Broken: Chapter 27 - Outburst

[FingerToes]

I was trying to describe a hurricane.  It was hard to do this from Avery's point of view.   I might revisit this chapter to see what could be done to imply that with out giving it away. 

[Babyqtboy]

1 hour ago, FingerToes said:

I was trying to describe a hurricane.  It was hard to do this from Avery's point of view.   I might revisit this chapter to see what could be done to imply that with out giving it away. 

I thought you did a pretty good job of it. My first thought was hurricane, the problem is that if you don’t want to outright say hurricane, only people who have actually experienced hurricanes will get it right away. 

[FingerToes]

Maybe what I could do is have the radio make an announce and make so Avery didn't understand what the radio was saying since he is just a baby. I appreciate the feedback. 

[Babyqtboy]

Update to this coming soon? 🤞🤞 was really getting into this and would love to see it continue 🥰

[FingerToes]

Yes I will get an update out tonight.   I have been busy moving my patents into assistant living this weekend. Plus I am getting ready to travel from texas to Belgium for work for six weeks this weekend.   I will be alone while there so I hope to turn over some more chapters this weekend.   Thanks for the encouragement.   I am so glad you are getting into this.   This motivates me more than anything. 

[FingerToes]

Sorry every one it has taken me so long.  Here is the next two chapters.  These two chapters you may find slow but it is necessary.  I will get the next one out very shortly.

Chapter 8 - Elder Wisdom

Avery screamed out into the darkness, “Mommy, Daddy,  No, No!” as he quickly sat up in the darkness of his closet.  His heart was racing against his chest. He felt hot and sweaty.  Tears ran down his face, and he couldn’t stop crying as he hugged his stuffed red dog, Clifford.  Avery wasn’t sure where he was for a few minutes as he was disoriented and confused.  

As Avery stared into the closet's darkness in a panicked state for a while, he slowly came back to reality, realizing it was just a really vivid dream.  He hadn’t had this dream for a few years.  He couldn’t recall the last time his dream was this explicit.   He never knew if his dream was real, a figment of his imagination, or somewhere between.  The foster agency never fully came clean about what happened to his parents when they passed away.  He often wondered if this was a repressed memory deep in his mind. Whatever the case, it always seemed to pop up when he was at his most stressed. It took him several minutes just to start pulling himself together.

He finally started to calm down and took a few deep breaths.  He reached for the doorknob of the closet and then realized the comforter was soaking wet, and the bottom of the mat was also wet.   That was when he realized the crotch of his boxers and the bottom of his t-shirt were soaked.  This meant only one thing.  He wet himself while he was asleep.    He couldn’t believe it.  He hadn’t wet the bed since he was 7 or 8.  He put his head in his hands. As if embarrassing himself the previous day hadn’t been bad enough, now he was wetting himself in his sleep.

“Maybe I am just a useless baby…” Avery muttered to himself, echoing some of the shouts he had heard whilst making his way home the previous day.

The sun was bright in his bedroom when he opened his closet door.  He had been asleep for over 18 hours.  He couldn’t believe how long he had been asleep.  He must have been very emotionally exhausted from yesterday.   Now that there was light in the closet, he could see the full extent of how badly he had wet the comforter and red and blue mat.  Since the mat was waterproof by design, some of his urine had run off onto the carpet.  He didn’t want to deal with this problem because he was still feeling the lingering effects of his dream like he just lost someone and the sadness that came with it.  

Regardless, he had to clean up his mess before it started to smell worse.  He wiped the tears from his eyes, stepped out of his boxers, and tossed them on the comforter.   Afterward, he quickly rinsed off in the shower before getting a new pair of boxes.  He stepped into a fresh pair of gray gym shorts with a small black strip down the sides and a black PS4 T-shirt with four main buttons across his chest.   Under the kitchen sink, he found one of his white garbage bags.  He took the garbage back and stuffed the soaked comforter and boxes in the bag.  He loosely tied the bag up and set it by his door to prevent any odors from getting around in the apartment. 

Then he took care of wiping down the mat with a Clorox wipe. All the while, he kept thinking about the dream as the feelings still wouldn’t leave him as he whipped and dried the mat the best he could with the paper towels.   He pulled the mattress out of the closet.  The pee had soaked up under the mat on the carpet.  He used one of his bath towels to help soak up all the pee on the floor.  He didn’t have a carpet cleaner and wasn’t sure what to do, so he mixed some dish soap and water.  Grabbed two more bath towels.  He then got down on all fours and tried to scrub the carpet as best he could with the soap.  He wasn’t sure if he got it all out.  Even so, he dried the carpet the best he could with the towel.  He opened the blinds so more light could get into the closet, hoping that would help dry the carpet better.

Avery’s work iPhone rang.  He looked down. It was Bryan again.  “Not now. I can’t deal with him,” he said as he decided to ignore it and let it go to voicemail again.    He took the three dirty towels to the front door and put them in a trash bag with his other wet items.  

Avery went into his pantry in the kitchen, where he kept his laundry detergent and quarters for the public washer and dryer the apartment complex provides. He hoped no one would be in the laundromat on a Friday at lunchtime as he headed out with the items in hand, including the sizable bulky trash bag with his soaked comforter and boxers.  

Avery’s heart still felt heavy and sad, not from the accident but from the dream.  It always made him wish he knew his parents and had better memories of what they looked like and sounded like. He continued to walk by the other apartments toward the laundry mat.  His mind wondered what his parents would think of him if they were looking at him from above.  Would they be proud of him for graduating high school early and getting his Bachelor of Science at age 19?  Would they be mad at him for how badly he screwed his opportunity up yesterday and peed in front of all those people?  How they made fun of him even as he continued to pee and make a puddle on the floor.  Who would ever want a son like that?  Maybe it was better they hadn’t lived to see how much he messed everything up.

Soft, slow tears slid down Avery’s face as he walked into the laundromat carrying the trash bag over his shoulders.  

The laundry mat was a dingy room with a concrete floor. The walls were painted a sickly green as it hasn’t been updated in a long time, and the air was thick with the smell of detergent and sweat. The light came through the windows, along with a few fluorescent lights that buzzed overhead.

There were a dozen or so washing machines and dryers lined up against the walls.  Some of them were already in use, and the noise was deafening. The dryers rumbled and shook, and the washing machines churned and sloshed. 

Despite the noise and the smell, the laundromat was usually a place where people came to socialize. People of all ages and backgrounds would come here to do their laundry, especially on the weekends, and they would often strike up conversations while they waited for their clothes to wash and dry.  There were benches, chairs, tables for sitting, and tables for folding clothes.

Being that it was a Friday before lunch, Avery was lucky for now.  There was no one at the laundromat.   The few laundry machines going must have their items dropped off and started so the owners could take care of other things.  Avery chose the washing machine closest to the door and quickly tore the trash bag. It smelled like urine. He tossed in the comforter, boxers, towels, and laundry detergent as quickly as possible.   He set the washing machine on very hot and as long of a cycle as he could.  He shoved the quarters in.  As Avery did this, someone walked in.   He quickly tossed the trash bag into the trash in the laundry room.   “Geeze, it smells rancid in here, don’t you think?”  An older woman carrying a laundry basket with her said to him.   

“Yes, it does. I am not sure why.  They need to clean this place more often.”  He said, trying to pretend he didn’t know what or where the odor came from.  “Have a good day.” He nodded and smiled at the older woman. Before she could respond, he was out the door.  He set the alarm for 1 hour and 30 minutes to remind him to return and put the items in the Dryer.

As Avery walked back to his apartment, he realized for the first time that he was hungry and realized he hadn’t had anything since breakfast yesterday.  No wonder his stomach was rumbling and mad with him.   

When Avery got back to the apartment, he went straight for the pantry.  There wasn’t much there.  He needed to get more food, but the last thing he wanted to do was go back out in public today.  He was done with people.  He found a couple of packets of instant oatmeal.  That should settle his stomach for a while.

He tried playing some video games on his PS4 as he continued ignoring Byran's calls.   It wasn’t long after that the alarm went off to check on the laundry.  When he returned to the laundromat, there were more people, and the old lady was still there.  Except she was sitting close to his washer.   The washing machine had not finished yet and was on a spin.  He was going to have to wait.

Avery didn’t want to sit, so he paced back and forth in front of the old lady.  “You look like a lost cat, pacing like that.   Are you ok?” the old lady spoke softly without looking at him.

Avery looked over at the old lady as she was sewing a quilt while waiting on her laundry. 

“I am fine,” Avery said.   

“That means you are not fine. I may be old, but I can still read people.”

At that moment, his phone rang, and Avery pulled it out. It was Byran again. Avery let out a big huff. “Stop calling me,” He said. He didn’t notice he said it out loud and ignored the phone call.

“Well, whatever it is, that phone call seems to have something to do with it.”  the old lady didn’t even look up as she was sewing, “You know, I am almost 80 years old.  Life has never been easy for me. I have messed up more times than I can count my fingers and multiply it by  two or more times.”

She pauses. Avery didn't say anything but stood still.  She assumed he was listening.

"Life is like sewing a quilt," the old woman said. "You start with a blank piece of fabric, and you add pieces of fabric to it. Each piece of fabric represents a different experience in your life. Some pieces are happy, some are sad, some are exciting, and some are boring. But all of them are important."

"As you sew the pieces together, you create a pattern. The pattern is your life story. It's unique to you."

The old woman smiled. "Sometimes," she said, "the pattern is easy to see. Other times, it's hard to see. But it's always there."

Avery finally spoke to the old woman who seemed lost in her sewing. "So, what happens when I mess up big time on the quilt?  Throw it away seems to be the answer," he asked.

The older woman laughed. "Everyone makes mistakes," she said. "That's part of life. But don't worry. You can always rip out the mistake and start over. Or, you can leave the mistake in like I do. It might make your quilt even more beautiful ."

At that point, the washing machine with Avery’s clothes made a sound indicating it was done.  Avery was silent again as he moved his clothes from the washing machine to the dryer. 

When Avery turned around to leave, the old woman looked up for a second. "Life is a journey," she said. "It's full of ups and downs but also full of beauty. What you do next could determine what the next pattern of your quilt might look like.”  

“Early on in my life, when I made mistakes in life.  I would push people away because I was angry and scared.  That is how I lost my husband.”  She looked down at her quilt. “But, I carried on and learned from those mistakes.”

“I will keep that in mind.” Avery didn’t know what else to say to end the conversation as he left to head back to the apartment.

As he returned to the apartment, “Damn, that woman got into my head. “  he paused and looked up at the sky. He realized he would have to answer the call sooner or later. Plus, he needed to get his stuff back.

Chapter 9  -Difficult Decisions 

For the next two hours, Avery poured his attention into playing Sackboy on his PS4. afterward, he went to go pick up his laundry out of the dryer from the laundromat.  The old woman was gone when he came back.  A part of him wanted her to be there, and the other part was glad she wasn’t.

When Avery got back home,  He placed the bedspread on the bed where it belonged, folded the rest of the laundry, and put it up.   Avery returned to his game and grabbed a drink and snack as it loaded.  He kept his attention away from yesterday's event by playing several levels on Sackboy.  He finally came upon a hard level, where he made his way through the tunnels, avoiding the creatures and the traps. He eventually made it to the end of the level, where he faced off against a giant rat. As he fought the rat with all his character’s strength and his skills on the controller, his iPhone rang again on the coffee table; it was Bryan.

Avery paused his game before beating the boss.   He leaned over and rubbed both of his hands on his face, covering his eyes as he took a deep breath before answering the phone. “Hello?”

“Ah, finally got a hold of you.  I was worried you weren’t going to pick up.”  Bryan sounded relieved to Avery. He wondered if Bryan was going to tell him he was fired.

“I am sorry, I have been busy,” Avery lied. It was a weak lie, and he knew he didn’t sound convincing at all. Based on the silence at the other end of the phone, Bryan didn't believe him. 

“So, I wanted to call and personally apologize for how John, Zak, and Ethan behaved yesterday.  That was completely inappropriate.” Bryan eventually said.

“I don’t really want to talk about it. I just want to get my things and figure things out from there.  Is there a way you can have my stuff for me down on the first floor by security so I don’t have to come up there?  I don’t really want to see anyone.” Avery replied miserably.

“Why? Are you quitting? If you are, I would like to try to change your mind.” Bryan’s voice didn’t seem surprised; he sounded earnest.

There was a long pause as Avery wasn’t sure what to say.  He was sure they would let him go.  Maybe they wouldn’t call it a firing but no longer need him or something like that.  “Um, what do you mean?”

Bryan suddenly realized that Avery thought he was calling to let him go.   He didn’t want to embarrass him more, so he ignored his revelations. “We, being myself, Julian, and on behalf of DNA Pharmacia, would love for you to continue to work for us.  Christy brought to my attention the work you have been doing these last two weeks. I looked over it all day and last night.  I think you have a very valid point that there is a fundamental flaw in the calculations and not the programming.  I would like you to continue to research and develop the calculations so we can modify the code and try it out in the program.  Even if you are wrong, I am sure there is something to learn from your analysis that we can use to improve the calculations in the worst case and still look for the hidden program error.”

Avery couldn’t believe what he was hearing.   Bryan was not just asking him to come back out of sympathy for him but because of what he tried to explain to John and the team.  There was a pause.  

“Does the cat have your tongue, Avery?” Bryan finally broke the silence.

“Ah, sorry. I appreciate the acknowledgment.  But I don’t think John wants me on his team anymore.”  Avery's voice sounded nervous and a little scared.

“Ah, John… I am not going to beat around the bush.  What John did was wrong in so many ways.  We are addressing this the best we can.  John does not have a choice of who he chooses to be on his team for this project anymore.   In the future, I will always supervise any direct contact you have with him.  You are not to be alone with him.  I will make a promise that John will not be confrontational or derogatory around you again with my presence.”

Avery listened.  “But his office is close to my office.  What about when you go for a meeting?  You can’t be there all the time.” He felt like he was sounding pathetic. Like he couldn’t defend himself at all and needed a bigger, stronger person to look after him.

“Your office will now be located on floor 5 in the IT department. He will not be allowed to go to that level of the building.” Bryan said firmly,  “The only time you will come down to our level is when I am present, and you will be with me. Christi and I really respect you and all the hard work you put into this.  What do you say?  Give us another chance?”

Again, there was a pause.  Did Christy really respect him?  How?  He peed on the floor.  Maybe if he could prove that his calculations could actually fix the program, John and the rest of his team would see what he could offer to the team.  That is all that he really wanted, in the end, a chance to prove he was right and for others to see his worth.

“Yes, I will come back.”  Avery’s voice sounded hesitant.

“Great, see you on Monday.  Enjoy the weekend.  Do something fun so you come to work refreshed. I will meet you down at the lobby at 8 a.m. to take you up to the IT department, and you can meet Darlene, the IT Director.  She’ll get you set up at your new desk.”

“Got it, 8 am.  Thanks.  See you then, and you have a good weekend, too,” Avery hung up.

What did he do?  Why did he agree to go back?  He will be the laughingstock of the place.  What if he has a repeat incident?  He will still have to work with John, even under supervision, which will still be stressful.  His pull-ups were not absorbent enough to hold an accident like he had.  What was he going to do if he had another?    He kept turning this over and over in his head again as he played Sackboy on his PS4 for another hour to try to get his fears to go away.  Finally, he stopped. He had to admit that he knew what the answer to his problems was… He just desperately wanted to avoid it.

“I am going to need something thicker and more absorbent. “ He thought to himself as   he grabbed his iPhone and began to research “adult diapers.”   He rolled his eyes at himself. Just typing in the search engine was difficult for him, and he had a feeling of being beaten.  He came across a local website that says they do discreet deliveries in 1 hour or the next day locally.    The website was called MamaB’s AB and Medical Supplies.  He liked that they delivered discreetly, and they looked to be the only ones that were local.  Amazon would have to be his next best guess to search if this didn’t work out.

Avery clicked on the website.  He was taken back a little bit.  There were definitely adult diapers.  Pictures of all types of diapers. He also saw links to clothes, furniture sections, accessories, supplies, and toys sections.  There was also a link to “How to select the right diapers or protective wear for you.” It was all a bit overwhelming and a lot more full-on that he had expected. He’d had no idea there could be so many different options.

When Avery clicked on the link to the diapers, he had the option to select Disposable or Cloth.  Avery clicked on the disposable diapers. There were solid white disposable diapers of all sizes and thicknesses—some with and without wetness indicators.  What really caught his eye was all the adult diapers that looked more like babies or toddlers. Some were pink, blue, and green.  Most were white with all kinds of different patterns. Some had ABC building blocks, Some had mermaids, and some had puppies and other types of items. There were over 8 pages of diapers to search through.   What had he stumbled on?  He was overwhelmed as he looked at them.  He thought there might be a few selections of adult diapers, but nothing like this.  But at the same time, there was also the typical stuff you would expect. From mobility aids like walkers, wheelchairs, and crutches to orthopedic supports and compression stockings, the store had it all. As he clicked through it, the site was meticulously organized with products like blood pressure monitors, diabetic supplies, respiratory aids, and medical beds. 

It was almost like the site had two sections: the typical medical supply and the non-typical medical supply, as he called it in his head.

He then, just out of curiosity, clicked through accessories and saw adult baby bottles, adult sippy cups, changing mats, and other items.  He did the same with clothes where they had a little boy and girl clothes.  Dresses for girls and patterns that were very childish.  He also saw PJs, shorttails, and even pants and shirts that were clearly meant for children and yet were sized to fit adults..

He then clicked on AB furniture, though he had no idea what AB stood for.  He saw cribs, playpens, changing tables, high chairs, and rocking horses and other items.  He was stunned, but then he remembered reading about how some babies born didn’t have developed brains and were basically babies their entire lives.  He reasoned with himself this is what the site was catering to. Still, it was a little strange to see it all right in front of him.

Finally, Avery got serious and decided to go back to the diapers.  There was a link. “How to buy the right diaper”.   He couldn’t believe it, but he was going to click on it.  The site read, “Things to consider when buying diapers. Waistband height, Leakguard height, Tape Type, Number of Tapes, Absorbency Requirement, Cloth or Plastic Preference, Waist Measurement, Crinkle Factor, and Cuteness Factor. Avery was overwhelmed; there was so much choice that he felt like his head was spinning. He wasn’t sure what half the options meant, and he realized this whole process would require more research than he imagined.

He realized what he wanted in the end was something that had four tapes and medium absorbency, as he had learned there were four types of absorbency.  Low, medium, heavy, and overnight.  He wanted something with a low crinkle factor (he couldn’t understand why anyone would WANT more crinkles…) but was not able to get to the lowest number. He ended up going with something called a crinkle factor of 4 out of 10.  That was the lowest he could find in the medium absorbency without going to cloth diapers.  Cloth diapers would be way too thick to hide at work.   He found a standard white diaper that he thought he could go with and ordered two packets to start with.  Each packet of diapers contained 12 diapers.  As he placed the order, he felt a sense of defeat and humiliation even though no one would know.  

Avery decided he didn’t need these diapers till Monday. So he did the next day delivery instead of a one-hour delivery.

Having finally clicked to confirm the payment, Avery sat back and felt very strange. His wetting problem had been around on and off for a long time, but he had never resorted to full diapers; he’d always told himself he would never go that far. It hardly felt real that he had really made the order, even as “Order Confirmed!” appeared on the screen. He got up and took his night meds and a valium to help him sleep better.   He thought to himself, “I will end this day playing Sackboy and at least enjoy myself and not think about the diapers anymore.” As he grabbed the controller and started the game back up again, he tried to rid his mind of his new purchase.   He hadn’t had a day of playing video games since he started this job.  He was going to do this tonight and the rest of the weekend to keep his mind off what was to come on Monday.

[aldl4811]

excellent evolution here!

[Babyqtboy]

On 10/31/2023 at 1:59 PM, FingerToes said:

Yes I will get an update out tonight.   I have been busy moving my patents into assistant living this weekend. Plus I am getting ready to travel from texas to Belgium for work for six weeks this weekend.   I will be alone while there so I hope to turn over some more chapters this weekend.   Thanks for the encouragement.   I am so glad you are getting into this.   This motivates me more than anything. 

Loved the update, sorry to hear about your parents, hopefully the transition went smoothly. Have fun in Belgium, lots to see and do there 👍

[Pierry Louys]

Great chapter 

[Eagle0769]

Wow what a great two chapters.

I really enjoyed them and your writing too. 🙂

[FingerToes]

There is a new character introduced at the end of the chapter.  You may not fully understand how or why she knows what she know but it will be apparent in other chapters.  Enjoy!  I am not settled in and ready to write more often.

Chapter 10 - Home Sweet Home

Darlene was glad it was Friday and she was finally home.   As soon as Darlene walked through the door, she could feel the tension in her shoulders and her neck still from the weeklong stress. The week had taken its toll, and she was glad to be able to sit down and think about other things for a few days.  They had three attempted hackers trying to gain control of the network to try to steal all their information.  Each one was thwarted by her and her team with no damage to the company or loss of intellectual assets. 

Her home was her place to escape and rejuvenate.  She took pride in her house and how everything was decorated; it reflected her.

Even though she loved it, returning to an empty house didn’t always help.  She knew just how to shake the feeling off of being alone along with the stress and recharge her batteries. It was called an excellent long exercise session, which always seemed to help. She put her purse and car keys down on the entryway table, along with her sunglasses. 

She made her way upstairs into the master bedroom, which was spacious and stylishly designed, with a king-sized bed, a comfortable sitting area, and plenty of closet space. The color scheme was soothing and calming, with shades of blue and green that create a serene atmosphere perfect for relaxing in bed or reading a book after a long day.

What really set this master bedroom apart was the thoughtful touches that made it clear this space was designed with her need to escape from corporate life. There was a built-in charging station for her phone and a built-in sound system, as well as a small reading nook looking out over the forest.

Darlene began to throw her work clothes off and on the king-sized bed.   She searched through her dresser drawer for her workout clothes and put on a pair of navy leggings and a matching sports bra that supported her large breasts nicely.  

She then moved into the master bathroom, which was equally impressive, with a large, luxurious bathtub and a large separate waterfall-type shower. The two sinks and vanity were spacious and well-lit, with plenty of storage for all her beauty products to be neatly organized. The tiles on the floor and walls were sleek and modern stone look, providing a clean and sophisticated look. 

Between the master bedroom and bathroom, it was a perfect reflection of her – elegant, practical, and designed for both comfort and functionality. It's a space where she could recharge and refresh.

She stood in front of the mirror in the master bathroom, where she removed the bun in her hair.  She shook her hair out, combed it, and tied it back in a ponytail.  Finally, she was ready to go work out.

Darlene made her way past three bedrooms, one of which was closed, and then downstairs to her custom-made homework outroom.  Darlene had spent a lot of money on her home workout room, one of her pride and joys of the house. The workroom downstairs was flooded with natural light, which poured in through the floor-to-ceiling windows that lined one wall looking out at her property backed up to a forest. The flooring was made from a soft and durable material that provided excellent traction and cushioning during workouts. 

There were multiple pieces of state-of-the-art equipment, including a high-end treadmill, rowing machine, and weightlifting station. Each piece of equipment was carefully selected for its performance capabilities and aesthetically pleasing design. The gym also included a variety of smaller workout accessories, such as yoga mats, resistance bands, and foam rollers. In one corner of the room, there was a large screen that could be used for streaming workout classes or playing music videos to keep you motivated during your workout. 

The walls were adorned with inspiring quotes and artwork, adding a personal touch to the space. The room was also outfitted with a high-quality sound system and wall-mounted TV, allowing you to blast your favorite tunes while you sweat it out or play a workout video. Overall, the home workout gym was the perfect space for a fitness enthusiast who wants to stay in shape without leaving the comfort of their own home.

Darlene turned on her TV and selected one of her many premade workout sessions that would last for 90 minutes or more. She started her routine with some cardio on the treadmill.  She felt the familiar rush of endorphins flooding her system within a few minutes of the workout. The music from the workout session blaring from her sound system drowned out the outside world's noise, and she could focus solely on her movements.  She loved working out.  This always made her feel better. 

She ran for 25 minutes on the treadmill, then did some jumping jacks and burpees. After that, she did some cardio strength training exercises with weights. She did squats, lunges, and bicep curls. She also did some push-ups and sit-ups. She could feel her muscles stretching and contracting and the sweat dripping down her forehead. 

With each passing moment, she felt the weight of the day lifting off her shoulders. The stress and anxiety that had been plaguing her all week slowly dissipated until she was left feeling renewed and invigorated. Finally, she finished up with some stretching by doing some yoga. She stretched her arms, legs, and back.  

Before heading back upstairs, Darlene stopped by the kitchen, took a homemade freezer meal out, and placed it in the oven.  She opened a fresh bottle of Merlot red wine and poured her wine into your nice wine glasses.

Feeling refreshed, she went back up to the master bedroom with a glass of red wine. She took a long shower, enjoying the fragrance of her bath soap and shampoo, which was infused with Ylang-ylang, a floral, tropical scent to promote relaxation and reduce stress.

After drying off, Darlene grabbed a fresh bra and panties along with fresh pjs made of light pink cotton sateen, a soft and breathable fabric that was perfect for hot summer nights. The top was a button-up shirt with a Peter Pan collar and long sleeves. The bottom was a pair of loose-fitting shorts with a drawstring waist. The set was trimmed with pink lace, which added a touch of elegance. 

The soft fabric felt good against her skin, and the loose fit allowed her to move freely. She tied the drawstring on the pants and buttons up the top, then went to the mirror to check herself out. She smiled at her reflection. She looked and felt great.

She grabbed her red wine and took a sip. “Time to relax for the rest of the evening,” she told herself as she exited the master bedroom. 

She passed the closed door once again, which was the nursery that she had never been able to get rid of.   She set a hard date in about two weeks; Goodwill was going to come by and pick all the stuff up.  Every time she passed, she felt a sense of sadness and lost hope.   She was supposed to have a 9-month-old baby in the crib by now, but her body did not do well in the delivery process.  She lost her child. The delivery was so bad that she would never be able to get pregnant again. 

Darlene shook the memory off as she sipped her wine and walked downstairs.  The house was lonely. It was her dream house she built two years ago with something more in mind, but tonight she was going to enjoy the time alone and start watching Game of Thrones, which everyone talked about, and her sisters said she must get into.

The kitchen was the least used place, with the exception of the empty dining room and spare bedrooms.

She went over to the oven and pulled out her meal.  Chicken cordon bleu for the evening, served with fresh green beans and a side of sweet potatoes.   It smelled good.  Since she lived alone, once a month, she would spend a day or two preparing nice healthy meals for her and freeze them to be eaten during the next month.

The living room of the house was where she spent most of her evenings before heading to bed. A spacious area with a high ceiling and large windows that let in the natural light, the room was decorated with a modern and chic flair. The furniture was sleek and comfortable, with a plush sofa, a love seat, and a couple of accent chairs arranged in a semi-circle around a huge coffee table. Despite all the furniture, there was still empty space to fill.

The centerpiece of the room was a massive flat-screen TV mounted on the wall. The woman had spared no expense in acquiring the latest technology so that she could enjoy her favorite shows and movies in stunning clarity. The sound system was equally impressive, with speakers tucked discreetly into the corners of the room, ensuring that she got a cinema-like experience whenever she watched something.

The color palette of the room was a mix of neutrals and bold colors, with a deep purple rug covering the hardwood floor. The walls were painted in a pale gray that contrasted well with the dark wooden shelves lining one of the walls. The shelves displayed her collection of books, decorative vases, and other trinkets that she had picked up during her travels.

As the sun began to set,  Darlene settled into her cozy living room, ready to indulge in her guilty pleasure - watching the first episode of Game of Thrones. She had been meaning to start the series for months, and finally, she had the perfect evening and weekend to do so.

As she dug into her dinner, she eagerly pressed play on her remote control, excited to immerse herself in the world of Westeros. As the opening credits began to roll, she couldn't help but marvel at the stunning visuals and haunting music. From the first scene, she found herself immediately drawn to the characters and their stories.

As she watched, she savored the flavors of her dinner and sipped her wine, enjoying the perfect combination of comfort food and indulgent entertainment. She laughed at the witty banter between Tyrion Lannister and Jon Snow and gasped in shock as the plot twists and turns unfolded before her. 

As the episode drew to a close, she was engrossed in the world of Game of Thrones, and she felt a sense of satisfaction and anticipation. She knew she had found a new favorite show that would keep her entertained for many evenings to come. She started the second episode, and she wasn’t 30 minutes into the second episode when she got a text.

It was a text sent by her automated IT alert system.  “Yellow alert, adult website access on company property, log number 347820.”  She hadn’t seen one of these in a while.

Darlene paused the movie.  She walked into an over sized home office, sat at her desk, and loaded up her computer.

Darlene then went into her custom-made IT security management software to look for the log number.  Once she found it, she clicked it.  User ID AV672XX access website www.mamabs.com.  Site content label “Adult Content.” Security System “OK”. 

Darlene never heard of this website.  But that wasn’t unusual when she got these kinds of alerts.

The User ID was Avery Sage.  “Oh shit, this is the one that Julian wants her to take in and house in her department.”  She said to herself. “It looks like it won’t be that long till he gets let  go for looking at porn on the company computers.”  

Darlene had never heard of that site, and in the past, everything she got on one of these alerts was always porn, so was her assumption here.  She was shocked when she clicked on the site and realized it was a shopping site.  The first thing she saw were adult diapers.  But these were not regular adult diapers.  There were all sorts of designs that were for babies and toddlers.  She suddenly remembers Avery's accident early this week.  She was confused.  Did this young man have a medical problem?  If he did, why this site?  

With a “yellow” alert.  Darlene had two weeks to report it.  Typically, she just reported it the next day, but this wasn’t a porn site.  This wasn’t a typical adult site.  She could see that he had clicked on several pages as he looked over diapers, baby supplies, baby clothes, and actual medical supplies.

If anyone knew what this site might be about, it would be her sister, Ashley Matatesa.  “ Darlene texted Ashley on her personal iPhone.   Ashley, what is this site?  Is it sexual?  I figured you would know based on your knowledge of this kind of stuff.  I need help because someone accessed this website on a work computer.”

Darlene then proceeded to put a block on the website.  Even if it was innocent, it was unnecessary to access this site on company-issued hardware.

Afterward, Darlene returned to watching the second episode of Games of Thrones.  It was almost 10 p.m. as she was on the third episode. She got a text back from her sister 

“Sorry I took so long to respond.  I was busy.  So, someone accessed this from work?  To your answers, yes, this could be sexual, but not always.   There is a group of people who identify themselves as Adult Babies and Diaper Lovers.  Sometimes, it is very sexual and can be incorporated into BDSM or just Domination play.  I have never had a client ask for this, but I have heard of it.  I also hear some just like to regress and don’t find it sexual at all.  Then the site also has a lot of medical equipment, so could the employee be buying medical equipment?”

Darlene thought about it. “I saw that he purchased a case of medium size adult all-white disposable diapers, so I guess that could go either way.”

It was only a minute later that she got another text back for Ashely. “I can research it for you more later.  I am sorry I couldn’t be of more help.”

“No, you don’t have to research it. I can do it if needed. I blocked the site so no one can access it on work computers or phones.   Maybe we can talk about it at our Wednesday girls' evening get-together.  ;)”  

“Sounds good.”

Darlene returned to the Game of Thrones and had a second glass of red wine before calling it a night.

[kerry]

At least he bought plain white.

[Eagle0769]

This is getting good.

Did he know where he bought his new diapers from?

She has a nursery and he just bought his first pack of diapers.

Is Darlene a big I forgot?

Mmmm 🙂

[FingerToes]

No Darlene is not a big, jus normal sized human being that is about 6ft tall. 

[FingerToes]

Chapter 11 - First Day Back

Avery awoke Monday feeling a deep sense of dread.  He rolled over in his bed and hit the snooze button.  Sunday, he set the alarm thirty minutes earlier than usual to get a diaper on.  He didn’t want to do this, but he felt he had no other choice.

The previous Saturday, when the box of diapers arrived, it came in a large brown cardboard box that did not indicate where it came from.  Avery opened the box just to make sure it was what he ordered. The diapers were wrapped in a clear plastic seal when he pulled them out.  He didn’t open the plastic seal because he felt defeated for even buying them.  Instead, he hid them in his closet all weekend. He still felt a deep shame that it had come to this, and he could barely bring himself to look at them. 

Avery couldn’t ignore the diapers forever, though. He would need to put it on before work no matter how much he wanted to avoid it. No amount of procrastinating could delay the inevitable. He could only imagine how it would feel and look to wear one. How could he hide them from his co-workers?

The alarm rang again as he hid under the covers, and the sunlight was just starting to slide through the bedroom window.  Avery rolled out of bed in just his gray boxers. He stretched and decided to get coffee before attempting to put the diaper on—just another excuse to delay the inevitable.  

After his coffee brewed and he downed some Cheerios, he decided he could delay no longer if he didn’t want to miss the bus.  He took a knife and slowly cut open the package.  He was shocked. There was a slight smell of a delicate balance of soft powdery notes, florals, and subtle sparkling fresh green and citrus top notes.  It was a familiar smell, but he wasn’t sure what it was.

He pulled two diapers out. One to wear and one to put in his backpack.  As he touched it, he could feel the plastic backing.  It wasn’t as soft as the adult pull-ups he used.  These were supposed to be the thinnest diapers he could get with medium absorbency from the website with a low so-called “crinkle factor.”  He still can’t believe he knows about this now.  The diaper in his hands still felt thick to him.  He couldn’t imagine how thick the large absorbency and nighttime diapers would be.  A shiver went down his spine, thinking of having to wear one of those at work.  

He opened the diaper up. It was huge.  At least in his opinion.  This was a medium-sized diaper, and he thought it must be too big for him.   Avery twisted and moved the diaper around to see how much noise it might make.  Sure enough, there was a noticeable crinkle sound to it.   Hopefully, with his pants on, that would dampen the crinkle noise sufficiently that it couldn’t be heard.

“Ok, do I put this on lying down on the bed, standing up, or sitting on the toilet?” Avery muttered to himself.  He thought lying down would be the easiest, but that wouldn’t give him any practice changing his diaper while at work.  If he had to do this, he would have to change in the stall.  So Avery decided to try doing this on the toilet, sitting down as if he was in a bathroom stall at work.  

Avery walked into his bathroom.  Since he lived alone, the toilet seat was always up, so he put the toilet seat down, folded the large diaper full out, and placed the diaper on the toilet seat.  With a sigh, Avery dropped and kicked his boxers off towards the laundry basket and tried to center himself over the diaper while sitting.  He then grabbed the back end on one side and pulled it up while also grabbing the front end of the same side with his other hand and bringing them tightly together.  He then began to remove the two tapes on one side and tape the sides together.  

Avery repeated this with the other side.  The diaper was fastened.  The first thing Avery noticed was how much thicker this diaper was between his legs than a pull-up.   When he stood up to look in the mirror, he was shocked at how much higher the front was.  He turned around, and the back was much higher up than a pull-up.  A pull-up was as high as his boxers for the most part.  The diaper went as high as his lower back.  

“Oh shit, how am I going to hide this. Will people be able to see it through my shirt?” he asked himself as he quickly went to the dresser drawer and picked out a pair of tan khaki work pants.   He slipped them on over the diaper.  The pants were much tighter and wouldn’t require a belt at all with this diaper.  He looked again in the mirror.  The diaper was poking out in the front a little, but in the back, it was poking out a good bit.  He walked around with each step he could feel the thickness of the diaper between his crotch. It felt so weird. The thickness forced his legs further apart like it was a small pillow.

Avery did not like the feeling at all.  For a few minutes, he stood there looking at himself in the mirror, wondering if he should risk the adult pull-up.  Finally, he convinced himself this was still better than wetting his pants at work.   He grabbed a maroon golf shirt and slipped it on.  He turned around.  Standing straight, he could see the diaper with his shirt untucked.  Tucking his shirt in, he felt like you could see the outlines of the back of his diaper.  Avery decided it was better to leave the shirt untucked.  

Avery then bent over. Slight bends seemed to keep the diaper hidden, but he could tell it was a close thing.  A full bend down and touching his shoes exposed the back of the diaper.  He made a mental note that he couldn’t bend down while standing to pick things up if he dropped something.  He would have to get down on his knees and pick it up.

Avery then walked around his apartment.  He could barely hear the diaper crinkles between his legs as he walked. If he was intentionally listening, he could hear it. Avery prayed that no one would listen to him that close and he could get away with this.

Finally, he convinced himself that he was ready to return to work with a diaper on for the first time.  He grabbed his morning pills, which included his valium, and swallowed them down with his now-cold coffee. As he was about ready to leave, he grabbed his spare diaper and went to put it in his backpack as he froze.  “Shit, I left my backpack at work when I ran out there.  I left everything there.”  All he had was his work iPhone with him.

What could he do?  He couldn’t just carry a diaper under his arms.  He thought quickly and decided that maybe he could hide it in a lunch sack.  He would figure out how to transfer it to his backpack later.   He grabbed his lunch sack, which he never used, and stuffed the diaper in there.  It was a tight fit.  It took up all the space as he had to fold the already folder diaper over another time and squish the sides in to get in the lunch sack. 

With that, Avery headed out the door with the lunch sack, well aware he was wearing a diaper, and walked to the bus stop.   His heart was racing as part of him wanted to run back into the apartment and say forget it.   “But then what would I do?  I have faced the world and learned to make a living. I want to make it on my own.  I have to deal with this regardless of where I work until I get it under control.”  

When Avery got to the bus stop. All the bench space was taken, and several people were standing around.  Avery normally would try to stand close to the bus stop to get in and get a good seat if he could.  Today, he stood back.   He felt exposed even though he knew no one could see his diaper or hear it with all the busy traffic noise.  Time went slowly; what felt like thirty minutes was only five minutes when the bus arrived. As he waited for the bus, he kept fidgeting with the back of his shirt and pulling it down, afraid something would show.

Getting on the bus, he saw all the seats were taken.  Luckily, there was one seat right by the front of the bus which wasn’t fully taken.  “Do you mind if I sit here?”  He asked an older man with a briefcase on the empty seat.  He looked up at him and just nodded and, grabbed his briefcase, and put it on his lap.  Avery took the seat.  He wasn’t sure if he was just not talkative or if the man was upset; he asked to sit there.  Either way, it was probably good that they didn’t talk.

When Avery sat down, he left some space so his legs and hip wouldn’t touch the man.  He was afraid that he might feel the padding of the diaper.  Everything he was doing was all about avoiding contact and being found out now.  Again, the ride seemed to take longer than it actually did.  The bus finally arrived at his stop.  He now had half a mile to walk to the office building.

As he walked by the park where he jumped in the fountain, his memories started coming back about how he ran away.   He even walked by the alley where he had hid and cried.  He didn’t really believe in one particular religion, but he was sending prayers silently that he would make it through the day.

He finally got to the building and walked through the large automatic sliding doors as he entered.  Julian and Bryan were already standing there by the entrance desk.  Julian gave him a warm smile.  Bryan wasn’t so coy about his arrival.  “Hey, Avery, we are glad you came back,”  He pretty much shouted across the complex.  Avery took a deep breath and approached.  Julian put his hand out to shake Julian's hand.  

Julian has a quieter demure about him.  “Thanks for giving DNA Pharmacia another chance.  We will do everything possible to make your return comfortable and enjoyable.”   

Avery returned the gesture by shaking Julian's hand. “Thank you, and I am sorry.” Avery swallowed and looked around nervously. Had they all heard about his embarrassing episode? Were they all looking at him knowingly?

Julian stepped quickly in with soft and quiet, “Don’t be sorry. You did nothing wrong. It was all John’s fault.  No one is going to look down at you.”   

Avery could tell from Julian’s eyes he meant it.  It was Bryan's turn to step and handshake his hand.   

“Well, I am damn impressed with your work.  You're one brilliant...”  There was a pause as Bryan almost called him a kid but stopped himself.  “Young man.  I can’t see what you do next. Shall we take you to Darlene’s floor?”

Bryan started to walk off by leading Avery past the security point and onto the elevators.  Julian followed.  Only the three of them were on the elevator, and Avery was glad for that.   He was looking forward and afraid to look at both of them as he wondered if they could tell if he was wearing a diaper or could even hear it.  Each step, with the thickness of the diaper, was a reminder of what he was wearing.  He could see in the reflection of the elevator door both Julian and Bryan's faces.  Bryan kept the conversation going.  

“I am glad you brought up the fact that there were two different methods being used to solve for the stability of the cell wall thickness between the normal cell and the cancer cell.  It has been 9 months at least since we have been working on the problem.  I was looking over your calculations more this weekend.  I really think you are on the right track.  I will get you any support you need.” Bryan said with a big smile.

As Bryan was talking, Avery noticed they were going past the floor where his old desk was.  

“Don’t we need to stop and get my stuff?” Avery asked as they passed the third floor.

“No, we don’t.  I will grab your stuff or have someone bring it up to you if you don’t mind.” Julian said.

“No, I don’t, and thanks,”  Avery smiled.  That was one less stress to deal with.

Just then, the doors opened to the fifth floor.  “Welcome to IT!” Bryan said as if it was a good thing.  Avery wasn’t so sure yet.  Avery followed Julian through a few rows of cubicles.  They showed him two empty desks.  One was his, and the other was for a visitor as it was labeled such.  His desk had his name placed on the desk “Avery Sage.”   He wondered why he had a nameplate with his name on this desk.  Julian stepped in. 

“This is something that Darlene does for all her employees.  She believes everyone needs to have a name on their desk or their office.”. Julian said. He pointed just past the visitor's desk to Darlene's office.  Her nameplate was on the outside of the wall of her office. The nameplate read - “Darlene Matatesa - IT & Cyber Security Director,”

Just as Julian pointed out at Darlene's office.  The office door opened, and Darlene walked out. 

Avery was immediately caught off guard. When he heard that the head of IT was a woman, he was rather embarrassed to admit he expected a small, nerdy woman. What he saw couldn’t have been further from that. Her stride was powerful, and it felt like every small movement she made was with purpose. Her hips swayed with each step, and in her hands, she carried a folder in her hands. She was intimidating but undeniably beautiful. Avery found himself hoping he wouldn’t end up on her bad side.

“Hi, you must be Avery.” Darlene walked over and put her hand out for him to shake. “I know you are not one of my employees, but I want you to know you are welcome here.  I run a tight ship in which Julian can testify. Still, I also take an interest in my employees both professionally and personally.”  

She paused as Avery shook her hand.  Avery noticed she had a strong grip on a woman but very soft hands.  The grip was firm like a man's but as soft as a woman's hands often are.  “Thank you” He smiled back but only gazed at her for a second.  

“Well, this is your desk. I took the opportunity to have it set up ready for you.  I got you two monitors with a docking station for your laptop.  Your phone has already been programmed with your old office number.”  She pointed to her desk.  “Also, the desk on this level is both a sitting desk and a standing desk”.  She leaned over a little to touch the switch that was on the inside of the desk as it started to lift up, and then she toggled it the other way.

“Why don’t my employees get this?” Bryan asked. He looked hurt that he wasn’t given the best in things.   Julian gave Bryan a stare that said now is not the time to discuss this.  Bryan then dropped it.  

“I also got you all the basic office supplies.”  Darlene opened the desk drawers. “And that fancy engineering paper you engineers like.” 

“You're spoiling Avery,”  Bryan said, looking at Darlene.  “He is going to want to work for you, not me.”  He laughed a little with a slightly sarcastic tone.

“Oh, I see you brought your lunch. Here,, let me take it and show you the lunchroom.”  Darlene leaned over to take the lunch sack, and to her surprise, Avery quickly stepped back and put his lunch sack behind his back.  

“No, that is ok.  I want to keep it. I eat at my desk so no one can steal my lunch..” Avery's heart was beating fast for fear of being found out. 

“Ok..Ok.. not a problem.  Sorry, I thought you would want to eat lunch with the rest of us.  That isn’t a problem.  You can eat at the desk as long as you make sure to clean up and no crumbs left behind.”  Darlene didn’t know what the deal was, but something was up with him and that lunch sack.  She actually had a strict rule about not eating at the desk, but she didn’t want to address this in front of Julian or Bryan.   She knew there was some sensitivity with Avery, and he had to be nervous about coming back with his accident.  Darelen also suspected that Avery didn’t know if she knew about the accident in the meeting room.  She didn’t want to put him on the defensive yet.

“Ok with that. I will be going back to my office, and please, if you need anything, talk to me. Ok? I am not all that bad once you get to know me. “  She giggled as she nodded her head to Julian and Bryan.

Avery then proceeded to sit down at his new desk.  The chair was more comfortable and nicer than the one he had from his previous office.  As Avery sat down, he could feel the diaper crinkle below his butt and feel the thickness between the seat and the diaper.  Hoping no one heard the diaper, he thought to himself, “Maybe this won’t be so bad.  No one knows about the incident, and hopefully, they hadn’t heard about me in one way or another.”

“Julian, do you mind if Christy brings up his laptop and personal items?” Bryan asked.  Julian looked at Avery quietly and asked, “Avery, do you mind?  If you do, I don’t mind getting your stuff for you.”

“No, I don’t mind,” Avery responded, but in all reality, he did mind.  He didn’t want to see Christy, but he didn’t want to seem rude about it, as if he didn’t like Christy.  Christy didn’t do anything wrong, and she was the only one who didn’t laugh at him in the meeting room. “Good, then I will leave you be, but please call me if you need anything.”  Julian starts to walk off. 

“Same here,, Avery.  I will go and talk to Christy.” Bryan smiled as he walked off with Julian, leaving Avery alone.

Avery sat alone at his desk.  There was nothing to do since he didn’t have his notes, computer, or his backpack. Hoping no one knew about the diaper that he sat in.  So he sat there and took his phone out and, surfed the internet, and caught up on the Reddit forums he follows.

[Pierry Louys]

Great chapter

[babynicole]

I hope that Darlene gets her baby before the two week deadline

[FingerToes]

I have another installment.  I hope everyone enjoys it.  I had hoped to be putting out about 3 chapters a week but I haven't.  I apologize for that.  I haven't felt the most motivated lately since I have left home for work.  It feels lonely.  I thought it would give me more time.  Hopefully, I'll find a way around this.

 

Chapter 12 - Settling Back In

 

Bryan arrived back at his floor, the third level, and rushed to his office to grab the notes Avery had been pouring over all weekend. He made his way over to Christy's desk with a heavy heart.

"Christy?" Bryan said hesitantly.

Christy spun around and smiled. "Hey Bryan, what do you need?"

"Well, Avery is back in the building, but I'd like it if you kept quiet about it for now. He's on the fifth floor working in IT." Bryan kept his voice low and looked over his shoulders to make sure there were no eavesdroppers.

Christy gasped. "I can't believe he would come back after everything that happened. I thought we were done with him!" She couldn't help but feel a pang of joy at the news as well. "Will he finish up what he proposed before?"

"Yes, he will," Bryan replied, pausing to collect his thoughts. "Since you are so familiar with the program architecture, I figured you could lend a hand integrating his calculations and assist in setting up tests of the program against real data. But first, I have another favor to ask of you."

Christy looked up from her desk chair expectantly. "Sure thing, what is it?"

"I would like you to go fetch Avery's things and take them up to him. With the incident that happened last week, I don't want him to feel any more embarrassed than he has to." Bryan watched Christy closely for a response.

Christy forced a smile. "No problem, Bryan," she muttered as she got up from her desk and walked towards Avery's old one. “It’ll be nice to see him again.”

"Thanks so much," Bryan said gratefully.

"Of course," Christy replied with an edge of bitterness in her voice.

Christy made her way to Avery's desk and found his backpack. She unplugged his Laptop. As she opened Avery's backpack and started to pack the laptop, she noticed something. There were two pull-ups. She looked around to ensure no one was looking before she pulled one out.

The pull-ups were white, with a blue line going down the middle of each side of the pull-up. They were soft and thick. She had to admit to being surprised. She hadn’t expected this at all, but it did make the accident the previous week make a little more sense. She couldn’t help feeling sympathy for her co-worker.

They were clearly made for discretion with thin and soft layers that would hide easily under pants. Despite that, they were still thick enough that there was no mistaking them for a more traditional form of underwear. They had a lot of padding to absorb accidents —they seemed so innocent that they belonged more in a nursery than in this office.

She wondered. "Has he been wearing protection all this time? Does he have bladder control issues?"  

Christy put the pull-ups back into the backpack along with his other items.  She grabbed his coffee mug that he would drink out of, along with a few other things she thought he might need.

As Christy grabbed hold of Avery's backpack, the sound of John's enraged voice filled Bryan's office. "I can't believe you would bring that jerk here! That guy has no business messing with my project, and I will not allow it! As I have already said, the calculations are fine--it's the programming that needs work!"

"John, you don't make the decisions around here. If I say Avery is allowed to go over your calculations, then that's how it's going to be. You'll just have to accept it," Bryan declared, his voice rising louder and more stern than usual. John responded with equal fury as he attempted to match Bryan in volume.

John slammed his fist against the side of Bryan's office door, a loud bang echoing throughout the room. "This project wouldn't have existed if it weren't for me! I'm the one who figured it out when no one else could. I'm the one who got us this far. I won't stand by and let some child who can't control their bladder show me up - you've tried to fire me before, and every time, it fails because this company knows how indispensable I am! You know for sure that this project failed because you allowed some immature kid to meddle with something that was perfectly functional."

Bryan jumped from his chair, bellowing back at John. "You do not tell me what to do! I am your boss, regardless. I make the decisions around here. If you took the time to pay attention to his work rather than ignoring it, you might learn something - even if it isn't perfect, there's something in there we can use to increase our calculations' efficiency. It's up to you if you want to be part of this or not - I don't care either way!"

Byran jabbed his finger towards the door, not even having to speak as John knew he was being dismissed. Christy watched from afar as John spun around with a fiery rage in his eyes. “You fucking morons!” he bellowed, stalking out of Byran's office.

Christy stayed rooted to her spot, paralyzed by the sheer vitriol that radiated from John’s glare. He knew she had been the one to betray him, showing Byran the calculations Avery had been working on. It was written all over her face - the unmistakable betrayal of a traitor. She felt the man’s obvious anger cowing her a little, and she had to look away. She had known John wouldn’t like being undermined, but she hadn’t expected quite as much fury. Fortunately, John stalked away rather than confront her. He may have been able to get out of being fired a few times, but there were limits to what management could excuse him for.

Christy walked towards Bryan's office, her steps slow and soft. "You ok? John sure seems pissed."

Bryan glanced up, his eyes afire with frustration. "Yeah, he is, and I don't know how to live with him or without him. I get paid to handle his crap." Christy could tell that he was under pressure, and she admired him for what he had to put up with. 

Christy smiled gently as she said, "I know and am glad that I stayed here. I wouldn't have made it this long if it wasn't for you." 

His face softened in response to her appreciation, and he replied, "Well, at least there's one sane person around here."

"I'm going to take Avery's stuff up to him now—it's the fifth floor, right?" Christy asked.

"Yeah, that's right. Thanks for doing this," Bryan said gratefully.

"No problem," Christy laughed lightly as she left, "Wish me luck!"

She walked slowly, her fists clenched tightly with each step until she nearly collided with Zak and Ethan. Their eyes bore through her like an iron rod as they spat out the word 'Narc.' She felt her jaw clench, and her lips harden in fury, but she kept marching forward, suppressing the urge to turn around and face them. But their harsh words kept coming, almost as if they were daring her to do something--' Is Avery your pissy britches boyfriend?' Her blood boiled, and rage rushed over her body until it was almost palpable in the air, yet still, she contained herself, taking Bryan's advice that there is a time and place for confrontation. Now is not the time.

Christy was glad when the elevator door opened. She got in, and the doors closed.  She leaned back in the elevator glad to be out of their way for a while.  She jokingly thought to herself. Maybe I could get a desk on the 5th floor too.

As the elevator opened on the 5th floor, Christy stepped out.  There were a lot of rows of desks. She never knew the IT department was so big; she never really had a reason to come up to this floor after all.  She stopped by the first desk.

“Excuse me, do you know where Avery Sage is?”  A slightly overweight woman who was about Christy’s age looked up.  “Who? I don’t know who you are talking about.” the woman replied.

“Ok, then, do you know where Darlene Malatesta’s office is?” Christy asked back.

“Of course I do.”  the woman stood up. “Just head down this about three rows down on the desk and make a left.  That will lead you to her office.  If her door is closed, it means she doesn’t want to be disturbed, so only knock if it’s important.”  

“Thank you, and I will make sure not to disturb her if the door is closed.” Christy gave a nod as she followed the woman's directions.

She turned left after going past the first three rows of desks.  As she walked down towards the end of the aisle, she could see an open office door.  A little further away than Darlene’s door, Christy saw him.  Avery was sitting at his desk, and he looked distracted as he tapped away at his phone screen.  Christy was nervous about seeing Avery.  She didn’t know what his response to her showing up would be like.  She felt he was finally starting to talk to her before the incident, and she hadn’t heard from him since.

Avery didn’t notice Christy walking up to him until he heard a familiar voice. “Hey, Avery, I’ve got your stuff here. I thought you would like them.  I even got your Lego coffee cup.”   Avery looked up.  There wasn’t a smile; she could tell he was nervous and wasn’t sure if he wanted to be there.

Avery just nodded.  He wanted Christy just to drop the items off and leave. He felt so awkward sitting on the chair in a diaper.  

Christy placed his coffee cup down on the table and handed him the bag.  She then saw the lunch sack.  “You brought your lunch today?” She asked. She was shocked because it seemed like Avery never ate when at work.

“I guess you can say that…” Avery said softly.  

Christy was curious about what he brought. “What goodies are in there?”  She reached over to grab the lunch sack, but Avery quickly grabbed it away from her hands. 

“Nothing special,”  he snapped back at her.

Christy was taken aback by Avery's behavior. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you.” She took a deep breath and continued. “I put your computer, notes, notebook, and iPhone in your bag.” Christy looked at him as he seemed nervous, and his leg was bouncing up and down uncontrollably. “Well, I guess I'll go now. If you need anything, just look me up.”

Christy was about to leave when she realized that there was more to this than she had expected. She felt unwanted, but could she really blame him for what happened? After all, it must have been so embarrassing for him. She steeled her resolve, and she grabbed a chair from an empty desk and wheeled it over to the desk where Avery was seated. “Avery, Bryan, and I were really impressed with your calculations." She said. "I was wondering if you could walk me through them so I can better understand them. Bryan also wants me to help you integrate your calculations into the program once they are ready.”

Avery knew Christy wasn't going to leave until he agreed, so he slowly stood up and pulled his shirt down nervously as if trying to hide something. Christy noticed this gesture but didn't say anything. Suddenly, Avery paused, realizing that Christy must have seen the pull-ups in his backpack. Tears started welling up in his eyes as he became overwhelmed with embarrassment. 

Christy immediately caught on to what was going through Avery’s mind. She grabbed his hand with a gentle touch and looked him in the eye. “Avery, it’s ok. I saw what was in the backpack, and I don’t care. You’re smart and brave to be back here - I just want to help.” 

Avery felt a wave of emotion crash over him as he felt how tenderly Christy was holding his hand. It had been years since someone touched him this way. He wanted to hold onto her forever, but he withdrew his hand reluctantly, wiping away his tears with the back of his sleeve. 

He sat back down at the table, fumbling for words. He hesitantly met her gaze. She was beautiful and kind - so unlike the people downstairs that Avery usually encountered. He swallowed hard before speaking in a strained voice, “Thank you… I’m not good with people.” There was an awkward silence between them before Avery finally went back to his notes.

Christy smiled warmly and tenderly as Avery got himself together again.  “Ok, shall we get started I want to learn what you know.”  

Avery, eyes still watery, replied, “Sure, let's do it.”

Avery pulled out the first sheet.  “I started to realize the problem was in how a normal cell and a cancerous cell were being calculated differently.  See here is how a normal cell is calculated in the program here and…”

Darlene watched from her office as Avery and Christy talked; she couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of frustration. On one hand, she was glad to see that he had found someone trustworthy enough to confide in, but it made her question why he wouldn't even talk to her. She tried to push those thoughts aside, reminding herself that he wasn’t her employee and she shouldn’t be so concerned about what was going on between them. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, the nagging feeling stayed with her as she got up to close her door and log into a meeting.

[D503]

Nice update - you can really feel the tension throughout the whole office, though hopefully Avery has calmed down a bit. Interesting to see what happens with Darlene's maternal or even dominating personality.

[Pierry Louys]

I think someone is jealous rsrs

great chapter ! love how Christy put Avery ad ease and calming him ! Hope she can be a nice babysitter/friend for him !

And I think very soon Darlene gonna make something to gain Avery trust and love ! 
Since after the flashback we now agree that Avery needs a lot a love a cuddles from a loving mommy 

[Eagle0769]

Great update. A lot was written and made me understand a little better

of what is going on.

Darlene sounds like a person who cares even if he is not part of her department

I'm sure she will keep an eye on him one way or the other.

Christy will enjoy their time together and learn a lot from Avery.

Bryan's conversation with John was right on. Put him in his place and don't take

anything from him he is the boss don't like it make like a tree and leave. 🙂

[Sofi]

It's early in the process but maybe a new competitor in the race of who gets to put little Avery in a thick nappy. Oh I can't wait to read more. 😉

[FingerToes]

Here is the next chapter.  If there is ever something you don't understand let me know. I am not always sharing all the information because I want some of it to come out later in other chapters.  But as always, I love reading the comments and hearing the feedback.

Chapter 13 - Coffee Time

Christy and Avery sat for almost two hours together, going over Avery's calculations that he had written down on the sheet of paper in front of them. Christy could follow most of it, but Avery’s math and science skills were far superior to hers. She was okay with this because she was one of the programmers of this project. Programming was her special ability.

Although some of the equations went beyond her abilities, she still found them fascinating, as they seemed to come so naturally to Avery. His intelligence and proficiency in mathematics and science were awe-inspiring.

At times, they would exchange glances as they discussed the equations and sequence of events necessary to progress the project. Christy found herself marveling at his mathematical acuity and at his interest in their shared project. Though the equations intimidated her, she reveled in the supportive environment that Avery had created. He gently explained each equation to her, always careful to ensure that she understood each step and never talking down to her like some of her other team members. It seemed like he would make a great teacher.

Avery led Christy through each step of the calculations, but there was still one issue left unresolved – how to determine which of the two answers for two of the equations was correct. Avery had examined the equations multiple times and had determined that they were quadratic in nature, meaning that there could be more than one answer.

Avery sighed as he looked at Christy, shaking his head. “We need to figure out which answer is right, but I have no idea how.”

Christy furrowed her brow in thought and then said, “There must be a way. Maybe we can try testing different values until we find a consistent result? We could use the same equation with different inputs each time and see if it produces a consistent answer or not.”

Avery nodded slowly as he considered her suggestion before smiling. “I have thought of that. But a program isn't going to be able to tell which is the right answer without some boundaries or guidance. I just need to play around with this for a while to figure out the best way to do this."

By the end of the session, Christy was confident that Avery was on the right path and understood the basics of equations and their implications.

Christy looked at the time on her watch. “I have no idea how to solve something like that, but I am sure you can figure it out.” 

Avery smiled at Christy.  She was the first person to really sit down and take the time to listen to him, and that made him proud of what he was doing.  He felt hope that he might still be respected.

Christy stood up. “I need to get going. I have a meeting in a few minutes and need to prepare for it.”  

Avery stood up, trying not to let his face show his embarrassment as he remembered what he was wearing. He could feel the diaper crinkling and rubbing against his butt through his shirt, and he tried not to let Christy hear it. He tugged at the back of his shirt, hoping she wouldn't notice.

Christy noticed something was wrong as Avery's facial expression changed, but she didn't say anything. She smiled at him and said, "I'm sure you'll figure out a way to solve this problem." She patted him on the shoulder, trying to make him feel better the same way one would do to a child if they scraped their knees. “I will come by and see you tomorrow if you’re up for it, okay? Maybe we can even have lunch together and talk about this more. What time should I come by?”

Avery nodded, still a little embarrassed and also taken by the kind gesture of her hand on his shoulders.  If she knew, she didn’t act like she cared.  “I would like that. In the morning again.”

Avery sat back down, feeling relieved that Christy didn't seem to know what was going on. He knew that if he wanted to pursue her in any meaningful way, then he would have to tell her about his medical condition eventually. For now, though, all he wanted to do was focus on getting these calculations correct so that their project could move forward.

Avery tried to focus on the calculations. He couldn't help but feel conflicted about what just happened with him and Christy. On one hand, she had been so kind to him - which made no sense as it seemed too much for her to do out of obligation or pity. Yet, on the other hand, it felt like she actually cared for him in some way, making it impossible for Avery to accept that someone could really like him. He wanted to believe her kindness was genuine, but he simply couldn't bring himself to trust it.  Still, he savored the moment they spent together these last two hours.

Avery realized something as he started to look back over his calculations.  He had gone almost the entire morning without coffee.  He had his special Lego coffee cup back, so what better time to put it to work.  Avery got up and made his way slowly over to the lunch room to try to avoid everyone.  When he got there, he noticed there was no community coffee pot but did notice four Keurig coffee makers lined up.  

“That will work, but where are the K-cups?”  Avery thought to himself.  He looked around to make sure no one was nearby. He then opened the top counters to see if there were any, but there were none.  He then bent down as he forgot for the first time that his diaper could be exposed and looked down at the bottom cabinets.  There were cups, straws, and plastic silverware, but no K-cups.

Darlene stepped around the corner and saw him bent over; she was just about to ask what he was looking for when she noticed his diaper. This confirmed part of the mystery that the diapers were for him but not why he wore them. She coughed and spoke up, "What are you looking for?" Avery snapped up like a frightened rabbit and pulled his shirt down, desperately hoping that she hadn't seen him as his face went bright red. "Ah, nothing," he stammered as he backed away with his coffee cup in hand.

Darlene was frustrated at his evasive attitude. "Oh, come on, I'm not an idiot!" she said sharply. But Avery kept walking without even acknowledging her presence.

"Stop! Stop this right now," Darlene barked in a voice so authoritative that it almost echoed through the entire office. Avery froze in place, and a small stream of urine trickled from between his legs and into his diaper. He slowly turned around and locked eyes with Darlene, who demanded once more, "Now tell me what you're looking for."

His voice quavered as he replied, "I... I just wanted some coffee. I am sorry." His gaze remained fixed on the ground as he awaited her response.

"Well then," Darlene said softly yet firmly. "Was that so bad?"

“We are a little different here than the other departments. I put some money in a company debit card for each of my employees every month to buy K-cups or whatever they desire to drink instead of one coffee pot. I find that people’s tastes vary too much, and life is too short to argue over how everyone likes their coffee.”  Darlene paused as she noticed he looked like a defeated little kid who wanted to get out of the lunch room as fast as possible.

“Unfortunately, I can't give you a debit card without your direct supervision, but I can provide you with some of my K-cups,” Darlene said with her half-hearted smile slowly fading.

“That's alright…I'll just get my own K-cups tomorrow,” Avery muttered as he started to turn away.

“Stop," she commanded harshly. "Turn back around and face me." Again, Darlene was treating him like a wayward child, and it infuriated her that he had this aura of self-pity around him.

Avery slowly rotated his body towards her, not daring to meet her gaze. “Look, when someone is trying to be kind enough to offer you something, you don't shoot them down. You say thank you. Thank you, Ms. Malatetsa.”

 Avery felt his heart racing as he was chastised by Ms. Malatetsa. He was sure everyone in the office was watching and judging, but he couldn't look up at her. His diaper felt warm and wet around his crotch, and he wished he could melt into the ground and disappear. He felt like a child caught by their mother with their hand in the cookie jar.

"Is that so hard?" She said as she gestured for him to follow her into her office. "Come on now, let's get you some K-cups. You don't need to buy your own". Avery reluctantly followed her, feeling every eye turn towards him with judgmental disdain.

Once inside the room, Darlene walked him over to a cabinet stocked with boxes of K-cups in an array of flavors from light to dark roast. Avery looked up in awe at the shelves of sugar packets and countless options of coffee. It seemed like too much for him to take in. She continued speaking, "Down there is my small office refrigerator filled with creamers: hazelnut, caramel, french vanilla. What do you say?". Avery finally looked up at her nervously and stammered out a quiet thank you before averting his gaze again.

Darlene laughed softly and said, "You are very welcome. I'm sorry if I scared you back there, but you're free to come and use my K-cups whenever you need them; I'd be insulted if you went out and bought your own while you are here." Her eyes twinkled with amusement as she finished talking, trying to put him at ease.

“Now, I have to go out for a business lunch today, so help yourself.” She smiled as she walked past him and out of the office.

He glanced back, but she had already gone. Avery heaved a sigh of relief—she did scare him, after all. He investigated the cabinet until he settled on a medium roast K-cup. Going to the fridge, he scanned his surroundings for other people before bending over and checking out the available creams. All of them were flavored; he didn't care for sweetened coffee creamers or sugar but wanted some cream or milk. To his surprise, there were small bottles with MM's Milk printed on them and a date. Must be local milk, he thought to himself. Taking one out, he opened the top and poured in a bit of it into his cup. After putting it back and shutting the refrigerator door, Avery noticed that she had her own Keurig. Since she was nowhere to be found, he brewed his coffee there instead. The aroma wafting from the cup was comforting as he took a sip; it was sweeter than expected due to just using milk, but still good nonetheless.

Avery walked to his desk with his cup of coffee in one hand and shuffled around the papers on top until he found a pen. He was about to start working when he felt the squish of his diaper between his legs remind him about what had happened earlier. His face flushed as he remembered how embarrassed he had been, and even more so now that he knew Darlene possibly had noticed too. He sighed; the day had gone from good to bad in just minutes.

Avery looked down and felt the soaked diaper through his pants and groaned. He desperately wanted to change out of it, but he had only brought one spare diaper with him. Plus, he wasn't sure how to get out of the bathroom without being noticed. Feeling trapped, Avery had no choice but to wait until the place was empty during lunchtime. But time seemed to drag on endlessly as he tried to concentrate on reviewing his calculations, and he could still feel the wetness against his skin.

Finally, Avery thought that most people were out for lunch or eating, giving him a slight glimmer of hope. He stood up, grabbed his lunch sack in an attempt to hide his diaper, and started walking down the rows of desks toward the restroom hallway located at the back of the room. Just as he reached it, however, Avery saw someone coming out of the ladies' room and heading straight for him. He did his best to avoid eye contact while secretly praying that she hadn't noticed the bulge from his diaper hidden beneath his lunch sack. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Avery made it into the men's restroom and let out a sigh of relief.

 When Avery entered the restroom, he was grateful that it was empty. He desperately wanted to change his diaper and prayed no one would come in while he did. His diaper wasn't super wet, so he could have gotten away with a pull-up, but the familiar softness of a disposable provided him comfort at this moment, knowing there was more room if something really bad happened like last time.

Once in the stall, Avery triple-checked to make sure the stall door was locked. He lowered the toilet seat. He undid the four tapes to his diaper and quickly got out of it, feeling relieved when it didn’t leak before he had a chance to take it off. As he was about to place the used diaper into a small trash can, someone barged in, and Avery panicked. He quickly sat down on the toilet seat, pretending nothing was going on and he was just doing his business. He waited in silence with his pants down but sat in a wet diaper inside the stall. Looking up again, making sure it was locked, and it was.

Once they left, Avery made a mental note not to throw his dirty diaper in the small trash can where people could easily find it. If word got out that there were used diapers in the trash, and he was the only new addition to the floor, it wouldn’t take long for people to put everything together. To avoid any further controversy in the office, he had to get rid of it somewhere else where nobody would notice. He stood up and set the diaper down on the toilet lid. He then sat down on the diaper, wrapped the diaper around his waist, and fastened it securely with two tapes on either side before swiftly making his way to a larger trash can.

Against Avery’s better wishes, he decided to put the used diaper in his lunch sack till he could find a place to throw it away.   He would shove the diaper in his drawer back at his office if he didn’t pass by anything on the way.

Now, all that was left to do was return to his desk without anyone noticing anything suspicious about himself or his behavior until lunchtime ended. With that in mind, Avery slowly opened the door and returned to his desk without making any contact with anyone else in the office. He silently sat down and picked up where he had left off on his calculations before having been interrupted earlier. Before long, lunchtime was over, and everyone returned to their respective cubicles.

Darlene came back from lunch in a good mood, talking to people as she passed by their cubicles. She stopped by Avery's cubicle. "Did you enjoy the coffee?"

Avery was so deep in his equations that he jumped at the sound of her voice, bringing back memories of what had occurred before lunch. He quickly stammered out a response, "Yes, it was good. Th-thank you."

Darlene pushed further, challenging him with her words. "What is the proper way to say thank you?" 

Avery gritted his teeth in frustration before spitting out, "Thanks, Ms. Malatetsa." Avery wondered if Darlene went out of her way to make everyone feel small or if that was reserved for him.

Satisfied, Darlene smiled knowingly. "Keep practicing - it gets easier. Would you like a refill on your coffee?"

"No, thank you, Ms. Malatetsa," he replied firmly. Despite knowing he was lying, she said nothing; instead, she used this moment to remind herself why she demanded respect from everyone in her office. Respect worked both ways for her, and it showed because they would come to her with both their work problems and personal struggles - respecting them back was nothing less than the least she could do.

Darlene was aware that Avery didn't report to her directly, but it still irked her that someone in such close proximity wasn't treating her with respect or being open and honest. If he hadn't been so distant, perhaps none of this would have mattered to her.

"Look, I have the feeling you're going to be here for a long time. Why don't we go out to lunch and find out a little bit about each other so you aren't so tense around me all the time?" Maybe the last part was a little much to say, but it was true. He was like a stiff brick around her.

"No, thanks. I don't really eat lunch, and if I do, I eat alone." Avery said, looking at the computer screen and ignoring her.

She parted her lips and was about to say something vaguely hostile when a voice spoke up inside of her head. It sounded remarkably similar to a voice that used to tell her not to bite her nails in public or pick her nose or stare at the crack of a boy's ass while he bent over looking for his wallet on the bus or his diaper as she did by accident earlier. 

She didn't say the words on her lips; she was a leader and needed to keep her cool. "Well, the offer stands if you ever change your mind, and you don’t need to purchase yourself K-cups. I will be upset and insulted," she said.  Her voice was calm and sweet but also firm as she walked off. At least this will make him have to come into her office at least once a day. Maybe he'll grab a cup in the morning in front of me every day, so he has to acknowledge me at least and have small talk.

Darlene strode into her office, determined to get her afternoon coffee. She grabbed a K-cup to put it in the machine but noticed there was already a used one in there. "He couldn't even throw it away," She let out a frustrated sigh. As she tossed away the contaminated pod, Darlene began to brew a fresh cup of coffee and sat down at her desk.

Her gaze shifted to Avery through the window as he busied himself with paperwork and studies. Despite taking him in when no one else wanted to, he still seemed distant and ungrateful. Swirling her mug around, Darlene pondered what made him so special - or why he had such disdain for her. With frustration, she set aside her thoughts and returned to work, reminding herself dinner was tonight with her sisters.

 

[Pierry Louys]

That’s was intense for Avery ! Now he has two ladies that’s in the own way is caring for him , I think in the future Chrissy would be the good an nice babysitter and Darlene gonna be the strict mommy that helps Avery with his social skills ! 
loving the way you are introducing the relationship with the characters! especially Darlene since even her don’t know yet why se so interested in Avery ! Curious to see what she gonna do when she see that he is drinking her milk ( and why she producing milk since her don’t have a baby yet rsrs) 

keep the great job and hoping to see a new chapter soon 

[CDfm]

I had just got caught up on the story last night and failed to send my reply.  Then this evening I noticed a new chapter had been added. So I erased the original comment and will go with a new one. 
Awesome story so far. I realize that Avery is dealing with a tough past and some disadvantages due to his size and health issues but he also seems to be pretty closed minded when dealing with people.  He now finally seems to be relating somewhat better with Christy but Ms Malatetsa has been nothing but kind and considerate towards him and he is actually rather rude in his response to her. Again I can understand him being guarded in dealing with people he doesn’t know but he isn’t giving them a chance either. 
I will be looking forward to seeing more of the story.