Permanently Pacified (Prologue and Chapter One) ... tbc

[dlsafrica]

Permanently Pacified - Prologue

Clunk. The spade hit something wooden. There was a buzz of excitement throughout the  archaeological dig team. The members started moving around in what seemed like the synchronised chaos of an uncovered ant hill. The sun overhead smiled down. A light breeze tugged at the shirt sleeves as members of the team got on hands and knees and started brushing away leaves and tiny rocks.

The team stared into the abyss which was the coffin. A full skeleton, partly clothed. Maggots and worms had long since taken care of the flesh that once clung to the bones. It was hard to imagine the bones had ever been part of a living and breathing being. As the team looked into the coffin, one of them peered closer into the darkness. “There’s something here… something other than just bones.”

The year was 2080. While a lot of science had gone extremely far in technology, buried bones didn’t care. They were still fragile and needed to be treated carefully; sometimes caressed by the gentle back and forth motion of a paintless brush to reveal the smallest clue.

The team had uncovered a shallow grave, complete with a couple of artefacts. They gently lifted the artefacts out of the coffin… and looked at each other in amazement. Personal treasures? Someone’s idea of a joke? Perhaps prior grave robbers?

They bagged the pacifier and the white, though clearly antiquated, diaper. They also recovered a memo book, although it seemed torn just by looking at the cover. Maybe the contents would uncover a gem. The bones? Yes. A forensic anthropologist could possibly unveil identity. Maybe the three artefacts  would tell the life story… and maybe explain why the body was found with those artefacts.

 

Permanently Pacified – Mommy’s Rules - The Perfect Mommy Monologue (chapter one)

2019. Julia’s heart went out in understanding. She had come home to find Robyn sleeping with a pacifier in his mouth. Silently, she stepped back out of the room and went to look for what she could call evidence.

She stepped into the bathroom and looked around for the slightest excuse. She didn’t have to look far. On a shelf there stood a container of baby powder and a tub of Vaseline. She quietly stepped out of the house.

Julia returned home, turning the key in the door sllently. Robyn was still sleeping, but he looked a lot more helpless. Julia thought maybe it was just her imagination, but rationalised that maybe… just maybe, her frame of reference had influenced it. She sat on a chair near the bed and waited for Robyn to wake up.

Robyn woke to a smiling Julia… a beam that extended only from one cheek to the other, but yet a beam which shone a ray of hope, love and acceptance. Robyn liked that about Julia in general, but this time felt different somehow. It was like silent words pierced the temporary silence, one which didn’t feel awkward at all.

Robyn put his hand to his mouth to take the pacifier out. He still didn’t know exactly how Julia felt about him using a pacifier. After all, many years before his ex had found a diaper under his pillow and… well, although that started okay, it didn’t end with the greatest acceptance.

Julia motioned forward. “No”, she said warmly, giving a reassuring smile. She gently touched the pacifier to make sure Robyn got the message that it was in the right position. Still, Robyn felt a little awkward. He felt himself flush a little, but then the reassuring tone that Julia had used took precedence.

“Only three things belong in a little baby’s mouth.”  Robyn felt at pains to explain that he wasn’t a baby, but it was useless. Julia ignored the wringing hands as the act of a helpless baby. She continued. “A pacifier, a bottle, and mommy’s breast.” Robyn wondered what was going on, but the fact was that Julia was at the beginning of the top contender for best mommy monologue of all time.

“Mommy came home and saw you all pacified and radiant, and mommy thought to herself. Mommy went looking for signs, and mommy found the evidence she was looking for.” In truth, Julia had been so desperate to do this that she would have used any excuse in the book… and some that weren’t in it.

“Now, Robyn. Mommy is going to change your life.” She paused and looked up thoughtfully for just a second, realising that sometimes she used words that were accidental, but absolutely perfect for the situation. Robyn was getting a little confused and frustrated at the use of the word mommy and began to show it. Julia continued. “That’s such a good baby boy. But don’t worry. All your protestations are just how a little baby acts.

Robyn had had enough. He managed to spit the pacifier out of his mouth onto the floor and proceeded to roll over to get into a standing position. “I am not a baby.”  Julia took action, gently pushing him down.

Julia picked up the pacifier and put it back in his mouth. This struggle was only going to end with one of the two people involved, tired, so Robyn gave up the fight. Julia was a little more stern this time. “Mommy went into the bathroom while you were sleeping, and mommy found baby powder.” Robyn felt the need to explain that that was for when feet got sweaty, but Julia just continued. “Mommy was in the bathroom and mommy saw Vaseline jelly, which is used to make sure that little babies have their skin protected when they wet themselves.” She pulled something out of the shopping bag she had brought home.

“Lie down.” Robyn realised that the packet contained diapers and began to protest silently… A grimace. A frown. Turning his head away. Julia took hold of his little baby hand. “Listen to mommy. All the evidence is in.” Robyn realised that Julia thought she was right. She had convicted him and been judge and jury. Now she was trying to proceed to executioner. But what was she trying to execute?

Julia continued. “Pacifiers are used to make baby feel comfortable.” She got practical. “But you know. Adult babies have this mistaken concept that babies can talk. She pushed lightly against the pacifier to make sure that Robyn got the point. “Little babies can’t talk.” She thought for a moment of what happened earlier. “And while we’re at it, don’t spit the pacifier out. That is only going to make mommy cross. Little babies don’t have the strength in their tongues to do that.”

Julia was in her stride, and Robyn was started to feel helpless. “Mommy noticed that Robyn tried to stand up just now… that Robyn tried to swing his legs off the bed. Let me tell you something. Little babies don’t have fine motor control. Mommy’s going to have to find a way to teach you that too.” She paused, looking down and reaching into her bag.

“In fact, little babies don’t have control.” As if on cue, dribble streaked down Robyn’s cheek and he awkwardly tried to brush it away. Julia saw that and motioned to his hand. “No fine motor control, she said definitively, avoiding eye contact. She looked at him square in the eyes this time. “No control over dribbling.” She took the opportunity to elaborate. “I mean, what’s more definitive of someone being a baby that dribbling? Yet society seems to take it as an unfortunate occurrence.”

Robyn’s mind made him want to answer, but there were two issues… his favourite quote… and the pacifier in his mouth. “Your mind is not your friend. It would rather be right than you be alive.” He loved Ian Xel Lungold’s work. He chose to remain motionless.

“What a good little baby boy,” Julia continued. “Do you know what else little babies can’t control? Their bowel movements. That’s what diapers are for.” The next few minutes seemed to take forever, but at the same time seemed over in an instant. Julia pulled out a diaper and motioned for Robyn to lie down, pushing gently against his chest. Powder. Vaseline. Diaper. The process seemed effortless.

“Let Mommy look at you.” Julia helped Robyn into a sitting position.  What lay before her was a dream… one she had had for a number of years… but which had somehow remained dormant.

“Happy birth day.”

Robyn realised it was actually his birthday. The moments had just happened and he had forgotten. He took the pacifier out of his mouth, ready to protest. Julia was ready for that. “Don’t you remember what Mommy said? No fine motor control. And that little babies don’t know how to talk. They can’t form words. Now stop it.”

She continued. “Happy birth day, Robyn. You are in a very fortunate position. Most babies need to learn language before they can understand. Mommy, on the other hand, is the luckiest mommy in the world. Mommy gets to talk to Robyn and tell him exactly what is happening to his little baby body. Mommy won’t hold back on baby talk either though. Mommy is such a lucky mommy. Today Mommy got her brand new born little baby. And Mommy will diaper you and look after you until you are… let’s see… age of majority is 18… in some cases 21. Mommy will love you like a little baby until then. You will be in diapers until… let’s see.” She pulled a pencil and paper off the table, although she could have done the math in her head. “2019 plus 18… 2037… or 2040. Mommy will decide. You can have all the major life milestone achievements. Mommy won’t neglect those.” The monologue continued for a while, but Robyn drifted to sleep.

[Benjy]

Nice story, well written. Hope it continues

 

[thedman]

Nice story, one spelling mistake though "artifact"

[Eagle0769]

Hope you are going to explain who Mommy is to Robyn and Robyn is to Mommy?

 

[dlsafrica]

(continued)

A Lifetime Of Firsts and the Points System

Robyn woke up to a chart which had been drawn up. Two charts in fact. Charts which would form the basis for his behaviour. One chart said Firsts, and the other was a grid. Julia was eager to explain, but realised she had to care for her little baby boy first and foremost, having just told a 45 year old that his life was beginning anew… that it was her job to look after and raise him to be the angel she knew somewhere deep down inside that he could be.

Having just woken up, Robyn had forgotten that he was diapered. He felt a need to go to the toilet and started to swing his legs into a sitting up position, preparing to stand. Right on cue, Julia was there. “What did Mommy tell you? You don’t have fine motor control to do that. Does Mommy have to punish you for the first time?”

Robyn removed his pacifier. ‘But I need to go to…’  Julia sprung into action. Robyn’s mouth was closed by two fingers that held his lips shut. Julia reminded him that he is a little baby and can’t talk – that Mommy gets to make all his decisions for him. She put the pacifier back in his mouth.

‘Do you mean you need to go the toilet?’   Robyn nodded, a little scared of doing anything else. Gosh, this was a weird birthday. Julia continued. Pointing to his diaper she said “That’s your toilet, Robyn. Just think of how much independence you can have. You want to be a big boy and have independence, don’t you?”     Robyn nodded.  Julia continued. “Just think. You don’t have to be dictated to by toilets. You can pee or poo yourself wherever and whenever you want. That’s freedom of movement and freedom of expression. You want that, don’t know?”    Robyn nodded, but avoided asking (or trying to ask)  Julia if she wanted independence from the same thing. Somehow, that didn’t seem his place.

‘Do you want to make Mommy happy?’   Another nod.  ‘Wet your diaper for Mommy. Please.’ The word hung in open air on the raised tone it ended. It sounded like a question. Robyn wondered if the diaper would hold whatever he released into it. The minutes passed slowly. Julia asking… begging almost… for Robyn to use his diaper for its intended purpose; Robyn wondering if he could bring himself to… although he realised after a few minutes that Julia had said to him that he would be diapered for at least 18 years. For the first time, he tried to ponder the concept of being diapered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 366 days a leap year until 2037. That would be five extra days that Julia would get out of fulfilling her dream (at least it seemed like that to him). Five extra days of potential humiliation. He shuddered for a moment, realising that there were probably going to be hard times when that would be the outcome. Five extra days of… he paused. Julia did say “or 21. Mommy will decide”. That would mean six extra days. And what would happen after that? Would he be allowed to slip permanently in big boy pants? He didn’t have to worry about it. Not now. He had at least 18 years of adventure. 18 years of freedom. 18 years of power struggle.

Julia produced a chart, seemingly out of nowhere. A grid chart. Rows labelled with baby’s first achievements, and many columns indicating how many times that achievement had been accomplished.

The Memo Book – The Biggest Clue

2080.

Alfred was the lead document examiner on the archaeological dig team. Seated at his makeshift office under the shade of a tree a few meters from the buzz at the dig site, he adjusted his glasses and squinted at a photo that was situated in the memo. The question was… whose bones were these? Yes, he could enlist the services of a forensic anthropologist, but this was not officially a crime site… and this was his dig.

He pulled a magnifying glass out of his bag. ‘What are you?’ he said, his words lost to the annuls of time. The picture looked like a grid of some sort. 

(TO BE CONTINUED)

[kasarberang]

Looking forward to more! Enjoying it so far.

[Nia]

This is sooo good. Thanks for all the writing

[dlsafrica]

 

The Perfect Mommy Monologue – Unedited

Julia motioned forward. “No. Only three things belong in a little baby’s mouth… a pacifier, a bottle, and mommy’s breast. Mommy came home and saw you all pacified and radiant, and mommy thought to herself. Mommy went looking for signs, and mommy found the evidence she was looking for. Now, Robyn. Mommy is going to change your life.” Robyn was getting a little confused and frustrated at the use of the word mommy and began to show it. Julia continued. “That’s such a good baby boy. But don’t worry. All your protestations are just how a little baby acts.

 “I am not a baby.” 

 “Mommy went into the bathroom while you were sleeping, and mommy found baby powder.” “Mommy was in the bathroom and mommy saw Vaseline jelly, which is used to make sure that little babies have their skin protected when they wet themselves. Lie down. Listen to mommy. All the evidence is in.”

“Pacifiers are used to make baby feel comfortable.” “But you know. Adult babies have this mistaken concept that babies can talk. In fact, Mommy was watching some adult baby videos online once, and Mommy thought… if that beautiful angel wants to be a little baby, a lesson needs to be taught. A rule needs to be in place. Little babies can’t talk. And while we’re at it, don’t spit the pacifier out. That is only going to make mommy cross. Little babies don’t have the strength in their tongues to do that.”

“Mommy noticed that Robyn tried to stand up just now… that Robyn tried to swing his legs off the bed. Let me tell you something. Little babies don’t have fine motor control. Mommy’s going to have to find a way to teach you that too.”

“In fact, little babies don’t have ANY control.” Dribble streaked down Robyn’s cheek and he awkwardly tried to brush it away. “Ah.. No fine motor control. No control over dribbling.” “I mean, what’s more definitive of someone being a baby that dribbling? Yet society seems to take it as an unfortunate occurrence.”

 “What a good little baby boy,” Julia continued. “Do you know what else little babies can’t control? Their bowel movements. That’s what diapers are for.”

“Let Mommy look at you.” “Happy birth day.”

Robyn realised it was actually his birthday. He took the pacifier out of his mouth, ready to protest. Julia was ready for that. “Don’t you remember what Mommy said? No fine motor control. And that little babies don’t know how to talk. They can’t form words. Now stop it.”

 “Happy birth day, Robyn. You are in a very fortunate position. Most babies need to learn language before they can understand. Mommy, on the other hand, is the luckiest mommy in the world. Mommy gets to talk to Robyn and tell him exactly what is happening to his little baby body. Mommy won’t hold back on baby talk either though. Mommy is such a lucky mommy. Today Mommy got her brand new born little baby. And Mommy will diaper you and look after you until you are… let’s see… age of majority is 18… in some cases 21. Mommy will love you like a little baby until then. You will be in diapers until… let’s see… 2019 plus 18…” – Julia pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil and wrote it down. It would have been easy to do the math in her head, but somehow it felt like putting it in written form made it somehow more… true? No… official.  “2037… or 2040. Mommy will decide. You can have all the major life milestone achievements. Mommy won’t neglect those.”

Mommy notices how, sometimes, when you lie next to Mommy at night, you… let’s find a word that even a baby understands… play with yourself. Mommy doesn’t say anything, but it does bother Mommy sometimes. But that’s one of the benefits for Mommy of her little baby being in diapers. He will find it really hard to play with himself. There are other benefits for Mommy too, and lots of benefits for you. Mommy will tell you all of those now (Julia thought of 1999’s Sunscreen song lyrics I WILL DISPENSE THAT ADVICE, NOW)  because, well… you don’t exactly have anywhere to go… do you?” No reply. “Nor does Mommy.”

“Mommy won’t have to go into the bathroom and find pee on the floor. Benefit for Mommy. Benefit for you – no more missing the toilet. Well, you might miss USING the toilet for it’s intended purpose… but it’s purpose is to serve adults. You on the other hand are Mommy’s little baby, and you have your very own toilet.”

“You want to be a big boy don’t you, Robyn? Big boys have freedom of choice, freedom of speech, freedom of expression and freedom of movement. Let’s look at each of those in a bit of detail. Where is freedom of choice and freedom of movement if you are dictated to by toilet bowls… mere inanimate objects? Mommy wants to give you that control. That freedom. The power to be able to stand in front of a toilet if you want to, and defy it by peeing in your diaper… or, the freedom to use your diaper wherever you want to. Other people might be surprised or alarmed, but Mommy will never be. Mommy will defend you like a bear.”

The doorbell rang. “Ah, that’ll be the delivery Mommy ordered. Just a minute.” Julia looked at Robyn squarely in the eyes. “Stay.”      Robyn heard voices and footsteps. Three guys walked into the room and put down large boxes. They just kept coming too. Robyn tried to remain silent and by doing so, try to hide away… quite successfully as it turned out.

When the last of the thirty large boxes was in the room, Julia said farewell to the gentlemen and came back into the room.  Her pacified little boy watched her unpack the boxes, each of which contained ten packs of diapers. Robyn looked at them, somewhat fearful. I mean, he rationalised, yes. This has always been a dream, but isn’t this a little excessive? Julia came in, absolutely beaming. She looked at Robyn and smiled. Then she went to work unpacking, musing to herself just loud enough for Robyn to hear. “Thirty boxes. Ten packs of diapers in a box. That’s three hundred packs of diapers. Ten diapers in a pack. Robyn, that’s 3000 diapers… just for you. But Mommy doesn’t like wasting money, so you will use each diaper until it is full.”

Another knock at the door. “Oh, just hold on. Mommy will be back now.” The door creaked open. More footsteps. Ten minutes later, an adult size crib was in the room. “Robyn, Mommy wants you to be an independent baby boy and have your own bed. That…” she pointed at the bed he was lying on, “… is Mommy’s bed.”

In a few short hours, Robyn’s life had changed. He now found himself separated from the bed which had been a wedding present for him and Julia. He found himself almost transported magically to the crib. The diapering process felt magical… magical, and safe. Safe… and  permanent… or, it seemed, semi permanent. Robyn drifted to sleep.

The Interim

Julia watched her little baby sleeping. She walked over to the desk and opened a drawer. Headphones and a playing device. She put the headphones on Robyn and pushed play on the diaper hypnosis files. “It won’t be long now, my beautiful baby boy.”

The Points System

 “What did Mommy tell you? You don’t have fine motor control to do that. Does Mommy have to punish you for the first time?”

Robyn removed his pacifier. ‘But I need to go to…’  Julia sprung into action. Robyn’s mouth was closed by two fingers that held his lips shut. Julia reminded him that he is a little baby and can’t talk – that Mommy gets to make all his decisions for him. She put the pacifier back in his mouth.

‘Do you mean you need to go the toilet?’   Robyn nodded, a little scared of doing anything else. Gosh, this was a weird birthday. Julia continued. Pointing to his diaper she said “That’s your toilet, Robyn. Just think of how much independence you can have. You want to be a big boy and have independence, don’t you?”     Robyn nodded.  Julia continued. “Just think. You don’t have to be dictated to by toilets. You can pee or poo yourself wherever and whenever you want. That’s freedom of movement and freedom of expression. You want that, don’t know?”    Robyn nodded, but avoided asking (or trying to ask)  Julia if she wanted independence from the same thing. Somehow, that didn’t seem his place.

‘Do you want to make Mommy happy?’   Another nod.  ‘Wet your diaper for Mommy. Please.’ The word hung in open air on the raised tone it ended. It sounded like a question. Robyn wondered if the diaper would hold whatever he released into it. The minutes passed slowly. Julia asking… begging almost… for Robyn to use his diaper for its intended purpose; Robyn wondering if he could bring himself to… although he realised after a few minutes that Julia had said to him that he would be diapered for at least 18 years. For the first time, he tried to ponder the concept of being diapered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 366 days a leap year until 2037. That would be five extra days that Julia would get out of fulfilling her dream (at least it seemed like that to him). Five extra days of potential humiliation. He shuddered for a moment, realising that there were probably going to be hard times when that would be the outcome. Five extra days of… he paused. Julia did say “or 21. Mommy will decide”. That would mean six extra days. And what would happen after that? Would he be allowed to slip permanently in big boy pants? He didn’t have to worry about it. Not now. He had at least 18 years of adventure. 18 years of freedom. 18 years of power struggle.

Julia produced a chart, seemingly out of nowhere. A grid chart. Rows labelled with baby’s first achievements, and many columns indicating how many times that achievement had been accomplished.

“When you wet yourself for the first time, you get a box checked off. For every ten boxes checked off on a column, you can get to do something grown-up. Now, Mommy is going to check this box…” (Julia went three columns down) “… because you’ve already dribbled. Now, Robyn, the better you are at being a baby for Mommy, the more privileges you get. Mommy is looking forward to seeing your diaper wet for the first time. But there’s a whole lot of columns and categories of behaviour on here, so there are plenty of opportunities to earn rewards by making Mommy happy.”

[Pierry Louys]

Oh my !!!! 

[dlsafrica]

Highlights – 2019 to 2020 (the adventures of year one)

Robyn had done it. A little unsure at first, and actually feeling cross with Julia, but he had wet his diaper. It seemed pretty full too. I mean, reasoned Julia. The poor chap hasn’t.. she paused her thought… hadn’t…  been to the bathroom in a while.

“Good boy.” She ended on a high happy tone. “You don’t know how happy you have made Mommy now… so I will show you.” Julia walked over to the chart which was by that time on the wall and put a check next to the Wet Diaper line. “You only get one of these a day though… UNLESS you go without being changed. Fortunately, Mommy decides when you need to be changed… when you are wet enough. So… if you want more reward sooner, you know what to do.”  Robyn looked at her helplessly, pacifier in mouth. He wished he could force himself to dribble, but alas… it seemed solely an involuntary action.

Julia had engaged herself in researching online how to be a better mommy… what kind of things she should do with her 45 year old newborn baby. 45? she thought. That seemed like a memory as she started to engage Robyn in things that would be fitting for a newborn.

She placed Robyn on the floor and indicated for him to lie on his back. His diaper made it a little more difficult than he would have thought, but it was accomplished. Julia picked up his feet and started moving them like he was cycling. “There’s a clever baby. We’ll get you crawling in no time.”

“Give Mommy Robyn’s hands.” Julia took his hands and made it sound like she was so excited.  Robyn’s arms were manipulated into a swinging motion.

“Peek a boo” – Julia dodged in and out of Robyn’s sight.

My gosh. She was enjoying herself. Her whole life she had wanted to do this kind of thing, and now she had, not only a willing and compliant, but also a hypnotised baby. Just for safety sake, she didn’t see any need to bring Robyn out of it. Each night, the taped recordings would play.

Julia got some soapy liquid and introduced Robyn to bubbles. “Robyn, EVERYONE, even grownups, like bubbles. You want to be a grownup don’t you?” She blew bubbles and made cooing noises as Robyn tried to follow them with his eyes and catch them.

Julia showed Robyn as she hid some things inside boxes and then asked “where’s the ball?”

Robyn started to crawl around the seventh month. Diaper changes became more difficult as he tried to assert authority over certain things, but Julia would just push him down.

Feeding times were sometimes messy. When Robyn didn’t have a bottle, it was sometimes being spoonfed special baby food of various flavours – the type one buys in a regular supermarket. Julia had received smiles from cashiers at the supermarket, happy that she was experiencing joys of motherhood. Julia didn’t mind then thinking that. What they didn’t know couldn’t hurt them. Right? As Julia happily wiped Robyn’s mouth everytime he couldn’t coordinate his tongue reflexes, she looked at the bib she had around his neck. One day this would have to go… but not yet. She was having too much fun.

Perhaps the biggest adventure of all was when Robyn got put in his crib at 5 o’clock in the afternoon and the sides were lifted and locked so ensure that he would be right where Mommy left him. There was something comforting about being supervised 24 hours a day, but as with any child, getting older would one day bring rebellion. Julia half dreaded those days, but she also knew that there were ways of dealing with that.  

Julia made sure that the crib was near a window, so that Robyn could look out and see schoolchildren as young as seven, running around and playing outside. “One day that will be you. But right now… you’re just Mommy’s little baby boy.”

Robyn had racked up lots of rewards in the first year, but, under the influence of hypnotic tapes, they sat unused. At least there would be a stock building up for some future date.

 

[dlsafrica]

The Highlight Day of 2020 to 2022

Julia LOVED having a little baby to teach and raise. Diaper changes were an amazing experience for her. Wet or dirty, she didn’t mind.

She knew that there were adventures ahead for her and for Robyn. She wondered how it would be enrolling Robyn in a pre-primary school and ultimately in big school. But those were still a way off. For now, she had a couple of minor adventures with her little husband boy (sometimes she had to remind herself of that) to enjoy.

Julia had a stroller which Robyn would fit comfortably into, and she had a baby car seat in her car. Her little boy was pacified and diapered, and helped into the stroller, although by now, she had let Robyn start walking. Once out by the car, Robyn was helped into the baby car seat and strapped in.

They drove to the shop and drew many looks from people who didn’t understand… people who thought it was just strange. Some must have thought they were poor and couldn’t afford a mechanical wheelchair. Some people thought that Robyn was disabled. Some people thought it was weird for adults to wear just a diaper and a T-shirt. Some sniggered and whispered to other people, pointing. Other people just ignored it. But it didn’t help. Robyn felt self-conscious. Julia was pretending she didn’t notice.

Robyn was so self-conscious that he flooded his diaper while sitting in the stroller. Julia beamed. That was her chance.  “What a good little baby boy,” she said happily.”Sadly, Mommy didn’t bring any diapers with her so we will have to go shopping with you displaying to everybody what a good baby boy you are.” Robyn felt himself blush a little and try to hide his face. As the stroller was pushed across the length of the carpark (Julia had made sure to park in the furthest possible place from the entrance so she could maximise her pleasure and Robyn’s … she didn’t know what he would feel… indifference? Shame?

People sniggered and pointed. People laughed. People were seen taking photos on their phones and uploading the images onto Facebook. Only God knew what comments they might be making. Julia was beaming at Robyn’s awkwardness, both present and future. She could comfort him into the future.

Before they entered the shopping center, but once they reached the shade of the eaves, Julia stopped. “Robyn, Mommy thinks you’re old enough now to learn about something… primary colours.” A few would be shoppers stopped and looked at the scene. They talked among themselves and some took photos on their phones. Robyn was a little self conscious and worried, but… well, he couldn’t exactly say anything with a pacifier in his mouth. Julia was getting the most out of it. She wouldn’t want to come across portraying the image of a bad mother.

Julia was aware of the people standing around listening to her, face it, monologue. But she didn’t mind. “Robyn, the primary colours are red, yellow and blue. Now, red is the colour your face just went just know. Come, let Mommy show you.” Julia flipped to the image she had just taken on her phone. “There Robyn, that’s red. Red is one primary colour. Do you know what another primary colour is, Robyn? Yellow. That’s the colour of your diaper now. And the other primary colour is blue. Blue is the colour of the sky. Mommy will read you a story tonight about primary colours. But let’s go shopping now.”

In the store, the baby aisle was the last aisle they went into. Julia wanted to give Robyn an unexpected reward, so she told him he could choose two baby toys. He picked a rattle, and a small blanket.with all the primary colours he had just learnt, on it.

2080

“Alfred!” called Robert against the wind. “We’ve found something here. It’s a secret compartment in the lid. We seem to be able to open it.

Alfred got up from his desk and walked over in the sunshine to the coffin. The item, whatever it was, had been wrapped carefully, and the team didn’t want to damage whatever might be inside. They laid it down on a table and, when uncovered, it revealed a weathered blanket. Alfred mused. “The mystery deepens. Will we ever know?”

Epilogue

2037.   

Julia’s phone rang. Unknown number . She answered it. She started crying softly. She had never been a wailer.

The medical examiner had been called to her house by a neighbour who had seen the backdoor open, but couldn’t get any response.

The medical team pronounced Rpbyn dead from a heart attack on arrival at the house. The neighbour had had Julia’s phone number.

The funeral was attended by a handful of people that Robyn and Julia had known. The body and casket was at the funeral, since Julia had chosen to bury the casket on the estate of her late grandfather.

After the funeral, the casket was transported to an estate which had been owned by her late grandfather… the same place where it would be uncovered by an archaeological expedition 43 years later, seeking clues to the previous generation.

“Just a minute,” said Julia before the coffin was closed. She pulled something out of her jacket pocket and walked closer to the coffin. “My love. This is yours.” Julia once again and for the last time, put two fingers to Robyn’s lips, but this time it was not to close them. She parted his lips and put the object she had extracted from her pocket, into his mouth.

“My love. I thought I would leave you as I found you. Permanently pacified.”

 

 

THE   END

 

Footnote:

 

PS) I thought of doing an extra chapter detailing a bit of Julia’s history, but wanted to keep it about the main character.  This is, I think, only the second story like this I have written. I wrote a thirty or something chapter story on another site about 17 years ago (the site no longer exists) about a struggling family whose breadwinner owned a television production company that was saved ultimately by the success of a game show about babies, that his son decided to enter. 

[Sarah Penguin]

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh.  Kind of sad the other story is gone. Sounds interesting