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Done Adulting, Vol. 2 (Final chapter posted 12/21/20)


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On 7/23/2019 at 3:47 PM, Pierry Louys said:

Ahhhh ok ! Another question is Jamie totally incontinent by now or he can still hold his poop 

I think he can hold it for just a little bit.

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@SGTbaby I have 3 girls. The 5 year old and almost 3 year old will admit when they are tired. Both have also put themselves down for naps when they need it. Recently I couldn't find the youngest and I was freaking out. My 10 year old found her. She climbed head first into a sleeping bag and fell asleep. All you could see was her legs and butt.

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Got to vent a little today to my colleagues who were also screwed over.

Had a playmate come over tonight and give me one heck of a spanking.

And then find out who got promoted ahead of me and want to tell my bosses to go fuck themselves. 

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2 hours ago, Author_Alex said:

Got to vent a little today to my colleagues who were also screwed over.

Had a playmate come over tonight and give me one heck of a spanking.

And then find out who got promoted ahead of me and want to tell my bosses to go fuck themselves. 

awww *doublehugs*

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Chapter 5

“So what are we not going to do again,” Manda asked Jamie. He stood in front of her as she sat on the sofa, hands on his shoulders, trying to look suitably contrite and not overly happy to be out of the corner.

“Leave the yard without asking permission,” Jamie replied, trying his best to sound earnestly ashamed. “I’m sorry.” He’d walked over to the neighbor’s house to see if Amy was home yet. If she was, he was going to invite her over to play soccer with him. If she wasn’t, he was going to come right back. Either way, he thought he’d be back before Manda went looking for him.

“I know, Jamie Bear,” Manda said as she pulled him in for a hug. “I don’t like you putting you in time out.”

“Me neither.” Jamie could close his eyes and picture that corner of the family room in detail. He had decided a long time ago to view punishment as a transaction. He never got in much trouble, and what trouble he did get into was dealt with by the ever-gentle and loving Becky or Manda. A little corner time, an early bedtime, a withheld dessert, a toy taken away or a privilege revoked were sometimes a cost he was willing to accept to do what he wanted, which only rarely were things he wasn’t supposed to. He only ever felt truly punished when he was disciplined for doing something he didn’t think he’d get in trouble for and thus hadn’t decided whether the punishment was worth it.

Manda And Becky didn’t seem to catch on, assuming as bigs do that littles just have a hard time remembering how to behave themselves and what they are and aren’t allowed to do. They were patient, firm, and fair. They expected Jamie to misbehave more this time of year when his routine of daycare was broken, knowing they’d need to stand him in his naughty spot more often than usual until he got used to the routine of summer vacation. They were thankful he rarely ever needed more than a quick fifteen minutes on his naughty spot to get the point across, and they only resorted to that after warnings and lesser punishments or for repeat offenses, like leaving the yard.

“How did you know I’d left anyway,” Jamie asked.

“Kaz was barking at the fence.”

“Traitor,” Jamie grumbled.

“He just wants you to be safe,” Manda said, “like I do.”

“I know. I’m sorry I made you worry.”

“You said that already,” she said, picking him and giving him a kiss as she did. “and I forgive you. Why don’t we get on with our day?”

“Okay.”

“With a bath first. Just look at these dirty feetsies! You look like you don’t own shoes. People are gonna think we mistreat you!” They were both was still used to getting up early, but without anywhere to go until later, he and Manda didn’t get dressed very quickly. He’d wandered over to Amy’s in his jammies barefoot.

In the bathroom, Manda turned on the tap and laid Jamie on the rug while the tub filled. He lifted his hips to let her pull his shorts off. “I know what we’re doing today,” Manda said.

“What?”

“Feeding you water. Your wee wee is too yucky. I can see it through your diapee!” Amanda seemed to take a lot of interest in the color of what came out of him, and Jamie knew she meant it. She’d have him drinking water until he was peeing clear. “And it’s stinky.” She rolled up the disheveled night diaper.

“I am kinda thirsty,” he said as she helped him sit up and took his shirt off. She pulled it halfway and stopped with it covering his face.

“Oh no,” she cried.

“What,” said through his shirt.

“Where did Jamie go? I can’t see him!”

“I’m right here,” he giggled.

“Who said that? Who’s pretending to be my Jamie Bear?”

“It’s me!”

“I hope he didn’t go back to Amy’s. He’ll be in so much trouble...”

“I didn’t! I’m right here!” He tried to shake the shirt the rest of the way off, and Manda gripped it tighter and held it in place.

“Is that really Jamie in there?”

“Yes, really!”

“How do I know?”

“Because I said so!”

“I know how to tell for sure! Only Jamie Bears are ticklish here,” Manda said as she released the shirt and went after Jamie’s tummy and armpits with her fast fingers. Jamie tried to clamp his arms down, only keeping himself trapped in his jammy shirt and not keeping her hands from finding their targets.

“Hehehehehehehe,” he laughed as he fell backward on the rug. “Manda! Hehehe! Stop! Hehehe!” She stopped but put her hand on his chest to keep him from sitting back up.

“Say it: whose bear are you?”

“Yours!”

“And don’t you forget it,” Amanda said as she pulled him back up and whipped off his shirt to reveal a smiling Jamie with a tear streak running down each of his flushed cheeks.

“One day I’m gonna get you back for all the times you did that,” he vowed with delight.

“Not today, though,” Amanda said as she put him in the tub and turned off the tap. He set his toy boat afloat as she put the soap to work.

“So what are we really gonna do today,” he asked as she washed his back.

“Go shopping for summer stuff.”

“Like what?”

“Bathing suits, maybe some pool toys. Sunscreen.”

“What’s wrong with my old bathing suit,” he asked as he put his foot on the edge of the tub for her to scrub.

“It’s all faded from the sun.”

“That’s how you know it was a good summer,” he rejoined.

“What was your favorite part of last summer?”

Jamie had lots of favorite parts. They were hard to pick from. He thought his most favorite was probably sneaking off with Ella during Stacy’s solstice barbecue. It felt extra special, and Jamie wasn’t sure if it was the heightened chance of being caught in the act by all those bigs or the childish thrill of just being sneaky. But Jamie didn’t want to tell Manda about that.

“That time Donna fell asleep on the beach, and me and Rosie buried her under the sand,” Jamie tittered.

“Ha! I’d forgotten about that.”

“Remember what she said when she woke up?”

“Same thing she always says: ‘Oh my god, you two are so precious!’”

“Maybe we can throw a live crab in with her this summer. She’s not really gonna adopt a little, is she?”

“I don’t think she’ll be allowed to until she has her own place and more savings. Funny, really. She could have a kid whenever she wants but not a little.”

“I hope she gets to one day,” Jamie said, “And I hope he’s regressed to a fetus or she’ll drive him insane.”

“I’m sure one day she will, and when that happens the agency will match her to the right person. Look what a good job they did with us.” She sat back and pushed his boat back toward him, done with the business part of the bath. “Your arrival day is coming up,” she reminded him.

“I know.”

“You’re not sad we’re gonna be on vacation, are you?”

“No. Mom said we’ll have a party when we get back.” It wasn’t a big deal to him. He still didn’t like being the center of attention, and he was never more at the center than on his arrival day anniversary. Becky, however, loved his arrival day, and Jamie went along with it because he wanted to celebrate her. After all, it was almost as big a day for her as for him.

“Any idea what you want,” Amanda asked him already knowing the answer.

“Not really.” He was the hardest little to shop for. She could always get him clothes, but what fun was that for him?

She sighed and shook her head. “You never just make it easy.” She’d even gotten a toy catalogue and left is casually in the living room hoping he’d find something he liked and show it to her.

“Ready to get out?”

“Uh-huh.” He pulled the drain, and she pulled the towel off the bar. After she’d combed his hair and carried him back to his nursery, she set him on the rug and went to go let Kazoo in, who she could hear scratching at the door. Becky had not been best pleased the first time she’d had to replace a screen he tore up. Jamie never really knew how he picked that name. It’s just what came to mind when he was asked what his new puppy’s name was, and Kazoo was alternately Kaz, Kazzy, Kazoozy, or Kazoozle depending on the mood. He answered to all of them, or at least looked up. He wasn’t the most obedient dog, but he was a sweetheart and a goof.

The novelty of a puppy and the adorability of watching Jamie and his dog play wore off pretty quick for Becky as she remembered why she hadn’t gotten Manda a dog growing up, but she never regretted getting him. She learned the hard way not to swat Kazoo’s butt when he misbehaved. The dog hardly flinched, but Jamie had a meltdown. A bawling Jamie scooped up his puppy. A very regretful Becky scooped up her little. And a freaked out Amanda dashed into the living room to find out why everyone was crying, only slightly less confused than the dog. No dog was ever cared for more gently since.

Jamie’s ears perked up when he heard claws skittering across a hardwood floor trying to find purchase, and wagging dog burst into the room and began to smell the now clean Jamie all over, and Jamie batted him away to start a wrestling match. Kaz did his play bow, and Jamie did his in turn, and Kaz couldn’t hold back his excitement and jumped on Jamie. Kaz was a very small dog, and Jamie let him win, laying back so Kaz could give Jamie kisses.

Amanda walked in to see the naked dog and the naked Jamie Bear on the floor, wishing she had gotten Jamie dressed first and wondering how much of his bath the dog had undone.

“Alright, Jamie,” Amanda said. “Time to get you dressed.” He sighed and set Kaz on the floor.

“Can we go to the d-o-g p-a-r-k later,” he asked. Amanda and Becky considered it a milestone when he stopped calling them bears and a bigger milestone when he agreed to go to the dog park, though he would only go to the side of the park where no big dogs were allowed. Jamie could be around a big dog without getting scared now, but not around five or six or a dozen of them, and what he considered “big” they considered “medium.”

“Maybe after your afternoon nap.” She lifted him on to the changing table and took a bottle of water from her pocket. “Drink up, buddy.” Amanda got a nighttime diaper and two stuffers from under the table. Jamie knew he’d be waddling around all day. Sometimes, especially when he was that thickly diapered and going upstairs, it was easier to crawl, especially as the diaper approached it’s capacity. He dutifully began to drink his bottle.

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Love the parts. Especially how Jamie has to spell out he wants to go to the d-o-g-p-a-r-k so Kazoo doesnt get over excited. Normally I hate the introduction of animals but this one seems great. 

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4 hours ago, Little Andrea said:

Kazoo!!! I love that Jamie has had his own doggie, his relationship with Kazoo reminds me so much of the relationship I had with my own dog.

Yups dogs are awesomes*nodsnodsnods* :)

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Poor Jamie, having to spend time in the corner. I bet Manda has her own memories of being in that corner. Now that I mentioned it, I wonder how old she was the last time her mom put her in that corner? Some of those times in the first story where Manda had to defend Jamie and, in my point of view, went a bit overboard and rude (two wrongs don't make a right sort of thing), She should've spent some time in the corner after Jamie took a nap or was in the other room.

 

I am so happy to see Jamie, Manda and Becky again. The dog is awesome. At least now he has a dog to blame his stinky diaper on lol. Well, he could blame Manda too, that would be funny.

*act 1, written by Guilend*

Jamie and Manda are playing with Jamie's blocks. Jamie is in his playpen and Manda is on her knees right outside the playpen, reaching in to move the blocks around or hand them to Jamie. Becky walks in and smiles at her kids. She walks closer and can smell right away that Jamie has a messy diaper that needs changing.

"Jamie, lets go get that butt of yours cleaned up and then you can get back to playing." Becky informs Jamie in a sweet motherly tone.

Jamie replies, not wanting to stop playing, "Mom, it's not me."

"Oh, Then who do you think pooped themselves in this house?" Becky questions Jamie. She was trying to not grin because Jamie was being so cute.

"Manda did it, I am sure of it, you should go change her diaper before she gets a rash. I will try to finish this house without her help, I know it will be hard, but I can manage." Jamie says without looking up so he doesn't give away the big smile on his face and trying really hard not to start laughing.

"I did not you little turd!" exclaims Manda, trying hard to defend herself and trying to look upset at the accusation against her.

"So you admit that you are wearing a diaper then?" Jamie raises his eyebrow at her and a bit of a grin creeping on his face.

Before Manda could get a word out Becky pulls the back of her pants back, along with her panties and peered down them and making a big show of it.

"Nope, no poopies here, her diaper is all clean, but might be a bit wet. Her diaper can wait to get changed though." Becky says with a straight face, or as straight as she can get it.

"I am not wearing a diaper MOM, don't be egging Jamie on." Manda says as she stands up and pulls her pants down to show off her panties.

Jamie and Becky are now both laughing hard because Manda now looks like a little girl showing off her panties to prove she's a big girl now.

THE END

Sorry, no idea where that came from, but It popped in my head and i just had to share it with you all. I just enjoy how their family is so loving, playful and usually gets along so well. I am just as sad as Jamie to see Amanda moving out.

Maybe Amanda will meat a nice guy or girl. Maybe that guy/girl might have a diaper fetish, maybe they'd get Amanda to wear diapers. I do wonder if they ever brought up Amazon's having diaper fetishes in her college courses, even just a little side note to get those going into jobs dealing with littles so they can be aware of it. I can see her telling her mom about it and Becky be like, Manda, are you trying to tell me something? lol

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In Volume 1, there were a couple chapters that left people wondering if I'm a social worker or therapist. So let me head off the question now and say no, I'm not a lawyer, but  I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

_____________________________________

 

Chapter 6

 

Stacy did her best to calm herself down. She was failing. She re-read the notes from her conversation with the attorney she’d contacted, and she found them less reassuring each time. When she adopted Ella, Stacy never foresaw something like this happening, and neither had the Department of Little Services or, apparently, the law. The lawyer offered a lot of speculation and refused, as good lawyers do, to offer anything definitive. Stacy was a smart, successful person, and even she struggled to follow the legal logic the lawyer had laid out.

A next of kin from the other dimension had the right to demand back family abducted into the dimension, and Itali courts were a favorite venue for pressing such claims as the government prided itself on doing everything it could to stop little trafficking. The little was automatically returned to their family if they won the claim. The claims were nearly always successful but rarely enforceable as the little in question was rarely in Itali, and in fact, if they were and the authorities knew, the little would be taken into protective custody and the big arrested, no civil claim necessary, and the little returned to where they came from. Ella had certainly been abducted into the dimension.

But she had also subsequently been legally brought into Itali and legally adopted. Not “legally” in the Aidu or Ros sense, but legally under Itali law and with the express approval of the regulators and the judge who had been tasked with figuring out what to do with this rescued little girl, a topic the law purposefully left vague to enable each case to be dealt with flexibly, fitting the specific circumstances. The lawyer was fairly certain the facial legality of that adoption and Ella’s consent to it would trump the circumstances of her arrival in the dimension, but at the time of her adoption there had been considerable discussion as to whether Ella, after all she had been through and still in the process of her recovery, could consent to being adopted, or whether she was effectively so coerced by her situation that she could not legally consent.

Then there was the treaty law between Itali and Ella’s home country and the laws of that country, which naturally tilted toward the littles. The lawyer had to ask colleagues to help him interpret those laws, but there was consensus that as Ella had been abducted after the age of majority where she came from and had consented to her adoption by Stacy, there was no claim her family could make on her behalf there without first getting a judge to retroactively rule Ella incompetent at the time of her adoption. Which brought the matter back around to consent and whether a rescued little after eight years and still in recovery was able to consent free from coercion.

The lawyer thought it a good chance a judge in Ella’s home country would rule her incompetent at the time of her adoption but that such a ruling in itself would make little difference in an Itali court, which is what ultimately mattered as that’s where Ella physically was. A ruling of incompetence in Ella’s home country would make things more challenging for Stacy in Itali, but the official scrutiny the adoption originally received would act as a kind of shield, though an imperfect one.

Stacy would need the government, in the form of the Department of Little Services, to side with her to sustain the original ruling of informed consent. If a court in Ella’s home country retroactively declared her incompetent at the time of her adoption, it could put pressure on the government to side against Stacy in an effort to maintain good governmental relations in order to avoid that country shutting down adoptions in retaliation. If the government changed its mind and decided it had erred in declaring Ella had been competent to give consent, Stacy would be on her own in convincing a judge Ella had legally consented, a much harder task with the government of Ella’s home country and the government of Itali arguing otherwise. If the Department of Little Services reversed itself, it was likely game over for Stacy.

If Ella was incompetent at the time of the adoption, then the adoption never took place and Ella was still, legally speaking, abducted, and she’d be returned to her original family in accordance with the letter of the law. That ruling of incompetence would most likely presume Ella had remained incompetent to the present day as she had not, as an adopted little, exercised legal autonomy in all the years since. If Ella wanted to stay in Itali, she’d need someone to press a claim that she was now competent, which she couldn’t do on her own having been ruled incompetent, and could choose to be adopted now, but absent a stay from a judge, Ella could be taken back to her home country immediately, where the laws would tilt back in favor of her original family.

And it wasn’t clear who could press a claim of restored competence on her behalf. It wouldn’t be Stacy, who would have no legal standing to do so. And even if successful in such a claim in an Itali court, Itali would not be able to enforce the ruling. Ella would need to be declared competent in a court of her home country, which the lawyer doubted would happen as the court would date her rescue not from when she’d been brought to Itali but when she was brought back from the dimension, too recent to be regarded as sufficiently healed mentally or emotionally from what the court would consider her recent abduction to declare her competent to put herself up for adoption. And no adoption agency would likely even touch her case for fear of angering the regulators and court officers they had to work with every day in order to adopt out willing littles.

If Ella was ruled incompetent at the time Stacy adopted her, Stacy would likely never see her again.

Yet none of this had happened yet. It might not happen at all, and the uncertainty was chewing at Stacy. She had no way of knowing what Ella’s kin might do, and when she asked if she could get a judge to issue a ruling proactively, the lawyer told her that under Itali law, courts could only issue rulings after a suit had been brought. Otherwise, there was no plaintiff, no defendant, no suit to resolve, and therefore nothing to issue a ruling on. Stacy understood why courts were barred from issuing rulings on theoretical suits, but she doubted the people who made that principle a part of Itali’s constitution ever envisioned something like this.

Stacy kept telling herself not to panic, not to let her mind wander to the worst possible scenario, but she couldn’t help it. She watched Ella sleep some nights and wept quietly at her cribside. She feared losing her. She feared the trauma that would be inflicted on Ella if it went to court even if she won. She feared the trauma just the news of her family knowing would cause.

Stacy tried to imagine it, what it would be like to be abducted, tortured, make peace with what amounted to her own death and rebirth, and then to have that rebirth undone not by strangers or people she hated but by people she loved, people she had grieved and given up and now, like her, had come back from beyond. Stacy couldn’t conceive of it. She couldn’t fathom what it would do to Ella, but words like “devastate” and “destroy” and “ruin” came to mind, words for civilizations wiped off maps, worlds pulled down. That’s what she imagined it would be like for Ella.

And Ella would be a legal bystander to whatever happened. Not being regressed, she’d be able to testify, and a judge would have to at least consider what she wanted. But Ella was an adopted little with limited rights. She could no more declare herself competent than a child could declare herself emancipated. What Ella wanted would not be legally binding. It was only one factor among many, and legally speaking, not the most important factor. A worse thought begun creeping into Stacy’s mind. What would Ella want?

Amidst all of this, Ben had become less responsive to Stacy’s calls and emails, though he hadn’t stopped talking to her entirely. Her lawyer told her the Department was probably figuring out what it could, should, and would do legally in these different scenarios, and definitely thinking about the liability their employee’s mistake in revealing Ella’s existence had exposed them to. Ben had probably been told to say as little as he could and to do nothing at all. Stacy had only the Department psychologist to rely on – the Deparment at least hadn’t taken her away – and she was of the opinion it was time to tell Ella.

Stacy wasn’t ready for that. She wanted to wait until there was news, something to tell Ella that was at least somewhat concrete. But the lawyer told her that news may come suddenly and could be the start of a crisis when it did. Better to tell Ella now before anything more happened and while Stacy was still in relative control of the situation.

A thought occurred to Stacy as she watched Ella sleep. If she couldn’t get a court to issue a ruling proactively, maybe she could try to head off the court system altogether. Maybe instead of waiting to see what Ella’s parents did, she could contact them and try to sway their decision.

 

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What a conundrum... Ella's alleged family may not be her Biological Family or is under coercion from her original abductor(s). Jamie is worried about Amanda moving out but trying to be brave, how many twists will be uncovered? Tune in next time to find out....

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4 hours ago, Jayme said:

Ella's alleged family may not be her Biological Family or is under coercion from her original abductor(s)

Not quite. Her biological family is her family, and she may be coerced by the trauma of her abduction.

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Chapter 7

 

“On my way,” Jane texted Becky as she got up from the spot she’d saved for them on the pool deck. Since it was a private swim club, Jane had to go meet Becky at the gate for them to come in. She was confident she could leave Rosie with their things for a few minutes alone. It wasn’t like she ever got up to any mischief anyway.

“They’re with me,” Jane said as she approached the gate office. Becky handed over two bills to cover their admission. “I like that hat,” Jane told Becky. It was new for the summer, a wide and floppy sun hat.

“Thank you. I just got it.” On her back she wore a backpack filled with their pool things, and on her hip she wore Jamie. “Ahem,” she said.

“Thank you for inviting us,” Jamie said.

“Thank you for coming. We’re right over here.” Jane led them past bathers and sun fiends spread all over the pool deck. It was the biggest pool Jamie had ever been to, and not just because it was a pool for bigs. There were actually four pools, two large ones and and tow small ones, the latter two set aside, one each, for babies and littles. The pool deck itself was just concrete, and pavilions offered some shade but not much room as so many people tried to crowd under. Plenty of other people, though, were on the deck, laid out on chaise lounges or on their towels over the warm concrete itself, face up or face down, soaking up sunlight.

Jamie sniffed. “What’s that smell?”

“Minerals from the pool water. It’s spring fed. It’s very good for your skin.”

“Oh.” Jamie was ready to get in the water. Being pressed up against Becky was making him sweaty. When they got to the chairs Jane had set aside for them, they found Rosie had wandered a few meters away to sit in a puddle of pool water where the deck dipped slightly. Becky put Jamie on his feet, and he took off his sandals and shirt and wandered over to where Rosie was while Becky laid out their towels.

“Hi, Rosie,” he said as he sat down in the puddle with her. He was still in a regular diaper, but that didn’t matter. He wouldn’t be wearing it much longer.

“Hey, Jamie.”

“I like your swimsuit.” It was a modest two-piece in purple with pink piping. “You just sitting here?”

“Heh. I like it. The sun makes it warm.”

“Baby Bear,” Becky called out. “Let’s get you ready.”

“Excuse me,” Jamie said as he got out of the puddle and waddled back to Becky in his very saggy diaper.

“Hey! You’re taking my puddle with you!” An exaggeration, but he took a lot of it.

“Oh, um, sorry?” She stuck her tongue out at him. Jamie didn’t reciprocate because he knew he deserved her rebuke. She followed him over.

“Oh jeez,” Becky said as she watched him walk, “Please tell me you sat in something.”

“Yeah,” Rosie said, “My puddle!” Jane tried not to laugh at her pouty face.

“It’s okay, Rosie. We’ll just get make you another one,” Jane promised her That contented her, though she knew it would take a while for it to warm up again. Jamie pulled himself onto his chair, the tapes of his diaper unable to hold anymore, and it took his swimsuit down with it, showing his pale butt to a few dozen people, not that a little’s bare butt was a rare sight on this side of the pool deck.

“Jamie, you are such a silly sometimes,” Becky said as she sighed and got sunscreen and a swim diaper from the bag. He laid back, and she pulled his swimsuit the rest of the way off along with the saturated diaper. “You want these back on or your speedo ones?” Jamie found he didn’t swim so well as he liked with a swim diaper on unless he had a speedo on to keep it snug. He’d never have worn a speedo before coming to Itali, but then there were a lot of things he wouldn’t have worn before.

“Speedo.” He pulled his hat over his eyes to block the sun and lifted his hips when Becky threaded the swim diaper and then his suit up his legs. They were pretty practiced at it. She rubbed him down with sunscreen, and he stretched his arms up high and wide.

“You’re not sleepy, are you,” Becky asked.

“The water will wake him up.”

“Can we go play,” Jamie asked. Jane had managed to score them a spot near the littles’ pool so they could keep an eye on them. Jane had been a lifeguard and a babysitter in her youth, and she knew they were two distinct jobs.

“In that pool,” Jane said. “You have to come back for Rosie to get her waterwings on if you want to go in the big pool.”

“Okay,” Jamie said. Rosie took his hand as he hopped off the chair and started walking toward the pool.

“Does he know,” Jane asked when they were out of earshot.

“That Amanda is out looking at apartments? No.”

“Hmm,” Jane grunted. “What’s she looking for?”

“Something closer to school with two bedrooms. We’re both a little surprised by how expensive everything is.”

“Can she afford it with her assistantship?”

“Well, I’m paying half, for Jamie. A roommate wouldn’t hurt. Mel and her have discussed it.”

“Jamie would certainly like that.”

“Yeah, he would probably. Amanda wants to try living alone for a while though, just a rite of passage I guess. Or alone with Jamie, that is.”

“You figure out how you’re gonna split time with him?” Becky winced.

“Not yet. Ya know, I’m really trying to be strong for them, but I’m … ugh,” Becky sighed. “It’s hard for me, too.”

         “I know,” Jane said sympathetically. “We’ll get you through it.”

         “Anyway,” Becky said as she shook her head, “We’re gonna try to make it fun for Jamie. After we get it narrowed down to a few places, we’re gonna let him help decide, and then he can pick out everything for his room there. We’re hoping participating will help him get through it.”

         “I wish there was something I could do for you. I mean, I’ll help with it all, but, well, you know what I mean.”

         “Could you tell Amanda she’s not allowed to grow up anymore?”

         “I can try,” Jane said as she reached over to give her friend’s shoulder a squeeze. “When is she hoping to move?”

         “Three weeks or so before school starts so we can get him situated.”

         “What are they up to, anyway?” Jane was having a hard time keeping track of them in the littles’ pool, which was pretty full.

         “If we get them out now, we can get lunch at the snack bar before it gets busy,” Becky suggested.

         “Let’s give them a few more minutes. How’s everything else going for you?”

         “Okay. We’ll have Ella a few days a week when we get back from our trip. Jamie’s misses her a bunch. I guess Stacy’s been busy because we haven’t been able to get them together for a play date lately.”

         “Those two love birds are so adorable. I was afraid at first that Rosie would be jealous of her, but they seem to get along fine when all three of them are together.”

         “Ella’s pretty good with regressed littles. I mean, I know Rosie is only a little regressed, but still.”

         Jane frowned in the direction of the pool, where a few pre-teen bigs were splashing and making a ruckus. “I wish the lifeguard would chase those boys out of there. They’re a little rambunctious to be around the littles.”

         “Guess Jamie agrees,” Becky said as she stood up intervene as she watched Jamie start to shout.

         “… where you’re stomping,” Becky heard Jamie shout as she got closer with Jane on her heels. The boys’ backs were to her, and they were apparently unconcerned with the lifeguard and the other adults around.

         “Or what,” the oldest boy shot back.

         “Or I’ll march you over to your parents,” Becky said as the boys startled and turned around. “You have two big pools to play in, and you’re being too wild around these littles, and you ought to know better than to ever threaten one, even if you didn’t mean it!” The boys filed off with a chorus of “ums” and “sorries.”

         Becky wasn’t done as she turned on the teenage lifeguard. “You think maybe next time you can do that? It is your job, ya know.”

         “Sorry,” the girl said sheepishly. “I’m new at this.”

         “I know it’s hard at first,” Jane reassured her, “but you are older than them, and you are in charge. Don’t be afraid of them.” She remembered being 16, intimidated by rambunctious kids, and unsure of her authority. Jamie helped Rosie over the side of the pool.

         “They almost knocked down Rosie,” he said as Becky gave him a hand.

         “You okay,” Jane asked.

         “Yeah,” Rosie squeaked. “But I am hungry. Can we have ice cream for lunch?”

         “Maybe for a snack this afternoon,” Jane told her. “Let’s get you two dried off.” They each wrapped their little in a towel and carried them to a table near the snackbar. “Cheeseburgers for everyone,” Jane asked.

         “Perfect,” Becky said. Jane went to go order. “Don’t chew on your towel, baby,” Becky gently admonished Jamie as she pulled the corner of it away. It was a bad habit of his.

         “Sorry. Can I go swim in the big pool after lunch?”

         “Yeah, but I think one of us will need to go with you.”

         After lunch, Rosie opted to go play in her puddle while Becky took Jamie over to one of the big pools. One seemed to be occupied by mostly older adults lazily doing laps, while the other was full of kids splashing around. Jamie chose the one with the older people. Becky sat down on the edge while Jamie got in and started doing laps of his own.

         She was checking her phone to see the pictures Amanda had sent when the lifeguard blew his whistle. Becky knew it couldn’t be Jamie causing a problem, so she didn’t even look up.

         “Excuse me,” someone said to her.

         “Huh,” Becky said as she turned over her shoulder to the woman behind her.

         “Is that your little,” the woman asked. Becky turned back and saw a lifeguard lifting Jamie out of the pool by his hands on the other side. Becky knew what the problem was immediately. She stood up and started walking over. She felt a headache coming on.

         “He can swim,” she barked at the guard as he set Jamie down.

         “Is he yours,” the guard asked. He looked to be about twenty.

         “Yes, and he can swim, so don’t bother him unless he’s drowning.”

         “Sorry. No littles allowed in the big pools without a flotation device.”

         Becky sighed in frustration. “Well, he can float, too,” she answered back sarcastically.

         “Sorry,” he apologized again. “It’s club policy.”

“He’s my little, and if I say he can swim, then he can fff…” Becky stopped herself, closed her eyes and exhaled. Jamie had yet to say anything and was embarrassed to be the focus of a few eyes turning their way. Becky swallowed down her feelings.

         “Fine,” Becky snapped, “Whatever.” She picked Jamie up and started walking away.

         “It’s okay, Mom. It’s not that big a deal,” he said to her, though he was irritated. They had to argue a lot with the manager at the pool they usually went to get them to let him swim without waterwings. Becky vowed that summer to get them to stop making him get out during adult swim sessions. If all the adults did was laps, why couldn’t he do laps? It’s not like he got in anyone’s way or even took up much space.

         “I’m sorry, Baby Bear.” They got back to their spot, and she sat down on her chair with Jamie laying against her. Jane looked at the two of them wondering what had happened, and Jamie looked back at her and shrugged, not knowing what had made Becky get so uncharacteristically angry with the guard or why she seemed upset now.

         “It’s really okay, Mommy. I can swim tomorrow at our pool.”

         “I don’t like how that guard made you get out,” Becky said. Jamie thought he heard her voice break ever so slightly. “I just want you to have the perfect summer.”

         “We will,” he told her. “Besides,” he lied, “I’m kinda tired. Can I just stay with you?” He knew she’d feel better if she just held him for a while. After all, it always made him feel better.

         “Yes,” she answered. She stroked his hair and readjusted him so they were both more comfortable. “Or we can go right now, and you can swim at the beach or our pool. Whatever you want.”

         “I wanna stay right here.” He gave her a kiss. Jamie had learned it made Becky feel especially warm inside when he tried to take care of her. Small things, like bringing her a snack (with Manda’s help; he remembered not to get on the counter), or tucking a blanket around her toes. He turned to Jane. “I think my mommy needs a nap.”

         “You think so,” Jane played along.

         “Mhmm. And so do I.”

         “Don’t let me stop the two of you,” Jane said. She winked as she said it. Becky thought the wink was for her. Jamie thought it was for him.

         “If you insist, Baby Bear,” she chuckled. Becky sat up and adjusted the chair to recline further.

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  • Alex Bridges changed the title to Done Adulting, Vol. 2 (Final chapter posted 12/21/20)

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