer to relieve pressure on both of them and planned to ramp it up again as they started to get closer to the school year. Kyle’s mother assured Candice that the Little Cubs activity program and daycare would be awesome for Karly. Also, there was a cabin designed for families with little ones or kids with special needs – stocked with a changing table, large tub and Montessori bed for children. She remembered how helpful the resort amenities have been with Kyle since he was also a late bloomer with the potty. Candice was relieved at this and was excited to get a few weeks to really relax. As this conversation was happening – Kyle’s mother was reminded of the current bedwetting issue her son had been having… she decided to bring the topic up to Candice. “Hey Candice… this is a bit embarrassing for me to admit – but can I ask you for some advice in confidence?” she asked sincerely. Candice realized that something was concerning her friend… “absolutely you know you can tell me anything, what is up?!” Kyle’s mother began with a slow sense of apprehension “Well this a bit embarrassing, the past few weeks Kyle has been having an issue… he’s been wetting his bed almost every night and actually I even found wet shorts and socks in a plastic bag under his bed the other day when cleaning – which I think was from a daytime accident ” Candice eyes grew softer and she spoke with empathetically “Oh I see – well that is a bit concerning for a boy his age. I know you’ve voice concerns about him before – have you managed to take him to the doctor yet?” she asked with concern. “Well yes, actually I got the call yesterday and all the tests came back. Medically he is in incredibly good shape. Years ago he was diagnosed with a small bladder and he’d struggled with this until he started middle school but we’ve had no problems until just recently…” She paused nervously getting ready to pose the next question. “You see I’ve been thinking about the trip and what to do – obviously I can’t have my son wetting his bed in the cabin every night. The laundry situation alone would be a nightmare, not to mention the potential damage to the mattress… so I’ve thought about getting him some… well protection for his nighttime accidents. I know this seems extreme putting a 20-year old in diapers but I don’t know what else to do. I wanted to ask – as my friend and a professional in the field – do you think it would be damaging to him, from a mental and emotional standpoint?” her face was glowing red at this point and was filled with dread at how her friend might respond. Candice looked on with a calm and determined expression “Karen – I actually think you’re going in the absolute right direction here. In fact I believe it would have a positive impact on him – both mentally and emotionally. I’d even encourage you to take it… well maybe a step further, let me explain. Look you’ve been talking to me about Kyle for years and I’ve gotten to know him ever since we started working together. It has never been my place to say this, but I think Kyle struggles from avoidant personality disorder. In my recent research – we’ve found that adolescents with high achieving parents and even more so those with high achieving older siblings – can suffer from a fear of failure that pacifies them from taking on challenges since they’d rather not try than fail at something.” Candice pauses for a moment to gauge Karen’s emotion, although concerned, she seemed engaged and willing to hear more. She continued “in my recent studies – we’ve found that lowering the bar – if you will - can have incredibly positive outcomes for children suffering from this condition. In fact we’ve found recently that letting a child take a few steps back, can help them really explore themselves, release anxiety and gain new perspectives on life. This leads to more confidence, a willingness to take chances, helps them understand that failure is natural and is a natural part of life. This is part of the reason I’m having Karly go back to diapers for summer and am encouraging her to be little for a bit longer, not making it a punishment but an opportunity for he to be my lovely baby for just a little while more. This way she can come to terms with her outcome and be ready to try again with renewed confidence.” Karen looked at Candice with a somewhat concerned but very understanding look, “so you’re saying I should encourage Kyle to… umm act like a little kid? How would I even begin to do that?” Karen asked. Candice thought for a moment then said “well I think you just approach the whole situation with as much concern and empathy as possible. I’d suggest you bring up the diapers to him and make rules around the situation. For one, I think you take control over the whole bedtime & diapering process and further put him on a potty training regiment. That means, you’re the one who puts him in them and takes him out of them and you're the one supervising his use of the bathroom. Although he may be resistant in the beginning, it will take pressure off of him – I think it will be key to do this in the most loving and encouraging way possible. I’d also explain that since he is not completely potty trained – that there will be rules – just like I had with Karly. For instance – if he has any daytime accidents - that would mean he is in diapers for the rest of the day. From there – I bet there are little things we can work on together during our trip to help naturally regress him. Also - this is up to your discretion but I think you may need to explain to him the situation and give him options. He would either comply with our program or enroll him in a different type of correctional program... I'll let you decide what that would be. I mean he isn’t that big to begin with and if my evaluation is correct on him – the regression process will be a somewhat natural process for him. One thing I think we do right now, is call the Resort and see if they have any additional family rooms available. I bet Kyle would be just the right fit for the Montessori bed I the room they got for me and it would help with the whole process.” Karen nodded her head apprehensively “Okay I think this is worth giving a try, thank you for the advise Candice and the help in executing this. Hopefully we get great results for Kyle”. Although she was concerned over this, she felt what Candice was saying was right and this might be the perfect opportunity to give Kyle some time to be a kid again… well actually little kid and get him over the fear of failure. So that afternoon – they made all the arrangements and came up with a plan. Candice went shopping for a few things to help and was going to pack basically double for Karly to prepare for how far down the rabbit whole Kyle ended up going. Karen called the resort to make some changes to their reservation and ask some questions on camp policy. She was greeted by the nicest lady to which she explained her situation. She told her that one of her teenagers (she fibbed a bit here) had been having some issues with incontinence and would need extra help during the trip to attend to his “special needs”. The resort admin was extremely grateful for Karen’s information and honesty – since the camp has strict access policies for children who aren’t potty trained. The office woman expanded that she was in luck since a three-bed family cabin had just been canceled on and had 4 weeks of availability. She further explained that it was two rooms with queen beds and a third room that was designed as nursery/special needs room. She wanted to make sure this one was okay with her, since it was equipped with a large built in changing table, twin sized toddler daybed with a detachable front gate and a rocking chair. Also, she added that the room’s additional fee included complimentary access to ALL kids camp programs, which were accessible to children under the age of 17. Karen realized that she was being a bit dishonest here but knew that Kyle could easily pass for a teenager with his small size and baby face. “We’ll take it Miss, thank you for all your help we really look forward to checking in and enjoying our stay.” She got off the phone and went up to Kayla’s room where she was reading – she needed to fill her in on what was happening and how she’d be needed to support this. “Hey honey we need to talk” Karen said to her daughter. “Sure mom whats up?” Kayle responded. Karen explained the situation to her - Kayla although somewhat confused and frankly a bit amused seemed to grasp the plan and agreed to be supportive of everything her mother and Candice wanted to do. With that Karen grabbed her keys and with Kayla were off to the store to get supplies for the 3 week vacation that they were sure to never forget. CHAPTER 2: WAKING UP TO NEW RULES It was Monday morning at 8 AM – the day of the long journey to Maine. Karen walked into Kyle’s room to start the day and get things moving, She had planned this out in her head a thousand times the night before. He was still sound asleep and she was not surprised to smell the extremely strong smell of urine in the air – Kyle had wet himself in his sleep once again. Karen gently shook him awake, as Kyle stirred and slowly opened his eyes his mother in the most sweet tone she could muster said, “Sweety – it’s time to get up we have a very big day ahead of us. You had a big accident last night honey, you go shower to go get cleaned up and come back in here so we can get everything ready” Kyle was dazed and confused, his mother never came in his room like this but he figured it was a big day ahead so she was just trying to move things along. With less shame than usual as this had become more routine, Kyle said “I’m sorry mom, I didn’t mean to have another accident – yah okay I’ll go jump in the shower right now” she gave him a sympathetic stare and said “aww its okay my sweet boy, you couldn’t help it – just go get all clean and come back in here for a little chat when you’re finished. We just need to talk a little, don’t worry we’ll get everything sorted out” He nodded cautiously, a bit embarrassed by his mother’s tone and somewhat concerned by what she wanted to talk about. He jumped out of bed quickly to escape the situation and headed as quickly as possible to the bathroom across the hall. While in the shower – Karen got his bed stripped, put on the new plastic sheet she’d purchased the night before and brought in the new bag she had packed for Kyle which she would be showing him as they discussed the new rules he was going to have for summer. After a nice hot shower, Kyle came back in his room wrapped in a towel, his small frame was totally exposed and he was a bit timid to be so bare in front of his mother. His mother had pulled up a chair next to his bed and patted the soft plastic sheet saying “Okay Kyle come sit down, we need to have a talk” Kyle nodded his head and although he wanted to protest, he knew better with his mother and didn’t want to risk having a fight right before they went on vacation. He was somewhat upset by the new plastic sheet on his bed but was not surprised and thought it was rational in a lot of ways. He nodded his head and went and took a seat on the side of his bed. His mother spoke sternly but calmly “Kyle you’re just going to listen to what I have to say and not interrupt me – do you understand – I will tell you when I’m finished, if you interrupt me you will be punished and will not like it” Kyle nodded his head and began to realize this was going to be more than he had expected. “That’s a good boy – so as you know we’re going on our little trip today. The past few weeks you’ve been having a lot of trouble with the potty and it is time we address this issue” Kyle winced at his mother using the word potty, is seemed so childish and demeaning but he continued to listen to his mother “We are in a tough situation here, I simply can’t have you wetting the bed or your pants while we are on vacation. Especially since there is no way for me to do laundry, you could damage the bed in our cabin and plus it is just too much work for me to deal with while I’m trying to relax on vacation. As you know Candice and Karly will be joining us on our trip to Black Bear and will be riding up with us in the car today. I’ve spoken with Candice about your “situation” and we determined that the next few weeks is the perfect opportunity to deal with your problems and help you along. I know you’ve been under a lot of stress and we want to help you release that stress and get over your fear of failure.” Kyle as this point was terrified, what could his mother be talking about and why did she tell Candice about his bedwetting! Still Kyle remained silent and let his mother finish, she continued “I’ve decided that from a practical standpoint, you’ll need to be wearing protection during this trip. That means at night you’ll be wearing a diaper and during the day you’ll be wearing goodnite pull ups. Do not protest, I know you wet your pants the other day and hid it from me.” Kyle was dumbstruck but stayed silent, he new better than to interrupt his mother in these moments. “Further I’ve decided with Candice’s guidance that we should let you have some time to be free of responsibility and give you extra attention during this time. I promise this is going to be good for you and you’ll really enjoy it once you get past some of the natural embarrassment. You do not need to worry about being teased or anything, Kayla, myself and Candice are all on board here. So during the next three weeks, you’re going to be treated a bit like Karly, instead of a 20 years old – we’re going to give you the attention and supervision that a 3 year old would need. Not on everything but on little things. That means there are new rules you need to be aware of: We need to keep track of your potty time and give attention to your bedwetting. As I said you’ll be wearing protection at all times. Diapers will be required at night. You’re not allowed to remove your diapers on your own, an adult will be putting them on you and changing you out of them. During the day, unless deemed otherwise, you’ll be in pull ups. When you need to use the potty, you will come get an adult who will take you to use to bathroom, this will encourage you to be more attentive and will make sure you have no embarrassing accidents. Secondly – if you have an accident in your pull up, you’ll be put in diapers for the rest of the day and the bathroom will be off limits until the following day. We can’t be having accidents all the time. During our stay – we’ve arranged a family cabin. You’ll be staying in your own special room which is setup to accommodate your needs. The first week, your bedtime is going to be 8 PM. I will get you ready for bed an hour early, make sure you’re fed and bathed before bedtime. If you’re good and behave, we can talk about later bedtimes the 2nd and 3rd week. If you misbehave you’ll be subject time outs and if it gets to it, I will spank you if you disobey me, Kayla or Candice. You're required to be under adult supervision at all times. No going anywhere with out me, Kayla or Candice. When we are doing adult activities during our stay, you’ll be going with Karly to Kid's camp. We’ve arranged it all and you’ll be in good hands there. Staff are aware of you potty issues and they have specific rules/policies that you’ll need to follow. I will be picking out your outfits, bathing you and taking care of most things for you so you can focus just on having fun and relaxing during this trip. “Keep in mind, this is not just to address your potty problems but also something we’ve determined will be a therapy to help you overcome your crippling anxiety. I know you want that for yourself, so I hope you can be mature about this and let yourself enjoy this treatment for what it is. If you refuse, then I’ve made arrangements for you to stay at the University Hospital over the next three weeks in the Psychiatric ward – for an experimental drug therapy which I think you’d find to be… well not very fun. Okay so with that, I’ve said what I need to say and you’re free to respond.” Kyle looked down at the floor with and clenched his hands in fist. How on earth could his mother be doing this to him. This was so incredibly bizarre. How could he – a 20 year old man be reduced to wearing diapers and being treated like a child. Beyond the legality of it – he figured it was just crazy, however he knew he was in a pickle. His mother has a lot of power and knew the law incredibly well – he was not about to go to the Psychiatric ward – he’d been there before a few years ago when he took a bunch of pills and did not want to go back. He gathered the courage to respond and held back as much malice in his voice as he could, “I, I can’t believe you’re doing this to me! I do not deserve this… I mean I’ll wear diapers at night, that I can at least understand but why do I have to be treated like a toddler! That is simply ridiculous. Can I just wear the diapers, I’ll even let you change me if that makes things easier… I just can’t imagine going through all this.” Kyle pleaded aggressively. His mother stood up and sternly said “Kyle this situation has been evaluated and the plan is in place, either you accept this or we make the call right now and have you in the hospital this afternoon. This choice is up to you” Kyle looked was furious but he was deflated and staired at the floor. Karen calmy took her seat and put her hand on his knee “Honey I promise you’re going to have a lot of fun these next three weeks and it’s going to be good for all of us.” She gently tilted up his head and looked in his eyes “So baby, can you be brave boy for me and go along with what we have planned – we know what is best for you and this is going to help so much.” Kyle was tearing up and although he was upset at the whole situation – he knew his trade off and he had little choice but to comply. Kyle nodded his head begrudgingly and his mother smiled. “Awww that is my good boy, well we’re going to make this a trip to remember. So I have some things to show you and we need to get you ready for the big road trip”. With that his mother reached under his bed and pulled out an extra-large light blue suit case with Mickey mouse cartoon characters running all over it. This made Kyle blush in embarrassment. “So this has everything we need for your trip but I went ahead and got some of your swimsuits and regular clothes in there too for the last few weeks. Let’s get you all ready for the big car ride little guy” Karen walked over to the closet and came back with some clothes in her hand and to his surprise she was holding a big white diaper, with powder and lotion. “Mom – I thought you said I was going to be in pull-ups during the day?” Kyle asked – he was so embarrassed that he was actually begging to be able to wear a pull up, this was insane. His mother replied “Look we have a 6 hour car ride and we can’t be stopping every few minutes for you baby. Plus you always nod off in the car and your pull ups just wouldn’t hold a big wetting like that. This is for the best and plus – I said you’d be in diaper as “deemed” necessary so lay down on your bed and we’ll get you all ready” Kyle was flabbergasted, this was happening so quickly. In that moment he was paralyzed and just did what his mother asked. He laid down and closed his eyes so incredibly embarrassed on what was about to happen. His mother peeled away the front of the towel and exposed her naked little boy. She was surprised to see Kyle had no pubic hair, but she remembered that she had always bought him extra razors for him to shave his legs, he just preferred it as a runner – I guess he did it all the way up. With her little boy exposed she proceeded to lifting up his legs and having him hold them in position. She fluffed out the thick disposable and tucked it neatly underneath his bottom. She then proceeded to rub lotion on him and dust him with baby powder. She had him lower his legs, so she could do the front and then fit the diaper snugly over him. Taping each side securely in place. She knew in a few days this would become very routine and was actually surprised by how much fulfillment she was getting out of caring for her little boy. “Okay sweety that wasn’t so bad, you can open your eyes now you’re all done” She said softly to him hoping this wasn’t too much for her son. Kyle leaned upward feeling the new padding between his legs. It was humiliating but he was surprised with how comfortable it was, the fresh powder and lotion giving him an odd sensation. The brief moment of calm was disrupted by his mother saying “Okay arms up for me” He complied and his mother put a light blue smoky the bear T-shirt on him, he was about to protest but she was too quick. He was simply mortified by what she had for him next... “Alright little one let’s get you to step in your cute little outfit I picked out special for today” What she held out for him what was unmistakably a dark blue denim short-alls, he wouldn’t have been surprised if they were girls as they were uncommon for men but no doubt they were his size and would fit him. Again, he didn’t see any other thing to do but to listen to his mother. So with one foot and then the other he stepped into his new childish garment. His mother asked him to stand up as she pulled the shorts over his diaper hand secured the buckles of each strap over his shoulder. He could feel his diaper underneath pushing up between his legs and he was blushing red at the babyish feeling he was getting from being dressed like this by his mother. He simply couldn’t believe this was happening to him and stared in defeat at the floor, afraid to even glance at himself in the mirror. His mother gushed “Oh my you just look so adorable, already for our big adventure!" To be continued...

Chapter 1 Finn sat on the bus looking at passers by through the window and thinking ‘what have I let myself in for?’. He’d been an avid user of fetlife for little under 6 months and it didn’t take long for him to make a connection on there. After back and forth for a couple of months, he’d agreed to meet Holly - an experienced abdl mummy who lived only an hours bus ride away. Although nervous about exposing his ABDL fetish to someone he’d never met before, he wanted this and decided to take the plunge. As he focused on the music blaring from his earphones, he looked down at himself and felt embarrassed and hoped no one would judge him based on his outfit. As part of the agreement for meeting Finn, Holly had sent him some clothes that she wanted him to wear to their first meeting. His outfit consisted of a pair of briefs with dinosaur patterns all over (he had no idea how she found some in his size, he assumed she’d bought them from Etsy), some light grey jersey shorts and a t-shirt with photos of marvel superheroes all over it. Although he was 19 years old, he in fact looked at 12. He guessed it would all be part of the experience, but he was surprised that she didn’t make him wear a nappy, or even pull-ups. The final detail was that she’d ordered him to have a breakfast of oatmeal, a large coffee and a a 1 litre bottle of water. It didn’t take a genius to figure out why. “Next stop: Baker Road” the bus announcement said. ‘My stop’ Finn thought, as he took out his earphones and got up off the seat and walked down the bus as it came to a stop. He thanked the bus driver and then opened up Google maps to make sure he headed in the right direction. Holly has assured him her house was only a few doors down from the bus stop, and sure enough he found it with ease. The house was semi-detached and fairly unassuming, with a well kept front garden and a small hatchback car parked in the driveway. “Here we go” Finn said as he took a deep breath and made his way towards the front door. After hesitating for a second, he rung the doorbell and waited patiently for an answer. In super quick time the door flung open. “Hello sweety, you must be Finn?” Holly chirped. She was exactly how she described, a tall, blonde, middle aged beauty who towered above Finn and was wearing a tight light grey sports vest and matching shorts, revealing her amazing figure. “Yep that’s me, nice to meet you” Finn replied, shaking with nerves. Holly unexpectedly pulled him in and gave him a big hug, and as she did his head nestled between her plump boobs, due to the height difference. After a few seconds she let go and they both looked at each other. “Since it’s such a nice day, shall we go for a walk and we can chat and get to know each other?” Holly proposed. “Yeah sure” Finn replied, slightly scared to suggest otherwise. “Awesome, I’ll just get my phone!” Holly said as she quickly ran back into the house to grab her phone. As she ran away Finn got a good look at her bum, and he tried his best not to get too excited and did his best to stop him getting a semi. Holly ran back towards him and walked him down the driveway and back down the road towards a small woods near Holly’s house. As they walked they made basic small talk to put Finn at ease, and to be fair it worked. Although the butterflies in his stomach had been replaced with an ever growing urge in his bladder. They finally made it to the woods and it was beautiful but also very quiet and secluded. “So Finn lets get down to business. So you want to be my baby?” Holly asked. Finn’s eyes widened as she asked him. “Ummm, yeah I do” Finn replied. “You are very cute Finn and I think you’d definitely make a very cute baby. But you can’t just become a baby just like that, first you need to prove that you are a baby” Holly explained. “Tell me Finn - what do babies do?”. “Babies play with toys and take naps?” Finn answered. “Correct, what else do they do?” Holly replied. “They crawl around and drink milk?” Finn said, confused as to where this was going. “Right again. Also Finn, what do babies wear?” Holly replied again. Now he realised where this was going. “Onesies?” Finn said, trying to avoid the obvious. “Yes they do Finn, but they also wear nappies underneath. Right now Finn you aren’t a baby because you don’t do any of those things and you aren’t wearing any of those things. But if you want to be a baby you need to show me that you NEED all of that, not just want it” Holly explained as he grabbed his shoulder and stopped him. They were both stood in an opening in the woods. “So, did you have the breakfast I told you to have this morning?” Holly asked. “Yes I did” Finn replied. “Good boy, so I’m guessing that right now you need to use the toilet right?” Holly said as she looked down at his crotch. “Umm yeah, I kind of need a wee” Finn answered nervously as he put his hands on his crotch. “Okay, well to prove to me you need nappies you’re going to have to show me that you need them. So Finn, I want you to wet yourself right now” Holly requested. Finn was shocked. He assumed he’d be wetting himself at some point during the day but he didn’t expect to be doing it in his pants and not in a nappy. He didn’t want to admit how desperate he was to Holly but tried his best to hide it. “But Holly we’re in public, and everyone will be able to tell” he pleaded. “I don’t care Finn, you need to prove how much of a baby you are and remember I’m in charge” she said as she bent over and moved his arms to his side and forced his legs open slightly. “I’m going to count down from five, and when I get to one I want you to wet your pants. “Five…” Holly said as she stood back and stared at him. “Wait Holly, I’m not sure I can…” “4…” “Hmmmm please” “3…” “Please don’t make me do this” “2…” “Holly!” “1…” Finn panicked, but for some reason he had accepted what he had to do. He shut his eyes and tried to imagine being stood infront of the toilet with his pants around his ankles. After a few seconds he felt a small spurt of wee get soaked up by his pants, but once it started he couldn’t stop it, a torrent of wee came out as he felt the front of his shorts warm and streams of wee trickled down his legs. After one final push he was finished, and he’d totally soaked his shorts and pants. As he opened his eyes and looked at Holly, he was alerted to the fact she was filming him! “Good boy Finn, looks like you’ve had a big accident! I wanted to film it so I can show you how much of a baby you are. So, you’ve done a number one in your pants, but there’s one more thing you need to do for me to prove you definitely need nappies. I know that the breakfast you had this morning should have already made it’s way through your body. So… do you need to go number two?” Holly explained. He hadn’t admitted it but his bowels were in need of release too and pushing the wee out had now made that more obvious. “Please don’t make me do that, I’ll do anything please” Finn pleaded. As embarrassing as it was wetting himself, messing was even worse. “Finn, you want to be a baby right? Surely you didn’t think you’d be messing yourself at some point? This way you’ll prove that you aren’t grown up enough for big boy pants and that you need to wear nappies. Now drop your shorts and turn around so your bum is facing me. If you don’t, I’ll march you back to that bus stop right now and send you home in wet shorts. Come on do it” Holly ordered. Slightly scared, Finn pulled down his shorts to reveal his soaking dinosaur briefs and turned around so she could see his petite bum and hairless legs. “Good boy, now I don’t mind if you bend over a bit but I want you to poo in those cute pants of yours, I won’t count you down but I want you to push right now” Holly ordered as she held her phone up and began filming. Finn didn’t fight it. He bent his knees slightly held the bottom of his t-shirt as a comforter and began to push. Due to the oatmeal and coffee it didn’t take a huge amount of effort before a soft lump of poo escaped his bum and met the resistance of his pants. It felt weird, like a big hot lump sat between his cheeks and pants as he gave it one more push and the poo left his bum completely, being held in place by the fabric. “Uh oh! Looks like Finn has made a big mess in his pants! Oof and it’s smelly too, what a big accident you’ve had!” Holly teased as she finished filming. “Turn around for me Finn” she ordered. Finn turned around, still in the bent position, and looked up at Holly to see she was still filming him. “Stand up straight for me” Holly asked. Finn slowly stood up straight as he felt the mush in his pants squelch as he bum cheeks closed slightly. “Now tell me your name” Holly ordered, still filming. “Ummm I’m Finn” he answered. “Good boy Finn. Now tell me why you need to wear nappies” Holly said as she looked sternly into his eyes. He knew what the game was at this point and the threat of putting him back on a bus in this state was too much to bear. “I need nappies because… because I had an accident” Finn mumbled quietly. “What kind of accident” Holly said. “I’ve wet and… and pooed myself” Finn admitted as a tear rolled from his eye. “Show me Finn, lift your shirt up and turn around”. Holly ordered again. Finn then slowly turned around to reveal the darkened lump in the back of his pants. “Oh dear, looks like Finn here isn’t potty trained and looks like he’ll have to go back into nappies” Holly played up to the cameras as she stopped filming. “You can turn back around Finn, and pull your shorts up” Holly requested. He did so within seconds. “Well done Finn, you’ve now proved to me how much you need nappies. Let’s get you back home and cleaned up because you are so dirty, and you stink” Holly held out her hand and Finn walked towards her and held her hand. “One more thing, from now on you are now going to call me ‘mummy’. Understand” Holly said. “Yes” Finn answered sheepishly. “Yes what?” Holly said. “Yes mummy” Finn answered. The walk back to Holly’s house was thankfully uneventful, apart from one dog walker giving Finn a weird look after seeing the huge wet patch on the front of his shorts, and his slight waddle. Mercifully they reached Holly’s house and as quickly as possible Finn reached her porch as she unlocked the door. “Shoes off please” Holly ordered as Finn bent down and untied his trainers. He noticed another pair of trainers at the door, that were white in colour with pink accents. “Phew you really do reek, let’s get you cleaned up” Holly said as she took his hand and led him into the living room. “We’re home sweety!” Holly announced loudly as they entered, and Finn was stopped in his tracks as he was met with a shocking sight. He locked eyes with a young woman, probably around the same age as him, sat on the wooden floor infant of the television wearing nothing but a pink and white striped t-shirt and a thick ABU BunnyHopps nappy with her hair in pigtails and a pink dummy in her mouth. Her eyes widened like they were about to pop out of her sockets. Her eyes then panned down to the large wet patch on his shorts. He again thought to himself, ‘what have I let myself in for?’.

Ruby was a small high school graduate currently looking for a job to save money to move in to her own apartment

Anya was happily sitting in her aisle seat, waiting for the plane to take off. She was finally getting a vacation from her demanding job, getting to spend a whole month on the sunny beaches of Greece! She couldn't wait to get to her hotel and lay down on a nice, luxurious bed, before going for a dip in the warm water. She was so busy day dreaming, however, that she didn't notice when a man came, hiping to get into his seat that she was blocking. She gasped a bit when she felt his hand on her shoulder, and she turned to look down at the sweet little man. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry, dear." She cooed and got up, allowing him to get in next to her. He was stuck in the middle seat, even though the window seat was empty! For Anya, this was no problem. She was absolutely thrilled to be flying alongside of such a polite boy. She noticed that the boy was a bit jittery, and his eyes were wide. "Is everything alright dear? Is this your very first flight?" She hadn't yet come to the realisation that this was an adult! "Relax, my dear, I'm sure this will go alright." She stated in a soft, motherly tone. She herself hadn't ever been blessed with children, or even a husband, but she had always loved children, and this boy next to her was, in her mind, a child. So, she figured she would try to talk him though the time to hopefully make him feel better. "What brings you on this flight, dear?" She asked, reaching over and putting a hand on the girl's shoulder. "You're all by yourself? No parents or anything?" She asked with a concerned frown. "It's an awfully long trip for a boy your age... Are you visiting family?" She questioned. While she had a very nice designer bag there under her seat, she noticed that he had a scruffy backpack. Immediately she grew more concerned- what was with the family? Would they seriously let a little boy travel alone without any proper luggage?

Olivia is a young woman who has problems with her anxiety. Unable to take the stress of her job she quits. Landon is a young woman who, in may ways, is the polar opposite of Olivia. Confident and oozing sexiness she senses an opportunity. Dan is Olivia's husband and works in the same company. When he goes home to see his wife he is greeted by an unusual scene for most people. For Dan is was entirely expected. --- Writing is my passion and my only source of income. If you enjoy my stories you may be interested to learn that you can see every update I post one week before the rest of the world with a $5 pledge on Patreon. For $10 you can see everything early AND 47 full length stories that can only be found on my Patreon page! The money I get goes to paying bills and putting food on the table so I appreciate all of my patrons and would appreciate anyone who might be interested in supporting me to check out my Patreon ❤️ https://www.patreon.com/Elfy88 --- Livy’s New Family By Elfy “I can’t do this!” Olivia was practically in tears, “I quit!” Olivia turned out of her now former boss’s office and hurried towards the women’s bathroom. She let out an involuntary sob as she pushed straight into the room and headed for a cubicle. She locked the flimsy plastic door and dropped on to the toilet. With her head in her hands she started crying, it felt as if she had let everyone down. Every moment since she had got this job had been hell for her and she just couldn’t cope. This had been a long time coming. Olivia had been struggling with the stress of her job as a paralegal pretty much since she started there a couple of years before but the last few months had been intolerable. The stress and anxiety had been building until it had erupted. It didn’t help that she had ADHD which seemed to only be made worse by the recent stresses. “Come on, Livy.” Olivia said as she took some toilet paper, “Get it together. What would Dan say?” Olivia had met Dan originally in college and it was like love at first sight. In truth, Olivia may not have been able to finish her education without Dan’s help and conversely Olivia had helped Dan when he went through law school after finishing his degree. They were married soon after college and then Dan got a job at this legal firm. When an opening for a paralegal came up Dan was able to put in some good words for her. It’s why Olivia felt like she had let her husband down, he had gone to bat for her and she had been a bad employee and now just wanted to run away. “Olivia?” A voice Olivia was familiar with came from somewhere in the bathroom. Olivia had hoped she had got into the bathroom without being seen. She stood up and opened the door to the stall. She stepped out and over to the sink trying to suppress the sobs that still rippled through her body. She looked into the mirror to see an acquaintance, someone who worked with her husband as a fully-fledged lawyer. At first she wanted to hide the fact that she had been crying but as soon as she saw herself she knew there was no masking the puffy red eyes or running mascara. Landon walked over and put her hand on Olivia’s shoulder. The two women could hardly have been more different. Olivia was naturally submissive. She was insecure and never felt like she deserved the job she had which probably greatly contributed to her anxiety. She was quiet and withdrawn, shy and nervous. Landon on the other hand was someone everyone gravitated to. She was confident, outgoing and, in Olivia’s opinion, sexy. “What’s going on?” Landon asked with a frown. “I just… quit.” Olivia sniffed and dabbed at her eyes with tissue. Landon remained silent as she continued rubbing Olivia’s shoulder. She was looking at the smaller woman but it was as if she wasn’t really looking at her, it was as if she was staring through her. Olivia watched her in the mirror. “What are you going to tell Dan?” Landon asked eventually. “I don’t know.” Olivia said as she dropped the tissue in the trash can and sniffed again, “He knows I’ve been stressed.” “I’m sorry. If there’s anything I can do…” Landon said as she stepped back. “Thanks.” Olivia said as she picked up her bag. Olivia flashed a quick smile to Landon though it was one without any emotion behind it. She left the bathroom and started heading down the corridor to the cubicle that counted as her office. It only took a minute to sweep all of her things into a cardboard box and head down to the elevator. She was just about to press the button when she saw Landon hurrying down the hallway towards her. She looked sexy and in control even whilst running for the elevator, Olivia thought jealously. “Olivia, do you want me to tell Dan?” Landon asked as she drew near. “W-Would you?” Olivia asked. “Of course.” Landon smiled a little condescendingly, “I know these things can be difficult.” “Thank you.” Olivia said. This time her smile was a little more genuine. She dreaded telling Dan what she had just done and seeing the disappointment in his eyes. “No problem. Make sure you go home and have a good rest, alright?” Landon reached out to pat Olivia on the arm. Olivia stepped back into the elevator and pressed the button that took her down to ground level. As she slowly descended the floors of the tall building she had plenty of time to second guess herself. There was no doubt the job was causing her an awful lot of stress but should she have just worked through it? She hated that she couldn’t deal with it when everyone else seemed to be able to live with it just fine. Why was she so weak that she couldn’t do something as normal as work? By the time Olivia was back at her car she felt like she was on the verge of tears again. She left the car that she had arrived in with her husband and hurried to the bus stop. She needed to go home and relax before she had a complete breakdown. There was one thing in particular that really helped Olivia calm down and she was counting the seconds till she could get to her bedroom. --- Landon watched the elevator doors close with her well-practiced warm smile on her face. The moment they closed it changed subtly into a much more sinister grin. It felt like just the opportunity she had been waiting for ever since she had found out Dan was married. She waited a minute and then called an elevator of own. Instead of heading down to the ground floor she went up a level to where the lawyers had their offices. Whilst in the elevator Landon looked into the mirror and touched up her hair. She checked her make-up and quickly touched up her lipstick. She adjusted her clothes to push up her breasts and make them more prominent. All the subtle tricks she had learnt to get ahead in a male dominated environment. When the doors opened Landon stepped out and walked towards Dan’s office. She sauntered with one foot in front of the other causing her hips to sway, she smiled as the heads turned to watch her go past. She only had eyes for one man. “Dan?” Landon knocked on the open door, “Are you busy?” “I am.” Dan replied as he scribbled down some notes before looking up to the doorway, “But I’ve always got time for you. What’s up?” “I just saw your wife going down to the lobby with a box.” Landon said as she walked in and perched herself on the edge of the desk, “She wanted me to tell you that she just quit.” Landon watched as Dan seemed to deflate a little. He leant back in his chair causing it to creak slightly. He closed his eyes and looked up at the ceiling. Landon studied the man, his chiselled bone structure and handsome features set him apart from nearly any other man in the office. He was intoxicating to Landon who wasn’t embarrassed to admit she had been lusting after him ever since she had first seen him. “I was afraid this was going to happen…” Dan sighed. “Trouble at home?” Landon asked as casually as she could manage. “No, no…” Dan looked back down from the ceiling with a disappointed expression, “Olivia has just been under a lot of stress recently. She’s been struggling to cope.” “The poor little thing.” Landon said with a sympathetic frown. “Olivia took on the majority of the household chores since I made a majority of the money.” Dan continued, “But recently she’s been falling behind. I’ve tried to help but I’m so tired after work. I’m afraid the house has become a bit of a mess.” “She has always seemed quite… sensitive.” Landon was secretly delighted about getting to gossip about Dan’s wife. “She struggles sometimes.” Dan said, “Normally we can get through it together but she’s been much more stressed recently. It’s one of the reasons I was hesitant to get her a job here in the first place. It’s not that I didn’t think she could do it, it’s just a tough gig for anyone, you know?” “Oh, of course.” Landon nodded her head, “It’s not the sort of thing just anyone can do.” “Exactly.” Dan nodded, “And after getting the Peterson case dropped on my lap this morning this is the last thing I need.” “Peterson case?” Landon said with raised eyebrows. “Yeah. Really complex and a lot of moving parts, a mountain of paperwork to sift through.” Dan sat back in his seat and massaged his temples. Landon nodded her head thoughtfully. The gears were turning and she was seeing an opportunity, a little crack that she could get into and push open. After saying her goodbyes she left the office and closed the door behind her. Instead of heading back to her own office she walked with purpose down the corridor. People hurriedly got out of the woman’s way, when she moved it was like there was a force-field moving people aside. Landon wanted Dan all to herself and that desire had only increased when she learnt that Olivia was an obstacle. No one stopped Landon from getting her way and she had started to plot and scheme against Dan’s wife. It had taken a pathetically small effort to get Olivia unsettled at work. As she had found out Olivia was hardly the most stable person to begin with. Landon knocked on the door of Mr. Myers. He was an older man who had started the law firm and still ran it as boss despite not dealing with any cases any more. He was a fount of knowledge with an encyclopaedia-like knowledge of law. Landon had been very quick to make sure she was on his good side as soon as she had started there. “Come in.” Mr. Myers’ voice was gruff unlike his appearance which was much more like a kindly old grandpa. Landon opened the door and stepped into the office. The furnishings inside made Mr. Myers’ office look more like an extension of his home. Stepping through the doorway made it seem like Landon was being transported to an entirely different building. “Hello, Sir.” Landon said as she closed the door behind her. “Ah, Miss. Hamilton, how may I help you?” Mr. Myers asked. --- Dan pulled his car up outside of his house. He tilted his head from side to stretching the muscles in his neck. He climbed out of the car and pulled his briefcase with him, it banged against his leg as he pushed the door closed. He pressed the button on his key fob and the lights flashed to let him know it was now locked. Dan loosened his tie as he walked up the garden path to the front door. It had been a tough day. The Peterson file that had landed on his desk was more complex than anything he had seen before. It seemed like there were at least a thousand pages of intricate legalities to sift through. It was a mountain that he would have to climb up by himself. Hearing that Olivia had quit her job, whilst not totally a surprise, had also put a downer on the day. Opening the front door Dan was met with the sound of children’s television coming from the living room just off the hallway. He put down his briefcase and took off his jacket. He grabbed the handle of the door and then paused to take a deep breath. He pushed the door open. “Daddy!” Olivia jumped off the couch and hurried over to Dan. Dan forced as much of a smile as he could manage for his wife as he wrapped his arms around her and patted her back. He had been almost certain this was the scene he would be returning to. He looked over Olivia’s shoulder and could see some blocks laying on the floor and a pacifier sitting on the table, more clutter adding to the general mess. Olivia was wearing a white t-shirt with pink denim pinafore dress. Her hair was in pigtails with little pink bows on the end and, as Dan’s hand travelled down her back, he discovered she was wearing regular panties. That was something of a surprise for him all things considered. “Hello Livy.” Dan said. Livy being the name Olivia preferred when she was being little. “Erm, Daddy, I have something to tell you…” Olivia let go of Dan and looked down at her feet nervously. “I already know.” Dan said, “Landon told me.” “I’m sowwy.” Olivia lisped childishly. “It’s OK.” Dan sighed, “Does Livy want nuggies for dinner?” Dan watched as Olivia looked up with a big smile and rapidly nodded her head causing her pigtails to bounce all over the place. Dan patted her on the head and then walked out of the room leaving Olivia to hop back on the couch and continue watching her cartoons. Many people might think this was an odd scene to come home to but for Dan it was normal. Very early on in their relationship Olivia had told Dan about her love of age play. She liked to pretend she was a child, sometimes she even went so far as to wear diapers but most of the time her little self was potty trained. Olivia liked to be called Livy when she was little and Dan became a sort of de facto caretaker for her. He didn’t usually mind since he knew it helped Olivia a lot but on days like that one it did nothing for his stress. When Olivia was extra anxious, stressed or in any way not feeling her best she tended to want to be little more and more. Dan enjoyed the “Daddy” role a lot of the time but on some days he would’ve preferred resting, Olivia was so cute when she was feeling little, it was hard to say no. Dan yawned as he slipped some chicken nuggets and fries into the oven. He looked for some plates but found they were all unwashed and in the sink. He sighed and sat down on one of the chairs around the kitchen table. When Dan and Olivia had moved in together and sorted out the dynamics of their relationship it was agreed that since Dan was the main breadwinner that Olivia would do a majority of the housework. This setup worked a lot of the time but recently things had started to slip. The chores weren’t being kept up with by Olivia who was much more likely to be sat with her toys than doing the dishes. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to help out, it was more that she couldn’t. Dan knew about her mental health obstacles but knowing about them didn’t always mean it was easy to empathise after he came home from a long day at work to have to do chores all evening. Dan rubbed the back of his neck as he took a couple of minutes to relax and the heat of the oven filled the kitchen. The only sounds in the house came from the television in the living room. Losing the extra source of income wasn’t the biggest deal in the world but Dan did worry about his wife. Olivia had always been on the fragile side and he worried that leaving her job and spending more time as a little was a sign that she was not coping well. He was desperate to help but already felt like he was stretched to the limit himself. When the food was ready Dan got a couple of plates and dished it up. He placed the two meals on the table and then got two drinks, for Dan it was a small bottle of beer whilst Olivia had a sippy cup full of juice. He screwed on the pink plastic top and then went into the living room to retrieve his wife. “Livy, time for dinner.” Dan said as he poked his head around the door. Dan smiled as Olivia jumped off the couch and hurried out to meet him. She wrapped her arms around Dan and hugged him before letting go and almost running to the dining table. She looked adorable in her dress which bounced with every step to sometimes give a look at the pink panties underneath, Dan recognised them as being the ones decorated by princesses from various animated films. Dan walked back through to the dining area to see Olivia already sat on her seat ready to tuck in to her childish meal. As he walked past Dan reached over and gently patted his wife on the head causing her to become giddy. As soon as he sat down Olivia started tucking in to her meal. Olivia was the first to finish her food and was gulping greedily from her sippy cup as Dan ate the last few bites of his own. When he put down his knife and fork he sat back in his chair and sipped his beer with a sigh. With a finger and a thumb he rubbed his eyes and tried to de-stress from everything that had happened. “Are you OK, Daddy?” Olivia asked from across the table. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” Dan gave a tired smile, “Just a lot on at work.” “Oh…” Olivia put her a finger up to her lip as if thinking about something and then slipped off her chair. Dan watched Olivia walk around to him and she sat on his lap sideways. They hugged for a minute before Olivia pulled back and gave Dan a kiss. Dan had to admit that no matter how stressed or upset he might be Olivia was always able to put a smile on his face. “Can I do anything to make Daddy feel better?” Olivia asked breathily. One of her hands ran down Dan’s chest. “And what did Livy have in mind?” Dan asked with a knowing smile. Olivia’s hand continued down Dan’s body until it reached his crotch. She smiled and then bit her bottom lip as she giggled. Dan knew that for Olivia there was a sexual aspect to when she was little, she enjoyed it and found it exciting and it wasn’t uncommon for her time as a little to include some very grown-up activities. “Shall we take this upstairs?” Dan asked with a grin. Olivia enthusiastically nodded her head. Dan smiled as Olivia hopped down and took his hand. She eagerly pulled him out of the room and towards the stairs. The sex was always great. Dan was naturally dominant in the bedroom whilst Olivia was naturally submissive, it made for great chemistry. No matter how tired Dan felt he could always find energy for intimacy. --- If you enjoyed this part you can check out what happens next RIGHT NOW at: https://www.patreon.com/posts/livys-new-family-83503962

***This story is an alternative time-line to ours about the post covid pandemic era. *** -Prelude Setup- "The year is 2022, the last 2 and a half years Covid 19 has reaped havoc on society, but now with things opening back up and every day taking more and more steps forward from quarantine and masks more questions arise. The one on our table today is schooling. Now the switch to E-learning was not fast nor easy, many kids didn't learn what the needed too, or the way they needed too. We have many kids who regressed in not only their studies but in maturity, social face to face, and in unfortunately many cases out of the house habits. We currently have statistics of grades k thru 12 on the screen behind me. As you can see these are the most common issues students are having. In k thru 6, most students have regressed in mathematics, reading and writing. They also have a steep up tick in bathroom accidents and other social behaviors such as thumb sucking, whining, and "wanting mommy". We believe these are all related. Also with grades 5 thru 12 we are seeing issues with confidence, low test scores, unpreparedness, and social awkwardness." The sharped dressed woman at the front of the meeting room stood tall as she took off her glasses looking at the screen behind her. "I, Dr. Jasmine Hartwell propose this... (she lays out 13 tests on the table in front of her labeled pre-k all the way thru 12 grade) These are placement tests. Every student in this district will take these tests and their scores will tell us where they are at academically, in addition each student will be sent a packet at home to be filled out by their guardian to get the full scope of how both mature and socially stable each child is. This school district along with 4 others have been chosen across the US to participate in this to see if a wide roll out is what this country needs. Now there are limits to placements from these results current 16, 17 and 18 year old may not place below 8th grade if then need to we will have a special class set for them. 12 and up may not be placed below K under 12 is fair game. Now on the flip side of this NO student will be moving up due to test scores. This is to see if they need help or not. And in addition we will have multiple staff members here to help in transition down graders will need, either maybe a councilor or a trained specialist to help them calm down and fit in better with their new grade and age range. If there is any questions email them to me. And please keep you emotions at the door during these tests this is the best for us and them. Thank you tests will start tomorrow." Dr. Hartwell says closing her book putting her glasses away and walks out of the meeting leaving all the teachers, principles and faculty in a gasp. The next day as soon as it hit 10am every student across Willow's Green School District was sat down for the test about the same time all the parents were also filling out their packet about their sons and daughters being as honest as they can. By 4pm that same day most families were back home discussing the day, some over dinner, some in a quiet room, some scared, some over confident. But all had the weekend to think, enjoy, and prepare for what Monday brings with the test results. All weekend long teachers and government appointed educational professionals would be grading and judging test and packets a like. By Monday the kids were back in school in their usual classes. The district of a little over 8 hundred kids was ready and waiting for how crazy the day was about to become. Busses were outside the high school, middle school, and elementary waiting to bring the kids who were labeled as down graders where they needed to go. Parents all got text messages at the same time as the schools were giving out the results to the kids. In total two thirds of the kids were being down graded! The senior and junior classes didn't see much loss, sophomore and freshman classes had almost half drown graded at least one grade. The middle school was hit the worst over half of the current middle school was being down graded to elementary. While half the elementary was being down graded, 65 kids across k thru 5 were send back to pre k (most of the kindergarteners) and only a few preschoolers fell out of pre k. The busses gathered the kids some in hysterics, some angry, and a few in just shock. This story will follow 3 family's effected by this government test in Willow's Green school district. I'm sorry this intro was so long, but I've been wanting to write this story for a while and I have a lot of thoughts. I might also post this on writing.com as an interactive depending on feed back. Stop by seen for chapter 1! Thank you!

Looking to do a fnaf diaper RP need a cg/dom who is ok with spanking and breastfeeding

Never More Content - Part 1 Rob had been with Doctor Mark Thompson now for around 19 months. It was a relationship that, at the beginning, neither could have foreseen the outcome. However, Rob has never been happier; his days are now filled with fun, adventure and that rarest of gifts… love. For these last few months he had learned that he didn’t have to fight for everything, he didn’t have to worry about anything and, in fact, he didn’t have to think at all, Daddy would see to his every need. Rob was only 14 when he tried to mug the rich-looking man who was getting out of his BMW. His stomach was empty and he was desperate because for the last few weeks he had been living rough on the streets. He’d had to learn how to survive quickly since he ‘left’ home and he wasn’t doing too well. Opportunities to find food, shelter and safety weren’t as easy to come by as he had hoped they would be. In fact, he hadn’t had a decent meal or a place to stay since he’d slammed the door and swore at that drunken bitch… his mother. Recently, his home life had deteriorated badly, he’d been expelled from school because of his mounting violent streak, he fought against any form of authority, he hated the world and everyone in it and he needed to get OUT. However, living rough was even worse. When he wasn’t being offered drugs, he was the victim of those desperate drug addicts who saw him as an easy target. He carried the cuts and bruises to prove it as he was no match against the rougher element he met. His stomach ached with hunger and he urgently needed to get some money and this smart, swanky, well-to-do guy appeared to have loads. In the past he'd begged for money but people either took no notice, as if he didn’t exist or worse, screamed abuse at him for daring to ask for help. The only way he’d found effective was to threaten, then he was listened to and the sharp 8” blade he now carried certainly got most people’s attention. He waved it at the BMW owner and demanded money but his threat was swiftly countered by a speedy kick from the man that sent the knife spinning through the air and a follow up kick to the would-be mugger’s head that knocked him to the ground. It all happened so fast that Rob didn’t know what hit him until he regained consciousness… then things really began to get weird. Forty year-old Mark Thompson is a man who knows what he wants. He left school and university with an armful of top class awards, flourished quickly in his specialised field and found the demanding intensity of his martial arts programme the perfect way to relax, keep fit and stay alert. In the dark he hadn’t realised the age of his assailant, all he saw was a body rushing towards him and a fleeting glimpse of a steely pointed object being jabbed in his direction. His training took over and in a nanosecond the would-be assassin was dropped to the ground unconscious. As he checked the prone body he realised that the youth lying at his feet was in need of some treatment. He reached down and easily picked up the grubby, thin urchin and carried him to his apartment just a few yards away. The boy was filthy. His clothes were torn and tattered whilst the bruises and cuts on his hands and face made Mark wonder what the poor little guy had been through recently (apart from a kick to the head that is). He got the lad into his home and started to inspect the comatose body now he had light to see just what his injuries were. He removed the lad’s thin jacket and t-shirt and saw that there was a very bad, festering cut on his arm that appeared to have gone untreated for some time. He removed the boy’s trainers and jeans and saw that he was just a mass of bruises and, strangely perhaps, he felt sorry for his would-be mugger. The boy was still out for the count so Mark called a friend of his who was a doctor and asked him to come around and check the boy out. He arrived minutes later from an apartment in the same block just as Mark had finished trying to wipe as much grime away as possible and the lad was beginning to regain consciousness. Although not fully compos mentis Rob realised that something was going on and he was being touched… so he lashed out. Although there was hardly any force to the blow he managed to cuff the doctor at the side of his head and was about to throw another punch when Mark grabbed his arms and pinned him down. Despite being naked and having little strength he tried to fight back and break away from his captives. Alas, he was no match for them and a quick injection from the doctor calmed him down and he drifted off into unconsciousness again. Once he’d gotten over the brief commotion Paul, the doctor, carried out his examination and treated the bruises and cuts on the pale thin body as best he could. His diagnosis was more malnutrition than any great injury but recommended that the large cut on the boy’s arm was kept under scrutiny for any infection. He gave the boy various injections that would help him recover and suggested that Paul feed the lad up before letting him go… or call the police… or do whatever he was going to do with his young attacker. “He’ll be out for about 12 hours,” the doctor informed Mark. “So, is there anything else… or can I get back to Little Liam? I left him sitting in front of the TV watching the Cartoon Channel.” He saw Mark’s raised eyebrows, “Yes again,” he said with a shrug of the shoulders, “it’s his favourite.” Before he left Mark asked Paul to check to see if the lad had been sexually abused. Paul checked the boy’s anus and said that it was inflamed and torn and he reckoned that the lad must have been the subject of a vicious attack, and had probably been raped… and perhaps more than once was his diagnosis. Mark sighed “Poor little fellow.” Mark looked down at the lad once more and began to wonder what had driven this sorry looking soul to this point. He was even worried that if he threw him out and back onto the streets, the boy would be an easy victim of some unscrupulous druggies or bullies. He wondered what he could do to help; after all, he was a trained (and rather expensive) behavioural psychologist, perhaps he could help sort the lad out. As he speculated he suddenly became aware of a strong aroma and gathered that the boy had just urinated onto his leather sofa. He quickly grabbed the nearest thing to hand to mop it up, which led to the lad’s thin t-shirt, pants and jeans soon soaked with stinking piss. Rob was unaware of what had happened as Mark took these smelly objects and tossed them into the washing machine. Then he realised he couldn’t leave the lad naked so went off to find something to cover him with. Mindful that he needed to protect his sofa from any further accidents he found a large towel and some safety pins. Returning to the sleeping boy he fitted it like a diaper around the lad’s waist. Whilst pulling the towel up between the lad’s legs and fastening it tightly a sudden shiver ran down Mark’s spine. He caught his breath at this moment of recognition. His mind catapulted him back to the last time he’d done this - it was during his final exams in his last year of senior school. A huge trauma had recently affected Mark and he remembered waking up some mornings to find he’d unconsciously wet the bed. The trauma had been the dramatic death of his father in an explosion at the chemical plant where he worked, which had killed 17 others and had devastating consequences to all concerned. Finding he’d wet the bed at his age was another upset he found difficult to deal with and although he and his mother were very close, he didn’t want to burden her at this time with what he saw as a ‘stupid childish’ problem. Each night he’d diaper himself with a towel just in case he wet again and every morning he’d wake to find it soaked but on the plus side… at least the bed and bedding were reasonably dry. The pressure of exams and the death of his loving father, who had encouraged him to do well and to work hard, had ultimately had a distressing effect. He wanted his dad to be proud of him so worked exceptionally hard to pass his exams. The hours he put in to revision, the empty loss he felt inside, the sadness he could only imagine his mother was going through, all just built and built until it found some kind of release. It was just over a week that he’d been diapering himself when his mom found out. It was early one Monday morning when she entered his bedroom to wake him and found him sat on the edge of his bed in the soaked makeshift diaper. His youthful looks were etched with anguish as he shrugged not even trying to hide his obvious shame. She hugged her bed-wetting son and told him that he shouldn’t have to carry that worry on his own as she was there for him… for anything… and everything. Between them they would meet head on and solve any problem that came up. They had always been close and, like when his dad was alive, there were few secrets in this loving family. He was relieved that he didn’t have to pretend to her anymore and, as she sat beside him, both cried in their mutual sorrow. Once the tears were almost dried up she asked if he needed any help with his diapers. Apart from the soggy one, which at that moment was hanging heavily between his legs, he wasn’t sure what she meant. He gave a side-long look at his sympathetic mother and asked if she was offering to change him. She giggled, relieving what could have been a tense situation, and put her hand to her mouth as if she’d said something really stupid. They both laughed. “If I thought you needed it, of course I would, but you seem to be coping OK.” She looked into his eyes reassuringly. “But,” and she looked down at the sagging diaper, “don’t forget the other things… you don’t want to be getting a diaper rash at your age.” She paused to check he was still OK with what she was saying, “What I meant was, do you need me to get you anything?” He realised she was correct… it had all been a bit haphazard. He hadn’t been taking care of that side of his diaper hygiene, just having a shower then dressing for college… and his crotch and bum were raw and beginning to itch. His mom bought him some more appropriate disposables, plastic pants and assorted lotions and powders, it was like when he was a kid again and she loved the diversion from her own problems. One evening when Mark was getting ready for bed and applying his night time protection his mom came in and asked him if he recalled that he went through a similar period of bed-wetting when he was four. He remembered but, perhaps surprisingly, not in a negative way… it had all been so normal. She told him that he’d been potty-trained for two years when, just before he started school, he started to wet again. “Stress,” she said as if it was the answer, “you were very scared of leaving me and going to school.” His mom went on to tell him about the fun she and his father had with diapering their slightly older, but still little scamp as he played. “Wearing a diaper never stopped you doing anything. You never seemed to worry about it.” Indeed, from the moment it had been suggested that he needed to go back into diapers to save the bedding and loads of washing, he seemed to accept it. His dad was determined that he shouldn’t get distressed by being back in a diaper so had gone out of his way to be positive when his son was wearing them. This was partly due to the fact that he had also wet the bed as a child and his father, Mark’s grandfather, had given his own son such a horrible time about it; ridiculing and chastising him all the time. Mark’s dad was determined that if that type of misfortune should happen to his own son he would never be made to feel guilty about it. In fact, his dad, and mom to a certain degree, had loved having their 4 year-old baby back. They loved him scampering around the house in just a diaper and it never bothered young Mark because he was always being told it was normal as it was no more than just another style of underwear. The truth was that both his parents had loved his sweet little padded butt getting into all the things a 4 year-old got into. His dad had made it into a game for Mark and bought special plastic covers for his son’s diapers. Soon the little imp was running around in brightly coloured pants, that although made the padding thicker, didn’t seem to hinder his ability, or confidence, in getting around. At school there was no difficulty as he wasn’t the only one still in diapers and while at home, he seemed to prefer to wear little else. Even though it started as just a night time precaution, Mark was often up and dressed first thing in a morning before his parents and he’d have fastened himself into a diaper for the day… no matter what he was doing or where he was going. Both his mom and dad thought this was the cutest thing and Mark himself seemed to love each new design that was slipped over his diaper… often choosing the colour and pattern that his dad offered him each day. He wore all that extra padding from 4 years until he was almost eight, when, after a stay-over with his friend Danny, he'd asked his mom to buy him some big boy pants for when he started school again. Although his parents were sad that their little boy had grown up, they didn’t want to keep him dressed that way if he it made him unhappy. As his mum told him this story, parts of that time came flooding back to him and he remembered it as a period when he had never been happier. There was a great deal of loving attention from both his mom and dad and he recalled the constant picking up and hugging by them both. “We just loved patting your thick diapered butt.” His mom had said with a reminiscing smile, “and you… well you’d never seemed more content”. Suddenly those words struck him “never more content” and he knew exactly what he could do with his young, would-be assailant. His mind was suddenly dazzled with the possibility of this new enterprise. As the boy slept on oblivious of the thoughts that were now so appealing to Mark, the psychologist regretted chucking the lad’s clothing into the wash. As the final spin-cycle came to a stop he realised that any clues to his identity would probably have been washed away. The damp bundle of clothes revealed nothing at all. In fact, only the boy’s jeans appeared to have held together, the rest had simply dissolved to mere bits and pieces not even fit for rags. Finding out any information about the boy was now down to what he was prepared to reveal. He wasn’t sure if this would be a problem but looking down on the lad, wrapped in such a thick diaper, he thought it all might be worth the effort. He had this grand plan developing in his head as he slipped upstairs to his doctor friend to tell him about his intentions and to borrow some items that he thought would come in useful. ***tbc***

Long time lurker. This is the first story I have written. Writing isn’t my strength, and It takes me forever to write, re-read, and rewrite. I have already written 20 chapters. I hope everyone finds this story different but interesting. This is a slow burn, but it does get into the diapers and regression. It will take a few chapters to really get into it. I can see this going for at least another 20 chapters on top of the twenty chapters already written. Chapter 1: The New Intern Avery let out a deep sigh of relief as he read the email he had just received from the biomedical technology department. He was finally being recognized for his hard work and dedication. His complex calculations and programming to demonstrate the interactions between a relatively new drug and a person's DNA had proven correct and valuable, leading to him being hired over a month ago - despite the doubt and ridicule from his colleagues. He leaned back in his chair, feeling overwhelmed with emotions. On the one hand, he was elated that his efforts were beginning to be acknowledged, but on the other hand, he felt uncertain if this would lead to further respect or more challenges from those who never believed in him. A sense of pride mixed with apprehension began to stir within him, thoughts of the potential applications of this research tumbling through his mind. Ever since Avery Sage was a little boy, he has experienced problems with keeping his pants dry. Maybe it had something to do with the car accident that claimed the lives of his parents. Perhaps the foster homes he cycled through caused him stress, or maybe he would have always had this problem. All he knew for sure was that he needed to wear protection when out in public because when he got stressed, his bladder gave way. As a result, whenever he left the security of his home, he wore pull-ups, which made him feel like a little kid and dampened his confidence. His confidence wasn't helped because he was only five foot and one inch tall for a young man. These anxieties certainly didn’t help his mental health. He suffered from depression, anxiety, and insomnia. He regularly saw a psychiatrist and was on medication, but life could still be a struggle. He thought back to his first week of work. Avery graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Biochemistry at the age of 18. A year later, he was offered an internship while working on his master's in Biochemistry and Genetics. Avery stepped through the doors of DNA Pharmacia, feeling equal parts nervousness and excitement. He had been preparing for this moment his whole life – the chance to finally earn some respect and prove all those who had doubted him wrong. Flashbacks filled his mind of all the running between foster care families he had endured; it had made his self-confidence falter, but nonetheless provided the motivation for him to finish high school years early and break free from the wings of his current foster family. Now was the time to show what he was made of. As Avery sat in the HR office, he wore his dress clothes for his first day, which was saying much– a little too large for his slim, small frame – but still managing to make him feel small and helpless against the world around him. People seemed to look through him everywhere he went as if he were invisible, yet he couldn't shake off the nagging sensation that all eyes were upon him. His shoulders sagged under the weight of defeat that shrouded his self-confidence. His wavery, untamed hair was combed back the best it could be. “Ok, Avery.” Julian, the HR representative, said. “You're done. You're officially an employee of DNA Pharmacia.” “I won’t let you down. I promise.” Avery smiled as he stood up and reached across the desk to shake Julian’s hand. Julian's expression was warm and encouraging as he shook Avery's hand. Julian was a tall, distinguished man in his late thirties, wearing a navy blue suit and a striped tie. His brown eyes twinkle with kindness, and he has a slight, friendly smirk while speaking to Avery. His handshake was firm but slightly frail, making Avery feel nervous that he had no idea if he could uphold such a promise. Doesn't everyone think that on their first day at work? Avery thought to himself. Julian just smiled back at him from his kind face, like he could read Avery's mind. “Great, I am hoping for good things from you. Shall I show you to your new desk and department?” Julian returned the smile. “Yes, please,” Avery followed Julian out of the room. They took two flights up in the elevator to a department called “Chemical DNA Sequencing Department.” and walked side-by-side down the long corridors of the main building. They passed glass panels on every wall and Avery marveled at how modern this building was. He watched sensors scanning vials of chemicals and equipment, feeding data into computers across the room. It was clear no money had been spared in making DNA a cutting-edge company. Every window they passed made him want to stop and ask what was happening; it all looked so exciting, and he couldn’t wait to start. All this made him forget that he secretly wore a pull-up underneath his clothes as protection was needed. It was down one of these corridors that Avery met an older man. The man had a strong jawline and sharp features, aged but wise. His eyes were a deep blue, crinkling at the corners when he smiled. His gray hair was neatly trimmed, and his beard was flecked with silver. He wore a crisp white shirt with black trousers and polished black shoes. He towered over Avery with an air of authority, yet his demeanor was warm and friendly. Avery recognized him from some of the interviews he had gone through to land this job. “Welcome! You must be our marvelous new intern. I am Bryan Wells, and you'll report directly to me! At your desk we have a laptop and a corporate iPhone with the works waiting there for you. From your resume and job interviews, my colleagues have noticed your peculiar knack for math and biochemistry, so we have an exciting task ahead for you! On your desk is a folder that outlines our challenge: debug a computational logic program that looks at DNA to determine designer drugs for fighting cancer. It's a riddle waiting to be solved - think you can do it? Report back any bugs as soon as possible, and we'd be grateful!” Bryan said cheerfully as he led Avery to his desk. “Yes, sir,” Avery replied. He would have agreed to do whatever Bryan needed. He was eager to impress. Bryan continued to talk to Avery. It was a one-sided conversation. Avery was too in awe of everything he was seeing to really contribute much. For him, this place was like a dream—top-level research with some of the smartest people in the world where his work could actually help people. Avery looked around the room. A long row of cubicles ran down one wall with a dozen or so scientists already hard at work on their projects. Avery's desk was tucked into the corner by an emergency exit. The light blue walls were sparse, containing only a few motivational posters and pictures of animals from Earth. Bryan led him to his chair and showed him how he could adjust it to fit him since the chair was probably to tall for him. Avery blushed a little but said nothing about it. Bryan reviewed with him how to log in to the server and the IT policies on using company-issued equipment. Bryan also went over where the relevant programs were located; he would review the folder with all the notes on the development of this program. “If you need anything, come to find me over there,” Bryan pointed to his private office. “The other scientists and engineers should be coming around to introduce themselves to you today.” “Ok, sounds good… And thank you for this opportunity,” Avery said as Bryan returned to his office. On that first day, he met a few scientists and a few engineers. They all seemed friendly enough, even though Avery didn’t have much to say. He wanted to just focus on the task at hand. He felt he had something to prove. Avery had been dealt a tough hand; growing up in the foster care system meant that he was constantly met with obstacles and negative comments. He was told time and again what he couldn’t do, but instead of accepting those limitations as his fate, he used them as motivation. Everyone’s doubts about him only strengthened his desire to prove them all wrong. The rest of the day was slow. Avery needed help concentrating on the program he had been asked to look at. Quite frankly, it was dull, and after seeing all the other scientists and engineers doing much more exciting things, Avery was keen to do something that felt more meaningful. This need to do something drew him to the thick handbook about all the research involved with this program and more. He was fascinated with it. Avery brought the program to his apartment that night. He abstained from indulging in his usual nightly video game escapades. Instead, he spent hours poring over the computational intricacies of DNA's involvement in cancerous growths, absorbed in deciphering the energy states of cancer cells. The realization that this program was an amalgamation of these complex calculations completely captivated him, particularly as he examined how the drug had to be manipulated to match the energy state of the cancer cells so that it would interact effectively with them. It was nothing less than astounding. As he delved deeper into the notes, he discovered a vexing inconsistency in one of the mathematical formulas that disrupted the programming and prevented it from reaching a conclusion on what drug was needed for treatment. Avery closed the notebook for the night, satisfied he knew what he could start looking at and he was glad to be out of the pull-up for the day. As he lay in bed, his mind kept running through what he had read. His insomnia medication meant he wasn’t awake for long, but even in sleep, it felt like his brain was searching through everything he had learned the previous day. The morning came too quickly as his alarm went off. “Ugh, I hate mornings,” Avery muttered as he hit the snooze button repeatedly. The alarm kept ringing, and every time it did, Avery reached out a hand and hit the snooze button again. It was an almost instinctive reaction to the annoying noise. His brain wasn’t clicking into gear. All he knew was that he wanted more sleep. At one point, as the alarm went, Avery pawed at the snooze button yet again but only ended up knocking his phone off the bedside table. “Oh shit,” He said as he looked up at the clock. It was 7:30 a.m. He was supposed to be at work at 8:00 a.m. His alarm had been going on and off since 6:00 a.m. this morning. Avery quickly removed his boxers and slipped on new pull-ups, light gray tan dockers, and a maroon golf shirt. He quickly wet down his hair and combed it back, knowing it would still look like a mess when his hair dried. Avery quickly left to grab the bus to work at 7:30 a.m. and hopefully be at work at 8:00 am. It was a rush, and Avery didn’t feel particularly ready, but as he walked out of the front door into the early morning air. He didn’t know how anyone could be a “morning person” when he always felt… tired. That morning, when Avery got to work, the first thing he did was get a large cup of coffee. Afterward, he sat down at his desk and began to take a look at the code. The code wasn’t easy to follow. It didn’t follow too much of a logical path in his mind. Two hours later, John Taylor, the most Sr, Engineer on the project and project lead, stopped by his desk. John was a 45-year-old engineer with a commanding presence and an ego to match. He stood at an imposing 6'2" and had a burly build that spoke of years of physical labor. Despite his advancing age, his muscles were still firm, and his torso remained taut, reflecting an unwavering commitment to physical fitness. Avery thought John's walk exuded confidence, each step resonating with a deliberate thud. His posture was impeccable, with his chest puffed out and his chin held high. He had a square jaw and piercing blue eyes that seemed to bore through any obstacle in their way. This made Avery very anxious to be around him. He was very much the opposite of Avery, who was dressed in a pair of tan dockers and a collared maroon shirt That he had quickly thrown on minutes before leaving the house. If someone were to judge Avery. They would say he dressed not to cause a stir and just wanted to blend in. The differences between the timid Avery and John, who exuded machismo and confidence, couldn’t have been starker. John wore an expensive suit that hugged his broad shoulders and accentuated his chiseled physique, a testament to his attention to detail and his love of the finer things in life. “Impressive work on one of my projects, huh?” John scowled as he snatched the notebook off his desk. “I wouldn't waste your time with all the irrelevant data scribbled in here. It'll do nothing but distract you.” He flicked it to the other side of his desk like an afterthought. Avery noticed John's hazel eyes were framed by creases that spoke to years of meticulous research studies and calculations. “I tried to get a grip on it, but honestly, I stumbled over the complex calculations necessary for developing designer drugs. Despite that, I was still captivated by the work yesterday." Avery sighed, not convinced of his own abilities to do this kind of research but determine to make a difference still. “Well, just weed out the bugs and get the program working. My team and I will take care of the rest.” Johns said with a condescending smile. “If you do that, you will do good here, kid!” “It’s just….” Avery started. He wanted to prove his knowledge by suggesting a change to the handbook. “Seriously, don’t worry about it.” John cut Avery off with ease. Avery felt a little put out by this overconfident man. He had been hired to be equal to all the other scientists, and yet John was acting like he was somebody hired to do data entry. He knew he could make the program run better and make the handbook better; he just needed John to listen to him. “I’m just thinking that if we…” Avery tried again. “If you have any suggestions, just write them down and slip them under my door,” John said as he started walking away without looking over his shoulder. The rest of the day went on without a hitch. A few people came by and tried to introduce themselves to him, but he kept the small talk to a minimum and just wanted to look over the program. Avery took a lot of notes that day. At the end of the day, he decided to retake the notebook home and leave the laptop at the office. He left the office at 4:30 p.m. to catch the bus at 5 p.m. If he missed the bus past 6 p.m., there wouldn't be another bus till morning. He was hungrier than normal because he skipped lunch all day to work on debugging the program. He stopped by a McDonald's and ordered a Big Mac. As he stood in line, he couldn't help but notice the Happy Meals on the counter, offering small Lego kits to children. It was a cruel marketing strategy to exploit parents and make them buy more Lego sets for their already spoiled kids. He knew this well, but it only reminded him of his own childhood, one filled with deprivation and lack of affection. He watched as the children played with their toys, ignoring the food in front of them - something he would have cherished as a child. But no, he was never allowed such frivolous things growing up; his foster parents made sure to remind him how unworthy he was of such luxuries. The memory brought back painful emotions that festered deep within him.

Here we go. It's been a long, long, long time since I started this. I've restarted it in fits and starts. I'm nearing the end and I'll be releasing chapters slowly over the next several months. I'm writing ahead of what I'm putting out. I'd thought I might wait until I'm actually done. But I'm really close, so here we go. Here are the first 18 chapters which have already been published, but are no longer on this board. Chapter 1 This was not the way Thomas Welton wanted to begin his first day at his new school. This was not the way any 13 year-old should begin any day. Tom took every insult to his maturity seriously and this one was particularly grievous. He had grown tired of everyone assuming he was a little kid, a mere elementary schooler. He was officially a teenager and even if he was a little shorter than average, adults should know better than to simply presume he wanted a kid's menu or whatever it was they did to overlook his status as a teen. These are, at any rate, the things he told himself. Though he was barely aware of it he envied younger kids, the way they didn't have to struggle to prove that they were big and mature and completely independent. Somewhere in the back of his mind the thought lingered that he had wasted his opportunity to simply be a carefree kid on his constant quest to prove himself grown-up. But no matter how aware he was of those feelings he wasn't about to let on as his mother drove him to his first day of morning daycare. Her new job required her to arrive early, too early to take Tom to school. So she had found a nearby daycare that offered a bus service to the local schools. Tom thought he could ride his bike to school but was over ruled by his mother who insisted it was much too far for that. So he sat staring glumly out the window taking some solace in the promise that this particular center had an area for Jr High students in his position so he wouldn't have to spend all morning hanging out with little kids and being treated like a little kid. He was momentarily pulled out of his brooding funk as he felt the car come to stop. This was all quite worse than than he thought. Crude art projects decorated the windows cheerfully colored playground equipment sat waiting to be used. To Tom every detail screamed that this was a place for immature little brats, something that he was not, something he never was. He stepped out of the car and glared at this rugrat jail only to be interrupted by his mother giving him a quick pat on the head before starting her way to the door. Tom gave gave a resigned sigh and followed her in. Inside the daycare center was a desk marked by a single name plate decorated with teddy bear stickers and bearing the name “Sarah.” And behind the desk the Sarah identified by the name tag sat beaming at the new mother and student who had just walked through her door. Her slightly plump round face and easy smile made her a natural for the part of a daycare teacher, To most of the parents here she was the face of the daycare and her obvious pride and experience in her work reassured them all that this was a safe and comfortable place for their little ones. “This must be my new student,” she said cheerfully “Tommy isn't it?” “Tom” he corrected her tersely. Her eyes twinkled at his attempted protest “I'm sorry Tom, I didn't know I was getting such a grown up boy.” She turned to his mother and gave her a knowing smile before asking “And what school will we be sending Tom to this morning?” “Stone Ridge Junior High” Tom answered with a a touch of pride before his mother could even speak. “Well” Sarah chuckled “I guess we really do have quite the grown up here. Before you know it he'll be working here.” Tom glowered silently as the adults went about their final arrangements “I'm sorry” Karen Welton said “he thinks he's too old for daycare so he's a little grumpy this morning.” “Well I'm sure we'll find a way to make him fit right in.” As Sarah smiled her reassurances at him Tom couldn't help but notice the odd twinkle in her eye. It took him aback momentarily and he couldn't help but think that however sweet this woman might be she meant everything she said, perhaps in ways he could never quite understand. With her business concluded Karen turned to her son and kissed him on the forehead “Have a good day at school sweety. I'll pick you up right at three, maybe we can rent a movie or something.” Tom mumbled a good-bye and watched her walk through the door, leaving him in the care of Kiddie Town Daycare. Sarah called over one of the teachers and introduced her to Tom. “Linda” she said calling over a younger blond haired woman and handing her a packet of papers “this is our new boy, would you mind showing him around.” Tom this is Linda she'll show you where to put your things and get you settled in.” “Come on Tommy” Linda smiled “I'm sure you'll have lots of fun here.” Tom crossed his arms and issued his correction for the second time today “I only like to be called Tom.” “I'll be sure to remember that” Linda said paying little attention to her new charge's indignation “These are the cubbies we part all our things in, well make sure to get your name on yours.” She explained using the voice she obviously reserved for small children as took his backpack and coat and tucked them neatly into his cubby. “And over here is the play area we've got toys and games on that shelf over there...” “I really just need to see the area for kids who are going to the junior high. I'm just here so I can get on the bus, I don't want to play with toys or be babysat.” “I'm sorry hon but we don't have any other kids going to your school today so we're just putting everybody in this room for now. But I'm sure you'll be able to have lots of fun in here too.” Linda said not breaking her condescending manner at all. She gave the papers Sarah had handed her a second look and shrugged before leaving Tom with some more reassurances. Tom stomped off and found a chair where we could sit and wait. “What is wrong with everybody in this town?” He thought to himself as he tried to ignore the throng of kids playing around him. It wasn't long before one of them came up to him with a big red ball in his hand “Hi, I'm Johnny and I'm in third grade, do you wanna play something.” Tom didn't even look before spitting out “Look, I'm not a little kid like you guys and I don't want to play, just leave me alone.” “Well sorry,” Johnny rolled his eyes “I was trying to be nice.” Tom returned to glaring into space as Johnny went off to play. He sat and stewed until it was finally time to board the bus. Outside he found several different buses. He stopped and look around for a second until on the the drivers leaned out the window with a clip board and called “Uh Tommy Welton, this is your bus.” Tom gritted his teeth at being called that name again but boarded the bus relieved to be done with daycare for the day. Tom looked out the window and thought about how great it would be to finally establish his new teenage life in his new town. At least he'd have something to balance out his dreadful mornings. He was bought back to reality by the driver calling out “Alright Tommy, this is where you'll be getting off.” “Tom.” he corrected as he walked hurriedly off the bus. He stepped of the bus and looked around, something obviously wasn't right. Behind him he heard the bus drive off as he tried to figure out what had happened. Finally he spotted the sign on the lawn in front of the office “Sunny Brook Elementary School.” “Shit these idiots brought me to the wrong school.” Tom muttered to himself. He cursed his luck and walked towards the office determined to clear up this grievous mistake. Little did he know the forces he was up against. Chapter 2 Tom walked into the office of Sunny Brook Elementary confident that he'd clear everything up and be on his way to Stone Ridge Junior High where he belonged. He went right up to the front desk and wasted no time getting to business “The bus dropped me off at the wrong place, I need to call somebody so I can get to the right school.” The secretary barely took her attention away from the parent she was speaking with “I'm talking with a grown-up dear, maybe you can review the rules while you wait for us to finish.” She directed his attention to a colorful poster on the back wall and went back to her business. Tom looked at the poster and gave a disgusted eye roll. It was a list of simple rules aimed at elementary school aged kids. “We let everybody have their turn” it read “We do not interrupt. We always speak politely and say 'Please' and 'Thank you'.” Tom crossed his arms and waited impatiently this was not a place he wanted to stay any longer than necessary. Finally the interminable conversation ended and Tom strided up to the desk and launched straight into his story. The secretary put her hand to her chin and pondered the situation for a moment. “There's never been a mistake like this before, this is a very well run district. What's your name hon?” “Tom Welton.” he replied finally feeling like he was getting somewhere. “Oh yes, I have a Tommy Welton listed as starting in Mrs. Sanborn's fifth grade class.” She said as though the answer to everything. “I'm not in the fifth grade and I like to be called Tom. Somebody made some sort of mistake.” “Is you mom's name Karen?” “Yes.” Tom replied impatiently. “And are you going to Kiddie Town Daycare?” “Yes,” Tom groaned “But only because I've got to take the bus.” “Well that matches what this form says, I even have your mom's signature with fifth grade checked off.” She said as though she was actually trying to talk him into this. “She probably just didn't notice.” Tom said exasperated. “Well I've never seen a error on one of these forms before. Like I said things are very well run here, we don't make mistakes like this. She caught attention of a tall kindly looking man walking through the office and pointed out Tom to him. “This child says he's supposed to go to Stone Ridge but the bus dropped him off here and he's listed as a student here.” The man pondered the situation for a second “Let's go look this up on the computer,” he turned to Tom and said “We'll be back in a minute son.” And the two went behind a door labeled “Mr. Lessen, Principal.” From behind the door Tom could bits of their conversation “He doesn't look that old to me either, but do you think a kid would really tell a lie like that.” The scowl on his face deepened. Adults were always saying things like that. It was stupid, it was perfectly obvious he was a teenager. Maybe if his mother would let him buy the clothes he wanted things like this wouldn't happen. As he sat there he made up his mind that after today he'd insist on being treated as grown-up as he really was. After a few minutes Tom was called into the office. He breathed a sigh of relief fully expecting that his true status had been verified and he would be back on his way to the school where he belonged. Mr. Lessen invited Tom to sit and explained the situation to him in a well practiced 'talking to a child' tone, “Well Tommy it looks like everything checks out you're officially a fifth grader. Are you sure you weren't just trying to get out of school today?” “Yes I'm sure,” Tom said too exasperated to correct the principal on his name “I was done with the fifth grade two years ago. Call my mom and ask.” “I do intend to speak to your mother, but for now I want to report to your classroom.” Tom shuffled along behind the secretary angrily wondering what sort of grown-up activities the teenagers at Stone Ridge were up to and not paying the slightest attention to her tour of the playground Finally they arrived at the door of Mrs. Sanborn's class. “This is your classroom, now remember that you can always come to the office if you get sick or skin your knee or have an accident or if you just need to call your mom.” Tom groaned inwardly “Accident? Did this lady seriously think there was a chance he'd wet his pants?” “Oh, and I'll make sure we get your uniform ready. You can stay dressed like that today but you'll have to wear from tomorrow on. Have fun” “Thank God, I'll be out of here after they talk to mom.” Tom thought Tom walked inside the classroom and thought he'd gag on the cutesy decorations on the wall. The entire classroom was adorned with cartoon animals an various posters bore reminders of the class rules. Tom just reminded himself that this be for today only and walked up to the desk to introduce himself. “My name is Tom and I...” “Oh Tommy, you must be the new boy. I hear you think you're supposed to be going to Stone Ridge.” “I am. And I only like to be called Tom.” “Well I'm sure everything well get straightened out. We've already got a desk ready for you right over there.” Mrs. Sanborn pointed a desk with a name plate that read “Tommy” in the front row. “I guess we'll have to change the name tag, but that should be good enough for now. All your books are already under your desk.” Tom sat down bitterly in his desk as Mrs. Sanborn called the class to order. “Class he have a new student today can you all say 'hi' to Tom.” Tom rolled his eyes as the assembled brats said “Hi Tom” in a juvenile sing-song unison. “Tom why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself?” Mrs. Sanborn invited. “First of all no matter what this thing on my desk says my name is Tom not Tommy. And I'm only here for today because somebody messed up, I'm supposed to be in junior high.” Tom explained in a loud defiant voice with his arms crossed tight. Tom did his best to ignore the doubting giggles and snickers as Mrs. Sanborn began class for the day. “Now everybody get out your science books and turn to page 75. Tom, since this is your first day I'll give you first try at this question. What are the three basic types of wave function?” Tom blinked. “Wave function?” “Now come on try to remember” Mrs. Sanborn coaxed as all the other students shot their hands into there air eager to answer. Tom sat and tried to remember ever hearing of such a thing all around him the class grew more and more eager to answer, each straining to lift their hand higher than the others. “I don't know” Tom finally admitted. Tom's admission elicited one last round of excited hand waving and calls of “Pick me, pick me.” Mrs. Sanborn looked over the class for a moment “Alright Jessica, can you tell us what the basic types of wave function are. “A complex vector with finitely many components, a complex vector with infinitely many components, and a complex vector with one or more real variables.” Jessica said smiling proudly. “Very good Jessica. Now if you remember yesterday we were discussing one dimensional momentum space...” Tom stared slack jawed at all around him. Everybody in this room, he was convinced, was completely insane. He'd never heard any of this before. Something was very wrong with this town. He hoped that they wouldn't be like this over at the junior high. He sat for the rest of time in complete incomprehension until his teacher announced that it was time for recess. He wondered out to the playground still in shock from the bizarre scene he'd just witnessed. He looked around and realized that everything in this place was for little kids. With nothing else to do he sat on a swing and stared despondently at the ground. As he sat a group of boys walked past him. One of them looked at him and asked 'What's the matter Tommy.” “My name's Tom” he said with a little less conviction than before “and I'm fine, I just want to go the right school.” “You don't even know basic quantum mechanics ” scoffed the largest boy of the group “you should probably be in preschool or something.” With that Tom stood up to face him before noticing he was actually quite a bit bigger. “Come on Todd, leave him alone it's just his first day at school” said one of the group. “Fine” said Todd “I guess we'll just let the pouty baby pout on the swings.” and with that they left. Tom sat back down trying to look as dignified as he possibly could after a fifth grader had just stood up for him. All he wanted at this point was to get through this day with as little notice as possible. The rest of the day in class went much the same as the first. Tom had no idea what was going on, he just knew he wanted out of this place. Finally the last bell rang and he made a bee line for the office where he hoped he'd find that everything had been cleared up. inside he found his mother speaking with the principal. “Hi sweety,” she greeted him “I have good news, Stone Ridge is going to let you transfer and all you have to do is pass one little test. Inside Tom told himself that what happened today was a fluke, he could pass any test they gave him with flying colors. Mr. Lessen gave him his test packet and a pencil and let Tom take the test in the privacy of his office. Tom opened the booklet and his heart sank. If anything this test was crazier than the stuff he'd heard in class today. All of it was completely alien to him. He did his best to struggle through, but all he could do was guess. Once again Tom found himself staring glumly out the the window of his mother's car. Only this time he was officially a fifth grader again. In the back seat sat his brand new school uniform, a simple light blue collared shirt with the school logo emblazoned on the front, a figure of child holding a teddy bear in one hand an adult's hand in the other. Along with the shirt was a pair of slacks and pair of shorts. Tom took some solace in the fact that he didn't have to wear the even more babyish uniform of the lower grades. Still he knew everywhere he went he would be unmistakably identified as the grade school student he now was. And he was beginning to wonder if this really wasn't the place he belonged after all. Chapter 3 Tom strode though the entrance of Stone Ridge Junior High. “Hey Tom” called out one of his friends. Tom joined up with his friends who were already hanging out in the hall discussing the usual teenage stuff. There was some talk of how great it would be once they got their learner's permits which none of them were too far away from getting. Somewhere in the distance there was gentle music. It played so softly Tom didn't so much hear it as sense it. Slowly it grew louder and more distinct, it was now clearly a nursery rhyme. Tom glanced around but nobody else seemed to notice. Eventually it grew to drown out the conversation. Tom stood up and covered his ears, nobody else reacted at all. Tom woke to the electronic screeching of his alarm clock. He reached over and smacked it back into silence, in the quite gray light of morning reality flooded back to him. His new school uniform freshly laundered and folded was already sitting on the chair next to him. He reluctantly went about the business of getting ready for his 2nd day of the fifth grade. He sloped down the stairs and into the kitchen trying his best to ignore his mother's “isn't he cute” looks as he sat down to breakfast “Aww honey, it's not that bad is it?” she finally spoke up. “I just want to go where I'm supposed to go instead of spending all day with a bunch of little kids.” Tom groused. Karen ran her fingers gently through her son's hair “I know you won't like this but you might not be quite as grown-up as you think.” Tom scowled, feeling angry at his mother for making such a comment, but mostly because he was afraid she was right. Somewhere inside him he felt a glimmer of hope that somebody might really know the young adult he was always trying to look like, but he quickly pushed it back down and continued eating his breakfast. Karen rubbed his back “I know it's no fun right now honey, but I think this might be for the best” she said before leaving the room to make a phone call. At Kiddie Town Karen explained the situation to Sarah who had been sure to inform Tom of how adorable he looked in his new uniform. Karen gave her son a good-bye kiss on his forehead and left him again care of Sarah and her staff. A she drove away she wondered if she would ever reach the little boy she knew was under her son's defiant exterior. Tom found his seat from the day before still unhappy to be stuck in daycare but feeling somewhat less conspicuously mature now that he dressed like most of the other children. After a few minutes he heard a familiar voice behind him. “Hey, I thought you said you a big kid.” Tom turned around and saw Johnny from the day before. “I am” John explained “In fact I'm a teenager.” “But you're wearing a Sunny Brook uniform just like me, even though mine is sort of different cause I'm in the third grade.” “Somebody made a mistake I'm supposed to go to a different school.” Tom shot back defensively. “It's OK if you're not a big kid, you can still play with us over there” Johnny said pointing out some of his friends on the other side of the room.” “I don't want to play. Why don't you get wet you diapers with your friends?” Tom snorted derisively. “Fine” Johnny said rolling his eyes. Tom turned back around and blinked. He realized how immature he looked in contrast to the third grader who wanted nothing more to play with him. He shook his head and dismissed it all as a reaction to the stress he was under. At school Tom shuffled back into his classroom and found his desk still labeled “Tommy.” Mrs. Sanborn noticed him staring at it. “I'm sorry I forgot to change that, do you really mind being called 'Tommy' so much?” She asked him. Tom to his surprise found himself answering “no.” It was a battle he was weary of fighting. Mrs. Sanborn smiled warmly “Well Tommy, we're certainly glad to have you stay with us.” As kids filtered into the classroom nobody seemed very surprised to see Tom back in class again. It seemed that the entire world had quite easily accepted him as fifth grader. Class began and Tom could see that this day was going to be like the last. He struggled to gain even the faintest grasp of the material. How could these mere children be so far beyond him? Finally recess gave him a brief reprieve from his classroom struggles. Today the playground seemed like entirely different place. Yesterday he had assumed he just a visitor. But today this was his playground, he was truly under the watchful eye of the adults who kept the students safe and behaved. He sat down again in a swing and watched the goings on. After a few minutes he found himself absentmindedly swinging back and forth a bit. He caught himself and composed himself back into the teenager he felt himself to be making a mental note to only do what little kid stuff was necessary to make it through this situation. The bell signaling the end of recess rang and Tom lined up obediently joined the rest of his class in a neat line as they waited for their teacher to bring them back into class. Mrs. Sanborn took a quick head count of her charges and led them back into class. On the way in Tom became a aware of an urge from his bladder. Not wishing to make the fuss of asking his fifth grade teacher for permission to go he decided to hold it until lunch. But as class progressed the need to empty his bladder became increasingly dire. Finally he was forced to raise his hand. “Yes Tommy?” Mrs. Sanborn acknowledged. “I need to use the restroom.” “Now Tommy you should know by now that your expected to take of that during recess. We only have 15 minutes until lunch and I think you need that time to catch up on your bounded harmonics.” For the next 15 minutes Tom fought his bladder's desperate need for release. When his class finally let out for lunch he made a mad dash for the restroom. There he discovered something very odd. He hadn't noticed before but the button on his pants had a weird sort of latch that had to be worked to open the fly. He sat and stared at it for a moment unable to quite figure out how to undo it. Around him his fellow students ran in and out of the bathroom seeming to have no difficulty at all with this complication. As he struggled he felt his bladder release. A warm wet feeling spread through his pants as he soaked himself helplessly. Along with a sense of utter embarrassment also came a wave of relief and a sense of dread as he realized what he'd have to do. He came out of the bathroom trying to pull his shirt down in a futile attempt to hide his accident. He found his teacher and fighting back tears tried to explain himself. She noticed his wet pants before he could even begin his explanation. “Oh Tommy, couldn't quite hold it dear?” Tom could only shake his head as he followed his teacher to the office. Once there he just looked at the ground while he was led in to see the school nurse. The nurse saw what he was there for immediately “Aww It's OK honey, we'll get you into some dry clothes” she said. “You can come back class when your done here Tommy” Mrs. Sanborn said as she left him in the nurses office. Tom turned to the nurse desperate to explain himself “It's just because of these pants, they've got some weird thing on the button and I couldn't get them off.” he pleaded. He was slightly shocked when she didn't waste a moment reaching over and undoing his button. “You're clothes are just fine. You don't need to make silly excuses hon, little boys have accidents it's nothing to be embarrassed about.” “I'm not a little boy” Tom almost whimpered. “Uh huh” she replied as she helped him out of his wet clothes. Tom blushed deeply as he tried to cover himself. She dumped the soaked things into a plastic bag and grabbed a few things from the closet. “Here you go hon, you can wear these.” Tom sighed slightly as he saw the cartoon print underwear he'd just been handed. He knew he had no choice in the matter so he pulled them on along with a pair of dry pants, this time he noticed these had the same sort of fly. “Thank you” he muttered feeling embarrassed at having been so dependent on her. “Anytime hon.” She said patting his head. “Now go get back to class, I'll call your mom so she'll know to pick up your wet things.” Tom nodded and headed back to class suddenly feeling much more like a real elementary schooler. Chapter 4 After returning from the school nurse Tom spent the rest of the day half eager and half dreading the the end of school. On one hand he'd be able to get away from this bizarre place, but on the other he'd have to explain to his mom why he'd wet his pants. Class ended promptly at 3 and he trudged his way to the parking lot and saw his mother was already there. Drawing a deep breath he climbed into the passenger prepared to defend himself. “Hey hon, have a rough day at school?” His mother inquired sympathetically. “Yeah sort of. But it's not my fault...” “I know it's not your fault, lots of kids have accidents. You just didn't know they don't give bathroom passes here.” Tom was amazed at the way his mother was taking this. It was as though he really was a child who couldn't be fully expected to handle his toileting. He wasn't sure whether he should accept the sympathy or insist on being treated like someone his own age. “I guess you're kind of right.” Tom shrugged feeling relieved to get the issue behind him. All he had to do was figure out how to work that odd little latch. For now he could live with the little kid treatment, and in a strange town where he had learn so many new things he was finding it to be something of a saving grace. Karen smiled at her son and ruffled his hair “That's my boy.” At home Tom flopped down in front of the TV happy to have another day behind him. He knew the cable had been installed that day and was eager to watch MTV and forget about how he spent the day at elementary school. He cycled through the channels a few times but couldn't find anything that looked anything like MTV. “Mom?” he called “Do you know what channel MTV is on?” “The cable company here doesn't have it. Why don't find something else to watch.” Tom sighed and figured he could easily find something else. But he found nothing at all that interested him. As far as he could tell almost all of them were for old people or least people who understood that boring financial talk, a few had weird movies he just didn't understand. Finally he settled on the one thing he could understand, cartoons. He hadn't seen this one before, and he had to admit it he was enjoying it. He'd known kids back at home who still watched cartoons, some were even popular. But he always thought it was all to babyish for him. But here he was and after a long day it was relaxing to just sit and enjoy something. Before he long he once again felt his bladder begin to call for emptying. He waited for a commercial and went into the bathroom determined to figure out that latch that had defeated him earlier. He'd seen the nurse open it so he thought he knew what to do but he still struggled with it. From Tom's perspective it was rather complicated and required quite a bit of finesse. He fought for several minutes as the urge grew. Finally he decided he'd need help. “Uh... mom. I sort of need some help. Please.” He called from the door of the bathroom. “Yes hon?” She said walking up to the door and looking at him curiously. “It's just this button, it's weird. I don't really know how to open it.” Tom blushed as asked like a toddler for help going to the bathroom. Without another word she reached down and effortlessly undid the button. “There you go, is this why you had that accident today?” Tom just nodded blushing a bit more. “Well that's OK, you'll get the hang of it, all the other children do.” Tom finished his business and went back to watching cartoons. He'd already been watching for some time and was becoming hooked. The evening wore on and eventually his mother came in to announce that it was time to get ready for bed. “Mom, it's only 9 O'clock. I never go to bed this early.” He protested. “You've been staying up far too late, and your teacher say you have a lot of catching up to do so you'll need your rest.” Tom sulked but decided not to argue that he was too old for this with the woman who had laundered his wet pants. He went up stairs to his room and began to undress. His mother wasn't too far behind. “Still need help with those pants.” Tom again acquiesced to his mother helping him with his clothes. He unbuttoned his pants and helped him out of them thinking to herself about how cute he looked in the cartoon print underwear. “You need any more help hon?” she asked. “No I can do the rest.” Tom said feeling a bit embarrassed. “Alright, I put some pjs on your dresser if you want to wear them, it's going to get pretty chilly tonight. Good night sweety.” “Good night, mom.” Tom said as she left the room. He'd given up wearing pajamas some time ago and preferred to sleep in his underwear. Not the underwear like he was currently wearing, he changed out of that, but pajamas were one of the many things he'd felt he'd outgrown. He turned out the light and climbed into bed. After a a few minutes of tossing and turning he realized that it wasn't just chilly it was freezing. No matter how he piled the covers he was still cold. He got out of bid and slipped on the pajamas his mother had left for him. Luckily they didn't have any cartoon characters on them or anything like that. But they were warm and cozy. Tom climbed back into bed as comfy as he could be and quickly fell into a deep sleep. Chapter 5 Tom made his way through another morning at Kiddie Town and sat though another bewildering day of class. He couldn't understand how these little kids could know so much more than him, how they could be so much more capable than him in so many ways. Unable to follow the day's lessons his mind kept wandering back to the day before and how he'd wet his pants just because he wasn't able to do something everybody else found so simple. These thoughts became more intense when he once again began to feel the need to go the restroom. The last thing he wanted to do was have an accident for the second day in a row so he sat and thought about how he'd finally undo that stupid latch. At last it was time for recess and he bolted for the boy's room. He examined it for a minute. He'd seen it worked several times now and had a pretty good idea of how to do it. He made several attempts making some progress, but the mechanism was ultimately too delicate for him. He sighed deeply and walked out to the playground. He found his teacher and looking at his shoes stammered “I think I sort of need some help.” “What do you need Tommy?” Mrs. Sanborn asked. “I just need some help undoing this fly.” Tommy said barely above a whisper. She bent down close so she could hear him “What was that dear?” Tommy again whispered into her ear and she briefly gave him a surprised look. “OK, let's get that taken of.” She followed his into the restroom and easily helped him with his predicament. All the while she was careful not to hurt his feeling but Tom could tell from the way she looked at him that she was beginning to think he didn't even belong in her class. He finished up hoping that nobody had witnessed anything. At the end of class that day Tom started for the door when he heard Mrs. Sanborn call his name. He turned back around and went up to her desk. “Tommy, I have a note here for your mother. Could you get her to sign it and bring it back tomorrow?” Tom took the envelope and nodded. He had some idea of what was in it, but he knew he had little choice but to give it to his mom. Not wanting to deal with it right after school he shoved it deep into his backpack and went out to her car. “Hey sweety, did you have a better day today?” She greeted him. “Yeah” Tom said shrugging his shoulders. “I'm have to head by the mall for a bit, wanna come with me?” “Sure” Tom said. Tom listened to the radio and watched the scenery go by and began to forget about having to ask his teacher for help going to the bathroom. The car pulled into the mall parking lot and Tom gawked at how huge it was. He was sure there'd be plenty of things for him to do that would let him forget about being an elementary schooler for a while. Inside the mall was incredibly crowded. Tom was surprised that such a small town could produce so many people but was to interested in finding an arcade to care very much. “Hey mom can I go look around, I'll meet you back here in an hour.” His mom gave him a skeptical look and for a moment he thought she'd say no “Alright, but be back in half an hour instead” she said before handing him some money to play around with. Tom was thrilled, finally he was getting a taste of teenage freedom. He got a large soda at the food court and began to look around. He spotted an arcade and walked confidently over to it. But when he got inside he paused. He got out a dollar bill and got some tokens from the machine and began to look around for something to play. But as he explored he noticed that the other teenagers were looking at him like he was an invader. He realized that because of his uniform everybody there assumed he was just a little kid who'd probably throw a damper on the fun they were having. It probably didn't help that he was so much smaller than any of them. He was always a bit shorter then average, but these kids simply towered over him. He did his best to ignore them and just enjoy his time away from adult supervision. He found one of his favorite games from back home and popped in a token. For the first few seconds it was the same game he was used to. But this version was harder somehow. He'd always been able to play for what seemed forever on one quarter, but this time he was dead in under a minute. He stared at the death screen in shock. From somewhere off to the side a kid not much older than himself chuckled “Don't worry kid I wasn't very good at that when I was your age either, you'll get better.” Tom was about to inform him that he was not some little brat when he heard the voice of the attendant behind him “Excuse me son, is your mom here?” Tom turned around to face him bewildered that he'd be asking such a question “No, she's out shopping. I don't need her to be with me every second.” He answered. “Well you need her here, we don't allow anyone under 12 without a parent.” “But I...” Tom thought for a second and decided that admitting to being a teenager in elementary school wasn't what he wanted to do and that nobody would believe him anyway. He sulked out of the arcade and went to wait for his mom. As he waited he began to feel the effects of the large soda. He decided to wait until he got home where he could at least try to work that cursed latch in private, or worse yet ask for help again. He was about to give in and go search for a restroom when his mom appeared. “Hi hon, have fun?” “Yeah I guess” Tom said before hesitating for a moment “I really need to go to the bathroom and I think...” “Still need some help with that?” Tom nodded as his face turned red. “Well come on.” His mother said before leading him off in the direction of the bathroom. The crowd had grown quite thick and Tom struggled to keep up with his mother. He felt more like a little kid than ever before trying so desperately to stay with his mom but he didn't know what else to do. Eventually the task became so difficult that she reached out her hand for Tom to take. Knowing he had little choice Tom took her hand. He took some small solace in the fact that none of his friends from back home were here to see him being led by the hand so his mom could help him go to the bathroom. They turned a corner onto the main concourse of the mall where things were even more crowded. Tom couldn't even see where he was going, he was now simply being dragged through the throng. He felt a bolt of panic as his mother's hand slipped out of his. He tried to go around to get back to where he thought she was but he just got pushed back further and further. His need to go to the bathroom was now beyond desperate and there was little he could do to even find his way let alone undo his pants by himself. Unable to hold it any longer Tom felt his bladder release uncontrollably and the warm wetness spread through his crotch and down his leg. Looking down at his soaked pants Tom began to feel like nothing more than a lost little boy. Tears flooded into his eyes and finally some people in the crowd took notice. “Hey are you lost” a voice from behind him asked. Tom turned around to find a girl who was maybe somewhere toward the end of her high school years leaning down at looking at him sympathetically. Tom could only sniffle and nod. “Well let's get you somewhere where your mom kind find you and get you into some dry pants” his new caretaker said as she took his hand. Still lightly sobbing Tom didn't know what else to do but comply. He was led over to a nearby information booth where the girl explained she'd found a lost child. After getting his name and description the attendant at the booth made an announcement and within a few minutes Tom's mother appeared. “Oh baby, I'm sorry I let go of your hand. I'll make sure that never happens again” she exclaimed as she bent down to give him a hug. Forgetting himself for a moment Tom returned the hug and rested his head on her shoulder taking comfort in his mother's arms. “And don't worry about hose pants. It's not your fault. Well get you into something dry at home.” She thanked Tom's teenage rescuer for finding her boy and taking his hand in a firm grip led him back out to the car. At home she took him upstairs and helped him out of his wet things. “I want you to know that I'm not angry at you in any way. But you are going have to figure out how to undo your pants on your own. I just bought you a new bunch of pants and everything they sell here has the same thing.” Tom nodded as he got himself into the dry clothes his mother had laid out. “Now go ahead and watch your cartoons. I'll get all this in the wash for you.” Tom couldn't believe how understanding his mother was. He couldn't believe how much he was beginning to fit the role of little boy that had been thrust on him. But he didn't want to think about any of that now, he just wanted to watch some cartoons and forget about the day. Upstairs his mother couldn't help but notice an envelope sticking out of his backpack. Chapter 6 As Tom sat down to dinner with his mother he could easily see she wanted to talk about something. “I saw that note from your teacher” she said casually. Tom's stomach turned. He'd completely forgotten about it. “What did it say” he stammered trying to act as unconcerned as possible. “Well she said your well behaved and that you try hard” she said sparing Tom the comments about how adorable he was “But she thinks you might not be ready for her class.” That was exactly what what Tom had feared. “But I'm not even supposed to be in her class” Tom said exasperated. “Now honey, we both know the test they gave you showed you had some catching up to do. Mrs. Sanborn says your really struggling with what the other children are learning. And maybe if you had a little less pressure you could learn how to undo your pants. ” Tom sank into his chair. “Can't I at least have a little more time to try?” he pleaded. “She wants to have a parent teacher conference tomorrow. We'll talk about it then. And you know I won't let anything happen that's not in your best interest right?” “Yeah, I suppose” Tom acknowledged as he glumly went about finishing his dinner. But as he sat he felt a new sense of determination. Like never before he was committed to figuring out that hated latch and proving to everybody he really was grownup. Suddenly feeling buoyed he sat his plate in the sink and ran up to the room to begin. He sat and struggled for several hours. Several time he almost gave up but he knew this was his last chance to prove that he didn't need to be sent to an even lower grade. Finally he did it. He knew it was odd for a 13 year-old to feel proud about being able to undress himself but he couldn't help it. Quickly he buttoned back up and tried again releasing the latch with little trouble. Like a proud toddler he called his mom in to witness his new found skill. “I knew you'd get it. Maybe that will help convince the school to keep you in the fifth grade.” His mom said patting his head. Tom would have ordinarily resented being patted on the head in such a manner but he was far too happy to care. And when his mom reminded him that it was nearly his new 9 O'clock bedtime he didn't feel any need to protest. His simply got into his PJs by himself and went to bed finally feeling at least a little grownup. At school the next day Tom was still confused by the lessons but he was beginning to think that if he could figure out the latch he could figure out this stuff too. Even when class ended and his mother and the principal came in to discuss his future he felt very confident. Tom took a seat next to his mother and waited as the adults exchanged greeting. “Now down to business” Mrs Sanborn began “One of my biggest concerns is that Tommy doesn't seem to be able to handle undressing himself to use the restroom.” “But I figured it out” Tommy interrupted. He stood up and began to demonstrate his new found skill. He felt a little ridiculous doing this in front of three people but he know it was necessary. But something was wrong, he did exactly what he did the night before but the latch didn't come undone. “I did it last night, I don't know why it isn't working. Maybe it's broken or something” He said feeling a bit of panic. “Tommy hon” Mrs. Sanborn said “They all work differently. Every pair has it's own combination if you want to call it that. And most of them have a little computer chip in them that rearranges the way it works every day.” Tommy looked at her like she was insane. “But why? Why do they even put these on here?” Tommy could only keep looking at her in shock as she went into an explanation he could barely understand. All he could manage to figure out was that it had something to do with promoting neurological development. Tommy fell back into his chair wondering how he'd ever figure out all the different latches, especially when some of them even changed. He barely paid attention as the three adults went about discussing his readiness for the fifth grade. “Well” the principal said “What I'm going to do for now is put Tommy in the third grade and we'll see if we need to something more drastic.” “Third grade?” Tom said in disbelief “Can't you just send me back one grade?” “Don't worry you'll have a chance to work your way back” the principal reassured him “But as part of that we're going to expect you to take care of your own clothing. We think in a setting were your won't struggle so much with school you'll be able to learn to handle that on your own.” On the ride back Tom barely spoke a word. In the back seat sat his new uniform, a similar shirt with a pair of short pants and suspenders. The shirt had the name “Tommy” sewn neatly into it. His mother was clearly thinking hard about something and that suited him just fine, he didn't want to talk about this anymore. Suddenly he noticed she was turning into the parking lot of the local supermarket. “Mom” he finally spoke up “Can't we just go straight home today?” “I'm just going to get one thing, now come along with me.” “I'm just going to stay in the car and listen to the radio.” “Don't you remember how you got lost in the mall? I just want to keep a close eye on you.” Tom sighed and got out of the car. As he began to step out into the traffic lane he felt her grab his arm. Looking up at her and noticing the seriousness in her face he quickly acquiesced and took her hand. Inside the store he paid little attention to where his mother was going as he followed her and nursed his wounded pride. Finally she stopped and he looked up at the bright packages lining the store's diaper aisle. He watched in silent horror as his mother placed a package boy's Pull-Ups into the cart. “Mom please” he began to plead not thinking how he was clearly identifying himself as the intended wearer “I promise I'll try really hard, I don't need to wear diapers.” “These aren't diapers honey, I don't think you need those yet. But I can't have you coming home in wet pants every day.” He opened his mouth again to protest but was cut short. “I've already made my decision. As soon as you show that you can use the potty you can wear underwear again.” He began to speak again but quickly thought better of it. “Do you understand?” She asked. Yes.” Tom replied meekly. “Good boy” She said stroking his head. “I have a feeling this will work out in the end.” Chapter 7 When they returned home they both went straight to Tom's room to get him into his training pants. After being helped out of his pants Tom quickly grabbed a Pull-Up from the open bag. He was in no hurry to start wearing them but he at least wanted the dignity of putting them on himself. He looked at the brightly colored thing he held in his hands and a bevy of cartoon characters smiled eagerly back at him. He didn't recognize any of them but they were clearly meant to appeal to preschoolers. “The little stripe goes in back.” His mother helpfully pointed out. Seeing no reason to delay further Tom pulled his brand new pants into place. They weren't like real underwear the way the ads said. They were obviously thicker. Tom try to reassure himself that this wasn't a diaper, but he knew it was close. His mother held out his pants for him to step into. “Now I'm not going to help you with this anymore except for getting you dressed. You'll learn how to do it yourself, you just need to try. And if you have an accident just let me or the school nurse know and we'll help you get into a new Pull-Up. OK?” Tom couldn't believe the words he was hearing. It was his Pull-Up and he was going to need help from grown ups changing into a new one. He could only nod his acquiescence. “Good boy. Now go watch TV and I'll get dinner ready” giving him a pat on the bottom. As dinner approached his bladder began to strain. He'd made a few attempts at the button but quit in frustration. Now the need was getting dire. He walked the the bathroom, every step felt like it could shake loose the flood gates. He struggled again, twisting and pulling at the strange device. But control slipped away from him. This time there were no wet pants, just the damp heaviness of his training pants. “Tommy, dinner's ready!” He no longer took note of the name. How could he tell his mother he'd wet his Pull-Up after just a few hours of having it on? He crept into the kitchen still unsure what to say. “Hey honey. How's your Pull-Up doing?” she asked with an unnerving amount of casual directness. “Oh... It's still fine.” Tom said looking down. “Are you sure” she said trying to catch his gaze. “Yea...Yeah” She crossed her arms and looked him directly in the eyes “Do I have to check?” “Alright, I sort of had an accident.” “I thought so. Let's go get you into a dry one.” She began to lead him back to his room. “You need to tell me if you have an accident. You could get a rash if you don't changed soon enough.” Once in his room he was relieved of his shoes and pants. “Dry as a bone” his mother commented as she quickly inspected his pants. “Looks like we won't have to worry about leaks.” Tom started to remove his Pull-Up. “Oh honey let me get that, you don't know where to put it” she lowered the sodden thing and helped him step out of it before tossing it in a pail that had taken up residence near his bed. “I'm sorry sweety, I forgot to buy wipes hold on a sec'. She left for the bathroom and returned with a wet cloth in hand. “Mom, please let me do this” he pleaded. She thought for a moment and handed him the cloth. “OK, but if I notice you aren't cleaning up well enough I'm going to do it myself.” Tom breathed a sigh of relief and washed himself as thoroughly as he could manage before stepping into a new Pull-Up and getting dressed again. He went downstairs again for dinner and tried to content himself with this one measure of maturity he was still allowed. Eventually his bedtime came and all he could think about was getting out of his new juvenile underpants. He rushed to remove the Pull-Up on his own as his mother dropped his clothes in the hamper. “Is that dry” she asked as he walked over to the pail. “Yes, it's totally dry” he said. She leaned over and took it from his hand. “Just let me see” she said gently but with a pronounced sense of maternal authority as she took it from his hand. “Yep, dry as can be. Good job” she said as she deposited in the pail. “Why don't you try to go use the potty before bed OK?” “But mom, I don't need to. And would you stop saying potty. Just cause I've had a few accidents cause of these stupid buttons...” She raised an eyebrow and Tom relented. Without any impediments he was able handle his business on his own for once. When he came back he found his mom holding another Pull-Up. “Mom, I don't need one of those. I don't wet the bed. I just have accidents sometimes.” “I want you to wear one at night for a while just in case. Especially if you're going to be so unwilling to use the potty before bed.” Tom moaned again and slid himself into his nighttime Pull-Up and got into his PJs.. He was tucked into bed with a good night kiss and drifted off to sleep. Chapter 8 Tom could hear his mother already up getting things ready for the day as he slowly came awake. He felt the still unfamiliar snug padding beneath his pajamas and recalled the previous day. As he reached down to feel the front of them he found himself dry and wondered how he'd come to even doubt it. The door slowly opened and his mother peeked in. “Good morning sweety, did you sleep OK?” “Yeah I guess.” “Good” she sat down as his bed “Still dry?” “Of course” Tom said almost managing to sound like nothing else could have even crossed his mind. “Good boy” she said softly ruffling his hair “I just wanted to explain a few things about today since there's a lot of new things happening. I'm going to put some of your Pull-Ups in your backpack. When you get to school I want you to go to the office and give them to the nurse, she'll keep them in a cabinet for you. After that one of the office ladies will show you where your new classroom is. Do you think you can handle that by yourself or do you want me to go with you?” “Mom, that stuff is really simple. I'm not really some little kid. I can handle it.” “Of course your a big boy” she said chucking him under the chin “I just want to make sure your comfortable with all these changes.” “Thanks mom, but I'm sure I can do it on my own.” “Just remember you can have the office call me if you need anything. Now get a shower and I'll get your clothes out.” Tom grumbled to himself as he got out of bed. “And remember to put your Pull-Up in the pail.” Seeing that she wasn't going anywhere he got out of his PJs and dumped his training pants in the pail. He saw her watching closely to make sure it really was dry. The shower gave him a rare few moments of privacy and independence. He had a small shower radio that hung from the nozzle. He turned the knob until he zeroed in on a faint and distant station playing something that sounded like what a teenager ought to be listening to. He closed his eyes and tried to take it all in. But somehow it seemed wrong, like something from a place he didn't belong. He turned off the shower, grabbed his towel, and returned to his room. He found his mother waiting for him with his new school clothes in her lap. “I almost forgot” she said “The latches on these need to be done when you put them on too. It's supposed to help more with neurological development. It's not supposed to help as much in the later grades so they use a different kind.” Tom stood in shock as she held out his Pull-Ups for him to step into. “You mean you're going to get me dressed too?” “It's not a big deal honey, it's just until you learn how to do it yourself.” He sighed and put one foot and then another into his training pants and his mother soon had him in his brand new school uniform. “You look nice” she smiled as she made a few adjustments. Tom looked down at the hopelessly juvenile clothes he'd just been helped into and wondered what his friends back home would think. Even as a real third grader he'd never had been caught dead in short pants and suspenders. “I look like a baby” he complained. “No you don't. Those are perfectly fine clothes for a lit...” she cleared her throat “I mean big boy. You just have to get used to them is all.” Later that morning he was again dropped off at Kiddie Town Daycare. He slumped into his usual seat and glared at the floor. “Hey Tommy” shouted an excited voice. He looked up and saw Johnny smiling at him once again. “How come you're wearing one of the younger kid's uniforms?” Johnny asked “And how come you never told me your name before?” He asked pointing at the name stitched in his shirt. “I'm wearing this because... well because the teachers are all stupid. And I didn't tell you my name because I don't want to be friends with a big dumb baby.” Johnny rolled his eyes “I was just asking some questions, jeez.” Tom looked down again feeling a bit embarrassed by his outburst. He looked up again and saw Johnny walking back to rejoin his friends. He thought almost spoke up again to apologize but held back. In time his bus came and took him to back Sunny Brook. He walked into the office and up to the desk. “I'm supposed to give some stuff to the nurse and then I have to go to a... uh... different class room.” He explained. “Oh you must be the boy whose going into the third grade. Tommy Welton right?” Tom just nodded “Yes, could I just see the nurse and get this over with please?” “I'm sure you're excited to get to your new class dear, but there's just a few things we need to do first” She took out a form from beneath her desk. “Now what is your P.A.T. Number?” Tom look at her dumbfounded “I don't even know what that is.” “Oh a big boy like you must remember that.” She said expectantly. Tom just shook his head. “See if he has one of those big yellow cards” suggested one of the other secretaries “They usually give them to the Kindergarteners but he may have one too.” “I don't have one of those. Can't we just do this later?” Tom pleaded. “We can just skip that part for now” She looked further down the form “OK, are you a N.E.C.P student?” Tom blinked “I don't know what that is either.” The secretary just shook her head a bit “That's OK hon, we'll just call your mother. She'll know all this. Just go have a seat over there.” She said motioning to a row of seats behind him. Tom sighed and sat down. His legs dangled from the enormous chair as his mom was called to take care of the process for him. He didn't understand much of what they talked about except for the part about how cute he was in his uniform. After a few minutes she hung up the phone and walked over to him. “There we go hon, all taken care of. Your mother asked me to make sure you didn't forget about your pullups.” Tom gasped a bit “She told you about that?” She smiled bemusedly “It's no big deal. Just hand them to me and I'll take them over to Nurse Carlson.” Tom sighed and tried as discreetly as he could to retrieve them from his backpack and hand them over. He watched as she went a short way down the hall and sat them down on a table just outside a door. “Debra” she called into the room “these diapers are for Tommy Welton. I'll just leave them right here.” She walked back over to him “Now let's get you over to Mrs. Taylor's class.” Tom trotted along behind her wondering if he'd even be able to make it as a third grader. Mrs. Taylor's class was just getting underway when they came through the door. “Sorry we're late, we had a few details to go over with his mom.” she explained. “Oh you must be Tommy” the tall and slightly graying woman at the front of the class beamed “We were waiting for you. You can have your seat right next to Johnny and we'll begin.” Tom looked over at the empty seat right next to the kid he only knew as some persistent runt from the daycare. He took a breath and sat down. Johnny smiled and whispered “Hey, maybe we can be friends after all.” Tom just ignored him. “Class this is Tommy Welton. He's new here and I want you all to give him a good welcome. You're in luck today Tommy. We're going to be going over gravitational lensing which should be review from the second grade so you won't have much catching up to for today.” Tom could only stare as an elementary school teacher once again patiently explained concepts that he couldn't even grasp, every now and then she'd jot some alien word on the blackboard. “Now” she said with one firm clap of her hands “I think we're ready for a little pop quiz.” As the children around him groaned in disappointment Tom began to panic. He didn't want to be sent back any further but he was sure to be found out as having no idea what was going on now. As the quiz sheets were passed around the room he could only hope that it would at least be a true-false quiz. But when they pale blue sheet landed on the desk in front of him he didn't even know where to begin. He sat, pencil in hand, frozen. While the teacher turned her back to help another student he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around to see Johnny discreetly tilting his already completed quiz toward him. He quickly jotted down the answers and sat down his pencil just before Mrs. Taylor turned back around. The quizzes were collected and Mrs. Taylor went to her desk to grade them, instructing the class to begin reading chapter 9. Tom leaned over and whispered to Johnny “Thanks. You really saved my life. I'm sorry about being mean to you, I'm just sort having trouble with teachers and stuff.” “No problem” Johnny whispered back “Wanna play at recess.” Tom hesitated but he decided it might be for the best to just try and fit in. “Alright, I guess I can see what you guys do around here. Johnny beamed “Cool.” Once recess came Johnny led the way out a series of squares and circles painted on the blacktop. They soon joined by two other boys Tom recognized from his new class. “Tommy, this is Scott and Kyle. We usually play Boxes and Circles at recess.” “I don't think I've ever heard of that” Tom said. “Oh it's really easy” Johnny said before launching into a long and intricate explanation. “Oh OK” Tom said scratching his head. “I guess I can try to learn.” “Great, just ask if you get confused we all play this a lot so we can help.” Tom stepped into one of the squares as he was instructed and watched some of the initial play before the ball came bouncing his way. Thinking he'd gotten the hang of it he jumped to catch it. “No catchies” explained Kyle “That's minus five points for Tommy.” The rest of recess went on in much the same way with Tom losing points and the other boys displaying obvious patience for their new playmate. By the time the bell rang he was far behind, despite his wounded pride he felt relieved to have finally had a little bit of fun and make friends. Even if he was being treated like an interloping little brother he felt like he was beginning to find a place here. As he sat down at his desk he realized he'd been so focused on his game he hadn't noticed his growing need to use the bathroom. It was nearly an hour and a half to lunch and he already very much needed to go. He hesitated at first but as the strain in his bladder grew and the clock slowed he raised his hand. “Yes Tommy, do you have a question?” Mrs. Taylor said pausing her lecture. “I really have to go to the bathroom.”Tom nearly begged. She thought for a moment “We usually expect our students to tend to themselves during recess but I'll let you go just this once.” Tom thanked her and quickly walked to the door. Outside he began to run as fast as his overflowing bladder would allow but this time he didn't even make it to the end of the hallway. He'd nearly forgotten abut his Pull-Up, now it was sodden and heavy, there was only enough dampness to remind him of his accident. He paused and thought. If he went to the nurse right away everyone would surely know something was wrong, Mrs. Taylor might even ask what took him so long in front of everybody. He waited a reasonable amount of time and walked back to class. When the lunch finally came he nearly sprang from his seat in his eagerness to get out of his clammy training pants. “Hey Tommy” called Johnny “Don't you want to eat lunch with us?” Tom turned back around “Oh yeah! I just have to do some... stuff first. I'll see you guys in a few minutes.” Johnny just shrugged as Tom sped off to the office. He paused at the nurses door. She was busy refreshing her supplies. She was obviously younger than most of the staff, though still very much an adult to Tom's eyes. Tom stood and watched her. He struggled to find the words he needed to say. Before he could say a word she caught him at the edge of her vision and gave him a energetic smile “Hey there Tommy” She said bending down to face him at eye level. “Did you have another accident hon?” she said sympathetically. “Yeah, kind of.” She put a hand on his shoulder “Well let's get you into something dry then.” She walked over to a drawer on the other side of the room, retrieved one of his Pull-Ups, and sat it down on the examination table. “Do you need some help with those pants?” She asked. Tom just nodded and she effortlessly undid them and pulled them down to his ankles. She began to help him out of his wet Pull-Ups. “Do you like the Cartoonimals?” She said noting the design. “Huh?” “You know The Cartonimals. Cartoon animals. Lots of kids around here watch them every day.” “Oh uh, my mom just sort of picked them out for me. I didn't even know what they were.” “Well they're very cute” she said as she pulled out a fresh wipe. “I do that myself” Tom interjected. “I was just thinking I should talk to your mother about that” she said as she cleaned her new patient with expert care “You're already getting a little red. She might be a little more thorough.” she tossed the wipe into a nearby waste basket. “Don't you feel better already.” Tom nodded bashfully. “I thought so” she said holding out the fresh pair of training pants. She helped him back into his clothes. “There you go, all nice and dry.” She adjusted his suspenders and stood back up “Now don't forget to come here as soon as you have accident. I don't want to have come checking up on you.” “Thanks. I will” Tom stammered. “Now go play with you friends.” She shooed him out the door. He rushed to join his friends at lunch. “Hey Tommy. Your just in time” Johnny said “We were just talking about Hegelian dialectics. Scott says that negations come from outside the matter being discussed. I say that they're inherent and internal. What do you think?” Tom looked back and forth between them blankly. “I uh... agree with what you said” he nodded and said to Johnny. He picked over his lunch while the others continued their discussion. He felt like a little kid at a grown-up dinner party. As the afternoon wore on Tom couldn't believe how much he had to catch up on just to be in the third grade. Hardly anything made sense to him. When class was finally dismissed he quickly began to gather his things so he could escape and at least have a chance at enjoying the weekend. But Mrs. Taylor called him over to her desk. “Tommy, I can't help but notice you looked a little confused today. Are you having trouble keeping up with the class?” “No, it's just that there's some new stuff here I didn't learn before.” She nodded “I thought that might be the case” she reached into a drawer beneath her desk “We usually use these in the lower grades but it might help.” She sat a brown teddy bear down on the desk. “This is an Interactive Learning Teddy” she explained “It comes loaded with some games to help you learn some of the more basic material. And it even plays lessons while you sleep. It's very effective. I've already talked to your mother and told her all about it. She sounded very excited about trying it.” Tom stared at the toy for a while. “Well I guess I can try” he said said resignedly. He picked it up and tried to put in his backpack but it wouldn't fit. So he thanked his teacher and made is way to meet his mother, teddy bear clutched firmly in his hand. Chapter 9 Tom climbed into the passenger seat and started to toss his things in the back while his mother greeted him enthusiastically. “Hi honey! Where did you get the teddy bear.” Tom sighed “Mrs. Taylor gave it to me” he said flatly “It's supposed to help with learning or something.” His mom retrieved it from the back seat and admired it for a moment “Well that was very nice of her. You'll have to think of a name for him.” She handed the bear back to her son. “One of our new neighbors invited us over for dinner so we'll just go home real quick before we head over there.” “Do I really have to go too? Couldn't you just order a pizza for me or something?” She began to pull out of the parking lot “There's no way I could find a babysitter in time. You'll be fine.” “But I don't need a babysitter.” He said as defiantly as he could. The car came to a stop at a red light and she looked him right in his eyes “Honey, even if I thought you were big enough you'd still need somebody help you if you have an accident.” Tom tried to stammer a response. “If your a good boy tonight we'll go see a movie. You can even pick” “Alright” He acquiesced. Karen smiled and mussed his hair. “I knew you'd come around. They have a teenage daughter, maybe you two could play video games or something.” Tom arrived at the Lyndens' front door with his face freshly scrubbed and hair neatly combed courtesy of his mother's tending. She rang the doorbell and reached down to adjust his bangs once more. “You look very nice.” Mrs. Lynden greeted them both at the door and ushered them inside As they entered the dining room room Tom wondered why his mother had mentioned the daughter but not the younger child for whom a a bright red plastic booster seat had been set up at the far end of the table. “I've set up two places for you and Tommy over there” Mrs. Lyndon said pointing towards the childish thing. Knowing he was expected to be on his best behavior Tom stifled his complaint and tried to settle himself into his designated seat. Without a word he felt his mother's hands at his sides lift him up the last little bit and place him in the booster before sliding the chair back into place. The floor was now well out the reach of his dangling feet and he realized he'd need help again to get down. As this helpless situation dawned on him he looked at the place setting in front of him. Among the neat white plates and shiny silverware sat his plastic plate decorated with some now familiar cartoon characters. Mrs. Lynden saw his surprise and smiled. “Nurse Carlson at your school is a very good friend of mine. We just happened to be talking today and she said how much you like the Cartonimals.” He wanted to protest that he hadn't even known what they were until she pointed them out on his pull-ups. But that wasn't a topic he wanted to bring up. “Thank you.” he managed. “That was very thoughtful of you Susan.” His mother said as she sat down. The doorbell rang again and Mrs. Lynden excused herself to answer the door. “You being very good, just keep it up and we'll go see that movie tomorrow.” Karen said. Mrs. Lynden brought two more guests into the living room. “Karen, Tommy this is Bill and Theresa Burnette from down the street.” She turned to the new arrivals “And this is Karen Welton and her little boy Tommy.” The adults exchanged hellos and Bill, a heavy-set broad-shouldered man with thin graying hair gave Tom a soft playful punch on the shoulder “How you doing there slugger? Enjoying your new school?” “It's fine I guess” Tom replied trying to avoid the subject. “Haley” Mrs. Lynden called up the stairs. “Everybody's here. Would you mind helping me set the table.” A poised confident looking girl came in and graciously introduced herself. She was probably only a few years older than Tom but, but in contrast to his early grade-school uniform, had dressed for the get together in appropriately formal but still fashionable for a teenager clothes. After another round of introductions she went into the kitchen to help her mother bring out the food. With everybody settled in dinner was served. Almost everything was well out of Tom's reach so his mother prepared his plate for him and sat it down. Conversation around the table mostly drifted around adult topics that had little understanding of or interest in though Haley kept up with them quite nicely. Once dessert was out of the way Mrs. Lynden announced that coffee was avalable. “Tommy, we have some video games you might like. Do you want to go with Haley while you chat some more?” Eager to escape the boring adult chit-chat and hangout with somebody around his won age he nodded enthusiastically. As his mother pulled his chair away from the table he avoided anymore assistance by jumping down out of his chair. “Looks like somebody's excited to get some playtime” Mrs Burnette observed “Sorry about boring you with our grown-up stuff honey.” Tom followed Haley down the hallway and into a spacious room with a couch and some beanbag chairs arranged around a TV. A small chest brightly labeled “toys” sat in one corner. “I thought you guys didn't have any other kids here.” Tom said looking puzzled. “We don't. This is just where my mom and I watch the kids we babysit.” Haley replied as she sat down on the couch and picked up a magazine. “All the video games are in the basket next the TV, you can play whatever you want.” “But I thought...” Tom looked back at her engrossed in her fashion magazine. He realized she wasn't here to hang out with him, he knew his place in this arrangement. With a sigh he sat on the brightly colored carpet and turned on the video game system. He didn't really care what was in it. Just that it would distract him from his predicament. As it turned out he'd started something called Floppy Bunny's Big Adventure. He'd never heard of it before and the cutesy graphics didn't seem appealing. This was obviously just a game for little kids but he tried it anyway and became engrossed. He struggled at first but slowly adapted to the challenge. The urgent prodding of his bladder went almost unnoticed. Tom suddenly become aware of the direness of his situation and shot to his feet. “Where's your restroom?” He asked, straining to keep himself dry. “Oh just down the hall” Haley answered “You don't need any help, do you?” Tom barely gave it a thought, he couldn't bare asking for help from somebody who should have been his peer. He took off quickly down the hall and began the familiar struggle with his buttons. It was to no avail though, and his training pants were once again the only thing keeping his pants dry. He sulked out to the dining room and whispered in his mother's ear. She stood up and retrieved her purse from beneath the table. “Excuse us for a second, we just have a little something to attend to” she said as she began leading Tom back to the bathroom. Once again he was stripped down to his pull-up. She kept a calm demeanor but Tom could tell that constantly getting him undressed was beginning to be a chore. He wondered if a new solution might be in store. She pulled a baby wipe from her purse. “The school nurse said you might need some help with this sweety, so stand still.” Tom hung his head slightly while he was cleaned up. Next she retrieved a fresh pull-up. “Now I only brought one spare. So we should probably go home soon.” The lingered at their neighbor's house only a little while longer. Karen thanked her hosts their hospitality and thanked Haley for her help as well. She and Tom headed back home. When bedtime came around Tom was helped out of his clothes. His mother started to get a night time pull-up ready for him but he couldn't help but protest. “Mom, I was dry all last night. Please. Just let me try one night without a pull-up.” She paused an looked at him. “Well you did wake up dry. And you were a very good boy tonight at the Lynden's.” She thought for a moment “OK, we'll try going without a pull-up tonight.” Tom breathed a sigh of relief “Thank you, thank you.” He gave his mother a big hug. She smiled and patted him on the back “But you have to sleep with you bear tonight, that's going to help you at school. And if you're wet in the morning I don't want any more complaining about wearing a pull-up at night. Understand?” Tom nodded “I promise” and pulled his PJs up. He was finally feeling like a big kid again. He took his bear and placed it next to his pillow before climbing into bed. “Good night honey, sweet dreams.” She said as she turned out the light. “Good night mom.” As he lay in the darkness he could hear a strange soft humming coming his teddy bear. It was like nothing he'd heard before but soft and soothing. Before long he had drifted into a very, very deep sleep. Chapter 10 In his dreams Tom walked through a forest beside a babbling brook. He came a a clearing and found a large wooden table stacked with candy. At the head of the table was his teddy bear. “Come Tommy. Sit with me.” He felt almost like he was floating right into a chair besides his teddy. Everything was vivid and real. He could even feel damp grass beneath his bare feet. He looked down and saw he was wearing his pajamas. “Where am I?” he asked. “You're in Teddy Bear Forrest of course” said the bear. Tom glanced up and saw clouds forming in the sky. He started to get up. “No you need to stay here” said the bear. “The more time you spend here the better you'll do in school. Here have some tea.” The bear reached over and poured some tea into a cup that has suddenly appeared. He poured it to the very top of the brim and small trickle ran down the side. Before Tom could say another thing the clouds above him opened up and he was drenched by the falling rain. His room was bright and sunny. He could hear his mother coming from down the hall. For a moment he couldn't understand how the rain had gotten inside, how it had soaked him in his bed. But then he remembered. The door opened and his mother stepped in. “Good morning hon, how are you doing?” Tom just looked down at the wetness between his legs. “I'm sorry mom. I really tried.” “Oh no.” She said as she sat down on the side of his bed and embraced him. “It's OK baby, it's not your fault. Just go get showered and we'll talk about what movie you want to go see.” “Tom's mood brightened slightly “You mean we're still going to do that?” “I don't see why not. Now go get cleaned up and I'll take care of your sheets.” Later as she pulled into the movie theater parking lot Karen asked one last time “Are you sure you want to see this movie? It's supposed to be really scary.” “Mom, I can totally handle it. I'm not really some little kid.” “We can still go to the Floppy Bunny movie, Haley said you really liked that video game.” “You said I could pick the movie and I want to see Ghost Invaders.” “OK, but if you start getting too scared I'm marching you right out of that theater.” They bought their tickets and Tom strode confidently to his seat. All he had to, he thought, was sit through one dumb movie and he'd convince his mother that he wasn't a total baby. This lights dimmed, the film rolled, and the screen came alive with images more vivid than he'd imagined. Theaters back home weren't like this. The movie wasn't 3D but he could almost swear the pictures were coming off the screen. Every rustle of leaves, every footstep, every sinister growl sounded like it was right behind him. He could almost feel the breath on the back of his neck. Without thinking about it he sought out his mother's hand to hold his own. In his horror he inched closer to her, instinctively seeking her protection. Finally he couldn't bare to look at the screen any longer and buried his face in her shoulder. Suddenly he felt himself lifted from his seat. Gentle hands cradled his back and bottom before his feet finally found the ground again in the brightly lit lobby. “It's OK baby it's just a movie” she said stroking his chin. “I know. It was just really... scary I guess.” She wiped the fearful tears from his cheek. “Do you see why I thought Floppy Bunny might be better?” He nodded. “How's your pull-up doing? Did you have an accident?” Tom became aware of a familiar dampness. “Maybe” Karen took her son's hand and led him to the baby changing room. Tom was still too shaken to do anymore than go along. She lowered his pants and checked his pull-up. She began untying his shoes. “I'm sorry Mom” He said “I just wanted to show you I wasn't a baby” “I know you want to be a big boy” She replied while she helped him out of his pants.”But just remember that it's OK to be little too.” She cleaned him up and got him back into dry pants. “I have few errands I need to do. Do you feel OK enough to come along? We could get stop at the ice-cream place at the mall if you'd like.” Tom nodded “That sounds OK.” “Come on then.” She took his hand and they walked back the car. The mall parking lot was packed. Tom remembered their last visit and looked around nervously. “Don't worry” his mother said while she searched for a place to park “I'll make sure you don't lost again.” She found a spot at edge of the lot and opened the trunk. Tom watched as she retrieved something from the trunk, unfolded it, and sat it on the ground in front of him. He couldn't believe what he was looking at. She rolled a stroller back and forth a few times to get the wheels straight. “Hop in sweety. I'd like to start shopping before the lines get any longer.” “But that's for babies.” Tom said incredulously. His mother adopted a patient but slightly sterner tone. “It's for children who have trouble keeping up with their mothers. You remember what happened last time right?” “Yeah, but...” Tom stopped himself. It was just getting harder and harder to argue that he could by in this strange place without being treated the way he was. “I'm know how this must look to you but I also know this is better for you. If we have to turn around and go back home there will be consequences.” Without further protest he settled himself into the stroller. It wasn't awkward and uncomfortable like he'd expected, instead he was nicely accommodated among the babyish designs of the stroller. “I knew you'd be a good boy. Let's go get you some ice-cream.” Securely within his mother's charge Tom was pushed into the thronging mall and to a small ice-cream stand near the entrance. He really just wanted to make as few stops as possible, but he couldn't pass up the scoop Triple Chocolate Fudge he was offered. He ate greedily, enjoying the treat so much he nearly forgot his situation. And with the rich desert settled satisfyingly in his stomach and the steady pace of his mother's pushing he began to feel drowsy. His stroller came to a stop outside a clothing store. His mother knelt down beside him with a baby wipe in her hand and cleaned a stray bit of chocolate from the edge of his mouth. She saw the heaviness in his eyes, she smiled and smoothed his hair. “You can have a little nap if you want honey, I'm just going to be shopping for a while.” She resumed navigating her son through the crowd as he slowly felt himself drift off to sleep. He heard his mother's voice somewhere nearby as he came back to reality. “I've thought about it. I'm just not sure yet. It would be a lot easier than taking off his pants every time though.” “I'm sure you'll make the best decision for him.” An unfamiliar woman's voice answered “Either way he's simply adorable in his little stroller.” He opened his eyes and glanced around. He was parked next to his mother in a small cafe. The unfamiliar voice belonged to an happy looking round faced woman. “Look who's waking up.” she said “Hi there Tommy, your mother and I have just been chatting.” His mother looked over at him. “Hon, this is Mrs. Kerner, she lives in our neighborhood.” Tom squirmed a bit, realizing the women had been talking about him. “Oh, uh... hi.” “Are you still dry?” his mom inquired. “I think so.” “Are you sure? You were out like a light?” “Mom I only wet the be... I mean I'm sure.” “OK then, I won't check as long as your sure. I think it's time to start heading home now anyway.” Karen paid for her coffee and said goodbye Mrs. Kerner before taking Tom back out to the car and driving back home. Tom went straight to his room and flopped onto the bed. He'd hoped a weekend away from school would be a chance to be his own age for two days. But he just kept getting treated like a little kid everywhere he went. Worse than that it all seemed necessary. Absentmindedly he began fiddling with a button on the front of his teddy bear. It's eyes lit up and a speaker hidden within emitted a soft happy song. “Would you like to play the Algebra game with me?” chirped the bear. Tom turned the bear over, looking for someway to start the game. After a minute he looked around to make sure nobody was watching. “Yes” he almost whispered into the bear. “Oh good” said the bear “I've been waiting a long time to play with you.” Tom found the answer and response style of the game immediately intuitive and, for once, the subject matter was something he was at least a little bit familiar. He became engrossed that he didn't notice his mother at the doorway. “Good to see you enjoying your teddy.” Tom tried to compose himself “It's OK. I was just sort of bored I guess.” “I was just going to remind you to try using the potty. You haven't had an accident yet have you?” Tom's eye's widened and he sprinted past his mother and to the bathroom. Even without the disadvantage of his button being to difficult for him it would have been nearly too late. Fatefully he had another accident. He returned to his mother to get cleaned up and changed. “You can stay up a little while longer” she said tossing his pants into the hamper and starting to help him with his shirt. “But it's getting close to your bedtime so I want to get you into your jammies now.” With the sun barely down Tom was dressed in his night clothes. He spent the rest of the evening watching TV until he was tucked into bed after having his Pull-Up checked and found dry. His mother turned out the light on her way out and darkness fell across his room. Memories of the movie flooded back. Every shadow seemed to be a ghost and the world beyond his darkened window was cold and foreboding. He took his teddy from it's place near his pillow and held it against his chest. As though sensing his fear it began to play a soft soothing lullaby. He hugged it tighter. Chapter 11 After a second night of teddy inspired dreams he woke up wet again, this time protected by his training pants. It became a familiar pattern over the next few days. Tom felt himself slipping further and further towards babyhood and it seemed like he could do nothing about it. One evening he noticed his mother searching the Internet for diaper sizes. On Wednesday morning Tom walked into his third grade class to find Johnny and some of his classmates discussing a new arcade that had opened not too far from school. Everybody, it seemed, had gotten permission from their parents to go after school. “Hey Tommy are you coming too?” Johnny asked. “I don't know” Tom said hesitantly thinking of being stuck alone in his Pull-Ups. “Come on, at least ask if you can come.” A light came on in his head. This was a way to demonstrate maturity. He could just make his way without any grown-ups around and then they'd all know he was really big. No more holding hands, and certainly no more strollers. He nodded “OK I'll call her at recess.” The day's baffling lessons hardly seemed to matter anymore. His plan was in place. He Johnny, and some other kids would walk a few blocks to the city bus stop, ride just a few stops and visit the arcade. He could almost hear his mom telling him how wrong she'd been. At recess he went to the office with Johnny and Kyle in tow and asked to call his mother at work. “Hey mom” he began “Me and some friends want to go to a new arcade after school. Can I go?” “That sounds like it would take an awful lot of responsibility Tommy. I don't know if...” “Please” he begged “I won't be alone or anything.” He heard her inhale deeply “OK. But only for half an hour, I'll pick you up there. And you have to stay with you're friends the entire time. And you absolutely have to go to the nurse before you leave, even if you don't feel wet I want her to make sure.” They were restrictive terms but they were more freedom than he'd had in ages. “Thank you mom.” Tom gushed “I promise I'll do everything you said.” The rest of the day seemed to glide right by as Tom imagined what other new privileges he'd soon be winning for himself. After the bell rang his group began to make their way to the bus stop. Tom tried to think of an excuse to run to the nurses office but nothing came to mind. He resolved to keep up with his group. He'd only had a small accident, and it was only going to be a half hour. At the stop Tom peered at the vast array of signs, tables, and maps. “Are you guys sure you know where you're going?” He asked. “Of course” Kyle replied “We don't even have to change buses.” “Yeah, I guess it is pretty simple” Tom said nervously as he resolved to try to follow his friends as closely as possible. The bus rolled up and his friends quickly squeezed themselves into the crowded vehicle. Tom searched for a spot but couldn't even find a place to stand. “Just get on the next one” Johnny suggested “It's just a minute. We'll wait for you.” Tom gulped and stepped back down to the empty bus stop. He watched his friends wave as the bus thundered off. He looked around and briefly contemplated walking back to school to call his mom again but he wasn't even sure of the way back. As his panic rose another bus lumbered to a stop. Still feeling lost and confused he climbed on and a took a seat. The bus shuddered away from the stop and immediately took an unexpected turn. After a trip of what seemed like miles Tom got off at the next stop and scrambled to find the bus back. The signs offered nothing but a tangle of arrows, dots, and numbers so he just got on the next bus that seemed to be going the other way. But soon he was riding through completely unfamiliar streets. His half-hour of freedom came and went and he was still desperately lost, his bladder bulged again. He no longer cared at all about the arcade he just wanted to be at home with his mom. He decided to abandon his attempts at navigation while he searched for a restroom. He found one near the entrance of a park and darted in. He fumbled with his button briefly but soon the familiar sensation of wetness came gushing. His already wet Pull-Up could hold no more and soaked the front of his short pants. He stepped back outside, tears already in his eyes. As the sun began to sink below the horizon he sat down on a lonely bench, put his head in his hands, and cried. He heard a car come to a screeching halt and looked up. “Tommy! I've been looking everywhere for you!” He heard his mother exclaim as she ran from her car. “Mommy!” The word simply burst out of him. They embraced each other tightly. “My baby, I was so worried. Nurse Carlson called to say you hadn't come by. So I went to the arcade and couldn't find you. I'm just happy you're OK.” “I'm sorry mommy” the word came out again through heaving sobs “Please don't be mad.” “I'm not mad baby, I shouldn't have let you have so much responsibility. You should have gone to see Nurse Carlson before you left but” she looked at the wet spot running down his school uniform “That really doesn't matter now.” She sat down on the bench and patted the spot next to her “There's a few things I want to explain to you.” Tom sat warily down next to her as she put an arm around him. “Tommy, I know you've been trying very hard but I don't think you're ready for your school yet.” anticipating a protest she put a finger to is mouth “Now just listen. Mrs. Taylor says you're still having trouble with your lessons and she thinks your friends are helping you with your quizzes.” Tom looked down. She'd seen right through it all along. “From now on” She continued “You can just stay at Kiddie Town until I come pick you up. They have lots of toys like your bear and the teachers there can you learn some of the same things.” “You mean you're sending me to preschool?” Tom gasped. “Tommy, be honest. Do you really think you can keep up with everything your third grade friends are doing?” Tom thought about the days events and about how he always seemed to be just tagging along. “I guess not” he admitted. “And there's one more thing” she said broaching a long unspoken subject “You haven't been having a lot of luck making it to the potty and I've noticed that you're getting up to go later and later.” “But I can keep trying” He stammered She shook her head. “Honey. Training pants are for children who just have accidents sometimes. They're really hard to change and their expensive. Now before I went to look for you at the arcade I went out to the store and when we get home I'm going to put you in a diaper.” “A diaper?”He looked back down at his pants and his protest softened “Do you really think I need them?” She hugged him “I'm afraid so honey. Are you going to be a good boy and come with me so we can get you out of those wet things?” Tom looked down at his wet pants and thought of the trouble his disobedience had caused him. He sniffed and nodded “OK mommy, I'll be good.” She smiled at him warmly and gave him a big hug. “Let's go home.” After a short drive home Karen walked through the front door with a paper bag full of diapering supplies in her hand and her son following closely behind. “Come on” she said as she led him upstairs. She sat the bag down on his bed and went straight to his dresser to retrieve some dry clothes. “Now just sit down and I'll take care of everything.” Tom sat on his bed and felt his sodden Pull-Up squish wetly beneath him. He just wanted out of it. His mother sat the clothes down next to him and got a pale green package of diapers from the bag. She opened it and light babyish aroma wafted though the air. She pulled out a single diaper and sat in on top of his dry things. Tom studied the baby animals designs playing across its front, he never thought his Pull-Ups would seem so grown up. A bottle of baby powder was placed next to it. She undid his suspenders, lifted his shirt over his head, and instructed him lie back. She slid off his shorts and tossed everything in the hamper. Finally she removed his Pull-Up and disposed of it with a thud in the bin. She took a few wipes and made very sure he was all clean before cracking open the bottle of baby powder. Tom just watched, he was amazed at how much quicker and efficient the process seemed now that his mom was handling it all. She spread a thin layer of baby powder all over him and at last picked up and unfolded the diaper. “Just lift up a bit baby.” She slid it under his bottom, made a few quick adjustments, and taped it snugly into place. She started grabbing his new clothes. “Now I don't expect you to try to get to the potty anymore, but if you know you're wet you should let me know right away.” He nodded. At least in resigning himself to this he'd be relieved of a cumbersome and frustrating responsibility. They both went down stairs and had dinner. Afterward they sat together on the couch and watched TV. He was home, he was safe, and he things he could no longer look after himself were being tended to. It was hard to understand why he'd fallen into this role so easily. He could only wonder what lay ahead. As he pondered these thoughts the weariness of the day began to creep in and he fell asleep on the couch beside his loving mother. Chapter 12 In the morning Tom was changed out of his soaked night-time diaper and helped him into his third grade uniform again. He'd be getting a new preschool one today his mother promised. His mother got him to Kiddie Town early and began the process of officially enrolling him in preschool, specifically the class they referred to as The Little Ducklings. The Little Bunnies class was reserved for children who'd been successfully potty trained. “You're both very lucky today” explained the secretary “We just had a new spot open up in Ducklings.” While Tom waited for the adults to wrap up their business Johnny spotted him. “Hi Tommy” he chirped “Sorry about you getting lost like that. We just thought you'd be able to use the bus since you're kind of a big kid an all.” “That's OK.” Tommy said “It was really my fault I guess. I should have just gone home.” “Do you still wanna play with us? We've got some really fun ideas for recess today.” Johnny offered. “I can't.” Tom looked down and heaved a sigh as he made an admission “I have to stay here instead of going to school with you guys.” A look of realization crossed Johnny's face “Oh, so you're going to be in preschool now.” He paused “You might be a little less confused than you are in our class. They teach really simple stuff like algebra. And the teachers are really nice. And you won't have to keep going to the school nurse to get changed.” Tom looked back up in shock “You know about that?” Johnny shrugged “Sure, why else would you keep going to the nurse's office like that. Especially since you always did it after you asked to go to the bathroom.” Tom stammered. “It's OK” Johnny replied casually “Maybe we can play after school. That's when they let you preschoolers out to play with us big kids.” “Uh sure. I guess.” Tom said still stunned. “OK then, see you later” Johnny said as he bounced off to the big kid's room. Tom turned back around just as the adults finished with their business. “This is Mrs. Hansley” his mother said motioning towards a young blonde woman “She'll show you around and help you get your new clothes on.” “Hi” Tom offered as he tried to assess the new situation. Mrs. Hansley knelt down “Hi Tommy, we have lots of fun things for you to do here. Just say bye to your mommy and I'll show you your new classroom.” He exchanged a good-bye hug with his mother “Be a good boy” she patted his bottom “And don't worry about getting to the potty. Just let the ladies know when you need a change and we'll see about getting you back into big boy pants later. OK?” Inside Tom winced, he wondered if it was too late to protest this change in status. He'd felt so scared and vulnerable on that park bench that he would have agreed to nearly anything. He wanted to ask her to reconsider, but before the words came he was watching her walk out the door. “Don't worry hon” Mrs. Hansley as she took his hand and led him through door that separated the preschool section from the the regular daycare “She'll be back to pick you up at the end of the day.” Two doors where on opposite sides of the hallway. On the right was one decorated with a cartoon rabbit, and the left was a happy cartoon duckling. One small boy was being led from the duckling room to the other. “Good job getting potty trained Andy” Mrs. Hansley addressed him as they passed. Andy smiled back and followed his new teacher through the open door. On the other side of the Little Bunnies room Tom could see into a small bathroom. The door shut behind Andy and he turned to look into his new classroom, several changing tables lined the wall. Tom's preschool teacher retrieved a pair of shortalls and a striped shirt from a nearby counter. On the bib of the shortalls was a picture of the same duckling that was on the classroom door, a comically large pin held its diaper in place as it smiled eagerly. “Now let's get you ready for school and I'll show you all the fun things we have here and the other teachers.” She began untying his shoes and Tom took a moment to look around. He was surprised by how calm everything seemed to be. All the children were happily absorbed in toys or painting or being tended to by one of the other teachers. Something about it seemed welcoming. Once he was down to his diaper Mrs. Hansley casually slipped a finger just under the leg gather before moving to getting him into his shortalls. Tom looked around again, one group of children was watching a cartoon that seemed familiar. Once he was securely in his new preschool outfit Mrs. Hansley quickly took out a small pen-sized device and twisted it into the buttons on his shoulder straps and two other snaps on the front of his pants. “What was that?” He inquired. “Just a tool for grown-ups, don't worry about it.” She answered patting his head. She showed him around the various parts of the classroom. There was an area with a toy box, one with a TV, some tables setup for painting, and a playground outback where the preschoolers could play as long one of the teachers was supervising. “You can do whatever you want for now” she explained “But everybody has to be quiet for storytime, and then lay down for a nap.” Two other teachers Ms. Kelly and Mrs. Peterson moved about the room observing things and occasionally shuffling one of their charges off to the changing tables. With a pat on the bottom Tom was dismissed to find something to do until storytime. He looked back to the TV, something about the cartoon was familiar. He walked over to the group of children gathered around and watched for a moment. Then it dawned on him, these were the Cartonimals everybody had kept bringing up. They were currently involved in comical explanation of simplifying an algebraic expression. Tom recalled the subject from his old school. But this was different, somehow he was interested. Without giving it a second thought he sat down cross legged on brightly colored carpet Soon he was laughing along with his preschool classmates and swaying to the the simple songs. He never noticed the dire urgency of his bladder until it was already giving way. In a moment he realized he was sitting in a wet diaper in the middle of a preschool watching a kid's show, but he couldn't pull himself away. Mrs. Peterson, an experienced preschool teacher, somehow suspected. As she walked by she quickly reached beneath Tom's shortalls. “Jessica” She said to Ms. Kelly “We have a wet little guy here. Would you mind?” “Of course not” she replied. Tom looked between them in shock. Ms. Kelly knelt down beside him a put a hand on his shoulder. “Don't worry, I'll just put you in a dry diaper and you can go right back to watching your cartoon.” She took his hand and led him to a changing table. “Do we really have to do this out here?” Tom said. “Where else would I change your diaper silly?” She replied as as she set a disposable mat onto the table. “It's just that the school nurse before changed... I mean helped me out of my pull-ups in her office.” Ms Kelly smiled “Don't worry sweety, we have everything we need to change your diapers here too” She said motioning to a neatly stacked box of powder, wipes, and other supplies “Just let us grown-ups worry about stuff like that” “No I mean” Tom stammered as she hoisted him up onto the table. He could see his protests would go nowhere. Nobody would see him as and different than an everyday preschooler. She gently pushed him back onto the padded surface. Then she unfastened his shortalls and quickly went to work. “So you really must like the Cartoonimals, you've been watching them all day.” “Yeah they're kind of interesting I guess” Tom replied. “Do you want to try something else after we're done. Maybe try some of the toys?” Tom shrugged “Sure.” With a fresh layer of baby powder applied and a new diaper in place his pants were snapped back up and he was taken to the opposite corner of the room were toys of every description filled shelves and boxes. Ms. Kelly gave him a pat on the bottom and left him to play among the other preschoolers. Tom settled down next to a small toy train set. He looked around for the engine and found a pile gears, wheels, and parts. He scooped them up in his hand, he could almost see how they were supposed to go together. He began playing with the pieces, trying different arrangements. Finally he worked out a configuration that seemed to work. He flipped a switch and all four wheels began to turn. A smile grew across his face. He sat his new train down on the track and he watched with open delight as it ran around the track. Soon another boy sat down next to him and picked the train up. “This makes it faster” he said before taking out a few gears and rearranging them. He put the train back and it took off faster than before. Tom realized that there must be many more combinations. He couldn't wait to try more. But before he could pick the train up again Mrs. Peterson was calling everybody for story time. Tom reluctantly left his train behind and sat down on the edge of the group gathered around Mrs. Peterson's chair. Today's story, she announced, was Spaceman Simon and the Three Laws of Motion. The title reminded him of something and as he listened to Mrs. Peterson's slow sing-song reading he remembered hearing about this once, something about the scientist who'd gotten hit by an apple. It never interested him, and he never understood it. But in the story of Spaceman Simon it was something he could understand. He leaned in closer to see the pictures and Mrs. Peterson turned the book around to show everyone. Mrs. Hansley began passing out sippy cups to all the children. Tom almost balked but decided to try it, it was warm and sweet. He drank some more while he sat and listened. He finished his cup just as the story came to an end. The teachers began moving everybody into the nap room. Tom paused in the doorway and looked at the rows of cribs crisscrossing the room. “Can't I sleep on a mat or something” Tom asked Mrs. Hansley as she walked by. “Oh these are lot more comfy than some old mat” she said before getting an idea. She grabbed a stuffed rabbit from a nearby shelf “Here you can have this stuffed bunny if you're scared. And one of us teachers will always be in the room.” She smiled and handed him his stuffed rabbit before giving his diaper a quick check and hoisting him into a nearby crib. “But I'm not scared, I just...” “That's good” she said giving his head a quick pat “Just lie down and try to sleep.” Tom sank down to the mattress, rabbit still in hand. Mrs. Hansley pulled his blanket over him. “Good boy” she said softly “after all that playing and starting a new school you need some rest.” She slid the crib's railing into place and moved on to other children. In a few moments the lights were dimmed and lullaby began to play over unseen speakers. Tom laid there and realized he was tired, very tired. The crib's mattress seemed perfect. His blanket was soft and warm. And the music, the lulaby was simple but so deeply soothing. He wondered why he'd wanted to take a nap anywhere else. He closed his eyes and fell alseep. He awoke again to Mrs. Hansley standing over his crib. “Did you have a good nap?” She said not even waiting for an answer before she checked his diaper. “Let's get you over to the changing tables.” She helped him out of his crib and took him back to the main room where the other two teachers were busy changing the last of their student's naptime diapers. Tom could only wait before Mrs. Peterson finally came to tend to him. Once he was in a dry diaper and back on his feet he scanned the room for something to do. His new favorite toy was already being played with. He sat down next to it anyway, just to observe. To his surprise his new new classmates, Mike and Sammy, welcomed him and he quickly joined them in building and playing with new trains. His new friends introduced him to other toys. There were toy robots, cars, and puzzles. Tom could hardly tear himself away from any of them. He barely noticed the hours slip by until he heard his mother's voice from across the room. He looked up from his toy car and she waved him over to where she was talking with Mrs. Hansley. Still enthralled with all the new toys he'd found he rushed over to her “Hi mom, I was just playing with this cool car thing.” he quickly began enthusing “You can build the engine for it and everything. It's really cool.” She looked at him with bemused surprise “Well I'm glad you had such a good time. Mrs. Hansley was just telling me what a great addition you are to the class.” Tom looked down in embarrassment at his display of enthusiasm and tried to shift into a more mature bearing. “Yeah I guess it was alright.” But a peek back at his mother and teacher sharing a knowing look told him it was already too late. Karen turned back to Mrs. Hansley “How did he do about letting you know when he needs a change?” The experienced preschool teacher dismissed the whole idea with a wave of her hand “We can work on that when starts getting ready to train. Until then we're happy to just let him play.” “Oh, well I guess I won't worry then either.” Karen said as she gave her son's head a gentle stroke. “You said you had something for us to take home.” “Yes” she retrieved a brightly colored book from her desk “This is a coloring book we give all our students. We don't really have lessons here but we do try to instill some of the basics. Tommy can go through this at his own pace, it has some puzzles and games that teach basic algebra, geometry, that sort of thing.” “Thank you, seeing how he liked his day here I'm sure he'll have fun with this too.” She looked back at Tom “Say 'thank you' to your teacher sweety.” Tom accepted the book and took a moment to examine the picture of young children among giant algebraic equations. “Thank you, Mrs. Hansley” with more than a trace of genuineness. With that his mother took his hand bid his teacher good-bye and led him out the door. He looked back as the door shut and couldn't believe he wanted to go back. Chapter 13 Tom sat cross-legged on the living room floor with his new coloring book sprawled out in front of him and a fresh red crayon in his hand. He puzzled over one of the first pages. “Help Farmer Jim put his Periodic Sheep in order of atomic weight” the text at the top cheerfully suggested. The TV sat silent, he'd shut it off after seeing another ad for Ghost Invaders, his coloring book suddenly seemed more inviting. In the kitchen his mother was having a tense phone conversation. He began absentmindedly coloring the barn while he contemplated what he was to do with this puzzle. Across the hall his mother's conversation came to a halt. She walked into the living room and sat down with a sigh. She looked over at her son and Tom froze assuming he was in some sort of trouble. But her wearied face turned to a smile. “Already starting your coloring book huh?” “Yeah, I was just bored is all. I'm trying to figure this one out.” “Well come over here, maybe I can help.” Tom gathered up his coloring book and took a seat on the couch. His mother smiled again. “Not there silly” she said as she lifted him onto her lap. She chuckled at his evident surprise. “It'll be easier to help you here” she said brushing his hair lightly before putting her arms around him and taking the book in her hands. Tom settled into his new seat, relieved he wasn't the cause of his mother's distress and pleased he seemed able to relieve it somehow. She examined the troublesome page for a moment. “I bet there's a periodic table somewhere in here.” “Isn't that the chemical thing?” Tom asked “I haven't learned that yet.” “Well that's what this is for” she said thumbing quickly through the book “to help you learn new things.” She came found what she looking for and pointed out one of the numbers. “This chart shows all the elements and their atomic weights” she explained patiently “Each one of the sheep has letters on it that tell you what element it is. Like this H means that one's hydrogen. You just have to look them all up and see which one has the largest atomic weight and put a one next to it, and then do the others in order.” Tom nodded partly understanding “I get it. But what does all that mean” “I'll explain while you work on the sheep” she said and reached over to retrieve a box of crayons from the coffee table. They worked their way through a few more pages. Tom hung on his mother's words and when she praised him exuberantly for every right answer he felt like he'd won a Nobel prize. “Thanks mom, that really helped a lot” Tom said as he shut the book and began to get up. “Thank you for making me feel better” she said pulling him back into a hug. “What was that phone call about?” “Nothing you need to worry about.” She noticed a sogginess as his weight shifted “We should go out to eat tonight. But first I think you need a change.” She let him down and he began to leave. “Just stay right here” she said as she retrieved a diaper-pin patterned mat from nearby. “I don't see any reason to go upstairs every time you need a change.” She laid it out and began gathering all the necessary diapering supplies into a neat row while Tom resignedly laid himself down in front of her. He wondered how much his own behavior was contributing to this casual attitude about his diapers. Did he really seem like that much of a baby? She worked swiftly and his shortalls were being fastened over a fresh dry diaper before he could complete these thoughts. Together they walked out to the car and started their way to a nearby restaurant. Venturing out into the world beyond home and the colorful walls of Kiddie Town made him more acutely aware of his uniform. The night-time air was cool on his legs, he grateful his diaper was warm and dry. He knew by now that to everybody else his age was defined by the clothes he wore so he was prepared for the hostess's broad smile and careful tone as she welcomed he and his mother. Her question surprised him though “Will he need a highchair tonight?” she asked. “No” Tom answered emphatically for himself. Still she looked to his mother for confirmation. “No thank you.” She said lightly. They were shown to their table and Tom was left with a children's menu a complimentary sippy cup of juice. Karen smiled at the special treatment her adorably shortall-clad son was getting. “I hope things like that don't bother you too much.” “It's OK. I'm sort of getting used to it.” “That's good to hear. I think I'm getting used to it too. Getting to hold you in my lap again really helped after a long day.” Tom's cheeks burned slightly “I had fun too I guess” “Good, I really hope you enjoy this time as much as I do.” Tom looked at her with a bit of surprise “You mean you don't mind having to... do all that extra stuff.” She shook her head emphatically “My biggest job is take care of you when you're too little to do it yourself and I enjoy doing it.” “But I'm not really...” “Honey, some day you'll be ready to go back to school, but for now I really hope you can accept this and enjoy being my little guy.” Tom blushed redder but he felt good knowing his mother saw things that way. Karen noticed a small smile growing on her son's face “After all you had fun at preschool today didn't you?” Tom squirmed a bit “Yeah, it was fun I suppose.” “Well keep having fun and maybe it will all get easier.” They continued chatting over dinner. As Karen left her money on the table on got up to leave she quickly checked Tom's diaper. “You're fine for the ride home” she said and then she thought for a moment “You know I saw a toy store just across the street. If it's still open we could go in and get you something. Maybe that car you were playing with today.” Tom was deeply tempted but he couldn't quite go that far “No thanks mom.” But his mother could see the way his eyes had lit up “OK, but let me know if you want a new toy and we can go and pick something up.” The next morning Tom was laying on a rug at preschool absorbed in a Speak-n-Say. He pulled the cord “Apoapsis is the highest point in an orbit” a happy voice chirped from within. He looked through rain washing over the classroom's windows to elementary school school kids trudging to their bus. Inside the teachers were distributing a morning snack along with sippy cups of milk. Tom took his and surveyed the classroom while he enjoyed his treat. He noticed that Cartoonimals had already started playing so he wandered over to take a seat. Olly Otter was elaborating on square numbers to Gavin Giraffe, who though he was the tallest and implied to be the oldest of the group was most often the recipient of these lessons. Tom settled in and finished his snack. As the show drew to a close he found himself in the mood to try something new. He walked over to the art section and took a seat. Where he expected to find simple ordinary finger paints or maybe some crayons or brushes there was instead a thumb sized pen with several buttons and dials on its surface. He picked it up and examined it. Around him the other children where using them with unconscious ease. Tom shrugged and decided to figure it out on his own. He pressed the largest button, nothing seemed to happen. He turned a dial, still nothing. Finally he tried the next largest button, the pen vibrated for a moment before firing a giant stream of green ink across the front of his shortalls. Ms. Kelly was soon by his side. She took the pen from his hand and surveyed the damage. “Oh sweety, you should have asked one of us for an apron before you started. We're going to have to clean you up.” Tom could only look at himself in horror. We wondered if there was something even lower down the chain than preschool in store for him. Ms. Kelly saw his reaction and patted his head “Don't worry. You're not in trouble it's just a little mistake.” She led him over to the changing tables and undid his shoulder straps and lowered his shortalls to the floor. She then removed shirt leaving him standing in nothing but a diaper. “Oh dear” she said “It looks like it soaked through.” Tom looked down at himself. If his cartoon-animal print diaper didn't make him look like a toddler then the messy smear of paint across his chest certainly completed a certain picture. Ms. Kelly sighed and turned to consult with Mrs Peterson for a moment. “I think I'll have to give this guy a bath. Can you cover for me for a few minutes.” Mrs. Peterson nodded and Ms Kelly thanked her while she gathered Tom's clothes and took his hand. She led him to the other side of the classroom and through a door to a small tiled room. Here a bathroom for the teachers was apportioned with a tub, apparently for situations such as these. For a moment Tom was relieved to be in relative privacy but as Ms. Kelly began to draw a bath he realized what she had in mind. “I can do this myself” he protested “I always do it at home.” “I'm sure you can do lots of big boy things” Ms. Kelly said patiently as she reached for his diaper “But this is hard to get off, just let me do it and you can go back to playing.” Tom dodged her hand with a step back “Just let me try.” Ms. Kelly adopted a sterner tone “Does somebody need corner time? I'm sure your mommy wouldn't be happy to hear about how cranky you're being.” Tom froze. He thought about how happy his mother had seemed with him the previous night. Somehow the threat of punishment didn't seem as bad as disappointing her. “OK” he said reluctantly. He was quickly relinquished of his diaper and helped into the warm soapy water. He was immediately struck by strong pleasant aroma of the bath soap. Something about it was so soothing, so disarming. She began to scrub his thoroughly. Though he could barely discern it there really did seem to be a technique involved in removing this paint, he could only sit while her expert hands did the work. “Boy you really splashed yourself. Hasn't your mommy taught you to use an ArtPen?” Tom shook his head “No, I never even heard of it before.” “I could show you how after you're all cleaned up, does that sound good?” Tom nodded “Yeah, that sounds OK” As he got out of the tub she wrapped him in a giant fluffy towel and began to dry him off. “There we go” she said as she inspected her work closely “all cleaned up.” She hoisted him onto the a nearby changing table and got her newly clean charge into a fresh diaper. From somewhere beneath the table she produced a simple baby blue onesie “You can wear this while we wait for your clothes to get out of the washer.” She said as she pulled it over his head and snapped him into it. “Oh, thanks” Tom said. At least he wouldn't be wandering around in nothing but a diaper. They emerged back into the classroom just as everybody else was assembling for story time. Tom was surprised to find himself glad he hadn't missed it. The day's selection was Bubsy Beaver Meets the Colorful Chloroplasts. Tom couldn't help but be aware of being much more thinly dressed then everybody else. His onesie was snapped snuggly between his legs and made him more aware than ever of his diaper. But as Mrs. Hansley began reading he hung on every word. After story time the children where again ushered into the nap room. While Tom was considering renewing his protests of the day before Ms. Kelly swept him into a crib and raised the side rail. “Don't worry your clothes will be ready when nap-time is over” she tried to reassure him. Mrs. Hansley came by with familiar toy in her hand “Tommy here just gets a little anxious without his bunny. Don't you sweetheart?” she handed him the same stuffed bunny he'd slept with before. Tom again resigned himself to settle into his crib as the lights dimmed and a soothing lullaby played over unseen speakers. As he drifted into sleep he noticed a faint glowing from the corners of his crib. He barely had time to wonder what it might be before he was asleep. Tom sat in his living room surrounded by a bevy of toys. He had his teddy bear and his stuffed bunny both close at hand as he fiddled with his toy car. His mother came in and stroked his hair while she sat down next to him. She joined in with him, helping him assemble a new engine for his car. It all seemed so normal and easy, he was happy to have his mother by his side. Then he was standing beside a crib in his own room while she helped him into his PJs. She kissed him on the forehead and offered him his stuffed animals before lowering the rail. We awoke to Ms. Kelly standing over his crib with his freshly washed uniform in hand. “Come on sleepy head” she said “I'll get you back into your clothes and you can go play.” Back at the changing table Tom was changed out of his soaked diaper and dressed in his uniform once again, cleaner and well powdered for the journey. “Do you still want to learn how to use an ArtPen” Ms. Kelly offered. Tom shrugged “Sure.” Ms. Kelly led Tom over to the art area and got him into an apron emblazoned with the same duckling logo that was on his shortalls. She handed him one of the strange devices and took one for herself before kneeling down beside him. She began to go over each button and dial in slow and patient detail. Soon he was drawing crude lines of his own, only getting a small amount on his apron. Before long a picture was taking shape. The only thing he could really think of at the time and the only thing he could manage to draw with this unfamiliar technology. Two stick figures, representing his mother and himself, stood happily in front of a red house with smoke rising from the chimney. He knew it was childish but he was proud to have learned something new. Ms. Kelly took a moment to praise her student. “Good job, I bet you're mommy will put this right on the refrigerator.” She carefully curled the paper into a tube and put it in a small cubby labeled “Tommy.” Tom busied himself with the toy train for the remainder of the afternoon. Soon he heard his mother calling to him from across the room. She greeted him with a hug and pat on the rear “Mrs. Hansley says you have something you want to show me.” “Yeah, I guess I sort of do” Tom said blushing slightly but excited to share his new talent with his mother. Mrs. Hansley handed him the sheet of paper and he opened it. “Awww that's very sweet” She exclaimed causing Tom to blush brighter. She put a hand on his shoulder “It's very good Tommy, I'm really proud of you for learning new things.” Tom thanked her and they hugged again. “You smell really nice too, that was good of Ms. Kelly to help clean you up” She commented. Tom blushed again and couldn't help but wonder if baths would be a part of his future as well. They both said their farewells to Tom's teachers and left hand in hand. “I'm going to put this up on the refrigerator” She promised. Tom smiled bashfully. Not so long ago the idea would have been unbearably embarrassing. But he knew he'd made his mother happy, and for now that felt better than anything else. Chapter 14 Tom awoke to the sound of his mother preparing breakfast below. He held his teddy against his chest nestled in the curve of his body. He'd gone to sleep with it beside him, but he always seemed to wake up this way. His sleep had been getting deeper since he'd started sleeping with it too, part of the learning benefits he assumed. The door slowly opened and his mother peeked in. “Good morning sleepyhead” she smiled “I was starting to think you were going to sleep all day.” “Good morning mom” he responded “I guess I was just kind of tired.” She walked over to his bed and pulled back the covers “It's Saturday do you want to try getting out today?” She said as she casually pulled his pajama bottoms to his knees. “Sure” Tom answered “What is there to do?” “We'll talk about it about breakfast” She untaped his sodden diaper and dropped it in the pail. “You just keep on waking up wetter and wetter. I may need to get you some thicker diapers before you start leaking.” Tom didn't even have time to respond to that embarrassing suggestion before she pulled his top over his head. “Now do you want to take a shower yourself or do you want some help.” “Mom, I can do it myself.” She looked slightly disappointed “But you we're so nice and clean yesterday. You're sure you don't want a grown-up to do it.” “Believe me. I'm sure” “OK. But if I don't think you're doing a good job I might change my mind. I left some new soap in the shower I want you to use.” she stood up and tussled his hair as she left “Just hurry up. I'll have breakfast ready soon.” Tom sighed and shuffled to the bathroom. He turned the shower knob and began one of the few personal tasks still left to him. He let the water run over him for a few moments before noticing what his mother was talking about. He picked up the plastic bottle and turned it over a few times. Inside were three chambers filled with clear, amber, and blue liquids each with a small button. They fed into another chamber which seemed to rotate, maybe for mixing Tom guessed. He experimented with it for a few moments without a satisfactory result. When he could get something out of the bottle it was either a small glob or a jet of watery liquid. He put it back down in disgust wondering why everything had be so hard. He picked up the tiny sliver of bar soap that was left, it was small but it would have to do. Having heard him finish his shower his mother followed him to his room. “Just lie back and I'll get you ready for the day” she said as she pulled a diaper from the bag on his dresser. Tom did as he was told and watched as his mother collected his clothes. She got him into his diaper and playfully poked his chest “I can tell you didn't use the right soap” “I couldn't figure it out. Is the normal stuff good enough?” She held out his pants “You'll need to start using it to prevent diaper rash.” Tom compliantly stepped into them “But that's what the wipes and powder and stuff is for. Why do I need the soap too?” “Because that's just not enough” She pulled his shirt down over his head and took a moment to adjust it “I'll give you some time to figure it out on your own OK?” Tom sighed “Alright, I'll try” “Good boy. Now let's eat breakfast.” In the kitchen she sat a stack of pancakes on his plate and got a small sippy cup from the refrigerator. “Mom! I can drink from a normal cup.” “This is what you drink at school. You're teacher says you like it, it comes from the store like this.” Tom looked at the cup for a second and thought about the wonderful sweet tasting treat he enjoyed at preschool. But he shook his head. “No thanks, I'll just have some orange juice.” He watched as she set it back, halfway wishing he could just bring himself to ask for it. She gave him a glass of orange juice and sat down at her own plate. “Have you thought of anything you'd like to do today?” “Not really” “Well I have some shopping to do but I heard there's a really nice amusement park here. Would you like to go that?” Tom shrugged “Sure” After they were finished Karen quickly cleared the table. She took a cloth and ran it under the sink briefly. “So store first and then park?” she said as she wiped a bit of syrup from Tom's mouth. Tom tried to recoil from the sudden intrusion but it was over before he could react. “Yeah I guess” Tom answered while he watched her pick up a large blue bag and hoist it to her shoulder. “Mom, is that a...” He stammered. “It's just so I can carry some of the things I need. It's a big purse really.” Tom looked at the powder blue thing in horror “But it's got teddy bears and stuff on it. It's all... babyish.” “It looks just fine. The important thing is that I can change you while we're out. Would you rather have to rush home every time you wet or just never go out?” “No. But do you really need that?” She nodded “I just want to take care of you the best I can. Just trust me. Remember what I said about you being my little guy?” Tom looked down and blushed “Yeah I sort of remember that I guess.” “Well I meant it. And that means I'm going to do the best for you even if you think it's a little embarrassing at first.” She looked him in the eye “So are you going to trust me on this one or do you just want to stay home all day.” Tom looked up at her. Deep down he knew she had his best interests at heart “It's OK” he sighed “Let's go.” They climbed into the car and a short drive later they pulled into a supermarket parking lot. Tom was sure he knew what this was about. And sure enough he was led to the baby aisle and told to wait by the cart. His mother quickly found a fresh package of diapers, larger than the one he had already nearly depleted. Tom watched as she piled extra wipes and powder into the cart as well. Then she turned her attention back to the packages of diapers. She paused at a row of items that promised “Extra night-time protection.” She looked at her son “Stars and moons or animals again.” “Huh?” Tom replied, not fully understanding the question. “Nevermind honey, I think I'll get these” she said tossing a package into the cart. Now Tom could see that this brand seemed to be decorated with the same baby animal motif as his current diaper, but this time they were portrayed sleeping on little cartoon clouds. The clerk gave him a warm knowing smile as she rang up their purchase. “Somebody must be a heavy sleeper.” She said to his mother. “He's almost soaked through every night. I just hope these don't leak.” She replied. Tom looked at the ground. Even without his toddlerish school clothes she still immediately knew they were for him. “Mine was the same way, but these always held up well” The clerk said. “That's good the hear” Karen said as she collected her bagged groceries. “Have a nice weekend.” Back at the car Tom's mother took the diaper bag from her shoulder and took a moment to stock it with new supplies. She quickly checked Tom's diaper “You're OK for now. Ready for the amusement park?” Tom just nodded. He wasn't sure what to make of this public outing but at least it would be something different. They drove across town and walked up to the ticket booth. Karen paused to retrieve the stroller from the trunk. She turned to her son as she unfolded it “This is just in case you get tired or if we run into any crowds. I don't want you getting lost again.” Tom just sighed and followed her to the ticket booth. “One adult and one child” Karen informed the attendant. Two tickets were slid beneath the glass “We have special programs today for kids at the planetarium” the attendant said glancing between the diaper bag slung over Karen's shoulder, the stroller, and the child standing quietly near his mother's side. “I suppose you'll be interested in the Little Astronauts Club. They'll have a puppet show at noon. Just after the big kids have their lab.” “We just might look into that” Karen said as she ushered her son towards the gate. Once inside Tom's eyes followed the twists of the roller-coaster before him to its intimidating summit. The ride had been visible from some distance, but here in its shadow it all seemed like far too much. “I'm sorry Tommy. Looks like we'll have to find some other rides.” He looked over to his side, a large sign with a red line about two inches above his head announced “You must be at least this tall to rise our roller coasters.” “Oh, that's too bad” Tom said trying to sound disappointed as he looked back at the frightening mass of wood and steel before him. A group of elementary schoolers passed by on their way to the coaster, somehow taller and somehow unafraid. Not regretting the former for once he followed his mother as she pushed the stroller towards the other side of the park. They passed under a large archway bearing the words “Tyke's Land” and into a broad courtyard surrounded by festively colored rides. Tom surveyed them cautiously, he could guess which one his mother would suggest. “Would you like to go on Floppy Bunny's Forrest Romp” she offered, pointing towards tree decorated building into with various animal shaped cars disappeared at regular intervals. “Sure” Tom said. They checked the stroller at a small booth and climbed aboard a smiling frog. The ride's machanism clicked below them and they were pulled into a long corridor dressed up fairly convincingly like a forest. The voice of Floppy Bunny echoed from somewhere above inviting them to chase him to his den. “Want to try and steer?” His mother asked Tom took a non-committal hold of a steering wheel in front of him as the ride entered a much larger room. Before them stood an image of Floppy Bunny. Tom peered at it quizzically unable to figure out if it was a projection, a hologram, or some other strange technology. The room shuddered and began to spin as the rabbit began diving behind trees. Tom began to realize that the room was something like a bumper car ride. He found a pedal and begin to move the car forward. The rabbit leaped wildly about and Tom began steering more and more eagerly in its direction. He bounced off a tree and laughed never noticing his mother's bemused grin as she watched him play. Finally near the center of the room he caught up with his quarry. The mysterious animation disappeared and the lights came up. “Congratulations friends!” a voice echoed “You did a really good job catching me. Let's play again soon.” A mechanism caught the car and began moving it to another passage and up a ramp. Tom beamed proudly at his mother. “That was fun.” “I could see” she said mussing his hair “And you were pretty good at it too.” Tom was too lost in his victory to even bother dodging her hand. The ride came to a halt in the same place they started. As they exited the ride he scanned the other offerings. “Mom, can we go do the maze.” “Sure hon” she responded while the retrieved the stroller “Just wait up a bit.” Tom waited impatiently until she walked up beside him. “Can we go now?” “Not quite yet” his mother answered while casually gave his diaper a quick check “We'll go after I get you changed.” “Oh yeah” Tom said suddenly remembering his diaper. Without a word she took his hand and headed for a small nearby building marked with the blue and white figure of a diapered baby. Inside scenes of small children enjoying the park alongside cheerful cartoon characters adorned he walls. Several toddlers were already being attended to by their mothers. Tom was helped up onto a table where he laid back and joined them. She lowered his pants and reached into her well organized diaper bag. In just a few moments Tom was back in a dry diaper helped back down to his feet. As they stepped back out into the park Tom quickly forgot about that embarrassing interlude and focused again on the maze. He eagerly made his way to the entrance and waited impatiently for his mother to catch up. She arrived and he quickly decided to take the path in front of him. He hurried through a few turns before arriving at an intersection with a sign post indicating the four cardinal directions. A small sign attached was emblazoned with a cartoon penguin trudging merrily through the snow; “Follow Peter penguin to his snowy home” it suggested on bold blue lettering. Tom pondered for a moment. He recalled something from one of the videos at preschool about penguins only living in the South Pole. Excitedly he urged his mother down the southern route. As he continued along this path he encountered more progressively difficult riddles and it each he dashed enthusiastically ahead but took care stay within her sight. He reached the end of the maze and turned around to beam back at his mother as she pushed the up the last stretch. “Good job” she said as she approached. Tom looked down slightly once again realizing his childish enthusiasm. But he was genuinely proud of having figured out the last few bits without making any mistakes. “Thanks” he said with a hint of bashfulness “It kind of helped that we learned some of that in school.” She smiled and mussed his hair “I'm glad you're learning so much. She checked her watch “We should start getting home. Are you ready?” Tom nodded and began to follow her towards the exit. Karen paused for a moment and looked back at her son. With no fun left to have Tom was beginning to feel tired from all his running around. “Do you want to sit in your stroller honey?” she offered sweetly. Tom shook his head “No thank you.” “You mean I had to follow you around with this thing for nothing?” she teased. Tom looked at his mother and smiled. He could see she just wanted to let him rest, and he did feel tired. He sat down in the stroller and settled himself in. In a moment he was being pushed along the park's twisting walkways. Sometime before they reach the parking lot he dozed off. He came to as his mother was opening the passenger side door. She helped out of his stroller and fastened his seat belt for him as he watched her groggily. She paused for a moment examining his seat belt and seeming to contemplate something. “Just go ahead and sleep sleep sweety” she said kissing his forehead. “I guess I'm just getting used to naps” Tom responded settling deep his seat and closing his eyes. He heard his mother quickly putting his stroller and diaper bag into the trunk. With fresh memories of the day he'd spent with her drifting pleasantly through his head he drifted back to sleep. Chapter 15 It was late after-noon on Sunday. Tom sprawled out lazily on the floor with his coloring book in front of him and his teddy bear by his side. The ignored television had drifted from a cheerful cartoon that had held his attention to some baffling show about elementary school kids solving neighborhood mysteries with quantum physics. He wished he'd accepted his mother's offer of a visit to the toy store. There wasn't much for a preschooler to do. He looked up at her sitting on the couch engrossed in a magazine. “Mom, can I get something from the toy store?” he asked. She looked back at him sympathetically “Starting to get a little bored without any toys honey?” “Yeah, I guess we should have gone before. I was just sort of embarrassed.” “I understand” she said setting down her magazine and putting out her arms “You want to come over here and just talk?” Tom waked over to her and allowed himself to be taken up in her lap. “Can't we go now?” She shook her head “Sorry sweety, I don't think we have time. But if you're good for the sitter I'll let you pick out two things OK?” She said cheerfully. Tom groaned “Do I really need a babysitter?” “We already talked about why you need one” she said patting his bottom. “But she's a teenager. She's only like three grades higher than I'm supposed to be” Tom pleaded. “That doesn't matter” she said in a pleasant but firm tone “Besides everybody says the she's best in the neighborhood. And she always brings toys, so maybe you two will have something to do.” “But...” She grabbed him gently by the chin and looked him in the eye “Just promise me you'll be good so I don't have to worry.” Tom sighed “OK.” She smiled and gave him a big kiss on the cheek “That's my good boy.” “I guess it might not be too bad” Tom mused for a moment before being distracted by the opening notes of the Cartoonimals theme. He quickly turned his attention to the television. “Is this the show Mrs. Hansley says you like so much?” Tom nodded excitedly “Yeah, it's really good.” Karen put her arms around her son and let him settle further into her lap. “Would you like to watch it with me?” Tom couldn't help the smile creeping across his face. “Sure.” He settled his head on her shoulder. “That's Gavin Giraffe” he said pointing out the character “He's my favorite.” “I thought he might be” She said smiling. The doorbell rang. “That must be Kirsten.” She sat Tom down on his feet and went to the door. Tom hesitated for a moment. How could he possibly greet this girl who should at least be something close to a peer. He stepped cautiously into the entryway and peered around his mother to girl with energetic eyes who stood in their doorway. “Thank you for coming on such short notice. You're a real life saver” His mother said. “No problem Mrs. Welton” Kirsten said with buoyant confidence. She caught sight of the boy peeking warily from around his mother “And this must be Tommy.” Karen stepped aside and urged Tom over “Tommy this is Kirsten your new babysitter.” “Hi” Tom offered tentatively. Kirsten knelt far enough to be face to face “Hi Tommy. I'm sure we're going to get along great.” “He's already promised to be a good boy” Karen said getting her purse “Didn't you?” Tom nodded slowly “Yeah.” Karen turned to Kirsten “Diapers and things are in the basket next to the couch” she said pointing in the direction of the living room “And there's some more in his room. And don't forget to get him in his nighttime diapers when you put him to bed, he tends to get really wet at night. And my phone number...” Kirsten whipped her phone out of her purse “Already got it. Along with your work, and the neighbors across the street.” Karen smiled and shook her head “It's good to have someone so responsible to rely on. Dinner is in the fridge, I guess I won't need to tell you how to get it ready.” “I have it all taken care of Mrs. Welton. No need to worry about a thing.” “Thank you Kirsten” She gave Tom a hug and a kiss on his forehead “Bye-bye sweety. I'll get home after your bedtime so I'll see you in the morning.” “Bye mom” Tom said politely still blushing from her instructions. He watched her as she waved and stepped out the door, closing it behind her. Kirsten clapped her hands together “So should we get started playing a game or getting out some toys. I have some right here” She said indicating the colorful canvass bag slung over her shoulder” “I think I just want to watch TV right now” Tom said turning toward the living room. “Alright” she said following him “But you can't be shy all night.” She sat herself on the couch as her new charge stretched out in front of the TV “Oh, Cartoonimals! Cool!” She enthused. “Go ahead and watch your show, I'm just going to call a friend. Maybe you'll want to play when it's over?” “Sure” Tom said flatly. “Hey Amanda this is Kirsten” She said to the person at other end of the line “Yeah, I'm just babysitting tonight.” Tom tried to ignore the intrusion. “No” Kirsten said correcting her friend on something “New client tonight,. A little boy so I'm on diaper duty tonight.” Tom tried harder to shut the the conversation out. “I finished all my homework last night, so no problem there.” She continued “There's supposed a test in Mr. Peterson's class tomorrow but it's just on Calabi-Yau manifolds so I'm not too worried.” The conversation drifted into gossip about people and events that may as well have taken place on the dark side of a distant planet as far as Tom was concerned. His world was one of cartoons and storytimes and all these things that he'd once expected to be part of now seemed distant and remote. Soon after Tom's show came to an end Kirsten hung up the call slapped her hand to her knees “Are you ready to play something yet?” “Sure” Tom relented. He could see this was going to be a boring evening otherwise. Kirsten smiled “Good, I could see you were really interested in your show. You must really like the Cartoonimals.” “Yeah I guess” Tom said “Sometimes I think...” He paused wondering if the thought he'd been turning over in his mind was too crazy to say aloud. “Think what?” Kirsten asked. “Sometimes I think it might be hypnotizing me or something.” Tom said in hopes of some outside confirmation “Like maybe that's why I need diapers and stuff.” Kirsten tried to stifle a laugh as she sat down on the floor next to him “You're just a little boy Tommy. I watch the Cartoonimals all the time when I'm babysitting and I'm not hypnotized.” Tom looked at the teenager sitting beside him so poised, collected, and mature. He could only conclude that she was right. Maybe there really was a difference between them. She reached over and gave his hair a playful tussle “Don't worry kiddo, I'm sure your mommy will get you all nice and potty trained once you're ready.” With that Tom became aware of a cold dampness between his legs. He looked down to avoid her eyes. But she tell something was wrong. “Do you need a change now?” she asked. “Maybe” Tom reluctantly admitted. Without another word she pulled back the waistband of his pants and quickly checked his diaper. “Yep, you're soaked.” She quickly found the basket of diapering supplies and began laying out the changing mat. She patted the mat with one hand looking directly at him “Just lie down and I'll get you all ready, then you can pick out what game you want to play.” Tom balked. Being changed by his mother was one thing, his teachers were something else. But being so dependent on this high school student made a certain point. Kirsten put her hands to her hips “Remember how you promised your mommy you'd be good tonight?” But it was a point that couldn't be denied. He looked at her eyes filled with patient authority and laid down in front of her. “That's better” she cooed as she took a fresh diaper from the basket. Effortlessly she undid his button and slid his pants to his knees. She was a bit more generous with the baby powder than his other caretakers and the smell lingered strongly even as she taped his new diaper into place. “There we go” she said fastening his pants “That wasn't so bad was it?” Tom just shook his head. It was always a relief to be out of a cold sodden diaper. It was a comfort he had to rely on others for. And he knew this was someone he could trust as much as any young child would. “I thought so” she said while she reached for a large bag “Now do you want to pick out a game or do you want to play my favorite?” “You can choose I guess” Tom shrugged. She began setting out a board with a path running through a cartoonish forest. Along the way where various sites like a blue trimmed house labeled “Grandma's Cottage” with smoke curling from a chimney or a beaver's dam bearing the name “Bucky's Den.” “First you spin the spinner” she explained “Then you roll the dice and take a card. Each card has an equation written on it and you try to plug the numbers you got from the spinner and the dice into it so you can move the greatest number of spaces.” Tom scratched his head as he turned over one of the cards and looked over it's elaborate series of numbers, letters, and parentheses. “This looks kind of hard.” Kirsten looked in her bag “The other preschool games I have are Calliope's Chemistry Lab and Geometry Land.” “This will be OK I guess” Tom said casting the card back into the pile. Kirsten handed him a teddy bear shaped calculator with big bright buttons. “You can use this and I might you give you some hints if you really get stuck.” Tom took the first turn and furrowed his brow as he looked between the numbers he'd gotten and the strange equation written on the card. He'd knew he'd seen this stuff, but he'd not yet mastered it. He pecked at the calculator for a while and moved his piece a few spaces before turning the dice over to Kirsten. She breezily worked out the problem and moved well ahead of Tom's piece, giving him a quick explanation of how she'd figured out the best way to solve the problem. The rest of the game continued a similar fashion. Tom made a few mistakes which she quickly corrected and gave him some advice. Soon he was winning and while he suspected she was letting him win he found himself enjoying the special attention that was being paid to him. As he landed in the final square she gave him an enthusiastic round of applause. “Good job” She said as she began to gather up the game. “Thanks for helping me with some of the hard stuff. I think I kind of learned some stuff too” Tom said. Kirsten smiled with a bit of pride “Well I do want to go into early childhood education” to she she quickly amended “That means teaching little kids like you stuff like basic algebra.” She glanced at her watch “Are you ready for dinner?” “Sure” “Alright, I'll go get it ready. You can look in my bag and see if there's any toys you want to play with.” Tom reached into the bag as she walked off into the kitchen and pulled out a toy robot. He turned it over a few times and examined the panel of buttons across its chest. He pressed one and the robot sprang to life its mechanical arms and legs swinging through the air. He sat it down and watched as it walked a short distance before coming to a halt. He tried some more buttons and discovered that he could make it turn, walk backwards, or even reach for things. Finally he found a switch that allowed multiple buttons to be pushed before letting the robot go to perform them in sequence. He watched in wide eyed delight as it ran a simple rectangle he'd planned out. He began trying to work out how to get to pick up one of his crayons when Kirsten called from the kitchen. “Tommy! Dinner's ready.” she called. Tom reluctantly left his robot and walked into the kitchen. He found his place set with one of the sippy cups his mother had offered him the day before. He may have protested but he knew there was no chance of convincing her he was too big for such a thing, and in truth he'd come to crave the beverage inside. They both sat down and started their meal. “Is Mrs. Peterson one of your teachers?” She asked between bites. “Yeah, she's nice. I like the way she reads stories.” Kirsten nodded “She was a teacher there when I was in preschool. She's been teaching there forever so she's really really good at it. Mrs. Hansley must still be there too right?” “Yeah. And Ms. Kelly too. She's really nice and she helped me learn how to use an art pen.” Kirsten looked over the the refrigerator “I saw that drawing of you and your mommy over there, that's very sweet and you did a good job.” Tom blushed a bit at the attention but he was genuinely proud of what he'd managed to do “Thanks” After dinner Tom spent the rest of the evening happily engrossed with the toy robot while Kirsten sat and read one of her text books on the couch. Through trial and error he was able to create more and more complex routines. He'd just managed to run it in a circuit around the coffee table and behind the couch to pick up a crayon when Kirsten checked her watch. “Five more minutes till bedtime big guy.” She said. Tom groaned in disappointment. “Don't be like that. You have bedtime story to look forward to, I always read to kids who've been good.” Tom perked up slightly “You're going to say I was good?” “As long as you don't give me any trouble about putting you to bed, sure.” She said before going back to her book. Tom returned to the robot and began dreaming of his upcoming visit to the toy store. A few minutes later Kirsten stood up from the couch. “OK sweety, it's time for bed.” she extended her hand and Tom took it without a second thought. She led him to his room and instructed him to lie down on his bed. She quickly found a neatly folded set of PJs topped with thick diaper and handwritten note reading “Tommy's nighttime things” on his dresser. She quickly removed his shirt and pants before untaping his diaper and disposing of it in the pail. She added a fresh layer of baby powder and slid the extra thick nighttime diaper beneath him “These have the cutest designs” she cooed as she taped it in place. Her voice had become soft and soothing like she was trying to coax him to sleep. After he'd stepped into his PJ bottoms she pulled back the covers and tucked him in. She sat down at the side of the bed with a book. “Now this one of my favorites” she said “It's called Danny's Adventure's in Dreamland.” As she began to read Tom realized that for once this had nothing to do with algebra or physics. It was just a kid's book, but he was transfixed. Fanciful illustrations spilled across every page as he heard the story of boy named Danny and his amazing adventures. As Kirsten closed the book and stood up he felt relaxed and cozy and ready for sleep. “Now don't worry about anything, your mommy will be home soon. Good night.” “Good night” Tom responded drowsily as she turned off the light and closed the door behind her. Sometime during the night he came half awake. He smelled his mother's perfume and felt a kiss on his forehead. He drifted happily back to sleep. Chapter 16 “Good morning honey.” Tom looked up at his mother smiling at him “Good morning mom.” He yawned and without even thinking rolled over on his back while she lifted his covers and began pulling down his PJ bottoms. “Kirsten said you were a pleasure to babysit” she said while she undid his sodden nighttime diaper “So we can go the toy store on our way from from school if you want.” Tom smiled and rubbed his eyes. His teddy bear was still nestled under one arm even as he was changed “I guess I thought she was a pretty good babysitter too.” He said. She lifted his PJ top over his head “That's good to hear. Now go get in the shower and don't forget to try that soap.” In the shower he looked over the strange bottle once more. He'd been shown more than once how it was meant to be operated but he just couldn't get it right. His morning shower was his last true refuge of maturity and afterward he'd walk right back into his mother's arms to be diapered and dressed for the day. He sighed and sat the bottle back down, he did the best he could with the bar of soap and finished up. As he lied down on his bed his mother took a diaper from the bag and looked him over. “Still having a little trouble with that soap huh?” “Do I really have to use it? I just can't figure it out.” She slid the diaper underneath him and reached for the powder “Don't worry about it I'll just give you a little help tonight before bedtime” she said as she shook out some powder and taped his diaper in place. “Can't I just take an extra shower or something?” “It's just a little bath, it's no big deal” she paused and poked a finger to his chest taking a slightly sterner tone “Now don't give me any trouble or might have to rethink the toy store.” Tom quieted himself and stood up to be helped into his clothes. “That's better” she said adjusting the straps of his shortalls “I bet going to bed feeling all nice and clean will make you forget all about it. Now let's go get some breakfast and get you to school.” At preschool the sun shone brightly through the large windows, brightening the room's already cheerful hues. It was the first bit of sun in days and as Tom sat with his morning snack and watched cartoons his teachers were busy preparing the class for a trip to the playground. Ms. Kelly came by to give his diaper a quick check before declaring him ready to go out and moving on to the next student. Once all the students in need of a change had been tended to everybody was ushered outside to a playground sat in the corner of the yard surrounding the entire daycare complex. Tom hung back for a moment while his classmates mobbed the swings and slides. Tom found an empty swing and sat down. He let himself dangle while he watched the others, unable to bring himself to participate. Soon he felt a pair of hands at his back. He turned around to see a red headed boy smiling back at him. “I'll give you push” he said excitedly. Tom nearly laughed. He wasn't quite a giant here, but he was certain that such a small child wouldn't be able to budge him at all. A moment later he was arcing through the air. Another sturdy shove as he neared the ground sent him to even higher. His shock at the strength of his classmate soon gave way to the simple joy of being on a swing. He'd forgotten what it was like to feel the wind in his hair and the the short weightless drift as he hit the top of his swing. Finally he noticed something off on the other end of the playground and skidded to a stop. In his excitement he took off running. The merry-go-round had been a favorite of his and he wanted a chance to try this one out. He leaped onto it as slowed. He expected that one of the teachers might give it another shove but instead another boy hopped off and gave it a heave. Tom held tight as the merry-go-round lurched suddenly. One by one boys and girls hopped off to give the ride a forceful spin. Tom wondered if this was something else where he was barely keeping up with his new peers. With a ring of a bell Mrs. Peterson called the class into a disorderly line in front of the door to the classroom. As they marched inside a quick diaper check sent each child either to the changing tables or directly to the nap room. Mrs. Hansley pulled Tom over to tables. “Did you have fun outside” she asked as she sat him down. “Yeah” Tom admitted as he lay back“The swings were pretty fun.” “Looks like you got a little boo-boo” she said. Tom looked the small scrape on his elbow “I guess I got that on the merry-go-round. I didn't even notice.” “Don't worry” she said untaping his heavy diaper “the LumiGro will help that while you're taking your nap.” “LumiGro?” Tom said in bafflement. She fasten a fresh diaper to his hips “It doesn't just help you get big and strong, it helps your boo-boos too.” She smiled and handed him over to Ms. Kelly who led him to the nap room and helped him into his crib. Tom gazed at the soft blue light emanating from the corners of his crib. Now he knew what it was. Now he knew why he'd been the runt of his elementary school classes and why even his classmates here were so surprisingly strong. It dawned on him that he might belong here more than he'd realized. The lights went down as the teachers left the room and the familiar lullaby began to play. He snuggled the stuffed bunny that had taken up home in his crib and fell softly asleep. He awoke to the sound of his crib being unlatched and lowered. Mrs. Peterson hooked a finger into his diaper. “Wet again? We might have to start charging your mommy for extra diapers” she teased. He was ushered back to the changing table and sent to play with the other children. He sat and contented himself with some toys while he eagerly awaited going with his mother to get his own. When he saw her come through the door he could barely contain himself from bounding over to greet her. “Hi mom” he said cheerfully “Hey baby” she chuckled “Looks like somebody's excited about going to the toy store.” “Can go right away?” he asked “I don't know” she teased “were you a good boy today?” Mrs. Hansley laughed as she handed Karen the sign-out sheet “Tommy is a joy to have around. You should have seen him today in his crib with his stuffed bunny. Just adorable.” Tom blushed bright red “It's just really comfortable in there” His mother finished with the sign-out sheet and gave his hair a ruffle “Come on cuddle-bun, let's go get you some toys.” “Moooom” Tom groaned “Cuddle-bun?” “I'm sorry there tough guy” she said lightly tapping his chin with a playful fist “You still want to come with me for some toys?” He nodded excitedly and without waiting for it to be offered or even giving it a thought reached for her hand and walked with her to the car. As they walked into the toy store a bell attached to the door merrily announced their arrival. A kindly faced older man with a pair of bifocals perched on his nose looked up from the counter and smiled warmly at them. “Welcome to Children's Kingdom. Can you help you find something?” “My son is here to pick out some toys” Tom looked around him there was more to this place than toys. A large section to his left trailed off into a selection of more practical needs; furniture, clothes, and other sundry items. “Preschool toys are right over here” the man said motioning towards a circle of colorful shelves. Tom walked over and found himself surrounded by a colorful array of boxes and displays. Some toys he recognized from school, some were new. He looked over a few that had been taken out of their boxes and put on display while the adults talked behind him. He picked out the same robot he'd played with the night before and a toy race car kit like the one a school. On his way back to his mother he passed a crib just like the one he took his naps in at school. He paused stared at it. For a moment he considered asking for it. It was always so comfy and he wanted to be able to keep up with the other kids. He felt his mother's hand on his shoulder. “Find something else you want?” She asked. “No, just looking” Tom said pausing just a little too long to be believable. “It's OK if you'd rather sleep in a crib. I was thinking of getting you one but I wasn't sure you'd like it.” “Don't they have any regular beds with those light things” Tom asked the shopkeeper. He shook his head “Sorry son. The effect stops working after a while, so none of the big kid beds have them.” Tom looked back at is mother “OK, I like the one at school I guess.” She smiled “I think that's a good idea honey.” She turned to the shopkeeper “When can you have one delivered?” He quickly looked over a sheet of paper “Looks like we can fit you in tomorrow.” “Great. Sign us up, and he'll take these two toys too.” As they climbed back in the car Tom sat his new toys in his lap “Thanks mom.” “You're welcome honey. We can make this a weekly treat for being a good boy if you want.” Tom nodded excitedly “I'd like that. There's some other stuff I wanted too.” “Good, I'd like to get some extra sheets for your crib, just in case your night diaper doesn't hold out.” Tom blushed slightly “ Do you really think the crib is a good idea?” Karen nodded emphatically “Yes I do. You're going to have to sleep in one for a while if you want to be a big kid.” “I guess it will be alright for a while” Tom mused. As his mother pulled the car into traffic he wondered how long a while would be. At home he waited patiently through a diaper change before finally getting to open his new toys. He pulled a bag of robot parts from one box and unfolded a large sheet of directions. After a few attempts he managed to get the most basic first stages done on his own but he found the rest of the instructions trailed off into far more difficult territory. “Ask a grown-up or other big person for help” the instructions cheerfully suggested. “Mom?” Tom called hesitantly from his spot on the floor “Can you help me with this? Please.” She looked up from some papers she was working on and smiled “I guess I can take a break.” She sat down beside him and put an arm around his shoulder while she studied the directions. “This part goes with that part” she said pointing to some pieces laying on the carpet. She guided him through the rest of the process pausing several times to handle more complicated steps. Finally he snapped the final piece in place. “Alright, good job” his mother said giving him a gentle pat on the back. Tom happily turned his new robot over in his hands “You helped with most of the hard stuff” he thought for a moment and gave her a hug and a little kiss on the cheek “Thanks mom.” “Awwww” she cooed as she hugged him tightly and returned his kiss “You're welcome sweet boy.” She embraced him for a moment longer before giving him a pat on the bottom “I need to make dinner. Why don't you play with your new toys?” Tom picked his robot back up and spent the rest of his evening keenly absorbed in is new toys. He paused for dinner chatting happily with his mother about his day before breezing out again to living room for more playtime. After a while his mother tapped her watch. “It's getting close to your bedtime” she said with calm authority “Let's get you into the tub.” Tom looked up at her with pleading eyes “Can't I just keep doing that myself. Please.” “Once you learn to do it yourself you can, but I'm going to help you until then.” “But...” Tom started. “Don't you want to be a good boy like we talked about before?” Tom quietly took her hand and she led him upstairs to the bathroom. She started the tap before turning to get him undressed. “There we go” she said as she unfastened his diaper “just sit down in the tub and I'll get you all nice clean. You'll feel a lot better, you'll see.” Tom stepped into the tub and sat down. He watched as his mother took the bottle of soap that had given him so much trouble and deftly worked its mechanism to soap up the water. She squirted out some more on a washcloth and began washing him head to toe. Tom wasn't sure if it was the nice warm water, the pleasant calming smell of the soap, or just his mother's loving care but he was slowly able to just relax. She gave him a little tickle under his arm “I told you” she said and began to lather up his hair. Tom just closed his eyes and felt the soap and water wash over him. “There we go all nice and clean. Now just step out and I'll get you ready for bed” As Tom got out of the tub she wrapped him in a big fluffy towel. He peeked out at his mother from it's generous folds as she dried him thoroughly “Thanks mom. That feels a lot better. Sorry I tried to argue with you.” “You're welcome honey” she said as she finished up “And I know you're just trying to be big. You're still a very good boy. Now how about some PJs and a nice bedtime story?” “Bedtime story?” Tom asked. “Sure” his mother responded while she hung up his towel “Kirsten said you seemed to enjoy it. So unless you're just in a hurry to get to sleep...” “OK” Tom said with a amused smile “I guess it was pretty nice.” In his room Tom lay back on his bed while his mother gathered a fresh nighttime diaper and baby powder. As she began applying the powder he asked “What story are you going to read.” She smiled “Something special I think your going to like.” She slid the extra thick diaper beneath him and taped it snugly in place before helping him into his PJs. She tucked him in as he settled down in his bed with his teddy bear in his arms. “I just saw something today while I was getting lunch and it made me think of you” she said taking a large thin book wit h sturdy pages titled The Story of Gavin Giraffe. Tom blushed slightly “That book made you think of me?” She sat on the side of his bed “You said he was your favorite and I thought we might give it a try.” She open the book and began reading the story of how Gavin came to join the other characters and how, at first, he thought he was bigger than everybody else. Tom held his bear closer and found himself laughing at the voices his mother had chosen for the characters. In the end Gavin understood that he had a lot to learn from the others and they all became friends. She closed the book and stood up giving her son a kiss on the forehead “Good night sweety” she said softly. Tom sat up enough to give her a kiss on the cheek “Good night mom.” She turned off the light on the way out and closed the door quietly behind her. Tom closed his eyes and thought about his mother finding that book and thinking about him. He knew he had play his part to make this strange situation work out as well as possible for both of them. And it seemed more and more every day that it might be an easy part to fit into. He hugged his teddy bear to his chest and drifted off to sleep. Chapter 17 Tom fished out his last spoonful of cereal while his mother talked on the phone. “Thank you” she said “If I'd known this was a school holiday I'd have planned ahead.” She listened for a moment and laughed “I hope he's not much of a problem, he's usually very well behaved. I'll just need to get his diaper bag all packed and I'll drop him off.” Tom tried to look interested in the remains of his orange juice while these arrangements were made. Karen ended the call and sat at the table smiling. “That was Mrs. Burke, I think you know her son Johnny from when you were in Mrs. Taylor's class. She says she'll be able to watch you today.” Tom looked back at her. “Yeah I remember him.” He recalled a time, not long ago, that he would have protested such an arrangement. Now it would seem ridiculous. He obviously needed some kind of supervision. “I think that will be alright.” She smiled a smoothed his bangs “I think so too.” They arrived at the Burke's doorstep, Tom's freshly packed diaper back slung over his mother's shoulder. Tom let his arm hang loosely from her grip on his hand and looked at the large welcome mat while she rang the doorbell. Johnny's mother answered the door with an enthusiastic “Hey guys!” “Hi Marie, nice to meet you” Karen said as she shifted the diaper bag to her hand “This is Tommy.” “Hi Tommy” she said bending down to meet his face “Johnny is so excited to have you over today.” “Hi” Tom replied sheepishly as his mother handed his diaper bag over to Mrs. Burke. “This should be everything he needs, he only goes through a few diapers a day” She said “Thank you so much for taking him on such short notice.” “It's no trouble at all” She said offering a hand to to Tommy “It'll be fun to have a little guy around the house again.” At that Karen looked at Tom dressed in his preschool shortalls and smiled. She knelt down and gave him a hug “Be good for Mrs. Burke.” Tom hugged back “I will.” She let him go with a kiss on his forehead “Good bye sweety. I'll be back as soon as I can.” “Bye mom” Tom said as he took Mrs Burke's hand. Karen stepped towards the car as Mrs. Burke led him inside and closed the door “Wanna go see what Johnny's doing?” She led him to Johnny's room and rapped lightly on the already open door. “Johnny I have a little visitor for you.” Johnny looked up from a set of models he was working on “Hi Tommy!” He said enthusiastically “We're gonna have a lot of fun today I just know it.” Tom smiled warily. It was good see his friend again, but the circumstances were so different now. “You two have fun” She said cheerily “And let me know if you think you need anything” Tom noticed her nod in his direction and pointed look at Johnny. “I will Mom” Johnny said she walked away. Tom walked across the room to Johnny's desk. He glanced around at the various intricate looking models and shelves of inscrutable toys. “What are you doing?” he said in the most casual manner he could manage. “I'm just making a model of the Battle of Hastings” Johnny said with a small measure of pride “Of course no one really knows how the English side was set up but I put the front line all the way to the river just 'cause it looks cooler.” He looked at Tom who only nodded slowly but eyed the soldiers with excitement. “This guy over here is William II of Normandy” Johnny said gearing down his explanation “And this is Harold II.” “That looks really cool. But I don't know who those guys are.” Tom admitted. “That's OK” Johnny said setting down one of the models “Let's find something we can both do.” Johnny opened up his closet and began reaching into the back. “I haven't played with this for a while but it's lots of fun' He said as he as retrieved a box depicting several Kindergarten-aged kids playing with some sort of large crane. He sat the box down in the middle of the floor and opened it revealing a well-organized set of metal pieces and engine parts. “What do you want to make?” Tom looked everything over “I don't know. It looks kind of complicated.” Johnny smiled “It's OK I know what to do with the hard parts. How about a crane like the one on the box?” “Sure” Tom shrugged as he sat down beside his friend. Tom worked on the base while Johnny put together several motors as he tried to explain a few things about torque and armature. Tom just nodded and focused on linking his pieces together. Before long they came to the point where one of the motors was to be attached. Johnny handed him an unfinished motor and stepped him through adding some of the basic components. As his sketchy understanding grew he watched their creation become a working crane. He took the controls and, with a sense of accomplishment, began picking up and moving some toy cars Johnny had spread out. “Neat huh?” Johnny said “Yeah, this is cool” Tom replied. “Hey guys, I've got some snacks for you!” Mrs. Burke shouted from downstairs. Tom rushed down with Johnny and found two places set up in front of the TV. “I'm sorry Tommy” Mrs. Burke explained “I couldn't find any sippy cups but I found and old bottle. I know you're a little big for that but I hope it's OK.” Tom looked for a moment at the small plate of fresh cookies and the pale blue baby bottle beside it. “Oh” Tom said trying to register as little embarrassment with her well intentioned hospitality as possible “That's OK.” He sat cross legged on the floor while she turned the TV to some cartoon he hadn't seen before. Tentatively he tilted the bottle back and brought it to his lips. The liquid inside was delicious, like what he drank from his sippy cup at preschool but better. He began drinking in earnest until he felt his diaper being checked. “You're good for now” Mrs. Burke said patting his head “But not for long if you keep drinking like that.” Johnny came back from a quick trip to the bathroom and settled in beside Tom. “Oh I used to watch this show all the time” He said.. “What is it?” “The Triangle Trio” Johnny said taking his glass of milk “its about basic trigonometry.” Tom as cross legged and drank slowly from his bottle as he watched with growing interest. When he found himself laughing alone he looked over and saw Johnny wasn't paying attention. “We could try watching something you like” Tom offered to his friend. “This is OK” Johnny said batting away the suggestion “There's really just preschool stuff on right now anyway.” The closing theme of the show prompted Mrs. Burke's return to the room. She placed her hand on her knees and looked down happily at Tom “Now that we've had a snack I think it might be time for a nap” she knelt down next to him and checked his diaper “And some new pants too. Come on, we'll just let Johnny have some big kid time.” She took him by the hand and led him upstairs to a small guest room where a large comfy looking bed had been outfitted with a fold-out railing and a collection of stuffed animals. Tom's diaper bag had been been set on the dresser and she quickly retrieved his changing mat and fresh diaper from it. She laid the changing mat across the foot of the bed and turned to get more supplies. Tom knew exactly what was expected of him and he laid back on the mat without protest or complaint. “OK sweetheart just lie down and..” she said before she turned around and saw him lying there. “Such a good boy” she smiled. She quickly undid his shortalls and began removing his sodden diaper “Getting all this stuff out of storage made me think about how much I miss having a little guy to take care of around here” she said wistfully “Johnny's gotten so big he hardly needs me any more.” She got him cleaned, powder and into a dry diaper before pulling back the covers and allowing him to climb in. “Now just try to take a little nap” she said tucking him in “and we can go to the park after you get up.” She left him with another bottle, pressed a button on a small blue cube on the night stand, and quietly closed the door behind her. Tom held his bottle and looked curiously at the cube as a soft lullabye began to drift faintly from somewhere inside. He could still hear the sounds of Johnny downstairs watching some program for big kids and as the gentle music filled the room and sleep overcame him he wondered when he'd be big again. Mrs. Burke roused him by shaking his shoulder and he found his bottle pressed to his lips and half empty. In his other hand a plain brown stuffed bear was clutched loosely to his chest. “Looks like you made yourself nice and comfy” his babysitter observed. With scarcely another word he was changed out of his nap time diaper and brought down stairs where Johnny was already ready for a trip to the neighborhood park. Mrs. Burke, diaper bag slung over one shoulder, held Tom's hand all through the several blocks to the park while Johnny walked briskly ahead excitedly detailing all the things they could do at there. When they arrived she knelt down and place a hand on Tom's shoulder. “Just let me know if any of these big kid rides get too scary” she said indicating another smaller play ground at the bottom of the hill “There's another playground for preschool kids over there if you'd like.” Tom looked up at the odd playground equipment towering over his head. A set of swings seemed to have some sort of elaborate mechanical contraption at it's top. While down at the bottom of the hill was small arrangement of cheery looking plastic rides much like the ones he'd seen anywhere else. He watched as Johnny dashed off for the big kid equipment and considered his options. “I think this will be fine” he said. “OK hon, I”ll just be right over there on the bench.” She gave him a pat on the bottom. He joined Johnny at the swing set. “Sit down Tommy” Johnny said “This is one of my favorites.” Tom sat himself in one of the swings and watched as Johnny flipped two switches and rushed over to the neighboring swing. “Don't forget to hold on” Johnny cautioned as he sat down. From above Tom heard whirring sound and his swing began to sway back and forth. “Oh neat” Tom said “It's all automatic” a hard metal clink sounded and the swing thrust them both higher. Tom tightened his grip but smiled “I like this one” he said happily. “It gets a lot better than this” Johnny replied with a grin. Another clank and the swings flew still higher. Now Tom was being lifted out of of seat. He held tighter and watched the ground fly away from beneath him. He took a breath and told himself to hold it together. A whirring sound came from above and Tom wrapped his hands desperately around the chain as the swing began to spin. It spun faster and faster as he heard Johnny laughing with delight beside him. Finally he let out a small yelp. Somewhere in the whirl spinning around him he saw Mrs. Burke reach out for the switch. Slowly everything wound down until he could take a dizzy step off the swing. Mrs. Burke knelt down and placed steadying hands gently on his shoulders “Are you OK sweety?” “Yeah I'm fine” Tom said with evident embarrassment as he leaned against his caretaker for support. “Sorry Tommy” Johnny said “I thought you'd have fun.” “That's OK” Tom replied. As the world started to settle around him he became aware his diaper being checked. “Oh dear, you are absolutely soaked” Mrs. Burke rose to her feet and took his hand “Let's go get you changed and then maybe we can try out the other playground. Johnny might want some more big kid time.” As Tom was led down toward the diaper changing room he looked back at Johnny happily jumping back on the swing. Once inside he was hoisted onto the the nearest changing table. “I'm sorry about all that” she said as she retrieved supplies from the diaper bag and began undoing Tom's shortalls “The other playground looks like a lot more fun don't you think?” Tom nodded “It looks more like the one at my school. That one doesn't have spinning swings or anything like that.” Mrs. Burke slid a fresh diaper under his bottom and taped it into place “I think so too. Let's go give it a try.” She set him on his feet, took his hand, and led him out to the playground. She paused for a moment to assess its offerings. “Would you like to start with the sandbox?” “Sure” Tom said unenthusiastically, disinterested in the sandbox itself but eager to avoid being hurtled around by another automatic swing set. He sat at the edge of the sandbox and absentmindedly ran the sand through his fingers. He paused and looked at the sand curiously, something about it felt different. He took a small handful and squeezed it his hand. Surprised to find that it held its shape he knelt down in the sand to see what else it could do. He quickly learned that could easily mold it into almost any shape he wanted or break it apart again by rubbing it between his fingers. Without any thought to appearances he lost himself in constructing a grand sand castle with grand archways and towering parapets. His inexperience showed in the rough uneven walls and sometimes his structures collapsed but he carried on playing taking earnest pride in his childish looking structure. He was putting on some finishing touches when he heard footsteps behind him. He looked up to see his mother smiling at him. “Hey sweety, that's a great castle.” Tom stood up as she knelt down to hug him “Thanks” he said returning the hug “The sandboxes here are really fun.” “I can see you were enjoying yourself” she teased as she brushed sand from the seat of his shortalls. “You're covered in it. You'll definitely need a bath tonight.” She looked over to Mrs. Burke “Hi Marie, I hope he wasn't to much trouble.” Mrs. Burke gave Tom's cheek a pinch “He was a joy to watch.” she handed over his diaper bag “I'd be happy to look after him again if you need it.” Johnny bounded down the hill “Bye Tommy. I hope your mom let's you come over to play again soon. Maybe you'll even be ready for the big kid swings.” Tom glanced at the menacing swings at the top of the hill “Yeah maybe” “I think Tommy might prefer the sandbox for a little while” Mrs. Burke said. “Well thanks again.” Tom's mother said as she took his hand “Hope we'll see each other again soon. Bye guys” Tom looked contemplatively at the sandbox wondering how much longer he'd be playing in playgrounds like this one. He felt his mother give his hand a squeeze and looked to see her nod in the direction of Mrs. Burke and Johnny. “Oh yeah.” he quickly remembered himself “Bye Mrs. Burke. Bye Tommy.” Karen turned and began walking her son back home. “Just so you know, I stopped by the house earlier so they could deliver your new crib.” “Can't I sleep in my bed one more night?” Tom asked fearing he already knew the answer. His mother shook her head “Sorry sweety, they took it down to make room. You'll like it once you get used to it.” “I guess I can try.” Tom said sounding somewhat deflated. “That's my good boy” she replied mussing his hair slightly “Now let's go home and get some dinner.” Chapter 18 Tom stood in the his room looking over his new furniture. In the middle of the room was a large cherry-wood sleigh style crib neatly fitted with baby blue sheets patterned with nursery rhyme characters. His teddy bear was dutifully stationed in one corner. Beside the crib was a large rocking chair. To replace the convenient changing area his bed had offered, a changing table now stood against the far wall. “What do think?” his mother asked as she stocked it with diapers. “Do I really need to sleep in it with the rails up and everything?” “You do at school don't you?” “Yeah. But that's just for a little while. I mean those light things still work even when the rail is down right?” Tom pointed out hopefully. “Yes they do.” She replied as she stood up and approached her son “But your much safer with them up. It's a really big drop if you fall out.” “But I won't” he looked pleadingly into his mother's skeptical eyes. She began to shake her head and he took a new tact “What if I need you for something?” She knelt down and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder “Aww sweety, would you like it if I checked on you during the night.” He looked down. As much as he wanted to tell himself this was all just a gambit it was just as much of an admission. “I just what to be able to go to your room if something bad happens.” She lifted his chin and looked him in the eye. “You really are worried aren't you?” She relented “Well I suppose it's better than having you try to climb out.” She smiled “But I'm still going to start checking on you.” She pressed a finger playfully to his nose “And if I find you've rolled out you're getting locked up nice and tight.” She punctuated her teasing with a quick hug and light swat on his bottom. “Now how about some play time before dinner?” That night Tom sat in a tub filled with warm soapy water while his mother gave him his bedtime bath. She hummed softly as she scrubbed him. “Close your eyes so you don't get any soap in them honey.” He shut his eyes and listened closely to the tune as she lathered his hair, somehow it seemed familiar though he couldn't place it. “That sand just got everywhere” she observed as rinsed the soap from his head. “Sorry, I guess I didn't notice.” Tom said opening his eyes again. “Don't apologize” she said holding up a large fluffy towel “That's what I'm here for.” She wrapped him in the towel as he stepped out of the tub, dried him thoroughly, and led him back to his room. She let the towel fall to the ground as she lifted him onto his new changing table. She softly hummed the tune again as she powdered and prepared him for his nightime diaper. Tom searched his mind for anywhere he could have heard it. His extra thick diaper was fastened snuggly around him before he could find the memory. “There's something extra that came with your crib” his mother said retrieving something from the changing table. Tom watched as she held up a footed sleeper printed with little cartoon race cars. “They had a few to choose from” she smiled “and since you like playing with your toy car I picked this one. Would you like to try it on?” She looked at him hopefully. Tom blushed slightly at being the object of his mother's maternal thoughtfulness again. But deep inside it felt right. He smiled and nodded “Good choice mom.” She set him on the ground and helped him into his new PJs. “What do you think?” she said as she zipped up the back. Tom took a moment to feel the padding beneath his feet and soft warm fabric swaddling his body. “It's really comfortable.” “I knew you'd like it” she took a book from the dresser and sat in the rocking chair “How about a bedtime story?” holding her arms out invitingly. Tom smiled and climbed into her lap. It took him a moment to fit himself in comfortably but he found a cozy spot with his head resting on her shoulder and a view the pictures depicting Mortimer Mouse's Moon Mystery. “Mortimer Mouse was getting ready for his trip to the moon” she began as she gently rocked. “Somebody was stealing cheese from the cheese mines and only the world famous detective could find out who.” As she turned each page she held up the pictures for him and Tom listened closely to every word. As they reached the conclusion Mortimer was questioning a strange mouse the space patrol had found sneaking around the moon base. “'I'm a professional moon explorer” she read in a squeaky voice “and I've come here to climb the tallest mountain on the moon: Mons Hadley.'” “'This explorer a fraud and I can prove it.'” She read, giving Mortimer a slightly more distinguished voice “How did Mortimer know?” “I know that one.” Tom smiled “The tallest mountain on the moon is Mons Huygens.” “Let's see” she said as she turned to the last page and read “Mortimer knew that any moon explorer would know that Mons Huygens is tallest mountain on the moon.” She closed the book and smiled at him “Did you learn that at school?” Tom looked down bashfully “Yeah, they're got a Speak-n-Say that has a lot of stuff about astronomy on it.” “That's what you should be doing sweety” she said as she hugged him close and continued rocking “Just play and learn and don't forget that I'll always be here.” Tom just closed his eyes and let her rock him “I know mom.” “Still want the side of your crib down?” She asked. Tom nodded. “Alright, I'll be in to check on you in a bit.” She said as she stood up and set him down. “Thanks mom” Tom yawned. She turned back the sheets and helped him into his crib. “Good night sweety” she said with a kiss on his forehead. “Good night” Tom replied closing his eyes. Soon after she had clicked off the light and closed the door behind her Tom was fast asleep. Sometime during the night he was dimly aware being gently pushed from the edge of the crib being tucked back in. The next morning Tom was sitting on the floor at preschool building a railroad with some of his classmates. He vaguely remembered some of what he'd learned from building the crane with Johnny while he pieced the engine together. Finally he set it down on the completed track and watched with pride as his train chugged steadily around curves and up hills. He was absorbed he barely noticed when Ms. Kelly came by to check his diaper and round him up for story time. He found his place in front of Mrs. Peterson who sat patiently with a book in her lap while the children gathered around here. “Good morning everyone” she said sweetly once they were all assembled. “Good morning Mrs. Peterson” Tom replied in unison with the rest of the class. “Now before we start the story does anybody know what important day is coming up?” She asked. “Founder's day” answered most of the class. “That's right. And who knows what that means?” “It's the day when they started the town.” answered one boy. “That's right Josh” Mrs Peterson replied “And for Founder's Day all your mommies and daddies will come to class. So we're going to learn a new song we can all sing for them.” As his classmates clamored excitedly around him a sense of dread sunk into the pit of Tom's stomach. He'd grown to except so many things in this new life but singing a preschool song in front of an audience was yet another step back. He sat and contemplated a way out while Mrs. Peterson read the morning's story. After story time we was whisked away for a quick change into put down in his crib for naptime. He looked at the bars around him and thought of the one slim outpost of maturity he'd managed to maintain at home. He feared losing more it but as he took hold of his stuffed bunny and closed his eyes he thought about how the comforts of being a preschooler seemed so right. Later that afternoon he exchanged hugs with his mother as she picked up him up from class. “Your teacher says you guys are going to put on a show for us.” She said excitedly “I can't wait to see what you guys are planning.” Tom looked at her smile and abandoned any notion of getting out of it. He just couldn't disappoint her that way. “It's just going to be song.” He said. “Well I'm sure you'll do a great job.” She said taking him by the hand and leading him to the car. Later, before bed being put to bed, he was given his nightly bath and was a story as he cuddled in his mother's lap. During the night he woke up to his mother rolling him back from the edge of the crib. “Just go back to sleep” she whispered as she kissed him on the forehead and smoothed the sheets over him. In the morning Tom ate breakfast while he watched her get ready for the day. “It's a good thing I've been checking on you” she said “You can try sleeping with the side down a little while longer but I may have to find another arrangement OK?” Tom began to object but stopped short. He could see she was serious, and he knew she was right. “OK mom.” He answered. “Good boy” she said “Now let's get you to school.” As Tom sat in the car watching out the window he wondered what the other arrangement could possibly be. And the first of the new chapters Chapter 19 By late morning at preschool Tom had thoroughly engrossed himself in his favorite toys and he felt a twinge of disappointment as his teachers began herding the children together to begin practicing their Founder's Day song. He reluctantly trudged toward the piano where a smiling Mrs. Peterson greeted her students. “OK children” she said clapping her hands together “Today we're going to learn a new song for all our mommies and daddies. Is everybody ready?” Tom looked down at his feet and wished he was somewhere else while his classmates all voiced their enthusiastic ascent. Mrs. Peterson plucked out a few notes on they keyboard and began leading the class through the song. The other preschoolers followed along repeating the lines after her while Tom tried to stay unobtrusively in back, moving his lips but barely paying attention at all. He felt a tug on the strap of his shortalls as Mrs. Hansley pulled him aside to check his diaper. “You don't need a change, why are you so cranky today?” She asked him quietly. “I just don't want to do this song. Can't I do something else?” “Don't be shy.” She said placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder “Think of how proud your mommy will be when she sees you singing.” She turned him back around and knelt beside him. “Just sing along with me.” Tom, knowing he could no longer get away with faking it, finally paid attention to the words. “Concordia parvae res crescunt.” Mrs. Peterson sang. Tom gave Mrs. Hansley a puzzled look. “It's Latin” she explained. “Some of the words are kind of big, just follow along and do your best.” The phrase repeated several time and Tom tried his best to remember and pronounce the words. “Crescat scientia vita excolatur” continued Mrs. Peterson. Tom took a moment to wonder what the kids in higher grades were doing and be thankful this was all he had to face. He struggled on through the rest of the song taking some small comfort in the fact that his classmates had some difficulty as well. The class moved on to snack time and Tom pondered how he'd ever learn this song as he ate his milk and cookies. By the time his mother was taking him home he had a plan, he'd fake sick the day of the performance. He wouldn't embarrass himself stumbling over some preschool song in front of an audience. “So how did the rehearsal go?” She asked as she pulled out of the parking space. “OK I guess he said” he looked over at his mother, the woman who bathed him and changed his diapers, and abandoned his guardedness “Some of the words are really hard. I don't know if I can even remember them.” “You'll do great I'm sure, I'm just so proud of you.” Tom watched out the window for a few moments before turning back to her “Are you really proud of me?” She looked genuinely shocked at his question “Of course I do sweety. You're learning so much and adjusting to all this new stuff so well. I can't wait wait to see you show everybody else too.” “Thanks mom” Tom thought for a moment “I'll do my best for you.” She smiled at him at him and gave his hair a ruffle “I know you will.” His thoughts of faking sick began to melt away. He could almost see himself singing his heart out alongside his fellow preschoolers and making his mother proud. After dinner he sprawled himself out in front of some cartoons and played with his small but burgeoning collection of toys while his mother relaxed with a book. Even if she wasn't actively watching him, knowing she was close gave him a certain peace of mind. She noticed him looking back at her. “Do you need a change?” she asked raising an eyebrow. Tom shook his head “No, I don't think so.” She smirked skeptically and sat down to give him a check. “What do you know? All dry and clean. What were you glancing around for?” Tom laughed at his mother's teasing and shrugged his shoulders “Nothing.” She took one of the straps of his shortalls and rolled him onto his back. Grinning she placed a finger to his side.”Are you sure you don't want to tell me” “Mooom” Tom half-groaned half-laughed. She slid a hand under his shirt and reached under his arm giving him a light tickle. “I'm not really even ticklish anymore” Tom said even as he began to squirm a bit. “Oh really?” She said as she tickled faster. “Then this won't do anything at all” She laughed as she twitched her finger across his skin. Tom resisted momentarily before breaking into giggles and trying to roll away. “You seem pretty ticklish to me.” She said grinning as she withdrew her attack. “Maybe a little bit.” Tom said as he caught his breath. She checked his diaper again “More than just a little” she laughed “It's probably time to get you ready for bed anyway.” She got him out of his newly soaked diaper and into a nice warm tub. “I got something for your room” she said as she started scrubbing his back. “Really, what is it?” “You know how you were worried about putting the sides of your crib up?” “Yeah? “Well I got something that will let me know if you need me for anything.” “You mean a baby monitor?” “Well we can call it a kid monitor if you prefer, but yes. Now lift your arm for me honey” Tom complied and she gently soaped up his side “You don't mind do you?” “I guess not” Tom said resignedly. “Good boy” she said as she squirted a dollop of shampoo into he hand “I know you're probably disappointed about needing these things, but I just want to make sure you're safe. And it can't be that bad knowing I can keep an eye you can it?” Tom looked down, wondering for a moment if she could read his thoughts. She saw the bashful smile creeping across his face “I didn't think so. Now close your eyes.” She lathered his hair. “I need to get you in for a hair cut soon” she commented as she worked. Tom stepped out of the tub and into the warm thick towel his mother was holding. She dried him off and ushered him into his room. She gave him another pass over with the towel before lifting him onto the changing table. Tom was momentarily surprised by the increasing ease with which she was able to help him up. But his attention was soon diverted to the new device sitting on a table next to his crib. “It's got a camera too” She said as she retrieved a thick night-time diaper from the diaper stacker. She slid it under his freshly scrubbed bottom, taped it in place, and dressed him in his Pjs. “Now how about a bedtime story?” She sat in the rocking chair and motioned for him to sit in her lap. He settled in while she took a book from the table “There's one more thing” she said getting one of the bottles he'd had at Mrs. Burke's house from the table as well. “I heard you like these.” “Thank you” Tom said slightly embarrassed but thankful for the treat. She began to rock gently as she held the nursing boy in her arms and read from the colorful pages. Tom barely followed the story. He was tired and the rocking was already lulling him to sleep. She paused “Are you ready for bed sweety? We can finish this book later.” Tom just nodded and rubbed his eyes. Karen smiled “OK, up you go.” She rose from the rocking chair, helped him into his crib. Through the encroaching fuzziness of sleep Tom again noticed how easily she did this, his own effort was scarcely required. She pulled the blankets up to his shoulders and after making sure his teddy was within reach she handed him his still half-full bottle. “Now if you need me you can just call alright?” “OK mom.” Tom replied. “Good night.” She kissed him the forehead and raised the rails into place. “Good night mom” Tom said nestling himself into place. She turned off the lights on the way out the door and Tom was left gazing through half-closed eyes at the dimly glowing light from his baby monitor. He could remember a time it would have been an unbearable intrusion. Now he seemed adrift in and endless sea of babyhood and the idea of there even being a shore faded further away every day. Some part of him still wanted to be a big kid to the outside world, but here at home this felt right. He drank from his bottle while he contemplated these things and was disappointed when the sweet warm formula ran out. He let the empty bottle roll from his hand as he fell asleep. Some time in the middle of the night he came half awake and found a full bottle in its place. He smiled as he took it to his lips.

Hey everyone! I posted this story a little while ago, but took it down due to needing more revamp and ideas to make this story pop. I am the original writer of this story and there is a person on deviantart writing a very similar version that I allowed her to write. I hope everybody enjoys this story as much as I do. Enjoy! Chapter 1: Eva tossed in turn at the sound of her phone's alarm going off she was once again having one of her favorite dreams of her being cared for like the little baby she was dressed as by her neighbor at school Ms.Harper. The large woman was feeding her a baby bottle of warm milk and slowly rubbing her diapered crotch telling her how naughty of a little baby she had been as Eva continued to hear the alarm screaming at her knowing it was time to get up. If anybody was in the room with her you would be pretty shocked to see her the way she was dressed. Eva was 28 years old and stood at 4 feet tall. She was the teacher at one of the finest schools in the state of Florida that taught children with all types of special needs. When she was first hired she was shocked when she went into the classroom to find a large nursery instead of a children's classroom. There were 4 cribs, 4 High chairs, a changing table that could fit most adults, and the largest playpen in the world that she had ever seen along with what looked like an old broom closet that was suppose to be her office. As summer break was coming up she had learned from her neighbor Ms.Harper that all of the furniture and both of there rooms was being renovated for brand new items and would be removed when summer break began which excited Eva even more wondering if she could finally have the things she wanted most a nursery. When the day had finally come and her former students had left the classroom she watched as the maintenance crew rolled in with large boxes of what had to be the new items for her classroom. Eva quickly asked one of the men what they were going to do with the items and quickly learned they were being thrown out and asked if she could have one of each for her "niece". The men smiled telling her that it wouldn't be a problem and Eva was even more excited when she learned they were going to deliver the items as well. Eva stared at her phone knowing that summer had come to an end entirely way to fast, but now she had to get up and ready to meet her new students. She got out of the crib quickly noticing the sagging that was coming from the wet diaper between legs and placing it in the diaper pail beside her changing table. She walked out of her nursery loving the sound of her calling it that truly turned her on even more. She hopped into the shower turning the water on wondering to herself if maybe this year she could do something different. She turned the water off to the shower quickly grabbing a towel drying herself as she made her way towards her old bedroom. She called it old because for most of the summer she truly lived the life of a baby girl. She stared at her old bed seeing it still made up like she left it when summer began and walked towards her closet knowing she didn't have much time to get ready. She looked through all of the suits and adult dresses telling herself maybe she could try something new when she quickly had a cute idea. She walked out of the bedroom and into the nursery which contained a massive walk in closet. She quickly found what she was looking for it was a pair of shortalls she had worn for Halloween the year before and had the words "cutie pie" stitched on the bib. She took the outfit back into her adult room setting them on the bed. After sliding on some panties, socks, and one of her more childish shirts she slid the shortalls over her small frame she pulled the straps over snapping them in place. She walked into her bathroom quickly seeing she had 20 minutes before she had to be at her classroom as she stared into the mirror wondering what was missing. She reached into her drawers finding two red hair bows pulling some of her hair together before putting one bow on one side and then the other giving herself pigtails. She then noticed in the mirror that she truly looked nothing like the 28 year old educator, but a student ready for her first day at pre-school and decide that it was a bad idea. She reached for her phone quickly seeing she only had 10 minutes to be at her classroom. Eva ran out of her bathroom grabbing her purse and shoes before running out of her house towards her car. She started the engine and raced to the school as quick as she could. She was very happy that she had chose to live right around the corner or else she might of been in some real trouble. She pulled into the school seeing she had 7 minutes to get into the classroom knowing she always took the back way in knowing the front of the school was going to be packed with parents dropping off there students. When she got out of her car she then noticed a problem she realized she was still wearing the shortalls, but then knew she was going to have to worry about it later and hoped it wouldn't be that big of a deal. She pulled the back door of the school open running to her classroom that was around the corner of the hall she was on hoping there wouldn't be a line of parents waiting for her as she turned the corner quickly running straight into a stroller that she hadn't seen. Eva stared up from the ground wondering what she had just hit as a set of hands made there way under Eva's small frame as words began to form through her ears. She stared up at a woman asking her "are you hurt sweetheart? where is your mommy?" as Eva began to realize what the woman was getting at knowing the way she was dressed. Eva began to giggle at the woman telling her "mam, I am a teacher" as the older woman looked over Eva telling her "sweety it's not nice to lie to people" as Eva reached into her purse grabbing her badge showing it to the large woman. The larger woman smiled seeing the badge and reading the name "Eva Peters" and quickly responded saying "your my daughters teacher" as Eva saw the woman turn the stroller to her seeing the teenage baby inside of the stroller. The woman then stuck out her hand introducing her as Ms.Johnson and that the toddler inside was her daughter Danni. Eva opened the door to her classroom allowing the woman to push her child inside as Eva stopped to see the transition that her classroom had taken. The room had changed alot and seemed even more babyish then ever before. She walked over to the new cribs sitting beside the wall quickly seeing they were much larger then the previous one's and now had a strap inside to keep the child from moving inside. The next thing she noticed was the size of the playpen it was atleast 7 feet wide and 4 feet tall. Eva remembered the one she had at home she was just barely able to crawl out of hers and now if she was in this there would be no way of her getting out with out help. She quickly broke her trance with the soft knock at the door as she saw more children making there way into the classroom. Both mothers quickly pulled there teenage babies out of the stroller and placing them inside next to Danni. Eva walked over to introduce herself to the first woman, but quickly found herself being picked up and a hand being brought through the front of shortalls as Eva began to struggle as the woman she had met earlier Ms.Johnson quickly yelled "that's the teacher" as the older woman quickly apologized saying that makes since why I didn't feel a diaper as the three women began to laugh. Eva smiled sticking her hand out to the three women introducing herself as "Eva Peters". Both women walked over to the playpen as Eva followed listening as the first woman a tall blond with large breast introduced herself as Ms.Parker and her child McKenzie Parker and the next woman a Tall Asian woman named Ms. Martin and her child Cathy Parker. The three women began to giggle to one another as Eva asked what was so funny. They all stared at one another as they all asked "Why are you dressed like are children if your the teacher" Eva's mind began to go blank wondering what she could tell them as she quickly told them I did this so your children wouldn't feel intimidated by me and would see me just like them as Eva hoped they would buy the story. All three of them smiled at one another again saying you did a really good job as Ms.Parker spoke saying "its funny if you were wearing a diaper today you and my daughter would be twins" as Eva laughed with the mothers as the bell began to ring." Eva waved good bye to the mothers "telling them all that she would have them all taken care of" as the door began to close wondering what the day was going to bring. She looked towards the last crib wondering if she was going to have a 4th baby joining them today as Eva turned hearing a soft knock at the door wondering if that was them now. She opened the door finding the assistant principle Mrs.Ken standing there with a tall teenage girl. Eva spoke saying "good morning" as her boss quickly responded the same before saying "Eva you look so adorable" as Eva smiled thanking the woman saying "I found a new approach for the children" as Mrs.Ken told her "I knew you were going to be a good hire" as Eva smiled at the Teenage girl saying "who is this?" as Mrs. Ken said "this is Chauncey," she is in college to be come a special needs educator like yourself and volunteers with us for her school and will be your new assistant." Eva nervously smiled at the teenage girl introducing herself to her as Eva watched her crouch down her level saying "its great to meet you as well Ms. Peters and I am sure we will become great friends by the end of the semester" as Mrs.Ken spoke telling them "I am going to leave y'all to it" as Chauncey walked into the classroom past Eva who was hoping that with a new assistant wouldn't cause any problems.

We're very excited to open Sunshine Junction Adult Baby Daycare 1.4 so all the little ones can Learn, Explore, Imagine, and Be Themselves. MISSION Our mission at the Sunshine Junction Adult Baby Daycare is to provide a safe, nurturing, and accepting environment for individuals who enjoy and benefit from the experience of age regression. We believe everyone deserves to be cared for and accepted for who they are, regardless of age or circumstance. Our dedicated and compassionate staff is committed to creating a space where adult babies can feel comfortable and free to express themselves without fear of judgment. We strive to provide high-quality care and attention to every individual, ensuring that their physical and emotional needs are met. Through play, activities, and socialization, we aim to promote happiness, confidence, and a sense of belonging for all our clients. We believe that the experience of age regression can be a positive and therapeutic way for individuals to cope with stress, anxiety, or trauma and to explore their inner child. Our adult baby daycare is dedicated to fostering a community of inclusivity, respect, and understanding where every individual is valued and supported. SERVICES We use the innovative, free Virtual Master program created by Sven B. to immerse you in the daycare setting of your adult baby dreams. Our staff members are specially trained to give you the love and caring or strict discipline and punishment you need. We are currently accepting registration for our Infant program (6 wks - 1 year old) and our Toddler program (1 -3 years old). We offer the flexibility of our exceptional services for whatever time period is needed, from a few minutes to the entire day. Fun, creative activities vary daily to give you the best opportunity to explore and learn. You can create up to 10 custom activities to fill your time or use the 17 preset activities that we offer. We have a comprehensive list of expected behaviors and rules for both of your programs. Adhere to the rules, and you will be rewarded. Disobey, and there may be consequences. We are open for everyone to feel welcome and loved. We offer customization of the script for the following areas: -Gender identity and pronouns -Parent or caregiver involvement, if applicable -Use of Imperial (US) or Metric system -Customization of required fluid intake based on your weight and bladder capacity -Optional use of a webcam to document your day with us. -The ability to identify and celebrate birthdays or holidays -The ability to customize your care and activities based on supplies you have. -Chose between calling it a Diaper or Nappy -Distinguish if you will be wearing Cloth or Disposable diapers -You are instructed on what liquids you are to drink and how often. -You are instructed on what types of food you are to have and when. -You choose which staff member you would like to care for you. Loving Linda, or Strict Linda, is waiting to give you the attention you need. -You chose rewards that will encourage your good behavior. -Should you choose Strict Linda, you will be given the option of establishing up to 4 preset punishment types and the option to customize up to 5 to encourage your behavior. Choose to get a report card of your visit. This will allow you to keep track of your day or let your partner see what fun adventure you were a part of. Allow yourself to be cared for in the loving, caring environment we create. You will be treated just like every other little one while you're with us, with scheduled and random diaper checks, scheduled naps, and activity time to keep your little mind and body growing and exploring. Come spend your precious time in a place that loves and accepts you for who you are. Register today!! Changes for Version 1.4: -We've created 1400+ audio files and enhanced the previous files to bring Sunshine Junction the most realistic Adult Baby Daycare ever! - Errors corrected to allow for seamless performance and the best user experience to date. -New quiet time Python addition prevents users from using their computer during this period. -New narrative added -Grammer and spelling corrections *The program requires Microsoft Windows; however, instructions are available for using Linux Mint 20.1 Mate if needed. *You will receive an encrypted version of the script/program that can not be viewed or altered. The Virtual Master program and scripts are beta programs and will contain errors. Every effort to eliminate the mistakes is made. Assistance is always welcome to identify errors and inconsistencies or aid future script development. You can find all of our programs at https://mistresssebrina1.gumroad.com/l/ABDaycare14 or lilagain.etsy.com

Chapter One: The Incident The summer sun blazed high in the sky, casting a golden glow over the schoolyard. The air was warm and thick, filled with the sounds of children’s laughter and the distant hum of grasshoppers. The smell of freshly cut grass mingled with the faint aroma of hot asphalt, creating a distinctive scent of summer. The school, a large red-brick building with ivy creeping up its walls, stood as a sentinel overseeing the lively playground below. The distant sound of a teacher’s whistle occasionally pierced through the ambient noise, signalling the end of a game or a call to order. Liam, a tall and lanky 14-year-old, strode confidently across the schoolyard. His unruly hair caught in the warm breeze, giving him a wild, untamed appearance that matched his reputation. He was flanked by his friends, a group of boys who looked up to him as their leader. "Let's show everyone who runs this place," Liam said, his voice loud enough to carry over the noise of the playground. His friends nodded eagerly, their eyes darting around in search of their next target. Liam's gaze settled on Emily, a quiet, bookish girl who was walking passed the old, oak tree in the school grounds making her way towards the school building, her arms laden with books. "Hey, nerd! Where do you think you're going?" Liam jeered, his voice dripping with malice. Emily, a petite girl with straight, chestnut brown hair tied back in a neat ponytail, froze. She wore a simple white blouse and a pair of blue jeans. Her round glasses perched precariously on her nose as she tried to avoid eye contact. She had always been an easy target. Her quiet demeanor, combined with her academic excellence and impeccable behavior, set her apart from the others. "Come on, Emily," Liam called out, a cruel smirk playing on his lips. "Don't you want to hang out with us?" Liam's friends circled around Emily, blocking her path. As they did, the other kids in the playground began to move away, casting wary glances but not daring to intervene. Nobody wanted to risk becoming the next target of Liam and his gang. Emily lacked close friends who might stand up for her, making her even more vulnerable. Some kids looked sympathetic but quickly turned away, while a small group whispered quietly, their eyes filled with a mixture of fear and pity. She clutched her books tighter, her knuckles turning white. "P-please, let me go," she stammered, her eyes darting from one face to another, searching for an escape. One of Liam's friends, a stocky boy named Jason, nudged Liam with his elbow. "Go on, show her who's boss." Liam stepped closer, his smirk widening. He began pacing around her, occasionally shoving her books to add to her distress. "What's the rush, huh? Afraid you'll miss a class or something?" he taunted. The other boys laughed, their voices a chorus of mockery. "Yeah, Emily, why are you always such a loner? Think you're better than us or something?" one of them sneered. Emily's heart pounded in her chest. She blinked rapidly, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill. The warmth of the sun was oppressive, and she felt herself starting to sweat, more from fear than the heat. Why does it always have to be me? she thought desperately. "Look at her, she's gonna cry!" another boy shouted, and the laughter grew louder, more mocking. Emily's vision blurred as the tears began to fall. She tried to speak, to plead with them to stop, but her voice was choked with sobs. Her body trembled, and a deep sense of humiliation and helplessness washed over her. Maybe if I just stay quiet, they'll get bored and leave, she hoped, but her hopes were in vain. "Aw, poor little Emily," Liam crooned, leaning in close and shoving her books harder. "What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" His words were like poison, each one a dagger aimed at her already fragile self-esteem. Suddenly, Emily felt a warmth spreading down her legs. She looked down in horror to see a dark stain forming on her jeans. The evidence of her complete and utter breakdown. The world seemed to close in around her, the laughter echoing in her ears, growing louder and more malicious. "Oh my God, she peed herself!" Liam howled, pointing at Emily with glee. "What a baby!" Emily's sobs turned into wails as she stood there, paralyzed with shame. Her face burned with humiliation, her tears mingling with the sweat on her cheeks. The boys' laughter reached a fever pitch, their taunts a relentless assault on her dignity. It was at this moment that a stern voice cut through the cacophony. "What on earth is going on here?" Mrs. Thompson, the school's principal, marched towards the group, her expression a mix of shock and fury. Her authoritative stride commanded immediate attention. The boys immediately stopped laughing, their faces draining of color. Liam's confident stance turned rigid with fear. His smirk vanished, replaced by a look of dread. They all turned to face Mrs. Thompson, who had seen enough to understand the gravity of the situation. "Liam, and all of you," Mrs. Thompson said, her voice icy. "My office. Now." Emily was left standing alone, tears streaming down her face as she tried to cover the stain on her jeans with her hands. Mrs. Thompson's eyes softened momentarily as she placed a gentle hand on Emily's shoulder. "It's okay, Emily. Come with me, let's get you cleaned up." As Emily and Mrs. Thompson walked away, the boys trudged towards the school building, knowing that their actions would have serious consequences. Liam's heart pounded in his chest, the reality of his behavior sinking in. The warm summer breeze continued to rustle the leaves of the old oak tree, as if whispering the lessons of the day to anyone who cared to listen.