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On 6/11/2019 at 11:18 PM, mahleedl said:

@Mee, I meant only that this story deserves better than page 3, lol!  It needs to be up front and center so anyone who isn't already reading along can find it and get engrossed!  I'd gladly bite my nails another month waiting for the next chapter, but it still deserves to be on page 1!  (well...  maybe not 'gladly', but still)  :D

 

Sorry about that...I think I let it happen again... Thank you for such high praise, though!
 

 

On 6/12/2019 at 12:09 AM, Sarah Penguin said:

:(

Hopefully it's going to get better?

 

On 6/12/2019 at 7:42 AM, CDfm said:

Oh I feel like crying. I know Emily has to know Joyce feels just like Michael did a few minutes ago when he couldn’t find Jackie. It’s breaking my heart. The look back in this chapter actually threw me off at first. I had the impression that Joyce was depressed because she was missing Emily. She hadn’t even met Emily at that point.  Very happy to give this a like and can’t wait to read more. 

Hmmm...there might be a tiny parallel going on here. And sorry if the flashback wasn't clear; I'll try to do better with that. At the same time, I don't want to explicitly plaster at the top of a page break: FLASHBACK BEGINS HERE. I've been trying to drop some subtle hints throughout that make it a bit more clear. Sorry, and thanks for reading and liking!

On 6/12/2019 at 1:38 PM, LilRedAli said:

I don’t think it was confusing.......I loved finally seeing what Joyce was up to the day she met Emily!! She changed so fast lol I hope her and Joyce met up soon but maybe the Grandparents find her 1st and learn a bit more bout the girls ? 

Heyo! Glad to here it wasn't a total upset. I definitely hear where everyone is coming from, though, so I'll try to do better with that. As for Joyce's rapid change, I wanted to set up the sort of idea that Joyce meets Emily at a time when she's reaching a bursting point. That idea of overload is what's transforming her so rapidly, because from the start she's been ready to become this kind of person that can love so much and be so affectionate. Her desires are very strong and very real, and while she's been trying to throttle herself, she still can't keep herself together fully at the seams. Thanks for reading!

On 6/12/2019 at 2:31 PM, treasuresman said:

Okay, i commented before reading the rest and finally figured out that the really confusing part was that you can gone back to the day Joyce had meet Emily and how that Joyce was not having a good day,

Jackie is a handful and hopefully Micheal will help Emily understand that Joyce loves her and then that Joyce and Emily catch up to each other 

Always important to consume before commenting! Michael and Jackie are hopefully going to be a teaching point for Emily, and if nothing else, Michael can be someone to talk to. But who knows how it's going to turn out? Thank you for being such an invested reader, and I hope you continue to enjoy!

On 6/12/2019 at 6:54 PM, babytom2 said:

It's fine but isn't really pertinent to the current story.

Maybe in a way, I suppose. Yes, it's not going to dictate the course of the story, or pull the resolution here or there, but I consider it important for the sake of context. By giving an idea of who Joyce was before she met Emily, or what she was like right at the time the two met, it can help explain why something like this may have happened. Joyce's desire for something like this has reached a bursting point and somewhat explains her storm of affection for Emily, and how she can struggle to keep it under wraps. So to sum it up, I put it in for character building. Thanks for reading!

On 6/13/2019 at 7:58 PM, YourFNF said:

Fuck I really feel Emily's pain on this....

Definitely a mix of things going on for her. Unfortunately she's caught in a pretty bad situation and doesn't know how to find recourse. Anything in her mind right now seems like a bad play and there is no real right answer. Hopefully that's going to change? Thanks so much for reading and commenting!

On 6/14/2019 at 6:03 PM, Hopsalot said:

A part of me was hoping the daddy would think Emily was also a lost little girl, but that would probably be too unrealistic, I was a bit confused at the flash back but I figured it out. Hopefully Joyce finds her!!!

Sorry, but there probably won't be any transforming in this story! (Physically, at least.) But maybe not this universe? Hmmm...... Sorry for the confusion about the flashback, and yes, hopefully these two do make up! I hope you continue to read and enjoy! Always appreciate reading everyone's comments!

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23 - Clear as Day

“Really, though, you got me out of a tight spot,” he looked almost judgingly to his own mischief-maker. “No thanks to this one.” He faked a frown at her, then smiled. As he went on, his forearm was bent outwards at a 90-degree angle, so that Jackie could try and try again to leap for the hanging bar that was an arm and swing from it. She wasn’t so successful, but at least she had determination.

“Mmm...” With her eyes looking closer to the ground than anything else, she just managed enough autonomy to stay by Michael’s side. Other than that, she was lost in her own thoughts and apprehensions.

“Are you alright, by the way?” The question was direct enough to have her look right at him.

“...Yeah? Why wouldn’t I be? I’m just thinking...that’s all.”

He didn’t seem convinced, but didn’t prod any further.

“Daddy? Can we stop and see the monkeys first?” Jackie went on to ask, as she was currently trying to be one.

“We’re gonna go and get some drinks first, okay? And besides, you still need to be punished for running away like that...” He looked over to Emily once again. “What do you think, Emily? Maybe as a punishment I should keep her from the monkeys?”

Before she could even think of a response, Jackie with a sharp whine cut in.

“NooOOooo! I’m already punished! See? I’m holding your hand! See?” She went on to send waves through her arm connected to her dad’s much larger one, though his didn’t shake as much.

“And it’s going to stay like that for the rest of the day. If you keep on your best behavior for the rest of the day, maybe we’ll go and see them. Got it?”

The little girl nodded as if her life depended on it. She suddenly assumed the composure of a puppet that only knew how to be controlled. The kind of absolute obedience you’d see in a child already on thin ice. The kind of resolve that’d dissipate in maybe 10 minutes, at most.

Thankfully the line for drinks wasn’t terribly long. The only person who seemed to mind it though was of course the demographic which equated minutes of patience to hours. Jackie gave a few moans and groans, but a small reminder of what was at stake kept her in check.

“Hi! What can I get you guys today?” The worker smiled behind the counter.

“Hi,” Michael was the first to start. “I think I’ll have...” he quickly scanned the board. “Actually, could I just get a coffee?”

“Sure, how would you like it?”

“Just black, please. Medium.”

Emily almost looked to him for a second, but managed to keep herself restrained.

“Do you know what you want?” He asked Emily. “Don’t forget, my treat.” Silently, it seemed like he was trying to say ‘let loose,’ but she wasn’t feeling so adventurous right now. She wasn’t feeling anything good right now.

“Could I have a second?”

“Sure. Alright Jackie, that leaves you,” quickly he hoisted her up and into the air, giving her a nice view of the board above the worker. “What’s it gonna be?”

“Umm...that one!” Quickly, she pointed to what her father could only imagine was a bright, dolled up picture of some new trending drink. Her means of selection though had him rolling his eyes, as the worker helplessly looked back to see what she might’ve been pointing at.

“Jackie, sweetie, use your words. We can’t read your mind, hon.”

“The mango one!”

Clearly this wasn’t the full order, as her dad filled in the rest for her. “I think she wants the mango swirl. Just a small, please.”

“Okay… And have you decided yet?” The attention fell back on Emily, who was nowhere near closer to a choice. Yet, oddly enough, she had a craving for something, and it hurt to acknowledge it.

“I’ll take a coffee too, please. Just a small.”

“Daddy,” Jackie suddenly and sharply cut in. “I want coffee too.”

“Fifteen years from now, you can.”

While Jackie had her momentary gasp and whine, Emily finished her business with the cashier.

She couldn’t help but take a moment to smile at the small girl. “Ah…any special requests? Or would you like black too?”

“No,” she paused for a second. “Could I get it with milk? Like, a cup of milk?” She looked to Michael, seeming self-conscious. “Is that okay?”

“Go right ahead, I told you it’s on me!” She looked back to the worker and finalized her order.

“Alrighty, this shouldn’t be more than a few minutes. You can go find a seat while we finish your order.” Michael paid as promised, and they found themselves a table with a set of chairs to sit in. With the way Jackie was fidgeting in hers, though, you’d think she was moments away from going overboard. For extra insurance, Michael kept a hand on the chair to keep it from rocking too much.

“Why can’t I have coffee? I wanna drink some too.”

“Coffee is when you need energy, and trust me, you have plenty enough sweatpea.” Even Emily struggled to not cock a smirk as the shaking chair was practically leaking an abundance of kinetic energy.

“So does that mean your tired?”

“You’re right on the money with that one. Someone manages to keep me on my toes 24/7...” The heavy allusion still went over the girl’s head, and after a few more seconds of watching her, Michael seemed complacent enough to look back to Emily. “So! Emily, what brings you to the zoo?”

She should’ve expected it, but that didn’t mean it hurt any less.

“Uhm...well...” Why was it so much harder to speak now? Clearly she didn’t have nearly as much restraint when speaking with a six-year old, so how did it being an adult freeze her up?

Surprisingly, Michael jumped back in. “Well, I’m here with Jackie because her school’s out for the week, so I figured I’d give her a few fun days out. But with the way she’s been acting maybe I need to reconsider...” slowly he turned his head to her, whilst Jackie continued to seem innocent. “Seriously, sometimes I can’t tell whether she’s just acting or truly doesn’t care?” It was only solidified as a joke when he was the first to laugh. “How did you find her, by the way?”

“Like I said, she more or less found me,” she looked almost sheepish; thankful for an easy question. “I was sitting on a bench and she just took a seat right next to me.”

Michael blinked. “R-really? Jackie, what did I tell you about talking to strangers?” Quickly he looked back to Emily, almost panicked for damage control. “Don’t get me wrong, though! I can’t thank you enough, but unfortunately not everyone can be as nice as you’ve been...”

“I appreciate it, but really, I didn’t do much...” The praise felt unwarranted, and the further it pressed on her, the worse it made her feel. Positivity was the last thing she felt deserving of, considering the royal fuck-up she’d just caused right before this. Was this divine punishment or something? Maybe…

“You may not feel like it, but you’re definitely my hero of the day. Jackie’s too.”

“Right!” She giggled. “You’re-a superhero!”

Emily stayed silent, and before Michael could speak, their order was called.

“I’ll be just a second,” he was already standing from his seat. “And you,” he pointed to Jackie. “Not a muscle, got it?” Her response was to take a deep breath. “You two hold down the fort for me.”

Kneeling on her seat, she watched her dad walk a decent distance away, then turned her head back to Emily. “Hey Emily? What’s your girlfriend’s name?”

Why even with strangers could she not manage to run from it? No matter where she went, in some shape or form it always held her in such a tight, suffocating squeeze.

“Her name is Joyce.” Miraculously, in the company of a child, a moment of silence went by. “...Do you wanna talk about something else?”

“Did I say something mean?” The remorse she carried in her tone was heavy. As heavy as an ignorant kid could make it.

“No, Jackie, it’s fine,” she did her best to smile. “It’s just a sore spot, that’s all.”

“You should talk to my daddy about it. He’s good at fixing stuff!” If only it were that simple. Whenever emotions were involved, it always got so muddled and messy. Maybe it would help to talk about it though. Then again, Emily wasn’t so sure if she wanted help. She wanted to feel sad?  Truly, her selfless nature is both her charm and unfortunate undoing.

“You two getting along?” They were interrupted by a plastic tray of cups, two of which were filled with caffeine, and the other some milk and a mango smoothie. Before she could get her hands on it, Michael had taken the liberty of plopping a straw into his daughter’s cup, then properly instructing her on drinking etiquette.

While they had their moment, Emily took her own time to figure out exactly what she ordered as well. It almost felt shameful to crave this kind of drink. Yet again, it was something special she’d felt she no longer had the right to even if she still felt the craving for it. Normally the milk would be poured into the coffee, but she went for the exact opposite strategy.

A small brown trickle waterfalled into a pool of white, slowly changing it into a light brownish hue, drifting right on the cusp of something that couldn’t be called milk anymore.

What she expected to be a solution however had her feeling even more glum. It doesn’t look the same… Never once did she see how it was made, and the visual result right this moment reflected that. She pulled it in for a sip, and while not displeased by it, she wasn’t happy with the taste either.

“Sure you don’t want some coffee with that milk?” Michael chuckled as he watched, sipping his own drink. “Liking yours, Jackie?”

“Mhm!” With both hands firmly secured around the cup, she sucked from her straw. Then as if brilliance itself had struck her, she suddenly popped an awkward question. “Hey Daddy, what does ‘flirting’ mean?”

Emily paused her sip to hear the question, unfortunately knowing too well where she might’ve heard such a thing. Why did this kid have to be so curious?

“Flirting? Where’d you hear something like that?”

“Emily said it! She said I was trying to flirt with her!”

Her cheeks were feeling incredibly hot right now, and suddenly started trying to explain herself, but was caught in a helpless stutter. How bad must she look right now? If he didn’t think it before, Michael would definitely think she’s a wacko now…

“Well?” Surprisingly, he looked to Jackie. “Were you flirting with her?”

“I dunno what that means!” She shouted back with a mix of frustration and silliness.

“Sorry about that, Emily,” he shrugged. “I guess she might even be a womanizer without even knowing it...”

Once again an awkward situation had been saved, and replaced with a well-executed humor which had Emily and Michael laughing, though only at the expense of Jackie’s confusion.

“At least tell me how you got on that kind of topic?” he took another sip from his cup.

“It’s kind of a long story, I guess,” Emily chuckled, losing the joy in her voice awfully fast.

“Sorry, I really don’t want to pry,” Michael started, looking concerned. “But are you sure everything’s alright? You seem bothered by something.”

“It...it’s...”

Before she could even deflect, a much more forward, higher-pitched voice spoke in her place. “Emily had a fight with her girlfriend Joyce!” Both adults turned to the fed-up looking Jackie, one much more uncomfortable than the other. “Daddy? Can you please help her feel better? She was really sad when I found her!” In her eyes, it really seemed like that was the solution to all of this. Yet, the lack of immediate response from either adult had her suddenly shy.

“Jackie...” Emily couldn’t place a definite emotion to her words. It was a terrible mix, really. Disappointment, frustration, anger, and relief. Something she was insistent on keeping hidden was crudely yanked right out and into the open, but at the same time the daunting responsibility of being honest was handled for her. Nevertheless, she wasn’t happy, but it wasn’t her place to scold Jackie, and truly she didn’t want to.

Jackie’s heart was certainly in the right place, but that didn’t change the look her dad gave her, signaling she made a bad move. She looked sheepish, staring down at the ground, biting her lower lip.

Michael sighed, looking to his daughter then Emily, who wasn’t making so much eye contact either. He’d apologized plenty enough for one day, and he carried the sentiment that those words had long lost their charm. Nevertheless, “Emily, really I’m--” He was cut short by the scratching of a metal chair on the rocky ground.

Michael was caught by surprise...and so was Emily, when a small pair of feet excused themselves from the table.

Though, sounding much more resolute, Michael quickly shut the situation down before it could fester. “Oh no, not this time, young lady.” With a quick grip he had her by the armpits whilst she thrashed and threw a whining fit. From the corners of her eyes Emily could see a few stares, but thankfully they were sympathetic enough to not ogle for too long…

“Let me go!” Poutily, Jackie shouted to her father’s face. She already sounded to be on the verge of tears.

“So you can run off again?” He lowered her just enough to sit in his lap, but still had a firm hold of her. “You were just punished for doing this! Are you ready to leave the zoo altogether?” The threat hit her too hard though, as her voice trembled with a quiet no.

“Then why are you trying to get yourself into trouble again? Come on, Jackie, talk to me?” With each word he spoke, Jackie seemed to whimper more and more, as she buried her face into her dad’s chest.

Mumbling with a teary voice she shouted into his shirt. “B-b-because you guys are mad at me! I wanted to help! Now you don’t like me and Emily doesn’t too!” Her absolute truths had her crying even harder, as Michael shifted his restraint tactics into a much more soothing comfort.

“Jackie, baby, no one here is mad at you...” he rubbed her back.

“That’s not true! I told Emily’s secret!” It wasn’t so much of a secret, but Emily’d have been lying if she said it was something she didn’t mind leaving in the open… “...N-now she hates me...”

It hurt Emily more to watch than to try and empathize. Yet again she was the root of a whole new issue. It was her fault for even telling Jackie anything in the first place. She was just trying to help in the only way she knew how. How could Emily be angry at her? She never was to begin with, but it didn’t change she led her to feel this way.

“Jackie? Could you please look at me?” After a little more coaxing, she did turn her head to Emily, but her arms never left her dad’s torso. Her face was red and she was sniffling, but her attention was there. “Jackie, I promise I’m not mad at you. You can’t get on my bad side that easily,” she chuckled, hoping to inspire some sort of joy, but the girl still seemed troubled…

“But I told your secret...” Her mouth struggled to wrestle her voice into submission, as her words were a few degrees away from total incoherent, sobbing murmurs. Were all kids like this? How self-destructive could such a tiny person be? She cared about Emily, that much was evident, but she cared a little too much…

“You didn’t spoil any secret, I promise,” Emily assured with a smile, which came with a relief, as she had finally seemed to calm some.

“T-then, how come you d-didn’t wanna talk about it...?”

“Because...sometimes it’s a little hard to talk about stuff like that...” Now with Michael as their audience, she unfortunately couldn’t be as cryptic anymore. Did she even need to be, though? “It only happened today, so I guess I’m still upset over it...” A very, very large underestimate of how she was really feeling, but she was out here to make a point, rather than illustrate a scene.

“Is that what  has you so gloomy?” Michael asked in a simple tone toward Emily, still stroking Jackie’s back.

“...Jackie wasn’t lying when she said I had a fight with my girlfriend…” Her eyes started to shine a bit more as they became glossier. “I...” Now it was her turn to sound shaky. “I really messed up...”

Her sister in sorrow tried to egg her father on, practically begging, “Daddy! Please! See? Can’t you make her feel better?”

“Honey, I know you’re trying to be nice, but we can’t just step into people’s private lives like that. I wish I could fix anything, but daddy isn’t that powerful,” he patted the top of her head. “Emily’s business is hers, and we don’t have the right to talk about it unless she says it’s okay.”

His explanation was interpreted more as a redirection than a final answer, as Jackie was now begging Emily who was wiping her eyes. “Emily? Please talk to Daddy? He can help!”

She was quiet, and Jackie stared at her with a hope that was impossible to ignore. That didn’t mean Emily would answer the call, however. She didn’t know what to do, where to go, what to say, or how to react. The table was loaded, and she could go either all in or fold. Both options seemed scary, but only one seemed to have a sensible idea of even potential resolution.

“...Emily, I’m no superhero, but I can at least be an ear for you?”

Still, she hung on the fence.

“And if it’s any incentive, I think Jackie would feel much better if we talked things over?”

That was just playing dirty… Emily slightly narrowed her brows without looking at anyone in particular. But...maybe that sort of push was what she needed.

Finally, she stared at Michael with a clear expression.

“...Okay.”


“Alright, Jackie, Emily and I are going to be right here the whole time, understood?” His voice seemed to be equal parts reassuring and warning. Even when trapped in a fence pen, he still didn’t seem to put past the idea of his daughter somehow escaping unnoticed.

A much more cheery-looking six-year old nodded her head. “But what if I wanna feed them?”

“Then you come back to me and ask for some money, alright? Until then go have some fun while Emily and I talk.”

“Why can’t I listen though?”

“Because you’re already pushing your luck, missy. Don’t you want to go and pet the goats now?”

She looked frustrated, namely because he hit the nail right on the head. She was clutching the hem of her dress with both hands, slightly puffing her cheeks. “...Yeah...”

“Then what are you waiting for?” He gave a slight laugh. “Oh! See? One already noticed you!”

All three people focused their attention to a pygmy animal, topped with tiny horns as it curiously walked itself over to the girl on all four legs, covered in black fur. Without even waiting for her dad’s approval, Jackie was already off to the races to meet the tiny goat halfway.

“She’s really sociable, don’t you think?” Emily observed with a smile, watching her happily lose herself to petting the tiny friend. A nearby worker in the pen soon came over to her, getting on their knees and started petting too. Along with that, they seemed to strike up a conversation.

“Yeah, definitely,” he smiled, but in the sort of way that you’d think it was against his better judgement. “That doesn’t mean it can’t get her into trouble, though… I’m sorry she outed you like that. She’s forcing you to talk about something you didn’t want to.”

“That may be sort of true...” she twiddled her thumbs a little, thinking. “But also, maybe some force is what I needed. I don’t want to feel this way anymore… And just thinking about her...” About Joyce, where she was, how she was feeling…! In a broken voice she spoke. “...It hurts...”

A hand reached her right shoulder, and though it wasn’t her beloved, she didn’t push it away.

“So, what’s her name?”

“...Joyce.”

“Have you two been together for long?”

Maybe not in the grand scheme, but it already felt like they’d been together for an eternity. What they didn’t have in time they made up for in such intense experiences, such intimacy.

“Not too long, but we’re close.” And that’s why being separated right now hurt so much.

“So, wait, is she at the zoo right now?”

“I think so...” Was she still here? Or once the phone stopped ringing, had she completely given up and sent herself and her parents home? She squeezed her arms a little tighter. She didn’t like thinking about things like that…

“Wait, that means you’ve been with us the whole time? How did you two get into a fight?”

This was the difficult part. Trying to explain herself without fully letting the cat out of the bag. Maybe because Michael was a stranger though, she could be a little more transparent. There was something easier about confiding in a stranger than someone close. You could scream into a black hole and never feel the repercussions.

“She...she was treating me like a kid.”

“Oh? How so?”

There were a few points from today she could mention, but she decided to skip to the crux. “Since we got here she’s been trying to hold my hand, for example. It’s like she thinks I’m going to get lost like…” The irony was a little too obvious, looking at Jackie.

“Like a kid?” Michael thankfully finished her sentence, seeming in no way offended.

“...Yeah.”

“Well, okay. Did anything else happen?” He didn’t seem to have an expectation for more, or any less on her list of complaints; he was thankfully being quite neutral.

“Like, when we went to go see the giraffes, there were a ton of people already there, so I needed to get closer! You know, given that I’m kinda shorter than everyone else...” The more she rambled, it was easier to find that original annoyance that had spurred this all into motion to begin with. “Anyways, so I moved up closer for a few minutes, but then everyone is calling for my name like I was lost! Can I not be trusted?”

“Did you tell her you were gonna get a little closer?”

She was about to fire back a response, but by the way he phrased his question, Emily seemed a tad bit reluctant. “...No? But, I shouldn’t need to! Right after they started calling for me, I was making my way back, but...I thought it’d be funny if I snuck up on her.”

“To surprise her?”

“Yeah, I guess.” It made more sense when you had the context from the first time in the kitchen, but given she was wearing a diaper that day, she didn’t feel the need to include that story. “So I did sneak up on her, and when I grabbed her, she wasn’t laughing...she was angry for a few seconds, then just disappointed...”

“Disappointment...” Michael solemnly spoke. “No one ever wants to be on the receiving end of that.”

“No. No one does.”

“So is that how you wound up here then? I want to make sure I understand everything clearly.”

Emily stared off for a few moments, admiring the pygmy goats, watching a staff member show Jackie just the right way to pet one. She was kind of jealous, wanting to go lose herself to cuteness instead of tackling these emotionally difficult conversations…

“I tried talking to her about it after, but then her parents showed up, so she said she’d save it over later, then pretended like nothing happened...” Just when the ball was about to tip back into Michael’s court, she kept going. “And then I tried again when we were alone, talking about how she was treating me like a kid, but all I did was hurt her feelings! I kept messing up...so I figured it was better if I just backed off… Now, we’re here...”

“Alright...I think I understand everything.” The pair kept looking forward. “Do you want a hug, by the way? It usually works for Jackie when I give her one?” He gave her a smirk, and Emily didn’t look happy.

“Didn’t I just finish saying my girlfriend was treating me like a kid?”

His look didn’t change when he said it plainly. “I think that’s your first issue.”

His matter-of-factness was somewhat intimidating, which is why Emily didn’t speak back.

“What I mean is that accepting someone’s care doesn’t make you inferior, or as you put it, a kid. I think...” and as he said, he thought for a moment. “I think that plays into being a person, and what a relationship should be like. But, to be a bit more specific, why was she holding your hand?”

“...To keep track of me. But I don’t need keeping track of! Ugh...and I hate being annoyed with her like this!”

“Trust me, that’s a good thing.”

“How is that good?”

“Because after almost ten years with my wife, the occasional struggle usually does some good for a relationship. It shows that if you’re still in one piece by the end of it, you’re that much stronger together.”

“But we haven’t made up yet...”

“That part comes after a little self-reflection. Truthfully, this may not be the best time for it...” It stung, hearing that. “But, you’re doing the right thing to face your troubles, regardless.”

“It doesn’t feel very great.” Emily sourly added.

Again, he agreed. “No, it doesn’t, but you’re going to feel a lot better by the time this is over.”

She didn’t have the heart to challenge his certainty.

“Back to the hand-holding thing; if I were her, and we were together, I wouldn’t exactly want to leave you out of sight either if we were at a place like this. Not because I think you’re a kid, but because this is a pretty packed place. Even if you were taller, I’d still want you close, and in all honesty I would appreciate it if you thought the same of me. She cares like that because she’s your partner, Emily.”

It’s not that she doubted him; she believed him, even. That being said, was it that simple? There was a whole layer of context to this that Emily wasn’t giving, and it was that she practically was Joyce’s kid in their private life. So maybe it was a little bit of both? Maybe Emily was so used to the other side, she’d forgotten how to discern the qualities of a ‘normal’ relationship. Trying to relax herself today; was that Emily letting herself go, or was that letting Emmy back out? There were four people in the mix of all this, and they were all struggling to coexist.

“So it’s all my fault then? I’m the reason it’s all messed up?”

“I’ve only heard your side, Emily. I can’t point out faults in a person I don’t know. Instead of taking the blame in shifts, though, I suggest you look at it as a problem for both of you. Don’t think about who needs to improve or change; think about what you two can do together. No one is perfect, so I doubt  this is only because of you. Besides, you really can’t think that you’ve messed everything up, do you?”

Emily gave him a look with raised brows. She didn’t seem to agree.

“Well, you’re obviously invested enough to talk it through with a stranger right now, aren’t you?”

“...”

“Unless you hate her now, is that it?”

“No!” Emily was quick on the rebound for once, firing back sharply. How could he even suggest something like that? To even voice the impossible idea, it was practically taboo!

“See? First time I’ve heard some real passion from you. Why don’t you hate her? Seems to me like you still have feelings for her.”

“Of course I do!” She sounded a little annoyed, as if her feelings were being called into question. Then, in a bit more of a reserved tone, she mumbled. “...I love her...”

“And given how she’s been treating you, I think it’s fair to say she feels the same way?”

“...Well...yeah...” She nearly called him Captain Obvious, but that only signified how natural she considered her bond with Joyce. She never once stopped to consider how it might seem from the outside looking in. Her feelings for Joyce...by this point, she nearly considered them a given.

“And that, is why you’re being such a dummy right now.”

A dummy? Her? She was conveying herself better through her facial expressions than actual words.

“Let me reiterate; I’m being your friend right now. If you both love each other so much, you’re taking this whole thing a bit too heavily. Have you two ever gotten into an argument before?”

There were small bouts, especially earlier on, but never as an official couple… It was always just going with the flow. Everything was either understood or accepted.

“Not to this scale, I guess...”

“Emily, trust me, you two will be fine.”

“But what about her parents? They’re here too! And I just...disappeared.”

“I can’t imagine it looks all that great to them, but if they care too, they’re going to respect how you and Joyce work things out, even if they have their own opinions.” Frank and Mary’s reactions were something she never even stopped to imagine. But...Michael had a point. It wasn’t their place to judge… At least, it wasn’t Emily’s responsibility to care. Still, she hated the idea of upsetting them.

“You being such a worrywart reminds me of Jackie.”

“I’m not worrying...I just want everyone to be happy...”

“My point still stands. You’re trying too hard to serve to please. Remember how Jackie had that meltdown back at the cafe? What upset her the most was what other people thought of her. She thought she was helping you when she said what she did, and when that didn’t work out she tried to run. I don’t mean anything rude by it, but don’t you think you’re being a bit like her right now?”

“Maybe I am just a kid then...”

“No, I just think you need to know your limits. When you tried talking to Joyce and hurt her feelings, it could’ve been something you said that was wrong, but maybe you said something that was right?  If the truth hurts Joyce, you shouldn’t be the one on the run. You shouldn’t lie to her either, because then you’re just letting the problem fester. Now’s the time for discussion; to move forward as a pair. You help her work through her issues. If she can’t accept the facts, that’s not your burden to carry. Don’t you think she’s wondering where you are right now? I would. Taking a few steps back is always good every now and then, but is it really someone like me you want to be talking things over with?”

“...N-n-” she sniffled, rubbing her eyes. Halfway through his spiel, Emily was already losing herself. “No…!”

“Now’s the time you guys should be talking things over. I think it was right of you to try talking to her, and nipping the bud before it can bloom is always a smart move. Joyce isn’t just your rock, you know? It goes both ways.”

Her day was still cloudy, and the storm was crashing hard, but finally she could see. Amidst the thick, dense downpour, and the harsh blowing winds that had thrown her ship into a complete tizzy, there was finally a direction; a hope. She was too blubbering of a mess to respond, but Michael’s point was clear, and the course was set. She was part of the problem, but she wasn’t the sole proprietor of it. She did mess up, but she wasn’t the only one who did. What’s been done has been done, and now all that was left was to chin-up and face it head on.

“Do you know the next step now?”

 “Y-yeah...” Her hand was already fishing in her pocket.

“Daddy!” Hurriedly, a pair of shoes ran themselves across the dried mulch, almost skidding like a car on the brakes when she came close to the fence. “Why is Emily crying? Did you say something mean?” Her tone came off as accusing, as she gave her dad the evil eye.

“No, I did not,” he answered poutily. “Emily is doing just fine. I think we just finished talking things through.”

“Emily?” With great concern, she shuffled over to the teary girl. “Do you feel better?”

Finally she found her phone, illuminating the screen, seeing the countless calls and texts. It hurt to see so many unanswered calls, but they were momentary hiccups.

“Yeah, lots...” Oddly enough, she smiled, looking at the phone, and was already hopping over to her contacts.

“Really?” Jackie’s smile was wide and bright, giving a nice view of her one missing tooth  on her near-perfect rack. “Do you wanna come and pet the goats? They’re really soft! Please? They taught me how to pet them!” She was nearly hopping from toe to toe, as her father had saved the day once again.

“Emily’s gonna need a bit, Jackie. You’re gonna have to settle for your dad on this one.” He tried not to laugh when she gave an aggravated groan. “Oh? Suddenly Daddy’s not good enough for you anymore?”

“Why can’t Emily come too?”

“Because she needs to talk to someone very important.”

“Thank you, Michael.” Clear as day, she said to him. She then looked a little lower. “And especially you, Jackie. I have you to thank the most.” The praise sent the tiny girl into overload, who looked unashamedly giddy. 

“All in a day’s work!” He was already stepping inside the pen. “Now go do what you need to do.”

With some confidence shining in her eyes, she nodded her head. She nearly hesitated, hitting the ‘call’ button, but she soon made a clean press with diction.

While Michael managed to drag Jackie away, Emily held the phone to her ear with both hands, and apart from the silence over the line, all she could hear was the heavy thump of her heart.

How long had she been gone for? Thirty minutes? Forty? An hour? No! Stop thinking about the damage that’s been done. Now was the time for repair… The buzz came twice now. If...if that time would ever come to pass…

Maybe it wouldn’t… The third was ringing right now. It couldn’t really be over, could it? What if she…

She heard her voice, but it wasn’t the right kind. Digital, synthetic, but the worst: pre-recorded.

“Hi, you’ve reached Joyce’s personal number. I’m sorry I can’t come to the phone right now, but if you’d like to leave a message I can...” The phone slowly fell to her side. That was it then? She was gone? Stupid, stupid, stupid--!

“Emily?”

As she spun her head, everything was a blur, yet even in that split-second, one thing was clear enough. She was there; in the flesh. It wasn’t a phone call, because Emily could see her face for real. She looked as if she was catching a few extra breaths, as if she’d been running around quite a bit.

“J...Joyce?” Neither one seemed to change their expression, which was disbelief.

There was a weird feeling in the air, as they both slowly walked to each other. It wasn’t sparks, it was something much gloomier... Emily almost forgot the right foot came after the left. Her eyes were still working, right? Wasn’t she supposed to blink every few seconds?

“...Hi..” What was she supposed to do? She knew what the end goal was, but not the meat of it.

There was at least a foot between them, and neither one had budged. The tension was obvious, and it came from both people; fear.

“Have...have you been looking for me?”

Wordlessly, Joyce nodded her head. Emily was expecting all of this, but it didn’t change how much it was shaking her, and how vast of a difference there was between imagination and the real deal.

“I...I messed up,” Emily couldn’t help but hiccup. “Didn’t I?”

“I did too...” Joyce cast her eyes to the ground.

“I...” she started sniffling too. “I...I don’t like fighting.”

“I don’t either...”

“Can, can we talk now? I...I think we need to.” The world around them started to reel back into reality as the pieces fell back into place.

They moved themselves to an empty bench, still with that awkward atmosphere. Both kept their hands in their laps as they maintained their distance.

Emily was the first to speak. “I’m sorry for running away... Please don’t be mad.”

“I’m sorry for giving you a reason!” The words came fast, as they finally looked at each other, and Joyce seemed the most apologetic of the two. “You tried to talk to me, and I wasn’t ready to hear the truth...I was the one in the wrong Emily, and when you tried to point that out I pushed you away… So please!” Her words sounded as if they rung from her very core. “Please, if anyone needs to be sorry, please don’t let it be you. From the start I was scared of losing you, and I still am now, so please, don’t think this is your fault!”

Seeing Joyce so frazzled, you’d think it would send Emily into hysterics. But, no, it didn’t. Seeing the one she relied on the most in panicked shambles...it was sobering. Had she forgotten her own words so quickly? Even Michael’s? Joyce was in the wrong, but so was Emily. This wasn’t a solo, but a duet.

“No,” Emily moved her hand, paused, but then finally grabbed Joyce’s. “It’s our fault.”

Joyce’s face scrunched up a little as she was getting teary now. She nodded, being the one to close the distance, now that it was clear affection was okay, and she slid Emily closer for a tight hug.

“I’m sorry for getting so carried away today…! I let my feelings get the better of me...”

“It’s my fault for not considering how you felt,” Emily sullenly added. “At least from the zoo, I was too busy thinking you were trying to ‘mommy’ me  instead of just keeping me safe… I should have done the same for you.”

“All I’ve ever wanted was to keep you safe, Emily!” She rubbed her cheek with hers. “But I can see how you must’ve felt after everything today. You were trying to be yourself, and I kept forcing something on you that I shouldn’t have. I’m struggling to keep my feelings separate from the ‘other’ ones...” Hence why it was hard to see this as a normal relationship.

She didn’t want to add fuel to the fire, but she needed to come clean as well. “Today, I know we talked about how we were both going to be normal adults...but it didn’t feel like we were. It felt like...the usual.”

Quietly, she nodded her head, sniffling. “Can you be honest with me? Were you angry at me?”

“No, I’d never be.” If anything was certain, that was her one sense of immovable resolve. As if to prove it, she felt the need to hug Joyce back a little harder. “I just felt...annoyed, I guess. I don’t wanna be belittled like that unless I say it’s okay, Joyce. Either that, or at least when it’s just us two… Please don’t be upset with me?”

“I have no right to be upset with you, Emily. You’ve had clear boundaries since the start, yet I’ve slowly been ignoring them. I’ve always been telling myself that your feelings come first, and yet I managed to mess up what mattered most.”

“Don’t say that, please? After everything today, I don’t think you went overboard. I think what we both messed up at was keeping level heads. You couldn’t stop looking after me, and I couldn’t stop seeing every little thing like I was being mocked. Maybe if we both had the right mindset, it would’ve been different.”

“That’s...” her voice trailed off the path, then suddenly found its way again. “I think you’re right. It doesn’t excuse me for everything, but I think that’s where we fell apart… When something wasn’t clear, we should have been talking about it from the start. I need to do better at remembering that...”

“I’ll try to use my words more if you do too?” Emily finally smiled, giving a slight giggle. God, did it feel good to be hugging again. She was nearly about to leap from her frozen, desolate cliff just from thinking how she’d never get to experience something like this ever again. It was a thought she couldn’t bear to live with.

“Sounds like a plan. And for starters, I’m saying this as a girlfriend, and not a parental figure; don’t disappear on me like that again? I don’t think my heart can handle losing you for a third time.”

Meekly, she apologized once again. “Just don’t leave me, either...”

“As if I’d ever leave without you.” She finished her statement with a wet kiss on the cheek, and Emily’s symptoms of withdrawal were already fading. “I can’t apologize enough for putting you in a position like that. I’m supposed to be the one that understands you the most...”

“You do.” Emily looked to her with a crease in her brows. “So...so don’t act like you don’t.” Was she actually taking charge for once? 

Joyce was picking up on the strangeness as well, chuckling as she agreed. “Alright, maybe I do. Maybe I just had some...clouded judgement today, I guess. Don’t be afraid to tug on my leash a bit if I’m getting too out of hand though, okay?”

“Got it.” There was more breathing now than actual conversation. It was beyond wonderful to be whole once again, but something still felt amiss. All the boxes had been ticked off except for one...but which was it?

“...Hey Joyce?”

“Mhm?”

“I...I love you, you know.”

“I love you, too.”

Now things were perfect.

“Wait,” the peaceful moment came to a stop, when Emily finally pulled away. “Where are your parents? Are...are they mad at me?”

“Oh, uhm...”

“What did you tell them?”

“I wasn’t really sure what to say, so I came up with something fast?”

“What did you say?”

“You needed to use the bathroom?”

“What, like it was an emergency, or something?”

Quietly, Joyce nodded her head the slightest bit.

Emily groaned. “Great, now they’re gonna think I can’t keep my pants dry, either...” The pair’s bond felt renewed and refreshed, but already the past was starting to sully that shine...

“Emily, you really don’t give them enough credit. They’ve only said good things about you, and only time is going to set that in stone. Besides, you’ve gotta go when you’ve gotta go, even when you don’t!” She saw Emily’s look before she started to laugh. Clapping her hands together she begged, “Please let this one slide?”

“Fine...” Emily mumbled. It wasn’t like Joyce could control what she said in the past right now. Still, it didn’t exactly seem like progress…

“Do you wanna pack it in early? I know I put you through a lot…” already she was looking guilty. “I promise you won’t hear anything about babying for the rest of the night--for the whole time my parents are here,” she hurriedly corrected.

“...I mean, we can...” Emily’s voice hung on the fence. Joyce raised her brows in surprise. “But...we didn’t even get to see the otters, yet?”

“You mean you still…?” A finger shushed her lips.

“Your punishment for today...” Emily breathed through her nose, as if she were preparing to deal out some heavy-handed consequences. “I wanna see any--no, every, animal attraction here.”

“All of it?”

“Each one. And!” More demands? “I wanna go in there.” Without even needing to look, she blindly, yet with a great deal of accuracy, pointed to the petting zoo. Seeing Jackie in there was still teasing her with a few pangs of jealousy. “After we find your parents though.” Her confidence wasn’t so abundant anymore. “I don’t want to keep them waiting...U-understood?”

H...H-hahaha!“ Joyce couldn’t help it anymore, as Emily quietly blushed.

“I wasn’t kidding!” Emily whined, trying the shake the nonsense out of Joyce’s brain.

“No, no, that’s not it~!” Her silly composure then stiffened into a grave seriousness. “Your demands shall be met, o’ evil one!” Once more she softened. “It just seemed so out of character for you, that’s all. And you’re right, I know they probably liked being able to sit down for a bit, but we should get back to my mom and dad before anything else.”

“Alright. And Joyce...thank you for forgiving me.”

“I should be the one thanking you. Regardless, let’s put this behind us, okay?”

“Okay… I’m just a little scared, I guess.”

“About what?”

“About next time.” Next time at this point could mean a lot of things.

“Which next time?”

“When I start calling you...Mommy...again. I don’t want things to be awkward. I only wanted to talk about what happened in public today. Everything else has been...manageable.” Fine wouldn’t have been the best way to put it, considering messing herself was certainly not high on her list of “complacent things to do.”

“I think I still want to have a chat about where we stand...but I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you for being so honest with me. I never thought someone would ever give me the chance to fulfill myself like this, Emily. Ever before. So to not only do that for me, and forgive me for what I’ve done...” her voice was starting to become strained.

“No more tears, got it?” Emily haughtily spoke, wrists poised on her hips. “Not only because I don’t wanna see you sad, but even on my tippy-toes it’s hard to kiss you...” the second bit came as a bit more flustered.

“Then let’s get moving. If we stick around here all day I don’t think I’ll stop being so mopey,” Joyce chuckled. “I think there’s a map board nearby...”

“You don’t know where we are?”

“Well, you try chasing me in a panic and remember where you are at the same time?”

“...Sorry.”

“Don’t worry, I’m kidding. Now we can look back on this and laugh. After hearing your words of wisdom, I think I feel a lot better now, too.”

And if only they were hers. She smiled in secret, knowing she owed a huge debt to such a kind stranger, and his six-year old daughter, funnily enough. Michael was right. So easily they’d solved such a simple hiccup from talking things out… From the start Joyce has always encouraged honesty, but maybe the biggest challenge was getting them both to be champions of it.

Just as Joyce started walking forward, she felt a tug from behind on her hand.

“W-wait!”

Joyce turned her head, surprised to find Emily’s hand in hers. “Emily? But I thought...?” 

“That...that was before. Now that I know what I do now...it’s okay.” She started looking from side to side. “Either that, or maybe I don’t mind so much… I need to make sure you don’t get lost.”

Joyce looked reserved for a moment, thinking to herself, but a sudden squeeze from Emily had her beaming. The pair moved as one, and Emily looked one last time to the petting zoo. Were they still there? Regardless, Emily hoped both Michael and Jackie could somehow feel her thanks and gratitude.

“Wait! Wait! WAIT!” A voice shouted desperately from a distance as it came closer and closer.

As Emily was turning, the sudden outside force caused her to topple and stagger a bit when Jackie wrapped her arms around her legs. How many surprises was today going to have?

“Jackie? What are you doing?” Taking her by the shoulders, Emily managed to pry her free, giving herself a moment to bend her knees. “Your dad is gonna get mad again, you know?”

She was at a moral crossroads, as she panicked looking behind her shoulder and back to Emily. “But you were leaving!” Heartbreaking was probably the best way to put it, considering she was just about to leave for good without saying goodbye.

It was hard to be stern with her, but that didn’t mean she condoned it either. She settled with herself with just a sigh. “Does your dad know you’re here?”

“Nnn...no…”

Momentarily, Emily forgot who was listening in, as Joyce right beside her crouched down a bit as well, all smiles as she looked to Jackie. The tiny girl grew bug-eyed once she saw her, popping an extremely blunt and forward question.

“Are you Emily’s girlfriend?”

The change in tune was so jarring, everyone was a mix of reactions; Emily slowly turned her reddening face away, while Jackie still looked to her girlfriend so innocently, and Joyce kept laughing.

“So she’s told you about me? I hope they were good things...”

Lying was obviously not part of the six-year old’s skillset, as she made odd thinking noises; gears were turning too hard to not be an indication of an unfortunate answer. Apart from looking slightly hurt, she kept smiling.

“Can you tell me your name, sweetheart?”

“Mmmm...Ja….ckie…” For some strange reason she drew out her answer by each syllable, adding some strange twists and turns to her own body as well. Was this her way of being shy?

“Jackie, huh? That’s a pretty name! My name is Joyce.” Emily, meanwhile, was keeping to herself.

The compliment inflated her ego like a balloon, as she was looking unashamedly cheerful again, feeling the need to now boast her accolades. “Mhm! I’m six!” In case if the words were too confusing, she gave a visual with her fingers as well.

“Oh wow!” Joyce kept a hand over her mouth, restraining a gasp. If only she were there the first time Jackie was having a meltdown. Joyce was the expert when it came to handling kids…

“And I’m Emily’s friend!” She shouted it like her proudest achievement, which of course tickled Emily’s heart a little, who couldn’t help but smirk as she tried to look at something else.

Joyce snickered as she looked to Emily, then to Jackie. “That’s really great, Jackie. Thank you for taking care of her while I was gone. I think we were both feeling pretty sad, earlier. Hey, do you think we could be friends, too?”

“Umm...I dunno...”

“You don’t? Why not?”

“Because you’re dissa...mmm...” she struggled to remember how the word went. “Dis-a-poin...ted. Dis-a-ppoin-ted, at her.” Finally after carefully sounding it out, she was able to voice what Emily told her earlier. “I don’t wanna be friends if you’re still fighting with her.”

“Jackie, I would never be disappointed in Emily.” Her words were firm yet gentle. “We may have gotten into an argument, but I can promise you we made up. Right, Emily?” She looked to her with a warm expression, and Emily answered the same.

“It’s okay, Jackie, we’re not fighting anymore.”

She still seemed to be fishing for confirmation. “Promise?”

“Pinky promise,” Emily spoke with certainty. Then to her surprise Jackie called her bluff, sticking out her pinky. She couldn’t just leave the girl hanging, as Emily wringed her finger with Jackie’s.

“Okay, I believe you! We can be friends!” She started to giggle.

Joyce looked overjoyed as she received the good news, though going on to ask, “Now, can you tell us where your dad is?”

“Uhm...over there.” She pointed at a direction leading back to the petting zoo, which, funnily enough, had a tall man walking towards them.

“JACKIE!” It was obvious he was yelling, but that was partly because of the distance his voice needed to travel. When he got closer he seemed a bit more calm as he placed a hand on the girl’s head. “Are my warnings not getting through to you? How many times have we talked about this today?”

“But Emily was gonna leave!”

“That’s because she’s very busy. We can’t interrupt her and her girlfriend...” he sighed, then looked to Joyce. “I’m sorry about that. I’m still working on teaching her how boundaries work...”

“Oh, don’t worry about that,” she waved it off with a laugh. “It was nice meeting her. And...thank you, for speaking with Emily. She’s talked some sense into me, to say the least.”

“Yeah, thank you, really.” For once, Emily wasn’t looking sheepish as she expressed the same kind of gratitude to Michael.

“Really, it wasn’t much. Just gave her my opinion on things, that’s all. Everything else was all Emily. And sorry, I don’t think I ever introduced myself. I’m Michael,” he shook hands with Joyce.

“Joyce, a pleasure to meet you, and your daughter.”

“I’m Jackie!” The girl suddenly jumped in.

“Alright, calm down there, tiger. I think everyone here knows who you are...”

“Actually, do you think I could get your number or email?” Joyce asked. “I want to be able to thank you properly; Jackie too, of course. Really, what you’ve done goes a long way for us.”

“There’s no need,” Michael smiled. “Any kind person would have done the same thing.”

“DaaAAaaaddy!!” Jackie whined. “I wanna see them again!”

Everyone except for Jackie laughed, and Michael was reaching into his pocket. “Email or phone, did you say?”

They exchanged information, and everyone bid their goodbyes.

“When can we see them again?” Hopping on her feet, she begged her dad for an answer.

“I’m not sure, hon. We’ll probably need to wait until Mommy gets back from her business trip. Don’t you want her to meet Emily and Joyce, too?”

“...Yeah...but that’s too--!”

“Long? The times gonna fly by before you know it. Now, are we gonna see the monkeys before I change my mind?”

“Monkeys!”


“They were nice,” Joyce smiled as they continued to walk. Emily was quiet. Joyce turned her head. “What’s wrong?”

“I just feel bad...”

“About?”

“About telling them. I told them we were fighting...”

“Well,” Joyce pondered the words for a moment. “I don’t like to think that we were fighting, but maybe we were having a heated argument, at least. Don’t feel bad for confiding in someone, Emily. You needed someone, because I wasn’t there for you...” her words carried genuine guilt, as it was an attack on herself rather than Emily.

Emily purposefully swung her hips into Joyce. “Alright, that’s it. No more feeling sorry for the rest of the day, got it?”

“This feels oddly familiar...” Joyce said with a forming smirk.

“It better...it worked for me, after all...” 

“Jackie, though, she was funny.”

“Yeah, she seems to get herself into a bit of trouble though.”

“Right?” Joyce laughed. “It reminds me of someone I know...”

Emily laughed, and as she grew quieter while they walked, something started to bother her; an annoying suspicion creeping from the back of her mind.

“Wait...are you talking about me?”

She looked to her, seeming clueless. “What do you mean?”

Emily looked cross as she stared daggers into her. “You were so talking about me.”

Instead of giving her a direct answer, Joyce merely laughed and started speeding up.

“Wait until I catch you!” Emily growled, racing after her.

“Not gonna happen~!”

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This is the chapter I have been waiting for. Just for starters, it was an awesome chapter. I loved how Michael was able to talk to Emily. His sound reasoning was the words she needed to take to make things right. Then we have cute little Jackie who’s sweet innocence further drew Jackie and Emily together again. I was so very relieved that they were able to work our their issue and go forward. I was very pleased I could give this a like and I can’t wait for the next chapter. Awesome job on this story. 

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On 6/29/2019 at 8:07 PM, LilRedAli said:

So Stellar to see another chapter, and to see they made!!! Already can’t wait to read the next chapter ? 

Awesome to hear! Thank you, along with every other reader for your patience. I'm trying to write for Sheltered when I can, but I'm also trying to juggle some other projects as well. No promises, but I might be doing another story soon... Either that, or possibly brush off some dust on an older series I want to get back into gear. Regardless, nobody knows! Thanks for the comment and I look forward to hearing from you the next time around!

On 6/29/2019 at 9:00 PM, Cya said:

Such a lovely update!

Such a lovely comment! Haha, but in all seriousness, thank you for sharing your opinion! I'm happy to hear you're enjoying it, and hopefully I continue to please. Thanks for commenting!

21 hours ago, CDfm said:

This is the chapter I have been waiting for. Just for starters, it was an awesome chapter. I loved how Michael was able to talk to Emily. His sound reasoning was the words she needed to take to make things right. Then we have cute little Jackie who’s sweet innocence further drew Jackie and Emily together again. I was so very relieved that they were able to work our their issue and go forward. I was very pleased I could give this a like and I can’t wait for the next chapter. Awesome job on this story. 

To be honest, I was thinking about how people might receive their makeup and resolution. I suppose what I was going for was to make the situation seem larger than life; their conflict over boundaries, only for Michael, an outsider looking in, to reasonably downplay it into something that the pair can more than handle. They still need to set a baseline, but they're at least on the same page now. Thanks for dropping a like on this, as well!

17 hours ago, Sarah Penguin said:

awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww :)

Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanks! ?

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Another fantastic update! I really liked how you used outside characters to put the ideas at hand in perspective for both Emily and us the reader. Of course now I'm all the more exited for the next chapter and to see how the story progresses. I'm also really interested to see how events foreshadowed in previous chapters come to pass in the future. I hope the work on your other projects is going well and look forward to reading them! Also I noticed you didn't update the the abdl forum with this chapter, are you no longer posting there?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Too many feels I can't.... Just.... *keels over*

 

But seriously this is exactly how you should handle conflict in a relationship. It's wonderful seeing such a positive dynamic.

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On 7/6/2019 at 4:13 AM, DLSweetheart said:

Another fantastic update! I really liked how you used outside characters to put the ideas at hand in perspective for both Emily and us the reader. Of course now I'm all the more exited for the next chapter and to see how the story progresses. I'm also really interested to see how events foreshadowed in previous chapters come to pass in the future. I hope the work on your other projects is going well and look forward to reading them! Also I noticed you didn't update the the abdl forum with this chapter, are you no longer posting there?

??I'm sorry for taking so long! Foreshadowing! This won't be the last we see of Michael and Jackie, and we have yet to see the first of their wife/mother... Another event that shall later unfold! As for the abdl forum, no I'm still posting there (I just forgot and decided to do a double upload come time for the next chapter...my bad.) Thank you for reading and commenting!

On 7/20/2019 at 4:53 PM, YourFNF said:

Too many feels I can't.... Just.... *keels over*

 

But seriously this is exactly how you should handle conflict in a relationship. It's wonderful seeing such a positive dynamic.

Awesome to hear you liked it! Lol, when I can't fit the diaper content in I want to try and at least fit in some of the cute/emotional stuff. Thank you so much for continuing to read and give your two cents! It means the world to me!

24 - All is Well?

“Told...you...” It was a battle won, but at quite an exhausting cost. Even still, there was a sense of victory running through her fingertips that burned just a little stronger than her repeated panting.

“You’re not wrong there,” Joyce gave her hand a bit of a squeeze, and although she was taking a few breaths herself, she wasn’t nearly as winded as the shorter girl. Both were probably thankful to be walking again, but to what degree is where they differed. The question whether Joyce allowed herself to be caught was...neither here nor there. Needless to say, it’s always fun to root for your favorite team.

While the hold of a responsible partner kept her tethered, Emily took the time to shift her gaze from side to side.. “Are we even more lost, now?”

Emily wouldn’t have seen it, but Joyce was keeping a confident look on her face. “Funnily enough, I think I have a pretty good idea of where we are...” All it took were a few distinct landmarks to figure out where they were.. “They shouldn’t be much further ahead. And also, I’m sure they won’t,” she felt a sudden need to cushion her assurances, “but I’ll make sure they don’t try to ask you about anything...”

Emily had almost forgotten her fabricated excuse; the bathroom. God, they’d already taken so long, they might just think she didn’t make it… Anyway, whatever going to the bathroom might entail, it didn’t reasonably cover up 40 minutes of disappearance…

“Joyce?”

“What’s up?”

“I...I think I wanna go back to letting go, today.”

She didn’t come to a full-on stop, but she slowed her pace to get a better look at Emily.

“Let go...how?” Her last word came with a bit more uncertainty. It wasn’t a total tone of confusion, but rather confirmation.

“Like...like how we talked about it in the car.”

She took a quiet breath as she collected her thoughts. “Emily, looking back on it, I think what I said was a poor choice of words.”

The rhythm of her sandal wedges hitting the ground picked up a bit as her face appeared directly by Joyce’s side. “What do you mean?”

“Because it sounded like I was telling you to flip a switch, or, loosen a valve to let a little part of your other self out...”

“I mean, it sorta made sense...” Emily awkwardly rubbed her other arm.

“Maybe, but I don’t think it’s so appropriate to say right now. You were so out of it at that point, I guess I was trying to suggest anything that might put you in a better mindset. Knowing what I do now, I shouldn’t have forced something like that on you, or given you the idea.” She looked remorsefully to Emily. “As you can see, I’m not so good at flipping switches...”

Emily’s lips murmured, trying to tease the right words out of herself. “So, then let’s just stop using switches?”

The metaphor was one layer too deep, which is why is somewhat went over Joyce’s head.

“Uh, what do you mean?”

“Didn’t you say it? It’s hard for you to try and be someone, then force yourself to be something else entirely. So…” there was about to be a dreadful amount of hypocrisy, hence the pause, “...maybe we should stop trying to be two different people. I guess turning valves is sort of a good way to think about it...” her well of wisdom was finally starting to turn up dry. “I don’t know… It sounded better in my head, I guess… Never mind.”

How the tables have turned. Just after they’d hopped out of the pan, were they really looking to go into the fire? “...Maybe that’s not a bad way to look at things. But are you sure?” Joyce’s voice hadn’t seemed to find its confidence yet. “That doesn’t sound too different from how I’ve been acting...” Truthfully, she never really felt like she was playing two different roles. Day-in and day-out, it was either being a caretaker, or otherwise suppressing a significant part of herself. It felt like cheating to forcibly change the rules to a field that suited herself. Why should Emily incessantly need to adapt?

“I was sort of thinking that...” Slowly she leaned into Joyce’s side, just enough to feel her touch. “I thought it might be easier for you this way…” Another squeeze. “Would it?”

The only reply Emily got was a kiss on the cheek, feeling awfully warm and fuzzy, for some reason…

“This way not everything has to be totally off-limits...you know?” Emily was clearly on a streak, and a silly part of her cheered to keep it going. “In a way, I don’t think things will change so much either, but at least now we both know how to keep the other in check.”

Joyce merely smirked at her. “Are you trying to get another kiss?”

Emily balled her fists, skimming them across her dress awkwardly. “N-no...”

“Oh...” Joyce said almost disappointingly. “And to think I had another one ready, too...”

The cat hungrily eyed the dangling fish, as Emily wordlessly stared at her. The glimmer in her eyes was obvious, as Joyce laughed right before giving her another peck on the lips.

“But, if we stop using ‘switches,’ does that mean we’re just Joyce and Emily, then?” It felt weird, saying her own name in first person. Also, given it was Emily’s idea, it was a little humorous how she was asking Joyce for answers.

Though, whatever it was that Emily said, it had Joyce looking at her almost incredulously. “Heaven’s no!” she scoffed. Emily was a bit taken aback. “Just when I get you to start calling me Mommy, you think you can weasel out so easily?”

Joyce!” Emily silently warned, seeming incredibly self-conscious. “What if people hear you? And wait, what? Didn’t you say I could call you whatever when we’re...like that?

“I changed my mind,” she spoke with an exaggerated puff from her chest and an impatient ‘hmmf.’ “Now you only get to call me Mommy in our alone time.”

This was likely a problem worthy of Emily’s full attention, but she spent the better part of hers checking for onlookers. “F-fine! Just stop saying it out loud! Please!”

Joyce wasn’t budging though, still keeping just as stubborn. “Promise me you’ll keep calling me that, then.”

“Okay! Okay! I promise! I didn’t…” her panicked flare was quickly replaced with an awkward shuffle. “It’s not like I wanted to stop, either...” she grew quiet as she pouted, looking away. “Is that better?”

“Yes, it is...” she tried to hide her smirk, concocting her next plan of action. “But...it’s not good enough.”

Dumbfounded, Emily desperately searched for a motive; a clue hiding in Joyce’s eyes. “Is-is this payback for what I said earlier?”

“No, it’s punishment for running off.” Joyce waited a second to see her reaction, and was thankful she didn’t seem too bothered by it… The moment still felt lighthearted, and she knew to strike while the iron was hot. “Which is why...” she pretended to think; consulting her imaginary chalkboard of devious punishments and consequences. “Kiss me.”

“Kiss you? That’s it?” The regret came immediately after. It was as if Emily were asking for the consequences to be worse, and she only realized that just now. “No--I mean, okay, a kiss, right?”

Joyce couldn’t hide her Cheshire grin. “Good point, that does seem a little too easy, doesn’t it? “ She tapped her chin, pondering the depths of her own mischief. “Then...for every second you were gone! I want that in kisses.”

“Wh-what? But...that’s...” She paused to think, actually trying to tackle the insurmountable math that it’d take to figure that out. Though, quickly abandoning that. “That’s a lot of kisses!”

“Yes, it is.” Finally, the demoness had flashed her true intentions. Trapped in her clutches, Emily had no choice but to pay the piper… Truthfully, she was trying not to giggle herself.

“Can...” trying not to laugh, she tried her hardest to play the damsel in distress. “Can I pay it in…*pfff*...in installments?”

“Installments?” Joyce couldn’t keep up the act, as she started laughing. “I guess that’s the only sensible way, huh? Okay, though I’m sorry to say that interest rates are awfully high...”

Emily gulped. “How high?”

“Twenty.”

“Twenty a week?!” It was a lot...but at least she could manage…

Instead of a simple response, Joyce looked sympathetic instead. “A week? Oh, honey...” She leaned in close for a teasing whisper. “Twenty a day.” Emily’s imaginary hopes were shattered.

Like that, a simple loan of a mere few thousand kisses had just been tacked on with a heavy catch. How could she afford something like that? All of her emotionally financial dreams had now become dust in the wind.

A leisurely stroll down Snuggle Street? No free love left to pay the toll. Maybe a cushy break at the Cuddle Cafe? And pay with what credit? Maybe at least enjoy herself in the Frolicking Fields? Oh, right. Not when the Bank of JS had seized all of her love and assets. She herself had become an asset, and was now sitting in the purse strings of her owner.

“Feel free to pay at your own pace,” Joyce chuckled, continuing the act of the big bad banker. “Just keep in mind until your balance is cleared, though,” she already gave the flustered, yet excited Emily another kiss on the lips. “Those lips belong to me, and me alone!”

Emily winced, looking at her with quite the troubled look, whilst Joyce reigned with her oppressive rule. Yet, all it took was another spurt from Emily’s mouth, and the moment was shattered and the pair were both equally laughing just as hard.

“What even was that?”

“I don’t know, you’re the one who said one kiss wasn’t enough!”

“You’re the one giving out punishments!”

Joyce wiped a happy tear from her eye. “...I’m glad we’re not fighting anymore.”

“Me too.”

“Well jeez! There you two are!” The voice was loud enough to not only hear, but break their mutual gaze from each other and draw to the person in question.

“Hey mom,” Joyce giggled as best as she could, trying to play off what was surely to follow. “Sorry, we got a little sidetracked...”

Mary was already on her feet, clearly waiting for them, meanwhile Frank politely waved, still content with his seat on the bench.

“You know, when you ran after Emily, I figured you were trying to make sure she didn’t get lost on her way back from the bathroom? Maybe we should keep you both on a leash...” Joyce and Emily seemed equally as awkward, trying to situate themselves on a blurry line set between guilt and awkwardness.

“Hon, can’t you see?” Frank chuckled from behind, and Mary turned to him, though her body language suggested that she wasn’t going to appreciate what he had to say. “Remember when we said they could have some alone time, if they wanted? I think this was their way of...you know…?”

“No! That was not it!” Strangely enough, it came from both Joyce and Emily in unison. They even gave each other a weird look for a second.

“S-sorry!” Emily was faster, suddenly blurting. Everyone looked at her. “I...after I used the uhm, bathroom,” her face was starting to feel warm. “I...I saw the petting zoo, and I might have gone it for a few minutes...” The way she acted so embarrassed was honestly impressive to Joyce. That is, if only she knew the emotions weren’t fabricated... What came as an unfortunate afterthought though was using up the Petting Zoo as an excuse. So much for going there, now. “Joyce kept trying to get me to leave, but I wanted to keep petting them… So please don’t be mad at her.”

At first, all Emily could hear were passing crowds and the distant screeches of monkeys, but soon enough came a pair of laughter.

Was it something she said?

Frank was the first to speak. “Emily, don’t worry about it, trust me. My wife tends to be a little impatient, at times..”

After giving her husband an offended look, she looked to Emily with a much warmer expression. “Frank is right, at least somewhat, Emily. I’m not mad at you two,” she chuckled. “Did I seem that intimidating? I’m sorry. And we did both figure you two might’ve taken some personal time, and I guess you sort of did...” she chuckled, leaving Emily and Joyce in an awkward spot.

“Now I know it’s been a rocky start,” with a small groan, Frank pushed himself onto his feet and off the bench. “But what do ya guys say we start seeing some more animals? Though, I gotta say,” he started thickening his voice into that of a poor Australian accent. “This wild bench here is mighty docile, ain’t it?” He looked at all three women, fishing for approving glances. Mary stayed blank-faced, Joyce sort of grinned, but Emily was covering her mouth, leaking with giggles.

“Alright, Frank Irwin, let’s get a move on,” Mary ushered with a creased look, but quickly loosened up. “What’s the nearest spot from here?”

“I think it’s the bear exhibit right down that path...” Frank kept looking from the map to the real-life road. “What do you say we give it a try?”

Bears weren’t exactly high on Emily’s list of wonderful things to see, but she did ask for this, after all. Not to mention, it would be kind of interesting to see… Leaving Joyce and Mary behind, one foot after the other, she increased her pace a little to catch up with Frank.

“Hey Frank?” Emily asked.

“Hey Emily?” The simple return of her own words was unexpected, which is why she giggled for a second, though tried to regain her composure. “How much did you teach Joyce how to cook?”

“How much?” He blew some air from his mouth, staring a bit into the sky, where he kept all his thoughts. “Well, at least a decade’s worth, I suppose?”

Joyce had said it herself, but to have it be corroborated by the master himself really set things in crippling stone. How could Emily ever hope to compare to her?

“Why?” Frank leaned in, sounding a little panicked. “Don’t tell me she’s gotten rusty, has she?”

“What? N-no! She’s really good at cooking! Really...”

Frank laughed with his booming voice, tussling Emily’s hair. It’s probably not the affection she would have liked, but she still appreciated the thought. “She may not be as good as me, but I do have confidence in her skills. Has she shown you anything in the kitchen yet?”

“Well, sort of,” she could remember it like it was last night. Probably because it was. “Last night we were making stir fry together and she was showing me how she chopped. But like, her hands were like lightning! If I blinked it probably would have been over!” Her genuine fascination got a bit carried away, as Frank started laughing again.

“Joyce did pick up chopping a bit quick. Handling a knife in general, I suppose. Are you interested in cooking, Emily?”

“Um, sort of, I guess you could say...”

“Or is it that you’re interested in Joyce?”

His bold question left Emily flustered, trying to give a suitable answer, though embarrassing herself even further.

“Relax, I thought that might be it anyways.”

“But I still think cooking is really cool!” Quickly, she tried to save face and Frank’s feelings..

“Emily, it’s alright to have other things on your mind” He shortly glanced over his shoulder. “For example, look at my wife,” Emily turned her head to Mary, who was engrossed in her own conversation with Joyce. “Not a single cooking bone in her body! Well, when I first met her. I at least had to teach her the basics...”

“She can’t cook?” Suddenly, Emily felt like she’d found herself a brother in arms.

“No, I wouldn’t say that. She definitely can, but she doesn’t like it nearly as much as I do. She puts on airs when you guys are around, but she does try to take an interest in the things I like, at least for a little bit. So to see something similar in you...I think that’s a good thing.”

Emily tried not to let the compliments get to her head, which is why to keep them at bay she stuffed out another question. “Hey Frank, do you plan on cooking at some point while you guys are here?”

“I said it earlier this morning, right? How do you two expect to have a long-lasting relationship without my famous pancakes?”

How silly she was, forgetting that the foundation to any loving couple was glued together by the sweet, syrupy taste of Frank’s legendary pancakes.

“And also...what food does Joyce like?”

While they carried on with their conversation, Joyce and Mary kept one going between themselves.

“Honestly,” Mary sighed, looking at the tiny girl and tall man walking in front of them. “Every time we meet someone new, they always just gravitate,” she emphasized the word with her moving hands, “to your dad!”

Joyce laughed, though she wasn’t sure what she was really supposed to say. Acknowledge it as the truth and leave her mom offended, or agree, but shame Emily for not realizing the supposed gem her mother was? Well, she was certainly a gem, though, with its own...peculiar shine.

Even better, she found a compromise. “Well, maybe Hannah was like that at first, but aren’t you two really good friends now?”

“Yes...but so is she with your dad...” Now Joyce knew it was okay to laugh. “...What?” Mary was somewhat smiling, too.

“So you wanted Emily all to yourself, is that it?” She went on to speak in a smug voice. “Well sorry, but I’m not giving her away.”

Crossing her arms, she looked away from Joyce. “We’ll see...”

“But in all seriousness, I think people have an easier time with dad at first because he just seems...” How was she going to put this delicately? “...more approachable.”

“What do you mean?” Apparently she stepped on a landmine. “How am I not approachable?”

“It’s not that you aren’t...”  She didn’t have a smooth transition ready, nor an actual followup to her words.

“Anyways,” clearly the conversation wasn’t in Mary’s favor, so she sufficed to end it altogether. “So everything went alright?”

“Everything…?” On the surface, Joyce assumed she was referring to the lie they were using, but her sixth sense was telling her that this was ulterior… She kept her voice lowered, just to keep others out of earshot. “I mean, if you’re talking about Emily and the bathroom, yes...that worked out.”

“...Alright.” Joyce didn’t like how that sounded. It was as if she knew it was a lie. But how could her mom think it was? Did they give her any reason to suspect? Well, the sudden disappearance might have tipped her off to something a bit more dire...there was no helping that.

“Was the petting zoo at least nice? I can imagine, considering you had to drag her from it,” Mary snickered and Joyce slowly joined in her laugh.

“It was,” she tried her best to remember if she even saw what was in the pen. No luck, however, which is why she kept her description awfully vague. “They were all so cute! So tiny...and all their...fur...” As her voice lost its footing, Mary kept laughing as Joyce turned her gaze elsewhere.

“Very descriptive. I’m sure Emily could give me a better idea, though. Did you even go into the pen?”

“Well, no, I was trying to hurry back to you guys...” Clearly it was paranoia, paired with a nervous caution induced by any invasive mother.

“Weren’t feeling up to it?” Mary chuckled. “I appreciate you were thinking of me and your father, but don’t feel like you need to trample on her fun in the process, you know?”

“I do not trample on her fun!” You’d think she was offended by the way she stared at her mother. 

All they ever had was fun! If she were lying, let there never be another day where the sun might rise again! Then, the last fifteen minutes of her life was factored in. So...maybe “mostly” fun was a better way to describe it…

“What animals did they have there, anyways?”

It was an obvious pitfall like this that was a testament to the weakness of their lies. Both Joyce and Emily had managed to paint in broad strokes, but all it took was a fine eye to see there were no details…

Unfortunately only Emily knew the real answer, which is why Joyce improvised on the spot. “Uhm...pigs. Piglets. Baby ones?”

Mary laughed, and Joyce was quietly tensing up. “Why do you say it like that?”

“Like--like what?” Her words came a little rushed. Why was it always so difficult to keep a level head around her mom?

“Like you’re not sure? Were they special, or something?” Her presence was starting to feel on the suffocating side, which is why Joyce allowed herself a few inches of real-life and mental distance.

“No...just...normal piglets...”

“Okay, okay, I’m prodding, I apologize.” She wasn’t, but she was, for all the reasons Joyce couldn’t disclose. “I’ll let you off the hook, but you need to promise me one thing first.”

Promises.

Joyce had simultaneously made and accumulated a mountain of them, and quite frankly, she was growing tired of accidentally crushing such delicate, precious jewels.

Joyce didn’t directly answer, rather substituting for a look that told she was all ears, though somewhat reluctant.

Mary’s voice started off lowered, which was most certainly not a good sign. If it was anything but regular, that meant a change in tone; a change from what Joyce had just gotten used to. “Promise you’re going to take her to the petting zoo for real?” She smirked, namely because Joyce looked all but complacent, largely dumbstruck by her mother’s twist.

Keep calm. Pretending like she knows everything...she always does this!

With the best feigned confidence she could muster, which wasn’t impressive, especially when there was a momentary draw between her actual words and open mouth, she said, “Wh...what do you mean? I just got finished saying we went?”

Again, it was another self-acclaimed omnipotent look, one that easily contradicted Joyce’s fabricated front. Then, she dangled her true bait. “If you don’t take her, then Frank and I will~!”

Rather than feeling brushed to the side, a small flare erupted from Joyce instead.

“Ugh! Why can’t you let me just keep one secret from you?” She’d already abandoned her dying struggle to keep a secret that was bound to be revealed; like now.

“Sorry, sweetheart, that just means you need to be better at keeping them!” The distance between them and Emily and Frank had become large enough to speak so freely like this. Mary chuckled while Joyce tried to limit just how much she was seething.

“It’s our business! Can’t you just leave it be?” Really! Did the concept of privacy truly not get through to her mother? Who was she kidding...of course it didn’t. She had 32 years of experience to support that claim.

Mary stayed quiet as Joyce stared daggers into her, though after enough time her harsh look dampened into aggravation, annoyance, and soon a solemn, troubled one.

“Joyce, I’m not going to ask about any more than I think I already know,” she placed a hand on her closer shoulder. “All I think right now is that there was some trouble in paradise, I’m guessing?” She looked to be waiting for confirmation.

Joyce answered in a slight mumble. “...maybe...”

“Then you shouldn’t be making sacrifices for the sake of appearances, you know?”

“I know,” Joyce spoke painfully, hating to feel the same reminder twice. The only reminding it motioned towards was Joyce’s unending tendency to screw things up.

“I’m going to assume you’ve patched things over for the most part, which is why you need to work on forgetting what had you two at odds in the first place. Having fun is a good way to do that?”

She knew it was and had every intention to chase it. Despite her mother’s invasion, a second opinion in favor of her company wasn’t totally unwelcome...

Before Joyce could give a reply, they had caught up to Frank and Emily, who were staring into the thick glass pane which separated them from the big furry beast on the inside.

Frank’s figure was a dead give away, but not so much Emily, given all the other people that were here. It was hard to see...definitely harder. Almost as if...as if she weren’t even there?

Not again. She seriously couldn’t be up to mischief again, could she?

“E-Emily?” Awkwardly, Joyce turned her head both ways, fishing for a response from anywhere. Though she was least expecting it to come from Frank.

“Huh?” A black-haired head leaned out from the two tall and iron poles that her dad called his own legs. “Did you call me?”

The first reaction was immediate relief, and the second was an amused smirk, seeing her dad somehow made the perfect screen for Emily’s whereabouts.

“Yes, I thought you might have ran off again, but I guess my dad was stealing you this time?”

“Caught me red-handed!” Frank sighed, holding his hands to display the imaginary evidence. “While you two chatterboxes were taking your time, Emily and I decided we’d go and see what this zoo business is all about! I’m sure you can back me up on that, Emily?”

She looked a little surprised to be mentioned at first, but quickly formed into a confident look as she nodded. “What can I say?” ...what could she say? By chance, Joyce happened to be the first thing she saw. “Joyce needs me to get around anywhere. I think she does need a leash.” Everyone but Joyce was laughing, who was instead thinking of all the ways she could enact her own forms of teasing in a much more intimate space…

“So are there bears behind here?” Trying to shrug it off, Joyce walked a bit closer, happening the situate herself behind Emily who’d turned back to the glass as well.

“I hope so...” Emily passively added. “I couldn’t bear to see them out here with us...” She looked to Joyce as if she needed confirmation, then cracked smirk, making it obvious she was making another silly joke.

Instead of laughing, Joyce looked to Frank. “Dad, your humor is funny every once in a while, but could you please leave Emily out of it?” Defensively Joyce placed her hands on Emily’s shoulders. “You guys had 5 minutes together! What have you been teaching her?”

“It wasn’t that bad, was it?” Emily looked up again, this time not so humorously anymore.

Joyce merely looked at her with a feigned worry. “Oh, you poor thing...”

“Yeah, what do you mean? I’ve only been teaching her the best stuff I know!”

“Well, hon, your ‘best stuff’ isn’t exactly comedy gold...” Mary said in a low voice.

“The only thing about Dad that you can trust are his cooking skills. Anything else and he’s a bad role model...”

“I can’t believe you two are double-teaming me!”

The distance between Emily and Frank was widened as both Joyce and Mary occupied the spots closest to him, getting in his face jokingly.

“That’s because we need to save Emily while she’s still pure! You’re too dangerous to be left with others, hon.”

Frank, dumbfounded, merely looked past them and to the smirking, albeit confused Emily, and shrugged his shoulders.

“Alright, alright...the matrons of the Summers have spoken! How about we stop making a scene and do some spectating then?”

After a few chuckles and laughs, all four were aligned along the display, though to save space Emily was positioned in front of Joyce.

“I think he’s sleeping...”

“Wouldn’t they go to their cave if they planned to sleep?”

“I dunno, maybe Zoo bears work differently...”

“You never know,” Mary chimed in. “Kind of like how your dad works differently when he’s in the kitchen?”

“...She has a point.” Surprisingly, it was Frank to say it.

“Wait! I think he’s getting up!”

“Is he?” Emily stared, pressing her palms against the glass; something for balance, given how pressed she was.

“No...” Joyce sounded a little disappointed since she just sounded a false alarm. “I think he’s just rolling over...”

“I wonder how soft his fur would be? Maybe bears could be trained into being big, giant pillows?” Mary joked, whilst Emily and Joyce silently envisioned a large furry friend stationed in the corner of her nursery.

“Time for the next stop?” Joyce was already backing away.


“Alright, I think we need a breather...” Frank slowed the group to a stop. It’d already been a few hours since they got there, and true to Emily’s demands, it’d been a non-stop safari from site to site. Only now did she realize that it was probably taking its toll on the older two.

After enough birds, monkeys, giraffes, elephants, snakes, bears, turtles, tortoises and more, even Joyce and Emily were still feeling slightly less than 100%.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t even think to ask…” Emily remorsefully spoke. “Do you want us to sit down?”

“I think Mary and I will take you up on that,” the husband and wife sat themselves on a conveniently nearby bench. “Why don’t you two go see a few more spots while we recuperate?”

“Are you sure?” Joyce didn’t feel great about intentionally leaving her parents behind. They were here to visit, after all. “We don’t mind sitting with you guys.”

“Now you’re just making us feel old,” Mary waved them off with a ‘shoo’. “Even better, we’ll find us a place to eat while you two are about,” Mary gave a sigh as she finally sat down. “But don’t do anything too fun without us, got it?”

“We’ll try our best, but no guarantees...” Joyce’s eyes drifted over to Emily, who had a sudden smirk as she agreed to the lighthearted promise.

Both pairs waved each other off, as Emily and Joyce once more found themselves alone but with a much cleaner consciousness this time.

“Where are we gonna go next?” Once again, Emily knew how to ask questions, but never to answer them. That part was Joyce’s job, of course.

“You haven’t forgot the whole reason for all of this, did you?”

“No…? I don’t think so.”

“Then you should already know where we’re going.”

“...The petting zoo?”

“Oh, make no mistake, we’re definitely going after this,” she needed at least one picture of Emily in the pen… “But that’s not where we’re going first.” Being just as cryptic as usual, Emily kept swinging their hands, trying to get an answer.

“Come on...what is it?”

“I’m surprised you forgot so quickly!”

“No I didn’t!” Emily dove for the playfully defensive strategy. “I just...need a reminder, that’s all.”

Joyce merely ‘pffted’ settling for a kiss on Emily’s forehead instead. “What was that animal again? The one you tried to look up on the internet, but I said it’d ruin the real-life experience?”

Emily did remember this, and suddenly all the sly comments Joyce was making earlier this morning, and it was all from the root of two simple words.

“Sea Otters!”

“Bingo~!” Joyce cheered, and they had just about arrived at the same time.

Behind the barriers was a large pool of water, minus the patches of land along the sides and a small island in the center. All about the habitat however were a family of furry sea otters going about their day.

“I knew I knew what they looked like!” Emily confidently boasted.

“So you have seen them before?” As if to praise her little scholar, Joyce gave her a small scratch on the scalp.

“From some show, I think. But look at how long their tails are!” Emily marveled at the long and thick appendages, trailing behind them as they coasted in the water. “And there’s so many whiskers!” It was a weird fascination, and Emily wasn’t really sure why she found it so enjoyable, but there was some fuzzy feeling to it, she couldn’t help but laugh.

The only thing that interrupted her was a pair of arms wrapping around her, squeezing her close. It didn’t take long to realize Joyce was the culprit.

“What did I do this time?” Emily looked at Joyce for a brief moment, trying to show she was an invested listener, though quickly spun back to the animal display, hoping she didn’t miss anything too adorable…

“Nothing, I guess,” Joyce snickered. “I just like seeing you like this.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know? Engaged, maybe? You look like you don’t have anything on your mind; you’re focusing on the moment in the present. I hope I get to see that from you more.”

“Is it because that’s what Emmy would do…?” Emily debated whether to hold her tongue or not, but she tried her best to remember that honesty should be prioritized over preservation.

Joyce was silent for a moment, then spoke. “...It’s what I hope Emily would do, and by extension, yes, Emmy. No matter what state you’re in Emily, there’s always going to be the same qualities I love to see in you, and this is one of them. So even when we’re like this, I suppose I still like to see that innocence in you… Is...is that okay?”

“Even if it weren’t, it’s not like that’s something we can change, right?”

Before Joyce could try and go for a rebuttal, Emily kept going.

“But it is okay. Like I said, I don’t want things to feel awkward for us. We’re just going to...feel things out as we go. Besides, I like feeling this way too, you know? I don’t do it just for you...”

“And I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Joyce said matter-of-factly. “...Thank you for being so patient with me.”

Emily thought for a moment to spew her own endless list of gratitude, but that would’ve gotten them nowhere. Already they perfectly understood how much one cherished the other, and the next steps they needed to take was to better identify, accommodate and embraced the unique kind of relationship they had.

“Wait,” Emily called back to the sea otters. Curiously, she laughed. “What’s that one doing?”

“Which one?”

“Those two in the water?”
Swimming on its back, an otter drifted across the water as sitting right atop its stomach was an even smaller sea otter, cozily resting on the other’s body as the larger one kicked its webbed feet.

“D’awwwh, they look so cute!” Emily couldn’t take her eyes off the pair, watching the much smaller one give its face a small rub with its furry, proportionally large paws.

“That must be a mother and her pup?” Joyce said as she watched with a smile.

“Can the baby not swim yet?”

“It probably can float, at least,” Joyce answered without too much confidence, given she wasn’t an expert on sea otters… “But it’s not unusual for mothers to do something like that. For any species, really.”

“What?” Emily chuckled, “letting their babies ride on their stomachs?”

“No, you little jokester, I mean keeping their babies close. Either that or they leave them in a safe place.”

“It makes sense, I guess...” Emily passively spoke as she continued to watch.

“You know though, sea otters aren’t the only animals that do that? Lay their babies on their stomachs?”

The spectacle was finally over, and Emily finally gave her full attention to Joyce. “Really? What other species?”

Emily didn’t know why, but there was a strange tension in the air when Joyce said it.

“Humans.”

“H-humans? Really?” It probably wasn’t what Joyce was getting at, but Emily’s imagination immediately jumped to a human swimming across the water…

“Sort of. It’s a thing mothers can do with their newborns. If they may need some extra help getting to sleep, a mother might set them on her chest  to feel her heartbeat. I think it has something to do with memories of the womb...”

“J...Joyce? Would it be alright if I asked you a personal question?”

“Huh? No, I don’t really mind? What is it?”

“If you’ve always wanted a baby so badly...why didn’t you ever adopt?” She wasn’t going to suggest having an actual baby, given she rooted for the same team…

“That’s...” she twiddled her thumbs, looking at something beside Emily than actually her. “It’s complicated. Not the kind of complicated that I don’t want to answer your question, but the kind where even I’m not 100% myself… All I can say for certain right now is that I’m happy to be with you Emily, and there is nothing that I’d rather more. So to politely dodge your question, could I take a rain check? I’ll answer when I’ve thought of a good explanation.”

“Oh, I mean,” Emily blushed awkwardly. “It’s not like you need to answer… I’m sorry for making things weird.”

“It’s alright, you didn’t.” All it took was another gentle hand to reestablish the mood. She took a deep breath then spoke with a bit more volume and clarity. “So, how about we drop by the petting zoo before heading back? I bet you’ve been dying to get in there…!”

Sheepishly Emily rubbed her shoulder, trying to look anything but tempted by the sweet offer. “W-well, I’m not in that much of a rush...”

“Come on, don’t lie to me. Don’t you wanna go and feed some baby piglets?”

It was more lovable sweet-talk, but the last word was what caught Emily off guard, and she gave Joyce a confused look. “Baby piglets?” The sudden question threw Joyce for a loop too, who realized that from the start her assumption of the piglets what nothing more than that. An assumption.

“Wait, is that what you thought was there?” Finding it hard not to, Emily broke into a laugh. “The petting zoo has goats, not pigs!”

“Hey, I tried my best...”

“Or maybe you just think tiny goats look like piglets?” Emily giggled.

Joyce gave a slight laugh, but it wasn’t a normal one, which is why Emily finally went quiet. It was a...a smug laugh?

“What’s wrong? Why did you stop laughing?” Joyce raised her brow, leaning in close.

“No...reason?”

What was unexpected was Joyce giving Emily a kiss on the lips, and as she pulled away, she left a chilling warning behind. “Don’t forget in whose bed you’re sleeping tonight, missy!” Only now did the earlier seeds of regret start to bloom.

“Can we go to the petting zoo now…?”

“Of course! Let’s go see some baby… Hmm...Emily, I can’t help but seem to have forgotten? What where they again?”

Puffing out her cheeks, she bawled her fists as Emily tried her best to sound sincere. “I didn’t mean to tease you...”

Joyce laughed again, only this time it sounded much more genuine, or at least from a positive place. “Sorry, I think it took that a bit too far.”

Emily’s response was to stick out her tongue. “Meanie…” But just as quick as she was to look annoyed, she was then pulling on Joyce’s hand with two of her own. “Come onnnn! Let’s go already!”

“Okay, okay!” Joyce pretended to relent. “You’re awfully high-maintenance, you know that?”

“Yet you’re stuck with me!” She giggled as they finally set into motion.


“Are you gonna come in with me?” The destination was already in sight, the fenced pen built out of a sizable barn-themed house which likely stored the tiny animals during their days away from such busy jobs.

“How else am I supposed to get a picture of you with them?” Joyce figured it was a given, not to mention she was secretly trying to ensure Emily wouldn’t feel self-conscious. Not that she should have any reason to, but given Emily’s track record, it was nice to have insurance.

Joyce paid for their tickets as they stepped inside, and there, all the tiny pig--goats, were trotting around happily and making very strange, yet goat-like noises. There had to have been about 12 of them, and great deal were already occupied with other human visitors.

Finally Emily knew what Jackie had the sweet liberty of experiencing! Such tiny little friends that only know how to be themselves and let the cuteness naturally ensue!

And as Emily marvelled at them all, despite being in the same space as them, she didn’t move from her spot.

“Ah...Emily?”

Snapping out of her hypnotic state, she finally came to. “Huh? What is it?”

“Do you...you know,” Joyce smirked. “Want to go and pet one?”

“I mean..yeah...but wouldn’t it be better if one came to me? I don’t wanna be rude...”

“Rude? To the goats?” She had no intention to tease Emily, but her logic was both a mix of silliness and adorable.

“Hi there!” A voice interrupted the two, which belonged to one of the zoo workers stationed inside the pen. She adjusted her hat with the zoo’s logo on the front and straightened her ponytail feeding through the back. “Do you two want me to bring one over to you?”

Emily didn’t know how to react, which is why Joyce took the initiative. “Yes, please!”

“Alright then, let me see which one I can steal for you...” She turned to all the scurrying goats, then without a second longer she found her mark. “Ah! I know the perfect one!” She quickly singled out who she was looking for, as all the other pygmy goats scurried away as she walked across the ground. In a quick gesture she’d swooped a goat into the air, bundled in her arms as she set it near Emily and Joyce.

“This one’s name is Rutherford,” the worker encouraged them to either crouch or to get on their knees. Emily to protect her dress did the former.

“Wow...he’s awfully tiny, isn’t he?” Joyce curiously stroked her hand along his spine,feeling the wavy white and gray fur. “But he’s so soft! Emily, have you felt it yet?”

She was looking awfully reserved, clearly one to be content from the sidelines, but of course she wanted to participate…

She was slow, but Emily eventually did reach her hand out, and her eyes practically glimmered once she felt it. “He’s sooo soft!” Rutherford, truly he was a walking cushion.

“Definitely one of the biggest compliments these guys get around here,” the worker found a chance to pet him too. Though the goat kept hopping around, yet constantly gravitating around the trio.

“Hey, Joyce! Look at him hop!” Despite there being little to no elevation change in the ground, apparently idle action was like lava to poor Rutherford, because he kept hopping from his hind legs to his front, twisting and turning as he made his pygmy noises.

“Yeah, they all have quite a bit of energy, but I’d definitely consider this guy one of the more gentle ones.”

“Hey Rutherford, here boy!” Emily happily cooed to him, already too transfixed on the ball of fur to give much regard to outside voices.

“Now do you let people feed them?” Joyce asked, though she kept giving Emily a quick glance every now and then. Seeing her playing with cute things...it always did something to the heartstrings for Joyce.

“Yep! We do, though we do charge a little extra...” Of course the added mention of further purchase was awkward for the girl, but not nearly as much as Joyce. Instead, she responded with a small handbag.

Smiling, she asked, “How much?”

Somehow both Emily and Rutherford managed to keep themselves entertained with each other, as Emily kept spinning on her crouched feet just to keep up with his energy. Whenever there was an opening, Emily would sneak in a stroke to his fur, which further enticed the goat to be that much more tricksy.

“I’m gonna get you! Yes I am!” She intentionally lagged behind, just to make the game that much more thrilling. The only thing that would bring it to an end though was the worker’s polite interruption.

“Excuse me? Sorry to interrupt, but I brought a small gift for you?” Whatever it was, she had it pooled in her hands, and Emily awkwardly cupped hers to receive. And so, a shower of brown pellets rained from above as they piled in her palms. Why was she giving her goat food? And then it clicked.

“Wait...did my girlfriend put you up to this?” She was suddenly looking for Joyce, who happened to be a slight ways behind the worker, holding her all too familiar handbag in front of her.

The worker cocked a curious smile. “Girlfrie…?” Then she quickly came to, nodding her head. “Yep! Alright, Rutherford! Chow time!” She clapped her hands, and the tiny goat immediately looked over to her, then Emily, seeing she held something much more promising than just an empty gesture.

The worker had quite literally flipped a metaphorical switch. Suddenly, he wasn’t dancing around and playing games. No, he had a mission, and Emily was either an obstacle or benefactor to that. Immediately he trotted to the front of Emily, eagerly trying to get at the food.

“Whoa! Easy there, you can have some, just be gentle!” Emily tried her best to warn him, but of course the English language wasn’t exactly a deterrent to a pygmy goat and his empty stomach.

She nearly lost her balance when Rutherford had enough audacity to even plant his tiny front hooves on Emily’s knees which was shrouded by her dress.

“Wait! No! Bad boy! Here, just be gentle!” Quickly she lowered her hands, trying to coax the goat off of her, who immediately started to munch in her hands. Finally she’d calmed the fearsome beast, and she could not contently watch him eat away.

Then it only got worse.

The next one had a pair of tiny, floppy ears. It made a small ‘baaa’ as it scurried over, rushedly knocking its acquaintance, Rutherford, stuffing its face into a slot intended for only one. Emily wobbled from the sudden intrusion, but she managed.

Then...there was a third.

Black all over, likely the cousin of Cerberus, it crawled from the chilling depths, otherwise known as the other side of the petting pen and struck like a glutton.

Three faces kept attacking the pile which sat in her hands, and as adorable as it was, Emily was quickly becoming overwhelmed.

“Wow, they must really like you, huh?” The same attendant chuckled, watching close by. Emily nervously laughed, knowing that was an outright lie. They didn’t like who she was, but rather much preferred what she had.

“Oops! Look out! Here comes Bolt!” And to his name’s credit, he struck like lightning. Piercing right between Rutherford and Cerberus Jr, he overshot his momentum and angle as his face crashed into the pile of food, knocking Emily over with a yelp and scattering tiny brown pellets everywhere on the ground and herself.

The scene of chaos had Emily giggling all over though as their tiny bodies partly stood all over her, trying to bite away at the pieces caught in the folds of her dress. Though, she did jump a little when she suddenly felt one of their heads searching for food between her legs.

Thankfully it didn’t last for much longer, because the same worker that indirectly caused the mayhem along with her coworker diffused the situation by creating some distance between Emily and all the goats.

“Oh my gosh, are you alright, hon?” She helped Emily stand with a frantic hurry, who despite looking worse for wear seemed to be fine. Joyce came right over performing her own kind of checkup.

Oddly enough, it was Joyce that the workers were apologizing to. Emily was included, but her partner was much more at the forefront of things. This was starting to feel like another terrible misunderstanding...

“It’s fine on my end,” Joyce gave a weak laugh, though nudged towards Emily’s direction. “But I think my girlfriend should be the one you’re asking?” The slight emphasis on her choice of words had apparently jogged the group’s clarity, clearing up any sort of vagueness that there might have been.

Apparently Emily wasn’t worth the re-issuing of apologies however, because they simply looked to her, waiting for her take on things.

“I’m fine.” Emily said somewhat coldly. It wasn’t necessarily their fault they thought she was younger like everyone else, but it didn’t ease her accumulated annoyance of every encounter.

They excused themselves from the pen, and despite the objective outcome, both women felt quite fulfilled. Emily was still lingering with the feelings of adoration for all those tiny friends. Even Bolt, who was probably the most rambunctious of them all. Meanwhile, under a bit of shade the faint glow of light on Joyce’s face was a dead giveaway to her looking at her phone.

She was looking at her newfound treasures; moments of when Emily was happily feeding the goats, and she only smiled wider as her small album of them told quite the story when a new goat would appear in each shot, and finally Emily would be laughing on the ground.

“Thanks for sticking up for me...” meekly, Emily spoke. It was the first time someone other than herself today clearly defined her as an adult, and especially not Joyce’s daughter.

“There’s no need for that,” her voice made the point quite absolute. “It’s expected of me. It’s what I should have been doing from the start. That’s what girlfriends do.” ...And mommies…

She wasn’t looking directly at Joyce, but she smiled warmly to hear her words.

Letting a gust of air out of her nose, Joyce clasped her hands together. “Alright...I think that’s enough zoo for one day.”

“Huh? How come?”

“Well, don’t you think we’ve been at it for quite a bit? My mom and dad are already getting tired. You...” quite skeptical, Joyce asked, “you weren’t serious when you said everything, were you?”

“No, I didn’t really mean that, I was just looking for a reason to do something.”

“Since we went for brunch that means dinner is going to be coming up eventually. We’ll need to think whether we want to cook or go out. But regardless, I really want you home because you need to be changed.” Her final reason came as a surprise to the girl.

“Why do I need a chan...” It was too embarrassing to admit Emily thought she was referring to diaper change. Trying to clear her throat and find purchase, she spoke again. “Why do I need to change my clothes?” Sure, maybe the sundress wouldn’t have been her first choice, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as her small complaints from this morning might have made it.

Joyce looked at her blankly, with a touch of disbelief. “You’re making it really hard not to baby you right now, you know that?”

“Just spell it out for me!” The way Joyce was dancing around the true reason, even though she really wasn’t, it made Emily want to act indignant if she was going to be threatened like she needed the extra attention.

Joyce smiled with a sigh as she grabbed a small bunch of Emily’s sundress and lifted it.

“Last time I checked, your pretty dress wasn’t covered in dirt patches and tiny goat hoof prints?”

This time Emily knew she was acting pretty dumbly.Joyce always seemed to catch both the subtle and obvious with her. Now with a new perspective on things, no matter what kind of state they were in, certain dynamics and aspects would always exist throughout their time together.

With Joyce’s help from behind, they managed to get the bulk of the loose dirt off the dress, but much couldn’t be immediately done for other spots.

“But what if I get your car dirty?” Expensive seats never went well with cheap dirt. She wasn’t a scientist, but that seemed like a solid hypothesis.

“Good point. I suppose we’ll just take your dress off went we ride back home?” Emily blinked. She had to ride home half-naked? Technically it was her fault; she coerced Joyce into thinking of a solution, but that didn’t mean Emily wanted this to be the one!

“And actually, I think your shorts got a bit of dirt on them too...” Joyce continued to fret as Emily could feel her play with the back of her dress. “You don’t mind riding in just your panties too, right?”

Emily was starting to look flustered. “Uhm...”

Joyce then gasped, as Emily could feel a finger tug on the back of her bra strap. “Emily! You’re covered in dirt everywhere!” She ‘tsked’ as her mind traveled elsewhere. “I suppose that means no bra either...” finally, Emily was catching on.

“Hey, quit teasing me! I was trying to be considerate!”

“And thank you for that,” she was going for a kiss, but the pouty Emily had already read her mind and stole one for herself. “Cars can be cleaned, just like dirty girls covered in dirt.”

“Cars are more expensive though...” Emily moped.

Quietly, Joyce made an exaggerated sigh in agreeance. “You’re right… Maybe I should just have you walk home then?”

“That does it! No more cuddling for the rest of the week!” Emily crossed her arms, and with steam blowing from her ears she marched onward with Joyce laughing behind the whole way.

Wiping a joyful tear from her eye, Joyce went on to ask, “Okay, how about we both promise to stop joking if you stop being such a worrywart?”

Emily looked back at her with a knitted brow. “Who said I was joking?”

Joyce laughed, though it was much weaker than a few moments ago.

“...Emily, you were kidding, right?” Silence was her answer.

“Emily? Heyyyy, come on…!” Joyce started to whine and jostle Emily’s shoulder, given her cuddles were on the line. “Don’t be mad? Please? I promise I’ll stop! Don’t take away my cuddle rights!”

It truly was a desperate and tense walk back to Frank and Mary’s bench.

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On 7/28/2019 at 5:15 AM, Jayme said:

Pygmy goats will get ya every time

Truly the Devil's servants in disguise. And who knows...the goats may strike with a vengeance... To be continued!

On 7/28/2019 at 9:41 AM, Hopsalot said:

Ahhh I can never get enough of this! Can’t wait till the next chapter

I'm sorry to keep you waiting ? I'll try harder in the future, but I also plan to be writing for Illegal Immigrant now, as well, so thank you for your continued support on my projects!

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This is, in my opinion one of the best ABDL/MDLG pieces of writing ever. I've been lurking for a long time, always enjoying reading, but rarely enjoying reading. Emily and Joyce's relationship is the perfect mix of pathos and passion, reluctance and trust. It's beautiful, and you've really done something special here. 

I notice you seem to feel really pressured to constantly get out the next chapters, and while we're all desperate for it, you're still staying well ahead pace of most of the best stories I've read on here. Thanks for all your hard work and your writing! 

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18 hours ago, mllknvs said:

This is, in my opinion one of the best ABDL/MDLG pieces of writing ever. I've been lurking for a long time, always enjoying reading, but rarely enjoying reading. Emily and Joyce's relationship is the perfect mix of pathos and passion, reluctance and trust. It's beautiful, and you've really done something special here. 

I notice you seem to feel really pressured to constantly get out the next chapters, and while we're all desperate for it, you're still staying well ahead pace of most of the best stories I've read on here. Thanks for all your hard work and your writing! 

?Thank you for the kind words! I really liked reading your comment (for obvious reasons, lol) Thank you very very very much for thinking Sheltered is worth the praise! At times I definitely do hit slumps with the story, but I try my best to keep writing for it, not only because I know there are plenty of people that enjoy it, but I do too! It's always fun to read comments and feedback, so in return to your thanks, I thank you for continuing to support, read and enjoy my work for so long.

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I adore this story and this dynamic between Emily and Joyce. I love that rather than through sneaky plot twists or shady behaviour any conflict between the two was created with the best of intentions and some over thinking on their part makes it seem a lot more realistic than I originally thought a rich girl finding a poor girl on a bench would turn out. I look forward to more.

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 8/4/2019 at 2:14 PM, MommyLexi said:

I adore this story and this dynamic between Emily and Joyce. I love that rather than through sneaky plot twists or shady behaviour any conflict between the two was created with the best of intentions and some over thinking on their part makes it seem a lot more realistic than I originally thought a rich girl finding a poor girl on a bench would turn out. I look forward to more.

Thank you so much! And thank you for being patient. Working on coming out of my shell, right now.

On 8/7/2019 at 11:50 PM, YourFNF said:

So much love for these two

I know, I get jealous of them sometimes.

It's alive! It's alive! Hey, not dead, just extremely busy. Who would've thought that college could take up so much time? I miss writing though! Sorry that this one is shorter than usual, but it felt like a decent place for a break between moments. For those of you curious, no, I haven't forgotten about Illegal Immigrant. I just wanted to be fair and post on here next.

P.S. Someone has recently introduced me to the joy of role playing (Basically these kinds of stories, only two people have a back and forth in it), which I'm having a really fun time with. If it goes anywhere maybe I can shape it into another story for you peeps to read? No promises! (But if you are interested in lengthy role play, consider being my domme sometime! Again, no promises, but it's definitely something I'm hooked on.) Please enjoy!


25 - Home Again, Home Again

“...”

“...”

“...”

“...”

They stood in a square formation, one pair parallel to the other. Two with awkward expressions, and the other with surprised. One of the four however was covered in a bit more dirt than the others...

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news,” Frank finally broke the silence between the four. “But I think someone did have too much fun...”

The next response was Emily spurting a giggle from her mouth, even though she wasn’t too pleased with herself either. Mary simply watched with a raised brow, and by chance Joyce happened to catch her eye a few times.

“Petting zoo?”

Joyce was starting to look a little bashful. “Uh-huh...” In retrospect, this probably wasn’t going to look good in front of her mom.

“Were the piglets fun to pet, at least?”

“Pig…? Oh! Yeah, they were a little hyper though.” Emily had quickly forgotten Joyce’s white lie, and by this point her cover-up was so weak, it was wasted energy to even try.

“Emily,” Mary looked as if she were holding back a smirk. “I...think you maybe played a little too hard with the animals...”

“They’re the ones that played with me!” Apparently being an animal herself is where she drew the line. “Joyce gave me a bunch of food to feed them, but then they knocked me over and ate it all.” Ridiculous, she knew, which is why she was trying to choke down a laugh.

“So you instigated this?” Mary accused, looking right at her daughter. Everyone was still in a good mood, but there was nothing like lighthearted tension to keep the party afoot.

“I didn’t plan for her to get knocked over! It’s not like I wanted her to get dirty!” Just for good measure she tried to play with a few spots on Emily’s dress again, hoping she could get a small bit of dirt out of it.

Frank came over to brush some leftover dirt off of Emily’s hair. “Hmm. Well, while Emily gets cleaned off back at the house, how about we brainstorm what we’ll do for dinner then?”

“I think I could go for takeout.” Joyce stretched her arms. “Just a thought, though!” Whenever her parents were around, it especially made her want to be lax with her food choices. High dining had already become less frequent now that Emily was in the picture, so the occasional visit from her parents only added to that.

“Takeout doesn’t sound bad?” Frank looked to his wife with a shrug.

“That should be fine. That way Emily can work at her own pace in the bathroom,” Mary agreed, but Emily started to feel a little guilty now that her needs were being taken into account. Still, takeout did sound good…

“I think a sub or pizza sounds good right now,” Emily volunteered.

“Dirty girls don’t get to make suggestions,” surprisingly, Mary huffed.

“Huh? Why not?” Emily fired back with a slight whine. “It’s Joyce’s fault!” Without hesitation she threw her partner under the bus, forcing her to stop giggling about Emily’s teasing and focus on her own.

Now it was Joyce’s turn for the defensive. “Maybe I bought the food, but you were the one that was feeding them!”

“Yeah, but I didn’t buy a whole mountain of it!” It was probably at least four times smaller than her hands made it out to be, but Emily shaped a gargantuan area with her hands to symbolize the mass of goat pellets.

“Alright, kiddos, come on, off to the car.” Frank moved them along as they continued their joking, secretly half-serious banter.

“Still, Emily,” Frank did manage to sneak an attack in. “You don’t strike me as the type that’d stop a cute animal from trying to smother you.”

“No I wouldn’t! What happened was because there was a lot of them! You try being my size and fighting off a swarm of tiny goats!” She was so caught in the moment that she had abandoned the pig story altogether. No one called her out on it.

“Whoa,” Frank put his hands up in defense. “Joyce, reign her in, I think I went too far!”

Emily grinned to herself, almost considering whether to jokingly growl or not. She’d never be able to reach a decision though, because with a quick yelp escaping her she was swept off her feet and into the air.

“Ah! Wait, Joyce? What are you doing?” Like their nightly routine, she was suspended in her caretaker’s arms. It wasn’t an infant type of carry, but a princess one.

Joyce looked confused. “You heard my dad, didn’t you?” She looked to Frank, sounding a bit concerned. “Dad, I think we grabbed one of the monkeys instead of Emily. We better go return this one.”

“Put me down already!” Emily whined with a laugh, trying to speak reason into the father and daughter who were sharing a laugh amongst themselves. Usually she’d be concerned about the undertones to this, but finally she was able to make a distinction between what was intimate and otherwise plain fun.

“I don’t suppose you could just keep her?” Mary chimed in. “She looks like Emily enough?”

“Hmm...” Requiring further inspection, Joyce rubbed noses with the girl. “I suppose you’re right, but she does need to be cleaned. I’ve washed our neighbor’s dog a few times before?” She grinned, with a smile only Emily seemed to pick up on. “How hard can it be?”

Still midway in her princess carry, Emily leaned her head past Joyce to Mary and Frank, quietly mouthing ‘save me!’. Their sudden outburst of laughter had Joyce confused when she turned back. “What did you say?” She looked down at Emily, who was busy playing innocent.

“Alright Emily, ride’s over.” Joyce set her back on her feet, now that they were gathered around the car and in the parking lot. There was an orange glow of sunlight looming over the wall of trees on the outer edge of the parking lot.

“So gang, what do we think?” Frank surveyed. “Was the zoo a good choice?”

“I thought it was fun!” Joyce proudly spoke.

“Me too.” Emily agreed.

“It was nice seeing all the different animals. And certainly had its ups and downs for some...”

“Then I suppose it’s a good job on Emily’s part. Thanks for keeping us busy today!” Suddenly the attention was flipped onto Emily, and with so much praise and little place to put it, she shuffled awkwardly.

“Um...no problem.”

They started getting into the car, but Emily was somewhat reluctant. “Joyce?” She gave herself another glance. “Is it really okay for me to?”

The scenario was already playing through Joyce’s head. She’d insist it would be okay for Emily to sit in the car, dirty as she was, but of course, she’d still be beside herself as she tried to sit on the seat as little as possible, taking a solid ten minutes to find out that it didn’t matter whether you started from point A, C, D, E, or F, because regardless, you’re always going to land on B.

Emily was doing just that, hoping to find a way that her dress would be as little involved as possible. Joyce appeared right behind her though as she placed a hand on her shoulder and firmly guided her into the seat.

“But the seat’s gonna get dirty!”

“It’s not like we can help it, silly. Let’s call it a reminder to bring a towel in the future?”

Emily could feel the digits to her imaginary debt increasing, as each particle of dirt rub deeper into the leather seating. She looked visibly uncomfortable.

“Should I ask my mom if you can ride in her lap?” Quietly, she whispered into Emily’s ear. How couldn’t she smile with a startled reaction like that?

She was still stiff as a board, but it was progress, somewhat.

“Don’t forget your seatbelt! And thanks for going down easy; I was almost afraid the zookeepers would think we really were stealing one of their monkeys!”

Emily narrowed her eyes and started to say, “You and your jokes are really starting to drive me banana-!” and before she could finish her line, her listener had swapped from an actual person to a car door. A window, to be specific, with Joyce behind it sticking her tongue out, then walking back around to her door. Emily kept her grumbling to a minimum. This was probably because of her cuddling threat…


“I guess not even a little dirt gets in the way of her habits,” Mary chuckled, catching a glimpse of the slumbering Emily beside her. Even with jitters, all it took was the hypnotic sensations of a moving vehicle to talk her down.

“I guess that’s her one kryptonite,” Joyce chuckled. Well, there were certainly many more weaknesses she had, but those were reserved for the director’s cut…

“Still envy that about her,” Frank spoke with no shame.

“Think she could manage that on a plane?” Mary asked. “If so, I think I’ll need to ask her what her secret is.”

“One of life’s many mysteries!” Joyce ended it with a laugh. “To be honest, I was a little worried she wasn’t going to fall asleep so easily... The last thing I’d want is for her to worry about getting the car dirty.”

“She does seem to care an awful lot,” Frank added, and Mary ‘mmm’d’ in agreement.

It was true, and to hear others acknowledge it openly put a small smile of pride on Joyce’s face; as a partner and a mother. But, if today had taught her anything, it also meant she was too caring, that in the negative sense. In exchange for connecting deeply with others, she made herself just as vulnerable to the bad feelings as much as the good ones. And once there was that bond, any sort of hiccup was something she assumed was her fault, yet it couldn’t be further from the truth.

Still, on a thoughtful note, Joyce happily agreed. “She does… It’s something definitely unique about her.”

“Oh? Unique?” her mom didn’t seem to let a moment pass by on that remark. “Do you mean that in a good way or bad?”

“Good, of course.” Joyce was quick to respond, just to steel her own resolve. The timing was the perfect spur for humor though, as the older couple started laughing.

“I think we’ve started to see just how protective you are of her?” Mary chuckled, leaving Joyce in yet again an awkward spot. Suddenly she was wishing Emily hadn’t left her all alone while she went off to play in dreamland…

Of course she sounded flustered, trying to explain herself, “...Well...of course I am...”

“Relax, sweetheart,” Mary laughed once more, but thankfully Joyce didn’t take offense to it. “It’s a good thing. Though, to be blunt, what’s so funny is how you seem like a totally different person now.”

Just as Joyce was going to count it a victory, her mom had gone and said that.

“Di...different?” It could go either way with that. “...How?” Was she really acting that strange? No, strange didn’t describe it at all. Of course she was a different person, all thanks to Emily. She was better for it. Rather than stuffing wishful thinking, pipedreams and silly desires in a dark corner, she finally knew what it was like to embrace them. Life certainly had a renewed shine to it now.

“It’s not a bad thing, I promise.” Mary assured her daughter, and Frank agreed all the same. “In fact, I think I like seeing you like this much more.”

“Well...like seeing me like what?”

“Not that you weren’t before, honey,” Frank took the reigns, “but, to put it simply, happy.”

“I’ve never not been, though?” She was happy to feel like she’d grown since being with Emily, but truthfully, she didn’t want to make a spectacle out of it.

“We know you love your job; the work combined with the payoff, but we’ve never known you to be someone very interested in romance?” All this talk about herself was starting to feel weird… At least with her parents.

“Hon, I think we’re embarrassing her...” Frank spoke in a hushed, yet obvious voice. He cleared his voice to make it clear,  “Joyce, all we mean is that we’re seeing a new side to you, and we think it’s a good thing.”

They’d compromised to an addition, but truthfully, a transformation was a better way to describe her character. All the same, there were few moments when Joyce showed any intimate affection for anyone in front of anyone relevant, especially her parents. There were moments in the far, far distant past, sure, but never to this degree.

The bounds of Joyce’s love was as uncharted to her as it was for the spectators. The chase was so captivating, it was easy to forget just how far she herself had come already. Day after day, watching Emily slip so wonderfully into a cushier mindset and routine, never once had she stopped to consider where she herself was drifting toward or from. And even if it wasn’t totally positive, it was still an example of that seemingly unnoticed change.

“Still, whatever you’re doing, clearly it’s a good thing. I think you both have each other wrapped around your fingers!” Mary laughed, and Frank wasn’t far behind. “Even with that said though, you better keep her happy, otherwise I’ll be right back over here to give you a piece of my mind...” Mary cooly warned, whilst Joyce was having a double take.

“Wait, what? Aren’t you my mom? Doesn’t that mean you’re supposed to be looking out for me? Not Emily?” She let out a laugh.

“Of course I am! And this is how I’m doing it.”

A happy wife, a happy life. The words echoed in Joyce’s head, and she snickered.

“Alright, well, no promises, but I’m pretty sure I know all the right buttons to keep her content. I just hope Emily’s parents are going to care about me like you guys do for her...”

“Oh? You haven’t met them yet?” Frank asked.

“No, not yet. Come to think of it, we haven’t really talked about them much…” Joyce started to think to herself. “Then again, who knows? Maybe they’ll drop by our doorstep by tomorrow morning? You know, maybe call less than 24 hours in advance, throw our everyday routine in a tizzy...”

“Hon, I can’t help but think she’s talking about us...” Frank jokingly nudged.

“I think so too...” Mary wasn’t laughing so much.

“Joking!” Mostly. Joyce laughed in her mother’s place. “We managed, seeing as we were able to make a day out of today?”

“Joyce, maybe if you knew what it was like to be frugal you’d see why we took as good of a deal as that.” Frank spoke with a sense of pride. The pride of saving money. “Penny saved is a penny earned!”

True, but being brutally honest in her own head, Joyce could afford to lose a few pennies. Not that she didn’t respect her dad’s philosophy, but with the extra concern it took to be like that, the price to be carefree wasn’t something Joyce couldn’t handle.

“Is Emily like that at all? Someone who spends money like there’s no tomorrow? Like a certain daughter we might know of?” Now it was Mary’s turn for payback.

“Actually, I’ll have you know,” Joyce curtly replied, “I spend frivilously plenty enough for the both of us. I’ve already had to tell her plenty of times her money is no good.”

“Really? You don’t let her spend anything?” For some reason, finally hearing it from someone else other than her own thoughts and Emily, it might sound a bit weird.

Tactfully reorganizing her approach, Joyce tried again. “Uh, well, anything that we do run into, it’s just more convenient for me to pay.”

“Does that bother Emily at all?”

“At first, it did, but I keep telling her I don’t mind...”

“Are you letting her contribute at all?”

“W-well, yes...emotionally...” This wasn’t sounding so spectacular anymore.

“Joyce, I think it’s clear that you’re the purse strings in the relationship, but I would still take Emily’s feelings into consideration. I won’t say I know how she feels, but I know I’d feel a bit insecure if I weren’t pitching something in.”

“I let her keep her money so she can buy her own stuff.” She didn’t want to be rude, but frankly she didn’t need Emily’s money. However, it was a given that she needed Emily and all the love she could give. Didn’t the two balance each other out?

“But from the sound of it, even there you pick up the tab?” An obvious hole had just been poked.

“Okay, okay, fine.” Joyce sighed. “Maybe you guys have a point.” They did. And thinking about it now with a fresh perspective and an outside opinion, she didn’t feel great to admit that these were all the same valid complaints Emily had raised with her. And reflecting on how she waved them off so simply, it only meant how much Joyce needed to work on herself.

Thankfully the rest of the car ride consisted of less serious topics. At some point Emily did wake up to rejoin the conversation, only after getting past a few teases about her sleeping habits. Emily kept trying to glance at the seat underneath her, looking for dirt, but Joyce need only threaten to make her walk home if she kept worrying about it.

“Home again, home again!” Frank walked through the apartment door, then looked at Emily expectantly.

“Uhm...what?” Was it something about the dirt?

Frank kept the suspense though, apparently giving her a hint to the phrase. “Jiggity?”

A hint that made Emily even more confused. She was probably reading too much into it, but it confused her no less. Her silence lingered for too long, and Frank sighed.

“Jig.”

“Home again, home again...jiggity jig?” Emily put it all together, but in place of the enthusiasm Frank was using, she substituted for confusion.

“We’ll need to work on that.” Frank sufficed, and Emily stood in the shoe area, bewildered as she watched him walk off.

“What’s with that look on your face?” Joyce came in next, eyeing her with a curious smile.

Emily turned to her, then said the dreaded words, “Home again, home again, jiggity jig?”

Joyce’s smile turned into a frown. “Oh, don’t tell me he’s teaching you that too?”

So she did know? “It’s a weird phrase, isn’t it?”

She let out a deep sigh. “Emms, I think I need to keep you in sight even around the apartment...” Nervously looking from side to side as she leaned in close, “He could be anywhere, waiting to grab you at any minute…! Ah! My poor Emily!” Pretending a sob, she pulled Emily in for a rocking hug. “What will I do if you become like my dad?! You’re too sweet for that!”

In a muffled voice, thanks to Joyce’s chest, Emily mumbled, “I think you guys have a vendetta against Frank...”

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe!” Still with the exaggerated act, Joyce released her. She sat her down on the ledge where the hardwood floor began, then took the liberty of undoing her sandal straps for her.

“So you had fun today?”

“Mhm. Lots.” Emily smiled to herself. There was a slight bump along the way, but given what it was about, it was something they were bound to run into at some point. And now that they’d overcome it, Emily felt better than ever. Michael’s advice from earlier really did have some merit to it…

“Good, because I did too. And I never did say it properly, but I’m sorry about getting you so dirty...”

“It’s okay.” Emily exhaled through her nose once the sandals came free; a pair of shackles removed from her feet. “I thought it was funny, but I was just worried about getting your car dirty.”

“Would you stop that? Emily, there’s no chance of making me mad at you, especially over something I’m responsible for. Really, don’t sweat it.”

Emily’s response was to wiggle her toes.

“I’m sorry? What was that? I don’t think I heard you.” Joyce leaned in with her ear, and Emily could feel her hand squeeze the ball on her foot. Again, nothing from Emily other than a smirk, which led to Joyce’s disappointed sigh. “I suppose we’ll have to do this the hard way...”

Emily didn’t have time to think, as with that same hand gripping her foot, it pushed underneath it with great force, knocking Emily’s back on the floor so that her feet were primed for Joyce’s fingers which were already moving in for the kill.

“No, please no!” Amidst her pleas, Emily was already helplessly giggling.

“Oh? Now you’re ready to talk?” Joyce smirked as she kept teasing Emily’s foot with the faint scrape of a nail. She tut, tut, tutted. “Honestly, what am I going to do with you?”

The situation was mind over matter, because even before Joyce started tickling the girl, she was close to tears just from the mental baggage of all the past tickle attacks; loads of pleasurable, silly trauma weighing her down.

“Okay, I’m going to let you go, just this once, got it?” She tried to look stern, but the smile behind it was crumbling any sort of iron-hard authority she had.

Emily kept shaking her head yes so hurriedly, you might think it was ready to pop right off.

Slowly, Joyce unclasped her hand, and just as there was enough wiggle room, Emily quickly scurried herself across the floor, mainly by sliding on her bottom, right against the wall breathing frantically.

“Having fun, you two?”

The exciting tension was thrown into disarray, hearing the third voice. Both turned to the source, which was Mary, the caboose to the quartet, hanging in the doorway, looking quite entertained.

Though she surprised them, Joyce kept it cool as a cucumber, welcoming her inside. “Hey mom, just finishing up taking off our shoes.” And to prove her point, that’s just what she started to do with hers.

“Uh-huh? Is that so?” With Emily still watching from the wall, Mary sat herself down next to Joyce. Then in a lowered voice, with a strange tone about it, at least to Emily, she spoke. She’d known what Joyce could sound like if she wanted to sound stern. Loving, but ultimately an order that you weren’t supposed to refuse. In Mary’s case, there was probably that same amount of concern, but right beside it was an even heavier authority, so much that if she were to talk to Emily, she wouldn’t think twice about disobeying. She wouldn’t think of it once. The idea of rebellion seemed foolish from the get-go.

“Joyce?” The atmosphere had changed completely.

“...Yes?” Joyce suddenly didn’t seem so mighty anymore…

“You weren’t bullying Emily, were you?”

“Hah? A bully, me?” Well, maybe if she needed to strongarm a business deal, but in the home? With Emily? “Never!”

Mary turned her head over to Emily, who was watching with an odd curiosity.

“Emily, is this true? Don’t let her push you around, you know?”

Emily almost spurted out a laugh. The cards were now in her favor. She held all the power, the dice were loaded, and she need only speak a single word that would dictate her partner’s fate.

It was so simple, and here was her chance. Just to think, no more tickle attacks! No more bedtimes! All the coffee she could ask for!

“Yes.” However, she betrayed herself.

Merciful? Maybe.

No. Deep down, she knew exactly why she protected Joyce.

Mary held all the power, sure, but her reach and reign was only as effective as she was here in the flesh. Give it a few more days and that’d change completely. It was all one big trick; a trap fate had cleverly disguised for Emily! If she betrays Joyce now, there’ll be nothing around to protect herself in a few days time.

“See?” Joyce kept up the act, standing back up, barefoot this time. “When have we ever been anything but peachy?”

Mary seemed to be trying to read through the lines, but she ended it with a shrug. “If that’s what you both say! And Emily, I know my daughter can be a bully, so don’t let her tease you too much...” Joyce was about to leave the room, but spun her head around.

“I am not a bully!”

“Well, you certainly are a leader?” Seeming to form a connection between the two personalities.

Joyce groaned, and a giggle escaped Emily, leading both Summers to stare at her; one curious, and the other jokingly annoyed.

“You. Bath. Now.” Joyce stood her up and helped usher her off, quietly mumbling about her mom all the way.

It felt like a breath of fresh air being away from her mom, once the two sealed themselves off in the bathroom.

“Wouldn’t a shower be better?” Emily passively watched Joyce turn on the faucet for her, lingering like a fly on the wall. “I coulda ran the bath by myself, too, you know.”

“Whelp, since I’m already here, I guess we can’t do much about that” Joyce helplessly shrugged, moving over to the towel cabinet. The way she was so absorbed in a task she wasn’t even responsible for, Emily could take a hint.

“Does being teased by your mom bother you that much?”

“Yes,” Joyce quickly replied; seemingly no filter. “Well, no. Not really.” Quickly, she back-pedalled. She let out a complex sigh. “She just...” She looked to Emily, as if the answer were drawn somewhere on her face. “Just… I don’t know; gets under my skin?”

With a smirk Emily’s head drifted in a different direction as she left a passive comment along the way. “Sounds like somebody I know...”

“I can always make this water boiling hot, you know?”

Emily stuck out her tongue with a small giggle.

Joyce stayed by the tub, making sure to give it the occasional temperature reading. Maybe she wasn’t going to make it scalding… If she did, her baby girl wouldn’t be so much of a snowflake anymore and instead a permanent tomato.

Emily, relaxing in her own spot, was finally feeling the grime she was covered in, including a few crusty spots from the packed dirt. She definitely was ready for a bath. But before that, a different kind of nature was calling to her, and for once she didn’t have a friendly diaper to answer the door for her. This time she had a...particularly ‘solid’ guest waiting to be let in...or out.

She walked over to the toilet, lifting her dress to undo the button on her shorts, then after dropping them to her ankles, only now did she take stock in the other person in the room. It took a visual cue to stop her, now remembering Joyce was with her.

She stopped, but not completely.

...Truthfully, how different was this from baby-play? If anything, this was less embarrassing. Sure, what she was doing was more visible, in a sense, but at least now her business was being done in something significantly more dignified. Besides, at the rate they had their mommy-and-me time, access to a toilet was a blessing.

“Did you plan on using the toilet?” Joyce spooked her from her thoughts as she called over to her.

“H-huh?” Clueless, Emily looked at the shorts around her ankles. “Oh! Uhm, yeah. Why?”

Joyce could have made a spectacle of it, but she chose not to. Instead, she’d celebrate the small moment with just herself. It felt like ages ago, remembering the first time she had Emily on the toilet. It was certainly stressful, as well as emotionally exhausting for the girl. Yet another showcase of her astounding progress… The best she could do was limit it to a smile.

“Are you just peeing? Or is it, the, uhm, other one?”

“The...” still with a straight face, Emily’s cheeks still grew red. “The other one...”

Joyce shook some of the water off her testing hand then finished the job with a towel. “Wait right there then. Keep those panties on until I get back, got it?”

As if to prove it to herself, Emily lifted the front of her dress, catching a glimpse of her perfectly clean, striped panties. The goats may have been fierce, but thankfully denim shorts had been her knight in shining armor. Panties covered in dirt sounded ugly and uncomfortable, and lord help her if one of those goats got too close... Though, why did Joyce want her to wait? “Uh, okay?”

Joyce opened the door and walked out, leaving a small crack in the doorframe. And for a brief moment Emily was being a little too air-headed, because she realized someone walking by in the hallway might be able to see her standing around, flashing her underwear.

The dress quickly came down.

Joyce soon came back in, only this time she was accompanied by another person.

“P-Pip?” Emily blinked, watching as Joyce with the ball of stuffed mochi in her arms came over to her. What she hadn’t stopped to consider was how quickly she was taking to the name; recognizing

“Yep. Don’t tell me you forgot already, did you?” She gave her a second to think, and yes she did remember. It was quite the unfortunate memory. One that she could practically smell.

“Ew.” Emily scrunched her nose a little.

“Smelly, yes, but we’re trying to make that easier.” Joyce helped Emily’s arms into a hold on her friend. “And here, I’ll get these for you...” Her hands went under the skirt of the dress and down Emily’s panties went. She felt especially bare downstairs now.

“Wait, won’t Pip get dirty if I hold him?” Suddenly, Emily was looking for a spot to put him down. Maybe Joyce didn’t mind getting her expensive and lavish things dirty, but Emily didn’t feel the same about her much cheaper possessions.

“Then if that happens we can give him a bath, too. Things can be cleaned if they get dirty, would you believe it?” She smirked, once more playing into Emily’s silliness, just so she could realize it herself.

With one arm Emily lifted her dress, sitting down on the toilet, getting herself comfortable. It felt a little weird sitting on the toilet again. Pleasant, but different from the usual.

Still, it felt a little weird making a bowel movement in front of Joyce, but with everything in the past taken into account, this sort of display seemed surprisingly tame.

“...Now what?”

“Now,” Joyce came closer again, adjusting her arms for her, positioned like a rollercoaster bar for Pip to be locked in tight. “Once um...you squeeze down there, you squeeze Pip with your arms. It’s kind of like in the movies when someone bites their teeth on something when they get a shot or surgery?” Ugh, too graphic for Emily. All those scenes tended to involve either blood, gore, or both. Her analogy made its point, though.

And so once she felt the movement coming, she squeezed Pip, then understood exactly what the goal was. While she pushed on her bowels, she felt a small strain in her muscles in her core. By squeezing Pip she was inadvertently putting more force into it, lightening the load on a single section of her body. She was training Emily to have smoother bowel movements?

An involuntary sigh escaped her once it plopped into the toilet water.

“All done?”

Emily sheepishly nodded her head.

“Perfect. I’ll take back this guy then,” Joyce reached for Pip, giving Emily a chance to disarm him as he exchanged caretakers. “And don’t worry, he’ll be waiting for you tonight, okay?”

“I don’t really need him, you know?” There was a small sense of guilt attached to that. Pip hadn’t done anything wrong, after all…

Joyce, however, looked 1 syllable short of mortified, who immediately cupped her hands over Pip’s imaginary ears. “Emily! I can’t believe you!”

“I wanna take my bath, now.” Emily haughtily scoffed. “Please vacate yourself from the premises!”

Joyce chuckled as she held the stuffed toy to her side with a single arm. Speaking in a deep and loyal voice, she said, “With pleasure, your majesty!” Backing up with a bow and outstretched hand, she excused herself from the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

There were still the lingers of a smile on her face as Joyce looked at the door one last time, though it transitioned into a curious look, thinking about when she walked back in with Pip.

Did I ever close the door after that?

She chose not to dwell on it for long, walking back to her room to drop Emily’s friend off.

Pip stared back at her as they exchanged silent glances at one another, and Joyce spun on the ball of her foot, closing the door behind her as she rubbed her stomach.

“So very, very, very hungry~!”

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15 minutes ago, YourFNF said:

is trying very hard not to picture having a mommy helping me in the bathroom..... ??

/me offers to replace those pesky pesky unwanted thoughts with fantasies about having a dalek mommie helping you in the bathroom  with a diaper check and giving you  a tickle  with it's plunger :)

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  • 2 months later...
On 9/2/2019 at 9:53 PM, Jayme said:

Beautiful addition!  Its interesting how Emily and Joyce can get along so well specially where Parents are involved.

Thank you! Having the parents in the picture for a little bit gives me the chance for some fun stuff. Some stuff that I haven't included yet!

On 9/2/2019 at 11:11 PM, Sarah Penguin said:

That was lots of fun :)

Glad you enjoyed the ride! Here's to the next one!

On 9/5/2019 at 5:40 PM, YourFNF said:

is trying very hard not to picture having a mommy helping me in the bathroom..... ??

Haha. Yeah, I'm sure it's a tender experience!

On 9/8/2019 at 7:15 PM, babytom2 said:

Drop the parents already,they sucking the momentum right out of this story.

All in due time! They'll add some more to it, don't worry. And another point to consider is even if they don't have a direct effect with their own dialogue and actions, I also like to consider what they might instigate indirectly. For example, it's because of them that the entire zoo scenario happened to begin with. That, and they offer some world-building that gives the universe substance and adds more factors to consider in the future. Thanks for commenting! 

On 11/11/2019 at 6:35 PM, mahleedl said:

Don't know about anyone else, but I'm dying for another chapter!  Please, please, please....  :D

Soon! I know I've been quiet for a bit. Tried doing a Halloween short, though it is on hold for now. I'll still probably release it in the future though.

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  • Mee changed the title to Sheltered [12/03/2023] CH46+47 [Important Subscribestar Update]

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